Growing up in Delray in the 50's and 60's

[Paprikash Lover]

Hello everyone!  I'm delighted to find this web site and forum.  I noticed most of the posts are from folks who grew up in the 30's and 40's, that is my father and mother's generations.   I'd like to start the ball rolling to capture memories from the two transition decades when the world changed dramatically.  To me, those, of course, were the golden years.   My family lived on South St. about five houses from Yale around the corner from Holy Cross.   My grandfather Stephen Soter was very active at the church and this legacy was passed down to us as well.   I'm going to start with a random memory dump as recalled by a kid born in 1950 at Delray General Hospital.   These will be some key words and phrases that hopefully will trigger more detailed posts in the future.  (I apologize for the misspellings)  So here goes:

Father Jacobs giving out report cards at Holy Cross School
Grape festivals under the church in the hall with the marble covered walls
Mrs. Aider's candy store at South and Yale
Playing kick the can on Dill Place
Al Horvath's funeral parade down the street with some 30 to 40 violinists marching and playing a traditional dirge.
Mr. Fodor, coach of the Holy Cross Crusaders basketball team:perennial league champions
Corpus Christi procession to the school yard with the mini chapels My grandfather had #4 on behalf of the Holy Name Society
Almassy Florists who made my mother's wedding bouquet and then copied it for the 25th anniversary celebration.
Fancy Pastry Shop who made the cake both times as well.
Fish fry on Friday nights from Al's Lounge
Chicken soup on cold winter Sunday's from Al's as well.
Mr Szabo's market on West End where we had an account in "the book"
Stan and Joe's gas station at Dearborn and Harbough where Dad always bought Pure Gas.
Soltesz Bar on Dearborn
The old Dairy Kreme soft serve store at Dearborn and Thaddeus
The time the old Hungarian Reformed Church became the Dearborn Street Mountain Assembly Holiness Church of God
Working my way through college hanging doors on Cadillacs at Fleetwood  (later 1976 to 78)
Ferency's market in the middle of the block on South Street
Czimadia's store on Vanderbilt
Fox hardware at Jefferson and West End
Shopping at Zolkower's at Dearborn and Jefferson for our school uniforms
Czekei's market where my dad worked part time as a butcher on weekends.
Mr. Toth the lawyer on Jefferson
Gegus's hardware on Jefferson where my mom bought dad a Lionel train their first Christmas together
Klein's Shoe Store
The bowling alley upstairs at the southeast corner of the West End Jefferson intersection
The Magyar Has
Detroit Toledo and Ironton train tracks crossing over to Zug Island
John Kar Beverages
Joey's Stables Restaurant

I'm sure I'll come up with more stuff but I've got to go now.

Thanks!

[Barbara Scott Spence]

Mr. Kish's store on Harbaugh and Keller.
Playing in the fire hydrant water
Stan and Joe's bar
Mr Vargas hardware store on the corner of Harbaugh and Keller
Paprikash and strawberry pie at Als east end restraurant
The day the soap factory blew up
The day the box factory burned down on Melville
I can think of more.....

[Lizzie]

Funny the things you remember....
How the old people would come out very early in the mornings and sweep the sidewalks. It was so pretty and clean back then.
Climbing up onto the roofs of the buildings (from the ally) on Jefferson and going rooftop to rooftop all along the street.
Remember the old theater on Jefferson?
The dounuts in brown paper bags that were made at Holy Cross around the holidays.
Everything else that has been mentioned in other posts!

[KIZ365]

 HI TO ALL FROM DELRAY

   I GREW UP ON HOME ST. JUST OFF OF JEFFERSON. MY FATHER AND MOTHER ALSO GREW UP IN DELRAY IN THE NEIGHBOR HOOD OF CARBON WORKS. AS BOTH OF MY PARENTS HAVE PASSED AWAY I HAVE COME INTO POSSESSION OF A LOT OF PHOTO'S FROM THE LATE 40'S TO AROUND THE 60'S THAT THEY HAD. AM NOT SURE WHO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE BUT WOULD LIKE TO SHEAR THEM WITH YOU IF I COULD.

[MagyarMan]

HI TO ALL FROM DELRAY

   I GREW UP ON HOME ST. JUST OFF OF JEFFERSON. MY FATHER AND MOTHER ALSO GREW UP IN DELRAY IN THE NEIGHBOR HOOD OF CARBON WORKS. AS BOTH OF MY PARENTS HAVE PASSED AWAY I HAVE COME INTO POSSESSION OF A LOT OF PHOTO'S FROM THE LATE 40'S TO AROUND THE 60'S THAT THEY HAD. AM NOT SURE WHO SOME OF THESE PEOPLE ARE BUT WOULD LIKE TO SHEAR THEM WITH YOU IF I COULD.

If you could contact me directly via e-mail, we can discuss the best way to feature your photo collection on te Old Delray website. I would love to create a photo essay of them. Do you have a scanner?

[KIZ365]

I HAVE SENT YOU A E-MAIL

[Dan Veres]

I can think of a few more landmarks

Delray Bakery (Where the best Hungarian Bread was baked) I worked there with Atilla Cziraky and John Bresnai
West End Bakery (For Cakes and Pastries)
Hungarian Pastry Shop
Fox Hardware
Hinky Dink Bar
Kovacs Bar
Roses Bar
Hungarian Club on Jefferson

[Nancy McCoy]

gosh that brought back so many memories... I was born in 1955 at William Booth Hospital my Mother is Alice May....Dad was Rayburn McCoy...went to Holy Cross School from 1st grade to 8th grade....also went to Mcmillan for kindergarten and 1st grade there,until Mcmillian went to Jr high..then Holy Cross...we lived on South St...my step dad was Ed Nagy...thanks for the memories ...Nancy McCoy Duff

[lhornok]

Hello I was born in 1955 at the Lynn hospital. My parents were Andrew & Elizabeth Hornok. Tressa Komara is my niece.  I lived on Melville street and remember watching the orange DT&I locomotives switching boxcars at the whiteway warehouse across the street. There was a dock where they unloaded damaged boxcars and gave away some of the things that were in damaged cases. I attended Holy Cross shhool from kindergarten to the third grade, Morley elementry from 4th. to 6th, Mcmillin from 7th. to 8th and southwestern high. I remember fedency's market on South street where you could buy everything and put it in the book until it was paid off on Fridays until it closed and then going to Szabo,s market and do the same. Nobody could make smoked kolbas better than Steve Szabo!! I also remember going to Mrs. Aders store on South & Yale and buying the flying saucer candy that had the consisancy of communion wafers.
I also remember Fox hardware where you could buy almost anything from appliances to weed killer. i also remember; John Karr bottling company, Nisners, Kleins shoes, Solosy funeral home, Marko"bar', Al's bar,  West End bakery, Delray bakery, Sara's store on Westend & South John Molnar funeral home, just to name a few.

  I also can't forget the day the Wayne soap company blew up!!I was in the hall at Morley when I heard a wooshing sound , glass breaking, kids screaming & smoke comming through the doors!! I think that only a 1st. grader wea hurt at the school & almost every house on that side of Darborn ave. had at least one window blown out.


These are only a few of my memories of old Dolray.

Thanks for the memories.                                              Louis Hornok

[jhugley]

Well Louis, I remember You taking me up to the ice cream joint. Me on the handlebars of Your bicycle. I'll never forget. I also remember The flying saucer candy, If only the communion wafers only had those tasty beads in their centers. Paper drives at Holy Cross  were fun, if only it were as much fun to recycle stuff now. I remember catching bees in the alleys. And the music the Gypsies played when there was a wedding or funeral across the street. I got my first kiss from a girl in Szilagy's back yard. Mrs. Horvath would give us cookies for flowers we brought next door to Her, so would Mrs. Bandi. I remember Soter at Holy Cross and the National Guard there too during the riots. People still had coal delivered to thier basements.Father Jacob would walk Rocky while enjoying His cigar.

[sammy davis]

What memories , i to was born in 1955 but at Delray General Hospital remember all that pollution  from Solvay, also remember playing in the few trees at Delray General in the 60,s, Mom visiting patient..Do I remember Delray Bakery getting hungry already keflies, nut-rolls , and the bread..Also playing in the pond at woodmere cemetary, where Dad and Neni and the Uncle are buried. Christmas in Delray was the best time, and Tony's meatmarket the artwork of Pigs.. Thanks for the Memories

[sammy davis]

I have posted numerous posts, what a Great site I've said many times.. Cherish memories of delray..

[MagyarMan]

What memories , i to was born in 1955 but at Delray General Hospital remember all that pollution  from Solvay, also remember playing in the few trees at Delray General in the 60,s, Mom visiting patient..Do I remember Delray Bakery getting hungry already keflies, nut-rolls , and the bread..Also playing in the pond at woodmere cemetary, where Dad and Neni and the Uncle are buried. Christmas in Delray was the best time, and Tony's meatmarket the artwork of Pigs.. Thanks for the Memories

AT LAST! Someone remembers Tony's meat market. That place is burned in my memory forever. The huge slabs of Szalonna and salami's and smoked kielbasa hanging from the ceiling. Sawdust on the floor. I can still remember how it smelled! The art work inside and out side. Real butchers behind the counter. This place was pure magic to me. Delray was magic itself, and a great place to call home. Places like this are gone forever, and live only in the minds of a few of us old timers who knew Delray in it's heyday.
I also remember vividly (don't remember it's name) the market on Dearborn near Jefferson where you could buy all manner of LIVE animals in wooden cages there. Pigs, lambs, geese, chickens,  goats, etc., and they would butcher it right there for you; and wrap it up to take home. Now that is what you call FRESH!
I also vividly remember a small Polish butcher shop on Leigh (sp) street near the tracks. My grandma would pick out a live chicken, the butcher would chop off it's heat right there at the counter and throw it into a barrel and let it just flop around until dead. The butcher would then dress the chicken for you, and you got the whole chicken to take home with you. Even the feathers if you wanted them. It was great to grow up in Delray.

[Paprikash Lover]

I want to acknowledge Mike Kadar and his sister Mary for hosting a GREAT reunion  party on December 10th.  Mike and Mary are closing out their mother's old house on South Street who past away earlier this year.   They decided to hold a "house closing" party for all their friends who shared many memories with them in the house.   For several hours we packed the house playing "who is this?" and "Remember when..."   It was fantastic seeing most of the old gang I ran around with.  Many I had not seen seen over 30 years.    Here's to the gang who were there:  Joe Turcsak, Steve Turcsak, Steve Vargo, Louie (Chicky) Previch, Gordon Thoms, Ron Thoms, Bobby Meyers, Richy Meyers, Donny Meyers, George Bailey, Charlie Sipos, Simon Rodriguez, Betty Soter and myself, Joe Soter.  My apologies to those I might have missed.   What a night!   We also remembered others who could not be there like Buda Cziracky, Attila Cziraky, Louie Kadar, Andy Szombati, Leonard Horvath, Denise Paruch, Claudia Witecka, Nancy nemeth, Helen Arnoscki, Sandy Wykovics, Rosy Barabas, Frank Petho, Bert Kovacs, Eddie Sandor, Johnny and Embry Breznai.  Please pardon my spelling.  For one night the old neighborhood blazed in its former glory.   Thank you Mike and Mary!

[MagyarMan]

This was a beautiful post and a tribute to the memory and celebration of the life of one of Delray's residents. In the old days, whole neighborhoods would gather to mourn the passing of one of their own. So once again, old friends gathered to say goodbye to the passing of one of their own. This is also symbolic of gathering to celebrate the demise of Delray as it was, "Once Upon A Time."

"The life of the dead, is placed in the memory of the living."