Totowa Book of the Dead Guest Book

[Totowa Book of the Dead]

You can sign this guestbook by clicking on the pink button that says "POST REPLY" and then fill in the boxes and hit "SEND" and then fill in the "confirmation code" and hit "SAVE".

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Thank you for visiting Totowa Book of the Dead
Email: llgg2@hotmail.com
Laurie Giardino

[nicole]

hi laur. did it work?

[frankiec]

Hope this prevents that awful spam you were afflicted with.

[rj.]

Hey Laurie---coming to you in the new year from the "land of the new rising sun",
I came across your website by accident while researching the origins of the word "Totowa",
and I must say it has had a profound impact on me; Simply put, I was blown away - both mesmerized and energized. Its an excellent piece of work! It has awakened my own memories - which I thought would just fade away and (now) I see them preserved. Your
recollection(s) of events accurately depict what it was like growing up in Totowa Boro and from reading the numerous e-mails, it has struck a chord within many people. For me, this is serving as a catalyst to my picturesque, chronolgical journal which I started writing back in '87; Its an unfinished manuscript, written in the third person (using my pseudonym) that has been dormant for sometime now. The following will synthesize some excerpts from my
journal plus memories from your own website. I'm not sure what the size limit is because the following will be lengthy and if you have to shorten/edit before posting, I will certainly understand. I just hope you have the time to read this in its entirety.// I remember you although I didn't know you too well. I was in the class/grade of your brother Mike - going way back to Washington Park School. My family also "migrated" from Paterson to Totowa
just after the Cuban missile crisis; I have an old (CD) "Civil Defense" posting that was already there when we moved in. My mother still lives in the boro (45 years and counting).
I can recall seeing the ole tree houses, in Laurel Grove Cemetary, until they eventually cut
the trees, themself, down to discourage any newer generations from doing the same...I can remember them "slapping down" what would later become Route 80...ice skating on the cemetary pond...Annie's grave...having a paper route which included actual houses on the boulevard (they are now mostly business locations)...Pappy's...the PAL and playing on its field plus Kennedy, Lincoln fields...Memorial School...the local gangs: KGL, Omega, SLD,
Tasm'n Devils, etc....the Washington Park Boys painting the lines on its own basketball court in the back which lasted for years - kudos to Gary M. & Ralph R....later P.V.H.S...
hanging out on the boulevard...Reefer Road [Note: I have pictures of Doc's and Pat N's writing on the bridge]...Monteyne's/DG's...also hanging at was once Two Guys parking lot
and the "F" building...*In retrospect, the "F" building was unique; upon entering one could
just hang and listen to some of the best Rock music ever recorded; Directory Assistance
was readily available with customer service rep's.---to assist with whatever "stuff" one was looking to purchase and where; Many social service directors---who would have info. on any
parties in town or in the tri-boro area & vicinity; There was even "counseling" services --- where one could just "chill" and air out such things as any incidents either violent or non-violent, any busts or near busts, any near death experiences (much like yours, Laurie, on the infamous sharp curve on reefer road) and, yes, actual [premature] deaths of individuals
who grew up in Totowa Boro...you've touched on that fact because its reality and cannot be precluded/overlooked/forgotten. I remember hearing about Pat N's death. {*anecdote incl.
Pat N: we were all huddled on the lawn around a small TV/Radio, in Laurel Grove near the ole pumphouse - nearly 30 yrs. ago, watching a special entitled: "Echoes of the Sixties",
Pat was so impressed with the portable TV that he kept offering to buy it; he did not offer any $$$, instead he wanted to barter something for it--(I guess) in the spirit of the history of this region, the way they used to years ago??} ...I remember hearing about Charles "Chip"
D., Connie D., Kenny M., plus others. Regardless of how well I knew any/all of the deceased, it affects me in a different way--each time. This also includes hearing about your dad and sister; I know it was tragic, however, you have successfully channeled your thoughts, feelings in what has become an ongoing spiritual journey. They did not die in vain: On the contrary, its been a deferred blessing! Its true what you said about the life of pictures, themself, however, I have a feeling your work reaching out all over in cyberspace will stand the test of time.***For whatever part of this post is allowed to be displayed, I hope this has triggered some memories. As for myself, until my time is up, wherever I go - I'll always have a piece of Totowa inside me. Like yourself, having moved out of the boro + time itself has enabled me to have a better, more objective point of view. You've inspired me to resume writing, organizing my unfinished picturesque journal. I wish you all the best and hope there is a Rainbow Bridge to connect each subsequent equinox for you. You deserve it Laurie G. .....Peace...
Int4Scorpio23@aol.com

[jld529@h]

keep it going, lg......peace

[John Campo]

Laurie,

I visit your site frequently to stimulate memories of a younger me. First I would like to offer my condolences on your loss. The website is such a remarkable tribute to loss family and friends. So many of those faces on your site are familiar, yet I know I never knew any of them. I just saw them around town or was a friend of a sibling. It is fascinating how just their images, and your description of the time, spark this incredible memory of my younger days in Totowa.

I will probably start "rambling" so I will apologize now. I just felt compelled to share my memories of Totowa, the same perspective but in another part of town.

Although we don't know each other, I think I may have hung out with Kim on several occasions. I'm 44 and ran with a younger crowd, the hoodlums as you called us. I moved to Totowa when I was about 10, I guess that would be in 1973. Although Cozy's was a hang out when I went there for lunch during the school months, I did not venture there after school. Since I lived on Grant Ave, I primarily hung out at Franks candy store, which was conveniently located in between Grant Ave and Washington Place on Totowa Road and the "bench" that used to be in front of Michaels Drug Store. I was told the bank parking lot was for the older crowd and I/we, the younger ones, wouldn't be welcomed. We too hung out in the cemetery, and as your research points out, hanging in the cemetery has always been a tradition. The rope swing was another favorite hangout, do you remember the "rope swing"? It (the rope) was in the woods that bordered the cemetery (by Memorial School) and what I think was the only park in Totowa. The park had one slide and a couple of swings. The field was used when we had "outside" days for gym. Ironically, what seemed to be the only park in Totowa was also plagued with tragedy it self. There was a lot of pain and death in that area town.

After hanging at the rope swing we would trek through the woods, along the stream, until we came upon the large pond, we use to call it turtle pond because, on any given summer day you would find tons of turtles sunning themselves. At the edge of the pond, but off the main cemetery road, there was what seemed to be an old mausoleum, which was overgrown with bushes and if you didn't know it was there you wouldn't be able to find it. The mausoleum did not have any reminisce of "deceased occupant", but it was set up as a party room. It had old furniture and even a mattress, we would often find burnt out campfires.

Every couple of months the police or fire department would cut down the rope. Within hours of the rope being cut down, someone would climb the tree and secure a new rope in place. From what I understand, many parents complained about the rope swing because of kids being injured. I, for one, happen to know of several occasions where a "rope stunt" went wrong and the "daredevil", usually drunk or high, would fall and rip open their leg on the rocks within the stream below. It took them a couple of years before they decided to cut the branch that the rope was tided to. As you know, that area has gone through an incredible transformation over the last decade, but not without sacrifice. Not long after the tree limb was cut, there was the accidental drowning of a toddler and suicide of a local young man, and these instances would forever be etched in townspeople's minds.

I too have lost friends in Totowa during the same timeline, much the same way you describe on your site. It makes one wonder why we were spared the same fate. Were we smarter to stop while we were ahead? Were we more fearful of the wrath of our parents, or was it something else that helped guide us to the lives we now live.

Anyway, thanks for listening.....keep up the great work

[JOE COZY]

HI LAURIE LOVE ALL THE NEW THINGS ON YOUR SITE KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK JOE COZY

[Jim Mc C]

We lived in Totowa from around 1966 to 1977, moving out the summer after I graduated from Memorial.

So many names look familiar but most, including Laurie, were in my older sister's classes.

The site still brings back some good memories though.

Jim Mc Coy
from Fort Wayne, IN
jimm@jimmccoy.com

[vinpas@m]

Such an interesting story you have to tell. I moved to the Boro from the Riverside section of Paterson in 1951, graduated from Memorial School in 1953; PV in 1957 and then moved to Clifton when I married in 1960.

Many of the photos bring back fond memories. The Totowa Auto Mart sponsored our PAL baseball team in 1954 through 1956. Doc's and "the corner" was our gathering place all through high school. Directly across the street from the liquor store, where there is a park today, was a wooded area where we set up hand-made card tables of sorts and played Knock Rummy, for money of course, and drank quart bottles of Schaefer Beer. That is until the local and State Police raided us in 1957. Fortunately for us, drugs were never an issue then.

Thanks for the story and photos.

Vinny on Totowa Road

[Chuck We]

I lived in Totowa all my life until the age of 22 when I moved to Florida. I lived on Route 46 between Union Blvd and Riverview Drive. My dad owned and operated "Wester's Service", a gas station right next to my home. I graduated from Passaic Valley High in 1969. I really enjoyed your site, especially the photos. They brought back a lot of memories for me. Thanks

[mjceri@a]

As part of the old gang that used to hang out at Murphs, the Barnyard, tar park, I'm wondering what happened to Billy H? Haven't seen Johnny B in about 9 years or so. I enjoy looking at the old photos and thinking back at those times when life was simple and we were convinced that we could change the world. Thanks!

[Paterson]

I was born in Paterson on August 20, 1941, at St. Joseph's Hospital. i went to P.S. No. 20 and then to Eastside High School, but only for 2 1/2 years, at which point I want to boarding school. I was not reaching my potential. While at Eastside I used to have lunch at Driscoll & Zimmerman (called Drick's) and then, when it opened, at the Cozy. Dessert was obtained at Carlo's Lemon Ice a couple of blocks away. The ice came in paper cups that used to get damp from the melting, and we crushed them and stuck them into the gaps between the bricks near the north entrance of the school, but in a little nook in the wall where no one went. Even though that was 50 years ago now, some of them, squeezed in, might still be there. I sometimes think about going for a look. Later on, over two summers, I worked downtown and ate lunch every day at the Fat Man's. He knew me pretty well; I was called the chipmunk, as in "The chipmunk paid his dues". Katherine always called out "Thank you" from the kitchen. It isn't just the memory; the food there was among the very best best I ever had. Even my mother liked it -- the Fat Man called her "Miss America", which he probably called a lot of people. I never had soup there but the sign gave a price for a bowl of Heavy Duty Soup, with the following legend after it: "No cups -- too heavy". When I was a boy, my family had lunch every Sunday at the Tree Tavern. We always sat at the same table, served by the same waitress (whose name was June, I think), and I had the same thing every week, spaghetti with meatballs and meat sauce. I am glad that I had it every time I went, because I have never had a sauce remotely as good since. The bill for the four of us was about seven dollars. My parents used to linger over their coffee, which made me very restless. I used to ask permission to go to wait in the car, but when this was granted I used to wait on the front steps of the Tree for trains to go by on the Erie Railroad trestle across the street, because if I waved to the engineers they would wave back. Once when I was in PS 20 there was a hurricane, and school was cancelled for the afternoon. Somehow my friend who lived across the street and I convinced our mothers to let us go to the movies -- we went to the US Theater, which was on Main Street, I think. I can't remember what we saw, but when we got out, instead of taking the bus home we walked. We lived caddycorner from each other on 39th Street, which made it a very long walk, two and a half miles, Google maps says. When we approached our houses it was dark from the storm and the wind was blowing, tree branches had been blown down and so on. We thought it was fun to have walked all that distance in a hurricane, and I can't remember getting in trouble for it, either.

[Chris]

Wow Laurie - what a great site. Can't say as I've ever breezed through Totowa, but your pics and eloquent prose are great art.
Really - what a nice touch and feel for life. Very very nice - hope life has turned out ok for you!

[John Vai]

William Carlos Williams rendered Paterson in poetry. Totowa has its own rhythms. Those of us who grew up there still feel them. Why this gritty town creates such strong ties among the people who shared their youths there remains one of the mysteries I cannot explain to others. I will point them here for clues.

John Vail
Memorial School '68
PVHS '72
john.vail@cclfirm.com

[orpheusm]

laurie either you had a really large clique or you were a very bold photographer or both.
wonderful pics.!
your research on the name totowa is enlightening,i heard that pequannock meant swamp and that towaco not totowa meant "garbage dump".
a photographer friend sent me this site and going thru it quickly i remembered that totowa had a "smell" which couldn't be avoided if you drove on the boulevard past bogert st or thereabouts.
sometime in the 80's i saw a newspaper article stating that it was from a factory that ground cinnamon and some other things for perfume.
my father worked as a mechanic for steikers auto on the boulevard in the 50's and is buried in laurel grove.

i grew up in paterson but totowa was a thoroughfare to get to places like 2 guy's and great eastern, willowbrook skating rink then the mall.
i have a about five friends that grew up there.
in the 60's club tyann was popular for teen dancing with live bands around the era of "louie louie", it is depicted as the nailing and painting store at the crest of the hill on your site.
and casino de charles, a swankier affair was about two blocks past the graveyard; it's a cvs now
thanks for bringing back the many pleasant memories of totowa, i'll be back.

[orpheusm]

club tyann was the mailing and printing shop,sorry late night.