MASTIC BEACH TOWN TODAY

I've been debating whether or not to post something about the town as it is today ever since I took most these pictures for own personal use in 2001 - 2003. Several events and requests from web site readers (most who once lived there years ago and have not been back) have led me to make the decision to do so, along with this very small excerpt from "The Knapps Lived Here " manuscript that is currently in progress.

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It was Monday August 3rd, 2001 (Labor Day) that Donald Denning, Doug Percoco and myself got together for dinner in our old hometown. I was flying back to Nashville on Wednesday, winding up a very successful trip that I knew now would not be my last for this story. We decided to go to Neighborhood Pizzeria now known as Onofrio’s, but is still in the same family, as when we were kids. Norman the owner back then, allowed us to sit there many a winters night without spending more than a dime for a cup of coffee. Though we would often pool our resources and splurge on a large pie for a $1.25 on a Friday night. Other than the moving of the entrance door and the removal of the booths, the place looks and feels the same. After dinner it was still early and we decided to walk through the town. It was while walking through it that a whole lot of what happened to it hit all of us. We couldn’t believe how dead it was at 8 O’clock on Labor Day Weekend, compared to the way it was when we were kids when cars and people lined both sides of the streets. There was nothing going on. Some guy was sitting in the doorway of a laundromat in what used to be Harer's market waiting for his clothes to dry. Schulte's was closed, Beachcomber was gone, O’Donnel's was now called the Chas Mor Pub. No Kozy Korner, No Harrington’s Custard stand No Jean’s, No nothing. But as we walked a song from Wood Newton , a friend, small town boy and co writer of mine back in Nashville came into my mind. You may know it as Kenny Rogers had a big hit on it in the late 1980s.

Onofrio's Pizza July 1994

And What Better Way To Listen To It Than On The Jukebox That Was In The Kozy Korner In The 1960's. A Seeburg Stereo Model 220

Click To Listen

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NEW TOWN

Section Four

Not Every Building Was Photographed. To view the photos full size click on the description links. Use your browser's back button to return to this page

Starting At 5 Corners South Side Of Neighborhood Rd & HeadingWest

1: The Former Pat & Mike's Texaco At 5 Corners 2: Schulte's 3: Former Smith's Fish Market 4: Knapp Estate Secratery Home (Behind Smiths moved here in 1940's)

1: Former Jean's Lunchonette 2 : Former DeCarlo's Italian Deli (middle store) & Harer;s Market. end tsore now a laundry 3 :Former Kozy Korner 4: Remains of Kozy Korner Minature Golf 18th hole

1: Former Vinny's Barber Shop 2 : Former Triangle Shell 3 Turning Back Looking East From Triangle 4 Welcome To MB Lighthouse

1: Top:
It's been Paul's Shoe & Bike Shop for over 40 years 2: Former 5 & 10 with Former Emory's Deli (now a storefront church) 3 Still O'Connor's Plumbing 4 :Former O'Donnels 5 Former Shannon Bar & Sunflower Coffee Shop That's former O'Donnels Now Chas Mor on left & site of Izzy's Hdw on far right

1. Site Of Al & Marty's MB Pharmacy 2: Former Stop & Shop (pink) Watrous / Lake Hardware (green) 3 : Former Distel's / Harrington's Ice Cream Torn down when I was there 4 Site of Kate's Produce and Original Orlando Barber Shop Later Jo Don Hobby Shop

Town Hardware & Former Distel's & Harringtons Ice Cream Stand 1994

1: Former Parr's Beach Garage 2 : Former Beach / Beachcomber Tavern 3: Mastic Road North of 5 Corners Former Lagumis Liqours 4 : Former Mae Boury's Gift Shop

1: Intersection of Cranberry & Bayview Drive (5 Corners) Heading south 2: Former Model Garage &Stable for Messinetti's horses 3 & 4 Lot Behind Pat & Mike's Looking North Victoria Dr. That The Carnival used set up in

And Once Upon A Time At The Carnival

Next Head South On Bayview Drive to Cedar & Turn Left: Here Is Part Of The Bayview Hospital (Pattersquas Richard Floyd Mansion Site)

ONE TWO THREE

When Gary Messinetti Took These Three Pics In April of 2002 . He Asked These Kids If They Knew What Used To Be HERE

On This Land ........They Had Never Even Heard of Bayview Hospital or Richard Floyd Estate.

1: First house on Cranberry Drive circa 1930 behind Fisher's Mkt 2: Remaining outbuilding from Schulte / Fisher's Market 3: Former Anchor Inn (Green) Red Barn Rest was next to it where Ambulance Garage is 4: Fire House

1 Fire House East Side 2 New St. Jude's

Located on Aspen Rd 1 Block Behind Old St. Jude's

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OLD TOWN SECTION ONE

The Original Town Est 1920's

Formerly Dick's Soda Fountain & Grocery Corner Of Whittier & Neighboorhood

Two Tourist Cabins Along Side Of Dicks Joined Together see them in 1928 HERE

Orignally Opened In 1938 As SAL's Place It has been the Sand Bar for over 40 years and is still basically unchanged

Directly Across From Sand Bar 300 Year Old Woodhull Revolutionary War Cemetery

I Block North From Dick's, Is Bob DeCordova's Former Service Station & Movie House Whittier & Aspen

"Wood Newton Writes The Kind Of Songs That Made Me Want To Move To Nashville___
I Am So Proud That He Was The First Professional Song Writer I Got To Work With When I Did"

Check Out WOOD NEWTON'S Web Site

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