Special offer

If You Grew up in Levittown Long Island New York..........You Might Remember:

By
Home Stager with Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island #888

If You Grew up in Levittown New York............

 There are so many sites on Facebook for those of us that grew up in Levittown Long Island, New York.  As a matter of fact my most popular blog EVER (judging from the amount of emails I received) were about Growing up Levittown, named after one of the sites on Facebook.  Real Estate Blog - Growing Up Levittown New York: The Way it WAS ... 

I'm not the only one that feels this way about this magical childhood we had.  To date I have not heard or read even ONE comment from anyone that didn't grow up there and not realize until our childhoods were gone, just how special they really were.

Levittown New York was nothing but potato fields.  It was also a vision by William Levitt and his sons to create a true Community.  He had GI's who were returning from the Military in mind and he thought about the children that would soon be arriving.  He wanted to build not just a place for returning Military men to retire but build it with all the things you would want for your family.

If you grew up in Levittown NY, there are some places and things you will never forget:  The Village Greens (Billy Joel remembers these fondly).  You will remember TSS and Mays stores, the Candy Store and The Family Lounge.  There was also Putt-Putt, Carvel, Quong Ming and Jolly Rogers (also known as "Happy Land)."  Many of us lived at the Local Pools in the summer (mine was on Slate Lane).

Zorns was a popular spot for chicken and Dominicos for Pizza.  Cherrywood Shopping Center was just a stone's throw away. All American was a popular dining spot. The Wantagh Movie Theatre and the Levittown Movie Theatres always had great movies playing and when you wanted Ice Cream, you went to Jahn's.  They had every conceivable ice cream combination including "The Kitchen Sink" and if you went on your birthday, it was on the house.

The Roller Rink was right next door.  Teen Center in the High Schools were open on Friday nights to keep us out of trouble.  Some of us ventured, later on to a place called Cloud 9 in Farmingdale New York.  We had teen centers with dancing and soft drinks, no alcohol served.  And we had a blast!

I recently ran across a newly erected sign that declares the importance of Levittown as a Community.  A place that is still physically there but where the Community aspect has long gone; Long gone except for those of us that grew up there and loved every second of it!

Levittown Long Island NY by Carole Provenzale Long Island Feng ShuiAmerica's First Suburb, Levittown Long Island New York

http://www.LongIslandFengShui.com

*Carole Provenzale is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island & New York established in 1997 providing on site Feng Shui and Design Consultations for all of Long Island, New York City (Manhattan) and Queens New York.

 

Posted by

 

Laura Cerrano is a second-generation Certified New York City Feng Shui Consultant Expert. As a full-time Feng Shui consultant, Laura provides bicoastal consultations and workshops for residential, commercial, real estate developments, Fortune 500 companies and healing faculties. In addition, Laura is a resident teacher at the Metropolitan Institute of Design in Syosset, NY. She has been featured in highly respected publications and TV networks such as Bravo's "Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen," PBS, CBC Television, BBC Radio and The New York Times. 

 

Comments(19)

Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana - West Lafayette, IN

Hi Carole,

Thanks for putting such a personal touch on Levittown.  It was always in the U.S. History books we had when I taught American History but you have shown me that it was much more than America's first suburb!  COMMUNITY!!!

Feb 06, 2010 01:22 PM
Kathy Clulow
Uxbridge, ON
Trusted For Experience - Respected For Results

Carole - I find it amazing how fast the suburbs are swallowed up by the Cities they were once a suburb to. As a child I grew up in the country outside of Toronto and it was considered at one point to be a bedroom community for Toronto. Now it has lost its country feeling, its bedroom community status and is part of the Greater Toronto Area.

Feb 06, 2010 02:45 PM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Well, memories certainly are forever....

Feb 06, 2010 03:01 PM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Carole it is always fun to take a walk down memory lane. Levittown sounds like a great place!

Feb 06, 2010 10:58 PM
Morgan Evans
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

Sounds like it was a quintessential upbringing, straight out of a movie set to a certain degree.  The nostalgia of looking back is always fun when you can attach so many wonderful memories.

Feb 06, 2010 11:41 PM
Jackie Connelly-Fornuff
Douglas Elliman Real Estate in Babylon NY - Babylon, NY
"Moving at The Speed of YOU!"

Hi Carole, My Mom took me to jolly rogers so many times as a kid. I loved that place! A friend of mine grew up in Levittown and my husband is from there as well.

Feb 07, 2010 12:00 AM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

WoW, Carole, that's quite the claim to fame....it sounds like you had an absolutely idyllic childhood in Levittown.

Jo

Feb 07, 2010 12:34 AM
Debbie Walsh
SHAHAR Management - Middletown, NY
Hudson Valley NY Real Estate 845.283-3036

Carole-Unfortunately I left Long Island when I was just a toddler but I remember going back several times a year for years and going to Jones Beach which was always one of my favorites.  It sounds like you have many happy memories there.

Feb 07, 2010 03:44 AM
Maria Morton
Platinum Realty - Kansas City, MO
Kansas City Real Estate 816-560-3758

Carole, Levittown sounds like a wonderful place to grow up - especially the swimming pools in the summer!

Feb 07, 2010 04:09 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

Although I didn't grow up in Levittown, I did live on Long Island, as you know, for a long time and remember almost ALL of the things you mentioned in this post!

I love visiting the Feng Shui Queen's blogs! Your posts always bring back memories of my time on Long Island!

Well done Carole!

Feb 07, 2010 04:26 AM
Al & Peggy Cunningham, Brokers
RE/MAX West Realty Inc., Brokerage - Brampton, ON
Our Family Wants To Help Your Family!

Carole Levittown sounds like a great 'home'. Long Island is now on 'our' place to visit list!

Feb 07, 2010 04:42 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Well Carole..I have chose you...this comment will make my 200,000 points  you are one of my favorites so i chose you

HELPFULHANNAH

Feb 07, 2010 09:15 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Thank you ALL for your comments.  I loved that they put up this sign and couldn't wait to get a shot of it :)

I didn't know we made the history books, Bruce :)  This was an absolutely wonderful place to live growing up....Hannah, CONGRATULATIONS and I thank you for the honor!!

Feb 08, 2010 11:30 AM
Bruce Walter
Keller Williams Realty Lafayette/West Lafayette, Indiana - West Lafayette, IN

Carole, every US History book that I taught out of since 1978 had at least 1/4 of a page to well over a page talking about the importance of Levittown and how it would change America.  I would like to see it someday.  I did not know that they did all that great community planning and common space.  Again, thanks for another great history lesson Dr. Carole!

Feb 08, 2010 01:19 PM
Irene Tron
Valparaiso, IN

I had never heard of Levittown before but I'm glad I know something about it now.  What a great story!

Feb 10, 2010 12:07 AM
Anonymous
Anonymous

Levittown was a great place to grow up in the 60's i moved away in 72 but still remember Torino's and Sammy's pizzeria. Riding our bikes all over the place in the summer and then going to the Slate Lane pool.

Feb 10, 2010 03:17 AM
#16
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I was at Slate Lane Pool myself with my pool tag :)  I lived only down the block from there.  Goodness, I don't even believe it's still there, I'm going to have to check!  Thanks for your comment.

Feb 10, 2010 01:12 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Bruce, I am sorry for such a late reply but THANK YOU for letting me know....I had no idea "we" or Levitt made history!  I am facinated to think we are in ANY books and hope it got most positive reviews.

Irene, It was a wonderful childhood.  I still love Levittown although it's changed because it reminds me of so many happy memories!

Feb 16, 2010 03:48 PM
Anonymous
UB

Please don't forget the MEADOWBROOK MOVIE THEATER on hempstead turnpike/newbridge road.  back in the day it just showed one movie at a time. my dad took me and my sister to see "Hard Day's Night" because we were too little to go alone.  The line was around the building twice and we begged him to wait because it was The Beatles after all!!!  he did and we eventually got in, couldn't hear a thing over all the screaming.  growing up in levittown was kinda like "Leave It To Beaver" in so many ways...summers were great, stayed out all day until dark, rode our bicycles everywhere, spent as much time at the village green pool as possible and we thought it was so cool to wear the pool tag on our ankle!!  such wonderful memories...

Jun 07, 2010 11:54 AM
#19