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Franklin Ave & The Gardens


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Guest Guest
I read your post and it made me laugh. I was one of those so called kids from Franklin Ave. back when, as you said we beat everyone up that just walked by. Did that honestly ever happen to you or anyone you actually knew? Did you ever see that happen to anyone with your own eyes or did your parents tell you about those things? Maybe they were afraid you would associate yourself with those lower class (economic class) kids. The gang you are talking about (I assume) was the "Ghetto boy's". There never was an organized gang on Franklin Ave., that name was given to the neighborhood by the older Harrison P.D. Officers, if memory serves me correctly it was Officer ******** that coined that moniker. We just had fun with it, somehow it stuck. There were about 150-200 kids in that area including the Gardens. The biggest crime I can ever remember being committed was "Juveniles creating a disturbance", That call usually came in from little old ladies that didn't want the kids sitting on their porch. " I do remember though, what ever did happen in the town was usually blamed on the kids from Franklin Ave., regardless of where it happened. Some families kids were constantly harassed and blamed for just about everything (Two come to mind right away) My Mother & Father had seven children, my Father worked in a factory in town, as well as my Mother. We didn't have much, unless you count love. My parents did however put food on the table and did the best they could, all of us turned out pretty good I might add.

Thanks for the laugh, anymore stereotypes? Excuse me I have to go wack someone, and launder

some money. You know how us Ghetto kids are. Thanks for making me smile!

If you lived on Franklin Avenue in the 50 s when kids wore gang jackets to identify themselves, you would remember: the Angry Angles, the Dynamite Debs, and Satan Daughters, all GIRL gangs on Franklin Avenue.

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Guest Down Memory Lane
Your killing me with these stories. Either both of us have amnesia or selective memory or quite possibly senility is setting in for me in my mid-forties. I do however detect one bit of truth in your story, the part about the first house on the right of Franklin Ave. I guess you are talking about the house beside the playground/basketball court? If so, you are correct. There were in fact basketballs, soccer balls, and various sports equipment kept in the corner of that yard. These were for everyones use, they were donated to us kids from our councilman Tommy Kinsella ( He should have been knighted or at least nominated for saint hood) Believe it or not some even came from a few Harrison cops, one that grew up on Franklin Ave & Another that grew up in the Gardens. (Imagine that)

As for the bikes parts, you are again correct, there were numerous old bike parts in that yard too. Again most were from bikes that were thrown out and stripped for various pieces, some kids even made complete bikes out of them. Actually, I always felt that was the true origin of the BMX bike; invented right there. Building 3-4 foot ramps and seeing how many kids that would lay down in front that you could jump over. (It was in the Evil Kenevil days mind you) I will not be so naive as to say no kid on Franklin Ave. ever stole a bike, but honestly most of those parts were either thrash (the original recyclers) or broken. There was a kid that lived in that house that had a talent for fixing bikes, almost every kid on the block sought his services at one time or another for bike repairs. I guess as long as I am being honest we originated riding your buddy on the back standing on stolen Pecter truck shift knobs, I guess we were really thugs...OMG! ( I hope the statue of limitations has run out, I don't want to get pinched by the Harrison P.D. after all these years)

Another thing, I do ride through Harrison often. Hey, I am a very nostalgic kind of guy. I work in Newark, in areas most people would not tread. I do know a little bit about reality, just a tad. Interestingly, the people in Newark complain about the city Government too, they also say the Police & Fire Department and city jobs are corrupt. I guess that is nothing knew, I am sure they say that in Fargo, North Dakota too, even though I have never been there, I will bet they do. Thanks for some pretty good memories and a few heart felt smiles.

As a former resident of the beautiful Harrison Gardens, I'm 62 and living in Arizona, I also remember

hanging out on Franklin Ave. One of my fondest memories was getting an older guy (over 21) to get

us containers of Schaeffer beer fron Zewaliks ?? on the corner of Harr. Ave. and drinking them on

one of the porches while watching for the cops. I also remember kids jumping roof to roof on

Franklin (I would have needed more than a container of Schaeffer to try that).

I haven't been back in years and I see there's a lot going on in town now. We didn't have a lot as

kids, but I managed to get though HHS and college dispite being raised in the "ghetto" And I wouldn't

trade my Harrison memories for anything.

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Guest Guest
You must be smoking the smae pipe the Town Fathers are pssing around, "GANGS" this Town is infested with them, get your head out of your ass MORON, this is not 1983, hell most of us wish it was.

Where the hell do you live nad work dipsh-t.

Stevie Wonder drove thru the other day and stated "whol;ley sh-t this is rat hole" LOL

PS Sorry Mayor and Council did not mean to wake you-up from your fu-king pipe dreams, start protecting your citiznes, or go retire down the shore!!!!

Where are these "GANGS?" I never seen any of these "GANGS" roaming the streets. Do these "GANGS" rob you and beat you up? Harrison is small enough that if these "GANGS" come out I should have seen them once in a while. And if they are that bad they would say something about it in the observer.

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Guest Amnesia
Where are these "GANGS?" I never seen any of these "GANGS" roaming the streets. Do these "GANGS" rob you and beat you up? Harrison is small enough that if these "GANGS" come out I should have seen them once in a while. And if they are that bad they would say something about it in the observer.
Top 10 Gangs in Harrison/kearny/During the 60s and 70s

#1-The Riff Raff

#2-The Pool Room

#3-Roosevelt Park

#4-Cerbones Gang

#5-N. 4th St. Bridge

#6-Cleveland Ave. (The Alley)

#7-6th St. Courts

#8-Washington St.

#9-The Girl Scouts

#10-The Ghetto Boy's

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Guest Guest

you are a hood rat just like the rest of them. can't take the hood from you no matter what free education and countless opportunites are given to you. you still smell the seedy lowlife back stabbing criminal. you see how these people are given countless opportunity to succeed yet they choose to do nothing with themselves. your a drunk who lives off that mind set that your from harrison and your vote gets you shit handed to you. too bad long term my ass will continue to support your nasty way!

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Guest Guest
Top 10 Gangs in Harrison/kearny/During the 60s and 70s

#1-The Riff Raff

#2-The Pool Room

#3-Roosevelt Park

#4-Cerbones Gang

#5-N. 4th St. Bridge

#6-Cleveland Ave. (The Alley)

#7-6th St. Courts

#8-Washington St.

#9-The Girl Scouts

#10-The Ghetto Boy's

No one is interested in the gangs of the 60's and 70's. Where are the "GANGS" of 2008 hiding? I for one would like to know. And don't count the kids playing soccer at the courts as gangs. If "GANGS" are roaming the streets creating mayhem I would like to know where they are and when they come out. I never seen any "GANGS" on my street or any street in town. I am not a shut in and drive and walk around town a lot.

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Guest Guest
As a former resident of the beautiful Harrison Gardens, I'm 62 and living in Arizona, I also remember

hanging out on Franklin Ave. One of my fondest memories was getting an older guy (over 21) to get

us containers of Schaeffer beer fron Zewaliks ?? on the corner of Harr. Ave. and drinking them on

one of the porches while watching for the cops. I also remember kids jumping roof to roof on

Franklin (I would have needed more than a container of Schaeffer to try that).

I haven't been back in years and I see there's a lot going on in town now. We didn't have a lot as

kids, but I managed to get though HHS and college dispite being raised in the "ghetto" And I wouldn't

trade my Harrison memories for anything.

Hey you really need to return to town to see the mess! I must have been a classmate and remember THOSE DAYS We may have been on the wrong side of the track but we were never in real trouble and had our own fun I am still in town and see the everyday deterioration it is an awful thing to watch because we KNEW OUR HARRISON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Guest Guest
It is kind of sad to see not much has changed in the psyche of the people of Harrison. I see Franklin Ave & The Gardens still get beat up, and are the blame for a lot of the towns woes. It has been over twenty years ago I left Harrison, not much has changed, has it?

The Kids from Franklin Ave & the Gardens got the short end of the stick then and still do it seems. Are the Franklin Ave. & Garden kids still labeled and targeted in the High school? Probably, it seems from reading some of these post. After all, being from a lower economic class is a crime that should be punished severely.

I also see the Harrison P.D. & Fire Department get the same abuse from the residents they always have. Interesting how the "Newark" comparison is also still alive and well too. Harrison is not now, or ever has been even close to being on par with Newark. It is in large part due to the HARD work of the Harrison P.D & F.D. and always has been, and of course a Mayor & counsel that supports their efforts. Anyone remember guys named Frank Rodgers, Kinsella, Saporito or Greene? Each one of them personally saw to it, Harrison would not fall into the abyss, and it hasn't. The comparison with Newark is almost laughable. Maybe you should take a ride up to So. Orange Ave & Bergen St. or So. 6th,7th, 8th, 9th, etc. & see for yourself. (Not the Pac center area)

The calls for the disbanding of the Fire Department, surely you jest. I currently live in a town that has "volunteer" firemen, although their effort is admirable, it is not the same as 24x7-365 professional protection. Answer this question honestly ,if you can. If your Mother,wife or child was trapped in a burning building at lets say, 2 PM which one would you choose, the professional or volunteer? (Remember at 2PM most volunteers are working other jobs)

Harrison is not a perfect town and never will be, like most other towns. You can move to a perfect town however, just drive down Utopia Blvd. Make a right on to the Wonderland Parkway and you are there. Oh, I almost forgot, you have to click your heels three times first.

Very well spoken (written), I agree with a lot of it. Except you lived here 20 years ago. Sorry a lot has changed. Thanks to the HPD and HFD we are barely managing to stay afloat. If cuts get made in these departments we will be on par with Newark.

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Guest fouth generation
As a former resident of the beautiful Harrison Gardens, I'm 62 and living in Arizona, I also remember

hanging out on Franklin Ave. One of my fondest memories was getting an older guy (over 21) to get

us containers of Schaeffer beer fron Zewaliks ?? on the corner of Harr. Ave. and drinking them on

one of the porches while watching for the cops. I also remember kids jumping roof to roof on

Franklin (I would have needed more than a container of Schaeffer to try that).

I haven't been back in years and I see there's a lot going on in town now. We didn't have a lot as

kids, but I managed to get though HHS and college dispite being raised in the "ghetto" And I wouldn't

trade my Harrison memories for anything.

Your memories made me smile. While I'm only in my early 40's I think many of us can relate to you. I also think for the most part, not much has changed here. People here for the most part are good, hardworking family people just like years ago. Sure some differ but not all that much. If we could just stifle the financial feeding frenzy of a certain few, things would be pretty good. Stay well.

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Dear Franklin, I too have great pride in the town I have lived all of my life, and am a fourth generation Harrisonian. For the record, you don’t apply for positions here you are appointed. Sad but true. Someone was so naive to think they could apply for a job with Passaic Valley at Passaic Valley. Of course they were directed to speak to the powers to be in Harrison. It would be easier to think that people are simply being difficult but sadly that is not the case. If you were from town when our present leaders were children, then you’ll remember. Things weren’t much different. The one thing I will give Frank Rodgers is that he gave back to the people in some ways. That doesn’t seem to happen anymore. Seems to be take, take take. I do believe that most of our civil servants are good hardworking people with justifiable salaries as you stated, some even underpaid by comparison, but some of the leaders of our community seem to be working towards removing the heart of the community for personal financial gains and without regard for what makes this community what it is. The best interest of the community does not appear to be at hand. We’ll leave the light on for you, just be ready to pay a small fortune in taxes.

Ps / If you are a Franklin Ave. native I suggest you view the February 19th town council meeting on Joe Woods website and listen carefully to what a certain councilman refers to residents of Franklin Ave as. If I lived there we would be in court. “Transients”….? Nice from the mouth of the councilman of the same ward.

Ps / Believe “exbluetider”’s words. It’s as if he never left. Hey exbluetider. Always enjoy reading your posts.

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Guest ghetto girl
Where are these "GANGS?" I never seen any of these "GANGS" roaming the streets. Do these "GANGS" rob you and beat you up? Harrison is small enough that if these "GANGS" come out I should have seen them once in a while. And if they are that bad they would say something about it in the observer.

Franklin Ave girl and PROUD! there are gangs out there, ever hear of the latin kings or bloods or crypts? It's not advertised in the observer for a reason. WAKE UP!

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Guest Guest
Franklin Ave girl and PROUD! there are gangs out there, ever hear of the latin kings or bloods or crypts? It's not advertised in the observer for a reason. WAKE UP!

It's Crips not Crypts. Get your gang names together honeybunny

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Guest guest
It's Crips not Crypts. Get your gang names together honeybunny

I don't care how it's spelled! My point was they are here. Also didn't mention it to "scare" anyone or "Be cool", just that they are here in the town we live in.

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If you lived on Franklin Avenue in the 50 s when kids wore gang jackets to identify themselves, you would remember: the Angry Angles, the Dynamite Debs, and Satan Daughters, all GIRL gangs on Franklin Avenue.

BACK IN 40/50'S WHY DID EVEYONE WANT TO COME TO THE GARDENS,WAS IT BECAUSE OF SOMETHING GOING ON EVFERYDAY/NIGHT

EXAMPLE: MOVIES,TV, SHOWERS, SPORTS AND ALL KINDS OF MADE UP GAMES? BACK WHEN NO ONE HAD ANYTHING.

YES IT WAS CALLED THE GHETTO IN ERROR, BUT THE PEOPLE WERE PROUD OF THE NAME, AND IT STUCK, AND IT WASN'T AN OLD TIME COP WHO COINED THE NAME, IT CAME FROM AN UNINFORMED NEWSPAPER WRITER (NEWARK EVENING NEWS) BACK IN EARLY 50'S.

IF YOU LIVED IN THE GHETTO, YOU WOULD BE PROUD. AND JUST TO UP DATE YOU, I MARRIED A TOUGH ANGRY ANGLE FROM THE GHETTO

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Guest Guest
I don't care how it's spelled! My point was they are here. Also didn't mention it to "scare" anyone or "Be cool", just that they are here in the town we live in.

Yes you should care how the word is spelled as your spelling is as weak as your knowledge. Your spreading more mis-information on this site which is becoming less and less interesting because of fakers like you.

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