Glendale

As Glendale continued to develop but still retained its rural atmosphere, in stark contrast to its reputation as a place full of cemeteries, it became a very popular leisure destination for people from the more congested parts of New York City. The influence of its early German population was visible throughout the community in its many picnic parks and beer gardens, which drew in visitors. Names like Schuetzen Park, Schmidt’s Woods, Pfleghardt’s hotel, and the Seuffert Bandshell all traced their origins back to German families but catered to people of all nationalities, as Glendale’s reputation as a playground grew.

To preserve some of the land from further development, New York City began purchasing land from numerous owners in 1895, and three years later, when the last of a total of 538 acres were transferred to the city, Forest Park was born. Local taverns, movie theaters, and bowling alleys added to the tourist attractions that provided entertainment to local residents and others who sought to spend their leisure time in a place that offered opportunities not available in Brooklyn or Manhattan. Few people could resist the appeal of an afternoon of picnicking on acres of green parkland or enjoying a bratwurst and beer in an outdoor beer garden with its traditional German music.

They came by train or trolley or private motorcar to see the local baseball teams play in Farmer’s Oval, enjoy a concert in Forest Park, or sample the German cuisine in one of the many new restaurants. Glendale had arrived with a character all its own, much of which is still in evidence today.

An excellent example of a Glendale watering hole was Fogarty’s Saloon, located at Seventy-ninth Street and Cypress Avenue and shown in this 1906 photograph. Of particular interest in the picture is the name “J. George Grauer Lager Beer,” shown over the entrance to the tavern. Grauer had been a part owner in a picnic grounds and decided to become a brewer in 1891. He underestimated the amount of ice that he would need for his brewery and was forced to build an ice plant as well. Unfortunately, the brewery was operating at a loss when Grauer died in 1908. His wife sold it to S. Liebmann Sons, who also distributed Rheingold Beer, but she kept the ice plant, which continued to operate profitably until the introduction of electric refrigerators many years later. (Courtesy of GRHS.)

Wood’s Inn, at Seventy-third Street and Edsall Avenue, was another old Glendale tavern, and the building is still standing today. It dates back to the 1830s and originally housed a tavern on the ground floor and rooms for rent on the upper two floors. At the time of this writing, it is the office of a cartage company, and local folklore claims that the building is haunted. (Courtesy of the author.)

Nicholas Pfleghardt’s hotel, located at Seventy-second and Edsall Avenues, dated back to 1885. The photograph describes it as a “hotel and summer garden.” Situated where it was within walking distance of the old Glendale railroad station, it was a convenient stop for thirsty travelers on their way to have fun in Glendale. (Courtesy of GRHS.)

The Glendale Palace took out this newspaper advertisement in 1930 to let potential customers know just how much fun was in store for them during an evening at the Palace. Roller-skating, dancing, and basket ball (before it became one word); what more could a fun-loving Brooklynite want? The emphasis on “wardrobe” and why ladies received one for free is a bit of a puzzle. (Courtesy of GRHS.)

There is a local tavern in Glendale that has quenched the thirst of local patrons since it was established in the 1800s. Originally named Cooper’s Ale House, it was renamed Yer Old Man’s Irish Pub by a subsequent owner and was featured in the television program The King of Queens as a neighborhood bar. (Courtesy of the author.)

The building shown in this 1934 photograph was originally the Nicholas Wyckoff farmhouse, but it was later converted to a hotel and bar by a member of the Hillen family. The hotel included a picnic park on the property, and in later years, it was renamed Doty’s Tavern by Dorothy Hillen, whose nickname was “Doty.” The building was unfortunately demolished in 1970. (Courtesy of GRHS.)

This building, located at 64-04 Myrtle Avenue for many years, was a reminder of Glendale’s German heritage. As early as the 1950s, it was a tavern called the Golden Eagle, which featured live music on the weekends. It became Hans Gasthaus in 1994, and the most recent owners have changed the name again, presumably to honor two of the largest ethnic groups in Glendale. (Courtesy of the author.)

There seem to be no photographs available of the old Belvedere Theater, which stood at the corner of Myrtle Avenue and Sixty-fourth Place in the 1940s and 1950s. It joins the Acme and Glenwood Theaters, also on Myrtle Avenue, in being almost forgotten. This old poster reminds of the days when a double feature, previews, cartoons, and a short action serial could be seen for the bargain price of 25¢ in the 1950s. (Courtesy of GRHS.)

The Belvedere Theater building still stands today. After some years as a furniture store, it was converted to a Baptist church, and it continues to serve the Glendale community in that capacity. Removing the old marquee gave the building a more contemporary appearance, but the center section over the entrance still has the name Belvedere carved into it. (Courtesy of the author.)

These two old photographs show some of the early construction in the days when Forest Park was being built, from 1895 to 1898. Temporary sheds were set up to house the horse-drawn construction and land-clearing equipment and the building materials that would create the roadways and park buildings. Many of the old houses in the background were later purchased and then torn down since the developers needed a total of 124 privately owned parcels of land to complete the project. Their efforts turned 538 acres of undeveloped land into beautiful parkland. (Both, courtesy of GRHS.)

In this undated advertisement from the Ridgewood Times, Terry’s Tavern attempts to lure in new customers by promising, “A Real Treat Awaits You at This Popular Glendale Rendezvous.” Knowing that Terry had the best-equipped bar and grill in Glendale gave it quite an appeal. (Courtesy of GRHS.)

One of the premier restaurants and catering halls in Glendale from the 1940s until the 1970s was Durow’s, located at the corner of Eighty-first Street and Myrtle Avenue. Like so many other local dining establishments, Durow’s had been preceded over the years by other restaurants at that same location. At one time, it was Happy’s Night Club, and then Victor Koenig’s Restaurant, until it was sold in 1944 to Heinz Durow. Durow’s, like so many other German restaurants in Glendale, was known for its sauerbraten and for the elaborate party that it staged every New Year’s Eve. When word of mouth was not enough, Durow’s resorted to the matchbook cover advertising that was so popular in the 1940s and 1950s. (Both, courtesy of the author.)

During its early years, from the 1940s to the 1960s, the Glendale Diner, which is still in operation, was known as Bob’s Diner. Like many other restaurants in Glendale, Bob’s claimed that its sauerbraten was the best. When it got too late for a sauerbraten dinner, many a late-night partygoer stopped by at Bob’s Diner for a cup of coffee and the early-morning breakfast that was available at any time. The photograph above shows the diner as it looks today, while the earlier photograph below illustrates the more traditional look for a diner, but the general shape of the building was very similar. The advertising on the wall of the adjacent building was removed, and Krug’s Bread Company is no longer in business. (Above, courtesy of the author; below, courtesy of GRHS.)

This 1923 photograph shows the old Glendale Hotel, located at Cooper Avenue and Seventy-fourth Street. Even though it appears to be the first hotel to use Glendale as part of its name, it has been forgotten in most historical records of the town. It is clear that the area was still very rural in nature, with no paved streets or sidewalks and no place to even park a car. (Courtesy of Queens Borough Public Library.)

Glendale’s most renowned German restaurant is Zum Stammtisch, located near the corner of Cooper and Myrtle Avenues. Rated by Zagat and operating at the same location since 1972, it was founded by John Lehner, who had been a coppersmith in Germany. He immigrated to the United States in the 1950s and opened this restaurant with two other partners. Owning a restaurant had been Lehner’s dream since he left Germany. After several years, he bought out his partners, and when he passed away, the operation of the restaurant was taken over by his two sons. The name of the restaurant means “family table” in German, and they recently opened a retail store (below) to allow patrons to bring home traditional German specialties for their own family’s table. (Both, courtesy of the author.)

At the corner of Cooper Avenue and Cypress Hills Street is a building that is presently being used as a Serbian social club, according to the sign over the front door. Another part of Glendale history that seems to be lost is the fact that, for many years, this building was known as the Welcome Inn. Beginning in the early 1940s, it was a catering hall that hosted weddings and a variety of other functions. The author has fond recollections of family weddings, Christenings, and anniversary parties held at the Welcome Inn, as well as other functions that included New Year’s Eve celebrations and dinners held there by the local Boy Scout troop to mark the advancement of Cub Scouts into Boy Scout Troop No. 383. (Above, courtesy of GRHS; below, courtesy of the author.)

Of all the old picnic parks, the one that crops up in most articles about the history of Glendale is Schuetzen Park. After similar parks began to be built in Coney Island, many of the Glendale parks were forced to close. Schuetzen Park was taken over as a dance hall and, later, as a movie studio for Mirror Films. This 1923 photograph shows the Schuetzen Hotel, adjacent to the park. (Courtesy of Queens Borough Public Library.)

The present carousel operating in Forest Park was first crafted in 1890, while the animals were built later in 1903. It was the work of master carver Daniel Carl Mueller and is one of only two examples of his work still in existence. Another carousel did operate in Forest Park for a number of years, but it burned down in 1966. A search for a replacement turned up the present carousel, which had been in use in Dracut, Massachusetts, in 1903, but was later taken apart and stored. It features 49 horses, a lion, a tiger, a deer, and two chariots, and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. (Above, courtesy of New York City Parks Department; below, photograph by the author.)

Another prominent landmark in Forest Park is the George Seuffert Bandshell, built in 1920 to accommodate the Seuffert Band, which performed outdoor concerts in the park. It seats 3,500 people and was renovated in 1999 to improve the sound system, lighting, stage, and landscaping. It continues to entertain residents from all over Queens County with concerts, movies, and other types of live performances. (Courtesy of the author.)