If you recall when The Outlet Company and Child World were in Garden City, The Cozy House and Dolan’s Drugstore were on Park Ave., Soprano’s Market and Kool Korner were on Rolfe St. or the Hilton …
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If you recall when The Outlet Company and Child World were in Garden City, The Cozy House and Dolan’s Drugstore were on Park Ave., Soprano’s Market and Kool Korner were on Rolfe St. or the Hilton Hotel and the Miami Diner were in Edgewood, then you will enjoy a trip down memory lane with two of the fastest growing Cranston Facebook sites, called “You know you are from Cranston, RI if you remember…” and “You know you are from Cranston, RI if…”
Minute by minute, Cranston residents and natives are posting memories on these two pages that have been in existence for nearly one year.
Both Facebook pages are active, although there are some redundancies in postings as new members join consistently. Members recall the “swing” or “pit” in the woods behind Budlong Pool and share stories about the Blackamore Pond beach back when it had a lifeguard. They talk about former teachers from Cranston schools and the places where their classmates hung out.
“You know you are from Cranston if…” has tripled in size over the past two weeks.
The page was started by 53-year-old Scott Hollingworth, a former resident of Rhode Island. When he began the site in 2010 he had a membership of approximately 300 people. The membership is now approaching the 1,000-member mark with close to 2,000 posts.
A 1976 graduate of Cranston East, Hollingworth said that two weeks ago Facebook asked him to either update his page or lose it. He chose to update it and is amazed by its sudden growth.
“The page is a trip down memory lane in Cranston. It is meant to be fun and no bullying is allowed,” he said. “It is truly amazing to see people connect with old friends, co-workers and even neighbors on the site.”
Hollingworth continues to see the Facebook page spread, along with the similar group, “You know you are from Cranston, RI if you remember.”
“It's been a blast reading all those places and events that shaped our childhood but are long gone. In typical Rhode Island tradition, some of them live on as a way to give directions or as a way to refer to a new place,” he said.
“You know, it's the old ‘fill in the blank’ store,’” posted Jeff Anderson, formerly of Cranston, who now resides in Virginia. His parents, Doreen and Bob, still reside in Cranston.
How many residents remember their parents driving them by the former “Bad Boy School” (now the site of Chapel View) and threatening to drop them off if they did not behave? Or visiting the penny candy stores in each neighborhood when candy was, in fact, a penny?
“I enjoy this website because it appears that Cranstonians from different generations all had similar experiences growing up in Cranston. It shows that even though Cranston is a city it still has the characteristics of a small town and growing up in Cranston seems to be something that all Cranstonians can relate to,” said former Council President John Lanni. “Names change, generations change, but everyone loved growing up in Cranston, and this says volumes about our community and its residents.”
Lynn Anderson, who lives in the Garden City section of Cranston, posted memories of the Big C Supermarket on Fletcher Avenue, student plays at Western Hills (then called Western Hills Junior High School) and even memories of her kindergarten teacher from Stone Hill Elementary School.
“I love nostalgia. This page fits the bill perfectly! It is a trip down memory lane with some old friends and some new ones. It brings back a lot of memories,” posted Anderson.
Hollingworth, now a Pawtucket resident, began the Facebook page when he realized Cranston did not have one that would bring people together. He invited friends and they invited friends, and the page has taken off.
Hollingworth’s favorite memories of Cranston include playing baseball at Aqueduct Field and swimming at the Budlong Pool when it was open all day with a one-hour break for lunch. He recalls the siren that used to blare through the neighborhood signaling when the pool was closing at the end of the day.
“We were more active outdoors back then,” said Hollingworth. “Our parents told us to get out and play until the streetlights came on. Now children and teens are more indoors with their Xboxes and the Internet.”
Anna Maria Angelosanto moved to Cranston at the age of 13 and recalls many places that are no longer around.
“I find it sad, but that is progress for you. I love the way, after all these years and the rivalries between East and West, people from both fences are chatting about the old days and reconnecting again,” she said.
One of the shared postings on both sites asks, “Where did you receive your first kiss?” Many replied either at the Park Theater, Garden City Theater or the former Garden City Bowling Alley.
For Robert Brazil, whose father works at Warwick Mall, the overnight elementary school trips to The Alton Jones campus was his favorite memory. He received his first kiss there. He now lives in Vermont but is also active on the pages.
Members come from all over the country.
“I grew up in Cranston [actually, it's pronounced "Craaaaanston"] and now live in Colorado,” wrote 50-year-old member Andrea Gelfuso Goetz. “I didn't realize that Cranston was different until I lived out west. My favorite Cranston quirks: Italian bread on every table – at a Chinese restaurant; calling a water fountain a "bubbla" and skating on Meshanticut Lake. And buying fish and chips and french fries soaked in vinegar and wrapped in newspaper at the "Spa" on Cranston Street, right next to the bridge on Oaklawn Avenue.”
Hollingworth says he is thrilled with the page’s popularity and believes it speaks to the sense of community in Cranston.
“I am finding many people posting from around the country, yet their roots are from Cranston,” said Hollingworth. “The best part is seeing people connect with others and recalling the city landmarks throughout the decades.”
11 comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here
alysmommy
What a great story.........a wonderful walk down memory lane for all Cranstonians/Cranstonites!!! I'm part of the facebook pages mentioned and we are having such a great time reminiscing and re-connecting............thank you, Meri, for putting it in print for us to cherish for years to come!!! Great job!!!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Report this
tanzaldi
I'm a member also - having a great time reconnecting with old friends, getting to make some new ones and remembering all the things that made Cranston a great place to grow up - not just the landmarks but the people who took that journey with us. Thanks Scott H. for putting the site out there.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Report this
puzlor
These facebook site have been so much fun. It's great to have a chance to reminisce with people who know what you're talking about. It's also been a great opportunity to re-connect with people. It's bit like going home again!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Report this
Robbie
I look forward to posting and reading on the Facebook site. Brings back so many great memories for me. Thanks so much Meri for such a great article!!!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Report this
cp2077
Great article! Thanks for writing it! Cranston is and always has been a great place to live!
Wednesday, August 17, 2011 Report this
kylej3
Sure is nice to see that people are still connected through the places we all knew and loved after al these years. Now if we can just scrape up enough money to keep the pool open for these kids of ours who still reside here, we'll be doing something! There's your next article!!! smile
Thursday, August 18, 2011 Report this
lderobbio
I look forward to the new postings. More times than not, I am either smiling or laughing out loud! Great idea, Scott - thanks for creating the page. Great article, Meri...as always! :) The Spa!!!..another place I totally forgot about! :)
Thursday, August 18, 2011 Report this
Deirdre
A member as well, I find the group so much fun and some of the postings absolutely hilarious! I grew up in Edgewood and miss it more than ever. Read Projo everyday and now will log on here too. Thanks Meri for this story. All my love to Craaaaaanston forever. No matter what troubles or hard times have come and gone it was a wonderful place to live, grow up and be educated in!
Thursday, August 18, 2011 Report this
PJoyce
Meri - Great Job! There is also a group relating to Edgewood called [Edgewood; It's a Mindset]. And we alll know that Sister Bonavita at St. Paul's would cringe at the improper use of the semicolon. Cheers!
Thursday, August 18, 2011 Report this
PJoyce
She would also cringe of my typo of "alll."
Thursday, August 18, 2011 Report this
Newportjude
I lived in Meshanticut Park and remember coming home at night in the snow after skating on the lake all day. That was also where I had my first kiss!
Wednesday, August 24, 2011 Report this