Cleveland Street
North of Atlantic

Originally part of the Schenck Farm. Formerly known as Jefferson Street. Later renamed after President Grover Cleveland.

Click on thumbnails to enlarge

I've reordered this page to start from Atlantic Ave. and run north. We start with some great shots from Elsie Anzalone. The 1948 shot on the left includes her mother in front of 2941 Atlantic where she worked. We're trying to find the full name of the knitwear company. On the right is a 1940 image from the Brian Merlis Archives showing the full building; The LIRR ran on an elevated line then.
Next door, on the left at 2939 Atlantic was her grandpa Catapano's bar. The picture on the left was taken circa 1946 and on the right the 1942 birthday picture in on the rooftop, with the knitwear company in the background.
Northeast corner, Cleveland and Atlantic, 1939 tax photo.

Thanks to Neil for the 2005 shot.
262 Cleveland Street, 1941 and 2010
Now we're halfway up Cleveland Street between Atlantic and Fulton. Rich Adazzio sent in the tax photo of 262 Cleveland, with some background; "My aunt & uncle Irene and Aniello DiPrisco lived on the 2nd floor of this building for many yrs – approximately from 1925 to 1958 - prior to that when they 1st married – they lived @ 261 Cleveland St but I think when 262 was built – it was brick and more ‘prestigious’ to live in...They loved the aptat 262 Cleveland St - I remember the formal dining room was in one of the front rooms – the kitchen in the center of the apt – and the parlor in the rear of the apt along with the master bedroom - under the stove and sink were the little black and white tiles that were common for homes of that era – I remember everything to be - immaculate – wood floors – oriental rugs – the formal heavy wood furniture of the 30’s."
Moving north up Cleveland, Phil Santella sends in these shots looking north towards the El on Fulton. The first shot is of Doris, Phil and Joseph circa 1957 and is sharper than an earlier shot Phil had sent in; the second shot is from 1940 and shows the "Cleveland Palace and Tavern" before the corner which was to become "Moe's" in our day. Phil's family lived at 242 Cleveland, and he sends over a classic "Italian experience" story on his days there.
Jim DeSapio sent in this great complimentary photo to the 1940s shot above. Shot in the 1950's, it now shows the tavern after it was bought by Moe Arleo. It appears to be the same sign, with "Moe's" replacing "Cleveland Palace". I presume it was the early days before the renovation, with the lanes still intact. Moe eventually bought Lil's Candy Store on the corner and moved the entrance to Fulton St. The 2007 image on the right is looking south towards that corner. Click the 'Stories' button to see a 1938 article from the Record on the Palace.
From Joe 'Roni' Perrone, a picture of "our gang" . According to Joe; "This is Moe's Tavern the wall on the Cleveland St. side, where the awning used to be. It must be around 1966. From left to right we have: Pip, Chooch, Denis, Frankie and sitting in front Roni." On the right, over 40 years later at the Liberty Park Reunion June 2009 we have Pip, Lawrence, Chooch and Roni!
Sharp eyes will note that there were no stairs in front of Moe's in our day. The stations along this line are being rehabilitated, and now there are stairs on both sides of Fulton, but they face east now. That would have cost me a few steps in the old days running from Ashford St. when I heard the train coming. On the right, a 2007 view south towards the station shows they now label the cross streets on the side of the El.
Jim DeSapio has corrected me that the house with the tall shrubs is 238 Cleveland; Jim knows because he lived there for twenty years; " I used to jump from my porch roof across onto MOE'S ROOF to retrieve the balls from the punch ball games". Phil sent in an undated update photo of 246 Cleveland on the right.
Two more from Phil Santella; houses on Cleveland St. decorated for a 1945 block party commemorating the end of WWII .
Fulton Street from Cleveland, 1944
This 1944 photo from the Brian Merlis collection was erroneously identified as a view East down Fulton. It is actually a view west towards Cleveland from Elton. Using a magnifier I could pick out store signs, including one that read; "Hats Blocked". I finally lined up an update photo with the correct orientation in that 2007 photo.
Northwest corner, Cleveland and Fulton
This 1939 tax photo is of the northwest corner of Cleveland and Fulton. Many of the tax photos were marred by shadows from either the El or trees. Although I can make out the dentist office on the 2nd floor(which I believe was still a dentist office in the '60's) I cannot make out the bottom floor establishment.Therese (Panariello) recalls it was Dr. Pollock!
Fulton between Cleveland and Elton, 1967
I confess I sniped these images-with permission- David Hay spent a summer in 1967 in East New York working for the Arlington Presbyterian Church running a summer program. His website can be found here with more images.
Kernochan's, 1965
Mike Pastore sent this shot looking down at the northwest corner of Cleveland and Fulton from the stairs of the Cleveland Street station. The bar on the corner was Kernochan's and my Dad once related a story about the place from his childhood.
Fulton between Cleveland and Elton, north side
Tim O'Reilly attempted to pinpoint Charlie Wilder's, the local hardware store, based on the address in the ad at the top of the page. It appears to have been some kind of variety store at the time of the 1941 tax photo. Neil Sullivan's 2006 image is a view east from Cleveland.
Cleveland Street, from Fulton Elevated
Maker: P.Miller Dated: 1917 Status: Own (RG).
Great shot of Cleveland Street looking north from the El. I finally obtained the P. Miller card, and though it is postmarked 1917 the image is probably 10 years older. This version of the card does not identify the shot as being from the Jamaica El.It was sent to a Georgia Schade who apparently was a former ENY resident. The 2005 photo is looking south down the same block from Arlington, with the El in the background.
Cleveland Street Station, 1967
I wish I had some shots of the interior of that tiny station. On the left is a 1967 shot from the David Hays collection of the wooden platform. On the right is a picture circa 1968 taken on the platform of my brother Bruce, Thomas Johnston, and George Caravanous on the way to their Junior High School graduation.
Cleveland Street Station, 1965
From Kurt Eger, a shot of the station and his friend Dennis Friscia in 1965.
No Current Photo
From my mother's diary, March 22, 1973; "Gary was in good spirits because I went up along Cleveland St., where the center of the street is one long double fence with an excavation in the middle...I believe they are laying pipes, but it has been an adventure for Gary. Crossing Fulton at Cleveland there have been little bridges of boards to cross the diggings, and they have been Gary's special delight".
238 Arlington Avenue
On the southwest corner of Cleveland and Arlington was a real nice house; Elsie Anzalone recalls Dr. Martone, who delivered her first child, lived there. Thanks to Isaiah Vega who sent in a 2024 update image after a tasteful renovation that honored the original architecture. The image on the right is view of the same home in the 1960s; the view is west along Arlington Avenue and the house is on the left.
167 Cleveland Street
Thanks to Mary Davis (Perrone) for these shots of 167 Cleveland Street. On the left she is pictured with her brother Stephen and father August in 1962. On the right, the house in 1969.
Mary also sent this shot with her brothers Stephen, Anthony and Paul with pet Pepe in front of their next door neighbor's house in 1966.
168 Cleveland Street
Some nice detail on this house from 1941 and 2007 update photo showing the house in pretty good shape.
442 Jamaica Ave
Make:Unknown: Dated: 1913 Status: Need
442 Jamaica is the southwest corner of Cleveland and Jamaica Avenue.