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Near Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7

Posts & Stories(6)

Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant image

Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant
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Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant, 1922. In the early 1850s Henry Schumacher built a two-story wooden building and established Schumacher’s Lager Beer Saloon and Hotel. The hotel became a welcomed stopping point for Long Island farmers en route to Manhattan. Along with those coming into the city from Long Island, the establishment was also patronized by mourners who were burying their family at nearby cemeteries. During the mid to late 19th century it was common for family outings to the rural cemeteries of Queens and Broklyn on Sundays. John Niederstein, a German immigrant and cook, purchased the building in 1888 for $28,000 and greatly expanded it. It continued to be a popular spot for cemetery visitors as well as the growing local German population of Middle Village and Maspeth. The Niederstein family operated the restaurant until 1969, when it was sold to Horst and Reiner Herink. After surviving more than 150 years, serving (at least since 1888) beef goulash, weiner schnitzel, sauerbraten and bratwurst, Niederstein's closed in 2005 and the building was razed soon after. An Arby's now occupies the lot.
70-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

70-01 Metropolitan Avenue
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Albert Schumacher's Hotel - Located at what is now 70-01 Metropolitan Ave. (formerly No. 2001 Metropolitan Ave.). Albert was the nephew of Henry Schumacher who had a hotel across and further up the street that became Niederstein's. By early 1924 it was Martin's Hotel with Martin Blum as the proprietor, in December 1924 he sold the property to Dietrich & Son who were nickel platers. In 1980, Horst Herink purchased the property and the building was torn down to make way for a parking lot for Niederstein's. At right is John Dreier, Florist.
General Slocum Memorial image

General Slocum Memorial
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General Slocum Memorial at the Lutheran (now All Faiths) Cemetery, undated postcard. On June 15, 1904, a passenger steamboat, carrying members of the St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran Church to a summer picnic on Long Island, caught fire in the East River. With the ship ablaze, inaccessible lifeboats, rotting life jackets, and a crew who had never practiced a fire drill, passengers began jumping into the choppy waters of the river. The majority of church members onboard were women and children (it was a Wednesday). As women and children entered the water, they horrifyingly sunk instead of floating, due to the disintegrated cork in the life preservers. Worse still, like most Americans at the time, the passengers did not know how to swim (and their heavy clothing further weighted them down). The captain pushed through the Hell Gate Chanel, fanning the flames, before grounding the ship at North Brother Island. In total more than 1000 people died, with some five dozen unidentified. Most of the unidentified victims were buried in a mass grave in the Lutheran Cemetery (now All Faiths) in Queens. On the first anniversary of the disaster, this memorial was dedicated. Twenty feet tall and over eight feet square at the base, it was constructed of granite and bronze. On the sides of the monument were four statues representing Memory, Grief, Hope, and Faith. On the front of the monument, a bronze relief depicted the burning ship with an appropriate dedication explaining the intent of the memorial. At the ceremony, 18-month-old Adelle Liebenow, who was the youngest survivor, pulled the ribbon to reveal the monument.
Public School 128 image

Public School 128
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Public School 128, 1935.
Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7  image

Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7
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Middle Village Auto Painting, 1922. Though the sign over the door in this 1922 photograph says the two-story wood-frame building is "Middle Village Auto Painting," the shape and architectural features of the building belie a different function. The bell tower and large main doors were important features of a fire house that occupied this building previously. The Fearless Hook and Ladder Co, No. 7, a local village volunteer organization occupied this building from the late 19th century (some sources say 1870 and other 1891) until 1913 when the city's fire department displaced them.
70-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

70-01 Metropolitan Avenue
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Martins Hotel, 1923. This two-story wood-frame building was constructed in 1881 and functioned as a hotel. Being directly across the street from the upper gate entrance to the Lutheran Cemetery was a boon to business, catering to those who came to bury or visit their deceased relatives. The original owner died in 1894 and the establishment had a long series of proprietors. In 1924 it became the location of a nickle plating business, though some of the space remained a cafe and hotel. In 1980 the building was purchased by the owners of nearby Neiderstein's restauarant, who demolished the structure for a parking lot.

Photos(18)

Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7  image

Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7

Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7  image

Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7

Newtown - Old Middle Village Volunteer Fire House - Middle Village Old Middle Village Volunteer Fire House - Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7 of the Newtown Fire Dept. on the north side of Metropolitan Ave. west of Pleasantview St., opposite the second gate to the old Lutheran Cemetery (now No. 71-55 Metropolitan Ave.) - in 1922 it was the Middle Village Auto Painting Co. At right is the old Kattenstroh House at 71-57 Metropolitan Ave.
Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7  image

Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7

Newtown - Metropolitan Avenue - Middle Village Metropolitan Avenue - On the right is the 19th Century Kattenstroh House at what is now 71-57 Metropolitan Ave. It appears on an 1852 Map with no name listed, and was demolished in the 1980s for a Condo. The building at left, at 71-55 Metropolitan Ave., was the second home of Fearless Hook & Ladder Co. No. 7 of the Newtown Fire Dept. (in 1922 it was Middle Village Auto Painting Co.), it was also demolished in the 1980s. Photo taken March 1923.
71-41 Metropolitan Avenue image

71-41 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Mrs. Way's House - Middle Village Mrs. Way's House - later the John Sutter House, and still later E. W. Girard (in the 1920s). It was a brown shingled house on the north side of Metropolitan Ave. now 71-41 Metropolitan Ave. Photo taken March 1923.
Middle Village Library image

Middle Village Library

Newtown - Metropolitan Avenue - Middle Village Metropolitan Avenue - North side of Metropolitan Ave., looking east from a point near Pleasantview St. In the center is what was Henry Edinger's Hotel in 1890, by 1896, Frederick Weiss was the proprietor of the hotel. Weiss Hotel became Bell's Tavern after WWII. This site now is 72-31 Metropolitan Ave. home to the Metro Plaza Condominiums and Queens Library Middle Village branch. \[Print stamped "Historical Survey of Long Island - Collection of Vincent F. Seyfried."]
70-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

70-01 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Albert Schumacher's Hotel - Middle Village Albert Schumacher's Hotel - Located at what is now 70-01 Metropolitan Ave. (formerly No. 2001 Metropolitan Ave.). Albert was the nephew of Henry Schumacher who had a hotel across and further up the street that became Niederstein's. By early 1924 it was Martin's Hotel with Martin Blum as the proprietor, in December 1924 he sold the property to Dietrich & Son who were nickel platers. In 1980, Horst Herink purchased the property and the building was torn down to make way for a parking lot for Niederstein's. At right is John Dreier, Florist.
70-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

70-01 Metropolitan Avenue

70-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

70-01 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Albert Schumacher's Hotel - Middle Village Albert Schumacher's Hotel - looking west along Metropolitan Ave. from 71st St. The Lutheran Cemetery fence on left, and Albert Schumacher's Hotel in foreground (nephew of Henry Schumacher who had a hotel across and further up the street that became Niederstein's), now 70-01 Metropolitan Ave. Partially visible in the distance on the right is Sieb's Hotel at the NE corner of Metropolitan Ave. and 69th St, it was a large two story wooden frame building across from Niederstein's Hotel (porch visible on left), which was between 69th St. and 70th St. Photo taken Oct. 1923.
72-39 Metropolitan Avenue image

72-39 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Metropolitan Avenue - Middle Village Metropolitan Avenue - Row of old frame houses on the north side of Metropolitan Ave. west of 73rd Place - old No. 2143 through 2153 Metropolitan Ave. \[Original QPL print missing, copy of print stamped "Historical Survey of Long Island - Collection of Vincent F. Seyfried."]
69-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

69-01 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Sieb's Hotel - Middle Village Sieb's Hotel - (aka J.N.F. Sieb's Hotel, aka Sieb's Central Hotel) At the NE corner of Metropolitan Ave. and Juniper Ave. (69th St.), at what is now 69-01 Metropolitan Ave.
Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant image

Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant

Newtown - Niederstein's Restaurant and Hotel - Middle Village Niederstein's Restaurant and Hotel - "Queens' Oldest Restaurant" on the south side of Metropolitan Ave. near 69th St., at what is now 69-16 Metropolitan Ave. Henry Schumacher, a saloon keeper from New York City bought the land and built a saloon here called Schumacher's Lager Beer Saloon and Hotel in the mid 1800s. After he died his wife Catharina remarried and continued to operate the business, in 1888 she sold the hotel and restraint to John Niederstein for $28,000. It was in the Niederstein family for many years, first to the eldest two son's John Jr., and Louis who later deeded to their younger brother Richard (John Jr. had left to go into politics, and was elected County Clerk for Queens County in 1910). By the 60s it was being run by Henrietta Niederstein and she sold the restaurant to Rainer Realty Corp. (Horst and Reiner Henrik) and it reopened after renovations in 1970. The building was sold by Henrik and demolished September 23, 2005. There is a boulder with a plaque at the spot to commemorate the restaurant.
Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant image

Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant

Queens: Metropolitan Avenue - 69th Street Metropolitan Avenue, south side, opposite 69th Street, showing the Niederstein Hotel which was established in 1877 by Judge Gustave Schumacher, a German immigrant. Other owners who operated this hotel after 1892 but prior to the first mentioned owners were Widow Catherine Schumacher, and Mrs. Catherine Sutter. Another name for this establishment was the Grand Hotel. John Niederstein Jr. married Minnie Siebs daughter of Christopher Siebs another hotel owner. This is a set of two views. View No.1 is viewing west; No. 2 eastward. 1922 View 2: April 1925. Eugene L. Armbruster Collection
Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant image

Niederstein's Hotel and Restaurant

73-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

73-01 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Mancher House - Middle Village Mancher House - Mancher Farmhouse, Metropolitan and NE corner of 73rd St. (formerly Tremont St.). \[Original QPL print missing, copy of print stamped "Historical Survey of Long Island - Collection of Vincent F. Seyfried."]
73-01 Metropolitan Avenue image

73-01 Metropolitan Avenue

Newtown - Mancher House - Middle Village Mancher House - Mancher Farmhouse, Metropolitan and NE corner of 73rd St. (formerly Tremont St.). \[Old address No. 2123 Metropolitan Ave.]
Public School 128 image

Public School 128

General Slocum Memorial image

General Slocum Memorial

Let Us Not Have Died in Vain Monument in Lutheran Cemetery to the Unknown Dead of the Genl Slocum.
General Slocum Memorial image

General Slocum Memorial

The Slocum Monument
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