Thanks to Baristaville’s local historian Frank Gerard Godlewski (aka FGG) for this Halloween greeting:
Among the pages of the 1922 Montclair Times Houses Collection, this retouched photo stands out as an almost perfect imitation of The Addams Family House. Did Charles Addams actually mischievously insert one of his “New Yorker” cartoons into our community photo book? Probably not, but this is remarkably ironic!
Baristaville does have a strong connection with the Addams Family however. Addams’ work is a satirical view of suburban NJ’s “nightmare landscape” and modeled after the artist’s hometown of nearby Westfield. Leafing through Addams’ insane drawings we realize that this is our landscape of quaint, hilly little towns occasionally dotted with crumbling gothic mansions that peer out from behind bare deciduous tree limbs.
If I remember correctly, in the early sixties a woman and her son lived there–and I believe the son had scoliosis. It really seemed like a scarey place when we were little kids.
Wasn’t this the house that was torn down in the late sixty’s to make room for the “new” GRHS?
Boy, FGG has come on the scene and has quickly become one of our most treasured resources. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting him on several occasions and must remark on his incredible knowledge of the history of this town, and his neverending charm and panache.
Frank is also is a designer/architect of older properties, and one I woud highly recommend. He has quite an eye for detail and a passion for local flavor.
I wish Frank was on the Montclair planning board!
Seconded!
And the Zoning board and HPC too!
I wish Frank was on the Montclair Historical Society
Board!
Happy Halloween to you all from the farmers at Montclair Farmers Market-Saturdays Walnut Street until Thanksgiving, and John Young Realty/GMAC, Essex County’s oldest real estate company.
Happy Halloween to you all from the farmers at Montclair Farmers Market-Saturdays Walnut Street until Thanksgiving, and John Young Realty/GMAC, Essex County’s oldest real estate company.
Happy Halloween to you all from the farmers at Montclair Farmers Market-Saturdays Walnut Street until Thanksgiving, and John Young Realty/GMAC, Essex County’s oldest real estate company.
Happy Halloween to you all from the farmers at Montclair Farmers Market-Saturdays Walnut Street until Thanksgiving, and John Young Realty/GMAC, Essex County’s oldest real estate company.
Happy Halloween to you all from the farmers at Montclair Farmers Market-Saturdays Walnut Street until Thanksgiving, and John Young Realty/GMAC, Essex County’s oldest real estate company.
Happy Halloween to you all from the farmers at Montclair Farmers Market-Saturdays Walnut Street until Thanksgiving, and John Young Realty/GMAC, Essex County’s oldest real estate company.
“Frank” for president of Montclair.
Frank and I were actually part of the Addams Family in the 1970’s. It was called Montclair Academy.
Who needs Senators, we have Frank!
I second Frank for President
Bravo for Frank! What an accomplishment … he has managed to get people on Baristanet to say NICE THINGS! And he is deserving of every compliment he gets. He’s a true gentleman with true class, plus he’s incredibly nice and hilariously funny on top of it all.
Yes, that is the site of the ‘new’ Glen Ridge HS, see address at bottom of postcard.
Thank you very much for such kind words. Richard is right because in the 1970’s as a boy, I had an amazing resemblance to Pugsley Addams.
Common,
You must have super eyes or a super computer screen, because I can’t see the address at the bottom of the postcard. But thanks for the answer–I think.
It says :Residence of H.S. Chapman xx Ridgewood Avenue Glen Ridge
I believe the number reads 204, site of the HS.
The address is 204 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge
The real Charles Adams and his “Family” lived on Elm Street in Westfield. The house featured in his cartoons is one house in off the corner of Dudley Ave. proceeding towards town on the right hand side. BTW, Happy Montclaireen!
We own & live on the 2nd floor of our two family. Our lovely tenants on the 1st floor went to a big party in South Orange, thusly they were not home. We were home, but my wife was feeling ill and I am recovering from a sprained ankle. It’s 19 steps down, and of course 19 steps back up, each time. The door bell rang about a dozen times. We were not participating. When the tenants came home they found their 5 year old son’s pumplin smashed against the front door of out house.
I do like this holy day and the mischief it brings with it. When I grew up, only those under 10 when out, I know see guys taller than my 6 feet out…. I don’t feel obligated to open the door to men wearing masks 6 foot tall at 9PM at night. I think last year will be the last. Next year, only lights on will be in the back of the house.
Thank you, KrKap, for the address of the Addams Family House in Westfield. That will be fun to check out, especially with this gorgeous autumn atmosphere. The “Cheaper by the Dozen” house at 68 Eagle Rock Way became a tear-down, long ago, and now its a 60’s ranch.