Edgmere – Far Rockaway Archives

June 25, 2021June 25, 2021

The Wonderful world of Rockaway’s Playland

For all who grew up in the Rockaways remember Playland. Whether you were very young with all your families your first time. One can never forget this wonderful place. As we grew older many of us went there to hang out as they use to say and just be there on a saturday with our own friends. Again it was a simpler time. For a few dollars we could be with our friends or by ourselves. Remembering All the smells and the grit of the place is another feeling of home. I have been collecting photograph and postcards for over 30 years now . Its fun to put them all together for all to see this wonderful place. I hope you enjoy all your own memories.

Bruce Baumwoll

Click the photograph and it shall take you to a little film I did on Playland a few years ago

Click here to see my photographs of Rockaways Playland gallery.

Woody Allens : Radio Days

Click here to see my photographs of Rockaways Playland gallery.

February 7, 2019April 21, 2019

The Photographic Archive of Edgemere, Far Rockaway & the Rockaways

beach 35th street Edgemere – photo credit: Mark Beckerman

beach39thstreet Edgemere photo credit : Mark Horowitz

Edgemere photo credit : Mark Horowitz

photo credit : William Platts

State Diner 1951 photo credit : arthur ganzer

State Diner 1951 photo credit : Arthur Ganzer

photo credit : Steve Sobel

photo credit : arthur ganzer

photo credit Michelle Jaeger

The Wave: photo credit

beach 35th street Edgemere – photo credit: Mark Beckerman

photo credit :

photo credit : Steve Sobel

January 14, 2019December 17, 2022

My Favorite Cookies

Photo of Nabisco Package courtesy of Carlos Alejandro

Life in Edgemere gave us many things. These cookies for me are the boardwalk.

These are the three that I would get at different times with my grandmother and mother as they shopped at the stores on Edgemere Ave.

We all have our stories about the black and whites. I must admit I would often give away the chocolate side. How I still love these even today.

The toy cookie card board container shown here is mine from all those years ago. I remember going up on the 38th street ramp often with all my cookies. Seeing the colorful cookie cardboard container brings back so many thoughts of my times on the boardwalk. Our house was close to the boardwalk on Beach 38th Street and Sprayview Avenue, right on the corner. They would always tell us go take a walk on the boardwalk, but stay close. Even then I enjoyed my time alone. I can still feel my hands going along the railing of the boardwalk, and the ramp. the rhythm of the hand…the beat on the palm, And then those wonderful cookies. One of my very clear memories is sitting on the porch with my cookie, on the steps. People would be walking by to get on the boardwalk. So many happy people; they would have that extra quick step we all have when we want to get someplace.

But nothing can compare to the cookies in the blue box. Nabisco Marshmallow Sandwich cookies. My grandmother would often let me walk up to the stores at the end of Beach 38th Street to buy them. To this day I can remember how they smelled when you would open up the package and then to one box where there they would be in a wonderful row.

Click here to read about the history of the Marshmallow Sandwich

April 9, 2018April 9, 2018

Baumwoll Archives Wonderful World of Movie Tie-in Books

I spent most of my time when I was in Jr. High School 198 in the Rockaways collecting books and movie posters. Each week I would go to town; town meaning Far Rockaway. At this point we lived in the apartment house right across from the old convent on Central Avenue where all the nuns lived and still had their old habits on; such fond memories. I can still see their faces.

Our family often sat on the terrace which was on the first floor. The terrace was on the left side of the building with a wonderful view of the convent. We lived there all through my Junior High School years. As I have said I was a very quiet person. So each week I would save my money and head into town and go to Woolworths and Grants where I would head right to the book section and see all the new paperback books that had come out.

I can not explain the thrill of finding a new book, to see all the stars and sometimes pictures of movie stills in the middle. Discovering One new book was all that was needed to feel that wonderful feeling. Remember the prices ranged from 25 cents to incredibly expensive for the time $1.25. Funny to think about that now.

I loved the hunt and the find. I still feel that way now. After I had found my books for that day, my mom would always give me a little extra money to go have lunch out. My parents were happy that I was getting out. At lunch I would sit and put all the books out on the table and just look at all the graphics. I always ate at the deli or the Chinese place upstairs. I would have my lunch usually in the same spot the middle booth right in front of the window. That was the table my grandmother always ate at. She just loved their Chow Mein. I have not eaten that dish since.

In the world we live today Paperback Movie Tie-in books aren’t what they used to be. They don’t have the great graphics that I love so much. So I hope you enjoy all the books and their wonderful graphics and images. There is still many that I have not added yet. I’m still documenting them all.

The golden years of Paperback Movie Tie-in books are over. They shall not pass our way again.

C lick here to see my Movie Tie-in Books Photo Album for books A-K

Click here to see my Movie Tie-in Books Photo Album for books L-Z