42 Gone but Not Forgotten

To celebrate my birthday, I decided to take a stroll down memory lane. I compiled a list of 42 memories of moments from my childhood that have gone by the wayside, are gone but not forgotten.

For better or worse, relegated to the “dustbin of history.”

Editor’s note: My list is my list. It is Northeast Philadelphia, with a touch of sports and politics. It contains names, places, and faces that impacted my life or those I knew, in some way, large or small.

Don’t be offended if you live in rural Pennsylvania and your school closed and I omitted it.

Also, I’m getting older, and as I age, I am forgetting far more than I remember. In other words, I may have missed something.

Here’s my list, Gone (or just about gone), but not forgotten and may it spark memories of your own:

  1. Conservative Democrats
  2. Liberal Republicans
  3. St. Bernard School, St. Leo School, St. Timothy School, Our Lady of Consolation School, St. Bartholomew School, St. Joachim School, Benjamin Crispin School
  4. Northeast Catholic High School for Boys and Cardinal Dougherty High School
  5. Sears Wish Book
  6. Philadelphia Stars, Philadelphia Phantoms, Philadelphia Wings, Philadelphia Kixx, Philadelphia Fury, Philadelphia Fever, Philadelphia Bulldogs, Philadelphia Rage, Philadelphia Charge
  7. USFL, WFL, XFL
  8. Veterans Stadium
  9. JFK Stadium
  10. The Spectrum: America’s Showplace
  11. VCR, Betamax, 8Track, record players
  12. Atari, Sega, Colecovision, and Intelivision
  13. Jersey pig farmers picking up garbage pales weekly from driveways
  14. Heavy smoking in public areas
  15. Music videos on MTV
  16. PRISM
  17. Channel 48
  18. Cold War
  19. Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia
  20. Pathmark, Pantry Pride, PharMor, Carrefour
  21. Galaxy Arcade
  22. NWA, WCW, and GLOW
  23. Liberty Bell Race Track and Garden State Park
  24. A Kardashian was an attorney
  25. John Wanamaker’s, Clover and Woolworth’s
  26. Poloroid Instant Camera
  27. Playtown and Kiddie City
  28. The Bulletin, The Montgomery County Record and The National
  29. OJ was a football player and an actor
  30. Billy Penn Hat Rule
  31. A Woody was a station wagon
  32. “Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” actually hosted by Dick Clark
  33. Orleans, Mayfair, and Devon Movie Theater
  34. Payphones and rotary phones
  35. Blockbuster and Video Village
  36. Pennypack Circle
  37. The Huckster (Strrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwbbberrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrieeeeeees!)
  38. Unorganized sports for children
  39. Styrofoam fast food containers
  40. First Pennsylvania Bank
  41. Electric Playground and United Skates of America
  42. Harry and Whitey: The Soundtrack of Summer

4 thoughts on “42 Gone but Not Forgotten

  1. Your birthday buddy reminds you…Gimbels, Strawbridge and Clothier, pagers, and Korvettes (was that before your time?) Happy birthday from Kathi and Fred!

  2. I remember all of those places, even Korvettes! Tell my birthday buddy thanks for the addition and HBD!

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