Lower East Side stories 1930s/40s

Note by video director Paul Dougherty: John J. McCroary's recollections of growing up on the Lower East Side while looking at the book Life on the Lower East Side: Photographs by Rebecca Lepkoff, 1937-1950

I came in contact with John via an effort to save historic St. Brigid's Church further uptown on Ave. B (East Village). John's cousin, Joe Flood was a supporter of the preservation effort (he is the Man and was our West Coast evangelizer) and put me in touch with John.

John was born in 1928 and grew up by the corner of Henry St. and Scammel St. (no longer there). Now it would be east of Montgomery St. a couple of blocks from the East River. That corner is now occupied by Vladeck Houses (housing development) and near Saint Augustine's Church then known as All Saints Free Church at 290 Henry Street. John's family were parishioners at St. Mary's on Grand St. After he got married he moved near by to the corner of Canal & Orchard St.