My grandfather, Michał Dańko, arrived at Ellis Island on the steamship the S.S . Zeeland on 07 Mar 1905. According to his passenger manifest, he was met by Isaac Flichtenfeld, a Jewish umbrella maker residing at 35 First Avenue in New York City. I assume his first residence in America was Isaac’s home.
One week ago, after the 2009 Conference of the Polish Genealogical Society of Connecticut and the Northeast, a group of the conference speakers took a quick trip to New York City to visit Ellis Island. Later, after returning to Manhattan, we were enjoying a drink at an Irish Pub on Second Avenue when I realized that we were close to the address where my grandfather first stayed when he arrived in America.
I used my iPhone to quickly check the address on my grandfather’s passenger manifest, confirmed that it was 35 First Avenue, and then Lisa Alzo, Matthew Bielawa, and I headed for the address. Jonathan Shea met us there a few minutes after we arrived at the address.
35 First Avenue, New York City
SOURCE: 35 First Avenue (Manhattan, New York County, New York City, New York, USA). Photographed by Matthew Bielawa for Stephen J. Danko on 09 August 2009.
A restaurant currently occupies the structure at 35 First Avenue, but the building doesn’t appear to be the original: the structures on either side of 35 First Avenue are much taller and show signs that another tall building once stood at 35 First Avenue.
I was a bit disappointed that the actual building was no longer there, but elated that I was able to see the first address that my grandfather called home in America.
Copyright © 2009 by Stephen J. Danko
Steve,
That was so much fun watching you find the place that was once your grandfather’s first address in America! Only something fellow genealogists can appreciate!
Lisa