An Old Timer's Question

[Stukley]

Hi, My folks quit college in the Midwest during the Depression... my father moved to NYC to find work and sent for my mother. They were married at the Church of theTransfiguration (29th St.) in August 1931. They lived on West 23rd St "..across from Cavanaugh's.." in a brownstone walkup apt. where I was born in Feb 1935. These buildings were gone in the 50's, according to my parents. It's interesting that they always said these old brownstones were part of "London Terrace". Seems, now, London Terrace centers 2-3 blocks from there. Does anyone have any answers to this rather vague observation/question? Was Cavanaugh's between 7th and 8th. Thanks

[magpie]

I don't know about brownstones across the street from Cavanaugh's, but I do know that Cavanaugh's was on 23rd Street between 7th & 8th. The only part of the beautiful iron work from Cavanaugh's remains as a small part of the East on 8th restaurant.

[IHeartChelsea]

Cavanaugh's was 256 West 23rd.

256: Was the address of Cavanagh's Restaurant (1876-1970), hangout for Diamond Jim Brady, Lillian Russell, John L. Sullivan and Tammany Hall pols. After the restaurant closed, it housed Galaxy 21 (1972-76), a gay disco closed by the police, and the Squat Theatre, a venue for such musicians as Nico, John Cale, Sun Ra and the Lounge Lizards, and an inspiration to filmmaker Jonathan Demme.

Source: http://home.nyc.rr.com/jkn/nysonglines/23st.htm#8av

[IHeartChelsea]

This is a pretty cool link if you want to see pics of the city in the 1940s...

http://webapp1.dlib.indiana.edu/cush...&pagesize=2000

[Southpaw]

Here's a good reference on London Terrace, you'll find in it that the present London Terrace is actually the 2nd one, however as it's built on the site of the 1st, it wouldn't have been across from Cavanaghs between 7th,8th.


http://books.google.com/books?id=9dP...sult#PPA145,M1



and here's a pic of Cavanaghs.

[magpie]

Thanks so much for that picture. Wasn't Cavanaugh's a beautiful piece of work? I was so disappointed when I saw them demolishing it. In fact, now that I see the picture, I'm reeeely depressed

[psammead]

I am elated! I love seeing this stuff! I want to know where Southpaw gets all this stuff. It's very exciting to me. Simply awesome. Thanks, Southpaw!

(And yeah, I'd rather have it back, too, but it's so cool to have pic like that to make sure it's not forgotten. I remember seeing very old pix of the north side of 23rd between 8th and 9th that were heavily laced with wrought iron, too. Apparently there was once a sort of Nawlins-like theme around the old opera house.)

[roby2000]

I only ate a Cavanaugh's twice, back about 38 years ago, but I liked it a lot.