The following memoirs were posted in the My Astoria Forums by walt karwicki:

I lived in Astoria from early Feb 1959 to Autumn 1968. That may not seem long but as I nine when I arrived and just short of 19 when I left it sure seemed a lot longer. I still consider that period the main part of my life. I lived at 21-11 24th Road. That was one small block north on 21st street past the Triboro Bridge. Then right on 24th Road and we were the first two-family row house. A really old lady named Sueffert lived upstairs and she said that our houses were made 'temporarily' for the builders of the Triboro Bridge which loomed over us. Astoria seemed like being in the country in early 1959. I recall seeing posters on the poles along 21st St that I also saw on Long Island ( which was pure country back then). They had racoons and bears on the posters like the country. We called it "Astoria Square" where all those street came together a few blocks before the Triboro Bridge. There was an Army Navy Store on the West corner. On the northwest corner was a Pharmacy which was razed a couple of years later and next to it, going west, was a steep staircase which was a small department store. There was an Elementary School whose tower loomed over the Square but its entrance was around the corner to the northwest. I forget if it was PS 7 or PS 2. I only went there for a couple of days before my mother shifted me to PS 122. A couple of blocks north on 21st st was a butcher shop with sawdust on the floor and across from it was a little cemetary and across 21st st was a barber where I got my first Astoria haircut. I dont know how many words I can type here.

Read More of Walt's Nostalgia in his forum topic.