I want to know everything about life in Ozone Park in the 1930s/1940s

March 25, 2012 9:21 PM

I want to know everything about life in Ozone Park in the 1930s/1940s

I've been tossing around the idea of writing a story about a young man growing up in Ozone Park around the outbreak of World War II. How do I research this? I need everything from history of the neighborhood to everyday affects like what a grocery store would stock. I've only ever written about contemporary times. Where do I start?

I don't live to far from Ozone Park and would love to go interview residents but I don't have an inlking about how this works. Oral histories, photos, books, I'm looking for anything I can get!

Thanks!

posted by johnnybeggs to Society & Culture (5 answers total)

I'd contact the people at the New York Historical Society and ask them to point you in the right direction
posted by dfriedman at 9:51 PM on March 25, 2012

There's also the Queens Historical Society.
posted by dfriedman at 9:57 PM on March 25, 2012

Photos: http://digitalgallery.nypl.org -- search by street name.
posted by zvs at 8:37 AM on March 26, 2012

The best place to interview people for stuff of this vintage is old-age homes or assisted living. Write to the director and explain your interest. They should be able to pass on the information to residents.
posted by JJ86 at 9:46 AM on March 26, 2012

Oh, also, the Gotham Center has a forum where neighborhood people reminisce.
posted by zvs at 12:54 PM on March 26, 2012