Mill-Dow Roots: On The Map. Week #38 52 ancestors in 52 weeks. Downing's Restaurant and Bar Flatbush, Brooklyn

In March I posted a picture of my grandfather in the Bar he owned in Flatbush, Brooklyn. This photo has hung on the wall in at least three homes I've lived in over the last 38 years, the original belonged to my father and hung in his house. Over the years I had lost track of where exactly it was located. I'm sure he told me the address but I had forgotten. I knew somewhere in Flatbush near Empire Blvd. but where? So I asked for help. My cousin Marguerite commented that another cousin Richie had mentioned that the bar was called Mulligans before Larry bought it. Richie added that the customer was none other than his father my Uncle Dick Downing. Leads! Cool!

While researching I found Larry's World War II Draft card which listed the name and address of his employer as John Mulligan , 1042 Nostrand Avenue.

New York City has some really detailed pictures taken in 1940 for tax purposes. With the address I was able to locate it on the map.

The little red square in the map is 1042 Nostrand Avenue. The map shows more information in the box at right. .

What I needed was the block and lot number for the location. Block 1320 and lot 43. Using that I could search the tax photo collection and sure enough there was a photo!

I am pretty sure this is the place. It is still most likely Mulligans since he listed his employer as that place on the WWII draft card. There is no sign in the window but above the bar is a sign hanging perpendicular to the wall that might have had some more information on it. It looks like Beer advertisements in the window and the window to the left of the apartment entrance as well. Schaefer Beer? Nostrand avenue is still cobblestone in the photo, it was paved when I was a kid.

Here is what it looks like today,

Using Google Maps Street View I was able to find a recent photo. There's a Lenny's Pizza and a liquor store there now. Lenny's was the best pizza in our neighborhood. This is not the same Lenny's. The original was further south on Nostrand Ave. between Newkirk and Ave. D.

Google Maps is wonderful it allows you to rotate and view 360 degrees and move down the block. I took a look around and spotted spotted the Church where my Mother and father were married in 1951, St. Francis Assisi. Just South about two city blocks.

I remembered that my mother lived at 1154 Nostrand in 1940. I had a photo from the tax files. I have often wondered if the lady in the photo was my grandmother Lucy. So they lived a few blocks down from the bar, its a small world.