HomeThe Bronx County Archives Finding AidsGilbert P. Carvajal Family Photograph Collection, 1944–1951

Gilbert P. Carvajal Family Photograph Collection, 1944–1951

Information, Description, and Finding Aid

Collection Information

Reference: PH-CARVAJAL

Dates: 1944–1951

Extent: 0.10 linear ft. across 1 archival box

Finding Aid Information

Creator(s): Pastor Crespo, Jr., Librarian and Archivist

Date created/updated: May 10, 2023

Biography

Gilbert P. Carvajal was born January 5, 1929 in Woodside, Queens but grew up and spent the rest of his life in The Bronx.  He passed away from Alzheimer’s complications on November 23, 1993.

Gilbert P. Carvajal loved New York City and was said to be knowledgeable about anything New York. He was a typesetter in his young adult years and then worked for the Information Technology department for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.  He was a talented oil and water color painter, photographer, philatelist (i.e., U.S., U.N., and Costa Rican stamps), coin collector and all-around good guy.  Gilbert P. Carvajal lived at 537 East 148th Street, Bronx, NY 10455 from June of 1939 – May of 1954, then his family moved to 1720 Mayflower Ave, Bronx, NY 10461, and finally he eventually moved to St. Patrick’s Home, Bronx, NY until his death. He was a first-generation American who was very proud of his Costa Rican heritage.  Most of the photographs in this collection were taken by Carvajal.

Description/Scope and Content

The collection consists of 34 photographs of Bronx life in the St. Mary’s neighborhood, 9 newspaper clippings, 7 miscellaneous documents, and 2 school patches. A large portion of the photographs come from his neighborhood near Brook Ave and 148th Street, where the Carvajal family lived. Some photographs are of his time on the St. Mary’s Football Club and City College football teams. These photos provide scenes of Bronx street life in the 1940s.  There are also 9 newspaper clippings, most of which are of sports teams Gilbert Carvajal was a member of, 2 school patches from his middle and high schools, his middle school diploma.

Provenance

The Gilbert P. Carvajal photograph collection was donated to The Bronx County Historical Society by his niece Rosemarie Cucuzzo Farenga on February 15, 2023.

Preferred Citation

[Item name or description,] Gilbert P. Carvajal photograph collection, box _, folder _, The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

Points of Access

  • Ethnic groups and nationalities -- Costa Rica
  • Individuals -- Bernstein, Howard -- Buczacz, Joe (a.k.a. Murphy) -- Cain, Alan -- Carvajal, Gilbert P. (a.k.a. , Carvie, Red) -- McGuire, Pete (a.k.a. Mc G) -- Carway, Charlie -- Charello, Joe -- Chartand, Dick -- Cohen, Frank -- Degnan, James -- Degrouttois, Vincent -- DeThomas, Bob -- DiMinno, Anthony -- DiTomasso, Mike -- Dunphy, George -- Hacker, Louises -- Holmstrom, Herb -- Karol, Dan -- Kurtz, Bob -- Langan, Bill -- Last Name Unknown (LNU), Stan -- Locush, John -- Lopal, Rube -- Malzone, Frank -- Mudge, Charles -- O’Donnell, Thomas -- Pantano, Louise -- Potter, Dick -- Prato, Phillip -- Raship, Manush -- Rosenblum, George -- Sala, Vincent -- Sarsfield, Pat -- Scagnelli, Dick -- Schneider, Ed -- Soodick, Bernie -- Stewart, Mary -- Sulger, John -- Timonet, Mary -- Valleau, Charles -- Venere, John -- Wohrle, Ed
  • Landmarks (The Bronx, New York) St. Mary’s Park -- Harris Field -- Orchard Beach
  • Neighborhoods (The Bronx, New York) -- Morrisania -- Mott Haven
  • Organizations (The Bronx, New York) -- Bronx Borough Police
  • Schools and Colleges -- Brooklyn College -- City College -- Elijah D. Clark Junior High School 149 -- Fordham -- Manhattan College -- Metropolitan Vocation High School -- P.S. 27, St. Mary’s Park School -- Samuel Gompers Vocational High School --
  • Sports and Sports Teams -- Anzacs -- Beavers -- Blue Moon Rams -- Bronx Comets -- -- Bronx Football League -- Bronx Gridiron League -- Bronx PAL -- Manhattan-Bronx-Richmond Vocational PSAL League -- St. Mary’s Football Club -- Dawson Dodgers -- football -- St. Mary’s Cardinals -- stickball -- Westchester Kings -- 40th Precinct Team
  • U.S. military -- 69th Regiment Armory -- Camp Kilmer, NJ -- Camp Smith, NY

Related Collections

    1. John McNamara photographic slides. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
    2. Ron Schliessman photographic slides. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
    3. Weisler-Langer Family Film Collection. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.  https://digital.bchslibrary.org/avweisler
    4. Gompers High School records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
    5. Morris High School records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
    6. P.S. 6 records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
    7. P.S. 31 records. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.
    8. P.S. 58 photograph collection. The Bronx County Archives at The Bronx County Historical Society Research Library.

    Container List

    Box

    Folder

    Contents

    Date

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.001: Gilbert P. Carvajal (bottom row, - 2nd from left) in J.H.S. (Elijah D.Clark Junior High School) class photo.

    1944

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.001: Clark (Service) J.H.S. patch

    n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.002: Junior High School Diploma, Board of Education of the City of New York.

    1944

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.002:  Photo of Gilbert P. Carvajal.

     n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.003: Note providing Gilbert P. Carvajal’s residential addresses.  (Provided by his niece: Rosemarie C. Farenga)

    2023

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.004: Samuel Gompers Vocational High School (Field Day) 1945 patch.

    1945

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.003: Photo of Brook to Willis Avenues and 148th Street – Three youth playing catch in the streets. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    1946

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.004: Photo of Joe “Murphy” Buczacz. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    Ca. 1946

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.005: Business Card: Whitey Sandwich Shop, 520 Brook Ave, Near 148th Street, Bronx, NY.  (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    Ca. 1946

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.005:  Photo of man playing stickball in P.S. 27 schoolyard. “Stan”. Graffiti in background of: “Vultures” and “Pioneers”. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.006:  Photo of man playing stickball in the street.  U.S. flags on building in background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.007:  Photo of “Charlie Carway” and “Johnny” playing stickball in the street. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.008:  Photo of a man “Pete McGuire” playing stickball in the P.S. 27 schoolyard.  Old graffiti in the background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.009:  Photo of “Charlie Carway” playing stickball in the street at 147th or 148th streets. People in the background watching. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.010: Photo of man (two-tone shirt) playing stickball in the street.  U.S. flags on building in background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.011: Photo of man playing stickball in the street.  U.S. flags on building in background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.012: Photo of man (#77 jersey) playing stickball in the street.  U.S. flag on building in background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.013: Photo of man playing stickball in the street.  U.S. flags on building in background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.014: Photo of men playing stickball in the street on 148th Street and Brook Ave (facing west). (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    1946

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.015: Photo of seven smiling young men in suits in front of storefronts. “Exact location unknown”, possibly in front of 511 Brook Ave, Bronx, NY. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    1946

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.016: Photo of four men in front of Whitey’s Sandwich Shop.  U.S. flags on building in background. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.017: Photo of “George”, Larry”, and “Jane” on corner of 148th Street and Brook Ave. (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    1946

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.006: Business Card: Whitey Sandwich Shop, 520 Brook Ave, Near 148th Street, Bronx, NY (Mott Haven neighborhood).

    Ca. 1946

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.018: Photo of football players on field.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.019: Photo of football receiver preparing to catch a ball.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.020: Photo of football players on field; bridge in background.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.021: Photo of quarterback throwing a football.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.007-8: St. Mary's Football Club Postcard (side 1: Receiver's address; side 2: Notice to St. Mary's Football Club members).

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.022: Photo of a football player in a 3-point stance.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.023: Photo of football players on scrimmage line (photo is blurred due to movement).  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.024: Photo of football players on scrimmage line.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.025: Photo of football players on scrimmage line (bridge in background).  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.026: Photo of football players on the ground after a tackle.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.009: Newspaper clipping titled “Bronx Football League Formed With Six Clubs”.

    Ca. 1949

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.027: Photo of football players on the ground after a tackle with numbers “42” and “98” in the background.  St. Mary’s Football Club. St. Rochs versus St. Mary’s game on August 26, 1949.

    1949

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.010: Newspaper clipping titled “Busy Beaver Befuddled”.  City College versus Brooklyn College, Freshman basketball game at the 69th Regiment Armory.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.011: Newspaper clipping titled “Backfire”. Manhattan College pranksters removing graffiti (Beat Fordham) from Park Property.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.012: The Home News, newspaper clipping titled “Gompers H.S. Has Streak of Nine Triumphs”.

    19 May 1947

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.013: Newspaper clipping titled “Bronx – Richmond - Manhattan Champs”.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.014: The Home News, newspaper clipping titled “Bronx PAL Titleholders Await City Playoffs”.

    5 March 1947

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.015: Newspaper clipping titled “Basketball Team”.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.028: Photo of a quarterback posing.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.029: Photo of a football player kneeling.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.030: Photo of a quarterback posing and a second player in the background.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.031: Photo of a receiver posing in action.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.016: Newspaper clipping titled “Comets and Cardinals Share Bronx Gridiron League Lead”.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.017: Newspaper clipping titled “It Was Warn and There Was Some Sun, So-----”.

    19 May 1947

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.032: Photo of a night-time street scene at 537 East 148th Street.

    n.d.

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.033: Photo postcard of “Orientation, Camp, Kilmer, N.J.  From C. Valleau to Gilbert P. Carvajal.

    12 September 1947

    1

    1

    PH-CARVAJAL.001.034: Photo postcard of the 105th FA (Field Artillery) unit photo. 

    7 September 1951

    1

    1

    MS-CARVAJAL.001.001.018: Caption Card for PH-CARVAJAL.001.034 identifying "Red" as Gilbert P. Carvajal (by Gilbert's niece Rosemarie Cucuzzo Farenga).

    2023