Here’s another photo shared by Ingrid Staats. If you’ve been to this blog before, you recognize the bridge, but what are Vega and Altair you might wonder. The ferries are aptly named, since they are two characters in a Chinese love story, Vega the weaver girl and Altair the cowherd.
Here they operated within the fleet of the Bergen Point Ferry, both built in 1946 and discontinued in 1961.
The ferries were sold after discontinuation of the service, and both were lost in 1961: Vega off New Jersey and Altair between Mexico and Cuba deep in the Yucatan Channel. These are small boats to be going to Mexico: 61′ x 38′ x 8′, but another of the set, Deneb, made it and appeared in the Mexican registry.
To drive along Richmond Terrace these days, you don’t get the same sense crossing Port Richmond Avenue that you would have had 70 or 80 years ago . . . click on the photo below for a photographic tour of what used to be a crossing into NJ.
I used to have a photo of the sign still hanging near the ferry until quite recently, but when I gallivanted around there a few days ago, it was gone and my photo is as well, victim of one of my misguided cullings to reduce the memory demands on my computer.
In that recent gallivant, I did look along the west side of Port Richmond Avenue at this church and graveyard.
This is some old NYC history, and
names memorialized in places are reflected here . . . . Prall’s Island today is uninhabited but known to everyone who travels through the Arthur Kill.
Many thanks to Ingrid for use of the Vega-Altair photo. More of her photos to come.
And while you’re at the Reformed Church, go another 100 yards inland and check out Nat’s Men’s Shop and buy some warm work clothes.
6 comments
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February 2, 2018 at 12:45 pm
Daniel Meeter
My dad used to preach there in the ’90s.
February 2, 2018 at 1:41 pm
Richard on Dauntless
I wonder when we will again name some boats after Chinese characters?
Probably not soon.
But what I love about being on the ocean is that the bullshit stops and we are ALL just mariners.
Richard on Dauntless
February 2, 2018 at 5:52 pm
Robin Denny. Windsor, UK.
Vega, Altair and Deneb are also stars with names derived from Arabic. They are the brightest stars in, respectively, the constellations Lyre, Eagle and Swan. From the Pole star, Polaris, the constellations are close together and almost opposite the Plough, part of Ursa Major.
February 2, 2018 at 8:24 pm
Charles Danko
My dad would take me over to Weisglass Stadium via ferry to see the stock car races………what a short but magical trip. Later on (early ’70s) I lived across the street from Unlce Miltie’s Amusement Park in Bayonne…….the ferry entrance was still there as a reminder of happier days.
February 3, 2018 at 4:04 pm
Jbalk@gsinet.net
Loved the Chinese story- A bridge of magpies-romantic Judy⚓️
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February 3, 2018 at 4:09 pm
Jbalk@gsinet.net
Saving the Dutch information To trace some of Mels people
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