"Fire! - Never a stranger to the Rockaways!! "

On Saturday afternoon, July 3rd 1937 - an early 4th of July present! Fire paves the way for city bulldozers by destroying a block of boardwalk concessions. The estimated damage to the stores, located between Beach 98th and 99th Streets is in the neighborhood of some $600,000.

According to press reports, many boardwalk strollers reported hearing an explosion apparently originating in one of the shops - a confectionary outlet. According to bystanders many of the beach goers clad only in bath attire, formed a bucket brigade to assist the firemen. A crowd of over 300,000 gathered to watch the firemen fight the flames.

The commercial (as well as residential) areas shown on the north side of the city-owned boardwalk are schedule to be demolished sometime late in 1938 - after the conclusion of that summer season - to "make way" for a new ocean parkway and promenade. Some two hundred to four hundred feet of property is being reclaimed by the city in order to facilitate the introduction of a shore front parkway.