The O’Connell Brothers’ milk wagon was painted by Nicolino Calyo for a series of New York street scenes, circa 1830s. Irish-born men and women made up 40% of the city’s peddlers as late as 1855, mainly selling farm produce such as milk, vegetables, and fruit. New York’s corner grocery stores were Irish until German immigration at midcentury brought competition. (Photo courtesy of Museum of the City of New York).
Katie Lucev is the daughter of the late Rockaway Beach Historian, Emil R. Lucev, Sr. (1933-2018)