The Agnes Balcer Collection of our 4,700 piece (and growing!) historic image archive is one of our smallest collections, but the photos it contains have an outsize story to tell relating to the family that donated them and Greenwich Village history. Agnes Balcer was from Bemidji, Minnesota, and worked as an executive secretary in Washington, D.C. before World War II. During the war, she served as a Navy Radioman Third Class and was stationed at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn, from 1942 until 1944.
Agnes Balcer (second from the right) and other WAVES and civilians at the Village Barn, 52 West 8th Street
The WAVES (Women Accepted for Voluntary Emergency Service) were established in 1942 as a branch of the United States Navy’s Naval Reserve to replace men stationed ashore. The WAVES performed various jobs such as clerical work, engineering, medical, and various aviation support roles to free up more male sailors and officers for sea duty, when such duties were only considered appropriate for men.
Agnes Balcer in her WAVES days
Over 80,000 women served in the WAVES during WWII. Following the war, many were demobilized. The June 12, 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act allowed women to serve in the regular Navy, although the term WAVES continued to be used for women’s Navy units until the 1970s.
On their off days, Agnes and the other WAVES would travel to the Village. One of their favorite hangouts was the Village Barn, as seen in the photo at top. The Village Barn was located at 52 West 8th Street from 1930 to 1967.
The Village Barn was a country-themed nightclub and dining hall that served a menu of down-home food, including pot roasts, stews, corn fritters, biscuits, corn bread and pies. Much of the interior was “made up to look exactly like a barn” with harnesses on the walls and horse-collars on the rafters. It was an extremely popular venue for decades, probably especially so for many patrons who came from rural areas. But this popular establishment pales in comparison to what came after the Village Barn closed down.
Village Barn Dining Hall
The building housed an incredible array of uses, included a trailblazing art school led by Hans Hoffman, a performance venue called “The Generation Club” at which Janis Joplin, B.B. King, Chuck Berry, and Sly and the Family Stone, among many other musicians of the day performed, and the venerable 8th Street Playhouse movie theater. But perhaps its most notable (and certainly longest lasting) use opened here on August 26th, 1970, when Jimi Hendrix’s Electric Lady Studios began its life.
Jimi Hendrix (seated), South African-born American music producer and engineer Eddie Kramer (standing left) and studio manager Jim Marron as they pose in the control room of Hendrix’s then still under construction Electric Lady Studio, New York, New York, June 17, 1970. (Photo by Fred W. McDarrah/Getty Images), from Village Preservation’s Historic Image Archive.
While Hendrix would tragically die soon after the opening, Electric Lady Studios went on an amazing, decades-long recording run (continuing to this day) hosting some of the most iconic musical artists including The Clash, Lou Reed, Kiss, Led Zeppelin, Blondie, Run DMC, Common, Bob Dylan, John Lennon, Nas, Kanye West, Madonna, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Billy Idol, U2, Daft Punk, Patti Smith, David Bowie, John Lennon, The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and others.
Back to the collection, Agnes met Anthony Del Giudice while stationed at Floyd Bennett Field. They married, and she requested to be discharged shortly after.
The happy couple
Balcer lived in Yonkers, NY until the age of 93. She was a beloved mother of four children, grandmother of eight, and great grandmother of sixteen. The images in her collection were donated by her daughter Debbie.
Our historic image archive contains 66 collections, many donated by families like the Balcers showcasing personal stories connected to our neighborhoods. Explore the entire archive here.
