Detroit Neighborhoods--Back in the Day

Boundary of Woodward/John R - 7 Mile/State Fair

My father lived at 492 Fernhill as a boy in the 1920s; I lived with him and my mom at 456 Fernhill as a child in the 1940s.

When I googled the neighborhood and rode the cyberspace arrow up and down the streets, I could not believe the destruction and neglect. At least half the houses on Fernhill are gone.

When I saw the empty lot where my house used to be, it broke my heart. How crazy is that! It was more than 60 years ago! My dad's house still standing was a wonderful surprise. In my mind's eye, I can see the street and the people as they were so long ago. I don't know why I care. Maybe it has something to do with being a writer.

On the North side of the street, it appears the house once owned by the Maynards, the Etheringtons, and the Hopps family [[492) remain.

On the South side, across from where 456 used to be, the house owned by the Luscitch family in the 1940s is also still standing.

Time has not been kind to this little community but it was a wonderful and safe place to grow up in the 1940s.

From Fernhill we walked to the corner of Havannah, turned right one block, and there was our beautiful school, Grayling Elementary. What has happened to this school? The building remains but it is not listed as a Detroit elementary school.

From 456, my friends and I would walk two blocks to Beauman, turn left and pass a little convenience store on the right filled with penny candy or continue a few more short side blocks up to 7 Mile to Brown's Creamery, where my Grandma Hopps, the store manager, would give us delicious double-dip chocolate cones for TWELVE CENTS!

In the summer, my friends and I would walk the 2-1/2 blocks over to State Fair and spend the entire day at the Fairgrounds!

I remember the fire there in 1942. I was four and sat on my dad's shoulders as he and half the neighbors walked over to watch the horror and listen to the screaming horses.

We did not have a car then and my dad rode the bus to and from work. Sometimes I would walk to the other end of Fernhill, to Charleston, [[remember when they built that manufacturing plant there?), turn left two short blocks and meet him at the top of the stone steps he walked up when he got off the bus by the viaduct at State Fair.

Or we could walk up Charleston to 7 Mile and turn left a block or two and be at Trinity Reformed Church, where my dad went to church as a boy and my grandma still attended in the 1940s.

Our next door neighbors, the Hoffmans, attended Epiphany Lutheran Church located across the street a little ways from the creamery. It was such a beautiful church, I wished I was Lutheran so I could go there. It is now known as Oasis of Hope Christian Church.

If you have memories or pictures you are willing to share of those "grand old days", please contact LibralLady@aol.com

Thanks!

Another fresh member of this board! More and more people are discovering this forum. Welcome!

I'm sure this thread will run into the 30 replies with that kind of information.

Welcome, and thank you for sharing your memories with us. It used to be so much fun growing in Detroit, kids today just have no idea. You can't even sit on the porch and have a Boston Cooler anymore, much less walk to the State Fair! My mom remembers the scent of peonies in the air, blanketing the east side in the 1920s and 30s. Rows and rows in pink and white along the chain-link fences. They are still her favorite flower.

Welcome, Sarah -- excellent post.

I have been 'googling' my old family homesteads for some time, and almost all of them are gone. There is a difference == the old family homes from 1880 to 1920 in Wichita, Kansas, have yielded to 'downtown sprawl', whie the homes from 1920 to date in Detroit have yielded to urban neglect.

Remember the tunnel of trees on the side streets, the huge elms on either side of the street, meeting at the top to form the tunnel. I lived on the Eastside of Detroit, between Vernor and Kercheval, Harding and Lemay. It was the greatest neighborhood growing up in, back in the early 50's. We played in the alleys, most of the neighbors kept them clean, we stayed outside until the street lights came on, everyone sat on their front porch and I loved just about every one of our neighbors. Back then, people respected each other and each others property. Detroit is my hometown and it saddens me to see the decay today.

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You can't even sit on the porch and have a Boston Cooler anymore

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I don't imagine this is critical to the discussion, but why not?

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Originally Posted by mwilbert

I don't imagine this is critical to the discussion, but why not?

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And I don't imagine this is very critical either. :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Sarah [[Dawn) Barnes

Boundary of Woodward/John R - 7 Mile/State Fair


Or we could walk up Charleston to 7 Mile and turn left a block or two and be at Trinity Reformed Church, where my dad went to church as a boy and my grandma still attended in the 1940s.

Our next door neighbors, the Hoffmans, attended Epiphany Lutheran Church located across the street a little ways from the creamery. It was such a beautiful church, I wished I was Lutheran so I could go there. It is now known as Oasis of Hope Christian Church.

Thanks!

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Hmmmm, I went to summer camp with a Boy Scout troop at a church in that neighborhood....it was either 7 Mi or State Fair not very far east of Woodward. Trinity is ringing a bell.

Anyone know if that was where Troop #198 was at? In 1962, the troop had been there at least 20-25 yrs.

@sarah[[dawn)barnes

My Mom is a Lucich, from Fernhill. She and brother John are last ones left alive. I took her there 2 years ago to see the homestead. Sad. At 94, her memory is pretty much gone. We should talk. Little grocery around the corner = Oppo's. ;)

Hey Buy American
My old man also grew up on Harding south of Jeff though and my mom grew up on Kerchival and Belvidere back in the 40's 50's they both attended Annuncation class of '60. The city really must have been a great place to grow up back then.

I grew up 3 houses off of Vernor, went to Howe Elementary, Foch Jr. High and Southeastern. During the late 40's, and 50's, Detroit was such a wonderful City. We rode our bikes to Belle Isle from home, we could walk to the Booth Show, the Plaza, and a couple of others in the neighborhood. The friends I made back then are still my friends today. I've always said that I wouldn't trade my childhood in Detroit for anything. My kids grew up in Detroit in the 7 and Hayes area, but they couldn't attend public schools because they were dangerous places to be, so they went to private schools.

" we stayed outside until the street lights came on, everyone sat on their front porch and I loved just about every one of our neighbors. "

Next to our neighbors, the Hoffmans, was a vacant lot. Then came the Etheringtons, then the Maynards, then a small house with a boy I only knew as "Junior". He was constrained by crutches -- a victim of Polio before Salk.

Our vacant lot was a haven for collecting bugs for science projects, playing baseball or "kick the can", or just laying in the grass looking up at he sky at the "pictures" formed by the clouds. One street light stood right there at the vacant lot so we never had an excuse for missing curfew.

The Hoffmans had six children and eventually moved to a bigger house -- right across from Nolan Intermediate. One daughter, Mary, and I kept in touch for a few years. The people who bought their house had a little girl named Sandra and I babysat her a few times before we moved to Oak Park in 1952. Now I can't remember their last name.

My folks did the same thing so I ended up graduating from Bishop Gallagher having to ride a few buses from Chalmers and Scripps up to Harper woods, there were a few of us from the Jeff/Chalmers area that went to school up there. Growing up down by the canals was a great experience.

My Mom is a Lucich, from Fernhill. She and brother John are last ones left alive. I took her there 2 years ago to see the homestead. Sad. At 94, her memory is pretty much gone. We should talk. Little grocery around the corner = Oppo's. ;)

Thanks for providing correct spelling of this name. I hate phones but you can email me at LibralLady@aol.com if you wish.

Re Oppos -- The steps were so big, I could hardly get up them when I was four. How great was that . . . to have a little grocery store right at the end of your street! That sold candy too!

Back in the 1920s when my dad lived at 492, families would buy their groceries on "credit" and pay Mr. Oppo at the end of the month.

My Grandpa Leo Hopps, the Lathams, the Etheringtons -- all neighbors -- helped each other dig basements under the existing houses back then. At that time, this "corridor" was surrounded by countryside; it was the "suburbs" of the times. I've been told there was an article published 1918-1925 ??? featuring the diverse and cooperative nature of this community; which it was in the 1904s also. Am hoping to find a copy of the article.

I can tell by the postings on this thread that we all feel the same way about Detroit back then. I still love Detroit and the wonderful memories I have of the City and my early years working for the City.

What was the ethnic composition of the neighborhood back then? I can't tell from the last names. Were there anchoring cultural institutions [[e.g., churches, synagogues, clubs) that everyone supported?

What was the ethnic composition of the neighborhood back then? I can't tell from the last names. Were there anchoring cultural institutions [[e.g., churches, synagogues, clubs) that everyone supported?


If you're still referring to 7 Mile/State Fair bounded by Woodward/John R -- the area now known as "Chaldean Town" -- these are the names/ethnicity from Fernhill neighbors [[I think):


Hoffman -- German
Lucich -- Polish
Faust -- German??
Maynard -- Don't know
Griffith -- Don't know
Etherington -- Don't Know
Hopps -- English/Scotch
Oppo -- Polish??


I would say this was a "blue collar" community in the 40s. I believe many families had parents living with them who were immigrants from "the old country" who still spoke their native language. Why did we lose this reverence for speaking a second language . . .


I only know of the two churches [[still standing) I mentioned; both on 7 Mile, a few blocks east of Woodward [[but the addresses all say WEST 7 Mile ??? Maybe because they are WEST of I-75?) Trinity Reformed Church now called Goodwill Community Chapel and Epiphany Lutheran now called Oasis of Hope Christian Church.

Every summer my girlfriends and I would walk up to the 7 Mile Public Library and take out a week's worth of books to read. Back then, milk was delivered in horse-drawn trucks. One time we passed some horse droppings in the road. I turned to my friend and said, "Oh, look at that pile of S---". I was probably 9 or 10. It was the first time I ever dared to speak such strong language; it made my heart race from guilt accompanied by a feeling of "whooosh"-like relief. I went around saying it repeatedly for several more days until it lost its effect and I lost the need.

Maybe that guilt wasn't such a bad thing . . .

Actually, Sam and Lena Lucich were from a small island off the coast of Yugoslavia. Their cousins [[Cey) lived around the corner and the Brackanovich's lived around the corner on Adeline [[Old Tony had a great garden, as did my Grandpa). The basement of 457 Fernhill was dug out in the '20s so my grandpa could expand his booleg wine and white lightning operation. All were from the same area in the Adriatic. The Catholics went to St. Rita.

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Originally Posted by Sarah [[Dawn) Barnes

Hoffman -- German
Lucich -- Polish
Faust -- German??
Maynard -- Don't know
Griffith -- Don't know
Etherington -- Don't Know
Hopps -- English/Scotch
Oppo -- Polish??

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Hmmmm....I would guess Etherington and Griffith are English and Irish or Scottish, respectively. Maynard as English or maybe a French corruption.

My grandpa's block of Parker Ave. in the 1930s was really cool. In the 1930 Census there were Italians, his family was from Tennessee, French-Canadians, Germans, Austrians, Irish, alot of East Coasters, and English. What a mix!

Portions of Fernhill Ave. from the 1930 US Census:

400-456 Fernhill
462-540 Fernhill
477-545 Fernhill

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Originally Posted by Mikeg

Portions of Fernhill Ave. from the 1930 US Census:

400-456 Fernhill
462-540 Fernhill
477-545 Fernhill

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Mikeg...where did you get that information? I would love to check out my family in Detroit, is there a link and could you post it?
Thanks in advance.

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where did you get that information?

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I have subscriptions to both Ancestry.com and Footnote.com. I found and downloaded the Fernhill Ave. images from Ancestry and then uploaded them to my web server.

Footnote allows anyone to browse/search their documents but you must have a subscription to download their images.

Here is the link to Footnote's 1930 US Census records for Wayne County:

http://www.footnote.com/browse.php#-1|139512737

Enter the surname in the "Search within" box and click "Go" to see how many results you get. The results give you plenty of information to determine which census record page in the results contains the person[[s) you are looking for. If you get too many results, you can narrow them down by adding keywords in the box at the upper left side of the results page.

Note that from that link you can also navigate back [[to the left) to browse/search other Michigan counties and other states.

Does anyone have pictures of the area when it was a healthy neighborhood? It looks horrid now on Google Street View.

Does anyone have pictures of the area when it was a healthy neighborhood? It looks horrid now on Google Street.

I am writing a book of Memoirs, "Yesterday, Once Upon a Time in Detroit" about my dad growing up there in the 1920s. My Grandpa Leo Hopps helped dig some of the basements -- wonder if he helped with the Lucich house. There were not alot of houses back then, lots of constructing new houses. The men and women of the neighborhood helped each other with whatever was needed. Friendly, caring community.

In the 1940s, when I lived at 456, there was a little girl, grand-daughter, I presume, that sometimes came to visit the Luciches. We played together.
Interesting story you have there, Lt. Dan, re the bootleg liquor. Our family story is that Grandpa Leo's brother, James Clare -- who drove trucks from "here" to "there" as extra money on the side -- was killed by Mafia. They laced his drink with formeldehyde when he told them he wanted to "quit".

My son and I drove thru the neighborhood in 1998. I have a few pics of how it looked then -- not as bad as now but not good. Have pics of 456, and several others. Also of Lucich house. If anyone wants copies, please email me direct at LibralLady@aol.com

If anyone has a picture of Grayling in 1920s, I am looking for one to include in the book. I have one from 1998, I presume it hasn't changed much.

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Originally Posted by Sarah [[Dawn) Barnes

Does anyone have pictures of the area when it was a healthy neighborhood? It looks horrid now on Google Street.

I am writing a book of Memoirs, "Yesterday, Once Upon a Time in Detroit" about my dad growing up there in the 1920s. My Grandpa Leo Hopps helped dig some of the basements -- wonder if he helped with the Lucich house. There were not alot of houses back then, lots of constructing new houses. The men and women of the neighborhood helped each other with whatever was needed. Friendly, caring community.

In the 1940s, when I lived at 456, there was a little girl, grand-daughter, I presume, that sometimes came to visit the Luciches. We played together.
Interesting story you have there, Lt. Dan, re the bootleg liquor. Our family story is that Grandpa Leo's brother, James Clare -- who drove trucks from "here" to "there" as extra money on the side -- was killed by Mafia. They laced his drink with formeldehyde when he told them he wanted to "quit".

My son and I drove thru the neighborhood in 1998. I have a few pics of how it looked then -- not as bad as now but not good. Have pics of 456, and several others. Also of Lucich house. If anyone wants copies, please email me direct at LibralLady@aol.com

If anyone has a picture of Grayling in 1920s, I am looking for one to include in the book. I have one from 1998, I presume it hasn't changed much.

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Couldn't you just upload the pictures on this site, if that's not asking too much?

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only know of the two churches [[still standing) I mentioned; both on 7 Mile, a few blocks east of Woodward [[but the addresses all say WEST 7 Mile ??? Maybe because they are WEST of I-75?)

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I believe in that area, John R designates the split from east side to west side.

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I would say this was a "blue collar" community in the 40s. I believe many families had parents living with them who were immigrants from "the old country" who still spoke their native language. Why did we lose this reverence for speaking a second language . . .

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As to a reverence for a 'second language': my grandparents were immigrants from Austria-Hungary and they forbid their children from speaking their native tongue; they moved to America to be Americans and they didn't allow any of the 7 kids to speak anything but English, even the ones born in the old country.
Same went for my Polish grandmother on my dad's side.

Well S[[D)B, I suspect the little girl you played with from across the street would be my cousin, Joan. She would be close to 70 years old now. A few years ago she and her hubby moved to the old country. They live in a 600-year-old house in Split on the Adriatic. Maybe you also had contact with my other cousin John [[Clarkie) -- him being the same vintage and probably was around Grandma's house in the '40s too. I'll contact fam to see who has pix still.

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Originally Posted by jcole

As to a reverence for a 'second language': my grandparents were immigrants from Austria-Hungary and they forbid their children from speaking their native tongue; they moved to America to be Americans and they didn't allow any of the 7 kids to speak anything but English, even the ones born in the old country.
Same went for my Polish grandmother on my dad's side.

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My family had a similar experience. My grandparents were French-Canadian immigrants, and my fathers only language until the age of 13 was French. Once my family came to the US, French was not spoken in the house until my Dad and his siblings were adults and by then were fluent in English.

Seems this was common in many immigrant families at one time - I wonder why it changed? In my family, we're all very proud to be of F-C heritage, but my grandparents thought it important that their family be able to speak English in order to fully function in American society.

As a boy, it was cool to watch my aunts and uncles, dad and grandparents converse so fluently in French. Sadly, none of my generation have learned the language.

Here's a link to Fernhill Avenue from the R.L. Polk Detroit City Directory 1928-29. It starts at the lower right hand column of the page. "Jos. Oppo, Gro" [[grocer) was at 520 Fernhill. Great memory refresher sometimes.

Maybe you also had contact with my other cousin John [[Clarkie) -- him being the same vintage and probably was around Grandma's house in the '40s too. I'll contact fam to see who has pix still.

Though vague, my memory is that there were "children" visiting that I played with.

Another memory -- on Halloween, 5-6 of us would go together as far as five or six blocks away. Nothing to fear. I even remember a few times we took chaulk and printed "Kilroy Was Here" on the steps. Shamless delinquents that we were!

And there was an old lady who lived at the end of the block on the side of 456, we called her "the crazy lady". I believe her yard was fenced.

Now I are her. :)

My friends Father and Grandfather were both ministers at the Lutheran on 7 mile near Woodward. The family name is Burnthal. His Grandfather actually built the church and was the first minister. I lived on Margaret W. in the late 70's early 80's. I drove around the area this week and was shocked how bad it became. All of the businesses on John R are gone. Such a shame. On the other hand, The Dakota Inn is still going strong. I will be there this Saturday for Octoberfest.

Mike --

Re the Epiphany Lutheran Church -- I have several bulletins they sent me from a few years ago. I was told "Bunky" Knudsen put up the money to build that structure; maybe you know whether that's true or not.

Re Dakota Inn -- HOW GREAT that it is still there. My husband and I went there back in the 1960s-70s. There was a great old guy, Basil, who sang there. His son sang also.

I have a wonderful picture of this. I will search my records [[I do genealogy and write -- my piles have piles) and see if this site explains how to upload a picture. This may take a day or two. Keep checking back.

Later,
d

TA-DA!

Here is the Dakota Inn Picture with Basil and his son. Taken sometime in the '70s, I think. Enjoy!

Boy do I have some unpleasant -disagreeable membories of THAT hood. In 96 I had the misfortune of living on Appoline and then on Penrose under some very unfortunate circumstances. I remember a fifty-something, bald street tough white guy named Butch[[and his weaslish junkie boy-toy Jim) who was born in that neighborhood and had pleasant memories of the neighborhood as it was up until around the late seventies when it started a downward spiral into blight, bleekness and despair.The few whites who remained were shifty and shady. It was Anarchy. A car plowed into a dank and dirty mom and pop store on Bauman, there were numersous firebombings, drug related stickups and the occasional ineffective raid in which a drug dealer would move into the home several hours after having been raided. An off duty Chaldean cab driver and his wife offered me a ride out of concern for my safety is one of only a few acts of kindness I can recall. The State Fair neighborhood is-was Hell on earth.

. . . and henceforth and back, known as "Little Beirut."
On a lighter note -- a little-known fact. Because Elmore Leonard's researcher is from this hood, he front loaded a phony address on State Fair as the house used to hold the kidnap victim in his 1978 novel "The Switch."
QUOTE:
"5
Richard Edgar Monk lived at 1035 State Fair, the street that ran east of Woodward Avenue along the south edge of the Michigan State Fairgrounds. The house faced a chain-link fence and was directly across from one of the gates where they used to bring in the horse-trailers during the racing season . . . . The house was a frame crackerbox with a pair of dormer windows sticking out of the roof and no style at all until Richard fixed up the front with imitation ledgerock . . . . " [[great story, you should read it!)
In real life, today, the house with ledgerock that faces the gate is right next door to the entrance of Theatre Bizarre. If 1035 existed it would be farther east on State Fair, almost at Charleston. ;)

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Originally Posted by dtowncitylover

Hmmmm....I would guess Etherington and Griffith are English and Irish or Scottish, respectively. Maynard as English or maybe a French corruption.

My grandpa's block of Parker Ave. in the 1930s was really cool. In the 1930 Census there were Italians, his family was from Tennessee, French-Canadians, Germans, Austrians, Irish, alot of East Coasters, and English. What a mix!

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Don't forget the Murrey's [[?) on the 20000 block of Keating. They were from Scotland and spoke with a brogue so thick, my Irish ears didn't understand.
Just down the street from the Keyhole lounge.

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Originally Posted by terryh

Boy do I have some unpleasant -disagreeable membories of THAT hood. In 96 I had the misfortune of living on Appoline and then on Penrose under some very unfortunate circumstances. I remember a fifty-something, bald street tough white guy named Butch[[and his weaslish junkie boy-toy Jim) who was born in that neighborhood and had pleasant memories of the neighborhood as it was up until around the late seventies when it started a downward spiral into blight, bleekness and despair.The few whites who remained were shifty and shady. It was Anarchy. A car plowed into a dank and dirty mom and pop store on Bauman, there were numersous firebombings, drug related stickups and the occasional ineffective raid in which a drug dealer would move into the home several hours after having been raided. An off duty Chaldean cab driver and his wife offered me a ride out of concern for my safety is one of only a few acts of kindness I can recall. The State Fair neighborhood is-was Hell on earth.

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Terry, I lived on the corner of Fernhill and Bauman in '83/'84 in less than savory circumstances, too. Even then, it was a horrible area to live in. I shared that house with several other people and we didn't leave it alone even during the day. I saw more than one car on fire outside my side door where they had been dumped and torched. One night, I heard someone banging on the back door screaming and went to answer it; one of my roommates stopped me, telling me it was the hooker from next door trying to get away from her pimp, again. The various ethnicities in the area didn't always get along, so there were nights that we turned the lights off and sat in the dark while they shot it out in the street in front of the house. The party store was there then, too, and it was definitely unsafe to go in there without someone with you. We had a Doberman and a sawed off shotgun for protection, and even then, I wasn't too comfortable.
Thank God I was only there for about 6 months before I was able to get a decent job and get out.

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Originally Posted by jcole

Terry, I lived on the corner of Fernhill and Bauman in '83/'84 in less than savory circumstances, too. Even then, it was a horrible area to live in. I shared that house with several other people and we didn't leave it alone even during the day. I saw more than one car on fire outside my side door where they had been dumped and torched. One night, I heard someone banging on the back door screaming and went to answer it; one of my roommates stopped me, telling me it was the hooker from next door trying to get away from her pimp, again. The various ethnicities in the area didn't always get along, so there were nights that we turned the lights off and sat in the dark while they shot it out in the street in front of the house. The party store was there then, too, and it was definitely unsafe to go in there without someone with you. We had a Doberman and a sawed off shotgun for protection, and even then, I wasn't too comfortable.
Thank God I was only there for about 6 months before I was able to get a decent job and get out.

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Glad you made it out Jcole. Back in 98 I read a brief article about a double homicide [[the guy I knew Butch's brother, and another man from the neighborhood) were shot execution style.Two other mild aquaintaince have been gunned down since then. Rumor through the grapevine was that suburban cops, whose daughters were buying dope from victims, were the triggermen...who knows and who cares, I dont think Ill be taking any more trips down memory lane through that area,Its safer behind the computer screen viewing the blight from Google Earth.

There was a down home restaurant [[Bahi) that had a great wholesome hardy menu at reasonable prices, and some fun to shop at markets that featured imported goods, but overall I was treated with suspect when I patronized the businesses along the strip, witnessing on one occasion what appeared to be a strong arm of a small business owner by a shady Chaldean. I know from newsreports and grapevine that there is a history of organized crime [[remember the Kalasho-Akrawi organizations)?, shakedowns, illegal gambling and cocaine dealing along the 7 mile strip between John R. and Woodward.

The area is cleaning up a bit, with refrurbished storefronts, new housing, demolition of some delapidated businesses and homes, not too mention some light industry in the area, but I wouldn't bank on the area making a big comeback anytime soon.

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Originally Posted by Buy American

I can tell by the postings on this thread that we all feel the same way about Detroit back then. I still love Detroit and the wonderful memories I have of the City and my early years working for the City.

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yes how beautiful det was back than and the beautiful people that i crossed paths with in the 1950s...p.j

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Originally Posted by jcole

Terry, I lived on the corner of Fernhill and Bauman in '83/'84 in less than savory circumstances, too. Even then, it was a horrible area to live in. I shared that house with several other people and we didn't leave it alone even during the day. I saw more than one car on fire outside my side door where they had been dumped and torched. One night, I heard someone banging on the back door screaming and went to answer it; one of my roommates stopped me, telling me it was the hooker from next door trying to get away from her pimp, again. The various ethnicities in the area didn't always get along, so there were nights that we turned the lights off and sat in the dark while they shot it out in the street in front of the house. The party store was there then, too, and it was definitely unsafe to go in there without someone with you. We had a Doberman and a sawed off shotgun for protection, and even then, I wasn't too comfortable.
Thank God I was only there for about 6 months before I was able to get a decent job and get out.

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A friend of mine lived in the John R just north of 7 area. He had lived in a home with his parents and grandparents so he knew of the history of that neighborhood since its inception. It was during the early and mid 70s that the neighborhood changed seemingly overnight. Many of the stories you reported were similar to his. BTW, It was at that time that I discovered the East-West divider in the city is John R starting at 6 Mile going north

And what about the RKO Theatre . . .

We went there often -- Almost every Friday. My mom and I would walk from Fernhill to State Fair, take the bus to Woodward, get on the street car to the theatre where we would meet my dad. He got there by bus/street car from where he worked. We would eat at Sanders; often a sandwich and a hot fudge sundae [[so yummmmmy!) for desert. They had these little trays that fastened on the counter and dropped down to table height level above each stool. Then we ALWAYS went next door to the popcorn store on the corner where my dad bought a BIG bag of Carmel Corn to take to the DOUBLE FEATURE movie at the RKO. And then at 10 p.m. or so, we would ride streetcar and bus back and then walk home.
With never a care for our safety.

　

Me 'n Rocky [[my puppy) were driving down the road the other day and I was thinking, once again, of my old neighborhood and how it was 60 years ago.

SIXTY YEARS AGO?????? AAAACCCKKKKK!!!!!

Rocky looked up at me -- and said --

[[he doesn't actually 'talk", I read his mind thru his eyes)

"You need to say a prayer every day for sixty days, representing the sixty years you didn't, asking God to cover this neighborhood with His cloak of Love and Protection so that, once again, families and children will have a safe place to play and live."

So I did. And I am. Counting down from 60, today is #58.

sdb

This is simply a P.S. to my original post to direct you to my two websites.

One is a writing Blog, which I hope is an avenue for networking with other writers with the goal of showcasing my writing and ultimately becoming a published author.

http://SarahSaysExpressYourself.blogspot.com

The other is a website tied to the Robieson organization as part of their Water for Life Project, whose purpose is to build wells in villages in Third World Countries where children are dying every day from drinking contaminated water. The cost for one well is $4800. I hope you will go to my site, listen to the message/song, and contribute $10, $25, $50, or whatever you can. And then take the message to YOUR friends, YOUR church, so they will contribute also.

http://www.lifetoday.org/site/TRC/AFL/AmbassadorsforLife?pg=peditor&fr_id=1010&px=231724 7
　
　
　
　
　



http://www.lifetoday.org/site/TRC/AF...010&px=2317247