Babs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 589
|
Post by Babs on Sept 28, 2009 10:37:01 GMT -5
Bob, I enjoyed your post about your neighborhood and the names of various people you grew up with, so it has inspired me to add my thoughts.
When we first moved to town, we lived on 20th Street, between Central and Cottage Avenues and one particular family I will never forget was the Summa family. They had all boys and actually the boys were the main ones that my brother and I played with, even though they were older than both of us. Bob, the youngest, was my very first boyfriend and he taught me how to ride a bicycle. It was a man's bike (none of this smaller version either, the big bike) and I wasn't tall enough for my legs to reach the pedals on each side, but I would go back and forth and I did learn to ride. Suppose this was why I "fell" for this guy? Who knows; I was all of 5 years old. Also his family had a lovely apple tree in their back yard, and their house faced Cottage and was just around the corner from our house. This apple tree was what all the kids wanted to climb and I do recall one time I managed (most likely being the smallest in this neighborhood event for the day) to climb higher than any of the other kids (boys). I really thought I was something that day...to beat out all these boys. It was a wonder one of the small limbs didn't break with all of us climbing all over that tree! :-)
It was a rather different neighborhood that my brother and I grew up in and even though there was a younger girl who lived next door to us, I didn't like to play with her very much. There was also an older girl who lived on the corner of Central and 20th Street and her names was Mary June Alhbrand. She and I did play some together but I don't think she liked playing with a younger kid very much.
My brother had a little friend who lived on Central and his name was Jimmy Loudermilk. Jimmy was exactly my brother's age so he did have a close friend.
Since we mainly played with the boys in the area, I guess you could say I pretty much grew up a "tomboy", climbing trees, riding a boy's bike, etc. I do recall we would play outside at night, catch the fireflies and also do "cheering/yell" type antics in the lawn. We also did a lot of acrobatic type things and I'm sure once we went inside we were worn to a frazzle. Growing up here in Columbus was a "good thing" to do as Martha Stewart would say. I would say it was probably one of the most fortunate things to happen in my life.
|
|
BobLane
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 109
|
Post by BobLane on Sept 28, 2009 13:33:47 GMT -5
I remember moving to the Thompson farm This was sometime shortly before my brother, Gary was born. I had to be near 5 years old. This would have been just south of Columbus on old 31, at Waynesville, IN. I remember dad and some of the farmers starting the fields on fire. I didn’t know why they were doing that. Later I learned it was the way they got rid of a lot of weeds. I can remember the day Gary, my brother was born, although I certainly didn’t understand what was happening. I was taken to a house of an older couple just north of us by the railroad tracks to stay for the day. I remember their name was “Toby” or something like that. Later I was brought home and saw my little brother. I surely don’t remember my thoughts of having a brother; I hope they were good thoughts. I remember when dad worked in the field behind the house; mom would take lunch to him at noon. I think I carried the lunch and mom carried a jar of well water and my little brother. Sometimes when dad would bring the wagon and horses from the field, I would go out the back door to ride with him to the railroad tracks. Once I must have over slept my nap and heard him going around the house. I ran out of the house and jumped up on the wagon tongue in back of the wagon. I promptly turned upside down and was crying my heart out but dad couldn’t hear me. He finally saw mom waving him down just before he went across the tracks. Boy, did I get in trouble? Sometimes a hobo would pass by, asking for food. Dad would let them chop some firewood, or rake out a short fencerow, then give them a couple of sandwiches and cold well water. He would set and talk to them a while. Once I was out on the railroad track, which I was very definitely not to have been. I was looking between the tracks for any funny or strange looking rocks. I‘m not sure what caused me to look around behind me, but coming at me was a big old freight train. Actually it probably was a mile or so away or they would have used the whistle to warn me. It was going very slow so I wasn‘t in any real danger but I was afraid dad would somehow hear about it and I would be in trouble again. In fact, my middle name should have been trouble. Great memories. As to how the neighborhood has changed. The old house is still standing but greatly remodeled. As a five year old, I would have probably known all about babies and fully expected baby brother. The tracks are still there, but we are not likely to feed a hobo walking down them now. There are many places folks can get fed without choping wood. The burning of the fields I think is of the past. Now they use Roundup to rid the fields of weeds. Of cource horses have been replaced with hugh tractors. All things change. Some to the better, some, if left unattended to the worse. That applies to neighborhoods, life, families or marriage. Everything precious should be attended to with TLC Bob Lane
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 30, 2009 1:42:00 GMT -5
BobLane said: I remember moving to the Thompson farm
Bob, was the Thompson farm just before the "S" turn on old 31-A? It was a white, two story house...sat on the left if going south. Just past the house was a gravel road that crossed the tracks and Wayne Township school was to your left. Now, this would have been in the 1960's, as I used to ride my bike from Rosstown to the Thompson farm and pick green beans. He paid $1.25 a bushel.
At the back of his property (again, when I was a kid), there was a line of old semi trailers where immigrants (who worked for him) lived during the summertime. Traveling south on 31-A (11), you could see the trailers along that stretch between the "S" turn.
|
|
BobLane
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 109
|
Post by BobLane on Sept 30, 2009 7:08:09 GMT -5
David, the farm house we lived in is on the West side of the tracks. Turn west in waynsville, go past the little church and on to the tracks. It's the only house on that side of the tracks. Interestingly, the old house I was sent to when my brother was born is still there too. There was a good fishing pond way back of the house my dad used to fish in. he helped our food supply a llot with his fishing skills. I don't remember just where the Thompson farm was. I do remember Mr. Thompson was some official of the Democratic party. Our house was only a house let out as part of dad's wage. Bob
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Sept 30, 2009 15:27:35 GMT -5
BobLane said: There was a good fishing pond way back of the house
Bob, this one comment got me to thinking more about living out at Rosstown and what a glorious time of life that was for me.
It's been about a year since I last drove out to the house on what was once called Rural Route 8. There used to be a small mom and pop store that sat at the corner of what's now 11 and Deaver Road. It's been gone for many years now. It was squeezed in between old 31-A and the railroad tracks. Turn right on Deaver and go across the tracks, then take the first left. The old airport on your right had a beacon with red and green lights, I think.
At the southern edge of the airport property, there was no Southern Crossing (if it's called Southern Crossing there). There was a skinny little gravel road and a bridge that cut back to 31-A (11), but we'd go right and follow the blacktop on what is now part of Southern Crossing. I think they tore down both houses on the south side of the road. I remember dad and I gleaning corn from a field at the corner where you turn to go to Rosstown. For those who may not know what I'm talking about, we'd pick up corn that the cornpicker missed and take it home and throw it in a corn crib that dad built. It's strange to walk a cornfield today. The cornpickers are much more efficient, taking everything but the bottom of the stalk.
There was a two story house on the south side of the old Walker Church. Charlie McKinney lived there. He had a nice pond at the back of his property and I'd go fishing there. Charlie's house is now gone and the pond filled in, the mature trees surrounding the pond cut down and the ground leveled. I also picked blackberries back there, as there was a good amount of wild blackberries at the edge of the woods.
The old Rosstown Grocery is nothing more than a decaying concrete block building today. If you turned right at the grocery and went maybe a 100 yards, there was a guy named Greathouse. I can't remember his first name, but he had a strawberry patch at the side of his house and I'd pick strawberries for him. He paid me a dime a quart.
By the way, the Perry's lived on the other side of Charlie McKinney's house. They had horses and that was my first encounter with riding.
It's so strange to drive the route our bus driver, Dallas, took to Wayne Township. What was once a gravel road has been widened and paved. There are houses along a stretch of the road that was once nothing but a field.
There was just something really special about living out in the country. Maybe it was partially my age, but those memories of my treehouse and hunting and fishing and just walking through the woods instilled in me a deep appreciation of nature.
I know these thoughts are all over the board, but before I stop, I wonder if kids still go camping like me and my buddies did when I was in high school. We camped a lot behind Riverview acres, down by the river. It was our way of getting wild without getting into trouble...
but those days out at Rosstown were really special to me. I've probably mentioned all this stuff before, but one last thing: at the corner of Deaver Road and just north of the old airport used to be a baseball diamond. I played baseball there one summer, center fielder for the Airport Jets. Harry Baker was our coach and his son, Steve, pitched. There's a newspaper clipping around here somewhere, where we won the county tourney the year I participated with the team...
|
|
|
Post by scrappy47274 on Sept 30, 2009 19:38:06 GMT -5
David, that store there by the railroad tracks was Sapp's grocery store. No relation to Sap's bakery. I went to school with Ricky Sapp.
|
|
Babs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 589
|
Post by Babs on Oct 1, 2009 8:18:23 GMT -5
David Sechrest wrote:
(It's been about a year since I last drove out to the house on what was once called Rural Route 8. There used to be a small mom and pop store that sat at the corner of what's now 11 and Deaver Road. It's been gone for many years now. It was squeezed in between old 31-A and the railroad tracks. Turn right on Deaver and go across the tracks, then take the first left. The old airport on your right had a beacon with red and green lights, I think.)
David, Reading this post made me recall the small airport out off what used to be called "old 31". I remember the lights, the small runway and seeing small planes parked out there. Strange how the road names change; it is now call 11 and we used to just say old or new 31! :-)
What is now Rocky Ford Road used to be called Rural Route 1 when we lived there on the Rocky Ford Farm land.
You mention something in a post and it triggers a memory in someone else's head. I had not thought of that small airport out that way in ages. Listen up everyone, that is what these boards are all about so join in and add your thoughts and memories. Even if it seems insignificant to you at the time, you never know what will trigger a memory for someone else.
|
|
docwendy
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 36
|
Post by docwendy on Oct 1, 2009 8:39:02 GMT -5
Each time I see a reference to the Rocky Ford Farm, I wonder if that is where the big, beautiful old farmhouse was that I remember on Rocky Ford Rd? It was kind of gingerbready (if that's a word!), and looked very old. It really stood out. Didn't think about it much as a kid, but as an adult I would have loved to go inside that big old house! Is it still there?
|
|
nancs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 948
|
Post by nancs on Oct 1, 2009 9:18:29 GMT -5
David, Reading this post made me recall the small airport out off what used to be called "old 31". I remember the lights, the small runway and seeing small planes parked out there. Strange how the road names change; it is now call 11 and we used to just say old or new 31! :-) . Babs is so right, how one memory triggers another..........on the above mentioned airport-------------without going to look (I am on a couple of days of R and R, at the Indian Casino, and the slots are calling me, loud and clear ;D ) I believe there is some mention of that airport in the J. W. O'Bryan thread and in the part about Michael Wolf. OR, would this mentioned one, be the little airport out by Garden City? ? Would that then make 3 airports in the Columbus area---------the military, the East Columbus one, and Garden City? ? Been a long time for me, and I may well have a faulty recollection on 'locations.' HELP. Nanc
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Oct 1, 2009 9:45:45 GMT -5
Interesting conversation about old airfields and airports in the Columbus area, that Babs, Nanc, David and others are talking about.
During the very early 1950s (1950-1955 or so) there were two airfields in the Garden City area. One was owned by Paul Morris and that one was on the very left side of the road as you cross the 3rd Street bridge as you enter Garden City. Paul also operated the Columbus Roller Rink near 4th and Jackson Streets in those days.
The other Garden City airport was down further a few miles on the right as you pass through Garden City. Larger aircraft were maintained at this location. The Paul Morris field housed smaller planes. My uncle kept a plane at the Morris Airfield for a few years.
I am a little confused about the location of the field near the old US 31A bypass area, but maybe I am thinking in the wrong location. Lots of years gone by, that is for sure.
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Oct 1, 2009 11:18:58 GMT -5
scrappy said: thatstore there by the railroad tracks was Sapp's grocery store. No relation to Sap's bakery. I went to school with Ricky Sapp.
scrappy, welcome and also thanks for identifying the place. Although there were a lot of kids living in Bethel Village that went to Wayne Township, I never rode my bike that far to visit with any, or to that store. The Rosstown Grocery was much closer. But I remember stopping there on our way home from town to grab a bottle of pop.
I remember they held Boy Scout meetings at the Bethel Village Church...
|
|
Babs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 589
|
Post by Babs on Oct 1, 2009 12:12:48 GMT -5
Nanc, I think you are right and Bob also mentioned another airport there as you go out of town on the left hand side. Now that you both mention it, I guess there were a total of three airports in our area. I had forgotten about the one on the left .
|
|
Babs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 589
|
Post by Babs on Oct 1, 2009 12:20:03 GMT -5
Hello Wendy, Yes, that is the big farmhouse that stands along the Eastern area of Rocky Ford Road, just before you come to Middle Road. That house has been there as long as I can remember. Never been inside it so no idea what it looks like but whoever does live in it has painted and it looks mighty nice. I see a lady from time to time mowing on a riding mower but no idea who she is. There are apple trees along that side of the farm, as you turn North on Middle Road heading towards what used to be Bakalar AFB but is now Columbus Airport. The barns look like they could use some repair work on their roofs but they've also been painted red and look nice.
We lived in the first little house just West of the "farm", having moved there right after WWII ended. We lived there until I started high school and at that time we moved into town and into the Hutchins Avenue house I've mentioned in other posts. As David mentioned, he thought living in the country was a good experience and though at the time I'd not likely have agreed, in looking back I know it was good for us.
Someone else may know who lives in the farmhouse now so if they do they can post the name for us to see.
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Oct 1, 2009 14:40:03 GMT -5
Babs,
Are you talking about the old Ross Crump house before you get to the road to turn toward the old Air Base? The farm house was I believe two stories and that was Crump's family home in the 1950s and 1960s. I don't know who lives there now, if still standing.
As you turn to the Air Base road on the corner was George Doup that we have talked about before. The old Ross Crump house and barns are the only ones I remember.
|
|
Babs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 589
|
Post by Babs on Oct 1, 2009 15:18:57 GMT -5
Yes, Bob, The big two story farmhouse is the one we are talking about and it is still standing. Ross Crump owned it when we lived on the farm and someone said they thought his widow still lives there. I don't know.
|
|
|
Post by David Sechrest on Oct 1, 2009 15:50:46 GMT -5
Bob & Babs, I don't remember the airports in and around Garden City. Now, this would have been my memories from around 1963. I remember just an empty field to the left of 31-A as you left Columbus via the 3rd Street bridge. I always thought that was just a flood plain (1963 memories speaking here).
Bob, would one of the airports you mentioned be where the 4-H fairgrounds are today?
It could also be that they were there in the 1960's and I just never paid them any mind.
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Oct 1, 2009 16:14:56 GMT -5
David,
Now, my memory of the two Garden City Airfield/Airport goes back to early 1950s to around the middle 50s, or so. As you crossed White River at the intersection (peel off) and continued toward Garden City their was a grassed field that Paul Morris owned and maintained with several small like piper cub type planes. One of my uncles was a pilot during WWII and he had a small plane tied up at the Morris field. I think the Morris field was mostly used to park a few planes and hobby flying and maybe cheaper than the other Garden City Airfield. I recall seeing larger aircraft and small ones at the other one down the road on the right. It wasn't visible from the main road that I recall.
The Morris field would get flooded at times and probably didn't last that many years. I flew once with my uncle and it wasn't a pleasant experience, so I didn't go anymore after the rough landing.
You asked if that is the 4H area, well I have been gone so long I can't answer that one. I haven't been deep into Garden City in many, many years. Now, I suppose if the present 4H is in that general area that is where the aircraft were parked, etc. I suspect that Cummins, Reeves, Arvin and a few other businesses may have maintained an aircraft at the second location, but don't really know.
I think maybe George in a post a long while back mentioned he remembered the Morris field.
|
|
nancs
HCI Forum Board Member
Posts: 948
|
Post by nancs on Oct 1, 2009 17:39:34 GMT -5
Interesting conversation about old airfields and airports in the Columbus area, that Babs, Nanc, David and others are talking about. During the very early 1950s (1950-1955 or so) there were two airfields in the Garden City area. One was owned by Paul Morris and that one was on the very left side of the road as you cross the 3rd Street bridge as you enter Garden City. Paul also operated the Columbus Roller Rink near 4th and Jackson Streets in those days. These message boards really 'work the aging brain.' In the above, I agree with RER, altho' will admit until I saw Paul Morris' name before me, I could not have retrieved it from 'the brain.' That all rings true. I do not recall the 2nd Garden City airport being mentioned, just the one right when you came over the bridge and made your way into Garden City. I mentioned that I thought Mike Wolf had something to do with an airfield on the east side of Columbus..........this below, is in the J. W. O'Bryan thread, and what I posted there------information that I gleaned from old newspapers at the library. Mr. Wolf was interested in aviation, and allowed the Columbus Aero Club to use his farm east of the city for an airport. According to the article, when the Indiana air tour visited Columbus Mr. Wolf provided favors for all the air-men and women.I LOVE THESE MESSAGE BOARDS. THEY ARE 'BRAIN EXERCISE.' ;D Nanc
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2009 17:53:38 GMT -5
Bob & all.........I did make a post some time ago about two small air fields west of town. One of them that had a short life was on the east side of Carr Hill Rd. just as you turned south off state road 46, it ran parallel with Carr Hill Rd. Can't recall who the owner was. The other field was on the east side of state road 11, about half way to Garden City after you went thru the old 2nd St. bridge, there was a farm house located at the north end of the field, the south end of the field ended right be for you got to Carmichael's home, whom had the fish stand in town. It was soon after the war, in 1946 or 47 that a man named Maurice Turner, nick name " Mutt Turner " open the field, he had been a pilot in the war. He had two piper cubs and I took a few flying lessons from him. There was two quon-set huts that sat there for years, I know one was used for a office when Mutt was there. After Turner left I can't recall who had the field.
|
|
RER
HCI Forum Board Member
"Democracy & Freedom"
Posts: 2,462
|
Post by RER on Oct 1, 2009 18:08:35 GMT -5
Interesting conversation about old airfields and airports in the Columbus area, that Babs, Nanc, David and others are talking about. During the very early 1950s (1950-1955 or so) there were two airfields in the Garden City area. One was owned by Paul Morris and that one was on the very left side of the road as you cross the 3rd Street bridge as you enter Garden City. Paul also operated the Columbus Roller Rink near 4th and Jackson Streets in those days. These message boards really 'work the aging brain.' In the above, I agree with RER, altho' will admit until I saw Paul Morris' name before me, I could not have retrieved it from 'the brain.' That all rings true. I do not recall the 2nd Garden City airport being mentioned, just the one right when you came over the bridge and made your way into Garden City. I mentioned that I thought Mike Wolf had something to do with an airfield on the east side of Columbus..........this below, is in the J. W. O'Bryan thread, and what I posted there------information that I gleaned from old newspapers at the library. Mr. Wolf was interested in aviation, and allowed the Columbus Aero Club to use his farm east of the city for an airport. According to the article, when the Indiana air tour visited Columbus Mr. Wolf provided favors for all the air-men and women.I LOVE THESE MESSAGE BOARDS. THEY ARE 'BRAIN EXERCISE.' ;D Nanc _________________________________ Wow, Nanc I didn't know about the one in East Columbus. Now, my trusty brother just sent me an email to add more interesting things about the Garden City Airfield. Heck, I didn't even know some of the things he reveals. Here we go with my bro's comments: Quote: " I believe the Airfield is beyond the fairgrounds South, on the right side. It was difficult to visual see because of the railroad track build up during the early years. We, would go there, park and watch the aircraft take off and landings as younger guys. Paul Morris also owned the Roller Rink on 4th Street. Paul had a WW II metal quonset hut building he used for an office at the airfield. I learned to drive a car on the airstrip, which was grassy and rough. I did that while my uncle and Dad were flying aircraft. Dad had been one of the first licensed pilots in the country, during the depression era. He was qualified to fly any type of aircraft for the time and carry passengers. Most aircraft were very similar. Dad got his license to fly in 1932 from the Lincoln Nebraska Flying School in Lincoln. His small numbered Federal License Number was 27691, stamped United States of America." END QUOTE
|
|