Lifetime of Neighbors
How many different neighborhoods have you lived since your birth? How many villages, towns, cities, counties, countries?
Has it been only one, a few, many?
Did you live in single houses, duplexes, a row of townhouses, apartment buildings, apartment towers?
How many of your neighbors do you remember?
Do you have many fond to painful memories of your neighbors?
The goal of this book is to help you relive and remember your neighbors as I tell you about mine.
Since I was born in 1944 I have lived in many separate neighborhoods in 3 US states, 4 US cities plus in villages, towns and cities in multiple countries on 6 continents for at least 3 weeks to 3 months up to 32 years now in my current single family house.
The focus of this book is primarily on the NEIGHBORS, the PEOPLE and the various memories I have and lessons I have learned from them over my 74 years of living. I will sprinkle in information about the physical environments occasionally.
So lets begin.
I was born in June 1944 in a basic neighborhood of standardized houses with the same 4 or 5 basic floor plans. It was a "BLUE COLLAR", "WORKING CLASS" neighborhood. It preceded the Levittown mass produced developments of the 50s and 60s and many other experiments and practices around the US and the world that have been created up to today.
From 1944 to 1966 I lived in our family house on the last northern block in the eastern part of Detroit with 8 Mile on the north end and Collingham on the south end.
22 different families lived on our block. They were originally strangers when they moved in whether in 1941 or 20 years later when the only empty lot was sold and a brand new house with different elevations and floor plan. Some became close friends, usually with their neighbors on either side of their homes. But not close friends, simply just inhabitants of their personal houses.
Throughout most of my life no matter where I have lived this has been the norm. People living in the same neighborhood, on the same street, or in the same building from a duplex to a huge complex or tall tower of houses or apartments.
The words for what we live in, own or rent vary from house to townhouse, to row house, to apartment to condominium. My understanding those words vary from country to country and how they were legally paid for.
I lived in my residence or family home at 20529 Joann Street from my birth in 1944 to the day I married the first time and moved out to the other side of Detroit off of 8 Mile Road near Lahser Road.
The Joann Street house is where I spent my elementary school, high school and 4 years of college days, months and years.
Usually people say that is where I grew up. Personally I am not sure about that because I seem to have been growing up over and over many times since over the past 52 years.
Chances are the few stories to the many stories I can remember from that first house about the 22 different families will interest all readers so I will share a small cross section that have stuck with me over the many years since I left.
Occasionally I read or hear people talk about having had friends throughout their entire lives or for decades at least.
One of my friends over the past 21 years, Dac, who turned 90 recently often talks about children friends he still in contact with today.
Just recently thanks to the internet I reconnected with Richard, a childhood friend who lived across the street from my home. He and his family moved to California when I was, I believe 12, and he would have been 11 because his father's job took him there.
During our annual family road trip vacation in 1957, 2 years later we visited them in Pasadena, California. One of my favorite collections of "Fuzzy" memories is that our two families went to Disneyland during that trip. I still can remember snipits of things he and I did during the day.
Do you remember your early neighborhood childhood friends and stories involving them?
Milt Love who lived on my side of the street diagonally from Richard's was probably my longest friend until I started high school.
Did changing schools cause your friendships to change?
Each change of school: elementary to high to college definitely change my friendships.
Looking back to those times often during my life I have thought about that issue and how it has helped to change or create my life since.
Eddie and Kenny Gies were also friends from our block. Their house was located at the southwest corner of the block at the intersection of Joann and Collingham.
Their family also moved in the 50s. In their case it was to Denver and also for their father's work. Mr. Gies was a Lt on the Detroit Police Department and he moved to Denver as an advancement.
We also visited them during another of our Summer Road Trips.
About a year to year and a half ago Eddie and I re-connected through Facebook also.
Facebook certainly has caused the world to shrink, at least electronically.
....possible sample snipit stories in sequential order using a street map/plan of the block using aerial photo and map from Google
How many different neighborhoods have you lived since your birth? How many villages, towns, cities, counties, countries?
Has it been only one, a few, many?
Did you live in single houses, duplexes, a row of townhouses, apartment buildings, apartment towers?
How many of your neighbors do you remember?
Do you have many fond to painful memories of your neighbors?
The goal of this book is to help you relive and remember your neighbors as I tell you about mine.
Since I was born in 1944 I have lived in many separate neighborhoods in 3 US states, 4 US cities plus in villages, towns and cities in multiple countries on 6 continents for at least 3 weeks to 3 months up to 32 years now in my current single family house.
The focus of this book is primarily on the NEIGHBORS, the PEOPLE and the various memories I have and lessons I have learned from them over my 74 years of living. I will sprinkle in information about the physical environments occasionally.
So lets begin.
I was born in June 1944 in a basic neighborhood of standardized houses with the same 4 or 5 basic floor plans. It was a "BLUE COLLAR", "WORKING CLASS" neighborhood. It preceded the Levittown mass produced developments of the 50s and 60s and many other experiments and practices around the US and the world that have been created up to today.
From 1944 to 1966 I lived in our family house on the last northern block in the eastern part of Detroit with 8 Mile on the north end and Collingham on the south end.
22 different families lived on our block. They were originally strangers when they moved in whether in 1941 or 20 years later when the only empty lot was sold and a brand new house with different elevations and floor plan. Some became close friends, usually with their neighbors on either side of their homes. But not close friends, simply just inhabitants of their personal houses.
Throughout most of my life no matter where I have lived this has been the norm. People living in the same neighborhood, on the same street, or in the same building from a duplex to a huge complex or tall tower of houses or apartments.
The words for what we live in, own or rent vary from house to townhouse, to row house, to apartment to condominium. My understanding those words vary from country to country and how they were legally paid for.
I lived in my residence or family home at 20529 Joann Street from my birth in 1944 to the day I married the first time and moved out to the other side of Detroit off of 8 Mile Road near Lahser Road.
The Joann Street house is where I spent my elementary school, high school and 4 years of college days, months and years.
Usually people say that is where I grew up. Personally I am not sure about that because I seem to have been growing up over and over many times since over the past 52 years.
Chances are the few stories to the many stories I can remember from that first house about the 22 different families will interest all readers so I will share a small cross section that have stuck with me over the many years since I left.
Occasionally I read or hear people talk about having had friends throughout their entire lives or for decades at least.
One of my friends over the past 21 years, Dac, who turned 90 recently often talks about children friends he still in contact with today.
Just recently thanks to the internet I reconnected with Richard, a childhood friend who lived across the street from my home. He and his family moved to California when I was, I believe 12, and he would have been 11 because his father's job took him there.
During our annual family road trip vacation in 1957, 2 years later we visited them in Pasadena, California. One of my favorite collections of "Fuzzy" memories is that our two families went to Disneyland during that trip. I still can remember snipits of things he and I did during the day.
Do you remember your early neighborhood childhood friends and stories involving them?
Milt Love who lived on my side of the street diagonally from Richard's was probably my longest friend until I started high school.
Did changing schools cause your friendships to change?
Each change of school: elementary to high to college definitely change my friendships.
Looking back to those times often during my life I have thought about that issue and how it has helped to change or create my life since.
Eddie and Kenny Gies were also friends from our block. Their house was located at the southwest corner of the block at the intersection of Joann and Collingham.
Their family also moved in the 50s. In their case it was to Denver and also for their father's work. Mr. Gies was a Lt on the Detroit Police Department and he moved to Denver as an advancement.
We also visited them during another of our Summer Road Trips.
About a year to year and a half ago Eddie and I re-connected through Facebook also.
Facebook certainly has caused the world to shrink, at least electronically.
....possible sample snipit stories in sequential order using a street map/plan of the block using aerial photo and map from Google
