Tuesday, August 05, 2008

National Night Out 1965


We had our National Night Out party this evening. And we got something interesting - a look back at the history of our street. One of our neighbors had this picture and made copies for everyone. The photo I've posted is of our New Brighton neighborhood, technically known as Apache Hills, on the southwestern edge of New Brighton. The straight street that ends in a cul de sac in the center of the picture is our street and our house is the third house from the left. The picture was taken sometime around 1965 or so, about the time our house was built. The pond at the end of the street is still there, but significantly smaller today.


40 years on things look a lot different, of course. If you could get a comparable shot of the neighborhood today you would see a heavily wooded area. Our yard was bare 40 years ago and now has six mature trees on it. The open area with pond in the front foreground (actually part of St. Anthony) is now filled with townhomes. The old farm house (difficult to see) in the right foreground is gone.


At least four different families lived in our house before we arrived in 1997. Some of the people who were living in these houses in 1965 are still here today. That's one of the things that is nice about living where we do. All places, even Wonder Years-style subdivisions, have histories. And it's fun that we still have neighbors who can share their histories with us. The stories are worth knowing.

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