In this trip through the dimly lit tunnels of my memory, I have been almost completely neglecting the 900 block of Maplewood. Actually, I have been mainly neglecting the experiences of everyone except me—and a few of my family members. Ah, the self-absorbed dangers of sitting down behind a computer with memories to burn.
Anyway, as to the 900 hundred block of Maplewood, my family also lived on this block for four years. My newlywed parents moved into the green shingled house on the corner of Main and Maplewood, 931 N. Maplewood, in 1960. The house was owned by Bradley, and my mom and dad paid $75 a month in rent. This house isn't part of Bradley University's current demolition project as it was knocked down years ago and turned into a grassy lot.
Anyway, as to the 900 hundred block of Maplewood, my family also lived on this block for four years. My newlywed parents moved into the green shingled house on the corner of Main and Maplewood, 931 N. Maplewood, in 1960. The house was owned by Bradley, and my mom and dad paid $75 a month in rent. This house isn't part of Bradley University's current demolition project as it was knocked down years ago and turned into a grassy lot.
I and my brother Jim were both born while we lived in this house. The memories from this time are pretty hazy, but I have a few.
Our next door neighbors, the Peyers, had beautiful rose bushes, which Mr. Peyer faithfully cultivated. One day, he gave me a rose, which is undoubtedly the first flower I ever received from a man.
The school crossing guards for Main Street stowed their flags on our front porch. How I coveted those flags! My mother was very adamant about not letting us touch them, though. One day, she relented, and we have pictures of my brother and me delightedly frolicking with the flags.
In December 1964, on my brother’s second birthday, we moved down the block to 841 N. Maplewood. Later that month, Mel and Evelyn Novak, who lived in the middle of the 900 block, had a holiday open house. Evelyn was the secretary for Cam Prim, who was then the Dean of Women at Bradley. Mrs. Novak had all these beautiful and intricately-made hors d’oeuvres set on the coffee and end tables throughout the house. It was with horror that my mom watched my brother Jim go around to the tables and pop many, many of these exquisite appetizers into his mouth. They were a little too low to the ground and a little too perfectly sized for a two-year-old’s fingers.
Mrs. Novak was just one of many Bradley employees who lived on Maplewood through the years. I’ll talk some more about a couple of them in my next post.
Peoria Journal Star sports editor Kirk Wessler mentions some of these Bradley folks in his wonderful June 22, 2007 column reminiscing about his childhood on Maplewood. He remembers the football games and the great Homecoming celebrations with all the house decorations. I can’t really recollect those times and the wish to do so, as well as what some would call a perverse desire to have come of age in the sixties, caused me to remark to my husband, who did grow up during those days, that I’d like to have been born about a decade earlier.
“So you wish you were 55 now?” he responded.
Well, I’m sure 55 will be fabulous when it gets here, but not exactly, and I guess you can’t have one without the other.
Our next door neighbors, the Peyers, had beautiful rose bushes, which Mr. Peyer faithfully cultivated. One day, he gave me a rose, which is undoubtedly the first flower I ever received from a man.
The school crossing guards for Main Street stowed their flags on our front porch. How I coveted those flags! My mother was very adamant about not letting us touch them, though. One day, she relented, and we have pictures of my brother and me delightedly frolicking with the flags.
In December 1964, on my brother’s second birthday, we moved down the block to 841 N. Maplewood. Later that month, Mel and Evelyn Novak, who lived in the middle of the 900 block, had a holiday open house. Evelyn was the secretary for Cam Prim, who was then the Dean of Women at Bradley. Mrs. Novak had all these beautiful and intricately-made hors d’oeuvres set on the coffee and end tables throughout the house. It was with horror that my mom watched my brother Jim go around to the tables and pop many, many of these exquisite appetizers into his mouth. They were a little too low to the ground and a little too perfectly sized for a two-year-old’s fingers.
Mrs. Novak was just one of many Bradley employees who lived on Maplewood through the years. I’ll talk some more about a couple of them in my next post.
Peoria Journal Star sports editor Kirk Wessler mentions some of these Bradley folks in his wonderful June 22, 2007 column reminiscing about his childhood on Maplewood. He remembers the football games and the great Homecoming celebrations with all the house decorations. I can’t really recollect those times and the wish to do so, as well as what some would call a perverse desire to have come of age in the sixties, caused me to remark to my husband, who did grow up during those days, that I’d like to have been born about a decade earlier.
“So you wish you were 55 now?” he responded.
Well, I’m sure 55 will be fabulous when it gets here, but not exactly, and I guess you can’t have one without the other.
My mom, brother, and I standing in the back yard at 931 N. Maplewood. My face reflects the unadultered glee I was feeling with the chance to hold the flag.
My dad holding me outside the house at 931 N. Maplewood.
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