In 1941 my parents had a house built on South Decatur Street. They lived in this house when I was born. The reason they built on this street was because my dad worked at Gates Rubber Company and South Decatur was a short drive to Mississippi and Santa Fe Drive which was the location of Gates Rubber Company at that time. Across the street from where we lived was an older house. I would guess that it was built in the early 1900’s. This house had three gigantic elm trees in the front yard and a large weeping willow in the back. This was the first house in the block. As Denver grew more and more houses were built on this street. This street grew up and matured at the same time I grew up. One of my favorite past times was to watch the tractors dig the basement holes, lay the foundation and build a house on this foundation. The neighbor kids and I had many enjoyable hours playing in the mounds of dirt and the houses in various stages of completion. I can still smell the fresh pine smell emitting from a freshly framed house. As the neighborhood expanded it needed city sidewalks and a new asphalt street. This project occupied most of the summer for me. I remember them moving the houses shut off valves closer to the houses because the new street was going to be wider, and the valves could not be under the street or the new sidewalk. Each house on the block needed a hole dug about six feet long from the shut off valve going closer to the house. These holes were dug by a construction worker at the time. I don’t know why they didn’t use a tractor. I spent hours watching this worker dig these holes in front of each house and move the valve farther back into the yard. The forms for the sidewalks were installed and it seemed like a hundred cement trucks came to fill the forms for the walks. It didn’t take much to entertain me when I was young. After the street and sidewalks were finished, we discovered roller skates. The kind that you would clamp onto your street shoes and hope they would stay on for a while. The street had a small incline, and many hours were spent skating up to the corner and then coasting down to the other corner. We must have done that thousands of times. When you finally take off your skates your little feet would continue to tingle and feel strange for a period. This street also had a business. It was the neighborhood Kool-Aid stand. I wonder if the neighbors ever got tired of hearing us calling out; “Kool-Aid, Kool-Aid, ice cold Kool-Aid.” This was a residential street, and we never did that well because there was not that much outside traffic. Sometimes I think some neighbors bought Kool-Aid just to shut us up for a while. This street has many memories for me. These are just a few. I have lived on this street for twenty years or more. After my parents passed on in the eighties, I lived in the house for a couple of years. I could see the neighborhood declining and decided to sell. I occasionally drive down the street and recall the years I spent on the street where I grew up.
Growing up on a particular street can shape one’s identity, memories, and perspective in profound ways. The street where you grow up becomes a backdrop to countless stories, from the mundane to the extraordinary, and each corner holds a piece of your personal history.
Community and Connection: The essence of growing up on a specific street often revolves around the sense of community it fosters. Streets in neighborhoods where everyone knows each other can cultivate a strong sense of belonging and mutual support. For instance, children might play together, creating bonds that last well into adulthood. This communal spirit is highlighted by the shared activities, like block parties or impromptu gatherings, which can lead to lifelong friendships and a collective memory of specific events or traditions unique to that street.
Physical Environment: The physical characteristics of the street contribute significantly to one’s upbringing. Streets with parks, local shops, or natural features like trees or rivers offer different experiences than those in urban settings with skyscrapers or busy intersections. The layout itself, whether it’s a quiet cul-de-sac or a bustling main road, influences activities from playing street games to learning to navigate traffic. The architecture of the houses, the design of the sidewalks, and even the street’s name can all evoke memories and emotions tied to childhood and adolescence.
Life Lessons and Challenges: Streets are not just about happy memories; they can also be places where one learns resilience and life skills. In some neighborhoods, growing up on the street might mean facing challenges like economic hardship or community issues, teaching individuals about perseverance, empathy, and community activism. The street where you grew up can be a microcosm of broader societal issues, offering lessons in diversity, justice, or the value of local governance.
Nostalgia and Change: Over time, the street where you grew up might change, either physically through new constructions or socially through demographic shifts. Revisiting can evoke a strong sense of nostalgia but also highlight how much you’ve grown or changed. The contrast between then and now can be bittersweet, as old homes are renovated, or familiar landmarks are replaced, reflecting the passage of time and evolution of one’s life journey.
Cultural and Personal Identity: The street where one grows up often becomes a part of personal and cultural identity. It’s where cultural traditions might be observed, like holiday decorations or community celebrations. For some, the street is a narrative thread woven into who they are, influencing their values, their stories, and sometimes even their career paths or creative expressions. Literature, music, and art often draw inspiration from these early environments, immortalizing the street in various forms.
In conclusion, the street where someone grows up is much more than a geographical location; it’s a canvas on which life’s early chapters are painted. Whether through the lens of community, personal growth, or cultural identity, this street shapes individuals in ways that are both subtle and profound, embedding itself into the fabric of their life story.
TomT2.0 