And The Walls Came Tumbling Down!

In my last post you saw the house I lived in on Dutton Avenue. Well that house is gone. In its place is a bank and parking spaces on both sides. On the nearest corner, you can now stand and look at a small shopping center. There is a fast food place and several small businesses. The house where she lived is also gone as is the used furniture store that her dad used to own. There are lots of business places up and down the street called Sebabstopol Avenue, but nothing is what it used to be. In fact the area is now a Hispanic population. That is just one change in the town of Santa Rosa. The powers that be are not big on preserving any thing that is deemed part of the town's history. Oh, there are a few things saved, but they are not as significant as the wonderful things that have been destroyed. In the middle of town was a magnificent very large building we called the court house. Inside was a beautiful set of stairs leading to the second floor and the floors were all marble. Talking a bit loudly created a wonderful echo. At Christmas time, Santa Claus came to the old court house and from the top steps he handed out mesh stockings filled with goodies to the children. On the side lawn was an old cannon. We used to climb on that old piece of memorabilia. Then one day it was decided that it was not earthquake proof and should be torn down. It was a sad day for everyone as the big wrecking ball tried time and again to take it down. It was not about to come down without a fight. It eventually gave up its fight and succumbed to the wrecking ball. How would it have done in an earthquake we will never know. A town square was built in its place and now those great city officials want to put it back together again, sans the court house of course. We keep electing these people. What is wrong with this picture? We have an old adobe house sitting and rotting away on a street called Montgomery Drive, where the Carillo family first settled. They were the first family to settle in Santa Rosa. Instead of preserving this wonderful piece of history, they talk about putting a fence around it and building apartments around it. Now, can you really imagine what brain came up with that one? There also were three absolutely wonderful old theaters in Santa Rosa. The Roxy, The California, and the Tower. All of them gone, but wait, we have a shopping mall to look at. The old post office is still here, but it had to be moved several streets over so Macy's could come to town. The post office is now a museum where you can go and look at the things that are not here anymore. It was a small town back then and of course we know progress has to happen. I do remember, however that we had a street car that ran from the old railroad depot to the end of the line, which was where College Avenue and Fourth Streets come together. Anything past that was country. Where the shopping center called Montgomery Village is, was all walnut orchards. Where I now live, was country also. My home is not too far away from where the hop fields were. I remember one time when I was coming home from a short jaunt with my dad, that he stopped at a very small service station to get gas, and because I had been so good, he bought me a Nehi! In case you do not know what that is I will tell you. It is not unlike our sodas today. They came in bottles in all flavors and they cost a nickel. That was such a big treat that I had to go home and smarty mouth off to my siblings, who were indeed, as I had intended, jealous. Speaking of nickels, I also recall in Junior high school there was a man called "Benny" that had a truck, much like the taco trucks today, out of which he sold ice cream bars. The kids lined up to purchase a favorite from him. A thing called a "Zero" sold two for a nickel. I never had a nickel so my best friends always bought two of those and gave one to me. What good friends I had. A zero was somewhat like Popsicles today, except it was harder and more like frozen flavored ice. Boy were they good! Getting back to the town, when I first moved into the home I now occupy, there was nothing but an empty field across the street. The owner had his goats and a donkey in the field and a pleasure to me was watching them each morning while eating breakfast. If you have never watched the antics of goats, especially the young, you have missed out on a joy. In that same field now there stand numerous low income apartments I watched the goats leave, then a mobile home come in and a young Asian lady planting her garden yearly and a sign going up indicating vegetables for sale, then everything disappeared and the apartments went up. Also disappearing was the two way street which is now four lanes. Gone are all the pleasant things I used to watch, and I now watch the traffic and the crazy drivers!