This photograph shows Kent, Washington's Meeker Street, in 1946. . .seven years before I was born. I lived in the same house at 534-4th Avenue S. (at Crow Street), six blocks south of Meeker Street from the day I was born until 1971. Meeker Street didn't look much different in my youth, except the cars were about ten years newer (1953 Packards, 1957 Chevies, and Mercury Monterey squad cars). Even today in 2007, most of the same buildings exist on Meeker Street. Meeker Street was home to Shoff's Sporting Goods, Blessing's Jewelers, Dave Leonard's (R.I.P. -- he died a couple of months ago) Rexall Drugs; Grunstead's cafe; The White Spot Tavern, Red's Greyhound Bus Depot and Grill, the Big Bear Grocery store, the Cohen's hardware store, the Kent Barber Shop, J.C. Penney's, the Bible books store, the Club Tavern, The Pastime Tavern, Don Bell's Insurance. and the Ben Franklin five and dime store.
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Great pic, Jack. It's interesting to note the nary a house appears on the wooded hill in the background. Any guess as to when it was christened "Scenic Hill"? By the middle 60's this view would have been cluttered with new suburban style ranchers and split levels many of which Hauge Construction put up during a building frenzy that went on well into the 1970's and one that was an early home to your lovely wife. Did I ever tell you of my contribution to the Meeker Street Rebellion? It was a predawn strike during the summer of 1971 when, fueled by brown bottle energy juice, I single handedly inverted every American flag mounted at 45 deg angles to the metal light poles that then lined Meeker Street? Must of been 10 plus flags made for a lot of shimmying.
ReplyDeleteOoops, I meant "must've been" I am like really embarassed.
ReplyDeleteThat spot you're seeing is not actually Scenic Hill...it's just to the north of it, do you remember how Scenic Hill came down into a notch, before the hill began on the other side. The notch is a ravine (or canyon as it was/is called) that divides the two hills. I guess that after that notch, going north, the hill is called East Hill (where KM is).
ReplyDeleteAnd Scooter. . .two things. I remember and loved re-hearing the flag story! And I was almost going to flip you a little dung over the must of construction, which I knew was inadvertant, but you were so mortified that you actually posted a public errata note! And I loved it!
jack
It's really weird, but I always remember houses on that hill. So, since this picture was taken in 1946, and my first memory of this exact view is probably not until, say, 1961 or so. So the houses must have gone up around then (46-60).
That "must of" construction is pretty common among the teen and somewhat older set and I wasn't being entirely ironic with the "I'm like really" phrase because you must know after raising younguns of your own that the chilluns' speech infects your own and rarely for the better. BTW, your memory continues to astound me, have you forgotten anything? I thought you subscribed to the Miles Davis school of a happy living.
ReplyDeleteI was just sitting here thinking of how happy my Gran-daughter is now that she finally got her pet Beta fish. It brought a memory to mind of a turtle I bought as a child at Ben Franklin for 25 cents. Think I named it Gus. Meeker Street also had a shoe store where I always got my Buster Browns. JC Penny was for Easter dresses and my Mom ordered things from the Sears mail order counter. So, Jack...are you related to a Loa Brummett? I went to school with her.
ReplyDeleteSheila (Brown) Wells
Hi Sheila - Yes. Loa is my sister - still alive and well,.living on the hill in southeast Renton.
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