Where I come from, how it was, how it is now and why I left it?

gumbud

gumbud

Member
Location
australia
I am still fascinated by the USA [mainly] where people tell us they come from. It's a deep-seated fascination going back to the early Western cowboy shows I saw as a kid. But has been revived by our own OZ " backroad" series visiting small still surviving hamlets across OZ, and then by accident I discovered there is an Alabama Backroads series too!

But back to US. I would love to hear from all the Americans here and all the other 'foreigners' about how life was like back in your youth in your home town and why maybe you decided to leave?

I'll kick off:

Born in the seaport of Liverpool in the 'roaring 40's' when the city was safe - quite different now. As kids [me and my younger brother and sister] we were able literally to wander around the city un-chaperoned from school age onward with no fear from my parents of our safety. We were safe in that big city. Other adults [often strangers] would offer a helping hand if needed. We lived on the hill - Edge Hill - the top most hill from the River Mersey [ the Beatles -apart from Ringo] all came from further out in what we knew as the countryside and a one penny tram ride to get there.

We had large parkland as our playgrounds ; local libraries that we were all introduced to at an early age. I remember waiting with great excitement to join with Da once I got to five years old. We had cousins first next door and then after we moved a for inches - 20 mins away by pedilegs. We grew up with extended families being the norm. And so our world was always expansive - with a seaport in one direction - countryside in another with a few botanical gardens inbetween [forbidden to kids not accompanied]

There were corner shops by the dozen - often a bit dusty and selling all kinds of forbidden sweets that I think have gone form existence. Fish and chip shops with long queues on a Friday night in particular. We lived in an area known as Kensington and Edge Hill - a few kilometers in each direction and that was 'our patch' .We had forced church attendance every Sunday - and I was often puzzled and resentful why no adults in the family ever went to church. I guess they just want a few hours of respite.

We left before I was old enough to leave on my own. Teddy Boys had started to make an appearance and the police were walking around in pairs and sometimes with dogs!! Alarm alarm. So Ma and Pa decided that was enough it was going down hill and they headed to the next country. We found it all quite exciting and strangely didn't mind the move. We had other cousins that had done it previously and we finished up living two houses away. But that's another story maybe for later.

If you wanna get a hint of what it used to be like have a look at this yutube - what you see is what I had!!

 

OK, I was born in a suburb of Baltimore, Maryland in 1954 and it was me and my older brother. I think if my family decided to stay in that area where I was born I would have led a more exciting life, but when I was little we moved to the North East part of Maryland which was hugely populated by farms and forests and well farms. That is what I grew up on throughout the 60's and and 70's until I got out of what I called "NowhereVille" and went to college at Ohio State to study Physical Therapy in 1972. That change my entire personality from this shy little girl to this out going little girl who wanted to explore everything. After 6 years of school I came back to Maryland and met who I thought at the time was the man of my dreams, got a job, got married, and shortly after that became pregnant with my Son. By my late 30's I was thriving in my career, but my marriage was falling apart and ironically I had found myself back in the same North East area of Maryland although it was much more built up then it was when I was as a child. By the time I was 40 I had gotten a divorce from my husband and my son was now 15 years old and in high school. I still was living in the North East area in Maryland with the same career, but the community was booming. To move forward quickly I am now 65 years young and now recently retired and I still live in that same area. It is no longer recognizable from the days as when I was a child. I cannot even count the amount of restaurants within a 15 minute driving radius to choose from. There is also a full shopping mall, movie theatre. So many things to do around here. The good thing though is the greenery is still some how still here for the most part.
 
thanks for that Molly - not necessarily a good indictment of small town life? What sort of things did you get up to in Baltimore before your 'before leaving days'?
 

Born and raised in a suburb of Columbus Ohio. I also went to Ohio State at the same time as Molly! Graduated OSU in 1978. Got married in October of the same. Been married 40 years. Live within 10 minutes of where I grew up. Have 2 wonderful kids age 33/and almost 35. Two fantastic grandkids that live in the cul de sac right behind us. We are a very close family. Always doing fun things together. Live in a wonderful little suburb on a golf course and we love it.

Grandparents had had a place in SW Florida. I remember going down on Christmas break as a kid our first time and swimming!!!!!! Then the beach! Eating in restaurants...get this...OUTSIDE in December! Thus started the magical love for SW Florida. My parents soon bought a place. We went twice a year..February and June with the kids. They loved it. Then when our daughter was in college she would call me and say.......”dad, Southwest has a $79 dollar deal this weekend! Let’s go! And we would. 5 years ago we bought a place as well. Now most of my family....has condos within minutes of each other.

Heading down with with a bunch of us and the dog..Bella...Lab mix in a few weeks. Can’t wait.
 
The town I left never changed and that is what I knew 40 years ago. I went on Google Earth years ago and everything looked the same. It saddens me knowing some of my friends still remain there. It was a dump then and it still is if not worse.
 
Yep when i look at "the backroads" program most of the adult residents say their small town is great but the young ones still wanna leave. I wouldn't get lost visiting Liverpool now but it wouldn't feel home anymore and definitely not safe even in daylight!
 
I was born&raised here in Buffalo with my older sister,younger brother
The only time I didn't live here was when I was away at school from ages 10-16,then in Vermont for college for 2yrs
I'm the only member of my family who chose to stay here, because of my job.My sister&brother left town yrs ago,she lives in England,he lives in Rye,NY{burb of NYC} I never left.My apt building is located 2 blocks from my childhood home
Our parents moved in '92 to a retirement community in Hanover,NH which was like a 2nd home to us.My dad went to Darmouth,mom went to Smith.
When we were younger,we would spend a month of our summer vacation in VT&NH
 
I grew up in California at the end of World War II. The late 1950's through the early 1960's. It was such an interesting time. Los Angeles was growing by leaps and bounds; and took over a great many properties to build freeways. There were frequent shoot outs as veterans, returned from the war, attempted to keep their property. They always lost.

We moved from Los Angeles County to Orange County. During this period of time, the Lettuce Wars happened. The Mexicans, who came to Southern California to pick our crops, lived in terrible conditions. They sought better conditions and blockades happened to prevent crops being picked so conditions could be improved. I learned a lot about this issue that year.

My parents grew up on dirt farms. My parents knew about poverty and picking and moving around.

I lived in a time where racial understanding was evolving. Our neighborhood was a majority of white people with a few Hispanics families. The NAACP was doing neighborhood busting and a black family moved in on the corner. Mom, dad, and two young children. My parents were color blind, others were not. It went like this:

Three men from the neighborhood came to our door to speak with dad. "Do you see who moved into the corner house?" Yup, my dad replied. "This will lower the value of our houses". I didn't know you were moving? My dad replied. "I'm not, but if I move my house will sell for less because of that family. Aren't you concerned?" Nope, my dad said.

Let me ask you a question, my dad said. What is the color of the money that man has in his pocket? "Green." And that is all that matters. That is all I care about, the color of the money that man has in his pocket. That is all you should care about. The rest will take care of itself. My dad was a force in that neighborhood. Nothing happened to that family.

Six months later, they sold the corner house and moved on. All the freeways got built. The lettuce was picked once again. Life moved on. Most of us have changed a lot since those days, some of us have not. But we/I learned a great deal in those times. I became aware of lives of others around me, their bravery, and my world enlarged.

My parents divorced when I was 15, and my mother, once I was 17 and had graduated from high school, forced me out of the house.
 
do go on Aneeda you've got us hangin onto our seats and fingers clutching lips!! - the best is yet to come surely! - liked your dad heh - a man of principle!
 
Gumbud,

You missed my point. My dad was entirely serious about money. He had no principles. You could be the leader of the alien invasion and as long as your money was green USofA dollars, he was your man. Lol. He knew how commerce worked, that was my point. California people back then, as now, were marketing experts.
 
No Aneeda it was the bit when you said ...."my mother forced me out of the house......wot onto the streets of Orange County??
 
Gumbud-I explained this on a different thread under the diary section. You can read it there or not.
 
Gumbud, I wasn't aware there was a "trist" between me and Keesha. Do tell more.

I am aware that you might be the type of person who likes to cause issues, and your comments have nothing to do with this thread IMO.
 
Aneeda72 said:
Gumbud, I wasn't aware there was a "trist" between me and Keesha. Do tell more.

I am aware that you might be the type of person who likes to cause issues, and your comments have nothing to do with this thread IMO.
Click to expand...

Ok, time to continue on with the thread. Ok, folks?
 
From the age of 6, I grew up in northeastern Indiana. Don't remember anything before I was 6, but my birthplace was Olean, NY.

Anyway, all thru grade school, junior high and high school, all that was around me was farms. Cattle, hogs, tractors and crops. It was all ok, but I knew I was destined to be a farmer. Didn't, and still don't, mind being around livestock, but my old farming days were over when I graduated high school. Actually, I went from farming to more of the Western "cowboy" type and have absolutely loved it. Not just some dude that knows how to 2-step, but a guy that knows about horses, professional rodeo and absolutely loves (like my wife) looking at all of the livestock at a County or State Fair.

The areas I grew up around haven't changed much, but I decided that northeastern Indiana wasn't the place I really wanted to live and retire in. A number of my old 1968 high school graduation class still live there and very much enjoy it...…..even with the winters.
 
Was born in Queens and lived in Harlem. :( It was a crap hole then and I suppose it still is. Came from a very dysfunctional family. Left home as soon as I graduated and headed to New England. That was a major culture shock, from subways to dairy farms. :D After my Army time, got married and the two of us have shared one adventure after another and we see no need to stop yet. :thumbsup1:
 
Aneeda72 said:
Gumbud, I wasn't aware there was a "trist" between me and Keesha. Do tell more.

I am aware that you might be the type of person who likes to cause issues, and your comments have nothing to do with this thread IMO.
Click to expand...

oops my error should have used the word "clash" perhaps??
 
jujube said:
I moved to Florida after six years in Detroit and surrounding areas. 'nuff said...….
Click to expand...

Detroit THAT bad? My wife is from Lincoln Park. We were there in 2008 and the city was very nice, except for the walk-in theater that was now an "X" rated theater. We have friends that have a house in Livonia. Nice area as well.

One thing for sure, Detroit doesn't have to worry about hurricanes, tropical storms or heat w/humidity.
 
Born and grew up in NE Ohio out in the country. When I was young, I thought it was wonderful. But after school, marriage and kids, it wasn't so much the bad winters that bothered me, but the cloudy dreary days and rain in the summer that was the deciding factor that drove us away.
Moved to the desert of Arizona for the sunshine! Really loved life there, but job opportunities in Texas won out. We moved here after several years.

Can't say what life is like in previous locations ... haven't been back.
 
there's a distinct theme coming out here that many of moved 'on' and 'out' because we were bored with the place - I certainly did - thinking about staying would have been a nightmare. And of course many of us seemed to have 'scored better' for doing so. My one main regret was not spending more time with the folks. Pa died 10 yrs after I left and I hardly saw him bare a few occasions, Ma even less so. But for me and others it seems that once the break has been made there is no real going back. Oh yes we did make the occasional visits but the mold had been cracked for better or for worse!


 
gumbud said:
there's a distinct theme coming out here that many of moved 'on' and 'out' because we were bored with the place - I certainly did - thinking about staying would have been a nightmare. And of course many of us seemed to have 'scored better' for doing so. My one main regret was not spending more time with the folks. Pa died 10 yrs after I left and I hardly saw him bare a few occasions, Ma even less so. But for me and others it seems that once the break has been made there is no real going back. Oh yes we did make the occasional visits but the mold had been cracked for better or for worse!
Click to expand...


Yes, bordom, and a longing for adventure will do that to you. I'm lucky that my husband felt the same. He loved traveling, and we did quite a bit in his 68 years. And now even family "back home" is all gone too.
 
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