First and foremost, they finally got around to altering the Parker St. railroad underpass, long the bane of truckers and daily commuters. Many trucks have tried to squeeze through the underpass, and came to a jarring halt as the top of the trailer got jammed or ripped off. This would block the road for a couple of hours. Inevitably at rush hour on a Friday.
They're finally going to increase the height and width of the underpass considerably. No small undertaking. This entire stretch of Parker St. also got a much needed reworking; widening, new sidewalks and curbing.
Another long overdue project was the demolition of an apartment building at the Parker St./Main St. intersection. Called the 'Green Monster' by locals, it was a three story eye sore. It's removal was like pulling a cloud away from above that section of town. The whole intersection suddenly just seems brighter and open.
Down the street there are several road projects going on.
Main St.
Oak St.
In Front of the Oak St. Post Office.
My grandparents lived in this area when I was about 5 or 6 years old.
Their house is gone now, but was adjacent to the illustrious National House (or 'the Nash' as it's known to the regulars).
I didn't fully understand it at the time, but my wide innocent eyes and ears were witness to many drunken curses and foul gestures, and generally shady goings-on. A beer bottle's throw away is the equally extravagant Pot-Belly's Pub.
My 7 year old cousin and I used to stay with our grandparents while our parents were at work. Back then we'd walk all over this area. We'd just roam around all by ourselves, (completely, utterly unthinkable now). Walking down to the nearby river, along the active railroad tracks, across busy Main St. We'd hook up with other vagabond 6-7-8 year-olds and play soccer-baseball in the neighborhood streets. Not a supervising eye to be seen. Safe as lambs on a farm.
The highlight of most weeks would involve walking over to the mecca of my young life. The Five and Dime store, located then in this building.
It was a treasure trove. Clear plastic squirt guns of all colors and shape, spinning things that gave off sparks, rubber crocodiles, rubber-band powered balsa wood gliders. Candy cigarettes that gave off fake smoke (powdered sugar). Usually we'd stand around in there and check out the toys we couldn't afford until we were kicked out. Occasionally we'd actually have a couple quarters to spend lavishly.
Those days are long gone. The memories aren't.
I never knew what they did in this building, but I recognized the name even at that early age.
My mother worked at the Mills nearby, with many other Portuguese people.
The Orchard continued to be a part of my life for several years. I remember seeing my first motion picture at the Grand theater, 'Saturday Night Fever', at the tender age of nine. A child in the Disco era. What does that do to a kid? The theater is now a Latino Church.
I don't remember it ever being a posh area, but things were well cared for and safe. The Indian Orchard somehow reached a very low point by the time I was in my late teens. Rampant poverty, violence, and all the other ills that had befallen Springfield as a whole descended on the neighborhood in full force.
It's seems the Orchard is now finally attempting a revitalization, and it's good to see.
3 comments:
my grandparents used to own the shoe outlet...shoe store right next to the nixon company on main street in indian orchard...and man I have great memories going in to that 5 and dime...was it kresgies??
sodafixer (Jeff)
My grandfather was a shoemaker in the old country, I'll bet he went into that outlet plenty. I can't remember the name of the 5&10 exactly, Kresgies does sound right, but yeah, wasn't that a great store? There also was another one in the old A&P supermarket plaza up the road...
My grandmother worked in that mill. I remember going to the Grand, getting my hair cut at the barber shop, going to that 5-and-dime, which was Ahearn's. Kresge's was the huge store downtown where Stage West, now CityStage, is. The one in the Eastfield Mall was a McCrory's.
My father went to Orchard Variety every Saturday morning, followed by Third National Bank, which was the building right on the IO end of the Ludlow Bridge.
My grandfather worked at Chapman Valve and bowled at the old alley which became the auto parts store.
The 5-and-dime next to A&P had some name that was numbers and I just can't remember it.
Other stores I do remember - Kings, Forbes & Wallace, Steigers, Two Guys, Zayre. I remember getting burned on Arthur Treacher's Fish & Chips ... Lemon Luv pies. Princess Parlor next to Kings in Ludlow for ice cream.
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