My family's home in the 1960's-70's
When I found this early 20th century photo at a Facebook page devoted to nostalgic memories of my home town of Covington, I immediately recognized this home as the family place we moved into at 303 West 21st Avenue in Covington in the 1960′s. Daddy paid $10,000 for the house at the time we moved in and sold it for $60,000 about 20 years later after re-zoning had given the property some commercial potential. I remember how proud he was of the profit his investment had returned! Today, no telling how much the house would sell for, but for sure a lot more than $60,000.This photo is captivating to me–I remember Daddy saying the house was built in the early 1900′s, and this pic is definitely from that era, judging by the style of ladies’ attire. I seem to remember, also, that the place had a history as a boarding establishment–This picture confirms that part of the house’s history, too.
My bedroom was the front room–the two windows on the left gave me a main street view of the Highway 190 thru-route. I remember the 18 wheelers grinding through the gears in the night before the by-pass around the outskirts took the traffic out of the heart of town. On a summer’s night with those windows flung open to catch whatever whisper of a breeze came along, those trucks sounded like they were going through the front yard rather than passing on the highway.
Those are also the windows I used to sneak out of during the night to meet my buddies at the drive-in hangout down the street after I was supposed to be asleep in bed. I realized one day that Daddy had figured out my scheme when I found the window nailed shut. He never said a word to me, and I wasn’t about to ask questions! So much for Friday late night galavants.
Memories, what memories!
I didn’t know the history of that house, but I loved it. Last month as we drove by it so many little things come to mind about that house.
I remember Mamaw having buttons that said “Broom for Sheriff” in her makeup box in the bathroom that connected their bedroom to the hallway. I remember the glass doorknobs. I remember the bigger bathroom off the kitchen and the way the linoleum would sound as you walked over it. I remember the white poodle there, and I remember Papaw Pulling there too. I remember all the oyster shells down the back driveway and in the back of the house….along with the smell of those stinky pears? as they would rot and stink.
So I can’t remember it back to the 60′s, but it still is special to me too!
I remember going there and spending the night (before we were married) in what I think was Nathan’s old room. I recall the light blue ford or dodge car we’d ride to church to Pearl River in. I remember that huge bathroom off the kitchen. The tub was footed-I thought it was really cool! I recall PawPaw Walter sitting outside swatting misquitoes with a fly flap, all the while telling stories! Ah, such sweet times those were!!!
I got to give credit to my brother in law as you certainly were a lot more “courageous” than I to have “sneaked out at night” like that. You know you were lucky if that’s all Brother Nathan did was to “nail the window shut!” You know and I know he certainly was capable of “nailing something else?” HA HA HA!