Sunday, February 5, 2012

Shawnee 1951

Steve and Chris play near the new fence circa 1952.
 In June 1951my parents, Steve, Sally and I moved to a new subdivision of Kansas City, known unofficially, at least to the post office, as Shawnee Village. Prior to the 1950s the land we were living on had been used for agriculture so I feel we were pioneers. Dad's trip to downtown Kansas City where he worked for the Kansas City Times took more than 30 minutes. These are pictures from those early years. The letter is one Mom wrote to Dad's parents the week we moved.
Steve's 5th birthday - both sets of grandparents and Helen, Chris and Kerry.
 
Dear Folks
We feel sort of settled now that we have a draw curtain up in the living room.  We felt a little on display before.  I felt rather lucky for when I went to Sears to buy them I found that it takes two weeks to get them, but some lady had ordered some gray ones and then not taken them so they were on special.  They look nice with our room and pretty good outside too—which is what worried me.  We haven’t any hot water until today.  They turned on the gas yesterday and lighted the stove for me but they wouldn’t light the heater because it was new and the man said “the gas company aint got no heaters to replace them when they blow up,”  That made me feel real happy to have something liable to blow up in the basement.  I read the instruction but couldn’t figure them out. 
When the water meter man came I cornered him and asked him if he would watch me while I held the match and tell me what to do.  He and I got down on our knees—the floor was wet too and decided it wouldn’t light because there was air in the pipes.  He went away cheerfully telling me that sometimes it takes an half and hour to clear the pipes.  If the light man hadn’t come early I might have cornered him to finish lighting the heater because I got as far as the pilot light but couldn’t go further.  Mr. Welch came out and lighted it for me today.
Ray is feeling real good today but he felt a little draggy Sunday and Monday.  I’m sending you a couple of stories from the Times he wrote.  He seems to like it real well and as he has 5 until 7:30 for supper he comes home for supper.
I’m writing Gussie and dad the almost the same thing as I write you.  I thought I would warn both of you for the kids and I don’t do enough different things to make two letters different.  Love Mary
Dad joins the fun.
Celebrating Steve's birthday in the basement.


2 comments:

  1. This is great. However, I am perplexed to discover that not only was the fence once new but so was the earth mover that Steve is sitting on in the photo with Chris. I played with that thing in the sand pile but it was banged up by the time I got it.

    Why would they have celebrated Steve's October birthday in the basement? I thought that was only to stay cool.

    This is so odd to see a world very much like one I remember but yet new and oddly different. Great stuff.

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    Replies
    1. I wondered about the basement, but I think it was as over the years proved the only place large enough to hold everyone around a table. I was stunned to see the fence actually standing up.

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