Friday, May 21, 2010

Longacre

Chatting here at Vandy's Kids has opened my eyes to lots of things, including the differences we had in our environment as we grew up. One of the differences I sense is that it seems VK's who grew up near Bargersville tended to head to Franklin for business needs, where those of us who grew up in the Valley tended to head North and East, to Greenwood or even NapTown.
When I got old enough to drive, most every night I was in my car or on my motorcycle in Greenwood. Later, I grew tired of what Greenwood had to offer and ranged out farther to Al Green's, the TeePee, The Pole, and WIFE's "Window on the World".

I'm sure much of that inclination was due to the direction our parents led us in...
Most of my Dad's family lived in and around Indianapolis. He worked for Indianapolis Power and Light Company. For us, heading North was natural.

A fond memory for me, during hot summer weather, was Mom driving us to Longacre Pool. It's another of those memories that has been clouded over the years, but I still can remember the smell of the place, the locker room and the little key you'd attach to your swimwear so you could retrieve your stuff, and that seemingly huge slide at the deep end of the pool. I failed, trying to find a good photo I could add to the top of this post, but in searching for one I found this blog and a treasure of old photos from in and around Indianapolis from years past... some VERY old, but many of them familiar to those of us that consider ourselves "Sixties kids".
Take a look and see what you think. And if you find anything there that surprises or interests you, please bring it to our attention here.

Now, once again, IT'S FRIDAY!
You ARE planning on coming to the Alumni Banquet aren't you?
(No excuses accepted this year Bo!)

Update:
Reviewing the link I realize that's not the site I had found some time back. The original site I found had LOTS of old photos of Indy and surroundings. I'm still searching for that site and will link it here if/when I find it for you.

10 comments:

Cissy Apple said...

We mostly went swimming at Center Grove Lake. One day at the lake, there was this snotty girl teasing this fat boy. She kept it up and kept it up until the boy couldn't tolerate it any more.

As she ran by, taunting him, he took an unaimed kick at her. Funny thing was, he caught her knee just right and her kneecap ended up standing on end. She sounded like a howler monkey, sitting there in the sand with that funky looking kneecap.

They hauled her off in an ambulance, and I just couldn't feel sorry for the little snot. She got what she deserved.

Rita said...

I still remember that too. The kneecap was way off to the side. I didn't remember how it happened, but I remembered seeing it.

CG Lake was always so muddy on the bottom, we loved visiting out family in So. Indiana and going to a real swimming pool rather than a muddy lake.

CnC said...

You should see that lake now, big fancy houses all around it. I remember the Jerry's drive in was the big cruisin spot in Greenwood back in the day. I caught a really good show on one of the local channels couple months back "Indy In the 50's" Think I still have in on DVR may try to burn it on DVD some time.

the golden horse said...

You mention Longacre. The tall diving platform, (must have been 40 ft. in the air) was a challenge to me from a young age. The day I finally jumped off and actually survived without doing a belly flop, was a major milestone. I still remember the radio stations airing live from the pool and every 10 minutes or so, they played the ole "Time To Turn, So you Won't Burn" diddy. Thought of that many times over the years.
And the drive through Garfield Park with all the flowers. I wonder if it is still there?

Anonymous said...

GH, Yes Garfield Park is still there but the old pool is gone. They have a new "water park" where one of the baseball fields used to be (back north and west of the pogota towards the lagoon, and the theater has been totally renovated with a wrought iron fence around it. The sunken gardens and fountains have been restored (not as pretty as I remember them) but what's new. Now that I think about it, the park isn't nearly as big as it used to be either (when I was 9 or 10). The pogota was totally restored to original condition several years back. Some roads have been closed to combat traffic and "trolling" in the park; but all in all the the park itself is in good shape. "Friends of Garfield Park" have played a big part in getting a lot of the improvements "pushed" through. (McCallister Cat Tractor in Indy) P.J. McCallister pushed for the renovation of the theater and the Arts programs at the amphitheater and added funds to the renovation of what is now called the McCallister Center . . . . Oh, and the green house and inside gardens are active with flower shows in the winter; went one year around Christmas when they have everything decorated and flowers in bloom / didn't know that many kinds poinsettas even existed.
Jerry's & the TeePee, Longacre and the chlorine smell of the locker room . . . .used to ride my bike up in that area when I was still a city kid and swam at Garfield, and rode over to the "Y" on Shelby and Stop 11 to swim after we moved to the valley . . . can't imagine navigating those roads now and actually living to tell about it. Center Grove lake . . .OUR aquatic center of the time. Don't recall too many times that there wasn't at least a small break to let a snake pass through and get back to the far end of the lake.

With reference to an old post "gravel roads" I remember riding "Poco" down through the old valley and out past Ric P's house and over towards Mary's house and Harry F's place. He was our bus (#14) driver. I let Poco run out over by Harry's, but that's another story, as I recall I was lucky to have stayed on board.

See some of you on the 12th / 13th. Take Care

dj

the golden horse said...

DJ,
That is good news to hear something is still almost the same. Thanks for the trip through the park.
I have been gone 32 years and my last trip driving in Indy was stressful. Everything has been moved. I couldn't even find my way out of a paperbag these days. lol.
I don't even recognize the valley.
All the fields gone, where so many of us used to ride our horses is one of the saddest things to soak in. No Beehive, Community Center,
movies at the Firehouse. How do the kids nowadays survive?

Greybeard said...

Garfield Park is another fond memory. We'd pass it on the way to my Grandmothers. There was a U-shaped overpass there that Dad would cross over at speed, just to give all of us a ride at zero gravity... put our stomachs in our throats. The city put a stop sign on the exit side of that overpass and took all the fun out of it.
We did spend a few hot summer nights there enjoying the fountains with the colored lights... Beautiful place. Thank Goodness for the "Friends of Garfield Park"!

Anonymous said...

GB
I remember the overpass well; it was one of the big deals about going to the park . . . we Had to go over it fast!
dj

Anonymous said...

NEWS FLASH!
Embroidery & Things was over run this afternoon by the Class of '65 purchasing tickets to the big Alumni Event. We almost had a mini there this afternoon! We hope more classmates are planning to attend the grand event.

Bo

p.s. Sledding in Garfield Park was a big thrill for me. That was the biggest hill in the whole world for a 7-year old girl....I was afraid to go down but Oh what fun it was. We took hot chocolate and had a night sledding party.

Hawkeye said...

I got my tickets at Embroidery & Things this afternoon.