Hey all you West Mankato kids who grew up there in the 50s 60s and 70s: Remember what a great neighborhood it was? Tucked away on its own up on the hill, separated from the rest of the city. From Skyline to Sibley Park, and from the river bluffs to the High School and slough, it was our own. Crawling with post war baby boom kids, if you had a friend in another family, chances are your brothers and sisters also knew their brothers and sisters. Roosevelt or St. Joes? It didnt matter when school was out, we were all friends. Stopping at Harveys on W. 8th street after school or in the summer to get a Mr. Freeze or a frozen candy bar? Getting a hair cut from Bernie at Park Lane Barbershop for $1.25 and then immediately going to Fandres to get a snack with your change? Getting a quart of rootbeer at The Oasis for a quarter, then riding your bikes to the park and going down to the river, (which along with the trestle was forbidden by every West Kato mom- so where are the first two places you go?) Taking your BB gun, going down to the slough or trestle with your friends to shoot at stuff). Climbing through the old abandoned farmhouse on the gravel road past the trestle - the one we all claimed that a murder happened there? There were no bike locks. Everyone just parked their bike. Your bike was always there when you went back out. If you did something wrong, your mom would know about it before you got home courtesy of the West Kato Moms Network. You could always find a softball or baseball game at the slough, end of Carney Ave., up on Skyline, over at Roosevelt. Most of us ran around all summer long after dark with no fear. You were welcomed in so many other homes as if you were in your own. Who else took the bus across town to Tourtellotte Pool? You knew how to change busses outside of Bretts downtown. A dime each way and a quarter to swim all afternoon. My mom didnt think twice about letting me, age 10, and my sister, aged 8, get on the bus by ourselves. It was a great place to grow up.
Posted on: Sat, 10 Jan 2015 01:56:49 +0000
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