Memories of Harvey of old (Chicago, Bourbonnais: house, job transfer, neighborhood)

[Sarges Dad]

I know Harvey has not been the City it was when I was growing up in the 60's and 70's, but as the neighbor lady that lived on Emerald street near Halstead and I-80 passed away this week it brought back many memories. It was a neat little town at one time. I remember the big 4th of July parade. I remember pro softball at Lou Budrou field, sand lot baseball and what was suppose to be football. No computers, television, and internet to keep you inside.Obesity was very rare as compared to today. I remember Taft, Coolidge, and Thornwood. I remember Thornridge winning all those state chamionships. I remember Quin Buckner and his mother who taught at Coolidge. Excuse me for remanicing. Just thought it might make a good thread.

Oh I miss Alphs pup pizza and Anelo's roast beef sandwiches. I miss Clock burgers and Dog & suds, AKA Arf N Barf. I remeber Erpy, Pugsy, and the gang who all had nick names. I had to, Buzzard and the swammy.

[Chuckity]

My DH is from Harvey of the same era as you - he grew up at 159th & Halsted - and played baseball at St. John the Baptist.

All I happen to remember from Harvey was Prince Castles.

[Sarges Dad]

Originally Posted by Chuckity

My DH is from Harvey of the same era as you - he grew up at 159th & Halsted - and played baseball at St. John the Baptist.

All I happen to remember from Harvey was Prince Castles.

I forgot about Prince Castle. I am from 167th and Halsted. I have not been back in at least 15 years.

[GentilePatriot]

Do any of you recall the Pot Pourri restaurant or the Harvey Snack Shop? Both were small, family-owned restaurant diners in the 1960s that were adjacent to the big bus depot building. I believe the Snack Shop was at about 154th & Broadway on the south end of the depot and the Pot Pourri was only a few dozen feet away, on Park Ave. Tom Dreesen used to frequent both places, back when he was still working for the bus company.

[Sarges Dad]

Originally Posted by GentilePatriot

Do any of you recall the Pot Pourri restaurant or the Harvey Snack Shop? Both were small, family-owned restaurant diners in the 1960s that were adjacent to the big bus depot building. I believe the Snack Shop was at about 154th & Broadway on the south end of the depot and the Pot Pourri was only a few dozen feet away, on Park Ave. Tom Dreesen used to frequent both places, back when he was still working for the bus company.

I don't remember. I was born in 62 at Ingles and graduated from Thornwood in 1980 and moved to Huntsville Alabama the next day. I met Tom when I was a teenager and he was visiting at the softball field. I have his autograph in my photo album.

[GentilePatriot]

Originally Posted by Sarges Dad

I don't remember. I was born in 62 at Ingles and graduated from Thornwood in 1980 and moved to Huntsville Alabama the next day. I met Tom when I was a teenager and he was visiting at the softball field. I have his autograph in my photo album.

Thanks for the details Sarge. We're about the same age, except I was in the Thorton school district. I met Tom too, several times actually. One of his nephews was my best friend (and I suppose he sort of still is, although I rarely see him anymore -- he left the Chicago PD and moved to Florida).

And my family owned the two restaurants I mentioned. We stuck it out when the blacks were just breaking our windows and stuff like that, but when they started attacking the women in my family it was time to leave.

[Sarges Dad]

It went down fast when it went down. I had a older cousin who had a beauty shop on the main street down town and she financed it to someone. I think she finaly had to write it off and give it to them after years of waiting on payments. I pulled up threads on Dixie Square Mall. Can you believe it is still standing? Oh I have a cousin my age that graduated from Thornton. She lived on State Street in So. Holland up untill a few years ago when she moved near Detroit because of her husbands job transfer.

[Skip G]

I was reminiscing about old times and looking on Google Earth at my old house on Harvey Avenue and 146th street and can't believe how Harvey looks now. Flying down 154th, it looks like a war zone. Nothing much left...all the old buildings gone, bus company gone, it's really pretty depressing. And what's with this mayor? Is this what it's come to? About 10 years ago, I came back up there (from Florida) to visit my mother who was at that time living in Bourbonnais. She wanted to take a look at the old neighborhood, so I put her in the car and headed for Harvey. We were riding through the neighborhood and noticed a Harvey Police unit behind us, following closely for a few minutes until he put on the lights, exited his vehicle with his hand on his sidearm and asked me what I was doing there. I told him I had my mother in the car and was just looking at the old neighborhood and he quickly informed me that I was in the wrong neighborhood and I'd better find my way out of town before something happened to us. Needless to say, it scared the crap out of my mother and he escorted us until he thought we would be safe. What a difference from what I remember as a kid...no locking the house or the cars, knowing everyone on not only your own street but all the adjacent ones and shopping downtown at Ernies Meat Market, Jeans Bakery, Marks Toggery, etc. Those days are gone and I guess the old saying about "you can never go home" really rings true with Harvey and the blighted slum it has become. I, by the way, was a TTHS graduate of 1965, hung around LouArts in Riverdale and ate pizza at Brunetti's. Those were the days.

[Sarges Dad]

Originally Posted by Skip G

I was reminiscing about old times and looking on Google Earth at my old house on Harvey Avenue and 146th street and can't believe how Harvey looks now. Flying down 154th, it looks like a war zone. Nothing much left...all the old buildings gone, bus company gone, it's really pretty depressing. And what's with this mayor? Is this what it's come to? About 10 years ago, I came back up there (from Florida) to visit my mother who was at that time living in Bourbonnais. She wanted to take a look at the old neighborhood, so I put her in the car and headed for Harvey. We were riding through the neighborhood and noticed a Harvey Police unit behind us, following closely for a few minutes until he put on the lights, exited his vehicle with his hand on his sidearm and asked me what I was doing there. I told him I had my mother in the car and was just looking at the old neighborhood and he quickly informed me that I was in the wrong neighborhood and I'd better find my way out of town before something happened to us. Needless to say, it scared the crap out of my mother and he escorted us until he thought we would be safe. What a difference from what I remember as a kid...no locking the house or the cars, knowing everyone on not only your own street but all the adjacent ones and shopping downtown at Ernies Meat Market, Jeans Bakery, Marks Toggery, etc. Those days are gone and I guess the old saying about "you can never go home" really rings true with Harvey and the blighted slum it has become. I, by the way, was a TTHS graduate of 1965, hung around LouArts in Riverdale and ate pizza at Brunetti's. Those were the days.

I was a 1980 grad of ThornWood. I lived at 167th and Halstead area. What I would give for good pizza and beef sandwiches. No such food here in Alabama. I remember Brunetti's. Good pizza.

[edharvey]

I grew up in Harvey around 157th and Halsted. Graduated from St. John's and Thornton. Anyone remember Pabst Blue Ribbon across from the I.C. tracks? Great beef sandwiches. Loved going to Prince Castle. I remember the square ice cream scoops. The Clock had great burgers and those thick broasted potatoes. As a kid, I loved to walk to The Shade on Halsted during the summer months and order a Green River. The best root beer was at the A&W at 159th and Halsted. You could bring empty plastic gallons and they would fill them with root beer. I remember the long lunch counter at Kresge's ( or was that Scott's?) If you looked under the counter you would find it studded with dozens of pieces of gum in a variety of colors. I've just gained weight thinking about all those places.