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Old 06-09-2008, 07:59 AM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,727 posts, read 74,665,297 times
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This is interesting .... I had no idea that was an actual neighborhood at one time, even though a friend of mine lived on Ellemarie for a bit. Is that what's left of the neighborhood?

I remember the Eastwood Circle area had a lot of publicity a few years ago because of the number of Sears kit homes on the street.
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Old 06-09-2008, 11:44 AM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hyden View Post
NightBazaar, Thanks for your reply. I enjoyed reading it so much. I miss that place because it was home to me for 14 of my first 18 years. I would like to find pictures of the apartments to show the grand kids.I recall 4 streets: Eastwood Dr, Strathmore, Kingsley and I believe the other was Shelbourne. You spoke of the pond, mt brothers would go there. One of them met a boy and have been bst friends ever since. They even bought houses next to each other to raise their families.

The years you said you were there sounds like you were moved out before the pool was finished
Thanks Again, Hyden
Hyden, you're correct. There was no pool during the time I was there. Across the street from where we lived there was a small sunken piece of land (that we called a "field") bordered by a parking lot and more apartment buildings on the other side. In the middle of the "field", there was a drain topped by a concrete slab. During the occasional Summer downpours, the entire 'field' would flood with water, and every kid in the neighborhood would dive in to cool off. That was about as close of a pool as we had there. Occasionally, parents would take kids to one of the public swimming pools, but I can't remember what district that was. Other than that, it was the farmer's pond. I often went there, but never actually swam in it. My parents were always afraid someone would drown in it.

One thing that was done, which was a traditional summertime ritual, was parents would pack the cars with neighborhood kids and head for the Cincinnati Zoo, or Coney Island Amusement Park. Some of my best friends were from the orphanage, so we'd get permission from the house mothers to take them along. Naturally, we'd make a beeline for the rides.

Each year, Coney Island would hold "Orphans Day" when orphans from all over the city could get in and ride the rides for free. Busloads of kids would come. The orphanage near us would invite me to go along with them, as sort of an "honorary orphan for the day". Those were some great times.

I may have a few old photos from when we lived in Stratford Manor. I think some sort of show what the apartment buildings looked like from the outside. But unfortunately, nothing that really shows what the area was like. I don't have a scanner, but I'll see if I can find some of those photos and find a way to scan them or save them on a CD in order to post them.

I suspect there are some old aerial photos of the Manor around. Perhaps a county or state geological department has one archived that they could dig up. One of the historical societies may also have some photos. And I'm sure there must other people around who have a few personal photos from when they lived there as well.

Coming across your thread was purely a coincidence. I was Googling Stratford Manor and found the title of this thread near the top of the Google page. I was looking for old photos of the Manor as well. After reading the thread, I got to thinking (as I occasionally do) about my experience and life there and the people I knew. I still recall some of the names of some of those people. It's enough to fill up a book. LOL!

I've often thought about the people I knew there and wonder where they are now and how they're doing. What years did you live in Stratford Manor? What street did you live on?
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Old 06-09-2008, 11:53 AM
 
5,463 posts, read 9,593,535 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ohiogirl81 View Post
This is interesting .... I had no idea that was an actual neighborhood at one time, even though a friend of mine lived on Ellemarie for a bit. Is that what's left of the neighborhood?

I remember the Eastwood Circle area had a lot of publicity a few years ago because of the number of Sears kit homes on the street.
Ohiogirl81: Yes it was an actual neighborhood at one time. Not sure where Ellemarie is located. Must be on the other side of Red Barn Road.There's nothing left of Stratford Manor. And except for what's left of the street Kingsley Drive, everything else is gone. You'd never know it was a thriving community at one time.
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Old 06-10-2008, 03:59 PM
 
Location: Ky
325 posts, read 1,114,077 times
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NightBazaar, We lived on Strathmore Dr.,from around 1955 until 61. We moved due to Dads job at Magreager was leaving Cincinnati. Finally Dad was able to get on at GM in Norwood so we moved back in 64 and moved again this time to Norwood in 71.

Mom told me that when we moved there the first time it was a matter of sometimes being on a waitlist and you had to have references., I was about 1 year old..
It was very nice. When we came back in 64 , the name had changed to Eastwood Village and we lived on Eastwood Dr. With the change of ownwership came alot of changes. We had to start locking up bikes and our doors and crime was getting worse. I really missed the way it used to be. One thing that was the same Leroy the mailman. He was a black man and in the early 50's we hadn't seen many. He was so sweet. ,I along with other kids would follow him to the apts in the courtyard. When we came back in 64 he was still delivering the mail to each building , we were all happy to see other.He retired before we moved to Norwood. I got married after graduation in 73 and moved to another state and my parents moved to Loveland.
My brother had found Leroy in 1990 and invited him to his daughters graduation gathering at his home. We didn't know it and you talk about a reunion WOW we felt like kids again. It was just wonderful. In 1997 my father passed away and guess who came..Leroy did, and some of the people from the manor that was there were all around Leroy, It was a Happy reunion during a sad time.It was very good. I didn't mean to go on but just wanted to share. Thanks
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Old 06-10-2008, 04:08 PM
 
Location: Ky
325 posts, read 1,114,077 times
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NightBazaar, I forgot to mention that yes I remember the orphanage, our class from school would cross the street and go over there I think once a week for bible class. You know that was a long time ago because doing that sort of thing has ended sadly.
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Old 06-10-2008, 05:12 PM
 
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Hyden, I'm glad you did go on about it. It's good to hear about someone else's experiences there. Although I knew there must be all kinds of people still around who remember the place, I was beginning to think it'd be highly unlikely to ever hear from anyone who lived there. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to hear your recollections.

Was Strathmore Drive the one next to the farm field and I think ran directly to where Red Chief Drive meets Red Barn Road? Or was it the one that intersected with Kingsley? I recall the name of Strathmore Drive but it's hard to remember which street was which. There were several drives in Stratford Manor, although some sort of ran into others.

When I was there, Eastwood Drive didn't extend down to Duck Creek Road by the school. Instead, there was sort of a parking alley for Manor residents that lived along there which ran down the opposite side of the school grounds to Duck Creek Road.

I was there from around 1954 (I think) until April, 1958 or 1959. Moving from there was a very hard time for me because it meant leaving behind so many good friends. Although I've lost touch with everyone from there, I've never forgotten them.

Do you recall Coney Island and the Cincinnati Zoo?

By the way, I found the Stratford Manor photos I had buried away! The photos are black and white and look like they may be from 1954, judging from the year on the licence plate of my dad's "new" car (a Desoto). The photos don't show much, but they do give a peek at how the buildings looked. All the apartment buildings were like cracker boxes. They were all the same color and had the same kind of siding. LOL! I'm going to try a few different things to see if I can find a way to get them on my computer and upload them so you can see them, and so other can see what we're talking about or recall what they looked like. One way or another, I'll get them posted here.
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Old 06-10-2008, 08:43 PM
 
5,463 posts, read 9,593,535 times
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I'm guessing these photos were taken sometime in 1954, possibly August.



This is a photo of my father's "new" Desoto. You can see an apt. building typical of those in Stratford Manor.
Our apt. building is out of sight to the left of the photo.









This one is looking across the street from our apt. building. The apt. buildings seen show what they looked like.
Seen here is my older brother (now deceased), myself with the dark hair, and my younger brother posing "seriously"
in front of the prized Desoto. I was a pretty small twerp then, but then I started growing up pretty fast.







Last edited by NightBazaar; 06-10-2008 at 08:59 PM..
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Old 06-11-2008, 02:27 PM
 
Location: Ky
325 posts, read 1,114,077 times
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NightBazaar, Thank You Thank You !! The apartments from what i remember were all the same colors but were different in different courts, some were green and drk. green then the reverse in another court, then some were brown & beige, then the reverse in other courts. In the picture with your brothers you see the corner of what was called cottages..there were usually 2 in each court on each side of the middle apt. in the court. Eastwood Dr. was the street that you entered the manor on from the eastwood circle direction, going straight Strathmore was on your left and right going across Eastwood. Kingsley was just passed that on the right and then it ran into Shelbourne. But Eastwood went all the way out to Red Bank starting from the enterance. At the corner of Kingsley and Eastwood ws an alley straight across..that was where you went to go to the pool later on. Also forgot to mention the Mr, Softee ice cream truck and a peddler in an old model T stle druck that sold candy and ice cream, he was old and his name was Louie. Red and white truck, I don't know how I forgot to mention that.He usually run in all the back alleys. Kids ran to it from everywhere. Maybee I'll remember something else .
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Old 06-12-2008, 01:08 PM
 
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I kinda thought you might enjoy seeing those pix. Brings back a few nostalgic memories for you, do they? And I thought it might give others a little historical peek at buildings that were typical of Stratford Manor.

Yes, the building was a singly-story unit. I think it may have been a duplex but I can‘t remember now. In our part of the Manor, there were a few around, but not many. The vast majority of the buildings were two-stories, with 2 apts downstairs and 2 upstairs. And I think most of them just had 2 bedrooms. We lived downstairs. Our address was 5049 Kingsley Drive, Apt. B.

Most of the units in the manor looked pretty much the same, although I think you’re right that there was some variation in color, but not much. The outside colors were still pretty blah though.

You’re right about the buildings being arranged around a front courtyard. It was somewhat of a U-shape, usually with a corner of each building “connected” to the next. They also usually shared a back courtyard with sidewalks, a small playground, and a place for garbage cans.

Regarding the entrance to Stratford Manor on Eastwood Drive, it looks like the location had been changed. If you look at the satellite photo, the original entrance to the Manor was directly across from Eastwood Circle. You can only see a hint of it now. Looks like that road ends just a short distance at a warehouse or industrial building. Where that building is located, is where the Manor’s shopping center was, although the shopping center was much smaller and more narrow in size. If you follow that road in a straight line, you’ll see it would perfectly intersect with Kingsley Drive.

Eastwood Drive is now located almost directly across from the Orphanage. When I lived in the Manor, that wasn’t there, or at least didn’t extend all the way down to Duck Creek Road. Again using the satellite photo, to the left of Eastwood Drive is where the elementary school was. It’s hard to guess what’s there now. And to the left again of the ‘school’ was sort of a parking alley that ended at Duck Creek Road.

Thanks for reminding me where Strathmore Drive was. Following it eastward, it ultimately curved south and came to a dead-end or cul-de-sac. However before you reached the curve, there was a street that went north. I don’t recall the name of it. That street crossed Kingsley Drive and ended at Shelbourne by the farm field.

In the first photo of the car, the apartment building shown behind it was on the corner of Kingsley and that street. I had several friends who lived on that street.

From what you said, it sounds like there must have been a LOT of changes after we moved out. The place where you said they had a pool used to be a short dead end. Beyond that was a gulley with a steep embankment and a wooded area. Kids mostly from the west side of the Manor liked to ride their bikes and play around there.

On the east side of the Manor, was another gulley/wooded area that adjoined Red Bank Road where kids from that section tended to go. It was a bit larger than the West gulley/woods. You can see what’s left of it in the satellite photo. Actually that wooded area along Red Bank Road from Big Chief Drive all the way down to Madison Avenue. It was only separated by Duck Creek Road which ended at Red Bank Road.

The woods ran onto the property by the Orphanage. There were tales of quicksand in those parts near the Orphanage, so few dared to venture there. I’m not sure where those tales came from, but probably just to keep kids out.

I also remember the ice cream truck making the rounds, virtually every day during the warmer months. Seems like it had a loudspeaker playing a short jingly tune. Kids and adults alike would make a dash to crowd around and choose whatever refreshing goodies they were in the mood for.

I’d love to see an aerial photo of the Manor from the mid to late-50s, and some personal photos of the place. There are people around who have some, but finding them is the hard part.

I also wonder what those buildings are in the satellite photo? Maybe someone on the forum here knows and can identify them.

I'll see if I can grab and post a few more satellite pix with more closeup of certain features like the Orphanage, Eastwood Circle, and where the school was.
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Old 06-12-2008, 02:03 PM
 
Location: Philaburbia
41,727 posts, read 74,665,297 times
Reputation: 66662
NightBazaar, there's still a school in that location -- it was Eastwood Paideia, but the original building was torn down not long after I moved out of Madisonville in 2004. In its place is Shroder Paideia Academy, a 7-12 magnet school, which moved from Kennedy Heights.
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