you can never go home (Salem, Wilsonville: big home, neighborhoods, middle school)

[darrel]

We have all been told that when we grow up and leave. we try and come back and the place has changed due to progress and our life experiences play a major roll in that.
As a child of the sixties and seventies I grew up out between Sherwood and Wilsonville, maybe a mile or two from Damach (sp) state hospital. we had filbert orchards all around and our nearest neighbor with kids was about 1/3 mile away. if we wanted to interact with others we would get on our bikes (another appendage of our body) and travel. We would find all sorts of places and things to do away from home, back then you could leave your door unlocked and write a note and leave it on the kitchen table (mom, went to Roy's or gone to the pond) now the pond was about a mile away by road but if you walked it was about half a mile parents never seemed to care they had trust in us, and our surroundings. We would ride our bikes to Wilsonville to the store dogs at our sides (our baby sitters) 5 miles, never lagging behind. If we ever did anything wrong, the ppl two mile away would call our parents to let them know. Everyone knew everyone. (now they are considered nosy neighbors)

I once tried to go home back in the early 80's the place had changed so much I thought that I had gone to a completely different town. Hopkins Elementary was not there any more. There was strip malls all over. I could not even remember how to get to Malloy Cutoff. I felt that my youth had been stolen from me. I look back now and cherish the memories of a time gone by.
It is 30 years later and I still wonder about the place I used to call home.
almost scared to try to go back again because of how I hate change, and almost scared to find the old house has been turned into a subdivision, if I did find the place again.

I could keep going but it would be an old persons ramblings.. oh wait it already is..

[Dangerous Dave]

Wilsonville? I can pretty much guarantee your old house is gone, replaced with cookie cutter homes.

I guess I can count myself lucky in this department. I grew up in a city in Northern Minnesota where the population is actually declining. The old house is still there, and all of my old friends are still there, doing pretty much the same thing as when I left.

Unfortunately, leaving the doors unlocked is no longer a viable option.

[esselcue]

That's very true no matter where you called "home" in your youth. I was one of those Dreaded Californians, born and raised in the 40's 50's and early 60's in Orange County when it was all orange groves and bean fields and Irvine was still a huge ranch. We could ride our bikes down Newport Blvd to the beach. Tustin was a tiny, one-horse town with a real General Store and Blacksmith. We would drag race on Irvine Blvd out by the old El Toro Marine Base and no one cared because there was nothing there but orange groves.

Then the people started to come, from all over the country. Up went the housing, away went the orange groves, Tustin became The Place To Live and all we wanted was for everyone to go away, leave our pristine Orange County alone, just like Oregonians and Washingtonions and Idahoans are wishing now. Immigrants from all other states, looking for Nirvana, came into Southern California and basically turned it into a plastic nightmare. And many of us who were born and raised there during its beautiful prime, abandoned ship and looked elsewhere for what we once had.

But the grass is seldom greener...just a different shade of what you already have. People are people, change is inevitable, and the desire to find the "perfect world" is strong in everyone. Not just Californians who are now looking to find a semblance of the State they used to love. I go back to Orange County now and then to see a relative or visit Disneyland with my grandkids but it isn't "home" anymore. People moved in from everywhere else and it has changed. In my opinion that change was not for the better, but for people from elsewhere it may still be Nirvana. No one's fault...just the human element. Try to be patient with change, Oregonians.

[furyu]

Some change is good, some change is bad, but change is inevitable.

I'd say that most of us have memories, hopefully as fond as Darrel's, of the place(s) where we grew up. And often those memories aren't 'true'... that is to say, things weren't quite as rosey as we thought they were because we were, after all, kids, and what do kids know about the struggles of living and keeping that roof over our heads, that are parents were dealing with far from our childish ears, minds, concerns.

Yesterday I walked by a large coastal property that had recently sold. The new owner was there, with hired machinery that was ripping out all the shrubs, bushes and trees that had long been on that property, that had long provided habitat for birds, squirrels and other small animals, not to mention privacy and beauty for the surrounding neighbors. On that property, I often saw a bevy of quail marching around, Charlie Chaplin-like, when I walked by during my morning and afternoon walks. I became very fond of that small population of birds. Now that area has been completely razed of flora... no doubt a new big home will rise up in its place, and hopefully new trees and bushes and shrubs will be planted. I worry about the quail, though, and I wonder where they will ultimtely go as this entire area ... changes.

In my opinion, human beings are an odd lot.

[Leisesturm]

Originally Posted by darrel

I felt that my youth had been stolen from me.

No it wasn't, you lived it, you have the memories, the scars and the t-shirt. Would you want dentists to still use Jack Daniels as anesthesia? There must be progress. Even as I say that I have my doubts about the wisdom of replacing supermarket check-out people with self serve checkout kiosks. I don't think that every form of livelihood needs to be automated out of existence just because it can be done but it is IMO a little disconcerting to read about people being upset when things like their neighborhoods undergo expansion. I can remember when our nations population was 150 million, now it is over twice that. I figure I am going to see evidence of that as I get about. Not every structure built in 1950 will be or should be preserved. Just my take. Be well.

H

[PNWhike]

You grew up in Oregon in the Pre-Californication Era. All of that pristine Willammette Valley countryside that was so beautiful has been paved over into McMansions. Most likelysome filthy degenerate developer from out of state made made his millions. Oh well, as long as they get what they want, (I'm American, therefore I am (FREE/ENTITLED) Oregon ceratinly is irrelevant.

[lifes2short]

Which town did you grow up in?

I live in Sherwood now, and yes, it has really changed over the years. A lot of development, but one thing is still great about here. The people are still just as you describe. If someones child is misbehaving, you can bet the parents will be told. Everyone looks out for everyone, and there is a real sense of community that you don't see many places.

But I understand what you are saying. I have gone back to the neighborhood in Salem that I grew up in. I am always interested to see how the area has changed, and to look at our old houses. I do that with my grandparents property as well. It used to be their farm, but now their house is just one in a huge development. I did take an aerial photograph from when it was built and gave it to the current owner though. I hoped they would appreciate it, as I know I would.

[darrel]

It was Sherwood address but we relied on Wilsonville fire department.

[lifes2short]

Well Hopkins is still here, but it has changed. We just passed a new bond last year and there will be a new elementary and new middle school built this year, and they are doubling the size of the high school right now. This used to be the boonies, but not anymore. I love hearing the stories from the born and raised locals.

[darrel]

I remember old Stan (the man) the cop from back then. they had just made the high school back then and turned the Jr high where the old high school was.