Walnut Park

[Responder]

still in stlouis wrote:

Guy in Texas. This is really freaky!!! I grew up on Davison and remember all those things you mentioned vividly. Contact me with your email because I would love to found out who you are. I went to all those places. I lived next to Jerry's, went to Dr. Knapp and your description was dead on.

I know a 92 year old who grew up on Davison in the 1920s and 30s. We talk about the neighborhood all the time!

[Historian]

Does anyone remember the strip of stores on West Florissant? I can remember GO Hardware,Cousin Collins Cash an Carry Cornerand Hatmanns Drug.

[Responder]

My 92 year old friend dated Doris Hartmann in high school at Beaumont. She was beautiful apparently and all the guys loved her. Her dad owned Hartmann Pharmacy. She lived with her family lived on the third floor on that building.

[Historian]

How about Plover Garage on West Florissant? Joe Lieble recently passed away.

[Charlene]

Miss French was my dad's and mine Kindergarten teacher. I remember Miss Westermen first grade teacher and Mr. Parker the principle. Lived on Alcott wonder how much of that street is left. I also remember a coffin outside a tavern somewhere at Halloween time.

[Old times]

Merry Christmas to all the old Walnut Park people. Keep your happy memories in the front of your thoughts. As a gift to each other why don't you post some Christmas memories from WP.

[The Old Walnut Parker]

How about the Raymond Percich front yard Chrismas display every year - bright and extravagant with the giant open Bible book laying flat covering most of the front yard!
Or how about just the plain good Christmas cheer everyone had - we sure didn't have money but we had each other and we had a nice neighborhood. Walnut Park was a place frozen in time that will never exist again.

[Historian]

Ray Percich actually lived in North Pointe,but close enough.In the early 70s he said this used to be a nice neighborhood but now if if you go inside to get a drink of water someone will steal your lawnmower.

[Gene R]

Vitali wrote:

Approximately when did the violence and demographic shifts begin in Walnut Park? It must be so heartbreaking to drive through this area today.

The change began app.'65 when they finished Northwest high. The city element crossed hiway 70 and it was all over. You don't drive thru there, I haven't been to Calvery Cem in yrs

[Gene R]

Historian wrote:

Ray Percich actually lived in North Pointe,but close enough.In the early 70s he said this used to be a nice neighborhood but now if if you go inside to get a drink of water someone will steal your lawnmower.

In the early 50s I had a paper route in North point and a box across from Lombardo's. NP was a beautiful neighborhood.

[vicki]

That one guy wrote:

I grew up in Walnut Park from 1961 until 1973. I went to St. Adalbert school & church. Fr. Schuler & Sr. Rosalie. Agnes Confectionaire, Bommaritos Bakery (put out day old donuts at the sidewalk door for the kids to have on the walk home). Pearls Tavern where we spent many a night with our family, the men and the cussing were up at the bar only and families at the tables. Charlie and Pearl made the place a real old town tavern. Summertime brought out the Tamale Man at night and the blind accordian player who walked the streets for tips. The Walbridge Drum and Bugle band parading through the streets (we lived across the street from the school). Also waking up Saturday to Orlandos produce truck coming down the street the driver yelling "Strawberries, Watermelon, etc" with the scale banging on the side of the truck.

we lived on Alcott, my grandma lived across from the school. Loved Walnut Park.

[vicki]

Historian wrote:

Does anyone remember the strip of stores on West Florissant? I can remember GO Hardware,Cousin Collins Cash an Carry Cornerand Hatmanns Drug.

Hartmans lived in my subdivision, Hathaway Manor, where my family moved after Walnut Park.

[vicki]

Lynndie wrote:

Bump!
I was looking through old photo albums and at the old house on Google Earth. I wondered if I might find some comments or photos of the old neighborhood out on the internet. I lived next door to Agnes's Confectionary on Genevieve. The house is still there though I see many empty lots. I remember playing on the floor of the tavern, Mickey's I think, getting penny candy from Agnes, walking to Walbridge. We left for Florissant around 69 or 70. Dad used to walk to work across the 70 bridge, at Moloney then later Central States. I remember having Mrs. French as a teacher, for K I think. In those days we used to stand outside another kids house and yell their name to get them to come out and play. My brother is 17 years older than me. I'll have to see if I can get him to visit this forum. He should have much clearer memories of the area. I believe he graduated from Beaumont in 64.

OMG< I had Miss French for my Kdg. teacher, I loved her and school.

[Joan]

If you are on Facebook there is a page called "Walnut Park", like it and someone will approve you, there is a lot of information on it.

[gino]

Historian wrote:

Does anyone have anty stories from Walnut Park?

about a million

[gino]

vicki wrote:

<quoted text>
we lived on Alcott, my grandma lived across from the school. Loved Walnut Park.

I lived across from shady Grove. We all loved Walnut park

[Mary Davis]

Old times wrote:

Good memories. Unfortunately I went through WP a few months ago and there is nothing left of the old place. Some of the houses remain, but many are gone. It seems like all the stores, businesses, churches and professionals ( docs, lawyers) are long gone.
It is very depressing to see. There is nothing left to give anyone hope. Time for everyone to move on. What once existed can never return. It's gone forever.

Hi guys I have missed you. I have been so busy. All of those wonder memories of places you remember are long gone. I moved here in 1971. The elements were here and eating of the community. I am advocate for the community, but I am tired. The more you work to help the community their offsprings pops out and are like locusts. I love walnut park, there are some still nice blocks. The Davidson, Alcott, Wren, prange., plover are horrible. Its like a war zone. But the Goodfellow area, Lalite, Emma, 60-6100 has beautiful homes. The North point area. I know its heart breaking because I feel the same way. 2 more years I am retiring as soon as I sell my house, which is less due to demographic. Why has this happen?

[Mary Davis]

I will join facebook and look for you guys.