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Bev . Avery
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Posted: Sat Dec 9th, 2006 07:48 am |
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Are you Bess Metcalf? I have looked all over your story to find out how to contact you. I lived in Allapattah from 1941 to 1962. I saw in the forum an paragraph from Bill Long who lived at 2508 N.W. 30th Street. I lived at 2538 N.W. 30th Street.
Our first phone was a 4 party line, with the number 32505. Bill might remember the Bowers. Melrose Park was also across the street from my house. Bill and I went to Melrose Elementary and Jackson. His dad converted his carport into a room for his ham radio. We also had a neighbor (Gold) who lived 2 doors down from us who worked the locks on the Miami River, near Hialeah. Both he and his wife were the bridge tenders there.
My mother tells the story of sailors drilling in that park who were attending ground school at Embry Riddle (the world's largest chicken coop).
All this is so nostalgic. We attended a church in downtown Miami, so all my friends lived in SW Miami. I was always kind of ostracized from them because of where I lived. After reading this, this is their loss! Where else could you get Indians, alligators, fish or avacadoes but right there?
Let's hear more!
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bessnfloyd
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Posted: Sat Dec 9th, 2006 07:49 am |
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So tell us more about your experiences and memories of Allapattah back then.
____________________
Bess W.
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Bev . Avery
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Posted: Sat Dec 9th, 2006 07:50 am |
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I was born and raised in Miami, specifically Melrose, at 2538 N.W. 30th Street. I lived there from 1941 to 1962. Little house (until a Florida Room was added when I was 6 years old) right on the flight path of the Miami International Airport. My parents sold that house in 1964, and moved to South Miami (Bird Rd. and Coral Way). I married and began my own life, and eventually moved all over Florida (east coast), then Atlanta, now North Carolina. The sand in my shoes stops me from going further north.
I attended Melrose Elementary (my sister went to Comstock), Robert E. Lee Jr. High, and because of overcrowding and my address, was transferred to Jackson High for 8th and 9th grade. Since my mother and sister graduated from Miami Senior High, it was mandatory that I attend and graduate from there in 1959.
Growing up in Allapattah (and Melrose) was entirely different from what I know of neighborhoods now. We played in the park across the street all year round, and skated on the sidewalks built in 1951. We as kids trusted everyone, knew everyone, had tree huts, reenacted "The Last of the Mohicans", pitted one against the other, fought, changed our loyalties from day to day, grew up, and moved away.
"Downtown" Allapattah was your typical neighborhood place to shop. The dime store with the old cash registers with the metal box on the side to put the penny tax in, the candy counter, the creaky wooden floors, Live and Let Live Drug Store, the shoe repair shop across the street from there and its wonderful smells, the "Castle de Royale", Allapattah Baptist Church, the movie theatre, the Firestone Store, the high school hangout (where I was told that if I were caught in there by my parents would mean instant death), The KwikChek, the parking lot behind Jackson/Byrons with the cursed parking meters, Lindsey Lumber (where my sister and I both worked for brief periods of time), the library, the funeral home on 15th avenue and 36th Street (my sister lived behind there with her husband and 1st child), Jackson High, riding the city bus home from there for 10 cents and transferring on 36th St. and 27th avenue, the Howard Johnson's on that corner, going past Embry Riddle, down to 28th Street where a nursery existed, walking down to 25th avenue, and home. And let's not forget the Screwball Bar! This was my world for 21 years. The road that the 22nd Avenue bridge is was curved and went past Musa Isle and on to 27th Avenue. Now the 22nd avenue bridge goes across the river. When I was a teenager, one of my friends lived across the street from Musa Isle. He was written up in the newpaper once for seeing how long he could stay up in an oak tree in his yard.
Once we all started to drive, things changed. We were able to explore the city of Miami, leave the neighborhood, and make friends outside the neighborhood. We quit hanging out in trees, and sadly, slowly pulled away from what we knew as kids. Some people like to blame the Cubans for this, but I think it was inevitable. I already knew about the Cubans because my father was born and raised in Key West. But things changed in the neighborhoods in the early 60's. The lifers moved to get away from the Cubans and their different culture. The neighborhood that I knew as a child no longer existed, and I have not been back.
It was such great fun reading your article about Allapattah. Nostalgic, good stuff! I took for granted what I had then, and it was good to go back. I'd love to hear more!
Still eating black beans and avocados, guavas when I can get them, but never liked papayas,
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bessnfloyd
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Posted: Sat Dec 9th, 2006 07:52 am |
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You mention Melrose, but actually you WERE raised in Allapattah. Melrose is only on the other side of 27th Ave, on streets with numbers highter than 2700. Many places in Allapattah were named Melrose - like Melrose Park, which you mention you lived across from and still is there, and Melrose Nursury who finally sold out and moved to extreme north Hialeah. Both of those actually were located in Allapattah.
Not even the Miami Herald reporters seem to know where Allapattah is - they only mention us when there's some crime committed and at least 50% of the time the actual location of the crime is Wynwood, Grapeland Heights, Melrose, Liberty City or just plain Dade County. The only other time we're mentioned is when we are called the lowest income area in Dade County. Of COURSE we are - since a large part of the population are elderly retired in housing projects, poor families in housing projects, jail inmates, Juvenile Hall inmates, people by the hundreds in assisted living facilities, hospices, nursing homes, long-term rehabilitation centers, permanent residents of the Veterans' Hospital, missions with living facilities for the homeless..... that doesn't mean the rest of us regular residents and homeowners are living hand to mouth!!!
Pu-leeze, give us Allapattans a break! It's still a great place to live, considering it's inner city now.
____________________
Bess W.
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Nanpat
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Posted: Sat Dec 23rd, 2006 09:40 am |
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Hi there - it seems I caught up with you over here. I admit to not checking in on this site often until a recent email from sadie @ sneakykitchen.com and surprise, surprise, I find you again.
For everyone's info - Bev and I were neighbors - with me living at 2544 NW 30 st. (Gold's on one side and Bower's on the other and of course the Melrose park across the street from us. Boy, did we have it made as kids. It was a super neighborhood to be raised in. I was a few years younger so I didnt hang with the same crowd - but certainly enjoy the stories of Miami and Allapattah told on here.
I havent been back to Miami in 10 plus years - as it just isnt the same place anymore. But just coming to this forum, I can enjoy those early days of our childhood! 
MERRY CHRISTMAS
and
HAPPY NEW YEAR
to everyone.
Last edited on Sat Dec 23rd, 2006 06:38 pm by bessnfloyd
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biggalneedluv2
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Posted: Tue Oct 9th, 2007 02:07 am |
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| im going to be the future owner of your old home. My mom's best friend is the owner....the house has so many of the orginal details and some new ones. the two oak trees are still there but a library and family room have been added....do you have any pictures of the house....
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