Walk Down Memory Lane - The End

Atlantic, Iowa is located in Southwestern Iowa, right on Highway 6, between Omaha and Des Moines. It's a town of 7,500 people, just about the same as when our family left in 1956! It's the county seat for Cass County and is a rural community with some light industry. Its claim to fame is that it was home to a large bottling company for Coca-Cola. It holds an annual Coca-Cola celebration that is the second largest mini-convention of Coca-Cola collectors in the United States. (Second only to Atlanta, Georgia!)

 An interesting bit of trivia is that when the town was formed in 1868, several names were proposed but Atlantic was chosen because at that time there was no other town by that name between the two oceans.

We left Atlantic for California in January 1956. It was a great place to grow up and my sisters and I have many wonderful memories there of school, neighborhoods, grandparents, visiting the farms of our aunts and uncles and lots of playing with cousins.

We began our memory trip at the beginning, in the little burg of Marne, Iowa, where Mom and Dad moved when I was a baby. Cheryl and Kathy would be born when we lived there. (We girls were all born in Atlantic. As were our brothers.)

The farm house we lived in was located on this field. When Rich and I visited in 2007 it had been torn down. It was old when we lived there 1942-1946!

We went to see the farm house where Mom grew up (sorry no photos) and then down the road to her childhood church, Buck Creek Methodist Church.

No visit is complete without checking out the outhouse. I even found a small piece of a corn cob! :)

We loved the Iowan hills. Countryside was so beautiful. The last of soybean crops were in harvest.

Uncle Johnnie and Aunt Marjorie's farm. This was a 100-year old house when Rich and I visited there in the 1970s. It was always such a beautiful farm. Johnnie kept the barn painted red, all other buildings a bright white. We remember chasing kitties, gathering eggs, learning how to milk a cow on a 3-legged stool, playing in the haymow and much more.

Uncle Glynn and Aunt Eloise's farm house. It was so wonderful to see it in such great condition.

Into town for lunch. Couldn't resist eating at this place. My initials, CJ. My sons have always said I needed to open a pie shop. This will be as close as I get to it!

A great midwestern diner, with yummy diner food. Onion rings were delish!

We all love our sweets, but this pie was a little over the top, apple with pecans and caramel. Cheryl's expression tells it all!

The five of us with the owner, Christine. What a gal! She had returned from a trip at midnight and was up at 4:30 making pies, which were delicious!

We walked the several blocks from CJ's up Main Street, to the city park. Main Street was beautiful, busy, and thriving!

Grandpa and Grandma Stevenson's house. The side arched gate was gone but otherwise it looks much the same. Even the four front lights are the originals!! An elderly man allowed us in. Clarence and Gretchen lived here when they moved off the farm, so some changes had been made. However, the bathroom has the same pink/lavender sink!

Our Spruce Street house, right across the street from Grandpa and Grandma. The front porch has been enclosed, white siding changed, and a fence put up. Other changes in the rear too. It wasn't "our house" anymore.

We walked the neighborhood where so many of our childhood memories originated.

Our Hazel Street house, the last house we lived in before moving to California. Mom says it was 75 years old when we lived it. We all remember it as a grand home. Cheryl and I were certain that we could see inside, if we just went to the front door.

Sure enough!!! The homeowner was SO gracious. She gave us the complete tour, even to upstairs bedrooms and bathroom, where the original claw foot bath tub still stands!

She has done a wonderful job of restoring it. Her dining room was our living room and her family room was our dining room. The wood paneling, plate rail (where Mom displayed her dishes) and beamed ceilings are still in place! It was precious time spent in a home we all loved!

Grandpa and Grandma Mayberry's little apartment house (in the rear) and their apartment building. It was always all white. Four apartments on each floor. Mom and Dad lived here right after they were married, as did all of Dad's siblings early in their marriages. Grandma's flower garden was where the red/white truck was parked. This was on the way from our Spruce Street house to elementary school. Cheryl and John and Kathy made that walk. I joined them at Hazel Street. Our school has been torn down. Somethings change!
We drove by other homes of aunts and uncles and business locations for our dad. So many memories to share.

Our last day was a trip to the cemetery to visit the graves of our beloved grandparents' as well as our beloved aunts and uncles, Johnnie and Marjorie, Clarence and Gretchen. Gretchen and Marjorie were Mom's sisters.

Fall was clearly in the air. We loved the changing of the leaves. It was beautiful!!! A perfect trip that meant so much to all of us. It's difficult to express how meaningful it was to share it with each other.

We spent a night in Kansas City with great BBQ and more retail therapy. This time at Nell Hill's, Kansas City. Everyone found something special to take home. All told, Rich drove about 1000 miles!

A day at home to rest up and then it was time to say farewell. Precious time with precious people!