Blackwell and Memory Lanes

Yesterday  while waiting on Anna at physical therapy I  drove around in the Forest and North Forest area off Cherokee Street.  First  I drove down Hunt Street to see if the house my aunt and her groom  was still there that they moved into in the early 50s.  It wasn't. 

Then I turned on Forest Avenue.  I saw the house that used to be a boarding house for teachers.    I remember the time my 5th grade teacher, Miss Shouse (later she became Mrs. Bill Kenny) brought me to her apartment after school one day to give me a pigeon she had a cardboard box.

I turned on North Forest and tried to figure out which house my grammar school mate Archie Richardson lived in with his family.  He lived behind my aunt and uncle.  His yard was full of arrowheads, all you had to do was dig around.  I found a couple and Archie was always finding them and bringing to school.  By the way, Archie introduced me to MAD comicbook (before it was a magazine).

Another reason I wanted to drive up North Forest was to drive up Blackwell Lane.  I knew it went straight to Cherokee Street near the Cobb County Police complex.  I was interested because I read in the paper they wanted to have a park on that street and wanted to name it after Joanne Woodward.  However, it is the policy that the city doesn't name parks after live people.  The  last and only time I was on Blackwell Lane was when I was a paper boy for The Atlanta Journal.   One evening groups of us were sent to neighborhoods to canvas for subscriptions.  I was surprised that street even existed.  It is sort of out of the mainstream.

When I first entered Blackwell Lane on the right was a house that looked like a big doll house.   Also, there were plenty cute little bird houses which seemed to be hanging all over.

As I drove up Blackwell Lane I noticed cars parked on the side of the street, but all were pointing opposite than the direction I was driving.  I realized I was going the wrong way on a one-way street.

Opps!

And up ahead I could see the Cobb County Police Station.  It was like I was breaking the law in their own back yard.  I turned into a driveway, turned around and headed back the way I came.

At the intersection of Blackwell Lane there were two big signs saying ONE WAY, DO NOT ENTER.

I turned on right on Forest and at the corner of Cherokee Street on the left is a building of some kind.  Before the existing building was there it was a vacant lot with two or more cement foundation pillows.  It was believed by a lot of people back then that in one of the cement pillars was buried a baby.  It was also rumored that a mother and her teenage daughter lived in the house before it was torn down, and to avoid a scandal, well...

 To the right is a big house that was turned into a bank.

I remember back in high school my buddy Patsy Spinks with her family temporarily lived in the house, I think their house was being worked on.   One day Patsy called me and told me to come over quickly she had an intruder.

I rushed over there and in the hallway as you enter was a disoriented elderly lady saying she was the maid there and she wanted to know where Mr and Mrs  So and So were.  I talked to her and told they moved.  Patsy called the police.  She wasn't to be arrested but needed help.   I hope the police helped her. 

I  don't think Patsy saw her there again.

Then driving up Cherokee Street as I approached Blackwell Lane from the opposite end I saw the One-Way sign.

Again, I was too slippery to get caught.