Here's the old Ford dealer which was just around the corner from my original house. We moved out in 1975 when I was eight. It was within walking distance. Actually, I was a little kid. Kids never walk. It was within running distance. After another Ford dealer gave it a try, they closed permanently in the mid-to-late 90s.
The old house. The neighborhood is reasonably well kept considering the houses aren't worth crap anymore. These people don't have a pot to piss in but, as you can see, at least they have several windows to throw it out of. Abigail DuPont's uncle lives here now. Total coincidence. He is estranged from the family. He works at the Mammoth superstore warehouse and worships Jesus full-time. The backyard backs up to what used to be a Burger King but now it's a crummy restaurant where you can get poisoned for only $5.99.
My original school. I went there from 1972-1975. I used to walk there and back with Derek. Then I would stay at his Mom's house, down the road, until my Mom finished her job doing whatever. In 2nd or 3rd grade I was slowly getting ahead of the other kids in Math and the teacher would give me different, more advanced assignments than the other kids. It made me feel weird so I slacked off and let the rest of the class catch up.
Our Old Shit tour concludes with a visit to Abigail's grave.
Thanks for the tour. I believe the old Burger King is an Asian dry cleaner not a poison depot. Do you remember the old Arby's that had the giant bull? Jack Dykstra Ford later bought the bull for the cat lot....
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tour. I believe the old Burger King is an Asian dry cleaner not a poison depot. Do you remember the old Arby's that had the giant bull? Jack Dykstra Ford later bought the bull for the car lot....
ReplyDeleteYes! It was just like the rampaging Wall St. bull.
DeleteWow! I haven't been on the South end of Lansing in years, and I don't miss it. I do remember Jack Dykstra Ford, the bull, the Burger King, the school, and how nice that part of the city used to be. There used to be a drive-in (Lansing Drive-In) just south of Central Ford Truck on Cedar. My great grandmother lived on Armstrong and we'd watch the "silent movies" from her house on the big screen. It's long gone now, and I believe some form of State offices are now in its place. I also remember Hot-N-Now, ShopRite, the Oldsmobile Assembly Plant on "Logan" Street, the Peanut Shop downtown on Washington, ProBowl, MetroBowl, and the huge fire of 1978 at Waverly Park Apartments. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
ReplyDeleteWow! I haven't been on the South end of Lansing in years, and I don't miss it. I do remember Jack Dykstra Ford, the bull, the Burger King, the school, and how nice that part of the city used to be. There used to be a drive-in (Lansing Drive-In) just south of Central Ford Truck on Cedar. My great grandmother lived on Armstrong and we'd watch the "silent movies" from her house on the big screen. It's long gone now, and I believe some form of State offices are now in its place. I also remember Hot-N-Now, ShopRite, the Oldsmobile Assembly Plant on "Logan" Street, the Peanut Shop downtown on Washington, ProBowl, MetroBowl, and the huge fire of 1978 at Waverly Park Apartments. Thanks for the trip down memory lane!
ReplyDeleteI worked at Jack Dykstra Ford, selling cars and trucks from 1980 until I moved away from Lansing. We would combine with Shaheen Chevrolet for CAR WARS 2 weeks during the summer. Elvie Wilke and Ralph Shaheen would do joint advertising, battling it out on channel 6 as to who would sell the most cars! We worked like slaves but had one hell of a good time and made a little money in the process. Every once in a while we would come in to find a disgruntled customer had left a wheelbarrow full of manure under the south end of the Bull! Guess you can't please everybody!
ReplyDelete