New England: Difference between revisions
No edit summary |
No edit summary |
||
| Line 25: | Line 25: | ||
== Lawrence, MA == | == Lawrence, MA == | ||
AVCO had been looking for a large building they could move into. | |||
Our house at 246 Andover Street in Lawrence, Mass, was built in the late 19th century as a doctor's home and private hospital/clinic. It had four floors and many, many rooms (seven bedrooms), and a HUGE attic. | |||
The kids each had their own bedroom; Shirlee had a sewing room, and Gerry had an office. | |||
The house had a Grand Staircase next to the front door and another stairway near the rear. It had floor-to-ceiling cabinets (designed to store bandages, sheets, and linens for the doctor's patients), and the kids would play like they were part of a Pullman Car. | |||
The Roberts' boys (my father, brother, and I) built a HO gauge model railroad in the attic on a 12'x8' plywood layout table. It had mountains, rivers, a small town, and, oh, it also had model trains. | The Roberts' boys (my father, brother, and I) built a HO gauge model railroad in the attic on a 12'x8' plywood layout table. It had mountains, rivers, a small town, and, oh, it also had model trains. | ||
My father agreed with the owner to update/renovate the kitchen in exchange for free rent. Gerry | My father agreed with the owner to update/renovate the kitchen in exchange for free rent. Gerry never did things halfway, so he knocked down a wall, enlarged the kitchen, and put in all new appliances. | ||
There was a coal-fired furnace in the basement. Every afternoon, I had to remove the clinkers, add new coal, and bank it so it would burn evenly. After several months of coal soot in the house, we converted it to a fuel-oil-fired furnace to save money on laundry soap. | |||
The living room was huge. We put down two 9x12 rugs, and they looked like bath mats. | |||
{{sa2|Christmas on Andover Street|Lawrence Catholic High School}} | |||
== Notes == | == Notes == | ||
Revision as of 21:33, 30 July 2024
and should NOT be used for any reason other than reading enjoyment |
The Roberts family moved from Palmdale to the Stratfield Hotel in Bridgeport, Ct, to a three-bedroom house in Stratford, Ct, where the Roberts family kids went to school for the beginning of fall semester.
We moved to Walnut Ave., Reading, MA, during Christmas break. During Christmas break, we moved to Andover Avenue in Lawrence, MA.
I have often been asked about my ability to cope with so many moves. The Roberts family was part of a "fifty-family relocation move" so I was never alone. It was like being on a large cruise ship.
Bridgeport, CT
See also [ Stratfield Hotel ]
Stratford, CT
Stratford, Ct, is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. It is situated on Long Island Sound at the mouth of the Housatonic River.
New York City was about 90 miles to the west-south-west. It was about two hours by the 'New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad'[Note 1] train, while the drive time was ninety minutes to three hours depending on the time of day and traffic.
In the 1950's, Stratford had just under 50,000 people.
Stratford is about eight miles east of Bridgeport, CT.
My parents rented a house painted green and named 'The Green Gables.'
Reading, MA
Lawrence, MA
AVCO had been looking for a large building they could move into.
Our house at 246 Andover Street in Lawrence, Mass, was built in the late 19th century as a doctor's home and private hospital/clinic. It had four floors and many, many rooms (seven bedrooms), and a HUGE attic.
The kids each had their own bedroom; Shirlee had a sewing room, and Gerry had an office.
The house had a Grand Staircase next to the front door and another stairway near the rear. It had floor-to-ceiling cabinets (designed to store bandages, sheets, and linens for the doctor's patients), and the kids would play like they were part of a Pullman Car.
The Roberts' boys (my father, brother, and I) built a HO gauge model railroad in the attic on a 12'x8' plywood layout table. It had mountains, rivers, a small town, and, oh, it also had model trains.
My father agreed with the owner to update/renovate the kitchen in exchange for free rent. Gerry never did things halfway, so he knocked down a wall, enlarged the kitchen, and put in all new appliances.
There was a coal-fired furnace in the basement. Every afternoon, I had to remove the clinkers, add new coal, and bank it so it would burn evenly. After several months of coal soot in the house, we converted it to a fuel-oil-fired furnace to save money on laundry soap.
The living room was huge. We put down two 9x12 rugs, and they looked like bath mats.
See also Christmas on Andover Street and/or Lawrence Catholic High School
Notes
- ↑ I really enjoyed the crisp blue and white train cars of the 'New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad'
External links
Chat rooms • What links here • Copyright info • Contact information • Category:Root