Memories of 123 Woodland Ave: Part 1, Uncle Tim
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| L to R: Janet MacDonell Treacy, Frank Degnan, Brian (or Tim?) Fenlon, Mark Fenlon, Mary Treacy Degnan, John Treacy on porch steps of 123 Woodland Ave in Syracuse. |
Today's post is from Uncle Tim.
Growing up in Copenhagen, 123 Woodland Ave. was an exciting, almost magical place to visit. It was a large two-story home with oak floors and doors (even pocket doors), front and back porches, and a magnificent curving front stairs. It was always a special adventure to visit and see Grandma Treacy, Aunt Madie, and Uncle Frank. Grandpa died when I was seven, but I remember well visiting him in his bedroom. He'd ask about school and our activities, very frail but sharp. We were greeted with love, but reflecting back, we were surely agents of upheaval in their quieter routines.
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| Diagram of a pocket door -- it slides into a pocket in the wall (pinterest.com) |
Aunt Madie always made us molasses cookies, and we were sent to the neighborhood for milk, enjoying all the large homes in route. One of our favorite adventures was running up the back stairs, through the bedroom halls, sliding down the banister, then through the downstairs kitchen to repeat the circuit. The back porch looked over Grandma's colorful garden. It was very small but loaded with flowers, and we'd "help" gather the raspberries. She loved tending to it. In the afternoons she would read, write notes, or say the rosary in her front bedroom. Later she would have her tea with milk. We would visit and have long talks with her.
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| Emmett and Tim (?) with one of the large neighborhood houses in the background. |
Aunt Madie and Uncle Frank were truly wonderful to us. They would take us downtown on the bus to see al the amazing (to us) stores and bustle. We had not one, but three 5&10's... Woolworths, W. T. Grant, and Kresge.
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| syracuse.com |
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| pinterest.com |
There were trips to Uncle Frank's place on Onondaga Hill to explore and usually have a picnic. His shed there and the basement at "123" were full of his tools and amazing objects he had saved. If there was a searchlight promoting a car dealer or opening of a story, like Valley Plaza or Northern Lights, we'd go.
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| syracusenostalgia.com |
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| Northern Lights strip mall first opened in 1956 (pinterest.com/pin/218143175677395114). |
Another favorite was to go to the old airport and watch from the roof of the the small original terminal the prop planes coming and going. In the evening we'd listen as Uncle Frank would get far away stations on his large radio. Perhaps the best adventure was to "skunk city" and Marble Farms for rich ice cream and milkshakes.
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| syrbldgs.wordpress.com |
At bedtime we slept on the couches in the front library room. Aunt Madie and Grandma would spread cushions on the floor in case we rolled off in the night. Some mornings we would wake up on those cushions!
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