I lived in the town of Pottsville, PA from the time I was 5 years old until the year or so after I was married. This was in the 1960's and early 70's when kids walked just about everywhere they went. We lived on the east side of town in the Greenwood Hill neighborhood and my elementary school was, according to my Dad, a mile and a quarter from our home. But my kindergarten school was just down two hills, about 3 blocks from home. My mom tells the story of how one day walking to kindergarten, I wanted to go by myself, I was big enough I told her. She let me, but I'm sure she followed without me knowing to make sure I was ok. From there on, I walked to kindergarten myself. My street, Edwards Ave., was only two blocks long. My house sat on the top flat block. To get to school, I walked to the end of the flat and continued down the steep hill block which ended at the top of a flight of steps. At the bottom of the steps was an alleyway that led to Jackson St which was one of the steeper hills in Pottsville. Then you turned down the hill to get to the Jackson St school on that corner. I needed to cross the street at the bottom of the hill, where there was a crossing guard. Safely at school. Can you imagine a kindergartner using these by herself daily! In those days the steps were made from wood and painted white. At some point after I moved away they were replaced by concrete steps. The steps have been closed off at the top for years now and not used, but still there.
But I used these steps hundreds of times. To and from school, that mile and a quarter once I was old enough to walk across town, and the library and downtown to shop. Mom used to send us down to Mickey's corner store catty cornered across from the school to get her a loaf of bread once in awhile. And I made many trips to the library, especially in the summer, and would come home with an arm load of books to read. Back up the steps. Every summer the stores downtown would have a sidewalk sale. They put all of what we would call "Clearance" out on racks on the sidewalk in front of their store. It would get so crowded for all the stores there at the time. But many bargains could be found. Using the steps again. As I got older, the steps were still usually my chosen route to home even tho there were three other ways to get there. They were longer walks but not easier because all had steep hills but every now and then I would take them just because I could. An independent streak I guess! These steps saw me grow up, witnessing that little independent 5 year old all the way thru dating in high school. All of my "steps" in my growing up.
What made me remember these long ago steps was sitting in a waiting room at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh on the Hemlock St. side recently and looking out the window watching people still using steps. I did not know that there were three sets of steps on the very steep hill back there. Much longer than my steps by far. One starts at the end of James St and goes up to the higher street behind AGH then another set barely visible thru the trees continuing up to yet another higher street and the third set starts at the end of Hemlock St off of James St. As very hilly places, both Pottsville & Pittsburgh have many flights of these steps. I'm not sure how many sets of steps Pottsville has, 5 or 6 maybe, but I read that Pittsburgh has 712 sets of steps! All needed to get someone somewhere.
I live in a very flat place now, and for many years. But, as a child I lived where we navigated stairs when walking various places. I'd all but forgotten about those stairs until I read your post. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteYou’re welcome! I was the same. Hadn’t thought of them in years but saw a post somewhere that reminded me. Thanks for reading it.
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