Gene H Memories

(Contributed by Gene H)

I grew up in DH in the 60's & 70's. We lived on Shotwell just behind Terry's Icehouse (among various other rent houses), on weekends there were live bands at Terry's and we used to play kick ball in the back yard, play hide-n-go-seek or just lay out on the grass and listen to the live music eating candy or sipping on 16 oz. Lot-a-cola.

I remember those fun summer days when we used to ride our bikes all over DH, a bunch of us guys even rode on I-10 east all the way to downtown (before it was opened to cars) the concrete was so bright in the sun it was almost blinding. We even used to swim in the area around the Lockwood overpass before they poured the concrete. I just know my mom would have had a fit if she would have ever known.

Sometimes I tell my kids stories of way back when.....we used to hunt coke or milk bottles to turn in for deposit at U-TOT-UM to get money to go to the Venus Theater (back then a movie was only .25) or go for a swim at DH Park Pool.

All those places on Lyons Ave. like; Burt's Food Market, BF Goodrich, White's Auto, Blakey's Drug, Ralston's #1 & #2, Venus Theater, & Rice Food Market, El Sombraro, KFC, Dairy Queen, Star Furnit, Anderson's Used Cars & Anderson's Hardware, was like our own little town, sort of. You didn't need to go out of DH for much back then. Of course it was fun to catch the Clinton or Nance bus to go downtown. I remember my mom and I going downtown to Deans' Clothing store on Main St., that's where I got my first pair of leather sole shoes. Before that it was tennis shoes from Danburg's on Lyons just in front of Weingarten's.

I remember when hurricane Carla hit and we had to evacuate to Reynold's Jr High. Mom was so worried but to us it was fun being at a high school in the night time. Sleeping on blankets in the hallways and telling scary stories.

Went to school in DH, Elliot Elem. and Reynold's Jr High, worked some summers at Burt's, Rice Food Mkt. and the little corner store Amato's (corner of Lyons & Lathrop) and even cut many a yard for various neighbors.

I could go on and on about those days back then................. when you could sleep on the front screened porch on those hot summer nights, get a fountain cherry coke with a grilled cheese sandwich at Blakey's or Ralston's Drug, walk to the Venus for a movie for .25, take a swim at the DH Park Pool or just lay out on a new mowed lawn at night and count the stars.

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