Over 100-Year-Old Halloween Party Invitation

      During the autumn of 1919, twenty-two-year old Margaret Striebeck wrote out Halloween invitations for the children who attended the Tuxedo Park Baptist Church at 29 North Grant Avenue. Miss Striebeck, who lived with her parents in their Emerson Heights bungalow at 606 North Bosart Avenue (formerly numbered as 530), was on the cusp of her long teaching career for the Indianapolis Public Schools. She grew up on Pine Street near what is today called the Cottage Home neighborhood, but by the time she was in her late teens, her parents had moved to their brand new bungalow on Bosart Avenue. Miss Striebeck not only lived the rest of her life at the Bosart home, but remained a life-long member of the church as it was even mentioned in her obituary in 1976. 

     The invitation has survived through the years because it was never given out. Perhaps she wrote out too many cards or perhaps she was unhappy with the blemish on the back of the invitation. 

Invitation for a Halloween Party at the Tuxedo Park Baptist Church on October 28, 1919 (Margaret Striebeck Collection) 

Miss Margaret Striebeck (1897-1976) lived most of her life at 606 North Bosart Avenue. She taught for 34 years at School 54 (3150 East 10th St.) and School 15 (2302 East Michigan Street). She retired in 1959. (Margaret Striebeck Collection) 

Miss Striebeck was a life-long member of the Tuxedo Baptist Church located at 29 North Grant Avenue just west of Irvington. (photo Google Earth, June, 2011)

Source: "Miss Striebeck Services Thursday, " Indianapolis Star, December 1, 1976, 65.

Depression-Era Road Trips From Irvington

     By the 1930s, Americans who could afford a car, could travel across the nation from coast to coast on various highways. There were no interstates yet but many states had paved or gravel highways. Newlyweds, Burrell and Emma McCord Lawton of 5706 University Avenue, trekked from Irvington to Colorado in the spring of 1935 where they visited with relatives. The following year, Mr. Lawton volunteered for his employer to return a car that had been stolen from Los Angeles. He  brought his wife with him for the epic adventure. Together, they traveled across the Great Plains where they might have glimpsed the devastation of the Dust Bowl, through the Rocky Mountains, and eventually to California. The couple managed to snap several photographs of their journey. Once they reached Los Angeles, they purchased bus tickets for the return ride to Indianapolis.

1936--Returning a Stolen Car to Los Angeles

Emma McCord Lawton of 5706 University Avenue enjoyed the views at Estes Park, Colorado in 1936. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

In 1936 Burrell Lawton of 5706 University Avenue volunteered for his employer, the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company Insurance Company, to return a stolen car to Los Angeles, California. He was very a organized person and likely drove for hours only pausing in certain locations like Estes, Colorado. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

The Lawtons traveled through the treacherous Red Mountain Pass in Colorado in 1936. Today the road is paved. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Burrell and Emma McCord Lawton marveled at the beautiful scenery as they passed through the Rocky Mountains in Colorado in 1936. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

The Lawtons visited the Eagles Nest in the Petrified Forest of Arizona in 1936. In 1941, the unusual formation collapsed after heavy rains. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

     In March of 1937, Emma and Burrell Lawton traveled across the United States once again except this time they did so with Emma's parents, Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. The main purpose of the trip was to visit Emma's sister, Pauline McCord Campbell who lived in Cave Creek, Arizona. The McCord sisters had grown up in Seymour, Indiana. In fact, Harvey and Ada Belle still owned their Seymour home in 1937 although they had lived at 5706 University Avenue in Irvington since 1932. 

     By all accounts, Pauline McCord was a talented young woman. She was a bright student and an outstanding vocalist. After graduating from Brownstown High School in Jackson County, Indiana, Pauline made the decision to become a nurse. While taking a course at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis she came into contact with someone who had tuberculosis. That unfortunate moment changed the trajectory of her life.  Tuberculosis, a bacteria that invades the lungs, was a death sentence for millions of humans. In 1930, there was a strong belief that drier climates helped TB patients breathe, so Pauline left her Hoosier family and moved to a TB camp in Cave Creek. 

     Pauline lived in a couple of cabins over time at the colony. While there, she met twenty-five-year-old Clifton Campbell, a divorcee and fellow TB sufferer. They married in 1934. He hailed from North Carolina and listed "real estate" as his occupation. They lived in their own cabin by 1937 when her family came to visit. 

     A beautiful late-winter snow fell upon Irvington just as the Lawton-McCord families departed for Arizona. Either Burrell or Emma grabbed a camera and took a photo of the Irving Circle Park. Then, they departed on their journey along Route 40 stopping first in Greenville, Illinois, which also had snow on the ground. Eventually, the foursome made it to Arizona where they toured many sites including the Coolidge Dam and the Grand Canyon. 

      At Cave Creek, Arizona, the Lawtons and McCords reunited with Pauline. Photos reveal that she was quite thin and likely suffering. The cure for TB would not be discovered until 1944 so Pauline had to endure the ravages of that dreaded disease. The family had much to think about for the long trip back to Indiana. A Seymour newspaper article noted that Harvey, Ada Bell, Burrell, and Emma made it back to Irvington by early April. 

     Sadly, Pauline McCord Campbell passed away in September of 1937. Her husband Clifton died months later also from the effects of TB. 

1937--Visiting Pauline McCord Campbell in Arizona 

Before departing for Arizona, the Lawtons snapped this snowy image of the Irving Circle Park from their front porch at 5706 University Avenue in March of 1937. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

The group encountered more snow on their first stop at the intersection of North First Street and Beaumont Avenue in Greenville, Illinois in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

During healthier times, Emma McCord (left) posed with her sister Pauline McCord in the early 1930s before Pauline's demise from tuberculosis. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

Emma McCord Lawton posed behind the wheel of the family's 1934 Chevrolet Master in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Harvey and Ada Belle McCord of 5706 University Avenue stood near the Coolidge Dam in Arizona in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Many TB sufferers from the eastern United States moved to places like Cave Creek, Arizona as drier climates were supposed to be better for those who suffered. Pauline McCord moved to this site in 1930 and remained for seven years. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

In 1934, Pauline McCord married Clifton Campbell. The couple met at the TB camp in Cave Creek, Arizona. Both died within months of each other from the disease. This photo is possibly of Mr. Campbell although we are not certain. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

The McCords and Lawtons toured the rim of the Grand Canyon in March of 1937 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Ada Belle McCord (left) bids good bye to her daughter, Pauline McCord in March of 1937. Sadly, Mrs. Campbell died six months later. 

      Sources: Information for this post came from the unpublished family history written by Steve Lawton. Other sources include The Tribune (Seymour, Indiana), March 16, 1937 and April 9, 1937.  To learn more about the TB camp at Cave Creek, Arizona, click on the link below.

https://imagesarizona.com/cabin-fever-how-health-seekers-shaped-arizonas-history/

Irving Circle Park in the 1930s

      Harvey and Ada Belle McCord along with two of their children moved into the double at 5706 University Avenue in the spring of 1932. One of the perks of living at that address included the nearby Irving Circle Park. Shortly after relocating from Seymour, Indiana to Irvington, Ada Belle McElroy McCord (1871-1952) and her sister Myrtle McElroy Wiley (1887-1934) walked a few steps from the McCord home to a bench in the park. The sisters had grown up in a large family near Lancaster in Jefferson County, Indiana. What were the two women chatting about as they sat on the bench? Myrtle might have spoken of her two children or her life as a widow. Ada Belle might have talked about life in the neighborhood or her worries about her daughter Pauline, who had tuberculosis. Perhaps they kept it on the surface and talked of the weather or of the lovely park. Behind the women, you can see the double located at 245-247 South Audubon Road. The 1932 Polk's Indianapolis City Directory indicates that Harry L and Myrtle Ball lived at 245 South Audubon while Mrs. Margaret Myers resided at 247 South Audubon. Did either a member of the Ball or Myers families see the McElroy sisters in the park that day? 

Myrtle McElroy Wiley and her sister, Ada Belle McElroy McCord relaxed on a park bench in the Irving Circle Park in 1932. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

     In a much clearer image, members of the McCord and Cox family posed for a family photo at the Irving Circle Park during the spring of 1938. Ada Belle McCord, who is in the center of the photo, was the mother of Emma McCord Lawton (left) and Gladys McCord Cox (right). Below her gaze, you can see her grandson, William Lawton, in a baby carriage while her granddaughter, Linda Cox, stood next to her cousin. All of the folks in this photo lived nearby at 5706-5708 University Avenue. Tragically, eight-year-old Floyd Cox, the son of Gladys Cox, is not in the photograph as he died of anterior poliomyelitis  on August 5, 1937.  One of the remarkable aspects of this photo, for the sake of historical documentation, is the view of the fountain basin for the Irving Circle Park. It used to be quite low and there was a "geyser" in the middle that shot up a single spout of water. 

Emma McCord Lawton, Ada Belle McCord, Gladys McCord Cox, William Lawton (in the carriage), and Linda Cox posed for a photograph in the Irving Circle Park in 1938 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton) 

In the 1990s, the neighborhood reimagined the basin and fountain in the Irving Circle Park. (Photo by Bill Gulde on September 14, 2021)

Sources: Information for this post came from the unpublished family history researched and written by Steve Lawton, the grandson of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. I also consulted the 1937 Polk's Indianapolis City Directory for information pertaining to 245-247 South Audubon Road. 

The McCord Family Moved to University Avenue

     Harvey and Ada Belle McCord's move from Seymour, Indiana to Irvington in 1931 likely surprised many of their neighbors and friends. The McCords had been a fixture in Jackson County for many years as they raised all six of their children in that community. In fact, all six of the McCords graduated from high school and some even went on to college, a rare feat in early twentieth-century Indiana. Mr. McCord's humble beginnings as a baker did not reveal his future path as his neighbors later elected him twice as the sheriff of Jackson County as a Republican in a heavily Democratic area. He also became involved in real estate. 

     By 1930, three of their older children, Margaret, Robert, and Gladys had settled in Indianapolis and had started their families. Another older daughter, Pauline, moved to Arizona where the climate was better for her tuberculosis diagnosis. Perhaps longing to be near their grandchildren, Harvey and Ada Belle, along with their two youngest children, Emma and Harvey, Jr., sold their beautiful Seymour home and moved to Indianapolis.

     The McCords first rented a small bungalow at 1035 North Euclid Avenue just west of Irvington. An Indianapolis News article reveals that Harvey McCord purchased the double at 5706-08 University Avenue in the spring of 1932 from Marvin Deputy. Perhaps Mr. McCord bought the property with the idea of one side producing income or perhaps he bought it with the idea of renting it to family. The structure still contained a large wrap-around front porch popular during the Queen-Anne era of construction. The McCords would be able to sit out on the veranda and see the nearby Irving Circle Park and the Children Guardian's Home. 

Ada Belle, Harvey, and Emma McCord stood near their garage at 5706-08 University Avenue in 1932 (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Emma McCord (later Lawton) stood at the edge of the sidewalk leading to 5706 University Avenue. The photo is important for not only documenting the future Mrs. Lawton, but also for what is behind her. The double at 5706-08 University Avenue still had its Queen-Anne wrap-around front porch in the 1930s. ( see Sanborn below) Also visible in the photo is the home at 5712 University Avenue. Note the mansard roofline. The residence was the former home of the First Baptist Church, an African-American congregation and was erected in 1891. The congregation moved out the building in 1910 for a larger church on Good Avenue. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

Emma McCord Lawton posed on the front porch at 5706 University Avenue in 1937. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

An early twentieth-century Sanborn Fire Insurance Map shows that 5706-08 University Avenue used to have a wrap-around porch. (photo courtesy of IUPUI)

5706-08 University Avenue and 5712 University Avenue in the summer of 2021. 

     Harvey, Ada Belle, Emma, and Harvey, Jr. moved into 5706 while their daughter Gladys and their son-in-law, Floyd Cox, moved into 5708. Floyd managed the Haag's Drug Store on the northwest corner of East Washington Street and Audubon Road so he could easily walk to and from work. Gladys and Floyd also placed an ad in the Indianapolis News on October 28, 1932, announcing that they had a room to rent at 5708 University Avenue and that they would also include breakfast as part of the deal. It was the Great Depression after all and any additional income was helpful.  

Floyd Cox was the son-in-law of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord.  He was a pharmacist for Haag's Drug Store at East Washington Street and Audubon Road in the 1930s. The Cox family also lived in the apartment adjacent to the McCords at 5708 University Avenue during that decade. (Indianapolis Star, May 16, 1935)

     The McCords celebrated two joyous events shortly after moving to Irvington. First, their daughter, Pauline, who had been living in Arizona, came home to spend the summer with her parents in 1932. She later returned to Arizona. Secondly, the entire family gathered in the spring of 1935 for the wedding of Emma McCord, the youngest daughter, to Burrell Lawton at the Irvington Methodist Church. The family still possesses film footage of the McCords gathering at the church for the wedding.  Emma and Burrell drove out to Colorado and along the way encountered one of the worst floods in the history of that state. Burrell Lawton documented the event with his movie camera. They also hiked in the Rockies and visited with family. 

In the spring of 1935, Emma McCord and Burrell Lawton traveled to Colorado to visit family. Along the way, they encountered one of the worst floods in the history of that state. At some point in their journey, they came upon this washed-out road. (photo courtesy of Steve Lawton)

     Back in Irvington, the University Avenue double became a compound for McCord relatives. The Cox, Coffey, Lawton, and other relatives resided in the double. At some point, Harvey and Ada moved into 5708 while other McCord family members leased 5706. Mr. McCord remained active in his lodges and clubs. Mrs. McCord was very involved in the Methodist church. Her grandson, Steve Lawton, described her as a person who dressed up everyday. She even wore high-heeled shoes on most days. 

In the winter of 1937, either Mr. or Mrs. McCord, took this beautiful snowy-weather photo scene from their front porch at 5706-08 University Avenue. The front porch of 5712 University Avenue is visible as is the fence for the Children's Guardian Home at 5751 University Avenue. (photo courtesy Steve Lawton)

     Harvey and Ada Belle spent most of the war years near their children and grandchildren. Life changed for the family when Mr. McCord died in 1945. Ada Belle moved in with her daughter Gladys in nearby Wanamaker. The last of the McCords moved out of the double on University Avenue in 1946. Mrs. McCord passed away in 1952. 

     Editor's Note: Most of the information for this post came from Steve Lawton's unpublished family history. Mr. Lawton is the grandson of Harvey and Ada Belle McCord. To learn more about the Lawton family, click on the link below. Other sources for this post include Indianapolis City Directories, Federal Census Records, and Obituaries for the McCord family. 

Who Lived Here? Two German-Born Siblings

      In July of 1925, local contractor Marion Cordill, took out a building permit for the construction of a small bungalow at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Mr. Cordill was very busy during that summer as he constructed several residences along Arlington and Julian Avenues. His crew completed the dwelling by October as ad an in the Indianapolis Star touted: 

     New five-room bungalow, 1/2 block from Washington Street; hardwood floors, fireplace, breakfast nook, brick porch, thoroughly modern garage...(October 11, 1925, 25)

     In either late-1926 or early 1927, two German siblings, Wendell and Antoinette Goerich, moved into the modest bungalow and remained for the next several decades. 

The Goerich siblings resided in this small bungalow at 36 South Arlington Avenue from 1926 until 1982. (photo taken on August 10, 2021)

The Goerich Siblings

Wendell (Wendelin) Goerich (1883-1966)

     Sometime in the early twentieth century, a young man named Wendell Goerich left the village of Dingelstadt in the German state of Thuringia for a new life in America. For many years, beginning as early as 1909, he boarded with Oliver and Luella Snell (Schnell) who lived on Spann and later Fletcher Avenue. Was he related to the Snells? Did they sponsor him? There are still many unanswered questions about his early years. He immediately found a job as switchman with the New York Central Railroad. He was 25 years old.

     Working as a switchman in the early twentieth century was a very dangerous job. The men worked in all kinds of weather and if they were not careful they could be crushed in between train cars. Young immigrants like Mr. Goerich frequently put themselves in great danger with such positions. In December of 1909 Wendell Goerich suffered such an accident and lost his left arm. A publication called The Brotherhood of Rail Trail Men documented that the young immigrant received a claim of $500 for the loss of his limb. Incredibly, Wendell Goerich went back to work for the New York Central Railroad and remained  for the next fifty years. 

     During World War One, many German immigrants living in the United States faced suspicion and discrimination. In Indianapolis the school board terminated the teaching of German and the town elders in one eastern Indiana town attempted to rename their town to Pershing from East Germantown in honor of the American general. On December 7, 1917, the Indianapolis Star published a list of unnaturalized German immigrants living in the city. Wendell Goerich was on that list. What did this mean? Mr. Goerich had to voluntarily register with the city police and he had to stay at least a half a mile away from any factory producing munitions for the war. He was now on a watch list. To prove that he sided with the Americans during the war, the young German even registered for the draft although he had no chance of serving due to his accident. 

The Arrival of Antoinette (Antoninette) Goerich (1896-1988)

     On October 1, 1921, twenty-four-year old Antoninette Goerich arrived at Ellis Island. A ship passenger list reveals that her final stay would be in Indianapolis where she would be living with her older brother, "Wendelin" Goerich. The clerk who processed her paperwork described her as 5'6" with blond hair and gray eyes. She had traveled across the ocean with dozens of other immigrants like herself to live with family members who were already rooted in America. 

Antoinette (Antoninette) Goerich arrived in the Indianapolis in 1921. I recently unearthed this photo of her in a local antique mall. She moved to 36 South Arlington Avenue in either 1926 or 1927.

Miss Goerich signed the back of her photo. Her signature matches that of the one found on her naturalization papers. (see below)

By 1927, Miss Goerich changed the spelling of her first name. A clerk misspelled her last name on this form. 

     Little is known about her early years on the south side of Indianapolis, but by late 1926 or early 1927, both she and Wendell lived in a brand new house at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Had Wendell learned of the house through the ad published by the contractor Marion Cordill? We will likely never know, but the Goerich siblings spent most of the remainder of their lives in the little bungalow with the breakfast nook. 

     Antoinette Goerich appears to have kept the household running while Wendell, who was now a yardmaster, left for the job. The siblings joined Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church and both were involved with local Moose chapters. Miss Goerich loved to read and she belonged to Irvington's Brown Library Great Books Club. She was also an excellent quilter and was featured in the Indianapolis Star on October 2, 1957, along with other women of the church for their beautiful quilt. 

     On January 4, 1960, seventy-six-year-old Wendell Goerich was struck by an automobile as he crossed the street at Audubon Road and Washington Street. Amazingly, he survived his second big accident. He would go on to live another six years, dying at the age of 82 in 1966. Antoinette Goerich found herself alone in the small bungalow, but she seems to have had many friends and neighbors who checked in on her. The Garza family, who resided at 44 South Arlington Avenue, described her as a kind woman who was very good with children. Regina Garza Ruopoli, who grew up near Miss Goerich, fondly recalled visiting her. The elderly woman frequently gave the children treats including grapes from her arbor in the backyard where she also kept a small pond surrounded by flowers. At Christmas she gave her fruit strudels to her neighbors and friends.

     Living alone and far away from any family began to take its toll. She told her neighbor Rudy Garza that "it is hell getting old." In 1982, Miss Goerich moved into a nursing home in Beech Grove. Her home was put on the market nearly 57 years after she and her brother first moved in. She died in 1988 at the age of 91. 

Antoinette Goerich c1980 sat in her rocking chair at 36 South Arlington Avenue. Her neighbors reported that she generally wore cotton dresses and she likely knitted the items visible in the photo. (photo courtesy of the Garza family) 

    If you knew the Goerich siblings and have memories to share, please do so in the comments section under this post. I would love to find a photo of Mr. Goerich. Thank you!!

Sources:  Interview with Rudy and Christina Garza along with their daughter, Regina Garza Ruopoli; I would also like to thank Jon Oliger, Paula Schmidt, and Bill Selm;  Wendell Goerich--World War One Alien List: Indianapolis Star, December 7, 1917, 12; Accident--Brotherhood of Railroad Trainmen, 1910, 425; World War One registration via Ancestry.com; Accident--Indianapolis Star, January 5, 1960, 21; Obituary--Indianapolis Star, April 21, 1966, 57; Antoinette Goerich--Ship Passenger list and naturalization papers via Ancestry.com; House for Sale--Indianapolis Star, October 17, 1982; Obituary--Indianapolis News, June 28, 1988, 57; Death certificates for both Wendell and Antoinette Goerich via Ancestry.com.      

     

 

Two Giant White Pine Trees Dominate South Arlington Avenue

     The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago. The second best time is now. (Chinese Proverb)     

      Irvington has always been a leafy neighborhood. The founders of the community had an expectation that residents would plant trees. Some of those early trees still shade the narrow streets. Century-old maples, oaks, catalpas, and numerous other species can be found throughout the area. When Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased the bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970, they noticed that the front yard was bereft of trees. While they did have a beautiful persimmon tree in the backyard, the couple wished for some shade or beauty along Arlington. In 1974, they traveled to visit a friend's property in Trafalgar, Indiana with the idea of digging up a few saplings for their Irvington property. Christina wanted dogwood trees, but they couldn't seem to locate any so they settled on two small white pine trees. They loaded the two evergreens atop their long Ford station wagon and drove home. Mr. Garza planted the pines and over the years the family marveled at the fast growth of the trees.

     Mrs. Garza particularly liked to use the branches and pinecones to decorate the home at Christmas. Over the years, their children enjoyed racing around the trees and in some cases jumping over them which is why one tree is shorter than the other.  As the trees matured, the utility company asked the Garzas to trim some of the lower branches so that the water meter could be read properly. By 2021, both trees were still standing at four and five-stories tall despite some harsh winter winds and strong summer storms. The half-a-century-old trees could live for another fifty to one hundred years. 

Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970. Four years later they planted two white pine trees in the front yard. In 1979, they posed next to one of the pines. Behind the couple, you can see several homes in the 100 block of South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Rodolfo (Rudy) Garza proudly posed next to one of his pine trees after a winter storm in 1980. Behind Mr. Garza, you can seen the wintry scene at the intersection of South Arlington and Julian Avenues. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Rodolfo (Rudy) Garza posed with daughters, Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza in 1979 next to one of the pine trees in their front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind the family, you can see 17, 21, 27, 31, and 33 South Arlington Avenue. 17 South Arlington was later demolished for a CVS Pharmacy. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Regina Garza, the daughter of Rudy and Christina Garza, posed next to one of the pine trees in 1979 in her front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind her, you can see 103, 107, 109, and 115 South Arlington Avenue. (photo courtesy of the Garza family)

In 2021, the white pine trees planted by the Garza family in 1974 now tower over the small bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue. (photo William Gulde)

I wish to thank Rudy and Christina Garza, Regina Garza Ruopoli, and Jon Oliger for photos and information regarding this post. 

South Arlington Avenue Intersection Then and Now

      Rodolfo (Rudy) and Christina Garza purchased the modest bungalow at 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1970 and remained for the next 47 years. The Garza family photos not only capture important moments in their lives, but the photographers also inadvertently documented structures along that street that are now lost to time. 

     South Arlington and Julian Avenues: In the first photograph, likely snapped in 1971, Regina Garza and her sister Sonia Johnson, stand on the sidewalk leading up to 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind the girls, you can see members of the extended family walking along the street. The intersection visible in the photo is that of Julian and South Arlington Avenues. Along Julian you can see the large two-story garage that used to stand behind 103 South Arlington Avenue. The tall tree seen behind the girls, is gone and is now merely a stump in an empty lot in 2021. The photo reveals that Arlington used to be very narrow and that the 6000 block of Julian Avenue had no sidewalks at that point in history. 

Regina Garza and Sonia Johnson stand along the sidewalk leading up to 44 South Arlington Avenue in 1971. (Photo courtesy of the Garza family)

Lost Irvington--39 South Arlington Avenue:  Likely snapped in the winter of 1975, Sonia Johnson posed next to the pine tree planted by her father, Rudy Garza, in the front yard of their home at 44 South Arlington Avenue. Behind her, you can see a car driving south along pre-widened Arlington Avenue. The most visible home in the photo belonged to her Grandpa and Grandma Willett of 39 South Arlington. The small cottage was likely built in 1905, for Charles Wambold, a painter and "paper-hanger." Numerous families lived in residence over the years including the Armstrongs, Vannettes, the Reeds, the Coreys, Kelleys, and the Willetts. For many years, the house sat empty and appeared abandoned. It was demolished sometime after 2007. 

Sonia Johnson posed in her front yard at 44 South Arlington most likely in the winter of 1975. The pine tree next to her is four stories tall in 2021. (Photo courtesy of the Garza family) 

The Roaring Twenties Meets the 1980s:  Sisters, Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza, posed in their front yard at 44 South Arlington Avenue in the winter of 1980. The fashionable teens both attended IPS #57 and later Howe High School. Behind the young women, a garage belonging to the Willett family at 39 South Arlington is visible. A small news item in the Indianapolis Star reveals that Alfred L. Reed applied for a building permit to erect the garage in September of 1925. The structure has since been razed. 

Sonia Johnson and Regina Garza posed in front of 44 South Arlington Avenue in the winter of 1980.

 (photo courtesy of Garza family)

  

A Quiet Field:  Lots 10 and 11 of Tilford and Thrasher's Addition are both empty in 2021. Fireflies, bees, and many birds now call this plot of land "home." Little evidence of the house and the garage once located on the land still exist although some yarrow planted near the front of the cottage blooms without fail and landscape rock near the former garage still rests along the back alley. 

Taken from the front porch at 44 South Arlington Avenue on the morning of July 13, 2021. (William Gulde)

Sources: I wish to thank Regina Garza Ruopoli, Christina Garza, and Rodolfo Garza for the generous loan of their photos and for their stories of 44 South Arlington Avenue. I also wish to thank Jon Oliger for his memories of Arlington Avenue. Other sources on the history of the 39 South Arlington Avenue include:  Erection of 39 South Arlington--Indiana Tribune, April 22, 1905, 4; Information on families of 39 South Arlington--Polk's Indianapolis City Directories, and US Federal Census records for 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940. Erection of Garage--Indianapolis Star, September 25, 1925, 13.