The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1907-10-13
VISITSRICHMOND AFTER33YEAR
Impressions of A Young Old Timer.

having just visited there after an alb
sence of practically thirty-three years,
thought you might be interested in
brief report of my visit. l left there
with my fathers family in 1874, when
was fifteen years old. In 1898
spent a part of one day in Richmond,
having written my uncle, then living
that l would be passing through. He
met me at the depot and very kindly
drove me about to see the new court
house, the new bridge and the new
part of West Richmond; things he and
other residents of Richmond were
proud to show, but of little interest
to me compared to the old places l
had known and loved as a boy.
made up my mind then, that if ever
opportunity offered, | would visit Rich
mond without letting relatives or
friends know of it until l had visited
all the old places so cherished in mem
DRY.
The way opened for me and my wife,
who was as anxious as l to see the
places l had extolled for so many
years, to stop there two beautiful days
late in last month. My first act after
| breakfast was to engage a horse and
easy phaeton for two days. | headed
! first for South Front street to see the
house where l was born and my grand
| fathers house, still standing and evil
IDENTIFY in good repair and good for
many years yet. 1t was like losing old
friends to find that broadway"
Sycamore" "Sassafras," Noble" etc.
streets had taken letters of the alpha.
bet to designate them, and old Fifth
street was now Eighth, pushing ali
of the Eastern parallel streets up three
pegs.
Well do I remember the first street
cars in Richmond; high affairs with
foot boards on either side the entire
length of the car and drawn by horse
power. They started at the depot and
ran south On old Fifth street and east
on Main street to the rev fair grounds
east of the city, the old fair grounds
south of town having been abandoned
After driving up one street land
down the other showing to my wife
the one time homes of SO many of ouI
friends, we headed for the outlying
districts on the various pixies" We
went to the orphanage southeast Of
town, which went at one time by the
name of the Water Cure" and earlier
by Green Mount Seminary" where
my father and mother attended schoo
and upon the steps of which my father
proposed" and was accepted" We
visited Earlham college grounds. and
Earlham cemetery where l found my
grandfather's and grandmothers gra
yes as we'll as those of other relatives
We journeyed north on old Ninth
street. out the Hillsboro pike, pas
Hills mill and the junction of the
Hilisboro and New Paris pixies where
Daniel and Lydia Kitzelman used tc
keep the toll gate, on up the pike tc
find the farmer for whom l worked
during the summer of IA. The ole
farm and house looked familiar but
the owner said my farmer had never
lived there, which, Of course, l knew
better. as l knew, l could find my bed
room in the dark. However, | found
my man two farms further up the road
where he had moved twenty-five years
ago, which accounted for the recent
owner of the old farm being so posi-
tive. l was delighted to find my ole
time friend at home and more thar
. delighted to find that he remembered
me and things did when living with
him. My pleasure was mixed with
sorrow to find the dear wife had pass
ed away several years ago, and l hac
so built up on talking over old times
with them both.
Returning to town past 'Morgan's
Grove" and one of our old homes, the
Bluffs all looking familiar still. We
next went out the Chester pike, past
the new hospital and across by This
tlethwaite's pond to West Richmond
passing the old Starr place, and sc
back to town and then out to Glen
Miller, a beautiful park, one to be
proud of. The native beech and syca
more trees were delight to my wife
as well as to me, she never having
seen either, and 1 hurgering for both
am trying to arrange for a shipment
OF a couple of young trees of each that
may transplant them at my home
What an army would be made by all
the boys who have carved their OWL