This gorgeous, seventy-five-year-old photo includes my Grandma and her younger brother, Frankie. My great-grandmother wrote on the back:
Jan. 2 – 1945
Ice skating in the
street in front of
our house.
These were your
first ice skates.
I don’t know which of the two the photo was labeled for. Maybe they were both wearing their first ice skates. Either way, ice skating in the street in front of their home is so cool! But which home were they in front of?
My great-grandparents owned a home at 15 East Walton Avenue in Spokane, Washington. This street view does not seem to match the expected and remembered street view from the house on Walton. So I did a little digging, asked some family members a few questions, requested some deeds, and searched for a photo I knew I had of their first home in Spokane.
The warranty deed for the home on Walton was dated 3 January 1945, notarized 19 January 1945, and filed 9 February 1945. Based on those dates, it seems likely that this photo was taken in front of a different home.
Prior to living on Walton Avenue, my Grandma and her family lived at 2413 North Dakota Street. Here is a photo of that home:
The back of the photo includes the address and was recorded by my great-grandmother, Hope Estelle Maffit:
The modern street view for the house on Dakota includes power and telephone lines running in front of the homes. That is a nice match to the 1945 ice skating photo. The modern street view for Walton does not include power and telephone lines in front of the homes. So, it seems most likely that this photo was taken in front of the home on Dakota. That home is still standing and has the original pillars. Sadly, the home on Walton is no longer there.
Happy Thursday, I hope you will scan and share a favorite photo today! xoxo