Huntington Park
9285 Warwick Boulevard (Exit
263A from I-64),
Newport News, VA
06/10/06
06/10/06
THEN -- AND NOW:
"The Old Necking
Grounds"
To some subscribers these will appear as merely images of some nondescript
parking lot. To others, especially from the Classes of the early and mid
60s,
there will be a glimmer of recognition of this landscape, lo these 40
years hence.
Some long forgotten memories and images and aromas of White
Shoulders
and English Leather will be flooding back into your mind.
Whispered promises, never kept, will be recalled.
To all those who know what I am talking about, you will no doubt agree with
me that far more biology lessons were learned here than in all the
classrooms at NNHS.
- Dave Spriggs
('64) of VA - 06/01/03
Thanks, Dave!
Photo courtesy
of Maptech, Inc., thanks to Dave Spriggs ('64) of VA - 07/11/03
Thanks, Dave!
Huntington Park... hee hee :-)
Unfortunately by the time I was old enough for the cruising and necking scene,
the park
was pretty much on its way to condemnation.
Parts of the lots and embankments were
blocked off to prevent such things,
and Reds Pier was a memory, though I do
remember
in the 60s fishing there and looking for shells
and other lost items on the beach while
WGH-AM
was piped
over loudspeakers.
The loss of WGH as we knew it is another bone to pick for another post.
What really bothered me was when someone decided to build a restaurant
at the park that failed and
fill in the old swan pond.
As a kid we would walk around the pond and even catch catfish in it.
I was shocked after a near 20 year hiatus to see what the park and it had become.
I had to sneak off to the side of the boat landing just to sit on a rock
for a moment of solitude listening to the waves and reminisce.
In the city of Richmond we don't have such advantages.
- Eric Huffstutler (Bethel HS -
'75) of VA - 10/12/04
Thanks, Eric!
Well, here is another memory that
is stored waaaay back in my mind... so far back it's a blur.
How many remember the train at Huntington Park being delivered on August 25,
1963 (dedicated Labor Day of same year)?
I was only in 2nd grade by then but do have faint memories of being brought to
the ceremonies as a temporary track was
laid down across Warwick Boulevard. Coming from the train depot area over to the
park, it traveled under its own power.
Now one memory that "is" still clear was lying in bed with the windows open and
hearing the steam locomotive whistle in the
distance. It was very dream-like, almost eerie like a faint cry as though that
train knew its days were numbered.
Facts: what we have is a K-4 Kanawha 2-8-4 class locomotive built by Lima
Locomotive Works in March 1947.
Between 1943-1947 C&O purchased 90 of these between 2 manufacturers,
20 coming from Lima and numbered between 2700-2789. Ours is #2756.
By 1952 C&O had enough of the new
diesel powered locomotives to retire those
of steam and between 1957-1958 all were idle. She was sent along with three
others like her for scrap at Russell, KY but
rescued and the others remained in service until the 1970s when they did met
their demise.
Only 12 of these K-4 class locomotives survive today in varied conditions, all
donated to states.
Below is a wonderful picture taken by Russell Underwood of #2756 after yet
another restoration in 1997 (wasn't there
one done by a Plumbing and Heating company in the 1970s?) and before the fence
was replaced. Below that is an example
of the same type of locomotive in service - to give you an idea of what they may
have looked like moving.
- Eric Huffstutler (Bethel HS -
'75) of VA - 10/21/04
WOWZERS!!!
Thanks, Eric!
In trying to determine the exact location of the
W & S before Dave
Spriggs ('64) of VA pinned it down,
I asked Ron Miller ('59) of NC if he remembered it. I received this response
from him this afternoon:
Yup! It finally
came to me Sunday afternoon.
Used to take dates there, then go watch the submarine races near
Red's Pier.
(I guess the reason that I didn't remember it sooner was that I was more
interested in the submarine races
than the name of the drive-in ;-). I don't have any problem remembering
the races! )
- Ron Miller ('59) of NC - 01/10/05
WILD GIGGLES!!!
Well, the more important facts do tend to remain with us more clearly,
don't they?!?
Thanks, Ronnie!
Why Don't We Do It In The Road (John Lennon, Paul McCartney)
Lead Vocal: Paul McCartney
Why don't we do it in
the road? Mm
Why don't we do it in the road? Ah
Why don't we do it in the road? Mm
Why don't we do it in the road? Mm
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?
Ooh
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
Why don't we do it, do it in the road?
Why don't we do it in the road?
No one will be watching us
Why don't we do it in the road?
