My boyhood home near Crown Point, Indiana.
My World Tuesday is a weekly meme in which bloggers show their parts of the world. To see more of our wonderful world, or to join and post your views of your corner of our world, click HERE.
The picture above is a scan of a slide made over 40 years ago. This is where I lived from the time I was in first grade until I went off to college.
My Dad built the house, mostly by himself. He started building it the summer before I was in the first grade. He finished the basement before Christmas and we moved in. He then worked his way up and we moved up as he finished rooms on the upper floors. By the time I went to college the house wasn’t finished, but there were bedrooms on the second floor for us kids. My parents’ bedroom was on the first floor, but the kitchen and living room were still in the basement.
We lived on a small ‘farm’ — a little over five acres. The picture was taken from the orchard where we had apple, pear, and peach trees. Our vegetable garden was to the right in this picture.
On the other side of the house were two fields. One was a pasture and the other used for growing grain, usually corn. We alternated the fields every couple of years. Out of the picture behind the house was our barn and chicken coop. We usually had a milk cow and one or two steers and sometimes we had pigs as well.
Our farm wasn’t very big, but it kept us busy (and fed) and was a very important part of my world for 12 years.
********************
Just a reminder that you are invited to visit my photo blog, Photos by Senior Hiker, by clicking HERE.
Senior Moments 
March 23, 2009 at 11:41 pm |
That must have been a good place to grow up.
March 23, 2009 at 11:54 pm |
I have to agree with Chrome3d, it does seem to have been a good place to grow up and you do seem to have good memories! Thanks for sharing a bit ot your world!
March 24, 2009 at 4:08 am |
I enjoyed seeing where you grew up! Your father must’ve been a very handy man – he built a nice large house!
March 24, 2009 at 4:37 am |
George: What a wonderful open area in which to grow up. Your Father was a good man to build this house.
March 24, 2009 at 4:53 am |
This story reminds me of my grandparents’ and grand uncles’ stories of how they built their home. A little at a time. By hand. And they managed. And never moved. Thanks for this reminder, George.
March 24, 2009 at 5:38 am |
So interesting to see this pretty home in such a peaceful setting and hear the story behind your dad’s determination to provide for you all.
March 24, 2009 at 6:46 am |
It was so touching to read this. All about the efforts of your father.
Isn’t it amazing the extent to which our fathers go to make us comfortable and content! A Great Dad!
March 24, 2009 at 7:25 am |
George,
That is so cool you have such a neat picture of your ole homestead!! What memories you must carry with this shot! It sounds like you had quite a busy life there… Your Dad sure was quite the handy man..and it so neat he built that house …and farmed! Wow!!
March 24, 2009 at 7:40 am |
Thanks for sharing your memories with us George. I love reading stories like this. I wonder if the house is still standing.
March 24, 2009 at 7:59 am |
Looks and sounds like an ideal place for kids to grow up in.
I would have loved to grow up on a small farm!
March 24, 2009 at 8:00 am |
Is there anything better than simple self sufficiency? I know it is hard work to till your land and build your house and provide for the family, but in the end result it is a much happier existance than living in a mansion and not knowing where milk and eggs come from.
March 24, 2009 at 8:17 am |
That’s a charming old house. I really like it. All the things that kept you busy are what really draws me about it, though.
March 24, 2009 at 8:23 am |
Thank you for sharing this…your Dad must have been a wonderful man. Sounds like he took good care of your family.
March 24, 2009 at 8:24 am |
Love the house and how neat to know your dad built it. Such an industrious and do-it-yourself attitude in those days. We lived on a small acerage, too and had an orchard and lots of garden space and chickens. Lots of work for us kids! Is the house still there?
March 24, 2009 at 10:30 am |
Plenty of room to grow up in there, nice place George.
March 24, 2009 at 10:40 am |
I grew up on a small “farm” similar to yours…this brings back so many wonderful memories for me. Looks like you had a lovely childhood!
March 24, 2009 at 1:07 pm |
It both looks and sounds very idyllic allthough I’m sure there were times money and supplies were hard to get to last. But to have such wonderful fruit trees close at hand must have been really splendid.
Thanks for this insight to your childhood. Amasingly clear picture for a scanned one.
March 24, 2009 at 4:20 pm |
A wonderful post, George. I really enjoyed it. Sounds a lot like us growing up.
March 24, 2009 at 8:05 pm |
Looks like a great place to be a child. 🙂 Thanks for sharing the history of the house with us.
March 24, 2009 at 8:15 pm |
Looks and sounds like a wonderful place to grow up!
March 25, 2009 at 12:47 am |
Seems like a great place and way to grow up. How nice to have photos.
March 25, 2009 at 8:04 am |
reminds me of my uncle’s farm house in iowa…lovely setting.
thanks for sharing your memories with us and the scan worked.
have a great day.
March 25, 2009 at 12:13 pm |
This looks like a great place to grow up. Nothing like a few acres, some animals and a garden to keep the kids busy with chores!
March 25, 2009 at 4:21 pm |
Great place to grow up. Your father did an excellent job. Not only with the house but also with his kids. The way you talk about him, show the love, the respect and the gratidute you feel for him.
March 30, 2009 at 10:31 pm |
[…] Point for a little more than five years. I lived on the small farm outside of town (see that post here) all through the time I was in the first grade until I graduated from high […]