Joani & David's Travels: Thursday, May 7, 2015

Today we ventured into another part of Fort Wayne, IN to look for the last house Joani's family had lived in before they moved to Tennessee. It was a nearly perfect day with mild temperatures and a gentle breeze. This trip down memory lane was much more satisfying and will be remembered for a long time.

My family only lived in this (Foster Park) area of Fort Wayne for two years, but it has woven its way into my dreams for almost 50 years. Moving to 1217 Branning Ave. from Winter St. was only a 3-mile move, but it didn't feel that way at the age of 12.

We rented the house on the left from the (somewhat crazy) landlords that lived in the house on the right.

This house seemed so huge to my 12-year-old self. I didn't even recognize it.

Four houses down the block was the house of one of my best friends, Rita. Now, this house looked exactly how I remembered it. I loved this house.

Eight houses in the other direction was Sarah's house, my other good friend.

I'm pretty sure I found the Nelson's house on Beaver Ave., a few blocks away. Our families would get together every Sunday after church. This house was built in 1928.

We have driven around a lot of towns now (big and small), but to date, the Forster Park /Southwood Park areas of Fort Wayne had more adorable houses than any town I've ever seen. This house, built in 1935, has an estimated value of $159,000 on Zillow.

Built in 1928, this cutie has an estimated value of $98,000 on Zillow. Unbelievable!

5,700 sqft. Tudor estate built in 1930 on 1.1 acres has an estimated value of $585,622. Place this house in Buckhead and it would bring in millions.

When I lived on Winter St., I walked (0.5 miles) to James H Smart Elementary every day, K thru 6th. It was demolished, I guess. I managed to find Harrison Hill Elementary, the school that I walked to (0.7 miles) every day for two years (grade 7 and 8). I never rode a school bus until we moved to Tennessee.

After spending a good while driving the neighborhoods around Joani's last Fort Wayne home, we stopped at a nicely restore/expanded park Joani only vaguely remembered.