Turkle Street Late 1950s

The photos and information below were submitted by Alberta Clemons. In addition to the adorable children in the photos you’ll also see a bit of a house on Turkle shortly after the houses were built, the railroad tracks and elevator. The house was located in either the 200 or 300 block of Turkle on the East side.


Me out in the yard at home.


All five of us girls in our Easter Dresses mom made. You can see the Family Station-wagon sitting in the drive way.


Us kids in swimming pool in our back yard. You can see the box car sitting on the tracks.

My step-father worked for Boeing. We moved on Turkle Street after the little houses were built. So, I do think this was in 1954. I remember mom and my step-father planting sod. There were no trees or grass. I remember our house needed a water cooler to cool it during the summers. Some of the best times of my life were here. I remember the Haygood’s, McClenehans, Stubbers, Wallace’s, (not sure of all the spellings) also, other families that I cannot remember names for. Most if not all of the families fathers worked for Boeing.

I was saved in a little Foursquare Church on the corner of, I believe, Trout and Turkle. The pastor and his wife were Brother and Sister Curtis. I remember a couple and their family who lived on Trout Street by the names of Willie and Bonnie Travis.

Anyway, my older sister and I used to cut across the land where the water tower was to go to the Grade School. I remember the trains blowing their horns, whistles thru the day and the night right next to our homes. I remember wanting so bad to ride in a passenger car because of watching the people in the lit up cars at night. I remember the click-et-ty clack sounds of the trains as they passed through. I remember playing hooky, as my mom called it, because I had hid by one of the Wheat Elevator’s. I was afraid and did not want to walk any further by myself. My sister and I walked home for lunch and I thought it had to have been lunch time. I had only left for school about 30 minutes before. I got a bad spanking and was sent to bed for the rest of the day. I was only in the first grade so you can imagine who was more afraid…yes, Mom.

There was a filling station at the end, I believe, on Trout Street. I have a memory of this station. I too, remember taking Sunday afternoon trips to the Dairy Queen. I remember the soda fountain inside a 5 & 10 Store. Anyway, this is what I call it. Maybe some one may find this interesting.