Changes 1 - what didn't

I guess it's time to move on to some photos from the visit and I'll start off with what's probably the least interesting -- what didn't change (much) over the past 42 years. Having lived ever since Midland in areas that change so fast that a 100-year-old farmhouse with nothing else to commend it is put on the registry of historic buildings, well, it's amazing that enough of what I remember in Midland remains, some of it virtually unchanged. Now I am sure there is a LOT more than just this, but I was limited by time to my most frequent haunts.

First off is the Community Center entrance. There are some minor changes, such as the drive to the right not going as deep as I recall, but that's little enough. The Community Center itself though, wow... but I'll talk about that in the "what changed" posting). Nevertheless, it was amazing to recall this entrance after so long a time. (And please don't tell me the walkway was actually erected later...?)

Next is the pool. Spent many a time in the winter in that pool, not to mention P.E. classes from Central Intermediate and swim team. Almost unchanged except for the windows through to the center entrance and the new windows up high. Oh, and the removal of the high board from which my first attempt at a high dive ended up in a painful belly flop!

Midland High School, a view from behind because the front has changed. But I see the same old windows which are no doubt due for replacement because they're not very energy efficient.

Eastlawn Elementary. I don't remember there ever being windows into the gym; they've always been bricked up. A lot of work on the grounds, including grass in front of the gym. It was more challenging shooting marbles on the rough bare ground that used to be there.

The bleachers, or at least some of them, on Central Intermediate's field. Spent a lot of time marching on that field, in games and for practice. I hope the now-forgotten French horn player has forgiven me for dropping the bell of my brass sousaphone on his back once when practicing a bow.

And the refreshments stand at the north end of the field. I was surprised to see that still there, apparently unchanged.

The band shell in Central Park. Sold a lot of ice cream from my cart there one summer. Also performed a few times there. Interestingly, this is one item I thought had changed. First because it showed up so brightly on the satellite photos and second because memory recalled a rounded grey concrete shell. The first is no doubt due to the bright white paint coating it now, but the second... the design of that shell is so 50s it has to be original. (But I bet some imaginative painting could make it look good enough to keep another 42 years.)

St. John's Episcopal, where I was confirmed, served as acolyte and usher, and was a youth group member. (And my father was one of the assistant ministers.) I would have liked to have taken pictures of the interior but the place was locked up most of the time and I was ill enough Sunday morning we couldn't catch the early service, and actually slept past the 10:00 also. This was a hard choice of photos, but I went for the one with the sign out front.

And finally Barstow Woods, with many subtle changes but so overall unchanged I was able to navigate the main paths from memory. (Not that there was much to remember, but some of the little side trails have unsurprisingly changed.) Of course, the trees are also all changed, as I could see in the clearing to the East, by the "new" parking lot.