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Wednesday, May 23, 2012
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This morning I thought I would go out and meet Suzanne Hunt’s challenge to see which Midtown block flies the most flags. As I was driving towards Midtown I was thinking about the Spain, Paraguay game and as I approached the Howe off ramp, going west on highway 50, I realized I did not really know exactly where Midtown was. I’ve heard discussions as to where the boundaries lie but I could not remember exactly where these are. I decided to get off on 65th Street and went west on Folsom Boulevard. I decided to stop for a little while at the East Lawn Memorial Cemetery to take a couple of pictures.
I left the cemetery heading left on Folsom Blvd., and noticed many flags on my right hand side on 42st Street. As a result I made a right on 41st and parked my car. I was going to take some pictures of flags and noticed the whole neighborhood seemed to be decorating their homes and getting ready for a celebration. I stopped and met a man by the name of John McCullough who was resting after having worked to decorate his home for what he told me was a whole day event that expands from Folsom Blvd., to J Street and 41st and 42nd Streets. The area will be blocked off for a morning parade and a community potluck celebration to celebrate the 4th of July.
John filled me in on the event. I was surprised by the answer he gave regarding how long the neighborhood had been doing this “We set up tables for a barbecue, I went out and got 100 hotdogs, buns and sodas for the barbecue. Everybody will contribute to a potluck with people bringing and sharing a dish. This has been going on for about 76 or 77 years”. That’s quite a long time. John also noted that several hundred kids participate in a morning parade. I asked him if they ever cancel this event. “This never changes, even with this hot weather the show will go on.” John continued, “See this extension cord behind the table? Well there’s another one over here and a third in the middle. Tomorrow I will bring 3 big fans and have them going, this should cool things off a little bit.” I excused myself to walk around the four blocks that border the 4th of July celebration.
I walked and chatted with other people around the neighborhood and took some pictures for the Suzanne Hunt challenge. I don’t think this is considered Midtown but I think these few blocks had the most flags displayed anywhere in Sacramento. If that’s not the case I would like to hear what other area in Sacramento participates in such a grand scale.
John invited me to come over, on the 4th, and have a hot dog and a drink so I think I will take him up on it. Last year around Christmas time I believe this area has one of the biggest Christmas Lights displays in Sacramento. Americana still lives in many neighborhoods in Sacramento.
Photos:
1 - 4th of July flag decorations
2, 3 - John McCullough
4 thru 11 - Flag decorations
12, 13 - East Lawn Memorial Cemetery
14 - Flag decorations
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I'm still trying to get to the bottom of where the "Midtown" name originally came from, but according to people I interviewed who grew up here in the early 20th century, west of 10th Street was "downtown" and east was "uptown." Other terms like the "West End" to describe the riverfront neighborhoods, or "Homes District" to describe what we'd now call Midtown, or "Homeland" for the north end of Land Park, have fallen by the wayside, while others, like "Sutter's Terrace" to describe Poverty Ridge, just never caught on.
In the end, yes, they're just names, most of which were taken from a landmark or nearby park, or a name chosen by a real estate developer as a good way to sell houses. But names are important, and if we didn't have names for places on a map it would be kind of hard to tell where you are.
Is "America" just a name? Or is there a set of ideas, feelings, mental images, that come with it?
As some above suggest, "a rose by any other name is still a rose." But it is that name that distinguishes the rose from other flowers, and the same applies to Midtown--even the above commenters distinguish themselves from other individuals commenting by using a name--real or other.
Again Bill states the core reason aptly: "Or is there a set of ideas, feelings, mental images, that come with it?" It was was exactly for this reason and more why we in the 1980's, as participants in the newly formed "Central City Alliance of Neighborhoods," felt the predominantly residential areas of the Central City needed an identity separate from the already named other sections of the city. (It is now called 'branding" isn't it?)
Participants from South Side and Alkali Flat chose to retain their own neighborhood names, which was agreeable to all--we then agreed also that all east of 16th and west of the already named East Sacramento and north of the already named Land Park neighborhoods qualified as Midtown. We felt that was in keeping with many other cities which defined their Midtown as the unique residential and business area between Petula Clark's famed Downtown and the newer suburbs.
And that's the truth, as little Edith would say.