Published: March 07, 2009 10:45 pm      

Looking for assistance on my Meridian past

Recently my wife and I traveled through Meridian on our way back from a Florida vacation to our home in New Albany, Ind. In 1942, I was an eight-year-old boy living in Meridian for the three summer months to be with my dad who was stationed at Key Field. My mom and I had traveled by Greyhound bus from Franklin, Ind. to be with him before he shipped off for Army duty overseas.

My dad was a plumber prior to being inducted into the army in World War II. After basic training at Ford Leonard, Mo. he was sent to Key Field. A group of men who had experienced plumbing were sent to Key Field. There they learned to work on trains, etc so they could keep them moving for the troops on the front lines. They later were sent as part of the 727th Engineering Corps to serve in the European Campaign in Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany to keep the locomotives and all parts of railroad operations to keep the tracks and trains moving to the front. My dad served 33 months overseas and 36 months in the Army. After the war, he returned to working with water and gas utilities for 40 years. He died in 1999 at the age of 89, a very proud American that served his country in time of need.

When in Meridian this time at the age of 75, I was looking for two things:

1. The World War I Memorial downtown where a World War I soldier stood high above on a tall structured foundation. I found this memorial. We would take a city bus and spend some time down town. I also saw Kresge’s Five and Dime Store. Later I learned in that area there had been a Greyhound bus station nearby.

2. I could not find where I lived back in 1942. I did not have an address, just memories. We asked the police and some people my age but could not get results, so we left the city not finding my home for three months in 1942.

I decided to write to the paper. What I do remember at eight years old: We did not live in walking distance of downtown. We lived upstairs with the house belonging to the Wilson’s. They lived downstairs. Across from this dark red asbestos type siding home I believe there was an elementary school. Looking at the school from that house I believe there was at least one house to the right before there was in intersection of streets. Continuing from the right direction of the house crossing the street was the Naylor Grocery at the intersection. Before crossing the street to Naylor’s Grocery if you turned left a deep hill going down which I thought that area was called Milltown. As an eight-year-old bow, I was unaware of directions being north, south, east and west. All I can give you is what I remember.

Hopefully one of your readers will know where I lived. We were sent to Witherspoon Elementary School but that was not the school or the area. Please let me know if you find out anything. Perhaps one of your readers might remember some of the above.

I have wonderful memories during that period of my life. I carried some of the southern draw back with me. I was a teacher for 38? years and raised four kids.



Thank you.

William C. Legan

New Albany, Ind.