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This is what Edgemont mean to me!!!
I see trees of green........ red roses too
I see em bloom..... for me and for you
And I think to myself.... what a wonderful world.
I see skies of blue..... clouds of white
Bright blessed days....dark sacred nights
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world.
The colors of a rainbow.....so pretty ..in the sky
Are also on the faces.....of people ..going by
I see friends shaking hands.....sayin.. how do you do
They're really sayin......i love you.
I hear babies cry...... I watch them grow
They'll learn much more.....than I'll never know
And I think to myself .....what a wonderful world
Yes I think to myself .......what a wonderful world.
David Yellock Sr There was no better place to grow up! i miss Edgemont....
Helen Snipes I miss edgemont myself rember win we first got the pool those were the days, and being on the drill team was so much fun I miss HAM may he R.I.P He was the best I have great time win I lived on george st. those were the days I think that was the best place to grow up, some of my family is still out there love edgemont....
Linda Singh I enjoyed snow days. We had lots of them; it snowed a lot back then. I had so much fun playing and riding my sled during the winter months. I would sled all day and when I went home freezing and soaking wet, my mom would have hot cocoa waiting for me
Cheryl Hawkins (Toni) I wish the kids of today could experience half of what we experienced growing up in Edgemont with strong families, good friends and lots of love.
Victoria Richardson It is difficult to relay just one experience during my childhood in Edgemont. I loved the lunch ladies at Glenwood, I loved vacation bible school, I loved the pool in the summer, I loved the drill team events even the practices, the firehouse dances, parties at Yvette's grandma's house, hayrides and skating parties with the Mennonite Church, I enjoyed visiting older neighbors just to hear their stories, and the walks to Froggie's store. The way we all knew each other no matter the age. The sense of community, the sense of safety, the sense of family. Edgemont, where the blue mountains meets the Susquehanna River, one of the most beautiful places on earth, where people with beautiful hearts live. I loved climbing trees and growing gardens and the fruit/ nut trees.
Charlene Morris I have so many great memories of Edgemont. My parents built our home in Edgemont the year I was born (1952), so Edgemont is where I was born, raised and loved. Everyone knew your business, a place where your parents could come out of the house and call your name; and you could be 2 hills away, when you pass homes in the community someone would come out of their door and tell you to get home your mother is calling you. Growing up in Edgemont, I knew I was loved by my parents, neighbors, and the whole community. When I had children I wanted them to experience the love of Edgemont, and they did with great memories of their own to tell.
Pamela Herrington Edgemont is a great place to be born, in harrisburg and to live a great life in edgemont it will always be home to me. I live in the south now and there is no place like home. I hope this block party brings everyone back together. So the next generations can see the roots that was laid down before them. I am so bless to have been a resident of edgemont it is a place in my life i will never forget
Jerome Johnson “The Lumpkin Family have a long and rich history in Edgemont. My great aunts (Estella Jackson, Ruby Hunter, Liliah Kegler, and Trudy Daniels) came to Edgemont from Georgia in the late 1940's. My grandfather Willie Arthur Lumpkin came to Edgemont in the 1950's. Our family home was located at 1103 Edgemont road. My Aunts Mary Jackson and cousin Blondie, Aunt Iwilla Williams, Cousins Vera Floyd, Curtis, Alonzo, and Dwayne Williams, Annie Will Lumpkin, Cousin Susan Wright, Uncles Willie Lumpkin, Andrew Lumpkin, Hullett Lumpkin, and their families lived in Edgemont since the 1950's. Uncles Andrew and Hullett were outstanding athletes at Susquehanna Twp. High. They paved the way for other Black athletes in football, wrestling, Basketball, and Track. Uncle Andrew was one of the fastest sprinters in the state. He was also one of the first Blacks to play basketball for STHS. Uncle Hullett was a state wrestler. Cousin Pooky Riley was also a state wrestling star
My mother Emma (Honey) Lumpkin move us to Edgemont in 1964 from Dawson Georgia. My first friend in Edgemont was John and Junnie Banks. I use to walk to school with Chester and Carey Murry.
My first teacher at Glenwood was Mrs. Mc Clain. Daryl and Keith Bullock, Kermit Atwell, Bruce Geary, Chris Whitaker, Tommy Walker, Bobby Jones, Melvin Fleming, and The Gibson Brother's were lot's of fun to habg out with. We played every sport in the big field across from Phil Blooms Bar. Mr. Buster, Mr. Meat, Mr. Charlie Neals, and MR. Booty were good men that helped me to grow up.
Victor Banks Jr: When I remember Edgemont/ Locust Lane Park I recall the neighborliness; the sense of welcome by everyone, the woods, Wanda Lester's birthday parties, building forts, and school patrols for the seemingly long walks to Glenwood during my first 6-years of education. Glenwood are a unique set of memories. For those who knew her, her name was Josephine!!
The neighborhood richness is from Edgemont's people .....these things were key to my Edgemont memories, but not all. We not only had the mailman who lived in the neighborhood, barbers,school teachers, a Commonwealth librarian, truck drivers, business owners,steelworkers...and for a time no one was better than the other. In fact, i don't recall anyone out of work and being any worst off than the rest -- just not making enough, but the kids always had thanksgiving and Christmas! We learned to support one another because it was the right thing to do.
But most of the adults loved the children "even the bad ones"and they knew just what to say to keep things correct! To have lived in Edgemont during the 1950's and 1960's was an ideal time for me ....it was like having a neighborhood of brothers and sisters. Growing up without siblings (but lots of cousins) the kids in the neighborhood were my sounding board, my playmates, and my competition. It was from these experiences I learned how to grow-up!
Annette Branche: I enjoyed the quietness of Edgemont sometimes we lived in Steelton and the transition from city to country before Edgemont became the suburb it is now was great fun, to se the Sessions' family cow, and ride Dan, my Grandmother's horse, she had a ten acre farm on Wayne Avenue where we had chickens, pigs, ducks, turkey and ate good food.
Tish Garnes: I remember jumping from car to car in Ernie Dumbaugh's junk yard. Walking on crusty snow, falling through and the snow reaching my waist. Running from dogs but never getting bit. Sledding down the middle of the road and no cars to worry about. Catching the bus in Penbrook, Edgemont Rd., then finally Glenside. But most of all l remember sitting on our porch waving at every car that passed, I'm on the same corner now but it's not quite the same. The community day brings back the best of my favorite memories by bringing me face to face with my past. That's why it's so important to me to be a part of this community and I thank God for bringing me back here to live!
JeMille Vaughan: My oldest memory of growing up in Edgemont on "old side" would be visiting my Aunt Helen & Uncle Moses bar before they open and having a cola with real cherries, that was before they sold and became the "Hideout"
Dar Washington: I love Edgemont, these are the people that helped raise us, this was a village where all the kids were looked after by all of these wonderful people. Edgemont helped me understand that African proverb: "It takes a village to raise a child"
Shirl (Braxton) Bratcher-Howard: Growing up and being raised in Edgemont is an experience that is very close to my heart. The entire Edgemont Community is a tribute to my upbringing; this was a period of time when everyone knew each other. I am reminded of the African saying, when I think of Edgemont “It Takes A Village” and a Village it was! When needed, I was corrected, disciplined and headed in the right direction by the parents, aunts, uncles of my peers (i.e. anybody that knew that I was Sarah Ann Braxton’s granddaughter!)
According to today’s standards and strange as it may seem to the Youth of today, we did not know we were deprived. We are from “Humble Beginnings”-there was No running water which meant using the pump to collect water for drinking, cooking, cleaning and bathing; oh! Did I mention that we did not have inside bathroom? I HAD TO USE AN OUTHOUSE! And there were no street lights. I remember spending quality time with my grandmother listening to her tell stories of her youth; she taught me how to garden; I helped her feed the chickens and the hogs. Growing up in this community has given us Self-respect, Values and A Sense of Pride.
Bruce Geary "Bootsie: Growing up in Edgemont is one filled with fond memories. My family didn't have much as far as financial means but there was love. Love that was real. You felt love not only by your own family but by the other families that lived in Edgemont. You knew that they had your best interest at heart.
We lived on Highland Avenue across from the Hodges to the North (Miss Sibbie, Sookum (Elmo), Demo (Turner Phillips), Sonja and Pattie Ann) and next to Mr. Charlie Anderson "Big Poppa" and his wife Miss Mitt "Big Momma" to the West.
Big Poppa had a trash collection route and my brother Tommy, my nephew Steve and myself loved going along with him and helping him collect trash from homes outside of the Edgemont area. We loved doing this and as kids around the age of 8 or 9 our way of thinking was...there's some great junk out here to bring home.
Big Poppa would pay Tommy and Steve $.75 and he would pay me $.50 (I was younger and smaller). Not bad for a few hours work and being mostly in his way. I would take my $.50 and go to Harry Bloom's store on Locust Lane. I would spend $.10 for a "SUPERMAN" comic book, $.10 for a "CLOVER" grape soda and $.10 for a bag of popcorn ("I was in Heaven"). I would take this back to a tree house built by Eugene Davenport, Phillip Davenport, Patrick Davenport, Tommy Geary, Steve Geary and myself. The tree house was on the Davenport's property on George Street. It was built in one of their many apple trees that were in their back yard. When we got tired of eating apples we would visit their "black heart" cherry trees and eat to our hearts content (no pun intended). After reading the comic book that I bought I would take it to either Bennie Fry or Phillip Davenport to trade for one that I hadn't read yet.
One of my good friends here in Edgemont, who I met in the 5th grade at Glenwood Elementary School is Keith Mitchell. Keith was always a great runner and was one of our best track athletes in school. We're still good friends to this day.
Another friend is Jerome Johnson who moved to Edgemont along with the rest of his family from Dawson, Georgia. Jerome and I had a ball playing football at the "Big Field" on Locust Lane and sitting on his cousin Vera Floyd's step listening to Sam Cooke on her record player. I loved to hear Jerome tell me about where he used to live in Georgia.
Another good friend I had in the 2nd grade was Brett Dixon who lived on Glenside Drive. Brett and I were the best of friends and sadly he passed away while in the 2nd grade. I still miss him and I want to say this in closing. Brett was the most fashionable person I ever knew at such a young age. I remember when Glenwood School would take its students to the circus when it came to the Farm Show Building. This was around 1956 and our parents dressed us up in suits to go to the circus. We were all decked out in our finest and Brett looked liked he just stepped out of a fashion magazine for children. Brett had on a 3 piece suit and tie and I remember him showing me how to fold my suit jacket if I didn't want to wear it at the moment and put it over my arm so that it wouldn't get wrinkled. "YOU GO BRETT WITH YOUR BAD SELF". You left us too soon.
Edgemont was a truly wonderful place to grow up.
M Songbyrd Burney: Edgemont was a place of peace, respect, community, discipline and love. I have lived in few places since I left Hbg. and I always will call Edgemont home. I miss so many things about it that I can't even begin to tell it all, but most of all I miss my mom no longer being there and that's why I had to leave it behind. Sometimes I have to reflect and reminisce and I am so thankful for EDGEMONT...the elders of the community were strong African American people who farmed, worked hard and valued raising their kids in a safe and decent environment (wish i would have raised mine there but she still turned out to be a beautiful and strong woman), I am so proud to be of the "Edgemont Clan". may we never forget our "humble beginnings" and always give thanks for those who took care of us even when it was a struggle. Love ya my Edgemont family