Old Stories

Call for Help [Zajac]

0/12/2013

CALL FOR HELP IN UNRAVELING A MYSTERY

Bob Zajac has a question going back to the earlier days of our youth about the environs around Carmen's and Crucible Steel. Of course, being a Zajac question, it is not short, so read on.

I grew up at 907 Cogswell and my dear, best friend, Lucian Garcia lived next door at 905....he tragically died young at 41.

As you are surely aware, his father owned Carmen's Restaurant.....which evolved from Carmen's Garage just south of the "State Fair Bridge."

In our youth, as pre teens, we would play and explore the property between the Garage and Crucible Steel....summer jobs there put me through college.

Immediately behind the garage/restaurant was a pond filled with cattails.

Just past that and closer to Crucible were several underground concrete bunkers accessed by descending U shaped steel rods as ladder rungs embedded in the concrete.

If memory serves, the bunkers were approximately 40 feet wide and several hundred feet long.

Truly amazing...concealed from the air.

The memory of our hidden play ground continues to haunt me as their purpose is a true unknown to all but the few who saw them.....but....who saw them ?

I have discussed this with classmates....no one ever saw or heard of them.

War time security ?

Undoubtedly they remain a true mystery ....overgrown... in an obscure location of absolutely no interest to anyone.

Most peculiar....

CC to Danny Scaia who hopefully will pass this on to our SHS Class of '64 website.

Possibly, but highly doubtful, someone may have some insight.

Overwhelmingly curious to see a response.

Thank you for your time.

Stay well,

Bob [Zajac]