Where to Start, Here

As this is my first blog I am not sure where to start. OH yes HERE would be a good starting point.

Growing up in Mingo Junction was the best of all possible starts. At the time I was born Mingo was a thriving small town on the Ohio River. The railroad and steel mill were working at their peak and life seemed to be good for everyone. Before we moved into our house on Parr Avenue we lived on the Bottom and in the Hole. What? How can that be? I can't find either one on the map. Well it is true. In Mingo the first place to be settled was the was the Mingo Bottom. It was a flat place right next to the river. It was only two streets running east and west and 3 streets running north and south.  The main street into the Bottom (and the only street in or out) was State Street.  I believe that this is where the Mingo Indians settled. My dads father and mother lived on the Bottom and owned two homes there.  One was on the corner of State and Wheeling where my grand parents lived and the other was right at the river on Cleveland just north of where the sower water ran into the river. My grand parents house was a two story house.  As you entered on the right front you entered the living room of front room.  Walking in to the right was a door way to the kitchen and the steps up to the second floor of which I have very little memory.  My last memory of the house was when my grandmother died.  At that time the had the wakes in the home.  I can remember it very well.I have some memories of that that I will go into at another time. The Hole was where my mother's father lived. It was on the west side of Cross Creek.  Just before the creek there was a road that went off to the right of Commercial right past the entrance to the Mingo Stadium.  You would pass underneath the railroad tracks and just beyond was a house on the right that belonged to my mothers uncle XXXXX.  Just after passing his house the road made a went down to my grandfathers.  Off the left on the way in was his garden that was a good size and we always had good tomatoes.  As we got to the house the first thing on the left just before the house was a big ??????? covered with a very big grape vine.  You could drive your car under the ?????.  The front of the house had a porch that ran the whole length of the house.  Just behind the house was a garage located just past the ?????.  I never saw a car in the garage but I am sure that that is what it was.  The house was a two story house.  My grandfather made it into a duplex and the Pitineos lived on the far side.  Mary and Lupee and 3 or 4 of the girls.  Mary taught my mother how to make tortias and re fried beans.  Also very good Mexican chilly.  was surrounded by slag hills on the other three sides. Until my mom and dad bought their house on Parr Avenue we had lived in both places.

Parr Avenue is in Mingo Junction but in an area known as George's Run. I am not sure why it is called that but I will get an answer and let you know later.

This is just the start so look out there will be more to come.