Wednesday, June 8, 2016

Thoughts of Home - Memories of Moments in my Childhood

The Tappan Zee Bridge on Tarrytown NY 



Above is the Tappan Zee Bridge in Tarrytown NY a 3 mile span across the Hudson River.  Construction was started in March of 1952 and opened in December of 1955, 60 years ago.  It is a busy bridge and when 1st built it was the Longest span at that time.  I remember Opening day well - I was 13 years old at that time. What a celebration! We lived on Taxter Road in Elmsford just about 3 miles from the Bridge.  Mom, Dad, my Brothers and I all attended.  We walked to the Center of the Bridge and looked out over the Hudson.  It was exciting to look down to the water below, what a beautiful sight the shores on both sides were.  Today they are constructing a New Tappan Zee Bridge just North of the Old Bridge to be completed the end of 2018.  Of course it will be wider and Grander than the Old bridge with 4 lanes each way. Perhaps I could be present for the opening of the new bridge... Full circle... It should be a grand and glorious day... but the old bridge will still have my heart and I will remember it fondly...  

 In 2013 My youngest daughter Elizabeth and I visited my brothers in NY and we took a trip to my old homestead on Taxter Road and Traveled over the Old Tappan Zee Bridge.  Of course the landscape was very much changed and almost unrecognizable.
 Here are some pictures of the area on taxter road that I lived at... Our neighbors old mailbox is seen strapped by a metal band to the tree of the driveway that connected our house to the house on the hill above. 

 The next picture shows where our old well used to be.  Now reclaimed by the woods that surrounded the area leaving only the surrounding rocks recognizable by me.  




 The trodden down pathway was the driveway leadng to the house, overgrown with grass, sticks, underbrush and young trees were open driveway where a house and a garage stood.













This part of the property was circled by the driveway.  I remember the large rock barley seen now were I used to love to lay on to read as a young girl.  Dad had his vegetable garden here and later after I married my husband built a train track around the perimeter were my youngest child of 2 would ride it.  

Wow! Memories - it's amazing what time and nature will do to reclaim itself.   

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