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Magee has always been known for “The block,” the area that circles Main Street and the library. I imagine many of you did not know, but there was a very popular “block” in the late 50’s and early 60’s enjoyed by a group of friends who were “raising” their children together.
Clovis and Yvonne Jones (now deceased), Diane and the late Joe McPhail, Pete and Marsha Russell, Jean and the late Jimmy Hall, Joe and Joyce Barnes, Mary and the late Gaynell Evans, Ralph and Ancie Ruth (Riley) Jones, Bobby and Jean Quick, and Janie (McAlpin) and the late John Berry all lived on the “block.” Every night, after putting their children to bed, the couples would bring their chairs and meet in the middle of the street and sit and talk for hours. (Probably because there were no cell phones!)
Fred Kennedy built most of the homes in that area.
The “block” was located at what was then the end of 5th avenue….now, 5th avenue is the street that runs in front of Hand’s Nursery, Peoples Bank, McDonald’s etc…only the street ended near Neely Dental Clinic…beyond that was fields…no highway…just big beautiful fields of grass and oak trees (can you even imagine.)
No one really traveled the block unless they lived on the block! …again, the road didn’t go anywhere!
Approximately twenty children lived on the block. Pete Russell and the men fenced in a vacant lot where the children could play….and those kids played from day light to dark…these children had plenty of “mamas” who were watching what they did and taking care of any problems. Food was available for the children at all houses. “If someone went to the store,” laughed Joyce Barnes, “they brought treats for 20 children!” No one was “left behind”….the block was truly a village for these young people…and adults.
Slowly, the block families moved to other places in the city of Magee…and other cities…Joe and Joyce were the first to move. The last family to move was Gaynell and Mary Evans who had lived on the block for forty-three years. Gaynell and Mary moved to Taylorsville to be near their son Mack…Gaynell died several years ago. Mary is still going strong in Taylorsville.
Ancie Ruth Jones Riley and her husband Sonny…still live on the “block.”…well, Sonny does. Ancie Ruth is now in the nursing home.
Hearing Pete Russell tell about “the way it was” in Magee during that time period was a visual walk through history. Imagine standing at the street near Family Vision Clinic and looking into a field…no highway 49…no McDonald’s…only God’s beautiful creations.
During the “block” time, Pete became the City Clerk of Magee and later the Mayor. His wife Marsha is 17 years younger. He told how he married her when she was 17…and when they went to buy their first house, he had to have her declared “legal.!” The guys would all tease Pete and tell him he had to go home and change Marsha’s diapers!
Diane and Joe McPhail were the “young ones” on the block. They had fun “learning” from their neighbors.
Bobby and Jean Quick have a booth at the Flea Market on highway 49 near Donna’s #6.
Jean lives in the country…..ha…but continues to enjoy her children and grandchildren plus her “group.” Jean has been twice widowed and lost a son…her “group” stood with her.
With the birth of each child…the death of a loved one…the group stood firm…and now years later the group has made a pack to began “meeting” on a regular basis.
Different families…different family members…but one thing never changed…the love for one another.
Truly….friends forever.
Pictured: Jean Hall, Diane McPhail, Jean and Bobby Quick, Mary Evans, Pete and Marsha Russell and Joe and Joyce Barnes