Anyone Moved from Fresno and Wanted to Move Back?

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oldschool
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Anyone Moved from Fresno and Wanted to Move Back?

Post by oldschool » Sun Mar 10, 2013 9:05 pm

I have not made any postings in a while, but I always check in to see anything new. I was raised between Easton and Raisin City. My Grand Parents lived in Raisin City and later Caruthers. You guessed it, I lived out in nowhere land. My parents had a small farm. A big treat was to go into Fresno and deliver the produce. I remember when West Fresno was decent. They even had a cool GoCart shop on California Ave. There was a place near Church and Elm Ave that would make Eight Track Tapes for us. I never had a problem. I remember when Fulton was a street also. I have a lot of memories to list which I will put on the other topic.

My question is: Has anyone moved from Fresno? Away to another town, city, or to another state and never moved back? In 1973, my parents and I moved to Northern California around Truckee. It was a culture shock, let me tell you. My father missed farming. My mom loved it. I had a love hate deal as there was no employment except at lumber mills. And they started closing down. I always worked off and on in the Bay Area. Never liked the big city life. I would moved back when I was laid off only to not find work in these mountain towns. My parents have passed away since. In 1999 I got a stupid idea to move. I moved to Arizona. It is really a culture shock. And its a cesspool to say the least. The last time I have been back to Fresno was in 2006. It sure is not the way it was around 1973.

Everyone in Arizona is from three places: 1. Southern California, 2.The Midwest, 3.The East Coast. Some people from the Midwest and East Coast have never been to California, people in Tucson have never heard of Fresno either. Also many people will make smart remarks about Fresno. And some not to nice. Maybe I am stuck in time, but I miss Fresno very much. The Central Valley has much to offer. Oh yeah, when I was in Fresno in 2006 I purchased a bunch of shirts at Walgreen's that said "Fresno" on them and gave them out in Tucson. The guy at the store made a comment, "We have never sold that many shirts that say Fresno ever? Someday I hope to moved back! Anyone else move away?

oldschool

flwbdw
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by flwbdw » Sun Apr 14, 2013 9:19 am

I know what you mean. My parents moved from Santa Maria to Fresno in 1951 when I was two. I attended Burroughs, KC and Roosevelt. I left Fresno in 1968 for the Navy and lived in the SF bay area for 4 years. I lived there for another 5 years until I got tired of crowded city life and moved to the Napa Valley in 1979. Been here ever since. I had always thought about moving back when I was in the service and would make regular trips to visit my parents until they died. I still visit there to this day as my daughter and granddaughter still live there.

I think Fresno today is a nice place to visit, lots of entertainment, restaurants, close to the mountains etc. but it's now a big city and that's not for me. Would I ever move back? No. Most of the places in my memory are gone now and the area I grew up in I wouldn't drive through during the day let alone at night. There will always be a place in my heart for Fresno and I still enjoy visiting it. Fortunately my daughter lives off Herndon about 5 miles from 99 so I don't have battle much traffic getting there. I let her drive me around town.

ironchef77

Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by ironchef77 » Sat Jul 27, 2013 2:49 pm

I was born in Fresno in 1977.I spent my whole childhood in Central CA. My Grandparents lived in Sanger, and my cousins lived in Del Rey. My mouth waters just thinking of all the fresh fruit we used to eat all summer. I can't believe that I now pay for things like peaches, plums, and even lemons. I even worked in a packing house in Selma for a summer. I moved to east coast after high school ( FHS C/O '95!!) to follow my dream. I have lived in Virginia, Rhode Island, and Florida. I currently live in Northern VA. about 20 minutes outside of Washington D.C.. I am a chef and it always makes me a little homesick when my produce order comes in and I see names like Kingsburg, Tulare, and Madera on the boxes. Even though I have been out here half my life now I still think of Fresno as home... I hope to move back some day and maybe open a restaurant

TomConnolly
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by TomConnolly » Thu Aug 15, 2013 9:27 am

I left Fresno for San Francisco in 2006. I still have a lot of great memories in Fresno, but the summer heat is enough to stop me from voluntarily moving back. When I do go back to visit family, I go past all the old places and sad to see it's all changed, not for the better either. Cedar Lanes closed. Valley Children's Hospital closed. Blackstone is one big mess of used car lots, tattoo shops, massage parlors, fast food and check cashing places. Sometimes it's better to reminisce about the old days than learn that they're gone for good.

Rodney
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by Rodney » Mon Aug 19, 2013 9:39 pm

Anything that was EVER charming about Fresno has long since been paved over. Go back? WHYYYY?

Ed Webbo

Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by Ed Webbo » Tue Aug 20, 2013 8:45 am

The summer heat is less a problem for me than tulle fog.It's aggravating to know that above the inversion layer there is sunshine and warmer weather. Why go back even if Fresno is no longer the best little city in America?How about seeing familiar people and places, jaded ex-Fresnan?Try to go down Christmas Tree Lane and appreciate people trying to bring joy and beauty to people they don't know.They haven't completely paved over paradise and put up a parking lot. P.S.I live at a northern latitude and it's a pleasure to see magnolias in Fresno blooming in February or to go down the Blossom Trail in early spring. Thanks for asking "Why?"

Guitar1j
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by Guitar1j » Wed Aug 28, 2013 12:45 am

I grew up in Fresno, in the Westside, when the West Side wasn't so good. But the memory of running (cross country) to Kearney Park from Sunset neighborhood can never be erased. There is something about being poor that makes your sense of things more urgent, more pronounced. We understood what people felt about us; no shoes, no shirts, crushed grapes in our hair. I don't even remember ever seeing a white person, unless they were in that TV in that horrible looking wooden cabinet. And when I did come across anglo people (forced bussing) I would say, "look, Jan Brady!" Yes, West Fresno was comprised of Blacks and a few Mexicans. There no blondies and that was the way it was designed, I suppose. But, poverty gave us just enough, to enjoy Melo's Ice Cream on Fresno Street.

The banana splits were incredible and, if I remember correctly, they were 65 cents. Very cool. And then, there was Payless Market, where we bought pickled pigs feet. Louie Key Market on Ventura Blvd.,, where my dad got the, once a week, round steak. I remember my mother never let us go to Wayne's Liquor store, on California Street, because it was "too dangerous." What my mom failed to note, was that we walked passed it every day, when walking home from Franklin Elementary. We used to buy green apple candy there and then we'd walk over to the Fruit Stand, where they sold hand full's of peanuts. I loved the West Side and, while I would never go back, you are right, my memories seem to overshadow anything that may be going on there now.

mkw
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by mkw » Fri Sep 06, 2013 2:15 pm

Louie Kee market is still in business -on Tulare Avenue , where it has been for decades - now run by Kee Louie's grandson, Kevin Louie.

Steve H.
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by Steve H. » Mon Jul 28, 2014 8:31 am

I was born in Fresno at St. Agnes Hospital in 1949. I first lived on the West Side on Lily Avenue. We moved to 2813 North Cedar Ave. in the 50's. We were the second house from the corner of N. Cedar and Princeton. Where McLane High is now was a vineyard. Further down were a lot of Boysenberries. In the other direction was farm land and then Harpain's Dairy. The next development was Fresno State. Fresno State was the best place to go roller skating because it had the smoothest cement. We all wore skate keys around our necks all summer long. Next door to us were the English's. George was a truck driver. Behind us were the Kalkowski's. Kal was the head officer at the Air National Guard. His kids, Perry, Bruce, and Kevin were great. Elaine Kalkowski was like a neighborhood mother to all of the kids. We moved to Sacramento in 1961 and around here we still live.

res704
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Re: Has anyone moved from Fresno?

Post by res704 » Tue Dec 16, 2014 12:24 pm

Born also at St. Agnes in 1952. Lived in Fresno for 20 years and then started moving within the state and then around the country. Returned to California in 2004 (Bay Area) and still visit Fresno often to see my sister. Things have really changed. It is not really my old home town anymore.
McLane class of 1970

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