Name the new Wagon Bridge
Many of us (me for example) grew up on the hill in South Newport. (Before Political Correctness, it was called Dago Hill.) One way to get to Newport High was to go all the way down Grandview Ave, turn left down a steep hill and then across a wooden bridge over the railroad tracks which turned right and ended at Columbia Ave (I think). Then down Columbia to the school
I recall walking to high school almost every day with a small group and "kicking a can" all the way. My parents had to keep resoleing my scuffed shoes because of the wear.
At any rate, the wooden bridge is long gone and a new concrete bridge has replaced it.
Larry Weier, 1949, brought to our attention that the bridge is NOT named and a contest is in effect to come up with a name. The following items are messages regarding this activity.
Jerry
First Created July 11, 2002
Input from Larry Weier 11/7/00 1946
Jerry: Please pass along this
message to our alums.
Thanks to about a dozen responses
from alums in our directory and to extensive research on the Internet, I was
able to put together a viable and impressive contest entry suggestiong Eddie
Arcaro as the person to be honored by having the Wagon Bridge named after him.
Peg Goodrich & Pauline Venneman
put me in touch with Eddie's sister, Evelyn Arcaro Maggio, who lives in Ft.
Thomas. We talked by phone and she confirmed that the family did, in fact, live
in South Newport at 2325 Joyce Avenue, then referred to as Clifton.
Interesting note: There are TWO
Joyce Avenues in Southgate. One refrred to as "Little Joyce," the
other as "Big Joyce." "Big Joyce" is the dividing line
between Southgate and South Newport. The Arcaros lived on the side of the
street that was in South Newport, or Clifton. The opposite side of the street
was in Southgate. Eddie's sister visited the neighborhood and was kind enough
to confirm the family's former address for me.
Evelyn also related other facts to
me about the family, including their parents owning A&M Music store at 8th
& Monmouth at the time. Plus lots more. I had to condense a myriad of info
onto the single page entry form. No attachments were allowed. Thanks to PC type
fonts, I was able to submit the most pertinent info.
The contest entry deadline is Nov. 15
but no date was announced for a decision.
Again, thanks to all who responded to my plea for help.
Input from Jim Maybury 11/1/00 1962
I don't know anything about Eddie
Arcaro Birthplace but can tell you I remember the old bridge well as I walked
it many times to go home as I lived way back Grandview Ave. on the corner of
High Street, went to Grandview Elementary---Newport, Jr. High at 4th street and
Newport High graduating in 1962. used to be a restaurant/bar near me called
Hehmans played ball there in little league, also use to be a place that sat up
behind Grandview school called Sams owned and operated by Italians (I believe
last name was Santini) as my grandfather used to frequent there quite often
while he was Mayor of Newport. All this may or may not be before your time
don't know -- but all sure brings back great memories.
Input from Mary Lou Rankin Simons 11/1/00
Yes, I remember the Old Wagon
Bridge. I was raised at 1134 Central, where my mother still lives. I remember
getting run by the RR detectives, playing in the sand, playing ball, just
sitting on the steps across from Hosea's telling ghost stories.
What I remember most is one night we
had company. Two cousins (Voelker's, Johnny and Billy from Alexandria) my
brother and I thought it would be fun to ride my sisters stroller down the
middle of the Wagon Bridge. That is exactly what we did. We walked up to the
bend from Columbia, sat on the stroller and rode it down the bridge into
Twelfth Street, taking turns. If you rode it down you pushed it back up.
Of course there was no traffic, so
we didn't have to worry too much about that, but If Mom had found out she would
have killed us. We had to have a guardian angel watching us that night, but we
were kids and not afraid of anything. Kings Island could never compare to that
ride!!!
Thanks so much for doing this. I
look forward every day to checking and reading "Newport News!" So
many things, like the Wagon Bridge have brought back wonderful memories that we
tend to forget with our busy lives.
Input from Ralph Marsh 1951 11/1/00
I remember Sam Santini's place over the Wagon Bridge and playing the slots lined around the walls of the dance floor.
Input from Peg Goodrich 1938 10/31/00
I just was checking my e-mail and
when I came across yours about the Wagon Bridge and Eddie Arcaro I phoned his
sister, Evelyn Arcaro Maggio and read her the whole correspondence and she
would love to call you, Larry, and give you whatever else you want to know. He
did live on Joyce Ave. in Newport, went to Southgate Public Schools and
graduated from there from what she told me, his grandmother lived in So.
Newport. Personally, I certainly remember the Orphans Feast and all the other
memories you wrote about, my father was a railroad engineer and would toot his
whistle when he got near York Street, as we live on 15th right above York St.,
and we'd run out and wave to him as he took the train by the two foot bridges.
Do if you would e-mail me your phone number Evelyn said she'd love to call you
and give you whatever info you would like.
If you prefer to call her, her
number is 859-441-2450. I promised her I would call her as soon as I had a
response from you. Sounds like a wonderful way to honor Eddie, she said he only
received a gold key to the City of Southgate and she has it on her wall. She
lives on Newman Ave. in Ft. Thomas, still peppy and I see her every year at the
Sr. Citizen's Picnic
I still live in the same house on
15th, the view is just like from the Orphan's Home, I used to attend grade
school with the orphans from there. It's located at the top of 15th. Please
acknowledge you have received this so I can tell her.
If you have a more to add to memories of the Wagon Bridge, send them to me for sharing.
Jerry King NHS_Alumni@Mac.COM
Click to go to NHS_Choices