Hello Garden Home History Friends,
Thank you to all of you who have responded so nicely to our monthly Updates about Garden Home history. We depend on you for your stories and photos! We hope you’ll enjoy the following new stories.
St. Patrick’s Day in Garden Home! Enjoy this front yard display on SW 84th!
St Patricks yard display on SW 84th Ave
Where did these street names come from? Here are a few names from the south side of Garden Home Road: (the north side next time)
- Godwin Court (off of Alden): Jack Godwin grew up on Westgard, now SW 87th to become a builder in the area. Here is Jack as a boy on his pet burro, Babe.
- Skyhar Street (west off of SW Oleson): The Skyhar family owned much of the area around Garden Home Park.
- Holly Lane: Although the three early 1950s homes were built in a filbert orchard, Holly Lane was a short path in the newly platted Hollyhurst Addition, off of SW 87th.
- Shirley Lane and SW 88th Avenue (originally Dorothy Lane): Shirley Johnson was the daughter of the 1950’s Gust Johnson service station owner at the SW corner of the intersection. Her sister, the famous Dorothy Johnson is shown here, circa 1955, with the SW 88th sign that was to bear her name. However, the U.S. Post Office decreed that certain street names be changed to numbers. Dorothy Johnson lives in Florida and we enjoy her notes and love for Garden Home.
Jack Godwin on Babe the burro in front of Godwin home on Westgard Ave (now SW 87th)
Dorothy waving at street sign (now SW 88th Ave)
Congratulations to the Garden Home Gardeners for the new sign indicating their care of our many SW Oleson median gardens. This garden graces the middle of Oleson at Skyhar. The garden at Oleson and 80th has been cleaned up, ready for the spring and summer blooms covering the utility equipment.
Garden Home Gardeners – Adopt-A-Road sign
Firlock Lane: Although the street is now named SW 78th Ave., it was the route to the Firlock Station, a stop for the Oregon Electric train which also had an elevated platform for Aaron Frank’s horses to board for their trips to horse shows in California or New York. You may also have an old can of Firlock Paint, which was developed by Carlo Poutala in the 1970s.
Poutala, Firlock Paints
Stay safe and well,
Elaine Shreve
Elaine Shreve
