Magna Stroll

After our cemetery adventure the other day, the three of us (Molly, Jack, and I) meandered around old Magna.  No one was looking, so I decided to take photos of the three old houses that have significance to me.  There are other old houses in Magna that other old relatives lived in, I know, but I couldn't tell you where they were or what they looked like.  These houses have seen various stages of repair and decay through my lifetime, but right now they are all in pretty decent shape.  Here is the 2014 photo report on the three that I do know.

House #1 - The Petersen Home

This home belonged to my great grandma and great grandma - Myrtle N. and Van C. Petersen.  I grew up going to this house.  It was small and had one large living room across the whole front of the house.  The living room was very neat and very proper.  There were lots of doilies, small ceramic dolls and a TV.  There was a small kitchen, one small bedroom, and a bathroom along the back of the house.  There was also a narrow covered porch behind the kitchen.  The house had a basement.  If my memory is correct, my grandpa dug the basement himself to make bedrooms for he and my aunt Delores.  The stairs weren't level and it was scary.  I honestly only remember going down there once and it was after Myrtle died and my mom, Annie, and I went over briefly to talk to my dad and see what the progress on the clean up was.  That's it!

House #2 - The Chipman Home

This home belonged to my other great grandma and grandpa - Asenath Moyle and Clarke Chipman.  I have never been inside this house, but have driven past it on many occasions.  We used to stop by and visit a lady (Mrs. Mahlstrom?) on the 4th of July to see how she was doing.  She had rose bushes.  My parents knew her because they had actually lived in this house when they were first married and up through when Annie was born. (I know there are several baby pictures of my sister that show this inside of this house.  They are in photo albums in my mom's basement).  By the time I was born, they had moved into our Lake Ridge house.  My dad also spent much time here growing up because I think he was a brat and my grandma would ship him out to Asenath's on many occasions, especially during the summer (both grandpa Van Grandpa Clark and my Grandpa Petersen had passed away).  I think he also went there many times after school (Brockbank or Cyprus) and he worked with Asenath as an evening sweeper at one of the local schools.  This street is easy to remember because it is behind the football field and up from Bill's Lounge (now the Bear Den).

House #3 - The Other Petersen Home

This home belonged to my grandma and grandpa - Ardith and Dewaine Petersen.  My dad was born while his family lived in this home.  It is just up the street and on the other side of 3100 South from Grandma and Grandpa Chipman's House.  When my dad was around the age of 5, they built and moved out to the house on Hunter where my Grandma lived until the late 1990's (I think?).  I have one memory of going out to this house and doing some kind of clean up project.  I think my grandma may have rented it out.  I don't really know. (There are several photographs and home movies from Thanksgivings and Christmases inside this house)