We usually stopped here to clean up after our adventure at Devil’s Backbone. Today I look back and am sorry for whoever had to clean up after us. I apologize.

The Clark Station on Mitchell, this was ‘Our Gangs’ pit stop on the way home from playing at Devil’s Backbone. My cousins and I would spend the day playing dirt clod war at ‘Bird Heaven’ or playing at mountain climbing on the 12th street side or sliding down the grassy steep hill on cardboard or once we used a hood of a car we found dumped up there. On windy days we would go up top and fly kites nearly to heaven. All this play time at Devil’s Backbone came with ‘getting dirty’ and I mean dirty beyond ANY mother’s tolerance. We would stop at the Clark Station to ‘Wash up’ before going home. I now pity the person who had to clean that restroom after we finished. Upon reaching home, my Aunt was still like “Oh You Kids!” and hose us down before allowing us in the house to bathe. LOL it was all fun and we still laugh about it these about sixty years later.

Always a fun day on the slides at Krug Park. Best on cool days or when the shade was on that side. But a Sunny and hot day would be good if you had a towel or long pants

Though I could not find real pictures of Devil’s Backbone in St. Joe, MO, this is a close representation of where we loved to play. Complete with a couple of caves dug out by generations of kids who played there and a treacherous pathway connecting the two. The fun was over when a young boy was killed in a cave in at the larger dugout in the mid sixties. Then the ‘Backbone’ was torn down. Leveled to not even what could be considered a mound.

Sidewalks were not our style, not when traversing the rails got us there quicker and with a better view usually. Under Wyeth Hill we found what used to be a watering station for the old Steam Engines. There was still cool spring water flowing freely from a pipe sticking out of the hillside. We placed a penny or a dime there because we heard the train running over it would stretch it out immensely. Later I had nightmares because I was told it could also cause the train to derail. What a mean thing to say to a kid, oh well.

I still dream of riding in the car through Krug Park. Many fun times there, more than playgrounds, there were ducks and fish to feed, lily ponds to dive into and shady pine woods that you cool off in and come out smelling good and of course there was the swimming pool across the street.

One of our favorite places anywhere and we didn’t get dirty! The Indian Graveyard collection. The Columbian artifacts, a room of beautiful black and painted Chinese furniture. The stuffed animals and birds. The bear scared me every time and I loved the tiny humming-bird with her nest and eggs. One of my most favorite was the mineral collection where you turned on the black light to see the exquisite beauty of every stone. I love rocks and attribute that to the museum. You had to sign the register upon each visit and I could bet my name is there hundreds of times. The St. Joseph Museum until not so long ago. No one appreciates the old stuff anymore.

Wyeth Hill Park, overlooking the Missouri River. This is how we got high in the day! I thank God for the days before drugs were common place.

When we were in travel mode, there was no going home for a drink or sandwich. We were truly on our own, so if we hadn’t planned ahead and brought hot dogs or bologna with a loaf of bread, we made it through otherwise. There were water fountains at all the parks so we weren’t going to be dehydrated, and if there wasn’t a fountain on our adventure sometimes local businesses would let us come in and get a drink from the cooler. Sometimes our trips were near the Ice Factory and that was a special cool off and maybe a chunk of ice to boot. The milkman was always a great source for a chunk of ice as well. Being hungry wasn’t a life threatening deal, because supper was just a short way off and if you had a little bit of money the traveling Jolly Roger was good for an ice cream or popsicle treat or the Tamale man might just be going your way that day. Life was good, I can’t remember ever being bored.

Free ranging was a fact of life for most children back then. That didn’t mean there weren’t any rules. Number one was ‘Mind your Manners’ everywhere you go. Stay out of trouble, on the shady side of the street, buddy up always! Try never to be alone and ranging. My mother went beyond the ‘Stranger Danger’ rule even in those days. She said that unless she had given US specific permission, we were NOT to go off with even people we knew. Yet, that did not cause me to fear being out and about, it just told me that it’s important to be aware of your surroundings, Always! I wouldn’t change that.

I don’t believe there are more dangers for children now than there were then. I just believe the Village is smaller, no one keeps an eye out for the little ones like they did then. We knew a lot of people! Life has become different, because there isn’t a Mom at home waiting and watching for the kids to return from play, or calling them in at Supper time. Even when the parent(s) are home they would rather have their child safely tucked in front of the TV or Video Game and out of their hair. I really wasn’t going anywhere beyond reminiscing with this. But, It was good to visit these fun aspects of my childhood. Playing is Learning! Sometimes a child needs to be learning what is right and wrong by playing and interacting with everyday life. Belonging to a group of peers, even if they are all family is important. Sometimes grownups just get in the way of playing and learning the really good stuff.