Wallace Christmas Past-When A House Was A Home

We were so excited. We were moving to the big time. There were two streets in Wallace that had kind of prestigious addresses, King Street and Cedar Street. We were moving to Cedar Street. Ah yes, the rich street where doctors, lawyers and the giants of the mining industry lived.
We lived right next door to HJ Hull of Hull, Hull, and Hull. Straight across the street were the Rices, and two bankers who actually owned the First National Bank of Wallace. The next block down had Dr. Fitzgerald, Dr. Dyer, and other mining executives. One block up had Dr. Ellis and Henry L Day of Day Mines. Yes, indeed, we had arrived.

OK, we were not rich by any stretch of the imagination. My Dad was a miner. So, what we doing nestled between all of these rich folks? Well, you see, my Dad wanted to give us a home that we would be proud of, and what a home it was! No, it was not like the glass mansions of today, it was old, very, very old, but oh so full of charm and personality. We had four bedrooms, a full kitchen, an old-fashioned pantry with actual flour and vegetable bins, a dining room, a living room, french doors, two bathrooms, and an elegant staircase with a rich wood banister that lead to the bedrooms on the second floor. We had to pay a king's ransom to purchase it. Dad paid a whole $9,500.00.Try to buy even a garage for that price in today's market!

The difference between then and now is not just the price, but you see, my Dad gave us a home, not just a house.Now, so many buy houses, but they don't buy homes, and there is a vast difference. Cedar Street was a home, and I still get misty eyed when I drive past that old house on Cedar. When I was in my thirties, my folks sold the old place and moved to Osburn because the house on Cedar was simply way too big for an aging couple to maintain. I was so sad when they moved, but the memories of Cedar Street will never die in my heart.Every Christmas, wherever I am living, I think of Cedar Street, and my heart grows warm. That old house is Christmas to me.

For you see, we had a home, not a house.