The Best Time in Anderson or In Your Life

[Palehorse]

  I don't know when Anderson first meet General Motors, but for many years it was a good match.  My dad came over the state line from Celina, Ohio.  He had been working for Heinz pickles there and came over to Anderson to work for GM 1942.

  The wages he made working for Heinz was pathetic compared to GM's.  It sure change his life and his family's life.

I have no doubt that this was true for a LOT of people in the area; including my own father/brother in law and their families. But the reality is that when a city/town/municipality come to rely on the revenue stream(s) generated by big business, it creates a very false sense of security and "entitlement" when it comes to local governance and the populace; and that is a disaster waiting to happen, dependent upon the whims of business leadership.

The declines of municipalities nationwide should have demonstrated this, however America is also addicted to delusional thinking and repeating history it would seem. . . Anderson is just the local example of this. . .

GM moved out of Anderson a long time ago, well before the cutting edge of the sword impacted the nation. One would assume that it would have prepared its citizens for the business end of the national decline, and enabled us to better weather the brunt of the storm; however, this is clearly not the case. Instead the populace engaged, (and to a large degree STILL engage), in playing the victim card, constantly picking at the scab on the gaping wound GM inflicted upon the community, and refusing to let it heal.

Yes, I am sure the glory days of General Motors were indeed plentiful, and while sad to realize they are over, the only cure for it is to suck it up, face reality, and stop wallowing in our collective sorrows!

Our local leadership over the last decade or so, has "banked" on obtaining that "replacement entity" to fill the gaping hole; often basing their political campaigns on that very promise. We would have been better served to have bitten the bullet, and engaged in adjusting our municipal operations and budget toward existence within actual and current revenue generation figures, instead of raping the population in order to conduct business as usual. . . Again, delusional thinking. . .

Figures released today document the fact that average property values in the area have declined an additional 6% over last years valuations; yet our local tax bills reflect a 10% increase (on average) of accessed valuation!? 

And some in this community dare to ask why there are so many "empty" homes around? 

[Anne]

I'm not sure when GM became a big employer in Anderson, but my Grandfather and some uncles worked at Delco in the 30s. Guide was here then too. They made machine guns and a single shot throwaway gun that they shipped to France during WWII.

[The Troll]

I have no doubt that this was true for a LOT of people in the area; including my own father/brother in law and their families. But the reality is that when a city/town/municipality come to rely on the revenue stream(s) generated by big business, it creates a very false sense of security and "entitlement" when it comes to local governance and the populace; and that is a disaster waiting to happen, dependent upon the whims of business leadership.

The declines of municipalities nationwide should have demonstrated this, however America is also addicted to delusional thinking and repeating history it would seem. . . Anderson is just the local example of this. . .

GM moved out of Anderson a long time ago, well before the cutting edge of the sword impacted the nation. One would assume that it would have prepared its citizens for the business end of the national decline, and enabled us to better weather the brunt of the storm; however, this is clearly not the case. Instead the populace engaged, (and to a large degree STILL engage), in playing the victim card, constantly picking at the scab on the gaping wound GM inflicted upon the community, and refusing to let it heal.

Yes, I am sure the glory days of General Motors were indeed plentiful, and while sad to realize they are over, the only cure for it is to suck it up, face reality, and stop wallowing in our collective sorrows!

Our local leadership over the last decade or so, has "banked" on obtaining that "replacement entity" to fill the gaping hole; often basing their political campaigns on that very promise. We would have been better served to have bitten the bullet, and engaged in adjusting our municipal operations and budget toward existence within actual and current revenue generation figures, instead of raping the population in order to conduct business as usual. . . Again, delusional thinking. . .

Figures released today document the fact that average property values in the area have declined an additional 6% over last years valuations; yet our local tax bills reflect a 10% increase (on average) of accessed valuation!? 

And some in this community dare to ask why there are so many "empty" homes around? 

  Your right about banking your life of big business.  I remember TV show where they went out into the central area of the country and showed little towns empty.  Gas stations, banks, elevators, tractor  and farm supply stores, grocery stores and everything closed down.   Because the banks and the super rich and large corporations own all of the land.  Putting the life of these towns, the small farmer out of business.  With acres and acres of ground laying fallow.  The greed of the super rich is unending.

[Y]

I loved Owens ice cream. My sister and I would walk there for choclate ice cream cones when we visited our aunt and uncle who lived on 27th street.

Who were they and where on 27th did they live.  My grandparents lived on 26th across from National Tile and owned a house on 27th which I bought from them and lived in for years.

[Y]

Well if you was in there between 1978 and 1979.....we may have crossed paths.....I had a blast working there....made some great friends. 
Troll, did you ever have one of the Roast Beef sandwiches?.....they were classic!!

Dropped in quite often since I didn't live far from there and would also take my grandparents there on occasion.  G-ma was diabetic and really wasn't supposed to have their wares. 

[Y]

  Sure do, they were tender and had just the right bite of spice to put it over the top.  I often wondered what that spice was.   The next best roast beefs was at Jimmy's in Pendleton, Art's roast beef with green  pepper and Scampy's roast beef with green  pepper. 

  Wasn't there a Owens over on what is now Martin Luther King road.  Down from where the Pontiac dealership was.

  You know I really feel bad when I talk about Anderson and all of the good places gone.  I am afraid it will never and I mean never be what Anderson use to be.

Jimmy's has fantastic BBQ sammys!

The BT Owens you're talking about was on Pendleton Ave. and Lincoln.  I used to stop there a lot because the evening paper routes - the Anderson Bulletin and the Indianapolis News - finished up close to there.

I'm sad too about Anderson.  It will never be what it was when I was growing up and before.

[Y]

Mmmmmm.... Arts Roast Beef and Sausage Sammiches. 

When I had a business north of Art's on Broadway I used to lunch on those a lot - preferably the Italian sausage.   

[Y]

I have no doubt that this was true for a LOT of people in the area; including my own father/brother in law and their families. But the reality is that when a city/town/municipality come to rely on the revenue stream(s) generated by big business, it creates a very false sense of security and "entitlement" when it comes to local governance and the populace; and that is a disaster waiting to happen, dependent upon the whims of business leadership...

Most of Anderson's problems have usually been of their own making.  Anderson wasted much of the natural gas resources it had which created the first big boom.  During the second boom, Anderson decided to put all of it's eggs in the GM basket and basically turned it's back on the other myriad industries in town.  After an early 70's (IIRC on the timeframe off the top of my head) strike in Anderson which shut down GM nationwide, GM decided they were not ever going to let that happen again and started the process of moving out (it took them 30 years but they succeeded).  By that time most, if not all, of the other neglected industries had moved on so there was nothing left for Anderson to fall back on.

Now, anyone with any real prospects has left for greener pastures (if there's really any to be found in this business culture and economic climate) which leaves the bottom of the local social strata and others with no foreseeable viable options for relocation, and they're the ones keeping what's left of Anderson afloat.  If you think Anderson looks like a war zone now, just wait till that group gains the option to flee.

Unfortunately, with special interest groups like LEO's seemingly being the only ones able to be elected to run Anderson, I don't look for anything but a further downward spiral while Anderson waits to be fully engulfed as an Indianapolis bedroom community/suburb.

[Y]

I'm not sure when GM became a big employer in Anderson, but my Grandfather and some uncles worked at Delco in the 30s. Guide was here then too. They made machine guns and a single shot throwaway gun that they shipped to France during WWII.

GM really took off in the late 30's with the union and improvement in the economy during the 40's and of course with all the workers needed for the war effort.  Then with the end of the war everyone needed and wanted a car through to the building of the Interstate system when we became a travel nation.

[incognito]

WHEN THE STARS OF THOSE DAYS WERE IN THE AREA!

THE WESTSIDE WAS THEIR PARTY TERRITORY!

[incognito]

YOU'D BE AMAZED AT THE ONES I HAVE SEEN AND MET FROM THOSE DAYS!

IN SOME OF THE VERY HOMES THAT STILL EXIST ON THE WESTSIDE!

[Henry Hawk]

YOU'D BE AMAZED AT THE ONES I HAVE SEEN AND MET FROM THOSE DAYS!

IN SOME OF THE VERY HOMES THAT STILL EXIST ON THE WESTSIDE!

Please share....

[Y]

WHEN THE STARS OF THOSE DAYS WERE IN THE AREA!

THE WESTSIDE WAS THEIR PARTY TERRITORY!

Didn't a lot of them play that bar which sat on the Southwest corner of 16th and Madison?  The Blue Note?

[incognito]

I NEVER REALIZED HOW WELL KNOWN THE BLUE NOTE WAS!

UNTIL I ENTERED THE MILITARY!

I NEVER REALIZED HOW WELL KNOWN THE WESTSIDE OF ANDERSON WAS UNTIL THAT TIME EITHER!

YES THE BLUE NOTE THE CEDAR LOUNGE AND THE SPACE CLUB!

AND THE SKATING RINK ON MOSS ISLAND ROAD!

WHEN THEY PERFORMED HERE!

THE WESTSIDE WAS THE ONLY PART OF TOWN THEY WERE ALLOWED IN!

[Y]

Yeah, back when there was factory money in this town - even on the West Side. 

I can't remember where the Cedar Lounge was, or I'm not associating the name with the location/building.  The Space Club I don't think I've ever heard of, where was it?  I remember the old Moss Island Road skating rink.  It was a roadhouse back in the day.