Northeast View – 1907
July, 2007
Northeast View from 328 Ridgewood, 1907
> click to enlarge
This photo of Homestead Valley was taken in 1907 looking northeast from 328 Ridgewood. Note the two identical cabins near the center of the photo. Later, these two cabins were combined when the space between them was filled in. Still later, the house was raised to make a two-story house with 2500 sq. ft. of living area. The result of this evolution can be seen at 254 Evergreen. The two original cabins are easily recognized.
The large house on the right is on the corner of Montford and Lillian Lane. It was built in 1905. Arthur and Mary Dowdell and their five children lived there. Lillian Lane is named for their youngest daughter born in 1902. She and her husband, Charley Mott, lived there for many years. In the 1960s, Charley was well known to Homesteaders for his generosity. Every spring, he placed vegetable seedlings in cut off milk cartons in front of his house with a sign indicating they were free for the taking.
The large brown house at the top of the photo is the Robertson house at the end of Robertson Terrace. The white building on the left is the Robertson’s barn, now a red house on Molino.
In the foreground is Melrose Ave. then called Avery Street. The trees running from left to right in the middle of the photo are along Reed Creek. Note the general lack of trees elsewhere.
If you have comments or questions about this article or other topics
pertaining to the history of Homestead Valley,
please feel free to e-mail Chuck Oldenburg.