My Neighborhood/My Hometown

At 230 SW Ellsworth Street in Albany Is a piece of history in the form of an old train car. Sitting in Downtown Albany for decades, it has become a must-see of any visit to the city. It is almost impossible to miss and difficult to look away from, adding to the ambiance of the cityscape. Glowing under the light of a mid-autumn afternoon, it is a darker, almost maroon red. A walk around the building reveals an old train crossing sign, perhaps from its past days delivering passengers across the state of Oregon and country. The building doesn't have an obvious name and it doesn't have any obvious function, but it does have chairs and tables inside, leading one to guess that it is or used to be a coffee shop. Passers-by in the city might have an opinion on its aesthetics or its part of the identity of the city, but the train car certainly seems here to stay. As much a reminder of Oregon's past as a landmark, the old train car in Downtown Albany has stood the test of time as both a train car and a landmark, a juxtaposition of the past and present of Albany.

Jane, an employee At cronies antique shop in Downtown Albany poses with fine china align Saturday November 12. Having worked at the antique store for a number of years, Jane was happy to pose with some of the merchandise. This was not simply to create a fascinating photo for readers of this blog to enjoy, but to  advertise for the store as well, hoping to help people find interesting objects that they might want to own. It is difficult to walk around the antique store without being reminded of objects, stories, or people from one’s youth, and perhaps we all share the notion that by purchasing something from the store, we recapture our pasts. The store's objects, ranging from lapel pins to dolls to lamps to films and even furniture, would take weeks to sort through if a person were really dedicated to discovering everything that they could. Jane’s job is to both keep the store looking good and help customers find something to walk away with, but she does not find it too overwhelming. Who knows when the store, having been in Downtown Albany for a number of years, might one day become an antique itself.

On a typical Saturday we see children and families taking part in the Albany carousel. Having been part of Albany since 2002, the carousel features more than 50 hand-carved horses for individuals to enjoy. Watching families of all ages ride the horses and get their pictures taken offers a glimpse of what the community of Albany has been able to create for both visitors and denizens of the city. What seems like a simple right around a circle to the uninitiated might be a day in family history for a child or parents making the trek to the carousel and its brightly colored horses. With some parents holding their kids up on the horses and others letting them go it alone, there were many guests, with a line formed to create a memory on the ride. With some children trying to win fake races between one another, other children enjoyed the carousel with painted faces and vivacious laughs. Certainly not the first persons to ride the carousel, it is a certainty that they won't be the last either; perhaps someday the carousel will celebrate its 50th or even 100th anniversary in the city of Albany as not just a landmark or an event, but as a part of the city and the heart of the community.