Curt of Davista reminisces about growing up in the Jungle. With his permission, I've edited our correspondence and added some images.
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| 7300 5th Ave No |
I spent my childhood days there and on bike I covered from about 66th St. at the corner of Tyrone Blvd to Park St. to the west and to Pasadena to the south. In that quadrant, I explored just about every single street, alley and railroad track all the way to the bay and into the islands out to Treasure Island.
One of our favorite places to go was the Jungle Prada park, to ride bikes in the trails, as it was about the only wooded spot around with trails and the middens served as small hills for us flat landers. We loved that place, to us it was a Jungle and there were many stories about the Indians and the land we explored. That place would get quite spooky at dusk, and with the birds that roamed the border of the park, it just added to the lore. I also fished the pier that is still there, many times. We also did a lot of fishing from Central Ave and north. Some homeowners used to let us fish from their docks.
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| The first hole was on the east side of the hotel (top of postcard) |
Until I moved I knew nothing about the Jungle Country Club, even though I only lived 2 blocks from Admiral Farragut and I swam at the pool every summer. However, we biked around those school grounds extensively in the summers as the school was closed and there was never anyone there to throw us out! I do remember seeing about 3 golf holes and fairways, maybe it was two, but they were there on the property where the ball fields and the track is now. Looking at the map, in that corner of the property, there was indeed the first 4 holes, so I must have not imagined it. I distinctly remember the sand traps and how white they were. This was very early in the 70’s and I guess when it became a school, they left a couple of holes to play on. I had no idea what I was witnessing or the fact that I was roaming where the “Babe” once roamed.
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| Babe Ruth played more than 100 rounds of golf on the Jungle course. |
As far as the golf holes, they must have left some of the bunkers and fairways from 2 and 3. It's pretty etched in my mind because I thought it was the coolest thing to be in school and able to play golf. It wasn’t long after that I got my first set of clubs. I was always fascinated by the game. The fact that Babe Ruth played one block from where I lived and I can picture my house on the postcard just beyond to the right first hole, just blows me away. I knew there was a golf course there, I discovered that a few years ago but I never realized how big it was, how close it came to my house and how I have scoured every inch of that creek!
I asked whether he remembers finding any artifacts in the creek or on the trails and if he had heard of Azaleaville
I don't recall finding any artifacts in that creek but I can tell you, we spent many hours up and down that thing. I caught my first mullet (by hand) in that creek. One time we walked it until we got to 9th Ave, it goes under the road and continues straight (as you know) or you can go left or right into part of the drainage system and from there we would walk for blocks under the streets. Quite stupid we were, when I look back on it. The only way out was to retrace your steps. Lots of catfish, eels and snakes down there.
I never heard Azaleaville until I read your blog, it’s strange how things just vanish with time.
I asked about the creek at 9th Avenue
I don’t think the creek branched off anywhere, I do believe it’s just connected to the storm runoff and that's where we went in, at 9th Ave. The mullet only went into the creek where it empties into the basin, they didn’t go very far. The catfish and eels were all found in the storm drain, under the streets. We were very crazy and I’m really surprised we never ran across a gator! I would never dream of doing anything like that today.
There I’ve just begun to read your blog so I am sure I will have more to say. Thanks again for making it, I love exploring my past and finding out about the history of the land I played on as a kid.
