Life In The Fifties

Life In The Fifties. Cherokee-Lemp Historic District. Due to the housing shortage that had developed during the Depression and World War II, the Antique Row neighborhood was a crowded and busy community during the 1950's -- when Larry Akley grew up here., "We lived in the upstairs flat. It had three rooms," Akley remembers. Larry's boyhood buddy, Jerry Becker (and his family), lived in the three room flat on the third floor. "Downstairs was a 3.2 tavern. It was open on Sundays when they sold 3.2 beer," Akley explains., The neighborhood kids, "played crowns in the yard of Shepard (elementary) School. Crowns was played with bottle caps and a sawed off broom handle. It didn't cost anything," according to Akley. "We'd get beer bottle caps from the taverns on Cherokee." As the commercial hub of the neighborhood, Cherokee Street was a focal point of community life. Akley fondly recalls a highlight of the school year at nearby Shepard School. The children began school picnic day with a parade down Cherokee Street., Through high school, Ackley walked down Cherokee to his job at Berlinger Dairy at 2025 Cherokee Street., "There was an old policeman, Joe Saputo. He used to run me off the corner. He made sure the kids didn't hang out on the corner -- he made us go home." Akley grew up and became a police officer. With a warm laugh he says, "Joe Saputo ended up working for me." Akley retired as a Major in the St. Louis Police Department.