A long-lost memory from 1943 was rekindled by your piece about The Oregonian/OregonLive’s history, which included a photo of the paper’s Alder Street headquarters (Letter from the Editor: Going strong at the start of our 175th year, Dec. 1).
The publication sponsored a program for children called Young Oregonians during the war years, when two sizable shipyards were open twenty-four hours a day. That edifice served as the venue for a variety of events.
In the summer of 1943, when my family lived north of Irvington, I was nine years old. To attend some of the many educational events that were hosted in the Alder Street building, I remember taking a streetcar over town.
It was pretty safe for my brothers and myself to go around town by ourselves. In addition to the Meier & Frank department store, we would love the movies at the fantastic theaters downtown. For kids, it was all such a real treat. A different time and place, of course.
I am grateful for the community support provided by the owners and staff of The Oregonian/OregonLive, both then and now.
Salem’s Harold Hewitt
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