Last House Standing

laststandingRecently we were driving south on Rt 130, past the newly-eliminated Collingswood circle, when we looked to the left and were struck by what we didn’t see; most of houses on the 200 block of Cattell Avenue. If you’ve driven this route you may recognize it as the street-block anchored by an animal hospital and gas station.  It is also where the Kazmar children were born and raised.

Note I said MOST of the homes were gone … but one still stands a lonely vigil … 213, that home with the high-peaked roof and unmistakeable green asbestos siding where for two decades the Kazmar children … Bill, Judy, Ruth, and Karen … led a Leave-it-to -Beaver-style existence. As grandpop Kazmar  told the story, he bought the house for under $5000 … cash. The Kazmarczyks were among the first ethnic families in a town of WASPs.  Other notables included Oggie Oriwitz, better known as Michael Landon of Bonanza fame.

Apparently homes on the 200 block were bought by the municiplaity nearly two years ago to make way for a water retention basin to help alleviate the chronic flooding that has plagued the area for more years than anyone can remember. All the children can tell stories of water rising to the white lampost in the driveway.  Judy recalls a time when Aunt Floss’s car was half-submerged in the flooded lake they called a street because someone failed to pull it into the driveway the evening before a particularly heavy rain.  I don’t know why 213 stands alone today.  Apparently someone is still living there. But I am sure this is just a temporary stay of execution.  Soon it too will be gone, leaving only memories of another time and place.