1600 Victory Drive

The house was the first home built in Pleasant Hills Estates. The land was a marsh at the edge of a wooded tract. This lot was a bamboo jungle before being cleared. The woods beyond Park Place (the dead end off of Victory) was an old property where nothing remained except a hole on top of a slight rise. No stones from old walls or fireplaces were there, just a hole in a dirt mound. Several clay pipes were found in and around the foundation as well as dozens of Indian arrow heads. The old foundation was leveled to create the shopping center. in 1960, there was no requirement for archaeological studies prior to construction.

We moved into the house Nov/Dec 1961 and there was snow on the ground that day. This may be the following Spring. The two pine trees were named "Bobby" and "Johnny". Bobby was planted at the rear corner of the garage and "Johnny" was eventually given to Walter Baron across the street to the left in this photo. It was planted at the back of Walter's lawn. Both trees would grow to be over 40' tall. Because the ladder is leaning against the chimney, the photo was likely taken to capture the great antenna installation job. A technological marvel, it had a "TennaRotor" motor assembly built into it. With a turn of a knob at the inside TV, the antenna would rotate to find the best signal strength for one of the three channels available, Channels 3, 6 or 10. On a good day, you could also receive Channel 13 from Baltimore.

Adding the breezeway and garage.

Dad was upset that the foundation was dug facing MacArthur Drive rather then at a 45º between MacArthur and Victory. This left no room at the end of the house for a garage. He made a deal with builder Frank Muzzi to add the detached garage with a joining roof. This was the genesis of the breezeway and the circular driveway. The photo shows the garage ceiling before Dad lowered it 24" to create the garage attic. He did this over a weekend then built the stairway several months after the builders were finished. Access to the attic was via a wooden ladder. The funny thing about this photo is the ladder still standing at the chimney. I guess there was no place to store it since there was no garage!

Before the quartz wall and before hedge.

This photo shows the Norway Maple sapling staked up and the poplar tree just beyond it. Poplars only live about 15 to 20 years so it does not show in some of the later photos.

The garage garden

Pine tree "Bobby" can be seen at the left. The wire cage at the bottom left is protecting the Norway Maple sapling.

Holly Trees

Two holly trees were planted at the bedroom exterior wall. One, the female holly, was later moved to the garden at the back corner of the property.

Clara and the 1958 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe

This car would be a fixture at this spot in the driveway until 1992.

The photo was likely taken in the fall and the film processed the following spring. The poplar tree is rising over the roofline.

The White Birch would be a centerpiece for decades.

June of 1972.

An unfortunate meeting with a dump truck loaded with crushed stone.