"Lets Hang Out At The Park"

   They built it, they came and they came and they came and they will keep on coming.  What is it?  Why it’s Prospect Park. And if you are not doing anything this Sunday the 14^th from 1pm to 6pm, you should make your way to the pavilion, in Prospect Park, for what hopes to be the first of an annual event.  The “Ida Hill and Prospect Park Memories Reunion.”, a brain child of Herb Hyde, author of, “College and Eighth”. 

    Growing up on Ida Hill certainly created many memories.  So, Herb felt it would be great to get the folks together that grew up on Ida Hill, as well as all the others that enjoyed  the park for cookouts, hangouts, basketball, swimming, walking and well you name it, to share stories, photos and just some good old fun.  I certainly don’t need to tell you that Mount Ida has taken on many changes through out the years and is currently undergoing what appears to be a monster change in our appearance.  What Herb and other organizers, Bill Carney, Karen Flynn Caola, as well as many others, would like to do is just share, build and strengthen a community that has been slowly dwindling and now rapidly changing. 

    Ida Hill was a very strong, self supportive, neighborhood. It was, and is so, because of the people that reside here.  Remember when you were a kid and you did something stupid and your parents found out before you even got home?  When you needed something and Mom and Dad were up against it, but one of your mom’s friends, your neighbor, saw to it you had what you needed?  In today’s words, “that’s how we roll, up in here!”  We played together.  We worked together. We fought together.  We rose and fell together, but we were together.  Now, I know we all didn’t get along all the time but we were a neighborhood.  We worked within our means to get things done.  In doing this, there were many stories and memories created.  Things that shaped you and your family into what we are today.  So, come on down and share your photos, your stories and your memories.  And by all means bring your family.  That’s what it is all about, neighbors, family, friends and relatives.  I am so pleased that my dad, Otto Madsen Jr., will be up from Florida and he is very eager to bump into some old neighborhood pals and share stories and a few laughs.  Through the years, I heard Dad tell stories of the crazy things he and his buddies, the Cleland’s, the Murray’s, and his best friend Eddie Collins got themselves in and out of.  I don’t think I could hear them enough.

    Rain or shine we will be there.  I do hope you join us.  Come on down to the pavilion at Prospect Park, this Sunday the 14^th, from 1pm -6pm.  There is no fee to attend.  So bring your family, your photos and your memories. Pack your lunch, your dinner or just a few snacks and some cool beverages and join us for what promises to be a great time.

Welcome!

Welcome all!  I am going to keep this as brief as I can because this is so new to me.  This is something  I wanted to do for many years.  I wish I knew how easy it was to do so.
  My name is Michael J. Madsen.  Before we get any farther into this, I'm sure you noticed the difference in my name and my handle here on the blog.  My mother started that.  Not only because she and dad named me Michael James Madsen, but ever time I got into trouble it was "Michael James this and Michael James that".  I'm sure most of you know where this is going.  Well, later in life I used, Michael James as my, community theatre stage name and on air name, B95 and Am 590 WROW.  Well then everyone started calling me that and I thought it looked cool spelled "Mikel James", instead of the traditional version. Plus it is balanced, five letters on both sides.  Yea a crazy Libra.  Everything has to be balanced. So now I guess it's my pen name as well.
  OK, briefly my goal with this blog is to not only reminisce and learn about our rich heritage and the role the Ida Hillers that came before us had on shaping a great city and nation, but to grow,dream, plan and take action.  As to figure out what our role is going to be to keep this heritage alive, but more importantly, what our we going to do to become a self supporting community once again.  There will be much debate and many ideas.  I plan on sharing some stories I have written about growing up as an Ida Hiller.  Both based on my experience's as well as the countless stories I've heard through the years.   I started with pictures of the gorge because the Poesten Kill is the main reason it all happen here. I will share more photos and anything else Ida Hill, but most importantly, "The Ida Hillers". The people that made up and make up this great little part of earth.  If you have anything to add please feel free to let me know.  More to come.

  I do want to thank two people that indirectly motivated me to finally do this:
Herb Hyde, for giving us, "College and Eighth" and
John Warren for his wonderful book "The Poesten Kill".

   One more thing, Please, Please, Please, don't steal my pictures.  You may certainly down load them for your enjoyment but please don't re post or share them in any other way. I know they are beautiful and I take great pride in them.  I plan on putting them, as well as many others I've taken in a gallery some day.
Thanks for your understanding.

Peace, Love and Balance,
Mikel James