My Grandparents' Home on Berne Street

As told by Michelle Nicholas, youngest daughter of Bo and Margaret Smith:

I remember spending the night there once as a small child.   I got to sleep in one of the tiny bedrooms and I could not believe that 6 children grew up there and shared the tiny bedrooms.  I remember seeing Granddaddy's dresser that was probably very old back then, and now it is in my house.  And I loved to touch all the porcelain trinkets that were on the floor to ceiling mantle that was in the living room.  They all seemed so fragile.  And now that mantle is in my living room.  It had beveled mirrors that did not make it from that house.  Maybe they were left in the attic.  These mirrors fascinated me.  And Grandmother had African Violets - shelves of them (I believe Daddy built the shelves for her).   She had a green thumb, and could just place a leaf in a dirt pot and another african violet would grow.  I was never able to do that.  And the front porch was so nice - it was screened and had a swing, I believe, or a big chair.  I remember the big driveway pit that Beverly spoke of - I think it was already a leaf container when I was old enough to remember.  The front yard was small and very shady with stepping stones and plants, and next door were the Garbutts, friends of my parents.    It seemed like a very warm house to me - built with love for the large family and added on to over the years by their loving son, my Daddy.