Veterans Park Neighborhood Association

Preservation Idaho will feature Tully Gerlach leading a historical/architectural walk of the Fairview Park Neighborhood this Thursday (9/29/11). Space is limited and the evening walk is full. Tickets are still available for the lunch-time walk at noon. To register follow this link.

This walk will be similar to the one Tully did earlier this summer in the Pleasanton neighborhood but this one will focus on the southern part of neighborhood.

As part of the Walking Trail project VPNA is organizing a training workshop “ How to conduct effective oral history interviews” led by Brandi Burns, Boise City Historian.

When:        Thursday July 21^st from 7-8:30pm

Where:       2400 West Bannock Street

Who:          Anyone interested in learning the story of our neighborhood can attend

Cost:          Free

In August and September we will be coordinating small backyard potlucks/BBQs where neighbors will have the chance to learn the story of their street, block, etc… Oral histories could be done with longtime residents, refugees, a church/mosque, a business owner, etc… The interviews will be recorded and hopefully portions of them will add human interest to the interpretive walking trail. We’re especially interested in learning from people in all parts of the 30^th Street Neighborhood (see map of proposed trail for area of interest). We want to keep these events intimate so they will be by invitation of the host on whatever date works best.

We need your help to make this work.

Please contact us if you’d like to host an interview or if you know of someone we need to interview or if you have historical information or photos.  email: vpnaboise@gmail.com or call Jeff Anderson at 608-2385

The June 28 History Walk was a huge success! About 50 people showed up to hear Tully recount the history of the Pleasanton Addition as we strolled past neighborhood landmarks (see photos here). Having residents on the tour added a few colorful stories to the history. At the tour’s conclusion we held a VPNA fund raiser raffle with awesome prizes from Asian Wok, Idaho River Sports, Moxie Java, Westside Drive-In, Whiz Kids Day Care and Preschool and Zolee n Company Salon. A BIG THANKS to Tully and our sponsors for making this event a hit.

Tully will be doing a different tour September 29^th in the Fairview Park Neighborhood. This event is sponsored by Preservation Idaho. Tickets are available for purchase on their website. The size of these walks are limited so reserve your spot now.

VPNA invites you to a free walking tour “History of Boise’s West End”  by Tully Gerlach.

Tuesday, June 28, 2011, 7:30 pm

We’ll start from the parking lot of the 1st Congregational Church at 23rd St and Woodlawn. The total walk will be about 1.5 miles with lots of stops.

We are hoping to do a VPNA fund raiser raffle as part of the tour so be sure to bring cash or a checkbook to buy tickets.

Tully will focus on the Pleasanton Addition, shown in the attached map, although much of the information applies to the larger neighborhood too.  Tully did this same walk last summer as part of Preservation Idaho’s “Arch Walk” series.

This event is part of a effort to build an interpretive walking trail through the 30th Street neighborhoods which will highlight the area’s history, cultural diversity and architecture. To find out more about this project click here.

Also if this kind of thing interests you, Tully will be doing another Arch Walk for Preservation Idaho on September 29th which will highlight the Fairview Park Neighborhood. Space is limited for the Arch Walks and they often fill up. To register follow this link.

Check out historian Tully Gerlach’s blog titled “The West End: The Name and the Place” on Preservation Idaho’s website. Tully draws attention to the interpretive trail that VPNA is planning in the 30th Street area (more on that from us later this week). His article also  offers some interesting history of why Veterans Park Neighborhood Association stretches from Thrift Way Lumber all to way to 19th Street. Perhaps most discussion worthy is Tully’s argument for using the name “West End” for the neighborhoods in the “30th Street area”.

Tell us what you think…

VPNA’s is interested to know your thoughts related to the the moniker “West End”. As residents how do you refer to the neighborhoods between State St and Main St and between 19th St and the river? Do you like West End or prefer something else?  Please email us at vpnaboise@gmail.com and we’ll pass along your thoughts to Stephanie Inman whose working on the 30th Street Area “branding” plan (see previous post for background on that project).