Echoes From The Attic and Poems, CHARLES STREECK HOME, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana
Submitted to the USGenWeb Archives by Don Johnson, Jan. 2001
Typed by Belford Carver
Written by by Edna F. Campbell
Copyrighted by Edna F. Campbell
With special thanks to her family for permission to use her works.

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THE CHARLES STREECK HOME AMONG FIRST BUILT ON CHERRY STREET

The home of Miss Ray Alice Streeck, 107 South Cherry Street, formerly the home of 
her late parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Streeck, is said to have been one of the 
first built in that east side vicinity.

Some years after the death of the first Mrs. Streeck, Mr. Streeck, his new wife, 
his three sons and two daughters came from New Orleans to make their home in 
Hammond.  They moved into the Cherry Street home which had been the property of 
Miss Streeck's grandmother, Mrs. J. W. Duggins.

After purchasing the house, Mr. Streeck, a brick-mason, remodeled the single-line 
structure by adding another room, a porch and bathroom, along with other 
improvements.  The landmark home is in an altogether different setting than that 
of yesteryear.  One of the later houses was the Muncy residence, it was across the 
street and years later became "The Marguuerite", a rooming house operated by the 
Ed Pittmans.

Around the corner, westward where Penny's store is now located was Noah's Ark, a 
most unique shop.  Holding true to its name, the proprietor, M. Steib, kept the 
numerous shelves filled to capacity with novelties and treasurers of all types.  
He was the father of Mrs. Andrew Edwards of Ponchatoula.

Toward the east was a Chinese Laundry where two Chinese laundrymen catered to the 
whims of the well-groomed men of the area, who would not allow anyone else to 
launder their stiff-starched white shirts.  Clad in white uniforms the laundry 
specialists were singular wearing their long dark cues.

The A. A. Lampheres lived on the south corner, a house now occupied by Mrs. Ed 
Rivers.  They also owned the small cottage, now removed, where Miss Claire Neviex 
lived during the many years she taught. The Lampheres members of the Seventh Day 
Baptist Church migrated to Hammond with a group of their religious faith when the 
Iowa Land Development Company started.

Hammond's first City Hall was not in its place on the Thomas street corner as it 
was not built until around 1924, and there was much wide open space surrounding.

Among the early settlers on Cherry Street said to have been one of the first 
residential streets on the east side were the Fred Karltons, the present home of 
the E. E. Puls; the Frank Saunders, grandparents of Carroll Thomas and the late 
Kenneth Thomas Sr.  The E. B. Brists realtors, whose name was associated with the 
John Adams, and grandparents of Maxine Stinson Carouse, resided on the street, and 
there were many other pioneer families following.  Among these were the Merrill 
Campbell, parents of Paul Campbell, and the Misses Annie and Zylphia Eastman,
public school teachers.  A high school was named in memory of the former.

Miss Streeck and her sister, Elsie, now Mrs. W. H. Henkel of New Orleans, are the 
two remaining family members who spent their childhood years in the old home.  
Miss Streeck is a retired primary teacher in the Hammond schools.

The St. James Hotel one of the city's first inns flanked the Streeck home on the 
north side where a service station is now located.

(From ECHOES FROM THE ATTIC, IV, 1969, by Edna Campbell)

(Pic of Streeck home)

(This home is now the office of Troy Tureau, Attorney.  The service station 
mentioned is now a congressional office, with another office building between the 
two.  Across the street is the old Columbia Theater which is undergoing complete 
renovation.  The Penny's store moved into the Hammond Square Mall, and has been 
vacant for many years.  Annie Eastman school building no longer exits.  The 
Seventh Day Baptist building is now occupied by the New Life Ministries. Charles 
Streeck died in 1926, Katie Streeck in 1959, and Ray Alice Streeck died April 13, 
1970; they are buriedin Greenlawn Cemetery.  BEC 1/21/01) 

(From the Readers Forum, DAILY STAR, 1/22/01, page 4:
"Miss Ray" Streck told excellent stories
Dear Editor:
  I read with great interest the Scrapbook section in Wednesday's (Jan. 17) paper 
the photographs and text concerning the Annie Eastman School.
  I was particularly intrigued by the text for the photograph of the second-graders 
wherein the teacher's name was listed as "Roe Streck."
  I was curious if this might in fact be Alice Ray Streck, known many as "Miss Ray" 
and particularly fondly remembered by those of us who attended the elementary 
grades of the Southeastern Lab School in the early 1960s as the greatest 
storyteller ever.
  The entire student body would attend a Friday morning assembly where Miss Ray 
would recite from her seemingly endless supply of stories and tall tales-all 
without notes, props, or pauses for what seemed like an entire morning.
  It is a cherished childhood memory.
Robert E. Barsley, DDS, JD, Ponchatoula)