THIS IS MCCLELLAN STREET, OR WHAT'S LEFT OF IT. ONLY THE PAVEMENT SURVIVES AND SOON THAT WILL BE GONE, MAKING WAY FOR FORT WAYNE'S NEW DOWNTOWN BASEBALL STADIUM. BUT FOR NEARLY TWO CENTURYS THIS WAS A THRIVING NEIGHBORHOOD, DOZENS OF HOMES LINING THE STREET, WHERE GENERATIONS LIVED AND DIED. SCANNING THE TORN LANDSCAPE NOW ONE CAN ONLY WONDER WHOM THOSE PEOPLE MIGHT HAVE BEEN, AND WHAT LIFE WAS LIKE IN THIS CORNER OF THE WORLD.
Sachi: I really think they've captured the essence of what life is, the happiness the wonderful relationships people have.
MCCLELLAN STREET MAY BE GONE BUT THANKS TO TWO FORT WAYNE TEENAGERS IT STILL HAS LIFE. THIS IS 'MCCLELLAN STREET', THE BOOK…A COLLECTION OF PHOTOGRAPHS BY BROTHERS DAVID AND PETER TURNLEY. THE TURNLEY'S ARE NOW PULITZER PRIZE WINNING PHOTOGRAPHERS BUT AS HIGH SCHOOL KIDS IN THE EARLY 1970'S THEY SPENT A YEAR WITH THE FAMILIES OF MCCLELLAN STREET…SPENT LONG DAYS AND NIGHTS WITH THEM…PHOTOGRAPHING THEM IN THEIR MOST INTIMATE MOMENTS. BY THE 1970'S MCCLELLAN STREET WAS DEEP IN DECLINE…THE HOUSES ARE DILAPIDATED, THE SCENERY GRIM WHERE CHILDREN PLAY THEIR GAMES. BUT THERE IS SOMETHING IN THESE FACES THAT TRIUMPHS OVER THE SHABBY SURROUNDINGS. IT CAN ONLY BE THE AFFECTION THEY HOLD FOR EACH OTHER..THE PARENT FOR HER CHILD..THE VERY YOUNG FOR THE VERY OLD….THE CHILDREN FOR EACH OTHER. DESPITE THEIR SLENDER CIRCUMSTANCES THE PEOPLE OF MCCLELLAN STREET SEEM TO WANT FOR NOTHING.
Sachi: I think the photographs beckon us. These are just wonderful moments of just hanging out and having fun out of just being together. By looking into these people, into the world of these people, I think we see reflections of us.
THAT IS THE GREATEST PLEASURE OF THIS WONDERFUL BOOK…IT'S NOT FLESH AND BLOOD THAT THESE IMAGES CAPTURE, NOT CRACKED SIDEWALKS OR DECAYING HOMES…BUT THE SPIRIT THAT CAN FLOURISH WHATEVER LIFE THROWS ITS WAY, SO LONG AS THERE IS SOMEONE TO HOLD ON TO. ERIC OLSON REPORTING, OUT IN YOUR COUNTRY.
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