Heard a bunch of folks at Joe’s Diner raving about Davidson Street last Tuesday, so I grabbed my ratty notebook and hopped on the #15 bus that afternoon. Figured I’d sniff around for myself and see what the fuss was about.
First Stop: The Crumbly Brick Wall Thing
Right off the bus, almost tripped over this knee-high brick wall behind the laundromat. Looked like leftover junk, but turns out it’s the last bit of the old Henderson Mill that burned down in ’39! Stood there poking it with my shoe while some dude in flip-flops gawked at me.
Digging Up Ghosts
Tried asking about the street’s history at Benny’s Hardware. Old man Benny just grunted “ask Gladys” and pointed next door. Gladys at the flower shop nearly smothered me in petunias while yapping about speakeasies in the ’20s where the parking garage stands now. Scribbled so fast my pen ripped the paper.
Weirdest finds? Check this:
- That rusty fire hydrant by the taco truck? Actually a horse-watering trough from 1901
- The “ugly” concrete bench near the bus stop? Carved by some famous sculptor who got drunk here in ’68
- Mrs. Chen’s noodle shop basement? Was a secret jazz club where cops took bribes in doughnut boxes
Waste of Time… Until
Almost gave up around 4pm when some skateboard kid slammed into me. He yelled “Sorry mister!” while pointing at this grimy alley mural. Couldn’t see squat until he spit on his sleeve and rubbed the wall – bam! Original 1971 hippie peace sign hidden under decades of gunk. Kid just shrugged like “duh” before rolling away.
Got home smelling like exhaust fumes and taco grease, but that notebook’s filled with things nobody tells you. Next time someone calls Davidson Street boring, I’m shoving these notes up their… well, I’ll just show them the brick wall story. With photos this time.
