There was quite a large Italian Population between Fairmount and Girard and from 20th to 26th Streets. My mother grew up on Croskey in the 700 block. It was up the street from the Eastern State Penitentiary at a time when Willie Sutton was a prisoner and ecaped for a time. She told me that the prisoners used to play baseball and sometimes the balls would fly over the walls. The Italian kids would then take the hardballs home and their mothers would peel off the leather and then unravel the twine used to compose the ball. The cotton thread was then used for crocheting doiles, etc. at a time in life when money was short.

On 4th of July we used to sit in front of my friend's house at 23rd&Aspen. When the sun went down we could watch the entire fireworks exhibition that was done at the Art Museum. Fairmount was, and is a great place to live. During the 50's, it was like living in a small village where everybody "knew your name"!