Never Neverland

Some of my fondest childhood memories are from this local park. Point Defiance. There are Rose Gardens, Duck pond, Reflection pond, large hills of grass we used to roll down, the 5 mile drive through the woods where you can hike, several places to park for beautiful views of the Puget Sound, the Zoo and aquarium,  Owen's Beach where you can look for shells and agates (my uncle found an old arrowhead there), The trains in the old logging area (pictured yesterday and the day before), Fort Nisqually, and Never Neverland.
Never Neverland was a place you paid $1 to go in and wander along wooded paths that lead you to Mother Goose themed houses and statues. Old Mother Hubbard was inside her house looking in a bare cupboard while her dog stood on his haunches hoping for a bone. The old lady who lived in a shoe looked out at the playground equipment that was all around the giant shoe. Billy Goats Gruff hid behind some painted trees while you passed over the bridge with water pumping below. The Gingerbread house looked yummy, and you could push a button to make the mouse run up a clock while the canned sounding music sang Hickory Dickory Dock. I remember feeling too old for it around 6th grade, but it was still magical for my younger sister.
I remember My dad and his younger brother taking us kids up there, They drank Rainier beers and we sat in the bed of the truck on the freeway there. (It was the late 70's, these things were not a concern) We would be so excited to watch our fathers climb the clay cliffs at owens beach, and to see the fort. Never neverland was colorful and fun. We would eat at Frisco Freeze and head home.
This is what it used to look like (not me or my family)
After years of decline, vandalism, and stolen Humpty Dumptys here is my park now.

Fairy tale decay #9

2 comments

hickory dickory dock

Fairy tale decay #11

2 comments

ruined picnic

4 comments

Fairy tale decay #4

8 comments

Fairy tale decay #1

View

6 comments

This is the view from the parking lot. I remember sitting on the truck bed, sipping on my chocolate milkshake debating on whether to wear my sandals inside the fort or not. I decided against shoes and regretted it. This area of the park is now awaiting demolition. Kids are still climbing on the old womans shoe, even though there is a hole in the sole of it and you can climb inside of the rusty nailed shoe. It is unsafe. I climbed into a couple of the houses, I wanted to so bad when I was a kid, but they used to be fenced off. You could look in the windows but not enter. I feel a bit of sadness, something enjoyed by a whole generation of us is going away. sigh.

Goodbye Never Neverland, through your stacked book entrance I was able to leave my mom and dad yelling at each other, my sisters fearful crying, my mother telling me that if I let my dad leave I won't have a daddy anymore, my mean teachers, anxiety, responsibility for adult things, the snide comments people made towards me, the church that told me who I was inside was wrong, and my shoes in the car. I was able to cross through that doorway and be a kid full of wonder and freedom. Thanks for that.