WHERE WERE YOU? 22 YEARS AGO TODAY: RONALD REAGAN BECOMES PRESIDENT, IRANIAN HOSTAGES RELEASED!

FREEPers Everywhere! ^

[Recovering_Democrat]

Hard to believe: 22 years ago today, Jimmy Carter finally had to let go of his miserable Presidency, and the Golden Era of Reagan began. Iran's fundamentalist islamists, knowing they would be turned into ash if they kept up their illegal behavior, released the 52 Americans they'd held for 444 days.

Where were you on this glorious day?

[stuartcr]

On a navy base in the Bahamas.

[Intimidator]

I was in the 8th grade and trying to sneak a peak up the skirts of cheerleaders as they climbed up the stairs to class. LOL

[WaveThatFlag]

I was in fifth grade, seated at the same desk I had been directed to hide under during the "fallout drills" we had practiced during the Carter Presidency. To this day I can still hear the bells ringing from the four churches in my small hometown.

PS> To my recollection we never had a "fallout drill" again.

[Media Insurgent]

"buying every piece of crap apartment house in Wormtown"

Those of us in Wormtown are very proud of our crappy apartment houses. You can even buy posters of the local triple deckers. I guess the reasoning is if you have a crappy building that's one thing, but it happens to be old and three stories high, then it's got "character".

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

You're in Worcester?

Welcome to FR.

Some of those old three deckers were really gorgeous. I owned a few that were custom jobs, built by the early jewish
families. Used to be able to recite the different styles, like Queen Anne and others but I've forgotten a lot.

Wormtown isn't all bad. The music scene was always good. Saw the Stones live at the Cove. Used to know Ralph pretty well. I hear the Chadwick SQ. Diner is still there but don't know if Ralph is still the owner.

Some great pubs and diners too. The Boynton on Highland street was always good. We'd go in after work for the all you can eat steamers and wouldn't leave til they ran out of clams.

I used to make collection rounds on friday nights through all the low rent district around Piedmont st area where we had crack dealers, hookers and biker gangs, and those were the good tenants. I would walk in the front door of the Cardinal or El Coqui and those places would empty out in a rush. Most everyone in the joint owed me rent and the rest would run because the others did.

A lot of happy memories of ol Wormtown.

So tell me, if you're a native, what's the absolute best view of worcester?

[kevman]

i too was in the 7th grade and our history teacher, mr parker let us know that the hostages had been released. what a great day and may God bless President Reagan!!

[Media Insurgent]

I live in Shrewsbury, actually. I'm not a native. Only been here for a few years. I've heard a lot about the Wormtown music scene back in the day, but that was well before my time.

I don't know about the best view of Worcester, but there's a big hill on Rte 9 in Shrewsbury that affords a great panoramic view- especially at night. Worst view would probably be everything that you can see from your car in the southern part of twon around Rte 146 and Rte 20. Pure industrial wasteland.

Some of those triple deckers are still wonderful. Unfortunately, many have been allowed to deteriorate. It's sad, because you can tell that years ago, many of them were handsome looking buildings. Of course you could say the same thing about much of the city. Worcester really would have been something to see 50 years ago when it was a big industrial powerhouse and the city had well over 200,000 people.

[visualops]

ahh aha

I was 22. Freelance artist/waiting tables in Manhattan.

I was very glad the hostages were free...Carter was such a wuss... but I sure didn't much care for Republicans either.

I was pretty much a punk and had some socialist leanings.
Kinda pissed-off at alot of stuff back then come to think of it lol

[the gillman@blacklagoon.com]

It was a sight better in the late eighties just as the tax reform set in. I was a renovator and restorer (Silver Hammer) as well as just a landlord. A number of my types were fixing up everything in sight. A regular boomtown. But the 86 tax thing caused a huge crash in rentals and condos.
I sold everything and fled in 87 just before the bottom fell out.

Doesn't seem like it ever came back.

Best view of Worcester?

The one in your rearview mirror!

[MasonPatriot]

I was in a blockhouse at Test Area 1-42 at the Air Force Rocket Propulsion Laboratory as a young 2nd Lt at Edwards AFB in California preparing for a simulated altitude test of an Air Force rocket system. The days events were momentous so we had the TV on in the control room (normally a no-no), which served as a very good motivator and reminder to us of why we were there.

[kdmhcdcfld]

I was 17 years old at the time.

I was a senior at Cathedral High School in Springfield, Mass. and in Mrs. Jensen's U.S. Political History class as Regan was being sworn in. We were able to watch that part of the inauguration ceremony on TV and learn of the release of the hostages.

What a day!