When I first started marching, I was the only one from Edison Park. After communications from NP alumni, I have found more. Who else is out there?
I know that the Borck family and Jim Fetty, and Doris and her family have come from that neck of the woods.

Donna is correct, the BORCK family did live in Edison Park, just west of Harlem Avenue at Devon. That is CLOSE to Norwood Park, but "just over the border".

John and Margaret Anderson lived across the street from us on Palatine Ave. A bugler named Richard Fleming lived across the street on Olcott Avenue.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

I'm just a hop-skip and a jump from where you all
once lived in Edison Park,right in good old Norwood
Park,been here since I was born,---that's a long
time to be one place.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

The area the Borcks, Flemings and our family lived in was West of Harlem, South of Devon, North of Talcott and East of the Park Ridge Border on Canfield. My sister and I went to Edison School and Taft as did the Flemings.

The Walters family (Tom, Rita, et al) also lived in Edison Park--West of Harlem and South of Touhy. I think Rita still lives in that area.

My company has an office at Cumberland and Higgins near the Marriott. I visit at least once a year and we always go for pizza at Moretti's just across from the Edison Park train station. There's also an Italian Resturant on the southeast corner of Northwest Highway and Oliphant (I think it's called Zia's). Had lunch there about a year or so ago and the food is as good as one would find in the North Beach Area of San Francisco, Little Italy in Manhattan or the Hill in St Louis. Of course there are similar great resturants all over Chicago.

Edison Park and Norwood Park still seem like two of the best neighborhoods in Chicago.

I now live in Lombard and have heard about Zia's from folks around here. I lived on Oriole 2 blocks south of Touhy. When to Ebinger and then Taft. At Taft my home room consisted of Vince Vitale who I marched with in B corp who later deserted to the Cavies. I hung out with Dana Treblecock (from Cavies) whos step father was a judge. Someone please help me I can't remember his name.

Donna mentioned Taft. Considering Taft was in Norwood Park, I don't recollect too many Imperials going to Taft in the early to mid-60s. Will Koenig, Rich Fleming, Rich Tessitore, the late Susan Schrieber, Bill Blomquist, my sister and I were the only ones I recollect from 1961 through 1966.

Taft was my Alma Mater as well 1958 to 1962.How
many times we used there football field to
practice during the summer...

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

There was a good number of members who lived in
Norwood Park that were in the corp,in fact many of
us were in walking distance of the practice fields
we used during the summer.

If I think back as to how many were in Norwood,and
that's going back to the fifties and part of the
early sixties that lived here during the time they
were in the corp,you could actually say it was
your true neighborhood corp.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

Rich,

I forgot that you were at Taft. You were probably a senior when I started as a freshman. Too long ago.

Even by the early sixties the Imperials membership was probably less than 50 percent from the Norwood Park area. A lot of kids from the northwest suburbs, areas of Chicago east and south of Norwood and a few from Milwaukee. There was a local connection but probably not to the extent as the 1950s and earlier.

That happened with many corps. I was from Joliet, and that seemed far away to most of the other members! In 1973 the corps bought one of those long airport limos to transport the Joliet/Romeoville contingent to rehearsals and performances (my Dad drove it). Most of them were from the Westview JHS Band, where Norwood had their spring camp in 1971, and Dad and I taught the drum line there. Even though it was a junior high, they were every bit as good as most high school bands of the time, and way ahead as far as doing a drum corps-styled show.

Those from that area included myself and my brother Steve, Nick Zadylak, Kurt Kenyon, Dave Clark, Larry Liebrum, Theresa Golden, John and Bonita (can't remember their last names).

And I remember Vince Vitale and Dana Treblecock! I marched with Vince in both Norwood and the Cavaliers (did that with many people, actually), and Dana only in the Cavies. Vince was known as Sharkey in the Cavaliers, and was quite a character - and a terror to new guys.

And there were lots of Cavaliers from Edison Park.

There was a story told that at one time you could stand at a certain place in Chicago and hear four of the top corps in the country practicing at the same time - Norwood, Cavaliers, Royal Airs, and Vanguard. Comments?

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

I think we've discussed the four corners comment in a previous thread. The only time I remember hearing a corps at my house in Edison Park was my first year in the Cadets when the Imperials practiced at Ohnahan school in Norwood Park and then one could only really hear the distant drums (sounds like one a title of a B-western). I expect the only reason I heard it was the sound was reflected off the school building and the weather conditions were just right. Ohnahan was perhaps a little more than a mile from my house.

The corps practice sites were too far apart. Plus the jets from O'Hare and din of traffic from the Kennedy Expressway would tend to drown out the distant sound of a corps.

I think this is an urban legend.

At one point, Edison Park boasted of having the MOST Chicago policemen and firemen living in the area. (The ranking captains, etc all lived in Edgebrook)

This was in the days when they all had to live in the city!

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958- 1963

The Cavaliers practiced in South Park of Park Ridge during at least 1976. When the wind was blowing the right way I could hear them at times from my house in Edison Park. (1 block north of Northwest Hwy.)

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

Jim,

We were at South Park all three years I was in the corps (74-76). Tough place to practice because the field wasn't really flat. I don't know if they were there any years after that.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Bob,

Where is South Park? I mean South Park in Park Ridge IL not South Park CO.

I seem to recollect there was a big park west of Cumberland along Devon and East of Maine South High School. Is that the location?

South Park is actually the name of a shopping district within Park Ridge. The field that the Cavaliers practiced at was at a park district facility within this area, right at the corners of Devon & Cumberland & Talcott. Offhand I don't know the name of the park, although I suppose it could be called South Park as well.

What did you do in the Corps? Soprano

I used to go ice skating there. It had much better ice that the park district in Edison Park. (I can't remember the the name of the field.)

That was (is?) called South Park. There is a rec center building and they did have an ice rink which was bigger than Olympia or Norwood Parks. It is just west of the shopping area wedged between Talcott, Cumberland and Devon.

I'd expect that field might have been bumpy as Bob says because I don't think they used it for softball or soccer (mid-70s was too early for that). A corps practicing there would be heard where I lived in Edison Park. Of course after 1973 I'd moved to the Washington DC area.

In the late 60s or early 70s I recollect seeing the Cavaliers practicing at the park that is in downtown Park Ridge (Touhy, Norwest Highway, Busse I think) near the railroad station. I believe part of that is now condos and the rest softball and little league fields.

Seems to me that the Cavaliers started practicing more in that area because of the sponorship of the Park Ridge VFW. Don't recollect if they used the VFW post for practice though.

That is South Park at Cumberland,Talcott,Devon
Avenues.What I remember mostly about that field
was playing a football game there when I was in
grammer school.I went to St.Thecla at the time,
and we were in the CYO,oh was that a long time ago,
I'm feeling a little old right now after thinking
about what I just said.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

Rich,

Actually you aren't the only one feeling old. My eighth grade Edison grammar school class held an after graduation party at the rec center building--a Chicago public school class used a Park Ridge facility. To really add to the age thing. The party was held in January--in those days the public schools had kids start kindergarden in Sept and January. I believe my class was the next to last January class to graduate from Taft.

After my high school graduation ceremony I went to Tuesday night practice at Billy Caldwell.

The biggest problem practicing at South Park was the back line (which was the starting line in those days) was on a little hill above the rest of the field, so you started the show by marching downhill (no jokes necessary there, please). Of course, that was better than Soldier Field at VFW in 1974, when the covers were left off the bench areas on the back line, so the bass drums started the show literally in a hole!

Thanks, Jim, for remembering where the park was, because I could never have answered that! Being from Joliet, I knew how to get places, but not always the street names. Plus, I wasn't driving myself yet.

And St. Techla brings back memories! That's where the Cadets practiced (outside) when I joined in April of 1970. I still remember going to our first rehearsal, which was supposed to start at 10am, and at 9:50 there was NOBODY THERE YET! Then Buddy Grana pulled up in the corps equipment vehicle - his station wagon. He pulled out a snare drum for me and a soprano for my little brother, then rummaged through those awful yellow shirts to find a couple that fit (which wasn't easy, since Steve was only 8-years old at the time!), and we were members!

Winter rehearsals were held at a field house - can't remember the name. It was a pretty nice place for us to practice - lots of small rooms for sections and a large main hall for putting things together.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Am actually surprised the South Park field was big enough. The worst practice field I recollect was the field where the Imperials held spring camp in 62-64 in Mukgonago(probably wrong spelling) WS. The field next to the motel was on a gentle hillside and we marched downhill from the starting line to finish line. Don't recollect the field being rough but it was different to look downhill off the starting line.

Will try to start a string about winter and spring camps later. Am off today and going wine tasting in Sonoma County--a lot different than Edison Park.

Bob,

Winter practices were held at Norwood Park Field House.

Norwood Park Fieldhouse--How many times I practiced
there with the 'B'and the 'A' corps.The main room
the horns would use and the drum section used one
of the other rooms.Than a hour or so before
practice was over the drum section would come in
and we put everything together to hear how it
sounded together.

What did you do in the Corps? French Horn

What years were you a Corps member? 1957 thru 1963

The corps used the Norwood Park Fieldhouse since it's very beginning! The Imperials moved to the Billy Caldwell Post in 1961 (I think), but the Cadets stayed at Norwood Park.

When I joined in the Fall of 1957, the drums practiced upstairs. Drummers had INDIVIDUAL instruction lessons from the instructor, Rank Arsenault. He was a TOUGH taskmaster!

Had drill practice MANY times on the Norwood Park football field (as well as at Taft High School, across the street).

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Donna,

For some reason Norwood Park field house doesn't sound right. This one was in the middle of a forest preserve and tough to find at night. Emerson Park maybe?

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Dave,

Frank Arsenault continued to be a tough taskmaster until the very end. I actually had a private lesson with him two weeks before he died. But he also continued to be a fine drummer until then as well.

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Bob, the site you are thinking about may be the Edgebrook Woods, which is adjacent to the Edgebrook Golf Course. (The entrance was just south of Peterson Avenue on Central). In the woods there was a building which had a meeting all, kitchen and some smaller rooms. Next to that was a home for the Forest Preserve Ranger and his family, who lived there.

We used to use that building for drum line rehearsals.
It was really dark going in there through the woods.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

Bob,

I wasn't sure if the cadets practiced there. You couldn't find in daylight. That place was eerie. Never seen anybody around there.

Dave,

I think THAT'S the place the Cadets practiced! You describe it perfectly. During most of the night, the guard used the main hall, the drum line was in the kitchen (to the right) and the horns used some other rooms to the left (the drummers never went over there).

What did you do in the Corps? Snare, Drum Major, Drum Instructor/Arranger

What years were you a Corps member? 1970-73; 78-79

Yep, that sounds like Edgebrook Woods. But, the entrance was just south of Caldwell Avenue, not Peterson.

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63

When you mention Peterson Ave. it reminds me of Billy Caldwell Post and the Pie Pan.

What did you do in the Corps? baritone

What years were you a Corps member? Cadets 62, 63 Imperials 64-70

Speaking of practice sites - how about the Amvets Post on Milwaukee Avenue for the Cadets and Norridge Park field house - off of Lawrence Ave?

Tom - the Pie Pan - where we that hungry or was the food that good?

What did you do in the Corps? drum

What years were you a Corps member? 61-69

John, re: the Pie Pan! I think it was because we were so HUNGRY! But, they did make some unusual milkshakes there. Peanut butter? Banana (pretty good).

What did you do in the Corps? drummer

What years were you a Corps member? 1958-63