Barbara Smith

When [old St. Joseph Church] Saint Joe's was over there, I used to go to the dances over there before they remodeled it. I used to go with my girlfriend over there on the weekend and at the time, they had A&P down here; Poro [Beauty School], drugstore where you buy ice cream, [The] Playboy—all that was down the street—hairdresser, Five-and-ten cent store, dentist; down there on Linn Street. we had the Playboy and the shoeshine-- all that right out there on Linn Street. Right there used to be St. Joseph's lot. That's where they used to stand at. Bowling alley and all of that. A&P used to be on that lot years ago down on Linn Street. We had Kroger's at one time, I feel good seeing people that I went to school with. I went to old Woodward-- That's that's Abigail Cutter now. I been outta there since '53. I got out of tenth grade. That's how long I've been out of school. I was 17 years old.

So this is my home, the West End, and I feel good talking about it because I've experienced it. It's nothing somebody sit up and told me; I went through it myself. And like the song said, only the strong survive with six kids. I had to be strong.

*Photo of Old St. Joseph provided with permission from Cincinnati Enquirer’s photo archive.*

Listen to Barbara’s West End story: