Faith on A Dead End Street

To some, this may look like a regular parking lot for a car dealership. At first glance one does not even ask why a street is running  through this parking lot.

When one looks closely, one notices the white on the blacktop. 

Yes, that is the remains of an old cross walk. Look at that little spire in the distance. That is the steeple of a Church. Late July of 1967, I arrived on this street, which connected to Forest Avenue. Children were playing stick ball and running about. The car drove through slowly giving the children the road. There is now a fence across the end of this former thoroughfare that denies access to the Community and the House of Worship beyond. The gate in the foreground rolls to close and lock.

This is Humphrey Street complete with sidewalks and crosswalk at the entrance. It was sold to a car dealership some years ago. This is Humphrey Street. The selling of this street cut off direct access of members to The Englewood Church of God in Christ and from Forest Avenue. The way finding system to this House of Worship now only consists of a sign on a traffic signal to turn left/north, but there is not sign on Van Brunt Street saying where to turn left to arrive at the Church.

This is the other side of that fence that protects the cars and the Dealership. I am in the middle of Humphrey Street looking south. South of the fences are cars to the left and cars to the right.

How do you sell a street and block off access a House of Worship? Imagine that request. I wonder how much a 4th Ward street goes 

these days? Elmore Avenue may still be on the list to be shortened. 

The last thing that a Funeral procession wants is be forced to navigate around on a Dead End street. This action represents the

gross disrespect that is generally shown "our places" in the 4th Ward.

Maybe someday, the owner of this Dealership and this lot will grow a heart and give the street back to the neighborhood.