Letter to the Editor

Fond memories of old Aker House

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

To the Editor:

I have been following with interest the articles about the house at 9 E. Poplar St.

My association with the house, while big to me, is nothing but a footnote in the history of that beautiful home. It had always been the Aker House to me until I read that it had been known as the Old Doc Zaring Home, and the Pritchett home.

My family first moved to Greencastle in the summer of 1948. That was the summer between my high school freshman and sophomore years.

When we moved there, we knew the Akers lived there. My folks and Charlie and Marie Aker had been friends for many years -- way back to Mooresville, Ind., before I was born. As a matter of fact, Dr. Charlie Aker delivered my sister, brother and me.

It was during one of our family's "hard times" in 1950 when I became very acquainted with the Aker House. We needed a place to stay and Marie kindly offered the upstairs of their home. Our address was 9½ E. Poplar St.

I lived there for about a year and a half, and my best friend, Bill Lawrence, who is still a Greencastle resident, probably spent as much time at the Aker house as he did at his home.

Yes, that lovely old home, with its creaking stairs up to where I lived; the honeysuckle vine, filled with bees, providing shade, privacy and one of the best odors in nature to the front porch; and the Aker family, are what provide me with bitter-sweet memories of the house at 9 E. Poplar St.

I say "thank you" to the Shinns for deciding to save a slice of the past. I wish you well in your endeavor.

Jim Miles

Spring Hill, Fla.