Old houses have lacked care

I grew up in the house on 811 South Ellis. My grandfather James Caraker and his wife Nola bought that house in 1924, and they lived in it until their deaths -- hers in 1976 and his in 1978. The house was in decent shape when it was sold to Jerry Sneed in 1979, and the houses there used to be owned, but as people passed away and estates had to sell, they became rental units which rented to just anybody, but the house I was raised in was built in 1904. Places were kept up in very good shape, but when landlords get them, they usually don't take real good care of them. I am sad to see my old place look as it does and whoever put the fence around the lot caused a lot of trees to grow and clutter the place up. I have many good memories there and of the other house, too, because I remember who used to own them. I'd hate to see some houses torn down, but sometimes that has to happen.

LYNDEL REVELLE, Cape Girardeau