Internet Journey.....
In the last several days I've put the Internet to work in ways that it's inventor, Al Gore, could never have imagined. The modern Internet contains so much data and ways to retrieve it that I am more amazed all the time. Some things done with the data can be for nefarious purposes, but some result in good things. Such is my story today.
It started several days ago when my friend Bill Loos sent me some interesting links on Microsoft's mapping site TerraServer which showed some old WWII bombing targets in West Texas. I'll share these in a later post. I had tried TerraServer some years ago, but found it somewhat lacking, especially in comparison to Google's map function. But apparently TerraServer has been greatly enhanced since my last visit and I decided to explore some aerials of homes I have lived in and the homes of my grandparents in St. Louis.
I found my Mothers' parents home in Webster Groves where I had spent many an early Christmas. The house was built in the late 1890's and is a marvel, all wood, three stories on a beautiful street. You can see it here on Rock Hill Rd. It is on the far left at center, the second house down with a swimming pool, a modern addition. My Grandparents lived there from the late 1930's until the early 1960's.
Next I went a mile or two away to the home in Kirkwood Mo. where my Dad grew up at 44 Hill Drive seen directly above the red dot. A home that my Grandfather designed and built in the mid 1930's. I helped clean the house out in 1995 after my Grandmother and Grandfather had passed away so I had more recent history with this home, where I had spent much time over the years. And this is where the interesting part of the story really begins, for in viewing these homes I came to realize that with all the 1000's of photos I've taken over the years, I had none of these homes that were so important in my life. I've often regretted not taking a camera to St. Louis a decade ago to record all the memories.
I have had some experience in researching addresses on the Internet using such sites as 411 Locate and Anywho.com but not where I knew virtually none of the information about the occupants. However in browsing 411 Locate I came to a reverse address lookup. Type in the address known and amazingly it will give you the names and phone number of the current owner. I did so on the Kirkwood address and swiftly came up with that information, a Bill and Michelle A. With a little trepidation I called the phone number and sure enough it was the correct home but I spoke with a Nanny who was quite a little suspicious of a strange caller who wanted a picture of the house, even though I explained the story of why. She said she would leave a note.
Wondering whether my message would get through, I decided to explore futher. I remembered hearing that the person[s] who had bought the house from the estate was an attorney, so I Googled attorneys in St. Louis and immediately hit upon Michelle A. at a major lawfirm that had a very good website with biography and email contact. So...today I sent an email to Michelle and within hours I had heard from her! Though surprised that I had tracked them down, I think Michelle understood my purpose and was glad to learn some of the history of the house. Surprisingly she said that her husband is an attorney in St. Louis and has quite a love of art and art history, which is what attracted him to the house. My grandfather was an attorney, an artist and had quite an impressive art collection and being somewhat of a Bohemian had desiged the house with quite an artistic touch.
Michelle promised to send some photos of the house, which has been given a much needed make over. Something that I could tell had been done just from the aerial photo. Michelle seems like quite a nice person and apparently looked over BigGoldDog.com for she made a nice reference to Tres in her second email. I hope to hear more about them and now it's on to try and contact the owners of my Mother's old home on Rock Hill Rd. Hope they're as nice!
In the last several days I've put the Internet to work in ways that it's inventor, Al Gore, could never have imagined. The modern Internet contains so much data and ways to retrieve it that I am more amazed all the time. Some things done with the data can be for nefarious purposes, but some result in good things. Such is my story today.
It started several days ago when my friend Bill Loos sent me some interesting links on Microsoft's mapping site TerraServer which showed some old WWII bombing targets in West Texas. I'll share these in a later post. I had tried TerraServer some years ago, but found it somewhat lacking, especially in comparison to Google's map function. But apparently TerraServer has been greatly enhanced since my last visit and I decided to explore some aerials of homes I have lived in and the homes of my grandparents in St. Louis.
I found my Mothers' parents home in Webster Groves where I had spent many an early Christmas. The house was built in the late 1890's and is a marvel, all wood, three stories on a beautiful street. You can see it here on Rock Hill Rd. It is on the far left at center, the second house down with a swimming pool, a modern addition. My Grandparents lived there from the late 1930's until the early 1960's.
Next I went a mile or two away to the home in Kirkwood Mo. where my Dad grew up at 44 Hill Drive seen directly above the red dot. A home that my Grandfather designed and built in the mid 1930's. I helped clean the house out in 1995 after my Grandmother and Grandfather had passed away so I had more recent history with this home, where I had spent much time over the years. And this is where the interesting part of the story really begins, for in viewing these homes I came to realize that with all the 1000's of photos I've taken over the years, I had none of these homes that were so important in my life. I've often regretted not taking a camera to St. Louis a decade ago to record all the memories.
I have had some experience in researching addresses on the Internet using such sites as 411 Locate and Anywho.com but not where I knew virtually none of the information about the occupants. However in browsing 411 Locate I came to a reverse address lookup. Type in the address known and amazingly it will give you the names and phone number of the current owner. I did so on the Kirkwood address and swiftly came up with that information, a Bill and Michelle A. With a little trepidation I called the phone number and sure enough it was the correct home but I spoke with a Nanny who was quite a little suspicious of a strange caller who wanted a picture of the house, even though I explained the story of why. She said she would leave a note.
Wondering whether my message would get through, I decided to explore futher. I remembered hearing that the person[s] who had bought the house from the estate was an attorney, so I Googled attorneys in St. Louis and immediately hit upon Michelle A. at a major lawfirm that had a very good website with biography and email contact. So...today I sent an email to Michelle and within hours I had heard from her! Though surprised that I had tracked them down, I think Michelle understood my purpose and was glad to learn some of the history of the house. Surprisingly she said that her husband is an attorney in St. Louis and has quite a love of art and art history, which is what attracted him to the house. My grandfather was an attorney, an artist and had quite an impressive art collection and being somewhat of a Bohemian had desiged the house with quite an artistic touch.
Michelle promised to send some photos of the house, which has been given a much needed make over. Something that I could tell had been done just from the aerial photo. Michelle seems like quite a nice person and apparently looked over BigGoldDog.com for she made a nice reference to Tres in her second email. I hope to hear more about them and now it's on to try and contact the owners of my Mother's old home on Rock Hill Rd. Hope they're as nice!
