Clovis Library

The Jack and Jane Leddy family lived in Clovis, California (near Fresno) between 1950 and 1956. They lived on Crescent Drive in Tarpy Village.  This is the Carnegie Library in Clovis (as it is today).

I remember it being more lovely and having large trees in front.  The second picture, from the Carnegie Library site, is more like what I remember.  We used to have library volunteers read stories to us aloud o the lawn.  Here's a description I found at Waymarking.com "The Clovis Carnegie Library was constructed in 1915 with an $7000.00 dollar endowment from the Carnegie Foundation. It was used as a library until 1976. Designed by Fresno Architects Edward Glass and Charles Butner, it is described  as a simple classical building with Spanish Elements.The building's exterior has been renovated covering up much of its former glory. It does retain its original massing, wide eaved roof, and entry stairway that might give the untrained eye a thought that this building may have had another life. It has been used as the offices for the Clovis Chamber of Commerce since 1985. It was named Fresno County Landmark #157 in 1967." For more go to http://www.carnegie-libraries.org   Its address is 325 Pollasky Street Clovis.  

Leddy's Mens Wear in Pasadena and Wrigley Mansion

Wrigley Mansion, Pasadena

One of Jack's earliest memories is of watching the Rose Parade from the roof of Leddy's Men's Wear at the corner of Durango and Colorado in Pasadena.  He says that the store's employees consisted of a mixture of Jewish tailors and other employees who were Catholic.  His Uncle Joe (Joseph Leddy) ran the store.  Jack's job during Christmas time was to take wrapped gifts by bicycle to the homes of rich people (sometimes in the rain!), for example the home of William Wrigley (famous for chewing gum).  This house is now called the  Tournament House.  It was the favorite of the Wrigley's six homes and was purchased in 1914 for $170,000.  The Pasadena News of Jan2, 1911 lists Joseph Leddy as participating in the Tournament of Roses.  "The clothing men of Pasadena had one of the prettiest decorated autos in the auto division.  A five-passenger car was nearly hidden under a profusion of pink and white carnations..."  Leddy's Men's Wear is mentioned in a novel by David Ebershoff, Pasadena, "handsome face of an overcoat advertisement she had seen on the brick wall of Perkins and Leddy on Colorado Street."  Incidentally, my grandfather, Harold D. Leddy, is listed in the Bar Association bulletin of 1927 as being located in the 245 Security Bldg. in Pasadena.  The only thing I can find about the Security Building is that in 1952 there was a public accounting firm of Howell & Martin partnership formed by Wallace (Buzz) Martin, CPA and George Howell, PA. "The office was located in the Security Building on Walnut Avenue in Pasadena and had a total of five staff."