Shep grew up in Hammond Indiana at 2907 Cleveland Street and many of his
childhood stories are based on actual places in Hammond, but in a
fictional town called "Hohman" There is actually a street in Hammond
called Hohman Street - (See postcards below).
Here's a sattelite view of the neighborhood
Jean Shepherd Community Center
Opened March 15, 2003 this Hammond Indiana Community Center was named
after their local hero.
This is the street where Shep grew up in
real life and as Ralph in his childhood stories
1930 Census
Click image to enlarge
Here's a copy of the 1930's Census
showing Shep's house. It is on lines 29-32.
The Brunner household is listed
right above.
The Schools
Shep
attended Warren G. Harding and Hammond High
Flicks Tap
Owned by Flick's father and eventually by
Flick himself.
Shep used the tavern in his book "In God We Trust All Others Pay Cash"
Borden's Dairy
The
Borden's Dairy
in Hammond where Shep's father worked.
A Tour of Hammond
Postcards and Pictures From Hammond
Hammond Library c1917
Hammond High
Hohman Street, south of State Street, Hammond, Ind c1910
Lion Dept Store
Burgards in Hammond,showing the Art Deco styles of the
era.
Orpheum Theatre
Compiments - Dennis Missett
This set of five
pictures were sent in by Brian Pearson was able to obtain from family
members and the Calumet Room of the Hammond Public Library.
Goldblatts & Walgreens on Hohman Avenue.
Goldblatts was by far the anchor of downtown Hammond. It closed in 79 or
80. Goldblatts was no doubt portrayed as Higbees in ACS. At onetime
Goldblatts resembled a Marshall Fields or Carsons (in the Chicago area)
with it's Christmas window displays.
No
more Goldblatts!
Jack Fox's...where Shep was fitted for his
tux in Phantom Of The Open Hearth and where Shep told many of his
stories when it came to his mother buying him nice clothes for school.
The State Theatre in downtown Hammond. This
is where many of the greats passed through like The Marx Brothers, the 3
Stooges and who knows maybe the inspiration for dish night?
Woolworths on Hohman Avenue in it's hey day.
All Saints School (which still stands), this
is where Josephine Cosnowski and all the other pretty girls from East
Chicago went to school.
Bob Clark (Not the one who
made A Christmas Story) sent these photos from around Hammond.
Downtown Hammond - 1949
Monon Tower in Hammond on Hohman Ave.
Shep took his first train trip from near this spot while in the
Scouts
