Many of the screen doors to the historic Riverview Apartments are now off, and the appliances that once held and cooked pork chops, fried chicken, turnip greens, chitlins' and pan-fried corn to nourish the families of our neighbors, are all long gone.
The apartments are mostly empty now.. cold and silent monuments to the wonderful, warm, joyous atmospheres that once spread from unit to unit. The Historic Riverview Apartments have withstood the test of time, like old friends that have long worn out their welcome, but have nowhere to go.
Alas.. the units wait but for the wrecking ball to crush down and finally extinguish the spirit of friendship and brotherhood that made them part of everyones' lives for the past 70 years.
Many former residents have humbly requested a brick from the apartment that they have called home, as a memento of good family times and neighborly memories long gone. Although the demolition site will probably be roped or fenced off, the Kingsport Housing and Redevelopment Authority realizes the sentimental feeling that we all have for the apartments. As a result, those commemorative brick requests have been graciously granted, once demolition starts.
Everyone who would like to have a brick from their particular apartment can get one, when the tear-down crews get to their particular apartment. If you are unable to get one, call Johnnie Mae Swaggerty at 423-246-6623 with your apartment number, so bricks can be gotten for you.
We are still waiting for the exact date for demolition to start, so that we can have another Riverview Apartments Reunion on the Douglass Ball Field (inside the Elks Lodge or the Douglass Gym, if the weather is bad).
Please watch the Douglass Alumni website closely for notification.
