Childhood homes can be complicated
I’m Betsy, a writer who’s fascinated by childhood homes — mine, yours, and everyone else’s.
My childhood home was a dilapidated 1871 Victorian mansion designed by William Le Baron Jenney in the Chicago suburbs. “No one would want it if it were being given away,” my mother said when they bought it. My parents thought restoring the house while we lived there would take five years. Fifteen years later, it looked like this.
I could not shake my memories of my unusual childhood in this extraordinary place. I started writing, researching, and excavating my past. The Akenside Project began as a way to share stories I’ve uncovered during my research.
Where I Grew Up interview series
One third of American adults over the age of 30 have visited a childhood home.1 I love to speak with people who can’t stop thinking about theirs. Where I Grew Up interviews invite them to return home and share their stories.
According to Returning Home: Reconnecting with Our Childhoods by Jerry M. Burger
