After 30 years, we say thank you and goodbye to the Kennelly home at 1482 Blair Avenue in St. Paul, MN.
September of 1988, my dad purchased 1482 Blair from his mom, our nana Viv. Within a year, he found the love of his life (my amazing mother) and they started to build a home for their family: myself, my younger brother Charlie and our siblings, a.k.a pets throughout the years: momma kitty, shorty the cry baby, Jack the wonder dog, and Roxanne (Roxy), girlfriend.
Blair Avenue is in the heart of the twin cities in a neighborhood known as Hamline “Midway” as it is halfway between the downtowns of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. The Midway is an urban, vibrant, diverse, and up-and-coming area. Within the last few years, it has expanded beautifully with growing businesses, restaurants, entertainment, higher education institutions, public transportation, and sporting complexes. Being raised and living in the city, we were exposed to various types of culture and people, providing us with an open, loving perspective.
1482 is also apart of a very supportive community; our neighbors became practically family. While Charlie and I were growing up, there were many kids our own age in the neighborhood; we played sports, biked the streets, went on trips, tick-or-treated, and many of whom we went to preschool-12th grade with, crazy! The parents of this community were like second moms, dads, aunts, uncles, and grandparents; we all looked out for one another. Gloria, a.k.a Gabi’s daycare, which was only a few blocks away from our house and a few houses down from our grade school, turned into a second home. It was a place where all of us kids began to develop into ourselves, learning from one another how to navigate the world as people.
While we were in a wonderful community, what was truly magical about the house was that just right down the street lived my mom's brother and sister and their families: Terry (TT) and John and cousins Jake, Sophie, Max and Lily; Mike and Holly (Haji) and cousins Ellie and Alex. Blair Avenue was our happy place, creating a powerful bond between our three families. Living this close to one another meant we shared so many of life’s precious moments: graduation parties, birthday celebrations, Christmas mornings, unplanned hang outs on the back patio, morning coffee talk on the front porch, and most importantly, Sunday night family dinners. Sunday nights became our tradition to gather and share our lives with one another, learning and growing together.
Although we just closed on our house, the other two families have already sold their homes so to celebrate Blair, all three families came together for one of the last few times earlier this summer at 1482. We shared laughs, tears, memories, and love for the years spent together, a special evening full of gratitude and appreciation for all that has been and excitement for all that is yet to come.
To honor Blair Avenue and all that it has given to our lives, my family and I have shared a few of our favorite memories:
The story: My father passed away in 1968 at age the of 42. Obviously, our family, especially my mother, was devastated but life went on. My mother continued to live and work in Graceville, MN for the next few years. Around the latter part of 1975, she met Brick Burns. Although originally also from Graceville, he now lived in Saint Paul at 1482 Blair Ave. They married in November 1976 and my mother moved to Saint Paul in January 1977. They were in love and could not be happier! Unfortunately, a few years into their marriage, Brick became ill and passed away from leukemia, June of 1981. My mother remained in the house (where I actually lived with her for a year or so) until she sold it to me in September of 1988. Approximately a year later I met Pauli (if you haven’t heard the Champp’s “love at first sight story”, ask Samantha). 'Soon’ after we met, Pauli moved in with me...and Hank, the other tenant. Hank only lasted about 3 months, as I realized “2’s company and 3’s a crowd". March 11, 1991, we welcomed Samantha ‘Tootie’ Jordan Kennelly; life could not have been better.
Tootie was a wonderful addition to our family joining Pauli, me and our beloved Jack the wonder dog!! Samantha filled our lives with firsts: first baptism (god mother TT, god father big Paul), first grade, first state fair with a toddler, first experience with babysitters (Bohland girls), first family to get detention (for a good cause), Girl Scout cookies, Halloween with the Millers, softball with coach Mary B, basketball with coach Tim, dating, new car......driving (in the pouring rain to Alexandria for spring break!), My 50th birthday and her awesome tribute 😭, Graduation and graduation party!! She brought life and energy to the house, but Samantha was never meant to be an only child.
Charles Martin was born June 11, 1995 and was a fellow Gemini ♊️; my 40th birthday present. This was during my second year commuting to Detroit while working with Northwest Airlines. Charlie, Fred, chez, chezwayhooteyhaw.... a boy of many names. I never missed an opportunity to play catch with him: baseball (he started to throw way too hard) or football, it was always great fun. When the basketball hoop in the backyard finally went up, we played many many games of HORSE. It was great watching him grow up and become a fun, loving son. Pauli and I are so proud of Samantha and Charles and the people they have become.
Thank you 1482 for 30 years of amazing memories, Neil
Planting Marvin on Blair Avenue - 35 years ago (pre-us) our block was hit with Dutch elm disease and the neighborhood lost every single tree; it was a sad baron site. On a hot summer day, 20 some years ago when our new trees were still very small, the kids, 6 and 2, and I decided to relocate a small maple tree from the side of the house to the front. It was really just something fun for us to do together. Sam was very interested in the process and what would happen, Charles was more so interested in digging in the dirt. We named the small tree “Marvin the Maple“.
Surprise surprise that little bitty stick started to grow and grow fast (just like Sam and Charlie)! Soon enough Marvin was big enough to swing on so Sam drug her little yellow chair underneath so they could reach his arm to swing. Over the years, Marvin became the neighborhood tree for all the kids to climb and play on. He also provided us with lovely shade and privacy sitting in our little front porch. Little yellow is coming to our new home and will now sit in waiting for the new Marvin (yet to be planted) to be big enough to swing on for those future small people to play and play.
Love you Marvin the Maple, Pauli
1482 Blair. Hard to say goodbye to a place that has played such a huge role in the Kennelly family. From family Christmas to grilling out in the backyard, the memories are endless. However, in a more recent memory, the house has meant a lot more to me than it did while growing up. The four of us haven't actually all lived in the same state since 2009 when dad moved to Atlanta with Delta and Sam went to Iowa for college. For the past 10 years or so 1482 has been the meeting point for the Kennellys. From spending everyday together to living across the world from each other the love was never lost; we always knew that when we needed it most we could head home for that quality family time that means so much to us all. Although 1482 will no longer be the meeting point for us, we will be creating a new meeting point in Cumberland, WI where we can make even more lasting memories for years to come. Saying goodbye to the meeting point is hard, but to me it was never the place that held us all, rather ,the people that made the place a home.
We'll miss ya Blair, Charlie (Charles Mountain, Fred)
30 years. 30 years of laughter, growth, new beginnings, celebrations, comfort and peace; 30 years of love and life. 1482 Blair Avenue has witnessed the truest of loves since day one. A house, which quickly became a home to protect and provide a safe place to learn and grow. It was the gathering place, a place where people chose to be to feel welcomed and loved. Throughout the years, it was a home for family and friends during times of transition. It has been apart of transformative moments in our family- dad proposing to mom, Sunday night dinners, graduation parties, porch talks, sleepovers, dinner parties, Christmas mornings, holiday gatherings with Kennelly and Jordan families, late night movies, dad's 50th birthday party, the neighborhood kid hangout spot, slip n slide and volleybat on the front lawn, cool fall evenings on the patio, and so much more. Thank you mom and dad for creating this home, this safe haven for so many. I am incredibly grateful for the Blair Avenue community that has and continues to provide so much love and support. I will be forever grateful.
Much Love, Sammy Lou (Tootie)
Even though it’s hard to leave, we are exited for the next chapter. A lovely young couple with their 4th baby arriving next month are going to carry on the Blair house love. They are so excited to be there and said it will be their forever house. We are sad to leave but so very happy to turn it over to them and so grateful for our wonderful neighbors these past 30 years; the helping to dig out after big snows, watching out for each other’s kids, sharing a beer on the porch, counting how many kids we got on Halloween and many more wonderful moments together.
"Rock on Blair!!"- Pauli
This week we say goodbye to the physical house, but the community and love it built will carry on for many more years to come. As we close one chapter we begin the next with new memories awaiting at the Four Pine's Cabige (cabin+cottage) on Sunset Point in Cumberland, WI. 1482 will always have a piece of us there and a piece of it in our hearts. It is now time for Marvin the Maple to bring joy to a new family as they begin their own journey through life’s precious moments.
"Home is where the heart is."
Here's to the next chapter.
Love, the Kennellys
Very inspiring Sam! Congrats on realizing you are worth it.