Phoenix, New York is truly a community like no other. Our little village has been through a lot–if you can think of something weird that could happen to a place, there is a good chance it's happened here.
This isn't an exaggeration–from the time half the village was destroyed in a fire, things have just gotten weirder. Once, we even had a Chupacabra exhibit downtown. Seriously!
Even with all of its quirks, more than 2,000 people currently call Phoenix their home. There is a lot of hometown pride here, and between every pep rally, parade and fireworks show, it really shows.
When I came up with the idea for this article, I went to Facebook to get ideas. What was it about Phoenix that made it so special? What did people remember from growing up here?
Surprisingly, almost 50 people commented all of their favorite things about Phoenix. The post turned into a sort of reminiscent spot where people I didn't even know would come in and talk about all the times they had here, either growing up or living here as adults.
So, with a little help from my fellow Phoenicians, I comprised this list of ten things you (probably) did if you grew up in good old P- Town:
1. Hung out/grocery shopped at Nice 'N' Easy.
For a long time, this was the only place to get groceries in town. My mom used to (and still does, depending on her mood) run down and get milk here instead of trekking all the way up to Wegman's.
"Going to "the sleaze" for breakfast before school was the ultimate treat, and you'd show off your energy drink or coffee to your classmates like a trophy," Kelsey Woodside, a Phoenix Alum, said.
In the past ten years or so, "Sleazy" has become sort of a hang out spot for kids just getting out of school, as it is only a few blocks away. Recently, management put a "no backpacks" sign on the door...This is probably for the best.
It truly is a love hate relationship with the Phoenix Nice 'N' Easy, and anyone that lives here knows this firsthand.
2. Attended the "End of the Year" fireworks.
Fireworks on the Fourth of July? Not for our quirky little town!
Every year, some brave souls put off fireworks on the last day of school and the whole town comes out to see them. I'm talking literally every person you went to high school with. It's great.
There's local music, great food and, of course, vendors that will con you into spending all of your hard-earned allowance on flashy toys that will only work for an hour–no, I am not bitter.
3. Watched the boats go through the locks.
A stop on the Erie Canal, downtown Phoenix is a great place to watch the fanciest of boats go by. While residents and visitors alike enjoy a cup of coffee from State Street Cafe or grab a bite to eat from Larkin's, they can sit by the Bridge House and watch with envy–and maybe feed the ducks while they're at it.
4. Having lunch with/working for the Bridge House Brats.
On the water, there is a cute little Bridge House that has volunteers from the district's schools (mostly elementary and middle- schoolers) run around and get food for people who choose to eat on the docks. The kids take orders and only ask for a small tip in return.
As a kid, I remember being so excited to be a Bridge House Brat. Now, there are dozens of kids who serve the community as a brat under the infamous Cathy Lee.
5. Eaten at all of the coolest eateries in town.
Okay, so maybe a million is an exaggeration, but there is no shortage of interesting eateries in the town limits. Just Donuts, OTB, Cam's, Big Mike's, Larkin's and State Street Cafe are just the beginning of the list, and that doesn't even cover ice cream places (Scooper Douper's and Henderson, I see you).
If you grew up here, you probably didn't just eat at these places, you worked at a lot of them, too. Personally, I've worked at three of the places above. It just happens!
6. Sledded at the town park.
7. Played a community sport/in a community band.
"Community tee-ball turned into 14 years of softball," Sarah Conner, a former resident of Phoenix said.
The sports are competitive, but also teach kids how to play the game and respect their teammates and the other players on the field, and that makes for great sportsmanship in their future sport endeavors.
8. Gawked at the old Cherry Street school.
My grandma's house is still across from this creepy, old building that used to be a school–it has been turned into apartments, but that doesn't make it any less creepy.
Some older readers went to school here, but if you are younger than 42, you probably just remember this being the spooky building you told ghost stories about to freak out your siblings. That's what I did, anyway.
9. Attended the Field Days/ Memorial Day parade.
Every year on Memorial Day, there is a huge parade through town that includes different community teams, bands and our very own PHX Veterans from various wars. The whole community comes out to sit in the sun and appreciate all these people have done for our country and our little town.
At the end of the parade, many Phoenicians head down to the Field Days next to the local VFW for some fried dough from the Boy Scouts and their favorite carnival ride–hopefully not in that order!
10. Always came back after you left.
As kids, we yearn to get out and go on to bigger places and better things. However, our inner Firebird is always there, and we always manage to find our way back to little P-Town.
Despite its weird quirks, this place is pretty darn great. I can honestly say that I am proud to be a Phoenician!
