I grew up in Sylmar

Has Sylmar changed so much? I lived on Sproule Ave and did for 17Yrs of my life. Then, the Olive view Hospital wasn't open. I tried to write to the person in my "old" house for some pictures but... nothing. I was just wondering if it really is THAT bad or what. I live in NY now and I would like to go back there someday but i don't think i want to now lol. Does anyone know where i am talking about and let me know what's changed? please and thank you.

It's not anywhere near as bad as the movie, if that's what you're talking about. There is some gang activity and it's not the "best" neighborhood, but it's not terrible either.

thank you for your answers thus far..I REALLY appreciate it. Funny how things do change when you grow up.. now answer me this (if you can). Does anyone know a girl named Angela Franco? she has a sister named Anne Marie and Mom's name was Vivan and Father's name is Jess. I have been trying to find her for a long time (childhood friends--best buds) Last i knew she lived in Horseheads i believe. Can anyone help me on this? I have been to the "find people" sight but i get nothing ..thank you again

I live very close to Sylmar Highschool for about 12 years now. I lived Close to Gridley for about 5 years before that. It has gotten more crowded over the years, but it's not that bad. We have very good neighbors and the area is still quiet.

I knew an Angela Franco. Don't know about her parents or her sister, but she lived on Hubbard between Foothill and Glenoaks, then on Tripoli. I knew her through her son and his wife (who I worked with) I think she lives in the South West Valley now???

what movie?

I lived on Bledsoe st DIRECTLY across from Olive View (1995), got to see them build it up and open it, my Grandmother lived on Polk st until two years ago. the area has degraded some and built up ALOT. I remember that at the end of Polk there were fields, not another two miles of houses. I still own my grandma's house on polk. i have pics from when she moved in and there was an orchard across the street (1945).

i lived there from 1965 to 1983.i went to olive vista jr high. i went to the high school before i got behind and the went to evergreen high school-- is that still there? OH and i can forget Herrick I went there too. Is that there too?

wondering wrote:

i lived there from 1965 to 1983.i went to olive vista jr high. i went to the high school before i got behind and the went to evergreen high school-- is that still there? OH and i can forget Herrick I went there too. Is that there too?

Olive Vista - still there - Area is still mostly ranches, but a lot of PUD went up within the last couple of years. Evergreen still there!!! Dronfield East to foothill are all condos now. West of the School, still track houseing, but a lot of remodels and upgrades. Casa Lopez is now Casa Torres, Fiddlers still there, Pasta Michi just moved to Santa Clarita...What else was here when you were????

wow there was a ralph's store and a phils on foothills blvd. also a jack in the box. we used to go hiking in the mountains behind our house and when i was there our neighbors son was accused of killing a kid and putting him in the wash..are those still there?

Born and raised in Sylmar. The fires brought tears to my eyes even though it's not home anymore.

oh and a Von's market that was there too... did the fires get to sylmar too? i remember our cul-de-sac. Nice neighborhood.. we played baseball in it. I found out in Oct of last year that one of my best friend's died but she didn't live there anymore-- she was in colorado. We used to skip school and the truant officer thought we were run-a-aways so funny

oh and a chicken delight and shakey's pizza.

H Salt Fish n' chips and El Chaperelle (however you spell it)

wondering wrote:

H Salt Fish n' chips and El Chaperelle (however you spell it)

LOL! Fish n' chips is STILL there, Olive view hospital is there, the wash is on fire, but yes still there. The Phil's was taken down a while ago and they have a Vallarta there now (mexican market), there used to be a grocery store on the corner of Sayre and Eldrige, by the liquor store it burnt down in the 60's I think and they built a school there and it is still there. You are a TRUE Sylmarian if you know about Shakey's pizza (that is right next to Ying's chinese kitchen btw another great Sylmar spot). Sylmar has changed over the year's so I have heard from my mother and father, both who were raised in sylmar and so was I with my other siblings. We have a saying about Sylmar though, everyone in Sylmar KNOWS everyone in Sylmar, and I found that true no matter where I go. So you probably know a lot of these people, by proxy, if they have a family history such as you and I do.
there are many things that are there since my mom and dad were little and things have changed, but not too drastically. Foster's freeze is still on Maclay also.:)

Yes, Jack in the Box, Shakeys, Yings, Vons, Foster Freeze, Chapparal all still there. . .Phils is gone (Vallarta there now) Heavenly Pancake was bought out, but is now Pancake Heaven. The old Library on Libray Street and Maclay is now a RE office, the old Farmers Insurance office on Maclay is now an RE office, One of the old mortuary's was turned into a RE office, but was turn down and now are Townhomes. . .Smitty, you're right. . .everyone knows everyone/everything if you've been here long enough. . .My office associates were all born and raised here, and their parents also. . .So what I don't know, I can fill in. . .

i remember at shakey's pizza they had a player piano to which you had to put the paper rolls on to listen to the piano! My mother and father were in a CB club called "the crazy 8"s" They used to have their meetings there and it was fun. My mother lives in NY and my dad moved to Pensicola Fla. so no one there that i know except for old time friends (if they are still there). When you move, you lose touch with people and places change. Now if I could only get someone to take a picture of my "old" house. lmao. I thank everyone that has been keeping me updated thus far on Sylmar. My maiden last name used to be Krom if anyone remembers me :)

oh yeh, Pancake Heaven, totally forgot about that. My dad remembers that, where El Cariso and Mission College are now, used to be an empty field and he would go out there with his brothers and shoot quail. He also remembers when there was really nothing past Eldridge except where Hubbard turned into a dirt road. Dad's not that old either, only 57.

SPARTANS for life! HAHAHA! Can't hate on my hometown, for 24 years of my life I lived there and now I still go to Mission College and my mom still lives down the street. good times good times.

wondering wrote:

i remember at shakey's pizza they had a player piano to which you had to put the paper rolls on to listen to the piano!

LOL! THEY STILL HAVE THAT PLAYER PIANO! that's awesome, my kids play with that thing. except now it's coin operated, still fun though.

OHHHHH WAIT A MINUTE.... My bakery.
THANK GOODNESS it's still around,
that's all that I can say about that place.

i remember guava tress and at the "dead end" of the street off our"s it was a field of pomergrante (however you spell that) tress. picked them by the dozens for free. In NY you have to pay like $1.50 for them. Don't remember too many orange groves but my mother used to take us to a babysitter and she had orange trees.