Exploring the ODC Basement

Not long ago we were having some work done at the ODC that involved jackhammering out a portion of a floor in a small storage room. While the work was being done, the workers broke thru to a large empty room below the floor: a room we didn’t know existed.

As it turns out, we had just stumbled on to what was the remnant of the ODC basement! The first part of our building on Martha Avenue was erected in 1956, when we were known as the Child Development Center. Two additions were later constructed in 1965 and 1984. But the basement seems to only be under the original part of the building, and we have no record as to when it was sealed off.

The big surprise was what we found when exploring the basement. Nothing too creepy or scary, but interesting nonetheless.

When we first went in, there was an old staircase that took us down to the basement and to a long, cinderblock hallway.

Off to the right we found a room filled with old files and paperwork, which will hopefully be of great interest as we research more about the history of the ODC.

Across the hall, to the left, we found what must have been some sort of pantry or root cellar, filled with old jars, some canned peaches (that didn’t look so great after all these years), and some other canned goods.

In a large can labeled “Forever Hamloaf” we found a fully intact meatloaf that was apparently made by longtime ODC cook, Evelyn Boas. Mrs. Boas worked at the ODC for years providing midday meals for our Program Participants. Several of our long-time Participants remember her. We’d heard so much about the food that Mrs. Boas prepared that we decided to add a little water for moisture, pop it in the microwave, and heat it up. It actually tasted pretty good after all these years! Like fine wine, it aged pretty well. Maybe a little chewy though…

Off of the root cellar was a door to what was an old bomb shelter, but we were unable to open the door due to some collapsing of the structure. But taped to the door was this picture, showing what was supposed to be on the other side.

But the most amazing thing about the basement was a door at the end of the hall with a sign on the door that said “Staff Lounge.” We never knew there ever was any sort of staff lounge, but it was so amazingly preserved, that we’ve decided to reopen it and find a way for our staff to use it again while they are on their breaks.

So come on over and join us sometime in the lounge. It might be our new favorite place to hangout and have meetings! And if you’d like, we might even share some of the canned fruit with you, but the hamloaf is already gone!