Long before downtown lofts became a fad, I was able to experience the advantage of this type of living in 1949 fresh from college. I took a job with the St. Joseph News-Press as an advertising representative. Because I was familiar with YMCA residencies, I applied and received a room in the “old” YMCA at 10th and Faraon, my first home in St. Joe.

Speaking of amenities, where else could you find a gymnasium, swimming pool, slanted running rack, handball court, weight lifting room and steam room just down the steps? I tried them all! It was an ideal setup for a young adult and was only five blocks away from the News-Press offices.

I had become well-acquainted with YMCA facilities through my previous Army and college days. While a student at the University of Missouri, I made frequent weekend trips into St. Louis to see the St. Louis Browns and St. Louis Cardinals baseball teams. I would stay overnight on Saturday nights at the northtown YMCA.

My first room at the St. Joseph YMCA was on the top floor. After a couple of months, the room on the southeast corner of the top floor, commonly called the “penthouse,” came open, and I moved in there. Actually it was about the same size as all the other rooms, but it appeared larger as it had windows on two sides. The view out of the east window was not too spectacular unless you enjoyed counting the bricks on the west side of the San Regis Apartments, about 20 feet away on the other side of an alley. But that south window gave you an excellent overview of the entire downtown area.

The newspaper office was just a few minutes walking distance, and I was equally as close to dozens of restaurants, retail stores, banks, bowling alleys, laundries and governmental offices. You name it and I could get their in five minutes from the Y.

The rooms of the Y could be divided into two groups. Many of them were young unmarried guys just getting started on various business careers but there were also a number of old-timers in their 60s, 70s and beyond who had been residents there for many years. It was a very compatible group with lots of kidding back and forth between the young whippersnappers and the ancient graybeards.

In the summer months, a number of the players for the minor league St. Joseph Carindals lived at the Y and I became acquainted with several of them and followed their advancements in the baseball organizations for several years.

Shortly after moving to St. Joe, I became Scoutmaster of Troop 18 at Trinity Methodist Church at Third and Robidoux, also in walking range. I became a member of Trinity and met the girl who would become my wife.

My stay at the YMCA came to an abrupt halt in August 1950 when I received a very long telegram from President Harry Truman, calling me back to active duty in the military, having to report in four days.

During this second tour of duty, Mimi and I were married and after that Korean War duty was completed we returned to St. Joseph and rented an apartment some 20 blocks from the News-Press offices. My days of walking everywhere were over.

Now I enjoy going to the Y, five or six times per week, and work out in the physical fitness area. I have broken my temptation to walk upstairs to my room at the Y, but still have many pleasant memories of that earlier time.

Bill Hooper

St. Joseph