The Church On The Hill

Using Google Earth Street View while putting together the Grass Mountain Community Center post, I ran across this Catholic church on the north side of the hill.

Does anyone know how long it's been there?





Straight up Aifu 2nd Street, following the yellow line is the church, circled in purple.





This overhead view shows the fan-like shape of the roof as well as the space around it.

The approach to the front gate is still on Aifu 2nd Street. Directly to the left are some abandoned BOT "F" houses. 

The church's address is actually No. 2, Huagang Road. Continuing on the road to the left leads to the Chinese Culture University.



Photo by swimming007

This excellent picture shows the Corpus Christi Catholic Church. It has weekly Mass, according to the information  found online.





Well maintained, the church and its side gate are across the street from a parking lot.

On The South Side Of The Hill



Very close to the Grass Mountain Community Center building is another facility. Its purpose can be defined by this quote:

"Our society must make it right and possible for old people not to fear the young, or be deserted by them, for the test of a civilization is the way it cares for its helpless members."        

 --Pearl S. Buck

South and west of the GMCC is the Taipei Municipal Yang Ming Home For The Disabled.

The approximate 500 residents are those whose mental capabilities are so limited that they otherwise could not live on their own.

This complex wasn't here in 1968, but its history can be read by clicking HERE.

The Grass Mountain Community Center is circled in red. Just west and slightly below it is the residence center circled in blue.

Google Earth Street View shows the approach to the front of the main administration building.

Going in the opposite direction leads to the outskirts of the Chinese Culture University and then becomes another road to Tianmu.

Just a closer look

The gated entrance with the descending road continuing

A bit further with the sidewalk on the right

Photo by Susan Curry

Nearing the complex walls

The name of the institution

This is the end of the road as far as the home for the disabled is concerned.

Continuing on the road to the left will eventually take the rider back to the approach to the GMCC.

Grass Mountain Community Center, Taipei, Taiwan

Just one black and white picture of a sign has blossomed into a fulfilled quest. If Larry Barton had only known.

Army LTC Scott Ellinger has been narrowing his search for the Grass Mountain Community Center and Teen Club. In the past his hunches have proven to be pretty much on the money.

In a previous posting, he marked a site where he thought it once stood. Now, its location has been firmly established.

For all of the families who lived in BOT housing, these pictures might look familiar. 

Photo courtesy of Larry Barton

Looking north, the Community Center sign is partially visible on the left (west) side of the road.

Across the road and up a hill was the movie theater and combination snack bar and bowling alley.



Today, a small triangular area is shown. It is just slightly north of the old sign.

The other side of the triangle shows a more direct route to the Teen Club on Kaixuan Road (Sometimes referred to as a Street.). 



The yellow lines show the two entrances to Kaixuan Road, followed by the direct route to the GMCC.

Original PowerPoint slide courtesy of Scott Ellinger

Circled is the community center itself.

This closeup shows not just the two huge additions at either end of the building, but also a swimming pool near the middle.

There is a huge dropoff to the south, down a hill. Others will certainly know what the place looked like in the days of the Korean and Vietnam Wars.



This is just a straight line view down the road to the end of the building.



The road from where the picture was taken is a shortcut to the community center from the F housing area. The street from which this photo was taken is Guotai Street.

To the right of these parked cars is the main entrance. To the left appears to be a guard shack.

Looking straight on, you can imagine how impressive this entrance once was.

With the Chinese Culture University in the background, we are not quite halfway to the end of the community center.

Much of the land around here is leveled as many C and F Housing units were demolished.

With this shot, the deterioration of the building is evident. Either that, or it's in the process of repair. Things change quickly and the date of these pictures might be 2005.

Efforts are being made to persuade the Taiwanese government and the Bank of Taiwan to declare the former C, F, and H housing areas near this building and others to Monument Landmark  status to ensure their preservation.

For more on this click HERE.

Looking back, one can see how wide this building is. Wouldn't you like to see the inside? Maybe not



Near the west end, the place definitely looks shoddy.







Kaixuan Road continues, but the building ends.

The China Post Classified Ads, September 1, 1969

Before we left Taiwan after 15 months of active service, we had to wait a little longer because of engine problems on our Northwest jet at Taipei International.  Many of us went back to the Club 63 for dinner as repairs took a few hours.

That must have given me time to buy this issue of The China Post. We didn't have a subscription to this newspaper so it was definitely bought in Taipei on September 1, 1969..

The only reason this is even being brought up is that 10 hours and one International Date Line later we were in Fort Lewis, WA awaiting our orders for the next 4 years of our obligation.

I recently looked at my DD-214 and it was dated September 1, 1969.  That Date Line gave us another day, of course. Our reaction when we landed in Tokyo15 months earlier was along the lines of what was the date and local time.

Four years later, September 1 would become a pivotal day in my life.

Here's hoping some of the ads might awaken a few memories and a few smiles.





Did any of you read his dissertation?









Really fresh ham sandwiches





Note to Wu Chou: Competition drives down prices.





Corfam shoes and Banlon shirts--my wardrobe





























































Some Of Us Read The Obituaries

We all have our hobbies and particular interests. One of mine happens to be reading some obituaries.It started as a daily event when we moved down here.

The counties along the west coast of Florida are packed with service veterans and their families. Almost daily there was an obit about a former member of the Armed Services.

Then, the word spread that of the WWII vets, some 1,000 were dying daily around the world. This increased the number of obituaries in our local newspaper.

They were from all branches, and names like Battle of the Bulge, Bataan Death March, and Iwo Jima would pop up frequently.

Below is a recent obituary of a WWII veteran. These are becoming less and less frequent as these groups of veterans are now near or in their nineties.





Obituaries, like funerals are for the living. Generally it's the living relatives of a veteran who writes the entry. Some are puffed up to exaggerate the person's life.

With that being said, the family of this man loved and respected him. The Taiwan connection is what got it on this blog.