I have received quite a few letters and emails from people who have seen the Bellairebook.com website and ordered a copy of Life and Times Around Bellaire, Texas. Here are some excerpts from these letters and emails:

"Thank you for assembling this vast history of the area. My parents moved to the area in 1954. I grew up and went to school there also. It was home. We owned the home for 54 years. This book is quite a treasure for me."

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"You may have been in my younger sister Cyndy's class at Bellaire High ... We lived on many streets in Bellaire, but her junior year she lived with me at my apartment on Turnberry near Pershing. I was born on Cynthia street, but mom was embarrassed to name me Cynthia, thinking folks would figure she got the name from the street she lived on, so the baby sister got the name.

"I think what you are doing is a tremendous asset to our community, and I applaud your efforts."

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"I'm so delighted to find out about your book. My husband and I both graduated from Bellaire High School in 1966. My dad was a homebuilder who built some of the first houses on Cedar Street. My parents lived at 4911 Cedar and my husband grew up on Valerie. We are retired teachers and now live in Marble Falls.

"This book will be the perfect Father's Day gift for my husband. We still have so many fond memories of growing up in Bellaire. Than k you for providing many of us old-timers with this walk down memory lane."

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"Your story was a real inspiration for me. Your zeal for independence and work ethic lives as a testimony of what we, as a people, once had and now are losing. Thank you for reminding us of the greatness and independence we can have once again, if only we choose to do so."

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"My parents purchased an old house in 1946 and had it moved to the lot on the corner of Willow and Second, a block down from Condit Elementary. We attended Bellaire Presbyterian Church; my daddy taught the Men's Sunday School class for several years.

"I would be thrilled if you could sign the book!"

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"Thanks! Enjoy your work very much. Lived in Bellaire 30 years. May order another copy for a friend who used to live in Bellaire but is now living in Europe."

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"I just saw the preview of your Belliare book [on the Internet] and think this is very fun. On the People Pages in the pyramid of kids [page 78], my sisters are on the second from bottom row.... the one on the far right is my sister Jean, living in Independence, Texas. The girl on the far left of that row is my sister Alicia, now deceased. We lived on Huisache and my parents moved from there only 4 years ago. My dad, Bernard, is living here in Austin near me. I am going to send you a check for the book."

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"I keep your book open on my kitchen bar, and read a page every day. That makes the enjoyment go on and on! I sent a copy of your book to one of my close friends and a former neighbor, who now lives in South Africa, and she was very pleased to rekindle her memories of Bellaire. Thanks for your efforts!"

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"Your book makes me remember my childhood in Bellaire before air conditioning: Large pitchers of ice cold water, bed sheets placed in the freezing unit of our refrigerator, and wearing light cotton dresses to ease the sweltering summer months in Texas. We'd turn on the attic fan at night which sometimes didn't
help at all.

"I remember playing in the front yard until dark and sometimes even not coming into the house until right before dinner. The family would eat at the table together and neighbors hung out in the back yards trading recipes over the cycleone fences. Sheets were hung on the clothes line outside, no need for dryers. Mom and dad would relax on the swing on the large wrap around porch.

"I didn't realize that this would end up being the best times of my life! Thanks ever so much for bringing back these memories through your book!"