Some childhood homes become public destinations because great men and women lived in them when they were boys and girls. Though a few of these places are now museums, most early houses of the famous remain unmarked. Googling “celebrity childhood homes” will produce images of surprisingly ordinary places to drive by for glimpses of the original environments of the world’s most fascinating people (e.g. Martha Stewart’s early home in Nutley, NJ; Bob Dylan’s parents’ house in Duluth, MN; Muhammed Ali’s boyhood home in Louisville, KY; Madonna’s teen home in the suburbs of Detroit).
Michael Jackson’s childhood home at, coincidentally, 2300 Jackson Street in Gary, IN, is not a museum, but it’s not exactly unmarked, either. Behind a black iron fence with a locked gate is the small two-bedroom house where Michael and his 8 siblings spent their earliest years and where they honed their musical skills. It stands out as the best-maintained house in a modest neighborhood. The Michael Jackson estate bought the house next door, too, maybe for storage. Both houses feature nice lawns and trim shrubs. Though a polished granite memorial disappeared from the lawn in 2017, makeshift memorials sometimes left by visitors produce a special feeling of reverence. Attached to the fence are a pair of whiteboards on which fans write messages to Michael. The interior is not open to the public.
The Jacksons’ childhood was different from that of most other kids. In addition to their schedule of nonstop practicing, rehearsals, and performances, the Jacksons were Jehovah’s Witnesses, and did not celebrate holidays. In his memoir, “You Are Not Alone: Michael Through a Brother’s Eyes,” Jermaine writes about seeing seasonal decorations in the neighborhood when he was eight years old and Michael was four:
“We observed all this from inside a house with no tree, no lights, no nothing. Our tiny house… was the only one without decoration. We felt it was the only one in Gary, Indiana, but Mother assured us that, no, there were other homes and other Jehovah’s Witnesses who did not celebrate Christmas… But that knowledge did nothing to clear our confusion: we could see something that made us feel good, yet we were told it wasn’t good for us.”
Many of us have some or a lot of ambivalence about our childhood homes. If you hold mixed feelings about where you grew up, exploring them might produce a great story. Remember, we are happy to help you, do gentle editing, or even record your story if that’s easier for you. Your memories can be brief, too. Maybe a certain room stands out, or you’d simply like to record your impressions of your childhood yard.
Send your story to childhoodhomestories@gmail.com. We look forward to reading it and including it in the collection!
Best to you,
Laurie and Susan
