Here's a Wellsville mystery that has intrigued me. On an empty lot between 11th & 12th Streets on Commerce, stands the tree pictured here. It's next door to the Alley Cat Aid Brigade HQ.
In that tree there are a number of shoes hanging on different branches just blowing in the breeze. No one knows the intent or what the reason is for the shoes being there. No one knows how it got started. The angels of the ACAB say they don't know and swear it's not something they started. The neighbors deny any knowledge of how or why it got started.
Some I have talked to guess it might be a memorial tree for departed souls. Others suggested that maybe it's a "good luck" wishing tree for the owners of the shoes or the ones who donated the shoes. Others just give that "deer in the head light" look and shrug their shoulders. Still others say "what shoes?"
Whatever the reason it's a mystery. I'm stumped... If you're feeling frisky feel free to add to it. It may bring you luck!
ole nib
9 comments:
In the "big city",- especially in inner-city neighborhoods, shoes hanging from a tree branch or utility wire are a symbol of someone who was murdered. Often, they are the actual shoes that once belonged to the victim.
I was told recently that shoes hanging on a wire or tree near a home means it is a place to buy drugs...take it for what it's worth, but the reason I asked was because I saw shoes hanging all the time from a wire on the street leading to my home (they changed once in awhile but were always there)...oddly enough, there is a suspected drug dealer's house two doors up...so who knows?
I don't know if the same applies to the ville but out here in phoenix, az anywhere shoes are hanging from trees/telephone poles/telephone lines are signs of gang activity and drug activity - like marking territory. I surely hope this is not the same issue with shoe tree
Interesting. I've never heard of read any of those symbols with the shoes. That makes it even more intriguing. I admit I'm in a small community and not attuned to things like that in the big cities. Nor am I familiar with drug trade.
There were two shooting deaths in the last two years that happened near-by on that street. Years and years ago there was a policeman shot down in that neighborhood. Indeed, who knows?
nib
You don't think the alleycat people are dealing out of that lime-green building, do you?
Conspiracyman - That was low! No way would I ever think the "alleycat" ladies are dealing. If you would take the time to get to know those girls that is something you wouldn't even consider. Simply put they are four angels trying to help God's creatures "great & small".
After thinking about it with the first two comments I'm inclined to go with the idea it's a symbol of "someone who was murdered".
You owe an apology to the angels.
nib
I think you all are way off track here. Try www.roadsideamerica.com
Put shoe tree in the search engine.
Nib, I was just kidding about the alleycat people dealing drugs. This was meant to be tongue-in-cheak response to all the goofy people saying that shoe trees are a sign of drug dealing. Sorry alleycat ladies!
I don't know 'bout the ladies but I'm glad you responded to explain.
I did check out the roadsideamerica site and then went to wikipedia. Apparently shoe trees are practically a world wide phenomena. Shoes in trees or shoes over utility lines has many different meanings or interpretations from gang turf claims, drug houses, marriage proposals, completing basic training in the military, to commemorate the end of the school year or, as in Scotland, to boast to his mates when a young man loses his virginity.
Unless the person comes forward to tell us why they started this shoe tree in the ville it's up to anyone's guess or meaning. It's appears to be a case of "different strokes for different folks". At any rate it's a first for the ville,
nib
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