Aug. 3, 2011
This is another post from a long-ago Facebook discussion.

Topic: Big Hill Delete Topic|Reply to Topic
Displaying all 7 posts.

HistoricSouthNorfolk.com
Submitted by Houston White…Friday, Dec. 18th, 2009

Here’s a poem that my Brother Nick White wrote Christmas 1983 and will bring back memories or a simpler time in South Norfolk.
Christmas Mission
It was miles and miles from our house,
and the cold December chill.
Cut through our clothes and pinked our cheeks
On our mission to Big Hill
For that day we’d been appointed
with our… special Christmas task.
To supply the fir and pine boughs
For which our Mom had asked.
To be placed around the mantle
with a special loving care,
To tell all those who entered
That our Christmas joy was there.
And, oh, how sweet the fragrance
that our decorations bore!
It was just a simple foretaste
Of the holidays in store.
And now within my mind’s eye
my remembrances fill,
And I journey back to bygone days,
And our mission to Big Hill.
over a year ago ·

HistoricSouthNorfolk.com
Saturday following Darlene Sibley posted

Just curious, is Big Hill an actual place? I love writing poems when I have the time. Thank you for sharing.
over a year ago ·

HistoricSouthNorfolk.com
Houston replied….

Yes, “Big Hill” is / was the area where the old Oscar Smith High School is located. It included most of the area of Ardmore and Rodgers St. around the school. The stadium was the old city dump, where they burned trash. I suppose the name “Big Hill” came from the overpass on Bainbridge Blvd. near the school. Prior to the school being built (1954)… it was pine woods and abundant with holly. There was a cemetery located between the stadium and the school, which has now been moved and a marker placed near the rear of the old shopping center. Are you a relative of Joe Sibley from Rodgers & Jefferson St?
over a year ago ·

HistoricSouthNorfolk.com
Vicki Ford replied…..

~Vicki~ Thanks Houston for the education on “Big Hill”! As for Darlene being related to Joe Sibley the answer is yes. I’m not sure of the actual connection, either her husband’s father or grandfather. Her and Billy along with their family have been living in the same house you mentioned for many years. I’ll let her know you were asking and yawl can compare notes. Check out South Norfolk Memories under Discussion where Darlene has posted some of her memories. I can’t remember if they mention Joe or not.
over a year ago ·

Russell Taylor
Don’t remember the year, but HENRY THOMAS had a accident on that bridge. Left him slighty paralized. Would slid down the sides in cardboard boxes.People would park and watch the football games from their cars. There was a small fenced in area on the edge of the field between the stadium and the base/softball back stop.Wonder what they did with the markers inside of it.
over a year ago ·

Steve Curling
I haven’t heard “big hill” in a long long time. Growing up on the 1200 block on Jackson St it was a real adventure to walk up Rodgers St. and continue onto Rodgers St. extension and play in the woods near “big hill” .
Hey Russell, it was Henry Thomas and Bobby Clifton who had the accident at the overpass. Bobby endend marrying my wife Donna’s twin sister, Linda and they now live on Bay Island. We live on Lake Norman, NC near Charlotte.
This site has been a real treat! Vicki shoud receive a medal or something for her super work.
over a year ago ·

Ned Harris
It seems everyone has a slightly different memory of Big Hill. When I mentioned it to my aunt(83) she asked if I was talking about Big or Little hill. My memory was that it was more of a path through the wood that started at the end of Chesapeake Ave( The last street in Ardmore) and ended at about the foot of Virginia Ave. As development spread Big Hill eventually disappeared. Our first house was 2514 Chesapeake Ave, which we bought in 1970, would have been on a part of Big Hill and it was less than 10 years old at the time.
over a year ago ·