Newtown really was new, when it was new. People tell me that the old segregated district was called "Overtown" and the new segregated district was to be called Newtown. Well, segregation is supposed to be over.

Since segregation is supposed to be over, the only way to conscientiously redevelop Newtown, in my opinion, is as a historical district. Redeveloping it any other way will just displace a lot of people and line someone's pocket, perhaps someone whose pocket is already well lined.

What if, we were to recreate a few of the buildings that were in Overtown on those vacant lots on Martin Luther King and get ourselves an Old Time steam train to take people there?

Put a park and ride structure, welcome center and train station on that vacant property at Martin Luther King and Tuttle? People will come from all over to ride an antique steam train.

Once aboard the antique steam train people would hear a little narration from a period costumed tour guide and the antique steam train would stop at Newtown. People could get off or continue to ride a loop around the rail corridor up to Myrtle past Booker High School, past 301, past Booker Middle School, Past Newtown Estates and back to the starting point. A good little ride.

The antique steam train passengers who had gotten off at Newtown could reboard whenever the antique steam train made its next pass. While they had been walking around in Newtown they could shop in the stores and shops, hang out with the senior men who hang out in the park, hang out with the younger men who hang out at the liquor stores, visit the Overtown replica buildings or do anything else people do in the Newtown business district.

If they were to get lost amidst all of that there are a lot of foot and bicycle police in Newtown to assist them.