would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
from chicago tribune
Parks office deep-sixes `666' from its address
By Bob Goldsborough
Special to the Tribune
Published October 4, 2006
The number 666 might strike fear in some people (think "The Omen" or "the number of the beast"), but to the Wheaton Park District, it was always just an easy-to-remember street address--666 S. Main St.--for the administration building.
And to the people in the city that boasts a strong evangelical Christian presence, nobody seemed spooked by the symbolism.
Or were they?
Several months ago, the district quietly changed the building's address from 666 to 600 S. Main St. People are wondering who changed it and why.
Rob Robinson, the former executive director, acknowledged he OKd the change during his short, yet tumultuous time at the district. He recently resigned after facing continued negative publicity about $180,000 in repairs to the Park District-owned house he occupied.
Before his resignation, he said that district staff asked him to change the address, he said.
"Over the years, vendors, suppliers and people who would have to mail stuff to our offices told us they were uncomfortable with the number," he said. "Several staff said to me, `Is there any way we could change this?'"
Plus, Robinson said some residents were happy to get rid of the old address. "Without exaggerating, I've had five community members come up and thank me for changing it," he said.
Paul Fullerton, Wheaton Park District board president, said neither he nor any other board member knew Robinson intended to change the address of the green one-story building at the northwest corner of Main Street and Roosevelt Road.
"It was something I learned of after the decision was made, and personally, I found the decision to be odd and unnecessary," Fullerton said. "But it appeared to be important to Rob Robinson."
Other 666 addresses have been changed around the country.
In the 1990s, Elk Grove Village's Lutheran Church of the Holy Spirit changed its address from 666 Elk Grove Blvd. to 150 Lions Drive without moving. In Chicago, the American Furniture Mart building changed its address from 666 to 680 N. Lake Shore Drive in 1988 when it converted into a condominium building.
Upon leaving office in 1989, former President Ronald Reagan and wife Nancy changed the address of their house in Los Angeles' Bel-Air neighborhood from 666 to 668 St. Cloud Rd.
And three years ago, federal highway officials changed the name of U.S. Highway 666 ("The Devil's Highway"), which travels through New Mexico, Colorado and Utah, to U.S. Highway 491 after prompting from New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson.
Still, several clergy members in Wheaton, a city with about 50 churches and 55,000 residents and where Rev. Billy Graham went to school, said concerns over the number 666 are overblown.
"Based on our understanding of the Book of Revelation, the number 666 would be a non-issue," said Rev. Melody Eastman, pastor of St. Paul Lutheran Church, just a few blocks from the Park District's building. "There are a wide variety of interpretations of Revelation among the clergy in our town, but in our tradition, certainly no, we wouldn't have someone avoid a business or something like that because it happens to have the number 666."
Rev. Don McLaughlin of St. Michael Catholic Church acknowledged that some of his church's members might interpret 666 to be an evil number, but he doesn't see it that way.
"People can read into things whatever they want to, but I don't get all excited about that kind of thing," he said.
The only 666 addresses left in Wheaton are two houses in the Briarcliffe Knolls subdivision on the east side. Sandra Gatto, who has lived at one for 20 years, said she gets "a lot of strange looks" when she gives out her address.
"When we moved in 20 years ago, my kids were upset, but I didn't care," she said.
Dolores Balk, 73, owner of the other 666 address for 23 years, isn't one for superstition.
"I don't believe in that crap," she said. "It's an ordinary house with ordinary numbers. I love my number. I never have to worry about forgetting it."
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
It's jsut a freaking number! if you start counting at 1 eventually you'll get to six hundred sixty six. saying that, if the house at 666 Gothic Lane (I'd settle for 666 Industrial BLVD in Reseda) Ventura, CA was available I would snap it up in a heart beat. :) We would have a new Black House in no time!
k
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Same with all the missing '13's - even though I've never found a sensible reason why it's unlucky.
Living AT #666 is not a problem. It's living at #665 and wondering about the guy next door...
mG
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Stupid Stupid superstitous people.
I'd quite happily live on street # 666.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
I think I might actually pay extra for that as like a vanity address.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amelia G
I think I might actually pay extra for that as like a vanity address.
Yep. Same here.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Hell I got married on 6-6-06!!
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Poppy
Hell I got married on 6-6-06!!
Congrats!
Yeha but I think anyone here would take the addy jsut for the fact that so many people are upset by the number. And fucking with peoples heads is a major pasttime among the highly intelligent set.
K
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
my adress is 644.......so close
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Id live in a house just for something like that
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindgames
Same with all the missing '13's - even though I've never found a sensible reason why it's unlucky.
Living AT #666 is not a problem. It's living at #665 and wondering about the guy next door...
mG
LOL, yes exactly XD.
As far as living at 666, I woulden't change it. I think it would be downright cool.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Amelia G
I think I might actually pay extra for that as like a vanity address.
I agree with Amelia. I'd definately pay extra to get that street number.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
This drives me so nuts. If it were that easy to make evil manifest the world would be kneed deep in demons by now. Screw it, it is time for action. Not a good wholesome project like making goth a verb (I still need to make a bunch of wikipedia pages so I can edit the entry). No, it is time for evil.
I am going to start writing letters to every city council, church group, numbering agency to convince them that 437 is satan's inseam and must be stricken from all records lest he use the address for his infernal means. I will protest books with page 431, street adresses, anyone who runs in a marathon with that number. I will start a group to warn parents of the number appearing in literature and movies. I will start cults to the number and claim they do drugs and animal sacrifices. I will be the most wicked man in England!!!
No I won't. I will probably watch cartoons and eat a bowl of cereal. But I do think fear of 666 is kinda silly. I don't even think it really is in the bible. It's like running away from asyone named damien.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
speaking of the name Damien. A girl at my school is having a kid and she is naming it Damien . . . . & the odd responses she has gotten from that.
Stupid Stupid people.
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mindgames
Living AT #666 is not a problem. It's living at #665 and wondering about the guy next door...
mG
actually he'd be across the street...an even better view
Re: would you make the city change your address if the street number were 666?
hell ,it be Halloween every day!
