The way Normandy Park resident Jim Lingwood figures, unless you've got a good reason, why move?

So except for a stint in the U.S. Army, stationed in Korea during the early 1950s, Lingwood, 77, has lived on his family's acreage his whole life.

He had plenty of chances to transfer when various employers merged or were bought out by bigger companies, but he has always stayed put.

"The ones who transferred to Los Angles ended up with an hour and a half commute," Lingwood noted.

So Lingwood has lived on the land that his dad bought in 1920 after emigrating from England at age 16. Part of the property is now Fernwood at the Park retirement community.

But Lingwood's father was a Highline Johnny-come-lately compared to his mother's family.

In 1890, Aaron Dunbar, Lingwood's maternal grandfather, purchased 160 acres above the beach in what is now the Manhattan section of Normandy Park.

The property stretched from Southwest 180th Street to Southwest 192nd Street and from First Avenue South to Eighth Avenue Southwest.

Lingwood recalls his mom's tales about the family's weekend treks to Seattle to sell their farm-raised goods.

"They would load up the wagon with fruits, vegetables, chickens and eggs and head off to Pike Place Market 15 miles away," Lingwood said. "They would sleep under the wagon on Saturday night and come back Sunday."

Louie Lingwood, Jim Lingwood's father, bought 15 acres along First Avenue South near the Dunbar property. Louie's brother purchased an adjoining 15 acres.

"They cleared the land by hand with a horse and a lot of dynamite," Lingwood recalls.

In 1922, Louie Lingwood married his neighbor, Fern, and in 1940 built their home at 17623 First Ave. S.

They raised three children and lived there together until Fern died in 1974. Louie stayed in the house until it was demolished to make way for Fernwood.

"It was great place to grow up," Lingwood noted. "Five acres were cleared and the other ten were wooded.

"We had a cow, horse, garden and orchard. We picked a lot of apples. I would also cut about five or six cords of wood each year with my dad."

Lingwood also remembers community ball games played in the large pasture.

In 1952, he graduated from the University of Washington. A week later he married Tudy Foote. And the next week, he shipped off to Korea for his only extended stay away from his home.

Lingwood notes, "I got to see the world for free."

When he returned, he hired on as a credit manager for Tidewell Oil. While working for several other companies, he managed to dodge transfers before retiring in 1996.

He and his wife raised three children on five acres of his dad's original 15. He now lives on one acre west of Fernwood.

"It was great place for kids," Lingwood said. "It was a great neighborhood get-together place."

His son lives two blocks away.

So what are the biggest changes in Highline during the past 70 years?

Lingwood points to the growth of homes and businesses along with traffic.

As a kid, he could stand on First Avenue and not see any cars, he said.

"But the biggest change is the monstrous airport that grew bigger and bigger," Lingwood added.

He traveled some on business and after he retired, but insists he never regretted not moving or transferring to another city.

"It's always been nice here," Lingwood concluded.