Odds are, when you grew up there weren't any eagle pairs migrating into your area.
Very few raptors in the area where I grew up, we used to watch them migrate through suburbia. Then they learned they could make a living there and some stay year round now.
You are correct on guessing Ima geezer,, 58 nxt month, A bald eagle back then would have the town buzzing,, and the ol timers then kept the red tail hawks to a very minimum
