Community … as defined by Webster’s 9th New Collegiate Dictionary (probably about as old as I am) 1. a unified body of individuals. Now, there are several other definitions for Community in that same book, but this is the one I was looking for. We are a Community. Have been for many years. Hopefully, we will continue to be for many years to come. What I would like to do here is explore/examine our Community and maybe even test your memory a little bit. I remember our Community as being comprised of the town of Bargersville along with the smaller (unincorporated areas) communities of Kinder, Bluff Creek, Banta, Stones Crossing, Adams Corner, Smith Valley, and Mount Pleasant. Are there others?
Our Community included the Hiatt addition, the Mount Pleasant addition, the Critchfield addition, the Sutton addition, the BoMar addition, El Dorado I, the beginning of Carefree. What are some that I have left out? Back then, there were not that many. Our Community also included all of the family farms in White River Township. There were lots of them, large and small. It seemed that every time a road got paved, a farmer would sell some land off along that road and a row of houses would pop up.
I remember Mary’s 80 acres. What is that place called now? There was/is a place called Sally Doty’s Hill. Do you know where that is? On a clear day, you can see Indianapolis! What was the area of 37 and Smith Valley road called? There was a general store there at one time. It had a name and was a little bigger than the Banta General Store. Both had potbellied stoves and a liars bench. Effie’s Variety Store in the old Valley had a stove but no liars bench. I do remember that it had a porch swing though. Do you remember what Effie's last name was?
Our Community extended a little further out the older we got. Podunk (I have no idea where that is!) – I wonder if this is still a popular place? Does anyone ‘park’ today? Do they have to? A little area called Railroad Road. Where is that? Made up name? It may be, but, I did not make it up… There was/is a place called Red’s Corner. Why do I know that place? No, I did not say Red’s Place, but, thinking of that place - it had its own little community, didn’t it? Still does, but, much different than it used to be.
Although we could never call Greenwood, Whiteland and Franklin or Southport “our community” - as we acquired friends from these places – these places became almost like our Community.
Of course, our Community consisted of Grandparents, Parents, Siblings, Churches, a School and its Teachers and employees, too. This included bus drivers, janitors, cooks, nurses & various assistants and Vandy – always Vandy. If you were lucky, you had a favorite Aunt or Uncle that was part of it. A Community can also be described as people looking after one another. We had that back then – we were lucky.
So, Help me out here. What was included in your Community? What have I left out?
"Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to." So what does that make us????
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30 comments:
Stone's Crossing.
Adam's Corner.
I'm sure there were other "village" areas that we've forgotten.
No question there was a "Railroad Road", although I'm having trouble separating it from Fairview Road right now... I remember the two intersected. Did Fairview run East/West, just North of the Meridian Drive-in?
If so, Railroad Road ran North/South and joined Smith Valley Road just East of Berry Road.
I delivered "The Indianapolis News" (R.I.P.) to Effie at "Effie's Variety Store" for 5 years, so not only can I remember her last name, I can remember who lived across the street from her! Unfair advantage... so I'll leave it to someone else to come up with her last name.
I can remember the store at Smith Valley Road and 37, but don't recall what that intersection was called.
The Doty family owned another little General Store at Old Smith Valley Road and Morgantown Road, which had to have closed around 1958. And of course Don S. owned the larger General Store in the Valley that probably closed sometime around 1959-60. I've written about that bein' a place I regularly took a break on my paper route...
I'd buy a "Double Cola" and a pack of "Planter's Peanuts", open the peanuts and dump them into the Cola bottle... a great snack on a hot summer day!
Isn't it fun to do these mental exercises? Why do we do them? I think we all have a need to mentally reach out and touch our memories in order to keep them alive. It's easier to do that here at VK with others that may be able to fill in "blanks" when we encounter them.
Thanks for firing some memory synapses, TD. And to all, I hope the change from '07 to '08 brings prosperity, exciting times, and good health!
We had a classmate that lived west of the "area around 37 and SV road". She had a brother that was a pretty good athlete. She was also fairly active in our some of our early reunion days. I haven't talked with her in several years. Who is she? Has anyone talked with her lately? This is what Community means to me. You think back and one thing leads to another. And when you put it all together - it spells Community! Community is a 'big' word. Does it mean home? In a larger (smaller?) sense, I think it could. It can mean a lot of things to alot of different people. People, places, loved ones - even little corners of your mind..... Community - to me - means a special place, real or imagined, where you feel comfortable. Can Communities change over time? Yep, that's evident sometimes when you go back to those special places. That 'big' hill is not there anymore. The ball diamond looks so small. The little house that your Grandpa used to keep looking so neat is still there; but, Grandpa is long gone and the place is not so neat looking anymore. Things certainly do change - but the memories of our Community are still vivid. Maybe its the time of year - I hear singing in the background. Is that "Auld lang Syne" ?
Being a farmer’s daughter, my community consisted of the immediate farms surrounding ours and the other farmers throughout Johnson Co. that my dad knew. Our farm was situated between St Rd 135 and CGHS on Stones Crossing Rd. My siblings and I thought nothing of it when we hopped in Dad’s truck and he went to visit a neighboring farmer. We would stand around or sit in the truck for quite some time while dad “shot the breeze”. Some times these farmers had kids, too, and we would get to run around and play for awhile.
Dad also hung out at Don’s Garage at the corner of Morgantown Rd and Smokey Row Rd, just south of CGHS. I think Don’s opened up about the time we all were in 4th or 5th grade (age 10-11). Correct me if I’m wrong. Anyhow, when I was in my mid 30’s my husband, 2 kids and I bought a small place (4 acres) just west of Don’s on Smokey Row Rd. and yes, Don still ran the place, he only lived ¼ mile from the garage. When I was 40, we moved to Whiteland and Don was still running his garage. I spent a lot of time at Don’s garage when I was a teenager with a car and also as an adult when we lived close by. I remember driving my little corvair along the road picking up glass coke bottles and returning them to Don’s for cash, to buy gas for my car! Ha! Those were the days.
Don eventually passed on or sold the place, or both. Does anybody know what became of Don? Is the garage still there?
TD,
Are you talking about Becky T.? She had an older brother, but they lived farther North of Smith Valley Rd off 37. Also, way back when, I used to be able to see Indy from Morgantown Rd right there between CGHS & Fulmers Orchard.
GB,
I don't remember much about "the Valley", except the BeeHive, when I was growing up since I didn't live there but it would have been fun to hang out with and get to know more kids. But at the time I didn't miss it, I was in my own little "horse" world, and I don't regret living on a farm. It's fun to hear about it, though.
Thanks for this thoughtful post. I think we are all simultaneously part of several communities. There's a spiritual community, a political community, a community of neighbors and friends, a community of sports fans, and then, of course, there is family.
That's what community means to me anyway. When people interact and share around common interests.
In Smith Valley on those long summer's evenings that meant hanging out with friends and playing baseball on the corner lot, or riding bikes around and up those "big" hills in Hiatt Addition.
Community, family, tribe, etc. are all ways of becoming socialized and developing a social support system. Their is an identification within a community that might be as small. I was from Smith Valley.
Then, when I moved to the west coast my identification changed and I was from Indiana.
Then, when I lived in South America my identification changed and I was from the United States.
My religious upbringing at Mt. Pleasant Christian Church taught me that I should not just love the members of my small community, but to "love your neighbor" and even to "love your enemy".
At the time of our tenure at Center Grove High School we were told the enemy were Vietnamese (who we are now told are friends). Today we are told Iran or Al Qaeda are our enemies. One day they will be our friends, just as the Japanese, Germans, Italians, and Vietnamese are again today. War is stupid.
In an idealistic sense I consider myself part of the human family, the small community that lives on this small planet, which is whirling around like a speck of dust in the vast emptiness of space.
So the perspective changes from identifying myself as being a Vandy's kid in Smith Valley to being a simple human being on a mysterious journey in space, a journey shared by the rest of the human family.
In this human community in which I find myself, I vow to respect the life of all my fellow travelers.
And thank God for our brave military, through whom our freedoms flow...
the freedom to love our enemies like the Germans and Japanese, who in hindsight see how stupid war truly was.
Asoka,
Interesting perspective re:"...moved to the west coast my identification changed and I was from Indiana." And ...."when I lived in South America my identification changed and I was from the United States." I guess I do not understand why your 'identification' would change. Are you back in the States now and if so - Do you say that you are from South America? I guess that I will always be from the 'Valley'. Even though it has changed a little over the years, I guess I haven't. I am a realist. Always have been. I suspect that you haven't really changed that much, either. You mentioned "In an idealistic sense I consider myself part of the human family,..." You are an idealist - I certainly respect that. I have to, I am married to one - but, sometimes, you have to live in the here and now. I have never viewed the 'world' as being ideal. And since you brought the subject up...There have been a few people(in history) who have tried to make it an ideal world. One even tried to create an ideal race. He failed - Thank Goodness. I know that is not what you are talking about - but, believe me, Our World will never be ideal. God Bless our Troops!
Joker,
Yes, Becky T. and older Bro Champ. At one time, they lived right on the southwest corner of the T of where old 37 and Smith Valley road intersected. They had to move north when the State began to widen 37. They tore their house down - if I'm not mistaken.
And Sally Doty Hill is the hill just south of the High School close to where the old entrance into Center Grove lake used to be. Remember that swimming hole?
GB, I too, spend alot of time in the Valley store with my Dad. He was a part time butcher there. I remember going to the packing house with him to buy meat - then help him carry sides of beef into the store. They would hang them in an old ice house and custom cut them for the customers. I was just a little guy then, so, I am sure that I was not much 'help'. As I got a little older, I spent time in Fred and Beatrice's (was that her name?)store. She had a sister that lived with them for a while. Remember her? Do you remember the kolsher dill pickles in the jar. Every time I got a nickel, I would run and buy one. They sometimes would give me a chocolate bar to go along with my dill pickle. Those two things did not mix well....
Asoka, the 'big hill' that I was talking about was the hill from the Hiatt addition. I swear - they must have cut that hill down after we left. Do you remember Ticket and Buster?
TD,
Ohhh, now I remember Sally Doty Hill. I guess I didn't know it was called that, or if I did- I forgot.
The last time I was at the CG Lake swimming hole was when my kids were little. It was late in the summer and that water smelled of urine! UGH! They didn't/couldn't keep that place clean like swimming pools and by the end of summer is was rank. Never went back after that. Later I was glad to see it was filled in, must of been early/mid 80's?
I remember the store at 37 & Smith Valley Rd. I don’t remember the name of the area but I do remember the store being there. Becky T. & C.H. lived in the 37 & S.V. area. I thought their Dad had a body shop, but my Dad said he did not remember one. Peterman starts at Smith Valley Road north of Berry Road and crosses and runs next to the railroad tracks at County Line Road. When Peterman Road crosses the County Line Road the name changes to Railroad Road. .
The store at Old Smith Valley Road & Morgantown Road was Fred & Beatti Doty’s. He was the one who built the Beehive. I can remember Fred & my Dad putting the exhaust hood over the grill. The name wasn’t the Beehive then, I think the name was the Humdinger.
Don’s Garage was a place like Adam’s Corner, which you gave directions from. Go to Don’s and take a left or Adam’s Corner and take a right. Don sold the garage about 10 years ago. He passed away about 2 years ago. He was buried in his station shirt, pants and hat. He looked very nice and appropriate. The garage is still there and open.
Red’s Corner is around the Action area and still open.
When I was in school I didn’t like someone to say I was from Greenwood. I was from Smith Valley and went to Center Grove High School. I still don’t like it. One of these days I’m going to send a card to my Dad and address it Smith Valley, In. to see if he gets it.
Dec.26, 2007 WIBC 1070 AM changed to WIBC 93.1 FM can you believe it. They have the same format, talk radio. The 1070 AM is a sport station.
Bill D.’s old gas station is now an all new Gas America. It must have about 100 gas pumps and lighting that resembles Las Vegas at night.
They are putting turn lanes and a stop light at Morgantown Road and Stones Crossing Road by CGHS. They moved the old farm house back about 100 yards for the room.
Go to Google maps, click on street view and drag the snowman to the location that you want to see. I know the picture of my house was taken last summer because I was still working on the pavers along side my driveway. The address is off a little but you can see the land marks of THE VALLEY.
Thanks for the kind words about Dunkin Dog.
hawkeye
Hawkeye,
Yes, there is a Red's Corner west of Greenwood - that you speak of. The Red's Corner that I am thinking of, though, is south of Bargersville - just north of Doc. Morris' place. You go east a little way and there is (or was) another Red's Corner. What a place.... There is a whole story that goes with this. But that story may be better shared around the bonfire this fall or over coffee watching the dolphins out for their morning swim in the Gulf this spring.
Hawk-
I bet you could put your Dad's name on an envelope with just the Zip 46142 and it would get to him, but without the Zip it would probably get lost.
Do you remember the first day the "Humdinger" opened and we all went for a free ice cream cone?
Since no one else has said it, I'll beat DJ to the punch and say Effie's last name was Robinson.
TD, as I recall, the Doty sister's name was Mary... is that your recollection?
And you talk about how things have changed. I was amazed at the huge "Stroh's" beer bottle that appeared down in the Valley sometime in the early '70's. Now that too is ancient history!
The only constant is change.
Who lived in the 'Bottle' house early on? Was it the Slaytons? Or something like that..Didn't Gale Riley and sister Tora live there for awhile?
I think you are right about the sister. Mary sounds right to me.
I remember the Humdinger name. It must not have been the Humdinger long. Ice Cream out of a machine - or did that come later? Seems to me that the machine was broke down most of the time, though. There was a place in Stones Crossing - Tastee Freeze or Jiffy Whip?
Which house was across from Effie's? Doris Day - Wheelers? Or was there a house in between? BF was not down that far - was he?
I've learned so much about the Center Grove area since VK started!! I knew very little about Smith Valley -- except that it was on the way to the dentist in Greenwood!!
Although my extended family (dozens of cousins) was large, my community was smaller than I realized. Banta: the store with its resident old guys who shared the "liar's bench" around the wood stove; the Community Hall where ladies made a huge dinner once a month as a fund raiser, lots of bridal and baby showers held there too; the Methodist Church my grandparents attended (lots of funny stories from that place!); Dillman's lake where I worked for a couple of summers and met kids from Martinsville and Morgantown.
I think the most interesting group was the hay bailers, though. Dad would hire local men and boys to help get the hay in (or whatever the crop was). Mom would make a HUGE meal (roast beef, fried chicken, green beans, mashed potatoes, gravy, egg noodles, yeast biscuits, etc) for them and watching those guys eat was an exercise in concealing amazement and hysterical laughter! Man oh man could those guys put away the chow! I watched one guy, who was at least one brick short of a load, eat an entire pie every time he helped harvest. Mom always made an extra one just for him. Plus we made cookies and lemonade to take out to them in the morning and afternoon.
There was the 4-H group of folks -- subgroups that knew about cooking, sewing, raising farm animals etc. I remember very well playing Crazy Eights with Rosie, Stacy Z and his brother when I was supposed to be showing my steer in the ring. That Stacy got us in more trouble and we laughed all the way.
There was the group from Bargersville Church and all the businesses in the middle of town. Daddy would visit Bake's Machine Shop, Weddle’s Pharmacy, the hardware store on the corner, and feed mills. Of course they all played cards when the families got together and the kids would wreck at least one part of the house.
Mother's group of Home Ec ladies got together about once a month and of course they all had kids I knew from school. Mother and Marty's mother organized volunteer activities at Franklin hospital so I got to know "hospital folks"
Since we were so far out, I'm surprised anyone knew where I lived except maybe the kids on my bus route. We had to give directions from the Bargersville sawmill or Banta store! No wonder I had so few dates! ;)) I'm sure they are all still lost in a cornfield.
Stacy Z.! Him and his brother Kevin always reminded me of David & Ricky Nelson - I have no idea know why.
When Stacy was in high school he started showing his horse in barrel racing, etc. and he had me show him how to trim his horse's tail because he liked the way Joker's tail looked. NOT mine! The horse! ha ha.
I last talked to Stacy about 1990, when I needed to board a horse real quick and he had a horse farm on Paddock Rd (I think). I ended up selling the horse, so I never did meet up with him then. It was sometime in the late 60's that I last saw him.
It was just the other day that I was driving down St Rd 135 and I drove by Stacy's old house - it's still there. Sits way back off the road. They had the farm right next to Dorothy H.(who was 1-2 years behind us. I remember Dorothy H. and all her brothers raised sheep.
TD,
I think the ice cream shop at Stones Crossing & 135 was called Jiffy Whip, but I could be wrong. It was right across the street from Rund's General Store.
OH, and another thing, they now have a McDonalds at Stones Crossing.
Rremember Peterman Rroad? You could drive your car down in the creek to wash it until some other car wanted to pass.
Mary was Fred and Beatties Daughter. Remember when Tug Sutton got out the sleigh if it snowed?
Rremember when the Coliseum blew up?
At the Humdinger there was a bowling machine that you slid a puck to “knock the pins down”. The first family I can remember running the Humdinger were Bud & Pauline White. They also had a tavern in Bargersville. I think they lived off of Fry Road. I got a 1909 quarter in change at the Humdinger, I still have it.
Joker:
They didn't fill in Center Grove Lake. They built big fancy lake front homes around it.
Mary Doty, Beatti & Fred’s daughter not sister, was a big lady. Didn’t she fall through the porch once and the fire department had to be called to get her out?
The Stroh’s beer bottle was bought by Chris Medcalf, a friend of my brothers, a few years ago. I do not know what he did with it.
Remember Francis Station at Smith Valley Road and the railroad crossing? Maybe Dan F. could tell us more.
Today I was looking at advertisements in the back of the 1955 CG yearbook. It lists:
Jiffy Whip Drive-in, Stones Crossing, Indiana Telephone - Whiteland 2577
Glenn Rund, Manager
Davidson (my dad) and Tow (Elaine’s dad) Texaco Service Station, Smith Valley Center R.R. 4 Telephone 72
The Wilsonian Motel, “Let your house quests sleep with us. A delightful
Honeymoon spot,” Greenwood, Indiana - Telephone 700
Effie’s Variety Store, Smith Valley, Indiana – (no phone listed, maybe they didn’t
have one in 1955!)
Doty’s Grocery Meat-Grocery-Gas Smith Valley Telephone 568W1
Peanut Sledge
Hawkeye,
I meant to say they filled in the "swimming hole" at CG Lake. The actual lake and swimming hole were 2 separate bodies of water. Every fall after they closed the swimming hole for the summer they would drain it, then refill again in May.
Didn't Peanut run a junk yard west and a little south of Bargersville? Mary was Fred and Beatties' daughter. Remember the fish frys at the Community Center and the Chicken Dinners at the Church in the Valley?
I spent my wedding night at the Holiday Inn in Speedway, In.and had Ky Col. for dinner. I guess that the Wilsonian would have been closer and we could have had dinner at the Lotus...
I suspect that we all played the bowling game at the Humdinger at one time or another. Someone was always playing. They also had a couple of pool tables in there at one time. Didn't Bud and Pauline also run the pool hall next door for a while?
I think I went to Center Grove lake a couple of times and found it to be much like Joker said. Never cared for it. Dillmans was always pretty nice, though. Great Looking Life Guards, too!
Anonymous, I remember the old sleigh and the buckskin pony that was used to pull it. I think the sleigh was lost in the fire, wasn't it? One year, it was used on a Homecoming float. And I also remember the night the Coliseum blew up. A Holiday on Ice type show - Halloween night, I think.
Peterman road to the north and Berry road to the south - both had creeks that crossed over the road at one time, I think - or instead of Berry Road, it may have been Runyon Rd that didn't have a bridge for a long time. Right before Olive Branch. Talking about Olive Branch - Do you all remember when the Valley would flood? Two creeks came together just west of the old Valley and when it really rained, the creeks would spill over the levees and flood the lower part of the Valley.
Although, we were not a farm family, we lived in the old farm house at one time and I spent some time walking behind a tractor and wagon throwing hay. Took turns doing that and stacking hay in the hayloft. I think that was the dirtier job. It's funny how I seemed to get stuck doing that job.
Joker, Do you remember the 'traveling store' that originated out of Stones Crossing? I think one of the Runds had a large panel truck and sold or delivered groceries and misc other items from it. It was around for years. I also have a few stories to tell about Poko - DJs horse. I would like for him to tell them though. DJ, are you listening?
PT, there also was a Hardware store right in the middle of the block in Bargersville. Neat place - had just about everything imaginable. May have been one and same - they could have just moved to the corner. I also remember the gun club there by RR tracks. BTW have you seen that they are installing signals and crossing arms at several of the RR crossing in the County.
Wow TD & Hawkeye, what memories you have.
I was at Stones Crossing a lot, either on my bike or horse and I'm racking my brain, but I have no recollection of a traveling store.
I had heard that they were raising money to install RR crossing arms/signals in the CG area. I'm glad to hear that. I think I'll take a drive around the old CG area real soon. I haven't been by the house for years, that I grew up in.
DJ,
I really want to hear some stories about Poco.
Joker, You are right. It is Poco and not Poko. I rode Poco once when DJ owned him. He would stretch his neck, stick his nose straight out and bite down on the bit and off you'd go. As I remember, the instruction from DJ was "Don't let him head for the barn!" By the time he got the words out - it was too late...Ha!! It was hard to turn him when you are doing all that you can do to stay on. Later my cousin GS bought Poco and then I rode him more often. He was a handful, even with a mouthful of bit and a martingale.
Runds had a little market that was tucked back off the west side of 135 just north of Stones Crossing Road. I am pretty sure that it was Gene's grandfather who operated the store and the grocery truck. Could be wrong, though????
The area around Don's Garage was called Waterloo. This info came from my older Brother. Also - does anyone remember Bobtown?
Also, Hawk and GB - There was a lady named Matrona that lived with Fred and Beattie at one time. I think they added onto the west side of the house about that time. That may have been Mary - don't know for sure..
What about the Geddes Family. Had 6/7 kids and everyone of their names started with L. Lived on the corner just east of the BeeHive. Also, this comes from T.S. - Do you remember when the Fire Dept. showed movies outside at the fire station?
Matrona was Fred And Beattie’s granddaughter. She lived with them off and on while she was in Jr Hi and High School.
When Fred closed his store, he converted the store space into living space and moved into it. They had been living in a four room apartment on the east side of the store building. My mom rented the apartment in ’59 and she, my sister and I lived there for about three years. That was when I competed with GB in the news carrying arena (I delivered the Times).
Effie was Jim R’s (’66) grandmother. She ran her Variety Store in the front two rooms of her house. She had to be one of the most patient people in the world. I think every kid that grew up in The Valley kept her standing there for hours while we tried to decide which kind of candy to spend out penny (s occasionally) on.
My uncle, Milton Robinson, bought the general store in ’59 or ’60 and ran it for about five years before closing it – couldn’t compete with supermarkets and shopping centers.
Gathis Clark had the house three doors up from Effie’s. He built a fence around it out of geodes that he picked up in a creek somewhere in Brown County. I can remember being fascinated, as a kid, watching him cut those plain rocks in half and seeing all of the “jewels” inside. Last time that I went by, the fence was still standing.
TD,
Yes I believe it was Gene's grandfather that owned the store and it was on the SW corner of Stones Cross. Rd. & 135. There were 2 other bldgs(maybe 3), at the time, that were on the NW corner and I think 2 were farmers type stores (feed, machinery, etc) and 1 was a meeting hall of some kind, I think. Mr Rund may have owned those, too. Not sure.
TD...I remember about 20 years ago, probably longer, my father-in-law and I stopped at the Harter's Store. There was a garage at the side of the store. Kept in the garage was the "traveling store", a huckster truck. The truck had not been used in years. Behind the driver's seat was a wood burning stove. There were shelves on both sides to hold can goods and misc. I never did see this huckster truck on the road.
I do remember the Geddes Family. Larry delivered the newspaper. Did they live in the corner house (Linda W. '65) or the house that the Carstead Family lived in?
By the way TD, where is Bobtown?
updown & charmingly strange...The Clark house in the valley that has the geode fence and used to have a dog named "Joey". Remember GB? We were terrified of that dog. As of yesterday that fence was still there.
Peanut did have the junkyard. I wonder if that is still there.
Bill Doty's Station had a coke machine that cost 5 cents. There was a can screwed on the front for the one cent extra that Bill charged. Usually people would put 5 cents in the machine and shake the can, rather than put the one cent in.
I remember Harter's Store on the NW corner of 135 & Whiteland Rd. and Chip F. lived on the SE corner of the same intersection. When I was in grade school, I lived on the SW corner of the same intersection in a big 2 story that sat way back off the road. We would ride our bikes to Harter's to buy cigarettes for my Mom! Remember when kids could buy cig's for their parents? We would also buy "1 cent" suckers for ourselves.
Up, Down & Charmingly Strange,
Good to hear from you...
Was Matrona the daughter of Mary?
And Effie was another one of those grand people that made up our 'Community'! I remember Milton & family. I delivered the Times for a short time. Mainly in the Sutton addition area. I competed with my brother - he delivered the news at the same time. He won, at least the news stayed in business.
Do you all remember the two brothers that lived in the old Valley with a Grandmother. One brother was around more than the other. I remember exploring the jungle that they had for a backyard. Neat place. Lived across the road from Clarks. I also remember the geodes on top of the wall - also remember Joey. Didn't get to see much of him - but, he sure sounded scarey. Was he a chow mix? And old 'Grandpa Corn' and his milk cow. He loved his cow and also loved to chew tobacco. Had a spittoon in the corner of his little house. He missed quite a bit of the time.
Hawk, I remember the Huckster truck. I thought it was Rund's though. I remember seeing it arounds Rund's General Store quite a bit as I was much youger. Our family spent quite of bit of time at the Jiffy Whip on those hot summer nights. Seemed to be almost a gathering spot. It may have belonged to Harters and I just associated it with the store in Stones Crossing. Getting older, you know!
Joker, How much of a ride was that for you? I/We rodde our bicycles all over White River Township and even into Union. Also over to Waverly and to the Paradise Lake area. When ever we would go there, we would stop at the Banta general store and get a orange or grape Nehi(?)from the cooler. The cooler was cooled by a big block of ice. No twist off top back then, either. All the old men would go out and look at our 3 speed "Racing Bikes" They always want to know who we belonged too. They all knew our Fathers and Grandfathers.
TD
Jimmy Coonfield lived with his Grandmother across the street from the Clark house. Is that who you are talking about? Jimmy and Bill F. took the cylinder head off of Jimmy’s engine to do repairs. When they finished, they were missing a small wrench. Off came the cylinder head. The small wrench was lying inside the cylinder. Lucky! Not much traffic on the roads at that time. So when Jimmy and Bill would meet on the road (day time) they would flash their headlights and switch sides of the road. Crazy!!
There was a Mary Luetitia Doty that graduated in 1956. Could that have been Mary or Mary’s daughter?
Hawk,
Great Story about Jimmy and Bill. It sounds just like something that they would do. Scary though about 'the changing lanes'. Still sounds just like them. Jimmy had a little brother. Forget what his name was, though.
Don't know about Mary Luetitia - could have been Fred and Beatties' daughter. But, I know that Matrona was in with the class of 63 on and off, so that would not have made her the daughter of Mary Luetitia..
Help us out, U,D&CS....
Happy New Year to All!
Information that has come from T.S.
Jimmy C's. younger brother was Richard. Everyone called him Dickie.
The area that included Smith Valley Road and Old 37 was know to the locals as Bobtown.
This is one that I know T.S. would know also: Who was Pop(s)?
Hint: Rack’em, Pops!
TD
That was the pool hall next to the beehive. Pops, "Rack'em up"
I remember seeing Wayne Sutton driving around the valley in a 1 ton truck without a driver's door. Seatbelt? I doubt it. I think it was Wayne.
The area at Morgantown Road and 144 was known as "Kinder"
I talked to Rick Perry for a long time last weekend. I think he might like join us at one of the reunions. We'll talk more about that next time I see you.
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