Poppa's Store and The Pilot House

 

Country Convenience Store Poppa’s - 1995

In June 1995 Lucky Easley was building a convenience store on Highway 91 North about 3 miles from the Ohio River and the ferry.

The Hebron native, said the communities near the river have needed something down here, but until now there have not been enough people to support one. But with the ferry traffic, he got the idea to built the store.

The exterior of the 2,000 square feet store will be modeled after the old-fashioned stores pictured on Coca Cola memorabilia.

The front of the store will be built with Cyprus wood, and we’ll have an old gas pump out front for looks,. It will be a novelty item, a conversation piece.

Store hours will be comparable to the ferry’s hours, which are currently 6 a.m. – 10 p.m. Aside from gasoline, Easley said the store will be equipped with a hot/cold deli as well as the usual convenience store products.

The store’s success will be based on the number of travelers who commute to and from work on Ky. 91. It will pull people from Illinois and we hope it will draw from people in the surrounding communities.

Easley hopes Illinois higher prices for gasoline and cigarettes will keep northerners stopping to fill up at the store. Current prices on cigarettes in Cave-in-Rock are about $1.55 for generics and $2 for brand names, approximately 50 cents higher than in Marion. Regular unleaded gasoline sells for $1.15 a gallon at one Cave-in-Rock station, compared to $1.03 stations in Marion.

It was wonderful to have this store/eating place. Besides being a great place for the Illinois folks to stop and get gas and other items before returning home across the river, it became a favorite gathering place for many of the families that lived in the Hebron area and many came in from Tolu. It was also nice for the people that lived in the area to be able to buy gas without having to drive to Marion.

The deli case was filled with all kind of deli meats to make fresh sandwiches. Many of the local farmers would come in and have lunch and visit awhile before returning to the fields.

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Some years later the store was sold to J. T. May and it was re-named The Pilot House. His son David ran the store with help from some of the family. Some days you would find Jerilyn May, his Aunt behind the meat counter and his Dad, J. T., behind the grill frying up fried potatoes for the breakfast crowd.

There would be fried fish sometimes for Friday or Saturday night dinner with local families eating and visiting with neighbors and friends. These were special times, once again where neighbors got together and enjoyed time together.

I don’t remember when the store was closed, or who purchased it next, but it was a lose for the community and was missed not only by the locals but the Illinois people also.

The once beautiful store building sets empty today, I hear in really bad shape on the inside from water damage and just the usual deterioration for sitting empty for so many years.

Early Showboats

The old locomotives belching black smoke as they rumbled on the iron tracks, and the magical paddle wheelers with their calliopes that plied the rivers are two of my very favorites.

Early Show Boats On The Ohio

No one around today that would remember the days of the river show boats, the Golden Rod, the Cotton Blossom, those magnificent boats that piled the Ohio River from Pittsburgh and on down the Mississippi to New Orleans making a round trip each summer along about the turn of the century.

These large floating theaters were double deckers with the lower deck fitted out in the fashion of a theater. The upper deck housed the personnel and since they were not self propelled they required a tow boat which pushed them along the way from town to town. They were veritable floating places. The theater section would seat at least as many as two hundred people.

The personnel consisted of a full size brass band, a dozen or more chorus girls, acrobats, actors, animals trainer, etc. The brass band also doubled as an orchestra.

The show boat stopped at all the river towns along the way and provided entertainment such as might be seen in Louisville, Kentucky or the St. Louis vaudeville theaters.

The tow boat was equipped with a steam calliope whose melodious music could be heard for miles and heralded the coming of the boat long before the landing at each town. This gave the inhabitants an opportunity to rush down to the river bank and welcome the landing, the arrival being of great interest to the towns people. The calliope could also be heard over the country side and alerted the people that the show boat was in town.

It must be borne in mind that in those days there were no movie theaters, radios or televisions and automobiles had not arrived on the scene. People who traveled used the house and buggy, or walked and they didn’t stray far from home. So any unusual event attracted them.

The main attraction lasted for two or more hours and the audience was delighted. At the intermission the vendors sold peanuts, pop corn and strawberry pop.

As the years passed movie theaters, automobiles, radio and television provided people with various means of entertainment and the glory of the river show boats faded until they were only a shadow of what they had once been and finally they were no more. it is doubtful that it will ever return but it will be remembered by those who once upon a time appreciated it so much.

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In Nov. 1936 The Show Boat "Golden Rod", visited Dycusburg on the Cumberland River.  The Golden Rod, billed as the world's greatest Showboat played to a large audience at Dycusburg.  a complete Vaudeville program together with many other features were offered to the public.

History Behind County Map Names

 

Stories Behind County Map Names

Let’s take a drive around the county and see how some of our roads and places received there names. I find them interesting and important as they are part of our past history and actually help preserve it for the future. Most names are derived from local history, and early pioneer families.

Easley's Curve – Named for Al Easley that died from an automobile crash on the curve. Crittenden Press, Jan.26, 1934. Al Easley, fifty-five years of age and father of seventeen children, fifteen of them living, died at Welborn-Walker Hospital in Evansville Tuesday morning at 9:30 from injuries received in an automobile wreck the previous evening about 5: 30.

Mr. Easley was one of the most widely known farmers of Crittenden County and at the time of his death, owned and operated a large river-bottom farm just east of Cave-in-Rock landing.

He was returning home from Marion Monday afternoon in a Model A Ford roadster, and it is supposed he was traveling at a rate of speed that prevented him from making the curve going up Terry Hill on the Ollie James Highway, one quarter mile north of Forest Grove school house. He was found beneath the wrecked car by Clarence Terry a few minutes later, with one wheel through the steering wheel and the top bow across his neck. Mr. Terry summoned help to remove the unconscious man from the wrecked machine. He died from a crushed chest and concussion of the brain.

***

Cochran Curve and Hill

The hill and curve on Ky. 91 two miles south of Marion, which Crittenden Countians have for years referred to as Cochran Hill, or Cochran Curve, has been registered under that name by the federal government. (Dec. 1983)

The U. S. Board on Geographic Names conferred the name to the hill earlier this year in honor of Herbert Lyle Cochran, a Crittenden County farmer and carpenter, who lived there from 1911 until his death in 1976.

John Parr Cochran of Charlotte, N. C., executor of his father's estate, said this week he began attempts to get the area officially named as Cochran Hill shortly after his father died. “I just wanted to get Dad some recognition,” he said.

The process involved documenting that the locale had no other official name and getting its certification from the national agency with headquarters at Reston Va.

Some states, Cochran said, have agencies which name geographic locations, but Kentucky does not so the jurisdiction fell to the national board, a division of the U. S. Geological Survey.

Cochran said he obtained letters of recommendation from then County Judge R. C. Hamilton, his mother Margaret Cochran, and other residents in the area.

The Cochran family has owned land in the area since the late 1700's. A log house was built there in 1797, he said and that was remodeled in 1802. That one stood just off Ky. 91 until it was replaced by the house presently there in the 1950's.

***

Wilson Farm Road and Monument Ridge – Named for James W. Wilson an early pioneer family that came to Livingston (Crittenden) County in the early 1800's and settled on land on the Flynn's Ferry and Cave Spring Road.

James W. Wilson, owned the land and built the old two-story brick house that belonged to the late Eddie and Sherrie Hendrix. Mr. Wilson build the home from bricks that were made there, close to the house by his slaves, and the large stone steps and underpinning were made from sandstone rocks taken from the hill/ridge behind the house. That hill is now known as Monument Ridge on the topographical map of that area.

On that hill are the family grave monuments of James W. Wilson (1798-1865) and his wife, Rebecca (Bridges) Wilson, (1803-1856) and two of their children, John B. (1828-1846) and James J. Wilson (1832-1837). These monuments

 (I haven’t been there since 1997) were tall impressive monuments. I don’t know if the ice storm of 2009 damaged them or not. These monuments are where the name "Monument Ridge" originated from.

The Wilson Farm Road was also named for this Wilson family, as local history has told us over the years that Mr. Wilson was a religious man and wanted his farm workers to attend church, and they walked to Marion to attend the First Presbyterian Church on this road.

***

Barnett's Chapel Rd – Named for P. C. Barnett The first Barnett School, a one room log building was built in the middle 1800's and was located in southwestern Crittenden County not too far from Tolu. It stood on the property of Phineas C. Barnett. Later Mr. Barnett gave the school trustees enough land to build a new school building. In 1913 a church was built on land deeded by Buckner Croft and it joined the Barnett School lot. The church was named Barnett Chapel due to the Barnett School being there and widely known in the nearby communities.

Mr. Barnett came to what is now Crittenden County in 1835 and settled near Tolu. At one time he owned about 2,000 acres land. He was interested in stock raising, and fine race horses, he operated a store on his farm, and engaged in burying and rehandling tobacco, and he served as a magistrate in the early days.

***

Aunt Jane Tabernacle Road

As you drive down Highway 91 North towards the Ohio River, close to mile marker 6 and mile marker 9 you will see the road sign for Aunt Jane Tabernacle Road, have you ever wondered why it got that name?

Before the name was changed to Aunt Jane Tabernacle Road, it was the owner of two names. First, at the 6 mile marker, where you turn left off Hwy. 91 on Easley's Curve, it was named Beard's Mine Road, because of the spar mine that was located on the Beard property on this end of the road, farther down on 91, at the 9 mile marker, you could turn left again and it was called Ball Alvis Road, named for the Alvis family that owned the property on this end of the road.

When the 911 maps were printed for the county, the two road names were changed to one name, Aunt Jane Tabernacle Road, which in itself tells you there is some history located down this old country road.

To learn more about the Aunt Jane Tabernacle road, you will need to know about Jane Winders Underdown. Her husband was Robert Pleasant Lee Underdown. Aunt Jane started the tabernacle meetings in 1905. Everyone called her Aunt Jane, and that's how the tabernacle came to be called what it is.

Aunt Jane left the denominational church in 1905 after hearing a message of holiness from a Church of God minister. It wasn't long after that when Aunt Jane began inviting circuit riding Church of God ministers to hold services in her home. The camp meeting evolved out of that.

Every summer, Aunt Jane would arrange for traveling evangelists to come preach on her farm. She would house these evangelists for the meetings. She would get in her buggy and go to the surrounding farms for miles around to invite all the families to the meetings.

The Shed grew out of a need for the group to have a place to worship. The Shed was built about 1927, with hand-cut and hand-hewn posts, hand-sawed boards for pews, pulpit and platform with a tin roof. This shed represented hard work and sacrifice on the part of poor but dedicated people. John Fox hand hewed many of the pillars and helped lead the singing. Lanterns hung on posts, and shaded coal oil lamps sat on post stands and the pulpit. The shed didn't get electricity until the 1950's.

People came from miles around on foot, horseback, buggies and wagons. There was lots of singing, shouting and long services. The meetings were always held the last two weeks of July.

Aunt Jane Underdown passed away August 10, 1950, at 91 years of age. Funeral service was at Aunt Jane's shed. Interment was in the Underdown cemetery.

The History of the Crittenden Springs Hotel and Sulphur Spring

 

Crittenden Springs Hotel

The Crittenden Springs Hotel was build in 1887 by the Crittenden Sulphur Springs Company. From Deed Book U, age 326 in the Crittenden County Court House: Articles of Incorporation: The undersigned do hereby associate themselves together and become incorporated pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 56 of the General Statutes of Kentucky, under the corporate name of the Crittenden Sulphur Springs Company and do hereby adapt the following articles of Incorporation.

The names of the incorporators are Robert W. Wilson, John W. Blue, Sr., J. D. Leech, T. L. Leech Sr., B. F Crow, Robert E. Fowler, Alphus H. Cardin, Perry S. Maxwell, Wm. C. Carnahan, Samuel Garrett, J. H. Hillyard, A. E. Bigham, Wm. B. Terry, John G. Rochester, James P. Pierce, E. Palmer, W. M. Rawls, J. W. Blue, Jr., M. A. Cardin, Wm. Fowler, Philip H. Woodall, A. Wolff.

The name of the corporation shall be, and is The Crittenden Sulphur Springs Co., and the principal place of business shall be Marion, Crittenden County, Ky.

The business of said company shall be first, the purchase of the property known as the Crittenden Sulphur Springs and the improvement of the same, by the erection of hotels, dwelling houses, store houses, livery stables, and such other buildings and improvement as may be deemed necessary and expedient to fix up said springs and grounds, as a pleasure and health resort and to operate the same, and to construct wagon and carriage roads to and from the same, and to do any and all other things incident to similar places of resort.

The amount of the capital stock of the said cooperation shall be fifty thousand dollars to be divided into shares of fifty dollars each and the same shall be paid in such manner and as such times,, as the board of directors, shall require.

The said corporation shall commence on the 18th day of August 1887, and shall continue for the full term of 25 years unless sooner dissolved by a vote of the stockholders.

***

For 25 years the hotel flourished as a mineral spring health resort, during an era when people felt drinking and bathing in various types of spring water was beneficial to one health.

In 1893 The Crittenden Press published an article about the Crittenden Springs Hotel getting ready to open for the season.

Mr. Mr. J. S. Smith, until recently a well-known traveling man, has been engaged as manager for the season of 1893, and he is now on the grounds "putting the house in order." The magnificent 125 room, three-storied, gingerbread trimmed hotel is being burnished up inside and out, and the beautiful grounds are being touched up with the skill of a landscape artist.

Every convenience known to the modern hotel will add to the comfort and pleasure of those who are so fortunate to choose Crittenden for their outing this year.

There are electric bells in every room, tasty bath rooms for hot or cold, fresh or sulphur water baths; a fine billiard hall with three superb tables, a handsome 10-pin alley, lawn-tennis courts plus fishing, frog shooting, and a good livery stable for fine riding and driving pleasure.

An admirable dancing hall is being arranged, and a splendid band has been engaged for the entire season. The parlors are magnificently furnished, the bedrooms are marvels of beauty and comfort.

A wine room is one of the new features that been constructed. A system of waterworks is being put in, and huge windmills will force the water to every floor in the building.

The culinary department of the huge establishment will be in the hands of skilled artisans, and in every appointment no pains and no means will be spared to make it reach as near perfection as possible.

The acres upon acres of woodlands with their great shade trees, merry hills, mossy banks, charming walks and lovely mountain views make the place one of the loveliest in the whole country.

While the $60,000 or $70,000 spent has added to the beauty of the place, nature has added the greatest bounty and it is mysteriously hidden in the wealth of health-giving waters. The sulphur water has no superior, the hundreds who have tested it are witnesses to this fact. Then there are a half dozen of as fine chalybeate springs as there is in the country. There is indeed a mine of health and wealth in these waters, which nature has so kindly brewed for man.

Visitors will also want to spend time at the pavilion that was built over the health giving sulphur spring. The spring bubbles up from under a pavilion, which is called "The Gum."

 (note: I always wondered why the sulphur spring and the pavilion was named “The Gum”, from an article found in the June 7, 1888 Crittenden Press, maybe the answer. “The Crittenden Quarry Co. has been hauling some fine rock to the Springs for the purpose of curbing the spring. The old “gum” has been taken out and one of stone put in. It is said that at least one-fourth of the water has heretofore escaped on account of the crevice in the rock at the bottom not being large enough to admit the passage of the water upward.” Another little item said the sulphurreted hydrogen still bubbles up through the truck of the old Gum tree.)

One can walk from the hotel to the pavilion on board walks that descent down the hill from the hotel, and were built for easy walking. There are nice benches in the pavilion you can sit on and relax and drink of the health giving water and exchange resort news.

The boiling sulfur spring was known and appreciated by settlers as far back as the beginning of the present century. For dysentery and complications arising from indigestion, it has no superior and the most obstinate cases have frequently yielded to the alleviating influences of the water after a week's use. For diseases of the urinary organs, chronic diseases of the skin, rheumatism in all its stages, this water is a standard specific. It is a speedy cure for nervous complications arising from overwork or anxiety. For many of the female diseases it affords a permanent remedy. It is also highly valued as a remedy for chronic erysipelas, blood poisoning and kindred afflictions.

The use of these waters, drinking and bathing, is a recuperative remedy for hundreds or more of the afflictions the human race is heir to. Its analysis, as well as its actual operation on the human system, is indispensable evidence that it ranks with the best mineral waters in the county.

The road from the railroad depot to the springs is being put in better condition than ever before, the distance has been shortened, and the rough places in the road eliminated. The drive this season will have none of the inconveniences usually found. A unformed porter will meet every train to take charge of and check baggage and look after the comfort of guests. Marion's livery stables have available horses and carriages for hire, and as the daily trains arrive a line of carriages will be on hand to transport guests to the resorts.

***

Another piece of interesting information showed up in The Crittenden-Record Press, June 12, 1913. Mr. S. M. Jenkins, editor and publisher, had this to say. Our Crittenden Springs hotel of a hundred rooms or more, with every possible facility for caring for two hundred and fifty guests, as least was evidently constructed a few years to soon. With our present motor cars, well graded roads and the heavily foliaged trees along the drive, that old hollow blue gum would now be surrounded by eager devotees of the sulphur water habit, the spacious dancing floors of the big building would be alive with the youth and beauty of the city and countryside, and the air vibrant with the “salute all.”. Crittenden Springs Hotel, would be besieged for accommodations for all points of the compass. Why not restore, revamp, rejuvenate this once delightful summer resort. It's never to late to mend.

But alas, the once beautiful structure sitting atop the hill was already in it's last days of glory.

The Crittenden Sulphur Spring resort flourished until 1910 when people began to doubt the medicinal purposes of the sulphur water and the final demise came when nearby mining operation caused the water to disappear from the springs.

By 1912 the Sulphur Springs Company had started selling some of the land. In Deed Book 24, page 529, Jesse Ryan, on the 21st day of July 1909 bought 12 acres, and in March 1912, R. E. Moore bought 57 acres of the Sulphur Springs Company's land. In 1919, the hotel was sold to Ms. Evelyn Shelby Roberts and was torn down to provide lumber for a house built on the same location.

***

In 1946 it was sold to Forrest Shewmaker and his family lived in the house built from the old hotel. It said the living room of the home was the former ballroom.

(Mary Shewmaker Tabor, and her sister, Martha Shewmaker Ingram, sold the Crittenden Springs farmland and home in 2019.. The family from Florida that purchased it finished tearing down the old house and built a new house in it’s place.

Extreme Weather of 1936

EXTREME WEATHER 90 Years Ago

From the archives of The Crittenden Press

Jan. 3, 1936 -Heaviest Snow For Many Years Strikes County.

The heaviest snow fall in the county for many years fell during Christmas week with an estimated fall of seven inches. The heaviest of the fall was Saturday night and Sunday morning which has been estimated at five to six inches.

Following the cessation of the storm came a decided fall in the temperature with the semi official mark being given as 1 degrees below Monday morning. This marks the coldest snap of the season and also the coldest reported since the sleet and ice of the past February when an official four below was reported.

Motor and rail traffic proceeded at a slow rate for several days but no serious accidents were reported in this section.

Through the state the blizzard was intense and severe with several death being reported from exposure and freeing.

Jan. 24, 1936 – Unreported By Forecaster A New Cold Wave Strikes City and County.

Much suffering in the county by an unreported cold wave which swept down on the city and county Wednesday morning driving the mercury to an unofficial average of three degrees below zero. Early Wednesday morning the thermometer registered a balmy forty and at midnight three degrees below. A two inch snowfall added further to hardships and suffering.

Feb, 28 – Another Blast of Cold Air

Crittenden County felt the icy fingers of another cold wave during the forepart of last week with the mercury being driven down to around the zero mark. This is the most prolonged wave in the history of the county, wherein the temperature has been below the freezing point. The Ohio River has been frozen over for the first time since the winter of 1917 and 1918.

***

The weather must have settled down for a spell during March through June for nothing unusual was reported in the Press until July, then come the news of a devastating heat wave and drought.

July 10, 1936 – Many Storms

Kentucky scorching beneath a record breaking heat wave. In many parts of Western Kentucky, Wednesday heavy rains fell, in some cases with the accompaniment of storms. High wind and electrical storms accompanying the rain caused damage to residences and some property. The thermometer reading in Marion ranged from 94 to 106 indoors and the highest outdoor record was 110.

July 31, 1936 – Drought Relief In The County

The Rural Rehabilitation office has been delegated the responsibility of taking applications for Emergency Feed loans for drought stricken farmers of Crittenden and Livingston Counties. Feed loans will be made for maintenance of livestock including work stock, milk, cows, poultry, hogs and sheep.

July 31, 1936 – Shower Strikes City Tuesday Afternoon

The first rainfall in many days visited the city Tuesday afternoon and was of short duration. Rain was not general over the county the showers falling within a radius of approximately a mile and going no farther north than Winlow Park. For the forthcoming week the forecast is that of general showers for the state together with additional rains in Illinois.

The crops in the county are damaged irreparably and few observers believe that these could be saved even in the face of sufficient rainfall. One farmer of long experience in hill land is responsible for the statement that the ground is not so devoid of moisture to cause the searing and burning of the growing crops but the damage has been caused by the hot sun and the winds that have parched the portions above the surface of the soil.

A customary sight is that of wagons loaded with barrels hauling water for the use of families who have exhausted their supply and in some cases this haul is several miles in length. In one case, a lighted cigarette, tossed by a passing motorist was believed to have caused the burning of grass between the highway and the fence thus causing the loss of many posts to one land owner on Highway 60.

August 7, 1936 – Rain Wednesday is Beneficial To Late Crops.

Showers beginning Wednesday afternoon and continuing late into the night did much to relieve suffering from the heat and also proved to be extremely beneficial to the late crops and gardens in the city, county and surrounding community. The arid season of the present year has not been as devastating as that of 1930 in the manner of the soil. The soil this year retained an average amount of moisture with the damage to crops being caused by the hot burning winds from the south and west. In 1930 the damage was caused by the dryness of the soil and the hot burning winds were not in evidence at any time.

August 21 – Excessive heat Continues

The abnormal high temperature continues without abatement throughout the entire state with all time high records being set daily. In addition to the heat the dry period continues with meteorologists forecasting local showers with no moderation of weather.

August 28 – Short Sessions Planned Due to Excessive Heat

Marion City Schools will begin Monday August 31. The opening exercises will be held at Fohs Hall, and will begin at ten o'clock. A program is being planned after which the pupils will be dismissed for the remainder of the day.

Temporarily, especially during the extreme heat, school will start in the morning at 8:20 o'clock and continue until 1:00 o'clock, at which time pupils will be dismissed for the afternoon.

September 4, 1936 – Rain Saturday Shatters Heat Drouth Waves

Rain Saturday morning, Tuesday and Wednesday was of material benefit to farmers of Crittenden and surrounding counties. The rainfall, was general and steady and will aid in preparing ground for fall and winter planting. The downfall of Tuesday and Wednesday was the first of any consequence in two months and was estimated at one inch.

Temperatures were greatly reduced, ranging from 100 degrees and better in several places, all time record reports to the 60's and 70's. The rain of Saturday forced the mercury down to 87 at ten o'clock while the day before at the same hour a reading of 94 was shown.

The past month was the most severe and trying for many years, normal temperatures were reported for the initial ten days but the heat had become record breaking by the 15^th. During the remainder record after record for temperatures were surpassed when the heat wave was finally broken by the showers of the past Saturday.

The section is still short of average rainfall but meteorologists were of the opinion that no dire need would be experienced for the remainder of the year with no severity as that of the past two months.

***

Tidbits of Interest From The Past

This article is another collection of some of those interesting tidbits that I have saved. Not enough information for an individual article on each item, but definitely some informative and fun information from yesteryear. From the archives of The Crittenden Press comes these interesting stories.

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November 1930 – Hugh Mastodon Tooth

On display in the office of Tax Assessor, Robert Corley, is a Mastodon tooth, found by Bill Gibson some days ago.

The tooth was taken from a gravel bank in Crooked Creek on the farm of Allie Hughes. As the water reached an unusually low level in the creek this fall as a result of the prolonged drought, the tooth was exposed in the creek bed, allowing Mr. Corley to see the tooth and dig the relic from the gravel in which it was embedded.

The tooth, in an almost perfect state of preservation is a giant molar with six long roots, measuring eight inches in length. The tooth weighs six pounds.

Several other mastodon teeth have been found recently in various sections of the county; arousing quite a good deal of interest in the prehistoric story of Crittenden County. (Wonder what happened to these pieces of history?)

***

January 25, 1935 – Red Front Will Open New Store

Largest of entire chain to be completed during this week. The Red Front Cash and Carry Store will open Saturday, February 2, with complete new equipment throughout.

The establishment is located in the Stone & Fowler Building, at the intersection of Main and Belleville Streets.

W. G. "Bill" Stout has been placed in charge and he will employ six assistants regularly with others to be added within the near future.

The store is the largest, most modern and best arranged of the entire group of their 45 stores.

Mr. Stout states that the refrigeration is the best obtainable and all other equipment is the highest type.

The store will be the leader at the of the group and the illumination and lighting is unsurpassed being the best west of Louisville.

The best quality of foods and meats at extremely low prices will be offered to customers.

***

May 7, 1937 -Easley and Watson Claim Boxing Tournament Titles in Paducah Meet

Not much has been documented about Marion boys being involved in the art of boxing.  Here is an interesting article from The Crittenden Press, May 7, 1937.

Clinton Easley and James Watson fought their way to Tri-State titles in the tournament sponsored by the Sun-Democrat, being held in Paducah.

Clinton Easley gained his title with one of the most powerful knock-out punches ever displayed in Paducah and had no trouble in winning over Willard Camp, Camden, Tenn., in the light-heavy weight division. The bout lasted only one round.  Camp was floored twice before being counted out.  Swinging a punch loaded with dynamite Easley was master of Camp at all times and clearly demonstrated that his near victory over last year's champion was not a flash-in-the-pan type.

James Watson, in the opening session, in the 113 pound class, scored a technical knockout over Henry Jordan, Paducah, in the third round, and Wednesday night downed Bill Walton, Benton, in a decisive fashion, leaving no room for doubt as to his superiority in the division.  Walton was floored three times in the first round and would have scored a knockout if the fight had not been called at the end of the second.

Other in meet include:

* Douglas Travis, lost to Jack Gatlin, Benton, in the feather-weight division in one of the fiercest battles of the meet.  A terrific jab to the heart gave the victory to Gatlin after Travis had fought one of the most surprising battles of the evening.

* Dick Moore drove power punches into the body of Clyde Swift, Camden, Tenn., in the 135 pound class but lost to one of the fastest and cleverest of entries.

* Mose Johnson refused to claim victory in the middleweight scrap with Tynes Benton, on a foul.

* Harold Winn lost his bout after putting up one of the best bouts on the opening card.

The local fighters have had no ring experience and very little training, conditioning themselves as best they could within the past few days.  All of the Marion boys have plenty of spirit. Some of them hitch-hiked to Paducah in order to fight. Paducah sports writers highly praised the squad as the gamest and hardest punching of all entries. 

***

April 1941 – Air Mail Pickup and Delivery Service

Wm. C. Gage, operations manager Mercury Dev. Corp., was in the city Wednesday consulting with Postmaster McConnell and other authorities regarding establishment of air mail pickup and delivery service for the city. No planes will land and no passengers received or discharged. The schedule calls for mail and express only.

The proposed schedule calls for two south and west bound deliveries and pickups daily and a like number of north and east. The field picked for erection of the pickup device must be level and within a short distance of the city according to McConnell. Average speed of the plane when picking up the mail was set at 130 miles per hour.

McConnell points to the fact that many business and commercial firms will be benefited by establishment of the service and points further to the fact that express will also be handled.

Description of mail pick-up and delivery will be; Outbound Marion air mail will be picked up by the plane, as the mail plane approaches the station for pickup, a cable and hook are unreeled from the craft through a hatch. The mail will be placed in a rubber container that was suspended between a pair of 15-foot-high posts. The airplane outfitted with a hook, will fly over the posts, and hook the mail and reel it in. Mail will be delivered by dropping from the plane with special equipment.

(Interesting to read about, but I don’t know if this ever came to pass in Marion or not. I was unable to find any further information about the purposed Air-Mail service. )

***

Fun and exciting items from yesteryear, bring back good memories from a different time in Marion and Crittenden county.

Sullenger School

 

Sullenger School, built in 1932

When the Crittenden County Historical Society published the "History of Crittenden County Schools 1842-1987", in 1987 there were several of the little one room county schools that no one reported any history about.  One of those school was the Sullenger School.  

Sullenger School was located in the community once known as Liberty Grove.  It was located on  what we called Irma-Salem Road or as it is known today, State Route 723 South.  James B. Sullenger deeded land for the school.

The building is still standing and is family home today. 

The first school was call Ashland according to research done by Braxton McDonald as he gathered information for the book.  It was a log school in 1881.  I am not sure where it was located.

 On the August 24, 1906 School Census for the county is shows #55 Sullenger School had a total of 39 students, with Lilbert McDowell as Teacher.

Some items from The Crittenden Press helps add some history to the school.

Crittenden Press, Liberty Grove Community items.  Sept. 2, 1932 .A new school building, known as the Sullenger School is being erected near here.  The building has a basement and will receive heart from a furnace.

Sept. 16, 1932 - Liberty Grove.  The Sullenger school building which is under construction is looking very nicely and will be ready for school to begin sometimes this week. 

Feb. 9, 1934 - Liberty Grove.  The Sullenger School closed last Thursday.  Several of the patrons were present.  The names of the following children were the ones who received a present for having the most headmarks:  Everett Earl Large, George Belt, Helen Croft, Rudell Hearell, Paul Porter, Neil Croft and Oletia Belt.

Teachers for the school included: 1932 – Miss Sallie Sullenger; 1934-35- Katherine Thompson; 1938-39- Helen Guess; 1947-48- Robbie Dean Lynn; 1948-49 -Dolcie Croft; 1949-50- Norveline Wayland; 1954-55- Laverne Croft.

School was closed in 1955. Students were bused to Tolu.