Hotel Crittenden - Known for it's Good Food

The old Crittenden Hotel that used to be located on East Carlisle Street was known for it's delicious meals that it served.  This tradition went on for many years.
 







  A Menu published in The Crittenden Press tells of it's Special Sunday Dinner for August 19th, 1906.

• Soup - Cream Tomato
• Roasts -Beef with Brown Gravy
• Suckling Pig with Apple Sauce
• Fried Chicken
•  Vegetables include: Mashed Potatoes, Escalloped Corn, French Peas on Toast, Butter Beans
• Relishes
• Sliced Tomatoes
• Pickled Tongue
• Stuffed Olives
• Bread - Corn Bread or Hot Rolls
• Desserts - Blanc Mange, Currant Jelly
• Lemon Pie
• Neapolitan Brick Cream and Snow Cake
• Tea, Coffee, Ice Tea Milk

With a Menu like this it was no wonder the dinning room was well known through out the area. The picture above was made in the early 1900's.  Names written on the photo are left to right:  Virgil Moore, Wilbur Haynes, Arthur Watkins, Mr. Pollard, Unknown, Trice Bennett and Sylvan Price.

Old Jim Mines

 In the early 1900's the Old Jim Mines was the celebrated carbonate mine of the nation.  From the files of the Crittenden Press, dated July 10, 1902, comes this information about the zinc mines.

Two great veins of carbonate of zine sixty-eight feet in width made up the old Jim mine.

This great body of carbonate extends somewhat below the water level where zinc blends, or "jack" meets it, and continues downward.

Millions of pounds more are in sight in a large open cut, somewhat like a  great stone quarry.  Indeed it is quarried in great masses like the building  stones for a skyscraper.

The "Old Jim," is the very latest sensation in the underground world.  It is unique. 

In the picture is the horse Old Jim, for who the mines was named after.  The owners are in the buggy - Clem S. Nunn on the left and John W. Blue on the right.

***

By 1912 the Old Jim mines had petered out. The vein was never struck again though thousands of dollars were spent looking for it.   But the Old Jim Mines is still remembered when the history of zinc carbonate is talked about.

Marion Day's November 1931

To promote locally owned businesses during the Christmas Season on 1931, the merchants of Marion put together a list of their stores to be advertized in the Press.  Marion was once a growing town with a variety of stores to shop from.  Here are just a few that were listed in the advertizement.

Pugh's Store - C. W. Pugh, established this variety store and he has two others being located in Sturgis and Clay.  The store carries a complete line of novelties, kitchen ware, dishes and toys as well as an assortment of hats and ladies and children's clothing.  It is a cash store and they have built up a good patronage.

Mayes and Son Show Courtesy To Their Customers - Courtesy to their customers is the keynot to the success of J. H. Mayes and Son, Main Street dry goods merchants, who have been in business since 1911.  They carry a selected line of dry goods, shoes and men's clothing.

The Owl Makes Tasty Sandwiches - The Owl Sandwich Shop is "sandwich headquarters" of Marion and vicinity.  This place, owned and operated by Emmett Koltinsky with the assistance of his wife, makes a specialty of  various kinds of sandwiches, chile, etc. 

Conoco Gas At Service Station - For the past few months the Super Service Station, on Main Street has been under the management of M. W. Thomason, former ice dealer.  Mr. Thomason's station sells Conoco gasoline and oil.  In addition to this service the Super Service Station specializes in greasing and alimenting

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Moore and Pickens - An attractive line of ladies' ready-to-wear and millinery is on display at all times in the store of Moore and Pickens on Carlisle Street.

This store was stared a number of years ago by Miss Mildred Moore and Miss Elvah Pickens, now Mrs. Weems Croft and Mrs. Frank Bennett.  Moore and Pickens store is neatly and attractively arranged at all times.

Stewart's Store - The Stewart Dry Goods Company, one of Marion's few cash stores, is always busy.  

Charles H. Stewart, owner of the store has been operating his business under the present name for several years.  

 With their cash policy, which permits them to sell high grade merchandise at "depression" prices.

                             

Remembering Our Veterans

Thank you Veterans

Let us join in Salute with those, who in years gone by, have given of their best freely that all which Our Flag represents might be kept true and inviolate.

The War Memorial at Mapleview Cemetery.

G. Berry Ritch Hanging

Berry Ritch lived on a farm about 9 miles northeast of Marion, near the community of Mattoon.  Early on the morning of October 1st, 1894, he and his family were awakened from their sleep by a call from the front door.  The men at the front door told Ritch that they were in a hurry and wanted him to go with them to the cross lanes to meet Bill Goode, who wanted to see him.(note: tombstone says death was 1895, but the incident was recorded in the local paper in October 1894.)

 Ritch stepped out to go and several men came from around the house, and  Berry Ritch went to the public road with them never to return alive.

A lawless element that plagued the county during the late 1800's were groups of men that were called "White Capps or Regulators."   They took it upon themselves to be the judge and jury if someone in the county was doing wrong or what they considered wrong.  The crime might have been for stealing chickens, or even that a person was lazy and wasn't taking good care of their family  Women were also included in their judgements and punishments, for if they thought a woman had too many men on the string or simply living the wrong kind of life, they would be hunted down and punished.  The punishment was usually getting some licks with a pole or whip. 

In the case of Green Berry Ritch, his only known crime was the association with a man named Bill Goode, The mob believe that he knew where Goode was hiding and they wanted him to tell them where he was.  Goode was thought to be behind several barn burnings and stealing of hay and livestock in the area.  The mob's anger got out of control and Ritch was hung by the road.  

Ritch was a poor farmer and he and his family had only a small cabin for their home, and few necessities of life.  He has a very nice tombstone at Mt. Zion Cemetery, and I've often wondered how such a nice stone was provided for him.  Not that he didn't deserve the stone, but how such a stone was purchased.  He left a wife and 4 small children.

Happy Halloween Memories

How about some Halloween fun from over a hundred years ago. Marion in the early 1900’s was a festive place, and it seems Halloween was a favorite time for having fun parties

The young people knew how to throw an entertaining party, with good food, exciting imaginary games, and good friends. Their parties seemed to not get started until very late in the evenings and would continue until the morning hours.

  Delightful Halloween Reception. (October 31, 1904)

Mesdames J. W. Blue and J. H. Orme gave the first of the season Halloween entertainments at the residence of Mayor J. W. Blue, on the corner of College St., and Wilson Avenue.

Among those who attended were noted the following: Mesdames Ollie M. James, Henry H. Sayre, C. Maxwell, Thomas H. Cochran, Sidney M. Jenkins, Wm. J. Deboe, I. H. Clement, Chas. Evans, Avery H. Reed, George M. Crider, John J. Clark, Harry A. Haynes, Robert F. Haynes, Frank Walker, Thos. Clifton, E. J. Hayward, George C. Gray, Perry D. Maxwell, Henry K. Woods, Clem S. Nunn and James R. McFee.

Guests were first ushered into the reception hall and then all invited to the Halloween room where beautiful decorations of pumpkin vines, apples and oranges; sketches of witches riding broom sticks, skulls and cross bones, bats and skeletons were galore. Candies of different kinds and colors gave a soft glow to the jack- o’-lanterns.

Several contests were indulged in such as bean and candle, guessing the number of candies, witches, etc. After this a “nose contest” which was the most enjoyable of all.

Guests were then invited into the dining room where they feasted on cider, pumpkin pie, ginger bread and other good things of the Halloween season.

Souvenirs were presented to each guest and a most enjoyable time was had, and the season’s reception was opened auspiciously. 

 ***

Another party going in town that same night was being hosted by Mrs. Jim Henry, assisted by Mrs. Charley Moore. They very delightfully entertained a crowd of young people in her home on West Belleville Street. Games and contests were engaged in.

Henry Haynes won the prizes given for the “Advertisement Contest.” Miss Daisy Towery, also, won a prize. It being Halloween, of course, fortune telling was popular, each one drawing his or her fate from a pumpkin.

At another popular household in town a Phantom Party was being held. As the young people arrived, the young ladies were ushered into one room and the young gentlemen into another, there each guest was robed in white from head to foot, all the robes being precisely alike.

All then assembled and for more than an hour these grave specters wandered about and it was impossible to recognize any one.

At nine o’clock the phantoms paired off and then each mask was lowered and instead of the death like countenance of the ghost was seen the happy face of some young lady or gentleman.

Refreshments were served and at 11 o’clock the young people dispersed, all agreeing they had a delightful time.

***

I remember the Halloween parties that we would have when I was growing up in the 1950's.  It would usually be in someone's basement.  It would be decorated with simple home make decorations of cardboard witches and bats, and also the streamers of creme paper, which would be black and orange braided together to make chains that would be drapes around everything. Some of the "refreshments" would be given out with everyone's blindfolded, as to imagine that grapes were eye-balls, spaghetti as brains, and what ever the host family could dream up that would be scary feeling.   The real refreshments were usually home-made popcorn balls, caramel apples and home-made fudge.  What fun and care-free times.

John A. Myers

The Crittenden Press, Sept. 13, 1917.  Another Monument At Cooksyville.

A beautiful memorial has just been placed at the grave for John A. Myers in the Cooksyville Cemetery.

This is the first monument to be erected in this cemetery for several years.  It was made by Henry & Henry at Marion, Ky.

*****

The old Cooksyville Cemetery is known today as the Sulphur Springs Cemetery.  It is located in the SE section of the county on the Sulphur Springs Rd.  off of Hwy. 641.

John A. Myers was the son of William and Sarah Elizabeth Tabor Myers.  He was married to Sarah G. Pollard