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    • VIEWS AND NEWS
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    • Contact Us
    • GASTONIA HISTORY
    • GASTONIA HISTORY II
    • GASTONIA HISTORY III
    • GASTONIA HISTORY IV
    • FAIR USE PRINCIPLE
    • SPINDLE CITY SCENES
    • SPINDLE CITY SCENES II
    • LOST AND ENDANGERED
    • EPHEMERA
    • GASTONIA FAMILY ALBUM
    • GHOST SIGNS
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    • MEMORIES
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    • SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
    • "GREASY CORNER"
    • JOURNAL
    • TIME TRAVEL
    • PRODUCTS
    • RETAIL PARTNERS
  • Home
  • VIEWS AND NEWS
  • ABOUT
  • OUR MISSION
  • Contact Us
  • GASTONIA HISTORY
  • GASTONIA HISTORY II
  • GASTONIA HISTORY III
  • GASTONIA HISTORY IV
  • FAIR USE PRINCIPLE
  • SPINDLE CITY SCENES
  • SPINDLE CITY SCENES II
  • LOST AND ENDANGERED
  • EPHEMERA
  • GASTONIA FAMILY ALBUM
  • GHOST SIGNS
  • THE LAY OF THE LAND
  • MEMORIES
  • TRANSPORTATION
  • SIGHTS AND SOUNDS
  • "GREASY CORNER"
  • JOURNAL
  • TIME TRAVEL
  • PRODUCTS
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VINTAGEGASTONIA.COM

VINTAGEGASTONIA.COMVINTAGEGASTONIA.COMVINTAGEGASTONIA.COM

WHERE OLD GASTONIA LIVES!

WHERE OLD GASTONIA LIVES! WHERE OLD GASTONIA LIVES!

MORE MEMORIES

 

[Regarding Lineberger’s Fish Fry:]
     It was pretty much a Thursday night tradition for our family.  Thursday night was the night because my daddy wanted to avoid the weekend crowds.  As the years went on I think a few thousand other people had the Thursday night idea because it was plenty crowded.

 My parents told me they used to carry me in there as a baby and lay me on the seat while they ate.  I literally grew up there, every Thursday night. I remember my Aunt Frances turning me onto the joys hush puppies dipped in tartar sauce.  I still do that down here in Florida when I can find good examples of either.  Also I was a baseball card collector and, if I had been good, I was allowed to buy a pack at the candy counter near the cash register and take them home to add to my collection.  I never counted but I had over 2 cigar boxes full and I let them get away when I thought I was too "grown up" to need them anymore.  Wonder what they would be worth by now?

My other food memories included RO's Barbecue (the center of the universe as far as I was concerned) and the Beacon Drive-In.  Somebody mentioned remembering it being called the Rebel briefly. I think I remember that too.

  Always good sharing the memories with you Tim.(Randy Jenkins)

 

 

As a young boy living on Linwood road in West Gastonia, I remember well about how we lived, went to school, and how I remained a kid until the war broke out on that dismal, cloudy day, Dec 7 1941. I remember well how I became the "airport bum," doing anything for a ride in an airplane. I lived up the road from the end of the airport. All the “hangar flying” was on the other side of the airport, later it was moved to the location on Linwood Road. Back then, no one said anything about breathing the "dope," as it was called, which was painted on to tighten the fabric. I think they put about 20 coats on the wings, etc. Yes, I did like the odor of the smell but never did I know it would make one woozy; not me.


 I recall many names of those who learned how to fly and can still see their shirt tails cut off when they soloed.  Too many of these names later became fatalities of the war...including Lin Lundquist, who flew for the Civil Air Patrol. I was a member of the youth CAP as a Sergeant. They called me "gacious" as when I saw something exciting I would shout "Good Gacious!" 

 

The first one to teach was a name "Lewis," and then Gib Patten took over and hired Lundquist to teach and run the airport. I would accept a ride from anyone in anything. Luck was on my side when I accepted a ride in a 37 hp Pusher airplane (open cockpit) on a heavy snow day...Believe it or not, I saw the bottom of the big Loray Mill water tank...And the pilot, Gib Patten’s brother (Bob) was almost stone drunk. When I was 11 to 12 yrs old, they would let me taxi the airplanes across the street to my front yard to wash them—in exchange for a ride.

 

Often this group of barn storming pilots would have an air show and sell rides. And I once sold ice cream cones for Dimeo’s (up the street on Linwood was their place), but they had an ice cream wagon they also sold from. I believe I was paid one free cone. I remember this group of flyers called the “Good Will Flyers" would spend many days in the area before and after their shows. I recall hearing there was a house up the street from our home that housed “ladies of the night.” At my age, I only remember what they whispered near me.


The war began to occupy our lives, as I figured I may not receive an education as I failed the 7th grade at the Junior High (the first year it was opened), so I moved on and went to Wingate with my friend Sam Ratchford to hasten my learning. And before this, at age 14, I went to work part time at Belk’s, where they paid me $1.00 less .01 (Social Security deduction)—99 cents, coming in early and staying late to sweep the floors with “dust down." And often I would work after school from 4 to 6 pm, which was 1/4 of a work day.


Back to flying. I began my formal flying after the war and soloed in less than 4 hours. Age and retirement forced me to sell my last airplane when I retired in 1990........


(Charles H. Thomas, Charlotte, NC)

 

 I lived in Gastonia from 1945, when I was born, until 1957, when my parents, my sister and I moved to Louisiana.  My grandparents moved to Gastonia from Stanley, NC but I don't know the year offhand.  I do know that when my grandfather built their house on Jackson Road (York/Chester area), the road was not paved.  I know a little bit about the Brookwood area.  Our hang out was Hamp's.


 My grandfather was a barber, owned the Morris Glass Shop on Main Street, and sold used cars, not all at the same time.  Some of my uncles worked at the glass shop. My sister and I used to go there after school and wait for our mother to get off work at Akers Motor Lines and we usually wound up at the bowling alley with a soft drink while we waited. 


 We lived near Lineberger Park in a new development on Maple Street and the park was our refuge in the summer months.  I learned to swim there and we played there all summer, when it was actually safe for kids to be there alone.


 I could go on and on but just wanted to let you know how much I enjoyed the website and will visit it again soon.  By the way, I live in Kings Mountain now.  I have been back in North Carolina since 1970 and have lived in Kings Mountain since 1990.  I do try to keep up with Gastonia since it was my first "home". 


[Amelia (Betsy Miller) Henderson]

 

Little Steve Lewis Arrowood, and all the Arrowoods lived not far from Lineberger Park, growing up. It was a hilly and open park, and had a great creek running through it. This creek was perfect for performing daring "Superman" feats of “creek jumping,” “bridge flinging,” “stump jumping,” and the like.

  

The park was a great place for a kid to play when he had his trusty bicycle.

 One day when Steve was just a 'youngun', around 1936 or 1937, he decided to prove his 'Superman abilities' by going airborne over the creek on his bicycle.

  

He pedaled up the steep hill overlooking the creek  came flying back down it at breakneck speed, and went flying over the creek. His “Superman abilities” were definitely put to the test and he crashed into the creek.

 

The jump proved to be too far, and he was not able to make the span of the creek to land on the other side. He was knocked out, and it was not good.

          

Luckily “Old Man” Coletta, as Dad called him, was happening past with his ice wagon, and he either heard the crash, saw it, or saw the aftermath. However it happened, it was lucky for our little “Superman” that Mr.Coletta happened along, at just that moment.

          

Coletta was a man that operated the ice company and ice cream store in town. He was an Italian immigrant and started his company in 1915. [The beginning of Tony’s Ice Cream.] He had a horse drawn wagon that delivered ice in town to his customers.

  

In the 1921 Gastonia City Directory on page 145, there is listed, a 'Charles Carmine Coletta, ice cream manufacturer' at 312 South Willow Street.

 

Well, dear "Old Man" Coletta loaded the unconscious boy onto the back of his wagon and took him home. He apparently knew Dad and knew where to take him. So the kindly man delivered the limp bundle to his, no doubt, 'scared to death' parents.

  

Steve was completely 'out of it' (his words), for three days.

  

Imagine keeping the kid at home during that episode these days! I suppose the Doctor was summoned to the house to attend to him as quickly as possible.
Happily, he recovered, and decided that being Superman wasn't as great as it was cracked up to be and he tempered his actions from then on (somewhat).
 

They have completely restored Coletta's Ice Wagon and it is on display in Dallas, N.C. in the County Museum. 

  

Attached is an image of the Arrowood Children of Lewis William "Pat" Arrowood and Maude Hull Arrowood. Left to right: Ray Arrowood, Ben Arrowood, Steve Arrowood, Ann Arrowood, Hilda Arrowood, Patsy Arrowood and Bill Arrowood. The picture was taken in front of home on Laurel Lane, Gastonia, NC. 


(Martha Arrowood Miller)
 

 

I worked at Gastonia radio station WGNC.


 The era in which I worked was when Fred Gray, a Gastonia radio legend, was the morning man.  He spent several years at WLTC and then, when they went country, moved over to WGNC.


Vance Brooks was the midday man.  Mr. McSwain [Pat McSwain, the station owner] did a two hour afternoon shift and Ray Martin did an 8 hour stint on the air from 4pm till midnight daily.  It did weekend part-time work and that is when Arnold Greenwald and I talked Mr. McSwain into letting us do the "Teen Beat" show on Sunday nights.  We alternated weeks.


 I left there briefly in '72 and went to Rock Hill for a full-time radio job.  Mr. McSwain said he didn't realize I wanted full-time and offered me such at a HUGE salary increase.  I went from $60 a week all the way up to $90 a week (a 50% raise).   He gave me the last hour of Fred's shift from 9-10 am, and then I came back at 2pm and worked until 6 every day so Ray could finally have more reasonable hours. 

 

Ray was the "baby" of the family, merely in his 40's, before I got there.

I learned a lot about the radio business, but more about life from those old fellows and I still look back fondly on those years. 

 

I left again in early '73 for the "big time" in Charlotte and went to work for WAME. That started my career as a country jock.  All in all I was in radio for a total for 14 years and was very blessed then with a 2nd career as a traveling insurance auditor on the road and did that until my mobility problems made me a telecommuter. 


By the way Bob Bigger was my replacement at WGNC and I think he spent about 10 years on the air there before going to the library.


I've been really blessed because my knowledge of the very specific niche of premium auditing has allowed me to still be involved  part-time and I still have some of my younger friends calling me up and asking questions so I can, kind of, mentor them.  All in all, I repeat, I have been very blessed.  I met my wife while at WAME and we've been married almost 34 years now.  Got 3 grown children, and I got my wish of getting to live in Florida.  We rededicated our lives to the Lord in 1997 and are a real part of the fabric of our little church down here.  The Lord has just plain been good to me.

 

I'll keep looking for those pictures.  Don't know if there will be much to contribute but I can tell you more about radio in Gastonia (all the stations) but it's mostly written memories.  I wasn't just a jock.  I was a fan too.

 

Thanks again, Tim, for the website.  Still hope someday somebody can find pictures of "The Egg". It was really neat.


(Randy Jenkins)

 My dad, Albert Rogers, had a small grocery and produce store at 1011 West Airline Avenue. He had a great display of produce but was well known for his tomatoes. When I went back for a Ashley High School Reunion, It was all boarded up.  My boys loved to put pennies on the railroad track that ran behind the store and let the train flatten them.  My dad’s idea of fun.  It was just up from the Holsum Bakery, but you could still smell that wonderful smell.  Before that store he had a store on one of the side streets a block from the bakery and on York Road.  The one on York road was taken in by the road widening. (Janette Rogers Wennerstrom)

[Attached are pictures taken in 1973. I am sorry it was so long in getting them to you.  My Dad, Albert Rogers died in January after the picture was taken. The store was at 1011 West Airline Avenue. My Dad is pictured and my daughter Christine Wennerstrom Seepe.  His banana sign is his attempt at humor. Sincerely, Janette] 

 [We would stand] in long lines to get into Lineberger's Fish Camp!  I went with my parents and uncle and we all swore we would never go back again because we were sooo STUFFED with green shrimp, fries, catfish and slaw.  But, a couple of weeks later, along with a hundred others standing in line in the hot sun, we were back...and back...and back.  Mr. Lineberger loved to sell penny candy to the little ones up front when he retired.   (Pete Williams, Ashley High School.  I lived in Gastonia from January 1967 thru the summer of 1975) 

 I went to Ballard's news stand on Marietta street and bought my first Beatle record.  It cost less than a dollar.  I still have the record!

I would go to Woolworth's and buy ten cents worth of those warm cashews that they sold at the candy counter. (Lana Shaw) 


 Miles' Restaurant had the best hot dogs! (Lana Shaw.)

Big WAYS radio (61AM) was first called New WAYS. (Lana Shaw.) 

 

[In] the 1940s and 50s, when the air raid sirens went off all lights were turned off, even [in] the cotton mill which ran all 24 hours. In 1943, the Western Union  delivery man rode his bicycle from town to our house at South Gastonia to inform Grand Ma and Pa that uncle Jake had been wounded somewhere in Germany. That was a very sad time. The sadness was relieved when, several months later, Jake arrived home via a Coley’s taxi.


Summer heat was relieved somewhat by the twice weekly arrival of the ice wagon.

While Jeter, the ice man, cut out blocks to fill the order on the cards hung on the porch post, we boys caught the chips and ate them as fast as they were chipped.  Sometimes on a Friday dad would buy an extra 100 pounds, which was wrapped in burlap, placed in a tin tub, and scooted under the house out of the sun. Saturday, with the churn filled, dad would chip ice around it in the wooden tub, layer it with rock salt, and, while I sat on the freezer, he would crank out the best ice cream you ever ate.


Gastonia was a marvelous place.  Hot dogs from the Little Canary Cottage, ice cream at Sweetland’s, a bag of candy from Eagle's or Kresses, escaping the heat while watching a movie at the Temple or Webb or Lyric.  Those were, for a small boy, the good old days. (R. Braswell) 

 

I knew a few of those early Gastonia players as a child and it was fun to remember them. Dr. H.F. Glenn taught me latin names for the body parts as a young boy of 7 or 8 on our way to dinners at Five Points. He was in his 90s when I knew him, and, while he and the house on Chester were a bit musty, he was a vibrant man for his age who obviously cared what a little boy thought of the world he lived in and that he expand the horizons.  He gave me a giant world Atlas from his library so I could wonder about the world at my leisure. Even today this book occupies an honored resting place in my bedroom and I still pick it up to look at once in a while. Also lived for years with his old medicine cabinet that he gave to grandad. I will never forget him or his lessons and interest.


Especially enjoyed the pics of the train station. Grandad (Charlie Wilson) was one of,  if not the last station man (forced to retire at age 72, if I remember correctly) at the old Southern freight station on Airline and South (guess it would  be in the parking lot by the gazebo/bandstand now - quite a change from the 70's forward downtown). If I had a pic of him at the old desk I would send it for the archive but haven't kept up with all the artifacts of life very well. Always running blindly toward the future myself and you have always had patience and a better appreciation than I of the past. I took a train Atlanta to Gastonia last year (to buy and ride home a motorcycle).  Enjoyed the experience, except that The Crescent is now a night train and arrives in East Gastonia at 1am.  The cab was waiting and whisked me to Mom's in 20 minutes so it wasn't so bad.


What a walk through my mind the pics brought: 

Saturday morning "bottlecap" matinees at the Center Theater, my first pair of jeans from Silversteins, opening a savings account at Citizens National at age 7, green bus transfers downtown when commuting to St. Michael's, walking downtown to watch the Efird's fire (could see it from the front porch), smelling the bread baking at Holsum, and of course later lunches at Miles, working in the basement print shop, the fabric store attic and windows at Matthews Belk. Met the love of my life there in the shoe department.


One of my last memories of you and I working together at Belk downtown was Pet Rocks (thousands of them) and leisure suits!!  And remember we spent forever cutting those flamingos with the cutawl (sic) to hang in those steaming hot front windows. What a lark! I remember those early work days fondly. Seems slow and easy now by comparison. Trust you are now as you were then teaching the scouts how to eat those nuts and berries :)


When home to visit (live and work in Atlanta), I still make pilgrimages to Tony's ice cream and once and a while go to ROs for the orange slaw burger. 
Thanx for the memories. Next time in I'll get a copy of your books and reminisce some more.(Chuck Wilson) 

 I worked as a Loader/forklift driver at the Coca-Cola plant on Franklin Avenue, from 1980 to 1982, while attending Gaston College part-time. We could buy cokes for 10 cents in the break-room. There was a coffee machine in there, too, and the older men would sit in there and drink coffee, even on the hottest days in August. Across the hall from the break-room, there were two Men’s bathrooms; one bathroom was very large and had shower stalls and lockers as well as sinks, toilets, and urinals.  The other Men’s bathroom, a few feet down the hall, was smaller with only a couple toilets and a sink.There was no ladies bathroom in this portion of the building as I remember.  I always wondered why there were two Men’s bathrooms, and why they were so close together. One day I got to looking at one of the doors of the bathrooms, and noticed it had been painted several times.  Beneath the layers of paint I could make out the outline of the words, ‘WHITE ONLY.’ As I examined further, I found the other bathroom had the word ‘COLORED’ still visible beneath the many layers of paint.

After Coca-Cola moved its operations to Charlotte, I left and went to college.  I came back through Gastonia one time to stop by the Coca-Cola building, and found that the warehouse was being used to store SUN-DROP and CHEERWINE and other products.  I never thought I’d live to see the day when  SUN-DROP was being stored in that Coca-Cola warehouse, because the rivalry between the two companies was that intense.

Sgt. Joe D. Friday Jr.
Major Crimes Unit
Greenville (N.C.) Police Department
(Dallas, N.C. Native) 

 I would walk from Central Elementary School down to my Dad's Exxon station on 2nd Avenue, and he would let me walk over to the NAPA auto parts store on Franklin to pick up his parts for him. This was around 1976-77. I was only about 7 or 8 years old, I thought it was the absolute neatest thing
My Dad's gas station was on the corner of Marietta and 2nd Avenue accross from Gastonia Central (Evans Exxon), and the NAPA parts store was on Franklin a few doors down from the pawn shop. (I can't remember the name of the pawn shop.) It really cracks me up to think I would walk by myself at 7 or 8 years old. I now have a 7 year old daughter that I won't let walk to the mailbox by herself. On Thursdays after school I would walk up to York Street for piano lessons from Mrs. Byrd. I remember I would take a $5 bill to her for a 30 minute lesson. The sad thing is I don't really feel that old--it only seems like yesterday. Thanks for taking the time to listen to my moment of nostalgia. (Pamela Evans Messori--Gastonia Girl trapped in Southern California with Carolina on my mind.) 

 My Dad worked at the Railway Express Agency and pulled those heavy cargo carriers and drove a truck before he was promoted and transferred to Charlotte as the cashier. I have a poster picture of him in Charlotte signing checks and the men waiting at the payroll window for their checks.

My mother worked for Akers Motor Lines for what seemed like a hundred years. I went to North Elementary [later named Wilson], Grier Junior High (we had moved), and Ashley [High School].

Loray was always my church – grew up, saved during a revival, Dad and I baptized together the same service, and married by Yates Campbell.  We had to cover a box with white material to have him stand to be seen as Daddy was 6’6” and others tall. Can you imagine Yates baptizing Daddy?  Now that took faith. (Sandy Bigger Mishoe) 

 

I would go to Carson's Sporting Goods on W. Main before they moved to E. Franklin.  I would cut grass for our neighbors and get a dollar or so and buy me a model airplane to build. I would walk from Jackson Road to town and back, unless Father Gregory from Saint Michaels Catholic Church came along and gave me a ride.  The way he drove made me think I was safer walking.


I would catch a bus on the corner of Jackson Road and York Street (US 321), getting a transfer from uptown and going to a friend's family farm behind Orthopedic Hospital on New Hope road with my Marlin .22 cal rifle on my lap. No one said a word about me doing it.


I was sitting behind The Gastonia Gazette one afternoon rolling my papers with several others, and a car came by and money came streaming out the window. We jumped up and I ended up with about $10.  The car kept going and never stopped.

I went with my family to the railroad depot downtown and counted the train cars as they came by.


I attended the carnivals at Victory School each Halloween. And the Christmas parades down Main Street.


I would go to Belk's department store, and every time we went in we would stick our foot in the X-Ray machine in the shoe dept. to look at our feet through our shoes.


(I really enjoy your website.  It brings back a lot of fond memories.  Our 50th Ashley High School reunion is coming up in October.  The 1957 Class had a website like ours and that is where I found your site.)

(Jim Deaton)

 

My father, Max Graham, was a manager of the A&P for over 40 years. 

He started on Main Street, opened the one at 814 W. Franklin (next to the old Holiday Inn) and finally opened the last one in West Gastonia next to Nichols Dept Store.  He retired in 1979.  He and John "Livermush" Long owned various rental properties and a farm together for many years.  John Long died in 1979 and it broke my daddy's heart.  By the way, no other livermush or 'liver pudding' can beat the flavor of Long's!  John operated that meat plant on Chestnut Street across from Lineberger Park for years.When my brother was born in September of 1954, it appeared on the front page of the Gazette with headline "Max Graham Has a Son".  What a great small town! While some folks always know and talk about R.O.'s and Tony's, here are some of my faves: Sammy's Pizza on West Franklin ....I've never had a better pizza in my life! Fate Adams' A&B Bicycle Shop, Robinson Bros. Feed & Seed (W. Main near Ralph Gaines Furniture), Bob Greene's newstand downtown, Donut Dinette, Kostee's Drive In [the first "fast food" restaurant in Gastonia--ed.], baloney sandwiches at the CDA Store near Clara, Dunn and Armstrong Mills! A"Four Barrel" at Reggie Grigg's sandwich shop, Porky's Grill in South Gastonia,The Music Box..first 45 rpm I ever bought came from there! Spencer's office supply for 'back to school' supplies!and many more! (John Graham)


Daddy and John had a 'breakfast club' that included Sherrif Dwight Beam, 'Doc' Sanford (Sanford's Cafeteria), Jimmy Brown (owned Caldwell's drug store), Bill Williams from the Gazette, Fate Adams, Virgil Sommers, Bob Greene, Bain Jenkins, Lester "Biscuits" Robinson and others---sometimes they'd meet over at GRALON [the farm that Max Graham and John Long owned together near Dallas] and other times over behind Fate Adams house. (John Graham)


Before pizza joints were 'everywhere', we had "Sammy's"!  In the Winter, the windows would be all fogged up on the inside but the smell permeated the parking area.  My mother would call and then send my brother or me in to pick up the pizza in the white cardboard box that was forbidden to sit directly on the seat of the car---because the grease would have already seeped through!  Most times, she even took a towel or a newspaper to set the box on. Lineberger's Fish Fry was always packed out no matter when you went down there.  The route down there was so rural that you passed farms and fields rather than a high school, shopping center, TV shops, etc.   Ray Martin was an announcer on WGNC--his commercials were great, but I always loved it when he would let a record end and all you would hear for 30-40 seconds was the sound of the record going around with the stylus still down on it.  One of my favorites was his commerical for "Ray's Country Store".  He would go on and on about Ray's and then realize he was getting close to the one minute mark...so he started talking FASTER, then he'd end the commerical in a hurry!  "Ray's Country Store, located on Union Road....Well, you know where it is".  It was classic small town radio.There was a lady who lived near what is now York Chester Junior High School who was a "re-weaver".  She would actually 're-weave' the pattern of a pair of pants or sport coat if you had torn them....unbelieveable. Radio/TV repair shops and machine shops were everywhere!  Both, now a thing of the past. A refrigerated tractor trailer came to town with a frozen whale in it!  They parked it in the parking lot at First Methodist Church and kids could pay 10 cents and walk through and look through the thick glass at the small dead whale! Dr. George Prince and Dr. Lahser, at one time, the ONLY pediatricians in town.  I spoke with Dr. Prince just before Christmas---he's now 85 years old and lives in Wilmington, NC. The Chamber of Commerce Annual Sports Banquet, always held downstairs in the gym at the YMCA.  Over the years, I met Bart Starr, Jesse Owens, Joe Paterno, and many more great figures.  That was a great event and it had a good run.There were service station owners who were fixtures in the community: Conley Rockett, Jack Bradshaw, my mind just went blank, but there were lots of them.  Many were officers in the civic service clubs...Sims Legion Park had an old wooden grandstand.  Loved to hear the foul balls hit that wooden roof.We would go to the ice plant [on the west side of North Broad Street (now a motorcycle dealership) and get ice in those thick HEAVY paper bags. (John Graham)

Sisk Barber Shop was located between Piedmont Motors and Smith Chevrolet on West Franklin....with Curt's Radiator up the hill behind it. I saw old Mr. Barney Garrison (Garrison Blvd) of Coca Cola fame, in the barber chair with it reclined to the point he was completely horizontal!  It was like the mobster shots you see in The Godfather, etc. as Mr. Garrison had hot towels wrapped around his face with the unlit green Cuban Cigar sticking out of his mouth as his face softened up for a shave!  Jim Martin, CEO of Threads/Textiles Inc. as well as Duke Kimbrell all got clipped at Sisk.  But along with those bigshots, you would have just your average Joes, including me, waiting for a haircut.  Marvin Sisk is now in his 80's and still lives back behind Hunter Huss.  He has been Master of the Masonic Lodge (#369) as well as deeply involved with Shrine charities. Gaston Lifesaving Crew was headquartered behind the Citizens' Nathinal Bank branch on Franklin and Oakwood Cemetery, fronting on Second Avenue. Bud Lytten was the best known Locksmith/Gunsmith in Gastonia:  Best gunsmith I've ever known--his sister, Mrs. Forbes actually appeared on television's  "What's my line?" as a lady locksmith.  I think Kitty Carlisle guessed it!! Sorry, these just came to my head.(John Graham) 

 My father would take me inside the Citizens National Bank and show me the vault. My father worked at this bank for over 30 years in the trust department. His name was Robert N. Rosebro. I remember also that the clock outside did chime on the hour, and it made you notice that you were downtown Gastonia.  My Mother used to shop at Helen's and while she was there picking out clothes, I would amble around the town and look into the shops. Every Christmas we had great parades that went downtown with "Santa" always in the rear!  You could get cotton candy, hot dogs, and all the goodies when the parade came at Christmas.  It was a great place to grow up and I will always have great memories of this great town. (Anne Rosebro Blanchard) 

 We bought Slaw Burgers at R.O.'s and Black's on 321 South. The slaw was so good we would order Slaw Burgers, just a bun and slaw. If I remember right they were 15 cents, but I could be wrong. Someone mentioned The Beacon Drive In at Willow and East Franklin Avenue. It was also named The Rebel at one time. Coletta’s on Willow was run by Alice and Tony Coletta. About every day we would walk from Coletta’s to Lineberger Park to go swimming. After I got my driver's license, I could venture out of my area. I had a friend who lived on West Main Avenue with his Grandmother, Mrs. Eldridge. She ran a boarding house, and I remember some very interesting people there. My Dad worked at Roy's Jewelry on Main Avenue. He was the watch repairman and also did some sales. I later joined the Gaston County Life Saving Crew. It was then located on West Second Avenue. A lot of memories there: Ernest Dow, John Stepp, Red King, Floyd Barrett, and no one can forget Mike Jordan. (Barry Adair) 

 CLICK HERE TO READ MORE MEMORIES OF OLD GASTONIA 

MEMORIES III

  

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