I beleive there comes a time in everyone's life, where they get the urge to return to their roots,the town they grew up in .I remember my mother wanting to do just that in 1997 just a year before she passed away ,
As we drove down old route #21 leading to Ripley.West Virginia on that hot July afternoon in 1997,I couldn;t help but wander back to the year's growing up there in the early 1950s, They were good times, But I remember mostly the hard times, especially for my mother who had to raise five kid's on her own ,working at the City Hotel and Resturant in Ripley for $3.00 day.
Back in those day's. there wasn't any help for anyone like there is today, no one ever heard of welfare or food-stamps, or even a food pantry . I remember lot of nights going to bed hungrier than the night before . for my dad had failed to send my mother's sixty dollars a month alimony check .
Today I still believe at christmas time if you have a nice warm place to live and lots of food on the table your not doing to bad at all. and i truly believe having it real hard back then, just make;s you appreciate what you have today,
As we drove down the main street of Ripley, there stood what was once the Old Alpine Theatre all boarded up. I remember my late twin brother Gary and I as kids going there many Saturday afternoon;s to see Gene Autry and Roy Roger;s on the silver screen for 15 cents, the same theatre where the Myer's boys would usually get thrown out of for hollering out during the movie "Look out Roy he's behind the Rock'
Sitting right next to the theatre was once Flayo Miller;s Barbershop, I remember many Saturday morning;s getting a flat top there, , or my hair into a duck tail just like Elvis wore his hair for the price of 75 cents. which was considered a lot of money back then ,
Sitting directly across the street from the barbershop stood the Jackson County Courthouse , known all over the world today for its famous outside fourth of July celebration every year. Some of the biggest stars down through the years in show business have appeared there on a bandstand built alongside the court house. I remember one year the Ripley Chief of Police named Whitehouse giving Gene Autry a ticket for riding his horse on the sidewalk, As I think about it , maybe it was just to get Autry's valuable autograph , I remember one year on july 4th my twin brother Gary riding in the fourth of july parade with tv's famous "Sky King"along with his girl friend Penny Flesher from Ripley who;s dad was emcee of the parade,
As we drove further up Main Street there once stood O.J. Morrison;s Candy Store, I rememered buying several bags of glass marbles off old man O,J, for five cents in 1957 , and ending up loosing them in a game with Rusty Rowley on the playground at Ripley Grade School at recess time . many of those glass marbles orginally made by Akro Agate Company of Clarksburg,W,va are worth hundred's of dollars
today, I.m sure many of those marble's could be found right today if you would dare dig around on what is now the Ripley Police Department,
After touring the Main Streets of Ripley on that hot July afternoon in 1997, We drove over on "Old Ravenswood Pike" better known as "Green Acres" where I orginally grew up. and moved away from in 1959,
As we pulled into the driveway of the old homeplace , which looked alot better than when we once lived there, a dog came running up the hill to greet us just like my dog Lassie did every evening as a kid coming home from school,
Standing on the front Porch of the home that hot afternoon was the owner of the home welcomeing us to come right on in , , As I entered the living room I couldn't help but notice the window I would stand knee high looking out of for hours hoping to see my Dad's truck coming back up the road ,remembering the day he left telling us he would be back someday ,
Standing there in the living room I could still hear my oldest brother repeating himself, when i get big enought to work ,Im not going to be poor, Im going to have lots of money, Im going to own a cadilac and a brand new home . That dream did come true for my oldest brother in later years, but he didn;t live long enought to really enjoy it , dying at the age of 49,
AS we left the old home place that July afternoon, the lady of the house said your'e welcome to stay for supper, We told her we had eaten,
Driving back down old route #21 toward Parkersburg, I couldnt help to wander once again back to the year 1963. I was living on Laird avenue in Parkersburg,W.va, Late one evening a knock came on the door , It was my dad telling me to let him in , When I opened the door there was no one there, The next day my brother happened to be reading the newspaper and just happened to read the obituaries , my dad had died the night before in Wirt County W.Va around the time he had knocked at my door . The day he left he promised he would be back someday , I wanna beleive more than anything that he kept his word after all.
As we drove down old route #21 leading to Ripley.West Virginia on that hot July afternoon in 1997,I couldn;t help but wander back to the year's growing up there in the early 1950s, They were good times, But I remember mostly the hard times, especially for my mother who had to raise five kid's on her own ,working at the City Hotel and Resturant in Ripley for $3.00 day.
Back in those day's. there wasn't any help for anyone like there is today, no one ever heard of welfare or food-stamps, or even a food pantry . I remember lot of nights going to bed hungrier than the night before . for my dad had failed to send my mother's sixty dollars a month alimony check .
Today I still believe at christmas time if you have a nice warm place to live and lots of food on the table your not doing to bad at all. and i truly believe having it real hard back then, just make;s you appreciate what you have today,
As we drove down the main street of Ripley, there stood what was once the Old Alpine Theatre all boarded up. I remember my late twin brother Gary and I as kids going there many Saturday afternoon;s to see Gene Autry and Roy Roger;s on the silver screen for 15 cents, the same theatre where the Myer's boys would usually get thrown out of for hollering out during the movie "Look out Roy he's behind the Rock'
Sitting right next to the theatre was once Flayo Miller;s Barbershop, I remember many Saturday morning;s getting a flat top there, , or my hair into a duck tail just like Elvis wore his hair for the price of 75 cents. which was considered a lot of money back then ,
Sitting directly across the street from the barbershop stood the Jackson County Courthouse , known all over the world today for its famous outside fourth of July celebration every year. Some of the biggest stars down through the years in show business have appeared there on a bandstand built alongside the court house. I remember one year the Ripley Chief of Police named Whitehouse giving Gene Autry a ticket for riding his horse on the sidewalk, As I think about it , maybe it was just to get Autry's valuable autograph , I remember one year on july 4th my twin brother Gary riding in the fourth of july parade with tv's famous "Sky King"along with his girl friend Penny Flesher from Ripley who;s dad was emcee of the parade,
As we drove further up Main Street there once stood O.J. Morrison;s Candy Store, I rememered buying several bags of glass marbles off old man O,J, for five cents in 1957 , and ending up loosing them in a game with Rusty Rowley on the playground at Ripley Grade School at recess time . many of those glass marbles orginally made by Akro Agate Company of Clarksburg,W,va are worth hundred's of dollars
today, I.m sure many of those marble's could be found right today if you would dare dig around on what is now the Ripley Police Department,
After touring the Main Streets of Ripley on that hot July afternoon in 1997, We drove over on "Old Ravenswood Pike" better known as "Green Acres" where I orginally grew up. and moved away from in 1959,
As we pulled into the driveway of the old homeplace , which looked alot better than when we once lived there, a dog came running up the hill to greet us just like my dog Lassie did every evening as a kid coming home from school,
Standing on the front Porch of the home that hot afternoon was the owner of the home welcomeing us to come right on in , , As I entered the living room I couldn't help but notice the window I would stand knee high looking out of for hours hoping to see my Dad's truck coming back up the road ,remembering the day he left telling us he would be back someday ,
Standing there in the living room I could still hear my oldest brother repeating himself, when i get big enought to work ,Im not going to be poor, Im going to have lots of money, Im going to own a cadilac and a brand new home . That dream did come true for my oldest brother in later years, but he didn;t live long enought to really enjoy it , dying at the age of 49,
AS we left the old home place that July afternoon, the lady of the house said your'e welcome to stay for supper, We told her we had eaten,
Driving back down old route #21 toward Parkersburg, I couldnt help to wander once again back to the year 1963. I was living on Laird avenue in Parkersburg,W.va, Late one evening a knock came on the door , It was my dad telling me to let him in , When I opened the door there was no one there, The next day my brother happened to be reading the newspaper and just happened to read the obituaries , my dad had died the night before in Wirt County W.Va around the time he had knocked at my door . The day he left he promised he would be back someday , I wanna beleive more than anything that he kept his word after all.
great article larry.some of the things we go through in life does make us a lot stronger, sorry you had to experience it. S.R. Mineral wells. wva
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