I found a photo to go along with my story

[GOPAPA]

Have you ever tried to discribe a story and wish you had a picture to go along with it?

well ,,back when I was 17-18 years old I lived for a month or so just passed this old store in Possum Grape Arkansas .. nothing hardly is left there anymore ,,,but I did run across this old photo of the store near by where I lived.. (just passed it same side by 25 yards in a single wall little ol house while I worked for Ben Hogan in his rock crusher up them thar hills across from the store..I remember they sold imitation balony ,, not sure what was in it and didnt care back when I was that age.. just ate it and trusted that is was ok for me..

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by gopapa

have you ever tried to discribe a story and wish you had a picture to go along with it?

Well ,,back when i was 17-18 years old i lived for a month or so just passed this old store in possum grape arkansas .. Nothing hardly is left there anymore ,,,but i did run across this old photo of the store near by where i lived.. (just passed it same side by 25 yards in from that truck in a single wall little ol house while i worked for ben hogan in his rock crusher up them thar hills across from the store..i remember they sold imitation balony ,, not sure what was in it and didnt care back when i was that age.. Just ate it and trusted that is was ok for me..

Attachment 2111711

[Boog]

A picture is worth a thousand words they say. Three gas pumps and look how close they are to the building and vending machines behind them. Mid 50's to early 60's?

[Getter-Done]

Thanks for Sharing.

I loved the old stores like that.

There was a store similar to that up the road.

You would reach down into a cooler and get your cold beverage.

There is a Dollar store there now.

The man and lady live there till they pass away.











.

[Boog]

Rural America. That's where it's at, for me.

[Ironhorse]

A simpler time of days gone by. Love those old photos from years ago. Not feasible or realistic but sometimes think would be nice to be back in that time period. Life was so simple back then. Thanks for posting that.

[GOPAPA]

[QUOTE=Getter-Done;8939452]Thanks for Sharing.

I loved the old stores like that.

Okay ,,here ya go


Forgive me for a Long Tale of long ago while I lived in Possum Grape,, maybe you'll get a kick out of it ""And"' might make you think of one of yourself..

I got a job at a rock crusher up ,,,what I think was Jackson Road .. The Boss (C.W.Cuningham) ask me if I could drive a truck, , I said sure . So he took me in his pickup out from the crusher and on up the road to a pond .. He pulled down by the pond ,,showed me a gas pump to use to fill a water tank on the truck I was to take to the pond and fill up and bring back to add to the crushed rock with salt to keep down the dust when loading So ,,I took the truck out to the old country road and drove awhile and seen the pond,., I pulled down by the pond and noticed it was sure muddy,, some one must of filled up here and spilled a lot of water.I thought.

I started the gas pump,filled the tank on the truck and when I started out I got stuck.. luckley I seen a bulldozer sitting there and it was about like my dads McCormick Deering gas run cat.. so I hooked onto the front bumper of the truck and drug it up out of the mud.. The front tires of the truck turned sideways and dug a ditch all the way I pulled ,, I figured when I come back I would take the cat and smooth out the road where I had made ditches in it .

Back at the rock crusher C.W. ask me beings it took me so long how it went and did I have any trouble with anything .. I said no,, not to much ,but sure was glad that cat was there so I could get the truck out beings it was so muddy and all He next said to me ,,there is no cat at the pond I took you to.. It was the second pond on the road you were to fill up with water from.

[Getter-Done]

That's Funny
Wrong pond

I used to deliver parts from time to time,
When I work at a Cat dealer.
There was no GPS back then.
Just stop at your friendly store,
Like the one in your picture to ask directions.









.

[The Rocknrod]

When we were in our teens my step father had to depart the area (state) in a haste and we left all the family pictures and things where we were living. Can't cry over spilled milk I just sometimes think about it. Kinda funny now, I wonder what devious dealings he had to make him do that.

[FleetsidePaul]

The pond story reminds me of a new guy that I had working for me. I gave him a route that started on Mountain Ave. in Claremont.

He calls me 3 hours later saying that he can't find the first address. None of the numbers match.

I asked him what were the cross streets where he was at. He told me. Turns out he had driven through Claremont to Upland. The next city over. And coincidentally it had a Mountain Ave. too. He had spent 3 hours driving around in the wrong city.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by The Rocknrod

When we were in our teens my step father had to depart the area (state) in a haste and we left all the family pictures and things where we were living. Can't cry over spilled milk I just sometimes think about it. Kinda funny now, I wonder what devious dealings he had to make him do that.

Maybe I shouldn't give you an idea.. but I will I guess anyway .. go to the towns newpaper archives and look up what was going on in them days before ,,durring and after your family left the area .. I find lots of history about my family in the small town newspapers ,, I found that one place my folks bought that after 4 years the same people who sold the place to my folks ,,bought it back.

[67C10Step]

GOPAPA,
Thanks for the story and memories. You know Boog and I both know where Possum Grape is located. You actually reminded me that for two months after I graduated college I was the most overqualified ice delivery man in the state of Arkansas. Worked for a company out of Batesville and there wasn’t a convenience store or liquor store we didn’t cover. The one at Possum Grape would give us some cold beer for extra ice.

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by 67C10Step

GOPAPA,
Thanks for the story and memories. You know Boog and I both know where Possum Grape is located. You actually reminded me that for two months after I graduated college I was the most overqualified I’ve delivery man in the state of Arkansas. Worked for a company out of Batesville and there wasn’t a convenience store or liquor store we didn’t cover. The one at Possum Grape would give us some cold beer for extra ice.

I do remember you both live close by.. thx for the replies ,,if you didnt have a photo of the store ,then now you do..

[special-K]

I already believed you Larry. Thanks for the pictures

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

A simpler time of days gone by. Love those old photos from years ago. Not feasible or realistic but sometimes think would be nice to be back in that time period. Life was so simple back then. Thanks for posting that.

I try to be there as much as I can

[4u2nv]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Have you ever tried to discribe a story and wish you had a picture to go along with it?

well ,,back when I was 17-18 years old I lived for a month or so just passed this old store in Possum Grape Arkansas .. nothing hardly is left there anymore ,,,but I did run across this old photo of the store near by where I lived.. (just passed it same side by 25 yards in a single wall little ol house while I worked for Ben Hogan in his rock crusher up them thar hills across from the store..I remember they sold imitation balony ,, not sure what was in it and didnt care back when I was that age.. just ate it and trusted that is was ok for me..

Attachment 2111711

The sign on the building say's self service , I always thought they had a attendant back then ???

[special-K]

It might be from after the '73 oil embargo bs. Or, I can't remember but I think some businesses chose to do it that way. This isn't a service station, it's a store that sells gas. Service stations did full service but a rural store might not have cause to hire a pump attendant

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by special-K

It might be from after the '73 oil embargo bs. Or, I can't remember but I think some businesses chose to do it that way. This isn't a service station, it's a store that sells gas. Service stations did full service but a rural store might not have cause to hire a pump attendant

My BIL and Sis had a gas station and car wash also in Arkansas (Shirley ) and he had self service back in the early 80ies , in fact a Lincoln or Cadillac pulled up and the guy in a suit came into the office and told my BIL he has been waiting for him to come fill his car up..BIL directed him the the sign that says Self Service ..the guy ask him if he knew who he was and my BIL says no he didnt ,,but the gas is cheaper by you filling your own car up .. .later a guy stopped by and ask my BIL if he seen the Senator come through on the way to Fair Field Bay.

[Steeveedee]

When people talk to me like that I tell them, "Yes, you're the guy who is going to pump his own gas, if he wants any".

[LT7A]

Originally Posted by Steeveedee

When people talk to me like that I tell them, "Yes, you're the guy who is going to pump his own gas, if he wants any".

Hahaha, I agree. I would have wanted to say something like: I've made it this far without knowing you and the way this conversation is going, I don't mind if it remains that way.

[Steeveedee]

Originally Posted by lt7a

hahaha. I've made it this far without knowing you and the way this conversation is going, i don't mind if it remains that way.

:tu:

[cayoterun]

Originally Posted by GOPAPA

Have you ever tried to discribe a story and wish you had a picture to go along with it?

well ,,back when I was 17-18 years old I lived for a month or so just passed this old store in Possum Grape Arkansas .. nothing hardly is left there anymore ,,,but I did run across this old photo of the store near by where I lived.. (just passed it same side by 25 yards in a single wall little ol house while I worked for Ben Hogan in his rock crusher up them thar hills across from the store..I remember they sold imitation balony ,, not sure what was in it and didnt care back when I was that age.. just ate it and trusted that is was ok for me..

Attachment 2111711

GOPAPA--- Didn't you know that imitation balony was Possum meat from last nights trail hound hunt?!!! -------Grin

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by cayoterun

GOPAPA--- Didn't you know that imitation balony was Possum meat from last nights trail hound hunt?!!! -------Grin

I do now.. and maybe that's why I am so full of it .. thx the wife was wondering..

[67C10Step]

I was raised in very rural Arkansas in a small community south of Mt. View named Ben. Many maps don't even show it any longer. My grandfather's place had the old community schoolhouse on it and I remember stores like the one at Possum Grape very well. The old drink coolers where you flipped up the lid, grabbed your favorite drink, and used the bottle opener on the side. It was 1970's everywhere else but there was still more like late 50's to early 60's. Didn't know how good I had it until years later.

I was fortunate to have my father, grandfather, and uncle as role models growing up as all the houses were in eyesight of the other. Woods, water, and woodworking/mechanic shops at my disposal and older men to show me the ropes on all of it.

Telling my story I usually tell folks that if you are driving rural America and see that six year old kid playing in the front yard of a house trailer miles down a gravel road don't write him off as redneck trash right off the bat. I went to college, got a degree in chemical engineering, and have done ok in this crazy world. I look very fondly on my upbringing and wish my kids would have had half the freedom I had.

[Stocker]

Lots of memories from life back in the Fifties & Sixties. Might seem strange but part of me misses the old wigwam burners that many PNW sawmills used to have. At night you could see showers of fine burning embers pouring from the top, and in the daylight you could see burned ash sprinkled everywhere, especially noticeable in curbside gutters. I bet Larry remembers.....

[GOPAPA]

Originally Posted by Stocker

Lots of memories from life back in the Fifties & Sixties. Might seem strange but part of me misses the old wigwam burners that many PNW sawmills used to have. At night you could see showers of fine burning embers pouring from the top, and in the daylight you could see burned ash sprinkled everywhere, especially noticeable in curbside gutters. I bet Larry remembers.....

Ok Mike ..you did pull my chain ,,ha ha ,,as I did grow up around a lot of sawmills and in fact beings my dad was a sawyer and I knew a bit about it ...At 19 years old I got the job of Sawyer in this very mill .,,at the Ferry Landing in Westport Oregon,,on a slough from the Columbia River,, and it did have a Wig Wam Burner .. I first pulled lumber on the green chain for $2.08 cents @ hour . then I got up into the mill as Off Bearer to the head rig for a bit more money and then the Head Sawyer @ $3.54 cents a hour ,,this was 1963-64