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Gray’s Hacker Martin Mill Gets New Lease on Life There is | There is something nostalgic about a water-operated gristmill with its large wooden vertical overshot water wheel, persistently rotating to power the heavy millstones that grind the staple crops into fine meal suitable for cooking. |
John’s Sandwich Shop: Absolutely the Best Tasting Hot Dogs in Town | Recently, I stopped at a red light in downtown Johnson City at 105 Buffalo Street, opposite the former location of the old city bus terminal. I could almost smell the tantalizing mouth-watering aroma of hot dogs wafting through the air. |
The Carlisle Hotel: Landmark Suffers from Superiority Complex | Most area residents would readily cite the three most remembered downtown hotels from Johnson City’s colorful past as the Windsor, the John Sevier, and the Colonial. Conspicuously absent from their list would likely be the Carlisle Hotel. |
The Arcade: Before the Mall, There Was the Arcade | Just prior to Johnson City’s two-story Arcade being demolished in 1985, I visited the 62-year-old dying structure to pay my final respects. The Arcade consisted of two parallel rows of small specialty shops, separated by a long convenient viaduct that ran perpendicular from Market to Main streets. |
Memories Shared of Carlisle/Frankin Hotel (Reader Response) | I receive immense satisfaction when readers share their Johnson City memories of yesteryear, especially if it’s an acquaintance from my past. I received a handwritten letter from the Honorable Stewart Cannon, retired Washington County Sessions Judge, responding to my May 16 column. |
Advertising Slogans Reflect Diverse Past | Recently, I examined some old city directories, reflecting on the large number and diversity of business establishments that were once a fixture in downtown Johnson City. I developed a short matching quiz listing several vintage advertising slogans from the 1940s and 1950s and their corresponding businesses. |
Tennessee Silk Mill Had Role in World War | I grew up hardly aware of the constant machine roar emitting from the “silk mill,” located behind our W. Watauga Avenue apartment residence. The Tennessee Silk Mill, owned by Leon-Ferenbach Inc., commenced operations at 248-254 W. Market in 1917, supplying silk primarily for ladies’ clothing.
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Farmer’s Exchange Building: Letter Gives Columnist a Mystery to Solve | I love a good mystery, especially when it concerns Johnson City’s history. Earl Buchanan sent me a very interesting advertisement, in the form of a letter, dated April 23, 1918, of the Farmers’ Exchange.
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1950s Visit to Downtown Johnson City Provided a Full Day | Saturday afternoons in the 1950s often meant a trip to downtown Johnson City for a neighborhood buddy, Hagan Reed, and me. The main department stores then were S.H. Kress, McLellans, Woolworths, Charles Stores, Sears Roebuck, Powell’s, J.C. Penney, Dosser’s, Masengills, Charle's Store, Kings and Parks-Belk.
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Pat’s Trading Post – Once Downtown Favorite | Wolford B. Watson owned and operated a used clothing business at 109 W. Main Street in 1939, three doors west of the Windsor Hotel. Johnson Citians won’t remember him as “Wolford”; everybody called him “Pat.” |
Dry Cleaners All the Rage in 1950s | In 1923, Johnson City had but three commercial cleaners: Johnson City Steam Laundry (112-118 W. Market), French Dry Cleaners (N. Roan at Commerce) and Arlington Pressing Parlor (115 W. Main). |
JC Penneys: 1948 Opening of Downtown Store Was Buzzworthy Event at the Time | The much-anticipated new ultra-modern Penney’s department store opened its doors at 305 E. Main Street in August 1948. The business moved from 240 E. Main, which later became the residence of Nettie Lee Ladies Shop.
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Hadacol: Happiness or Hoax in a Bottle? | A favorite prank of youngsters of the early 1950s was to call someone on the telephone and ask for Arthur. Ignoring their confused response, the caller would say, “When Arthur Itus (arthritis) comes in, tell him that Hattie call(ed) (Hadacol).” |
Remembering the Burma-Shave Road Signs | I have fond memories of taking Sunday afternoon drives with my family in our old 1950 solid black Ford coupe.
As we “motored” through the upper East Tennessee, Western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia regions, we often encountered a series of small advertising signs along the roads. |
Biff-Burger Featured Tasty Treats | In 1956, George McCroskey opened a new fast-food restaurant with the curious name of Biff- (acronym for “Best in Fast Food”) Burger at 1000 W. Market Street, about one block west of the old Pepsi Cola Plant.
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Windsor Once Known As "Handsomest" Hotel Around | The Windsor Hotel still shines in the memories of many area folks. A 1909 advertisement spoke of the former establishment as the "handsomest furnished hotel between Richmond and Chattanooga." |
Queen City Bus Driver Recalls Days Before Interstate | Today’s modern I-26 highway between Johnson City and Asheville is a far cry from the narrow winding old highway 19/23 of yesteryear.
John Hughes, a retired Johnson City bus and truck driver drove a Queen City Trailways bus across this treacherous mountainous terrain daily between 1946 and 1948.
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Green Stamps Were Once Valuable Commodities | S&H Green Stamps were once known as “America’s Most Valuable Stamps,” at one time printing three times as many as the U.S. Post Office. Printed by the Sperry and Hutchinson Company, they had been around since 1896 but did not reach their zenith until the 1950s.
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1926 Road Guide: Take Along All But Kitchen Sink | A distinguishing vestige of the era between 1908 and 1927 is the image of a black Model T Ford slowly chugging along a narrow city potholed dusty road, honking its distinctive “ahooga, ahooga” sounding horn. |
Biff-Burger Memories As Fresh As the Food Was | Several folks responded to my April Biff-Burger column, revering the tasty little saucy burgers to this day. William Dyer replied first: “I read with interest your recent column about the Biff-Burger once located on (West) Market Street. I suppose it was appealing to me because my nickname is ‘Biff’ and to this day some people still call me ‘Biff-Burger.’ |
Three Hotels Share Common Bond of City Address | Throughout its magnificent history, Johnson City has had numerous hotels to serve the lodging needs of the downtown area, especially around bustling Fountain Square. A few establishments maintained the same identity throughout most, if not all, of their existence; others were short lived, usually selling to a buyer with a new name for their enterprise.
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Windsor Was Known for Rambunctious Gatherings | My column in early May offered an epigrammatic history of this long-standing hotel (1909-1961), known briefly as Hotel Pardue before permanently becoming Hotel Windsor. I didn’t elaborate on just how rowdy the all-male early service club meetings could become. Horseplay was often the order of the day. The club dining room was then located on the street floor.
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Yesteryear Time Machine Travels to 1910 Johnson City | In 1895, H.G. Wells wrote the widely acclaimed novel, The Time Machine, recounting an imaginary avant-garde device that instantly thrust travelers into another age. Climb aboard my Yesteryear Time Machine for a 1910 visit to downtown Johnson City, a picturesque community of about 8500 inhabitants.
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Former Downtown Vendor Shares Stories of 1930s City Life | Recently, I spent an enjoyable afternoon in the home of Frank and Sara Tannewitz, savoring stories of life in downtown Johnson City in the 1930s. The former SHHS teacher and student counselor related the story of his magazine selling business in the 1930s. |
Ninety Customers Kept a Young Paper Boy Quite Busy | In about 1958, this 16-year old young man had a 90-customer Johnson City Press-Chronicle newspaper route that encompassed five North Johnson City neighborhoods – Althea, Lake, Crocus, Lakeview and the adjoining section of Oakland.
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Once A Staple, Hannah Guesthouse Now Just A Memory | I received a note from the family of a former ETSU professor, referencing an old undated postcard advertisement. The card shows a beautiful two-story brick house, identified as “Westover Manor - Johnson City, Tennessee - Mrs. George S. Hannah, Hostess.”
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Dr. Artie Isenberg: This Area Doctor Made Horse Calls | Jacob Artemas “Artie” Isenberg (1877-1951), one of the last horseback-riding doctors in East Tennessee. The Physician and his family lived in Sullivan County near the Washington County line, where Artie provided medical services to the two counties for over 40 years.
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Distributing Toy Ads Made For Lively Holiday Season | My cousin, Larry Reaves, and I recently reminisced about a small business opportunity we shared as young boys during the Christmas holidays of the early 1950s.
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The Corner Grocery Store Once A Community Staple | A 1950 Johnson City Directory lists 158 retail grocery stores within the city limits. A few of them were chain stores but most were of the single family-owned “mom-and-pop” variety. |
1947 Piece Provides Insight from Horseback Country Doctor | My recent Dr. Artie Isenberg article prompted Berchie Larkins to provide additional glimpses of her celebrated horseback riding grandfather.
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Model T Definitely a Highlight of Early Ford Dealerships | The late Tom Hodge once wrote a highly informative column about the early Ford dealerships in Johnson City. Five local individuals shared their remembrances with him.
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Letter Writer Recalls Storied Past of Tennessee Motors | Geneva Feathers wrote me a letter saying that the local Ford dealership was once located between the silk mill and the Fire Hall.
A 1937 city directory authenticates Geneva’s memory; the main lot was at 232-234 W. Market next to the fire station. The used car lot was directly across the street.
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Gumps Were Definitely Early Pioneers of City Retail | I mentioned in a previous column that M.I. (Martin Independence) Gump was assistant manager of Jobe’s Opera House and owner of Gump’s clothing emporium, both located at the southwest corner of E. Main and Spring streets. I received several inquiries from readers wanting to know more about Gumps, as it became known.
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1910 Paper Recounts Carnegie Going Up In Flames | Johnson City Comet readers eagerly opened their newspapers on Sunday morning, April 10, 1910 to these attention-grabbing headlines: “Carnegie Hotel Burned Down This Morning - Alarm Sounded at One O’clock - Hotel Totally Destroyed.”
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Carnival Horse Always Eased Traumatic Experience of Getting a Haircut | A perennial struggle with parents is getting their young child into a barber chair for a haircut. In the 1940s, one unique barbershop in Johnson City came up with an imaginative way of dealing with this difficulty.
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Letter Offers Tales About Horse-Riding Physician | My two articles concerning Dr. Artie Isenberg, an early horse-riding physician in East Tennessee, prompted a letter from Dr. Samuel Taylor Bickley, a former resident of the area. |
Culp Letter Brings Memories of Yesteryear to Life | I love to receive correspondence from folks who have experienced firsthand the history of yesteryear. Such was the case when Martha Culp, widow of Dr. D.P. Culp, former president of ETSU sent me this letter. |
1986 Interview - A Valuable Withdrawal From Banker's Memory | In 1986, area resident Dana Love shared with Dorothy Hamill his memories of working in the banking industry in downtown Johnson City.
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City Resident May Have Invented First Flint Lighter | As reported by the Johnson City Press-Chronicle in 1969, one successful local resident, Sam Guinn, made his mark on history in the early to mid part of the century.
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Being Easy Prey For Bully Brought Dreams of Charles Atlas Body | In 1948, I was weak and frail after recovering from rheumatic fever that had confined me to bed or a chair for almost a year. I soon had a chance encounter behind our apartment with the neighborhood bully whom I will call Billy. |
Former Neighborhood Grocer Had Great Meats, Home Delivery | Williams Grocery, once located at the northeast corner of Unaka and Oakland opposite Stratton School, served neighborhood customers for 28 years. Bob and Myrtle Williams started the business in 1938.
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Archivist Helps Provide Information on Old City Businesses | A lady recently showed me two pre-1915 long narrow tin advertising signs that she found attached to the back of a cabinet that her father built years ago.
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Old Magazine Article Tells About Final Tweetsie Run From Elizabethton to Cranberry, NC | The January 1951 edition of Trains magazine (Kalmbach Publishing Co.) contained a most attention-grabbing article about the East Tennessee and Western North Carolina (ET&WNC) Railway abandoning the narrow gauge portion of its line.
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Earl Hicks Produce Stand One of Many in City A Half Century Ago | Without question, the vegetable and fruit stand that I recall the most from the 1950s was Earl Hicks Produce, located at 124-126 W. Market at Commerce and adjacent to Guy’s Restaurant. |
Before Buses Ran, Trolley Transported City Residents for a Nickel | “Clang, clang, clang went the trolley; Ding, ding, ding went the bell.” These familiar words are from “The Trolley Song,” the featured musical composition in the 1944 film classic, “Meet Me In St. Louis.”
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The Move from Trolleys to Buses, Old Magazine Tells the Tale | Local history can sometimes be found in unlikely places, such as a May 1931 Electric Traction magazine article that provided surprising particulars about the city’s switchover from streetcars to buses. |
Old City Harness Shop Was Place for Doing Business, Telling Tales | Between 1956 and 1964, I routinely patronized McElyea Shoe Repair and Harness Shop at 127 Spring and Jobe (now State of Franklin Road). The owner, Robert McElyea, repaired my damaged or worn-out shoes while I patiently waited in a chair in my sock feet.
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"Grit" Helped Young Salesmen Hone Spirit of Entrepreneurship | During the late 1940s, I recall seeing young men in downtown Johnson City selling a weekly national newspaper with the curious title “Grit.” These salesmen stood at busy locations, typically the corner of Spring and E. Main streets and along the front of the old City Bus Terminal at Buffalo.
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Former Dixie Drive-In Introduced Curb Srvice, Curb Hops to City Dining | George and Mary Parker opened the Dixie Drive-In Restaurant on Sept. 30, 1930 and are credited with pioneering curb service in Johnson City. This amenity allowed folks the luxury of eating inside their vehicles.
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After-School Work At John Sevier Hotel In 40s Era Included Running Elevator, Odd Jobs | Bobby Harrell delights in discussing his four years of after-school work experience at the John Sevier Hotel that began in 1949 when he was 13. |
Former Area Resident Recalls Rural Life As Daughter of Grocer Who Owned Walker's Grocery in Gray. | Janelle Walker Warden, former area resident, shared memories of growing up in the Gray and Sulphur Springs community where her family lived from the early part of the century. |
1921 Chamber Brochure Touted City As "Switzerland of America" | A 1921 Chamber of Commerce booklet, “Membership and Classified Directory.” Ted Thomas brought him the publication, which reads like a “Who’s Who of the city’s historied past.” |
Dutch Maid's Demise Dark Day For Customers | The late Otto Burgner opened a memorable eatery about 1954 at 925 W. Market that he dubbed the Dutch Maid Drive-In. It quickly became a favorite of locals and handled the culinary needs of the area for 31 years.
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Ex-City Jeweler Began in 1886, Closed Just Shy of 100th Birthday | Over the years, my parents patronized Beckners' Jewelers in downtown Johnson City, so I suppose it was only natural for me to buy my wife’s engagement and wedding rings from Buddy Beckner in 1970. |
Old Dutch Maid Had Two Locations; In City and in Elizabethton | I received a note from John Salyer saying that my recent Dutch Maid Drive-In column made no mention of his family’s involvement with the restaurant. Mr. Salyer agreed to help me with a follow-up column. |
Time Machine Trip to 1908 JC Features 50-Cent Lunch | Let's take a time machine trip back to 1908 to eat at Pardue’s Quick Lunch Counter at 239 E. Main. Take your heavy coat along; you will need it.
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Owner's Family Offers More Remembrances of Old Dutch Maid Drive-In | My two previous Dutch Maid columns evoked additional responses from Mike Burgner, Rex Burgner and Jerry Honeycutt. |
Coal Land Purchases Envisioned Rail Line as Essential Market | The Jan. 30, 1908 Comet proclaimed in bold letters: “New Railroad Will Be Great.” A subtitle further stated “South And Western To Be The Best Built, Means Much In The Development of East Tennessee.” |
'50s, '60s Radio Station Featured "Penthouse" Above Eatery | I received a letter from Lynn Williams, former chief engineer at radio station WBEJ in Elizabethton, saying he fondly remembers their remote broadcasts from atop Elizabethton’s Dutch Maid Drive-In on Elk Avenue.
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In 1930s, "Jake Leg" Malady Traced to Additive in Jamaica Ginger | When I was about seven years old, my mother and I were walking in the vicinity of McClure Street just off W. Market and observed a man on the opposite side of the street who appeared to be under the influence. He was likely suffering from "Jake Leg."
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Pharmacies in Earlier City Day Concentrated Mostly in Downtown | A Monday, July 27, 1925 Johnson City Press-Chronicle contained a unique full-page advertisement that caught my attention. The main title said, “Try The Drug Store First.” |
Department Store That Opened Doors in 1914 Was King's Forerunner | The Hart & Houston Store that once occupied 315-317 E. Main Street was advertised as “An Institution With An Ideal.” |
City Native Worked Hard to Care, Preserve Local Cemetery | On August 9, Johnson City lost one its crown jewels, 79-year-old Chester “Chet” Willis, who retired from the City of Johnson City’s Department of Services and Water Department, became a member of the Cemetery Survey Team of Northeast Tennessee and had recently worked for the Oak Hill Cemetery Friends and Volunteers.
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John Sevier Hotel Column Sparks Reader Responses | Several months ago, I featured a column from Bobby Harrell about his memories of the John Sevier Hotel. I received two reader responses. |
Remember This Jingle? "Hurray for Valleydale; All Hail, It's Valleydale" | “The music goes zoom zoom; The drummer goes boom boom; And everybody shouts, Hurray for Valleydale; Hurray for Valleydale; All hail, it's Valleydale." |
Trains, Trolleys 1893 Time Card Conveys Simpler Time in City | I received a copy of a time card for trains and trolleys at the Union and Carnegie Passenger Depot for February 12, 1893. |
Folded "Card" Gives Wealth of Information on 1893 Railroad | This column pertains to an 1893 railroad time "card" that I received from a reader. It contains 9 rail systems and 35 train schedules. |
Plenty of Buzz at The Bee Hive at Johnson City's Fountain Square | A 1915 Chamber of Commerce publication offers a concise analysis of The Bee Hive Department Store that was once located at Fountain Square in downtown Johnson City. |
Colonial Hotel Was Once a Distinctive City Landmark | The three-story Colonial Hotel that once stood at 215 E. Market Street had six large distinctive white pillars in front, a red brick edifice, a red tiled roof and an open porch at each level on the south end. |
Ed's Was "Special" Place to Eat for 1960s College Student | My favorite downtown restaurants in the mid 1960s were Byrd’s, Dinty Moore’s and Ed’s Town House. While I ate at all three over time, it was Ed’s Town House that regularly captured my business. |
Fred Hoss Was Great Newspaperman, Authority on City | The late Tom Hodge of the Johnson City Press introduced his readers to early businessman, Fred Hoss, numerous times over the years. When Hoss died, Johnson City lost not only a fine old-fashioned newspaperman but also one of the city’s top historians, too. |
You Can Take Away the Train, But Not the Train Memories | Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Jones recall the Southern Railway Station, where Mrs. Jones worked as ticket agent for 30 years. The station was located between Market and Roan streets. |
Rekindle Memories of Automobile's Early Days Through Early Song | Few songs capture the nostalgia of the birth of the “horseless carriage” than the 1905 musical composition, “In My Merry Oldsmobile.” |
Business Dating to 1912 Was Quite A Drug Store | One piece of exciting news in 1912 was the opening of Jones-Vance Drug Company at 121 Buffalo at Tipton. There were just four doctors in town then. |
Unicoi's Clarence's Drive-In Much More Than Just Great Food | In 1985, former Press writer Tom Hodge wrote about a restaurant that he occasionally patronized. Located in Unicoi, it was Clarence’s Drive-In, owned and operated by Clarence Tapp who opened the popular eatery in 1969. |
"Tri-Cities Shopping News" Brings 1960 Back to Life | The “Tri-Cities Shopping News and TV-Guide,” a 16-page weekly publication, was published every Thursday and sold for a nickel. |
Harts Sponsored Unique Clock Campaign for High School Students | York Trivette, a lifelong resident of Johnson City, has something priceless in his possession - an 8”x10” mildly colorized glossy photo made in 1942 that reveals a large clock from Hart’s Jewelers, a business that opened in 1923.
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Gurney Burgers Once A Succulent Family Tradition | In the 1950s, I became acquainted with the Gurney Burger, a large and tasty hamburger made from a secret family recipe of the Gurney Campbell family.
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Reader Looks Back with Fondness on WBEJ Broadcast | Lynn Williams wrote me a letter saying, “Bob … At long last, I find time to comment on your column about the Dutch Maid Drive-In that operated in Elizabethton between about 1956 and 1964. |
Favorite Job of Youth Was at Downtown Music Store | A bright spot of my early college years was working part-time for Henry and Mary Lou Frick at the Music Mart at 403 S. Roan Street, just up the block from King’s Department Store.
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Memories of Music Mart Revisited By Recent Article | My recent Music Mart article brought response from four people, Robert Bowman, James Edens and two people identified only as Mr. A and Mr. B.
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The Making of Summers Hardware - Iconic Local Business Transformed Through Myriad of Names | Summers Hardware and Supply Company has had a long convoluted metamorphosis as it migrated through several decades, store locations and individuals into the business that is today located at 400 Buffalo Street.
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Gump Addition/Keystone, Longstanding Reminders of Gump Family | The Gump name stands tall in the annals of Johnson City history. A perusal of several old city directories yielded a myriad of Gump businesses over the years. |
Three Former Music Mart Employees Share Memories of Fricks | Three individuals, Gary Phillips, Dan Ward and Chris White, former Music Mart employees, shared memories of working at the Frick’s |
1920 Booklet Offered Plenty of Houshold Hints | A 1920 booklet titled "Did You Know? - Book of Facts, Household Recipes and other Valuable Information” promoted three health products and 20 pages of interesting reading. |
Christmas 1912 Offered Bargains on Christmas Trees, Poultry and Fruit | Christmas 1912 was a pecuniary delight to the pocketbooks of about 9,000 local inhabitants because of abnormally low Christmas tree, poultry and fruit prices.
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Former City Resident Recalls Association with Press-Chronicle | Louis Feathers, former resident of the city, once worked for the Johnson City Press-Chronicle. He shared his memories of working for the newspaper.
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Local Businessman, Bill Patterson, Was a "Bill of All Traders" | Bill Patterson’s employment pursuits over his 102-year life span ranged from horse trader to shoemaker, grocery store owner to confectioner, taxi proprietor to dry cleaner and restaurateur to watermelon peddler. |
Grocery Shopping in 1929 Johnson City Meant Locating Bargains | Today is Saturday, August 17, 1929 and we need to do some grocery shopping. We are frugal people so we are willing to walk or drive all over town in order to save a few pennies on our purchases. |
East Tennessee Stein-Way Business Spanned Three Wars | Ben Scharfstein recently provided me with a précis of his family’s business that once operated in East Tennessee before eventually being acquired by another company.
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1930 Rotogravure Was 48 Pages of Local History | Harrison Taylor owns a prized scrapbook containing numerous family related documents as well as a sizable quantity of local history clippings. One item of interest is a Rotogravure edition of the Johnson City Chronicle and Staff-News dated April 20, 1930. |
Dosser Brothers Was Department Store Sucess Story | Many area residents fondly recall shopping at Dosser’s Department Store that once stood at 228-230 E. Main Street, sandwiched between Sterchi Brothers on the west, Beckner’s Jewelers on the east.
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Lee Hotel at Spring, Walnut Streets Owned by Civil War Captain | Captain William C. Lee, CSA veteran for whom the hotel was named, married Unicoi native Mary Ellen Anderson Ray in 1889. She was previously married to Captain John Henry Ray, a USA Veteran. |
1909 Report Details Phenomenal Growth of City Industry | Bob Tate sent me a clipping through Charles Marshall that was from a 1967 Johnson City Press-Chronicle newspaper article, written by Paul Smith. It pertained to the early growth of industry in the city. |
City Once Boasted of Two Competing Foundries with Same Two Founders | Johnson City once boasted of having two prominent and competing foundries, the Johnson City Foundry and Machine Works, Inc. (1883-1987) and the Inter-State Foundry and Machine Company (1924-early 1980s). |
Security Feed and Seed Co. Helped Turn Cox Yard Into a Jungle | When we moved on Johnson Avenue in 1950, my dad, eager to exercise his green thumb, turned our double lot into a mass of thick foliage with a variety of trees (including fruit), bushes, plants, vines, flowers and a vegetable garden. |
Building “The Clinchfield Route” - A Romance in Railroad Construction | An April 1939 article in the Johnson City Chronicle and Staff News provides specifics of the building of a new and difficult train route across the Blue Ridge Mountains. |
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