Monday, March 09, 2009

Marietta Trivia




You OMs that read this blog – do you know where these two pictures were taken in Marietta? If you went to Waterman Street School it should hit you any second now…. hmmm… got it yet?

I did not instantly recognize the two buildings. I had to study the pictures. They looked familiar… hmmmm…. Then it hit me. The top one is Manley and Adams Sinclair Station on the corner of Atlanta Street and the bottom one is almost across the street which was either a Buick or Pontiac dealership.

Manley and Adams was a favorite stopping place on our walk home from Waterman Street Grammar School. They had a big assortment of candy for sale.

And the car dealership across the street – that was a special place for me. I was born on the property’s premises… before there was a building there. There was a house there that my parents rented from my uncle Spencer Crain. I think after we moved he opened up a car dealership. I think later Walter Kelly bought him out (no, not the cartoonist).

I was asked this question from my friend Richard Lord in Jacksonville, Florida, who grew up in the area: What famous singer lived on Atlanta Street between the car dealership and Crain’s Garage. There were a row of shotgun houses there. I answered I didn’t know, I remembered three families that lived between the two establishments – which incidentally were both owned by Spencer Crain: (1) my aunt Opal, her son Anthony, and my grandmother; (2) a Polish family, refugees from WWII; and our family (well, one the end of the two points anyway).

HONK!!! (wrong answer buzzer).

The correct answer is Stevie Ray Vaughn. I didn’t even know Stevie Ray Vaughn lived in Marietta. I think he lived more in Richard Lord’s time era than mine.

In fact, I didn’t even know of Stevie Ray Vaughn – I had to Google him.

3 comments:

Si's blog said...

Think that one of the reasons why I do not remember so much about Lewisburg is that when I went off to college, my parents moved to Virginia. Have not gone back there in so many years. Wish I had the memories of the good ol' days that you have.

Anonymous said...

Eddie,
Is the top picture at the corner of Atlanta St. and Clay St.? If it is then the Sinclar station became Marler Oil some time later.

Eddie said...

Si,
All those good time memories are fading... that is why I am clinging on these photos and studying them.

Johnny,
No, that the corner of Waterman and Atlanta Streets, looking north. About to the left is where the future Dick Hunter bridge was built and the famous sign was hung welcoming the visiting football team.