December 2011
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12/21/11Remember When You Did Your Last-Minute Christmas Shopping at ... FIRESTONE?Times have changed. Half a century ago, Santa didn't have to trek back and forth to his workshop at the North Pole when he needed to refill his bag with toys for Memphis boys and girls. And neither did Mom or Dad, looking for that last-minute holiday gift. Hard to believe, maybe, but back then all you had to do was drive over to the local tire and auto-supply store, and take your pick from an astonishing selection of merchandise. This December 1940 window display at the Firestone Auto Supply and Service Station, located downtown at the corner of Third and Washington, announced, "Gifts for All." And boy, did they mean it. Just look at the Firestone Super Chief wagons, Stanley tool chests, Teddy Tooter and Woofy Wowser pull toys, boxing gloves, Treasure Hunt and... Posted at 03:36 PM | Permalink | Comments: 3 |
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12/18/11Tommy Doran, the "Armless News Boy"Memphis has always had more than its share of colorful characters. Here's the latest example: While rummaging through an old bookstore years ago, I turned up this old black-and-white postcard for "Thomas F. Doran, Armless News Boy." Although part of the caption at the bottom has scuffed off, you can still read: "LOST BOTH ARMS JUMPING ON FREIGHT TRAINS WHEN TWELVE YEARS OF AGE." The photo shows the boy — more of a young man, really — neatly dressed in a jacket and nice straw hat — signing his name while holding a pen between his teeth. Nothing on this undated card suggested Doran was a Memphian, however. But I learned more of his story one night while I was lounging in my La-Z-Boy and reading old copies of Yank magazine, published in... Posted at 06:45 PM | Permalink | Comments: 3 |
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12/15/11Lost Memphis: The Hi-Way Tourist HomeUnion Avenue, as you may know, was once a fine residential street, lined with grand homes, though it really takes quite an imagination to picture it that way. During the 1940s and 1950s, especially, the street began to evolve into the cluttery commercial artery that it is today, and the private homes along it changed with the times as well. In 1951, Mr. and Mrs. Chester Beard converted their handsome residence at 1268 Union into the Hi-Way Tourist Home (shown here on an old stained postcard), as a place for weary travelers to rest their heads. Not a bad location, I guess, since it was right across the street from Methodist Hospital. Why "Hi-Way"? Well, Union Avenue, then and now, carries State Highways 64, 70, and 79 through our city. Those travelers had a... |
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12/11/11Lost Memphis: The George Vincent Hotel and Artist Hardie PhippsWith the holidays approaching, I wanted to share with you a nice old postcard showing a fine nativity scene on the grounds of the George Vincent Hotel. And in the not-so-holiday spirit of "killing two birds with one stone" (has anyone ever done such a thing?) this gives me the chance to chat about two things: the hotel, and the talented artist who created the nativity scene — among many other things in Memphis — a fellow named Hardie Phipps. Let me say right now that I don't know who George Vincent is, or why he had a hotel named after him. What I do know is this little 75-room establishment was located at 855 Union, in the Medical Center area. From what I understand, the rather plain-looking brick building originally opened as the Lucy Brinkley Hospital... |
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12/07/11Lost Memphis: Main Street and the John Gerber Department StoreDowntown Memphis has certainly made a dramatic comeback after years of dormancy and neglect, but I have to wonder if Main Street will ever resume its rightful place as THE place to shop during the holidays. Just look at this nice scene, showing Main Street on a rainy December night in 1937. You're looking south from Court Square, with the Kress Building in the distance a ways. Bright window displays along the street attract shoppers, the glow from neon signs and street lights bounces off the wet pavement, and wreaths, bells, stars, and reindeer add a festive touch. On the corner, a herd of camels — both neon and painted versions — parade across the facade of Gerber's Department Store. John Gerber opened his first store at this location way back in 1880. It... Posted at 07:56 PM | Permalink | Comments: 7 |
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12/05/11Here's Your Chance to Win a FREE "Ask Vance" BookGosh-a-mighty, I don't know how these things happen, but it looks like we somehow printed a handful of extra copies of my new book, "Ask Vance: More Questions and Answers from Memphis Magazine's History and Trivia Expert." So, in the spirit of the season, we will give away a brand-new book to one lucky reader who will take the time to correctly answer five — that's right, only five — history questions pulled from topics discussed in my first book. No catch. That's right — for free. And to make it even easier, I've made the questions multiple-choice, just like back in school. Just go to our survey page here, and try your hand at the five questions. If you answer all five correctly, your name will be entered into a hat, or a box,... |
