Ask Vance - November 2011

11/30/11

Lost and Found: Lakeland's Old Huff-n-Puff Locomotive

Most readers of this column probably remember Lakeland, the "fun for the whole family" amusement park that operated in the 1960s and '70s just east of Memphis, along Canada Road. Developed by Louis Garner, it featured a large lake (obviously), amusement park, the Brussels World's Fair Skyride, dance pavilion, race track, and lots of other attractions. It finally closed in the early 1980s, and most of its bits and pieces auctioned off or tossed on the scrap heap. Lakeland is now a decidedly upscale community, with nice houses overlooking the lake — the only part of the old park that has survived. One of its biggest (literally) attractions was the Huff-n-Puff Railroad, an old-timey steam locomotive that pulled passenger cars on a journey around the lake....

Posted at 09:12 PM | Permalink | Comments: 2

11/29/11

The Polynesian Restaurant Craze in Memphis

In the 1960s, a peculiar craze for Polynesian-themed restaurants swept across America. I'm not really sure what prompted it, but overnight just about every city had converted a rather basic eatery into someplace you might find in the South Pacific. Or more accurately — into what Americans thought you would find in the South Pacific, based on movies and books. None of it was even close to being authentic, but that didn't matter. As long as you had coconuts and thatch and palms and a giant Tiki head, you had yourself a Polynesian restaurant. In Memphis, the most obvious manifestation of this short-lived craze was the Luau, on Poplar across from East High School. A rather ordinary place when it first opened in the 1950s as Friedel's, this establishment took on...

Posted at 03:50 PM | Permalink | Comments: 10

11/18/11

Lost Memphis: The Pig 'n Whistle

From 1929 until it closed in 1966, the place to be in Memphis was 1579 Union. A drive-in with the curious name of Pig ‘n Whistle lured Elvis Presley, Dewey Phillips, and thousands of teenagers to its giant parking lot, night after night, where they could sip nickel Cokes and munch on 15-cent hamburgers, served up by carhops with such nicknames as Preacher, Redwood, Pharoah, and Gypsy. Years ago, I remember speaking with Monroe Brown Jr., who worked as a carhop at the Pig in the late 1940s. He remembers that they had to be “rippin’ and runnin’” all the time, since they received no salary — only tips — and had to compete for business with 14 other carhops. Samuel Peace, a carhop from 1944 to 1950, recalled sitting in the back of a car...

Posted at 10:19 AM | Permalink | Comments: 2

11/07/11

Lost Memphis: Rainbow Lake's Terrace Room

Mention Rainbow Lake to longtime Memphians and they may recall the huge swimming pool and the massive roller-skating rink that was part of the complex at 2879 Lamar. But another memorable feature was Rainbow's popular Terrace Room, a restaurant that was billed as "The South's Finest." Of course, just about every diner, drive-in, and eatery has somehow managed to proclaim itself as the "South's Finest" — or even "World-Famous" — so I can't vouch for the quality of the Terrace Room's food or service. But, as you can see from this photo taken shortly after it opened, it was certainly a swanky, modern-looking establishment — even if those big windows did give diners a panoramic view of ... Lamar. The Rainbow Lake...

Posted at 01:52 PM | Permalink | Comments: 2

11/03/11

Meet Homer G. Wells — Famous Memphis Detective and "Bloodhound Man"

Pardon me if this seems arrogant, but sometimes I like to think I’m quite a detective when it comes to solving interesting old mysteries. But way back when, Memphis had a real detective in town, a tough guy who not only nabbed plenty of bad guys in his long career, but also cranked out famous true-crime stories for national detective magazines. His name was Homer G. Wells, and he called himself “The Bloodhound Man.” Homer’s early days, like my own, are veiled in mystery. I do know that he was born near Paris, Tennessee, in the late 1800s. At the age of 23, he got himself appointed coroner of Henry County, and he started a bloodhound business on the side, offering, “Old Dogs With a Record for Catches.” In 1921, Homer and his hounds...

Posted at 11:07 AM | Permalink | Comments: 3

	11/30/11 Lost and Found: Lakeland's Old Huff-n-Puff Locomotive Most readers of this column probably remember Lakeland, the "fun for the whole family" amusement park that operated in the 1960s and '70s just east of Memphis, along Canada Road. Developed by Louis Garner, it featured a large lake (obviously), amusement park, the Brussels World's Fair Skyride, dance pavilion, race track, and lots of other attractions. It finally closed in the early 1980s, and most of its bits and pieces auctioned off or tossed on the scrap heap. Lakeland is now a decidedly upscale community, with nice houses overlooking the lake — the only part of the old park that has survived. One of its biggest (literally) attractions was the Huff-n-Puff Railroad, an old-timey steam locomotive that pulled passenger cars on a journey around the lake.... Posted at 09:12 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 2
	11/29/11 The Polynesian Restaurant Craze in Memphis In the 1960s, a peculiar craze for Polynesian-themed restaurants swept across America. I'm not really sure what prompted it, but overnight just about every city had converted a rather basic eatery into someplace you might find in the South Pacific. Or more accurately — into what Americans thought you would find in the South Pacific, based on movies and books. None of it was even close to being authentic, but that didn't matter. As long as you had coconuts and thatch and palms and a giant Tiki head, you had yourself a Polynesian restaurant. In Memphis, the most obvious manifestation of this short-lived craze was the Luau, on Poplar across from East High School. A rather ordinary place when it first opened in the 1950s as Friedel's, this establishment took on... Posted at 03:50 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 10
	11/18/11 Lost Memphis: The Pig 'n Whistle From 1929 until it closed in 1966, the place to be in Memphis was 1579 Union. A drive-in with the curious name of Pig ‘n Whistle lured Elvis Presley, Dewey Phillips, and thousands of teenagers to its giant parking lot, night after night, where they could sip nickel Cokes and munch on 15-cent hamburgers, served up by carhops with such nicknames as Preacher, Redwood, Pharoah, and Gypsy. Years ago, I remember speaking with Monroe Brown Jr., who worked as a carhop at the Pig in the late 1940s. He remembers that they had to be “rippin’ and runnin’” all the time, since they received no salary — only tips — and had to compete for business with 14 other carhops. Samuel Peace, a carhop from 1944 to 1950, recalled sitting in the back of a car... Posted at 10:19 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 2
	11/07/11 Lost Memphis: Rainbow Lake's Terrace Room Mention Rainbow Lake to longtime Memphians and they may recall the huge swimming pool and the massive roller-skating rink that was part of the complex at 2879 Lamar. But another memorable feature was Rainbow's popular Terrace Room, a restaurant that was billed as "The South's Finest." Of course, just about every diner, drive-in, and eatery has somehow managed to proclaim itself as the "South's Finest" — or even "World-Famous" — so I can't vouch for the quality of the Terrace Room's food or service. But, as you can see from this photo taken shortly after it opened, it was certainly a swanky, modern-looking establishment — even if those big windows did give diners a panoramic view of ... Lamar. The Rainbow Lake... Posted at 01:52 PM \| Permalink \| Comments: 2
	11/03/11 Meet Homer G. Wells — Famous Memphis Detective and "Bloodhound Man" Pardon me if this seems arrogant, but sometimes I like to think I’m quite a detective when it comes to solving interesting old mysteries. But way back when, Memphis had a real detective in town, a tough guy who not only nabbed plenty of bad guys in his long career, but also cranked out famous true-crime stories for national detective magazines. His name was Homer G. Wells, and he called himself “The Bloodhound Man.” Homer’s early days, like my own, are veiled in mystery. I do know that he was born near Paris, Tennessee, in the late 1800s. At the age of 23, he got himself appointed coroner of Henry County, and he started a bloodhound business on the side, offering, “Old Dogs With a Record for Catches.” In 1921, Homer and his hounds... Posted at 11:07 AM \| Permalink \| Comments: 3

November 2011