Sunday, December 10, 2017

TIME MACHINE:1970; 2005 & 2006 Columns,1969.

Our Little Corner In Space And Time    
(Reader-friendly viewing of items from newspaper archives)


Several years ago a Pocomoke City resident wrote to us sharing her "Pocomoke Memories" of an earlier time.


At Christmas time, my mind always goes back to about 1970.

I was young (20) and doing Christmas shopping in downtown Pocomoke City.  The air was crisp and cold and a light snow was falling.  The downtown area was lit up with Christmas lights in the storefront windows and Christmas carols were playing over a P.A. or loudspeaker system (I don't know what the technical term is) but I remember that it was beautiful.

At that time, you could do ALL of your Christmas shopping downtown - didn't have to go anywhere else. There was a 'five & dime' store, a 'dollar' store, a couple of department stores, a couple of shoe stores, a couple of dress shops, a men's clothing store, a couple of jewelry stores, a couple of catalog stores, a couple of hardware stores, a couple of pharmacies, a couple of banks, and a car dealer by the river.  Just turn the corner off of Market St. and go just one block down Clarke Ave. and there was a soda fountain shop, a couple of mom & pop grocery stores, and a fish market (I think). There may have even been a beauty salon on Willow St. between Second & Clarke (memory is fuzzy here). If you proceeded on to the next block down Clarke Ave., there was a second-hand store (clothing, etc.), a deli, and a small mom & pop clothing store.  Unbelievable isn't it?  Yes, all of those businesses were in the downtown area (at the same time).

I miss it when I get thinking about it.  It was different shopping like that than when you go into these hugh chain stores and have to fight the crowds. Whole different atmosphere - the magic of Christmas has gotten lost in greedy commercialism.  Well, maybe that's a bit extreme, but right now I am savoring those wonderful memories of times gone by.

P.S.  You could shop without worrying about getting your purse snatched, or getting mugged or carjacked, etc.

(Contributed by Kathy Horney)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The late Edna Davy Muir's "Life In The Country" newspaper columns recalling her memories of past times always brought readers an interesting and entertaining glimpse of earlier days.  For the next few weeks we'll post some of Edna's December  columns.

2005






2006



The Daily Times (Salisbury)

1969, July



 
The Democratic Messenger (Snow Hill)


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers or something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? Please send to tkforppe@yahoo.com .

When you're clicking around the Internet remember to check in with The Pocomoke Public Eye.  We strive to be a worthwhile supplement to your choices.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

GoFundMe For Mayor Morrison

Pocomoke City mayor Bruce Morrison suffered a brain aneurysm this week. His family is with him in Wilmington where he has been transferred for medical attention.  A GoFundMe campaign has been initiated to aid the family.

See more info:
https://www.gofundme.com/stepping-up-4-mayor-bruce-morrison

Tuesday, December 5, 2017

Live Christmas Classic At The Marva!


LIVE
A Charlie Brown Christmas
December 8 & 9 at 7 PM
December 10 at 2 PM
Tickets: $12/General Admission,
$8/12 & under, 65+, Active Duty Military
When Charlie Brown complains about the overwhelming materialism he sees among everyone during the Christmas season, Lucy suggests that he become director of the school Christmas pageant. Charlie Brown accepts, but this proves to be a frustrating endeavor. When an attempt to restore the proper holiday spirit with a forlorn little Christmas fir tree fails, he needs Linus help to discover the real meaning of Christmas.
A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS
is presented by arrangement with
TAMS-WITMARK MUSIC LIBRARY, INC.
560 Lexington Avenue, New York, New York 10022
by Charles M. Schulz
Based on the television special by Bill Melendez and Lee Mendelson
Stage Adaptation by Eric Schaeffer
By Special Arrangement with Arthur Whitelaw and Ruby Persson

Sunday, December 3, 2017

TIME MACHINE: A Longtime Business Tradition At Market & Clarke

Our Little Corner In Space And Time    
(Reader-friendly viewing of items from newspaper archives)

For decades now the location has been void of any structure but throughout much of Pocomoke City's history it was one of the busy hubs of commerce. 

December, 1910
















Democratic Messenger (Snow Hill)



November, 1896





Peninsula Enterprise (Accomac)


Footnote: After the death of W.S. Dickinson in 1907 the store was purchased by the Smullen brothers (Julius, John, Albert) and Thomas F. Hargis. The business' name was Hargis Department Store when purchased later by M. L. Veasey.  It fell victim to the downtown Pocomoke fire of 1922 and Veasey built a new and larger building for the store's new home. 

As noted in an earlier posting the Veasey Building, at the northeast corner of Market Street and Clarke Avenue, was home to J.C. Penny and Montgomery Ward after Veasey retired from the business in 1928. Those tenants remained until the 1960's when the economic downturn probably stemming from the late 1950's closing of the Chincoteague Naval Air Station resulted in the stores closing their doors. Daniel's Department Store was the Veasey Building's last tenant. After a lengthy period of vacancy Pocomoke City's iconic downtown building was demolished in 1976.

Pictured below is the Hargis Department store, and demolition of the longtime landmark building. 

(Pictures from the book "Images Of America - Pocomoke City" by Norma Miles and Robin Chandler-Miles.)


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers or something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? Please send to tkforppe@yahoo.com .

When you're clicking around the Internet remember to check in with The Pocomoke Public Eye.  We strive to be a worthwhile supplement to your choices.

Sunday, November 26, 2017

TIME MACHINE: 1970, 1927, 2010, 1962.

Our Little Corner In Space And Time    
(Reader-friendly viewing of items from newspaper archives)

November, 1970




December, 1927


Marylander And Herald (Princess Anne)

During the Christmas season the Coffman-Fisher clothing store at the northwest corner of Second and Market Streets set up a large toy department on an upper floor of their store.  A long flight of stairs above the balcony level of the store led to the once a year large display of children's Santa wish list items.   


May, 2010












The Daily Times (Salisbury)


ACROSS THE USA


October, 1962



 




 


Do you have a local memory to share with PPE readers or something of interest your parents or grandparents told you about? Please send to tkforppe@yahoo.com .

When you're clicking around the Internet remember to check in with The Pocomoke Public Eye.  We strive to be a worthwhile supplement to your choices.