|
Welcome! Sit back with a cup of coffee, relax, and enjoy pictures which are from times gone by. A half century may be too long ago for many folks to remember, so these pictures will give a view of our family and Greenville, North Carolina as they once were. Growing up in a small town in the 1950s meant stores closed on Wednesday afternoons, and all shopping had to be finished by 6pm-the end of the workday. The Pitt Theater was the only place with air conditioning, so many of us would sit through the same movie several times just to stay cool and to visit with our friends. A movie ticket cost 9 cents for age twelve and under. Imagine, for a quarter, one could pay admission and buy popcorn and pepsi. That was a good deal even in that day! The State Theater and the Colony were the other movie houses. On a good Saturday, there might be an exhibit outside the State Theater. I remember seeing Bonnie and Clyde's car on display. It was all shot up, and we kids could imagine the big gun fight. It never occurred to us that this car might be a fake.
September and October were the busiest times. Schools opened from summer recess, and tobacco markets bustled with farmers bringing their crops to be auctioned. The sweet smell of cured tobacco was all over town. Locals declared this to be the smell of money because the economy depended so strongly on tobacco. The Pitt County Fair brought excitement. We saved money all year to spend. The menfolks were warned not to go to the hoochie coochie show. There was something for all. Fireworks, hotdogs, cotton candy--these memories sustained us throughout the year.
|
