Some Other Things that are Missing
When you are walking or driving down South First Street you may realize something is missing. This house was demolished this month to make way for a parking lot. It was located behind a real estate office which as some will remember, was formerly Sweet’s Shoe Store.
Most of us probably remember this as the Blower’s family home. The parents; Gordon and Bessie and their children, Bessie, Marilyn, Gordon Jr., and Hiram.
According to an article written by Carlton Nellis, the house was originally owned by John Brownell. Mr. Brownell owned a bottling works. He was in business with his brother Lewis. John later bought his brother out. (See NNHS August 2014 newsletter for more detail about the Brownell brother’s bottling business).
Besides this gas station which is missing what else do you notice is no longer on the corner of Main and Bridge Streets? If you haven’t already noticed, it’s the water fountain and the telephone booth.
The telephone booth was so handy for kids to call home asking Mom or Dad to come and get them. As I
remember (illegal as it probably was), kids could dial the number, it would ring and when the person answered the telephone, the operator would ask for your dime. What the kids would do was shout into the phone, “come and get me” and hang up with out paying their dime. The party (mom or dad) would hear that and get the message.
