Top: Looking at the center of town from the Shellnut yard. The old Chevrolet dealership building is gone, and Dr. Ford has not yet built his clinic there. Also notice that the new post office building hasn't been built yet; neither has Popeye's (Gentry Jewelers) store underneath Gorden's. George and Scram's restaurant has not moved to the area at this time. If anyone can identify the kids in the photo, let us know.Third down: Tom Shellnut standing in front of the Baldwyn Hardware. The Golden Rule store is behind him. It was operated by Forrest Grisham and wife. Further behind is Shellnut's clothing store, and Baldwyn Dry Goods on the corner.
Lower: Jess McKissack (hope that spelling is correct) aka "the Peanut Man" strolls in front of the old post office on east Main with his vending tray of peanuts and (?) other stuff. The stairs to the right led upstairs to Luna Stubbs' beauty shop and later the National Guard meeting place, among other businesses. To the left was the Baldwyn Cash Specialty store, operated by Elbert Outlaw.
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Top photo courtesy of Tom Shellnut. Second photo courtesy of Clarene Evans.
Click to enlarge.
20 comments:
I received my early education from Mr. Jess.
Do you still remember everything!!!/???
The Peanut Man (I'm not sure of the spelling of his last name either) was a fixture of the Saturday streets of Baldwyn (and Booneville) throughout my youth. However, this picture must have been made when he was younger, maybe in the late 40's or very early 50's, because I remember that he developed a pronounced stoop and something of a hump in his back. I remember thinking it must have been caused by carrying those heavy basket every day. I also remember that by the time the double feature was over at the Ritz, the sidewalk in front of the bank would be covered with peanut shells along with wood shavings contributed by the whittlers and knife swappers who perched there every Saturday.
Phil C
Phil, did you ever notice how smooth and worn down that stone window sill outside the bank was? It took many posteriors over a lot of years to do that. Untold hours of whittling, swapping, chewing, spitting and discussing the weather and crops. mc
RE: peanut shells and tobacco juice and whittlins. And then on Sunday morning the streets were clean as a pin. "Hambone" the shine at Lampkin's barber shop was the street sweeper and cleaner. He cleaned after 10PM several nights a week. Did a heck of a job, too.
Notice the little girl standing at the window behind Tommy Shellnut. She seems to be admiring the dolls and tea sets on display in the five and dime. I spent many hours lusting after the toys, games, and trinkets the Grishams had to offer!
Yes Milton, I have noticed how worn that ledge is. It would be interested to know when that building was erected. I've never notice whether or not there is a corner stone indicating the construction date.
Also, in the picture from the Shellnut's front yard, it's interesting to see now the street looked before the construction of those prominent structures that still stand today.
Somebody correct me if I'm confused, but didn't Gwen Norman have her studio on the first floor of the corner building across from Dr. Ford's office at one time.
I'm almost certain that my brother and I had our picture made there when I was five and he was seven.
Phil, Simon Buddy Spight says the present bank building was built in either 1915 or 1916 by Lee and Forrest Prather.
The previous building on that spot was a large wooden building which housed Prather's Merchantile operated by Brooks Prather. In 1915 this building was moved to the alley behind and faced east, making room for the new bank building. mc
Was the Weekly News office somewhere near the post office?
Jo Carolyn, The news office was located one block east and directly behind the old post office. In other words, they backed up to each other but there was empty alley space between them.
Here's a little tidbit about the 'whittlers'...My grandfather, Garley McVey ran the water company forever it seemed and one day he was coming through town and passed by the whittlers sitting on a bench in front of the bank. One of them called out, "Hey Mr. Garley, stop and tell us a lie." All the men broke out in laughter awaiting the tall tale my grandfather would share with them but instead, my grandfather, "Gookie" replied, "I don't have time, I gotta go cut the water off, old man Orr just died." The men immediately went home and informed their wives of his death so that cakes, pies and fried chicken could be cooked and carried over to the 'widow Orr.' When they took the food over an hour or so later, Mr. Orr met them at the door and thanked them for the food they had so graciously brought over. The men were furious at my grandfather and proceeded back to their bench in front of the bank. When Gookie came back through town late that afternoon on his way back to the water office, they asked why he had told them that lie about old man Orr dying. He replied while never breaking his stride, "Well boys, it's like this... I didn't have time to stop and tell you a lie, so I just told you one and kept going." This time my grandfather had the last laugh on them.
Isn't that Betty and Herbert Lynn in Tommy's front yard?
Can anyone identify the year and model of those cars in the background of the top picture. That would give us a more definitive time frame.
The old post office building in the bottom photo was also Lanny's Outlaw Press printers shop later.
Where is Tommmy Shellnut these days? He was soooo cute and talanted in high school.
In the photo of the Peanut Man, what is that on the sidewalk behind him?
Phil, it is the base of a street lamp. Heaven only knows where the rest of it is.
Cark, that photo was made in the mid to late 40's and looks as if the street lights may have been just recently installed. Look at the drill dust on the sidewalk by the base and no wiring yet. Just a guess.
Cark = Carl. Sorry about that.
Tom Shellnut lives in Pass Christian, MS and is active on this blog and emailing from time to time. He had a career as investor and now is in real estate. He looks exactly the same from photos I have seen.
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