howeenterprise.com
1955 Howe photos
Monday, March 9, 2015
Page #3
Continued from Page #2 buy a Mouton Jacket that cost $60." Jack Norman, a sophomore at the time of the photo, was new to Howe. He was a transfer from Dorchester, who's school had just recently closed. "I'd only been to Howe about three times my entire life before then." said Norman. "We had no reason to come to Howe because we always went to Sherman for everything we needed. When the school closed, Mr. Thompson came and talked to each of us about coming to Howe instead of going to Sherman. So we did." The photos were in the possession of Janie Thompson Finney who scanned them and sent them to Monte Walker, the current owner of the building. Walker has already sent them to be blown up to 3' x 4' and will both hang in the building where they were taken 60 years ago. a
lay on it, I thought that was disgusting."
Street until the 1940's.
In the photo on this page is from left to right is Jerry Buckner, Pat Thompson Anderson, Melton Vrla, Jack Norman, Sue Thompson, Sue Chumbley Schiffer, Charles Thompson (back to camera), Beverly Jay Martin, and Peggy McReynolds Estes.
"The streets were full of people exchanging greetings." said Martin. "I could always count on Pete and Mark Gee being there. I was at the store at seven in the morning and worked until the last customer came in, walked home, grabbed a bit to eat, got a bath and dressed for my Saturday night date. I can hardly believe I had unending energy. For my day, I was very happy to receive $4.90, they took out 10 cents for supplemental security income. I was able to save my money and buy all my dresses for graduation and the parties. They cost about $30 each and were smashing. I also saved enough to
Some of the most interesting things of the photo include the Texaco that appears due south out of the window on Denny Street. Also seen in far right is a small closet room that was once the ticket window for the Interurban train that once ran on Denny
Many people say that life in Howe is like the 1950's, but these photos prove that the 1950's not only existed, but looked as if they were born in downtown Howe. All of the hints of a once thriving cafe in the building were gone in the 1970's when it was turned into an appliance store. The black and white tile was ripped up in 1978, the ticket window and doors on the west wall were bricked in. The big open wooden windows on the front were replaced by metal. The tall ceiling with the 1950's green beadboard was covered up by an office-style drop ceiling and the walls were covered with late 1970's popular wood paneling. Continued on Page #6
