BARBARA HOLLOWAY
Contributor
Do you remember when the train ran through Jasper and you could ride to Whitwell for 10 cents?
Do you remember when the beautiful building, Pryor Institute, later became Marion County High School? The street was named College Street because of Pryor Institute.
Do you remember the name of Jasper’s first school? Sam Houston Academy.
Do you remember when Jasper had two places for buses to stop, and three hotels? Lots of people loved to see the mountains and rivers near Jasper.
Do you remember when the telephone office was upstairs over the old Marion Trust and Banking Company? The operator had to ring your number for you.
Do you remember when you could buy anything you needed at Bill Simpson’s store? Also, the store had a life size Santa Claus. The Santa now is on display at the Jasper History Museum.
Do you remember when the R.D. Gass store ran a rolling store over the country side bringing you what ever you needed?
Do you remember when Phillips Furniture was on the square and had two stores selling everything?
Do you remember the first variety store? My mother managed it for about 40 years. We kids loved it!
Do you remember N.H. Brown Hardware? You could buy the parts to fix anything that was broken.
Do you remember Dr. Price? His son Houston had an office above the bank some years before Dr. Mac came to town. He removed my tonsils in his office.
Do you remember Simpson Drug? It still stands. It was built in 1847. It is still there by the traffic light.
Do you remember the first fire truck? You may see it at any time. It is on display at the Jasper History Museum.
Do you remember when Jasper Water Works was owned by one family? The Vanns owned it.
Do you remember when First Baptist Church was a log building at the bottom of Glovers Hill, and was torn apart by a storm?
Do you remember when the Post Office was on Betsy Pack Drive before it was moved to Hwy 41? My husband, Harold Holloway worked both places in his 35 years as a postal employee.
Do you remember what the oldest business in town is? Jasper Drug is almost 200 years old.
Do you remember when the first T.V.A. employees came to Jasper? My dad was one of those helping plan T.V.A. His name was Bill Runyon. I loved Jasper then and I still do now.
The Marion Tribune – March 14, 2024
