newsletter 2-9

In our special Christmas edition of H & P, half of a poem was shared. Since several people have requested a copy of the rest of the poem, it is printed here, hopefully to excite your memory about “what used to be”. In the first half of the poem, the reader was taken down the west side of Market. Now, it is time to cross and head back up the street.

As we started up Market
On the other side of the street
We continued our window shopping
And we never noticed tired feet.

I remember Sid’s in the area then
And also remember The Workingman’s Store
The Busy Bee Restaurant was around
The aroma made us hungry for sure.

As we go on up the street
There’s another theater and
We used to enjoy the movies there too
And it was called “The Strand”.

The Blennerhassett Hotel and the Grand
Were there many years ago
They were a welcome sight to travelers
In all kinds of weather you know.

And then there was another bank
Reps and some shoe stores too
I can’t remember all of them
I am sure that I’ve missed quite a few.

I know I forgot Johnson’s Soda Grille
How I did I do not know
Ask any high school kid at the time
That was the place to go.

Saint Xavier Catholic Church
For a long time stood the test
I’m sure that the members who go there
Think it is the very best.

Near Market at Sixth Street was “John’s Place”
It stands out so in my mind
They made the very best hot dogs
That we were able to find.

The owner’s son George worked there
And he did some of the cookin’
Not only did he make a great hotdog
But us girls thought he was good lookin’’’.

We continue up Market Street
And there is Dave’s Men’s Store
The guys who shopped there for clothing
Knew they’d never be a bore.

When we reached the Chancellor Hotel
We hadn’t finished shopping yet
Dining there was always a pleasure
It was the finest in the state you can bet.

We see the old clock on the Union Trust
We always depended on so
For catching a bus or lunch hour time
Or just looking at it you know.

And then we come to my favorite store
That stands out from all the rest
This store belonged to A.W. Cox
I knew that it was the best.

I worked there for a few years
It was quite a family store
The clerks were friendly, the merchandise good
Who could ask for more!

I’ve enjoyed this walk today
Down my town’s Memory Lane
At times I often wish
That I could relive it again.

I’m sure there are many places
That I have forgotten you see
But old Market Street in Parkersburg
Will always be special to me.

Now when I go back to Parkersburg
I can’t believe what I see
There is no downtown anymore
Like there used to be.

Some of the building seem mammoth
All the parking lots and such
What has happened to the old downtown
That we used to love so much?????