by Florine Thompson Norbury, 1976
“For some reason, while James B. Sutherland was mayor in1925, the light poles were moved from the corners and placed down the middle of the street. Why? (Maybe to slowdown all those Model T hotrodders!) By 1926 plans were in operation to build an all weather highway through town. It was made from brick and nicknamed the ort Line. It officially became first US 73 E and later changed to US 69. The coming of the 40s brought the usual wartime prosperity. Many live yet today who can remember the old stockyards where untold numbers of cattle, hogs, sheep and horses were penned to be shipped to as far away as France; the bandstand that stood in the middle of Main and Second Street crossroads and later moved up in the street by the churches – finally ending it’s days as a corncrib at Hans Farms; the hitching racks on the side street off main, the stores staying open at night and on Sunday morning; the outdoor movies that were shown in the street every Thursday night; the Old Mill that forced the Short Line into a curve around it (burned and rebuilt at least three times); the guilty ones that had to sneak up the stairs for a hand with the Lion Tamers; the big shade trees lining Main Street while the cars were parked in the middle of the street . . .”