Howard Visit

[W. Gray]

Just returned from a Howard visit of about seven days, or so.

Ran into Frank and Myrna on Saturday, I think, and myself, my mother, Rosie Gray, and my Uncle, Johnnie Miller, had a nice lunch with them at Poplar Pizza. I have to say that I like the waitress system at Poplar Pizza much more than their previous setup.

Found the old Santa Fe RR station in Eureka. It was not exactly off the beaten path as I had passed it on 7th street several times in just the past couple years or so and only had to look left down one of the cross streets to see it.

Also noticed that the former Army National Guard armory on Main street has been converted to a church.

[Janet Harrington]

Waldo, I am hurt.  I believe that you also saw Jim and I at that Chinese buffet place in Independence or was that on an earlier visit.

[W. Gray]

Sheriff Janet,

I wouldn't be neglectful and not mention that I ran into you while on a trip to Howard. At the Chinese buffet in Independence was in mid-January and I did mention around that time on the forum running into you two folks.  

Now that I think of it, though, I might have not mentioned on a previous trip talking to Mom70x7 and Jim.

This last trip while in Eureka I "discovered" a Chinese buffet at the bowling alley that also has some good American food interspersed. They also had Chinese noodles, which I really like--with something thrown on top, of course.

Off topic but,
One of my favorite meals in the Army was when the mess hall had rice, with Chinese noodles on top, and the Army's version of chow mein on top of that. Unlike a lot of folks, I always thought Army chow was rather good.  At the time I was in, each company had a mess hall and some mess halls did destroy the food but most presented it pretty well. I was in one company, though, that could not even fix a good breakfast. Fortunately, I was not there for very long and those folks cooked the only Army food I ever disagreed with. Maybe some of the recent veterans can say, but I believe Army mess halls are now consolidated at the battalion level.

However, Army C-Rations were a different story. Gorfy. I can recall in 1966 opening C-Ration packages that had been packed in the very early 1950s.

[jarhead]

Waldo,
I liked chow hall food too. Coming from a large family and eating from the garden so much at least the chow hall meals always had meat.  I liked most c-rations with the exception of caraway cheese (yuck ), fruit cake and date pudding. In Nam most of our c-rations were fairly new but in training we had some of those left over Korean war c-rats. The absolute worst was the "Ham & Lima Beans" otherwise known as Ham & --------------------------Never mind. I'm sure you remember what they were called.

[W. Gray]

By the way, Danny Signer has to be one of the nicest guys and nicest auto mechanics around. I believe he is also the Fire Chief.

The tail turn signal on my van went out and Lanning's had a bulb on hand, which I purchased. I could not figure out how to install it so I took the van to Danny.

He was rather busy but he took the time to come out on the street, figured out how to remove the light assembly, and changed the bulb on the spot.

It just might have taken a couple days around here to have that work done.

[twirldoggy]

My electric window got stuck in the down position in hot weather.  I had to make an out of town appointment.  Danny came out of his busy shop, took out a rubber hammer and tapped the window motor.  To my very great surprise, the window came on and rolled up.  He really is a miracle worker, and a very good man.  Howard is lucky to have him.

[frawin]

Waldo, we really enjoyed the visit and lunch as well. Your Mother is a real favorite of mine, she is a really Neat and Sweet lady. According to my old family notes, your mother and Father lived on the River South of Howard and just across the road from my family in the late 1930s. I had brothers and sisters the same age as your parents, your Uncle Johnny and your Uncle Charlie. I think Charlie was in my sister, Phyllis' class in school. I haven't seen Charlie in years.
As I mentioned the other day I remember your Grandfather Oscar Miller, I delveredf his Winfield Daily Courier for a longtime and if the weather was good he was always outside waiting on it.
I was sorry  that the occascion was your Uncle Johnny losing his wife.
We, like most everyone else on the Forum, look forward to your Posts of Elk County History.
I see you mentioned Danny Signer, Danny and his brother Tony are both really super young men, always courteous, friendly and helpful anyway thay can. Their Parents were the same way, their mother was a year ahead of me in school and she has always been a good friend and really a sweet, neat and good person., and so was their Father, they raised Danny and Tony right.
Growing up in Howard is something I would never change, I loved it. I always thought I would never leave there but getting married, having a family changes lots of things. With 14 brothers and sisters older than me, delivering papers, delivering bottled milk, delivering groceries, working in my brothers grocery store, working for 8 + years at Garison Farm Supply, I got to know and be around a lot of people and I still think they were the best people in the world. I think the values of growing up in Rural America and Howard are someting you can't get in the big city.

[W. Gray]

Thanks Frank,

I have already spoke to my mother this morning so will relay your words on our next call.

Charlie lives in Winfield. Both he and his wife were at the funeral last Monday. They had their daughter Trudy as their "designated driver." Neither one of them are up to driving very far out of town.

Oscar Miller did not have very good eye sight (he still drove though much to the chagrin of a few people) and he did not get past the third grade but he really enjoyed reading the newspaper. If I had to choose one memory of him it would be of him sitting in an easy chair in the back corner of the parlor with a kerosene lamp for light and in front of a pot belly stove reading the newspaper. That was at his farm southwest of Howard and the house no longer stands. You know, I might have seen you delivering the paper a time or two to his house on Paw Paw. After leaving the farm, they lived at first on Paw Paw Street and another corner and then moved over on Jefferson Street at another corner house. I was only at the Jefferson Street house a few times before they both passed on.

I met Tony Signer on this trip to Howard and he is also a very nice and helpful individual.

When I come to Howard, I also try to keep my Uncle Johnnie in the loop and take him to lunch and where ever he might need to go--usually Eureka. I have fond memories of when he was a young man and owned a horse he called "Silver" even though it was palomino. He also had a Pontiac convertible that had a wolf whistle and he would let me work it. And, I recall him taking me into Winn's Cafe and buying me lunch. At least I think it was Winn's then.

When I was a little kid, I always wanted to live in Howard and would walk from one Grandparent's house to the other grandparent's house; would watch the cars cruise "Main Street;" and really enjoy watching people in general from the second floor above the dime store. There was once a number of park benches on the sidewalk on both sides of the street and people would congregate and sit and talk. Howard was a neat little oasis at the time and one could get practically anything there. As the town began to "fade" I eventually changed my mind but I sure enjoy visiting.

The cruisers would do a U turn at Washington and then another U turn at the foot of the street. Parking was also difficult to find on the main street when the cruising was going on. And I believe that was Saturday night. Where I lived, Friday night was the big night.

I never set foot in the courthouse until about five years ago. And, I have been in several times since then. Now, though, I doubt I will ever be able to go in again just to look around because of the new security.

[Marcia Moore]

     Glad you found the old depot, Waldo.  The Invena Corp. has done a great job of restoring and preserving the Santa Fe depot building.  The corporation does business worldwide, designing and manufacturing hydraulic and cryogenic machinery.  You mentioned a building that had been converted into a church.  I am assuming you are talking about the building on North Main Street, just south of 13th Street.  If so, that was originally the North Side School in Eureka.  The former Army National Guard Armory building is located on the northeast corner of River Street and Jefferson Street.  It is now the home of Midwest Mill Modernization, Inc.  Midwest Mills specializes in quality products for the flour milling industry.  Their product line consists of ductwork and related components such as sifter knees, dampers, formed elbows, cyclones, tapers and wye branches and flanges.  They also manufacture belt guards and all other guards meeting OSHA requirements.  They sell and install their equipment worldwide.  -- Tim

[W. Gray]

I could have sworn it was a former armory.