Moline Railroad Depot

[frawin]

Jarhead, John was the agent at Howard. John still lives at Howard, he was a Hewins KS boy originally.

[jarhead]

I guess I'm gonna have to eat crow. My oldest living sister said there were signs by a RR crossing meaning someone was killed there but she is pretty sure they were north of Howard---not south. North , south---what's the differance ?? :)She thought it was out near the 'Poor farm".
  Joe Brown from Elk Falls did not get hit by a train and killed. she said he was leaving Gene's Club at 'Hill Top" and pulled in front of another car and was killed. Was Hill Top out by Moline rodeo grounds--one of you old timers ?
   As to most usuall crew on the Howard Branch while my dad was on it was Roy Olsen (engineer) Ernie Condon (conductor) and Monte Edwards ( brakeman ) She said way back when Roscoe Morton was an engineer and Johnnie Morton was a RR'er.
A few other of the regulars were "Beans" Bowman, Willie Aday and Charlie Grigsby. after Howard Branch was closed Grigsby was an engineer on the Chanute/ Winfield train that went thru Longton until Sante Fe sold the line. We always knew when Grigsby was the engineer going thru by the certain way he blew the whistle.

[frawin]

Jarhead, the Hilltop was on on the Highway after you passed the Rodeo grounds and angled West towards Moline , it was on the North side of the Highway.

[jarhead]

I think I faintly remember the Hill Top. wasn't it kinda of a low building with a round window in the front door ? Think there was a circus by it when I was a pup. I remember seeing a camel and thinking it was the ugliest critter I'd ever seen---until I layed eyes on Ol Sarge for the first time.

[frawin]

Jarhead, I don't remember a circus there, as I faintly remember the terrain around the Hilltop wouldn't have been very good for a Circus. There was a Nightclb, Dance Hall whatever you want to call it, that was East of the Junction on Highway 160 just East of the Old Harmony School , kind of on the Southend of the Rodeo Grounds, the area behind the Club, it might have been Club 160 would have been a likely spot for a Circus. As I remember, the Dance Hall building was kind of shaped like you described.

We need Charlie Durbin on here.

[Ole Granny]

Guess this will date me.  I remember going to the Dew Drop Inn (that's what my Dad called it) at Hilltop.   I remember a shuffleboard table.  First one I had every seen and was fascinated with it.  It was not a very fancy place but not much was then.

[frawin]

Alice, what was the name of the Dance Hall that was East on 160 from the Hilltop. I went there when I was little with my sister and probably Jeanne Tomlin. It sat empty for years before it was torn down.

[Clubine Ranch]

As memory serves me: The club east of 160 at the south end of the Rodeo Grounds was called Gene's Club. It was buildt by Gene Mills in the early 1950's. I patronized the club a bit in the late fifties and early sixties.
Hilltop was purchased by my Granddad Elbin Lewis, after the war. His son Wilbur Lewis "Curley" run the hall and had dances for several years. Name bands were Leon McCollough, Hank Thompson, Bob Wills, (know these names are not spelled correctly). Not for sure that was correct but what I was told. They always told me the building was an old World War 1 Army Barracks. There was also a cafe and gas station in front. My Aunt Elnora Lewis Vanderpool ran the cafe for awhile. "Curley"  tore out the dance floor and made a welding shop out of it later on. Granddad sold Hilltop around 1963.  Dale

[frawin]

Thanks Dale, that brings back even more memories. I remember there was a sign on the East Building but I just couldn't remember the name. Of course you are older than me, just kidding. Thanks again. I remember the cafe at Hilltop.

[jarhead]

So I am confused now. Is Hill Top and Gene's Club two differant buildings ? It must be Gene's Club that I can remember , south of the rodeo grounds. I think it was there is where I remember a circus being back in the 50's. Do you remember that circus Dale---or did I just dream it ? So from the rodeo grounds, where was Hill Top ? I think the new 99/160 junction is throwing me for a loop on "what used to be".