Ol' Timers' & Natives Sowal Spring Memories

[florida girl]

I was wondering if anyone could remember PC beach back around '58 or so. The Hang Out. Petticoat Junction, Trampolines on the beach, a diving board at everplace you might stay. I remember, not that is was great, but you could walk down the strip faster than you could drive. The Miracle Strip amusement park was just getting built or maybe not even built at that time. Petticoat Junction had the train, skeeball for a nickel. I maybe ole' fashion (of course I was young) but it was a great place. I could keep rambling but I'll stop.

I remember the kids show they had on WJHG TV and being there for my birthday when I was little. We'd go to PC for groceries.

 

[seacrestkristi]

This is the LiquorQueen's sister here. Thought you might enjoy this photo from 1964 of me and my sisters (those are bathing suit bottoms, not underwear - we were ahead of our time with the topless thing) with our mom on the beach in Grayton at the Pass (what we have always called the outfall of Western Lake).

In the background, above Beachmama's head, is our lone beach house (white) on the dune, and in the upper right near the corner you can see the old Washaway Hotel. (The Washaway was moved to new pilings after Opal in 1995 and it is now much higher and somewhat closer to the beach.)

You will notice no structures on the beach to the west of our beach house. That was our playground, and we had names for every dune and indian pottery location out there. We spent hours and hours playing in the dunes, making expeditions to the Lonesome Pine (a giant pine tree that stood by itself in what is now Grayton Dunes State Park - it was a landmark for fishermen and locals and was featured on post cards at the Store) and having picnics in Magnolia Grove, a place out in the dunes where the magnolias came together to make an enclosed "cave." It was quite idyllic.

:clap_1: Great reading again! What about the pottery? What color was it? Water jugs, urns, bowls

Does anyone remember when someone painted SEASIDE "SUCKS" on the Seaside water tower...

:clap_1:

Are any of ya'll related to the original Miller family with the store that raised the pigs? Is that the redbar now? What are some of the other original pioneer family names?

http://mindlace.com/strangelove/


Here is that shot

:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

That is a great image to see how much beach there used to be. Shows us how much beach nature actually needs during storm surges. Is it any wonder there's storm damage to buildings when they are built a few hundred yards into what used to be beach?

Not complaining, just observing.

Natural Disaster = oxymoron

I was wondering if anyone could remember PC beach back around '58 or so. The Hang Out. Petticoat Junction, Trampolines on the beach, a diving board at everplace you might stay. I remember, not that is was great, but you could walk down the strip faster than you could drive. The Miracle Strip amusement park was just getting built or maybe not even built at that time. Petticoat Junction had the train, skeeball for a nickel. I maybe ole' fashion (of course I was young) but it was a great place. I could keep rambling but I'll stop.

botebo!!! We know you're not really a crab. We all started as baby crabs. ;-) Please tell us more...

I remember swimming in my underwear as a kid, and running all over Grayton beach with my dog. I know LQ does too! I remember the old motel, and Mrs. Florence, (I got her violin), and I think it was Mrs. Murray that took half her cats to the Humane Society, the ones she could catch, which was about 90! Remember wild hogs and boar eating out of the dog dish, hot summer nights sleeping on the porch, (no A/C), climbing those wonderful sand oaks, finding all kinds of snakes, sliding down the sand dunes into the pass, huge fig tree in the back yard, along with a mimosa that the hummingbirds used to like to drink the nectar from the blooms, climbing out the window when I was supposed to be napping to play with the kids next door... Great time!

Sounds Grayt!!! :clap_1:
Thanks to all you ol' timers and natives for sharing not only your memories but your secret spot in the sun . Tell us more stories please.

 

[Will B]

My family has owned the ranch next to the "S" house across from Goatfeathers since '67. I remember coming down as a kid. There were only 5 - 6 houses in our area of Santa Rosa, the Superette and its wooden floors, and JD Miller's Texaco station. Oh...and Camp Herold Baird in Dune Allen. One thing that always has stuck with me, though, was what my dad refered to as the giant barometer. At the intersection of 331 and 98 there was a wall of billboards. Inevitably, as it reached 4 or more layers high a hurricane would come wipe it out!

Now, here's the craziest memory. I remember the owner of the Superette on 98 having a plant...let's say of an illegal variety...in a pot on top of his meat cooler with a card saying what it was so everybody could identify it. It was my understanding that he was a sherriff's volunteer or something of the sort and that it had been "found" growing on the side of the road. At the time I didn't understand why my mom had such a keen interest in it and was asking so many questions!

Ya just don't get no good skoolin' like that any more!!

 

[botebo]

Not to cry to loud, But we were a barely more than poor income, so we could not have the best. I Remember staying way off the beach most of the time, down toward the snake-a-torium. on 98 closer to Hathaway brigde away from the hot spots,(on the beach). Mother (no Momma) would fix us sandwiches and with pickles and tater chips we would always get us a coke so that was what we considered as pretty good, espiacially when you had been running out on the beach covering yourself in sand and just being what was called a wild Indian.
I remember some top notch artist with his easel set up and painting scenes of the water, sea oats, and sand, I don't remember his name but my mother new him because he was quite popular. He painted pictures to me. Mother went to what we consider jip-joints and bought Polonisian bust of people for what daddy thought was highway robbery,but mother got her way, and today its probably a good thing. I'll hush now.

 

[ShallowsNole]

My family has owned the ranch next to the "S" house across from Goatfeathers since '67. I remember coming down as a kid. There were only 5 - 6 houses in our area of Santa Rosa, the Superette and its wooden floors, and JD Miller's Texaco station. Oh...and Camp Herold Baird in Dune Allen. One thing that always has stuck with me, though, was what my dad refered to as the giant barometer. At the intersection of 331 and 98 there was a wall of billboards. Inevitably, as it reached 4 or more layers high a hurricane would come wipe it out!

Now, here's the craziest memory. I remember the owner of the Superette on 98 having a plant...let's say of an illegal variety...in a pot on top of his meat cooler with a card saying what it was so everybody could identify it. It was my understanding that he was a sherriff's volunteer or something of the sort and that it had been "found" growing on the side of the road. At the time I didn't understand why my mom had such a keen interest in it and was asking so many questions!

Ya just don't get no good skoolin' like that any more!!

:fuinn:
btw, Daddy was a constable, and a deputy (who is now a former sheriff)
gave him the plant to display. And some 'shine that would take paint off your fingernails...

 

[DD]

These stories are wonderful!:clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

 

[seacrestkristi]

singinchicken, the giant barometer, :clap_1: All that sounds like sum good skoolin'. ;-)

These are all Grayt stories. :roll:

 

[Bobby J]

I received this email from someone that lurks on SoWAl.... It brings back allot of great memories. Thank you to my new found friend and I look forward to meeting you April 19 ish... They said I could post this on SOWAL....

"Dear Bobby J, enjoy your site and information. I grew up in DeFuniak and first visited Grayton Beach in 1946. Read the SoWal threads but don't post so thought you might like some old info on Grayton. I along with other friends used to set wooden pins at the three lane alley just east of Butlers store now Red Bar. Walked barefooted down now DeFuniak Street when you could fry and egg on the blacktop. Followed many who are now over 70 years of age and older from the store to the sand dunes to observe the "sparking". Some were my teachers and relatives. Observed and participated in a few Choctawhatchee guys versue Walton guys in and around the store. Duck tail haircuts and collars up Blackboard Jungle folks drove their glass mufflered cars in an about the area. I was on a survey crew for now 30a. No Seaside encroaching on right of way back then and lots of ways to get onto the beach. You seem to have good feel for area so keep what you can for our posterity."

 

[seacrestkristi]

Sweet story. Tell that ol' timer thanks for sharing. What's "sparking"? When they got electricity? Sweet 'tar too, BTW. Is that one of your young 'uns?

 

[Bobby J]

Sweet story. Tell that ol' timer thanks for sharing. What's "sparking"? When they got electricity? Sweet 'tar too, BTW. Is that one of your young 'uns?

Not sure what sparking is but will let you know. The young one is my little man Brody. Loves to surf and loves to be naked!