Thursday, October 10, 2013

Corinth, Mississippi; A great southern town

Alcorn County, Mississippi Courthouse

 Corinth, Mississippi is a wonderful old southern town rich in Civil War history.  Walking the streets is a mixture of lessons in history and going back to Mayberry USA.  Friendly people, lots of historic sites, all the amenities you need and a high dose of southern charm.

This was the site of the headquarters for Confederate General Albert Johnston from April 1-4, 1862 and after he was killed in the Battle of Shiloh his body was brought back here to lay in state on April 7, 1862

Borroums Drug Store is the site of the oldest soda fountain in the state.
Biggers still has the classic 60's Radio and TV sales sign hanging out front.
 
Biggers is a full service old fashioned hardware store.

This old ghost sign is on the side of the community theater.

The garden house of the Oak Home.  Used in the Civil War as the headquarters of Confederate General Polk during the war.  In 1866, Mrs Thomas Quincy Martin bought the home and it has been occupied by the family ever since.
The Generals Quarters Inn is in the top ten B&B's in the state.
The 1871 Cumberland Presbyterian Church is now used as a chapel by the United Methodist Church.

A great old ghost sign on the side of an abandoned service garage.

Reuse of a 1930's Buick dealership.  Cool to see the old art deco sign still on the building.

The Corinth National Cemetery where Union and Confederate soldiers are buried and still being used for burial of veterans today.

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Monday, October 7, 2013

The Bus Stop

I was heading south on US43, also known locally as Andrew Jackson Highway, in rural Tennessee last week when I went past an old building that made me instinctively put my foot on the brakes.  Luckily there was no one behind me as I scrubbed off speed rapidly and was looking for a place to pull over and turn around.  While my beagle, Ruby, was hanging on for dear life I turned right into an Amish furniture parking lot and positioned myself to get back across the highway and back to the building.  I thought it was an antique store but it turned out to be a store that was antique, if you know what I mean.

Ruby and I got out of the van and started to look around outside.  When I came around to the front porch I saw the "Closed" sign on the door.  Oh well.  I took some shots out front and the door opened up.  "C'mon in, I'm closed, but help yourself," said the owner, Mike.

I walked back in time when Ruby and I stepped inside.  Mike, a gentleman in his 60's, told me it was his granddaddy's place that he started in 1942.  Mike has reopened it after retiring from the Army (Special Forces) and the State Department. It still serves as a Greyhound Bus stop that the local Amish in Ethridge use when traveling.  The only modern thing in the place was the computer system for Greyhound to print the tickets!

We talked for over an hour about his granddad, the store, Ethridge, the Amish, his service in Vietnam all the way to Iraq, and beagles, since Ruby was sniffing her way around the store.  Turns out he grew up with them.  Too make a long story, short...this place is a must see if your into old signs, automobilia and nostalgia.  Mike's a great guy to talk to and the store is a time capsule.  Places and people like this is what I love about being on the road.
 
 The soda fountain, not in use anymore but still there.

 The jukebox still works and spins records.

 The TV even works.  It was playing the Andy Griffith Show. How appropriate.



 The ticket window for the bus stop.



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www.nostalgia-art.com