I have a lot of pleasant memories here over the last 50 years. Going waaay back, before there were very many red lights, and very little traffic, I remember living on Hendrix Drive, and driving to the Masonic Lodge to mow the lawn. Traveling along Highway 54 was not a problem in the early 1970s. At that time, there was a fellow named Phil , who lived in the apartments next door to the Lodge, who liked to practice teeing his golf balls and guess where they landed. Fortunately, he soon moved to Peachtree City.
When I moved on South Jeff Davis Drive, I would drive my lawn mower up to the Historical Society to mow its lawn. Now, I would be nervous just driving a bicycle to those places.
In 1971 as a part of our county Bicentennial activities, a Fayette County man built a darling doll house and auctioned it off. Dr. Helen Sams won it and I don’t remember every seeing as an excited adult as Dr. Helen. I can’t remember if she had a granddaughter yet to give it to, but I know she would have parted with it quite reluctantly.
We held a dance outside by the Courthouse during this event and my piano was going to sit outside. I got a piano tuner to gussy it up, and he only spoke German. His daughter was with him to translate. When he heard the piano was going to sit outside – he pitched a fit. I may not know German to know just what he said, but I didn’t need to.
There was a small grapevine at my house on South Jeff Davis.
One year my son and I decided to make grape jelly and enter it in our local fair. The house was only 900 square feet, and we had to set up the ironing board to make it on. And oh yes, we had no idea what we were doing. We won a first place ribbon, which ticked off a local family who sold grapes for a living. I can’t blame them for being rather miffed.
One year while visiting friends near Ebenezer Church Road, I saw a red fox and a few minutes later a gray fox casually sauntered by me. I considered that a good omen to continue living in Fayette County.
Some 40 years ago, there was a plan to build a new high school. An older Fayette County gentlemen argued we didn’t need one and proffered some rather nasty reasons why not. So a cadre of us interested citizens drove dozens of citizens to the polls and we got the new high school.
More remembrances another time.
