Ripley circa 1960A few weeks ago, a complete stranger, prompted by an article I wrote, contacted me about his memories of Ripley in the mid 1960s. In his email he told me of how, as a kid growing up on Long Island, he spent four weeks in the summers of 1965, 1966 and 1967 here in dear ol’ Ripley so he could “get some fresh air.” He remembered The Fashion Gate, a clothing store on South State Street; the Ripley library, then housed in the Hamilton Estate; Meeder’s, of course; and particularly the Sesquicentennial Celebration in 1966.
Now ain’t that somethin’. A ten year old kid came to Ripley for a summer vacation and remembered it even forty years later. In the course of my email exchanges with “Tom,” I’ve begun remembering places and people from my youth as well. I decided to take a look at some of the old yearbooks because my memory is faulty and I wanted to get the names right. So walk with me down Memory Lane a bit and see if it stirs some memories of your own.
Do you remember Hypatia Foundations at 105 W. Main Street? They advertised, “There are definite reasons why more women in North East, Westfield and Ripley wear Hypatia Foundation Garments than any other make of corset: 1. Hypatia Foundations are individually tailored, cut especially for you. 2. They are easily the most reasonably made to measure Foundation. 3. Hypatia even now uses all elastic garters, choice of lovely lastex” (yes, it said ‘lastex’) “or elastic panels. 4. The finest of materials and workmanship. 5. You may be fitted by the designer, Mrs. Rozetta Braithwaite.” Do you remember calling “Ripley 69 for appointment”?
Or how about the old Ripley Feed & Coal Company? Is my memory correct in thinking the building still stands on Boswell Street? “Dealers in Feed, Cement, Fertilizers, Hard and Soft Coal.” I remember going there with my Dad to order coal, then waiting for the truck to come to our house, put the chute in the basement window and listening to the clatter of coal pouring down into the bin. Ask me sometime about falling into the coal bin and the dent in my nose.
Twenty two Ripley businesses advertised in the 1945 Ripley yearbook, Les Memoires. The war years stopped production of school yearbooks here and it wasn’t until the late 50s that yearbooks were produced again and the early 60s that advertisers came back onto the scene. Names like A.L. Wilcox Insurance, Beatty Grocery at Stateline, Harry’s and Teemley’s Barbershops and E. W. Burdick Oil Company appeared in the 1961 Vintage. Remember Leon’s Pharmacy? I remember a counter with stools where we’d go to order cherry sodas.
No fewer than six gas stations appeared in Vintage 1964: Chuck’s Gulf, Ripley Truck Stop, Pete’s Service Station, Roesch’s Texaco Station, Sinden’s Sunoco and George Lick’s Mobil Station. I’m not sure any of them could sell even a gallon of gasoline today, with Pennsylvania gas prices always so much lower, but they did a reasonable business back in the 60s.
There are so many names and places that are gone now. Only a few remain. As every generation is so fond of saying, those were the good old days. I wonder if our children and grandchildren will look back at the Ripley of today and think of this as the good old days.
Now ain’t that somethin’. A ten year old kid came to Ripley for a summer vacation and remembered it even forty years later. In the course of my email exchanges with “Tom,” I’ve begun remembering places and people from my youth as well. I decided to take a look at some of the old yearbooks because my memory is faulty and I wanted to get the names right. So walk with me down Memory Lane a bit and see if it stirs some memories of your own.
Do you remember Hypatia Foundations at 105 W. Main Street? They advertised, “There are definite reasons why more women in North East, Westfield and Ripley wear Hypatia Foundation Garments than any other make of corset: 1. Hypatia Foundations are individually tailored, cut especially for you. 2. They are easily the most reasonably made to measure Foundation. 3. Hypatia even now uses all elastic garters, choice of lovely lastex” (yes, it said ‘lastex’) “or elastic panels. 4. The finest of materials and workmanship. 5. You may be fitted by the designer, Mrs. Rozetta Braithwaite.” Do you remember calling “Ripley 69 for appointment”?
Or how about the old Ripley Feed & Coal Company? Is my memory correct in thinking the building still stands on Boswell Street? “Dealers in Feed, Cement, Fertilizers, Hard and Soft Coal.” I remember going there with my Dad to order coal, then waiting for the truck to come to our house, put the chute in the basement window and listening to the clatter of coal pouring down into the bin. Ask me sometime about falling into the coal bin and the dent in my nose.
Twenty two Ripley businesses advertised in the 1945 Ripley yearbook, Les Memoires. The war years stopped production of school yearbooks here and it wasn’t until the late 50s that yearbooks were produced again and the early 60s that advertisers came back onto the scene. Names like A.L. Wilcox Insurance, Beatty Grocery at Stateline, Harry’s and Teemley’s Barbershops and E. W. Burdick Oil Company appeared in the 1961 Vintage. Remember Leon’s Pharmacy? I remember a counter with stools where we’d go to order cherry sodas.
No fewer than six gas stations appeared in Vintage 1964: Chuck’s Gulf, Ripley Truck Stop, Pete’s Service Station, Roesch’s Texaco Station, Sinden’s Sunoco and George Lick’s Mobil Station. I’m not sure any of them could sell even a gallon of gasoline today, with Pennsylvania gas prices always so much lower, but they did a reasonable business back in the 60s.
There are so many names and places that are gone now. Only a few remain. As every generation is so fond of saying, those were the good old days. I wonder if our children and grandchildren will look back at the Ripley of today and think of this as the good old days.
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