If past if prologue, this poll could predict the future
By Andrew Harris
Everyone my age and older longs for the “good old days.” It is a natural state of mind I think, a way to hold memories together, to constantly compare the past and present.
Wellsville is ripe ground for this nostaglic thinking: Our population is older, our community has changed rapidly since the “baby boomers” were in grade school. The Wellsville they remember is much different than the Wellsville of today.
I was one of the kids on bikes; roaming Main Street freely, buying penny candy at JJ Newberry’s and fishing lures from Clark at Carter Hardware. As a young adult I enjoyed the dive bar life at The Pastime to an excess.
My earliest memories of being on Main Street Wellsville involve visiting Jane Walsh at the two story department store, Rockwell’s. My mom would buy the latest sewing patterns, Mrs. Walsh would give me a penny for the gumball machine…. clearly I’m getting old.
Newberry’s was a downtown shoppers dream. The prelude to the big box stores like Kmart which they could never compete with. From underwear to shoes to a great kids toy section, JJ Newberry’s was a great Main Street store.
As a young outdoor sporting enthusiast, Carter’s Hardware was Mecca. I think I purchased 300 fishing lures, 200 boxes of clay pigeons, turkey calls, shotgun shells, and that was just from the sporting goods side of the store. The hardware store side had everything, and the slow drawl of a Guilford man to help you find it. Looking back it seems like a mythical place.
What do you miss most about Main Street Wellsville ? Do you believe that history repeats itself ?
If you don’t like our list of throwbacks, you can insert your own answers.
Thanks to Hart’s Jewelry, one of the gems of Main Street Wellsville today, who sponsors our weekly poll question. Visit HartsJewelry.com to browse or make contact about getting your favorite jewelry professionally cleaned.
