Christmas Eve on Second Street, Corning, 1947

From the Clay County Courier:

"Christmas Eve, 56 years ago…

"The above picture, made Christmas Eve, 1947, showing the town Christmas Tree, belongs to Martin Ahrent who made identification, as follows:  Corning Bank on left and on up the street is the Mrs. Clyde Estes hat shop (probably being used at that time as clothing store and taxi headquarters[)], operated by Russell Collins and his brother, Dick Collins.  On the left of the bank building are the small café and Graber’s Store building.  Tezzie Smith’s store building with a sign concerning work shoes painted on the South side, then the big two-story concrete block building that partially burned and had to be torn down, followed by a row of smaller offices before reaching State Theatre;  On the right side of the street are seen the Rhea Hardware Store building, Linder Cleaning and Pressing shop (formerly Sam Hall’s).  The Country Store on the corner, plus all the business between there and Hop Alley.  Visible on the right is also location of the pump for horse watering trough which was located in front of Rhea Hardware for as long as it was needed.  That pump, as well as the one in front of Black Lumber Shed and the one in the hitch yard behind Oliver and Company, were in use by the public for years and were never vandalized, but once the Business and Professional Women’s Club decided to “dress up” Second Street and had a waterfountain installed on the corner across from the bank, it didn’t last any longer than it took vandals to discover it.  Just like the public telephone booth on the same corner.  The telephone company couldn’t keep the change machine or a telephone in there and the booth’s glass was kicked out every time it was repaired.

"Martin made another picture of the same area this past Christmas Eve and brought it along for comparison.  Second Street is is [sic] still recognizable, thanks to the Theatre building, Corning Bank and the lodge hall which was also the Country Store building.  All the others have either burned or been torn away and not replaced through the years."

Submitted by Danny Moore