By this time we are getting a little older and vacations would (usually) be in the summer when we visited our father’s parents. We would go first to my Grandparent’s farmhouse in Washington Parish and once or twice we spent Christmas there. On those occasions our father drove a 1953, Mercury. It had no heater and we about froze on the first winter trip. To keep warm we would lie down on the floorboards (as between the exhaust system) feeling the road heat, (which would barely keep us warm). On the way back, he stopped at a dealership to have a heater installed. Another sleeping tip we had when young was to sleep above the back seat next to the rear top window. As a young child, the farmhouse appeared warm and cozy. Our mother would use the fresh vegetables growing on the farm to cook with and make the best tamales using the corn grown from the garden. Fresh butter and other items (found on the farm or nearby) were always welcomed at breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Our cousin, Lynn, and her sister, Karen, would come over and play with us. Sometimes, we would go to their house to play or go into the woods to swim in the creek. Von, Dad’s brother, would show our father where some of these fun places were and we would venture out to them. We were always told to be careful of “chiggers” and sometimes, we were examined (as they could enter the house on our clothes).
The neighbor across from us had a large horse and would bring it by on occasion and let us ride. This was always a fun time! There were cattle there and I remember once one almost butted me while sitting on the fence, but I was warned and jumped off. Since our grandparents still lived on the farm most of our aunts and uncles would come to visit. They were still young and looked forward to us “coming home” for a visit. All the cousins were young and excited to see each other (even though we did not know each other well), as we were children who loved to play.
Also our cousins from California and our father’s brothers: Truitt, Demon, Earl, and Von would come by and stay as well. W.E. (who lived with our grandparents) would always be there when we visited. They lived on the farm; before our parents bought the farm from them (later on in life). In fact one Christmas while I was still in the first grade, we went down the pasture and found a huge Christmas tree, cut it down, and drug it back to the farmhouse. It was so large we ended up setting it up on the porch until it was cut again. That year (we have to give our parents credit), they brought our presents up from Florida with them in the trunk of the car. I received a Daisy BB gun as a present that year (not sure what else), but it was the one present I remembered. Uncle Truitt took the BB gun rifle and shot the first BB into the ceiling. I did not think that was funny at the time (even as a child)! Our grandmother did not think so either and scolded him for doing so. I’m not sure if he meant to, but now I just laugh at what happened.
Since we went during Christmas, we enjoyed having Christmas (that year) at the farm with our father’s parents and others. Later, when I returned to school (at Cuesta Elementary), my second grade teacher, Ms. Messina, asked our class to share a present we enjoyed from Christmas. Being six years old and in the second grade, I had no clue you could not take a BB gun to class (even if it was for sharing). The day we were asked to share, a teacher took me aside and took away my BB gun. I’m not sure what happened after that, but somehow I got it back. (By the way, I never got a chance to share my BB gun that year).
Our Uncle Von would use the land (at the farm) to plant crops and raise cattle. His small tractor (Massey Ferguson) was there and sometimes they would let me disc a few acres giving me something to do, practice on drive a tractor, and many hours of enjoyment. I enjoyed driving the tractor and felt that I was actually doing something worthwhile. I loved that tractor and always thought one day I would purchase it, but was saddened (many years later) when it was given away by Uncle Von.
This tractor looks like the one I remember; and in today’s market it would be worth about $3500.00 in good shape.
Not sure what I would have ever done with it, but I felt as though it was a keepsake at the time; and I enjoyed the few times I had used it on the farm to disc some of the land for planting corn or watermelons. When crops such as watermelons were ripe, we would go out early in the morning, crack one of them open, and eat what was called the “heart” of the melon. It was still cool in the morning and simply delicious! Also, the corn (being fresh) was just as good. Many times farmers and dairy farmers would make their own butter. I have never tasted anything so good and fresh! One year (Mom) made fresh tamales using the corn that was grown on the farm. To this day, I do not remember anything tasting as good as those she made.
There were some years our cousins were not around, although we still had fun together playing, listening to stories, or exploring the farm (by walking with our parents).We used the tractor to pull a wagon behind it to take us for a ride around the farm. I filmed one of the experiences, and remember Mom holding the camera and was suddenly jarred out of her seat. She fell and I asked if the camera ok, and she replied,” How about me?” Although I knew she was ok. I guess I was worried the camera was broken and knew it was her way of making us laugh. To this day, I don’t think we have ever developed or shown the movie. At this point, I do not know where the films are; although, I am sure they are not gone. There are containers containing old films with my brother, family and me. Some were developed and some were not. One day these undeveloped films may be a hidden treasure to discover. One time (while all of us were walking around), I almost fell into an existing well. I had no clue what this hole in the ground was and began to explore by trying to climb in. Dad (right away) told me to “get out” and not to climb in, as they did not know how deep it was and became very worried. Another time, a King snake was close to me (which I never saw) and was told by Dad to move! The well, I was told was close to where their first house on the farm was located when they grew up but it no longer exists.
Our Dad had a 410 shotgun he had purchased when he was around 13 years of age for about $13.00. Since I loved to shoot my BB gun while there, he brought it out and began to share the story of when he had purchased it. We were getting a little older; therefore, he shared the story with me. He was there and (I believe) Uncle Earl was there or perhaps Uncle Von (I’m not sure), but they gave me a lesson on shooting the 410 and warned me it would have a kick to it. I had to place the stock into my shoulder as well as brace myself, so that it would not hurt when I shot it. As a youngster, I shot it and although it did have a “kick” compared to shooting a BB gun; it was not bad and I thought it was great fun to be able to shoot a real shotgun. I asked Dad on other visits why we could not take the rifle home with us, and he replied, “Even though it was his, I think he wanted it to stay with his Dad for the time being.” On returning years, I would always ask to shoot the 410 shotgun, but only remember shooting it the “one time”; as well as the BB guns that were given for Christmas there.
I took this picture of the 410 Shotgun on 1-28-13. Many years ago, I had refinished the stock and re-blued the gun. Later on, Dad decided to give me the gun and it has been kept in a gun case since then. The last time it was fired was in Louisiana “when we were kids”. It was shot from the back of the farmhouse several times. I may have been a teenager then or younger. I remember Dad and my Uncle Earl saying how to prepare myself for the kick, but being a 410 it was not that bad. I believe they were just preparing me for the” kick”, since I was so use to using a BB gun. Dad was in his element there! He enjoyed teaching me to shoot, and talking about the land and places he visited as a boy. It was good to hear him this way. He was never sad living in Florida, but sure enjoyed the visits back to his home! Not only did he teach me things there, but he did this all his life. He wanted us to have the richness of his background.
Later on, we were introduced to fireworks. The adults fired them off for us and told us how dangerous they are. At first we did not shoot them off by ourselves. Fireworks were always a big treat and it was exciting to see them go off. There were so many types that could be purchased and so cheap then. Later on, we were able to go purchase them at the store (across the street) and we were allowed to shoot them off by ourselves. One of the things I learned you could do is to see what they could blowup. One year I learned by placing fireworks inside watermelons, with what were called TNT’s or regular firecrackers, they would explode and open up! It was always funny to see them explode! I realize now how wasteful it sounds, but at the time there were so many watermelons that were never eaten and would rot in the field, so as a youngster I never felt I were wasting food. It was one of the things you do without thinking about it, but (just react) it passed the time. I learned how explosive the fireworks really were! Down the street was a small store (same place we bought fireworks) and we would go there to purchase ice cream. They sold a local brand of ice cream that was delicious! It came in a small cup with a wooden spoon. It seems as though the costs for a cup was around $.25. It does not matter other than at the time prices were very low compared to what the same item would cost today. I always purchased vanilla and loved the creamy texture and rich taste of the brand. It seems as though the name brand of the ice cream was called “Red Bird”. I cannot forget its taste and cream contained inside the ice cream!
There were many trips to the farm during the summers. There was one sad occasion in which a neighboring farmer’s dog bit Bobby just above the eye! I will never forget the frightening experience, as he was bit near his eye and was rushed to the doctor or hospital. I had to stay back at the farmhouse and wait while they went to take care of him. It was a long wait, not knowing what had really happened and when they would return. Fortunately for Bobby, the bite was above the eye and his sight was not damaged. We waited most of the day inside the farmhouse, until we found out the results. We were so happy when they returned (as Mom was so upset before they left), but lucky for Bobby it did not turn out to be serious or with any long lasting effects. (Although, it still was a serious bite on the face). A few days later, I heard a gun go off at the farm near us. I realized the farmer next door, Herbert, had shot the dog that bit Bobby. There was talk about quarantine and rabies, but I believe the farmer was just angered that the dog had bitten someone. I did not know the history of the dog (at the time) and never found out if this was an aggressive dog or not, but I now know how different animals were treated back then compared to now. The farmer’s name (from the next farm over) was Herbert. I don’t really know much about him (although he was mentioned many times while visiting there) and owned the next farm over going towards Franklinton.
On another visit, we had our cousins from California with us and one of us had the story, The Night before Christmas. It was read to us and this was the first time I had heard the story and loved it!
Sleeping there was always fun, but during the winter it was cold. The farmhouse had a fireplace and that’s where we would gather to stay warm along with a few small space heaters. We used warm blankets and quilts (one of which I still have), but, is very worn. It is blue and white in a checker pattern and the beds we used had steel springs which were really comfortable. I still have the blue and white quilt, but it is so ragged. It has not been used since I was a child. The farmhouse had only one bathroom which our father added (for his parents as a present) and it was located near the rear of the house. Before that, an “outhouse” was used. We always used the bathroom our father gave to his parents and never experienced using an “outhouse”. (Unless you consider using the outdoors once in a while)! I remember a funny story of a storage building (located at the back of the house) and we used it to play. There were times, I would climb up on the roof as children would do. One day I did this and one of our cousin’s came by to visit. As I have said there was only one bathroom and I saw her come outside to play, I hid up on the roof (as we normally did) thinking I would surprise her. As it turns out, she went out to use the bathroom. I was so embarrassed, and kept quiet up on the roof and never told anyone to this day except for this writing. (We must have been elementary age at the time). The well on the property was behind the house and they no longer had to draw water. I believe it was Dad that donated the pump for the well, so that they actually had running water. The water was excellent in taste compared to Tampa’s water and was very soft (which means you used very little soap). It was great for cooking, drinking, and making tea. In fact, once we got back to Tampa, Mom would try to make tea (using Aunt Nell’s tea as the standard), but without that great water the taste could not be duplicated.
There was a barn behind the house that had many items stored in it (including a heavy table) that our parents brought back, had refinished, and used in our dining area when we lived on Rome Avenue, Bobby still has the 100 plus year old table and is still using it today.
Our father had many friends and relatives there and it seemed like every one of them could cook better than the next. (It did not matter if it was a relative, a friend, or a church event, the vegetables were so fresh and tasty and the chicken and biscuits were not to be outdone by anything else I had ever eaten). All foods were freshly grown. We even had homemade butter and cream and the milk was dairy fresh. Sometimes neighbors had wells where you would “draw” the water from. The water was always refreshing and cold.
On one occasion, I had the experience to go to a country party with a friend which I enjoyed. People asked about Tampa as much as I had asked about living in the country. It was a nice party and I can remember that it was at another farmhouse. There were ten to fifteen young teens and they all knew each other. We mostly sat around and talked. I am not sure if we had music or dancing, as I can no longer remember the details other than it was a good time.
Other times, we would travel to other cities such a New Orleans. I was amazed how good the food was and astonished with Bourbon and Royal Streets. Due to New Orleans being below sea level, I was stunned how you could actually looked up at the Great Mississippi River instead of down. I think my favorite place to eat while visiting was the Café de Monde. They had the best coffee I have ever tasted, as well as the best Beignets!
This place is still famous today and many tourists go to New Orleans just to have the beignets and coffee.
Café Du Monde Café & Beignets
Bourbon Street in New Orleans is named after the House of Bourbon, the ruling family at the time New Orleans was founded. Today it’s the place to see and be seen with plenty of clubs, bars, and restaurants. Bourbon Street in New Orleans runs the length of the French Quarter, but the upper portion of the street is the most popular section often packed with people sipping on Hurricane cocktails and celebrating the open container laws in New Orleans. In the center of Bourbon Street, you can find some popular bars like Pat O’Brien’s and the Court of Two Sisters (both places I frequented as an older teen).
Bogalusa:
Later on in life, our grandparents purchased a house in Bogalusa (a small paper mill town about 50 miles from the farm) when our parents bought the farm. From then on, we would visit our grandparents in Bogalusa and later visit the farm, but no longer sleep there.
Bogalusa, Louisiana, the only city in Washington Parish, is known as “The Magic City.” Founded in 1906, Bogalusa was incorporated on July 4, 1914. The Chamber was chartered on August 5, 1920, with 65 members; today the membership totals nearly 300.
It was a very small town when we visited and most people worked in the paper mill. Due to the city’s proximity to the paper mill, the air was usually very objectionable. I remember getting sick often when we visited (due to the air quality). My father use to tell us that the name of the city Bogalusa derived from someone catching a bug and it got loose. Thus the name, “Bug-a-lusa” was how we would pronounce it. We did stay a couple of times with our grandparents there, but the majority of the time we would stay at the Chaw taw Motel (which did not have a kitchen), but our mother brought a skillet with her and she would cook breakfast and about any meal we would like. Many of the meals for breakfast included eggs and spam. We enjoyed our meals and never realized how much effort it took for her to prepare, have the supplies, then clean up before the next meal or activity. The days (after getting up) would be mostly spent at our grandparents’ home. We would have visitors or cousins that would visit and much of our time was spent trying to play the small organ they had, playing in the yard, exploring the area around us, and enjoying a game of war or crazy eights with a deck of cards.
There was a girl, Maureen that we would love to visit as she was our age. One summer since Dad knew her parents so well and she wanted to visit Florida, she came to visit us. I remember Joe Mistretta liking her very much and they seemed to form a bond while she was in Tampa. I believe they stayed in touch for a while, but I never really asked much about it during the time period.
Picture I found on the internet of the paper mill. The mill was a major source for jobs back then and the majority of people were employed there. The town was small and with grocery stores, motels, but not much more. I did not mind the town, but the smell from the mill was one I will never forget!
These are the 4 smokestacks on the paper mill. When the mill is churning out smoke (like this) on a clear day with a slight breeze, you can smell it 50 miles away.
Although this is not it, there was a small grocery store near my grandparents’ house that we could walk to and pick up snacks. (Red Bird ice cream ect) It was probably a little larger and looked similar to this picture. This was typical of the buildings at the time.
Our aunts and uncles would visit (along with our cousins) and many times we would return to visit relatives of our father and his friends. When he went to church, we saw the grave sites. Stony Point Church was where our father would worship (as a young boy) and he would tell us of getting around on horse and buggy to go to church or to town; which was nearby Franklinton when they lived on the farm.
We would go to Franklin to visit our cousins and our father’s brother, Von. Many times, we were invited to spend a few days there. Nell, our aunt would cook for us (which gave mom some relief) and Mom would always brag about how good she made tea and how great she cooked. Nell would not ever say much other than she felt the great taste came from the type of water that was there (being fresh out of a well and pure).
Von, our uncle, was very pleasant and would try to please us by making us feel at home. He always had a great smile and laugh. Uncle Von and Aunt Nell were still working at the time, so many of our visits were on weekends or when they had days off.
Our two cousins were also nice to be with; although, I don’t remember doing much with them. Von tried to always have something for us to do including taking us to a “swimming hole” (out in the woods). There was a rope attached to a tree and we would swing out over the water and jump in. I’m not sure why we were not scared at the time; other than it just seemed like a natural place in the area to swim. If there were any dangers, we were not aware of them and of course I don’t think we would have been placed in a situation that would have been threatening.
Some years, we would visit New Orleans and our parents would take us to go see Bourbon Street and Royal Street; along with other sites in the area. Later on in years, I would visit New Orleans as this was always a favorite for me because I enjoyed the food and the atmosphere. Our mother (once while visiting) exchanged a receipt for yellow rice and chicken for a seafood gumbo with someone. It would take her hours to make, but it was as authentic as any food I have ever eaten there. The best times were the trips in the cars. One being a 1953 Mercury that had fender skirts on the back wheels then a 1959 Oldsmobile Super 88, and finally in a Chrysler. Of all cars, I loved the Oldsmobile the most as it was the most comfortable and fastest of all of them. It was a pleasure to drive and can remember speeds of 110 mph (when I drove). The neatest gadget on the car other than air conditioning was the way the speed odometer worked. It started off with a green bar indicating slow speed, and then went to yellow and finally red. It would roll over as you increased or decreased in speed. Interstates were new and there was not much traffic. Before the interstate, the trip could take several hours longer when we used state roads.
Having my brothers around was fun! We (as any other family) would fight, but still had fun! We were told many times that our father was going to take off his belt, stop the car, and “whip” us. Of course that never happened; although, I am sure they were close to doing it! The other threat was that they were going to stop and let us off in Chattahoochee, since we all acted so “crazy”.
It was a wonderful time as we played games on the trip. I enjoyed brushing Bobby’s hair, as it was so manageable, wavy, and beautiful. I often thought how nice it would be to have thick hair like his or Rays. We sometimes got testy and challenged each other to cross the line of our seats, as we became territorial as the hours slowly went by. To this day, I remember the fun and fights, but would never trade the experiences as they were all part of growing up!
The Town of Franklinton:
Franklinton, located in west central Washington Parish, is the governmental seat of the parish. Histories of the town of Franklinton and the Parish of Washington are closely related.
Franklinton’s economy is based mostly upon agriculture and the forest industry. Commercial service activities also contribute greatly to the economy of the area.
We would visit this town on many occasions as it was fairly close to the farm and close to Uncle Von’s home. Dad would sometimes go there to visit old friends or even to have his car serviced.
Although, I do not have any pictures of the area that I can remember; I did find some of these on the internet.
We never attended a fair there but Dad would always talk about the great times he had attending the fairs.
Pictured above is, Governor Huey P. Long at the Washington Parish Fair: We never knew him, but he was always a topic of conversation when Dad, Uncle Von, or Grandpa got together.
This is the “Old Franklinton Police Department”. We never saw it while there, but since I found it on the internet, I thought I would post a picture.