compiled by Betty Jane Wilson, society president
Part V
"Young folks seemed to enjoy fake patent medicine shows," continued E.J. Stewart in his "Early days in Valley Falls" story. "They set up each season in old Turner Hall (located on the corner of Walnut and Louisa Streets.) They always included an old time clog (tap) dance and a one act play. Oil burning footlights lighted the stage in Turner Hall. The seats were hard bottom chairs.
"The merry-go-round, when it came to town, was a joyful attraction. It was only a nickel a ride, but nickels were not very plentiful among the kids. One year there was a street carnival and the outstanding thing to be remembered was the man on the trapeze. The real thrill was the little one-ring circuses that made one-night stands up on the hill in Coy's addition at the south end of Walnut Street. Usually there was a parade. One year the circus used Mitchell's Feed Lot east of the Santa Fe tracks for a location. A shell game was operated in a tent and it took a lot of suckers.
"The attraction was outside the city limits and city officials could do nothing about it. Maj. Conser was constable and decided he would put a stop to it. The rowdys resented his action and showed him the way up town. He took a safe lead and secluded himself in the back room of Tom Gary's lunch room.
"Winters were plenty cold and rugged and it seemed as though there was a considerable snowfall. What fun it was to go for a ride in a bob sled or sleigh behind a spirited team of horses wearing a string of tuneful jingle bells. There were several who owned a fancy cutter (sleigh) or one could rent one at the livery stable.
"In the good old summertime, boys would gather on moonlight evenings for an exciting game of 'lay-low' or 'run-sheep-run.' Other games played in daylight included marbles, shinny, mumblepeg, and of course baseball. We didn't know anything about basketball, football, or volleyball. The boys called those Halloween pranks fun, but sometimes they went to extremes. There was a time when the keyhole of the lock of a hardware store was filled with cement and quite a number of 300 pound barrels of salt that Lou Hauck kept racked on the east side of his store were rolled down the hill toward the railroad. The upsetting of outhouses was always to be expected.
"In the horse and buggy days traveling salesmen seemed to like to stay in Valley Falls where there were three fairly good hotels. The Cataract was built by the Gardiner family in 1857. It was torn down years ago. The once famous Octagon hotel was erected by Dr. L. Northrup. It burned down 35 or 40 years ago. The Hillyer House was built by Mark Hillyer in the early '80s and was operated for many years by that very well known hotel man Dick Simpson. Just before noon and at 6 p.m. the porter would come out and beat a large gong to let people know that chow was ready to serve. The hotel burned after the turn of the century.
"It seems most fitting and proper to pay a tribute to the pioneers who founded Valley Falls and endured many hardships. They were of a type common in those days, but seldom found now. They were honest and hardworking. Their word was as good as a banker's note. I offer this toast to them! 'May you folks, men and women, always be remembered and never be forgotten.' "
Correction: Recipient of the story was Earl Roy Lillie, not Roy Earl Lillie.
The Society Museum will be open 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11.
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