ST. PATRICK’S DAY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF COVID

25 years ago — 1998

Residents and public officials are calling for a goodfaith effort to replace mature trees that would be lost to a church expansion and related street improvement in a mid-city neighborhood. At issue is New Salem Missionary Baptist Church’s nearly completed project to build a new sanctuary and parking on South Parkway in the Cooper/parkway neighborhood. Several mature shade and ornamental trees would be taken by a proposed relocation of the break in South Parkway’s landscaped median to line up with entrances to the sanctuary and a church-sponsored housing initiative across the street.

50 years ago — 1973

Ron Bladon, volunteer campaign director of Dimes, said the thousands (18,108 pre-registered) of marchers in the MOD walkathon yesterday set the record for the largest walkathon in the nation. The March route covered 20 miles, but for various reasons a few “copped out” early.

75 years ago — 1948

The six-lane auto testing station proposed for construction at the northeast corner of Washington and High, has progressed from the planning to a “bids wanted” stage, Mayor Pleasants announced yesterday. 100 years ago — 1923

Mrs. St. John Waddell this morning went to Hot Springs, Ark., where she will be joined by her son, St. John Waddell Jr., formerly of Memphis, who has been connected with the Times-picayune at New Orleans. They will go to China for a visit of six months.

125 years ago — 1898

The Neely Zouaves last night entertained with their 11th annual banquet. Captain Kit Deffry was toastmaster. Music was under the direction of Prof. Will Saxby.

March 17, 2020: In a green celebratory hat, Garth Knutson laments a subdued St. Patrick’s Day on Beale Street. “We’re going to another bar, maybe it’ll be open. We don’t know until we get there. It’s hard to tell, It’s just a totally different world right now,” Knutson said.

March 17, 2020: A marquee signals a halt in live music during a subdued St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Beale Street in the very early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

March 17, 2020: Fedexforum is seen through the window of Silky O’sullivan’s on St. Patrick’s Day in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic.

PHOTOS BY JOE RONDONE/THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL March 17, 2020: A lone pedestrian walks down the center of Beale Street during a subdued St. Patrick’s Day celebration.