More Lincoln History

As I remember more of the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s history of Lincoln proper —

West of the square, the north building (north part of now Moore’s) held Norwoods feed store, advertising baby chicks, feed, flour, etc., for sale.

There was a theater, Miller girls dime store, which was later owned by the Bannon family in the early ’50s, Mr. Tennis’ barber shop, Calvin’s shoe shop, later owned by Grover Holland, then George Williams. Dillard Taylor’s drugstore was opened in the late 1930s-40s.

Travis Beatty Produce sold feed, seed, flour, and more and he bought cream, eggs and other produce from area farmers. During late summer and early fall, the produce house was open every day and into the the night, selling and packing fruit, mainly apples, so trucks and wagons lined the street and alley behind the store as farmers unloaded their fruit. There were wooden hitching rails around the square and alley for horses and teams as they waited for their owners to transact business.

In 1966, Vince and Larry Bell bought the Beatty property and built their drugstore, faithfully serving the community until recently selling it to the current owners.

Next was the Bank of Lincoln, established in 1903. Mr. Bill Shannon was the president “ever since I could remember,” until he retired in the 1960s.

The current entrance to Simmons Bank was once the entrance to Dixon’s drugstore. With the usual dispensing of medicines, theirs was a place of gathering for treats from the soda fountain and it served as the bus stop because the bus ran between Fayetteville and Muskogee, Okla. History to be continued. Happy birthday to Lola Bradley, Darryl Sisemore, Brian Roy, Rainy Laycox, Janet Roy, Nell Wright, Jeanine Tucker, Elaine Jones, Pam Jordan, Elsie Hanger, Emmalyn Johnson, Ruth Parker.

Happy anniversary to Mark and Nancy Martsching.

Happy years, all.

MARIE ROY IS A LIFELONG RESIDENT OF LINCOLN AND HAS WRITTEN FOR THE ENTERPRISELEADER FOR MORE THAN 30 YEARS.