Do You Remember...
when we actually had ice cream parlors all over town?
In the evening in our town, we could walk across Walnut Hill Bridge to Highs for the best cones, sundaes, shakes
or banana splits - no artificial flavors. Our parents never had to worry about us because you never heard of
children being grabbed, molested or killed since we knew everyone in the area. Highs had the best lemon custard,
orange sherbet, and butter brickle along with many other flavors - two scoops for ten cents. If we were lucky
enough to have a quarter by the weekend and if our chores were done - yes we did have those, we could get a
super banana split. What a great treat on a hot summer evening! Now you can get a single dip ice
cream cone for $2.29 or a three-dip sundae for about $4.00 but the atmosphere is not the same and you certainly
can't walk to any place where ice cream might be sold.
In addition to Highs, We had Clover Creamery and Roanoke Dairy where we could get great shakes and cones but Highs
was the favorite as a gathering place or hangout for teen agers because it had big comfy booths that we could sit
back, relax and chat with friends. And oh, the many wonderful hours that were spent
there talking about books we had read, the latest movies, our classes, etc.
We could also get sodas, sundaes,
dishes of ice cream and banana splits at all the five and dime stores' lunch counters. Here you could get a
cheeseburger, fries and a big thick shake for under a dollar. Many of the drug stores had a soda fountain also
and Peoples Drug Store had a lunch counter and several booths with a juke box selector that you could put a quarter in and
select three songs to play on the juke box. These were great places to stop off for a little refreshment when
the weather was good and we chose to walk home from school.
Another source for ice cream, especially for the very
young children, was Jerry the Popsicle Boy. Jerry was a young black man who had a special wagon with dry ice
and insulation to keep the ice cream frozen. He would walk all through the neighborhoods and sell popsicles or
Dixie cups to all who would run out to meet him when they heard him ringing the bell that signaled his approach.
Jerry held this job for many years until he retired. I know he had to have more friends than anyone else in town!
Marilyn
Links to interesting sites ---
History of Ice Cream
This is a most fascinating read and a delightful step back in time.
A Scoop of History
Happy Joe is a very interesting and wonderful person!
Happy Joe's Pizza and Ice Cream Parlor
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