In 1924, J.C. Cox wrote a letter to the editor of the Union Appeal describing things that
he remembered about Union in 1897. At that time, Old Town Union was located at the crossroads of Decatur Street and Jackson Road. The letter reads:
*Dr. F.O. Horne was the only doctor in town, and he serviced 20 miles.
*Mr. Luther James had the only buggy in town.
*L.L. Viverett had the only wagon with a horse team.
*Dr. Horne and Mr. J.H. Lewis got the first two bicycles.
*The first moving machine came to town. J.C. Cox cut hay for Mr. Nicholson
on a field where the depots are located.
*Peach orchards were planted where the business district is now. This was
the Jackson Place.
*A two-day fair came to town. They built a circle track for horse-racing from where A.C.
Freeman lives to the cemetery and back. Dr. Carl Hagan had a mustang.
An unusual happening occurred at Union High School graduation in 1952. The nine living members of the original twelve graduates of the Class of 1912 met at Union High School on graduation day and marched in the graduation ceremony. Those members present were Mrs. Minnie Lee Carter, Mrs. Maude James Chaney, Rev Martin J. Gilbert, Supt. Riley J. Koonce, Miss Susie R. Moore, Mrs. Irene Harbour Obier, Dr. J.R. Stamper, Mrs. Fannie Joe Wilson Taylor, and Mrs. Nona Staton Taylor.
Near the end of the graduation ceremony, these nine Class of 1912 graduates received certificates of membership into the Forty-Year Club, which had recently been organized in Union. Club membership had two requirements: (1) the graduate must have a diploma from Union High School and (2) he/she must live 40 years thereafter. Finally, at the conclusion of the graduation program, the Union High School Band played the Recessional, and both the Class of 1952 and the Class of 1912 marched out of the auditorium.
The 1954 booklet of the Woman’s Society of Christian Service of the Methodist Church of Union gave a description of mid-century Union. It reads:
“Large crowds gathered in town on Saturdays. Some would spend the day in town, dining at noon on a picnic lunch brought from home. Others would arrive in the afternoon, after a morning of chores on the farm. All came to shop, to socialize, or to catch up on the news of the day. Maybe they would get a haircut or see a movie. Some brought home-grown produce and eggs to trade with merchants. Parked cars and trucks would extend east and west from the depot all the way to the Baptist Church and north and south from one end of Bank Street to the other. Choctaw men and women, wearing their combs and colorful dresses trimmed in rickrack, mingled with the crowds on the streets.
“The Sessums Hotel was known to locals and traveling salesmen alike as the place in Union to be sure of a fine meal. The Union Appeal brought the local news into the homes of city residents and rural subscribers throughout the area. If you needed a new suit, a dress, or a pair of shoes, you could find what you wanted at the Pride, Freeman’s Department Store, Marshall Lewis’ or Kasdan’s. Women could browse at Dot’s Shoppe or Irene’s. If you needed something in the line of hardware, there was the Western Auto, White’s Hardware, and Smith’s Union Supply. Need groceries? You could shop at Hugh Matthews, the Jitney Jungle, Ogletree’s, the Sunflower Food Store, or one of the outlying groceries, such as Thomas’ or Barfoot’s. If you needed a new car, there were three dealerships in town. There were three churches – Methodist, Baptist, and Presbyterian. If you had a toothache, Dr. Harbour could help. Dr. Adkins took care of vision needs, and Laird Hospital could tend to other ailments. The Union Pubic School system educated the youth of the town.” Sounds like a great place to live!
**Do you have stories about teenage boys setting off the fire alarm in downtown Union, or pranks pulled by teenagers on the streets in town on Halloween night?
**For many years, the Union Riding Club has been active and held wagon trains with overnight stays. Do you have information on this club and its activities?
If you have memories to share, your name will not be printed if you request it. Readers are interested in stories of Union. Contact me at teresablount26@yahoo.com or 601-774-5564.
