Going to Town
“Going to town” was a common expression when I was a girl. Folks went to town in a literal sense, as in driving into town from the country. “Going to town” also described someone making quick progress on a project, as in: “You mean you’ve already finished the basement on your new house? Wow, y’all are really going to town!”
When I was a girl, we went to Nashville often, so in that sense, we went to town, but we didn’t have to go to town in Ashland City. We lived smack dab in the middle of town, one block off of Main Street. We walked across the street to church. We walked across our yard and a parking lot into the back door of Boyd’s Market, Daddy Leland’s grocery store on Main Street. We walked across that parking lot, through the store, and around a large block to school.
Ashland City had a dollar store (it was also a hop, skip, and a jump from our backyard), but we also had a five and ten-cent store, otherwise known as the five and dime. We crossed an alley and a parking lot to get there.
Steve and I were Mother’s errand boy and girl. She sent us often to the five and ten-cent store with a nickle and dime in hand to buy a fifteen cent spool of thread. She also gave us a penny to pay for the tax. We never let Steve live down the time he misunderstood the tax part of Mother’s instructions and came home with a box of tacks. He told that story again on Sunday, when we were sharing stories about Mother and our growing up years.
Gainesboro’s five and ten-cent store plays prominently in this week’s Hometown History video. I hope you enjoy these stories of going to town on Saturday. I love how these local folks expressed their love of their hometown, their nostalgia for the days of their childhoods, and their hopes for the future.
As you live this day with your children, you are building their someday memories of their own days gone by. Happy memory-making!
The memory of the righteous is blessed . . .
Proverbs 10:7
Hi Charlene, I just love all the stories about your Mom. We also love the videos. I, too, remember the days of “town”. It’s sad that in this day, that sense of community is missing in most places. Back then, everyone looked forward to seeing people and sharing about their week. I remember my Mom talking about going to town with her family for a movie and ice cream on Saturday night. Small town Canada was the same as small town USA.