Do you remember when...

...there was a Piggly Wiggy on the square (southeast corner)?

...there were no school buses?

...country folk, when asked "How are you," would reply, "Tolerable, thank you."? Tolerable!

...there were 11 grocery stores on, or within one block of, the public square?

...Shelbyville had a private bus system operated by the Richardson brothers?

...most politicians were honest?

...there were nine barber shops at or near the square?

...folks would park their autos on the square Saturday morning to have a good view Saturday evening?

...a red light was located outside the fire department on the square to summon a police car to answer an emergency? The police department had two vehicles.

...most businesses were closed on Sunday to observe blue sky laws?

...there were six drug stores on the square?

...by agreement, one drug store would open from 9-12 a.m. on Sunday so that people could go to a soda fountain between Sunday School and church?

...the milk bar on North Main Street at Shelbyville Milk Company was a busy drive-in?

...Cohn-Glazier Department Store was located on the ground level of the Gunter Building?

...the "low rent corner" was on the southwest corner of the square?

(Bet you don't remember where Payne's Dress Shop was located!)

...a bowling alley, with hand-set pins, was on the third floor of Nancy June Brandon's building on the east side of the square?

...WHAL-AM, with Charlie Christian, came on the air during the late 1940s?

...most doctors and dentists were located in the Gunter Building, until the Riverview Building renovation was completed?

...the Shelbyville Fire Department had two full-time employees, Bob Watson and Red Bartlett, along with numerous volunteers?

...construction of the flood control system (dams) and urban renewal modernized the City of Shelbyville, spearheaded by Mayor Bill Russell and director Ed Craig?

..."the hill" in Bell Buckle was always active during weekends?

...the popcorn stand on the square was in operation most days, and all nights?

...the Princess and Bedford theatres and the drive-in theater operated continuously?

...H.J. Thompson's clerks used a basket to send orders and payments upstairs for processing, which were then returned downstairs to customers?

...Bridge Street was home to several taverns, three gas stations, a furniture store, a restaurant, Bedford County welfare office, a feed store, a plumbing company, a shoe repair shop and a lumber yard?

...Bedford Ambulance Service (Newt Howell) and Blakemore Ambulance Service (Charles Blakemore) provided services, before the county's service went into effect? ...the entrance to First Methodist Church on the square faced the congregation?

...First Christian Church on Depot Street moved to Madison Street, and First Baptist Church moved on down on Depot Street?

...you could buy Kaiser-Frazer, Packard and Studebaker automobiles in Shelbyville?

...automobile dealers included Boyd's Chevrolet-Oldsmobile, Yearwood Dodge, George Hunter Chrysler-Plymouth, Bill Hardison and David Enoch's Studebaker and Packard, Stewart-Potts Ford-Mercury, L.T. Bellar Pontiac, Farrar DeSoto-Plymouth, and a few more?

...the Blue Moon was on Madison Street, serving mostly teenagers?

...THP Sgt. Gibbs was shot and killed by an escaped convict?

...political candidates would speak on the public square in the courthouse yard?

...you had to have and use coupons during World War II to buy gasoline, coffee, washing powder, and most food supplies?

...there were three service stations at the North Main Street and Madison Street intersection -- Gulf, Texaco and Mobil?

...Grapette was bottled in Edgemont on North Main Street, Coke on Elm Street, Royal Crown (RC) on Madison Street, Pepsi Cola on Atkinson Street, and Pop Cola on Deery Street?

...Hoover Funeral Home held funeral services on the second floor of their furniture store on the south side of the square (old Knox Pitts building), and at their funeral home on Atkinson Street?

...folks from out of town came to Shelbyville to shop with us at Castner-Knott on Depot Street?

...the T-G offices were on the first floor and basement of the Gunter Building?

...the column Charlie's Chatter ran in the T-G?

--W. Nowlin Taylor, an 80-year resident of Shelbyville and Bedford County, now lives at Morningside At Belmont Assisted Living Center in Nashville.