Glimpses of Hohenwald's Past

August 09, 1951

Representatives of local agricultural agencies met at the Court House on July 31 to organize a Lewis County Agricultural Council for the purpose of securing a more coordinated effort in coping with farm issues. M. E. Davis was elected as Chair for the committee.

James Wayland and Leon Willis left for Army basic training.

Charles Couch completed Army infantry training at Fort Jackson, SC.

City Marshall Joe Fite reminded residents to practice cautious driving with the following thoughts: “A man pays 50c for a shave. It costs $5 to shave a dead man. A wool overcoat costs you $40. A wooden one costs $400. A taxi to the show costs maybe a dollar for the round trip. But a limousine to the cemetery costs $10 one way. Stay alive and save your money. It’s easy: Drive Carefully.”

June Hardin was hired as the new secretary for the Lewis County Extension Service.

Anita Rowland was named a 4-H Club All Star member.

The newspaper reported that a Hohenwald man who was stricken with polio on July 30 was showing some improvements.

James Roden was named a Five Star General for the month at the Hohenwald Genesco plant.

Funeral services were held for Irene Staggs, 32.

“Humphrey Takes a Chance,” starring Joe Kirkwood, Jr. and Leon Errol, and “Rodeo King and Senorita,” starring Rex Allen and Mary Ellen Kay, were the Friday and Saturday double feature at the Strand Theatre.

In area news: The Tennessee Valley Public Power Association announced that an Electrical Exposition, an educational traveling caravan, would be held in Centerville on August 21. Large tents would be set up to present demonstrations, displays, and performances designed to showcase how electricity can improve quality of life and improve farm production.

August 10, 1961

First place winners of the Clean Up – Paint Up – Fix Up campaign conducted during May and June were announced as: Willis Motor Company, commercial building; Staggs Black Smith, commercial grounds; Church of Christ, non-commercial building; Methodist Church, non-commercial grounds; W. B. Lester, residence; and H. R. Brady, residential grounds.

Ray Stevens of Perry County was named the new band director at LCHS.

Danny Gibson of Nashville won the Championship Flight of the 3rd Annual Invitational Tournament held at the Hohenwald Recreation and Golf Club.

The newspaper published a list of registrants that failed to receive mail forwarded by the Tennessee Local Draft Board No. 55.

Mrs. Grady Crowe was honored for her birthday with a surprise dinner at the Meriwether Lewis Monument.

Mr. and Mrs. Henry Spears entertained with a homecoming held August 6 at their home in Swiss Colony.

Funeral services were held for Myrtle Rone, 71.

“Buffalo Run,” starring Webb Pierce, Marty Robbins, and Carl Smith; “Cast a Long Shadow,” starring Audie Murphy, and “Three Worlds of Gulliver” were the Friday and Saturday triple feature at the Highlands Drive-In Theater.

August 12, 1971

August 30 was announced as the date for the opening of Lewis County Schools for the fall term.

Edward Hearington, of Parsons, was named the new principal for LCHS. He succeeded A. B. Sisco who had retired.

Two men were arrested in connection with a break-in at DeFoe’s Jewelry Store one week earlier in which between $4,000 and $5,000 worth of jewelry was taken. The two men, one from Hohenwald and the other a former resident, were caught in Nashville selling the jewelry off a street near the bus station.

Wayne Brewer won the Invitational Tournament held at the Centerville Golf Course. He shot a 68 on the eighteen holes of play.

Gregory Wise was promoted in the U. S. Army to the rank of Sergeant.

James Miller was promoted in the U. S. Army to the rank of Specialist Four.

Arleus Dye, formerly of Hohenwald, was the winner of the Majic Valley Invitational Golf Tournament held in Camden. He shot a 146, two over par, in the two-day event.

Mack Holt was honored for his birthday with a surprise party at his home in Murfreesboro.

Funeral services were held for Roger Jones, 17; and for Luther King, 64.

“There Was a Crooked Man,” starring Kirk Douglas and Henry Fonda, and “The Trouble with Girls (and how to get into it),” starring Elvis Presley and Marlyn Mason, were the Friday and Saturday double feature at the Strand Theatre.

August 13, 1981

The Bible Quiz team from the First Pentecostal Church won the Bible Quiz Championship for the Tennessee District of the United Pentecostal Church. Members of the team were Terri Adkins, Mitzi Austin, Llewellyn Brown, Grace Glover, and Greg Glover.

Elmer Adair was elected president for the Lewis County Athletic Boosters Club.

Dr. Rebecca McGee joined the staff of the Lewis County Hospital. She also began a private practice in Hohenwald.

John Staggs played on the winning team that won the German Little League Championship held in Bonn, West Germany. Staggs’s father was stationed at the Ditburg Air Force Base in Germany.

Barry Hinson, a LCHS graduate, was a member of the Murfreesboro Senior Babe Ruth League All Stars team who won second place in the State Tournament.

Gerald Staggs grew a 10 pound, 1 ounce Armenian cucumber and a banana cantaloupe weighing 19 pounds, 4 ounces in his garden on Summertown Hwy.

Tim Carroll, and his hound Judy, won first place in a Buffalo River Coon Hunters Club hunt held August 8.

The following births were announced: Andrew Bailey, son of Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Hinson; and Candace Gail, daughter of Tommy and Tammy Finerty.

Mrs. Audie Hickerson was honored for her birthday with a fish fry held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Pittman Baker.

Funeral services were held for Savannah Gordon, 85; Luther Marlin, 74; Edna Nutt, 61; and for Glenna Vitale, 71.

“Nice Dreams,” starring Cheech and Chong, was the Friday and Saturday feature at the Highlands Drive- In.

August 08, 1991

The Hohenwald City Council directed the Mayor to sign a lease for 50 years between the City of Hohenwald and the Lewis County Historical Society for the Wilhelm Park property on Maple Street.

Homer Kunz, son of John Kunz who led the surveying team that established the city streets in Hohenwald, spoke at the August meeting of the Lewis County Historical Society.

Kendy Roden was selected as a participant in the National Student Exchange Program and would study at the University of Hawaii at Manova in Honolulu.

The Tennessee Economic Partnership named Annette Peery the Chair for Partnership in Lewis County.

The annual South Central Area Fair was set to begin on Labor Day, September 2 and run through September 7.

A reorganization of the Lewis County Election Commission was held on July 31. Nell Greengrass was re-elected as Chair of the Commission.

A Lewis County resident interrupted a burglary that was taking place at his home. When the resident entered his home through the basement door, he heard the front door close and discovered that items were missing or out of place in his house. In an odd twist of fate, Sheriff Larry Hensley had stopped to check the tag of a car parked on the side of the highway and saw the burglar running from the house across the field towards the parked car. The burglar was taken into custody.

Laredo Code West (Genesco) began making Western Welt constructed boots on July 22, 1991. This was the first time that Welts had been made in the Hohenwald plant for more than 20 years.

Jason Graves and Randal Hankins participated in the 1991 American Legion State Baseball Tournament.

Chris Cantrell won the 33rd Hohenwald Invitational Tournament held at the Hohenwald Recreational and Golf Club. He shot 138 to win the event.

Brandon Scott caught a rainbow trout while fishing with his grandfather Eugene Grinder in Sinking Creek in Perry County.

The following births were announced: Kayla Renee, daughter of Kayo and Gina Phillips; and Boyd Robert, son of Joel and Debbie Crofton.

Everette Hinson, along with daughter Helen McDonald and great-granddaughter Elizabeth McDonald, celebrated birthdays and were honored with a cookout at the home of Barbara Hinson.

Sheriff and Mrs. Larry Hensley celebrated their 25th anniversary with a family celebration held at Bonanza steakhouse in Columbia.

Funeral services were held for Pauline Hinson, 84; Aubrey Lindsey, 69; and for Alfred Reeves, 66.

This article was written using local history resources available at the Lewis County Public Library and Archives. Libraries are guardians of history. Visit the library and archives to learn more about our communities unique past.