Home Shopping

With our traditionally rough terrain and isolated location, transportation has been a huge factor in Orlando's history. The town came to be around 1900 because of a major change in the field of transportation: the railroad. When the railroad ceased stopping for passengers in the early 1940s there was a need for other arrangments. For many of the generally cash-poor residents, an auto was not considered a sound investment. Even with a car or truck, before I-79 and the general upgrading of the roads, if you had to go in to Weston you left right after breakfast and unless you planned to eat in town, you hurried to get back for a late dinner [served at we call lunchtime today]. That is, if you owned a car of truck.

Left: Gid Skinner in the 1950s was still driving his mule and buckboard into Orlando from his place on Clover Fork.

Right: This was taken in the northwest corner of greater Orlando, in Gilmer County, in the 1930s.

by David Parmer

Turn on any television today, in any place, and you can find everything you ever dreamed of on the Home Shopping Network. Pick up your phone and place a call, or go online and place your order and in seven to ten days, you can have that genuine diamond, chain saw, or whatever it was that caught your fancy and you couldn’t live without.

Dial back the clock and leaf back through the calendar to the 1940’s and 1950’s and you can still find an older home shopping network, serving the households of Orlando, Clover Fork, and all up and down Oil Creek and Posey Run. There was no need to go to the store because the store came to you.

Oven Gold Bakery

Once a week during the early 1950’s, a van with Oven Gold Bakery emblazoned on its side made an appearance in Orlando. Not only could you buy a loaf of “store-bought” bread but there were other goodies to delight the sweet tooth waiting inside the door. Donuts, apricot-filled bars, bismarcks, and white cross buns were exotic favorites and were a change from the delicious but ordinary chocolate cakes and apple pies which usually filled the larder.

Weston Laundry and Cleaners

Another truck which made a weekly appearance in Orlando was Weston Laundry and Cleaners. In the days before polyester slacks and jackets, this dry cleaning business located in Weston was quite busy and served Orlando well. The 1950’s Orlando family dressed to go to church, to the funeral parlor, to PTA, to Weston or Burnsville to shop, to a neighbor’s house to visit, or even to Brown’s Store. Even the poorest of families made a point to dress stylishly and presented themselves in properly cleaned clothing. This writer recalls while growing up in Burnsville, the Weston Cleaners made weekly calls to Burnsville homes, as did dry cleaning companies from Glenville and Gassaway. The household which had clothing to be picked up for cleaning displayed a sign which was located in a window and visible to the dry cleaning truck driver.

W. E. Marple Company

The largest general store in Burnsville during the 1930’s through the 1950’s was the W. E. Marple Company located on Main Street. This store enjoyed a large trade with the outlying communities of Orlando, Copen, Hyre’s Run, and in the Little Kanawha River communities above and below Burnsville. Bill Wiant, grandson of W. E. Marple, advised the writer that, while a student he worked for his grandfather’s store and made deliveries of groceries and farm-related goods to customers in Orlando and on Oil Creek. Orlando residents were on the same telephone line with Burnsville and it was not a long distance call to place an order for groceries with the Burnsville store. In those days, most families were a one-automobile family at best and many wives did not drive. If the family vehicle was being used to get to a place of employment, a grocery store which delivered groceries was a valued service.

Parmer’s General Store

Another Burnsville store which delivered groceries and farm items to Orlando customers was the Parmer Store at the end of the iron bridge on Depot Street in Burnsville. This store was chock full of kegs of horseshoe nails, cattle and hog feed, salt blocks and enough fly paper to plaster the earth. Sewing notions of all kinds, such as thread, needles and fabric, were available as was a full line of similarly-appearing brown shoes and clothing preferred by farmers. E. J. Cox, the co-owner of this store, was well-known in Orlando as principal of the Orlando School and the Posey Run School, and was the owner of a farm at the mouth of McCauley Run.

Above left is Parmer's Store, Eolin Cox is to the right.

The Blue Goose Bus Line

If you needed something from a Burnsville or Weston store, Paul Knight of the Blue Goose line was always accommodating. If there was cream to take to market in Weston, again Paul Knight was your man.

Catalog Sales

Few today remember the catalog store, National Bellas Hess. Although this national merchandising store went into bankruptcy in the 1970’s, at one time it rivaled Sears & Roebuck, Montgomery Ward, and Spiegel’s as a leader in catalog sales. Shoes, prom dresses, shotguns, musical instruments, watches and whatever else could be ordered and received promptly by the Orlando shopper. According to her granddaughter, Barbara Jeffries Parmer, Bellas Hess was the catalog of choice of Clora Henline who “swore by it.”

Right: a page from the National Bellas Hess 1920 catalog

Below, left and right: Mc Ness products

Local Dealers

McNess Products
In a classified ad in the Braxton Democrat in the August 1st, 1929 issue, under “Male Help Wanted,” the McNess Company of Freeport, Illinois solicited a “reliable man to run the McNess business in Braxton County.” Suggesting earnings of $8 to $12 per day, the prospective McNess salesman did not require any “capital investment or experience.” A McNess man frequently made calls in Orlando, mostly during times of good weather, taking orders for all sorts of household goods such as baking pans and Corningware. The last two items were purchased by Helen Jeffries of Oil Creek from Mr. Curry, the McNess salesman in the 1960’s. The McNess line also included pie fillings, Jello puddings and spices.

Porter's Pain King Salve

Clora Henline of Orlando was a local salesperson for Pain King salve, a very popular ointment for scrapes, cuts and bruises, during the 1930’s. Clora kept a trunk of Pain King salve for sale for the many residents of Orlando who were regular customers. A story about Pain King salve was posted earlier on this website.

This writer when aged eleven or twelve tried his hand at selling Cloverene salve, a competitior of Pain King. Receiving a shipment in the mail of two dozen tins of the “wonderful elixir,” sales in Burnsville proved brisk and the shipment was soon sold out.

Drummers, Pack Peddlers and Salesmen

Lis Thomas
Into the early 20th century, pack peddlers scoured the hills and hollows, bringing all sorts of novelties to Orlando housewives, ranging from underclothes to razor blades, dresses and perfumes. Lis Thomas, a Syrian peddler, was perhaps the last such pack peddler who served Orlando customers during the early 1950’s.

Right: a pack peddler

“Would You Like to Own a Victrola?”
Dale Barnett recalls during the pre-Depression days in Orlando that a door to door salesman sold a victrola to his parents, Bill and Marie Barnett. Dale believes that the salesman stayed at the Dolan Hotel while he was visiting the families of Orlando and enticing them with the melodious sounds of Al Jolson. Since the victrolas were hand-cranked, there was no need of electricity to enjoy the music of the day.

Take-Out

While a teenager, this writer was sitting in the Burnsville Taxi Stand when Jimmie Doc Henline of Orlando came into the taxi stand to get a cab home. While the cab waited, Jimmie Doc ordered a half-dozen taxi stand hot dogs to take with him. While Jimmie was waiting on his hot dogs, Charlie Alkire of Clover Fork also came into the taxi stand to get a cab home. Becoming aware that Jimmie was waiting on hot dogs, Charlie also placed a “to-go” order for two 15 cent hotdogs. Since this was the late 1950’s and Chinese food was unheard of, at least to this writer, the taxi stand hot dogs were the next best thing. Jimmie and Charlie probably anticipated the enjoyment of the famous taxi stand hot dogs as they shared a taxi ride up Oil Creek.

We don't have photo of old Charlie Alkire, but to the left is Jimmie Doc Henline.
Right: As this ad suggests, Grit was a part of rural culture in the first half of the 20th century.

The Grit

The Grit was a popular newspaper in Orlando in the 1940’s and 1950’s. The classified section of the newspaper offered all sorts of things for sale. Coon hunters could buy the best dog on the continent and fox chasers could buy the fastest runners of the wily fox. Farmers could buy chicks and those in need of fancy shoes could buy patent leather.

Shop at Home and Save Days
are Long Gone

In the early part of the 20th century, private enterprise was more vigorous and there were many opportunities for the industrious person to make a living going door-to-door selling products. This was a convenience for the Orlando household without the transportation to go to Weston or Burnsville to shop. With the advent of two cars in each household and an interstate a-waiting, it is now easy to shop fifty miles away and be back home for lunch. And, with the smiling girls and smooth talking gents on the home shopping network on the television, the days of the engaging door-to door salesmen are long gone.

The Cars of Orlando

Tom Jeffries is my brother in law of forty four years. Tom is younger than I am by about four years or so, was a 1962 graduate of Weston High School and was in the United States Air Force when I married his sister, Barbara. From the time I have known Tom he has been “car crazy”, with an avid interest in anything with wheels. Apparently Tom was afflicted with this condition from about the time he was able to walk and it has continued until this day. Tom never met a car salesman he didn’t like as you can tell from his article about the cars of Orlando . -David Parmer

To the left is Tom with one of his loves in Hawaii where he was stationed.


By Tom Jeffries
I have had a love of cars all of my life which started in my childhood. I always had eyes for the cars in Orlando that belonged to our neighbors and I remember them vividly even today.

The first car I can remember riding in was a 1936 or 1937 Chevrolet owned by my Uncle Charles McCrobie. It was a brown four door sedan. In 1949 he traded for a black 1949 Chevrolet Deluxe four door sedan. Uncle Charles used to park his car off of the road in the lot next to the Nina Mathews residence. In 1950 a flood came to Oil Creek and got well into the car. Uncle Charles had the car towed to Burnsville to be dried out and repaired. In the process of being towed the chain jumped off the tow vehicle , flipped back and broke out the windshield. I wasn’t present to hear what was said. He later owned a blue 1953 Chevrolet sedan and a 1957 Chevrolet sedan. The 1957 Chevrolet was an aqua green and white Bel Air.

Doc Henline owned what I believe was a brown early 1950s Chevrolet truck and a 1954 Mainline four door sedan. In 1958 he traded for a 1958 Edsel. The Edsel was a V-8 with lots of power. He promptly backed it over the rails of the railroad track as he was backing out of his driveway. No doubt there was major excitement until it was extricated from the tracks.

After the Mathews family moved Cecil Skinner moved to their former house. Somehow there appeared a 1949 blue on blue Oldsmobile 88 coupe next to the house. I cannot remember the car ever being licensed or driven! I do remember that it was a Rocket V-8 which is considered by many to be the first muscle car. I really wanted to see it run.

In 1954, Worthington Hurst bought a new green on green 1954 Chevrolet Bel Air. He built a garage on the left side of the road which went to the Orlando School to house it. The garage is long gone as is the car.

Arden Thomas lived in the house which was adjacent to the school. In 1953 he bought a new Plymouth , black in color. I didn’t think too much of Plymouths.

This is Charles Cole's auto, with two of his boys, Slim (Alvin) and Harold Q. The picture was taken at their home on Three Lick in the late '20s or early '30s.

When Burl England moved to Orlando he owned a black 1951 or 1952 Packard four door sedan. He also had a Model A Ford Tudor which I think was also black. I was impressed by both of the cars but I never looked at them up close.

Nellie Casto never had a car but there was an old car that sat behind her house that was stripped for parts and later pushed into Oil Creek behind her house to help retard erosion of the creek bank. I think it was a Model A.

Mike Moran owned several vehicles that I remember. The first was a 1946 Ford Sedan. I believe it was red. He also owned a pickup truck and a long black funeral car that was kept in the red building on the left before you crossed the bridge into downtown Orlando . In the spring of 1949 Mr. Moran bought a new red Ford Tudor sedan. It was bright and shiny as it glinted in the sun as I stared at it from across Oil Creek. I was four years old.

Tom Jeffries, left, about the time Mike Moran brought home his shiny red Ford Tudor.

Deck Brown liked Buicks and owned a few over the years. The one that I remember most was a two tone green 1953 Buick Super. I rode in the car once or twice and it sure did ride smoothly. That Buick had Dynaflo! He also owned a flat bed ton and a half truck that was used around the store to deliver feed and so forth. I never saw Mr. Brown drive the truck. Ford, his son, drove the truck. The truck was an early 1950s green Chevrolet.

Mr Gave Allman owned a 1951 or 1952 black Chevrolet that he kept in immaculate condition. It was kept in a garage just down from his house. The garage was built into the hillside with block and was located on the road that went to the Stutler house. I remember him bringing the car down to Oil Creek in front of the Henline house to wash it on many occasions.

I remember Oras Stutler owned a 1941 or 1946 Chevrolet two door sedan. It was hard to tell the difference between a 1941 and a 1946 as they were so similar.

To the right are Oras and Edith (Skinner) Stutler next to Oil Creek, downstream near Burnsville. Their grandson Neil Beckner is near the back of the car. For most of their lives Oras and Edith did not have a vehicle.

Layton Riffle owned a beautiful 1955 Oldsmobile 88 Tu-tone blue, I believe. It was a real nice riding car. Once around 1960 there came a flood while I was in Burnsville that flooded Dumpling Run. Layton gave me a ride home by way of Heaters and Walkersville. It was a really nice ride from a really nice man.

Presley Bragg had several vehicles that I recall. He owned the first Jeep that I ever saw which he used to deliver mail. I believe it was red with a white hard top. It had to be a late 1940s or very early 1950s model. He also owned a green 1953 Buick Super as well and a red Chevrolet sedan at one time, He also owned a 1953 Ford cattle truck that was a light blue color. He kept it in the barn across from his house. He built a concrete block garage to house his fleet next to his house. Later he owned a 1961 Buick that he used to pick me up when I was hitchhiking.

In 1954 my father Coleman Jeffries bought a 1951 Chevrolet in Summersville. It was a three quarter ton, light blue in color and rode like a road wagon ! But it would haul all the lumber that you could put on it. When Dad brought it home he had to get Burt Skinner to drive it home for him because his driver’s license had expired years before! It remained parked for a month until Dad got his license. In 1957 I went with him to Feeney Chevrolet in Weston to take delivery on a new 1957 Chevrolet one half ton! What an improvement in ride and power as well as looks. I learned to drive in that Chevy truck.

He may not have known how to drive at the time, but to the right are Tom's dad, Coleman Jeffries, and Coleman's cousin Tom Thomas posing proudly next to a snazzy auto.

There are many other cars and trucks that I recall as a child and a teenager from Orlando that I will save for a later date. My lifelong love of automobiles began as a young child in Orlando and continues until today. I have owned over two hundred fifty vehicles in my life. Talk about an expensive addiction!

Comments
Comment 1 Steve Barnett
My grandparents never drove a car. My grandfather Bill Barnett supposedly traded a horse for a Model T as a young man. He and some friends went for a ride out into the country. As my great aunt Lura told the story he lost control of the car and ended up running the car up a large tree that curved out in a u-shape. He left the car where it stopped and never drove again.

Comment 2 Donna Gloff
I've always wondered how folks could leave old rusted out eyesores littering the beautiful WV landscape. I recently learned that my own grandfather contributed to the blight! I understand that when my grandfather, Oras Stutler, was a young man was a wild one. One of his exploits resuted in his '46 Chevy being wrecked in Oil Creek, and he just left it there! In his defense, I want to point out that in later years grandpa did a lot to beautify Orlando by demolishing several abandoned buildings downtown, including Mike Moran's offices and the Charlie Knight store. At the right is a stock photo of a '46 Chevy sedan. Maybe grandpa's looked like this.

Comment 3- David Parmer
Heaterhuck Henline’s first and only car was a 1924 Overland . Heaterhuck was proud of his Overland but rarely drove it. He came to conclude that there were “enough fool people in the world and he didn’t want to add to the number.” Uncle Zeke, chiding Heaterhuck, reported to all the people in Orlando and Braxton County in his Braxton Democrat column that “E. R. Henline is the proud owner of a brand new Overland . He says he is just a little afraid of it at present but he calculates having it de-horned just as soon as the weather gets cool.”
To the left is Heaterhuck Henline's 1924 Overland512

The Blue Goose

In 1959 my mother took my brother & me on the Greyhound bus to see Grandma in Orlando. From Detroit we changed busses in Pittsburgh. In Weston we got off the Greyhound bus and boarded the Blue Goose. It was shorter than a school bus and it was, of course, blue. The road from Weston climbs the divide between the watersheds of the Left Fork of the Monongahela and Oil Creek , which flows into the Little Kanawha, so the road winds back and forth up the hill and then back down. It was a bumpy ride in those days, all the more so in this little bus. Even after the hours we'd spent confined on the bus trip from Detroit it was an adventure to ride that little Blue Goose up and down the hills to Grandma’s.

Davide Parmer tells us that for 15 years Paul Knight drove the Blue Goose, winding up and down the hills between Orlando and Weston, and jogging back and forth across the railroad tracks as it followed Oil Creek into Burnsville. Paul Knight not only got folks where they needed to go, he helped out small farmers along the route by taking their cream to the creamery in Weston, and helped many families along the line by doing little errands in Weston for them.

David Parmer tells us how the Blue Goose came to be, and how it ended.

The Blue Goose – The History of the Weston – Burnsville Bus Line
In October 1948, Clavel Stilwell, a native of Burnsville, but living in Marmet in Kanawha County , petitioned the West Virginia Public Service Commission, for a certificate of authority to operate a bus line between Burnsville and Weston, the route to go through Orlando and Goosepen.

Stilwell proposed to the Public Service Commission that he anticipated perhaps three round trips per day, and that he would use a 1940 Chevrolet limousine, twelve passenger vehicle as the means of conveyance. The Public Service Commission heard from various witnesses as to the need of the bus line. Among those speaking in favor of the new service was Clarence Finster, Claude Waugh, Charles Hudson, Alton Heath, Ralph Riffle and Clavel Stilwell. Most of the witnesses lived on the Goosepen part of the bus service.

Stilwell proposed a fare of three cents per mile for the 22 mile trip from Burnsville to Weston. The Public Service Commission which approved the certificate to operate and set the fare at 75 cents from Burnsville to Weston, 50 cents from Orlando to Weston, and 25 cents from Aspinall (known sometimes as Shanty Town) to Weston.

Stilwell was a full time employee of the Atlantic Greyhound Corporation as a bus driver so he did not become actively involved in the day to day operation of the bus line. The first driver for the bus line was Walter Scarff , originally from Orlando but living in Burnsville . The service commenced immediately with two round trips daily to Weston.

In December 1949, after about a year of operation, Stilwell petitioned the Public Service Commission to allow him to suspend operations. The reason given by Stilwell to suspend service was because of the deteriorated road conditions. Many people opposed the suspension of service. Among those signing the petition in opposition were many Orlando residents, including O. L. Stutler, Pete Henline, D. Skinner, Benjamin Mitchell, Necie McNemar, Marie Barnett, Lona Gibson, John Gibson, C. M. Mick, E. G. Riffle, Mrs. E. G. Riffle, Virginia Riffle, N. J. Henline, Rosemary Riffle, W. E. Beckner, Josie Beckner, Naomi Parrish, Charles Parrish, Orena Thomas, Arden Thomas, B. C. Godfrey, Tom Godfrey, C. A. Tully, Ernestine Tully, George Heater, Mary Heater, Evelyn Wimer, Ida Wimer, Dora Wimer, Nellie Casto, Mr. and Mrs. E. E. Riffle, A. Heater, Addie Dolan, John Dolan, Clyde Hoover, Ralph Thompson, Mayme Davis, Harley Pumphrey, Shirley Davis, John Davis, Junie Riffle, Patty Jean Riffle, Frank Dolan, Ann Dolan, Sue Dolan, Violet Townsend, Hubert Townsend, Bertha Townsend, Ruby Townsend, Ramona Townsend, Mamie Ables, Mary Ables, John Harris, Jane Ables, Iva Ables, Earl Radcliff, Fred Jeffries, J. W. Queen, Irene ______, Henry _______, Frank Skinner, Vernon Skinner, Eugene Skinner, Betty Barnett, H. C. Skinner, Rena Skinner, Dorothy Gay, W. D. Barnett, W. E. Skinner, Fred Bee, E. G. Riffle, Denzil Skinner, Billy Nixon, Pete Wimer, Maxine Freeman, _____Freeman, S. W. Mitchell, and approximately two dozen more signatures which were smudged and illegible. Apparently Stilwell had a change of heart about ceasing operations and his petition to suspend operations was withdrawn, and the bus line continued to operate.

A few months later, in March 1950 Stilwell petitioned the Public Service Commission to transfer the certificate of authority to O. R.”Ray” Crutchfield Sr of Burnsville. Ray Crutchfield, a long time resident of Burnsville, owned and operated the mop factory in Burnsville, was a school bus driver and also the father of Paul Crutchfield, a recent graduate of Burnsville High School, who was not yet twenty one years of age and therefore not of legal age. The certificate to operate therefore had to be requested in the name of Ray Crutchfield although Paul Crutchfield was to be the actual owner when he became twenty one years of age. The Public Service Commission approved the transfer of the certificate for the stated consideration of $600 for the 1940 Chevrolet limousine and $100 for the certificate. Paul Crutchfield added a 1948 Ford, 21 passenger bus, to the bus service and also a 1942 Pontiac 12 passenger limousine. Because Paul was not yet 21 years of age, Jerry Brooks Sr of Burnsville was the driver of the bus, until Paul turned 21 years of age at which time he began service as the bus driver.

During the Crutchfield ownership of the Blue Goose line, fare increases were approved by the Public Service Commission by a quarter to the existing fares. Fares from Burnsville to Weston increased from 75 cents to $1.00, from 50 cents to 75 cents from Orlando, and from 25 cents to fifty cents from Aspinall.


The Burnsville end of the Blue Goose's line was here at the taxi stand where a hungry traveler could dine on "the finest hot dogs in the state of West Virginia," according to our Anonymous Gourmet.

Ray Crutchfield died in 1950, and in 1952 Paul Crutchfield was called to service in the U. S. Army and it became necessary for Paul Crutchfield to divest himself of the Blue Goose line. A petition was filed in March 1952 with the Public Service Commission to sell the bus line to Dora Price of Weston. Mrs. Price had recently sold the taxi business she operated in Weston and decided she would purchase the bus line. The Public Service Commission approved the transfer of the bus line to Price for the consideration of $2000.

Mike Price, son of Dora Price, was the operating manager of the Blue Goose line briefly when the bus line was again transferred with Public Service Commission approval to John R. Lynch and Blair Winans. Lynch and Winans also operated the bus line only briefly when it was again transferred to L. T. Mick. Mick also found something he would rather do than operate the bus line and he transferred the certificate of authority to Paul Knight of Burnsville in May 1953.

Paul Knight, the new owner of the bus service, provided continued service of the Blue Goose line from 1953 until 1967 when economic conditions and more people owning automobiles spelled the end of the Blue Goose line. Knight operated the bus line longer than all of the other owners put together and was much appreciated by the riders of the Blue Goose line. Knight helped out small farmers along the route by taking their cream to the creamery in Weston, and helped many families along the line by doing little errands in Weston for them. As it became more difficult to operate the bus line given the costly repairs that became necessary to keep the aging bus in service, in November 1967 the public service commission approved the suspension of the Blue Goose bus line. During the Knight ownership of the Weston – Burnsville Bus Line the Public Service Commission approved a change of route from Burnsville to Weston from the Goosepen Road to the Roanoke Road . Upon petitioning to terminate service, several residents of the Roanoke area opposed the suspension. Among those objecting were Nellie Puffenbarger, Blanche Riffle, Ronna Riffle, Eugene Riffle, L. H. Groves, Sylvia Groves, Lillie Posey, Ruth Conrad, Barbara Posey, Virgil Conrad, Ruby Hitt, Willard Hitt, James R. Brown, Harry Puffenbarger, Laura Gay, Hulda Cosner, Robert Cosner, Roy Skinner, Lynn Foster, Pauline Burkhammer, Franklin Burkhammer, Gerald Gay, Dorothy Gay, Janet Smarr, Bill Smarr, Macel Foster, John Foster, and Delma Skinner. In pleading his case to the Public Service Commission Paul Knight told the court that his bus “was worn out, and was a fugitive from the junk yard” and he just could not continue the operation as much as he would like to continue it. The Commission agreed to allow the suspension and the Blue Goose line was no more.

Some people may wonder where the term “Blue Goose” originated. Robert Knight of Burnsville advises that Lee Coberly, a Burnsville resident who lived on Oil Creek just above its mouth, would often ask small children if they had seen the “old blue goose”. All of the early buses of the Weston – Burnsville Bus line were blue in color, and apparently when the strange looking buses would pass them by, the children would say there is the “old Blue Goose”. The name “Blue Goose” was synonymous with the bus line from its inception. Everyone was sorry to see it end, particularly the steady patrons from Orlando.

A Buggy Ride to Burnsville

David Parmer shares yet another wonderful old photo of Orlando Folks

"The photo was taken in Burnsville in front of the Burnsville Exchange Bank around 1915 by Cecil Thompson, a local photographer, and shows Dave Bennett of Orlando, husband of Maysel (Parmer) Bennett, and his young sister-in-law Marie Parmer who was around 12 or 13 at the time."

Marie would marry a Barnett and move into the home in downdown Orlando that Dave and Maysel had owned.

For reminders, below right is the photo of Dave and Maysel about 40 years later and below left is the photo of Marie and Maysel's parents, Nathan and Ollie (Skinner) Parmer.













Note the barber pole in the background of the buggy photo. It's in front of Dave Hyre's grandfather's barbershop. He sends the photo below which shows
"Jake Brousis working in Victor Hyre's barbershop in Burnsville , May 1924. Dating the photo was easy with two calendars on the wall. The calendar hanging over the window shade is from the Burnsville Motor Sales. The calendar to the left is from the Burnsville Exchange Bank and displays a picture of Clara Bow. Just below that calendar is a picture of Charlie Chaplin. There is a spittoon on the floor to the left of Jake's knee. In front of the large calendar and mirror, is a lighted gas lamp fixture. The sign above the smaller mirror left of Jake notifies customers that closing time is 8 P.M. Monday through Friday and 10 P.M. on Saturday. The price for a shave and haircut is rung up on the cash register at $ .40. There are three empty Coca Cola bottles on the window sill and you can even see out the window to make out a Coca Cola sign mounted on a building across the street."

See also
Wed, July 12, '06 Ollie & Nathan Parmer
Sun, Sept. 24, '06 The Last Midwife

Photo Essay from the 1930s

.These images are from a photo essay titled Walter Donaldson, Orlando, WV. Mr. Donelson was acclaimed as the One Millionth Pupil who was taught to read and write through WPA Educational classes during the Great Depression.

These photos from the New Deal Network website are an uncanny peek at life in the 1930s. There were Donelsons, or Donaldsons, in the Orlando area by 1860 but not in what we would today call Orlando. The program, the photos and Mr. Donaldson were in Sand Fork, or more precisely, Rocky Fork of Indian Fork of Sand Fork of the Little Kanawha River, in Gilmer County. In the 1950s I knew homes and landscapes exactly like the ones in these photos.

Check out the Donaldson Photo Essay. It would be great to hear whether others think the photographer captured the time and place and people.