Flossie Poisel's 1887 Memory Tour
In 1965 she recalled the streets of her childhood
I am going to reprint here what has become a valuable document for me in my efforts to paint an accurate picture of Medaryville’s past. In 1965, Flossie (Low) Poisel, who grew up in Medaryville, wrote the piece below for the local paper, The Medaryville Herald. It is a memory-generated “walking tour” of the town, beginning on the north side of Main Street at the railroad tracks and proceeding east, then crossing the street, coming back all the way west along the south side of Main Street, then crossing and going back east again, finishing up at the point of beginning. Later on I’ll have some commentary based on this recollection.
I am sending you a remembrance of my first knowledge of Main Street in Medaryville. That was long ago,
As I remember Main Street 77 years ago: on the north side, going East of the tracks was the Evert Hotel, then a room used by traveling salesmen; a small building, then the Emory Low home, next Horner’s store and the Horner home. Next was Grandma Kain’s, then the Doliver home and the cemetery.
On the south side of the street (across from the cemetery) was the Wilson buildings, a large barn, and then the home. Across the street, west, was the Alfred Williams home, then the store building that the Williams brothers owned, then the Post Office, the Charles Kain home, a small building, next was a harness shop, a small restaurant owned by the Horners and the depot.
Across the tracks, going west, first the Low Brothers store, then Oscar Hunt Drugstore, Posey store, Sim Low’s home, a vacant lot next, then the Stoffle home, and old cow shed, then Grandpa Faulk’s home, another vacant lot, then Grandma Long’s home. Frank Dunn’s home, next a half-lot of fruit trees, then the Bartz home. Across the street going east an old house, which now stands empty, belonging to a widow lady—I can’t remember her name. Then 11-acre field, next Grandpa Miller’s home, the Catholic Church, Mr. Frederick’s store, Low’s salt shed, Jim Harman’s iron foundry, Kaqall’s Saloon, a small home, I don’t know who owned it, next Grandma Mitchell’s home, and Bill Tilton’s home. Very few of the old buildings are still there.
Posted by Brian Capouch on Friday, November 24, 2006