So very many things about Augusta that I remember fondly . . . after all I was in Augusta before the Plaza existed . . . even before the Walmart on Ohio . . . there were only two elementary schools in those days Garbage Garfield and Stinkin Lincoln (if my memory is correct Robinson was named for the person serving as Superintendent of Schools when my mother was hired to teach second grade, and I went to school with some named Ewat) . . . Ballinger’s was still a cafeteria . . . the Safeway building was still a Safeway grocery store . . . before the bowling alley . . . you remember back in the good ol’ days when you could tell you were close to Augusta by simply rolling down your car windows (thank you refinery) – and – oh yes – don’t forget the taste of the water.

There was Lehr’s (except on Sundays) – and – Dairy Queen – and Dariette and Miller’s Five – my oh my how did we ever grow up without a McDonald’s or a Pizza Hut – then along came A&W.

Somehow we managed to get an education in the old junior high and high school buildings.

A huge Christmas tree in the middle of State Street.

Streets paved with bricks

We all learned how to fold newspapers the way that the Augusta Daily Gazette was folded so it could make to any porch in town from a bicycle going full speed.

Driver’s ed in Garvin Park with that old manual transmission car – the ditches along the sides of the road will never be the same.

When the big siren sounded – knowing whether it was a fire, a tornado, or just a weekly test – and – of course – the refinery whistle.

Moyle Field – used for baseball in the summer and ice skating in the winter.

Our concert halls were gymnasiums – thanks to Len Hudson for recently unearthing the article from the paper about the hootenanny in the old high school gym – I certainly remember the event – but – I confess – I don’t ever remember agreeing to be known as the Augustones.

Taco Tico – we had unusual tastes in Mexican food in those days

Memorial Day celebrations at Elmwood Cemetery.

We played good basketball in Augusta – and I was one of many who learned to shoot free throws underhanded – what we called “granny style.” As I recall – we were never quite as good with football as we were with basketball. Stand up and cheer . . .

Attending the dance parties at Channel 12 in Wichita.

Driving miles and miles and miles – up State Street – then down State Street – then U-turn and back the other way and over and over and over and over.

And certainly no list would be complete without the many memories from the Augusta theaters – the classic art deco indoor theater downtown and the wonderful drive-in in the summer months. Thanks to the Bisagnos for all of the wonderful movies. Fantasia was one of the first movies I saw downtown.

As Dorothy reminds us in the Wizard of Oz – “there’s no place like home”

Please add to my list!