The Office Cat
Streisand and Witherspoon to appear
If you read this column last week you know that I was trying to find out what bank had been located at the corner of Spring Street and The Square at about the same time that Izzie Simowitz had "The Hub" next door. It was the Washington Exchange Bank which at the time that it failed and closed its doors in 1925 was the oldest existing bank in Washington. It was formed shortly after the Civil War.

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Hartrell Pate brought me several pieces of Washington-Wilkes memorabilia this week. At some time through the years when he was employed by the City of Washington, a lot of old records were discarded and Hartrell saved some of them. He brought a 1919 bank book from the Washington Exchange Book which recorded deposits and withdrawals for the Washington Street Department. Another book dated 1917 for the Citizens National Bank was for the city; and there was one for the city paving account at the Washington Loan and Banking Company in 1913.

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Hartrell also brought a March 9, 1920, issue of the semi-weekly

News-Reporter. There were many items of interest in this paper which I will share with you during the next two or three weeks. Along the same line with Izzie Always Busy at The Hub, there was a full page advertisement from The Hub which proclaimed a "Tornado Sale." The ad said that a tornado had blown the roof off the building and Izzie was selling wind and rain damaged goods for very low prices. "Building condemned," the ad read, "must vacate immediately."

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In the next block down the street,

W.T. Johnson Co. was advertising "bargains in damaged furniture from last week's storm."

. Main Street Paint is moving from its location next door to Miss Fancy Plants to the former location of The Garden Party at the busy corner of Spring Street and West Robert Toombs Avenue. A good many years ago this building was Rees Seed & Supply Co. owned by the late W.L. Burton and then by Jim Burton before he was elected Wilkes County Probate Judge. It has also housed Henry Harris' Harris Homeplace briefly. Other shops have been briefly in the building, but now it's come full circle back to paint and other building supplies.

Tom Wells worked for Rees Seed & Supply and Harris Homeplace, and now works for Main Street Paint. Frank Spradlin owns Main Street Paint. . . . The Garden Party has moved to its new location in the

Fitzpatrick Hotel building -- the shop next to the lobby.

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Kuntry Kutters Hair & Nail Salon, owned by Christina Wilson, will have its grand opening and ribbon cutting Thursday, August 9, at 9 a.m. The shop is located at 206 Lovelace Way. . . . God's Market Place will have its grand opening and ribbon cutting Friday, August 10, from 10 a.m. until 12 p.m. The store is located in the old Leard's Nursery and Garden Center building on East Robert Toombs Avenue.

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Radio Shack, which is owned by Wilkes Publishing Company and located in the Wilkes Publishing Co. (News-Reporter) building on West Robert Toombs Avenue, has a new employee. Philip Burke has replaced Buck Cope who was employed for several years. Phillip is the son of Kip and Margie Burke. Buck will be moving to Ohio.

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Sparky, Mary, Smythe, and Jane Newsome spent the weekend in Chatsworth where they attended a centennial celebration of the Chatsworth First Baptist Church. Jane was organist for the church for eight years when Smythe was editor and publisher of The Chatsworth Times - 1957-1965 -- and was guest organist for the centennial service Sunday morning. Dr. J. Estill Jones was pastor during those years and was guest speaker for the centennial service. Jane accompanied his son,

Jack Jones of Dalton, as he sang "Greater Love Hath No Man Than This." Dr. Jones, his wife Violet, and sons, Jack, and Judson Jones of Roswell, were hosts at a luncheon at Cohutta Lodge atop Fort Mountain following the service. Joining the Joneses and Newsomes were Celia Kinney, oldest member of the Chatsworth church; and Barbara Ann Wilbanks of Chatsworth.

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Two more "celebrities" have accepted invitations for the Look- Alikes Celebrity Walk as part of

Washington Follies sponsored by the Washington Little Theater Co. and coming up in September. Reese Witherspoon and Barbara Streisand plan to participate. Can you guess who they might be?

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The bands of W.R. Callaway and Spencer Taylor created a lot of interest in recent weeks. Now comes another Washington-Wilkes Band of the 1940s. Frank Beckum called from his home on St. Simons Island where he is recuperating from major surgery to say that "The Starlighters" were popular in 1948 and 1949. A group of high school students got together to form the band and entered the Sankens (ice cream) Youth Review which appeared on stage and on radio in Augusta. The band won first place the first time they entered. Members of the band were Dilmus Blackmon and Buzzy Randall, trombone; Jim Koger and Billy Willis, clarinet, (except Billy got sick and so Ann Arnold (Crittenden) played); Frank Thomas Jr., saxophone; Don Taylor, trumpet; Jo Rider (Randall), piano; Joan Hines (Jerdon), soloist; and Mickey Standard. The winning selections were "Bye, Bye Blues" and "So Tired."

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If you're tired of reading about history and the past, call me and tell me what you or your neighbors are doing today. Have you taken an interesting trip? Has your child or grandchild done something exceptional? Call me -- 706-678-2636.

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