Almost everyone has fond recollections of the interesting spots in their hometown community where they shared a meal and good conversation with family or friends. In many instances the atmosphere and occasion were almost as important as the food itself.
Here’s a partial list of places here in Newton that have mostly evaporated in recent years, but stay fondly in our memories for various reasons. Some of the recollections may likely parallel with others in my family and circle of friends:
1. The Maytag Hotel banquet and ballroom, Maytag restaurant and coffee shop and the Wedgewood Room on the ground level. We had company Christmas parties in this big, spacious ballroom until it closed, as well as many Chamber of Commerce annual meetings and other local functions too numerous to mention. Father Thomas McCann always took our church senior graduating class to the Maytag restaurant for a special lunch. I was part of the 1952 group of about two dozen. Mary and I had our wedding rehearsal dinner in the cozy little Venetian room on the north side of the hotel. This fine modern structure, completed in 1926, was a central point of Newton activity for generations.
2. Daily Lunch, Maid-Rite and Snook Inn all in a row on First Avenue West. They were convenient sit-down spots for a quick sandwich or beverage for young and old alike. They were all great hang out locations with reasonable prices and lively atmosphere.
3. The Pizza House off the northwest corner of the square on what was known as “skid row” years back. They had great homemade pizza and other quick snacks. I believe they also had a pizza delivery service, which was unusual 50 or more years back.
4. Woolworth’s lunch counter. When Mom was downtown shopping, this provided a quick stop for a sandwich or bowl of soup — with or without kids.
5. Walgreens corner drug store, just off First Avenue. This was another hang out for high school kids in particular, where you could get a cherry Coke or ice cream sundae.
6. Bigelow’s corner sandwich shop, newspapers and cigars. It was an institution for many years. This two-story multi-purpose building of today is well over 100 years old.
7. Mason’s Cafe and Steven’s Grill, just off the northwest corner of the downtown square were across the street from each other. My dear wife Mary and I would many times walk downtown from our cozy little upstairs apartment at 621 N. Second Ave. W. on Saturday evening for a sandwich, fries and a Coke at Mason’s, and then head to the Capitol Theatre for popcorn and a movie ... all for about five bucks!
8. Washer City Cafe, catty-whompus southeast of the downtown Maytag Factory. An easy place for Maytagers to get a quick lunch. Also a popular hang-out for factory workers when the day was done.
9. Hesson’s ice cream and sandwich shop, directly southwest across the street from the old Newton Senior High School. Their “freezer-fresh” soft ice cream, thick malts and tuna fish sandwiches were popular.
10. The Cardinal Lunch, an original style diner at the intersection of First Avenue and Fourth Street ... later incorporated in the large new Stockton’s Super-Value at the same location. Their “broasted chicken,” burgers and tenderloins were quite popular.
11. The Blue Room Cafe, a lower-level restaurant off the southwest corner of the square, was known for home-cooked meals for many years. It disappeared at about the same time the new Jasper County Bank was built further south on the previous location of the Baptist Church. This time frame remains a little fuzzy.
12. The Lombardi Restaurant and Supper Club on First Avenue East and 17th Street. They specialized in good Italian and other ethnic dinners and was known for the row of tall poplar trees right behind their building.
Memories. Fond memories! These are by no means all of the older places from years past in our community. But this little history may bring back nostalgic thoughts, particularly by those with silver hair. Those were the days!