Hello, once again, friends.. Pay no attention to that guy in the picture above, as I am waay prettier than that goober....

I had the good pleasure of speaking by phone to our altruistic friend and magnanimous contributor Toni Ray from California (San Carlos). You will no doubt recall that Toni is the swet lady who sent a passel (gaggle??..Boatload??.. Right smart heap??.... Oh well, never mind the colloquial nomenclature) of pictures and documents pertaining to Oliver Springs dating to well before the turn of the 20th century. Turns out that she is quite eloquent and urbane, and I enjoyed the long conversation immensely. Toni is in the process of finding time to sort through more documents and personal memorabilia left by her grandmother Edith Ross.

I reported awhile back that the Fudge Factory had burned down. I guess to be technically correct I should amend that to say that although the brick structure was not totally consumed, the building and contents were a total loss. Known to some of us old-timers as White's Auto, Oliver Springs Hardware, and probably a plethora of other firms that hung their business shingles in front of the venerable storefront, the owners, Ed and Pam Stockton, were entangled in negotiations with insurors over the building and contents for a year or more. With that finally having been resolved, the forlorn shell of the old storefront is coming down. I had meant to take a picture and post it here, but it is actually kinda sad to see it coming down, although it needed to be done. Like many towns across America, Oliver Springs has at times sustained grievous wounds from flame. Add another casualty to the sad roll.....

On a brighter note, downtown continues to experience the tenuous stirrings of revitalization. Ed and Pam continue to manufacture the world's best fudge and confections downtown, and are renovating almost the whole block where the old Emery 5&10, Reaves Cafe, et al, once did business. #3 son Cody Stockton gave me a tour of the complex the other day, and from what I could see, it looked like Ed and Pam are once again ahead of the curve.......

Our prayers and good thoughts go out to Sue St. John, our librarian and a member of the Historical Society. Sue struggles with serious health issues at this writing. Godspeed to you, Sue, and blessings on your doctors and caregivers.....

Depot lights.... not the Christmas lights, but the glorious orbs on the foundry-cast ornamental posts.... ain't they grand??

Calendars...This calendar has been both a pleasure and a challenge to author and publish. I am gratified that the Historical Society calendars have been so well received in the previous three years I have done them.

Chock full of new (to us) pictures and informative articles, the calendar is one of the best ways to connect with our proud past. Plus, it is one of, if not the biggest fundraisers for our group. Cars run on gas, cows run on grass, and the Historical Society runs on dues, donations, good will, and calendar sales.

This is a good time to mention that we at the Oliver Springs Historical Society just LOOOOVVVE to hear from our friends scattered on the four winds. Drop me an email and let me know how you are and how you came to this site. Whether a love of Oliver Springs or just fondness for all things historical, I'd love to hear about it. Robbieu41@comcast.net is the straight shot to my desk and my attention.

More to come……

Robbie Underwood

Oh, by the way... if you're not currently a member of The Oliver Springs Historical Society, you're missing the chance to be a part of one of the most dynamic groups of its kind anywhere. Click on the Historic hotel for info on joining...

Coming to Oliver Springs? Be sure and stop by the Historic Depot. Inside you will find a splendid array of pictures, artifacts, displays, etc., from our proud past. Bringing a group? Let us know and we might be able to arrange for someone to guide you in your sightseeing.

contact robbieu41@comcast.net

More to come....

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