I love the folksy way Chet Lampson, former editor of the Jefferson Gazette, wrote about Jefferson. He loved this village and knew it better than most. He had an ongoing editorial for years called “The Changing Scene” in which he not only wrote of memories of the area but included photos sent in by area folks and then wrote about the history of the picture.
I recently came across an editorial he wrote in 1951 with the title, “The One Sure Thing in Life is Change.” He posed a series of questions about former business in Jefferson to see if anyone could remember them or where they were located. It has been 74 years since Chet wrote his editorial, so the chances are slim that today anyone would remember them, but let me test your memory just a bit.
Chet asked if anyone remember Jepson’s Tannery, Van Duzer’s pump factory, the greenhouses of Grant, Chaffee or Wolcott. How about the creamery of Edward E. Rieck Company? Do you know where Seth Coon’s carpenter shop was or ever see a Jamestown & Franklin locomotive on a turntable in Jefferson? Did you know there was a water tank at the Depot?
Would you believe there were once several hotels in Jefferson? The Peck House, Willett’s, The American House, two locations of Mrs. Brown’s boarding house and Mrs. Grover’s boarding house.
For entertainment you could go to the Hippodrome on the west side of North Chestnut Street, dance at Crowell & Hills’ Hall or skate at Hart’s skating rink.
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