Paw Paw River Journal

More Big Bands

 Just recently I wrote a column on Crystal Palace and other places… but I never really got around to the other places.  So here goes with a few.  Back in the day our weekends were made just for fun.  Most of us went to school and worked all week… but when Friday night came it was play time.

I have written in the past about Steve’s Roller Rink and the Friday skating parties that high school classes would sponsor.  Of course that was when there was not a Friday night game.  Often the Student Council would sponsor a dance after a home basketball game.  It was then Marion and I got together before she was old enough to go on car dates.  She would arrange for her folks to pick her up after the dance, and we had time together.  If there were no game or dance on a Friday night, after she was older we might go to one of the local movie houses.  Almost always a double-feature playing and we could sit in back where we could hold hands and our heads could be together without someone in back complaining.

How different that was from our sophisticated entertainment centers now… either at home or in our vehicles!  If we had a radio in our car, it was an AM band only, because FM had not yet come into being.  And there was usually one speaker, on the instrument panel right inside the windshield.  But that music rivaled listening to the best systems we have now.  And we did not play it as loud as kids do now.  I have actually seen vehicles that were trembling with the sound coming out of them!  I am sure that audiologists are preparing for the many people who will have damaged hearing in the future.

And in the days before we were married, we danced – taking for granted the best music in America, provided by the greatest bands this country had ever produced.  They all came to this part of Michigan… Crystal Palace on Paw Paw Lake, Shadowland Ballroom at Silver Beach and a couple of places out at Sister Lakes.  One was Ramona.  This was a roller rink during the week, but on weekends it became a dance hall, drawing name bands.

I can remember one of our friends, a pretty big guy, was a bouncer at Ramona.  When Marion and I went out there, he liked to have us get a table near his area, so he could sit with us while he was keeping an eye out for troublesome people.  And he did not have a lot of problems, because most people were there just to have a good time and dance with the girl of their dreams.

Also in the Sister Lakes area someone had opened a race track for midget cars.  We would go there once in a while on Saturday night to watch those little cars zoom around.  The place was called Rendezvous Bowl, and not time, nor can distance dim the golden glow of a long ago Saturday night when Marion and I were not yet married.  We went to the Midget Races out there.  After the checkered flags and smell of hot exhausts, our whole grandstand moved out into the center of the track.  There on an open air dance floor we were cheek to cheek, our arms about each other … slow dancing to the music of Billy Butterfield and his band.

Overhead a black velvet canopy with stars and in my arms the most beautiful girl in the world, and the music…  that great trumpeter and his band playing.  To this day when I think of the marvel of those times, it hits me right in the pit of my stomach!

Sunday nights were for going to Shadowland Ballroom down at Silver Beach.  To get to it, dancers walked down the midway, past the roller-coaster, Fun House, merry-go-round, Palm Reader’s booth, restaurants, ice cream booths, etc.  Right at the end on the left was Shadowland.  This was before Silver Beach closed.

People entered under a large canopy along a walk with benches on each side.  In the hall on the left was a snack bar, and men’s room.  To the right, another snack bar-beer garden combination.  The dance floor was huge and polished until it glittered.  The floor was encircled by brass plated stanchions, through which red velvet ropes were stretched.  The north side, opposite, was terraced with low walls, tables and booths.  At the left end, next to the band stand, the ladies’ room.  A lot of local bands played there, and one of the popular groups was Del Pino’s Band.

By the last dance, which was ‘Goodnight, Ladies,’ couples were getting ready to walk back through the midway.  By this time the attractions were closed.  People streamed along, shouting goodnight… making future dates, and saying, “See you next Sunday!”

At the end of the midway, next to Shadowland there was usually parked a motor boat.  A Chris Craft, I think, and for a nominal sum the driver would take you out and around in Lake Michigan.  One night Marion and I decided to try it.  When we got out on the lake there were huge swells and spray breaking over the bow.  We sat behind the driver, arms around each other in the black dark of night… we were young, in love, and if something had happened to us then and there… well, we were together!

I am sure we all have those memories, burnished to a golden glow, and stored away to be taken out and replayed on the giant screen of our minds, with almost an ache of joy!  We did not know it then, but we were making history… all part of the beautiful tapestry of life in these story book towns along the Paw Paw River!

Watervliet District Library News

 The library will be closed Saturday, December 31 for New Year’s Eve.

Buy a brick from the Watervliet District Library as a legacy gift to honor the cherished people in your life. Help create a new Garden Park for the community.

Teens Table during December 2016 is “make it and take it” or “take it and make it” friendship bracelets; all supplies and instructions included in one neat little package, Happy Holidays & help yourself!

Yoga is at 9:00 a.m. every Monday morning, and Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m.

Words of Wisdom Book Club will meet on the third Monday of every month, beginning January 16, 2017. Read something great – or something awful! – and cannot wait to talk about it:  Here is your chance!  At the first meeting bring something you are dying to share.  Together the club will come up with February’s riveting title.  Registration is required; sign up by giving the library a call at 269-463-6382 or stopping by.

In Stitches, knitting group, meets on the second Friday of every month from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.  Who wants to sit and knit all by themselves?  Bring your latest project to the library’s community room for an always entertaining “group knit-together”.  Limited supplies are available for beginners, too!

Adult coloring class is held on the last Monday of every month from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Photo of the Watervliet Paper Mill during demolition.

 North Berrien Historical Museum is always interested in your photos, stories and sharing of information.  Contact us at 269-468-3330 or northberrienhistory.org.

From the photo collection at the North Berrien Historical Museum 300 Coloma Ave., Coloma, MI

COLOMA

100 years ago – 1916

Mr. and Mrs. Alfred Umphrey are the parents of a son, Allen. Mr. and Mrs. Allen C. Stark welcome a new daughter, Aillene May.

August Frick has been named deputy by Sheriff-elect Harry H. Hogue.

Following the custom of merchants in other towns, Coloma merchants will close on Sunday mornings and at 7 o’clock evenings except Wednesday and Saturday.

We thank each and every one of our customers for their liberal patronage, Scott’s Pharmacy.

60 years ago – 1956

Police Chief Ted Harding announced that six police training conferences will be held at the high school.

Coloma’s new grade school will open when children report back to school next week.

Happy New Year from: Coloma Fruit Exchange, Umphrey’s Cities Service, Watts Service Station, The State Bank of Coloma, and Central Garage.

The commission meeting discussed the use of Church Street as an access route to the city from the proposed relocation of US-12.

30 years ago – 1986

What New Year’s Resolution have you made? Ethel Berwer of E&N Sales wants to bring a little cheer to someone else.

We remember those that have passed: Howard Freed, Ernest Bishop, James Giambalvo and Tony DiMaggio.

Happy New Year from The State Bank of Coloma, Coloma Fabricare, The Movie Zoo, and Season’s Greetings from Harding’s.

Paw Paw Lake Rotary Club will install an ice-skating rink at Randall Park. Helping are Paul Friday, Stewart Frank and Lucky Glasgow. The firemen will flood the area.

Army National Guard Pfc. Jeffrey N. Holsten has completed basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.

1986 Paw Paw Lake Soccer League Champion in Division I was coached by Keith Osborne. Some team members are Meghan Cullitan, Julie Osborne, Mike Moser, Casey and Jesse Gregg and Jeff Reed.

HARTFORD

100 years ago – 1916

Southwestern Michigan has been treated to an unusual variety of weather during the past week. The fact is not news to Hartford people, but to those at a distance and especially local folk who are spending the winter in the sunny south a statement of the weather is of interest. Last week’s blizzard and intense cold yielded to moderating influences just in time to provide the ideal Christmas Day, and yesterday the opposite extreme was reached. Rain developed which coated all out of door objects with ice, and transformed sidewalks into a glare of ice upon which walking was precarious. Many pedestrians sought safety in the middle of the streets, while among those who clung to the walks not a few suffered falls on the ice.

75 years ago – 1941

Hartford men, old and young turned out in full force to register for civilian defense work. The number of volunteers here exceeded that of any other Van Buren community; 249 men filled out the registration blanks which place them on call for fire and police duty. The men’s ages varied from 18 to 92.

The Hartford Garden club announced that the E. Jackson home on Haywood Street was awarded first prize for the most attractively decorated home. The Jackson Christmas display was a cross illuminated with blue lights that could be seen for a considerable distance. Mrs. Agnes Weir, chairman of the Garden club committee in charge of the contest, commented, “It is regrettable that more Hartford people did not enter their homes in the contest.”

50 years ago – 1966

An adult bookkeeping class will be taught by Norb Nelson at Hartford high school. The class will meet one night a week for 10 weeks. Fee will be $10 if 10 students enroll, $15 if eight enroll or $20 if six enroll.

Southwest Hartford Thursday club will hold a family night potluck supper at 6:30 p.m., Thursday Dec. 29, at the bank community room. Mr. and Mrs. Paul Day and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Dowd will show pictures of an Alaskan trip.

John R. Pomeroy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Pomeroy, Jr., has been awarded a four-year Board of Trustees Scholarship to Western Michigan University.

WATERVLIET

90 years ago – 1926

Knapp & Woodworth of Watervliet lead in the North Berrien cow test with four purebred Guernsey, averaging 43.7 pounds butterfat.

Mr. Ott and family have moved into Dr. F.W. Brown’s house on Elm Street. He is with the Berrien County maintenance force of the State Highway department.

60 years ago – 1956

Tom Dunham, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Dunham of this city had the unique experience of participating in the Mid-Winter sports Carnival in New Orleans, LA during the Christmas holidays as a member of the Chicago Amateur Boxing team. Tom fought in the Bantam weight division (118 lbs.), and was one of two of his group to receive beautiful trophies for a “good fight.”

Paul Pflugradt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Pflugradt, Watervliet, left for Camp Pendleton, CA, after spending a two-week furlough at home.

30 years ago – 1986

Despite objections from the Watervliet City Commission an adult foster care facility had been approved. The City has contested the construction of the facility after residents near the proposed site complained that property values might drop and that the home violated City Zoning ordinances.

Navy Fireman Recruit Richard M. Hurst, a 1985 graduate of WHS, recently returned from a five-month Western Pacific Deployment while stations aboard the battleship USS New Jersey. During the deployment the battleship steamed over 35,000 miles and participated in several major exercises. Port visits were made to Hawaii, the Philippines, Hong Kong, South Korea, Thailand, Japan and Seattle, Washington.

The 126-pound WHS senior, Troy McKinney, captured first place at the Eau Claire Wrestling invitational. This is McKinney’s third year in a row for finishing first in his weight class.

Watervliet District Library News

 The library will be closed Saturday, December 31 for New Year’s Eve.

Buy a brick from the Watervliet District Library as a legacy gift to honor the cherished people in your life. Help create a new Garden Park for the community.

Teens Table during December 2016 is “make it and take it” or “take it and make it” friendship bracelets; all supplies and instructions included in one neat little package, Happy Holidays & help yourself!

Yoga is at 9:00 a.m. every Monday morning, and Wednesday evening at 7:00 p.m.

Words of Wisdom Book Club will meet on the third Monday of every month, beginning January 16, 2017. Read something great – or something awful! – and cannot wait to talk about it:  Here is your chance!  At the first meeting bring something you are dying to share.  Together the club will come up with February’s riveting title.  Registration is required; sign up by giving the library a call at 269-463-6382 or stopping by.

In Stitches, knitting group, meets on the second Friday of every month from 2:30 – 4:00 p.m.  Who wants to sit and knit all by themselves?  Bring your latest project to the library’s community room for an always entertaining “group knit-together”.  Limited supplies are available for beginners, too!

Adult coloring class is held on the last Monday of every month from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.