It's time for Matchbook Monday. Some true gems of Jackson's past are
posted below. Feel free to add your stories or any information about
them in the comments section as you enjoy these blasts from the past. Readers
can email copies of any old matchbooks to
kingfish1935@gmail.com.
Leading the way is that ole South Jackson favorite, the Coachlight Inn. Many a fight was fought and more than a few romances bloomed and died in the same wee hours of the night at this fine establishment.
The Chamber of Commerce got in on the matchbook action as well.
The Walthall Hotel is faded but not forgotten in this matchbook.
What would a trip down memory lane be without a trip to the Governor's mansion?
15 comments:
I remember the piano bar at The Walthall Hotel. Nice warm place. God I'm getting old.
Have you checked to see if the matches works?
Did they have better luck luring conventions to Jackson back then? Now we have a huge complex on Pascagoula St. and not one convention of note has booked there.
What does "The South's Most Complete Convention City" mean?
Where's the guy from a week or so ago who was bemoaning the "Roachlight" as he called it? 11:33, you're asking for the logic of a COC add, let alone one from nearly 50 years ago? 11:28, I'm getting old too because I miss many things about the old Wathall. You know, Cotton tended bar there the last few years of its existence? Until lately, I saw him at the Lake Harbour Primos nearly every time I went there for lunch and had many a nice visit with him. Wish I knew how to get in touch with him. Ah, and the Governor's Mansion in Cliff Finch's day before they built the wall. Cliff Finch. Nuff said.
I miss Cotten. I have appreciated his gentlemanly bar-keeping presence and skills many times at many places over the years. Hey, Cotten - calling you out to say you are a Jackson gem for us old timers!
Thanks, KF, for the memories.
@ Louis LeFleur
everyone knows the nickname for the Coachlight Inn was the Roachlight Inn.
The Wathall had a great barber shop also. The people that worked there were priceless, and the dialogue/banter would have made an incredible TV show!
Tommy Keister was the barber at the Walthall for many years. A great guy.
IF historic dive bars of Jackson were ever on a Monopoly Board, the old "Roachlight" would be Park Place and "The Hill" would be the Boardwalk. I think a book of matches from "The Hill" would be the Holy Grail of anybodys matchbook collection....just sayin'.
These are not nearly as cute as the one with the culinarily-challenged wife in a cage...
The Walthall was my home away from home for years, and I had many a memorable night with Cotton solving the problems of the world. He's still around, I think. I see him every now and then at Primo's on Lakeland, still as dapper as ever.
Bill @ 7:39, as said earlier, I used to see Cotton EVERY time I went to the Ridgeland Primos, which is frequently, but I haven't seen him in months now and am concerned given his age. He'd be in his upper 80's at this point. Lost his wife, Jean (of Jean's Dance Studio), 10 years ago. To my knowledge, his only close relative is a granddaughter that he and Jean raised (long story). I'm wondering if maybe he went to live with her in Texas (if I remember correctly). Anyone know of Cotton (Rudolf Carl) Baronich's recent where abouts?
Is he the same Cotton who was at George Street in the mid 80s? My mom would take me there for supper sometimes when I was a teenager, and he was always so nice.
Yep, same guy, 12:16. Do a web search on his name. There are several articles about, or at least mentions of, him.
Cotton lives!
The good news: I saw Cotton Barronich at the Ridgeland Primos during lunch today for the first time in months. The bad news: He was in a wheelchair and looked frail. He had someone who was obviously not a paid sitter tending to him. Didn't seem like the time to try striking up a conversation, so I won't even begin speculating on what happened, but I look foward to maybe having that opportunity soon.
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