Thursday, November 16, 2023

Throwback Thursday: Capitol Street Memories

 Check out Capitol Street from literally 100 years ago. 


Digging through the newspaper 100 years ago this week provided some rather interesting finds. Keep in mind the newspaper was only 8-12 pages during the week, not much different than it is now.  There was actually a Capitol Street navy as Town Creek flooded downtown every so often. 



One old-timer remembered a Capitol Street long since gone....


Jacksonian's who could go to movies often watched the latest Hollywood fare at the Istrione Theater on Capitol Street.  This flick was showing in November 1923 at the 700-seat theatre. 


If you wanted to grab dinner with your beloved before the movie, you might have gone down the street at the Pantaze Cafe. 



Of course, this being Mississippi, you can guess what else unfortunately took place. 

 



29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Look at all them white folk.

Anonymous said...

Great picture. I remember going to capital street as a kid to see Dad at work. Was the 4th or 5th building on the right side (looking at that pic). My mom and dad also lived in different boarding houses downtown when they each came to Jackson.

Help me remember an old restaurant. Not a 100 years, just maybe 40-45. It was in what we now call Belhaven Heights. Huge white house with huge tables where the table top moved around. All the food was put on the table, and you just rotated the table top to get to what you wanted. Great place and incredible food.

Anonymous said...

His Honor, The Mayor should bring back the skating rink at Livingston Park. Would be better than the zoo has been lately. Stokes would love it too, since it would give the "Childrens" somewhere to go for entertainment.

Anonymous said...

The old boarding house on Capitol St mentioned in the clipping was in my family I've been told.

Anonymous said...

9:40 "Huge white house with huge tables where the table top moved around" Not to sound like a smartas* but was it called "The White House"? Ate there a time or two back in the 70/80s.

Squeezer said...

i'll never understand how people lived in Jackson before air conditioning

Anonymous said...

According to an older relative, Bobby & Mary Ginn operated The White House restaurant for many years, located at 848 North St., subject to check.

Anonymous said...

@10:20

If the “ice skating in Livingston Park” didn’t clue you in, the planet was a lot cooler in 1923. The July/August highs were in the 80s and it snowed every winter in Jackson. Clearly it was cold enough for them to have outdoors ice skating.

Anonymous said...

Correct @ 10:47. Believe what was left of it burned down in early 2000's, before current apartment complex was built there.

Anonymous said...

I just miss the Jackson of 35/40 years ago. Breakfast at Gridley’s, Shoney’s at Highland Village, Swensen’s ice cream and Bennigans. The cinnamon rolls and cookies at Olde Tyme Deli and Aunt Judy working the kitchen, cash register and clearing tables and still greeted every customer that walked in.

Anonymous said...

Oh, how times have changed. Capitol Street, now lined with vacant buildings and daiquiri bars.

Anonymous said...

Well I'm a dumbass. The White House. hahahahahaha Thanks yall.

Anonymous said...

10:20am
Tall ceilings with tall double-hung windows, later adding ceiling fans and especially a huge whole-house fan enabled "evaporative cooling" on perspiring human skin. I do love air conditioning, but prefer the whole house fans that were replaced with air conditioning.

Look at old photos and a few remaining 2 to 3 storey Gulf-state homes with a central giant dormer at the front of the typical hip roof: there was a nearby huge fan inside it that sucked hot air out of the house, replacing it with the cooler air entering floor vents and the lower part of tall double-hung windows.

In those times, once homes were electrified, up until 1960s to 1970s, living spaces were blessed with a continuous cooling breeze. Prior to that, gravity helped hot air expel through upper windows in homes with tall ceilings.

Anonymous said...

9:36 Yes, and not a care in the world about being shot, stabbed or robbed.

Anonymous said...

The global warming card has been played, but not well played.

Anonymous said...

Ironic that the Clarion Ledger of today is regarded as a liberal piece of trash, but there was a time under the Hederman's that the CL was a mouthpiece for racist segregationists. Glad you posted this KF.

Anonymous said...

The White House was also a rooming house in the mid 60's. Lived there while attending Draughn's Business College. The shared room wasn't much, but the food was great. And, Draughn's got me a job with Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner and Smith on the third floor of the First National Bank building. A great time to be in downtown Jackson.

Anonymous said...

10:48 It was not an ice-skating rink. It was roller skates. I remember very well, catching a trolly out there for fun filled afternoons and evenings skating with my Sweetie to the tunes of the brass band they had playing on Saturday nights.

Anonymous said...

10:48, you are full of it. Unless you are 95 years old.

The warmest average temperature in Jackson on record is 1927, followed by 1911. weather.gov

Anonymous said...

@10:48 AM Is a dedicated viewer of MSNBC and CNN, and a Greta Thunberg worshipper.

Anonymous said...

November 16, 2023 at 12:48 PM, climate change cultist are everywhere, even here, on JJ.

Anonymous said...

Look at that streetcar line! Jackson actually used to have a surprisingly extensive rail network. You could go from what is now Fondren to E Silas Brown street.

Anonymous said...

I'm nearly 70 y/o and remember shopping with my mother on Capitol Street in the late 1950s. I had to wear little white cotton gloves with my dress and MaryJane shoes because gloves and often hats were expected of "nice" women in public. A fond memory is when I saw the word "mezzanine" on a button in the elevator in the McRae's department store, and my mother explained to me what it meant. She'd take me to Primos for lunch after each shopping trip, and I felt so grown up and special. Mama is long gone but I'll always remember those trips with her.

Thanks, KF.

Virginia Ricks said...

11:23’s focus is on culinary establishments, my memories go back to Poet’s, Scrooges in HV, Marneys, Studebakers, & the Dutch Bar. And, of course, listening to WZZQ.

Anonymous said...

Yes, 6:53. And Willie Pinkston on WJDX-FM before ZZQ. Never better radio.

Anonymous said...

@6:53, I remember every car it seemed had a ZZQ 102 bumper sticker. 62 JDX and 94 TYX were my favorite stations. Remember Nancy Bell giving traffic reports from the JDX Flying J? Long before Skycopter 3 came along. I completely forgot about Studebakers. We could write a book on our memories of Jackson and all of our favorite places. Old Square Rd, Deville and HV was the place to be in NE Jackson.

Anonymous said...

Thanks Kingfish and everyone. Great memories.

Virginia Ricks said...

40 years ago, for me the official start for the Christmas season was when the Automotive Audio Christmas commercials would start running on ZZQ.

Anonymous said...

Well, we won't have to worry about hearing Jerry Lake this Christmas season. He announced yesterday on Gallo that he was selling out. 800 billion dollars worth of diamonds almost being given away...is history.

How the hell will we survive without those commercials?


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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

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