Remembering Toomsboro

The following (in quotes) is taken from a recent E-mail message I received from Jim Boone, formerly of Toomsboro. Jim is the son of the late James and Lois Lord Boone. His father owned the hardware store at the location that later became the Swampland Opry, and his mother taught second grade at The Toomsboro School. Jim has a son who is a reporter for The Atlanta Journal and Constitution.

"I have many pleasant memories of growing up in Toomsboro. Working along side my father in his hardware store gave me the opportunity to get to know all the local characters and their stories. Of course, my father was a great story teller. All of his stories had some degree of truth and he embellished them to the full extent. I remember them all.

When I think back on Toomsboro, I remember the drug store ( Dr. & Mrs. Ware); tent shows that would come to town; Murray Hall’s store; Estelle’s Hotel; Stephensville swimming hole; Jerden Collin’s laugh; Ray Orr at the depot; Barber Brown’s famous “bowl cuts”; the “Gunsmoke” policeman; Mr. Hub Stephens, basketball games on red clay courts; Miss Willie Mae Hall and limited bathroom breaks; the list goes on and on."