Lees Creek - Stories
LEES CREEK as we lived it . . . (Philip Myers - September 2017)
This little village became our “home base” for decades with the Myers family: William (Pop), Bertha (Mom), and David, myself, John and Margaret.
Our lives began in and around this village before WWII. Most of the events we siblings can remember began post WWII. This little village would have a profound effect on our later lives.
As in many small villages throughout the rural areas, Lees Creek provided self-sufficiency for many families. Anchoring the village was Wayne Township School, the first fully consolidated school in Ohio. Businesses included McFadden Lumber, Collingham Beauty Shop, Bentley’s Barber Shop & Service Station & School Bus Service, Streevey Blacksmith Shop. Township Trustee Hall, Farm Bureau Elevator, Morris Auto Repair, Mike Blair TV Repair, the Post Office, the United Church of Christ, Perry Welding shop across from the church, the vacant building of a dry goods store, and the everyday meeting place for most area residents, a general store known as Leslie Brothers (Tom and Bill), with the I.O.O.F (Odd Fellows) hall and Boy Scout meeting place on the second story. Time frame: 1945.
As shown in the photo below, the Leslie Brothers emporium was complete with a wood stove in the rear along with two long “loafers’ benches (I think they were old church pews). Tall tales were always the order of the day. There were always the regulars who had their “reserved” seat. Lunch could be purchased and eaten while occupying a space on the benches. Baloney sandwiches or crackers and cheese were popular. Sodas could be lifted-up out of coolers that were filled with ice water. You raised the lid, dropped in your dime, then slid the bottle to the end where you lifted the bottle out. My personal favorite was orange crush with a bag of Planters peanuts carefully poured into the bottle.
LEES CREEK as we lived it . . . (Philip Myers - September 2017)
This little village became our “home base” for decades with the Myers family: William (Pop), Bertha (Mom), and David, myself, John and Margaret.
Our lives began in and around this village before WWII. Most of the events we siblings can remember began post WWII. This little village would have a profound effect on our later lives.
As in many small villages throughout the rural areas, Lees Creek provided self-sufficiency for many families. Anchoring the village was Wayne Township School, the first fully consolidated school in Ohio. Businesses included McFadden Lumber, Collingham Beauty Shop, Bentley’s Barber Shop & Service Station & School Bus Service, Streevey Blacksmith Shop. Township Trustee Hall, Farm Bureau Elevator, Morris Auto Repair, Mike Blair TV Repair, the Post Office, the United Church of Christ, Perry Welding shop across from the church, the vacant building of a dry goods store, and the everyday meeting place for most area residents, a general store known as Leslie Brothers (Tom and Bill), with the I.O.O.F (Odd Fellows) hall and Boy Scout meeting place on the second story. Time frame: 1945.
As shown in the photo below, the Leslie Brothers emporium was complete with a wood stove in the rear along with two long “loafers’ benches (I think they were old church pews). Tall tales were always the order of the day. There were always the regulars who had their “reserved” seat. Lunch could be purchased and eaten while occupying a space on the benches. Baloney sandwiches or crackers and cheese were popular. Sodas could be lifted-up out of coolers that were filled with ice water. You raised the lid, dropped in your dime, then slid the bottle to the end where you lifted the bottle out. My personal favorite was orange crush with a bag of Planters peanuts carefully poured into the bottle.
In the front outside, one could pull up to the gas pump for some 25 cent-a-gallon fuel. Another loafers bench was positioned near the pump. There were many names carved into the wooden structure. Oddly, someone had carved a Nazi swastika in a remote area of the bench.
However, the greatest treat provided by Tom or Bill was the hand-dipped milkshake for 50 cents. These were big milkshakes with real ice cream and real milk. In later years, we would ask for vanilla ice cream in the large cup, then pour Dad’s Old Fashion root beer over the ice cream similar to below.
However, the greatest treat provided by Tom or Bill was the hand-dipped milkshake for 50 cents. These were big milkshakes with real ice cream and real milk. In later years, we would ask for vanilla ice cream in the large cup, then pour Dad’s Old Fashion root beer over the ice cream similar to below.
As we boys grew older we were allowed to think out of the box, provided we didn’t kill ourselves or someone else. We found the correct chemical recipe for black powder. We had to experiment. We began purchasing the small boxes of sulfur and saltpeter that Leslie Brothers inventoried for food and meat preservation. On one particular day, Tom approached us saying, “I know what you guys are up to.” (He must have been a munitions expert during the war.)
I was to learn a basic lesson about making black powder. We would char wood to make charcoal. We then used a mortar and pestle to grind the saltpeter into a fine powder. The same had to be repeated for the sulfur, then for the charcoal. These three powders were measured and blended together for the purpose of concocting our own fireworks. My error in thinking was to save time by grinding the ingredients together. That error in the thought process taught me that was very dumb. The friction of grinding together set off the black powder. No serious injury occurred, but a slightly blackened face and hand was the result similar to below.
I was to learn a basic lesson about making black powder. We would char wood to make charcoal. We then used a mortar and pestle to grind the saltpeter into a fine powder. The same had to be repeated for the sulfur, then for the charcoal. These three powders were measured and blended together for the purpose of concocting our own fireworks. My error in thinking was to save time by grinding the ingredients together. That error in the thought process taught me that was very dumb. The friction of grinding together set off the black powder. No serious injury occurred, but a slightly blackened face and hand was the result similar to below.
In later years after marriage in 1958, we would make stops at the store to visit with Tom and Bill. There was a small cooler in the rear where beef was hung. Tom would tell us about aging the beef for two weeks, testing it by raking his thumbnail across the meat, collecting the aged fibers. We purchased our aged steaks there whenever available. Aging is almost a process lost to fast paced sales. Nothing compares to aged beef.
Now, as I near my eighth decade of life, I value all those years in the little village of Lees Creek. Self-sufficiency and helping others was a requirement of community living in the rural areas of this country. Lees Creek had a tremendous effect of who I was to become. Today, all those businesses and organizations are gone. Gone too, are the people who guided our lives during the growth years. The school and the church continue to anchor that sleepy little farm/bedroom community.
Now, as I near my eighth decade of life, I value all those years in the little village of Lees Creek. Self-sufficiency and helping others was a requirement of community living in the rural areas of this country. Lees Creek had a tremendous effect of who I was to become. Today, all those businesses and organizations are gone. Gone too, are the people who guided our lives during the growth years. The school and the church continue to anchor that sleepy little farm/bedroom community.