I still think of the Federated Co-op building as the Arvid Beyer Ford dealership. Arvid's place next to the now-departed Morris Auto Plaza made car sales a really big deal along that stretch of highway. I used to take photos at both places every week for the Canary. Car dealers don't need the services of a newspaper photographer any more. Or, they shouldn't. The ease and economy of picture-taking has eliminated the need for specialists.
Morris Auto Plaza became Diamond Buick in Alexandria. "MAP" is fading in our memory like Coborn's Grocery Store. (But we'll never forget the late Tony O'Keefe of MAP.)
Coborn's was an interesting place because they sold gas and were open 24 hours. Back when Floyd Schmidgall had the restaurant now known as Detoy's, it went through a long period of being open 24 hours. Some interesting clientele could be found there late at night. The restaurant could accommodate the "bar rush" which I now believe is a dead institution.
Small town people give directions as if the listener ought to have no trouble following them. I think we all know how genuinely befuddled we can be, when trying to make our way in unfamiliar environs.
Joggers find they have a special responsibility of sometimes talking to people in cars with rolled-down windows. I had two interesting episodes of this. One time a middle-age guy and his elderly mother were on the outskirts of town, asking about the medical clinic. The guy said it was a non-emergency. Still, I felt it was essential to help them. I found it impossible to give easy-to-follow instructions from where we were, so I offered to hop in their vehicle and guide them. This is what we did.
On another occasion, some people entering town at the vicinity of the armory were on their way to a wedding at the WCROC Hort. Garden. I found it impossible to clearly give instructions from that place. So again I got in their vehicle and guided them out there. I imagine people there thought it strange when I immediately got out of the vehicle and resumed running.
It is difficult to give directions to the nursing home in Morris. That place gets out-of-town visitors of course.
It's interesting how graffiti or "urban art" can be a reference point for understanding where something is. I remember in the early years of the Prairie Pioneer Days 10K run, someone prepared a map that had "women and wine in '79." The phrase was painted in a pretty noticeable way on a building. I assume it was graffiti and not something approved by the owner.
Speaking of urban art, I used to suggest to George Haugen of Don's Cafe that some urban mural art be put on the side of the building. Some guys are spray paint masters with this. I have heard it suggested that the old "Freshen Up with 7-Up" sign be restored on the back of a main street building. Such things easily become landmarks.
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We're inclined to think of the franchises as bland and predictable. However, there's some "old oaken bucket" thinking that goes on here. Purely local businesses could be hit-and-miss and maybe a little scary for people "passing through." Franchises are a known product with standards.
It's so easy to romanticize Route 66. It has been the subject for songs and a regular TV series. But we prefer the Interstate Highway system of today. The Interstate system is a perfect example of how the big Federal government can really do positive things. And did you know, "Ike" Eisenhower sold this by referring to "national defense" in the legislative title? I guess the smooth travel throughout the U.S. was seen as a defense objective, loosely of course. Calling something "national defense" helps get the support of the sometimes-stubborn conservative politicians.
I have lived in Morris since 1960. Any time I'm in conversation with another long-time resident, we can get going about where certain things "used to be." We can go on and on until we start laughing about it. People like us can assume that everyone else is familiar with these things, so when describing the location of something, we might say "it's out where (such-and-such) used to be."
Del Sarlette and I were talking once about the touring big band of Maynard Ferguson, and we felt sorry for the bus driver who was having to find the high school in town after town. I remember being on the outskirts of the St. Cloud State campus when the bus for the rock group "Kansas" pulled up beside me and the guy needed directions to the venue.
An old joke is about how men are much less likely to ask directions than women. Myth or fact?
A friend has just sent me an email heads-up about the "smiley face" water tower in Freeport. It can never be allowed to be phased out, right? Even though it came about by "vandalism?" Only in America, I guess.
Do you remember here in Morris, the well-known "Spirit of '76" city street sweeper, which eventually and regrettably had to be retired?
Here's the word I got on the Freeport "smiley face":
I presume you saw the reports about Freeport and their dilemma of what to do with the smiley face water tower. Seems it’s rusting out and becoming a hazard (they haven’t actually used it for water for years). The city can’t afford to restore it, but people don’t want to lose the landmark. I read where the smiley face was actually a result of vandalism, but the city decided to leave it alone. I haven’t eaten at Charlie’s Café in decades – I assume it’s still there. I remember Charlie himself greeting people at the door – he and his bad toupee. I assume he’s dead and gone by now.
It's amusing how small town people will give directions and conclude with "you can't miss it." Del's late father Walt laughed about how he was once given directions that included "you'll see a big rock." Walt was amused about another small town trait, that of two motorists going opposite directions on main street and they'll stop to talk to each other. "And if you honk at them, they get mad," Walt said. You might want to refer to the book "How to Speak Minnesotan" by Howard Mohr.
- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com
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