historical anecdotes!

Premise and Goal:

Anecdotes are based on stories told by people who lived through an activity, event, disaster, or other such. Because the information is based on memories and not published facts, it is necessary to separate it from existing historical references, even though some of those may be anecdotal in inception.

If the reader has a favorite tale about the Town of Loxley and would like to relay that story, please email it to Joey Knight, Director of the Loxley Civic Center. His email is loxcivic@townofloxley.org.

Playing in Loxley (1967) by Joey Knight

I was thirteen at the time and was basically the leader of the neighborhood kids I ran with. Of course, we sometimes got mad at each other and the leadership would change often. There was Danny Pullium, one of my cousins, Mike Prestwood, Tommy Watson and my brother Jay. We often played around the neighborhood and became very creative with how we did it. I can remember making tanks out of card board boxes from my grandmother's grocery store, Steele's Food Market. We would stop by after school and get the largest boxes, take them home, modify them and then put them together with whatever tape would work. I don't think we had duck tape back then, but something held those boxes together. We would imagine ourselves in the army, fighting Russians in Germany, a very real thought back then.

Another past time was to take those plastic army soldiers or plastic cowboys and build forts and have imaginary battles. Many bombs exploded as rocks were thrown to try to decimate our enemies. Those forts became elaborate and soon we were looking for more.

Across the way, toward Danny's house was an empty set of lots covered by woods. There was the foundation to an old sawmill, the remains of the once great industry of the Loxley area. There must have been an acre and a half of land. We decided to build a real sized fort and club house. Taking shovels out into the woods, we dug four to five foot deep holes that were at least ten by six feet in width and depth. After doing that, we got some old plywood we found lying around and covered the holes, made entrances to get in, then covered the plywood with dirt and straw to protect it. We then supplied the "cave" we made with candles and flashlights.

Many hours and even days were enjoyed in that cave. We couldn't get in there when it rained so we would play in the clear puddles made on the uneven lawn, slipping and sliding laughing and having a great time. Its a wonder we didn't stay sick.

We didn't have great television, computers, console games, cell phones, or other cool technologies. We had to use our imaginations to create activities for ourselves. The best thing on television back then was the afternoon science fiction movie that would play on WKRG, but we left that alone unless it was raining. We worked to have fun and what stuff we came up with. My oldest daughter came the closest to this when she use to make imaginary stores in her room and invite her sisters to go shopping with her or when she would draw pictures and make an imaginary museum.

Whatever happened to that cave, you ask. I don't know for sure, but I was told when Mr. Patterson bought the land, a bulldozer went in to clear the land. At one point, it was said that the bulldozer disappeared for a few seconds when it nose-dived into our cave. I didn't see it. I wasn't in town; I was in college at the time. But that was what I was told happened.

Sections:

The following are links to specific sections of the History of Loxley. Menu selections will be added as needed.

Main Page of Town of Loxley

Main History Page

Existing Historical References

Photographs

Anecdotes

Notes