The following is a “tale” from the memoirs of Earl Trousdale titled “Tall Tales” from the Old Timer. Earl spent most of his life in Carlin, served as Mayor, and passed on at the ripe age of 99. All spelling and grammatical anomalies are the product of the author and he requested they not be changed.
By Earl Trousdale
In going through my files (such as they are) I ran onto a 1940 Carlin Phone Directory! What a jolt to my memory. That phone book is comprised of one page. The entire directory on a 6″ by 9″ page is hard to believe.
The reading of those names brought memories of times 50 and 60 years ago. A time when the streets were gravel, there was a bonified business district on Main Street. The highway, Highway 40, ran where Bush Street is now. I take it back, it was the Victory Highway then. There was a Standard Station and Motel opposite the school, just west of where the post office is now. The PFE and WP still put up natural ice every winter. The more I think about it those times the farther back in time my mind tends to go.
I remember some of the people, Constable “Dolf” Berning, who was always doing something for the kids like decorating the huge Christmas Tree in the school auditorium. Jim Griffin and his brothers going to the ranch early each morning and (isn’t it funny the little things you remember) I remember how furious the Griffins were when a train blocked the road home. I remember Judge Bielas sunning himself on the south side of the old Beanery at they Stop Sign on Main Street. Old George Arthur coming to town with his two dogs, one on the left running board and one on the right. People who had dogs hated to see him coming because Arthur’s dogs were always spoiling for a fight. I remember my Grandfather, Bill Linebarger, teaching me to milk cows, him on one side and me on the other. Carman Roberts, boy could she ever play the piano at those silent movies and she was mean too.
I remember the old European Store and all the good old Italian smells coming from the cheeses, salamis, and sausages hanging from the ceiling.
I remember swimming in the river in the summer–the baseball games and celebrations. I remember the ice skating in the winter and the dances–it was all fun.
In my opinion, there might have been a depression and there was no television. People made the most of that which they had and although some people had it rough it was still better than the present day “Prosperity.