"To Tell The TRUTH"

This kid looks like he should to be the TV show
"TO TELL THE TRUTH"

Growing up in the small town of Decatur, GA.
I spent many days roaming downtown Decatur, GA. visiting all the stores, the hobby shop to buy model cars, F.W. Woolworth 5 & 10 cent store for a toy, even eat lunch at the counter and order toasted chopped ham sandwich and a coca-cola, then pop a balloon to try and get a free banana split, then play around the Court House, then go to the show at The Decatur Theatre and get a box of popcorn and a coke & candy bar.
Then watch a double feature movie.
Afterwards head home pretending I was the star of the movie I just watched and at the same time hand out movie flyers for The Decatur Theatre ( a part time job that paid me two free passes).
Then cutting through Belk-Gallant store getting my polaroid picture taken, to give to my parents so it would make them want to buy a camera, and it did, but my Dad bought one, but not from Belks, then on my walk home I would cut through Agnes Scott College to look at the girls, then arrive at my home on E. Davis St. just in time to watch Superman.

signed
Dennis Whitefield

Will the real Dennis Whitefield please stand up.



Panelists Orson Bean, Tom Poston and Kitty Carlisle and others along with bow-tied host Bud Collier in the original To Tell the Truth were perfectly cast to make this simple show work. I wonder which one would have guessed me.


Photo circa 1962

Rainy Night in Decatur

The Fairview Building Office Suites & Taqueria del Sol.

W. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA.

Masonic Temple Building later became Scott's Pharmacy

This was one of the popular downtown drugstores, Scott's Pharmacy at Sycamore and McDonough, was a inviting place for an ice cream soda on a hot afternoon downtown or after an evening movie at The Decatur Theatre.
Photo is from the collection of Mrs J. O. Bowen Jr.

circa 1940's

But before it was Scott's Pharmacy it was Decatur's Masonic Temple Building.
this postcard is cira 1914.

Sweet Melissa's

Sweet Melissa's Restaurant & Catering Co.
127 E. Court Sq.
Decatur, GA.

Cafe Alsace on E Ponce de Leon, Decatur, GA

Cafe Alsace
121 E. Ponce de Leon Ave.
Decatur, GA.

Next Stop...Decatur's calling card.

Save this card for next years April Fools Day.

Hang this over your bar Decatur CD ( I mean your cd rack)

I may be new to the Blog scene about April Fools Day, but I can play this game also.

This is what Terra Mater Salon is thinking,
with free cd's for every customer.

Decatur High kids waitin' on the bell to ring , so they can go home.

The title sounds like a song.

I been a-waitin' in school all day long
a-waitin' on the bell to ring so I can go home
Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone
"Hello, baby, let's get somethin' goin'"

Headin' down to the drugstore to get a soda pop
Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock

..........My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news
You sure look good in them baby-doll shoes

Well, it's a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes
Three, four, get out on the floor
Five, six, come get your kicks
Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six.

I can still see Ricky Nelson singing this at the end of
his parents TV show Ozzie & Harriet.
I bet Clark's Music Store sold out this Ricky Nelson 45
as soon it was released.


Photos from 1962 & 1967 indecatur's.

I do see a couple of hot cars.
Check out that Hot Rod in the top picture.

Decatur Lock & Key

Brick Store Pub was Adams Ladies Apparel Boutique in the 1960's

125 E. Court SQ.
Decatur, GA.

The Brass Chair Barber Shop

On your next trip to downtown Decatur from Avondale Estates, stop by and check out this Barber Shop, its located in the downtown area of Avondale, it's just a hop,skip & jump from downtown Decatur.
I stopped by to take some pictures of the place just as they were about to close and the owners daughter Lisa was leaving, and to my surprise she said would you like to take some pictures inside, I said you bet I do.
As you can see it's a nice looking Barber Shop, Lisa said her father Don Graves had been there 20 years, and she and her brother Donnie worked there also.
So stop by and check it out and maybe get a hair-cut.
Tell them Next Stop...Decatur sent you.

Thanks Lisa for letting me take a few pictures.

COLONIAL STORES - A Mark of Quality Foods

This Colonial store was on Clairmont Ave. just down from the back side of the old court house.
If it was there now it would be across the street from The Holiday Inn.

Photo is from 1956 Indecatur.


Colonial Store
Decatur, GA.

Decatur's City Wide Cab Co. then & now Las Brasas

Old ad from 1956 indecatur.
for Decatur Co-Op Cabs
This was also at the same location.



City Wide Cab Co. photo is circa 1982


310 E. Howard St.
Decatur, GA.

A statue of Stephen Decatur to be added atop of Decatur's historic Courthouse

Some fantastic news about the Old Courthouse.
Stephen Decatur statue to be added atop historic courthouse.

read all about it over at Indecatur

That will be great, I can't wait. I just can't
imagine that size, 150 to 200 ft. tall.

Wait just a minute, what's todays date ?

decatur cd to expand into Terra Mater Salon

Decatur cd to expand and might serve beer.
as reported by Decatur Metro

Glennwood School in Decatur, GA. circa 1930's

These are remarkable pictures of Glennwood School in Decatur, GA. in the 1930's . These are right out of my Moms scrapbook, also are her class pictures, arrow marks her.
Looking at these pictures you can see how the kids dressed for that time.
Look at that ivy growing on the school.

Glennwood is the oldest school in the City of Decatur and one of the four oldest in DeKalb County still in operation today. It opened in 1913 on property the city acquired from the heirs of Thomas Glenn. The site was on the outskirts of town, bordering an area known as "Glenn's Woods" (now Glennwood Estates). In the school's first years, older boys were given a choice of attending study hall or helping to clear brush as men felled trees on what was to become the playfield. From 1913 to 1915 the building served as Decatur's high school. In 1915 Glennwood, with an enrollment of 250 students, became Decatur's only elementary school, serving grades one through seven. The Glennwood PTA was founded that same year.

During Glennwood's first decades, students and teachers either walked or rode the trolley, which turned around at the end of its line across the street from the school. As times changed and parents began driving their children to school in the 1950s, a semicircular driveway was installed to ease traffic along Ponce De Leon Avenue. The school's library was established in the mid-1940s. In 1949 a new wing, housing more classrooms and an auditorium, was added on the west end of the building. The school got its first intercom system in 1951 - a novelty that thrilled students and teachers alike. In 1961, after raising money through suppers at the school, the PTA funded the addition of a playground blacktop.

Looking back at STAN'S SANDWICH SHOP in Decatur on W. Ponce de Leon.

Here is another old photo from a Decatur High School InDecatur.
Students from near by Decatur High School are hanging out at Stan's Sandwich Shop or maybe they were just waiting on the Bus.
The bus stop was near that spot.

Photo circa 1967.

Cantina El Tesoro

Join your friends at El Tesoro for classic mexican food in the heart of Georgia.




Cantina El Tesoro
129 Church St.
Decatur, GA.
404-377-9797

Make WHIT'S END... your next stop for shopping in Decatur.

On your next shopping trip to downtown Decatur, check out WHIT'S END.... for men's casual clothing, gifts & accessories.
Tell them Next Stop...Decatur sent you.

The link to this place is on side bar under How to spend a day in Decatur.


Whit's End...
431 W. Ponce de Leon Ave #2
Decatur, GA.
404-377-3310

Decatur's West Hill Street residents don't like speeders

As seen in Decatur.

Residents along West Hill St. in the Oakhurst area take matters into their own hands for speeders and make a homemade "SLOW DOWN" sign.
I know if I were speeding and I saw this Halloween type figure, it would scare me into slowing down. Trick or Treat.

Decatur High School Letters were removed from Auditorium yesterday (Friday 3-28-08)

The bottom picture was taken on Thursday 3/27/08 & the middle picture was taken today 3/29/08. top picture was also taken on 3/27/08 ,I stuck my camera through fence to get this shot. I photo put this photo through photoshop for this look.
The picture taken on Thursday is one of the last if not the last pictures taken with the letters still in place. The letters were removed yesterday afternoon.
The building will be missed, alot of memories are there.
The building will be torn down soon, very soon.

I wonder if they saved the letters, if they did, maybe they could display them somewhere in the new auditorium.

WordSmith's Books is now in The Old SunTrust building on the Square.

The old Bank Vault will be used for a "Very Special" Book Section... Comic Books.

Today is the 2008 Spring Electronics Recycling Day

2008 Spring Electronics Recycling Day

Saturday, March 29 • 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Decatur High School Parking Lot
(Corner of N. McDonough Street and Howard Avenue)



Don’t throw away those old electrical items such as: cell phones, cameras, personal computers, or even electric weedeaters! Save them and recycle them on Saturday, March 29 at Decatur’s Spring 2008 Electronics recycling event. Batteries, Styrofoam and mercury will also be accepted. We regret that we will NOT be able to accept televisions and microwave ovens. This semi-annual event has been hugely successful at diverting electronic equipment from landfills where they may contaminate soil and water.

Electronics dropped off during the event will be sorted to be re-used or disassembled into their raw materials. It is recommended that computers be erased of all personal information prior to disposal at the event. The Decatur Waste Management Advisory Board investigates the recyclers involved to be sure the items are responsibly disassembled and not landfilled.

As Seen in Decatur: Street Scene..Vintage Ford Pick-up truck

AS SEEN IN DECATUR.

Along with all my other vintage photos I will now also start posting Street Scenes of Decatur.
If you know any cool looking places or things, let me know.

RELAX INN of Decatur has been torn down.

I wonder what they will build in it's place. ?

Decatur Estate & Way Back Antiques at Suburban Plaza

I visted this place recently and it's a great place for antiques.

From Chic to Schlock...

The buttery scent of fresh popcorn invites you in to Decatur Estate and Way Back Antiques. Owners Maggie Monastesse and Mike Barie pop it fresh everyday in the old popper that sits on the front counter. While prices at “antique” stores can be out of this world, the unique items at Decatur Estate are within reach. There’s something for every budget.

Enjoy strolling through 6,000+ square feet of vintage furniture, jewelry, clothing, art and more while listening to a wonderful mix of music playing in the background. Over 30 independent dealers come together to offer an eclectic selection of items from all different eras from all over the world. As you look through a book of Marilyn Monroe’s famous photos you may notice a lava lamp atop the aluminum kitchen table you grew up with. A mid-century Danish bedroom suite may look great in your guest bedroom and a gently used loveseat sleeper sofa could fit perfectly in your student’s dorm room. You never know what you’ll find in the book and record nooks. And don’t miss our huge selection of sparkling vintage jewelry.

Decatur Estate also offers estate liquidation services. We will buy the entire contents of your home and move it out quickly. Come see why our customers from Seattle to Miami say “I love your store; what a great place to shop!”

They have what you are looking for!

You need to check this place out.



The most unique shopping experience in Decatur!

Open Every Day!

Monday - Friday 11am to 7pm

Saturday 10am to 7pm

Sunday 12pm to 6pm



Decatur Estate is located in the Suburban Plaza on North Decatur Road between Church Street and Scott Boulevard, nestled between Big Lots and Piccadilly.

See link on side bar under "How to spend a day in Decatur"

Family Humor about Willie Bradford's Barber Shop in Decatur.

I just had to post this. Several years ago I made this comic joke about Willie Bradford's Barber Shop. Growing up, my family always had a running joke about Willie looking out the window while cutting your hair.
As you know the train track was right in front of his shop.
So when I saw this barber shop joke I edited it into our joke.

All kidding aside, Willie Bradford & his brother Herbert Bradford were good barbers.
and they had a great shop.
I wish it was still there.

I just loved getting those flat-tops and reading all those comic books.
That reminds me,I need to buy some Bazooka Bubble Gum.

Looking back at Decatur's Barber Shops , my favorite was Willie Bradford's Barber Shop.

Decatur had a few Barber Shops in the 1950's & 1960's. The first photo called Barber Shop window is just a great 1950's style "Barber Window" that you would see in Decatur. This photo is of the Northport Barber Shop in Northport, Alabama , but it was such a great example of how windows looked back then I had to use it for my story.photo credit is : DIAMONDduste his flickr site is :http://flickr.com/photos/diamondduste/1126628582/.

The second photo is Willie Bradfords Barber Shop on College Ave.
This is the one we went to growing up in Decatur in the 1950's & 1960's.
It was a 2 chair shop. The first chair was Willie's the second one was his brother Herbert.
I remember it like it was yesterday, as you enter the shop the chairs for customers waiting for a haircut lined the left wall, all the way to the back. On the back wall
was a large picture of "Dogs playing Poker" under the photo was a very long white wooden bench with arms on both ends and on this bench were stacks and stacks of comic books for the kids to read. The cash register was one of those big gold color ones.
I have fond memories of this place.

The vintage barber ads are from old Decatur High Indecatur's.

Also the black & white photo is from a Indecatur book. Kids from Decatur High are fooling around for a photo, the shop they are in was The Decatur Barber Shop located on College Ave. also it just down from Watson's Drugs. Willie's shop was down past that strip of stores, his was a stand alone building.

Please feel free to leave a comment.

Did you grow up in Decatur GA.
Maybe you had a first haircut photo taken in one of the Decatur Barber Shops.
If so send a copy to me and I will post it, and you can write your own story around your photo.


This comment is from my brother
Phil Whitefield:
I can still smell the "Cool Bay Rum" lotion Willie would pour around our necks.
You can still buy that stuff at Walmart today.

Thanks Phil, I'm going to Walmart tomorrow.