Sunday, June 22, 2008

Cruisin' Maine

When you live in a small town there's not much to do on a Friday night. Unless you have a car and a few friends. Then you can 'cruise Maine'. And yes I'm spelling it like the state of Maine not Main, that little fact confused the heck out of my city-boy husband.

So, let's hit the bricks! Let's cruise!

Goodland, Ks has a beautiful red brick Maine Street and some pretty nifty buildings. Check out the art deco. This is the telephone building...I think.
This is the old First National Bank building. When I was in high school it was The Family Bookstore. I worked at the bookstore and loved every minute of it. I got to do all the window displays which were primarily made up of Precious Moments figurines and these strange little gnome creatures that people loved to collect. The owner's of the store were two older women that I adored. Now the building has succumbed to the fate of the times and it stands empty with a for sale sign on the door.
This is the GAC, the Goodland Activities Center. It opened when I was in 8th grade. My parents refused to let me get a membership. I could only go play racquetball when I was invited by my boyfriend and then I was too embarrassed to really show my skilz because I might mess up my hair or start to sweat. Needless to say he didn't invite me more than a couple of times. So I broke up with him, hmph!

Workin' at the car wash, at the car wash, yeah!

Remember that little car cartoon? He would turn into a hot rod and save the day. What was it called? I know someone reading should know. This is no longer a car wash, but that painting has been up there for as long as I can remember.

Okay, this is the Administration Office for USD 352. Tell me that's not the cutest thing you ever did see? It sits on Maine Street across from Central School. Rechelle and I both felt that Central School was the coolest elementary school in town.....we didn't go to Central.

Good Lord. Daylight Donut. I only have two things to say about this place and only Goodlanders will understand what I'm talking about.
Daylight Dave
and
Donut Run
Well, okay, donut run is pretty obvious. But Daylight Dave? There was only one of him and I don't think I need to do much splainin' about DayLIGHT Dave.


The movie theatre. This little place is so cool. We used to go to the movies on Tuesday nights because they only charged 2 bucks. Two Buck Tuesdays. Cruisin' Maine and going to the movies was about the only thing to do....well....except....parking. Not that I would know anything about going parking, as far as my parents know, I am still a vestal virgin. My children are immaculate conceptions. That's my story and I'm stickin' to it.


This used to be Collage Limited. The creme de la creme of dress shops. My sister and I would press our faces against the windows and beg our mom to go in and try on every outfit in the store. One side was for women and one side was for kids. Collage Ltd. was the only place in town you could buy Estee Lauder make up. But the most fascinating thing in the store was the large bins of potpourri. They had potpourri made out of dried rosebuds that I considered the most beautiful concoction on earth.

That's it, that's all I've got from Maine St.

I'm off to church to repent of my parking violations...ha hahahahaha. Oh, I'm crackin' myself up, parking violations. Get it? Never mind.

14 comments:

Stephanie said...

I think the cartoon was Speedy Buggy...My DH is a big fan of old cartoons...

Goodland is a beautiful little town. I live in a similar little town in KY

Charity said...

I bought my first prom dress at Collage. That's always been my favorite business building in Goodland, too ... it's a shame it stands empty, because the display windows are SO awesome. When I was a kid, we used to love strolling downtown Goodland and admiring all the window displays -- Collage, JC Penney, Schneider's, Aten's, etc.

I grew up in Sharon Springs. I found your blog through your sister's, which was linked at Pioneer Woman -- of course, "Goodland, Kansas" jumped right out at me! :)

Charity
AKA KansasMomOf5
http://kansaslife.blogspot.com

Rechelle said...

MORE PUPPET SHOWS!!!
MORE PUPPET SHOWS!!!
MORE PUPPET SHOWS!!!

Anonymous said...

I think you hit all the high spots there April! And I'm betting you didn't even have to leave the comfort of your car. The telephone building is very cool, as is the courthouse. I love the courthouse in Goodland.

I was lucky (?) enough to go to Central School. We used to walk across the street to the basement of the administration building for lunch.

Now, who remembers what fancy schmancy dress shop was in that building before Collage Ltd. ?

Come on, someone must remember?

Lindsay said...

I've been to the Goodland Activities Center. The Pool Boys played a concert at there!!

Now what about the bowling alley??

Anonymous said...

April, seeing Maine St in Goodland makes me homesick for my Kansas hometown. Larned looks much the same, brick streets and all. I haven't been back there in many years but have many fond childhood memories. I've been here in New Hampshire for 20 yrs now but still miss the Kansas plains! Thanks for this post.
Blessings,
Bertie

Housewife Superstar said...

I am loving the tour April. To me it looks like the movies (being Australian every movie I have ever seen has some little town that looks like that in it - hard to believe it's not a movie set & you guys really do live in such idyllic-looking towns).

Anonymous said...

Why do some of the benches face the street, and some face the stores? This bothers me. ;)

Unknown said...

Too funny. In my home town we called it cruisin' the fours because there was only one four lane road. Then we would all meet up at the old grocery store parking lot.

Anonymous said...

We called it..."Breezin' the Freeze' 'cause we drove from the Dairy Queen to the Tastee Freeze in a 5 mile loop every Saturay night and Sunday afternoon when gas was 35 cents a gallon. If you had enough cute girls in the convertible, you could pull up and ask for 15 cents worth!!
Class of '69

Lori Waggoner said...

That administration office looks like my dream house...awesome!

Anonymous said...

I enjoyed tour of Maine Street. I grew up in Sharon Springs, and we would go to Goodland to do our "real" shopping at Alco, (missed that on the tour)Schneiders, Safeway, etc. Like Charity, I found your blog through PW and your sister. Thanks for the laughs.

Jean Martha said...

Inspired by you and your sister...my Staunch Blog Contest:

http://tinyurl.com/672g7m

www.mueblesencorbera.com said...

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