In Hot Pursuit

Sometime in the early 1970's, the Blacksburg Police Department experimented with the use of VW Beetles in their fleet of vehicles.  Needless to say, it wasn't much of a threat in a high speed chase (not that that was a very common occurrence in this small town).  Still, the little dark blue Bugs with the Blacksburg town logo on the side tended to make you smile.

I've asked the folks on the current police force about this bit of history, but there doesn't seem to be anyone around who remembers..... and as I recall it didn't last long.

Main Street

Barnett's Dress Shop                           201 North Main Street

A motorist brushes off the heavy snowfall in the winter of 1974 in this shot.

He is parked in front of Barnett's Dress Shop at the corner of Main and Jackson.  Sorry, but I can't tell you a thing about this clothing store ..... don't remember ever setting foot in there.

This building is currently the site of Poor Billy's Seafood restaurant.

Stompin' 76

Although this summertime festival didn't actually happen in Blacksburg, I know a that a heck of a lot of us where there!

Stompin' 76 happened 7 years after that little music gathering they had up in New York, and in a lot of ways it looked the same.  Skinny long-haired youth swarmed Lawson's farm in Carroll County, just north of Galax, for 3 days of music, fun, and freedom.  Some folks parked as much as 11 miles away and walked to the site.

One of my personal memories of being there was watching a blitzed hippie fall into a roaring campfire and rolled on out of it seemingly unscathed.   There was so much music that I doubt all of us got to see all the acts that showed up.  Those that did show up were:

 Bonnie Raitt, Earl Scruggs, Lester Flatt, Vassar Clements, Ry Cooder, John Hartford, Osborne Brothers, The Rowans, John Prine, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Doc & Merle Watson, The Dillards, Hickory Wind, New Grass Revival, David Bromberg, Red, White and Bluegrass, Nashville Bluegrass Band, Papa John Creach, Eric Weisberg and Deliverance, Star Spangled Washboard Band, Grass On The Rocks, Good Ol' Boys and Joe and Bing. 


3 Days of Fun and Music, all 23 bands for only $12.00! 

Welcome Home

If you were heading west toward town, and passed the hospital and Scotty's, you could continue on the bypass or veer to the right to go downtown ..... in which case this simple wooden sign was there to greet you.

I really miss seeing this sign.  It always made me feel like I was coming home.

Middle Earth

Middle Earth was certainly a unique little eatery, located in the lower level at 106 Jackson Street (the road between the Post Office and bank).  As the name suggests, you were visiting J.R.R. Tolkien's world when you entered and saw the white foam walls and meandered through the underground lair to your seat.

Their ads promoted a "relaxing businessman's lunch" and also "savory Chinese dinners.  All I vaguely remember is that it was a cool venue that would probably (today) give the town code officials heart attacks.

Sorry I don't have a photo of the inside, but if I ever find one I'll add it here.

Mr. Fooz

Nothing new to say except a nice guy just wrote to me today to say how much he loved the sub sandwiches at Mr. Fooz.   It's amazing how many times I've heard people say over the years that the Fooz subs were the best they ever had.  Little did they know that wasn't actually oregano we used to sprinkle on top  :)

Blouses and Beer

215 North Main proved to be a busy location as businesses came and went, both upstairs and down.  Before there was Flipper McCoy there was a women's clothing boutique named Joli's which later became Jamie's ..... both run by Jim (aka "Jimbo") and Ann Cannon.

The upstairs of the same building eventually became yet another drinking establishment (there's never enough of them in a college town, huh?) starting with the Campus Club.  It was a good thing not to be drunk before climbing the metal stairs at the back of the building.  I don't remember how long Campus Club lasted but most of you old timers know it later became the Ton 80 club, best known for it's dart boards and the (then) largest selection of beers anywhere in town.