Thursday, January 18, 2024

Lorain Journal Front Page – Jan. 18, 1954

We're due for some more snow on Friday, so I thought I'd post another Lorain Journal front page from January 1954, since Lorain was dealing with the white stuff back then as well. But as you can see, seventy years ago today, the city was putting on a happy face and indulging in some wintery fun.

As the caption for the charming montage notes, "Skating enthusiasts have been promised a few days of continuous cold by the weatherman. Lorainites, quick to take advantage of the cold spell, crowded the skating pond at Lakeview park around the clock Sunday."

The photographs really capture an innocent time, of kids just being kids, playing with their friends with no parents hovering over them. It almost makes you feel a little wistful.

Reading the addresses of the children as listed in the photo caption, I think it's interesting how they're from all over the city. I remember Mom telling me how she and her friends walked down to Lakeview Park from Sixth Street to ice skate; they pretty much walked everywhere – something today's kids don't do (for various reasons, including greater availability of rides, and safety).

Elsewhere on the front page: an item revealing Lorain achieved a record-breaking $1,700,000 in liquor sales in 1953. Now that's something to celebrate - perhaps with a drink! 

The article mentions the state store on Seventh Street in Lorain. I'm betting fewer and fewer people remember State Liquor Stores, and having to go to one to get their favorite bottle of booze. 

The former State Liquor Store at 201 Seventh Street

4 comments:

Mike M said...

I read where they did put a skating rink where the tennis courts are at lakeview this year. I believe they've done that the past couple years. I doubt you will see a crowd like in the photo though. Strange to see how they listed everyone's address as well as their names back then. 5 to 9 inches of snow coming...........gas up those snow blowers!

Anonymous said...

Yes.The listing of everyone's address is totally weird and dangerous in today's world.But back in the good old days,everyone respected everybody and treated everyone like family.Not like todays cruel twisted world where people spit in your face just to do it.A previous blogger on here wrote that one time someone was either raped or killed because of their address being listed.So the paper wisely quit listing them.And a slice of innocence quietly died off.

Don Hilton said...

Often we don't even know what town a pictured person is from. All for the best, I think. I grew up in a very small town where they didn't need to tell people your address for everyone to know your address. Your name was good enough to place you in space, society, and the world at large.

We also had a lake down over the hill. Mum was a champeen ice-skater. Roller-skater, too. Competed in state / national tournaments and all that. Her children were a big disappointment to her in that respect. And a couple other respects, I suspect, as well.

I enjoy the cold weather and the snow. Wouldn't live where I do if I didn't. I hope it snows a foot-and-a-half!

Anonymous said...

Whenever I try to describe the way State Stores operated I sound like I'm describing the Seinfeld soup-nazi character.