Do you remember the Tindell’s steam sawmill? How about Broadway Speedway or Avondale Creamery?
The group assembled at Hubert LaRue’s Halls Crossroads history museum Sept. 18, sure did. LaRue and wife Susie, plus Carl Tindell of Tindell’s Inc., wrestling champ and coach Chris Vandergriff, and Gordy Noe of Pioneer Heat and Air chatted on camera with videographer Doug Mills, known locally for his work on “The Heartland Series.”
Videographer Doug Mills
The video shoot is the first step in an history preservation project commissioned by the Halls Crossroads Women’s League with funds provided by an anonymous donor. The video will be played in a loop at the future, public site of the Halls History Museum, and it will be available for purchase.
And let me tell you, there were some stories told.
Did you know that there was one telephone operator for all of Halls back in the days of the Halls Telephone Company? Her name was Beulah, and Tindell remembers that she “knew everything in Halls.” When the community grew enough to need another operator, Betty Melton joined Beulah at the little building on Andersonville Pike.
And did you hear about the time Tindell’s father was hanging the sign for Beaver Dam Baptist Church. Tindell said he got to where he only had the word “beaver” left to go and joked that he needed to go home for the day, leaving them with, well, you can fill in the blanks.
Powell was always the Halls football rivalry, although Tindell said Powell whipped Halls ever time. He even remembered a chant from the good ol’ days, “Pew, pew, what do we smell? P-O-W-E-L-L!”
There were touching stories, too. LaRue spoke highly of Halls Elementary School principal Deaderick Lakin, who always made sure that children who weren’t well off had something to be proud of at school.
“He’d make something special so they could feel special, too,” said LaRue. “I was honored to be a pallbearer at his funeral.”
Watch KnoxTNToday.com for details when the video is released.