Snapshots of History
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Thanks to Mitzi (McGehee) Hymbaugh for this week’s photo.
The staff of the Midway Cafe is shown at the restaurant in May of 1952. Loueva McGehee, Dennis Foltz, Ike McGehee, Jr., and Leona Shaughnessy appear in this picture with others yet to be identified.
The owner of the cafe at this time was Lucille (Shaughnessy) Trower, daughter of Leona Shaughnessy and sister of Loueva McGehee; I just don’t know which of the unidentified ladies she is. Lucille later married Duane Sickels.
A viewer on Facebook suggested one of the unidentified ladies is Cleo (Stringham) Hampton and I believe she is right because of an advertisement in the May 3, 1951 (the Midway Cafe opened May 1, 1951) Mount Ayr Record News. The advertisement gives the first names of the staff: Lucille, Ike Sr., Ike Jr., Ted (brother of Ike Jr.), Cleo, Celesta, Loueva, Floy and Fay. The Midway Cafe was located at 112 S. Taylor in a brick edifice known as the Simpson building.
I believe the restaurant closed in October 1952 because I failed to see any more ads for Midway Cafe and the Mount Ayr City Council granted a refund to Lucille Trower for a cigarette permit that was not completely used in October 1952.
But Lucille would return to the restaurant business in September 1959 when she and Ike and Mari McGehee took over the operation of the Mount Ayr Sandwich Shop.
The Midway Cafe started out as Stephens’ Cafe. Marion Stephens, former Ringgold County Sheriff, bought the building in 1931 from the widow of William A. Simpsom and opened his restaurant in December 1931. This storefront had previously been a general store.
Stephens closed the cafe in June 1933 and M. L. Spurrier opened it back up in August 1933. It was at this time the name Midway Cafe was used, but it was also known as Spurrier Cafe.
After twelve years Spurrier sold his business to Mick Snedeker. Mick sold the cafe in October 1945 to Veronica Pine and Kenneth Markley. Mrs. Pine bought out her partner one month later.
Pine’s Cafe was purchased by Leo Hacker and Glen Hutchinson in August 1946. They were there until 1948 and I lost track of the restaurant until Lucille came in.
The last occupant I’m aware of was the Ringgold County Democratic Committee when they used the Simpson building for their headquarters in the fall of 1964. I can tell you as an eyewitness the building was in complete ruin as of 1972. It was razed about 1976.
Looks like I have room to describe this week’s picture a little further. I can see White Owl and King Edward cigars in the display case and of the eight men seated at the counter, four are wearing hats. There is a McCullough Motor Co. calendar on the wall as well as advertisements for Camel Cigarettes and Coca-Cola. The cash register is rung up to 15 cents. Just a wonderful photo.
