Snapshots of History

By Editor | November 6, 2024 |

Mount Ayr City Dump under construction in 1964.

By Mike Avitt
Many of us remember when burning trash in your backyard was common. And it was free.
In 1964 a city dump was established on the “Junk Ditch Road” and I’m sure the Mount Ayr City Council enacted an ordinance prohibiting the burning of trash in your backyard.
This week’s photo shows the entrance to the new city dump and, in fact, the little toll booth has not yet been built. The sign says, “ROAD CLOSED.”
As I remember, Weldon Bolinger was the operator of the dump and Weldon would custom haul your trash to the dump for a fee. I don’t recall the cost for using the dump.
I do recall using the dump for target practice.
My step-father, Merrill Perry, would throw a jar in the direction of Oak Ridge Cemetery, and my brother Mark and I would shoot at it with our new 20-guage shotguns. This was in 1971 or 1972. The dump was also a place one could go to shoot rats.
The Ringgold-Decatur Landfill opened in 1975 and put an end to our city dump. Now, if you were born in 1974, you would be 50 years old and have no memory of the dump.
Let’s look at some other things a 50 year old might not know about.
Mount Ayr was a dirty town in the early and mid 1970s. I remember. Vacant commercial buildings and abandoned cars were plentiful. Stray dogs and cats were numerous. There was an empty lot where NAPA Auto Parts is today and there were two abandoned cars in that lot that I was told belonged to Harvey Bros. The Simpson building on the east side of the square was dangerous.
There were many vacant houses around 1974 that were falling down or falling in. There were a few pastures in the city limits occupied by cattle. Weedy streets and sidewalks were normal.
I believe the Environmental Protection Agency was established in 1973 and that probably led to a cleanup effort.
Young people commonly went barefoot 50 years ago. I remember going to Hy-Vee barefoot because the floor was so cold. I’m probably the reason businesses implemented that “No Shoes, No Shirt – No Service,” policy. My friends and I often walked to the swimming pool in our shorts, then went uptown in our wet shorts.
Many of Mount Ayr’s side streets were gravel or asphalt 50 years ago. I remember West Monroe Street getting concrete paving about 1976. It was not uncommon to see a Rambler or a Studebaker around town. You don’t see them now. Cars had distinctive designs in the old days and you knew who was at the cafe or tavern by whose car was parked nearby.
Telephones were somewhat inconvenient. The people you called were never home and they were no answering machines yet. You had to call the telephone operator in order to make a long-distance call. And telephone were screwed to the wall in your parents house, so, yeah, somewhat inconvenient. I didn’t use them much.
Money: cash or check was name of the game. Businesses kept bank checks on the counter for your convenience. A metal rack on a business counter held checks from your bank and surrounding towns. You simply filled out a blank check and off you go. There was no line for you to enter your checking account number; the bank went by your signature. No kidding.
Personalized checks existed but only people with money had them. I didn’t have any money. Still don’t.
There was only one bank in Mount Ayr 50 years ago; now there are four. What does that tell you?
Credit used to be hard to get. You had to have collateral or affluent backing. Today, any chump can get on the Internet and have multiple credits cards sent to their house.
In the 1970s, when you went on vacation, you didn’t take a credit card, you took “travelers checks.” Bet you haven’t heard that phrase in awhile.
As a youth, I was too stupid to know the 1970s would be ancient history someday. Sometimes, I get a large coffee and just drive around town remembering what used to be where and what’s not there anymore.
And, of course, I listen to 70s music while I’m doing it.