tell me about Fulton, KY (Paducah, Union: shop, bars, Wal-mart)

[Sundance]

Fulton is a very small, rural area. Not much going on.

[Snowball]

Hi, in response to your reply, I have to tell you that I grew up in Fulton/South Fulton over 50 years ago. There WAS a theatre there then lol, and even a skating rink. Now there is nothing there, and I do mean nothing. So if you want to be in a nothing place this is the place to move. I moved from there several years ago. There is a liquor store on every corner, a dairy queen in South Fulton maybe??? i am not sure it is still there, and it looks like a ghost town. There is nothing for kids to do there. I guess if you want to be where everyone knows everyone else and their business...even if it is not true they will make up something. Fulton is the worst yall, South Fulton is no better, I stress ghost town. I agree with the other post about the school system as well, it is not that great. Move to Paducah or somewhere else if you want to be in a town. Because neither one of these places would qualify as a town. If you come and vist the place you will see for yourself. Hope this helped your decision. Snowball

[zoeccat]

Hi all! I must say Snowball hit the nail on the head. I too once lived in South Fulton. I grew up in the school system. Attended the local Banana Festival with the one ton pudding. Went to the movie on Saturday morning's with the other kids. As I grew up the Explorer Post was the place to be on weekends where Bubba Pearson had us all doing the "Camel Walk" dancing the night away and pretending there were no racial conflicts of any kind. Once and a while we would go to the old Black school and listen to great music and watch old school dancing that's where it was at. Buy records from Joy Lynn flower shop because she always had the latest Atlantic 45's and Motown. I wonder if she is still alive? But all of this was on the Kentucky side of town. All that South Fulton had was a yearly parade, and of course Field Day at school where everyone competed in races and high jumps etc. Also, the football games were a highlight. I grew up though and the Theatre was gone, no more Explorer Post, no more Dairy Queen to cruise around on the KY side of town. There used to be a Fulton Daily Leader paper to read, Now it is only once a week i believe. So no more paper routes for the kids I guess. We didn't have a Walmart then, but we had the Ben Franklin 5 and 10, and a Popcorn vender named Edmond that would call out "Popcorn" on the sidewalk, and I still remember the smell of fresh popped corn. Some of us used to walk the railroad tracks {just because}, and put pennies on the tracks for the train to run over and rush back later to find what shapes we had afterwards. We had a Carnival that would set up in the Ky park once a year where we could win colorful hats and have our names put on in glitter We made chains out of chewing gum wrappers, and put mohair around our rings if we were going steady. We ran our cars down hill jump road what a treat I am sure there are still those who remember that old road. I suppose that is long gone I have no idea. But I find myself thinking back to the good old days as it was, and I feel a twinge of sadness. I have driven through South Fulton in the past year and Fulton and as Snowball said,"Nothing" a Ghost Town would be putting it lightly in my opinion. Oh, I realize things must change yet one would think for the better not declining. Nightlife? There never was any except the local taverns for grown ups aka SKID ROW or the Pool room/hall, other than the Skating Rink. Ray's hamburger joint, I still recall him saying, "Chop Chop." There is no Industry anymore, the Sewing Factories went to Mexico. Swift ice cream was a school outting to tour and get free ice cream, a train ride to Columbus Park was another school outting. People died and the care for the children's entertainment went with it. I don't know what people do in South Fulton and Fulton anymore, star gazing is great, but there should be something for the children to provide a fun and safe environment for them to have memories to think back on. They shouldn't have to go to Union City or Paducah to have something to do. I guess if one is retired and wants to watch birds and grow a garden then to me it is the place NOT TO BE FROM. > Zoeccat

[onthamove]

fulton is a dying town on the miss. river good place to go if u are looking for space, but then there is the whole job thing lol, not sure if commuting to Paducah or Skyston is reasonable i live in lex, ky but have been through that area few times, def alot of room so if that is wat u are looking for it may work......reminds me alot of the land and areas just outside of memphis and dryersburg, if you moved closer to one of those towns you can still get the rural living with more job options o so close by, just a thought

[mbsc]

Wow reading Zoeccats post brought back memories of things that I had not thought about for years.

Like Zoeccat I remember (fondly) the Banana Festival, Edmund selling popcorn on Lake St, the cinema, the Fulton Daily Leader (anyone remember the letters to Santa at Christmas?), field day. I also remember cruising though town and parking in the shopping center parking lot in South Fulton (for houurs on end), eating at the Keg Restaurant and waiting for the next shipment of Duncan YoYos to arrive at Ben Franklin. Anyone remember Dr Rudd, who not only kept his practice in his home, but also dispensed medicine from there. We too would walk along the railroad tracks and played at the old depot (since torn down). I remember when Wal Mart fist came to town and what I believe was the first fast food: Burger QUEEN.

Fulton was the kind of town where a kid could leave home on a summer morning on his/her bike, be gone all day, and their parents not worry about them returning. I remember from 3rd to 8th grade being able to leave school at lunch time go to a small store a couple of streets over, eat lunch in the back room, and walk go back to school. Imagine a 8 year old kid getting to do that anywhere in this day and age.

However, sadly, the Fulton I knew does not seem to exist anymore. Its been several years since I was there, but it had definately changed. I keep in contact with friends whose parents still live there and they tell me that things are much different as well.

Not sure if I provided anything that was relevant to the original post but thanks for allowing me to rekindle what are very fond memories of a place and time that is long past.

MBWEB

PS Should you get to Fulton, or anywhere in the area, this time of year make sure you get some Turners Boiled Custard, there is nothing else like it anywhere!

[zoeccat]

yes, I Remember Dr.rudd. He Had A Dentist Chair In His Office, And Wore Or Looked Like A Jeweler's Hat. I Remember The Medicine Too He Mixed It Himself And Would Cure It All. I Remember Being Very Sick With The Flu, I Have No Clue What He Gave Me, But It Worked And Tasted Awful.
I Remember Doctor Poe Who Delivered Me And My Son As Well. When I Went To Have My Baby Doc Poe Came In With His Housecoat And House Shoes On In The Wee Morning To Take Me To Delivery. I Loved That Doc. He Used To Make House Calls Too When I Was A Kid With Earaches He Would Come And Give Me A Shot And Meds. What A Guy. Zoeccat

[afw2153]

I too was raised in Fulton. Just happened to find this site and read all comments. I grew up in Fulton in the 50's & 60's. I remember the Banana Festival and the night activities of that week. I also remember that around noon every day of that week they would hang stalks of bananas on the parking meters and as kids we would rush during lunch downtown just to get bananas. The large pudding is something that I also remember and I tell about it all the time. One thing that I remember were the beautiful floats that were in the parade on that last day. Afterwards there were events at the park where there was generally a baseball game. I remember the Dairy Queen across the street from the school. I attended Milton Elementary School (an all black school) during segregation and was with the last group to go to Fulton Elementary after the integration. I think about the wonderful teachers that were at Milton (Mrs. Vick, Mrs. Jackson, Mr. Maddox and Mrs. Hart?). When we went to Fulton there was a coach Barringer may not be the correct spelling of his name, he was a very nice coach. This may seem simple but I remember that there was the Pure Milk Co, don't know if it is still there, but around Christmas they made a drink called boiled custard, it was like eggnog but without the spices. It was very good. Also how as a child Halloween was a treat and we could go trick-a-treating without fear of kids getting harmed and the next day at school we would compare our treats. It was true back then everybody knew everybody (business as well) and no one was a stranger. Coming up on this site has also brought back sooooo many memories growing up as a child in Fulton, and retiring there would not be a problem for me. I still have lots of family and friends that live there. Thanks for the memories.

[kygman]

afw, mbsc, and the rest of you, you are just about describing every small town across the country at one time or another. I don't mean that mean though. I went to school in Mayfield and had open campus, eat where we wanted, up untill they opened the new school building in fall, '73. Burger Queen was my first job besides my paper route. I marched in a few Banana festival parades while in the high school band in the late 60's/early 70's. That 3 ton banana pudding was delicous! Me and a couple buddies rode our bicycles from Mayfield to Fulton for the Banana Festival. Wonder if things will pick up in that area when Purchase Parkway becomes I-69?

[bgperm5]

I was born in Fulton KY and lived there until I was 9. I would love to talk with people I knew then if any read this and would like to email me. My name was Debbie McDade. S.A. McDade (The Marrying Squire) was my grandfather. I have been back several times to look around. Please email me if you remember me or my grandfather or my dad and mom, Adrian McDade and Joyce Asbridge McDade. Thanks!

[Anyen Nada]

I was also born there.The year was 1952.Anybody from there about that time?I see they opened up the time capsule from 1959.