[rrzzus]

I am trying to find out as much info as I can knowing only bits and pieces from my GrandFather he wants to visit Wetumka one more time. He was raised there as a child and is now 90 years old... My Parents are taking him next week.. What Buildings still stand he wants to know about a old pool hall that was there in the 1920s

[Michele Stafford]

I'm new at this website but it was very interesting to read since I am from Wetumka. I grew up there and grad. in 95 moved off with my husband to join the military life. He is also from Wetumka his parents live behind the Wetumka lake on the hill.Some people may know my grandfather (Roy Osborn)and grandmother(Betty) or as meme and pawpaw. If your from Wetumka I'm sure they know you. He was the school bus driver for many years and meme and her friend Dorthy ran the Dotty Bee Flower shop many years ago. When I found this website I called them right away to let him know all the things I was reading about.
They are very good friends with the White Family that lived in that 2story home. They know Brother Bo Gibbs that lives there now and they remembered Rev. Fuller years ago. But never heard of any ghost stories from that house. If there are any I'm sure Brother Bo and his boys have ran them off.LOL
The person looking for Leo he is still in Wetumka. My pawpaw said my uncle Dennis played football with him. Not to sure about Bessie but they new who I was talking about.
The church fire was caused by electric wireing do to a squirrel eating the wires in the attic thats what the fire marshal found.
Casino is up and running down by the post office. New Bank across from the Super C gro. store/gas station. The bank looks like it doesn't even belong in Wetumka it's so nice looking with everything else ran down. Speaking of fires the Lansden Place out by FM Hill burnt up a few mths. ago.. To the granfather that is 90 yrs. old I hope you enjoyed your visit and it brought back alot of good memories. But I know nothing is the same as you left so many yrs ago. I wish I could have seen Wetumka when it was at it's greatest! My Mom and dad said it would take hrs. to drag main street bumper tp bumper with cars. The red skin theater going it was a HOT spot to be at the time. Now kids don't even know what draging main is.There is nothing there anymore to do for young people.. It seems like know one cares about there home town and where they live, to make it better, to make it pretty. Even if I never go back to live there it will always be my Home and I will always remember the fun times shared there.
To all my Wetumka friends take care

[Michele Stafford]

To mld87 I believe there was few Osborn boys at the time of that murder. I don't think your daddy would have let your sister around Billy Osborn anyway. It wasn't Osborn Boys!! It was a Osborn boy (Billy) and his sister with a help of a friend that killed his family. Billy waited in the kitchen while his friend came in and killed them and he watched. But Billy and his sister is the one that planed it.

[mld87]

Speaking of fires the Lansden Place out by FM Hill burnt up a few mths. ago..

Michele: I knew your Grandfather Roy...he was my bus driver! I loved riding home every afternoon because he was a huge Kenny Rogers fan and we use to listen to his collection of 8 tracks of Kenny Rogers! I always sat up front with him as I was the last one off every day. He and Betty were good friend of my parents, who by chance were the Lansden's (house that burned!). I am pretty sure the house fire was no accident but even if it was I know that the very elaborate sprinkler system my parents had installed was not operational for the past few years. My sister visited the remains and said the ironic part was the white rock still standing with the water lines laying on the ground.

I graduated in 1987 and haven't been back either (other than to Mom's funeral). It is too bad that the little town isn't surviving any better than it is.

[mld87]

Here is a picture of what is left of my parents house...

[Michele Stafford]

to mld87, I'm so sorry about the house I know you had lots of memories there and it was such a beutiful Home. We had be fishing at the pond right behind the house a few times with papa. Yeah they said the man that had lived there got behind on the payments and the house just happened to catch fire in the attic in 2 places. Go figure! I talked to my papa and told him your loction where you use to live. He was right about who you are and that you use to ride his bus. He remembers dropping you off at the old house by the lake while the one on the hill was being built. He also new you had moved to Missouri. He said Hello. I'm not goingto say your name cause I don't know if you want it on here or not. But I remember you to and riding on the bus when I was real little. Plus going to the swimming pools in the summer time when he would drive the bus and have lunch at the old ele. school.. I remember your parents such good people, They always donated me money dureing the livestock shows when I showed lambs. They gave me and my Husband a bread maker when we was married. LOL thats funny I can remeber that 12 yrs. ago. But I can't remember if you mom was still alive then but I do remember your dad. Maybe she was feeling bad around that time. I believe your dad left sooner after that.
Time goes by so fast it's hard to sometimes place things. Well take care.

[mld87]

Michelle,

I am glad your grandparents are well. I think I do remember you...red curly hair as a little girl? Who are your parents? What is your husbands name?

My mom died in January 1996 and Dad was gone about a year later. He had no interest in staying in the house after Mom passed as that was "her" house with lots of memories. I have tried to find out from people if they are going to rebuild the house. My understanding was the owner lived in South Carolina and was leasing it to the "Renewal Ranch" owner. He didn't have insurance on the contents but I don't know if the house itself had any coverage or not. I know it sat empty for a couple of years and become pretty run down.

I can remember draggin main on weekends. I can also vaguely remember the movie theatre from the late 70's and early 80's. The Proctor family owned it later and it became a t-shirt shop for a couple of years. Alot of us kids would sneek up to the upstairs and sit outside on top of the marquee and smoke!

I can also remember being in the Meadors Hotel in the late 70's before it closed down. There was a pharmacy and soda shop off the main lobby. The owner or Pharmacist was arrested for something (can't remember details) and they shut down the store after he was arrested. I was in school with his daughter and he didn't get out of prision until the late 80's.

I have so many memories of growing up in Wetumka (Good and Bad) and it is ashame that the town is fading away. You are right that there doesn't seem to be much pride in the "home town" anymore.

[paraviews]

Originally Posted by Michele Stafford

To mld87 I believe there was few Osborn boys at the time of that murder. I don't think your daddy would have let your sister around Billy Osborn anyway. It wasn't Osborn Boys!! It was a Osborn boy (Billy) and his sister with a help of a friend that killed his family. Billy waited in the kitchen while his friend came in and killed them and he watched. But Billy and his sister is the one that planed it.

I used to know and be friends with a Nadine (sp?) Osborn, her and I went to high school at the same time. She was a couple years older than me.

[paraviews]

If you dont mind me asking, what was your maiden name? Mine was Vicki Fuller, my grandfather used to be the preacher at the christan church. We used to live in that old 2 story on 501 E. Broadway (the brick lined street).

Originally Posted by mld87

Speaking of fires the Lansden Place out by FM Hill burnt up a few mths. ago..

Michele: I knew your Grandfather Roy...he was my bus driver! I loved riding home every afternoon because he was a huge Kenny Rogers fan and we use to listen to his collection of 8 tracks of Kenny Rogers! I always sat up front with him as I was the last one off every day. He and Betty were good friend of my parents, who by chance were the Lansden's (house that burned!). I am pretty sure the house fire was no accident but even if it was I know that the very elaborate sprinkler system my parents had installed was not operational for the past few years. My sister visited the remains and said the ironic part was the white rock still standing with the water lines laying on the ground.

I graduated in 1987 and haven't been back either (other than to Mom's funeral). It is too bad that the little town isn't surviving any better than it is.

[paraviews]

haha, I also remember the Proctor family, well a couple of them, and now I'm looking at my old yearbook from 1982 when I was a freshman, hahahha, that was a long time ago, I used to go out with Mike Stewart, briefly. I remember so many people. WOW

Originally Posted by mld87

Michelle,

I can remember draggin main on weekends. I can also vaguely remember the movie theatre from the late 70's and early 80's. The Proctor family owned it later and it became a t-shirt shop for a couple of years. Alot of us kids would sneek up to the upstairs and sit outside on top of the marquee and smoke!

I can also remember being in the Meadors Hotel in the late 70's before it closed down. There was a pharmacy and soda shop off the main lobby. The owner or Pharmacist was arrested for something (can't remember details) and they shut down the store after he was arrested. I was in school with his daughter and he didn't get out of prision until the late 80's.

I have so many memories of growing up in Wetumka (Good and Bad) and it is ashame that the town is fading away. You are right that there doesn't seem to be much pride in the "home town" anymore.