LBDM Episode 22: 6th Grade Memories- The City of Longview, 1979-1980

Lobos Blue Devils and Mustangs Episode 22 : 

6^th Grade Memories

The City of Longview 1979-1980

There was a post on FB recently on how old were you based on the landmarks and places and streets you grew up on, in, and around Longview. Needless to say, there were a number of places brought up which existed in Longview way back in the day, some of which were memorable and some not-so-memorable.

What do I remember about living in Longview during my 6^th grade year? Let’s see:

1. The mall has just been built, and it had stores and restaurants in it such as Luca’s Pizza, El Chico, Wilson’s/ Service Merchandise, Chess King, Waldenbooks- places which no longer exist.

2. There was only ONE McDonald’s in Longview, and it was on Marshall Ave. (Highway 80)

3. There had been only one Bodacious Barbq in Longview on Mobberly Ave., but a second one was built around this time on 6^th St., across from Good Shepherd hospital.

4. Downtown Longview still had one-way streets, traffic signals at every intersection, and plenty of stores (Brown’s Shoes, The Camera Shop, Perry’s, Eddie Woods Bookstore).

5. El Chico was still on Highway 80.

6. The Mobberly Baptist Church was still on Mobberly Ave.

7. The bank of a thousand names (since then) on the corner of Mobberly and High was called the Commercial National Bank of Longview.

8. R&W Barbecue still existed on Judson Road.

9. Mr. Gatti’s Pizza was on Spur 63.

10. There were two Gibson’s stores, one on Mobberly and one on Highway 80.

11. Jack ‘n’ Jill Donuts on High St. was one of the best donut shops.

12. Dairy Crème still existed on High St.

13. Buddies (Winn Dixie) was on High St. too.

14. There was a place called Treasure City on Highway 80 that a lot of people liked going to-

15. There was another place called TG&Y (also on Highway 80) that saw a lot of business-

16. Safeway still existed on Green St.

17. Gulf gas stations still existed.

18. The Monterrey House was on Highway 80.

19. The Canton restaurant also existed on Highway 80.

20. Texas Bank and Trust was called Longview Bank and Trust.

21. Drive-ins such as the River Road Drive-In and still existed.

22. Eastman Road (Highway 259) had only two traffic signals in 1979 (Highway 80 and Cotton Street)- now there are nine.

23. Birdsong Street ran from High Street to Lilly Street. Now it runs from the Loop to Eastman Road.

24. FM 1845 existed in south Longview back then- now it’s part of the Loop (281).

25. 16^th Street was about to become MLK Blvd.

26. Stroh’s still existed on Cotton St.

27. Brookshire’s (later Super 1’s) had stores on High Street, Mobberly Avenue, Highway 80, Judson Road, and McCann Road.

28. Court Street ran from Whaley all the way to South Street and a little past that- Now it ends at Cotton Street due to the library.

29. Speaking of the public library, the Longview Public Library was on Green Street at this time.

30. There was only one Burger King in Longview back then and it was on McCann Road by K-Mart.

31. K-Mart existed on McCann Road.

32. Wal-mart didn’t exist anywhere in Longview.

33. H.G. Mosley Parkway didn’t exist.

34. Airline Road was mostly a 2-laned gravel road that curved around the high school (no Hawkins Parkway).

35. Regional Hospital did not exist at this time.

36. Judson Road was a 2-lane road.

37. S&H Green Stamps was on High Street- I remember trying to collect those things for something fun-

38. There were three traffic signal lights on a little-known street called College Street, now there are zero. (The lights were at the High Street, Fredonia Street, and Green Street intersections.)

39. The public library was located at the corner of Green and College Street. (I already said that, didn’t I?)

40. 16^th Street (MLK Blvd.) and Young Street had an intersection one would have to see to believe- it was NOT the way it is now- And in all honesty, I miss the way it used to be!

41. M.E. Moses was my favorite place in the world when I was little (the Dairy Shoppe store on the corner of 16^th and Young was a VERY CLOSE second-).

42. Dairy Queen was everywhere (still), Whataburger was on the Spur and on Alpine Road, and Wendy’s just opened on Highway 80 around this time.

43. The High Street railroad bridge downtown had been closed for a LONG time until it was ready around this time also.

44. There had to have been at least ten gas stations along Mobberly Ave. back then- now there’s only two or three.

45. There was a Longview News-Journal morning and evening daily newspaper.

46. There were two Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurants at this time- One on Highway 80 close to the intersection at Alpine, and one on Estes Parkway close to the Old Elderville Road intersection.

47. Remember these jobs: Marathon LeTourneau, Trailmobile, Data Com, Fleetwood, and of course, Stroh’s?

48. The Dolly Madison bread house was on High Street, and there was another bread house on Mobberly.

49. There was a Holiday Inn on Highway 80 going towards Marshall.

50. Remember the THREE water towers in the middle of Longview? And the one big one off of 16^th Street near East Ward (Everhart)?

51. Johnny Cace’s had been around a LONG time until here recently-

52. Eckerd’s Drugs used to be on Green Street.

53. Goodwill took over when Eckerd’s left, on Green Street.

54. Wyatt’s Cafeteria was on High Street and still very popular at the time on Sundays.

55. Luby’s was located off of Judson Road right next to Fisherman’s Market.

56. There were no Family Dollar stores or Dollar General stores back then.

Of course, there are places which existed when we were little kids that STILL exist to this day and are still going strong: Bodacious BBQ on Mobberly, Fisherman’s Market, the Whataburger and Kroger’s on the Spur, all the Louis Morgan drugstores, and the McDonald’s on Highway 80. In these days and times, that’s a feat unto itself.