Visiting Kevin’s Old Stomping Grounds

My Memories of Hamilton

Before Hamilton, Missouri was a destination for quilters, it was my home town.  I grew up on a farm south of town, and I went to school there. 

My grade school is now a quilt museum.  We toured through it mainly for my memories as a kid. 

I remembered the stairs and hand rails. 

I sat down where I used to eat cold lunch on the bleachers in the gym.  Cold lunch?  Well, sometime in kindergarten, they had us try school hot lunch.  There was something I didn’t like about it, so I made the first big decision that I remember in life.  I was going to eat cold lunch from now on!

I think I remembered where all my classrooms were.  My favorite grade was second.  My teacher, Mrs. Sacarro <sp> was fantastic.  

The high school was at the north end of town, and now there is little there that I recognize.  They are tearing it down and building a new one.  My favorite teachers there were Mr. Blakely and Mr. Davies.  I still keep up with Mr. Blakely some, as he goes to the country church that my Mom and Dad used to attend.  

Hamilton lies on the crossroads of highway 36 and 13.  Highway 13 runs north and south through town.  Somewhere in there it becomes Davis street.  There was not much to do in town besides “dragging main” or Davis.  They would turn around at Hales 66 gas station on the south end, and the high school on the north.  I was always busy with other things, and didn’t do it once!  (well, maybe once or twice, don’t tell Dad.)

Hamilton is the birthplace of JC Penney.  I understand he came back and was a local citizen later in life.  I went to Penney High School, so I am guessing he donated quite a bit for the school.  I remember going to Penney’s in town to get school clothes and things.  

Speaking of businesses, there are several still going like they were when I was a kid.  Hales Hy-Klas is still there and still a grocery store.  Bernie Hales is not cashiering anymore.  She was a nice lady that had the patience of Job with me when I paid for a toy with pennies.  The MFA feed store is still there and seems just as popular now as it was.  

There are several businesses that are not there anymore.  Winslow’s feed is an example.  

There have been a lot of changes.  Missouri Star Quilt Company has revitalized the downtown area.  I am sure it would have been cheaper to build new buildings, but they revitalized the old two story buildings that run along Davis street.  In my opinion, it has breathed new life into a sleepy rural town.  

“See this scar on my eyebrow? It happened right back there!” Swinging around swing set pole.