Looking Back

Again, 25 and 50 years ago papers had little news to pass on so the stories will be added to next week’s 25 and 50 years ago. We will just reminisce this week.

REMINISCENCES Like all other towns Staples has its share of folk-lore, legends and interesting tales which may or may not be “tall.” Our town is rich in stories passed down word-ofm outh from generation to generation. It is my intention to share some of these tales with you. I always hope that someone out there may have also heard these stories and that they could expand on them or share something more to them as I feel they are a part of Staples history.

The oldest Martin relative at Evergreen Hill Cemetery is James Martin. He was born in 1800 and died here in 1892 and was my great, great, great-grandfather. Near his grave is the grave of my great, great-grandfather Urias Martin. His son William Ludvig Martin is my greatgrandfather and is buried in the same 20’ square as those just mentioned. William Ludvig’s eldest son Eli Chester was my grandfather and his son, my father Ellsworth Joseph Martin are in a family plot together as well as too many of my siblings and relatives. Among them, all but one has passed on stories of Staples. I’m going to withdraw from my bank of these passed down stories in my future columns. Some stories you may have heard, some will be new but all of them are interesting.

In the past, without modern modes of communication, at least every family had a story teller. Some became so good at it they were on a par with Mark Twain/Samuel Clemans. I proudly proclaim and acknowledge that my father’s line were particularly adept if not gifted with this talent. Brett Hart, the classic

American author described

this gift as having “local color.”

The first tale is short. My father told a story about Batcher’s Opera Hall. At some point in his lifetime, probably around the time vaudeville and the traveling actors’ time ended, the folks at Batcher’s removed

the seats in the opera hall

and turned it into a roller “rink.” It was a very successful

endeavor and soon most all of the area teens and other’s were rolling. The skates were supposedly available as bowling shoes are now. Pa said that everything was fine until people on the street noticed that when the skaters made their “rounds” the building began to sway with them. With that another good idea was shot down and the skating came to an abrupt end due to public safety. I always believed this as the opera hall was closed but the seats were removed and stacked in the back. Why else would they have removed the seats.

This story could explain much. I hope it’s true. Did anyone out in readerland ever hear this story? If so, I’m still at 218 894-3742 and would like to do a Paul Harvey and get “the rest of the story.”