I’m suffering from burn-out. When I promised this everyday crap I must’ve been out of my mind. Here’s to bringing back a Time Capsule Tuesday…
Did you know that Crothersville had a cafe in 1940? Me neither! All the information and photo was provided and written by Joe Fielden, a former resident of the ville…
Irene Fielden in foreground sold it to Helen Martin in background. The cafe was located next to Reynolds Grocery on the northwest corner of Howard and Armstrong Streets. This photo was taken in 1940. The door on the left (rear) opened into a vacant lot between the cafe and Butt’s grocery. The teamsters union hall was located above the cafe.Fielden's Cafe - 1940
The menu starting from the top left reads like this: Fried Ham Sandwich .10, Peanut Butter Sandwich .10, Combination Sandwich .15, Fried Egg Sandwich .10, Cream Cheese & Pimento Sandwich .10, Bacon & Egg .15, Cream Cheese & Jelley .10, Hamburger .05 & .10, Bacon Sandwich .10, Poached Egg on Toast .15, French Toast .15, Cinnamon Toast .05, Grapefruit .10, Hamburger Steak with onion .25, Buttermilk .05, Small Steak – French Fried Potatoes .35, Tomato Juice Cocktail .10, Eggnog .10.
Will that be to eat here or to go??? I have never ordered cream cheese and I do not remember anyone ordering it at the Cafe. During the 8 month school term the tables were filled with school children eating a bowl of chili, two small hamburgers and a drink. Most of the high school students went to Snow’s. In the evening it was the regular business people, widows, truck drivers, and several in transit. I can still see the morning crowd of truck drivers, business people, and especially Calvin Groves and his daughter Mary Ann on the two stools nearest the juke box drinking from the same bottle of Barq’s Rootbeer with two straws. This was after they finished delivering milk. That is a slot machine next to the kitchen door. I fed that thing a lot of slugs. I would get them from the juke box man and play them in the slot machine. I would get him to “trip” the juke box when he came to collect &/or change records. That was good for 24 songs.
During the “War Years” the Defense Workers riding the Kidwell Bus Lines from Seymour to Charlestown used the Cafe to wait on the bus and/or to get something to eat after work.
I remember several private meals in the dining room behind the stove. Customers would bring in squirrel and rabbits. Mother would fry them and we would have a special dinner in the dining room.
