by Forest Harvey

Sometime around 1945 my parents decided to move to Albany. Growing up there I held a wide variety of jobs. A number of them were around the intersection of US 127 and KY 1590. I started at the sawmill and went from one side of town to the other, even driving livestock at the old Albany Stockyard on Wednesdays. In my spare time I attended school every day and graduated from High School in 1952.

My first job at the age of eleven was at the sawmill (made staves) behind where the food locker stood. I was in the 6th grade. I went by after school and ricked wood, my pay was 50 cents a rick.

My next job was at the old Log Palace Inn working for E. P. Warriner. I ask him for a job and he asked me if I could work. I said yes. I worked two days free to show him that I could work. He hired me for $2.00 a day for eight hours. I worked that summer. I worked part time from 1946-1953 at the Log Palace Inn, the Locker Plant as iceman, and later Drive-In. During that time the old Log Palace Inn became the New Palace Motel and Gulf station.

At twelve years of age I could change oil, grease a vehicle, wash cars, change a tire and fix a tire or tube. Back then we used hot patches and boots, even relinings in the old rayon/nylon tires and some regroving and recap tires. (If you would like to call for service, ask the operator for 3302 please). The largest tip I remember getting was the night that Ben and I carried two drunk women to their cabin. The men gave each of us $5.00. That was more than we were paid for eight hours work.

I have worked many hours in and around the four houses that are being removed for progress. I mowed the grass at the Conner House, Campbell House, Nagle House and Smith House. I cut the grass for Mr. L.M. Sewell, Mrs. Montie Campbell and Newt Tidrow. Mr. Tidrow was a big storyteller. He once told me that he moved from Tennessee because he was a horse thief and the law was after him.

I worked for the Bennett Wades. They were very good to me. I worked at the store as well as the house. I mowed the grass, took care of the bushes and flowers and white-washed the big trees in the front of the house. (I once climbed to the top of the old water tower to fix the antenna, when I worked for A.D. Monroe and Billy Free. Later, in 1956-57, Billy Free sent me to Summer Shade where I managed a Radio and TV store for them). Sometime in those years I found time to paint the fire escape at Granville Smith Hotel, work for Tom N. Conner, Chilton’s 5 & 10 Store, Albany Furniture Co. (Hershel McKinley) and Clinton Cleaners as route driver.

While at Cleaners, with Ed Weaver and Clarence Bray, I met my wife, in Picket County. Later, together, we decided we had to get “up”, “out” and “on”. So we left in 1958 for good, moved to Trevecca Nazarene College and were on our way. But I have a lot of memories of my youth, school days and work there. A lot of people influenced me for the “good”. One of the things I learned in Albany was to work at what you could until you could find better. A 103 year old lady at the Assisted Living Facility where I volunteer, gave me her name and age and then she said, “I am going to stay here until I can do better.” She is gone now to a better place.

But, I have never answered Professor L. H. Robinson’s question, Why are we here?

Forest Harvey