Tood's Town II
As I mentioned, Tood's town, Cairo, Ohio is located on U.S. Route 30 North which was, before the Ohio Turnpike and the Interstate Highways, a major cross country East - West highway. It was known as the Lincoln Highway. Route 30 was Main Street in Cairo. Now, there is a four lane by-pass highway Route 30 located about a mile south of the old Route 30. The by-pass took most of the through traffic and heavy truck traffic off of Main Street. Today, Main Street has local traffic and a few people who are lost.
The North - South road through town is Ohio Route 65 which passes through Columbus Grove, Ottawa, and Leipsic on its way to Toledo. Going South, 65 passes through Lima.
In the 1940s and 50s there were only a few houses more than 150 feet north or south of Route 30. As an aside, I took the Ohio Bar Exam in 1964 and for 30 years I received mail from the Ohio Supreme Court addressed to me at Main and Plum, Cairo, Ohio because when the Clerk of the Supreme Court asked for information on Cairo, I told him that there were only two streets in Cairo -- Main and Plum -- and if you left Main Street, you would be plumb out of town.
When I was born and for the first 6 years of my life, most male members of Cairo's Greatest Generation were off fighting the Germans and Japanese in World War II. Much of this time period is beyond my recollection but I do remember the end of the War in Europe and Japan. I recall that these were days of great happiness and celebration in Cairo.
I also remember some of the returning soldiers and sailors.
Paul Cahill had been captured by the Japanese at age 18 and survived the Bataan Death March. Paul was about 20 when he returned to Cairo. Paul walked with the help of a cane.
After the war, he would walk the short distance from his mother's home to the B&O depot and sit for hours on the front step apparently seeing events of his recent past. Within 6 months, his coal black hair turned completely white, he became mentally disoriented, and if I am not wrong, died before he was 23. Paul didn't really survive the Bataan Death March.
Gilbert "Tubby" Lamb had been a motorcycle courier in Europe and North Africa. If I remember correctly, Tubby had battle ribbons from 5 major campaigns.
Safety Rasor was a navigator on a Navy fighter bomber based on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. I remember Safety telling me that virtually every waking minute was spent waxing their plane because it gave them an extra 20 knots/hour in speed.
Brownie Thomas was a medaled veteran of long combat.
Lieutenant Gerald Faze, a farm boy from just north of Cairo, died in December before the end of the war in the Battle of the Bulge.
I also remember in 1945 when the cost of a pack of cigarettes passed the cost of a loaf of bread at $0.23. Everyone in Cairo was certain that no one would pay more for cigarettes than for a loaf of bread.
More to follow.
Dillard
The North - South road through town is Ohio Route 65 which passes through Columbus Grove, Ottawa, and Leipsic on its way to Toledo. Going South, 65 passes through Lima.
In the 1940s and 50s there were only a few houses more than 150 feet north or south of Route 30. As an aside, I took the Ohio Bar Exam in 1964 and for 30 years I received mail from the Ohio Supreme Court addressed to me at Main and Plum, Cairo, Ohio because when the Clerk of the Supreme Court asked for information on Cairo, I told him that there were only two streets in Cairo -- Main and Plum -- and if you left Main Street, you would be plumb out of town.
When I was born and for the first 6 years of my life, most male members of Cairo's Greatest Generation were off fighting the Germans and Japanese in World War II. Much of this time period is beyond my recollection but I do remember the end of the War in Europe and Japan. I recall that these were days of great happiness and celebration in Cairo.
I also remember some of the returning soldiers and sailors.
Paul Cahill had been captured by the Japanese at age 18 and survived the Bataan Death March. Paul was about 20 when he returned to Cairo. Paul walked with the help of a cane.
After the war, he would walk the short distance from his mother's home to the B&O depot and sit for hours on the front step apparently seeing events of his recent past. Within 6 months, his coal black hair turned completely white, he became mentally disoriented, and if I am not wrong, died before he was 23. Paul didn't really survive the Bataan Death March.
Gilbert "Tubby" Lamb had been a motorcycle courier in Europe and North Africa. If I remember correctly, Tubby had battle ribbons from 5 major campaigns.
Safety Rasor was a navigator on a Navy fighter bomber based on an aircraft carrier in the Pacific. I remember Safety telling me that virtually every waking minute was spent waxing their plane because it gave them an extra 20 knots/hour in speed.
Brownie Thomas was a medaled veteran of long combat.
Lieutenant Gerald Faze, a farm boy from just north of Cairo, died in December before the end of the war in the Battle of the Bulge.
I also remember in 1945 when the cost of a pack of cigarettes passed the cost of a loaf of bread at $0.23. Everyone in Cairo was certain that no one would pay more for cigarettes than for a loaf of bread.
More to follow.
Dillard
posted by Tood at 4:44 PM
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