By Staff
Recently, a friend, Ed Darr, brought some pictures for me to look at.
One was the 1948 Dowagiac Centennial parade.
The Conservation Club had a float. On it was Ed's future wife, Elinor Ireland. She worked at Heddon's when I did.
She was on the float as a hunter with a bow and arrows.
Also on the float was Bud Murphy as a fisherman. Another one I recognized was Lawrence Springsteen. The others I couldn't make out.
This photo was taken on Front Street, from the corner of Beeson almost to Commercial.
The stores on the east side were in the background and I found them interesting: 131 was the Beckwith building and Wigwam; 133 was Ziker's Cleaners; 137 was Spivey's; 139, Michigan Gas; 141 Allen's (Bakeman) at one time was on the crank-down awning; 143, Harvey's; and 145, Hinckley and Garrett.
None of these are still there.
Doug McKay told me he has a picture of the same location taken when little Johnny advertised Philip Morris cigarettes.
Remember "Call for Philip Morris?" on radio and TV years ago?
Another of Ed's pictures was of the 1947 Dowagiac Homecoming queen's float.
His wife Elinor was one of the queen contestants.
Others on the float were Marguerite Baldwin, Doris McKenzie, Sue Springsteen, Kaye Bush (the queen), Marilyn Smith, Bernice Archer, Josephine Shaer, Elenor Paul, Joyce Currie, Loretta Schur and Donna Toy.
Another picture was of a ceremonial dinner at the old Wigwam and may have had something to do with 4-H. In this picture I spotted Jim Lewis, Gene Leiber, Irv Phillipson, Lee Neidlinger, Harvey McKay and Elinor and Blanche Ireland.
I now have two copies of the old Wigwam – one with the dinner and one without anyone in it. It was in 1948 when Dowagiac had its 100th celebration and Heddon's put on the new addition on the west side of the factory and celebrated with a party, as I recall.
Some of the honored guests were old-time workers: Lyle Wooster, vice president, 32 years; Harold Barney, 24 years; Emery Huff, 31 years; Earl Demming, 26 years; Cleo Hanley, 15 years; Francis Long Elliot, 27 years; Homer Hungeford, 26 years (my first boss); Mable Malloy, 23 years; Ruby Loomis, 36 years; John Jurgenson, 42 years (the oldest employee); Hallie Wirt, 25 years (my last boss); and Jim Hedges, 25 years.
There was even an hour-long program on radio station WHFB, Benton Harbor, telling what all Heddon made, like many lures, steel fishing rods, bamboo rods, bows, ski poles, golf shafts and won an award for the things they made for the war effort.
When I worked there in the shipping room, we had six people.
Gene Leiber had 13 girls in the office force.
Ones I can remember are Rose Miller, Pearl Wilson, May Culp, Myrtle Abendroth, Pat Lintinmoot and Helen Lambert.
Another thing I remember of 1948 at Heddon's was when I graduated that year, I was given a nice Heddon rod and reel from all my workers in the shipping room and others nearby.
Lawrence Springsteen, Marcella Armstrong, Margaret Krizinski, Irma Smith, Margaret Huelsman, Shirley Anderson, Francis Long, Hallie Wirt, Iva Thomas, David Ruth and a few others that I can't remember.
I enjoyed my five years at Heddon's.