|
|
- also had many parades and my father pulled one of the floats with his pretty horses and brass trimmed harnesses. A Mr. Fink had the first man- made small limousine (electric car) which looked like a buggy. Mr. Gus Bochmer had the first automobile (gasoline powered car). He was a mechanic and owned a garage.
- Two well known people who strolled down Garrison Avenue at that time were Dr. Greenlee and Aunt Kittie. Dr. Greenlee was famous for Greenlee's No. 12 liniment which he concocted and sold. He was a jolly person making noises like a cat, dog and birds to draw attention. I sold his liniment in my early days in the drug business. Aunt Kittie sold lace out of a basket while walking up and down the avenue. She had a little shop on Garrison Avenue between South 8th and 9th next door to the Krone Brothers Tobacco Store where cigars were made. There was an Indian statue in front of the store which signified the store's merchandise. One of the Krone brothers or some relative lived in a frame house in back of the store on Little Rock (Rogers) Avenue. The town had two livery stables in those days. One was owned by a Mr. Garrett; the other, by Will Schulte. You could rent horses and buggies for pleasure with your sweetheart, which was very popular then. The stables also rented hacks for operas, weddings and funerals. They also had tally-hos, coaches with several seats used for picnics and other outings. Sleighs were also available when it snowed which was quite often in those days. At that time, the weather was much colder in the winter and the Arkansas River would freeze over sometimes as much as two feet deep. The young folks would have ice skating parties in the moonlight which was a lot of sport and fun.
- There was an iron watering trough for horses between North Texas Road (Towson Avenue) and North 11th on Garrison Avenue. Also there were iron hitching posts up and down Garrison Avenue for horses. Harris Wagon Yard was on Texas Road, a square block in size, about the 600 block. The farmers would come in covered wagons to town to sell their produce and shop for merchandise. While in town, they would sleep in their wagons at the wagon yard. The stock yards were out on the north side of town. The farmers would buy and auction off their cattle and also ship them. There was also a slaughter house here located out on the north side owned by Carl Harder, who also was a butcher.
- History of My Parents
- Mr. & Mrs. August Godt
- My father, August Godt, was born in Germany - the exact place I do not know. He worked in Bielefeld near Halle. I do not know when he came to this country. He first homesteaded in Walla Walla, Washington and lived in a cabin in the wilderness inhabited by wild animals. Many times his life was threatened by them. He left Washington without getting the legal papers to the property and went to California to manage a large farm near San Francisco. My father had a brother named Casper Henry Godt, also born in Germany, but living in Fort Smith at that time. He was a bookkeeper in one of the old stores. He married Minnie H. Hoffman and they lived on Texas Road (now Towson Avenue) in the 500 block. They had one daughter, Minnie Godt.
- Casper Godt was born in 1844 and died in 1873 at the early age of 29. He died of a gun shot wound while hunting. My father, August Godt, came to visit his sister-in-law after his brother, Casper, was dead. Some friends planned a surprise party for him, but Minnie and August surprised them by getting married. They decided to stay in Fort Smith, and my father and Mr. Koenke formed a sand business. They had two or three barges with two black men to load the sand onto the barges with wheelbarrows and shovels from the banks of the Arkansas River. They hauled sand used in the construction of many of the old buildings such as the Court House, Post Office, and Grand Opera
|
|