Since the 50's didn't have eBay and Starbucks yet, Kossuth had Cooper's Garage and Filling Station. The location was a perfect halfway point to most destinations north of Salem. It was located on a sharp curve on north 135 that said "Since I have to slow down so much, I might as well stop".
Since we had gasoline delivered directly to the farm, I don't ever remember buying gas there, but we stopped almost every time we passed. Wiley's wife, Marie, had taught in many of the local schools so the house next door was always revered by the kids..
The kids were always in favor of the stop since it gave us a chance for some sweets and a Coke from the cooler. My favorite was an ice cream stick with cherry ice cream in the middle surrounded by a layer of vanilla and coated with chocolate. Wiley was usually there cutting off a slice from a VERY ripe yellow cucumber with a long bladed knife. Sometimes, he would place it on top of the wood burning stove until it was crispy. He would deftly place the cucumber into his mouth and chew it without removing his short, unlit cigar. Almost anytime we stopped, there were several other farmers and/or factory workers that were gathered in front of the bays (in nice weather) or in the 'sales room' (in bad weather). A lot of political discussions and decisions were made there. It was also not unusual to sample someone else's personal 'firewater'.
Friday nights provided a community gathering for The Auction. The stables in the barn behind the station had been replaced by wooden bleachers. The staccato voice of Wiley lead the crowd to pay decent (but reasonable) prices for tools, clothing, dinnerware, and a wide range of products. The kids played hide-and-seek, tag, and some very innovative games while the adults socialized and yelled their bids.
Wiley Cooper was quite the entrepreneur. He was a dealer for Cushman scooters. My brother and I always had to be chased off of them otherwise we would still be there. My lips would be numb from scooter noises by the time Dad got us into the car. I am sure that Wiley had a standard routine of wiping the drool from them after we left. We never bought one. I can feel a hole in my being from that.
He also sold Willys and Jeep vehicles. Dad bought a jeep in the mid-50's to use on the farm. I managed to roll it over and break my leg when I was 16 (a later story). We bought several jeeps from Wiley Cooper. I spent a large part of my high school years in a jeep - in the fields, driving between farms, going to town, and DATING!
In 1960, 135 North was updated. In the process, a 'bypass' cut across the corner in front of Cooper's Garage. I am sure that was a major hit to his business. However, many of his loyal customers continued to experience this very unique place.
2 comments:
I always enjoyed Wiley, he was a customer at FC Bank and always had a story. We financed a lot of his Jeep sales.
Hi, Ralph Davidson here. Larry, I was your neighbor in the 1950s. My family and I lived in the lane across the road towards Verne Bush’s home. Good to see your blog!
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