Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– It was some time in the summer of 1974 when a pair of catbirds took up residence in a tall tree near the back of our yard on Sherwood Avenue. I didn’t know much about birds, and I…
Author: Bill Boyd
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– I worked for the Scotts Company for somewhere around 24 years. During that time I made a lot of friends, and I would like to share a little snippet about one of them with you … a man…
This photo is one of many taken by local photographer Weldon Shaw during the 1930s, ‘40s and ‘50s. His specialty was high school sporting events and other local activities and personalities. The photo was taken in 1948 of a Marysville High School basketball game against Delaware. Shooting the ball is “The Way It Was” columnist Bill Boyd (who missed the shot – MHS lost the game by four points). Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– During the late 1930s, I had a neighborhood friend named Richard Liggett. He was several years older than me, and he lived in a yellow frame house on Maple Street where the parking lot behind Dave’s Pharmacy is…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– It was a hot summer evening when I was somewhere around eight or nine years old. I was sitting on the floor of our living room with my friend, Dick Foley, and we were playing some kind of…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– In the fall of 1938 when I entered the first grade in Marysville’s West Elementary School, I learned a lot of things on the very first day, and one of them was “keep off the grass.” You see,…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– Sometime in the mid 1930s, my parents took me to see Santa Claus at Lazarus Department Store. I have no memories whatsoever of that day, but I heard my parents talk about it over the years. They said…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– The Marysville swimming pool played a big part in my life when I was a kid. The pool opened at 10 a.m., and before that for an hour or so that the lifeguards gave swimming lessons. I never…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– I don’t think anyone changed the look of Marysville more than Henry Ford. Before he came along, a lot of people in town needed a barn behind their house, to keep their horse. But Henry’s Model T Ford…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– I learned to drive a car in a cow pasture. You see, I was only 15 years old, and I couldn’t get my “Learners Permit” until the following year. So I couldn’t drive on public streets or highways.…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– When I was about 10 or 11 years old, I had a friend named Bill Porter. I have mentioned him in several of these columns, because he had a special relationship with wild animals. Every spring, his house…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– During the mid to late 1930s, our house on West Fifth Street got wintertime visits from a man named O.L. Spurrier. Mr. Spurrier owned and operated a coal company in Marysville, located on the east side of North…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– I once read that the toys boys and girls enjoy most are often the ones that are least expensive. I can relate to that because when I was a little kid, one of my favorite toys was a…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– When I was about 10 years old, my sister took me to Columbus to see a movie at the Ohio Theater. I don’t remember anything about the movie, but when it was over, all the theater lights were…
Editor’s note: This is another column in Bill Boyd’s new series, “The Way It Was,” about growing up in Marysville. Bill continues to work with the Union County Historical Society to obtain information for his stories. With Marysville and Union County celebrating Bicentennial anniversaries in 2019 and 2020, respectively, these articles help depict what life was like in those early years. ––– It was the summer of 1941, and I was nine years old. A few days earlier I had passed the swimming test at the Marysville swimming pool. To pass the test, a kid had to swim across the…