R. A. Long High School Class of 1963

Memory Jolts

Home Photographs In Memoriam Misc Pages Links Table of Contents


Memory is a funny thing. Sometimes all it takes is just a word or a phrase and a flood of memories comes rushing in. Here are some things that may trigger a wash of reverie for you.

If you have something you want to add to this list please me and I will add it.
    Cruising:
  • Irby's Drive-In on 15th
  • A&W Root Beer across the street
  • Two Clowns Drive-In on Washington Way
  • DJ's Drive-In on 15th
  • Yost's across the street, which became
  • Captain Yoby's
  • Captain Yoby's West Kelso (opened in 1962)
    (both purveyors of "fish and chips worth rowin' ashore for" along with Schoolboy Specials and Fatboy Specials)
    Eating:
  • Pietro's Pizza at the foot of Commerce
  • The Longview Restaurant uptown on Commerce (owned by Melody Nolte's parents)
  • The Arctic Circle on Washington Way
  • The Saint Helens Inns on Oregon Way
    Music:
  • Listening to 45s at Korten's in the listening booths before you bought them
  • KWLK Radio (became KEDO circa 1958)
  • Ross Davis on KEDO playing records live and reading dedications from a booth at Capt Yoby's West
    The Bands:
  • Danny and the Seniors (Dan White, Chuck Reed, Larry Price) playing dances in the RAL cafeteria
  • The Trespassers (Doug Black plus band members from Mark Morris and Kelso) playing in other venues, including the infamous Glide Hall in S. Kelso
  • The Furys (RAL 62's Rich Brown, Roger Huycke, Ray Kennedy and Norm Lacoursiere) playing at the Y and various other locations (see Pacific NW Bands: The Furys)
    Entertaining Yourself:
  • Park Hill Drive on Columbia Heights
  • Swimming at Catlin Pool and eating Soft-Serv ice cream cones at Dairy King afterwards
  • Skating at the Rol-o-Way at the foot of Vandercook Way
  • Swimming at Crystal Pool, at the end of Allen Street Road in Kelso
  • The Highland Dairy Fun Gang at the Columbia Theater every Saturday
  • Mister Moon on KOIN-TV Channel 6 at 4:30 Monday through Friday
  • Tarantula Ghoul presenting classic tacky horror films on KPTV television, Channel 12.
  • Driving to Woodland to buy "unsafe and insame" fireworks for the Fourth of July after Cowlitz County made them illegal
For more memory jolts, take a walk up Commerce in 1963 and see how many businesses you remember, and take a look at some Historical Photos of Commerce Ave from 1923 to 1961.