Marietta Downtown

I was born at the corner of Atlanta and Waterman Streets, which was two blocks from the Cobb County Court House.  Less than a year later we moved around the corneer to the Clay Homes.  Then we were one closer.  From toddler to teenhood I lived there.  I knew the streets and alleys downtown like a war child.  I considered downtown as my comfort zone and still do, and still have to return often for a recharge.  As we did yesterday.

click on the above to see the sign to the right of Senator Clay.

Marietta, Ga Downtown Dec 2018

Marietta Mountain View

click on to marker larger to see the details better

Look!  I can fly!

Actually, I can't.  I got to the parking lot near the top of Kennesaw  Mountain via other means.

I always like to look down on Marietta from high above.

On the left is the Kennestone/Wellstar Hospital Complex.  Like most old Marietta people, we had more than a few love ones that their lives end there.

Just a hop and skip to the right is the water tower at Saint Joseph's Catholic Church and School.

And down more to the right center is downtown Marietta.  My kind of town.

And someplace in the horizon you can see Blackjack Mountain, which did a Lover's Park and Smooch overlook of the downtown lights; sort of like a lovers' Lane.  

I been thinking about exercising my love of photography and visiting that area some night when the Moon is full and see if I can take some interesting pictures.  Maybe some old fashion blackmail is in order.

Joe Kirby (c1955 - 2015)

Joe Kirby was a dedicated father and journalist.    He had a sense of history.   He did his adopted hometown Marietta, Georgia, good.  He also wanted military members get proper recognition and appreciation.   He was a nice person.  It all adds up.

Depot/Visitors' Center, Courthouse, and the Kennesaw House

Night Train in Georgia

I have an idea for a song that I think will be a hit.  The title of it will be THE MIDNIGHT TRAIN IN GEORGIA.   Wait!  That doesn't sound right!

This picture was taken either  by me or my friend Shafik Mansur.

Marietta Police, Retired (Mostly)

Yesterday, Friday, August 28th, 2015, The Marietta Museum of  History had a "sit around the cracker barrel session" talking about the Marietta Police Force of times gone by.

I was glad to see some old friends that I grew up with, like Jerry Millwood, Haydn McLean, Rupert Raines,  and others.  They had a panel, sort of mostly retired MPD officers.  One, Tommy Maloney I think he is still on the force.  I used to work with his late brother Phil .

About a half dozen  ex Marietta cops got up told of their memories, which were mostly hilarious.  The memories also showed they were humans with big hearts.

One retired policeman, I don't remember the name, at the podium asked for people born in Marietta to raise their hands.  Almost everybody and I raised their hands.

Then he asked how many people went to Marietta High School.  A good many of the people, including me raised their hands.

Then, he asked for people who rolled Marietta High School to raise their hands.   As far as my peripheral vision   could tell, I was the only one who raised a hand.

Maybe I had better explain:

At a football game two friends and I arrived fully stocked under our coats with rolls of toilet paper.

Every so often we would throw a roll high in black sky and it would unroll as it traveled in the air.  twice it looped over the power lines.

MHS was playing Roswell.  When the Roswell Band came marching on the field at half time as they march we let the toilet paper fly.  Rolls flew and mysteriously did magic tricks like wrap around the legs of the band member trying to march,, tangled around tubas and other horn instruments.  I think some long streams of toilet paper got hung up in shoes and trailed them as they tried to march in cadence.

I  think everybody on the Marietta side were happy with the Roswell Band Half Time Show for a change.

I am pretty sure the statue of limitations has ran out.

One lady in the audience stood up and talked about the time her late father was on the force.  She was an articulate speaker.  She said her father's  name, Harold Griggs.  I perked up.  Lawdy!  She was Grethen Griggs.  We went back to the early 1940s when we were toddlers.

It was very enjoyable seeing the policemen talk.  Police are like Marines, they are in it for life whether they are paid for it or not.

Jack Shields

Jim Whitmyer

Rupert Raines

Jerry Millwood

Tommy Maloney

Stanley Biship

Edie Milwod and Haydn McLain

Officer Little, MPD Historian

Gretchen Griggs

Marietta Policemen, Years Ago and Now

Marietta Patrolman Ed Hunter and his two children Eddie and Anna, and Eddie's one eyed rag doll in the 1940s'.

Marietta Policemen Ed Hunter and Jesse Cooper.  I think Jesse and his family lived on or near the corner of McDonald and Maxwell Streets.  I have no idea why I know or think that.

Marietta Policemen Stanley and his brother Ed Hunter.  Stanley was a plains clothes officer.

Cobb County Chief of Police Ed Hunter in the 1950s.  Before he was Cobb County Chief he was chief of the Marietta Police but I don't have a picture of that.

Rupert Raines.  He was the assistant chief of the Marietta Police in the 1970s. (Rupert made that face for my benefit, actually he is very gentle, 

Here is Dan Flynn, the current chief of the Marietta Police Force.  We were on a Civil War Hospital tour together in downtown Marietta.  He is very congenial and likable.  So is the Mrs.

The reason of this Marietta Police Force article is that Friday at 10:30am the Marietta Museum of History will have an opened discussion of the Marietta Police of the past.