Friday, September 10, 2004

The 50's in Rome

Ok, it wouldn't be much of a story if we didn't set the scene. Peggy was at her height of success in the 50's. Do you remember what Rome was like then? The Toonville Trolley, Pop Skull, Chow Time, The Krystal, cruising, drag racing on Martha Berry.... Any memories to share? Please write in!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I grew up in the Rome area in the 50's and 60's. I am so glad I found this site,I just love all the comments on Peggy's. I live in another state now but have always said Rome was the best place to grow up. I remember going to the Coosa Valley fair with friends and we would always try to see some of the girls at Peggy's, we were so curious to see what they looked like. We just knew they looked very different from anybody we had seen.

skm said...

Peggy took very good care of her girls. She had them tested for diseases often to make sure they were well. From what I hear they were beautiful women. Peggy was a looker too.
One other thing i have learned is that she paid the most taxes of anyone in Rome, GA. Of course, they had a different way of figuring her taxes. Not kidding, they counted the number of towels she used to figure what kind of business she was doing and how much taxes she should pay. That is quite interesting to me.
Another thing, Peggy also sold alcohol at her house. She had a delivery man that would go to Atlanta and after he delivered his goods, he would pick up her whiskey to sell and bring it back to Rome.
She was a very good businesswoman.

Anonymous said...

Actually, Peggy would always close the week of thr Coosa Valley Fair. She didn't like all the "riff raff" that accompanied the fair knocking on her door. She also owned and operated a taxi company known as Snead's Taxi.
at one time it was located behind the Spur gas station at the end of Broad Street just before you cross the South Rome Bridge (now a bar-b-q restaurant). She later moved it to the parking lot of her "business" on E.First Street.

Anonymous said...

in the middle or late sixties i was at a beauty shop in central plaza my beatician asked me if i had ever seen anyone who worked at peggy's, of course i had not. she said two had just arrivd in a taxi to get their wigs styled all i remember is they had blonde hair and pale skin and were very quite while i was there

Anonymous said...

I sold them shoes in the middle sixties from upper class shoe store on broad street

Anonymous said...

I went there in the early 60's. I still itch.

Anonymous said...

I lived in a log cabin house in '76' on callier forrest rd and was told the rundown building behind it, that had 3 or 4 individual rooms was Peggys.
















Anonymous said...

my grand father was a cab driver and bootlegger. as the story goes he would load his cap up with moonshine drive to Atlanta drop off the shine pick up collage boys or who ever and bring them to Peggy's and she would give him a cut.. his nick name was red.. his wife "b" later work at the country house on shorter ave. and the drive beer store across from the west Rome Krystal. i.m looking for info on POP SKULL i live right off bunnet ferry and i have bought #10 bunnert ferry i under stand there was some very strong and some times deadly shine came out of this area. you can contact me with any info at BUICKBOB@COMCAST.NET thanks Bob