Richlands Helmet/Uniform History

[BigD4VT 11]

The field your referring to next to the police station, wasn't it where the plaza with Hardee's in it is?

 

Judging from old pictures I've seen (there is an aerial shot hanging in the lab waiting area at The Clinic), it was directly behind the school, which is still standing as the Richlands Professional Building. There was also a baseball field in the area that is now the Magic City Plaza. Not sure what was in the Hardees area but I will look at the picture next time I'm there. I do know it was a vacant lot until the shopping center was built in the 80's. It's where the carnival set up when I was a kid.

[mrb 26]

There is a video floating around town that shows some of that area. I know it shows some of the band in uniform walking through a wooden fence or gate. One of the band members walking through is Sandy Whitt. She could have alot of info and pictures. Early 50's

[BigD4VT 11]

Is she someone you know?

[thundercloud 179]

Judging from old pictures I've seen (there is an aerial shot hanging in the lab waiting area at The Clinic), it was directly behind the school, which is still standing as the Richlands Professional Building. There was also a baseball field in the area that is now the Magic City Plaza. Not sure what was in the Hardees area but I will look at the picture next time I'm there. I do know it was a vacant lot until the shopping center was built in the 80's. It's where the carnival set up when I was a kid.

 

Went to that school when in the 7th and 8th grade. There was a second building that ran parallel with the building still there, about where BBT is now. Use to have PE on the field there at the plaza. Mike Hankins was PE teacher then, we played football for PE, it was a good size field.

[trublue 939]

Some history on Richlands with a few photos included

 

excerpt:

 

"The name Richlands evolved from the land grant of 1785 from Patrick Henry, then governor of Virginia, to a John Fowler for a tract of two hundred acres extending from Lake Park (Lick Lot then) to Doran. The grant described the land location as “in the rich lands on both sides of the Upper Fork of the Clinch River.â€

 

http://town.richlands.va.us/webdocs/History/Richlands.pdf

 

Information was compiled by Carol Wolfe and Gaynelle Thompson and published by the Tazewell County Historical Society

[NOCOUNTMULE 10]

Good job Joker, your right ! The man was my great uncle. Bob Childress.

[The-Joker 10]

The Mule gets it right again......Mr. Childress was his name and a gracious gentleman he was.

 

Some more info.......The Hardees' location was about where a backstop for PE and some recreational softball / baseball was played. In the early 60's, there was no Second Street bridge. Traffic either took a left back to Front Street or a right on Allegheny. If you went strraight on Second Street, it was a dirt / gravel road that terminated about where Hardees is located. A softball / baseball field was actually located where the Magic City / Community Home Care complex sits. The football field was long gone by now, having gone to the RHS campus (sitting 90 degrees to the present stadium btw). The football field that was used in town sat about where the popo back parking lot is located. A baseball field was located there as well. The poor fellows that played in that location probably thought that was field turf compared to the brickbats on the old casket factory field (actually located a bit closer to the old Kern's Bakery store).