Around 1930, I was 5 yrs. old, I lived in the building where Lon & Mary Laningham had a family clothing store for several years after WWII. When I lived there it was with my brother Harold, my dad, Bob Denny and mother Pearl Laningham Denny. My mother shared a business, like a boarding house, with her sister, Ella Lee, who also shared the building as a home along with her husband Bob Lee and son Alfred (Pete) Lee who was also 5 yrs old.

Our next door neighbor was the Kirk Hotel run by Mr. and Mrs. Marion Kirk and their son M. R. Kirk. This was later Little`s Hotel. M.R. was also 5 yrs. old.

One day the 3 of us 5 yr. olds were playing in Strait creek at the bridge, at the side opposite Jake`s Place. We found a large package of these cards, which I was told were sold in stores. They had the picture you see on one side and a place for a short message, an address and a stamp on the other side.

I recall we were real excited about the find and ran home to show our parents. As it turned out, the picture of main street included Pete`s and my Granddaddy, James Robert Laningham. Granddaddy owned the building we lived in and actually lived with us. The picture shows him standing in front of a gas station operated by Mr. (I believe I`m right) Jerry Gilliam.

I wanted to share this with those of you who were around then and would remember St. Charles at that time.

A post script: My Grandaddy died in May 1931, a year later, just after Mr. Kirk died.


Jack Denny
Camillus, N.Y.