Waggener High School - RingBrothersHistory.com

The Voice-Jeffersonian, April 9, 1970:Hamburgers were a nickel in those days, by H. F. HillenmeyerWhen they tore down the White Castle in St. Matthews last year, I was telling the kids about how I used to buy hamburgersin that same shop for a nickel a-piece.It gradually dawned on me that I was talking about 30 years ago, so I shut up.Just the same, I got to thinking about the buildings around St. Matthews that have disappeared in the relatively short timeI’ve been on the scene, and about how few firms are still doing business under the same name at the same location as theywere 30 years ago.Probably the most widely remembered landmark in St. Matthews is “the bank with the clock on the corner.” it stood at theintersection of Frankfort Avenue and Chenoweth Lane, originally known as Gilman’s Point. That famous clock was a massivething projecting out over the sidewalk. Three of the sides Were clock faces. Above the faces lettering in stained glassproclaimed that this was the St. Matthews Bank and Trust Company.“Lost: without the clock: Directions to St. Matthews always began with, “Do you know that bank with the clock on thecorner.”My aunt in Lexington used to say, “if they ever do away with that clock, I’m lost.”They did away with the clock and building in 1966. That site today is the location of a handsome. First National of Louisvillebranch bank; but no clock. Catty-cornered across the Street Citizens Fidelity occupies the old Farmers and DepositorsBank Building. They have a clock, but it’s just one of those digital things like you see on every bank in town.So it goes with change, To the east are probably three miles of shopping centers, service stations, auto dealers, assortedretail stores, and feeding stations dispensing everything from pizza to Chinese food. Only a few old-timers have firmlyrooted in the original business district at the same location for 30 years of more. Mayor Bernard Bowling and his Plehn’sBakery are synonymous with St. Matthews, Standard Oil on “the point” is solidly established. St. Matthews Hardware hasbeen doing business in the same place for 45 years. The sign at the door to Gerstle’s Place still says “No Ladies.”Holy Trinity is now Trinity High, but the buildings remain the same, with a couple of additions. Bethel E. & R Church hasexperienced some remodeling, but its members still labor in the same vineyard. Showers Shop is outfitting its third generationfrom the same store. Frankel—Obrecht made one move of a block and a half and became Frankel-Klapheke, but thestood as St. Matthews oldest druggists.The aforementioned White castle has rebuilt at the other end of an enlarged parking lot. As far back as 1936, automobiledealerships were housed in the building that came down to make way for the White Castle.Kroger and A & P have been around St. Matthews for more than 30 years, but they have both made several moves. If oneveers off the Frankfort Avenue axis just half a block, he finds Palmer Asbestos, built in 1930, who certainly qualifies as asteadfast old-timer.The A. J. Eline Story: Reminiscences of St. Matthews wouldn’t be complete without some mention of A. J. Eline, nowdeceased. Certainly this man built, bought, and traded more property than any one person in the history of St. Matthews. Ifthere is such a location today as “the heart of St. Matthews”, it would have to be in the 3900 block of Frankfort Avenue,where Eline Realty has had its offices for over 40 years.They used to tell a story on Tony Eline thathe religiously denied, but it’s one of thosetales that is too good to die. It seems thatone day he spotted a piece of property inSt. Matthews as a likely location for someenterprise or other, and he instructed oneof his legmen to go down to the courthouseand find out who owned it. In due time thescout reported back; “Mr. Eline, you do!”Perhaps that property, if ever there wassuch as episode, is today one of the fewmentioned above. Who knows—in another30 years maybe we’ll see “the affluentEast End” centered around Middletown,while the old business district revertsto potato fields. And the farmers will berunning ads: “You dig ‘em.”Various History Articles!!