THE BUILDING IS LONG GONE, BUT NOT THE
MEMORIES OF WONDERFUL TEEN YEARS.
|
A SMALL SQUARE BUILDING NESTLED ON A TRIANGLE SHAPED PIECE OF PROPERTY, WITH WHITE AND BLACK TILES ON THE BOTTOM PART OF THE BUILDING, A WONDERFUL RED ROOF WITH AN ORIENTAL FLARE, WIDE AT THE BOTTOM AND ARCHED UP TO A SMALL, FLAT TYPE ROOF. THERE WERE WINDOWS ALL AROUND THE BUILDING, AND AT THE TOP PAINTED ON THE GLASS WERE BLACK PIGS--WITH THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS GIVING OFF A LUMINESCE GLOW OVER THE ENTIRE AREA. BUT THE MOST FASCINATING SIGHT WAS THE BRIGHT BLUE NEON PIG THAT STOOD AT THE CORNER WITH THE WORDS " PIG SANDWICH " IN BRIGHT RED NEON, PLACED HIGH ABOVE ON A METAL POLE BECKONING TO EVERYONE TO ENJOY A JUICY PIG SANDWICH. TO TEEN AGERS THE DRIVE IN SANDWICH SHOP WAS A PARADISE. GREAT TASTING FOOD AND IT WAS AN IDEAL SPOT TO MEET OTHER TEEN AGERS. WATCHING, MAKING NEW FRIENDS, (CONFRONTING RIVALS FROM ACROSS TOWN SCHOOLS, AND SPARKING ROMANCE. AND IT WAS FASCINATING TO DRIVE, HONK YOUR HORN OR FLASH YOUR LIGHTS, INSTANTLY A CAR HOP WOULD BE AT YOUR TO TAKE YOUR ORDER. THIS EXCITING LOCATION WAS AT THE CORNER OF HIGHLAND AVENUE, PORT ARTHUR HIGHWAY, (NOW KNOWN AS MLK) AND EUCLID - AND THIS FAVORITE SPOT IN SOUTH PARK WAS THE PIG STAND AND THE VERY SPECIAL JUICY PIG SANDWICH - WITH A CHERRY OR CHOCOLATE COKE, OR THE MANY OTHER ITEMS SERVED AT THE PIG STAND. THE IMAGE OF THE PIG STAND EVOKES FOND MEMORIES - EXCITEMENT, RELAXATION, GOOD FRIENDS AND CHOMPING A JUICY PIG SANDWICH. IN THE EARLY 1920'S THE DRIVE IN RESTAURANTS GOT THEIR START. DALLAS CANDY AND TOBACCO MAGNATE, JESSIE G. KIRBY DECIDED TO EXPLOIT THE HABITS OF THE AVERAGE CAR OWNER, EXPRESSING TO HIS FUTURE PARTNER, DR. REUBEN W. JACKSON THAT "PEOPLE WITH CARS ARE SO LAZY THEY,DON'T WANT TO GET OUT OF THEIR CARS TO EAT!" HE BELIEVED THE TIME WAS RIGHT FOR A RESTAURANT GEARED TOWARD SERVING DINERS FROM THEIR CARS - AND DR.JACKSON WAS SO IMPRESSED WITH THE IDEA, HE PROVIDED THE $10,000.00 FINANCING FOR A CORPORATION THAT WOULD CONSTRUCT A PROTOTYPE PORK STAND. IN THE FALL OF 1921, THE FIRST PIG STAND WAS OPENED IN DALLAS, TEXAS ON THE OLD DALLAS-FORT WORTH HIGHWAY, AND QUICKLY MOTORISTS WERE LINED UP TO TASTE A PIG SANDWICH. IT IS NOT CLEAR HOW THE TASTE OF THE JUICY PIG SANDWICH WAS DEVELOPED, BUT IT CONSISTS OF SMOKED PORK LOIN AND A BARBEQUE SAUCE MADE BY THE COMPANY, AND EACH DRIVE IN SMOKED THEIR OWN PORK. THE PIG STAND WAS THE FIRST DRIVE IN TO USE CAR HOPS TO WAIT ON THEIR CUSTOMERS, AND THEY WERE YOUNG BOYS WHO WOULD QUICKLY JUMP ON THE RUNNING BOARDS OF CARS, SOMETIMES EVEN BEFORE THEY STOPPED. THESE YOUNG BOYS DELIGHTED THE MOTORISTS - QUICKLY TAKING ORDERS, RUNNING TO THE KITCHEN AND BACK TO THE CAR WITH DELICIOUS FOOD AND DRINKS ON THEIR TRAYS, WHICH WAS PLACED ON THE DOOR OF THE CAR. THUS THE TERM "CAR HOP" WAS COINED TO DESCRIBE THE COMBINATION OF WAITER, BUS-BOY, CASHIER AND DAREDEVIL. QUICKLY OTHER DRIVE IN ESTABLISHMENTS WERE OPENED, AND SOON THE CAR HOPS TURNED FROM YOUNG BOYS TO PRETTY YOUNG GIRLS IN MANY DIFFERENT STYLES OF UNIFORMS, AND THIS BROUGHT EVEN MORE DELIGHT TO THE MOTORISTS. THE SIGN OF THE PIG PULLED CUSTOMERS IN, AND IN 1922 THE COMPANY'S TRADEMARK "THE SIGN OF THE PIG" WAS REGISTERED WITH THE STATE OF TEXAS, AND ONE YEAR LATER IT WAS REGISTERED WITH THE UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. IN 1923, DR. JACKSON DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO BUILD A PIG STAND IN BEAUMONT, AND HE MADE A TRIP TO BEAUMONT LOOKING FOR THE RIGHT LOCATION. HE FOUND THE TRIANGLE SHAPED PROPERTY LOCATED AT HIGHLAND AVENUE, AND PORT ARTHUR ROAD, WHICH WAS OWNED BY RYMAN "DOC" THOMAS, WHO RESIDED WITH HIS FAMILY IN SPINDLETOP, AND OPERATED A GENERAL MERCHANDISE AND DRUG STORE IN SPINDLETOP, AS WELL AS RENTING ROOMS UP STAIRS TO THE ROUGH NECKS WORKING IN THE OIL FIELDS. DR. JACKSON ARRANGED TO LEASE THE PROPERTY FROM MR. THOMAS, AND FOR 44 YEARS THE LEASE WAS IN EFFECT. THE QUAINT LITTLE BUILDING WAS QUICKLY CONSTRUCTED, AND IMMEDIATELY PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER BEAUMONT CAME TO THE SOUTH PARK AREA TO TRY THIS NEW FAD OF EATING IN YOUR CAR, BEING SERVED BY THESE CAR HOPS AND TRYING OUT THIS DELICIOUS, NEW JUICY PIG SANDWICH. THE LITTLE BUILDING WITH THE RED, UNUSUAL ROOF, THE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS AND THE NEON PIG, THE CAR HOPS CARRYING A TRAY LOADED WITH FOOD, AND THE TASTE OF THE DELICIOUS PORK SANDWICHES MADE AN UNFORGETTABLE SIGHT. THE DRIVE IN PIG STAND SOON BECAME A HOME AWAY FROM HOME FOR TEEN AGERS, AND WAS AN APPROPRIATE SETTING FOR TEENAGE. SOCIALIZATION. AND IT WAS OPEN 24 HOURS A DAY. THE PIG STAND DEVELOPED SOFT DRINKS THAT QUICKLY CAUGHT ON WITH THE TEEN AGERS. A CHERRY COKE - A COKE WITH JUST A TOUCH OF CHERRY JUICE. THE RICKEY DRINK. CHERRY JUICE IN THE BOTTOM OF A GLASS, ORANGE JUICE ADDED, WITH A CHERRY ON TOP AND A SLICE OF LIME ON THE RIM. AND THE DRINK THAT WALTER KENNESSON AND BUDDY HEBERT REMEMBER THE MOST - THE SHIPWRECK. FIRST THE GLASS WAS FILLED WITH COKE, THEN THE WAITRESS WOULD GO DOWN THE FOUNTAIN AND SQUIRT A LITTLE OF EVERYTHING IN THE GLASS. ALL MAKING A BIG HIT WITH THE KIDS. THEY DEVELOPED THE "OUTLAW BURGER." THREE PIECES OF BUN WITH TWO MEAT BURGER PATTIES, CHEESE, PICKLES, ONIONS, LETTUCE AND TOMATOES ALONG WITH THEIR SPECIAL SAUCE. THE FIRST ONION RINGS WERE SERVED BY THE PIG STAND. THEY WERE THE FIRST TO SERVE TEXAS TOAST, AND THE FIRST TO USE FLUORESCENT LIGHTS AND NEON SIGNS. THE PIG STAND WAS A VERY SPECIAL PLACE FOR MANY A SOUTH PARK TEEN AGER ALTHOUGH CARS WERE NOT THAT PLENTIFUL IN OUR TIME, AND MONEY WAS EXTREMELY TIGHT, WE FOUND WAYS TO EARN MONEY BY SUMMER AND WEEKEND JOBS, AND MANY A FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT A LARGE GROUP WOULD GATHER AT THE PIG STAND FOR THOSE DELICIOUS REFRESHMENTS. AFTER THE FOOTBALL GAME WAS A SPECIAL TIME, AS THE CROSS TOWN STUDENTS WOULD ALWAYS SHOW UP AFTER THE GAME. AND ALTHOUGH WE ALWAYS DECLARED THAT WE WERE DEADLY ENEMIES WITH OTHER STUDENTS, MANY A ROMANCE DEVELOPED AND GREW AT THE PIG STAND ON HIGHLAND AND PORT ARTHUR ROAD. SUCH A ROMANCE WAS THAT OF ROLFE CHRISTOPHER AND VIRGINIA WOODS. ROLFE HAD MANY FOND MEMORIES OF THE PIG STAND AND ON NUMEROUS OCCASSIONS HAD EXPRESSED HIS FEELING "THAT THE PIG STAND WAS WHERE HE FELL IN LOVE WITH VIRGINIA." ROLFE WAS A 1936 GRADUATE OF SOUTH PARK, AND NINE YEARS OLDER THAN VIRGINIA. VIRGINIA WAS A MEMBER OF THE CADETS, AND FROM THE MOMENT ROLFE SAW VIRGINIA AT A FOOTBALL GAME, HE KNEW HE WANTED TO GET TO KNOW THIS GIRL BETTER. ALTHOUGH HIS FRIEND, PHILLIP GARRISON THOUGHT VIRGINIA WAS "A BABY", ROLFE FINALLY PERSUADED HIM TO INTRODUCE HIM TO VIRGINIA. VIRGINIA REMEMBERS MANY A FRIDAY AND SATURDAY NIGHT TRIP TO THE PIG STAND WITH ROLFE, AND WITH HIM HAVING HIS OWN CAR AND SOME EXTRA MONEY WAS ABLE TO BUY HER NOT ONLY A COKE, BUT A SANDWICH AS WELL - ALL OF WHICH WAS QUITE IMPRESSIVE TO VIRGINIA. SHE ALSO LAUGHINGLY RECALLS AFTER SHE AND ROLFE MARRIED THE SUNDAY MORNINGS THAT ROLFE AND "SPUD" BRADEN WOULD MEET AT THE PIG STAND FOR COFFEE. THE BOYS WERE-YOUNG AT THAT TIME, AND IT WAS A SPECIAL TREAT FOR THEM TO GO TO THE PIG STAND WITH THEIR DAD. BUT FIRST THEY HAD TO BE DRESSED AND READY FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL - AND SHE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BOYS GETTING READY SOON ENOUGH. THIS ALSO GAVE HER SOME LEISURE SOME LEISURE TIME TO GET DRESSED HERSELF. THERE ARE MANY OTHER MEMORIES. NANCY BELT VINCENT REMEMBERS THE WONDERFUL .05 CENT HOT DOGS THEY SERVED. JACK BINKS RECALLS THE "RED HOT" INVENTED BY THE PIG STAND. A SPICY SAUSAGE ON A BUN, TOPPED WITH RED HOT SAUCE. HIS MOUTH STILL WATERS JUST THINKING ABOUT IT. BUDDY HEBERT LAUGHS WHEN HE RECALLS THE YOUNG BOY WHO ALWAYS SOLD PAPERS AT THE PIG STAND, AND WOULD TELL YOU IF YOU WOULD BUY A PAPER FROM HIM THAT HE WOULD TELL YOU WHAT STATE YOU WERE BORN IN. AND WHEN YOU BOUGHT THE PAPER, HE WOULD TELL YOU "YOU WERE BORN IN THE STATE OF INFANCY." HE HAD 3-4 OTHER SUBJECTS HE WOULD USE TO ENTICE YOU TO BUY A PAPER, BUT BUDDY CAN'T REMEMBER JUST WHAT THEY WERE. AND OF COURSE THERE WAS OFFICER SYLVESTER GARBO WHO WAS EVER PRESENT ON HIS MOTORCYCLE AFTER MANY A FOOTBALL GAME. I CAN'T REMEMBER THE PIG STAND WITHOUT RECALLING OFFICER GARBO. THERE WAS A COUNTER INSIDE THE PIG STAND, ALONG WITH A FEW TABLES, AND MANY PEOPLE OFTEN WENT THERE FOR THE WONDERFUL BREAKFASTS. WHAT GOOD FOOD YOU COULD HAVE FOR A QUARTER. THERE WERE THESE SPECIAL LITTLE DOMED SHAPED, GLASS NICKELODEON SELECTORS SITTING ON THE COUNTERS, WHERE YOU COULD MAKE YOUR SELECTION OF A SONG, DROP IN A NICKEL AND YOUR FAVORITE TUNE WOULD PLAY. I DON'T REMEMBER JUST WHAT YEAR, BUT EVENTUALLY A CANOPY WAS INSTALLED OVER THE PARKING LOT TO PROVIDE SHADE FOR THE CARS AND CUSTOMERS COMING TO THE DRIVE IN. ON FEBRUARY 15, 1930, A YOUNG BOY BY THE NAME OF ROYCE HAILEY STARTED WORKING AS A CAR HOP AT THE PIG STAND IN DALLAS, TEXAS. HE CONTINUED TO WORK FOR THE PIG STAND, DOING EVERY JOB IMAGINABLE AND IN 1955 BECAME PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY. ROYCE HAILEY RETIRED ABOUT 1977 AND HIS SON, RICHARD HAILEY TOOK OVER AS PRESIDENT OF THE PIG STAND CORPORATION. RICHARD HAILEY IS ALSO A COUNTRY/WESTERN SINGER, ONE OF HIS PRODUCTIONS BEING " IT'S NEVER TOO.LATE." RICHARD RESIDES INSAN ANTONIO. EVEN PARENTS HAD FOUND THAT IT WAS A GREAT PLACE TO EAT OUT WITH THE KIDS, AS THEY DID NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT BEHAVIOR ORTHE KIDS MAKING A MESS. BUT IN THE EARLY 1960'S, THE TEEN AGERS BEGAN SPENDING TOO MUCH TIME AT THE DRIVE IN'S, WITH LOUD MUSIC AND SOMETIMES FIGHTS, MAKING IT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO PARK AND ENJOY A MEAL. BY THIS TIME MC DONALD'S AND BURGER CHEF'S RESTAURANTS BEGAN POPPING UP WITH DRIVE THROUGH SERVICE, AND THE DAYS OF THE CAR HOPS WAS OVER. ABOUT 1968 THE EXPANSION OF THE PORT ARTHUR HIGHWAY BEGAN, WIDENING THE STREET, WHICH TOOK MUCH OF THE PROPERTY UPON WHICH THE PIG STAND WAS LOCATED. THUS CAME THE DEMISE OF THE BELOVED PIG STAND AS WE KNEW IT AS KIDS. THE BUILDING WAS TORN DOWN, AND THE PIG STAND MOVED TO ANOTHER LOCATION AT THE CORNER OF WASHINGTON BLVD. AND PORT ARTHUR ROAD, AND WOULD EVENTUALLY MOVE DOWN THE STREET AT THE PRESENT LOCATION OF WASHINGTON BOULEVARD AND IRVING ABOUT 1984. THEY STILL SERVE THOSE DELICIOUS PIG SANDWICHES AND BURGERS, BUT THERE ARE NO CAR HOPS, AND THEY SERVE SIT DOWN MEALS INSIDE THE RESTAURANT. EVENTUALLY HIGHLAND AVENUE WAS PERMANENTLY CLOSED AT THE INTERSECTION OF PORT ARTHUR ROAD (MLK) AND ISADORA THOMAS, WIDOW OF SCOTT THOMAS (WHO WAS THE SON OF RYMAN THOMAS) SOLD THE SMALL TRACT OF LAND TO HERBERT YORK, WHO OWNED THE PROPERTY ACROSS HIGHLAND AVENUE. ROYCE HAILEY WOULD BUILD TWO OTHER PIG STANDS IN BEAUMONT, ONE ON COLLEGE STREET ACROSS FROM GATEWAY SHOPPING CENTER, AND THE OTHER ON CALDER AVENUE JUST OFF MARIPOSA (NOW MLK). ROSE DOWNS HOOTS IS THE SUPERVISOR OF ALL THREE OF THE LOCATIONS, AND HAS WORKED FOR THE PIG STAND ORGANIZATION FOR OVER 25 YEARS, AND WAS VERY HELPFUL WITH INFORMATION. ROSE GREW UP IN TYRRELL PARK AND WAS A 1948 GRADUATE OF SOUTH PARK HIGH SCHOOL. BETTY MINTER HAS BEEN A COOK FOR THE PIG STAND ORGANIZATION FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HAVING WORKED AT THE HIGHLAND AVENUE LOCATION, AND CONTINUES TO WORK AT THE WASHINGTON BOULEVARD LOCATION. SHE RECALLS THAT MR. BICKLEY WAS THE MANAGER OF THE PIG STAND NO. 1 ON HIGHLAND. ROSE HOOTS IS PROUD OF THE EMPLOYEES OF THE PIG STAND, WITH 2/3 OF THEM AVERAGING 20 YEARS EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY. MARGIE WILLIAMS, AN EMPLOYEE OF THE COLLEGE STREET PIG STAND, HAS BEEN AN EMPLOYEE FOR OVER 30 YEARS, HAVING WORKED AS A CAR HOP IN THE EARLIER DAYS. VERA MC ALISTER WORKS AT THE WASHINGTON RESTAURANT WITH 5 YEARS SERVICE AND SHIRLEY RIVETTE TWO YEARS SERVICE. AND JUST RECENTLY, A SOUTH PARK GRADUATE, MILDRED JONES CONNER BEGAN WORKING WITH THE COMPANY. THE DEMANDS OF GROWING UP, HAVING A FAMILY OF YOUR OWN AND EVERYDAY LIVING EDGED OUT THE LEISURE TIME ONCE SPENT AT THE DRIVE IN, BUT I STILL HAVE SO MANY VERY FOND MEMORIES OF THESE WONDERFUL TIMES - THE EXCITEMENT OF THE PIG STAND FRIENDS - GREATFOOD! AND THO THE DAYS OF THE DRIVE IN AND CAR HOPS HAVE DISAPPEARED, THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. AND FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT NEVER KNEW THE PLEASURES AND EXCITEMENT OF THE PIG STAND, I HOPE YOU CAN REALIZE WHAT IT MEANT TO SO MANY OF US AS TEENAGERS - AND TO THOSE WHO WERE ABLE TO SPEND TIME THERE AS A TEENAGER, I HOPE IT HAS BROUGHT BACK SOME PLEASNT MEMORIES. JUST ANOTHER PART OF OUR SOUTH PARK HERITAGE THAT IS GONE FOREVER -BUT NOT FORGOTTEN. ****** WHILE WRITING THIS STORY, I GOT SO HUNGRY FOR A JUICY PIG SANDWICH, I MADE A TRIP TO THE WASHINGTON BOULEVARD PIG STAND AND PICKED UP A SANDWICH FOR LUNCH. AND IT TASTED AS GOOD AS EVER, AND WHILE I WAS THERE I SAW THOSE DELICIOUS CHICKEN FRIED STEAKS THEY HAVE ALWAYS SERVED. AND WHILE I NEVER ATE ONE AS A TEENAGER, I THINK I WILL TRY ONE AS AN ADULT. SO - THE NEXT TIME YOU ARE HUNGRY FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL, MAKE A TRIP TO THE PIG STAND ON WASHINGTON BOULEVARD. YOU'LL LIKE IT. |
