Memories of my hometown often come flooding back to me.
Growing up in Russellville during the 70’s and 80’s was a very special time—a time when you left your car windows down and the key in the ignition all of the time without worrying that it would be stolen out of your driveway; doors to your house were never locked, but if they were, everyone knew where you hid your spare key; the neighborhood kids gathered to play hide and go seek, kickball, and whiffle ball; the girls laid out in our backyard during the summer with the music blaring while we got a tan lying on a reflective blanket with baby oil and iodine on our bodies and sun in in our hair; we played in town creek, which ran through Brookhaven subdivision; and rode our bikes on the “bike trail.”
The downtown area was the hub of life with shops that carried everything we needed. Our clothes came from Klein’s, The Louisville Store, Wright’s or The Clothes Tree, and going to the mall in Bowling Green was a treat; toys and furniture were purchased at Hancock’s; essentials came from Ben Franklin’s, Cuzzin’ Jacks or The Dollar Store; people banked at Citizens National Bank, Southern Deposit Bank or First Federal Savings and Loan; and some of the best food and pies came from K Grill.
We filled our prescriptions at Duncan’s, Perry’s or Riley-Whites\. Our news came from WRUS, WAKQ or The News-Democrat on Thursdays and The Logan Leader on Tuesdays. Houchens was the largest grocery store, but we also shopped at Guions or Higgins. Walking to Burger Queen, later known as Druthers, after school was a big deal.
Friday nights were spent under the bright lights of Rhea Stadium cheering on Panther football. School spirit was high and the windows of downtown businesses were covered in black and gold paint, which had to be washed off every Saturday morning.
We walked or rode our bikes everywhere, we had no cell phones, we were carefree and our parents didn’t have to worry about us being kidnapped. It truly was a magical time and one that the kids of this generation will never experience!
I know people back home get tired of hearing me say this, but the town where I now live is what Russellville once was and could be again if people would invest in and support it.
I spent the better part of my life in Russellville and raised my daughter there. My entire family still lives there; yet, I found a new life in a town in Florida that is much like the town where I grew up. Four generations of my family graduated from Russellville High School and I later began my teaching career there.
However, almost three years ago I found myself without a job and no leads anywhere close to home. A very dear friend of mine had moved to Florida the previous year, and she encouraged me to stay with her and look for a job in the Sunshine State, which is how I ended up in Mount Dora.
Located 38 miles northwest of Orlando, situated in Lake County-which, yes, is full of lakes-sits the prettiest little town you’ve ever seen. Besides the palm trees that line the streets, it’s very reminiscent of my childhood hometown, which is why I felt so drawn to it. The people here are very friendly, even to outsiders, and have accepted me as one of their own. Many say that it’s almost as if I’ve been here my entire life. They look out for you, take care of you, and treat you like family, just like people did back home.
In addition to my new friends, there is also an abundance of things to do. Although the bypass around town contains many fast-food restaurants and chain stores, the downtown area is still its center of existence. Lakeside Inn, one of the oldest hotels still in operation in Florida, sits overlooking Lake Dora. There is a multitude of ethnic eateries, including Mexican, German and Thai/sushi, as well as pubs, fresh seafood, coffee bars, ice cream and gelato stores, a candy store and a hair salon.
You can purchase clothes, shoes, paintings and antiques, unique home furnishings, guns, specialty cakes and desserts, cupcakes and smoothies, novelty items and even pet supplies, all within a four-block radius.
Visitors and locals, alike, can rent bicycles or Segways to explore every nook and cranny of town. On Sundays you can purchase a variety of items at the local farmers’ market in the downtown park. There are art shows, craft fairs, 5K runs and bike races, a Christmas parade where everyone is wearing shorts, a huge 4th of July celebration with fireworks over the lake, concerts, plays, year-round baseball and softball games for children of all ages, flea markets, and food truck Thursdays every week.
The one thing I can say is that there is never a lack of something to do here, much like Russellville used to be.
A quick 30-45 minute drive will take you to Orlando where you can visit the parks of Disneyworld/Epcot/Animal Kingdom/Hollywood Studios, Universal Studios or CityWalk, the Amway Center for concerts, the Orange Bowl for Orlando City soccer, or ESPN Wide World of Sports to watch the Atlanta Braves spring training.
Within an hour you can travel to New Smyrna Beach or Daytona Beach on the east coast, and an hour and a half will get you to Tampa/St. Pete on the west coast, or north to Gainesville to watch UK play UF in basketball, which is what I do every March.
I have also found many “old” friends who are now enjoying life in various parts of Florida, and one of these days we will find a central location to have a mini-reunion so that we can all talk about life as we knew it in Logan County, as well as our new lives here.
I still make several trips a year back home to visit family and friends, and I will always cherish the life I had there. While my heart will always belong to Russellville, Logan County, Ky., my life is now submerged in Mount Dora, Lake County, Fla.
So if you ever find yourself in my neck of the woods, be sure to look me up. I’d love to show you my “new-old hometown.”