Memories of a small town, of family and friends, stories passed down. 
 Do you have a memory or two to share?
 

"And the Class of '57 had their dreams" 

Many remember Merchants Day in downtown Rienzi.  The merchants gave a numbered ticket to their customers for every dollar of purchase.   At 2 P.M. every Saturday, scores of people would gather for the big drawing of $10.00.  If the winning ticket wasn't produced the $10.00 went back into the pot to be added to the next week's drawing.  Witnesses say that Rienzi was overflowing every Saturday afternoon.

Opal Rutledge remembers coming to Rienzi with her father, Harve Miller and shopping in Alonzo Green's store.  The store was where Fast Scissors and the First American Bank are now.  The Green's had a rather mischievous little boy named Franklin.  The problem was keeping Franklin in the store and out of the street.   Opal remembers entering the store to see Franklin "leashed" to one of the columns in the store.

Lana Dawson Harrelson of Iuka, MS. remembers spending time at the Rinehart Cafe.   She thought washing dishes was real fun back then. (She was 5 or 6 years old).   Lana and her cousin Linda Rinehart could shimmy up the pole in front of the cafe in 2 seconds flat but the fun was in sliding back down.  There is no telling how many trips up and down that pole they made but they probably kept in shining!

One lazy summer day a long time ago, a stranger drove into town. He came to a stop at the 4 way and the only person he saw was Ed Cheeves sound asleep against the big oak tree in front of Curlee's Hardware.  When the dust settled, the stranger rolled down his window and shouted at Ed, "Hey Mister, not much going on here;   there's not a soul in this town but you".   Ed looked up from under his hat and said, "All you have to do is yell 'Fire!' and the town will be full."  (From Everett Furtick)

The late Truman Smith, a beloved citizen of Rienzi and owner of Smith Drugs usually grabbed a package of Nabs or something for lunch but on this day he decided he would "go out" for lunch.  After all the cafe was just on the northwest corner of the block his store was in.  It was about 12 noon and Truman headed off to Edgar Green's Cafe.  When he got there he was very surprised to see a note posted on the locked door:  GONE TO LUNCH.    ( This story was recounted by Everett Furtick)