Throwback Thursday – A 1961 Weekend in Bowling Green

The year is 1961—exactly 60 years ago. Throwback Thursday is ready for the weekend in Bowling Green. Most of the action around town revolved downtown shopping, Western Kentucky University, and events that were starting to rumble at the new Beech Bend drag strip just outside of town.

There’s so many Friday night hangout spots for friends. You could make a whole evening of a buffet meal at the Western Hills Restaurant, or drop by the Duck Inn Cafe or College Street Inn for snacks. The strawberry pie at Jerry’s Big Boy Drive-In is second to none. Or if you’re lucky, maybe you’re one of Deno’s Drive-In’s five winners of a free hi-boy sandwich this month.

Everyone hangs out at the Crescent Bowl on the bypass on Friday nights. It’s the place to be. You’re going to see people cruising up and down in their new sporty Chevrolet cars too. The Corvair and Corvette are getting so popular, they’re even trying to start a local sports car club for all the fanatics. Some of them are part of the same greaser crowd that races at the drag strip. Everyone seems to be getting more casual lately too, the men are visiting Rabold’s for Levis instead of Golden-Farley on the square for suits.

Saturdays are for shopping and laundry. I need to stop at Pushins’ and Norman’s department stores hunting for a new Sunday dress, and maybe see the new loafers at Sears. We’ll try the new Dixie Cafe on the square for lunch. And I’m definitely running into the Plaza Fashions before I drop off my laundry at the Wishy Washy. Remind me to stop at Kelley Office Equipment on our way home so I can rent that typewriter to get my letter writing done.

The Sixties are shaping up to be pretty radical. There’s construction on campus for a baseball field. Coach Diddle just won his 700th basketball game last year. And probably the best news of all—Elvis just got out of the Army is making more music and movies.