Tuesday, November 22, 2005

Tullos, the Blues, and Junior's Juke Joint

The following photos and captions come from, Why Junior Loves the Blues, one of many great articles in, JUNIOR'S JUKE JOINT, http://www.deltablues.net/ the award-winning blues site of Tullos native and my friend, Junior Doughty.

Junior's Juke Joint is the sort of place where inquiring minds can learn the difference between a juke joint and a honky-tonk, what it's like to be in a bar shoot-out or a Druid wedding, the how-to's of bootlegging, why Nellie Jackson's wasn't listed on the Natchez tour of homes, plus a world of information on the blues, blues musicians, blues joints, and other things vital to a well-rounded education.

In the immortal words of Mr. T, I pity the poor fool who doesn't check it out.

Bayou Bill











Looking northward at the west side of downtown Tullos. The white steeple of the First Baptist Church pokes skyward in the far background. The now-roof-less building just beyond the pickup truck was Aaron Ashley's Western Auto Store. Just this side of the tree in the center once stood Monroe Masters's Bar. The bar's 1-hole outdoor toilet stood behind the bar. Just beneath the toilet's seat was the 6-inch casing of an abandoned oil well. I figure there's lots of coins, watches, jewelry, and even a few wallets located about 1,500 feet straight down.

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Looking northward at the east side of downtown Tullos. From front to back you see (1) the rubble of Russell's Dry Goods; (2) Jimmie Bardin's Pool Hall; (3) Ott Milam's Drug Store; (4) Martin's Dry Goods; (5) the white front of Huffman's Hardware; and, (6) the edge of Jack Jarvis's Pool Hall. Huffman's Hardware, now a church activity center, is the only building in use. The roof-less rear of Russell's Dry Goods contains shelves and racks filled with rotted clothing.

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This shut-down oil well, located in weeds about 100 yds from the Tullos Town Hall, once belonged to my father. Today, it would probably make about 1 barrel of oil a day, which would barely pay the electricity bill.

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Here's the remains of Moore's Bar. It's about to fall down. Amos and Clara Moore, dead now for several years, lived in a house to the right of the bar. On Sundays and from a closet in their living room, they bootlegged beer and pints and fifths of Old Charter and Old Crow whiskey. I think the thirsty ghost of Hank Williams sometimes glides through one of those broken plate glass windows.

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6 Comments:

Blogger Unknown said...

Hey you also forgot about mr. Capps grocery store. I remember being a kid and going to the hardware store and the clothing store with my grandma Margie

2:11 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

Also that last picture used to be called The Alibi bar

2:12 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My daddy used to run the alibi for Bill Morgan and Mrs Emily his name was Melvin Gene Carter he's passed on a year ago today . I truly miss him so much and this time in my life.

8:44 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

There was also a 5 & 10 between Capps grocery and Russell's drygoods store.

9:50 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

On the same side as Baptist Church to the left , I remember a Jitney Jungle grocery store, a barber shop next to it and then the western auto store.

9:55 AM  
Anonymous Marilyn Murphrey Herron said...

Shaw's Barber shop. Mr Shaw would cut your babies first haircut free. Across the road was Martin's Dry Goods Milam Drug Store Russells Department Store and Capps, further down the Post Office

4:02 PM  

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