Letter: Green River as I seen it in 1943

Dear Editor,

The main highway 30 ran straight through town. There were no tunnels by passing town. There was a great high school, Lincoln High, gymnasium and track and football field now demolished.

The main street was lined with trees, green lawns, gas stations, cafes, bars, barber shop, the courthouse, post office and homes.

The Union Pacific Depot is now a shell of it former self. At one time there was a ticket window, benches, a lunch counter called The Beanery, freight office, offices, and the freight office yardmaster’s tower.

There was a 24-stall round house with the longest turntable in the world now gone, as are the water tank, sand and coal tipple. The store house, dispatcher’s office, cinder pits and clam shell.

The round house was full of steam engines being serviced or repaired, 3900 and 4000 big boy, the largest in the world. Others small and large. NOW GONE.

Castle Rock at one time had a ladder up the back and a flag pole and fence on top.

There was only the Yowell Horse Corrals across the river heading south where you could rent a horse rent for cheap. There were no houses.

Tea Pot Rock did not have a motel at it’s base. There was the city land fill across from island park where Powell started his journey through the Grand Canyon, a landing field was available on the land fill.

There was an outdoor swimming pool by the river that was not heated.

When the river froze over, men cut ice blocks then stored them in an ice house with hay.

One year, the river froze over and the city dynamited the ice so it would not destroy the bridge over the river.

There was an ice skating pond out of town past toll gate. FREE.

I am sad the town did not see fit to salvage some of this history. This is, was a great place to grow up. I am happy for all my memories, good and bad.

As a traveler I would question why would I get off the interstate highway to visit Green River. What is the attraction? To see where Powell started or visit the museum? If it were there, it would be great to sit at the counter of The Beanery and have lunch.

One great thing, I married the prettiest girl in town, Martha Mabile, 68 years ago. I still have her.

Robert Hadley

Pleasanton, Calif.