What are your favorite memories of growing up in Winchester and Clark County?

— Diane Ritchie C. Palmerton: “Growing up across from Boone’s Creek camp where I pretty much spent all my time. We were always at the camp and when the campers went past our house at night for campfire services we fell in line with the campers. The horse lot and skating rink were favorite places. Friday and Saturday nights were spent at the all park. Trapp school was the best. It was a great childhood!”

— Robin Kirkland: “I remember the hot air balloons!! My brother and I used to climb up and sit on top of our swing set and wave as they would pass over hoping they would see us and wave back!!”

— Kristy Cecil Aldridge: “When the Christmas Parades had amazing floats and every church and business participated.

Santa having a building at Roses.”

— Ella Mayes Latham: “The awesome Christmas decorations that they use to put up on Main Street”

— Marvin Bishop: “My most fond memory is the summer of 1985. I had just finished 6th grade and myself, my Brother and a neighbor friend would take off on our bicycles to explore the area out by Pilot View. We would ride miles each and every day. We would always have some type of exciting and fun encounter. The best part was of each day was the pit stop at a local grocery store. They would have ice-cold Ale 8s, which would top off each Day for the “riding crew”.”

— Sharon Hall: “Sledding on College Hill

Walking to town with friends from Burns Ave then to Library, Leeds and float at Bicks.

Spending the day at Howard Creek at Jessie and Grace Merritts, eating the best Chicken dinner. Fishing on creek bank on Dr. Scobee’s farm with Robert David and Mamie.

Riding on the tractor while my grandad worked Dr. Scobee’s farm. Thinking I was the luckiest and most blessed child in the world to live on Boonesboro Rd.”

— Misty Howard: “Walking to Downtown via train tracks with my great grandmother, the smell of creosote from the Patio Bridge, and shopping at Newberrys.”

— Richard-Sondra Morgan: “We lived on a farm at Pilot View and would go in to town on Saturday morning. We always walked thru Newberrys and Kress stores, then lunch at McGuires (best potato salad EVER). We would walk back down the street to A&P to grocery shop. Great memories!! Sondra Combs Morgan”

— Audrey Gentry: “I loved going to the drive-in, taking my wagon around the alleys & picking up Ale-8 & other pop bottles to return to the corner stores for penny candy”

— Lindsay Bordas Flynn: “Helen’s Hobby House, Engine House Deli (still a favorite), Tommy’s Roller Rink, Corner Drug, Perdue’s Bakery, burgers and bowling at Forest Park Lanes, the old Dairy Queen (the best one), Druthers…..

The list goes on and on!”

— Henry Branham Clark County Citizens Advocate: Walking to downtown on Saturday with my family and looking through the stores. Then the last stop we would make was the A&P Grocery store.

— Shari Sewell Sharp: I loved walking to town with my Mammaw going to Newberrys then to Corner Drugs for a cheeseburger fries and a cold Ale8

— Kim Rheinsmith: Walking to town to Leeds,Newberry,s,Corner Drug, JJ Newburys & Western Auto buying a aled when it snowed. The smell in the air from the restaurants. And burgers. The old dairy queen by the cemetery. Best chili dogs made. Oh yes Tommys Roller Rink indeed. I wish Winchester had a few of those Kind of palaces again. My mom owened Midtown coin Laundry back then by belks where the old dairy queen is now. I grew up on downtown Winchester for the most part..

— Johnna Atkinson-Bigelow: Going to Belmont Jr. High and the way the whole building creaked with years of use and history. (Though the locker rooms would have been an ideal setting for a horror movie.) Watching “Gone With The Wind” for the first time at Leeds theater when it was re-released because my mom said it was something I MUST see. The smell of the GRC gym during basketball games. Working for so many summers at Boone’s Creek Baptist Association and Camp (some of the best times of my life!). Singing with the contemporary Christian Rock Group, Legacy, from 1986-1992 and the wonderful support the entire community gave us.All the wonderful youth group experiences at Central Baptist Church with Dennis Wainwright as our Youth Pastor. Wow, too many to list.

— Anna De La Sierra: Going to Newberry at Christmas and to the Dairy Queen when Spring came.

— Estella Adams: I loved going into the Corner Drug for a delicious burger! When you were sick waiting on your medicine, you would get a token for a free pop. (Almost worth the sickness!) My mom, aunt, and Mamaw would take us into Newberry’s and I thought it was the best place! I loved walking to the old library when it was on Main St. Then, there was no talking at all! A dropped book had everyone looking at you. And finally, when my mom and aunt would grocery shop on Saturdays, they always brought home sacks of Jackson House hamburgers for my sisters and cousins! These are just a few of memories growing up in Winchester

— Amy Brooks Eades: Walking to the library when it was on Main Street, cruising through Piggly Wiggly and getting an Ale-8 from their machine, movies at Leed’s, Sky-Vue Drive in movies, Sir Pizza.

— Mary Branham: Going to the A&P with my mom on Saturdays, with, sometimes, a stop at JJ Newberry’s and the Corner Drug for ice cream.

— Rick McClain: Walking to town with my mom to shop for school cloths then go to jj new berry’s and get hot cashews . I would go to leeds and watch all the new James Bond movies all day

— John N Tona Tudor: Sledding on College Park Hill. Spending weekends at Boonesboro back when you could drive up in the grass area. The guys playing football on Sundays at college park. Hiking down around Halls on the river.

— Jonathan Tuttle: Cruising Boone ave and hanging out at the piggly wiggly parking lot in high school

— Kate Jennings: Watching movies at Leed’s theater, Tommy’s Roller Rink, Clark Co. Fair, 4th of July, Mr Gattis after games, corner store, and corner drug burger!

— Alena Carpenter: Eating watermelon and watching hot air balloons in my grandma and granpas back yard.

— Robbie McCord: Lexington Ave. Dairy Queen, Movies at Leeds, Dairy Cheer, Sky View Drive In, Burger Queen in Winchester Plaza. Hanging out at night at the original Walmart parking lot behind McDonalds.

— Chuck Witt: Saturday afternoons at Leeds where we could watch a double feature and cartoon for 15 cents (25 cents after turning 12) and tuna salad sandwiches and cherry cokes at McGuire’s pharmacy.

— Melissa Caudill: Skating at Tommy’s Roller Rink, Boonesboro, Drive-in, getting money from Ale-8 bottles to buy more Ale-8, bowling, old Dairy Queen by the tracks, and eating at Taco Bell and Sir Pizza!!!! The list goes on!!!!

— Vickie Mitchell Means: 2 week vacation spent on the Kentucky river on the houseboat built by my Dad and Linville Butch Snowden.

— Michael Lane Rogers: Walking to town to Leeds,Newberry,s,Corner Drug,Kress’s & Western Auto. The smell in the air from the restaurants. Very distinctive.

— Krista Poston Portwood: Swimming at the Community pool, then Atlantis, then Breakers and beach party weekends at Boonesboro with 100FM

— Mike Perkins: Getting a hair cut at Patrick’s and then going to the City Restaurant for a burger and fries, watching the kiddie Shows in the summer at Leeds Theatre and playing Football for GRC

— Megan Castro: Going to the Clark county fair every year!

— Aimee Bordas Giddings: Parties at the hay bales, hanging out at car wash creek, BK and KB initiation nights at the Country Club hill, sledding at the country club, any party at the Bordas house

— Carolyn Crace Prince: Kiddie Matinees at Leeds Theater sponsored by the merchants who gave out free tickets..

— Charli Phillips Nahlen: Hot Air Balloons lifting off from the Holiday Inn and summers at Boonesboro Beach.

— William Puckett: Tommy’s roller rink was like a second home Leeds theater , college park haunted house and sleigh ridding all day and night,football games at old Belmont school. Never been the same and dances after with Jimmy Castle.

— Jessica Hopper: Driving out to ghost bridge with friends just to scare the beejesus out of ourselves!!