Photo of The Month – Jul 2011

The Square

Picture contributor: Don Bailey

This old photo shows the leisurely pace of “downtown” life in those days. This was before a railing had been installed around the fish pond. Perhaps that’s what those men in the foreground are doing. And, as usual on a summer’s day, a couple of friends are leaning in the shade for a chat. The man in the vest slowly saunters toward the drugstore, perhaps to buy some paregoric or a can of Prince Albert.

And there’s the familiar hill behind the store building, all covered in…

Wait a minute, there was no hill behind our store building! The landscape there sloped sharply downward toward the river, not up! This photo is an imposter! If you look closely, the sign on the store window says “Ranlo Drugs.” And the storefront is configured somewhat differently than Cliffside’s. It must be the little town of Ranlo, in Gaston County.

So who’re you going to believe? Us, or your lying eyes?

Just goes to show that Cliffside’s square was not all that remarkable.