Stephen F Austin State University - Stone Fort Yearbook (Nacogdoches, TX)

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An admirable characteristic of Nacogdoches was the old-fashioned downtown area. Red brick streets and a town square were part of the uniqueness. Another unusual sight was Colony Mall, which was as quaint as the name sounded. The mall, located on Main Street, was a remodelled building that housed antique, craft and novelty shops. Lucy Litton, resident of Nacogdoches since 1969, said, People like the mall because of the old atmosphere. It has lots of unique items you can ' t find in other places. Another fascinating place of business was the Old Time String Shop, located on the south side of the square. The building was once an old cafe, which was evident from the stools still bolted to the floor near the bar. In the middle of the floor stood an old wood-burning stove and piles of wood. On a cold wintery day, students often stopped in to listen to area residents sitting around picking their guitars. Instruments old and new were found in the store. In additon, it was a place to take guitar lessons. The atmosphere of the shop gave one a sense of kinship with the past. Old-timers liked to tell that Bonnie Parker waitressed at the old cafe and Clyde stopped in to see her. The story, however, was not documented by historians. Tom Cornett, string shop employee, said he enjoyed working in downtown Nacogdoches. I get a kick out of standing in the front door and looking out and thinking ' this is as downtown as it gets. ' — Pam McLane and Melissa Lane Downtown- 1 1

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An energetic business community was another factor that made Nacogdoches a great place to live. Workers generally felt a high degree of satisfaction with local employment opportunities, wages and fringe benefits. Unemployment rates for Nacogdoches averaged about four percent, as opposed to 10.1 percent for the nation. Nacogdoches could not expand fast enough to accommodate the hoards of people who wanted to move here. John Malone, of Crawford Building Materials Company, moved to this area because he was tired of the hustle and bustle of the city. He enjoyed the different atmosphere he found in East Texas. Another reason for industries locating in Nacogdoches was its ' prime location between Houston and Dallas. Progressiveness was a key characteristic of Nacogdoches. As Warren Hunter, advertising manager for Lone Star Feed Company, said, Industry is the way of life here. • — Melissa Lane Industrial- 13