GROWING UP IN HARWINTON
ON HARMONY HILL ROAD
By
Frances (DRAKE) LAWRENCE
(Continued)

to the end of its row and lift it out. There was a bottle opener on the side of the refrigerated machine. It got plenty of business as not only gas customers and neighborhood kids drank its soda, but the town road crew would assemble there at the end of the workday. The foreman, Norman Barber (called Brother by everyone in town) lived across the street from Thiemann's and the workers all parked their cars at the Barber home.
Hans, Anna's husband, was a mechanic and ran the garage part of the business. He always called the young girls "Girly" instead of their names. He also pumped the gas, checked the oil, washed the windshields, repaired cars and was always on call to tow someone's disabled vehicle back to the garage. Anna ran the store. They not only sold ice cream, but bread, papers, assorted sundries, grocery items, and had a large meat market in the back of the store. Just inside the front door was a pinball machine that saw heavy usage. The store sat 100-200 feet east of the present Volunteer Fire Department building. Their home was about 200-300 feet east of the store. In between the store and house was a large dog pen that always held two or three German Shepherds. Hans and Anna's only child Ruth and I, Ruth being only slightly older than myself, were very good friends and still are. She presently lives in the Schenectady, New York area with her husband Robert Soudier. Anna's mother, Ruth's grandmother, lived with them in Harwinton, and subsequently in Burlington where they owned a restaurant and later in Bradford, New Hampshire, where they owned and ran an old country inn. Anna lived with the Soudiers until a year or two ago when she passed away at the age of 101.
There were 4-H Clubs. I belonged to the "4-Leaf Clover Girls", a sewing club led by Mrs. Leon Kirchofer, and a cooking club (whose name I don't remember)led by Mrs. Randolph Smith, the first. Edith died of cancer and later Mr. Smith married the mother-in-law of his daughter Marjorie.
I also belonged to the Girl Scouts led by Mrs. Dean Nesbitt. Her husband led the Boy Scouts. I believe they had twin boys and lived on the Southeast corner of the main highway and Locust Road. The house was later bought by a family named Rhyce. There were 2 or 3 boys and a daughter named Blanche. In adulthood Blanche led the Winsted Senior Center and it is now named after her–The Blanche McCarthy Center. She has since remarried, however.) Further owners of the Nesbitt-Rhyce home I do not know. The Girl Scout meetings were held on South Road in the Chapel then owned by Edna Rowe. It is now a private home. Some of the girls from the Scoville Hill area of town also joined our Girl Scout troop. I remember the four Pont girls: Margaret, Barbara and Jeannette (twins), and their younger sister Laura. Also, Joyce Pustinger and Marjorie Chiron. Mrs. Rowe also held Saturday afternoon movies in the Chapel. Young people from all corners of Harwinton attended. Most of the movies were Westerns with the cowboy stars of the 1940's: Roy Rogers, Gene Autry, Hopalong Cassidy among others.
There were also the Congregational Church groups. I sang with the Junior Choir led by Mrs. Peckham who lived just beyond the Rowe home on South Road. The house was made of beautiful stone and sat behind the

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