I knew the day would come, but it still didn't make the passing of an old friend any easier. Our family operated a truckstop for a number of years and last week it came crashing down.Back in the 1920's a family by the name of Maddox constructed a two-storey frame building for use as a travelers inn and restaurant on the newly opened Grand Army of the Republic Highway (highway 6). It sat at an angle to Highway 6's intersection of the Dixie Highway. Between the late 30's-40's it was expanded to the south with a single story glazed block addition for additional dining. The sleeping rooms were upstairs and a small area for seating was downstairs in the frame part of the building. At the time of the addition, an insul-brick covering was installed over the wood siding.
In 1949, after living for a time near Tyner after working in the munitions plants in Kingsbury during the war, my grandparents-at the coaxing of my oldest aunt-traded their small farm to the Maddox for the inn. They lived upstairs and operated the lower part as a restaurant, so family gatherings happened in the dining room of the new Garner Inn.
When the state made plans to turn the Dixie Highway (US 31) into a four lane road through LaPaz, the building would be wiped out. So the family had to make a decision whether or not to stay in the business. They decided to move the operation a mile east on highway 6, buying a farm and placing a new building on the highway frontage. Gramps could raise horses & have a full-service truckstop. The grand opening was held in 1958. It had a large dining area on one side and station/showers and bunk room on the other separated by a large middle service garage with hydraulic lifts. Nothing quite like this would be built again in Marshall County.
Part 2 soon.
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