I have been watching Petticoat Junction as my late night tv lately. I love dvd boxed sets! I have always been a fan of both Green Acres and Petticoat Junction. The girls and I used to watch the reruns on tvland. Green Acres I actually remember as a child and loved it even then. But now watching the boxed sets I am thoroughly enjoying the characters of Hooterville. There is something truly enchanting about humor of the early 60's. It is a slower, sweeter humor and much more subtle but oh so wicked. Just watch old Rocky and Bullwinkle or Bugs Bunny cartoons for proof of that.
The characters of Hooterville jump back and forth between the 2 shows and they are like old friends to the audience, but Petticoat Junction revolves around the cannonball, an old locomotive that runs between Pixley and Hooterville with the Shady Rest in between the two. This is special to me because I can relate to the small town humor of the shows and once upon a time a long time ago, my grandparents operated a little diner/flea market/pony ring, etc. that was a stop for an old fashioned locomotive that ran from Lake City into my grandparents eatery and beyond. I am not sure how far west it ran. But I rode that train many, many times and it was a lot like the cannonball of the C & FW railroad from Petticoat Junction. I got to ride in the engine with my grandpa like Betty Jo does in the show. I am sure I am the only one of the grandkids who has any memories of this as I am the oldest. But it was pretty cool. Now writing about it I realize just how cool. I'll have to dig up some pictures of the station when I get a free minute to add to this post.
The Shadyrest and Lisa and Oliver Douglas's house remind me of some buildings or homes I spent a lot of time in as a kid. Does anyone from Cadillac remember Sandell's Auction house or Bonanza Auction? Sandell's had that spooky old house full of treasures feel and Bonanza was a junky building near what is now Kmart full of goodies. If I was real good I got to go on Friday night with my grandpa and granny. I think they went for fun and to stock the little diner. We also used to go to some place way south of town to pick up penny candy. It was somewhere near the cemetery.
Petticoat Junction sure has been a solace to a very complicated, difficult time in my life.