Chester Chatter: A night out at the Park Theater

By Ruthie Douglas
©2021 Telegraph Publishing LLC

Sundays on the farm were Ma and Pop’s day off.  It meant that Don and I had to step in to do all the chores, including the milking, by ourselves.

We scurried through the jobs because Sundays were also Don and my time to go to the movies.

Upstreet was Chester’s movie house, called the Park Theater. The Park Theater was located on the 2nd floor of what is now Meditrina Wine and Cheese Shop, and next door to the famous Flamstead business, which made ties and skirts among other things.

The movies started at 7 o’clock sharp. Don and I always got there in time, but the chances are that we brought with us the smell of the barn.

Sunday night supper for us were snacks that the theater sold, with the main dish being a bag of popcorn and a box of Raisinets. We threw in a candy bar and a large Coke for dessert.

Back home after the movie, Don and I would check the barns to make sure all was well and then we would finish up the few chores that may have been left undone.

Many of us who have lived in Chester for some time have wished that the Park Theater with its movies could come back to life.

Scene and heard

Cousins Doug and Bev Johnson of Utah stopped by for a visit with me one day last week. It was wonderful to see them.

Linnea Palmer and friends spent a few days in Maine. Other than walking the beach, they also caught a show at the Ogunquit Theater.

Did the corn near you get to be knee-high by the 4th of July?

Happy anniversary to my daughter Jean and her husband Joe on 37 years of marriage.

My dear friends Holly and Dave Bowen of New Boston, N.H., stopped by for a visit.

On Saturday, I had the honor of officiating at the wedding of my grandson Alex Bolaski and his fiancee Kathryn Vescio in Weathersfield. At the reception I had the pleasure of sitting with Barbara Byrne of Wall, N.J. and Kathy Dewitt of Neptune, N.J.

Kathy is the mother of my new granddaughter-in-law. They said that they have been reading The Chester Telegraph for the past three years, and were so happy to meet me, Chester Chatter! And they were enjoying their stay at the Inn Victoria. See how small our world is?

We also could not believe how the rain held off for the wedding!