MEMORY OF DARRTOWN BUS LINE SHARED!
Proof that bus service was provided into the 1950s
From: Rick Martin
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2020 at 9:45 PM
To: Fred Lindley
Subject: Re: Bus line
“I remember riding the bus to Richmond, Indiana mid-week in the mid and late 50s, with my mother, Betty (Alston) Martin. It was a very nice ride on Rt. 177 (Hamilton Richmond Rd.).
At that time, as I remember it, most things were cheaper in Richmond. I remember Clara Wyckoff, Mrs. Menke, and another woman (on North Street, by the church) riding with us.
I think the bus was an old Greyhound. It had windows that slid longways. The bus would be in the parking lot across from Glardon’s store.
I really enjoyed the nice ride. I remember getting a hamburger, I think in a Woolworth store, and it being very hot in there. But, they had more tin toy cars than the store in Hamilton, as I remember it.
Man, those were the good old days to me.
Rick Martin”
A bus line ran through Darrtown in the late 1920’s and early 1930's.
Local residents could ride the bus north to Richmond, Indiana and south to Hamilton, Ohio…and, make connections to many points beyond. The existence of this service has been confirmed in diaries maintained by Darrtown resident, Mr. L.A Miller. Examples of such confirmation are provided by the diary excerpts below.
1927
• Apr. 26: I left for Columbus, O. from Collinsville, O. at 1:45 bus to Eaton, O.
• June 3: … We made the trip to Columbus, O. with Mr. Shortle, Ben Beckly, Geo. Nichol & Robbins. Got knocked out before the Public U. Comm – on error. But, threw our forces to other parties in a joint suit for a franchise to run a bus from Hamilton, O. to Oxford, O.
• Nov. 19: I went to Hamilton on the bus and transacted some business. I got back on the 4:38 PM, in time to do chores.
• Dec. 17: Grandson and I took bus to Hamilton, O. As soon as a pair of high-top shoes were secured, he was ready to take the next bus back home. I put him on the 12:35 PM.
1928:
• Jan. 14: … I went to Oxford this PM on biz. on bus.
• Jan. 22: … The men, Arnold Miller, my son, and Pin [?] Long worked all day on line above town… Long was not looking well, but did not complain … He came up on bus and took 8 PM bus for home (Hamilton, O.).
• Jan. 31: I went to Hamilton on the bus to attend to some business.
• Feb. 25: … The youngsters got off on the bus for Cinti. O.
• Mar. 10: I went to Oxford on a biz and shopping trip. Took 11 AM bus.
1929:
• Dec. 9: Our new bus line is operating from Hamilton, O. to Richmond, Ind. Making three (3) round trips each day. It now carries light freight, as well as passengers (light & heavy). Fare from Darrtown to Hamilton 25¢ each way.
At this time (February 2018), we do not know if bus service was available
earlier or later than the time period verified by the L.A. Miller diaries.
Excerpts from Mr. Miller’s diaries may be accessed at: Miller diary excerpts.
The image at the right shows a bus from the 1920's era.
We do not possess any photos of the bus line that served Darrtown.
The image at the left suggests how an advertisement for this bus line MIGHT have appeared.
The following link connects to a story and photo related to a 1921 Cincinnati and Hamilton (Ohio) busline.
