Cheers! Report on Palace Saloon celebrating 50 years evokes fond memories | Opinion
After reading the story about the Palace Saloon turning 50 years old, it made me think back to those early days in Tallahassee.
I came to Tallahassee to attend Florida State after spending some time in Gainesville in 1969-70. Tallahassee had the small-town feel made up of locals, state government, and the three schools of higher learning.
The Palace, as it was called, was a melting pot of all three groups to gather for any event. The Palace also had a state winning flag football team, the Palace softball team (where I met my wife 45 years ago) and an annual 5K race. Chuck Fisher, Mike “Doc” Hochstein, and Larry McTeer made sure that things ran as smooth and safe as possible. Folks met to plan weddings, family reunions, and pregame football or baseball games when Miami or the Gators were in town.
Jay Scott, his wife Jenny, Dave Lambert, myself, and others started the Bloom Room on Gaines Street. We had a circle of friends that included people from the Palace Saloon. No doubt we succeeded by being in that circle. No need for social media stuff, we had our own social media. Just go by the Palace, announce a party that weekend, or a game, and of course, the Palace 5k run.
Other places in small Tallahassee to gather and plan included the Brown Derby, Past Time Tavern (90 minutes of free beer once a year), Mutt & Jeffs, The Keg, Garcia’s and if you wanted to impress, it was The Talquin Inn, The Silver Slipper or Lucy’s Ho’s.
As we go through life and run into friends from that era, we reminisce of earlier times when our lives were simple. We tell stories and think of friends we have lost with time.
Tallahassee today is nowhere near the sweet hometown it was 50 years ago. However, time goes on, changes take place and here’s to another 50 years to the owners of the Palace Saloon.
Walter Liddell retired after 34 years as a Florida State Trooper. He is now an adjunct professor at the Florida Public Safety Institute in Havana, FL., and Florida Highway Patrol historian.
JOIN THE CONVERSATION
Send letters to the editor (up to 200 words) or Your Turn columns (about 500 words) to letters@tallahassee.com. Please include your address for verification purposes only, and if you send a Your Turn, also include a photo and 1-2 line bio of yourself. You can also submit anonymous Zing!s at Tallahassee.com/Zing. Submissions are published on a space-available basis. All submissions may be edited for content, clarity and length, and may also be published by any part of the USA TODAY NETWORK.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Cheers! Report on Palace Saloon celebrating 50 years evokes fond memories | Opinion
