Last Exploration of Old Grundy Photo Gallery by Ed Talbott at pbase.com

Last Exploration of Old Grundy

In May of 2006, Russell Belcher, Roger Mayhorn and Ed Talbott spent several days salvaging historical artifacts and preserving a digital record of the old town of Grundy, Virginia. They explored the old Lynwood and Morgan Theaters and Mack's Bar.

Lynwood Theater Wallpaper	Film Reels	Mag-Arc Lamp	DC Amp Meter
Inside the Peerless MagNarc Lamps	Lamp Internals	Handles on the MagNarc	Equipment Label Plate
Simplex Theater System	Huge Rheostats	Simplex Speaker System	Controller for the House Lights
Russell Belcher and Roger Mayhorn	Beer Bottles - Encased in 77 Flood Mud	Pabst Blue Ribbon	Full Beer Bottles
Bar Stools	Beer Taps	No Whiskey Allowed	Money Back Bottles
Old Coke Bottle	Beer encased in 77 Flood Mud	Remnants of 77 Flood	Cases of beer encased in mud
Under the Morgan Theater	Have an RC Buddy	7up Cooler	Beer Tap
Beer Taps	Juke Box	Pinball Machine	Pinball Machine
Pinball Machine	Pinball Machine	Big Chief Pinball Machine	Call Again
Theater Light Dimmer	Film Splicing Station - Lynwood Theater	Peerless Magnarc	Peerless Magnarc ID Plate
Simplex Support Base for Projector and Lamp	Roger Mayhorn	Simplex Speaker System	View of the balcony from the projection window
Empty Simplex Equipment Cabinets	Lynwood Theater	Water has taken its toll	Old Projector Plate
Simplex Projector	Simplex Projector	Cinemascope Projector Lens	Cinemascope Lens
Cinemascope Lenses	Projector Lens	Lens Instructions	Old Film Reels

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Gregory Viers		07-Dec-2022 01:41
I grew up in Grundy. Roger and his wife were my teachers. Good people. Growing up I didn't realize what a great place this was to be growing up in. All we knew is it was home and if you wanted anything you have to go to Bristol. I really haven't been home much since the 77 flood, but I still have family and friends there or close to there. It seems that the only time I visit is for a funeral. I have to change that. But the Grundy that is there now is not the Grundy I miss so much, its a different place altogether. But that's just me being selfish. I understand the people that live there say it needed to be done! They live there I don't so I am glad for them.

charles large		04-Nov-2016 01:54
I grew-up at vansant in the 50's and 60's graduated Grundy High School in 1969 . My father was Earnest Large,who owned the Shell station in Deel at the beginning of the 4-lane .My brothers and I worked there all through high school I've been back a few times since the 1977 flood . It's sad to see what they call progress and have done to My HOME TOWN.

drema wilson		05-Nov-2015 15:48
Grew up at Big Rock always loved going to Grundy.Pauls restaraunt Sayre Brothers,Grundy drygood store,Ben Franklin,Fairway.All day movies at the Morgan Theatre 4 movies for 50 cents.High School lunch at the Grundy Drug. ,grilled cheese and orange ade.The town is mostly gone but not the spirit.Will live on in the hearts of those who loved her hay day.

drema50@roadrunner.com		05-Nov-2015 15:41
Grew up at Big Rock,always looked forward to going to Grundy.Pauls Restaurant,Sayer Brothers,Grundy Dry goods ,Southerland furniture.All day Saturdays at the Morgan theatre,see some of those old westerns now.In High school going to the Grundy drug for lunch,grilled cheese and orange ade.Love seeing sites that have references to Grundy.Still have family at Big Rock.

Jason L		10-Jun-2014 17:18
I barely remember the Lynwood from when i was small. I remember seeing An American Tale there. I recall the velvet wallpaper, the balcony, which was I think blocked off then. I think it closed down shortly after. You're only choice then was to go to the theater at the Richlands mall. I worked at the current movie theater in Grundy from about '97 to '01. Once Danny from the town office took us into the old Lynwood. It was summer of 98 or 99, I think.I remember the wallpaper had shed significantly. I remember seeing the buzzer they used to communicate with the projection room. The concession stand still had the old stainless steel soda fountain from way back. It was in fairly good shape. We couldn't go towards the stage cause the ceiling was in terrible shape and stuff fell down. We saw the hole in the mens room wall where I'm told was where you would toss beer cans that were snuck in. We made it up the balcony to see the old cry room. We got into the projection room and saw that almost all the equipment was still there. Tools, the splicing table, the reels. I recall Heath Calhoun was with us, since he worked there too, and he found a loose board on the floor. The crawls pace underneath was stuffed with old strips of film. Did anyone ever remove any of this stuff before the building was torn down? There must have been tons of stuff that could have been auctioned or preserved. I live in California now. It's been almost 9 years since I've been back to Grundy. To be honest, I'm afraid to go back. I've seen what's become of the Main Street and of the town itself. It looks nothing like what I knew of Grundy. The place I knew is long gone and it's heartbreaking. I hear so much has changed there.

Rosalie Null		05-May-2013 17:45
Rosalie Null I remember Grundy well. I was born and raised in New House Branch. Walked to church at Grundy Baptist Church and to school Grundy High School, now known as the Law School. I worked at Ben Franklin, Paul's Restaurant, Grundy Drug, Ammar Brothers and Sayer Brothers Department stores. I have many fond memories of ice cream cones at Grundy Drug an movies at the Linwood on Saturday. My heart was broken when my beloved town was demolished to make way for a four lane highway to no where. Every time a piece of Maine St went down a piece of my heart went with it.

Rosalie Null		05-May-2013 17:37
Yes, I remember old Grundy well. I worked at Grundy Drug, Paul's restaurant, Ben Franklin, Sayers and Ammar Brothers department stores in the 60s and 70s. I was born and raised in New House Branch. Walked to church at Grundy Baptist Church and school at what is known as the law school now. My heart was broken when my town was destroyed to make room for a four lane highway to no where. A piece of me died when my town died.

Rhonda Stacy m		26-Apr-2013 17:11
Tolby Fleming was my dad

Michael Justus		09-Mar-2013 01:28
wow, thank you for these pictures, I have enjoyed them. I am from hurley virginia and am only 29 years old so the old lynwood theater was before my time. Growing up I always remembered driving by the old theater that had been shut down for many years and seeing the remains of what was echoes from the past. I always wanted to take a peek inside and these pictures helped me do that, thanks.

Stevie Joe Yates		03-Feb-2011 06:14
I earned the first $20.00 in my life at Flemings Barber Shop. On Saturdays he would allow me to shine shoes while patrons received haircuts and swept up the place. Shines were 25 cents. Took awhile but I changed in my quarters and carried that twenty dollar bill around until you could read through it. LOL! Good Memories all way round. Thanks...

Guest		04-Dec-2010 23:32
I rember a lot of this my father in law was Tolby Fleming had a barber shop do you guys rember him.

Basil		20-Jan-2010 22:33
In the 60's I worked as a projectionist in the Bijou Theater, Aliwal North, South Africa. I clearly remember the Peerless Magnarc lamphouse and Cinemascope lenses. Proper name Anamorphic. Sure brings back memories. I could still today thread the film through the projector in my sleep I'm sure...

Nick Davis		22-Dec-2009 20:13
Wow I remember the Lynwood. My mom worked there for years. I've tried to remember the details that you have captured here. Thank You!!!!!!!!!!!

timothy altizer		12-Nov-2009 22:42
I remember at 5 6 years old. My dad took me to town. He bought me a toy car or truck. I sat in the car in the parking lot and played with my new toy. My dad was in the bar drinking beers with his brothers and friends. One time got tired and went in the bar to find my Daddy. He and everyone was drunk, and I knew they were. A 5 year old exposed to such witchcraft caused me to do the same thing when I became of age.

Jerry L. Cox		17-Jul-2008 22:36
I am very farmiliar with the inside of (MAC,S) Morgans Rest. I worked there for my uncle Mack for a few years. The crowds the laughter the world events that were decided right there. One true story rarely known. The night that President Nixon resigned Mac called Wash. D.C. to tell him not to quit. He was fairly intoxicated at the time. He always kept a half gallon of ATOMIC BOMB (mix drink) in the cooler.It was good then and probobly is now, I dont know, those days turned me away from the taste of beer and alcohol. But the memories of pool, shuffle board, and the juke box will be with me forever. OH a few good bar fights too ! ******

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