![color shot](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/SE_02.jpg)
Saturday, May 31, 1958, high noon in downtown Summerville. A parade begins as part of Rodeo Festival Days. It's a celebration of the big rodeo to be held later that afternoon and the next day at a new arena just north of the Penn Drive-In on Highway 27.
![parade3](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_04d.jpg)
Several spectators enjoy the cooling shade of the courthouse trees, not to mention an ice-cold "Co-Cola" from the chuck wagon nearby.
![parade4](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_02c.jpg)
A little black girl keeps her distance...
![parade5](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_01a.jpg)
...but nobody enjoys parades more than children.
![parade6](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_03c.jpg)
A few clever cowboys have climbed atop Loop Furniture for the best view in town. Everyone was encouraged to wear a cowboy hat. Did they buy theirs from Lowry's Department Store? A future baby boom mom strolls in front of Farmers & Merchants Bank.
![parade7](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_04c.jpg)
The mayor and his posse ride in a Ford convertible.
![parade8](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_03a.jpg)
Meanwhile, curiosity overcomes the little black girl. She walks closer to the crowd.
![parade9](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_01c.jpg)
This young cowboy forgot his ten-gallon hat.
![parade11](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_04e.jpg)
Loop Furniture's delivery truck makes a good vantage point.
![parade12](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_04f.jpg)
The Jaycees ride ahead of Chattanooga's favorite TV cowpoke, Bob Brandy, astride the Plymouth, guitar in hand. Where's his horse, Rebel?
![parade14](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_03d.jpg)
The Summerville High School Marching Band and Majorettes add to the festive atmosphere.
![parade](ChattoogaPhotos/Gene_Espy/GE_04b.jpg)
The little black girl stands unnoticed between two cars. Perhaps she'll attend the rodeo and, late one night, dream of riding a mighty horse along a small town boulevard, watching smiling faces on both sides, band music playing in the distance.
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The first photograph, made in color, was taken by Steve Edwards.
All black and white photographs were scanned and cropped from four medium format negatives taken by photographer Sheeny White. A similar photograph appeared the following week in the Summerville News. One of the uncropped photographs was used as the cover for the book, Images of America: Chattooga County.
Color photograph courtesy of Steve Edwards.
Black and white photographs courtesy of Gene Espy.
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Copyright 2011 Greg W. McCollum. All rights reserved.