Early Day Legacy...

Baseball Legacy...

A Grandfather's Legacy

McGill Bros. Furniture
Alva, Oklahoma, July 18, 1936

(July 18, 1936 - A load of McGill Furniture
going to Harvey Farney near Kiowa, Kansas.
photo taken by Ellis Photo, Alva)

This isn't about baseball directly, but some Alvan's in the 1920's and 1930's probably remember Grandpa Will "Bill" McGill best as the younger brother of James "Jim" that owned "McGills Furniture Store" in the 500 block of Barnes Street in downtown Alva, Oklahoma.

Most Alvan's in the 1920's and 1930's had some occassion to buy some furniture from the McGill's. It was owned by these two brothers, Jim and Bill. It was packed with various furniture pieces and only a narrow aisle divided the store. Rows upon rows of sofas, chairs, tables, cabinets, etc. made up the inventory.

There was also a back room that was piled high with uncrated items ready to replace an item that was sold off the display floor. They were the first to stock radios when they became available for household use. During those early days it was quite a treat to go into McGills and listen to radio broadcasts. (especially the world series)

Bill was a one-time big league baseball pitcher and both he and Jim were avid sports fans and avid golfers. Their store was a popular loafing place and it was easy to strike up a conversation around the potbellied stove in the back of the store. They were among the first to offer appliances and furniture on monthly payment plans and this stimulated sales of higher priced items.

The brothers saw a need for a swimming pool and built Alva's most modern pool near the furniture store. The pool had no filtering equipment and the water was drained and refilled with water when it became discolored and the walls and bottom and sides were algaed.

When the water was drained, the bottom and sides were scrubbed clean and new water was put in it. They would hire teenagers to do this work during the night and the pool was again ready for use the next day. Boys would do the work in exchange for free swims so there was always a good supply of workers.

My dad, Gene McGill, and his brother, Bob McGill, would entertain the local girls who sneaked in at night and watch Gene and Bob "skinny dipping & diving" off of the neighboring business roof tops into the swimming pool. Gene and Bob were also the the life guards at one time. They probably did a lot of the draining and cleaning of the pool, also.

The pool was a very popular place during the hot summer months and was operated until the WPA built a new, more modern pool at Hatfield Park in 1939.

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