6 thoughts on “Where the….Decatur?”


  2. From Clairemont near Ponce. It’s the old DeKalb Federal S&L. Got our first mortgage there.

  6. Thanks UDog. Great pic. Brought back many memories. As a kid and young adult, most of my banking business was with Decatur Federal and later First National but DeKalb Fed was probably a much more southern and older Decatur institution. Not sure, just guessing. It had that Old South look and was right across the street from the Masonic Lodge. I remember the columns and chimneys and always wondered if the side offices had fireplaces. To the left was the famous Decatur Cake Box with its glass display cases showing wedding cakes and other display cases offering donuts, cookies and some white frosted cakes that were like THE BEST! To the right was a building that contained a jewelry store and maybe a carpet and furnature store. Not sure but what I remember well was that us youngsters could squeeze through the fences between the two properties as a short cut to the stores on the square, Woolworths, Rices and others places. I still have dreams about those places.
    With all the perks kids have today, nothing compares to the experiences of growing up in late Fifties, Sixties Decatur. Way Too Much Adventure!
    Again thanks UD.

    1. And the Plantation Restaurant in that block, that had all-you-could-eat fried chicken one night a week. I came with Emory College’s Physics Department, and the two skinniest guys ate the most!

      1. Thanks Walk. Growing up on Ponce Place, the local boys and I would cut through the Plantation parking lot on our way to the Miss Georgia ice cream shop. This was the Sixties and I remember the black employees of the Plantation sitting on the rock wall at the rear of the parking lot enjoying a meal before the big lunch or dinner rush. At the time, I thought this was one of the cruel vestiges of legal segregation but now that I’m older, it seems more likely that the building was small and black employees wanted to eat in the fresh air and enjoy some private time but I could be completly wrong. Later, when I was coaching at DHS with Bob Reinhart and Carter Wilson, the owners of the Plantation Cafeteria invited the 1982 (?) DHS basketball team for an all you could eat meal in honor of a state championship season. The owners were very gracious and welcoming to all the players and coaches. It made no difference that we were black or white. We were champions and that was all that mattered. Funny how that is don’t you think?
        And you’re right Walk. That was some mighty fine fried chicken! Mighty Fine!

  8. My first bank account was with Decatur Federal Savings and Loan, but it was the branch in a building across from Northlake/Northlake II so not nearly as old south as this one.

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