Thomas Herbert Glover

LHS '66

? - October 15, 2023

  Brooks F. Glover Jr.,   Lee High School Class of 1964, reports:

 It is with great sadness that I pass on the following information:  Thomas H. Glover has passed away.  This occurred on October 15, 2023.  The cause of death was a combination of bladder cancer and COPD.  In his later years he did not have much of anything to do with any of the family including me, Brooks Glover.  I have no idea why.  He served in the United States Marine Corps from 1966 till 1969.  He fought at Kae Sahn in 1968.  He worked a variety of jobs after being discharged from the Marines until he retired in 2008.  He passed away in Huntsville Hospital on October 15, 2023.  May he rest in peace.

Looking Back at 1964

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

We read a couple of weeks ago how Terry Preston thought 1961 was the most memorable year in his life. I am not saying 1964 was the same for me, but it was a year I will never forget. The year started off with Huntsville buried in snow, the largest snowfall in decades. In February of that year we were first exposed to the Beatles when they appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show. Spring break was memorable, and the Class of ’64 not only held Lee High School’s first senior prom, they were the first class to graduate from the new high school. 

For me personally, graduation brought about my move to Memphis to attend college. I was the first in my family to ever go to college. Summer of 1964 was the time of my first real job, becoming a camp counselor at the YMCA camp. My association with that group would last throughout college and even into the summer after graduation, while awaiting my first assignment in the Air Force.

It also was the time when I left my friends behind. Those friends still fill my memories of the days when we were young and exciting. Many of them were married that summer, all of the wedding I missed while working at the summer camp.

Fall of ’64 was filled with concerts by groups and bands in Memphis which Huntsville never offered. It was Dick Clark’s Caravan of Stars, the Beach Boys, the New Christy Minstrels, and other groups. Fall also saw me entering college, in pursuit of a degree in Journalism, a study which would last a lifetime for me. It was in November of that year that I earned my first paycheck working for one of the major newspapers in Memphis.

I’ll not go into the national news, because those events affected each of us in our own way. Having said all that, it is strange but the Huntsville I left behind is the one that still haunts my memories, despite all the changes that have occurred since then. I will always love my days in Huntsville, my time at Lee, and the friendships I enjoyed back then.

Huntsville in 1964: From Lee's Traveller Issues

A Year of Cold Pools, City Buses, Booming Growth, 

and Space‑Age Dreams

Willard Finkbinder

The year 1964 sits right in the heart of Huntsville’s transformation—from a quiet mill town into the Rocket City. What people remember most from that era, as reflected in the Traveller community comments, are the everyday places and routines that shaped teen life: the freezing waters of Big Spring Pool, the freedom of the city bus routes, the booming neighborhoods filled with newcomers from Redstone Arsenal, and the sense that Huntsville was becoming something bigger than anyone expected.

Big Spring Pool: The Coldest Water in Town

If you ask any Baby Boomer who grew up in Huntsville what the Big Spring Municipal Pool was like, you’ll get one answer: “Cold!” 

The pool was a rite of passage for Huntsville kids in the early ’60s. Teens walked in through the locker room, hit by the sharp smell of chlorine, dropped their valuables into wire baskets, pinned their number to their swimsuit, and stepped through the warm foot‑bath—one last moment of comfort before plunging into the icy blue.

WAAY radio blasted over the loudspeakers, kids lined up for Fritos, and the bravest climbed the high‑dive ladder, knowing everyone below was watching to see if they’d jump or chicken out. For many Huntsville teens in 1964, this pool wasn’t just recreation—it was a social hub, a proving ground, and a memory that still feels frozen in time.

Riding the Huntsville Buses: Freedom for a Dime

The city bus system was another defining part of teen life. A dime could take you anywhere—downtown, the movie theaters, Big Spring Pool, or across neighborhoods that were rapidly expanding. 

Kids from Five Points walked to save their fare for popcorn at the Lyric or Grand. Others rode from Triana Boulevard or Darwin Downs, hopping off at the square before heading to matinees. Some even hitch‑hiked down Monte Sano for Saturday movies and back up before dark—a practice considered safe at the time.

The buses stitched Huntsville together, giving teens independence and access to the growing city.

A City in Boom Mode

By the early 1960s, Huntsville was exploding with growth. The population had jumped from 16,437 in 1950 to over 72,000 by 1960, driven by Redstone Arsenal and NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. 

This boom shaped daily life in 1964:

• New families arrived weekly, often before their spouses or children could join them.

• Hotels and motor courts overflowed.

• Private homes rented out rooms to incoming engineers and military personnel.

• Neighborhoods like Lincoln Village, Merrimack Village, and East Clinton filled with kids walking to school, riding buses, and exploring a city that felt like it was being built around them.

• Huntsville in 1964 was a place where Southern tradition met space‑age ambition.

The Places Teens Loved Most

Although the Traveller comments come from alumni reflecting decades later, their memories reveal which places mattered most to Huntsville teens—many of which were already iconic in 1964.

• Big Spring Park – The heart of downtown and a favorite hangout. 

• Monte Sano Mountain – For hiking, picnics, and escaping the summer heat.

• Downtown Huntsville – Movie theaters, bakeries, and the bus hub.

• Historic districts – Twickenham and Old Town, already treasured even before preservation became a movement.

• The future Space & Rocket Center – Not yet built in 1964, but the seeds were already planted through NASA’s presence.

• These places formed the backdrop of teen life—where friendships were made, dates were planned, and summer days were spent roaming freely.

The Last Generation to Remember the Mills

Many teens in 1964 were the children or grandchildren of mill workers. Although the mills were closing, the memories remained strong. Families in Lincoln Village and Merrimack Village still felt connected to Huntsville’s cotton‑mill past, even as the city shifted toward rockets, missiles, and space exploration. 

This gave Huntsville a unique identity: part industrial South, part futuristic America.

What 1964 Felt Like

Taken together, the community memories paint a vivid picture of Huntsville in 1964:

• A city buzzing with newcomers and opportunity

• Teens riding buses for a dime to movies, pools, and downtown adventures

• Families adjusting to rapid growth and changing neighborhoods

• Kids braving the icy waters of Big Spring Pool

• A community standing on the edge of the Space Age

It was a year when Huntsville was still small enough for teens to roam freely—but big enough to feel like the future was arriving fast.

Downtown Huntsville in 1964:

A Space‑Age Boomtown

Downtown Huntsville in 1964 was defined by rapid expansion, new civic branding, and public excitement around space‑age progress. The city had recently annexed large areas to accommodate its booming population—growing from a “ghost town” of 16,000 to more than 123,000 residents by the mid‑1960s. 

This growth spilled directly into downtown:

• Businesses adopted the Space City identity.

• Department stores sold space‑themed merchandise.

• Civic groups used space branding for events and competitions.

• Public gatherings and celebrations centered on Huntsville’s role in America’s race to the moon.

• Downtown wasn’t just a commercial district—it was the public stage for Huntsville’s new identity.

Space‑City Branding Takes Over the Square

The Space City moniker became a downtown phenomenon in 1964. Stores, clubs, and civic organizations embraced the theme:

Penney’s Department Store sold “Space City satellites,” red‑white‑blue plastic frisbees marketed as local space souvenirs. 

The Lions Club, local auto dealers, and even the flying club used “Space City” in their promotions and events. 

Politicians held downtown rallies invoking “Space City” as a symbol of progress and investment. 

These weren’t small gestures—they were part of a coordinated civic push to make downtown Huntsville the cultural center of the Space Age.

The Announcement of Space City USA (January 1964)

One of the biggest public events connected to downtown in 1964 was the announcement of Space City USA, a massive $5‑million theme park project. 

Although the park was planned for land near Lady Ann Lake, the publicity campaign unfolded in downtown Huntsville, where:

• Flyers and promotional materials were distributed.

• Local businesses displayed concept art and models.

• Public meetings and press events generated excitement.

• The project promised rides, attractions, and futuristic experiences—reinforcing downtown Huntsville’s role as the hub of civic imagination.

Downtown Movie Theaters and Civil Rights Activity

Downtown Huntsville’s theaters were central to teen life and civil rights activity in the early 1960s. While the most documented protests occurred in 1963, the effects continued into 1964, shaping downtown events and public life.

Key downtown theaters included:

• The Lyric

• The Grand

• The Princess (serving African American moviegoers)

• The Tony/Martin

By 1964:

African American patrons were allowed into previously white theaters but restricted to balcony seating.

Downtown lines, ticket windows, and movie crowds became sites of ongoing social tension and change.

These events were part of Huntsville’s broader civil rights movement, and downtown was the visible stage where integration slowly took hold.

Downtown Transit & Daily Life

Downtown Huntsville in 1964 was also shaped by its bus routes, which connected neighborhoods to the square. Teens and workers rode buses into downtown for:

• Shopping

• Movies

• Civic events

• Pool trips

• Social gatherings

The bus system made downtown the crossroads of the city, especially for young people.

Landmarks in 1964

Historic maps from 1964 show the downtown core centered around:

• City Hall

• Maple Hill Cemetery

• Clinton Avenue

• Oakwood Avenue

• Memorial Parkway (rapidly expanding)

These landmarks framed the downtown events of the year—parades, civic meetings, shopping weekends, and public celebrations.

What Downtown Huntsville Felt Like in 1964

Putting all the sourced details together, downtown Huntsville in 1964 felt like:

• A crowded, energetic commercial district fueled by new residents.

• A civic stage for space‑themed branding and public events.

• A site of civil rights transition, especially around theaters.

• A hub of transportation, connecting teens and families to the rest of the city.

• A symbol of Huntsville’s transformation from mill town to Space City.

It was a year when downtown Huntsville buzzed with optimism, ambition, and change—reflecting a city racing toward the future.

The Wayback Machine

The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show

1964

The Beatles made several appearances on The Ed Sullivan Show, including three in February 1964 that were among their first appearances in front of an American audience. Their first appearance, on February 9, 1964, was seen by over 73 million viewers and came to be regarded as a cultural watershed that launched American Beatlemania—as well as the wider British Invasion of American pop music—and inspired many young viewers to become rock musicians. The band also made another appearance during their 1965 U.S. tour.

On October 31, 1963, Ed Sullivan was at London's Heathrow Airport and saw a crowd of 1,500 fans await the Beatles' return from a tour of Sweden. Struck by the crowds, Sullivan became interested in booking the Beatles for his show. CBS saw huge anticipation for the Beatles' first appearance, with 50,000 ticket requests for the 728-seat Studio 50 (now known as the Ed Sullivan Theater) where the band was to perform, far surpassing the 7,000 requested for Elvis Presley's 1956 debut.

The appearance on February 9 is considered a milestone in American pop culture, and furthermore the beginning of the British Invasion in music. The broadcast drew more than 73 million viewers, a record for U.S. television at the time (broken three years later by the series finale of The Fugitive).

The Beatles' Sullivan Show appearances catalyzed a run of extraordinary commercial success in the U.S.; the Beatles sold 2.5 million records in the country in the month after the first appearance and by early April became the first act to hold all top 5 spots in the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

The majority of American cultural critics responded to the Beatles' performances by expressing bemusement at the unusually strong audience reactions or by mocking the Beatles' haircuts, with only a few focusing on the Beatles' musical performances and talents. Reverend Billy Graham, who tuned in to the first show despite his customary avoidance of TV on Sunday, dismissed Beatlemania as a "passing phase".

Next Week - 1965

Help me with next week's issue by contributing your own memories. Next week we will look back at the events of 1965. You can help by sharing some of your own memories that I can include in that issue. Use the comments section below to help me.

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Delores McBride Kilgore, LHS '66, “Love it!”

Richard "Ricky" Simmons, LHS ‘64, "Excellent trip thru 1963.  Thanks for what you do."