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year at The New Perry Hotel ■ i mam . mj— 1 ■— ———__ 1 It o W tSh ] IPRII' Si KKBMHr mKmSKmM - - j B] 9 1' ''■l * —JB -’H- B M * j - ’® >,4 t I '1 1 | , -IBlr 1 MS f f^B | w JBE gpL, ?, -b _ ; ~ -'V-i -|| ft i . * B&iL WMr «► 2r J|S *§ Jaß . o* *'Ti\t£m SL Igg Yates and Nannette Green, as the gracious hosts of the New Perry, were also Perry's unofficial publicity chairmen, for they worked diligently to promote tourism In the town of Perry. In 1968, the Perry Business Women's Club elected Nannette "Woman of the Year". In making the presentation, Harriet Houser began with, "Shakespeare said, 'Beauty lives with kindness' and unknowingly made a capsule description L ■■—«>> W*Mi _. "• ■ .- HE^^&L^gcfl ■, II imMi&BßSHtkt, <fJE ”• " "^-—^*" The Hotel was completely remodeled In 1947 after fire de stroyed the upper floor. Luxuries like telephones and prl »PIMHHBrr /, r ” r / r '’r l >i k ’,' S < "'•’' v „ s i' c \ -g v . *'* ' sK ', : "r , , > v jHfl; :U\%'MMS^’: ■ ‘•‘V'-" "* "’’ «f* * _ M ‘ ' ff:f'o';r -■MSiHMHHHHHBi !■ MnS With the end of World War II and gas rationing, America was traveling again. Before Interstate 75, Highway 41 brought prosperity to Perry as a revitalized tourist Industry flour- Hospitality since the 1880 s of this lovely lady." Nannette was thanked for her work in the beautification of Perry, her generosity In caring for others. In 1969, the Perry Klwanls Club named Yates "Man of the Year", complimenting his public spirited leadership in promoting Perry through the automobile Association and the 41 Highway Association. In a tribute to them in The Houston Home Journal, Ruby Hodges dubbed them, "Mr. and Mrs. Perry." vate baths were added to the rooms. Everyone was Invited to an open house reception to celebrate the reopening. Ished. The New Perry Motel begun In 1955 responded to the need for more rooms to rent. Wednesday, July 6, 1994 Houston Times -Journal - her for some of the realities of restaurant business in wartime. Keeping the pantry stocked wasn't a matter of picking up the phone and placing an order. Commodities such as sugar were rationed and others such as coffee and chocolate were often unavailable. Most of the vegetables were fresh, bought from local farmers or grown in the garden on the premises. She laughs now to remember her own naivete at vegetable gardening. Thinking to plant a small patch of turnip greens, she ordered three pounds of seed at Andrew Hardware, enough for acres of turnips. Mr. Talton asked which farm they had purchased and would they be growing turnips for a cannery. Chickens and turkeys were kept in a coop where the Hotel gazebo is located and were slaughtered as needed. Once this rather unpleasant task was assigned to some young boys who were told simply to "dress die turkeys for dinner tomorrow." When their puzzled looks told her Uiat they didn't understand, Nannette explained that "to dress" meant "to pluck out their feathers." Horrified, she later realized die inexperienced boys were doing exactly that. She had not diought it necessary to say, "First, you kill the turkey!" Cooking was done on wood stoves and since most of die men were still in the armed services, keeping die woodbox filled was quite a chore. To experience Georgia in July is to understand how welcomed gas stoves and air conditioning could be after a few summers of wood stove cooking. Nannette continues her story. "Mr. Rooney was an avid gardener with rows of vegetables and flowers for the dining room. Yates had no interest here so the flowers became an important part of my life and how thankful I am for them! With Pat Cartlege, I have enjoyed developing Hotel gardens that our guests can look forward to visiting with each changing season. Lucille Diamond instilled in those of us who worked for her at the Balsam Hotel the importance of fresh flowers on the table. She sent us into the mountain woods each morning to collect wild flowers for our tables there. With Mr. Rooney's row gardens, we grew our own flowers for the tables. Eager to show that I knew how to decorate the tables on our first morning, I sent someone to pick the beautiful blue iris. He did....just below each bloom. With no stems to arrange them, I had to plop one beautiful iris atop each bud vase." Nannette has lived down that first flower fiasco by not only keeping fresh flowers on die hotel's white starched tablecloths for these 50 years, but also winning numerous awards for the attractive landscaping and decorations. Christmas 1944 remains an outstanding decorating memory. This was Yates' and Nannette's first Christmas away from home and family. They found themselves surrounded by service people and others who were also homesick but could not travel because of gas rationing. Determined to have a happy celebradon for diemselves and dieir guests in spite of die war imposed restrictions, diey found a Georgia pine in die woods and enlisted die creative efforts of hotel guests. Because tree decorations could not be purchased—not even at Mr. Crockett's new 5 and 10 Cent Store—they cut and pasted paper chains, angels, lanterns and bells and were well pleased widi their festive results. During die past 50 years, Christmas decorations have become more elaborate and are a mini tourist attraction in diemselves. Even so, the picture of that first homemade Christmas tree, shared with odier friends who couldn't travel home for Christmas, still evokes a special smile of remembrance for her. But all of her memories are not humorous. She remembers the scariest night of all. "in 1947 our dream almost became a nightmare when two guests discovered a fire on the third floor of the hotel. All guests escaped safely with their clothes and valuables. We were certainly thankful for that even though no one stopped to pay. When morning came we were left with a t 'ery charred, water-logged hotel. We considered rebuilding, but chose to remodel and update our facility. That meant reroofing, replastering, repainting, recarpeting, rewiring, refurnishing-adding a new heating system, private bathrooms (the old hotel had only four and guests were beginning to ask for this luxury,) telephones in the rooms (the hotel had only one) and gas stoves to replace the old hot wood stoves in the kitchen. That turned out to be a wise decision, for with the end of World War 11, people had found more time and money for travel and could once again buy gasoline. By 1955, we needed more rooms and so contracted with Dennis and Dennis of Macon for the New Perry Motel to be built where Mr. Rooney's garden had been. We began with eight rooms and added others as the budget would allow. In 1957 we asked Yates' brother, Harold Green, to join our hotel staff and were thankful when he agreed. He came with his wife Elaine and daughter Marsha from Tallahassee, Florida, where he had worked in hotel management with the Stiles Hotel Chain. Harold's coming gave us freedom from the seven days a week responsibility and allowed Yates to pursue other business interests: The Quality Inn was built, the Plantation House restored, and a shopping center developed off 1-75. Harold's contributions during these 37 years have been invaluable. He has kept everything running smoothly, and we could not possibiy have managed without him during these past few years of Yates' illness and death. I shall always be grateful for his loyalty to us and his steady management. In 1981, Marsha also joined our hotel staff as Hostess. She had helped out part time as desk clerk throtigh her teenage years and we welcomed her back as a full time staff member. Now as Bookkeeper and Secretary, she assists her father in the overall operation, continuing the 50 year Green family tradition of Southern Hospitality at the New Perry Hotel." Harold and Marsha make a good management team; he remembers the past and continues die good traditions; she updates and brings in die new (like computers!) when it's needed. Nannette continues widi Pat to keep the gardens picture perfect all year found. Aldiough the hotel has mellowed in these past 50 years of Green ownership, it retains much of its 1940 s gracious ambiance. Th£ Louise Turner original camelia and magnolia paintings still grace the walls, Elise Rogers still greets die guests from die main desk as she has done for 37 years. Mary Kovac and Sallie Williams share their nearly 40 years of culinary experience at the New Perry with newly hired personnel, keeping the favorite recipes intact. Berdia Hill, Roosevelt Collier and Milton Jones are 25 year veterans who also help keep diings pretty much the same in the kitchen. From early morning, aromas whet appetites of everyone in the vicinity as the kitchen crews are preparing fresh vegetables, baking their own special breads and homemade pies, cutting and roasting sides of beef, pork and lamb. In the dining room, returning guests recognize the familiar faces of Louise Lassiter and Juanita Sledge among the waitresses. These two have served them for over 30 years. Interview diese guests in the dining room and often they will say, "Oh, yes, we've been coming here for many years. Our parents brought us here as children and now we are bringing our children and grandchildren. We schedule our trips to be here for a meal." Others confide that they have made the New Perry Hotel a second home and consider it a privilege to return each winter for several weeks or months. Eldora Lester and her cleaning crews keep their rooms ready for them, for they are more like family friends than tourists. Thus the story ot the New Perry Hotel is truly the story of Southern Hospitality exemplified-welcoming strangers traveling through Perry and making them want to return, sharing with cherished friends in a unique way, helping to promote the town of Perry. Nannette likes to reminisce about the old days and treasures the memory of many dear friends who have visited during these 50 years, enriching her life. So here's to you, Nannette, and to your wonderful memories, "Happy Anniversary on your 50th year at the New Perry Hotel. We wish you many happy returns!" Page 7A