Highway 33 revisited

Opinion

June 27, 2009

Anonymous The Goshen News Sat Jun 27, 2009, 09:09 PM EDT

For decades Goshen’s main drag was the place to be on a Friday or Saturday night.

Teenagers in muscle cars and tank tops clogged U.S. 33 on downtown’s Main Street. It was bumper-to-bumper party that in many ways put Goshen on the national map.

A story about our town’s legendary cruising scene was chronicled in an Associated Press story in 1982. It was even picked up and published in The New York Times. An underground marketing campaign ensued. It was not unheard of to see “I cruised Goshen, Indiana” bumper stickers on cars while traveling out of state during summer vacations.

Cruising had a long and often infamous presence in downtown Goshen. Finally, in May of 1986, it effectively came to an end.

Goshen’s mayor at the time, Max Chiddister, declared war on the pastime. His ammunition came from the Indiana Department of Highways when officials there said Main Street’s center lanes could be restricted for emergency vehicle use from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.

While the action was the ultimate buzz kill for cruisers, it was a necessary direction for the city to take. It is hard for anybody to deny that by the mid-’80s cruising had gotten out of hand and the weekend revelry it fostered was indeed a public safety hazard.

Still, it’s hard not to smile when the topic of cruising Main Street comes up. It is fun to reminisce about the good old days and remember the times that were had. Sure, cruising didn’t always bring out the best of Goshen, but it is a significant part of our community identity, even more than 20 years later.

Goshen’s Don Riegsecker must feel the same way. He has organized a Cruisin’ Goshen Reunion Night this coming Friday from 6 until 9 p.m. The event will coincide with July’s First Fridays. As of Friday afternoon, nearly 200 people on the event’s Facebook Web site had said they will attend the event. Another 350 say they might attend.

We would like to thank Riegsecker and all those involved for organizing this reunion. It would be nice if it becomes a regular event. Just not every Friday and Saturday night.

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Highway 33 revisited

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