Fergie's was closed in Portsmouth. A guy whose name I've forgotten (sorry!) saw me taking this photo and said that Fergie's was quite a busy place back in the day. He, the guy, not Fergie, was pleased to see a tourist taking an interest in Portsmouth.
I learned of a couple of good places to eat. One was the brewpub that I've got my back against while taking this picture. He also suggested I check out the murals as well as the old hardware store on Market St. That's where I had parked and the hardware store did look intriguing.
In fact, I had a hunch when I first saw the hardware store, which, being on Market Street, was non-confusingly named Market Street Hardware. "That place" I said to myself, "has inventory from the 1970s still on sale." The civic booster guy said they had an impressive model train collection. I didn't see the model trains but on the second floor there were toys and games for sale that were at least thirty years old.
how could you skip the model trains?!
jeff
Posted by: jeff | 27 February 2009 at 09:25 AM
Shameful, isn't it? I saw a few trains but I didn't see a track setup anywhere. Maybe it was elsewhere in the store.
Posted by: Joe | 27 February 2009 at 03:41 PM
This was my Dad's restaurant (Herman Ferguson). His parents opened here in Portsmouth in 1930. My Father and Mother (Ocie) continued the business after my grandparents died until 1995 when Dad was too ill to keep it open.
Dad had delicious plate lunches but his Fish Sandwich was the most popular along with my Mom's homemade Rhubarb Pie.
Mom passed away in December of 2004; Dad passed away in June of 2007.
Boone Coleman and his 'men' were regulars!!!
Judy
Posted by: Judy | 16 July 2009 at 10:47 AM
Wow, thanks for the Fergie's Lunch history! I could go for a slice of rhubarb pie right now.
Posted by: Joe | 16 July 2009 at 11:32 PM
I visited my cousins Herman and his two sisters Georgia and Mary Louise back in 2004 or around that year when they were in a care center . I can recall visiting the Resturant "Ferges Place" in 1938 and several times through out my childhood.Herman always gave us a candy treat from the display case,and would fix us whatever we wanted to eat. My oldest brother Gene worked there a couple of summers just befor WWII started.After the death of my grandmother Georgia Eagle my grandfather William Eagle lived and worked there with Francis and Pearly untill his death age 96. We lived in Ironton Ohio, my mother Minerva Cox (Eagle)was a sister to Francis Ferguson. I visited the resturant and had a cup of coffee . I asked about the owner but the girl didn't know any thing about the past history of the place. I am 75 years old now. Ellis Cox
Posted by: Ellis D Cox | 21 September 2009 at 12:21 PM