Before Dick's, It Was Day's

It was 1966.

Lyndon Johnson was in the White House. It was the year cigarette packs started carrying health warnings, the first episode of Star Trek aired on TV and Simon and Garfunkel burst on the national scene with "Sounds of Silence." The Beatles released Yesterday and Today and Revolver. Pampers created the first disposable diaper, and a gallon of gasoline cost 32 cents.

In Edmonds, the , a relic from the 1960 Seattle World's Fair, served as a yacht sales center on the waterfront. The City Council approved construction of the Wade James Theater as a permanent home for the Driftwood Players. And commuters were driving to Seattle in 30 minutes on the newly opened Interstate 5.

As far as food food went, Ronald McDonald first appeared as the mascot for McDonald's Restaurants, and several TV commercials and a spot in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade made him an instant hit.

But there were no golden arches in Edmonds in 1966. When Edmonds residents got the urge to cruise for burgers, they went to Day's Drive-In at Sixth and Main in the heart of downtown.

Day's was a treat for the senses and a piece of classic Americana. The menu went beyond the standard burgers and fries to include pizza, chicken and, of course, fish and chips.

You could park outside and eat in your car while listening to KJR 95-AM radio jock Pat O'Day spin top 40s hits by the Beatles, Merilee Rush and the Ventures. But this was, after all, the Pacific Northwest, and Day's offered indoor seating for those wanting shelter from the weather.

Today, the legacy of Day's in downtown Edmonds is carried on by and the newly opened . But for a genuine drive-in experience, cruise to at Highway 99 and 220th. Order up a shake, a Deluxe with fries, and head for your car. Turn on the radio, crank up the oldies and close your eyes.

Now breathe in the sweet essence of classic American drive-in burger wafting from the white paper bag, and travel back through time to 1966 at the corner of Sixth and Main.