On Thanksgiving Day, November, 1936, I came to Knifley as John Dunbar's bride.

I had visited Mr. Van Dunbar, John's father, before, and I was impressed by the happy friendly people and the industrious little community.

There were the following businesses thriving well in the community: Mr. Lee Chelf's General Store and Post Office, Mrs. Anna Hovious' Store, Mr. Van Dunbar's grocery Store, and Mr. "Babe" Abraham Hovious' Store (he was noted for the vegetable soup he made on his big stove in the store). Luther and Marie Knifley ran a restaurant and the Art Theater motion picture show. Mr. Dave Bowen ran a saw mill, and Mr. Will Holcomb had a blacksmith's shop (later operated as a garage by his two sons, Dewey and Dennis).

Some of the pioneer families who made up the community were Knifley, Dunbar, Rafferty, Tucker, Chelf, Humphress, Corbin, Hovious, Gabehart, Giles, Hatfield, Lacy, Holcomb, Bowen, Thomas, Garner, Christie,

There was a Christian church, a high school, and an elementary school. John Dunbar taught at the high school.

There were no phones in Knifley at that time, but Thelma Rafferty ran a telephone exchange. Dr. John Vigil had an office near Tucker's Barber Shop in the early 1930's. There was also a used furniture store near the restaurant of Luther Knifley. It was called the O. F. Burton Bargain Store. The building that housed Mrs. Anna Hovious' store was at one time a bank. The upstairs of the Bank building was rented as an apartment.

A Grist Mill was also one of the local businesses. Farmers from other communities used this service.

The building next to Holcomb's Garage at one time housed the Lee Chelf Farm Machinery Store, and was later sold to the Brothers in Christ Church, according to a resident of old Knifley.