1929
'California...'or bust'
Journal of trip from Bingham to Berkeley, CA by Coleman family, 1929
written by Marian S. Coleman
Sun Jun 9, 1929
The great adventure has begun! At last we are on our way to California - land of our dreams. May they all come true! The past week was quite a strenuous one. The workmen came and began working in the upstairs rooms and as fast as I would clear out a room, they would take possessions and begin whitening the ceiling and tearing off the paper. A gorgeous mess they made believe it or not. Mr. Baker told me not to clean and after I saw what a mess they made, I decided to take him at his word and consequently I left a dirty kitchen. Tuesday evening they gave H & I a farewell dinner at Dick Hall's camps at Emden Lake. Bena came up Sunday and said she and Fred wanted us to go somewhere with them and have a feed. She said she had planned to have us down to the house but as she was going to be working as Town Clerk that week she couldn't do it. Also that she would leave it to Fred to pick out the place as he went around more and consequently knew the places better. Harold was rather suspicious but I rather poo-pooed him. However, when we arrived at the Lake there was a goodly number of Binghamites there to greet us. We had a delicious dinner and afterwards played bridge until after twelve. The camps were very nice and the evening fine. Wednesday eve Lucille's classmates gave her a party and gave her a lovely mesh bag. Phyllis's class gave her a pretty white gold ring set with an electric ruby. Saturday morning quite a number came to see us off, consequently it was nearly 9:30 Daylight Time before we left. Some were rather tearful which made it rather hard. A big lump was in my throat as we crossed the Kennebec Bridge probably for the last time, yet I am glad to go. Dury sputtered once in awhile. I believe there is a wandering bit of dirt or part of a screw lodged in one of the spark plugs and I'll bet there is still something else. However, we came along fine and found the house and the people. This morning is fine and dandy. H. is doing a little wiring. They have been in town and bought supplies. I have phoned Lottie Taylor and they are coming over late this afternoon.
Boston, Mass...Monday, June 10, 1929
The second days journey is over, Sunday afternoon we all went over to the Cape Cottage Hotel to dinner. Most of us had a shore dinner that was truly delicious. I thing I am keeping well within the bounds of conservatism when I say I; think the steamed and fried clams were the best I have ever eaten. In the evening Lottie & Norris Taylor, Methyl & a Miss Perkins came over for awhile. They said they had been 'tout Freeport way' to see a sand dune that was burying a farm. The top of some cherry trees just show above the sand. It is not on the shore but inland and the dune apparently was formed by a glacier. This morning we packed and left. Harold felt bad to leave his Grandmother, I could see that. And why not? Probably he will never see her again. Coming along Beacon Street in Boston we heard a funny hoarse horn blat two or three times back of us, but as we were surrounded by cars of all sorts and ages, we gave it little thought. Cars went by us, beside and behind, however a few seconds later a rather antique Ford Two-door sedan clattered by and the driver growled out something about 'you aren't driving in Maine, now!' He had a perfect scream of a face anyway and with it all snarled up like a caricature it was just two much. We all burst into gales of laughter. After we had caught our breath we dubbed him the Goldfish from the shape of his face. There is only one other party here on the Boston Campground. It is early for the Camping Fraternity to be out. Many schools haven't closed yet. This other party is from West Palm Beach, Florida. Harold has taken the boys for a ride on the El. A cool night with quite a breeze blowing across this hilltop at Washington Hghts. Three airplanes flew over here this afternoon, in formation. Then later they stunted, looping the loop, rolling, fake falls and ever'thin'.
IdleDell Mass.... Wednesday June 12, 1929
Haven't had much time to write, we have been so busy with farewells. We went over to Mother's to luncheon Tuesday and then all hands (including Mother & Dot) went over to Needham, to Stanley's for the afternoon, dinner and evening, then all streamed back to the campground where last farewells were said. This morning we packed and left at about 9:30 Daylight Time and our first stop was in Worcester at Derbe Powers'. She insisted on our staying to lunch and we lunched sumptuously on Egg & Spinach & lettuce salad, cold boiled ham, cottage cheese, jelly, piccalili, bread & butter, peaches, wafers & punch. Dury is getting old. H took her to the service station and had a new valve put in the Vacuum tank and the speedometer fixed. But she sputters & balks just the same at the most inauspicious moments. Another garageman blew out her tubes and for quite a while we thought she was cured, but soon she had the worst attack of all. Something happens once in awhile to choke off her nourishment and without gas she cannot run. Poor thing! She hauls a terrific load anyway. I am trying to cut down on everything. Each time we make camp I try to discard something. Nothing yet of any great weight, but perhaps all told they will eventually help. An old extra pair of knickers of mine that I thot I would keep for an emergency. May the emergency never come! A nearly worn out pair of shoes of Cedric's, etc, etc.
Thurs. June 13th..... Richfields Springs NY
We left IdleDell which I believe is in the town of Cummington, Mass. at a bit after 9:30 this morning. We overslept. I left behind for the people who run the wayside stand my egg eater and mixing spoon. Cooking of fancy things is not in this camping schedule, and I wonder why I brought the things. Dury protested on some of the hills, but considering the length of them I am not surprised, altho they were mostly concrete roads. Bought some bananas, milk and cinnamon buns for luncheon which we ate some distance this side of Pittsfield, across the line in N.Y.somewhere. This is a fine campground, but rather near the street. Harold & Bruce went to the Sulphur Springs after supper and brought home a quart of the water. It smells exactly like a stale egg that has been boiled about a week previous to being opened. I took one swallow and have been belching brimstone ever since. No baths for me except as a last resort.
Friday June 14 .... Lake Canandaigua, N.Y.
Another beautiful day. We ran into one smart shower of a very short duration. The scenery thru the Catskills, Adirondacks or whatever it was, is beautiful. I think it is ahead of Maine. And the roads are mostly concrete thru widths. Today we are in the Finger Lakes region. We planned to camp on Lake Seneca but the camp ground was in a marsh, and on inquiring, heard there was no water, watchman or anything, so as the day was still comparatively young, we kept on a rollin' until we came to Canandaigua. We are camped in an orchard behind a roadside stand. A delightful breeze blew from the lake before sunset taking away the heat. There is a small amusement place with a merry-go-round, bathing beach, etc. H. has been to C for Flit and says it is about as large as Skowhegan. I am going bird hunting. I thought I saw an Orchard Oriole.
Sunday June 16, 1929 .... Niagara Falls, Canada
I find it as hard to keep up my writing when on the trail as when at home. We left Canandaguia, N.Y. fairly early as they are on Standard Time and we had our watches on Daylight Time. But we lost considerable time getting thru the city of Rochester. I detest going thru cities when camping. Then we stopped in Lockport quite awhile. Bot a cot for Cecric as we think it lighter than the spring. Also the boys can use their cots until e are permanently located. When we reached Niagara Falls, N.Y. we found an Elks Convention on Big Parade an' everthin'. The A.A.A. said the best auto camp was on the Canadian side so thru customs we came and after considerable chasing around we finally located the right one, Falls View Camp. We look out on the Horseshoe Falls and rapids. To cap it all it was their annual celebration. This year it was the Golden jubilee of Lights. The colored lights were thrown on the Falls from the big flood lights on this side. Also, a big display of fireworks. Thousands of cars lined the banks and any place they could see. I think there must have been 600 cars on this campground alone. They must turn out well for anything here, for it was nothing very unusual, not to my mind. And they said it would take a car two hours to get back across the bridge! Today I washed. We remained in camp most of the day, except for a drive thru Victoria Park which was beautifully cool due to the spray from the Falls. Watched the little steamer battle her way up stream nearly to the foot of the American Falls. I suppose it is perfectly safe, but I much preferred being where I was. The wind is off the river tonight so that the roar of the falls is louder than last night. Think we may have rain tomorrow.
Windsor, Ont .... Tues June 18, 1929
We got in early. Only 2:30 E.S.T. A very hot day. Yesterday morning we broke camp at Niagara Falls, Ont and went to London, Ont. At Niagara, aeroplanes were circling over the falls most of the time. On the way to London, we crossed the Welland Ship Canal, the new one that isn't finished and the one they are using. There is also an old one, which as far as I know, we didn't cross and I don't know whether it is used or not. It was our good luck to get to the canal in time to see one freighter come out of the lock and go thru the bridge and to watch them put another freighter, going up, into the lock and fill it. Northern N.Y. and Ontario (I suppose the land around the lakes) have big fruit farms. Acres & acres, thousands of them...cherry, peach, apple, grape, etc. All the trees are carefully pruned & sprayed, and the ground beneath carefully cultivated, Crops are raised between the rows of trees in many instances, especially in the young orchards. The campground at London is out of the city proper. About 3 mi. In a grove. A lovely place, with splendid drinking water, a rare article so far. Plenty of hot & cold water, shower baths, & laundry tubs. We got away early this morning. Today we saw our first oil well. Funny things at the Bothwell Oil Field, been producing over 60 yrs. We had quite a chat with a man there who was obliging enough to explain at length. Said that at first they dug the wells and timbered up the sides. The wells are hitched up together, those belonging to one man or concern and are pumped from one station. They pump very slowly, produce only a barrel or so apiece in 24 hours. The campground here is nothing to shriek over. The tracks where the freights are made up are just back of us (fun for the boys: the 'hump' is right here) and the water is hardly drinkable. Apparently we have camped too near a red winged blackbird's nest. He has been perched on a pole near us ever since we came, alternately scolding & singing. There is a bird here which I haven't seen to my knowledge, but he sounds exactly like a boy whistling to his dog. Our friend at the oil wells says they are a new bird to him. Never saw them until this year. That they are a dark bird, not quite as large as a robin.
Near Clear Lake, Iowa .... Mon June 24, 1929
Quite a gap to fill. After Windsor, we crossed the river into the U.S.A. again at Detroit. Came thru easily. At Detroit we went to an Electric Service station to get a new ignition cup for "Dury" and who should be the foreman there but a young Durgin from the Forks. It was lucky for us, because he put us ahead of other cars. that night we camped at Mishawaka, and the R.R. & the electric went by the grove. But there was no "hump", so we were all O.K. Bogle's Auto Camp. A nice place. The next day we hit Chicago. The campground is on a bluff outside the city in the Forest Preserve. A good place except it lacks shade. We remained 2 nites and I caught up on laundry and H. took the children to Field Museum. Left Chicago Sat morning and made Galena, Ill that night. Galena, Ill is an old old town. Quaint. One of the homes of U.S.Grant. We drove around by it but the house had been closed for the night. A fine brick house. The river used to be navigable and Galena was a busy thriving city with parking houses and a big river trade. But Chicago got ahead of them after the Civil War and Galena trade fell off: the old packing house man (Ryn) died & his children were spenders, not earners, so the river was allowed to fill in and the quays fell into decay. Today the river is a small stream in a big sandy bed. Galena is built in tiers on the sandstone hillsides and back of many of the houses are caves built into the limestone or sandstone (I know not which cliff). After Galena, Ill our next stopping place was Waterloo, Iowa. We crossed the Mississippi into Dubuque, IA from East Dubuque, Ill. It was Sunday morning and hardly any traffic. Some diff from the east! We plan to lay over Sundays but our campground at Galena, while nice & clean, had no showers or laundry facilities, so we decided to push on and lay over later. Waterloo camp is in the City Park and they had had a wind of cyclonic velocity two weeks before and it had split, and uprooted & torn branches from many of their trees. This debris hadn't been cleared away and there was a break in the water main & we had to use a pump (very common in this country) so we pushed on again, this morning. Today we tried to find a campground at the other end of the lake where there is good bathing but one campground was overrun with chickens of all kinds & mixtures and the other had a small flock of sheep pastured on it! We were rather discouraged but at this upperend of the lake we found this little spot, by a roadside inn. We have no facilities but lights, toilet, a table and a pump, but we are in a pleasant, quiet spot. Good fishing, but we have no license. They have boats & fishing tackle & bait to rent here. We found several interesting stones here. One pretty agate, I think it is. Gulls are plentiful here, but they are smaller and darker than the ones we have on the N. Eng. coast.
Spencer, Iowa .... Wed. June 26, 1929
We are laying over a day to rest & clean up. It has showered some which hinders my laundering facilities. But I have hopes of it clearing soon. It hasn't the appearance of much rain. This town has about 5000 inhabitants, is very much up-to-date with chain stores, Vitaphone theater and traffic lights. Great many Swedes. It is on the Little Sioux River, a stream about the width of the Austin Stream, but much deeper. the streams dig deep channels thru this gumbo instead of spreading out. But I daresay it is some stream in the spring. Phyllis found a flint arrow head at Clear Lake, the morning we left. The man at the campground said that ClearLake used to be a favorite camping spot for the Indians because of the water and the fishing. The water is clear, a rarity hereabouts. We took the tail feathers out of a hen pheasant yesterday. She was strolling very deliberately across the road and H. swerved to the left to avoid her. She walked right in front of the car, he swung to the right again and cleared all but her tail feathers. They were left in the road and she flew off into the fields. After wards, we saw several pair. The male is handsome of course. We also have seen what we think must be a prairie dog or perhaps a ground squirrel. Can tell later when we have our National Geographic again. A nice little campground with small out door fire places scattered thru the park. Clean and level, with young trees big enough to give some shade.
Mitchell, S.D. .... June 29, 1929
A splendid camp. There is a community House with Gas plates and sink, reading room, toilets, H&C showers, laundry tubs, ironing board & iron with a gas plate to heat it on. Everything is clean. 3 cars with the houses built on them in here last night. Mourning Doves are common through this country. Pheasants are quite often seen and yesterday we saw our first Jack rabbit, a dead one in the road. Night before last we camped at Sioux Falls. I didn't particularly care for the campground but the city I liked very much. Went to the park after supper & listened to a band concert. A pretty park with the band shell in the center of a small natural amphitheater. Going back to the camp after the concert we saw a car with Maine plates & a young man and a woman on it eating ice cream cones. We shouted "Hello, Maine!" They answered & then I saw them look at our rear plate. When we reached the entrance to the camp, we had to stop and lo!, they pulled up beside us! They had chased us out to the camp for we were the first Maine car they had seen for 2 months. Came from Auburn out to Sioux Falls because the woman's husband was in poor health. The young man was their son.
Rapid City, S.D. .... July 2, 1929
Leaving Mitchell we found the country soon changed. That is as soon as we passed the Missouri river which we crossed at Chamberlain. We came out on high bluffs overlooking the 'big Muddy', well named she is too. As soon as we crossed we found ourselves in a treeless country. Of course, trees grew along the Missouri on the west side, but we soon left the banks & climbed up the bluffs and then - lo! Not a tree, not even a bush large enough to hide a Jack rabbit. Our gaze could 'sweep' the horizon. A vast rolling country, with ranches replacing farms and a tiny cluster of tiny houses huddled together like lost sheep under the blazing sun being the towns. So bare & desolate they look, for water is scarce. They haul their drinking water in on the RR in some of these towns. I am afraid I haven't any pioneer spirit. We reached Kadoka that night, going farther than we intended, because the barren campgrounds fully exposed to the sun looked so unattractive, we preferred to keep on going. Part of the country was beautiful just the same. We would top a rise and the world was spread out before us practically all in grazing land with more vivid parts (the fields were immense that were cultivated) being the flax, alfalfa, corn, wheat, etc. Kadoka is a young town. Just settling down from the wild days of her youth when she had 7 saloons. (Townsends) from Minneapolis, born in Maine, she in Wisconsin. We saw branded cattle, Indians, cactus, and cowboys in their everyday clothes, and set our watches back another hour. Leaving Kadoka we came thru the Badlands of South Dakota. A wonderful, wonderful sight! There we encountered our first sheepherder and his dog. A very pleasant, well spoken man who has lost his left arm just below the elbow. We were watching our first prairie dogs at the time. His camp is a covered wagon. We reached Rapid City that night and how lovely to be up in the hills once again! A stream from the hills runs by the camp and we are in a grove of Cottonwoods. They are messy things just now with their cottony pods opening up and sending out their parachutes of cotton with its tiny seed. We rode up into the hills yesterday. The trees are all Norway Pine and this isn't the underbrush we have in Maine. Looking onto the hills the grass is seen growing between the trees, giving it a park-like appearance to the very top. The mountain parks are lovely grassy places uncluttered by brush. We saw the Am. Magpie, a handsome chap. Forded our first stream...a brook runs across one of the roads leading to the City and they didn't bother to bridge it. So away thru it we go, western fashion. Today we go to Spearfish. There is plenty here to see but we haven't the time. Afternoon made Spearfish before dinner. A wonderful campground. Laundry, Hot & cold water, free gas plates, showers 25 cents, a store and a running stream. Came through Whitewood and we had to climb a hill a mile long that rose us 1000 feet into the air & then down again. Lucille & Bruce are slightly under the weather. Guess the minerals in the water has been too much for them. A lot of people are made sick by it. We bought spring water at Kadoka, but we have spring water here. May have to rest here. A big affair drove into the grounds this noon shortly after we came. A big house built over an International truck chassis, like a big bus, with an observation platform, luggage rack on top. They have a big sedan also and 2 chauffeurs and a monkey. The big house-bus is named Miss Omaha (Pullman style) and the plates are Nebraska. We have seen 2 different cactus that are pretty. One is small with round fat spiney leaves and the most delicate pale yellow blossoms with petals as diaphanous as a butterfly's wing. The blossom comes out on the edge of the fat leaf and is slightly cup-shaped like a half opened single rose. The other cactus has great long needle-like leaves growing out in a clump, one blossom stalk rearing 2 ft above the leaves with very pale creamy white lanterns hung on the stalks thicker than I have drawn them. There must be 70 cars or more here today, and still coming.
Sheridan, Wyo. .... July 7, 1929
There were 200 cars in the Spearfish camp that night and 300 the next night. The water also got me, but we were able to go to Belle Fouriche the 4th. A man in Spearfish called it the Black Hills Holdup and we are of the same opinion after seeing it. A dollar apiece admission to the grounds and then 75 cents for the bleachers and $1 for the grandstand. We used our car, but all the rodeo was played to the grandstand which could never accommodate even half the crowd anyway. The announcer would tell that so-and-so was coming out of chute #3 on a wild steer and lo! and behold out would come a rider on a Hereford heifer! There was some wonderful riding, of course, and some of horses really were wild, but some would stop bucking the instant they heard the pistol shot (the signal that the rider had remained on the required length of time)! It was so funny, it tickled the crowd & the announcer informed us they were high school horses! An Indian young man did some great riding. The next morning we left Spearfish and started for Gillette, but a thunder shower came up and the road was Gumbo and we had some time, and camped in a man's door yard. While there, Bruce found a part of an Indian Spearhead & a partly finished one as well as a place in the bank where by digging in one little spot they found chips and black earth and two or three blackened stones, evidently where some brave camped and made some heads. The next morning was clear & we packed up and moved on to Sheridan. We had a wonderful view of the BigHorn mountains. Early this morning it began to rain and it has rained! So here at Sheridan we have been all day and cold & rain it has been. It looks clearing tonight & I hope the rain has stopped. If we had gravel roads we would be all right, but Gumbo roads mean hang up when it rains. A car came over the mountain pass today & had several inches of snow on it when it reached here. Imagine! We are 3800 ft up here.
Yellowstone Park .... July 12, 1929
It stopped raining that nite, so the next morning we ventured forth for Billings, Mont. And by the way, the pass over the Big Horn mountains leading from Sheridan was blocked with snow that morning! At Ranchester we lost our gravel road and struck wet and slippery gumbo, necessitating chains for about 15 miles. Then more gravel then rough gumbo, but dry and gravel of sorts to Billings. We stopped at Harding, Mont. for some things, a typical cow town. Cowboy ponies standing around, Indians & Mexicans, a present day frontier town. Went thru some very desolate ranch country. Sage brush, cactus and adobi mud being all there was to see most of the time with an occasional colony of ground squirrels or prairie dogs or a bunch of cattle or horses to liven an otherwise dull tiresome ride. A few miles out of Billings, however the contour of a ridge was interesting. A strata of rock on a high ridge with the slopes of erosion below it and apparently springs coming out of under the rock strata making the long slope green with grass. Two herds of cattle and one of horses dotting the far foreground made a picture. Irrigation is the rule thru that country. Billings is a nice little city with a splendid campground. A large kitchen with free gas plate (natural gas) and one end equipped with tables & benches for eating. Nice showers & toilets & clean ground, one of the best, yes, the best we have stopped at. We remained two nights and made the acquaintance of a real cowboy and his wife. We took to them both. H. bought the boys a lariat rope in Hardin and Spaulding (the Cowboys' name) fixed the loop for them and showed them how to throw the different throws. He is rather a quiet, slow of speech, (says "plumb" and "he sure was" a great deal). A cowboy of the stories, with white teeth, smoothe deeply tanned skin, deep lashed level cool eyes, high heel boots, wide brimmed hat, but dungarees without chaps, of course. It really was quite exciting to meet up with one like him, and not an ignorant, loud-mouthed imitation. They were looking for a job around B and were even half of a mind to take up a homestead. Leaving Billings we traveled over devilish roads to Livingston. It rained and we had to put on chains again, altho the mud wasn't as absolutely unmanageable as the others. We struggled thru however and camped at Livingston one night. A fair campground. Yesterday, we entered the Park at Gardiner and made camp at 1 o'clock at Mammoth Hot Springs. The ground is just dirt, no grass, a strong wind was blowing across the camp ground and wow! but the dirt got into everything ... our food, our clothes, hair, eyes, lungs! Miserable? Well, I guess we managed to eat a lunch, after a fashion, then went to see the numerous hot springs & formations. Glad I saw them of course, yet to me they are not so much. Wouldn't swap a stick of taffy for another glimpse of them. A mule deer doe came out for our benefit at the place called the Devil's kitchen - a hole underground - probably an old spring. She drank water out of a dish that Cedric held. Back at camp the ground squirrels were very numerous. One, who lives under a store, was tame enough to eat peanuts from C's hand. We saw the bears that night at their 'salad bowl', and fancied we could hear them prowling around the camp in the night - but only fancy, I guess. We visited the museum at the Springs, small but interesting. The next morning we packed and came to Lake -- Fishing Bridge. A nice camp among the pines on the shores of Yellowstone Lake. Lacks shower, bathes & laundry facilities, but is lovely. Bears are very numerous & tame, wandering around the campground at all hours of the day & night. Black, brown, and mixed, large & small. We have seen mud volcanoes, frying pan springs, The Dragon Mouth, boiling hot springs, The Dragons Mouth, boiling hot springs & cool oasis, and the gorgeous canyon & falls of the Yellowstone which are the best thing I have seen here. It is impossible to describe it.
Sunday July 14, 1929
A thundery day, and we have just had a smart hailstorm, with hailstones nearly as large as moth balls! Went for a swim this morning. My first on the trip. The bear have been very much in evidence today. They tip over the garbage cans, pry off the covers, then sit in front of it and fish in with their fore paws. They look for all the world like pictures of small boys stealing jam. They roll their eyes comically at the crowd that gathers to take their pictures and watch them. If people crowd too close they get up, bestow all & sundry a dirty look of disgust & lumber off. They toe in & are bow legged. Funny fellows.
Sat. July 20, 1929
A week slipped by unnoticed. We had one gorgeous day fishing to our hearts content. Hired a boat for the day and it happened to be a good biting day. We fished for awhile by trolling with a spoon, but that proved too easy so at the last we used flies. The first time I ever 'cast' a fly and I soon had a strike and a lively one, too. I had to 'play' it quite a bit. When at last I got it up to the boat 'it' proved to be 2 two-pound trout - one on each fly! I called it a day as I had no real right to those two, having caught my five before. But as Phyllis & Cedric didn't fish it made it theoretically O.K. And as that was the only day I fished in the days I was there, to catch anything I felt all right. Made the acquaintance of a man & his son. Ralph Norris & Ralph, Jr. They were very nice. Jr. plays the tenor banjo & father the guitar so we had a jamboree around the campfire Wed night. I noticed quite an audience back in the shadows. Thursday we had another heavy shower but no hail. Friday we left and came out by West Yellowstone. Camped at Idaho Falls last night. We are at Burley, Idaho tonight. Getting tired of camping. Ready to settle down. Called for mail at Pocotello, Idaho. Letter from Mrs. Goodrich & Mrs. Hastings. Lucille heard from Seward & the girls. Still working on our old place. Mrs. G. Says a can of red paint they were painting the kitchen chimney with came down leaving a red trail over roof and gutters. This is all irrigated country. Where there is no irrigation, it is desert.
Flick Orchards, Ore ... Wed July 24, 1929
From Burley we went to Boise, Idaho. Found a nice camp so remained over Monday to wash clothes. Set tubs with plenty of hot water from the hot springs. Air mail field was nearby. Also, a wonderful Natatorium or swimming pool, warmed by water from the hot springs. A large building with showers, baths, steam rooms. The pool is a hundred & then some feet long and the water is wonderfully clear. A stone grotto is at the further end with diving platforms at various heights up to 45 ft with water up to 16 ft depth. Tuesday morn we left intending to stop at Baker, Ore, but the campground was not especially attractive, it was early, so after eating lunch & resting a while, we continued on to the Pine Cone camp - west of La Grande. Another swimming pool - outdoor one this time, but not heated, gave the children a short swim while I prepared supper. It was too late for H & I, however. This camp is in the mountains with a small mountain stream and pine trees making it quite homelike to us. Between Boise & Baker we saw quite a number of Pelican in the Snake River. The hills here look as if they were covered with tan upholstery plush. The grass is brown and with the gullies made by erosion (diff than the east) and no trees, it makes them look very soft and plushy. I feel that I could punch them and shake them up as I would a pillow. A rugged drive today along the Columbia River, altho H. says the most scenic part comes tomorrow. Surprising how many campers are migrating to pastures new. The wind is blowing hard tonight. There is a row of Lombardy Poplars and the wind howling thru them makes talking quite a feat - unless talking to oneself. There is one of these children's push merry go round things here and some people from N.Y. have been giving their fat hound dog a ride on it. He will stand on the rod all alone for about two turns, then 'nothing-more-now-thank-you', he seems to say as he hops off.
Portland Ore ... July 25, 1929
Portland, Maine to Portland, Oregon with only one flat tire! How's that? We picked up a nail in Yellowstone Park right by the Devils' Slide, of all appropriate places, which accounts very neatly for our 'flat'. It seems wonderful to reach a fruit belt! Small oranges, 5 doz for 25 cts. Cherries 2 lbs for a quarter! Great big luscious ones! Royal Annes & Bings. Grapefruit 55 cts a doz! Of course, the cost of living averages up somewhere - and it always does of course. We parked in front of a filling station in P. to ask the way to the campground. Two small boys about 12 yrs old were passing. One exclaimed "Maine!" And came over asking "What part of Maine are you from?" I grinned back and answered with a question. "I bet you are from Maine yourself, are you not?" "Yes." So we found out he was from Bangor and has been out here about a year and a half, likes it, but misses the snow at times. Said we were the first Maine car he had seen. We came over a wonderful drive today. More loops and curves than I ever saw in one road before. Thru four tunnels, one patterned after a Swiss tunnel, with windows cut thru. Saw Horsetail Falls, Multonah Falls, and other smaller ones. This side (? ? ? )
1929 ... Berkeley, Calif
The Graf Zeppelin just passed over San Fransisco. At least 40 planes circles around her reminding us of a swarm of hornets around an eagle. The Graf has just come from Tokyo on an around the world tour. She was wonderful, floating so majestically in the sky, now in shadow and then again flashing in the sunset rays, with the myriad of little planes buzzing around so importantly.
* Tues. Nov 5, 1929
Nine planes, flying in a V, like geese, just past (sic) over the house traveling approximately N.E. Probably it is the squadron from Los Angeles that is out on tour.
We have been terribly homesick and declare we will go East as soon as school closes next spring. But now that it is Nov. and beautiful weather here and cold snowy weather back home, Harold and I feel a bit more content. However, I still prefer the East for many things that more than balance the advantage of California in the matter of climate.
* Monday Nov 11, 1929
A most gorgeous day. Out in the sun it is hot.
No school for the children today or for us tonight. But Harold had to work.
Today is the big Army - Navy football game up at the Stadium. We are getting it via Radio. A very close, enthusiastic game.
Harold and I are going to Evening High School. Harold is taking short story writing while I am more prosaic and am taking typing, filing, and General Office Practice, also Show Card Writing. I am trying to learn to use my right hand as I get in my own way when doing lettering with my left.
* Tues. Dec 24, 1929
A very heavy fog this morning, also yesterday. It doesn't seem at all like Xmas time, for we have had some good rain and the new green grass is springing up every where, carpeting the bare brown sun baked earth in a new garment. The songbirds have arrived, also, from the snowy country I suppose, so that it seems more like April or May to us. But the flowers are still without fragrance and tho the air smells cleaner since the rain, there is no delightful peppy tang to it, and tho living with in sight of the waters of the Pacific Ocean we never smell the salt laden air as we can right in the heart of the city of Portland, Maine when a 'sea turn' comes.
* Thurs. Dec 26, 1929
We had the very nicest Xmas present, Harold is to have his old job back with the Shank mill. They are about decided to locate in Savannah, Ga. and as some of the machine men won't be going, I imagine they will need him. So we will hit the trail again if all goes well, as soon as school closes, which is about the 23rd of May. We will be glad to live east of the Mississippi River, even if the place is as 'hot as the hinges of Hell', as H. expresses it.
Lucille has been working at J.F.Hinks Dept Store during this month but she thot that today would be the last day. Took some pictures of ourselves and the bungalow yesterday to send back.
* Sun. Dec 29, 1929
Almost the last of '29. A lovely day. Had the windows open for more than an hour during the middle of the day.
Lucille still working. Guess she could stay on permanently, but she told Mrs. Nelson she wanted to go back to school after the New Year. Mrs. N. told her she could give her work some Saturdays and after she finished her course, if she didn't find a position right away, to come and see her and she would see what she could give her. So it looks as if L. was 'sitting pretty', as they say, for the rest of our time here. If P. & I could get something as good it would be just fine.
Had to go to the Police Station again the other night to see if I could identify the fellow I had trouble with, but only saw one, who certainly wasn't 'it'. Quite a group of us were there. Looked like a club meeting. The Police know me so well now, I'll have to walk the 'straight and narrow' for sure while here.
Walking down Acton St. from Dwight Way the other noon I discovered smoke coming out of the ventilating window in the peak of the roof. Rushing around to the back I saw smoke pouring out from around the kitchen windows and could hear the flames crackling in glee inside. All windows closed & locked & curtains drawn. Went next door & they phoned the fire Dept. They had gone away & left an electric iron 'on'. Some expensive ironing she did that morning. Two Love Birds lost their lives.
* Jan 1, 1930
The New Year was ushered in with much noise, confetti, serpentine, considerable booze, and what have you, here in the East Bay. L. and H. went over to Oakland and mingled with the street crowds for awhile. Home about 1:30 this morn. Said the confetti etc. was inches deep in the streets and gutters like drifted leaves. A glorious day. Transplanted some badly root bound iris this morning. Probably it isn't the right time to do it, but the ground is moist and soft and I may not be here when the right time does come. Besides such a lovely morning I felt in the mood for it.
* Jan 11, 1930 .. Sat
It has been very cold this month, with heavy frosts nearly every morning. Yesterday morning the faucet in the back yard was frozen and my geraniums quite badly nipped. The ends are killed. Ice has formed quite thick on puddles and any dishes of water left out. I call it a very cold place. Only three really nice warm days since we came, the last of July! Sunny California indeed. To advertise a whole great big state because of a small southern portion. Why not boost Boston's climate because St. Petersburg, Fla has a mild winter climate? 'T would be as sensible. Harold has been having such a time getting our Auto plates! First he was told he must have a bill of sale sworn to before a Notary. He got it and went back on New Years day. It was a holiday, but if he had been a Californian it could be done they said. Back again only to be told he must have his headlights tested & O.K'd.! Can you beat that for dumbness on their part? Today he went back with the O.K. and a short while ago called me up for the No. of the Non-Resident permit we received when entering the state! If we had had no phone it would have meant another trip! Perhaps they will think up something else even now. And that is just a sample of what we have been up against ever since we came here. We can't get out any too soon to suit me, and if I ever learn to be an author, California will hear from me and no mistake!
Journal (1931-35)
20 Oakland Ave
Brockton, Mass
Dec. 16, 1931
Nearly Christmas again and nothing done. In this year of depression guess there isn't as much of a Christmasy feeling as other years. Perhaps we will go back and find the true Spirit of Christmas and give up the ostentation and mockery. I could get a great thrill out of the right kind of Christmas.
Lucille is working in an Insurance and real Estate office.. 'Hunts' The younger Hunts' wife did work there until last June. Now they have a young son. Whether she will be back in or not of course we don't know.
Several weeks ago we splurged and bought a mahogany Gov. Winthrop full size desk. Probably we were reckless but at least we have a piece of furniture to be proud of. Harold turned a mahogany lamp base to go with it, so our living room looks better, though it is shrieking for a large rug, curtains and a big chair or two to say nothing of another lamp and ad infinitum.
Still going to night school and getting a lot of enjoyment out of it. Doing charcoal drawing now. Best of all, I can see that I am improving.
Sat. Eve. Dec. 26, 1931
Well, our first Christmas in Massachusetts has gone by. Now I think we should feel more at home.
Mother, Dorothy and Wendell were out last evening. The day was so very warm it was hard to think of it as Christmas. Ground not frozen, not a bit of frost or snow, in fact Christmas Eve we had to let our furnace fire go out as it made the house so uncomfortably warm!
Usual number of presents I think. Electric popper (corn), also combination sandwich toaster and waffle iron, Torridaire hot pad, I guess it would be called, beads, atomizer, accordion household file, stationary, rubber overshoes.
Saw in the home paper where the snowplow had been thru to the boundary (Maine) so there is some snow in some places along the Kennebec.
Friday Jan 1, 1932
Cloudy. Looks like a storm.
Spent yesterday in Newton Center with Mother and Dot. Talked our heads off. Wendell brought me home in the evening.
Not a speck of snow. But youngsters are running around in heavy skiing costumes such as they effect now.
We didn't watch the old year out yet, we slept until 10 o'clock this forenoon and it was nearly 11 am before the children crawled out.
Cedric is at the movies this afternoon. Lucille riding with the Baldwin's and Bruce & Harold are at the YMCA. Phyllis and I are keeping the homefires burning.
Sun Jan 3, 1932
We had a heavy rain all day yesterday. Sometime in the night it changed to snow and when we awoke this morning the world was white. Not more than three inches and perhaps not that. The children in this neighborhood had a 'grand and glorious' time with their sleds until the snow melted from the roads and drives.
Wrote a letter to Bina.
Bruce and Cedric went to Sunday School, but the rest of us have stuck like bark to a tree to the house all day.
Thurs. Jan 14, 1932
That last snow vanished and last Sunday we had another storm, more this time. I really thought perhaps it would stay awhile, but it has gone like the other. Not only that, but it is so warm we had to let the furnace fire go out again, yesterday! It is 68 in the living room this morning! I love it, I wish this as cold as we should expect.
Tues. Jan 19, 1932
A bit cloudy
Our warm weather lasted three days, then it grew a bit cooler, but water out of doors didn't freeze over until last night. So you can how 'unusual' the weather has been.
Letter from MacDougal, also one for Harold from Arlie. Mac's was for us all.
Vowed I never would bother to make window curtains or drapes again, but I am doing so nevertheless. It seems to be the only thing to do when one's pocketbook is slim, unless one is satisfied with the same thing that every other low salaried person hangs up. Found a 'bargain'. Only 12 1/2 cents a yard and washes. Regularly 25 c material at least, possibly .35.
Sun. Mar 6, 1932
No matter how many resolutions I make to write everyday, if only one line, I fail every time.
Charles. Lindbergh's baby was kidnapped last Tuesday evening (I think) from its bed and so far it hasn't been found. Everyone, naturally, is at boiling heat, and the Sino-Jap war has dropped out of our minds and talk 'like nobody's business' as one writer put it. I think there is work for the K.K.K. and they had better revive it. Not so sure now but the Lynch Law of the south is a darned good thing!
Harold very busy wiring the new factory at Whitman. Even works Sundays which we don't really appreciate, but nowadays, if a person just has work the other little things do not matter.
Evening High closes this week, as a measure of economy, instead of two weeks later.
Sunday, March 27, 1932
Easter Sunday. Warm, that is about 60 degrees F. Had a call from Cousin Robert the other day. I was coming across Pleasant St., heard a horn honk to or three quick staccato honks, but didn't think it referred to me, except that the man at the wheel of the parked car was impatient for me to get across so he could start. I thought 'Wait a minute you ninny, I'll be across before you can possible start! But I gained the sidewalk and started up Oakland Ave and some more quick honks. 'Oh well, his wife is taking too long saying goodbye. He's trying to hustle her up. It wasn't me at all' Just about that time, the car swung up beside me and a voice called in an amused tone, 'So you don't know your own relatives?' It was Robert and after words I thought that he did well to recognize me. It must be two or three years since he saw me. Well he came into the house and we gabbed. He promised to bring Aunt Emma over soon.
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