Seventy-three years ago, Jennie, Agnes, Clara and Ann set off on a road trip…

Clara kept a diary …

Speedometer readings: Start of trip 3,794 miles; End of trip 8,111 miles. Total miles covered: 4,317.

States covered: Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, S. Dakota, Wyoming, Colorado, Kansas and Nebraska.

Monday, July 28:  “Left Bridgeport at 5:50 A.M. after having breakfast at Aunt Josephine’s.  Ate lunch in Chicago.  The afternoon heat was terrific, but we managed not to melt.  Quite a thrill when we crossed the Mississippi River.  Spent the night in Dubuque, Iowa.”

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Clara was my mother. She would have been 20 years old that summer.

I never knew about her summer road trip until after she died 25 years ago. I found a wooden souvenir scrapbook from Yellowstone up in our attic.  Dozens of photos and tiny black & white postcards were mounted onto the heavy black pages with black photo corners.  The glue hadn’t dried up and everything was perfectly preserved.  She neatly identified every photo in white pencil.  On the inside cover she had attached her meticulously type-written, “Diary of My Trip Out West.”

If I had only known that my mother – back in 1941! – had taken a two-week, 3,800-mile road trip with three girlfriends driving a Chevrolet coupe without seat belts or air-conditioning, I would have used it against her when she disapproved of the road trip I took in the summer of 1974 with my best friend Barbara. And I certainly would have thrown it in her face when she disapproved of my trip in 1978 to visit Barbara in the Peace Corps in the Philippines!

I wonder what her mother had to say about this road trip with the girls!

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Her diary – typical of the woman she was – revealed very little insight or emotion.  On the second day, after they “got a fairly good start,” it didn’t last very long “because Agnes killed a dog” just before they got to Waterloo and they had to get the headlight fixed.  On Day 3, they saw their “first real cactus” when they reached Chamberlain. “The land here is worthless, nothing but cactus and sage grows on it.”

On Day 4, they “spent the entire day in the Black Hills.  Saw the Petrified Forest, and visited Crystal Cave.  Both were interesting and wonderful to see, especially the Cave.  Also visited Mt. Rushmore … Climbed 900 steps to the top and stood on Washington’s and Lincoln’s head.  A tiresome trip up to the top, but well worth the effort.”

[Are you kidding me, Mom?  You stood on Washington’s head???  Do you have any idea how amazing that is/was???]

 

On Day 5 they were in the “prettiest part of the Black Hills,” and entered the state of Wyoming.  “Although the mountains were the highest we’ve seen so far and the scenery breathtaking, we were tense throughout most of the drive as the roads weren’t very good and had no barriers on any of the curves.  A good many times we held our breath and prayed for the best.  But Agnes managed to drive out safely and we were very much relieved.”

 

At Yellowstone on Day 6, they “spent some time looking around at souvenirs and then visited the Museum.  I wasn’t too impressed after seeing the Field Museum at Chicago last year.”  She did admit to being “quite thrilled at the sight” of their first geysers.  And, she “saw a bear for the first time.”

[Obviously, this is where she bought the souvenir scrapbook!]

 

 

Sunday, Day 8:  “The Paulist Fathers had Mass and spoke on their efforts to convert people and the expense involved, as they buy trailers and use them for portable altars.  Collection by the Church, I would say, brought in quite a bit of money.”

Her entry for Monday included a burst of emotion … “saw Old Faithful erupt again.  Indeed, quite a thrill.”

[Geez, Mom – guess you don’t like exclamation points?? . . . unlike your daughter!]

Tuesday, they drove from Cody to Cheyenne which had “many beautiful brick homes on the highway.  No traffic lights were to be found in Cheyenne.  They claim not to have very many accidents either.  Had a nice cabin here.  I slept alone in the single bed.  The other girls went to a movie, but I didn’t feel too good, so I stayed behind – wrote Leon a letter, took a bath and went to bed.”

 

On Wednesday they got lost in Denver for awhile. Then, “I stopped at the Post Office and picked up 2 letters Leon sent me in care of General Delivery. Receiving these letters was the nicest thing that could have happened to me, even though the news they related wasn’t too good.”

[MOM!!! You’re killing me here – WHAT news wasn’t too good???? Leon is my Dad …]

“Visited Elitch’s Gardens (amusement park) in the evening … Took a ride on the Wildcat which is supposed to be the second largest in the United States.  (The largest is in Salt Lake City, Utah.)”

Thursday: “Visited several parks in Denver in the morning, and then drove to Lowry Field.  However, no visitors are allowed, so we visited Fairfield Cemetery, which is supposed to be the most beautiful in the world.”

“At 4:30 took a sightseeing tour to the top of Pike’s Peak.  Was disappointed, however, because before we got halfway up, it started to rain and continued throughout the tour.  There was some snow on the mountain, and we got out and made a snowball.  Did my hands freeze.  Also visited Manitou Springs.  Here drank mineral water, which tasted much like alma-seltzer.”

In Colby, Kansas on Friday, “some people from Kalamazoo, Michigan, had a cabin next to ours – they were very friendly.”

Saturday: “Nothing exciting today.  Drove as far as Boystown, Nebraska.  Visited the little town, and it is indeed interesting.  At the time there were 375 boys, youngest 10.  Jimmy, our guide, was 12.  Father Flanagan is certainly doing a lot for these kids.”

Sunday:  “Went to church at Boystown.  Drove all day without seeing anything of very much importance.  Our cabin in Geneseo, Ill. wasn’t too nice, but it was the best we could get.”

The last days’ entry:  “Got up about 5:00 A.M. Got our stuff together and pulled out about 5:30 A.M.  We wanted to reach home by tonight, which we did, too.  Stopped in East Chicago, Indiana and visited Irene Betlinski, Agnes’ cousin.  We were really glad when we crossed the Michigan-Indiana border.  Stopped in Lansing to visit Veronica, but she moved, so we kept on driving towards home.  It poured very hard just outside of Lansing.  We reached Bridgeport about 7:00 P.M.  Had supper at Aunt Josephine’s.  Got home about 8:30 P.M.”

[Aunt Josephine must have been a helluva cook!]

Postscript:  “All in all, I had a very nice trip.  The girls were swell and game to do most anything anyone suggested.  I’m afraid Congressional action on the draft bill, and my longing to see Leon again, somewhat made me feel blue at times, but outside of that, I had a grand time.  I must admit, I was glad to get back home though.”

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NOTE:  From her postscript, the “not-good-news” in the letter from Leon (my Dad, to whom she wasn’t yet married) referred to the peacetime draft.  He had enlisted in the Army based on the then-current law that limited service to 12 months. He thought he’d get in – and out – in a year.  However, President Roosevelt asked Congress to extend the term of duty beyond twelve months.  On August 12, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the extension by a single vote.

 

A Yellowstone brochure (1940) described some of the accommodation options: “The Old Faithful Inn … a first-class hotel with the charm of a wilderness setting, at prices that are comparable with those of metropolitan hotels of the same type. Rates range from $2.75 per day, without meals for 1 person in a room without bath, to $9 per day for 1 person in a room with bath, meals included.”

 

Another brochure describes the “Savage Show: In the lobby every evening from 8 to 9. An unusual, sprightly and delightfully informal program of folk-lore songs, acts, and skits – all characteristic of Yellowstone – staged by savage (employee) talent.”

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