As this installment opens, Emma is with Ruth, Bob, and family friends the Moores on the way to spend some time at a lake cottage in East Kingston, NH. Just a week ago, she was in Iowa canning chickens and corn. In an effort to keep this post within the limits of what can fit into a single email rather than splitting the month into THREE pieces, I have included links instead of images in a number of places. Have fun digging around!
Mon 18. I am standing in a “look out” on west side of the Hudson river. The view is gorgeous. The palisades of the Hudson—great rock sentinels—are wonderful. We are driving from Elizabeth to East Kingston, NH on the west side of the Hudson. Have come through Newark, NJ where across it we could see the skyline of New York. A stone fence is built along the highway all along the Hudson. Saw the bridge from Bear Mountain to Anthony’s Nose, another mountain. Our drive was very interesting. We went by West Point. Saw the drilling fields, the chapel, and the many fine homes of the officers. We traveled the Storm King Highway which was very winding and for safety marked @ 20 miles per hour. Passed a place called “Cornish on the Hudson”. Saw many apple orchards and vineyards in New York. Also saw a lot of tobacco fields. The tobacco is hung by its roots in a frame on a wagon & stored in barns. Lost our road for awhile. Had a puncture at Canton, CT (on P.O.) Wrote a couple cards, etc. Enjoyed seeing the many N.E. houses, white with green shutters, and arrived at East Kingston about 9:30 PM. Went to bed pretty tired out.
So much to explore in this entry! Let’s start with the Palisades, which are steep cliffs that stretch for about 20 miles along the west side of the Hudson. Here’s a view of the NYC skyline from an overlook in NJ.
The United States Military Academy at West Point was founded in 1802, on a site that has been used by the Army since the Revolutionary War. The Cadet Chapel, completed in 1910, has the largest chapel pipe organ in the world.
The Storm King Highway is a three-mile two-lane road that winds around a mountain and offers panoramic views of the river. It ends at the Cornwall-on-Hudson village.
Tue 19. Awakened this morning to the sound of raindrops. Continued all day. We did not do a lot. They young folks drove after some groceries & Aunt Mable & I helped with dishes. After a good fish dinner I took a sleep. We took a walk up the beach this evening. This afternoon we drove to the PO to mail some cards. I sent one to Dad. The trip has been quite expensive. We plan to leave for home on Friday. Will stop at Kenilworth over night. Alison, Dick & Robert read aloud to us tonight.
Emma, Robert, and Ruth were staying with the Moore family. Alison and Dick were the children of Reverend Otis Moore and his wife Alice, and Aunt Mable was the widow of Alice’s brother. Dick also became a minister; based on Emma’s August 24th entry, I believe he was freshly out of seminary in Boston and preaching at a church in East Kingston, NH, which would explain why the family chose it as a vacation spot.
Wed 20. It has been a lovely day. Aunt Mable & I have got the dinner & supper today. This afternoon we drove to Rye Beach on the other side of Exeter. It was a lovely place. Bob, Alison, Dick, Bobbie & I went bathing in the ocean. The water was very cold. I did not stay in long. From there we drove to Portsmouth and crossed the river to Kittery, Maine so we could say we had been in Maine. Bought some raspberry ice cream cones there. I got a card and a letter from Daddy. He enclosed some pictures he had had finished. They were good. He is very blue. Said that Chas. Dunlap said we would only get about 30 bu of corn to the acre. I am tired tonight. Bob is gone with Dick & his father to a meeting. I am reading Sapphira and the Slave Girl by Willa Cather.
Kittery is the oldest and the southernmost town in Maine. It is a tourist destination and home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard. I learned that black raspberry ice cream is a favorite regional New England flavor.
Thu 21. Bob & Ruth have decided to stay till a week from Sat. It looks a long while ahead. Today I have ridden to the PO every time the car left. Got a card and a letter from Dad this morning. He says Jerry is doing all the cooking. We all went in swimming this PM. I have finished reading Sapphira and the Slave Girl tonight. Aunt Mabel confided some of her troubles to me today. Bob took A.M. Ruth, Bobbie & me for a ride around the lake in a rowboat. This is a much larger lake than it looks to be from this side. It has a large island in the middle.
Sapphira and the Slave Girl is Willa Cather’s last novel, published in 1940. Although she typically wrote about the frontier and pioneer experience, this one is set in 1856 and tells the story of a bitter white woman who becomes irrationally jealous of a young slave.
Based on this description and their location, they were likely staying on Great Pond.
Fri 22. Today is our wedding anniversary and Dad & I are about 1500 miles apart. I did not hear from him today either. It has been my duty today to help with the meals. Aunt Mable & I went to Exeter with Ruth driving to get some meat & groceries. Ran on to a bargain in bathing suits so I bought Ruth a $4.50 all wool one for 79¢ & one for Bobbie for 39¢. Broke my last 5.00 bill—the one Katharine gave me. After work was done Aunt Mable & I went swimming. Rev. Moore & wife, Bob, Ruth & Alison went to see a Prof. Babcock at Durham about a job. They have no voice development but the college is expanding & they have added a violin teacher this year so it made a good contact. Bob started to hitchhike to Media. Ruth & Rev. Moore took him to Haverhill & saw a car pick him up in a few minutes.
This was a transitional period in bathing suits—they were becoming more fitted, and new fabrics were becoming available to replace wool, which had been a standard fabric for years; it’s not surprising that Emma found a big sale!
Sat 23. Time fugits right along. I got two letters from Dad today. One contained a dollar which I shot for gasoline. Have not done much spectacular except go in bathing. Washed my hair in the lake. Swam a little. Ruth & Alison took Dick to a camp 20 miles away. Aunt Mable & I planned to go & went as far as the PO but two girls had decided to go for the day so we were crowded out. I have written Dad, Katharine & Gerald today. Dad writes how fine little Jerry is doing. I hope he can stay till I get home. The lake is lovely in the evening. As the sun goes down it uplifts a wide stream of light in the water. The light in the sky is colorful. The sky line on the island is dark green against the sky & black in the reflection in the water. I wrote some Oxydol jingles today.
Thanks for reading Emma’s journal! Subscribe to receive a new installment each week.
Sun 24. Aunt Mable and I were responsible for the dinner today. A group of 6 young folks came to spend the day (Dick’s friends). They got to the church just as service was over and staid till after supper. We all went to Dick’s church. The service was very nice. Ruth played the organ, Alison the violin. The Moores & Ruth sang a hymn. Rev. Moore preached a sermon: “Behold—the goodness and severity of God.” He began by talking of the joy it gave him to be standing in his son’s pulpit and quoted many verses beginning with “my son.” The day has gone rather quickly. It closed with a gorgeous sunset on the lake. The colors were so vivid—reds & blues and later black and silver reflected in the lake. One is awed by the prodigal beauty of it all. I wrote Dad a long letter & read “The Seed & the Soil” by Richard T. Baker.
Here’s a review of the book she mentions, which uses an autobiographical lens to discuss “the services which the Christian churches can render…to the development of a better world-order.”
Mon 25. Ruth got a message to come after Bob early this AM. He was about 10 miles from here. Had made good time. Got home Sat AM. Gave Helen Whitney a lesson for $3.00 in the PM. Sang at church, started back that PM. Brought the insulin Dad sent & a card from Katharine. Otis & Dick went to take a group of boys camping & the rest of us went after blueberries. We got about 3 or 4 qts. The season is about over & they were somewhat scattered. Came home & had dinner. It is raining.
Tue 26. Today has been my day to help with the meals & dishes. The afternoon was fun for we spent some time bathing. I got used to the water so I could swim a little. Got a letter from Dad today. Rev. Moore was telling us the story of his life. He worked for the Pioneer Press in Minneapolis, went east to Columbia, then to Boston Theological school where he decided to become a preacher. Showed us on the map where he became engaged to Mrs. Moore at “Mace’s Point.” They have made it a habit to take lengthy walks together.
Wed 27. Today marks a great day in my life for I have been to Boston. Bob, Ruth, Aunt Mable & I took Rev. & Mrs. Moore to Gloucester & then we went on to Boston. We stopped at Salem. Saw “The House of Seven Gables”—Old Chestnut street where are many old doors that are very beautiful. There is a statue of a witch in the centre of town—a pioneer village with replicas of old houses of 1830. We drove out to Marblehead on the coast where there are lobster pools with rocky sides. Saw some live ones & Aunt M. bought one for dinner which we took with us to a park that overlooks the ocean. The lobster is cooked whole—a lb before it was cooked—cost 30¢. We were not crazy over it. We entered Boston through the Sumner Tunnel. Over a mile long. Toll 15¢. We parked our car and walked to Faneuil Hall. It is a city market on the lower story inside & out. Saw eggs priced at 55 & 60¢. We went upstairs & saw the plain little old hall with balcony. A large painting at the front of the continental congress called “Liberty and Union now & forever.” A painting of Peter Faneuil was also there, all of them framed in heavy gilt frames. We visited Durgin Park which is a narrow old street and houses a restaurant which has been in existence for 65 years. We walked to the Old North church where Paul Revere took the lantern and warned the people of the coming of the British. The pews in the church are as high or higher than my shoulders. One is owned by Paul Revere’s descendants. Back of the church is a court with a statue of Paul Revere on horseback. This court was paved & shady with many groups of Italians sitting there. We walked down Salem St. where the stands of fruit kept by many Italians were entertaining. Peppers at 10¢ per doz, Peaches 6¢ a doz etc. We went to the famous Fish Pier—saw the fishing boats which unload as many 4½ million lbs in one day. This is the largest fish pier in the world. Railroad cars, trucks, two wheeled carts, fish, fish & fish. It was very interesting. Bob wanted to go on a fishing trip for a week or ten days to Nova Scotia. Robert saw a sword fish that weighed 585 lbs. They are paid 29¢ a lb. A fisherman makes sometimes 90.00 a week. We drove through Sumner & Winter Street to Boston Commons, a beautiful place. Down Boylston street & over the bridge in Cambridge. Saw Harvard U, and Fogg Museum where Bob sang last year. The drive along the river was beautiful. We had a lovely drive home. Had a card & letter from Dad. Jerry went home Monday.
Oh, my goodness! I could write a whole post just about this visit to Boston. So many interesting sights in one day.
Thu 28. This is a cold windy day. Mrs. & Mrs. Moore got home this morning. I helped get the dinner and have been writing a letter to Dad & in my diary. Have been reading “The Keys of the Kingdom” by A J Cronin, author of The Citadel.
The Keys of the Kingdom (1941) is about a Scottish priest struggling to establish a mission in China. It spans six decades, ending in Scotland in about 1938.
Fri 29. This morning Bob & Ruth, Aunt Mable, Bobbie & I drove to Exeter for some groceries. It was a pleasant ride. I let Ruth have my last $2 for hose & a suit for Bobbie. This afternoon Otis, Mable & I went blueberrying again. It was fun. Bob took up a little tree for Ruth. After we got home we went in swimming. I have learned to swim a little better up here & Ruth has done some diving. This evening Bob, Alison & Ruth are giving a concert. I wanted to go but it annoys Bob if Bobbie is noisy so I decided to stay at home. Aunt Mable offered to keep her but Bobbie is quite a care— wants her way & it is hard for Aunt Mable who has a stiff leg to run after her.
Here’s a postcard Emma sent to Tell while on this trip. She said that the statue (the Gloucester Fisherman’s Memorial) is in a little park in Gloucester overlooking the ocean.
Sat 30. Solferino dye (Magenta). We left East Kingston (Great Pond) about 6:20. Bob & Ruth, Bobbie, Mr. & Mrs. Moore & I drove to Kenilworth by 5 PM. It was another wonderful drive. Were in seven different states today. We got home about 8:45. Had lunch at Kenilworth & felt somewhat rested to resume the rest of our journey. We drove via Amesbury, Haverhill, to Boston on Dedham Way, crossed to Cambridge where Harvard U is located, across RI on Road #1. Then on to #84 to New London along Long Island Sound to New Haven. Crossed Conn River, then to the Merrit Parkway to NY City. We came down the east side of the Hudson river as far as the Sumner Tunnel crossing over into NJ, then via Newark to Kenilworth & home via Philadelphia to Media.
I mapped their routes to NH and back. Now I see where I got my determination to not cover the same ground twice when taking a road trip!
Sat. 30 (continued). Saw the Normandy real close & the great ocean liner offices & docks. Saw Grants memorial—Fosdick’s church, with its tall steeple, called Riverside—& also the highest building in the world, Empire State. I wanted to see the Statue of Liberty but the traffic was so heavy & we thought it best to get home. There are two drives along the river. One the Elevated Express & the one further away called the Riverside drive. Found a letter from Dad, a card from Katharine and a letter from Alice here when I got home.
Sun 31. Bob & Ruth went to church & I staid with Bobbie & got dinner. I opened a can of chicken, cooked some potatoes & made bisquit. Have written a long letter to Dad— a long one. I am anxious about the next few weeks. I need to go to the hospital, have my teeth fixed etc. This afternoon Ruth played some records—the one Dad & I made at Uncle Charlie’s & Bob’s recital records. It was good to hear Dad’s voice.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this installment of Emma’s journals. See you next week for September 1941.
In my other family history project, Travels with K, we’re just about to begin the story of Emma’s daughter Katharine’s travels to teach in Tehran in 1967. Here’s a link if you’d like to follow along.
