Riverside Park

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Saturday, May 27, 1911: Went to Watsontown this morning, and up to McEwensville this afternoon. Oh the countless errands I have to perform keeps me rather busy. Ruth went to Riverside park.

Source of old Riverside Park postcards: Milton Historical Society

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

A hundred years ago today, it sounds as if Grandma’s sister Ruth had all the fun—and Grandma had all of the work. I wonder if Ruth got home in time to help milk the cows—or if Grandma had to do it by herself.

Riverside Park

When Grandma was young, Riverside Park was the center of the summer social scene.

A trolley ran between Watsontown and Milton. According to Robert Swope, Jr.”

The line passed through a popular recreational park called Riverside Park just south of Watsontown. The park had amusements, swimming, boating and romantic scenery.

 Robert Swope, Jr. in Watsontown, McEwensville, and Delaware Township: A Real Photo Postcard History

The park was only open during the summer months—and probably had just opened for the season. An article in the Watsontown Star and Record from three years later describes the park opening.

Watsontown Star and Record, May 15, 1914 (Source: Montgomery House Library)

Riverside Park was located near the current location of Fort Boone Campsites.

Running Errands

When I was growing up on a farm, after I got my driver’s license,  I remember clearly how farm machinery broke with maddening frequency—and how I’d be sent on errands to buy the needed parts. In Grandma’s day, farm machinery wouldn’t have been nearly as mechanized, but maybe repairs still needed to be purchased—or maybe the errands were totally unrelated to machinery repairs. . .

Watching Cows

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Friday, May 26, 1911: I’m through watching cows for the present time—at least. That was my duty for one wk.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Why is the duty of watching cows over? What did it involve? Weren’t there fences around the fields? (Somehow this entry brings back vague memories of  Johanna Spyri’s book about Heidi watching cows in the Alps.) Was the task rotated between the siblings in the family?

According to Wikipedia barbed wire was widely used by the last quarter of the 19th century. I would have thought that the Muffly family would have had sturdy barbed wire fences around their fields—but maybe they didn’t.

An Errand and a Male Visitor (to See Her Sister)

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Thursday, May 25, 1911: Went to Watsontown on an errand this morning. I had to walk though. Besse came out this evening. (Jim) Ruthie’s was here also tonight.

Recent photo of the view Grandma would have had as she walked into Watsontown. (Well, it isn't exactly the same because 100 years ago there would have been a bustling railroad station in the foreground.)

 Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

This entry suggests that Grandma did not always walk when she went to Watsontown. I’d previously assumed that she generally walked since it was only a mile and a half or so from the Muffly farm to Watsontown. But maybe she often got a ride—either in a carriage or wagon, or possibly on a Susquehanna, Bloomsburg and Berwick (S. B. &  B.) train that went by her house. (There was a flag stop at a nearby feed mill.)

Grandma seems to be feeling a little sorry for herself—She not only had to walk to Watsontown; but a beau came to see her sister Ruth.Grandma probably wished that she also had a boyfriend. Jim probably refers to James B. Oakes. On March 26 Grandma had written:

 . . . I’m making this entry in her room, because I can’t have the light. Ruthie has the honorable James B. Oakes down in the sitting room, but she had to go after him or he wouldn’t have been here. Papa is down there also, so nothing won’t happen . . .

Even if Ruth originally had to chase James B. Oakes back in March—it sounds as if he was interested enough to have become Ruthie’s Jim over the next several months.

Stewed Rhubarb (Rhubarb Sauce)

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Wednesday, May 24, 1911: One of these days I’m going to do something of some importance. I’m getting rather tired of the same old duties, the same old ways, and the same old troubles.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Whew, the same old duties, the same old ways, and the same old troubles. I wonder what Grandma was referring to. Sometimes I wish that she’d tell us more about what her daily duties were—and what she didn’t like about the “old ways”. But of course she couldn’t have known that we’d be reading her diary a hundred years later . . .

Since she didn’t tell us much about what happened, I’m going to try to guess what foods the family have might have been eating in late May.

They were probably enjoying fresh greens, radishes, and other spring vegetables from their garden. They probably were also eating rhubarb. It used to be considered one of the spring tonic foods (dandelion was another) that helped restore people’s energy and health after a long winter without fresh foods.

Stewed Rhubarb

When I was a child we often ate Stewed Rhubarb (Rhubarb Sauce) in May. We ate it as a side dish during the main meal. (We ate it warm at the first meal; left-overs were eaten chilled). I don’ t have a recipe for Stewed Rhubarb, and I haven’t made it in years—but yesterday I successfully made it from memory and it tasted just as I remembered.  This is what I did:

Stewed Rhubarb (Rhubarb Sauce)

2 cups rhubarb (cut into 3/4 inch pieces)

1/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1/2 teaspoon salt

Mix all of the ingredients together in a saucepan. Using medium heat, heat to boiling; reduce temperature and simmer until tender (about 5 minutes); stir occasionally. Remove from heat. Can be served either hot or chilled. 2-3 servings. Recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.

The amount of sugar can be adjusted to make the rhubarb tarter or sweeter.

My husband’s family also ate Stewed Rhubarb when he was a child—and he agrees that the recipe turned out perfectly. He took seconds—and we easily ate all of the rhubarb at one meal. (Next time I’ll make more). And, he suggested that we should have it again soon. It’s definitely an old-time food that we’ve enjoyed rediscovering.

Lingering in Cool, Shady Nooks

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Tuesday, May 23, 1911: It was most too hot today any work today, so I lingered around in cool shady nooks so that I might not become overheated.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

It probably was hotter on May 23, 1911 in McEwensville than it is today. Weather Underground’s forecast for today (May 23, 2011) for McEwensville is for a high of 76 degrees with a 50% chance of thunderstorms.

The May 23, 1911 issue of the New York Times contained an article about the unseasonably hot weather in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the previous day. Since Pittsburgh is about 150 miles west of McEwensville—similar weather patterns were probably seen on the 23rd in central Pennsylvania.

The New York Times article said:

PITTSBURG, May 22.—The stretch of two weeks of torrid heat was broken in Pittsburg at 6 o’clock tonight, when an electrical storm brought relief after the official thermometer had registered 92 degrees late this afternoon for the third successive day.

The record of continuous maximum temperature for all months for five years was broken, and all records known, extending forty years back for May heat are shattered.

The thirtieth death from heat in four days was reported this afternoon when Gustave Yenney, a jeweler, dropped dead in the Criminal Court room, the third person to topple over in the same court since last Friday, though the other two courtroom victims are recovering. Following the fatality, two branches of court adjourned to await cooler weather. Business offices all over the city closed for the afternoon.

It’s interesting how offices closed due to hot weather before the advent of air conditioning. I guess that back in those slower times there were both “snow days” and “heat days”.

An aside—Note that prior to World War I Pittsburgh was spelled without an h at the end—i.e., Pittsburg. During the War the h was added to make the name look less German.

The Location of the Old McEwensville Baptist Church

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Monday, May 22, 1911: Never have I felt less inclined to write in this diary than I do tonight.

The old McEwensville Baptist Church probably was located somewhere on the lot that currently contains this yard and white house.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

Since Grandma didn’t have much to say a hundred years ago today, I’m going to partially resolve one of the mysteries that I’ve been grappling with.  Many of these mysteries are about minor things (and I keep telling myself they don’t really matter in the bigger scheme of things)—yet it’s always fun to resolve one of them.

The mystery that I’ve resolved (with Uncle Carl’s help) is the location of the old Baptist Church in McEwensville.

I think that Grandma attended the Baptist Church (see February 5 entry), but since the building was torn down many years ago I wasn’t even sure where in McEwensville the church had been located.

The Baptist Church is located near the top of the map on the lefthand side.

Uncle Carl recently loaned me a copy of an 1858 map of McEwensville that had the Baptist Church on it. The church was located on the east side of Main Street a little to the north of where the old road from Watsontown entered town. We assume that the building location on the map probably was the same in 1911.

I’ve updated the map on the Setting page to reflect the correct location.

An aside—It’s really cool how the old map lists all of the property owner’s names. Also, note how in the mid-1800s the very small streamlet that runs along the west side of the northern part of McEwensville had been dammed to provide water for a saw mill.

Old-fashioned Chocolate Almond Drop Cookies

16-year-old Helena Muffly wrote exactly 100 years ago today: 

Sunday, May 21, 1911: Went to Sunday school this afternoon. The whole Stout family was over this evening. Wormed the results of that letter out of Carrie.

Her middle-aged granddaughter’s comments 100 years later:

This entry describes one of the really nice characteristics of rural life—neighbors just dropping by to visit.  One hundred years ago, on warm spring evenings neighbors probably often gathered to chat about the weather, share the local news, or talk about …. well, just whatever. Long-term friendships were formed over the years—and people would discuss anything and everything.

The adults may have sat around the kitchen table —while the young folks wandered off for their own discussions.  Cookies or other refreshments may have been served. A small cookbook published in 1911 to advertise KC Baking Powder contained this recipe for chocolate almond drop cookies:

K C Almond Drop Cookies

2 eggs, beaten light

1 cup sugar

2 ounces chocolate melted

1 ½ cups blanched almonds, chopped

1 teaspoonful vanilla extract

1 cup flour

1 level teaspoonful K C Baking Powder

½ teaspoonful each, salt and cinnamon

Sift together, three times, the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking powder. To the eggs add the sugar, chocolate, almonds, extract, and lastly the flour mixture. Drop by teaspoonfuls upon a buttered baking pan. Bake in a moderate oven. This recipe makes about three dozen little cakes.

The Cook’s Book (KC Baking Powder,1911)

When I tried this recipe, I heated the oven to 375 degrees and baked the cookies for about 12-14 minutes. I didn’t sift the flour—and I used unsweetened chocolate, sliced almonds, and a different brand of baking powder. I was surprised that the recipe didn’t call for any butter or other shortening.

The cookies are tasty with a slight hint of cinnamon, and the recipe is definitely a keeper.