A Trip to Watsontown

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

Wednesday, July 31, 1912: Made a trip to Watsontown this afternoon. Had to get some things for tomorrow. Hope it doesn’t rain anyway.

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

The Muffly farm was located mid-way between McEwensville and Watsontown. Grandma would have had to walk about one and a half miles to get to either town.

McEwensville was (and still is) the smaller of the two towns, but the diary has focused more on McEwensville because it was where Grandma went to school and church.

Today, I’d like to share some recent pictures that provide a sense of what Grandma would have seen on a trip to Watsontown.

(Unfortunately the photos weren’t all taken during the same season. Three are spring photos and one is a summer photo, but hopefully you’ll still be able to get a sense of what it was like to walk to Watsontown.)

DSC04317.crop — Grandma would have walked up the road that went past her house. At the intersection she would have turned right to go to Watsontown (instead of left which would have taken her to McEwensville).

The view Grandma would have had as she walked into Watsontown. (Well, the view isn’t exactly the same because 100 years ago there would have been a bustling railroad station where the vacant lot is today.)

The homes that Grandma would have walked by as she entered Watsontown.

DSC03659.crop — A hundred years ago today Grandma probably shopped in some of these buildings in downtown Watsontown.

After Grandma finished shopping maybe she took a walk by the Susquehanna River. (There wouldn’t have been a bridge across the river a hundred years ago.)

Parents Away–Had Friends Over

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

Sunday, July 28, 1912: Pa and Ma went away to spend the day. Went to Sunday School this afternoon. Had company this afternoon.

Recent picture of the house and yard where Grandma lived when she wrote the diary.

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

Where did Grandma’s parents go? Her father’s sister Mary’s funeral was on July 20. Mary had lived with two other brothers. Maybe Grandma’s parents went to the brothers’ home in Ottawa (Pennsylvania). Families often gather soon after a funeral to write thank you notes, sort things and reminisce.

Since their parents were gone, I suppose that Grandma and her sister Ruth invited friends over for a fun afternoon.

An Embroidery Pattern and A Balloon

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

Thursday, July 25, 1912: Spent nearly all afternoon in getting an embroidery pattern reversed so as to have the whole design. It’s finished now and stamped on the material.

For several evenings I’ve seen a balloon go up, but tonight I saw only the gas.

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

Help!! I don’t understand this diary entry—and am hoping that some of you can help me make sense of it.

Embroidery Pattern

How do you reverse an embroidery pattern and then stamp it on cloth? I can remember using an iron to transfer the patterns to cloth when I was child—but I have no idea how Grandma reversed the pattern and then stamped it.

Balloons

Was Grandma referring to a hot air balloon?

Hot air balloons were popular attractions at fairs and festivals in the early 20^th century. Steve Shook has a wonderful picture of hot air balloons at a festival in Valparaiso, Indiana that was taken around 1910.

But what did she mean when she said that she only saw the gas?

Will be Glad When School Starts

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

Monday, July 22, 1912: Heard that school starts on the 26th of August. I’ll be glad when that day arrives. I’d rather go to school than have to hardly anything else, and I’m not going any places any ways.

DSC04308.crop — Recent photo of building that once housed McEwensville School.

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

When I was a teen I always dreaded the end of summer vacation—but Grandma seemed to miss school.

. .. . though she probably had to work harder on the farm during the summer months than I did. And, I suppose she missed her friends.

Rain Makes Mud and Rain Makes Corn

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

Sunday, July 21, 1912: Went to Sunday School this morning. Had to go through the mud coming homeward. Hence it rained today. Went over to see Miss Caroline May, though it rained, for it won’t hurt me.

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

Grandma saw rain and mud. . . Did her father give a sigh of relief and see more corn? (Somehow this brings to mind that crazy country song about rain making corn.)

Farmers worry about the weather–too much rain (not good) . . . too little rain (not good).

This year so many farmers are worried about a drought and the possible failure of their corn crop. Did Grandma’s father have similar worries a hundred years ago?

To get lots of corn in the fall it is vital that the corn plants get enough water in July when the corn is tasseling, and the ears are beginning to form.

—-

Miss Caroline refers to Grandma’s friend Carrie Stout. Carrie lived on a nearby farm.

Church Bulletin Fans

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

Sunday, July 14, 1912: Went to Sunday School this afternoon. I was almost melting by the time I got there.

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

Did Grandma fold a church bulletin to make a fan to cool herself ?

—

Fast forward 50 or so years to a time when Grandma actually was a grandmother and I was a small child. . .

I can remember sitting on hard pews in Messiah Lutheran Church in McEwensville on hot summer days.

To cool (and entertain) myself, I’d make fans out of church bulletins. Inevitably I’d accidently drop the fan onto the pew in front of me. And, Grandma would smile, pick it up, and give it back to me.

How to Dry Wet Shoes

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

Thursday, July 11, 1912: Ruth and I went to a party over at Stout’s this evening. It rained so hard this afternoon, and I thought perhaps we wouldn’t go after all.

rain drops — Photo source: Wikimedia Commons

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

Did Grandma and her sister Ruth get wet feet when they walked to their neighbors’ for the party?

Here’s hundred-year-old advice for drying wet shoes.

To dry out shoes, stuff your shoes full of dry grass or old paper to keep them from shrinking.

When they are dry, soften them with tallow or oil.

Outdoor Sports (1911) by Claude H. Miller