Mobile in 1938

In Fred’s notepad that he kept on the trip there is this comment about Mobile: “Flowers galore at their highest” and on the next line is a note about “Azalia Trail.” Apparently the Larsons arrived at the peak of the Azalea bloom in Mobile, which at the time was one of the most spectacular floral displays anywhere in the world, described this way by Elmer Peterson in the January 1938 issue of Better Homes and Gardens:

There’s something unexplainably heavenly about the huge masses of tender petals…that brings a choke of rapture to the beholder. The scene isn’t merely gorgeous; it has a spiritual, ethereal quality that passes understanding.

Admiration is one thing and emotion is another. You may admire flowers, but when they subtly take hold of your heart and bring you to unaccountable tears, even tho you may have viewed thousands of beautiful gardens, there surely must be a strange loveliness that evades description.

A little over the top by today’s standards, but clearly Mr. Peterson was awestruck by what he saw at the festival, and overcome with emotion at the magnificence of the floral brilliance. I don’t know if any of the Larson travelers saw this article, but once they decided to drive to Mobile, the Azalea Trail made it to the list of “must-sees.”

The first Azalia Trail and Festival was in 1929, and has been an annual tradition ever since. In 1938 the trail was 17 miles, winding through the city. Also in that year it was reported that over 5000 cars toured the trail, of which the Larson car was certainly one.

The trail included the nearby Bellingrath Gardens and the Larsons apparently visited there as well because they kept the brochure and put it in the scrapbook. The Gardens were created by Walter and Bessie Bellingrath and opened to the public for the first time in 1932. Walter Bellingrath accumulated his wealth after purchasing a bottling franchise from the Coca Cola company, which then became one of the most successful bottling enterprises in the U.S. He also bought the National Mosaic Tile Company, served on the board of the First National Bank, owned a warehousing company and was an original founder of the Waterman Steamship Company of Mobile. When the depression hit he didn’t skip a beat and just kept on making money, travelling with his wife, building a new home on the grounds of the gardens, and buying the azaleas and other stunning plants for the enormously popular garden. He made a point of offering free admission so that everyone could enjoy it.

I’m not surprised that Fred was impressed by all the dazzling azaleas in Mobile. He had his own beautiful flower garden beside the funeral home at 20 Central in Fredonia. It had flowers, large stones, pools of water, and pathways for wandering through it. When WWII was over he famously turned it into a “Victory Garden.” Sadly, only black and white pictures exist of the Victory Garden, but I’m sure it was a colorful sight to behold. My mother certainly included it as one of her cherished memories of her father.

Meanwhile, back in Fredonia

As the five travelers were enjoying the beautiful azaleas, Billy was reporting to his parents about his band concert:

March 3, 1938 (band concert night)

Dear Folks

Tonight is the big night. It is now 6:45. In 15 minutes I go up to school to put my uniform on. If dad wants to bring me something he can get me a nice loud pair of suspenders for my band suit. I’ll need them when we march. Miss Mutt gave us 2 vocabularies to learn. I haven’t looked at em yet. We got our report cards today. English 95 Biology 87 Latin 85 Algebra 90 Citizenship 85. Not bad huh? Im very sorry about your pen ma but I told you to try mine.

I just got home from the concert and it wasn’t bad. I am now going to bed so I’ll see ya later. Please have a good time for me too.

So long,

Billy Larson, Esq.

P.S. Tell the rest hello.

Then there was this from Joanie, also on March 3:

Dear Ma & Pa,

I just can’t let you out of my sight when you come back. I am so lonesome now I hardly know what to do. I was very good in spelling today. We had mistake for a word.

Oscar was here tonight just as we were eating supper. Wesley was here and Gordon, Ruth, Bobby, the Baby, Anna and I guess thats all. Oh, Gordon’s girl friend was here too. The concert was swell. You know which one I like best. It was Whisler and his Dog. They whisled and sang lo la.

with lots of love

Joan Larson

After Mobile, on to Texas

When the group left Mobile they traveled along the gulf coast through Biloxi and Gulfport, just as I did. They spent the night in Gulfport and Fred made a note in his journal that Gulfport was “warm and beautiful.” It was when I was there as well! He also noted that Biloxi is “where loads of NY people rest and frolic.” After their overnight in Gulfport they drove on to New Orleans where they went across the massive Huey P. Long Bridge and of course I did also. The bridge first opened in December 1935, so was still fairly new when the 1938 travellers went over it. I can imagine how impressed they must have been because I know how impressed I was when I drove over it. At the time it was built, it was the longest dual track railroad bridge in the world.

When I was in Mobile I saw references to the claim that the city was the first place to celebrate Mardi Gras. I didn’t think much about it as I was attending to other things when I was there. In reviewing Fred’s travel notes, however, he must have heard the same claim because he wrote in his pad, “N.O. stole Mardi Gras but not Azaleas.” Apparently New Orleans was not awash in azaleas that year.

After leaving New Orleans, Fred’s notes indicate that they “cut north and ran into flood of Red River and got stranded in town called Shadow. Took a 100 mi detour around bad flood water and washout between Shadow and Dallas.” I looked on every map I could find, old and new, electronic and paper, and was completely unable to find where this Shadow is, or was. I kind of wanted to see where their detour took them but alas, it was not to be. To console myself, I went for the Tabasco tour at Avery Island…

Fred and the group stopped for lunch in Dallas, and Fred noted “Dallas & Ft. Worth beautiful 89 degrees.” Fred wrote on their map “OIL” right around Dallas. I confess I was prepared to see oil derricks everywhere just like in the old pictures, but alas I didn’t see a single one. I did see more evidence of the oil industry and lots of pumps as I approached Midland.

As they drove through Texas after leaving Dallas the group took note of the flat plains and long straight roads that seemingly went on forever. The photos show what to easterners and northerners seems like desolation, with nothing around for miles and miles and miles. And I’m sure that’s what it felt like to the travelers as they drove across this enormous state. Western New York is full of rivers and lakes and trees and rolling hills everywhere you go.

As a point of comparison to their experience of long, isolated highways, when I entered Texas after leaving Shreveport I tried to stay on the smaller roads that I think they took. But when I got to Tyler, where I know they stopped for gas, I made a decision to bypass the small roads and take the big roads to get around Dallas and Fort Worth. I don’t know how big these cities were in 1938, but I do know that the main roads they took, which are side roads today, were not built up in the same way they are now. If I had not hopped on the limited access interstate I would have been bogged down by one traffic light after another, big box stores and strip malls and fast food joints and auto shops and you name it, going on for miles in between the exits of the big highway. I decided I didn’t need to remain a purist and since they did not experience the small roads in that busy, congested context then I didn’t see a need for me to do so.

I was reminded of the Dust Bowl of the 1930’s as I drove into western Texas (although of course, nothing I saw came anywhere close to what that experience was). After all the dryness and extreme heat of the 2023 summer, the atmospheric result seems to be massive amounts of red dust billowing across the Texas landscape, hovering over hills and cities, and generally spoiling the otherwise beautiful vistas. It was a rather windy day as I was driving toward Midland, and I was struck by the huge, red clouds that would swirl and rise up in the distance in front of me. I would drive through the enormous cloud and then the red dust would dissipate for awhile, and then in the distance I could see it billowing up again. This happened over and over for the last couple of hours of my approach to Midland.

One other note about driving these long stretches in Texas. I have been avoiding the big interstates successfully for the most part, but I have to admit I was unprepared for 75 mph speed limits on narrow two lane roads that are traversed regularly by large, 18-wheeler trucks hauling any number of types of cargo, including wide loads, if you can believe it. My little campervan did the best she could, but NelyBly definitely started complaining on those small windswept roads when I got over 65. When one of those big trucks would pass me going in the opposite direction, I could feel her being buffeted about and the “slipping” light on the dash came on a couple of times. It was a little stressful I can tell you, and slowing down only helped a little. We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

Oh, almost forgot - I saw an actual tumbleweed today! Tumbling on the road right in front of my van! I had to swerve to avoid it (and thus, did not get a picture so you’ll have to take my word for it…).

Meanwhile, Back in Fredonia

While the travelers were traversing Texas, their children were living their lives and reporting to their parents:

From Joanie:

Fredonia, NY

March 5, 1938

Dear Ma & Pa,

I have just cleaned up my room. I wish you were here to help me. Rhea did. Mary is coming up for dinner today. It is now 5 after 10 and Mary is coming at noon. (note: Mary was one of my mother’s lifelong friends that she knew since kindergarten)

From Billy:

Dear Dad,

today was the first warm day we’ve had so far. I got that yellow jacket out of the garage and it fits me fine. Looks as if you’ve lost a good jacket. Got a letter today (Gramma did) and it said you got your feet kinda damp (note: not sure what this is referencing since I don’t have all the letters that were sent). I gotta go to band practice after supper. The Freshman class is going to have its picture taken Friday. We’re supposed to wear a suit coat. What about me! I gotta finish my Latin now. Tell mom and the rest hello.

Love, Bib

Also a telegram was sent on March 5 by Bill:

We are all ok Uncle George says hello Love The Bunch

These letters that were written on March 5 were sent to California and were waiting for the group when they arrived at Jane’s house in Bakersfield. At that point, Josie wrote a letter to her children, and included this note in response to Joanie’s outpouring of loneliness and Billy’s report:

Joanie don’t be lonesome but I won’t let you out of my sight either when we get back. Bill you be nice to Rhea for I wouldn’t want her to tell Flo you hadn’t been nice while I was away. You sure got some dandy marks. Keep up the good work.

Next Steps

As I write this from Midland, Texas, I am taking a page out of the Larson playbook for my night here. Instead of camping, I’m staying in an Airbnb condo. I picked it especially because it has a washer and dryer and will give me a chance to wash all the dust and dirt and grime from the last 10 days out of my bedding and clothes. Oh, and a nice long, wonderful shower!

I’m loathe to leave the comfort of my condo, but this night in Midland might be my last best chance to get a tex-mex meal while I’m in Texas. Tomorrow I leave here and drive to El Paso, where I will be staying out in the wilderness for a couple of nights before continuing on into Arizona. Not sure what I will be doing or if I will have good opportunities for sampling local cuisine so I figure I should take advantage tonight. Maybe I’ll just order delivery…

Next dispatch will probably be from Arizona!

Sources

Some of the information in this article came from the following source:

• Peterson, Elmer T. (January, 1938). The Flaming Drama of the South. Better Homes and Gardens, Vol. 14, page 13.