Letters From Home

Travel Update

I am more and more grateful everyday for my small, maneuverable camper. Nelly Bly can go places I probably never would if I were in a larger rig or (God forbid!) towing either trailer or car. She can fit into a normal parking space, and I have everything I need with me all the time. And, because I’m a woman “of a certain age” traveling alone and, therefore, solely responsible for all the setup and teardown, my simple “pull in and park” rig gives me much appreciated flexibility in where I go and where I stay. It isn’t an off-road vehicle or even an all-wheel drive vehicle, so of course I do have some limitations. But I love being able to take the little roads when I want to. For example, the day I drove the 230+ miles from Newberry Springs, California, (where I stayed in the parking lot of the only viable business left in the town, which happened to be a bar hub and burger joint for the locals in the area around Barstow), to Valentine, Arizona (where I stayed in the parking lot of a nonprofit wildlife sanctuary that specializes in taking care of rescued lions, tigers, bears, monkeys and birds), was a day I spent on Old Route 66 for most of the day.

First a small digression: What I’m learning about Old Route 66 is that it is but a shadow of its former self in the heydey we all romanticize. Where it does still exist (and there are many places where it does not and your only choice for getting where you are going is to take the big Interstate 40), it may go on for long stretches literally in the middle of nowhere, with abandoned businesses left only as shells of their former glory as a haven for travelers. The interstate diverges from Route 66 in several places for long distances, which means that if you seek out Route 66 you may find yourself the only person on the road out in the desert with no sign of civilization for many miles and no cell tower for many more miles than that.

Places like this, where I got my morning cup of coffee one day, are very common in all the towns along Route 66 that are trying to capitalize on the romanticism and importance and history of this famous road.

Where the interstate bypasses towns that used to play an important role in the life of people traveling across Arizona and California (the only parts I’ve been on so far), there is usually an exit so that travelers can get off, drive through the town on “Old Route 66” where there are lots of old west style touristy attractions, or artifacts and memorabilia from the 50’s and 60’s. When they get to the end of the town, they get back on the interstate and keep on going.

For me, this reality has made it somewhat challenging to find the road that existed in 1938. But on the route from Newberry Springs, near Barstow, to Valentine, Arizona, I was lucky to spend almost all day on the old road as it meandered and followed the railroad tracks independently of the big interstate. My drive that day included a memorable 8 mile stretch that my Larson ancestors most certainly took in 1938 as it would have been the main road back then. This little 8 mile piece of roadway required me to drive 10-15 miles per hour for pretty much the entire time as I wound my way through 191 turns (according to a postcard I bought, so it must be true) on a relatively narrow road with no guardrails, up to the peak of Sitgreaves Pass and then down again.

This is at the top of Sitgreaves Pass, Elevation 3550 feet.

They call this part of Route 66 the “Sidewinder.” It was a long and remote drive off the main highway just to get to that portion of the road and I definitely would not have attempted it at all in a bigger rig or towing anything. But by venturing off the beaten path I was treated to the old gold-mining town of Oatman, where wild burros roam the streets at will (including wandering in and out of the shops), and the entire town is devoted to glorifying the old west, complete with a gunfight on the main street everyday. Sadie and I didn’t have a compelling need to stay for that, but it was a fun place to roam the streets (although I had to keep Sadie on a tight leash after being told by several locals independently that if we got too close to any of the burros, she could be mistaken for a coyote and get charged and stomped to death.)

As I write this I am at a lovely pine forest campground outside Flagstaff. I’m here for three nights and it’s a nice respite after a series of one night stopovers with 200+ driving miles everyday since leaving the San Francisco area. Somewhere along the way I picked something up that gave me a low grade temperature, low energy and extreme tiredness. I was still functional, but the driving was harder than it might have been and the sightseeing not as enjoyable as it could have been, and I was going to bed as soon as it got dark for several nights in succession, which is around 6:30 p.m. That said, although I had no appetite and was yawning a lot, I was still able to soak up the adventure, meet a few interesting people, and get to my destinations as planned. The next few days will be at a slower pace, with more sightseeing and less driving. And I’m definitely feeling better and pretty sure I’m over the hump.

I enjoyed my day of driving around Flagstaff, remembering when Jay took Conrad and me around to his favorite haunts from his years there in the mid 1970’s when he was getting his master’s degree at Northern Arizona University. It was his microbiology professor there who knew a colleague at Ohio State that led to Jay coming to Columbus to get his Ph.D. Because our two fathers had gone to the same college (Elmhurst) and seminary (Eden), Jay contacted my parents to see if he could stay with them for a couple of weeks while he got settled after arriving in town. I was not living there, but was an undergraduate student at OSU living off campus, and so was drafted by my parents to show him around once he arrived. The rest is history, as they say…

First I had lunch at LaFonda’s, Jay’s favorite restaurant as a graduate student, that Conrad and I got to experience with him on our family trip out here when Conrad was 10. It is still there, still run by the same family at the same location, and still delicious. Then I went to the NAU campus. To honor Jay’s time at NAU, which were good years for him, I sprinkled some ashes in a wild strawberry patch outside the Biological Sciences Building that I’m sure he probably knew very well.

Jay came to Flagstaff on a whim with his good friend John. After getting his undergraduate degree, Jay had moved in with his parents in Bismarck, North Dakota, where he worked as a clerk at a men’s store for a time. This wasn’t the career move Jay was looking for and so when the idea came up to head south he jumped at it. They had no real plan and worked odd jobs when they first arrived. John, unfortunately, never really found his way forward, but Jay was restless and knew he wanted more out of life. When he applied for the graduate program at NAU, Jay must have caught the attention of Dr. Fred Funk, who would become his mentor and friend. Dr. Funk would help Jay find his passion for science and research. As he studied and learned, he transformed from the socially awkward hippie outcast (from his perspective he felt he was a black sheep within his own family in those years, which is why I thought he and Alex Larson might connect), who had suffered periods of homelessness during his undergraduate days at the University of Minnesota, to an accomplished academic research scientist fascinated with the molecular infectious disease world. Once he and I married, he was our family’s resident expert on anything having to do with viruses and bacteria.

There is a little arboretum just outside the Biological Sciences Building, which was perfect for my purpose.

It was a good day in Flagstaff and I felt Jay with me all day. Can’t explain it, but there it is. The world is mysterious.

1938 Life in Fredonia

To recap briefly, the people left behind in Fredonia while the 5 adults were on their epic trip included Fred and Lucille’s two children: my Uncle Bill (age 15) and my mother Joan (age 9). Lucille’s mother Loretta was taking care of them at the funeral home on 20 Central in Fredonia, NY. She was “Grandma Brown” to the children. Loretta had a sister Harriet (or “Hattie”) who visited frequently. Also staying at 20 Central was Rhea (age 14), Florence’s daughter and Joan and Bill’s first cousin. She was not related directly to Grandma Brown or Hattie, and had enrolled in the Fredonia school system for the time she was there, so I’m sure there must have been a period of adjustment when she first arrived. But she knew her cousins quite well and I’m sure settled in pretty quickly.

The mundane life of those left in Fredonia that is revealed in the letters is a sweet slice of life of a family living in the 1930’s. Their voices bring their childhood personalities to life, and also reveal parts of themselves that my cousins, siblings and I knew well. As the descendent of one of those children, I find it particularly delightful to hear my mother’s 9 year old self as she grapples with life while her parents are gone. The letters also give a window into the busy life of a funeral business and how enmeshed the lives of the family members get with the details of the comings and goings of the business.

I have shared parts of other letters in some of my previous articles, and want to share some more here that were received before the group left Bakersfield. These are letters that went back and forth during the two weeks the Larsons were in California. Some are dated, some are not, but all appear to have been written between March 13 and 18.

Dear Folks,

The other day we had a letter from you. It was the first one in a couple (three or four) days.

This afternoon Mr. Beldeny sent me to the board to answer some questions. When I started back to my seat I danced all over the room. (Note: having known my uncle for many, many years, I can totally see him doing this at age 15) This afternoon I stayed 45 minutes after school. We had a funeral today of a fellow from Dunkirk. He belonged to the Commandery Eastern Star Masonic and one other lodge. His name was Lunt. Grandma is going to iron as soon as I see if the clothes are here and then I gotta do my homework. So long = Bill

Dated March 13, 1938:

Dear Ma and Pa,

Gee I can’t have any fun when Bill is around. He hits me nearly all the time. Had good dinner today but I didn’t eat much. Had pumkin pie, too. Went without my leggings today just to the barn to get the paper. Its warm out. Got some carmals but Bill ate two pieces. My playhouse went to Dunkurk and the people sent back a doll with the things. Went to Aunt Hattie’s this afternoon and that’s where I went without my leggings. We’re making Easter Baskat’s in Sunday School. Weaving them. Gee can’t have any fun when Billy’s around. Sister Hattie sent me some new papers. Last night for supper we had strawberry short cake and was it good, almost as good as yours. Aunt Hattie sends her love and do I.

Joan

From Grandma Brown on the same paper as Joan’s letter:

Dear children we are all real well and getting along good hope you all are having a very happy visit and a nice trip. Last night Elizabeth Fisk was here for supper right after supper there was an ambulance call and when Roy got back he came up and told Elizabeth it was her brother Carl he did not think he was hurt very bad he then was over to Dr. Wheelock. She went right over and in a short time she went with him to the hospital in ambulance he is very bad and had to have a night and a day nurse. …

with love to all mother

The note about Carl was important because Grandma Brown was originally Loretta Fisk, and I believe that Elizabeth was the wife of her nephew Guy. Separate letter from Bill, reporting on the same couple of days:

Dear Mom, Dad, Gramp, Florence, Bert, etc.

How is your trip coming along. Today was the warmest we have had so far. I went out with only my heavy sweater on.

Yesterday (Saturday) Bud Colbern and I were flying kites out in back. Mine went up a little ways and the sticks broke. Bud’s went way over Central Ave. When we were bringing it in it got caught on the chimney of Well’s house. We were pulling away when a couple of the bricks came off from the chimney. We done that with only a thin kite string.

Last night grandma Brown had Elizabeth Fisk up here for supper and a visit. About seven Roy went out on a ambulance call. A little later he came over and told Elizabeth her brother had just got in a auto accident and he was over to Doc Wheelocks. She went right over and then down to the hospital with them. Doc said her brother had a broken jaw, a fractured skull, a broken kneecap and some broken ribs. One of the ribs poked into his lung and punctured it.

I brought my horn home to practice but now there is a houseful of people downstairs. (Note: the family lived above the funeral home and right inside the big front door there was a large open stairway to the second floor with a hallway and railing around the stairwell on all four sides; it was very important when calling hours or a funeral were happening that no noise travelled from the upper level to the grieving families below.)

Dad I was just talking to Uncle George and he told me that he had just got a couple of calls and he had to go to Buffalo. One thing I can say is, business certainly comes with a rush. He did go to Buffalo just the same.

The freshman class just had their pictures taken ok and of course I had to sit right up in the front row in the middle minus my suit. I think I’m good lookin enough anyway (ahem).

How come we don’t get hardly any mail from you?

Well, I guess I’ll go down and see if they need a good embalmer to help them out. Roy and Mort are working now.

If you get any wooden nickels save them for the bungholes in wooden horses.

Have a good time, Billy Larson, Esq.

After the trip to San Francisco, Lucille read the above letters and wrote this on March 18 in response:

Dear Bill, Joan, Gram, Jean and Rhea,

Your letters came, also Ma and Joan. Bill I am very sorry that you hit Joan all the time. How do you suppose I feel about that when I am so many thousand miles away. Better take ‘er easy son, and don’t make me wish I had never gone on this trip.

More than sorry to hear about Carl Wolbert. Saleo saw an account of it in the paper. Hope by this time he is better. Glad to hear Grandma has so much company.

Why on earth didn’t you borrow a coat from Mort or some kid. You must look silly sitting there with no coat. What did you have on, just your sweater. I suppose you were a big help on all those jobs. Yesterday morning we left here about 5:30 am and went to San Francisco. Went over the Oakland Bridge. Boy is that some sight.

The letters from Fredonia tended to be written on different days and then bundled together and sent as a package so that they all arrived at the same time regardless of when they were written. Here’s one more from Grandma Brown:

Dear children and all

… We are all doing fine. Billie is a good boy and tends to business right up to the mark and Reah is lots of company…Sunday was a real nice balmy day that was yesterday but today has been very cold and windy would not be surprised if we had snow again but so far we have had a very good March… I have made cookies twice since you went one apple pie one rice pudding pumpkin pie and will make the rest of the pumpkin up in a day or two the children say what I make is good but it does not quite come up to moms but most everything I make is ate so I think they will be all right until you get home.

Joan says she is counting the days I told her I counted by the week and it went faster. I am praying God will get you home all safe and have a nice time and give your heart to the Lord for he is good and his mercy endureth forever. I am enjoying my self with my little family so enjoy your selves and come home all right.

Good night with love to all, lovingly, mother

Last one from Joan dated March 18, just a couple days before they left Bakersfield and started back.

Dear Ma and Pa,

Got your card and isn’t Shirley Temple’s home swell. Mine shows Shirly in the window. Have you seen anything of Shirly yet? or of Jane Withers? … Snow White is coming in Dunkirk and April its coming in Fredonia.

Well good Bye, Love Joan

P.S. I have hardly any thing to do tonite. Joan

This is the postcard that my mother was sure she saw Shirley Temple in the window. Who are we to say she’s wrong??

Next Steps

Still following the 1938 trail, with a few diversions along the way just for me. I’m working my way slowly across Arizona and New Mexico and have plans to be in Albuquerque for a respite week and then Thanksgiving in Santa Fe, which will be another respite before the final push for home via a family visit in Missouri and a trip to Rockford, Illinois. Temperatures at night are definitely colder, and the days are milder but still pleasant so far. I have seen no rain at all since a tiny bit in Alabama, which seems like eons ago by now. The weather has truly been a blessing overall, although I’d kind of like a do-over in the Phoenix area, which was so oppressively hot that Sadie and I couldn’t really do anything except sit around in a daze waiting for nighttime relief. Will have to go back!