Thursday, September 30, 2010

Pool-Playin' Farmers

Farmers, before you head back down into Augusta Township after selling your goods in town, how about a game of pool?

Look, the Recreation Co. is right over on 35-37 N. Huron. It's just south of Pearl Street and the Ypsilanti Bazaar. Stop by and shoot a game of billiards. Have something to eat at the Recreation Lunch. How about a haircut at Jim Fessler's barber shop?

Invite a friend or two and relax for a while. No, it's not expensive. Come on in.

--ad from February 21, 1924 Ypsilanti Record

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Unsuspected Dangers of the Past

Dusty D is often taken aback to see examples of practices that took place before we understood how dangerous they are.

Here's a gentleman nonchalantly painting a pillar with pure lead paint, and doubtless inhaling atomized droplets off of his brush. Of course lead paint for residential use was banned in 1977, though it's still in use by the military and industry.

Chicago's National Lead Company here offers to send you an informative paint booklet free of charge. It's interesting to note the large size of this ad from not a local but a distant company--a very powerful one, formed to control the price of white lead across the nation. Two years after this 1905 ad it would begin marketing its paint under the famous Dutch Boy label. By 1920, the National Lead Co. was the subject of an investigation due to lead price-fixing.

In the meantime, however, the National Lead Company's "Pure White Lead Sterling" likely went up in houses across Ypsilanti, sold from the Huron Street drugstore Rogers-Weinmann-Matthews. How many houses still bear vestiges of this long-ago paint? Was it a problem in your old house?

--July 25, 1905 Ypsilanti Daily Press

Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Diary of Abba Owen

Newest chapter in an ongoing serialization of the 1888 diary of Abba Owen, daughter of Ypsilanti mineral water baron Tubal Cain Owen and Anna (Stowe Foote) Owen. The Owens lived in a now-vanished house near the current day Roosevelt School building on EMU, where Tubal also had his magical and very profitable well.

Friday Sept. 28th: To-day has been cold and raw as it has been all this week. Eber and Richard went up to Ann Arbor to the fair and they brought home a couple of coons for me and Richey got himself two beautiful pairs of doves the swallow and [jalsobin]. Prof. Luderer came, on the six o'clock train from Ann Arbor and staid until the ten o'clock train going to Detroit, to see about giving lessons in Ypsi, and he has arranged to come here twice a week. He will come on Monday night at nine o'clock and stay at our house over night and give his lessons the next morning between eight and ten and then go to A.A. He will also do the same on Thursday evening. We had a frost last night.

Saturday Sept. 29th: Mama has been busy all day putting up fruit. This afternoon we held our annual meeting of the [Runihauis] at four o'clock at Miss Genevieve Walton's. There were thirteen present and we had a very nice time. Maggie Gilbert and myself were appointed tellers and we had lots of fun. Jessie Allen was selected Pres. Nora Babbitt Vice Pres. Addie Parker Treas. Miss Genevieve Walton Sec. Eleanor Woodruff (our minister's daughter) chairman of the works committee and Clara Goodst chairman of the entertainment committee. After this election Miss Walton served us with [Graters] and cake.

Sunday Sept 30th: Mama, Grandma, and I went to church to-day. Mrs. Graham is my Sunday-school teacher and all our class think she is lovely. There are eight girls besides myself. Josie Hemphill, Jennie Farmer, Addie Parker, Nora Babbitt, Ruth Peas, Susie Dodge, Reba Page, and Hattie Roote. It started to rain before we got home and it continued to rain pretty nearly all the afternoon. We like our minister better the more we see of him. We all went down to Grandma's to church as usual.

Monday Oct 1st: This morning Richard finished me a couple of barrels for my coons [?] and we chained them to them until we can get some little houses. To-day has been real cold and the wind has blown hard all day. Mama Grandma and I went out this afternoon and picked a bushel of Onions and they were very nice.

Tuesday Oct. 2nd: To-day has also been cold and windy. The paper says they have had a snow-storm in Maryland. Mama took up all of her plants up to-day for fear we would have frost to-night. I gathered about a bushel of shagbarks with the shucks on when they are off there will only be about half as many. Prof. Luderer came last night and gave Richard his violin lesson.

Wensday Oct. 3rd: Last night we had a heavy frost and it froze a thin scab [?] over a pan of water. To-day has not been quite as cold as yesterday.

Thursday Oct. 4th This has been a very pleasant day. Very much warmer than yesterday. It froze water last night. Eber went to hear Hon. Richard Guenter who spoke at the Opera House this evening on Protection and Eber said "he was splendid." Richard went down after Prof. Luderer to-night and he would not come up for he said the School of Music at Ann Arbor had rented a room at the Follett House for him to stay at and give his lessons so we will have to take our violin lesson here-after at the Follett House.

Friday Oct. 5th: To-day has been cloudy and has rained off and on all day. This evening Mama and I put up some new lace curtains in the red room and they look quite pretty. Eber went to Lyceum this evening at the Union School, of which he is treasurer. We canned a bushel of peaches to-day.

Thanks for reading! Tune in next Tuesday for another week of Abba's diary!

Monday, September 27, 2010

Blast from the Past

Here's a nostalgic tidbit that should bring a tear to your eye.

The People's National Bank of Ypsilanti offered a 4% interest return on your savings in 1924. Plus, notice, they're open on Saturday nights.

Dusty D remembers having a bank account with an actual interest rate and watching my allowance accumulate week by week in my tiny Christmas Club account. One week it would be $30 (a LOT of money to a kid) and hey presto, thanks to interest, the next week it would be $30.40, wow!

Ah, memories...

--April 24, 1924 Ypsilanti Record

Sunday, September 26, 2010

The Electrical Breakfast


Readers:


Are you a bit down in the dumps? Tired of the same old dull, cold cereal day in and day out? That's no way to start things. Begin with a pleasant breakfast and the rest of the day will take care of itself.

Equip your breakfast table with those electric devices that add so greatly to the convenience of housekeeping--the percolator that brings out the true aroma of your coffee, the waffle iron that serves its delicious product hot and appetizing; the toaster, with its always-ready supply of crisp, delicately browned toast--all made at the breakfast table and for a few cents worth , per month, of electricity.

Begin the day with a pleasant, electrically-made breakfast and be happy.

--January 24, 1924 Ypsilanti Record

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Uterine Pastilles

This ad from the October 12, 1888 Ypsilanti Commercial advertises a medicine that was reviewed in the fifth edition of Charles Oleson's book, originally published in 1889, "Secret Nostrums and Systems of Medicine: A System of Formulas." In it, he reviews the commercially available "medicines" of the day and says of Sawyer's Uterine Pastilles:

"Through the kindness of a correspondent we secured a sample of the above articles. They come in little oblong blocks, about 1/2 inch long and 1/4 inch square at the end, weighing each on an average about 20 grains. The circular which comes with them is addressed, of course, to the female sex, and is well calculated to produce alarm in the young. It is another sample of the demoralizing documents which unscrupulous quacks are continually circulating among the laity, in order to create alarm and profit by this alarm. The circular, after first dilating upon the physical and mental beauty of women, proceeds to trace these to the sexual, and afterwards paints the horrors of family quarrels, divorce, imbecility, and lunacy which follow in the train of a diseased sexual system. Then comes a description of the diseases peculiar to women, and all of which are curable by using $8 worth of these wonderful pastilles. The most creditable portions of the circular we will reprint in full, as it pertains to the auxiliary treatment to be pursued, and which in reality, we should say, is the treatment of primary importance, if any treatment at all is necessary . . ."

The circular includes direction for use and throws in some extra advice for good measure:

"RULES OF HYGIENE. The patient should use a good, nourishing diet, with plenty of good meat of some kind; beefsteak is the best. Fat meats and pastry should not be used at all; use but little tea or coffee. In case when the patient is incapable of taking the proper amount of food at a time, it will be found beneficial to take but two meals a day for a time, until they can take a full meal. Some graham bread or oat meal can often be used to advantage.

"BATHING. Bathing the entire body should never be done oftener than once a week, and then it should be done in a warm room by bathing and rubbing part of the body at a time with water that feels most agreeable. Sleep should be abundant and an abstinence from all sexual excitement should be strictly adhered to. All surrounding influences which are not conducive to a cheerful, happy state of mind should be done away with.

"DRESS. Care taken in comfortably and properly dressing the body is an important factor in the recovery; the feet and lower limbs should be dressed warmly, and great care taken that the skirts are hung from the shoulders and cause no weight upon the abdomen. Ladies suffering from prolapsus or falling of the womb can never recover unless they observe this strictly."

Oleson's review concludes, "We gave the preparation some little attention, and will give the quack credit for doing comparatively little harm, in a physical sense, when we consider the possibilities. He proceeds evidently on the faithcure principle, and his auxiliary treatment, rather than on the actual medicinal efficacy of his own pastilles. They consist, according to our examination, of nothing but flour, made into a paste and allowed to harden in the form of small oblong blocks."

Friday, September 24, 2010

Coroner's Court: Death by Needle?

A puzzling story from the January 17 Ypsilanti Record raises more questions than it answers. How did Ann Fowler really die?

Miss Ann Fowler, an Ann Arbor woman, died suddenly Friday afternoon. Following her death an autopsy was held and it was discovered that her death was caused by a four-inch needle which had penetrated the brain at the base.
It was revealed by a friend that Miss Fowler was in the habit of leaving needles in her pillow and it is believed that in this way the needle entered the skull while she was asleep. The absence of pain was attributed to the fact that the needle avoided all nerves.


Probably the least likely cause of death I've read about to date. Red flags all around. Let's ask a few questions here:

1. What kind of needle was it? I don't know of any four-inch needles. Quilting needle?

2. Who in the Sam Hill would keep needles stored in their pillow? If she is a seamstress, she surely has some random bit of cloth, much less a needle book, to stick her needles in.

3. How likely is it that a needle in one's pillow would enter one of the very few exposed areas in one's skull, a ball of solid bone?

4. Why did they say she didn't feel pain because there are no nerves in that area? So far as I know the head and neck contain many nerves and is a relatively sensitive area.

5. Is there any discreet censorship going on here?

6. Why do they mention no relatives?

Ann Fowler doesn't appear readily in the federal census or an online cemetery guide. Who are you, Ann Fowler? Why did you die as you did? What are your thoughts, reader-jury?

Thursday, September 23, 2010

If you cannot be a teacher, clerk, or seamstress...

Thanks to the Chronicle for publishing my story about a forgotten women's history pioneer...a role she didn't choose but which has produced artifacts that survive in the Ypsilanti Historical Museum to this day.

The column also contains the single most difficult and weird Mystery Artifact to date--it boggled my mind. Take a shot over at the Chronicle and see if you can guess it (I never would have had I not peered at the lettering on the side).

Washtenaw Club View Subdivision Creation (off Packard near YHS)

Do you know the neighborhood around YHS? Here's when "Washtenaw Club View" subdivision lots were originally offered for sale in the paper: the beginning of May, 1924.

The property lies between what is now the YHS campus and the Polo Fields Country Club.

What struck Dusty D was what I take to be coded language. The terms "all-American" and "highest restricted subdivision" lead me to believe that this sub was available only to white citizens.

According to black oral histories in the Archives, the inter-war period was a particularly bad one for prejudice against black residents. Perhaps this advertisement is one relic of that grim period. What do you think?

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Wednesday Mystery Spot

Last week was a toughie; this lovely stone and brick confection is long gone. It's the old Woodruff School, which used to stand at the corner of Park and Michigan Ave. The school opened its doors in 1901. Here's a photograph from that year of the interior of a classroom.
The school was a major feature in that part of town that was once known as "Dutchtown." Here's a story about Dutchtown.

This week we leave Dutchtown but don't venture too far. This week's Mystery Spot presents an aerial view from a local landmark...hmm, which one? Take your best guess and good luck!

Attention Men!

Once in a while we all need our moral systems invigorated. You can't argue with that.

Well, one medicine doesn't stop there. One new nerve food is the only reliable cure, sure and lasting, for nervous exhaustion, lost vitality, insomnia, troublesome dreams, impotency and despondency.

It's Bar-Ben.


The miraculous Bar-Ben is a sure-fire antidote to the stress cased by overwork, worry, hard study. Or excesses.

Under its influence, the brain becomes active, and the blood purified so that all pimples, blotches, and ulcers disappear.

The nerves become strong and steady as steel; the eyes become bright and the face full and clear.

Your moral, physical, and vital systems are invigorated and every organ of the body--every organ--becomes natural and healthy.

Available at the Rogers-Weinmann-Matthews drugstore.

See you there.



--July 25, 1905 Ypsilanti Daily Press

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

What in the Sam Hill...1860 City Directory

Dusty D was industriously looking for onetime Ypsilanti daguerreotypists for an upcoming column in the Loomis and Talbott 1860 city directory.

DD read meticulously through each name, completely missing, naturally, the business index in the back listing the two photographers I eventually found. At any rate, what I also found was this listing for one J. M. Howard:

Howard J. M., principal business is courting what few ladies there are that are willing to be bored with him, boards east side Huron, bt. Emmet and Ellis
[onetime name of city's portion of Washtenaw Ave.].

Now, don't you get a Wodehose/Jerome K. Jerome vibe from this adorable ne'er-do-well who had the sheer cheek to deliver this tidbit of nonsense to the directory agent? I certainly like this person without knowing any more about him. Some day I may have time to research him and find out more about this fellow. Till then, here's to you, sir, it seems your courting is still impressing the ladies, 150 years later...

The Diary of Abba Owen

Newest chapter in an ongoing serialization of the 1888 diary of Abba Owen, daughter of Ypsilanti mineral water baron Tubal Cain Owen and Anna (Stowe Foote) Owen. The Owens lived in a now-vanished house near the current day Roosevelt School building on EMU, where Tubal also had his magical and very profitable well.

Friday Sept. 21th: We went up to the fair again this morning. This afternoon Mama was not going to the fair but I persuaded her to go and she was glad she did. Up on the grandstand we met Mrs. Albom, Alice Henderson, Mrs. Stebbins from Adrian, Miss Post and Mrs. Ainsworth and we all had a jolly time and did not get home until six o'clock.

Saturday Sept. 22nd: To-day has been a pleasant day. Mama and I went down town and had a nice time.

Sunday Sept. 23rd: This morning it was dark and we thought it was going to rain but it cleared up by church time and Grandma and I went to church. Our new minister Rev. M. Woodruff preached and we liked him very well. We all went down to Grandma's to supper [lunch].

Monday Sept. 24th: Mama and I went down town this morning and got some new curtain poles for our red room. Mama and Grandma went making calls this after noon. This afternoon they began husking and drawing [?] in our field corn. This evening it rained a little.

Tuesday Sept. 25th: Papa has been changing the boiler around so we can't have any steam for a few days. Last Saturday Grandma wrote a letter to Mrs. Hagin inviting her and her husband and son and daughter to come and make her a visit but she received a letter saying she was very sorry but they could not come.

Wensday, Sept. 26th: It has been quite cold we had to have a fire in the fireplace and Mama also brought in our little gasoline stove we use on ironing days to help heat up the dining room. It was very cold getting up in the morning without any fire. I received a letter from Lou S. today. To-day is the first day of the fair at Ann Arbor and they are having very cold weather for it. We had a rain storm this afternoon. Richard was thinking of going to Ann Arbor this afternoon but as it rained he did not go.

Thursday Sept. 27th: This has been a real cold, chilly day. Mama went to the Parish Aid Society and so I went down and spent the afternoon with Grandma and had a very pleasant time. Richey drove to Ann Arbor this afternoon and he said they had a very nice fair there.

Friday Sept. 28th: To-day has been cold and raw as it has been all this week. Eber and Richard went up to Ann Arbor to the fair and they brought home a couple of coons for me and Richey got himself two beautiful pairs of doves the swallow and [jalsobin]. Prof. Sudirer came, on the six o'clock train from Ann Arbor and staid until the ten o'clock train going to Detroit, to see about giving lessons in Ypsi, and he has arranged to come here twice a week. He will come on Monday night at nine o'clock and stay at our house over night and give his lessons the next morning between eight and ten and then go to A.A. he will also do the same on Thursday evening. We had a frost last night.

Thanks for reading! Tune in next Tuesday for another week of Abba's diary!

Monday, September 20, 2010

1907 EMU Student Snark

What was the daily schedule of a 1907 EMU student?

Well, pretty much nothing like a modern-day student--with the exception of timeless student snarkiness.

1907 snark on parade in a piece that features some humor pieces from old yearbooks and a peek at what student life was like one hundred years ago.

'S'right cheer; over on YpsiNews.com; enjoy!

Hey Fellows!

Regard this September 20, 1932 Ypsilanti Daily Press ad from the onetime clothes store Uhlman's, at 13 North Washington (now the home of Pub 13).

Here are some "college cords" for you college kids. Note the attractive high waist and the balloony legs. Available in blue, tan, and brown. You must have a pair!

Costs range from $1.98 to $2.39 [about $31 today; hmm, a lot of money for Depression-era times].

What really struck Dusty D, however, is that these cords are available in sizes 26 to 34.

Only.

35-inch waist? You're out of luck.

Sunday, September 19, 2010

Camp Meeting in Peninsular Park

One hundred and three years ago, Peninsular Park was the scene of a September 1907 Christian revival meeting, led by a dynamic 25-year-old reverend.

The son of a West Indies-born father and an Alabama-born mother, Illinois native and Ypsilanti resident James O. Derrick pastored the city's Second Baptist Church on South Hamilton near Buffalo Street. He lived with his wife May B. at 531 Jefferson Avenue, in the city's historically black district sometimes called "Hungry Hill." Married in 1903 when they were both 21, the couple had one infant son Delman S., who in a year and a half would get a brother, Delmer A.

May had emigrated from Canada in 1901. By 1910, May would have 5 children, of whom 2 survived.

in 1919, the Derricks relocated to Detroit, where James led and expanded the three-year-old Russell Street Baptist Church, where he would remain in authority until 1931. He was regarded as scholarly, inspiring, and a good youth programs organizer. Derrick oversaw the relocation of the church to its present-day site at 8700 Chrysler Service Drive, where it would become a second home to blacks migrating to Detroit to work in the Big Three auto plants. Today, Derrick is regarded as one of the church's best pastors in its history.

For a while, however, Ypsilanti had been able to call the pastor one of her own.

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Abba Owen's Dad to Become City Utility

Kind readers may recall that recently in her diary, 16-year-old Abba Owen noted that her dad was in talks with the city to supply water, as a one-man municipal utility. On August 6, 1888 she wrote:

To-night was city council meeting . . . Papa's proposition was accepted for water works and a committee of aldermen one from each ward was appointed----report for next meeting to city council.

Throughout the summer of 1888 talks were ongoing regarding Tubal Owen's supplying water to the city. The excerpt pictured here shows an earlier meeting with city council, as it appeared in the July 20, 1888 Ypsilanti Commercial:

As will be seen by the report of the Council Proceedings published elsewhere Mr. T. C. Owen submitted to that body at its last meeting, a proposition to furnish water to the wards on this side of the river*, provided he could have the exclusive franchise for 30 years, and the city would pay $50 each for not less than 5 hydrants in each of the 3 wards, and he to furnish water to private consumers at a price not exceeding that paid in Ann Arbor. This proposition, which was tabled, has since been withdrawn by Mr. Owen, but we hope not permanently.


*"this side" is of course the west side of the river (48198 today), and the city had 5, not 3, wards at the time. The 3 wards referred to above were wards 1,2, & 3 on the river's west side.

How will Tubal Cain Owen's ambitious aquatic venture work out in coming months? Will his well at Forest Avenue and College Place be piped all over the west side? Stay tuned...

Friday, September 17, 2010

Before the Days of EMU Dorms

Before EMU had campus dorms, students for much of the school's history were housed and sometimes fed in the homes of ordinary Ypsilantians around town.

It wasn't unusual. Plenty of adult workers with less-lucrative jobs also roomed and/or boarded in someone else's home in a single private room.

This August 1888 advertisement from the Ypsilanti Commercial shows the less-than-stringent screening process that the Normal School used to find student housing. If you, Ypsi resident, wished to house a student, the school asked you merely to provide your address; whether you were offering room, board, or both; the number of rooms available and their location; and whether you preferred ladies or gentlemen (NOT both!)

Today, of course, a few students still live around town in some homeowner's extra room or apartment. But perhaps it's safe to say the custom of boarding with families at their dinner table is gone. Times change...but how about you? Would you be comfortable putting up an EMU student in your home, maybe with meals every day?

How to Impress The Chicks

T'other night, the Parson and me was down at Brown's saloon. The Reverend's a philosophical man, yes sir. 'Specially at 1 A.M. after five or six slugs o' Buckthorn Temperance Bitters.

"Got a question fer ya, Dusty D," he said. I respectfully removed the flapjack from my head. "Scientists say that chicks simply thrive on that scientific ration. Why?"

"Well sir," I responded, "reason for that is 'cause it's built outta the finest, purest, God-given sustainably-crumbled chick-growin' nutriments. The fat o' the land, sir, just like you was preachin' about last Sunday. Calcium, that's in there, an' lime, cracked corn, milled barley, rice hearts, nude peas, oat livers, diatomaceous earth, yes indeedy! Th'boys down at Pep's store call it "a real chick-grower that always brings consistent results."

Reader, that was one memorable night, though I'm not sure how much the Parson recalls. Back to this mash now. Try some, won'tcha? Pour a little in a bowl there. Lookit that creamy color. Globe's Chick Mash--best in Washtenaw County--that there is made with pure-D buttermilk. Here's a spoon--dig in. Good, ain't it? Don't be greedy now! There's a passel o' li'l yellow folk out in the barn a-waiting for some too!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Across an Ocean to Washtenaw County

Today's story in the Courier explores the story of Clement and Ruth Loveder. Born in London, they risked a trip on a sailing ship in 1821, to finally end up on a farm near Willow Run--back when "run" meant "stream" and Willow Run was one. Read about their passage in a tale based on Clement's diary.

Thanks to the Courier!

The Latest in Washing Machines

Hey, take a look at this: they have electric washing machines now.

Oh yeah? I still have that wooden crank tub at home. They keep talking about "rural electrification" but I'll believe it when I see it.

That won't happen till a decade from now, when President Roosevelt will create the rural electrification program in 1935.

Oh yeah? Great, another ten years of kerosene lamps. The hired boy almost burned the barn down last year. Sometimes I wish we'd move up into town to be closer to you and Mom.

Well, at least you're close enough to visit. Wanna go take a walk and check this out? It's over at Schaefer's.

Oh, we walked by there yesterday, didn't we? Over on, what street was that, Huron? By . . . Michigan Avenue.

Yep.

I remember--that was by that cigar shop, right? And across the street was that spa?

Yeah, let's go, it's nice out.

OK, I'll get my coat.

--ad from Ypsilanti Record, Jan 10, 1924

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Wednesday Mystery Spot

We had some excellent guesses in the last Mystery Spot. Rick Perry correctly guessed that this scene was the old Ypsilanti High School library. It is pictured in the 1903 YHS yearbook the "Ypsi-Dixit."
Some of the old yearbooks have beautiful bits of engraving. Here is a lovely ad in the 1907 Ypsi-Dixit from the onetime Scharf Tag, Label, & Box Co, which used to be in operation where Congdon's is now:
Here is an even more baroque example, from the 1901Ypsi-Dixit:
This week we journey to a building that sadly no longer exists. Take a peek and see if you can suss out the identity of this vanished building; good luck!

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

The Diary of Abba Owen

Newest chapter in an ongoing serialization of the 1888 diary of Abba Owen, daughter of Ypsilanti mineral water baron Tubal Cain Owen and Anna (Stowe Foote) Owen. The Owens lived in a now-vanished house near the current day Roosevelt School building on EMU, where Tubal also had his magical and very profitable well.

Friday Sept. 14th: Papa, Grandpa, and the boys started early this morning for Plymouth and arrived homem at six o'clock. It has been quite cool to-day and very [?] it very nice for their journey. They saw three saddle horses but none suited them. They also visited fish hatchery at Northfield and all together they had a very nice time. They rode about 50 miles by the time they got home.

Saturday, Sept. 15th: Our second girl went to Detroit last night for a visit and said she would be back Monday but we hardly think she will come back to stay so Mama and I do her work. We got a letter from Grandma saying that she would start for home Tuesday [visit] if not [happens] between now and then and we will all be glad to see her home.

Sunday Sept. 16th: It commenced raining early this morning and rained until noon. Eber went to church to hear our new minister Rev. M. N. Woodruff and he said he likes him pretty well. It is the first time he has preached here. This afternoon Rickey took me for a drive with his horse Robin and we had a nice ride. Dr. Huston was here this evening and says Mama is better.

Monday Sept. 17th: It rained this morning. This afternoon Mama and I went down town and drove up to the fair grounds for this week is the Fair. It looked rather lonesome up there for they were just beginning to [fin] up and then its raining made it look dull.

Tuesday Sept. 18th: To-day has been a very cloudy bad day. It looks rather dubious for the Fair but is better to have the first days bad and the rest pleasant which I am in hopes will be. Mama and I went down town this afternoon and the town seemed very lively.

Wensday Sept. 19th: Grandma arrived home last night at 12 o'clock after having a lovely visit. She came up this morning and had a great deal to tell us and we were all very glad to see her. This afternoon Mama Rickey and I went up to the Fair and went through all the halls and saw everything. Mrs. [Stephens] from Adrian who is a friend of Mrs. post's had a beautiful display of embroidery I ever saw. We did not think the fair was as good as formerly. They did not have any machinery or any Band which always makes things lively. It has been a pleasant day and everybody is pleased on account of the fair.

Thursday Sept. 20th: Grandpa Grandma and Mama went up to the Fair this morning and Eber took me up with his colt and we all met on the grounds. This afternoon we all went up again to see the races. Eber took Miss Gray up and they got a seat for us on the grand-stand. Mrs. Albom and Alice Henderson were there and also got seats near us so we all had a nice time.

Friday Sept. 21th: We went up to the fair again this morning. This afternoon Mama was not going to the fair but I persuaded her to go and she was glad she did. Up on the grandstand we met Mrs. Albom, Alice Henderson, Mrs. Stebbins from Adrian, Miss Post and Mrs. Ainsworth and we all had a jolly time and did not get home until six o'clock.

Thanks for reading! Tune in next Tuesday for another week of Abba's diary!

Monday, September 13, 2010

Clement and Ruth: Transatlantic Immigrants to Washtenaw County


Dusty D wrote a story today for this coming Thursday's Courier about Clement and Ruth Loveder. They emigrated from England in 1821, settling just southeast of Ypsilanti in 1826. To get here, they spent seven weeks on the sailing ship the Henry Clay.

Unlike later packet ships carrying immigrants, the Henry Clay did not provide food. So here's what they took in their baggage, to survive nearly seven weeks on a sailing ship in steerage:

Clement and Ruth had brought their own provisions for the nearly two-month journey. Packed in their baggage were 54 pounds of hams and 27 pounds of cheese, two mainstay foods that probably wouldn’t spoil too badly. In addition they had oatmeal, some hard biscuit, and 2 loaves of bread. Also in their luggage were 2 creamy white globes a little smaller than basketballs. These were two pig’s bladders filled with lard. They had potatoes, sugar, raisins, currents, salt and pepper, a little butter, candles, and tea.

They had spent the modern-day equivalent of a bit under $400 in food for the journey. The biggest expense had been the hams, costing the equivalent of around $150 today. The most expensive item by weight, however, was the tea. Clement and Ruth had bought a pound and a half of the imported luxury for 12 shillings, equivalent to $67 today. It would be eked out sparingly during the voyage.


Read the rest of the story this Thursday! Image swiped from this excellent Smithsonian online exhibit, "On the Water," on American maritime history.

Sparrow Story Flies Out Over Entire State


The kind folks at Absolute Michigan very nicely front-paged my recent Chronicle house sparrow story today. Yippee! Thanks to them! Permalink.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Only One!

Dusty D's husband was staring fixedly into his laptop screen, trying to solve a complicated and subtle software problem. Looking up from some old newspapers, DD decided this was the perfect time to share some vacuous trivia.

DD: "The stories in this 1889 Ann Arbor Argus are so chatty! They just took these tidbits of gossip and made news items from them! Look at this one:

A Milan lady, who's been married twenty years, boldly confesses that she's used but one paper of pins during all that time. If Barnum, whose penchant for great natural curiosities is well known, should see this item, her fortune would be made, for money would be no objection to the great show man, in a case like this."

DH: "Barnum? BARNUM?! So he'd be like....rooooll up, rooooll up to see the a-MAZ-ing One Paper of Pins Lady!

DD: (giggles)

DH: (warming to his subject) "Look for yourself! ONLY EIGHTEEN PINS LOST OUT OF A HUNDRED! Examine the paper, ladies and gentlemen! Count the holes! Magnifying glass, three cents extra."

The Diary of Abba Owen

Newest chapter in an ongoing serialization of the 1888 diary of Abba Owen, daughter of Ypsilanti mineral water baron Tubal Cain Owen and Anna (Stowe Foote) Owen. The Owens lived in a now-vanished house near the current day Roosevelt School building on EMU, where Tubal also had his magical and very profitable well.

Friday Sept. 7th: I did not feel well to-day and did not go to school, had the Doctor this afternoon he did not want me to go to school this year but I think I shall. Mrs. Wheat and Mrs. Van Tyle of Detroit called on Mama this morning. Miss Post also called this morning; she has just returned from a visit in Detroit and she attended the funeral of Bishop Harris. Eber sleeps down to Grandpa's since Grandma has been gone. Grandpa received a postal from Grandma saying that she arrived safely at five o'clock. Cousin Will Cooke was at the train to meet her and she found Aunt Libbie better than she supposed her to be.

Saturday Sept. 8th: To-day has been a very pleasant day and quite warm. Mama has been sick all day with the neuralgia. The boys went up to-day to the track to have a race with their colts (Robin and Jissie) and Robin which is Rickey's horse won the race.

Sunday Sept. 9th: To-day we were all kind of on the sick list so we did not go to church. Richard hitched his horse on our best phaeton and took me for a ride and I think his horse is just lovely. He also took Mama and Grandpa for a little ride. It has been a lovely warm day. The grapes are just getting ripe so that we have commenced eating them.

Monday Sept. 10th: To-day has been pleasant. Mama went up to see Mrs. Post who has been sick. We have decided that I had better not go to school any way for the first term. Mama has not been feeling well and had the doctor this evening. I made my first button bag to-day.

Tuesday Sept. 11th: This has been a very pleasant and warm day. We received a letter from Grandma saying that she was having a lovely time. Eber put the saddle on Grandpa's horse to-day and Grandpa was very much pleased to find that she singlefoots nicely but slowly. Grandpa was up to our house to tea. The doctor was up to see mama this evening and thinks she is better.

Wensday Sept. 12th: This has been a pleasant day.

Thursday Sept. 13th: Papa, Grandpa, and the boys have made up their minds to go to Plymouth to-morrow to see some riding horses. Last night we had a [post].

Friday Sept. 14th: Papa, Grandpa, and the boys started early this morning for Plymouth and arrived homem at six o'clock. It has been quite cool to-day and very [?] it very nice for their journey. They saw three saddle horses but none suited them. They also visited fish hatchery at Northfield and all together they had a very nice time. They rode about 50 miles by the time they got home.

Thanks for reading! Tune in next Tuesday for another week of Abba's diary!

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Native American Graves on Water Street Property

Everyone knows about the Native American artifacts and bones on the west bank of Riverside Park. But what about EMU and even the Water Street property? There's more to the story--check it out at YpsiNews.com.

Image: the 1927 Hinsdale map showing a burial site (marked with cross in circle) north of Washtenaw.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

Wednesday Mystery Spot

The previous Mystery Spot offered a view of some all-season flowers on the south side of town. Over on Facebook, Janice correctly guessed that this is a photo of a home on Grove Road just a bit south of Michigan Ave. It's at about 26 Grove Road on the west side of the street.

We head a bit north this time for a tricky interior shot of a building that no longer exists. Hmm, where was this peaceful spot? Take your best guess and good luck!