Part One: The First Destination
A trip to Washington D.C.! It was perfectly unbelievable and impossible. Yet, it was true. I was really going.
Having spent the previous months from October to April 1935 attending school in Idaho Falls, Idaho, I had experienced the dreadful aches and pangs that only a homesick and lonesome person can. Therefore, when the news came that I was to leave school early and journey to Washington DC where my parents and sister had been staying the previous winter, you can imagine my joy. I was 14 years old and had been staying with my sister, her husband, and three darling children, the Grobergs. My only regret in going was leaving them.
Leaving at 6:30 Saturday morning, April 27, 1935, on the bus, I had a solitary trip to Provo, arriving about 4 pm. My sister, Vera, two years my senior, arrived from Manti where she had been staying with the Andersons shortly after. Aunt Jennie Knight had us stay with her and she taught us to be careful and keep clean on the long bus ride ahead. The next Monday, our brother, Raymond, took us to Salt Lake City, and put us on the Union Pacific bus at 12:30, with many instructions and warnings.
Fun, boy but we acted crazy and were merry. We talked continuously the first day until we were practically talked out. The bus stopped often and we were given periods off from 5 to 30 minutes. We were even dumped out of the bus at 12 pm, all sleepy and disgusted, to wait for half an hour. We rode continuously day and night, and the first time we changed buses was at Omaha, Nebraska. By that time, we had eaten our lunch and begun to buy our meals. We surely gave ourselves royal treats. Our one constant worry was of losing our purses with tickets and money in them. We each had $5 in our dresses to use in emergencies, though.
We ate regularly and tried to sleep only at night. At Omaha we found ourselves in central time instead of mountain. Not knowing much about haow to tip porters, having bags cared for, etc., we kep them with us. They were hindersome, and we got poor seats on the next bus. We surely saw some different types of people on the bus and in stations.
Arriving at Chicago where we had to make the second bus change, we were still feeling quite gay. The city didn't look half so great and grand as when we were there to the World's Fair. Guess that was because we saw little of it and not such a good part. We tipped porters for our bags here and also had them checked. We tipped one porter at first and another porter for putting them on the bus, besides paying for checking and getting them out too soon, going to the other extreme. However, we got good seats on this bus, changing here from U>P> to Greyhound. There was a steward aboard from Chicago to Pittsburgh that was interesting. I can't remember much scenery but how beautiful I thought Pennsylvania was, rolling hills, trees, wonderful greenness. We passed so many interesting little towns and I wish I could remember them all. At Pittsburgh on the third and one half day, we again changed buses, still with Greyhound. We washed, had breakfast, and tipped the porters about right this time.
While resuming our travels, we came to Gettysburg, quaint little town we had read about in connectiong with the American Revolution. We were also delighted by Baltimore with its white steps kept so spic and span. We slept quite a bit this last day although we tried to stay awake. It seemed we could not help it , such a long journey kind of got us. When we were just outside Washington, DC it seemed we would never get there. When we finally did arrive at the station, my heart gave a big thump! It was one of the biggest thrills of my life to see Mother and Father standing there, smiling; a taxi close by to escort us. We just sort of tumbled down into their arms, and well, you can imagine twhat followed; especially after a year of separation between parents and children.
Part Two: Our Stay in the Nation's Capitol
Whirling home through a noisy, beautiful city, everything seemed almost a blur. Arriving at the place where we stayed (a boarding house run by my sister and her husband, Ruth and Ray Brown) we were greeted by Helen, Ruth, and tiny Nora Mae. Our proud parents took all of us to view Washington DC at night and to see the Jarvises. Vera and I were thankful to have a bed that night, and the minute our heads touched the pillow, we were gone!
I remember going down to 14th St. with Helen, Vera, and Nora Mae to buy ice cream for the delicious strawberry shortcake or pie made by Ruth. How many times afterward we walked up and down 14th St. The Lindoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, Capitol, beautiful parks, Hain's Pointwee even more wonderful than I had imagined. Washington DC was the most beautiful city I ahd ever seen! The green shade trees that were everywhere, even in the main business section, delighted me. For such a larege city, it was clean and fresh appearing. We drove with Aunt Clara and Uncle Clarence Jarvis to Congressional cemetery; saw Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and other famous men's graves there. We went through the Navy yard twice and to Cedar Hill Cemetery with its beautiful dogwood trees.
Very and I went to the Capitol several times with our parents. We listened at Senate and House sessions; heard Huey P. Long talk and saw many distinguished senators. One day we saw President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his way to speak to the Senate, went through the beautiful Supreme Court and Shakespeare buildings, two of the most beautiful. Other places we visited were the DAR, Pan American Union, Red Cross, Congressional Library (where Mother did hours of genealogy), Catholic Monastery, Smithsonian Institute, National Museum, Corcoran Art Gallery, Howard University, Sunday School, numerous government buildings. Also, Ford Theatre, place where Lincoln died.
Especially good times we had were: polo, baseball games, picture shows in classy theatres (Naughty Marietta with Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy, Rose Marie, etc.) shopping for clothes and food, visiting Helen's high school for her graduation, trip down the Potomac River to meet Admiral Byrd's ship, The Three Masters, Arlington Cemetery, Lee's lovely home, Cadet Drill, Mount Vernon, so beautifully kep with slave's quarters and all, in Monticello, I believe.
Ruth had some Mormon boys living in her basement apartment who were working in Washington DC. They seemed so glad to see us Mormon girls; one of them especially liked Vera. I went on a Mutual picnic with Hank to Rock Creek Park. One embarrassing incident occurred as we visited Annapolis and started to eat our lunch on their well-manicured lawn. The caretaker immediately told us that was not correct so we hurriedly left. We saw an impressive drill and program there and also the capitol of Maryland at Annapolis.
Part Three: New York
We left for New York on June 3. However, the trip extended far west, north, and east of New York City. At Gettysburg, we hired a guide who took us through the impressive battle grouns (Breed's Hill, overlooking Bunker Hill, famous Revolutionary battle sites.) Journeying through Pennsylvania, we stopped at Harrisburg, the capitol. From Painted Post up through New York State to Niagara Falls, New York, the falls were marvelous. Vera and i enjoyed an excursion under them in a glass boat, Maid of the Mist. Going on into Canada, we had lunch there, not very good. Father drove us back through new York state to Rochester and on to Palmyra, where Joseph Smith had lived. We met some Mormon missionaries who yelled, "Hello, Utah! We are Mormon missionaries." Papa treated us all ti pie alamode. The missionaries were so glad to see some Saints from Utah. Brother Bean and family were looking after the Joseph Smith farm and we slept in the house. We saw the Sacred grove and Hill Cumorah. The Church was just beginning a small monument there in honor of Joseph Smith.
Journeying through Syracuse, Utica, and part of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, we arrived in Schenectady where we went through the General Electric plant. Going on to Albany, we went through NY state capitol and set out for Boston. The scenery through Massachusetts was nearly the most beautiful, I believe with the highway being marvelous. We stayed in Boston a day, residing at Peter Bent Hotel and viewing beautiful parks, Januel Hall, Lea Bay, Old North and South churches, Breed's Hill. At Cambridge we visited Harvard and travelled on through Rhode Island along the Atlantic waterfront to Connecticut. Saw Yale University at New Haven and on to the largest city in the world. Staying in a room just off Broadway and close to the waterfront, we enjoyed a show at Music Hall, greatest picture show house in the world.. Center Theatre was where we saw the opera, the Great Waltz. Other sites were Radio City, Coney Island (water cold and air was too, dirty beach), Empire State Building, Woolworths, small LDS Sunday School, Grant's Tomb, Statue of Liberty, drive along waterfront, 42nd St, Park Avenue, China Town, slums, huge boats, numerous subway rides.
After staying in New York City for a few days, we left for Washington DC. At Philadelphia we visited Independence Hall (where Liberty Bell is), Independence Hall, home of Betsy Ross, Jefferson University, and on to Princeton where we saw the famous school. We went through Delaware, Baltimore, and arrived in Washington one week after we had departed at 8 Daylight Saving Time.
Part Four: Third Destination, Home
We arose about 5 am on Monday, June 24, 1935 and left about 11:30 am. Upon reaching Richmond, VA we were south of the Mason-Dixon line and noticed a more relaxed way of moving and living, especially among the Negroes. We visited historical points of interest and drove on to Petersburg, and then South Hill, VA where we stayed in a tourist home the first night. Arising early, we viewed the capitol of Carolina where it seemed as if the people took life more eay than the mad rush in Washington DC. The country was dry in the Carolinas, and the Negroes were strictly black. They were treated as a lower class of people. We drove along a lovely palm drive to a beautiful beach at Savannah, georgia. At Jacksonville, FL we went wading in the ocean and ate watermelon at the beach. Have now been in both Atlantic and Pacific oceans. St. Augustine, oldest city in the US was one of the high points of interest in our travels. We enjoyed our day spent there immensely. We drank from the "Fountain of Youth' which supposedly was the one found by the Spanish seeking eternal youth. The scenery all through Florida with its palms, banana, grapefruit, and orange trees was just like I had seen in picture shows. Down to Daytona Beach, one of the most beautiful places of all, then Orlando. From there we turned our course northward and westward, with the country becoming less tropical but still beautiful.
After viewing the capitol at Talahassee, we went on to New Orleans, LA. Before arriving here, though, Vera, Helen, and I had fun swimming in the Golf of Mexico. At New Orleans we visited historic places, went to Sunday School where mother and father both talked. The members asked Vera or I to play church hymns as their organist was absent, but we were too frightened. The Saints treated us royally in all our travels and we enjoyed the Church meetings in many places about more than anything else, especially the small branches. At Baton Rouge, LA we met a missionary couple named Blackburn. Sacrament meeting was held in top of a bakery, and our parents were again asked to speak. We were proud of them. We visited Louisiana's capitol and decided it was the most modernistic and beautiful of all of them. It was built while Huey P. Long (controversial politician) was in office and was really a miracle building.
A trip to Washington D.C.! It was perfectly unbelievable and impossible. Yet, it was true. I was really going.
Having spent the previous months from October to April 1935 attending school in Idaho Falls, Idaho, I had experienced the dreadful aches and pangs that only a homesick and lonesome person can. Therefore, when the news came that I was to leave school early and journey to Washington DC where my parents and sister had been staying the previous winter, you can imagine my joy. I was 14 years old and had been staying with my sister, her husband, and three darling children, the Grobergs. My only regret in going was leaving them.
Leaving at 6:30 Saturday morning, April 27, 1935, on the bus, I had a solitary trip to Provo, arriving about 4 pm. My sister, Vera, two years my senior, arrived from Manti where she had been staying with the Andersons shortly after. Aunt Jennie Knight had us stay with her and she taught us to be careful and keep clean on the long bus ride ahead. The next Monday, our brother, Raymond, took us to Salt Lake City, and put us on the Union Pacific bus at 12:30, with many instructions and warnings.
Fun, boy but we acted crazy and were merry. We talked continuously the first day until we were practically talked out. The bus stopped often and we were given periods off from 5 to 30 minutes. We were even dumped out of the bus at 12 pm, all sleepy and disgusted, to wait for half an hour. We rode continuously day and night, and the first time we changed buses was at Omaha, Nebraska. By that time, we had eaten our lunch and begun to buy our meals. We surely gave ourselves royal treats. Our one constant worry was of losing our purses with tickets and money in them. We each had $5 in our dresses to use in emergencies, though.
We ate regularly and tried to sleep only at night. At Omaha we found ourselves in central time instead of mountain. Not knowing much about haow to tip porters, having bags cared for, etc., we kep them with us. They were hindersome, and we got poor seats on the next bus. We surely saw some different types of people on the bus and in stations.
Arriving at Chicago where we had to make the second bus change, we were still feeling quite gay. The city didn't look half so great and grand as when we were there to the World's Fair. Guess that was because we saw little of it and not such a good part. We tipped porters for our bags here and also had them checked. We tipped one porter at first and another porter for putting them on the bus, besides paying for checking and getting them out too soon, going to the other extreme. However, we got good seats on this bus, changing here from U>P> to Greyhound. There was a steward aboard from Chicago to Pittsburgh that was interesting. I can't remember much scenery but how beautiful I thought Pennsylvania was, rolling hills, trees, wonderful greenness. We passed so many interesting little towns and I wish I could remember them all. At Pittsburgh on the third and one half day, we again changed buses, still with Greyhound. We washed, had breakfast, and tipped the porters about right this time.
While resuming our travels, we came to Gettysburg, quaint little town we had read about in connectiong with the American Revolution. We were also delighted by Baltimore with its white steps kept so spic and span. We slept quite a bit this last day although we tried to stay awake. It seemed we could not help it , such a long journey kind of got us. When we were just outside Washington, DC it seemed we would never get there. When we finally did arrive at the station, my heart gave a big thump! It was one of the biggest thrills of my life to see Mother and Father standing there, smiling; a taxi close by to escort us. We just sort of tumbled down into their arms, and well, you can imagine twhat followed; especially after a year of separation between parents and children.
Part Two: Our Stay in the Nation's Capitol
Whirling home through a noisy, beautiful city, everything seemed almost a blur. Arriving at the place where we stayed (a boarding house run by my sister and her husband, Ruth and Ray Brown) we were greeted by Helen, Ruth, and tiny Nora Mae. Our proud parents took all of us to view Washington DC at night and to see the Jarvises. Vera and I were thankful to have a bed that night, and the minute our heads touched the pillow, we were gone!
I remember going down to 14th St. with Helen, Vera, and Nora Mae to buy ice cream for the delicious strawberry shortcake or pie made by Ruth. How many times afterward we walked up and down 14th St. The Lindoln Memorial, Washington Monument, White House, Capitol, beautiful parks, Hain's Pointwee even more wonderful than I had imagined. Washington DC was the most beautiful city I ahd ever seen! The green shade trees that were everywhere, even in the main business section, delighted me. For such a larege city, it was clean and fresh appearing. We drove with Aunt Clara and Uncle Clarence Jarvis to Congressional cemetery; saw Henry Clay, John C. Calhoun, and other famous men's graves there. We went through the Navy yard twice and to Cedar Hill Cemetery with its beautiful dogwood trees.
Very and I went to the Capitol several times with our parents. We listened at Senate and House sessions; heard Huey P. Long talk and saw many distinguished senators. One day we saw President Franklin D. Roosevelt on his way to speak to the Senate, went through the beautiful Supreme Court and Shakespeare buildings, two of the most beautiful. Other places we visited were the DAR, Pan American Union, Red Cross, Congressional Library (where Mother did hours of genealogy), Catholic Monastery, Smithsonian Institute, National Museum, Corcoran Art Gallery, Howard University, Sunday School, numerous government buildings. Also, Ford Theatre, place where Lincoln died.
Especially good times we had were: polo, baseball games, picture shows in classy theatres (Naughty Marietta with Jeanette McDonald and Nelson Eddy, Rose Marie, etc.) shopping for clothes and food, visiting Helen's high school for her graduation, trip down the Potomac River to meet Admiral Byrd's ship, The Three Masters, Arlington Cemetery, Lee's lovely home, Cadet Drill, Mount Vernon, so beautifully kep with slave's quarters and all, in Monticello, I believe.
Ruth had some Mormon boys living in her basement apartment who were working in Washington DC. They seemed so glad to see us Mormon girls; one of them especially liked Vera. I went on a Mutual picnic with Hank to Rock Creek Park. One embarrassing incident occurred as we visited Annapolis and started to eat our lunch on their well-manicured lawn. The caretaker immediately told us that was not correct so we hurriedly left. We saw an impressive drill and program there and also the capitol of Maryland at Annapolis.
Part Three: New York
We left for New York on June 3. However, the trip extended far west, north, and east of New York City. At Gettysburg, we hired a guide who took us through the impressive battle grouns (Breed's Hill, overlooking Bunker Hill, famous Revolutionary battle sites.) Journeying through Pennsylvania, we stopped at Harrisburg, the capitol. From Painted Post up through New York State to Niagara Falls, New York, the falls were marvelous. Vera and i enjoyed an excursion under them in a glass boat, Maid of the Mist. Going on into Canada, we had lunch there, not very good. Father drove us back through new York state to Rochester and on to Palmyra, where Joseph Smith had lived. We met some Mormon missionaries who yelled, "Hello, Utah! We are Mormon missionaries." Papa treated us all ti pie alamode. The missionaries were so glad to see some Saints from Utah. Brother Bean and family were looking after the Joseph Smith farm and we slept in the house. We saw the Sacred grove and Hill Cumorah. The Church was just beginning a small monument there in honor of Joseph Smith.
Journeying through Syracuse, Utica, and part of the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, we arrived in Schenectady where we went through the General Electric plant. Going on to Albany, we went through NY state capitol and set out for Boston. The scenery through Massachusetts was nearly the most beautiful, I believe with the highway being marvelous. We stayed in Boston a day, residing at Peter Bent Hotel and viewing beautiful parks, Januel Hall, Lea Bay, Old North and South churches, Breed's Hill. At Cambridge we visited Harvard and travelled on through Rhode Island along the Atlantic waterfront to Connecticut. Saw Yale University at New Haven and on to the largest city in the world. Staying in a room just off Broadway and close to the waterfront, we enjoyed a show at Music Hall, greatest picture show house in the world.. Center Theatre was where we saw the opera, the Great Waltz. Other sites were Radio City, Coney Island (water cold and air was too, dirty beach), Empire State Building, Woolworths, small LDS Sunday School, Grant's Tomb, Statue of Liberty, drive along waterfront, 42nd St, Park Avenue, China Town, slums, huge boats, numerous subway rides.
After staying in New York City for a few days, we left for Washington DC. At Philadelphia we visited Independence Hall (where Liberty Bell is), Independence Hall, home of Betsy Ross, Jefferson University, and on to Princeton where we saw the famous school. We went through Delaware, Baltimore, and arrived in Washington one week after we had departed at 8 Daylight Saving Time.
Part Four: Third Destination, Home
We arose about 5 am on Monday, June 24, 1935 and left about 11:30 am. Upon reaching Richmond, VA we were south of the Mason-Dixon line and noticed a more relaxed way of moving and living, especially among the Negroes. We visited historical points of interest and drove on to Petersburg, and then South Hill, VA where we stayed in a tourist home the first night. Arising early, we viewed the capitol of Carolina where it seemed as if the people took life more eay than the mad rush in Washington DC. The country was dry in the Carolinas, and the Negroes were strictly black. They were treated as a lower class of people. We drove along a lovely palm drive to a beautiful beach at Savannah, georgia. At Jacksonville, FL we went wading in the ocean and ate watermelon at the beach. Have now been in both Atlantic and Pacific oceans. St. Augustine, oldest city in the US was one of the high points of interest in our travels. We enjoyed our day spent there immensely. We drank from the "Fountain of Youth' which supposedly was the one found by the Spanish seeking eternal youth. The scenery all through Florida with its palms, banana, grapefruit, and orange trees was just like I had seen in picture shows. Down to Daytona Beach, one of the most beautiful places of all, then Orlando. From there we turned our course northward and westward, with the country becoming less tropical but still beautiful.
After viewing the capitol at Talahassee, we went on to New Orleans, LA. Before arriving here, though, Vera, Helen, and I had fun swimming in the Golf of Mexico. At New Orleans we visited historic places, went to Sunday School where mother and father both talked. The members asked Vera or I to play church hymns as their organist was absent, but we were too frightened. The Saints treated us royally in all our travels and we enjoyed the Church meetings in many places about more than anything else, especially the small branches. At Baton Rouge, LA we met a missionary couple named Blackburn. Sacrament meeting was held in top of a bakery, and our parents were again asked to speak. We were proud of them. We visited Louisiana's capitol and decided it was the most modernistic and beautiful of all of them. It was built while Huey P. Long (controversial politician) was in office and was really a miracle building.
