Today I have a guest blog by my great grandmother, Gloie Mae Flora. No, she’s not alive still, but this is a write up of her notes from her drive from Elwood, Indiana to Seattle, Washington for the 1962 World’s Fair. I love the agricultural observations throughout her notes. The language and notations are a little different in her writing than today. My favorite observation in her write up is the commercialism once they arrived at the World’s Fair. It’s exactly how my brother and I felt when we went to the California State Fair in 1984; “Where are all of the animals? We don’t need any Ginsu knives!” My other favorite observation in her notes is the Wall, SD description. It was the exact same when I drove through there in 2007 with my boys. What an amazing trip across the country that must have been in 1962. I could only find one, torn, picture of the trip in my grandmother’s piles of photos. I would have loved to include a picture of the people and the car they drove. Enjoy!
A Trip Through the West
Gloie Mae Flora
September 17, 1962
Have been home a week from our sight-seeing Seattle World’s Fair Trip and am still lazy. Ora and Edith Todd asked us to go with them in their car. We started at 7:05 (a.m.) August 21. The weather was cloudy and pleasant to drive. Went north by way of Kokomo, Logansport, Chicago Heights on the Interstate Highway. We had 3 car tolls of 30¢ twice and 20¢ once. We took our dinner hoping to find a table in the shade but we didn’t and ate in a parking lot. Turned watch back at Rockford, Ill. Reached Strawberry, Iowa point at 5 pm and got rooms at $6.50. Drove through park and ate the rest of lunch and bought ice cream.
Drove to Oberein, Iowa, for breakfast, cloudy again. The corn fields look nice now, so many have been poor. Raining at 9:10 a.m. Ate dinner at Primghar, Iowa. Got cokes at Mitchell, S.D. at 3:40. Saw haystacks by the hundreds and alfalfa fields, corn in some fields, much of it not even tasseling. Around Chamberlain, lots of fields of nothing, houses and buildings out in the open, no trees. Stormy looking now. Stopped at Lyman for gas. The man said “the farther you go the worse it will look.” At Kennebec no vacancy. At Presho S.D. a rainstorm. We got double rooms, 1 bath at $15.00. At Murdo we changed to mountain time. Lots of water holes, some man made. Can see for about 20 miles – so different from home. Kadoka, S. D. just before the badlands it was windy and quite cool. People that didn’t have coats wished for them. Lots of sight–seers. Immense hills of solid rock, colored like variegated ribbons. The drive around was 36 miles long at 3247 altitude. The Badlands include 170 square miles. The parts that are flat have short grass growing, no trees in sight.
Went on to Wall, S.D., not a very big town but my, my. One store advertised for miles and it was worse than Brown County on a Sunday. Dale said, “This town beats me.” You could hardly cross the street. The store had everything and out to one side stuffed animals life sized, bucking bronco, a covered wagon with two life-sized donkeys, real ones, hitched up so you could have your pictures taken with it, and we did. It sure was something. This is where Dale could not find his credit cards. We all looked inside and out of the car, on the street, etc. No sign of them. We stopped shortly after to get gas and the man says, “What are these?” Some one had found them and placed them under the windshield wiper. In all that crowd, we still wonder whoever did it.
While I am talking about miracles, will tell more. In loading up the morning before, Dale evidently set the train case on the curb while the suitcase was being put in the car. We didn’t miss it until we went to breakfast. We hurried back to the motel room and it wasn’t there. On the other side of the car it sat, money, travelers checks and all. Another one – another day Ora missed his watch while at breakfast so back we went and searched the room. No watch. Ora went around to the other side of the car and there it was on the ground unhurt. He was so thrilled. When at the Badlands, Edith and Ora decided they wanted to see more on an observation spot. So they got out of the car and took some pictures quite a ways off. Dale thought he would go, but decided to stay in the car. About two minutes later the car started to back down the grade so he grabbed hold and stopped the car. Had he decided to go, I shudder to think where the car and I would have gone – down among the rocks. I think someone was watching out for us.
From Rapid City, 25,310 (pop.) S.D. we went on to Keystone. The four Presidents, carved in stone, are a wonderful picture. On the observation tower it looked as though you could throw a stone and almost reach them. They were ¼ mile away. The stone erodes about one inch every 10,000 years. They were altitude 6000. The plaza where we looked was 5200 feet. We signed the guest book. Burros were along the road begging for food, also mountain goats. We went by the Coolidge Inn where we stayed. It was raining at 3:55 and still in the mountains going out. We stayed in Deadwood, S.D. Room $7.00.
We were in Wyoming at 6:55 a.m. Nights were quite cool and the sun in the daytime, hot. Ate dinner at Buffalo, Wy. Such scenery and the turns between Buffalo and Ten Sleep. Up to 9000 ft. Ten Sleep was down in a valley. Here was some excellent farm ground and lots of sheep feeders. Some rocks looked like rock had been melted and poured out in gobs. Some Mountains were snow capped and you could see them for 60 miles. We stayed at Cody (of Buffalo Bill fame) and went to an amateur Rodeo at night. We went through 3 tunnels and got out to look at the Cody Dam built in 1905-1910. The water was 233 feet deep. We saw mountain goats eating on top of the ridge. Wonderful. We went through 6 more tunnels in a mile. Spent the night at Shoshone. Room $8.00.
We entered Yellowstone Park at 9:40 a.m. The entrance fee was $3.00. There is a nice big lake and nice scenery but not any better than some we have already seen. We waited for the geyser to perform. The geyser area contains many acres. Here steam is coming out continuously and areas where water is boiling like over a hot fire. We left Yellowstone and began to see bears along the road. There were 14 in all. Ora had his glass down and we told him he had better close the window. He did and looked around and there was a bear with his nose on the window. Ora almost jumped out of his seat and was quite glad the window was closed. Continental Divide has an elevation of 8391. We saw so much fallen timber. They surely experienced a fire or severe storms years ago.
We entered Montana at 3:50 Sat. Aug. 25th. We stayed at Bozeman. Room $6.00. I believe that was the night I went to bed with my hat on. Sunday morning 6 a.m. – ready for breakfast. Between 8 and 9 we were stopped by a man in a truck saying there were sheep in the road. And what at first appeared to be a few sheep, were really 2400 sheep. The road wasn’t very wide. There was a man leading 3 sheep and a bit farther on there was a man on a horse with a gun, lantern, and dog. He was some dog, and he did not get his eyes off his sheep or his master. A man followed to be sure there were none left behind. Some sight – what patience. We followed their trail for miles and it turned and we went on. The road was a detour and very rough. Sharp and long were the inclines and dangerous.
On Route 287 we entered Glacial National Mt. Park at 3:25 p.m. Sunday Aug. 26th. Fee $2.00. It started raining gently at 3:45. An exciting, sometimes scary, interesting wonderful trip. Soon the rain turned to snow and then to fog. Our necks were so tired form looking at every snow covered peak, then it got so foggy e were glad to get out. We stayed just outside the park for $5.00. Inside it was double the money. We ate our breakfast at Kalispell, Mont. Saw three deer and our first, and only, rabbit.
Around Troy there were immense lumber yards and nice gardens and lots of flowers. We entered Idaho at 10:20 Monday Aug. 27th. There was much road construction and more lumber, mountains, and gorges. We had dinner at Sandpoint. Entered Washington, the Evergreen State, at 2 p.m. Lots of plowing here – the have warmer winters than we do. They plow over hills that are very high and run for miles. We wondered how they could do it. Went through another rock gorge on the road to Vantage, Wash. Here is the Columbia River. We crossed and turned West. Have gone down hill most all day. One bridge was 525 Alt., – lower that at home. At Ellensburg we got a room for $9.36. No time change as they have daylight savings time. The road runs through pines down hill for two or more miles. Temp. 48. There are steep hills and lots of people. We went to the Fair about noon. Entrance fee $2.00 each. (Previous to this, we stopped to rest at Snoqualmie. Am sitting in Seattle waiting for them to get a room.) We went on the monorail and the sky rides, but decided not to go up in the Needle. Ora and Edith went. We went to lots of different booths – so many just had things to sell, jewelry, etc. I supposed there would be displays from the countries etc. I think they wanted the American dollar. Saw part of Science building and a number of others. Got a pickle pin from Heinz display. The first half day and the next day were enough. I could hardly get out of bed.
We left Seattle and its hills and went to Anacortes and took a Ferry to Sidney, Canada. Got on a ferry at 10:40 – a nice ride as the water was very still. By land from Sidney we went to Victoria and ferried to Port Angeles, Wash. The boat was about 360 feet long, the water quiet, so we had a wonderful ride. There were a lot of islands, (quite small) with people living on them and it made the ride interesting. We drove west through part of the Olympic Nat’l Forest, past Lake Crescent. We would pass log trucks every two or three minutes. The forest was dense and we couldn’t see the mountains for a mile at a time. Beautiful drive. The biggest pines and the most trees we have seen. Saw snow on the mountains quite often. We stayed at Forks (OR). They had a tall totem pole with an eagle on top, and a section of an immense log 11 feet in diameter. Drove through forest and logging areas – there was very little farming. Had dinner at Tumwater. On the freeway to Portland we saw many ferns, Spruce and fir trees – also a long train that hauled nothing else but logs. Near Centralia, Wash. There was more level ground and a turkey ranch with thousands of birds. The alt. of Seattle is 450 ft. and Portland is 77 ft. We crossed the Columbia river at 2:50 p.m. Friday Aug. 31st. There were lots of houseboats. Portland has 405,000 people. Ora’s niece, Mrs. Lyle Love lives here. We arrived about 5 p.m. They said their church next door was having a supper (like our family night) to honor a young girl who had stayed in the pastor’s house all summer (free) did whatever there was to do. She was to leave the next Tuesday to go back to school. Mr. Love was pastor of the Friend’s church were we went. Next morning we came back to the Love’s for breakfast. They took us to the Zoo and to one of the biggest shopping centers in the U. S. It was so big, we just saw a little of it. I forgot to say that they took us a night after the supper to Rocky Butte, Portland. It was a series of hills and on one hill the W.P.A. had erected an immense lookout with a drive all around. It was a starry night and you could see lights everywhere for miles and miles. They took us to a beautiful rose garden on top of a mountain. Beautiful. All colors and sizes – thousands of them. Motel room $5.00. We left there after a late lunch. They were very nice people. Ora visited another niece for a bout two hours. Our motel $4.50. Started on Rd. 30 and stopped to see the Bonneville Dam, Ore. It was arranged so they could count the fish as they went upstream. More than 4000 were counted the day before. Mt Hood is 14,245 ft. tall, snow on top 1/3. Mt Adams, 12,307 ft. In the valley were many pear and apple orchards.
On Sunday, Sept. 2nd we ate in a converted train car that helped supply food for a great road construction group. At 2:40 we were out of the mountains – big fields were plowed, nice homes and cattle there. Some of the grain wasn’t threshed. About 215 miles from Portland there were hills and valleys but no farm ground. In hunting a motel we saw what we thought was a nice one, but on inquiring, the men were told it was a nursing home and yes, they could put us in a bed right away. Ha. They said the nurses smiled, but they got out in a hurry. We spent the night in Ontario, Ore. After we left our $7.00 room and had been on the road 8 or 10 miles, Ora discovered he didn’t have his Bible so back we went and got it. Sept. 3rd was a cloudy morning. We saw lots of apples and sweet corn. Nampa, Idaho, pop. 18,000, sugar beets and lots of chicken, beets, tile, and navy beans. After dinner we saw many big potato storage houses. Went through Elwood, Utah, about a dozen houses, – nice school and farming district. We saw a big sign, which said Methodists, watch out for Mormon crickets. That made us wonder very much until we visited the Mormon Tabernacle. They had an organ recital and told how the buildings were made and about the crickets. Now I don’t know who needs to watch who. We stayed at Salt Lake City overnight, – some steep hills right in town. The road from there is in between great Mountains, and wind into more mountains. Entered Colorado 11:05 p.m. Right there is lots of nothing, and more of the same, and hot. The day after we left, Utah had an earthquake, not too severe. Over the Great Divide again at 2:55 at an elevation of 7104. Went to Steam Boat Springs. It really looks like a boat, part out of the water and a lot of other formations. Went through Rabbit Ears Pass, Ele. 9680 and on to Hot Sulphur Springs, Colo. Had to go over a road on the edge of a Mountain that was the worst we have had. Went to the home of another one of Ora’s nieces for breakfast. It had frosted every night for three weeks there and it did that night.
Entered Rocky Mountain Nat’l Park at 8:22, a bright and sunny Wednesday. Stopped on Jack Straw mountain and gave a squirrel a nut – elevation 10580 ft. It took it out of my hand. We saw lots of high peaks with snow on and we are as high as some of them. Heart beats hard and feel a bit dizzy. Ele. now 12,183 ft. – the snow is below us. People put on their coats and scarves. Lots of lookout points and lots of people looking. Ate dinner at Ft. Collins. Went to see Ora’s nephew and family but had to wait as they were not home. Stayed at Loveland overnight, $7.00. Went to Greely to see the immense cattle feeding lots and operations and are heading now toward Denver at 8:15 a.m. Loads of ensilage, potatoes and cabbage on the road, lots of beet fields. More feed lots full. Denver pop. 415,876. Went to see the Garden of the Gods, pretty red rock steam boat, balanced rock, etc., rocks and rocks galore. Went on to 7 Falls at Colorado Springs and rode in a cable pull car at a 45 degree angle 200 ft. high at an alt. of 6700 ft. so you could see all 7 Falls. The mountains were so close to the road you had to look straight up – pure rock.
Started home on R. 24. Will say goodbye to the mountains – had enough for one trip. Stayed at Limon, Colo. The street was divided, – could hardly get to the other side. The motel had a Japanese hostess. Entered Kansas at 10:40. Saw long slightly rolling fields, some plowed and some with nothing – Growing Sargo and Sorghum. There was some spindly corn, a few water holes and all streams dry. Later there was some good corn and the fields are big as we go East. Road 36 was straight with few trees, either around the homes or where streams were supposed to be – there were all dry. Close to Norton they were cutting Sargo and putting it in piles. We are now near the center of population of the U.S., Lebanon, at 3:30 p.m. There was real good corn near Belleville. We spent the night at Marysville, Kan. $7.00. Had breakfast at Seneca. Passing through Ellwood, Kansas 9:10 a. m. over the Missouri River into Missouri at St. Joe. We ate at Macon, Mo. The ground was good and bad like we went through yesterday. Saw wreck of cars, not serious, at Hannibal, Mo. Home of Mark Twain, 28,800 pop.
We are now in Ill. At 2:50 p.m. Nice driving. Entered Indiana at 9:27 a.m. Sept. 9th and ate dinner at the Hawthorn Club. Reached Indianapolis about 2 p.m. From there we came straight home and did it look good. (Went to church at the Bainbridge M.E. church.)
P.S. I think we saw enough hay to go around the earth twice if bales were laid end to end. We wondered where the cattle were that would eat it.
This has been a wonderful trip – no accidents, no sickness, 90% nice weather and nice people to ride with.
