Month: August 2012

At The 1941 Auto Races

In St. Paul on Sunday, August 31, 1941, Dale, Helen, Stanley, and Mary Ann Marshall (a neighbor girl) went to the Minnesota State Fair.  Dale watched the auto races while the others went through the exhibits and the Midway.
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At The State Fair

In St. Paul on Saturday, August 30, 1941, Dale worked a half day, then took his family to the State Fair.  He wrote, “Very hot.  Saw exhibits.  Went to Grandstand in evening to see Revue and fireworks.  Nice time.”  Below: a 1941 postcard for the Minnesota state fair.
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A World War II Reunion

In Osceola on Sunday, August 29, 1943, Dale wrote, “Family reunion.  Marie from San Francisco.  Lloyd from Omaha.  Dale from Clinton, Iowa.  Had fried chicken.”  Below: a 1940s reunion with Jettie standing at right; Stanley, Dalene, and Helen seated in front of her.
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Dale’s New Shoes

In Minneapolis on Wednesday, August 28, 1957, Dale wrote, “I painted Stan’s new basement clothes closet after supper.  My new shoes hurt my feet.  Letter from Mother, Marie hurt her ankle Sunday.”  Marie was Dale’s sister.
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Dick Powell And Ruby Keeler

In Minneapolis on Wednesday, August 27, 1958, Dale wrote, “High about 80°.  Rain in the morning and clear the rest of the day.  Dalene started to Columbia Heights High School as a Junior.  Watched a movie, ‘Flirtation Walk’ at night until after midnight.”
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Dale Writes A Letter

In Minneapolis on Tuesday, August 26, 1958, Dale wrote, “Beautiful day, high 76°.  Clear as a bell.  I wrote Aunt Ina and Jack Hook a letter.  He is in the hospital.”  Ina was Jettie’s sister, married to Jack Hook.  Here they are, many years earlier:
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A Virginia Mayo Movie

In Muscatine on Monday, August 25, 1952, Dale, Dalene, and Stan went to a movie at night, “She’s Working Her Way Through College.”  Ronald Reagan was in it, too.
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Dale Goes To The State Fair

In Minneapolis on Sunday, August 24, 1958, Dale wrote, “I drove the Dodge to the State Fair at 8 a.m. to get a place to park.  Walked around, saw machinery hill, saw horse-power thresher in action.  Rest of the family came in the afternoon.  I went to the races.  Had dinner and supper at fairgrounds.  Helen walked through livestock buildings in the afternoon.  Pretty cool day, high was only 66°.”  Below: the AgStar arena at the Minnesota state fair.
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At The Races

In St. Paul on Saturday, August 23, 1941, Dale and Stanley went to the Minnesota State Fair in the afternoon and watched the auto races.  Helen didn’t feel good and stayed home.  Below: a vintage auto race in 1941.
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We Rent Next Door

In Muscatine on Wednesday, August 22, 1951, Dale and Helen rented the house at 505 East Seventh Street, which was next door to the house we lived in at 507 East Seventh Street.  They did this to avoid a rent increase.  Below: Dalene and Helen in front of 505 East Seventh Street a year or two later.  This house had a nice screened-in front porch, as you can see.
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Remember TV Rabbit Ears?

In Minneapolis on Monday, August 21, 1961, Dale wrote, “Nice, partly cloudy, high about 72°.  Bought new rabbit ears for the bedroom TV.  Watched TV all evening.”  Below: rabbit ears.
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A Ride Around Lake Calhoun

In Minneapolis on Sunday, August 19, 1956, Dale wrote, “Took a ride in the afternoon around Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun.  Beautiful day, high for the day was 67°.”  Below: Lake Calhoun in 1956.
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A Visit To Como Park Zoo

In Minneapolis on Sunday, August 18, 1957, Dale wrote, “Drove Jacks to Como Park and Zoo in the afternoon.  Supper here and an evening of TV and visiting.”  Jack and Margie Nish (Helen’s niece) and their girls Ann and Cathy left the next morning to return to Osceola.  Below: a popular ride at Como Park Zoo.
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Shopping At Southdale

In Minneapolis on Saturday, August 17, 1957, Dale wrote, “Downtown with Jack and Margie in the afternoon and to Southdale.  Cool in the evening.  Stayed up till 1:30 visiting with Jack and Margie.”  Margie Schaffer, Helen’s niece, was married to Jack Nish; they were visiting from Osceola.  Southdale Center, in Edina, was the nation’s first enclosed regional shopping center.  It opened in 1956, is anchored by Macy’s, Herberger’s, JCPenney, and Marshalls, and has more than 120 specialty stores, a 16-screen movie theater, and a top restaurant lineup.  Below: the center’s Garden Court about 1960.
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Sunday Night TV

In Muscatine on Sunday, August 16, 1953, Dale wrote, “Smitty and Margaret Sinnott were here at night to watch TV.  Cool in the evening.”  Smitty was a co-worker, and Mrs. Sinnott lived next door.  Below: what a television set looked like in the early ‘50s – like most, ours was black-and-white.
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A River Cruise

In Muscatine on Friday, August 15, 1952, Dale took the afternoon off and took Dalene down the river on the paddle wheeler “Avalon.”  Below: a vintage postcard of the Muscatine high bridge over the Mississippi, with a paddle wheeler boat.
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Another Picnic

In Minneapolis on Wednesday, August 14, 1957, Dale wrote, “Nice day.  Brought a load of lumber home from work.  Stan got off work in the afternoon to go to a picnic at Excelsior Park.  Dalene went to a show with Sharon and Bonnie.”  Sharon and Bonnie were friends of Dalene’s.
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Supper At The Airport

In Muscatine on Wednesday, August 13, 1952, Dale wrote, “Took Helen for a treatment and out to Sky Nook for supper.  Pie and coffee at Johnny’s Grill.”  I think Sky Nook was the eatery at the airport.
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Stan’s Last Farm Visit

On Saturday, August 12, 1950, Dale wrote, “Stan, Dalene and I left Muscatine at 3 p.m. for Osceola, got there at 6:45.  Rain part of way.  Called Helen.  Visited with folks at night.”  Dad and Dalene drove back to Muscatine the next day, but I stayed at my grandparents’ farm for the next three weeks for the last time – my grandfather Williams Gardner died on December 16.  Below: Grandpa and I give milk to some barn cats that summer.
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