Month: May 2015

Diary

Phoenix Overnight

by Editorial Team
Vacationing on Wednesday, May 11, 1966, on their way from Minneapolis to California, Dale wrote, “Helen and I drove from Socorro, New Mexico, to Phoenix, Arizona, 381 miles.  Beautiful day.  Through Salt River Canyon etc.  Stopping at the Desert Hills Motel, nice place.  High about 87° here today.”
Diary

California Toddler

by Editorial Team
Vacationing from Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 10, 1961, Dale wrote, “At Reseda.  Had a late breakfast.  Fixed the water pump on Stan’s evaporative air conditioner and it works good.  Washed the Plymouth.  Wrote a long letter to Dalene and Mother.  In the 80s.  Took some snapshots and movies of the house, and of Jeff.  Ran some movies.”  Above: Dale’s first grandson Jeff and me on our front sidewalk.
Diary

California Dreamin’

by Editorial Team
Vacationing from Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 9, 1961, Dale wrote, “Helen and I drove from Peach Springs, Arizona, to Reseda, California, to Stan’s house.  2,350 miles from home.  Called Dalene at night.”  Above: Stan and Judy’s house in the San Fernando Valley suburb of Reseda.
Diary

Three Bedroom Trailer

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Thursday, May 8, 1958, Dale wrote, “Nice day, high 67°.  Looked at trailer homes after supper.  50 feet long, 10 feet wide, 3 bedroom for $5,000.  Took Dalene’s friends home after a style show.”  That trailer would cost over $40,850 today.
Diary

Royal Gorge

by Editorial Team
On Sunday, May 7, 1961, Dale wrote, “Helen and I drove from Norton, Kansas, to Del Norte, Colorado – 520 miles.  Saw the Royal Gorge and lots more beautiful scenery.  Got a nice motel.”  This was the third day on their way from Minneapolis to California.
Diary

Larry & Irene To Wed

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 6, 1959, Dale wrote, “More welcome rain.  High 53°, low 42°.  Cooled off considerable.  Letter from Wilma, Larry is getting married again.  Helen and I went to Dalene’s high school choir concert at night.”  George and Wilma’s son Larry Casey was to marry Irene Vanderlinden.  Wilma was Helen’s sister.
Diary

Staying At Yates’s

by Editorial Team
On Friday, May 5, 1961, Dale wrote, “Helen and I left Minneapolis after work and drove to Estherville, Iowa, to Gene and Lela’s to stay all night.  Rain about half the way and rain all night.”  Lela was Helens’ sister, married to Gene Yates.  This was 165 miles via U.S. 169, the first leg of their vacation trip to California.
Diary

Got A Trailer Itch

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Sunday, May 4, 1958, Dale wrote, “Nice day.  Raked and mowed the back yard.  Seeded along the front curb and by the front porch.  Looked at some house trailers.”  Trailers again, as in the 1958 ad above.
Diary

Get A Job!

by Editorial Team
In Muscatine on Saturday, May 3, 1952, Dale wrote that I got my first job, as a carry-out / stockboy at Otto’s Grocery Store, at 206 East Second Street, for 35¢ per hour.  They recycled empty grocery boxes for customers to take their purchases home, and I had to learn how to select the smallest box that would hold the goods, and to pack with the lightest items on top to prevent crushing.  I worked each Saturday and was paid in cash in a small brown envelope with gross and net pay written on the front – my first Social Security earnings.
Diary

Helen’s New Charge

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 2, 1962, Dale wrote, “High 75° and nice.  Teri here awhile in the afternoon.  I took some movies of her.  Put new awnings up at the kitchen and dining room windows.  Letter from Mother.”  Helen babysat Teri Lee Roath for several years.  Above: Dalene with Teri in 1962.
Diary

Hello, Target

by Editorial Team
On Tuesday, May 1, 1962, the first Target discount store opened in the St. Paul suburb of Roseville, Minnesota.  The parent company was founded in 1902 in Minneapolis as the Dayton Dry Goods Company.  The Target division became the largest division of Dayton Hudson Corporation, and the company was renamed as Target Corporation in August 2000.
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