Author: Editorial Team

Diary

Dick Powell And Ruby Keeler

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Dale Writes A Letter

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

A Virginia Mayo Movie

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Dale Goes To The State Fair

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

At The Races

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

We Rent Next Door

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Remember TV Rabbit Ears?

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

A Ride Around Lake Calhoun

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

A Visit To Como Park Zoo

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Shopping At Southdale

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Sunday Night TV

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

A River Cruise

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Another Picnic

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Supper At The Airport

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Stan’s Last Farm Visit

by Editorial Team
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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Diary

Swimming At Lake Johanna

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Monday, August 11, 1958, Dale wrote, “A nice day.  Humid in the morning.  I took Dalene and Diana swimming at Lake Johanna.”  Diana was a friend of Dalene’s.  Below: Lake Johanna is in the Arden Hills suburb north of St. Paul.
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Diary

Hang ‘Em Outdoors

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Saturday, August 10, 1957, Dale wrote, “Mowed the lawn.  Dalene went swimming and wore herself out.  Helen and I washed after supper and hung the clothes outdoors.  High was 85°.”  Below: a 1957 ad for clothesline rope.
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Diary

Hot Day At The Zoo

by Editorial Team
In Minneapolis on Saturday, August 9, 1958, Dale wrote, “Gerald, Ressia, and Alice came about 11 a.m.  Hottest day of the year, 97° and muggy.  Went to the zoo and about cooked.”  Gerald Schaffer was Helen’s brother, Ressia his wife, and Alice their youngest daughter.  Below: a vintage postcard of Como Park Zoo’s monkey island.
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Diary

A Memorable Picnic

by Editorial Team
In Washington DC on Saturday, August 8, 1936, Dale and Helen went on a picnic and saw the German zeppelin Hindenburg flying over the city.
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