Easter - 1954

Easter 1954 

It was pointed out to me, that all three girls are carrying an Easter flower

- a dandelion!  Picked for them by their father. 

Easter 1922

Beth Emmert - Easter circa 1922

Los Angeles, CA 

James W. Waning

James W. Waning - Age 5

March 27, 1912

January 4, 2009

Waning Road Trip - March 1939 - Part Five

Margaret and James Waning about 1936

So by March 24th it appears that the trip is winding down.  The Wanings go on to visit the city of San Francisco and a family friend.  While there is no written documentation of their return journey, based on the postcards they purchased, they travelled via Mt. Shasta and Castle Crags.

Golden Gate International Exposition

"Mar 24, 1939

Dear Folks,

Everything is in such a muddle I can't think of anything to tell.  This scene is more beautiful than the picture.  The tower can be seen from any place on the island.  We are going to see San F. today & Aunt Ethel tomorrow.

Jim and Marg."

  San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge

The following postcard was written by Margaret Upton Waning and addressed to her mother-in-law.  Laddy was the young couple's black Scotty dog.

"Hope Laddie has been a good boy.  Our feet & legs are tired from 3 1/2 days of tramping.  Today we are going to explore S.F. and see Mel Vinter's "Feminine Fancies".  Be home before long.

Dear Mom,

Isn't this some bridge?  We haven't been clear across it yet, will tomorrow when we go to see Aunt Ethel.  Jim & I sure wish you could see the flowers & lighting effect - worth coming to see - if you didn't see anything else.

Love,

Margaret"

Mt. Shasta

Castle Crags

Waning Road Trip - March 1939 - Part Four

The Golden Gate Exhibition of 1939 - According to the Bancroft Museum at Berkley...
"Held from February 18, 1939 to October 29, 1939, the Golden Gate International Exposition had a hard act to follow. The Panama-Pacific International Exposition was said by many to be the quintessential exposition. The final realization of Golden Gate International Exposition would be hampered by the state and the country coming out of the most severe economic depression in their history.

But given these limits, this fair too created a distinctive environment, reflecting the dreams and aspirations of its time. Its theme, the "Pageant of the Pacific" allowed the exposition to look out beyond the continental United States to the Pacific Rim, not only accommodating these diverse cultures, but also making them the focus of the exhibition. This theme was developed in much of the programming, architectural design and realization of the fair. Architectural contributors included Arthur Brown, Jr., George Kelham, Lewis Hobart, William Merchant, Bernard Maybeck and Timothy L. Pflueger.

The Evening Star from the Court of Flowers

 While the Panama-Pacific International Exposition reflected Beaux Arts esthetics and was a homage to European traditions, Golden Gate International Exposition demonstrated an eclectic blending of European, Eastern and Latin American architectural, landscape, and artistic styles. Evoking the exoticism of Pacific Rim cultures such as the Mayas, Incas, Malaysians, and Cambodians, many of the architectural structures reflected a nostalgic look at past civilizations. However, there were examples of a stream-lined, international style architecture, seemingly out of place with these other styles, but meant to reflect western nations along the Pacific Rim. Reinforcing this theme of modernism and technological innovation was the celebration of the earlier completion of the Golden Gate and San Francisco/Oakland Bay Bridges.



The Golden Gate International Exposition also took advantage of the high-tech developments, especially noted in the lighting of the fair. Jesse Stanton played the role of Jules Guerin as master colorist; and dramatic, indirect lighting, under the control of A.F. Dickerson, was used once again. Women played a prominent role in this exhibition, not only in helping with organization, but being focused upon as contributors to art exhibitions and to the special events at the fair.

The Court of Reflection and Arch of Triumph

Although it did not garner the popular and financial success of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition, the fair at Treasure Island, as with all international expositions, attempted to bring together the diverse populations of the world in peace. Situated on either side by two major difficult times, the Depression and World War II, the Golden Gate International Exposition was the last fair of this scale hosted by California.

The Elephant Train

"Mar. 23 '39

Dear Folks,

I didn't write yesterday.  Forgot in the morning, intended to write from T. Island but forgot.  We saw Ore. win both games.  Got home 1:30 A.M. first two nites 10:30 P.M. last nite.  Wake up about 7:30.  Clean up and ready to out to breakfast 9:30.  Fair open 10:00.  Will go to Los G. Sat. I think.  
T. Island is 1 mile long 2/3 mile wide.  We go back and forth until we are tired, stand till we have to sink down somewhere.  Rest half an hr. and go again. 

Elephant Train Ticket

Wish you could see all the beautiful sights.  The modern lighting of the exterior of the buildings is wonderful.  Lots of the exhibits are arranged in windows that light up when you walk under electric eyes.  
The kids are getting enough or short on money so we will be coming home in a few days.  Feeling fine, weather cloudy but warm except on Island windy.   

Jim & Marg't"

Map of Treasure Island and Exposition

Waning Road Trip - March 1939 - Part Three - March Madness

Golden Gate International Exposition Guidebook

"9:30am

Mar. 21, '39

Dear Folks,

Here we are at the Astoria Hotel ready to start out.  Saw Treasure I. last P.M. at little.  Saw Utah & Oklahoma then Oregon and Texas play.  Did you hear the games?  Oregon won easily.  Very poor crowd, maybe 1,000 people.  Ore. & Okla. play tonite then the winner goes east. 

Spent most of yesterday getting a new muffler put on the car and seeing the city.  City not as large as I expected.  We were even able to find out hotel when we came back from T. Island.  We are located next to Chinatown.  I took a little tour through last night 1:00 A.M. looking for a garage.  Got lost for a few minutes and went several blocks through all sorts of funny looking signs.  Real pretty, lots of colors.

China Town - San Francisco

Margaret is washing a few things and is about ready to go.  I am a whiz in this traffic.  Pretty tame now but was flustered at first.  All well - rain stopped yesterday.  High fog now.  Quite warm - no wind.

Jim and Marg."

Astoria Hotel Receipt

To put the sports references in historical context, the Wanings watched the

Regionals of the first NCAA basketball tournament - which Oregon won!

According to Wikipedia:

The 1939 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 8 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It was the first NCAA basketball national championship tournament. It began on March 17, 1939, and ended with the championship game on March 27 on Northwestern University's campus in Evanston, Illinois. A total of 8 games were played, including a single third place game in the West region. The East region did not hold a third place game until the 1941 tournament, and there was no national third place game until the 1947 tournament.

Oregon, coached by Howard Hobson, won the national title with a 46-33 victory in the final game over Ohio State, coached by Harold Olsen.

For you Bracket Fans - here's the link: 1939 NCAA Basketball Brackets.

Waning Road Trip - March 1939 - Part Two

Lane's Redwood Flat Postcard

I think the postcard below is the perfect James Waning postcard!  This was the man who lived to visit every kitschy roadside attraction - The Vortex, The Reptile Gardens, The Trees of Mystery!

Redwood Park Postcard

"Mar. 20

Dear Folks,

We are at a cabin about 18 mi. from San F.  Had supper and drove until 9:30 last nite.  Spent too much time in the big trees.  Some trees!  Stopped in this one for 1/2 hr.  Full of redwood novelties.  Weather clear - hot yesterday.  Raining hard this morning.

Jim & M."     

Redwood Highway

Note the "Redwood Highway" is a narrow, unpaved road!

Waning Road Trip - March 1939 - Part One

In March 1939, Jim and Margaret Waning left on a vacation to the Bay area.  They visited the Redwoods and then journeyed south to San Francisco.  This is the first of a series of postcards they sent back to Billy and Nett Waning (Jim's parents). 

This postcard is postmarked 19 March 1939 Orick, California.

Redwood Highway

"Dear Folks,

We are in Orick tonight.  Just south of Crescent City.  Came coast road.  Saw these trees.  One 32' diameter.  Weather foggy at C. Grove clear and fog in spots down coast.  Be in S.F. tomorrow easy I think.  Car working fine.

Jim & Margaret."

General Custer

Africa - 1928

I know that most of the eighteen and under set is celebrating Spring Break, but I thought it interesting to see what a young (age 15) James Waning was doing in his Geography class.  This is one of series of just over twenty colored maps which Gramps drew that year.  I think it is fascinating that his hand writing (printing) was unchanged as an adult, until the tremors in his hands made in impossible for him to write.

What a different world in 1928 - especially Africa, still mostly under the bonds of Colonialism and Imperialism (unlike the Texas Board of Education, I don't have any problem using those terms!)

James Waning was a sophomore and attended Mohawk Union High School for the 1927-1928 school year.

Cousins

Beth Emmert and James Waning

This photo was taken in Wendling, Oregon in 1926.  Beth is  about seven years old and James is fourteen.  They are both very dressed up - spiffy!  I especially admire Gramp's shoes! 

Great Day - Part Two

Quinten's last hockey jamboree for Cross Ice. Next year he moves up to Squirts!

A boy and his Pamp

Ready for action

Dad caught the celebration after one of Q's many goals. I love how the other team is laying on the ice, vanquished.

Great Day - Part One

The birthday girl and her pile of presents.

Kierstyn loves penguins and had asked me to make her a penguin cake.

One of Kierstyn's favorite gifts was a Reggie Bush bobble-head. It was Mikaila's idea.

Pamp and the kids. We have been having such a good time.

Happy Happy Birth Day Day!

Lexa, Kierstyn, and Kristi

Christian, Kierstyn, Will, and Matt - 1996

Matt, Kierstyn, and Will - 2005

Kierstyn - 2010

Our Grandfather's Grandfather

James Ambrose Waning

James A. Waning "hung out" in the Waning guest bedroom - at least his portrait did!  I don't know if you ever noticed it there on the wall as the room was quite dim and the portrait dark.   

James was born in Maine in April of 1836, the third of nine children of Jacob Waning and Lucinda Tozier.  Sometime before 1866 he married Margaret McManus, and together they had four children: Hattie, Joseph, Nellie, and Willard (Billie).

Margaret died of consumption in February of 1881 - she was only 36 years old.  Our great-grandfather Willard (Billie as he was known) was just six when he lost his mother.

Sadly Hattie and Nellie also died young, Hattie in 1892 at the age of 26, and Nellie sometime before 1903 when she was 31 or younger. 

Joseph Waning left Maine as a young man and moved to Massachusetts where he lived the rest of his life.  Billie too left Maine; first to Massachusetts, then Montana, and finally Oregon. 

James Ambrose ended up a widower with no children close by to care for him.  He spent the last years of his life living with distant relatives who cared for him - I need to look at letters I have from genealogical research I did in the early 1980's and I can provide the name of the folks who care for him.  James died the 9th of November 1915 at the age of 79.  

Wilsall Cowmen - November 1917

Ed Swandahl, Homer Mather, Austin Swandalh, and Billie Waning

I think this group of men are quite dashing in their own ways!

The back of the photo was titled "Wilsall Cowmen", and according to additional information on the reverse side, it was taken in November of 1917 in Chicago, IL.  I would image that our Great-grandfather, Billie Waning, and the three other men, had come by train with their cattle to take them to Chicago and to market.  Based on their dress, they had a bit of time to "cut up the rug" while in the Big Windy City!  It looks like a celebration, so perhaps they got a good price for their stock!   

In the 1910 census Austin Swandel is a 20 year old hired hand living in Little Elk School District in Meagher County, MT. By the 1920 census he lived in School District 21 in Park County as a stock farmer.  He was married to Ella, had become a naturalized citizen (Norwegian) and had a daughter Gladys.

In the 1920 census, Homer Mather is 34 years old farmer.  He was born in Iowa and is married to Clarabell, with two young girls, Mary and Doris and living in Horse Creek, in Park County.

In the 1920 census, Edward Swandal is single and 22 years old.  He is from Norway and had not yet become a citizen.  He was listed as a stock farmer living in School District 21 in Park County, MT.  

Fearless Females - Margaret Upton Waning

Margaret Upton - 15th birthday

17th June 1930

One of the genealogy blogs I read regularly suggested posting a photograph of a "Fearless Female" family member as Tuesday's post.  Well, to start off the series, who else would I nominate but Margaret Upton Waning?  I won't attempt to enumerate her many acts of courage - such as enduring a series of shots in her eye for the treatment of her macular degeneration!

I choose to honor Grams as a "Fearless Female" for her cross country car trip the summer of 1937. She drove her father's new Nash thousands of miles; from Oregon back to Blooming Prairie, Minnesota; on to Spring Creek, Pennsylvania; and finally Rochester, NY - visiting McAdam and Upton family members along the way.  

Long before interstate freeways came to be, Margaret made the journey on narrow, two-laned paved, gravel, and dirt roads.  She safely piloted the Nash which also carried her mother, Elsie, and her two younger sisters, Ellen and V'Ona.  She also was responsible for the daily maintenance of the auto. She mentions in a postcard about the vehicle over-heating. 

Later this summer I will write a more detailed post about this iconic journey!