This holiday is often a time for homecomings, parades, football games, and possibly planning one’s shopping for Black Friday. At some point between commercial breaks and dessert some family member is sure to start reminiscing about a childhood event, a family ritual, or a missing loved one. Remember that these will be the good ‘ol days some day and the stuff of historical societies in the future.
Thanksgiving Day Greetings 1909, scan courtesy of Mary Yearly FlanaganWe spend no small amount of effort on these pages trying to determine who lived in a house a century ago, where our several post offices were and when, or examining lives of past citizens. The people living here and the way of life experienced in this borough – the ancestry and culture of Riverton, if you will – seem still worth preserving and documenting over 160 years after its founding.
Just a thought… if anyone is in a position to record for posterity these present-day tales of ancestry or any one of so many everyday vignettes that are part of what we will all want people to know of Riverton 30, 40, or 50 years hence, please help chronicle, record, and illustrate these future olden times.
In twelve seconds that changed the world in 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved the first successful powered airplane flight and soon seized the public’s imagination with the new technology that gave birth to the Age of Aviation.
“The decade after the Wright brothers flew at Kitty Hawk in 1903 witnessed a wide range of reactions to the new technology… The airplane had meaning for everyone—from popular enthusiasm for the pilots and their aerial exhibitions, to the commercial and military potential of aviation, to the broad cultural implications of flight, to the artistic expression it inspired.”
Why, even St. Nick would soon eschew his traditional sleigh with its eight flying reindeer and embrace the new powered flying machine as depicted on these early 20th century postcards. The mechanical powered flight by the two bicycle mechanics from Ohio inspired a public fascination with aviation, flight, and modern technologies which postcard artists of the era exploited to appeal to buyers.
John Winsch designed Joyful Christmas postcard 1913
Suddenly, postcard artists mixed the technological marvels of the day – dirigibles, hot-air balloons, and aeroplanes – with traditional holiday iconography and Santa’s transportation choice received an instant upgrade.
On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright successfully flew their powered aircraft for 12 seconds above the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, NC. IMAGE CREDIT: nasa.gov
Come back next week to see more vintage Santa postcards with an aeronautical theme courtesy of collector, Harlan Radford, Jr.
The Borough of Riverton will hold a Veteran’s Day ceremony at the Riverton War Memorial on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at 11 a.m.
The Riverton Military & Veterans Affairs Committee will addthe following names of veterans to the memorial: Elton Catoe, Donald D’Amato, Alfred W. DeVece, Paul M. Hoad, William Ulrich, Anthony R. Wellens and George J.Mack.
The Historical Society of Riverton thanks all veterans for their service and is proud to exhibit the Riverton Veterans Honor Roll Album, a 55-page virtual scrapbook full of veterans’ service photos, news clippings from the hometown New Era newspaper, period advertisements, wartime posters, ration stamps, etc. We ask for the help of our readers in getting more photos of veterans for this online tribute to our hometown heroes.
This poster comes from the extensive website of the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. Have your kids ever asked you what the difference is between Veterans Day and Memorial Day? Or how either one started? Do they get mixed up about the different conflicts in which America has been involved – WWI, WWII, Korean War, Vietnam, Gulf War, Global War on Terror?
screenshots of various pages from the USDVA Teacher Resource
Do not assume that this USDVA Teacher Resource Guide is only for schools. There is plenty in it that may help a parent explain the legacy of Veterans Day, why we celebrate it, and how to properly thank our Nation’s servicemen and women for their sacrifices. Over twenty Student Resource pages include topics about flag etiquette, America’s wars, essay contests and scholarships, and for younger children, a play, coloring pages, and a maze.
There is probably some material in there for which we adults might learn or perhaps need some refreshing as well. The Veterans History Project on page 11 which features oral histories of veterans intrigued me.
Anyone interested in learning more about the Riverton Military & Veterans Affairs Committee should contact Mayor Wm. C. Brown, Jr. or Robert E. Smyth through contact info you can find on the Riverton Borough webpage. Visit our Riverton Veterans page for past posts about our veterans.
We hope to see you on Sunday. Is there any doubt whatsoever that the freedom we enjoy today is the direct result of the sacrifice of generations of veterans throughout our Nation’s history? – John McCormick, Gaslight News editor
This Clapsaddle card of a scared little boy that was reading ghost stories was postmarked on Halloween of 1912.
The century old postcard at left, courtesy of Moore’s Postcard Museum, is one reminder of how children of 1912 viewed All Hallows’ Eve and its still relatively new tradition of knocking on doors and asking for food or money that became known as “trick or treating.”
Kids of today will remember 2012, if for nothing else, as the year that Hurricane Sandy hijacked Halloween. Or at least, derailed it for a couple of days.
Governor Chris Christie signed an executive order on Wednesday, October 31, postponing Halloween until Monday, November 5.
Riding out Hurricane Sandy – Monday, 10/29/12 at 3 pm
After hearing from friends in Riverton and trading stories about how we weathered the storm, I post the following images, more for the benefit of those expatriated Rivertonians who wonder how their old hometown fared.
The image at right, from Riverton Yacht Club’s website, shows white-capped waves slamming against the dock leading to the historic Club House on the Delaware River. Note the debris on the grass above the river wall. If any reader knows the greatest water level that Sandy caused here, please advise. It must be historic.
View from the RYC Club House by Mark HorgerMark Horger: This is when I was leaving, Harry and I were upstairs for an hour. 10/29/2012 3:51PMView from upper level of RYC by Mark Horger
RYC member, Mark Horger, took some remarkable photos and posted them on facebook as the storm bore down on the riverbank, eliciting several “likes” and one expression of being lucky to have come out of it well.
According nj.com, the state climatologist at Rutgers University, David Robinson, called Sandy the worst storm New Jersey has seen.
We welcome any sailor’s observations or comments on the effects of the storm on Riverton in general, or specifically on the Yacht Club and the boat fleet.
Paul May on Cedar Street 10-30-2012 by Susan DechnikThe treees missed the cars and our house! – Susan Dechnikuprooted trees at riverbank by Susan Dechnikaftermath of Sandy by Susan Dechniknear Tenth and Main by Susan Dechniknear Tenth and Main by Susan DechnikSandy’s aftermath by Susan Dechnikuprooted tree by Susan Dechnik
Judging by these images sent in by Mrs. Susan Dechnik, Sandy diminished Riverton’s 2,474 tree census figure a bit.
She reported that a large tree fell near Tenth and Main and she lost a favorite weeping cherry tree in her own back yard on Cedar Street.
She counts herself lucky that it fell away from the house and downed trees on Cedar missed her parked cars.
All told, that is enough scariness for 2012. If this week simply goes down in history as the week that Halloween got postponed, then we can surely can count ourselves fortunate.
Trees can be replaced, broken roofs and windshields repaired, but keep mindful of the many who have suffered devastating losses to homes, business, and lives as a result of this history making storm. The hurricane that some called Frankenstorm turned out to be quite a monster, indeed.
The American Red Cross has a huge relief response underway to Sandy, providing thousands of people across several states with shelter, food, and comfort during this difficult time. You can make a financial donation by visiting www.redcross.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or by texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
We welcome your observations and comments and appreciate any note of an error made here.
