Alvarado... Where Dad grew up!

On September 12, 1905, the Post Office officially changed it's name from Snake to Alvarado - the beginnings of this little town.  Unoccupied land is going for $30-$35 per acre.  In 1908 the population is 202 and the town becomes incorporated.  Axel Pederson, known as “Klink Axel,” builds his blacksmith shop, feed mill, and residence.  S. S. Trickey moves into town from his farm. He is a happy guy who serves as auctioneer, pulls teeth, sells Reo automobiles, and serves on the Village Council.  

And so it goes with little mid-western towns, full of ... interesting characters!

Alvarado in 1908 ---is the house Dad lived in built yet?

In 1912, you can take the train from Alvarado to Warren for 27 cents.
A trip to Minneapolis will cost you $6.65.

 In 1921, the first basketball team takes the court for Alvarado High.  The first students graduate from Alvarado High. Prior to 1921, students only went through the 8th grade.

In 1926, the Memorial Bridge over the Snake River is dedicated on June 5. The bridge costs $15,000.

In 1937, Oliver is born.  They were living on a farm across the field from Myrtle's sister, Esther.  Myrtle writes:  "The following April I had my second child, a boy we named Oliver LeRoy.  He was named for the son of my sister Esther.  Esther lived across the field from us and had just lost her firstborn son in an accident.  He was 13, and his name was Forest LeRoy."

In 1944, Ole Bergman, the man Harold had lived with for many years when he was young, and his mother had worked for, and who was now the county commissioner, heard about this house that was for sale very reasonable at only $750.  He paid down on the home for us and gave it to Harold.   Now we had our own home.  Our move to Alvarado was complete.

This is Alvarado in the snow .... so peaceful looking!

(Not sure when the photo was taken, or who took it.) 

 

Alvarado Public School, 1957

1960s Christmas

Growing up, we always had a fresh Christmas Tree

As the years progressed,

our trees looked a little better than this one!

And, of course, the ever present tinsel!

Every year, we took a photo in front of the tree

(I'm thinking I'll cover these posts in groups by decade)

This is 1965

Each year, the pile of presents becomes better and better.

Check out that old TV!

You can see the beginnings of Mom's "Little Town"

that, too, gets better and better each year.

I'm betting a few of the ornaments on this tree

are still among mom's treasured ornaments now!

We had family to share this Christmas with us.

Mom's sister and her family came out.

Mom shared that us girls moved in their room

and Marge and Jim and the boys shared us girls' room.

Luckily, the bedrooms were very large on Maude Ave!

Ornaments with history became 'my thing' as an adult, and

each year I purchased and dated some.  With old dates

and stories, each year they're unwrapped and put on a tree ...

Sometimes, it's like seeing an old familiar friend!

Head West!

When I was three years old, my parents decided that "Heading West" was a good idea.  And my mother's sister, Margie, and her family came along.  We lived in apartments in Sunnyvale, close to the Steamship Park (Serra Park).  They lived upstairs, we lived downstairs.  Both Dad and Uncle Jim found jobs at Stanford University doing all kinds of maintenance.  When the school year was over, they cleaned out professors' homes and dorms.   They also both worked for Mike at the Shell Station on the corner of Bascom and Hedding (In 2017, it's a Chevron station now).

Somehow, we ended up with a large white three wheel trike - not a kid size, but larger! and rode it everywhere.  We all shared, those were easier times.   I know the sisters were happy to be together - but it didn't last.  They went back to Minnesota; that was a very sad day indeed!    Times weren't easy back then.  If my memory serves, Dad was driving a '53 Chevy

We went lots of places ... the zoo, touring Stanford U, The North Pole (At Santa's Village) and all the local parks!

Danielson or Pederson?

I've been trying to locate information about my grandfather, Harold, and his mother, Christine, over several decades.  Of course, the one solid source of information, my paternal grandmother Myrtle has since passed on.  But even when she was living, she didn't speak much about her husband Harold's history, or of his mother.   So I started my own investigation over the years, and have even more questions now.

Harold was born in 1900.  The most expedient way to track him as been through the Census records.   Working backwards, in
1940 he's married, living in Rural Marshall Co, MN.
1930 he's single, lodger with Theo Bergman, MN
1920 he's single, laborer to Ole Bergman (Theo's father)
1910 he's listed as nephew to Pete Hendrickson (so my assumption is he's Christine's brother)

Nothing else was found under Harold Danielson, however in checking the 1905 Minnesota State Census, I find Christine listed, age 33, and under her name I find Harold Pederson, age 4.  The age timeline follows in line with Christine through the other years I found her in the census.  And if Harold was born in 1900, in 1905 he could easily be 4 when the census was taken, before his birthday had arrived.  The above photo, line 51 shows Christine, and line 52 shows Harold.  It also shows that they both have been a resident of the state for 1year 8months, and in their current residence for 6 months.

Which leaves me with a number of questions, of course.  Most of all, why is his name listed differently?  A census taker error?   Where did they live the other 1year 2 months in MN?  and based on the way she is listed as servant, is she working for the Henry Nystrom family?

I searched Harold Pederson, there is one born the same year as my Harold in the same location to a Simon Pederson.

It's been told down through the family that Harold arrived in New York with Christine in 1903.  Again, time wise, this would fit with census information that in 1905 they'd been in MN for 1 year, 8 months.  However, I have not been able to find either of their names on any incoming ship manifest.  Were they using different names before arriving?  Did she come to this part of MN because her brother was already there?

So many questions, no solid answers.
Sometimes I think my grandmother was right:  "let sleeping dogs lie"
She never wanted to share or reveal whatever it was she knew.

Myrtle's Sisters

My paternal grandmother, Myrtle, and her sisters.

I wish I knew more about this picture, where it was taken,

or about when it was taken.  I was assuming late 30s, early 40s.

What stories could there be behind a simple picture? 

perhaps that's what my fascination with old photos are.....

the things we'll never know!

Snazzy Ladies!

Laidley Girls

Louella, Della, Elsie, Hazel, Vera, and Irma

The one on the far left is my maternal grandmother, Louella 

(can't see her ring finger, but she wed in June 1930, her first born in 1932)

In trying to guess the year of this picture..... 

Della appears pregnant, but I don't know any of her children's birth years.

It appears Irma is wearing a wedding ring, she married in Oct 1930.  

If Irma is pregnant, and I believe she is, then this would be 1931/32 . 

Not sure of the occasion ... but they sure are dressed snazzy! 

Hot Tubs

HOT TUBBIN' !!!!

Ahh the oddities of the 80s.  My parents were on vacation in Oregon, and we decided to drive up and join them.  Tanya was probably 3, so 1985.  My uncle worked for a plumbing store, and yes, hot tubs were all the rage!  After the store closed (or maybe it was closed all day for a holiday?) he let us in to enjoy the hot tub!  Here's my dad and my daughter, enjoying the afternoon!!  Woo hooo!

My Uncle Gary and Aunt Linda also had a pool in their backyard.  And Tanya just loved it!!  She also loved her cousin, Aaron!!  They had some fun together, he was so patient with his little cousin!  Tanya wears hearing aids, and one afternoon, she was wandering on the deck of the pool, too close to the edge, and fell in fully dressed, hearing aids and all.  Me, I jumped in after her, fully clothed as well!

In fact..... I'll tell you a secret... Tanya loved any kind of water play! When she was in daycare, the weather was hot, and they were going to play at some water tables.  Well, Tanya being hearing impaired didn't hear all the detail, saw the little swimming pools, and promptly took off all her clothes to go play in the water!!!  The teachers all laughed when they shared this with me.... and also reminded me to teach her that swimming is NOT done in the nude at school.   *grins*

Camping, 1973

Camping - 1973

As a family, we camped a LOT - and loved it!

we were pulling a trailer with the Ambassador,

Looks like this was our trip to Yellowstone for a family reunion.

Fun Times!

1960

Me and my mother ca 1960

I assume we're at the house in Thief River Falls 

where they lived when I was born.

(don'tcha just love those cats eye glasses? and that hat?!) 

Bay Bridge

Bay Bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland
completed in 1937.
post card has several written notes on it:

• staying after school
• more pictures, more flowers
• home like.
• 
  
• a good teacher is one who is inspired of love guided by knowledge
• we should attempt to have our children grow

Golden Gate Bridge

Golden Gate Bridge - under construction

 Found this post card in among my archives. 

No idea where or when I acquired it.  

Bridge completed in 1937 reads the back of the postcard.

Laidley Sisters

Luella, Elsie, Irma, Della, Hazel, and Vera 

Digging through some old archives, I located this picture.  

It's labeled with names and birth dates of these Laidley sisters. 

While I enjoy having these pictures (cuz I'm a photo nut) they need to be shared!

Their birth years range from 1902 to 1912

Vera being the youngest, appears to be 3 or 4 yrs old perhaps

so this picture was taken ca. 1916.