THE CRYSTAL SLIDE: Sometime after 1907, when George Blanchatt purchased the 23 acre parcel of land known as Shadduck's Grove, he added a water tobaggan (pictured above) to the place he had named Crystal Beach. It sure looks like it must have been fun. I believe that later in the century when the Vermilion-On-The-Lake resort was being developed that there was a similar slide built behind that clubhouse.
In a coversation with Marlene Calvert-Feldcamp she told me that she and her sister (Sandy?) are doing a book about the amusement park. For those who don't know, Marlene and her sister are George Blanchatt's granddaughters. A book about the park would be well received. Numerous folks ask questions about it. There are a million mememories there.
One thing about this photograph in particular: As always I'm experimenting with my software. Without any formal training it's a hit and miss affair (usually more miss than hit). In any case, what I've been trying to do was to isolate pix and text so that I might place it on any background sans framing. The simplistic concept is that I wanted to make the background(s) on certain items invisible/transparent. Sounds easy, but it wasn't. It's still not as perfect as I'd like - but the software (to me) is rather complex. Some skill is required. Next month I'll be getting some newer software that I hope will make the process easier. And I'm sure everyone needed to know all that stuff.
EXCHANGING PARKS AGAIN: After last Saturday's "Views" was electronicized/published I stopped at Exchange/Rubberneck Park to look at the renovations taking place. These photographs give one a fair estimate of what's happening. I've not seen drawings of what the park is supposed to look like when finished, but just watching the activities there gives me a fairly good idea about it. Actually it looks as though it will be rather attractive.
In front of the veteran's memorial clock there looks to be a semi-circle of concrete appearing. And just to the west of it (on the corner) there is a circular concrete affair that I cannot identify. It could be a fountain.
Whilst they have dug around the base of the old cannons I am uncertain as to if they will be moved, or if all they're doing is reinforcing the bases upon when they sit. The old concrete bases were crumbling.
I'll keep taking pictures until the park is finished. So Vermilionites in other places will be able to see how things transpire. It should prove interesting.
TINNY: This is my sister, Nancy Alice Emery, riding her brown horse, Tinny, down the street in Vermilion a few years ago. I was very young when she had this horse, but remember it very well. I was afraid of horses. But Tinny was a rather gentle soul. My brother, Bill, had a pinto named Cloud. Cloud was a gorgeous animal, but not a gentle soul.
When our family lived on Perry Street (510/728) Nancy and brother Bill would often ride their horses from their stable on West Darrow Road to the house. If memory serves me to any degree it seems that Milton Karchin was also a person who had a horse at the time and would come to the house with them.
T'were a time when horses were not so uncommon about town. There was a local club called "The Saddle Club", and the club held several horseshow/rodeo type events in the summertime. One I recall was held at a farm just north of Axtel Corners. There was even a stagecoach. Those were great great times. (You should've been there.)
THE MAUD-ELTON: My friend Dennis Lamont from Birmingham forwarded this to me last week. It was from an advertisement in a 1910 Interurban Guidebook. Dennis just wanted to know the reason the hotel's name appears written as it appears above and as the Maudelton in other publications.
As many folks know Maude and Elton were George Fischer's children. My assumption is that, initially, the hotel's name looked exactly as it did in the 1910 advertising banner, and that in later years the two names just blended because most folks did not recognize the significance, and/or when pronounced orally it became one word for one hotel's name.
There are some interesting questions about the history of Vermilion. This is one. Another was the name "Rubberneck" for the park pictured above.
As obvious as it is that name apparently was that taken from those who sat in the park watching life pass bye on the road who were (of course) called "Rubberneckers". Methinks it is fortunate that that was all those folks were doing.
PRETTY PIX: I just wanted to use these photographs because they are beautiful. There are many pictures of both the Linwood Hotel and Vermilion's harbor, but few are as nice as these.
As I knew the hotel it was never as attractive as it appears in this photograph (an many others). I remember a rather plain large white building. It wasn't ugly, but it also wasn't anything to write home about.
The inner harbor picture is great. Not only do I like the tints, but there's a very good view of Lewis Noel's (Cloudy's) ferry business on the (right) east side of the river toward the lake. I recently came across a small article from The Vermilion News in 1919 where Mr. Noel braved the lake waves to rescue someone in peril just of the beach of Crystal Beach Park. Assuming that his boat was a flat-bottom affair this was no small feat.
But beautiful pictures - no?
HERE'S YOUR SIGN: Sin Loi, folks. Everybody's been on their toes this week. So nobody gets the sign. But I'm certain that we'll all keep working on it.
CLASS REUNION UPDATES: The Vermilion High School Class of 1959 class reunion is being held as I write (between October 8 and 10, 2004) here in town. Those looking for more information on the subject can now visit the Class of '59 website by clicking on the highlighted text. To my knowledge Roger Boughton is responsible for this site. I will mention that a visit to this particular website is worth ones time. This will be the last week that I list the site on this page unless Roger intends to keep it going. I hope you folks all have a great time.
Ray Beursken tells me that the VHS class of 1955 has scheduled their 50th class reunion on September 10, 2005 at the Boat Club. Class members of 1955 might want to put this date on their calendar. They're hoping for a good turnout.
A gal named Shelly from the Class of 1985 tells me that "the VHS class of 1985 will be having a 20 year reunion in the summer of 2005......no further details. The name of the organizer is Kim Schultz."
Persons interested in having their VHS (and vicinity) reunion plans posted on this site are welcome to do so. I can't provide anyone with webpages to post their activities in depth, but I can provide a link to existing pages and/or post some activity items here. All anyone need do is contact me at my email address and pass along their material electronically.
As news regarding VHS reunion activities comes to my attention it will appear on this web page. So stay tuned.
The Beat Goes On: The page is generated by the dreaded Macintosh Computer and is written and designed by (me) Rich Tarrant. It will change weekly ~ usually on Saturday. Bookmark the URL (Universal Resource Locater) and come back at your own leisure. Send the page to your friends (and enemies if you wish). If you have something to share with those who visit this page, pass it on. And if you see something that is in need of correction do the same. My sister, Nancy, is a great help in that respect. It only takes me a week to get things right. And follow the bookmarks. You might find something you like. If you experience a problem with them let me know. Also, if you want to see past editions of this eZine let me know and I'll send them to you.
Links to other sites on the Web
Vol.2, Issue 29, October 9, 2004
© 2004 Rich Tarrant