Saturday, June 30, 2012

Person-of-Mystery

Welcome to the Person-of-Mystery Contest!  You've found the home of everyone's favorite weekend pastime, where a stylized photo of a somewhat famous person from history is provided here for you to identify.

We'll take a break from the trip posts for today's fun, but I'll finish things up next week.


So, who could I be?  That's the mystery!  Go ahead and take a guess and then go enjoy your day.  Check back tomorrow and I'll reveal the answer.  The first correct post will be declared the winner.

If you'd like to make sure that your guess is correct, enter his name into Google Images and this photo will be found on the first pages of the image results.


...and a very happy Canada Day tomorrow to our neighbors to the North!

Friday, June 29, 2012

Kitschy California

I've taken numerous road trips in my life, but often these journeys are not what they used to be.  One thing I've noticed is that our country is becoming increasingly alike.  What I mean is that many places seem to have a certain sameness – the same chain stores arrayed in the same manner.  Among the many casualties of this cultural uniformity has been the loss of regional dialects, foods, and kitschy roadside attractions.  I was pleased to find one such place, Confusion Hill, still in existence.


It had a bunch of redwood carvings, a miniature train (which we didn't ride), a mystery house full of optical illusions, funny signs, and other things for the kids to do.  It was an attraction preserved in time.

Real neon signs and a great gift shop (notice Kristine sporting the new purse)


Kitschy signs with cutesy sayings everywhere

Balancing on nothing, how do they do it?

So many things to do, there was even a tree ring counting contest (see owners for answer).  The kids guessed close enough so the owner rewarded them with a prize – polished rocks!  Nice.  Oh, and out front was the world's largest free-standing redwood chainsaw carving.  It's always a plus when you have a world record of something at your roadside attraction.

For comparison, note Jonathan at the base by the letter W

For consistency, I've included the carving here next to the Statue of Liberty

There was a nice picnic area at Confusion Hill where we almost had lunch, but as time was short we decided to drive on and take in the Chandelier Tree, near Leggett, California, one of three remaining drive through redwood trees (all in private hands).

Tim driving through the Chandelier Tree

I'm sure they wouldn't let you make them today, but the drive-through tree is a staple of American roadside typologies.  The Chandelier Tree was clearly carved in the days before SUVs as our minivan had to fold down the side mirrors to fit.  After driving through and having to fold the mirrors as we went, Tim asked if he could take a second spin.  I joked to his mother that our trip was great, until Tim drove our car through a tree.  Kristine appreciated the humor – Tim tolerated it.  The park had a gift shop, clean restrooms, and a giant picnic area, worth the money for just the rest area.

Next stop – trash to treasure...

Thursday, June 28, 2012

Giant Redwoods

Continuing our trip, we drove up and camped in Richardson Grove State Park for the night.  Northern California is home to the tallest living things in the world, the giant redwoods.  I love the redwoods, they are so massive, that it gives you an otherworldly feeling as you journey through them.

Driving through the Giant Redwoods

These trees are difficult to photograph.  They're just too big.  The above picture gives you some perspective as there's a car in the photo.  I tried to find a nice infographic for you, but I ended up cutting-and-pasting my own:


I used the Statue of Liberty in the picture because it seems like everyone uses the Statue of Liberty when describing tall things here in the US.  I personally have never been to the Statue of Liberty, but I suppose if I did, it would put it in perspective.  If I ever go see it, I'll probably be thinking, "Gee, this statue is almost as tall as a giant redwood."

Looking up, I enjoyed this twisty one

In the redwoods, we also met up with members of my Boy Scout Troop who would be joining us for river rafting.


My son, Jonathan, atop a redwood root ball

And as Scouts, we're always on the lookout for a good swimming hole.  There's a nice one at Richardson Grove State Park and when we were driving, we found another that the locals told us about at the California Federation of Women's Clubs Grove, just south of the Founder's Grove in the Avenue of the Giants.  And to my surprise, there was an added bonus – a beautiful four sided outdoor fireplace picnic area designed by Julia Morgan.


Next up on our tour, Kitschy-Cool California...


Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Summer Kickoff Retrospective

Everyone knows the best part of being a school teacher is the summer season and having three boys we do a lot of camping!  My wife likes to plan our family trips and she had an eye on Northern California.  By coincidence my Boy Scout Troop was also planning a family rafting expedition around the same time, so we combined the trips and added a couple extra days for just family events.  Well, I'm now back from the trip and although it's nice to have a shower and a bed, I do miss the fun.  Over the next few days as I go through the photos, I'll try and give you a little taste of our trip.

We live on the Central Coast of California and the rafting trip was up on the Klamath River near the Oregon Border.  That's about a 10 1/2 hour drive, so we figured we'd take it slow and see a couple things along the way and go up the 101 Freeway instead of I-5.  Our first stop on the way up was San Francisco for lunch.


We all enjoy Chinatown.  The boys like the novelty shops, their mother wanted a new purse, I enjoy seeing something a little different, and we all like the food, so it was an easy choice.  The last time we were in San Francisco, we ate at his place called Cathay House at the corner of California and Grant Streets and enjoyed it.  Since we were short on time, we stopped by for a return visit.

Cathay House Restaurant on the second and third floors

Chinatown from the restaurant window


Yum!

Kristine had found a favorite purse last year at a shop around the corner on Grant Street, so she wanted something similar.  She found several she liked, but settled on two.  The boys and I looked at the knick knack shops instead.

After leaving Chinatown, we make a quick stop at Fisherman's Wharf for some fresh sourdough and then headed over the Golden Gate Bridge.

Next stop, Giant Redwoods...


Thursday, June 21, 2012

On the Trail

So sorry folks. I've taken off on another Scout trip. This time a rafting trip to Northern California, so no contest this week. I'll be back next week.

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Person-of-Mystery

Welcome to Cipher Saturday!  You've found the home of everyone's favorite weekend pastime, where a stylized photo of a somewhat famous person from history is provided here for you to identify.


Additional clues may be found in the cipher below:

Z GLDVIRMT URTFIV LM YLGS HRWVH LU GSV DLIOW

So, who could I be?  That's the mystery!  Go ahead and take a guess and then go enjoy your day.  Check back tomorrow and I'll reveal the answer.  The first correct post will be declared the winner.

If you'd like to make sure that your guess is correct, enter his name into Google Images and this photo will be found on the first pages of the image results.


Friday, June 15, 2012

Crying for You



"CRYING FOR YOU."
Copyrighted, 1905, and published by Knaffl & Bro., Knoxville, Tenn.

Postmarked Atlanta, Georgia, October 3, 1908, 9 PM

Miss Jessie Burrows
1153 University Ave.
Wichita, Kansas.

I don't know which one I'll send yet.  They're both just crazy to go.



Sunday, June 10, 2012

Honus Wagner

Congratulations to Norman Owen, winner of yesterday's Person-of-Mystery Contest!  He correctly identified the image as belonging to legendary shortstop, Honus Wagner.


Wagner, also known as the "Flying Dutchman," on account of his speed while playing baseball, is considered by many to be the best shortstop ever to play the sport.  Wagner was one of the first five inductees into the Baseball Hall of Fame.


His image is perhaps best recognized by most people today on account of his famously rare baseball card. The first baseball cards were actually sold not with chewing gum, but tobacco.  Although Wagner chewed tobacco himself, he did not want children to buy cigarettes to get his card, so he requested the American Tobacco Company to cease using his image.  The company complied, after about 200 were sold to the public (57 are known to exist today) making his card the rarest of the collection.  In fact, one mint-condition Honus Wagner card sold in 2007 for $2.8 million.


Wagner played nearly his entire career with the Pittsburgh Pirates remaining a top player into his 40s.  After his retirement, he continued to coach through the 1950s. 


Saturday, June 09, 2012

Person-of-Mystery

Welcome to Cipher Saturday!  You've found the home of everyone's favorite weekend pastime, where a stylized photo of a somewhat famous person from history is provided here for you to identify.


Additional clues may be found in the cipher below:

HGIZMTVOB UZNLFH ULI SRH ZMGR-GLYZXXL HGZMXV

So, who could I be?  That's the mystery!  Go ahead and take a guess and then go enjoy your day.  Check back tomorrow and I'll reveal the answer.  The first correct post will be declared the winner.

If you'd like to make sure that your guess is correct, enter his name into Google Images and this photo will be found on the first pages of the image results.


Monday, June 04, 2012

George Wellington "Cap" Streeter - A Chicago Legend

If you visit Chicago today, the most exclusive and luxurious part of the city lying right on Lake Michigan (including the Magnificent Mile to Lake Shore Drive, the Gold Coast, Navy Pier, Oprah's apartment, John Hancock Center, etc.), the area with all the upscale shops and businesses is known as Streeterville.  It may surprise some then that Streeterville's founder and namesake was an eccentric drifter, showman, aspiring gun runner, squatter and land baron.


Capt. George W. Streeter

George Wellington Streeter was born on a farm near Flint, Michigan in 1837.  As a youth, he held various jobs around the Great Lakes as a miner, lumberjack, fur trapper, ice cutter, and sailor on vessels in Georgian Bay off of Lake Huron.  He married his first wife, Minnie Waters, and then traveled West as a pioneer in a covered wagon, but returned to Michigan just before the Civil War.  During that conflict, he served as a Private in Company C, 15th Michigan Infantry, and among others saw action at the battles of Nashville and Missionary Ridge.  After the war, he formed a traveling circus with a large collection of animals, marionettes, and a Hindu Mystery Professor.  When the circus became stranded in Indianapolis in 1867, he sold it for $5,000.  His wife left and joined a traveling vaudeville troupe, so he married secondly, Lavina Walters, and George decided to take up a completely different profession.  With the profit from the circus sale, he entered the steamboat business and ran vessels on the Mississippi, Ohio, and Tennessee Rivers.  He built a new boat and married a third time, Maria Mulholland.  The two settled in South Chicago in 1883 and George got to work building a new boat, the Reutan, on the Calumet River.

Captain Streeter Repairing the Reutan


Once completed, there was rumor that the couple was planning on running guns to Honduras, but before taking the ship to Central America, but like so much in Streeter's life, I could not ascertain if there was truth in this story.  On July 10, 1886, George was moving the Reutan from the Calumet onto Lake Michigan when a storm arose and he ran the ship aground on a sandy rise about 450 feet off the Chicago shore.  The ship was so battered, that Streeter left the vessel in place as he tried to repair it.  Due to the silting action of the waves, his boat was soon surrounded by sand and Streeter built a landing to allow him to travel to and from Chicago.  Checking his navigation charts, Streeter stumbled upon his unique situation.  His vessel was stranded outside the city and state boundaries, so he laid claim the land by the right of discovery and also by laws allowing Civil War veterans to homestead on heretofore unclaimed land.  He declared his domain the United States District of Lake Michigan.

Map Showing Changing Chicago Shoreline over Time

Ever the entrepreneur and eager to expand his claim, Streeter was always looking for ways to make money.  The city was finally rebuilding after the Great Chicago Fire and construction was booming.  Contractors were looking for places to dump debris and for a sum Streeter allowed them to pile it up around his stranded vessel on the sand bar.  Before long, the backfill and rubble had grown to a whopping 186 acres and stretched all the way to the Chicago shore (angering the wealthy land owners who had previously owned shoreline property).

Captain Streeter with Lake Michigan District Residents

Dressed smartly in a top hat and coat, Streeter then rented or sold deeds to poor homesteaders from an office he rented in Chicago's Tremont Hotel.  Soon the area was populated with hobos, fellow squatters, and prostitutes.  Several property owners (among them the industrialist N. K. Fairbank) sued Streeter over riparian water rights and won in Illinois State courts, but Streeter holding that he lay outside their jurisdiction refused to vacate his District.  Their claim was that Streeter was squatting on his property, but Streeter noted, ""When I come here ther warn't a particle of land for me to squat on!"

The District of Lake Michigan (aka Streeterville)

Correctly believing that Fairbank would attempt to remove his boat, Streeter had previously exchanged his previous houseboat for a two story converted dwelling near where his boat had grounded.  The living quarters were on the second story and the ground floor became a kind of war room.  It even contained a ladder that could be raised.

Captain Streeter's Converted Boat Fortress/Home

In July 1888, five policemen came with an eviction notice, but were driven off by his sawed off musket filled with bird shot.  The next month, several more successfully caught Streeter until his wife threw boiling water on the men allowing George to grab his gun and again chase them off.  At one point, an army of 500 officers were even repulsed by an even larger contingent of hobos defending their landlord whom they called "Captain."  Over the years, Streeter seemed to best the law every time.

Cap and Ma Streeter Leaving Court

For his defensive activities, he was acquitted for various reasons.  Sometimes his actions were deemed self-defense, once it was found that the bird shot he fired was not lethal, still another time Streeter claimed that a party of one (himself) could not be held liable for not dispersing as that would require more than one person.

Captain Streeter During One of His Numerous Stints in the Pokey

During the Columbian Exposition, Captain Streeter refloated the Reutan and ferried passengers between Streeterville and the fair and things were looking good for a time.  However in 1902, Streeter's luck appeared to run out.  He was convicted of the murder of John Kirk, a hired gunman sent after Streeter and was sentenced to life in prison.  Streeter claimed he had been framed.  While in jail, his wife Maria died, but nine months after his conviction, Governor Yates sided with Streeter and pardoned him.  Streeter married a fourth time, to Elma "Ma" Lockwood, as fiery a lady as his former wife and they resumed control of his District.  Lawsuit after lawsuit came, but Streeter was able to hire legal assistance by offering deeds to property in his District.

Captain and Ma Streeter During One of their Many Court Appearances

Streeterville had become a nuisance to the growing city and the leaders eventually tired of this lawless area front and center.  In 1918, Streeter was arrested for selling liquor on Sundays.  During this raid, men hired by the Chicago Title and Trust Company burned his home to the ground.  "Ma" Streeter charged the group with a meat cleaver, but they were forced to retreat.  Streeter was indignant stating, "This here is an outrage!  It's worse than the Kaiser ever did."

Ma and Cap Streeter

Final Streeterville Home of Capt. Geo. Streeter


Inside the Home

Now off their land, the Streeters were again living on a boat and with Captain removed, clearing and development began in earnest in Streeterville.  Streeter continued his lawsuits until his death in 1921, even introducing forged documents from President Grover Cleveland.  Now a bit of a Chicago legend, his funeral was attended by a number of dignitaries including Mayor Thompson.

Funeral of Captain Streeter

In 1924, "Ma" Streeter filed a claim of one billion in damages against the new property owners, but the next year her claim was dismissed by federal courts that ruled that since George's first wife had abandoned him, but not divorced his subsequent marriages were invalid.  Streeter descendants continued to file claims until 1940 when the last claim was dismissed.


Saturday, June 02, 2012

Person-of-Mystery

Note to my regular readers:  I apologize for the neglect of my blog.  I just received word that I'll be teaching at a new high school next year, so I'm trying to move 15 years of accumulated classroom materials and prepare for my new assignment at the same time the school year is wrapping up, but I didn't want to leave you without a Person-of-Mystery today, so please enjoy.


+ + + + +


Welcome to Cipher Saturday!  You've found the home of everyone's favorite weekend pastime, where a stylized photo of a somewhat famous person from history is provided here for you to identify.


Additional clues may be found in the cipher below:

NYGUBHTU N PNCGNVA V ARIRE URYQ ENAX
OHG FGBEZVAT NFUBER ZL UBCRF ARIRE FNAX
YVXR EVPU HAPYR CRAALONTF V ZNQR GURZ NYY CNL
OL CYNLVAT ZBABCBYL OHG GURA GNXRA NJNL
CEVAPR BE N CNHCRE, XVAT BE N SBBY
ZL ANZR FGVYY YVIRF BA VA GUR YNAQ GUNG V EHYRQ

So, who could I be?  That's the mystery!  Go ahead and take a guess and then go enjoy your day.  Check back tomorrow and I'll reveal the answer.  The first correct post will be declared the winner.

If you'd like to make sure that your guess is correct, enter his name into Google Images and this photo will be found on the first pages of the image results.