Last month I wrote about the way that the Port Byron Chronicle covered bad news, so why not some happy news this month? And so, I decided to see how local folks entertained themselves while they did a bit of traveling. You can see how the world opens up for everyone over 20 years as the wagon and buggy gave way to the trolley and then to the automobile.
From August 12, 1905: “Friday evening last a party of 18 young ladies participated in an old fashioned straw ride, in which Mr. Newkirk’s team and hay-rack were brought into use. The young ladies were driven to Jordan, where they were very enjoyably entertained by the Misses Stewart. The girls have decided once and for all that the boys don’t make the good times.”
The straw ride seemed to be a popular event. From the September 15, 1906, paper, we read about two of them. “The young men of the village gave a straw ride one evening this week to Owasco Lake. Everybody voted the ride a complete success.” And not to be outdone: “A large party of young people enjoyed a moonlight straw ride Tuesday evening to Conquest. The ride was given by the girls of the town, the promoters of the affair being Elizabeth Hest, Nellie King, and Jennie Root. On arriving in Conquest the party drove to Andrew Emerson’s where they were delightfully entertained until an early morning hour.”
As soon as the trolley opened from business, fast and cheap travel became available to everyone. From the June 19, 1909 paper – “The Auburn and Northern Road (the trolley line) will sell special round trip rickets in lots of 10 or more and good only on the day of sale from Port Byron to Lakeside Park, Owasco Lake, Auburn. Picnic parties and family gatherings desiring to enjoy a day’s outing will find these tickets a great advantage.” Lakeside Park was operated by the syndicate that owned the trolley lines and ran the amusement park as a way to get riders on the weekends. By using the trolley, you could get almost anywhere in the central New York as seen in this August 26, 1911 piece – “Mr. and Mrs. Samuel M. Thomas, C.E. Thomas and wife, enjoyed a trolley ride to Oswego in the early days of the week. They visited the fort and other places of interest and report a most enjoyable trip.” If you combined the trolley and train, you could expand the travel circle as seen in this piece: July 5, 1913 – “The yearly picnic of the Presbyterian church will be held Thursday, July 10th, at the glen a short distance from Stop 5 on the Auburn Road. It is planned to take the 9:55 car from Port Byron.” If you didn’t get enough fun on the 10th, you could head out on the 11th.. “A picnic and excursion to Union Springs will be held Friday July 11th, under the auspices of the Auburn District Epworth League. A spacious boat will leave Port Byron at 8:45 AM and will stop at Montezuma, Cayuga, Cayuga Lake Park, Union Springs and East Varrick, and the Lehigh Valley Railroad train will leave Auburn at 11:35 AM. An enjoyable trip assured.
As people purchased their own cars, personal freedom to travel really expanded. The paper notes four trips by locals in one issue of September 16, 1922 – “Mrs. T.M. Crane and Miss Marguerite are enjoying a few days with relatives in Hamilton. They made the trip by automobile.” “Doctor and Mrs. H.E. Stone and party have returned from a most delightful motor trip to Saranac.” “Mrs. James M. Hearn and daughter Katherine, and sons Edward and Gerald have returned from an extensive automobile trip through New England.” “Mr. and Mrs. C.M. Adams have returned from spending a month touring. They carried their own paraphernalia and camped along the trail each night. Their itinerary includ3ed the White and Green Mountains, the Berkshire Hills, the Mohawk Trail and some time spent at the sea shore, and many side trips and scenic routes.”
What really astonished me was this mention from August 8, 1936. “A number from this vicinity are planning to attend the Annual Basket Picnic of the Florida Tourists Association of Central New York, to be held at the Enna Jettick Park. The local association now has about 2,000 members enrolled.” In the height of the Great Depression there were 2000 members of a Florida Tourism Association? That is quite amazing.