Bye Bye New York, Hello Chicago, Illinois!
Debs Webster and his family are on the road again! This time they are leaving New York and heading to Chicago, Illinois.
In my last POST I mentioned that my uncle had emailed me with some very interesting recollections regarding this trip across the USA. Here’s what he had to say about this leg of their journey:
Debs Webster and his family are on the road again! This time they are leaving New York and heading to Chicago, Illinois.
In my last POST I mentioned that my uncle had emailed me with some very interesting recollections regarding this trip across the USA. Here’s what he had to say about this leg of their journey:
“We travelled first to Chicago, where Pop’s uncle and some cousins lived. They tried to teach me some English words to no avail. Since I wasn’t using them, I had no retention of the words.”
The uncle he is referring to is Rollin Waterman Webster. He was a brother of my "Traveling Dentist Great-Grandpa" Frederick Webster. I introduced you to sweet Uncle Rollin in this previous POST.
Grandpa Debs’ 1952 photo album shows photos and a vintage postcard from Illinois immediately following those from near Palmyra, New York. With that in mind, I hope I’m correct in assuming they left Palmyra and headed directly to Chicago. If that was the case, then according to GoogleMaps, the trip would have taken about 10 hours!
My uncle also said that my Grandpa Debs was the only one in the group who knew how to drive, so guess who drove the whole way!
 |
| GoogleMaps.com |
According to a letter from Uncle Rollin to my Grandpa Debs, the last time they saw each other was probably sometime before 1923. So I can imagine how exciting this must have been for them to see each other again after so many years! Actually about 29 years! In 1952 Uncle Rollin would have been about 80 or 81 years old.
The photo below of Rollin was taken in June, 1952 in Chicago. The young man behind him is his grandson Billy.
In 1952 Rollin was living at 8937 South Paulina Street in Chicago. According to Zillow.com, his house was built in 1924. Today’s stats say it is 1,087 square feet in size, and has 1 bathroom. It doesn’t list how many bedrooms it has though.
In 1952 Rollin was living at 8937 South Paulina Street in Chicago. According to Zillow.com, his house was built in 1924. Today’s stats say it is 1,087 square feet in size, and has 1 bathroom. It doesn’t list how many bedrooms it has though.
 |
| Rollin Waterman Webster and Grandson Billy in Chicago - 1952 |
 |
| Back of Photo |
The following photo of Rollin was taken in 1942 at the Chicago Loop.
 |
| Rollin Waterman Webster at the Chicago Loop - 1942 |
 |
| Back of Photo |
 |
| Map of Chicago Loop from Wikimedia Commons via OpenStreetMap.org |
Unfortunately, it is time to get going again for Debs and his family. The next photos and vintage postcard in Debs’ photo album are from Galena, Illinois.
Why did they stop in Galena, Illinois? Tune in next time to find out.
Thanks for reading!
Jana
Copyright © Jana Last 2012
I wonder if they broke that 10-hr drive into 2 days. I sure would have! That Debs was the only driver is no surprise. I remember my grandmother and even my mother getting their driver's license when I was almost in high school.
ReplyDeleteHi Wendy! I imagine they would have broken it down into 2 days, especially with three kids and a 66-year old grandmother in tow. Six people crowded into a car with no air conditioning during the summer. Yikes!
DeleteMy Grandma Willis did get a driver's license once she came here to the States.
Thanks for reading and for your comments!
I'm thinking that ten hour trip would be taken in two segments, too. The roads back then weren't as streamlined as they are today (er, well, as they are supposed to be today ;)
ReplyDeleteDo you know if that Chicago home is still standing today? I was just back in Chicago visiting relatives and someone mentioned that the family house in the city was just torn down. Though I've never seen it myself, at least there are online sites that make it possible to "see" the neighborhood as it was a few years ago. Sometimes, that is all that is left of our ancestors' homes--just the pictures.
Hi Jacqi,
DeleteI wonder just what the highway system was like back then. That would be interesting info.
As far as his Chicago home goes, I tried to find it on GoogleMaps streetview, but it wouldn't go to the correct address. Frustrating! It's weird too since Zillow.com listed home's address so it must be there still.
Thanks so much for stopping by!
I am thoroughly enjoying reading about this part of our family's history. Thank you, Jana!
ReplyDeleteWhy thank you Cindy! I'm so glad!
Delete