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The Hill's (Family) In Michigan And Wisconsin Photograph Album/Journal HILL, FRANK FARRINGTON & EMMA M. VOORHEES HILL

The Hill's (Family) In Michigan And Wisconsin Photograph Album/Journal

HILL, FRANK FARRINGTON & EMMA M. VOORHEES HILL

Other works by HILL, FRANK FARRINGTON & EMMA M. VOORHEES HILL

Publication: Prepared By Members of the Hill Family, n d (ca 1920), NP Oak Park, Illinois

Privately printed account of a three week road trip in a 1919 Dodge American automobile by "Papa" and "Mamma" Hill and their family of three children, Harriet, Janet and Marion. The trip was taken in August of 1920 and overall the family traveled 1200 miles from Oak Park, Illinois, into Wisconsin and north to Lake Superior and Michigan's Upper Peninsula and then returning to Oak Park. The average miles per gallon of gas was 14. A thorough recounting of each day and their experiences, both good, bad, exciting or dull. Detailed descriptions of setting the tent; descriptions of scenery; descriptions of towns, car troubles, wonderful people, etc. "Mention must be made of the dinner which the children enjoyed so much, and talked about it long after. It was served in a small eating house where they had negro waiters, the chief being a veritable 'Uncle Tom.' They gave us a fine chicken meal, joked with the youngsters and made it pleasant for all of us, so that this meal was long remembered and referred to as a standard by which other dinners were compared. Janet was much interest in 'those time things to wash your hands in that were used in the place where the man was that we called 'Mr. Tom,' in referring afterward to the finger bowls that she saw used here for the first time, that she took any special note of." "Whitewater is a pretty place and evidently intends to act white, at least its motor officer was kindly disposed to us when he caught up to our auto outside the limits and told us we had driven too fast through the city, but that it was all right, only please do not do it again.... imparted the information that the state law limited auto travel to fifteen miles an hour in all incorporated cities in Wisconsin." "We drove through a beautiful hilly country and then down into the valley of the Wisconsin river, crossing the stream on a long toll bridge which the signs warned us should be traveled at a slow pace, receiving a complimentary welcome from the old soldier toll gatherer at the other side, who informed us that autoists did not generally cross that way, but refusing to waive the toll charge nevertheless." "The Dells (or Dalles, to be correct) are said to be some seven miles in length, a gorge of the post glacial period, the river narrowing from two thousand feet to a width of fifty-two feet at the narrows or Black Hawk's Leap, where it is said the river 'runs on edge' being some forty and eighty feet deep. Here in the early days was constructed a toll bridge, said to be the first bridge across the Wisconsin River in this part of the state." "We stopped to drink at a little roadside spring called 'the spring of three wishes,' the water of which was not so refreshing, but the location was a pretty one, being at the foot of a hill densely covered with white birches and other trees. It was restful to tarry awhile even though the water was not so satisfying." "... we rode on to Tomahawk, across the Wisconsin river to Tomahawk Junction and on toward the Tomahawk river near the crossing of which we camped for the night, pitching our tent in a field near a little country church and cemetery, our day's journey having covered fifty-nine miles. We brought water from the river, gathered wood for the camp fire and also for a bon fire, prepared and ate our meal, and secured a good night's rest.." " We here took up a new trail, number thirty-two, that carried us northward through the town of Conover, where we came across a traveling Indian family, the Indian babies being treated to some candy by Janet, who discovered also some fat little puppies in a basket that delighted all the children., and on to the state boundary line itself where we stopped to reconnoiter about a bit. The auto came to a standstill with its front wheels in the state of Michigan and the rear wheels in Wisconsin..." "Where we entered the state at Kenosha, the altitude is given as only six hundred and twelve, so that we had made a steady climb through the state of eleven hundred feet. At the crossing we found what appeared to be the poles of a recent encampment, maybe on of Indians or Gypsies." "... traveling on to Watersmeet or the meeting place of waters, it being explained that the water which flows into Lake Superior meets here the water that flows to the Gulf of Mexico so to speak, at least that is what one of the natives explained was the significance of the name." "We remained here until ten minutes of three, then driving on to Rockland where we visited the mine of the Michigan Mining Co., a newly opened mine just on the southern edge of the copper range, and producing ore of a very fine, rich grade." "There was an old abandoned homestead that furnished interesting exploration trips, quaint huts of Finlanders, several families of whom had settled hereabouts, (at one of which we found one of the old fashioned fagot brooms, such as we read about in folklore chapters, and it was still in use), ..." "We journeyed east, coming very soon to where the road was being rebuilt, necessitating careful and slow driving., going through the villages of Sidnaw, Covington and Vermilac." The family passed through Norway, Vulcan and Hermansville, where they spent the night. Leaving the next morning and heading back south toward Stephenson, "It was on this little cross country stretch that occurred one of the tragedies of our trip. We were riding along very easily at about twenty-five miles an hour, enjoying a very pleasant ride, when suddenly a cow, that with a number of others, was feeding beside the road, calmly turned and wheeled directly in front of the car. So deliberate and uncalled for was her action that to stop was out of the question, and bossie went down with a sudden thud while the car went on a though 'nothing hit me.'" Then onto Menominee, Marinette and then back into Wisconsin. They traveled to Fond Du Lac, Appleton, Eden, Waucousta, K Kewaskum West Bend, Newburg, Saukville, Milwaukee, Racine and into Kenosha; finally arriving back, "to the dearest place of all, 'HOME SWEET HOME.'" Frank Hill was born in 1874 and died in 1935. His wife Emma was also born in 1874 but died in 1954. According to a WWI draft registration form, Hill worked in a managerial role for the Morse Candy factory and judging from the 1930 census, they were a fairly well-off family. This is one of the most detailed travel photograph albums that we have ever handled. The typed text is in double columns and illustrated with 28 original 5 1/2" x 3 1/2" silver prints mounted on plain gray boards and a cord tied spine. The bottom front corner has a small chip but overall a near fine copy of an attractive presentation.

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