Sometimes You Get The Itch To Look At Some Old Newspapers

Very nearly every researcher/historian/genealogist etc. looks at vintage newspapers to help find their query. But what about the stories that are left forgotten? Well, that’s what we try to do here, so grab your customary cup of tea and let’s take a little trip down nostalgia’s broad boulevard. Enjoy!

Sunday Dinner Menu, The Elko Independent (Elko, Nevada), June 11, 1921

To us, this menu doesn’t sound too horrible, but it also wouldn’t be on our everyday choice. Fancy chicken and rice soup? Check. Mmm olives. Check. Maybe just fruit without the whipped cream. Thanks. Also, the prime rib sounds tasty, pass on the peas, and the snowflake potatoes (fancy mashed potatoes with cream cheese, sour cream and various spices) sound quite nice. No jello, please. Ice cream, hold the wafers. Sounds like a good deal and in a Elko, Nevada hotel to boot. A 1921 dinner doesn’t sound too bad, although, it does leave one to wonder what they had to drink with dinner.

The Captain Hates The Sea, Oakland Tribune (Oakland, California), January 17, 1935

Ship-A-Hooey indeed! Movies, or films, if you like, are a great post-dinner date idea. Let’s check this one out. The Captain Hates the Sea was a comedy movie released in 1934 and directed by Lewis Milestone (1895-1980). The film tells the story of an alcoholic newspaper reporter who takes a sea cruise to try to dry out and start writing his book. That’s the center of the story and I won’t spoil it for you, but there is a mystery to solve aboard the ship and ok a minor spoiler, the newspaperman keeps drinking. It starred Victor McLaglen (1886-1959), Wynne Gibson (1898-1987), Alison Skipworth (1863-1952), Helen Vinson (1907-1999), and in his last film, silent film legend John Gilbert (born John Cecil Pringle; 1897-1936). This film was also the first Columbia feature to include Curly Howard (born Jerome Lester Horwitz; 1903-1952), Moe Howard (born Moses Harry Horwitz; 1897-1975), and Larry Fine (born Louis Feinberg; 1902-1975), better known as The Three Stooges. Sounds like a pretty good show, doesn’t it?

Let’s Go with Conoco Advertisement, Lehi Free Press (Lehi, Utah), September 15, 1932

Not going to touch too deeply on this advertisement, but it’s both interesting and frightening to remember that while prices varied geographically, the average price of gasoline per gallon was 18 cents. That is the equivalent of $3.78 a gallon in 2024 USD. So, is gas cheap or expensive now, or on par? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

America’s Incomparable Rhythm Stylist, Stockton Daily Evening Record (Stockton, California), March 25, 1949

A chance to see Count Basie and His Orchestra in concert? Yes, please. At this period in his career, he had disbanded his original orchestra and founded multiple combos which he sometimes stretched in an orchestra. No matter though, Just the chance to hear his music come to life is more than enough. Absolute legend.

What about the venue? Is it the Stockton Civic Auditorium still standing? It sure is (also called the Stockton Memorial Civic Auditorium). It’s located at 525 North Center Street in the Civic Center area of Stockton, Kern Co., California. Opened in 1925, the auditorium was funded by a bond drive to honor those who served and/or died while serving in the Armed Forces in The Great War (WWI). Seating approximately 5,000, the venue has hosted many sports events and concerts including, Carlos Santana, The Grateful Dead, Rush, the Blue Oyster Cult, The Golliwogs (AKA the band that became Creedence Clearwater Revival), and of course, Count Basie, among others. Maybe there will be a 100th anniversary celebration for the auditorium next year. That would be cool.

Lucky Strike Advertisement, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle (Brooklyn, New York), June 27, 1933

Lucky Strike and Don Draper of Mad Men agree that those cigarettes are toasted. While that may be true, we think it’s bad for our health. But that’s our opinion.

Pestmaster DDT Advertisement, Nashville Banner (Nashville, Tennessee), July 24, 1946

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, better known as DDT, was arguably one of the best pesticides ever. By the time the above advertisement was released, DDT had only been approved for sale in the United States for less than a year. Even though DDT was a good pesticide, It was deemed harmful to the health of human beings, animals, and the environment and was taken off the market and banned in the U.S. in 1972. It is still used in many countries still, especially in the fight against malaria infected mosquitos.

Folger’s Coffee Advertisement, The Alaska Daily Empire (Juneau, Alaska), August 8, 1924

Any coffee drinkers out there? Do you like Folgers? Folgers has been around a long time, like 152 years. That’s kind of amazing. While the company didn’t begin it’s long life as Folgers (it started as Pioneer Steam Coffee and Spice Mills), the Folger family certainly set it on the path for great success, starting with James Athearn Folger (1835-1889) and followed by James Athearn Folger II (1864-1921), and Peter Folger (1905-1980) before the company was acquired by Procter & Gamble in 1963. Also of note, Peter’s daughter Abigail Anne Folger (1943-1969) was stabbed to death by Patricia Dianne Krenwinkel during the so-called Tate-LaBianca murders. Krenwinkel was only one of the people that Charles Manson ordered to do his dirty work on that night in August 1969. Sad.

And there you have it, another installment where we explore the characters of the past in vintage newspapers. Thank you and we hope you enjoyed our post! As always, be safe and love one another.

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During our genealogical research, CMS Research & Genealogy comes across many stories that have nothing to do with our current project. We have tons of them and will be sharing them all with you on this blog. All the more reason to come back and visit us again!

February 19, 2024

CMS Research and Genealogy

CMS Research & Genealogy