http://www.chelmsfordgov.com/CHCwebsite/CFD_html/FireDepartment1920-1929.htm

Fire!

Feb 15, 1930

Nice day. Got colder in PM and eve and snowed some. Twenty below about 8AM but warmed up a lot during the day. Rex Ward’s house burned about 10AM and Mon and the boys went up there. They saved the things that were downstairs but lost what was upstairs and down cellar. The folks got back here about 11 and then we went up home for dinner and spent the PM. Snowed quite a little in the night.

from The Diaries of Lottie Price, 1914-1986

Until today, I had never considered that Rose might worry about fire. So I started looking for information on fire trucks and firefighting in the 1920s.

Let’s just say that Rose’s best hope is to not have a fire. (Well, that would be true of all of us, wouldn’t it? 🙂 )

I can see the scene…

Continue reading

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Oh, Harold. I must have a Lido hat!

1929lidohatLido Hat
Price: $1.95
Description Charming face looks its best under the chic silhouetted lines of this model. Suave lines copied from a high-priced import, in a pleasingly soft, good quality wool felt. Shaped in low helmet fashion at sides; close-cropped at back for utmost coat-collar ease. The soft-rolling, graduated brim is clipped in two-tab effect at side and edged with finely plaited grosgrain ribbon matching the band with cut loop ends. Double-ended rhinestone pins flash from tabs.

This lovely Lido¹ hat was Continue reading

Bootlegging

verb (used without object), bootlegged, bootlegging:
to make, transport, or sell something, especially liquor, illegally or without registration or payment of taxes.

I had the chance to pitch my story to some friends the other day. But as soon as bootlegging was mentioned, a listener said, “Oh! So NASCAR fans will love it.”

It was a depressing moment, Continue reading

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Groundhog Day

groundhog-article

I’ve started perusing the 1929/1930 newspaper of the day each morning and just had to share this rather facetious take on Groundhog’s Day.

In case you’re interested in learning more about the day, here’s the Wikipedia article detailing just how this little rodent came to dictate our seasons.

Of course, Mr. Groundhog is about as accurate as our Weather Guessers are today, so there is that.