Popcorn Wagon Update

Yesterday I posted the story of my grandmother's popcorn wagon in McMinnville, Oregon. When my sister and I were visiting as children, we'd often spend a few hours with her (Mom Jenkins), working in the popcorn wagon. Here are some recent photos of the beloved popcorn, all restored and residing in the McMinnville, Oregon fire department building:

When Grandma retired, the wagon was purchased by a museum in the capital city of Salem. But they eventually removed it from their collection and it was saved by the McMinnville Fire Department and has been displayed there ever since:

The door was at one end and the popcorn cooker at the other. You can see the cooker at the top of the photo. When the popcorn was done, that overhead "pot" dumped onto the steel tray beneath it. There, butter and salt were added. If I remember correctly, that tray was heated so the popcorn stayed hot until it was scooped up into bags:

This, I think, is a new sign, but it's an exact copy of the original. I know because I checked the old photos:

She also sold roasted peanuts. I can't remember if she roasted them right there in the wagon but I think so:

The popcorn wagon is now on permanent display in the McMinnville, Oregon fire station and brought out for field days and other special occasions:

My sister and I used to take turns accompanying our grandmother to the popcorn wagon when we were kids. There certainly wasn't much room inside, but there was a lot of love, both from Grandma and the customers, so it was a wonderful experience. And that's not to mention all the free popcorn, caramel corn, peanuts and Lifesavers:

Everything inside was shipshape, with a place for everything and everything in its place. Fresh popcorn was popped right there, but popcorn balls and caramel corn were made at home in the evenings:

The sign says "operated" by the McMinnville Volunteer Fire Department. Apparently they still use it to make popcorn for special events:

Our grandmother was a divorced woman with six children during rough economic times. She was an entrepreneur of the first order with her popcorn wagon and boarding house. She knew not only how to survive but to thrive. She lived to be 95. I come from sturdy roots:

The Hamlet Of North Lawrence, New York - Part 1

I had a lot of spring chores to do but was in no mood to do them. Instead, I drove to nearby North Lawrence, NY and took pictures, starting with the Maple Grove Cemetery:

I turned onto the narrow dirt lane which circled the perimeter of the cemetery and drove around, taking in the sights. The big tombstone in the foreground was for Leon and Orma, but their last name must have been on another side. They lived from 1874 to 1891, and from 1888 to 1905. I wondered how the cemetery crew had maneuvered such a big chunk of stone without big, modern equipment:

My next stop was a handsome log home with a barn out back. The barn had a sign saying "Deer River Livestock." North Lawrence is indeed on the Deer River:


This historic looking house and barn added some color to the landscape:

A modern (or modernized) home on the outskirts:

And a brick home with a brand new addition on the back and an old fashioned, red barn:

And then I arrived in "town," at the North Lawrence Supermarket. It appeared to be a busy place, with lot of people coming and going:
 

The Pit Stop, a friendly restaurant where I once had Maple Pie, a particular favorite of mine. This is, after all, real maple syrup country:

A colorful home in the main part of town:

And the North Lawrence Post Office. Both North Lawrence and Lawrenceville are hamlets within the township of Lawrence, but North Lawrence is the bigger of the two. I checked the internet for population, but all I could find was that the entire township of Lawrence had only 1545 people, or 584 households. This is rural America:

The Grapevine store and cafe, one of two restaurants in North Lawrence. I've never been in this one, though some day I may want to try their Bullhead dinner:

Although the sign read "North Lawrence Vol. Fire Dept. Ladies Auxiliary," this must have been the main fire department, for I saw no other:

I turned onto a county highway which could have taken me into Franklin County, and stopped to photograph this handsome house with its welcoming front porch:

But the main reason I turned was to photograph the one and only big industry in town, The North Country Dairy, a major producer of yogurt:

I turned back toward town at this handsome home:

And passed by the North Country Dairy once again, snapping a picture of another section of it. This really is a major plant, impressive in its size (especially for such a small town). But there was still much more to see in North Lawrence, and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

The Norwood Village Museum - Part 2

I was touring the Norwood Museum, located in the former home and office of the village doctor, a Civil War veteran. This living room/parlor may once have been his office or waiting room:

The Historian pointed out this photo to me of the five ladies with extraordinarily long hair. He'd found the photo underneath an old cabinet and the ladies, according to the note, were five sisters of Annie Dove Welch of the nearby American Hotel:

The bedroom of the doctor and Civil War veteran who used to own this home:

Did the doctor comb his hair at this mirror? I don't know, but it was fun to ponder:

The Norwood Fire Department is well known for its marching band, The Brass Firemen. It caused me to wonder if the "Green Acres" episode with a similarly musical fire department had been inspired by the village of Norwood, New York:

There were quite a few memories associated with the Brass Firemen:

The museum had a room devoted to the military:

And a room full of toys and children's clothing:

I especially liked these dolls and carousel:

Women's clothing:

More children's clothes, doll and pram:

More women's clothes from various eras. I'd enjoyed my tour of the Norwood Museum and will keep my eyes open for the opening of their railroad museum: