Lower Bank News 1931

[turtle]

Hi everyone,

I was just "gifted" with a year's worth of local news from Lower Bank (1931). Each evening this week has found me eager to read more about what was happening in the neighborhood 80 years ago. The paper was written by Ella (Johnson) Underhill (see chapters 22-24 in Beck's Jersey Genesis) and her husband Charles. They are referred to as the General Manager (Ella) and y.d. (Charles). The news of the day often contained activities of the neighbors pets, as well as the neighbors themselves. The paper was hand typed with carbon paper and sent to family and friends. Ella and Charles found themselves back in Lower Bank, on the family farm in 1931 as a result of the Great Depression. I believe that Ella would have been about 55 yrs. old at the time of this writing. Charles was an engineer. I thought you would find it interesting to read the short piece about their Thanksgiving travels through the Pine Plains.... I will be happy to share other issues in the future that are informative as well.

Thanks,
Turtle

 

[Spung-Man]

Turtle,

These are a great find in ephemera! The pamphlets provide neat windows into the environmental perceptions of the authors. I find it fascinating to learn about the Underhills' experience in the Pine Barrens context. Yes, Environmental Perception and Behavioral Geography is really a discipline. Sadly, most material like this gets tossed.

S-M

 

[Gibby]

There is a famous picture of the USS Los Angeles mentioned in Ella's transitory writings. The airship, stationed at Lakehurst NAS, is vertical at it's mooring mast. It was caused by the sudden arrival of a cold air mass. Keep in mind that this airship is 656 feet long.

 

[woodjin]

Thanks for posting this. Very interesting. In The Great Plains...it is a surprise to learn that there is gold in the plains!!!! ummm. I wonder what kind of automobile they were using.

Jeff

 

[turtle]

There is a famous picture of the USS Los Angeles mentioned in Ella's transitory writings. The airship, stationed at Lakehurst NAS, is vertical at it's mooring mast. It was caused by the sudden arrival of a cold air mass. Keep in mind that this airship is 656 feet long.

View attachment 1789

Gibby,
I cannot imagine that length of airship sailing over our neighborhood! It's also amazing to know that the residents here could see the revolving red light from the Tuckerton tower. However, the land was generally cleared in town back then, as folks still farmed and the Nursery was out back. Thanks for the photo!

 

[turtle]

Thanks for posting this. Very interesting. In The Great Plains...it is a surprise to learn that there is gold in the plains!!!! ummm. I wonder what kind of automobile they were using.

Jeff

Jeff,
I know as late as the mid 1960's there were family members still living here and learning to drive in Ford model A vehicles. As proof, there are still parts for them in our garage..... There were also quite a few old pick up trucks here associated with the nursery work. Need parts?

Terry

 

[bobpbx]

Thanks Terry.

The Akron went down at sea less than two years later, killing 73 people, including a Rear Admiral Moffett, a lighter-than- air advocate.

 

[dogg57]

Thats some great Info Turtle and Bob Thanks for sharing

 

[Gibby]

Thanks Terry.

The Akron went down at sea less than two years later, killing 73 people, including a Rear Admiral Moffett, a lighter-than- air advocate.

Here is some archive newsreel footage of the Akron's salvage.

http://www.archive.org/details/1933-04-24_Akron_Hulk_Salvage

 

[Teegate]

Thanks Terry!

So what cranberry bog do you think they are referring to when they say " Turning to the left just beyond the large cranberry bog before one approaches Fir Bridge?"

Guy

 

[turtle]

Cutt's?

 

[Teegate]

I would think so coming from Harrisville.

Guy

 

[relayer]

Great resource. Looks like a good book project to me. Transcribed, maybe illustrated, you could call it A Year ub the Pines or something like that. Thanks for sharing it. Here, for whatever it's worth, is a shot of the Mullica near Lower Bank from about 20 years before the paper.

 

[pinelandpaddler]

Relayer, I love the old Mullica photos! Post 'em if you got 'em!

 

[relayer]

Oddly, I found one more. Not a sweeping shot of riverscape, but rather a happy bunch of folks, mostly in swim gear, posed by the river at Lower Bank. The card dates from around 1923 and may, I know it's a stretch, show some of the people mentioned in the paper a few years later. Anyway, enjoy

in

 

[RednekF350]

Wow, very interesting photo.
I wonder where this water slide was located ? My guess is near the bridge and looking upstream since there are vehicles parked in the background along what must be River Road.

 

[MarkBNJ]

There is a famous picture of the USS Los Angeles mentioned in Ella's transitory writings. The airship, stationed at Lakehurst NAS, is vertical at it's mooring mast. It was caused by the sudden arrival of a cold air mass. Keep in mind that this airship is 656 feet long.

I think that is one of the most striking pictures I've ever seen. It's also an excellent record of why the Navy more or less gave up on dirigibles.

 

[turtle]

In the upper right hand corner of the swimming photo is a boy climbing to the top of the "slide". Do I see a windmill under the image of the "slide" and just above his knee?.... If so, than I know the exact location of the photo taken.... just not the folks in it!
I plan to have more papers to share right after the first of the year. (sooner if time allows).

 

[Gibby]

In the upper right hand corner of the swimming photo is a boy climbing to the top of the "slide". Do I see a windmill under the image of the "slide" and just above his knee?.... If so, than I know the exact location of the photo taken.... just not the folks in it!
I plan to have more papers to share right after the first of the year. (sooner if time allows).

Turtle, I see a windmill too. There is a boy eating ice cream in the picture, to the far right and just in front of the water slide base. Now follow his elbow straight up. Above the car, I can just make out a ladder or part of the windmill tower, in the triangle framed by the slide steps, slide base and the roof of the car.

 

[Teegate]

This is the area in question. That is a tough one.

Guy