We drove up to the small town of New Era this morning. It is north of Muskegon close to Lake Michigan in farming country. We found where my great grandparents farm had been on Arthur St. It sat on a hill that my great grandmother named Temple Hill. Mom and my Aunt Margaret were born in a house across the street in 1920 and 1922. Neither one are there now. When Mom was here 20 years ago, she met the owner of the hardware store in town who actually remembered my grandfather as the rural mail carrier and the farm where he lived! We had a copy of the directions he had written out for my mom with us today. We talked to Mom on the phone a couple of times to ask questions and let her know what we were seeing. We had lunch in a brick building from 1919, so it was here when she was walking around town. The pickle factory she remembered was gone and a new cannery was in the place of the old one. We saw old photos of the school she might have gone to for first grade before moving the California. The town still has about 400 residents just as it did in the 20’s and farming is still going on.
 |
| Here we are in New Era where Mom and Aunt Margaret were born! |
 |
| This is where the old farm must have been. |
 |
| This building goes back to 1919, so it was here when Mom and Margaret would come to town. We had lunch here and enjoyed looking at the old photos that lined the walls. |
We drove down to Muskegon to see the ferry dock where she and her sister rode the ferry on their own to visit their parents in Milwaukie (long story). It was an overnight ride on a ferry powered by coal engines. Surprise, surprise, the ferry or one like it was docked across the bay. We had a good view of it! They actually have tours at times.
 |
| Ferry similar to the one Mom and Aunt Margaret took as young gilrs to visit their parents in Milwaukie. |
 |
| Our first view of Lake Michigan |
No comments:
Post a Comment