Happy Family from California

                        
Several months ago I was contacted by Betty Villasenor, who lives in California.  She was trying to make a wish come true for her 93 year old mother, Hilda Velarde Salas.  Her mother was trying to locate the burial spot of HER mother, Josefina Duran Velarde who had died in 1929. 

I could find that Josefina was buried at San Jose Cemetery, but the exact location is lost.  This cemetery has been under the auspices of several different churches in Albuquerque through the years and records have been lost.  That is sad as it is a large cemetery with many names.  Thankfully I have two old records with names and we were able to ascertain that Josefina was here.

Betty, her mother Hilda and her three sisters as well as many family members travelled to Albuquerque from California to pay respect to their dear relative.  Their niece painted a rock to leave at the cemetery to honor her. 

I am so thrilled that through the work of the New Mexico Tombstomb group we could reunite this family.

A great year - and Fantastic volunteers!

December 10, 2013

As we finish this year, I am once again thankful for such dedicated volunteers.  But calling them volunteers seems wrong - they are actually family to me.  All of us consider each other our extended family.  Each brings such special joys and talents to our small but productive group.

Lee Miller is our world traveler.  He has been to Africa, India and many places inbetween.  He has taught German and his writing is so precise that it is difficult to read at time!  He is affectionately called our "Candy Man" as he brings a well-stocked bag of chocolates and goodies to every one of our meeting.

Sharon Serrano is one tireless worker!  She has single handed finished up Sunset Memorial Park with hours and hours of work.  She is tackling Mountain View (Barton) now all by herself.  She transcribed some old death records too!  Her hours almost exceed the groups totals!  And she comes in from the East mountains on sheets of ice at times.

Wink Winkeljohn is another tireless worker who keeps going even when he isn't feeling well.  He has done all the mapping work for the cemetery submissions to Charles for our website.  This takes quite a bit of effort with searching for signs of cemeteries on the satellite views and then getting precise directions.  And he likes doing this!

Diane Bloom has many hats she wears - even sometimes to Tombstone!  She volunteers in many, many different venues.  But she has tackled a very difficult book to currently transcribe - it is burials for Valencia county and most of it is written in Spanish, which she has to translate.  And she doesn't speak Spanish! 

Beautiful Barb Borowy - my fellow Corralenos!  Barb works tirelessly for Tombstone but she is also very versatile and knowledgable with Genealogy.  She has helped me find some of my relatives and set me on paths to find out more.  It was through her love of genealogy that drove me to find more.  I can always go to her with a question.  And her handwriting is gorgeous in our Tombstone books - the transcribers love her work!

And my non-complaining husband...he may want to, but doesn't dare.  He writes what I give him, drives me to hundreds of cemeteries in the state (actually in ANY state) and walks with me in the cold, wind and rain just to get 'one more picture of that grave over in the corner'.  I think the chocolates that our Candy Man brings keep him coming!

Missing this day at the library were Gloria Henderson, BJ Minshall and Betty Lamberti.  I'll catch them later.

Gettysburg Address update

In my post of November 19, 2013, I wrote about the Gettysburg Address given by Abraham Lincoln on the battlefield of Gettysburg.  After I made that post, I received a catalog from my sister of rare books and was surprised by an entry in regards to the Gettysburg Address.  I would like to include it here.

The actual name of the Address was "An Oration Delivered on The Battlefield of Gettysburg (November 19, 1863) at the Consecration of the Cemetery ; Prepared for the Interment of the Remains of Those Who Fell in the Battles of July 1st, 2d and 3d, 1863".  We know it as the Gettysburg Address.

This is a rare first edition of Lincoln's magnificent Gettysburg Address, scrawled on scratch paper and back of envelopes and corresponds almost exactly to his spoken version. 

The Washington Chronicle reported on November 21, 1863 the events at the cemetery and printed verbatim Edward Everett's 2 hour oration (which preceded Lincoln's address).  There was no mention of the President Lincoln's short speech.  Four days later the paper mentioned that President Lincoln had also given "a short speech".  Finally a pamphlet was printed of Edward's Oration (as it came to be known) and Lincoln's speech was tucked away as a final paragraph on page 16.  Later that year, a booklet was published of Edward's Oration and this time Lincoln's address was included - on page 40.  Despite the notoriety of Edward Everett's oration, it is only President Lincoln's short 2 minute speech that is remembered today.

This rare first edition of Lincoln's speech (handwritten) is available for $55,000.

Coins on Tombstoes

COINS LEFT ON TOMBSTONES

While visiting some cemeteries you may notice that headstones marking certain graves have coins on them, left by previous visitors to the grave.

These coins have distinct meanings when left on the headstones of those who gave their life while serving in America's military, and these meanings vary depending on the denomination of coin.

A coin left on a headstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier's family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect. Leaving a penny at the grave means simply that you visited.

A nickel indicates that you and the deceased trained at boot camp together, while a dime means you served with him in some capacity. By leaving a quarter at the grave, you are telling the family that you were with the solider when he was killed.

According to tradition, the money left at graves in national cemeteries and state veterans cemeteries is eventually collected, and the funds are put toward maintaining the cemetery or paying burial costs for indigent veterans.

In the US, this practice became common during the Vietnam war, due to the political divide in the country over the war; leaving a coin was seen as a more practical way to communicate that you had visited the grave than contacting the soldier's family, which could devolve into an uncomfortable argument over politics relating to the war.

Some Vietnam veterans would leave coins as a "down payment" to buy their fallen comrades a beer or play a hand of cards when they would finally be reunited.

The tradition of leaving coins on the headstones of military men and women can be traced to as far back as the Roman Empire.

Thanks to Wink for this information.

Soldiers' National Cemetery, Gettysburg, PA

150 years ago today

More than four months after the Battle of Gettysburg, President Abraham Lincoln participated in a ceremony to dedicate the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at the battle site in Pennsylvania. The president’s role at the ceremony was minor, but his short speech is now considered one of the greatest orations in our nation’s history. Today marks the 150th anniversary of Lincoln’s iconic words, which are etched into stone at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.
Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that this nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.
But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate, we can not consecrate, we can not hallow this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Maxwell Land Grant

Maxwell Land Grant and Lucien Maxwell

Charles "Carlos" Beaubien (1800-1864) was a French Canadian who  moved to Taos in 1823, opening a dry goods and trapper supply store.  He later married Maria Pabla Lobato (1811-1864), the daughter of a prominent local family, and became a Mexican citizen in 1827.  By 1840 he had become an influential Taos merchant with many large landholdings.  Lucien Maxwell was a fur trapper from Illinois who had traveled to Taos, the fur trading capital of the Southwest, during the winter of 1841-1842.  There he met Beaubien and the two quickly became friends.  He soon married Beaubien's eldest daughter, Luz (1829-1900) and they married in 1844.  Together the Maxwell's had nine children, among them a daughter Verenisa (1860-1864) who is buried in the old plaza along with her grandmother, Pabla Beaubien.

Winkeljohann Family Cemetery

Katrikna Cemetery in Voltlage, Germany


Al Winkeljohn, from my Tombstone group, sent me these pictures of his family cemetery.  The cemetery is St. Katharina Cemetery in Voltlage, Osnabruck, Lower Saxony, Germany.  This beautiful cemetery is in the small village of only 1750 people! 

November 11, 2013 Veteran's Day





World War I – known at the time as “The Great War” - officially ended when the Treaty of Versailles was signed on June 28, 1919, in the Palace of Versailles outside the town of Versailles, France. However, fighting ceased seven months earlier when an armistice, or temporary cessation of hostilities, between the Allied nations and Germany went into effect on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month. For that reason, November 11, 1918, is generally regarded as the end of “the war to end all wars.”

Today we honor all veterans who have ever served in a war or military conflict.  The list below starts with 1774 and is way too long.  Most of these are forgotten wars, but the men and women who served should never be forgotten. The list below is not an official one, just a list of wars/conflicts I could find.

American Revolutionary War
Northwest Indian War
Quasi-War aka Franco American War
First Barbary War
Tecumseh's War
War of 1812
Second Barbary War
First Seminole War
Arikara War
Winnebago War
Black Hawk War
Second Seminole War
Mexican American War
Navajo Wars
Cayuse War
Apache Wars
Yakima War
Rogue Rivers War
Puget Sound War
Third Seminole War
Second Opium War
Reform War
Paiute War
American Civil War
Dakota War of 1862
Colorado War
Snake War
Red Cloud's War
Comanche War
Modoc War
Red River War
Black Hills War
Nez Perce War
Bannock War
Cheyenne War
Sheepeater Indian War
White River War
Second Anglo-Egyptian War (the Egyptian Expedition)
Colombian Civil War (the Burning of Colón)
First Samoan Civil War
Ghost Dance War
Chilean Civil War
Second Samoan Civil War
Spanish American-War
Philippines-American War
Banana Wars (including the US occupation of Nicaragua, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic)
Boxer Rebellion (dosen't actually have "war" in its name)
Mexican Revolution
World War I
Russian Civil War
World War II
Cold War (not a "real" war)
First Indochina War
Korean War
Vietnam War
Laotian Civil War
Cambodian Civil War
Lebanese Civil War
Iran-Iraq War
Gulf War
Somali Civil War
Bosnian War
Kosovo War
War on Terror
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
Second Liberian Civil War
Libyan Civil War

This is my grandfather, John Louis Ralf, in World War I

 Veteran’s Day Prayer

Dear Lord,
Today we honor our veterans,
worthy men and women
who gave their best
when they were called upon
to serve and protect their country.
We pray that you will bless them, Lord,
for their unselfish service
in the continual struggle
to preserve our freedoms, our safety,
and our country’s heritage, for all of us.
Bless them abundantly
for the hardships they faced,
for the sacrifices they made
for their many different contributions
to America’s victories
over tyranny and oppression.
We respect them, we thank them,
we honor them, we are proud of them,
and we pray that you will watch over
these special people
and bless them with peace and happiness.
In Jesus’ name we pray; Amen.

By Joanna Fuchs

A Huge Anniversary

Fairview Cemetery, Colfax Co., in Raton NM

Today marks exactly twelve years ago that New Mexico Tombstone Transcription Project began.  It was the day after the horrors of September 11 that about 15 people met at the Cherry Hills Library and learned what this project was about.  I didn't think anyone would show up but I was surprised by the curiosity and eagerness of these volunteers.  Just a few days later I had another training session with another 18 people!  Everyone was so interested in the project and wanted to help.

From the very first day, Al Winkeljohn and Betty Lamberti (she was at the second training) have been with my group.  They still show up almost every time, which is about 5 times a month.  They are both still interested, eager and dedicated. 

In these twelve years, we have advanced the knowledge of cemeteries in the state of New Mexico by finding many, many sites that were generally unknown.  Today we have identified 1864 cemeteries or gravesites.  Either Wink or I have been to 455 of these.  As it stands (today), San Miguel county has the most burial sites at 132.

The dedicated volunteers that give up hours each month to further this project are:

Al Winkeljohn (started 2001)

Betty Lamberti (started 2001)

Barb Borowy (started 2005)

Gloria Henderson (started 2007)

B.J. Minshall (started 2008)

Lee Miller (started 2009)

Diane Bloom (started 2010)

Sharon Serrano (started 2010)

and my loving, dedicated, sweet husband, Rich who has always been there

 

I had started this project in 2000, completing Gate of Heaven Cemetery on my own and very happy that there are many more to help me now.  Today I am continually grateful that my friends have stayed with this group and still want to do this project.  We are no longer a 'group of volunteers' but a family.

 

In addition, I have a dedicated group of transcribers busy entering the information from what we have written into the computer so it can be uploaded to the website.  They are:

 

Jackie Rhodes - who has been doing this 6 years! 

(For the last 2-3 years she has continued transcribing from her new home in Waco, TX)

Mary Kamoss

Michel King

Jessica Smead

Carrie Ackerson

 

One additional volunteer is Tory Eastman and her mother who live in Alamogordo, NM.  Tory single-handed took pictures of every grave at Monte Vista Cemetery in Alamogordo (a large cemetery).  The transcribers still have some of her work to complete.  And Tory's mother has faithfully been doing the Obit Times for the Alamogordo Daily News.  This too, adds tremendously to our information.

 

Every single one of these wonderful volunteers have a special place reserved for them in heaven.  Hopefully there won't be any cemeteries for them to walk, write or transcribe there.  They can rest eternally knowing they have added to the history and ancestry of all peoples on earth.

 

 



German Cemetery

Lee Miller, from our Tombstone group, sent these pictures to me of a German cemetery in the countryside of Luxemburg. 

This plaque is on the mass grave containing 4,829 German soldiers who fought in World War II

Philmont Scout Ranch

This weekend we took Gregory to Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, NM.  He is working on his Eagle Scout project and needed to meet with some staff members to discuss his project.  He will be documenting burial sites on the Philmont property later this year.

Of course we had to look for cemeteries while we were up there as well as on the way home.  This wasn't a very successful trip as we were looking for a total of 12 cemeteries and only found five!  Total miles driven was 511.

Mountain View Cemetery, Cimarron

Martinez Cemetery on Philmont Scout Ranch

San Antonio Catholic Churchyard at Angel Fire

Valdez Cemetery between Springer and Rayado

Abreu Cemetery on Philmont Scout Ranch







 

Unique Cemetery in United States

This cemetery is the "Key West Cemetery" in Key West, Florida.  It was established in 1847 after a previous cemetery washed out to sea after a hurricane.  This 19 acre cemetery is on the highest elevation in Key West at Soldier's Hill, barely 5' above high tide line.  There are approximately 75,000 burials here, both rich and poor and many stacked on top of other graves.  Many graves are above ground due to the very high water table on the island.

 

 

 

 

Thanks to Lee Miller for sending additional photos.

 

Around the World Part 3

In Bergen, Norway, there are many small cemeteries dotted throughtout the city.  As we toured the city, I was able to catch a few of them.  Most are on small plots of ground, next to houses or businesses and on the main streets.

Map of where Bergen, Norway is located

The Original Tombstone Group

2001 The first Tombstone group at Mt Calvary.  This group included Betty Lamberti and Al Winkeljohn who are still with the group in 2013.  Others inlcuded Herb and Sharon Palm, Danielle Sengel, Linda Hobart and Sally Goehring.

Around the World - Part 2

 

Torrance County, New Mexico

An article in the April 20, 2013 Wall Street Journal written by Lee Mindel:

America does not have great cemeteries because of our fascination with youth culture.  But places like Sweden do.  Skogskyrkogarden Cemetery, was designed to focus on death, but it is really about nature and life.  Spread over 250 pine-covered acres, it is now a Unesco World Heritage Site owing to its modernist cahpels by architect Gunnar Asplund.  And Greta Garbo is buried there.

 

 

 

 

                  CEMETERIES AROUND THE WORLD

We travelled to Europe in June and visited eight countries.  The countries (and cities)  we visited were:

• Amsterdam, Holland
• Warnemunde, Germany
• Berlin, Germany
• Stockholm, Sweden
• Helsinki, Finland
• St Petersburg, Russia
• Tallinn, Estonia
• Copenhagen, Denmark
• Molde, Norway
• Bergen, Norway
• Honningsvag, Norway
• Svalbard, Norway
• Longyearbyen, Norway
• Arctic Circle  - 120 miles south of the north center of the earth!

Of course we were always on the outlook for cemeteries wherever we went.  Unfortunately we didn't pass very many.  But we had pre-arranged a two-day private tour in St Petersburg, Russia with a specific request to see cemeteries. 

Russia has beautiful cemeteries and they are rather unique.  The families take great care of their beloved burial sites and flowers grace almost every grave.  Fresh flowers - no plastic memorials here!  To help with this, every cemetery has 'booths' outside the cemetery gates with 'babuska' women who sell flowers every day to the people coming to the cemetery. 

Our guide, Alex, kindly took us to two cemeteries and although we couldn't read the names, the headstones still spoke to us.  Most of the markers we saw were gorgeousl granite with beautiful pictures of the beloved.

 

 

A second cemetery we visited was so large we couldn't follow the paths.  It was very busy with visitors.

 

It was enlightening to see graveyards in other countries where they do care about their relatives and continue to care for them through generations.

 

 

 

 

FOR ALL OUR FATHER'S

 

I'm posting this early since we will be out of the country on Father's Day, June 16 2013

Father's Day 2000
Bill Barry, Richard Harris, my dad, Gregory and Jacob Barry (twins)

This is my father, John Junior Ralf.   My father lived his dreams and, as far as I know, was very happy with his life.  He married my mother (Norma Bunker) in 1943, served his country in the United States Army, had three daughters (alas, no sons), owned his own business and was a sargent in the Palos Verdes (California) sheriff department.  My father expected (you could say demanded) his girls to grow up with respect for all humans, to love our country and contribute to society.  He protected his wife and daughters fiercely and would give them anything they wanted.  My father died on June 12, 2006 and I miss him as much today as I did on June 13, 2006. 

This poem spoke volumes to me - thank you Wink for sending it.  To all our father's, I send prayers and blessings this Father's Day 2013.

Her hair was up in a pony tail, Her favorite dress tied with a bow.
Today was Daddy's Day at school, And she couldn't wait to go.

But her mommy tried to tell her, That she probably should stay home ;
Why the kids might not understand, If she went to school alone.

But she was not afraid; She knew just what to say.
What to tell her classmates Of why he wasn't there today.
But still her mother worried, For her to face this day alone.
And that was why, once again, She tried to keep her daughter home.

But the little girl went to school,  Eager to tell them all.
About a dad she never sees, a dad Who never calls.

There were daddies along the wall in back, for everyone to meet.
Children squirming impatiently, Anxious in their seat.

One by one the teacher called on a student from the class.
To introduce their daddy, As seconds slowly passed.

At last the teacher called her name, Every child turned to stare.
Each of them was searching, A man who wasn't there.

"Where's her daddy at?"  She heard a boy call out.
"She probably doesn't have one,"  Another student dared to shout.

And from somewhere near the back, She heard a daddy say,
"Looks like another deadbeat dad, Too busy to waste his day."

The words did not offend her, As she smiled up at her Mom.
And looked back at her teacher, who Told her to go on.

And with hands behind her back, Slowly she began to speak.
And out from the mouth of a child, Came words incredibly unique.
"My Daddy couldn't be here, Because he lives so far away.
But I know he wishes he could be, Since this is such a special day.

And though you cannot meet him, I wanted you to know
All about my daddy, And how much he loves me so.


He loved to tell me stories, He taught me to ride my bike;
He surprised me with pink roses,  And taught me to fly a kite.

We used to share fudge sundaes,  And ice cream in a cone.
And though you cannot see him, I'm not standing here alone.

'Cause my daddy's always with me, Even though we are apart;
I know because he told me, He'll forever be in my heart

With that, her little hand reached up, And lay across her chest.
Feeling her own heartbeat, Beneath her favorite dress.

And from somewhere there in the crowd of dads, her mother stood in tears.
Proudly watching her daughter, Who was wise beyond her years.

For she stood up for the love of a man not in her life.
Doing what was best for her,
Doing what was a right.

And when she dropped her hand back down, staring straight into the crowd.
She finished with a voice so soft, But its message clear and loud.

"I love my daddy very much,
he's my shining star.
And if he could, he'd be here,
But heaven's just too far.

You see he is an American Soldier
And he died just this past year,
When a roadside bomb hit his convoy
And taught Americans to fear.

But sometimes when I close my eyes,
it's like he never went away."

And then she closed her eyes, And saw him there that day.

And to her mother's amazement, She witnessed with surprise,
A room full of daddies and children, All starting to close their eyes.

Who knows what they saw before them, Who knows what they felt inside.
Perhaps for merely a second, They saw him at her side.

"I know you're with me Daddy,"
To the silence she called out.
And what happened next made believers, Of those once filled with doubt.

Not one in that room could explain it, For each of their eyes had been closed.
But there on the desk beside her,

Was a fragrant long-stemmed pink rose.

And a child was blessed, if only for a moment, by the love of her shining star.
And given the gift of believing,
That heaven is never too far.

For all Mothers and Fathers

As we approach Mother's Day 2013, I wanted to add a little levity into my sometimes serious job of visiting graveyards.  

For all the Mother's and Father's that we have logged over the years, and commit to computer eternity, consider the following.

Mom's and Dad's deserve a special day in May (May 12, 2013) and in June (June 16, 2013) for putting up with us during our obnoxious teen years.  Anna Jarvis established Mother's Day at a 1908 church service in Grafton, West Virginia.  Two years later, in Spokane, Washington, Sonora Smart Dodd gave father's their holiday in a ceremony at a local YMCA.

Of interest is that Anna Jarvis, in 1948,  was so horrified at the over commercialization of Mother's Day (cards, flowers, gifts, etc.) that she was arrested for disturbing the peace at a New York City Mother's Day celebration.

• In the United States, 46% of males are fathers.
•  
• Around the world there are approx. 216,000 babies born every day.  In the United States there are approx. 11,000 born daily.  That's a lot of mothers!
•  
• In the United States, the average age of a first-time mother is 25 years.
•  
• In the United States in 2008 there were 6,268 triplet and higher-order multiple births.
•  
• In the United States, the average number of births on any given Tuesday, which is the most common day for births) was 13,415.
•  
• The amount of daily deaths around the world is approx. 153,400 so it sort of balances out.

According to the Insure.com survey in 2012, Mom's are losing their value (sort of).  A mother's value in 2013 was $59,862, down from $60,182 in 2012 and $61,436 in 2011.  But to most of us, our mothers are invaluable, and they are impossible to put a price on.  And that's how it should be!

According to mother's everywhere, the jobs that they like the least are yard work, cleaning and doing the family finances.  And what do they enjoy the most?  Taking care of their children, shopping for the family and cooking.


So to all Mother's and Father's, as well as all those who want to be mothers and fathers, have a beautiful day!

My Mother, Norma Ralf (2012)

Mother Teresa profound words

 

This version found written on the wall in Mother Teresa's home for children in Calcutta:

              People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered.  Forgive them anyway.

            If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives.  Be kind anyway.

            If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies.  Succeed anyway.

           If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you.  Be honest and sincere anyway.

            What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight.  Create anyway.

            If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous.  Be happy anyway.

            The good you do today, will often be forgotten.  Do good anyway.

         Give the best you have, and it will never be enough.  Give your best anyway.

         In the final analysis, it is between you and God.  It was never between you and them anyway.

 

What a gas!

(I know this doesn't have anything to do with Tombstones, but I decided to do a little research when I heard 2013 was the anniversary of gas!)

Do you know what is at the corner of Baum Boulevard and St. Clair Street in Pittsburgh, PA? Or why Bowser Avenue in Fort Wayne, IN is famous?

There is a historic marker at Baum and St Clair commemorating the first drive in filling station.  That gas station was a breakthrough in automotive convenience and made history 100 years ago in 1913. 

Before this first 'gas' station a century ago, fueling up was an adventure.  The first places to sell fuel were pharmacies, as a side business.

In 1900, the United States had 4,000 cars, compared with 20 million horses.  Gasoline was considered a waste product of kerosene.  Motorists had to take a bucket to the general store, hardware dealer, drug store or local refinery and fill up from a barrel.  A few (very few) fearless salesmen sold gasoline from pushcarts.

In 1905, the United States was manufacturing 25,000 automobiles a year.  Sylvanus Bowser developed a pump to safely transfer gasoline from a barrel into a car's tank.  Today, Bowser Avenue in Fort Wayne, IN is named after him.  Fuel pumps in New Zealand and Australia are still known as "bowsers".  From his invention came the advent of the 'filling' station.

The world's first purpose-built 'gas station' was built in St. Louis in 1905 where you pulled to the curbside pump to get one gallon of gasoline, causing traffic jams and long lines.  Thus a drive-in(not drive-up) filling station was the solution.

The Baum Boulevard filling station sold 30 gallons of gas at 27 cents a gallon in 1913.  And all cars were fully serviced by 3 men!  One checked the air in the tires, one washed ALL the windows, one went under the hood.  And sometimes there was even a fourth man who entertained the kids in the backseat, or brought out treats and gifts to the car.

By 1929, the U.S. Federal Census counted 121,513 filling stations (the term 'service station' didn't come about until 1948).  In 1929, these filling stations sold $1.8 billion in gasoline.

The typical filling station was designed as a "decorated shed" with a typical oblong box that was flat roofed and contained two bays.  One bay had a hydraulic lift, the other with a central floor drain for washing cars.

Texico, in 1928, was the first US company to sell its gasoline in all 48 states. 

In 1947, the first self-serve service station opened in Los Angeles.

The 1973 Arab oil embargo caused gasoline prices to soar.  They went from 36 cents a gallon to 40 cents a gallon!  Outrageous!!!

In 1979 the average price of gasoline topped $1 per gallon for the first time.

I hope you enjoyed my little trip down "gasoline alley".

 

Check out this link - thanks to Wink!

http://hipspics.freewebspace.com/gas/gas.html

GOODBYE TO A DEAR LADY

                                        

                                                      June 28 1934 - March 16, 2013
                                             
Today was the funeral services for a dear lady that was a co-founder of the Tombstone Transcription group.  Sally Goehring was more than that - she was a friend.

Sally Goehring was the first person to call me back in 2001 after the Albuquerque Journal ran a story about my work in a local cemetery.  At that time I had completed one cemetery with the help of Danielle Sengel.  The newspaper kindly added a post-script that said I'd be interested in volunteers to work on additional cemeteries.  If I remember correctly, Sally called the afternoon that the newspaper was published.  I hadn't even had time to think of training because I didn't think anyone would be interested.

My first group meeting was September 12, 2001 (yep, day after 9/11) and Sally arrived early and stayed late.  She was anxious to hear of my plans and what we could accomplish.  She said she had been climbing over fences into any cemetery she could find for years.  She couldn't pass up a cemetery without getting out of the car and walking through it.  Didn't matter if it was a new one or 100 years old, she enjoyed it.

She quickly became my friend and a very dedicated hard worker.  Sally came to the cemeteries we were walking whether it was hot or cold, windy or spitting rain.  She would wear mittens that had removable fingers just so she could work in the cold.  Didn't make any difference to her - she was doing what she loved.  And she had impeccable writing.  She knew the work was important and the information would be left for all generations to come.

Sally also taught me the love of quilting.  She and I worked together - she teaching, me stumbling with getting seams straight and matching points.  She didn't care if my points  matched, she just told be to try harder next time.  I love quilting now and every quilt has a bit of Sally in it as I remember her instructions and love of the quilt.

Yes, a dear lady has left this world and entered heaven where she is teaching the angels how to make heavenly quilts and pointing out all the burial places in New Mexico.  I will miss you Sally Goehring!