Growing up in Evansville Indiana, we would have our annual trip to visit Grandma Rothgerber. The trip between Evansville and Tell City was only 50 miles, but preparing for it was quite a ordeal. Not for us kid, but for Mom and Dad. It is funny, that today we go shopping and rack up more than 50 miles. However, back then it involved Dad doing a complete checkout on the car including oil, gas and tires. Mom would pack up sandwiches and blankets for the trip. Then we would all pile into the car for the trip.
We played games like when my ship comes in and license plate math. We would sing sings, kind of like you would do at scout camp. These would be interrupted by going through a city. First would be Newburg, where Dad would talk about the submarine races at the dam in the Ohio river. Next would be Grandview which did have a beautiful view of the Ohio river. This was followed by Troy where Dad would always talk about the sign that said, “Drive slow see our city, drive fast, see our jail”. I am not sure if there ever was a sign.
The next town was Cannelton where we would hear stories of the Cannelton mill where cloth was made. At the time, it was the largest mill west of the Allegheny mountains. The employees were mostly women and young girls.
Finally, we would reach Tell City and would drive to 12th and Mozart where our grandmother lived. I have many fond memories of her cooking on an old Estate wood stove. I still don’t know how she did it. My memories include the ice man delivering ice to their ice box out back. I remember sleeping in those big old feather beds. But most of all I remember the cinnamon rolls she kept in the tin box in her kitchen.
Those memories are forever.
