I remember visits to my mother’s mother in the late 40s and early 50s. We lived in Evansville Indiana, and she lived in Tell City Indiana. It is about 50 miles between the two cities. We would know for several weeks that we were going. Dad would go over the car and check out all kinds of things. Tire pressure, water in the radiator, water in the battery, and all other kinds of maintenance were checked.
Mom would make sure we had clean clothes, and pack other things like blankets and water and snacks for the trip. Finally on Saturday morning we would leave.
The first stop was always a stop at the dam in Newburg Indiana. We would stop in the overlook and look at the Ohio river. Dad would always talk about the sign which we never saw the supposedly said, “Drive slow see our city, drive fast, see our jail”. We never did see that sign, and I am not sure if it ever did exist. This was followed by a stop in Troy Indiana. They population today is around 350, I don’t know what it was in the 40s. but would guess around 200. The biggest thing in town was a protestant church.
Finally, we would reach Tell City Where the population was approximately 7500, Today the population is approximately 7500. My grandmother’s house was on a corner of some numbered street and Mozart. My memory doesn’t bring it back.
My Uncle Frank who share cropped a farm outside of Tell City would show up with Aunt Edna and the kids Nina, Johnny, Albert, Lonny, and Betty Lou. We would play outside as the adults caught up on all the news. Then a marvelous dinner would be served of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, vegetables and apple pie. My Grandmother did this on an old wood burning stove.
That night we would sleep in huge beds upstairs that had feather mattresses that we would sink into. those were wonderful nights of sleep.
The next day we had breakfast which always included her cinnamon rolls from the metal box on the kitchen table. Then we would take the long drive home.
I still remember those trips, and a cinnamon roll for breakfast takes me right back.
