The "Travails Of Our Nation's Liberty Bell: Part I" Story

William Penn

It was an ordinary day.  Checking out some of the photographs that I found online telling of the final trip that the Liberty Bell made in 1915 from its home in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to the Panama-Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco, California.  It was the last time that the Liberty Bell ever traveled from its home in Philadelphia.  Was also reading a question that was posed to everyone still living: How many people who are still living have ever heard the Liberty Bell chime?  Answer: Zero.  No one today has ever heard the bell ring freely with its clapper.  The Liberty Bell, first known as the State House Bell, rang in the tower of the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall which is located on Market Street in downtown Philadelphia.  

Old black and white photo of Independence Hall in Philadelphia

Market Street was originally known as High Street since High Street was a familiar name of the principal street in nearly every English town at the time Philadelphia was founded.  Philadelphia's founder, William Penn, had planned for farmer's markets to be held regularly on the 100-foot wide High Street.  Eventually around 1800 the street became known as Market Street.  Market Street is known as the most historic highway in the United States since various historic sites reside along the street.  

A Stereo-viewer photo of Benjamin Franklin's home

Ben Franklin's house was located near the intersection of Fourth and Market and it was said that he performed his famous kite-flying experiment near Third and Market Streets.  Thomas Jefferson wrote the Declaration of Independence in a boarding house located at Seventh and Market.  The home of Robert Morris, financier of the American Revolution lived at Sixth and Market.  That house was used by George Washington and John Adams as their residence during their terms as President and today Market Street is still one of the principal locations of business and commerce in Philadelphia.  But, the most famous landmark on the road is Independence National Historical Park, at Fifth and Market Streets.  

Independence Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Independence Park is home to the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and the National Constitution Center.  Just east of Front and Market lies Penn's Landing along the Delaware River. And, at 2nd Street and Market stands the historic Christ Church, once the tallest building in North America.  Our Liberty Bell weighed 2,080 pounds at order.  It is made of bronze which is 70% copper, 25% tin and contains small amounts of lead, gold, arsenic, silver, and zinc.  The Bell's wooden yoke is American elm, but there is no proof that it is the original yoke for the bell.  The bell rang to mark the Stamp Act tax, but there is no evidence that the bell rang on July 4, 1776.  Speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly, Isaac Norris, first ordered a bell for the bell tower in 1751 from the Whitechapel Foundry in London.  

The Liberty Bell

That bell cracked the first time it was rung.  Two local Philadelphia metalworkers, John Pass and John Stow, melted down that bell and cast a new one right in Philadelphia.  That was the bell that was rung calling lawmakers to their meetings.  This is the bell that in the 1830s took on significance as a symbol of liberty, thus "The Liberty Bell."  Follow along tomorrow as I tell you about how that second bell became cracked and about its travels around the United States.  It was a another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

The "Southern Lancaster County's Hidden Gem - Part II" Story

LDub standing next to a Conestoga Wagon.

It was an ordinary day.  Having my photo taken by another visitor while standing next to a restored Conestoga Wagon inside The Conestoga Area Historical Society which is located in Erhlich Park in Conestoga Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  The main museum building, which is in a restored 1865 tobacco shed, is remarkable.  Three floors of history, much of which has come from the surrounding area.  Local artifacts are interspersed with period pieces as well as a very nice Native American collection from the hills around Southern Lancaster County.  The barn at one time belonged to Amos and Landis Graver who farmed the fields in the area.  At the time it was at a different location.  Upon the death of the last of the Gravers, the house and barn were purchased by other individuals.  

Sign directing you to the entrance.

Being that the barn was on the opposite side of the road from the house, it became expendable to the new buyers.  The Township supervisors were offered the barn as a gift and they then moved it to its location in Erhlich Park.  Volunteers spent the next three years preparing the barn to be the centerpiece of the Historical Society.  It officially opened on November 16, 1996.    In the main level of the tobacco shed is a permanent exhibit which houses, among other things, a Conestoga Wagon, artifacts from St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church of nearby Safe Harbor and a country store complete with items from a local store in Conestoga.  

Mr. Ken Hoak who is the Curator
and President Emeritus of the
Conestoga Historical Society.

The second floor has exhibits of animals from the area as well as a variety of other displays.  The third floor features an ice cream parlor complete with sign listing all the ice cream flavors available as well as a soda machine.  After entering at the main level, I signed the guest book, gave a donation and began my exploration of the exhibit titled "Play Ball: A Retrospective Exhibit of Over 100 Years of Athletic Activities in the Penn Manor Area."  This level of the tobacco barn has revolving displays and exhibits that are featured in the Grassel Hall gallery.  After a half-hour of looking at all the interesting photos, newspaper clippings and stone balls believed to have come from Indian tribes who inhabited the area years ago, I found my way through a door into a room that housed the Conestoga wagon I am now standing next to for my photograph.  

A display on the top floor of the barn
shows period furniture and accessories.

Hard to believe that this wagon was at one time the best means of transportation for both hauling goods as well as exploring the old West.  My story yesterday told of interesting artifacts and displays throughout the tobacco barn, but after walking out the door, I was amazed at the magnitude of out-buildings that were also filled with antiques, artifacts and period pieces of furniture that were all part of the Historical Society.  Closeby was the Tobias Stehman Blacksmith Shop.  It is an 1885 shop that was located on a Pequea Township farm and moved to this site where it underwent restoration.  The working shop houses some of the most interesting tools and equipment.  It is still in use today.  

This display on the same level shows an old ice cream parlor.
This is a replica of the Andrew Howard Confectionary from
the 1860s. It is the earliest record of an ice cream shop
in Millersville and was locate on North George Street.

Another nearby house, The Stephen Atkinson House, was moved to this location from the Sunnyside area of Lancaster City.  It is a 1740 log home that too was restored, decorated and furnished with period reproductions made by local craftsmen.  Next to it is a German four square garden, smokehouse and an outhouse.  The Michael Harnish House is from the 1740s and too was moved and restored.  In it are displays of the Harnish family including their home deed, blanket chest and family Bible. Well, as I left this small house, I noticed an approaching summer thunderstorm so I made my way to the car for a quick exit home.  A few other buildings drew my attention as I was scurried back to the car so I believe another visit to this museum will be on my agenda soon.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The second floor has quite a few show cases filled with the wildlife of the area.

This showcase displays the long-tailed Weasel during the summer phase on the left and the winter phase on the right.

John Stuart, the Earl of Bute is wearing a cape featuring tails from the winter phase weasel.  You can tell by the black spots on the cape which are the tip of the weasel's tail.

The museum gives the viewer a visual chronology of 300 years of decorative arts in the Penn Manor area.  During those 300 years we have experienced eight distinct changes in life style design.  There are no inclusive definite dates for these periods.  There are always transitional overlapping.

This outdoor chart shows the many out-buildings around the main museum.  

This is the Stephen Atkinson log cabin.  It was moved from the Sunnyside area of Lancaster City in 1997, restored and opened in 1998. 

This is the outhouse with the German Four-square garden.

Interior photo of the cabin.

Two photos of the interior of the Tobias Stehman Blacksmith shop from 1880.

A black and white photo showing the tannery as it used to look.

Interior of the Samuel Myers tannery after being relocated and restored.  It was built in 1812.

These two photographs show the Michael Harnish House which was built in the mid-1740s.  It was moved to this site in 2000 and opened later that year after restoration.  The Bible featured in the top photo was printed by Rimber and Scharplet in the early 19th century.  The Bible was open to the family record page which showed the dates of the marriage of Barbara Buchwalter and Jacob Harnish (Nov. 14, 1850).  The chest featured in the photo was from the early 19th century.  It bears the initials B.B.H. which would have been Barbara Buchwalter Harnish.  A wedding date of 1850 can also be seen on the chest.  The bottom photo shows more furniture and displays written material found in the home. 

   

The "Southern Lancaster County's Hidden Gem - Part I" Story

Corner of the Tobacco Shed that houses the Conestoga Historical Society

It was an ordinary day.  Visiting the Conestoga Area Historical Society at 51 Kendig Road in Conesto- ga, Penn- sylvania.  I didn't even know the place existed until a week of so ago when I saw an article in the local newspaper titled "Athletes O're The Ages."  Seems the Historical Society was presenting a special exhibit called "Play Ball: A Retrospective Exhibit of Over 100 Years of Athletic Activities in the Penn Manor Area."  

Directly inside the door is this showcase

If you have been reading my blog for the past few years, you know how much I enjoy the sport of baseball so it shouldn't be a surprise to you that I went to see the exhibit.  Took me a few minutes to find the main building where the society is located, parked the car and entered the main door.  Not a single person did I see.  I signed my name in the guest book, dropped a donation in the large bottle and began to look around the display which was right inside the door.  Took a photo of one of the newspaper articles in the display and as soon as I lowered my camera I was greeted by someone standing next to me.  I looked at him and said, "I think I just took a photograph of you."  He laughed and said, "Yeah, that was me years ago when I was playing fast pitch softball."  

Article that featured my tour guide, Jim
Kauffman.  We both knew some of the same
players from Lancaster County.  

Guy's name was Jim Kauffman and he and I spent the next half hour talking about the athletic display in the historical society.  I asked him where they got the two large banners that had MTHS on them.  I assumed they were athletic banners from the school where I had taught for years: Manheim Township High School.  "Actually they are from Manor Township High School," he said.  "That's what Penn Manor High School was known as before the southern part of the county merged.  This museum has on display items from Conestoga, Manor, Martic, and Pequea Townships as well as the Borough of Millersville, PA."  Jim and I had a nice conversation about baseball as well as other sports when I asked him, "Where did you get all this stuff?"  He replied, "Quite a few of the items are on loan for the ball display, but the majority of the other items in the museum as well as the surrounding buildings were gathered or belong to Ken Hoak who is the Curator and President Emeritus  of the Historical Society."  

Gloves and balls from the good old days.

The name sounded familiar and finally it hit me.  "Did Ken go to Millersville State Teacher's College years ago and then teach art?"  "Same guy," he replied.  "He's not here right now."  Jim told me which way to go in the museum to see some of the other displays and I headed to the stairwell to go to the second floor of what used to be a tobacco barn.

Many scrapbooks loaded with articles and photos lined the
display cabinets.  Most are on loan from private collections.

 As soon as I exited the stairwell on the second floor I knew who the fellow standing a few feet away from me, talking to another couple, was; Ken Hoak.  He looked me and realized he also knew me.  We met and introduced ourselves.  Ken had been an art teacher for years at Solanco High School in the southern end of Lancaster County while I taught Industrial Arts in the north end of the county.  

These are Native American artifacts found on location.
Click on the photos to enlarge them.

We met a few times before when we both had students enter the National Scholastic Art and Photo- graphy competi- tion.  He was very good friends with the fellow who taught art in the room next to me, Richard Miller.  "He died way to young, didn't he" he said to me.  I agreed.  

Another private collection from Safe Harbor, PA.

He told me of the many buildings in the museum complex and how he had been gathering items for the museum for most of his life.  He actually was responsible for beginning the museum in 1990.  The building we are standing in at present is a restored 1865 tobacco shed.  Some items in the museum are Indian artifacts from years ago.  Ken took me to the third floor of the building to show me more displays and then I found my way back to the main floor to begin my exploration of more of the grounds.  Follow along tomorrow as I show you more of one of Lancaster County's hidden gems.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

A favorite tournament in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.  I participated as a player when I was a pre-teen as well as teenager and also coached various teams in it.  My final year of coaching Little League baseball was topped off by winning the Midget New Era Tournament.

This wall was devoted to Millersville State Teachers College sports.  The school is now known as Millersville University.

One more of the many showcases holding baseball memories from the past.

The "Happy, Happy Birthday Baby" Story

It was an ordinary day.  No wait!  That was yesterday, but today is anything but ordinary since today we celebrate the birthday of ... BAW or maybe better known now as BAM.  I suppose you have no idea where this is leading, but that's OK, since our daughter's birthday is usually only celebrated in her household.  Brynn Ann Woods, now known as Brynn Ann Mencarini, was born on 7/4/1974.  A real firecracker to say the least.  Anyone who has a birthday on a special holiday usually gets a bit more of a celebration than those born on any regular old day of the year, like me.  Not only do we celebrate our daughter's birthday on July 4th, but we celebrate the birth of the United States of America as an independent nation.  She was, and still is, referred to as our firecracker.  Can still remember wearing those red, white and blue checked trousers to the hospital on July 4th to celebrate the birth of our only daughter.  And, today we will once again gather to celebrate her birthday with a birthday cake covered with candles as well as the traditional singing of "Happy Birthday to You".  

My two granddaughters helping their mom celebrate.

Did you know that the song "Happy Birthday to You" is the most recognized song in the English language according to the Guiness Book of World Records.  The melody for the tune comes from the song "Good Morning to All" by the American sisters Patty and Mildred J. Hill which was written in 1893.  Patty was a kindergarten principal in Louisville Kentucky who developed various teaching methods while her sister Mildred was a musical composer and pianist.  The sisters knew that the music from "Good Morning to All" was easy for young children to sing.  They then combined that melody to the lyrics of "Happy Birthday to You" and published it in 1912.  And, ever since that time it has been sung at birthday parties all over the world.  Since the U.S. Federal Court ruled the song to be in the public domain, it can be used by anyone without having to worry about copyright infringements or royalties.  

Celebrating her birthday while vacationing at the Jersey Shore.

And, Brynn's favorite birthday cake, made by her mother, the lemon poppy seed cake, has been a tradition in our family since she was first born.  The tradition of the birthday cake has been around since the Ancient Romans when they celebrated births with pastries.  The tradition of birthday candles began in Ancient Greece when people brought cakes adorned with lit candles to the temple of Artemis, goddess of the hunt.  The candles were lit to make them glow like the moon, a popular symbol associated with Artemis.  And when Brynn blows out the candles, ancient culture dictates that the smoke from the candles will carry her prayers to the heavens.  So, when you celebrate the 4th of July today, remember not only the birth of our nation, but those who also celebrate their birth date.  I know we will!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Stars & Stripes Will Fly Once Again" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Began work at Grebinger Gallery at 8:30 am and was greeted with perhaps the largest framing job I have done since I started working part-time at the gallery 18 years ago.  The owner, Keith, was at one time a student in my photography class at Manheim Township High School and when I retired I asked if he might need some help at his gallery which he had started a few years before.  Wasn't long before I was a "pro" at matting and framing jobs from simple photos to baseball and football jerseys to now ... flags.  Then Keith bought a computerized mat cutter and my job became a dream job.  Well, this morning he showed me what I was going to have to work on today; a flag that was over 20 years old and had been flown over the home of the customer's parents in New York.   The flag had been sewn together numerous times with various kinds of thread.  Parts of it were so worn that areas of the flag were totally missing.  But, the customer wanted us to try and frame it for their home here in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Keith and I spread it out on the 4'x8' work table and found there wasn't much space left around the edge of the table.  The largest framing material that can be ordered is 40"x60" and we were going to need all of that.  The customer wanted a brass plaque that told of the owners and with the flag and plaque, the job was going to be the largest job I have ever done.  The following photographs, taken with my cell phone, will tell the story of a  flag that will once again be on display in time for July 4th.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The mat chosen was a tan color since red, white or blue might have blended with the flag.  As you see, there is not much space around the edge of the flag.  Here I have laid it out to see how I can fasten it to the matboard.  The matboard is fastened with double-sided tape to foamboard to give the job some rigidity.

I stitched the flag to the matboard using a needle and fishing line.  Here you can see that there are some places where there is no fabric and the matboard will show through.

I have finished my stitching and the flag looks great.  The right side has many areas where the flag had been sewn together and the stripes are no longer the same size as well as some spots where there is no white fabric. The extra matboard at the bottom will allow for placement of the brass plaque.

I next have to cut and glue the frame together.  After the glue is dry, I will force metal corner fasteners into the frame for extra support.  

Since this job is so large, plexiglass is used instead of glass.  This will reduce the weight of the project.  Here I have to remove the protective covering that comes on the plexiglass.  To do that I take a large cardboard roll and start by wrapping the end of the protective cover over it and then begin to roll the tube to remove the entire covering.  Turn it over and do the same on the other side.

This shows the mounted flag standing next to the frame with the plexiglass in place.  On top of the plexiglass I placed strips of plastic spacing material around the edge to allow the flag "space" when I place the two units together.  You don't want the flag to touch the plexiglas for fear it will be damaged worse that it already may be.  

Placing the two pieces together.

I use a special tool to drive metal wedges into place to hold the two units together.

On the rear I place a dust cover to keep dust and critters from getting to the artwork, or flag in this case.  This job is so large that I needed two pieces of kraft paper to cover the back.  On the top corners I used "Wall Buddies" rather than picture wire since it will hold the large job on the wall better than wire.  The white corners are placed over all corners to protect them until the customer has the framed job safely at home.

Keith took a photo of me with the final job.  Weighed about 35 pounds.

The "Going The Extra Mile For The Love Of Youth Baseball" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Talking with my daughter-in-law Barbara about something that happened a few days ago after one of my grandson Caden's Little League baseball games.  Caden had played at a very neat field on Lampeter Road in the Lampeter-Strasburg School District.  The field is located about five miles or so to the south-east of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  The game was played at 6:00 PM in the Lancaster County 12 and under league between Caden's Mountville Braves and the opposing Strasburg-Willow Street team.  Great game, but what you didn't notice during the game was the great job done by the umpire behind home plate.  His calls were accurate and unbiased.  Reason for that might have been that he lived in the town of Gap, Pennsylvania which is 18 miles east of the ballfield where the game was held.  And what makes my story unbelievable today is that this man walked from Gap, PA to the ball field to the east of Lancaster!  Walked, with all his equipment in tow, on a hot day in June.  Took him SIX HOURS to make the trip!!  You read that right ... SIX HOURS.  

Little League umpire loving what he does!

I talked to him after the game, telling him he called a great game.  Years ago I too was an umpire when I called the games in an adult fast-pitch softball league and know how tough it can be to call a good game with no one complaining about the calls.  Well, he called a great game and I thought he should know.  Had no idea he was about to begin his trek back to Gap as darkness began to engulf the countryside.  I watched him as he left the field, thinking he was heading to his car in the distance.  Not so!  He was beginning to walk SIX HOURS home after the game ... in the dark.  Barbara was filling me in on the rest of the story after my wife Carol and I had left the field to head home.  Seems a parent of one of the boys on the Mountville team saw this gentleman about a mile from the field and recognized him as having just called the game he watched.  Stopped and asked if he needed a lift.  You betcha!  He drove ... and drove ... and drove, until he reached Gap.  He dropped him off at his home which was located in a trailer park in Gap.  Asked him why he would walk SIX HOURS to and SIX HOURS home again to umpire a baseball game where more than likely parents and spectators would be yelling at him most of the game.  Easy answer he said, "I love to umpire Little League."  Thanked the guy who dropped him off and walked in the door.  And, I thought I loved the game of baseball!!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The General Comes To Lancaster" Story

York, Pa. photographer took this photo
of Lavinia, former wife of Tom Thumb.

It was an ordinary day.  Searching the Internet for black and white photographs taken in the mid to late 1800's when one of the photographs showed the name of Swords Bro's Photographers from York, Pa.  Very interesting since York, Pa. is a bit over 25 miles from my home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania and Lancaster, as well as York, had quite a few professional photographers.  Seems that the subjects of the photograph were a woman named Lavinia and two men, Count Primo Magri and his brother Baron Giuseppe Magri.  Nothing unusual except that Lavinia's former husband had died two years before and his name happened to be General Tom Thumb.  Yep, the little guy who toured with PT Barnum.  Did some more searching and found a link to the Lititz, Pa. newspaper and a story written by Cory Van Brookhoven telling of a Wednesday in May of 1879 when General Tom Thumb and his wife Lavinia performed at Orchestra Hall in Lititz.  

Charles Stratton, also known
as General Tom Thumb.

That's all I needed to begin a more thorough search about the woman in the photo and her miniature husband.  Charles Stratton, aka General Tom Thumb, was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut in 1938 to average sized parents.  His father had married his first cousin whose family line showed that there were small people in the family.  Charles was 9 pounds, 8 ounces at birth and grew normally for the first six months of his life, but at that point stopped growing at 25 inches tall and 15 pounds.  By the age of 4 he had grown an additional inch.  Along came Phineas T. Barnum, a half fifth cousin, twice removed, and after hearing about Stratton, contacted Charles' parents and told them he could make their son achieve fame and fortune if they would allow him to take their son on the road.  So, at the age of five, PT gave him the name of General Tom Thumb, taught him singing, dancing and comical banter and headed out on the road.  

The wedding of General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren.

Tom Thumb's impersonations of Cupid and Napoleon Bonaparte made him a huge success every where he went.  A year later they were traveling to Europe where PT made Thumb an international celebrity.  Then in 1847 Tom began to grow once again until in 1851 he was 29 inches in height.  By his 18th birthday he had grown another half inch.  In 1863 he married another little person named Lavinia Warren.  2,000 people attended the wedding while 10,000 guests came to the reception in New York.  

Photo of the Lititz Lyceum where Orchestra Hall is located.

Tom's best man was George Washington Morrison, another dwarf performer in Barnum's employ.  Minnie Warren served as her sister's maid of honor.  Minnie was smaller than her sister.  Following the wedding the couple were received by President Lincoln at the White House.  Over the next couple years they toured the world several times, entertaining to masses.  

General Tom Thumb and wife Lavinia often had photos taken
with children thought to be their own.  They never had any
children.  As the children grew older, they used younger
children to have photos taken of their "family".

Then in May of 1879 they made a stop in Lititz.  General Tom Thumb appeared at Orchestra Hall on the second floor of the Lititz Lyceum building.  That location is now the home of the Moravian Archives Museum.  Hundreds of residents lined the streets of Lititz for the arrival of Tom Thumb and his wife, hoping for a glimpse of the famous couple.  Three years later Tom and his wife and touring company returned to the Lancaster area where they performed at the Fulton Opera House in downtown Lancaster.  

General Tom Thumb's monument in
Middleborough, Massachusetts.

By then a child had been added to the show.  Everyone thought it to be their child, but at every stop, a new child took the place of the baby.  Then in 1883, while Lavinia was away on a solo tour, Charles Stratton, aka General Tom Thumb", died of a stroke at the age of 45 in Middleborough, Massachusetts.  He was 46 years old.  Thousands of people attended the funeral.  He was buried in his hometown of Bridgeport, Connecticut.   It's been 148 years since General Tom Thumb visited Lancaster County, but my find while looking for old photographs has brought his name to the forefront once again.  As to the photograph I found, his wife evidently remarried two years later to a younger man, Count Primo Magri.  Now, that sounds like an alias to me!  Gonna have to search some more for his real name.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.