Hi to all my Friends,
THE OLD 1954 CHEVROLET VACATION VIDEO below really brings back great memories. In the fall of 1959, my company, Burroughs Corporation, transferred me to Norfolk, Virginia. Our trip was much like this short movie – except instead of 3 boys, we had 3 young girls, Deborah (8), Cynthia “Cindo” (7), and Leslie (5). And, instead of a Chevy sedan, we had a Buick Century station wagon. Since this was before the awareness of seat belts, we were able to turn the back of the station wagon into a traveling play room for the girls – put the back seats down, lay quilts and blankets for padding, a small bag for immediate needs such as pajamas, and toys to keep them occupied. Play all day, then, in the early evening, put on their pajamas to be more comfy.
Since the company regulations only specified we drive 500 miles per day – and combine that with accrued vacation time – we were in no hurry at all. After the Bekins movers had taken our belongings that were to be shipped, we stopped by our local Bank of America to close our bank account. In those days before the internet and computers connected worldwide, when moving across country we had to close our account in Sun Valley, California, and wait until we settled in Norfolk, Virginia, to open a new account. After we closed our account and were ready to hit the road, I looked at Betty and told her, “Do you realize that this car is our home, our only connection with the world – until we get to Norfolk?” Yes, it was a wee bit scary – but even more exciting. We were off on a cross country adventure!
From Sun Valley to San Bernardino, Route 66 was all surface road, Foothill Boulevard, picking up open highway out of San Bernardino. Before arriving in San Bernardino to hook up with the open road, we decided to stop for a last dinner in California. To make it a taste of California, we stopped at the newly opened (1958) Clifton’s Cafeteria in West Covina, California.
From there it was on to San Bernardino, leaving Southern California via Route 66, through Flagstaff, Arizona, and to Albuquerque, New Mexico. Since we wanted to visit family in Denver, at Albuquerque we turned north on U.S. 285 toward Denver where we visited for a week with my in-laws. After our visit in Denver, we continued traveling east on U. S. 40 across Kansas (later to be replaced by Interstate 70) to visit with Betty’s brother, Joe, who was a sergeant stationed in the Army at Fort Riley, Kansas.
Then, we headed south from Kansas City, through Memphis into north Alabama on U.S. 72 to spend time with my family in Sheffield, Alabama. A week in Alabama with my family, and we headed north to establish a new home in Norfolk, Virginia. That was my first experience driving across America. Such an adventure, like your first love, stays forever in your memory. Over the years, I have crossed America many times. I have driven the Interstates – crossed by bus and train – and flown many times. But none could ever be as special as that first time driving Route 66.
Driving across America from California to Virginia in the Fall of 1959, and then coming back again three years later – like Katharine Lee Bates who wrote the beautiful song “America the Beautiful” after traveling, in 1893, with fellow teachers to the top of 14,000-foot Pikes Peak in Colorado – we experienced America in a way that can never be done driving the Interstates or flying.
As we drove west to east across America in 1959, and returned again east to west three years later, we were able to really enjoy seeing the real America, small town America. And, in those days there were many icons of the road which no long exist today. There were the Burma Shave Signs to keep us entertained. In the 1930s to the early 1960s, Burma Shave signs were a fun diversion when driving. They were usually red signs planted by the road side about every half mile. Each sign carried a part of a jingle – with the last sign advertising Burma Shave. Here are examples of the hundreds of Burma Shave sign groups along the highways of America. When we saw the first one, our eyes began searching the roadside for the next piece of the jingle:
Many a forest – Used to stand – Where a lighted match – Got out of hand – Burma Shave
Past school houses – Take it slow – Let the little – Shavers grow – Burma Shave
On curves ahead – Remember, sonny – That rabbit’s foot – Didn’t save – The bunny – Burma-Shave
Violets are blue – Roses are pink – On graves – Of those – Who drive and drink – Burma-Shave
Then, there were the Howard Johnson Motels and Restaurants, a recognizable haven of rest for the weary travelers. While there were many motels and hotels dotting the highways across America – one of the most recognizable was the red roof of the HoJo’s motels and restaurants.
And don’t even think of driving past a Stuckey’s Candy store without stopping. Time for a sweet tooth rest stop.
Several indelible memories are forever printed in my mind of our return trip to California three years later. First, driving through Iowa, was the miles of highway bordered by fields of corn which must have been 8 foot tall – a green wall which ran for miles beside the highway. Even though I grew up in Alabama where corn fields are plentiful – the size of these fields in Iowa blew my mind.
Then, there was the evening that our daughter, Cindo, was not sleepy and wanted to sit in the front seat between us (bench seats then). The moon was full and bright. As we were driving down the highway, Cindo was amazed, “Look, the moon moved!” True, the moon had been on the right side of the highway – and then, suddenly, the moon was on the left side of the highway. Wow! The moon moved! Actually, the highway curved – so it was us moving our position and not the moon moving. But, why dampen her imagination?
Yes, driving across America in the late 1950s and early 1960s was truly a wonderful experience, a once in a lifetime experience.
If I bored you with my travelogue down memory lane, please forgive me. For me it has been a labor of love – for it is an America we will not experience again.
Now, visit this URL link to see how travel by 1954 Chevy was, back then:
How to go places – 1954 Chevrolet road trip across America – WDTVLIVE42
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oWHXjVBJBQo
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day.
Bill Gray