I have proof of a Time Traveler!

Last night I came across this wonderful circa 1916 photograph of my Grandma Evelyn with some friends. (Leaning on chair with glasses on her head)

Too bad the girl in front of her was too absorbed in texting to look at the photographer.

And just who was she texting, anyway?!
Texting would not be invented for another 96 years.
Just sayin.

Twins

In 1925, giving birth to twins was quite a novelty. Grandma Evelyn had no idea there were two babies on the way until she had given birth to one and the doctor declared that there was another coming!
We are fortunate to have these wonderful photographs of the fraternal twins, Margaret & Maurice, from their early days in Cleveland Heights. (I just love the cars!)
That's "Sister" in the curls.
The great tragedy was that the twins would lose their father to cancer only 5 years later.
The last photograph was taken shortly before William died.

An Exciting Beach Find!

Lida & Maurice Weidenthal at Euclid Beach July 1911

In the early 1900’s my great grandfather Maurice and his beloved wife Lida spent many of their summer days on the shores of Lake Erie. (Guess the love for Lake Erie and the beach goes way back in my family!) We have pictures of them at Euclid Beach, where there was a popular amusement park and bathing beach. Gotta love those bathing costumes!

Maurice with two unidentified friends and Annie Firth, an aunt, Euclid Beach 1911

Grandfather William's sister Babette Weidenthal Newman, kneeling back row left, with friends - Euclid Beach, 1911

We don't know if the Weidenthals knew what they were going to see at the beach that August day in 1911, but we have pictures of my grandfather with the famous Atwood Biplane, which landed there for a short time.

William Weidenthal posing with Atwood's famous Biplane  - August 1911 Collection:Weidenthal Family

By then, Harry Nelson Atwood, (1884-1967) a student of the Wright brothers, had become one of America's most celebrated aviators.  An exhibition flyer, he stunned New Yorkers with his daredevil flight among Manhattan's skyscrapers and thrilled the country when he landed his biplane on the South Lawn of the White House.

Harry N. Atwood in flight over the south lawn of the White House in a Wright Model B biplane, July 14,1911 (Smithsonian Institution)

Atwood's 1911 record-setting  flights from Boston to Washington and from St. Louis to New York (1265 miles) August 14 to 25, 1911 brought him international fame.  According to newspaper reports of the time, Atwood landed his Wright biplane on Euclid Beach, in Cleveland, Ohio, on Thursday, August 17th, during his cross-country flight from St. Louis to New York City.

Atwood's Biplane 2 minutes after landing at Euclid Beach  Collection:Weidenthal Family

Flying in from Sandusky, Ohio, he first landed at Edgewater Park, in Cleveland, by mistake, but took off, right away, for Euclid Beach, which was his scheduled stop. Immediately after landing on Euclid Beach, around 5:00 p.m., his manager, Leo Stevens, was served with a claim, by the Standard Oil Company, for an unpaid oil and gasoline bill, which resulted in his biplane being held by the police. However, Atwood was able to fly his biplane out of Cleveland, the next day, at 4:03 p.m., after a bond was given for the claim. Though his intended stop was Erie, Pennsylvania, he decided to land, in a cornfield, near Swanville, Pennsylvania, ten miles west of Erie, due to approaching darkness and a loose brace on his biplane.

The noted aviator, was the guest of honor at a dinner in New York, and on the occasion his eloquent reply to a toast on aviation terminated neatly with these words:

"The aeroplane has come at last, but it was a long time coming. We can imagine Necessity, the mother of invention, looking up at a sky all criss-crossed with flying machines, and then saying, with a shake of her old head and with a contented smile: "'Of all my family, the aeroplane has been the hardest to raise.'"

Click here for the NYTimes article about the St Louis-New York flight

Click here to see The Cleveland Memory Project where there are more photos of the Atwood Biplane at Euclid Beach.

Who Knew Grandpa Could Do That?

Granda Belle, Grandpa Morris (cigar in left hand) & me.

I was about 7 years old visiting my grandparents in New York City. Grandma Belle always took me shopping when I came for a visit, usually for school clothes or a special dress. As a reward for following her through the big New York department stores for hours, she took me to the toy department (maybe it was Macy's or Bonwit Teller) and let me pick out a doll.
I remember the counter where a sales lady stood, and behind her a wall of dolls on shelves going up to the ceiling. My eye was drawn immediately to a small nurse doll.
" I want that one!," I proclaimed.
I think it was that little blue cape that did it for me. It was like a superhero cape. I had to have it.

Nurse Nora

And so Nora was mine. I carried her everywhere as we continued to roam the big city, jumping on an off buses and walking down the busy upper west side avenues. (This was the 1960's, so it was a nice neighborhood, but not nearly the chic area it is today.)

Eventually we returned home and I proudly showed off my new doll to Grandpa Morris.

"Where's her little nurse hat?" he asked.

I was mortified. Nora's perfect little white nurse hat was gone.

Grandma must have been exhausted from the day at this point, but she agreed to take me back out to retrace our recent steps and see if we could find the lost hat.

Nora stayed safely on the couch in the apartment with Grandpa.

Morris & Belle. Again with the ever present cigar.
(He lived to age 95, I'll have you know!)

We searched up and down West 79th Street, but of course there was no sign of the little hat. It was long gone. After about 30 minutes of scouring the sidewalks we gave up and headed for home. I was miserable. 

I remember walking into the apartment to deliver the disappointing news to Grandpa and seeing a sort of smug glint in his eye. He pointed to Nora, still sitting where I had left her on the couch.

There on Nora's head, was a perfect little white nurse's hat.

Confused, I ran to get a better look.

It was just the right shape and had a little length of elastic to hold it in place. It was perfect.

Grandpa had whipped it up from a piece of fabric from an old pillowcase, knowing that there was little chance we'd find the original lost hat out in the big city. 

"The elastic strap will help it stay on so you won't lose it," he said. 

Today the elastic is stretched out and the formerly white material has faded to a dingy brownish hue, but it remains a treasured possession. Proof that my cantankerous and often grouchy old grandpa had a heart of gold and a hidden talent with a needle and thread.

After he passed away in 1994 I kept his grey fedora. 

He always felt that one should really never leave the house without a hat.

He never did. 

And neither did Nora, thanks to him.

My daughter with Nora

Mom's Wedding Dress

I still have my mom's wedding dress as well. (See earlier post below about Grandma's dress) I guess I have started a small collection. (Mine has been vacuum sealed in a silver package for the last 25+ years. The wine stains that the dry cleaner pretended they removed are probably nice and permanent by now.)

Mom & Dad tie the knot: April 14, 1957

Mom lived in New York and the dress came from Jay Thorpe on 57th Street. 

Jay Thorpe      Photo: Gottscho-Schleisner, Inc. 

It was also a tea length lacey dress. It's really tiny, as mom was just a tad over 5' tall and most likely weighed about 100 pounds at the time. I tried it on for fun when I was a thin teenager and could barely get the side zipper closed. Funny how those pointy shaped bodices were in style then.

I always think of mom a lot this time of year, since they were married in April and she passed away in April of 2006. She'd be so proud to know that her grandchildren are about to embark on job searches in her favorite city. I wish she was here to cheer them on.

Mom and Dad flanked by my New York grandparents.

Thinking of you, Mom. 

You were an adorable bride.

My Grandmother's Wedding Dress

I remember the first time I saw it. It was 1985 and I was engaged to be married. Grandma Evelyn went to the back of her closet and took out her treasured wedding dress, thinking I might like to wear it for my special day.

Eve Kolinsky engagement portrait 1923
by Standford Studios

Although I adored the idea, (and the dress) it was discolored and fragile, and would never hold up to an evening of dancing and revelry. (Or even a gentle cleaning, for that matter.)

But she gave it to me that day and I have kept it safely stored away. 

Today I took out the dress and photographed it. Only one image survives of her wearing the dress. You can just make out the big pale pink silk satin bow at the hip.

Photo: Standford Studios

The date was June 24, 1924. It was the roaring twenties, and Eve wore the tea length dress and forehead hugging headpiece in true flapper style. The headpiece and veil are long gone. (I have a vague memory that she told me they were borrowed for the occasion.)

I believe she said that it was handmade of French lace. There are machine stitches holding it together, but every tiny snap up the side is hand sewn in place. It's so lovely.

Eve was 26 years old on her wedding day. She married a man named Bill (just like me) and she'd go on to have twins (just like me) but her life took a horrible turn when she became a widow when her children were just 5. She did not marry again for 32 years.

For her second wedding, she chose a tailored look. And gloves, of course.

Photo: Michael Nalley

She approved of my wedding gown even though I hadn't chosen to wear hers.

And can you guess what color her dress was that day? 

Yep. Pink.

Missing you, Grandma.

 ♥ 

Celebrating Hope

A Celebration of Hope 2012

A cause near and dear to my heart...
Alzheimer's Disease took my amazing mother-in-law Hope Saltzman away from us in 2005. Every April, the Cleveland chapter of the Alzheimer's Association has a benefit called A Celebration of Hope, which just feels as if it was named for her.

This is the necklace I made for their silent auction this year. It's always an uplifting event, and raises a great deal of money to support families who are dealing with Alzheimers and to help find a cure.

We miss you, Hope. Remembering you today and every day with love~
Click here for more information on the event.
A Celebration of Hope
Thursday, April 26, 2012 
Renaissance Cleveland Hotel