It's a sign...

I think maybe the guy making the sign should be fined, hmm?

Grafton, New Hampshire

On our way to Vermont, PC & I intentionally drove through Grafton, NH.

Grafton, New Hampshire is much smaller than Grafton, West Virginia. However, it's incorporation is much older:

Can you read that? It was incorporated in 1778.

The Grafton, NH VFD:


The Country Store:


The Liberty Rock:


And, where we all end up, The Cemetery:

...but I'll post pictures anyway IX - Almost Finished

What?:


I'll keep my eye on them:


Here's a few more pictures of that hay truck, Granny Sue:


Oops.

It's a Sign

This sign was good enough to find a spot to turn around and go back to snap a picture:

You can see M's smiling face in the side mirror. We were cracking up. I didn't want to take the chance of it not being here next time I drove by; I had to get a picture. Actually, I got several.

There were other -worse- words painted onto the board and scribbled out with spray paint, but apparently the most important word was unmistakable.

I wonder who lives down that way?

It's a Sign

Bear Warning

After being enthralled with 'Moose Crossing' signs while in New Hampshire, I can especially appreciate this Warning sign.
I would be happy to give credit to whoever is responsible for this sign, but I don't know who that would be. PC sent it to me, but it's likely it was forwarded to him, too.
Whoever you are, thank you for the laugh; it's too good not to share.

Oregon Trip - Post 9 - City Hall & Mayor History

Here is Troutdale's City Hall:


And this sign about Early Women Mayors:


It says,
"Early Women Mayors
In 1913, one year after Orgeon women won the right to vote, Clara Larsson was elected the mayor of Troutdale, defeating her male opponent, S.A. Edmundson, by five votes. A quarter Indian, daughter of the pioneer family Latourell family, she was one of the first women mayors in the state. In 1914, Troutdale voters approved Prohibition and closed all of the town’s saloons, including one belonging to the Mayor’s husband, John.The city elected a second woman mayor, Laura Harlow in 1924. She was also a deputy sheriff and was the wife of Lou Harlow, whose father was Capt. John Harlow, Troutdale’s founder."

I think it's probably safe to say that Clara Larsson and her husband, John, had a bit of a public disagreement going on, huh?
That must have been interesting (and possibly entertaining); certainly a story or two there, anyway.

Oregon Trip - Post 8 - Behind the Museum

A mossy-rock memorial:

that says,
"Blue Star Memorial By-Way
At Tribute to the Armed Forces of America Mutnomah District 14 O.S.F.G.C."


A "No Dogs" sign:

This notice was a little further along than the dog walk area where a sign asked for courteousness and supplied little plastic poop bags.
I can appreciate a convenient doggie bag ;).

And I couldn't resist snapping this picture of the "Honey Bucket:"



A brick walkway led toward the Sandy River:


And this trestle peeked out through the greenery:


This is the Sandy River, whose currents must be much more dangerous than they look:

because drownings are unfortunately common.

Clear, cold, inviting:

and dangerous.

Unless you're a goose:


Beautiful.

Oregon Trip - Post 7 - Troutdale History

This sign was located in the park behind the yellow rail car:

It says,

"Oregon History
Troutdale

This pioneer community, gateway to the Columbia Gorge, was settled in the 1850s. Cattle herds of early pioneers were driven to the nearby Sandy River from the Dalles while the emigrants rafted their wagons down the Columbia.
First known as Sandy, the present name came from fish ponds built by the town's founder, Capt. John Harlow. By the turn of the century, railroad and river commerce made Troutdale a noisy boom town boasting 'A tavern on each corner and one in the middle.'
Here in 1894 part of Coxey's Army, 500 unemployed demonstrators, commandeered a train in and attempt to reach Washington, D.C."

Oregon Trip - Post 5- Depot Rail Museum

In yesterday's post at The 123, I talked about why I found this little Oregon town so fascinating. More specifically -and something else in common with Grafton's red caboose (and other rail history)- this Depot Rail Museum caught my interest:

This little Depot-turned-museum sits at the far end of town, just about on the Sandy River.
"End of the Line Museum Store:"






Unfortunately, I was there too early in the morning to take the inside tour, but I couldn't help looking through the windows:




although the view from the front porch wasn't much:




This yellow car sits in the front yard:







I wanted to take pictures of this car like I did for our red caboose post, so I just walked around snapping away:











It's obvious that this car is much newer than our red caboose.



How much newer?



I googled this train car number:


And learned that this car was built in Ohio in 1975.



It was in service as recently as 1993, because the picture of it on the web page was taken in Washington State.






There was no information online or on-site that indicated when or why it was retired.












I tried to look in the window, but it was pretty blurry:


There was a boiler and a few cots, like a bunkhouse. Does that make it a caboose?



I have no idea.

What impressed me the most -and this wasn't the first time- was the age difference in our history.
Grafton, West Virginia's boom began in the 1850s when the railroad first came over the Allegheny Mountains. Troutdale, Oregon's boom was around 1900. It took time for our nation to move West.

I tried to find out when our red caboose was built, but I can't find a thing. I do know, however, that it has been sitting on Main Street for 30 years or so. That means it was retired around the same time that this yellow caboose was just a baby.