Carousel Magic!

Last week I posted on the impending demise of the Brookside Park Carousel House in Dover, PA.

I am sad to report that the beautiful structure has already been demolished.

There was no ceremony. No formal goodbye.

A few lines in the paper with a photo, showing not the building, but the destruction of the wood by the powder post beetles.

I only knew that it was scheduled for demolition in January. I drove by one night last week and saw an empty space in the park, covered with snow.

I have pictures. I am so glad that I took them.

When I put my Christmas decorations away, I found this photo of my mother and self. I'm on the horse and this may very well be my first carousel ride.

I am not sure where the photo was taken, but there is a very good chance it was on one of the amusement piers in Atlantic City, New Jersey. We moved to the Atlantic City area when I was about one.

I'm guessing by the chubby cheeks that I was close to two in this photo! The carousel was always magical for me. Of course the Mary Poppins movie confirmed my belief that the horses were magical! I always waited for the time when the horses galloped off into some fantasy land where we were transformed into cartoon characters!

If you are interested in other stories and photos of Times Gone "Bye", you must check out Sepia Saturday posts for the many other wonderful stories told by the wonderful and interesting folk who still post regularly in Blogville! There are posts every week ! So dig out your old photos - sepia, black and white, hand-colored or technicolored. Tell a story and join the fun.

Brookside Park Carousel House Before the Wrecking Ball

The Brookside Park Carousel House, framed by dumpsters and orange caution fencing.

I could not believe that this building was going to be destroyed! I decided to take my daughters to the park on a cold January day to take some farewell photos.

This beautiful old carousel building in my adopted town will meet the wrecking ball sometime this month. The building is not a victim of suburban sprawl. It is a victim of powderpost beetles. These nasty little insects have been destroying the structure of the building. The building must be destroyed because of structural and liability issues.

The building used to house a classic wooden carousel back in its heyday during the late ninteenth century up until about 1939. The carousel was built by Gustav Dentzel, a German immigrant who started his business in Philadelphia. At the time a trolley ran from York to this popular little picnic grove. Bob Hoffman, founder of York Barbell Company and a member of the Weightlifters hall of fame purchased the park around 1940. From what I have read, the carousel was in operation until Hurricane Agnes caused severe damage to the structure and carousel in 1972. Mr. Hoffman donated the land and the park to the township and/or the YMCA adjacent to the park which bears his name.
I was told by members of the Greater Dover Historical Society that the carousel was sold to a large amusement park in California. I tried to do some internet research, but I could not find any evidence of the transfer of the Brookside Dentzel carousel. Some reports suggest that the carousel was dismantled. This horse was advertised on an antique vendor's site as a Brookside Park Dentzel original. The asking price is approximately $1500.
My children have fond memories of this park. It has been home to the old fashioned penny carnival, haunts in the park, pony rides and Girl Scout camp. We used the empty carousel building for craftmaking, cakewalks and halloween parties.

I have spent many hours of my free time researching this story. I have found more conflicting information than historical fact. I was thinking of painting a mural to honor the legacy of the carousel and the once glorious carousel house. When I tried to do some background research, I became a bit discouraged. Carousels are magical rides for small children. I have a picture of myself and my mom together on a carousel when I was very young! I tried to scan these in, but they need more editing.

Summer Parade

We're back to the sixties again on Chanese Lane, in beautiful Oceanville, New Jersey. I remember organizing this little Fourth of July Parade. I am the one with the army hat, braids and looking ridiculously patriotic in my red, white and blue. I am also one of the few that is not barefoot. My sister Sharon (Shazza) is the adorable blonde to the right of me with the "cymbals" and yellow shirt. My best friend, Maria is behind me carrying the big flag. I remember the boy on the bike as the obnoxious kid across the street. Maria's sister Mandy is to the far left.

Chanese Lane was a wonderful little neighborhood. It was a half mile cul-de-sac developed with little one-story and split level houses situated on the edge of the pine barrens. Behind us you can see where the lane dead-ended into the salt marsh. My parents bought their little split level for around $10,000.

The neighborhood was inhabited by young families. The parents were friendly. We kids were outside all the time. We had miles of pine forest to explore. The woods on the north side of the lane extended to the Brigantine National Wildlife Refuge. The woods to the south backed up to the Seaview Country Club. There was very little traffic and the lane belonged to us. I remember Mom sending us out in the morning. I'd go to Maria and Mandy's house and we would get her dogs and set off on an expedition of sorts.

Summers were spent exploring the woods. We found the tombstone of the Jersey Devil's relatives (Sarah and Obadiah Leeds). We collected the creatures and flowers and fruits that we found. This was not the New Jersey that people typically think about. There were no Sopranos and we did live on the Jersey Shore.

The parade was a silly idea at the time when we had time for silly ideas. Our imaginations fueled our play. There was no political agenda. It was a holiday and a time to celebrate. My parents moved us to a new home in a new town the following year. Our family was growing and they wanted us to go to better schools. Chanese Lane changed over time. I will always remember it as the setting for an incredible childhood.

History Through Hairstyles

For today's Sepia Saturday submission I am sharing some of my childhood looks. It is amazing what a hairstyle says about the time period.

The first photo of me was dated, Christmas, 1963. I was four years old at the time. I remember mom sending me to bed with curlers in my hair. The result was a neat, controlled coif.

This photo was taken about three years later. There was no date, but mom wanted me to be stylish with this little pixie cut for my uncle's wedding. I'm guessing the year was 1966. (It is an actual sepia photo).



When I finally had a little "say" in the matter, I wanted to grow my hair long with the part in the middle. I stayed with this look for most of my teenage years. This was my school picture around 1971. I remember the outfit. It was a vest with long double fringes.
I did get a "shag" type haircut in around 1976. I didn't like it very much. I quickly went back to the long, straight, parted in the middle look. When I first met my husband in 1983, my hair was "arse" length. I kept it long and straight until around the age of 30 when I wanted to look respectable. Hubby wants me to go back to "arse" length. I'm not sure how it would look with my fifty year old bod.

Uncle Hugh

Lassie was not my favorite show back in the day.

I did watch the show when I was a youngster and I thought Lassie was an amazing dog.

What I did not know until years later was that the gentleman in that photo was my great uncle.

He was my grandmother's brother. Born in Newark, New Jersey in 1915, he pursued acting after serving in the army and landed a few roles on Broadway. He moved to the West Coast to pursue a role in film.

Hugh Reilly was not a well known actor. He was known as Timmy's father, June Lockhart's husband, the other guy.

He acted on Broadway, off Broadway, a few well known soap operas such as the Edge of Night and Dark Shadows.

A Google search revealed a Wikipedia entry. Turns out he turned down the role of the Professor in Gilligan's Island to spend more time with his family!

I remember him as a great, warmhearted, down-to-earth gentleman. I watched him perform at the South Jersey Regional Theatre in Somers Point, New Jersey.

The following is an excerpt from Wikipedia:

Early years and career

Born October 30, 1915 at Newark, New Jersey, Reilly saw service in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II and pursued a theater career following the war. He made several Broadway appearances (including one with Tallulah Bankhead in Dear Charles) before heading to Hollywood for a film career in the late forties. HIs film appearances include Johnny Stool Pigeon (1949), and Bright Victory (1951). Reilly also worked many early television shows such as Kraft Television Theatre (1949), The Ford Theatre Hour (1951), and Broadway Television Theatre (1953).

Lassie

In 1957, Reilly guest starred as George Cameron in the episode "Dangerous Channel" of Barry Sullivan's short-lived CBS adventure/drama TV series, Harbourmaster

In 1958, Reilly joined the hugely successful CBS series Lassie playing Paul Martin, a farmer, husband, and adoptive father of the show's child character Timmy. Reilly debuted in the opening episode of the fifth season, "The Storm" (1958) with June Lockhart opposite him as his wife Ruth and Jon Provost as Timmy.

In 1959, veteran character actor and comedian Andy Clyde was hired to play Cully Wilson, an elderly eccentric farmer and nature lover. When Timmy was scripted into many adventures with Cully, producers felt two adult males on the show would overwhelm the audience and Reilly was consigned to fewer appearances. His character's absence was attributed to workloads in distant fields, grange meetings, or business trips away from home.

As the eleventh season approached (1964), it was evident that young teenager Provost was outgrowing his role. Producers decided to rework the show and sent the entire Martin family to Australia where Paul would teach agriculture. Lassie remained in the States as companion to a team of forestry workers; the Martins were never seen, heard, or referenced again on the show.^[1] Reilly made his last appearance on Lassie in the first episode of the tenth season, "The Wayfarers" (1964). He had made a grand total of 140 episode appearances on the show.

[] Final years

Following his stint with Lassie, Reilly was offered the role of The Professor on Gilligan's Island but declined, preferring to spend time with his family and performing in theater.^[1] He worked television off and on through the seventies (appearing in The Edge of Night) and made final appearances in the early and mid-1980s. In his last years, he often joined Lassie co-star Jon Provost at fan conventions and autograph signings.

Keeping up with the Joneses!

While browsing photos, I stumbled upon some of my mother-in-law's family pictures. Phyllis Jones Williams was previously pictured in her elegant 1950's dress at a New Years celebration.

I do not know many details, but I will speak from remembered snippets heard at family reunions. The Jones were Welsh miners who immigrated to Pennsylvania to supervise laborers in the lucrative northeastern coal mining region. A young Grandpa Jones is pictured in the straw hat. A member of the family became a brewmeister at Stegmaier Brewing in Wilkes-Barre. I also do not know the identity of the children in the little ox cart. I am quite sure they are siblings of my mother in law. I do know that they lived for a time in Williamsport before building a house in the back mountain of Wilkes-Barre. Phyllis used to tell me about her father's wonderful victory garden! Grandma Jones was a severe woman who made the female children wash the kitchen floor every morning before going to school.

They were depression era children and lived a frugal existence. Hard work was expected and valued.

There are only two surviving members of this generation. Their children gather every August for a family reunion. Perhaps I will show these pictures and get some more stories over the summer.

Happy Days - Tube Tops in 1953

I didn't know they had tube tops in the fifties! Pictured here are my mother-in-law, Phyllis, (right), her older sister, Bernice. I am not positive of the identity of the man looking in the truck. He was either their father or grandfather. I do like the truck!













A family picnic with another sister (Bev?) and sister-in-law, Claire.


Phyllis and Bernice laughing it up for the Holidays!

Thanks for visiting! Dig up some Sinatra and Have One More for the Road!

Happy New Year 1950something

This appears to be a New Year Celebration. I am guessing it took place in the 1950s.

I do not know all of the revelers pictured, but the gentleman on the far right was my father-in-law, Ralph Craig Williams. To the right of Ralph is my mother-in-law, Phyllis Jean (Jones) Williams. Both are now deceased.

Ralph was a U.S. Marine and the only survivor of his platoon at Iwo Jima. He was apparently left for dead and later identified by his dog tags. He received a purple heart.

His nickname was "Squire" and was known to be an outstanding salesman. He apparently suffered from the then rarely-understood post-traumatic stress disorder. I heard that he was a wonderful man who ran into some troubles. The life of a traveling salesman did not mesh much with family life. He divorced Phyllis in the early 1960s to live a "fast" life. He died lonely and penniless as a result of alcoholism in 1984. Unfortunately I met Ralph on his deathbed. From that brief meeting I realized that the man was a charmer. If only circumstances were a little better, I am sure he had many stories to tell.

Phyllis struggled as a single mom. It was not as acceptable in the 1960s. She was extremely dedicated to her three children, Craig, Gail and Douglas (my hubby). She made sure that all three children graduated from college. She was a fierce and passionate woman. We had some memorable arguments. I grew to love her as I came to appreciate her. She passed away from cancer in 2005.

Rose Harrison Earns Her Wings

In the 1950s there was not a more stylish profession for women. My mother earned her wings after completing some college and professional airline hostess training. I believe she worked for Continental Airlines. Women had to be at least 5'6" tall and were subject to weight restrictions. She lived quite the glamorous life flying between New York and Chicago.

My father became a police officer in New York City. Walt was interested in Rose for several years. I was told that mother and one of her girlfriends "stowed away" my father and a friend in the luggage area. Mother finally agreed to settle down and marry Walter in 1958. Rose had to turn in her wings, Walter made a career change after being stabbed below the chest on Canal Street.

Not Quite Sepia Babies

The first photo is my father, Walter J. Murphy, Jr. aka the Semiconductor, wondering what to do with his newborn daughter in 1959. Walter is holding the perfect little girl.





While wandering through the Murphy archives, I thought it appropriate to show my gorgeous mother, Rose Marie Harrison Murphy, with my first wailing newborn, Annelise.

Annelise was a squaller. I didn't like her much until my maternity leave was almost over. She immediately conquered the colicky crap and became the perfect baby. I fell in love with her and quit my job at the community college.

This, however, is what she looked like during the first four months of her life.







In contrast, I will show you the perfect child. This little cherub was born in 1959. How do you like that Snow White dress?
I am not quite sure but I think the first couple are my mother's friends. The woman is my godmother. The man is her husband.


Sorry, I don't mean to be narcissistic, but yours truly is the star of the first series of Murphy Family photos.

Sepia Saturday - Old Time Religion

Sepia Saturday is a wonderful opportunity to share old photos. This was started by my prolific blogging friend and poet Kat Mortenson aka (Poetikat). There you will be treated to wonderful photos and stories posted by many bloggers. This is my second contribution. (You do not have to tint your photos sepia - just post)

Here are some unique and nostalgic photos featuring both sets of my grandparents. My Uncle Paul Harrison is pictured here in his Jesuit robes (second from right).
Pictured from left to right are my mother, Rose Harrison Murphy, an unknown Jesuit, Grandma Anna (Smyth) Harrison, Grandpa Walter J. Murphy, Sr., Grandma Anita (Reilly) Murphy,Brother Paul Harrison and Grandpa Joseph Harrison. (the harse tief holding a new form of amusement).

Grandpa supposedly stole a horse or a cow from his Kilkenny Ireland family to purchase passage to the US. He later became a chauffer for Theodore Roosevelt.

Anna Smyth Harrison hailed from (Manchester, UK) and booked passage on the Titanic (second class). Something happened and she supposedly "missed" that boat.


I do know that Joseph and Anna met in or around Jersey City, NJ. They married and produced nine children. One became a Jesuit, perhaps a penance for the horse incident.

Bottom picture Brother Paul is in the center with his mother Anna and my mother, Rose. (I am thinking I might be a bun in the oven here). I will therefore guess the date as Spring, 1959.

A Tribute to My Gorgeous Parents

I accidently stumbled upon these photos of my amazingly gorgeous parents and their little pink first-born (me). I believe this was my first Easter and we are looking quite dashing. I am not sure why I have two hats! I do like the car.

Mom and Dad were about 24 years young at the time. The year being 1960.

Looks like Mom was a little better at keeping my dress down over my chubby knees.

There I am with my first Easter basket! I am guessing by the furniture that we are at Grandmother Harrison's house in East Orange, New Jersey. We all lived there during my first year.

I found notes that my mom wrote in my baby book.

"Anita Ann is a very fat baby."

Six months later "Anita Ann is still fat."

I think I was cursed. Perhaps it was all the goodies under the cellophane.

Happy Easter to everyone in advance!