Homeward Bound

With that, it appears The Levy Family Motoring Trip of 1940 had come to an end.  Maybe abruptly, maybe not – I just don’t know.  There are so many questions I have about this trip and as I reflect on what I’ve learned, I may have created even more questions.  I sure wish I’d come across this photo album when Dad was still here so I could get some answers and talk about all of the details with him.

First, I look back at this itinerary.



From the photos and hotel bills, it seems as if the family turned around in Portland and then spent July 9 at the Coquille Hotel.  Why didn’t they go on to Seattle?  Although from the notation at the bottom of the itinerary it looks like Sig might have known this was a possibility. 

And as I went through the few items that were loose in the scrapbook, I found some clues.



Southern Pacific’s routes.  Look at that – the Shasta Route went from San Francisco to Portland.  Seems like that would be a pretty interesting trip for a family.  And on the back was this.



Total $99.  For what?  Did they actually make the journey by train??  All this time I thought they were in a car but now I think they were, in fact, on the train!



Look at that – $99 again.  That can’t be coincidental.



And there you have it – $99 for 9 days.  So was the $99 for the hotels……or for the rail tickets?  I’m not sure but now I’m about 99% sure that they were on the train rather then in their car.  How cool is that?

I have to wonder how they returned to San Francisco since the scrapbooker didn’t leave me any clues.  I do know they made it back and spent some time with family.  In fact, in my boxes of photos I found another family photo where I can identify people more clearly now.



Left around the table, starting with my Dad, Gordon Levy, in front.  Carol Sherwin, Mervyn Gunzendorfer, Jacob Gunzendorfer, Irene Gunzendorfer Sherwin, Al Sherwin, Rob Levy, Loraine Guzendorfer Levy, Sig Levy.  Looks like Lois Sherwin was taking the photo.  Either that or Jacob’s wife, Edith. 

Another photo I found was the Potter Hotel, which is in Santa Barbara.  Seems like a likely stop as they traveled from Monterey to Hollywood.  Or maybe on their way back to Fresno.  Since there is no hotel bill, it was probably just a meal stop.



One question I did answer was if the family visited with Abe and Birdie (Schwartz) Gunzendorfer during their time in Pacific Grove.  I figured they did but it’s nice to have proof with this photo of Abe from July 22, 1940.  And I can be almost certain that this was taken in the garden of their home.



And that’s the end of the line.  Thanks for traveling along on The Levy Family Motoring Trip of 1940.

We ain’t afraid of no ghosts!

The Levy Family Motoring Trip of 1940 next headed to San Francisco.  Once again, the family stayed at The Clift Hotel, their favorite spot.  I have memories as a child of traveling the one hour or so from our house to San Francisco to visit our grandparents who always, ALWAYS, stayed at The Clift.



And, of course, they kept the hotel bill.



Whoa!  Six days in one spot?  Good to see they had their laundry done for a whopping $3.56.  And parking was just 75 cents!  It’s probably closer to $75 these days.  And a long distance call – who was there to call?  Oh wait, maybe they were checking in with their family who they were going to visit while they were there.

This was titled Sherwin’s lunch.  My grandmother’s cousin, Irene Gunzendorfer, married Albert Sherwin so this would have been their family.  Irene’s father, Jacob Gunzendorfer, was the younger brother of Loraine’s father (and my great grandfather), Abraham Gunzendorfer.



Finding this photo brought me back in touch with my cousins, Irene’s grandchildren, as I turned to them for help identifying the folks seated around the table.

As best we can tell, Inez (Jacob’s wife) is the woman standing and Jacob is the gent in the straw hat.  Next to Jacob is Irene (aka Lolly) and to her left is either her husband, Albert (aka Bump), or son, Mervyn.  Irene and Al had twins, Carol and Lois, one of which is seated on the left with the sunglasses and the other looks to be in the right hand corner.  Okay, we think that’s it. 

But wait!  There are two other people in the photo which my cousin couldn’t identify and as I looked closer, I realized that the back of the head is Sig’s and the young man on the right taking a drink is my dad’s brother, Rob Levy.  Looks like they all had a really nice meal and I’ll bet they had a good time visiting.

And a few more of the family.



These are the twins, daughters of Irene (Guzendorfer) and Al Sherwin.  Carol and Lois?  Or Lois and Carol? 

I remember all these names – in fact, we actually visited with them in San Francisco several times and, I’m told, saw each other on vacation in Washington D.C. and/or New York in the early 1960’s.  But with all of that, it wasn’t until recently that I figured out that we were actually related.

This one was titled The Board. 



There’s an empty chair – was that where my dad was sitting?

After 6 days in San Francisco, that’s all the photos they took.  Or at least the only ones they included in the scrapbook.

And then they were off……



Say what?  Someone was trying to get creative with the word RODEO.  I had to laugh that they started to write it in a straight line and then erased it in order to get more creative.  Another entry on the page tells me that they were at the Salinas Rodeo.

And look at this – Fresno was represented!  That must have been fun to see your home town in the rodeo.  So, of course, they took a photo!  You can barely see that the Fresno Sheriff Posse was in the 2nd row.



And more photos of the rodeo.









Again, boring photos.  These wouldn’t even make the cut in our photography of today.

And then it was on to other hotels.



Pacific Grove makes sense – I’m sure they spent time with Loraine’s parents, Abraham and Birdie (Schwartz) Gunzendorfer.  6 days’ charges in the cafe – a grand total of $12.45!

The Forest Hill Hotel was built in 1926 and was the only hotel in Pacific Grove at that time.  It was a five story, 100 room hotel which was an immediate success.  In 1954 the hotel was purchased by the Methodist Church and converted into a retirement home, now called Forest Hill Manor.

 

And then farther south to Hollywood.

 

Another 6 days and not a single photo?  I’m guessing someone got bored with the scrapbook.

Look at that – the Hollywood Roosevelt is still there today and has quite a history.



Some notable guests of the hotel, which opened in 1927.

• Marilyn Monroe lived at the hotel for 2 years early in her career.  It is said that she and Arthur Miller, her third husband, met in the nightclub.
• Shirley Temple learned to do her famed stairstep dance routine on the hotel steps.
• Montgomery Clift stayed here for 3 months (room 928) while he filmed From Here to Eternity.
• Errol Flynn is said to have developed his recipe for bootlegged gin in a tub in the hotel’s barber shop.
• Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable (swoon!), Carole Lombard, Mary Martin, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Ernest Hemingway, Prince, Brad Pitt, and Angelina Jolie have all been guests in the hotel.

But the most interesting fact, and one that my daughter might need to research further, is that the hotel is rumored to be haunted and has welcomed ghosts as visitors.  Some involve celebrities who have stayed at the hotel while some involve a little girl in a blue dress named Caroline.  There have been reports of cold spots, photographic “orbs”, and mysterious calls to the hotel operator.

WE AIN’T AFRAID OF NO GHOSTS!

Guests, guests, and more guests

Now that my parents’ wedding ceremony was over, it was time to party!  And it looks like there were a lot of people to participate.



Actually, it doesn’t look like this crowd was too into partying – this group looks pretty reserved.  And with all the people in this photo, there is only one person that I recognize and that is my grandmother, Clara Fitzgerald Martin Hunter.  You have to look really closely – she’s the lady underneath the canopy with the fun hat on.  It is almost like she is just standing there surveying the crowd.  And probably breathing a sign of relief that the stress was behind her.

And here is another crowd shot with Mom throwing the bouquet – looks like bridesmaid Patricia O’Farrell is ready to make the grab. 



There’s only a few familiar faces in this photo – my dad’s brother, Robert Levy, is in the center of this photo (with white tux jacket) and to his left, I believe, is his future wife, Patricia Davis.  And it also looks like some of the guests are enjoying that lovely cake. 

And how fun that I have a list of the guests who attended, and in their own handwriting!  Notable guests noted below each page.



Mr. & Mrs. I.T. Thurber – Mrs. Thurber was Dorris Feuerstein, daughter of my grandmother’s sister, Viola Fitzgerald.

Nell Martin – older sister of my grandfather.

Mamie Burks (nee Anderson) – the half sister to my great grandmother, Frances Brooks Martin.  Frances’ father, William J. Brooks, was killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg and her mother married John Hayward Anderson in 1868.

Earle Martin and his family – Earle was my mother’s father, Verda was his second wife, Michael was their son, and Paul and Pat were Verda’s children whom Earle adopted.

Ethel and Gertrude Stubblefield – these sisters lived next door to my grandparents, Sig and Loraine Levy, as long as I can remember.  One of them was one of my father’s elementary school teachers.  Neither one of them every married.

Clara Dick (nee McAboy) – Clara was an older sister of my great grandmother, Mabel McAboy Fitzgerald. 



Mr. & Mrs. A.K. Sherwin – Mrs. Sherwin was Irene Gunzendorfer.  Her father, Jacob Gunzendorfer, was the younger brother of my great grandfather, Abraham Gunzendorfer.

Lois and Marshall Peal – Lois was Al and Irene Sherwin’s daughter.

Jessie Hamilton – I know she is important but I just can’t remember how.  My mom talked about her as we were discussing genealogy but, sadly, I didn’t take notes related to Jessie.  Add that to my to-do list.



Mrs. and Mrs. E.A. Hamilton are both on this page.  I wonder if they are in some way related to Jessie Hamilton.

Winifred (nee Dick) and John Hoey – Winifred was the daughter of Clara McAboy and Alexander Dick.

Malcom Bell – Malcom was married to Elizabeth Sronce, who was the daughter of Anna (Fitzgerald) and Robert Sronce.  My mother lived with Anna and Robert for several years while her parents were going through their divorce.
 
Helen Schwartz – I’m not sure but it seems like she could be important since her last name is Schwartz and my great grandmother’s maiden name was Schwartz. 

Robt. Sronce – there he is.  I wonder if Elizabeth Bell and Anna Sronce signed the book.

Ed Fitzgerald – my great grandfather.  His daughter was my mother’s mother, Clara Fitzgerald Martin Hunter.

Mabel (nee McAboy) Fitzgerald – my great grandmother.  These were the only two great grandparents I ever knew.

Mrs. Fred Levy - hmmmm, who is this?  Is she related in some way?



Mr. & Mrs. Clarence Follett – Mrs. Follett was Loraine Feuerstein, whose mother was my grandmother’s sister, Viola Fitzgerald.

Keith Miller – a childhood friend of my dad’s.  I believe he lived on an adjoining street and was friend’s with my dad throughout their lifetimes.



Gilda Levy – my dad’s cousin.  Her father was Benjamin Levy, youngest brother of my grandfather, Sig Levy.

Patricia Davis – future wife of my uncle, Robert Levy. 

Sandra Dick – flower girl and my mom’s second cousin.

Hazel & Alan Dick – Alan was the son of Clara (McAboy) and Alexander Dick and they were the hosts of the event.

Betty Ann Bell – there she is!  Betty was the daughter of Anna (Fitzgerald) and Robert Sronce.

What a treat to be able to see not just who attended the wedding but to be able to see their signatures, too!

Invitations

One thing I’ve learned about my grandmother, Loraine Gunzendorfer, is that she was very social and liked to party.  The next page of the scrapbook is titled Invitations – the title speaks for itself!



Uh-oh, this envelope is empty.  I love how it is addressed to just Monterey, Calif. and then c/o “The White House”.  I guess in 1914 Monterey was pretty small and everyone knew everyone so the postman didn’t have to think too hard about where to deliver the mail.

Could this invitation have been inside?  The size fits and it’s on the same page of the scrapbook but the handwriting is different.  Funny how they had to add the word “each” after the admission so it was clear that it would be $1.00 for a couple.



Here’s another one.  The invitation has been inside the envelope for nearly 100 years – check out the discoloration.





I guess once the invitation was presented it was returned so that it could be kept as a memento.  I’ll bet no one expected it to be kept for 100 years!

Grandma’s cousin, Irene Gunzendorfer, announced her engagement on December 6, 1914.

 

And then came another invitation!



Jake Gunzendorfer was the youngest son on Ferdinand and Fannie (Goldstein) Gunzendorfer and brother to my great grandfather, Abraham Gunzendorfer.
Grandma was a bridesmaid in the wedding.



And another newspaper article with a picture of Irene.  I need to go through the box of unidentified photos I have and see if I can find anyone who might be Irene.



Last but not least is an invitation to the wedding of Grandma’s high school classmate, Mary Salterbach, to Mr. Howard Hatton.  This wedding was held 5-6 years after the other events, which probably explains why the invitation was just loose on the page.



I would sure love to run across some photos of Grandma all dressed up for these events!