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Comments:
Anna - 2004-12-03 11:11:11 Heh. A very very down-to-earth one I must say. Weather, annual weights of family members, prices of various bushels of things. That's about it. Just the facts--nothing at all that's subjective. One wonders if he were as bor--I mean, as simple and straightforward in real life.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2004-12-03 12:04:47 ...now that the whereabouts of Pebble's remains is settled maybe we can find Bam Bam's burial spot...didn't some dinosaur bones turn up in a swamp just off US-12 down toward Saline a few years ago?* * * * * * * * * * * * Murph - 2004-12-03 12:55:55 Maybe as the towns along the rail line grew, they pulled in population from the outlying hamlets (or at least grew enough faster than the outlying hamlets to totally overwhelm them in identity)?* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-03 12:59:18 Raymond: Were those not mastodon bones? They also found a fossilized walkway now in the AA Natural History Museum. Murph: that's a thought. The trains started coming through the county in 1839 or course. That might explain the vanishment of all those little communities. It's a bit of a mystery.* * * * * * * * * * * * raymond - 2004-12-03 17:18:10 The maps you posted show the railroads cutting through, the one running down to Saline and onward went near Carpenter/Packard, down to the south. You can still see the right of way, the utility poles follow it, over by Target. And weren't there local tracks along Packard showing on one map? Urania was a depot. Cattle and coal they say. Railroads and evolving freight made and broke towns, just like rivers. Like highways do now.* * * * * * * * * * * * Laura - 2004-12-03 18:56:01 Quite an interesting comment, Raymond. I'm going to check out Target on my next field trip, at 3 p.m. this coming Sunday. First on the list is Waterloo, so I hope we get back in time--it's getting harder and harder to cram in sightseeing in these woefully short days. Yes, the tracks along Packard were those of the onetime interurban running between Ypsi and AA (and beyond, to the west). If I remember correctly. It opened in 1890 I think. "Like highways do now" is thought-provoking. In all ages the cities follow the veins of transportation as the veins morph through time. Very interesting.* * * * * * * * * * * * add your comment: |