Friday Funnies

Here's a bit of on-the-road humor to start off the weekend.

This first one is quite to the point

And, one to think about a few seconds.

Wonder if this driver is a music lover or just a very happy individual.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're on a pre-anniversary getaway; Monday is our 24th

All That Glitters . . .

A few chandeliers in The Breakers

That's one of the best ways to describe furnishings of three Gilded Age mansions we visited in  recent Newport, RI: The Breakers, Marble House and The Elms. (To avoid a way too long post each mansion will be featured in a separate post.)

This post is about our first-ever visit to The Breakers, the most popular Newport RI mansion. 

It was a definite eye-opener to see how folks who had way too much money spent it. 

The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today by Mark Twain and Charles Dudley Warner (1873) satirized greed and political corruption in post-Civil War America. Its title became associated with graft, materialism, and corruption in public life and gave the era its nickname, The Gilded Age. However, the book doesn't include themes connected with the 1870s to 1900: industrialization, monopolies, and political corruption.

We chose the 3-mansion tour which did not have to be used the same day. The $46/person cost was the most cost-effective. If mansion tours are booked separately, The Breakers is $29; others are $25; parking is free at all. There's a total of 9 mansions operated and maintained by the Preservation Society of Newport County of which 5 are closed for renovations. 

Mansion tours are self-guided using a downloadable Newport Mansions App which worked great. There's a tour included for each mansion and it's in various languages too. We enjoyed the self-tour. Visitors could go at their own pace using cell phones and ear pods (none are provided). A detailed written handout at each mansion describes the rooms on the self-tour.

After waiting out a hour of torrential downpours in the parking lot that morning, our first stop was The Breakers, the crown jewel of Newport. When completed, this was the largest, most opulent house in Newport and has become the most famous and most visited mansion since opening to the public in the 1970s. The original furniture and fixtures, interior plasterwork, gilding and decorative painting remain untouched from when the Vanderbilts occupied The Breakers. An estimated half a million people visit annually, more so at the Christmas holidays.

The Breakers residence of Pierre Lorillard IV built in 1878

The Breakers is situated on Ochre Point, a rocky point on Newport’s eastern shoreline.It's the second mansion to be called The Breakers. The first was a Queen-Anne style residence built in 1878 by American tobacco manufacturer Pierre Lorillard IV. 

Cornelius & Alice Vanderbilt

In 1885, Cornelius Vanderbilt II and his wife, Alice, purchased the original Breakers for $450,000 (over $15 million) in what was at the time the largest real estate transaction in Newport’s history. They rehired the original architects to make changes. Cornelius, the grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, founder of the family fortune, had a net worth of over $70 million.This was at a time when the Vanderbilts were among the major U.S. industrialists 

The Breakers burned seven years later in 1892 and was replaced by the current mansion which was built within from 1893-1895 at a cost of $7 million (over $150 million now). Yes, it was built in 2 years. Thanks to the apparently endless coffers of the Vanderbilts money, some 2,000 workers worked in shifts, day and night and hundreds of workers laid the mansion's stones. 

Richard M. Hunt, 1886

The new Breakers was designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt in the Renaissance Revival style. Hunt also worked on other Newport mansions, including Marble House. This was Hunt’s final major commission as he died in Newport in the summer of 1895 while supervising the finishing touches. Considered the dean of American architecture, Hunt's fame rests with The Breakers and other stone palaces of the era. He also designed the pedestal for the Statue of Liberty.

To reduce the risk of another fire, the Vanderbilts wanted the new structure built as fireproof as possible.The building used steel trusses, not wood. Utilities like the boilers were placed underground away from the house as was the kitchen.

The Breakers construction (online source)

Whole rooms were built in Europe and shipped to Newport. The Breakers was only a summer residence, not a year-round one, but has 27 fireplaces. It covers about an acre of the 14-acre property with 70 rooms over four floors, including 48 bedrooms for family and staff.

The Breakers, circa 1904 (online source)

The Breakers was everything a Gilded Age millionaire could want in a summer getaway. It featured a classic Italian palazzo design, the finest American and European craftsmanship, imported marble, rare woods and mosaics from countries worldwide, sea views, and modern features. It was equipped with electricity, still a novelty in houses, as well as gas for lighting. All this made The Breakers a perfect setting for luxurious living and entertaining.

Sadly, the house’s completion was done in time for Cornelius Vanderbilt to enjoy its splendor for a single summer in good health He suffered a debilitating stroke in 1896 and died in 1899 age 55, from a cerebral hemorrhage a day after returning to New York from Newport.

The Breakers main gates off Ochre Point Avenue

The Ochre Point Avenue entrance is flanked by these sculpted wrought iron gates. The 30-foot-high walkway gates are part of a 12-foot-high limestone and iron fence that borders the property on all but the ocean side. Once through the gate, there's a gravel walkway leading to this very impressive mansion.

The Great Hall is the entry way at The Breakers

The Great Hall is the largest room in the house. Its made of gilded wood and marble with painted ceilings that measure 50x50 feet with a 50-feet high ceiling gthat was painted to look like the sky. Large doors open to ocean views. It features marble plasters, oversized archways and relief work throughout. 

Many parties were held in this room, the first was in August 1895, when it was the scene of a combined house and coming-out party for the Vanderbilt's oldest daughter Gertrude. Over 300 attendees were welcomed in this entry which rises nearly 50 feet and is lined with Caen stone. This light creamy-yellow Jurassic limestone was quarried in north-western France.

The Grand Staircase

The Grand Staircase in the Great Hall features low-rising marble steps, a red velvet runner and a carved wrought iron balustrade. Listening to the tour, we learned that the Vanderbilt children (there were 7 in all) would slide down the staircase on large serving trays and would also ride tricycles in the Great Hall.

Grotto beneath the Grand Staircase

The Grotto beneath the Grand Staircase is a carved marble fountain. Moving water is reflected onto the ceiling from lights pointed at the grotto.

The Breakers Library

The Library features walnut wall paneling with gold leaf detail. The central focus in this room if the 16th century fireplace brought here from a French chateau. The upper wall panels were done in green Spanish leather covered in silver leaf. The room was filled with books and furnished with French antiques.

Mr. and Mrs. Vanderbilt played instruments in the Music Room

The Music Room is off the Great Room and Morning Room at the southern end of the house. It was designed in French Baroque. The room's open interior was used for events like weddings, ball recitals, debutante parties and dances for the Vanderbilt family and guests. The room displays ornate woodwork and furnishings. 

The French marble, mirrors and crystal light fixtures produced a glittering effect for concerts and receptions. The room was constructed by Jules Allard & Sons in France then disassembled, shipped to the U.S. and reassembled inside the mansion. Moldings in the ceiling bear the lyrics of French songs. This room was used in the HBO series, The Gilded Age.

The Morning Room was used throughout the day

The Morning Room is executed in a late Renaissance style facing east to catch the morning sun. It provides sweeping views of the Atlantic. This family sitting room was used all times during the day. The interior design, including the fixtures, woodworking, and furniture, were designed by a French architect and designer J. Allard. The room's predominant grey, and gold colors are echoed in the fireplace which is made of Campan marble quarried in France. The portrait of Cornelius Vanderbilt is by American portrait painter John Singer Sargent. The room and its furnishings were also built in France and shipped to the U.S. for reassembly in the mansion.

The Billiards Room was the domain of Cornelius Vanderbilt

The Billiards Room was inspired by ancient Rome and features large slabs of Italian marble and rose alabaster arches with dark mahogany Renaissance furniture. The large light fixture over the billiards table is made of wrought iron and bronze and because of its weight is attached to structural beams. Wall sconces are by Louis Comfort Tiffany. The floor and ceiling ae made from hand-tiled mosaic tile. The Billiards Room was seen in The Gilded Age in a scene where the character of George Russel discussed business while playing billiards.

The Dining Room was used by the Vanderbilts to host wealthy guests

The Dining Room is entered through the Great Hall. This 2400-foot room features Roman influences and features 12-foot free standing Corinthian columns with gilding ornamentation and relief work throughout. The 16-century table of carved oak can seat up to 34.

This room featured dual massive chandeliers made of thousands of crystal balls and beads executed by French glassmakers Cristalleries Baccarat and were partially designed by architect Hunt in the imperial pattern with a crown atop each fixture. They were piped for gas and wired for electricity; rings on the chains adjusted the flow of gas. The fireplace is made of carved and gilt grey marble and was also featured in The Gilded Age show.

The Kitchen with stove, assorted pots and silverware safe

The Kitchen was unlike others of the period. It was on the first floor, not the basement and away from the main house to prevent a fire and cooling odors from reaching the main house. The French style cast iron stove was heated by coal and wood. The copper pots and pans are 19th century pieces donated to the house. The original pots had been donated to the scrap metal drive during WW II. The large safe shown in the above photo was used to store the family's 1,000 piece monogrammed Tiffany & Co. silverware.

Family bedrooms at The Breakers

The family and quest bedrooms were on the second floor. As was the custom of the time, the Vanderbilts had separate bedrooms. His was done in Louis XIV style with a bed and furnishings of carved walnut. hers was an oval shaped room with four closets to accommodate many outfit changes needed throughout the day.

When Cornelius died in 1899, he left The Breakers to Alice, who outlived him by 35 years and died in 1934 at age 89. In turn, Alice left The Breakers to her youngest daughter, Countess Gladys Széchenyi, as none of her other surviving children were interested in the property.

When Alice’s died in 1934, also aged 89, the family fortune had been squandered and divided among so many descendants that it was all but gone. During Alice’s later years, taxes alone on The Breakers amounted to $83,000 annually, plus operating expenses including nearly 60 servants and other employees, along with 150 tons of coal to heat the house in winter. 

In 1948, she leased the high-maintenance property to The Preservation Society of NewportCounty for $1 per year. In 1972, the Society bought it and 90% of the furnishings in for $365,000 (nearly $3 million) from Countess Sylvia Szapary, the daughter of Gladys. The agreement granted her life tenancy. When she died in 1998, the Society agreed to allow family to live on the third floor, which is closed to the public.

That agreement was revoked several years ago when the third floor residential occupancy of Vanderbilt heirs Gladys and Paul Szápáry was terminated by the Society. Their great-grandfather was Cornelius Vanderbilt II. It was rumored this move was payback for their opposition of a welcome center on the grounds.

Welcome Center at The Breakers is just inside the entrance gate

The Welcome Center opened in 2018. This $5.5-million, 3,750-square-foot building includes an area with admissions ticket stations and interactive screens that show the history of The Breakers and other Preservation Society homes open for tours. It has rest rooms and a cafe. 

Preservationists, neighbors and descendants of the Vanderbilt family fought its construction for years and argued that the visitors center should be built outside the walls of the 13-acre estate. We found it very convenient to buy tickets for all the mansion tours and it was a nice respite from the rainstorm on the day we visited.

The Breakers was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1994. The property is owned and operated as a museum and open for visits year-round.

The Vanderbilts were once the richest U.S. family. In 1877, Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, had more than $100 million having made his fortune in first shipping, then a railroad empire. It's been reported that not only was 1 out of every $20 in circulation his, but that he had more money than the U.S. Treasury at that time. How quickly fortunates are lost as in 1973, when 120 Vanderbilts reunited, there wasn't a single millionaire in the group.

MORE MANSIONS to come (later). We visited another mansion owned by a Vanderbilt. Marble House was the residence of William K. Vanderbilt (younger brother of Cornelius) and his wife, Alva. Built between 1888 and 1892, it preceded construction of The Breakers and was also designed by architect Richard Morris Hunt.

Friday Funnies

A recent Friday Funnies showed some of the wall hangings around our apartment home. Here's a few more from our collection dealing with the theme of wine or whine, one of which we enjoy more than the other.

The top sign traveled from our former VA home. The bottom left one was a gift and the bottom right one was bought in NH. All are positioned near the wine rack holder which has traveled from NJ to VA, then NH. We smile every time, before and after enjoying the wine.

As we're away a few days this week exploring another New England state, blog posting and reading has been sporadic. Of course, there will be future posts about our adventures. 

Thanks to all who commented on the last post about text alignment to share your preferences. Like with everything, we all have choices to make and the one you choose is up to you. 

That said, I would greatly appreciate being informed via a comment or email whenever you find a type style or layout difficult to read. Feedback is always welcomed and appreciated.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

We're heading back to NH today

In the Center?

This post is about text styles and certainly not meant to criticize what anyone chooses to use on his/her blog site. That choice is most definitely yours. Apologies if anyone becomes offended. 

To center or not, that is the question, and it has nothing to do with Shakespeare.

It has everything to do with readability and the way our brain is used to reading.

3 Types of text alignment

Recently, it seems that many folks have adopted a centered text alignment for blog posts. Perhaps they consider this style as more contemporary or artsy?

In truth, it's neither. While I'm not sure of the reasoning behind this choice, it makes posts more difficult to read.

Centered text is more difficult to read when there's multiple lines of text as in long text paragraphs. That's because it forces the reader to make additional eye movements on both sides of the content. This can cause unnecessary eye fatigue, decrease reading speed and result in lower reading focus.

Why?

Because centering paragraph text anywhere, except in certain cases, makes the brain work harder to process what its reading because most of us learned to read books left to right from an early age. English is read as a left-to-right language. Scanning text that's centered or flush right is more difficult to read.

Left-aligned text typically results in much better content readability. And, it's why why newspapers, magazine articles and books are presented this way. Left-aligned text avoids unnecessary eye jumps which makes the copy much easier to follow. 

Would you continue reading something for pleasure if the text was all centered?

The default alignment for most reading text is left aligned text. It's not a random choice. Most writing follows this format. Left-aligned text is easier to read because of the way our eyes scan a page. Eye tracking research has shown that readers scan sites in a what's called the F-shape pattern.

It results in much better content readability, which is why books, magazine articles and newspapers use this style. Left-aligned text helps to avoid unnecessary eye jumps, making the whole copy much easier to follow.

What is the F-Shape Pattern?

F-Shape Pattern

The F-Pattern describes the most common user eye-scanning patterns when it comes to blocks of content. In this context, F means fast. That's how users read content on the web. In a few seconds, their eyes move quickly across a page.

Analysis have shown that people usually read the first few lines of content while looking for what they need. Then, they scan the lower portion of the page until deciding what to do next. 

People first read in a horizontal movement, usually across the upper part of the content area. This eye movement forms the top of the F. Then, they move down the page looking for areas of interest. When something interests them, they read it and the eye movement forms the second horizontal line of the letter F. This second line usually covers a shorter area than the previous one.

Centered text is best used for some headlines (one or two lines long) and short lines of text, like quotes, poems, or slogans. People can read these easier as lines are short, scannable and don't require repeated eye movements. 

My preference is for left-aligned text using a sans serif font, which describes a font where the individual characters don't have serifs (tails and other ornaments). 

Previously, my font choice was Arial, a popular sans serif font. Arial is designed primarily for print use, and also makes a good web font because of its openness. A similar font, Helvetica, is also veery similar. Recently, I've recently been experimenting with a couple of different type fonts, which may have been more difficult to read on certain browsers or mobile decides.

This font, Times New Roman, (a serif font) is considered one of the easiest fonts to read and has long been standard for print and web documents because it's simple and straightforward and extremely legible at a wide variety of sizes, as well as in bold, italics, and headings. Despite its relatively small x-height (X-height refers to the height of the lowercase x for a typeface). 

Your Turn — which text alignment style do you use and why?

Friday Funnies

Walking in downtown Nashua, NH, recently, this parked vehicle was the smallest car I'd ever seen. Two of these could have fit in a single parking space!

Its owner definitely has a sense of humor. The key on top was not a manufacturer-supplied accessory.

Curious to learn more, I checked online and found out that this can was the electric Smart Fortwo. At less than 9 feet long, it was one of the tiniest cars formerly available in the U.S. The Smart name came about in 1994 when Swiss company Swatch and German automaker Mercedes-Benz came together to manufacture subcompact, retro-styled, and urban-centric cars for young and trendy individuals. The brand struggled almost from day one. Swatch soon dropped out of the project. The Smart car never took off in the U.S., with large, full-size SUVs and pickup trucks winning market appeal. By 2019, Mercedes decided to discontinue the entire smart range in the U.S.

I don't know about you, but this would definitely be a cramped ride for myself and Grenville.

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

A rainy start on Friday, but sunshine & cooler temps later

Cape Cod Church Visit

Our road trip stops usually include museums and local places of interest, but very few places of worship. However, we visited a most unusual church on our July road trip to  Cape Cod, MA. The Church of the Transfiguration is a contemporary expression of a Fourth century basilica. It was an unexpected visit, which I read about in a local brochure. 

So on a rainy afternoon, we were given a tour given by one of the resident sisters. These tours are scheduled at various times during the day and we made the last one of that day. 

The church buildings were constructed from Minnesota limestone and completed in 2000. It took 11 more years to complete the inside artwork. After we entered the church, we soon knew why, and you will too.

The Church of the Transformation common area, The Green

The Church of the transfiguration stands at the spiritual center of the Community of Jesus, an ecumenical Christian community in the Benedictine monastic tradition that has been on the shores of Cape Cod for over 40 years. Daily prayer and worship services include Holy Eucharist, Liturgy of the Hours (sung in Gregorian chant) and choral Evensong.

The church interior is filled with hand-crafted mosaic and frescoes as well as glass and stone artwork.

The Atrium serves as the main entrance to The Church of the Transfiguration

Our guide led us along The Green, a common area, until we arrived at the Atrium. This courtyard surrounded by three covered walkways is the main entry to the church. This area serves as a gathering space that celebrates and gives thanks for creation, and also as a transitional space of preparation for worship upon entering the church.

Adam and Eve carved on bronze doors

The story of creation culminates at the doors of the atrium, with the sculpted images of Adam and Eve on carved bronze doors standing under the shade of the Tree of Life. The bronze doors were done by Romolo Del Deo, an American sculptor and artist, best known for his bronze sculptures that put a contemporary spin on the classical.

Baptismal font at the church entrance

The baptismal font is made of marble, bronze and glass and is quite beautiful. The candle visible above was hand poured by one of the resident sisters. It was beautiful, but I neglected to get a close image.

The mosaic floor tiles are hand cut marble and depict the Tree of Life. Some of the tiles refected New England wildlife and marine life such as whales, dolphins and horseshoe crabs. The fruits of the Holy Land are on the left and the fruits of Cape Cod are on the right. Together they make up the Fruit of the Spirit.

The Church of the Transfiguration altar

The mosaic tiles used in the area surrounding the altar consist of hand cut pieces of glass. We learned that each piece was individually laid in place.

Some of the tiles were very whimsical and included a dragon, unicorn and horse as well as other animals. 

The frescos along both side walls were all hand painted and represent scenes from the life of Christ, interspersed with a procession of saints to New Jerusalem. Italian artist Silvestro Pistolesi  used local residents as models for the initial drawings.

100-foot bell tower with 10 bells

The 100-foot bell tower houses a set of 10 bronze bells, which were cast by the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in London, England. This foundry also cast Big Ben and the Liberty Bell and provided the bells for the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and St. Paul’s Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in London.

The angel sculpture atop the bell tower was fashioned after the angels of the seven churches of the Book of Revelation. 

In keeping with the theme of the angel, seven of the bells are named for churches in Asia to whom the letters were sent via their angels: Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. The other three bells are named for local churches and towns: Orleans, Eastham and the Community of Jesus.

Unfortunately, the bells were not rung during our late afternoon visit, perhaps another time.

There is a gift shop on the church grounds which sells products made by the sisters and brothers who reside on the church grounds. While I'm unsure of the exact number, about 25 celibate brothers live in the Zion Friary and 60 celibate sisters live in the Bethany Convent. Products sold in the gift store included music CDs recorded in the church, homemade jam, granola, mustard and soap. My purchases were soap and mustard.

Church of the Transfiguration interior views

According to the church website, the 200 professed Community of Jesus members come from a wide variety of denominational backgrounds and occupations, and include celibate brothers and sisters, married couples, and single adults. 

This photo collage shows other things we did during our 3-day Cape Cod road trip, a getaway to celebrate Grenville's 🎂birthday. We went to a nearby beach area, took a narrated excursion ride on the Cape Cod Central Railway, enjoyed breakfast at The Pancake Man, and ice cream at Penguins Ice Cream where else?

Thanks to everyone for your condolences on the recent passing of my friend and of a fellow blogger. 

Your kind tcomments were appreciated.

Sad News in Twos

Sad news arrived the end of last week, twice.

Both concerned the passing of friends. The first was a long-standing friend, Linda, who lived in Washington, DC. Both NJ natives, we met as reporters for a weekly newspaper. As our working careers and lives diverged and we lived in different cities, we kept in contact through visits, phone calls, messages and mail.

The second was a fellow blogger, Vickie Swanson, known as Vee on her blog A Haven for Vee and she was met through her blog posts. This past Friday, a fellow blogger, Abby, posted the news of her passing on Vee's blog with a link to her obituary. There's a guestbook where a message can be written for the family to read.  Also, comments can be left on the blog post .

While Linda and Vee had never met, in death they shared a couple of commonalities. Both were the same age (69) and both waged a multi-year battle with breast cancer. They sadly lost this war leaving behind family members that included a spouse, adult children and grandchildren.

Of course, the older we get, it's inevitable that we will witness the passing of beloved family members and that of dear friends, which includes fellow bloggers as well.

What makes my friend Linda's passing even harder is not having had a chance to have said goodbye and to have offered condolences to her family. That's because I only learned of her late May death last Thursday. She hadn't responded to a June birthday card and several text and voice messages, a couple left as recent as last week. Her voice message played but a message said the mailbox was full . Most likely others who had no knowledge of her death had left or were trying to leave a message. 

I get the bad news online. Earlier, I had searched for her husband, John, fearing the worst as he's ben dealing with MS in recent years. Nothing was found and I never checked for her name. An uneasy feeling led me check last Thursday and the first "hit" was her obituary. Reading it knocked me for a loop, Linda's family created a loving testament to her life and passions, with a link to a website remembering Linda through family photos, where friends could post too.

My message was a belated condolence and explanation that had we known , we would have attended the DC services. Ironically, it was on Patrick's birthday when we were in Cape Cod. W would certainly have changed plans. While my regret is in not having been informed, I understand the family had so many other things to attend to in their time of grief.

I only knew Vee through her posts and as a relative newcomer to her blog. While her posts had been infrequent, I always checked for a current one, which is how I learned of her passing.

Address book of friends 

Why am I sharing? Partly to relieve my sadness at the passing of Linda and Vee. Each was special to many others. But, mostly to share that if you want family to contact friends after your (sorry to say) inevitable passing it might be good to share a friends listing that information with a friends listing. 

In the past few days, blog reading has taken a back seat to sending messages, calling, writing cards and notes, more often than usual, to long-distance friends. I don't want to be someone who, when learning of someone's passing, says "wish I had been in touch." While I am immensely saddened by my friend's death, there's no regrets about not having been in contact over the years.

Certainly like most others, I have contacts on my cell phone, but also keep an old-fashioned name and address book. Entries now are made in pencil vs. ball point pen as there does come the time to update or delete an entry. Does anyone else still use pen and paper address books?

As far as a blog update, Grenville is a co-administrator on this blog. While he posts less often now, he would be able to post any needed update.

On a brighter note, fellow blogger, Jon, has posted his gratitude for everyone's well wishes.  To answer a blogger's question, he's still in Cookeville Medical Center for the foreseeable future. Several bloggers have indicated they will or have posted a card and, as anyone who has been hospitalized knows, these will be much appreciated.

Friday Funnies

At the end of the week, humor is always welcomed. And, while I always enjoy finding fun things on our road trips, there's fun close to home too. Today's post features some bathroom signage.

But, not from bathrooms seen on road trips. These signs are actually hung on the bathroom walls in our apartment. Three of these have traveled with us from our former homes in NJ and VA. These are not the only fun signs around our apt home and be forewarned that more will be included in future posts.

Your turn — do you have any fun signs/sayings displayed in your home? 

If so, we hope they make you smile whenever you see them as ours always do.

Thanks to everyone who responded to the previous post about the hospitalization of a fellow blogger. While not everyone will send a card or note, good thoughts and prayers surely will travel and be appreciated.

There is much beauty in the world and many wonderful people living in it. 

Sunset photo captured yesterday after late afternoon rainstorm

Enjoy Your Weekend, Everyone

No special weekend plans in NH for us

Blogger Update

First, the blogger update in the title refers to a person and not the platform.

In early June,  a post about visiting PA family and meeting the newest family grand puppy (French bulldog Gracie) also included this paragraph ↓ about a fellow blogger, Jon, in TN who had been going through some tough times and was hospitalized. 

Bloggers become friends through online sharing, some we may be fortunate to meet, most will remain online connections. Like myself, many of you are also concerned when learning that something, joyful or sorrowful, has happened in their lives. Blogger Jon of Lone Wolf Concerto) posted this week that he's hospitalized in the intensive care unit of a TN medical facility. While I'm unsure of specific details, hopefully he would appreciate recovery well wishes from fellow bloggers, also your prayers if you are so inclined. (FYI, Jon's posts may be a bit more direct than some others, just saying.)

He's still hospitalized and has been undergoing chemo plus radiation treatments. Those who have undergone or know those who have done the same know how brutal these can be physically, mentally and emotionally. 

When possible, Jon has posted a few recent updates and mentioned that he had received cards from myself and another blogger. He also included the medical center's address and his room number, which leads me to suspect that he would welcome cards or notes of encouragement from others.

For those of you who might be inclined to do so, here's his name & mailing address:

Jon Varga, Room 604

Cookeville Medical Center
1 Medical Center Blvd

Cookeville, TN 38501 

It's true that U.S. postage has gone up (1st class letters, 66 cents) but $1 store cards are inexpensive. It's a relatively small cost to send someone encouragement and support if anyone wants to do so. (My second one was mailed today.)

Rainy Days & Cape Cod

A popular New England destination, Cape Cod is the ninth oldest English place-name in the U.S. It was named in 1602 by Bartholomew Gosnold an English barrister, explorer and privateer after fish seen in the surrounding waters. He also discovered Martha's Vineyard which he named after the wild grapes that covered the land and his late daughter, Martha.

This area is known for many things, such as the seashore, cranberry bogs, salt marshes, historic lighthouses, the Edward Gorey house, the movie Jaws, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and its connection to the Kennedy family. Singer Patti Page popularized it in the 1957 hit song Old Cape Cod, considered the unofficial Cape Cod anthem. (Page recorded it in NYC but didn't visit the area until after the song became a hit.)

Last week we spent several days on the Cape in Yarmouth, MA, on a getaway celebrating Grenville's birthday. (Thanks to all for the 🎂 well wishes.) He planned to spend several beach time mornings. But, Mother Nature didn't get the message and he only had one beach morning, rainy days the remaining two. When the weather is uncooperative, plans change. What to do on a rainy day? Stay indoors and visit a couple of nearby museums, where we learned a lot of interesting things new to us.

French Cable Station Museum, Orleans, MA

Our first stop was The French Cable Station Museum in Orleans, MA. This unassuming building is on a busy main street near downtown and its look disguises its historical importance. It features displays of Atlantic undersea telegraphic cables, instruments, maps, and memorabilia.

Sample of underwater cable

It was built in 1891 by the French Cable Company, which was installing numerous cables in Cape Cod throughout the late 19th century. By 1898, the station was the end point of a 3,200-mile-long trans-Atlantic telegraph cable called "Le Direct" that allowed communication between the U.S. and France. When France surrendered to Nazi Germany in 1940, it was taken over by the federal government for security reasons during WW II. It was returned to the company and resumed operations in 1952 and finally closed in 1959.

In 1972, a group of prominent Orleans residents raised funds to purchase the station from France, and repurpose it as a museum. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places that year. Fortunately the building and its equipment were preserved. Many of the items remain functional and can be tried by visitors. Admission is free; donations are welcomed. On average, about 1,000 people visit the museum each year. 

Visitors can go through the small museum to explore equipment original to the station. Photos, newspaper clippings and other items further document the station's history.

Volunteers staff the museum which features four rooms: Superintendent's office, Operations room, Testing room, and Repair room.

Superintendent's Desk

Walls in the superintendent’s office are covered with photos and news articles of major events in the station's history. Some of these were given to the museum by the Smithsonian Institute. There's also an early copy machine. Every letter written was copied before being sent and this was in the days before photo copies.

Operations Room as it looks today

The operations room was the nucleus of the cable station. It was where messages were received from France, recorded, and re-transmitted to the rest of the country. Most of the equipment here remains functional even today.

In 1927, the message that aviator Charles Lindbergh had landed in Paris came through this station from Paris and was then sent out to the rest of the U.S.

Cable examples, some showing deterioration

The testing room holds equipment that was used to determine the location of a fault or break in the cable. We were told that some of the equipment is still operational and one is quite unique

Heurtley Magnifier, only 1 of 3 still in existence worldwide

The Heurtley Magnifier was developed before vacuum tubes and was used to amplify the weak signal coming from France. It's only one of only three in the world today. 

As its name implies, the repair room housed equipment used to repair the cable and equipment. The room has samples of early submarine telegraph cable and cables that had been under water for years. There also were photos of a repair operation at sea.

We were surprised to learn how much history was contained in this somewhat small house. It was definitely worth a stop and the volunteer member was very informative. There were only a couple of other visitors, so we were not rushed; a good thing on a rainy day.

Marconi-RCA Wireless Museum, Chatham, MA

As if exploring a telegraph station wasn't unique enough, our next stop was at the Marconi-RCA Wireless Museum in North Chatham, MA. Here we learned about how radio pioneer Guglielmo Marconi was first involved with wireless transmission in New England and later how ship-to-shore radio played a prominent role.

Dubbed The World’s Greatest Coastal Station, this building was once home to the largest U.S. ship-to-shore radiotelegraph station, known to mariners worldwide as Chatham Radio, WCC. 

Guglielmo Marconi

Its history dates to 1914, with Marconi,  the Italian inventor and electrical engineer, whose Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company of America continued to pursue the promise of intercontinental wireless with construction of five great high-power stations on the East and West coasts. The company built a wireless receiving station here paired with a transmitting station in Marion, MA, to provide commercial point-to-point radio service between the U.S. and Norway. 

The outbreak of WW I in Europe crippled the Company's interests in America and the facility could not initiate operations. The Massachusetts facilities were incomplete, wireless equipment being manufactured by the parent company in England did not arrive. By the end of WW I, the U.S. had entered a period of isolationism, Marconi’s UK-based company was not welcome and with the intervention of the U.S. government, Marconi’s American assets were acquired by the newly created Radio Corporation of America.  

RCA opened the Massachusetts station in 1920, with circuits to Norway and Germany. Later, the company consolidated its transatlantic operations at a new station on Long Island. Chatham’s transatlantic operations ceased. 

Chatham, MA, 1922 (Internet source)

In April 1921, RCA began maritime service, adapting and improving the existing long-distance facilities to the business of communicating with ships at sea with call letters WCC. First called Marion Radio, it became known as Chatham Radio in the 1930s. 

1920s company advertisement for Chatham/WCC

RCA’s Chatham station was soon recognized as the largest U.S. coastal station.  The conversion of a high-power intercontinental station to expansive maritime operations was a first for RCA. 

Exhibit showing U.S. Navy at Station C

From 1942 through 1945, Chatham Radio played a key role in WW II by helping to defeat Germany during the Battle of the Atlantic. The station intercepted Enigma-encrypted wireless messages from enemy surface vessels and submarines. “Station C” (its US Navy wartime designation) forwarded the intercepts to Washington, DC, for decoding. As control station for the East Coast direction-finding network, Station C also directed the search for telltale radio signals that allowed enemy vessels to be located and tracked.  

In addition to relaying commercial and personal messages to ships, Chatham/WCC providedcommunications to aviators and adventurers such as Charles and Anne Lindbergh, Amelia Earhart and Howard Hughes. Wireless communication ended isolation at sea and also helped to save many lives.  

At its peak, Chatham Radio/WCC was the largest U.S. coastal station worldwide until 1997, when it fell victim to the advancements of modern communication technology.

Shipboard Radio from S.S. Hope

The museum offers informative displays, interactive exhibits and original videos. Permanent exhibits include videos about the life and legacy of Guglielmo Marconi, the role of maritime radio in world events, the authentic working shipboard radio from the hospital ship SS Hope, and artifacts from important periods in WCC's history. Visitors can practice Morse code. The museum’s Navy Years exhibit includes working WW II Enigma cipher machine simulators to let visitors try message encryption.

Since I mentioned the 1957 song (written by Claire Rothrock, Milton Yakus and Allan Jeffrey)popularized by singer Patti Page, you can listen to Old Cape Cod (apologies for the ear worm). While it's been recorded by other artists including Bing Crosby, Jerry Vale, The Four Freshman, Bette Midler and Anne Murray among others. Page's version warned a Gold Record.

If you like the taste of a lobster stew,

Served by a window with an ocean view,

You're sure to fall in love with old Cape Cod.

This was the first of our two days of rainy day explorations. The second was not to any museums, but quite different and will be shared in a future post.