Last month I wrote about the way that The Port Byron Chronicle covered bad news, so why not some happy news this month? And so I decided to see how local folks entertained themselves while they did a bit of traveling. You can see how the world opens up for everyone over 20 years as the wagon and buggy gave way to the trolley and then to the automobile. From Aug.
12, 1905: “Friday evening last a party of 18 young ladies participated in an old fashioned straw ride, in which Mr. Newkirk’s team and hay-rack were brought into use. The young ladies were driven to Jordan, where they were very enjoyably entertained by the Misses Stewart.
The girls have decided once and for all that the boys don’t make the good times.” The straw ride seemed to be a popular event. From the paper of Sept.
15, 1906, we read about two of them: “The young men of the village gave a straw ride one evening this week to Owasco Lake. Everybody voted the ride a complete success.” And not to be outdone: “A large party of young people enjoyed a moonlight straw ride Tuesday evening to Conquest.
The ride was given by the girls of the town, the promoters of the affair being Elizabeth Hest, Nellie King, and Jennie Root. On arriving in Conquest the party drove to Andrew Emerson’s where they were delightfully entertained until an early morning hour.” As soon as the trolley opened from business, fast and cheap travel became available to everyone.
From the paper of June 19, 1909: “The Auburn and Northe.
