On this day in history, August 14, 1921 Jack and Blanche Carson arrived in Cedar Rapids 3 1/2 months into the first ever coast-to-coast crossing of the continent on roller skates. The couple had left Philadelphia May 2. They told the reporter they expected to finish the trip in November, but unpaved roads and bad weather slowed their progress considerably after crossing the Mississippi and they laid up in Maxwell, NE for the winter where they managed the local roller-rink until Spring. Jack finished the trip October 1, 1922, but Blanche's health gave out 10 days and 200 miles east in Pendleton, OR and she finished by automobile.

The Carsons followed the Lincoln Highway out of Chicago and stuck to the route most of the way to Salt Lake City, aside from detours to perform in local roller-rinks. With WWI over and servicemen returning home and looking for fun ways to stay in shape, rinks were opening everywhere and America was in the midst another rollerskating "craze."

Jack Carson, b. abt. 1868, was 19 years older than his wife. He had been an amateur baseball player formerly. Blanche had less than a year of skating experience when they began. The Carsons stayed in the business for another 20 years, managing different rinks in the winter and traveling around the country to perform exhibitions of fancy skating. Blanche's special trick was weaving in and out through a string of 500 bottles set 18 inches apart! They retired to Northumberland, PA where Jack ran a dance studio for many years. We lose track of them after that.

Roller skating is just one of the early Marion Sports we'll feature in the next exhibition, opening September 29. ... See MoreSee Less

3 days ago  ·  

On this day in history August 12, 1868 Seth Wilbur Payne, the country's first documented transcontinental pedestrian, landed in Panama City aboard the Pacific Mail Company's Golden Age.

Payne's position as a general waiter and cabin servant gave him access to the first class cabins, dining rooms and saloons, and the opportunity to study the passengers. As ever, his observations are insightful, and scathing when it came to people who thought their names and money rather than actions entitled them to privilege.

"Here were clergymen, with their pious masks, superstitious air and good intentions; politicians with their sleek tongues, smiling faces, good clothes, stinking breath and corrupt hearts; merchants, with both eyes and ears to business, and nary a thought for anything else. There were gamblers, gay, shrewd and foppish; ladies, painted, gilded and coquettish; farmers, sedate, retiring and unnoticed." Payne was invisible, except when a passenger needed something or wanted to complain, and he learned their names and overheard their stories. (Utica Weekly Herald, September 8, 1868)

Rev. G. H. Atchinson, founder of a college in Portland, OR hadn't spoiled his son enough, so now he would finish the job by taking him to enroll in an Eastern college. W. D. Rector was an industrialist who made his home in Acapulco. Coincidentally, he was on his way to Utica, NY to buy a mill for a plant he was building in Mexico.

"I would have been glad to have talked with him, but--well, $40 was lacking. I knew my place and kept up with my (work)."

Payne disembarked with the other passengers in Panama City and crossed the Isthmus on the Panama RR. The trip took just under 3 hours. In Aspinwall, on the Atlantic side, he boarded the U.S. Arizona, berthing in steerage. He arrived in NYC on Aug. 21, just 22 days after leaving San Francisco. Impressive speed for the time, but to become obsolete soon with the windup of Union Pacific RR construction.

That concludes our Payne series. Thanks to everyone who traveled across the country with us. We've stumbled on a few more pedestrian surprises in the course of our research for the upcoming Sports exhibit and will share them as appropriate. If you joined our trip late and want to know more about Payne, page back through the posts to February to find his bio. ... See MoreSee Less

5 days ago  ·  

Congratulations to our 2018 "Peoples Choice" Winners! And, thanks to our sponsor Hills Bank & Trust. Left to right: Marci Wright, 2nd place winner; Noma Lucas, 1st place winner; 3rd palace winner, Gae Sharp-Richardson, and; Shelly Hartman, Hills Bank Uptown Marion ... See MoreSee Less

6 days ago  ·