This week in local history: 1900 photograph shows logging camp on Gravel Pond Road

This photograph was made from glass negatives taken by the late A.L. Miller around the year 1900 and loaned to the Journal in 1965 by his son Maurice Miller. It shows a logging camp in operation along Gravel Pond Road.

A 1961 cartoon portrays a light-hearted birds-eye-view of a typical summer festival or church bazaar. What do you think – has much changed since then?

Do you know any of these smiling youngsters from the Dalton Kindergarten Class of 1963? They are in their late-50s now. From left, first row, Russell Bichler, Kathleen Simonson, James Muro, Douglas Wydeen, Andy Noll, Patrick McAndrew, Genean Stec, Kathy Moyle, Kim Richards, Bernard Andrejack, Christopher Stark and Edward Clarke. Second row, Linda Vian, Debra Aulisio, Gayle White, Cindy Robinson, Thomas Couzens, George Treible, Dean Langwiser, Sandra Passaniti, Martin Chibirka, Debra Antoine, John Sanders, David Dunn, Rebekah Booth and Richard Schirg. Third row, Mrs. W. J. Hartman, teacher, Billy Hedglin, Bobby Brauer, David Hiller, Paul Wohkittel, Beverly Stacknick, Susan Williams, John Bader, Roger Johnson, Karl Smith, Joe Cathrall and Carol Gruber.

1961 – The Abingtons must have been in the midst of a busy season of summer festivals and church bazaars. A cartoon illustrated the typical atmosphere of such events, even for today.

1963 – Students in the Dalton Kindergarten Class of 1963 were all smiles and giggles for their graduation picture, which ran across the top of the Journal’s front page. Their teacher, Mrs. W. J. Hartman, stood proudly in the back row, a smile lighting her face as well.

1965 – Maurice Miller loaned to the Journal some glass negatives taken by his father, A.L. Miller around the year 1900 at a logging camp along Gravel Pond Road. One of the photographs, published on the front page, provides a graphic view of the primitive living conditions of the area’s ancestors.

“It was similar to camping out, as the lumbermen were recruited from local farms, worked the woods in the summertime and returned to their regular homes in the winter,” reads the article.

The two young men standing beside the tree on the left are Elmer Tripp and John Deats. At the time of the 1965 publication, Deats was still living at age 87 in the Lenoxville area.

The family on the left is that of Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Johnson. His daughter Iva, who later became Iva Titus, of Clarks Summit, is at his left side. His son Ray stands at his right, holding their dog, “Don.” Mrs. Sanford, standing behind Ray, holds their daughter, Gladys.

The second family, from left, consist of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Deats, daughter Frieda, held by Mr. Deats, and daughter Gladys, held by Mrs. Deats. Gladys, at the time of the 1965 publication, was known as Mrs. Leroy Clark.

Mr. and Mrs. Vern Slocum, with Mr. Slocum holding daughter Lois and niece, Edith Thomas, crouched at his right knee, make up the third family from left. Edith eventually became Mrs. Edith Taylor and Lois, in 1965, was living as Mrs. Albert Cooper in Olyphant.

The last family is Will and Elsie Lamoreaux, daughter Ruby, son Lemmy and dog “Penny.”

Miller was unable to recall by name the white dog in front of Tripp and Deats.