A visit to Duluth in 1947, Jim and Greg Hon 1st photos

By 1947 some native Minnesotans had been out of state for a few years. To return to MN for a family visit they took a passenger vessel across Lake Superior. This was the best, fastest  route because back then there was no Mackinac Bridge. I know, it is hard to believe that was ever the case. People lined up all day to get on a car ferry. Thus, Grandma, Grandpa, Aunty Phyllis and my Mom headed to Duluth to visit Uncle Paul and Uncle Ed and their growing families in June 1947. There are images of vessels far away steaming on water which all look alike, but the interesting views to me are of Mackinac City and St. Ignace which were and look pretty rural. These cities have come along way since 1947.

Grandma, Aunty Phyllis, Grandpa

There are a number of vessel images like this, far away, closer, really close, heading away.

Here's a view leaving Mackinac City-nothing visible at all

Here's a view approaching St. Ignace, which appears to have some rustic buildings and not much more. What is there does not look too inviting. Lots of open space. No McDonalds anywhere.


DULUTH June 1947

Mom wrote "The boys with their wives and children, 1947" so that's Aunty Evelyn holding James, Ronnie, Aunty Altamae holding Greg, Uncle Paul and Uncle Ed. They look so happy and comfortable in each other's near company.

                                                     Grandpa with Ronnie and James and fishing nets

Aunty Altamae holding Greg, Aunty Evie holding James, Ronnie, Uncle Paul.

Grandma with Ronnie, Uncle Paul, Aunty Evie looking amazing in yet another apron, Grandpa holding Jim

Grandpa fishing. According to Mom he had "no luck"

Mom and Grandma Hon at Elmsgren Cabins "Sunning ourselves". The door looks very late 19th century.  Mom looks to me like she recently had a migraine.  I bet traveling on a boat made her really sick. I have been there and had that look.

Grandma and Aunty Phyllis "staying lazy north shore"

Visiting with Hon cousins, birthdays, Christmas in Grand Rapids, working women in unairconditioned 1947 summer

Visiting with Hon relatives in Bedford, IN. Our cousins in these images, Wayne, Myrtle and Ed Hon, I met in the mid-1970s when they were all retired in Bedford for a Hon family reunion. They were really lovely, good, kind people. Grandpa Hon was the youngest of five siblings: Edmond, Charlie who died at age 7, Ethel and Clyde. The Aunt Ethel below is therefore Grandpa's sister Ethel Agnes Hon who married Elmer Johnson. Ethel and Elmer had the following children: Francis (who was the family historian and married Sally, both of whom we met at the reunion and they were lovely, too), Margaret, Ethela, Elma, Edward and Wayne.    

Wayne and Myrtle Hon and their daughter, Fall 1946

Ed and Wayne Hon in back, Aunt Ethel (Grandpa's sister), her hub Elmer, Grandpa, Grandma, in front Myrtle, their daughter, Phyllis

Ed, Wayne and W's daughter, Labor Day, Bedford, IN, 1946

Donald Hipp and his kite, 8th bd, April 1949

This is so  cute, Donnie covered in snow with Mom, Feb. 1946. It's out of sequence but it is so cute I can't help myself.

All the ladies who work will appreciate this.  Mom (a secretary) and her coworkers are standing outside for "summer relief" meaning there is no air conditioning and it is HOT in the Griswold Building, Detroit, summer 1947.

Mom on the left, Elizabeth and Betty (Riegel  I think, my godmother)

Mom on the right with her boss, Mr. Homer Roberts

Here is Elizabeth again with B. Mayhew

This is undated and unidentified but I believe it is Grandma holding Wayne Hipp, Aunty Frances, and Michael, so this would be Christmas 1947 - Can anyone verify?

Next a 1947 trip by passenger vessel to Duluth, MN

Thoughts I wonder looking at family photos

I want my extended family now and in the future to know at least something of the lives our family  lived, even thought we don't have the complete story through a few photos, and some of the context is lost, we at least experience a view and feel for them.

I have questions. Why did they go there for a picnic at that time? Why did this photo get taken? How come nobody ever took a photo of Grandma tatting lace or quilting? What kind of friend was this person or that? What color was that dress? So, there is a mystery and yet a familiarity to these photos. During the war, the Hons moved to Muskegon and later Grand Rapids so Grandpa could work and  help the war effort. I heard he lost the farm they lived on before the war because he was too kind to people who needed help and couldn't pay him back. They had work, family routine, and fun along the way. It was in some ways a lot like family life today and in some ways completely different because of the war, brothers and sons going off to war, and a total lack of amenities, good restaurants, chain businesses and tech that we take for granted today. Here's an assortment of the next batch of photos. I hope you enjoy them.

Aunty Evie, if you see these and have any commentary I'd love to hear or read it.

In these photos they have left Duluth and are in Muskegon MI area, summer activities in Pentwater and Chippewa Lake, I think for relaxing, maybe en route, then Grand Rapids by Jan. 1945.

Grandpa, Ronnie and Aunty Evie on the dock, summer 1944 [at Pentwater, MI?, I think based on another photo of a sign]

Aunty Evie and Granpa doing something w a diaper involving minnows, Grandma in front

Mom rowing Aunty Phyllis, her first time in a row boat

Grandma Hon, Aunty Evie and Ronnie on the dock, Summer 1944

 

"Phyllis, Ronnie, Evie on the Ford at Pentwater, MI, lovely cabin, Summer 1944"

Aunty Evie and Phyllis hauling wood and Mom hauling water from the garage to the house they lived in for a week, Chippewa Lake, MI summer 1944- Did you live here for a vacation or en route to another home?

Grandpa, Aunty Evie holding Ronnie, Grandma and Aunty Phyllis in the backyard at 604 Burton WW, Grand Rapids, Jan. 1945

Aunty Evie and Uncle Paul, undated (1945?) where was that wheel?

Ronnie not too sure? with adoring Dad, Uncle Paul, Aug. 1945

"Michael - Mouth Open, Frances, Donnie, in front of 64 Burton Grand Rapids, Jan. 1946"

"Donald and Frances spruced up on a sunny Sunday, Jan. 1946"

Aunty Frances with a cool hat and heels by the clothesline, Jan. 1946

"Framces posin' quite a dark day tho', Jan. 1946"

"Don Frances and Phyl- Jan. 1946"

Uncle Cliff in uniform with Aunty Frances, Aug. 1945

Don, Mike and Frances in the snow, Jan. 1946

Michael and Donald by the clothesline, Jan. 1946

"Michael and Frances Huba Huba Really a bright day! Jan. 1946"

Ron(nie) Hipp becomes the fav subject of the Hon family camera for awhile

Oh yes, it is true. Donnie must have been out of town for awhile, so Ronnie became the family favorite when the Hons moved to Muskegon (Mich.) in 1944. And he was a cutie, there's no doubt about it. Paul Ronald, Jr., called Ron or Ronnie as an infant, was the second Hon grandchild and the first child born on December 1, 1943 to Uncle Paul and Aunty Evie who married on Oct. 5, 1942 in Duluth. All his positive activities are documented with commentary here, some mine, some Mom's.  Aunty Evie was a hottie even after having a baby and while hanging up diapers! Seriously few of us can do that and I could not!

Ron and Grandpa in the backyard, Muskegon, 1944

My Mom with Ron, Muskegon, Spring 1944

Aunty Evelyn hanging up the day's diapers, spring 1944

"All dressed up. Such a man! 1945"

"In a happy mood, 1944", Aunty Evie and Ron

Ron "feeding cake to the dog! March 1945" [My commentary. Ron a Matyn would NOT feed cake to a dog. Seriously cousin....Or did Grandma bake it? That, sadly, I could understand...]

Grandma Hon holding Ron on Maffet St.?, Muskegon, spring 1944

Grandpa helping Ron AKA "General Nuisance" with his bath in Evie's kitchen sink, March 1945." Can you feel the lover here?

Ron in his jammies amused by his bunny named Pruneface, 1945

Ron in his gocart summer 1944

walking Mom wrote- "Ronnie just learning to walk at Pentwater Lake, Summer 1944"

"Two steps Come on! Summer 1944"

Ronnie eating puff wheat cereal (Yuck you poor kid! She made me eat it, too. Is it a Hon point of suffering or what?) 1945

"Evelyn leaning on the bird bath with a foot in the pansy bed, April 1945"

Ron if you view this, I just want you to know that I can't be bribed and you were just too cute not to include. Sorry cousin. Don't hate me for being an archivist. I can't help it.