Pellston Michigan 1940

1940 Europe was a mess. Germany was busy invading their neighbors and bombing England. Roosevelt was re-elected president and draft registration had begun. Americans got their news via radio and newspapers. Go to this neat website to see and hear interesting detail about the lives of those that are the "Greatest Generation".
http://1940s.org/

At the time of the 1940 census Uncle Earl was one month old. 17 year old Aunt Dory was a newspaper reporter, Uncle Bob was a "laborer" and 62 year old Grandpa Rose worked on a WPA project. Building a runway and terminal building for the Pellston airport was just one of those emergency projects. I am sure the the grown kids with jobs contributed financially to the household fund.....that is just how it was done back then.
https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1971-27886-7819-80?cc=2000219&wc=MMLY-JGY:2134831182

Grandma was 39 years old and had a house full of kids to feed. Pop said that she baked her sugar cookies and all of the family bread in the wood burning cook stove. She stored the bread in a crock under a table. Hungry kids came home from school for their lunches and he remembers eating macaroni and cheese....oh, the greenish cheese from Bonter's store was amazing! Pop still craves Grandma's homemade noodles! Monday was laundry day and she scrubbed the wood floor with a brush on her hands and knees.

Rationing would soon effect each American life.....see this link to appreciate what was rationed.
http://www.ameshistoricalsociety.org/exhibits/events/rationing.htm

The movie "Sun Valley Serenade" came out in 1941 but the song "In The Mood" hit number one on the charts in 1940. Click the play button to hear the Glen Miller Band.

I love this movie! My oldest daughter was born in the dead of winter in the hospital at the Sun Valley Lodge. We were the only patients. My husband worked for the Sun Valley Co., grooming ski trails with the Sno-Cat in the winter and maintaining the golf course in the summer. What a beautiful place to live!

Go here to see old pics of Pellston, Michigan!
http://genealogytrails.com/mich/emmet/citypellston.html

Wander around in this next website where I found many old Northern Michigan pics.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/upnorthmemories/1457276347/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/upnorthmemories/2313276306/

http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Stations/CountyStations/EmmetStations/PellstonMI.htm

1930's Pellston Fire Department

Anyone recognize any of these guys? This photo is currently listed for sale on Ebay. Pop did not think Pellston's little volunteer Fire Department was quite this well equipped. If anyone can verify that this is the Pellston FD I will buy it!