Travel Log

 

September 5, 1819

Pioneer is one hog-happy steed today: he'll no longer be hauling my heavy duff and supplies all over the Eastern United States. That's because we're now drifting towards the setting sun on a flatboat along the Ohio River to our final destination, Cincinnati!

 

We picked up the boat in Marietta, Ohio. Before we boarded I visited my cousin Joseph in town to get the wire looms he'd been holding for me. Those will help me get my factory off the ground. He and his kindly wife Mabel gave me a change of clean clothing, some grub for the road...er, water, and some extra home items for when I find the right homestead, such as a lantern, a woolen blanket and dining items. We packaged everything we could into a trunk and transported it by wagon down to the dock, Pioneer in tow.

 

There are two men sharing the journey with me: Samuel "Stogie" Blackwell, an aspiring drifter with an affinity for cigars, and Benjamin Hurt, a young  ginger haired blacksmith joining his brother's farm in the new city. And of course, the captain, William "Billy" Smith, a crusty ol' coot who communicates mostly in grunts.

 

I'm told it should take us about 2 weeks to arrive in Cincinnati. Onward bound to boomtown!

If my memory serves me correctly, it was the October of 1822 when I dreamed up yet another kitchen doo-dad. This is how the story goes...the misses asked for a place to cool her pies besides her counter top since it was, in my opinion, too full of junk…but don’t tell her that!! So, after rackin' my brain for a bit, I came up with what I dubbed the Sutler’s Mill Cooling Rack. As the sweet smell of what’s cooking spread around the old homestead, the cooling rack became a really cool place used to prepare serving family, friends, and neighbors. Why, I even was able to barter a rooster for one up at our neighbor old Joe’s place! It has a rustic black or chrome finish, put together with "time" and "patience". You can place it on wood, metal, or glass. I don’t care and neither should you. This way, the misses won’t holler at ya for trying to burn down her kitchen!

Want to get yer own cooling rack? You can order one right over here.

 

August 21, 1819

When Pioneer and I crossed over the Ohio border this morn, we came upon a hubbub of activity going on in the town square. In a local field, livestock was being paraded about and bestowed with blue ribbons. Ladies were peddling their pies, cobblers and other baked goodies. Burly farmers were setting their pigs onto a track to see who could race 'round it the quickest. The kiddos were playing with whirligigs and handmade hobby horses that a local merchant was selling. I asked a nearby gent what the occasion was, and taking his pipe out of his mouth he replied, "Why son, don't you know? It's our annual town fair!"

 

A fair! Never before had I heard of such an event, but as I soon learned, the town of York, Pennsylvania had been holding a fair every year starting in 1765, and other American locations were picking up on the tradition. Something tells me it won't take long for this so-called fair to spread like wisteria across this great nation of ours, because I hadn't had so much fun since I won that round of poker in Berkeley Springs back in May, when my journey began.

 

After such a rollicking bang-up day of festivities, it's time for some grub and a nap. Destination Cincinnati is just around the bend!

 

Editor's Note: It's almost fair season in America! To find a state fair near you, check out the site StateFairDates.com for a list of U.S. fairs and the dates they take place.