August 29, 1954 75th Anniversary Sheldrake Methodist Church

“It was in 1873 that the need for a Sunday school and church services for the lake area was noted by Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Rapeleye, summer residents of Kidders on Cayuga Lake. Prompted by this thought, the Rapeleye’s started the church service in the summer home, Glenwood on the lake.” [Geneva Daily Times 8/30/1954]

The article continues with the comment that by 1879 the congregation had outgrown the lodge space, and Mr. Rapeleye built “a new building, called Glenwood Union Chapel, to serve Kidders and vicinity on Cayuga Lake.”

Summer services were held in the chapel for 40 years, until 1919. It was in that year that “the Sheldrake Methodist Church Chapel was struck by lightning and totally destroyed…Trustees of Glenwood Union Chapel…moved the Glenwood Chapel up the Sheldrake hill overlooking Cayuga’s waters,” so they could have year-round services.

As noted in the program copy, the anniversary services would be the last regular Sunday service for the summer. Sunday School classes would continue year-round.

Cover of the celebration program.
Interlaken Historical Society collections, gift from Diane Schmidt Barlow

Dewitt’s Diary, Sunday, August 29, 1954

Cloudy and south wind. C. Pell and I went to foot of lake and stayed long enough to get a shower and high south wind.

Took our dinner down to the lake to Lem’s today. We got enough rain to lay the dust.

Junior B is drilling a well, down 110 feet no water yet. [Dewtt’s nephew Myron Bassette Jr.]

August 28, 1873 First Train to Carry Passengers

The July 2011 issue of the Interlaken Historical Society’s newsletter carried a reprint of a letter/article written by Wheeler A. Bassett, long the local historian. It is reprinted here to honor that first passenger train trip.

To learn more about the various methods of travel over the years, join the Historical Society and Town of Covert Bicentennial Committee as we celebrate 200 Years of Transportation on September 9, 2017 at the Brook Farm Barn.

Editor Review:

The first waiting room in Farmer village, on the Geneva and Ithaca R. R., was the McCarthy House, just east of the old tracks on Cayuga street. Pete Arcangeli owns the place now. The time August 28, 1873.

The occasion was the first train to carry passengers on the road. An excursion train was gotten up to Ithaca and return. I have my ticket yet—the first one to be stamped, G. & I. R. R.

People gathered along the tracks on Cayuga street waiting for the train, when someone thought to go over to the McCarthy house and sit on the porch. The porch soon became full of people and some went inside. It was the only house anywhere near the railroad.

The train was made up of flat cars with planks laid across for seats. I think it stopped at the crossing near Abram Peterson’s house (now Earl Wilson’s), to take on passengers also. It was a gala day for everybody. Ed Knight and wife, I remember in particular, cut up like school children. On arrival at Ithaca, we all had to walk up town, as that was before streetcars were running. Where did we get our dinner? I don’t remember, but I think it was a sort of picnic basket affair. At least, I spent only 21 cents all day besides my ticket, which was 25 cents. People did not spend money as they do now. If any took their dinner at a hotel that day, it was a very small percentage of the party. As for restaurants, I doubt if there were any in Ithaca at that time, although I may be mistaken.

We stayed until 6 o’clock, and on the return trip, they took us down to the end of the road, in the town of Romulus. Some ride for 25 cents, but think of accommodations! Imagine scrambling up the end of a flat car and then taking several acrobatic leaps or steps over the tops of the seats to gain the middle. This, however had its compensations, as it afforded them a fine chance to show their gallantry to the ladies. The sides of the cars were protected with boards to keep the passengers from being strewn off along the way when the train made a sudden jolt.

The road was newly built and consequently rough, the cars had no springs, and you, probably by this time, have formed the conclusion that that must have been a terrible ride. Not at all. For many of us, it was the finest and most unique ride we had ever had, for it was our first ride on a railroad train.

All that first winter the only waiting room we had was Ira Hall’s coal office and practically the same building is now the office of Mr. A. O. Emmons.

Mr. Hall was the first ticket agent. He and his father, John C. Hall, began a partnership in the grain and coal business right from the start. Mr. Hall continued to be ticket agent as late as 1877, and perhaps later. I remember that Fremont Cole attended school here, the winter of ’76-7, and he helped Mr. Hall in the freight office nights and mornings. I remember how he used to show us his hands, cut and bruised from handling freight. The next year he went to Watkins and entered a law office.

Two trains each way was put on the road November 19, 1873, or two months after the last spike was driven at Romulus.

The road was bought by Lehigh Valley in February 1875. I remember it, because one morning, at school, Fred Troutman said: “Boy, this is now the Lehigh Valley.”

The railroad meant more to us boys than anything that ever happened before or since. We would watch the trains go by, sitting in school, and thought it a wonderful sight.

Dewitt’s Diary, Saturday, August 28, 1948

Hot, temperature 82 at 5 o’clock this morning. 102 this afternoon on the south porch

Thunder showers this afternoon but no cooler. Not much rain but plenty lightening.

Went fishing with Lem this morning. I caught one 3-pound bass off S[Sheldrake] point. A fierce storm south of here around Ithaca. Much damage to trees in city and lighting.

August 26, 1935 Sale of the Flagg and Grant Homes

After discussions, petitions, votes and formal notices, the newly organized Central School District Board of Education announced the location for the new school building. North Main Street across from the Reformed Church, on lots occupied by James Grant and family and John Flagg and family.

Main Street homes of James Grant and John Flagg
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #1487

The May 6, 1935 snippet related the dedication of the cornerstone for the new school building. What is interesting are the actual locations of buildings prior to the dedication. The new building is set back quite a ways from Main Street.

The huge front yard of the current school once held two homes, and a number of out buildings.

Layered map created by the author to show locations of former buildngs.
Google Earth and Sanborn Fire map.

The green and grays of the map are current buildings, lawns and roadways. The yellow drawings are from the 1930 Sanborn map of that section of Main Street. As shown the Flagg home is on the North edge of the school property while the Grant home is centered in the front lawn. Map created by the author.

By layering the two maps, the location of the homes and barns can be seen in front of the current building.

Notices appeared in the Interlaken Review throughout the Spring and Summer of 1935. On March 30, 1935, the Flagg barn was sold. A week later, April 8, the Grant barn went on the block. “The Flagg barn and outbuildings, and also a chicken house formerly on the Grant premises, will be sold at auction by the Central School Board at 10:00 o’clock Saturday morning, March 30…on the new school site.” [March 22, 1935 Interlaken Review]

“The Grant barn on the new school site offered at auction Monday morning…was sold to Frank Wright for $48., the garage going to LeGrande Cooper for $26. About a week previously the Flagg barn was struck off for $45 to the Fox Brothers of Townsendville, who have since removed the structure.” [Interlaken Review, 4/1/1935]

Notices were printed in the paper later in the summer for the August 26, 1935 auction of the houses themselves. The Notice of Sale listed the conditions, “all heating, plumbing and electric light fixtures as well as the …dwelling.” “It is understood that the purchaser of the Grant dwelling shall remove said dwelling and fixtures to the foundation within twenty-one days…and shall leave the premises free from old board, timbers…” “…the purchaser of the Flagg home will not remove any portion thereof until the 1^st day of October, 1935…shall entirely remove said Flagg dwelling and fixtures within twenty-one days from Oct. 1, 1935…”

It would seem the Flagg dwelling was being used as offices during the construction.

The auction took place and under the headline, “Interlaken Central School Sells Houses” the report was printed. “The Grant house went under the hammer for $510, and was purchased by Wirt Frost, of Trumansburg. The Flagg house was struck off to W. Brinkerhoff of Lodi Center. The bid was $95.” [Interlaken Review September, 1935]

Once the new school was in use, the old brick building just up the street was torn down.

Dewitt’s Diary,  August 26, 1933-1936

Saturday, August 26, 1933

We went through Watkins Glen last night. The water was sure high.

Clean and north wind today.

40 persons were killed along the coast by storms.

Sunday, August 26, 1934  No entry

Monday, August 26, 1935

Took Lorraine to Spencer today.

Edna stopped to see Minnie.

Wednesday, August 26, 1936

Cloudy and a few drops of rain. Plowing today.

August 23, 1965 How Large is the Field?

When researching a family genealogy, the land records are a good source for who lived near who, and how large the farm or village lot really was.

Dewitt Sr. was a surveyor, called upon by others to measure the size of the lot, and record it for legal purposes. Among the family items passed down through the generations is his survey chain. I believe it was one of the few things my father purchased at the time of the farm auction.

In 1893 representatives of the Masonic Hall Association of Farmer purchased from O. G. and Henrietta Wheeler

 “all that tract or parcel of Land … being part of Lot No. 41 in the town of Covert and bounded as follows: Commencing in the centre of Main Street in Farmer, New York, and at the Southeast corner of land of Mrs. L. A. Blauvelt, and running thence west along said Blauvelt’s south line, two chains and fifty links,…thence south 62 ½ links, thence East along Mary Jane Carman’s to the centre of Main Street, thence North to the place of beginning be the same more or less.”

What does two chains and fifty links really mean?

When an area is being surveyed a starting point is determined and from there a chain is used to determine the size of the area. A chain is 66 feet. There are 100 links in the chain. In the above example, the length is 165 feet from the center of Main Street to the back line, and 41 feet 3 inches from side to side.

Dewitt’s Diary, Monday, August 23, 1965

Temperature 56 mostly clear. West breeze going to Northeast after dinner.

Ed Hayward finished combining the oats for me today and we baled up one load of wheat straw I raked up this morning. 78 bales, more tomorrow.

The oats are very good. 100 bushels per acre. I am going to measure ground with surveyors chain. I have dad’s old chain.

Some oats going 120 bushel reported.

I think the cool summer had much to do with the heavy yield this year.

(I chained the oats field. Had 53.21 square chains or 5.3 acres and 540 bushels, August 25).

August 21, Reflections on a Summer Visit

Dewitt would often visit the summer homes of his brothers on Interlaken Beach. Lem and Pete had a cottage right on the lake, while Myron’s summer home was on the bank above the beach.

Myron had married Mary Helen Creech in 1951. Helen, and her sister Jane King, were often visited by others from their family. One of those visitors was their sister, Mae Dunn. After one such visit to the lake Mae wrote a poem, “By Cayuga’s Bright Blue Waters.” In recording Mae’s death on November 2, 1960, the Interlaken Review also published the following poem written in 1953.

By Cayuga’s Bright Blue Waters

On the banks of Lake Cayuga, one morn at break of day;
I watched the sun in all its beauty, rise above the little bay.
Saw it send its warming radiance, out across the rippling foam,
Where the white caps breaking, skipping, like playful children racing home.

Then the sail boats gliding, dipping, came into my wandering gaze,
Like some graceful maiden dancing to the music of the waves.
Heard the motors roaring, popping, as they raced across the lake;
Leaving behind a path of breakers, with skiers in their way.

I watched the sky grow dark and hazy, clouds obscured the sun’s bright face,
Boats began to hasten homeward, the lake became an empty place.
Soon the storm in all its furry, lightning, thunder, wind and rain,
Made the waves come dashing, mourning like some beast in awful pain.

After this the calm that follows,
Griefs and storms in every life,
Just as peace, and love and gladness,
Take the place of war and strife.

Soon my thoughts began to wander to the time long, long ago;
When the Indians used to wander up and down this rocky shore;
Hunting with his bow and arrow, fishing in the clear cool lake;
This fertile land gave in abundance food and clothes were theirs to take.
Up and down this land they wandered, finding nature ever new;
Riding on the bright, blue, waters in a little birch canoe.

Saw the moon across the waters,
Shed its path of rippling gold,
Telling tales of youth and romance,
And loves sweet story that’s never old.

Then the white man came and progress made the redman further roam;
And where once were many wigwams, you find the white man’s summer homes,
In this lovely lakeside country where cultivated farms are found,
Was once a dense and lovely forest, the redman’s happy hunting ground.
Now the long-forgotten Indians, nothing remains the same;
But sun, and moon, and falls and rivers.
And the lakes that bear their names.

Written by Mae Dunn [sister to Mary Helen Bassette and Jane King]

October 1, 1953

Dewitt’s Diary, Tuesday, August 21, 1951

Cloudy, warm. Trying to rain all the morning. Leland and I got some minnows for fishing this morning.

We fixed some fence this afternoon.

Took our supper down to Lem’s this evening.

High south wind all day,

Thursday, August 21, 1952

Cloudy south wind and mild. Began raining at mid-morning. Bob Aikens was over this morning. We went to the lake and got some bait for fishing.

August 19, 1955 Hurricanes Connie and Diane

The summer of 1955 had begun with near drought conditions. That all changed in August. Dewitt records two hurricanes that came through over a period of ten days.

Thursday, August 11, 1955 Temperature 60, foggy and steady rain falling this morning. Hurricane Connie off the coast of Carolinas is affecting our weather.

We got several showers but is clear again this evening. Everything is greening up after the June and July drought.

August 13, 1955 Temperature 64 Rain. The hurricane Connie has brought 8 inches of rain to New York City. We have about an inch here this morning. Expect heavy rain today and maybe hurricane winds. Rain strong at noon. The high winds are expected this evening.

The hurricane petered out around here also the rain about 4 o’clock. We had a total of at least 2 ½ inches of rain since last evening.

August 14, 1955 Temperature 80 to 90, warm and mostly sunny. Lake was very rough today from the south. Grass and lawns sure look funny after the brown of June and July.

August 15, 1955 Temperature 70 at breakfast time. South breeze. Another hurricane, Diane, is coming up the Carolina coast.

August 17, 1955 Temperature 72, Humid and hot this morning. Hurricane Diane is expected to do much damage and bring rain tomorrow.

August 18, 1955 Temperature 70. Warm and muggy. Light rain almost all day. Hurricane Diane has mostly petered out.

Dewitt’s Diary, Friday, August 19, 1955

Partly cloudy, temperature 70 at breakfast time. Very wet and I guess it’s clearing off. Picking sweet corn for stores in town every day.

Hurricane Diane produced a terrific rain along the eastern seaboard causing bad floods. Radio report says the worst floods ever. 56 drowned. Some places 12 inches of water. Affected Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and New Jersey.  

August 16, 1950 Telephone Building Torn Dow

Among the many photos in the Historical Society collection are several of the original telephone company building.

Shown below is one that gives us today’s snippet date. John Kellogg, one of the founders, noted on the photo both the date when it was taken, and the date the building was torn down.

Telephone Company Building
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #501

Another view of the old telephone company building, note the truck in the driveway
on the left side of the photo, and the Lakes Theater building and WWII service board on the right side.
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #738.

The front page of the Friday, August 18, 1950 issue of the Interlaken Review had an article by Nellie Bradley. She listed the owners, mostly family members, of the building, as well as details about the beginnings of the telephone company.

Among the earliest owners were the Pecks who had a grocery store in the south side (left side in the photos). Then on “April 2, 1881, the place was bought by my grandmother, Deborah Symonds, and from that time until its sale to Mr. Griswold, in 1946, was owned by my family.” Deborah Symonds had been the first operator for the phone company. [See Snippet January 15]

Nellie describes the fire of 1880, “which started next door south, where the Masonic building now stands. My grandmother’s family were especially lucky, as the fire swept everything south…”

As with many buildings, we can echo Nelle’s thoughts, “I have many fond memories of the old place where my brothers and I were born, but it has served its time and the village has great need of the larger building, which is to be constructed.”

The new telephone company building, June 1955
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #1471

After the building was torn down, the Trumansburg Telephone Company built the front part of the current structure. Many recall stopping in to pay their phone bill, use the phone booths along the front wall, or just for a brief visit.

While part of the building continued in use for the phone company, the front office became storage for older equipment.

In 2008 the telephone company agreed to lease part of the building to the Interlaken Historical Society for display, work and storage rooms. The efforts of many people saw the transformation to the current space.

Spring 2008, installing the handicapped ramp.
Interlaken Historical Society Collection

Interior work, creating display and storage spaces.
Interlaken Historical Society collection.

June 14, 2008, Ray Langlois, Allan Buddle and Mike Reynolds opening the museum.
Interlaken Historical Society collection.

Summer 2008 Wall of photos: "Celebration Events"
Interlaken Historical Society collection

Summer 2008 Civil War display
Interlaken Historical Society collection.

 Stop in the museum on a Saturday in July or August, or contact us and we would be happy to meet you there for a private tour or for research.

Dewitt’s Diary August 16, 1949, 1950

Tuesday, August 16, 1949

Clear this morning, south wind.

Began plowing on another piece of oats ground [it will be used] for wheat.

Edna went down to Mothers. We all went down to mother's tonight. Flowers almost filled the room for mother. Mother was the oldest member on the Reform church books. [Dewitt's mother, Mary Catherine Peterson Bassette died August 15, 1949]

Wednesday, August 16, 1950

Much warmer today. Scything and mowing the roadside this morning.

Got some minnows this afternoon.

Had a thunder shower this afternoon. Rained about fifteen minutes and we needed it bad.

Went to ball game between Ithaca and Watkins played here. Ithaca won 4 to 0. End of the regular Cayuga League season except the play off. 

August 15, 1963 The Bee Hive Torn Down

The once graceful and useful building which stood at the corner of Main and Cayuga Street was taken down, and today a state historical marker reminds us of its existence and importance.

The Bee Hive, corner of Main and Cayuga Street
Interlaken Historical Society photo collection #471

In the months and weeks leading up to, and following the demolition work, the Interlaken Review had several items.

John Kellogg, executor for the estate of H. P. Minor, had a notice in the paper on May 31, 1962. Listed in the Real Estate section, “The property located on the corner of North Main and Cayuga Sts., known as the Bee Hive…”

In the fall of 1962 the Masons of Farmerville Lodge #183 visited the Beehive. “A visit to the building that was used one hundred and thirty years ago for Masonic meetings was the feature of the program when Farmerville Lodge recently observed ‘Historical Night’…the original Farmerville Lodge was chartered in 1823 and met for a few years on the third floor of the Beehive.”

The April 18, 1963 Interlaken Review had a picture and caption, “The beginning of the end for a local landmark as workmen start the job of demolishing the “Beehive.”

The work was interrupted when the site again became a beehive, “…when workers disturbed bees in the old chimney.” Ithaca Journal 7/24/1963 article by Barbara Bell.

The same article listed a few of the owners over the years, “Mrs. Jennie Morse, Mrs. Arthur Blauvelt, and H. P. Minor.” Built as a tavern with a large third floor for meetings, it was used as a private home, and apartments. “Its location on the main street of the village made it an ideal place for multiple community gatherings and endowed its title.” [Bell, Ithaca Journal, 7/24/1963.]

After the site was cleared a new building, a home, was built there.

Bruce Clark, in a "Letter to the Editor" in the August 15, 1963 Interlaken Review included information on the building’s past, and also summed up a feeling many of us have when an older building has to be taken down. “It is sad to think…that the basic needs of our economy…prevented its restoration as a memorial to the lost past of Interlaken; our lost ideals and lost hopes, demolished to the benefit of the so-called social mongrelization. We will always remember the Beehive as a symbol of our youthful excesses.”

Thankfully the Historical Society has pictures of this and many of the other buildings that have been removed.

Dewitt’s Diary, Thursday August 15, 1963

Temperature 52, clear. The sun is out and it is very cold and it looks like the end of summer. I hope not.

Leland plowing some summer fallow ground that weeds come up on. Will put it into wheat. I pulled wild carrot on one lower field. A nice day. Cool temperature 68 at noon, partly cloudy and north wind.

I helped Bob Akins finish his oats combining this afternoon.

Drove down to Lem’s at the lake this evening. Betty and Jim were down there. Lem and Alice gone back to Rochester for the day.

Cool and mostly cloudy this evening. 

August 14, 1815 Oldest House in South Seneca County

The April 1987 Historical Society newsletter included an article by Ivan Weaver, “The Oldest House in South Seneca County?” The article is reprinted here.

One of the oldest houses in south Seneca County is located on the southeast corner of military lot #86. The lot is a triangle, one mile north of Trumansburg bounded by Congress Street Extension and Lower Covert Road. According to Mrs. Annis Sears, Charles Crane and a brother came to the Town of Covert from Putnam County in 1811, bought the lot and began to build a house. Mrs. Sears was a great-granddaughter of Charles Crane.

Crane's building project was interrupted early in 1812 by his being called to serve in the militia in the War of 1812. The house was probably finished in 1813 since an old photograph has a date of 1813 on the back.

The House

It is, I am told, a New England Colonial. It is 28 x 38' and two stories high. It sits on a full basement, the walls of which were laid up of loose flagstone. The cellar floor is also flagstone.

The main floor of the house consists of a wide hall with an open stairway to the second floor. This is flanked by two large rooms. One of these, of course was, the parlor. The other one was the living or sitting room. It also served as a dining room when company came and was served by means of large double doors opening into the 14 by 21-foot kitchen. At the end of the kitchen were two small rooms which, I imagine, may have been pantries.

The second floor has two large bedrooms and four small ones. There is a short hallway off one of the large bedrooms leading to the attic stairs.

When I moved in, there was an approximately 20x30' ell attached to the back of the house. It extended about 5' past the north end of the house to accommodate a window in the summer kitchen. This room had a door opening into the main kitchen and one opening outdoors. A third door opened into the rest of the ell. This was what I would call a bad-weather barn. A set of double doors opened to the driveway on the south side and another set directly opposite opened to the driveway on the north side.

I was told that in those days, when the weather was bad, the team and buggy or wagon were driven inside. There the buggy was relieved of its people and parcels, the team unhitched, and then bedded down for the night. The next day they were taken across the road to the barn.

In the far northeast corner of the ell was a fabulous indoor outhouse. It looked like a well-kept closet, and was a three-holer, no less! Under the seats was a trough-like affair which allowed for easy cleaning. This may explain why the garden plot south of the house was so fertile for so long. Well--so much for descriptions. Needless to say, my very first project after I acquired the house was inside plumbing!

The earliest deed I have is dated August 14, 1815 and was eventually recorded at the Seneca County Clerk's office February 21, 1827.

It in, Charles Crane purchased a bit more than 1 ½ acres in a triangular-shaped lot directly across the road from his house from Nathan Cole and his wife for $700.00. This is where he built his barns. Some of them still stand.

From 1815-1867, Mr. Crane purchased parcels of land ranging from 4 acres to 86 acres, totaling about 207 acres. His total investment was $11,106. He continued to live on the farm until his death in the late 1870s. Through a series of claim releases, his widow Annis continued to own the property until her death in the late 1890s. Again through a series of claim releases, Edwin Hawks (a grandson, I think) and his wife Mary became the owners.

After Mr. Hawks died just before World War I, Mrs. Hawks continued to operate the farm until she could no longer handle it. By the time of her death in the 1930s, she had sold all the land except the lot the house is on. Her heirs sold the house and lot to the N.Y.S. Defense Corp. in 1940. They installed the Haines Godfreys, a family displaced by the building of the Sampson Naval Base, in it.

Sometime between then and the end of World War II, they moved and sold the place to Albert Beckley. In 1948, Mr. Beckley sold the place to Ivan Weaver, his wife and young family.

The house had been allowed to run down, probably from the time of Uncle Ed Hawks’ passing. So-o-o my long-suffering wife and I spent the next twelve years modernizing and renovating the place. My son has taken over the reins now and after nearly forty years, he is following in his father's footsteps: he is updating it again.

It is interesting to note that in the nearly 180 years the house has been in existence, only four families--the Cranes, Godfreys, Beckleys, and Weavers-­have owned it.

Dewitt’s Diary, Friday, August 14, 1925

We spread some straw this morning.

Cut my oats this afternoon. They were down bad but I got most of them. 

August 13, 1899 Happy Birthday Dewitt

Dewitt was born on the family farm on Bassette Road, Sunday, August 13, 1899. In the years from 1919 to 1982 he recorded the events of the day for 63 years.

Today, something a little different to recognize the passage of time, and possibly give all of us something to think about.

August 13, 1919
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

Wednesday, August 13, 1919 (twenty years old)

Finished thrashing wheat today. 680 bushels on 22 acres.

Went over to see my sweetheart tonight.

Our first spring wheat we ever raised gave 30 bushels per acre.

August 13, 1929

Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

Tuesday, August 13, 1929

I celebrated my birthday by going fishing this afternoon. Caught my third nice black bass.

Dr. Hill was down there fishing.

Forrest raked up some of the alfalfa.

I shot a hawk at 110 paces with the 22 spc.

August 13, 1939

Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

 Sunday, August 13, 1939

I am 40 today. Hot and dry again. The rain is all gone and the garden wilts ever [y] day.

Lawns and pasture are green and that helps.

F. Ritchie and I went fishing but not much luck.

August 13, 1949
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

 Saturday, August 13, 1949

Cloudy and cooler Temperature 68.

I am 50 today. The rain we got should help my beans, potatoes & corn.

We are plowing oats stubble for wheat. The rain went down to the bottom of the furrow.

Mother is very low today. Edna is going down to Mother’s tonight.

[August 15, 1949 Dewitt records the passing of Mary Catherine Peterson Bassette, age 85.]

August 13, 1959
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

Thursday, August 13, 1959

Temperature 77, cloudy, very hot this m[orning].

I am 60 today. Talked with Catherine on the telephone from Tamps, Fla at 6 o’clock. They are predicting showers.

Leland is raking up some straw. I took a tire down to be repaired. Temperaure 90, cloudy and north wind at noon.

Drove down to the lake after dinner and got a load of gravel.

Mrs. Wigner & Biri were over and brought me a couple boxes of candy for my birthday.

August 13, 1969
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

Wednesday, August 13, 1969

Temperature 65 Clear

We cleaned out the strawberry bed. Took out two thirds of the old plants and cut the old foliage from those plants we left. Cultivated them. Hope to have some berries from them again next year.

Parson started combining my oats this afternoon. Warm today, to 85.

Big parades for the Apollo crew today in N.Y.City, Chicago and Los Angeles. Big dinner them in California tonight.

August 13, 1979
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

Monday, August 13, 1979

Temperature 48. My birthday. Got some minnows and went to lake and fished to Sheldrake with B. Haviland. Caught some small fish but no bass.

A nice day on the lake.

How many of us can look back and recall the way we spent our birthday over the years? Might there be a story to be shared within your family as you recall your birthday over the years? Like Dewitt there were high points, and the memory each year of those no longer celebrating with us.

Dewitt’s Diary Friday, August 13, 1982

Another year older this morning. A shower by mid-afternoon. Very tricky weather and some rain this afternoon

August 13, 1982
Interlaken Historical Society Collection: Dewitt Bassette Diaries

[Dewitt died May 1, 1983]

[Dewitt C. Bassette Jr. was the third child of Dewitt C. [Sr.] and Mary Peterson Bassette, his older brother Myron was the author's grandfather. DC and Mary's first child, Harold died as an infant, see October 1, 1890.]