Page:Brunswick 100 Years of Memories.pdf/185

II

I

~

hole. The road to Three Rocks, lined with cherry trees, was entered from the north side of Souder Road opposite the Brunswick Shopping Center. After eating the free tree refreshment s, the kids walked another mile to Little Catoctin Creek where they braved the water regardless of temperature . Nearby farmers gave their blessings, apparently, to the trespassers and made no effort to close off the youngsters' recreation. Farther from town, near the Lions Club pond and park, was another swimming hole, Four Double Trees," where water was deep enough for diving from surroundin g tree roots. On the way home sassafras roots were collected, dried and used for tea, purportedly for thinning the blood in preparation for the spring season. Evenings, the more adventurou s girls took their turn at Three Rocks. Among the boys" participatin g in these rites of spring were Picket Barger, Bill and Wade Hoar, Ward and Jay Hoffman, Jess Orndorff, and many others. S - Dutch Burns W-MMM

SWIMMI NG IN THE RIVER Although there was no swimming pool in early Brunswick, there were two sandbars in the river, the "first sandbar" and the "second sandbar," about a block apart, with the city dump between them. It was hard to get to, but someone kept a path cut open from the tow path. Sunday School classes and other groups would picnic there. The place was full on Sunday; going there was as important to a lot of people as walking on the bridge on Sunday. The water was beautiful. People didn't have bathing suits then. The boys would cut off old pants, and the girls would wear gingham dresses and anchor the hem together at the knees with pins. They didn't really swim; they waded around to cool off, maybe sit down in the water or on the sand. The guys would pole a boat to near the Virginia side where there a so-called "ten-foot hole." No one knew how deep it was, except - it was over the boys' heads. They would swim and fish there. There was just clean fun. It was wonderful. What swell memories of the sandbar! Both bars are gone now. The banks washed away over the years. Maybe there is still sand

162

farther out in the river. No one goes near that area anymore. S - Dutch Burns W-MMM

EXCURSI ONS Dutch Burns recalls his young days when the railroad was the greatest employer in Brunswick. As now, there were few employers in town except the railroad. Estimates are that close to 90% of wage earners Ii ving here worked for the B&O. The railroad was a paternalistic employer. For example, they provided transportati on (sometimes free) to numerous events and activities. Dutch remembers the excursion trains to Pen Mar, an amusement park atop the mountain in Washington County, north of Fort Richie, and almost in Pennsylvania, hence its name. The B&O went to Hagerstown where the train then used Western Maryland tracks to Pen Mar. Granny Smith Island, called Island Park by an earlier generation of young people, was another favorite destination. The train would carry its passengers to Harpers Ferry, where horse and buggies would transport the pleasure seekers to a foot bridge, which they would traverse to the park with their picnic baskets and lighthearted air. Before 1924, canal packet boats also carried visitors to the area; they crossed the bridge by foot. Winchester, Virginia, still has its annual Apple Blossom Festival. From 1924 to about 1930 the B&O ran an excursion train for school children with colorful costumes made by the local Parent-Teachers Associations and for their chaperones. Brunswick participants were frequent winners. The annual County Field Day in Frederick was another event for which the railroad furnished transportation on its local line. A street car - or light rail, as it would be called today - ran from Jefferson to Braddock where a nearby amusement park entertained local people. If Brunswicki ans could find transportati on to Jefferson, they could be sure of a ride up the mountain to a ferris wheel, merry-gerround, a giant sliding board, look-out towers, skating rink, dance hall, miniature railroad, and plenty of food. The Centenary Exhibition of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, 1827 - 1927, was held on 1,000 acres of company land at Halethorpe , along the B&O main line near Bal ti more. History, technical demonstrations, a Maryland Pavilion showing something of the state's resources, and a mile-long standard