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Flower Keehn, 19, Nannie Lundell, 23, and Ebba Nelson, 20 all took a long walk-in November 1911. (Photo recorded)
Flower Keehn, 19, Nannie Lundell, 23, and Ebba Nelson, 20 most of the got a lengthy walk-in November 1911. (Photos filed)
Flower Keehn, 19, Nannie Lundell, 23, and Ebba Nelson, 20 all took an extended walk-in November 1911. (Images submitted)
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Anyone have to have got an excellent-cousin by doing this off Burlington’s Russ Kuhlmeier – a family member that, which have right encouragement, could spin tales of personal adventures that would fascinate an early boy.
Russ was you to definitely young boy on the 1960s, and he recalls gatherings having a special affair perform have a tendency to are some body needing Russ’s high-sis, Rose Keehn, to inform from the her lifetime in turn-of-the-century Burlington.
In the event that Flower, who had been Russ’s grandmother’s aunt, was in the right vibe, she would periodically agree and reveal the fresh new battered environmentally friendly picture album out-of a memories trunk area.
One of Russ’s favorite reports you to she would pick from one to book is actually in the morning membership out of a lengthy walk Rose and two family members grabbed for the November 1911.
Into the 1911, Flower Keehn try 19 yrs . old and a college teacher inside one of Burlington’s related teams. She got one or two particularly close friends who have been in addition to instructors.
They fused over a love of taking walks great ranges along the ways and you can pathways regarding the southern area of Iowa and you will western Illinois.
“Back to those days,” Kuhlmeier said, “there are couple jobs away from house that ladies could take. Teaching involved it. But a female teaching school needed to be solitary. If the she had married she you are going to no more getting an instructor.”
Scrapbook tells facts regarding ladies 1911 go to Chi town
“Strolling need to have come a way that they may reveal their freedom. It didn’t you prefer consent when planning on taking enough time walks together,” the guy told you.
Kuhlmeier’s thoughts away from his high-brother is generally dimmed of the years, however, he however remembers Rose to be slightly bashful. She is actually reluctant to speak, ashamed with ease and it got a great deal of coaxing so you’re able to score their own to inform their particular story.
“She was thin, move, and easy towards the youngsters to speak with and you will she usually had high stories,” said Kuhlmeier.
The story Kuhlmeier most useful remembers is actually filed about scrapbook within the photos, log entries, and you can content out-of hit from 1911 and describe just how one-day from inside the November college or university split, the three ladies hatched plans to possess a two-date walking so you’re able to Illinois to see nearest and dearest.
The fresh new threesome was throughout the habit of level 20-to-29 kilometers during their trips, thus a short visit to Illinois is actually well inside their come to.
On the a sunday early morning, the fresh new educators grabbed a train over the lake into the Illinois coastline, disembarked during the Lone Forest Club and became west. It absolutely was getting an excellent “vacation jaunt” following railway tune eastern.
One of many female is later on quoted inside a beneficial il newspaper, stating, “We greatly preferred every step. I just intended to be went 2 days but we’d such as a great dandy go out we merely leftover it.”
New photo on the picture album the family still treasures was faded. Nonetheless they take the brand new adventuresome soul of about three feminine out to talk about the world immediately when female were basic trying to find its voice.
On photographs, they walk-down the latest railway track clad within the khaki strolling suits and you will flannel dresses capped by the severe hats to deviate the weather.
One of several handbags together with holds a tiny, .32-caliber revolver once the insurance facing undesirable exposure to new untethered tramps whose excursion across the state’s rail wasn’t since joyous since the the three Burlington teachers’.
Keehn, Lundell and you can Nelson do cover-up so you’re able to 29 kilometers twenty four hours, as well as nights is invited at farm home-along its station or even the quick-city residential property of household members.
“Just after using the evening using my a few relatives, I arose in the morning well-aware that i got within minimum five hundred human body within my human body which will pain,” Keehn registered.
Because threesome neared il, the ladies registered to expend the night at a hotel in the Plano, Illinois, you to definitely generally speaking catered in order to travel salesmen.
“The outdated landlord shown you great like,” Keehn registered in her own journal, “and set us at head of table into travel dudes.
“One of the guys said that when we have got to Chi town, new reporters could well be wanting you and the newsboy tend to become calling ‘additional.’ We laughed and you can didn’t believe that it.”
If travels neared Chicago, they became visible into walkers one the journey is actually leading to a trend regarding drive. Due to the fact feminine marched single-file over the tunes, passing traveler trains would reduce while they enacted, as well as the guests manage lean the actual windows, waving handkerchiefs and you will screaming reassurance.
A cooler rain arrived to slow brand new walkers, but during the quick programs along the way, the brand new rail crews insisted towards the building a fire inside their station’s hearth therefore, the feminine you may dried-up.
Really the only disappointing notice Keehn appreciated came from the railway administration you to definitely produced in new newspapers that they did not desire to walkers to use this new railroad songs since a beneficial pedestrian method.
While they enacted from the train m, the job teams stood and you may cheered all of them. However, a very keen allowed awaited them because they wandered down Ogden path for the Boston Oyster Domestic and you may a long-anticipated Chicago food.
So many people congested about the subject, there were circumstances in which they may barely come through, and you will photographers implemented them almost everywhere.
The journalists in the long run purchased this new bedraggled feminine three entry to Highland Park, in which they certainly were the new site visitors out-of a Burlington pal.
Implemented a short while away from looking, following a train trip to the alarmed household and the teaching commitments inside Burlington.
Across the second weeks, the 3 walkers acquired of a lot letters out-of adore of regarding You.S., so there was in fact even a number of relationship proposals.
Kuhlmeier believes the new go appeared at once when women in the nation had been simply delivery the battle to have independence within the an excellent male-ruled neighborhood.

