From My Mother Mary’s (1970) Journal:

Next A.M. July 21

left for Massachusetts after breakfast at Pennsylvania Dutch Pantry ($7.85). Mileage 54,636 4 gallons of gas at 34.5 cents. Drove over the Hudson River and had to pay for it! (.50).

Entering beautiful Connecticut, it seems more populated than south N.Y. state. Hills with boulders are pretty. Much greenery. All this lush, rolling countryside is such stark contrast to the ghettos on Independence Ave. in Washington D.C. There, we saw many, many colored men just sitting, doing nothing during working hours for everyone else. Why? Most colored people we came into contact with were haughty and indifferent, even as we were quite nice to them. Also noticed on our long walk back to the car in D.C. that colored people walking toward us on the sidewalk would walk between us, pushing us to step into the gutter. Why would they do this to children? We saw most of the guards at the Smithsonian were colored. What happened to the whites there? Do any whites actually live in D.C.?

Here in Connecticut there is such nice scenery. They are doing much work on the interstate in N.Y. and some here in Conn.

We entered Massachusetts at 12:25. Toll on Massachusetts Turnpike was $1.25. Ate in Old Sturbridge. On to Glenn’s (my brother) house on Ipswich Rd. Set up camper in their yard for the kids to stay in.

July 22 Wednesday

Driving in to see Boston. Stopped for film ($5.54) and boy’s haircuts ($4.00). Mystic Bridge Toll was 25 cents and another 25 cents to get out. That’s what I call making money – what else are people going to do to cross the water in their cars but go over the bridge?

Lunch charged ($17.85) at the Red Coast Grill.

Arrived in Boston but kept going in circles through the city. Mad house traffic with Crazy drivers AND people cutting in front of us. Stopped to go into Esso filling station bathroom, 10 cents to get into the toilet and the bathroom was filthy!! We were looking for a way to see the famous tower where the lights were flashed (One if by land and Two if by sea?) We kept passing it but there is NO parking. After an hour of driving  Robbie double-parked and asked a policeman directions to the U.S.S. Constitution.

Found a parking space and toured the ship. Interesting place, steep steps and watch your head, still free to get on. (see photos on Photos of 1970 Vacation PAGE)

Really tired of Boston with its terrible traffic and horrible one-way streets and no signage. On to Salem.

Went through “witch’s house” which is really the judge’s house who condemned the girls at the Salem Witch Trials. ($2.00) Then on to the House of Seven Gables. ($4.85) That tour included two other historic houses. Well worth the drive over to Salem.

souvenirs ($6.84) Jon’s incense (.72) cold drinks (.50)

July 23

On Thursday we washed clothes, ironed, kids went swimming in pond, then we all drove over to Ipswich.

At Ipswich we went to a barn-like structure that jutted over the bay. We bought 8 lobsters and quarts of clams to cook for supper. Caroline cooked and Glenn cleaned them. They were delicious (eaten with drawn butter).

Ice ($1.75) car part ($3.51) groceries ($24.00) cashed a $50.00 check, hair cut ($2.25) lobsters ($12.55)

July 24

Friday kids went fishing in A.M. Gave G W and Beth a dollar each. We left at 11:10 driving towards Maine.

mileage: 55,098 bought 14.9 gallons at 41.9 cents = $6.20 stopped for gas, coffee and toilet fee (.31) Tolls leaving Mass (.50)

at Kennebunk, Maine our total mileage used was 3,580. At Rockport, Maine mileage 55,205 Toll 75 miles into Maine ($1.90)

Stopped at Wildwood Private Park, Acadia National Park, Maine. ($2.62) Wooded park. Lunch stuff and bug spray we purchased at a little shop ($6.45) 2 rolls of film ($4.79)

July 25

Cool at night here. R was up all night with a toothache. Stopped at a seawall when the tide was in and Jon saw sardines (herrings) swim. Had to buy an alternator for the car in Ellswaite, Maine ($35.46) groceries for lunch, etc. $6.54. Mileage 55,382

Another night at the park ($2.62)

July 26

Left at noon on Sunday. We stopped at the seawall again and the tide was out. Stayed there an hour looking at tidal pools. There were starfish. Walking on sharp rocks. Picking up kelp, pretty rocks, shells and sea urchins, snails, and other tiny marine life. What a place this would be with a microscope! Took some mementos (hope they don’t smell up the car) and drove on.

Ate a fine lunch at a restaurant overlooking a bay. (4 Cove restaurant S.W. bay charged $19.75) Watched 3 lobster boats going out with bright orange things on the front of the boats. A mist wouldn’t let us take pictures. Kids had 1/2 lobster, Jon had steamed clams. I had lobster salad. Enjoyed fresh strawberry shortcake, too. Left at 2:45 to drive off the island and up to Bangor (toll .35)

Stopped at a Howard Johnson’s Hotel and got the last double room available. Ate supper at the H.J. restaurant there. All our green salads had grit in them. R still suffering from bad tooth. Toothache drops ($1.65) Candy for kids (.62)

Related articles

• Indictment Against Salem “Witch” to be Auctioned (eogn.com)
• Summer Lobster Surplus Leads To Cross-Border Price War Between Trappers (wnyc.org)
• Maine Lobster Tastes Best With Dash of Supply Side – Bloomberg (bloomberg.com)
• USS Constitution to sail under own power for second time in over a century (cbsnews.com)