Roosevelt Plaque

[Texasgopher]

I think this is really cool.


TG

 

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[fossis]

Re: Plaque in the park

Nice piec of History, thanks for posting.

Fossis............

 

[naturegirl]

Re: Plaque in the park

July 11? I bet it was hot! What did he say?

 

[Texasgopher]

Re: Plaque in the park

From what I remember of my research this is why he came but the dates don't match so now I'm not sure. I'll have to do some followup on this. Cause I'm pretty sure a (at the time) little town like Amarillo didn't have the privilege of seeing him twice in the same year so close together.



Part of the estimated 125,000 people that crowded into Amarillo on March 9, 1938 to take part in the Mother-In-Law Day festivities. This was quite a large number of people for the city, considering that Amarillo's population around that time was about 50,000. People came to Amarillo from all over the Panhandle and from surrounding states as well to take part in the events of the day. The main event of the day was a large parade down Polk Street. Its estimated length was 10 miles long. Included among the many floats was the "world's longest float." It was a float shaped like a battleship and on it "sailed" over 500 mothers-in law. Another float was one honoring the main guest of honor, Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of the President. It consisted of a bouquet of 5,000 fresh roses and was accompanied by an honor guard of 61 tall Texans selected to protect the bouquet from the many people lining the streets.

 

[Texasgopher]

Re: Plaque in the park

Some more info


Long before Ernie K. Doe was singing his paean to his own mother-in-law, mothers-in-law by the thousands were gathering in Amarillo, Texas to celebrate their important contributions to the American historical landscape. On March 9, 1938, one of the biggest events in Amarillo's history took place when the city celebrated the fifth annual Mother-In-Law Day with one of the largest parades ever seen in Amarillo. Guests of honor included the President's wife, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Governor James Allred of Texas, Governor Clyde Tingley of New Mexico, Governor E. W. Marland of Oklahoma, Governor Teller Ammons of Colorado, and Governor Walter Huxman of Kansas. Amarillo's population at the time was around 50,000, but an estimated 125,000 people came to view the parade and take part in some of the activities that were planned around the event. Mother-In-Law Day had its beginnings in March 1934 when Gene Howe, editor-publisher of the Amarillo Globe-News, made a disparaging comment in his column, The Tactless Texan, about mothers-in-law, that offended his own mother-in-law, Mrs. Nellie Donald. He promised to make up for it by sponsoring a Mother-In-Law Day and by assuring her, and his readers that no more jokes about mothers-in-law would appear in his column. Old Tack described in his March 5, 1934 column how the event got its start. "The mother-in-law celebration in Amarillo first originated with a flood of tears turned loose by my mother-in-law. I wrote something in the paper that hurt and when I went home that evening I noticed that the other women folks had that funny look on their faces. All you men who have families know what it is. And we set down at the dinner table and there was no mother-in-law. I inquired for her and was told, icily, that she was in her bedroom which was in the back of the house. And I went to her room and I found her stretched across the bed sobbing like a 10-year-old child who had lost her cat or broken her doll or something. I had meant no injury, of course, and I apologized, and then I thought I'd try to make amends by showing that I have real and lasting affection for the wonderful lady who is the pride of our household. I announced that I intended to have a Mother-In-Law Day of my own and for my own family... and it's been stepping out and up ever since". The scene in the photograph depicts a bouquet of 5,000 fresh roses weighing approximately 2,500 pounds that was presented to Mrs. Roosevelt. The bouquet was accompanied by an honor guard of 61 tall Texans selected to protect the bouquet from the many people lining the streets. Each man selected was over six feet tall and weighed 200 pounds or more. The parade was an estimated 10 miles long and included the "world's longest float" shaped like a giant battleship on which "sailed" over 500 mothers-in-law. There was no mention in any of the news articles of the day about any suggested relationship between "battleship" and "mother-in-law".

 

[Texasgopher]

Couple more pictures.

 

[naturegirl]

Oh wow! i didn't expect anything like this! I love history, especially the local kind.

First, Amarillo wasn't small, look at those buildings! Did oil or cattle build that town? And why the late date on the memorial? The country was desprately trying to recover from the depession in those day, much as it is today. I imagine this was a really big deal. BTW I love my Mother-in-law and wish that I had half her compassion and general good nature, but isn't interesting that a town decided to hold this big a celebration? I think it relfects good on the country, FAMILY.

Second, Okla.'s gov. E.W. Marland attended, he caught my attention. He is certainly one of Ok's most interesting politicians, and plays a big deal in my life and job today!

I appreciate this post of yours, what I draw from it, (right or wrong) is we are still the same people we were years ago, facing some of the same kind problems. And, we managed to survive! Like I said, I really enjoy history,

naturegirl.