What is an excursion? According to Webster's it's a short trip taken with the intention of returning to the point of departure. Usually a round trip at reduced rates with limits set on the time of departure and return.
Excursions were taken with picnic basket in hand, never a grip, to some point of interest and return.
A number of these trips use Chicago as a focal point and depart and return there--all we need is a means of finding out about them.
For instance a Saturday or so ago we took a family excursion to Sandwich, Illinois, to the county fair on a train pulled by the old fashioned steam engine. There were about twenty cars, modern and old, hitched to a giant puffer engine and I was amazed at the number of people crowding the cars for the trip.
"I never miss one of these steam engine trips," declared a retired railroad man sitting in a seat near us. "You always meet people who are friendly and see something different and it's always fun. Yes sir," he continued lighting his pipe. "It's a day I look forward to."
It was just by chance that I saw a small write up in a Chicago paper of this forthcoming trip. It sounded unusual so Pop purchased tickets and we joined the mobs who seem to make these trips whenever they are offered.
Many retired take a day from the monotony of daily living and enjoy this trip. There were families in abundance, older couples and a number of teenagers. There were church groups and young people's organizations, but the majority were families for a day of fun.
The engine was a mighty steam one and there were a few old time cars scattered among the modern double deck commuters. Lunch was included with the price of the ticket after you reached the fair grounds and all coupled with a beautiful day made the trip really different.
We were deposited about three blocks down a country road from the entrance to the fair, and met by the Sandwich High School band which briskly marched us in.
Two farmers leaning on a tractor's side declared as I walked by, "This fair wouldn't make a nickel if it weren't for these trainloads of city folk coming today and tomorrow." And I guess it wouldn't as there were over a thousand of all shapes and sizes from the excursion train that spilled in and around the fair grounds.
Lunch at any of the various food concession stands included sandwich and home made pie--no bakery stuff here, these were genuine good fruit pies. I watched one woman busily cutting pie after pie into generous wedges; she looked up and smiled.
"It's like the arrival of a bunch of hungry locusts when the train comes to the fair; believe me we don't have much left when you leave."
Other concession stands opened for business quickly, the rides started going and there wasn't a child in sight without a balloon or cotton candy.
The afternoon was climaxed by harness racing which we watched from a fair sized grandstand. To add a little spice and excitement you could select a horse you figured would win, write your name and choice on a "pick a winner" card. After each race a name was selected and if it was your name and you'd picked the winner you received five dollars.
There were all sorts of farm machinery exhibits along with a building containing the pride of the farmer's wife--pickles, bakery goods, jellies, candy, needlework and paintings.
The hundreds of city folk looked and bought. The catch penny concessions did a brisk business on the possibility of winning a stuffed toy. The rides were shortened and we all upset our digestions with a mixture of hot dogs on a stick, lemonade, popcorn, fudge, ice cream bars, soft drinks, and taffy.
The train loaded up for the return trip about five. Tooted its whistle gaily all the way home nd pulled into Chicago with a quick chance for the more adventuresome boys to climb aboard the steam engine as it puffed slowly into the station.
Tired and dirty youngsters fretted or slept the trip home. But I agreed with a woman I met washing her hands in the Union Station washroom before she boarded a bus for her home.
"These excursions are sure fun--I always get home tired, but by golly the day makes a nice memory even though you get filthy dirty on these steam trips." She dried her hands pushing through a crowd of women and children.
"This is my fourth different trip with the old steam engine and I'll be watching the paper for other ones. You meet the nicest people and it's always a day you know you'll do something different.
Written September 23, 1965