I think I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and that
is why I have always been fascinated by stories of Inns and Taverns of long
ago. Growing up with the National Road being so near stories of travel are
steeped in the culture of East Central Indiana. This installment of “Stuff Settlers
Said” is focused on Inns and Travel.
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| http://blog.wellsfargo.com/guidedbyhistory/2012/10/fifteen_thousand_miles.html |
When I was young I loved watching westerns with my dad on
Saturdays. I always wondered why the carriages that carried folks into town
were called stagecoaches. Coach is from French in origin. It refers
to the sense of the coach – or tutor – CARRYING a student through examinations.
The coach part comes from carrying through - coaching travelers from place to
place. Finally, that makes sense to me. Now, the stage part. The different parts of the journey being undertaken are
the stages of the journey. So, a
stagecoach is simply carrying passengers on different parts of their journey.
It was so simple, but yet so hard for me…
An expression that used to be used quite often is “I’ll be
there with bells on!” Now, in settler times wealthy folks would put their best
harness on the horses if they wanted to impress or if it were a special event. Fancy
harnesses were adorned with bells. So if someone said they were coming to your
event with bells on they considered it an honor to be invited and would be
excited to attend, wanting to make a good impression while they were at it.
http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/with-bells-on.html
Being a perfectionist, I always thought the saying “dotting
your i’s and crossing your t’s” was kind of funny. My school teacher
Grandmother always used to joke with me and say “Mind your P’s and Q’s!” I knew
it meant mind my manners, but I really didn’t understand why it meant that.
Well, in the taverns of the settler’s times usually drink that was sold was
beer or liquor. There actually was more whisky consumption on the National Road
in the early days than any other drink. Beer was served by the pint or quart.
You can now see where this is going! When a tavern patron was getting too
drunk, creating a row, or just getting on everyone’s nerves the innkeeper would
tell them to “Mind your P’s and Q’s !” In other words he was saying mind how
much you are drinking, you have had about enough. (Just as a side note: the
average can of beer now contains 12 ounces, a pint is 16 ounces and a quart is
32!)
http://www.collectorsweekly.com/articles/an-interview-with-antique-beer-stein-collector-frank-loevi/
“Sleep tight, don’t let the bedbugs bite!” I still say this
to my children when I tuck them into bed at night and wish them to sleep well.
Back in the day mattresses were made of straw, feathers, or whatever soft
stuffing could be found. Bed bugs were any bugs that could be hiding out in the
materials of the mattress. Just lately in our time we have seen an
international rise in the bedbug population. Many contribute this to
international travel. People are so widely traveled now that a bedbug can be brought
from one side of the world to the other in a matter of hours! (A traveler of the 1700- 1800's would be very lucky indeed to have had the sleeping arrangement shown below while on the road!)
http://barbaradschaffer.blogspot.com/2012_06_01_archive.html
Here is one of the most mysterious sayings of my childhood! I
would see George Burns or Groucho Marx on television using their “stogies” as a
trademark of their separate comedic acts. Why did any one call a cigar a “stogie?!”
Well, thank the settlers! Wagon drivers in the settler times – and especially
on the National Road – drove Conestoga wagons. The Conestoga wagons were named
such after the Conestoga River and Conestoga Township in Lancaster County, PA. (They
were almost considered seaworthy if caulked right!) They were the semi- trucks
of the day! Just like freight drivers today they were hard driving, getting
paid by the load, and paying heavy tolls. They had to know their trade and
secrets of the route to skip the tolls! The dust was heavy on the Wagon Road (opening
settlement routes southward) and the National Road (opening settlement routes westward).
Conestoga wagon drivers thought that smoking big heavy cigars helped ease their
throats against the dust they constantly breathed in. Cigars came to be known
as Conestogas, and then, just “stogies.”
http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/11991668_conestoga-cigar-company-cigar-box
It certainly is amazing the things you can learn about who we are from exploring history.
I have thought the WHY in history was more interesting than the WHEN and WHERE. The when and where become more important when you learn more about the why, but it all fits somehow, doesn't it?
Enjoy your travels!
-Suzanna
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