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An American Songline

Journeys in Vintage Music with Cecelia Otto

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Gettysburg

The American Songline Book is Coming! Here’s a Preview…

May 12, 2015 by Cece

Thanks to all of you who have bought the CD so far! I hope you have been enjoying the music. While I was happy and proud of the the album being out, I went full tilt to work on the book and it’s almost done! The American Songline book will not only chronicle the 30 concerts I gave in 2013, I also share some personal parts of the journey as well. I sang songs about love and loss along the Lincoln Highway, and those songs became the inspiration for chapters of the same name.

Up first, I wanted to share an excerpt of the “Loss” chapter. Today marks the 5th anniversary of my father’s passing – I can’t believe he’s been gone for five years. The American Songline project was just a vague idea in my mind when he died, and I had no idea if it would be successful or not. Before I started my tour, I knew my Dad would play a part in his own way, and he did. Read more in this passage from the upcoming book:

***

I was a bit worried about staying overnight in Gettysburg. The rumors of the town and hotel being haunted stuck with me, and while I’m not afraid of ghosts, I have had enough encounters with the paranormal that I cannot explain away. I was curious to see if the rumors were true, but I wasn’t actively looking to find out.

There was a plastic candle in my window that lit up when the sun went down. I saw it and wondered if the candle was for the living or for the dead that may walk the streets. When I asked the front desk the following morning why it was there, the hotel clerk said, “It’s a tradition in this area to leave a light on in a window sill for those traveling at night, so they know they have a place to stay.”

I kept a low profile that night, eating dinner and working on my regular jobs. When I finally fell asleep that night, something strange happened.

No Civil War soldiers appeared, but I had a vivid dream that changed my outlook on the rest of the tour. I dreamt I was in an old house that had been converted into a bookshop. I walked into various rooms and combed through the stacks. At some point, I turned the corner into the next room, and there he was.

My father died unexpectedly from a massive heart attack at the age of 61 in 2010, about three months before Dan and I were to be married. While I had some major issues with my father during his life, his death was extremely devastating to my family and me. The one person who you thought would be the last to go was the first. To also lose him so close to my wedding (a supposed happy time) was, and still is, an extremely painful thing for me. After his death, he would appear periodically in my dreams, and tonight in Gettysburg he did just that.

 He was not young this time; he was older with his grey bread, glasses, and wearing his favorite blue and white flannel shirt. We talked as we wandered the stacks, and then when we got the comic book section of the bookstore he stopped.

            “Hey Cec, do you want a comic book? I’ll buy.”

 I remember my jaw dropping, mainly because neither of us really liked comic books. “No Dad, I really don’t like comic books. Why would you want to buy me one?”

            “Oh, I just want you to have some fun, that’s all.”

            What he said sounded so odd to me that I woke up immediately. For a few seconds, I did not know where I was. The candle was still aglow on my windowsill, and there was nothing and no one there. I eventually fell back asleep, but it took a while.  

***

I love and miss him, but what I miss more sometimes are the opportunities I wish I could have had with him – I’d give anything to have one more day with Dad again. If you didn’t do this over Mother’s Day this past weekend, please tell your loved ones how much they mean to you. You never know what can happen, and the secret to living a great life is to live a life with no regrets. Thank you for letting me share this story with you, and if you have any comments, please share them below.

Filed Under: History, Life in General, Lincoln Highway, Odds and Ends, Pennsylvania Tagged With: American Songline, book, dad, death, Dreams, father, Gettysburg, Lincoln Highway, loss and grief

Driving the Lincoln in Central Pennsylvania: A review of sights from Malvern to Stoystown

May 9, 2013 by Cece

As I’ve noted before, I’ve not ever been to this part of the country before. With no relatives in Pennsylvania, there’s never been a reason to come out here. My week I spent in this area was wonderful. I felt like I was living in a mix of both Colorado and Ireland again. The mountain lifestyle combined with the stone buildings made it easy for me to feel “at home”.

I stayed at two different places along this part of the highway, including the famous Lincoln Motor Court (more on my stay there in a future post), and The Gettysburg Hotel. But what made the drive so memorable besides the scenery are the unique murals, artwork installations, and memorable shops that make the Lincoln Highway worth the drive [thanks in part to the great effort of the Lincoln Highway Heritage Corridor (LHHC)]. You feel like you’re discovering a local secret, which has still been untapped after all of these years.

I have hundreds of photos that can’t even come close to encapsulating how awesome and beautiful this part of the road is, but I’ll try. Here’s some of the highlights from this leg of the tour:

The Dutch Haven gift store has been a fixture in Lancaster County has been a fixture on the highway since the 1920’s.
This is part of the original store at the Dutch Haven, which has since expanded into a store that carries around 10,000 items.
This is a close up of a statue of Lincoln in Gettysburg. This statue is accurate in every way, including the detail of Lincoln’s hands.
Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum and Candy Shop is a MUST visit. This place is a lot of fun, and there really is something for everyone here. Free admission.
This is just one excerpt of Mister Ed’s Elephant Museum, which contains over 10,000 elephants of all shapes and sizes.
One panel of a Lincoln Highway Mural. You can find this mural in Chambersburg on the Lincoln Lanes building.
There are several huge Roadside sculptures along the highway, but I think this one is my favorite. You can find this one near Shatzer’s Fruit Market heading West out of Chambersburg.
There’s lots of boom and bust along the Lincoln, and here’s an old probable house/business ruin just outside of St. Thomas, PA.
Another great Lincoln Highway Mural, this one can be found near Bingham’s Orchard.
There are dozens of these decorated gas pumps along the route, and this one of “Vincent Van Gas” can be found at the Lincoln Garage in downtown Schellsburg.
One of the most famous fixtures of the Lincoln Highway was the Ship Hotel, which sat at this mountain overlook on Allegheny Mountain for 69 years before it was destroyed in a fire.
You can see a picture of what the Ship Hotel looked like at this mural not too far away from the site at Route 30 Antiques in Central City.
Also at Route 30 Antiques, this gas pump was dedicated to the Ship Hotel as well.
About 5 miles south of the Lincoln Highway sits the memorial for Flight 93. It’s a solemn but beautiful place, and definitely a must visit. While you are not allowed to walk on the crash site (nor should anyone!), you are welcome to photograph it.
Duppstadt’s Country Store Sign, found in Buckstown/Stoystown
This gas pump can be found at Duppstadt’s Country Store, a fixture on the highway since 1904.
I think this barn mural about the Lincoln speaks for itself.

Up next, I’ll be writing about my stay at the Lincoln Motor Court, which is truly a wonderful step back in time. Until then, happy travels wherever you may go!

 

Filed Under: Driving, Lincoln Highway, Odds and Ends, Pennsylvania, Travel-General Tagged With: Chambersburg, Duppstadt’s, Dutch Haven, Flight 93 Memorial, Gas Pumps, Gettysburg, LHHC, Lincoln, Lincoln Highway, Mister Ed's, Mural, Pennsylvania

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