About Major William A. Snow (of Snow's Cut)-- Part 1: (How You Know You've Arrived at Carolina Beach, NC)

From the May 2017 Federal Point Historic Preservation Society Newsletter.

If you're driving on U.S. Highway 421 south of Wilmington, North Carolina, heading to the beaches on what is now referred to as Pleasure Island, you may notice crossing a pretty big bridge over some water.  That is the Snow's Cut Bridge.

That bridge always excited me growing up because that meant I got my first glimpse of the ocean and my favorite beach of all time, Carolina Beach.  The old heart started going pit-a-pat, pit-a-pat.  We have ARRIVED.  Hot Dog!!

Of course,  speaking of hot dogs, we already would have stopped at Paul's Place in Rocky Point for their famous hot dogs (with that sauce!!).  Just part of the going to the beach thing.

Well, that stretch of water that the bridge crosses has a name.  It is Snow's Cut.  It took its name from the man who engineered it, Major William A. Snow, a World War I veteran.  That water the bridge crossed is part of the Intercoastal Waterway and connects the Cape Fear River on the west side to sounds on the east side.

--Cooter

Remembering Dog 'N Suds Back Then: Food Prices

We haven't been to the place yet this year, but usually we go on Thursdays when they have a special on Charcoburgers.  Last year the deal was two for $4.  We don't know what it is this year.  A few years back, it was two for $3.  Wash that down with one of thse great root beers, and you're in heaven.

Anyway, they had a menu with prices from the past.  Unfortunately, there was not a date on it.

But, here they are:

Charcoburger  60 cents

Coney Dog:  60 cents

Hot Dog:  30 cents

Texas Burger:  $1.15

Root Beer:  25 cents and 30 cents

French Fries:  35 cents

Onion Rings:  50 cents

Shakes and Malts:  55 cents

Pork Tenderloin:  70 cents.

Sure wish we still had these prices.  I almost can't afford to eat out these days.

Don't You Wish.   --CootBeer

Remember Dog 'N Suds

We are fortunate to have one of the seven or so remaining Dog 'N Suds restaurants  left in the United States right here in Ingleside, Illinois, just a short distance from the Grant Hall Museum where the Fox Lake/Grant Township Area Historical Society meets.

There are also two other Dog 'N Suds within twenty miles of us.  One is in Richmond and the other in Grayslake.  I am particularly fond of their root beer, of course, but also their Coney Dogs and Charburgers.

Plus, the gal comes out to your car to take your order and bring the food.  It's real retro.  And, for even more of a retro experience, you can go over to the McHenry Drive-In (about 15 miles away) and see movies under the stars.

We have a Miller's Dog 'N Suds display in the museum.

I looked at a menu from the past (unfortunately no date on it), but I sure would like to have those prices today.

Next Post.  --CootBeerandDog

Nine Things You Didn't Know About the Fourth of July-- Part 4:

7.  Celebrating with fireworks is as old as the holiday it self.  At the first celebration in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776, 13 cannons were fired, one for each colony.  That night, 13 fireworks were shot off in the city commons.

The tradition of fireworks has gotten bigger since then.  In 1934, American Arctic explorers set off fireworks even though it was 33 degrees below zero.

8.  And today, fireworks are a massive industry.  The American Pyrotechnics Association, Americans spent over $1 billion for fireworks in 2017.  That number has tripled over the last twenty  years.

Judging just by the folks around our subdivision Saturday and last night, I'd say a WHOLE lot of it was spent here.

9.  July 4 is the biggest hot dog day of the year.  Americans consume roughly 150 million hot dogs on July 4, enough to stretch from Washington, D.C., to Los Angeles five times.

Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, which is a century old, takes place every July 4.  The record, currently held by Joey Chestnut, is 72 hot dogs in 10 minutes.

Have a Dog On Me.  --RoadHot

Comparing the 1945 and 2016 Wrigley Fields-- Part 2: Concessions

1945  CONCESSIONS

By 1945, fans could enjoy Borden's ice cream for 10 cents.  Beer was first served at Wrigley in 1933 after the repeal of Prohibition.

2016 CONCESSIONS

Ballpark food features plenty of classic Chicago dogs ($7) as well as the occasional Polish sausages ($) and even 'smokies" ($7.75).

Beer vendors now carry Goose Island IPA, 312 Ale (named after the prefix for downtown Chicago telephone numbers) as well as Bud and Bud Light.  Harry would be so proud.  Obviously, beer today costs a bit more than in 1945.

Coming home from my first visit to Wrigley Field in April 1981, I wrote in my journal that I could no longer drink at Wrigley as they had RAISED the price of beer to $1.50.

CootBeer

Heinz and Kraft Brands-- Part 3: Oscar Mayer and Cheez Whiz

OSCAR MAYER

Oscar Mayer began in Chicago in 1883, at the time the center of meat processing and packaging.  It began in Oscar F. Mayer's butcher shop.

They stepped into hot dog marketing history in 1936 with their famous Wienermobile, a vehicle shaped like a giant hot dog.

CHEEZ WHIZ

The all-purpose cheese sauce was inspired by a simple dish of melted cheese over toast.

The product hit the market in 1952, with its first slogan being "Spoon it, Spread it, Heat it."  Its first part of te slogan became unnecessary in 1993, when Kraft introduced the squeeze bottle.

Always Wanted to Ride in That Wienermobile.  --Cooter

Baseball's Gotten Mighty Expensive

From the October 2013 AARP Bulletin "A Boomer's History of the World Series

"October brings the 109th World Series. The fall classic has seen lots of changes since the Boomer Generation dawned in 1946, when the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Boston Red Sox (could it happen again, they're both still in) and 2012, when the San Francisco Giants swept the Detroit Tigers.

Here are a few:  (1946 first, 2012 second);

WORLD SERIES TICKETS $1.20-$6.25-- $110 to $1,040
HOT DOG AND A BEER: 50 cents--- $10.25
PROGRAM: 25 cents--- $15

WINNING PLAYER'S BONUS: $3,742.34--- $377,002.64
RING: $100--- $10,000 (est.)

Hey, I Could Have Afforded the 1946 World Series, But Wasn't Alive. --Cooter

Eating a Hot Dog in Chicago

From the August 4th Chicago Tribune Main Event: the Rule Book.

A. PLAY ON:

The well-dressed Chicago Dog with pickle, tomatoes, relish, onions, tomato and celery salt.


B. WE'LL ALLOW IT:

Chicken, turkey or even tofu dogs as long as the condiments are correct.


C. DON'T BE THAT GUY:

Naked dog in a bun with just ketchup, or do you say catsup.

Personally, I'm not against ketchup and if I didn't have anything else to put on a Chicago dog, I would use it. But, why would you want to use it with all the other good stuff?

Liz eats her hot dogs plain, with nothing on it and says she doesn't really like hot dogs. No wonder she doesn't. I like my meals on a bun.

When In Chicago, Be Careful What You Put On Your Hot Dog. --DaCoot