CN Tower

290 Bremner Blvd.

Toronto, Ontario Canada

The CN Tower is a 553.3 meter (1,815 feet) communications and observation tower. It is a major national icon, once the world's tallest freestanding structure from 1975 to 2007. It features observation decks with glass floors and the higher SkyPod, the high-altitude Edgewalk for thrill-seekers, the revolving 360 Restaurant serving Canadian cuisine and serves as a telecommunications hub.  Completed in 1976, it remains the tallest in the Western Hemisphere and offers panoramic views of the city and Lake Ontario. The tower's lights change color for holidays and special events.  The lights are dimmed during bird migration seasons. 

The CN Tower was built by Canadian National Railway, construction started in 1973 and opened in 1976.  In 1995, Canadian National sold the CN Tower to the Canada Lands Company, a federal Crown corporation specializing in attractions of national interest.  It was then that the tower truly became Canada's National Tower both in name and in deed. 

The CN Tower's antenna spire is a 315 foot steel structure extending from the top of the concrete tower bringing the total height to 1,815 feet.  It is essential for television and radio broadcasting in Toronto and was installed in sections using a Sikorsky helicopter.

The CN Tower Story

The 1960s ushered in an unprecedented construction boom in Toronto, a city quickly growing up from a regional hub to a thriving, cosmopolitan destination.  Existing transmission towers were simply not high enough to broadcast radio and television signals over the tall new buildings which bounced the signals away from the intended audience.  To solve this problem and to demonstrate the aspirations of Canadian innovation and industry .. Canadian National, the Crown corporation that operated the country's largest railway network, employed more than 1,500 workers for 40 months to build the CN Tower. Once completed, it would be the tallest tower in the world, capable of broadcasting signals far and wide across the region. 

Tower construction crews moved in on February 6, 1973 and started to removed over 56 metric tons of earh and shale for the foundation.  Once the foundatio was ready, work began on the CN Tower's (1,100-foot) concrete shaft, a hexagonal core with three curved support arms.  To produce the CN Tower's tapered contour, construction crews poured concrete into a massive mold known as a slipform. As the concrete hardened, the slipform, supported by a ring of climbing jacks powered by hydraulic pressure, moved upwards, gradually decreasing in size to impart the curve in the Tower.  

By February 1974, the Tower was already the tallest structure in Canada.  In August 1974, work began on the seven-story sphere that would eventually house the observation decks and the revolving 360 Restaurant.  

TOPPING IT OFF

The CN Tower approached completion in March 1975, when Olga, the giant Sikorsky helicopter, flew into the city to lift the 39 pieces of the antenna into place.  The CN Tower was finished on April 2, 1975 and opened to the public on June 2, 1976.  

The CN Tower would remain the tallest freestanding structure in the world until surpassed by Dubai's mixed-use skyscraper titled Burj Khalifa in 2009 standing at 828 meters (2,717 feet) with 163 floors.  It opened January 4, 2010.

Today, the CN Tower is the centre of telecommunications for Toronto, serving more than 17 Canadian television and FM radio stations.  The tower is also the workplace of more than 500 people throughout the year.  And, of course, the CN Tower is an internationally renowned tourism destination, welcoming more than two million visitors each year. 

 

The Space Needle

400 Broad Street

Seattle, Washington 

(you can find the iconic landmark at the Seattle Center in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood)

Space Needle History

1959

.. It all started with a doodle ..

In 1959, Seattle hotel executive Edward E. Carlson who was a chief organizer of the 1962 World's Fair, traveled to Stuttgart Germany where he was inspired by a broadcast tower featuring a restaurant.  He doodled an idea of a dominant central structure for the fair on a napkin in a hotel cafe convinced that such a tower could make a permanent center-piece for the fair and an enduring symbol for Seattle.  He called it a "Space Needle".

.. With innovation comes challenges ..

Carlson and his supporters soon found moving the symbol from doodle to drawing board and then to the construction phase was far from easy.  The first obstacle was the structure's final design.  Carlson's initial sketch underwent many transformations including designs that resembled a landed UFO, a tethered balloon and even a cocktail shaker with a tram ferrying visitors to the top.  Architect, John "Jack" Graham, Jr. fresh from his success in designing the world's first auto-centric shopping mall (Seattle's Northgate) and experimenting with a revolving bar in Hawaii, focused on a flying saucer-shaped top house.  Graham's team worked on sketches and ideas before a final design was reached just a year and a half before the World's Fair.  

1961

.. Home sweet home .. planting our three legs ..

Location and financing were also major challenges.  The tower had to be privately financed and situated on land that could be acquired for private use on the fairgrounds.  Early investigations indicated such a plot of land did not exist.  However, just before the search was abandoned, a suitable 120-foot-by-120-foot lot on the site of an old fire station was found and sold to investors for $75,000 in 1961, just 13 months before the opening of the World's Fair.  Construction, managed by the Howard S. Wright Construction Company, progressed quickly.  An underground foundation was poured into a hole 30' deep and 120' across.  It took 467 cement trucks an entire day to fill the hole and the largest continuous concrete pour ever attempted in the West.  Once the pour was completed, the foundation weighed as much as the Space Needle, itself, establishing the center of gravity just five feet above ground.

December 1961

..Let's get 'Spacey'

The basic Space Needle tower was completed in December 1961, eight months after it began.  In keeping with the 21st Century theme of the World's Fair, the final coats of paint were dubbed 'Astronaut White' for the legs, 'Orbital Olive' for the core of the structure, 'Re-entry Red' for the Halo and 'Galaxy Gold" for the sunburst and pagoda roof.  The Space Needle's chief engineer, John Minasian, had also designed rocket gantries for NASA.

April 21, 1962

Opening day.  Hooray!

The Space Needle officially opened the first day of the World's Fair.  During the expo the tower hosted an estimated 2.65 million visitors.  They included world celebrities including Elvis Presley, Prince Philip of Great Britain, Bobby Kennedy, Walter Cronkite, John Wayne, Bob Hope, Chubby Checker, Billy Graham, John Glenn, Jonas Salk, Carol Channing, Neil Armstrong, Lyndon Johnson, Walt Disney and scores of others.  The mast originally topping the structure was a natural gas torch that was lit up at night in rainbow colors. 

1963

After the fair, a radio broadcast booth was built in the Space Needle for a local radio station.

1982

Skyline

The 100' Skyline Level was added as a special event space, hosting view-spectacular weddings, receptions and business meetings. 

1999

Legacy Lights

The Space Needle unveiled its Legacy Lights for the first time.  The powerful beam of light is powered by lamps that total 85 million lights shining upwards from the top of the tower to honor national holidays and special occasions.  In 2001, the Legacy Lights remained lit for eleven days in response to the September 11th attacks.

April 21, 1999

37 Looks good on you.  Happy Birthday!

On April 21, 1999 the Space Needle's 37th birthday, the City's Landmarks Preservation Board named it an official City of Seattle Landmark.  In its Report on Designation, the Landmarks Preservation Board wrote the following:

"The Space Needle marks a point in history of the City of Seattle and represents American aspirations towards technological prowess.  It embodies in its form and construction the era's belief in commerce, technology and progress."

On April 19, 1999 the Space Needle was designated an historic Seattle Landmark.

2000

The tower completed a $20 million revitalization in 2000.  The project included construction of the Pavilion Level, SpaceBase retail store, SkyCity restaurant, Observation Deck improvements, exterior lighting additions, exterior painting and more.  In comparison, the Space Needle was built for about $4.5 million dollars in 1962.  If the Space Needle were to be built today, it would cost $100 million.

2012

Space Race

For the Space Needle's 50th anniversary, it sponsored "Space Race 2012".  It was a contest that selected one lucky individual to win an actual flight into orbit.  The contest was announced by Buzz Aldrin, the Apollo 11 astronaut who was the second man to walk on the moon.

2017

Century Project

In September 2017, the Space Needle commenced construction on the largest renovation project in its history, "The Century Project".  The renovation aimed to reveal the tower's internal structure and harken back to the original conceptual sketches, all while expanding and improving its views.  The Space Needle remained open to the public during its 360-degree "Spacelift" revealing its new look in late summer of 2018.  Guests are now surrounded by two breathtaking, multi-level, floor-to-ceiling glass viewing experiences including an outdoor observation level with open-air glass walls and Skyriser glass benches.  The upper observation level is now connected by the Oculus Stairs to The Loupe, the world's first and only rotating glass floor below. 

The Space Needle is designed to withstand Category 5-plus wind speeds of 200 mph and an earthquake magnitude up to 9.1. It is designed to sway, approximately 1 inch for every 10 mph of wind. In 2018, the Space Needle received a $100 million upgrade.  It is now a multi-level, floor-to-ceiling glass viewing experience offering seriously breathtaking vistas.  Approximately 1.3 million people visit the historic landmark each year with 60 million having ticked it off their bucket list since its opening.

The 1962 World's Fair theme was "The Age of Space" therefore the Space Needle's futuristic design continues to symbolize the innovative spirit of Seattle. America was in the midst of a 'Space Race' during this time, with Seattle already recognized as an 'aerospace city' thanks to the opening of a Boeing airplane assembly line. 

The Space Needle's second architect, Victor Steinbrueck drew inspiration from the abstract sculpture, 'The Feminine One' giving the Space Needle its graceful hourglass shape. Standing 605 feet, it takes approximately 41 seconds to travel in the elevator from the ground to the tower's highest level, 520 feet above Seattle. The panorama view takes in downtown Seattle skyline, the Olympic and Cascade Mountains, Mount Rainier and Puget Sound.  

Seattle at Night 

from

The Space Needle

 

"The Little Rascals"

These unforgettable and adorable "rascals" originally known as "Our Gang" was a pioneering comedy series created by producer Hal Roach that ran from 1922 to 1944.  It focused on the comedic adventures of a diverse, motley group of children, spanning 221 short films in both silent and sound eras which were later syndicated as "The Little Rascals". 

The original of the series was unique because children were the main characters, acting out the "mischief and charm" of childhood.  

Produced by Hal Roach Studios, the series was sold to MGM in 1938.  When the shorts were sold to television in the early 1950s, they were rebranded as The Little Rascals.

It was revolutionary casting as the series was groundbreaking for featuring an integrated cast of Black and white children playing together as peers, even in the segregated South.

The cast frequently changed when actors became too old, leading to several different "eras" of characters including notable actors like Spanky, Alfalfa, Darla, Porky,  Buckwheat and Stymie.

The films were characterized by natural acting, often instructed to act naturally rather than read lines.

My favorite was Alfalfa played by Carl Dean Switzer (1927-1959 and Spank played by George Robert Phillips McFarland (1928-1993)

"Alfalfa"

Carl "Alfalfa" Switzer was one of the most instantly recognizble and popular members of the kiddies stars.  As a comic type, he was indelible.  He truly had (and has, to this day) one of the best comic get-ups in American film history.  Tall and thin, he was always dressed in clothes that were too small (you could see ample amounts of socks underneath his high-water pants), suspenders, bow tie and, above all, everything above his neck .. freckles, wonderful eyes that could bug out, pop and even cross.  And that hair! It was slicked down with goose grease within an inch of its life! It was severely parted in the middle, with a crazy cartooonish cowlick riding the back of his head like a tail!  You just pictured his other fussing, cuffing and combing every morning.  And then there was his voice which was rural and Southern-sounding, always squeaky and cracking.  He would inevitably sing terrible versions of well-known airs such as "I'm the barber of Seville!"

Alfalfa was an extremely funny kid, just a natural and the stark. Iconic clownishness of his costume and persona ranks up there with the greatest in American comedy like Charlie Chaplin, the Marx Brothers and Peewee Herman. Alfalfa was easily the most memorable member of the long-lasting "Our Gang" series.

McFarland as "Spanky" in Our Gang Follies 

Spanky

George Robert Phillips McFarland was an American actor most famous for starrring as a child named Spanky in "Our Gang" series of short-subject comedies.  Along with Spanky "Our Gang Follies" featured Carl Switzer as Alfalfa, Darla Hood as Darla, Eugene Lee as "Porky" and Billie Thomas as "Buckwheat". He started his career as a child model. 

Alfalfa and Spanky 

Darla

Darla Hood (1931-1979) was an American child actress best known for her role as "Darla" from 1935-1941.  She became a popular staple of the series, often featured as the love interest of Alfalfa.  She was discovered at age four and appeared in over 50 "Our Gang" episodes.  Outside of the series, she appeared in the feature film "The Bohemian Girl (1936) with Laurel and Hardy. As an adult, she appeared on television shows with entertainers such as Jack Benny and Groucho Marx.  She also did voiceover work including for the "Chicken of the Sea" tuna commercials.  Darla is fondly remembered for her talent and charm in the "Our Gang" series. 

Porky

Eugene Gorden Lee (1933-2005) is most notable for appearing as "Porky" from 1935 to 1939 in "The Little Rascals".  During his tenure in Our Gang", Porky originated the catchphrase "O-tay!" though it is commonly attributed to "Buckwheat". He was Buckwheat's side kick.  

Buckwheat

Lee in "Our Gang Follies of 1938"

William Thomas, Jr.

William (Billie) Thomas, Jr. (1931-1980) was an American child actor best remembered for portraying the character of "Buckwheat" in the "Our Gang" short films from 1934 untl the series ended in 1944.   He was a native of Los Angeles and had a successful decades-long carer as a film lab technician with the Technicolor corporation processing negative film reels for motion pictures such as Jaws and for Metrocolor, processing Logan's Run.

Stymie

Beard as "Stymie" in "School's Out". 

Matthew Beard, Jr.

Matthew Beard, Jr. (1925-1981) was an American actor. As a child actor, he was most famous for playing "Stymie" in "Our Gang" short comedy films of 1930-1935.  The role was so well-known tht he adopted the name Stymie Beard and was so credited in some later roles such as his 1978 appearance in The Buddy Holly Story.

Baby Patsy and Spanky

Patsy Doris Dittemore

Patsy Doris Dittemore (1934-2013) is fondly remembered for her role as 'Baby Patsy' in the "Our Gang" comedy film series from 1935 to 1940.  Born Patsy Doris Dittemore, her mother passed when she was only nineteen days old.  Her maternal grandparents took her back to their native state of California and legally adopted her, thus changing her name to Patsy Doris May.  Her grandparents began taking to her auditions and at the age of about 20 months old, Hal Roach signed her to a five-year contract to play Spanky's little sister in "Our Gang".  Later, she became one of the Munchkins in "The Wizard of Oz".

Petey, the beloved pup of "Our Gang"

No character in "Our Gang" (later "the Little Rascals") was as instantly recognizable as Petey, the lovable dog with the iconic ring around this eye!  Petey's real name was Pal, the Wonder Dog.  His black eye-ring was partly natural though later perfected with makeup! Petey was more than just a pet .. he was a true scene-stealer, often helping the Gang out of troube (or into it!) with his playful antics.  Whether pulling pranks or simply being adorable, he became one of the most beloved dogs in television and film history.

The Little Rascals's legacy is a cultural cornerstone known for pioneering child-led comedy and depicting integrated, relatable childhood friendships.  It left a lasting impact through iconic characters spawning a 1994 remake. While many original actors moved on to private lives or different careers their childhood roles remain celebrated to this day. The original series and the remake series is remembered for its timeless, humorous and heartfelt portrayal of childhood adventures.

 

May your chocolate Easter bunny be solid. 

And the Peeps in your Easter basket be fresh.

 

Forty-eight percent of Americans say they love Peeps.  Twenty-five percent say they hate them.  But both groups keep buying them every Easter and that is the strange part. Two billion Peeps are produced every year from a single factory in Bethehem, Pennsylvania.  The entire process takes six minutes. 

Before 1953, every marshmallow chick was hand-piped from fabric pastry bags and took 27 hours to dry.  Then one engineer built a machine that compressed the process, but the original chicks had to lose their wings permanently to make it work.

What's your favorite color of Peep?

Happy Easter Weekend

A moment and photo that defies description.

Artemis II

In Greek Mythology, Artemis is the twin sister of Apollo and goddess of the Moon.  She personifies our path to the Moon as the name of NASA's efforts to return astronauts and a new wave of science payloads and technology demonstrations to the lunar surface.  When they land, American astronauts will step foot where no human has has ever been before: the Moon's South Pole. 

"Fly Me to the Moon"

NASA has now successfully launched a mission from the Kennedy Space Center from Launch Complex 39B marking the first crewed flight to the moon in over 50 years. 

 Four brave astronauts by the names of Reid Wiseman (Commander), Victor Glover (Pilot), Christina Koch (Mission Specialist) and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen (Mission Specialist) will fly around the moon on a 10-day journey aboard the Orion spacecraft to test systems for future lunar landings.  While the crew will not land on the moon, they will travel around the far side of the moon and go deeper into space than anyone since 1972.  

Reid Wiseman is a NASA astronaut since 2009.  This is is second spaceflight, following a 2014 mission to the International Space Station (ISS).

Victor Glover is the first Black man to travel around the moon.

Christina Koch holds the record for the longest single spaceflight by a woman (328 days) and will be the first woman to make a lunar journey. 

Jeremy Hansen is the first Canadian to be chosen for a crewed moon mission.

Gregory Reid Wiseman

Artemis II Commander

Gregory Reid Wiseman born November 11, 1975 is an American astronaut and naval aviator with the rank of Captain. He is presently the Commander of the 2026 Artemis II lunar fly-by mission and the first crewed flight around the Moon since Apollo 17.  He graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a Bachelor of Science degree in computer and systems engineering and from John Hopkins University with a Masters degree. Wiseman is a native of Baltimore, Maryland.

This trans-lunar injection burn will send the astronauts on an outbound trip about four days, taking them around the far side of the Moon, where they will ultimately create a figure eight extending more than 230,000 miles from Earth.  At their maximum distance, the crew will fly 4,600 miles beyond the Moon.  Instead of requiring propulsion on the return trip, this fuel-efficient trajectory harnesses the Earth-Moon gravity field, ensuring that after its trip around the far side of the Moon, Orion will be pulled back naturally by Earth's gravity for the free return portion of the mission. This is called a "free-return trajectory".

The crew will endure the high-speed, high-temperature re-entry through Earth's atmosphere before splashing down in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of San Diego, California where they will be met by a recovery team of NASA and the Department of Defense personnel who will bring them back to shore. 

 

In late 2022, the uncrewed Artemis I mission successfully orbited the Moon.  The Orion spacecraft spent six days in a "distant retrograde orbit" which consisted of a large loop 40,000 miles above the lunar surface before returning to Earth, covering over 1 million miles in total. 

 Prior to the launch, the astronauts gave farewell gestures as they walked out of the Neil Armstrong Operations and Checkout Building to cheering crowds where they shaped their hands into hearts and waved goodbye to their families before departing for Launch Complex 39B.  

The mission is the first crewed lunar flight in 53 years.

"That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind"

Rest assured .. Neil Armstrong is aboard Artmeis II.

 

Twenty Miles to Boston Store

Erie, Pennsylvania 

Boston Store

Circa 1960s

This is one of the brass Boston Store plaques that appeared on either side of the Boston Store entrance doors.  The one pictured is privately owned.  Another plaque is on display at the Watson Curtze Museum in Erie.  The owner of this plaque is always on the look out for the other two.  

The Boston Store in Erie, PA, a prominent downtown department store, installed iconic black-and-white mile marker signs on 15 major roads leading to the city in the 1930s.  Originally made of cypress, then redwood and aluminum, these markers listed the listance to the store to aid with rural deliveries and serve as brand marketing. 

The Boston Store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places

 October 24, 1996.

The signs originated from the store's deliversy dispatch office on French Street to measure the distance to rural customers.  In 1971, most signs were removed due to the Highway Beautifications Act, but they had already become beloved local landmarks.  

Many residents requested or kept the signs as souvenirs with some placed far away to show the distance such as a sign in St. Paul, Minnesota noting "932 miles to the Boston Store".  The store was a major hub and the signs are remembered by many.

I recall one of these signs on Route 20 between the PA/NY Stateline and Ripley, NY.

Other signs were located at Route 20 (West Ridge Road/Main Street, Route 5 (East and West Lake  Road), Route 8 and Route 98. Markers were found throughout Erie County including Fairview, Millcreek Township,, Harborcreek and East Springfield. One well-known marker was located on West Lake Road near the 16-mile point.  Another was noted at the corner of Millfair Road (formerly Townline Road) in Fairview.

A local company, Lake Shore Industries still uses the original pattern to make replicas for private homes. The Hagen History Center maintains archives and artifacts related to the Boston Store.  They occasionally display original signage and markers as part of their Erie County history exhibits. Some local residents still have original signs on their property or in garages.  For instance, a notable original sign has been spotted on a home on Jones Road in Greene Towship.  There is at least one original sign kept in the museum at the Watson-Curtze Mansion property in Erie.

If  you'd like a marker for your location from the former Boston Store made by Lake Shore Industries, here is the contact information ..

Address:  1817 Poplar Sreet P.O. Box 3427 Erie, PA 16508-0427

Phone:  (800) 458-0463 or (814) 456-4277

Lake Shore Industries can create custom cast aluminum signs using the authentic historical specifications.  If you happened to find an original sign that is peeling or faded, they also offer a refinishing service to restore it with a durable baked-on enamel.

Custom cast alumium signs such as the authentic Boston Store mileage sign replicas from Lake Shore Industries typically cost between $90 and $400 depending on size and finish.

This is one of the wall fountains with decorative tile work throughtout the Boston Store.

PLEASE SIGN  HERE IN INK

Mrs. Frank Alonge

A decorative stairway in the stairwell

"The first escalator I ever saw was in the Boston Store.  It was the old wooden kind and it made quite an impression on me.  I still remember the clackity clackity sound it made."

"Lots of shopping memories with my mom there.  I especially remember a beautiful red Easter coast with a white collar.  It was so pretty and I felt so special to have something just just for me."

"Meeting under the clock or in the mezzanine which later became a department called "The Loft". My Mom worked there for over 20 years.  A great store."

"The store was positively it!!!!"