Selected by Karen Larsen

At first I was a bit taken aback by the reference to “sleighs, cutters and bobsleds” brought to the Christmas party in 1920.

Then I remembered how Adelbert Jacobsen had explained that because roads could not be plowed in the 1920s and 30s, people parked their automobiles in the winter and got around the old-fashioned way.

The article comes from the Dec. 30, 1920 edition of The Big Bend Empire.

Christmas at the Corderman Home

At the Manly Corderman home, two miles south of Waterville, one of the most enjoyable events for many years occurred on Christmas day.

A community Christmas with all its pleasant features, was enjoyed by nearly every one in the neighborhood south and west of town, including several from town.

On Christmas morn all roads led to the Corderman home, and were lined with sleighs, cutters and bobsleds filled with happy folk bent on a day of real enjoyment.

Each family for a couple of days before had been preparing their careful, well-selected and abundant quota to the Christmas feast.

The neighborhood to the number of sixty-five people, made the day one of the merriest in their memories, with the choicest of feeds, by the best of cooks, with social chat, games, music and cards, and an evening delightfully passed tripping the light fantastic till the midnight hour.

The house was finely decorated, and with its splendid arrangement and size, was well adapted for the occasion.

Everybody had the real Christmas spirit aided by the cheerful welcome and hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Corderman. Those present were:

Mr. and Mrs. Manly Corderman, Mr. and Mrs. Ricedorf, Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ogle, Mr.and Mrs. C.V. Ogle, Mr. and Mrs. Owen Minton, Mr. and Mrs. L.F. Helbig, Mr. and Mrs. Leslie Clark, Mr. and Mrs. A.O. Strauch, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Cutts, Mr. and Mrs. John Andrew, Mrs. Rathbun, Mrs. Ruud, Mrs. Lindow, Misses Maude and Florence Minton, Ethel Leslie, Hazel Ogle, Iva and Leona Helbig, Cozette and Elsie Ogle, Irene Rathbun, Evone Cutts, Alpha Davis, Eula and Audrey Ogle, Edith Clark, and Messns, Orrin Davis, Oliver, Adolph, Lewis and Albert Ruud, Lynn Minton, Frank and Ralph Peeper, Doe Snyder, Bert Norton, A.W. and Walter Somes, Tom Powers, Andrew Soderberg, Glen and Roy Ogle, Clair and Clyde Ogle, Arthur Andrew, Forest and La Grande Corderman, and Walter Holmes.