15 May 2025 - Arrived at Caboose Lake Campground Remington IN with a Special Stop In-Route at Gridley IL

 

Prior to our travel days I am diligent about reviewing all aspects of the route and the destination.  We have to ensure the route is good for large rigs, height clearance of at least 13 ft 6 in, no hazmat (propane) restrictions, no weight embargos, etc.  I also consider the distance, the check-out time of where we are departing and the check-in time of the destination and our estimated travel time.  We average about 50 mph and typically stop at least once and use that as a guide to figure our travel times.  Today's travels were complicated by a time zone change (Central to Eastern) and a campground with an abnormally late check-in time of 1600 hrs or after.  You can check-in two hours prior for a fee. 

So we crunched that all together and with a 185 mile travel day and the latest we could check out was 1100 hrs.  Even at that we needed to kill some time in order to arrive at or after 1600 hrs.  Well I discovered a telephone museum in Gridley IL!  I talked with them and they did not open until 1300 hrs,  Gridley was about 90 miles away.  So we still needed to kill some time!  When I called the museum I spoke with a lady in the library that is adjacent and answers the museum's calls when they are closed.  I needed to come up with a plan to park our huge rig and something to do for 45 minutes or so until they open.  She suggested parallel parking near their city park, but first stopping by a local restaurant that has awesome pies!  What a deal.

So we departed the Hickory Grove Campground at 1037 hrs and headed towards Gridley IL.  As we drove down I-39 we saw wind powered generators being built and also being serviced.  The farm land has been cultivated and planted for the most part.  Grain bins and silos are everywhere. 

A wind powered generator being assembled with a crane

Wind powered generators and farms everywhere  

We arrived at Gridley IL and stopped at the restaurant.  Doreen went in to grab a couple pieces of pie to go and while she was doing that I got Liberty out of her kennel in the back seat.  A very nice young man approached us and wanted to know if Liberty was friendly so he could pet her.  He introduced himself as the restaurant owner and he welcomed us to their "small town" and was curious what brought us there!  I explained our RV travels and that we intended to visit their telephone museum and he thought that was awesome.  He continued inside and greeted Doreen as she was walking out with our pieces of pie.

A few blocks up the street we arrived at the city park and found a nice spot for the truck and trailer.  We unloaded Liberty and moved to one of the park benches to enjoy our slices of pie, iced teas and gorgeous weather.  The park is a memorial for those from Gridley who gave the ultimate sacrifice during our 20th and 21st century wars, and a tribute to those who served in all branches of the military. 

1300 hrs arrived quickly and we walked up the block in downtown Gridley to the Library and Telephone Museum.  Liberty was welcome in her stroller as she has been in many locations all over the country.

We were greeted by a wonderful lady who volunteers in the museum.  She was extremely knowledgeable about the history of Gridley and telephone service here, which occurred in 1900.  The telephone office from 1920 has been saved and recreated inside this museum building with all original woodwork which is absolutely beautiful.  

A 1910 Kellogg phone booth and bench where Gridley folks would wait to place a call

The actual 1920 Gridley telephone office.  

Behind the window is the operator corded switchboard used here in Gridley

One of the coolest things about this museum is the equipment and other items displayed here actually came from Gridley and the surrounding area.  All of this was preserved by those who came before us.  

These phones are connected to the switchboard and it all works!

The Gridley switchboard, a two position Kellogg Universal switchboard 

installed in Gridley in 1946!

Daisy Whiteman Fosdick, the first telephone operator here in Gridley in 1901

We toured the entire facility and this is the nicest telephone museum I have ever seen.  The telephones have been meticulously restored and 95% of all this equipment and phones were used right here in Gridley!  

Candlestick phones from 1900-1910

Wet lead-zinc acid batteries

The Gridley Telephone Truck with Roger Kaufman working on the lines

Equipment from the truck

Lineman gear

This is amazing:  The city of Gridley continued to use a telephone operator with the corded switchboard you saw above until 1970!  Then they converted to Touchtone phones.  The city never had rotary dial phones!  In 2000 the phone company was bought out by a corporation.  

So this may not be all that interesting to you, but I have a passion for communications equipment of all types.  I spent my entire career working on a plethora of radio equipment, telephones, switchboards, cryptographic equipment, computer equipment, and all types of cable plant such as copper, fiber and coaxial.  I appreciate history and those who preserve it so we can teach our children and grand children.  Thank you Mr, Hoobler, Mr. Kaufman, the City of Gridley and all those responsible for preserving this important piece of history.

We departed the museum and continued eastbound on Highway 24 towards Remington IN.  The wind was crazy - out of the south and hitting us broadside.  We were glad to reach the campground and get set-up.  We have stayed here before.  They have a nice swimming lake and the camping sites are nice.  

The weather moved in with gusts in the 40's tonight.  Hopefully we will have some nice weather to enjoy the lake here in the next few days.  We are here for four nights and depart Monday for Elkhart IN.  

Finally, R,I,P to a cousin of mine - Don Schellhase from Traer IA who passed away this morning.  He was retired from John Deere in Waterloo IA, a longtime member of the Traer Iowa Fire Rescue and a former United States Air Force Airman.