Thursday, November 29, 2012

Those Places Thursday-the Duquesne cable car

While scanning through the 1976 journal of my grandmother (Ruth McFadden Webb), I found this article about cable cars still running in Pittsburgh:

I don't know when this article was printed or where, but I'm assuming it was around August 1976 since that's where I found it in the journal.  Most likely it was printed in the Fort Worth Star Telegram, unless they subscribed to an additional paper back then.

My question is why she felt this article was worth keeping.  Was it simply because it was a story from home and was reprinted in the local paper?  Did the Duquesne Incline mean something to her?  Did she ride this frequently in her daily life?

I looked it up and the Duquesne Incline is still running.  When I do make my genealogy research trip to the Pittsburgh area, I'll definitely add this to my list of things to do.


Wordless Wednesday-Mystery Photo

Over Thanksgiving, my Aunt Maureen gave me a few letters and other items she found at among various odds and ends. 

This photo was included in the envelope.  She thought this might be the McFadden children and that her mother, my grandmother may be the baby.  My grandmother, Ruth McFadden was born in 1905, and I'm guessing that this picture could be from around that time. 

Monday, November 5, 2012

Ireland Reaching Out

http://www.irelandxo.com/

"The Ireland Reaching Out (Ireland XO) project is based on a simple idea; instead of waiting for people of Irish descent to trace their roots, we go the other way."

This seems like a very cool idea and I hope it catches on.

My maternal great grandfather, Dennis McFadden, was from Tullaghobely, Co. Donegal.  I haven't been able to find exactly when he came over or with which family members, but perhaps this project can help me get closer to figuring it out.

Also, it makes me want to plan my bicycling tour/genealogy trip to Ireland very soon.