One-hundred forty years old, that’s how old Gertrude Stein will be today, February 3rd or would have been, were many of the magical, medical, longevity miracles that are beginning to surface been around fifty years ago. But then the question is, does anyone really want or need to live that long?
I’d be 140 in 2089 , only 20 years from the 22nd Century and not sure if I’d like to be there, there!
A miniature of the house Gertrude was born in at 850 Beech Ave., Allegheny, PA.
But let’s go back to 1874, the year of Gertrude’s birth to see what was happening.
The year began with New York City annexing the Bronx. Was that also the year the Bronx cheer was born? By the end of January the Jesse James gang had robbed a train in Missouri and three weeks later the Oakland Daily Tribune began publishing – guess there was plenty of news.
the motley crew
By the time Gert was three months old, Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss, Jr. had premiered in Vienna and at age 4 ½ months the world was introduced to the game of lawn tennis ( I think that’s regular tennis.)
Grab that racket and hike up that dress!
Oops, one month earlier, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis received a U.S. patent for blue jeans with copper rivets. The price for the jeans – $13.50 a dozen!
Very well broken-in jeans
Soon after, the first public zoo in the U.S. opened in Philadelphia, though I’m sure those youngsters weren’t wearing jeans.
Which way to the elephants?
The year just kept ambling along and by December the Jesse James gang had robbed a bank in Kansas and the first reigning king to set foot in the U.S. was the king of Hawaii, King Kalkaua. Born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalkaua, he was here to meet President Grant. I’d hate to have been the doorman who announced his majesty at the White House!
“Mr. President, King K of Hawaii.” (in the maroon jacket.)
And the Jesse James gang staged another robbery as the year ended. (So much for law and order!)
an even motlier crew
But who else was born in 1874? The list is quite illustrious:
Poets and writers – Robert Frost, Amy Lowell, W. Somerset Maugham, G.K Chesterton, Clarence Day:
Politicians – Winston Churchill, Herbert Hoover:
Young Winston
Composers – Arnold Schönberg, Charles Ives, Gustav Holst:
Maestro Holst
Very Rich Person – John D. Rockefeller, Jr.:
An Explorer & an Inventer – Ernest Shackleton, Marconi:
Shackleton on ice
The man and his radio
Painter – Romaine Brooks:
Our Ms Brooks
All-around showman – Harry Houdini:
Harry posing like Gertrude; looking like Brando
Happy Birthday Gertrude, glad you are still around for lots of us after 140 years. Maybe I’ll reconsider that 2089 birthday. And here’s a cake from Alice!
PS
This is how we’ll fly in 2089 – this is an actual 2089 American Airlines prototype:
Up, up and away!
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