Drive-through history

WAITSBURG-The Times got a little drive-through history lesson last week when a gentleman stopped in to check out the building and shared that he was following the trail his grandfather had taken while playing clarinet in a band in the early 1900s. Dennis Mulcahy, of San Jose, Calif., spoke with The Times advertising/office manager Teeny McMunn and shared photos and newspaper snippets about the band.

His grandfather, Raymond Clow, was born in 1889 and came through Waitsburg in 1905, at the age of 16. Mulcahy was in possession of a little calendar booklet that showed the stops the band made during their tour. McMunn said the booklet, titled a "Diary and Times-Saver," showed Clow's identification, was notarized and seemed to be used "much like we use drivers licenses."

From newspaper clippings and advertisements, Mulcahy surmised that Clow went to New York at the age of 14 with a professor to study music. However, he took up with a large production company playing clarinet in a traveling production of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" with the Fisk Jubilee singers.

"From the review it said they were in Spokane early. I'm missing the 1904 diary probably logging New York to Spokane to Iowa," Mulcahy said.

Mulcahy will wrap up the band's journey in Bartlesville, Oklahoma then head to Clow's hometown of Chariton, Iowa. He said the trip has been "incredible" so far and welcomes those interested to follow his journey on https://www.polarsteps.com/DennisMulcahy/1862856-trip-of-a-lifetime-2-0-northern-route