To the Open Road: Remembering Dad’s Western Vision

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Today marks my Dad’s birthday. He was born June 5, 1933. This is my tribute to his daring spirit. Have you ever wondered where his restless spirit came from? He wanted to move 1500 miles away. There was a day I did not care about that, but such day has long past.

Below is the first of four rolls of 8mm film taken on this vacation the family took in August 1969 from McClure, Ohio to New Mexico. The film was only 3 minute 27 seconds long. I stretched it out and added some music. I made no cuts or deletions.

This was fun to produce. I feel like a detective, eager to identify every place and person in each frame.

There is an unfamiliar face around the 55 second mark. Do you know who this is?
What do you remember about this trip?
And before the trip, as the film starts, there is a clip from where?

If you know the answer or would like to comment, please do down below.

If that video does not play all the way through, allow some time for buffering or try this link. https://ody.sh/5rBrCp1M3p

I started to look up some of the places shown in the film to see what they look like today, but I stopped because I wanted to get this posted on Dad’s birthday.

The story of Jesse James, J. Frank Dalton, and Rudy Turilli was then assembled into the Jesse James Wax Museum, which opened in 1964. It has outlived both Rudy and his wife Francena, and is now owned by a second generation of Turillis. Like their parents, they seem in no way inclined to alter their position. Rudy, dead since 1972, still speaks defiantly in the museum’s introductory video: “Beyond a shadow of a doubt I can prove to the world that he [Jesse James] did not die until 1951!”

Copied on 2025-06-05 from Jesse James Wax Museum, Stanton, Missouri

So, what do you remember about this trip?

1969 Family Vacation

Comments

7 responses to “To the Open Road: Remembering Dad’s Western Vision”

June 5, 2025

Lisa

It kind of looks like Greg Heising – he had that (hair lip)? Is that what you call it?
I remember a lot of pointing fingers!!😂
Wasn’t that at our house?

Reply
1. June 5, 2025
  
  Rob
  
  I forgot about Greg’s lip. But, he would be older at this time. I’m thinking it is Joe.
  The house has that trim between the wall paper that threw me along with the double window. We only had one window facing the back didn’t we?
  
  Reply
  1. June 6, 2025
    
    Matt Heising
    
    What year would the unknown individual have been filmed at 55 seconds?
    
    Reply
    1. June 6, 2025
      
      Rob
      
      This is all part of one film roll so the vacation was around Aug 1969 and what came before that would be 1969 too. Some people had long sleeve shirts on some did not. Maybe Easter? It’s the Schlotz side of the family.
      
      Reply
June 6, 2025

Matt Heising

So many of our ancestors have been translated to another space where time no longer exists. Eternity
Until then, we lay captive in the grip of moments that race us to our eminent fate.

Reply
June 6, 2025

Brenda Canada

In August of 1969, I would have turned 7. I don’t recognize anyone but your immediate family. That was so cool to watch the video. Those are the people I remember and did not want to see move. I love the playfulness between Uncle Art and Aunt Barb!

Reply
June 15, 2025

Jerry Golden

Cool nostalgic 60s road trip Rob!
I cannot help you with naming the people. But I recognize a 1968(?) Ford Country Squire wagon. Around that same time the Manogues came from New Mexico to Iowa in a similar Mercury wagon… Probably mostly the same route. In recent years I have gone most of that same way many times. But it is much different now.

Reply