My Mom, My Dad, and Sterling, Kansas.

My Mom was born in Sterling, Kansas in 1889. Her father was a farmer in the area. The picture of her family below indicates that he was a prosperous farmer. Notice the nice clothes and the sailor suit.

My Mother, Olive Knowlton, is the teen aged girl on the left. The date of the picture is around 1905 when my Mom was 16 and shortly before marrying my Father. The picture below is of my Mom and Dad  was probably taken around 1920. This is after 8 children. I am number nine.

I believe that parts of Sterling look like they did when my folks were courting and getting married.That is intriguing to me as almost all places in my family history have changed a lot. I am going to  stay in a B & B for two nights in Sterling at the start of my trip to the West Coast. The house where the B & B is located was built in 1879. It was witness to the courtship and marriage of my parents. I want to wander the streets of Sterling and try to imagine those days. And see my folks as young people. I remember my Dad only as a senior citizen. My Mom went to the hospital when I was four and passed away shortly after I turned five. My memories of my Mom are very few. 

I think often of my Folks and my siblings. My life now is very much a big memory bank. I find sometimes that I think of Sterling and my parents as young people growing up there. I want to spend a few hours in that place. Of course I will take and blog some pictures. I feel compelled to visit Sterling, Kansas.