Lorain Journal Front Page – Nov. 1, 1926

Houdini

Well, it's the month of November already. When they said that time really flies when you get older, they weren't kidding. And we even had an extra hour today – go figure.

One hundred years ago, the nation was still talking about master illusionist, magician and performer Harry Houdini, who passed away in Detroit on October 31, 1926. The article about his passing on the front page of the Lorain Journal of Nov. 1, 1926 (below) isn't particularly big, being overshadowed by extensive local election coverage and some truly disturbing stories.

As the article notes, "In a bronze airtight coffin recently constructed for one of his myriad tricks, the body of Harry Houdini, America's greatest magician, will leave here tonight for New York.

"The "handcuff king," whose feats of legerdemain were known on both sides of the Atlantic, died here Sunday afternoon, a little more than a week after he became ill with appendicitis from which developed peritonitis.

"Until the end, Houdini confidently believed he would "get out of this the way I get out of everything else." It was that confidence which led him to go thru two stage performances after his illness took the turn which later proved fatal."

I remember my mother telling my siblings and me that for decades after Houdini's death on Halloween, there was an annual seance held on the anniversary of his passing to try and contact him from the Great Beyond. It was another creepy aspect of Halloween along with The War of the Worlds radio broadcast.

Here are a few clippings about the various attempts over the years by Houdini's wife and others to contact him. The date of the seances were apparently not confined to Halloween.

July 25, 1935

Nov. 2, 1936

Feb. 5, 1943

Oct. 16, 1948

Halloween in Lorain – 1966

Well, it's Halloween at last. Although it's a little late, here's a look at Halloween 1966 as it played out in the pages of the Journal from October 21 - October 31, 1966. 

Halloween goodies were promoted in several DeLuca Bakery ads, as well as Brady's Donut Shop and Lorain Creamery. Midway Mall held special festivities for the kiddies. And for the adults, there were special nightclub parties and social club events with a Halloween theme.

Best of all, there's a charming front yard Halloween display near LaGrange that the Journal deemed photo-worthy. Quite a contrast from the ubiquitous store-bought stuff that everyone has.

Oct. 21, 1966

Oct. 25, 1966

Oct. 26, 1966

Oct. 26, 1966

Oct. 26, 1966

Oct. 27, 1966

Oct. 28, 1966

Oct. 28, 1966

Oct. 28, 1966

Oct. 28, 1966

Oct. 29, 1966

Oct. 29, 1966

Oct. 31, 1966

Oct. 31, 1966

Halloween in Lorain – 1976

We'll close out this look at Halloweens of the past by making the rare (for this blog, at least) trip to the 1970s to see how the holiday played out in the Journal in 1976. There weren't very many Halloween-themed ads that year (which happened to be my senior year in high school); indeed, I had a difficult time finding enough ads and articles to fill this post. 

But there was something new that seemed to surface about that time that is still popular today: the interactive 'Haunted House' experience that sometimes served as a fundraiser for some charity or group. You'll see a couple ads like that in this collection; surprisingly, both feature appearances by none other than Hoolihan and Big Chuck! 

(I didn't go to that type of thing until the 1980s, when I made a few trips to the Haunted Forest of Carousel.)

As usual, there are ads for local businesses, and one for a national fast food chain that features artwork by the great Jack Davis of Mad Magazine. And there's one great sign of the times: the mention of how some CB radio operators were helping to keep an eye on the streets to keep them safe for trick or treaters. 

Oct. 8, 1976

Oct. 12, 1976

Oct.. 15, 1976

Oct.. 21, 1976

Oct. 22, 1976

Oct. 22, 1976

Oct. 22, 1976

Oct. 22, 1976

Oct. 29, 1976

Oct. 31, 1976

Halloween in Lorain – 1956

By 1956, the ads and articles in the Lorain Journal reflected most of the aspects of Halloween that we have come to expect, including ads for candy, and for costumes and masks of TV and movie characters. The community traditions that many of us grew up, such as the Downtown window painting contest and the big parade, were also in place.

Here's a sampling of ads and articles to give you the flavor of Halloween 1956 in Lorain.

Oct. 18, 1956

Oct. 22, 1956

Lou Kepler wrote a charming reminisce about the way Halloween used to be.

Oct. 23, 1956

High school and junior high bands were to be included in the Halloween parade.

Oct. 24, 1956

Kresge's (today's Kmart) ran a Halloween ad that included a few costumed characters, including, er, Gay Gypsy, Happy Clown, and two members of the popular Disney menagerie: Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. Donald looks like he had been smoking one of those exploding cigars.

Oct. 25, 1956

The actual costume (that has somehow survived over the years) of the irascible, sailor-suited waterfowl doesn't look much better than the ad illustration. No wonder Donald's always throwing a tantrum.

Mickey Moose Mouse fared a little better, perhaps because he is the Disney figurehead.

Muir's ad includes Halloween candy, as well as a few masks.

Oct. 25, 1956

Faroh's Candy ran an ad with some interesting items listed. I had never heard of a Peel-A-Way, but apparently it was just a molded chocolate (in the shape of something) that was wrapped in foil that you 'peeled away' as you ate it.

Oct. 26, 1956

And there were still Halloween dances, although not as many as other years.

Perhaps the best way to celebrate Halloween was at the Tower Drive-In – which had four classic horror films on its bill: Dracula with Bela Lugosi, Frankenstein with Boris Karloff, The Mummy (also with Boris Karloff) and Frankenstein Meets the Wolfman (not for coffee I presume).

October 29, 1956

October 30, 1956

Halloween in Lorain – 1946

Halloween was a fairly subdued affair in the pages of the Lorain Journal in 1946.

The holiday celebration had evolved into a regular pattern in Lorain and surrounding communities, consisting of a community parade that was sometimes followed by refreshments consisting of cider and donuts. 

The Journal editorial page usually contained a plea for a safe and sane Halloween.

There really were no department store ads containing a variety of costumes for sale, because there really weren't that many being mass produced – yet. Television would change all that in a few years.

What's interesting is that adult Halloween parties and dances were becoming much more commonplace in the nightclubs and social clubs, with several ads appearing in the Journal. Perhaps that was a foreshadowing of today's Halloween festivities, where it seems that adults are more heavily into dressing up and decorating than ever.

Here then is an ample sample of clippings from Halloween 1946. Note that Halloween hijinks started early in Sheffield Lake!

Oct. 25, 1946

Octd. 25, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 30, 1946

Oct. 31, 1946