MAY COUNTY

listings

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Vol. 14 No. 13

WEEK OF OCTOBER 4 TO OCTOBER 10. 1979 j

® ** T»jn o CLASS MAIL PSA MIT NO. IS POSTAOS PAID AT AVALON.NCW JCASSY 0S202

A Blend Of Past And Present ' \ . “ V 1 < .1 Victorian Weekend Starts

GINGERBREAD AND GA8UGHT. hallmarks of the Victorian era, will form a fitting backdrop for Cape May’s Victorian Weekend Oct. 6-8. 1

CAPE MAY - Th* city nf Cape May isn't ready to hibernate for the winter justyet This weekend. October 6R the streets of Cape May will once again, fill with crowds flocking^ the ninth annual Victorian Weekend. Sponsored by the MidAtlantic Center for the Arts • MAO. Victorian Weekend will feature a popular Victorian Old House lour, concerts, trolley tours of the historic district a*>d a Victorian fashion show, to name a few activities. New this year are a Hun For Preservation, a two and five mile running race through historic Cape Y. an evening stained glass walking tour, and a boat ride at dusk around Cape Island. Response to the upcoming event has been very good. Jerry Burke. MAC splkesman said 0 Monday. SeveraJCape May motels have reported capacity or near capacity reservations and some 225 entrants have already registered for the Run For Preservation. Back by popular demand, the Old ifouse

THE HUB of activity for the Cape May's Victorian Weekend Oct. M Is the KmlenPltysick Hi>usc on Washlnjflon Street, prmce* from Victorian Weekend evenlc wlH go inwilfifc restorafliili of tW hist

structure.

many

WHwHcal

Tour has been split into two separate tours on Saturday and Sunday. Among the homes to be included in the Saturday

collection are four on Hughes St.-the newly restored Hildreth Cottage, the elaborate Gothic Revival Joseph Hall

“Pink Lacty” Lawncutter: A Delightful Sight

By Kathleen Cox Schaeffer ERMA - When Doris Archibald rides down the street passersby take a triple-take. They also wave and often applaud. Mrs. Archibald is not easy to miss as she putters along the highways of Cape May County dressed in shocking pink, with a widebrimmed pink picture hat driving a pink tractor? Until her recent retirement, the Erma woman was simply going about her business — lawncutting business that is. For 18 years Mrs. Archibald has managed and actively participated in her own grass cutting business. She started her unusual occupation after a friend lamented the shortage of iawncutters in the area . 'Til do it,” suggested Mrs. Archibald, and a business was bom. Mrs. Archibald's first job earned her $1 an hour. Gasoline cost about 25 cents a gallon. Thousands of lawns later, the Archibald business has swelled to a customer load of 150 at its peak with four trucks manned by a crew of two each. \ The first lawn Mrs. Archibald wotted on took

two hours to cut. netting her the grand sum of t2. The same lawn would cost about $15 to cut today, Mrs. Archibald said. Lawncutting, though not engaged in by many women, had a special appeal for Mrs. Archibald. "It was perfect for me; it didn’t overswamp me." she said. "I like people, I like to be outside. I like to be my own boas, do garden work and have my picture taken." Mrs. Archibald added with a smile. Indeed, the fiambouyant lawncutter could be one of Cape May County's most photographed attractions. Riding from job to job on her p : nk tractor, the affable Mrs. Archibald has gained a modicum of notoriety. "I get my picture taken anywhere from three to 10 times a day," Mrs. Archibald said. "My picture is all over Canada," she added, noting the especial interest of Canadian tourists. The sprightly lawncutter has noticed an interesting phenomena on her roadside travels. "One or two people traveling together in a car will wave when they see me," Mrs. Archibald said. "But whenever I pass

four or, more people, they always applaud — I can bet on it.” she added. Not the shy, retiring type, Mrs. Archibald will stop her tractor, shut off the motor and talk with anyone desiring to take her picture. 'Tm a ham." she admits.

At fitst sight of the pink lady on her pink tractor, many persons are uh confused about exactly what they are seeing. Mrs.

Archibald said.

‘"A lot of people don’t know what I’m doing. They think I'm advertising

something."

In addition to meeting

Doris Archibald

the general populace ( the slow five mile per ffour rides along the highways are also an education in themselves. "It’s a beautiful ride — you can see all the littte things 1 little animals in the marshes at five miles per hour,” Mrs. Archibald said. j But. Doris Archibald's roadside treks have come to an end this season. The prohibitive cost of runnirig the business and a near accident have caused her to make a career change Turning the lawncutting business over to her husband, Mrs. Archibald this month began a career . in real estate sales. She has made a successful start having sold two houses and is enthusiastically looking forward to future sales. The mother of four and grandmother of Mrs. Archibald enjoys sewing, knitting, traveling and spending time with her grandchildren. And. though sh<’ll no longer be tooling around the highway on her pink tractor. Cape May County hasn't seen the last of Doris Archibald. She’ll now be driving her fwhgt else?) pink car with "I sell real estate" emblazoned acroas the doors c

Cottage, and the Dory House with many of its original furnishings. nthicr residences in the Saturday group are the Massey House on Columbia Avc. with its combination of (ieorgian and Queen Anne styles. Cape May s oldest hotci-the Chalfonlc <IK?r»ion Howard St., the Brown House on Second Ave. in W Cape May with its collection of 6cckstiastical anlHjuus and the iini<|Uc ncla&m House on l a layette Street * Visitors on the okl House Tour which last year drew over wm persons, can stop lor a musical respite at one of a series of Musical Rest Stop* at die Church of the Advent at Franklin and Washington streets. ' The musical rest stop will Iwginevery hour on the hour from II a.m -4 p.m. and will feature miniconcerts of various instruments organ. flule v piano, frenfch horn, tuba' and contralte. Each concert will last no longer than 20 minutes Admission is free. The Sunday collection of homes on the continuing Okl House Tour include the American Bracketed Joseph Evans House, the Dr. Henry Hunt cottage, the Kennedy House with its spectuacular ocean view, the Stuard House that boasts striking bevelled glass doors, the Dutch Colonial Boone House and the Horation Church House with a fine exhibit of old quilts. Three of the Seven Sisters houses designed by Stephen Decatur Button on Jackson St. will also be open to the public. (Fage3 Please) )