Ocean Liners Coming to Strafford

In the later part of the 19th century, Justin Morrill, in order to tweak his fellow United States senators who had gone "hog wild" with pork barrel legislation, included in a bill the provision to make the Ompompanoosuc River navigable for ocean liners. Unfortunately, many of the senators did not get his Vermont sense of humor and were willing to vote for the bill.

The story did prompt the creation of ditty about ocean liners coming to Strafford that became a favorite camp song at the Camp Ken-Jocketee. This girls summer camp run by the Tyson family in the early to mid 20th century was located on both sides of the road where the South Strafford Fire Station is located. There was a dam in the river by the Tyson Road which created quite a nice pond for the camp. Here are the lyrics as remembered by relatives and friends of Polly Mohlere and Betsy Blanchard who, even as adults, loved to sing it.

Pompanoosic is some river
You can see with half an eye
Soon there’ll be some ocean liners
Passing Strafford by and by

S’come on girls, lets go in swimming
Soon there’ll be too many boats
Ain't they mean to hog the river
Girl's but don't it get your goat!

Camp Ken-Jocketee brochure - 1922