Tuesday, August 3, 2021

The Wanderwell Expedition by Automobile, 1920, January to March.

 The year 1920 started for the Wanderwells in Miami, Florida, a place quite familiar to Walter and one that he claimed would become his home after the expedition came to a conclusion. The Hanson remained as the expedition car in 1920, at least until later in the year and after they had traversed Mexico and Arizona. The party continued to hustle for funds wherever they stopped, showing films at local theaters  and selling postcards.

Members of the group changed from point to point, with the exception of Walter and Nell. The year began with an advertisement for young girls to join the expedition, and one wonders if they were to just serve as models or satisfy Walter's desire to be with 16 year old young women.



From the Palm Beach Post, 4 January 1920, p.15.





From the Pensacola News Journal, 13 February 1920, p.7.


The party stayed in Florida for much of the month of January, traveling from Miami to Tampa, then Orlando. In early February films were shown at the Daffin Theater in Tallahassee before moving on to Pensacola. Traveling on the Old Spanish Trail the group then arrived in Biloxi on February 25, and a new girl, Elizabeth Steele was on board. 





From Mississippi the itinerary took them to Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Thibodoux, Abbeville, Tallulah and Jennings, showing films at every stop. But now  another young girl accompanied them, Oriette Roberts. The Hanson had mechanical problems in Baton Rouge, but apparently it was repaired.




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