HUSKING BEE TRAIN TO KENT, CONN

Kent, Connecticut: The New Haven Railroad, 1959. Broadside printed on the recto of a sheet (6 1/4" x 18”) of coated orange coated with a hole punch at the top for posting. Printed in black with a photographic image showing two young women enthusiastically husking corn. Creasing from prior folds; otherwise very good.

This advertising piece was aimed at encouraging “you city fellers and gals” to travel from New York City via The New Haven Railroad for the Husking Bee, a day of wholesome, fun activities, including old time square dancing and "waltz too", all you can drink apple cider, and a harvest supper, all for $7.25 including the train fair. (truncated) The main event of the day was the Husking Bee, which involved removing husks from ears of corn: “Husk for a red ear then kiss your country cousin!”

Hosted by the local grange and the railroad, Husking Bees brought more than 500 people each year to the small farming community, which was a three-hour train ride from New York’s Grand Central Station. By 1974 passenger rail service to Kent was discontinued; the community’s grange ceased to operate in 2004.

Traditional Husking Bees grew out of necessity. For early pioneers, the fall harvest meant hard work and longer hours in the fields. One of the ways devised to combine practical needs with a social event was the Husking Bee. The rules were simple: the corn to be husked was put in two equal piles and captains chose teams, then raced to see who would be the first to remove all the husks. (Inventory #: 78456)