Last year we had a speaker at our genealogy group who showed pictures from the Pan American Exhibit and peeked my curiosity with the question, "Did your family have stories about visits to the Pan Am?" CARRIE or CAROLINE ERKCERT has been a real challenge for any genealogist. At the time of her father's death in 1915 she is listed as MRS. CARRIE SMEDES of Metamora, Ohio. In October Beth, Don and I visited Metamora on our trip home from Indianapolis. It is a very small (like Alabama) railroad town right near the border with Michigan, not far from Toledo. Did not find Carrie but there is an IRA SMEDES family buried there. Unfortunately research has not provided any descendants from Carrie and John Smedes and little info on the Ira Smedes family from Metamora. .................. September 30, 1901, Daily News, Batavia, NY: Patrolman GEORGE H. ERCKERT of Buffalo, son of CHARLES ERCKERT of Batavia, had been injured while making an arrest early in the morning. Mr. Erckert's daughter, MRS. CARRIE SCHMEDLER of Clarendon, Tex., who was visiting him, went to Buffalo yesterday to care for her brother, who is suffering from a broken nose and severe bruises about the head and body. ............. 1901 Did CARRIE ERCKRT arrive here via the railroad to visit the Pan American Exhibit? The 1900 US Census for Clarendon, TX lists JOHN SMEDES as a locomotive engineer. (She was married to John Smedes not Schmedler, our local paper still misspells names). Please note that the GEORGE ERCKERT family lived at 440 Bird Ave., Buffalo, NY, just a few blocks from the exhibition. They had greenhouses there. I wonder if they furnished any of the abundant floral displays at the exhibition. From an internet site by Aaron T. Heverin: "The Pan-American Exposition was a celebration of many sorts. It was intended to be a recognition of the achievements made in the industry and culture of the Americas, but as it turned out, the Pan-American toasted the new 20th century, the progress of electricity, and the City of Buffalo. Now here, the Queen City invites the world to come to her midst and be her guest from May first to November first 1901." Take a look at this site: http://intotem.buffnet.net/bhw/panamex/Welcome.html My grandparents HARRY AND ELIZABETH WASON ERCKRT used to ice skate on Delaware Park Lake. HARRY was a son of GEORGE ERCKERT . My cousin Carol and I used to play there. We would walk over to the Museum of History and try to sit on Lincoln's lap. There is a beautiful rose garden still there in the park. Also in the area is the Albright Knox Art Gallery and Forest Lawn Cemetery. It is a beautiful cemetery with many beautiful mausoleums, statues, a lake, military graves, etc. Guess this is my day to dream. Happy New Year joanie