Gwynn's Island Homecoming Day, 1953

This sunset over Gwynns Island dates back to 2008. The information I'm about to share with you dates back to 1953.

Yesterday a friend gave me loaned me a copy of a souvenir program from the July 4, 1953, Fifth Annual Homecoming Day on Gwynn's Island. I'll be sharing nuggets from this gold mine throughout the week.

The poem below is from page 17 of the program; no author is cited. The spelling is exactly as it appears in the booklet.

GWYNN'S ISLAND SPECIALTY

Here's a special southern recipe
Which you will find sublime
This one takes some concentration
And takes a lot of time.

You will find the main ingredients
Way down on Chesapeake Bay
So to make up this concoction
Please turn your thots this way.

Mix up six thousand acres
Of sandy soil and loam,
Roll flat and crimp the edges
Pick a spot to build your home.

Stir in ten thousand pine trees--
And a lot of shrubs and flowers--
Garnish well with honeysuckle--
And let it stand for hours.

Add spice of air and sunshine--
Enuf to suit your taste.
Take all you want of these two things
There's plenty here to waste.

Surround with sparkling water
Filled with all sorts of fish.
Better whet up a good appetite,
You'll find it quite a dish.

Fold in the finest people
That God has ever made--
Except, of course this visitor,
Who liked the place, and stayed.

Cover all with glorious heavens.
For you'll be always right--
Whether you use azure sky for day,
Or a gorgeous moon at night.

You can serve this fresh--or age old
To any one you see.
It's good to have occasionally,
Or thru eternity.

With this you can be young and gay,
Tho your hair be snow or raven,
It's called "GWYNN'S ISLAND SPECIALTY"
And is served in Milford Haven.