I was intrigued when a beautiful wooden escalator crossed my desktop. I immediately began my research. It seems that the beauty is part of Macy’s Department Store in New York City. I think I probably rode it when I was with the grandchildren. I know we did not ride it when we visited Santa Claus with the ladies. I know we rode the elevator to go up to the top floor.

This escalator was installed sometime between 1920 and 1930 So it has been in operation close to one hundred years. It was installed by the Otis Elevator Co. I knew that many elevators were made by Otis, but I never knew they also manufactured escalators. I found out that this escalator was made of oak and ash the types of wood used in wooden floors. It really is pretty. Macy has seen that it is kept up. Maintenance has been done to update it. It has a distinctive clacking sound because of the wooden parts.

I much preferred riding on escalators rather than elevators. It seemed if they stopped you could still get up. If the elevator stopped you were stuck.

This got me thinking about the trips I took with my grandmother and her two sisters. Often Doris, one of the daughters, drove us to Buffalo or Jamestown to shop. Cora preferred to ride the elevator, in fact, she would not ride the escalator. The rest of the ladies did not seem to care. I liked the escalator so usually one of the ladies rode that with me. I have to hand it to those ladies they did not mind my having to tag along with them. They usually treated me to something on each trip so I very much enjoyed it.

Sometimes I got a piece of furniture for my dollhouse. Sometimes I got some Fannie Farmer suckers. Sometimes I got a piece of jewelry.

I lovingly referred to them as the three stooges since there were three sisters plus a daughter and a granddaughter.

Even as a child I loved to shop. I liked looking at all the stores had to offer. If it was near Christmas, the windows were beautifully decorated. Some of the decorations were animated. It was fun to see what each prepared for the shoppers.

Once I learned about the Otis Factory, I noticed how many elevators were made by that company. I believe that the elevator in the local hospital is made by Otis.

When you rode the elevator back in the day, there was an operator who not only opened and closed the door, but ran the elevator up and down. It was an actual job back in the day.

Bigelow’s in Jamestown had an elevator with an operator. I remember that we all jammed in and faced forward for the ride. When your floor came up, you had to say excuse me to make you way out.

Bigelow’s is where I purchased my first wedding gown. I am proud to say I was a good shopper. I got my dress on sale. I think I paid just over one hundred dollars which was an expensive dress in that day. That dress will get its third wearing this summer when my granddaughter wears it as she walks down the aisle. The only cost to each bride was the cost of alterations and dry cleaning before and after each wearing.

Contrary to popular belief, Otis did not make the first elevator. The first passenger elevator was installed in 1743 in the Palace of Versailles for King Louis XV. It was called “the flying chair”. Otis invented the safety elevator in 1852.

Otis gave his elevator a grand showing in 1854 at the Crystal Palace in New York City. The elevator invented by Otis allowed architects to build taller buildings. Wouldn’t Otis be surprised by the height of buildings today? My book said that one of the fastest elevators is installed in the CN Tower in Toronto, Ontario. It travels at the speed of 20 feet per second. Since this book was published more than a decade ago, I am sure there are faster elevators around today.

I remember riding the elevator at Niagara Falls with my students. It goes up the outside of the building so you can see all around. Some of the students were afraid to ride it so one of the mothers stayed below with them. They do not know what they missed. Seeing the falls lit up was gorgeous.

Who knows what the future holds. I am sure there will be more inventions that allow even better access.

Ann Swanson writes from her home in Russell. Contact ger at hickoryheights1@verizon.net.