As I step aside from the 2025 Driftless recaps for a moment, I wanted to reflect upon this artifact I found streamside when fishing on Day 4 with Anthony, Dave, & Matt. Tucked neatly in the tall grass right behind a little gravel bar was this item, a receipt stub for $2.65 from a Howard Johnson’s, dated 1974. I was born in 1977, so this little piece of paper pre-dates me by 3 years!
Now, this brings up many questions…
Has this been there for almost 51 years? Doubtful, the elements would have surely ate it up by now…
Where did it come from? Maybe an angler’s old tackle bag or fishing vest, possibly tucked away for all this time, only to find the light of day recently…
What did they order? Adjusted for inflation, that’s almost a $17 check stub. So more likely a meal than a cup of coffee. A burger? A steak? A chicken pot pie? One can only wonder…
Are there any Howard Johnson’s left? According to Google, the last restaurant in a chain that spanned nearly 100 years of history closed its doors in Lake George, New York in 2022…
So many other thoughts. I bet you have questions too.
Anyway, just thought I’d share this fun little bit of history, found streamside in the Driftless area of Minnesota.