Jul 23

Here’s a memorial from a while back…

Park Ranger John C. Fonda – United States Department of the Interior – National Park Service

End of Watch: Wednesday, March 9, 1960

Ranger John C. Fonda

Ranger John C. Fonda – drowned in Snake River

Park Ranger John Fonda and District Ranger Gale Wilcox, along with the Assistant Chief Ranger, were on back country patrol on cross-country skis in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. The three came upon the Snake River, which had frozen over, and judged that it was safe to cross. The Assistant Chief Ranger began to cross first, followed by Ranger Wilcox and Ranger Fonda.

Ranger Fonda had made it only 15-feet from shore when the ice broke and he fell into the river. Ranger Wilcox, who could not swim, immediately belly-crawled to Ranger Wilcox’s position to try to reach him with ski pole. The Assistant Chief Ranger also went to the location to help also. The ice then cracked and the other two rangers fell into the river. The Assistant Chief Ranger was able to remove his skis and then tried to remove the skis of the other rangers but was unsuccessful. He then climbed out of the water. He was able to pull Ranger Wilcox out of the water but Ranger Fonda, who was still treading water with his skis on, went under and did not resurface.

Snake River, Wyoming

Snake River, Wyoming

Ranger Wilcox was suffering from severe hypothermia and was unable to move or speak. The Assistant Chief Ranger, who was also suffering from hypothermia, immediately set out for the nearest ranger station to radio for help and medical supplies. When rescue workers arrived at the scene they found that Ranger Wilcox had passed away from exposure.

Ranger Wilcox was posthumously awarded a Citation of Valor from the Department of the Interior and the Bronze Medal from the Carnegie Hero Commission for his efforts to save Ranger Fonda. The Assistant Chief Ranger was also awarded the Citation of Valor.

Ranger Fonda was a Korean War veteran. He had been a full time ranger for the Park Service for two years and had served as a seasonal ranger for six years. He was survived by his wife and daughter. His daughter is now a U.S. Marshal.

 

The Week in Wyoming (AP)

Pinedale Roundup, 1960-03-17

Cheyenne – Grand Teton Park Rangers die after icy plunge into Snake River – Only one man returned from a routine three-man patrol in Grand Teton National Park Wednesday. He was assistant chief ranger Stan Spurgeon, 48, who tried in vain to rescue his two companions from the icy waters of the Snake River. John Fonda, 27, and Gail Wilcox, 48, died. Fonda drowned in the Snake River and Wilcox died of exposure in a cabin Thursday night, Spurgeon said. Spurgeon has been released from a Jackson hospital where he was treated for shock and exposure. The men were crossing the Snake near the north end of Jackson Lake when Fonda went through the ice. The other two fell through attempting to rescue him.

Also see: Rootsweb, Find-A-Grave

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Jan 01

Landmarks with the Fonda Name

Towns

Fonda, New York, USA – East central N.Y., on Mohawk River, and the Barge Canal, and 10 mi/16 km W of Amsterdam; Formerly a freight transfer point on the N.Y. Central RR. Mfg. of aluminum prods., apparel, and textiles. Inc. 1850. Name origin – named after Douw Jellis Fonda (1700-1780) in 1850. (Note: A nearby town was once called Fonda’s Bush, but is now Broadalbin, Fulton Co., New York). Fonda Speedway is a 1/2 mile dirt oval, located at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds in Fonda, NY. Racing at Fonda Speedway started in 1927; 6 events were held from 1927 to 1938. Racing began in earnest in the late 40s. A 1/8th mile drag strip was added in 1957, and was apparently used through 1968. Shirley Muldowney’s drag racing career started on this strip in 1958. [Google Map]

Dirt Race Track - Fonda, NY

Train Depot - Fonda, Iowa (1894)

Fonda, Iowa, USA – North central Iowa, on Cedar Creek, and 14 mi/23 km SW of Pocahontas. Name origin – “Marvin was the name first given to the station and express office, and Cedarville was the name accorded to the post office in Cedar township, located on the banks of Cedar Creek. By the time Cedar township was formed, the town and post office were called Marvin. Marvin was the name picked by the man who donated the land, ordered the plat, and designated that this new little town be named after his friend. The use of the names Marvin and Manson caused confusion to those sorting mail on the trains, and it was suggested that the name be changed. In 1874, AO Garlock and George Fairburn took the post office directory and selected a new name that was not common in Iowa. The name Fonda only appeared once in the directory, the name of a town in western New York state.” [American Towns] [Google Map]
Fonda, Vermont, USA – probably named after William Beecher Fonda (1846-) whose family settled in the St. Albans, Franklin County, Vermont area in the 1870’s. [Vermont Gazetteer] [Google Map]

Could have been... Port Fonda

Fonde, Kentucky, USA – Bell County, SE KY., in the Cumberland Mts. at Tenn. state line, 10 mi/16 km W of Middlesboro. [Google Map]
Fonda, North Dakota, USA – Rolette County [Google Map] [North Dakota News]
Fonda, Wyoming, USA – Goshen County [Google Map]
Port Fonda, Missouri, USA – proposed name for what is now Kansas City (see Abraham Fonda) [Google Map]
Fonda’s Bush, Montgomery Co., NY, USA (now Broadalbin, Fulton Co.) – Three Rivers – Trappers of New York: “Fonda’s Bush, a place in the Johnstown settlements, so called after Major Jelles Fonda, who took a patent for the lands. The place is situated about ten miles north of each from the village of Johnstown, and the same distance west of north from Amsterdam. Fonda’s Bush signifies the same as if it were called Fonda’s Woods, a dense forest covering the soil at that early period-bush being the usual term for woods on the frontiers of New York.”; Spafford’s 1824 Gazetteer of the State of New York – Profile of Montgomery County: “The principal Village is on the W. line of this Town, in a quarter called Fonda’s Bush, where is the Broadalbin Post-Office, 10 miles from Johnstown. It is situated on both sides of Fonda’s Creek, on the main road from Johnstown to Glen’s Falls, and contains 1 church, 27 dwellings, 14 mechanics’ shops, 4 stores, 2 tanneries, 1 paper mill, a school-house, 2 taverns, and an ashery. This has always been called Fonda’s Bush, but by a late act of incorporation, its cognomen is changed, as a lawyer would say, to Rawsonsville, though the people still adhere to the old name, and probably always will.” [Google Map]

Oklahoma Ghost Town

Fonda, Oklahoma, USA (Place – now a ghost town; Dewey County; 36ºN 98ºW; Zip Code none; Elev. 1630 ft.) Many, many years ago and approximately 8 miles or so east of Seiling, Oklahoma there was a small community called Fonda, Oklahoma. At that time Fonda consisted of a General store, Blacksmith shop, Post Office and several residences. The store was run by the Tyree family. Near Fonda, Oklahoma and the Canadian River there was a school called Diamond. It was a typical elementary school of the era. A one room, one teacher teaching grades one through nine. There was a barn for the students riding horses, a windmill for drinking water and two out houses. There was no electricity and light came from kerosene lamps. In cold weather heat was provided by a large wood stove in the rear of the room. In 1928 there were about twenty students the majority of which were Indian. Today the original site of Fonda is only an open wheat field. see [Dewey County History] [TopoZone Map]

Roads

Fonda Road - Waterford, NY

Fonda Street (renamed Water St. in 1799), Schenectady, NY 12302 – [Google Map] [Schenectady History]
Fonda Road, Rockville Center, NY 11570 – [Google Map]
Fonda Road, Cohoes, NY 12047 – [Google Map]
Fonda Road, Waterford, NY 12188 – [Google Map]
Fonda Ave, Oneonta, NY 13820 – [Google Map]
Fonda Ave, Battle Creek, MI 49014 – [Google Map] [Battle Creek History]
Fonda Road, Firth, NE 68358 – [Google Map]
Fonda Street, Paradis, LA 70080 – [Google Map]
Fonda Road , Santa Fe, NM 87505 – [Google Map]
Fonda Way, Los Angeles, CA 90031 – [Google Map]
Fonda Street, La Habra, CA 90631 – [Google Map]
Fonda Road, Markham, Ontario, Canada L3S 3X3 – [Google Map]
Fonda Way S.E., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2A 2K2 – [Google Map]

Water

Fonda’s Island – a small island in the Mohawk river within the town of Schenectady – containing five morgens (ten acres) – lying to the north of the Hoek – in 1736, Philip Livingston of Albany sold it to Jellis Fonda by whose will made Sept. 8, 1737, it was divided among his three sons, Pieter, Abraham and Jacob. The island is now part of the [Isle of the Oneidas], see [Bouwlands Map 1664] [Schenectady Map 1690]
Fonda Reservoir – Randall, Montgomery Co., NY – 6.4 Acre Lake – [U.S. Geological Survey] [TopoZone Map]

Fonda Lake - Brighton, Michigan

Fonda’s Creek – History of Broadalbin: It (Broadalbin) is abundantly watered by numerous creeks and small streams flowing in all directions throughout the town, chief among which is Kennyetto Creek – often, incorrectly, called Fly creek, Fonda’s creek, and sometimes Little Sacondaga. [Google Map]
Fonda Lake (now Lake Kora) – Wakely Mountain, Hamilton Co., NY – Most of the Blue Ridge Wilderness Area was at one time owned or controlled by William West Durant, an Adirondack developer active from the mid-1870s through 1904. Former Durant lands include Townships 6, 19, 33 and 34 in the Totten and Crossfield Purchase. 1898 – Durant sells Lake Tuscarora (aka Sumner Lake or Fonda Lake), now Lake Kora, and the surrounding estate to Lieutenant Governor Timothy L. Woodruff, who constructed Kamp Kill Kare. – [Hamilton Co. Reservoirs] [Google Map]
Fonda Lake – Brighton Twp., Livingston Co., MI – named for Lewis B. Fonda family which settled in Brighton, Michigan in 1832 from Wynantskill, Rensselaer Co., NY – [Google Map]also Fonda Island & Briggs Lake Joint Water Authority, 11510 Grand River Road, Brighton, MI 48116and Fonda Place Office Center, 10321 Grand River Road, Brighton, MI – [Google Map]

Buildings

Fonda Reformed Church

Fonda Reformed Church - Fonda, New York

Fonda Reformed Church – 19-21 Broadway, Fonda, New York 12068 – The Reformed Dutch Church of Caughnawaga was organized about the year 1758, but the first church edifice was not erected until 1763, when with financial aid from Sir William Johnson, who was entirely non-sectarian in his benefactions, a stone building was erected, along the line of what is now the main street of Fonda, but in this eastern, or Caughnawaga district of the village. The village of Fonda proper, was not built till after 1830. The town Caughnawaga took its name from the old Indian village which had stood there. Fonda was named for Douw Fonda, one of the first settlers of the town, and a Revolutionary patriot. The first pastor of the Caughnawaga church was Rev. Thomas Romeyn, who served the charge 22 years. He was succeeded by Rev. Abraham Van Horne, who was pastor 38 years and preached in both Dutch and English, as Dutch was then giving place to English, in the valley. With his pastorate, the use of Dutch ceased at Caughnawaga. [Church History] [Google Map]

Henry Fonda Theatre Hollywood, CA

Henry Fonda Theatre – 6126 Hollywood Blvd. – Los Angeles, CA 90028 – A trip down Hollywood Boulevard going east to west first brings you to the Henry Fonda Theatre. Famous for the actor of the same name, the Fonda Theatre is home to many local plays. Originally called the Hollywood Music Box, the newly refurbished theatre has staged many Broadway productions such as Driving Ms. Daisy and concert acts including Adam Ant and Tori Amos. Opened as the Music Box, this theater went through several owners and corresponding name changes. Before being renamed as the Henry Fonda Theater, it became the Fox (not the Fox at Hollywood and Wilcox, which was the old Iris Theatre) and then the Pix Theater. When the theater was still known as the Pix, it had a really nice neon marquee. The Pix was the movie house that premiered “Jaws” on Hollywood Boulevard in 1975. A year later they showed “Rocky”. Not a very large theater but it showed many blockbuster’s in the 70’s before becoming a live venue. [Cinema Treasures] [Google Map]

Henry Fonda Theatre Stage

Schools & Parks

Elizabeth Fonde Elementary School Mobile, AL

Elizabeth Fonde Elementary School – school named after Elizabeth Fonde [Rootsweb] (1873-1947) who was born in Mobile, AL, educated at Barton Academy in Mobile. From 1918 to 1924 she served as a member of the Mobile County Board of School Commissioners and in 1926 became President of the Alabama Conference of Social Work. She is buried at Magnolia Cemetery in Mobile. – [Google Map] [SchoolTree] [Arkema] Note: Elizabeth Fonde and Corinne Fonde (Fonde Park, below) were cousins.
Fonde Park – On Saturday, November 4, 2006, Houston Parks and Recreation Department rededicated southeast Houston’s Fonde Park. Located at 5500 Carrollton and accessible from 2500 Hansford, at its opposite end, the 12.7-acre park was acquired by the city in 1950. The park’s name honors Miss Corinne Fonde [Rootsweb] (1883-1950), a long-time administrator of the Recreation Department
and the first deputy director when the Parks Department and the Recreation Department were combined into one city department.

Fonde Park - Houston, TX

Fonde Community Center - Houston, TX

The Fonde Community Center, just off Buffalo Bayou near downtown and the Victorian homes of the Sixth Ward, is also named for Miss Fonde. This not-so-ordinary city Parks Department neighborhood recreational facility has well-maintained basketball courts for pickup games where many NBA stars come to play.Throughout the year, the center features a variety of free activities and classes – tai chi classes are popular, and the weight room is always occupied. – [Google Map] [Google Map]

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