Verboort was founded by my ancestors in 1875, the Hermans, Verboorts, and Bernards families. My dad's mother Muriel's maiden name was Hermans, and the Hermans wife was a daughter of the founding Verboort family. They had left Volkel, Uden, Province of Brabant, Holland on March 9th, 1848 and emigrated to the United States via the port of Boston, then settled in the French Canadian town of DePere, Wisconsin for 25 years before purchasing land in Washington County, Oregon.
Kenny and I got to Verboort early enough to take pictures of the Catholic church (the biggest, tallest building in the area) and the swing set next to the church hall where Megan and I spent many a fond moment during family gatherings and reunions over the years. The Verboort swing set had the best, longest chains we'd ever swung on, and you could go higher on those swings than anywhere else! I was happy to confirm with Megan that the swings hadn't changed a bit over the years. To avoid the soggy grass and mud (since the sidewalk was chock full of reminiscing Dutch people), Ken and I snuck through a side door and found ourselves right in the middle of dinner! We snickered at bypassing a huge line, then went and stood just inside the doors to wait for my dad to arrive at 6:30. It wouldn't have been right to cut in line, so we slipped outside into the chilly but thank-goodness-not-rainy evening and met my dad outside the souvenir tent (where a hostess was dressed in full Dutch regalia).
The sausage was worth waiting in line for! Kenny was obsessed with the thought that the gravy was bacon-flavored and said the mashed potatoes were the best he'd ever had. He and my dad had at least five links of sausage each, while I contented myself with two and a lot of sauerkraut. I didn't know kraut could be so darn tasty! Since Kenny and I had paid a visit to Portland's famous "VooDoo Doughnuts" earlier in the day, I begged off any dessert but Dad and Kenny sampled the apple pie while I enjoyed some really tart applesauce. My Uncle Kevin and Aunt Sue were there with us, as well as Dad's cousin Paul, and everyone had a delicious time.
The Catholic Church at Verboort:
He may be German by descent, but Kenny is ready to be Dutch tonight!
The beloved swing set Megan and I played on, just next to the church hall - and dinner!
Waiting in line - Dad is on the left:
Sausage time!
Dad enjoying dinner:
Dad's cousin Paul and my Uncle Kevin and Aunt Sue:
Ken focusing on his sausage dinner:
Mmmm, baby!
Dutch, Dutch, Dutch, Dutch, Dutch! Yes, that's what we are. Well, Ken's German and Polish.
3 comments:
Love it!!! Those outdoor pictures were especially gorgeous. I was starving for sausage after talking to you!!!
I love Germanic food. The whole sausages and cabbage thing, mmmmm. I know your roots are Dutch, but that's a distant cousin to German...right?
Melinda - totally close! And since Germany could never mind its own business (or borders) during the first half of the twentieth century, the distinction is even more blurry!
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