Hardly a time portal to the 1800's. Growing up in Dayton and having a grandparent who worked for NCR, one of the delights was the use of the employee's park, Old River. A man made moat created an island for the main picnic area. There was minature golf, tennis courts, softball diamonds, canoe and row boat rentals, but best of all was the huge circular swimming pool. The park was open to all NCR employees, their family and guests (up to two per card and a card was issued to each member of an employee's direct family (i.e. one for a spouse, and one for each child.)
Strangely, the definition of employee didn't include blacks. Limited to jobs as cooks and janitors before WWII and probably afterwards, they were not allowed to use Old River except on July 5th of each year. On that day the park would be open to black employees only. That night the pool was drained, scrubbed and refilled and the park opened again to white employees only. The park, like the rest of NCR, has now closed, but I know this was the practice while I was in college in the 60's.
Amen, brutha man! I been preechin' dat sh*t for fitty-leben ye'ahs.
