To many who visit Emilio Carranza’s memorial on Carranza Road in our town, his story begins and ends on that fateful, hot summer, July day in 1928. We learn of his New York departure, with the pending thunder storm predictions and wonder why in the world did he take flight. We read about the local residents who found his remains, and how they were eventually transported by train to Mexico City. We read about how the children of Mexico saved their pennies to construct the pinelands monument now before us.
But we seldom have an opportunity to look back on his earlier life as a world renown aviator. Take some time now and review these newspaper articles and ferret out some of the little recalled facts of his young life. Like his early life, not all stories are headlines, but can be found with a close review of each paper.
And a few relevant Carranza pictures
In the 1937 issue of WPA Highlights Magazine, there is a story by Madison Whomsley on page 37. The story is simply titled “Carranza Monument.” In the later 1930’s the WPA had a writer’s project and the results were published in a monthly magazine. The Whomsley is one of hundreds published about New Jersey sites. Interestingly, it discusses the construction of Carranza Road itself. Here it is in its entirety.
Tabernacle Historical Society 