Valentine's Day: Then and Now

Though we often associate Valentine’s Day with Hallmark greeting cards and endless amounts of chocolate, the origins of Valentine’s Day reach back much further than Russell Stover.

Saint Valentine, thought to be a priest from the third century, helped young couples get married in secret after the emperor banned young men from being married.

Valentine’s greetings have been exchanged since about the fifth century, when the day started to become associated with love and romance. These messages were often short poems or letters.

Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day isn’t celebrated all over the world. It is most popular in the United States, Canada, and a few European countries.

Since Valentine’s greetings became mainstream in the 1700s, and Hallmark was founded in 1910, the holiday has become known for its bright pink and red hues, heart-shaped candies, and an overwhelming sense of gloom for all the singles of the world.

If you don’t have a Valentine this year, you aren’t alone! Treat yourself to a relaxing bath or buy yourself a box of candy. Better yet, make your own Red Velvet Truffles!-Caroline

Red Velvet Truffles recipe by Maggie:

ingredients

• one box of red velvet cake mix, prepared according to instructions

• cream cheese softened (8oz)

• white chocolate chips (16oz)

• topping of choice

instructions

• prepare cake mix according to instructions

• in a bowl, crumble the red velvet cake mix

• mix in cream cheese until smooth

• roll into 1-2 tbsp. balls and chill

• melt the white chocolate

• roll balls in the chocolate and coat evenly.

• decorate (optional)

When I was only 13 years old, I saw a clip from a 1950 movie called West Point Story starring Gordon MacRae and Doris Day. The part I saw featured a song called “By the Kissing Rock,” which was about the legend of a rock found on a path called “Flirtation Walk” that if couples traveled to, they would be sure to fall in love.

Here is the scene: https://youtu.be/vgu2S0acgqo

I found the number so cute and captivating, and started to wonder if there were perhaps any stories or places such as the kissing rock in my own town. On a field trip to the Smith Harris House, now known as Brookside Farm, I saw a large rock in the backyard and wondered if that could be our town’s kissing rock, with some tall tale behind it. Unfortunately, there were not any stories associated with that rock...that we know of, anyway!

It would be years before I found out about an actual spot in town that matched the “By the Kissing Rock” number I had watched as a girl. Now that I have a platform to share this story on, and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it seems like the perfect time to talk about it!

I was enjoying some time in the nature that our town has worked so hard to preserve at Oswegatchie Hills Nature Preserve next to the Veterans Memorial Field ballpark. As I walked over the bridge onto the trails, I noticed a beautiful view of Clark Pond, with a sole rock peeking out at the middle of the pond. I looked down to see a sign on the bridge that told the story:

“Many years ago the pond became a popular ice skating attraction, and the lights from the ball field were turned toward it in the winter for night skating. Notice the rock mid-pond — this was called ‘Engagement Rock.’ The local folklore is that it became a popular spot for couples to become engaged while skating.”

Here are some photos I took of the rock and sign:

I was so fascinated, yet it wasn’t until recently when I talked to Town Historian Mrs. Elizabeth Kuchta about the history of wintertime activities that I learned about our town’s past in ice skating, in the ice-cutting business, and more about Engagement Rock, also called Lover’s Rock. It was indeed a prime proposal spot, and just like the song, couples used to stop to kiss at the rock.

Here is a reimagining of the spot as it may have looked years ago, drawn by Natalie!

The connection between the history I had seen in a movie and the story I saw before my own eyes in my very own town truly deepened my love for local history and stories in general.

Love is truly all around us. On a walk in McCooks Park, I noticed the hearts carved into trees with couples’ initials in the center of them. I thought about how each heart carried a story of its own.

Here is a photo I took:

This Valentine’s Day, I am thinking about my love for listening to other people’s stories and sharing them, and my love for those who work with me to help do so, such as my friends who write these articles with me, and my family, teachers, and community who read them!

I hope that everyone has a Happy Valentine’s Day and remembers that you can write your own traditions and stories, just like the kissing rock. -Nicole

Works Cited

History.com Editors. “History of Valentine's Day.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 22 Dec. 2009, www.history.com/topics/valentines-day/history-of-valentines-day-2.

Cover picture credit: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/adorable-baby-deer-blue-bow-hearts-1851826562