Rolling out the red carpet

By Ken Buehler

When important people go to important places they roll out the red carpet. Think Oscars… Flash….movie stars…..Flash….paparazzi….Flash….

Neighbor to Neighbor Thrift Store

Two Harbors Christian Ministerial Association

• CLOTHING

• HOUSEHOLD GOODS

• FURNITURE

• SPORTS • ANTIQUES

• COLLECTIBLES

Monday, 10am-4pm: Receiving

Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday 10am-5pm: Shopping

Thursday, 10am-5pm Shopping & Receiving

Saturday - 10am-4pm: Shopping

508 7th Street | Two Harbors, MN 5566 Store: 218-834-2972 www.n2nthrift@gmail.com • www.facebook.com/ NeighbortoNeighborThriftStore celebrities….Flash.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has the most famous, signature red carpet. They adopted it on April 17, 1961, rolled out in front of the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium in California. Bob Texaco Hope was the Master of Ceremonies at the Oscars that year. “The Apartment” won Best Picture and it was the last black and white movie to win until “Schindler’s List” in 1993.

The Academy got the new entryway idea from another famous red carpet that started in 1902. The place was New York City’s Grand Central Station. A huge labyrinth of tunnels, platforms and tracks made it difficult to stand out and for passengers to find their way to the right train. That was a problem the New York Central Railroad wanted to solve for the kind of premium passen- gers they wanted to ride their new flagship train the 20th Century Limited.

The 20th Century Limited was an all first class, overnight express train between New York and Chicago. It made a few stops, scooped up water from pans between the rails to save time and catered to upper class celebrities and business travelers.

To make sure these express passengers had a way to find their train and know they were special, the New York Central was the first to roll out the red carpet. This special crimson walkway led right down the platform from the waiting area to the open vestibules in what became known as Red Carpet Treatment.

And once again, if you work it hard enough….it all comes back to the Railroad.