When the wind is right I can still smell " promise " land. And just what is that supposed to mean ? To those of you that grew up in my hometown you are all well aware of " promise " land. At least that is what it was called, not " promised " land but " promise" land. A slight distinction being made between the two. A distinction not lost on those that worked there. There are those that would debate that but my Dad worked there and he called it " promise " land. Everyone I knew called it " promise " land. Wikipedia will tell you it was called the " promised " land and a fictional story about it getting that moniker from the awful smell produced there, that stank " to the high heavens. " Well, maybe to those that don't have first hand knowledge of the whole deal, and it does make an interesting story, but I do not believe that to be the case. Oh, it stank alright, I wouldn't dispute that claim, but as to the name " promised land ", I beg to differ.
This is only my opinion and I can not offer any substantive proof. I believe that it may indeed have been referred to as promised land in the very beginning. Promise land referred to a fish processing factory located in Napeague. Napeague is an area of land located between Amagansett and Montauk on Long Island. Wikipedia calls it a hamlet, Lazy Point, but I never heard that before. Oh, I know where Lazy Point is alright and promised land ain't it, but whatever. Now this fish processing plant offered a secure employment opportunity to a population of mostly bay fisherman. An exciting prospect to those that depended upon tide and weather to earn a living. That was the promise, steady employment in an area that didn't offer much in the way of industry. Good paying wages too ! As I said my own father was employed there for a number of years, firing the giant boilers to produce the steam used in processing the " bunkers ". Bunker fish is what we called them, but there real name is a menhaden.
My Dad and the people that worked there always said, promise land. It is a more natural expression if you think about it. Where do you work ? Promise land. Saying the promised land is just awkward. And so, in my opinion, it is promise land.
As to that smell, it was awful. My home was a good twenty miles from that factory and if the wind was right you could smell it. That odor was a piece of everyday life back then. Dad smelled like that coming home. Other men smelled that way when you ran into them at the store or gas station. Anyone that smelled that smell could immediately identify its' source. It was a background odor in the air, mostly unnoticed, unless you were very close. The town became " nose blind " as they say in the commercials nowadays.
I do find it amusing when Wikipedia and other sources spew forth a series of " facts " that I believe to be incorrect. I find it amusing when some wish to write about things they have no direct knowledge of. A complete and thorough knowledge of the local dialect is imperative in these situations. I grew up there and spoke that language. It is promise land, always will be to me. That is a piece of my history, my heritage. And yes, when the wind is right I can still smell promise land. " I expect I always will.
This is only my opinion and I can not offer any substantive proof. I believe that it may indeed have been referred to as promised land in the very beginning. Promise land referred to a fish processing factory located in Napeague. Napeague is an area of land located between Amagansett and Montauk on Long Island. Wikipedia calls it a hamlet, Lazy Point, but I never heard that before. Oh, I know where Lazy Point is alright and promised land ain't it, but whatever. Now this fish processing plant offered a secure employment opportunity to a population of mostly bay fisherman. An exciting prospect to those that depended upon tide and weather to earn a living. That was the promise, steady employment in an area that didn't offer much in the way of industry. Good paying wages too ! As I said my own father was employed there for a number of years, firing the giant boilers to produce the steam used in processing the " bunkers ". Bunker fish is what we called them, but there real name is a menhaden.
My Dad and the people that worked there always said, promise land. It is a more natural expression if you think about it. Where do you work ? Promise land. Saying the promised land is just awkward. And so, in my opinion, it is promise land.
As to that smell, it was awful. My home was a good twenty miles from that factory and if the wind was right you could smell it. That odor was a piece of everyday life back then. Dad smelled like that coming home. Other men smelled that way when you ran into them at the store or gas station. Anyone that smelled that smell could immediately identify its' source. It was a background odor in the air, mostly unnoticed, unless you were very close. The town became " nose blind " as they say in the commercials nowadays.
I do find it amusing when Wikipedia and other sources spew forth a series of " facts " that I believe to be incorrect. I find it amusing when some wish to write about things they have no direct knowledge of. A complete and thorough knowledge of the local dialect is imperative in these situations. I grew up there and spoke that language. It is promise land, always will be to me. That is a piece of my history, my heritage. And yes, when the wind is right I can still smell promise land. " I expect I always will.
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