Many a romance blossomed on historic Mount Helena where generations of Helena residents hiked, picnicked, and enjoyed the views. The engagement of Essie Morris and Moz Silverman was one of those rare, spur-of-the-moment events that capture our imaginations even today. It was the summer of 1903 and a group of six young people had climbed to Mount Helena’s summit for the novelty and adventure of it all. The young ladies promised their mothers that the young men would build a bonfire when they reached the top to signal their successful climb. As the etiquette dictated, Essie’s proper outfit for this outdoor excursion included a large picture hat. Essie was always fastidious about her hats, and this one was especially large and one of her favorites. The young men made the bonfire as they had promised, and Essie took off her hat and tossed it aside. A few moments later she realized that the hat had landed in the fire. Her beautiful hat was a charred ruin. But Moz seized the moment to turn catastrophe into a proposal. He said, “Miss Essie, I’d like nothing better than the privilege of buying your hats for the rest of your life.” Essie said yes, and the local paper announced the engagement. The reporter summed it up, “Thus another romance,” he wrote, “is added to the long list for which Mount Helena is responsible.”
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| Essie Morris, wearing one of her fabulous hats. Photo courtesy Sydney Silverman Lindauer. |
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