Every year, Dennis and Morgan Webb put up a special nostalgic decoration in their home. This is an actual parachute that delivered a Christmas stocking filled with goodies when Dennis was a very young child. The tiny cap pistol in the stocking is the only piece of actual loot from the original drop. Dennis re-created this to remember the annual event from his early childhood.

Somewhere around 1952 the Southern Natural Gas Company put a natural gas pipeline through Effingham County. The project took several years as multiple pipes were installed and rights of way were purchased throughout the county. During 2009 we have all witnessed another gas line project securing right of ways and building another pipeline adjacent to the current lines of Southern Natural Gas.

Thanks to Debbie Neidlinger’s memory and brother Dennis Webb’s nostalgic Christmas re-creation of the “Gas Company Parachute” as a decoration, we can learn of the wonderful public relations event annually begun in the 1950s and ending by the early to mid 1960s.  

On the Saturday following Thanksgiving or shortly thereafter, the gas company dropped off a gift by parachute at each household along the gas line as a good will gesture. Each week the gas company sent a single engine plane to check the line from the air. On the chosen Saturday they would, in addition to checking the line, buzz the area, getting everyone outside for the parachute drop, one per household. They extended Christmas greetings from Santa over the PA system from the plane, according to Buzzie Morgan. Buzzie said they would circle around from one house to the other getting all the children outside and pick an open area to make the drop.  

A World War II actual surplus parachute, about two feet in diameter which Dennis believes was originally used for informational drops during the war, delivered a red mesh Christmas stocking bag filled with candy and small toys. Buzzie and sister Catherine Morgan had their parachute dropped in the open field beside their parents’, Ethel and Lester Morgan, home. Dennis still treasures the tiny cap pistol from his childhood. Dennis, his sister Debbie Neidlinger and Weitman cousins, Merry Robinson and Rene Conner, would be waiting at their grandparents’, Glenn and Mamie Morgan, house on Saturday to see the drop and share the bounty from the parachute.  

One time the gift lodged in a tree and Dennis’ uncle, Frederick Weitman, had to use a .22 rifle to shoot the parachute from the tree.
Wanda Morgan recalls that her brother Terrell Bragg kept one of the parachutes for many years that he got when they lived on Old Tusculum Road by the gas line. He had a small yellow metal toy car he played with from the Christmas gift. At this time children did not have so many Christmas gifts as they do today and the items received were very much appreciated.  

This is one of the things that Dennis remembers that made his early Christmases special. In later years the Gas Company switched over to fruit and calendars delivered by truck to those along the line and finally the deliveries were discontinued.  

Were you lucky enough to get a parachute with Christmas candy and small gifts from the gas company? The good will gesture was something that lots of those who lived along the Southern Natural Gas Line remember fondly even though this happened 50 plus years ago.  

Invitation
Historic Effingham Society invites you to participate in the 1st Olde Christmas Festival on Saturday.  The Effingham Museum and Gift Shop will be open from 3-6 p.m. We have a wonderful selection of Christmas ornaments depicting historical local buildings, historical books, cookbooks, calendars and many other items for any budget.

Beginning at 6 p.m. an “olde timey” Christmas program begins culminating in the lighting of a Christmas tree at 7 p.m. Refreshments will be available. From 7-9 p.m. there will be a street dance. Get in the Christmas spirit and join us for carols, ornament making for the kids and olde fashioned fun!

The photos were provided by Dennis Webb. Thanks to the Morgan descendants who helped with the story. This article was written by Susan Exley of Historic Effingham Society. If you have comments, photos or information to share contact her at 754-6681 or email: susanexley@historiceffinghamsociety.org