From the monthly archives:

February 2010

Jammie Flies Again

February 28, 2010
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A double-exposure of John Reynolds in action, this time scaling a building as people watch from the street below. While Mr. Reynolds was known as “The Human Fly”, it should be said that he was but one of several daredevils that went by the name.

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The Human Fly

February 28, 2010
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John “Jammie” Reynolds, also known as The Human Fly. One of many daredevils performing death-defying stunts in the 1920s, I’ve been unable to find any biographical information about him.

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Montana Salvage Yard

February 28, 2010
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I’m sure you’ll agree that there’s nothing better than rootin’ around in a junk yard, and how great would it be if you could go back in time and check out this swell stuff? Photographed in October of 1942, this salvage yard was located in Butte, Montana. You can see more detail by clicking the [...]

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Whitt’s Motel

February 28, 2010
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Here we have Whitt’s Motel in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the postcard probably dating from the 1950s. The description on the back reads as follows:
WHITT’S MOTEL
Is a completely modern motel with sound-proofed rooms, steam heat, air conditioning, tile baths, easy chairs, reading lights, excellent beds and everything for your comfort.
East side of City on U.S. Hiway 66, [...]

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Luxury for Less

February 27, 2010
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Three interesting views of the Sun Valley Motel in Dallas, Texas, probably from the mid-1960s. I don’t know what I like more, the green curtains and wood paneling in the rooms, or the swell cars in the parking lot. (I think the station wagon is a Rambler!) On the back:
SUN VALLEY MOTEL
Hwy. 77 south 1 [...]

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Ranch Motel

February 27, 2010
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The Ranch Motel in San Antonio, Texas, shown here on a postcard from around 1960. Google’s “street view” reveals the motel to still exist today, right down to the elaborate sign and next-door kiddie playland. (I didn’t see the Oldsmobile) The back of the card reads:
RANCH MOTEL
3101 Broadway – U. S. Highway 81
San Antonio, Texas
Close [...]

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Arthur Burdett Frost

February 26, 2010
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A great pen and ink “Moonshiner and his Dog” cartoon by Arthur Burdett Frost. (1851-1928) Skilled at cartooning, lithography and painting, Frost studied under Thomas Eakins and William Merritt Chase at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. This cartoon dates from 1921.

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Shooting the Chutes

February 26, 2010
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Man, what a classic. This postcard, probably dating from the 1930’s, looks like it shows someone with ‘gators in their backyard pool! In fact, this was the Los Angeles Alligator Farm, located in the Lincoln Heights area of Los Angeles. Opened in 1907 at 3627 Mission Road, the popular attraction was conveniently located next door [...]

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Conklin’s Magical Mystery Tour

February 26, 2010
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Here’s another photo from 1915 showing Roland Ray Conklin’s amazing bus.

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R. R. Conklin’s Auto Bus

February 26, 2010
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In 1915 Roland Ray Conklin, president of the New York Motorbus Company, left Rosemary Farm on Long Island for the Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco. Accompanied by a party of twelve, they travelled in an elaborately outfitted bus, complete with a kitchen, beds, hot and cold water, well-stocked book shelves and a rooftop garden.

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“Beaver” Season 3 Announced

February 25, 2010
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I really didn’t expect this day to come, but it was announced yesterday that Shout! Factory will release Leave it to Beaver, Season Three on June 15, 2010. It’s been said that Shout! Factory will make season 3 a higher-quality product than were seasons 1 and 2 (released by Universal), and that more extras will [...]

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The Oriental Hotel

February 25, 2010
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Photographed in 1903, this is the Oriental Hotel, the most impressive of the three luxury hotels on Coney Island. Shortly after the turn of the century Coney Island began a transformation away from being a playground of the rich as more middle-class visitors began frequenting the area. The affluent patrons began to vacation elsewhere, [...]

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Chadbourne Street

February 25, 2010
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Another West Texas postcard, this one showing Chadbourne Street in San Angelo, a city described as “the ranch center of Texas”. Published by the San Antonio Card Co., it probably dates from the mid-1940s.

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Swing It, Brother, Swing It

February 25, 2010
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A marvelous, if delusional, 1940’s look at indian relations. This postcard, printed by Curt Teich, has this description on the back:
Equal to Maine, N. Y. and Penna. in area, the 1890 population of the 95 counties of West Texas multiplied ten times to 981,351 by 1930 and 1, 019,525 by 1940 – America’s last frontier [...]

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Buckhorn Curio Store

February 24, 2010
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This Curt Teich postcard dates from 1935 and features the Buckhorn Curio Shop in San Antonio, Texas. Originally the Buckhorn Saloon, today it has evolved into the Buckhorn Museum. There have been a slew of postcards representing this unusual place, and I’ll be posting more of them in the future. Let’s read the back of [...]

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Viva Montesa!

February 24, 2010
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The 1960s and ’70s were host to a growing interest in off-road motorcycling, from trail riding to motocross racing, and leading the way were a number of European manufacturers. Companies from Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia, England, Sweden and Spain gave character and international flavor to the sport at a time when the Japanese bikes were mediocre [...]

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Blimp Sighting

February 24, 2010
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Zillions (number is approximate) of comic postcards were produced in the 1940s and ’50s, few of which follow today’s guidelines for political correctness. Of course that doesn’t preclude a laugh or two. Published by MWM (Midwest Map Co.), the postcard was mailed in 1943. The illustrator signed this one, but their identity is unknown to [...]

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Galveston Beach

February 23, 2010
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“The West Beach area is popular for those who like to drive on the beach and park to fish, swim, sun, picnic or hunt seashells.” Beaches make swell parking lots, don’t they?

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