Nostalgia

Ah nostalgia.  Do we all long for a simpler time and see that time as so much better than what we have now? The original photograph for this card was probably taken around 1910, give or take a year or two in either direction.  But it was mailed in 1940.  Did the lady who mailed it think about a looming world war and say to herself, "If only we could all go back,"  conveniently forgetting that World War 1 was just a few years in the future when this image was taken?  It's human nature to remember better times that never where.

Postmarked, "CANANDAIGUA N.Y. JUN 17 12:30 PM 1940"  Sent to "Miss L. Smith, 341 Maple Ave., Oradell, New Jersey"  And the message, "Greetings to all the Chapter and congratulations to the new sister.  Hope we have many more.  Alana T. Wallis"   I would guess that the chapter was a college sorority, but I suppose it could also be some sort of club.

Canandaigua is a bit confusing because there is both a Canandaigua city and a Canandaigua town,  they border each other, and each is on Canandaigua Lake.  Now if the city was big while the town was small, it might make some sense, but they're both about the same size.  I wonder if the urbanites look down on the townies?  Famous Canandaiguans include painter Arthur Dove and comedian Kristen Wiig.

At Home and On Occupation

There's a famous story.  Douglas MacArthur,  newly appointed military governor of Japan, arrives at his post, sees the devastation and sends a telegram to President Harry Truman:  "Send food or send guns."

As we've found in the last decade, winning the war is one thing, winning the peace another.  After World War 2,  the United States, Great Britain, and France took an enlightened approach to winning the peace.  First, there was the deNazification program.  While the out right war criminals and major government figures found themselves in the dock, we decided that the minor officials, cultural figures, teachers, and members of the working classes, no matter how enthusiastic they were in their party activities, were dupes, and were allowed to go on with their lives.  And then there was the Marshall Plan, America's commitment to rebuild Europe, no matter the cost.  Any threat of a resistance movement ended, and our post war occupation went smoothly.

The occupation of Germany began right after the war.  Germany was originally divided into four zones of occupation.  The Soviet, British, French and American zones of occupation.  In 1947, the British and American zones were merged, quickly followed by a merger with the French zone.  In 1949, the first post war German government was formed, and the military governors were replaced with a Civilian High Commissioner.  Technically, the Commissioner had governance powers and could over rule the new German parliament, but, by and large, the Germans were allowed to run their own affairs.  On May 5, 1955, the occupation of Germany officially ended.  There are still American military bases in Germany.  

The first four pictures in the column are not labeled in any way, but appear to show our subject through his military training.  The fifth photograph is labeled, "Camp Kilmer, N. J. April 1951."  Camp Kilmer, named for the poet killed in World War 1, was never used as a training camp, but as a mustering point for troops being shipped from the port of New York to Europe.  It opened in June 1942, and closed in the 1990s.  Note that our subject is standing by a car with a Tennessee license plate. Could be coincidence, or could be his home state. The next picture, "Tompkins Barracks, April 1952, Swetzingen, Germany."  This is a misspelling.  Tompkins barracks is outside the town of Schwetzingen, and is scheduled to close in 2015.  The color photo is labeled, Fike Park in Wiesbaden, Germany."  It's also stamped, "THIS IS A KODACOLOR PRINT MADE BY EASTMAN KODAK COMPANY T.M. REGIS. U. S. PAT. OFF. Week of June 2, 1952."  Was their a photo lab on base for the troops?  Too, I think Fike Park might be mislabeled.  I've run a search for public parks in Wiesbaden, and nothing by that name came up.  And the last picture, "Wurzburg-Germany  Bahnhof-train station.  July 3, 1952."  I  wish there were some people's names listed. It's nice to have place names and dates, but being able to identify a person by name is always special.

I wonder what was going through the mind of this soldier.  Was he living the great adventure of his life, using his leave time to explore Europe?  Did he take trips to Paris, the Alps, Berlin, Basel, Switzerland?  (Go back  one post to see a ticket stub from the tramways of Basel sold to American service men on leave.)  Did he learn German or French? Or did he stay close to base, home sick, just putting in time until the end of his service, and a ship's berth back home?  I hope he saw it as an adventure and not a duty to be endured.

The American zone of occupation included Bavaria, Bremen, Hesse, and Wurtemberg-Baden.

Ira R. Crouse Lumber Company

Before Home Depot, before Lowe's, hardware stores and lumber yards were locally owned. Support small, locally owned businesses.

My Little Sweetheart-The Baker Family 12

This is it. The last of the loose Baker family photo album pages. It's also my favorite of the lot as well as the one that suggests the most questions. I'm still wondering whether or not the Brighton referenced is the one in New York or the one in England. If Brighton, New York was near Passaic, New Jersey, I'd go with New York, but it's a suburb of Rochester near Lake Ontario. And Passaic is in land, not on the ocean, so the beach photo has to be mislabeled. Where are they rowing? And is my little sweetheart a little boy or a little girl? Click on Baker family in the labels section to bring up the whole lot.

The German American Collection, Althea Hope Risebake

Written on the back of the school photo in a childish hand, "Althea Hope Risebake" Stamped, "SCHOOL PROJECTS PHOTO CO. 309 MAIN ST. ORANGE, N.J. Tel. OR. 5-5286 Res. OR. 5-5622."

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The problem I'm having with the German American collection (Click on German American in the labels section to get more information and more images.) is that it's so broken up it's almost impossible to build a real narrative of this family. What I do know is that a German family immigrated to the United States and made a life in New York and New Jersey. These two pieces both have education as a theme, but they don't come from the same time or place. Was the District Number 13 souvenir tag from the Andes, New York School District given to the child of a German immigrant, and a parent of Althea Hope Risebake, or was it given to someone born and raised in the U.S. who would eventually marry into that immigrant family? Was Althea born in Germany, struggling to learn English along with her math and geography, while her American born class mates made fun of her accent? Of course, when this picture was taken, an accent may have been common in this school. While it's frustrating not to know, it also allows for a freedom of speculation that makes collecting old photos endlessly fascinating. .

Saturday, July 24, 1909 7:45 P.M. Newark, New Jersey

I'd love to know the history of this card. Was it a standard, mass produced card sold to the motoring crowd, or did the motorist send off a photo of himself and family in their new car for a customized job? Was it a promotional piece given to new car buyers? Perhaps it was made for early road rallies that automobile manufacturers sponsored to build up interest for the industry. After all, in 1909, cars still weren't thought of as a sure fire replacement for the horse. Newark, N.J. is written in with pen. Did this motorist save this card to mailed at his final destination, or did he have a stack of them, mailed from every small town and city along the way? Written along the top margin of the card, "I hope you had a fine time in Gunnison." On the bottom margin, "Regards from the folks," and a name, "Will" and a last name I can't make out. Addressed to "Mrs. Coner Kinford, 921 Acoma St., Denver, Colorado." In 1909, most of the roads between Denver and New Jersey would have been dirt, and every rain drop, rut, and unsigned road junction would have slowed down Will and his automobile. It might have taken him a week to get to Newark, it might have taken him a month, or maybe even longer. Today, a driver on the interstate, willing to put in long days and pushing the speed limit can make it in two days.

Atlantic City, 1947

I always love it when things are dated. It not only places the print in context, but it gives a reference for dating other photos. Written on the back, "Julia in Atlantic City, N.J., 1947" Even with out the labeling, the movie marquee in the background would have dated this image. Johnny O'Clock was directed by Robert Rosen, film noir about a gambler, starring Dick Powell, Evelyn Keyes, Lee J. Cobb, and Nina Foch was released in 1947.