The Epworth League Album 37, The End

Another low level, staring off into space, precursor of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, photo. Not the image I would have chosen to end this album, but appropriate, nevertheless. There is no excuse now. Time to click on Epworth League in the labels section to view the entire collection, in order.

The Epworth League Album 36. The Mysterious Arrowhead

Won't someone tell me where this arrowhead was located.

The Epworth League Album 33, The Final Push

It's time to finish up the Epworth League photo album. I'm not quite sure how I'm going to break down the last few pages, but it won't be more than four more posts, maybe three. I just don't know yet. Hey, does anyone out there recognize the train station in the first photo? It's killing me because I'm certain I've seen a similar photo of an old station, located somewhere in southern California. Why didn't the owner of this album use captions?

The Epworth League Album 29, A Very Different L.A.

Hard to believe, but that beautiful rural land behind these four people is now covered in houses, schools and shopping centers. I recognize the ridge line as the San Gabriel Mountains, and while I can't be sure of the exact location, I'm pretty sure that the camera is pointed west, looking down the length of the San Gabriel Valley. That would mean Pasadena, Santa Anita and beyond. They look very confident in the future, don't they?

The Epworth League Album 15, Contrasts

In the novel Mildred Peirce by James M. Cain, much is made of the differences between Pasadena and Glendale, California. Pasadena is the city of old money and social position. Glendale is the city of a nascent middle class and social ambition. I do a lot of cycling in the L.A. area and I've ridden by the intersection shown in the first picture and while I'm not sure, I think it's in San Marino, a wealthy city on the southern edge of Pasadena. Some of the other photos show the type of house that was built for the new residents moving to southern California. Quickly built, smallish and moderately priced, just the type of home that once could be found lining every street in Glendale.

The Rose Parade, January 1, 1926 Part 5

The fifth and final part, and the only one with a picture of the big game. Known as the "game that changed the south" that ushered in the "age of Dixie." Underdog Alabama, 9-0, was the second choice to face the mighty Washington Huskies. Led by star running back, George Wilson, the Huskies ran up 300 yards of total offence when he was on the field. After he left the game with an injury, Washington was limited to 17 yards of offence. Trailing 12-0, Alabama half back, Johnny Mack Brown led Alabama to 20 points in the third quarter. Final score, Alabama 20, Huskies 19. The Crimson Tide was awarded it's first national championship. It was also the first Rose Bowl to be broadcast on radio. While he was in southern California, Johnny Mack Brown signed a contract with MGM. He would appear in "Our Dancing Daughters" the movie that made Joan Crawford a star, and "A Woman of Affairs" with Greta Garbo. Sound was not good to Brown, and he ended up as the star of a series of B westerns.

The Rose Parade, January 1, 1926 Part 4

This is part 4 of 5. This grouping has my second date clue. The photograph with the marching band wearing fezzes, there is another movie theater marquee. This time, Old Clothes, with Jackie Coogan, released November 9, 1925. And, on the guys in the fezzes...are they Shriners?

The Rose Parade, January 1, 1926 Part 3

This is part three of five. Just for a bit of variety, I'm going to be putting up some other things for a bit, but check back, because the last two parts should be up by the middle of next week. Stamped on the back of each photo in the set, "NEW PHONE VErmont 4184 AEROGRAPH CO. 1763-5 W. Vernon Ave. LOS ANGELES,-CALIF. No_Price_ Mail Orders Receive Prompt Attention." All of the photos had a punched border, and were bound in a plain card folder. I suspect this might have been a salesman's sample book, marketing to people involved in the parade. Note the Angelus Temple banner. The Angelus Temple was the church founded by sister Aimee Semple McPherson, one of the first major radio evangelists in the United States. She had a national, rather than just a local following.

The Rose Parade, January 1, 1926 Part 2

This is part two of five. I often date old photos by comparing things like cars, clothing, and hair styles with other pictures that have written dates. This collection was easy to date. Look at the photo with the theater marquee. I needed a magnifying glass to make it out, but the front of the theater advertises "The Live Wire" with Johnny Hines. The live wire was released on September 20, 1925. The theater is the Bard's Egyptian, which opened in 1925. Pasadena's Colorado Blvd., the route of the Rose Parade still has many building from the era. Note the marchers with the Pasadena Humane Society banner.

The Rose Parade, January 1, 1926 Part 1

This is the first part of five, showing images from the January 1, 1926 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California. The Rose Parade was first held in 1890. It's original sponsor was Pasadena's Valley Hunt Club. The membership was heavy on cold whether refugees from the east and mid-west, and they wanted to show off their homes and the mild winters of southern California.