Monthly Archives: September 2013

John Bragg Home, Mobile, Alabama

This week features the Bellingrath Gardens and surroundings in Mobile, Alabama. The first image is of the John Bragg home, more commonly known now as the Bragg-Mitchell Mansion.

Color Photo by WM. W. Lavendar


The description on the back states:
HISTORIC BRAGG HOME, MOBILE ALABAMA
Framed by magnificent live oaks, carpets of green lawn, and bordered by colorful azaleas, this beautiful old home was often visited by the famous Confederate General Braxton Bragg and is a favorite tourist attraction. Located at 1906 Spring Hill Avenue.
The card was not used, but others in the series date from the 1960s.

Door County, Wisconsin

This folio features locations primarily associated with water in the Door County, Wisconsin area. This county is in the northeast corner of Wisconsin made up of a long, narrow peninsula extending into Lake Michigan.

All Images Curteich Color 3-D Natural Color Reproduction









These photos are a combination of candid photos and those, like the beach scene above, where the people in the foreground are clearly aware of the photographer, though not formally posed. Earlier in the collection, the photo at the cave looks almost like a family snapshot.
The images are readily dated from the legend on the front. This collection dates from the 1950s.
 

Night over Lake Michigan

The final card of the week is a colored photo of Lake Michigan from Mackinac Island, MI.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


It’s not clear what is happening on the lake, but the safe guess is that there is a small steamship in the middle distance. The card has several bits of damage, including the folded lower right corner, and some very subtle mechanical cancellation in the upper center.
While it is impossible to date the photo from the picture itself, the card was mailed and has a postmark of July, 1929.
 

Beach Scene, Manitowoc, WI

This is a fairly unusual composition for American postcards. While the image is common, what stands out is the attention paid to the photographer by the people in the near foreground. Rather than a candid photo with their faces turned away, they are posed for the photographer’s benefit.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


This card marked the last one before the journey proceeded to Green Bay. The beach is not otherwise identified, as there is no description on the back. The black markings across the upper half are the result of mechanical cancellation.
Both the bathing suits and the postmark identify this in time, and the date is June 1939.

Downtown Manitowoc, Wisconsin

This image shows an idealized view of a principal street in the town of Manitowoc, WI.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


There is no description on the back of this card. The black marks across the sky in the image were caused by mechanical cancellation. As the cars depicted would indicate, the date on the card is June 1939.

Sabin Lock, Soo Michigan

This image is of a steamship waiting to progress through the Soo Locks between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. This particular lock is currently unused pending replacement with a much larger lock once funding is secured.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


There is no additional description on the back of this card, but the steamship pictured here is named after James A. Farrell, the former president of the U.S. Steel Co.
The postcard was used and is dated June, 1939.

Michigan Logging Wheels, Traverse City, Michigan

This next card in the series is a historical relic even for the time this postcard was made. By the 1930’s horse-drawn logging was played out in the Traverse City area, but devices like this remained. This one was even demonstrated as shown in the photo.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


As with the others of this series, there is no description on the card back. The Michigan logging wheel operated by looping a chain under the logs, then winching them up enough to hang free of the ground, allowing the horse team to pull the load without dragging. Some versions would drag the trailing tip of the lower log, others would suspend the entire load with chains on the axle and the drawbar.
This card was used and is dated June 1939.

Beach at Traverse City, Michigan

This card the the first of five which were purchased and mailed during a family trip from Cadillac, MI to Green Bay, WI. This is a colored photo of folks enjoying a day at the beach in Traverse City, MI.

Genuine Curteich-Chicago “C.T. Art Colortone”


The swimwear fashions shown give a good indication of the era, but since the postcard was mailed, it can be conclusively dated at 1939.

Plimoth Plantation, Plymouth, Massachusetts

This folio shows some views of the historical site of the Pilgrim landing and settlement from the early 17th century. The spelling is correct as confirmed by the folio cover, since the spelling rules of that time were less well defined.

All Images: A Mike Roberts Color Production, Berkeley 2, Calif.





Performers re-enact several types of activity from the Pilgrim era on site for the visitor’s entertainment and education. As with many such recreations, only a best estimate of the activities and appearances are possible, and the more negative elements of these scenes are quietly overlooked.
The folio was used and is visibly postmarked 1966.

Telephone Equipment, Pioneer Village, Minden, Nebraska

Along with many other collections at the Pioneer Village is this display of early phone equipment for central offices, homes and businesses.

Curteich Color 3-D Natural Color Reproduction


The description states:
TELEPHONES & SWITCHBOARDS
First Bell to Latest Automatic
These are just a few of the 20,000 items, in 20 buildings, on 2 city blocks, showing man’s progress since 1830. 132 Miles West of Lincoln, Nebr., on U.S. 6.
— Considering how phone use has changed, with so many abandoning land-line phones for cellular, there may not be much more to add to this exhibit representing home phones.