Tag Archives: 1940s

Washington Street, Indianapolis, Indiana

This is a color illustration of one of the main streets in Indianapolis, Indiana. This earlier image shows the same building fourth down from the left, indicating this is the corner of Washington and Illinois Street.

Craft Greeting Card Co., Indianapolis, Ind.


There is no description on the back of the card. This is likely taken from a black and white photo, retouched and colored, rather than from a completely hand-drawn image.
This card was used and is dated 8 August 1951, but the image likely dates from the 1940s.

Highway 66, Central Ozarks, Missouri

This image shows a portion of the legendary U.S. Highway 66 as it passes through a cut in the hills of the central Ozark Mountains in Missouri.
This photo post card has no description on the back.
The picture calls out the large cut in the hill for the highway to pass through on a consistent level, but also notes that this is a four lane section of the highway, which was rare at the time. Much of U.S. Highway 66 was two lanes for a considerably longer period, particularly in the remote areas of the west. When the U.S. Highway system was supplanted with the Interstate System, the four lane sections of 66 were often reused, while the two lane sections were either enlarged, as happened here, or abandoned for better roadbed and routes.
This image likely dates from the 1940s.

Appian Arch, Stark Caverns, Eldon, Missouri

This image shows a tourist path through Stark Caverns, featuring the narrowed ceiling described as the Appian Arch. Presumably this is in reference to Roman arches along the Appian Way, an ancient Roman road.
There is no description on the back of this photo card. The woman in back is a common feature intended to give a sense of scale to an otherwise difficult to interpret scene. The path is obviously prepared and maintained for tourists.
This card likely dates from the 1940s.

Chandelier Lane, Stark Caverns, Eldon, Missouri

This is an image from a time before the recent postings, this time in black and white, of a sheet like formation in Stark Caverns near Eldon, Missouri.
There is no description on the back of this card, as it is a photograph printed in postcard form with address and note markings on the back.
The ‘chandelier’ is the large formation centered in the picture, a complex formation made of multiple flows of water over limestone.
This card likely dates from the 1940s.

Onyx Falls, Stark Caverns, Eldon, Missouri

This image shows the  large vertical formation known as Onyx Falls in Stark Caverns, Eldon Missouri. The green stone deposit in the background is an onyx deposition.

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


The description states:
ONXY FALLS AND GARDEN OF THE GODS
STARK CAVERNS, HIGHWAY 54
ELDON, MO.
A fine example of mother nature’s handiwork carved in stone. It’s rich. Gorgeous coloring in reds, grey and blues make it truly one of the definitely different type formations found in Stark Caverns. Garden of the Gods can then be seen beyond the falls and is trill a masterpiece created by nature.
–The ridge in the lower foreground is a containment for water which is flowing in this area. The level seems to have dropped some since this picture was taken, as indicated by this more recent photo.

Fountain of Youth, Stark Caverns, Eldon, Missouri

This image is an illustration based on a photograph of the cave formation known as the Fountain of Youth in Stark Caverns, Eldon, Missouri.

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


The description states:
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH, STARK CAVERNS
HIGHWAY 54 — ELDON, MISSOURI
One of the truly different type formations found in Stark Caverns. A fine example of water cutting through solid limestone depicting the effects of erosion — a marvel of mother nature. Thousands drink from this fountain each year.
–The attraction has been renamed Fantasy World Caverns. This feature was constructed from a flowing spring in the cave to create a large pool with a controlled outflow.
This image likely dates from the 1940s.

John Cobb and the Railton Mobil Special, Utah

This image shows John Cobb, the man who set the land speed record in the Railton Mobil Special.

Pub. by Geo. McLean Company, Box 7146, Murray 7, Utah 84107


The description states:
WENDOVER, UTAH
“Home of the Worlds Fastest Speedway”
John Cobb and race car, Railton Special set a worlds record Sept. 16th 1947. Two way overage 393.8 mi. per hr. on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Western Service, Motel and Cafe, Racing Headquarters, Wendover, Utah.
–The last line above indicates this card was produced for sale by the motel and cafe business. The car is correctly known as the Railton Mobil Special, as shown on the side of the car behind the driver. The Railton Special was an earlier version that set a previous speed record.
John Cobb died a few years later attempting to set the water speed record on Loch Ness.
This image likely dates from the 1940s.

Salt Mining, Great Salt Lake, Utah

This image shows the process of collecting salt from the salt beds of the Great Salt Lake and delivering it to rail cars for transport. The main effort appears closest to the car on the right, where the small trestle has been built. There is a deep cut in the salt bed next to a much higher ridge indicating ongoing excavation.

E.C. Kropp Co., Milwaukee, Wis.


The description states:
This Great Dead Sea, the largest in the world, is located 18 miles west of Salt Lake City; area, approximately 2140 square miles; length, 75 miles; width, 50 miles, average depth 13 feet; water 27% salt; thousands of tone of salt shipped annually. Here each season thousands enjoy bathing and floating, sinking being impossible in the heavy salt water. Like the Dead Sea in Palestine, it is fed by the Jordan River, has no outlet, and no marine life, except the Salt Shrimp.
–The description of the location of the Dead Sea as being in Palestine indicates this card pre-dates the 1948 establishment of the state of Israel in the British Mandate.

Mountain Highway Scene, Tennessee

This image is an artists recreation of a black and white photo, showing cars traveling along a highway in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Published by Standard Souvenirs and Novelties, Inc., Knoxville, Tenn.


There is no description on the back of this card.
The card shows automobiles characteristic of the 1940s in the United States, although the card was used and is dated 10 August 1951

Verticality Illusions, Curious Canyon, Santa Cruz, California

This image is better composed to highlight the illusion of differing angles of repose for both the standing and hanging subjects. The camera is held so that the image created makes the floor and door look level with the ground, but both the subjects indicate this is not accurate.
There is no description on the back of this card.
An examination of photos on the Mystery Spot website shows photos that are nearly identical to the ones shown here, confirming that the organization changed names but not locations over time.
This image likely dates from the 1940s.