Tag Archives: 1940s

Cumberland Falls, Kentucky

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This image features a colorized photo of Cumberland Falls, the most prominent feature of the larger Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.

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


The description states:
Glorious sunrises and colorful sunbows are common sights at Cumberland Falls, where on moonlit nights may also be seen the “moonbow,” an attraction shared only with Victoria Fall in Africa.
–This falls is sometimes compared to the larger and more famous Niagara Falls on the border of the United States and Canada. This postcard dates from the 1940s.

California Street Cable Car, San Francisco, CA

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This is an image of the California Street cable car as is climbs up from the intersection at Grant Street, notable for the building visible on the right with the pagoda like Chinese architecture.

Color by Mike Roberts, Berkeley, Calif. 94710


The description states:
SAN FRANCISCO CABLE CAR
Looking down California Street. San Francisco had its first cable car in 1873, replacing the horse car used in that period. Creator of the cable railway was Andrew Hallidie.
The cars visible in this picture date it to the 1940s.

Middle Isle Point, Marquette, Michigan

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This colored illustration features the extreme end of Middle Island Point, a promontory of land near Marquette, Michigan.

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


The description states:
Attracting tourists from near and far the unusual and beautiful blue waters of Lake Superior, ever temperamental to cloud and wind; colorful rocks – red, lavender, green and black; virgin forests and abundant fishing, boating, swimming and camping facilities that make this region a sportsman’s paradise.
–The Point is now private property, so access is sometimes limited. The island in the background is Partridge Island. This card likely dates to the 1940s.

Dolomite Bluffs near Fayette, Michigan

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The focus now continues across the harbor and bay to feature the distant rocky bluffs. These dolomite deposits are part of the larger Niagara Escarpment, which extends across much of northeastern North America along the U.S. and Canadian border.

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


There is no description on the back of the card. The formation illustrated here extends to eastern New York, and is most notable for being the same formation that the world famous Niagara Falls flows over.
This card likely dates to the 1940s.

Fayette, Michigan

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The image here shows the buildings and surroundings of the iron smelting complex that operated at Fayette, Michigan. The body of water in the foreground is Snail Shell Harbor, a protected cove on the northern side of Lake Michigan.

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


There is no description on the back of the card. The main smelter buildings are at the left. Beyond the town is Big Bay De Noc, which is connected to Lake Michigan.

Steven’s Motel, Mitchell, South Dakota

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This image features another typical motel of the first generation of such construction in the 1930s and 1940s. The Steven’s Motel was expanded considerably after original construction.

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


The description states:
Steven’s Motel
On State Hwy. No 37,
One Block South of Hwy. U.S. 16
Mitchell, S.D.
Twenty new, modern units with radiant baseboard heart. Large parking area away from heavy traffic. A.A.A. Recommended. Phone for reservations. 3104. Room Phones.
–This structure no longer exists, but the site appears to be still occupied by another motel, run by the Motel 6 national chain. The card likely dates to the 1940s.

Log Cabin Courts, Hot Springs, South Dakota

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This is an image of typical rustic style accommodations typical of the first generation of motel construction. Such buildings looked quite sharp and impressive when new, but tended to age poorly and deteriorated visibly in a short time, making maintenance an expensive obligation.

Tichnor Quality Views, Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, Mass.


There is no description on this card. The cabins still exist, and the Historic Log Cabin website indicates they are still available for rent and updated to modern standards.
This image likely dates from the 1940s.

Left Side Panel, Multipurpose Room, Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

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This is the panel directly opposite the main stage opening from the previous posting. It appears to represent a Native American chief offering a gift of corn to a settler.

Dan Grigg Enterprise, Co., Mitchell, So. Dak.


The description states:
THE WORLD’S ONLY CORN PALACE
MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA
One of the many panels on the inside of the world’s only Corn Palace. These panels are made from natural colored grains and grasses. The entire building is redecorated annually at a cost of $10,000. The annual festival is held the last week in September, but the building is open FREE the year around. It is one of the most outstanding exhibits of nature’s wonderful colors blended into interesting designs and pictures by local decorators.
–This panel is unusual in that it includes a corner section as part of the design, instead of being completely flat. The image likely dates to the 1940s.

Right Side Panel, Multipurpose Room, Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

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This image features the detail of the right side panel of the multipurpose room shown in the previous post. Careful examination of the full-sized image shows the numerous corn cobs used in the creation of the image.

Dan Grigg Enterprise, Co., Mitchell, So. Dak.


The description states:
THE WORLD’S ONLY CORN PALACE
MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA
One of the many panels on the inside of the worlds only Corn Palace. These panels are made from natural colored grains and grasses. The entire building is redecorated annually at a cost of $10,000. The annual festival is held the last week in September, but the building is open FRREE the year around. It is one of the most outstanding exhibits of nature’s wonderful colors blended into interesting designs and pictures by local decorators.
–This image appears to depict two hunters in search of their prey. The image likely dates to the 1940s.

Multipurpose Room, Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota

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This image is of a large hall constructed for many purposes. The floor is marked to be used as a basketball court, and one wall has an elevated stage for performances and presentations.

Dan Grigg Enterprise, Co., Mitchell, So. Dak.


The description states:
THE WORLD’S ONLY CORN PALACE
MITCHELL, SOUTH DAKOTA
This view is one of the stage that is housed in the world’s only Corn Palace. It is one of the largest stages in the Midwest. It is on this stage that the annual festival show is held. The big show is held the last week in September, but the building is open FREE the year around.
–The seating in front of the stage is clearly movable for shows where the focus is on the stage.
This image is likely from the 1940s.