This image is a recreational lake, common throughout the eastern and central United States. While the lake is not identified specifically, it would appear to be associated with summer homes and cabins that were prevalent around such lakes, as indicated by the simple boat launches spaced regularly around the lake shore.
The description states:
Greetings from Indian River, Michigan
G-245
A quiet spot in the land of enchantment for resting or fishing.
Vacationland Scene
—Indian River, Michigan is located at the northernmost end of the lower peninsula of Michigan, and is adjacent to Burt and Mullet Lakes, of which this is likely one or the other. The card is dated 1959.
Tag: 1950s
Paul Bunyan and Babe, the Blue Ox, Ossineke, MI
This is the second of two photos of the same scene, this one in landscape format, showing the legendary Paul Bunyan and his companion, Babe the Blue Ox. Here they are situated on a hill overlooking a nearby highway. They have since been moved to a town park and restored.
The description states:
MICHIGAN’S PAUL BUNYAN LOOKOUT on U.S. 23. Of steel and concrete construction. Paul – 25.5 ft. weighs 11.5 ton. Babe – 10.5 ft. weighs 4.5 ton.
–This photo is very similar to the previous one, and the shadows on the fave of Babe are in the exact locations, indicating that the photos were taken only a few seconds apart. However, they are not the same and simply reformatted, as the position of the tree branch behind Paul’s head is different in each photo.
Paul Bunyan and Babe the Blue Ox, Ossineke, Michigan
This is the first of two postcards depicting the legendary Paul Bunyan and his companion Babe, the Blue Ox. This particular statue pair is located in Ossineke, MI, near the old US Highway 23. Originally, Babe was constructed alone in 1938, without any legendary attribution, as a white bull overlooking the town as a symbol of good luck. In 1950 a new owner of the property painted the statue blue, and in 1953 added the Paul Bunyan statue. In 2006, the statues were moved from the hill to a town park and restored a year later.
The description states:
MICHIGAN’S PAUL BUNYAN LOOKOUT on U.S. 23. Of steel and concrete construction, Paul – 25.5 ft. weighs 11.5 ton. Babe – 10.5 ft. weighs 4.5 ton.
–The hillside location is obvious from the view and the presence of the highway in the lower right. This postcard is dated 1957.
One Room Schoolhouse, Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
This is a very typical example of a slightly modernized one room schoolhouse. In it, children of any school age would attend classes while a single teacher provided lessons for each of the different ability levels. Older children often helped the younger ones with their lessons. In cold weather the best seats were closest to the wood stove in the center of the room, a convenience that indicates a later upgrade.
The description states:
ONE-ROOM COUNTRY SCHOOL
With desks, books and records intact. Even the dinner pails are lined up in the hall. This is one of 20 buildings around the circle at Harold Warp’s Pioneer Village, Minden, Nebraska, housing 20,000 items, showing America’s progress since 1830. On U. S. 6 and just 14 miles south of U. S. 30 near Kearney, Nebraska.
–More recently, the furniture would more closely resemble the desks just in front of the stove, which gave students a place to put their books and work on their assignments. The benches nearest the window show how a writing surface was attached to the back of the bench to provide workspace for the children in the next row.
This card dates from the 1950s.
Church Interior, Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
Shown is the interior of the church shown a few days ago from the outside. Of note is the black wall panel with numbers to the right of the altar. This was a song board, and the numbers indicated the number of the songs to be sung during the service, according to the numbering system in the hymnal provided to the churchgoers.
The description states:
THE OLD LUTHERAN CHURCH
Interior of the first church built in Minden, Nebr., where the homesteaders and pioneers worshipped until 1950, when it was purchased by Harold Warp and moved to its present location.
–The sign in the foreground is not authentic, just a reminder to visitors to respect the function of the building as a church. This card dates from the 1950s.
Barber Shop, Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
Shown here are examples of early barber chairs and other acoutrements of barber shops on the frontier.
The description states:
BARBER SHOP OF BYGONE DAYS
On the back door of the old Barrber Shop is a sign that reads, “Shave 10¢ — Haircut Two Bits — Bath 25¢.” The chair in the foreground is an old rorckter type of a century ago. The reed and white striped pole indicated that the barber pulled teeth and bled people as well as cut their hair. The more modern chair in the rear is a hydraulic model, first made in 1890. This is one of the 14 Craft Shops in the Pioneer Village.
–This card is contemporaneous with others in this series that date from the 1950s.
1830 era kitchen, Pioneer Village, Minden, Nebraska
This kitchen shows the most primitive, hand made items that would have appeared in a frontier kitchen in the 1830s.
The description states:
ONE OF FIVE PERIOD KITCHENS
This is the kitchen of 1830 in the Pioneer Village. Displays of kitchens of 1860, 1890, 1910 and 1930 where each item was replaced by an improved model, as man’s ingenuity and ambitions progressed with time.
— This card is contemporaneous with others that date from the 1950s.
1910 Kitchen Scene, Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
Another view of the extraordinary range and number of items in the museum exhibits, this is a turn of the 20th century scene, although a bit more cluttered than was likely for pioneers on the frontier.
The description states:
THE KITCHEN OF 1910
The stove, with reservoir and warming closet, has by now replace the crude fireplace of 1830, the sewing machine has replaced the spinning wheel, the graphophone has replaced the zither, and the Aladdin Lamp has replaced the crude grease lamp of less than a century before. Man’s progress from 1830 to 1950 is truly amazing when we see how our forefathers lived.
— And foremothers, judging by the mannequin chosen to occupy the room. The description directly indicates this card dates from the 1950s.
Indian Fort Interior, Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
Here is an excellent example of the various kinds and amounts of artifacts collected for the Pioneer Village exhibits. This is the kitchen area of the small building located within the palisade walls of the fort.
The description states:
INTERIOR VIEW OF ELM CREEK INDIAN FORT KITCHEN
Built in 1869
Moved from Cowles, Nebraska
30,000 items in 22 buildings on 3 city blocks, showing man’s progress over the past 120 years. 132 Miles west of Lincoln, Nebr., on U. S. 6.
— Since this museum states the starting dates for the earliest exhibits is 1830, the 120 years past mentioned above places this postcard in the 1950s.
Indian Fort, Pioneer Village, Minden Nebraska
This building was originally in another town and was moved here for exhibition. By Indian Fort it means a fort for defense against Indians, not a fort by Indians.
The description states:
THE ELM CREEK INDIAN FORT
Built in 1869
Moved from Cowles, Nebraska
30,000 items in 22 buildings on 3 city blocks, showing man’s progress over the post 120 years. 132 Miles west of Lincoln, Nebr., on U. S. 6.
— Since this museum states the starting dates for the earliest exhibits is 1830, the 120 years past mentioned above places this postcard in the 1950s.