The week begins with an aerial overview of the city of Grand Rapids, MI.
The description states:
HEART OF THE CITY – Typical of Grand Rapids’ progressive nature is the network of super highways linking the city center to surrounding suburbs and other Michigan cities. Projects such as this and the impressive Vandenberg Center are characteristic of the growth which has made it one of America’s leading cities.
–Since these optimistic words were printed, Grand Rapids has seen a significant decline from de-industrialization and plant closings beginning in the late 1970s. This card, one of several from the same series, dates from the late 1960s.
Tag: 1960s
The Christus, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, UT
With the last zoom in, this time into the North Visitor’s Center, the image features the Christus statue.
This is not an original, but a copy based on a work by a Danish sculptor, as indicated in the description:
THE CHRISTUS by Berthold Thorvaldsen, TEMPLE SQUARE VISITOR CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. This impressive statue is located in the rotunda of the Visitor Center on Temple Square.
The postcard dates from the 1960s.
Visitor Center, Salt Lake City, UT
Zooming along a bit further than yesterday, and just beyond the domed Tabernacle, is the Temple Square North Visitor Center.
The description states:
TEMPLE SQUARE VISITOR CENTER, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. Recently opened to the public, this beautiful facility was built especially to accommodate the many visitors to Temple Square. In it are found interesting and educational paintings, statuary, dioramas and exhibits.
As the card states, the building was recently completed when the card photo was taken, and the building is recorded as opening to the public in October, 1967.
Tabernacle Choir and Organ, Salt Lake City, UT
Zooming inside the Tabernacle seen in the previous post, this card shows the classic photo of the assembled choir and the magnificent organ.
The description states:
INTERIOR OF “MORMON” TABERNACLE, TEMPLE SQUARE, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. The world-famous Tabernacle on historic Temple Square with a seating capacity of 8,000 and housing one of the finest pipe organs in the world, was completed by the “Mormon” pioneers in 1867. Noted for its unique architecture and its exceptional acoustical qualities, it is used as a house of worship and for the presentation of cultural concerts and nationwide radio broadcasts.
Quotes are in the original. Another card in this collection dates this photo to the mid-1960s.
Salt Lake City, UT
Today begins a five day zoom into Salt Lake City and the Mormon church headquarters there. First is an aerial overview of the city core, with the three spired temple and the domed Tabernacle clearly visible in the lower center.
This card was trimmed at the bottom to allow insertion into an album, so both the bottom of the image is missing as well as a line of description from the back, which states:
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. Nestled at the base of the snow-capped Wasatch Range, Salt Lake City is a thriving commercial and travel center. Here also are located the headquarters of the “Mormon” church as well as its famous Temple Square.
Even though the publisher of this card series uses the obsolete zone code in their address, shown above, another card in this series dates this photo as from the mid-1960s.
Polk Motel, Columbia TN
You see below a photo of the James K. Polk Hotel in Columbia, Tennessee. It still exists in the same location, and a search on Google maps in street view shows the buildings are almost the same as well.
The description on the back is quite detailed and specific:
James K. Polk Motel, Columbia, Tenn. Highway No. 31
For Reservations Phone EV8-4913
50 Units, Tile Bath and Showers, Simmons Furniture, Electric Heat, Air Conditioned, Beautyrest Mattress, Restaurant, T.V. and Telephones, Swimming Pool
–Perhaps most notable of all is the listing, in a small circle on the back next to the name, of a Putt-Putt Golf Course, a rare exception for modest motels such as this.
The design of the vehicles in the picture indicates this photo is from the early 1960’s
Dickinson County Memorial Hospital, Spirit Lake, IA
This is an unusual subject for a postcard. It is an aerial photo of the local hospital in Spirit Lake, IA. It is in my possession because it was the hospital where my great-uncle C A Jacokes was taken after his severe stroke. The blue arrow on the building roof was added by his sister who indicated the room he was staying in at the time. The facility is now part of Lakes Regional Healthcare.
My uncle had just retired from his position as professor of Mathematics at North Park College in Chigago, and went to Iowa to visit a friend’s family when the stroke felled him. He lost total control of the right side of his body, and though he was quite assiduous about rehabilitation, he never regained meaningful control over the right arm or leg again, and was confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
The description on the card states:
DICKINSON COUNTY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL
Made possible by the generosity of citizens and friends of Dickinson County, this hospital is one of the most ultra-modern in the Middle West. It is the only hospital in a wide area equipped with Nuclear Medicine and Deep X-Ray Departments and its excellence attracts surgeons and specialists of the highest calibre. It represents an investment of more than $1,100,000.00 and has a capacity of 50 beds and 12 bassinets. It was dedicated June 7 and opened to the public June 15, 1959, at SPIRIT LAKE, IOWA 51360. Phone: 712-336-1230
The photo is dated 1969.
Glass House Restaurant, Oklahoma Turnpike
This is a nighttime photo of the restaurant built over the Will Rogers Turnpike at Vinita, OK. While this structure still exists, it changed ownership and names over the years, and was most recently a MacDonald’s. As of this writing, it is closed for renovation and is expected to reopen in 2014.
The description reads;
Spectacular Night View of the Glass House Restaurant Broiler Room on the Will Rogers Turnpike at Vinita, Oklahoma.
This photo dates from the early 1960s. The postcard was used and postmarked August 1964.
Jasper Samples, Michigan
A little different kind of postcard this time: a selection of mineral rocks from the Michigan area. These are Jasper stones, common in many areas of the world.
The description on the back of the card reads:
JASPER
The varieties of quartz classified as “Jasper” are generally opaque or only translucent. There are about 70 varieties. Jasper may be red, yellow, brown, green, bluish or black. Favored by the ancient Orientals for carving. Found in both peninsulas of Michigan.
–This card is dated 1962, and was likely purchased in Mackinaw City, Michigan.
Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona, Arizona
Pictured is a winter scene of the picturesque mountains and landscape of Oak Creek Canyon in Arizona.
The description on the back states:
Winter’s blanket of white contrasts with the Red Cliffs of Oak Creek Canyon.
This postcard was mailed, and the postmark is 7 June 1965. I sent it as a child to my great-aunt Dorcas Jacokes just after our family visited the Petrified Forest, Arizona on our way to California that summer.