Tag Archives: California

Mission San Juan Bautista Kitchen

This image is of the original kitchen built at the founding of the Mission. The metal tools were used to remove pots from the oven and the fires, as the metal pots would be dangerously hot when used for cooking and often had no handles.

Hubert W. Lowman, Covina, Cal. 91722


The description states:
MISSION SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
Founded 1797 – San Juan Bautista, California
The Mission kitchen is the original, containing ancient cooking utensils, fire irons and the original bake oven. The walls feature built-in cupboards. Once completely plastered, now brick and adobe construction is in evidence.
–The presence of a ZIP code on the card indicates it is likely from the 1960s.

Mission San Juan Bautista Sanctuary Side

Further illustrating the exceptional width of the main chapel at Mission San Juan Bautista, this image shows one side aisle with its own altarpiece in the right  foreground, and another aisle altar in the left background, along with the main altar through the arch in the center. Most Mission sanctuaries are barely wide enough for one center walkway.

Hubert W. Lowman, Covina, Cal. 91722


The description states:
MISSION SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
Founded 1797, San Juan Bautista, California
Glimpse of a few of the historic art treasures in California’s largest old Mission church. Today 31 original paintings still adorn its walls and 7 wooden statues stand in its niches, all dating from about 1800. Above them, floating beams 40 feet long support the ceiling; in the tile floor beneath, wild animal tracks can still be seen.
–This card likely dates from the 1950s.

Mission San Juan Bautista Altar

This image shows the extraordinary width of the chapel at San Juan Bautista as well as the monumental altar structure and painted arches.

Hubert W. Lowman, Covina, Cal. 91722


The description states:
MISSION SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
Founded 1797, San Juan Bautista, California
This is the largest California Mission church, and by many considered the most beautiful. Original painting hear pictured was done by the first American who, in 1816, settled in California — Thomas W. Doak, a sailor from Boston. With the help of the indians and their paints he created this superb artistic effect.
–This postcard most likely dates from the 1970s.

Mission San Juan Bautista, California

This begins a two week showing of several more missions in the original chain founded in the 18th Century by Father Junipero Serra and others. This specific image is of the convento wing of the Mission San Juan Bautista (Baptist) quadrangle and the main church building in the distance. The rest of the quadrangle was demolished or destroyed in the 1906 earthquake, but there are hopes to restore it now the foundations have been determined.

Hubert W. Lowman, Covina, Cal. 91722


The description states:
MISSION SAN JUAN BAUTISTA
Founded 1797, San Juan Bautista, California
Other missions are restored, but what is here is original. This is the largest of all Mission churches, and the only one built with three aisles. Other buildings facing the old Spanish Plaza and contemporary with the mission are preserved separately as a State Historical Monument.
–This postcard most likely dates from the 1970s.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale California

An unusual subject for postcards, the Forest Lawn Memorial Park is a cemetery. Unlike many such establishments, Forest Lawn has many interesting structures, art works and landscape elements that bring tourists to see and appreciate.

All images Forest Lawn Memorial Park Assn., Inc.








The park likely has not changed dramatically since the publication of this photo collection. The folio is dated 1952.

Carmel, California and Environs

Today’s folio highlights the small town of Carmel, California and covers areas both north and south of the village. The town is quite small and among other notable features has no house numbers in the central village, so all mail is still held at the post office for pickup by residents.

All images by A Mike Roberts Color Production, Berkeley 2, Calif.








 The folio is unused and undated, but the styles of clothing and postal address indicate it is from the 1950s.

The Orange Bar, Rialto, California

This week concludes with a long lost business once located on the world famous Route 66. This establishment was in the town of Rialto, CA at the corner of Foothill and Eucalyptus in the 1940s and 1950s, according to the book Route 66 in California.
This card has no additional information on the back. The automobile shown in the picture indicates it is likely from the 1940s.

Chinatown, San Francisco, CA

This folio includes colorized photos and artworks depicting various people, events and locations in the Chinatown district of San Francisco, CA. In addition, there are a number of other notable sights included in the illustrations which are not associated with Chinatown.

All images by Colorpicture Publishers, Boston 15, Mass.


















The picture above numbered SF 38 – Chinatown Grant Avenue Looking North is an earlier version of the same view seen on this card from a previous posting. Here the building is the Cathay House, while the later card shows it to be the Wax Museum.
The city views from the Fairmont Hotel are now quite different. The Fairmont is surrounded by multi-story buildings, so any view of the bay or ocean would be unlikely now except from the highest floors.
The folio is not used and has no publication date, but the automobiles shown indicate it is from the 1940s.

Spanish Missions, California

This folio offers illustrations and colorized photos of several of the Spanish missions founded by Junipero Serra beginning in 1769.

All Images by Pacific Novelty Company of San Francisco and Los Angeles











There is damage to one pane of the folio, as the sheet was torn completely through, so the image was carefully aligned before scanning to minimize the effect of the damage.
These pictures do not represent the missions as they appear today, except accidentally. Most now have been restored far beyond their appearance here, most obviously the San Carlos Borromeo which is no longer a free-standing church. Mission Dolores is now completely surrounded by urban construction in the midst of San Francisco, as is true of many of these other missions located in what became large cities in the latter half of the 20th century.
The more rural mission buildings are reduced in number and complexity, but the main church structures are still much as they appear in these photos allowing for restoration and reconstruction of ancillary buildings.
This folio is not dated, but it was used and bears a stamp. Unfortunately, the cancellation does not reveal a date and did not have one when made. An estimate can be made from the time the stamp was issued and used, as well as the address where the recipient lived.
The stamp is an engraved version of the 1 cent issue of 1912. These continued to be made until after the First World War. The C.A. Jacokes alive at that time would have been a teenaged boy by the end of the war. Thus, it is likely this folio dates from the 1920s.

Chinatown Wax Museum at Night, San Francisco, CA

This is a picture of the corner of Grant and California Streets in San Francisco, CA at night, featuring the Chinatown Wax Museum.

Mirro-Crome Card by H.S. Crocker Co., Inc. San Bruno Calif. 94066


The description on the back of the card states:
SAN FRANCISCO’S CHINATOWN AT NIGHT
The mysteries of the Orient are still with you when you travel through Chinatown. The quaint Oriental atmosphere has been retained over changing years.
–The building featured in the photo has changed hands over the years, and it is now occupied by a McDonald’s restaurant. This picture is from the 1970s.