This weekend folio has an old family connection. The owner of this establishment has the same name as my great-grandmother, and was likely her brother.
This folio is very old, and as such has no description printed on it. The address noted on the cards still exists, and can be viewed with Google street view, but there is another business there now, and likely has been for a long time.
The presence of garlands in most photos implies the pictures were taken around Christmas time, but it is not possible to identify the era any closer. The photos most likely date from the 1930s.
Tag: Michigan
Ice Lake, Iron River, MI
This is another old style postcard, this time featuring Ice Lake, near the town of Iron River in Michigan.
These old style postcards are actually photographs formatted as a postcard, and marked with descriptions in white lettering on the bottom. The back of the postcard is typically unmarked except for a stamped impression of the word Post Card, a stamp box, and two headings labelled correspondence and address. Presumably this was to help those unfortunate enough not to know how to correctly send a postcard.
It is unused and undated, but is likely contemporaneous with other similar cards in this collection, and dates from the 1940’s.
Epworth Heights, Ludington MI
This week a number of old style cards, starting with this one showing the Epworth Heights resort as it looked in its heyday. The building pictured is the main hotel, which no longer has rooms available and is used for resort activities instead.
Regrettably, the postcard, which was mailed, has been severely damaged on the right side, probably from being pasted into a scrapbook.
The postmark and the clothing style of the woman in the lower left corner confirm this photo as from the late 1940’s, and it was postmarked 9 May 1950.
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.
Mackinac Bridge Construction, Michigan
This 59 cent folio of postcard photos depicts the construction of the Mackinac Bridge across the straits of the same name in the mid-1950s. It was opened to traffic on 1 November 1957.
This folio was produced before the completion of the bridge in 1957, as evidenced by the absence of photos of the opening or vehicles on the bridge. Also, the Toll Gate and Administration building card is an artist’s rendition and not a photograph, since the structures were not complete either by the publication of this collection.
There is an ongoing controversy about the ‘longest bridge’, which is hinted at in the last illustration above. Some have championed the Bay Bridge spanning the distance between San Francisco and Oakland, CA. However, this is a multi-span bridge that ‘island hops’ along the way. The illustration above compares only single-span suspension bridges, but even in this comparison there is room for dispute. While the Big Mac, as it has come to be called, is longer from pier to pier, the Golden Gate is longer between towers. Both have since been surpassed on this measure by the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
High Life Motel, Indian River, Michigan
This is a promotional postcard for the High Life Motel, Inc. It would appear there are not a lot of rooms or that the entire structure is not shown in this photo, since there are only two entry doors, two parked cars and the elevated center section, which presumably houses the office.
The motel was located in the northern central area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, near the town of Indian River.
The description on the back reads:
High Life Motel, Inc.
The North’s most modern. Overnight – Shuffleboard – Miniature Golf – Picnic Grounds – Fishing – Artesian well – On U.S. 27 1/2 mile north of Indian River, Michigan.
The card is dated 1956, which is confirmed by the cars in the photo. US 27 has largely been abandoned or absorbed into state highways in the Michigan area.
Red Cedar Restaurant, Munising Michigan
Pictured is a motel in Michigan paneled on the outside completely in the local red cedar wood product common in the Michigan forests.
The description on the back reads:
The Red Cedar, In the Heart of the Motel Area, Open 6:30 A.M. Every Day Year Around
Specializing in Fine Steak, Chicken, Fresh Lake Superior Fish. (Children’s Portions) Homemade Baked Goods, Cocktail Lounge – Gift Shop. 2 Miles from Pictured Rocks National Lake Shore.
Munising, Michigan Phone 906 – 387-2535
The restaurant has changed hands over the years and still exists in this location. It is not apparent when the photo was taken, but it is consistent with the early 1960’s.
Drummond Island Ferry
This is an Ektachrome postcard of the newly deployed car ferry serving Drummond Island, Michigan. It was christened Drummond Islander II.
The description on the back reads:
New Drummond Island Ferry
Drummond Islander II
This new ferry transports automobiles and passengers between DeTour and Drummond Island, Michigan, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula.
The postcard is dated 1962
Clinch Park Zoo, Traverse City, Michigan
Pictured is an accidental performance by some bear cubs that once lived at the Clinch Park Zoo in Traverse City, MI. This is in past tense both because the bears likely died of old age long ago, but also because the zoo closed September 6, 2010, victim of budget cuts and the outdated and restricted habitats available to the animals. It had been in operation for over 75 years.
These three young entertainers were probably drinking milk or some similar formulation, and the fact they all reared up at the same moment upon receiving their meal made for the memorable photo.
This postcard was mailed and postmarked, the date being June 19, 1939, so the picture dates from the 1930’s.
Calvin College, Grand Rapids, Michigan
This is a delightful reflecting photo of the Seminary Chapel and Pond on the grounds of Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI. It is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church.
The description on the back of the card states:
At the south end of the campus stands the Seminary complex of classrooms, offices, an auditorium and a beautiful chapel shown here on the edge of the campus pond. The first unit of the Seminary was completed in 1960. An addition was dedicated in 1975.