Alan Mays' photos

Owls a hooting in the tree, Pumpkins making faces mean, And lots of thing that you can't see Tell us that it's Hallowe'en. A vintage Halloween postcard signed by artist Ellen H. Clapsaddle.

This early postcard evidently depicts the custom associated with barmbrack , which is a cake "traditionally served in Ireland on Halloween, in which symbolic objects (a ring, for example) have been baked." Wikipedia provides additional details: " Barmbrack is the centre of an Irish Halloween custom. The Halloween Brack traditionally contained various objects baked into the bread and was used as a sort of fortune-telling game. In the barnbrack were: a pea, a stick, a piece of cloth, a small coin (originally a silver sixpence) and a ring. Each item, when received in the slice, was supposed to carry a meaning to the person concerned: the pea, the person would not marry that year; the stick, would have an unhappy marriage or continually be in disputes; the cloth or rag, would have bad luck or be poor; the coin, would enjoy good fortune or be rich; and the ring, would be wed within the year."

"Come to the Barn Dance at Oratamin Farm, Tuesday evening, July 3rd, 1917, at 8 o'clock. Given by Blauvelt Equal Suffrage League. Admission, 25 cents."

"Texas Centennial Exposition, Dallas, extends to Mildred Zahn, Resettlement Administration, the courtesy of free admission to the gates of the exposition from June 6th to Nov. 29th, 1936. W. A. Webb, general manager. 1543." As Wikipedia explains, "The Texas Centennial Exposition was a World's Fair held at Fair Park in Dallas, Texas (USA) to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Texas's independence from Mexico in 1836. . . . The exposition was credited for buffering Dallas from the Great Depression, creating over 10,000 jobs and giving a $50 million boost to the local economy." Sadly, William Alfred Webb , the general manager whose signature appears on the pass, died two months after the exposition opened. Mildred Zahn, the recipient of the pass, worked for the Resettlement Administration , which was "a New Deal U.S. federal agency that, between April 1935 and December 1936, relocated struggling urban and rural families to communities planned by the federal government."

Fuzzy out-of-focus quirkiness with penguins, masks, and party hats.

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating (above) 2) Autographs / Memoirs Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating -------- 1939 Halloween Party Roller Skate Diary, Sunset Park, Williamsport, Pa. -------- De Luxe Roller Skating Every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Sunday matinee, 2:30 to 4:30, 15¢. Romance, glamour, health, happiness, fun, joy. It's smart to own personal shoe skates. Rink available for Sunday school and private parties. See manager for details. Hammond electric organ for pleasing music.

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating 2) Autographs / Memoirs (above) Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating 2) Autographs / Memoirs Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt (above) 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating -------- De Luxe Roller Skating Sunset Park. -------- Treasure Hunt Friday Nite, Sunset Park Rink. A Baumgart Sisters Enterprise.

For the complete roller skating rink dance card, see the following: Roller Skate Diary Card (orange) 1) 1939 Halloween Party / De Luxe Roller Skating 2) Autographs / Memoirs Roller Skate Diary Card Insert (yellow) 3) De Luxe Roller Skating / Treasure Hunt 4) Romance on Roller Skates / Order of Skating (above) -------- Romance on Roller Skates Sunset Rink Song, by Henry. Romance on roller skates / One glance I met my fate / The chance we all must take / I'm glad that I could wait. The lights were turned on low / She smiled, her eyes aglow / We began to skate and so, / Romance began to grow. As the organ played / We rolled and swayed / My heart disobeyed, / But I was not afraid. So now my life's complete, / Because I've found my mate; / Each night we will repeat-- / "Romance on Roller Skates." A Modernistic Skateland. -------- Order of Skating 1) Sunset Skate for Couples. 2) Drop Back Skate. 3) Trio Skate. 4) Moonlight Skate for Couples. 5) Two Step. 6) Grand March. 7) Ladies' Choice. 8)F Foursome Drop Back. 9) Kiss Skate. 10) Waltz for Couples. 11) Popular Request. 12) Reverse Skate. Happy Skating--Come Again Soon.

A vintage Halloween party invitation. "Come to a Hallowe'en party at the home of Alma Groff on Tues. eve., Oct. 31, from 8:30 to xxxx o'clock."

A vintage Halloween party invitation. "Yooooo are invited to a party at my house on Nov. 7 at 7:30 o'clock. Laura Wakley, Y.C.S. Pal."

Women in disguise for Halloween? Or just for an amusing photo? Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Twentieth Century Studio, 263 North Eighth Street, Philadelphia, Pa."

What appears to be a photo of tourists bravely enduring the tumultuous waves of the whirlpool rapids in the gorge below Niagara Falls is actually a composite photo concocted in a photographer's studio. For an illustration showing how the photographer achieved this effect, see "How to Visit Niagara Falls Without Leaving Home," part of the American Museum of Photography's Montages, Multiples, and Mischief page. The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge (formerly known as the Lower Steel Arch Bridge) is visible in the background of the photo, and a second bridge, the Niagara Cantilever Bridge , is partially visible behind it.

Yawning--that's what's contagious!

Dressed up for "Halloween" in the Vintage Photos Theme Park . I found this photo at an antique co-op in western Pennsylvania a couple of years ago. I was able to determine the month and year--October 1916--from the Mellon National Bank calendar that's hanging on the wall.