Alan Mays' photos

A young woman posing with a paper moon. The sign in front of her says, "Hauskaa Joulua Ja Onnea Vuodelle, 1914-1915." Google translation from the Finnish: "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, 1914-1915." This is an unmailed real photo postcard with an Azo stamp box (four corner triangles pointing up) on the other side, which suggests a time frame—1904 to 1918—that matches the holiday season—1914-1915—indicated on the sign in the photo.

See the Made-in-Chicago Museum's article about the Chicago Roller Skate Co., est. 1905 for info about the company. The article contains an image of a similar ticket for a "Skate Check" instead of an admission ("Admit One"). Roller Rink Admit One. 103616. Chicago Roller Skate Co., Chicago, Ill. Made in U.S.A.

In 1900, the Sunday schools of churches in Landisville and Salunga, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, organized a trip to Penryn Park, a trolley park that was located about eighteen miles away near Cornwall in Lebanon County (YMCA Camp Shand, a children's summer camp, occupies the park site today). Grand Excursion and Picnic By Landisville and Salunga Sunday-schools, Wednesday, July 25, 1900, Penryn Park. Adults' ticket, 45 cents. Pluck Print.

Lecture Course, under the auspices of the Class of '84, Muhlenberg College. To be held in the College Chapel. Lectures to begin at 8 p.m. Jan. 21st.--Rev. Prof. M. H. Richards, "A Theatrical Part." Jan. 28th.--Rev. E. E. Higbee, D.D., "Classical Studies." Feb. 4th.--Rev. S. G. Wagner, D.D., "The Young Man of the Period." Feb. 11th.--Rev. J. J. Fry, D.D., "Wanted--A Man." Feb. 15th.--Rev. Prof. F. A. Muhlenberg, D.D., "Rhodes." Ex-Gov. A. G. Curtin (Date and subject to be announced later). Season tickets, $1.00. Ex-Gov. A. G. Curtin.

An admission ticket from the Casino Kursaal Lucerne (now known as the Grand Casino Luzern) in Lucerne , Switzerland. Casino Kursaal Lucerne Entrée. Eintritt. Admission Ticket. Concert Hall/Jardin. Fr. 2.20 taxe comprise [tax included]. 14348. Guhl & Scheibler S.A. Bale. Stamped: Stadt Luzern Steueramt [City of Lucerne Tax Office].

This is a postcard that's addressed on the other side to Miss Nellie Groves, Greenland, West Virginia. It was postmarked in Maysville, West Virginia, but the date is missing. Handwritten message: "Hello Nellie, How are you by this time. I am going to school today, when are you coming over. This is from your beau. Henry." For a similar postcard, see Here Is Looking at You .

(I'm finally caught up on the Vintage Photos Theme Park postings I missed while Ipernity was offline.) A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of by the lake . "Birds Eye View, Loon Lake and Freedom , N.H. 9." This area was the setting for the intriguing story of the mysterious House on Loon Lake , profiled in an episode of This American Life radio show (take a look at the assortment of ephemera found at the house , which includes an acquaintance card similar to the ones in my album ). This is a real photo postcard addressed on the other side to Mrs. Bruce Mather, Benton, Penna., and postmarked in Kezar Falls, Maine, on August 24, 1934. Handwritten message: "Howdy Darl, Here is where we are getting all our swimming exercise. We climbed Mt. Chocorua yesterday, We made it to return on Thursday from the White Mountains. On Monday morning we leave for Boston. Will be seeing you soon. Rhoda." Printed on the other side: "Photograph Post Card from Studio of Eastern Illustrating Co., Belfast, ME."

(I'm still catching up on the Vintage Photos Theme Park postings I missed while Ipernity was offline.) A photo of shoes for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. This is an early twentieth-century comic photo postcard, issued as part of Bamforth's "Life Model Series." The " Babes in the Wood " caption is an ironic reference to the expression meaning a "person who is innocent, naive, inexperienced, or helpless, especially with respect to an unfamiliar situation or environment." Here, however, we have two not-so-innocent "babes" in wooden stocks who are being punished for some unknown crime. Judging by the debris on the ground around the stocks, it appears that passersby have been throwing garbage at the miscreants.

Hurray, hurray, it looks like Ipernity is up and running once again! Thanks very much to the IMA Team for the many, many hours they spent in getting things fixed and back on track! I'm going to reopen the Vintage Photos Theme Park by catching up on the theme postings I've missed during the last week or two. To begin with, here's a Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of And the winner is . . . (a person or a team winning or with an award/medal/prize) . This photo shows a single-file parade of young women marching along a boardwalk in front of a crowd of onlookers. The first two in line are wearing the sashes for "Miss Harrisburg" and "Miss Johnstown," which identify them as winners of beauty contests in those two Pennsylvania cities. As far as I've been able to determine, this photo was taken sometime in the 1920s during the early years of the Miss America competition, which was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey. At that time, there were a number of city-based competitions in Pennsylvania rather than a one state-wide contest, and until 1953 Pennsylvania sent multiple representatives—rather than a single " Miss Pennsylvania "—to compete in Atlantic City. According to Wikipedia , there were only two years—1922 and 1923—when contestants from both Harrisburg and Johnstown competed in Atlantic City. Gertrude Shoemack and Helen R. Knisely competed as Miss Harrisburg in 1922 and 1923 respectively, while Velma Ziegler and Betty Grening served as Miss Johnstown in the same years, but I haven't been able to match any of the names with the women in the photo.

A couple of turkeys arrive at (or depart from?) the United States Capitol Building , Washington, D.C., in this illustration from a Thanksgiving postcard dated 1910. The postcard is addressed on the other side to "Mrs. Geo Hamlin, 9 Dean[e] St., Portland, Me.," and postmarked in New York City on November 23, 1910. Handwritten message: "Rena & Geo out for a ride. Best love to both of you & hope you have a happy Thanksgiving. Kitty." Rena (1882-1974) and George Hamlin (1882-1958) were both twenty-eight years old and had been married for about three years when they received this postcard. It's possible that Kitty, the sender of the card, was Catherine Lewis , Rena's mother. For some other turkey motorists, see Thanksgiving Day Fugitives and A Wingless Steed Will Take the Winner to a Fine Thanksgiving Dinner .

The handwritten note on the other side of this photo says, "Taken on Nov. 7, 1916. Election of Pres. Wilson." Judging by the grizzled appearance of this bearded fellow, the 1916 U.S. presidential election —when incumbent Democratic President Woodrow Wilson fought the Republican candidate Charles Evans Hughes to win reelection to a second term—must have been as harrowing and distressing an experience as the 2020 presidential election turned out to be.

"Taken on Nov. 7, 1916. Election of Pres. Wilson." For more information, see the front of this photo .

A photo of books for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A real photo postcard of the lighted tables and two-level book stacks in a library, location unknown, unfortunately. Notice the bridge on the far wall that connects the upper level of stacks on the left with those on the right. For another view of a library interior, see Krauth Memorial Library, Mount Airy, Pennsylvania .

"Reading room, Krauth Memorial Library, Lutheran Theological Seminary , Mt. Airy, Philadelphia."

A drinking photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Seventeen of the twenty men in this image from a real photo postcard are holding glasses of beer. The keg in the middle of the crowd bears the name " Lebanon ," which refers to the city that's the county seat of Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. A handwritten name and address—" Samuel D. Watson , Rexmont, Pa."—and a year—"1912"—appear on the other side of the photo card, but there's no stamp, postmark, or message. Rexmont is now part of Cornwall , which is also located in Lebanon County.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of grandma and grandpa (grandparent(s) featured in a family photo) . A grandmother and grandfather hold a two-tiered cake as they pose for a photo with their grandson. All three of them are wearing flowers in their coat and jacket lapels. The presence of the cake and flowers makes me wonder if the grandparents are celebrating a special wedding anniversary. Given how the cake is tilted, I just hope that it didn't slide off onto the grandson's head!

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the monthly theme of two's company—photos of two people (submit a photo on this topic each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic). One of two photos of girls dressed as a clown and a bunny for Halloween in 1979 ("December 1979" is stamped on the back of the photos, but there's no location information). See also the second photo with its portrait orientation .

The second of two photos of girls dressed as a clown and a bunny for Halloween in 1979 ("December 1979" is stamped on the back of the photos, but there's no location information). See also the other photo with its landscape orientation .