Alan Mays' photos

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of on the bus or off the bus . A driver is smoking a cigarette and standing at the door of his bus as if he's waiting for additional passengers to board. A blurry logo on the door may include the name of a bus company or an organization, but it's difficult to decipher any words or identify the design. For a closer look at the bus driver and the logo, see the cropped version of this snapshot.

With a cigarette in his mouth and a hand on his hip, a bus driver stands impatiently at the door of his bus. A logo on the door that could identity the owner of the bus is indistinct, and it's difficult to make out any words. Does anyone recognize the outline or design of the logo? See also the full version of this photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of casts or crutches . A woman with a cast or bandage on her left foot uses crutches to stand and pose for a photo with a second woman. They're on a sidewalk along a street, and a trash can and an automobile are on their right. Written on the other side of the photo is the date of "February 1942," which was only two months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into World War II. See also the full version of this photo.

Two women -- one using crutches -- pose for a photo as they stand on a sidewalk along a street. For more information, see the cropped version of this snapshot.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of schoolhouses and/or schoolchildren . Caption: "Deturk's School House." Handwritten note on the other side (no address, stamp, or postmark): " Stanley E. Romich [1905-1985]. Spend his first School days at this school. Age 8. Dec. 31, 1913." This one-room schoolhouse is still standing along Limekiln Road near Douglassville, Berks County, Pennsylvania. The building is now a private residence with a room added to the front. The stucco covering has been removed, and the underlying stone construction is now visible. This is a divided-back real photo postcard with a Cyko stamp box ("Cyko - Place Postage Stamp Here") printed on the back. This stamp box design was in use between 1907 and the 1920s.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo of an electric fan for the theme of electric fans or sports fans (if you have both kinds of fans, please feel free to post 2 photos). The man with the fan knows that despite the heat, it'll be alright. There's no indication where or when this snapshot was taken. Update (6/4/20216): With apologies to the Lovin' Spoonful, I changed the title (originally Man with a Fan) and description.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo of sports fans for the theme of electric fans or sports fans (if you have both kinds of fans, please feel free to post 2 photos). Handwritten on verso: "Indpls. Speedway, 1946." A curious photo with a notation on the other side that identifies the location as the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 1946. But the track itself is barely visible. A man smoking a cigar is blocking the view, and other motorsports fans are seated nearby and in a grandstand across the way. Perhaps the photographer took the picture during the 1946 Indianapolis 500 , which was the first race held since the speedway's closure in 1941 following the attack on Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entry into World War II.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of photobooth kids . An undated photobooth photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of canes, batons, spears, etc. The five young fellows who posed for this photo are all dressed similarly in suits and hats. The guy in the middle is carrying a cane, and the one at upper left is smoking a cigarette and wearing his hat at a jaunty angle. On the other side of this divided-back real photo postcard is an Azo stamp box (with four corner triangles pointing up) that indicates that the photo may date to sometime between 1907 and 1918. The card is unused with no message, address, or postmark on the other side. See also the full version of the photo.

Five fellows dressed in suits and hats posed for this photo more than a hundred years ago. For more information, see the cropped version of this real photo postcard.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of shadow of the photographer . Two kids pose for a picture as they sit on the steps of a house in "spring 1939," as written below the photo. It's a bright sunny day, and the shadow cast on the cracked sidewalk in the foreground likely belongs to the photographer. The balloon in front of the kids is listed in a 1938 novelty catalog as a "Mickey Mouse Toss-Up Balloon" with the following description: "Made of Latex rubber. When inflated measures 26 inches. Packed in cellophane package, complete with heavy cardboard feet." The catalog also explained, "When tossed in the air [this type of balloon] will always land on its feet." See also a cropped version of the photo for a better view of the children and the balloon.

A close-up view of two children and their Mickey Mouse Toss-Up Balloon as photographed in 1939. For more information, see the full version of the photo.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of up on the rooftop or any view of a roof . A snapshot of a solitary feline sitting patiently on top of a building. The sun is shining brightly enough to cast distinct shadows but the roof isn't made of tin and hasn't warmed up enough to make the cat uncomfortable. The "grocery" sign that's partially visible on the far edge of the roof indicates that the building may be a store. This photo and another kitty cat photo I purchased at the same time — see Cat in a Basket — have identical processing numbers ("087" on the verso), suggesting that they were probably taken by the same person and developed at the same time. Both of the photos are somewhat discolored, and there’s no indication of a date or location on either of them.

Despite some blurriness and discoloration, this is still a cute capture of a kitty cat in a basket in the middle of someone’s yard. For another feline photo that I bought along with this one, see Cat on a Roof — Not Tin and Not Hot .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of a little or a lot of snow . Judging by the message on the back of this photo (see transcription below), Tim is the name of the boy standing with a tricycle on a wooden sidewalk in front of his house. Tim is wearing a glove on his left hand, and he's holding his other glove in his mouth for some reason. Tim's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wray, are standing on the porch as a photographer takes a picture of the family and their house (see the full photo ). The porch and sidewalk are clear of snow but there's still some in the yard and on the street. Tim is wearing a hat, coat, and one glove, but the weather is warm enough for his parents to step outside without coats. The Cyko stamp box ("Cyko - Place Postage Stamp Here") on the other side of this divided-back real photo postcard indicates that it may date to sometime between 1907 and the 1920s. There's no address, stamp, or postmark on the back of this photo postcard, but a handwritten message from H. Wray to Lizzie Demsey fills most of that side. Here's my transcription of the message: Lizzie Demsey Dear Lizzie, Just a few lines hoping you are well as this is leaving us all here in the best of health. I am sending you a photo of our house. I would rather have waited a little longer till the summer came before having it but James sent a man to take it & we did not know anything about it. Tim was just going to bed & I was washing. You will see we hadn't taken the storm windows off nor the storm door when it was taken. This comes with my best wishes to you all. I remain yours sincerely, H. Wray. Remember me to Mrs. Humes when you see her.

A photo of a boy and his parents in front of their house. The house number on the edge of the porch roof (just above where the parents are standing) is 350. A sign on the pole at left says, "Cars Stop Here." Unfortunately, there's no indication of where the photo was taken. For more information, see the cropped version of the photo.

A hands photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park theme of hands/feet (a photo in which the hands or feet are prominent—if you have both, please feel free to post 2 photos) . A blotchy Polaroid photo of a women hiding her face in her hands as someone takes her photo. On the table in front of her is a "WGAL-TV Channel 8" matchbook from the television station in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

A feet photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park theme of hands/feet (a photo in which the hands or feet are prominent—if you have both, please feel free to post 2 photos) . Handwritten names on the back of the photo: "Ed Kolakowski. Johnny Bucchare's feet. '43." An address label pasted on the back gives a location of South Lyon, Michigan. This is a trick photo that makes it look like this fellow -- Ed Kolakowski -- is bending his legs back over his shoulder at an impossible angle. As indicated on the back of the photo, those feet belong to Johnny Bucchare, who was lying behind Ed while the photo was taken. See also the full version of the photo.