Alan Mays' photos

Sign on building: "Grand View Point Hotel." Road sign: "Lookout Point Grand View. Allegheny Mountains, elevation 2464 ft. Lincoln Highway." Handwritten caption at bottom of photo: "Lookout Point Grand View. 17 m. W. of Bedford, U.S. 30. CEG." This is a real photo postcard showing the Grand View Point Hotel sometime between 1927, when it was built, and 1932, when it reopened after being transformed into the Ship Hotel , which became a popular tourist attraction along the Lincoln Highway . See also a cropped version of this photo for a better view of the original hotel and a later photo of it as the Ship Hotel.

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

A photo of an accident waiting to happen for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Three children pose in front of a flowering bush in this real photo postcard. The nonchalant way that the youngest kid is leaning on a gun seems like it could lead to an accident (see a cropped version for a better view of the kids). It wasn't until I scanned the photo that I noticed the strange toy—a stuffed bunny with a human-like doll's face—that's on the grass in front of the children (see a close-up of the toy ).

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

For more information, see the full version of this real photo postcard.

A late nineteenth- or early twentieth-century business card printed by David Bachman Landis, who operated Pluck Art Printery , which was later known as Landis Art Print. I haven't uncovered any reference to a "Mill Creek Dairy," but it's possible that "A. H. Herr" was Aaron H. Herr (1880-1940), a farmer who lived in Manor Township, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. A. H. Herr, Mill Creek Dairy. Pure milk and cream. Lancaster P.O., Pa.

"A. W. Davis, manufacturer of carriages, wagons, and sleighs. No. 1523 North Salina Street, Syracuse, N.Y."

A business card for William B. Probasco and James P. Lott, who were the proprietors of the Burch House hotel in Bloomington, Illinois, for a number of years in the 1860s. According to various sources (see below), Probasco purchased the hotel in 1866, but Lott left Bloomington and moved to Chicago in 1870, so their partnership in running the hotel lasted less than five years. -- Burch House newspaper ad, 1869 . An advertisment that ran in the Bloomington Weekly Leader , April 15, 1869, p. 7, provided the same information that's printed on the card. -- James P. Lott moved to Chicago in 1870 . An entry about "James P. Lott" in the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois (1905), vol. 2, Cook County edition, p. 939, states, "In January 1861, he came with his father to Bloomington, Ill., where he at first engaged in the grocery business, and afterward conducted a hotel. Coming to Chicago in 1870, he worked for his father's firm." -- William B. Probasco bought the Burch House in 1866 and ran the hotel until 1871 . Rochelle Gridley wrote about " The Probasco Family " on her 100 Years Ago in the Pantagraph blog, July 14, 2017, observing that William B. Probasco bought "the Burch Hotel in 1866 and ran that business until 1871, when he went into the grain business." -- William B. Probasco was in the business until 1871 . A profile of "W. B. Probasco" in The History of McLean County, Illinois (1879), p. 811, confirms that "he was engaged in the hotel business in Bloomington until 1871." Burch House, Cor. Front and Madison Sts., Bloomington, Illinois. Probasco & Lott, proprietors. Transient board, $2.00 per day. General stage office. Omnibus leaves the house. Connecting with all trains. W. B. Probasco. Jas. P. Lott.

Buster Brown and his dog Tige on a valentine postcard, circa 1907, by cartoonist Richard F. Outcault (1863-1928). For another Buster Brown valentine, see Here's a Wireless Telegram—Be My Valentine . "I want you to be my valentine. It doesn't seem to be a secret. R. F. Outcault. Raphael Tuck & Sons, Limited. London, Paris, New York, Montreal."

This vinegar valentine is a postcard that was addressed to H. W. Booser, 13th Street, Harrisburg, Pa. The card was postmarked first in Lewisberry, Pa., and then a second time in Harrisburg, Pa., on Feb. 14, 1908. Although the postcard was sent anonymously with no message or signature, it's possible that the recipient recognized the sender by the postmark or through the handwriting of the address. As it turns out, Harry W. Booser lived at 121 N. 13th Street in Harrisburg, and he worked as a salesman, so the vinegary humor of the card was apparently directed at him. The Salesman His motto is still do or die And he nags you until you must buy. His line is complete And his nerve hard to beat But sometimes he goes on the fly. Signs, etc., in illustration: Office. This is our busy day. Samples. This way out. 85% discount to jobbers. Expense account.

A photo of bikes or trikes for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. An undated snapshot of a girl posing with her dog and puppies as her spiffy bike is parked on the porch behind her.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of photos in photos (photos that intentionally or inadvertently capture one or more photos displayed in frames, on walls, or elsewhere) . After searching all week for a photo in a photo that I hadn't already posted, I was pleased when I finally found this one in my collection. It's a cabinet card photograph of a little girl who's holding a photo in her hand as she stands on a chair to pose for a photographer named "Fordtran" who had studio locations in "Kensington, Blue Island, and Riverdale" in the Chicago area (the name and locations are embossed on the border along the bottom of the card). I cropped the photo for a close-up of the girl , and I edited and rotated a portion of the image so you can see the photo that the girl's holding . I uploaded all three files and then added them to various albums. As I was adding them to Cabinet Cards and CDVs , I decided to look through that album. That's when I discovered that I had already posted an earlier scan of this photo almost five years ago under the title, Girl Holding Photograph , along with a rotated version of the photo in her hand . So even though you may have already seen the five-year-old photo, this is a nice fresh version created specifically for the Vintage Photos Theme Park! 8) (For some reason, this silly situation reminds me of my adventures with the Cowson Farm photo.)

A close-up of the girl. See also the full photo .

A detail showing the photo that the girl is holding. For more information, see the full cabinet card photo of the girl .

I spotted this store display of Punxsutawney Phil groundhogs rendered in solid milk chocolate at a Gardners Candies store in State College, Pennsylvania, last year. I'm pleased to report today on Groundhog Day , February 2, 2019, that the esteemed rodent has predicted an early spring this year. Despite CNN's cynicism—see Groundhog predicts an early spring. Don't get too excited, he's usually wrong —I'm optimistic that the long national nightmare of last week's polar vortex is finally over.

A photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park monthly topic of snow (submit a photo on this topic each week in addition to—or instead of—a photo for the weekly topic) . Five fellows are flinging snow at each other in this real photo postcard. No date or location, unfortunately.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of hold it (people holding something) . These three guys are holding guns and a baton as they pose in cowboy and police costumes. Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Metropolitan Photo Studio, 645 Sixth Ave., N.Y." The signs in the background are difficult to read. Two of them are: "Brother Jones' Gin Mill." "We use the best chemicals in our distillery."

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of flawed memories (photos that are damaged, faded, or have other imperfections, especially ones in which the flaws somehow enhance the image; this includes photos with defective processing, light leakage, and double exposures) . A spooky CDV with an unidentified faceless family. Perhaps their faces were somewhat washed out in the original photo, but they may also have been intentionally rubbed out afterwards. Take a gander at a cropped version of the CDV for a closer look at the family's faint facial features. For another faceless photo, see Who's the Dummy Now?