Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pa.

Parked over at the Incredibly Boring Postcards group. Printed on the back of this postcard: "The beautiful Monroeville Shopping Center, Monroeville, Penna." The Monroeville Shopping Center, known today as the Miracle Mile Shopping Center, was situated just a couple of miles away from the location of the later Monroeville Mall , where George Romero filmed his cult horror film Dawn of the Dead .

"Scotch 'n Soda presents Molecule Man: An Atomic-Zany Musical Satire, 1949, 7th annual production." Cover of a wonderfully illustrated program for a college musical staged in 1949 by the Scotch 'n Soda Club , a student theatrical organization that's still in existence at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The ticket order form (see below) for the show described the production as "a witty satire on comic book writers, [set] against a background of sparkling music."

Ticket order form for a college musical staged in 1949 by the Scotch 'n Soda Club , a student theatrical organization that's still in existence today at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. See below for the illustration from the cover of the program for Molecule Man. Excerpts from the text of the order form: Molecule Man, written by Bill Putch and Dick Riebling, directed by Talbot Pearson. * Scotch 'n Soda Club invites you to attend its 1949 stage production, Molecule Man--an exciting change of pace in college musicals. * A cast of over 100 presents a witty satire on comic book writers, against a background of sparkling music. * It's something new--and different! Don't miss it!

"Here's a big hello from Jane Lewis at the Roosevelt Hotel, Pittsburgh."

This tinted real photo postcard shows the original Sewickley Bridge , which spanned the Ohio River between Sewickley and Moon Township in western Pennsylvania. Located about twelve miles northwest of Pittsburgh, the bridge was completed in 1911, dismantled in 1980 after significant deterioration, and replaced by a new bridge that opened in 1981. A Find A Grave search identified the final resting places of "Wesley Charlton" (probably Mark Wesley Charlton, Sr. , 1877-1921) and "Wm. Snowwhite" (probably William Snowwhite , 1886-1968). Charlton and Snowwhite likely lived in the area at the time the bridge was completed in 1911. I haven't been able to determine any other specific reason that they chose the bridge as the subject for the holiday postcard that they created that year. Greetings of the Season, Christmas, 1911 This is an exceptional view of the Ohio river bridge and the only one of its kind in existence. It was obtained through an unique process by Wesley Charlton and the plate and product are the exclusive property of Wm. Snowwhite, the sender.

"Good for a ride, Pittsburgh Traction Co., Pittsburgh & East Liberty."

"Certificate of Weight. Finger points to your exact weight: 109. Date this and keep for reference: ________. The Electrical Advertising Scale Company. Office: 97 Fourth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Pa." Printed on the back of the card: "If thou do the contrary to that which someone will shortly whisper in thine ear, thou will have good fortune."

"H. J. Heinz Company, Main Plant and General Offices, Pittsburgh, U.S.A. Pure Food Products, Heinz 57 Varieties. The house in which we began, 1869." An advertising postcard, ca. 1900s-1910s, published by the H. J. Heinz Company , a food processing company known for its ketchup and more than 57 Varieties of other products.

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of furniture (one piece or a roomful; extra credit if your photo includes something instead of—or in addition to—a chair or a table, which we featured in previous themes) . Penciled notation on this photo: "Lewis Walker Co., 2/25." I haven't been able to locate any definitive information about the Lewis Walker Company, but I believe that it was located somewhere in Pennsylvania, possibly in Pittsburgh. The photo shows an office full of furniture and equipment. A solitary man sits at a desk , and additional desks, tables, chairs, and bookcases fill up the rest of the room. Interesting items in the middle of the room include a Dalton Adding Machine on its own stand, a Comptometer case on a desk, and a calendar hanging on the wall. See also close-ups of the man seated at the desk and the equipment in the center of the photo .

A number of interesting details are visible in this detail from the center section of this 1925 photo of the Lewis Walker Company Office . First, a Dalton Adding Machine is positioned on its own stand in the foreground. The machine was capable of printing calculations onto the paper from the roll that's positioned on top. Secondly, a case for a Comptometer —"the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator"—is lying on the desk located behind and to the left of the Dalton machine. The label on the outside of the Comptometer box says, "Comptometer (Pronounced like thermometer). Felt & Tarrant Mfg. Co., Chicago, U.S.A. Adds. Divides. Multiplies. Subtracts." Finally, an advertising calendar hanging on the wall at the back of the room confirms that the photo was taken in February 1925 and suggests that the location may be Pittsburgh or somewhere else in western Pennsylvania. The advertisement on the calendar says, "Brown & Zortman Machinery Company, machinists supply company, machine shop equipment and supplies, Pittsburgh, Pa. February 1925." See also the full version of this photo and a close-up of the man seated at the desk .

In this detail from a 1925 photo of the Lewis Walker Company Office , a young man is working diligently at his desk as he ignores the photographer who's taking his picture. The man is surrounded by the tools of his job. A clock and a holder with several rubber stamps are among the items I could identify on the desk. There's a pencil sharpener mounted on the windowsill, and a candlestick telephone is visible on another desk that's situated behind the man. See also the full version of this photo and a close-up of the equipment in the center of the room .

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.

A flying photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "The Colonial Studio, 137 Sixth St., Pittsburgh, Pa., U.S.A."

A Wild Wild West photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Western Photo Gallery, 215 Smithfield St., Pittsburgh, Pa." Note the signs painted on the backdrop: "No trust, no bust," "Dead Man's Gulch Saloon," "Reward, dead or alive, Bad Dick, $5000.00, Sheriff," and "Poker." Ironically, the Western Photo Gallery, which provided the dramatic photo of these gun-toting dudes in their cowboy outfits, was located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania--almost as far east in the U.S. as you can get!

Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Shapiro Multigraph, 302 Fifth Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa."

I've been dreadfully busy over the last few weeks with work and family. When Ipernity editing stopped working for a while in May, I fell way behind in posting and even further behind with commenting than I already was (if that's possible). I hope you will forgive my extreme tardiness and allow me to catch up with the topics I've missed from past weeks. I'm glad that we've been able to keep the group going, and I appreciate all of your postings here in the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of windows and windshields (photos through or of) . Printed on the back of this real photo postcard: "Novelty Photo Studio, 13 Federal St., N.S., Pittsburg, PA." An early twentieth-century photo taken when driving a car was still a novelty.

"Econo-Phone. Telephones, accessories, electronics." What telephones used to look like. An advertising postcard for a store in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

"Merchants Hotel, corner of Smithfield and Third Sts., Pittsburgh. S. H. Rial, proprietor." S. H. Rial used this tiny business card to promote the hotel he managed, and he also placed the following advertisement in the Daily Post (Pittsburgh, Pa.), July 6, 1866, p. 2. MERCHANTS' HOTEL. Corner Smithfield and Third Streets, Pittsburgh. This old favorite hotel, having been thoroughly renovated, repaired, and refurnished, is now open for the reception of guests. The proprietor (formerly of St. Charles) expects from its central location, his experience, determination to please, and by moderate charges, to deserve and receive a liberal patronage. S. H. Rial, proprietor.