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NEW / OLD FROM THE VINTAGRAPH VAULTS >> THE FIRST THANKSGIVING
Wisdom, Montana: 1942
Submitted by Dave on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 12:25am.
April 1942. Baker's Garage in Wisdom, Montana. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon for the Office of War Information.
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The Garage
Submitted by Mike Tessitore on Thu, 10/16/2008 - 1:51am.
I was raised and went to school in wisdom and Bakers Garage is not next to Ed Glassey's garage (The building with Wisdom on the top). Baker's Garage was across the street from Glasseys Garage (Looks like maybe they used photoshop to alter the photo) ..
I moved to Wisdom in 1959 so if the photo is from 1942 maybe they moved the Building??
[I'm not sure who you think "they" would be, or why they would do that, but the image, which is part of the Library of Congress photographic archive, has not been altered. It's one of more than 50 pictures of Widsom taken by John Vachon in April 1942. Things can change a lot in 20 years. - Dave]
Eternal Wisdom
Submitted by RV Droz on Wed, 08/06/2008 - 10:49am.
Underneath "Unsurpassed" on the Calso sign you have "The California Company"
I found a modern picture of this place online:
http://www.panoramio.com/photo/4494303
Aside from the paved road, this place looks much the same. I don't think they sell Chevron or Mobil at those buildings anymore. Baker's Garage is now Conover's Trading Post. The painted Wisdom has long since faded from the old metal roof.
Calso
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Tue, 08/05/2008 - 11:16pm.
What does it say on the sign leaning against the wall, underneath "Calso Gasoline"? Is that "Unsurcharged"? No extra fees?
["Unsurpassed." - Dave]
Widsom
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Fri, 01/11/2008 - 4:35pm.
It looks like it's on the edge of a river valley? The colors in this shot are indeed amazing. I love the punch of the red gas pumps.
[It's west of Butte. - Dave]
Pennzoil
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Sun, 01/06/2008 - 8:22am.
The Pennzoil logo hasn't changed much:
Towns like this
Submitted by Brent on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 2:25pm.
Towns like this are a staple of western North America. In western Canada, their existence was justified by the railway and farmers hauling grain to their local elevators. Later they survived when the highway became the big thing and people stopped for gas or a little food on the road. There's probably a bar that the locals go to. Town's got a school maybe even a high school, and probably more than one church. There's a ball field and, in just about every prairie town in Canada though of course not the USA, a curling rink. In Saskatchewan they used to say that if you lived in a town that lost the school and the curling rink you might as well start looking for a place in Saskatoon or Regina.
Wisdom
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 1:59pm.
Great photo. Thanks. The last remaining inhabitants eventually changed the name to "Boredom, Montana."
Superb quality!
Submitted by Anonymous Tipster on Sat, 01/05/2008 - 4:47am.
The quality of this photograph is amazing. It looks like it was taken today. Do you have any more information on it?
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