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Yosemite Park: c. 1950s
... taken in the early '50s. View full size re: Yosemite Park c.1950s This was taken at Tunnel View, possibly the most popular photo vista in Yosemite. In the distance at left, Half Dome; in the center, the Three ... Brothers is/are on the NORTH Valley wall, adjacent to Yosemite Falls - nowhere near the view from Tunnel View. It's a somewhat ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/19/2011 - 1:24pm -

At the request of tterrace and with his help, I'm going to start uploading some pictures that a family friend has let me borrow for scanning purposes. The negatives range from 2 1/2 X 4 inches to 2 1/4 X 3 1/4. The trunk these negatives were found in was sealed in 1964 and was only recently opened. They belonged to the friend's uncle who was a land surveyor in San Diego. That's as much as I know. This picture was probably taken in the early '50s. View full size re: Yosemite Park c.1950sThis was taken at Tunnel View, possibly the most popular photo vista in Yosemite. In the distance at left, Half Dome; in the center, the Three Brothers; Bridal Veil Fall is hidden behind the gal in the Oxfords. In other shots from this series, the most recent cars are from 1954, so there you go. Gloria and BillThis is Gloria Matlock and Bill Bliss. They lived next door to each other. Gloria is my sister and currently lives in Minnesota. Gorgeous shot; one small correctionReally wonderful shot, but - the description from tterrace isn't quite correct: that IS Half Dome in the distance and Bridalveil Fall obscured, but the trio of monoliths between is Cathedral Rocks. Three Brothers is/are on the NORTH Valley wall, adjacent to Yosemite Falls - nowhere near the view from Tunnel View. It's a somewhat common mistake! Tunnel ViewThis absolutely is Tunnel View. I worked in Yosemite for ten years. [The comment below does not deny this being Tunnel View, but rather that previously mis-identified Three Brothers are not visible from Tunnel View. -tterrace] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Car tunnel at Yosemite
Car tunnel at Yosemite right by a scenic overlook of the Valley. I've been to this spot ... remember the name of the spot. View full size. Yosemite tunnel It's the Wawona Tunnel. There's a 360-degree virtual reality ... 
 
Posted by mhallack - 04/16/2009 - 8:06am -

Car tunnel at Yosemite right by a scenic overlook of the Valley. I've been to this spot before about 10 years ago but for the life of me don't remember the name of the spot. View full size. Yosemite tunnelIt's the Wawona Tunnel. There's a 360-degree virtual reality thingie here that shows what you'd see if you spun around near the spot . (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Yosemite: 1865
Circa 1865. "Mirror Lake, Yosemite Valley, albumen silver print. Carleton Watkins (1829 - 1916), an early photographer of Yosemite, captured this pristine view of Mirror Lake while most of the country ... Frederick Law Olmsted and naturalist John Muir resulted in Yosemite being proclaimed a national park in 1890." View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2020 - 2:12pm -

Circa 1865. "Mirror Lake, Yosemite Valley, albumen silver print. Carleton Watkins (1829 - 1916), an early photographer of Yosemite, captured this pristine view of Mirror Lake while most of the country was engaged in the Civil War. One of the best landscape photographers of the 19th century, Watkins used the cumbersome, demanding technology of his era, which required large glass wet plate negatives, and produced some of the most stunning images of this extraordinary wilderness. His views are credited with inducing members of Congress to pass legislation in 1864 that required California to protect the area from development. Abraham Lincoln, reported to have been very taken with the beauty of the images, signed the bill. Later efforts by landscape designer Frederick Law Olmsted and naturalist John Muir resulted in Yosemite being proclaimed a national park in 1890." View full size. +102My Kodachrome slide from July 1967. Now, about that tree... Majestic sceneI feel fortunate to have visited this awe-inspiring place. It and Grand Canyon both left me speechless. I just wish I knew how to pronounce its name. [Look no further! - Dave] Here it is, folks. “yo-SEMITE.” pic.twitter.com/A4KMLQWdbE — Alexander Nazaryan (@alexnazaryan) August 4, 2020 ------------ LOL I'm always a willing straight man. ;-) -Bob WatermarksOutstanding watermark. Gee - - -I wonder why they call it Mirror Lake? (The Gallery, Landscapes)
L.A. to Yosemite: 1920
May 1920. Yosemite National Park. "Prize Cup, Fourth Annual AAA Economy Run, Los Angeles ... full size. One Survivor Of all of the cars in the Yosemite Economy Run, only one manufacturer survives today. The Overland ... All of the other manufacturers participating in the Yosemite Economy Run were defunct by the close of 1926. All that's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/20/2014 - 11:03am -

May 1920. Yosemite National Park. "Prize Cup, Fourth Annual AAA Economy Run, Los Angeles to Camp Curry." An early test of fuel efficiency sponsored by Standard Oil of California. 8x6 inch glass negative originally from the Wyland Stanley collection of San Francisciana, acquired and scanned by Shorpy. View full size. One SurvivorOf all of the cars in the Yosemite Economy Run, only one manufacturer survives today. The Overland marque went away in 1926 and the Willys-Knight nameplate in 1932, but their parent company, Willys-Overland survived. After going through many transitions and owners we now know the firm as Jeep. There was an Overland trim package for the Jeep Grand Cherokee from 2002 - 2004. One other company survived until 2010: Commonwealth Cars. In 1922 Commonwealth became Checker who many of us know as makers of the Checker Cab (they also built some passenger cars and specialty vehicles like airport limousines). Although taxicab production ended in 1982, the firm continued producing automobile parts for General Motors and other firms. Checker filed for bankruptcy in early 2009 and ceased to exist on January 14, 2010. All of the other manufacturers participating in the Yosemite Economy Run were defunct by the close of 1926. All that's left of the treeStump & roof hole. StumpedThough I am now and have ever been a real car nut, somehow I cannot place this ride. The headlamp placement is vaguely reminiscent of Franklin, but in 1920 that marque had not yet adopted a phony radiator (theirs were air-cooled engines) in response to dealer demands that the car look like the competition. Fortunately, Shorpy's discerning clientele will quickly come in with not only the car's make and year but also the line foreman's census data and a Street View of his birthplace. Oh, and any ideas about what's written in the dust above the rear fender? Next Stop Atlantic CityIs that Nucky Thompson at the wheel? Camp CurrySounds delicious. DorrisI believe this is a 1920 Dorris made by the Dorris Motor Car Company of St. Louis. The combination of the two vents on top of the hood, slanted hood louvers, radiator shape, and lights leads me to this conclusion. There is a possibility of this being a 1919 model; however, since it was entered in an economy run, where most likely all vehicles were entered by manufacturers or dealerships, the 1919 model would have been an unlikely choice given these runs were highly publicized (why show off an outdated model?). Although the company started in 1906, its origins were in the St. Louis Motor Carriage Company founded by George Preston Dorris and John L. French. French decided to move the company to Peoria, Illinois in 1905, but Dorris decided to remain behind. Production from 1906 - 1926 was never large with only 3,100 cars and 900 trucks made during this time. Their company slogan, "Build up to a standard, not down to a price," was part of the reason their vehicles were so expensive (up to $7,000 for a closed car). Quality was very high. Although there were many distibutors 90% of production was sold in the St. Louis area. It appears that only sixteen Dorris cars still exist. The Dorris family still owns six of them. The building the cars were made in is now on the National Register of Historic Places (added February 10, 2000). The application form here, starting at Section 8, has a wealth of detail about the company and the building including some photos. Other online information is here and here. Another photo of a 1920 Dorris is shown below. And the Winners Are ...As Zcarstvnz (and tterrace!) correctly surmised, the rig in our photo is a Dorris touring car, Model 6-80. Click below to enlarge. Posted on the Porch"Hold On To Uncle Sam's Insurance" was a poster created by James Montgomery Flagg. He is also the person who created the "I Want You For U.S. Army" recruitment poster originally designed during WWI. An enlargement of the poster is below. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website says this. There have been several other life insurance programs for service members. Most notably National Service Life Insurance (WWII era), Veterans' Special Life Insurance (Korean War era); and since the Vietnam War era Servicemembers' Group Life Insurance (SGLI). The SGLI now includes both Active Duty and Reserve members and the maximum insurance available is $400,000. (The Gallery, Camping, Cars, Trucks, Buses, W. Stanley)
Yosemite: Mid-Fifties
... cold feet. Summer snow My family and I went to Yosemite in the 1986 (I was 10) and I remember playing in the snow. It was ... mean feet? Finding snow in the higher elevations of Yosemite in summer isn't unusual. I have a slide I took of my father, mother ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:24pm -

Here we see our two companions yet again, albeit one of them with an odd choice of footwear (or lack thereof). tterrace says the car is a 1954 Ford. View full size Purty ladyI just find that lady to be cuter than the cutest button. SputnikThat's what I thought the pattern on her dress was but this was presumably before that. A ballerina maybe? '54 FordI had one but not as fancy -- this looks to be a Customline. Mine was a Mainline business coupe. No radio, rubber moulding around the windshield and back window, stickshift six, just one armrest, just one outside rearview mirror. Air conditioning? It had the two-seventy type with both windows open going 70 mph. On the cuffLooks like Mom bought the jeans figuring he would grow into them. Also is that snow? Talk about cold feet. Summer snowMy family and I went to Yosemite in the 1986 (I was 10) and I remember playing in the snow. It was June 21, the longest day of the year, and we are from Florida, so putting our feet in the snow felt wonderful! Feedsack fashionsHer skirt might have been made out of feed sacks. Snow mean feet?Finding snow in the higher elevations of Yosemite in summer isn't unusual. I have a slide I took of my father, mother and grandmother standing on a snowbank there in July 1962. But they all had their shoes on. TinkerbellLooks like pixies, or Walt Disney's idea of a fairy, on her dress. Which perhaps explained the bare feet - she was younger than she looked in that snapshot. What's on the skirtBallerinas: (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Yosemite Visitors: Mid-Fifties
Here we are in Yosemite National Park again, with Bill Bliss standing there on the left. ... - Dave] Dating Bill Another of Tony's Bliss-ful Yosemite shots has a 1954 Ford in the background. I have to wonder if those ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/18/2011 - 9:48pm -

Here we are in Yosemite National Park again, with Bill Bliss standing there on the left. View full size. Billy BlissHow could you NOT be happy with a name like that? Looks very 1954-1955 to me. What year was Bill born? Love the lady lighting up behind him. Inspiring NameYes, "The Saga of Billy Bliss" would make a great title for a book, a movie or a song. Although Billy looks carefree and uninhibited on the outside, much like the "Opie" character in "The Andy Griffith Show," there is an unmistakable inner sadness coming through his eyes, as though all the troubles of the world rest upon his child's small shoulders. I cannot help but notice the turned up cuffs about a foot high at his ankles which may have hindered his ability to walk quickly. My father used to call this method, which we all used, "Polish alterations" and he could do this because he and we were all Polish and do laugh at ourselves. Sleeves often got the same treatment (just turned up) because our clothes had to last a few years before we could buy new ones. Can anyone identify the car? My neighbor had a very similar one, but hers was a brown Hudson with whitewall tires and I do not think this is that. [1954 Chevrolet Bel Air. - Dave] Dating BillAnother of Tony's Bliss-ful Yosemite shots has a 1954 Ford in the background. I have to wonder if those jeans lasted long enough for Bill's growth spurt to take care of those cuffs. In a strange quirk of fate, Bill and I seem to be almost exact contemporaries, first wave Baby Boomers. My best friend at the time was also tow-headed Cub Scout. The other car The car on the left side of the picture, what might it be? My money says a 41-48 Nash, the model being up for grabs. The high, trailing edge line of the front fender which suddenly drops straight down betrays the identity, I believe. The car at leftis a little hard to identify since much of it is hidden, but I'm guessing a 1948 Nash judging from the front fender shape and the side-by-side door handles. The image is a bit fuzzy, but I can't detect a chrome strip running along the side between the windows and door handles that Nash had in 1946 and 1947. Lighting upwhile she walks. Old pro. Fifties fashionCapri pants, cateye glasses, cigarettes. I used to smokeBut I was never able to light up from a match while walking, especially without using a hand to cover. My mother could do it, my father could do it, but I could never get that down. A side note, I am pretty sure the camera over the shoulder of the woman in from of the smoker is an Argus Seventy-Five, just in case it comes up. Self assuredness is a good thingTOO CUTE! Water FallPretty sure this is Bridalveil Fall. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Tonypix)
Yosemite Gathering: 1941
Here we see the Bliss family with friends in Yosemite. The year is 1940-41 based on the license plate to the right. The guy ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 01/29/2012 - 5:45pm -

Here we see the Bliss family with friends in Yosemite. The year is 1940-41 based on the license plate to the right. The guy in the top row on the right reminds me of Richard from Boardwalk Empire. View full size. Another Hollywood starNo one see Tim Robbins front on the left? WWII BlissI hope the bliss family was able to nurse that 36 Studebaker through the war Argus C3The squatting guy has an Argus C3 35mm camera around his neck. But you knew that already, right? HarrowingWow, that totally is Richard Harrow. I'm having Shining-style heebie jeebies. A Real StarAnd it doesn't require time travel: behind crouching Argus guy: Miss Barbara Stanwyck. I must need glassesFor a minute there, I thought they all fit in that one car. Then I clicked the 'view original' icon, and noticed the cars behind it. Re That cameraThe Argus C3 generally is credited for helping to popularize 35mm film because of its very long production run (1938-1966). One of the most famous photographers of the 1940s was Tony Vacarro who shot almost all of his photos with a C3, including many images of war in Europe. He developed some film in his army helmet, in fact. Google his name + images to see a few. The C3 was cheap, simple and rugged. Oh, this is so wrongBut it must be said. "Flaps down! Prepare for landing!" Live Long and ProsperNo one has mentioned Mr. Spock in the first row, far right. Look at those ears. Great timeNow this is a group that is having a great time!!! Temp?What do you think the temperature was here? There are people with coats and jackets, while others go bare chested! I see those ears run in the family. Most prominent on the front, right fellow, but a few of them have them. Also, that little girl is creeping me out. Her eyes are too dark! All grown up?It's unusual in that time period to see a grown man (center, seated) wearing sneakers. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Yosemite Cadillac: 1919
... The high Sierras circa 1919. "Cadillac touring car at Yosemite in snow." With the Sentinel Hotel in the background. 6½x8½ inch ... "Near view of the three-story Sentinel Hotel, early 1920s, Yosemite Valley; with three autos parked along street, and valley cliffs in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2015 - 6:13pm -

The high Sierras circa 1919. "Cadillac touring car at Yosemite in snow." With the Sentinel Hotel in the background. 6½x8½ inch glass negative. View full size. Sentinel Hotel"Near view of the three-story Sentinel Hotel, early 1920s, Yosemite Valley; with three autos parked along street, and valley cliffs in distance." From the San Joaquin Valley & Sierra Foothills Photo Heritage. Artist Beautiful photograph. The talent of the photographer comes through and makes me all that more envious of what was accomplished when considering the materials and processes that they worked with back in the day. [Those "materials and processes" are why the photo turned out so well. Giant glass negatives make better pictures than smaller-format film. - Dave] Medium- and large-format negsChurchkey, in the mid-to-late 1960s, we couldn't use 35mm as it wasn't considered, at least by the folks who ran the newspaper I worked on, as a professional format. I didn't care, as I loved my medium-format twin-lens relex Rolleis and Mamiya cameras. Plus, especially with large-format film like in the Speed Graphics, shooting ball games was much easier than with a 35mm. As long as you pointed in the right direction and tripped the shutter at the right time, the action was somewhere on that big neg. You just cropped tight and were a hero. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, W. Stanley)
Goodbye Yosemite: 1920
1920. "Bulletin press car -- Mitchell auto at Yosemite National Park." 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative, originally from the ... an upcoming feature on a recent sighting of the "Ghost of Yosemite." Exposure time? I see some motion blur as well as ghosting -- ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2015 - 10:35pm -

1920. "Bulletin press car -- Mitchell auto at Yosemite National Park." 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative, originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size. Interviewing WitnessesHe's compiling his facts for an upcoming feature on a recent sighting of the "Ghost of Yosemite." Exposure time?I see some motion blur as well as ghosting -- yet the quality of light is extraordinary; any details on how the exposure was taken? Uitche?Since no one else is going to ask, I will. What is Uitche? [MITCHELL, like it says in the caption. -Dave] They had a peculiar way of making M's and L's back then. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, W. Stanley)
Yosemite Machine Shop
... brand new 1936 Ford Model 51 trucks parked in front of the Yosemite Machine Shop (National Park Service) in the Yosemite Valley. Appears to be Department of the Interior license plates. This ... 
 
Posted by MontanaMark - 06/02/2021 - 10:22am -

I believe these are brand new 1936 Ford Model 51 trucks parked in front of the Yosemite Machine Shop (National Park Service) in the Yosemite Valley. Appears to be Department of the Interior license plates. This side of building is still in use by maintenance personnel. The other side of the building, which is out of sight on the right, houses the fire station and jail. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Thru the tree, Yosemite
More from the Yosemite vacation, driving the ol' Ford thru the tree tunnel. I thought this was at a different park, but I guess this is/was in Yosemite. View full size. Wawona again This time it's the Wawona ... 
 
Posted by mhallack - 06/19/2009 - 10:14pm -

More from the Yosemite vacation, driving the ol' Ford thru the tree tunnel. I thought this was at a different park, but I guess this is/was in Yosemite. View full size. Wawona againThis time it's the Wawona Tunnel Tree which, appropriately enough, you could reach via the Wawona Tunnel in that other shot of yours. It was still standing in 1962 when I took my picture, but as I point out, you can't get shots like these anymore. Licensed to ThrillGreat old car photo taken in 1946 or 1947. The 1947 California license plate under its headlight tells all. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Bored in Yosemite
My dad, my aunt Susan and my grandmother in Yosemite, 1947. I would say they'd rather be home watching TV except they ... Glacier Point This is Glacier Point overlooking the Yosemite Valley. The rock feature behind the fence pole is "North Dome". "Half ... 
 
Posted by mhallack - 04/16/2009 - 8:06am -

My dad, my aunt Susan and my grandmother in Yosemite, 1947. I would say they'd rather be home watching TV except they didn't own a TV until many years later. View full size. Austrian looklooking at the hair style and blouse of your grandma, I would swear this to be Austria. Nice looking lady! Glacier PointThis is Glacier Point overlooking the Yosemite Valley. The rock feature behind the fence pole is "North Dome". "Half Dome" would be just out of sight to the right of the picture. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Yosemite High: 1961
... school and accompanied some of his students on a trip to Yosemite, where he snapped this Kodachrome slide. Coincidentally, I was ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 03/29/2014 - 3:45pm -

Spring 1961. My brother was just completing his first year teaching English at a Sacramento, California area high school and accompanied some of his students on a trip to Yosemite, where he snapped this Kodachrome slide. Coincidentally, I was completing my first year as a high schooler, and can therefore testify to the authenticity of the garb. View full size. Style ConfirmationYeah, 9th grade, 1961 -- even up here in the Pa. mountains, that is indeed how we dressed. Pleasant memories of an innocent time. 18 was the new 35A good looking group for sure though they don't look like high schoolers. I know it's been said before but here's proof. Pants Not AllowedGirls would not have been wearing pants to school. Dresses were still the norm except for days like Sadie Hawkins or Rodeo Days. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Yosemite Swimmers: 1940
Mariposa County, California, circa 1940. "Yosemite Lodge pool and Falls vista." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Moulin ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/07/2017 - 3:04pm -

Mariposa County, California, circa 1940. "Yosemite Lodge pool and Falls vista." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Moulin Studios. View full size. A Room with a Viewwith a falls and a pool full of girls. Won't lodge a complaint here. Still therePlus 77 (The Gallery, Landscapes, Swimming)
Yosemite: 1950s
Here again we see our Yosemite travelers Bill and Gloria. View full size. Saddle shoes ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:18pm -

Here again we see our Yosemite travelers Bill and Gloria. View full size. Saddle shoesGloria has her shoes on this time, and echt-50s ones they are indeed. She looks like she stepped out of one of my sister's high school photos. Love Bill's belt buckle; another sign that we were kindred spirits. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Yosemite: 1954
Yosemite park in what I'm assuming is 1954 based on the '55 license plate ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:24pm -

Yosemite park in what I'm assuming is 1954 based on the '55 license plate sticker. It's funny thinking that the original intent of the photo was to capture the beauty of the park but all most people would look at today are the cars. Scanned from the Kodachrome slide. View full size AdvertisementThe scenery is beautiful, but it could be a magazine ad for Chevrolet! Great submission. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Yosemite Fire Fall
Photo of Yosemite National Park's fire fall, circa 1956. Taken from Camp Curry with ... 
 
Posted by Sparks - 04/21/2011 - 10:23am -

Photo of Yosemite National Park's fire fall, circa 1956. Taken from Camp Curry with Nikon S with 135mm lens and Kodachrome film. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Mirror Lake in Yosemite: Mid-Fifties
... As guessed by tterrace, this is probably Mirror Lake in Yosemite. View full size Girl in the photo The girl in the photo is ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:19pm -

One can see Bill Bliss and the girl from this photo on the other side. As guessed by tterrace, this is probably Mirror Lake in Yosemite. View full size Girl in the photoThe girl in the photo is Gloria Matlock who lived next door. She was about 5 1/2 years older than Bill. She now lives in Minnesota. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Camping in Yosemite 1940's
... a group of photos of my dad's family during a road trip to Yosemite National Park. Judging from other pictures with my dad as a kid in ... 
 
Posted by mhallack - 01/05/2009 - 9:54pm -

This is from a group of photos of my dad's family during a road trip to Yosemite National Park. Judging from other pictures with my dad as a kid in them, I'm thinking this was around 1946. (Sadly he is not around anymore) I wish that old Ford was still around, though not likely as he traded in cars every few years. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Bark for Yosemite Fire Fall
... side just after the sun had gone down to create the famous Yosemite National Park Fire Fall. Photo taken in 1956 using a Nikon S 35mm ... 
 
Posted by Sparks - 04/21/2011 - 10:24am -

Pile of bark that will later in the afternoon be set afire with the coals from the fire being pushed over the side just after the sun had gone down to create the famous Yosemite National Park Fire Fall. Photo taken in 1956 using a Nikon S 35mm camera with a 135mm lens and Kodachrome film. Name of person in photo is unknown. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Dad and Aunt Susan in Yosemite: 1947
My dad and his sister Susan in Yosemite. I love this picture, probably my favorite of the whole collection of ... 
 
Posted by mhallack - 05/02/2009 - 11:13am -

My dad and his sister Susan in Yosemite. I love this picture, probably my favorite of the whole collection of the family's trip to the park. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids)
In Yosemite: 1946
My dad, Gary and my aunt Susan up in Yosemite, sometime around 1946 or 47. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery) ... 
 
Posted by mhallack - 11/01/2013 - 7:03pm -

My dad, Gary and my aunt Susan up in Yosemite, sometime around 1946 or 47. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Yosemite
A stop in a national park -- possibly Yosemite -- on the way to work at ship yards in Washington State during WWII, ... 
 
Posted by sunflower - 12/14/2010 - 8:20am -

A stop in a national park -- possibly Yosemite -- on the way to work at ship yards in Washington State during WWII, 1942 or 43. View full size.
Yosemite Valley: 1956
I made this photograph in 1956, when I was seventeen years old, using a Leica M3 double stroke with a collapsible 50mm f/2 Summicron and Kodachrome ASA 25 film metered with a Weston Master II. View full size. Location This was taken fro ... 
 
Posted by JohnP - 09/05/2014 - 7:40pm -

I made this photograph in 1956, when I was seventeen years old, using a Leica M3 double stroke with a collapsible 50mm f/2 Summicron and Kodachrome ASA 25 film metered with a Weston Master II. View full size. LocationThis was taken from the Big Oak Flat Road that connects the valley to California Highway 120. [No, it's from the Tunnel View overlook on the Wawona Road. Valley View, on the Big Oak Flat Road, is similar, but is down on the valley floor. -tterrace] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Richard restrained: 1952
... in Franklin NC, November 11 1952. View full size. Yosemite Sam He looks like he's getting ready to spit! All I can think of is Yosemite Sam spitting in a cartoon. Cute shot. (ShorpyBlog, Member ... 
 
Posted by billybobbain - 09/20/2011 - 1:32am -

Uncle Richard tied to a post in his crib. Taken in Franklin NC, November 11 1952. View full size. Yosemite SamHe looks like he's getting ready to spit! All I can think of is Yosemite Sam spitting in a cartoon. Cute shot. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Lodge Parking: 1961
... when the tailgate could be held open with a chain! Yosemite license plates They apparently were a thing. Image is associated ... Mariposa, California, reading in part: "... 1950's Yosemite National Park license plate, found in a garage at a local estate, here ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/27/2021 - 11:12am -

The latest from hot-rodder-photographer-skier Don Cox is this 35mm Kodachrome dated February 1961, starring yet another Lincoln Capri. View full size. 1960 Olds FiestaMy folks had a 1960 Oldsmobile station wagon, like the one by those two people. Arctic White, the one used in a golf tournament. What an aircraft carrier! Was a pleasure to drive cross-country to Mississippi in the summer. My sister and I would call dibs on the rear-facing jump seat. Good "Olds" times! Ski RacksIf this is a ski lodge I would expect to see ski racks on the top of most of the cars. The green car by the man and the boy might have them. When did car-top ski racks become popular? Transported back to junior highWhen this was a typical carscape on the streets. My attempt to identify most of the cars from left to right: 1956 Lincoln, 2 GMC pickups, unknown (to me), unknown mini-foreign car (mostly hidden), 1960 Pontiac Oldsmobile, 1953 Lincoln, 1958 Plymouth, and some sort of Jeep. Same LincolnRSY prefix on the license plate indicates the same car as in the earlier photo taken along the new freeway near Truckee. Car looks blue in that photo but is clearly black here. That makes twoFirst-time post here. My parents had 1960 Olds wagon also. It managed to fit all 10 of us on at trip to Pennsylvania from Wisconsin. We also had a Willys truck like the one in the far background. Five-slat grille put it no newer than 1953. That Capri you speak of is the same car as the earlier pic. The plate matches. [Although the paint colors don't. - Dave] Peer PressureJudging by how dramatically car styles changed in the early '60s, owners of late '50s models must have felt a good amount of pressure to buy new or look completely out of style. Today you can barely tell the difference between a brand new car and a clean 10-year-old one. Interesting Line-upTwo of the three pickups are GMCs the same color, the third on the left looks like a GMC as well. Belonging to facility? Then a '56 Lincoln, a GMC or Chevy Suburban, a Volkswagen headlight, the aforementioned '60 Olds, a '52 Lincoln, a '58 Plymouth, and a Jeep Gladiator. We're in a National Park somewhereThe three older trucks next to the Olds all have US Government license plates, the closest has the number YNP (or TNP) 042. What parks are in California beginning with either of those letters? Paint colors and acronymsAs for which National Park in California could be represented by the acronym YNP, that would be a Jeopardy question that even I could answer. Regarding the Lincoln's paint color, it sure seems more likely that there is simply an illusion or photographic artifact of some sort causing the car to appear to be two different colors than it would be that he bought a slightly different car (or had it painted black) on the way to the ski lodge. [Or it's the same tag on two different cars. - Dave] 1957 or earlier VW Beetle behind the trucksThe turn signal is next to the headlight. After 57 they moved to the top of the fenders My 2021 Ram is a little differentThis was taken when a pickup was a pickup and not a $65K luxury vehicle with leather seats, electronic navigation, and four outside cameras. Ah for the days when the tailgate could be held open with a chain! Yosemite license platesThey apparently were a thing. Image is associated with a 2018 eBay auction listed by a resident of Mariposa, California, reading in part: "... 1950's Yosemite National Park license plate, found in a garage at a local estate, here on the outskirts of Yosemite. I've never seen another one ... a ranger for many years in Yosemite tells me that these license plates were issued only in very small numbers and destroyed by the Park Service after their use." Ol' Dox CoxHey Dave, I'm really enjoying these photos by Don Cox, and especially this one by his brother Dox Cox, who got the much better name. [Oops! - Dave] Absolute, iron-clad, incontrovertible proofTruck drivers always head in, car drivers invariably back in. Except for Jeeps. You can never tell about Jeeps. What a feast!Car-brigade in full swing. Paint ColorsPerhaps the colors of the two Capri pictures do not appear to match because of how the sunlight or reflections shines on the black paint. [I doubt it. - Dave] Can't search for Don CoxNot meant to be published. But the search engine requires more than three letters. [Don't search for his name. Click on his tag above the photo. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Don Cox)
Mustang in Flight: 1942
... Ansel Adams carry his heavy tripod and camera around the Yosemite Valley, where Adams took some of his most famous and striking ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/29/2022 - 12:08pm -

October 1942. P-51 "Mustang" fighter in flight near the Inglewood, California, plant of North American Aviation. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer. View full size. Paint?Did planes like these leave the plant unpainted? [It is painted. Compare with unpainted. - Dave] Alfred Palmer: 1906-1993Alfred Palmer's obituary from Feb. 2, 1993: (San Francisco Chronicle) Alfred Palmer, a career photographer who got his first camera from Ansel Adams and who had his first public show at the age of 84, died Sunday. Mr. Palmer, a longtime Bay Area resident who most recently lived in Larkspur, died in San Rafael after a long illness. He was 86. A staff photographer and film maker for such shipping companies as Dollar, Matson and American President Lines, Mr. Palmer had his debut exhibition in 1990. "It's about time," he said during the two-part show at the Bank of America Concourse Gallery. The first exhibition included World War II photographs taken when he worked for the Office of War Information. The second included pictures from his travels during the 1920s and 1930s and featured such photographs as an untouchable in Bombay, an old man in Beijing and temple dancers in Bali. Mr. Palmer estimated that he traveled half a million miles at sea during his career and circumnavigated the globe "more times than I can remember." In 1917, he helped a young Ansel Adams carry his heavy tripod and camera around the Yosemite Valley, where Adams took some of his most famous and striking photographs. At the end of the expedition, Adams presented Mr. Palmer with a $1 Box Brownie camera. "He made me a photographer," Mr. Palmer later told an interviewer. A former merchant seaman, Mr. Palmer also produced films about the American Merchant Marine. Mr. Palmer is survived by his wife, Alexa, of San Rafael; three children, Julia Gennert of Bolinas, Donald Palmer of Stinson Beach and David Palmer of Los Altos; and nine grandchildren. Memorial services are pending. Beautiful aircraft!Looks to be a P-51B IIRC, which was made specifically for ground attack. This was with the Allison engines, and was considered underpowered until incorporation with the Merlin engine that enabled it to (later) establish itself as one of the top fighters of WWII. Thanks for sharing this :) Also known as the ApacheThis model was also known by the name "Apache." MustangMy records show this aircraft as being built for the RAF, but retained by the USAAC for testing. Serial number of the aircraft is 41-37416. Aircraft was destroyed during shipment to Europe in 1943. Early vs. Late P-51 MustangsThe Brits were not impressed with the first P51s we sent them, but some bright fellow thought to put an engine from the Spitfire in one. We started making that Rolls-Royce Merlin engine over here (in a Packard plant?) to put in the later Mustang, turning it into a world-beater. "Mustang I"This is a Mustang I, the original version built for the Brits before the US put in their order. The primary clue is in the guns -- all US versions were armed with Browning 50 caliber machine guns, which have barrels short enough to almost fit in the wings. Only stubs will show for 50 calibers. On the other hand, the Mustang I was ordered with four Hispano 20 mm cannons instead of machine guns. The long gun fairings conclusively identify this as an Allison engined, 20mm cannon armed, Mustang I. (The British gave their aircraft a snappy name, like "Spitfire" or "mustang", and identified models by roman numerals. On the other hand, the US relied on familiar type and model numbers, like "P" (for Pursuit)- 51. In the US system, versions were identified by letters, and minor modifications by "block numbers." For example, "P-47D-25") Apache? Not.While basically the same airframe it's not an Apache. A-36's had dive brakes on the wings. MustangThis is a P-51 (no suffix), RAF equivalent is Mustang IA. Only this version had the four 20mm Hispano guns. Mustang Mk. I's had two chin-mounted .50 caliber machine guns and one .50 caliber and two .303's in each wing for a total of eight. The Mk. I's were exported for use by the RAF and RCAF. A-36 was the Invader, not ApacheIf the the P-51A (cannon armed) also was in the AAF Apache era I can't say for certain, but the reply below restricting the Apache appellation to the A-36 is in error. Later the A-26 assumed the Invader name, but that p[lane did not reach operational combat units until months after Overlord. Philip C. Marchese, Jr. P-51It did have an unique official designation of P-51-1 for 57 planes for AAF use withdrawn from an RAF Defense Aid (Lend-Lease) contract for 150 as their Mustang 1A. Serials for that contract were 41-11981 to -11980, but there is no found record of exactly which ones went to AAF. Confusion arises in that all were similar to Mustang I but for wing cannon; however, Mustang 1 was factory Model 83, and Mustang 1A in this contract was Model 91 with no new model number assigned. To muddy the waters moreso, AAF first applied a designation of F-6A—as a photo ship—but that idea was tossed out. There is some thought that it was to be Model 92, but that had already been assigned to a Boeing B-29 contract which was canceled, so cooler minds took the easy way out by simply adding a dash 1 and moved on to other things. This is either an I/P-51 or a P-51AThe inlet scoop over the engine behind the prop is indicative of the Allison powered versions of the Mustang. These were the very first models produced and saw limited service as attack aircraft due to their poor performance above 20,000 feet. The big change for the Mustang came with the addition of the British Merlin engine..... the rest is history. Hello, www.shorpy.comHello, I can't understand how to add your blog ( www.shorpy.com ) in my rss reader [Click the "Shorpy RSS" link at the top of the homepage. - Dave] Apache!When North American designed the NA73-X, the factory named the entire project "Apache." The P51/Mustang IA was designed without British involvement and still had the original factory label. The P51, after production, was slated for half USAAF training units and half British deployment. The British commonly renamed American aircraft but in the case of the P51 (no A,B,C or D/K) the Americans had always referred to the planes as Apache. The Army echelon did not like the name and they were more than happy to change it to Mustang later. "Invader" is what US Army theater personnel called the A36 Apache, but it was never an official designation. Packard MerlinsAt the beginning of the war, 1939, the British air ministry sent a buying team to the USA to source a fighter superior to the british spitfire and a supply of Merlin engines. It appears that Rolls-Royce feared they would not be able to supply Merlins in sufficient quantity for the number of aircraft projected to use them, among them Spitfire, Hurricane, Lancaster bomber and others, so they contracted Packard to produce Merlins under licence. When the US found itself at war after Pearl Harbour, it checked around it's its armament inventory and found Mustangs awaiting shipment to us British, these were immediately impounded, re-gunned and and impressed into USAAF service. They also discovered a ready supply of Merlin engines being built in their own backyard. The aircraft proved to be a disappointment in British service and was relegated to ground attack. It was only when a Merlin was fitted that it's its laminar flow wing came into it's its own. By the way it's its bubble canopy and drop tanks were also fitted by us first. The US never managed to fit a cannon of US design in it's its fighters and even in Korea the North American Sabre still had to rely on 0.5 machine guns against the Russian Mig-15 cannons. Mustangs were not much used by us British after that, we preferred to rely on the constantly improving Spitfire. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)
Aunt Mary's Car: 1920
... a company lumber town. Aunt Mary was a bookkeeper for the Yosemite Sugar Pine Lumber Company. See her photo with co-workers in "Times of ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/24/2009 - 5:12pm -

c.1920, in the vicinity of Merced Falls, Calif. My mother's older sister and her car. Maybe someone here can identify it. From original 116 negative. View full size. Model T Runabout Mary's CarThe rear license plate seems to say 1928 or 1929---what do others think? ["20." - Dave] Aunt Mary and Her CarThanks for the auto ID, Anonymous Tipster. As for the date, I'm afraid that Mary died in 1922, of tuberculosis, two weeks shy of her 29th birthday. Clothes Make The LadySo Aunt Mary was only 26 years old when this picture was taken? Those clothes make her look at least 50. Mary's back storyThank you, Aunt Mary's niece, for more about her and her family, poor things. You are right about TB. It was a terrifying disease with an unpredictable but often fatal course. Even worse, there was considerable stigma associated with having it. When my mother-in-law was a child in the 1920s, her father spent several months in a TB sanatorium (he survived, lived a long life and died of something else). She said the children were forbidden to ever speak of it to anyone, for if it was generally known he would lose his job and friends would be reluctant to be with them. She was still uncomfortable talking about it in the 1980s. Something About MaryShe was a very pretty woman nevertheless. About Aunt MaryIf this was taken in 1920, Aunt Mary was pregnant with her first child, who was born in October of 1920. What is surprising is that she had her photo taken while pregnant, something most women of that era were too embarrassed to do. (Even in the 1940s our mother was quite chagrined to find out someone took a snapshot of her while she was expecting.) Aunt Mary's story has an even sadder ending. During her second pregnancy, her tuberculosis, which had been in remission, flared up again, and she died two weeks after the birth of the baby. The baby, being exposed to TB at birth, died of fulminant tuberculosis at age 6 weeks. Mary left a husband and a 2-year-old. Mary was born in June, married in June, and died in June. This was the tragedy of our Mother's family. We have forgotten today the toll that TB took on people's lives in the early to mid 1900s. Until medication for treatment was developed in the 1940s-50s, TB was one of the top ten killers. -- Aunt Mary's Niece, who never knew her Aunt Mary's Clothes"Those clothes" were simply the style of Aunt Mary's era. Yes, today those styles are old-fashioned and pretty silly looking. Just like the clothes we wear today will look old-fashioned and silly looking in 2096 (yes, 2096!). Girls born in 1892 wore those kind of clothes in 1920. Actually, if you take a closer look at Mary, she's pretty easy on the eyes. Some 21st century treatment on her wardrobe, makeup and hair and I'll bet she'd turn a few heads. TB's Heavy TollMy paternal grandmother contracted TB during my grandfather's courtship of her (started with a cold she got while sitting on the ground watching Granddad play baseball), and died when Dad was 5 (1930). Dad, born with TB, was cured of it at Johns Hopkins during his first 5 years, but still worries about a recurrence to this day- and he's 83 now. My regret, of course, is that I never got to know my grandmother. Indeed, even my father's memory of her is very sketchy. Mary's Model TThe car seems to be a ca. 1917-1919 non-starter car. There is an accessory "keyed" ingition switch on the coilbox on the firewall. I put "keyed" in quotes because the stock Ford switch had a key, but they were all the same! I see an electric taillight, which may have been added on. One popular package on 1919 and later cars that had starter motors and generators included demountable rim wheels and an electric taillight. Those cars had no kerosene side lamps. We can't tell if this car has them because of Mary's position. This car does not have demountable rim wheels. The toolbox on the running board is an accessory item. It looks like something on the end of the tail pipe, too. Maybe a warning whistle. It also looks like there is an accessory dashboard, and auxiliary outside brakes on the rear drums. The outside brakes and keyed ignition tell me Mary was a cautious woman. 1917 Model T RoadsterI think the car was a 1917 model year produced around March–April 1917. See the rationale at the Model T Ford Club of America Forum. Others may see additional items that will alter that recommendation. Respectfully submitted, Hap Tucker 1915 Model T Ford touring cut off and made into a pickup truck. Sumter SC. Merced FallsMerced Falls, 30 miles east of Merced and just a couple of miles south of Snelling, was quite a place in those days. Mostly gold dredging in the Merced River. Not a lot left today. There was a cement factory there also. It was in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada range. There are still a lot of "potholes" filled with water when the dredge would move on to create another hole. The last time I was there (40 years ago) there was still an old dredge in one of the potholes. Great fishing and frogging. Re Merced FallsMerced Falls was at that time a company lumber town. Aunt Mary was a bookkeeper for the Yosemite Sugar Pine Lumber Company. See her photo with co-workers in "Times of Flu." Aunt Mary and the other unmarried lady employees lived in the Company Hotel. There was housing for families and barracks for the single men. There was a mess hall, pool hall, and a baseball field. The Lumber company was noted for its Incline Railway system which brought the logs down from the mountains above. The track was 8000 feet long and 3100 feet in height. It started at an elevation of 5000 feet and ended at 1900 ft el. More technical info for train trekkies can be found here. Aunt Mary married the company town butcher, a young man from a butchering family in England. Later they moved to a house in nearby Snelling. Aunt Mary had moved to Merced Falls from (foggy) San Francisco to live in a drier climate near the mountains, which was thought to be beneficial for tuberculosis. Which it was for a while. The area today is a county park, the town partly drowned under the waters of Lake McClure, formed by the Merced Falls Diversion Dam. SnellingMy family has been going to Henderson Park for 50 years especially at Easter. My uncle Alvin and Grace Halstead have lived near Merced Falls for almost 30 years. Many great memories of the time spent there. Tom Mitchell Killer TBI read with interest the comments on Aunt Mary's pictures and her tuberculosis. Those who wrote that it was a killer are indeed right. My great-grandmother, two great aunts, and one of their sons all died of it within a short time. My grandmother had it when she was pregnant with my mother. She was told that that the baby would either be dead in six months or always immune. Since Mom died at age 72, I guess it was the latter. Her first cousin Edna also had TB and was ill for several years. The picture is of my grandmother and grandfather in the 1930s. While my grandmother survived TB, she died of a brain aneurysm before I was born. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
The Campers: 1930s
This is probably Yosemite National Park some time in the thirties. Scanned from the 4 x 2½ inch ... visible, and if you can make out the hood ornament in the Yosemite picture, your eyes are far better than mine. I will defer to the '35 ... on the Plymouth (and both of these are evident in the Yosemite picture). Good catch! Sometime between 1945 and 1949 Judging by ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/18/2011 - 10:11pm -

This is probably Yosemite National Park some time in the thirties. Scanned from the 4 x 2½ inch negative. View full size Hey SamMildred? Have you seen my keys?? We'll never get out of this darned park if I don't find those keys! Late ThirtiesA data point: the car in the background is either a 1937 or 1938 Chevrolet Master DeLuxe four-door touring sedan. The breeze has placed the hanging clothes in rather inopportune positions, covering some details that would make the year more conclusive. Given what I can see, my guess is it's a 1937 model year car. It's impossible to tell how old the car was when the picture was taken, so all I can offer with any certainty is that the picture dates from 1937 or later. (If only the newspaper on the table was legible.) Correct TimeThose long skinny ladies' watches would indicate the 1930s also. 1935 Plymouth DeluxeThe circles on the hood, door hinge locations and the windshield wipers point to a 1935 Plymouth Deluxe sedan. 1935 PlymouthThe car in the background is definitely a 1935 Plymouth Deluxe Four Door Sedan. The trim rings on the hood give it away. Although it is blurred you can vaguely see the round sailing ship hood ornament. I hope this helps. Plymouth? Chevy?I never before noticed the remarkable similarity between the '35 Plymouth Deluxe (see it here) and the '37-38 Chevy Master DeLuxe (see it here). It's hard to distinguish in the images I linked, but both cars have the rings on the hood, the suicide doors, the little window in the rear, the elongated hood. The grille would be a giveaway, but it's not really visible, and if you can make out the hood ornament in the Yosemite picture, your eyes are far better than mine. I will defer to the '35 Plymouth identification, though, because the pillar between the doors is slightly more visible on the Plymouth, and the rear door hinge is higher on the Plymouth (and both of these are evident in the Yosemite picture). Good catch! Sometime between 1945 and 1949Judging by the clothing. Here's my thoughts: The men's haircuts look like they are from the late 1930s, but men tend to be conservative about their hairstyles. (Women too, actually; you can often tell a woman's age by her hairstyle if nothing else.) The older women have hairstyles suggestive of the 1930s (but see above) while the younger, undoubtedly more fashion conscious, women have hairstyles that are more casual versions of mid-forties. This could be because those styles are changing into late-forties styles, or it could be because camping is a fairly casual activity. Casual clothes are always a bit hard to date but are often earlier than you would suppose, because one decade's casual clothes become the next decade's more formal or at least more general wear. Believe it or not, the tuxedo was once casual (hunting) clothing! So these are not everyday clothes of the '50s and '60s. They are earlier. That bare-shouldered dress on the dark haired woman facing the camera is definitely later forties and not thirties. The "playsuit" started in the later thirties but that kind of sexy bare shouldered look for informal activities didn't really get going until after the war. The pressure is on!Quick! Someone identify that pressure cooker lid! What's for breakfast?Looks like a half open can of hash? A box of biscuits and eggs. What was in the pressure cooker? ShameIt looks to me as if the dark haired girl on the left is giving the photographer bedroom eyes, while the girl next to her is mortified and trying to meld into the background. Dad looks resigned and tense, while the aunt on the end looks disgusted. Mom just looks at the photographer as if to say, "don't even go there". The dark haired girl looks quite hot to trot, I think. Anyone else see this whole scenario? Before plastic forksThese campers don't know how lucky they are to have real flatware, NOT the current despicable, fragile and useless forks and knives with which they expect people to enjoy outdoor and party dining today. I plan to purchase several of the boyscout version of aluminum all-in-one camping utensils to stash in my car just to keep from getting perturbed and annoyed by those who offer only the flimsy, weak and unusable disposable junk. I find that nothing spoils the fun of a joyful gathering more than crappy utensils! (And you darn kids stay off my lawn). [The white kind is flimsy and to be avoided -- blech. The full size clear Lexan or polycarbonate variety, on the other hand, I've found to be pretty good -- my flatware of choice for camping trips or patio barbecues. The cheap aluminum flatware in a lot of camping kits is soft and bendy, much inferior to the better plastic. Nice stainless flatware, of course, trumps them all as far as style and function go. - Dave] Camping accoutrementsEnameled coffee pot, still in style at fashionable camping sites thirty years later. Nothing like the taste of coffee grounds roasted over an open fire. And before milk cartons.Yes, and before milk cartons, paper plates, the whole "modern" picnic thing. Teen AngstNo one has mentioned the family dynamics of this photo: Mother, Aunt, Father, older daughter, younger daughter -- not the kind of campsite you put up and take down in a day, so probably has been set up in a campground for a week. The Uncle pulls out the camera on the day your leaving, and catches the youngest not wanting to leave the boy she met. Oldest daughter in a good mood 'cause they are going home, Mother tired of cooking and cleaning in the "rough," Father wanting to get home to see the game. Dating the photoThe girls' hair is definitely forward-looking (to the 1940s). My gut feeling though is that the older women look reasonably "with it." In other words they don't look like they'd be wearing styles dramatically out of date -- they'd simply not pick up on the latest change as it happens. Given that the car is '35, my expert opinion puts it at 39-40. What a CutieMan, I gotta stop falling in love with these Shorpy babes. Especially since they are, as a rule, deceased. The Pressure is offThe lid does not belong to a pressure cooker (note the collapsible handle in the center rather than a relief stem) - this lid most likely belongs to a utensil tote for camping. Family Dynamics ReduxI am thinking that that is Grandpa and Grandma away from the camera. Mom is on the right and Dad is taking the picture. The girl looks too young for boyfriend camping. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Intimations of Autumn: 1952
... to California. I'm going with Route 120 on the way to Yosemite Park out of Groveland, CA. 3500 foot elevation because everything is ... it to be somewhere around Groveland, CA on the road to Yosemite Park. Hot Springs to Win Yes, it must be Hot Springs. Hot ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2014 - 12:10pm -

        UPDATE: Shorpy member SteamBoomer has correctly identified the location as Eureka Springs, Arkansas. See the Comments for details. "7 Oct. 1952 -- Entrance to ______  _______." Who can tell us where we are in this latest installment of Minnesota Kodachromes? (Hint: not Minnesota.) 35mm color slide by Hubert Tuttle, on the road with wife Grace. View full size. If only we could see a little farther leftFrom the trees and the rocky terrain my best guess is that this is somewhere in Upstate New York or northern New England. What makes the guessing game especially tantalizing is the sign partly visible at far left. Someone named Horton or Morton or Norton was running for state attorney general in the 1952 election. Here's hoping Wikipedia has enough detail ... [Edit: as another person helpfully noted, this could not be Upstate New York or northern New England in October. I should have known that.] [Further edit: the suggestion of Florida is an intriguing one, and there are some areas north of Orlando that might be hilly enough, but the rocky outcroppings at the right wouldn't be found in the Sunshine State.] Highway signDown the road a piece we see what looks like a shield-shaped US Highway number sign with an auxiliary above. The latter could be "NORTH," "SOUTH," "ALT(ernate)" etc. My guess is "alternate," specifically the earlier main route, based on the narrowness and the 1920s-1930s-era cement pavement, and since bypassed by a wider, straighter roadway. Of course, this only narrows the location down to the entire United States. There's something about the nearest trees at the right that says California live oaks to me, but I can't quite make out the leaf shape. Too green?I think it may be too green for the photo to have been taken in New England in October. Farther south, I think. I would be tempted to say, "entrance to Blue Ridge Parkway" if there were three spaces. California? Near a polo field?Judging from the trees (is that a madrone on the near left?) I would say coastal California. It's a bit lush to be Southern California. My guess would be near Santa Cruz. The sign with the horse icon on the left looks to me like a sign for polo grounds, rather than horse riding or racing. The area around the Polo Grounds Park in Aptos looks similar, but I couldn't find a road that matched that topography. Maybe not so far awayIt's 1952 and these are our friends whose previous photos have always been in southern Minnesota. Not Minnesota? OK, how about western Wisconsin, someplace between the Twin Cities and Eau Claire? I'm going with California, somewhere.The trees on the right look like Madrone or large Manzanita. There are some pines floating around in the trees as well as what could be a tallish live oak. The cut bank of dirt looks like the kind where I grew up. I'm going with North Central California. No idea as to the entrance. Process of EliminationIf the election poster is for state Attorney General, then California can't be the state. Pat Brown was elected in 1950 and didn't run again until 1954. There was a State Attorney General elected in Oregon named Thornton in 1952, but the last four letters of the last name on the poster are definitely "RTON". [Interesting, but knowing who got elected doesn't help you much if the guy on the poster lost. - Dave] US 12Looking from the rocks and trees, could they be on US-12 south of Baraboo, WI on their way to Devil's Lake State Park? Wonder SpotLake Delton, Wisconsin, just south of the Wisconsin Dells. Trees suggest not CaliforniaI'm pretty sure I see post oak, black oak and shortleaf pine. I could be wrong, but I'm going to go out "on a limb" and say its the entrance to "The Ozarks". ArkansasHwy 7 outside Hot Springs. Entrance To ...North Dakota! Florida?Forgive me if this a stupid suggestion (I'm a Brit and have visted parts of the US but not Florida). Someone named L.Grady Burton stood for Attorney General in Florida in 1948*. If elections are every 4 years he may have stood again in 1952. Does this help? *Daytona Beach Morning Journal - May 21, 1948. Folger Stable and Wunderlich ParkI think we are on what is now SR 84 North, Woodside Road, Redwood City, San Mateo County, California. The election poster seems to be for Atherton. The entrance to the left is for the Folger Stable, where one could hire a horse and take the equestrian trails through Wunderlich Park. Glib Bartonran for Attorney General in Arkansas in 1952, so I'm going to cast my vote for Arkansas, as well. [Ahem. CLIB Barton. - Dave] Route 120 in CaliforniaThere are ponderosa pine, digger pine, madrone and black oak (I believe) in the picture, all native to California. I'm going with Route 120 on the way to Yosemite Park out of Groveland, CA. 3500 foot elevation because everything is still green in October. Let's go to Hot Springs (Ark.)Looks a lot like an Arkansas highway, plus the sign with the racehorse on it indicates they are on the way to Hot Springs which has a major thoroughbred race track and is on Highway 7. Route 120 in CaliforniaBased on the vegetation (the near pines are Ponderosa pine and there are a couple of digger pine along the horizon), the madrone near the electric pole of the near left. I guess it to be somewhere around Groveland, CA on the road to Yosemite Park. Hot Springs to WinYes, it must be Hot Springs. Hot Springs has had a horse track since 1905, Oaklawn Park. [You're not even Warm. - Dave] Play SafeElect Clib Barton your Attorney General. Agree with MbillardAs you suggested Dave, find the one who lost the election. Glib Barton fits the bill. As for the fill in the blanks, how about "Ozark Mountains"? [Not quite. And Clib wasn't Glib. - Dave] My vote - not CaliforniaTwo things I see, both road-related: 1. California's two auto clubs (and the Division of Highways beginning in 1948) were in charge of road signage and paid meticulous attention to detail in doing so. That yellow diamond sign would've been mounted to a post painted yellow to match with black at the base. 2. If this is indeed a US highway, there would likely be white striping down the center of the roadway, even if it wasn't quite wide enough for two full lanes. Reading the hintsWarm Springs, Georgia? It's on my mind. Warm Springs?Going by your hints, is it Warm Springs, Georgia? [Getting colder. Brrr! - Dave] Strange if CaliforniaThe foliage definitely looks like California, but if that is a US Highway sign whose back we see things are a bit odd. My memory was, and checking the online 1952 highway map verified, that there were relatively few US Highways in California in 1952, none were designated Alternate, and all were relatively main roads. (Except for good old US 395 to Alturas, which had sections listed as oiled dirt or oiled gravel.) If it was a state or county road it's unlikely but possible that a stretch that long would not have a distance marker (we called them "paddle signs" in the rally game) showing. Nifty puzzle. OuachitaCould it be Ouachita National Forest in Arkansas? They hit Iowa on the way home from the trip.I was going to guess Iowa, due to this article which places them in Iowa not very long after this photo was taken: [I suspect Iowa was on both both legs of their trip! - Dave] Entrance to Eureka SpringsHubert and Grace have turned north off US Hwy 62 onto Arkansas Hwy 23. The photo was taken somewhere around GPS coordinates 36.394231,-93.742166. [Now that's what I call specific. And correct! How did you figure it out? - Dave] I simply had a Eureka moment! View Larger Map Eureka!SteamBoomer seems to have nailed it. The irony for me is that I was originally convinced that this was one of the roads in the state I grew up in, California. Instead, it turns out to be in the one town in Arkansas that also figured in my childhood. I spent a few summers in Eureka Springs staying with relatives. I remember the beautiful buildings and houses of the town well, but I'd forgotten the wild look of the countryside around it. Eureka Springs, 1904Family outing, 110 years ago: https://www.shorpy.com/node/3276 (Minnesota Kodachromes)
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