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Detroit circa 1908. "Waders at Belle Isle Park." Fourteen kids who'll never grow up. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Cannot imagine the water on Belle Isle being clean enough to wade in. A different time, indeed!
That little girl on the right knee-deep in the water is having her shoulders gripped by a girl who can only be her older sister. I recognize the clench that only an older sister can do to her baby sister or brother.
To see girls with short hair. Would there be a reason for that?
Are those two with short hair and what looks to be dresses boys or girls? I know some swimming outfits could possibly look that way, but they look like boys except for the the dresses. Maybe they are girls and had to have their hair cut for some reason, like a previous high fever. I've read that was done sometimes. Just can't get enough of looking at this picture!
I am really drawn into this picture. Wonder whatever became of these children. I would love to see a picture of the same spot today.
This picture reminds me of a previous Shorpy picture showing the participants of an office Christmas party. I was amazed at what life stories that seemed to be coming out of that picture and I feel the same way here. Each of the 14 seems to radiate an individual life energy that causes me to wonder what eventually did happen in their lives. Were they happy? Were they fulfilled? Were they doctors, lawyers, mothers, fathers, factory workers, craftsmen, politicians - even criminals? And when I think they if they lived a full life, they saw WW1, the Depression, the industrialization of the U.S., WW2, the Korean war, the idealistic 50's, the turbulent 60's, the polyester 70's and perhaps even the "takeover, Junk Bond" 80's that also heralded the start of the Computer generation. Wow, that's quite a journey!
The kid on the right looks a mite peeved about something.
Was that a Peter Pan reference, or is there something in the water they should know about?
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