Framed or unframed, desk size to sofa size, printed by us in Arizona and Alabama since 2007. Explore now.
Shorpy is funded by you. Patreon contributors get an ad-free experience.
Learn more.
"Howard & Rena, April 1952." Visiting Claude's farm somewhere in Minnesota, affording us our third look at these colorful Kodachromes. View full size.
That picture was taken after church at my grandfather, Claude Boler's farm in Nashville Township, Truman, Minnesota. The picture was taken by Hubert Tuttle, a barber in Blue Earth, MN. He took pictures at all our family get togethers
Yes, Rena made most of her clothes, including the suit she is wearing. She has awards for sewing at the Minnesota State Fair from her 13th birthday and again when she was 95. Today she is 101. She sewed handmade ties for me and my two brothers. Dad's hat is long gone :(
I, too, was under the impression that Rena made her suit. It's beautiful! Even the flower petals on her hat are flawless.
Joe Manning once more. The presumed grandson of Howard and Rena, to whom I sent the photos, has confirmed that he easily recognized his grandparents in them.
Maybe Dave can make a deal with Howard and Rena's grandson. The Kodachromes for Howard's hat.
One of the charms of Shorpy pictures is shown by the information gleaned about Howard and Rena. Superb job, 'joemanning', well done. One of the reasons I return to older offerings: to see what tid-bits have been added.
I would bet that Rena made her suit and blouse. I've done a lot of sewing in my time and that suit looks home made. Not that it's a bad thing! I made a beautiful suit for myself and plenty of blouses and other things and the cut and the less severe lines of her suit tell me that she was most likely the seamstress of it. Nice suit, Rena! I remember my dad wearing those wide ties. He had a closet full of them. Brings back good memories.
It's so rewarding when previously unknown subjects in old photographs can be identified, especially when family is involved. My dad began taking photos in 1905, and in the last few years I've managed (with the help of the internet and Ancestry.com) to discover and share the identification of more than a few people whose identity would be lost forever otherwise.
I know life was hard in the Midwest back then. I was born in Wisconsin in the fifties, and life is still difficult there today in many ways. Nevertheless, I question the supposed ages of the two subjects. Look at the lines in her face; hard to get those at 26, even living in paradise!
[She was 26 in the 1940 Census. This photo is from 1952. - Dave]
Joe Manning again. I just got off the phone with a grandson of Howard and Rena. He was unaware of the photos being on eBay, but said that there have been a number of estate sales over the years. Howard passed away several decades ago, but Rena is living and is 101 years old.
Note to Dave: The grandson is interested in obtaining the photos. Please contact me, and I will give you his email address.
In the 1940 census, there is a Howard and Rena Boler living in Nashville, Martin County, Minnesota. Howard is 27 and Rena is 26. Also in the 1940 census, and also in Nashville, there is a Claude and Martha Boler. Claude is 53 and Martha is 46. So the Boler name connects the two couples. It looks like Howard might have been Claude and Martha's son.
Their clothes are new, stylish (possibly not stylish-stylish, though) and well-made, and whoever shot this was using a seriously good camera: that image is sharp edge-to-edge.
He looks very proud, and rightly so. It took lots of work to get them looking so neat. Their outfits complement each other and are perfectly laundered and pressed. Her hair was coiffed and bobby-pinned for hours before make-up, dressing, and hat pinning. “Did you wash the car, honey?" "Youbetcha!”
People dressed up in their best clothes back in those days just to go for a ride, go shopping, or go on a vacation.
To my untrained eye, this is an image of great quality. The colors are really eye-catching.
If tterrace is around still, I wonder what he would say?
I'm sure that tie must require batteries. This what I remember my Uncle Arnold and Aunt Rhena from Monroe MI looking like about this time.
Howard was most definitely a sharp dresser. What I wouldn't give for that hat and tie!
I remember neckties like the one Howard is wearing, only mine weren't as wide. Wembley was a major neckwear manufacturer, for the 99¢ or $1.99 that I spent for the cravat, Wembley also included a color guide. Sewn onto the flip side was a label that would suggest the color of the suit to be worn with the particular tie. I guess it aided some of the not so swell dressers.
Now THAT is a tie. I'm not sure what it has to do with the suit, but that is one snappy necktie.
On Shorpy:
Today’s Top 5