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From 1912 or later comes "elderly man in rocking chair," watching the world go by from the vine-covered porch of his cozy cottage (erected "A.D. 1901") at 479 Main Street. 5x7 inch glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size.
Look to be wisteria and broad leafed ivy.
The lattice walled structure on the rear porch of this cottage may be for food storage. In this pre-electric-refrigeration era, many houses had what were called California coolers built into or adjoining the kitchens. The helped preserve potatoes, onions. carrots and other vegetables not really requiring icebox storage, usually reserved for leftovers, dairy products, eggs and meat. I once lived in a 1906 house here in San Diego with an intact cold room, by then just used for canned goods storage.
Is used as lattice for the vines to grow on. That would be a cool hideout for kids once it was totally covered.
Flags abound, and there's summer foliage. This man looks the right age to have "seen the elephant" during the Unpleasantness of 1861-65.
Great vignette (double entendre fully intentional) of small-town America a hundred years ago.
Could be an early David Lynch movie still! Agent Cooper's grandfather. The chicken-wire porch is almost enigmatic.
Must be awfully big mosquitoes in those parts.
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