I have been doing alot of research on my small town, Like many it started because it was next to the rail road and half way between two larger citys, I won't bore you with the history lesson but these pictures are a moment in time long forgotten by most. I have the privelage to own one of the oldest building in town. We had a Ford, Dodge, Chevy and International Dealer in this little town back in the 50's. I found this and many other pictures on our States website in there archive dept. You maybe able to find some pics of your town the same way. I will be adding a pic from this very location soon, so you can compare. Whats did your town look like? MrC.
I can't explain it....but since my earliest memories, I've been almost clinically goofy obsessed with time progression photos like these. I am fascinated with how, why and when landscapes change over time. Of couse, part of it is the old cars in the photos, but there's more to it than that. These photos are a good example of that. I've been involved in amateur historical clubs over the years and the other members are always amazed at how I can peg the year of a photo by the cars...probably not unusual for the HAMBers, but for the average person, it's quite the parlor trick. And that is just too cool about owning one of the oldest buildings. My dream home is an old storefront building downtown with enough room to park multiple cars in and have a home upstairs.
Wow, I really thought this would take off, old pics of old cars and old towns. Weres your heritage????? MrC
Thanks for posting the photo of your town. These glimpses of the past are really interesting. As we evolved and changes take place, as we know not always for the better, it is good to take a moment and look at what has been. Don't give up on the thread, I suspect there will more than a few post.
i have just begun to have a real interest in the old town that i grew up,hampton, va. received a book of noting its history as well as alot of old photos. redevelopment in the 80s destroyed a beautiful main street with theatres,department stores with full plate glass windows which, profiled your car in them late at night, eateries, and 5 different car dealerships,all on the shore of the hampton river where an abundance of water life,seafood harvesting(famous for its 10story piles of oyster shells)provided many different occupations. a place where door locking,car locking was unheard of and neightbors looked out for each other and where church bells tolled at noon on wednesday signalling an end to business downtown for the day so as to get ready for wednesday night prayer time at church. blue plate meals downtown , blue law in effect in the stores, and just the best darn time to grow up in small town U.S.A . gone but not forgotten
Mid 1800's Zoar. A German separatist that formed a communistic society. The longest lasting in the world. They were millionaires when they broke up in 1898. This is the historic village where I am the maintenance manager. You'd think I'd be tired of old shit.
It's actually funny you should post this ! I have been trying to find out more about my town for some time now.I inherited and old building (where I do my hotrod stuff !) I was up in the attic of the small side of it and found a whiskey bottle labeled medicinal use only,along with stacks and stacks of old paper work from the 30's-60's come to find out my old shop (hotrod side)used to be the feed house,and the little side where I found the papers was the grocery store ! I also bought the house across the street from it to completely redo and I found out that it was built in 1900 when the town had a population of only 300 !!! From what I am able at this time to find out the town was started around 1887.I am trying to get some old pictures of my house,my shop,and the town but the local library,AND the museum either one have anything.
[QUOTE=Crystal Blue;7390299 These pictures of Mt. Holley brings back memories... I was stationed at McGuire 1961 & Mt. Holley was my hang out. A little cafe on a side street off of Main St. I did all my negotiations for a drag race there. Bought a '55 Pontiac from the dealer out on 206. After I got married we needed dishes & I bought a set of Melmack from a jewelry store on Main St. & had to finance the $17.00 cost from HFC finance a couple of stores down. I don't remember Pep Boys there back then though.... Those were fun times as I look back on them..
That bottle labeled "for medicinal use" probably dates back to Prohibition. That was the only way to legally sell alchohol....that and for religious purposes.
...here's a copy of a postcard dated 1911 of part of Polo Illinois' mainstreet...no cars, no horses and gravel crosswalks... ...and what it looks like today...
Great pics, they tell us so much of life so long ago, its truly amazing how far in some cases and how little in others we have come. I have always admired the history and the people in my home town. I have 50 or so pics like this in my business and it always amases me the older folks will point out a something I missed. They lived it and love to share there memories with me. Oh and the photoshop new to old blend is truly awesome thanks for sharing MrC.
Regina SK. Not much more than a trading post in the beginning. With the arrival of the railway, the hamlet becomes a village, becomes a town, becomes a city.
I am still amazed at how crisp and clean these old pics are, these pics make my 35 mil. camera look like junk. MrC.
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