Today I thought I'd use up some random slide scans that have been sitting in folders for a long time - I never found a reason to share them before. So... why not just present them, with no theme?
First up is this 1960 photo of the "ROC" cinema and theater. Where? Well, the word "Gaspe" was written on the cardboard mount; there is a city of Gaspé in Quebec, Canada - it's about 150 miles northeast of the tip of Maine. That must be the place! I can find no record of the "ROC" cinema, but it wouldn't surprise me if one of you can. Meanwhile, the car in the foreground is pretty sweet, whatever it may be.
In 1955, the Soo Locks (part of the Erie Canal, pal) celebrated their centennial with an exposition. As one does. It's not the sharpest photo I've ever seen, but I liked the old locomotive and caboose on display... the D.S.S & A (Duluth South Shore & Atlantic) #3. I guess I need some electrolytes or something, because I couldn't find anything online about this specific locomotive. I cried a lot, let me tell you.
And finally, here's a random photo of a department store in 1965 - location unknown. Ladies, they be shoppin'. I think I see Peggy Olson. Even though there is nothing very distinctive to go on, it would be cool if somebody recognized the store.
I hope you have enjoyed today random scans.
That first car's a T-bird! Nanook, I beat you. But you'll have to provide the year (I know it's before 1965).
ReplyDeleteSue
Major-
ReplyDeleteWhat - no theme-?? Sounds blasphemous to me-! That "whatever it may be car" is none other than a 1960 Ford Thunderbird, in Royal Burgundy. Our family had that same car, in Diamond Blue-!
Thanks, Major.
Just look at the number of salespeople behind the jewelry counter of that department store! Today, you'd be hard pressed to find even one person behind the counter! Those were the days! Before they ruined everything! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI swear to Bob I thought it said "celebrated with an explosion". I thought, "what an odd way to celebrate something".
ReplyDeleteLook I'm not awake yet...
The ROC is interesting. I would be willing to bet that the seats faced left (or right?) in the picture and the screen was on the end. It doesn't seem deep enough to be arranged the other way. Of course, I'm not really good at betting, so I could be completely wrong...
ReplyDeleteWith those deeply forested mountains behind it, I bet that theater was quite the draw for miles around. Also, why is there a locomotive in front of something related to the Erie Canal? Aren't the railroads what led to the decline of canals? Maybe they're just trying to show the whole story.
ReplyDeleteThe ROC Cinema Theater looks different and unique for a movie house. I wonder if they turned it into a multiplex? Perhaps have one of the screens in the janitor's closet.
ReplyDeleteI love random days on Gorilla's Don't Blog. Always something interesting. Thanks, Major.
Sue, this is proof that just about everybody knows more about cars than I do!
ReplyDeleteNanook, “Royal Burgundy” is the color of my tuxedo. “Diamond Blue” sounds pretty sweet.
TokyoMagic!, we had a new hardware store open near us a few months ago; the second you walked in, a salesperson was right on you asking if you needed help. It was great! You know how hardware stores can be. Sadly, now when you go in it’s like the old days; good luck finding anybody to tell you where the coping saws are!
Scott Lane, now THAT would be an interesting celebration. Maybe the explosion would be fireworks?
stu29573, the ROC seems does seem like an odd shape to hold a movie theater. Maybe it dates back to the silent days and was a very small “nickelodeon”? I really wish I could have found some information about it.
Andrew, special locomotives were used to pull ships through the canals (and before that, mules, as the famous song tells us), but the 1955 Soo Locks Centennial was a time when it seems like every expo had old steam trains on display. They were all doing it!
K. Martinez, it’s been a while since I did my research, but I do think there was a large cineplex in Gaspé now - it sure doesn’t look as cute and remote nowadays. Speaking of janitor’s closets, I recently saw “Ad Astra” in a theater that was about that small.
Major-
ReplyDeleteI’m afraid the Diamond Blue ‘moniker’ is just a more-romantic way of saying ‘pale blue’. (See how pedestrian that sounds-?) Clearly none of the elegance of Diamond Blue-! Undoubtedly, images of Elizabeth Taylor flash before your eyes at the ‘mere thought’ of such luxury - or the marketing folks at Ford would have you doing so.
Major, um, the Soo Locks are actually in Sault Ste Marie, Michigan. Pretty impressive, too. But the Erie Canal is cool, too...as are all of today's photos.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing!
I love these random mixtures, thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteEven when the pictures are unintelligible, this thread is a fine example of "Stay for the comments..."
JG