For those of you expecting a typical "Snoozer Sunday"... it's Valentine's Day! I have never made a deal of it before, really, but for some reason I thought it would be fun to share some photos that are at least inspired by the idea of love and romance. So I delved into my boxes of vintage slides for some images that will hopefully bring a smile to your face.
First up is this photo from 1943, labeled "My sweetheart! Scott Ave. fish hatchery". Which means that the fetching Lady In Red is in Salt Lake City, Utah. Apparently this area is now the site of Ben Franklin Park and the Creekside Community Gardens but it was... home to the Scott Avenue fish hatchery. The hatchery was constructed so Salt Lake County could produce - rather than buy - trout eggs. The property on the north side of Scott Avenue was turned into another hatchery in 1938, ultimately making Scott Avenue one of the largest fish hatcheries in the state, capable of producing 300,000 fish annually. The fish hatched here were used to stock East Canyon, Big Cottonwood, Millcreek, Little Cottonwood, Mt. Dell, Holbrook and Parley’s. By 1978, the hatchery was idle and not producing any fish, so the state sold the land to developers.
Next is a photo of some newlyweds, sometime in the 1940s. The man is in uniform (maybe Chuck can help us with that?), and his bride looks radiant. I love the leafy, beautiful neighborhood, the old cars, the friend (or family member) beaming to the right... it's just a great picture.
More newlyweds! This time I think we are in the 1950s. We can see tables for the reception, I wonder if this was out behind a church? As is usually the case, I wish I knew more about these people. But they make a cute couple, I hope they had a long and happy life together.
Happy Valentine's Day to YOU!
That 2nd scene was set up by Norman Rockwell, himself, no doubt! Or else by Cupid.
ReplyDeleteHappy Valentine’s Day, Major and everyone!
Roses are red,
ReplyDeleteViolets are blue,
Gorillas don’t blog,
But we’re glad YOU do!
The lady in the first picture is... outstanding in her field. I love her jaunty red hat and coat. I used to have a coat a lot like that, and it cheered me up to wear something bright in the grayness of winter. it’s always weird when someone in a photo is pointing her Brownie back at the viewer. It’s like a Yakov Smirnoff joke; picture photographs you!
@ Melissa-
ReplyDelete"outstanding in her field." Oh, Melissa-!
Two horses are standing in a field. “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse,” says the first. “Moo!” says the second.
Thanks, Major, and Happy Valentines Day to all.
Wow, nothing says "fun date" or "romance" like a trip to the ol' fish hatchery with your "sweetheart"! Wheeee!
ReplyDeleteIs that first bride's dress blue? If so, she overdid it while trying to "wear something blue."
I'm trying to do the math on that second bride and groom. Let's say that that photo was taken in the mid-fifties. And let's just say that couple was in their mid-twenties (even though they look older), they would be 90+ years old today.
Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
Well, I'm in the mood for love now. In that second photo, you can almost hear String of Pearls playing in the background. I hope the war is over and he doesn't have to leave for Europe or the Pacific. It's 20 below zero outside, this morning, and I have to go out in it. These photos will help keep me warm. I am now contemplating a romantic trip to the fish hatchery in Bozeman, thanks to the first pic. I will be sure to tell my wife, "It was Major P's idea!" Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason Barnes and Barnes' classic "Fish Heads" is now firmly planted in my head. Thanks, Major.
ReplyDeleteVery nice and warm pictures today. Happy Valentines everywhere!
The fellow in the second photo is a private (the lowest rank) in the US Army Air Forces wearing the enlisted man's summer uniform of the period (there was no summer coat for enlisted men at this time). He is wearing an Aerial Gunner's Badge and ribbons for an Air Medal (on our left) with at least one oak leaf cluster, each denoting a second or subsequent award, and the European-African Middle Eastern Campaign Ribbon (the award was retroactively upgraded to a medal in 1947) with at least two campaign stars, each of which denotes participation in a specific campaign.
ReplyDeleteThis photo was taken no earlier than the latter half of 1943, when the Aerial Gunner's Badge was first authorized, and probably before the end of 1945 since the airman isn't wearing a WWII Victory Ribbon (authorized July 1945, but not issued until later in the year) or a "Ruptured Duck" discharge pin.
The fellow in the background looks like he is the groom's brother, although there is the possibility that the groom is a clone.
Jonathan, I keep trying to hear the Glenn Miller Orchestra playing "String of Pearls," but because of the way your comment is structured, all I can hear is Carl Switzer singing "I'm In the Mood for Love."
A fish hatchery as a sweetheart seems odd but, to each his own. I'd prefer the woman.
ReplyDeleteThe be-ribboned car behind the first couple is almost as radiant as the bride.
Thanks, Chuck. I hope he survived the war unscathed, physically and mentally.
Happy Valentine's Day! And thank you Major.
zach
How did I miss that photobombing lookalike brother?
ReplyDeleteThese are wonderful, Major.
ReplyDeleteThanks to you and Chuck for the extensive research.
I hope everyone had a long and happy life.
JG
"All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain".
ReplyDeleteThanks, Major and Happy Valentines Day to All!
Lou and Sue, I normally am not crazy about finding photos of weddings (or graduations or Christenings or…), but sometimes they are just too good!
ReplyDeleteMelissa, I think that first photo must have been taken during a brief period when red coats were really in fashion. I wonder if there was a movie with an actress wearing a red coat that made it “the thing”? You see photos of Disneyland, around 1955, with lots of red.
Nanook, hey, horses don’t say “Moo!”. If there’s anything I’ve learned from my Speak and Spell, it’s that!
TokyoMagic!, yes, I can imagine how excited the man must have been that morning. “Honey, put on your good outfit, we’re goin’ to the fish hatchery!”. “Oh Dan, you’re so romantic!”. And most of these photos are particularly old, being from the 1940s, so it would be a miracle if some of these nice people were still with us.
Jonathan, are you sure you don’t mean that you can hear Pearl Jam? They’re GRUNGE, you know. Just what people like to listen to when they canoodle. I was thinking the same thing about photo #2, who knows what happened after the picture was taken? Maybe he wound up going to Germany, yikes. If you go to the fish hatchery, be sure to take photos of your gal!
Stu29573, whoa, there’s a blast from the past. I used to tape “Dr. Demento” on my little tape recorder so that I could listen to it over and over during the week.
Chuck, wow, it’s amazing how much you are able to glean from what I thought were so few clues. Other than the style of the uniform, and that blurry ribbon, I didn’t think there was much you could tell about that gentleman. An Aerial Gunner’s Badge, yikes… those air battles sound too dangerous. I’ll just stay on the ground and peel potatoes. Love that you can ID the European-African Middle Easter Campaign Ribbon, that really adds to what that young man has been through. The “ruptured duck” is something that I have heard of for decades, but I don’t really know what it looks like. And yes, the man behind the groom has the same nose, and the same eyes, but a wider mouth. Definitely a close relative! Thanks Chuck, as always.
zach, sometimes I just don’t understand you Earthlings, but what else is new? Fish hatcheries are where it’s at! I imagine that the car with the ribbons had “Just Married” written in soap on the back window, and had a bunch of empty tin cans on strings to drag behind it.
Melissa, the proud big bro, for sure!
JG, yes, as always Chuck went above and beyond!
K. Martinez, in these particular cases, the moments are preserved in beautiful Kodachrome for all of us to enjoy some 60+ years later. Happily!
I love all these photos - such color thanks to Kodachrome, the only film to us to preserve these looks for us years later.
ReplyDeleteI love photos from the 40's and 50's as it reminds me so much of my parents and grandparents.
That coat in the first photo (let's hear it for fish hatcheries!!!) is so classic and I love her hat too. She looks rather cold though. I would wear that even today if I had somewhere to go (but I don't because there's no place to go right now, boo hiss).
Major-
ReplyDeleteWith the small visible footprint we have to work with, I'm fairly certain that's a 1938 or 1939 Packard all gussied up for the wedding. (It's definitely a Packard; just not certain of the year).
Major-
ReplyDeleteAnd as long as I'm going out on a limb ID-ing cars, I'm gonna say the gal in the red coat is holding a Kodak, No. 3 Bulls-Eye Box Camera, from the early 1900's.
It's interesting how that bride and their car are color-coordinated.
ReplyDeleteIrene, hope you're doing well!
A lady in red
A bride in blue
A blog to love
With folks like you!
Major, I’m pretty sure I have my Uncles “Ruptured Duck” patch. I think it was in the box with the negatives you saw.
ReplyDeleteJG