What to post on this "Anything Goes Saturday"? It's always a conundrum. Well, I decided to scan a few vintage slides of a small-town parade in Flagler, Colorado (about 100 miles east of Denver). The date is unknown, but could from the early 1950s, or even late 1940s.
There goes a jeep, heading south on Main Avenue. The banner tells us that the occupants are from the "Class of '27". I love the almost "Old West" look of Flagler. Even in 2010 the population was only around 560 people.
Perhaps this Buick will help in dating the photo. Any small-town parade has got to show off their pretty girls. Check out the kid on top of Wickham Hardware! He's got the right idea.
This one is my favorite, with a large group of well-dressed school children. Maybe Sunday school? They're following a buckboard that has the local peewee football team (I have a photo of that, but it was way too dark and blurry). Once again, the small-town ambiance is so appealing, and we get a better look at Main Avenue.
Here's a modern-day Google street view; I wonder if the Post Office and the adjoining businesses are the same building as the Maytag appliance store in the previous image?
I had to move quite a way up the street, past the business district, before the Flagler water tower was visible on Google street view; I'm glad to see that it's still there.
I hope you've enjoyed your visit to Flagler, Colorado!
Major-
ReplyDeleteYes, that's a 1949 Buick Roadmaster convertible, (possibly in 'Gala Green Star-Mite') - yes, that color-! But I'm thinking that's a 1951 Buick parked between Farr's Dry Goods-Shoes & Wickham Hardware. So, maybe these images are from 1951... Either way, who doesn't 'love a parade'-?
Thanks, Major.
Nanook, I love a parade! The Kids of the Kingdom also loved a parade, as they professed on their 1967 album!
ReplyDeleteMajor, was the parade going in both directions on the street?
A parade in a small town, sign me up. Main Street shops that are actually open are a rare sight, these days. I was also thinking that all those kiddies are in their 70s now. I think I will wander on down to the gas station and get a 10 cent Coke. Thanks Major.
ReplyDeleteMain Avenue??? Isn't there a law that all main streets have to be called streets??? What a world, what a world...
ReplyDeleteOk, I'm better.
I wonder if that kid on the roof had to climb a ladder to get up there or if there was a staircase or something? Either way, he's the only one motivated enough to pull it off! Way to go, kid!
Major, these are great stuff.
ReplyDeleteI think the post office is in the building shown in the old photo.
Nanook, thanks for the car IDs, I can recognize a Buick by the portholes, but the dates are beyond me.
In the late 20’s, My Dad and family lived for a while in Las Animas CO, almost straight south of here. I’ve never seen it, but he loved the country type, sort of a high desert.
Thanks for this post.
JG
It’s a three-babushka Saturday, by gar!
ReplyDeleteFavorite clothes; the plaid trousers on the lady in front of Farr’s in #2, and the red and white dress with the sort of jagged wave pattern on the girl with the long braids in #3.
It looks to me like the signs for the two stores may have been painted by the same painter. Either way, they probably got the paint at Wickham Hardware.
Melissa, I totally missed the babushkas, I must be losing my touch.
ReplyDeleteNanook, thank you; I was thinking that the Buick (and maybe some other cars) had styling that looked more “50s” than “40s” to me, but obviously I’m just guessing. 1951 is a good year!
ReplyDeleteTokyoMagic!, the Kids of the Kingdom were commies! I’m assuming that, because Main Avenue is so short, the parade actually did go up one way, and then turned around and came back the other way.
Jonathan, one of my fondest memories is of watching a 4th of July parade in Austin, Minnesota. It was pretty “small town” in scope, with school kids, and the local weatherman as the big celebrity. Oh, and women dressed as cans of SPAM.
Stu29573, they didn’t get the memo! I agree, Main Avenue… what the? I would guess that the kid had to climb a ladder to get to the roof, they’d only put in stairs is there was a reason to get up there other than to fix roof leaks (or watch a parade)!
JG, it really is fun to see old examples of classic Americana like this parade. I wish I knew the occasion; maybe it was “homecoming”. Or of course it could be one of several different holidays. I wonder what it’s like to live in a tiny town like that? Maybe nice, or maybe (depending on your disposition) you would leave as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
Melissa, those plaid trousers are pretty cool - I think the wearer might be a schoolgirl. Mom must have made the jaggedy dress for braid gal! I was hoping some of those old businesses would still be operating in the Google image, but no such luck.
Major-
ReplyDeleteFor such a small town, with really only one main street (or 'Avenue'-!), I was finally able to figure out which buildings are which. The shot of the children marching along, is farther north down the street than your current day (actually from 10/2012) capture. The yellow building, just this side of the Maytag Appliances building, is the far-left end of the [PRESENT DAY] white building, with the two split windows and door. We can observe the cinderblocks at the far left. JUST LOOK HERE
Nanook, by golly, I think you're right! The arrangement of windows has changed enough to make it a little trickier, but I have no doubt that your location is the right one. Good job!
ReplyDelete