Random Views
I have some oddball, rather random slide scans that just might be interesting enough (with a little help) to make for a good "Anything Goes Saturday" post!
First up is this picturesque (in an Edward Hopper sort of way) view of two ladies walking away from us, with brilliant sunshine upon them, but with what looks like potentially stormy skies in the distance. The slide is hand-dated "June 1953", and also has the words, "Lake Village, Ark". Wanting to know more, I looked for clues, but the only one of use is the distant sign for the "Azar Motel".
Much to my surprise, I found several vintage postcards for the Azar Motel ("The Delta's Most Modern Motel") online, though they state that it is in fact in Greenville, Mississippi ("U.S. 82 and Miss. 1"). Lake Village is actually about five miles west of Greenville, on the other side of the Mississippi River, so one can't always rely on the accuracy of written labels.
Air conditioned! Tile baths! Private telephones! Radios! Beauty Rest mattresses! Bellboy on premises! What more could anyone want?
Next is this undated photo of a happy gentleman posing at the wheel of a (plywood) antique auto "at the CARRIAGE CAVALCADE" in Silver Springs, Florida. I must learn more!
Of course I had to look for some vintage postcards. Some info that I found said, the Carriage Cavalcade… later became the Silver Springs Early American Museum. It was located across from Silver Springs, Florida. It was popular during the late 60′s and into the 70′s. When it was known as the Early American Museum, a rocket stood to the right of the entrance. The empty rocket platform can still be seen standing today. After they closed their doors, an industry took over the building. The building is now vacant.
Looking at this photo, how could anyone resist pulling over for a visit?
Another postcard, with a charming southern belle reclining beneath the Spanish moss.
I'm sorry this photo is so racy... if that lady wasn't wearing high-button shoes, we would be able to see her ankles! Normally this is a family blog, but I reserve the right to "go there" once in a while. I love that cute, squashed little car that she is posing with.
I hope you liked today's Random Views!
13 comments:
Major-
That's a 1951 Chevrolet heading towards us.
I wonder if that 'southern belle' got lost on her way to Cypress Gardens-?
And that last photo, Major-! Well... As Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart stated: "I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description ["hard-core pornography"], and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that".
I believe with this image, GDB has finally "crossed the line"-! Mothers - shield thy children's eyes-! Oh, the horror.
Thanks, Major.
The Carriage Cavalcade building looks like it could have been a grade school in its former life.
The gentleman standing next to the red car behind the brazen hussy looks a bit stiff. ;-)
I'm sure us Junior Gorillas will allow a bit of raciness once in a while, Major. But only once or twice a year. I don't think my heart could take anymore than that. Ankles! What's the world coming to?! I see that Nanook is equally offended as I am. Thanks for another "anything goes" Saturday, Major.
I sure hope they don’t leave the automobiles and carriages outside like that!! I growing up in San Diego there was a company called Truely Noland ( I think they were an extermination company) but they featured vintage automobiles from the teens, 20’s and 30’s parked on corner lots , in the parking lots of gas stations , small shopping centers .. with their advertisements painted on the sides of the vintage automobiles. Up until the early 1990’s they did this. I remember hearing they were stoping that type of advertising because the vehicles were becoming too valuable to leave out like that and combined with a combination of vandalism and liability the company was taking away the cars.
Major - you need not apologize for being “racy” ; it’s Saturday. Where I live in Saturday’s all restaurants feature topples waitress! Waiters too . None of them wear any hats.
Racy yes, but she's gotta be hot in that get up in Florida. I love old time car museums, There is one in Murdo South Dakota I visit every time I'm in the area. Too bad this one is no longer, it seems nothing lasts. I bet the Florida weather is hard on old cars, though. Thanks Major.
Loving the Azar Motel postcards. Those are big rooms, each bed gets its own luggage stand. Much Luxury. But probably no Keurig machines or scent dispersers.
Agree with JB, the museum is a design that could be anything, and sounds like it eventually was.
There was a vintage Ford Museum in Sacramento we visited once. Not sure if it is still there. Great old cars. It smelled great inside. Rubber, lubricant oil, a hint of diesel exhaust, bit of ozone. Now that’s a scent worth dispersing. Air Force hangars are much the same.
After that last pic, Major, I may need a cold shower to settle down. Not sure I can handle the shock.
Thanks for the pics and the extensive research.
JG
Ladies' ankles, the backside of water, ducks with no pants, decadent fancy garbage cans... I don;t know what this blog is coming to. Next thing you know, we'll be seeing pictures of smiling men sitting next to their decapitated wives in fancy cars.
@JB, I also thought that building was a grade school at first glance!
Nanook, I definitely know pornography when I see it! Also, you don’t get first names like “Potter” these days. Our loss. I’m sorry about the saucy photo, but you must realize that we are all adults here. There are plenty of kiddie Disney sites!
JB, now that you’ve said it I can’t un-see it - that building really does look like a grade school! I can almost imagine 11 year-olds looking for their lockers. That poor man has never seen so much female skin in his life, you can’t blame him for freezing up. And now that I am in my 15th year, I reserve the right to post naughty material THREE times a year!
Mike Cozart, I thought the same thing. With that humid climate and all, those poor cars would rust away to nothing. Did they cover them with tarps at night? Even if they did, that’s not much protection. I have a photo of an old Model T truck (I think) painted up as an advertisement for a fish market, I think up near San Francisco. Topless waitresses, huh? So much for Hooters, your restaurants have them beat.
Jonathan, there are three auto museums not too far from me, I’ve been to two of them (one just a few weeks ago), but the other is open only two days a month (or something), and for very short hours. I think it specializes in French Art Deco automobiles, I’d love to see it.
JG, I guess those were the years before “Magic Fingers” existed, the ultimate motel luxury. For just a few quarters, you can have your fillings shaken loose. A Ford museum in Sacramento, wow, I would love that. The Ford Motor Company was involved in so much, I’m sure the displays were fascinating. Sorry about getting you all worked up on a Saturday.
Melissa, I’m thinking of changing the name of this blog to “Gorillas Don’t Wear Pants”, so you will need to steel yourself for the big change. When you think of it, that new name is better than the old one, anyway!
Mike, I’m stealing that joke.
Major, “Gorillas Don’t Blog” is a much more accurate name than your proposal. Thanks so much for doing the extra research for today’s post!
From my inspection of the street view on Google Maps, I think the Azar Motel has now become the Levee Inn. It lives on!
Mike, about the old advertising cars being taken away- sounds like another "they ruin everything" moment. In this case, vandals and Mother Nature.
"None of them wear any hats." Haha. Had me going there for a second.
Melissa, Yeah, looks like GDB has gone to the dogs. Why, in the old days... hmm, come to think of it, in the old days we also saw "the backside of water, ducks with no pants, decadent fancy garbage cans" and I'm sure I remember seeing bare ankles on more than one granny in Major's Disneyland postings.
Major, ah yes, Magic Fingers. I never indulged in them (it?) myself. But I did have my fillings shook loose on the Rocket To The Moon ride and Mission To Mars.
For those who missed it, Bu posted a late comment on yesterday's WDW thread: That's weirdly crazy about the employees getting headaches and vomiting during the testing of the smell machines. Geez.
Chuck, aw, Magilla Gorilla, I used to love those cartoons. Along with most other Hanna-Barbera offerings. I’m afraid I did not pick up on Mike’s joke, being too overwhelmed at the idea of topless waitresses.
Bryce, NICE! I should have thought to look, but am glad that you did.
JB, I’ll bet there was a time when some of those old cars used for advertising could have been purchased for less than $100. When the value started to go up, I’m sure there were cheaper ways to advertise! Just so you know, I’m also going to start getting very political on this blog, because everyone loves the polite discourse that comes with politics. I’ll have to take a look at Bu’s comment from yesterday, at a certain point I had to give my computer a rest, if you know what I mean.
@Bryce, yes! Today’s Levee Motel must be the old Azar. The flat roof on the central building matches the postcards. There is a similar motel on the south road, but it’s central building is quite different.
According to the Translator, Azar means “chance” or “fate” in Spanish, and is also a place name in Afghani or something like that.
The Last Chance Motel, it’s your fate to stay here!
Major, I remember that Peep Show GDB post many years back. GDB has had its racy moments before. Please don’t do politics.
JG
JG, I’m going to have to look at the Levee Motel, but I’m mostly curious about how different the surround area looks. Is it still as rural looking? Or is it built up now? “Chance” or “fate”, interesting. I never even thought to look that up! Yes, the peep show, that was one of the racier pix, I even had to do some pixellating. (I would never do politics, life's too short).
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