Ye Olde Swimming Hole (a)

This looks high-schoolish, so I'm guessing its in the early-to-mid 1930's. The women's suits don't look too much different from today, but the men's do. I think this is in a river, cuz of the canoe in the background, and the rocks jutting out in the foreground. BTW, that third person from the left is...

Ye Olde Swimming Hole (b)

...a guy. I wouldn't've guessed that from the back of the swimming suit in the previous picture. I'm thinking these are some of Dad's high school friends, plus a dog in the lap of the third person from the left in this photo. The dog is a bit clearer in the previous shot.

Camping (01)

There are a slew of Boy Scout pics in this album. most of which are from camping trips. I'll post a bunch of them in the hope that maybe a couple of the kids can be identified.

My best guess here is that the canteen-sipper here is my Dad. The tent is kind of a raised pup tent. This appears to be a hot summer's day.

Camping (02)

This looks like the end of a camp-out. The tents are being struck, and the last order of business will be to police the area and pick up all the litter. The car in the background helps to date this photo.

Camping (03)

Another camping shot. I think this is from a different camp-out, because these are your run-of-the-mill pup tents now. Which is what I was used to, a generation later, when I went camping in the Scouts.

This is another warm summer day. The pants are long, but under-shirts or no shirt is the norm. It's interesting to note the variety of expressions on these boys' faces. Overall, I'd say they're waiting for something, and are kinda bored.

A-hiking we will go...

Maybe this is what they were waiting for. Probably not though, since these guys all have sweaters/jackets on. We'll offer a prize for anybody identifying the location here. All you have to go on is the house ahead. I'm feeling a bit confident that I won't have to come up with a prize.

a backyard somewhere (a)

Here's a couple of my dad's photos from an unknown backyard. I imagine he took these to show the blooming flowers. Of course, I first think of the backyard at 234, or the Gerber's backyard. but the houses in the background here don't look familiar.

a backyard somewhere (b)

Is that the broom factory there in the background? The slanted roof in the left part of this pic doesn't ring any bells.

Who Where When

This picture was on the same page as the two backyard blooms pics. Is this Grandpa Ludwig? If so, who would be the other person? Not Grammy; I can't imagine her in white slacks. And where would this have been taken? The ground looks too uneven for both 234, and even the bungalow.

New Pavement

This is our house in Lenhartsville, and I'm sure the purpose of this photo was to show the new pavement in front of it. Which undoubtedly led to a new porch for our house. And then a widening of the street.

I'm not sure why the light pole in the background is still out in the street, while the one in the foreground is right smack in the middle of where the next segment of the pavement will go. Perhaps the line of light poles didn't run exactly parallel to the fronts of the houses on this street.

The most intriguing thing to me in this picture is the smudge pot in the street in the foreground. I remember those things. Little boys can't resist touching them, and the result was always yucky blackness all over one's hands, arms, and face; which usually meant an unplanned bath.

So tell me, just what the heck is the purpose of that smudge pot?

House Renovation

If you swung the camera to your left in the 'new sidewalk' picture, this is what you would have seen. Apparently there were some serious renovations needed when my folks moved into this house.

That fence in the foreground was still there in 1993. When we lived there, the tips of it were painted white, and the rest of the fence was painted green. I think.

That sawed-off tree was long gone by the time I was playing outside. But there were two other trees, maples I think, just off to the left of this photo. And a short (5' tall or so) Christmas-type tree on this side of the fence, which had gotten a heckuva lot taller when we were there in 1993.

IIRC, across the street in the background, was (eventually) where someone stored some for-sale earth-moving machines. And behind that (again, eventually) was the Lenhartsville baseball field.

Showers Steps (a)

Here's another place I've vaguely heard of, but have no idea where it is - Showers Steps. Not sure if "Showers" needs an apostrophe or not.

Showers Steps (b)

It looks like a cool place - up on a hill looking down on some fields. It reminds me of places like Hawk Mountain, keeping in mind that I haven't been on Hawk Mountain in probably 50 years.

Showers Steps (c)

The notes on the back of this photo lists it as being at "Bethel", in addition to being at Showers Steps.

The "extra boy" in these pics is David Livingston, who appears in a lot of pictures with Tom and Nancy. Including some taken in Lenhartsville that I'll post sometime soon. I have to say that I have absolutely no recollection of him.

Ice Skating (a)

Here's a couple nice "brrrr" pictures as we all wait for cold weather to arrive. I know where this is - a small pond at the "bottom" of Stoudt's Ferry Bridge Road in Riverview Park near Reading.

The girl in the white parka in the center of this pic is Sheri. I remember that coat. I'm gonna guess that the tall girl to Sheri's right (our left) is Julie Aulenbach, although that's a guess only. Also, that might be Doris on the other side of Sheri.

This pond was a favorite ice-skating place. Much more fun (and free!) than an indoor rink. Of course, the drawback can be seen here - after a snowstorm, you had to get the new-fallen snow off the ice first.

Ice Skating (b)

Here's a pulled-back shot of the pond. It looks like they've gotten most of the snow shoveled off by now. IIRC, this is pretty much all of the pond - it doesn't go much further to the left, and you can see the far right corner in this pic.

If ice-skating wasn't your cup o'tea, that rise in the background made for some great sledding. Only one problem - the best slope (as far as a lack of trees goes) is off to the left of this photo. Unfortunately, the slope quickly emptied into the stream that feeds this pond. So if you were going to sled, you usually had to purposely bail out at the end in order to avoid ending up in the "crick".

Fairmount Park (a)

Sorry for the medical delay. The three old photo albums and assorted pictures from Janet are now all posted. So it's back to some of my Dad's shots.

Fairmount Park (b)

These photos (slides, actually) are simply listed as being taken at "Fairmount Park".

Fairmount Park (c)

I have no idea where Fairmount Park is, and I have no recollection of being with my Dad for this photoshoot. There was a heap of sailboating going on, obviously.

Fairmount Park (d)

Looks like a nice park, though. Green, shady, etc. I can guarantee you that this isn't anywhere in Arizona.