Friday, March 23, 2007

High School Class of '33

And maybe some of the same people 50 years earlier. Doesn't seem as many folks in this pic compared to the above one, so I don't think this is the entire class.

At the Thayne Golf Course

One of my favorite photos of Dad. This is at the golf course in Thayne, Wyoming. I don't know if this is a posed picture or not, and I don't know if Dad set the timer or if someone else took the pic.
My Dad liked this pic too, because he enlarged it to 8" x 10", and framed it.

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Unknown & Old (a)

This series of pics are all "loose" 1" x 1" pics from Dad's 1930's photo album. Probably all from around Hamburg, but who knows for sure?

Unknown & Old (b)

A country road to.....somewhere. Maybe taken on a Boy Scout hike. Good luck on identifying the place, I doubt it looks the same today.

Unknown & Old (c)

Probably taken at almost the same spot as the "a" pic, two frames above. I'm thinking its the river that runs through Hamburg (the Schuykill?), rather than the Maiden Creek. And BTW that last word is pronounced "Crick". :-)

Unknown & Old (d)

Hmmm. A bridge being built, or a bridge being torn down? I'm guessing the former. But where and when...

Unknown & Old (e)

Probaby releated to the "b" pic, seen earlier. I'm not sure why Dad was tromping thru this field, instead walking along the road to the right.

Unknown & Old (f)

BTW, all these pics were 1" x 1". So you're seeing them in greater size and detail than their original state. Remember, if you left-click on the image, you'll get a larger version of it.

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Pittsburgh Trip - 1955 (a)

A couple of photos from the family vacation & visit to Uncle John & Aunt Doris, who were living in Pittsburgh in 1955. Actually, a suburb of Pittsburgh, whose name I've forgotten ATM. This is at a rest stop along the way.

We had this car - a Dodge station wagon - for quite some time. Eventually, I think Tom got it as a graduation present, after he got out of Lehigh. IIRC, he drove it across the country, taking the scenic tour. I think he went to Mt. Rushmore, among other places. When he finally made it to his final destination (San Diego), the car went about another 20 miles, then gave up the ghost.

Pittsburgh Trip - 1955 (b)

Made it to Aunt Doris' and Uncle John's! I do remember this home, so I'm thinking Sheri and I went along on to visit. I have a feeling there are more pics of this trip somehere, but these were the only two in this set of photos.

Tim - Joe - Mick (1959)

Mom's notes say this was from 1959. I'll let Janet supply the background details to this pic, and the next one also.

Joe & Mick

Mom's notes says this is Joe @ 21 months, and Mick @ 2 months. So this is 1957 maybe?

Jim & Jeff

I'm not sure of the date of this pic - maybe sometime around 1955 or so. A very nice pic. I wonder if it was taken at a studio, or if Uncle John snapped it.

John & Doris

A très cool pic of Aunt Doris and Uncle John. This is another one that I'll have to rely on others for date, place, occasion, etc. I couldn't get this one out of the frame without damaging the photo, so its one of the few that I left "as is".

Monday, March 05, 2007

Misc. 1930's (a)

A hodge-podge of 1930's pics. This is my Dad, but I don't know the dog. I'm also not sure of the location. Maybe 234 Washington, but I don't recognize the building in the background.

Misc. 1930's (b)

And this is?? And exactly what would he be doing? And while we're at it, what's with the two stripes on the bucket?

Misc. 1930's (c)

Okay, I'm guessing that the man in the previous picture has now taken his bucket down to Maiden Creek to do....ummm....what?

Misc. 1930's (d)

This girl shows up occasionally in these old pictures. A relative mayhaps? A friend of the family A GF?

Misc. 1930's (e)

And this girl is also in several pictures. My mom maybe, but I kinda think not. I wonder if this picture is posed - Rodin's "The Thinker".

Misc. 1930's (f)

Last one of this set of miscellaneous shots. Its almost certainly at the bungalow. I love this photo. I don't know if it's posed or not, but there is a beautfiul 'balance' to it. Is the man fishing? With a wheelbarrow??

Saturday, February 24, 2007

Diving (a)

Four pics - probably from the 30's and probably somewhere in Hamburg. This has a "feel" of a high school swimming pool, as opposed to a public one.

Diving (b)

Dad apparently took photos from both sides of the pool. So here, the diving boards are to the left, opposite of the previous pic.

Diving (c)

Another picture that shows the town in the background. Whoever the diver is, he's good.

Diving (d)

Last of the diving pics, showing some vintage autos in the background that might help date these photos. I don't think the diver is my Dad, although I think he may have been on the swim team in high school.

Monday, February 19, 2007

more 30's pics (a)

I don't recognize anyone in this photo.

more 30's pics (b)

From the same picnic. Is that Grace at the far end of the picnic spread? And if so, was her name 'Grace' or 'Babe'. I thought I knew her as 'Aunt Babe', but everyone else in comments here calls her 'Grace'.

more 30's pics (c)

I don't know who this is either, but I feel his pain. There are some vintage autos in this pic.

more 30's pics (d)

The last pic from this set. This was with the 'Schlenker's' pics, if that helps date this photo and help ID the guy. One of Dad's post-high-school buddies, perhaps? He definitely has a "Fonzerelli" look to him. I keep expecting to see a pack of Lucky Strikes in his shirt sleeve.

Wednesday, February 14, 2007

New Hope (a)

We're off on a bus trip to New Hope, presumably someplace in Pennsylvania. That's Dick and Betty Laudenslager in the foreground. Mom's in the back towards the right, with sunglasses.

New Hope (b)

Mom getting her camera out. I have absolutely no recollection of this place or trip, so I'm assuming we kids got to skip the outing. Just as well, since it looks like a touristy shopping mecca. For instance, that building in the background...

New Hope (c)

...is better seen here. Quaint, but I definitely get the feeling this is a tourist shop.

New Hope (d)

Another shop. The guy in this pic is dressed in shorts, so I'm guessing it was summertime.

New Hope (e)

And still more shops. Yes folks, it was better for all concerned that I skipped this trip. I would've had fun for about 20 minutes snapping some pics. Then I would've been bored stiff, and whiny and obnoxious.

New Hope (f)

Well okay, I could've stopped my whining for a little while, if you let me take a ride on the train. The sign on the front of the engine reads, "New Hope & Ivyland", so I know this pic belongs in this group of slides.

New Hope (g)

Well, it wasn't all shopping. They took in a play as well. Hmmm. I don't know what play this is, but it looks like it was long on the dialogue and short on the action. Not the sort of cultural experience a teenage boy wants to sit thru.

New Hope (h)

These last two slides are "iffy" whether they belong to the New Hope trip. Here's a nice picturesque stream that certainly looks touristy. And the sky seems to match the other pics.

New Hope (i)

And this anchor pic was with the New Hope slides, but the buildings in the background aren't in the same style. Mayhaps the anchor is from the USS Pennsylvania?

Saturday, February 10, 2007

Easter Pics (a)

Mom lists this as Tom & Nancy, but I'm pretty certain that this is Sheri and me. I do vaguely remember this place - mostly cuz it "proved" to me that the Easter Bunny really did exist. Other than that, I don't recall if we actually got to buy and eat some chocolate there. Nor do I know where the Oley Road is.

Easter Pics (b)

Now this is Tom and Nancy. Mr. E. Bunny didn't age much from this pic (in 1950) to when Sheri and I met him (previous pic).

Easter Pics (c)

This is from the same outing. Its May and everyone's bundled up like it was winter. Does it still get cold enuf for a jacket on a May afternoon in Berks County? Or has global warming made that a thing of the past?
BTW, I'm pretty sure Dick Laudenslager took this pic, because...

Easter Pics (d)

...here's a picture of Dickie and Sherrill Laudenslager with Mr. Bunny from the same outing. Bundled up like it was winter in northern Minnesota.

Easter Pics (e)

Dad returns the favor, and takes a photo of the Laudenslager family in 1950.

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

unknown place (a)

Here's a new set of pics to try to ID. An unknown place with unknown people. Probably taken in the late 1930's. The quality of the photos is poor. I've enhanced them as best I could, but good luck to anyone trying to ID these two ladies.

unknown place (b)

Here's a somewhat better pic of the place. some college near to Hamburg perhaps? that's an awesome car in the foreground.

unknown place (c)

presumably in front of the building in the previous pics. the couple here may or may not be someone my dad knew.

unknown place (d)

a nice house. i think it's at the same place as the previous pics, so it may not be a private residence.

unknown place (e)

again, i think he was just playing around with a new camera. hence the technical info written across each of these pics.

unknown place (f)

last pic of this outing. i don't recognize the lady is on the steps, and unfortunately, the pic is quite washed out.

Sunday, February 04, 2007

Unknown Construction (a)

Here's a pair of pictures that are a mystery to me. Where is this site? When were the pictures taken? Why did my Dad have an interest in the slab being poured? And what was the building that was eventually constructed?

Unknown Construction (b)

The houses in the background remind me of Hamburg, although I suppose it could be Reading too. I don't think it is Lenhartsville or Riverview Park.
This was from one of Dad's slides, so that (and the cars in the pics) makes me think its from the 1960's.
But I don't recognize the hill in the background, and I can't imagine what interest Dad would have in a cement slab. FWIW, there weren't any pictures of the finished building with these two slides, which adds to the mystery of why he'd have kept these two images.