Possible themes for this week's Sepia Saturday include festivals, floats, feathers and fair maidens. Hmmm. Well, after much consideration I think I can do the festivals and feathers. I have lots of fair maidens but will save those for another day.
This first photo is a photo postcard of the downtown square of my hometown Mount Vernon, Illinois dated between 1904 and 1910. I have no idea what the celebration was about and had quite a discussion on a Facebook group I belong to with fellow Mt. Vernon history buffs and no one came up with a definitive answer. The women in white appear to belong to some organization, possibly like the Salvation Army and note the child in the middle carrying the American flag.
One thing I love about this photo is that Mt. Vernon's main streets all used to be paved in brick, but with modernization those have sadly been paved over. (Click on photos to enlarge).
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| Mt. Vernon, IL Square 1904 - 1910 |
This second photo postcard is Trenton, New Jersey from the same time period and depicts the 1909 Inter-State Fair. Trenton is the birthplace of my husband's father and of many of his ancestors which is what drew me to it.
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| Trenton, NJ Inter-State Fair 1909 |
Well, that covers the festivals.....now for the feathers. Two of my favorite birds are flamingos and peacocks and I just happen to have old Florida postcards of both. The first one is of the famous flamingos of the Hialeah Park and Racing Casino. This is a linen postcard ca. 1930's. The flamingos were introduced into the park in 1934 from Cuba to inhabit the infield lake and have since become an iconic Florida image. This particular postcard shows a breeding flock of flamingos with nests and five eggs.
I myself have taken hundreds of photographs of them at Flamingo Gardens in Davie, FL including this one and never tire of looking at them. Such beautiful birds!
And finally the majestic Peacock! Another linen postcard from the 1930's or 40's from the Parrot Jungle in Miami, Florida.
I also photographed this beautiful peacock at Flamingo Gardens. I chased the poor things all over the park in fact, trying to get one to open his tail feather to no avail. I learned later that only the males open their plumes and only twice a year during mating rituals. Just my luck!
Enjoyed the cards...and the feathered friends! The ladies on the brick paved street must have been doing something, and having a good time doing it, I imagine!
ReplyDeleteI've wondered for a long time what those women were doing!
DeleteI have never seen a flamingo in real life though I did dress up as one for my husband's 40th if I remember correctly. They look beautiful birds.
ReplyDeleteThey are beautiful birds and so graceful despite being on such spindly legs.
DeleteAn interesting mix. I wonder if the ladies parade might be a temperance group.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right Mike, but no one has found any reference to this particular event.
DeletePerhaps the ladies in your first photograph were taking part in some kind of sedate dance? I love the flamingo photos.
ReplyDeleteThey look like they are standing in line for something but I have never been able to figure out for what.
DeleteI love the Mt. Vernon postcard. It is so sharp and has many interesting details.
ReplyDeleteIt does! I have used some of those details to look up a number of those things in old newspapers!
DeleteThose flamingos are certainly gorgeous,,,,the only pink bird I know of...and peacocks, well they are magnificent, not so much when they are angered though and come after something...ah feathers, that's another theme I t hink..
ReplyDeleteYes, the peacocks can get a little testy when they don't want to be bothered!
DeleteSuch dramatic birds, the flamingo and the peacock. Good to be reminded of them.
ReplyDeleteThere's a little back road I drive sometimes that goes past a place where I sometimes encounter a dozen or more peacocks &/or pea hens strutting about. They especially like to gather on a narrow one-lane bridge & it's rather tricky trying to cross that bridge without hitting them. They're rather stubborn & will strut right alongside my car with their long tails dragging behind them - squawking like you wouldn't believe. They are extremely loud birds!
ReplyDeletePeacocks do have a very distinctive sound! They are so beautiful though, I have gotten some great shots even when they don't have the feathers open.
DeleteI thought Temperance group too. Or maybe a May Day event? It seems they might have been expecting rain.
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