Pages

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Gene Kelly

When I was in high school, as I recall many girls had a photo of Jim Palmer in his Jockey briefs taped to the inside of their locker door.  I, however had this photo that I bought at store in Pike Place Market that sold Hollywood promo items.


Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly in Anchor's Aweigh (1945)

Sometime during high school, I watched "That's Entertainment" and saw clips of Gene Kelly for the first time. When I first "discovered" him, I don't think we had a VCR at the time so I had to wait until the occasional old Gene Kelly movie came on TV to see more of him.  A friend took me to see Xanadu - he got to see Olivia Newton-John and I got to see Gene Kelly.  I even sent Gene Kelly a birthday card one year!

Last week - August 23rd - would have been Gene Kelly's 100th birthday.  He died in 1996; several people said they thought of me when they heard the news of his passing.  I was at a friend's house last night and she had recorded and kept for me last week's 100th birthday tribute on "So, You Think You Can Dance" with the contestants costumed and choreographed alluding to several Gene Kelly movie numbers.

And YAY! I found a Life Magazine Ad featuring Gene Kelly!

June 27, 1955 Life Magazine



See Life Magazine Gene Kelly photo images here Gene Kelly: Rare Photos of a Song and Dance Legend

Happy Birthday Week, Gene Kelly - thanks for the entertainment!

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Evergreen Point Floating Bridge

Evergreen Point Floating Bridge on State Route 520 opened to traffic 49 years ago today on August 28, 1963. The toll was 35¢; the fee was removed in 1979. It was renamed "Albert. D. Rosellini Bridge" in 1988 after the governor who pushed for its construction. More from History Link here. This was the second floating bridge built on Lake Washington - the first Lake Washington Floating Bridge called "Lacey V. Murrow Memorial Bridge" opened in 1940.

Seattle Municipal Archives has this "under construction" photo dated the week before the 1962 Seattle World's Fair opened. 

520 bridge under construction, 1962

"Evergreen Point Floating Bridge. This view of Seattle's newest floating bridge looks from the west shore of Lake Washington to the ever expanding metropolitan area on the east shore which this new bridge serves. C-291 Ektachrome by Clifford B. Ellis"


"World's Longest Floating Bridge Seattle, Washington. The Evergreen Point Bridge and its approaches are nearly 6 miles long. The height of the roadway above Lake Washington can vary from 8-59 feet. The bridge was constructed by the Washington Toll Bridge Authority and includes 18 floating sections with a total of 62 anchors. Construction was completed in 3 years and cost approximately $34,000,000."


I had a view of the Evergreen Point Floating Bridge from my University of Washington dorm room at McCarty Hall 1981-1982:
This was a January 1982 snowy sunrise with vapor swirling from Lake Washington
From College-UWash




Some awesome Historic Archive Photos of the Evergreen Point Floating 520 Bridge can be found here.
Check out Kurt Clark's post with a photo from Bellevue High School's 1972 yearbook: Friday Single Shot #28 – 520 Toll Booths
Also be sure to see Vintage Seattle Past Post: When The 520 Bridge Was New.
Those of you still in the area know the bridge is being upgraded and that the toll was re-introduced last year.  The toll rate depends on the time of day- it can be as high as $5.13 one way.
Click here for Current Work on the SR 520 Floating Bridge project.

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Montgomery Ward

August 18, 1872 The first Montgomery Ward catalog was published.  Aaron Montgomery Ward desired to serve rural customers:
Ward had conceived of the idea of a dry goods mail-order business in Chicago, Illinois, after several years of working as a traveling salesman among rural customers. He observed that rural customers often wanted "city" goods but were often victimized by monopolists who offered no guarantee of quality. Ward also believed that by eliminating intermediaries, he could cut costs and make a wide variety of goods available to rural customers, who could purchase goods by mail and pick them up at the nearest train station.
He worked to launch earlier but obstacles including the Great Chicago Fire in 1871 consumed the building he had stocked his merchandise.  The company pursued and with ups and downs is again in operation - you can still order from Ward's .

My Grand-Mother-In-Law, Maren Andersen Nielsen kept the 1932 Montgomery Ward catalog cover in her awesome scrapbook:  It was their 60th Anniversary.






The back side tells their story:
In 1872 A. Montomery Ward and George R. Thorne pioneered a new idea - the idea of selling by mail - and originated the Guarantee, "Satisfaction or Your Money Back." American warmed to this new way of buying and by 1874 Ward's had twice moved to larger quarters. The single-sheet "price list" had grown onto an 8-page catalogue, and the first mail order illustrations had pictured the "Grange" hat and a few pieces of luggage. In 1876 we moved again to larger quarters at 227-229 Wabash Avenue, and the catalogue was increased to 156 pages. The first mail order pictures of men's and women's fashions were used by Ward's in 1878 - the very height of style in those days! Our big 7 - story building at 111-114 Michigan Avenue was completed in 1887, with space for the 21,797 articles we then listed in our catalogue. 1893, World's Fair Year, brought thousands of visitors to Ward's and during the next four years we enlarged our building three times! Nearly 2,000,000 customers bought from us in 1897, and in that year the catalogue included our first page of color printing. The famous Tower Building was completed in 1899, 25 stories high, and topped by the Spirit of Progress statue - which has since become America's emblem of supreme VALUE! 1905-6 saw the beginning of our Kansas City branch, and the first free distribution of our catalogue (Up to that time our customers had willingly paid for it.) We moved into our present home in 1909 - it was then the largest concrete building in the world, and by 1912 we were selling everything from pins to automobiles! The years from 1914-1929 witnessed the construction of our nine great mail order houses, bringing Ward's within overnight shipping distance of 85 per cent of all the homes in America! Today, on our 60th Anniversay more than twelve million families look to Ward's for Guaranteed Satisfaction, for Same-Day Service, and for the lowest prices to be found anywhere on goods of equal high quality.

Buildings listed: Oakland, Albany, Denver, Portland, St. Paul, Chicago, Chicago, Ft. Worth, Baltimore, Kansas City.

A few more catalog covers can be found on Ward's "About Us" page here.
Another blog post about Montgomery Wards catalog at "Seduced by History".
Blog posts over at Pleasant Family Shopping tagged "Montgomery Ward"
Fickr Wishbook photostream has a collection of Christmas/Toy Catalogs that include several oldies from Montgomery Ward.

Remembering Montgomery Ward 80 years after the above catalog was published on the 140th anniversary of their first catalog!

Monday, August 13, 2012

Lemonade

Probably one of the most summeriest beverages: LEMONADE!

Minute Maid

June 20, 1955 Life Magazine

July 11, 1955 Life Magazine

Did you ever have a lemonade stand?  Mine would have been a card table not a fancy one like this! Minute Maid offer Lemonade Stand Kit for only 35¢:

June 18, 1956 Life Magazine


Sunkist (Spam and Cheez-Whiz!)

June 20, 1955 Life Magazine

July 4, 1955 Life Magazine
Sunkist

August 8, 1955 Life Magazine

July 23, 1956 Life Magazine

Frozen Lemonade from Sunny California

July 25, 1955 Life Magazine

July 9, 1956 Life Magazine

Lemon Sherbet or Ice Cream also sound like a refreshing lemony treat:
Sealtest

July 8, 1957 Life Magazine
Lady Borden

July 15, 1957 Life Magazine

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Tastee Freez

I had not heard of Tastee Freez until "A Little Ditty about Jack and Diane" in 1982.  However, Tastee-Freez was founded in 1950 - I'm pretty impressed they were already affording full page Life Magazine ads in 1956.  From Wikipedia:
Tastee-Freez was founded in 1950 in Illinois by Leo S. Moranz and Harry Axene. Moranz invented a soft serve pump and freezer which enabled the product, and their Harlee Manufacturing Company produced the machines which franchisees would buy and use in their respective locations. Originally stores focused on iced milk and other frozen dairy-based desserts. Expansion of the brand was rapid in the 1950s; in 1952, there were 315 locations, and by 1957 there were nearly 1800 locations.

I wouldn't mind a Tastee-Freez treat on a hot summer's day.

"Special of the month" promotions back in 1956

"Miss tastee-freez, America's Sweetheart Doll.  8" tall. Her eyes close . . . Her head and arms move. She's beautifully gowned. Regular value $1.69. Yours for only 49¢ and this sales card, punched to indicate $1.00 worth of Tastee-Freez purchases."


April 2, 1956 Life Magazine

"$10,000 in Cash Prizes!  It's easy . . . It's fun . . . It's profitable! enter this exciting coloring contest. Try out your artistic skill. Paint color on these white plastic miniatures - charming lifelike statuettes of famous American and National League ALL STAR BALL PLAYERS. You'll enjoy doing it yourself and you may win one of these 266 CASH PRIZES.

Special of the Month ALL STAR SUNDAES . .  with your favorite fruit toppings of flavors, in colorful plastic all purpose dishes - mounted with lifelike statuettes of big league baseball stars"

April 30, 1956 Life Magazine

Special of the month DOUBLE WALL THERMO TUMBLERS. Insulating double walls keep beverages, foods, refreshments hot or cold for hours! Big, picnic size. Leakproof, snap-on cover. Break-resistant thermo-plastic in smart diamond design. Variety of lovely colors. Start your set today! Simply complete Punch Card with $1.00 worth of Tastee-Freez purchases and get your Thermo Tumbler, a regular $1.25 value . . . special offer 29¢"

May 28, 1956 Life Magazine

"Hurry! Enter this big, exciting PRESIDENTIAL coloring contest $10,000.00 in cash prizes. First Prize $1,000.00 - 265 other prizes totaling $9,000.00. Start your collection of all 33 lifelike presidential statuettes. Color one, or as many as you like, to win! ANYONE CAN WIN! It's easy! It's fun! And it can mean a big Cash Prize for you! Think of what you could do with One Thousand Dollars! Or with the 265 other big Cash Prizes! Simply paint colors you think best on plastic, lifelike Presidential Statuettes mounted on the colorful, all-purpose dish your Tastee-Freez Sundae is served in. That's all you do! But hurry! Contest limited! Get started with your entry - today!"

June 25, 1956 Life Magazine

"Special of the month.  'Swing-Tassel' Clown Shaker. Youngsters will really go for this happy, laughing Clown Shaker with the big, rolling eyes. The 'tassel' swings up for inserting straws. Bright red 'cap' comes off . . . to use it as a colorful, fun-making serving glass. Simply complete Punch Card ($1.00 in Tastee-Freez purchases) and this REGULAR $2.00 VALUE is yours for ONLY 29¢"

July 23, 1956 Life Magazine

"Special of the month - Handsome Gift Box. 3-Piece Thermo Set. Distinctive diamond design. Double-wall plastic construction keeps all kinds of refreshments cold or hot for hours. Get several sets, for yourself or for Gifts. Simply complete Punch Card ($2.00 in Tastee-Freez purchases) and get this big, REGULAR $2.95 VALUE for ONLY 79¢"

August 20, 1956 Life Magazine

"Start Your Gift Collection of these lifelike, beautifully-gowned 'Personality Dolls'. Dressed in beautiful, fashion-right clothes in authentic colors and designs. Each doll is over 8" tall, with eyes that open and close, movable arms and legs. Back of Gift Carrying Case features exciting variety of 'pin-on' Child Achievement Award Medals. Start now to get a complete set of these lovely Dolls, to give as Xmas Gifts or to cherish for your very own. Get FREE Doll Punch Card at your Tastee-Freez Store. Simply complete it with $2.00 in Tastee-Freez purchases and get . . . Regular $2.49 value only 99¢"

September 17, 1956 Life Magazine

Some of these promotion items can currently be found on E-bay!

Sunday, August 5, 2012

Dickie's Fourth Birthday

Happy Birthday to my Dad!  He grew up in Bremerton, Washington and I just came across these photos from his fourth birthday party taken at their house on High Ave. in August 1940 (I thought they'd complement my Fifth Birthday Party and my sister, Kristi's Third Birthday party quite well)

"Who's four years old today?!"  "Yer lookin' at 'im!"



"Eat your sandwiches before we cut the cake!"

My Dad's brother, Billy, is two boys to the right from my Dad. I know he was allergic to eggs for part of his childhood.  I don't know how long, but it might be why there are two cakes on the table for nine boys.  My Grandmother, Stella Fredrickson Hawes, gave me this recipe when I learned my own son had life-threatening allergies to milk, eggs, peanuts, and treenuts, (among other things)
Crazy Cake
1 1/2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoons soda
6 Tablespoons cocoa
Sift all together. Make three holes. In one put 1 Tablespoon vinegar, in another 1 teaspoon vanilla and the last 5 Tablespoons oil.  Over whole thing pour 1 cup cold water. Mix until smooth. Bake in moderate oven. 





A birthday coin!


Child sized garden tools


And one of my favorite photos.  A birthday parade!



Obviously this is a few years later (twenty six to be exact) - but we're back in Bremerton at his parent's house on Preble Street celebrating my Dad's thirtieth birthday. Mom made all our shirts.

Happy Birthday, Dad!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Seven-Up Float

Need a cool, refreshing, summer-time treat?  I think a 7-Up Float might hit the spot.

"Enjoy a Seven-Up 'Float'!"

June 6, 1955 Life Magazine

"Get 'em together often this summer for a cool Seven-Up 'Float'!"

June 3, 1957 Life Magazine


"enjoy a Seven-Up 'Float'" (directions included!)

June 9, 1958 Life Magazine

"Best summer sport there is . . . enjoy a Seven-Up 'Float'!"

June 8, 1959 Life Magazine

"Boys like girls who make Seven-Up 'Floats'"

June 6, 1960 Life Magazine

"Do yourself a flavor . . . make a Seven-Up 'Float'! (Seven-Up and Ice Cream)"

June 2, 1961 Life Magazine

"Six ways to make a Seven-Up 'Float' (Seven-Up and Ice Cream)"

June 1, 1962 Life Magazine

"For Fun and Flavor Rainbow your Seven-Up 'Floats'!"

June 28, 1963 Life Magazine