Sunshine Hall, 1904

by Louise Smith Posted on May 23, 2012
Sunshine Hall and Congregational Church, October 2, 1904. Postcard courtesy of Mary A.

Sunshine Hall
A 1904 postcard of Sunshine Hall in the Austin Collection, is an invitation for a Congregational Church Reunion, October 2, 1904. The Hall was next to the Congregational Church, and was also used for the men’s Bible study meetings.

A couple letters from Jennie Crawford (Crandall) to Lillie Austin (Calkin):

Jennie Crawford to Lillie Austin
August 7, 1904
Dear Lillie,
Lillie, I am going to teach at Eldred; wages $10. I was surprised Isaac Sergeant said I had his consent the very first one. I hope I make a success of it.

Would you send me the address to get a “Milna’s Arithmetic?” I want to get an arithmetic and key. Success to you in exam and school matters in general.

Bertha is much better, so is Dad, but he lacks much of being well yet. George Parker and May Hammond have just been here to see Dad, also Nels Hulse and Fred Myers. Continue reading →

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Tourists in NYC, early 1900s

by Louise Smith Posted on May 21, 2012
Postcard from 23rd Street, New York City, courtesy of Mary A.

The back of the postcard is written on, so 1907 is the earliest it could be.

“How would you like to get into one of these big vehicles and ride all over New York? They pass this house every day. The trip costs one dollar. Merry Christmas!”

The back of the postcard is written on so the earliest it could be is 1907.
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Rotographs

by Louise Smith Posted on May 20, 2012
1905 rotograph of the Lackawana Railway Depot, sent to Aida Austin on February 1905. Writing was not allowed on the back until 1907. Postcard courtesy of Mary A.

A rotograph was a photograph printed by a process in which a strip or roll of sensitized paper was automatically fed over the negative so that a series of prints are made, developed, fixed, cut apart, and washed at a very rapid rate.—usps.com; wikipedia.org.

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Real Photograph Postcard

by Louise Smith Posted on May 19, 2012
Real photo postcard of the covered bridge at Bridgeville, N.Y., celebrating their centennial from 1807 to 1907. Postcard printed in Germany, courtesy of Mary A.

Real Photo Postcards (RPPC) seem to have started in general use in the first few years after 1900. In 1903 Kodak introduced their No. 3A Folding Pocket Camera designed for postcard-size film. The photographs could be printed on postcard backs.

Other cameras were also used to make Real Photo postcards. Some used old-fashioned glass plates that required cropping the image to fit the postcard format.

It was 1907 before the Post Office would allow a postcard to have a message written on the same side as the address.

Also, by 1907 European publishers began opening offices in the U.S. for their millions of high quality post cards. Their cards made up 75% of all postcards sold in the United States. Germany’s printing methods were the best in the world.—usps.com; wikipedia.org.

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Raymond Austin and his grandpa Henry Austin

by Louise Smith Posted on May 16, 2012
William Henry Austin, Raymond's grandfather. Photo in the Austin family.

In December 1904 my uncle Raymond Austin turned 4. A couple stories are told about Raymond and his grandfather Henry Austin who lived with the Austin family: Mort and Jennie, and their sons: Raymond, McKinley, and Will.

When Raymond was very young, before he could read, he evidently had a good memory of what he heard read. His father [Mort] got the newspaper—either when he went to the village in the afternoon, or it came in the mail. Mort would often read some of the items from the newspaper to Jennie.

Raymond would listen carefully and later, with his grandfather, Henry Austin, would hold the paper up as though he was reading out loud from it. His grandfather would always comment, “It is a caution how that boy can read!”

One day the report was about a serious railroad accident. Raymond read, with his grandfather Henry marveling—until Raymond read, “A number of people were ‘conveniently’ killed.”

His grandfather said, “What?” and took the paper and noted some other discrepancies, as well. The deception was over. Continue reading →

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House in Eldred for sale, 2012

by Louise Smith Posted on May 14, 2012

One of the major contributors to Echo Hill and Mountain Grove has listed his house in Eldred for sale. Please email me at info [at] halfwaybrook [dot] com if you are serious about the house and I will get you more info.

House in Eldred, NY.

$275,000
Ranch Home, 2000 sq.ft. (+/-); full walk-in basement
Built in 1977 on 2-1/2 acres of prime land

3 Bedroom; 1-1/2 baths—both recently modernized
24 X 14 Living room with blue stone fireplace
24 X 12 Family Room with brick fireplace
13 X 12 Kitchen; all new stainless steel appliances (Kitchen Aid and Maytag)
15 X 12 Dining room
12 X 6 Laundry on main floor; new Maytag washer and dryer ‘Bravo’ models
24 X 6 Front porch with all new white vinyl

Outside covered parking is 700 sq. ft.
1-1/2 car garage; Garage has 100 amp service.
10 X 15 Lawn equipment shed w/electric
36 X 48 garage/workshop interior total 1400 sq. ft.; 1000 sq. ft. heated
Full walk in dry basement; plenty of storage
Slop sink in basement
50-foot rear deck, tropical hard wood, IPE, approx. 460 sq. ft.
Continue reading →

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