Eldred early 1900s

by Louise Smith Posted on May 30, 2012
Turn of the century photo of Eldred, NY, courtesy of Chuck M.

View of Eldred from the east in the early 1900s. A.S. Myers owned the Orchard Terrace boarding house on the far left behind the Congregational Church.

The house in the distance, past the Congregational Church, was originally owned by the Slonek family.

The house on the right, past the bridge, was C.C.P. Eldred’s.

    C.C.P. Eldred had the Post office in his home (located near Halfway Brook Village) starting around 1850—except when the political party was different.
    I have read that the Post Office wanted a shorter name than Halfway Brook. Depending on which story you choose, Charles C.P. Eldred named the village after his father James Eldred or himself.

The Methodist Church in about the middle of the photo, is still without a steeple.

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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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Cochecton Teacher 1902

by Louise Smith Posted on May 22, 2012
Lillie Austin, teacher in Cochecton, school year 1902 to 1903. Booklet courtesy of Katherine T.

Cousin Lillie Austin taught in School District No. 9, in the Town of Cochecton, in the 1902 to 1903 school year.

The souvenir booklet listed the names of 26 students.

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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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Pond Eddy, Pennsylvania

by Louise Smith Posted on May 17, 2012
Pond Eddy, Pennsylvania, courtesy of Dennis C.

I thought Halfway Brook readers might enjoy this photo of Pond Eddy, PA, contributed by Dennis C. Pond Eddy, PA is south of it’s New York name twin.

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