Photographers Unknown: 1920s & 30s

Anonymous photo stars of yesteryear on train tracks, in the woods, on a picnic and near a factory. 

Scenes From Storyland Village 1955

In mining the archive of my family's 30-odd years of 35MM slides, many things have become utterly remarkable to me.  One such detail is how some simply-shot photos by one or both of my Grandparents on a family outing to Storyland Village in Neptune, New Jersey can hold so much rich feeling.  While some of the images that I've unearthed are compromised by discoloration, dust or scratches, a vast majority of them are crystal clear and bold with Kodachrome hues.  For instance, the saturated colors and quality of light in this particular series of images still hold a joyful palette that's a lot like the Technicolor cinema gems of the time period.  

There will be NO huffing, puffing or blowing THESE houses down.

"Locked her in a pumpkin shell and there he kept her very well..."

Hey diddle diddle, there's a cat and a fiddle... 

Sadly, the cow was largely cropped out of this particular moon jump.

Not QUITE The Old Woman Who Lived In A Shoe...

Though my Grandmother Joan would eventually become mother to four children, grandmother to five and Favorite Aunt to many others, only my Uncle Kevin (in overalls) and Mom (in doorway, at front) were hers at this time.  

The beloved (and sadly, taken too soon Cousin Janet) is seen behind my Mom at right.

A painted and costumed clown bids my Grandmother (carrying Uncle Kevin) farewell as Mom looks one.

Florida Convoy, Summer 1956

Several images from a Florida vacation that my Grandparents took with my Mom and Uncle Kevin.  Also in tow on this trip were my Great Uncle Richard and Great Aunt Marion, as well as their growing brood.  I keep coming back to how simple (yet rich with feeling) these outings were.  Traveling with children was very expensive, so road-tripping in two cars and staying in guest bungalows at motor inns was the cheapest option.  As modest as the accomodations and modes of transport were, it was a diversion from the every day for the kids and a welcome getaway for hard-working parents who needed a break, a change of scenery and a walk on the beach.  

Side Note:  I love the fact that tucked away among these scenes of family togetherness, there was this one isolated image depicting three anonymous bathing beauties making their way down the shoreline.  Perhaps my Grandfather just wanted to capture some "local color" for posterity...  I'm sure it was just a National Geographic moment.

Walking Around In Our Summertime Clothes

These 35MM slide images from the Summer of 1957 depict an Upstate, New York getaway that my Grandparents took with my Mom (age 5), my Uncle Kevin (age 4) and my Aunt Karen (7 months).  I'm guessing that my Great Grandmother Mae was with them as well, but she was apparently somewhat camera shy on this trip.

The images show a lake community (which probably housed some cabins) as well as Santa's Workshop in the town of North Pole and The Land Of Make Believe in the town of Upper Jay.  I know that I've been to Santa's Workshop a few times but I think I only went to The Land Of Make Believe once as a kid in the 1970s.  I don't recall much about it besides being TERRIFIED by the fake Stage Coach Hold-Up gag.  They would NEVER get away with that "Wild West actors with bandanas over the face, cap gun-pointing, fake robbery, let's scare the kids" bullshit today.  That trick, of course, was played out upon park patrons way before everyone's child was medicated for ADHD and needed therapy because someone looked at them the wrong way (and didn't give them a trophy for showing up to school on time).  

In any event, the Wild West portion of The Land Of Make Believe looked something like this...

ABOVE: My Grandmother and the kids on the swings.

BELOW:  An cute (but un-named) couple with their child in the lake.

It always seemed bizzare to be surrounded by Christmas decor, costumes and follies in the middle of Summer.  Putting your hands on the iced "North Pole" (seen above to the left of center) was always a refreshing tradition in the summertime heat.

My Grandfather, who did not love swimming, but was always a good sport when it came to taking kids (myself included) into the water, has some fun in the shallows with my Mom and Uncle Kevin.

My God... They must have been BOILING in those costumes.  I hope they got payed well.

Old Time Fire Engine at The Land Of Make Believe.

ABOVE:  Petting zoo fun at both Santa's Workshop and Land Of Make Believe.

BELOW:  My Grandmother takes a dip with Kevin and my Mom.

I have a photo of my Grandmother perched upon this sleigh once again (with my Aunt Karen, Aunt Susan and myself) taken in this exact same spot some 20 years later.  

You know this old guy is thinking, "Dammit... If only I'd saved up more funds twenty years ago, I'd be happily retired now and I wouldn't have to be here with these smelly animals and noisy brats!"

Leave it to my Grandparents to find a Baby Jesus photo op... Even on vacation!

Santa Claus (and some random milkmaids... or something) give the Nelsen kids some special attention.

My Uncle Kevin and Mother among some plastic lawn ornament choir boys in blackface.  

Is it just me or does the one in the red robe (directly to my Mom's right) look like it has cornrows?

Making a splash in one of the Catskill Mountains' many lakes.

Model chalets (and blankets of fake snow) built into the hills around Santa's Workshop at North Pole, NY.  Sadly, the amusement park (and its attendant chalets) shut down in the 1990s.  

I'd love to know if anyone has been on the property to photograph it in its abandoned state.  I'm not certain if the land has been redeveloped or not and if the buildings still remain there.  As sad as it is, I bet it would look amazing in a state of decay.

My Mom taking a stroll toward an Enchanted Castle at The Land Of Make Believe.

Time to hit the rails, folks... See ya next Summer!