Very often, notations on the reverse of these found photographs are obscure or too brief or illegible. Most often there is nothing at all.
But now and then there is a message from the past that sparkles.
Back in March of 2009 LOST GALLERY had a full page of photographs and their very interesting reverse sides. There have been many new additions to the collection since then.
Here is a new group of those photographs with mysterious, funny and sometimes puzzling reverse sides; tiny bits of history, reaching out to us over the decades and sometimes centuries.
On reverse: :
One of the boys
who worked in mill office
1915 Enterprise Ks
Taken in Hoffman
Woods West of town
Post card design in use 1904 - 1918
Enhanced version enlarged in relation to original post card backing
On Reverse::
Earl Bothwel
Julery Man
I worked for
3 yrs.
GWS went to work 1st June
1912-1915
RPPC design in use 1904 - 1918
On the reverse:
Jeffersonville
Ohio
July20
Dear Mabel
I hope this
reaches you before you
leave for N. Y.
Arley is in the big hi seas (?)
now. I am anxious await
ing a wire of his safe arrival
in England or France
The war news make one
feel good, doesn't it? I am going
to K. C. in week or so. intend
to stop in Chicago a few days
Am anxious to get to work
We are having cool weather here
Arley had some great exper-
iences in N. Y. at Columbia U.
Best Wishes for your success
write me a card at least.
2537 Lister Ave K. C. Mo. Irene
TO:
Mrs Mabel Ketterman
Deerfield
Kansas
Postmarked : Jul 22, 1918 Jeffersonville, Ohio
On reverse:
This is taken in front
of where we first
lived. Jack took it.
John T. Gibson
Retired
Sep't - 30th. 1943
Ancestry.com shows that John T. Gibson (b. 1886 - ) did indeed retire in 1943. He lived in Denver and was married to Alma Gibson.
On the reverse:
Charlotte
Augusta Gaskamp
Grandmas sister's
boy from N. Y.
On the reverse
The way the well
looked from our
place this is not
taken from our
place at all.
Signal Hill.
We could see it
just that plain
though.
On the reverse:
Sequoia
Drove car up
on a hollow tree
on of the giant
Forest trees-
On Reverse:
3064 Buena Visa Canyon
Residence of Misses Thompson & Hoyt
Postmarked Aug 28, 1912 Uehling, Nebr.
Dear Sis:- Dont fall
over now. But if u are
at home 7 all well we will
be at Schickley or Ang if the train
goes that far next Sat eve the
31 of Aug. Could it be possible
for U to drop us a card right
away when u get this as we will know
if u are at home & this & that. We couldnt
decide for sure to come before so thats why
we couldnt give
U any more time
Hoping to see
U soon Your
old Pal Elin
Greetings from
Lewis & the
baby.
Elen Peterson Houee (house)
Mrs Joe Munsal
Ang
Nebr
Reverse;
Dear Christina
Just a card to
wish you all a
Merry Xmas &
a Happy New Year.
It has been 30 deg.
below zero for several
mornings but very
little snow or wind.
Wish you could come
up and eat xmas dinner
with us. Uncle Fred
Stayed with us last
night. Everybody is
well. Love to all
Olive Logan Thoene
We are doing
a good job of
shinglling
Ben, Mac and I
View of dining room
from living room
On reverse:
2
To the left of the front door.
On the Reverse:
Mother
Mickey, Selma boy
My Self.
Would you reconised
the house It was
vacant, looked. Natural
Chimney had. beaon
torn down well house
still good
Cant get enough? There's more!
Click Here:
TURN IT OVER! THERE'S SOMETHING ON THE BACK
Then click "OLDER POSTS" at the bottom of each page.
Go back to THE MAIN INDEX PAGE
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Area 51 and a Half 
Don't take my picture! Oh! You DID didn't you! 
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THE KIDS 
Dee and the Business School 
WHAT'S GOING ON HERE?
The gusher photo is impressive, whether it was or wasn't in their front yard!
ReplyDeleteThe interior photos are always fun, even with bad light. I can recognize elements like the drapes and lamps that must have been in the antique house c1915 where I now live.
Thanks Mike Brubaker. I find interior shots really interesting too. They are rare among amateur snapshots. Novice photographers were always cautioned to seek plenty of light and so most snaps were outside. Some experimented though, like those two shots.
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