The Pennsylvania Turnpike

  

I have a high level of confidence that the original source material for this postcard was a photograph, so I'm posting it here rather than on my Fair Use blog that has some of the few bits of non-photographic ephemera that I've picked up over the years as well as all sorts of images I've found online. I'm guessing that this postcard has more interest for me rather than most visitors to the New Found Photography. I grew up in Pennsylvania and spent quite a few hours traveling on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. 

The turnpike was built in 1940 as the great depression was ending. It's a limited-use toll road that connects Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania's three largest cities without actually going into those cities.  For those who hate getting stuck on interstate highways while crossing large urban areas, that was the original vision of President Eisenhower when he envisioned the interstate highway system, and the PA Turnpike, with its toll booths and limited entrances and exits, had to have been somewhat of an inspiration for the current highway system we have. The Pike starts on the Pennsylvania, New Jersey border at the Delaware River interchange and crosses into Ohio near the North Beaver Township tool booth. Monroeville, in Allegheny County, was the nearest entrance to where I grew up. Today, the Turnpike is designated I-76. 

This card was published by "C.T.ART COLORTONE." and was "DISTRIBUTED BY J. B. HOFFMAN & SON, HARRISBURG, PA."  The caption, "The Pennsylvania Turnpike, five miles west of Bedford, crosses over the Lincoln Highway.  The two lane road looks antiquated. Some distance past the Bedford "Interchange" the Turnpike crosses the Lincoln Highway again, runs past the ruins of the historic iron works at Everett, then crosses the Lincoln for the last time."  The Lincoln Highway was the first true interstate highway in the U.S. but not limited access or multi-lane. The Narrows mentioned on the front of the card is a gap in Evitts Mountain. The postmark, "CARLISLE PA OCT 24 7 PM 1951." 

There is a message written on the back. "Hi Dad, I am going to the hospital the 1st of the month am taking the whole month off. Hope to see you at Thanksgiving as we're expecting you. John C." It's addressed to John J. Hofaloom, apt. 6B, 442 Main St. Hartford, Conn."  I'm not 100% sure of dad's name. 

The Grand View Ship Hotel

  

I used to visit this place when I was growing up.  I can remember that it was on the side of a mountain, and yes it was a pretty good view from the top.  We never stayed at the hotel, but we did eat in the restaurant and bought souvenirs in the gift shop.  The caption, "S.S. GRAND VIEW POINT SHIP HOTEL ON LINCOLN HIGHWAY 17 MILES WEST OF BEDFORD, PA.  ELEVATION 2,464 FEET.  GRAND VIEW SHIP HOTEL, at the most beautiful spot in U.S. Summit of Alleghany Mts. 17 miles west of Bedford, Pa. on Historic Lincoln Highway, overlooking 3 states and 7 counties.  Elevation 2,464 feet."  

Okay, I know that that is one messed up caption, but I've double-checked, and I have transcribed it as printed on the back of the card.  And by the way, I assume that people know that the hotel wasn't really a ship. It was an old roadhouse that had a ship's facade nailed on, made of wood, it eventually burned down. 

The Here, There, and Everywhere Collection-Snow Clouds Around the Heads

I've gone through this before, but what the hell, let's repeat.  Awhile back, I bought an envelope of photos from an eBay dealer who assured me everything was from a Wisconsin estate sale.  Anyway, I'm always aware that dealers are as likely to tell you what they think you want to hear, as they are the truth, so with a big grain of salt....another from The Here, There, and Everywhere Collection. (Clickable in labels for more pictures and info.)

This photo is mounted on a fragment of an album page.  Written on the back of the page, "Bedford 1944."  Bedford, Massachusetts is my best guess.  New England, snow, it's a fit.  Although, I also found a Bedford in New Hampshire, another snowy, New England locale, and a Bedford from my own home state, Pennsylvania.

And for those wondering, if it's white on the print, it's black on the negative.  The snow is easy to explain, but the white out around the parent's heads: the film may have been exposed to direct light while the film was being loaded or unloaded from the camera, or that area might not have been developed.