Monday, November 22, 2010

Photo Number 378

This week we are going to have a look at some photos that belong to Forgotten Old Photos Blog reader Laurisa from the great state of Alabama! These are photos that her Grandfather gave her.
CCI11182010_00001 copy
CCI11182010_00001 copy
Along this street on the right are these signs, Dr RL Ready(?) Dentist, Dentist, St Francis Hotel Rooms Rooms,  Wells Fargo Company, Bowling Pool, Bowling,  Sample Shoes and on the side of the tall building it says Victor Building Offices.  It probably also says VICTOR BLDG on top of the building..maybe. In the top photo on the left side the only building with a sign that I can read is one called the Palace.
This photo is very faded, but I was able to enlarge the less damaged side for you to see in greater detail.  I think it is a marvelous one of a kind photo.  There are streetcar rails in the street and there is one heck of a parade going on.
I am not sure but this might be Washington, DC on September 17, 1919 the day of the Victory Day Parade after WWI was over and General Pershing visited our Nations Capitol. This photo just bursts with patriotism, all the flags and people sitting in the window ledges..it must have been quite a sight to see.
Any input or opinions on this photo are appreciated!  Thanks Laurisa for sharing!

Thanks for stopping by, do come again:) 

Update:  Info from Iggy..this is Kansas City, Missouri. 


Update from : You'll never meet me:  The Flags in the photo appear to match flags from 1896 to 1908.

Update from Iggy:  This photo was taken July 20, 1923.  French General Henri Joseph Eugene Gouraud was visiting, he was the General in charge of the Kansas Troops that were part of the Rainbow Division.  The Rosedale Memorial Arch Ground Breaking Ceremony and PARADE were held that same day.  You can read more about it here. 
As for the flags..perhaps they used every flag they could get their hands on..or used School House Flags like Iggy suggested.

25 comments:

  1. Shorpy.com shares loads of old photos from Washington DC. I made a fast search for the Victor Building. Take a look and see what you think:
    http://www.shorpy.com/node/4192

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  2. I love black and white pictures, these are great.

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  3. I love your concept. Hopefully I will see my ancestors on your blog some day. This photo appears to be a huge celebration and the explanation you gave seems to be plausible.

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  4. It is a very interesting photo.

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  5. Maybelline, Thanks for the link..four years difference..no signs on top..Iggy may have some input when he comes through:)

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  6. I think I can make out the dome of the US Capital building at the end of the street.

    The victory parade featured General Pershing, and ran up Pennsylvania Avenue from the Peace monument near the Capitol to Nineteenth Street.

    The Washington DC, 9 story, Victor Building, built in 1910, was (and still is) on 9th Street which may or may not have been on the parade route but perhaps visible from there - across the street from the Victor Building was the Old Patent Office. The building now houses the Archives Of American Art, Smithsonian Institution.

    I'm not 100% sold on this -

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  7. The photos are just amazing! can't wait to see more :o)

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  8. Really interesting. This blog is such a great idea! Have you ever had any of the original owners of the photos or friends/family contact you?

    Regarding old photos, take a look at my blog post on Tufts University, featuring a photo from 1910 - of Walnut Hill. Excellent photographic skills, if you think of the equipment they had back then..

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  9. An alternate location might be Kansas City.

    There is a 9 or 10-story "Victor Building" there - that is now the Truman Presidential Library on 10th Street. They had a big victory parade in May, 1919 and marched down 10th street. There is also a YMCA on tenth street which featured bowling.

    They had celebratory parades all over the country (and in Canada, England, and France).

    "Wells Fargo & Co, 1888" was located just about everywhere - But I found an RL Ready, Dentist that lived in the suburbs (Liberty, Mo).

    I'm engrossed - there are French tirocolor flags and what appear to Navy ship flags spelling something out.

    http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Montgomery&CISOPTR=1392&CISOBOX=1&REC=8
    (You can search for other pictures there too)

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  10. Aha!

    Definite proof! The parade was in Kansas City...

    The picture at:

    http://www.kchistory.org/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/Montgomery&CISOPTR=1401&CISOBOX=1&REC=3

    Is taken just about the same place the one show was taken. Note the Palace sign on the left and the "Victor Building" in the background!!!!

    :) :) :) :)

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  11. Iggy you NEVER cease to amaze me!!!

    Norkio

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  12. Good job Iggy! Very fascinating! :-) ~Abra

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  13. I was looking at the flags waving in this photo and double checked. Matching the rows of stars - the flags would be 1896 to 1908. In 1908, Oklahoma was added to the Union and a star added to the flag. I think this photo would have to be from before then. And with the number and size of the flags, they would be provided by the government (city, state, federal) so it could be a rally for a presidential candidate, military success or even the Olympic Games. (http://storiesofusa.com/us-flag-history-united-states-flags-timeline-1777-1960/)

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  14. This is a fascinating blog! I signed up to follow you! I too love old photos and always feel sad when I see them in antique stores...I want to take them all home and make them feel wanted again. This was a brilliant idea! Thank you for sharing it all with us.

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  15. wow these photos are really cool!

    http://catherineava.blogspot.com/

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  16. You'll never meet me again, Wonderful observation! I agree that the flags were from 1896 to 1908 with 45 Stars in a long short long short long short row pattern. Now we are back to square one on the event. Thank you for your input! :)

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  17. I suspect that given the size of this event and the expense of a quality flag, every flag they had on hand was flown - even the old ones found in the closets - I wonder if WWI also cut back on new civilian flag production as the Army needed clothes (and flags) for over a million men.

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  18. Looking more closely at the flags on the right - and its a shame the photo is blemished on the clearest flag - but it appears that the flag has 6 horizonal rows of 8 stars = 48 stars. I didn't know this but they had a "school room use" "staggered star" pattern flag:

    http://www.vexman.net/48star.html

    The flags on the left side - appear to have 6 rows of 7 (with the 8th row rolled away from view since there never was a 42 star flag) in the "normal" rectangular pattern.

    The 48 star flag came into being in 1912 and was official for 47 years. I think this parade took place on July 20, 1923 in honor of both a local memorial being dedicated and a visit from a French General under which many of the local WWI veterans served - which would explain the numerous French tricolors in the picture.

    http://www.kckpl.lib.ks.us/kscoll/lochist/rosedale/Chap12.htm

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    http://p90xdayone.blogspot.com/

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  20. Wow theses are incredible. I wish I could just jump in to the photograph. Got any of New York City circa 1920s?

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  21. For patriotic occasions all available U.S. flags were and are often used. In fact, I'm sure my small community is not alone in still using a large number of its 48-star flags that date to before 1959. It is perfectly acceptable to use/display older flags, as long as they are in good physical condition and proper flag etiquette is observed.

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Hi, Thanks for the comments, your input on these old photos is appreciated! English only please! All comments will be moderated! Connie