Full Circle 75

Iggy located an address for family of this photo.  I didn’t hear anything back and one day noticed a friend of mine on Facebook had a friend with the same last name.  Yes, It was her father and his sister.  A photo that she didn’t know existed.

 

Photo Number1332  Evelyn and Len Grotnes 1939

Laurie wrote this about her Father and shared  a bit of family history. .

He was an avid photographer, as was his father, a Norwegian immigrant, who came to our country in 1905. My grandpa Elinas Grotnes also loved movies, and shot films of he and my father building our Valhalla Resort starting in 1929. We enjoy looking at the the history and perpetuating it. I think the photo you have was when my father Len Grotnes, and his sister Evelyn were living in Detroit Lakes, during high school. He was born in 1921, so this photo must've been in his later teen years. Back then, if someone from the Island Lake/Toad/Shell Lake area wanted to graduate from HS, they had to live in town in Detroit Lakes and return home to the lake in the country each weekend, or whenever they could make it. My. Grandpa Elinas was a Norwegian Immigrant, WW1 veteran, whom while fighting in Nantes, France, was one of the soldiers who stumbled upon 'The Lost Battalion' and helped them fight their way out. Back then, they only had carrier pigeons to deliver the statistics of their well being, and now we have FB at the touch if our fingers. Humbling! My Grandmother was a Swedish immigrant American, and was a Red Cross RN in the battlefields of Nantes, France where she met my grandfather. I love their Love story!

Laurie was pleased and thankful to get the old photo. Thank you so much! My father and his sister in the photo have been gone for five years, now. My mom had never seen this picture of daddy, so it was a special joy for her, also.

We still have no idea who took all of these photos in the Miss M series.

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Photo Number 1338

This is the last snapshot in the Miss M series.

Love her pants and boots, she is a outdoors kinda gal!

Margaret  Garrahy  + I  1943 at Tamarac

To sum up this series, here are some of the names.

Len and Evelyn Grotnes   Brother and Sister
Virginia Vogt
Frang Belnartz
George Mc Carthy
Helen Danheim
Fran Kandt
Myrtle Kandt Roberts
Margaret Garrahy
Then there are some first names.
Lorna, Nell, Pearl, Gwen, Hjardy, Mel, Adeline, Verna, Alice and of course Chas. or Charlie.
I am certain that the gal who took all the photos graduated from High School in DL in 1936-1937 and then went to a Business School in Mpls.  Her family and friends visited Tamarac, a cottage on Detroit and Shell Lake. She loved the outdoors and photography.
She will remain M for Mystery Woman for now,  Thanks for stopping by.  Do come again:)
Update: The correct spelling is Garrahy according to a relative. 

Update from Maureen: 
This is my aunt, Margaret Gertrude Garrahy. She was born in 1922 and grew up in Fairfax, Minnesota. In 1946 she married Donald K. Williamson, and she passed away in 2009. My dad said he thought this photo was taken from around the time she worked in Detroit Lakes as a beautician. Unfortunately, he did not recognize the other woman in the photo.

This photo went Full Circle 77 on November 13, 2013.

Photo Number 1337

I have a few more Miss M snapshots.

Chas + Peter   Spring of ‘39  Chas and I raked the yard.

He wore a tie to rake the lawn?

Nov 1939 Duck Hunting

It must have been a warm day, wearing short sleeves and all.

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Photo Number 1336

I have just a few days of photos left in the Miss M series.

These are all snapshots purchased at the antique shop in Detroit Lakes Minnesota.

Miss Whomever she is and Charlie.

 

Jan 1 1939 Taken near Shell Lake.  There used to be a corner near Shell Lake that had three bars.  It was a local “hot” spot complete with a gal named Trixie that used to entertain gentlemen. This photo may have been taken at that corner.

 

Spring of ‘39  at Tamarack (Tamarac)

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Photo Number 1335

We continue with the photo that Miss M took.

1938 Summer at Detroit Cottage.  Charlie had worked all night at brownies.  The people next door had invited the whole congregation of the Swedish church out there.

Detroit Lakes is often called Detroit…or at least it was back in the day.  I think she is differentiating between the cottage at Detroit Lake and Tamarac Lake.

I think her family had hunting property out at Tamarac.

November 1939  Duck Hunting at Tamarac   Marv and Charlie

I am thinking that Charlie was not much of a hunter.  Marv was.  I think, and I stress think that our Miss M is Marv. short for Marvel  or Marcella Vivian or something else???  Perhaps her Mom wrote on the back of this photo?

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Photo Number 1334

Some more 1938 snapshots of Miss M.

Do you suppose they were showing off their legs or their shoes?

Helen Danhiem + myself 1938

1938 In front of our house.  Nell said “I look like a school house + Charlie like a telephone pole.”

So is this Charlie and Nell?  Or Charlie and the mystery woman?

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Photo Number 1333

I am pretty sure Miss M  lived in Detroit Lakes Minnesota at one time, either that or she visited often.  Perhaps her parents lived in Detroit Lakes.

This photo is simply marked Tamarac 1938.  I am certain it was taken at Tamarac Lake or possibly even Tamarac Wildlife Refuge which was established in May of 1938.  I might add that it was almost scandalous for women to wear pants.

I think the couple on the right are Miss M’s parents and the other couple are an Uncle and Aunt.  I am allowed to make up any story I like if the photo is not marked!

I think that this photo was taken the same day.

1938 at Tamarck ( note cigar in my hand)  I had it in my mouth but Mother wouldn’t take it that way.

She had a sense of humor!

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Photo Number 1332

Well we know Miss M liked to take photos.  She also had friends who liked to take photos.  Here are some more snapshots. In this series these are all snapshots that measure 2 3/4 inches by 4 1/2 inches.

She is very pretty!  It looks like she might be wearing an apron.

October 1938 On our front porch – Len Grotness took it – we used flash powder

The photo was processed in Minneapolis MN

Jan 1 1939 Len and Evelyn Grotness

Len has his camera bag strapped over his shoulder.

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Update from Iggy:

Len Anderson Grotnes (19 Jan 1921 in Chicago, Cook, Illinois - 26 Apr 2008 at Island Lake, near Detroit Lakes, Becker, Minnesota) was the son of Elinas and Emma Grotnes of Norway. Len lived in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota.

Evelyn was Len's younger sister (Oct. 14, 1922 - Aug. 15, 2008), she married a George Olson

Update: This bottom photo went Full Circle 75 on Monday October 28, 2013.

Photo Number 1331

Miss M went visiting in the Fall of 1937.  I don’t know where she went but George lived there.

George had cool hair and a puppy!  Is that a wooden dock that he is on?

George McCarthy 1937

Could that be George on the far left?  The hair is similar.

1937 Fall  In front of George’s home.  We all had dinner there. Went to Indiana – Minn Football game.  Had accident in taxi.

I wonder what kind of accident?  I believe that Miss M is in the middle of the photograph, and she is standing next to Charlie or Chas. as she sometimes calls him.

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Update from Iggy: 

George is in the University of Minnesota Gopher Student Directory for 1937-8. He is listed as being on 1403 SE 4th.

Photo Number 1330

We continue on with Miss M’s friends.

Virginia Vogt  +  Frang Belnarty/Belnartz

There was no date on this photo.  Virginia may be the Jinney in yesterdays photo.

Jinney

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Photo Number 1329

To present this series of photos I will have to go back a few years to the year 1937.

All of these photos are from the same antique shop in Detroit Lakes Minnesota.  I think we will call them M’s photos for now. 

I think she worked or went to business school  in  Downtown Minneapolis.   She lived at 123 South 11 th Street  The Hotel Sheridan is in Minneapolis.

1937 Fall In front of the apt house where I first lived. 123 So. 11th St.

Alice, Jinny, Addle, Verna

1937 Adeline, Verna, Alice

In 1937 women made on an average$525.00 a year.  Most worked in domestic service (maids, cooks), clerical or teaching jobs and a few were nurses.  Many worked and sent money home to their families.  The depression years were hard years.

I think these gals worked in the clerical field or went to business school, or perhaps they were maids in the hotel.

Thanks for stopping by.  Do come again:)