Just Truckin' Around

National Van Lines " Direct Van Service to 48 States

The 1955 GM Motorama 100-truck caravan on its way to Show Cities
New York, January 20 to 25; Miami, February 5 to 13; Los Angeles,
March 5 to 13; San Francisco, March 26 to April 3,
and Boston, April 23 to May 1.

U.S. Van Lines "Your Best Move is U.S.

Edison Mall

Edison Mall Shopping Center - Fort Myers, Florida - A view of one of the most popular shopping centers on the West Coast of Florida.

A view in the Mall, showing Woolworth's Department Store and the attractive design of the Edison Mall Shopping Center, Fort Myers, Florida.

Vintage Postcards

The Pilgrim Steamer at Peaks Island Landing, Portland, Maine. (Postcard circa 1910)

Colorado Avenue, looking North, La Junta, Colorado. (Postcard circa 1940)

Mo-Rest Motel - Mobridge, South Dakota - Located on U.S. 12, the shortest all black-topped route to the West Coast. Only three miles from the new gravesite of Sitting Bull, famous Sioux Chieftain. (Postcard circa 1940)

Happy Birthday Shirley!

Actress Shirley Temple, 17, gathering her unwanted
clothes together to donate to a clothing drive.
Hollywood, May 1945 - Life Photographer: Martha Holmes.

LINK: Thanks for reminding me Heidi Ann @ Gold Country Girls

Olvera Street

Olvera Street is in the oldest part of Downtown Los Angeles, California, and is part of the El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historic Monument. Many Latinos refer to it as "La Placita Olvera." Circa 1911 it was described as Sonora Town.

Having started as a short lane, Wine Street, it was extended and renamed in honor of Agustín Olvera, a prominent local judge, in 1877. There are 27 historic buildings lining Olvera Street, including the Avila Adobe, the Pelanconi House and the Sepulveda House.

In 1930, it was converted to a colorful Mexican marketplace. It is also the setting for Mexican style music and dancing and holiday celebrations, such as Cinco de Mayo.

The Avila Adobe, Olvera Street, Los Angeles California. This is the oldest and most historic building in Los Angeles, built in 1818 by Don Francisco Avila. It was occupied as American headquarters in 1847. The rooms are furnished in the period of Early California. Olvera Street was the first main thoroughfare in Los Angeles.

Olvera Street was the old trail down which Governer Felipe de Neve led his colonists when he founded Los Angeles in 1781. In this quaint "Old California" Street, where Mexican craftsmen make and display their wares, is located the Old Avila Adobe where Commodore Stockton had his headquarters during the American conquest.

Our Lady of La Purisma Shrine - Olvera Street, Los Angeles. To implore her blessings or give thanks, the people of the street bring her flowers.

Olvera Street - A bit of old Mexico transplanted into the heart of Los Angeles, California.

Olvera Street - Market place for Mexican curios on the north side of the old Plaza in Los Angeles. Sales girls and waitresses in colorful Mexican costumes sing Mexican folk songs, offering an atmosphere typical of old Mexico.

Las Vegas 1947

Las Vegas, picturesque city of Southern Nevada, is one of the last frontier towns of the West.

At night, visitors from the far corners of the earth mingle with miners, prodpectors, ranchers and other local residents under the flashing multi-colored signs along its main thoroughfares.

Here are found the finest accomodations in the West, including resort hotels, modern auto courts and restaurants. Its night clubs and casinos provide unussual diversion to the visitor.

Gateway to Boulder Dam and Death Valley, Las Vegas is the center of the Scenic Southwest. From here one may reach by pleasant drives over modern highways, Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Cedar Breaks, Grand Canyon, Valley of Fire and Mount Charleston, known as "The Desert Alps."

Las Vegas is only 30 miles from Boulder Dam, highest and most impressive in the world, to which every month come thousands of visitors from every country of the globe.

The city with its startling contrast of old-fashioned Western life and brisk modern progressiveness, and the mighty Dam and surrounding country of unusual grandeur and beauty, combine to give the visitor a series of thrilling impressions without parallel in the world.

Firestone At The Fair

The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is a tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company was a pioneer in the mass production of tires.

Firestone was originally based in Akron, Ohio, also the hometown of its archrival, Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company. The company initiated operations in 1900 with 12 employees. Together, Firestone and Goodyear were the largest suppliers of automotive tires in North America for over three-quarters of a century. In 1906 Firestone was chosen by Henry Ford for the Model T.

Here is the complete Firestone Tire and Rubber Company exhibit souvenir booklet from the 1933 Chicago World's Fair. ENJOY!

Soap Box Derby

The Soap Box Derby is a youth soapbox car racing program which has been run in the United States since 1934. World Championship finals are held each July at Derby Downs in Akron, Ohio. Cars competing in this and related events are unpowered, relying completely upon gravity to move.

Here are a couple of postcards from the 1950's showing large crowds and the Race at Akron's Greatest National Sport Event.

"All American Soap Box Derby." Air view showing Derby Downs Hill with Grandstands and Finish Line. Famous Goodyear Zeppelin Dock in the Background.

Akron's Greatest National Sport Event. "All American Soap Box Derby." Scene showing Derby Downs with Race being run.

LINK: Here is more info on the Soap Box Derby @ Wikipedia

The 1971 Pontiacs

Here are some great artist rendition postcards from Pontiac automobile dealer, Keith N. Flethcher Motors, 281 Broadview Avenue, Warrenton, Virginia. The best selection of automobiles since Wide-Track... Pure Pontiac.

~ 1971 GTO Hardtop Coupe ~

~ 1971 Firebird Formula ~

~ 1971 Grand Prix Hardtop Coupe ~

~ 1971 T-37 Hardtop Coupe ~

~ 1971 Catalina Brougham 4-door Hardtop ~

The Streamliners

Here is probably one of the coolest sets of postcards that the Santa Fe Railroad and the Fred Harvey Company ever published. It is a set of 10 postcards (5 are pictured) from the 1940's. They are linen type postcards in a great envelope.

Leaders of Santa Fe's Fleet of Streamlined Trains
The Super Chief - The Chief - El Capitan

Santa Fe Transcontinental Train with its streamlined cars in gleaming stainless steel, and 6,000 H.P. Diesel-Electric locomotive.

Fitted with roomy sofas, comfortable big chairs, and small tables facing a modernistic bar, the lounge car on the "SUPER CHIEF" has panelled walls of exquisite woods with inlaid Indian ceremonial figures, and authentic Navajo patterns in the window shades and decorations.

Passengers relax leisurely for a luxurious Fred Harvey meal in the dining car of the Santa Fe's streamlined transcontinental "EL CAPITAN."

One of the unique features of the dining cars on the "SUPER CHIEF" is the specially designed china, featuribg Indian designs found on the centuries-old pottery of New Mexico.

Under the shadow of the lofty precipitous Sierra Madre Range lies beautiful San Gabriel Valley. The Valley contains about 100 square miles of territory, nearly all of which has been transformed from sterile desert into a succession of small homes and thriving little cities.