Dear Mother
just a few lines. Did you get the box with the quilt in it. Jud (?) has been sick in bed with gall stones just able to sit up a little to day. Hope this finds you both well
Ans. soon
Edith
This one is labeled C.L. Randall's Residence.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Oxford, Michigan
Here are a couple of real photo cards from Oxford, Michigan. These were printed by Kruxo between 1911 and 1922. Current views of the street don't look much different; it would appear that most of the old buildings have been preserved.
The message to Olive Martin reads:
This one is labeled C.L. Randall's Residence.
This one is labeled C.L. Randall's Residence.
Lovely cards. But it doesn't look anything like Oxford, Oxfordshire.
ReplyDeleteYep, as a Michigander myself, I can personally attest that our Oxford is a lovely little town, with some great farmer's roadside stands nearby. Peaches have just been harvested, and sweet corn is starting to come in...but it does, of course, lack a world-renowned university dating from the 11th century. Oh well: can't have everything, I suppose...and they are exceptionally good peaches.
ReplyDeleteI would take good peaches over a university any day :)
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to think that some cute towns haven't changed much!
ReplyDeleteLove that house!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure people were teaching each other important things in Michigan in the 11th century too, they just didn't leave much behind...
ReplyDeleteLots going on in these cards. Anyone know or guess what that shape is in the top card? 'Bout an inch above the background trees, suspended in mid-air, looking a little like a porcelain insulator. I'll guess a signal of sorts? Those parallel lines starting in the card's SE corner--trolley tracks, right? Too little time!:-} Jack/Youngstown
ReplyDeleteJ/Y- I'm sure that is a street light floating above the trees, and based on the size of Oxford, those are probably full blown train tracks running thru the middle of town, not for a trolley.
ReplyDeleteThose tracks down the center of the street are in fact trolley tracks. It was the Detroit to Flint branch of the Detroit United Railway (DUR). The tracks were later routed behind the East block of buildings due to the number of DUR/Car accidents. Also to the East of town was the Michigan Central Railway (later the New York Central System) which ran out of Detroit up through Bay City then on to the tip of the mitt. Intersecting the Michigan Central to the Northeast of town was the Pontiac, Oxford and Northern (PO&N) which later became part of the Grand Trunk System. This ran from Pontiac to Port Austin in the tip of the thumb. Most of this rout is now the Polly Ann trail system.
ReplyDeleteThe house pictured is also still around. It received a fresh coat of paint and a new roof this summer.