Red Cross Shoes -Elmira, New York

Run on down to Sheehan Dean Co. in Elmira, NY and buy a pair of these lovely shoes for only $6.50. They may be out of stock though. And you will need to do some time traveling, because they closed in 1936. Both the Sheehan and Dean families included  distinguished citizens of Elmira. Daniel Sheehan served as Elmira's police commissioner, postmaster and mayor. Elmer Dean, who died in 1940, was a trustee of Elmira College. Sheehan Dean Co. was a dry goods store,  also selling furniture and clothing in addition to shoes.

At one point, Red Cross shoes were the most popular shoe in the U.S. and the company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. Red Cross shoes had no connection with the American National Red Cross though, and it's no surprise that the Red Cross objected to having its name used in a commercial manner. The House Foreign Affairs Commission even proposed a ban on the brand name in 1942, but the company voluntarily suspended use of the name before the ban could be enacted. However, they resumed use of the name years later, with the provision that they would publicly disclaim any association with the American National Red Cross. You can still buy Red Cross shoes today, but the styles are limited to nurse's shoes and a few loafer styles, and they cost more than $6.50.

Contadina Senese

A Contadina is the Italian term for a peasant woman or a woman of the fields. This lovely Contadina is from Tuscany.

Streetcar Sundays - Portland, Oregon

It's Streetcar Sunday, so here's another postcard featuring a streetcar, trolley or tram.
Streetcars were a very important mode of transportation in Portland at the turn of the century. This card shows Third Street in Portland with streetcars, buggies, and even a bicycle. I don't see any cars. The streetcar tracks were paved over  in later years, but the streetcar is regaining its popularity in Portland. New tracks are being laid to create an east-side streetcar loop that connects with the west-side streetcar and buses, light rail, and other transportation modes.
Click here for an earlier post that also shows a streetcar in Portland.
Click here for more information on the current Portland Streetcar and its history.