San Francisco Flower Vendors

After reading about Barry the San Francisco Florist at Tattered and Lost Vernacular Photography, I had to look through my San Francisco flower vendor cards. You don't see flower vendors on the streets in San Francisco like you used to.

Here are the backs of the cards. The first one was written in 1923.

The message reads:

San Francisco - Feb. 1 - 23
Arrived yesterday A.M. with my friend and shall be here over the week-end. Mildred will come over to me tomorrow + with me two nights. Mr. Hayes telephoned me ate this afternoon from our house + said they were suffering with the extreme cold temperature down to 28 degrees and snow on all the surrounding mountains. So cold then the house wasn't comfortable.


No message on the second card.

All Aboard!

You can board this train, but only if you weigh less than 50 pounds and can fit into a Speed Racer wagon. Oh, but wait...the cars seem to be occupied by wild animals in cages.

This is a children's parade from Jarvis School in Binghamton, New York's First Ward in the late 1920s or early 1930s. Although I can't be certain, I think this is John Korinek, my father-in-law, below.

The kids have constructed cages for each wagon to hold various wild animals. A giraffe helps them to pull the train.

Here are some additional close-ups.

Be sure to check out Sepia Saturday for more old pictures and great stories.

Atlantic City, New Jersey

Last chance to get out and enjoy the shore before summer ends.  Back in 1914, there were plenty of people enjoying the sand and sun at Atlantic City. Many of them were overdressed for the beach, at least by today's standards, but those straw hats and ties look so elegant. I'd like to say no thanks to wool bathing suits though.

The message to Howard R. Spindler reads:

We got away at last + are here for a week. It is delightful and cool here. Will be home on the 16th Jessie

Howard was born on March 1, 1893 and registered for the World War I draft in 1917/18, but I don't know if he fought in the war or not.