The Great Underwear Emporium

If you ever wondered why people didn't smile in old photographs, this may be the answer: wool underwear. Wool underwear would certainly put a serious expression on my face. As you can see, the child in this picture, an advertisement for the Great Underwear Emporium of Tioga County, is probably wearing those wool undergarments too.

Here's where you can go to stock up on your Shetland knit underwear.

Tram Tuesday - Lynchburg, Virginia

Lynchburg, Virginia has a rich and colorful history. Back in 1757, it was just a ferry crossing from Lynch's Landing across the James river. The ferry service was provided by 17-year-old John Lynch, who a few decades later petitioned the Virginia General Assembly for a town charter. Years later, the city was spared from any severe damage during the Civil War because General Jubal Early ran empty train cars through the area to make it look as if reinforcements were coming into Lynchburg.

In 1880, fifteen years after the end of the Civil War, the first horse-drawn streetcars started operation in Lynchburg. Streetcars didn't last as long in Lynchburg as they did in many other American cities though; they were gone by 1941.

The message on the back of the card appears to have been written in 1911.

 

 

The message reads:

Arrived here about 7;30 and hope to leave tomorrow. Feel well and hope you are to

Here are a couple of before-and-after views of Lynchburg, courtesy of Kipp Teague, Lynchburg resident and generous host of a Retroweb, which features many old and new views of Lynchburg.

Source

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The French Influence

These are American trade cards from the 1880s with French writing on them. But who reads French anyway? Best pretend not to,  or you may see yourself featured in some unflattering television spots.

 Here's what the back of the cards looks like.
 I'm not sure what Arnaud sold, but I would love to see what the shop looked like.