Saturday, June 03, 2017

Welcome to Florida

Let's take a trip to the Sunshine State! I've never been there, because I'm afraid that it will break off and float away, all the way to Antarctica where penguins will attack me. 

This first one is from 1959, as we cross the State line. I wonder where this lady was heading? Miami Beach? Fort Lauderdale? Weeki Wachee Springs? St. Augustine? Based on the sign behind her, her first stop will be Jacksonville, at any rate.


Next is this photo from sometime in the 1950's, from Key West - an island at the southernmost tip of Florida. Harry S Truman spent some time there during his Presidency. Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, Judy Blume, Jimmy Buffet, and John James Audubon also lived there. All in the same house together! 

That lighthouse in the distance is fairly distinctive, so I looked on Google Maps to get my bearings...


... there it is; unsurprisingly, it is the Key West Lighthouse, built in 1849. Which means that we are looking Northwest on Whitehead Street. And that walled area to our left is likely the former home of Hemingway himself!


And finally, here's a 1951 shot (a little blurry, unfortunately) from Cleremont, which is just a few miles West of Orlando. The slide is labeled "Main Street", but Google Maps does not show a Main Street - although there is a "Main Avenue". I tried to do the street view thing, but had no luck. Anyway, it's a cute small town - very "Mayberry".


I hope you have enjoyed your visit to Florida!

9 comments:

Nanook said...

OK, Major-

Just what sort of odd-ball auto have you presented in the first image-? I'd say it's a foreign job, as those taillights are just too weird. Driving away from it is a light blue 1956 Cadillac.

In the second image starting on the far right, is a 1949 Ford; then I'm gonna say a 1953 Buick; than a mystery vehicle; then a Jeep-like vehicle, but I don't think it's a Jeep; then possibly a late-40's Chevrolet; then (probably) another 1949 Ford; and then (possibly) a 1951 or 1952 Buick.

In Clermont, FL we have a 1950 Pontiac; then a 1949 Chevrolet; and in front of the Western Auto store is a 1949-1951 Pontiac.

Thanks, Major, for this visit to the F State.

Pegleg Pete said...

Great pics today, Major. I would love to have seen Florida during the 1950s; The 1960s and '70s seemed to have brought so much change to the state as to make that earlier decade seem like the distant past.

Anonymous said...

Nanook, the little jeep like vehicle, might be a Crosley.

Unknown said...

I used to live in a small town, pop. ~4,000 and I love shots like these, especially the last one, for reminding me of how good life can be in a small town. Particularly if John Mellencamp isn't there with his damn rock and roll...

Nanook said...

@ Anonymous-

I'll just bet you're right. Thanks for filling in the blanks.

Alonzo P Hawk said...

To me it looks like the badge says 17M. Which would be a german Ford Taunus. I can't seem to find one that looks exactly the same but this one is close.

http://www.powerful-cars.com/php/ford-d/1959-p2-taunus-17m-kombi.php

Alonzo P Hawk said...

A little more digging and I think we have a match to the bumber and those tail lights. 1957 P2 Taunus 17M.

http://www.powerful-cars.com/php/ford-d/1957-p2-taunus-17m-de-luxe-kombi.php

Alonzo P Hawk said...

Duh. Bumper.

Nanook said...

@ Alonzo P Hawk-

No more calls, please. I think we have a winner. Good show-!