Thursday, April 07, 2011

Mystery photos

Today's two photos come from Tom Pulley's postcard collection, copies of which are held by the Orange County Archives. Neither photo is idenitified very well beyond the assumption that they depict Orange County scenes. Perhaps you can help.

The image above is probably from the late 1930s or early 1940s. One of the men is wearing a badge that reads "Orange Juice." I can't tell what their other badges or hats say, but I assume they're all related to citrus promotion. A sign propped inside one of the building's windows proclaims, "WPA Project." Who are they? Where are they? And what are they doing there? (I know,... I'm starting to sound like Admiral Stockdale!) The second photo shows a Chamber of Commerce building that looks more like a bank to me. Again, we don't know where this was located. The building is on a hill, which lets out some of our flatter communities. (Yeah, Garden Grove, I'm talking to you!) The car's license plate design tells us this is sometime between 1906 and 1913. Maybe some vintage car afficianado out there can narrow that date range for us just by looking at the car. .

The ball's in your court, folks!

3 comments:

OCkid said...

I think you'll find the upper photo was taken outside the old Santa Ana Public Library, with the Elks Lodge just visible on the right.

--Phil

Dan Briggs said...

The Second Photo looks like it was taken not in Orange County, but in San Bernardino County, specifically, in Redlands,CA. The Building looks to be next to a Santa Fe Train Depot At the corner of present Day Orange and Oriental Sts in Redlands. Use Google Earth and you can see roughly the same angle....both structures are still there.

Chris Jepsen said...

Well, those mysteries didn't last long did they? Thank you both, Phil and Dan! I will update the information with those images at the Archives and will let Tom know for the purposes of his postcard collection.

Of course, I still wonder what occasion required both mariachis AND silly paper hats.