Collecting vintage slides can be quite an interesting treat, while being able to pinpoint the location where some of these classic scenes were taken (and to readily provide a comparable scene today) makes it even more historically rewarding. My ability to be able to do the location spotting has varied. In some cases, I've employed the assistance of others prior to posting these images, while in others, blog followers have come forth to help locate the location of a classic scene. Mostly, however, I've been assisted by having some advance knowledge of the location from writing on the mount, specific location clues in the image itself, or specific mention in the auction listing. Lacking this, I've had some very satisfying times finding a tough location, or conversely, an arduous amount of clue searching to arrive at the presumed proper spot.
I begin to find that the more that I collect, the more I encounter some great images that fall into the very last category mentioned above, either whose precise location is a mystery to me, or for which I really can't provide a good "then and now" comparison using online resources. For these reasons, all too often, these great photos tend to languish in a a Kodaslide storage box, wanting to see the light of day on my Monday morning feature, but set aside week after week as I choose other images that more readily lend themselves to being able to be pinpointed.
The inability to provide a precise location is the sole thing that precludes me from featuring these shots on the Monday feature, but that notwithstanding, these are some excellent images stretching back decades. They deserve to be spotlighted, and I'm taking the opportunity to do just that in this feature. Enjoy!
There are times when I am at a complete loss for words when I think of how a color photographic image can survive decades in such a pristine state. This is one such case. The "ready-mount" for this image dates it, incredibly enough as March 11, 1941! Yet, it truly does appear as if it could have been taken just days ago. The only locational clue is that it was taken in Miami, Florida, but I have no idea exactly where.
This image is simply titled "Taos Red River Canyon" and dates from the late 1940's as well. Definitely a very vivid image that depicts the era, but looks like it was taken days ago.
Summer just isn't summer without Ice Cream! I'm not finding anything to tell of the locale where Skipton's Ice Cream was served. This slide appears to be from the late 1940's.
Identified as Bainville, Montana in 1952. There are some clues in here, particularly the building in the backdrop that could help pinpoint this, but the view today on Google Maps doesn't seem to show anything to help pinpoint its location, and the street views of this small town are both scarce and dated.
A classic tourist scene that is a little amusing and a little terrifying. That said, this view from about 1954 could have been taken any number of places west of the Mississippi!
A few marked clues and a somewhat indistinct war monument offer some clues to the location of this seeming Public Square. I'm guessing it to be in Pennsylvania or New York, but don't really know.
Great image that is worth sharing, but aside from the Ohio plates, clues are scant to determine its location.
I'd hoped to feature this interesting, busy image on the weekly Kodachrome feature, but I've too little in the way of clues to locate where it was taken. There is one sign pointing travellers to the beach, and a U.S. Route sign that is at an angle the precludes me from being able to decipher it. The businesses in the frame sadly add lots of context, but just not enough information to determine the location. All I can say is that this is definitely a southern town, quite likely in Florida.
Another "through the windshield" shot that could be taken at any number of rural locales, but is presumed to be somewhere between Indiana and Pennsylvania based on others in the batch. Though dating from the 1960's, autos from the 1920's can be spotted amid the scenery at this farm.
I know this is in Toronto somewhere for a summertime parade, and the streetcar tracks offer some clues, but I'm just not up to the task of finding exactly where this image was taken.
Finally, one that should be easy enough, but given that I was misled by the auction listing which listed it as a 1950's shot of "Portland Oregon." I actively looked for this scene there, both on maps and in person, to no avail. The monument and color scheme of the city bus (which favors the Boston paint scheme) should be good indicators of where this was taken, but I'm still at a bit of a loss.
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