South Haven

THE SOUTH HAVEN APARTMENTS

725 Bayshore Drive, Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

15 units on the Intercoastal Waterway. One hundred feet dock space, 3 blocks from ocean, elevator and maid service, shuffleboard court. Tel. Logan4-5256.

February 12, 1957

Fort Lauderdale, Florida

“We are thoroughly enjoying the lovely Florida sunshine and I for one will be sorry when our vacation ends. Weather has been ideal so far. Bill and I are about to start out and look for a golf course. See you in the near future.”

Emily and Bill

This building appears to have been replaced by a 12 story behemoth. The neighboring buildings are very much like this one.

Mirror Lake

Magnificient view of St. Petersburg's skyline reflected from the quiet surface of Mirror Lake. One of Florida's most exotic scenes.

July 17, 1962
Saint Petersburg, Florida

Dear Al
"Arrived here Thursday July 12th. Had a nice trip the weather was fine we are 1 st from mirror lake on card. Drop a line let me know any news."
Jessie Joe

Big Room, Carlsbad Caverns

BIG ROOM
CARLSBAD CAVERNS NATIONAL PARK
NEW MEXICO
These formations are along the trail in the famous Big Room.

September 6, 1988
Whites City, New Mexico

Hello All-
"So far it has been a good vacation, but New Orleans had rain for 3 days & I got a minor head cold- Texas was dry & now I head for the Pacific-"
Robert

Valley of the Monuments

VALLEY OF THE MONUMENTS
Northern Arizona
"Unbelievable" is the word for this awe-inspiring land of nature's colorful and startling sculptures.

September 11, 1955
Whittier, California

"Well how are you all to day. I got back Sat after noon it took 8 hr to drive through monument valley boy they sure have bad road. I got my car clean up this morning and load up my tool will work on them tomorrow. Well guess we'll close"

Ma

Patricia Murphy's Candelight Restaurants

PATRICIA MURPHY'S CANDELIGHT RESTAURANTS
Since 1930
THE CASCADES, U.S. 1
Deerfield-Boca Raton, Florida
ALSO AT
Bahia Mar, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
One Fifth Avenue, New York City
260 Madison Avenue, New York City
12 E. 49th Street, New York City
1703 Central Park Avenue, Westchester, N.Y.
OPEN EVERY DAY ALL YEAR

Hi Dears,
"Why can't we have a restaurant like this at home? We were so happy to see dear Art and Marge. They certainly rolled out the 'Red Carpet' for us all the way! They are just great. We arrived in Florida last Thursday and weather is 84-85 everyday. They are praying for rain. Water temp at pool is 84 too! Have good weather when we get home May 6!!!!"
Love to each of you,
Rene and Marge

Patricia Murphy is a restaurant success story from the Depression era. Here's an 1956 excerpt from the Charter, a Nova Scotia newspaper:

" A Newfoundland girl who left her home in Placentia during the Depression to seek her fortune in New York and with a few breaks from Lady Luck, together with boundless enthusiasm and energy, Patricia Murphy has found success.Patricia entered the restaurant business and later owned highly successful eating places in Brooklyn, Manhattan, Manhasset, L. I. and Yonkers."

She left for the great American metropolis with only a small allowance in her pocket and a self unpolished piano-playing talent. In New York she earned one meal a day by playing during luncheon at a small cafeteria. On the same street was a small tearoom where she often ate a "budget meal". One evening she found her favourite retreat closed. She pounded on the door and brought out the cook, who was packing up to leave. She heard the place was closing down because business was so poor, people were really hard hit for "eating out money", she recalled.

She offered the cook a job, made a deal with the landlord to pay $25.00 a week for the use of his equipment and space and then retired to her room with a thick American cookbook. At that time she knew nothing about the tastes of Americans, except they too seem to like hot bread and such mysterious things as "apple brown bells and prune whip". She decided on "popovers" as the hot bread because they could be made quickly and required inexpensive ingredients. Her business started to grow, slowly but surely, now her Yonkers restaurant on Central Ave. New York distributes 10,000 popovers a day, along with tiny loaves of hot bread, muffins, sweet rolls and biscuits. In 1938, Patricia moved into a second restaurant in Manhattan. She occupied herself with the two until she opened another, a suburban place in Manhasset in 1946."

Safety Harbor

SAFETY HARBOR SPA
Safety Harbor, Florida
Oldest Natural Mineral Spring Spa in America
Safety Harbor Spa combines the fun and relaxation of a gracious vacation with a sound, sensible health improving program under Professional supervision. Fifteen minutes from Tampa and St. Petersburg International Airports.

December 20, 1967
Safety Harbor, Florida

Dear Maurice,
"All's well here. Not a hard life to take. Many New York friends to golf with. Weather has been mostly good and warm. Hope all is normal with estates. Looks like we will stay here 'till Feb. then to Sarasota (Far Horizons) for a month."
Best from the Mrs. and Happy New Year.

Milton

Seaport Motor Inn, Mystic, Connecticut

SEAPORT MOTOR INN
Int. 95, Seaport Exit, Conn. Rte. 27, Mystic CT. On a hillside overlooking scenic Mystic River, Olde Mistick Village and Mystic Marinelete Aquarium. 1/4 mile from famous historic Mystic Seaport Museum. Open all year. Swimming Pool, A.C. Color T.V. Seafarer Restaurant and Captain's Lounge.

Card not mailed, but there is a note...

"This is where Amos was the other week, & then he was in Michigan & then he went to Boston & tomorrow he goes to N.Y. & then next week he goes to New England States again."

The Deer Hunter

TABLES-TURNED on this deer hunter.

October 26, 1971
Gaines, Pennsylvania

Dear Greg,

"Hi. How are you? I know you missed me. So I'll be home soon. This man his deer tied him up and the deer is driving."

Love, Birdie.

The Frontier Hotel, Las Vegas

The Frontier Hotel Las Vegas Strip
Known as the "Friendly Hotel" the Frontier offers great star entertainment ans services.

September 20th, 1979
Las Vegas, Nevada

Dear Wilma,
"Russ & Annette have gone home. I'll fly back to Cleveland Oct 4th and Russ will take me home. The desert is so pretty. Going to a Mall today. Hope all are ok. More later." Marilyn

The hotel was torn down recently, but as far as I know, the sign still stands at the vacant lot.

Yosemite

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CALIFORNIA
"WAWONA" TUNNEL TREE
This famous tree is in the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, a pleasant drive of 36 miles from the hotels and camps in Yosemite Valley. The "Wawona" tree is 227 feet tall, and 90 feet in circumference. In this grove more than six hundred giant Sequoias have been growing here for centuries... the Earth's largest and oldest trees.

August 26, 1954
San Rafael, California

Hi Folks,
"Drove through this tree today. It's just beautiful up here. We're enjoying our vacation so far. How's our little bambino doing? Give her a big fat kiss for me." Joe, Marge + kids.

Six Flags Over Georgia

Atlanta, GA.
SIX FLAGS - "The Mind Bender" - only triple loop ride in the U.S. (2.5 million dollar roller coaster).

April 19, 1984
Atlanta, Georgia

"Enjoying a good vacation but it's too cool and rainy. Helen & Kenneth are up home this week. They are getting a new Pontiac at Thorpe's to-day..leaving their old one for Milton. I was up with Bubbles last week-end, and will do the same this week-end. Home on the 27th." Don

The Shamrock

THE SHAMROCK - 414 North Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach, Florida.
Ultra-modern, ocean front apartment hotel near Broadwalk and Bandshell. Offering luxurious comfort in an atmosphere of informal refinement. Apartments accommodate 2 to 8 persons. Daily, weekly, and monthly rates. PHONE 2-0252.

February 9, 1957
Daytona Beach, Florida

Hi,
"Enjoyed the drive down w/Ag, Eliz, and Wes B. We're staying here while Ag and Eliz continue a trip through the state. It's 80 degrees and the beach is lovely."
Best to all, Harriet.

A well cultivated farm

Greetings from Hunter, N.Y.
"I know few things more pleasing to the eye....than a well-situated, well-cultivated farm." -Edw. Everett

March 31, 1964
Hunter, New York

Dad. "We finally got the heat on OK!! We also have a saw. We will call the telephone co. today. Its cold as heck up here! The kids here have school now!" See you, Love, Barbara.

I can't confirm that this, but the quote may be attributed to Edward Everett (1794-1865), a Whig from Massachusetts who became the president of Harvard and Secretary of State under Fillmore. Another claim to fame is he gave a two-hour Gettysburg Oration in 1863 that was eclipsed in history by Lincoln's two minute Address. (Wikipedia)

The Thunderbird Lodge

THUNDERBIRD LODGE - EUREKA 5TH and Broadway Eureka, California 95501 Located in downtown Eureka, California, the "Heart of the Redwood Empire" at Broadway, between 4th and 5th streets. (Highway 101 North and South). - 15 minutes from Eureka Airport. Restaurant, heated swimming pool, T.V. radio, direct dial telephone, and automatic coffee makers.

Unused post card, circa mid 1960's. Several Thunderbird motels still exist. Check out some great images at All Things Thunderbird

Coca-Cola Pavilion

The Coca-Cola Pavilion
The Coca-cola Tower, rising from the court of this pavilion, features the world's largest and finest electronic carillon. The pavilion also features a unique, free "Global Holiday'" the U.S.O. Lounge and the American Radio Relay League.

Unused post card from the 1964-65 World's Fair in New York. I found very little information about the Pavilion, and no photographs of the actual building. The carillon was moved to Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

Laughing Water - Circus Circus

Laughing Water - Smiling clown face welcomes sun-lovers to sparlking pool at Circus Circus Hotel/Casion/Spa, mid-way on Las Vegas Strip. Carnival games and 13 hours of free circus acts daily, plus lavish gaming casino, variety of restaurants and snack bars, shops, convention facilities and 800-room luxury hotel provide full family recreational facilities at Las Vegas' most unique resort complex.

Las Vegas, Nevada

Hi,
"We are having a great time. Very hot 110 degrees and getting hotter. We sat next to 'Tommy' on 8 is Enough on the plane. We went boating, lost the anchor. We are going to see Tony Orlando tonite." See you soon, Love Linda.

I wonder how many small kids were terrified to jump in the water here. And where exactly do you go boating in Vegas anyway?

Sarasota

Unique Garden Center with Chamber of Commerce Building in foreground
Sarasota, Florida

January 23, 1969
Sarasota Florida

Dear Maurice, "Greetings from Sarasota. Despite occasional rain all well. Anything new regarding examiner's audit. Hope you were able to compromise and avoid contest. Did you get away yet? Hope Horty okay." My Best,

The message and address were typewritten; very unusual for a post card.

Swedish card, via NY World's Fair

Solnedgang, Fjallbacka

June, 1965
World's Fair, New York

John,
"World's Fair is great fun. Everyone around seems to be enjoying themselves. I bought some souvenirs for you- not very exciting. This is from Sweden exhibit. This morning saw Verranzano-Narrows Bridge. It it as beautiful as I expected. Had dark beer in German Beer Garden. Wish you were here." Claire


This postcard is imported from Sweden and was purchased at the Fair by the sender. Card has a nice World's Fair stamp.

Hello from Wildwood

Wildwood, New Jersey

August 6, 1988
Rio Grande, New Jersey

Hi Paula,
"The weather is great, sunny and hot. How's everything in Rockaway? It would be great if you were here! Well time to head to the beach I'll call you Sat. when I get home." See you soon, Tim

Two facts about Wildwood:

1. There is a tremendous collection of vintage motels and Doo-wop architecture in Wildwood, however they are threatened by the development of newer, larger hotels.

2. Rock Around the Clock, often credited as the first rock and roll record, was first performed on Memorial Day weekend in 1954 at the HofBrau Hotel in Wildwood by Bill Haley & His Comets.

The Good Life

La Bonne Vie
3475 South Ocean Blvd. (AIA) Palm Beach, Florida 33480
Palm Beach's Finest Luxury Condominium Residence. 275 feet private beach, Swiming Pool, Saunas, Game and entertainment rooms, Coffee Shop. Phone: 305-582-9017

September 11, 1968
West Palm Beach, Florida

Dear Moe:
"We are enjoying ourselves living at the above address- You should do the same. Kindest regards. Best Wishes for the New Year." Diane and Bert

Looks like the sender tried to indicate the unit they lived in on the cover, then thought better of it. Dig that swinging lobby! Constructed in 1967.