Photos of an 1890s camping trip
Amy Crehore scanned these remarkable photos of her ancestors on a camping trip in 1890 and 1891. Click on the photos for enlargement -- they are worth a close look!
Stripes must have been "in" at the "Dew Drop Inn". See the girl playing her tennis racket like a guitar in the top photo? I found these two gems in a box of ancient family photos. I was related to these people.Camping in 1890
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He's lucky to have his grands photos....
@1: I'm pretty sure Amy is female.
I see photos like this, and idly wish that my family wasn't so typically left coast American, carrying forward no familial detritus beyond a generation or two. No past, no memories, just the potential of a better life ahead.
Camping is already pretty awesome, but old-timey camping looks about 10x awesomer.
I love the gal playing air guitar on a tennis racket and to see the beginning evolution of the adjustable bike seat. Awesome!
Check out these cats at this 1800s campout, first off these high polutin A types could not go fishing and put a worm on the racoon prick fishhook,he might get dirty,and theres the chance he could prick a fingernail or break his neck, i dont think they had life flight back in the day: never know maybe? .But you know they had some whiskey or cider and laudem (spellcheck) somewhere cause the babes wouldnt stay. Way the campsite looks this was backyard mansion, 4th of july, lets go swing some deal, network, lattest I heard about Johnny, get buzzed, chit chat, ease up to the mansion in the evening, then get laid day. That one guy looks like one of the Milton Boys getting ready to play Monopoly whats up with all the old crony lookin witches all wearing stripes they in some sisterhoo1d club plotting the downfall of man? Im outta that. I lost the thread.
Wow, such a wonderful scene, and so lucky these photos survive. It appears in the large version that there is a full size wooden-framed bed in the tent! (And I thought my thermarest was comfy.) The young girl playing tennis racket is adorably cute.
This picture really requires more monkeys, I daresay.
Great pics --- as befits Amy's four-bears.
Always a pleasure when you feature her paintings; they are wonderful!
Was?
and here i am amazed at the stuff people haul out burning man...
How insiduously prejudice creeps in! How stealthily it changes our reactions!
It's sad and a bit scary that Amy points out "the girl playing her tennis racket like a guitar" when, surely, the girl is playing her racket like a ukulele.
No monkeys in sight, of course, but if she wants to see monkeys in old photographs, she should see some pics of my ancestors*.
*Yeah, I mean recent ones
My two favorite parts of this:
1) The three ladies who are all, "But why is the tea gone?!"
2) RE: Stripes. Are they having fun? Are they escaping from prison? You just don't know.
And remember that these Dudes and Dudettes had to hold those poses for at least a minute or two so that the gunpowder flash could fully expose the glass plate film.
Fantastic picture ...
It would be a great project to recreate the scene with her current family and friends.
Looks like Chautauqua, in upstate New York?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M1-NpyaOWV0
Fans of historical photos should check out shorpy.com -- a fascinating archive of photos from the 1850s on. Some truly amazing photos there....
Am I the only one who thinks this looks recently staged? Its just too absurd.
Pretty strong meat there from *sniff* Takuan.
? has my deodorant failed again??!
There's a bit of early camwhoring going on in the bottom left too: "Cup on head! Nao!"
@17 yeah you can totally see teh pixels.
I agree with Maggie. Clearly the woman are unhappy that the tea is gone. My guess is that they blame the men and want the moment recorded for posterity. You can also tell it was the old style camera where everyone had to hold a pose. Note the bored looking kids who would rather be playing.
Cool find! "Dew Drop Inn" may have even been considered a witty, smart, and fresh play on words back in 1890. Maybe this was the original grand daddy of all the tacky, punny signs people hang on their campers on today's campgrounds.
Of course it's "staged"; you didn't just take a snapshot in 1890. A photograph like this was a big production.
I do wonder if there's a whole pile of servants just off camera. I don't know how you can haul out and set up this much stuff, dressed like these people, and not end up a sodden mess.
so mark, since you have announced your being a mason, is that "G" at the top of the tent significant or are you the first in your family to be a member of the craft?
Heres some things of interest i found in this photo after examining it.
1. the boy apparently made the bike from scraps of metal and is very happy to show it judging by the stare he has and grip on the bike. It has very unique steel shovel handles for handlebars and very well bent I might add for such strong steel.
2. The ladies have brought a very fine tea boiling stand and are waiting on their afternoon tea which hasnt arrived as of yet obviously.
3. It appears to be around 2-3pm if this is fall or early spring, my guess is spring.
4. the girl seems to be mimicking mandolin playing and is even playing a chord well with her pinky no less.
Nice photos, I love exploring them.
@17 Yep -- this thing belongs on PsD (Photoshop Disasters) not Boing Boing. I can't believe you all think this is real. Look at the sizes of the various people! Just as an example, the woman in the striped dress and jacket third from the left is about 18 inches taller than either the man at the far right and air ukulele woman. F-A-K-E.