(Click on images to enlarge)
Images in this post courtesy of the Hobart Historical Society.
I don't know exactly where this store was. It must have been somewhere in Hobart, or why is this photo in the Hobart Historical Society museum?
From the front window, we glean that the Red Front sold hats, boots and shoes.
I say this photo was taken in 1888 because that's what a note on the back says, and the fashions look right for that era. Here in its entirety is the cryptic inscription on the back of the original:
"Lowell"? Is that the proprietor's name? (I'm going to pretend I never heard of Lowell, Indiana.) The 1880 Census does show Edwin and Hattie Lowell living in Hobart; their occupations are given as machinist and keeping house, respectively, but that could change in eight years.
That's about all I've got, but I love that privy in the backyard.
I hope you folks are liking these random old photos, because they certainly make my life easier.
7 comments:
Yes, I LOVE LOVE LOVE the old photos!
Could this be the original Stommel's on E. 3rd??? The guys look young, so maybe it's their 1st store??? Also, nothing like satisfied customers--love the expressions on their faces!
Glad you guys like the photos.
And yes, those women do look rather disgruntled somehow.
I was so busy thinking about "Lowell" I didn't think about the "Stommel" on the sign! Maybe the note-writer on the back really was mistakenly trying to place this in Lowell, Indiana. Too bad there's nothing in this photo, such as neighboring buildings, that could help us figure out exactly where it was.
Things like this make me really eager to take my blog back to the pre-1899 newspapers. They may tell us. But for the moment I want to keep moving forward.
I love this website! I live in Lowell, and I Love History!
Maybe you shouldn't have pretended that you didn't know Lowell, In. Sometimes the obvious is right under our nose!http://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/x219.htm
I recognized this store as soon as I saw the picture! Still standing proud!
K.J.
I love this website! I live in Lowell, and I Love History!
Maybe you shouldn't have pretended that you didn't know Lowell, In. Sometimes the obvious is right under our nose!http://www.lowellpl.lib.in.us/x219.htm
I recognized this store as soon as I saw the picture! Still standing proud!
K.J.
Mystery solved! Thanks for the link, K.J.!
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