Herb, Do you have any clue what year this photo was taken? Living about 50 miles northwest of this location, I was surprised at the number of cars in the picture at the time. Most of the "old timers" I've talked to in my part of the planet tell me that there were very few cars around back then because the roads were so bad most of the year. That being said, the Rice Lake area was always a whole bunch more prosperous than the rest of the jackpines up here.
The Runabout in the middle of the road towards the foreground looks to be maybe a '19 or '20? So at least that era. Man that's a bunch of cars!
Herb, you sure got a lotta great pics! And you're sure up early!! (Yawn)
Kevin I would guess some time before Oct. 9 1925 at 2pm
Probably on a Saturday. Saturdays were "go to town day" The T coupe on the right is a 1919-23. The code under the title is "S2". The S is the 19th letter. Post cards used a letter often to designate the year. The 2 could stand for 22, which would make "1922" I have hundreds of original negatives for local post cards and use the codes to determine when the photograph was taken.
Herb, Thanks for the info. I remember my great aunt telling me how she, her mother and sister (along with my Dad who was and infant at the time, and young uncle), drove the family Ford from Murry, WI (just east of Rice Lake) to Rockford, IL in 1926. She was 16 years of at the time and the sole driver. The trip took 3 1/2 days. Driving over down sand roads and over planks laid on railroad bridges, they didn't hit a paved road until 10 miles north of Madison, WI. Must have been quite the adventure at the time.
My Grandmother was born in Rice Lake, Wisconsin, around 1873, my Dad in 1898. Maybe they'er on that picture someplace.
So many tourings and so few closed cars in the image- interesting for a colder weather state.
James - Conjecture on my part for sure, but I think "mostly touring cars" made sense just about everywhere back then. First of all, in terms of the prices of the different models, the touring car was by far, "the most bang for the buck"! Plus, it was easier to "overload" than a sedan, and this country was still basically an agricultural population, and farmers had big families. In fact, it was even common to haul small livestock like sheep, goats, etc, also much more convenient in a touring than a sedan. Also, come to think of it, with the winter cold, poor roads, no snow removal equipment, most cars were "put up for the winter" anyway. And then there's the fact that safety glass had not been developed early in the "T" era, and many people were (and rightfully so) afraid of plate glass. Not to mention the fact that in cold country in the winter, such things as heaters and especially defrosters were also still far into the future. All this, mainly to say, tourings were cheaper and more practical for most people, even in cold country....just sorta' "thinking out loud", FWIW,....harold
looks like you had to have white side wall tires to park in town that day.
I believe Harold is correct is thinking the cars were put away for the winter. Most of the "old timers" I've talked to said the most reliable transportation around these parts during the winter was the horse and various sleigh contraptions. Actually, it was easier to get around in the winter once the numerous swamps, rivers, and lakes froze over. Strangely enough, I have never heard of Snowbird or Snowflyer conversions being real popular around here back then.
i'm sure the snow machine kits were expencive and most folks could'nt justify that much money just to be able to drive in winter when the old horse still worked just fine. my mother, born in 21, always told a story of her dad taking the kids to school in the sleigh in winter. the kids were bundled up in heavy blankets, and the horse just went on with out instruction as it knew the route to town. one year the county changed the road to straighten out some curves and the horse just kept going the old way, right down into the ditch until they were stuck. grampa said he never heard of such a thing!
My grandpa told me that he use to jack up one rear wheel over night, so that it would turn when he cranked it, and would keep the motor turning till it started. He would let it warm up like that, then turn it off, let the jack down, then restart it. He also had made a small hand pump on the dash, to inject ether or gas into the cyls to help start it. He lived in St. Paul, Mn, he said it had to start, it was to cold, and far to walk to work. He was a machinist/mechanic on train engines. From working on them for so many years, he couldn't wear a watch, they would stop, after he put one on, he was magnetized. My Dad is the middle of 5 kids, and was born 1923, and is still alive, and doing well, as is his older brother & sister and youngest brother.
Pat