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The building in the left foreground is the John T. J. Graves Building. It was built, according to the 1917-1967 History, in 1903, "when he opened a hardware and implement store, later starting an automobile agency, garage, and farmer's supply. In 1919 Mr. Graves sold the business to a group of farmers in the county, who formed a corporation known as Farmers Supply Co. of Salem, and occupied this building until they discontinued operation in 1927. Darrell Young opened his Young Furniture Company here in 1939 in the north part of the building; and in 1949 opened Young Hardware Store in the south part of the building." What appear to be street signs on the telephone poles are actually advertising signs on the building -- for Columbia Carriages and Hoosier corn planters -- see the 1914 view of South Main Street. (Two of the three poles appear to be for telephone lines, and the tallest might be an electricity pole.) The photo is not so empty as it appears -- a magnifying glass reveals two women walking away from the photographer on the left-hand sidewalk, and there are hints of wagons and drivers a couple of blocks up the street. This card was postmarked from Salem at 12 noon September 30, 1908, again from Mattie to Miss Sadie Marshall, reads, "I rec'd your postals all O.K. and was certainly glad to hear from you. How are you getting along? We are almost froze out back here. Yes, I heard Stell _arr was married she certainly went in good company when she was here. Yours, Mattie." C. U. Williams was apparently a prolific producer of views of photographic views and view cards. This collection includes several cards in the Photoette Salem series:
Most of these cards are postmarked in 1908. The design features a "two-thirds" divided back: while the back is divided, indicated they were printed after the postal regulations changed in 1907, there is more space is devoted to the address than allowed for the message. The design and the postmarks mean they were very early divided-back cards, printed as early as 1907. This is one of a series of Photoette cards, and the set is surrounded by two minor mysteries on the order of Sherlock Holmes' question to Watson about what was curious about the dog in the night-time: Q. Is there is a view of West Market Street? Three points of the compass -- North and South Main and East Market -- are represented in this collection, but I've never seen a West Market card, and the numbering sequence doesn't leave a logical place for one. On the other hand, Williams photographed Brock Creek in flood from the Mulberry Street bridge. Q. Is there a view of the Courthouse? The Washington County Courthouse is the most frequent subject of Salem-related postcards, yet there isn't one in this set, or is there? |