It may be the color, or it may be the tree, but this is one of the spookiest pictures of Overlook I’ve ever seen.
Packed
Pain
Harvey Russell Hulett of Ticonderoga had a jewelry shop at the corner of Main and Exchange Streets, with a very active sideline in souvenirs and postal cards. As was typical in the early days of postcards, he had them printed in Germany, where printing technology was more advanced than in the U.S.A. Thus, when a typo like “Pain” for “Paine” occurred, it was not the work of a day to correct it.
In June of 1902, “Paine” was misspelled again, this time by the Troy Daily Times, reporting on a body found afloat at the dam of Richardson’s pulp mill. The reporter noted, “The man was said to be James Shield, a gardener employed by Silas H. Payne of Silver Bay.” By the watch the corpse was wearing, H.R. Hulett identified him as “Mr. Chapley” who had left his timepiece for repairs several days earlier. And the proprietor of the Exchange Hotel said the man was registered there as “W.H. Rowe of Troy.” The body was held for identification, which may have presented a challenge.
H.R. Hulett published many postcards. The “Pain” card above was No. 55a. Below is a very early Hulett card, No. 6, in some of the most bilious tints imaginable.
A footnote: The practice of sending cards to Germany for printing ended abruptly in 1914 with the outbreak of World War I, with warfare on land and sea, including scores of German U-boats (unterseeboots) prowling the Atlantic and sinking merchant shipping.
Leaving the Auditorium
Photo by Jesse Sumner Wooley
Fell in the Lake
In June of 1936, Martha wrote home, “Arrived ever so safely and happily. Fell in the lake first thing with traveling clothes on. Ripped dress. Am now sewing 3 small holes in it. Will take it to tailor tomorrow who will press for $.40. Joined choir. Good dinner. Please send (Pronto!!!!) bathing suit. $2.98 Rosenbaum’s 1st floor or Gorton’s basement. You see I have already tested water. Will appreciate all mail.” And in light pencil, “Please send brown leather belt too.” As for the card, I really enjoy the man on the bench in the foreground.
Paine Hall, 1971
Not everyone values the Dean Color cards, but I’m fond of them, and especially this one.
Chestnuts
“Dear Dorothy, I wish you were here to gather chestnuts but we would have to look about as they are very scarce this year. With love, Aunt Ann S.” Published in 1903, this Seneca Ray Stoddard postcard is especially interesting to me because it was illustrated on both sides.
And I wonder if this image was a Stoddard signature or logo…
Under the Birches
Postcard by Jesse Sumner Wooley
Poster Stamp
A 1932 Silver Bay poster stamp, a.k.a. “cinderella” stamp.
North & South
Tinted postcards by Jesse Sumner Wooley, posted in the 1920s
