Archive for the ‘Pensacola’ Category
Fiesta of Five Flags 1954 …
Here are some images from 4×5 color transparencies that I ran across and forgot that I had found. I actually had found them 10 years or so ago, but they were so discolored that I did not want to bother to post them. I figured out how to color correct images in Photoshop several years ago, but never ran across the transparencies until just recently. I am not sure who any of the people on the float are, but I know that the float is some where on Palafox Street. If you look real close on the right hand side of the image, you can see the front of the Municipal Auditorium way in the background. I am not sure what the building is directly in back of the float, but I am sure that someone out there can tell us … Here is another float that was in line before this float …
And then here is one of the King and Queen of the Fiesta …
These scans could have used some more work because if you look close, you can see some very small dust marks in the sky and on the costumes. But for this blog they are not that noticeable. I am going to post below an original scan of one of these transparencies, so you can see how much they had discolored through the years ( almost 60 to be exact ). However, with the creation of Photoshop you can almost bring back any image to it’s original color and brilliance. Here is the original scan …
Some difference … If anyone knows who any of the people are, please let us hear from you. Thanks again for looking and please check back … Frank
Community Chest …
The Community Chest was before my time, but to me it looks as if it could have turned into the United Way. I found these negatives several years ago and did not think anything about them. I ran across them the other day and saw the prominent names of the different divisions … it looks like a “Who’s Who” of Pensacola business men and women from the 1950’s. I have no clue who the man in the photo is, he could be someone who works for the Community Chest for all I know. There are 4 or 5 negatives that go along with this one that I will clean-up and post later. Thanks for looking and let me hear from you … Frank
Port of Pensacola 1957 …
These two images were made in one of the warehouses that was located down at the Port of Pensacola back in the 1950’s. That is a fertilizer called ” Chilean Nitrate” that used to be shipped in and out of the Port. There are ten negatives or so in the negative envelope and I have only worked up these two. The two images above look as if they would have been printed on photographic paper… pretty much straight photographic prints. The two below are the same images, but I have also ran them through the Lucis Art Filter in Photoshop that I have talked about earlier in this blog. The details in the shadow parts of the image are brought out and parts of the image that you might overlook are brought to the fore-front.
I like the contrast better in the second set of images, but really do not care for the guy filling the sack on the left side, so I might remove him in the future. The people in the photos add a sense of scale and you can tell how large the warehouse is. I have an image of it empty and I will post it once I have cleaned it up. Thanks for looking … I have been scanning new negatives that I have just recently found over the last few days ( several hundred ) and I will have a lot of new posts in the next few months. As usual, all comments are welcomed and appreciated … thanks again, Frank
Pensacola … “The City of Your Dreams” …
This photo is one someone had me copy and I saved myself a copy. I can only guess that the men are the city manager and city council. I can only guess that the time is the 1920’s and I can not be any more specific than that. I think that motto ” The City of Your Dreams ” is better than what we have now ” The Up Side of Florida “, or something to that effect. I wonder if these guys paid a hundred grand for their motto … they probably just gave someone a couple of snow cones and put their name in the paper. Times have certainly changed!! Let us hear from you and thanks for looking … Frank
Fiesta Parade 1956 …
These are from the Fiesta Parade of 1956. I do not have any comments about any of these … they are pretty much self – explanatory. The first photo below is of the car carrying the Governor of Florida at the time – LeRoy Collins. There is a photo of him in an earlier post and it might have been taken before the parade started …
I think that there are 16 photos in this post and I believe that I broke it up on the other blog that I had, but since I did not have any comments or information about any of these images … I just decided to post them all. If anyone recognizes any of these groups or people, please let us hear from you. Thanks for looking … Frank
The A&P on 12th Avenue …
This is a promotional photo at the old A&P grocery store on 12TH Avenue across from St. Christopher’s Church. The car is a Ford Torino and I would guess that it would be around a 1972 or 73. I know someone out there will know … The old A&P closed down in the late 1970’s and was converted in a Ronald McDonald House. They built a larger facility on Bayou Blvd and have moved, so I do not know what is in there now. I can vividly remember shopping in the old store like it was yesterday … Winn-Dixie and Friendly Service had closed down and this was the only grocery store left on 12TH Avenue. I do not know any of the people in the photo, as usual, but that is not really my purpose. Thanks for looking and let us hear your comments … Frank
Pensacola Dons Players …
I have a few of the Don’s here that I have worked up … this player was named Robbins and that is all I know. I think that it is good action photo and I enjoy looking at all of the business’ signs on the back fence.
This player’s name is Moore … they sure did not spare the resin on the bag. I cannot remember ever seeing this much resin on a bag. Maybe they just over did it for the photo, but this is a nice photo of the guy stretching out waiting for a ground ball.
This player’s name was Whitehead and they did not spare the resin on this bag, either. That is all of Don’s that I have worked up. I hope this brings back some fond memories and just think, spring training is just around the corner … sort of. Thanks for looking and let me know if you recognize or remember any of these players … Frank
Pensacola Barn Dance in the 1940’s …
This is not a great photo … someone brought it to me to copy years ago and I ran across the negative in a box of copy negatives that I forgot that I had. I have no idea where this Pensacola Barn Dance was located, but I have heard of Neal McCormick. I think he went by the name of “Pappy McCormick” and I believe that he played with Hank Williams. In fact, that could be Hank sitting one the fender well. My father told me a story about him coming to Pensacola and staying at the San Carlos in downtown Pensacola. Back then, WCOA used to broadcast from their studio on the top floor of the San Carlos and they would get Hank to go up and play live on the air. There was a music store out past “A” Street on Garden Street and he would also go out there and play. The owner called my father and he went out and made some photos of Hank at the music store. My father said he was very agreeable to having his photograph taken and was just a very nice person. I have been looking for those negatives, but I have not run across them. I read in a small biography of Hank where he talks about coming to Pensacola and staying at the San Carlos, but I cannot remember the title. If any of you real “old-timers” remember hearing Hank on WCOA or ever across him when he came to Pensacola, please let us hear from you. I apologize for the quality of the image, but the copy that brought to me was not very good. Thanks for looking … Frank
Florida Float in Fiesta Parade …
This is the state of Florida’s float in the 1959 Fiesta of Five Flags Parade. I wonder whose bright idea it was to dress up a bunch of ten year olds as oranges and have them march 3 or 4 miles up and down Palafox Street in 100 degree heat. The state must have been broke back in 1959, also. Tallahassee could not even spring for a car to tow the float, so they just got a couple of Boy Scouts to pull the float! If anyone remembers any of this, please let us hear from you … especially if you might have been one of the oranges walking up and Palafox Street or one of the Boy Scouts. If those Scouts did not get a towing merit badge out of this, they were robbed! Thanks for looking … Frank
Televison Back in the 1950’s …
Yes, kiddies this TV back in dark ages … And Yes, all we had back in the 50’s was three (3) channels. No, we did not have cable back then and no, this color has not been taken out of these images. That is my little toy sitting on top of the TV, not some futuristic antennae. That is Bob Hope on the screen, but I do not have a clue who the lady with him is or what show this is, either. Below is another screen shot …
I do know that this is Bing Crosby and Bob Hope on some type of variety show. This had to be around 1956-59 and I am sure this was the first TV that my parents had ever purchased. I have another photo of me sitting in front of this TV and I will find it and post it. At this time we were living in a garage apartment on Cervantes between 13th and 14th Avenues. In fact, the apartment is still there and I pass by it all the time. Some day I might just have to stop by and see if they will let me stick my head in the door for old times sake. Thanks for looking … Frank
Frank Hardy Made My Photographs Two 
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