Paul Bunyan Center - Brainerd, Minnesota

MINNESOTA'S ANIMATED PAUL BUNYAN
Located at Brainerd, Minn., Paul is 36 feet tall and weighs 5,000 lbs. He talks, tells stories and sings lumberjack style. His size 44 cap shades his 16" moveable eyes. His broad shoulders and 18 ft. arms are protected by a size 73 shirt, which consists of 60 yards of wool-plaid material. Paul wears a size 80 boot boot with soles 5 feet long.

BABE THE BLUE OX
Constructed in Kansas City, Mo. by Joe T. Bowen. Shipped in one piece by railroad flatcar over five railroads. Wight 3600 pounds, height 15 feet, length 23 feet, width between horn tips 10 feet.


The Paul Bunyan Center stood on Excelsior Lane in Brainerd, Minnesota from 1953-2003. The park closed due to the high cost of upkeep. Luckily, the items were saved and shipped to a  new area on the outskirts of Brainerd called This Old Farm/Paul Bunyan Land. Even the footprints of the Paul Statue were saved in the Kohl's parking lot that now stands at the original site. Special thanks to Electrospark for the wonderful photos from a family's trip to Paul Bunyan Center in 1956.

Talking Paul Bunyan Statue

Dedicated to the Kids of Vacation Land

Sport, the Reversible Dog

Paul's Squirrel Henry

The Shrine of Paul

Boat Ride

Free Ride on Fire Truck

Paul Bunyan's Fire Department

Independence Day Parade - Joliet, Illinois

July 4, 1911
Joliet, Illinois

Walla Walla, Washington

Street scene in Walla Walla, Washington, with Marcus Whitman Hotel in background.

Cardboard America Project - #3: Tropics Motor Hotel - Modesto, California

936 McHenry Ave.
Modesto, California 95350
61 deluxe units. Sambos restaurant. Cocktail lounge. Fully air conditioned. Individual TV and music in all rooms. Room Phones. Bridal Suites. Conference Room for thirty. Heated, filtered pool. All major credit cards accepted. AAA Approved. Member of the Best Western Motels.

Now:
 
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The Tropics is no longer as it's now a Rodeway Inn. However, the tiki theme is still going strong. No word on whether the woman is still on the diving board

Cardboard America Project - #1: First Baptist Church - Pontiac, Michigan

Welcome to the Cardboard America Project. My goal here is simple: share old postcards from my collection and try to find what it currently looks like. Enough jabbering. Here's the first entry.

"Holding forth the Word of Life since 1821"
Sunday School - 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship - 10:45 a.m.
Youth fellowship groups meets - 5:40 p.m.
Evening Service - 7:00 p.m.
Mid-week prayer service - Wed. 7:30 p.m.


Now:

Now:
View Cardboard America Project in a larger map Still there. Looks pretty much the same. The sign on the top right of the postcard is gone and

Algemac's Restaurant Postcard Menu - Glendale, California

An oddly-shaped postcard menu from Algemac's Restaurant in Glendale, California. Not sure of the date but it is probably from the 1950s or early 1960s. Here's what the outside looked like and article about Algemac's in 2008, and here's what happened to it.

 

 

Marriott Motor Hotel - Washington, D.C.

5 postcards of the Marriott Motor Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Postcards from the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach, Florida

The Fontainebleau opened in 1954. Situated on oceanfront Collins Avenue in the heart of Millionaire's Row, Fontainebleau Miami Beach is one of the most historically and architecturally significant hotels on Miami Beach. Opened in 1954 and designed by Morris Lapidus, it was the most luxurious hotel on Miami Beach, and is thought to be the most significant building of Lapidus' career. The hotel was renovated in 2008.

Classic Postcards from Chicago, Illinois

A few postcards, from my collection, of sights around the Windy City. Clicking on the images will lead you back to my flickr site with information from the back of the postcard.

Michigan Avenue

State Street

State Street at Night

Rush Street at Night

Marina City

Greyhound Bus Terminal and Sherman House

Greyhound Bus Terminal

Interior of the Greyhound Bus Terminal

Greyhound Bus Terminal

Michigan Avenue Looking North

The Tribune Tower at Night

Dearborn Street Station

WGN Studios

Garfield Park

McCormick Place