Downtown Des Moines - Christmas 1931

[progressoid]

via: http://oldphotoarchive.com/stories/downtown-vintage-decorations-christmas-1940-1950

?1480205376

[Arkansas Granny]

1. I can remember when my hometown had Christmas decorations like that. To a kid, it looked

enchanted when the lights were on.

[rurallib]

2. Made me look to see if I could find some pics of Iowa City at Christmas time in the 50s

couldn't find what I was looking for (looking west down Iowa Avenue to the Old Capitol). There used to be islands in the middle of the street that decorated. The decorations ran all the way up to the Old Capitol. On the west side of Clinton street at Iowa Avenue was a big Santa house.

Have poked around for years looking for pics of that scene, but none seem to exist. In the early 60s an IC city manager came up with the brilliant idea of tearing out the islands and putting up parking meters in the middle of the street ruining a beautiful street scape.

Thanks for the prod to make me look once again.

I did see many pics of Iowa City growing from a sleepy little college town to the smallish cosmopolitan city it is today.

[progressoid]

6. How about 1940...

A couple winter scenes from mahatmakanejeeves' link below. http://www.shorpy.com/node/2196


February 1940. The main street in Iowa City during a snowstorm. Businesses in this view include Bremer's, the Capitol Cafe and Princess No. 2. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration.




February 1940. Newsboy during a winter storm in Iowa City, Iowa. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein, Farm Security Administration. Our readers point out the Englert Theater to the right, where "Balalaika" is playing.

[rurallib]

7. Thanks. Not quite what I am looking for

there were many links off that picture. This may be as close as I will ever get

This is the east portico of the Old capitol in winter, 1920:

http://digital.lib.uiowa.edu/utils/ajaxhelper/?CISOROOT=ictcs&CISOPTR=18166&action=2&DMSCALE=20&DMWIDTH=300&DMHEIGHT=394&DMX=0&DMY=0&DMTEXT=winter*%20snow*%20http:&DMROTATE=0

Apparently I can't post that picture. Drat

[Warpy]

3. The cars changed appearance

but every town and city my parents lived in during the 1950s (and there were a lot) looked just like that. Only the color of the garlands and the bells were different.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

4. That's pretty prosperous for 1931. Have you checked out Shorpy?

Shorpy

[progressoid]

5. Cool!

Bookmarking that for later! Thanks!

[MichMary]

8. I remember Christmas shopping with my Mom & Dad

in the late 50's. No malls. Soooooo much better!