Regionalism
Florida Ghost Towns
How does a Florida ghost town exist in one of the fastest growing states in our country? Many early Florida towns were located near natural resources. These communities grew up to house and support companies and people who turned the resources into products. There were towns that relied on fishing, clams, lumber, phosphate, citrus, cattle, oysters, watermelons, celery, and other products of sea and earth. There were also boom time towns that were really just lot sales programs. Many of these towns barely got off the ground when they collapsed during the Florida land sale bust that preceded the Great Depression. As natural resources were exhausted or economic depression, hurricanes, and freezes slammed into the state, many of these towns folded and mostly disappeared. Railroads closed, highways were built that bypassed the town, other things happened that made the town only a footnote in history.
Good article here.
Another article here.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Sep 20, 2019 -
Comments (2)
Category: Buildings and Other Structures, Destruction, Regionalism
Jon & Robin
Their Wikipedia page.
Many more songs here.
Posted By: Paul - Mon Aug 19, 2019 -
Comments (0)
Category: Cult Figures and Artifacts, Fey, Twee, Whimsical, Naive and Sadsack, Ineptness, Crudity, Talentlessness, Kitsch, and Bad Art, Music, Regionalism, 1960s
The City of Napoleon, Washington State
Today, Chetlo Harbor in Washington State looks pretty much like the picture below, taken from the site of the Chetlo Harbor Shellfish Company.
But in 1910, the location was going to be Napolean, the biggest port in the world!
Source for ad. You can blow up the text to readable size there.
Posted By: Paul - Wed Aug 14, 2019 -
Comments (4)
Category: Frauds, Cons and Scams, Oceans and Maritime Pursuits, Real Estate, Regionalism, 1910s
Spikehorn Meyer, Friend to Bears
One of the forerunners of those folks who cuddle up to bears. Luckily, Spikehorn was never hurt.Article here.
Find-a-grave site.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Jun 21, 2019 -
Comments (0)
Category: Animals, Cult Figures and Artifacts, Daredevils, Stuntpeople and Thrillseekers, Eccentrics, Regionalism, Twentieth Century
The World’s Most Unusual Drugstore
See their complete 1942 ad here.
"Stack it high and sell it cheap" was Doc Webb's motto. Over the years, he built his empire from a small drug store at Ninth Street and Second Avenue, opened in 1925, to a sprawling bazaar of 77 stores, covering seven city blocks. Webb was as much a national legend as his stores. The unorthodox, merchandising medicine man always had a gimmick to lure thousands of customers through the doors. At ten cents a dance, no wonder the Dancing Chicken generated excitement at Webb's City in this 1975 photo. He sold dollar bills for 89 cents and bought them back the next day for $1.35. He offered three-cent breakfasts, brought in animals that performed at the drop of a coin and mermaids who "talked." He made other merchants mad because he sold his wares below the suppliers' suggested prices.
Article source.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Jun 20, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Business, Freebies, Come-ons and Loss Leaders, Eccentrics, Regionalism, Twentieth Century
Culver City Fiesta La Ballona Queen
Fiesta Queen finalists -- These ten girls are finalists in the Culver City Fiesta La Ballona queen contest to select five girls to reign over the community celebration Aug. 3-5. They will appear at Veterans Memorial Auditorium Friday night. July 14, when judges will pick the five finalists. From left they are Sally Adler of Westchester; Merry Allison of West Los Angeles; Marie Bailey of Culver City; Sandra Bettin of Santa Monica; Sally Jane Hutchison of Culver City; Mickey Jines of Venice; Doris Turner of Westchester; Barbara McMillan of Westchester; Connie Sue Moore of Culver City; Darlene Bevington of Culver City".
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Tue May 14, 2019 -
Comments (2)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Regionalism, 1960s
World Black Pudding Throw Championship
The Wikipedia page.
Posted By: Paul - Wed May 08, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Awards, Prizes, Competitions and Contests, Eccentrics, Food, Regionalism, United Kingdom
Stoney Burke
Jack Lord AND Bruce Dern AND Warren Oates? How did this show not succeed?
Posted By: Paul - Thu May 02, 2019 -
Comments (2)
Category: Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Regionalism, Television, 1960s
Miss Los Angeles Teenager of the Year 1960
Source.
Posted By: Paul - Thu Apr 25, 2019 -
Comments (1)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Regionalism, Teenagers, 1950s
Lodi Grape Festival Queen
Here is the first holder of the honor.
Read article here.
The festival continues to this day, but I find no reference to a queen.
Posted By: Paul - Fri Apr 12, 2019 -
Comments (5)
Category: Beauty, Ugliness and Other Aesthetic Issues, Contests, Races and Other Competitions, Food, Regionalism, 1930s, Alcohol
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| Alex Boese Alex is the creator and curator of the Museum of Hoaxes. He's also the author of various weird, non-fiction, science-themed books such as Elephants on Acid and Psychedelic Apes. Paul Di Filippo Paul has been paid to put weird ideas into fictional form for over thirty years, in his career as a noted science fiction writer. He has recently begun blogging on many curious topics with three fellow writers at The Inferior 4+1. Contact Us |