Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
8 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Downtown Des Moines - Christmas 1931 (Original Post) progressoid Dec 2016 OP
I can remember when my hometown had Christmas decorations like that. To a kid, it looked Arkansas Granny Dec 2016 #1
Made me look to see if I could find some pics of Iowa City at Christmas time in the 50s rurallib Dec 2016 #2
How about 1940... progressoid Dec 2016 #6
Thanks. Not quite what I am looking for rurallib Dec 2016 #7
The cars changed appearance Warpy Dec 2016 #3
That's pretty prosperous for 1931. Have you checked out Shorpy? mahatmakanejeeves Dec 2016 #4
Cool! progressoid Dec 2016 #5
I remember Christmas shopping with my Mom & Dad MichMary Dec 2016 #8

Arkansas Granny

(31,836 posts)
1. I can remember when my hometown had Christmas decorations like that. To a kid, it looked
Wed Dec 7, 2016, 03:13 PM
Dec 2016

enchanted when the lights were on.

rurallib

(63,207 posts)
2. Made me look to see if I could find some pics of Iowa City at Christmas time in the 50s
Wed Dec 7, 2016, 03:17 PM
Dec 2016

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

(50,753 posts)
6. How about 1940...
Wed Dec 7, 2016, 03:50 PM
Dec 2016

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

(63,207 posts)
7. Thanks. Not quite what I am looking for
Wed Dec 7, 2016, 05:01 PM
Dec 2016

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

(113,130 posts)
3. The cars changed appearance
Wed Dec 7, 2016, 03:20 PM
Dec 2016

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.

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Iowa»Downtown Des Moines - Chr...