LOOKING UP AND DOWN THE ROAD

These two views are Post Cards made by Lewis Parks. A number of “Parks Photo” cards were produced by MBL, but these may be the first. The back of the cards list “LEWIS R. PARKS, PETERBOROUGH, Ont.” as manufacturer. They appear to date to around 1950.

This is supported by several factors. The church has electricity, and the pole appears to be very new. Ontario Hydro started service at Miners’ Bay after the end of WW II.

The automobiles in both views seem to be from the late 1940’s, and possibly 1950.The car negotiating the curve in the Highway at the Church, appears to be a FORD, and has a split windshield.

Windshields had emerged on vehicles around 1904, but FORD introduced a safer non-shattering glass that had celluloid between the traditional two layers of plate glass, in 1919. Both FORD and CHEVROLET transitioned from the old, split 2-piece, to a single curved windshield in the 1949-1952 model years.

The photographer may have simply turned 180 degrees to take these two images. KINGS’ HIGHWAY # 35 has a “chip and tar” surface, but no lane markings. Traffic is fairly brisk, and MBL seems to be busy.

Russ Wunker

March 2021