From The Archive

Summer in Yosemite

By Jesse Chenault on January 26, 2010 12:25 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Tioga Pass in Yosemite

July 1956

Nice retro shots of Yosemite more than 50 years ago.

Tioga Pass in Yosemite

July 1956

The license plate frame on the car reads "Jack Wallace ... Merced." The road sign points the way to various spots in the Sierra Nevada. The sign reads "Tuolumne Meadows 36 ... Tioga Pass 43 ... To Route 395 57 ... Tamarack Flat 3."

Tioga Pass in Yosemite

July 1956

Summer in the high country of Yosemite. Not much snow on the mountains.

A big storm in Merced

By Jesse Chenault on December 9, 2009 9:53 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Rain
Streets flooded
Jan. 25, 1958

Here's a fairly routine photo of flooding in Merced but a closer look offers interesting details. The location is possibly 13th Street at V Street, looking east down 13th. The old-fashioned Highway 140 sign with a bear on it is great. The road flares in the middle of the photo look like cartoonish cannonballs.The billboard at the left says "Sports time is Fallstaff time. Fallstaff Beer." Never heard of that beer before.

Rain
Streets flooded
Jan. 25, 1958

Another rain photo shot on the same day, likely also on 13th Street.

View of Merced from above

By Jesse Chenault on December 2, 2009 10:53 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Aerial views of Merced

Aug. 2, 1962

Here's an aerial view of Merced in the early 1960s. Highway 99 is being built in the foreground and M Street runs through the middle of the picture from top to bottom.

The Merced County Office of Education is in the foreground on the left.

A day at the library

By Jesse Chenault on November 2, 2009 9:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Merced County Library

1959

This is the old library on M Street. The building is still there, at M and 22nd Street.

Merced County Library

1959

There was a lot of talk a few years ago about what to do with the building but it's been empty for quite a while.

Merced County Library

1959

A librarian either sending or receiving a book in the mail.

Golden Spike for Kiddieland Railroad

By Jesse Chenault on October 26, 2009 11:46 PM | 1 Comment | No TrackBacks

Merced parks and recreation

Train in Applegate Park

Nov. 26, 1960

Merced's mayor drives the golden spike in the Kiddieland Railroad in Applegate Park.

More from Castle Kids Day

By Jesse Chenault on October 26, 2009 11:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Castle Air Force Base

Kids Day

1957 or 1958

Here's a few more from Kids Day at Castle Air Force Base in 1957 and 1958.

Castle Air Force Base

Kids Day

1957 or 1958

Here's a few more from Kids Day at Castle Air Force Base in 1957 and 1958.

Castle Air Force Base

Kids Day

1957 or 1958

Here's a few more from Kids Day at Castle Air Force Base in 1957 and 1958.

Christmas at the Merced Theatre

By Jesse Chenault on October 22, 2009 1:31 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Theater Christmas Party for 2,000 Children

Dec. 21, 1961

Children are lined up along the side of the Merced Theatre for the annual Christmas Party. "The Comancheros" starring John Wayne and "Misty" starring David Ladd were playing at the theater at the time.

Theater Christmas Party for 2,000 Children

Dec. 21, 1961

The Merced Theatre was built in 1930 and has been going through an extensive renovation. The grand reopening supposed to happen in about a year.

Theater Christmas Party for 2,000 Children

Dec. 21, 1961

Children lined up ready to go inside. I think the streets were 17th Street, not Main Street, and J Street, not the current Martin Luther King Jr. Way, back then.

'Hornitos Gothic'

By Jesse Chenault on October 22, 2009 1:14 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Hornitos

April 1954

Here's the picture Corinne Reilly mentioned in the Sun-Star story about this blog. I said it reminded me of the painting "American Gothic." Not sure who these people are or the context for the photo. The negative is in bad shape; the film was exposed to too much light before it was developed -- the white area in the lower right. It's difficult to see but the man is cradling a dog.

New look for patrol cars

By Jesse Chenault on October 16, 2009 11:50 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Merced Police Department

Cars all white except for fenders

July 21, 1960

The Merced Police Department got some new patrol cars in 1960.

Merced Police Department

Cars all white except for fenders

July 21, 1960

A couple of kids used as props for the photo showing the new cop car.

Rollin' old school

By Jesse Chenault on October 12, 2009 7:41 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Horseless caravan through Merced

June 12, 1957

Here's a great shot of downtown Merced -- looking west down Main Street. You can see the Hotel Tioga and the Mondo Building in the upper left. The old J.C. Penney is now where the Mainplace Cinema and Starbucks is.