Thursday, March 21, 2013

Williamsburg, Virginia (& Washington, D. C.) 1961



I especially like postcards that include someone with a camera in the picture. Here I have two 1960s postcards from Colonial Williamsburg, which is a restoration and re-creation of an 18th-century colonial American city. Williamsburg was the capital of Virginia during the colonial era.


These postcards are of the Public Gaol which is described on the back is as follows:
Pirates, captured in 1718, were imprisoned in Williamsburg's Public Gaol before being hanged. Today, the pillory and stocks outside the ancient gaol are favorite setting for camera enthusiasts.
I can attest to the popularity of this attraction. My family visited there during Spring Break in 1961, and I have photos that I took of my parents and sisters there. The pillory and stocks are still popular with both adults and children.


That same trip included a stop in Washington, D. C. The driving distance between Williamburg and Washington is about 150 miles.



The cherry blossoms were blooming when we were in Washington. I have photos I took of the cherry blossoms (with a sister) and the Washington Monument, though unfortunately not together.



The Washington Monument is the most prominent structure in Washington, D.C.  The 555-foot, 5-1/8" marble obelisk honors the nation's founding father George Washington, who led the Continental Army to victory, and then became the nation's first president under the Constitution.

When I suggested the photo for this week's prompt, I had no idea whether it would be used or when. I chose it because I like the Library of Congress archive, and I was attracted to the set on Flickr of "Photographer in the Picture." It is just a coincidence that the image I suggested is appearing on Sepia Saturday during Spring Break and Cherry Blossom Festival time (March 20 - April 14, 2013). I actually had a harder time deciding on a post topic this week than I usually do.

For More Vintage Images


18 comments:

  1. No, you did great. As Peter would have said,
    photographer in shot - check
    cherry blossoms - check
    Wash. monument - check.

    Nancy

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  2. I agree that photographs of photographers going about their business are special. They make you think about that relationship between photographer and subject, and the context here is that you took the photos of your family in the same place as the postcards showed - an excellent Sepia Saturday contribution, even before you gave us cherry blossoms and the Washington monument.

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  3. Now I feel bad knowing YOU chose the photo and having said I disliked it !! But I drew some comfort that the topic also made it hard for you this week !!

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  4. I REALLY LIKE the photo. It was hard because I had too many choices, but not ones that I thought would be interesting enough to write about. I have already done a couple posts on Washington cherry blossoms; I have a variety of postcards with photographers; some postcards with artwork displays or artists; and some old romantic postcards with artists and photographers. And I usually don't like writing posts that don't focus on postcards or one subject.

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  5. You have done your own subject choice proud. Photographs of photographers are perhaps special, in most cases, they are quite rare as most photographers, myself included, are happy to be their side of the camera.

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  6. Whenever I visit Williamsburg, I am amused at the number of people who want to have their photo taken in the stocks and pillory. All those smiling faces!

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  7. These are 'stock' photos worth reshowing each week. Japan's cherry blossom was on the TV news yesterday; no chance of ours for weeks yet.

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  8. Argubly, there is still a need for the stocks.

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  9. Well from having said you were stuck for a picture, you did pretty well. I really like the Williamsburg shots and I've got similar pictures of my own family in the stocks.

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  10. From your sister's expression its looks like she is in cherry blossom heaven, what a great capture. Stocks are irresistible to family outings. Nice theme you chose.

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  11. Postcards of people taking photos seems odd, like "Wish you were here to take a photo of me holding a postcard of someone else taking a picture of this thing you should have seen!"

    A good choice all around. I think that a good theme photo should always challenge everyone including the originator.

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  12. I loved this post, and how you put it all together made it flow well. It was fun to see pictures of your family and learn a bunch of history.

    Kathy M.

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  13. Now that's having fun while doing something interesting and exciting at the same time you learn!

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  14. I enjoyed reading your post this week.

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  15. This is the second blog post I've seen this morning with pictures containing blue skies. The weather here in the UK is dismal at the moment and it seems ages since we've seen the sun. Your first 2 postcards have me hoping that sunny days are not too far away.

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  16. A Good Way To Make Sure That The Subject Of Your Photo Is Looking The Right Way!

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  17. I especially like the photo of you sister in the midst of the blossoms. Yesterday I saw a tree with three different color blossoms.

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  18. That picture of your sister with the cherry blossoms is simply splendid!! And while you were taking pictures, I was being born. No, not born again, born into this world!!!!
    :)~
    HUGZ

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