This is a postcard of the 1940 Dayton's Department Store Minneapolis Aquatennial parade float. 1940 was the first year of the Minneapolis Aquatennial, which is still celebrated every July.
This postcard is printed in a greenish tone that isn't reproduced accurately on my computer. The back is labeled "OFFICIAL AQUATENNIAL VIEWS • GILE PRESS, MINNEAPOLIS." This suggests that Gile Press may have published other postcards of Aquatennial views, but this is the only one I have seen.
I was able to identify the year of the float on my postcard when I found a black and white photo online of the same float.
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| 1940 Dayton Company Float |
I also saw images of Dayton's 1941 Showboat float that looked similar, but not the same.
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| 1941 Dayton Company Float |
Here is a historic video of the Aquatennial parade, dated 1941.
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Isn't that fantastic that you found footage of the floats? Well done you!
ReplyDeleteWhat wonderful floats!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a prizewinning float. I wonder if a band played the music of Jerome Kern's musical Showboat to accompany the float..
ReplyDeleteThose floats are HUGE!
ReplyDeleteThese floats must have taken months to make!
ReplyDeleteWow - those were SOME floats! A lot of work, but probably worth it. And thanks for the video. Time changes some things, but not parades so much - still full of pretty girls waving to the crowds!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing float - that would have been well worth coming out for and waiting to see!
ReplyDeleteThat's a lot of detail for a float. At first I thought it was an actual showboat on a flatbed .
ReplyDelete