Rustic Safety Sign, Itasca State Park, Minnesota

This rustic outdoor plaque was located at Itasca State Park. It's slogan "In life as in baseball it is the number of times you reach home safely that counts" was a reminder to tourists visiting the park to drive carefully so that they might "return to enjoy the beauties of nature being preserved for them in this and other Minnesota State Parks."

I couldn't find an earlier source for this slogan than the postcards I have, this one from 1953 and a linen one from 1948. I also couldn't find more recent photos of this sign.

I was prompted to post this card today because Memorial Day weekend is approaching, and traffic warnings are always in the news around holiday weekends. For those interested in statistics, here are some from the National Safety Council:

• Our estimate of traffic fatalities for this 3.25-day holiday period is 406 deaths.
• The estimated fatality total for 2011 is about 15% less than the average actual number of fatalities (475) that occurred during the previous six Memorial Day holiday periods for which data are available.
• The average number of traffic fatalities during the six most recent Memorial Day holiday periods was 12.2% higher than similar non-holiday periods (475 vs. 424 deaths).
  

I'm participating in Signs, Signs

Local Loan Co., Andrus Building, Minneapolis, Minnesota

This postcard shows the office of Local Loan Co. circa 1940. This office was located in the Andrus Building (shown in the inset picture) in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota.

I don't know what happened to Local Loan Co., but the Andrus Building is still standing on Nicollet Avenue between Fifth and Sixth Streets. The building was built in 1898 and has been remodelled more than once. It is now known as Renaissance Square. Here is some information from the Emporis website:

The original two story storefront was replaced by a new, modernist one at some point between 1947 and 1965, which was in turn replaced by a postmodernist one during the 1983 renovation. General renovations commenced late summer 2008, including the creating of a parking area in the basement, accessible by a new ramp to be entered on 5th Street. The original cornice was removed and the ninth floor arched windows were squared off by 1931.

Swedish Handicrafts on 1976 Europa Stamps

This postcard shows Sweden's 1976 Europa stamps. The theme of the 1976 Europa stamps was handicraft. The 1976 Europa issues included stamps of 27 countries. The Swedish stamps show a Lapp spoon made of elkhorn and a Marieberg tile stove.

Europa stamps were first issued in 1956 with a common design by six countries. They are issued by many European countries and are symbolic of of Europe’s desire for cooperation. A common theme was used for the 1957 stamps. A common design was used from 1958 until 1973. A common theme has been used since 1974 (except for 1984 and 2000).

From 1959 until 1992 the Europa stamp issues were managed by European Conference of Postal and Telecommunications Administrations (CEPT). The CEPT logo is on the 1976 Swedish stamps just above the word EUROPA. In 1993 PostEurop took over the management of the Europa issues when the CEPT decided to focus more on telecommunications.

I am participating in Sunday Stamps at Viridian's Postcard Blog

WWII Canteen, North Platte, Nebraska

The North Platte, Nebraska Canteen was located in the Union Pacific Railroad Station. It began December 25, 1941 just a couple weeks after Pearl Harbor, and continued until April 1, 1946. During this time more than six million service men and women were provided with food, cigarettes, magazines, and a boost in morale when their troop train stopped at North Platte. North Platte was a designated servicing point for Union Pacific steam locomotives hauling passenger trains. A service stop usually took about ten minutes, allowing time for a hurried visit to the canteen.

The North Platte canteen was staffed by townspeople and volunteers from neighboring towns. A total of 55,000 volunteers from almost 125 communities in western Nebraska, northeastern Colorado, and northwestern Kansas participated at one time or another. They served a daily average of 3,000 to 5,000 military personnel.

Visit Sepia Saturday for More Vintage Photos

Watson Lake Signposts, Watson Lake, Yukon

The first postcard shows a relatively early view of the signposts at Watson Lake, Yukon Territory, Canada. The description on the back of this postcard states that the "signposts have been built up over the last 20 years by individual travellers posting the mileage to their hometown." This would date the picture as early 1960s.

Here is information from the Watson Lake website:

On the Alaska Highway, in the southeastern corner of the Yukon Territory, Watson Lake welcomes thousands of visitors to the Yukon each year. A regional transportation centre, Watson Lake is the Yukon’s third largest community, is home to the Liard First Nation People and is also the traditional territory of the Kaska people.

What began as a fish camp and small airstrip in the early 40's, boomed during the construction of the Alaska Highway when thousands of US Army soldiers arrived to build this renowned highway.

The Town’s world famous Signpost Forest was started in 1942 by a homesick US Army soldier. Right beside the Signpost Forest is the Watson Lake Visitor Information Center and in addition to welcoming travelers, they interpret the fascinating story of the construction of the Alaska Highway.

The postcard below advertises Scioto Sign Company of Kenton, Ohio. Their sign is in the center of the photo and reads:

3298 Miles to
KENTON, OHIO
Home Of
SCIOTO SIGN
"Quality Signs Since 1897"

As shown in the video, the Watson Lake Signposts have grown into a Sign Post Forest.

I'm participating in Signs, Signs

World's Largest Ball of Twine, Darwin, Minnesota

The World's Largest Twine Ball in Darwin, Minnesota is really the Largest Twine Ball In The World Made By One Man. The title needs to be qualified because there is a larger one in Cawker City, Kansas. The twine ball in Kansas was not the largest when its creator died many years ago, but additions to the ball have continued to be made.

Here is information on the Darwin ball from the Darwin Twine Ball Museum website:

Darwin, Minnesota is the home of a the largest Twine Ball in the World made by one man, Francis A. Johnson. The Twine Ball is 4 meters (13 ft) in diameter, 40 ft in circumfrance, and weighs 17,400 pounds (7,900 kg).

Francis A. Johnson started his obsession in March of 1950 and wrapped for 4 hours every day for 23 weeks. Francis lifted it with a crane to continue proper wrapping as he went along. For 39 years, this magnificent sphere evolved at Johnson's farm. Eventually the ball was moved to a circular open air shed on his front lawn.

When Francis died in 1989, the city of Darwin moved the ball onto a special city lot across from the park on Main Street. The gazebo that shelters it today allows viewing from all sides through Plexiglas panels.

Arkansas Stamps

This postcard was issued by the Arkansas Postcard Club. The state's official nickname, "The Natural State" was originally created (as "Arkansas Is A Natural") for state tourism advertising.

This postcard shows five stamps with Arkansas as the subject:

3¢ Arkansas Centennial
Issued on June 15, 1936, in observance of the 100th anniversary of Arkansas statehood. The central design features the Old State House in Little Rock. At lower left is a depiction of Arkansas Post, the first European settlement in Arkansas, established as a French trading post on the Arkansas River in 1686, and later the first territorial capital. At lower right is the present Arkansas State Capitol.

6¢ Arkansas River Navigation
The Arkansas River Navigation stamp was issued October 1, 1968. This stamp was in recognition of the economic potential of the $1.2 billion project, which was nearing completion. It eventually provided Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma with a barge route to the Mississippi River and became one of the nation's major inland waterways.

13¢ Arkansas State Flag
In observance of the American Bicentennial, a pane of stamps depicting the flag of each of the Union's fifty states was issued on February 23, 1976. The state flags are represented horizontally on the pane in the order in which they entered the Union. This was the first pane with fifty different stamps ever issued.

20¢ Mockingbird and Apple Blossom
A pane of fifty 20-cent commemorative stamps featuring the official birds and flowers of the fifty states in the United States was issued April 14, 1982.

22¢ Arkansas Statehood
This stamp marking the 150th anniversary of Arkansas statehood was issued January 3, 1986. Arkansas entered the Union in 1836 as the nation's 25th state. The design features a partial view of Arkansas' Old State House.

I am participating in Sunday Stamps at Viridian's Postcard Blog