Vintage Photos Of Everyday Street Scenes In 1950s America

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– Posted on November 2, 2025

Dave Gelinas photo of a woman in a light blue dress posing in front of a blue 1953 Chevrolet 210 two-door sedan parked by a Minute Man service station

Text by Patrick Bell.

The Dave Gelinas Collection of photos did very well at capturing real life on film, and they have been featured here before.  Come board the tour bus, as we have some new places to see with a collection of his photos, mostly from the 1950s.

We begin in the Lake Tahoe area at a 76 Minute Man Service station.  In the left lower corner was the tailfin of a 1954 or 1955 Cadillac. Two 1953 Chevrolets were in the center: a light blue 210 2-door sedan ,looking good with wheel trim rings, whitewalls, and curb feelers, and a green over white Bel Air 4-door sedan on the other side of it.

Beyond that was a 1955–1957 Chevrolet Task Force or GMC Blue Chip pickup with a wraparound rear window.  On the right was a coral and white 1957 Ford Country Sedan station wagon. I’m not sure about the grey one with the lumber sticking out the back.

This shot was from the same journey in the same general location.  The light blue roof in the left lower corner is most likely the same 1953 Chevrolet 210 as in the previous photo.

Heading this way was a 1954 Pontiac Chieftain Catalina or Star Chief Catalina carrying a pretty good load.  Following was a 1955 Ford Country Squire station wagon. Parked to the left was a 1957 Ford Del Rio Ranch Wagon.  Over at Harry’s on the right were a black 1950-1952 Plymouth, a white and red 1957 Dodge, a white 1956 Cadillac 2-door hardtop, and a white 1956 Chrysler.

Let’s stop for a bite to eat at Milligan’s Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama.  This image was taken in 1966, and the restaurant closed later in the ’60s.  Two Chevrolets were there that day: a six cylinder powered 1956 150 sedan on the right, and hiding to the left a 1957 150 Handyman 2-door wagon.

We are back in California, in the part of Sacramento now known as Old Sacramento.  Parked at the curb in the foreground a 1955 Buick Century 4 door Riviera, with a blue 1952 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe in front of it.  Traveling away in the street was a white 1964 Chevrolet Impala.

The location is unclear on this nice-looking house with a 1947 or 1948 Buick Super Estate Wagon in the dirt driveway.  The car color almost matches the shutters and the cushions on the porch swing.

Here is an old mansion, its whereabouts unknown, which had no front yard.  Three ladies appeared to be waiting for someone, and two of them spotted the photographer.

In the left foreground was a 1953 Ford Customline or Crestline with a Coronado Kit and a trailer hitch.  Parked across the street were a yellow 1954 Lincoln Capri Custom Sport Coupe with a Continental kit and a black 1953 Ford Mainline Fordor Sedan with six-cylinder power.  Passing by was an unidentified old truck that may have been converted from a car.

Another downtown scene that may have been South Bend, Indiana.  In the foreground was a black 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe, with a green 1955 Chevrolet heading this way at the cross street.  Heading away were two Fords; a white 1956 Fairlane and a black and white 1957 Del Rio Ranch Wagon.  In the far right lane were a white 1957 Buick Special or Century, followed by a black 1950 Dodge 4-door sedan.

I’m not sure if this was a ferry boat or a ferry dock.  It was a mostly General Motors line, starting in the foreground with a 1957 Chevrolet 210 4-door sedan, a 1958 Pontiac Chieftain 4-door sedan, a 1955 or 1956 Buick Special 2-door sedan, a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door, and in the front a 1955 or 1956 Ford Country Squire.

Now we are off to Provincetown, Massachusetts to take in the Lobster Pot, which apparently is still in operation.  Parked out front was a V8-powered 1954 Ford Crestline Sunliner with what appears to be an Ohio license plate.  Behind it was a ’30s coupe that was not showing enough for me to ID, and following that was a 1951 Ford Victoria.

This one is labeled Idaho Springs, Colorado, a small town 32 miles west of Denver on what is now I-70.  On the left was a green 1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe 4-door sedan, with a white over turquoise 1955 Mercury Montclair Coupe on the other side of it.  Crossing the road in the center was a white 1957 Cadillac Series Sixty-Two Coupe or Coupe de Ville, and traveling through on the right a grey 1950–1952 Plymouth 4-door sedan.

Two Pontiacs were parked at Peter’s IGA Foodline.  On the right was a 1953 4-door sedan, and in the center a 1957 model.  On the left edge was the right rear corner of a 1959 Chevrolet.  With the flatbed truck and all the various building materials and tools on the sidewalk, some work was obviously in progress.

Some things never change, like a “Men Working” sign with no workmen in sight.  A lot of traffic was heading to parts unknown on a nice concrete road.  Starting in the lower right corner were two Ford Fairlane 500s: a 1959 model and a 1957 Sunliner.  Up further were a blue 1955 Chevrolet 210 and a 1961 Cadillac with its brake lights lit.

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, was the location identification given here.  In the foreground was a three-tone 1956 Dodge Coronet Club Sedan with V8 power and what appears to be a 1959 issue Ohio license plate, and on the other side of that was a gold 1959 Pontiac.

Across the street were a white over green 1953 Oldsmobile Super 88 Holiday Coupe and a white Morris Minor, both of which had yellow license plates, which were 1959 Quebec-issue. Beyond those was another 1956 Dodge sedan, this one in black and white.

This looks like Church and School Boulevard somewhere on a wet day.  In the foreground were two blue Chevrolets; both appear to have been six-cylinder models.  On the left with a boat on top was a 1958 Delray 4-door sedan, and at the curb was a 1960 Impala 4-door sedan.  Further ahead was a 1959 or 1960 Studebaker Lark 2-door sedan.  It looks like there were two or three different license plates, none of them readable.

We are now in Las Vegas, Nevada, by the El Rancho Opera House on U.S. Highway 91.  A couple in a 1957 Ford Fairlane 500 Sunliner, possibly from Oregon, were passing by while out on a drive.

There is a lot to absorb in our closing image today.  There were four 1957 models, all with windows open, which meant it was a warm day.  So, at least the summer of 1957 for a date.  There were traffic lights, parking meters, businesses and homes, so this was probably a main thoroughfare, but away from the core downtown area.

From the right, there were two 1957 Fords, a light blue Fairlane 500 poking its nose out on the right side, and a white over tan Fairlane Club Victoria turning the corner.  Around that corner were the two other 1957 models: a Cadillac at the curb and a Chevrolet 210 or Bel Air passing by.  Following the Chevrolet was a 1946–1948 Plymouth 4-door sedan. In the other lane heading the opposite direction were a 1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 4-door sedan, and two 1953–1955 Ford trucks, a yellow F-series panel and a blue F-series with a utility bed at the curb.

Thanks for joining us and to all good day!

 

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