Vintage Snapshots: Parking Lots In The ’50s-’60s
– Posted on October 18, 2024
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Lot a “blue” here. The “Merc”, coupe, and the “Chev cnvrt” caught my eye. Bet that vivid, red “Falcon” is just about new.
Love that ’61 Valiant in the last photo .
I wonder how the guy in the white Pontiac behind the Valiant got out of his car!
I like the blue Tweetybird at the beginning!
The last shot is Vancouver BC.
The same view in 2023.
https://www.google.com/maps/@49.2901089,-123.1210605,3a,75y,349.35h,91.4t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sAF1QipP9N_a-6E2dm4Vwjgcm5EDyn70JwpIHI2RFFXXc!2e10!3e11!7i3840!8i1920?coh=205409&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MTAxNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
Reminds us of how refreshingly different the Tbird was at the time. The other 55-57 Ford and GM cars in the row are the same shape and size.
Imperial Lanes was in Memphis – opened in 1959 with 48 bowling lanes that were open 24 hours, plus a fine-dining restaurant. The bowling alley closed in 2009 and the building was demolished about ten years later.
Here’s a period postcard showing the restaurant. Certainly fancier than the kind of bowling alley atmosphere that I remember!
The local bowling alley where I grew up (White Oak in Silver Spring, MD) had just a small barstools-at-counter setup that seemed to change from an automat (vending machines that served food) to human servers and back again several times over the years. It’s notable as where I saw and experienced a microwave oven (or “radar oven” as we called it then) for the first time, which blew my mind with its amazing speed. Today that establishment, I think just called White Oak Bowling, is notable for something else – it’s one of only a few dozen duckpin bowling alleys left in the world. I didn’t know as a kid that duckpins weren’t how everyone played the sport; in actuality it’s a Maryland thing with duckpin alleys in only a few other states. Big problem is that nobody has made duckpin pinsetting equipment or parts since decades ago, and only one company makes the pins themselves.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duckpin_bowling
The sign on Imperial Lanes has that same curious cursive font seen on car badges in the mid-to-late 1950s, with a long straight line between every letter. Does this style have a name?
I went duckpin bowling once, shortly after I moved to Maryland around 2000. It was fun, and I sure hope the sport doesn’t fade away. I’m glad that some of these places are still around.
I’ve heard that type of script referred to as Streamlined, but I’m not sure that’s the correct term.
The “K of C”, hall in my wstrn “PA” hometown had six, duck pin lanes in the basement.
The “reset racks” never did get motorized.
Building is long gone now.
I would call it Streamlined and date it to the 40s.
https://www.caddydaddy.com/shop-parts/emblems-script/1947-1948-1949-1950-1951-1952-cadillac-front-fender-script-emblem-d-quality-used-free-shipping-in-the-usa.html
We were taken duck-pin bowling across the Potomac in Alexandria in 7th grade in the 70s. Much easier on the fingers.
When cars were cars!
Absolutely love the Imperial Lanes photo. The lettering style of their white sign on dark brick really stands out and screams 1950s. And look at width of those parking stalls! Pretty hard to get a door ding parking in that lot.
‘57 Pontiacs pretty well represented here…👍
Back when cars came in all shapes, sizes and colors! Look t ANY parking lot today and mostly all you will see are SUV’s in silver, grey, black or white, with a dab of color thrown in …….depressingly BORING?
Jonathan.. 61 Valiant . Learned to drive on one of those
Slant Six and three on the floor. No power steering.
Looked, handled and built like a tank.
Disgraceful what Wall Street Bankers rule of every major company- conglomerate has done .
The boring vehicles are ridiculous.
East Europe Communist cars , pre Berlin Wall fall.
People loved cars , because of all the varieties.
The dull colors are some of the worst part of it.
Plus the insane craze to sell , buy Crossovers & SUVs .
Pick up trucks for everyday driving is insane!
When that market crashes, and it will , particularly the dumb useless Crossovers, it will be a big one.
The rusty ’38 Chevy in the second pic looks to have some sort of truck cab cut down from a passenger car.
Yep ;
Of all the cars here I’d like to have that cut down ’38 Chevy, this was a common thing in farming country long ago .
Less so since the CHP began to crack down on passenger vehicles cut into light trucks ~ the state wants it’s pound of flesh, there are _no_ “private trucks” here registration wise .
-Nate
Crossovers and SUVs and pickup trucks, I agree are all extremely boring. Makes me appreciate my older rear wheel drive 2 Dr coupe so much more
Not really a “fiddy-seven” Chevy fan, but that IS a nice blue convt in the 3rd pix. Looks like it may have a replacement fender tho. Check out the size of the HUGE pinkish-colored Caddy (I think) at the top of the hill. Hope the owner put it in “Park” & set the brakes!
’57 Baby Bird with classy lady look good. Would loved to have owned my red & white ’57 back then. Problem is, I would have only been five years old