Now that we’re in the summer and with some holidays coming in, I know more than a few CC readers will be traveling and exploring the roads. It’s, after all, a time to explore and sightsee the vast American landscape.
So, I thought it would be nice to share a series of images featuring travels of the past, one of our ongoing gallery series. And as always, with some nice cars of the era. With these shots, I hope to give a few sightseeing ideas to those still thinking of their plans. Meanwhile, these should serve as great armchair traveling for those who will remain home.
As usual, the found photos didn’t come with locations or dates, but some sights are easily identifiable.
Like pic #6, green Rambler wagon, two people looking far, far off at the mountains. Wonder where this was?
me too.
Looks like the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Fantastic photos.
Thank you very much.
Gee our old LaSalle ran great! Those WERE the days!
Great fun–and some nice cars that I rarely saw during those years. No clearcoat paint, just newish cars…
#1 may be Spearfish Canyon (Black Hills SD).
#7 (beautiful car!) perhaps White Sands National Park.
I’m a sucker for those early Rambler wagons. That and the scenery.
It’s quite rare that the Lincolns from that generation (pic #3) show up.
So lovely .
I really like the Pontiac wagon, in 1976 I stumbled across a ’54 Pontiac hearse for $600 in VGC but couldn’t afford it =8-) .
I’m already out and bout in my oldies, even if new don’t forget to change the fuel filter and air up the spare before you hit the road ! .
-Nate
Sweet ’47 Cad 62 coupe, is that a Joshua Tree?
Yes it is. A pretty big one.
Great photo editing, as always Rich. I often find natural settings, more forgiving than overcrowded urban settings, to appreciating heavily sculpted and styled 1950’s era cars.
I still remember into the 1970’s, many drivers and families would so often spontaneously pull over along highways and byways, just to enjoy the scenery, a picnic, or to stretch their legs. Much more casual driving-styles back then. Whereas many people today seem obsessed, with reaching their destination ASAP. The freedom from technology, was a plus to humanity, in many ways.
Time perspectives can be interesting. For the people in the photo of the Cadillac at the wagon-train historic site, that piece of history was not much more removed from their time as their time is now from ours. Wagon trains to the west apparently continued up into the 1880’s – i.e. someone’s aging parent in the car might have made one of those journeys. A random Sunday morning thought. 🙂
^^^With age, I increasingly have such thoughts: “I was born x years ago, but that (long-ago historical event) happened only y years before then!”
I like that picture as well, for the contrast between to eras of transportation. I believe that picture was taken in Death Valley – so quite a destination regardless of the era.
#1 Buick really has the “extras”: the pair of beefy (vertical) bumper guards plus the grille guard—and then the spotlights, luggage rack on top of trunk, etc…..
If you are “out and about” in your ‘59 VW, Nate, please show us some images!
All of these photos could have been taken in California. But in any case, all in the Western US. My favorite is the second one. Joshua trees and late ‘40’s Cadillacs are two of my favorite things.
Like the “covered bridge” pic! All those “desert pics” are nice to see; no place I’d want to go.
Thank you, I love these pictures, I really relate to them. Like everyone else I have my favorites. I number one favorite styled car is the 1959 Ford. 2 and 4 door hardtops and sedans, the station wagons and even the Ranchero, I love them all. The 59 Ford to me has it all. The front is elegant and friendly, the rear is bold and confident. I love those big round taillights, they have detail and depth. The offset little round clear backup lights offset to the outboard sides. Classy and sophisticated. I still feel the same today. That makes my favorite picture number 9. I also like number 7, the Oldsmobile and the Desoto.
In 1957 my family moved to Albuquerque. One common sight from the era of most of these pictures was some older cars having water bags hanging from their radiator caps in case of overheating under that Southwest sun. Not the natural beauty of Joshua tree and the other sites, but a part of the highway landscape back in the day.
This is amazing! Can we see more vintage photos from this era in the future?