Lady in the Buggy Photo Series Circa 1902--1905

These are seven photo postcards from the Jim Findlay collection at Hudson Museum. Here they are in numerical order as labeled by the photographer, two without numbers. Most important are Medina Bridge and number 152, both identical views of  the Medina village "skyline," showing the main four corners with the hotel, Carter blacksmith shop, White Store and trees in front of the Carter BS shop covering the view of  Red Brick Store.

Recall that Annis Darr said the hotel was torn down in 1912; also we know that the Medina village mills were gone in 1908 when the flood was photographed.  Annis also said 1909 is when her uncle Ernie Palmer moved the Carter house from behind the brick Carter blacksmith shop to Main St. in the block with Dr. Ely, Dr. Coffin, Cornelius Brazee and the Old Brown House.

UPDATE 2021:  The Carter House is visible see Main Four Corners post enhanced enlargement!

 Mr. Carter died Oct. 20, 1898, coincidentally the same day the photos of the school kids and the "City Fathers" were taken.  Annis said after Carter was gone that Wheeler Lindenbower and Mr. Harrington continued to use the building, but nothing was said about the house behind the BS shop except it being moved in 1909.

Divided back postcards with place for message on the backs were permitted March 1, 1907, which all of these are, but we do not know the dates the photos were taken.

However, if we return to my earlier post "John Chris' Red Brick Store" and the post card sent by Mrs. Darr to her grand daughter July 1908, that card shows no Carter Blacksmith shop and no trees in front of where it was.

So the Lady in the Buggy photos must have been prior to 1909.

Mrs. Sarah Darr's card shows Macabee Hall that was built in 1901-2, dedicated 1903, according to Annis Darr. That photo postcard is of a different style, almost as if it were created for the pre-1907 post card market with the slightly larger right margin for writing (preprinted and not a photo pasted to card)--but it does have the divided back for message and address used starting early 1907.

So the "East Main St. Medina Mich." photo card sent by Mrs. Darr could have been taken as early as  1901-1902. Macabee Hall appears to be there so it is at least 1902.  That is also the earliest time the Carter and Pratt shops are known to have been gone.
 
Further, in the post "John Chris' Red Brick Store" we see the "Main St., Medina Mich" photo post card with the tall slim Aldrich McLouth leaning on the porch support at the Old White Store.  He married Mattie McLouth in 1906 (June 26, 1906 FamilySearch.org)  There is no sign of trees in front of Carter BS shop, or the shop itself, though the town pump is there.

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So I would date the "Skyline" view photo and it's series at the earliest in 1902; and this is apparently when the mills were gone as they are not seen in the Skyline photo--unless we come across information on the construction of the bridges.

One of the photo cards was mailed by A. or O.W.L. to Mrs. L. W. Abbott in Hudson, and postmarked Medina Oct. 25, 1912,  and we will show that below.  All the other postcards are unused.

In the next post we will present an enlargement of the main four corners and post the flood picture, Carter blacksmith shop, the hotel, Maccabee Hall, Ladies' Baptist Hall (previously Temperance Hall) pictures after presenting this series of the "Lady in the Buggy." for which we are indebted to the late Jim Findlay of Hudson.  Carter and Coffin houses still existed until the 2010's and  I will also provide a link to those in Google Street View, with the others in a later post.

150.  Tiffin Bridge, looking NE, photo from Hudson Museum.

151. Off Tiffin Bridge, Medina, Mich.  Looking south; Photo from Hudson Museum.

152.  (No title) This photo is what we have called the "Skyline" of Medina village.  The 4 corners all still have buildings, though the Red Brick Store is behind some trees which appear  in front of Carter Blacksmith shop.  Photo from Hudson Museum.  

153. Niger Bridge, Medina, Mich. located on the road that later became known as Warwick Rd., between Medina and Canandaigua villages.  Joyce Longo felt perhaps the Hotchkiss family had named the bridge as it is located within their old farm boundaries, and that the significance of Niger was as being named one of the longest rivers in Africa that was still being explored and reported on, due to it's continual wide twists and turns,  throughout the 19th century.  Photo from Hudson Museum.  

Back of 153. Niger Bridge photo (Warwick Rd. Bridge) The Warwick family came after the Hotchkiss family at the old farm and the roads were not assigned the names they carry today until sometime after 1920.  This card from A. or O. W. L. to Mrs. L. W. Abbott, Hudson, Michigan.  The friend will be visitng Bern Tew across from Milliken Bros. at Medina area.  Photo from Hudson Museum.

156. Catholic Hill Bridge, Medina Mich.  This bridge is located on Munson Rd. just to the south of Medina Rd., and this is looking south.  I believe it's Jim Findlay who wrote "Bridge replaced 1997" on back of this photo postcard.  Photo from Hudson Museum.

"Road to Tiffin," appears to show Medina Rd. heading west towards Tiffin or Peg Town--even though the Lady in the Buggy is heading east.  Photo from Hudson Museum.

This is a photograph of a photo postcard with a different caption (rather than just the number 152. shown far above in this post).  I would guess that a new postcard was made after the location was identified.  It looks like Jim took this photo because the 152. post card is discolored in the middle. Photo from Hudson Museum.