Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: Native Americans

An on the water photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. A curious photo of a boy and a dog in a rowboat out on the water. Both of them are looking toward the photographer, who's on the shore or in another boat. The boy is holding a fish in one hand and a fishing rod in the other, and he's wearing a headdress and other clothing in imitation of Native American garb (for a closer view, see a cropped version ). Along the far shore in the background is what looks like the silhouette of a swan, though it seems much too big to be a real bird. This is an unused real photo postcard with an AZO stamp box on the back that suggests that the photo may date to sometime between 1904 and 1918 (or perhaps later).

A cigar box label featuring an artist's conception of what Conrad Weiser might have looked like. According to Wikipedia, Conrad Weiser (1696-1760) was a Pennsylvania German "pioneer, interpreter, and effective diplomat between the Pennsylvania Colony and Native Americans. He was a farmer, soldier, monk, tanner, and judge. He contributed as an emissary in councils between Native Americans and the colonies, especially Pennsylvania, during the 18th century's tensions of the French and Indian War (Seven Years' War)."

"The Manhattan, A. J. Meloney, prop. South Carolina Avenue, Atlantic City, N.J. Near the beach." The proprietor of the Manhattan Hotel in Atlantic City, New Jersey, used an illustration of a Native American on his business card. See below for a selection of other late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century hotel business cards. For additional examples, see my Hotels and Motels album.

"Wigwam Village No. 4, Orlando, Florida. On the Orange Blossom Trail. U.S. No. 441 and U.S. No. 17; U.S. No. 92. AAA." Printed on the back of this linen postcard: "The Wigwam Village. Orlando's 'largest and finest motel!' Located inside city limits only a few blocks from theatre and shopping district. Thirty-one modern teepees with accommodations for parties of 1, 2, 3, or 4 people. Modern grille, gift shop, and auto service on the grounds." Wikipedia reports that Wigwam Village No. 4 was built in 1948 and razed in 1974. A Vacation Lodge motel now occupies the site where teepees once stood. For views of a Wigwam Village located in Cave City, Kentucky, see Teepees and Trading Post at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 and Braves Restroom at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 :

A real photo postcard of a young boy in what is apparently intended to portray Native American clothing. The photo was taken at Penn Park Studio in York, Pa. I wonder whether this was a Halloween costume.

A young Lizzie Borden playing with her friends. 8-)

Posted to the Vintage Photos Theme Park group as a "strange clothing" photo. This real photo postcard shows a group of men who belonged to "Katunka Tribe No. 453," which was the York, Pa., chapter of the Improved Order of Red Men , or IORM for short. The York chapter no longer exists but the national group is still around (despite the fact that "Red Men" is now considered an offensive term for Native Americans) and calls itself " America's Oldest Fraternal Organization " on its Web site. When you realize that none of the men in this photo were Native Americans, it seems awfully strange--at least from our modern perspective nearly a century later--that they dressed in Native American garb (however inauthentic their interpretation of the clothing may have been) for their group ceremonies and rituals. In case you're interested in additional information, Blake Stough discussed the history and controversial aspects of the York IORM group in his article Politically Incorrect or Not--Still A Part of York County History on the Preserving York blog (the article included this photo with my permission).

See also Braves Restroom at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 . I bought these two small and somewhat blurry photos a couple of years ago. They were taken at one of the Wigwam Village Motels designed by Frank Redford, probably motel #2 in Cave City, Kentucky. In this photo (above), a Trading Post sign appears on the small building that's visible between the two teepees. The license plate on the car is 3EP16 but I was unable to determine which state issued the plate. I'm guessing that it was the photographer who left the car door open. The other photo (below) shows the Braves teepee, which was the men's restroom. (Thanks go to john4kc on Flickr for pointing out that the telegraph pole visible near the teepee in the background of this second photo suggests that these photos were probably taken at Wigwam Village Motel #2.)

See also Teepees and Trading Post at Wigwam Village Motel No. 2 . I bought these two small and somewhat blurry photos a couple of years ago. They were taken at one of the Wigwam Village Motels designed by Frank Redford, probably motel #2 in Cave City, Kentucky. (Thanks go to john4kc on Flickr for pointing out that the telegraph pole visible near the teepee in the background of this photo--see above--suggests that this was probably motel #2.) This photo shows the Braves teepee, which was the men's restroom. In the other photo , a Trading Post sign appears on the small building that's visible between the two teepees. The license plate on the car is 3EP16 but I was unable to determine which state issued the plate. I'm guessing that it was the photographer who left the car door open.