“‘The Spirit of ’76,’ also known as ‘Yankee Doodle,’ described as the most inspiring patriotic picture in America, hangs in the Town Fathers’ meeting room in Abbot Hall (in Marblehead, Massachusetts). Painted by A.M. Willard, it was presented to the Town in 1880 by General John Devereux, whose son was the model for the drummer boy.” This is a “Lusterchrome” card by Tichnor Bros., Boston 15, Mass.

The card notes that reproduction is prohibited without the express permission of the Board of Selectmen in Marblehead. So assiduously had they guarded this image over the years that the August 12, 1935 issue of Time magazine made special mention of a rare occasion on which they allowed the image to be reproduced.

“Bridge Spanning Cuyahoga River on Ohio Turnpike.” I don’t want to be too technical, but it appears that the bridge pictured is spanning the Ohio Turnpike. Unless, of course, they built the turnpike on the riverbed. Hope they don’t get a lot of rain! Actually, what I think is happening in this picture is that, once one reaches the rise in the distance, there be the bridge — making this card woefully mislabeled. Blame our old friends the Tichnor Bros. of Boston 15, Mass., who manufactured this “Lusterchrome” card. (What, it doesn’t look lustrous to you?)

Great Aunt Esther sent this card off to Great-Grandma Lottie on November 17, 1958: “We are on our way to Peninsula on this side of Akron Ohio, to see a man that did work for Bill. He is not able to work anymore.” Come on, Esther; I’m not looking for a full biography or anything, but did you have to leave us hanging like that? Did the man lose a leg or something?

This is a “Lusterchrome” postcard, number K-6218, by Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston 15, Mass. The card has some post-production stamped text on the back reading “Greetings from Jekyll Island, Georgia” — no doubt where this card was originally sold — but it’s unlikely that this is where the photo was taken. This card is unused and in pristine condition.

Is it just me, or do the men appear to outnumber the women in this photo by about 37 to 1? And where are the bikinis?