Miss Crystal Beach

Miss Crystal Beach, Crystal Beach, Florida. Ca. 1925.




 
Look at this modern woman! I came across this postcard amongst my Grandmothers things. Note the cropped hairdo, the loose shirt and knee britches with socks and flat shoes. I love her relaxed, confident stance in the picture. No posing girlie-girl in a bathing suit! In fact rather a masculine shot.

Crystal Beach Florida was named for Crystal Beach, Ontario Canada and founded in 1912. It was founded by a Mr. Avery and a Mr. Rebstock. and their development company. Crystal Lake Beach in Canada was on Lake Erie and was a health spa at one time and an amusement park. It too was known for it's crystal cleat waters. Two gentleman from Texas then took over the development and laid out the streets in squares and they made a seaside parkway so that all the residents of the town could enjoy the beauty of the Gulf. These men were Dr. J.D. Hanby and Mr. A.D. Powers. "We will forever hold this strip of land as a park for the use of the residents of Crystal Beach." Florida in the 1920's was undergoing huge expansion as a destination and tourism area.. at least until the Stock market crashed in 29'.

My Grandmother, Signe Widestrand,  I discovered purchased property in St. Petersburg, Florida some time in the 1920's. She came from Sweden and apparently went to Florida on vacations with friends before she married my Grandfather (another Swede). She lived in New York City in the mid 20's. In fact, I have a rattlesnake skin that she said she shot while in Florida and she said they used to ride horses and go out shooting.  It's 6' long!

This postcard was sent to her from a friend also named Signe to an address in St. Petersburg and postmarked 1925. It asks when she would be coming up again. It is from Tarpon Springs, Florida which is only about  35 miles north of St Petersburg. I guess in those days thirty something miles was quite a day's journey.

I have not been able to find any information about this postcard or a Miss Crystal Beach, but it's fun nonetheless and I love the image. Think of the daring of the 1920's. The changing times. My own Grandmother wore a black, beaded, Flapper style wedding dress when she married in 1926. Our Grandmothers were inspired to dream then and they continue to inspire now.

Comments

Fran said…
I love this! I am writing a book and would like to use this article, if possible. Please e-mail me at franlarson@gmail.com. Thank you.
June 15, 2018 at 7:10 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Moving Towards Purpose

Image
  "At dawn, the moon appeared and swooped down from the sky to look at me...”     We have all had experiences that, in the moment, challenged us to look closely at how we live and our perceptions of that life.. as it really is, not just what we have imagined or convinced ourselves that it is.  It is a valuable opportunity to take stock and make adjustments. "Experience Life at its Peak," the 36th pathway is my focus today. From Neil Douglas-Klotz's book, entitled "The Sufi Book of Life-99 Pathways to the Heart"  I explore each through the medium of art. Years ago I was inspired to create an art journal page for each path. I read the path, meditate upon it and then gather the images that 'speak' to me. Here I share the collage and what the images represent to me in my spiritual journey with the idea that this exploration will lead towards greater understanding. Rumi shares this experience in this poem. " Like a falcon hunting a meal, the moon gr
Read more

Dancing With Flexibility

Image
     Considering the current upheaval on so many levels of our society this is an aptly themed discussion on having “Flexible Strength" which couldn't be more timely in my estimation.      Some years back now I was inspired to explore each of the 99 Pathways in the “Sufi Book of Life”, a book written by Neil Douglas-Klotz, through art and the medium of collage. I had been using the book as part of my daily spiritual practice and thought that exploring it through the expression of art would bring me a deeper experience and understanding. And it has! With this post I have now completed my 33rd pathway, I am one third of the way through. The synchronistic manner in which each creative process enfolds, sometimes over the course of days or even weeks; of images that make themselves seen, of how the collage 'becomes' in its own time, never fails to amaze me. It can't be rushed. And the creating of the collage is both separate yet connected with the writing of this blog,
Read more

The Continuous Thread

Image
1920's embroidery runner. Before the death of my godmother Masha Arms in 2005 I was able to fly to Massachusetts and spend a couple of days with her. Those days were precious to us both. Days spent talking until the early morning light, reminiscing, looking at art, sharing favorite books, and going through trunks. How we ever started opening the trunks I don't remember but so many treasures came tumbling out; her Mothers beautiful wood carvings including a lovely little paring knife that I swear I could still feel her energy coursing through, a hand woven rug by her Great Aunt-in-law Nellie Arms, Scandinavian linens and cut work, generation after generation of memories. Then she pulled out this linen runner that her mother Clara Maria (From) Eriksen had started way back in the 1920's.  runner with circles of flowers. What struck me at first was that the colors were still so bright, the blues so vibrant, and that the pattern was so obviously Art Deco with its
Read more