Here's a part of another West Texas photo that I've found recently. This is a portion of the scene at a barbecue held in Terrell County, Texas. The gal in the Tom Mix hat and the ranchers in boaters with their wives make this a classic. I'm thinking around 1925 for the date, but so far haven't been able to identify or date many of the newest cars in the scene. Any estimates?
My guess is after December 1927. Reason being there are a couple of Model A Fords in the mix. The Model A wasn't sold until after that date.
At the very left of the frame looks like some galvanized #10 washtubs up on a table top. Must've been some iced down beverages and possibly a sandia or two.
Looks like they may tailgating a football game (or rodeo), the fellow on the far right (sitting on a crate) looks to be tending a grill.
Andy
Another interesting thing about photos from this time period, and for that matter, up into the early 60s, is that people clothed themselves to protect against the sun. Everyone wearing hats, most with long sleeves, etc. Not much chance for skin cancer there. They knew how to dress for the weather, social mores aside.
> Looks like they may tailgating a football game (or rodeo), the fellow on the far right (sitting on a crate) looks to be tending a grill.
It was a barbecue, I'm pretty sure. The location was on a ranch, not at the fairgrounds and none of the people are dressed for a rodeo. I'd say more likely a celebration of some other sort.
Here's where I've figured out that the photo was taken:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/30%C2%B00 9'57.4%22N+102%C2%B029'53.4%22W/@30.165943,-102.498163,209m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x0:0x0!6m1!1e1?hl=en
What do you suppose the 'fence' is in the background? That is quite a prominent amount of whatever for the '20s.
From the shadows (afternoon, I'm assuming) the 'fencing' would be downhill to the SE from the group. A recent aerial doesn't appear to show any remains or scars from say, a rodeo arena, or something. Is it possible the highway was fenced that well in the '20s?
> What do you suppose the 'fence' is in the background? That is quite a prominent amount of whatever for the '20s.
The fence is probably along the Southern Pacific track, I'd think.
> From the shadows (afternoon, I'm assuming) the 'fencing' would be downhill to the SE from the group. A recent aerial doesn't appear to show any remains or scars from say, a rodeo arena, or something. Is it possible the highway was fenced that well in the '20s?
There was a regular fairgrounds in Sanderson where rodeos were held and the folks are dressed too well for a rodeo in any event. They're in their going-to-meeting clothes, so I'd say some other sort of celebration. The time of year could be worked out from the shadows since the sun was low.
Another West Texas Photoof hemlines from the 1920's
Clothes to cover the skin had more to do with idea of drees regarding the public "decency" of the wearer.Fashion is a good tip of time periods.
matter of fact, I was going to post last night that a better clue to the time period other than the cars would be the hemline of women's wear. Ask any women about that. I think it was the in the 20's that hemlines were gong up by increments. There are specific years that hemlines rose in fashion and it was part of a women's liberation mindset. The women with the stetson and very short hemline is the "outlier" and outsider of course.
Maybe Kent can analyze the specific rise of the hemline to narrow down the time window.
I am thinking 1926-1928
The only other good clues I can see are the unimproved road that comes from the left background and seems to curve around almost under the party..and the cable and post (gate?)in the foreground. I can't tell if the post is pipe with concrete, or wood with a tin cap on the top to prevent rot; I've seen both.
I bet the food was good. 😉
> From the shadows (afternoon, I'm assuming) the 'fencing' would be downhill to the SE from the group.
The direction of the shadows is markedly SE, which means that the sun was setting well into the NW quadrant. Those are probably mesquites along Sanderson Creek between the setting and the railroad and they look as if they're in full leaf. Some time toward the Summer Solstice seems likely to me.
> ..Some time toward the Summer Solstice seems likely to me.
I agree. Hats and parasol seem to be the uniform of the day which would probably indicate the sun was on folk's minds when they dressed.
Another hint pointing toward a summer season is the fact that if it were winter, shadows that long don't stick around long. It would time to pack up and leave with shadows that long in a winter month. Long shadows get lazy in the summer months and tend to hang around...but you and your easel knew that. 😉
hemlines from the 1920's
Good point Robert.
I don't know about Texas, but in Oklahoma it would be difficult to gauge dates and hemlines without taking into consideration the age of the subject. I had aunts and uncles that dresses similar to the folks in the photo...during the 1950s. But by then they were well up in years. It seems as though you could almost guess a person's age by the way they dress.
Another West Texas Photoof hemlines from the 1920's
> Clothes to cover the skin had more to do with idea of drees regarding the public "decency" of the wearer.Fashion is a good tip of time periods.
> matter of fact, I was going to post last night that a better clue to the time period other than the cars would be the hemline of women's wear. Ask any women about that. I think it was the in the 20's that hemlines were gong up by increments. There are specific years that hemlines rose in fashion and it was part of a women's liberation mindset. The women with the stetson and very short hemline is the "outlier" and outsider of course.
> Maybe Kent can analyze the specific rise of the hemline to narrow down the time window.
>
> I am thinking 1926-1928
>
> http://womenshistorynetwork.org/blog/?p=2804
Robert,
You must've missed the end of my post. I said "social mores aside". I recognize that fashion was tied to society's sense of "decency", or social mores. My point was that aside from that, they intentionally were trying to shield themselves from the sun.
West Texas shadows
here you go Kent, try this one.
Morning or afternoon?
West Texas shadows
> here you go Kent, try this one.
>
> Morning or afternoon?
Well, that's Fort D.A. Russell in Marfa, looking SE, so that's a morning picture.
Most likely the photographer wanted to be back on the ground for lunch at the Pizza Foundation.
Another West Texas Photoof hemlines from the 1920's
> Robert,
>
> You must've missed the end of my post. I said "social mores aside". I recognize that fashion was tied to society's sense of "decency", or social mores. My point was that aside from that, they intentionally were trying to shield themselves from the sun.
Yes, I did miss that. Sorry
It is interesting that a little less than a century ago, a women exposing her ankles and lower calf in public was a social political statement.
Another West Texas Photoof hemlines from the 1920's
> It is interesting that a little less than a century ago, a women exposing her ankles and lower calf in public was a social political statement.
I continue to puzzle over the fact that the Nobel Committee has not seen fit to properly recognize the important contribution to society made by the inventor of Spandex.
ding, ding, ding!
..winner, winner, chicken dinner!
I knew I couldn't sneak one past you that easy.
Quite probable it is a Labor Day gathering.
The greater question is: How many legs does the Tom Mix hat lady have?
> The greater question is: How many legs does the Tom Mix hat lady have?
Well, when you subtract the two her kid has, I'm pretty sure she still has two. :>
