Sea Birds

Sea Birds Spotted

Last weekend I spotted a couple of "sea birds" on my waterfront walk. I thought my birding friends would enjoy seeing these big birds.

View of Elliott Bay, Seattle, at the start of
April 7th waterfront walk. A yellow star is right above
the sea bird. Closer look in the next picture.

Yes, it's the Sea Bird.
A different kind of bird at that. 😊
The Sea Bird is a bulk carrier
loading up with grain, at the
Terminal 86 Grain Facility, probably
destined for Asia.

And yet another bird ... The Northern Eagle
A fishing vessel preparing for the 2024
fishing season in Alaskan waters.

Each year I try to include a shot of the
first cruise ship of the season to visit
the Port of Seattle. The 
Norwegian Bliss takes the honors
this year. In this photo she is
departing, April 7th, a little after 4PM,
en route to Juneau, Alaska.

Thanks for stopping by. 

Total Solar Eclipse

Today is the day.

The yellow line is the path of totality.
Credit to New York Times for the map above
and the one below.

The New York Times

How to watch with NASA

Thanks for stopping by.

Comments will return on the next post.

Gateway - 1903

Gateway to Yellowstone

 Story of the Arch

(Mostly told with Postcards)

Very early card showing one way to tour the Park ...
horse-drawn carriage.
[Click on images for enlarged view!]

The stagecoach was the most common way
to tour in the early days.

Most tourists arrived via train. The depot was just outside the
lava rock entrance. The Northern Pacific Railroad served this station.

This card shows a train stopped at the station.
The cards are about evenly split on showing a train or not.
As a "railfan" I appreciate the ones WITH trains more!

Different and unusual style
for an early postcard.

This station was famous for its western theme.
Especially the logs holding up the roof covering the platform.

In some years there was a pond
between the depot and the arch.

The pond looks well manicured in this view.

Photographers tried to get creative
shooting right above the pond.

Reflection of the arch in the pond.

Good early view - front of the arch.
Words above the archway:
"For the benefit and enjoyment of the people."

In this view a carriage has just 
passed under the arch heading
into the Park.
Sender of the card dated it June 24, 1905
About 2 years after dedication.

Color applied to black and white photo.

Love horses? Yes, we do too, 

and other critters as well, 

so we're linking up with

Saturday's Critters.  

"Wylie" Coaches entering the Park
Wylie Camping Co would take you for the full tour
including overnights in their camps.

Back of the Wylie card.
Note: Knights of Columbus from San Francisco probably used
this card to enlist members to attend the "Pilgrimage"
to Yellowstone July 6 to 20, 1912
Postage:
1 cent domestic
2 cents foreign 

The first automobile entered the Park in 1915.
This card does not reveal a publication date.

Pretty nice car and I have to wonder
if it was artistically added to the image?
 (Same for the card above.)

This card is called a "real photo" card because
it is an individual photograph with printing
on the back for postal delivery.

A rare photo showing
a fence inside the arch.

(Colorful but artistically modified.)
Note Mother's comments ...
The "other end" may be the South entrance
which connects to Teton National Park.

Unusual card showing guard house just inside the gate.
The guard house is no longer there and it existed only for
a short time.

A more modern postcard view.

A more modern "real photo" card.
(That is, if we can call 2nd half
of last century "modern".)

Probably the "most recent" published
card among all those
in this post.

Artistry at work.
Gustav Krollmann was the artist for this card and
the one below. He titled this card,
Gardiner Gateway to Yellowstone Park
(There are 6 Gateways)

Lots of "artistic license"
in this view.

The rare aerial view.
Yes, the arch is in there ...
near right edge about 1/3rd
way up from bottom.

President Theodore Roosevelt standing on the partially
constructed arch for the dedication ceremony and laying of
the cornerstone on April 24, 1903.
(Not a postcard, but a stereoview. I haven't found a
postcard showing this scene, but it may exist.)

My photo of the Cornerstone

My photo of the arch from a trip several years ago.

Another of my photos -- a different trip.
This view is looking toward
Shooting Star Mountain.

When I put together my love for Yellowstone National Park and my hobby of collecting vintage postcards I became fascinated with the number and variety of postcards featuring the Roosevelt Entrance Arch. This may seem peculiar since Yellowstone is all about natural wonders and the Arch is a human construction. However, the Arch has become the symbol of the Park and that spurred my interest. Yellowstone Park was created by an Act of Congress in 1872, but the Arch was not constructed until 1903. On April 24, 1903, President Theodore Roosevelt dedicated the arch as its cornerstone was laid. My collection of arch cards totals over 100, each with some difference.

Thanks for stopping by.

Picturesque Scenery - 1910

Souvenir Folder - Picturesque Scenery

Souvenir Folder
Picturesque Scenery along the line of
Great Northern Railroad,
Montana, Idaho, and Washington
(Mailed from The Top of The Cascade Mountains)

Back of the Folder with space for return address.
(Unidentified location but possibly Hell Gate Canyon
near Missoula, Montana.)

Bad Lands near Montana Dakota Line

A Montana Grain Field

Lake McDermott and Mt Wilbur
from "Many Glacier" Hotel
Glacier National Park

Mallett Compound Engine

A Group of Blackfeet Indians*

The Narrows, Flathead Lake, Montana

The Lakes in the Clouds
Rocky Mountains

Great Northern Bridge over
Pend O'Reille River

Great Northern Trestle over Lower Falls,
Spokane River, Washington

Mt. Rainier, Washington

Seattle, Puget Sound and
the Olympic Mountains
(Photo by Asahel Curtis)

Loop on the Great Northern Railroad,
near "Scenic," Washington

Freight train coming out of the Horseshoe Tunnel,
Near Scenic on the Great Northern R. R. Wash

Electric Locomotive pulling The Oriental Limited,
Emerging from Cascade Tunnel on
Great Northern Railway

Great Northern Train entering
Horse Shoe Tunnel, Washington

Lake Wenatchee, Washington

An Avenue of Apple Blossoms, Wenatchee, Wash.
(Copyright 1910 by Kiser Photo Co. for
Great Northern Railway.)

The folder includes 18 views in a style similar to postcards. It was published around 1910 for the Great Northern Railway to encourage travelers to travel by train. The folders were available in train stations and in stores frequented by travelers. The folders could be purchased and kept as a souvenir of a trip taken, or mailed to friends and family. In 1910 this folder was postmarked "Mailed from the Top of the Cascade Mountains, Cascade Tunnel, Elevation 3373 ft., Wash." The postmark was probably applied aboard the train on its transcontinental journey across the continent. Back in 1910, the folder was mailed with a 1¢ stamp. To mail the folder today would probably cost close to 68¢.

 Unfolded view.

A combined Header and Thresher at work in a
Washington Wheat Field

Did you notice the image featuring the Blackfeet Indians? The Great Northern Railway, blazing trails through untamed landscapes, chose to pay homage to the indigenous peoples of the land by featuring portraits of Native Americans on its postcards and promotional materials. I especially enjoy this aspect of collecting Great Northern memorabilia. I’ll focus on that in a future post.

Thanks for stopping by.

*The Blackfeet Indians knew the value of critters. Linking up with Saturday's Critters. Check it out!

Linking up with Thankful Thursday just to say I’m thankful for learning so much about history via vintage postcards. Thanks to Michelle for hosting.