before the eruption

Today is the anniversary of the Mt St Helen's eruption in 1980. I recently got a stash of Washington State memorabilia at the Webfooters auction and looked through it tonight for some Mt St Helen's related stuff. Sure enough, I found some things.

I have a number of photos from an aerial tour that a women took not too long before the mountain erupted. Judging by the photos I would guess they were taken around 1977-1980.

written on back: Mt Adams now directly behind St Helens.

written on back: more black smoke, we were six miles away

Below is some stationery from around 1930. It came in a set with other local mountains on other pages. The image is actually a linen type finish small postcard glued on the paper.

I wasn't living here when Mt St Helen's blew. I was about 14 and living in Southern California. I do remember it, though and all the footage.

I see Mt St Helens often from the Fremont bridge when I drive home from work. It isn't the perfect Mt Fuji of the America as they used to call it, but I like the weird shape of it.

professional

I love finding old Portland advertising postcards and ephemera. Here are two I got a while ago.

This postcard is advertising Dral Cleaners, which still exists in the same spot in the Sellwood neighborhood. I'll have to go visit sometime.

This other postcard ad is awesome. Ralph Vincent looks like quite the professional and serious photographer, don't you think? He looks like so many character actors, in fact he looks a lot like the guy who played the psychiatrist in Miracle on 34th Street.

The three month calender is curious. Was it his busy season? Also, why couldn't he take off his coat? His office in SW Portland is long gone.

Anyway, I like his style.

Maybe Ralph took the picture for the Dral Cleaners postcard.