Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Adolph Prange Memorabilia, cont.

The pictures were forwarded to this site by Jim Prange, son of James, one of the oldest children of Adolph and Edna Prange.  [Commentary to follow.]

The Prange Store circa 1913

There is obviously much history to be gleaned from the details of this oldest known picture of the Prange store and family home that rests in the background, its view largely blocked by the trees.



















A dapperly dressed James Prange in the 1940s seated on the eroding boardwalk with the Prange home in the background in front of which is parked what appears to be a slick white-walled sedan. A striking image that has a lot going for it. In addition to the house and car and the decaying boardwalk, there's the stark fence work behind him, what appears to be an oil slick of some sort in the road, and a classic leather jacket one can almost touch.  Since it would be somewhat out of character for his father to allow the boardwalk to fall into disrepair, I wonder if this might have been made after the family had closed the store and moved to California.

I can understand why Jim Prange, to whom I'm indebted for these pictures, says this image of his dad is "about his favorite photo."


The Prange sawmill that stood overlooking the White River a few yards south of the store.



This picture taken by James Prange, whose shadow is revealed in the foreground,  in the early 1950s captures what was clearly the finest dwelling in Crockett's Bluff perhaps to this very day -- depending of course on where one designates the city limits. The house appears to be under construction, a new extension in progress on its west side. There would later be white columns added. Jim Prange, pictured in front next to his sister Judy, his mother's arm on his shoulder, in from of their Aunt Cora Prange and her daughter Ida Carolyn.  Jim remembers this house in an overnight stay as "magnificent."