Ethel Wight Collection – Part 157
Photo Friday
By Don Taylor
Wow, this is the last of my initial examination of the photo packages from the Ethel Wight Collection. I still have ten or 11 more photo packages that I should reexamine for various reasons. Again, I aim to reunite the photos with family members who may have never seen the image and share historically important images.
Company B, 87th Seabees, 1943.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Copies – 1944 – Emmons Drug Store Order” and is labeled 87th Seabees, Co. B, Port Hueneme, Cal., 1943.
There was no Emmons Drug Store in Portland; however, the Old Orchard Beach Town Report for 1947 indicates the health nurse spent $10.79 at Emmons Drug Store. The Biddeford-Saco Journal indicates that Walter F Emmons was the proprietor of the Emmons drug store on Washington Ave, Old Orchard Beach[i].
Walter’s obituary did not indicate any surviving children[ii]. Also, Ancestry’s public trees don’t appear to show he had any children. So, I can’t tell how this photo is connected with Emmon’s Drug Store.
The 87th Naval Construction Battalion transferred from NCTC Camp Endicott, Davisville, RI, to Camp Rousseau, Port Hueneme, in June 1943. On August 28th & 29th, the troop ships S. S. Robin Wentley and S. S. Comet departed for Noumea, New Caledonia, with the 87th aboard[iii].
This photo shows Company B, 87th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) in August 1943. I only posted this photo here and to my Flickr Photostream. I will try to get a higher-quality image to replace this image with.
“Symbol of our Freedom” by Stow Wengenroth.
The envelope this negative was in says, “Copy of Lithography by Stow Wengenroth – Mr. Archibald’s Print.”
Stow Wengenroth (1906-1978) was an American artist and lithographer. His lithographs are found in most major American Collections, including the Library of Congress. This “Symbol of our Freedom” lithograph is available on several websites, including eBay. Apparently, Mr. Archibald had the Lithograph and had it copied at the Ethel Wight Studio.
Jefferson Theater, 1933.
The envelope this negative was in says Jefferson Theater #128 – Free St. – Portland.
The Jefferson Theatre opened in September 1897 on Free Street at Oak Street. The Theatre closed in 1933[iv]. This photo was taken during its wrecking in September and October 1933. Note the window that lists the items for sale. The Portland Evening Press, dated 4 October 1933, shows the theater was being wrecked and identifies many of the items for sale.
I’ve uploaded this photo of the Theatre in its final days. Today, the site is home to MaineHealth and the Maine Vaccine Board. I posted this photo to Cinema Treasures.
Two Woman and Two Farm Houses, 1947.
The envelope this negative was in only says “May 1947.” The photo package includes 14 photos: one a photo of two women, several of two farmhouses, and a few of just sheep and cattle.
There are no clues to the two women’s identities or the houses’ locations.
I am providing three of the 14 images here.
Two unknown women, 1941.
The envelope this negative was in only says “Sq. Porid” or “Sq. Park” and “Sept 1941.” The photo package includes six photos of two women. They are next to a store in the two photos I’m posting here; however, there is no identification of the women nor the store to investigate further.
Two photos of two women by a store.
Endnotes:
[i] Biddeford-Saco Journal, 18 May 1942, Page 5, “Old Orchard Beach – Mrs. Clement P. Wight (reporter).
[ii] Biddeford-Saco Journal, 4 Jan 1973, Page 2, “Deaths – Walter F. Emmons.
[iii] Web Page – 87th NCB SEABEE Construction Battalion – freepages.rootsweb.com – Accessed 26 November 2023.
[iv] Web Page – Cinema Treasures – Jefferson Theatre, 112 Free Street, Portland. Accessed 26 November 2023
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