October 1921, WWE (William Webster Ellsworth) washing the windows on the north bay. Note the bowtie, vest and hat. The driveway appears to still have its upper turn-around at this point, the magnolia is quite a bit smaller, with much of the shade in the photo coming from the large red maples, long gone. Today the driveway has dropped about six inches as it goes around the curve; or it has been shifted closer to the house with a subsequently sharper and steeper bank to the lawn. It looks like it was still dirt at this time. The house was still clad with green wooden clapboards, interesting to note that it does not have a corner trim board even in the original siding: another argument for placing it in the ‘Shingle style’ camp as opposed to ‘Queen Anne’ camp of architecture, at least on that bit. It looks like the five-leaf akebia vine was at the house already, I think there is a bit of it on the downspout (which is just as peculiar these days); the fern bed is apparently just beginning, it is much larger now.
Also note that one can see Intervale’s fields very clearly in this photograph; today the hedgerow hides that low hill, and only the top of the West hill, the next ridge to the west is visible.
I am not entirely sure how the broom works into washing windows…

Nothing to do with window washing, but I thought of WWE and Bonne Maman the other day as I looked at a row of large abalone shells decorating a walk in the neighborhood. Abalone, of course, inhabit the Pacific coast, and one dives for them (free diving, usually). I didn’t know that when I was little and delighted in looking at the large abalone shell that reposed on the window shelf in the library. Is it still around? Do you suppose WWE or Bonne Maman picked it up on one of their visits to Oakland? Not, exactly the sort of thing they’d have collected in the East!
I think they must have, along with some of the other shells. Perhaps also on trips to Florida to visit the Innes family? I know they made at least one, I have pictures! 🙂
Falling in to a big of family history rabbit hole again. It’s all the fault of the 1940 census coming out today. Nice photo Anne!
–Meta B.
Thanks! It is a fun project.