Shelby Heflin's Beef

I do not know what Mr. Heflin's complaint with the VA was, but it made him mad. He was also pretty steamed that a member of his race would be discriminated against.

Original 35mm photograph near Montgomery, Alabama 1993 Collection Jim Linderman

The House of David Band

The House of David continues to operate here in Michigan to everyone's surprise. Most communes which prohibited sex (not to mention haircuts) have pretty much gone away, but this Utopian dream persists with a wonderful park, restaurant, museum and a fascinating history. Founded in 1903, the religious commune became known primarily for their barnstorming baseball team, they also had a top-notch musical band which toured the vaudeville circuit (shown here "Miles Davis" style). It is a terrible historical flaw that no known recordings of the band exist, but one well-known tune "The House of David Blues" has been recorded by many groups. One source even indicates the tune caused the Harlem Globetrotters to begin using "Sweet Georgia Brown" as a response to the House of David Basketball team playing of this song before games (!) A fascinating story which this post can only BEGIN to tell. Many more tales and artifacts are available on the incredible House of David Museum website

House of David Real Photo Postcard c. 1930 collection Jim Linderman

Sciopioville Yard Art

Former Civil War soldier George E. Carr carved this high-rent neighborhood for birds in 1911, it was situated at Barber's Corner, a mile west of Sciopioville, three miles east of Levanna in Cayoga County. It was 18 feet high.
Cayuga County Totem Tree Postcard 1912 collection Jim Linderman

St. John Holy Temple Prayer House

Original 35mm photograph c. 1991 Collection Jim Linderman

Full Gospel Heavenly Manna Bread of Life Church

Long building, Long name

Original 35mm photograph 1991 collection Jim Linderman

Stereoview of the South

A beautiful Stereoview and one I have owned twice over the years. Also known as stereographs, stereo views, stereoscopic views, stereo cards and my favorite, "Victorian Television." They were initially photographic experiments aimed at producing a more realistic image. If you are adept at staring at your own nose, you should be able to bring these images together and see the three dimensional Palmetto tree even without a wooden viewer. Once the photographic technique of mounting two nearly identical images to produce the 3-d effect was established, commercial photographers and suppliers churned these things out by wagon load. If you think your aunt's travel videos are boring, imagine loading images of historic buildings in Europe over and over and over and over into a clunky hand held eyepiece. However, they ARE actual photographs (of many types...nearly every early photographic form was produced in stereo) and on occasion achieve the simple, serene and elegant beauty of this image. Jerome Nelson Wilson went on to form a partnership with O.P Havens and produced southern regional views before passing away in 1897.

Albumen Stereoview J. N. Wilson Savannah Ga c. 1870 Collection Jim Linderman

Hobo Nickel Tramp Art

There are two ways to make a sculpture, one is to take away, the other is to build up. Hobo Nickel carvers take away. A form of tramp art , the murky origins are similar to the ugly notched cigar box frames and furniture one still finds in abundance at antique shows. Supposedly started by hobos, these amateur Augustus Saint-Gaudens learned to carve the relatively soft Buffalo Nickel, thus adding value and trading them for bigger sandwiches. The buffalo nickel was minted from 1913 to 1938. The noble chief was a composite of Iron Tail, John Big Tree and Two Moons. The buffalo came from the Central Park Zoo. As they circulate, the first thing to go is the date, which was not delineated enough, thus frustrating young boys who would thrill to find one in dad's change only to realize the obliterated coin would not fill a slot in their little blue folder. Hobo nickels are still made today, in fact there are entire conventions of makers. I guess they get together and swap nickels.

Hobo Nickel c. 1913-1938 (and) c. 1990 Collection Jim Linderman