Grand Central Station GCT

 Grand Central Terminal at the corner of 42nd Street and Park Avenue in New York City is iconic to most Americans.  Travel+Leisure magazine October 2011 survey claims that Grand Central Station is the 6th most visited tourist attractions in the world.  Having visited New York I wonder if this is just because you end up there at one point or another.  The ad I clipped and shown below has some interesting artwork depicting the blue ceiling and making it even more grand than it already is.

The Milwaukee Road.

I love vintage ads.  I remember as a child being thoroughly entertained by just sitting and looking through old magazines.  I especially loved the rich colors and artwork of the ads.  Now that I am older I enjoy the the ads that are specific to the 1940's and the history of those that portray WWII, such as the ad above.  Before  finding this Ad, I had never heard of the Milwaukee Road.  The Milwaukee Road was the class 1 rail line of Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul and Pacific Railroad that operated until 1980.  This ad has everything that I love to see Americana, Railroad stuff and good art work with wonderful information and Uncle Sam in a top hat, all from the 1940's.  One of the great things about collecting ads like this is what you will find.  I found a wonderful web site dedicated to the Milwaukee road called Milwaukee Road Historical Association.  It is a well put together site that offers links and a company store.   

THIS AD IS FOR SALE!

I recently won a pair of antique iron clamp on skates at an auction because I liked the looks of them and the price was right. Stamped on the skates and covered with rust was Winslow's National Club.  The name it's self evokes vintage images of men in suits and women in long dresses skating on ponds.  It is nice to own them and I am definitely going to keep my eyes open for more like them. The history of skates itself is interesting.  In the 14th century the Dutch were using wood and iron skates on the canals.  John E. Strauss in 1914 invented the type of skates pictured below that became popular and lead to all the skates used today.