Man from Danielson, Connecticut
What it is:
Photo (approx. 3.75 x 5.5 inches) mounted on a cardboard frame/backing (5.25 x 7.25 inches).
What I know about it:
Photographer is A. Benoit of Danielson, Connecticut. Otherwise undated and unidentified.
Comments:
It’s a fascinating visage, but if you can tear your eyes away from him for a moment, I’d like to direct your attention to the photographer’s logo at the bottom. Amid the artistic flourishes of the “Main Street” banner, do you see how there’s an odd gap between “Danielson” and “Conn.”? Well, I have another copy of this picture, the identical photo, mounted on the same green cardboard with the same logo embossed in gold … except that the gap is filled and it reads “Danielsonville”. My curiosity piqued, I tried to figure out what was going on. Danielson, a borough in the town of Killingly, apparently underwent a name change at some point. I just can’t figure out when (at least not with a simple internet search). I found a reference to it still being called Danielsonville as late as 1889, and a user comment on a genealogy website said she thought it was changed sometime in the late 1890s. Is it safe to assume that in the days before computerized design it would have been easiest to transition to a new logo by simply removing the “ville” rather than resetting the whole thing? And that the otherwise matching photos with the old and new logos means that the photo is from around the time that the logo was altered? And that I could get an approximate date for this photo if I could figure out when Danielsonville became Danielson? Normal methods of dating a photo, such as the period of the clothing, can be applied, but I think it’s fun to find these alternate clues. UPDATE: Good grief, I just found a third copy of this photo! I could corner the market on this guy! LOL For what it’s worth, not that anybody is particularly keeping tabs, this third logo reads “Danielsonville”.
Pics of Then 
I love that stripey tie.
re: “KIllingly”:
(by Edward Gorey)
Haha, love the Gorey. Re: the tie, yeah, it’s fun. I have another picture I’ll have to post soon of another guy, same era and photographer, so possibly related. His jacket is hanging open so you can really see his tie. It’s a tie in what we would now think of as a garish pattern, worn with a wide, light-colored belt, looking like parts from a ’70s leisure suit.
How cool to notice that town change, Matt. 🙂 The man has such a wistful look on his face. So interesting. 🙂
Thanks, Katie! The only reason I noticed it is because I’m doing this blog and bothering to notice such details. This particular photo came in a large box of randomly assorted photos I bought from a seller on eBay several years ago. At some point, after going through the box more than once, I realized there were two of these, plus a third photo from the same photographer. I was actually planning to post that third photo, but gathered all three to make sure there wasn’t information on the matching first two that would apply to the third (a name or date or something). That’s when I noticed the weirdness with the town name, and decided to post one of the first two instead. Glad you like it!
Hi
I just joined up. I also have a photo from Danielsonville….how do I post photos here? Thanks!
Hi Dave, thanks so much for deciding to follow my blog! It means a lot to me when people are that interested in it. I started this blog as a means of showcasing my own personal photo collection, letting other people see it and enjoy it, rather than just keeping it stashed away in boxes under my bed. To give my blog some focus, I’m limiting it to photos I own, rather than photos I find copies of on the web, or other people’s photos. So unfortunately, while I enjoy seeing other people’s photos, there isn’t a function for readers to upload their own photos to this site. Thanks for understanding, and I hope you’ll continue to enjoy my blog.
Ok, thanks!
I was trying to think if there’s a way to load a picture directly into a comment, and I can’t figure out how. But if you have your photo loaded somewhere else, on your own website or a site like Flickr, then be sure to share a link to it, since I and others here would be glad to see it.