Season Greetings Forrai's 1966

Subject: Louis and David Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1966.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

This photograph was taken at our front door. My mother had a shear curtain covering the true leaded glass multiple pane solid wood door. The shirts we are wearing were western in design, quite popular for this era, and made by my mother. Notice the tall radiator and letter holder by our front entrance.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Seasons Greetings Forrai's 1965

Greetings Forrai's 1964

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1963

Season's Greetings 1962

Merry Christmas 1961

Best Wishes 1960

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1965

Subject: Louis and David Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1965.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

The early Christmas greetings centered around the fireplace. The stockings hung by the fireplace were knit by my mother, Norma Forrai. I still have that sock and it hangs on the door knob in my house each holiday season. The PJs and slippers that I am wearing in this photograph were handmade by my mother. My brother is wearing a PJ suit with the enclosed feet.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Greetings Forrai's 1964

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1963

Season's Greetings 1962

Merry Christmas 1961

Best Wishes 1960

Greetings Forrai's '64

Subject: David and Louis Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1964.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

The early Christmas greetings centered around the fireplace.  The stockings hung by the fireplace were knit by my mother, Norma Forrai. I still have that sock and it hangs on the door knob in my house each holiday season.

This photograph, 1964, was taken in the dining room on my childhood home on Luther Avenue. My father pinned the plastic Greetings to the curtain. This was the west end of the house. If you look closely you will see the radiator.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Albert Emil Reichardt

Subjects: Unknown girl and Albert Emil Reichardt (age 64).
Date: May 1950.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Grant Blvd., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: husband of grand aunt.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. Once my mother retired, she went through boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. I am posting and commenting on the photographs from this album.

The 'unknown girl' in this photograph is most likely a neighbor's child. I remember my grandmother relaying this information. My Grand Uncle Albert passed away at age 73 seven months after I was born. Albert was the man that introduced my father Joseph to my mother Norma. Albert and my father were both members of the Elk Club in Milwaukee. They would meet there for lunch and play cards. I am sure at these boy's clubs there was some matchmaking going on.

My Grand Uncle and Aunt lived on a corner lot with the front of the house facing Grant Blvd in a two story white frame home. They had a large screened in front porch. My dad in the summer would occasionally sleep on the porch when he did not want to venture home after a hot card game down at the club.  As a very young child I remember spending a summer weekend with my Grand Aunt and sleeping on the front porch as well.

Lucille, Daniel and George Waswo

Subjects: (Left to Right) Lucille (age 28), George Daniel III (age 1+) and George Daniel Jr. (age 32).
Date: 1949.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Maternal Aunt, Nephew and Uncle.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. Once my mother retired, she went through boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. I am posting and commenting on the photographs from my album.

The house number above the door reads 2728. I am not sure whose residence this is. On the back of the photograph is printed 1949. Daniel III was born in June of 1948, and to me he looks closer to age 2 in this photograph. It is obvious it was taken during a warm time of the year with George and Lucille in shirt sleeves.

Perhaps some of my family members can comment and provide further details about the Waswo's during this period.

Waswo's Country Store

Subject: Waswo Country Store.
Date: 1947.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Maternal Uncle's business.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. Once my mother retired, she went through  boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. I am posting and commenting on the photographs from my album.

In keeping with the family tradition of bakeries and grocery stores, George Daniel Waswo Jr. opened a Deli on National Avenue. During this period, this was country! To the left, you can see the extension, and this was the residence of the Waswo's. With the advent of supermarkets, the deil did not survive. Later George and Lucille went to cosmetology school and opened a beauty shop. Lucille worked the shop until she retired at age 62. George went to work at a bank in the trust division, and the shop was leased to one of Lucille's former employees.

After Lucille passed following a battle with cancer, George hung onto the store and residence. He eventually sold the building and moved into an apartment.

To answer Karen's question (Blogger will not let me comment on my own post): I know the building lasted into the late 1980's early 1990's. When I was back in Wisconsin in 2009, I did not drive by to check it out. I went to google maps, and the building is still standing. It is a photography shop now.

Photo from google maps

Snow Storm

Date: 1947.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. Once my mother retired, she went through the boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. On the back of the photograph, it stated this was 7 inches of snow. The picture includes people next to a bus that was stuck in a snow drift. The house in the background looks similar to the home of my grandmother. Notice the street lamp and also the cables and electric lines for the electric street cars. The 'bus' could be an electric street car. Notice the two poles on the right. It is hard to make out, but this was how the car received its power.