Vintage Postcard: Main Street Essex

"Main St. Looking North, Essex, NY" — “Main St. Looking North, Essex, NY” (Source: Geo Davis via Rosslyn Redux)

Each Monday we share an Essex photo or artifact on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. This postcard is titled “Main St. Looking North, Essex, NY.” What do you recognize? What has changed with this view of Main Street compared to today?

Take a look at the one comment we already received about the photo that correctly identifies the site of the photo and some Essex buildings:

Dianne Lansing: I think it is looking north. Todd & Gretel Goff’s house on the far right, Essex Inn near the left center of the photo. I think the photo was taken before my time! I wonder what caused the trees to go?

Dianne’s question about the trees acknowledges one difference from today’s Main Street Essex—the lack of these great trees. Does anyone know why many of them were removed? Did they simply grow too old and needed to be removed for safety? Or it looks like the road in the photo may be unpaved—perhaps widening of the road or some other development made taking down some trees necessary?

Vintage postcard entitled: "Main St. Looking South, Essex, NY." circs 1940s — Vintage postcard entitled: “Main St. Looking South, Essex, NY.” circs 1940s (Source: Geo Davis via Rosslyn Redux)

According to some text on the back of the postcard that photo was taken by CW Hughes & Co. of Mechanicville, NY for Alexander’s News Room of Essex, NY. Given that the same notation is also on the back of a postcard we’ve already featured [pictured right] and its name is similarly labeled as “Main St. Looking South, Essex, NY,” can we assume that it was taken at similar time? Which would be circa 1940s…

Share your thoughts and opinions in the comments!

Share Your Essex Artifacts

If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [at] essexonlakechamplain [dot] com.

Vintage Postcard: Crater Club (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Snow Champy in Essex Bay (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Essex Inn (Early 1900s) (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: 1940s Main Street Looking South (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Photo: Essex Fire Truck (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Old Parkhill House (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

About Katie Shepard

Passionate about reading and writing stories, Katie Shepard enjoys discovering more about her home while writing and editing for Essex on Lake Champlain. Katie graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh in 2011 where she studied English literature, philosophy, and Asian studies. Her first book Essex, New York Architecture: A Doodler's Field Guide was published in 2015. Connect with her on Facebook or at Linked.in. Or email her at katie [@] essexeditions [dot] com.