Vintage Photo: Church Street, Essex, NY

Girls Walking by Old Stone Church, Church Street, Essex, NY (Shared by Todd Goff)

We invited you to play Vintage Essex Trivia when we posted this old photo on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page last week. We asked the community to tell us what they think of the photo and if they could recognize the scene. Thank for sharing this photo with us, Todd Goff!

In the foreground of the image two women walking across Church Street in Essex, NY. The women are wearing sashes–perhaps they won some contest or are wearing them to mark themselves as part of some organization? Both sides of the street are lined with cars and there are a few people along the roadside, so we can deduce that this photo was probably taken during one some kind of event in Essex. Perhaps during the Fourth of July? On the right is the former Methodist Episcopal Church with a great full view of its bell-tower, which has since been lost to the passage of time.

Take a look at a few of the comments we received about the photo:

Christine Herrmann: Looking up Church St. from Main St. sometime in the 1930s. Probably same event as 2 photos ago!

Essex on Lake Champlain: Exactly right, Christine, at least about the location of the shot. You can *almost* see Hickory Hill at the top of the road.

Tilly Close: The Gold Dust Twins were Violet Zimlinghouse & Mrs. LaBarge, I think.

Do you agree with the date guessed? Perhaps those many vintage of the cars parked along the street would help someone identify an exact or approximate date? Do you know more about “Gold Dust Twins” as Tilly Close refers to the two women as? Tell us more in the comments!

We hope you’re enjoying these vintage images! Keep your eyes on the Essex on Lake Champlain blog every Monday for more.

Vintage Photo: Essex Flintstone Float (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Steamboats and The Champlain Canal (essexny.us)
Vintage Photo: Old Stone Church and Essex Inn (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Postcard: Main Street Essex (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
Vintage Stereoview: Essex Overlook (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)

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