Great story here- in 1938, Mr. Charles W. Cushman sold his share in the family business and found himself with a brand new 1938 Ford automobile and a lot of free time. He travelled the country and took photographs. Armed with a Contax II A camera and a seemingly endless ribbon of Kodak Color Film, he documented what he saw on his travels- for the next thirty one years.
By the time he died in 1972, he had amassed over 14,000 color slides representing a lifetime of stories- which he willed to his Alma Mater of Indiana University. Above is the brand new 1938 Ford and the equally brand new Golden Gate Bridge.
In 1940, be bought a brand new Lincoln Zephyr Coupe. Here it is in Elysian Park, Los Angeles.
And here's the Lincoln, still brand new, outside of Atascadero.
In 1942 Mr. Cushman took a job in Chicago, Here is the Lincoln against the Chicago Skyline.
Everyone rushed to get a new car after the war, but not Mr. Cushman. Here is the Lincoln in Virginia in the early fifties. He took the car with him when he moved to San Francisco around this time.
And Mr. Cushman posing with his old friend in 1958. The note says the car showed 202,700 miles on its odometer.
All things end, and it was time for a new car in 1958. He selected this Ford Fairlane Town Sedan.
A great shot of the Fairlane brand new agaist a farmer's field.
Here's a great shot of the new 1958 with Mrs. Cushman in the picture. Her red hat is the perfect accent.
The Ford was traded after ten years. Here his wife Jean poses with the 1958 and 1968 Fairlane Sedans.
This one is captioned "Saying Goodbye to the 1958 Ford."
He must have loved that Lincoln to keep it almost twenty years as daily transportation. Here's the original photo with a softening filter.
The Cushman Collection is a fascinating look at American Life from 1938-1969. It is maintained online by Indiana University and can be viewed here. One caution: You may get lost in the archives for days. (All photos courtesy of Charles W. Cushman Collection at Indiana University.)
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