Fun Discovery From My Family Archives

[craiginthecorn]

I spent a few hours yesterday sifting through family photos and mementos. One that delighted me was this photo of my great grandfather, Harry Carlton Cummins working in his art studio in LaPorte City, Iowa in roughly 1888, while smoking a corncob pipe. He was an interesting fellow best known for his work creating circus art for U.S. Tent and Awning in Chicago, which supplied Barnum and Bailey. Folks from Chicago might also remember the facade of the Aladdin's Castle Funhouse at Riverview. That was his work as well.
The paintbrush behind his ear reminds me of Brian Levine, who stashes his pipe cleaners there.

 

[mikethompson]

Very cool find!

 

[redglow]

Very nice! Is that a cob?

 

[scloyd]

That is very cool.
I haven't thought about Riverview Park in a long time.
I grew up on N. Kilbourn near Belmont until 1969 when our parents moved us all out to Crystal Lake. We lived like 3 miles from Riverview. My parents took us to Riverview a few times. I was a little kid and have faint memories of it.
Thanks for jogging my memories.

 

[craiginthecorn]

Is that a cob?

Looks like it to me! An old-school one with a simple reed stem, like those made by Old Dominion. I'm going to have to order one of those now!

 

[puffy]

Really Neat Picture

 

[cigrmaster]

Cool pic, thanks for sharing.

 

[brian64]

Great pic and great story. I wonder what blend(s) he smoked.

 

[mso489]

Boy, that photo rings some bells from the distant past. It's a great portrait of your great grandfather, really showing him in his life and element. I remember the Aladdin entrance from old TV ads and photos. When I was commuting to college in the late sixties, I remember sighting Riverview Park, then long-closed, the roller coaster and parachute drop, and then of course one day it was gone. What a tremendous visual family legacy.

 

[craiginthecorn]

Here's a decent B&W image. Over the years, it was repainted a number of times and so it changed from my great grandfather's original. He was a skilled fine art painter, too. This is an example of his circus-style work, however. I visited Riverview once or twice when very young, but have mostly memories of the parachute drop.

 

[sittingbear]

Very cool! Thanks for posting! I wonder if that's a MM cob?

 

[npod]

That’s a great story, Craig.

 

[cortezattic]

Great history there, Craig. I went to Riverview several times during the mid to late 50's, and a little more frequently to the roller skating rink across the street on Western Ave. The American Pickers reality TV show did an episode or two involving circus and tent art -- apparently highly collectible stuff.

 

[sablebrush52]

Craig,
That's very interesting and very, very cool. Thansk for sharing this bit of family history.

 

[jpmcwjr]

Yes, very cool.
I was also struck with the hair cut; looks very modern, unless that'a a beret he's wearing, and not longish hair above close cropped.

 

[craiginthecorn]

It looks to me like he’s wearing a beret. Allegedly, he had an offer from a benefactor to go to Paris to study, but his adoptive mother begged him not to go.
The most famous of the circus banner artists is Fred Johnson. His work is extremely valuable. I found a book which mentions that it was my great grandfather, whose health was failing, who was Johnson’s mentor. Johnson had no formal art training.

 

[alaskanpiper]

Rad pic.

 

[mau1]

Now that is special. Try and imagine what life was like back in 1888. Your great grandfather looks like he was in his mid-twenties. Thanks for sharing both pictures.

 

[mso489]

Jeeze, craig', it took me a second look at the original post to realize how strong a resemblance you have to your great grandpa! It could be the younger you dressed to play the part. Complete with pipe.

 

[snagstangl]

I live about an hour and a half south of LaPorte City. My grandparents lived near there in the 80's