Historic Hood River
“The Marmon”
Notes
From Dean Fletcher’s caption:
W.F. Laraway and his 1910 Model 32 four cylinder vertical, water cooled, Marmon. Manufactured in Indianapolis Indiana, the Marmon was one of the most technically advanced amd expensive early automobiles. 1909 Marmon price tag was $2750, at the same time a new Model T sold for $350. Ida Laraway, Debbie Cooper, Adah P., W.F. and Thurston Laraway. [A-480]
If you look closely you may see Laraway’s left hand is tugging on a string to release the camera shutter. The string comes down and to the right from his hand to the bottom of the frame.
This photograph was taken in front of the Laraway home at 214 Front Street. The home survives, though it is now 212 Front Street. W.F. built a special garage behind the house with a turntable so the Marmon could be rotated (it is now gone). I guess W.F. didn’t like to drive in reverse.
Dale Nicol
The Laraway photo’s have been absolutely super sharp and the clarity is amazing.
Nellie
Ida Laraway would have been W. F.’s daughter in law. She was the wife of his son, Ralph/Ralf. Probably Debbie Cooper was a friend. Thurston was his youngest son.
I find the "dust coats" interesting. I have photo of my own family in them. Also the women with their scarves over their heads as a hat was a MUST and one needed to keep it attached to ones head and keep as much dirt off of it as possible. No respectable woman would go out without a hat in that era, plus gloves. Always gloves.
L.E.
I looked up Marmon. They were beautiful cars. One of its advertisements was…"Raising one wheel in the Marmon does not tend to tilt the other axle, hence does not twist or strain the mechanism. This is true of no other car."
Perhaps Laraway thought it would do well on the rough road to Cloud Cap.
I wonder if Laraway made the lady’s eyeglasses?
ArthurB
I know Laraway made children’s eyeglasses– we have a bunch of kids portraits with glasses. I think it’s a good bet he made those glasses for his wife.
Charlott
Debbie Cooper was no doubt a relative through Will Cooper.
ArthurB
"Debbie" was Will Cooper’s wife, Cora. Apparently "Debbie" was a nickname.
Stephanie Fincher
Debbie was indeed Cora married to Will Cooper. She was daughter to W.F. and mother to Florence Adah Cooper who was Dean Fletcher’s grandmother. Flo is the little girl in the photo with white dog and tree swing. I have no idea how Cora got the nickname Debbie (Aunt Deb) but I can tell you it is confusing when working with my genealogy files!