Entrance to the Clubhouse, Hialeah Race Course, Hialeah, Fla.

The beautiful Royal Palm Driveway to the Club House at Hialeah Race Course is familiar to thousands of visitors all of the year.

Miami Beach, Fla July 16, 1952

Have thought about you so many times since we are here staying over on the Beach for several days.

Alice and Albert W.

Mrs. C. K. Kettering

Annville, Penna.


It seems very likely that C.K. Kettering is related to the people that started Kettering Corner in this small Pennsylvania town of about 4,000 people.  Kettering Corner is an historic ice cream parlor that seems to cater to the students of Lebanon Valley College, also located in the town.  It's family owned, so we'll see if they can shed any light on C.K. Kettering or Alice and Albert.  

Looking Across Pancoast Lake, Miami Beach, Florida

One finds a colony of hundreds of modern Hotels and Apartments designed with all the comforts for the Beach visitors, winter and summer, on a very narrow strip of land between the Atlantic Ocean Pancoast Lake and between 25^th and 44^th Streets.

Miami Beach February 27, 1950

Had dinner with Julia and Malcolm today- They were very pleasant

Took us sailing in 36 ft. auxiliary- Hugh was sick so I just called and said hello.  Nan was out- couldn’t get her on the phone- got transported by chauffeur Swastika is a beautiful house

Peggy and Fairfax were there with 2 kids-

Very pleasant in all.

Verado Beach tomorrow.

Love

Mr. and Mrs. G. W. Cassidy

162 Grace Rd.

Babylon, New York

A colony of Importantly-Capitalized Hotels and Apartments!  Where Julia and Malcolm live!  Ohm they are so pleasant.  A 36 foot auxillary was either a boat, or a lost German army division, secretly laying in wait within Miami Beach.  No sign of a house or any establishment in Miami Beach called “Swastika,” which seems highly unlikely to find just 5 years after World War II.  Varado Beach tomorrow, Washington, DC next week!

Seriously, there was a "Swastika House" in Miami, and it was named after the Indian symbol of the Sun.   Industry magnate and Florida land boom profiteer William John Matheson built the house in the early 20th century, and passed it onto his son, Malcom.  There is also a Swastika Park subdivision in Miami, built in 1917, most likely by Mr. Matheson.  Malcolm Matheson demolished the house at 3645 Ingraham Highway in the 1970's,  but the tony subdivision in Coconut Grove still retains the name.

The house on Grace Road in Babylon, New York doesn't exist.  Neither does a Grace Road in Babylon.  The city of over 200,000 people doesn't seem to have an online record of a G.W. Cassidy, which is strange if the sender knew so many of Miami society folks.

Mcfadden-Deauville Pool, Miami Beach, Florida

Saint Augustine April 8, 1948

Saw a wonderful water show here.

When are you coming to visit us?  We start home Tues.  Should be there in a week or so. 

Mr. and Mrs. Horace L. Campbell

Route 2

Rogersville, Mo.

"A usual crowd at the renowned water carnival held every Sunday during the winter season at Deauville Pool, Miami Beach, Florida."  The MacFadden-Deauville Hotel pool is still in operation, now known as the Deauville Beach resort.

Sadly, the SSDI lists a Horace Campbell as deceased in Rogersville, MO on September 1, 1972.  Since the small town has a population today of a little over 3,000 people , I feel pretty confident that this Horace is the same as the recipient.  I was hoping to find him in these historical photos.

An Exclusive Helicopter Scene of Miami Beach

An exclusive Helicopter scene of the Fabulous Miami Beach Hotels from 29^th St. and Collins Ave. to the “Firestone estate.”  Indian Creek Drive is on the left.

March 12, 1955.

French text?

Mrs. Anthony Pospisil

6714 W. 16^th Street

Berwyn, Illinois

Ooh!  An exclusive Helicopter scene!  So exclusive that it’s Capitalized!  Just Like The Hotels In Fabulous Miami Beach!

The “Firestone Estate” refers to the mansion of Harvey Samuel Firestone, the founder .  In 1954, it was demolished for the construction of a new hotel- the Fontainebleau, so this card was printed and sat around for at least two years.  

Berywyn, Illinois is a town of about 55,000 people in Cook County, near Cicero.  Mr. Pospisil's address is unclear through Google StreetView, but it's in a nice little neighborhood across from Abe's Auto Repair.  As to Mr. Pospisil's identity, the state of Illinois lists a barber license that expired in 1987 for the same name.  Perhaps someone in Cicero remembers a French speaking barber?

I hope someone can make out the text.  The script makes it difficult to read, but as stated above, I believe it’s French.  

Gulfstream Park from Main Club Terrace Entrance between Miami and Hollywood, Fla.

Miami Beach, Fla

November 20, 1957

11/18

Dear Harold:

They make the race tracks here very beautiful and attractive so they can take your money away painlessly.  Fortunately no tracks are open now.  Only a few more days then back to the cold city.

RTS?

Mr. Harold Pownall

118 W. Gorgas St.

Philadelphia 19

Pennsylvania


The Florida Derby is happening on March 31 at this historic track, where it has been held since 1952.  Started at Tampa Downs in 1926, the Derby is the premiere event of the Florida horse racing season, which as our writer notes, begins in January and ends in April.  In fact, if RTS had stuck around for a few months, he could have seen Tim Tam win the Florida Derby, only to nearly miss out on the Triple Crown at Belmont.

The name Harold Pownall comes up on quite a number of retrieved records in a Google search and on the SSDI, but since none tie that name to the city of Philadelphia.