Saturday, August 11, 2012

SATURDAY - Around the USA

Here's "Capt. Frank's Sea Food House", at the end of the 9th Street Pier in Cleveland Ohio (photo from June 1959). Apparently Capt. Frank's was a pretty popular eatery - depending on who you ask. You can find online comments that range from "Yum!" to "Terrible". As always, the cars help to make this photo a lot of fun.


If any of you are familiar with the 1984 Jim Jarmusch film, "Stranger than Paradise" (a movie I love), you can see Captain Frank's in the background as our main characters arrive on a brutally cold winter day. This is apparently the view from the other side of the building.


"Covey's Little America" was an oasis of comfort and convenience for weary travelers passing through the great state of Wyoming. As you can see, the sign says that there are 55 gas pumps, which made it the largest gas station in America. In 1963 the name was changed to "Holder's Little America", and the place is still thriving today. See some vintage postcards and some more Covey's history here and here!



10 comments:

Nanook said...

Capt. Frank's certainly attracts a fine bevy of late model automobiles; especially that 1958 Oldsmobile Super 88, right there in the front on the right. Man - talk about chrome, or more than likely: polished stainless steel-! Right behind it is a 1959 Ford - fairly certain it's a Galaxie. And then behind that is another 1959 Ford, but this is the lower-priced Custom 300 model.

Then making the turn by the front door is the lovely two-tone 1956 Plymouth - perhaps the Suburban.

All the fellas' seem to be gathered 'round the lovely 1957 Lincoln Premiere. Heck, this baby may even have 6-way power seats & power window vents. Ahhhhh.

I'll let someone else have fun with the Covey's Little America parking lot. Although there is a '60 or '61 Corvair on the left and the gent leaning under the hood is that of a 1956 Chevrolet.

These are great images, Major. Thanks.

K. Martinez said...

Captain Frank's kind of reminds me of childhood days in my hometown Santa cruz when the family would go to lunch or dinner at the Santa Cruz Wharf. Love the blue and white sign.

Rich T. said...

K. Martinez, I also immediately thought of Santa Cruz when I saw that shot.

Major, that's one great back story Little America's got! Does it still have live penguins?!?

Looks like that poor fellow on the right might be staying awhile.

Anonymous said...

Nice shots today Major!
Have to wonder if some of the discouraging comments left by diners at Capt. Frank's are the result of an awkward combination of location and product...Cleveland and sea food.
Love the cars!!

Bill in Denver

Pete Naegele said...

I grew up around Cleveland in the 1970's. That pier and Capt. Frank's are legendary here. I remember getting ice cream with my family on the opposite side of the building!

Melissa said...

I want to go to the Souvenirs Fountain!

David said...

I may be wrong, but the horrible stripped shirt on the guy in the top photo is back in fashion and selling at Kohls.

Never, ever where horizontal striped shirts, that's fashion 101!!!

Major Pepperidge said...

Nanook, I will have to bow to your expertise as far as the automobiles go… I am clueless. I wish I was able to ID cars just by looking at them!

K. Martinez, Santa Cruz… I was there one time as a kid and loved it (especially the boardwalk, of course).

Rich T., I don't know about the penguins, but I seem to recall seeing a photo of penguins in a glassed-in habitat…

Bill in Denver, ha ha!

Peter Naegele, I found quite a few articles online mentioning Captain Frank's, seems like many people had fond memories of it. Did it finally just go downhill until the food was too terrible and it had to close?

Melissa, I am imagining a magnificent fountain with plush animals shooting up into the air!

David, what's so terrible about striped shirts? French mimes wear them all the time, and they look awesome.

walterworld said...

We stopped for gas at Little America in July, 2006 on our way to Mount Rushmore. The ice cream cones were only 10 cents (or was it a quarter?) which made my kids very happy!

Anonymous said...

We stayed at a Little America in either Wyoming or Utah not long after this picture was taken.

I remember the "colonial" style buildings and the penguin logo.

I wonder if all their computers run on Linux today.

If I ever go to Cleveland, I am not passing up Captain Frank's. Also, we could pay cash for a time machine by selling the beautiful cars in that lot.

Thank you Major.

JG