While looking for something else this weekend (which remains unfound), I came across a travel magazine published by Greyhound in 1955, which I bought somewhere sometime and forgot all about. As is often the case with vintage magazines, the best part of the pub is the ads.
Here’s one for Wisconsin, starring Dad in a coma, his squirrely friend, and Bucky the Lucky Badger. (It is the Badger state, after all.)
I’m not sure what’s happened to King Dad in Florida, but he too has clearly reached some sort of addled vacation nirvana.
Michigan decided to sell itself with sex. Certainly when I think of Michigan, I think of booty, don’t you? And note the caution to Drive safely! As in, what are you lookin’ at, Bub?
Kentucky, however, sniffs at the prurient interests of Hawaiian vacationers and instead invites the whole family to hang with the Colonel instead. Hm. A bold and counterintuitive campaign.
I’m glad Kentucky included that postscript at the end. For a moment I thought they were throwing down the gauntlet with the Hawaiian territory.
It would be fun to see a grudge match between Hula Babe and the Colonel, though.
Look at the look on the Colonel’s face. I don’t think he wants to fight the Hula Babe….the old skank.
Maybe a tickle fight.
A tickle fight with the Colonel. Welcome to tonight’s nightmare.
This took a horribly wrong turn somewhere…
In New Jersey, I think.
Suddenly it makes sense.
There’s always room for a jab at Jersey, right Jenna?
I’m from Manhattan. It’s what we do.
Just a reminder that I lived in NYC for the last 17 years. You were in…?
That Wiscinsin badger sure looks like a squirrel!!
And the Florida one reminds of that cialis commercial. The one with Bob and the swimming pool — you know rising to the occasion.
And I think it’s pretty cool that Michigan has air conditioned their whole state.
Think of the electric bill!
It doesn’t seem right that both Florida and Michigan are claiming “air conditioned” beaches. Maybe A/C was still a luxury item in 1955.
I know I’m spending way too much time on these now but… Who counted all these lakes in Wisconsin and Michigan? This was three years before the first satellite was launched, how can they be so precise with those lake numbers? And even if they are sure, what’s wrong with “more than 8,000 lakes?”
No such thing as spending too much time on Flyover America! But that’s an excellent question and now an answer I must find. I’ll see what I can do.
Fantastic. You touched a latent memory I had completely forgotten: clipping and mailing for those free travel brochures and then the wait and anticipation of them arriving and seeing a new world different from mine.
How wonderful, Tim. I don’t think I ever did that. I didn’t really think about travel until I was a young adult.
Tim — Another bit of fun killed by the internet. Darned internet!
Just realized that, in light of what we write about out here, the NYC ribbing that Sophie and I trade is extra funny and silly. We really need somebody who lives in Wisconsin to come in here and rough us up for living an early life without cheese curds.
And what Dallas people think is important on this issue? Um, no.
Of course, strictly speaking, the conversation did actually take its turn when the contingent from NJ pointed out the Colonel’s leer.
Yes but it was a turn toward more entertainment.
[...] that old travel magazine I [...]
[...] few months ago, our new BFF Chris Brown looked at some old travel ads I posted and wondered, “Who counted all these lakes in Wisconsin and Michigan? This was three [...]
Dallas. I’m in Dallas, Texas and I’ve been here since 1982 but here, I’m still considered a Yankee. So 17 years? Pffff.