Title:
Northeast Parks, Rivers, and Waterways 1958
REEL ID:
L018R017
RUN TIME:
0:09:13
FORMAT:
16mm motion picture film
FILM TYPE:
Kodak Kodachrome
SOUND:
Silent (no synchronized sound)
Description:
This reel, dated 1958, documents a wide-ranging journey through the northeastern United States, combining national parks, rural industry, historic landmarks, and campsite life. Shot on color 16mm film without synchronized sound, the footage reflects the observational style of midcentury family travel.
The film opens in Baxter State Park and Game Sanctuary, where travelers pick berries and prepare meals on a Coleman camp stove amid forested surroundings. Logging activity appears nearby, with logs floating through a waterway—capturing the working landscapes that defined much of the region.
Travel continues through New Hampshire, featuring quiet campsites and sunlight filtering through dense trees. A roller coaster set among the forest suggests a roadside attraction or park visit, followed by views of the historic Old Man of the Mountain, filmed prior to its collapse in 2003.
In Vermont, rural scenes include a woman holding lobsters and views of a wooden covered bridge spanning a country road. The journey then moves into New York, where a water-powered mill operates beside a stream and boating unfolds on a mountain river.
Iconic regional landmarks appear as the camera captures the Hudson River Bridge, followed by wooded scenery in Catskill Park. Footage of Lake Ontario emphasizes the scale of the Great Lakes, while campsite routines continue with dishwashing and evening cleanup.
The reel includes scenes from Alexandria Bay, leading to dramatic waterfall imagery—cascades framed by mist and rainbows—culminating at Horseshoe Falls. The journey concludes along Lake Erie, with a calm sunset marking the end of the day’s travel.
Together, these scenes preserve a richly detailed midcentury record of northeastern travel—where wilderness parks, historic landmarks, industrial labor, and campsite routines coexist within one family’s 1958 journey.
Tags:
1958, Carl Damaske Collection, Home movies, 16mm film, Color home movies, Silent film, Northeast travel, Baxter State Park, Game Sanctuary, Berry picking, Coleman camp stove, Logging operation, Floating logs, New Hampshire, Old Man of the Mountain, Vermont, Covered bridge, Lobsters, New York State, Water-powered mill, Boating, Hudson River, Catskill Park, Lake Ontario, Camping, Washing dishes, Alexandria Bay, Waterfalls, Rainbow waterfall, Horseshoe Falls, Niagara Falls, Lake Erie, Sunset, Midcentury travel, Americana, Analog film, Nostalgic footage, Archival home movie
