Catching the Studebaker billboard on the side of the commercial structure snuggled to the towering church, upper-left, we confessed our uncertainty that all four photos in this montage of Army-related snapshots were photographed in France while Ralph Johnson was saving the world for democracy but rather somewhere that prescribed English for signage. Now Matthew Eng makes it 50% (for the moment) by identifying the upper-right photograph on this page of Johnson's album as the state capitol of Minnesota in St. Paul. Perhaps the American doughboys were acclimatizing for the winter weather of France with a stopover in St. Paul. (We also learn from other sources -aka Google - that the two spire church upper-left is St. Paul's Assumption Catholic Church. And now I learn that Matthew has also identified the church and more. The pix bottom right "is of the old St. Paul City Hall and Courthouse (http://srfminneapolis.org/Images/PYinMN/St%20Paul%20City%20Hall%201900.jpg). Perhaps the fourth image was taken at nearby Fort Snelling?") To check Eng's catch on the capitol we consulted a collection of state capitols in our keep featuring the "Overland Westerners" attempts to visit every state capitol in the country in 1912-13. The Overland Westerners from Washington State take a 1912 pose before the state capitol of Minnesota in St. Paul. (Courtesy Old Seattle Paperworks in the Pike Place Market, Lower Level)The four horsemen of Washington, aka The Overland Westerners, published this hand-out to promote and celebrate their attempt to visit every state capitol in their saddles and hopefully pose with the governors too.
SEVEN more CAPITOLS from the HORSE RIDE – ALL UNIDENTIFIED & THE GOVERNORS TOO!
The two other buildings pictured appear to be in St. Paul, MN, as well – Assumption Catholic Church (http://www.flickr.com/photos/73518834@N00/3264254667) and the old St. Paul City Hall and Courthouse (http://srfminneapolis.org/Images/PYinMN/St%20Paul%20City%20Hall%201900.jpg). Perhaps the fourth image was taken at nearby Fort Snelling?
Well I jump ahead on the church but not the Courthouse nor the Fort speculation. I’ll put those up on top.