A Charming Young Lady

This (above) is probably the oldest photograph we have of Ada Estelle Carroll. She is said to be 16 years old here which dates the picture at 1911 or 1912, depending on the month it was taken.  A studio-type photo like this would seem to mark some special occasion, but maybe it could have been just a visit to another town.  The back of the original has Post Card markings imprinted; perhaps photos like this were taken to mail to far away relatives.

The above is one of my favorites.  Those are some very snappy-looking garments.  The hat bears a monumental hatpin, the coat has a black velvet collar, there is lace at the wrists and those gloves must be kid or calfskin.  Daughter Claudia Kohl reminds us that Ada taught dance classes and traveled to Williamsport, Pennsylvania, probably by train, to do so.  She would have dressed in her best for these trips, I'm sure.  I'm thinking if she was 16 in 1911 and married in 1916 at age 20, then the above picture falls somewhere in between, 1913, 1914 or 1915.

These next two are photos from the ten-day honeymoon in Atlantic City.  Atlantic City in 1916!  Some background I've read on the Boardwalk indicate that it had been washed away by storms three or four times prior to 1916, but from that year on it had been rebuilt with those diagonal boards and steel railings and has pretty much remained the same since -- except for the casinos, of course.

Very sweet - love this photo.  Risking indelicacy, I've gotta ask -- what did these kids do in Atlantic City for ten whole days!  Ada is not exactly wearing beach-walking attire.  I suppose they probably stayed at a boarding house, sat in big rocking chairs on the open porch sipping cool beverages, strolled the Boardwalk and ate ice cream cones. Probably talked about what superior children and grandchildren they would have.  That's what I think, anyway.

Big hugs.  --cds/ck