Tom told me about paper signs put on bumpers at amusement parks ( cardboard car bumper cards ) in the late 1940's and 1950's, the precursor to bumper stickers, I'd never seen or heard of them until now!
I remember those. At some point when I was a kid, in the 50's , we got one from Fort Ticonderoga. Although we did not also get to Ausable Chasm, not far north of there, I remember seeing many bumper cards from there. Because they were non-adhesive, there was no liability for attaching them, and as I recall, if you went there, you'd find one on your car when you left.
As an aside, for some time I thought Ausable was an adjective accented differently, like maybe a cross between formidable and awesome. I always wondered how ausable it really was. In later years I did get there (I live very close to Ft. Ti now), and it is pretty impressive, but since I learned that the river it's named after just ends in a sandy delta, it's not quite as ausable as my childhood imagination would have it.
The bumper cards were probably fated to go away anyway because their connection with stiff wire requires bumpers that stand away from the car body. No place to put them any more.
I thought I posted so apologies if this is a second one. Those bumper cards required the bumper to be separate from the body, since they were attached with stiff wire, so probably fated to go away. I remember as a kid getting one at Fort Ticonderoga. Since there was no liability for stickum, the venue put one on every car in the lot, as I recall. When you started home, there would be one on your car. There were lots also from Ausable Chasm, not too far away.
Thanks so much. Brings tears to my eyes. In 1950 we received our first bumper card at "Santa's Workshop" Whiteface Mountain, NY in the Adirondack Mountains. My brother and I loved it and my mother did not complain. She was the driver. This is the oldest theme park in America, having opened in 1949. I remember Mr. Currie's "Fort Ticonderoga" bumper card because we had one, too, along with the attractions from Lake George, NY. Great memories!
I remember those. At some point when I was a kid, in the 50's , we got one from Fort Ticonderoga. Although we did not also get to Ausable Chasm, not far north of there, I remember seeing many bumper cards from there. Because they were non-adhesive, there was no liability for attaching them, and as I recall, if you went there, you'd find one on your car when you left.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, for some time I thought Ausable was an adjective accented differently, like maybe a cross between formidable and awesome. I always wondered how ausable it really was. In later years I did get there (I live very close to Ft. Ti now), and it is pretty impressive, but since I learned that the river it's named after just ends in a sandy delta, it's not quite as ausable as my childhood imagination would have it.
The bumper cards were probably fated to go away anyway because their connection with stiff wire requires bumpers that stand away from the car body. No place to put them any more.
thank you!
DeleteI thought I posted so apologies if this is a second one. Those bumper cards required the bumper to be separate from the body, since they were attached with stiff wire, so probably fated to go away. I remember as a kid getting one at Fort Ticonderoga. Since there was no liability for stickum, the venue put one on every car in the lot, as I recall. When you started home, there would be one on your car. There were lots also from Ausable Chasm, not too far away.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much. Brings tears to my eyes. In 1950 we received our first bumper card at "Santa's Workshop" Whiteface Mountain, NY in the Adirondack Mountains. My brother and I loved it and my mother did not complain. She was the driver. This is the oldest theme park in America, having opened in 1949. I remember Mr. Currie's "Fort Ticonderoga" bumper card because we had one, too, along with the attractions from Lake George, NY. Great memories!
ReplyDeleteBeen to Santa's workshop many times. Sadly Frontier Town is abandoned and over grown. It used to be a huge attraction.
ReplyDelete