• Sunday-What'sUP June 24 - 06:43 pm

It was before the crash of '29... before the Great Depression set in... before the world would be plunged into a second 'great war'. One cool morning in the summer of 1928 J.T. Reeder was on the beach at Eagle River with his camera, capturing some carefree moments with a little boy named Teddy.

I walked down to the beach this morning and took a couple of shots from the same angles, just like we did last week with the Houghton Monument at the entrance to Eagle River. I'll have them on in a few minutes if you'd like to check back after awhile...

...We finally posted the follow-up, which you can scroll down to see. Thanks again to Michigan Tech Archives and Copper Country Collection for their role in preserving the visual history of the region.

Good clarity!

Really enjoy these old photos, they take you right back in time. The top photo, way in the back, you can see their cars too. Really neat timing since we just had the Model A Convention in the UP. Thanks Charlie! looking forward to the other photos too!

What a sweet child! I like all the ladies wearing hats and dresses....no jeans or slacks back then!

These pictures are so sharp and clear they look like they had just been taken. The beach hasn't changed much either. Those pilings still stick out of the sand at the river mouth. The house with all of the windows in the first picture is still there,but at some point was rotated 45 degrees to face the water.

90 degrees

Oh how wonderful are these old photos. They place me into the life of my dear mom. She had just graduated from Lake Linden High School. I image she was excited at the thought of entering St. Joseph School of Nursing way down in the big city of Milwaukee.I wish I knew how that looked to her . How she managed to pay for the necessary schooling to accomplish her dreams.Like so many, even these days, knowing she had to chose a change from a small-town girl to a big city career and future.These photos show me how they dressed, themselves and the toddler. Thank you for giving us a glimps of their daily life.

Correction. Mom graduated in 1929 so these shots were the year she started her senior year at LLHS.

Love these old photos! My dad would have been 1 and my mom not even born yet. How wonderful these photos are. It's fun to think about how many generations of people lived here and walked these beaches before we were ever thought of. I wonder what they'd think of the world today. My parents always said they were such simpler times. But, of course, every generation has its good and bad. Anyway, thanks so much for the glimpse into the past again.

No dought all these people and the little guy are all gone, how sad. I remember the way they
dressed in the 30s how different than today. Your right Shirley no slacks or jeans in those days. Religious beliefs were against that in those days

Here are the shots from this morning, taken near the places where Mr. Reeder stood. The first is near the pier, with some of the old support posts still visible:

Eagle River Beach, click here for higher resolution

Thanks for those, Charlie, it was worth the 'few minutes' wait.;)
Lotta difference in 84 years, eh?

I suspect the Motel may be occupying some of the beach they were on in 1928.

I was 3 when those pictures were taken in 1928 so there is a
chance that Teddy is still with us. I wonder if he is and if he has
seen todays Pasty cam.

My Mom & Dad were 10 yrs of age in 1928, I wish I could go into the photo & visit them over in Allouez.

Charlie,I particularly like your panoramic shot. I so wish we were
there!

Nice, Charlie! I love the panoramic shot also. I did that in our yard the other day. Loved it! Thanks for sharing!

Erica, hope the tropical storm didn't hit too hard in your area! I have a grandaughter who lives near Tampa, where it was pretty rough!

Charlie, I have thoroughly enjoyed these photos! JT Reeder was my great-grandfather and he captured so much of UP life with his camera! We (cousins) played on this beach so often in my youth....haven't been to the UP in 20 years and really miss it. Thanks for posting the photos. --Carol