The James Blackstone Memorial Library has in its collection a photograph album by the VanDyke Studio of Stony Creek. The album consists of 257 photographs and postcards with descriptions from various parts of town and a few from North Branford. The VanDyke Studio is never listed in the Branford Town Directories. It appears that the photographs were numbered and placed in the album in the late 1970s. By 2006, the album had deteriorated and the photographs are brittle, breaking easily. At this time, the photographs have been scanned to preserve the images, decreasing the wear on the album, and making viewing and reproductions easier.
The photographs were taken by H. Rossiter Snyder for the VanDyke Studios. He was a retired Lieutenant Commander of the United States Navy. He took the photographs between July 1st and December 31st in 1921 and by 1922 was living in Boston. Many of the photos were used for postcard images and sold to the public. Where known, the owners in 1921 are included in the description.
In 2007 the Bloss family of Short Beach donated the negatives taken by Snyder that were in the possession of the Arthur Seaburg estate.
Jane Peterson Bouley
Beckett Avenue, Short Beach
Farm River, Short Beach, looking south
Clark Avenue, Short Beach, burned in 1923, Bristol House
Clark Avenue, Short Beach, Johnson’s Beach
Bungalow Point, Short Beach
Main Street, Short Beach, Center Beach
Main Street, Short Beach, Granite Bay Hotel, burned in 1958
Double Beach Road, Short Beach, Gray Mansion, burned in 1924
Double Beach Road (end of), Short Beach, 1921 owners Jennie & William Prout
Double Beach Road, Short Beach, opposite the trolley station
Lanphiers Cove, Short Beach
Short Beach Road, Short Beach
West Main Street, Branford Hills, John Plant house, gone
West Main Street, Branford Hills, 1921 owners Henry & Jennie Linsley, gone
West Main Street, Branford Hills, 1921 owners William & Grace Harrison, Samuel Plant house, gone
West Main Street, Branford Hills, 1921 owner John Alex, gone
West Main Street, Branford Hills, 1921 owner Rosenthal, gone
West Main Street, Branford Hills, 1921 owner Albert B. Plant, gone
West Main Street, Branford Hills, 1921 owner Albert B. Plant, gone
West Main Street, 1921 owner James Barker
West Main Street, 1921 owner Simpson
120 West Main Street, 1921 owner Harry Paul
West Main Street, 1921 owner Nelson W. Smith
108 West Main Street, 1921 owner Alexander M. Wood
102 West Main Street, 1921 owner Frederick S. Jourdan
101 West Main Street, 1921 owner Zacker/Zacharewicz
67 West Main Street, 1921 owner Thomas O’Brien
Cherry Hill Road, Canoe Brook School
West Main Street, 1921 owner MIF (Malleable Iron Fittings)
40 West Main Street, 1921 owner Sliney
North Harbor Street, 1921 owner M. O’Brien, Thomas Harrison house
113 Maple Street, 1921 Michael Laich
115 Maple Street, 1921 owner Joseph Klimas
120 Maple Street, 1921 owner Walworth (MIF, Malleable Iron Fittings)
132 Maple Street, 1921 owner Elizabeth Prout
35 West Main Street, 1921 owner John T. Sliney
24 West Main Street, 1921 owner Joseph Laich
12 Bradley Street, 1921 owner Mrs. Winfield Morgan
26 Main Street, 1921 owner William Clancy
Russell Street, 1921 owner T.D. Williams
Russell Street, 1921 owner T.D. Williams
Russell Street, 1921 owner T.D. Williams
62 Elm Street, 1921 owner T.D. Williams
119 Elm Street, 1921 owner Alfred E. Hammer
26 Kirkham Street
Kirkham Street, 1921 owner Dubreuil (MIF, Malleable Iron Fittings)
MIF, Malleable Iron Fittings
MIF, Malleable Iron Fittings
Main Street, 1921 owner V.T. Hammer
94 Main Street, 1921 owners Zdanowicz & Levy
106 Main Street, 1921 owner P. McKeon
110 Main Street
118 Main Street, 1921 owner Lester J. Nichols
128 Main Street, 1921 owner Isaac H. Palmer
87 Main Street, 1921 owner V.T. Hammer
99 Main Street, 1921 owner Edmund Zacher
105 Rogers Street, 1921 owner Baptist Church
95 Rogers Street, 1921 owner Warren E. Mumford
87 Rogers Street, 1921 owner Fred S. Prann
81 Rogers Street, 1921 owner C.E. Peterson
75 Rogers Street, 1921 owner Julia Atwood Linsley
62 Rogers Street, 1921 owner Herbert E. Thatcher
58 Rogers Street, 1921 owner S. Pond
St. Mary’s Church, burned in 1972
24 Cedar Street, 1921 owners Jane & Walter Fowler, later John Birch
85 Cedar Street, 1921 owners Thomas & Mary Williams
92 Cedar Street, 1921 owner Katherine Hart
137 Cedar Street, 1921 owner Mrs. Thomas Gardiner
James Blackstone Memorial Library
Main Street, looking west from the library
Main Street, looking east from the library
Bust of Timothy Blackstone in the Blackstone Library
Painting of James Blackstone in the Blackstone Library
23 Laurel Street, 1921 owner John P. Callahan
Laurel Street School, torn down in 1994
43 Laurel Street, 1921 owner John E. Donnelly
172 Main Street, 1921 owner Dr. A.J. Tenney
83 Hopson Avenue, 1921 owner Moore
75 Hopson Avenue, 1921 owner Mrs. Atwood Linsley
Hopson Avenue, Swedish Church
48 Hopson Avenue, 1921 owner Joseph Freeberg
45 Hopson Avenue, 1921 owners Johnson & Mickelson
42 Hopson Avenue, 1921 owner Joseph Mattson
32 Hopson Avenue, 1921 owners John & Victor Vickstrom
15 South Main Street, 1921 owner A.S. Babcock
23 South Main Street, 1921 owner Hattie F. Thompson
29 South Main Street, 1921 owner Visiting Nurse Association
41 South Main Street, 1921 owner Isaac Beach
49 South Main Street, 1921 owner David Baldwin
53 South Main Street, 1921 owner Earle E. Barker
65 South Main Street, 1921 owner Charles E. Bunnell
75 South Main Street, 1921 owner Samuel A. Griswold
Was 942 Main Street
210 Main Street, Henry Harrison House, the first Community House
Main Street, Baptist Church
Congregational Church
The Academy
Town Hall
Monument at Town Hall
Trinity Church
224 Montowese Street, 1921 owners Frances & George Page
225 Montowese Street, Trinity Parsonage, torn down in the 1950’s
225 Montowese Street, Trinity Parsonage, torn down in the 1950’s
24 Bradley Avenue, 1921 owner Mrs. Clifford
34 Bradley Avenue, 1921 owner John F. Kinney
38 Bradley Avenue, 1921 owner Cornelius McDermott
187 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Dr. A.J. McQueen
173 Montowese Street, 1921 owner A.S. Hopkins
147 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Merrill King, site of old Samuel Russell house
40 Wilford Avenue, 1921 owner Charles F. Bradley
28 Wilford Avenue, 1921 owner J. Arthur Bradley
18 Wilford Avenue, 1921 owner Walter N. Boynton
130 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Mason F. Smith
18 Averill Place, 1921 owner Arthur H. Merrill
24 Averill Place, 1921 owner Wallace H. Foote
34 Averill Place, 1921 owner Dr. George E. Evans
40 Averill Place, 1921 owner Adelia B. Stieler
44 Averill Place, 1921 owner Chester W. Prann
119 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Henry W. Averill
109 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Clarence H. Ryder
109 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Clarence H. Ryder
109 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Clarence H. Ryder
109 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Clarence H. Ryder
109 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Clarence H. Ryder
109 Montowese Street, 1921 owner Clarence H. Ryder
