As last week’s post concluded our recap of objects on display in the Hollow Medium booth at the end of July, it is time for us to dig deeper into Lenora’s trunk. Within those depths we have the chance to learn more about the people this woman spent her life with.
Alongside her own keepsakes, Lenora also held onto a few memories of her sister, June. What follows appear to be mementos of a date between June Bowen and the man who would become her husband, Timothy Martin.
The venue for this rendezvous was quite unique and speaks to the heart of St. Augustine culture in the nineteen-tens. While the display of large-scale reptiles is commonplace today, this type of attraction was considered a novelty at the time. (Not to mention, a bold choice for romance. At any time.)
Never having studied this era before I discovered the trunk, I must admit to struggling with some of the language it contains, even now. I’m no historian, and historical youth culture was never a hobby of mine. The slang used, both in Lenora's recordings and some of these documents, can occasionally be incomprehensible for me. I’ll be needing plenty of help in this area from those of you who have volunteered to join the investigation, particularly as we approach the release of the first batch of cylinders.
I wonder if the two oval objects below the perfume bottle are pennies that have been flattened on the rails of the St Johns trolley?