Beautiful Life of an American Family From the 1930s and Early 1940s Through Amazing Pics

A beautiful photo collection from Wes Johnson that captured daily life of an American family from the 1930s and early 1940s.

“Pictures from the Byrne Family Archive, mostly from John Byrne. Many of the descriptions are courtesy of John Byrne.
My Aunt Rosemary Molloy has gone to great efforts to preserve the memoirs of the Domino Lane generation.”

 
The edge of the orchard looking towards the southeast. Domino Lane ran in front of the Lower House, on the far left. The girl beside the kitchen is probably Dolores. Her mother, Aunt Anna, could have taken the picture, since they lived there at that time, circa mid-1930s

 

Aunt Anna's mother, Anna Marie Downing, sits on the stump off of Domino Lane, 1934

 

Dolores at the Domino Lane lower house, May 1934

 

Dolores, 1934

 

The very photogenic Aunt Rose at the family farm in North Wales, PA, about 1934

 

A friend of the family stopping by to show off his new car, circa 1930s

 

Aunt Rose reads a Christmas card on the couch, Christmas 1935. She was about 26 at the time. She died in 1995 at age 85

 

Aunt Rose with Wildflowers at the North Wales farmhouse woodlot, probably 1935

 

Domino Lane Barn. The road in front of the barn came up on the right from the barnyard. It goes off on the left to the Upper House

 

Domino Lane farmhouse shed

 

Frank on a horse, around 1935

 

Gathering Christmas decorations, circa mid-1930s

 

North Wales farmhouse in the mid-1930s

 

Stroll on Ventnor Boardwalk, Easter 1935. In front of the a long lost Ventnor gathering place, which was on the Ventnor Pier until the Library burned down in 1940. (L to R) Mary Knox, Uncle Ed, Aunt Francis

 

Stroll on Ventnor Boardwalk, Easter 1935. My grandfather is second from the left, my grandmother is second from the right. (L To R) Uncle Jim (?), Jim Byrne, Mary Knox, Aunt Frances, Aunt Helen ("Nana"), and Aunt Betty Hitt

 

The edge of Domino Lane, parallel with the Lower House, looking south east, circa mid-1930s

 

The Fox farmhouse as seen from Domino Lane looking in the northeast direction. It was located above the Upper House, closer to Ridge Avenue, and on the other side of the road

 

The main Domino Lane barn in the 1930s, plus the addition, as seen from the south side. The design came over with the 18th century German immigrants. It is called a side-hill barn; and was very popular in Eastern Pennsylvania

 

Tom and Dolores below the Domino Lane Lower House, May 26, 1935

 

Tom and Dolores taken by Aunt Anne in front of the wood shed at the Domino Lane farmhouse, January 25, 1935

 

Tom and Dolores. Taken by Aunt Anna at the Domino Lane farmhouse. January 25, 1935

 

Uncle Ed., probably about 1935. He took most of these old photographs. He seemed to be a pretty decent photographer

 

Uncle Frank and Aunt Rose On the North Wales Farm. Around 1935

 

Uncle Frank, Aunt Rose, and Uncle John can be seen in this North Wales picture. The little girl and her parents are the Zoller family that rented space in the farmhouse

 

Unknown lady holding unknown child in front of Aunt Maggie's house on Sacramento Ave., Ventnor, NJ

 

My Mother's family before she was born, Ventnor Beach, Summer 1936

 

The Twins on the Ventnor Boardwalk, 1937 or 1938

 

Uncle Jim, Aunt Mary, Aunt Helen, Aunt Betty, and Uncle Ed Renz with their 11 children in the late 1930s. The long gone Ventnor Music Pier is in the background

 

Ventnor Beach, 1937

 

Ventnor Beach, Summer 1937. Betty and Mimi Byrne

 

Uncle Frank and Aunt Betty's colorized 1940 wedding picture

 

Aunt Maggie in the early 1940s

 

Aunt Mary and Uncle Ed Renz with their children Charlie, Jim, Ed, Tom, and Mary. License plate says its 1943

 

Uncle Joe in the early 1940s

 

 
Uncle Frank and family. The photo was taken by the Gravers Road farmhouse garage in 1947. Aunt Anna probably took the picture