13 Years Old, Mary Virginia Graham, 1934

13 yrs Mary Virginia 1934

A photograph of my aunt Mary Virginia Graham standing on the front steps of the house on Theodore in Detroit. She was named for both of her grandmothers. The writing on the photo says “13 yrs Mary Virginia 1934”.   A double exposure shows my mother sideways, overlapping.

My mother Doris with her sister Mary Virginia aka M.V. at Belle Isle.

This photo looks like it was taken the same day at Belle Isle, which was 5 miles from the house. The dresses are the same.  My mother is standing the same way that she in in the double exposure.

6638 Theodore Street, Detroit, Michigan.

Other posts about Mary V.

Mary Virginia Graham Colorized
Christmas Memories
Mary V’s Shoes
Old County Building and Mary V. Elkins
1940 Census – the Grahams
Three Generations – 1939

And a post about the house on Theodore

Click for more Sepia Saturday entries.

16 thoughts on “13 Years Old, Mary Virginia Graham, 1934

  1. A nice connection between the first two photographs and the third one of the house where your aunt was standing. Was that an attic window up in the roof?

    1. Yes, it was an attic window. The attic was over the whole house and I only went up there a few times. It was full of trunks and other old stuff. Now I wish I had spent some time up there. The stairs were in my grandmother’s room.

  2. Wonderful photos of your mother and Aunt M.V. I also enjoyed reading through your previous posts about your family and your aunt. As an adult, she was quite a stylish dresser with a variety of hats! You are fortunate to have so many photos of your family and their neighborhood.

    1. My aunt was quite the party person when I knew her as an adult. I liked these photos because she looks so vulnerable. Maybe she always felt that way inside.

  3. I like photos with imperfections in the print or cracks and worn edges. The patina of age gives them more depth of history.
    The house has a lot of charm, not unlike working class houses I’ve seen in other cities, but Google Street View shows it has vanished as most of the neighborhood is nothing but empty lots.

    1. I added a link above to a post I did on Theodore St. and the house when I was doing all the streets in my life. The house was torn down almost as soon as my grandparents moved in 1968. They sold it to the factory across the street and they tore it down to add to their parking lot. It was fenced in and being used as a storage yard last time I saw it, about15 years ago.

  4. I love the curiosity in Mary ‘s face….Infact ,her whole stance suggests someone relaxed.
    You dont say who is behind the camera?
    Lovely people .

    1. I think it was my grandfather Mershell C. Graham because he isn’t in the photos. My grandmother did appear in some from that day.

  5. Wonderful photos – all. But that first one has that something just a little extra – the double exposure. I have a few of those in my collections of pictures and some of them are actually pretty funny. But all are just that extra bit interesting! 🙂

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