Early 19th-Century Ypsi Photo Censorship

This is a 1917 photo of D. L. Quirk, son of the well-known bank founder. Father and son both had large mansions, still standing, on North Huron St. Daniel Jr. was well-known for his love of the theater and the performing world. He often had theater performers or circus performers as guests in his home. Here he is participating in "Alley Festa," a onetime downtown street festival.

Daniel Jr. is seen here in blackface, in line with the longtime (and, thankfully, onetime) popularity of minstrel-type performers. Minstrel shows were quite popular in Ypsi a century ago, as elsewhere. I've read accounts of minstrel shows at the Normal school, or performed by local Masons/other fraternal groups, or performed by traveling troupes and shown in venues on Michigan Avenue.

This picture is interesting in that it shows some serious tampering done by the photographer. It took me a while to see it. Can you spot it? Why do you think it was done?

Where was 1919 Community Fun Fair "Alley Festa"'s Alley?

Kind readers may remember that 1919 Ypsilanti diarist Carrie Hardy recently attended the DIY community fun fair called Alley Festa. But where on earth was it?

Here's a picture of Alley Festa. I cannot place this alley. Does anyone now where it was or is?

By a curious coincidence, local Dreamland Theater owner Naia Venturi is having her own Alley Festa of sorts in August, with a three-day puppetry festival in the alley behind the Dreamland. Aug 28: The Tale of Falloo, the Worst Poet in the World at 8 p.m. ($7). August 29: a blowout day of puppetry on 3 stages, with kids' shows during the day and adult shows in the evening (times and cost TBA). August 30: performances by students of the Dreamland Puppet Camp (3:30 p.m., $5), and an evening show TBA (time & cost TBA). Neato.