Beginning our exploration of items recovered from Lenora’s trunk, this week highlights a collection of ephemera from her home of St. Augustine, Florida — one of the oldest cities in America and, some say, one of the most haunted.
Included alongside a large selection of postcards were two curious stereographs. One of these depth-defying sets of images depicts the parlor of The Alcazar Hotel, at which Lenora claimed to have been employed as a laundress. Was this simply a cover story for her prohibited bartending?
The second set of images show the Old City Gates, but did they also carry some significance for her? Or are these simply family heirlooms?
Many of these items (including her map of St. Augustine) long predate 1926 and would have already been antiquated at the time of her recordings, much like her choice of dictation medium.
Why would a local collect objects intended for visitors? Are these items a window into a woman who used what she had available to her for some other purpose?
