The Post Road sure has changed in the century or so since this photo was taken.
Yet 100 years or so later, much of it still looks familiar.
Click on or hover over to enlarge.
In this west-looking view — provided by alert reader/amateur historian Mary Gai — we see the road median, beginning about where the new retail/ residential/office complex is at the foot of Long Lots Road.
Further along on the right is the current site of New Country Toyota, and other buildings that still remain.
At the crest of the hill, on the south (left) is Sakura’s predecessor. Cumberland Farms, Calise’s, a lumber store, small shopping center, Citgo and more have taken over the rest of that side — but the topography is the same. It’s easy to visualize what the Post Road (State Street/US 1) looked like then.
It’s much harder to imagine the almost total lack of traffic.
Is that what-would-become Slez-Benos Gas Station, on the right after the billboard?
Yes.
When they were teenagers, my dad, Larry Maddock, and his friend Bill Baynham decided to replace a starter motor in one of their cars. Hours later they finally finished what proved to be an almost impossible and grueling job.
Their friend, Slez, explained to them afterward they should not have been able to do it at all. That particular car would need to have the engine lifted off of its mounts in order to access and replace the starter motor. They had no idea.
Great photo! Thanks!
I remember the huge billboards all along the Post Road in the early to mid 1950s. The road in places was crowned and cars would slip off in ice storms.
Great find, Dan! Looks like there’s an entitled parker in this photo, no?
An amazing shot! We lived 1960-1964 on a portion of Long Lots Rd. barely visible here, I think. It was one of the few houses now referred to as, “mid-century modern,” which my parents loved, being from California. I loved living there and attending all 3 years of high school at Staples when it had the “California Campus.” We got a “lot” of mail addressed to: “Long Lost Road.”
By the cars, I would say this dates to the mid 1920’s. What always amazes me is the lack of trees on the horizon. Most were cut down to clear fields, firewood and lumber.
Mary, is the photo in your possession higher res? I can’t quite make out the billboard on the left but it looks like “Big Top Shoppe Coming Soon.” Holy cow!
Seriously, can you tell what the two billboards are promoting and whether they are for local merchants or a national product. Thanks (and a good find.)
LSMFT? Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco
There would be trolley tracks in that picture too, but I’m not sure where.
I remember Calise’s well. My mom let me drive with my sister to get margarine….my first drive without a grownup in the car…very exciting!