Imagine you're a postcard photographer in the early 1900s. Starting from the corner of M-22 and Lake Street, walk west toward Lake Michigan. What photos would you take?

This series of postcard photos show views along Lake Street in Arcadia, Michigan from around 1900 through 1930. The photographs are arranged by their position along Lake Street from east to west.

This column shows the view from east to west down Lake Street. The column on the right shows other nearby views.

The Map.
This photo of Lake Street from M-22 west to Lake Michigan is numbered to show the locations described. Each arrow shows approximately where the photographer was standing and looking when he took the picture.
Click to Zoom in.

1 The Start: Lake Street at M-22 facing west. Winter.
The road that would become northbound M-22 runs from left to right about half way up the photo.

2 A Few Steps West Up the Street. Summer.
Lake Street at M-22 facing west. A few feet closer to the buildings. On the right the closest building is the Matteson store. Next to it is Wareham's and the Macabee Hall. On the left is the Matteson Manor hotel.

4 Cross 4th Street.
Note the drug store sign on the right. This was Martineau's first drug store.

3 Almost to 4th Street. Look back.
If you were to walk up Lake Street almost to 4th Street and look over your right shoulder, this is what you would have seen.

From left to right:
Parker Wilson Pool Room
Joe Veine Hamburger Restaurant
Edwards Garage & Hardware Store
Annis Hom
Blacksmith Shop
Macabee Hall
Charles Matteson Store

5 Cross the street, and walk a few more paces.
The banner crossing the street advertises Columbia Phonographs. At the end of the street is the Company Store.

Walk a few more steps up the street.
(Actually just zoom in on previous picture.)

7 Cross 3rd Street, and look up the street
On the left, the Post Office (later Bank) and then Martineau's Drug Store on the corner.

6 Look back.
Looking back over your right shoulder again, you'd see the drug store and perhaps this horse-drawn wagon carrying logs.

Walk a few more paces (or zoom in on previous picture). The Company Store is at the end of the street. Look at the other cars across the street.

8 The View Left
From the middle of the street, you can see the Post Office and Martineau's Drug Store. (We've traveled a few paces forward and a few years ahead.)

10 Looking Forward (West) Again
The Company Store is near the end of Lake Street. Compare this photo to the earlier photo of the company store (photo 7).

Note the differences in tree sizes and evidence of the means of transportation.
Don't step in the evidence.

Closeup of the Company Store.
Behind is a passenger car for the Arcadia & Betsey River Railway.

9 Walk Past the Drug Store, and Look Back.
From the middle of the street, you can see the Post Office and Martineau's Drug Store (back a few paces and a few years).

11 An Aerial View of the Company Store
Lake Street bends to the North a bit. Climbing a tree offers the first view of the Arcadia Furniture Factory.

12 Walk around to the Right.
Walk around the Company Store to the train station and the furniture factory. The sign on the corner of the building says "A & B R RY CO." This is the train station.

(This photo is not from a postcard.)

13 The Factory Office.
This is the first building past the railway station.

14 The Back of the Factory
Walk further up Lake Street. Look to the left: south at the back of the factory.

15 The End
Looking back at the factory. In the background you can see the tip of the Lutheran Church steeple.