12/06/2025
Thanks to The Castle Museum of Saginaw County History โ checkout this downtown Saginaw history! โฌ๏ธ
The Artifact: A circa 1968 Photograph of North Washington and East Genesee During the Holiday Season
Taken from the roof of the Kahan Building, this nighttime view captures from left to right โ in 1968: a corner of the Bancroft Hotel, The Second National Bank Building, Offices of William C. Roney Company, Morleyโs and The Temple Theatre.
Although the cars provide guidance for dating the photograph, there are even more clues within the image:
The sign and clock on the Second National Bank Building was installed in the summer of 1967 โ when the news reported:
โThe Second National Bank installed a new outside sign and clock Wednesday at the southeast corner of its building. The sign will be stationary. It replaces a rotating sign and clock which became inoperable because of the frequent high winds. Workers are installing the clock today.โ (The Saginaw News, August 17, 1967.)
The festive decorations adorning the street lights indicate the image was taken during the holiday season. And the huge, blow-mold plastic ornaments provide more information. In parts of the business district, they supplanted mammoth red bell-shaped ornaments:
โDowntown Saginaw is taking on a Christmas air as workers hang Christmas decorations on light poles.โ โThe decorations this year are huge ornaments, hung from strands of tinsel which look like evergreen branches. The decorations are being put up by the Downtown Saginaw Association. DSA spokesmen said the decorations are being put up early this year to coincide with Santa Day Parade on Saturday.โ (The Saginaw News, November 13, 1968.)
In 1969, Second National Bank installed 16 spotlights on the fourth-floor parapet, illuminating the upper floor of the 12-story structure. Perhaps, they simply were not operating the night the photograph was taken; however, it may be a hint that the photograph was taken in 1968.
In 1973, Morley Brothers moved to the Downtown Saginaw Mall, and as a result of the energy crisis, the exterior of the Second National Bank Building was not illuminated.
We could go on--but enough of the mechanics of how we arrived at the circa 1968 date.
On December 6, 1968, a Morleyโs advertisement in the Saginaw News proclaimed, โMorleyโs Wonderful World of Christmas โ Shop Morleyโs Saginaw Gift Store Since 1863, For Everyone On Your Gift List. Donโt Forget Our Gift Wrapping Service.โ A few of their offerings included: Aunt Chickโs Cookie Cutters, a set of six for $1.00; Lazy Susans, $6.00 to $22.00; a Bissell 1220 Carpet Shampooer offering โSuave decorator styling and unique convenience for top consumer appeal . . .โ for $ 12.98.
And a block further down Washington Avenue, the Temple featured 2001: A Space Odyssey. In 1968, December 6, fell on a Friday: screenings were at 1:00, 3:30, 6:20 and 9:00 p.m.
