This photograph was an intriguing mystery. It was purchased at a flea market in Sioux Falls and donated to the museum. The landscape in the image doesn’t look like anything in South Dakota, so why is it in our collection? Let the investigation begin!
The sign on the building identifies it as J. A. Farms Garage. It took searching through U.S. Census records, vital statistics records and city directories to identify J. A. Farms Garage. According to the death records, John A. Farms was born in South Dakota in 1883/84 and died in Seattle in 1960. In the 1920 U.S. Census, he is listed as a garage mechanic in Seattle. In the 1930 U.S. Census, he is listed as the garage’s proprietor. The 1934 Seattle city directory lists John and Ethel living on Des Moines Highway, where his auto repair business is located. John and his wife Ethel lived in rural King County, Washington and they have a lodger, Melvin Voog, who is from South Dakota. Melvin is the gas station attendant.