South Eighth Street, 1945

Creator

Manitowoc (Wis.). Police Department

Date

• December 1945

Summary

• This view looking north on South Eighth Street in Manitowoc, Wisconsin shows the area as it appeared in December, 1945, just after the end of World War II. The street is filled with cars traveling in both directions, with other cars parked along the sidewalks on both sides of the street. The sidewalks are crowded with people, many of whom wear winter coats. Two nuns in habits can be seen in front of the J. C. Penney Company store on the west side of the street. In the center of the picture, a uniformed policeman stands in the intersection of South Eighth and Franklin Streets. Businesses prominently visible on the west side of the street include the Princess Café confectionery at 908 South Eighth, the J. C. Penney Company in the “Wood Block” at 902-906 South Eighth, and beyond Franklin Street the S. S. Kresge Company, the Coffee Cup restaurant, the Kinney Company shoe store, the Big Shoe Store, and Muir’s Cut Rate Drug Store at 812 South Eighth. In the distance beyond the Eighth Street bridge, the tall building is the Hotel Manitowoc at 204 North Eighth Street. In the foreground on the right is the ornate marquee of the Capitol Theatre at 913 South Eighth Street. A small banner hanging from the front of the marquee is partially visible. This was probably advertising for the “Victory Loan Drive,” a national war bond campaign under which Manitowoc County was urged to raise $2,081,000 because “The job of winning the war is over—the peace must be won by those of us at home.” On Friday night, December 7, the local American Legion post sponsored a parade on Eighth Street to promote the bond drive. The campaign culminated on December 12 with a city-wide “Victory Ball” at the fairgrounds. This picture was taken between December 2 and December 8, just before the city’s holiday decorations went up on December 8 and 9.