Notably, Nogales is a border town about an hour South of Tucson, Arizona. Coincidently, I recently came across these cyanotype postcard images. Consequently, you seldom see Images from the 1940’s of Nogales, and I personally do not see these images anywhere else.
To begin with, Sir John Herschel invents the cyanotype in 1842. Specifically, the process is a result of photochemical reduction of ferric salts into ferrous salts leading to the formation of Prussian blue. Most noteworthy, the process is in use throughout the 19th century and more frequently in the 20th century. In summary, this process is for the reproduction of architectural plans and technical drawings, we all know as “blueprints.” It is an inexpensive way to reproduce silver gelatin photographs.
First of all, this slideshow presents rare 1944 real photo postcard images featuring Rocky Point, Sonora Mexico ( Pto Penasco in Spanish). Interestingly, Rocky Point is a nearby town that Tucsonans and Phoenicians visit to get their “beach fix”. It is our closest access to the ocean, a 3-1/2 hour journey by car. Rocky Point is at the top of the Baja Peninsula.
Fire Ruins 11/18/1944 Pto Penasco, Mexico. Indeed a rare event and a rare image.
# Please note the exact same location with intact bridge, featured below, just one month earlier!
Vista del Muelle Pto. Penasco Son. Mex 10/8/44. Here is another rare image of this small fishing village from 1944. Pto. Penasco, also known as Rocky Point, is now a tourist mecca with talk of large cruise ships coming into port.
To view another interesting spot near Tucson, please click HERE!
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