Vintage Snapshots: Cadillacs Galore!

(first posted 8/20/2018)      Let’s go back in time via this gallery of vintage snapshots featuring Cadillacs. Let’s start with this one, as it rather captures well one of the many sides of Cadillac. This was shot circa 1956, and features a 1955 Cadillac and a 1941 Pontiac somewhere in Nevada. It’s indulging in stereotypes, but the brand has always appealed to a certain kind of mindset that Nevada historically projected, with its mafia-controlled gambling and high-roller mentality. For all I know, this could be a missionary with his latest converts, but then I might well be wrong.

There’s no guesswork involved with this one. Before he was president, he was the Grand Marshal of the 1960 Rose Bowl Parade.

The very upscale store Joseph Magnin’s outpost in Lake Tahoe. Also a favorite spot for the well-to do and mafioso, as we saw in the Godfather.

At the lakeside cottage?

Back then, Cadillacs (and other big American cars) were held in very high regard in Europe. This one is sitting in Cannes, France and dated by the photographer “11-15-56”. A comment left at another site says: See this same caddy in the movie “To Catch a Thief” with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly. Parked in exactly the same spot!

Another Cadillac in Europe: 1951 Cadillac Limousine Landaulet – European Street Scene – Strasbourg Cathedral – Alsace, France – Circa: Early 1950’s. Maybe a visiting dignitary or?

The River House in Reno, Nevada. Circa 1960. Quite a few interesting cars to spot including the Lincoln Continental convertible in the background.

Another president, this time Eisenhower while on winter vacation in Key West, Florida. And the Truman Laundrette in the background. Coincidence?

Another presidential coincidence: LBJ on a campaign stop in NYC in front of the Clinton Hotel.

A splendid 1961 Fleetwood in a driveway.

The same car, from the rear.

And a ’63 Fleetwood also in black. Someone’s pride and joy.

This kid is probably pretty chuffed to have a ’54 Coupe in his driveway. If it is his driveway…or his family’s Caddy.

These tourists getting a view in Hawaii are traveling in style. Some sort of upscale tour, presumably.

Here they are checking out the volcanic activity.

And just who is Teddy Snow Crop?


Cadillac Hearse – Cadillac Flower Cars – Pontiac Flower Cars – Guindon-Durand Funeral Home – Montreal – Circa 1961. Must have been a VIP to have so many flower cars.

Here’s a more modest funeral from circa 1958.

A wintry street scene from somewhere in Pennsylvania.

These folks got away from the snow in Miami, FL.

Another shot from somewhere in Nevada, a state that is over-represented in the Cadillac album.

A Howard Johnson’s. Not many customers to be seen.

A great shot of a Cadillac and some other cars used by the royals on a visit to Ottowa, Canada in 1954.

And here they (Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip) are, riding in a ’59 Cadillac laundalet. Quite the contrast from their traditional RR Phantom.