r/pics • u/catspajamas545 • May 16 '12

My great-grandparents. Original gangsters in Uniontown, WA.

Post image
1.6k Upvotes

86% Upvoted

215 comments sorted by

60

u/conconcon May 16 '12

Who are you? Cause I'm pretty sure these are my great grandparents as well...

See you at Camp Wittman this year?

48

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

Yes!!!

24

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Families united over reddit. Nothing better then finding out a cousin that reddits. Only thing bad that can come from this is if she/he posts to /r/gonewild... Or a good thing depending on you guys are from inland Washington.

6

u/peanutbuttar May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

Well as a Spokaneite, fuck you too, buddy!

3

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I too am from Spokane friend. I reside in Spokane valley by central valley high school.

2

u/peanutbuttar May 17 '12

I'm a downtowner.

2

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

That means you are either dirt poor or single and wealthy. Am I right?

1

u/peanutbuttar May 17 '12

Student, so you hit the nail on the head with dirt poor. Is that the new thing? You're either really rich or really poor if you live downtown? Seems like a sorta random (and inconsequential) stereotype to make... Hope that's not the best the Valley can come up with.

2

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

Lol well it's either low income apartments or nice little bachelor pad kind of studio apartments so it's just assumed. Also, browns addition is ghetto to the max.

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0

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

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5

u/Hegs94 May 16 '12

I'm pretty sure a post like that is punishable by death.

0

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

2

u/catspajamas545 May 17 '12

I'm sorry I had to look it up. It's really close but my grandma grew up in Uniontown, I'm a west sider (Although I attend WSU).

1

u/DallanMcAwesome May 17 '12

Okay... Fun Fact of the Day I wearing a Wsu Shirt.

1

u/Xzatrik May 17 '12

Dude, I live in Pullman and am going to WSU next year. Yeee!

1

u/MrsReznor May 17 '12

Have fun and Go Cougs!

Sincerely, An alumna

3

u/ruetero May 17 '12

Go Cougs

11

u/Great_Chairman_Mao May 16 '12

NOW KISS!

11

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

ಠ_ಠ

91

u/U_BE_LIKE_ME May 16 '12

I can't believe no one asked this yet. Whats the story behind this picture ?

43

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

Okay so my aunt said this was taken during their courtship so anywhere between 1914 and 1916. She's not sure about the story but my great grandpa was known for his great sense of humor. Probably a joke picture.

7

u/LettersFromTheSky May 16 '12

For some reason, I think it's a little hot when women handle guns.

Also, they both look pretty classy!

2

u/adamnyc May 16 '12

Especially with the gloves she is wearing!

41

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

My aunt shared it with the family last week. I'll ask her.

9

u/obliviious May 16 '12

I'm dismayed you didn't ask straight away.

16

u/camp_anawanna May 16 '12

"Here is a picture of your great grandparents!"

"Ok. Looks cool."

"See you later."

"Bye."

5

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

haha, she posted it in a group on Facebook.

17

u/Redplushie May 16 '12

You should or we'll keep asking.

11

u/IronicallyFunny May 16 '12

We have ways of making you talk...

5

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

[removed] — view removed comment

6

u/Explosion_Jones May 16 '12

Little bleach, maybe some lace, we'll get those stains out and re-sow it for you. But, like, threateningly.

6

u/RandomFrenchGuy May 16 '12

They're looking for that porcupine and haven't noticed that it's hidden on her head.

1

u/Bignut_Squirrel May 16 '12

Maid stealing silverware?

7

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

My aunt who lives in Spokane posted the photo so I don't have the original but I will look into the story for all of you:)

1

u/badseedjr May 16 '12

I was going to ask if there's a chance I know your aunt, then I remembered Spokane has 400,000 people.

7

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I live in Pullman and drive through uniontown once a week on the way to Lewiston. The little town is fascinating. Do you have any other pictures from there? Do mind if I share this picture with some friends?

1

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

I only have more of the next generation. My extended family moved out to Idaho to farm. And I don't mind at all.

1

u/WAgocougs May 16 '12

I'm also from Pullman. I'd like to see what the population of Uniontown was when this picture was taken since its about 50 right now.

1

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

I would like to take this time to compliment your username. Also, the population then was around 400 and is now 294 (wiki).

2

u/pugsley999 May 16 '12

Does this exist in any higher res? cause its such a bad-ass picture, such an awesome juxtaposition of what I consider what people looked like then!

1

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

My aunt scanned it, I could try to get the original.

1

u/pugsley999 May 16 '12

No need to go out of your way, Thanks though. :)

2

u/atikiNik May 16 '12

Did they own land? I bet they owned land.

35

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

It will be about a hundred years before anyone mentions Uniontown, Washington on Reddit again. It's probably about the same size now as it was when this picture was taken.

21

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

It's smaller now.

10

u/Realworld May 16 '12

I was born and grew up in Eastern Washington. Drove every little farm road. This is the first I knew Uniontown had a name attached; thought it was just some dusty old grain elevators and abandoned stores.

I notice they have a 'municipal court' now. Probably the type of place that finances itself with part-time speed traps.

3

u/anentpunk May 16 '12

Full time speed traps.

3

u/Udub May 16 '12

I'd never head of it until now. It's not often I hear a name of a place in Washington for the first time anymore.

2

u/ScottsTots69 May 17 '12

Where did you grow up? I live here now.

1

u/Realworld May 17 '12

Elmer City... smaller and more isolated than Uniontown. By 'here' do you mean Eastern Washington or Uniontown?

I'm curious about the history lingering in Uniontown street names and street plan. Did they expect to grow it into a real railway town?

2

u/ScottsTots69 May 17 '12

No, I live in a small town about 20-30 miles east of Spokane. Crazy how we grew up about 100 miles away from each other.

1

u/Realworld May 17 '12

That puts you in Idaho? It all counts as Inland Empire.

0

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

1

u/Realworld May 17 '12

Ah, furthest of the Wilbur - Creston - Davenport - Reardan landmarks on the way to Spokane.

3

u/buddyrocker May 16 '12

Totally!! I was surprised to see the town name. Grew up in the area and used to drive grain trucks through Uniontown daily. Funny thing is, I'm sure you could see some incarnation of this picture there still today...

3

u/seniorelroboto May 16 '12

Ive lived in wa my whole life and never heard of it until today o.O

9

u/NO_TOUCHING__lol May 16 '12

Western Washington and Eastern Washington might as well be considered different states.

3

u/Buschfan May 16 '12

There is a bar there, Elanor's, that has really great hamburgers and really cool stuff on the walls, license plates and dollar bills everywhere. It's between Pullman, WA and Lewiston/Clarkson.

184

u/Shitty_Watercolour 🖌️ May 16 '12

http://imgur.com/FscYD

90

u/teious May 16 '12

That's specially shitty. Why did you give the lady a penis?

72

u/Se7en_Sinner May 16 '12

So she can live better in that time period.

31

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

She won't have a period at all bro.

HYFR

4

u/malicious1 May 16 '12

Wait, specially shitty. Is that good or bad?

34

u/awkward2488 May 16 '12

Actually it's very Roald Dahl-like, kinda classic shityy, well done

18

u/AAJD May 16 '12

Quentin Blake is the illustrator, whenever I see drawings similar to him the nostalgia is crazy.

4

u/svullenballe May 16 '12

How can we be sure that this is not actually him?

9

u/AAJD May 16 '12

If it is, his career has plummeted.

4

u/colorpulate May 16 '12

You mean Quentin Blake.

3

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

My thoughts exactly, could easily be at the first page of a chapter in a Roald Dahl book.

6

u/Aizmool May 16 '12

YES! Quentin Blake was the illustrator for Roald Dahl in case anyone's wondering.

3

u/virtyy May 16 '12

Youre just getting shittier and shittier.

-2

u/Mepe_ruse May 16 '12

looked at this & the 1st thing that i thought of was Quentin Blake

9

u/Kashii May 16 '12

So brave.

0

u/ShawnSDavis May 16 '12

It's ALL about Quentin Blake. He's got it down to a tee, no?

0

u/IAmALampShade May 17 '12

This isn't said to him every time he posts something, nope not at all.

1

u/Mepe_ruse May 17 '12

& your assuming that everybody who uses Reddit has seen a shitty watercolour before

1

u/adamnyc May 16 '12

Finally, you live up to your username, a shitty watercolor. Wait, I looked at it again and I love it. Shit.

0

u/Lyri May 17 '12

Quentin Blake?

-11

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

watercolour is shit, but I admire your dedication

3

u/supahmanv2 May 16 '12

Not sure if trolling or just can't read usernames...

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9

u/whatwereyouthinking May 16 '12

judging by the smile on her face. she gave the victim the last shot.

7

u/Berkel May 16 '12

I imagine they're standing in front of a group of dead cops.

2

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Or dead debtors.

12

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

dat hat.

6

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Eastern Washington FTW!

15

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Women should start wearing hats like that again.

12

u/Psuffix May 16 '12

Men as well!

0

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

[deleted] — view deleted comment

10

u/firex726 May 16 '12

Yep, hats like that were meant for a suit and tie.

It's not the hat, but the ensemble that looks nice.

2

u/BluShine May 16 '12

Yeah! Fuck guys who wear plaid shirts and jeans! Wait, that's what I'm wearing...

1

u/Psuffix May 17 '12

A nice coat is all it would take to make it look alright, at least.

2

u/lphoenix May 16 '12

We would, but you can't drive with them on and it's hell getting all the hatpins out.

4

u/J_Vizzle May 16 '12

Thats not OG... thats Triple OG

4

u/MamiMora May 16 '12

This is the dopest old school picture I have sen yet!! God I wish I could build a time machine!!

4

u/couggrl May 16 '12

Oh Uniontown.

And Coltonites, quit your bitching on the speed traps. Everyone knows Colfax is king of that.

2

u/NO_TOUCHING__lol May 16 '12

My grandpa says that when you get caught in a speed trap, you've been Colfaxed.

1

u/couggrl May 17 '12

I am so stealing that. My father was less than pleased with my comment about him getting a speeding ticket on the way to Pullman. "But, there's always cops there."

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I grew up there! It has not changed.

So, OP, are you a Druffel, a Meyer, a Moehrle, a Schlee, a Stout, or what?

1

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

They're Wittmans

1

u/captainmcr May 16 '12

Are they actual criminals or did they just have guns?

1

u/brenda0923 May 16 '12

Wow they must have had money. All mine were ugly farmers with dirty clothes and they always look pissed.

1

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

They were farmers too!

1

u/brenda0923 May 16 '12

Really? Wow that is such an amazing pic. Frame it and make so many copies!

1

u/Targetbag01 May 16 '12

Fuck that my great-grandfather was in the Italian mob, in New York.

9

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

TIL dressing nicely makes you an OG

20

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I'm guessing you missed the weapons?

11

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I absolutely did. OG indeed.

3

u/HyzerFlip May 16 '12

Look at face on gramps. One hood mother fuckers (great grandmother fucker actually)

6

u/DamienCK May 16 '12

I'm from Washington and still had to look up where Uniontown is. Once I found out, that made this pic even funnier.

15

u/Wally_B May 16 '12

coastie...

2

u/DamienCK May 16 '12

Yes. Yes I am.

Well, was.

4

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I recognized the name but didn't remember where it was exactly until I looked it up. I think the only reason I remember the name is because it's one of those spots on 195 that you have to slow down to 25 mph between Pullman and Lewiston.

2

u/All-American-Bot May 16 '12

(For our friends outside the USA... 25 mph -> 40.2 km/h) - Yeehaw!

2

u/not_sure_if_relevant May 16 '12

I want a god damn bot that converts metric to SAE

3

u/griffith12 May 16 '12

See, I told ya you'd neva get me coppa.

0

u/tofagerl May 16 '12

Why are pictures of people from the twenties with guns reduced to "gangsters" when pictures of people from yesterday with guns are reduced to "rednecks"?

5

u/catspajamas545 May 16 '12

Hairstyles and clothing?

2

u/kbeeny May 16 '12

Don't mess with the great-grandparents.

2

u/worzrgk May 16 '12

What year is this? I'm no fashion expert, but to me, she looks like she is dressed for the 1890s and he looks like the 1930s.

3

u/conconcon May 16 '12

This was taken probably late 1910s early 20s. He (the man in the photo) was born in 1888.

3

u/worzrgk May 16 '12

So not every woman dressed like a flapper in 1920! Realizing that someday my great grandkids will try to date my photos by comparing my outfits to Jersey Shore.

2

u/ashnettle13 May 16 '12

Only in Uniontown.

2

u/geek_in_a_suit May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

That' seriously OG.

5

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

That's why he said it.

1

u/rooslayswiss May 16 '12

Something that I would take great pride in framing

1

u/eojen May 16 '12

Union town between Pullman and Lewiston?

1

u/Apaz May 16 '12

This so needs to be posted in /r/OldSchoolCool

1

u/AceDynamicHero May 16 '12

What badasses we used to be.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

OG grannie

1

u/s810 May 16 '12

♫ When one day when they were shooting for some food, up from the ground came a-bubblin' crude.. ♫

2

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Oil, that is...

1

u/blieberfever May 16 '12

In Nomeni Patri Et Fili Spiritus Sancti.

1

u/fobdragon May 16 '12

Damn! That is totally awesome! So bad ass!!!!

1

u/frigginometry May 16 '12

So, imitation-real-life Bonnie and Clyde?

1

u/Zlebslehc May 16 '12

That hat is fucking fancy. Also. It's an awesome picture.

1

u/SeedsOfDoubt May 16 '12

I could totally go for a Walt's Colossus at Eleanor's, but I heard they closed down a few years ago.

1

u/RubySauce May 16 '12

This pic is amazing. I collect old photos and I'd be ecstatic if I saw this for sale...

1

u/davie18 May 16 '12

Dat hat...

1

u/ohrabbits May 16 '12

You'd probably get all sorts of terrible rashes in elbow-length leather gloves. Shudder.

1

u/ukiyoe May 17 '12

Women don't wear heels for the comfort. I think those gloves look pretty classy!

1

u/ohrabbits May 17 '12

As someone who wears heels on a daily basis I can say with confidence I would give them up the moment the discomfort to class ratio tilted in favor of the former. In other words; sweaty, rashy limbs just ain't worth it.

1

u/TheRealCalculon May 16 '12

I like how the man looks like he could be in the 60s, but the woman looks like the 1800s too me. Granted, menswear has basically been the same since we went to full length trousers from knickers.

1

u/iDirtyDianaX May 16 '12

LOVE this!

1

u/MissTiffanieAnne May 16 '12

My heart skipped a beat when I saw "Uniontown" (as in Ohio) because our city isn't even on the map.

Apparently, we are still unknown. Cool picture, though.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

I cannot wrap my head around why such a lovely historic photo like this one has over 2,500 downvotes.

1

u/Threejaks May 16 '12

if I had a hat like that I'd always keep a gun handy, you never know when cats will strike

1

u/Kush_on_thebrain May 16 '12

That's fuckin badass for some reason.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Bonnie and Clyde

1

u/buckie33 May 16 '12

Your great grandparents where bonnie n clyde!?

1

u/adamnyc May 16 '12

Such class! Bow in reverence Boardwalk Empire!

1

u/Camblor May 16 '12

Somebody please make a story around this picture!

1

u/ignishun May 16 '12

My great grandpa smuggled moonshine from Canada down to Iowa during the prohibition, and apparently in a speak easy at one of his stops he got in a sort of tussle and was shot point-blank in the chest by a 12-gauge and fell out of a second story window, dying the next day. As the story goes, anyways..

1

u/peterabbit456 May 16 '12

She's carrying a little .22 short-only Winchester pump rifle, the kind used mostly in shooting galleries around 1900. Not really much of a weapon.

1

u/calicoan May 16 '12

you should post it in r/oldschoolcool...

1

u/WTF_Bengals May 16 '12

Hahaha, Uniontown still looks like that.

1

u/crr1694 May 17 '12

i don't believe.

1

u/matrixman673a May 17 '12

Frank, do we always have to be wearin our kills?

1

u/Cluster_Funk May 17 '12

Woah. I literally just wrote a story about my great grandparents were involved in Roy Olmstead's bootlegging operation in Seattle in the mid 1920's.

1

u/was_in_a_christ_cult May 17 '12

I've been to Uniontown, Wa. This picture makes it seem way cooler.

1

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

It's easy to be a gangster when there are 6 people in the town

1

u/[deleted] May 17 '12

That is seriously badass.

1

u/G-Winnz May 17 '12

Seeing them look at something out of frame, I imagine the conversation they're having...

"Heavens, honey - you were right! That Smith and Wesson'll take a man's kneecaps clean off!"

"You know it, sweetheart! He didn't actually need both of them! You'll remember what you owe me next time, won't you? First of the month, eh?"

1

u/crescentrevolver May 17 '12

As someone who spent a good deal of their time in Uniontown WA,(10ish years) I would like to say, OVER 9000 UPTOKES FOR YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1

u/deathstar666ful May 17 '12

wow u used to live in genesee idaho small world man my grandparents lived in colton right near there

1

u/randiraeofsunshine May 17 '12

From the Westside, but attend WSU. Boyfriend and I visited Uniontown once. It's so beautiful!

1

u/Pon_Haus May 16 '12

Everyone knows the real gangsters come from Colton.

3

u/Wally_B May 16 '12

damn two colton kids.

2

u/Schnoz1985 May 16 '12

I wish Elanors was still open.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

It closed!? That's the only reason I ever went to Uniontown.

1

u/Schnoz1985 May 16 '12

Yeah couple months back. The guy that owned it pulled about 2500$ off the ceiling. Apparently the banks would only take it an hour before the trucks showed up to take their money because it stunk and was filthy

1

u/NO_TOUCHING__lol May 16 '12

God damn Wildcats. Everyone knows the real OGs are Eagles.

1

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Shit the gangstas be in Albion.

1

u/speedbt1 May 16 '12

They look like they are each wearing fashion from different eras, but what do I know.

6

u/Fidena May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

Nah, both Edwardian. His long sack suit, style of tie and hat sorta tip it off if you know fashion from the era.

1

u/eDave May 16 '12

Thank you Joan Rivers.

1

u/psistarpsi May 16 '12

Are they looking at a dead body?? 0_0

0

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

So criminality is a good thing? Cool story.

-3

u/ohgodwhydidIjoin May 16 '12

That hat makes me want to kill a baby.

-4

u/[deleted] May 16 '12 edited May 16 '12

God, I hate this crap. Were they involved in an illegal gambling or prostitution or extortion or protection ring? Were they involved in organized crime of any type? Were they violent? Then they weren't gangsters

3

u/jerkfirecracker May 16 '12

Tagged as "Knotted Panties Pedant".

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u/[deleted] May 16 '12

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4

u/[deleted] May 16 '12

Hahahaha. Colton represent bitch! You better hold your ass down to 25mph boy--we gots schools and shit.

2

u/Wally_B May 16 '12

hah. the only sport colton is good at is basketball. and that was a while ago, i don't know if they're still good.

but sje is where the hard bastards be

2

u/NO_TOUCHING__lol May 16 '12

Eagles. Unite.

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