Sunday, January 3, 2016

Bartell Courier - Joe Williamson

Flathead Rob spotted this photo online somewhere. One of the sites linking the same photo claimed it was taken in 1929, the Indian historians that lurk here may be able to provide some supporting evidence by pinpointing the model year. Initially Rob suspected the bike may have been running some sort of overhead valve conversion. A higher resolution photo makes it clearer what he was seeing were actually the head bolts.

As is often the case Tom Samuelsen was both familiar the photo and knew all the historical details.
 
"The rider is Joe Williamson, one of the founders and first president of the Puget Sound Maritime Historical Society. Williamson and his circa 1929 Indian Scout motorcycle were caught in front of the Bartell's at Fifth & Pike. When Joe Williamson first showed this photograph to Tom Samuelsen, he explained that he used his Indian Scout to deliver prescriptions for Bartell, and that the store paid very well — good enough to help support his love of photography. Tom claims that Joe could “charm your sox off.”  Williamson died in 1994 at age 84."

Gotta love Tom's recreation of the event.

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