This photo has “Rose Bowl 1930” written on the back. Judging from the palm trees in the background I’d say it at least was in California. The float itself says “Santa Claus Post Indiana 242” on the side and the front says “Howdy Folks.” Santa looks a bit on the thin side to me.
The second image also has “Rose Bowl 1930” written on the back. Unfortunately the photo is fairly blurry so it’s very difficult to read what is written on them. The float is pretty small when you consider the monster sized floats in the Rose Parade these days.
It’s 24 years later and here we have the “Uncle Wiggily” float. Here you see the floats are trending toward today’s oversized and elaborate designs. It looks like the float must have featured a little hut toward the back and some sort of “view” of the underground. The companion car is also decorated with flowers. The photo is dated 1-9-54. After the parade is over, the floats are on view for the public to see. I don’t know where they went in the 50s, but these days they go to Pasadena City College.
Who Were They? 
:) USC 47 Pittsburgh 14
James “Sunny Jim” Rolph, Jr. (August 23, 1869 – June 2, 1934) was the Parade Marshall. He was elected to a single term as the 27th Governor of California from January 6, 1931 until his death on June 2, 1934 at the height of the Great Depression.
The Rose Queen was Holly Halsted. Photos of the 1930’s Queens are –> http://www.tournamentofroses.com/the-rose-parade/rose-queen-royal-court/the-legacy/slideshow/1930s
There is an American Legion Post #242 in the town of Santa Claus, Indiana (Zip code 47579). It’s located on Christmas Lake.
The upturned car looks like it has a winged beast upfront – the front wheel says “Lawrence (something)”
:)
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Looks like Iggy had the same idea I did and posted it for us all. Thanks! According to Wikki the theme for the 1954 parade was Famous Books in Flowers. Uncle Wiggily was a rabbit. The author, Howard R. Garis, was quite prolific. To learn more about Uncle Wiggily see this link.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncle_Wiggily
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This is the 1938 National American Legion Parade in Los Angeles. The Santa Claus American Legion post marched in that parade in late September 1938. The Santa in the sleigh is Jim Yellig whom later became Santa at Santa Claus Land in 1946 in Santa Claus, IN. Yellig was also the commander of post 242 in Santa Claus for many years.
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