Four women, dressed in classic early 1900s fashion, pose together for the camera. All of them are wearing hats and sweaters with medium-length dresses and loafers (but seriously, we can all agree that their hats are the best part). They all look towards the camera with big smiles on their faces as they patiently wait for the photograph to be taken. Rather than simply standing next to each other, the women each strike their own unique pose and are spaced somewhat separately. The woman on the leftmost side sits on a rock with her hands in her lap, while the other women stand up behind her. Their background consists a woodland area with several different type of trees, possibly beech and pine, among others. 

This image comes to us from the collection of Fred Bodin, who was both a collector and photographer based in Gloucester, Massachusetts. A photojournalist, Fred spent much of his career working for Yankee Magazine. When Fred passed away in 2016, HIP purchased his collection of photographs and negatives from his estate. His collection happens to contain thousands of negatives that were taken by Fred's grandmother, Alice Curtis, who also lived in Gloucester. We think that this photograph, taken around the turn of the century, is probably one of hers.

Read up on the history of the United States during the 1900s by checking these links: America at the Turn of the Century, United States Timeline.