Published: October 13, 2009 08:00 pm      

Pie photo explained by reader

Charlevoix resident sheds light on origin

Joan Buday, of Charlevoix, responded to a request for information on the Traverse Area Historical Society archive photo that appeared in the Oct. 7 Community section. The photo was of five women pretending to eat what looks like cherry pies.

Buday e-mailed that the photo was staged for a Metropolitan Life Insurance Company picture taken by a photographer for the company magazine that featured a story on the National Cherry Festival. Sitting on the ground for the photo was office staff. Buday says the Traverse City manager was H.W. Heidbreder. She thought the photo was taken in either 1953 or 1954.

Buday writes: "Beginning on the left is Helen Cluff who has since died, Charlotte (I don't remember her last name), myself, Joan Kroetsch (now Buday), Dorothy Allgaier and Mary Ellen Wellcome." Buday also recalls that the group posed with the Cherry Festival Queen on the steps of the Park Place Hotel.

Traverse Area Historical Society archive photos the appear in the Community section are available online at www.gtherald.com/history.