Travels

The Holland family was well traveled. Be it for business or pleasure, the clan traversed the United States and abroad. The Hollands visited every corner of America. They ate lobster in Maine, watched water ski stunts at Cypress Gardens in Florida, threw snowballs in summer at Yellowstone, and stepped back in time in Colonial Williamsburg.  Philip Holland was a surgeon, and he regularly attended the annual meetings of the American Fracture Association. These meetings took Phil everywhere from California to Texas, and to foriegn countries as well. He saw bullfights in Mexico and the beaches of Venezula. When Philip wasn't in meetings, he went sight seeing. In California, he rode the Matterhorn at Disneyland, and saw bucking broncos at the Huntsville Prison Rodeo.

Everywhere the Hollands went, the 8mm camera came with. Philip Holland skillfully captured all aspects of their travels, from the flight to the meals they enjoyed. The Hollands are an exceptional example of the midcentury American family and their home movies give viewers an idea of what midcentury travel was like. They loaded up the sedan with mom, dad, and two kids and visited iconic American destinations like Mount Rushmore and the geysers of Yellowstone. These home videos gives us a glimpse of how American families vacationed in the past. It is interesting to see a newly built Disneyland, the bright neon lights of Las Vegas, and other roadside attractions. Many of the locations the Hollands visited are things of the past. For example, water skiers no longer perform their stunts at Cypress Gardens, and the Huntsville Prison rodeo hasn't happened in over 30 years. Whether the vacation destinations still exist or not, these home movies provide an excellent historic record of the past.