Illinois USA-1962: A Boat On The Dock Then In The Open Water

Archive Intelligence

Archive brief fit

Serves 1960s Americana and lakeside-leisure documentary briefs; suitable as a visual anchor for mid-century recreational boating or summer-vacation sequences.

Period detail

The white speedboat's low-profile hull with red trim stripe, wooden dock pilings, dark-painted boathouse, and overhead utility lines are consistent with early-1960s rural American waterfront.

Home-movie behavior

An informal holiday shot; the camera pans from the family speedboat at dock across to the open lake without staging or editorial commentary.

What appears in frame

White speedboat with red trim, wooden dock pilings, dark-painted boathouse with green roof, overhead power lines, calm lake water, distant treeline, small figure in a far-off boat.

Film character

Characteristic 8mm palette with warm but soft color saturation, gentle halation around the bright sky, mild grain structure, and slight exposure variation across the pan.

Edit role

Works as a scene-establishing insert or transition cutaway; the docked-boat frames anchor a lakeside locale while the open-water cut provides a wide visual breath between sequences.

Historical context

Privately owned speedboats and dock facilities like this were emblematic of postwar middle-class leisure culture; recreational boating expanded significantly in the United States through the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Research note

At least one figure is visible near the dock and a distant figure appears on the open water; likeness rights for any identifiable individuals require independent clearance beyond copyright.

Research search match

Likely matches researcher queries such as 1960s lake vacation, vintage speedboat dock, Illinois waterfront home movie, or mid-century American recreational boating.

Archive pairing path

Pair first with other footage from this Illinois 1962 reel; then with 1960s lake and waterfront scenes; then with mid-century American summer vacation and leisure clips.