An Excursion Over the River and through the Dust
to Old Tia Juana Town (circa 1895-1917).

The first sight actually in Mexico was the old border monument erected by the International Commission.

Then it was necessary to cross the Tijuana River in order to arrive at the town itself.

Reuben the Guide would take you in his wagon and show you the old chapel, the customs house, the border monument, all while delighting you with his fancy spiel!

Downtown Tijuana (Tia Juana) around 1907 seems to have been very much an "old west" town in our eyes, now, looking back..

The one main street of the old town from the other direction, looking very prosperous with a street lamp!  That's "The Big Store" down there with the 2nd storey windows.

Black & white photographs were turned into beautiful colored postal cards.

But then, most people do not see in in black & white, so perhaps this is less realistic, not more!

You might not even know where you had been in the desert from a card like this....

This card (from 1917?) shows how the automobile was making inroads, although the excusion wagon is still front and center outside "The Big Store".

An obligatory activity for excursionists was, of course, shopping for Mexican souvenirs ("recuerdos"). Some things have not changed since then!