During the early 20th century consumer photography—and Kodak in particular—was itself an emerging market, much like wearable technology today. People were super excited about these new photographic gadgets. But Eastman Kodak Company didn’t sit back and wait for customers to come to them – they advertised, and they were creative about it.
In fact, film and cameras weren’t the only things coming out of Kodak Park. In 1917, Kodak employees produced and performed an operetta (or a short musical) entitled Kodaki San. One of the featured songs was this piano tune and ode to Rochester…
The Girl From Kodak Town
[audio:https://www.rochestersubway.com/audio/the-girl-from-kodak-town.mp3|autostart=no]Lies a fair city, so quaint and so pretty,
It’s home sweet home to me.
It’s nature’s own bow’r and I long for the hours
‘neath its cool gray shadows flown,
It was known as the beautiful city of Flow’rs,
Now we call it Kodak Town!
Meet her in her sunlit way,
And you’ll stay for a picture gay.
When she sees you smile so quick, then you’ll hear her Kodak click;
She’s Kodaked so many, won’t someone snap her?
She’s the fascinating, picture taking, girl from Kodak Town.
And in a jiffy, a picture quite nifty will bring you to your knees.
In case of a show’r, you might spoon for an hour,
And then plan to settle down,
In that wonderful, beautiful garden of flowers,
That we call our Kodak Town.
Meet her on her sunlit way
And you’ll stay for a picture gay.
When she sees your smile so quick, then you’ll hear her Kodak click
She’s Kodaked so many, won’t someone snap her?
She’s the fascinating picture taking girl from Kodak Town.
In Kodaki San by Arthur A. Penn, Miss Nan Cleary is the girl from Kodak town and she performs the song. The following Democrat and Chronicle story from January 21, 1917 announces the show’s arrival at Lyceum Theater in downtown Rochester…
“KODAKI SAN” TO-MORROW
Tags: Arthur A. Penn, Eastman Kodak Company, Ella Hoffmeler, K. Parkinton Booster, Kodak, Kodak Park, Kodaki San, Lyceum Theatre, music, Nan Cleary, Rochester, Rochester music, Rochester music history, Rochester NY, Rochester songs, The Girl From Kodak Town
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Whence the fine recording of this song?