Life — July 31, 1913 — page 23: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This satirical illustration depicts a fantastical amusement park or fairground themed around nostalgic Americana. Visible attractions include a windmill, trains, an ambulance station labeled "Bureau of Mortality Examination," and various period buildings. The cartoon critiques early 20th-century nostalgia culture—Americans' romanticization of the past. Signs advertise "Holiday Excursions" and reference "Kingdom Come" and "Hopthaven Junction," suggesting visitors travel to idealized versions of "yesterday." The chaotic scene, crowded with figures and cartoon violence (including a skeleton), satirizes how visitors eagerly escape to these fantasy recreations while ignoring present-day realities. The ambulance and mortality bureau hint that this nostalgic retreat has darker consequences—people are literally fleeing modern life, even unto death.