This photo is a rare instance where can tell you no details. I don’t know where it was taken or when. Neither Google or the online LA City Directories (early versions of phone books) have heard of “Vernon T Mercer.” Nor did I find him in a few of the mid-1930s phone books when I searched under just “Mercer.” I also drew a blank on Google Images and TinEye. But that sign on the side of the van: “DeLuxe Horse Pullman” – I’m guessing this was a horsie version of the first-class Pullman train carriages which introduced George Pullman’s concept of the sleeping cars on long-haul trains in the 1860s and continued until December 31, 1968. I’m also guessing Mercer’s van was used for transporting high-class thoroughbreds to and from race tracks. If you have anything to contribute, I’m all ears!
Photograph of a Vernon T. Mercer “deluxe horse Pullman” van somewhere in Southern California, undated
Vernon T. Mercer and his brother ran a hauling business in Chester, Pennsylvania at least until 1940. You can see part of the “PA.” address between the two men at the right in front of the truck. They are listed in the 1940 census.
Ah, so he had nothing to do with LA, then? The guy who sent it to me said that it was in among a collection of SoCal images.
That architecture, though. It looks very SoCal Mission style, which I doubt they would had in Pennsylvania. Maybe they were out here transporting horses for Santa Anita?
Could have been Del Mar, Los Alamitos, Hollywood Park…
Vernon Mercer is mentioned in a book as a man who transported horses in his “horse van.” He gave a ride from Pennsylvania and Kentucky to Annie Wilkins and her horse Tarzan in 1955.
Railroads had special “head end” cars (like baggage, postal, express) that were carried at the front of passenger trains. Horse cars were equipped with doors for loading at the side ramps or the end wall of the cars, just like the automobile transport versions. So these guys probably got their own idea for a “horse Pullman” from that practice once the highway improvement programs pushed forward. A lot of upgrading had gone on from those first “good roads” projects so by the time of the ‘30’s the competition was now killing the rail traffic in this type of thing. Tracks like Santa Anita had been built with rail access at first.
The custom bodied truck is a Mack, circa 1930.