Southern Eagles Motorcycle Club and Cable's Harley Davidson in Winston-Salem NC Photo Archive, 1950s–1960s

Harley Davidson Motorcycle

Photograph

[Biker Subculture][Harley Davidson] Photograph archive of the Southern Eagles Motorcycle Club and its association with Cable’s Harley-Davidson dealership in Winston-Salem, North Carolina between 1958 and 1968. The images show members, public events, and recreational activities of a regional motorcycle club during a period when organized riding groups expanded across the United States in the decades following the Second World War. American motorcycle clubs often formed around dealerships, repair shops, and local riding communities, creating social networks who organized runs, parades, and holiday events. The photographs show members of the Southern Eagles Motorcycle Club, dealership owner Odell Cable, and their families participating in club life centered on Harley-Davidson motorcycles and community events in mid-twentieth-century North Carolina.

Archive of 60 black and white silver gelatin photographs produced between 1958 and 1968. The photographs measure between approximately 3 × 3 inches and 3 × 4.5 inches, and many retain protective tape with corner mounts, suggesting removal from a single album. Numerous photographs identify individuals by name on the recto or verso and occasionally record locations. Many images show members of the Southern Eagles Motorcycle Club posed with their motorcycles while wearing club riding caps bearing an eagle insignia. Group scenes depict riders preparing for organized “runs,” gatherings outside the Cable dealership, and award ceremonies for competitive events. One photograph shows winners of a poker run holding cash and brass trophies, identified on the verso as “Bill Grubbs, Shirley Chamberlain, Don Boces.” Other images document Odell Cable standing beside his 1937 Harley-Davidson motorcycle with a 1940 Goulding sidecar, as well as scenes of Cable and his wife Frances outside the dealership and with other community members. Additional photographs include a fashion presentation staged inside the dealership where women model motorcycle apparel including helmets, gloves, and leather jackets, as well as images of riders participating in parades with motorcycles decorated with American flags.

The photographs illustrate mid-century American motorcycle culture, where dealerships often served as organizing centers for clubs, events, and local riding networks. The presence of family gatherings, holiday celebrations, and women participating in events and rides reflects the broader community dimension of motorcycle clubs beyond recreational riding. Scenes from club events and holiday gatherings including Christmas banquets, Easter activities, and Thanksgiving “Turkey Runs” demonstrate the tight knit community ties that defined motorcycle club life in this period. Sixty silver gelatin photographs ranging from approximately 3 × 3 inches to 3 × 4.5 inches. Minor edge wear and light handling marks with remnants of album mounting tape present on many prints. Overall very good condition. A substantial visual archive of regional Harley-Davidson club culture in the North Carolina during the 1960s.

Item #20817

Price: $4,000.00