"Miss E.G. Winship." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

The Post Office building in Washington circa 1911, about the closest the District of Columbia ever came to having a skyscraper. Harris & Ewing. View full size.

My mother doing the dishes (with earrings and a piece of candy) in the knotty pine kitchen of our summer place in East Guernewood, California in June 1963. Note the items then regarded as fit only for vacation home use but now either antiques or retro: genuine cracked ice pattern Formica and chrome table with matching chairs; set of floral pattern tumblers (can't remember if they were glass or plastic); ceramic teapot wall pocket; incredibly neat ceramic 8-day clock. In the window: large ceramic squash-shaped shaker and a carnival ware tumbler. Not shown: the dirty look she gave me after hearing me snap off this Kodachrome slide.

The White House kitchen circa 1909. Note the high-tech light fixture. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size.

There's no caption information for this circa 1915 photo taken in or around Washington, D.C. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington circa 1920. "Home Economics Section." A test kitchen at the Department of Agriculture, also seen here. Harris & Ewing. View full size.

Washington circa 1918. "Supply Personnel." The clerical army behind the U.S. Army. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Once again it's daredevil John "Jammie" Reynolds, seen here clambering up a building in an unusual (and maybe unintentional) multiple exposure circa 1917. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Everything must go! Mr. Reynolds again up on the roof of the Lansburgh furniture store in 1917. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

1917. "J. Reynolds, performing acrobatic and balancing acts on high cornice above 9th Street N.W." Our second look at this aerial act. View full size.

Washington, 1917. "J. Reynolds, performing acrobatic and balancing acts on high cornice above 9th Street N.W." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

1933. "Mrs. Walter A. Foote, portrait with dog." Harris & Ewing. View full size.

"Capt. Jack Hegarty, Georgetown squad, 1925." National Photo. View full size.

Washington , D.C., circa 1917. "W.S.S. poster." (Aha. So that's what it is!) Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size.

Georgetown University Hospital, 35th Street N.W. in Washington, circa 1924. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.