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The Funny Place: 1911
Atlantic City circa 1911. "Bathing at the Steeplechase." George C. Tilyou's Steeplechase ... As hundreds of young ladies make ready in the warm Atlantic surf, the big crowd up on the boardwalk is waiting for that annual ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:43pm -

Atlantic City circa 1911. "Bathing at the Steeplechase." George C. Tilyou's Steeplechase Pier and some interesting signage, including a bear-filled Steiff Toys billboard. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Full Moon OutLooks like a little wardrobe problem. Pre-Alfred E.I believe we have the inspiration for the first "What, me worry?" kid. Nucky's WorldThanks for all the recent AC shots. They're particularly evocative, as I've been watching the wonderful Boardwalk Empire. And that Steeplechase face is so iconically creepy, I love whenever it pops up. Only one reason for such a turnoutAs hundreds of young ladies make ready in the warm Atlantic surf, the big crowd up on the boardwalk is waiting for that annual favorite, the ever-so-sexy Wet Swimming Gown Contest. Inspiration for the Coppertone kidin the straw hat. Backward sign"Lipschitz Cigars"? That's true, especially if you don't light 'em. Hello!And we have one guy staring back at the camera with a big "hiya!" for the future. Large Swimmies?Or has this bather got air pockets in their swimwear? I think that is a hat this person is wearing. Mystery SolvedSo Atlantic City is where Hannibal Lecter grew up. Master of his domainWhy, yes, here I am. It's Tillie!Anyone who went to Asbury Park, NJ before 2004 will remember Tillie, the famous mascot on the side of the Palace Casino. I realize now that he is named after George Tilyou. Tilyou must have built both amusement park piers. Thank you for teaching me something new about my beloved home state and one of its beloved icons. [update: "Tillie" was indeed Tilyou's mascot. appearing on the Steeplechase Piers at both Coney Island and Atlantic City, and the Palace Casino in Asbury Park. Tilyou deserves his own day of recognition for bringing so much pleasure to decades of visitors to the NY/NJ shore resorts. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tillie] No Way to Explain New York Magazine, Jun 28, 1993 Summer Places By Pete Hammill There is no way to explain to today's young about the vanished past. But it retains a fierce power. On a recent visit, I walked west on the boardwalk and saw the Parachute Jump rising 260 feet above the summer sky. The old ride had been repainted, landmarked, fenced off, existing now only as a piece of municipal structure, a monument to what we lost. Worse, it is all that remains of Steeplechase - The Funny Place, the fifteen-acre amusement park that George C. Tilyou founded in 1897 and that was vividly alive when I was in my teens. The symbol of the park was a huge grinning face, a slightly menacing mixture of Alfred E. Neuman and the Joker. A mechanical racehorse round around the edges of the park, the carved wooden horses and their live human riders moving into the dells and over water and above hedges, while music played on a blurred sound system. Steeplechase charged a general-admission price that kept out the winos and the riffraff (bragged those who paid), but that didn't free it of Coney Island's tawdry charms. The rides and runways were packed with thousands of people, eating corn, cotton candy, ice-cream cones. During World War II, you saw sailors in the park, laughing wildly in bumper cars, moving kids aside to try games of chance and sometimes winning plaster Kewpie dolls and stuffed animals. Oops, after posting this I learned that the above extract of a Pete Hammill column is probably referring to the Steeplechase Pier at Coney Island, not the one in Atlantic City. Apparently the Alfred E. Neuman/Joker face was a signature logo of the franchise. These make me a bit sadEvery time I see people of this era enjoying what was to be the very last years of stability I get a little morose thinking what was to come for them. They are all gone now and with them stories of a much simpler time. [This was an era of mind-boggling change. There were people alive in 1911 who were born in a world without trains, planes, automobiles, electricity, telegraphs, radio, phonographs, motion pictures or telephones, and then came to see all of these things during their lives. Hardly "simple times." - Dave] PioneerYesterday I watched the 1952 movie, Million Dollar Mermaid, on TCM about the Australian swimming champ Annette Kellerman (played by Esther Williams). It had a beach scene that took place in 1907 and the bathing suits looked just like this. Kellerman was one of the first to popularize tight fitting one piece bathing suits for women and was even arrested for indecency for wearing one in Massachusetts! Lucky NuckyEnoch "Nucky" Thompson (re: Boardwalk Empire) is probably sitting over there, cigarette in hand, glass of bourbon (neat) on the table, counting his money! Re: ... a bit sadMy grandmother was one of those people Dave refers to in his comment response below. She was born 19 years before the Wright Brothers' first flight, and died five years after we'd landed on the moon. Marking time with Halley's CometI think it was fascinating that Mark Twain was born in a year when Halley's Comet was visible on earth and he died at 74 while it was once again visible on earth. Astronomers estimate it passes approx. every 74 to 75 yrs. apart and I got to thinking that my mother saw it twice since she was born in 1910 (the year Samuel Clemons died) and lived until 1995, ten years after its 1985 return. Though we tend to get nostalgic for our loved ones and wish they were here to see what is happening now, we don't realize all the experiences and adventures they had which we will never know and will never come again. Every era has its redeeming events and we have no choice but to live in the world in which we find ourselves. My mom fondly remembered the depression years as being her favorite for special memories even though they were living an austere life. She was in the bloom of youth, beautifully good-looking, madly in love with her husband, had her children then and enjoyed endless good friends and made life-long relationships. She lived close to the 1939 World's Fair in NYC for that year. The lack of money was part of her joy-filled memories of "making-do", simple amusements like the beach above (they had buses), common every-day activities were relished, no car, no vacations, thrifty creative cooking, just totally embracing the intangible happiness of loving and living life. She never seemed envious or resentful of the affluent, but thrived in living her life with enthusiasm and survived well into the age of computers, space stations and skype, surely a life well-lived. Yes, time machines would be great, but will never happen, so we might as well live while we can. Unlike Halley's comet, we only go around once. Those SwimmiesThose "large swimmies" are probably Ayvad's Water-Wings, made in Hoboken. Meant for either adults or children as an aid to swimming or learning to swim, they were canvas, coated on the inside with some sort of water-repellent substance, and had a stopper made out of wood and metal. I have an old pair in pristine condition. You can still find them quite frequently on eBay. I think they were marketed from about 1900 to 1930, so there are lots of pairs still out there. You can also spot them in old mail order catalogues. Harlot!Who is the slut showing her knees just above the SHORPY watermark?! Re: a bit sadThe comment regarding people living in these times and having all these new inventions reminds me of my grandmother, who was born in 1903 and lived on a farm for her first 20 years. She died at age 105 in 2008. About five years ago I asked her what she thought was the most important improvement had happened in her lifetime. To my surprise she said the invention of the tractor was the happiest for her. It unburdened the hard life the draft horses on the farm had. They still used them to pull the wagon to take them to town, but they didn't have to work in the fields anymore. Grandma was sharp as a tack til the day she died, so it wasn't dementia talking. The StrandI see a building with signage calling it the Strand. I am familiar with one in Galveston, TX which has historical significance back to prior the famous 1900 hurricane. Are these related? Was there a chain of Hotels under this name? ["Strand" means beach. - Dave] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Wish You Were Here: 1905
The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "On the beach, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/25/2012 - 3:10pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "On the beach, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. That '70s BookI've seen this photo before, in a 1970s series of books published by Time Life called "This Fabulous Century" with one book per decade. I remember this photo because so many of these people seem so modern, especially the couple in the middle -- our great-grandparents. Fun loving peopleWhat a really great human element picture this is, I like the guy in the center joking with his girlfriend maybe wife. I would of done the same with my friends or they to me in the photo. Best closeup of people enjoying themselves at the beach, ever. Used to think people back then were more serious, this photo shows them like us nowadays. Most instructive picture on Shorpy Possibly the finest and most instructive picture ever posted on Shorpy. Rather than showing the denizens of a far distant time as stiff, alien black & white beings standing and staring uncertainly into a camera, we see that the people of 1905 were pretty much exactly like the people of today, merely clothed differently. This could be any modern gathering of people having fun. Yesterday and TodayLike so many others before me I am always very intrigued with the folks that display themselves and lives so well in these photos. Changing dress they could be of any era and time, going back forever, I think. We Humans have enjoyed play and communal affection since we first discovered one another. The need for this sociability remains timeless. Let's hope that this never ends. "Wish you were here"In another 105 years we *will* be partying with these folks -- dead and completely forgotten! I can't look awayA particular keeper from Shorpy: I feel as though I should recognize at least five people. The context is that the Civil War was within the experience of one or two of them, while cars, flight, public health, education and endless political upheaval would make their world unrecognizable. In a word, moving. What a cast of characters!Mario (from Nintendo) is in the center left. Peter Lorre is brushing close to his left shoulder. There are even a pair of jailbirds in the center right. One of my favoritesJust a great picture, it really captures the humanity of these people, who are now all long gone, but immortalized in a single moment here. Lots of fun, and a good reminder to smile and enjoy things while they are here. Stockings and bulgesIt's interesting how our ideas of what needs to be hidden have changed over time. In these old photos women had to wear shoes and stockings even at the beach but men often show quite conspicuous bulges that would be taboo today. Gangs of New YorkLooks like Bill the Butcher (fourth from left, behind the other mustache) is keeping a sharp eye on young Amsterdam Vallon to make sure he doesn't recruit those two even younger whippersnappers right in front of him. Thank youMoridin, you said exactly what I was thinking, but in a far more eloquent way than I could have ever written. Well done. And many thanks to Dave, as this picture just became my favorite on the site. And one other thing..."...we see that the people of 1905 were pretty much exactly like the people of today, merely clothed differently." And with inferior dentistry. No legs showingWow... all the women are wearing stockings. What elaborate swimsuits. And... so do I! '05One of the most charming and moving photos I've seen here. "Like the people of today"?I don't know about that. I'd bet none of these men would be stupid or vain enough to refer to himself as "The Situation." FlirtingI absolutely adore the guy and the girl in the center who are one of the first subjects I've seen on this site who are showing genuine human emotion. I also get the distinct feeling that they aren't classically together as girlfriend/boyfriend, but they are certainly flirting with one another. I get this from his body language-- he's stepped away from her at a distance to appear respectful, but his touching her indicates that he is most definitely interested in more. This might actually be a wee bit scandalous ... and I love it. WonderingThis is exactly what I search for on Shorpy! Some tend to either romanticize the past and others seems to vilify. Enamored by the stately homes, the fine dress or what seems to be the "simpler times," while others are appalled by the stench in the air and the very real hardship of life. However, even for the humblest of viewers, one could view this photo and become philosophical about the past towards the here and now, death, what to live for and "what does it all mean?". I often wondered what would history be viewed like if photography existed a few hundred years ago or a few thousand. Then again I should just enjoy the picture and move on. Well I beBack in the day I had a body like those young men. As I have aged I wouldn't mind a swimsuit like theirs. TimelessUsually we see images of buildings and landscapes long departed. "Not a brick left standing" is the phrase that often occurs in the comments. But here we have a landscape that could have been snapped at any time in the past 105 years ... even the buildings in the background (is that the Chalfonte, erected 1868?) would have probably been there for most of the past century+. The nature of Americans hasn't really changed during that span, either and not just in their smiles and pleasures. What percentage of the people over 30 in this photo were actually born in the US? It's an important question, considering all the present debate over immigration and the nature of being an "American." Take a group shot on most of the New Jersey beaches on any July afternoon. The numbers won't be that different. Much gratitude, Dave, for your beautiful gifts to us. Every image only makes me cherish the beauty and Gift of the Now even more. A pair of glasses and a smileOne of my favourite pictures on Shorpy. All ages so relaxed in front of the camera, even the older folk who you would imagine would be a bit more wary. I'm sure I've seen him before on this site but that must be Harold Lloyd surely? From Then to EternityIn the movie "Atlantic City," when someone makes a comment about the beauty of the ocean, Burt Lancaster says, "Yeah? You shudda seen it 25 years ago, kid." The center of it allIt looks to me like the girl is "with" the guy behind her, since he is very close to her, and has his left hand on her left arm. The fellow grasping her head looks like the brother of the guy behind the girl. Oh, and is that a corpulent man on the left? Don't see many of those folks in these old photos. Comment on immigration and being AmericanThe people in this wonderful photo may have been recent immigrants, but they all came through Ellis Island, legally and had full intention of assimilating and speaking English. Like my great-grandparents in 1904. Today, we have a debate about illegal immigration by people not so interested in assimilating and becoming Americans, Without a Hyphen. Great picture of people having fun and not worrying about who is American. They all were. What I Spy with My EyeI love the different interpretations of what is happening in the photo. I see a woman who doesn't want to be photographed yet her brothers (friends, cousins, schoolmates? But I think family, look at those lovely choppers!) hold her in place. One holds her arms to keep her from using her hands and scarf from covering her face while the other holds her head to the camera. At least that's what I see. Rich Pictures like thesePictures like these, that strip away the years between "me" and "them," make me so melancholy. "Margaret, are you grieving over goldengrove unleaving?" Yes. Yes, I am. Uninhibited by the breachThe two women smiling in the right portion of the photo. Enjoying themselves snaggletoothed and all. Great frozen moment of time for us to study. Could be todayOne of my favourites on Shorpy. The younger ones look so relaxed, one could mistake it for a modern fancy dress party. I love these people shots, yet they make me feel melancholic knowing they are no longer with us. Ignore me! It's 01:27 in the UK and I must go to bed. LuckyI feel so lucky to live in the era of photography and often wish/imagine I could look back much farther into the past - I'm just fascinated, and reassured really, that humanity churns on, day after day, before me and after me. The way we have lived and adapted to change over the years, slowly as far as biology goes but quickly when it comes to fashion and social change...I can get lost in this and other photos here for a long, long time. Sorry I can't articulate it very well, but thank you so much for this lovely snapshot. And thanks to the poster who reminded me of those Time Life books. I remember those! Interlocked M&SI know this is a bit of a bump, but does anyone know what the interlocked M&S on the two kids just to the left of the happy threesome stands for? From their ages I would guess a school. I also want to echo the sentiment of how moving this image is in connecting people 105 years ago to us today. [M&S is probably the initials of the bathhouse or hotel that rented the swimsuits. - Dave] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Golden Girl: 1926
... D.C., who was runner-up at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/12/2009 - 8:46am -

"Miss Marjorie Joesting, August 2, 1926." Our third look at Marjorie, a Miss Washington, D.C., who was runner-up at the Miss America pageant in Atlantic City. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Bless her heart!Sweet figure, but face like a Moon Pie. So ran the tastes of the day. Thanks!Thanks Dave, for answering the request of the poster on the last thread, for more bathing beauties. And yes, I too look forward to the day when I can say, "Remember when women *used to* get tattooed and pierced?" Psyche'dIf Miss Joesting had put her hair up for this photo shoot, she'd have looked like Psyche, the White Rock sprite. And for the purposes of the great debate - I LOVE the look! Amen!I much prefer Marjorie's kind of beauty. Lovely! Marjorie had her dayThough I generally dislike this business of debating the appearance of any woman point by point as though she were a show horse, it doesn't seem so wrong in the context of a pageant contestant, who voluntarily presents herself as a show horse. So: I'd say Marjorie's got a great little figure and a sweet, pleasant face. Sadly, she'd have to have that face gone at with scalpels and belt sanders to make it into a pageant today. Indeed, as movies from around and not long after this era show, the definition of "pretty girl" used to be much more varied and flexible than it is in our picky day. Young and healthy seemed to pretty much cover the requirements. With the -- fairly enormous -- caveat that, in mainstream entertainment in Marjorie's prime and beyond a "pretty girl" was a white girl, it's perhaps a healthier, and certainly a more cheerful, attitude. Reaching full beauty potentialI'm going to recommend a hot oil treatment wrap followed by a gentle warm-water rinse and a vitamin-enriched conditioner. Face like a moon pie??Adore the sweet innocent look, MUCH more than the emo, goth piercings, and all the other stupidity young women do today. [The debate begins! (Lincoln and Douglas, you might want to take notes.) - Dave] 1926?You could easily have convinced me that somebody took their CoolPix, set the mode to sepia, and snapped that this morning. Wow. Piercing insightsWow. You lot are awfully polite. I'm one of those goth girls you mention. Two piercings on each ear, my earlobes are stretched to a small degree and I have an eyebrow piercing. I like who I am and would never say my personal appearance is stupid. So, unless you want people saying "I hate what those men do today, with those combovers and narrow minds -- " Try to be nice. We all have different tastes, respect that unless you don't want the same in return. That all aside, this girl looks lovely. I really, really want a bathing suit like that now. The irony is that if I just take a few of my piercings out, I look pretty similar to her. Cheers!Here's to you, Miss White Rock. Nice....wings! My original "Moon Pie" comment was uncalled for. Today's tyrannical and completely unrealistic standards of beauty have succeeded in making millions of nice-looking women and men feel bad about themselves. Ms. Joesting is lovely. I like Shorpy's previous photos of her even more: https://www.shorpy.com/node/4772 https://www.shorpy.com/node/4282 I want one right now....Ummmmmmm! Moon Pies. The Original Marshmallow Sandwich. Woolly, BulliedThis girl is ever so lovely. but man, that swimsuit. I can't believe the people that post on here criticizing her face. Yeah, thanks Dave.I'm the poster who requested more bathing beauties. You did not disappoint. A beautiful, sweet, innocent looking young lady. When they invent a time machine.... Timeless beautyMiss Joesting is a true beauty in any time. She has a wonderful figure, a beautiful face and real naturally curly hair. I absolutely loved the other two photographs of her, so I'm quite thankful for this one. Speaking of hair, it's very unusual to see a beauty queen of this era with such long, flowing locks. Besides being extremely gorgeous, she was also quite the rule breaker. TimelessMiss Joesting was beautiful then, and would win my heart today as well. I understand beauty being in the eye of the beholder but... Wow... how can anyone not see her as lovely? Re: Piercing insights I'm holding out for the time when women like Marjorie find short, overweight and balding men (preferably from Australia) attractive. I'm so tired of looking like Brad Pitt Piece of my HeartCome on, she has nice Janis Joplin hair. ContrastThis beautiful image sure is in stark contrast to the bleak shots of the industrial parts of Pennsylvania. {And now I have new wallpaper!} Drop her in the......days of Woodstock, flower children, and natural beauty. Quite a few young women had a very similar style to them. She has also a resemblance to a singer named Nicolette Larson who did pretty well in the 1970's. Some of the ladies I dance with these days have hair just like that. Well, maybe a little more tamed, but close enough. She looks like a princessExcept she has peasant feet. Beautiful lighting/hair!Until I checked out the hi-def image, I missed out on the beautiful natural lighting. It really highlights her slightly-unmanaged curls, giving her a natural and water-nymph-like look. TressedWith all of the other 1920s cheesecake showing bobbed hair, it's a real rarity to see post-Great War long locks. She and the photographer were obviously proud of the look. To have resisted getting a flapper look her hair must have been considered beautiful at the time. Put me in the camp that considers that she would be judged a beauty today. The Sprite in youShe looks like a little pixie! She was robbed.Shoulda won. Foy Las Vegas The word "beauty"is so subjective. You know what they say about opinions -- everybody's got one. In the case of Marjorie, it is refreshing to see a young woman with such natural, unaffected beauty. It is all too easy to pick away at the parts. But I feel that the whole is very pleasing, in any time. SmittenI am such a sucker for a girl with chubby cheeks and laugh lines. She could have wrapped me around her little finger. More on MarjorieI looked her up, trying to find out more about her, and I found this, along with the caption "The girls are, left to right, Marjorie Joesting, Dorothy Proudlock, Emerita Monsch, and Anita Foy. " Anyone know what she did for the talent portion of the pageant? (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Pretty Girls)
Playtime: 1943
... there is a shootout ... and this is the public HS in the city's safest and most affluent area! Notable alums of Wilson HS include ... que! Srsly, wtf is w/n00bs. We pwnd them. 1337.") The Atlantic recently suggested otherwise . I tend to agree. You raised us ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 7:43pm -

October 1943. Washington, D.C. "Boys watching the Woodrow Wilson high school cadets." Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size. Saturday Morning SpecialEven before the war, this was the Junior G-Man generation. The pistol packing boy might be aiming a realistic cast metal cap pistol, not all of which looked like western six-guns. Here's a 1940s magazine ad for a similar toy pistol, the popular "G-Boy" model. Cap gunI had a hand-me-down cap gun in the 60s that was a baby .45. Wasn't as cool as the cowboy guns, so I am sure than it ended up in the bottom of a toy box and was "recycled" at a garage sale. Cocktail HourPersonally, I prefer my Bubbly with a dash of Alibet. Cap GunThe pistol the boy appears to be holding resembles a 1940 Kilgore Cap pistol, made of iron. Likely it was one of the police or police chief versions. Reminds me of my childhoodDespite my mom's anti-toy gun stance (peace, love, against the Vietnam war, etc.), my brother and I had an arsenal of cap guns as kids. We blasted away whenever she was not around. Despite all this simulated childhood violence, we both grew up to be fairly normal adults who do not own any real guns. Cap gunsMy parents were non-militaristic types; my father (reluctantly) got involved in WW2 as a RAF pilot, but his Quaker father had been jailed as a conchie in WW1 and he was never keen on guns. Nonetheless, we kids were cheerfully allowed to have and play with toy guns in the 60s - mostly games based on High Chaparral and Lost in Space and suchlike rather than war and soldiering, as it happens (well, there was The Rat Patrol). And pointing a toy gun at my brother (see pic, if it uploads OK) didn't seem to cause anyone to get worried (neither of us has ever had anything to do with real guns). Some British schools have cadet forces, as per the film If... and also the Doctor Who story set in 1913 (Human Nature). Is it really that different?When I was a kid, toy guns were my favorite. And yet my Dad would have tanned my hide had he caught me actually pointing a toy gun at another person. I was taught you just didn't point guns at people. And I realize that the kid in this photo is not pointing his gun at the other boy. But my kids grew up in a society where it was completely proper to point guns at other people and pull the trigger -- but they called it laser tag or paintball. You can also get into the whole video game mindset as well. Of course, you can't do it on your own, but at an arcade, or in the case of paint-balls, with expensive gear. The difference I see is that by the time I was 12 or so, such games were not so interesting. The current generation is still involved in these games into their 20s and 30s. ContextYeah, this might be disturbing to some people, but let's not forget the international context at the time. 1943 saw the height of World War II, and all the kids were immerese in the ambience of a "nation at war": bombarded with all those news reels in the movies, watching the cartels, and seeing mom worry about the absent parent / brother / uncle who was serving overseas. Many a kid witnessed the arrival of the dreaded letter to his / her parents; "Dear Mrs... I am terribly sorry to inform you..." So, with old photos as with history, one can't merely judge them by comparing them with our own prejudices and standars. We must take in account the circumstances and the particular period where they were created. I'm sure that, back then, a scene like this was not as disturbing as we might find it today. Guess it is what OTY said, that children were accountable for being good citizens at all times. That is really disturbingIt looks too much like that very famous Vietnam-era photo of a man being executed on the street. InterestingThere are a couple of interesting things in this photograph... Most obviously, it looks like the little boy on the left is aiming the gun at the other boy's head...but once you really look at it, the boy on the right is a few feet further away. (WHEW!) His stance though, makes it look like they are playing a very creepy "game". The other interesting thing is...High School Cadet Team?? Forming up and shouldering rifles??? Can you even imagine that in 2009? Ah, the good ol' days... Deja NamReminds me of the famous Vietnam era photo of an execution. As Jack Nicholson Would Say...Hey, kid? You ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight? Hm.There's an unfortunate juxtaposition. Imagine this scene todayThe boy pointing (what I assume is a) toy gun would be under arrest facing years of psychoanalysis. The parents of his "target" would already be on the telephone to their attorney looking to sue the boy as well as Woodrow Wilson HS, its principal and head of its cadet program not to mention the young man leaning on the soccer post for not intervening in what clearly is an act of bullying. The school spokesperson, since he hadn't seen the paperwork, would not be able to comment other than to reiterate that WWHS has a zero tolerance policy toward weaponry and that, once the truth comes out, they will be completely exonerated. Not what it seemsAt first glance it looks like the boy in the middle is pointing that gun straight at the forehead of the other boy - but he's not, is he? He's nearer the camera by a yard or so, and pointing directly to the right. Whatever, great photo. Nothing much changes hereI live several blocks away from Wilson HS, and aside from the fact that they obviously no longer drill there in military uniforms, there is the occasional gunplay every so often. It seems that about every three years there is a shootout ... and this is the public HS in the city's safest and most affluent area! Notable alums of Wilson HS include Warren Buffett, Frank Rich, and Lewis Black. Armchair Psychologist's Field DayTo call this photo provocative is an understatement. The curious fact though is that this generation, currently referred to as "the silent generation" seems to have been the most peaceful, law-abiding, responsible, conscientious, peaceful and congenial group of decent and agreeable adults in recent memory. Yes, I am one. Yes, as kids we all had toy guns and we played "jack-knife" wherein we threw our pocket knives into targets drawn in the dirt. Yes, we used dagger-sharp geometric compasses in grade school without hurting anyone, and walked miles to school, often alone. Yes, we were just before the "Rebels without a cause" gangs, loved our families, enjoyed our cars, had fun dates, served our country, sewed our wild oats and then settled down to work hard, support loved ones and try to raise healthy, happy families. I do not have crime statistics to back this up, but from personal experience all the "playing" we did for the first 15 years of our lives with potential toy weapons did NOT make us violent or eager to hurt anyone. On the contrary, we are a bunch of very helpful, charitable, POLITE, simple, proper seniors now who walk at the mall daily in friendly groups and still love America. The preceding is strictly my personal opinion but I know hundreds of us from this era and there is not a bad apple in the bunch. Although this picture is reminiscent of the horrible famous photo from Viet Nam, I have no acquaintances who became violent criminals from playing with TOY guns. The difference is, I believe, that we had sensible,selfless, caring and sometimes strict parents and we ALWAYS had to be accountable for not behaving as the civilized people they expected us to be. Sorry to be preachy but I really fear that society is "de-evolving" and returning to savagery and barbaric behavior. The little guy in the chin strap hat who is resignedly acceptiing his fate like a man looks exactly like a neighbor I grew up with who became a soldier. DrilledIn response to the "High School Cadet Team" comment: Ever heard of ROTC? I went to a college in the South (graduated 2003) and it was common to see ROTC members performing drills in the quad. High School Cadet TeamDon't you know there's a war on? In 1943 there was and most of the boys in that group would be in it soon after they graduated from high school. A little early drill couldn't hurt, even if they did have to unlearn just about everything they picked up here. Cadet RiflesHigh Schools still have rifle teams today, if they have JROTC unit. Official Site https://www.usarmyjrotc.com/jrotc/dt Wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Junior_Reserve_Officers'_Training_Corps - Proud Former JROTC Cadet, who shouldered his own (demilitarized) M1903 Springfield for drill... 15 count manual.. Arms! Soccer '43??I doubt that there were any soccer goals at WWHS in '43, I think those are monkey bars. Boys learning 2nd Amendment rightsThis photo could only come out of the USA. The only country on the planet that enshrines guns in their national Constitution. Johnny Has His GunHeh, funny, Exercising his 2nd Amendment. Can anyone tell if that's a real pistol or just an extremely realistic toy? It sure looks heavy and solid from here. I have a cap pistol from the '40s or '50s, and it's nowhere nearly as detailed as that (although it's a revolver, not an automatic). Re: Boys learning 2nd Amendment rightsAnd yet we've got people from all over the world that still strive to become American now don't we? In defense of my generation...I think it's a bit extreme to say that "the silent generation" was composed of better or more decent people than gens x, y, whatever, or that people in the past loved their families more, worked harder, or were better Americans than my peers and I. Actually, it's straight up offensive. A lot of criminals were born in the 30's and 40's, too. As were a lot of rude people, some of whom now apparently consider themselves "POLITE, simple, proper seniors." This is a really neat picture, though. I love the kid leaning on the monkey bars. Small ArmsThe gun is a toy .45 caliber semi-automatic. You can tell because it not only lacks the hammer and sight, but a real .45 is over 6 inches long. The one in the picture looks much smaller. And a real .45 very heavy. My Dad taught me to shoot a .45 when I was about ten years old and it took both hands to hold it up straight! Esther Bubbly FansFor those of us that are fans of Esther Bubbly and all the other wonderful photographers being shown on Shorpy, you can find many other photographs at the National Archives. Alibet, these photographs have not been edited as those shown here, they are still outstanding. The URL below will take you to an index of photographers. Don't overlook the 'Search' link also on the page. A wonderful place to visit. http://lcweb2.loc.gov/ammem/fsahtml/fsaauthindex1.html [Nothing like a little Bubbly to start the day, I say. - Dave] Reply to "In Defense of..."I believe you failed to comprehend my message because I NEVER said anything about being "better than..." or "working harder" or "loving more". My point was only to state that playing with guns, knives and potentially deadly weapons did not make us violent misfits as some people claim it does. Why would I offend my own children and descendants by claiming "we were better" but I believe that is your personal interpretation of what was written, NOT what was actually written. I am very sorry if anyone was offended. Boys and gunsLet's see. I grew up watching Gunsmoke and the Lone Ranger. Parents bought me a Daisy Red Ryder for my birthday. Played Cowboys and Indians and S.W.A.T. was never called. Grew up to be a productive law abiding citizen despite the "evil" toys. Imagine that. YikesWell, that gave me chills. The Way I See ItThe kid with the gun is aiming at some "enemy" in the distance. The smaller kid is imitating the drill team members. I hate guns now, but I played "Army" and cowboys and Indians with them all the time during the early 50's. Once, after watching Gene Autry on TV, I conked a kid over the head with a piece of wood and was amazed when he didn't fall over unconscious. Shortly thereafter I was amazed when I couldn't watch TV for a week. Grateful for the opportunityDespite years of studying (and producing) photography and film, I only learned of Esther Bubley after I became a regular visitor to Shorpy (perhaps Shorpy addict is more accurate). I'm a big fan of historic, journalistic, and modern photography -- even worked in an archive -- but I didn't know of Esther Bubley, and I think her work is wonderful. Her work fascinates me -- composition, subjects, content, emotional impact -- I thank you for posting her photos. You people are S-L-O-WHe is not pointing the cap gun at the other child's head. The other child is standing behind him. Look where the feet of the children are. Come on now, think for yourselves. [Talk about slow -- read the other comments. Carefully. - Dave] Re: You people are S-L-O-WI really hate to appear to be S-L-O-W, but what is the significance of the quarter? [It's a gift bestowed upon especially clueless commenters. So that they can go get a clue. - Dave] Target practiceWhenever I see a scene of soldiers practicing their marching in formation, I wonder "how many battles ever got won because they were good at marching in formation?" Has there ever been an enemy overcome by straight lines and precision steps? In movies, the guys in formation are always the ones getting mowed down by cannons or snipers. I'm reminded of a comment by one of the Kaiser's generals complaining that he seemed to think marching practice was all there was to war preparation. Just some thoughts on OTY's comment...>> Sorry to be preachy but I really fear that society is "de-evolving" and returning to savagery and barbaric behavior. Hey now OTY, the kids are OK. I don't know if you'll read this comment but I had to weigh in. As one of the early Millennials (aka Cold-Y or Boomerang Generation) let me reassure you. My parents were in the Silent Generation. I walked to school and used a sharp compass. Additionally, I knew my neighbors and was allowed to bike all over the town. Now I live in an urban center where I still walk to work. I still know my neighbors and make casseroles when people find themselves in a tough spot. The Millennials also manage to have fun even though the recession is weighing heavily on us. The Boomers won't retire and Millennials can't find work. We also give back to our community, are hard-working, and increasingly thrifty having learned from our grandparents the importance of putting away for a rainy day. Taking your anecdotal example, I know hundreds of Millennials who, to a person, are not "bad apples." Even though the kids born today can seem alien, ("O rly? LOL, que! Srsly, wtf is w/n00bs. We pwnd them. 1337.") The Atlantic recently suggested otherwise. I tend to agree. You raised us right, stop worrying, we'll take our place and save the world when you let us. And our kids and grandkids will be awesome too. So... The kids are alright. Neither demons nor angelsThe kids in the pictured generation weren't horrible animals because they played with guns, but come on, let's not pretend they were perfect and everything was wonderful back then and everyone today is inferior. For example, look at the trash scattered on the parade ground. My GenerationInteresting photo... posted no doubt for its shock value. As a member of that generation, I played cowboys, space explorer, knight, soldier, etc. All the boys did (well, except for the odd ones who played with dolls ;-) Know what? We never once confused play with real life. Of course, physical violence wasn't graphic back then, nor was it performed with mind-numbing repetition, as in the slash movies or video games, for example. We also didn't take drugs or do a lot of other things kids do today. Was it a better time to grow up? Damn straight it was. Bubley whimsyDon't you think the photographer was intentionally having fun messing with the viewer's perspective to create that illusion? I do. (The Gallery, Bizarre, D.C., Esther Bubley, Kids, WW2)
Steeplechase Park (Colorized): 1903
My fifth colorized image, but instead of Atlantic City, this time it's Steeplechase Park at Coney Island. Around thirty hours of ... 
 
Posted by scottr - 07/02/2011 - 4:11pm -

My fifth colorized image, but instead of Atlantic City, this time it's Steeplechase Park at Coney Island. Around thirty hours of work went into this one; I swear I still can't predict with any degree of certainty how long any particular picture might take. "Longer than you expect" is probably a good rule of thumb. The original is here. The dimensions are different, as I've cropped it to serve as computer wallpaper. I'm pretty sure the colors on the American flag are more or less correct. And the skin tones are probably reasonably close. The boardwalk probably really was brown and the sky probably really was blue. The other colors are sourced purely from my imagination. View full size. BravoSuch a beautiful job. I just printed it. Probably going to frame it. Thanks. A World in ColorWhat can I say except, "Bravo"! Made me want to listen to Jamey Johnson's newest song, "You should have seen it in color", and learn how to do this myself. Funny how color makes these images look not so long ago. Perfect!This is the most breathtaking colorization I've ever beheld! Congratulations! Any chance that an even higher-res version could be posted to serve as the desktop for a 27" iMac (2560 x 1440)? SpectacularEveryone that has walked by my computer today has been impressed by this and they're not even colorization people. It is spectacular. Simply Amazing!It's like stepping back in time. Awesome work! Awesome!I'm normally not that keen on colorized photos as sometimes the colours are not realistic, but this is fantastic. Looks like a still from the set of Boardwalk Empire (this is a bit earlier I know, but it looks that fresh) "Boardwalk Empire" for realWonderful! Thank youWhat a powerful image and so appropriate for celebrating our nation's birthday. California sends our sincere gratitude for your painstaking work in so masterfully bringing this scene to life. Very Nice JobAnd that's from an old coot who doesn't particularly enjoy colorized photos. Colorful(Sorry, my pun writer is on holiday). I was thinking if you referenced picture postcards from the day you might get an idea for some of the colors, but those artists probably used the same guess work as you. Very well done, my new screensaver. The choice of red hair for the women in front is a good one, I think, based on her features. Well DoneA step back in time. Well done! KudosVery natural look to it. Great use of contrast. Excellent! Beautiful!!Fantastic work! Beautiful picture. Thanks for all you do! Echoing everyone elseI'm repeating what so many others have said, but seriously, that is the first colorized image I've ever seen that looks absolutely real. It's magnificent. I've seen some wonderful colorizing here on Shorpy that comes very close to the mark, but you absolutely nailed it. I'm in awe. I look forward to seeing more of your work in the future. It obviously took you a long time, but it's very much appreciated. And it's also my wallpaper now as well. Huge thumbs up. Yeow!Your colorization is just crazy good and, your choice of photo is too excellent. Thank you for all the work you do. Every photo you post are jewels. Grant DumbstruckThis photo and the colorization is simply amazing! It is now my desktop photo and when it completely filled the screen, I was immediately part of the crowd at Steeplechase. The effect is truly wonderful. Thank you for this moment when we can all step back in time. I just know any moment, I will be speaking to the striking couple coming my way. Great!Keep 'em coming! Wilse Thanks, Everyone!Oh my gosh, thank you all so much for your kind words! I am absolutely blown away by the positive reactions I've received, and am extremely pleased that people are enjoying what I did with this photo. You cannot imagine my surprise at seeing it placed on the front page (seriously, I did not expect that), and am doubly pleased that it was judged worthy of such an honor. Thank you all again! You are a talented guyIt's the best colorization I have seen. Thanks for being part of Shorpy's. Wow!Congratulations. That is as previously said "awesome". Really brings it to life. Really beautiful!It's amazing how a little color really brings the past alive. It feels more like last week instead of last century. Excellent JobI'm impressed to see that kind of quality work after just a short time colorizing photos. And congratulations on having the first Colorized photo show up on Shorpy's Home page. Maybe we'll see more in the future. Keep at it so we can continue to see more of your work! [This is a great job, but not the first colorized image on our front page. - Dave] SpectacularBravo! Excellent job. Whew!Magnificent job! That really brings it to life. Well done, Scott. OutstandingI am blown away by this. What fantastic work. A great present to all of us for the 4th. Bravo! Great JobThat is a great job of colorizing. After seeing so many old black and white photos, it is amazing to realize that people really did live in color back in those days instead of different tones of grey. It's beautiful. Thank you!You should get the trophy for making so many so happy! Great work! Hot Dog!If you look closely, it seems that Mr. Lemmerman beat Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs by at least 15 years! A sunny day at Steeplechase ParkLike most here, you can feel the life inn this photo. It is so lifelike that it would be fun to go back there and enjoy the Park for the day. Love the couple just strolling down the boardwalk like they haven't a care in the world. They do have each other and I'm guessing that it may be time for a nice cold 1 cent lemonade. It does sound refreshing especially at a penny. Well I'm off to the Steeplechase and see if it is a much fun as stated. See ya!!! Ice coldLemoade? Love it!I think what really does it for me is - and I'm not decrying your excellent work at all - that it isn't quite perfect. When I looked at it first - and again afterwards - I had to think "is it or isn't it?" Also, a happy birthday to all of youse out in the colonies! WOW!!!WOW!!! I've never commented on a photo here. Been lurking daily for months. One of my favorite sites. But this is fantastic. Great Work!!! Sure my room is a little noisy.But hey, I live next to Steeplechase Park! Congratulations Scott on an awesome job. Really brings this scene to life! And it looks terrific as a desktop on my 23-inch screen. Keeping in mind that I wouldn't even attempt this masterpiece even if I knew how, I will tell you what I would have annoyingly said had I been looking over your shoulder: "Make the left-hand poster high above the entrance full color." But I'm sure that would have added several more hours. (I know, I'm a jerk!) Seriously, great job! Color NoteThe midday sky in the Northeast is generally not robin's egg blue. More whitish-grayish. Aesthetically, though, sky-blue is definitely prettier. Color me impressedWow! Wow! Double Wow and Holy Cow! And allow me to reiterate -- wow! Don't know the first thing about colorization but I would bet it takes far more patience than I could muster. You are to be congratulated - and let's congratulate Shorpy's for the fine talent that it attracts. Gasp!Having spent countless hours in Photoshop trying to colorize a scan of a family photo from just after WWII (and I know the location well and most of the colors!) I must defer to your superior skills. Outstanding. I look forward to your future efforts, perhaps I'll learn something. Incredible!!This is a truly wonderful piece of work. So many of the photos on Shorpy transport the viewer into a time long ago, but none so convincingly as this. Thank you for your work, you have made a lot of people very happy with this picture. Awesome!This may be the best colorized photo I have ever seen! I feel like I could literally walk into the picture. Great job! Choice of colors.Being a professional that uses PhotoShop daily, I can appreciate the time and talent it takes to colorize a black and white print this well. Beyond that, one of the more difficult things to do is deciding what colors to use — to keep it realistic yet not repetitious. Kudos. Jaw DroppedAbsolutely stunning! I called my wife in to look at this, her jaw dropped, literally. (And we look at a lot of colorized pictures). New colorization fanI must confess, I'm not a big fan of colorization...until today! If it's done well [and this one certainly goes beyond that!]... I can almost taste the lemonade, and smell the hot dogs, and hear the calliope...well, you get the idea. Wish I could climb through my computer screen and into this photo. And, from one who is partial to redheads, good choice on the woman's hair. Excellent job, Scott. Can't wait to see your next work. Wow!I too have this as my wallpaper. Your eye for color is amazing. Thank you! Wow!I can't even being to imagine how difficult this must have been, particularly the flooring with all its different hues. It's funny, until I see something like this, I tend to think that era was drab and dull. You have a great eye for color. The gold accents on the columns, the dresses that match the hats, the lady in the foreground with the red hair...very nice! Absolutely beautifulI have this as my computer wallpaper at work and people stop and gawk at it constantly. I love being able to "take a quick break" at Steeplechase during a dreary day. Wonderful job. (Colorized Photos)
Good Gulf Gas, phone 262
... Days I love this picture! My dad was a salesman for Atlantic Refining in the early 1960s in North Carolina. I have some photos of ... luxury. What a great time to start a business! City or country location It is hard to tell. During my Greyhound driving ... 
 
Posted by DoninVa - 04/06/2009 - 9:38am -

Grand opening of my father's Gulf Gas station in Gulfport, Ms, circa 1955. The family's 2-door Ford station wagon to the right of the building would make two cross-country Mississippi to California trips in a few years before we finally settled in The Promised Land of southern California. The clown's outfit was covered with Gulf embroidered patches and he has poorly made-up. I was about 7 at this time. View full size. So which hurricanefinally put this station out of business? The other promised landGulfport is now, to many, The other promised land. 2 door Fords were "Ranch Wagons", big open area in the back for us pre-seatbelt boomers to bounce around in. Great picture, thanks for sharing. Sound RentalIt's good to know that that Rambler wagon is "sound"; I'd hate to think it was otherwise! I do like the term "sound"; no longer a familiar usage. Cool. [It's a "sound car" because of the giant bullhorn on top. - Dave] Just Wonderin'I see a median strip--was this on U.S. 90? If so, I passed by many times in those years, maybe even bought gas there in the late '50s and early '60s. And I see only two bathroom doors. Was there a third around back? (Men, Women, and Colored.) Torn DownJust last year a service station identical to the picture was torn down in my town. I also heard on the news today that a service station built in 1933 was being moved so as to preserve it. I missed where that station was located. Sound Car For HireWe had a 53 Ford wagon too. I like the "Bathtub Nash" with extra added features -- a large paging horn and a roving billboard. For a moment I thought the service station also rented "sound" cars, until I saw the loudspeaker. Come one, come all, and join the fun! Hi kids! I'm Gulfy!I don't suppose you have any close-up shots of the clown? Those would be priceless. A guy in Mississippi dressed as a clown, covered with Gulf patches. You can't make this stuff up. Love that station design. Goober Pyle'd sell his mother to own a station like that. Minus the clown. Nash wagonThe car with the sign Sound Car for Hire looks like a Nash. I would love to see what this looks like today. How long...was the station there? Could it still have been there in the early Seventies? If so, I think I might have bought gas there on one of my trips between east Texas and south Georgia; I typically diverted from the direct route just to see the countryside. A Simpler TimeThat was a time when my friends and I, standing on a street corner, could identify the make, model, and year of every car that went by. I can almost identify all the cars here except I can't see the details to get the years right. The big dark fourdoor sedan reminds me of our family 1948 Plymouth Deluxe but I can't see the trim well enough to be sure of the year. I loved that car. I also got in a bad accident with it but I can honestly say it was not my fault. My father then got a 1954 Plymouth Belvedere with a strange kind of breakdown-prone no-shift fluid drive whose proprietary name I can't recall. Moving onWhen I was last in Gulfport, 1990 or so, the building was still there on Pass Road but had become a quick oil change place. My father and mother decided on California and we left Gulfport. I never learned the details of the business decisions to open the station and then leave it, but in California he found his niche selling Fords. We are descended from pioneer folk who in colonial times moved from Virginia to Georgia, and then on to Alabama and Mississippi; so, the trek to California was another step in the process. Perhaps curiously, I have spent most of my adult life in the South...but my favorite baseball team is the Angels. Somewhere in the dusty archive is a photo of the clown and he was a truly amateur joey. Today we have guys with twirling signs and huge foam hands to entice us; an improvement in marketing? 1954 PlymouthThe transmission you're referring to was called Hy-Drive. What Is It About Clownsthat is so scary? I would drive clear of any clown in a gas station - especially this one. HyDriveThe Plymouth scheme of combining a fluid clutch with a three speed manual transmission was called HyDrive. Happy DaysI love this picture! My dad was a salesman for Atlantic Refining in the early 1960s in North Carolina. I have some photos of an Atlantic station grand opening that looks almost identical to this picture, right down to the clown! I recall being scared of the clown as a 3-year old. It was common then at grand openings to have a clown, helium balloons, the trianglar flag streamers (in primary colors like red, blue, green, etc) and a big stack of Coca-colas to give away with every fill-up. Even after the hoopla died down, attendants in pressed uniforms washed your windshield and checked the oil and tires, at least until the first oil shock in '73 put an end to that luxury. What a great time to start a business! City or country locationIt is hard to tell. During my Greyhound driving years I would come upon a little cinder block gas station that still had the "Good Gulf" or "Chief" logo with the trademarked lettering styles over the garage bays in the deep rural South. We had a Phillips 66 in our part of the county, part auto center (gas, service, etc), part convience store and part boyhood education (auto parts calendars). Sound carsI remember the "Sound Cars." They would drive through your neighborhood and you would hear this deep voice saying something like "Come to Meyer's Department Store today for our pre-fourth of July sale, everything 25% off." The voice sounded like the voice of God on an old Charlton Heston movie and it was so loud you could hear it all through the house. Usually the speaker would pause 30-45 seconds before repeating it again as he drove by slowly. Looking back on it, it was a bit eerie. I never heard them after the mid-60s, they probably were outlawed in most towns. Where in Gulfport?Was the station on Highway 90 or on 49? P-15It's definitely a P-15 sedan. I'm betting on '48. I've one in the garage and I'd know that shape anywhere. An "After" PicIf you could remember the address, I could take a pic of whatever's there now for a before and after... I live right next door in Biloxi. Gas Prices in 1955Can anyone zoom in on this to tell me how much per gallon regular gas was selling at this station? When I bought my first used car, a 3-toned two-door 1952 Pontiac Catalina. purchased off a lot in Port Arthur, Texas, not far from a big Gulf refinery there, I think the price of regular leaded was about 31 cents. A year later, in Plainfield NJ, the price was about the same, but the car had worn out completely by then. So my dad co-signed a loan and I bought a brand new, stripped down 1957 two-door Ford Fairlane in Delaware, which was a terrific car. FillerupIn 1955 we handed the attendant a dollar bill and he pumped about four gallons into our car. And that came with a window wash and an oil check. Not long after, with the same car, we did the usual "fill it with oil and check the gas." When gas was cheapMy dad owned a gas station & store around this time period & gas was around 25 cents a gallon. Those were the days, huh? And our city must have been bigger than this one - our phone number was 4 digits & I still remember them - 6621! I have seen this building!I am from Gulfport and I believe I have seen this building just up from the port. I think is was 30th Avenue. My grampa used to paint all the signs around Gulfport. He went by the nickname Munch. Do you know who did the signs Don? Great to see this anyway! Thanks! Have I been there?I think I may have gotten gas there...if its the one I am thinking of, its on the highway that runs parallel to the gulf of Mexico? I stopped at a similar place on the coast about 5 years ago for gas. BathroomYes to the question for Just Wonderin, there is a third bathroom around back. It has a very high ceiling and a window over the top of the door. Gulfport Tire & Auto CareHello - we just bought the old Gulf Gas Station; other than an add-on to the side and read of the building this just as it was then. The address is 1606 Pass Road Gulfport, MS 39501. We will be posting new pictures of the building; we are in the middle of cleaning and painting now. Re: Gulfport Tire & Auto CareAs a preface to the "now" pictures, below is the Requisite Shorpy Google Streetview of the location. View Larger Map (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Gas Stations)
The Dennis: 1905
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "The Dennis." Where you can get pushed around on ... picture hat. I'd call this "going overboard" in Atlantic City but what do I know? [The Lewis Carroll look. - Dave] ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 11:59am -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "The Dennis." Where you can get pushed around on the Boardwalk. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. All the TrimmingsAnyone know why so many cut trees are stacked along the Boardwalk? A way to stop sand blowing up on the lawns? I have seen coastal driftwood and it looks nothing like these. To my eye they look like Christmas trees. Not the best yearIt is my considered opinion that 1906 had the ugliest women's fashions in the history of the Western world. 1905 was too close for comfort. Jester or the Jac(queline) of Diamonds?Enlarging the photo I see an extremely flamboyant lady in a rather hideous outfit with an over-the-top capelet, printed jacket, striped skirt and outrageous doily-trimmed picture hat. I'd call this "going overboard" in Atlantic City but what do I know? [The Lewis Carroll look. - Dave] Lewis Carroll lookOh is that what that lady is wearing? I was busy thinking to myself, "I wonder what all the colours of her outfit are." I wonder if it would have offended the eye or be just colourful enough to be fun. Hard to imagineAtlantic City ever looked like this. Don't Mess With The BowlerThere is just something about the guy in the bowler. Perhaps it is his stride. Maybe the sneer on his face toward the camera capturing his image. Or it may be that his hand is quite a bit darker than his face (does not appear to be a glove either.) Whatever it is, something just tells me that in 1905 on the Atlantic City Boardwalk he is not one to have against you. [Kid gloves. - Dave] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Travel & Vacation)
The Boardwalk: 1905
New Jersey, April 1905. "The Boardwalk parade, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 11:38am -

New Jersey, April 1905. "The Boardwalk parade, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. My worst nightmare!This is like Times Square on New Year's Eve, except with more hats and less beer. Mass of HumanityIt's amazing to me to think that all of these people have lived their lives already. It can make you feel very insignificant. The upper crustWow, what a great Edwardian Era photo! I wonder if any of the Astors or Vanderbilts were here. I know its not New York, but some of their relatives would fit in with this group. Also I see ONE black man, under the striped awning on the right side. He does not really seem part of the parade. Perhaps he works in the store. Elsie JanisI was intrigued by the advert for 'Elsie Janis, the worlds greatest imitator'. So I found this http://library.osu.edu/sites/exhibits/Janis/ Amazing lady, someone I hadn't heard of before. Great photo by the way! MooJoin the herd. A Field DayFor pickpockets. We may have missedElsie Janis at Young's Pier, we can still hear her perform! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OB_q7RfTYQ Sniper!in the third floor window! First parade I have seenWhere you could be on the curb and not ever see the parade. Wow, what a mob scene. Easter ParadeThis would be the Easter Parade in AC. It was really a big deal back then to dress up and stroll some main thoroughfare on Easter. Fifth Avenue in NY, the Boardwalk in AC, and any town's Main Street. Mad Hatter's Tea PartyWith the exception of a couple of people leaning out of windows above the crowd, I can't find a bare head anywhere. I know there is probably one somewhere - but still - can you imagine this amount of fashion "compliance" today? April 23Was Easter Sunday in 1905. Atlantic City claims to have one of the oldest Easter parades in America, dating back to 1876. It's fun seeing everyone in their finery. The "sniper" is the only one in the pic without a hat. Snif,SnifAlright,who cut the cheese? Miss N.J.Down in front -- somebody's spotted the camera! Pardon, pardonMake a hole, coming through, pizza delivery here, make a hole -- Our rendezvousMeet you on the Boardwalk at noon. I'll be the one wearing a bowler hat. Spot the - -Texan. Same spot 1921Still hats and nothing but, except for one man out front. Adult perambulatorI wouldn't have believed these existed without a photo. Parade?Looks more like a ... derby. Women's FashionIdiotic then, and idiotic now. Where's Waldo?Tough to see, but I think he's the 71st person down and fifth in from the right. Hat NoncomplianceIn a sea of bowlers, a few wider-brimmed, lower-crowned hats are on display. Often when I see these turn-of-the-century street scenes, with bowlers dominating men's headgear (or boaters), I wonder what sort of social cues might have been embedded in a gentleman's hat noncompliance. Could it have implied a particular social attitude, position, profession? Or would it taken as a mere sartorial preference? On the other hand, notice the guys in the top hats. If this, as a previous commenter suggested, was an annual semi-formal social outing, no doubt about the level of formality that implied -- bumping everything up a notch. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Travel & Vacation)
Sun City: 1910
... Jersey Shore circa 1910. "St. Charles and Rudolf hotels, Atlantic City." From the heyday of the Boardwalk, parasol and rolling chair. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/25/2015 - 12:26pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "St. Charles and Rudolf hotels, Atlantic City." From the heyday of the Boardwalk, parasol and rolling chair. View full size. The Monopoly Card"Advance to St. Charles Place," only in this case it would have to say "Return to St. Charles Place". The Mailbox. When I started with the Post Office Department in 1970, we only had one box in our city like the one in the picture (out of 100 or more collection boxes). Notice it has a lock instead of a slot for a key. Instead of inserting and turning the key to open it, You inserted a special flat key into a slot on the lock and it would pop open. Every Letter Carrier had to sign for the special key and the regular key daily, even though most never used it. Mailbox MemoriesThey haven't changed much over the years but eventually rust out and get replaced. The oldest one I remember was in the mountain community of Julian, CA, embossed with the manufacture year 1933. I think it was there until about the 1980s, so they sometimes have a good long run. St Charles PlaceAnd not a scotty dog, flat iron, or thimble to be seen. The U.S. P.O. TardisThat U.S. Mailbox does indeed look like the one setting on the corner near my house at this very moment. Too bad we're not Timelords. We could crawl into it like Dr. Who's police box and visit 1910, then come back and get some KFC. I suppose I, myself, would look pretty suspicious wearing jeans and tennis shoes, and a teeshirt that reads "Bonnie and Clyde Death Death Car." "It's So Dreadfully Hot, Mabel""Let's dress in many layers and stroll under a parasol." What a DumpI see one piece of white litter along the curb. Mail BoxAnd one hundred and five years later the U. S. Mail collection box could still be in use somewhere. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Jersey Shore: The Prequel
Ken put together this amazing Atlantic City video from stills and vintage movie footage. For maximum impact, view it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2010 - 3:12am
Carnival of Souls: 1904
The Jersey Shore circa 1904. "On the beach, Atlantic City." Everyone please turn to face the time-portal! Detroit Publishing glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:55pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1904. "On the beach, Atlantic City." Everyone please turn to face the time-portal! Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Steel Pier provides the atmosphereAtlantic City's famed Steel Pier in the background. Not here The nearest Brazilian must be 3,000 miles away. Lookat the kid by the boat! Feeding frenzyI bet sharks miss the days of those wool bathing suits. It was probably the only fiber they had in their diets. Fit!I only see only one "beer belly" in this group. It shows how our ancestors were fit through hard work and the lack of the food temptations we have today! Bathhouse fashion dominatesA lot of the women have the same bathing attire. So do the men. I doubt if Gucci or Ralph Lauren had a popular "must have" style for beachwear in 1904 so I assume that a local bathhouse had a hot deal on rentals that day. His mother's hat all packed with sandLittle Bobby vowed one day to return to Atlantic City as soon as plastic was invented and make a fortune selling beach toys. That was his dream, and everyone there that day would thank him, although, sadly, nobody would remember his name. Except his mom, upstairs in the bathroom still trying to get the pungent New Jersey sand out of her hair. Yes, she was pretty sure it was Bobby. IncredibleWhat would these lovely people make of Snooki? ConclusionsYears from now, I wonder what conclusions people will make about our generation just by looking at a picture of us on a beach. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Meats and Groceries: 1905
Continuing our visit to Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Atlantic Avenue West." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:24pm -

Continuing our visit to Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Atlantic Avenue West." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Kuehnle's Hotel Genealogical and memorial history of the state of New Jersey, 1910. Louis Kuehnle was born January 6, 1827, at Hacmusheim, in the principality of Baden, Germany, and died August 7, 1885, at Egg Harbor, New Jersey. In his native country he received the training requisite for a first class chef, and came to America in 1849, obtaining employment at some of the leading hotels and restaurants of the country. While in Washington, D. C., he had the honor of presiding as chef at the hotel where President Buchanan boarded. In 1858 he opened the New York Hotel at Egg Harbor, being connected with same until his death. January 9, 1875, he purchased and opened Kuehnle's Hotel, at Atlantic City, New Jersey, placing same under the management of his son, Louis K. He was held in high esteem by his fellow citizens at Egg Harbor, who several times elected him to the office of mayor; he was also a member of the city council and the school board. He married, in 1852, Katherine Werdrann, of Germany, and they had three sons— George, Louis and Henry. "Poultry! Game! Butter! Eggs!"...all produced in the nearby farms of the Garden State. They were brought in daily by horse-cart, as well as grain, garden truck, milk, pork, firewood, even barrel staves! New Jersey was called the "Garden State" because it was the backyard vegetable garden, chicken coop, pig sty, timber patch and cow pasture for New York City, Philadelphia, and the sandy shore resort-towns. As Benjamin Franklin, a man who knew it well, said, New Jersey is like "a beer barrel, tapped at both ends, with all the live beer running into Philadelphia and New York." (It was also the brewer, hard cider as well as beer.) All those McMansions presently in New Jersey, and their accompanying highways? They were all built on those former tomato fields, potato fields, corn fields, fruit orchards and cow pastures, after the Second World War and the Interstate Highway Act. Most developments have one lone farmhouse standing by the access road, often with large chicken coops still standing behind them, the palimpsest of New Jersey's agricultural heritage. If transportation costs ever get so high that it's no longer worth it to truck in vegetables from California and Mexico, and not sensible to drive to work from 5000-square-foot houses 100 miles from the place of employment, New Jersey will turn its residential zoning back into farmland. There's going to be a lot of money waiting for someone who develops a way to remove toxic chemicals and metals from poisoned reclaimed farmland. Yes - New Jersey born, New Jersey bred, New Jersey proud! That's me! Jitneys on Pacific AvenueI remember Atlantic Avenue and Pacific Avenue as being the two main streets in the Atlantic City of the 1950's. Pacific Avenue had small buses called jitneys that held about 12 people. They ran practically bumper to bumper so they were very handy. The fare was 10 cents unless you wanted to go past the end of the line to Hackney's Seafood Restaurant (10 cents extra) or Captain Starnes Restaurant (15 cents extra.) The last I heard, the jitneys are still in service. My main memory of Atlantic Avenue was going to the movies on a rainy summer vacation day in 1957 and seeing William Holden in "The Bridge on the River Kwai." Captain Starnes, Pat Boone The Captain's was always a highlight of our Atlantic City vacation. The visit was usually reserved until the last full night and I can still remember the flounder I had my first trip. The Steel Pier along with its Deep Sea Diver Bell, Diving Horses, comedy divers, first run movies and name entertainers was the first full day must. I remember seeing Gary Cooper's High Noon then after the movie Pat Boone came out to sing Ain't That A Shame and Lucille but to my fine tuned R&R ear they were poor imitations of Fats Domino's and Little Richard's versions. A daily highlight was eating at a cafeteria where I was allowed to pick my meal and the only admonishment was one I heard later in life at Great Lakes NTC, "Take all you want but eat all you take." It was always a day of adventure from the rental bicycle Boardwalk ride to being allowed to eat salt water taffy just before bedtime at the Saint James Hotel. On another note, I love those swinging doors on Kuehnle's Hotel Bar. Kuehnle’s hotel was the hub of Republican politics in Atlantic City and the place where important political decisions were made. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Dolly's Go-Cart: 1905
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Dolly's go-cart." Behind this little princess: a ... in front of her. Boardwalk Rollers This is one of Atlantic City's celebrated rental "rolling chairs," which have made numerous ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:09pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Dolly's go-cart." Behind this little princess: a pushy mother. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Why are we here?Neither mother nor daughter seem particularly happy. The only one with a semblance of a smile is the doll! By the poundConsidering that it was 1905, their prosperity might be in direct proportion to their girth. Here's an ideaLadies, why don't we stop in here at the Green's and take a sea water bath. Then we can go out on the porch and watch these guys climb around on the billboard. Easter '04The Easter Parade at Green's Hotel. Cute VehicleI've never seen one of these before..for such a big girl! I wonder how Mom could see where she was going. But it is very cute and interesting. Thank you, Shorpy! SweetDespite the seeming grimace on the child (the sun?) this is a sweet picture. Most of the photos from this period the children seem to be in rather purposeful tow with their parents. And there are two dollies in this photo. The little girl has a baby nestled in front of her. Boardwalk RollersThis is one of Atlantic City's celebrated rental "rolling chairs," which have made numerous appearances on Shorpy. Most of them are "double chairs." Nice to have a close-up of a single. Some things never changeIf you've been to Disney World anytime recently you'll know what I mean. There are still "pushy mothers" pushing around strollers overstuffed with older children who are more than capable of walking. Around foreverThey still had the double wicker carts when I was a kid going to Atlantic City in the 50s and early 60s. I remember always wanting to ride in one. They remind me of the kind of bicycle carts you can hop in today in NYC. Rolling chairEven though these are pushed, they are still called "rickshaws" in Atlantic city. You can still get a ride on one now, but it will cost you about five bucks or more. If you're smart you will refuse the first price that they give you and bargain for a better deal. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, Bicycles, DPC, Kids)
The Babe: 1924
... Malcomson, Miss Philadelphia of 1924. Later that year in Atlantic City, she would be crowned Miss America. View full size. 5x7 glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 1:41pm -

Eighteen-year-old Ruth Malcomson, Miss Philadelphia of 1924. Later that year in Atlantic City, she would be crowned Miss America. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, Atlantic Foto Service/George Grantham Bain Collection. Because of HerI found this tidbit. "1924 Ruth Malcomson decides not to defend her title as Miss America, and compete again. Because of this, a rule is instated that woman cannot hold the Miss America title more than once." Time marches onShe is 103 today, if still alive. [Ruth Malcomson Schaubel died in 1988. She appeared in the 1974 Miss America pageant on the 50th anniversary of her win. - Dave] *whistle* Beautiful!!*whistle* Beautiful!! 1924 Miss Philadelphia and Miss AmericaIf anyone has any photos of Ruth that they would like to sell - please post contact info. I am a relative (granddaughter) will consider buying if not too expensive Oh the humanityGreat pose. Miss Americas looked so much more human back then. Ahhhhooga!What a dish! Ruth MalcolmsonInteresting. Not only is she beautiful ... but also made a bit of history, of sorts... as she decided not to defend her title as Miss America, and compete again. Because of this, a rule is instated that woman cannot hold the Miss America title more than once She reminds me of. . . actress Paula Malcomson, who played Trixie on the HBO series "Deadwood." Ruth MalcolmsonI have some photos of your grandmother. I am located in Drexel Hill, PA and can be reached at the Ardmart Antiques Mall. Check our website for contact information. Grandma Ruth's TrophyDo you know what happened to that silver shell trophy? It is amazingly beautiful and so large - a true work of art! Were you able to acquire any photos from anyone? Then and NowI find it really odd to look at a picture of someone when they were young and then to think that right now they're not even alive anymore. It seems like an impossibility at times to imagine yourself ever becoming old. Growing OldI smiled--ruefully--at the comment about not being able to imagine yourself old. When I was in my teens, I calculated that I'd be 63 at the turn of the twenty-first century. I could not even conceive of being so ancient. And now...oh, yes, it tolls for thee. We are relatedI have been researching my family history and learned that I am related to your grandmother. My grandmother, Lida Roberts, was the wife of Hugh Malcomson. If you have any information on your grandmother's ancestry, I would surely appreciate it, if you are willing to share it. You can contact me at normindell@yahoo.com Thank you. Shallow DOFNote the very shallow depth of field afforded by the long lens on 5x7 format and the slowness of the emulsion, even in decent daylight WOWShe is absolutely stunning! I'm amazed. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Pretty Girls)
Gray Gardens: 1911
Atlantic City circa 1911. "Hotel Strand." And a vista of manicured monochrome greenery. ... $8.5 million and torn down. In 1980 he built Golden Nugget Atlantic City casino at a cost of $140 million. It closed in 1987 and is now ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 7:40pm -

Atlantic City circa 1911. "Hotel Strand." And a vista of manicured monochrome greenery. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. And it's dang hardto grow grass on the beach. Completely misunderstood"Hey Charlie, I lined up a couple of hoers back at the hotel." Replace your divots!Looks like the ghosted gent on the left is swinging away. I wonder what their task is here, surely not a path, maybe a garden area. The gents in the distance behind the hedge may have clippers in their hands. The Saratoga looks like a bow tie affair. The Strand at the BoardwalkThe Strand at the Boardwalk and Boston Avenue was bought by Steve Wynn for $8.5 million and torn down. In 1980 he built Golden Nugget Atlantic City casino at a cost of $140 million. It closed in 1987 and is now Atlantic City Hilton. Fireproof Fun in the SunThis hotel was at Pennsylvania Avenue (now Danny Thomas Blvd) on the Boardwalk, right at the famed Steel Pier. The hotel claimed to have a fireproof garage and baths supplied with running saltwater, similar to the saltwater pool at New Jersey's Palisades Amusement Park high atop the Palisades north of New York City. "The Hotel Strand is a modern, fireproof building, constructed of steel, brick and granite, and having a capacity of about 350 guests. It is situated directly on the oceanfront of Pennsylvania Avenue, the most prominent and widest thoroughfare of Atlantic City. The dinning-room is so constructed that a full view of the ocean may be had from every table. The bedrooms are so arranged that a suite of two or three with a private bath and parlor communicating can be secured." -NY Times, January 4, 1903 However, the fireproof boast caught fire fifty years later: "Mrs. Esther Schoenthal, 63, is the first of four persons to be rescued by firemen after being trapped on the 7th floor ledge of the blazing Hotel Strand at Atlantic City. Two other guests and a maid were trapped on the ledge for more than an hour as smoke boiled about them during the million dollar fire." -AP, April 1, 1953 It was eventually knocked down, and today the Trump Taj Mahal. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
A Swimming Hole: 1904
... bathing costumes they had to rent at Coney Island and Atlantic City? Why, I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you! "View full size" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 5:52pm -

Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1904. "A swimming hole, Lester Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Where the Boys AreNo doubt. RiddleDo you know what they do in Minnesota in the summer? If it falls on a Sunday, they go swimming! (Oh, I slay myself.) Shocking!!!You mean boys used to go swimming in the local quarries without those woolen bathing costumes they had to rent at Coney Island and Atlantic City? Why, I'm shocked! Shocked, I tell you! "View full size"You just know what the PO'd lookin dude is thinking -- "A hundred years from now, there better not be an Internet!" Still thereSwimsuits no longer optional. Scandalous!I was expecting rented bathing suits up to the neck. I can't help but wonder if they felt they were being naughty, way back in 1904, or if we have just become sensitized from all the full body bathing suits we have seen on Shorpy. BrrrBeing in Minnesota and all, that water is cold! Obviously. Blissfully unattendedWhat I find remarkable about this photo is that there's nary an anxious, hand-wringing parent in sight. "Christopher, come out of there this instant, before you break your skull on those rocks!" "Water moccasins can swim, Jason. Now get dressed and come home right now!" "You just ate lunch, Ryan. Do you want to get cramps and drown?!" Childhood was probably more hazardous in those days. And probably more fun. I'm surprisedI'm surprised, not that some of them aren't wearing swimsuits, but that some of them are. I was given to believe that at the old swimmin' hole, you just took off your clothes and jumped in. Clearly, the truth was something different. I wonderEvery time I see an old picture of kids I wonder what became of them. Did they survive childhood? Get killed in the war? Children and grandchildren of their own? It would be neat if their ancestors could identify the picture and fill us in. A Bracing DipI just love the look on the face of the boy entering the water in front of the waterfall. Swimming in fresh spring waters I've seen it many times. it says "COOOOLD!" Girls?Either girls weren't allowed or these guys were too young to care. MemoriesWe didn't go swimming here, but used to go camping with my mom's youngest brother and would swim in a similar quarry with a bit of a cliff in western New York. We didn't bother with swimsuits either, and this was in the 1970s. There was a little bit of embarrassment until you hit the water and then you just kind of forgot about being nekkid (even when you climbed back out to jump in). It was all very innocent. Top ManLooks an awful lot like our very own Mr. Terrace, or maybe his grampa. Get much sun? The ol' swimmin' hole When I was a kid we didn't have anything that spectacular, but we did have Cow Creek and it worked just fine. Only one thing missingMud for a good mudball fight. Summers in MinnesotaMy dad told stories of swimming in the summer in Minnesota. He came from a family of 15 and lived a little ways off an river in the 1920s. The boys had a spot on the river for skinny dipping and the girls had a spot farther down stream for the same. He said after swimming they would jump on the neighbor's horses and ride bareback through the fields. The gypsies also camped close by. Been there, done thatGrowing up in Indiana near White River, we often skinny dipped. We were banned from ever going near a quarry. Still had fun jumping of a 15 foot cutbank and sinking to the bottom with a huge chunk of mud in our arms. Lester RiverI believe the photo was taken at the Shallows, along the east branch of the Lester River near Lester Park golf course. The "Day at the Deeps" video was shot at the Deeps, on the west branch of the Lester, also known as Amity Creek. Cliff jumping at the Deeps!Cliff jumping at the Deeps! 106 years later, this looks exactly the same, and is still a close retreat for people from the neighborhood. When I was a college student in Duluth, this was the best way to cool off on hot, lazy summer days. In fact, my brothers just went there yesterday! For those of you who have never been, nothing beats a summer in Duluth. It's beautiful! (The Gallery, DPC, Duluth, Sports, Swimming)
Dorothy Parker: 1938
... and will compete for the title of Miss America at the Atlantic City beauty pageant to be held during Labor Day week. 18 Years old, she weighs ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 12:23pm -

August 4, 1938. Washington, D.C. "Miss Dorothy Parker has been selected as Miss Washington and will compete for the title of Miss America at the Atlantic City beauty pageant to be held during Labor Day week. 18 Years old, she weighs 112 pounds and is 5 feet, 4 inches in height. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C. Albert Parker of Washington." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. JiltedThe 1938 Miss America crown went to tap dancer Marilyn Meseke of Marion, Ohio. Love the ShoesYup, she's all decked out to keep her head above water. You got me, Dave!I was expecting the Algonquin and what do we get but yet another lovely girl. Not that I'm complaining, mind you. High HeelsNothing like climbing a ladder while wearing high heels. I'm surprised the lifeguard didn't blow his whistle at her....or something like that! Zoom?Can you zoom on the guys on the high board? They appear VERY INTERESTED. Whew...That is a divine example of feminine pulchritude. SemanticsWith pictures like this, the term 'VIEW FULL SIZE' takes on a new and much more fascinating meaning. Charming photo. Not as nice as...That other Miss Washington, Marjorie Joesting. Not even close. https://www.shorpy.com/node/4282 Fashion notesShe still has the marks on her legs from her knee stockings. It could have been a more professional photo op! A different DotIndeed, I, too was expecting another Dorothy Parker -- "What fresh hell is this?" But this one's definitely a lot easier on the eyes. Miss Columbia Heights Washington Post, Aug 3, 1938 Dorothy Parker Captures City Beauty Crown "Miss Washington of 1938" Wins From Field of 17 Contestants. While the steamship Potomac steamed down the river on a moonlight cruise last night, Dorothy Parker, the former "Miss Columbia Heights," was named Miss Washington 1938 and won her chance to compete in the national beauty contest in Atlantic City. Miss Parker won from a final field of 17 girls selected in preliminary eliminations. She lives at 1228 Shepherd street northwest. Judges of the contest were Lyle O'Rourke, president of the Junior Board of Commerce and drama critics from Washington newspapers. A holiday crowd watched as the girls paraded in bathing suits and then in evening gowns. Others in the contest were Nadine Petrey, Betty Crown, Dale Simmons, Jeanette Tucker, Elizabeth McDonald, Betty Wax, Toni Mann, Betty Jean Smalley, Gere Dell Sale, Louise Emmerich, Beatrice Evert, Sylvia Berger, Dorothy Boston and Tempa Marshall. That Other Dorothy Men often make passes At swimsuited lasses. In Her PrimeThe other Dorothy wasn't bad looking. Plus she was witty, liked a good martini (maybe too much in terms of volume as well as frequency), and wasn't particularly bound by conventional morality. Get around the too much booze part and she'd probably be fun to hang around with. At least the Algonquin Round Table thought so (and they didn't mind the boozing). Flippers 1938 style!Those are not shoes! They are flippers or frog feet 1938 style. Better for walking on the Sea bottom. Really impresses the fish. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Hotel St. Charles: 1910
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1910. "Hotel St. Charles." It's getting to be that time ... And thus it shall always be. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 2:50pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1910. "Hotel St. Charles." It's getting to be that time of year again -- the season for bathing-costumes, salt air and Boardwalk rolling chairs. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Do Not Pass GoI hear the rent here is pretty steep--$750 per visit. Architectural EmbellishmentsI love those decorations along the top floor. They must have been difficult to put up, especially on that curved fascia. There is quite a bit of that style work out here in Portland, Oregon, especially on the older buildings built around 1900. Are we having fun yet?I didn't think so. The BoardwalkThe boardwalk was put up to keep hotel patrons from tracking sand into the lobbies. The St. Charles Hotel was one of the first to benefit. It had its own connection to the boardwalk. St. Charles Place holds a key position on the original Monopoly board, right next to Jail. The Showboat Casino now occupies this location. $750I believe this was the inspiration for St. Charles Place in the board game Monopoly -- rent $750 with a hotel on it! Double Duty RampsThis hotel killed two birds with one stone and gave their guests a unique perk. You could ride in your rented stroller back and forth from the beach to the lobby. Also, of course, the wheelchair bound folks are accommodated. Beautiful building in a beautiful cityAnd what a great sunny day! Definitely looks like the kind of place I'd like to spend my next vacation. Thus It Always Has Been.And thus it shall always be. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
On the Ropes: 1910
... Circa 1910. "Surf bathers at crowded beach, possibly Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/11/2015 - 1:24pm -

Circa 1910. "Surf bathers at crowded beach, possibly Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Asbury ParkThe girl on left has an "AP" on her suit. Could that be Asbury Park? The Atlantic City beaches tended to be much more crowded. LifeboatAtlantic City life guards are known for using lifeboats. They have been using them for over 100 years. I can see a lifeboat in the center of the photo so that makes me believe it's Atlantic City. Lifeboat #2Yes AC had them, but they were used throughout the shore to Cape May, they were first used as early as 1848, and many required more than one man, Asbury Park clearly had one man boats: mVSeiyHGXp (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Kids, Swimming)
Old Philly: 1908
... envelope calculation, but it's not hard to see that in a city of this size, the labor to make it happen could easily be hired. Cobblestones Ships from the New World crossed the Atlantic laden with goods for trade. Most ships required ballast when they made ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 10:12am -

Philadelphia circa 1908. "Delaware Avenue, foot of Market Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Employee/management issueMan and horse seem to disagree about something. The horse is probably not happy with his benefits package and 401K. Aside from the historical interest... this is just a fantastic composition. Lens Flares!OK - Did these guys pose or was the shutter speed that fast? Mad HatterI love how this horse has a straw hat on! Horse with a hat.I love the Horse with a hat. The guy in the buggy must had loved his horse. It's next to the Bassett Ice Cream wagon. What a priceless photo. You can lose yourself in this pictureI love these photos, lots to see. An ice cream wagon, a horse wearing a hat. A reluctant horse, borax soap and a huge box of corn flakes. And I'm just getting started. Paved overAll of this is torn down and paved over today. But you can find some interesting things on the history of the area. Pier 3 Condominiums, for example, has collected a lot of information about the old waterfront. Among the details is a reference to an elevated railway connecting to the Market Street Subway: "completed on Delaware Avenue from Arch to South Streets in 1908. This route was known as the Delaware Avenue El or the Ferry Line, since its stops served the various ferries to New Jersey. There were two stops, one at Market-Chestnut and one at South Street where the line stub-ended." This looks like the "stub end." Wait!Where's MY hat? Stones in the RoadWhat intrigues me the most about this and many other old photos is the cobblestone streets. There must have been billions of stones. Where were they produced? How long did it take to pave a given area? Pain In The AssThat fellow in the foreground seems to be having trouble motivating his mule. Mad HatterCheck out the horse with a straw hat on the bottom right hand corner. Doesn't look like protective gear but an actual straw hat with ear holes! Too cute. HorselesslessGee, not a horseless carriage in sight. FinallyA horse with a hat! Terrific vignette of a vibrant commercial centre. So much to see and enjoy. FrustrationI wouldn't know what would be worse, a stubborn car or a stubborn horse. What a great photo. How many horses?I lost count at 40! Breakfast TimeBoy, I feel like some Toasted Corn Flakes. If only they'd "fall off the back of a truck." Four-Legged DrivePerhaps the driver at the bottom center is having difficulty shifting his commercial vehicle from the "idle" position. Tags Adams Express Borax Soap Clyde Steamship Company Philadelphia, New York, Paris The Bassett Ice Cream Co., 504 Market St. Toasted Corn Flakes My Great Grandparents' WorldGreat image of the area where my great-grandparents lived and my grandfather was born (Chestnut and 5th in 1905). Thank you, Dave, for all the wonderful images of Philly. Tug a little harderLooks like ol' Bessie doesn't want to go! This is the best!I adore this photo! So much activity here and it is a visual feast. Thank you Dave. More please? Bassett's Ice CreamStill in business at (and one of the original merchants still in) the Reading Terminal Market. That Thar horsea pullin' that ice cream wagon is wearing a chapeau I wonder who wonthe man or the horse at the bootum of the picture. Just above that wagon is a horse with a nice chapeau. Horses do have hats!Personal pet dress up or some other reason? Only John WanamkerThe fanciest rig in the scene, drawn by a pair of white horses, is from Wanamaker's department store. No Philadelphian would have expected it to be otherwise. My grandfather drove deliveries for Lit Brothers, a good department store but a few rungs below Wanamaker's (Strawbridge & Clothier was also below Wanamaker but above Lits*). He bore the mark of a horse kick he sustained on the job for the rest of his life. *Gimbel's operated a store in Philadelphia but they were from New York, ninety-six rail miles from the center of everything, so they can't be properly placed within this spectrum. Stone AgeMan, that's a lot of paving stone! All of them laid by hand. What a backbreaking job! I'm guessing they just paved over them, as they did here in NYC. Laying Paving StonesI watched a guy laying paving stones by hand outside the main train station in Pisa, Italy in 1987. He would pick up a stone, put it into place, and set it with one hit from a mallet. Although he was laying a curved pattern he could set up about 1 stone every 4 to 5 seconds. It was amazing how fast he could lay them. A quick count shows there are about 3 x 7 stones in an area about 1 square yard (I counted the stones around the manhole cover which is probably about 36 inches across). The square is about 40 yards wide and say 600 yards long in the picture (I'm lousy at estimating distance, so pick your own numbers). That's 24,000 square yards or about 500,000 paving stones. At 12 stones/minute (my Italian guy) that's 70 man-days (10 hour days) to lay this many stones. So a team of 10 guys could do it in a week, if each had a helper to fetch stones. Of course you have to prepare the ground, haul the stones, etc. Still with less than 50 people it wouldn't take more than a summer to do. That's just a back of an envelope calculation, but it's not hard to see that in a city of this size, the labor to make it happen could easily be hired. CobblestonesShips from the New World crossed the Atlantic laden with goods for trade. Most ships required ballast when they made the return crossing because they didn't bring equal tonnage back with them. The off-loaded ballast stones became paving stones for Philadelphia's early streets. Disgruntled equineSaw the hat and wants one. Not moving till he gets one like his friend has. Stony BallastI grew up in Philadelphia and lived in the Frankford neighborhood when I went to college. I believe this elevated "stub" became part of the Frankford Elevated which was completed about 1925 and connects to the Market St subway. I rode the El everyday for several years. The cobbletones are said to have come from Europe as ballast in sailing ships. The primary cargo flow was natural resources from America to Europe and ballast was needed for ship stability on the trip from Europe to America. No idea how they were originally made. A lot of cobbletone areas remain in Phila, they serve to keep traffic speeds down. Shadow curveAs has been noted, the El originally terminated at the ferries to Camden, with the elevated track doing a 180 degree turn before going into the subway. This curve can be seen in shadow at image left. The track continues behind and left of the camera, terminating at South Street. This branch stayed in operation into the 1940s. Men in HatsNot just for horses. All the men are sporting a variety of hats from straw boaters to caps. I like the boater on the man to the right pushing a handcart. Harry Kyriakodis has a book on the Philadelphia waterfront full of interesting info. My ancestor had a sailmaking loft on Del Ave in the 1890s McGinnis & Fitzgerald. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Railroads, Stores & Markets)
D-Day: New York
... them to fight the Axis. A month later, I was in a North Atlantic convoy assigned to a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun hoping that a Nazi plane ... and Gene Kelly are Standing up and looking out at the city in Betty Garrett's Skyview cab. Those DeSoto Skyview Cabs were sold ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2013 - 10:25am -

New York, June 6, 1944. ALLIED ARMIES LAND ON COAST OF FRANCE. GREAT INVASION OF CONTINENT BEGINS. "D-Day. Crowd watching the news line on the New York Times building at Times Square." Photo by Howard Hollem or Edward Meyer for the Office of War Information. View full size. Unidentified ObjectDoes anyone know what the curved metal object with letters on it is? It appears to be on top of a car on the right. [DeSoto "Sky View" taxicab sign. - Dave] Internet, 1944is what this could have been titled. The scrolling electric sign was as good as it got then, and I am sure those folks were fairly amazed to see it. I wonder what it took to program it? My great-uncle went in at D Day +60 (August 7) as a replacement in the 2nd Infantry Division (L Company, 23rd Infantry Regiment); he was seriously wounded at Brest, France, a month later, died in 1956...and I was named for him. That was never far from my mind when I served in Iraq in 2004 at the same age he was when he earned his Purple Heart and (I believe) a Bronze Star. To all those who went in on D-Day...and throughout WWII, I stand and salute. So what about that moving sign?According to various sources the NY Times installed the first moving "news ticker" in 1928, using 14,800 electric bulbs. Given the technology of the day, I can only guess that each bulb required a relay, which would have to click on and off almost instantly to momentarily light its bulb, as the text scrolls along. This must have been a maintenance challenge (there seems to be a few extra bulbs lit, and some brighter ones that may just have been replaced). They may have used or even invented the "matrix" technique still used today for LCD displays, which uses "crosspoint" wiring to greatly reduce the number of lines going from the elements to the control system, but my mind still boggles at the number of wires remaining, and what kind of electro-mechanical system translated "operator input" to the streaming text. If only Shorpy's world-wide readership included a retired electro-mechanical sign technician! Just the technology of the news line was something...Before zooming in to see the image full size, on first glance the guy on the left and the guy 2nd from the right were in a posture not to different than someone holding a cellphone to the ear. Of course it's clear they were dragging on fags, sucking on coffin nails, drawing down on Pall Malls while taking in the portentous news. As someone not born until 12 years after the war was over - I am fascinated by what day to day life in the US was like, mobilized for war. Of course I grew up knowing it was a success, but at that very moment, who knew how this was going to work out - the intensity of the moment, even for folks in the street in Times Square, must have been incredible. Pausing to rememberMy brother landed D-Day plus 12 and my uncle D-Day plus 20. They were lucky, I guess, and returned to us to live out long lives. Great photo. Really profound. 6-6-44Yet to be born, a twinkle in my father's eye as he dropped from the sky into Caen with the Canadians early that morning. RIP Dad. 23,740 days later Kind of Gladwe can't see many faces in the crowd. We'd have to start wondering what they were thinking -- Is my son there? My dad? My husband? My brother? Funny but I cannot summon up any memory of D-Day. VE and VJ Days, and the dropping of the two A-bombs are sharp and clear, but not D-Day. I think perhaps that it might relate to what happened in early May. I was out riding my trike when a Western Union messenger rode up on his bike and went into the three-family apartment in which I lived. I heard a terrible scream through the open windows of the first-floor unit. All the neighbors (women since the men were in the military or working) flocked to the apartment with screams continuing for some time. I learned that the woman's son had been killed in action. I did not totally understand the horror, but I was sad because the young man had been very nice to the punk kid airplane nut from the third floor, even letting me hold his model planes. The first-floor family were an elderly couple, with the one child, who had become a fighter pilot in the Pacific. The husband walked with heavy braces and crutches, and, as I later learned, they just quit and gave up life. They moved within days and we never heard from them again. I think that I was in a bit of a void for a while. Walking to churchOn January 6, 1944, I was 6 years old in Fort Smith, Arkansas, part of a young generation which at the time had no knowledge of a condition known as peace. On that day, my mother received a phone call from a fellow church member who was calling everyone in the congregation to say that the invasion was under way. This was the signal to come to the church to pray. Our family; mother, father and two boys walked to the church to pray for the safety and success of our "American Boys" on that day. DeSoto Sky ViewThose great old DeSoto cabs had a sliding roof panel to let passengers see the views above them while being carried through the Manhattan canyons. The skyscraper with the clock housed the Paramount Theatre, a wonderful place to visit for a movie and a live stage show. I saw Phil Spitalny and his "All-Girl Orchestra featuring Evelyn and her Magic Violin" there with my family. The movie was "Miss Susie Slagle's," starring Veronica Lake and Sonny Tufts. Bright Lights, Big SignRadio CoverageThe National Archives in College Park, Maryland has recordings of the entire NBC and CBS broadcast day from D-Day and anyone can go in and listen to them. It's a very good way to get a sense of what the day was like for people at home listening on the radio as events unfolded. News ZipperFrom a 2005 NYT article on the Zipper: The Motograph News Bulletin, to use its original formal name, began operation on Nov. 6, 1928, election night, as a band of 14,800 light bulbs that extended 380 feet long and 5 feet high around the fourth floor of what was then the Times Tower. It was installed for The New York Times by Frank C. Reilly, according to an article in The Times, which identified Mr. Reilly as the inventor of electric signs with moving letters. Inside the control room, three cables poured energy into transformers. The hookup to all the bulbs totaled 88,000 soldered connections. Messages from a ticker came to a desk beside a cabinet like the case that contained type used by old-time compositors. The cabinet contained thin slabs called letter elements. An operator composed the message, letter by letter, in a frame. The frame, when filled with the letters and spaces that spelled out a news item, was inserted in a magazine at one end of a track. A chain conveyor moved the track, and each letter in the frame brushed a number of electrical contacts. Each contact set a light flashing on Broadway. There were more than 39,000 brushes, which had to undergo maintenance each month. The frame with the letter elements passed up and overhead, forming an endless circuit. Mr. Reilly calculated that there were 261,925,664 flashes an hour. D-DayJune 6, 1944, I was 16 years old and in Basic Training with the the US Maritime Service at Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn. Many of us teenagers had close relatives in the military and wished we were there with them to fight the Axis. A month later, I was in a North Atlantic convoy assigned to a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun hoping that a Nazi plane would dare to fly over. "I'd show 'em." Of course I didn't tell this to my shipmates. skyview cabI believe this is the light-up sign on top of the Sky-View Cab Company. It looks like neon. I was watching an old movie from the forties (?) on TCM and I noticed these cabs. They had a sunroof cut into the roof of the cab so the passengers in the back seat could look up and see the buildings. I can't remember the movie, but the plot involved the passenger looking up and seeing something relevant to the story line. It must have been a gimmick for the cab company. It also must have been one of the early sunroofs in a car! More SkyviewThe Skyview NYC Taxicab that the tipster may have seen on TCM was in the musical "Anchors Aweigh". The scene where Frank Sinatra and Gene Kelly are Standing up and looking out at the city in Betty Garrett's Skyview cab. Those DeSoto Skyview Cabs were sold exclusively through James Waters Chrysler Agency in Long Island City, Queens. The price for a new one was about $1100. I once heard a story that he was Walter Chrysler's Son-in-Law but I can't confirm it. The Skyview cabs were all over the placewhen I lived in NYC from 1941 - 44. They were stretched DeSotos with a couple of fold-up seats and the roof had glass so that one could see the tall buildings. There was also a radio built into the armrest on the right. The driver turned it on and the passenger controlled the rest. I had many rides in those cabs. Hovercraft at D-Day@sjack: I don't mean to rain on your parade, and I certainly don't wish to denigrate the memory of your father and his courageous service to our nation in World War II, but I'm quite sure he didn't lower tanks onto hovercraft for the D-Day invasion of Normandy. The US Army did not make use of hovercraft until Viet Nam, and then it was only on an experimental basis. As your comment is titled, memories are funny sometimes. Perhaps your dad talked about loading tanks onto landing craft, not hovercraft, like the LST (landing ship tank) or smaller versions like the LCU (landing craft utility), which were flat-hulled vessels that could approach fairly close to the beach and lower a ramp on the bow, allowing troops and vehicles to exit. The Bronx is up but the Battery's down"New York, New York, A Helluva Town" was sung in the Broadway "On the Town" but for the film changed to "New York, New York, A Wonderful Town" because of those archaic Hollywood codes at that time. Los Angeles may have our Dodgers but they don't have our songs or our Skyview Cabs. RememberingDuring my early teen's in the 1950's I was invited along on several fishing trips with 3 WWII veterans. One had been an Army Ranger, one a sailor who had been on the Murmansk Run, and the third a paratrooper. You can imagine the banter among those guys. The Ranger was in the D-Day invasion and had been wounded in the buttocks. The Navy vet always asked him how he could have sustained that injury advancing from the beach. Curiously, the paratrooper never spoke any particulars of his service. They're gone now, but I remember them being nice to this kid. Thanks guys. UnawareJune 6, 1944 - I was happily gestating in my mother's womb and would be born during the Battle of the Bulge (no relation to mom's condition). My dad, drafted in 1940 into the 7th Cavalry (yes, Custer's old outfit) had been converted into armor and was preparing to sail overseas to a place called Leyte Gulf in the Philippines where he would be wounded and spend the rest of the war, plus another year, in Letterman Hospital in S.F. Until his death in 1996 he could remember most of his company's buddies names and the names of their horses. More on radio coverageThe NBC and CBS D-Day broadcasts are available at the Internet Archive. NBC: http://archive.org/details/NBCCompleteBroadcastDDay CBS: http://archive.org/details/Complete_Broadcast_Day_D-Day That woundHow your Ranger probably caught that one: We were taught in training that buttocks wounds were very common; moving forward under fire without decent cover, one crawls. It is most difficult to accomplish this without making your buttocks the highest point of your body! Let us never forget the men of D-Day.An awful lot of them gave up their tomorrows so we could enjoy our todays. 'On The Town'Is the movie 'Mr. Mel' is thinking of; 'Anchors Aweigh' is set in Hollywood. Right Stars, wrong movie. 'Lest We Forget'A line from Ford's 'She wore a Yellow Ribbon' that fits this day so well. Odd TriviaThere are a couple of boats trading on the Great Lakes today that were at the Normandy invasion. One still carries the battle ribbons with stars on her bridge wings. One other point is that the Times building was of very attractive design before it was covered up with billboards. Communiqué No. 1I followed the NBC link provided by hlupak604 and listened to some of the radio coverage and heard, more than once, the short text of Communiqué No. 1 from Supreme Headquarters, Allied Expeditionary Force, which appears to form the basis for the scrolling text on the news zipper. It runs as follows: "Under the command of General Eisenhower, allied naval forces, supported by strong air forces, began landing allied armies this morning on the northern coast of France." Thanks! Uncle SamMy uncle Sam (no pun intended) landed at Omaha Beach, and immediately sustained an injury to his head. He was fitted with a metal plate to replace the part of his skull that he lost. Needless to say, his fighting days were over. However, he went on to be become an accomplished auto mechanic. Family, friends, and neighbors all asked him for automotive advice. He passed away last year at the age of 90. Thanks, Uncle Sam! - because of your sacrifices, I am free today to write this. Yeah, I remember.Although we didn't know it at the time, my brother was in the sand of Utah Beach just then. He survived the war. I remember vividly the headlines in The Detroit Times that afternoon, "WE WIN BEACHES". Due to the time difference, of course, there was plenty of fresh news of the invasion in the afternoon paper. I've been a news junkie since. May we never forgethow brave these men were. My uncle fought in Okinawa in 1945, unfortunately he never made it out alive. I still have the last letter he wrote to his "beloved mama", what a sweet soul he was. Bless them one and all. Memories are funny sometimesMy father was on a supply ship in the English Channel on D Day, lowering tanks into hovercraft that were being sent to French beach heads. Many, many, times I tried to discuss his experiences that day but he never really had much to say. He said that on D Day he was "on the water" (in the Channel) and they were pretty much working constantly getting the tanks loaded and shipped. They slept whenever they could he said. He landed at Utah beach (but didn't say when) and moved up the coast doing whatever was asked (he was in a supply unit) until he got to Belgium. And that was pretty much all I got out of him. His shared memories of the battle of the Bulge were even more meager ("it was very cold"). I'm jealous of people whose fathers discussed their war experiences; mine just didn't seem to want to share. Cold for JuneI realize most people dressed up in public back then, but most of the women in the photo are wearing overcoats. It must have been cold in New York that June day in 1944. Hovercraft tanks, sort ofOne of many unique innovations for the D Day invasion was the "Duplex Drive" tank, essentially a standard Sherman tank which was fitted with an inflatable, collapsible canvas screen and twin screw props which would enable the tank to float like a boat and wade ashore. Unfortunately, the contraption worked best in calm water, something that was in short supply off the Normandy coast that day. I remember a buddy of mine whose dad had served with the US Navy at the invasion re-telling his dad's stories of the DD tanks being dropped off in deeper, rough water due to enemy fire and sinking like rocks. Fortunately enough of the tanks were able to make it on shore to provide badly needed armor support for the ground troops, and the tanks were deemed successful enough to serve in the invasion of Southern France two months later, as well as during numerous river crossing operations during the remainder of 1944 and 1945. Good article with photos of the tanks: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DD_tank Full messageI believe the full message read: "ALLIES LAND ON NORTHERN COAST OF FRANCE UNDER STRONG AIR COVER" (The Gallery, Howard Hollem, NYC, WW2)
American Beauty: 1926
... was Miss Washington, D.C., and a Miss America runner-up at Atlantic City. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 5:32pm -

August 2, 1926. "Miss Marjorie Joesting." Our second look at Marjorie, who was Miss Washington, D.C., and a Miss America runner-up at Atlantic City. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Runner Up?If she was a runner up, bring on whoever was 1st. Hubba hubbaMiss Marjorie Joesting was robbed! There couldn't have been a more beautiful contestant in 1926. Well hello there!YOWZA! I agree that she was robbed. The fix was in. MarjorieWhat an apt title. The American Beauty is a rose... something with a natural beauty, like this girl's. I do wonder if she'd win today, though. She's So ModernThis really looks like it could have been taken yesterday. Such a crisp shot. Crowning GloryJust sweet. I wonder if she succumbed to fashion and had her hair bobbed. You guys all beat me to it.Yeah, I couldn't believe she was only runner up either. Must have dropped the baton or something she was juggling in the talent competition.... I don't think soIf she was competing today, she would need some "work" done on her nose and veneers on her teeth as well. Plus probably lose about 15 pounds, I hate to say. Are You Kidding?If she were running today, she'd need a resurrection, not a nose job. I Fail to See.......anything wrong with her nose, teeth, or weight. And the winner is...I believe she lost to Norma Smallwood from Oklahoma, the first native American Miss America. ProtectionNow if there's anyone that would need protection from those oglers and cake-eaters it's this gal. I wonder if the Anti-Flirt Club was still around three years later. "Miss Shorpy" Beauty PageantWith all the cuties that have appeared here during the past year, I suggest we nominate one to be "Miss Shorpy" 2008. This doll deserves another chance at a title. Too BadShe didn't know curly hair shouldn't be brushed. Imagine....Rather than wonder how she would fare today, I would rather imagine myself back in 1926, and being Marjorie's beau. She is as beautiful in this photo as she was in the first one. Just a gorgeous young, nineteen-twenties, lady. Intriguing idea...The suggestion about having a "Miss Shorpy" 2008 is interesting. The biggest drawback is that so many of these ladies of yesteryear have SO MUCH natural beauty--it might be difficult to choose! But some of these women should have the "first prize" they didn't get in their own time. ...It would also be interesting to see some of today's "beauties" without the benefit of airbrush, plastic surgery, advanced cosmetics, etc. Marjorie JoestingThis is an except from an obituary that appeared in the Alton (Illinois) Evening Telegraph on Dec 8, 1956. Arthur Lange, 65, widely known Hollywood motion picture director and composer, died Friday in Doctor's Hospital, in Washington, DC. He was the husband of the former Miss Marjorie Joesting of Alton, winner of the Miss Washington beauty contest in 1926, and later a model with parts in pictures. Mr. Lange composed music and directed the Shirley Temple pictures, and also composed music for the "Great Ziegfeld." He was married to Miss Joesting in 1931. News of his death came to Misses Helen and Eugenia Joesting, of Alton, sisters of Mrs. Lange. Hope LangeAccording to Arthur Lange's IMDb entry, he divorced Charlotte Lange in 1931, and the obituary posted below has him marrying Marjorie Joesting in 1931. Arthur's daughter, actress Hope Lange, was born in 1933. So, is this a photo of Hope Lange's mother? [Whoever wrote that IMDB bio seems to be mistaken. According to various newspaper articles from 1956 announcing Hope's engagement (as well as her Wikipedia entry), her parents were John (Johnny) Lange and Minnette Buddecke Lange. - Dave] Hope's parentsHope Lange was the daughter of Zeigfeld Follies director John Lange and the actress Minnette Von Buddecke. I should know -- I'm her son. [Thanks. I always liked your mom. A class act. - Dave] My cousin MarjorieI am her cousin twice removed. Marjorie was a very interesting woman. She was married to Arthur Lange and lived in Beverly Hills. I used to play his piano, which was too big for me. She was John Robert Powers's first model in New York and led a very interesting life. If anyone knows more about her family history I would really like to hear from you. I don't know if we can leave an email address so I won't unless I hear otherwise. I will check here for an answer. Hope's sonThen you had a part in my favorite film: See you in the Morning. You played one of the participants in the group therapy. Loved your playful, typical confused male part! Great job! Donna MarjorieI googled Margorie Joesting after finding a lovely photo of her in a vintage Woman's Home Companion. She is wearing a black cloche hat, wide smile, and is advertising Colgate toothpaste. I became intrigued with her. 1926 Miss America pagentMy wife's grandmother was a contestant from New York in some sort of preliminary leading up to the final 1926 Miss America Pageant but we can't find info on where the event was held and when. Any information would be very appreciated as we're writing her life story. Contact Terry at terrystone127@yahoo.com Thanks. [A search of just about any newspaper archive might have the information you need. Grandma's name would help. - Dave] (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Pretty Girls)
River City: 1910
... 10 or 11 men, all up. The last 4-master sailing in the Atlantic was carrying cargos as late as 1949. (The Schr. Herbert L. Rawding.) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2022 - 1:45pm -

Circa 1910. "Jacksonville, Florida, and St. Johns River." Note the sign for the Dixieland Park ferry. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. looks like a M.C. Escher drawing!the chute connects with the warehouse side walkway...Odd! I dare to say this framing was made on purpose. The BarrowsI'm thinking they were used to carry coal for refueling ships. There appears to be some sort of conveyer leading up to the trestle to supply the barrows. BridgeThe bridge in view is the old Florida East Coast Railway - St. Johns River Bridge. It was a single-track, Pratt through-truss swing bridge built in 1889-90. It was replaced by a double-track, through-truss, Strauss Trunnion Bascule lift span bridge in 1925 and is still in use (See: New FEC - St. Johns River Bridge). It runs adjacent to the Acosta Bridge which carries SR 13 over the St. Johns River. I believe The Jacksonville Landing and the entrance to the John T Alsop, Jr. bridge now occupy the foreground. TugInteresting tug side-lashed to a single barge. Approaching the swing bridge. Efficient use of resourcesWhile tall ships classed as fully rigged or square-rigged might have a larger crew, these four-masted schooners might have a crew of just ten to twelve - good ratio of cost of manpower to payload, and practically zero carbon footprint. Upside down barrowsSomething to do with that adjacent chute and unloading, no doubt, but I'm not really getting it. (At first I thought they were wagons but I see only one axle per device and I think I see some handles.) Tall shipsI'm always surprised to see big & tall sailing ships around as late as 1910 -- or even WWII. DD 15 or 16?I think I might have identified the warship at left foreground. It seems a lot heavier than a torpedo boat -- surely the weapon on top of the aft conning station is larger than the 6-pounder identified by SouthBendModel34. Even the existence of an aft conning station suggests it is a destroyer, but the date says it must be an early one. The funnels being so close to the conning station (mostly concealed under an awning) can be explained if it's one of the destroyers that had boiler rooms fore and aft and engine rooms amidships; DD 1, USS Bainbridge, had that layout. Then it would be a much longer, bigger ship entirely than it appears in the photo, its bow extending way to the left of the photo's edge, and explaining why Adam thought it might be a torpedo boat -- we're seeing only a small part of a 4-funneled craft. However, Bainbridge class DD's had their 6-pdrs forward of the conning station (with a 3-inch on top of it that could fit our ship), not aft as is clearly shown in the photo. They also did NOT have a propeller guard, and we can see a little piece of one if we look carefully. Also, Bainbridge class ships had blowoff tubes running up the two aft funnels, which this ship lacks. Looking further down the helpful list of destroyer photos in Navsource (http://www.navsource.org/archives/05idx.htm), I found that USS Worden and Whipple (DD 16 and 15) had plain funnels, 6-pdrs aft of the conning station, and propeller guards. The images in Navsource of these relatively obscure destroyers don't show them clearly enough that I could see any differences between them, so I'm leaving the identification at that. An annoying discrepancy is that photos of Worden and Whipple don't show the small mainmast with battle gaff that appears on the Shorpy photo immediately forward (left) of the 3-inch gun on top of the conning station. However, photos of other early destroyers show masts changing position and size during their careers so it's still, I think, very likely our ship is one of those two. Four-Masted SchoonersThe two "tall ships" are four-masted schooners. The schooner rig lasted longer in commercial service than the square rigger because a schooner requires a smaller crew. The whole crew of a 4-mast schooner might be only 10 or 11 men, all up. The last 4-master sailing in the Atlantic was carrying cargos as late as 1949. (The Schr. Herbert L. Rawding.) These schooners in Jacksonville are likely carrying coal from Norfolk VA. Other possible cargoes for them would be cypress lumber, which was in demand for furniture and door making, or phosphate rock mined in FL for conversion into agricultural fertilizer. Just as interesting as the schooners are the steam yacht and the partially obscured vessel at the coaling wharf. The near vessel is unquestionably Naval - one can see two pedestal-mounted "quick-firing" guns, 6-pounders I think, on either side near the stern. At the very stern is what appears to be a small torpedo tube. The stern itself has a rounded counter. Surely the class of this vessel could be identified by one of our Shorpy Sleuths. It's either a steam torpedo boat or an early Destroyer. (DD) Torpedo boatI was wondering if it might be one like the USS MacKenzie (TB-17)? Coaling in those daysI guess having access to a coaling wharf was a boon in those days. Even with a wharf there was still enough manhandling to do in order to get that coal down below. Not to mention to get it from stowage to the fireholes later on. Just look at USS Texas BB-35: 1900 tons of coal (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Texas_%28BB-35%29)! No wharf at Scapa Flow, though. Yuck! Oil is that much more convenient. Just pass the hose, and start the pump. For the birdsGreat birdhouse on nearest warehouse! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Florida, Jacksonville, Railroads)
Jersey Shore: 1908
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Hotel Traymore, bathers on the shore." 8x10 inch ... (which would be acceptable even in most restaurants in Atlantic City today!) Women seem to just have a shorter skirt for bathing -- ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/25/2012 - 3:11pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Hotel Traymore, bathers on the shore." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Time Traveler Alert!The man directly behind "Freud" -- The Captain looking for Tennille. Unrecorded TolkienHobbit throws stick for dog. Razor's edge!The Gillette Razor sign in the background would fall over from the number of mega blades we have today! POOF!No Snooki! Where's the rest of me?Right behind the kid with the dog I see two legs and feet in wingtips sticking out of the sand, but no apparent torso or head. An early Sopranos reference? Great Day for the BeachIt must be, or there wouldn't be such a big crowd. Compared to today, it's odd how many of the people are wearing street clothes -- jacket and tie with starched Edwardian collars and brimmed hats for the men and ankle length full-cut dresses for women. Bathing attire for men seems to be a T-shirt or tank top with tight fitting shorts (which would be acceptable even in most restaurants in Atlantic City today!) Women seem to just have a shorter skirt for bathing -- must have been very clumsy in the surf line. However, the lifeguards are well equipped. Note the teenage boy in horizontally striped tank top on the left, leaning on a surf boat, lapstrake planked, with thole pins for the oars instead of metal locks. This type of boat, rare today, is the ancestor of the powered "Jersey skiff" used in racing. I think the rowing surfboat version seen in this photo was called the Sea Bright Skiff (after the northern NJ beach town of Sea Bright.) M-BThe Marlborough-Blenheim hotel is also in this photo. It's the structure with the beautiful dome and chimneys to the left of the Traymore. It was once the largest reinforced concrete building in the world. AnalysisSigmund Freud pauses for a pose whilst studying the peculiar humans reasons for returning to the sea. Standing directly behind Siggy is William Asher, inventor of the beach blanket. Inevitable fat commentNot an obese person in sight. Imagine a similar cross section today. AhhThere's nothing I enjoyed more as a boy than being serenaded by a barbershop quartet as I dug a hole in the wet Jersey sand. Thanks Dave-for the memories. Clothing Optional?My eyes must be deceiving me. If this man is as naked as he looks, I believe he would be causing more of a commotion than what is evident. [Eyes deceptive. Bad, bad eyes! - Dave] Safety razorOh wow, I didn't realize that Gillette safety razor design went back so far. I have one of those razors in my medicine cabinet, although I haven't used it in a while. The last time I tried using it it sliced me up good compared to the latest plastic stuff. I guess safety is a comparative term. Doncha wonderwhen the first shirt came off on the jersey shore? My grandpa on the beach"Freud" looks exactly like my paternal grandfather, who always dressed with a wing collar. The daytime collar was smaller than the nighttime collar. As time went by my grandmother had a lot of trouble trying to find the right size or at least what Grandpa said was the right size. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Under the Boardwalk: 1906
1906. "The Beach, Atlantic City." Detroit Publishing glass neg. View full size. Beach shades ... wanted to go in the water. However if you were visiting Atlantic City, you might just want to take a pleasant stroll along the beach - ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 10:23am -

1906. "The Beach, Atlantic City." Detroit Publishing glass neg. View full size. Beach shadesWith half an acre of hat why did the women need parasols? And why go to the beach when you're wearing more cloth than the sails on a ship of the line? ParasolsFrom what I understand, it was not at all fashionable for a woman to have tanned skin. Even to the point that when they did, they would be thought of as being part black. Super size me!Any chance at seeing a much higher resolution scan. I want to get in my time machine and dig deep into the photo. [Click here to download the full-res reference image. (154 mb; nine times the size of the Shorpy image.) - Dave] Wonderful!I love this photo. What do you suppose the donkey cart was doing on the beach? [Photo op prop. - Dave] Casual dressCompared to our modern day where jeans, shorts, t-shirts and halter tops as well as very skimpy swim suits are common sights at the beach, it's amazing seeing all the shirts, ties and jackets and long gowns worn back then. There seems to be no difference between formal wear and casual beach side wear in 1906. And one has to wonder how the women endured the summer heat under all those layers of clothes. SignsGet you tintype photo right on the beach! The juxtaposition of the beach wear and the dress clothes on the beach is quite amazing. Also a sign that says Jim Key on the pier. The Beautiful and Intelligent horse? Lots more detail I'll have to study! Proto-beatnikAnd look at that cool cat near the far left, rockin' the shades, cap and stance The future's so brightExcept for the aforementioned "Cool Cat" I cannot see anyone else wearing sunglasses. Looking at the Shadows and lack of cloud cover it was apparently a bright sunny day, and a similar view today would have 99% of the people wearing sunglasses. Were sunglasses not popular in the early 1900's, possibly signifying blindness, or did people not recognise that dark glasses can protect your eyes over long periods of exposure to bright light? Wearing clothes on the beachPeople went to the beach to get a view of the ocean and enjoy the breezes. Some people went to the beach to go into the water. Nobody went to the beach to bake their skin. Lots of people did not own a bathing suit, but would rent one when they wanted to go in the water. However if you were visiting Atlantic City, you might just want to take a pleasant stroll along the beach - and that is what people are doing. The ladies are using parasols to keep the sun off their faces and preserve their complexions. Chatting Her UpI notice that two parasol-carrying ladies, one of them middle-aged, seem to be impatiently waiting for their female companion, who has stopped to chat with two young men. Is the younger waiting female jealous? Is the older one disapproving of such immodest public intercourse? Meet my sonI think the two men talking to the single woman are father and son. The man with the mustache has a ring on his left hand and the other seems to be ill at ease. The woman in black is probably the mother of the two women.The woman talking to the men is not young, but is middle aged. She may have recognized the man and son and her mother and sister did not. Her sister wants her to come back under the umbrella before she tans. Shall I go on? Where it isDoes anyone know what cross street this is near? Is the pier in this photo in the same location as the recently redesigned mall/pier? Integrated crowdThere is a black family in their best clothes in the foreground. And the sign in the background definitely says "Jim Key" -- the talking horse -- is appearing on the Boardwalk! Oh, for a time machine. Thanks Dave!I'm having a great time "walking around" in the super high res image. The two ladies aren't even looking at the lady talking to the two men. However, they are casting a tsk-tsk look to someone out of view. I don't think it would take much for these two to disapprove of anything. 154 mb of breathtaking beautyThanks a lot for linking to the high res image! I'm a stickler for high resolution, high quality images, but they're incredibly difficult to find, even more so when it comes to old photography. My Library of Congress searches only yield low res results; is there any way to find more photos like the one you linked to? [To download the reference tiff you need to query the Number field of the Catalog Search page of the LOC database with the filename of the image, minus its one-letter suffix (usually a "u" or an "a"; also do not include the "jpg" file extension). So for this photo (whose filename is 4a06303a.jpg, which you can find by right-clicking on the image) you would enter 4a06303 in the yellow "Searching Numbers" field at the bottom of the Query page and click Search. Then click on the image thumbnail. Then look for the link that says "Highest resolution TIFF." As for your finding only low-res results: Most of the Detroit Publishing online images are low-resolution only. Finding the high-res ones basically means looking at every image in the collection, or looking at many images to find a few high-res ones. On an average Shorpy workday I might go through around 2,000 images in the various collections, which are constantly being added to. - Dave] In a MirrorThe backward signs way off to the right read: "Ye Dairy Farm," "Henry the Fourth Havana Cigars" and "Haight & Freese Co. Stock Brokers," if anyone is interested. Young’s Ocean PierThe Stratford Restaurant was at Kentucky and the Boardwalk. The pier is Central Pier. Back then it was known as Young’s Ocean Pier. BowlersA guy can look pretty snappy in a bowler, if it's worn right. If hats were to come back, my vote would be for bowlers. ParasolsLadies of this era believed if you had tan skin you were a servant or worked outside a lot. The rich wanted their skin lily white to show that they never worked outside. It was a status sign. Freckles were practically a crime! I can almost see my grandmother there!What a great photo in full size. I see the exact bathing "dress" that my grandmother wore in one photo I have. Socks covered with sand sitting in the sand next to her brother. And there are also several tintypes of her and her friends. This photo gives me a more exact date of my photos. Thanks. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
The Sands of Time: 1906
The Jersey shore circa 1906. "Beach and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Brought to you by Gillette. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/25/2012 - 3:09pm -

The Jersey shore circa 1906. "Beach and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Brought to you by Gillette. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Bird's eye viewSo, was this photo shot from a hot-air balloon? Aeroplane? Observation tower? [It was made from the tallish Hotel Traymore. - Dave] Splash.Makes me want to go to the beach. Thanks Shorpy. Up On the RoofSo what's the large cylindrical object atop the building towards the end of the pier? It appears to be made of fabric. An inflatable airship? Or maybe just a giant advertisement for foot-long (block-long?) hotdogs? [The sign hanging underneath reads THE AIRSHIP. Another Shorpy Mystery! It looks something like one of Melvin Vaniman's ill-fated craft. In 1910 he attempted the first air crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from A.C. in the dirigible America, but had to abandon ship near Bermuda. He was killed in 1912 when his hydrogen blimp the Akron blew up off Atlantic City. - Dave] An idea before its timeWhere's the Barbarossa now that people are wearing Bikinis and Speedos? Gillette's advice still holds. So much to seeAnd so little time. But, my favorite thing so far are the five gals arm in arm walking away from the camera about 40 yards to the right of the covered beach chairs. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Hands Up: 1910
... The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "Hands up on the beach at Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:43pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "Hands up on the beach at Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Crime SceneThis is a stickup, put your hands up and nobody move. WowPeople DID like to have fun and smile back then. So good to know! Jersey ShoreWhere are all the artificial tans? Where's the bar violence? Where's the misogyny? I am waitingfor the "they are all dead now " comment. Demonstrating "The Stagnant Pond"...The precursor to "The Wave". QuestionAll those who think it's crazy to wear woolen bathing suits and full length dresses to the beach, raise your hand. On newsstands tomorrowThe 1910 Sports Illustrated Swim Gown Issue! "Hellooo People of the Future!""Are you enjoying your flying motor cars and disease-proof bodies?" Hands upIf you think it's preposterous that in 100 years someone with a so called "wireless laptop" will be viewing this photograph while sitting on a chair in their living room. These Folks Are Having Fun! These folks sure look like they're having fun. Enlarge that picture, put the stout guy in the right foreground, and have a look. I like the women's woven sunhats, too - whaddya think - did the conical shape result in a chimney effect, helping to keep them cool? I really like this picture, and think it is one of the best "people" candids I've seen for a long time. No, no, I said "Raise your HANDS"You can put Hans down, Mr. Finkelman. Thank goodness!At least the women had the decency to wear woolen stockings in the water. What a great picture!The exuberance of being at the shore in the heat of summer is wonderful to see. This photo captures it so well! It is interesting to note that in those days, everyone within sight was Caucasian. Whatchoose lookin' at?I clearly see some fist pumpin' going on there. Definitely my favourite photoI see it so full of life, people looks so relaxed, happy and stressless. It's unique. Greetings from Argentina. Not the typical "smile for the camera"There was a time when people didn't need much to have real fun. And you can see it in their faces. Not the typical "smile for the camera" -- they are having a good time, and you can tell. Sometimes I wonder why we today are so hard to please. We have motion pictures, radio, television (with 300 channels) computers with Internet, but sometimes it's not enough for us, "It's all so boring!" We should learn the lesson this people are teaching us. That's why I find this photo so special. A keeperCan we make this a first day of summer picture? Summer is here!Enjoy the weekend, everyone. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
On Pleasure Bent: 1905
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Three little maids on pleasure bent." Which I ... that nowadays. I am totally serious. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:25pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Three little maids on pleasure bent." Which I guess would be the 1905 equivalent of "Girls gone wild." Show us your elbows! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Left, right, centerGirl on the left with a trace of freckles is definitely cute. Center looks like she could be part of the Kennedy clan. On the right ... well, as Bugs Bunny said, "She was somebody's baby once." Cor!Spiffing locket. I like the quiet one on the leftGorgeous. Malvoliette"I will be strange, stout, in yellow stockings, and cross-gartered." Sandbags at the ShoreI, for one, am happy that the Unibosom look never caught on. Dressing up for the beachI love the fact that almost everyone in this shot is in full street clothes; the lady to the right of the trio even has (low) heels on -- in the sand. And the ballerina-like shoes of the one in the middle are great. Fashions of the EraThe Unibosom (fashion historians refer to it as the Monobosom) was actually The Look between about 1895 and 1907. Far too long, I would agree. I would have to say that the fashions of this period are some of the ugliest ever invented. However, these girls have timed themselves reasonably well. Within 5 years, the bosom will deflate, the figure will straighten, skirts will become a reasonable weight and length. Hats the size of a large cat will continue a little longer, then they too will deflate to a practical and comfortable size. Bring on the '20s! Eye of the beholderI agree with "Left, right, center," but I think that the cute one on the left looks like a young Mickey Rooney. Man handsJust saying. Teen Girl Squad!It's been a while since I've seen a new episode. One on the rightReminds me of Eleanor Roosevelt, for some inexplicable reason. The Whole Tooth The one on the right looks like a young Eleanor Roosevelt. And that's hardly a compliment. The one on the rightLooks almost like a young Eleanor Roosevelt. Yelping bosomThe one on the right looks like Eleanor Roosevelt after having tucked Fala into her bosom. Is that you, Eleanor?The woman on the right ... Eleanor Roosevelt? Beach fashionI guess if you're going to wear winter clothes on the beach they might as well be black. These young ladiesare probably no more than 16 years old, wearing their fanciest grown-up dresses and hats, and delighted in how old they look! Time machineIf i had a time machine I could go back in time and marry the girl on the left. She is Hott!! That bow-tie is totally sexy. I wish chicks would accessorize like that nowadays. I am totally serious. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Jersey Shore Jesus: 1908
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Sand modeling." Kindly remember the worker, and ... 1911. Sculptures in the Shifting Sands. Atlantic City has become the happy hunting ground of the sand sculptor. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/20/2011 - 5:43pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Sand modeling." Kindly remember the worker, and don't forget to visit the gift shop for a postcard or two. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Sand Artists Park and Cemetery and Landscape Gardening, Vol. XXI., No. 6, 1911. Sculptures in the Shifting Sands. Atlantic City has become the happy hunting ground of the sand sculptor. The vulgar populace there find nothing so fascinating as to hang over the Boardwalk, milady chewing a wad of gum, her husband smoking his stogie, and watching the sand artist. Sometimes he'll select one of those standing near and depict him from life. It takes time, of course; one must wet the sand to stick — but at Atlantic City time is no matter. And what pictures they do make — those sand artists! "Some of 'em is all right, and some of 'em ain't," says the beach patrol, as he orders the immediate overthrow of many. But others — well, they're works of art. For these latter one needs a license. And then one ropes off an area of beach. Sometimes they're only children, these artists. One, a lad of nine, modeled a picture .of two baseball players. "Safe!" is its title, and it shows the baseball player just coming to base, with his rival close behind and about to catch him. The work is done by hand, with just now and then a sharp-pointed stick to get in the details. Sometimes after its all done the figure will be painted, but that rather spoils it. Of course there are actual works of art. For these there are large boxes, in which the sand is carefully packed. Then it is dampened, and then worked. It's a matter of hours, often, this latter. "The Seasons," after the old Greek tapestry effects, is a prime favorite. It is in white sand on a black board back-ground, and, not content with that, the sand, too, is painted black. The Lion of Lucerne is also often shown. Notable Atlantic City sand artists of the early 1900s: James Taylor, La Rue Yost, and Harry A. Ross. Somethin' ElseThis left me speechless. (A condition I rarely find myself in.) I've just sent the pic to members of my Bible study group. I'll be interested to see their reactions. Spam '08Shameless self-promotion, 29 years before the word we now use for it was even invented. Catchin' some raysShall I assume my fellow Shorpyites will all ascend to the heavens, tomorrow? And, can I have your stuff? WowJames Taylor is older than I thought! WWJD?Probably not THAT. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Catching Some Rays: 1904
Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1904. "On the beach." Someone pass the Coppertone, please. ... Used to regale us with tales of her family's visits to Atlantic City. The choosing of a beach-dress. The fun she and her sister would ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 8:45pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1904. "On the beach." Someone pass the Coppertone, please. 8x10 dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Itchy and scratchyUgh. Just the thought of swimming in those get-ups and lounging in the heat in all that clothing makes me itchy and scratchy. I remember taking swimming lessons as a little kid and having to jump off the diving board into the heated diving pool with my clothes on and then take them off while treading water. That was bad enough. One question though. How hot DID it get back then? Great-GrandmaUsed to regale us with tales of her family's visits to Atlantic City. The choosing of a beach-dress. The fun she and her sister would have making their head-bags. What a time it was! Outrageous BehaviorI do believe one of the ladies to the right is flashing her ankles. Whatever next? 110 in the ShadeJeez, looks completely miserable. TimingNot today, Josephine! The jig's upAn undercover Keystone cop frisking a young suspect. Newsprint sunshadesThe ladies are resourceful, but I wonder where are all the ubiquitous hats? You would think the beach would be the place for women to show off the latest paper flower topped summer hat fashions. One bottle will do.That should be enough to cover the exposed skin on everyone here. Isn't she Sandy?A few months ago, a Shorpian pointed out that nobody seemed to sit on beach towels "back in the day." Seems to hold true here as well. Weekend ProjectThe people look uncomfortable but the articulated rope-n-wood beach chairs look relaxing. It looks like the back lowers to various degrees and the footrest rises as well. Imagine lying back, tuning out the noise and swaying with the breeze. If I had the skills and building plans, I'd put make one for my backyard. Sand on your shoesI like those integrated chairs and sunshades. How to go to the beach and keep your shoes off the sand! Not Just ChairsThey appear to be like old-fashioned porch-swings - the chair is completely off the ground (has no 'legs') and is suspended from ropes attached to the same cross-beam that supports the awnings. Seems to be three of them per section. Like a previous poster offered: I want one! Googoo GagaTake a look at the woman holding the umbrella. At first glance she seems just to be smiling, but she is actually doting on the baby in the center of the group. I kind of like that the photographer captured such a tiny detail but it's these Easter Eggs that I so much enjoy finding. Deciphering the signI'm trying to make out the sign in the bgd on the left: Tyn Tipes? Bay Facing Suites? Ray Tracing...?? Any ideas? [From the Dept. of Affectedly Cute Spelling: "Tyn Tipes in Bayething Cuyts," i.e. it is a portrait studio. - Dave] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
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