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Beacon Beckons: 1902
... that. Fire in 1927 destroyed both the Casino and adjacent hotel. It brought an end to all development on the Mount. Both gone A ... The Casino and Beaconcrest Hotel burned to the ground on Oct 16, 1927, but a new resort was built the next ... were burned to the ground in fires in 1981 and 1983. Hotel gone, rails still in place Last year I hiked up that mountain and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2019 - 2:33pm -

Dutchess County, New York, circa 1902. "Mount Beacon Casino and power house, Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, N.Y." At right, a car of the Mount Beacon Incline Railway. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Up in smokeImagine that. Fire in 1927 destroyed both the Casino and adjacent hotel. It brought an end to all development on the Mount. Both goneA current look at the same vantage point from Google 3D shows that everything here is long gone. Mount Beacon Incline RailwayMount Beacon had a basic appeal to many Americans because of its role in the Revolutionary War, when it served as part of the Continental Army's early warning and signalling system. In fact, the mountain takes its name from the beacon fires lit upon its summit during that conflict. The Mount Beacon Incline Railway faced a lot of fires (1927, 1934, 1936, 1967 and a final, catastrophic one in 1983). Nowadays restoration takes place. In the Hudson Valley Magazine you can read about the pro's and con's. On the 1886 view on Fishkill-on-the-Hudson, N.Y. the railway did not even exist, nor the casino. View full size. What Happened? Fire (Natch)Per this website: https://theotherhudsonvalley.com/2018/05/06/mount-beacon-casino-trail/ The Casino and Beaconcrest Hotel burned to the ground on Oct 16, 1927, but a new resort was built the next year. However, the Great Depression decreased patronage, and the incline railway and resort never fully recovered. The final ride of the incline railway occurred in 1978. The powerhouse and casino were burned to the ground in fires in 1981 and 1983. Hotel gone, rails still in placeLast year I hiked up that mountain and followed the rails as much as I could. There are still the trucks from railcars (maybe the one shown here?) sitting overgrown and abandoned. No great insight to share, just sharing an anecdote. (The Gallery, DPC, Landscapes, Railroads)
Take a Letter: 1920
... sit up. Swelter time off the Potomac, it seems. Hotel Awnings The awnings on the near right belong to the Willard Hotel and the ones on the building to the far right belong to the Washington ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:56pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Washington School for Secretaries building." 1419 F Street N.W. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Pigeon HavenLooks like the attic vent serves as a home for our fine feathered friends. Just a couple blocks down From Steward's Business College. Sharp!Under enlargement, the sharpness of this image is impressive, even for large format. There's a white sign on the right side of the secretarial school door and about half the things listed on it can be read, or at least guessed at. In 1920You didn't have to lock up your bike in DC. Competent SecretariesBoth of the following are 1920 advertisements for The Washington School for Secretaries. The first appeals to the pragmatic choice of a field of study to match the need of employment opportunities. In contrast, the second lures the prospective student with an idealized picture of being an exclusive "private secretary." Perhaps it is a modern reading but the later seems rather sexually suggestive. Awning of a new ageI love all the fabric awnings that appear on seemingly every building in these old pics. I know they were pretty much for pre-air conditioning cooling. I always wonder how much maintenance was involved with them, though. Didn't they get ripped, torn and weather damaged with regularity? How often were they replaced? It seems like it wouldn't take much more than bad storm to shred them, even if rolled up! Was awning repair a big business back in the day? Helter skelter in the summer swelterMust have been a sauna of a day in DC, when this picture was taken. Seems most of the windows that could open, were opened, even the ones above doors. And that fellow sitting in the chair above 1421 Tailor seems not to have the energy to even sit up. Swelter time off the Potomac, it seems. Hotel AwningsThe awnings on the near right belong to the Willard Hotel and the ones on the building to the far right belong to the Washington Hotel. About those awnings.When I was a small boy in Newark in the 1950s, a friend of mine, he was probably 8, had a job and on a few occasions I acted as his assistant. Each morning he walked down the block to Orange Street and using a long steel crank, unfurled the awnings at a shop or two, so I actually had a pretty close-up view. The green and white striped awnings were made of very tough canvas, almost like sailcloth, while the frames were made of galvanized pipe. So the frame could last decades. The awnings were replaceable. Just from the feel, I'd guess ten years or so under normal conditions. Very Sharp!All are quite readable. They are: * Abstracting * Bookkeeping * Business Writing * Cataloging * Charting * Classifying * Commercial Arithmetic * Commercial Correspondence * Commercial English * Commercial Law * Commercial Spelling * Compiling * Duplicating * Dictaphone Operation * Elementary Accounting * Elementary Research Methods * Filing * Gregg Shorthand * Graham Pitman Shorthand * Indexing * Listing * Multigraphing * Office Practice * Pitman Shorthand * Secretarial Bookkeeping * Shorthand Penmanship * Standard Office Appliances * Touch Typewriting Down the Line Liebermann & Hawn 1421 F St. ca. 1920 H.P. Peterson 1421 F St. ca. 1920 F.J. Heiberger & Sons 1419 F St. ca. 1911 Val Richter's Colonial Shoe Shop 1417 F St. ca. 1920 AwningsThose awnings couldn't belong to those hotels because they would be behind the photographer. Odd numbered addresses are on the north side of wast-west streets in Washington, and the Willard and former Hotel Washington are on the south side of F Street. The whole block pictured in this photo has been replaced by Oliver Carr's 1980s Metropolitan Square abomination. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Stores & Markets)
White Shoe Diary: 1904
... posted earlier). Anyhoo, follow the piazza into the hotel and head into the men's room just off to the left of the rotunda stairs. ... was a public entrance for the more carefree types. The hotel is gone but the bar survives in a West Palm Beach restaurant. Tea was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 9:12pm -

Florida circa 1904. "Afternoon concert hour. The Royal Poinciana, Palm Beach." We return to the RP for a bit of culture. And please, no velocipedes. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 'Dearest'Dearest Penelope, I am so looking forward to seeing you Saturday for the concert. I will save you a seat. Norbert Where to get a real drinkThe band is playing at the end of a long piazza that extended out from the front entrance (it hadn't been added yet in the pic posted earlier). Anyhoo, follow the piazza into the hotel and head into the men's room just off to the left of the rotunda stairs. Inside you'll find a door that takes you into a long, hidden hallway leading to the men's bar. This was affectionately dubbed "Hypocrite's Row." There was a public entrance for the more carefree types. The hotel is gone but the bar survives in a West Palm Beach restaurant. Tea was what was normally served on the lawn. Time travel!See, time travel is possible! Check out the lone lady on the far right. It looks like she has her notebook PC open and is blogging about her experience right now. CONSiSTEnT TyPEFaCESnot allowed on this sign. Smile for the man with the time machineThere's a guy over there from a hundred years in the future looking at us! A leg upIt looks like they've attached boards to the chairs in a sledlike fashion so that they don't sink into the ground. Rather ingenious, actually. Someone should patent that design! It would make countless outdoor wedding receptions nicer. Also, I've always thought that palm trees photographed in black and white almost always look foreboding. Definitely the case for me here. Something terrible is surely about to happen, possibly involving Norbert and the lone umbrella. A few more years playing cello at the hoteland I can pick up a nice gig on the Titanic. Chillin'Obviously our era does not hold the franchise on genteel living and the enjoyment of life. They look like they have it down pat. [Where are the cocktails? - Dave] Dear NorbertPer yours of the Twelfth inst.: Bother not to save me a seat. I shan't occupy it. You are an obnoxious boor, a pompous windbag, and I forecast that four spinsters will adjoin your solitary table and heap scorn upon you. I have had many wonderful times, but none with you. I have run off with Emile. Penelope Yes, time travel is possible!For a grandmother, like me, to sit and study photographs like this ("picture" doesn't seem adequate), taken before my own grandparents were born, is truly like taking a short trip in a time machine! Thanks, Shorpy! (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, Travel & Vacation)
On the Avenue: 1905
... Below is the same view from April of 2006. St. Regis hotel Lovely building, and luckily, still exists. As I see, they even built ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/28/2012 - 12:23pm -

New York circa 1905. "St. Regis and Gotham hotels." Looking south along Fifth Avenue at East 56th Street, a streetscape glimpsed here from a different angle. On the right, the Gotham rising behind Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Vigilant copThe cop in the car across the street is eyeing us pretty good. [He's a chauffeur. - tterrace] +101Below is the same view from April of 2006. St. Regis hotelLovely building, and luckily, still exists. As I see, they even built a "bigger" version in Atlanta (2009). Still prefer the original one! Current viewThis is from Google Maps. Nice to see it's lasted nearly 100 years. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Market Street: 1926
... Market Street: 1904 And here it is pre-earthquake. Hotel Terminal You can check out any time you like but you can never leave. ... next morning. Looking out the widows at the Hyatt Regency Hotel across the street might be interesting too - especially when a convention ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/09/2015 - 4:56pm -

San Francisco ca. 1926. "Market Street from Ferry Building." Note the backwards Owl Cigar signage. 8x10 nitrate negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Foster and Kleiser billboardThe Maxwell House billboard bears the maker's name on top, Foster and Kleiser. According to Wikipedia, that firm evolved into the current-day Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, "the oldest outdoor advertising company in the United States as their roots trace back to the three companies that merged into the current incarnation: Foster & Kleiser (1901-1986), Patrick Media Outdoor (1986-1995) and Eller Media Company (1959-1997)." Perfectly readable in the rearviewI bet that sign was designed for those people stuck waiting to turn into traffic off the side road. Anyone turning onto it would be past before seeing it, but if you're stuck waiting for traffic to clear and happen to glance in your mirrors it would be perfectly readable. How about an Owl? [Generally speaking, 1920s cars did not have rearview mirrors, and the sign itself looks to be quite a bit older. Even in 1925, the majority of eyeballs passing by would have been on streetcars. While the sign might have reflected off the windows of the building across the street, I suspect eye-catching novelty was the strategy. - Dave] 19 Years EarlierThe same view taken while the City was still smoldering in 1906. Spectral Christmas treeThere appears to be something swinging/spinning from the pole like a loose mast halyard in the right foreground, causing a Christmas tree-like artifact. Must have been a breezy day and a bright rope! [The thing on the flagpole is the Stars and Stripes. There another one at the next street corner. - Dave] Market Street: 1904And here it is pre-earthquake. Hotel TerminalYou can check out any time you like but you can never leave. Short cityNearly all of the low-rise buildings in that photo are gone now, wiped out between 1960-90. The Loma Prieta earthquake of 1989 was used as a feeble excuse for condemning the few remainders, including one in which I had been working just a couple years earlier. Fortunately, most of the vintage 10-12 storey buildings survive. General OfficesThe building one block up on the left still stands. It was the headquarters of the Southern Pacific Railroad where I kept things running on Third Trick (midnights). My office was just past the balcony on the 6th floor facing Market Street. There was no need for air conditioning; you just opened the windows. We used the windows to get rid of stale coffee too - not too many pedestrians late at night. Being there the last working day of the year was interesting. Office workers had a strange habit of throwing small calendar pages (the kind that you flipped a page each day) out the windows before going home. It was almost like a ticker tape parade. A legion of street cleaners would have it all swept away by the next morning. Looking out the widows at the Hyatt Regency Hotel across the street might be interesting too - especially when a convention was in town. Owl Cigars 5 cents M.A. Gunst & Co.Moses A. Gunst One of the most beloved men in the history of San Francisco. http://www.jmaw.org/gunst-united-cigar-california/ One of My Faves From ShorpyThis is a great one! The guys painting the Maxwell House sign! Bernstein's Fish Grotto! Why don't we name things "Grotto" anymore? Grottos had a good run but seemed to peter out by the 80's. A truly historic photo This documents the last time there were parking spaces on Market Street in San Francisco. Russ Building?Emporis says the Russ Building was finished 1927-- think that's it under construction, midway between 225 Bush and the Mark Hopkins? [The building under construction is the Western Women's Club headquarters (a.k.a. "San Francisco Women's Club") at 609 Sutter. In the 1940s it became the Marines' Memorial Club and Hotel. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, Streetcars)
The Ridgewood: 1904
Daytona Beach, Florida, 1904. "Hotel Ridgewood, Ridgewood Avenue." The shady byway last glimpsed here , ... Torn down, not burned down Amazingly enough, a hotel structure featured on Shorpy survived fires! Unfortunately, torn down in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2024 - 3:46pm -

Daytona Beach, Florida, 1904. "Hotel Ridgewood, Ridgewood Avenue." The shady byway last glimpsed here, here and here. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Photographic Co. View full size. Between the linesI've read the article my post linked too several times. I do know that I look at things differently, maybe I don't see all the words, but I see nothing in the link I provided that would have sent me off to the site that had the article you posted. If I had, would have posted your article instead of posting the link. Torn down, not burned downAmazingly enough, a hotel structure featured on Shorpy survived fires! Unfortunately, torn down in 1975. https://www.news-journalonline.com/story/opinion/2022/06/21/ridgewood-av... Outdoor plumbingObviously, they do not expect a freeze. Reading between the (fire)linesNot to spoil anyone's day, but if Mr. De la Cruz reads the article a little more carefully, he will note that while the business survived until 1975, the building, at least this building, did not. (Oh the advantages of that fire resistant annex!) From December 1932: (The Gallery, Bicycles, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Florida)
High Time: 1904
... the same view from October of 2013. Bellevue-Stratford Hotel The large "white" building on the left, at 200 S. Broad Street, is the brand new Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. It became the focus of national news 72 years later when Legionella ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/17/2018 - 5:18pm -

Philadelphia circa 1904. "City Hall clock tower from South Broad Street." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. +109Below is the same view from October of 2013. Bellevue-Stratford HotelThe large "white" building on the left, at 200 S. Broad Street, is the brand new Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. It became the focus of national news 72 years later when Legionella bacteria were identified and the pneumonia caused by the various types of Legionella acquired the name "Legionnaires' disease". Ownership changes after the original Bellevue-Stratford closed, a result of the Legionnaires' disease episode, have brought a series of name changes. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Attention Honeymooners: 1939
... for some of a failed actor's furniture). The Summit Hotel and John Gilbert's Bed From The National Road in Pennsylvania, ... Books) By Cassandra Vivian (Arcadia, 2003): The Summit Hotel Caption from post card on page: Summit Hotel, Golf and Country Club, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/14/2013 - 8:46am -

From August 1939 comes this unlabeled negative, one of a series of pictures taken by Herbert Mayer in Virginia and Maine and residing in the Farm Security Administration archive at the Library of Congress, and its cryptic message. Honi soit qui mal y pense: Happy Valentine's Day from Shorpy! View full size. No Thanks, Mr. GilbertI think if I was on my honeymoon I'd let Hollywood icon John Gilbert keep his bed while the missus and I got our own. Thanks for the offer though. And I do speak French and I do think evil of your offer. News item: Aug. 26, 1936 An old saying."Evil be to him who evil thinks." John GilbertAnother Rudolph Valentino-esque silent film star, John Gilbert died an alcoholic a few years before this photo was taken, but when the sign was painted he would have been one of the leading men of his era. He was blacklisted by Louis Mayer after a fight between the two at Gilbert's (planned) double wedding, where he would have married Greta Garbo (who jilted him at the alter) while one of Mayer's leading directors, King Vidor, married his on bride, in what would have been a blockbuster event. Sad tail of one of the early great romantic leads in Hollywood. [The rest of him sounds sad, too. - Dave] Into the WoodsIn the late 1940s, my parents, with me in tow, spent several Summer sojourns at the Summit. Being but a tad at the time, my recollections now are somewhat sparse -- mainly the nice lady who ran the gift shop and let me play (carefully) with some of the toys, my first taste of honeydew melon in the restaurant, some time in the swimming pool, finding the odd golf tee whilst rambling on the golf course. Oh, and attempting to ride the messenger's bike down the toboggan run. I'm sure my parents found other attractions to the place, though decency militates against my contemplating them. With the Internet, I could probably find out almost instantly what ever became of the place, but I prefer to remember it as it was then: a renowned haven for harried city dwellers (and apparently the repository for some of a failed actor's furniture). The Summit Hotel and John Gilbert's BedFrom The National Road in Pennsylvania, pp. 54-55 (available in Google Books) By Cassandra Vivian (Arcadia, 2003): The Summit Hotel Caption from post card on page: Summit Hotel, Golf and Country Club, (above the clouds) Uniontown, PA "Sitting atop Chestnut Ridge (the south side), the Spanish mission-style of Mount Summit Inn was once famous as a honeymoon hotel (actor John Gilbert's bed is in its honeymoon suite). It was built in 1900 of native mountain stone to accommodate the tourists of the automobile era. The view is spectacular during all seasons of the year, and a huge veranda surrounds the hotel." There are additional postcards and text in the adjoining pages. A billboard so naughty... they had to say it in French. They forgot to mentionHourly rates. Mail PouchMail Pouch would paint your whole barn free in return for the ad space, not just part of it. The bedHere's a postcard of the room. [But steer clear of the Lupe Velez bathroom. - tterrace] The photographerThe photographer was my great uncle. He owned a lumber company in Virginia, not sure how his photograph got into the archives. Someone needs to relearnFrench because the direct translation of 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' is 'evil be to him who evil thinks' buuuut if it is actually Latin it's more along the lines of 'Evil is not welcome'. Side note... "honi" should be "Honni" [It's archaic, not modern French, and appropriate for the historical context of the phrase. - tterrace] (The Gallery, Valentine's Day)
Big Variety: 1941
... like ghost towns with a lot of parked cars. Honeymoon Hotel My folks spent their extended Honeymoon in the Vale Hotel just a couple of years before this photo was taken. They were married on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/08/2021 - 5:08pm -

July 1941. "Main street of Vale, Oregon, on the Fourth of July. Vale is one of the shopping centers for farmers who live and work on the Vale-Owyhee irrigation project." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. LocationThis is actually one block west of Main Street, at the intersection of Court Street and A Street looking east down A Street toward the mountain slope. [The principal thoroughfare of a town is the main street. Which may or may not be called Main Street. The main street of Vale is A Street. Don't even ask who's on First. - Dave] However if Main Street is capitalized one can assume that that is the name of the street rather than just the "main street of the town". [In our photo caption, it's not capitalized. - Dave] Rough day at the Tavern?What happened to the awning in front of the Coca Cola soda fountain? Maybe the guy walking right in front of the car tried to swing from it after getting kicked out of the Town Tavern? Mr. Whitehat seems to be playing it safe by looking before crossing. July 2015But probably not the Fourth of July, based upon the comparatively placid scene: Color me!Boy howdy, this would be a great image to colorize! Somebody with more time and skills should take it on, even without any pretty girls in it! De-EvolvementI look at street-scapes of the past and compared to most exact scenes of today all I can think of how devolved we have become. The Main Streets used to look so vibrant with activity, signs, flags, stores, and well....life. Today most places look like ghost towns with a lot of parked cars. Honeymoon HotelMy folks spent their extended Honeymoon in the Vale Hotel just a couple of years before this photo was taken. They were married on New Years Day 1939 in Boise, and stayed in that hotel for two weeks or so while they waited for their permanent house to be available. They lived in Vale for 15 years. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, July 4, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
The Pearly Gates: 1941
... the shovel for cleaning up the lawn after our dog.) Hotel California for Bovines You can check out any time you like But you ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2020 - 10:46am -

June 1941. "Entrance to Union Stockyards, Chicago." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. DanteMore like the Gates of Hell for the cows. Abandon hope all ye who enter here. (And note the shovel by the entrance for road clean-up. Since this is a family site, I can’t say what my father called the shovel for cleaning up the lawn after our dog.) Hotel California for BovinesYou can check out any time you like But you can never leave The gate is about all that's leftThe gate is still there. The Live Stock National Bank building (a replica of Independence Hall in Philadelphia) is still there. Otherwise, the enormous operation we saw here is entirely gone. There is still a good amount meat and food processing on the the site, but it looks like an anonymous light industrial park. The Smell of the CircusWhen I was a kid in the 1960s, one of the big circuses (Ringling Bros?) would set up at Chicago's International Amphitheatre, which was next to the still-operating stockyards. I moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the 1980s, and after a month I started reminiscing about the circus. Every Thursday at 4 pm, to be exact. Turns out there was a rendering plant by my office, and every Thursday at 4 its odor would permeate downtown Cedar Rapids, that same smell down by the Chicago stockyards. For some people the smell of cotton candy , peanuts or elephants reminds them of the circus. For me, nothing says "circus" like the smell of a slaughterhouse. You're goin' inbut you ain't comin' out! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Animals, Chicago, John Vachon)
Nebraska Noir: 1940
... View full size. Another Picture from a Hotel Window It appears that Mr. Vachon took this picture from a room at the Capital Hotel (still standing, but now a YMCA). Below him is 11th Street. The Barker's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/29/2019 - 3:15pm -

November 1940. "Lincoln, Nebraska. State capitol in background." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Another Picture from a Hotel WindowIt appears that Mr. Vachon took this picture from a room at the Capital Hotel (still standing, but now a YMCA). Below him is 11th Street. The Barker's shoe store was on O Street. https://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM6NF_Capital_Hotel_Lincoln_NE (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Havana Harbor: 1904
... tons. There are plenty of private yachts that size. Hotel Santander ? I think the Centro Balear (1885) is now the Hotel Santander on Luz Street in old Havana. The shipwreck is gone and the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2013 - 11:03am -

Havana, Cuba, circa 1904. "Harbor and Muelle Luz (Light Pier)." Note shipwreck at right. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Is that the Maine?Seems a little small, but the time would be right. Note shipwreck at right. The "Maine?" Remember the Maine!If I am not mistaken, the shipwreck you see is the remains of the USS Maine, which was destroyed in Havana Harbor in 1898. The wreckage remained there until 1910-11 when it was finally refloated, investigated, and sank again outside of the harbor. The wreckage was re-discovered in 2000. There are archival photos of the wreck still in the harbor and this seems to match up with those photos. MastLooks as if one of the masts has already been removed from the USS Maine and hauled off to Arlington. A paean to the hosts It's a continual source of enjoyment to visit this site. I also marvel at the clarity of the photos presented. You guys do a truly fantastic job. British Naval PresenceThere is a surprisingly strong British naval presence in this photo. Four warships are anchored out, at least two of them obviously flying the White Ensign (the 4-funneled cruiser on the left, which might be Cressy or Diadem class, and the barquentine-rigged gunboat in the center). Each of these ships has a consort anchored exactly forward of her that looks like it's probably part of the same squadron, even though these are too far away for me to see flags. (Those of you with better software might try zooming in more). The change to 4 funnels in British cruisers was very recent indeed in 1904. The Diadems (first with this layout) were commissioned between 1898 and 1903, while the Cressy's were commissioned between 1901 and 1904. Was there unrest in Cuba in 1904? Did the British send these ships with an eye towards gunboat diplomacy? Or was it merely a courtesy visit? It WAS SmallWe forget how big Navy ships got in the 20th century. The Maine was only 324 feet long, about the size of a WWII destroyer escort. And it was only 6600 tons. There are plenty of private yachts that size. Hotel Santander ?I think the Centro Balear (1885) is now the Hotel Santander on Luz Street in old Havana. The shipwreck is gone and the kiosks are gone. Royal Navy visitFrom the Times newspaper, Mar 13 1903: 'The North America and West Indies Squadron left Kingston, Jamaica, yesterday for Havana.' Maine MastFollowing up on jnewp's comment, the foremast of the Maine is at the U.S. Naval Academy. USS MaineThe Maine and her sister Texas were technically not battleships. They were classified as second class battleships but were from an earlier design than what we know as battleships. Texas fought in the Spanish-American war at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba, but was woefully undergunned with virtually no armor. Although "REMEMBER THE MAINE" was a patriotic catch phrase used to garner support for the war, it was determined recently after observing the wreck that the explosion was internal, caused by a coal bunker fire adjacent to a powder magazine. Steamship VueltabajoThe S.S. VUELTABAJO was was a steel-hulled twin screw steamship built in 1893 at Glasgow, Scotland. At the time of the photo she was plying the Gulf of Mexico in the lumber trade: carrying mahogany, cedar and other tropical hardwoods from Mexican ports to veneer plants and sawmills in Mobile, Alabama. With a crew size of about 20, she had additional berthing for 20 passengers. In 1904 The Official Railway Guide advertised monthly sailings from Mobile to Campeche, Frontera, Tabasco and Laguna. She sank January 29, 1912 near Vera Cruz, Mexico. The tram is just as interestingI like the ships in this photo, but I like the tram more. It's one of 110 cars built in 1900/01 by Jackson & Sharp of Wilmington, Delaware for the Havana Electric Railway Company. Havana was one of the relatively few tramway systems in the world that used twin trolley wires and poles. These cars were solidly built, and remained in service with minimal modifications until the HER tram system was abandoned in 1952. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Havana, Streetcars)
Atlantic City Boardwalk: 1908
Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Chalfonte Hotel and the Boardwalk." With some sort of spillage splotch in the middle, ... If the flag has 45 stars and the date is 1908, the hotel owner should have bought a new flag. Utah was the 45th state, admitted in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 1:14pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Chalfonte Hotel and the Boardwalk." With some sort of spillage splotch in the middle, "double chair" rental on the right and a 45-star flag topping it all off. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Chair rental50 cents for the double chair rental seems like a lot in 1908. Unless that included one of the many men standing around to push you? Kind of like a rickshaw. [Chair rental circa 1908 was 50 cents an hour. In 1913 the A.C. city commission, in a move to cut "chair congestion," passed an ordinance raising mercantile taxes on the chairs by $5 a year -- to $10 on single chairs, and $20 for double chairs. The commission's goal was a doubling of the rental rate to a dollar an hour. - Dave] Sandy ClothesWow. I can't imagine how long it must have taken to get the sand out of those heavy wool clothes. Double ChairsFrom a WPA guide to Atlantic City: The next milestone in the history of the resort was the invention of the rolling chair in 1884. M.D. Shill, a Philadelphia manufacturer of invalid chairs, go-carts and perambulators, came to Atlantic City and opened a store to rent out baby carriages to summer families. He also rented out invalid chairs for convalescents and cripples. Within a few years these invalid chairs evolved into the double chair with a pusher. Triple chairs followed, completing the fleet of comfortable sightseeing chairs of today. Tim-bers!Wow, those are some beautiful timbers stacked on the beach. Timbers like those would cost a fortune today. TransitionsAtlantic City transitioned from this sedate scene to a bustling family-oriented seaside resort by the 1940s. I remember the Steel Pier and the Diving Horse. By the early '70s, A.C. hit rock bottom...then gambling was legalized. The rest (along with visitors' money) is history. Tanning and HorsesLooking at all the clothes these people are wearing makes me realize that being tan probably wasn't as common, at least for city folk. There is hardly any skin showing on anyone. Also, note the horses bottom left. I guess someone had the job of cleaning up after them on the beach/boardwalk. Neat picture, btw. And I agree about the time machine, though I'd like a ticket back in case things didn't work out. Wow...Can I go back in time please... One way is OK... Sign me up and get me outta here! 45 StarsIf the flag has 45 stars and the date is 1908, the hotel owner should have bought a new flag. Utah was the 45th state, admitted in 1896. Oklahoma was 46th, admitted in 1907. [The 46-star flag was adopted July 4, 1908. If the photo was taken in 1908, it was probably before the Fourth of July. - Dave] Ah yes, the old ChalfonteIn the early 1940's, while the tires were still mileage-viable on my dad's 1937 Chevy 2-door, we traveled to AC from Newburgh, NY, several times as a family. We usually bunked at the Chalfonte or its sister hotel down the block, Haddon Hall. As a kid my favorite place on the AC boardwalk was the James Salt Water Taffy shop. They sold pressed paper cartons of those filling-yankers in really neat-looking wire barrel shapes. For many years, I used one of these as a piggy bank. Hotel lobbiesCirca 1926 Ethel Waters made a record called "Jersey Walk," about a girl who dances in the hotel lobbies "just to hear those bellhops yell... 'Shake 'em up kid, shake 'em up kid, shake 'em up lady...'" Janet Klein and her Parlor Boys recorded it much more recently. Postal PhotosI see that Palace Postal Photos are best. I assume that is a place you could go to get a souvenier photo made to mail to the folks back home. Got any of those in your bag Dave? [Afraid not. - Dave] The Chalfonte and The Haddon Hall down the blockThose were family favorites for mini-vacations from upstate New York, so long as the tires on my dad's '37 Chevvy two-door had viable treads. Best shop on the AC Boardwalk for me was the James' Salt Water Taffy shop a few blocks west of the Chalfonte. They packaged their product in a molded papier-mache carton in the shape and color of a white barrel. I used one of these for years as a kid for my spare pocket change. Nap time!I like the man on the beach taking a siesta. What strikes me most about this picture is how lazy we've become in regard to architecture. Maybe a glass brick is easier to heat and cool as well as construct but dang, look at that beautiful building! Shill Rolling ChairI recently purchased a Shill Rolling Chair that seats three people. The brass plate mounted on the front of the white wicker frame says the charge was 75 cents an hour for one person or $1 an hour for two or more. I am curious about the age of the rolling chair. Based on the price per hour, would you know the age of my chair? (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Sports)
Kentucky Akimbo: 1940
... ... my neck hurts looking at this pic. The Kentucky Hotel Built at Fifth & West Walnut in 1925, 18 stories, converted to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/01/2022 - 3:39pm -

May 1940. "Street in Louisville, Kentucky." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Always something new on ShorpyA sore neck from looking closely at a photo. Black and White in Louisville... as much as the other way around: this is the 500 block (and onward) of West Walnut -- now Muhammed Ali Boulevard -- when the Grand Theater was a "movie theater for Negroes." The auditorium in the foreground is still there, but the theater, and most everything else, is now a parking lot. But presumably available to all. Trolleybus sightingLouisville's trolleybus system was relatively short-lived, 1936-1951, so we don't often see photos of it. The bus is part of the original fleet of Brill-built coaches, and the Grand Theatre on Walnut Street (now Muhammad Ali Boulevard) identifies the location. The large building to the right is the Louisville Gardens arena, still standing but dormant. Three years earlierIn this shot of Louisville's West Side during the Ohio River flood of January 1937, the location of Post Wolcott's photo is at the top, just to the right of the curve in the river. Contemporary flood maps indicate that this location escaped the worst of it, but not entirely and not by far. My father's oldest sister remembered traversing streets by walking across stranded cars. I pronounce it: FrankfortNotcom and SteveLexington have already identified the location of the 1940 photograph and described the present landscape. Below is a Google Earth photo to support their descriptions. The only thing I can add is the building from where Marion Post Wolcott probably took this photo is still standing. All that's left for me is to tell a joke. Do you pronounce the capital of Kentucky Louieville or Lewisville? Ouch!I gotta admit ... my neck hurts looking at this pic. The Kentucky HotelBuilt at Fifth & West Walnut in 1925, 18 stories, converted to apartments in 1972. PronunciationNatives pronounce it "Lou-vull." Angle of InterestThe angle chosen by photographer adds a dramatic perspective to this amazing scene. Today the area looks like a bomb shattered war zone. (The Gallery, Louisville, M.P. Wolcott, Streetcars)
Dinner on the Docks: 1910
... Good Old Cowford! Judging by the location of the Hotel Seminole, this is the foot of Hogan Street. This location is now flanked ... of the first table is checking on his iPad? Seminole Hotel The Seminole Hotel was brand new when this photo was taken, having ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 8:49pm -

Jacksonville, Florida, circa 1910. "Dinner hour on the docks." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Florida Times-Union NewspaperThe Times-Union is, in my long-standing personal opinion, the best newspaper in Florida. Even today you will find its news-racks in west, north, and northeast Florida, and as the Georgia Times-Union all over south and central Georgia. Nobody's DrinkingI don't see anyone drinking. Nowadays so many of us are never without a bottle of water in hand, yet these guys are doing heavy labor. Good Old Cowford!Judging by the location of the Hotel Seminole, this is the foot of Hogan Street. This location is now flanked by the Jacksonville Landing to the east (right) and the Times-Union Performing Arts Center to the west (left). Anybody else spot the one-legged man? GrapplingThose hooks (more than one in the picture) are used by stevedores. The hook goes under the crate or whatever and the man has his grip on the handle, which is more secure and comfortable a purchase than he could get on the various sharp, rough, irregular things he has to lift. The hook probably has a proper nomenclature. Can't remember. The YWonder if the ladies are from the YMCA (sign on the left). Interesting the almost identical work clothes of the laboring men -- suspenders or overalls, vests, caps and dusty hats, plain boots -- all clothing wiry men, in contrast to the banker gents in the back, with their fancy stripes and rounded bellies. Wondering what the hook is in the belt of the guy sitting with his back to us on the bale of wire. I expect it's some kind of gaff? Dinner For AllEven the dog. CowfordOne of my favoritest places on earth. In 1901, Jacksonville was poised to become the Hollywood of the East Coast when a great fire destroyed downtown. I'm sure they were still struggling to recover from it here in 1910. Sit Carefully!That cargo hook doesn't know it's break time. Dr. Laura of the YMCAThis must have been before her conversion. Re: Sit Carefully!I assume you are addressing the man at far right, who appears to be using his cargo hook as a stool. Living dangerously! Captain HookIt's a longshoreman's hook, and in days past was often carried this way. You want fries with that?Those women dishing out the chow most likely were not from the Y, as someone wondered, but just enterprising ladies who showed up at meal time with their food-for-sale in wagons like the one in the foreground. There seems to be at least four food serving tables, judging by the women's hats I see, but with all of those chowhounds there had to be more, off camera. I wonder what app the mustachioed gent to the right of the first table is checking on his iPad? Seminole HotelThe Seminole Hotel was brand new when this photo was taken, having opened on New Year's Day 1910. It closed in 1967 and was spectacularly imploded in 1974. Happy meal time.Not a smile in sight. Hay hooksWorking on hay wagons in the 1950s, we used similar hooks to lift the bales onto the wagon. We called 'em "hay hooks." (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Florida, Jacksonville)
Father Duffy: 1937
... there are a couple of surviving buildings. The Taft Hotel on the right is now an exclusive boutique hotel called The Michelangelo, while the building on the left with the Camel ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2013 - 1:17pm -

New York, 1937. "Times Square with Father Duffy statue still wrapped up." Sculptor Charles Keck's likeness of Francis P. Duffy, the New York Army National Guard chaplain decorated for his service in France with the 69th Infantry Regiment during World War I. Duffy Square and the statue were dedicated on May 2, 1937, by Mayor LaGuardia. Photo by Peter Sekaer. View full size. Camels, peanuts and CokeNew York really does have it all. Peanuts and CokeWhen I was young and Coke was sold in glass bottles, there was nothing better than a bag of salted peanuts poured into the Coke, and consumed together. Working With WalkerIt's interesting to note that the photographer, Peter Sekaer, assisted Walker Evans for a time. Still there but boy has Times Square changedView Larger Map Storied characterBesides being portrayed by Pat O'Brien (who may have played as many priests as Bing Crosby over his career) in "The Fighting 69th" (1940), Father Duffy is said to have inspired the character "Fightin' Father Feeny" in Al Capp's "Li'l Abner." RE: DonT's CommentHey, DonT-- Did you grow up in the South? I always did the bag of salted peanuts into the Coke bottle thing too, and suspected it was a Southern delicacy. Duffy SquareThe northern part of the Times Square "bowtie," north of 46th Street, officially is known as Duffy Square, but as a practical matter the name doesn't get much use. Most people simply refer to the whole assemblage as Times Square. Father Duffy's statue is still there, but has been somewhat overshadowed by the TKTS theater tickets stand and its rooftop viewing area directly to the statue's north, and by an early 1960's statue of George M. Cohan about 100 feet to its south. While much has changed in the ensuing 76 years, there are a couple of surviving buildings. The Taft Hotel on the right is now an exclusive boutique hotel called The Michelangelo, while the building on the left with the Camel Cigarette sign is the Brill Building, which has housed many music publishers and producers ever since it opened in the early 1930's. Have it all?Don't forget Ballentine Ballantine Ale and Beer on the left. The Coke and Planters sign are on the back of the building last seen here: https://www.shorpy.com/node/15565 And then there's the Brill Building, also known as Tin Pan Alley, where music publishers made their home. ((Gads! I misspelled Ballantine?!! I'll have to turn in my Rebus bottle cap collection!!!)) +6Here's Father Duffy uncovered six years later in August 1943. That's my mom in the middle with her friends during a visit that year. PlantersI would love to have seen the Planters sign at night - lit up in its glory! +76Another photo of Father Duffy I took earlier this month. Still looks just as good all these years later. Taft HotelThe Taft may be a boutique hotel now, but in the '60s, it was my idea of New York sophistication. In '61, I was a member of the staff of our Jr. High newspaper (yes, there were such things), up in the Big Apple for the Columbia U. Scholastic Press Association convention and staying at the Taft. Three year later, back to the Taft as a member of our High School concert band, playing at the World's Fair out in Flushing. The Taft had valet service and house detectives and all the things I came to expect in a big city hotel. From Coke to PepsiAnyone else notice that the Coca-Cola sign in the original has been replaced by a Pepsi-Cola ad in Kilroy's picture from 6 years later? (The Gallery, NYC)
The Big Hotels: 1910
... Company. View full size. Get Out the "Hotel" Template "And they all burned down in _________ (fill in year)." ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 7:15pm -

Atlantic City circa 1910. "A group of big hotels -- Dennis and Marlborough-Blenheim." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Get Out the "Hotel" Template"And they all burned down in _________ (fill in year)." (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
A Captive Christmas: 1919
... or nice? I think I count five who are camera-shy. Hotel on the Marsh The old District Jail was on Reservation 13 , ... outside. It is not only to the masculine element of the "hotel on the marsh" the saint will pay his visit. That part of the institution ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 10:48am -

December 1919. "Christmas tree at the District Jail, Washington, D.C., and some of the prisoners." National Photo Co. Collection glass negative. View full size. Get a load of that!Did a blue two-headed dog walk by to the left of the camera man? What's everyone looking at over there? Stocking Stuffers"Just what I wanted -- a hacksaw and a set of shivs!" "Add Your Own Title"Was this a segregated jail or is that white guy hiding behind the tree the only white prisoner? Not Too MerryThese guys seem camera-averse--and apparently were on the painting detail, judging from their clothing. [That's mold on the emulsion. - Dave] The Unbearable Sadness of Two-Story TreesThese unfortunate fellows should get together with those glum nurses from the hospital tree picture. A Tree for ViewingI can't find an account of the 1919 Christmas, but here is one from the following year: Christmas To Be Merry at Jail Supt. Foster Plans Holiday Feast and Entertainment for Prisoners. Though confined in narrow cells, many of them awaiting execution, prisoners at the District jail will not be forgotten tomorrow, when the people of Washington will be making merry in their homes, as an unusually attractive program has been arranged by superintendent Charles E. Foster, for the persons in his charge. Religious services will be held in the morning following which the men will be given a regular Christmas breakfast, consisting of fruit and a variety of vegetables. The morning hours will be devoted to rest for the prisoners. Dinner will be served in the early afternoon. The menu is as follows: Roast pork with brown gravy, mashed potatoes, stewed turnips, creamed oyster plant, bread, butter and coffee and mince pie. The Fort Myer band will play for the men in the afternoon and boxes of candy, furnished by the Gospel Mission, will be distributed. A huge tree decorated with colored balls and electric lights has been set up in the rotunda where the prisoners can view it. Washington Post, Dec 24, 1920 District JailSo where was this? This is before Lorton? Naughty or nice?I think I count five who are camera-shy. Hotel on the Marsh The old District Jail was on Reservation 13, southeast of the intersection of 19th and Independence SE. Today's jail, the Central Detention Facility, and its annex, the Correctional Treatment Facility, are a few blocks south. UPDATE: Thanks to Dave for adding the above LOC photo of the old jail's exterior. On another note, at first reading, I had thought the following reference to the "arms of morpheus" to be indicative of the use of the drug morphine. However, on further research (i.e. Google), I find it turns out merely to be a traditional synonym for sleep. Christmas Saint To Visit City Jail Spirit of Season to be Carried to Inmates Today in Varied Manner. When the first peep of dawn threw the bars of the grated windows of the District jail in relief on the rotunda this morning, the personnel were abustle, and from every cell could be heard the ejaculations of prisoners who, going back to the days of childhood, peeped into the sock hung on the grate, to see what the jovial Kris had left in his flight over Washington. For there are several chimneys at the jail down which the corpulent saint might have come with his bag, and it would be only a small matter to make his way through the several wings when the inmates were in the arms of morpheus and leave his tokens for those inside. Furthermore, the stockings had been provided. The usual custom of keeping the inmates at the jail in the small and decidedly compact cells is taboo today for a few hours, and every man who, in the language of the gridiron, has "one month down and six to go," will have the opportunity to mingle with his neighbors and perhaps exchange a few gifts that do no exactly strike his fancy. Every man and woman in the institution, from Death Row to the humble north wing, where the boys with sentences of ten to thirty days are lodged, will receive several presents today, all from Santa Claus institutions in Washington. Each man who will put his feet under the jail table at noon is assured a generous measure of candy and nuts and a sack of smoking or chewing tobacco. Many of the men who receive socks and other articles of wearing apparel, and still others will be allowed to receive remembrances from friends on the outside. It is not only to the masculine element of the "hotel on the marsh" the saint will pay his visit. That part of the institution given over to the women who are spending Christmas as guests of the District will also be remembered. In addition to the presents, many of which are sent to the jail anonymously, the inmates are going to get away from the regulation diet for the day, and a menu would do credit to a hotel where the guests pay for their accommodations have been prepared. Dinner will be served at noon at the jail, following the religious services in the rotunda, when the 290 inmates will join the singing of Christmas carols and perhaps mingle in little groups for the discussion of current topics or the more important question of "how long before the stretch is up?" After the recreation period, which will last several hours, the program, according to Supt. Peake, calls for dinner. The following menu has been prepared: Roast pork and mashed potatoes, and plenty of it; rich brown gravy, prepared by a cook from southern Maryland, in for a short stretch; celery, cranberries, bread, coffee and apple pie. Presents in the guise of turkeys and "all the fixings" have reached the jail for individual "guests," but whether the inmates will be allowed to have their private dishes served up today has not been decided. After dinner the men and women will be returned to their regular wings, but will be permitted to mingle in the aisles during the afternoon and possibly up to 10 o'clock tonight, when the order of "lights out" is given. A huge Christmas tree decorated in electric lights will be placed in the center of the rotunda of the jail, and each man and woman will receive at least one present from the gift pile following the service. Despite the grumblings of a few who feel that a Christmas in a nice warm cell is undesirable, the vast majority of the prisoners, however, have expressed feelings of appreciation at all the preparations being made today for their welfare. Washington Post, Dec 25, 1921 Behind the treeI find it odd that what appears to be the only white person is hiding behind the tree. [Santa! - Dave] (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., Natl Photo)
Laddies Who Launch: 1913
... Ship Building yard in Wyandotte. View full size. HOTEL WINDOWS I've never noticed what appear to be large double hung windows ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/09/2019 - 1:32pm -

February 14, 1913. "Noon -- Steamer Seeandbee." Lunch break for men working on the sidewheeler Seeandbee at the Detroit Ship Building yard in Wyandotte. View full size. HOTEL WINDOWSI've never noticed what appear to be large double hung windows on a ship. Especially those close to the waterline. Must have been considered seaworthy on a lakes ship. MetamorphosisIt seems the Seeandbee turned into a Wolverine and lived an interesting life. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Wolverine_(IX-64) USS WolverineThe Seeandbee was a luxurious sidewheeler cruise ship operated by the Cleveland and Buffalo Transit Company, or C&B -- Seeandbee, get it? Later she was converted to a training aircraft carrier, the USS Wolverine, as part of the “Corn Belt Fleet,” operating only on Lake Michigan. Along with the USS Sable, the only Navy carriers to use coal for fuel. And they were the only paddlewheel carriers in history. In her cruising days, she was pretty impressive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LX-FvPe5ecQ (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Detroit: 1910
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Campus Martius." Frequent photographic subjects of the ... It must have been a challenge trying to operate the tiny Hotel Metropole in the shadow of the giant Pontchartrain. And what a ... of Elks (BPOE), which was hosted by the Pontchartrain Hotel. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/02/2022 - 1:05pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1910. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Campus Martius." Frequent photographic subjects of the Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Big BrotherIt must have been a challenge trying to operate the tiny Hotel Metropole in the shadow of the giant Pontchartrain. And what a testament to the brand power of Coca-Cola. Ninety-five years later, that logo is so modern that it sticks out like a photobomb. Times They Are A-ChangingIf you were to have taken this picture 5 years before the horses would outnumber the cars. Who's Selling What??Love to know what "Misfit" is advertising. ["Misfit" seems to have been the retail category for what we would today call clothing seconds, or maybe something more like Big & Tall. There's another Misfit sign shown here, in New York, and here, in St. Louis. - Dave] WildlifeI love the stag and deer statues. Those things are huge! Misfits explainedBelieve it or not, people would have their pictures taken and not show up for the prints. Photogs would sell the orphan or - Misfits - pictures to recoup their losses. The main market for these Misfts, were immigrant bachelors who wanted to send pictures of their sweeties back home, but they either didn't have sweeties, or they didn't have enough to have their pictures taken. Hence, an immigrant bachelor who wanted to impress the family back in County Cork, or Berlin, would finger through the Misfit bins and pick out athe girl of their dreams. [That's a colorful explanation but, as noted below, these are clothing stores. This particular Misfit was the haberdashery owned by Sol Berman (you can see BERMAN on the awning) at 120 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. Below, another Misfit Clothing Parlor in New York. - Dave] Migrating Wildlife The "stag and deer" statue is actually of elk. It's one of several temporary monuments that were erected in Detroit for the 1910 national convention of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE), which was hosted by the Pontchartrain Hotel. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
The Metropole: 1915
Avalon, Calif., circa 1915. "Bathers at Hotel Metropole, Catalina Island." And yet another popcorn stand. 5x7 glass ... 4 a.m., a fire started mysteriously near the rear of the hotel. Avalon’s small fire department quickly was overwhelmed by the blaze, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2018 - 8:20pm -

Avalon, Calif., circa 1915. "Bathers at Hotel Metropole, Catalina Island." And yet another popcorn stand. 5x7 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. C'mon BillyLet's go over to that big sewer outfall and play! Surprise! It burned down.The Metropole continued to thrive during the early years of the 20th century, right up until the disastrous early morning hours of Nov. 29, 1915. Between 3:30 and 4 a.m., a fire started mysteriously near the rear of the hotel. Avalon’s small fire department quickly was overwhelmed by the blaze, which spread until it had destroyed fully half of the town’s hotels and buildings. Many residents were left homeless. The 1915 Catalina fire destroyed half of the resort town. The Hotel Metropole was a total loss, as were five other Avalon hotels: the Central, Bay View, Rose, Grandview and Pacific. Though no definitive cause was found, the unofficial word was that a man who lived in a small apartment at the rear of the Metropole was about to be foreclosed upon, so he set the blaze in order to get insurance money. A 52-room Hotel Metropole now stands on the site of the original structure in Avalon at the center of the Metropole Market Place development. LaddersCatalina Island: Home of the Unobtrusive Fire Escape. Clean(ish) water for me, thanks.Upon noticing the sewer pipe leading directly into the ocean water, I think I'll put up my parasol and head over to the Hotel Central for some fresh roasted peanuts. Vive le popcorn standThe list of better things to have around is far shorter than the list of worse ones. The Black Hole of CatalinaI suspect there might be a mean, vile, hideous clown waiting for some unsuspecting sunbather to come curiously walking into that drain. That's a hard nope for me! I just want to know-Is that kid on the fence coming or going? Plus 103Here’s the waterfront today. It looks pretty modern, but a visit reveals a time capsule of the 1950s. RemnantsMy wife and I visited Avalon in 2013, and, seeing the age and original condition of many of the houses, I rented a bicycle and rode up and down the back alleys in search of antiquated electrical wiring. I was not disappointed. This service switch and knob-and-tube wiring very likely dates back to 1915, and wasn't exactly best practice even then. The meter is a later replacement, from the 1940s. Catalina MemoriesI remember going to Catalina Island in the 1950s with my brother and friends in a speedboat. We swam out a way from the beach in front of the hotel, pulled ourselves down to the bottom using kelp and saw many beautiful fish. 120V VestigesMy house in California, built in 1954, was completely knob & tube when we bought it in 1969. It did have a (somewhat) more modern service entrance - two 30A main plug fuses feeding four 15 amp branches! We still have two interior walls we never opened, with k&t intact, tied into Romex in the attic. 240V actually, even as-built. Très moderne! (The Gallery, DPC, Swimming)
Temple of Commerce: 1906
... is the same view from June of 2013. The tower is now a hotel ...and accessible (sometimes) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2019 - 11:07am -

        The 1849 Custom House, built at the end of the city docks, was used by the federal government to collect maritime duties in the age of Boston clipper ships. In 1915, after land reclamation had filled in the waterfront, the dome was topped with a 500-foot tower. Circa 1906. "Custom House -- Boston, Massachusetts." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. +105Below is the same view from June of 2013. The tower is now a hotel...and accessible (sometimes) https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60745-d4724568-Reviews-Ma... When I was younger, the FCC had an office in the tower. I took the written test for my Technician amateur radio license there. I was so terrified, I didn't even look out the window! (The Gallery, Boston, DPC)
Little Red MG: 1953
... Don Cox in a Tabasco-red MG at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. Wanna race? View full size. Kookie ... The Del Coronado was opened in 1888 as the then largest hotel in the world. Incredibly, it never burned down (the fate of so many of ... pairing of photos ( ignoring the Cadillac ). The Hotel Del Coronado Mentioned below, in 1973 was used as the setting of a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/21/2021 - 11:32pm -

From 1953 comes this 35mm Kodachrome of hot-rodder and finer-things-appreciator Don Cox in a Tabasco-red MG at the Hotel Del Coronado in San Diego. Wanna race? View full size. KookieGiven the apparent lifestyle and cars, the Dude was obviously the inspiration for Kookie on 77 Sunset Strip, a few years later. A Gilded Age WonderThe Del Coronado was opened in 1888 as the then largest hotel in the world. Incredibly, it never burned down (the fate of so many of its contemporaries) and remains the largest surviving example of the Gilded Age wooden beach hotels so popular with the well heeled of the late Victorian era. The Del is still in business and has a list of famous guests longer than my arm including a slew of US presidents, starting with Benjamin Harrison. Ya gotta love an MG TD...I certainly do. I have one just like it! The MG TD was the car that started the entire British sports car craze in America. Many returning GI's brought these inexpensive cars home and began racing them, and an entire industry grew up around them, supplying parts and accessories. Even the legendary Carroll Shelby had an MG TD - it was the first car he ever took racing. The UK needed to improve their balance of payments after the war, so to encourage even more auto production to go overseas they charged "home market" buyers in Britain an exorbitant tax on car purchases, as much as 66%. The combination of these high home market taxes and eager American buyers made for a huge post-war boost to the UK economy. Other UK manufacturers followed MG's path, and soon America became the UK's largest market for their sports cars, with Triumph, Austin, Austin-Healey and Jaguar becoming among the most popular brands in addition to MG. MGTD 1950-53What a beautiful auto. MG started export production in January of 1950 and lasted until 1953 (actually late 1949 but they only made 98 cars that were right hand drive). It was fitted with a 1250cc 4 cylinder engine and total production totaled 29664 cars. It was preceded by the MGTC and followed with the MGTF 1953-55. The redesigned curved body MGA followed in 1955 and production of this beauty ran until 1962. The MGB followed the MGA until British Leyland ceased production in 1980. My first MGThe first one I ever saw had my Uncle Albert in it. If tterrace's uncle was wearing red socks ... then we have a pretty cool pairing of photos (ignoring the Cadillac). The Hotel Del CoronadoMentioned below, in 1973 was used as the setting of a campy horror-thriller film called Wicked, Wicked using a gimmicky technique called "Duo/Vision" or split screen. On the left side of the screen you'd see someone opening the door of a room while on the right screen you'd see the darkened interior of the room as the door quietly opened to sheer horror. The attic contained the still barely alive female victims of the mad floor-show camera operator who had a mommy complex strung up in grisly fashion. It was a gimmick that didn't last long because it added nothing to the movie. By the way, gorgeous MG TD, hope it is in the collection of some proud collector today. Well, nobody's perfectThe Hotel Del is perhaps best known as the setting (ostensibly in Florida, not Coronado) for much of the movie Some Like It Hot. Long Drive in a Small CarDon Cox is a pretty interesting guy and worth an internet search. Among other things he raced cars on the salt flats and co-authored the 2003 book "The Birth of the Hot Rod." At some point he lived in Oceanside, which suggests he may have just completed a 45-mile trip down to Coronado Island. His little MG TD might get up to 70 mph in places but San Diego traffic would have taken care of any speed records. 1953 MG TDMy parents bought this one in 1958 in St. Louis, Missouri. Photo is in Dunedin, Florida around 1961. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Don Cox)
Southern Accents: 1912
Daytona Beach, Florida, circa 1910. "Hotel Ridgewood and Ridgewood Avenue." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2024 - 12:40am -

Daytona Beach, Florida, circa 1910. "Hotel Ridgewood and Ridgewood Avenue." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A Connecticut Yankee in King Henry's CourtDesigned by Nutmeg State solon-turned-architect Sumner Hale Grove, the Ridgewood started out as an eclectic wood structure before receiving an annex, in a contrasting style, in 1911 (at the right of the main picture) A coquina veneer in 1912 tied them together. The original portion burned in 1932 - Who'd have guessed? - but the annex continued on until 1975. The site today. Treebeards!Love the Spanish Moss. Not so much the horse pucky. The previous century's exhaust pollution. Bike WeekThere will be thousands of Harleys on Ridgewood beginning March 1. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida)
Mabley and Carew: 1907
... A buzzing hive of commerce featuring a department store, hotel, jeweler, "dancing academy" and ice wagon. 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... their construction. The Sinton Block, which included the Hotel Sinton, was put up by the industrialist David Sinton. - Dave] Every ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2012 - 3:03pm -

Circa 1907. "Vine Street at Fifth, Cincinnati." A buzzing hive of commerce featuring a department store, hotel, jeweler, "dancing academy" and ice wagon. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Massive pivot window sashesWindows on second floor of building to the right. Those upper-center pivoting sashes must be about six feet wide. Some of the project-out casements look large too. Wonder how such windows fared in really windy days? Love the fenestration technology/ styles used at the time. Diamonds and TowersRichter and Phillips, a very upscale jeweler is still going strong in Cincinnati, and Joe Carew, of Mabley & Carew, did quite well for himself. Until recently the Carew Tower, which replaced the store, was the tallest structure in the Queen City at 49 stories. It is a beautiful Art Deco style building. PerfectAll those windows on the top floor of the Mabley building and it is their stockroom for shoes, based on the size of the boxes you can see. Anyone know what the name "D. SINTON" on the building at the left refers to. [The "block names" surmounting the era's business-district buildings are the people who financed their construction. The Sinton Block, which included the Hotel Sinton, was put up by the industrialist David Sinton. - Dave] Every Kind of Hat For Every Needas long as you need a bowler. But I guess that isn't much different from baseball hats, today. Anti-Bovine ApparatusI guess in modern 1907 you still had the occasional stray cow wandering around in the city. A factory option when you purchased a new streetcar no doubt. On second thought, most of their close encounters of the cow kind probably happened when they reached the suburbs. [Also those pedestrians who wouldn't moo-ve. - Dave] From diamonds to drugsThis street has everything! DetailsIt appears that the operator of trolley #16 is adjusting the switch he has to pass through before proceeding on his route. I always wondered how that was done. The two pole system seems uncommon in most trolley photos. Our local transit company used to operate trolley buses with a dual pole system but when they ran streetcars they were single pole. Advantages to the dual wire system would probably include winter operations (unless the wires were coated with ice) but the downside would be that the cost of the system would increase as you'd need twice as much copper wire. WonderingThis was my family's hometown at the time of the picture -- I wonder if any of the dapper folks on the street are my relatives. We have a lot of street-level snapshots of this area from the 1910s - 1940s. The Hotel Sintonwas at 4th and Vine. Built 1907, demolished in 1967 - it was named after David Sinton. I lived in Cincinnati in the early 1960s and remember it as an empty hulk. Its claim to fame is that it was the site of the meeting which led to the Black Sox scandal of 1919. Double Trolley Poles and CowcatchersThe city of Cincinnati required the trolley company to use the two wire collection/return system. Normally, trolleys used just one pole with the current to run the cars picked up from the wire and returned to the power station through the rails. Cincinnati officials feared that the current in the rails would induce corrosion in underground utilities (water, gas and sewer lines) and demanded the use of two wires to supply and return the current. The cars switched to one pole at the city limits. The "cowcatcher" was a device to keep errant pedestrians from falling under the cars and being injured or killed by the underhung motors or the trolley's wheels. They were actually called "fenders". Some varieties automatically stopped the car if they hit an obstacle, providing the advantage of the car not derailing. GroundedA single wire system requires a connection to ground to complete the circuit between the car and power plant. While saving copper costs, the system could damage metal fixtures in the ground as currents flowed through them (electrolysis) and rainy days might rob current from the "hot" overhead wire and shunt it directly to earth before it could be used by the car. Ground loops played havoc with such systems. I read a story somewhere that when a single-wire system car got onto a section of track that had somehow lost its ground connection, a passenger stepping onto the car, completed the path to earth, and received a severe shock! I am sure that was rare. (The Gallery, Cincinnati Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Retail White House: 1910
... Interesting info here . Department Store Turned Hotel The ritzy anchor store of the Maison Blanche chain is now the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2016 - 3:33pm -

New Orleans circa 1910. "Maison Blanche, Canal Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. New Orleans - Signs of Light? Just wondering: what is that grid above the Ferd. Kaufman building? Is it a lighted sign? I love photos like this from the first few years of the last century, that show horse power and automobile power overlapping. Shorpy has really "illuminated" that era for me. Circa?Why "Circa 1910"? The sign says "Wednesday, March 16" and March 16 was a Wednesday in 1910. So it's definitely 1910. Remember MB wellBack when Canal Street was still a major shopping area, I often found better deals on what I was looking for elsewhere, but always enjoyed the beautiful interior of Maison Blanch. The upper floors were offices, including dentists. They had some of the last direct-current run elevators with elevator operators in the city, into the early 1990s. -- Infrogmation of New Orleans This is the 2nd Home of Maison BlancheThis is the second building that housed Maison Blanche. On the same corner, housed the Mercier Building, that wasn't considered big enough by the Maison Blanche owners. They went on a building project, from 1906 to 1909, thus, this picture was taken not long after completion. Photo and article here. Sweet tooth, dentistNo accident to have a dentist upstairs from the confectioner's! Lovely shot of Southern City Life! Interesting info here. Department Store Turned HotelThe ritzy anchor store of the Maison Blanche chain is now the Ritz-Carlton New Orleans. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Night and Fog: 1941
... think he might have known scenes like this as a kid. Hotel Noir We'll leave a light on for you! Almost nothing remains I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/11/2018 - 10:46am -

January 1941. "New Bedford, Massachusetts. Street at night during a fog." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Have a nice trip?Those sidewalks must've been tough to navigate. The street seems safer. See ya next fall. Time MachineIt's probably a good thing that time travel doesn't exist. I'd surely go broke paying to take a walk up and down streets like this and others found on Shorpy. That SidewalkIs an insurance claim waiting to happen. Tricky TitleAside from Wagner, Nacht und Nebel (Night and Fog) was a directive issued by Adolf Hitler on 7 December 1941 targeting political activists and resistance "helpers" in World War II to be imprisoned or killed, while the family and the population remained uncertain as to the fate or whereabouts of the Nazi state's alleged offender. Victims who disappeared in these "Night and Fog" actions were never heard from again. [Best known as the title of Alan Resnais's immortal 1956 documentary. - Dave] Nights like theseAre the kind that make you glad you're home by the fire. Delano, on his game. Leaves you with the impression that the world existed in black and white. Remarkable photographNew Bedford was where my grandfather ended up after arriving here from the Azores as a stowaway circa 1912. It's where my father was born. I've never visited and my father's family had moved to Brooklyn by 1941 but I'd like to think he might have known scenes like this as a kid. Hotel NoirWe'll leave a light on for you! Almost nothing remainsI located the Diana Lodge (198 Middle St.) on the left and the Clarendon House (197 Middle St.) in the 1939 city directory for New Bedford. It appears that the only remaining structure in the photo is the house that was once the Clarendon. https://goo.gl/maps/GnacaQQD6Mr (The Gallery, Jack Delano)
Smoking Rubble: 1906
... the windows broke from the heat. When the quake struck the hotel was still two weeks from opening; the furnishings had been delivered but ... themselves off and went to work to rebuild the city. Hotel Fairmont Looks like the hotel off in the distance. The outside of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:39pm -

"Nob Hill from roof of Ferry Post Office." San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. GranddadMy grandfather (who died a year before I was born) claimed he was there for the earthquake, he was quite the wanderer in his early years. I wonder if he saw Caruso? HighlanderThe Fairmont is still there. You can't see it from this distance but all of the windows broke from the heat. When the quake struck the hotel was still two weeks from opening; the furnishings had been delivered but not yet arranged, perhaps sparing the place from the fiery, utter destruction that the neighboring hotels met with. She finally opened a year to the day after the quake. Whittell BuildingAbout one quarter away from the left in the distance is the skeleton of a building with a low-peaked roof. It's not an earthquake victim, but the Whittell Building, under construction at the time. Local architects actually designed it to be seismically resistant; construction was completed and it stands to this day on Union Square. My Uncle Frank had his lapidary business in it from the 1920s until he retired. I remember riding up to it in the rickety cage elevator, and the gnarled old guy who operated it. San FranciscoSan Francisco is such a fascinating city to me because as I rode the cable cars up and down its steep hilly streets, I wondered, "Who in the world thought this was a good place to build a city?" I simply couldn't imagine being one of the first to enter this land and thinking it was a good idea to build a house and neighborhood on a street with a 60 degree incline. Surely they could have gone out just a bit farther and found flatter land. Add to it this earthquake, and I marvel that they didn't just throw up their hands and find flatter land to settle in. Glad they didn't though; SF is a gem among gems. [Like most coastal cities, SF is where it is because of maritime geography, not topography -- an anchorage at the mouth of a sheltered bay. - Dave] Rubble rubble everywhereVast quantities of rubble were dumped along San Francisco's bay shore from Fisherman's Wharf to south of today's AT&T baseball park. The motive power? Mules, horses, and trains that ran on tracks laid temporarily atop city streets especially for the purpose. (According to the Library of Congress, nearly 17,000 horses were worked to death in the process. No stats for the poor mules.) Historians agree, though, that little if any earthquake rubble was dumped in the modern Marina District. The reason? The undeveloped area (then called Harbor View) was too far from the destroyed downtown areas being cleared to be useful. Also, the intervening hills between downtown and Harbor View prohibiting laying railroad track. Shaky FoundationsI have read that the Marina District which was heavily damaged in the last quake was built on fill from this quake. Kind of ironic when you think about it. Re: Too MuchIt is a good thing everyone did not feel such despair. They got up, dusted themselves off and went to work to rebuild the city. Hotel Fairmont Looks like the hotel off in the distance. The outside of the building survived relatively unscathed, but the interior suffered fire damage. This is one of the most interesting images of the aftermath I've seen. I get a real sense of what it must have been like to see and be amongst the destruction. So much to clean up before the rebuilding begins. Caruso's Last StandAnd after being awakened by the tremor, Caruso vowed never to return to San Francisco, a vow which he kept. As for the Fairmont Hotel, it was nearly complete at the time of the earthquake and fire, and its opening was delayed until the next year. At the far left is another landmark of the time, the Call-Spreckels Building, home of the San Francisco Call newspaper. Awful DamageWith every one of these I see on Shorpy, all I can think of is Hiroshima or Berlin circa 1945. Did you know that Enrico Caruso was in town at the time? Too muchWhere and how do you even begin to clean up the debris? It's all just so overwhelming. London on FriscoJack London on the quake: Day was trying to dawn through the smoke-pall. A sickly light was creeping over the face of things. Once only the sun broke through the smoke-pall, blood-red, and showing quarter its usual size. The smoke-pall itself, viewed from beneath, was a rose color that pulsed and fluttered with lavender shades Then it turned to mauve and yellow and dun. There was no sun. And so dawned the second day on stricken San Francisco. (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
American Splendor: 1955
March 30, 1955. "Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach. General view of lobby. Morris Lapidus, architect." ... like a Cary Grant or a Grace Kelly while they were in this hotel. To transport them to someplace 'special' and well removed from their ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/22/2014 - 10:05am -

March 30, 1955. "Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach. General view of lobby. Morris Lapidus, architect." Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. The Streets of MiamiI'm guessing this is the same place that Allan Sherman mentioned in his song "The Streets of Miami". "I'm going to the Fontainebleau / Pardner, it's mod'ner." Opulent ExtravaganzaIf you thinks the lobby was something, take a gander at the building itself. A midcentury postcard is attached. Tres classyAll those Roman statues and busts make me want to drink tea with my pinky sticking straight out. And the title of the architect's autobiography is"Too Much Is Never Enough," by Morris Lapidus (1996). This is a sly reference to the motto attributed to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, "Less is more" (even though he never actually said that, in English or in German). GoalLapidus always tried to make ordinary visitors feel extraordinary. He wanted the guests to feel like a Cary Grant or a Grace Kelly while they were in this hotel. To transport them to someplace 'special' and well removed from their normal lives. Clearly a Staged PhotoNo ashtrays. (Well, maybe one -- see if you can find it). Best of both worldsThis lobby manages to be elegant and sophisticated yet tacky and cheesy. I like it and I don't. (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami)
What This Country Needs: 1906
... 1920, the KC Times building had been replaced with the Kay Hotel and it was that building that eventually fell to urban renewal in the ... the red light district. Quick, call Lewis Hine! Kay Hotel demolished ... in 1954, according to the Kansas City Public Library, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 10:49am -

Kansas City, Missouri, circa 1906. "Junction of Main and Delaware Streets." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A Good Five-Cent CigarOf course, only to hold off the chill of what appears to be a frosty day! Old city streetsI love these old street scenes you select. My grandfather who was born in 1880's had lots of old sayings that meant little to us grandkids. One was "it's everywhere like horseshit." These old photos almost always include somebody sweeping it up. Now I know what he meant. The Junction.This intersection (9th and Main) was known as "The Junction." As you might have guessed from the signs. That's the Kansas City Times newspaper building in the middle, with the spire thing on top, even though railroad ticket offices were on the first floor and someone put that "Junction Building" sign on it. By 1920, the KC Times building had been replaced with the Kay Hotel and it was that building that eventually fell to urban renewal in the 60s. [Note the faint T on the roof of the Times tower. - Dave] Vertiginous EgressThat cast iron spiral fire escape on the building with the beehive dome was probably thought safe enough at the time, but, after only a few moments of imagining using it in an emergency, I'm all ready for a nice lie-down in a dark room. Wells Fargo, and lunch to goWells Fargo wagon to the left (Express!) and the fellow with the apron across the street selling sandwiches from the looks of it (it IS 25 past 1, after all!) ManvilleI looked over this carefully and I can't see any women at all, out shopping or on the street! It truly was a man's world. Long gone.I-70 would eventually pass a couple of blocks in the distance and all these buildings were gone by then to make way for urban renewal and ramps down to the interstate. Everything probably went down by 1960 or so. Kansas City has its share of remaining historic buildings but all the buildings in this photo are long gone. The Commerce (Bank) Tower is currently on the corner (9th and Main) just beyond Palace Clothing. It went up in 1965 as the area was redeveloped into parking lots, parking garages and your typical 60s era highrises. My mother was working near this location in the early 1950s and she was still using the streetcars (the more modern versions) then. Streetcar service ended by 1957. Everything's up to date in Kansas City"They gone about as fer as they can go They went an' built a skyscraper seven stories high About as high as a buildin' orta grow." Horses back thenHad a lot to watch out for, didn't they? Downward SpiralIn about the middle of the photo, towards the back, there seems to be a spiral staircase fire escape. I don't believe I have ever seen one like this. Ladies of the AfternoonWhat I continue to find amazing are the lack of women in these downtown type pictures. I see only two in front of the Junction ticket office. R.R. ticket officesThe Chicago & Alton, Missouri Pacific, Santa Fe, Milwaukee Road, Wabash, and a joint office of the Frisco and, I think, the Rock Island. Nothing left?A tour up Delware to Main on Google Street view shows that there is nothing of this scene left except for the names of the thoroughfares. It's all a flat expanse of 4- and 6-lane asphalt, empty lots. and what look like low-rise warehouses. Automobiles roam, supreme in the environment. This gives me hope. Perhaps in another century, the auto will be as rare on our city streets as the horse is today. What this commenter needsA Stetson hat and five-cent cigar make for a winning combination. MessengerThere's a messenger boy on the lower right, no doubt hurrying to the red light district. Quick, call Lewis Hine! Kay Hotel demolished... in 1954, according to the Kansas City Public Library, which has a few more pictures of this intersection in its images archives. Dave, I love Shorpy! IncredibleThe detail on the lamp standards, fire hydrants &c is wonderful. I'm terribly curious about what appears to be a pedestrian bridge in the background -- does anyone know what it might have connected? (The Gallery, DPC, Kansas City, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
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