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Hot Springs: 1900
... steaming water. Oh, and nice touch with the St. Nicholas Hotel there too. Just in time for Christmas! Wide Sidewalks Fancy spas ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 3:19pm -

Circa 1900. "Central Avenue, Hot Springs, Arkansas." Note the flowing tap in the foreground. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. "The Spa City"Hot Springs is 45 miles west of my house. You can still get thermal baths at the Buckstaff Bathhouse, which has been operating since 1912. However, the town was known for its thermal springs and baths since the early 1800s. Now it is more popular for lakes, racetrack and theme park. Gutter tapThat's it! The actual hot spring itself! Of course, the cold spring is on the other side of the street. Tapped outI visited Hot Springs for the first time in 1968. I made the mistake of taking water out of the wrong tap. As a northerner and a Caucasian, I and did not notice the "colored only" sign. A passerby angrily noted my mistake. I returned in the late eighties and found it a much friendlier place and the signs missing. Cold day in Hot SpringsObviously taken in winter, due to the bare trees and the steaming water. Oh, and nice touch with the St. Nicholas Hotel there too. Just in time for Christmas! Wide SidewalksFancy spas or bathouses are all along the left side of the street. The wide sidewalks are for the numerous wheelchairs used by the stove-up patrons who flocked to Hot Springs for the healing waters. If I remember correctly, there were several springs, each with different mineral properties, so one might soak in one in the morning and another in the afternoon. Bathhouse RowThe buildings on the left are bathhouses, not private homes. They were built by the springs, which catered to a steady stream of customers and tourists (a reason for those wide sidewalks, still there today, which invite strolling and looking about). Those in the photo were replaced in the early years of the 20th century, as the first commentator observed, referring to Buckstaff Bathhouse. Also note that there are in fact 47 springs, which spew some 1 million gallons of 143-degree water every day. The springs are in Hot Springs National Park (and even before getting national park status, the area was a national reserve--the first such national "park," being acquired in 1832). (The Gallery, DPC, Hot Springs, Streetcars)
Worth Square: 1910
... noted as being on the roof of the old Waldorf-Astoria hotel might possibly be related to electrical inventor Nicolai Tesla, who took ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2015 - 11:38am -

New York circa 1910. "Madison Square -- Worth Square monument at Broadway and Fifth Avenue." The Major General's obelisk, under the influence of a certain after-dinner liqueur. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Rest in TrafficUNDER THIS MONUMENT LIES THE BODY OF WILLIAM JENKINS WORTH BORN IN HUDSON, N.Y. MARCH 1, 1794 DIED IN TEXAS MAY 7, 1849 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And Fort Worth Tx is named for him. Unusual ViewIt's great to see a vintage shot of this intersection looking uptown instead of downtown. The backside of the original Waldorf-Astoria is in the middle distance, but what are the big masts with the wire between them on the roof? Wouldn't this be too early for an aerial? [Spotting wireless telegraphy masts like this is a Shorpy tradition of long standing. Click to enlarge. -tterrace] WorthyMajor General William Jenkins Worth (1794-1849) served heroically in the War of 1812 ,the Mexican American War and the Second Seminole War. He was in command of the Department of Texas when he died of Cholera at age 59. His remains were reinterred in this Monument. Plastic Surgery in 1910!"Dr. Pratt Face and Features Specialist" has a suite in what I'll call the Berlitz Building. Disfigured soldiers returning from the so-called Great War increased the demand for this specialty. Some of the better practitioners were able to able to transfer their skills to movie actors. Home RuleHmmm, I see a "HOME RULE" banner down the left-hand street. Could this have been due to Irish immigrants expressing support for self-government of their homeland? ["Home Rule" was the slogan of the Order of Acorns, an organization opposed to the Tammany Hall political machine that ran New York City government at the time. -tterrace] CatskillIf you visit the Worth monument now, you'll notice what looks like a somber mausoleum behind it. It is a shaft of the Catskill Aqueduct, completed only seven years after the above photo was taken. I'm told there are notes written on the walls in chalk by the original contractors, and that the DEP hardly ever stops by for anything because the valve gates rusted in place many years ago and they couldn't close them if they wanted to. Vantage pointTaken from the Flatiron Building but not, apparently, from the very top (compare the level of the balustrade on top of the building on the left in the Shorpy photo and then in the photo below). Masts with wiresThe 'masts with wires', noted as being on the roof of the old Waldorf-Astoria hotel might possibly be related to electrical inventor Nicolai Tesla, who took up residence there in 1899. [It's the United Wireless Telegraph Company's Waldorf-Astoria station. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
All Business: 1908
... N.W. from Treasury Dept." At right, the Ebbitt House hotel at F and 14th. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/07/2022 - 11:44am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1908. "F Street N.W. from Treasury Dept." At right, the Ebbitt House hotel at F and 14th. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Julius Garfinckel & Co.Although the chain of stores went out of business by 1990, at its height, the flagship Garfinckel's in Washington had eight floors of clothing, products and extras, including the Greenbrier Garden Tea Room on the fifth floor. My Long-Ago Stomping GroundAside from the horse-drawn wagons delivering paper goods - this is Washington, after all - the view closely resembles what I saw on my lunchtime walks down 14th Street from my place of employment for General Electric at 777 14th St NW, i.e., 14th & H, to the shopping on F Street. That was in the 1970s and 1½ blocks from the White House. You could look out the windows toward New York Avenue and see the front doors of the self-proclaimed "largest dirty book store in the world" catty-corner from GE. Not my choice for entertaining reading so I never went near the place. I did occasionally venture into Garfinckel's even though it was usually too dear for a cash-strapped recent college graduate. I did fall in love with a freshwater pearl necklace ($110) which I put on layaway and paid off in $10 increments each payday after I bought two weeks of bus tickets for $12 (60 cents per trip). Halcyon times. A few blocks' walk down F Street brought me to the downtown flagship store of Woodward & Lothrop, my mother's favorite department store. Like Garfinckel's, Woodies is long gone and sorely missed by those who remember. Garfinckel vs. GarfinkleThe sign on the building says "Garfinkle". When the store was still operating, I knew it as "Garfinckel's". What's up with that? A sign painter's error? I found the answer in Wikipedia's entry for Garfinckel's: "By August 1924, the spelling of the store name was modified to Julius Garfinckel & Co" +102Below is the same view from April of 2010. Capital ideaThe Capitol Paper Box Company has some stiff competition in Capital Paper Box Company. The one is literally stalking the other. Note to self while on the delivery route: a capitol is a building. Paper Box CompanyNearest wagon says Capital Paper Box Company. The one in front of it says Capitol Paper Box Company. I wonder what's up with that? (The Gallery, D.C., Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Main Street: 1907
... 1907. "Main Street, Rochester, N.Y." At left, the renowned Hotel Eggleston. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View ... gone from the corner of Stone St. and West Main, the Hotel Eggleston has been supplanted by the modern Hyatt Regency just down the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/07/2013 - 8:53am -

Circa 1907. "Main Street, Rochester, N.Y." At left, the renowned Hotel Eggleston. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Noticeably AbsentI'm not seeing any dentists on the upper floors or "chop suey" signs as we usually do in these street scenes, but I do see two people balancing themselves on the roof of the Burke Fitzsimmons building. As for the variety of dime stores all in a row, that is how they used to be lined up in cities when I was a kid, so that would be the location I'd do most of my shopping. Toys were not packaged but were loose and touchable in compartments on the counter tops and cookies and candy were sold by the lb. from glass windowed cases where a lady would weigh them out on a scale and bag them for you. Good times. Long gone from the corner of Stone St. and West Main, the Hotel Eggleston has been supplanted by the modern Hyatt Regency just down the block. The two 5 story buildings on the near right side of the picture were newly constructed at the time this photo was taken, their predecessors having been destroyed in the disastrous Sibley's Fire of 1904. The tall building at right center is the Granite Building, which survived the great fire and all the intervening years up to the present. Most of the other structures visible in this scene are gone now except for the Powers Building tower in the distant background. It's always amazing to see the level of pedestrian and commercial activity in these old photos. Nowadays these same downtown streets are fairly barren of midday activity except around the bus shelters. Advertising OpportunityBare wall, approximately 70 feet high, rising above it's building on one corner of Breaker Street across from Burke Fitzsimons. Perfect billboard for Uneeda Biscuit, Fletcher's Castoria, Coca Cola, Kodak or Starbucks. The View TodayFurther to Robo's description, here's what it looks like today. The most desirable articlesFrom The Catholic Journal (Rochester, NY), Friday, May 28, 1915. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Rochester, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Rubberneck Auto: 1911
... is arranged similarly to the tomb of Napoleon at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. In an open crypt below the center of the dome the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 5:48pm -

New York circa 1911. "Grant's Tomb. Rubber-neck auto on Riverside Drive." To your left, General Grant. To your right, the Inter-Net. View full size. Fifth Avenue Coach CompanyThe bus is one of a series of 20 French DeDion Bouton chassis' bought in c1910/11 by the Fifth Avenue Coach Company, with bodies built by Fulton and Walker of Philadelphia to a modified London General Omnibus Company design. One of the series was previously posted on Shorpy. Solid Rubber TiresThe hard rubber tires on this truck, combined with the cobblestone paving common in this era, must have made for a bone jarring ride! Big enough for both of themDoesn't matter on which side of him his wife is sitting, her/their hats are certainly large enough for both of them.... "Isn't this exciting Harry, and next we go to the Opera..." No comments yet!OK, I'll have a shot at it, cliched as it is. That poor man doesn't have a hat, and in the presence of Ladies (presumably), wonder if he was arrested on morals charges after the tour? Self DefenseAs the bus has been moving at the breakneck speed of 25 (gasp) MPH, the gent has obviously removed his boater to prevent loss. The ladies of course are equipped with hatpins. Solid MausoleumAn overlooked treasure. Visiting Grant's Tomb is one of my strongest memories of Manhattan. Siting the monument in Riverside Park was controversial at the time: from a previous panorama. The New Century Book of Facts, 1909. Book IX: Fine Arts. Grant's Tomb, New York City. Grant's Tomb, New York.…A huge and solid mausoleum of white granite erected near the north end of Riverside Drive, between the years 1891 and 1897 from designs by J. H. Duncan, and at a cost of $600,000. The lower story, 90 feet square, is in the Doric style; while the cupola, borne on Ionic columns, attains a total height of 150 feet. The interior is arranged similarly to the tomb of Napoleon at the Hotel des Invalides in Paris. In an open crypt below the center of the dome the bodies of General Grant and his wife rest side by side in sarcophagi of red porphyry. Bas-reliefs on the pendentives of the dome are emblematic, of events in Grant's life and were made by J. Massey Rhind. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Civil War, DPC, NYC)
C. City City Hall: 1942
... decidedly odd light poles at the entrance to the Teller Hotel have survived all these years later, although the further one in the 1942 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/15/2022 - 11:54am -

May 1942. "Central City, an old mining town in the mountainous region of Central Colorado." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pretty much all intactExcept that Central City is a bunch of casinos now. Only the SECOND most important civic buildingfor an aging "ghost town" like CC; the most important being a firehouse: for half-deserted and closely-built towns such as this, burning was the biggest danger (or a very close second to obsolescence). Unchanged Yet Completely DifferentToday Central City looks almost identical to its appearance in this photo except for one key element. Gambling was voted in in the '80s, and today most of the buildings in town have been gutted and turned into one continuous casino space inside. It's a sad example of how a town can die from too little money - or too much. Pole Town?It's amazing that those decidedly odd light poles at the entrance to the Teller Hotel have survived all these years later, although the further one in the 1942 Picture is missing it's globe. +70Below is the same view from October of 2012. Casinos or mines?Ya gotta mine something, might as well be tourist pockets, right? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns)
Speed Limit 18
... Now you would see a parking lot for an Embassy Suites hotel. To the right is the northbound part of the 10th Street viaduct - also ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/10/2017 - 1:16pm -

November 1938. "Saloon near railroad yards. Omaha, Nebraska." Our favorite thing here is the signage: Speed Limit 18 Miles, followed closely by Cleo Cola. Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Trimble BrothersGreat story about their operation in Google Books. It's good to knowI can get cigarettes with my lunch, always a worry. The freight depot in the backgroundWas renovated into the Harriman Dispatch Center for the UP Railroad several years ago. Quite a dramatic change from its old job description to the current state of the art facility! This freight depot was in the background of the recent Vachon shot of the Gross Box Factory showing several dilapidated houses, and one large turkey! The photo was taken at the intersection of 10th and Jackson Streets, looking east and a bit south. Now you would see a parking lot for an Embassy Suites hotel. To the right is the northbound part of the 10th Street viaduct - also replaced by a modern structure, but with period railings and lamp posts. At the top of the viaduct is the old Union Station, which was donated to the city by the railroad in the early 70's and is now completely restored as the Durham Western Heritage Museum. Even though Jobber's Canyon is no more, many sister buildings still survive in the Old Market - behind Vachon's position as he took the photograph. Knobless obligeYou've got to love the old door blocking the (open) upstairs window. [J'adore! - Dave] Jobber's CanyonTheodore's Place was located at 601 South 10th Street. Trimble Brothers, in the background, was a fruit and vegetable company. This area, known as Jobber's Canyon, was all torn down to make room for the ConAgra campus in a controversial move that destroyed buildings on the historical register. Metz BrothersThe "MB" in the architectural decoration is for "Metz Brothers," a prominent Omaha brewer. They received a permit in 1897 to construct a two story building at 601 South Tenth Street. Named after a cigarIn 1935, the Whistle Cola Company introduced Cleo Cola, named after the owner's favorite cigar and featured Cleopatra as a trademark. Cleo Cola advertising is classic soda pop memorabilia and is very sought after by collectors. Make that 13Just a small detail, but there is not even a shadow of left side loops on the second numeral. But there are three definite beginnings of the points of a 3. Either way, 13 or 18, it's a strange speed limit. [You may need a new monitor or screen. -tterrace] Yes Termite, your new 3x5 clip clearly shows 18. But with the original Jumbo-Tron photo, it was clearly an unclear Thirteen! :>) Wormy [It's not a "new clip;" it's cropped from a direct, unaltered screenshot of the "View full size" that's been there since the initial posting. -tterrace] A very belated apology. I never really thought that you would alter an image. Best regards T.T. Wormy (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, John Vachon, Omaha, Railroads)
Miami Monochrome: 1910
... on the right -- that's Miami Beach or Key Biscayne. A hotel or two there now, I hear. - Dave] Let's get our shovels and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 6:55pm -

Miami, Florida, circa 1910. "Biscayne Bay through the cocoanut trees." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Inspirational Makes me want to try and find my old ukulele and sing. "We used to gather in the moonlight on old Biscayne Bay." Well, actually it's Honolulu Bay in the song, but this bay will do nicely. The Big WAll I could think of is the palm tree scene from "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World." Behind the big tree on the leftAren't those the Marx Brothers? AhhhhThis looks soooo peaceful. I can almost feel the warm breeze. Where's the hunky pool boy with a Mai Tai for me? DifferencesOther than the boats, is this view that much different than today? [The island in the distance on the right -- that's Miami Beach or Key Biscayne. A hotel or two there now, I hear. - Dave] Let's get our shovels and start diggingI can actually see the Big W! (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, Miami)
Rooftops of Washington: 1901
... Street N.W., between B & C Streets, probably from Hotel Engel (C & New Jersey), showing rooftops of several buildings and ... high This is indeed the view SSE from the roof of the Hotel Engel at Indiana Avenue (aka C Street) & New Jersey Avenue NW. That's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2021 - 10:03am -

Washington, D.C., 1901. "View of 1st & Delaware N.W., New Jersey Avenue & North Capitol Street N.W., between B & C Streets, probably from Hotel Engel (C & New Jersey), showing rooftops of several buildings and U.S. Capitol in the background. See Z7-23 for fronts of these North Capitol St. bldgs." 5x7 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Superb composition! Writing on the wallWhat's that written on the brick wall in the foreground? I don't mean JRC in white over to the right, but what appear to be large block letters more or less in the middle of the wall. I keep thinking I see the word PULL or FULL and then NE but just when I think I've got it, I don't. Engels we have heard on highThis is indeed the view SSE from the roof of the Hotel Engel at Indiana Avenue (aka C Street) & New Jersey Avenue NW. That's the west portico of the Capitol to the right. (Delaware Avenue is nowhere visible. That's an erroneous notation in the LOC photo caption.) The old Baltimore & Ohio rail station, soon to be demolished with the opening of Union Station, is across the street behind the photographer. The large building to the left is Hillman House, built on the remnants of rowhouses constructed by George Washington circa 1799. The original houses were burned by the British in 1814. The entire site is now part of Upper Senate Park. No structures visible here, apart from the Capitol, remain today. It Is WrittenI think I see the name EUGENE. It's you, EugeneThanks, Pelagius. That's it. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey)
By the Sea: 1908
The Jersey Shore circa 1908. "Marlborough-Blenheim hotel and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View ... back in the late 19th and up until after WWII, this hotel and the neighboring Traymore were synonymous with luxe accommodations. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/29/2016 - 2:09pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1908. "Marlborough-Blenheim hotel and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Luxe AccommodationsIn Atlantic City's heyday as a resort of choice, beginning back in the late 19th and up until after WWII, this hotel and the neighboring Traymore were synonymous with luxe accommodations. Both the Marlborough-Blenheim and the Traymore built large additions sometime in the early 1920's to accommodate their guests. In the musical 'No, No, Nanette' (1925), the second act of this comedy was set at the Marlborough-Blenheim and there is mention of the Traymore in the script. In a long-forgotten song from this production entitled "Peach Of The Beach" (Music: Vincent Youmans/Lyrics: Irving Caesar & Otto Harbach) one line goes "...you can bet Nanette is the pride and pet of the Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel..." (Panoramas, Atlantic City, DPC)
K.C. Club: 1906
... It was demolished shortly thereafter and replaced by the "Hotel Stats" -- and no, that's not a typo. (The Gallery, DPC, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/25/2022 - 2:10pm -

1906. "Kansas City Club, Wyandotte and West 12th Sts., Kansas City, Mo." Popcorn, anyone? 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Building goneI checked, all the buildings there are newer ones. Right out of a sci-fi flickThe shadow formed from the hat worn by the woman on the corner makes her head look like it's some sort of alien insect creature. Maybe it just climbed out of the sewer? Maybe it wants to warn the popcorn vendor that he's set up illegally in a "Cars Stop Here" zone? What a strange-looking buildingStrange but cool in a unique way. So much stuff going on there. Bay windows, enclosed arched balcony and those two open terraces. Faces in the WindowMany Shorpy photographs, like this one, are more alive thanks to a face or two peering out a window, sometimes looking at the photographer, sometimes not. Consider this closeup from a famous photograph of Lincoln's funeral procession. Six-year-old Theodore Roosevelt and brother Elliot look down as the dead president moves past their grandfather's house in New York City. Club StatsThe $112,000 building, on the northeast corner of Wyandotte and 12th, opened in September 1888 and served the Club for 34 years, being supplanted by newer, larger quarters elsewhere in 1922. It was demolished shortly thereafter and replaced by the "Hotel Stats" -- and no, that's not a typo. (The Gallery, DPC, Streetcars)
Flour Power: 1908
... Mill and the boiler house - were restored for office and hotel uses in the mid-1980s with an influx of cash from Silicon Valley investor ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2014 - 8:51am -

Minneapolis circa 1908. "St. Anthony's Falls and the milling district." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Stone Arch BridgeOh I love this. I run over that bridge on the right every day. +100Below is the same view from September of 2008 (from the roof of the University of Minnesota Southeast Steam Plant). And on the horizonThe biggest of them all was just about to come. In 1908, the Northwestern Consolidated Milling Company's Elevator A - the world's largest brick grain elevator - would open, just behind the mansard-roofed Crown Roller Mill (on the right end of the row of mills). It would become known as the Ceresota building, based on the mural-like billboard on the south side of the building. Those mills - along with the Standard Mill and the boiler house - were restored for office and hotel uses in the mid-1980s with an influx of cash from Silicon Valley investor Tom Whitney. MemoriesIn the early 70's the stone arch bridge still had tracks across which I took many freight trains as a conductor for the BN Railroad. Way Before Covered HoppersGrain moved by boxcar. You can see the boards (or maybe heavy cardboard) placed across the open doors of some of them in order to hold it. Crossing the river.The span in the foreground was the 10th Avenue bridge, connecting 10th Avenue South on the Minneapolis side with 6th Avenue Southeast on the Saint Anthony side. At center is Spirit Island, or Wanagi Wita in the Mdewakanton Dakota language. It was removed to make way for the upper St. Anthony lock and dam in the 1950s. What's with all the weathervanes?Seems to be quite a few. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Railroads)
The Continental: 1902
1902. "Hotel Continental -- Atlantic Beach, Florida." Henry Flagler's massive ... FloridaMemory.com, "Golf links and palm trees, Continental Hotel - Atlantic Beach, Florida". Postcard postmarked July 1 1906. The beach is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 11:35pm -

1902. "Hotel Continental -- Atlantic Beach, Florida." Henry Flagler's massive wood-frame hostelry opened in 1901 and burned in 1919. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. You never come out aheadI think the most risky business during that period must have been insuring Hotels against fire. Wood, ocean breeze,and enclosed groups of people were apparently not a good idea. Replace all divots.From FloridaMemory.com, "Golf links and palm trees, Continental Hotel - Atlantic Beach, Florida". Postcard postmarked July 1 1906. The beach is definitely the place to be in July in north Florida. Show Me The MoneySweet! I love Henry Flagler! Thanks for posting one of his masterpieces. He had many. Feel free to post more! (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Magic Kingdom: 1902
"Tampa Bay Hotel, Florida, 1902." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by William Henry ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:36pm -

"Tampa Bay Hotel, Florida, 1902." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Nah - can't be!Is that a one horsepower riding lawn mower on the left? [Could be!] Wow - and one can fertilize the grass at the same time! Now Plant HallNow known as Plant Hall, home of the Henry B. Plant Museum on the University of Tampa campus. Up for debateA timely location tonight. Maintenence HeadacheI remember over the years the minarets were always a maintenence problem. It seemed they were always scraping and painting on them. Finally several years ago they gave up and put on new metal skins, similar to what they did to the Statue of Liberty I guess. Satellite Dishes?Anyone know what the satellite dish-shaped gizmos on the upper-right corner balcony area are? Lightning related? [They're still there today, doing their silent duty. Which is purely decorative.] Cool, I had never noticed those things before. I guess the picture is more hi-res than a real life visit. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Petro-Palace: 1922
... is the corner now View Larger Map The hotel later built behind the station and opening in 1925 is the Mayflower, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/24/2013 - 3:25pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "Gas station, 17th and L streets N.W." The recently opened Washington Accessories filling station, also seen here under construction, three years later as Minute Service No. 1 and finally around 1928. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Six Pumps in 1922!Wow! You can tell the center of government had plenty of autos running around, even back then! In most of the country back then, there would be one pump out front of a grocery store or small service station. This place was a contemporary gas/convenience store 80 years ahead of its time. This is the corner nowView Larger Map The hotel later built behind the station and opening in 1925 is the Mayflower, still operating as the Mayflower Renaissance and owned by the Marriott Corporation. The dome at center in the 1922 photo is the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle located at 1725 Rhode Island Ave. NW. Defunct tire companiesHood Tires were from the Hood Rubber Company of Watertown, Massachusetts. The company began operations way back in 1896, although tire production may not have started until sometime later. Many of the Armenian immigrants who formed a still-extant community in Watertown worked at the company's huge manufacturing complex. B.F. Goodrich acquired the company in the late 1920's and phased out the brand name. The Watertown plant remained in operations as a Goodrich facility, albeit one that made footwear rather than tires, until it closed in 1969. Founded in 1905, the Ajax-Grieb Rubber Company of New York manufactured Ajax tires in Trenton, New Jersey and Racine, Wisconsin. The company struggled through the 1920's, and in a last-ditch attempt to cut costs it closed the Trenton facility in 1928. In 1931 Ajax-Grieb became one of the many companies that could not survive the Great Depression and went out of business for good. Still neededThose nifty metal policeman directional signs of "in" and "out" would be useful even in today's gas stations since it seems no matter how many pumps or how large or small the station, there is always one or two drivers who enter the wrong way and mess up everyone else. This also happens at "all-you-can-eat" buffets where you can bet that one or two plate fillers will be going against the grain, coming at you head-on. I suppose that is why cattle are always herded into narrow pathways that are one direction only. 17th and LThere's the dome of St. Matthew's Cathedral in the background. Standard Oil New JerseyJudging by the globes on the gas pumps it is a pre-Esso Standard Oil of New Jersey station. Was there a Minute Service No. 2for cars that had their gas filler on the driver side? Or were the hoses on those pumps long enough (unlike the ones of today) to reach the "other" side of cars that were forced to enter the "wrong way" by the cutesy signs? High Gas PricesIs the Lightning Motor Fuel sign, behind the bushes, advertising a gas price of 31 cents? If so, gas was more expensive than I thought in those days. I see the oil sign of 31 cents per quart. Convex-bottom bucketsI have seen those convex-bottom buckets in lumber yards, intended for fire extinguishing service. Are they employed here for radiator service, or for conflagrations? [Fires. Below, a listing in an 1896 tool catalog. -tterrace] (The Gallery, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Up Broadway: 1901
... (designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh, architect of the Plaza Hotel and many other buildings). The Western Union was demolished in 1913 to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 6:11pm -

New York circa 1901. "Up Broadway." The St. Paul and Park Row buildings, world's tallest at the time. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. FlagsI've noticed in other skyline photos like this one, lots of bare flagpoles. Were flags only flown during flag holidays? Also, the exposed crossbeams are an interesting touch on that one building. Western Union BuildingAt the lower left is the Western Union Building of 1872-1875, the first skyscraper completely designed by the great George B. Post. At the time of its completion it was 230 feet high, only slightly shorter than Richard Morris Hunt's contemporaneous New York Tribune Building over on Park Row. The Western Union was a handsome essay in the red-and-white "Neo-Grec" style with a huge mansard roof on top (which contained the telegraph room). The mansard roof was destroyed in a fire in 1890 and replaced by the top 4 stories seen here (designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh, architect of the Plaza Hotel and many other buildings). The Western Union was demolished in 1913 to make way for the first phase of the old AT&T Building, which is still standing at Broadway and Dey Street. White SuitsCheck out the guys in white suits. There seems to be one about every block and there's one in the middle of the street who seems to be sweeping something, so I would presume that these are sanitation workers. Basic CableIf this photo was taken before May 26, 1901, those are the last of the Broadway cable cars. Missing statuesThe statues at the top of the Park Row building are no longer there. Does anyone know why they were taken down and what happen to them? I don't trust air I can't seeA gritty departure from some of the other photographs of New York that have a more genteel mood to them. The packed sidewalks, the smoke, the horses (and their effluvia), particularly in the summertime, must have created an atmosphere that was not for everybody. Just waitingLook at all that open sky just waiting to be scraped! (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
Window Shopping: 1943
... The photo reminds me of my two years spent at the Barbizon Hotel for Women in NYC. Every few months our so, the staff changed out our ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/25/2016 - 12:40pm -

June 1943. Arlington, Virginia. "Ordering clothes from a mail order house at Idaho Hall, Arlington Farms, a residence for women who work for the U.S. government for the duration of the war." Photo by Esther Bubley. View full size. Hope they have overnight shippingThe poor girl literally doesn't have a thing to wear and she certainly cannot go to work like that. The old vintage chenille robe hanging on the curtain rod was the norm in the forties. I don't think girls even wear slips anymore but nowadays that would pass for a dress. As for catalogs, what boy doesn't remember looking at the ladies' underwear pictures in Sears and Wards mail order selections when Mom wasn't looking? It was a rite of passage. Perhaps Madame would be interestedin something from the "Rosie the Riveter" collection? IronicIronic that Spiegel, Sears, and Montgomery Wards were close to today's Amazon business model of ordering at home. Growing up it was also fun to thumb through the pages of mail order catalogs. If only they had managed to hang on until Jeff Bezos and the internet had shown up. Window shoppingLooks like she should also be shopping for drapes Drapes and bedspreadThe photo reminds me of my two years spent at the Barbizon Hotel for Women in NYC. Every few months our so, the staff changed out our drapes and bedspreads in patterns very much like seen in the picture. DéshabilléA glance at the date of the photo explains the lady's state of undress. It's probably in the 90s, with humidity to match. Until mid-20th Century, when air conditioning began to proliferate, personnel assigned to Her Britannic Majesty's Embassy in Washington drew the same hardship allowance as they would in Calcutta or Freetown. (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, WW2)
Do Not Touch: 1910
... southeast Nebraska town in the early 1960s to run a hotel . That town had its own municipal telephone company. Every phone in town had a 3-digit number - our hotel had two lines, 117 and 118. To place a call, one lifted the receiver and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2014 - 5:29pm -

Christchurch, New Zealand, circa 1910. "Vacuum Cleaning Company machine at DIC store." Steffano Webb Photographic Studio glass negative. View full size. Steam punksThe kids hanging around the steam-powered vacuum cleaner must be steam punks. It's nice to finally be able to make sense of that term. Telephone contacts1. A 3 digit telephone number? Wow ... 2. Interesting that they have 2 numbers, one for evening. Chief salesman's house number, for those after-dinner sales questions? Just Missed ItThat sale last week. 7:1The lady in the background lost her head after seeing seven men so interested in a vacuum cleaner. This Really SucksWith a vacuum motor that big you wonder how much suction it put out. If I were the family poodle, I'd be scared. How modern!We have a "one lunger" hit and miss oil engine running what I believe might be an air pump from the condenser of a steam turbine. Turbines were fairly new technology at this time. Very cool. Proper name for that machineI believe that, technically speaking, that unit is a "contraption." And the carefully placed chocks under the wheels were an important safety requirement, because no one wants a contraption rolling around unchecked in a crowded urban environment. That would be bad. WowBet that sucks. And I thoughtour old Kirby Classic III was cumbersome! Three NumbersMy family moved to a small southeast Nebraska town in the early 1960s to run a hotel. That town had its own municipal telephone company. Every phone in town had a 3-digit number - our hotel had two lines, 117 and 118. To place a call, one lifted the receiver and waited for the operator to inquire, "Number please". After receiving it, she'd connect you. I don't remember how they dealt with long distance calls - I was grade school age, and such calls were expensive and therefore, rare. In the later '60s, our local company was bought out by a regional one based in Lincoln, and we finally got dial service with 7-digit numbers. Oh, how people complained about the "loss of service"! (The Gallery, New Zealand, Stores & Markets)
Pike's Peak or Bust: 1937
... Pierce-Arrows at Altitude For many years, the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs maintained a fleet of Pierce-Arrows (first modified ... 
 
Posted by RDown3657 - 12/15/2014 - 8:44pm -

Taken near Pike's Peak, Colorado, my great grandfather's brother, George W. Downing, poses with his wife, family, and one great automobile. View full size. No ApostropheIn 1891, the US Board on Geographic Names recommended against the use of apostrophes, and in 1978 the Colorado state legislature passed a law requiring the use of Pikes Peak. However there are still 5 places in the States with apostrophes in their name. [Zebulon Pike would probably have something to say about that. - Dave] Nice hood ornamentWhat a great idea to make the car's hood ornament in the shape of a man with a straw hat! Faded LuxuryA well worn 1929 Cadillac and a circa 1925 Pierce Arrow, at the rear High Noonremarked Captain Obvious. Roll-back RoofI've never seen a car roof like that: it's obvious that it can be rolled back, or closed using the prongs around its periphery, but is that factory standard or custom? [This appears to be a tourist service in operation, providing sightseeing tours in the old 7-9 passenger sedan as well as a souvenir photo. As we've seen recently, solid metal car roofs hadn't arrived yet, but to me this adaptation has a rather do-it-yourself look to it. -tterrace] Cars on Pikes PeakI remember being driven up Pikes Peak in 1960 in a 1953 Cadillac fitted with a specially fitted low-geared 3-speed transmission. We ground up to the top because my mother did not want to drive our 1956 Pontiac, loaded with me, my two sisters, my aunt, and my cousin, up there. I remember some concern as to the cost, but I (at 12) thought the Cadillac option was really neat. Pierce-Arrows at AltitudeFor many years, the Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs maintained a fleet of Pierce-Arrows (first modified limousines, then buses) for just such touristic service. Those were later replaced by a number of stretch Cadillacs, some with Plexiglas roofs. Having driven the route a number of times, I must say that the dirt portions could be challenging, and when most of the route was unpaved, such buses and limos must have seemed an attractive alternative to the private car to drivers from the flatlands ... and to their potential passengers as well. 1928 Faded LuxuryThe Cadillac is actually a 1928 model. The parking lights mounted on the cowl are the primary detail that instantly differentiates it from the following year. In 1929 these lights were scaled-down and moved to the top of the front fenders. The Cadillac shown looks like the Custom Fleetwood Imperial for Five Passengers. The molding above the windows that ends abruptly just after the rearmost window is not seen on the regular Five-Passenger Imperial. The Custom Fleetwood version was more luxuriously appointed including satin-inlaid hardware which was two-tone gold with bright edging. There were two occasional seats in the rear compartment. The Custom Fleetwood cost $4,245 while the Five-Passenger Imperial was $50 less. Cadillac offered more than 50 body styles in 1928 along with over 500 color combinations. The marque's luxury image was enhanced by eliminating both the 132 and 138 inch wheelbases and standardizing on one of 140 inches. The V-8 engine was tweaked, and it now produced 90 horsepower (up from 87). Cadillac manufactured 56,038 automobiles in 1928 - including 16,038 LaSalles. It would be their best year of production until 1941. Outfits?What are those matching outfits with the flared legs? They look like a cross between a cowboy costume and a basketball warm-up suit. [Here's some women's casual wear of the 1930s. -tterrace] Maybe a "cool down" location for the Cadillac I lived in Colorado Springs for 5 years and drove up the peak annually. Being that the picture was taken at just over 11,000' they have already climbed roughly 4,000' from Manitou Springs, and they have another 3,000' to go to reach the summit. I note that the engine cowling is raised and I suspect this was probably a planned stop to aid in keeping the engine cool on the way up. As an aside, I found the trip up to the summit of Mount Evans near Idaho Springs a more exciting climb! It is advertised as the highest paved road in North America. The road was built to directly compete with Pikes Peak for tourist dollars. It is not an accident that the parking area of Mt Evans is 20' higher than the Pikes Peak Summit. The peak summits are within 150' in height of each other, but Mt Evans is slightly taller. "At the turn of the last century, Colorado Springs and Denver were in a race for the hearts and minds (not to mention dollars) of the eastern tourist. In 1888, the Cascade and Pikes Peak Toll Road Company completed a 16-mile road up the north side of Pikes Peak. This became a major tourist attraction, drawing tourists away from Denver Area. Not to be outdone, Denver's Mayor Peer proposed that a road be constructed to the top of Mount Evans. In 1917, he procured state funds to build the road. It was completed in 1927." (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Where the Dolls Loll: 1922
... runs dry -- that new swimming pool at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 11:59am -

July 15, 1922. "Wardman Park swimming pool." Yes, it's the well that never runs dry -- that new swimming pool at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Hot Babesin weird hats. Does it get any better than that? ChangesThey wore more clothing to swim than the girls wear to go to the mall today. O Modesty, where art thou? AmazingSo girls actually had legs back in those days. You learn something new every day. A Familiar FaceI swear I've seen the 2nd woman from the right in a few other photos on Shorpy. It's difficult to forget someone who looks like a young Anne Ramsey. Modern LivingI read the title as "Where the Dolls LOL." Guess I've been spending too much time in the 21st century! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Swimming)
Elko Depot: 1940
... But the Nevada Bank Building remains. The Commercial Hotel is now the Commercial Casino. "An Outpost of Hell, or ... I remember the hot dogs at the cafe at the Commercial Hotel, split, fried, and served on a hamburger bun. The drug store whose sign ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2018 - 11:01am -

March 1940. "Railroad station. Elko, Nevada." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. AirplanesThe markings on the roof point to the airport (lefthand circle and line). Unpaved airstrips can be pretty difficult to spot. Railroad & station goneBut the Nevada Bank Building remains. The Commercial Hotel is now the Commercial Casino. "An Outpost of Hell, or Texas"In a railroad history book, possibly a work of Lucius Beebe, I read that an early rail traveler described Elko as "An outpost of Hell, or Texas." I'm sure that Elko did not really deserve that, nor did Texas. It had something to do with a non-air-conditioned train making a lengthy stop to change cars under the Nevada sun. There's no breeze coming in through the windows when the cars are stationary! Then again, if it was indeed a Lucius Beebe book, well, let's just say it was said of him that he never let the truth get in the way of a good story. Southern PacificOn the pole next to the station: Milepost 556 from San Francisco. Think the roof sign says 1 mile to the airport west of town. Childhood MemoriesIf you followed those train tracks to the right for a mile or so, you'd be able to look over our back fence. When the big 2-8-8-2s came by the whole house would shake. My father made a set of steps so I could look over the fence at the trains. I remember the hot dogs at the cafe at the Commercial Hotel, split, fried, and served on a hamburger bun. The drug store whose sign is partially obscured had a penny slot machine just inside the door, more fascinating for a little kid than any video game. Other than that my main memories of Elko are of dust, heat, freezing cold in winter, and drunks passed out on the sidewalk. And the smell of the stockyards. Passing throughAt one point, in the early 1950s, my Uncle Dick was a radio DJ in Elko. One of a number of unusual jobs he had trying to put his life back together after the war. He was a good guy. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Railroads, Small Towns)
Work, Read, Wash: 1943
... floor length fixtures many years ago in a historic hotel, I believe in Wellsville W.Va, or thereabouts. Not just similar, but ... not stay. I looked on Google Earth and didn't find the hotel, may not have survived. At the time, it was in the guidebook of historic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2016 - 8:13pm -

March 1943. Barstow, California. "Railroad worker in the washroom of the reading room in the Santa Fe yard." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Santa Fe Depot and Reading RoomOh, the Santa Fe reading room. not the Reading Railroad reading room. The Santa Fe Reading Rooms were hotelish facilities for engineers and employees on break between runs. The Waynoka, Oklahoma, Depot and Reading Room: https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/aviation/sfe.htm SpittoonThese had to be high on my list of disgusting things seen in my childhood. Never envied the people who had to clean them or around them. WaynokaI have never been to the Barstow area but I have been to the Waynoka Santa Fe depot. It was several years ago that my sister, a friend, and I , mainly, went to eat at the Harvey House Restaurant there. At the time, I had no idea that Waynoka had played such a role in the history of transportation. The restored depot and the restaurant were very interesting and well worth the trip if you are in the area. As an occasional home plumberI have to admire the sheer, brutal functionality of the plumbing; not only is it designed not to clog, but if it does clog it's designed to be unclogged easily. And you can get at the feed lines and cutoff valves, too. Mystery fixtureCan anyone identify the fluted ceramic column at far right, raised up off the floor? Pedestal sink, drinking fountain? Fluted ColumnI'll say that the fancy tile on the right is the edge of a floor length men's urinary convenience. The concrete step probably holds the shallow basin at its base. That mystery fixtureI encountered a row of these frightening floor length fixtures many years ago in a historic hotel, I believe in Wellsville W.Va, or thereabouts. Not just similar, but apparently identical. Each unit includes 1 column, and there is an extra column tacked on at the free end. There is a separate cap at the top. Our ancestors sure had a taste for the grandiose in bathroom fixtures. As for the sink, this "S Trap" drain configuration far below the sink is generally illegal now, as it can siphon the trap dry. The vent pipe connection must be only a foot or so below the sink, with the "J Trap" in between. We ate a fine lunch in the grand dining room, but did not stay. I looked on Google Earth and didn't find the hotel, may not have survived. At the time, it was in the guidebook of historic hotels, along with such places as the wonderful Lafayette in Marietta OH. I may have pix somewhere, but probably wouldn't want to post them. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
The Pewmobile: 1918
... which makes fixed loading platforms feasible. A resort hotel might have a vehicle like this. If some well-equipped Shorpy Sleuth ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/12/2017 - 7:07am -

San Francisco circa 1918. "Day-Elder bus." Today's entry in the Shorpy Inventory of Obsolete Omnibi poses the question: How did its passengers get on and off, or from front to back, on a vehicle whose seats seem to extend the full width of the bus? 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Answer RE: CordThat is probably an electric bus, and that cord is the extension cord to power the vehicle. Of course, the impracticality of that concept became evident once the bus was driven beyond 100 feet. Make of the Truck Chassis?This vehicle is obviously a custom-made wooden coachwork atop a standard truck chassis. Notice the lack of headlights! This is a daylight sightseeing vehicle, which makes fixed loading platforms feasible. A resort hotel might have a vehicle like this. If some well-equipped Shorpy Sleuth can please read the lettering on the side of the hood and on the radiator shell, we can pin down what sort of truck was used as the basis. The spoked wheels are very attractive! I can't decide if they appear to be painted wooden spokes or steel spokes. In either case, the pin striping is spiffy! BoardingThere must have been a platform, as at a subway station. Guessing Like a HorseMy guess is there was some kind of raised loading dock that this vehicle pulled up to, the same way public buildings (or at least the 1600's Friends Meeting House I went to nursery school at) had high and large blocks with steps on one side, to allow worshipers to mount and demount their horses. They may have even used horse mounting stations, since horses were still common in 1918. As for moving front to back--you don't. Bungee loading systemWould-be riders grabbed the cord trailing from the rear and shouted out their weight. The physicist/driver made a quick trajectory calculation and accelerated accordingly. Passengers already on board had to duck for the the incoming. Disembarking was a little harsh, but at least required no complicated calculations. Questions Answered?Obviously, those questions are the reason it's empty. Speculation:Perhaps there is a "running board" on the left side of the "bus"? Can anyone address what is hanging off toward the back of the bus? Maybe an "anti-theft device"? Water Hoseand it's not attached to the vehicle. D-E Worm DriveThe ribbed radiator indicates that this Day-Elder is a 1920 Model C 2-1/2 ton truck, with a funky bus body. The plate on the side of the hood reads "Chester N. Weaver Co., San Francisco" - the longtime San Francisco Studebaker dealer who added the Day-Elder line in January 1920. The plate replaces one that read "D-E Worm Drive." Day-ElderDay-Elder Motors Corporation (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
No Horseplay: 1923
June 26, 1923. Back at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Taken a year after the pool's opening in 1922 , ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:01pm -

June 26, 1923. Back at the Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. Taken a year after the pool's opening in 1922, this photo shows the addition of a slide. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. That slide is really steepI imagine coming down that slide would be quite a rush. It really reminds me of the (long-gone) slide at the hot springs pool in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. As a child in the 70's who could hardly swim, I made the regrettable decision to try it out with the big kids and grownups. It shot me straight into the middle of the pool, in all of my arm-thrashing, snotty-nosed, "Daddy, help! Come save me!" glory. So embarrassing looking back on it now. Stay FocusedRight hand side of the picture, almost half way up. Is that boy really wearing glasses while swimming? Unfair!As a child in the 1940's I always wondered why girls were required to wear bathing caps in pools, while boys never were. And many of us had hair pretty much the same length. Sometime in the 60's (I think) bathing caps were no longer required. SpecsThat kid on the right looks like he has his ordinary glasses on. Either that or swimming goggles were invented a lot earlier than I suspected. Spectacular SwimmerI wear my glasses in the pool. And am fortunate to live in a time when swimsuits are no longer made of 100 percent wool. TopsWell, good, I'm relieved to see we're on the topic of recreational aquatic attire, because I was wanting to ask what men's tops were supposed to be covering in this era. Why were they worn? And were the tops age-specific, like did the youngest boys go topless but older boys on up wore tops? Or was it more of a cultural thing — city males wore them, country males didn't? It just seems like an odd accessory given what I perceive as the acceptance of skinny-dipping in rural swimming holes in this general time frame. (Sure, I could go to Google for answers to these questions, but I trust Shorpy readers more.) [Men's tops were de rigueur at Washington's coed pools and bathing beaches in the 1920s. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports, Swimming)
Bellevue-Stratford: 1905
Philadelphia circa 1905. "The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel." As is often the case in these architectural views, the most interesting ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 12:59pm -

Philadelphia circa 1905. "The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel." As is often the case in these architectural views, the most interesting bits are at the periphery. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. LegionnairesThe home of Legionnaires' disease. Lions and Tigers and Gargoyles, oh my!One of the best pics of a 19-story building I've seen on Shorpy. MemoriesThis photo brings back memories. I stayed at the Bellvue-Stratford during the Bicentennial celebrations of 1976 and had a wonderful time. The following week is when they had the outbreak of Legionnaires' disease. A QuestionWhat was in the attics of these ornately-roofed buildings? Some utilities, I imagine, but were all those windows and balconies and railings there for apartments, servants' quarters, offices, or just trim fronting unfinished space? IXThe 19th floor is now a pretty cool bar. You can sit on those century old balconies. [If it was in ancient Rome, you'd have to walk up the rest of the ten floors. 19 = XIX. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Streetcars)
Grand Rapids: 1908
... and Monroe Center. The building on the left is Sweet's Hotel, on the site of the Pantlind (now Amway Grand Plaza) Hotel built in 1913. (The Gallery, DPC, Stores & Markets) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 11:34pm -

Grand Rapids, Michigan, circa 1908. "Canal Street from corner of Monroe." Merchants vying for your trade include The Giant, Idlehour and People's Credit Clothing Co. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's already colorizedPost card version: Can this be the Idlehour?View Larger Map Home townThat's my home town...one year before my father was born in Cascade, just outside of GR. Thanks! Idle Hour TheatreWhoa, good eye stumpy! Google finds a couple of references to the Idle Hour Theatre at 188 Monroe Street NW. Canal was renamed Monroe in 1912. So the current description of the view would be Monroe Street north from the intersection of Pearl, Monroe and Monroe Center. The building on the left is Sweet's Hotel, on the site of the Pantlind (now Amway Grand Plaza) Hotel built in 1913. (The Gallery, DPC, Stores & Markets)
Mint Condition: 1958
... year-old in San Francisco. Newsworthy location The Hotel Chronicle next door was named for the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, ... Pickwick Stages To the right is the Pickwick Hotel, once the station for Pickwick Stages buses. If the picture included a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2014 - 10:15am -

August 1958. "U.S. Branch Mint, Mission & Fifth Streets, San Francisco." Photo by William S. Ricco for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. Worth a mintNice to see the home of all the "-S" coins from my childhood coin collection. [This facility stopped minting coins in 1937; thereafter "S" mint-marked coins were produced at the new mint at Market and Duboce Streets. -tterrace] Ah, OK thanks! (That would explain why it was being recorded for a survey of historic buildings ...) Nary a trolleybus in sightIt's kind of hard to tell though, for all the trolleybus wires in the way. Ferry Plaza route 14 is a currently served by the new generation trolleybuses though. Old Mint History ExpoThe Old Mint is the venue for the annual San Francisco History Expo, at which "more than fifty San Francisco organizations create 'mini-museums' showcasing the diverse history of San Francisco's communities." Here's a shot I took at the one in March 2013, right up there at the top of the entrance steps. Also, I knew this man who worked there at the time of the 1906 earthquake and fire. FostersFosters had restaurants in a few locales in San Francisco. My parents and I used to go to the outlet on Clement Street after doctor appointments. I amused myself at King Norman's Kingdom of Toys, the corner magazine and news store and eventually enjoying a rice pudding at Fosters. 1958 was a nice year for an eight year-old in San Francisco. Newsworthy locationThe Hotel Chronicle next door was named for the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper, which is on the other side of the intersection. On the right side of the photo, you can see a delivery vehicle loaded with the day's newspapers. [You're right about the location of the Chronicle building, but those aren't newspapers. Also, the Chronicle used delivery vans. -tterrace] Ultra RareEven for then, in the immediate left foreground by the bus is another of those 1950 eight passenger Chryslers, identified by its center opening rear doors and separate rear quarter windows. Made in every trim level except surprisingly New Yorker, it looks like the shorter wheelbase (125") Royal or Windsor rather than the extended wheelbase (145") Crown Imperial. Pickwick StagesTo the right is the Pickwick Hotel, once the station for Pickwick Stages buses. If the picture included a bit more to the right, you would notice the big arched sections where the buses once pulled in to load and discharge passengers. Dash Hammett had Sam Spade check the Maltese Falcon at the Pickwick baggage room... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, HABS, San Francisco)
Post Office Restaurant: 1901
... the New Post Office. Also known as the Trump International Hotel. - Dave] Tracing a Structure's Pedigree Take the third ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/10/2020 - 7:31pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of D Street N.W., looking west from 12th Street at Pennsylvania Avenue." 5x7 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Hints of ParisThat corner building would look at home in Montmartre. Back When It Really Was the Post OfficeI'm going to take a flyer here and guess that the restaurant has that name because it is across the street (or at least very near) to the Old Post Office, which is at Pennsylvania and 12th. [Which at the time would have been the New Post Office. Also known as the Trump International Hotel. - Dave] Tracing a Structure's PedigreeTake the third building down the street — the one with the large flagpole atop it. As the son of a DC firefighter, I recognized it right away as bearing the unmistakable signature façade of a fire station: driveway with flanking lamps, huge arched front doors, sidewalk chair, and the flagpole. With the help of an 1888 Sanborn Fire Insurance map, I can confirm that this (1204 D St. NW) was indeed the home of DCFD Engine Company 2 up until 1887. At the time this photo was taken circa 1901, Engine 2 had moved to other quarters but the building’s pedigree is still readily evident. More about Engine 2’s history here. What I wouldn’t give to have been standing in the photographer’s position just a few years prior to when this photo was composed to witness Engine 2, a classic Amoskeag 600 GPM steamer pulled by horses, emerge in all its smoking, gleaming glory and responding to an alarm. All day breakfastI'll have coffee, three poached eggs on a plate of hash-browns, whole wheat, topped with a roll of "forever stamps", please. Congress BeerThe Abner-Drury Brewery was in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington. After Prohibition was repealed the first legal bottle of beer produced by the brewery was delivered to President Roosevelt at the White House on April 14, 1933. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Eateries & Bars)
New York Squared: 1903
... newspaper building, Sixth Avenue elevated tracks and Hotel Astor. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/21/2014 - 12:31pm -

Circa 1903. "Herald Square, New York." With Times Square in the distance, and the New York Times building going up at center. Other landmarks include Macy's, the New York Herald newspaper building, Sixth Avenue elevated tracks and Hotel Astor. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. What's the point of wearing PearlsIf no one can detect them? Absolutely FireproofThanks to our asbestos carpets and bed linens. As was the popular styleLots of swells in Herald Square on this fine day. Time and - temperature?Try as I might, the internets did not reveal what the dial on the right of the Herald building indicates. However, stories of Minerva, the owls, and 'Guff n Stuff' the bell ringers abound. None of the photos I found were any more detailed than this one, but perhaps it was a thermometer? [The answer is here, courtesy Shorpy. -tterrace] Next StopThe next stop on the Northbound 6th Ave EL appears to be 38th Street However after I Wiki'd it, I have decided that that it was 42nd St as the 38th Street Station didn't open until 1913. That fabled line was torn down around 1940 and the steel was supposed to have been sold to the Japanese. Watch out!The 1903 equivalent of texting while walking. Reading while walking. Cable carsHow long did they have a cable car system? I had never heard of it before. [There were no longer any cable trolleys in Manhattan at this time. The center slot provides access to an electrical conduit. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Washington Noir: 1926
... The tall building on the north side of Pennsylvania is the Hotel Raleigh, which along with the Willard Hotel (behind the camera) was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh. Built in 1911 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:14pm -

"Pennsylvania Avenue at night." A wintry Washington, D.C., scene circa 1926. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Creme de la CreamVelvet Kind was involved in a trademark dispute between Chapin-Sacks Manufacturing and Hendler Creamery. Chapin-Sacks is likely the owner of this electric sign. They had the Washington market. Hendler was out of Baltimore, and took up the "Velvet" name and much of the product identification, but in Maryland. Once Chapin-Sacks expanded out from D.C., the lawsuits flew. Wallpaper NoirThis is another of the "Shorp" shots that I am putting in my wallpaper rotation. I would be curious about how many people around the world have distinctive wallpapers due to your hard work Dave? I thank you once again. The Willard's fraternal twin The tall building on the north side of Pennsylvania is the Hotel Raleigh, which along with the Willard Hotel (behind the camera) was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh. Built in 1911 and demolished in 1964, it must have been caught up in the JFK-initiated renewal of the Avenue. It's one more reason why I wish the historic preservation movement had arrived a decade or so earlier. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
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