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Maison Blanche: 1910
... The Maison Blanche building now houses the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. "Buffalo Dental Parlors" Must have used really big ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 1:01pm -

New Orleans in 1910. "Maison Blanche, Canal Street." Continuing our tour of Crescent City retailers. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Shop at M.B.This was the second Maison Blanche store building at the same location at the downtown lake corner of Canal and Dauphine Streets, completed in 1909. Photo dates from between the completion of the Audubon Building (the lower high-rise to the left) in 1910 and the construction of the Krauss Store building in the empty space between them in 1913. New Orleans seems to have kept its old business district department stores longer than many U.S. cities, so I have fond memories of shopping Maison Blanche -- though I wound up purchasing more at it's lower-priced competition, Krauss's, over on Basin Street, the last of the old Canal Street department stores to fold in 1997. However regulars knew that if you came to Canal Street by car you could still get your free parking validated on the 3rd floor at M.B. even if you didn't make a purchase. The department store occupied the bottom 5 floors of the building. Above was office space -- into the 1980s, still with old direct-current elevators. The store was bought by Dillards and briefly closed down in 1984, then reopened only occupying 3 floors for a few more years. The Maison Blanche building now houses the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. "Buffalo Dental Parlors"Must have used really big chairs and spit sinks. Matrix Sign?I'm really intrigued by what appears to be a matrix sign above Kaufmans. A count of the "pixels" seems to indicate 10 smaller matrices, each of 25 x 20 bulbs, making a total of no less than 5,000 bulbs! Obviously this is far too old to use any sort of digital technology, but I'd have thought a matrix of that size would have been pretty unmanageable with even electro-mechanical switching. Unless it's just a panel of thousands of small bulbs to make a bright rectangle (can't see the point in that) my best guess is it must have relied on something like punched paper tape running though a whole bank of 5,000 microswitches or something. Does anyone know any more about this? Are there any shots of it at night? If so (and if I'm right) - it must have been the wonder of the day! (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
The Old Post Office: 1907
... an arrangement to rebuild it as the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/29/2012 - 2:11pm -

February 1907. Washington, D.C. "Post Office." This space is now a food court in the Old Post Office Pavilion on Pennsylvania Avenue. In just a few years the P.O. would decamp for a bigger facility near Union Station. View full size. Detail spottedLove the calendar, "Cape May Real Estate Company"; hard to come by in DC, I'd guess. And those amazing light fixtures seem to have thumb-sized gascocks. Imagine that: a giant room full of paper mail, and hundreds of open flames. Write your own ghost story.Why does the crowd stare at us as if we interrupted their ritual? Why is everyone else dissolving? [They moved during the time exposure] ...and what fills the misshapen human-sized bags? [Either mail or empty mail sacks. - tterrace] Good opportunity to stay awayToday the Old Post Office is one of the least pleasant public spaces in Washington. Perhaps it was always so. Nice Lighting I bet all that natural light made this a much more pleasant place to work than the fluorescently lit modern equivalent. Are those all gas lamp fixtures hanging from the ceiling or electric lights with the bulbs removed? If they are gas lamps, it must have been quite a sight when they were all lit. What are these?Does anyone know what these two objects are in the photo? 1) Down the middle of the photo, from the top, looks like a long light fixture leading to a large vertical wooden cylinder. What is that cylinder. [The long structure is the inspectors' gallery. What look like lighting fixtures along the bottom are ports for viewing the area immediately below. The cylindrical structure at the end is the access to the gallery. - tterrace] 2) Hanging from the ceiling are a number of objects that look like large ceiling fans with a rope around the outer rim. A number of them have chains on them, apparently for strengthening. What are these? De-lighted?There seems to be an abundance of hanging light fixtures in this space (wagon-wheel shaped, with a large central ball, chains and 3-armed fixtures at the "spokes"), but there isn't a single light bulb to be seen! I assume they're electric because many of the "sockets" are seen to be angling downward, and seem to have a switch. [The "wagon wheel" fixtures are gas jets, superseded or supplemented by the electric mercury-discharge lamps also seen in this view. - Dave] Goodbye, Panda Express!The tourists will soon have to find another place to stuff their faces. The food court arrangement was operating at a huge annual loss for the city, so they've recently made an arrangement to rebuild it as the Trump International Hotel Washington, D.C. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Embaixada do Brasil: 1925
... 1920s the house was razed and replaced by the Hay-Adams Hotel. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 3:43pm -

Washington, D.C., 1925. "Brazilian Embassy, Henry Adams House, 1603 H Street N.W." In the late 1920s the house was razed and replaced by the Hay-Adams Hotel. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Masterful MasonryAnother superb example of really fine masonry design and execution. Really like the hexagonal pieces above the third floor and the wonderful stonework. Marvelous picture, thanks, Dave!! At least it was 'saved' via this photo! [If it's any consolation, the driveway and arched entry survived. - Dave] View Larger Map Richardsonian Design Our Beautiful City ... A handsome residence, to cost about $25,000, will be built by Col. John Hay, at the corner of Sixteen and H streets. Mr. Henry Adams, son of Charles Francis Adams, will erect an elegant house adjoining it. The plans for both houses were prepared by Mr. Richardson, an architect of Boston. ... Washington Post, Apr 20, 1884 The Brazilian embassy is now established in the former home of the late Mr. Henry Adams, 1603 H street. The new Ambassador, Mr. Fortura Xavier, formerly Brazilian Minister to England, is now on his way to his new post of duty here. Washington Post, Sep 7, 1919 Romanesque Revival RecycledParts of the Hay-Adams house were salvaged and incorporated into 2618 31st St. NW and 3014 Woodland Drive NW: http://www.washingtonhistory.com/ScenesPast/images/SP_1002.pdf That Henry AdamsAdams had one of Washington's most famous funerary monuments erected in Rock Creek Cemetery in memory of his wife after she committed suicide. Romanesque Revival RevivalParts of the Adams mansion stonework were reused in 1927 for this house at 2618 31st Street N.W. (photo taken in 1969) View Larger Map What else did Richardson design?This building's masonry is drool-crazy gorgeous. I am curious about its colors. Was it red brick, or taupe brick, or yellow brick? And those cutout bird motif tiles--what color were they? If only they had saved those birds and geometrics when they tore it down. I would have loved to see them as a garden border. I am wondering if the hexagonal elements are true bricks (that go all the way through the wall structure) or tiles on the surface. I am also left wondering what was inside the building. There must have been mantels and doors and fixtures and moldings which we can't see. Did Richardson design any other buildings this beautiful that did not meet the wrecking ball? Heck, does the guy even have a known first name? Surely his mother didn't call him Mister. [Click on his name in Stanton Square's post for the Wikipedia entry. Henry Hobson Richardson is the noted architect whose namesake is the Richardsonian Romanesque style of design, of which there are probably hundreds of examples remaining. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
American Acropolis: 1918
... Estate Exchange , Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument , Hotel Pontchartrain , Wayne County Building , Cadillac Square and the ... with 2 white towers and a clown sign on top), the little hotel building to the right of the Pontchartrain (230 Woodward), the Soldiers ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/15/2014 - 12:56pm -

Circa 1918. "The heart of Detroit." An aerial view of the Campus Martius from the Dime Bank, taking in landmarks including Detroit City Hall in the foreground, the Real Estate Exchange, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, Hotel Pontchartrain, Wayne County Building, Cadillac Square and the Cadillac Chair. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. National TheatreBarely visible on the middle left edge is the National Theater, the only building from this picture still standing on Monroe Street. The National is the oldest theater in Detroit, and the only theater designed by Albert Kahn that is still standing. Now empty for many years, rumors about its redevelopment crop up every few months. VertigoI'm feeling woozy just thinking of walking around on that upper walkway. The Calllac Chair???Curiosity made me search: Cogent quote: "“This chair, erected July 24, 1901, is located on the site of the City Hall built in 1835 and occupied until 1871 as the seat of Civic Authority." Doubt the pun is even self-aware... or intentional. TrailerI think, there are not so much pictures of an US-trolley with a trailer. Its an amazing picture of a really big trailer behind this 4-axle streetcar in the foreground. The only constant is...Practically all of the buildings in this picture are gone, and most have been replaced. Of the buildings I can discern in this picture, I believe only the old Wayne County Building, the National Theater (building on left with 2 white towers and a clown sign on top), the little hotel building to the right of the Pontchartrain (230 Woodward), the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (which was moved about 125 feet south in 2003), and old St. Mary's church in the deep background are still standing today. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Dapper 40s Couple
... Ocean View site.. There used to be a very nice hotel and apartment building on that site.. the PINE CREST. By the 1960s it was more of a transient hotel. Torn down in the 1970s. Still a vacant lot at this point. ... 
 
Posted by dboynton - 04/06/2013 - 4:19pm -

Grandpa Grimme traveled a lot, and took a lot of Kodachromes with his Argus C3. This was in a slide tray that included a lot of friends, and clearly the photos were taken all over the country. I've tried to fashion a triangulation on "Sherwood Place," along with "Pineview Apartments" and an amusement park, to no avail. Time frame appears to be late 40s, based on the cars, and the slide frames, manufactured between 1939 and 1949. But I love the photo. Hope y'all do, too - and maybe there's a better detective out there than I have been. View full size. Norfolk VA PerhapsThis might be the corner of Sherwood Place and Ocean View Avenue in Norfolk VA. Nothing looks the same, except for the location of the fire hydrant. Ocean View Amusement Park was located just down the road at Granby Street and Ocean View Avenue, about where the park appears to be in the background. It is NorfolkWayne Johnston has nailed it. Here's a post card of Ocean View Amusement Park showing the Casino Theater building seen in dboynton's slide. Thanks!Thanks, guys. That must be it, as the Grimmes lived on East Ocean View Avenue during World War II. Pineview Apartments must have been their home. Mom always said Grandpa helped design a church in Norfolk; I wonder if it was one of the churches nearby. Ocean View site..There used to be a very nice hotel and apartment building on that site.. the PINE CREST. By the 1960s it was more of a transient hotel. Torn down in the 1970s. Still a vacant lot at this point. Attached is a post card of the building. They would have been standing just to the right of the building... the part that you can't see. There are several editions of the Post cards avail. on ebay if you need one. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Stop and Go: 1941
... any other requirements could wait until I checked into my hotel room for the night. Now Banned in Brattleboro Vermont prohibited ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/14/2019 - 2:43pm -

July 1941. "Road on the outskirts of Brattleboro, Vermont." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Ford V8 passing a ChevyAt least I think it's a Chev. Wish the shutter speed were a bit faster. Are YOU using unregistered restrooms?First I find out I'm not getting enough fiber in my diet, and now I learn that, with the absence of Texaco in my home state, I've been using unregistered restrooms. My congressman shall hear about this. Planning AheadThe fire hydrant system is all ready to go. Hope someone can find a newer picture at this location; that bend should make it fairly easy. Won't see that todayIn 1968 Vermont banned billboards. The states of Hawaii (1927), Alaska (1959) & Maine (1977) also banned them. https://twistedsifter.com/2014/10/why-vermont-banned-billboards/ Yup, a FordLooks like a '39 or '40 Tudor. Can't see the taillights well enough to differentiate. Bet he was hoping there wasn't a cop sitting behind the billboard! Great SignageThis puts me in mind of my cross country road trip a few years back that took me through Texas. There was much that impressed me about the Lone Star State, but one of the things I really appreciated were its modern and absolutely immaculate highway rest areas. Anyways, it was late in the day and I had stopped an hour or so earlier for lunch when I felt the need to offload some ballast, as we used to say in the Navy. So I stopped at the next rest area and was just about to step into the gents WC when I saw the sign posted directly by the door -- "Watch out for rattlesnakes," with a nice image of one of the little buggers for added effect. I quickly reconsidered and decided that my immediate needs would be handled from the standing position and any other requirements could wait until I checked into my hotel room for the night. Now Banned in BrattleboroVermont prohibited billboards in 1968, leaving the task of directing travelers to Texaco stations to state-owned informational directory signs. Phantom billboardA closer look at the billboard reveals the previous advertisement was also for Texaco. (Sky Chief gas.) (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, Jack Delano)
D.C. Police: 1901
... the Old Post Office Building, now the Trump International Hotel. Local suds Abner-Drury, operating from 1898 to 1938, was a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/17/2021 - 10:07pm -

Washington circa 1901. "Police Station, 12th Street N.W., west side, looking south from D at Pennsylvania Avenue." 5x7 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Time Marches OnThis whole block was replaced in the '30s with what is now called the Ariel Rios Federal Building. And if you turn to the left, you'll be looking at the Old Post Office Building, now the Trump International Hotel. Local sudsAbner-Drury, operating from 1898 to 1938, was a brewery in D.C.'s Foggy Bottom neighborhood. It went into bankruptcy in 1935 and was subsequently reorganized as Washington Brewery Inc. It went out of business permanently in 1938. Post Office RestaurantSounds like the place to get a bowl of alphabet soup ... because alphabet soup is full of letters, see? Like a post office, see? Never mind. Middle of the road kind of guyShows you what Abner & Drury can do for you. The Post Office Restaurant Previously seen here at Shorpy. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Eateries & Bars)
Elko Tango: 1940
... 1935. Elko seems to like "elks" Elk Hotel, Elk Club, Elk Bar. Elko is said to have been named by Charles ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2018 - 10:17pm -

March 1940. "Stores on main street. Elko, Nevada." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. SkippingAny old CB user is aware of atmospheric 'skipping' and hearing and possible talking to another user hundreds of miles away. Shortwave starts where AM radio ends, so ham operators are familiar with the phenomenon. I'm New in TownAnybody know where I could find a good stiff drink? Commercial StreetOne street over from Idaho, where our house was and the previous pictures were taken. The only thing missing is a drunk or two passed out on the sidewalk. It was a pretty rough town. I spyAn old (probably new at the time the picture was taken) fish bowl gas pump half way down the street in front of the John Deere store. As there isn't a dedicated fueling spot, I am assuming the farmers came in with a five gallon can to be filled. proper namesI'm loving the Elko photos- I got there a couple of years later than these, but it still was the same when I did. Lifelong resident of the State, I still end up there now and then. But, Billy B should be informed that there weren't many "farmers" in the state, but rather we still are a state of mostly ranchers. Big diff. Long Wire Rooftop Radio AntennasThe closest radio station to Elko in 1940 was in Twin Falls, Idaho---137 miles north northeast. A listener would be hard pressed to hear that thousand watter on summer days. Nevada's only station was even weaker and 232 miles west southwest in Reno. The only reliable summer daytime reception came from 202 miles east from 50,000 watt KSL, Salt Lake City. Nights and winter offered much better reception from the West Coast and principal cities west of the Mississippi. BuickThe car closest to the camera is a 1934-35 Buick Series 40 flat back sedan (Model 47). The 1934 Buicks continued through 1935 with few changes until the completely redesigned 1936 models came out in September 1935. Elko seems to like "elks"Elk Hotel, Elk Club, Elk Bar. Elko is said to have been named by Charles Crocker, a superintendent of the Central Pacific Railroad. He was especially fond of animal names and added the letter "o" to Elk. There is no definitive evidence of this naming history, but it has become the widely accepted version. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Stores & Markets)
Star Island House: 1910
... Clair Flats, Michigan, circa 1910. "Star Island House." A hotel on the St. Clair River whose scenic arboreal allée, Willow Avenue , ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 2:01pm -

St. Clair Flats, Michigan, circa 1910. "Star Island House." A hotel on the St. Clair River whose scenic arboreal allée, Willow Avenue, we saw last week. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Northern hospitalityThey say the St. Clair Flats hotels were popular with Southerners escaping swelter (perhaps looking for a cool-weather counterpart to the Mississippi delta). Whether the lineup on the porch is made up of guests, staff, or some combination thereof, it's the last bunch of folks with whom I'd like to commune with nature. Those bands on the treesAddressed in this thread. Your next stop, the Twilight ZoneAnd then all the old people on the porch played Kick the Can, and vanished, as young people. Hard to FindI was greatly puzzled by this picture and the Willow Ave. picture - where the heck is (or rather was) Star Island? No current maps list Star Island, but I finally found it in an 1895 map from the St. Clair Flats Historical Society. The area is no longer identified as Star Island, and any remnants of the Star Island House and Willow Avenue are long gone. [See also the maps posted here last week in the comments under the Willow Avenue photo. - Dave] Good Lord!Charles Addams, please call the office! (The Gallery, DPC)
Off Broadway: 1942
... move around, and DCS does not have to money to buy them hotel rooms, pay their rent or build them houses. I live in a small town in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/10/2018 - 1:35pm -

September 1942. "Batavia, New York. Elba Farm Security Administration farm labor camp. An old man who has lived all of his life near Broadway, New York City, and who was taken off relief and sent to the Elba FSA camp to work in the harvest. He said, 'There is so much suffering in the world today that mine doesn't seem so much, and I'm doing my best to help bring in Uncle Sam's crops'." 4x5 nitrate negative by John Collier for the Office of War Information. View full size. Boo-HooeyTo those among us inclined to lament that Americans today have nothing to complain about compared to this fellow: 1. You are wrong. Homeless kids whose parents are in jail are living in cardboard boxes in the woods behind my Wal-Mart. 2. STOP YOUR WHINING. ProtectionAfter looking closely at the laces on that right boot, I think he is wearing some sort of shiny (rubber?) waterproof overshoe over his work boots. Sad Sunday nightHe makes my heart ache. Waterproof overshoesWaterproof rubber overshoes are called galoshes. Uncomfortable much?Collier seems to have posed his subject over the crack between two benches. So much to ask but mostly:I wonder what kind of jokes made this man laugh. Dapper DanInteresting mixture of clothing -- pinstripe suit coat, possibly bib-overalls and new work boots. Really AnonTip? You have homeless kids living behind your local Wal Mart? Why have you not reported them to your local state's child welfare division office? We have social programs for that the last I checked to take them in and provide foster homes. So you are wrong about comparisons. Back in the days of this photo, there really WERE homeless kids in the street and no government social safety net to provide for them. Today, we have multi-billion dollar programs to take care of them. [These kids move around, and DCS does not have to money to buy them hotel rooms, pay their rent or build them houses. I live in a small town in Arizona that has over 300 homeless students. Last year I gave $40 to two boys living in a tent behind the grocery store. Below are some links from my own local newspaper so that you may become better-informed. - Dave] Link 1. Link 2. Link 3. Link 4. (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Collier, Portraits)
Longacre Square: 1911
... beaches. But alas, after the building of a single small hotel it all came to tears, complete with millions of dollars gone missing, a ... by scaffolding -- a few buildings down from the Rector Hotel? (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/21/2019 - 1:41pm -

New York, 1911. "Longacre Square south." Times Square to you and me, with the Rector and Astor hotels flanking the New York Times building, now almost completely encased in electronic signage and launch pad for the New Year's "ball drop." Gelatin silver print by Irving Underhill. View full size. Thin ComedyAppearing at the Globe Theater are Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth in Little Miss Fix It, which is "thin," having "no more plot than the average Broadway musical comedy, which it is not, and not half so many vaudeville specialties to fill in the time." https://www.nytimes.com/1911/04/04/archives/little-miss-fixit-is-thin-no... Paradise not so lostThere is a huge ad seen here for the promised beach paradise of Tangier on Long Island. This development was the brainchild of one Frederick J. Quinby, who named it after the original 17th century settler, William Tangier Smith, from whose descendants Quinby bought the land. Quinby and his investors envisioned something like a second Atlantic City growing out on Long Island's beaches. But alas, after the building of a single small hotel it all came to tears, complete with millions of dollars gone missing, a pile of lawsuits, and a would-be developer on the lam. More attempts were made to jump-start the development of the area, but all that bayfront and oceanfront land sat mostly empty for many years to come. Many years later though the land was successfully developed, as the town of Shirley and the resorts and parks of eastern Fire Island. What's on the roof???Any Shorpyites out there know who the statue is of -- surrounded by scaffolding -- a few buildings down from the Rector Hotel? (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC, Streetcars)
Market Street: 1907
... I can tell, this is the same corner today, now a massive hotel complex. Amazing how much the street has changed. If I have the wrong ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/19/2012 - 11:42am -

Continuing our tour of Louisville. "Market Street and Lincoln Savings Bank." Two things to watch out for when crossing the street in Louisville: No. 1, streetcars, and No. 2. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Same photo, today?As best I can tell, this is the same corner today, now a massive hotel complex. Amazing how much the street has changed. If I have the wrong spot, please correct me! Mind where you stepThe second lady from the left might be wearing the hem of her skirt almost immodestly high because she is mindful of #2, while also being cautious about #1. I could almost be convinced that there used to be a television show called "Bullitt". Thos W. Bullitt, esq. occupies the corner office of the top floor. [You're probably thinking of the 1968 Steve McQueen film. - tterrace] Yes, that's the thing I almost remembered. Levy Brothers"Levy Brothers Good Clothes for Men and Boys." The Levy Bros. department store is located 2 blocks down on the left side; shopped there often with my parents in the 50s and 60s. More here. You Have Been Warned !No, I think the sign on the support wires above is intended for the car operators. This intersection must be known to have problems with pedestrians. If you have to take a hit, do it straight on and roll onto the shelf provided. Be sure to have a nickel handy in case the conductor insists on collecting for the ride. (The Gallery, DPC, Louisville, Streetcars)
The Light Refreshment: 1957
... Camel cigarette billboard, which was mounted on the Hotel Claridge. On calm days, the smoke rings would blow half way across Times ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/21/2018 - 6:08pm -

New York, 1957. "Broadway Theatre District -- Times Square at night." Now playing at Loew's State: "The Sweet Smell of Success." 35mm negative from the Look magazine photo archive. View full size. Moses in TechnicolorThe Ten Commandments is playing at the Criterion, which is where I saw it on a school field trip back in those days. Beau JamesThe marquee is promoting the 1957 biopic of New York Mayor Jimmy Walker (in office 1926-1932), starring Bob Hope in one of his few dramatic roles. Also starring Paul Douglas. DuMont signThe DuMont name was not long for the consumer-facing world in 1957. DuMont Television Network operations had already been sold to John Kluge in 1956. These became Metromedia, which in turn became Fox Television Stations later. Allen DuMont sold his television manufacturing division to Emerson Radio in 1958. Pepsi Cola Hits the SpotIt would thrill me to no end to see that neon Pepsi sign in action! I'll bet any amount of money that those bubbles "moved", too! @ BillyMazz: That video was awesome! I especially liked how the bottle cap lit up. It was better than I anticipated. Thanks! Camel BillboardYou can see the edge of the celebrated smoking Camel cigarette billboard, which was mounted on the Hotel Claridge. On calm days, the smoke rings would blow half way across Times Square. Nice footage of the Pepsi sign in actionIn response to Root 66's post about the Pepsi atop the Bond building, I found this on YouTube. Look around the 1:10 mark. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/TIPnMB_KOsM (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, LOOK, Movies, NYC)
The Conversation: 1905
... Kittatinny House Kittatinny House was a large resort hotel. Opened on June 20, 1872, it boasted electric lights, elevators, steam ... mountain water in every room, a telegraph office in the hotel and its own orchestra. It was constructed of wood. Yep, in 1931. To ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/17/2017 - 12:32pm -

Circa 1905. "On the grounds of Kittatinny House, Delaware Water Gap, Penn­syl­vania." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's a gliderFoot board and base are fixed, benches and frame they're on roll back and forth/rise and fall on that curved track visible above the rearmost wheel at the right. Kind of an interesting design but seems like it would be awkward because of the height to the "floor." Rock and Roll?Trying to determine if the four-seated device rocks, rolls or is tethered. [Here are a couple examples. -tterrace] Kittatinny HouseKittatinny House was a large resort hotel. Opened on June 20, 1872, it boasted electric lights, elevators, steam heat, running mountain water in every room, a telegraph office in the hotel and its own orchestra. It was constructed of wood. Yep, in 1931. To the ground. (The Gallery, DPC)
Pardon My Rack: 1943
... Ave. NW, a space now occupied by the Embassy Row Hotel. [Note floodlamp reflector on the bed. - Dave] (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/11/2016 - 7:38pm -

January 1943. Washington, D.C. "Girl in the doorway of her room at a boarding­house." With photographer Esther Bubley (or sister Enid) front and center. Medium format negative for the Office of War Information. View full size. WW2 WashingtonSpace was at a premium when soldiers and civilians were living in D.C. then, in very tight quarters. It reminds me of the Joel McCrea movie "The More the Merrier". P.S.I haven't been here for some time. Nice to be back. Not a hair out of placeThanks jsm, for posting the link to the BYU master's thesis. I love this series of photos. Despite the disorder of their cramped quarters, both young women in this photo have taken care to make sure their hair is beautifully styled. And those 1940s women's hairstyles were very labor-intensive. I notice a leaflet for what are probably night classes at the YMCA. It's January, the men are off at was, so it's no surprise his photo has a more melancholy aspect than others in this series. The Girl with the Rackappears to be the same one who mistook her wall lamp (sans shade) for an angel, in an earlier Bubley posting. Also, I couldn't help noticing the earmuffs on the bed lower left. I had those as a kid in the '50's, and that spring frame ALWAYS pinched and pulled out a clump of hair. Ouch. Original ExitSo Kleenex used to exit through the side of the box, eh? Dissin’s Guest HouseVriean Diether Taggart, the author of a masters' thesis at BYU titled "Documenting the Dissin’s Guest House: Esther Bubley’s Exploration of Jewish American Identity, 1942-43," identifies the woman in the foreground as the photographer's sister Enid. Sisters Enid, Claire and Esther were in Washington together during the war, and one or both of the sisters have appeared in other photos by Esther during that period, including this one, another here and perhaps this one. The boardinghouse was the former mansion of Charles Mather Ffoulke at 2013 Massachusetts Ave. NW, a space now occupied by the Embassy Row Hotel. [Note floodlamp reflector on the bed. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, WW2)
Salumu Aleikum: 1923
... from the opposite direction. At right rear you can see the Hotel Continental on North Capitol St. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/04/2016 - 4:50pm -

"Almas Welcomes A.A.O.N.M.S." The Washington, D.C., Masonic temple's hello to potentates of the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine during the Shriners convention of May 1923. 4x5 glass negative. View full size. Quite a mouthfulAha! So THAT'S The Shriners' full name. Thank you, Shorpy. Peace be upon youAlthough the Shriners were not connected to Islam or Arab culture in their activities it's nice to see that they used the Islamic greeting of "Salumu Aleikum" or "Peace be upon you." I have to wonderHow many of the attendees ever mixed mortar, held a trowel or laid a brick. TrowelsAll of them have held a trowel. But few probably have spread actual mortar with it. Sleepy part of townThis is taken in Columbus Circle, looking roughly southwest. The buildings in the foreground are the WWI-era dormitories for women workers, glimpsed previously on Shorpy from the opposite direction. At right rear you can see the Hotel Continental on North Capitol St. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Divining Mrs. M: 1936
... the son of Artur, who was the general manager of the Astor Hotel. Be it ever so moderne The William and Elizabeth Muschenheim ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/15/2013 - 4:11pm -

Circa 1936. "Muschenheim, William, Mrs., portrait photograph." Wife of the modernist architect. Nitrate negative by Arnold Genthe. View full size. House on the DunesA photo presumably taken at William Muschenheim's estate "House on the Dunes," in Hampton Bays, New York. It would have been only a few years old at the time. The real highlight of the estate was its Modernist bath house, which fell victim to a hurricane in 1954. As far as I can tell, the main house itself is no longer standing. Note: the picture wouldn't have been from the Ann Arbor house seen in another response, as the family didn't move to Michigan until 1950, when William became a professor at the University of Michigan. He retired as a professor in 1972 but remained active in the architectural field until he died in 1990 at age 88. Venetian BlindsVenetian blinds do not a prison make. By the 50s the slats had gone to slightly down-curved (for stiffness) metal. The other parts were identical. [Those aluminum-slat blinds were mostly for office and institutional use. The nicer ones were (and still are) flat and wooden, as in the 1958 house I grew up in. - Dave] Divined Mrs. Muschenheim was born Elizabeth Bodanzky, daughter of Artur Bodanzky, a conductor of the Metropolitan Opera of New York. William Muschenheim was the son of Artur, who was the general manager of the Astor Hotel. Be it ever so moderneThe William and Elizabeth Muschenheim house. Ann Arbor, MI View Larger Map With earnest supplication,an addition to the pretty girls tag. (Arnold Genthe, Portraits)
Family Truckster: 1942
... along Miner Street. The building to the left of the hotel is gone; replaced by a corner parking lot -- with a historic marker. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/11/2015 - 6:48pm -

June 1942. "Yreka, California, seat of a county rich in mineral deposits." But poor in car seats. Photo by Russell Lee, Office of War Information. View full size. Largely intactUsing Google Street View: this photo was shot from the intersection of Miner St and (North) Broadway -- looking westward along Miner Street. The building to the left of the hotel is gone; replaced by a corner parking lot -- with a historic marker. View Larger Map Mom & DadDon't seem exactly thrilled to be the photographer's subjects. A New BroomNice to see some things haven't changed much in 70 years. Same age...I think I am about the same age as the kid on the right...riding in pickup "beds" at that time was fun...before it was a "no no"... The thanks I getFor getting you through the depression without starving, you put me in the back of the truck with my bratty grand kids. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Kids, Mining, Russell Lee)
The Colonnades: 1963
... of Saturday Night stay at New York's famous Essex House Hotel." In 1979, the hotel was the site of musician Donny Hathaway's fatal fall (or leap) from his ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/19/2016 - 10:12am -

January 25, 1963. "Essex House, New York. Colonnades ballroom." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. EleganceThey had to cut corners somewhere, so they got government surplus office chairs at a General Services Administration auction. Ten years later:American TV audiences become accustomed to Don Pardo's mellifluous enunciation of the phrase, "Guests of Saturday Night stay at New York's famous Essex House Hotel." In 1979, the hotel was the site of musician Donny Hathaway's fatal fall (or leap) from his room. This sad event had little long-term effect on the hostelry, however, and though it has passed through several subsequent owners, it survives in both name and premises. Maybe Surplus, but not CheapThose chairs may look cheap at first glance, but eyeball the filleted welds where the side stretchers join the front and back legs; that's quality construction you don't usually see in metal chairs. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Red Delicious: 1925
... Festival every year. That is the George Washington Hotel in the background. That is where my mother and father met. (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/05/2012 - 5:35pm -

April 25, 1925. "Apple Blossom Festival, Winchester, Virginia." A freshly picked bevy of beauties. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. "Bevy of Beauties"Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder... Those ARE actual women, aren't they? Not a bunch of homely looking guys in drag? Apple bevyI'll take a wild stab here; as both George and Martha Washington have significant Virginia histories, and George one specific to Winchester, I'm going to guess they're made up in Martha Washington garb, including what look like gray wigs. There's also a GW legend about apple trees - not as famous as the cherry tree one, but still. Another shot from the series shows some of them in the same dresses but different hair. Two time travelersDrew Barrymore and the girl immediately to her left (our right) who can't believe she's standing next to a Hollywood star. Numbers 7 and 8 from the left. Facial Expressions? Priceless!!Some of them could be saying..."What am I doing here?", some seem to be enjoying it,however, they all have a look on their faces that they'd rather be somewhere else than here. (and not one "Adam's Apple" showing in the bunch!) WinchesterMy hometown! We still have the Apple Blossom Festival every year. That is the George Washington Hotel in the background. That is where my mother and father met. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Small Towns)
Union Stockyards: 1941
... Jack Benny bragged he was staying at the Stockyards Plaza hotel while his cohorts wasted money staying up town in the Ambassador East or ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2020 - 12:23pm -

July 1941. "Union Stockyards. Chicago, Illinois." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. View from the El platformAt the very bottom of Vachon's image is the Exchange station platform of the Chicago Elevated rail transit line that served the Stockyards. You can see a billboard for Clorox bleach, among others. Here's how it looked if you were standing on the Exchange station platform. It is interesting to note that men were riding horses among the pens. The View Is Fine Depending on the WindIn one of his radio shows, penurious comedian Jack Benny bragged he was staying at the Stockyards Plaza hotel while his cohorts wasted money staying up town in the Ambassador East or the Drake. Requiem for some heavyweightsI thoroughly enjoy John Vachon's work. There are aspects of this photograph that are immensely pleasing from an aesthetic standpoint. But probably not if you're a cow. "How sad, to leave Chicago. I have had such a wonderful week."John Vachon's letters to his pregnant wife Penny sent during his week in Chicago at the end of June 1941 reflect a combination of emotional peaks and valleys. Expected by FSA to spend his time photographing cattle and produce, he experienced and photographed intriguing Chicagoans in many settings, and loved wandering through the Institute of Arts and seeing nightly movies (including, on this trip, Citizen Kane). Yet he was practically broke, wearing through his clothing, and neglected by a seemingly uncaring boss back in DC (Roy Stryker) who was slow to pay him, communicate to him, or to even like the negatives he was sending back to the office. This particular series of his letters to Penny appears, in full, in "John Vachon's America" (on Google Books). Stockyard InnIn the late '40s and early '50s, a day at the annual Chicago Boat Show with my parents was always followed up by dinner at the Stockyard Inn. I was just a kid, so I don't remember what I had, but it must have been good because I still remember how I looked forward to eating there. What I remember most was that I always wondered if it was going to smell as bad inside the restaurant as it did outside, but apparently it didn't, because my most two vivid memories from over 60 years ago are how bad the neighborhood smelled, and how much I looked forward to dinner at the Stockyard Inn! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Animals, Chicago, John Vachon, Railroads)
Gutterball U.: 1910
... noticed this place just two doors over from the hotel seen here , and made the connection to Lewis Hine, who took this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2018 - 7:48pm -

September 1910. Burlington, Vermont. "Two of the 'pin boys' working in Bowling Academy with three other small boys until 10 or 11 p.m. some nights." One of our astute commenters noticed this place just two doors over from the hotel seen here, and made the connection to Lewis Hine, who took this photo, as well as the pictures of Shorpy.com's namesake coal miner. View full size. Bocce ballIt looks like they are holding candlestick pins. The bowling ball is about the size of a softball, and is popular in New England. Bowling "Pins"Seeing this picture of pre-modern bowling pins helps solve the riddle of where the name "pin" originated. The type of pins in this picture are called candle-pins and still in use in some areas of Canada and New England. The type pin we're used to seeing today with the oval bottoms and small oval tops are called duck-pins. More like dodgeballMy father was a pin boy in the 1030s and told stories about how the "hoodlums" would not wait until all the pins were set and throw their bowling ball and try to hit my father before he got out of the way. On the other end of the lane, the first game he ever bowled he scored a 230 and thought "this is easy," then the second game was humbling and he scored a 110. I never managed to break 200 on a good day. Astute commenter responds"I'd like to thank the (Bowling) Academy ... " My other brother Darryl When I was a child, bowling alleys were considered sleazy, kind of like the pool hall. In fact, there was a pool hall located inside our local bowling alley. This photo explains quite a lot. Those boys look miserable, and my guess is that Mr. Warmth, standing behind them, has something to do with that. Fun at the alleyI remember a few evenings setting pins, hard way to make a buck. The Last ChanceIf memory serves, this building would later be demolished and rebuilt. The downstairs lanes would remain for several years and in later years it would eventually become a well-known bar in the '70s, '80s and early '90s called the Last Chance Saloon. The wooden bar itself was made of the old lanes from this bowling alley. I spent many, many nights in there during my college years. It was a terrific place. It's now home to The Flynn Space. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Wright Light: 1949
... my pedestrian past, but enjoy Gottscho's gorgeous shots of hotel lobbies and other exotica. Comfort? I've seen train cars that are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2014 - 2:12pm -

May 13, 1949. "Russel Wright, residence and business at 221 E. 48th Street, New York City. Showroom." Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. Electronic cigarettesAre those hollow tubes in the dish cigarettes? [Recessed filter tips. - Dave] Mid-Century ModernDamn, that's some uglee furniture! And the couch gives me a backache just to look at it. That Folding TableAnybody have an idea how that is supposed to work, and what the fittings on the end are for? Presumably you open it and slide it so the seam is in the middle of the frame, but it would be nice to know for sure. MooThe furniture may not look too comfortable, but the cowhide chair cushions are a nice touch. Wright didn't live in this house for much longer. His wife and business partner Mary died in 1952, and he moved with his toddler daughter to his country estate "Manistoga" about 50 miles north of the city. Frank Lloydwould definitely not approve. Snappy or snore?I think this is the inverse of that familiar saying, "Youth is wasted on the young." Instead, the inherent beauty of modern design... no matter what "modern" era is depicted... is wasted on those who lived through that era. I've sat in dentists' waiting rooms that looked like this room; and had my parents buy me clothes and shoes in the department stores that Gottscho-Schleisner seemed to shoot so often. Familiarity breeds contempt, I guess, because I yawn at my pedestrian past, but enjoy Gottscho's gorgeous shots of hotel lobbies and other exotica. Comfort?I've seen train cars that are warmer and more inviting than this. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC, Stores & Markets)
I Want Food
Children picket at a waiters strike at the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, D.C. From the National Photo Company collection, between ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 6:17pm -

Children picket at a waiters strike at the Raleigh Hotel in Washington, D.C. From the National Photo Company collection, between 1918 and 1920. View full size. MID-WAIL!!!Looks to me like this photo was taken mid wail for all seen!! Wonder why Papa is just lending a "hand" instead of in the photo..... freakySomebody tell me those are midgets? Please?? And what's with the woman in the background. Is this a spirit photo? Was this taken before or after the "kids" were churning out ectoplasm? (The Gallery, Kids, Natl Photo)
House of Fleas: 1940
... A different kind of flea house, today. A Super 8 hotel stands there now. There is an old house from the era that still stands, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/22/2019 - 3:08pm -

June 1940. "One-spot town along U.S. Highway No. 1, between Washington and Baltimore." Jessup, Maryland, was the corporate headquarters of flea-powder manufacturer One-Spot. Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Uninviting NameRight down the road from the Roach Motel, no doubt. Never thought I'd see this againIn 1950, prior to my father's posting to Korea, we were stationed at Fort Meade and lived, successively, in Laurel, Baltimore, and on the post itself. Driving with my parents from Laurel or Meade to Baltimore for an occasional dinner or the theater, passing this sign was a high point for me. Another was nearby in the form of the Lord Calvert whiskey distillery, where the aroma of cooking mash provided a pervasive olfactory treat, at least to a seven-year-old's nostrils. I'll never forget ordering a Calvert and soda in New York some 11 years later and discovering that it didn't taste at all like it had smelled during that six-month sojourn in Maryland. I have never tasted the flea powder. The Cut, tooJessup was also the home of the maximum-security Maryland House of Correction (nicknamed "The Cut") at the time of this photo. My dog has fleas.More on this roadside masterpiece: https://chowtales.com/one-spot-flea-killer-worlds-largest-chow-doghouse/ The sign is goneAnd the site has been developed into (I believe) a condominium. Parenthetically, a liquor store across the road (now Route 1 Liquors) was for many years called One Spot Liquors. A different kind of flea house, today.A Super 8 hotel stands there now. There is an old house from the era that still stands, identifiable from an old image of "On Spot Town". (The Gallery, Bizarre, Dogs, Jack Delano)
Engauged: 1942
... 1942. "Washington, D.C. Conversion of the Shoreham Hotel furnace from oil to coal burning system." Crank it, boys, and let's see ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2014 - 5:59pm -

September 1942. "Washington, D.C. Conversion of the Shoreham Hotel furnace from oil to coal burning system." Crank it, boys, and let's see what this thing'll do. Photo by Howard Liberman for the Office of War Information. View full size. WartimeOil to coal would seem to be a step back in terms of efficiency. Was this a wartime requirement? I say Tomato ... what do you say?Dave, quite apart from the picture itself, I was somewhat intrigued by your choice of title, "Engauged." On this side of the pond, a gauge is a gauge. In almost all U.S. usage,I have seen it spelled as "gage." Yet you used "gauge." When is a gauge a gage, (other than a greengage)? [Standard spelling for the word in America is "gauge." The use of "gage" as a variant spelling (at least among people with college educations) is much less prevalent, probably about equal in popularity with the misspelled variant "guage." - Dave] Nobody went back to coal from oilMy dad was thrilled to get an oil furnace. No more shovelling, or banking the fire for the night. [They did during the war. - Dave] Oil to coal furnaceFrom The Harvard Crimson October 29, 1942: "In order to save the precious war fuel the University is undertaking a mass conversion from oil furnaces to coal consuming burners. Although the change is not yet complete practically all of the heating units will be made over by November 1. When the change is made, Harvard will be saving oil at a rate of 87,000 barrels (3,654,000 gallons) a year for the war effort." Also, this ad from the September 20, 1942 Brooklyn Eagle: Cellar CockpitAdd a turn and bank indicator and you have the instrument panel of the "Spirit of St. Louis." GaugesBack then, gauges didn't need units on the faces! That was for sissies! Everybody just knew what they meant. (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Howard Liberman)
Ye Old Witch House: 1901
... before Prohibition...is ready for you now at every fine hotel, club, drug store, grocer." Antiques Shop Not very likely to have ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/25/2012 - 10:37am -

Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1901. "The Witch House." One-stop shopping for antiques, cigars and spirits of all kinds. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Looks like I've been here beforeWow. It's deja vu all over again. https://www.shorpy.com/node/11562 I like this picture from the front, over either of the side views https://www.shorpy.com/node/10036 The Witch house still standsThe Witch house still stands and especially at this time of year remains a quite popular site to visit. http://www.salemweb.com/witchhouse/ Red Raven (S)plitsFrom a 1937 Life Magazine ad: "Red Raven Splits Laxative Water. For the morning after...only Red Raven Splits will bring you back. Red Raven Splits did the trick before Prohibition...is ready for you now at every fine hotel, club, drug store, grocer." Antiques ShopNot very likely to have any Victorian, Golden Oak nor Mission furniture in 1901. (The Gallery, DPC, Salem)
Detroit Grand Circus Park, approx 1920
... Using Google maps and some online history of the Statler Hotel I was able to match the image to Detroit's Grand Circus Park. The next ... The Statler The photo dates to about 1922-23. The Hotel Statler (left) was completed in 1923. There was another building ... 
 
Posted by bhappel - 09/21/2009 - 5:04am -

Due to my Grandfather's work with Pierce Arrow, I took a stab at guessing the location. Using Google maps and some online history of the Statler Hotel I was able to match the image to Detroit's Grand Circus Park. The next guess is the date. Possibly about 1915-20. View full size. The StatlerThe photo dates to about 1922-23. The Hotel Statler (left) was completed in 1923. There was another building finished about the same time that should be just to the left of the tall, gabled one at right. But since it's not shown yet (it's not quite the size of the "big three" in this view, but bigger than what's on its property), I'm thinking the pic had to be from 1922 before the Statler actually opened or the other structure got well underway. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Fine Arts: 1903
... line with its two neighbors on the block: the Auditorium Hotel & Theater (on the left side of the photo) and the Art Institute of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/11/2018 - 8:39pm -

Chicago circa 1903. "Fine Arts Building, Michigan Avenue." Now playing at the Studebaker Theatre: Castle Square Opera Company's production of The Pirates of Penzance. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Co. View full size. Don't jump!Henry! Get back in here! Largely unchangedAn architecturally significant building, with a good view of Grant Park and Lake Michigan from its front windows. I took a tour in the 90s, and found it to be eerily unchanged from the 19th century, down to the elevator operator and sparsely-spaced carbon-filament lightbulbs in the hallways. The building houses artists and musicians and related offices. L. Frank Baum had an office here and may have written some of his work in it. Still worth a visit!I worked in this building, top floor right windows, for many years. It's still beautiful inside, with most of the original interior quite intact, including in the private offices. It's worth a visit if you are in Chicago: start at the top to see the original paintings on the walls, and walk the stairs down all the way. The whole building is filled with artists, musicians, violin makers, etc. https://www.fineartsbuildingstudios.com/ Rag in his pocketHe is the very model of a modern window washer +114Below is the same view from June of 2017. Elevator OperatorI visited some shops in this building in January of this year. The building still has one elevator operated by a human being; the other elevators (there are about five of them in the lobby) were out of order. You have to use this human-operated elevator because the door to the stairwell is locked on the first floor (although it does open from inside the stairwell, so I guess it meets the fire code). The building was originally built as the Studebaker Building in 1884-1885, and it did indeed house the sales room, service facility, and factory of the Studebaker Carriage Company. The architect was Solon S. Beman, the designer of the town of Pullman (among many other things). In its original form, the building was only 8 stories high and had two little domes on the top floor, one at each end of the front facade. After Studebaker moved to a new building on Wabash Avenue in 1897, Beman was hired to convert this building to artistic uses, which was more in line with its two neighbors on the block: the Auditorium Hotel & Theater (on the left side of the photo) and the Art Institute of Chicago (on the right). He raised the height of the building to its current 10 stories and installed two legitimate theaters on the ground floor. These theaters were made over into four movie theaters in the 1980s, when this building served as the principal art house theater in downtown Chicago. I believe they have now been converted back, although I couldn't tell if they were open for business when I went there in January. Pirate CastleI could only find two runs of the Pirates of Penzance by the Castle Square Opera Company at the Studebaker Theater. Both of these were from before the circa 1903 date of the photo. The first was from July 22 - 25, 1900 with Miss Maude Lillian Berri in the leading soprano role. Berri reprised her role in the performances that were held April 28 - May 4, 1901. The ad below is from the April 28th Chicago Tribune, and the review is from the April 30th edition. "The Castle Square company is devoting its week to a revival of "The Pirates of Penzance." The Studebaker was comfortably filled, and although the opera is not among the most attractive either in subject or music of the Gilbert and Sullivan creations, the performance was received with every evidence of enjoyment and pleasure. The book of the "Pirates" appeals less perhaps to American opera-goers than does any Mr. Gilbert ever wrote, it being peculiarly English both in its allusions and its satire, and Sullivan seems to have risen to the plane of the best tunefulness and cleverness only in the second act. Mabel's entrance solo with chorus is catchy and has the true Sullivan swing, but it is the only number in the first act that has. The "Policemen's Chorus," the duet for Mabel and Frederic, and the "Pirates' Chorus" are attractive, however, and make the second act pleasing and deservedly popular. "The performance last evening was fully up to Castle Square standards, which is equivalent to saying that it was well balanced, carefully staged and costumed, and moved with commendable smoothness. Reginald Roberts, as the paradoxical pirate apprentice, appeared to unusually good advantage, assuming well the boyish guilelessness belonging to the character and singing the music - especially the duet in act II - in highly acceptable manner. Miss Berri made all of Mabel that was possible, both from a dramatic and a vocal standpoint; Mr. Pruette was a capital pirate chief, Mr. Moulan a satisfactory Major General, and Miss Lambert a good Ruth. Francis J. Boyle came forward as a prominent principal in the role of Edward, the sergeant of police. He was an agreeable bass voice, which he uses acceptably, enunciates well, and discovered good abilities as a comedian. He would seem a young funny man of promise. Cora Spicer as Edith and Stella Bonheur as Kate were also new aspirants for solo honors. They have good looks and gracefulness in their favor, and it is believed when they master their nervousness will prove to be pleasing singers." (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC, Performing Arts)
$5 Teeth: 1910
... of Commerce, State and Griswold streets." With the Hotel Richter and B. Siegel department store on State Street in supporting ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/02/2015 - 1:38pm -

Detroit circa 1910. "Chamber of Commerce, State and Griswold streets." With the Hotel Richter and B. Siegel department store on State Street in supporting roles. Our title comes from the wonderfully graphic sign for Michigan Dentists. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. RedoneThe Chamber of Commerce building is Detroit's oldest existing 'skyscraper', completed in 1895. After the Chamber of Commerce moved out, it was the Detroit Savings Bank; later, it was home to the United Way of Detroit. It is being refurbished for the Archdiocese of Detroit after sitting empty for a while. You can barely see the light well on the right side of the building. The well was glassed in and floors were built across to create more office space. The Hodges building was replaced by the art deco David Stott Building in the mid-20's. Building appears still there butthe first and second story exteriors have been largely redone, the "Chamber of Commerce" engraving and the bare-from the-waist-up statuary expunged. Rule of ToothWhen your teeth cost more than a day's pay, they must be pretty high quality. Grotesque FiguresIn viewing most vintage images of a public scene, you notice men dressed with hats and 3-piece suits. Women with hats and long full skirts and frilly blouses. Today's personal dress code is remarkably different. Consequently, I've never understood the social acceptance of bare-breasted female grotesques displayed on early architecture as compared to what today's intolerance would be. Radio AntennaAt the upper left is a bar jutting out from the building with 4 insulators and 4 wires running diagonally downward to the rooftops just to the right of the B Siegel sign. This parallel wire "flattop" was characteristic of low frequency antennas in the early days of radio. Possibly an Amateur Radio enthusiast. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
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