MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page

Rochester to L.A.: 1921
... In this digital age, the idea of just hoping to find a motel with vacancy seems hopelessly quaint. (Is that what those "No Vacancy" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/24/2020 - 10:30am -

The place: Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, with St. Mary's Cathedral at far left. The year: 1921. The subject: Three Easterners who've motored west in a battered Cadillac touring car. 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative, originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size. A different viewHere are the same two buildings seen in a view looking southeast to go with the Shorpy view to the northeast: http://opensfhistory.org/search/index.php?q=St.+Mary%27s+Cathedral&_ds=1... St. Mary's burned in 1962 and was replaced with a television studio. The driver as welllooks a bit "battered", but I suppose we all would be feeling it after close to 3,000 miles in that car on the roads of the day! Good for themThat must have been a hell of an adventure in that car in 1921. And taken quite a while. Headlight much?I guess they didn't do much driving at night. Or maybe there's a really good reason I can't come up with that kept them from strapping that spare onto the back. [The spares are on the side. In back is the trunk. -Dave] How long was the trip?In 1919, it took a young Army officer by the name of Eisenhower, leading a convoy of Army vehicles, 62 days to travel from the East to West coast. And another viewfrom that same year of 1921. RE: Headlight much?OK but what's that spare tire-shaped thing obscuring the headlights? [It's a third spare. Which is where it is because the spare holder on the side of the car is full. - Dave] They Visited YellowstoneThe octagonal decal on the left side of the windshield is an admission sticker from Yellowstone National Park depicting a bison. Decals for the National Parks were given out with payment of admission. Apparently some windshields got so cluttered that the practice was eventually abandoned. For more info: http://npshistory.com/newsletters/courier/arrowhead/v8n2.pdf I'm sure that the parks could raise some needed funding if they offered them again. [Also seen here. - Dave] My mother's family did this!Seeing this picture reminds me of a story about my mother. Her family traveled by car west from Indiana to California when she was a child. This was a few years later than the picture above - probably in the mid 1920s. Years later, when I was a teenager (late '60s) we took a trip to California with our travel trailer on the Interstate highways. My mother pointed out a small gravel/dirt road off to the side of the highway and remarked that ALL the roads they traveled on were like that! Van Ness Ave has changed, oh wow Sad to report that nothing remains of this view. The former site of St. Mary's Cathedral is now a TV station; an assisted living facility occupies the corner where the marvelously bay-windowed apartment house was located; and a towering Sutter Health medical facility has risen in the distance. Did they get lost?It's not exactly the most direct route to L.A. to go via San Francisco. I suspect that they decided to do that to avoid traveling through the desert southwest. If they did this in summer that was probably a good idea. [Or maybe they already got to L.A. - Dave] Lucky to be alive and merely terminally dustyThe car is about a 1912 model so it wasn't new when they started out on their adventure. It was pre-battered from age and usage before they set out on the dirt roads of the day! The hood line into the cowl is the giveaway as to age. By 1914, Cadillac had faired in the hood line to cowl, instead of coming up abruptly to it. This one has an intermediate look with a bit of a rounded piece between the hood and cowl, although I cannot find its exact counterpart in a search. The top arrangement and windshield are also pre-war. You kind of get the idea that this was a well-fed office gentleman, who lassoed his wife and daughter to come along for an adventure trip without having a clue what he was getting into. His rope knotting/lashing skills are, shall we say, basic. Cadillacs rarely had a trunk in those days; it was an optional extra, so the square attachment at the back, if they had any sense, was an auxiliary fuel tank. Gas stations out in the sticks were about non-existent and most of their trip was in the sticks. You can read stories of drivers running out of gas and telegraphing for more from a train-halt hamlet - it would then come by train freight to the stranded motorist. People drove local due to the paucity of roads for fast travel to other places. Train was king for medium and long distance. When you read about the wondrous Lincoln Highway, you'd think things were finished by 1928, but that was when they really got serious about building it after years of glorious proclamations and not much action except here and there. Considering its age and recent history, I think the car is in great shape. A bent-up piece of trim by the front running board and the torn rear top at the (non-existent) C-pillar are the only damage visible in this very hi-res image. It just needs a darn good wash, then wax and lube. You wonder if they sold it in California and hopped on a train for a nice comfy trip back to Rochester. By the look on Mom's face, I'd say that's exactly what they did. I see a blowout in their futureThe surface of that front driver's-side tire looks a bit sketchy. Good thing they have those spares. [The closest side is the passenger side. - Dave] 52 years laterMy family made almost the same journey, moving from Ann Arbor to LA, in April of 1973. We also took the long route through Texas to visit relatives. We had an Oldsmobile Cutlass of indeterminate age ( indeterminate because I was too young to know it ). My father went before us to start his new job. I can't remember how long it took. More than a week but less than 2? With a 6 and 2 year old in tow, I don't think Mom could drive for long stretches. I remember looking for motels that had SWIMMING POOLS. Very important to us snow birds. In this digital age, the idea of just hoping to find a motel with vacancy seems hopelessly quaint. (Is that what those "No Vacancy" signs are for??) (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Geese Better Scurry: 1901
... Coleman was torn down in the '50s and replaced by a modern motel, the Empress." An early drawing of the Coleman, click to embiggen: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2016 - 2:43pm -

New Jersey circa 1901. "Coleman House, Asbury Park." Fringe Festival in progress. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Unsecured BicycleHow long until an unlocked bike was purloined in 1901? I'd give it five minutes today. This isn't OklahomaBut you get an Oscar for your Hammerstein reference anyway. Luddite Bicycle JockeyDoesn't trust those newfangled bike racks. FixieNowadays, you have to pay someone to make a bike like that for you. We call them "fixies", and they don't have brakes because they don't have a freewheel: you cannot coast, your legs are always moving. Stop moving your legs, and you stop. Sort-of. Up a hill, not so bad. Down a hill, rather exciting. Stopping is overratedWho needs brakes when you have a bell, though it looks like they may have lost the actual bell part. Razed, not BlazedAccording to http://noweverthen.com/asbury/ap1.1fold/ap1.12.html: "The Coleman was torn down in the '50s and replaced by a modern motel, the Empress." An early drawing of the Coleman, click to embiggen: Back seat driverNote first surrey. stopping is NOT overrated......and entirely possible with a fixed gear bike. Once a necessity, now a hipster status symbol/phenomenon. Google "hipster fixie" if you care to know more. Early auto designI don't ever recall seeing a full-size buggy with wire wheels. Imagining it without the back seat, and the top, (and the horse!) it looks a lot like a early Winton auto. Water tower designTop left of the hotel is what looks like to me a water tower built for the purpose of water pressure throughout the hotel. Best looking water tower I've seen. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Horses)
Outing Equipment: 1920
... 90 years. That's a good one. Auto Beds I guess Motel 6 leaving the light on for you wasn't around yet! Dapper Casper ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2015 - 10:24am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "National Service Co. front, 1610 14th Street N.W." Home of 24-hour tire service. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size. Seal of ApprovalThese days, we rotate our tires every 6000 miles. So much for the 6000 mi guarantee! Then and NowView Larger Map Roadside Service: 50 cents Washington Post, Apr 6, 1919 24-Hour Tire Service Begins J.H. Robison Head of Company Installing Apparatus for Heavy Work Twenty-four-hour tire service is something new to Washington. It has just been introduced by the National Service Company, which has opened a tire store at 1610 Fourteenth street northwest for both solid and pneumatic tires. J.H. Robison is active head of the new company, which is specializing on the Firestone line of tires and tubes. Mr. Robison has been for a number of years connected with the American University in the capacity of purchasing agent. Previous to this he filled a like position for the bureau of mines in the Pittsburgh district. A 150-ton hydraulic press has been installed for handling the sold tire work. There is also set up an oxacetylene welding outfit for cutting off old tire bands and tire bases from wheels fitted with the pressed-on type of solid tires. A service wagon, specially designed, with an overhead trolley and chain hoist for handling heavy wheels, is in operation. For the pneumatic tire business a complete vulcanizing plant is being installed and a service wagon that will answer telephone calls from anywhere in the vicinity of Washington, night or day, is on the streets. 1920s Taggers!Apparently, graffiti was a problem back in 1920, as well. Take a close look at the lamppost. Danged whippersnappers! Free AirProprietor: "That'll be fifty cents for the tire fill." Customer: "I thought the air was free." Proprietor: "It is but there's a non-waivable atmosphere-to-tire transfer fee." P.S. The lady in the window is reverse trick of the eye - she's real but looks like a cardboard picture. [She is covered with mold (on the emulsion, at least), which gives her that washed-out look. - Dave] Some things never changeI have a fondness for company logos that have remained in use for decades. The Firestone logotype hasn't changed in at least 90 years. That's a good one. Auto BedsI guess Motel 6 leaving the light on for you wasn't around yet! Dapper CasperThe ghost in front of 1612 appears to have had his shoes shined. ChillinI like the milk bottle on the window ledge -- cheaper than buying an icebox, I guess. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Magic Jack: 1967
... I guess this is what he did for a living after the Bates Motel. Sign on the Magic Department NOTICE No solution of any trick ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2015 - 7:07pm -

"Store clerk, Little Jack Horner joke shop, Boston, 1967." Please do not handle the Jumping Beans. 35mm negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Ashtray with a specialtyThat Old-Red Eye ashtray, according to an eBay auction, burps. Little Jack Horner Jokes & MagicI had been to this place once probably around the 1990. It was a small and quaint selling a variety of joke, magic and novelty items. Apparently this store closed around 2007. Boston had at least 2 more joke and novelty stores, one near the North End, not sure if there are any still around. Magic Money MakerA magician feeds a dollar bill through one side of the rollers and a bill of a higher denomination would emerge on the other side. Martian magicThere are a couple of boxes containing "Martian Magic Tricks" kits, part of the merchandising connected with the My Favorite Martian TV show which ended its run the year before this photo was made. Classic look for the timesThe haircut, the Oxford broadcloth button-down shirt, the V-neck sweater. That was like a uniform for guys his age until the Summer of Love changed everything. I was a customer!In 1967, at 13 years of age, my favorite items there were the fake dog poop which, since we had a dog, gave my grandmother fits and the stink bombs which could empty out a streetcar in about 15 seconds! Once a Clerk.I guess this is what he did for a living after the Bates Motel. Sign on the Magic DepartmentNOTICE No solution of any trick will be revealed until trick is paid for. Thank you. Six-Shot Lota & Alarm Clock CandlesAs a pimply-faced pre-teen, I'd accompany Dad to his office on a Saturday afternoon and make my way to Little Jack Horner, the mecca of magic tricks. Anybody else remember six-shot Lota on the shelf behind the counter? It was the adult novelties, though, that bewildered me with the creepiness of growing up. Who else remembers the Alarm Clock Candles, a shabbos candle wrapped with instructions to shove it up your(self), and lines indicating of how far to insert, depending on what time you wanted to wake up? Wonderful, poignant memories of this vortex known as Little Jack Horner. (Boston, Found Photos, Stores & Markets)
To Splitsville: 1925
... and West Egg. Hopefully she is on her way to the nearest motel. Divorse I'm secretly proud of this woman for having the gall to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 9:56pm -

New York circa 1925. "McCall." Marion McCall Converse, the future ex-wife of Converse M. Converse, a society couple whose split came in a much-publicized divorce. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Lovely LadyBut then I like any lady in fur. Diva of DivorceI think her next husband was Evil Grimace. Asleep at the wheelShe looks very tired. Must be all the parties in East and West Egg. Hopefully she is on her way to the nearest motel. DivorseI'm secretly proud of this woman for having the gall to divorce Converse squared in that day and age. [Actually he divorced her. "Mr. Converse charges cruelty, alleging his wife drove a nail file into his ankle while they were ar Berne, Switzerland, and that in moments of anger she would pull his hair out by the roots." - Dave] Car monogram: rarely seen later in centuryI guess her garage had to figure out how to remove that classy monogram. Her divorce may have created a name change for the former Mrs. Converse. Perfect ChoppersThe state of dentistry being what it was in 1925, Marion has the most perfect teeth I recall seeing in Shorpy days. She lookscompletely and utterly evil. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Red Owl Supermarket
... Redfield, South Dakota, plus a listing in the Hotel & Motel Redbook for 1968 indicating an establishment by that name at the corner ... 
 
Posted by 4allofyou - 09/20/2011 - 1:41am -

I received a lot of negatives from people in the U.S. This negative came together with a lot from New Orleans. I don't know the place. In the background I can see the Red Owl Supermarket. View full size. Redfield, South DakotaAccording to a 1951 article in the Huronite and Daily Plainsman by the mayor of Redfield, Harlan P. Packard was one of the town's "first two bona fide settlers." He lured the State School and Home for the Feeble Minded (now called the South Dakota Developmental Center) to greater Redfield. "It is his name that is most indelibly linked with the city and its subsequent progress." The hotel, then the oldest building in town, is now gone. The Dakota Cafe building seems to remain, "renovated" into a hardware store. Harlan Packard HotelGoogling turns up references to a number of (outdated, unfortunately) eBay listings for a postcard showing a Harlan Packard Hotel in Redfield, South Dakota, plus a listing in the Hotel & Motel Redbook for 1968 indicating an establishment by that name at the corner of 6th Avenue and Main in that city. Also, in the photo, note what is pretty surely the Dakota Cafe on the corner, and Redfield had one of those. Harlan Packard HotelHow did you manage to find these answers because I couldn't. [Google Books search. - Dave] Dakota CafeThanks for your help, this is how the building looks today. View Larger Map Signal LightThe light on top of the Harlan Packard Hotel was the police signal. If you needed the police, you would call the telephone operator, and she would turn it on, and then you could call the telephone office to find out what the problem was. This method was used until the early 1960s. Richard Gallup Redfield, SD Harlan Packard HotelThe Harlan Packard Hotel was my grandfather's. From the early 1930's until he died in the 1970's. My grandmother would run the desk (the old cable plug in types on the switchboard (remember Lily Tomlin's character from Laugh In?), and my father ran his shoeshine service in the lobby. As a kid I had the greatest pleasure possible -- free soda pop from the bar, and read as many comics as I could at one time. Attached to the Hotel around the corner was the Prairie Lounge, one of two watering holes in the town. Pheasant hunting was one of the major economic engines, with hunting parties from all over the US, often staying with farmers in the area - the original bed and breakfasts? - if not staying at the Harlan Packard. Also important is the cafe next door. All the farmers within a very large radius chose to come to town every Thursday to get groceries, supplies, and a great deal of socialization. My treat was a bowl of mashed potatoes and gravy at the cafe -- no ice cream or other desserts, excepting perhaps a piece of pie -- and no comfort good could possibly have been better. This was a small town of ~ 1200 when I was a boy, and it really hasn't changed a lot since except for new building facades, and of course, newer vehicles. If you still have this photo, I would be interested in obtaining it. I don't hold much hope you do, since the last posting from you was in 2009. What a wonderful picture and the memories it sparked. Paul Blackburn Phoenix AZ 85048 pablackburn@cox.net (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Eateries & Bars)
Magic Fingers: 1970
... My wife and I often stop on our way east at a roadside motel in Irwin, Pennsylvania. the small, but comfortable rooms are right out of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/12/2013 - 4:06pm -

1970. "Lenore Romney, wife of former Michigan Gov. George Romney, campaigning for U.S. Senate in Michigan, and meeting with son Mitt in her hotel room in Marquette." Note the "Magic Fingers" coin box. Photo by Douglas R. Gilbert for the Look magazine article "Lenore Fights Alone." View full size. Where are we, Mitt?They may be in Marquette but that looks like the front page of the Milwaukee Journal on the bed. Used to work for them in house-to-house distribution once a long time ago so it caught my eye. YoopersMarquette is in the UP, and is closer to Milwaukee than Detroit. Yoopers often seem to associate more with Wisconsin than Michigan (e.g., cheering for the Packers rather than the Lions, etc.). So it's not surprising to find the Romneys reading a copy of the Milwaukee Journal rather than the Detroit Free Press. Thanks for the delayI don't know if it was intentional, but I'm SO glad you didn't post this until AFTER the last election. I could just see the headlines: "ROMNEY PHOTOGRAPHED IN BED WITH MOTHER" ShoesI know that if I tried to sit like that, my mom would yell at me to get my shoes off the bed. Magic Fingers indeed (not)I *finally* convinced my dad to let me try Magic Fingers. He was reluctant to give me a quarter but my begging wore him down. What a disappointing experience! Magic fingers are alive elsewhereMy wife and I often stop on our way east at a roadside motel in Irwin, Pennsylvania. the small, but comfortable rooms are right out of the 1940s (knotty pine walls and period furniture). The Magic Fingers at the bedside work for two bits. I still have one of those Magic Fingers!I once worked at an old vending supply place and bought a few of them as gag gifts for friends. (They make great wedding gifts!) The motor can be screwed to any bed, chair or baby crib (as the booklet suggested!) and it really is a strange experience. The vibrations feel nice, but I like it when it suddenly stops and in the still of the moment you feel like you're floating. Best investment ever. You can still find them on eBay at times. the Holiday Inn in MarquetteAs one of the commenters said, the U.P. has close ties to Wisconsin and it wasn't surprising to see Milwaukee papers. I grew up in Marquette in the 70s and can remember a friend having a birthday party at the Holiday Inn... to use the swimming pool. Her parents rented a room. One of the things we enjoyed was trying out the "magic fingers..." so exotic! (LOOK, Politics)
Going Back: 1942
... me and the car to Winchester. I stayed overnight in a motel. The dealer replaced the points the next day, and I headed home to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2008 - 5:41pm -

1942. "Road out of Romney, West Virginia." 35mm color transparency by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. RomneyI wonder if that house is still there. So much erosion. [There's probably pavement where the house is. Something tells me Route 50 isn't two skinny lanes anymore. - Dave] I think I see itI love Google Earth. I'm pretty sure that this is the bend in the road that we see in the photo. There is a bridge in the distance that also appears on the map, but the resolution is so low that I can't tell for sure if the house is still there. I couldn't figure out how to copy a link to the location on the Google Earth map, but here are the coordinates: 39°20'33.72"N 78°45'49.20"W See if you agree. dave Indian MoundThis is the house seen here, across from the Indian Mound Cemetery. The houses are long gone. Route 50 was regraded, widened and straightened out many years ago. Satellite view. The Yellow HouseThe satellite view from "Mountain Mama" (via Microsoft) is clearer than the Google version. It seems like that particular yellow house is gone, but it looks to me that the road is still two lanes - perhaps with a wider shoulder. And lots of homes still right along the road toward the center of town. As posted in another thread, we need to setup a bounty service for a local to take a current photo! Almost HomeThe bridge in the distance is over the South Branch of the Potomac River. I was born in the back room of a country store a few miles on down the road three years before this picture was taken. Then and NowI have passed this scene many times over the years on our annual autumn trek to Blackwater Falls Park in West Virginia. In 2009, I stopped and spent about and hour reviewing this scene and comparing it to the Vachon photo. The scene today is almost identical to the Vachon view, with the following exceptions: The bridge in the distance will soon be replaced by a modern one, but it remains in view; The house on the left has collapsed, and nothing but rubble remains, hidden in the weeds; And finally, the steep embankment on the right has been prettified by flowers and other plantings. The roadway (Route 50) has never been widened or straightened out! Romney, West Virginia: 1942 When I saw this photo, I could barely believe my eyes. In November of 1966, my 1964 Opal died at the bottom of the hill on this road. I was on my way from Colorado Springs to my Maryland home after serving a four-year hitch in the Air Force. I managed to coast to the side of the road. I walked back up to the house on the left to use the phone to call for help, but they didn’t have one. The next home up the road did. They called a garage a couple of miles away, and someone showed up a few minutes later. The guy said my points were defective, and that I would have to get the car fixed in Winchester, Virginia, where the nearest Buick/Opal dealer was. So I went back to the house and called the dealer, which was 50 miles away. They sent a tow truck out, and towed me and the car to Winchester. I stayed overnight in a motel. The dealer replaced the points the next day, and I headed home to Annapolis. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Rural America)
A Swingin' Good Time
This is me on a swing at a motel in either Maryland or Delaware sometime in the mid-1970s. It was likely ... the photo, too. I really like this photo -- the sun, the motel architecture (is that an oxymoron?), the photographer's shadow, and ... 
 
Posted by pattyp814 - 07/05/2008 - 7:35pm -

This is me on a swing at a motel in either Maryland or Delaware sometime in the mid-1970s. It was likely taken by my father, whose shadow appears in the photo, too. I really like this photo -- the sun, the motel architecture (is that an oxymoron?), the photographer's shadow, and especially the red and white pool umbrella. Doesn't it all just scream 1970s? View full size. EarplugsScreams 70s it does, loudly, especially what appears to be "rug burn"-inducing Astro-Turf under the swingset. Whoever thought that was a good idea for a playground. Maybe it's just painted concrete, but a good bet it is a cheap Astro-Turf knock-off as was the fashion in play areas back in the day My parents certainly thought it was a good thing to install in my little brother's room in the basement (concrete floor - no padding). Since the large space was a prime play area our knees and palms were always dimply and red. Horsies!Wow, I remember playing on those horsie-swings when I was a kid in the early 70's! They had the exact same set at the park down the street. We'd pile on a whole bunch of kids on one horse and go for broke. Meet the SwingerI recognize those horse-swings as being made by Miracle Recreation Equipment Company - they were once in Grinnell, Iowa - however I think now located in Missouri. I loved them as a kid. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Travel & Vacation)
Let's Go Play In Traffic: 1957
... Similar to "Color TV" and "Air Conditioning" on 1950s motel signs. Invasion of the Saucer Men This was the second feature ... 
 
Posted by prrvet - 03/16/2018 - 3:38pm -

This Kodachrome slide was taken by me, William D. Volkmer, on August 30, 1957, on Atlanta's Peachtree Street in the theater district during a Shriners convention. I was entering my Senior year at Georgia Tech. View full size. '50s KodachromeThere is nothing like 1950s Kodachrome slide film for busy street scenes like this. I really wish I could get this look out of my digital files. I have a couple of Fujis equipped with Classic Chrome. It's a good look but it's certainly not this. They save lots of paradesI have to mention that many of the smaller towns and cities I've lived in had their parades saved by Shriners who volunteered to perform on their motorcycles, small cars, trikes and what-have-you with clowns, their trademark red fezzes, and other costumes to fill in for the lack of enthusiastic marchers and perhaps poor planning by the parade planners, to step in and make something out of what would have been a pretty lame performance and turned it into a laughter-filled and enjoyable good time for the kids and adults who took the time to attend and participate. One small city I lived in in the Southwest (I won't point the accusatory finger) was supposed to have their first St. Pat's Day parade and the day before, all they had was the Irish mayor in a green suit carrying his Carmel Quinn album and two Irish setters willing to participate, but since the Shriners were nearby at a convention, they all came to the rescue and saved the day with a fun-filled celebration for all the spectators and were very much appreciated. Good on them. I Was a Teenage WerewolfCurrently playing at the Paramount and starring a young Michael Landon, a couple of years before his role in Bonanza. Julie Andrews in the skyI stayed with my cousin for a month (my parents were living in France) in an apartment just off of Peachtree Street in the summer of 1965 while waiting for my freshman year to start at the University of Georgia. That billboard on the top of that building featured a huge version of the iconic image of Julie Andrews spinning in a mountain meadow promoting "The Sound of Music," that year's biggest film. I saw it every day when I'd walk to the drugstore for a Coke. Diners Club HonoredBefore the ubiquity of Visa/MasterCard/Discover credit cards, this was a selling point worth enshrining on permanent signage. Similar to "Color TV" and "Air Conditioning" on 1950s motel signs. Invasion of the Saucer MenThis was the second feature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la9VXiM8GJU My first motorcycleThe closest motorcycle is a Cushman Eagle. I got mine as a basket case when I was 15. I don't remember how many cc's it had but it did have a two speed transmission with the shift lever on the tank. It had an arm on the front of the engine you stepped on to start it. There was a small piece of key stock that kept shearing. I got real good at pushing it and jumping on to bump start it. I've been riding over 50 years now. Hot, cold, rain, or sun, I have loved every minute of it. Have a CigarI thought at first that there was an exhaust pipe jutting out under the middle of the bus closest to the camera, until I realized it was an electric coach (something I never knew Atlanta had) and not a bus, so there would be no exhaust pipe. Instead it seems to be a remarkably thick but rather short cigar clenched between that baby-faced Shriner's teeth. Those were the days. CushmanYes! The bike appears to be a Cushman. Made in my hometown of Lincoln Nebraska. An interesting little scooter. The Cushman aficionado still have annual (I believe) conferences/swap meets. Frances Virginia Tea RoomAt the end of the block on the right side of the photo, one can see the sign for the Frances Virginia Tea Room. Owned and run by Frances Virginia Wikle Whitaker, was located in the Collier building from 1931 until 1962, although Ms. Whitaker had retired in 1944. It is the subject of a 2012 masters' thesis written by Mildred Coleman, a Georgia State graduate student who is the niece of the restaurant's manager at the time of this photo. The sign remained until the late 1970s. The building was demolished and replaced with the Peachtree Station of the metropolitan transit system. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Look Gives You Lemons: 1957
... The Son Later went in to the small roadside motel business. He's very Hitchcocky. September 5, 1957 Beatcomber - I'm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/22/2014 - 1:48pm -

October 1957. "The Lemon family of Little Rock, Arkansas -- father Fred, mother Edith, daughters Virginia and Rosemary, and son Gary -- at home; in front of state capitol building; on streets of Little Rock." From photos by John Vachon for the Look magazine assignment "Members of the Mob." View full size. The things you can findon the Interweb. I can locate only one obit for a Fred Lemon in Arkansas later than 1935, and this one seems to match up. Wife's name is right, and the cemetery is outside Little Rock. 1957? Little Rock?I assume this pictoral in Look had something to do with the events at Central High School. Were the sour Lemons possibly on the wrong side of history? Mr. LemonI get the feeling that Mr. Lemon runs a very tight ship! About this photoI'd like more information about this photo. Was father Fred here one of the "Members of the Mob"? [The article "Members of the Mob" appeared in the "National Scene" section of the November 12, 1957 issue of LOOK, along with the article "The Real Little Rock Story," by Fletcher Knebel. -tterrace] The SonLater went in to the small roadside motel business. He's very Hitchcocky. September 5, 1957Beatcomber - I'm sure you are correct. It was a terrible time. My own mother was in that mob. (John Vachon, LOOK, TV)
Texas Gothic: 1939
... is fantastic! Vacation plans Is there perhaps a motel nearby? Check out time Apparently, the trees are leafing the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/02/2018 - 10:51am -

November 1939. "Old mansion in Comanche, Texas." Boo, y'all! Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Oakland HeightsAs a native of Comanche, Texas, I can say for certain that the house was named Oakland Heights, and was built before 1887 by a man named Dexter Walcott. (The street which ran in front of the house is still named Walcott Avenue.) A man named F. M. Browne added the Victorian decorations and additional stories a few years after. It stood on one of the tallest points in the town, befitting its name. The house was a showpiece in its early years, but fell into ruin as the family died out. (By the time of this photo, it may have been already vacant.) It was torn down as a derelict in the 1950s and replaced by a ranch-style home which stands on the site today, using the original house's foundation. Oakland Heights also served as the model for the cover of Richard Brautigan's novel "The Hawkline Monster," according to cover artist Wendell Minor. DetailsA lot of gingerbread on this house. And the brickwork on the chimney is fantastic! Vacation plansIs there perhaps a motel nearby? Check out timeApparently, the trees are leafing the mansion. I wonderThere is some lettering above the entrance on the far right. Any chance of seeing a closeup? [OAKLAND HEIGHTS, maybe. Or OAKLAWN. - Dave] I recognize the house!This is the Texas residence known as the old Addams place. Inhabited by a family of very exotic yet loving souls, it’s their southern vacation villa for use in hurricane season. Pan-dimensional, all of the windows face south to take advantage of looming storms. Room with a viewI want to be in that fourth-story cupola, sitting in a swivel chair. (The Gallery, Russell Lee)
Noonday Rambler: 1962
... been bitten by Glenda at least twice before we got to the motel. We spent the whole two weeks of that vacation hiding from Glenda. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 08/30/2017 - 5:54pm -

Glistening from a wash, wax and chrome polish job by sixteen-year-old me, our 1956 Rambler station wagon basks in the sun on the ramp of our garage on Walnut Avenue in Larkspur, California on a summer day in 1962. I'm sure I was paid something whenever I did this, but I actually enjoyed it; in fact, I always volunteered. I recorded my effort this time by clicking off three shots with my Kodak Brownie Starmite, using Perutz black-and-white 127 roll film. Fun auto fact: since we bought it from a Hudson dealer, our Rambler was Hudson-badged; it and Nash badges were discontinued after the 1957 model run. View full size. About that front tagSo tterrace, what's up with the 56 year on the front tag if this pix was from 62'? Was the front tag not necessary in California then and thus was just historical decoration? [California supplies yearly renewal tags for the rear plate only. -tterrace] Had A Friend...who had one of those; I remember that the upper a-arms tended to break, letting the attached front wheel assume strange geometries. He wouldn't get rid of it, though, because the front seat folded down into a bed. Ah, youth! WeightDo you know how much that baby weighed? [2992 lbs. - Super Cross Country 4-door wagon. -tterrace] PleaseColorize it, it makes me more nostalgic for Grandpa's red and black Buick Roadmaster. [Better yet, the real colors. -tterrace] My first driving experience!I learned to drive in one of those 1956 Rambler station wagons, owned by a neighbor. It had a three-speed shifter on the steering column, if I remember correctly. I had driven a Ford tractor, but driving on a road at speed was WAY different. That car was a chalky baby-blue and I can't say if the seat folded down. I also had forgotten how pretty that front end was. I love that emerald-green paint job, tterrace. Class! Ed Andersonand Bill Reddig were the guys who designed this car, for model years 1956 and 1957. It was offered as one of the first muscle cars in 1957 as the Rebel. Slogan"Stick out your chest like you owned a Nash." Billboard copy, sergeant to recruit, 1950s. Polo Green Hash, and trunnionsWith the Nash/Hudson merger, and the rebadging of cars, the cars acquired the nickname "Hash" for a time. As for this car, paintref.com shows the colors to be Polo Green (code P-75) with a Frosty White top (P-72). [Ours left the factory solid green; the dealer (Priola Motors in San Francisco) talked my father into having them paint the roof, reasoning that it would help keep the passenger compartment cooler. I remember the white chipping off a bit around the edges over the years, and it never could get a real shine. -tterrace] PersonFromPorlock's comment on the front end could be related to the trunnions. While most other carmakers used upper and lower A-arms with kingpins, (switching to the use of ball joints around the time this car was made), Nash/Rambler/AMC used a split upper arm with the upright in between (having the coil spring above it), and a trunnion containing a bronze bushing and thrust bearing holding the arm halves to the spring perch above and to the knuckle below. The 1956 models like this one used upper and lower trunnions; later, the lower one was eliminated, replaced by a ball joint, like on our '66 American. AMC continued to use an upper trunnion up until the early 1970s, when they finally went to an all ball joint setup. Periodically lubricated, the trunnions should last indefinitely. Here's a good treatise on assembly of upper trunnions, specifically for the '63-'64 Ambassador and Classic. Llicense plate tagThe CA plates in 1956 had the year stamped into the plates, front and rear. [Had this photo been from the back you'd see a 1962 validation sticker applied between CALIFORNIA and 56 on the rear plate. - tterrace] We're Gonna Need a Bigger Station WagonMade a trip from Amarillo to San Angelo, Texas in the same car, in the very same color. Mom and us four kids rode with Berniece, the wife of Dad's business partner, and her 6-year-old daughter Glenda. By the time we got to San Angelo, every one of us kids had been bitten by Glenda at least twice before we got to the motel. We spent the whole two weeks of that vacation hiding from Glenda. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Adirondack Porch: 1906
... 2 Hawk Street South, Albany, NY It's either a park or a Motel today depending on exactly where it was located. Geo W. Hart ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/06/2013 - 10:32am -

1906. Lake George, New York. "Horicon Lodge, Cleverdale." Come on by and set a spell. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 2 Hawk Street South, Albany, NYIt's either a park or a Motel today depending on exactly where it was located. Geo W. Hart Proprietor, accommodates 100, $10-$12 per week, $2 per day. BurnedLike many wooden hotels of the time, it burned in 1912. Apparently the best way to reach the hotel was by steamer, across Lake George. With no nearby fire-fighting equipment, the hotel went up in smoke, even with a bucket-brigade bringing water from the lake, just 100 feet away. The tall, narrow window>- What's the deal with the tall, narrow window visible on the far left? A house I owned many years ago had one similar at a landing to the back stairwell for light and cross-breeze. Perhaps this one served a similar purpose. DisappointedI expected to see a much better collection of Adirondack chairs then that. No chairs?All they need are some Adirondack chairs. Which, I must add, are very nice chairs. Details...I love some of the details in this photo: - The use of poultry-wire under the porch rails adds an authentic touch. - The wooden-plank walkway. It must have gotten muddy enough that a stone path didn't make sense. - The ladder leading to the attic above the top-level balcony. - What's the deal with the tall, narrow window visible on the far left? Too early for Adirondack chairsIt's a 1906 picture; the precursor to the Adirondack chair, the "Westport Plank Chair", wasn't invented until 1903 and wasn't patented and produced until 1905. (The Gallery, DPC)
The Ladies' Parlor: 1908
... main dining room, which was made into the wing of a motel. Both these fragments have been incorporated into a recently built hotel ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 7:43pm -

Lake George, New York, circa 1908. "Ladies' parlor, Fort William Henry Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. As opposed tothe men's smoking room? I want to see a picture of that one. I guess this is where needlework was done. Got a Light?I'm underwhelmed by the ceiling light fixture. You would think the room deserved better. Maybe because the windows are so large artificial lighting wasn't a priority. It was all ashes very soonThe carpet looks new and the paint looks fresh. $30,000 was spent on refurbishing before the hotel opened for the 1909 summer season. Shortly after it did, it was destroyed by fire on June 24. The replacement lasted longerA replacement hotel arose very quickly in 1910-11 and lasted until 1969 when the summer resort trade fell off and competition from newer (and cheaper) motels hurt the business. Two large fragments survived -- the service wing and the elaborate main dining room, which was made into the wing of a motel. Both these fragments have been incorporated into a recently built hotel and conference center which claims to "closely replicate" the 1910 building. Which it sort of does, in a cheap way. Just say noto Wicker furniture! What is that on the table?Most of the decor looks pretty bland to me, with the exception of the critter hide stretched out on the center table. I'm just not seeing it - wicker, white curtains, and ... leather? Weird. I guess someone got a good deal on it. Blessing in DisguiseAs someone who has an entire bedroom set made of wicker, I truly feel for the maids who had to clean it. That junk is nearly impossibly to keep clean, tiny crevices galore. (The Gallery, DPC)
SuperCenter: 1941
... storing it loosely. Looks dreary You sure the Bates Motel isn't somewhere in the background? Wittemeier Coal and Coke Harold ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/28/2018 - 3:08pm -

October 1941. "Main store for Fort Hunter, New York." Glimpsed earlier here and here. Medium format nitrate negative by John Collier. View full size. Still around todaySalada Tea company was founded in 1892 by Peter Charles Larkin. He introduced the concept of storing the tea in aluminum foil instead of storing it loosely. Looks drearyYou sure the Bates Motel isn't somewhere in the background? Wittemeier Coal and CokeHarold Wittemeier owned the largest coal company in the area. He stated that during the depression, people in Fort Hunter would remove up to two tons of coal from parked trains. As a result, coal trains were instructed to speed through the town to avoid "scooping". Rails to TrailsA quick pivot of the recent Google Earth view shows that the railroad tracks are long gone, replaced by an asphalt bike/ped trail, which young hiker seems to be enjoying. Minus a chimney & porch Car ID1939 Pontiac. New York, West Shore & Buffalo RailroadThis store was located along the railroad that was built with Pennsylvania RR interests to compete with the New York Central Railroad. (The two roads later declared a truce and swapped some of their routes.) A few images of the Fort Hunter train station can be seen at the bottom of this website as well as the railroad bridge located a few hundred yards west of the store. This bridge is now a bike trail but was placed into service as a highway bridge when a bridge on the nearby New York Throughway collapsed in 1987 killing 10. (The Gallery, John Collier, Railroads, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
California: 1967
... Sunset Blvd at North Las Palmas, looking east. Riviera Motel and Hollywood Aquarium are gone, but the tower on the left is the Church ... left. The big building on the left (just past the Riviera Motel) is still there at North McCadden Place, which is the next block west ... 
 
Posted by brianvnt90 - 10/20/2011 - 8:29am -

A view down a road in southern California in June of 1967. View full size. Hooray for Hollywood!I think this is West Sunset Blvd at North Las Palmas, looking east. Riviera Motel and Hollywood Aquarium are gone, but the tower on the left is the Church of the Blessed Sacrament at 6657 West Sunset. 1 More Block WestThis is just west of the corner of North McCadden Place and Sunset, I think, not North Las Palmas, as DoninVa says, though DoninVa is right that it's the Church of the Blessed Sacrament down the street on the left. The big building on the left (just past the Riviera Motel) is still there at North McCadden Place, which is the next block west after Las Palmas. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Air Castle: 1942
... County I wonder if John Vachon stayed at the Bates Motel. I wonder Do you think they may have sold soft drinks here? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2021 - 2:19pm -

February 1942. "Bates County relocation project, Missouri. Abandoned roadhouse." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Seeing Bates CountyI wonder if John Vachon stayed at the Bates Motel. I wonder Do you think they may have sold soft drinks here? LocationThis property is located in Newton County and was condemned by the Fed Gov for the construction of Camp Crowder. All of the Displaced Indigenous Persons were relocated to Bates County. I have to agree that the ditch/creek looks odd being there. This is a 'Roadhouse' so the road is no doubt to the left. Where's the driveway to the building? The walkway to same? I think the building has been empty for a while and the prep work for the drainage and road improvement has begun a bit earlier. (the grass is growing back) [The driveway to the parking lot would be out of frame to the right. - Dave] But the road!?The roadhouse looks empty but shuttered and closed. But that road? I have never seen one like it. Almost a "sunken" road as you may see in England or the continent. Long periods of foot traffic not cars. Why would it look like that? [That's a ditch, and I'd be happy to drive! - Dave] (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, John Vachon, Rural America)
The Boudoir: 1940
... photo. View full size. The Honeymoon Suite At Motel 6. Geese Goose-neck lamps: the ultimate in modernity. So ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/16/2013 - 11:17am -

July 11, 1940. "Collier's House at PEDAC, New York. Master bedroom. Dan Cooper, decorator; Edward D. Stone, architect." Interior of the Rockefeller Center ranch house last glimpsed here. Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. The Honeymoon SuiteAt Motel 6. GeeseGoose-neck lamps: the ultimate in modernity. So comfortable!The lamps are not appealing to me, but the rest of it---cushy stool, and all else clean and organized and tidy and refreshing. I'm sitting here in a pile of clutter, too buried in homework to have time for housework, and wishing I had this room. I guess it's motivation to graduate so I can have time and money to redecorate. Twin bedsTwin beds in the master bedroom? How modest. And are the walls made of prefab panels? Could've passed as a mobile homeExcept for the sprinkler heads, it definitely has that look about it. Oh, myGoodness graceless. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
House of Fleas: 1940
... Uninviting Name Right down the road from the Roach Motel, no doubt. Never thought I'd see this again In 1950, prior to ... 
 
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)
Seaside House: 1907
... and Motor Lodge, a 10 story brick hotel and a two level motel with a pool, and the area between the hotel and the boardwalk was a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/10/2013 - 10:50am -

Atlantic City circa 1907. "Seaside Hotel (Seaside House)." Note the fly netting on the horse. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Times changeAnd not always for the best. This is where the Trump Taj Mahal now stands. By the 1950s it had become the Seaside Hotel and Motor Lodge, a 10 story brick hotel and a two level motel with a pool, and the area between the hotel and the boardwalk was a miniature golf course. We used to stay there for a week every September back in the 60s. A Scorcher!I suspect this photo was taken on a very HOT day; both sets of ladies are using umbrellas, the carriages (which may have been taxi-like vehicles) are empty, and just about everyone else is in the shade of the porch. Flies!Flies were epidemic at that time due to horse dung everywhere. Probably was miserable for the people by today's standards. I have reservationsI look at this fine resort & think about the state of building codes and firefighting in 1907. I would opt for the downscale Hotel Jackson in the background. A lower floor, please. What are theWhat are the string things hanging from the horse in the foreground? [See the caption. - tterrace] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Horses)
No Vacancy
... size. Could there be a postcard on eBay showing the same motel? See the guy in the tie and dress shoes ... relaxing by the pool? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/19/2008 - 5:52pm -

Another Kodachrome slide from the Shorpy shoebox, labeled "Florida 1960." View full size. Could there be a postcard on eBay showing the same motel? See the guy in the tie and dress shoes... relaxing by the pool? I want to marry him. Amen, Anonymous Tipster!I would put on my swim skirt and rubbery cap and swim laps with the kids while hubby relaxed poolside after driving all that way. Later, I would dry off on a towel made in the USA and I would put on my shirtwaist dress and a strand of pearls and go to the diner with kids & husband (still in his tie, of course). And we would eat delicious diner food without worrying about CARBS. "Pass the gravy, please, dear." "With pleasure, honey." "You looked cute in your swimsuit today, dear." "Honey! Don't talk naughty in front of the children!" And then he would lean over and whisper, "I love vacation. Let's 'get cozy' tonight after the kids fall asleep." Sigh. Rubbery Swim CapWouldn't it be neat if you could go there, travel back in time, and put on a rubbery swim cap. Tricycle made of metal. Met-al Amazing to see the toddlerAmazing to see the toddler on the tricycle at the pool's edge. Probably rode to the hotel in daddy's lap in the driver's seat. How times have changed. (The Gallery, Kodachromes 1, Travel & Vacation)
Pop Shop: 1940
... 1940. Imagine, a shower for 25 cents! It may not be a motel, but it still made me think "No phone, no pool, no pets." Expensive ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/12/2019 - 3:15pm -

November 1940. "Shopping centers are springing up at the small towns near Shasta Dam site. This one was at Central Valley, California." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. ColasBig Coca-Cola sign, but dam it, Shasta is the Cola that Hasta. Pain!Watch out folks! Dr. Sparrow is NOT a Painless Dentist. Strip mallsWow, I had no idea strip malls had origins extending all the way back to 1940. Imagine, a shower for 25 cents! It may not be a motel, but it still made me think "No phone, no pool, no pets." Expensive ShowerToday, that shower at Welch's barber shop would set you back $4.48. Demolished in 2004Was located on Shasta Dam Boulevard at Red Bluff Street. A Row Of Uglier Cars I Have Never SeenThey lived a hard life. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
There's Always Money: 1950
... He was evidently a bit of an entrepreneur. He also ran a motel in Bourne. Dredged up a memory Till I saw this photo, I'd ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 1:19pm -

"Banana Burt and Lil at Buzzards Bay Dairy Queen, 1950." Brought to you courtesy of United Fruit. Photoprint by Drink a Banana Inc. View full size. Still ServingThis building is still around, though it has been Betty Ann's Dairy Freeze since 1955. It looks a little forlorn in the street view, which shows it closed for the winter, but during the season it's still a local favorite for burgers and soft serve ice cream. Banana BurtHe was evidently a bit of an entrepreneur. He also ran a motel in Bourne. Dredged up a memoryTill I saw this photo, I'd forgotten how some Dairy Queens and other summer ice cream places used waxed paper cups as outdoor decorations. I didn't live anywhere near Buzzard Bay, but I remember our local ice cream shop also hung cups outdoors on a gibbet-like support, as shown here. I also remember how those cups - - those which remained - - looked after being outdoors in the wind, sun, and rain - - yikes. I wonder whatever became of the giant bananas after the "Drink A Banana" campaign ended. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Eateries & Bars)
The Imperial Twins: 1959
... When I was a kid, I worked summers and weekends at a motel whose owner drove a giant Imperial much like this one. Washing and waxing ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/23/2018 - 6:38pm -

My sister-in-law Gimi's maternal grandmother and her identical twin pose with a 1958 Imperial in this Kodacolor print from July 1959. That's all we know for sure, although Gimi believes this is in the Ozarks of Missouri. Other elements give rise to speculation: the right taillight assembly suggests a close encounter with some native plant life, perhaps on a narrow, winding road that brought us hither. The pointing finger I like to think indicates a voice exclaiming "Get those saddle shoes OFF the Imperial!" As for the other orphan footwear, I just want to say I'd rather not look under the Imperial. On a happier note, a 1955 Chevrolet. View full size. Missouri is a good betThe Chevy in back has a 1959 Missouri license plate. Imperial DutyWhen I was a kid, I worked summers and weekends at a motel whose owner drove a giant Imperial much like this one. Washing and waxing that boat was an all-Saturday job; but I still had to find time to mow the grass! Oh those wonderful tallightsChrysler folks nicknamed those taillamps "Sparrow Strainers". These might be referred to as "Shrub Strainers" though. [It was "Uncle" Tom McCahill, not Chrysler, who coined the term. - Dave] Uncle Tom McCahill!Thanks, Dave, for reminding us of this fine writer. He was the reason I subscribed to Mechanix Illustrated, and "Mail to McCahill" was the first thing I turned to when a new issue arrived. He could really turn a vivid phrase. Uncle Tom had a special place in my heart for disputing Ralph Nader's contention that the fun and handsome Corvairs were unsafe. If my 1965 Corvair, "Ol' Paint," was unsafe, it was due to its manic teenaged driver! Uncle TomThank you for reminding me of my old pal, Tom McCahill. As a young man intent on learning "everything" about automobiles, new and old, I turned to Roger Huntington for deep thinking and theory. But when it came to straight from the hip, no bull reporting, none but Uncle Tom was to be trusted. At least by me. If he said something wallowed in the turns or stopped like a mud flow, it was gospel. I never learned it all, but those two gave me a decent base for my automobile knowledge. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Boll Court: 1939
... Depression class That is one high-class motel for the Depression-era South. It would have been hard to find one any ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2019 - 8:47am -

October 1939. "Tourist court in Clarksdale, Mississippi Delta. Everything is named 'cotton boll' in the Delta." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Ashes by Now"That new 49/61 intersection became known as 'the crossroads' to the citizens of Clarksdale. ... In the space of four years, the intersection point of two new highways had blossomed into a vibrant neighborhood named for the intersection. Assisting that transformation was Cotton Boll Court, a multiunit motor court just off the southeast corner. ... Remembered by several elderly Clarksdalians as an important fixture at the crossroads, it eventually burned down." -- From "Beyond the Crossroads: The Devil and the Blues Tradition" by Adam Gussow. Today: Cryptic captionI recently came across a snapshot in a family photo album that had the words "cotton ball courts" scribbled on the reverse. Thanks to Shorpy, I now know where Anna "Ma" Zott of Center Line, Michigan stayed overnight during a May 1941 road trip. The Blues CrossroadsFrom misspreservation.com: Cotton Boll Court, Hiways 61 and 49, Clarksdale, Mississippi. Innerspring Mattresses–Tile Bath–Shower over tub–Insulated–Gas Heat–Garages–Telephones. S.H. Kyle, Owner. Mr. and Mrs. W.B. Wilkinson, Managers. Depression classThat is one high-class motel for the Depression-era South. It would have been hard to find one any nicer in the '50s. It seems built to last. Mildly surprised to find out it's been gone for twenty or so years. (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott)
Clack Elevator: 1941
... (Source) Great Northern 805 ... Rail motel for linemen's overnights. Marion does it again with her unique eye ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/11/2019 - 2:42pm -

August 1941. "Grain storage elevators. Havre, Montana." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Vintage CoachThat handsome arch-window passenger car was practically an antique by 1941, especially on a Class I railroad such as the Great Northern. Obsolete passenger equipment was sometimes used by railroads for maintenance-of-way crews; maybe that's the case here. Perhaps a Great Northern expert can shed some light. Safe HarborIt seems about the same today. Also in the oil business"Clack entered the Spokane market in 1922, setting up tanks, distribution and new stations. He watched as competition grew and his profit margin dropped. In desperation, he tried a new idea. He placed a second gas pump next to his first and labeled it “Hi Power,” charging a penny more per gallon. Sure enough, customers bought 6 gallons of “Hi Power” for every gallon of regular. “Salesmanship is a better avenue to success than price-cutting,” he told a reporter." (Source) Great Northern 805... Rail motel for linemen's overnights. Marion does it again with her unique eye and point of view coupled with perfect exposures -- literally and figuratively. That freebie landscape and all the technical information is a work of art. She's the best. By the way, the town's name, Havre, in Norwegian means "oats." (The Gallery, Agriculture, M.P. Wolcott, Railroads)
The Hamilton: 1908
... my parents in the late '40s. Most small towns lacked a motel, but almost all had one or more of these; some were even endorsed by AAA. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/26/2014 - 2:31pm -

Circa 1908. "The Hamilton -- Daytona, Florida." What used to be called a "tourist home." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Tourist HomesI well remember these, travelling with my parents in the late '40s. Most small towns lacked a motel, but almost all had one or more of these; some were even endorsed by AAA. They were like a B&B, minus the food, the wine, and the charm. To a pre-schooler's nose, they smelled funny, too -- a mixture of Air-Wick, furniture polish, and whatever the proprietor's family had eaten for dinner that evening. Where to Stay in DaytonaThe Hamilton -- S. M. Mabbette, proprietor. 112 South Palmetto street. New and first-class hotel in all respects. Will open its first season December 1st, 1909. Rooms single or en suite, with or without private bath. Steam heat. Cuisine unsurpassed. Rates, $2.00 and up per day; $12.50 and up per week; special by month or season. Found at www.drbronsontours.com Strip-malledAlas, the Hamilton is long gone and replaced by an all-too-typical Florida strip mall. But I wonder whether that big tree is the sapling we see in front of the old hotel. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Florida)
P.I.E.: 1940
... the street and to the right a bit of that gas station/motel. My father worked for the railroad, and my (very feisty) mother would ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/28/2018 - 8:47am -

March 1940. "Rear of interstate truck. Elko, Nevada." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Home Sweet HomeI was born in that town, a little before that picture was taken. Looks like Idaho Street, the main drag our little house was on, possibly across the street and to the right a bit of that gas station/motel. My father worked for the railroad, and my (very feisty) mother would stick her tongue out at the PIE trucks when they passed by. I remember PIEIn the late 70s and early 80s, it seemed like they were every third truck on the road in the western states. I never have made it to Elko, though. They still make them.I was just thinking that manufacturers don't sign their names with pride like "RELIANCE" did here, that is until I looked on their website. They've been making trailers since 1914. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations)
Hotel Aragon: 1905
... I found suggestions that it was listed in the Hotel and Motel Red Books as late as 1969, but couldn't verify that. (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2020 - 11:50am -

Jacksonville, Florida, circa 1905. "Hotel Aragon, Forsyth and Julia streets." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Funny towerThat is a strange tower up there, with the triangular windows, all alone on the roof, set back from the facade, and out of scale with the whole. It looks like it belongs to a different building. LongevityI have no memory of this hotel from growing up in Jacksonville in the 1950s and '60s, but evidently it was there. I found this photo featuring a 1957 Ford parked in front. (I will be swiftly corrected if I'm off on the model year). As a bonus, both photos in the montage show a Krystal hamburger outlet just to the right of the main entrance. The Aragon lasted a long time. It was one of the few buildings in the area to survive the 1901 Jacksonville fire. I found suggestions that it was listed in the Hotel and Motel Red Books as late as 1969, but couldn't verify that. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, Jacksonville)
« first‹ prev…2 [3]4next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.