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The Banana Wagon: 1943
... and Joe Louis. Rudolph was 30 years old and a chef at a night club. Perhaps that's Rudolph behind the fruit cart in the street. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/29/2017 - 11:48am -

      2017 UPDATE: The man is fruit vendor Abe Cweren, who came to America from Poland in 1922. (Originally posted in 2007.) May 1943. Houston, Texas. "Old house with fruit stand on Franklin Street." 4x5 inch Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon. View full size. What a house- hasn't seen aWhat a house- hasn't seen a coat of paint in years! Look at the attic window covered with an old sign. Thank heaven for the FSANow you're starting to post some of my personal favorites! I posted an article on FSA photography last summer, the subject never strays far from my heart! Thanks for a great site. Here's what I had to say on the subject. Does anybody know why theDoes anybody know why the color in these old photos looks so good? I love the "painted" quality of the colors. Wish I could reproduce this effect in photoshop with my digital camera. ColorThese are scanned from 4x5 inch Kodachrome transparencies and then color-corrected. It's hard to do better than large-format Kodachromes taken by a professional photographer. Digital has yet to equal that combination. What House?It seems to be all adornment and very little living space. That's the oddest Victorian I've ever seen. Color quality1 word answer: Kodachrome Banana Wagon/HouseI remember this place...and thought it was Houston for sure when I saw the mosaic street name and block number on the curb (far right). There are still several of these mosaic street markers left that haven't been destroyed by road construction. Attic WindowCan anyone comment on the odd 3rd floor window? It's as if some picture has been pasted in over the original. [Covered with tin signs. - Dave] Modeling help?Does anyone have any other angles of this wonderful structure, since it no longer stands? I would love to try and model this structure. Thanks Pat White OutEven Kodachrome shows the Houston summer sky as being white, not blue or gray. I've tried to explain this to people who've never lived there, and they find it hard to believe that it could be sunny and white-skied. My rejoinder is "Head there in August." Fredericks HouseThe earliest owner of this house I have been able to find is Gus Fredericks, the owner of a jewelry store, as listed in the U.S. Census of 1900. His wife was Lottie and they had three children: John, Pierce, and Julia. His sister Louise Wagner and her daughter Lilian were also living there along with another nephew Gus B. Fredericks. I believe the correct address is 1902 Franklin Avenue. The curb sign for 1900 Franklin Street identifies the block in Houston. The layout of the house on the property at 1902 Franklin Ave., shown below, matches the photo shown in this Shorpy image. This picture below is from the 1907 Sanborn Map of Houston, Volume 1, Sheet 11. The link to the original picture is below. If you click on the image that opens it will magnify the picture. There was another smaller house here that this one replaced sometime between 1896 and 1907. The address was originally 242 Franklin on earlier Sanborn Maps. http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-houston-1907-vol1... The property was approximately 80' X 100' and was on the Southeast (South directionally) corner of Franklin (a brick street) and Hamilton (a gravel street). It was just a block from Firehouse Number 10 which had 7 men, 4 horses, one hose wagon, one steamer, and 2000' of hose. There was a stable at the back of the Fredericks property. The circular turret on the third floor is interesting because it does not look like there is any way to enter it. The Sanborn drawing shows the house as two floors, so perhaps the entire third floor is just a crawl space or attic area. In 1940, Rudolph Martinez was living here with his wife, Candalanca, and son Rudolph Jr. Living with them were Rudolph's sister Isabell Samora and her two children, Raymond and Joe Louis. Rudolph was 30 years old and a chef at a night club. Perhaps that's Rudolph behind the fruit cart in the street. Turret to NowhereI'm going to theorize the porches and Victorian doodads were added later to a simple, pre-existing structure. I can't imagine anyone designing a house with that "turret to nowhere" from scratch; it simply stops at the porchline. It's begging to be extended down the whole height of the house. The view todayJust a bit different. I-59/69 to the left, Minute Maid Stadium on the right. The property at Hamilton & Franklin long since becoming a parking lot. Abe Cweren, fruit dealer. In the picture is likely Abe Cweren. He wrote on his wagon "Jockey Cweren -- Kentucky Derby." He came from Poland in 1922 and was a fruit peddler. He had two sons and they went on to have a very successful business, Greater Houston Iron & Metal Company. I sent the photo along to his grandchildren in case they'd never seen it. Granddaughter of PeddlerMy late father always talked about his father, Abe Cweren, and his horse and wagon on Franklin Street. I was so excited to see this part of my family history. My dad's portrayal came to life. Wish there were more. Shout-out to the nice lady who took the time to find me and send me this photo. I am beyond thrilled to have this piece of history to show my four children. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Horses, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
End of the Road: 1966
... the street, were working on a TV program set in 1966 that night. In answer to your question Dave, the car is in turn key condition. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 01/28/2012 - 5:12pm -

If you think this is just a photo of a well-worn old car, you're wrong. It's actually a significant moment in our family's history. June 27, 1966 was the last day for our 1956 Hudson Rambler. Previously, we saw it all shiny and sparkly, mere days after we got it. During the following ten years, it: took my sister to the church for her wedding; took us to graduations, my grade and high school and my brother's college; took us on our first visit to Yosemite, and later our very first camping trips (see our decals?); took my folks to visit their first grandchild; and perhaps most important of all, took me to my first visit to Disneyland. I decided to record the event in a series of Ektachrome slides. Here, my father is clearing out all our personal items prior to the trip to the dealer to pick up our new car - a 1966 Rambler Classic station wagon. Oh; our trade-in allowance for this one: $50. View full size. I love the colors on that car!Colors in the 1950s were wonderful, today everything is a shade of brown or gray. My childhood car was a white 1965 Plymouth Belvedere four door. Purchased new by my dad, it was the most stripped down model available, three on the tree, AM radio, vinyl seats, Canadian built 318, and no AC. UglyMan, that is one ugly car. Of course, I can't talk: in the 60's my folks didn't even have a car - and we lived in a way outer outer suburban area. So outer suburban that we didn't even have a made road, our street was a collection of potholes loosely joined together with gravel. Our family's first car was an Austin A50 "ute" (pickup) with wooden floorboards in the back. Romney connectionWell, Hudson merged with Nash-Kelvinator to form American Motors, and George Romney (Mitt's dad) became president of AMC in 1954. Not a bad looking car, in my opinion. I'm sure a lot of happy memories were associated with it. Reminds me of the great "Wonder Years" episode where the Arnold family are prepping their memory-laden station wagon for sale. StrangeThat fellow doesn't look like Chevy Chase. They don't make 'em like this anymoreWas it like that episode of The Wonder Years? Be still my heartOooh. My Edsel and Studebaker would love to share their driveway with that car. You just don't see many of those today, even at car shows. Hope it had power steering and an automatic transmission. Too much to ask for it to have air conditioning too. I'm pretty sure it did not. Where is that time machine when you need it? It probably sold for less than one day's wages in today's money. [How IS that Edsel of yours. Pic? - Dave] Product LoyaltyYour dad was like I have been, loyal to the make of car I drive. Like your dad, I made my way from a Detroit built Hudson "Step-Down" and on to American Motors products built at the old Nash factory in Kenosha, Wisconsin. All were well built cars and doggedly reliable. Thanks tterrace for another glimpse into your fine family's interesting history. My family car in June 1966 was ...This 1960 Edsel. My father bought it new for my mother to drive me in the kindergarten carpool. Thankfully my father never traded in any car we had, ever, so I still have it. This pseudo vintage photo of it was taken August 30 2011, at Center Studios in Los Angeles. It, and the other cars on the street, were working on a TV program set in 1966 that night. In answer to your question Dave, the car is in turn key condition. It has about 300,000 miles on it and is never trailered. Don't you agree that the green Hudson wagon, with its white roof, would look real good in the driveway next to it? [My first (and only) 1960 Edsel encounter was circa 1977 in Lake City, Florida. It was parked tail-out in an alleyway, and as it loomed into view I remember thinking "What the hell IS that?" I considered myself to be a car guy but had never seen anything like this -- it looked like the mutant offspring of a 1960 Ford and Little Orphan Annie. The rear end is, to put it mildly, unique. - Dave] The way cars were meant to be builtThe bodies for these cars were built in Milwaukeen at the old Seaman Body Division of the Nash-Kelvinator Corp., on North Richards Street. They were trailered south to Kenosha for drive assemblies, interiors, etc. My car-freak friends and I witnessed hundreds and hundreds (thousands?) of car bodies heading down 27th Street (Highway 41) on their way to Kenosha. The 1956 Rambler was pretty much the design work of Edmund Anderson, the first design chief Nash ever had. By 1956 George Romney was in charge at AMC, and bet the whole farm, with mixed results, on the small car niche. I believe one of the engines offered in this car was a 262 cubic inch inline 6, with 7 (yes, seven!) main bearings. With proper maintenance one could be driving a 56 Rambler yet. Design stops at the rear wheelsEverything to the front of the rear axle is sculpted; everything to the rear is extruded. Miss the colorsI agree with Vintagetvs. I miss the shiny chrome, bright vivid colors and bold distinctive designs of the '50s. Today's cars may be full of hi-tech electronics but they are drab and monotonous on the outside. Oooh! That's a grand carAnd so was the '66 Rambler Classic! I grew up with the 66 four door at the turn of the 70's and even slept with the whole family with the front seats reclined to join with the back on a rainy camping trip. What American design genius! The white roofInteresting factoid about the white roof on our Rambler wagon: that's not the way it came from the factory. Originally the car was solid green; the dealership talked my father into having them paint the roof, pointing out it would keep the car cooler inside. I remember it chipping slightly around the edges, and I was never able to get a good shine on it like the factory paint. Later that day, our new Rambler (Larry Brink Motors, Mill Valley, Calif.), ready to drive home: Car trade insI vividly remember accompanying my late father when we took our '55 Chevy from Madison, Wisconsin to a nearby town to trade it in on a brand new '59 Chevy wagon. He said nothing at the time, but for years afterward complained that his impulse at the time was to take the wagon back for the '55. Too bad, because the wagon proved to be pretty awful, requiring numerous, expensive repairs. That damaged his brand loyalty for a long time, though he never joined the mass of his friends by purchasing a Japanese car. Pretty much a buy-American guy except for one area. When I returned from overseas service in the Army, there was a brand new Sony TV in the house, a quantum leap ahead of the dreadful American sets we had endured before. I'm utterly amazed that I don't recall any wagons like that Hudson. I remember the older slope backed ones, Studebakers, Kaisers and the rolling refrigerator-like Nash Metro though. 1960 EdselI too apparently have somehow escaped seeing a 60 Edsel before now, or at least I didn't notice, I had to Google it to see the back end. The front is really quite attractive and "normal," but the back got an extra helping of weird! Our 1959 Cross Country RamblerA photo of me and my younger brother in Mamaroneck, NY 1961. He always wanted to ride in the rear, facing backwards. When I was 21, it was a very good yearThis was my ride in 1958, a '54 Studebaker Starliner hardtop coupe, shown in the one photo with my friend Roger Baxter's chopped '48 Mercury. The Starliner (by Robert Bourke, a Raymond Loewy associate) has consistently been ranked as one of the best-designed cars of that era. Mechanically it was not a winner but oh those lines. I dropped a small block Chevy engine in it with a Chevy overdrive transmission, lowered it by torching the springs, and transformed a poorly-handling slow car into a seriously poorly-handling fast car. The color photo shows it after I dechromed it, painted it Chinese red, and slapped on a set of Moon aluminum wheel covers, just like they used then at Bonneville. (I was a dreamer.) My next car was a 1960 Austin Healey 3000. Photos taken on the Jaffa Mosque (!!!) lot, Altoona, Pa. I'm confusedWe had a 1953 Nash Rambler in our family in the 60s. When did the Nash/Hudson change take place? Was there a period when they were both using the Rambler marque? I'm pretty sure ours was pre-AMC. Maybe one of you Shorpycar experts can set me straight. It was a 4 door sedan and the front fenders looked the same as this one, although the grillwork was different. The taillights were exactly the same. It also had the very neat full reclining seats. Speaking of color, ours was a most hideous shade of green similar to an Army olive drab, only uglier! It was, however, as sturdy as anything the Army had on hand. It had a quite strong in-line 6 and 3-on-the-tree. ... Oops, sorry tterrace and Dave. Had I jumped to your other link I would have found my answer in the comments there. That'll teach me! Back o' the RamblerLike JD's little brother, I loved riding back there too, rattling around like a loose screwdriver in an empty toolbox, getting that vertigo-inducing backwards view through the roll-down window and getting slightly high on carbon monoxide. Great photo op angle, too. Check out my '57 Ford FairlaneThis was the first new car I ever owned, bought with a loan cosigned with my Dad. It cost us $2300 and was worth every penny of that. It came without a radio, so I bought one. Its cable was very short, so I had to install it upside down for the fit into the dash. That confused a lot of my friends. I drove that car for about 18 months, but then sold it to a coworker when I accepted a job in Manhattan and moved into the City. Within two months, he 'totalled' it in an accident somewhere between Plainfield NY and Brooklyn. I still miss that car. Rambler/Hudson connectionIn 1954, Nash bought Hudson to form American Motors. The head of AMC, George Mason, died shortly after the merger and his second in command, George Romney, took over. The warmed over "step down" Hudsons were deleted and their new small car, the Hudson Jet, didn't sell in big numbers and was a potential threat to the 100 inch wheel base Nash Ramblers. From 1955 to 1957, Hudsons were rebadged Nashes with some extra doodads and Hudson dashboards. The Rambler was essentially the same, as I have the pie pan hubcaps from my '58 with the "R" in the middle instead of the "H". Romney decided to concentrate on the Rambler line for '58 with no more Hudson or Nash nameplates, and it proved to be a wise decision as they made lots of profit and even beat Chrysler out in auto production in the early '60s, before Romney left to be governor of Michigan. For many years, the Rambler Station Wagon was about 40 percent of their production. The little slope in the back roofline was due to welding the extra length of metal to the sedan roof, as they didn't have large enough stamping machines for a one-piece wagon roof. The addition of the chrome luggage carriers made the roofline more straight. The engine for most Ramblers was the 195.6 straight six which evolved from the earlier Nash "Flying Scot" engines. Romney was asked if it bothered him that most Ramblers were in the slow lane when it came to roads. He responded that it didn't bother him as long as there were a lot of them. BTW, AMC was the only company to bring back a car from the dead. In 1958, they had the dies from the old 100-inch-wheelbase Ramblers, and slightly remade the car and put it out as the Rambler American to sell with the 108 inch "larger" Rambler. On the Other SideWell gee Dave, now everybody is going to be wondering "what did Dave see on the rear of that car?" So here is what Dave is talking about, the rear of a 1960 Edsel. TransposedWhen I was a kid my grandmother owned a Rambler. On the front grille the word "Rambler" was supposed to be displayed, but it was placed as R A M B E L R. True. Those were the daysI agree, they knew how to design cars in the '50s and '60s. That's why I bought a Chevy 210 in Lake Tahoe some years ago and shipped it to the Netherlands. Great pictures by the way (as always). Keep 'emI'm not too sure I could take my old car in for a trade. I still have my first new car, a 1971 Toyota Land Cruiser. Just before it was due to change over to 400,000 miles, the odometer broke (third engine). Ah, Ramblerstterrace, your parents' '66 Classic wagon pictured below sits in front of a car that looked just ours - a Frost White '66 American 4-door sedan. Ours was the high-line 440 model, with the all the brightwork that was missing on the cheaper 220. It had the 232 2-bbl Commando Six, a "Shift Command" (Borg-Warner) three-speed automatic, factory air conditioning, and pushbutton AM radio. Ours came from Marty R's Roundup Rambler, in the Pleasant Grove section of Dallas. I can remember going with my dad to pick up the car. We had no trade-in, since the Ultramatic transmission in our '52 Packard Mayfair had gone out the year before. For several months, travel meant borrowing cars or bumming rides, while my parents saved up for the down payment. Fifty BucksAs an avid S.F. Bay Area car-kid born in 1962 I remember seeing old used cars such as your dad's '56 Hudson-Rambler, in places like Berkeley and San Francisco, being used by college-aged kids as their daily transportation. These old cars lined the streets around campus, beaten by years of hard use and on their final decline before the scrap yard. Your dad's '56 wagon could have gone on to become a college kid's cheap wheels before succumbing to the pressure of 'planned obsolescence.' I seem to remember Hunter S. Thompson bought a new Rambler back in the late '50s or early '60s, he had nothing but trouble with it, and one of his books contains letters to the manufacturer over his car's ailments. Seeing your dad's ten-year old '56 makes me think of all the well-worn old cars around when I was a kid in the late 1960s. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Love Canal: 1907
... Maybe it's because the concert will be going on into night. Otherwise, why would two of the canoes carry mounted searchlights in ... to have a stern lantern as well, just to make sure his night vision is truly shot on the way back. One has to wonder about the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 9:53pm -

Detroit circa 1907. "Band concert on Grand Canal, Belle Isle Park." Once upon a time it might have been possible to woo a girl with just a humble canoe, but now you need plush pillows and a phonograph. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Cads!Ha, I was wondering where you were going with that for a minute Dave! I have to say, this is one of the most interesting photos I've seen on Shorpy. There seems to be a number of unchivalrous cads who are getting their dates to do the rowing, with the chap bottom right looking particularly unimpressed. Or perhaps he's not keen on the music. HatsOnce on the water, hats appear to be optional for the gents. Smiles, anyone?No one seems to be having a good time. Those are quite some hairdos on the ladies in the two canoes near the front. And who brings a phonograph to a concert? Chivalry, dead as a doornailI see at least three canoes where the man is taking it easy while the woman does the paddling! Just another chip in the blockfor the suffragettes. I'm assuming the women that are paddling are doing it on their own accord. They most likely demanded both the paddle and man cards from their escorts. Safety LastNo one is wearing a life jacket. And WhyDoes the canoe with the phongraph have a searchlight. The "unimpressed" lad does have an interesting jacket though. Personal audioAlternate title: "Turn That !*#&! Thing Down!: The Early Days" Paddlin' WomenThe next thing you know they'll be asking for the right to vote. Geez! Long Day's JourneyMaybe it's because the concert will be going on into night. Otherwise, why would two of the canoes carry mounted searchlights in the bow? And the guy with the Victrola seems to have a stern lantern as well, just to make sure his night vision is truly shot on the way back. One has to wonder about the power source for these lights in the boats. Decisions, decisions! Battery or kerosene? Not so obvious in 1907. Marine accessoriesInteresting canoe front and center. He has a lantern on one end and what looks like a spotlight of some kind on the other. There is a second canoe which also seems to have a spotlight on it as well. Hoping to get lucky?Are those fellows paddling around with empty pillows hoping to lure a young lady from among the spectators and get lucky? And by lucky I mean will he be able to entice them to paddle the canoe while he lolls about on the cushions like those other lads are doing. iPlodThe modern equivalent to toting the phonograph is being encumbered by an early generation iPod, or, heaven forbid, a Discman. Unthinkable! Maybe the old days weren't so greatAll those people considered their options for the afternoon and chose this? The guy in the boat at lower right looks about as bored as I would have been. He had probably told the girl, "Either you row or we go home. And I hope you refuse to row!" Chivalry Metro ManFret not on the cads - there is a man on the left side pavement pushing a baby carriage. Besides, the boat men discovered that when the women are paddling they are distracted from complaining. Uh oh, I'm going to hear it on this one. Wow, where do I start?So many opportunities for comments on this one. First, Mr. Bored in lower right front, obviously he and his lady are charter members of the Big Button Club. And what's that guy at right center, the one who's laid back and waving -- what could he be saying? Maybe directed at the single guy at left center: "Hey, Fred, if you'd get yourself a girl friend you wouldn't have to do your own paddlin'!" As for "Who brings a phonograph to a concert," indeed! Next thing you know kids will be bringing iPods to their next rock concert. Oh wait, never mind. I get the boatingAnd I get and why it was probably fun (relatively speaking) to row down the canal and all on a nice day (although THAT much of an audience would have made me a bit self-conscious) What I DON'T understand is why all those dressed up folks are just sitting there on either side of the canal, watching. Was it a competition, or is there a concert or something else also going on? Or was life in Detroit in 1907 so boring that you would really WANT to just sit by the side of a canal in fancy duds and watch people row around? Am I missing something here?? [A closer look at the photo (and the caption) might solve the mystery! - Dave] The thread continuesHere. Life jackets and American tragediesJudging by that charmless embankment, this water attraction was man-made (man-dug?), and probably three feet or so deep, so no life jackets were needed. Say, isn't that Theodore Dreiser with the dark jacket lolling in the boat, right foreground, perhaps dreaming up a love story about a guy with a pregnant and poor girl friend but he's really in love with a wealthy young lady and he, oh, I don't know, decides to do away with the unfortunate mother-to-be, or something? "I know what. I'll have him 'accidentally" push her in front of a train. Naw, too messy. Hey, how about they're out on a lonely lake in a canoe, and -- " In the GrooveMy grandparents did the Victor record player in a canoe also. I don't know how they'd keep the record from skipping but I do remember dad being able to get into a canoe without it moving much at all- a skill I'm sure he learned at a young age- he's the littlest one in this canoe! Belle Isle too, c. 1923 (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Met Light: 1910
... 1910. "Metropolitan Life Insurance Company building at night." Note the 10-minute exposure time as recorded by the clock. 8x10 inch ... goodly portion of those ten minutes. Must have been a warm night. Timing My first thought was also; "Oh, a ten minute exposure, how ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 3:39pm -

New York City circa 1910. "Metropolitan Life Insurance Company building at night." Note the 10-minute exposure time as recorded by the clock. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. My favorite parkI spent this sunny afternoon in Madison Square Park, embroidering and watching the installation of the latest MAD. SQ. ART exhibition. It's my favorite NYC park, hands down, any time of year. I must beg to differ with Mr. Mel, though. The domed building with pediment that fronts Madison between 24th and 25th Streets is gone, replaced by a strange art deco stump. The courthouse is on the north side of 25th Street, and its pediment faces 25th Street, not Madison. WowJust plain old, wow. I like the people on the park benches who sat there, unmoving, for a goodly portion of those ten minutes. Must have been a warm night. TimingMy first thought was also; "Oh, a ten minute exposure, how neat." But now I'm wondering why the hour hand isn't also swept a sixth of the way between 7 and 8? And how on earth do you get five people in NYC to sit still for that long? [We see something similar in this 1943 time exposure. The hour hand might have moved in 15- or 30-minute increments. As for the sitters, they have to remain relatively still only long enough to register on the emulsion, not necessarily the entire length of the exposure. - Dave] Whatever happened to"Success Magazine"? New York State of MindThe low domed structure with the columns is the Manhattan Appellate Courthouse, there since 1900 and one of the busiest in the State to this day. If they turn you down, next stop is the NY State Supreme Court. The property that it was built on was owned by a NY Congressman who sold it to the city for $370,000, a phenomenal sum in those days. 2nd LookOur Madison Square Park Tipster is correct the domed structure in this photo is not the Appellate Courthouse. The courthouse is indeed on 25th St and not in this picture. After a more careful look, the domed building is a church. It was the Madison Square Presbyterian Church, a short lived structure built in 1906 and demolished in 1915. I imagine somebody made the Congregation an offer they couldn't refuse. [The church was razed in 1919; Met Life paid $500,000 for the property. Interesting side note: Its predecessor was torn down in 1905 to make way for the main Met Life tower. - Dave] Back to the FutureI love photos like this that make a 100-year-old scene look current. I can imagine the thoughts going through the heads of those sitting on the park benches: Lighted skyscrapers, motor cars, telephones -- we've reached the apex, things can't get any more modern ... can they"? If only they knew. Otherworldly Positively ethereal ... that's the best word for it. Thanks for sharing this. Another instant classic -- these black and white nighttime photos are so beautiful. Gloriously BeautifulThat is the only way I can describe this shot. It makes me think of the book "Time After time". The clarity is STUNNING and the subject top notch. Anyone know who the photographer was? Don't Jump!I can't tell for sure, but is that a man standing in the belvedere at the very top of the building? What a view HE must have had! [That's a bell in the cupola. - Dave] BreathtakingI share the thought of photoscream -- how could those people sitting at the park believe that things could get more modern? Greetings from Argentina, this blog is fantastic! Little-known factThe Met Life tower was built to withstand aerial attack by giant parameciums. Refined datingI agree that the photo is beautiful and evocative. The church certainly lasted more than ten years, and it was only built to replace the church that had been on the site of the Tower. The tall building behind the church is the "north annex" of MetLife, which opened in 1919. The lights indicate that it is already in use, so I would date the photo no earlier than 1919. [Thankew! - Dave] [I think you're mistaken. The Annex replaced the domed church seen in our photo. Demolition of the church commenced in 1919; below is a New York Times article from that year with an artist's sketch showing the finished annex. Which was an extension of the "old annex" -- the mid-rise structure seen in our photo behind the church. So we're going back to 1910. - Dave] That domed buildingThe domed building at 24th & Madison was architect Stanford White's 1906 Madison Square Presbyterian Church, a widely-admired masterpiece that stood less than 10 years before being demolished to make way for the full-block Metropolitan Life North Building, the "strange art deco stump" referenced below. At 100 stories, it was planned as the tallest skyscraper in the world, but was cut off, rather literally, at 32 stories by the stock market crash in 1929. [Not quite. The "stump" replaced the annex that replaced the church, which stood for 13 years. The church was demolished in 1919 to make room for an extension of the "old annex" seen behind it in our photo. The resulting structure, known simply as "the annex," was completed around 1921. The North Building (the "Art Deco stump"), which replaced the annex, was completed in 1932. - Dave] Bat signalThose circle effects almost make it look as if the Police Chief is signaling for help. Sunset Towertterace's comment about how it must have been a warm night got me thinking about what time of year this might have been - for the sky to be dark by 7:20-7:30, it must not have been in the summer. But in order to pinpoint further the time of year, I looked at the lighting conditions in the photo - I believe that the MetLife tower itself is illuminated by the setting sun. There does not appear to be any other light source that would illuminate the building so far up the tower. And the direction is right, as the photographer is situated across the park to the west of the building. According to sunrisesunset.com, sunset was around this time in early April and early September, 1910. Sniper?Is that a person lurking at the very top? [The dark shape in the cupola is a bell -- three tons, bronze. - Dave] My workplaceWhat a great shot. In the mid 1980s I worked in the tapered part at the top, on the floor with the arched windows, but on the opposite side from this picture. We had fantastic views! (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Wigwam Village: 1940
... I bargained, and I whined so that we could stay the night in a tepee. I used every weapon in my six-year-old arsenal. All to no ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:18pm -

July 1940. "Cabins imitating the Indian teepee for tourists along highway south of Bardstown, Kentucky. (Wigwam Village #2, Cave City)." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Please tell me they didn'thave gas attendants wearing feathered headdresses who walked up to your car and said something like "How! Paleface want'um fill-up with regular?" Still there!That is just one of several Wigwam Villages built, and it's still there: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2106 The registration for the official Wigwam Village Web site expired last week (03/04/10), and is awaiting renewal or deletion, according to Network Solutions. There's another one in Holbrook, Arizona, on Route 66: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/10294 One starbut you probably would not enjoy your stay. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review-g39265-d258948-Reviews-Wigwam_Vi... Cozy ConeMy mom-to-a-kindergartener mind went immediately to Sally's motel in the movie "Cars." We stayed there a few years backAnd you still can, too. It's awfully nifty. We took the kids. The big teepee used to be the diner but now it serves as a front desk and gift shop. I believe their website has historic photos and the history of the Wigwam Village national chain. Any roadside history lovin' visitor to Mammoth Cave must stay there at least once. Sleep in a wigwam!One of these motels still existed when our family arrived in Orlando in 1968. It fascinated me then, it still does now, even though it's long gone. Is the cement dry yet?Could these have been built by the concrete tribe, who were thought to have disappeared. I often wondered how these "wigwams" were transported around, must have been some powerful horses. Pretty spiffy looking guy heading to the EAT wigwam. Last of the lineThe last of the Wigwam Motels was Number 7, which was built in 1949. It also still stands on Route 66 in San Bernardino, California. This one gets four stars (Serta Perfect Sleeper beds!) and is rated the most popular of 27 hotels in town. It also has the distinction of having been in two different towns as the postal zones switched back and forth between San Bernardino and Rialto. http://www.wigwammotel.com/about/index.html Get a Wigwam!PDA couples used to hear that a lot in Bardstown. Holy Smokes!Still standing. Incrediblethat it's STILL THERE! Even the original sign still stands, but now only says "Sleep in a Wigwam." The diner in the big one serves grits no more. From the back seatDriving cross-country in the 1950s, my parents and I passed this place. I begged, I bargained, and I whined so that we could stay the night in a tepee. I used every weapon in my six-year-old arsenal. All to no avail. Alas, here's the image of my unfulfilled wish never to be realized. This is such a great place -- what was wrong with parents? Guess a lack of Route 66 taste. Still aroundI think my family drove past this when I was young. View Larger Map Talk about high ceilings!I wonder if the room had a ceiling all the way to the tip top of the teepee, or if the imitation was only skin deep. One of ManyMesa, AZ used to have its own version of the "Wigwam Motel" along a street naturally named Apache (the old highway). There is another in Holbrook on historic Route 66. Apparently these were more popular than we remember. I stayed in those a few years ago!I understand there are only a few of these wigwam hotels remaining; my wife and I stayed in one a few years ago when touring Mammoth Caves. It was very quaint. We also went by one in Arizona when visiting there. True bits of Americana. Here is a picture of what this park looks like today. Still can stay in one of theseThere are a couple left. One for sure in Holbrook, AZ that was the basis for the Pixar movie 'Cars'. Holbrook is worth a stop for a bit of Route 66 flavor like Joe and Aggie's Cafe and the now deserted Bucket of Blood St. http://www.flickr.com/photos/mediahound/473245947/ [I've stopped at the Wigwam in Holbrook, and eaten at the circa 1960 Plainsman restaurant. The town is worth a visit. Lots of googie architecture. - Dave] Texas TeepeesA similar motel, the Tee Pee, is still on old Highway 59 coming into Wharton, Texas (southwest of Houston). It was built in 1941 or 1942, and when I last drove past the place this past Christmas, it did my heart good to see that it was still standing. GoogieThough the style itself is totally familiar to me, Dave's application (in the comment-comment below) of the term "Googie" to this kind of architecture came as news to me, I'm astounded and ashamed to admit. Further research reveals that the origin of the term involves our old friend Julius Shulman. Wigwams in Cave City, KYWe stayed in the Wigwams at Cave City, KY, last year. We loved the adventure of it!! Local HumorPassed this place many years ago going to look at property in the Wharton area. We asked the realtor about it and he said that the joke at the high school was, "A girl is always safe to go to the Wigwam with a boy--she can't get cornered!" Little Girl's MemoryI remember being about 4 or 5 years old and I absolutely loved it when my parents stayed at the Wigwam in Orlando. A memory that is dear to my heart! Tempe TeepeesI went to school at Arizona State University in Tempe in the late 1970s. On the edge of campus along Apache Blvd near the corner of Rural Road there were 5 or 6 cabins just like this. They tore them down about 1979 to build a bank. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott)
Chevy Chase: 1925
... didn't have a chance to drown," said one club member last night. McMullan's record for the day was one race lost and one race won. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 5:05pm -

May 30, 1925. Chevy Chase, Maryland. "Miss Florence Skadding and H.J. McMullan. Opening of new pool at Columbia Country Club." View full size. Pint Size PugilistThe kid on the right looks like he's ready to go a couple of rounds. Anything goes!What an attractive couple. And the clothes in the background are amazing -- the socks with the knickers are striking, I wonder what the colors are. Plus, everyone else looks rather chilly and overdressed. Hero McMullanJust two weeks after this photo was made, Harold McMullan saved a man from drowning. Washington Post, June 14, 1925. CANOE CLUB SWIMMERS SAVE A LIFE BY RACING W.R. Donigan Rescued From Drowning by 3 Members Who Hear His Cry. The three crack swimmers of the Washington Canoe Club indulged in a race yesterday — a race against death. And they won. The trio — Karl Knight, Farnam Miller and H.J. McMullan — were standing on the club float about 6:30 o'clock last evening, attired in their white ducks and ready to paddle about in their canoes, when a cry for help was heard. It came from W.R. Donigan, a club member who had been stricken by cramps while swimming about 50 yards from the float. Whereupon the trio plunged into the water and the most spectacular race in the canoe club's history was on. Three fast-moving swimmers were cutting down the distance separating them from where Donigan had gone down. Nobody thought to use a stopwatch, but it is said that a record was hung up. Reaching the spot where Donigan had sunk, the three men dived beneath the water. For what seemed about a minute, none came up. Then two heads appeared above the waters of the Potomac. One was Donigan and the other was that of McMullan, who had seized Donigan and was bringing him in. When they arrived at the float, eager hands pulled Donigan ashore, and after a few minutes of resuscitative work he was fully revived. "With so much swimming talent around, Donigan really didn't have a chance to drown," said one club member last night. McMullan's record for the day was one race lost and one race won. Earlier in the day he had finished second in a 90-yard aquatic dash in the Wardman Park pool. His victory was his rescue of Donigan. In saving Donigan, however, McMullan lost the silver medal that had been awarded him for second place in the Wardman Park swimming event. Donigan is a well-known distance runner. In the Washington Post marathon last winter he finished third. He ran under the colors of George Washington University, enrolling from West Virginia Wesleyan. Karl Knight, one of the trio who responded to Donigan's cries for help, is not only a crack swimmer but a champion canoeist. He was a member of the Washington Canoe Club four which won the championship at the last Olympic games. Quite a PairAren't they? My Dad's TermsMy father, who was 21 years old at the time of this picture, would have characterized Miss Skadding as being a "healthy woman." FlorenceMs. Skadding was featured often in the Post and in various wire service accounts of her aquatic activities. She excelled in swimming, diving, aquaplaning (like water skiing, but with one big board) and later taught swimming and led others from the Red Cross's national office. Biting my tongue!This photo just begs for ribald commentary but, with a sense of common decency, I will but say that Miss Skadding is not hiding her lights under a bushel. Nosiree. Life Saver FlorenceHere are the graphics from a short Sept. 1927 wire story filler about Florence. Interesting that in the cartoons she is decidedly less buoyant. Crema solar?Creo que la gama de grises ha convertido los brillos en un blanco que parece crema de protección solar. El chaval de los calcetines a rayas también parece embadurnado. [Es moho. Moho mal! - Dave] Covers and RevealsBring back the wool swimsuit! I normally don't but...Her figure is ridiculously hot. In mourning?Does the black band sewn across our handsome hero's "W" (for Wesleyan?) have some sort of significance? Many sporting events have players whose makeshift black bands pay homage to the passing of a former coach or player...or maybe that's just how H.J.'s team sewed their uniforms? [Our hero is in rowing. The "black band" is a canoe, signifying the Washington Canoe Club. - Dave] The FleshtonesA little color added for Anything Goes. I remember older cousins and others wearing knickers, always dark blue, black or brown. The socks were subdued hues. I could not find a color picture of the Washington Canoe Club, so I chose red for the canoe to contrast with the blue swimsuit and white W. The Navy was still issuing blue wool swimsuits in the mid-1950's. These wet suits were added weight when passing your swimming test in boot camp. In the backgroundThe three fellows to the right look familiar; did they go on to a career in film? SpecialistI understand Mr McMullen specialized in the breaststroke. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Sports, Swimming)
Portrait of a Film Geek: 1979
... offend any Shriners out there. The theme for that Movie Night was hats, so everyone wore a different kind. This was one somebody had ... all these bizarre films, they had to watch them on late-night television or catch them in genre theaters, or otherwise experience them ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 08/27/2010 - 6:43pm -

OK, so how many of you out there are thinking, "Why don't I take a picture of myself now surrounded by my crap so that 31 years from now I can see what I was interested in back then? Or what my hair looked like? And maybe let thousands of perfect strangers see?" Ah, I thought so. Well, none of that was going through my mind back then; this is another from a series I took to send to a friend who'd moved out of state. Obviously, I was (and still am) into film, about two years after I'd started to collect them by taping them off TV - which, unless you collected actual film prints, was the only way to do it. No DVDs, not even laserdiscs, and hardly any pre-recorded tapes that weren't porn. A couple of Atari cartridges indicate my slight interest in video games, plus there's a bunch of comic books in polyethylene bags (the carton on the middle shelf contains a supply of empties), and up on the top shelf some paper models that my friend who helped assemble them and I liked to call "Bogens." Look it up. This was taken in my video room, again on 35mm Kodachrome illuminated by bounce flash. View full size. Classical GeekI see four books about Laurel & Hardy, two about W. C. Fields, and books about the Marx Brothers, Harold Lloyd and Max Fleischer -- a true geek! Lagging behind as everHere I was until recently, still taping movies from TV onto VHS. Only stopped in the past 4-5 years, largely due to the availability of movies on DVD at a cheap price. Might get around to transferring some of the more interesting stuff onto PC. AV ClubDo you go to Comic Con? One of my co-workers does. I remember here in Southern California renting videos from Tower Records (now gone) and I noticed that the retail price for current movies was often $100 or more. As a high school kid in the early '70s, I would tape the audio of various movies and TV shows on my trusty cassette recorder. I was really impressed with that! Schreiber-Bogenhttp://www.schreiber-bogen.com/ Hard to find, wading through all the audio equipment references! Captured on BetaSomewhere in my home is a cardboard box or two of Beta tapes. I also taped lots of movies off the TV. I remember blank tapes went for about $20 and a prerecorded movie was about $40-$50. I also have two dead but not properly buried Beta decks. I seem to have forgotten what the hell I am saving all this for. The only thing worth saving is a tape of my brother on a local bowling show that shows my folks in the audience. They are both gone now, though I have their captured image on a tape I can't play. I guess that would be the reason why I don't toss the whole lot. Shared LibrariesI see at least two titles that are in my collection: the red-jacketed "The Movies" next to "The MGM Story," and "Comix: The History of Comics in America" on the shelf below and to your left. "The Movies" I must have bought on clearance when I was in junior high (and I'm old enough that no one then had heard of "middle school"). "Comix" must have been bought about 1971, when I was, coincidentally, trying to score writing assignments from Fusion Magazine (credited on the cover). Heady days. And you looked like such a normal guy, tooIs that Tex Avery item in the back a compilation video, or perhaps another book? Although it's already clear from your name, you certainly have good taste in cartoons as well. Too Much HomeworkI see that you did your homework as to which home video tape recording system led in technology. (Sony BetaMax) But marketing won the game for VHS and technology finished a poor second. 8Ya know, come to think of it, I don't recall any posts from you with any super 8 camera equip in it. Did you do any work with 8mm or S8? re: 8Yep. Here I am in 1973 with my Nizo. Geek PornOk, where are you hiding "Hollywood Babylon"? Okay kid,Would you care to tell us where you kept your collection of Russ Meyer films? Beta IWOW! I see myself in that picture! I had a Sony SL8200 Betamax (still have it, in fact) and most of the movie books on your shelf! In addition, in 1976 I built a theater in my basement with Super 8 sound projectors (a Eumig and an Elmo machine), real theater seats and a screen cut from an old movie house that was being torn down. Very few full length Super 8 sound movies existed back then, and the ones that did were very expensive. I remember paying around 350 bucks for the full length version of the original Technicolor print of "A Star Is Born" from 1937! I still have around 200 Beta tapes in closets and on shelves. The first ones were K60's, labeled as such because of their 60 minute record time at the Beta-I speed, and the second generation of tapes were labeled L500 which indicated how many feet of tape the cartridge contained. My Sony SL8200 Beta machine is still fully operational after all these years! I recently played back my recording of the Bing Crosby Christmas special with David Bowie from 1977, recorded in Beta-I (one hour mode) and it still looks great! Thank you for the trip down memory lane! Laurel and HardyGlad to see you're a big fan of Stan and Ollie. Two comic geniuses for sure! What??No Psychotronic Film/Video Guide??? Those books are must haves. btw.....what does you current audio/video setup look like? Would be an interesting contrast between then and now. re: What??OK, here's a recent shot of me with my present video setup. I don't think I'll attempt an explanation of anything else about this. Come for the Lange ... stay for the tterence. And actually taking a picture of myself with all my crap so I can look at it in 31 years seems like an awesome idea. Rewind <<Oh, man! I remember those Sony Betamax tapes when I was a kid. Good grief! Steelsome Daniel Mr. tterace: I am heartened and reassured that you "ain't a-gonna do it without yer Fez on" NeuschwansteinThat is a must for any vid geek. I have one in the 3-D Puzzle variety. Sons of the DesertWould that be the source of your fez? I once went to a local L&H screening and remember that was the headgear of choice; I felt so under-dressed without one! My dad however, was a Shriner so he took that sort of thing very seriously. Not me. re: Sons of the DesertActually, that is a Shriner fez. Hope that doesn't offend any Shriners out there. The theme for that Movie Night was hats, so everyone wore a different kind. This was one somebody had picked up at a thrift store. We watched a film noir, and later I used the photos I took of everybody to illustrate a hard-boiled detective story spoof I wrote with them as characters. Also, I did eventually get a copy of the Psychotronic Encyclopedia, but that didn't come out until 1983. Good posture.Did you find that walking round with a book balanced on you head really worked? Seriously, as usual, a fascinating insight into what seems to me to be the recent past. For many Shorpy viewers it must be a different world. Beta ReduxWe sold Beta tapes well into the 1980s and 90s. The buyers were almost cult like purists and very loyal. We sold both the recorders and tapes both in the store and through mail order. When we closed out our movie rental business in the mid 90s we had no trouble selling the VHS movies but were stuck with the Betas. Marketing genius that I was, we started shipping an individual Beta movie gratis with each beta blank tape order. One customer called us and asked for an inventory of the remaining titles. We struck a deal and he took the rest of them off our hands. Geeks unite!This reminds me of my shelf of music and car books, with special sections devoted to Buddy Holly and the Beatles. I had to pack away my collection of vinyl to make space for it all. Michael and Harry MedvedTTerrace, your discussion reminds me of the introduction the Golden Turkey Awards by Michael and Harry Medved. They discussed mostly terrible movies, which does not on its own sound remarkable -- bookstores have shelves full of comical reviews of bad movies. What made their books special is that the first one came out in 1979 or 1980, and to see all these bizarre films, they had to watch them on late-night television or catch them in genre theaters, or otherwise experience them in ways that may have no direct parallel in the modern world. My children are incredulous that when I was a child, we could not pick whatever movie we wanted, watch whenever we liked, and pause for bathroom breaks. SelectaVision CEDOk, you had Betamax, but if you were a real geek, you would have had an RCA capacitance videodisc player. I still have the player, and about 120 discs, including a couple of L&H collections. The thing still works, only on modern TVs you realize just how awful the picture was. Beta > VHS > DVD > DVRI am still trying to get my parents to convert to DVR. My mom videotapes her "soaps" every day, and her VCR recently broke. After a lengthy explanation about why she could not just record them to DVD in the same manner, I still couldn't convince them to just get a DVR (their cable service charges more than they should for it). So they opted for a VCR/DVD combo...and she is still recording her soaps onto VHS daily. It pains me! She'd probably feel right at home with your collection, tterrace! My sister and I got a Betamax in 1977It cost $1,500 and was enclosed in a unit that included a 17-inch TV. The whole thing was as long and deep as a love seat, though not as tall. Blank tapes cost almost $30 apiece. We also collected books about old movies. I recognized the Disney films book right away as we each had a copy of that one. Oh, and I still use a VCR - a dual deck one. I wish they still made them. When I want to save a movie on DVD, I have to record it to my computer first. I have tried the VCR/DVD recorder combo with no luck. Book OverlapI think I had at least 3/4 of the same books as you. I can even recognize the yellow paperback copy of Harpo Speaks! at the end of the shelf immediately above "The Art of W.C. Fields." MGMI had the same MGM book, my parents gave me. AdiosFrom the Electronics trade publication Twice Magazine, today: Sony (Finally) Halting Production Of Betamax Tapes 11/10/2015 10:00:00 AM Eastern By: Lisa Johnston One of the first format wars is officially over, and Sony is waving the white flag. Sony announced through its Japan press center that it will cease production of Betamax tapes in March 2016 — just 32 years after the Supreme Court ruled Sony could continue production of its Betamax player despite its ability to record copyrighted video. It is also ceasing production of its Micro MV cassettes. Sony first introduced the Betamax player in 1975. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Portraits, tterrapix)
Potomac Yard: 1925
... Whitewash The whitewashed pole bases were for night visibility. Normally, the lower 6-8 feet of all buildings + poles, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 4:00pm -

Circa 1925. "Potomac Yards, Alexandria." The railyard just outside Washington in Alexandria, Virginia. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Trackless VoidThe entire Potomac Yard area is now just big box retailers, chain restaurants and hotels. What's left of the RF&P is just a real estate company. Hump YardWhen I was a Boy Scout in the early 1960s we took a tour of Potomac Yards, including a trip to the two-story brick "control tower" in the backbround. Freight cars were pushed by a switcher engine to the top of the hump (a gentle hill) and then cut loose and rolled downhill by gravity, shunted to their particular assembling track by the levers in the control tower. This tower housed all the switches for the entire yard. There were also external air brakes on the side of the rails that could be remotely actuated from the tower to control the speed of the cars. The employees had to park along Route 1 on the left of the picture and take the pedestrian bridge (seen in the background) over the main line to the control tower. Click the map to enlarge. W&OD FlyoverThe Washington & Old Dominion RR had a flyover track across Pot Yard here that connected with the Southern Ry. a little farther to the SE of where I think this photo was taken. View Larger Map My Dad's RailroadMy dad worked at Potomac Yard as a train engineer from the very day he returned from World War II in early 1946 until the very day he retired in 1990. Then saw entire company disappear virtually overnight when the Richmond, Potomac & Fredericksburg line realized the land the yard was on was far more commercially viable than any railroad. The Washington Redskins were going to build their new stadium there and a ground breaking took place. Local residents fought to have the football stadium put elsewhere. They won. And Potomac Yard is now a shopping center with mixed-use residential being now added. How strange to see Route 1 on the left side of this photo a small, quaint two-way street. Today it bustles with traffic. And although the railroad still moves people and freight along the corridor, the tracks were moved to the the east, next to Metro's above-ground tracks. Growing up, I spent many hours in Potomac Yard playing on the engines with my father. Potomac Yard, Stadium, AirportMy former office in Crystal City overlooks the remaining RR yards between CC and National Airport. (not everyone calls it by the current name) Yes, there was a protest about the stadium being located at the yards, but the real backstory is that Jack Kent Cooke, Redskins owner, played VA, MD and DC like a set of violins until he got was he wanted. The protests were not really a factor in the final decision; Cooke's marionette show did the trick. Potomac Yard from aboveThis aerial view from 1975 shows the tower at Hume Street and the man bridge at x East Glebe Road. The W&OD flyover shows at Randolph Street. Until the early 1980s, maybe later, there was a restaurant across Route 1 (locals called it Number 1 or Number 1 Highway), called Steve's, open 24/7 for the Yard workers. Would stop for breakfast on the way home from Georgetown. Re: Dad's RailroadHi: I noticed you edited my comments about My Dad's Railroad. That's fine--I appreciate you posting my remembrances, but your inference (re-write) that "RFK Stadium's owners realized the yard was far more commercially viable than any railroad" is absolutely incorrect. RF & P Railroad OWNED THE LAND--not The DC or Federal Government. ... [Back up a little. Your original comment did not say "RF&P's owners." It said "RFK's owners." - Dave] My Granddad's RailroadMy grandfather was a brakeman on the Southern Railroad in 1925 on the Spencer, N.C., to Washington run. My question is: Was Potomac Yard used for Southern RR traffic, or was it only for the Richmond, Potomac & Fredericksburg Line? Users of Potomac YardRailways using Potomac Yard included: - Pennsylvania Railroad - Baltimore and Ohio Railroad - Southern Railway - Chesapeake and Ohio Railway - Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, and - Seaboard Air Line Railway Potomac Yard in Wikipedia. Our GrandfathersI can't help but wonder if our grandfathers knew each other. My grandfather was a career RR worker and worked at Potomac Yard, transferred to Spencer NC, on to Monroe VA, and then back to Potomac Yard. His career span included 1925. To answer your question, yes. Where there's smokeThe smoky sky in this and many Shorpy photos is a reminder that not everything about the good old days was so good. Rails run deepI'm sure they probably did cross paths at some point. My grandfather (known as "Pa" to us grandchildren) was a brakeman, flagman, and conductor on the Southern from 1908-1950. He lived in Spencer but worked "on the road" for several days a week between Spencer, Monroe, and Washington for 42 years straight. It was hard but honest work. He is sorely missed. When we sat down to dinner, as only a true brakeman would say, instead of asking "Pass the biscuits" he would routinely say "Knock the brakes off the biscuits, please"!! Thanks, Dave for showing us a glimpse of the past. Southern's use of Potomac YardSouthern was one of six railroads that managed the yard and its operations. Except during a period in the 1920s when Southern felt the RF&P, which basically managed the yard and its switching, was getting a little too cozy with at least SAL and ACL, giving them preference. At least that was the allegation. Southern then built the Cameron Street yard, which still exists as an intermodal yard for transferring I think LPG. When Southern built this yard, it apparently also enticed the C&O to join, and then the fit hit the shan, so to speak. The Pennsy, which was a co-owner in the yard operations like the other RR's, sued Southern charging breach of contract and other things, and after a year or two of squabbling, all became peaceful again and Southern rejoined switching in Potomac Yard, although it also maintained its own yard just south of Duke Street, which is totally unrecognizable today as a redeveloped region known as Carlyle. This yard had it origins in the 1850's and the beginnings of railroading in the region with the Orange & Alexandria. Supposedly, the reason for the Cameron yard's location was because that was the vicinity of where the never completed Manassas Gap Independent Line was to cross the Orange & Alexandria in the 1850's. Title to the lands passed to descendants of the O&A, which became Southern in 1894. This may not be 100% of what happened but I have reason to believe it is the basic idea, if you get my drift. A Local Historian Monroe to SpencerSince a couple of comments mention the railroad run from Monroe, Va., to Spencer, N.C., you might like to know that this is the run that is the basis of the folk/bluegrass song "The Wreck of Ole 97," made famous by Flatt & Scruggs. White polesWhy are the utility poles are painted white at the bottom? WhitewashThe whitewashed pole bases were for night visibility. Normally, the lower 6-8 feet of all buildings + poles, especially in the roundhouse area, were whitewashed, including the inside walls of the turntable pit. Incandescent lighting was pretty dim in railroad yards back then, and the whitewash really made a safety difference. Where?"Southern rejoined switching in Potomac Yard, although it also maintained its own yard just south of Duke Street, which is totally unrecognizable today as a redeveloped region known as Carlyle" I work at the Patent Office on Dulany St. Where was this yard, exactly? Wes Clark wes.clark@uspto.gov Potomac YardsMy father also worked at Potomac Yards, from 1924 to 1963. He was a machinist at the round house. We lived not far from the yards in the Del-Ray section. (DeWitt Ave) For Wes Clark who works on Dulany Street, that street of course did not exist before the Carlyle project. The Southern yard was right about where your desk sits now. There was a small round house and several tracks. There was also at one time a small building housing a club that had an extensive model rail display. George "Walt" Gray Retired fire captain. Haz-Mat Officer Station Captain #2 Station, Windsor Ave. Alexandria VA. RR ClubThe RR club was in the Southern Railway yard behind Herby's Ford on Duke Street, not Potomac Yard. They were there until the early 70's. Seen in the background here. Re: RR ClubThat's what I said: "The Southern yard was right about where your desk sits now. There was a small round house and several tracks. There was also at one time a small building housing a club that had an extensive model rail display" Just happened by this site.Just happened by this site. I wonder if my grandfathers knew yours. Both of mine were also career Southern RR men out of Monroe, Va, two uncles worked for Southern in Alexandria, and 2nd cousin was a conductor with Southern also out of Monroe. Had a great grandfather that also worked on the Southern RR in Monroe too! Small world! RF&PMy father, Granville A. "Granny" Corr, Jr. worked for the RF&P for over 40 years. Wasn't it referred to as the "richest and smallest" railroad in the country? (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Railroads)
Streetcar to the Sky: 1913
... at the ruins of the old hotel. The view of Los Angeles at night was spectacular! When a fire damaged the trail to the top, my Eagle ... still there at the hotel; a great place to camp for the night and a rad view. I still fantasize of time traveling back and taking the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 1:37pm -

Mount Lowe, California, circa 1913. "Electric car at Ye Alpine Tavern, Mount Lowe Railway." This Swiss-style chalet in the San Gabriel Mountains was the upper terminus (elev. 5,000 feet) of an 1890s scenic and incline railway that started in Altadena, with streetcar connections all the way to the main terminal at the Pacific Electric Building in Los Angeles. The railway and associated resorts, including the 70-room Echo Mountain House, were gradually obliterated by fire and flood until, by 1940, nothing was left. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Can't be all that greatThis young lady doesn't seem too thrilled by the experience. And what's the streak in the background? Gauze curtains, smoke? A ghost? [It's a flutterby. - Dave] Mount Lowe videoI first became interested in researching Mount Lowe after discovering a photo, of a lady standing near some oak trees, labeled "On Mt. Lowe" in my late Aunt Mary's album. (This is the same Aunt Mary featured in my brother tterrace's photos.) There were cousins in Los Angeles, and Aunt Mary apparently went by train to visit them often. It would have been in this era. Anyway, my searches have found many links to info about the mountain and the railway. Here is a video from an old film clip. Shows amazing history.Although obvious, it seems incredible to see the flag only having 48 stars! Very interesting. Born Too LateHardly a soul can still be alive who rode the Mount Lowe Railway, especially in its golden age. It must have been a magical trip. The links tell the main story; other sites show open cars stopping to let riders admire the fields of poppies adorning the open plains in the spring. California mountains in the summer can be somewhat parched, but still refreshing compared to the warm stagnant air of the basin. The Tavern evidently preserved as many oaks as possible, with their small crackly leaves and hard acorns. Regrettably the enterprise never really covered its costs and succumbed to a series of disasters before I was born. It was a rather long trip, taking several hours each way. I, like many, regret the passing of the trolley cars, but old timetables show that it took well over two hours even to run the 50-some miles from central LA to Huntington Beach, and the tracks could never achieve the coverage of even a mediocre bus service. My StarsIt all depends on your perspective. With my little hand over my heart, I pledged allegiance to a 48-star flag on many a morning in grade school. I'm not used to the newfangled 50-star flag yet. Stars and StripesI also remember saluting the 48 star flag. Lets not get too upset about this, had this picture been taken 2 years earlier, in 1911, we would have seen a 46 star flag and 4 years before that, in 1907, old glory showed 45. I was always a good history student but grammar and punctuation were a problem, mainly because of run-on sentences. "Sunrise"Funny this is posted today! I happened to catch part of a silent movie recently on TCM called "Sunrise" and wanted to see the rest of the film. I got it from Netflix and watched it yesterday. There is a scene where Janet Gaynor is running from George O'Brien and hops something that looks just like this going through the woods and up into the mountain. I'll bet it was this trolley line. Oh, and I would highly recommend the movie - it was great and I usually don't like silent movies. Very Peaceful.Oh, I would love to have been there. Just looking at pic relaxes me. A boring place perhapsbut I bet the ride getting there would have been a blast! I thought of "Sunrise" as wellGenerally in Silent Film circles known as one of the best silent films ever made. When I saw this picture I immediately thought of that movie. I thought at the time it was unusual to have a trolley in the woods like that. Understanding the budget of a 1927 movie, I figured they would not have built that trolley and track just for the film. Just wondering if it really was the same trolley from the movie. Does the right of way still exist?Just wondering. Sort of reminds me of the trolley to Glen Echo Park in Maryland, although more dramatic. Trolleys are making a comeback. That's nice, but they are pretty useless. Mount Lowe rail trailFor hikers: http://www.mtlowe.net/MtLoweTrail.htm I camped thereAs a Boy Scout growing up in nearby La Canada Flintridge, we used to hike to the top of Mount Lowe and camp at the ruins of the old hotel. The view of Los Angeles at night was spectacular! When a fire damaged the trail to the top, my Eagle Scout project involved rebuilding the upper portion. We lugged a wheelbarrow and all the tools up to the top to complete the job. Fond memories! Thanks. The Great Circular BridgePlease post some views from the "high" side, a favorite of the postcard makers- lots of air below the car. Another favorite was taken from the opposite side of the canyon at the bottom of the incline, plus apparently group shots were taken of each incline carload an sold s souvenirs to the passengers- I'm told this is available today at amusement parks where the water toboggan plummets near the finish and most passengers are screaming. [and apparently young jaded women lift their shirts] Civil War aeronautThaddeus Lowe, who incorporated the railway and is the mountain's namesake, had been a balloonist during the Civil War as an observer for the Union. His daughter, whose name I'd have to look up, lived into the latter part of the 20th century. She was an accomplished aviator and is recorded in recent history in "The Right Stuff" as proprietor of the Happy Bottom Riding Club, the bar that stood near the end of the original runways at Muroc/Edwards AFB. Then she was known by her married name Pancho Barnes, and it may have been one of her rental horses that broke Chuck Yeager's rib the evening before he flew the X1 to Mach 1. SunriseBrookeDisAstor mentioned the movie Sunrise. I own the DVD of Sunrise, which is a remarkable film and I remember the scene where Janet Gaynor takes the trolley running through the woods to go into the city. According to IMDB, the film was shot at three outside locations: the Columbia River in Oregon, Big Bear and Lake Arrowhead, both near San Bernardino. But of those two locations, only Lake Arrowhead had a Pacific Electric line nearby. So not the Mount Lowe Line, but somewhere similar. Raise a glass to Mount LoweThere's some Mount Lowe Railway memorabilia at a little bar in Altadena called the Rancho, on Lake Avenue. Bare Naked BulbLove the light bulb in the trees, so simple yet so definitive. A campground nowDid an overnighter there with the Boy Scouts recently. The old right of way makes for an easy grade. I tried to replicate the location of the historical photo. Mine is the blue tent. Dandy http://dan-d-sparks.blogspot.com Great hikeI grew up in Sierra Madre in the 1950s early '60s. The roadbed of the railway was one of my favorite hikes, even found some spikes on occasion. The river rock foundations were still there at the hotel; a great place to camp for the night and a rad view. I still fantasize of time traveling back and taking the rail trip to Mount Lowe. Present Day FunicularsIt's a shame this streetcar line is long gone, but there are still some very spectacular funicular style rail trips available. I would be very remiss if I didn't mention the Lookout Mountain Incline in my old home town of Chattanooga. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Coney Island: 1905
... Did you have fun at Coney Island? "Yeah, I spent all night checking out the babes." Medical History The incubators were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:03pm -

Luna Park at Coney Island circa 1905. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. Tonight only: "Infant incubators with living infants." View full size. EtherealThis is such a good shot; long exposure with unearthly looking lights. Ric Burns did a superb documentary on Coney, the incubators were quite an attraction. Infant incubatorsWere they space-age incubators designed to make super-babies? Or just run-of-the-mill babies for people who had never had one of their own? Coney PreemiesAnd Next to the Bearded Lady, Premature Babies (NYT) The babies were lined up under heaters and they breathed filtered air. Few of them weighed more than three pounds. They shared the Boardwalk there on Coney Island with Violetta the Armless Legless Wonder, Princess WeeWee, Ajax the Sword-Swallower and all the rest. From 1903 until the early 1940's, premature infants in incubators were part of the carnival. It cost a quarter to see the babies, and people came again and again, to coo and to gasp and say look how small, look how small. There were twins, even, George and Norma Johnson, born the day before Independence Day in 1937. They had four and a half pounds between them, appearing in the world a month too soon because Dorothy Johnson stepped off a curb wrong and went into labor. All those quarters bought a big house at Sea Gate for Dr. Martin A. Couney, the man who put the Coney Island babies on display. He died broken and forgotten in 1950 at 80 years old. The doctor was shunned as an unseemly showman in his time, even as he was credited with popularizing incubators and saving thousands of babies. History did not know what to do; he was inspired and single-minded, distasteful and heroic, ultimately confounding. More here. Infants in IncubatorsSounds like something out of a Tom Waits song -- you know, along with Horse-Faced Ethel and the girl with the tattooed tear. Did you have fun at Coney Island?"Yeah, I spent all night checking out the babes." Medical HistoryThe incubators were extremely important in drawing attention to premature infants - and in raising money to advance the research. Countless babies were saved by the facilities at Coney Island, and countless more saved afterward thanks to the research and effort Dr. Couney began. As distasteful as putting infants on display may seem, I humbly bow to his memory. If he hadn`t taken the first steps, medicine may not have gotten up to the level it is today in that field. And my son probably wouldn`t be running around healthy after having been born at 14 ounces. Coney's CouneyThe Coney Island History Project inducted Dr. Couney into the Coney Island Hall of Fame. "By 1939, he had treated more than 8,000 babies and saved the lives of 6,500. One of them was his daughter, who had weighed less than three pounds at birth. Couney operated under constant criticism and numerous attempts to shut down his exhibit, which many considered to be "against maternal nature." But Couney persisted and provided medical care for the children of parents otherwise unable to afford it. By the time his Luna Park exhibit closed in 1943, Couney's methods were being used in mainstream hospitals." More here. Plus some interviews with Couney's "incubator babies" and their relatives. Fascinating!I never realized that the technology that saved my twin boys' lives was pioneered in an amusement park. It would never fly today but thank goodness it did then! Coney PreemiesThis type of showmanship used to be common. As a former preemie (born in the '70's) it's interesting to know what came before. Thank you!I was born premature myself, 10 weeks early, weighing only 2 pounds 6 oz, with a hole in my heart that required surgery - after which I weighed less than a pound. It's thanks to the work of this doctor that I am alive today, and it's sad to read that after developing the technology that would save so many lives, he died forgotten. Man eating chickenI do not intend to be in a world of my own, but these comments reminded me of the time our family was completely bamboozled at the State Fair of Oklahoma by a canvas sign at the sideshow proclaiming "See the enormous LIVE man-eating chicken" (yes, I know - everybody got it but us) and of course we all paid our quarter and went behind the stage to see just that, a very large man sitting at a table eating chicken! Boy, did we learn a valuable lesson. It was just a few years later that the fraudulent labels were prohibited in those shows but numbskulls like us have become much more cautious. Live and learn. Dying by degreesConey Island has been dying by degrees for decades. It lost a lot of the old luster when Luna Park burned down in 1945 and Robert Moses ordered the land rezoned for public housing instead of amusements (Moses apparently hated the area's "tawdry amusements"). In 1953 he had the whole area rezoned for public housing and announced plans to demolish all of the amusements. This was eventually fought and the area between 22nd and the Cyclone were retained as an "amusements only" area. The last of the three great parks, Steeplechase, closed in 1964 and was demolished by Fred Trump (Donald's father) before the site could be given landmark status. He wanted to build more low cost housing but couldn't get the zoning changed. Current efforts by a group called Thor Equities are responsible for the sale and closure of Astroland. Closed.Coney Island seems to be closing for good. It's sad to think of the millions of people who had such fond memories there over the years. I guess it's true- Time eventually catches up with us all. http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-general/20080907/Coney.Island/ [Coney Island, which is a great big actual island, is not closing. Astroland, which is closing, is one of the amusement parks there. Two famous Coney Island attractions, the Cyclone wooden roller coaster and the Wonder Wheel at Deno’s Amusement Park, won't be affected. - Dave] Couney on Coney"Growing Up On Long Island" is being presented at the Long Island Museum in Stony Brook until the fall. Included is the story of Dr. Couney and the babies he saved at Coney Island. What a great presentation! Toys, games, child labor, celebrities, interviews, Bannister babies, and more. For info, call 631-751-0066 or email mail@longislandmuseum.org. (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Sports)
Fountain Drinks: 1950
... 60's. I started working there as teenager and became night manager after working the various positions and running the snack bar at ... 
 
Posted by John.Debold - 07/08/2008 - 3:10pm -

A New Jersey lunch counter and soda fountain circa 1950. View full size. Smoke gets in your eyes.....& lungsWow, I can't believe the pipes, cigars, etc. for sale in a cute little soda fountain. Kinda makes me lose my appetite! TeeveeTelevision had been broadcast for years prior but I never expected to see a TV in a c. 1950 lunch counter. Grolier Encyclopedia states: The number of television sets in use rose from 6,000 in 1946 to some 12 million by 1951. No new invention entered American homes faster than black and white television sets; by 1955 half of all U.S. homes had one. Still pretty novel then. Looks like a commercial or a news show running. [Media historians (and collectors of old magazines) generally mark 1949 as the year TV "arrived." - Dave] MondayFrom the calendar, we know it's "Monday the 23rd" but what month and year? 1950 or "circa" 1950? Prices!I can't believe what they were charging for fountain items: Adjusting for inflation, in even 2004 dollars it would be: Ice Cream Soda: $4.17 Ice Cream Sundae: 5.83 CalendarIt appears to be Monday, October 23, 1950. Memories>> Wow, I can't believe the pipes, cigars, etc. for sale in a cute little soda fountain. Kinda makes me lose my appetite! Awwwww, poor baby. Good grief. I remember, as a kid growing up in the fifties AND in NJ, that EVERY candy store/soda fountain looked like that! Even the drug stores in town that had soda fountains sold pipes, tobacco and cigarettes. Appears that the brain washing has succeeded. Great picture, by the way! It's Kool insideAlso note the air conditioner. In the 60s I recall the stamped metal painted push-plates on the doors or window decals of the Kool cigarette Penguin proclaiming "Come in, it's Kool inside" for air conditioned establishments - often eateries and bars. Even in the 60s these seemed dated, rusting, and fading. So... another novelty - air conditioning. jnc Alderney, NJ eludes Google!Whenever I see an older commercial photo with superb detail like this one, I scrutinize it for old product signs, dates, and other subtle details. The name ALDERNEY appears twice: on the ice cream sign in the central alcove, and on the newspaper rack. I decided to Google Alderney, NJ, and, guess what? I cold find no references. There's a UK Alderney (interestingly enough near Jersey), and many references to Alderney in the gamers' blogs (Grand Theft Auto). Does anyone know where it's located or what happened to Alderney, NJ? Thanks, JNC, for a most fascinating picture into the past. Your photo blog of ghost signs is equally intriguing (Readers, note - it's listed in the Shorpy Profile as http://blog.hoffmancentral.org/) [There is no Alderney, New Jersey. The signs say Alderney Ice Cream. Alderney Dairy was based in Newark. - Dave] Soda FountainThe most memorable stamped metal, small advertising sign in places like this that I can recall from the period 1940 - 1950, was one for 7-Up. And another standard 'fixture', usually placed on the counter of the soda fountain back then, was the large clear plastic cylinder containing 1-cent stick pretzels standing upright in the container. This is a GREAT photo! Memories IINo, not brainwashing. Losing too many loved ones to cancer has succeeded. Air ConditionerI was in the room air conditioner business in the 1950's. The unit in the picture looks like it could have been a Philco. Anyone know? I can SMELL it now!We had almost IDENTICAL soda fountain/drug stores in Connecticut when I was a kid in the 50's and the prices were exactly the same. We usually got a VP or a CP for a nickel but if we did not have a nickel, we'd ask for a glass of water and the proprietor would good naturedly give it to us, no charge. What a pain that must have been. One thing I remember is the SMELL of these soda fountain/drug stores. One could detect sweetness like chocolate, fruit and candy odors, Orange Crush in the big glass bubbling dispenser, tobacco, sometimes sandwich smells and sometimes coffee. It is a long-gone fragrance I have not smelled since I was a kid. Also, the running fans, overhead and on the counters or tables were always buzzing away and were quite tranquilizing. Our favorite moviehouse advertised "REFRIGERATED AIR" like a oasis in the torrid heat of long, hot summers. Thank you for this WONDERFUL blast from the past. Newarkanyone know where in Newark this was? My grandfather was the first on his block (in Newark) to own a television right about 1950, so they weren't that rare then! CPIs that a cherry phosphate? We used to get that from our local drug store in the 50's. 1950-ish soda fountainWell, it turns out that there's still an Eastern Store Fixtures Corporation, now in Hillside rather than Newark. They don't have any sort of e-mail that I could find--they might be amused to know "their" photo is online all these years later! The 23rdIt could be Monday, January 23, as well. Assuming the year is 1950. If its 1949, then it would be Monday, May 23. If it's 1951, then it could be either April or July 23. Alderney DairyAlderney Dairy was located at the junction of Route 202 (Littleton Road) and Route 10 just north of Morris Plains. It was a great place for ice cream and milkshakes. You felt that it must be fresh since you could look out the window and see the cows. The business was founded in 1894 as Newark Milk and Cream Co., later becoming the Alderney Dairy Co. By 1936, it included 10 creameries, 800 dairy farms, six branch-distributing plants and its pasteurization and bottling plant in Newark - making the company one of the largest independent dairies in the United States. It took its name from the Alderney cow, which later was replaced by Jerseys and Guernseys. All these names came from several small islands in the English Channel. Sip & SupI lived in this area and yes the Alderney Dairy was on the corner of Route 10 and Littleton Road. The name was Sip & Sup. I used to love going there as they had the best ice cream. Sip & SupHello, somebody finally showed up on the internet that remembers the "Sup" as we called it late 50's and early 60's. I started working there as teenager and became night manager after working the various positions and running the snack bar at the Morris Plains Bowling alley, my boss had the lease on the snack bar for a number of years. Then transferred to Sip & Sup in Springfield until I went into the service in 1966. What fun we had at Sip & Sup. I still have some of the original postcards, will try to put on net after I scan them into my system. Alderney DairyI live on the north fork of eastern Long Island in a town called Mattituck. There are many old bottles on my property and every spring, when the snow melts, I find some new ones in good condition. Today, I unearthed a bottle from the Alderney Dairy Co., Newark, N.J. Alderney DairyAs kids growing up in Morris Plains in the early 1970s, we ran all around the then abandoned Alderney Farms and warehouses. Once we went to the top of the cow barn, about 70 feet up, and found tons of old account ledgers. It was a windy day. We pulled the bindings off tossed the pages out the window and they blew all over the farm along Route 10. We had a lot of fun until a detective from Morris Plains police came by and made us clean up every scrap of paper. It took all afternoon! We also built pipe bombs and blew them off in the abandoned buildings and raised heck. Those were the days. I'd kill my kids if they ever acted like I did then. (ShorpyBlog, Eateries & Bars, Stores & Markets)
Let's play LIFE: 1972
... they could use a pour - or maybe they had one too many the night before. But it looks to be a prosperous house, judging by the number of ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 07/13/2012 - 3:50pm -

Christmas 1972 with my grandpa and his second wife, Marcie. The Roller Derby skates (box on bottom left) had metal wheels with a small gap between them so it was incredibly easy to fall over on any twig or pebble. View full size. And now, substituting for Guy And Ralna ...They look like they're ready to sing a duet for Lawrence Welk's 1972 Christmas program. I rather like their wardrobe's unintentionally patriotic color scheme. VinoMy favorite thing about this picture is the word "vino" scrawled across one of the boxes. These two look like they could use a pour - or maybe they had one too many the night before. But it looks to be a prosperous house, judging by the number of empty gift boxes. I hope Gramps and his #2 were happy. Broadway Joe!Your grandpa was Joe Namath? Great nostalgic photo. RelativityYour grandparents look so young! Well, maybe I am getting old. Ouch my eyes hurt!!There is not a natural clothing fiber on either one of these people. Is this the same grandfather with the six pack abs in the other pic?? A PostcardFrom the Land of Primary Colors. It was about the same period that I acquired a pair of white pants and a carnation-pink tie. What were we thinking? Sartorial SplendorI have to hand it to any man who could wear that ensemble and look good. I, on the other hand, would look like a Smurf. I guess by 1972Grandpa had traded in the Olds, too. By extensionNothing says "Merry Christmas" like an extra-long, heavy-duty extension cord. StepgrandmaShe must be all of 45 by now. Whew.This is the kind of photo that makes me glad that I wore a uniform through the '70s and '80s and missed sartorial choices like this. The fact that I'm colorblind would have resulted in some horrendous color combinations. The Odds are GoodI'm thinking there's a great probability that Granddaddy was wearing a white leather belt. Super picture, thanks. The 1970sThe era that defined chafing. I had those skates!And I am my next door neighbor skated so much in the small parking lot of the townhouse development where we lived that the blacktop was as smooth as a baby's bottom. The more we skated the better the skating was! A cure for nostalgiaPhotos like this make me glad the 70's are over. The clothes were awful, the hair styles were awful, there was some good music tho. I notice she does not seem too happy, perhaps nervous? ClassicThose smoked-glass drinking glasses were very high-fashion back in those days. The Forgotten Batman Super-VillainBlueberry Man. That '70s Show!My God,what a display. My dad, who is featured in one of my first slides, was in his mid 40s when this was taken. He went crazy into the leisure suit thing and outfits like Gramps here had. It was a backlash, I think, from his younger days in the advertising biz, when a white shirt and a black, grey or dark blue suit was regulation. I also loved the game of LIFE!! I had Life and Monopoly marathons with my pals. The clothingPerhaps it's because I didn't live through the '70s but I think they look rather snazzy. Doubleknit MemoriesStepgrandma looks all of 19. Is she wearing one of those step-in zip up acrylic robes? My mother had quite a few. I bet his pants and jacket are doubleknit. My dad had tons of those but thankfully not in those colors. They always smelled horrible after an outing on a hot day, especially after a round of golf. Where did the perspiration go? Probably in the shag carpeting. A new extension cord!It's just what I wanted! Thanks Mom -- this is the best Christmas EVER! Look what I found!Those smoked-glass drinking glasses and goblets are Libbey Glass Company's "Tawny Accent" line. I still have my set and still use them daily. I enjoy examining the photos here at Shorpy...one never knows what might turn up in the background of the daily postings. The 70's UGH!Your stepgrandma doesn't look too happy. Neither does your grandpa. Maybe they hated the 70's as much as I did. I broke my arm skating with metal wheeled rollerskates. Of course, back then no one sued anyone. Well, hardly anyone. Deja Vu all over again Hey, in thirty or forty years, our classiest togs will cause paroxysms of laughter. They were, no doubt, viewed as trend setters and fashion plates. Oh yeah, the game of life spinner made a mad cool buzzing noise. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas, Tonypix)
Cripple Creek Short Line: 1901
... in hot weather to capture sparks. They glow red at night, the draft holes making spooky patterns on the snow, melting a hole, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 1:39pm -

Colorado circa 1901. "Cathedral Park near Clyde. Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek Short Line." A gray day in the Rockies. 8x10 inch glass transparency by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. But it's always a gray dayat Shorpy. Barrels?Anyone know the purpose of the barrels on the side of the bridge? Rock formations win the sceneNot so much the railroad theme but check out the interesting rock formations. Barrels?What's the purpose of the barrels placed on the bridge? The only thing I can come up with is some kind of primitive vibration damping system. Missed the TrainDid those two dressed-up people miss the last train? JumbotronThe part of the picture, shown below, sort of looks like the Elephant is leaving the room. Water BarrelsBeautiful landscape. Also, those water barrels were there in case the bridge caught fire. Wood burning steam engines were prone to throw cinders out the stack. They would frequently start brush fires or even set the wood-roofed train cars on fire. Stunning view!Absolutely beautiful! Looks like it could be the inspiration for the great Gorre & Daphetid RR. CuriousWhat are the barrels on the platforms attached to the bridge for? Gorgeous photograph. The rock formations are fascinating. The couple taking a stroll by the creek help to give perspective to this scene. Upper Gold Camp RoadI believe this is now the upper Gold Camp Road between Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek. This shows about the same picture. Do a search on Google maps for Gold Camp Road, Colorado and it will take you right to it. Cliff FacesI see a Cyclops, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, monster faces, a Chinese elder and other assorted interesting shapes on this mountain wall. BarrelsIt is my considered opinion that these barrels on the sides of bridges were there for safety purposes. Should a railroad worker or other person find himself on the span with a train bearing down on them, they could escape into the nearest barrel. I'm sure I've seen these barrels on steel bridges; that's why fire fighting seemed unlikely the issue. CindersIt looks like the hill on the far side of the bridge did burn at some point. Sand Barrels and BracingThe extra track over the bridge with the ends meeting appears to be bracing to keep the main track from shifting on the bridge ties. This appears to be an uphill curved grade. Sand from the six barrels could be used for traction without depleting the sand carried by the engine. Not a location for cannon ball runs. Get our your 4WDApparently you can drive right up to this point on Gold Camp Road, if you don't mind the rough ride and the sheer drops of the side. Magnificent sceneThis must rank as the ultimate setting in a model railroader's dream. I see the GrinchHe looks stoned. Barrels of funThe barrels that are on the bridge are for fires that might start on the bridge. Because the steam engines would drop hot coals as it went down the tracks, they had these handy barrels that were filled with water and usually painted red. If a track crew or passerby saw any smoke from the bridge after the train past, they could use the water to put the "fire" out. The Late Great Gorre & DaphetidJohn Allen was my hero when I was a kid building my HO train layout. John was a good photographer himself and his model railroad was the envy of everyone! Sorry end: John died and his friends tried to preserve his masterpiece but the house caught fire. The End. RIP John wherever you are. For the Squirrels.Concerning the barrels on the trestle. As mentioned, they are for fire protection, and usually had a hook on the inside upon which was hung a bucket under the water. The Sectionmen would keep an eye on the barrels and would top them up from time to time from the creek below, sometimes with a bucket on a rope, or, in dry locations or on HIGH bridges, from a special Water Car handled by a Wayfreight or Work Train. Water could be moved by a hose from a steam locomotive tender. Squirrels, other animals, and birds would attempt to drink from the barrels, and, if the insides were slick, would fall in, not be able to climb back out, then drown. A floating piece of wood plank would give them something to climb onto, then jump or fly free. Sparks could come from locomotive fire boxes and smoke stacks and from red-hot iron brakeshoes on trains descending heavy grades. Diesel locomotives still set fires with carbon sparks from their exhuasts. Train and Engine crews were admonished to not throw discarded smoking material from moving trains ( Cigars, Cigarettes, Pipe Dottle, Matches and so forth.) Written notices would be placed in Cabooses to that effect. Fusees used for flagging and hand signals would set fires if improperly used. When cooler weather arrived, the barrels would be emptied, or they would freeze and break, often turned upside-down on the platform, with the bucket underneath. In spring they would be turned upright, the bucket put back in and filled once again. Different Companies and climates might dictate different policies, but, thats the way it was done here. After they became readily available, steel drums and galvanized buckets were used on water barrels on bridges. Steel drums, with one end removed with a hammer and chisel and with holes put in the sides near the bottom with a pick for draft, still make excellent fire barrels for heat, and burning trash, the latter to discourage bears. As trash burners, a screen would be used in hot weather to capture sparks. They glow red at night, the draft holes making spooky patterns on the snow, melting a hole, sparks mixing with the stars as the coyotes serenade the mountains. Thank You. Twisted by Tempests The Land of Enchantment: From Pike's Peak to the Pacific. By Lilian Whiting, 1909. Chapter III The Picturesque Region of Pike's Peak … Every tourist in the Pike's Peak region regards the "Short Line" trip as the very crown of the summer's excursions. These forty-five miles not only condense within their limits the grandeur one might reasonably anticipate during a transcontinental journey of three thousand miles, but as an achievement of mountain engineering, railway experts in both Europe and America have pronounced it the most substantially built and the finest equipped mountain railroad in the world. It was opened in 1901, and, quite irrespective of any interest felt in visiting the gold camps of Cripple Creek, the "Short Line" has become the great excursion which all visitors to Colorado desire to make for the sublime effects of the scenery. … The "Cathedral Park" is an impressive example of what the forces of nature can accomplish. Colossal rocks, chiselled by erosion, twisted by tempests, worn by the storms of innumerable ages, loom up in all conceivable shapes. They are of the same order as some of the wonderful groups of rocks seen in the Grand Cañon. Towers and arches and temples and shafts have been created by Nature's irresistable forces, and to the strange fantastic form is added color — the same rich and varied hues that render the Grand Cañon so wonderful in its color effects. This "Cathedral Park" is a great pleasure resort for celebrations and picnics, both from Colorado Springs, Colorado City, Broadmoor, and other places from below, and also from Cripple Creek, Victor, and other towns in Cripple Creek District. … Bridge OutIn fact, the railroad itself is gone. The road bed is now unpaved Gold Camp Road. The gorge spanned by the railroad bridge has been filled in. This is the area just below Cathedral Park where in 1901 picture was apparently taken. The stream called Bison Creek is still there and flows beneath the filled in section. Following it downhill leads to a small lake it has formed, and signs of life are there. Beautiful area!I love the area around Cripple Creek and Victor. We go there twice a year. Have never been on Gold Camp Road, but plan to find it and go on it later this year after seeing these pictures. Barrels!They are there to provide water to fight small fires caused by sparks from the locomotive(s) after they passed by. The bridges were built with either untreated or creosoted timbers, highly susceptible to fire, and the railroads, in those days, hired trackwalkers to keep an eye on bridges like this, as well as many other maintenance issues. A small fire or smolder could easily be put out with a little water from the barrels. Otherwise, the nearest water was in the creek below, IF it wasn't dried up for the summer. Guard rails on bridgesThese were placed between the tracks on bridges in case of a derailment on the bridge. It was hoped that the wheels would be snagged between the outer rail and the guard rail. No doubt the guard rails did not always keep the cars or locomotive from going over the side. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, W.H. Jackson)
Hollywood and Vine: 1939
... course of 10 days. Hope you don't have any plans Tuesday night because that is the last night for "Susannah of the Mounties"! On another note, what is a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2011 - 9:53pm -

September 1939. Cadott, Wisconsin. "The week's bill." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Poster collectorsI checked some auction prices for these one-sheet movie posters, and came up with three: Susannah of the Mounties $134 (2009) Stronger than Desire $45 (2006) Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever $120 (2008) The ringer is the Gracie Allen. I couldn't find any references or images of this particular design, but many for a different one whose estimates range up to $1700, so perhaps the one here is a real rarity. "Vine." I get it. LongevityMore than seven decades later, the stars of two of these movies are still among us: Mickey Rooney (going on 91) and Shirley Temple (83). Stanley's Selection1939 was one of the greatest years ever for movies - i.e. Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, Dark Victory, Stagecoach, Mr. Smith Goes to Washington, Wuthering Heights, etc. - and the Stanley Theatre isn't showing even one of them! Not Exactly First-RunAs with most small town movie houses, it looks like Cadott's Stanley Theatre was not very high up in the pecking order for new releases. According to IMDB, "Susannah of the Mounties" was released on June 13, 1939, "The Gracie Allen Murder Case" on June 2, "Stronger Than Desire" on June 30, and "Andy Hardy Gets Spring Fever" on July 21. Any Cadott residents who burned to see the latest movies might have made the nearly 100-mile trek to Minneapolis for quicker gratification. Some of the hit movies mentioned below had been released in the Spring, but "The Wizard of Oz" didn't hit the screens until August 25 - sit tight, Cadott - and everyone was going to have to wait a bit longer for "Gone With the Wind." Although it premiered in December, it was not actually distributed to theaters until January 17, 1940. Gracie Allen Murder CaseMy mother had a set of S.S. Van Dine's Philo Vance murder mysteries, gray covers with a spiderweb design. One of them was The Gracie Allen Murder Case. Philo was a rich guy of the "old boy, my dear chap" school whose valet assisted him in his investigations. I recall that many of the chapters began with epigrams in Latin or Greek and Philo was always tossing in "bon mots" in French. Pre-TV WorldAs someone who has grown up in a post-television world, I find it fascinating how so many movies could be at one single screen theater over the course of 10 days. Hope you don't have any plans Tuesday night because that is the last night for "Susannah of the Mounties"! On another note, what is a "bank-nite" and why is touted as being special? [The signs say "Book Night." A promotional stunt dreamed up by exhibitor Robert Lippert. - Dave] I did see that sign, but what I was referring to was written next to the Wed & Thurs above the Gracie Allen Murder Case poster. Top BillingLewis Stone over Mickey Rooney Gracie Allen over Kent Taylor What were they thinking? Now PlayingThe Stanley Theater is still open and playing films. I've had the pleasure myself, actually. Daniel "Mussy" Eslinger and his family have been running the theater since 1968. In 2010, the family restored the outside of the theater to its 1936 glory. The theater is a gem and so is Mussy. Where else can you get real butter on your popcorn? Bank NiteBank Night (listed on the Wed-Thurs board as "Bank Nite") was a lottery for prizes which theaters held during the latter part of The Depression in order to get more patrons into their theater. WallpaperThis picture would be the perfect 'wallpaper' for a fan of classical movies. I wonder if TCM has any of these flicks in their vault. I'd like to see the 'Gracie Allen' picture; note that George Burns isn't mentioned. Interesting. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Movies)
A Lab and a Cab: 1937
... As an art and design historian I'm happy to say "Good night and good luck" to Outta Here and the other Kultur Kops who refuse to ... 
 
Posted by D_Chadwick - 07/12/2009 - 11:01pm -

Scanned from a print dated March 23, 1937. Colorized! View full size. Call me PhilBeing one who enjoys the colorized pics -- and therefore a Philistine -- I have to say I'm not seeing the point of what appears to be ranting for ranting's sake. Surely the point of all this outrage can't be to persuade, since hardly anybody is persuaded by being called names, or having their positions caricatured, or being accused of the worst imaginable motives. But if I were a wise and sensitive respecter of art and history, perhaps I would understand. Of course, in that case, I might be over at the Library of Congress site, where, as far as I am aware, nobody ever colorizes anything at all. What's old is new!My great aunt made money during the Depression tinting photos by hand. We have a few of hers around, and they are very similar in appearance to these. It was a point of pride with her to turn out the work that she did, and she was in great demand by the local drug stores until she got a job as a secretary during the war. I think for some other body to spend all of the time it takes to tint these photos is a tremendous mark of respect for our past-doing so is NOT "easy" or fast. No LabThat sure is a cab but that isn't a Lab. [Perhaps you're looking at the wrong dog. - Dave] History coming to lifeThis image really conveys vitality better than B&W, although I still like those images too. The dogs really come to life. Well done. It seems like there have been more colorized images recently. Any particular reason? Whoa Nellie!Let’s all take a deep breath and relax. I'm the guy who colorized this "travesty." As a collector of antique negatives and prints I too am a bit of a purist when it comes to black and white photography as can be seen if you click on the "track" tab of my user profile. However, I see nothing wrong with putting color to an old image for recreational purposes. I shouldn’t have to remind the noted "historians" who were kind enough to submit their thoughtful comments that tinting photos goes back to the days of Daguerreotypes, so the process is hardly anything new. As for being done by "technicians" rather than artists I’d like to point out that I've been employed as a graphic artist for over twenty years. I also oil paint, work with charcoals and particularly enjoy pen and ink and can assure you that colorizing these digitally is an art since it takes the same ability to mix colors, recognize good contrasts etc. Anybody who disputes that isn't familiar with the process involved. Not to mention the eye it takes to restore the original photos even before adding color. I for one am glad Dave and the Shorpy gang are posting these. It's interesting to see other people's interpretations of how history might have looked had we been there. One of the most entertaining things about the arts is the critics. Go to your corners!I don't like colorization, but can't really get hysterical about it. In this photo, the "yellow" cab is a color of yellow that no one has ever seen on a real cab, and if the lovely lady is still alive, she might take offense at being made to look like she dyed her hair. Still, this kind of anonymous snap is the best choice for colorization, rather than the work of photographers who took great care with their tones and shadings. I remember in my childhood, people could buy "tinting" kits to colorize their own b&w photos, and my mother used her kit to create some ghastly images of my childhood. Ironically, however, the tinting has proved more stable than 1950s color prints, which have faded and now look even older and weirder than they, and I, are. ColorizationI've held my tongue long enough. I find colorization to be a travesty and a deliberate show of disrespect to both the filmmaker and the photographer. If the photographer had wanted to use color film in depicting these images, he certainly could have. He chose not to. It is my opinion that succeeding generations should respect his judgement and refrain from altering the photographers reality. Simply using a technology because it new or somehow "neat" is a poor reason to use the technology. Further, I believe colorization used in this manner is simply a tool wielded by technicians, not artists, who have no creative ability of their own and so seek to vandalize art created by others. I despised colorization when Ted Turner first sought to employ it and I deplore it today. ["Travesty"? "Disrespect"? "Despise"? "Deplore"? "Vandalism"? Goodness. As for "art created by others," they're casual snapshots salvaged from old shoeboxes, family photo albums, thrift stores, etc. (And shooting on color film was not really a choice for the average amateur photographer in 1937, a year after the first color print films became commercially available.) For more colorization hilarity, see the comment below. Note how this "historian" went to the trouble of adding italics. - Dave] The Best MedicineI'm not sure he'd ever admit to it, but I suspect the real reason Dave gives space to the colorized pictures is entertainment value. Not of the photos themselves, which are OK, but the opportunity they afford otherwise rational people make complete asses of themselves with their ridiculous, unintentionally hilarious "comments." [Of course you're right -- he would never admit to such a thing. - Dave] Who Owns the Past?As an art and design historian I'm happy to say "Good night and good luck" to Outta Here and the other Kultur Kops who refuse to accept any difference between casual artistic appropriations of historical images and "professional" presentations of those images. What "standard" do these clowns think they're protecting? Is Shorpy the National Archives? Here we have people happily engaging with history in creative and thoughtful ways, and they can't stand it. No wonder so many historical societies are closing their doors for lack of support. And to the digital artists on this site who've provided these images, please, send us a colorized Mathew Brady. Soon. If it weeds out a few more sandbox bullies who think they own history, hurrah! If I had a little more time for my own Photoshop efforts, by now I would have done so myself. Brady beat us to itSo much for the supposed sanctity of black and white Civil War photos. A quick Google search yielded the image below, a very large original salt print portrait of General Joseph Hooker, ca. 1863, 17 1/2 inches by 15 inches, taken, printed and hand-colored in the Mathew Brady studio. Brady was a businessman and a showman, not an "artist," who counted Horace Greeley and P.T. Barnum among his personal friends. And he found that colored images sold well then for the same reasons that they captivate us now. Not a fan of this colorizationI'm ok with colorization if it adds to the image. The key is to add the color with a subtle, light touch and to understand that, say, the yellow on a taxi is actually comprised of several subtly different yellows. In this case, however, the color does not add but, in my humble opinion, takes away from the image. The colors are so heavy that the area of the collie's face and man's chest has lost its detail. The colors on the dog's coat and the woman's hair were especially applied with a rather heavy, clunky fashion. Hue and CryIf you don't like colorized images, feel free to avoid them. I think they're 100% fine for Dave to put on his site as long as he notes that they have been colorized recently, which he does with the colorized tag. The photographs on Shorpy were made for many different reasons, and it's not our place to dictate the artistic intentions of the photographers. I think it's great that we have the option of seeing a modern artist's conception of what the original photog saw. For example, I don't think colorizing would improve "Lady in the Water" but I think it would be interesting for "The Jerk" and many other images. I believe that most pictures would have probably been taken in color in the first place if it had been as cheap, easy to access, and durable as it is today. BunkI support the colorization. In response to those who feel otherwise, I would like to point out the black and white negatives safely remain. I spent a long career as a professional editor and reporter/photographer, as well as amateur historian, and I see nothing wrong with these colorized photos. Variety is the Spice of LifeTHANK YOU, DAVE, for offering a venue where photos can be displayed in original form, as well as colorized. How can it be that some moral corruption is committed by adding a little color? If you don't like it, don't look at it. Use the power of your mouse and click elsewhere. And as to the photographers using color if they had been able to, I would be willing to wager that any one of these photogs would have GLADLY switched to color had it been available. It is we on the romantic side of looking back that insist on purist displays. Otherwise, why would they have gone to the trouble to hand color with paints and the like before color was available. Again, no one is twisting anyone's arm to look at any of this stuff. If you don't like it, scroll on! Colorized just like Grandpa used toThese colorized photos look much like colorized photos that could be found in magazine advertisements and on postcards in the years before color film was widely available. Colorization as artFor centuries, artists have taken previous artists' works as inspiration to be quoted and reworked in new ways. Manet quotes Titian, Bacon quotes Velasquez, etc. If the colorization is well done and helps you see the original in new and interesting ways, then it succeeds as art too. Done respectfully, it's a form of homage to the original. Retro ColorThe colorized pictures presented here had a vaguely familiar feel to me. Then this afternoon, whem I was moving boxes of old National Geographics around in the attic, it dawned on me. Most of them look almost identical to old color magazine prints. So what you have here is a digital recreation of an old process. Just what we need: another colorization opinionI wonder why the various Farkizations don't inspire similarly vehement responses. As with the colorizations, I regard them as completely separate and distinct visual experiences vis-a-vis the originals. And though I rarely get an "it's real" feeling from colorizations, I must say that in the coulda-fooled-me department, The Summer of '41, 2.0 takes the cake. To heck with the hatersI too am one that enjoys colorizing old black and white photos. I have done mostly old family ones and a bunch of old sports ones. The funny thing about the haters is this. The world is a world of color. The only reason old pictures are in black and white is because there was no color film. When any of the haters take family pictures now or pictures of vacations or whatever how many use black and white film or in digital? I see some very talented people on here with the colorizing. For some of you to do all the little details is fantastic. I love Shorpy and try to check it every day. The quality of the pictures makes them great to be colorized if one can do so. The anger by many about this puzzles me. Color me NeutralPersonally I don't care either way concerning color vs. black and white but I think I can see the point the anti-colorization mob is trying to make. Most of the photos I have seen colorized no longer look like "real" photos. The colors, from the skin tones on the people to the brickwork on buildings, are unnatural and generally off. From reading all of the posts concerning this I understand how difficult the process apparently is so I am not trying to knock anyone's work. It just takes a picture that looks real and transforms it into a cartoon in most cases. Some people, it would seem, don't appreciate that. Aesthetically speakingI must respectfully disagree with Mr. Breza here. I think colorizing embalms the photos. Even the most sensitive application of color muddies the tones and the highlights. The original black-and-white images have so much more immediacy, texture and vitality. Color snobsThis debate reminds me that many art purists love classic Grecian architecture and sculpture. The simplicity of form and aspect, etc. Well, the Greeks painted and gilded their temples to make them more lifelike and eye-catching. Imagine the Parthenon's friezes colorized with the subtlety of a Sunday-funnies comic strip. The original art, if that is what it is, is untouched by the work of those who wish to enjoy it in any way they feel led to. Perhaps some of you wish to take paint and brush to "fix" a Greek temple? You know, to take it back to the artist's "true concept"? Hair flip"Outta Here" marks the first hair flip I've seen on Shorpy. I'm quite used to seeing them on sites like CafeMom and Babycenter -- where new-mommy hormones rage. Funny to see one in this setting, performed by a historian no less. You could almost hear the finger-snap. You can also bet that, true to hair-flip form, "Outta Here" is most certainly NOT outta here. Instead they are lurking to see what kind of dust they kicked up and how/if anyone is begging them to come back. I don't mind the color. I can respect the time, talent, and artistry it takes to do it, even if I prefer the black-and-white originals. Taxi!Old Yeller appears to be a '36 Dodge . . . I've been colorizing B&W photos digitally since 1993. And I was doing it in Marshall's oils before that. Also with color dyes in an airbrush. I once did an entire calender of stills from the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" about 15 years ago digitally. I know, I should be shot for such blasphemy, but the company I did the work for had acquired the rights to do so. It was fun, and I tried to maintain a look of hand tinting as apposed to all out colorization. Some tricks are trying to maintain a certain value of color across the entire image, as well as not allowing the shadows to obtain too much color saturation. The saturation is what gives most of the colorized images an off look. It's not all plug and play, and the use of curves and selective color is often needed to make a more natural color effect once a color has been layed in. My Great-Aunt was a colorizerReally enjoy the work of the colorizers on Shorpy. My great-aunt is 96. During her late teens, she worked as a colorizer in a local studio. She told me that so many customers wanted their portraits colorized, she was working overtime. She gave my mother two original portraits of my great-grandparents that she herself had done, they are really nice. Thanks for sharing the colorizing work on Shorpy. Life has always been in color, and to see our forefathers in color reminds us that they, too, were just real people like us. Knickers in a TwistI am surprised by the vehemence of the anti-colorists. I think it adds more than a little something. Like watching the Wizard of Oz. I think the other dog is either an English or Australian shepherd. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Colorized Photos)
Gunsmoke: 1957
... Gunsmoke was to my parents, aunts, and uncles. Saturday night was Gunsmoke night. A couple of years ago my wife and I watched the first-year episodes, and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2013 - 10:26am -

1957. "Actor James Arness filming on location for the television series Gunsmoke," in the notional Kansas landscape around Dodge City. Photo by Maurice Terrell for the Look magazine article "Jim Arness: Hero of Gunsmoke." View full size. Everything but the locationGunsmoke went to extraordinary pains to get the details right, especially the period artifacts and technology. This makes it all the more puzzling that the producers seldom filmed the outdoor scenes in locations that looked even remotely like southwest Kansas. James ArnessIt's interesting to note that after John Wayne turned down the role of Marshall Dillon in Gunsmoke, he recommended James Arness for the part. One of his reasons was because James Arness was 6ft 6in tall, and John Wayne said he didn't like the idea of Arness towering over him in films. Arness originally refused the part himself, fearing typecasting, but eventually took it; and I think it's safe to say it worked out well for him. I especially liked his letter to the fans, published posthumously, where he thanked them for their support. He was truly a classy guy. Arness triviaPlayed The Thing in 1951's "The Thing (from Another World)"; brother of Peter "Mission Impossible" Graves. All this for one camera shotNot being hip to the whole "how do they do it" thing in Hollywood I find this amazing. I wonder how much time is put into setting up that track for the camera dolly to roll on? All the leveling, shimming, adjusting. You can see lots of wood blocks underneath are used. All for a 10 second shot probably. Re: James ArnessHe also returned the favor to John Wayne when he starred in a short-lived TV series, "McClain's Law." Jim McClain was John Wayne's character in "Big Jim McClain," which co-starred Arness, as well as the title character in Arness' TV show. Okay, any experts out there:Being ignorant of commercial film operations, I'd like to know what is the purpose of the screen on the dolly, and what may be in front of it? Ok, guys, thank you for the answer. I though it might be a refractor or bounce fill reflector, but in my limited photography experience I used white cardboard. The blurry surface made me wonder what it was. Again, thanks! Not Goodyear butThe camera is wearing a quilt-like fitted blanket. That would be to deaden the sounds it makes. ScreenYou mean the light refracting panel? Looks like a alum. foil covered piece of plywood. Used to redirect natural light onto the actor or scene I would assume. On Making MoviesI once came up the filming of some scenes for a TV movie in Los Angeles. I saw them film one seen where a detective was questioning a person in the ticket booth at a movie theatre. It took fifteen minutes to set up the scene. When I saw the film, it was maybe five seconds long as part of a montage. Much work for little film time -- but that's what it takes to do the job right. The thing on the dolly in this photo looks like a diffused reflector to shine soft sunlight onto James Arness. If he were facing into the sun he would be squinting and the light would be harsh. The reflector softens the light for better film exposure. "Mr. Dillon! Mr. Dillon!"Is that Chester (Goode) to the left of Arness, obscured by the shirtless crewman? The impact of GunsmokeI grew up in Kansas in the 1950's and remember how "big a deal" Gunsmoke was to my parents, aunts, and uncles. Saturday night was Gunsmoke night. A couple of years ago my wife and I watched the first-year episodes, and their impact surprised us both. From Dillon's introductory walk through a desolate Boot Hill, talking about wasted lives, to stories where good guys don't always win and life is cruel, those episodes just never let up -- little fluffy banter, no dancing, no kids running around laughing and playing, just harsh life with bad guys and bad weather on the Kansas plains in the 1870's -- in black and white, without even color to soften. Those episodes are almost unbearably sad. They reasonated, though, with an audience that had experienced the Depression and Dust Bowl, WWII, and, for some, what life was like on an isolated Kansas farm. The only western capable of this level of drama was Rawhide, but even it did not consistently match Gunsmoke's first year. Later westerns like Bonanza and Big Valley look childish by comparison, even at their best. Even Gunsmoke could not maintain its level, and the Boot Hill walk disappeared and the stories became lighter. No track?I'm amazed that there is no track for the wheels of that dolly, only what look like 2x10 boards. I imagine it was very difficult keeping those wheels from running off. Hurry Up And WaitThe object on the hinge above the camera is a fill reflector. If you notice where his shadow is on the ground, the sun is nearly directly above. Plus he is wearing a hat. His face would be all shadows, which wouldn't look good on film, without some light coming in below the hat. So you bounce some light in, for the camera, with those reflectors. As far as setting up that track, motion picture scenes are put together by various sub crews of the whole team. The gaffers do the lighting, the grips set up that track. So, while the camera crew and actors are shooting some other scene, the grips are working on what the camera will need for the next one. Everyone is there from before sun up to after sun down, so how long it takes to set the track up doesn't really matter that much because if they finish setting up that track before they are needed to carry around that reflector, or take down another track, they just have to stay there and wait. In reality, the guys have set up that same track so many times and broken it down again, that they are pretty quick at it. I haven't ever seen a wooden track like that anywhere that I worked, but I wasn't working in 1957. Gunsmoke on Radio and TVI listen to episodes of the Gunsmoke radio show every night as I fall asleep. It is constantly streaming over the internet from three or four separate sources. The quality of these radio shows is outstanding, beginning with Willaim Conrad's portrayal of Matt Dillon. Several of the radio actors turned up repeatedly on the tv series. One radio actor who played many roles was James Nusser who played town drunk Louie Pheeters on tv. Another regular radio actor was John Dehner who played roles in many movies, tv and radio. Dehner also played Paladin in the radio version of "Have Gun Will Travel" and did a fantastic job. Many radio scripts were remade for television, and this was very noticeable in "Have Gun Will Travel." That does look like Dennis Weaver playing Chester Goode in a tv episode (the character's name was Chester Proudfoot in the radio series). Doc Adams was portrayed on radio by Howard McNear who is better know for playing Floyd the Barber on "The Andy Griffith Show." All good stuff, and most of it has been properly preserved for future generations. Oh, and finally, James Aurness (original spelling) briefly attended Beloit College in Wisconsin. Those of us who went there have heard countless (incorrect) recountings of how John Wayne attended the school! Arness vs. BurrIt's a good thing they cast Arness as the TV marshal instead of the radio show version of Matt Dillon. Raymond Burr played Matt Dillon on the radio show. [No, the radio Matt Dillon was played by William Conrad, known on TV as "Cannon" and also the narrator of the Rocky & Bullwinkle adventures. Burr did audition for the TV role, however. -tterrace] Oops - I meant to say William Conrad played Matt Dillon on the radio show. Different guy, but roughly the same shape. RelatedI, and about 50 close friends, helped VOLVO do a 30 second commercial back in 1978. It took about 12 hours to shoot. This type of activity is very labor intensive. 'Gunsmoke' was, and still remains, one of the best ensemble shows ever, regardless of genre. Probably a 2nd unit shootThat guy on the left looks like a boom operator, but the fact that the camera is on such a lightweight tripod and dolly makes me think it isn't blimped (closed up in a big case that makes it silent for sound recording). I don't know if it was a practice in '50s TV production to sent a second unit to shoot locations, but that's what this looks like. LocationThe location shots were probably in SoCal near Hollywood. Crew union pay rules specify higher rates when further than 30 miles from LA, so that is why most things are filmed in and around there. The TMZ in tmz.com etc actually stands for "thirty mile zone" in reference to this Nice vignetteIf they weren't shooting at this moment, they should have been. Arness' stance is a great publicity still. Those were the dayswhen I would watch Gunsmoke every week, cap gun in hand. Growing up in the 1960s, it was my favorite show. Today, at age 55 I come home from the office and turn on the Western channel and watch the early episodes every week night. It's still a great show after all these years. My only peeve about Gunsmoke, and the same with virtually all westerns of the era, is the use of guns that are often too modern for the period. Matt's 7.5" barrel Colt model 1873 is correct and authentic. But had just come out and was not yet common. His quick draw, low slung holster is a more modern invention as well. The use of model 1892 Winchester rifles is almost universal in westerns of this era, but is totally incorrect for the 1870s. But regardless, of these mior nits, I love the series and the morals they conveyed. Please post more Gunsmoke photos if possible. Location: Wildwood Park AreaThe Location for this shoot is; corner of Wildwood Ave at W. Olsen Rd. Thousand Oaks, CA looking about due East at the hill. (LOOK, TV)
Overture to Death: 1943
... with a wink: "Guys, I tell you, I just met her last night and in no time I had her head on a pillow, if you know what I mean!" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2013 - 2:35pm -

October 1943. Washington, D.C. "Servicemen and girl at a party." Our title comes from the bookshelf, although it could be from the girl. Strategically, her companion has the right idea: Get your lady comfortable with food and drink, and maybe a pillow. Add conversation and stir. Operationally, though, we'd say the execution needs work. Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size. Alternate TitleGoodbye, Mr. Chips. I wonder if Dr. Seussever regretted doing the illustrations for 'The Pocket Book of Boners'? No Fun Here!There is no ashtray for the long-ashed cigarette; the glasses appear empty (at least to me); the girl appears bored; the guy appears desperate. Doesn't look like anyone is having a good time, except his buddy, who seems to be laughing at the whole thing. Anotherpotential title: Farewell, My Lovely. He looks like he's about to slide down and disappear. And his buddy looks ready to be more then happy to take his place. Alternate Alternate TitleThe Pocket Book of ... no, that's too easy. Another possible title"Pocket Book of Boners" might have been more appropriate. Too Gauche?"The Pocket Book of Boners." Doubt you'll post this but --I'd have gone with "The Pocket Book of Boners." I SpyMy copy of 'Victory Through Air Power'. Interesting book. I've always wondered where it had come from. Headhunting In The Solomon IslandsCaroline Mytinger and her pal Margaret Warner on their own in the prewar Solomons looking for heads they could paint! I have that book and those two ladies were simply amazing. A very nice bookshelf IMO. Old HatOn top of the bookcase are 2 U.S. Army WW2 enlisted men's Class A Uniform Visor Caps. The badges are upside down and too blurry for me to make out. Attached is the American Eagle emblem usually worn on this headgear. The Officer's cap had a larger image not encircled. Pall MallLong time since I have seen a pack of Pall Mall. About 1946 [ my Aunt]. Successful jump from shelf to screenThe best book on that shelf is "A Coffin for Dimitrios" by Eric Ambler. It's about a reporter traveling Europe between the world wars who crosses the path of an international master criminal. Picked up at a yard sale in the early 1970s, it is one of the best books I've ever read for mystery, espionage and treachery. I pictured Peter Lorre and Sidney Greenstreet as characters. Low and behold in the 1980's, while walking by a little theater of Drexel University in Phila, the next movie to be watched and discussed was "The Mask of Dimitrios" Yes it was, and starring the actors I had imagined. The movie was oh so good! Disney's "Victory Through Air Power"Disney used the shown book "Victory Through Air Power" as a basis for a highly successful 1943 propaganda film of the same name. The Pocket Book of BonersWhen I was eleven years old, looking for entertainment at a cabin on an island in the north woods, I discovered that book. It kept me laughing for days. In those old days, the word "boner" was slang for a mistake. Here's one that was hysterically funny for me at age eleven: From a classroom quiz, one student's answer to the question of the conquest of Mexico was, "Mexico was conquered by Kotex." Was This Esther's Bubley's Apartment?On the bottom shelf is a copy of The Photolab Index which was a compendium of all kinds of technical photographic information. It would have been owned by a serious photographer who needed ready access to data from all the then current manufacturers, as well as articles on chemistry, optics, etc. Pall MallsMy mother used to smoke these and when I was much younger I used to swipe a few and go up in the attic to smoke! The next day he said with a wink:"Guys, I tell you, I just met her last night and in no time I had her head on a pillow, if you know what I mean!" Selfie?The woman in the photo bears a striking resemblance to . . . Esther Bubley. I note that only one of her hands is visible, and that one of the books on the lower shelf is the photo-geek bible, "Photo Lab Index." [Here she is in a 1944 photo by John Vachon. -tterrace] Ah, the ironyIt might not have been a bad idea for the serviceman to have perused Headhunting in the Solomon Islands, as it's not impossible that he ended up there. The islands were the site of some heavy fighting which continued to the very end of the war, even if the worst was over by the photo's date. While most of the titles have long since faded into obscurity, two that stand out are Cross Creek, the memoirs of Yearling author Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, and of course Pygmalion. Sapphira and the Slave Girl by Willa Cather is an example of a rather obscure book (her last, in fact) by a famous author. As for A Coffin for Dimitrios, I fully agree with an earlier comment that Eric Ambler was an excellent writer. Still, the most thought-provoking title by far is Siamese Twin Mystery. What happens if one of them is a murderer? You can't throw him in prison without punishing the other, innocent one, so what do you do? BookshelfWhen one looks up some of the titles on that bookshelf, some should still be readable (Eric Ambler, for instance). Although almost all seem to be out of print by now. However, some are called out with an astonishing price tag on the used book platforms. Book IdentificationThe large volume on the lower shelf is "Currier & Ives Printmakers to the American People" by Harry T. Peters. Literary tastesI respect the reader's choice of Willa Cather's "Sapphira and the Slave Girl"; probably the foremost novelist on those shelves. Two Familiar Items My mother's unfiltered Pall Malls. I might have snuck one or two. They were pretty rough but what I most remember is studying the heraldic looking thing on the front of the pack when I was mid single digits. My copy of Victory Through Air Power is not much worse for wear than the one here and dated 1942. The jacket is a dark or navy blue toward the top of the jacket fading to a lighter blue with gray clouds at the bottom. Overture to Deathis still in print, and I have a copy too. It's a pretty funny book about two spinsters vying to be the top dog in an English village. It's by Ngaio Marsh. The Man Who Murdered HimselfBy Geoffrey Homes, published by William Morrow in 1936, and by Avon as a paperback in 1942. Competition for Siamese Twin Mystery in Peter's most-thought-provoking-title category. Nero and AgathaLots of good Nero Wolfe titles on that shelf, and Agatha Christie too. Nice to see some of the classics. Above SuspicionThree books to the left of Eric Ambler's superb A Coffin For Demetrios (top row of paperbacks) is another book to check out. Above Suspicion (1941) was the first book by Helen MacInnes. It tells a terrific pursuit and escape story of a newlywed British couple who are asked by a friend in intelligence to go to Germany on their honeymoon and pass a few messages to certain people in certain cities. They were picked for the job because they'd be "above suspicion." The time, I think, is summer 1938. The tenseness of the period is very well handled, and you'll get a thoroughly convincing feel for the quiet menace behind everyday German life. Those books! Those books are collectible the ones with the keyhole on the spine are "Map Backs",mystery books with maps printed on the back of the book,to illustrate where the story takes place. Early writers on that genre got a start there. Thanks for recommendationChecked out a collection of four Eric Ambler stories contained in one book titled "Intrigue" from the local library. Just finished reading "A Coffin for Dimitrios" and found it superb. I was initially surprised that the book was still available for checkout especially since it was first placed into circulation back in 1965 according to the checkout card still located inside the back cover of the book. It also indicates that the book was checked out 36 times between November 4, 1965 through October 27,1986. It then sat for almost six years before being taken out again. The last entry appears in '94 after which the book was likely moved to electronic record keeping. It appears that the book still gets out enough in circulation to warrant keeping it around... (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, WW2)
On Broadway: 1911
New York circa 1911. "Broadway at night from Times Square." With a phantom or two loitering at the subway entrance. Companion to the night view of Times Square posted here on Monday . 8x10 inch glass negative. ... The theater was virtually a shrine to his career. Opening night featured "Get Rich Quick Wallingford." The "Little Millionaire" opened ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 6:55pm -

New York circa 1911. "Broadway at night from Times Square." With a phantom or two loitering at the subway entrance. Companion to the night view of Times Square posted here on Monday. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. StreetlightsYou can still find those lampposts dotted here and there throughout the city. I think they are called "Bishop's Crooks." Subway entranceIt's neat to see the subway entrance at the right. There used to be quite a few like that, but now there's only one left, down at St. Marks Place, I believe. [Astor Place. - Dave] +98Below is same perspective (north from 43rd Street) taken in January of 2009. Phantoms and a great photo.I always enjoy seeing the phantoms of blurred people and objects in these old photos, it gives a sense of life and reality, that there were real people living there. Cars, trolleys, horses, going about their business the same as we do today. With a little imagination you can almost hear them! Hitchy-KooLooks like an ad reading "IT'S A HITCHCOCK CONQUEST" next to the Cohan theatre, likely referring to the actor Raymond Hitchcock, who was a star on Broadway at the time. Oddly enough, both Cohan and Hitchcock were celebrity endorsers of the fine, refreshing taste of Moxie. Macy's signAccording to the company's web site, Macy's moved to its present Herald Square location at West 34th and Broadway in 1902. Were they paying for advertising space at "the competitor's spot" -- Times Square? I love the phantom newspaper vendor slumped over near the subway entrance. [The sign is on the store, eight blocks away in Herald Square. This view is from the southern limit of Times Square. - Dave] +98 I disagree"Below is same perspective (north from 43rd Street) taken in January of 2009" That's the Times building behind the subway entrance to the right. So unlike your picture, we are standing in Times Square looking north up Broadway, and the street just ahead on the left is 47th. [Not quite. The view here is looking south down Broadway from 43rd. The next street to the left is 42nd. The big building outlined in lights is the Hotel Knickerbocker. The Hotel Albany was at Broadway and 41st. We can also see the Hotel Normandie sign at 38th, and the Macy's sign at 35th. - Dave] George M. Cohan.On February 13, 1911 the George M. Cohan Theater opened its doors at 1482 Broadway & 43rd Street. Its narrow entrance led to a marbled lobby which had murals depicting the Four Cohans up until the event of "The Governor's Son." After you entered the theater, you were treated to various scenes from his Broadway successes that were painted on the walls above and surrounding the boxes. The theater was virtually a shrine to his career. Opening night featured "Get Rich Quick Wallingford." The "Little Millionaire" opened September 25, 1911, and was the last production that George appeared in with any family members. The theater became a full time movie house in 1932, and by 1938 it was demolished. Subway Entrances/ExitsIn the original IRT system, entrances had the rounded roof, exits had the angled roofs. None survive today, though there are replicas installed at Astor Place, not St. Mark's, and an elevator at City Hall is similar in style. This picture is even more important for showing the Times building from ground level, giving an indication at how narrow it really is. It's a shame this gorgeous building was stripped of its ornamentation in the 70s, and soldiers on today vacant, making more money as a billboard than as a rented building. Still, and I forget who said it, but it is the most famous building in the world whose architecture is almost completely unknown. Re: +98 I disagree (and Dave)I humbly apologize for my misidentification of the perspective and thank you both for providing me with the proper location. I based my shot on a very low-res copy of the original photograph that I had. The Cohan Theatre building looked much like the Paramount building and I incorrectly believed the Hotel Knickerbocker was the Hotel Astor. However, after I posted the (incorrect) "now" version, it just didn't look right when I compared it to the hi-res Shorpy shot (especially with "Times" so prominently written in the window right in front and the Macy's sign in the distance). It's been driving me nuts. Looks like I've got another shot to take after I overcome my embarrassment. The perils of going from front to backAh, I see that Hitchcock was appearing just down the street in The Red Widow, as "Cicero Hannibal Butts," which might explain the "conquest" comment. This is what happens when you don't keep up with Shorpy on a daily basis. Much different todayIt's interesting how many hotels, theaters, and restaurants are on Broadway below 42nd Street in the photo. Today, there is very little activity below 40th, and most of Times Square activity extends from 40th up to about 48th. Where is this building?Has this building been torn down? It looks like the Flatiron building but in going back and forth with the Flat Iron building the facing doesn't look the same but yet the angle of this building looks like it. [This is the old New York Times building, seen here and here and here. Now covered with advertising signs, it's where the ball drops on New Year's. - Dave]Thanks very much. I was going nuts trying to tie those buildings together. So the NYT built two kinds of Flat Iron buildings? Do they face each other? [Two kinds? - Dave] 100 years laterOn my lunch break today I went out today and looked at this location. First of all, no sign at all that this structure, the subway entrance, existed. Today it would sit directly in front of the NYPD booth, where there is clean sidewalk, no sign of a former hole in the ground. But 100 years is along time and I'm sure the sidewalk has been repaired numerous times. Also it looks like this the subway is right in front of the face of 1 Times Square, but in fact there was about 40 feet between it and the building. Also in 1924 no sign of the subway entrance farther down 7th avenue on the right. [Historical map] It's great to be able to jump back in time 100 years, and see how much has changed, and how much is still the same. On a personal note, my great grandfather, John Larson, was a foreman at Hecla Iron Work in Brooklyn, and that firm apparently made all of the original IRT subway entrances. I don't have any information he worked on this project, but still I feel a little pride looking at these old entrances. +100In an effort to atone for my FUBAR post (+98 below), I retook the same view below from April of 2011. Subway Entrance on Times SquareIn 1911 the IRT subway ran a slightly different route than it does today. Tracks ran up the east side of Manhattan to 42d street then crossed over to the west side to continue uptown. This is how the station was originally configured (as seen at the track level): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Times_Square_%E2%80%93_42nd_Street_/_Port_... The cross-over tracks are now the Times Square Shuttle. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Come Fly With Me: 1911
... four months later. He survived the sinking, spending the night clinging to an overturned collapsable lifeboat, but died in December ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2012 - 11:45am -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1911. "Senorita Lenore Riviero with Antony Jannus in Rex Smith aeroplane." Please fasten your seatbelts (or skirts) while we prepare for departure. Tony Jannus, the pioneering but short-lived Washington aviator, a few years before his final flight landed him somewhere at the bottom of the Black Sea. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Early FlightDone with "Stone Knives and Bear Skins" Flying:I do believe, if I were in his shoes, I'd see what I could do; to do a wee bit less public "flying" with her too! Knees TogetherIs she tied like a sack of potatoes? Is the point so that her dress doesn't fly up? Was wearing pants totally taboo for a 1911 woman? Surely this should've been the exception to the no pants rule? She looks terrifiedand I would too!!! Great picture! Love it. Thanks. Ignition onMagnetos engaged, fuel pump primed, let's get this beauty off the ground. Great image, Tony looks like he's the cat that got the milk. I hope the Senorita was impressed, she is very pretty. Those Magnificent Men ... and Women!This shot reminds me so much of scenes from the movie. The young lady is very brave; injury or death lurked close-by every time one of these pioneering flying machines were started up, let alone took to the air. I love the "skirt-belt," to keep the breeze from creating a possibly immodest and, for the pilot, distracting view! Eyes and earsNo protection for eyes or ears. The pilot's head is right next to the engine. The roar for both him and the lady had to be pretty loud. Are you seated comforably miss?Now, after seeing this picture, you couldn't possibly complain about economy class airplane seats ever again. Potomac ParkThis is in Potomac Park, D.C., according to the photo caption here. More on the Rex Smith Aeroplane Company here. Airport SecurityI see that Airport Security has already confiscated any bottled liquids, knitting needles, and the like. Perhaps the stripping off of seat cushions and seatbelts (in case one might want to suffocate or strangle the pilot) was a bit much but you can't be too careful when airline security is at stake. Early Fly-By-Wire TechnologyLooks like it might as well be fishing line wrapped around the pulley behind the steering wheel. [Or piano wire. - Dave] ControlsIn addition to the fly by wire technology associated with the wheel there is another channel of wiring connected to the metal bar next to the pilot's upper arm. There is a similar bar by his left arm that is hidden by the wheel. He would bank the aircraft by leaning left or right to warp the wings. With the cute passenger, I would think that banks to the right would be the preferred direction of turn. A third fly by wire channel is attached to the upper and lower ends of the wheel support structure to control the elevator in the rear by pushing or pulling on the wheel for changes in the pitch up or down attitude of the aircraft. The engine is also equipped with an "Armstrong" starter that is about to be engaged. Society Girl Flies Washington Post, Mar 26, 1911. Society Girl Flies Other Washington Social Leaders May Follow Precedent. To Miss Gladys Hinkley, one of Washington's most popular society belles, belongs the distinction of being the first girl to make a trip in an aeroplane in the Capital. Late yesterday afternoon Miss Hinkley prevailed upon Aviator Antony Jannus to take her for a ride over Potomac Park. When the birdlike machine several times circled the field and slowly settled to earth Miss Hinkley most enthusiastically expressed her delight at the experience. … Aviator Jannus, who is making flights almost daily at Potomac park in the Washington-built Rex-Smith biplane, had not only as his guest Miss Hinkley, but Dr. Charles D. Walcott, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution: Victor Emerson, several business men of the city, a representative of the Washington Post, and officials of the company. … Aviator Jannus has perfect control of his machine at all times, and while he has not made an attempt for an altitude record, declares that as soon as he becomes familiar with all conditions of weather he will seek a level higher than has ever before been reached. A squad of officers from the United States engineer corps is detailed to Potomac park daily to watch the flights in the interest of the War Department, and it is the plan of Aviator Jannus to take each of the army representatives for flights that they main gain the experience necessary to make an ascension alone if necessary. Yesterday was not an ideal day for flying, yet more than 50 flights were made in the presence of nearly a thousand persons. After a few practice flights Aviator Jannus took as passengers as many as could be accommodated. He promises to make more flights during the week and has partially promised rides to a number of society leaders. So far no charge has been made for the trips, but owing to the great number of demands upon the aviator the promoters of the company may arrange a schedule of prices. Trips over the city are already being discussed by the aviators, and it may not be long before "Seeing Washington from an Aeroplane" will be the most talked-of attraction for the city's visitors. PerchedIt's interesting to note that more attention was paid to strapping the lady's skirt down than strapping her in the airplane. Unless I'm mistaken, both the pilot and the passenger are essentially just sitting on the wing. I'll bet the experience would get much more interesting if her feet slipped off that makeshift foot rest. Getting It UpSorry to hear about Tony's early and unfortunate demise. By the look on his face, you can bet he would have been a charter member of the Mile High Club. Leaned into a turn?It looks like he would bank the airplane by leaning into the frame beside his shoulders. SuperbHere is a man happy in his work. Just one look at his face tells a story. The hapless young lady grips on to anything to hand, bit of wing, a piece of fuselage, and wears a brave face. The sheer noise, terror, and fear of instant death awaits her. So brave. Friction RidgeThat looks like a fingerprint over Tony's knee. That LookThe expression on the woman's face is the best example of the "Are-you-sure-this-is-safe?" look I've seen on Shorpy! She was disappointed the flight didn't go higherA little digging adds some background. The photo appears in Town & Country magazine's supplement, The Air-Scout for May 27, 1911 (p. 54). She is mentioned as the daughter of Cuba's new minister to the U.S. This was Antonio Martin-Rivero, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary for Cuba, who presented his credentials in Washington, April 11, 1911. Lenore, it seems, wasted no time seeing the sights in Papa's new posting. The photo, by the way, is credited to Paul Thompson, who took many of the magazine's aviation photos. Moreover, the shot caught at least one other editor's eye, as it also ran in the Syracuse (N.Y.) Journal for April 13, 1911, top and center on the front page. According to the newspaper caption, "Senorita Riviero was delighted with the sensation, but disappointed because they didn't go higher." At highest, the paper noted, the flight was about 75 feet up. Scared? I don't think so. You wonder what became of her, and hope she had a good life. A little more about LenoraI think the Town & Country caption writer spelled her last name slightly wrong, as "Rivero" seems correct. And searching on "Lenora Rivero" produces a little more about her. In the Tacoma (Wash.) Times (December 5, 1911; p. 5) she is mentioned, along with a younger sister, Amparo, as one of "Six Belles Who Are To Make Their Debut In Washington This Season". There's a photo of her that's recognizably the same young woman who's sitting on the wing beside Mr. Jannus. Footnote: Another of the Six Belles is Miss Edith Gracie, whose father Archibald had a tragic appointment with an iceberg four months later. He survived the sinking, spending the night clinging to an overturned collapsable lifeboat, but died in December 1912. See here: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn88085187/1911-12-05/ed-1/seq-5/ And in the Washington (D.C.) Herald's Society column (February 20, 1912; p. 5), there's a note of a dance given by Mr. and Mrs. A.P. Crenshaw in the red room of the New Willard hotel that Lenora, Amparo, and their father attended. No photos, sadly, but the society writer is keen to tell us that "the ballroom was most beautifully festooned with Southern smilax, palms, and ferns studded with spring blossoms, and a string orchestra played for the dancing....Supper was served at midnight." See: http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83045433/1912-02-20/ed-1/seq-5/ Edith Gracie was also at the Crenshaws' ball, although her father was not. He had just finished a book on the Civil War battle of Chickamauga, and in the words of his Wiki entry, "He found the experience rewarding but exhausting; in early 1912 he decided to visit Europe without his wife Constance (née Schack) and their daughter in order to recharge his batteries. He traveled to Europe on RMS Oceanic and eventually decided to return to the United States aboard RMS Titanic." A photo such as seen here takes just a tenth of a second to capture, but it knits together many lives. (The Gallery, Aviation, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Factory Town: 1908
... jobs and I would ride the train with my uncle to his night job in the railyards in Pittsburgh. We would pass through Braddock. It ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 10:47am -

Braddock, Pennsylvania, circa 1908. "Edgar Thomson Works, Carnegie Steel Co." Part of a ginormous seven-section panorama of smoke-belching, throbbing industry. 8x10 dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Can anyone identifyThe large U-shaped items in front of the little brick building on the left? They look like giant horseshoe magnets, could they be cradles for the molten steel pouring vats (retorts?)? Quite a number of them around. Game of scrubLooks like maybe two games going of the old game of scrub which was baseball played with smaller numbers of players. We played it everyday on the playground at school during recess and lunch breaks. LidsThe two smokestacks in the middle left of the picture have "flappers" on top of them -- like you might see on a tractor or bulldozer exhaust. I've never seen one on a large smokestack before, although these seem to be equipped with pull-down wires. Now I knowI always wondered where they made the letter U. Will we get a chanceto see the full panoramic picture on Shorpy? [Behold! - Dave] Thank you, Dave !! The AlternativeYes, thriving active factory towns can be a bit ugly. But when the factories shut down they get even uglier. The PastJobs. WashdayI bet the laundry has a nice anthracite odour to it. Batter up!What a terrific photo of a Pittsburgh steel mill. Even in the early 1980s mill neighborhoods looked like this, except for the trolley and the lack of business. I always enjoy finding baseball games in Shorpy photos; this one looks like it was played at noon. Vantage point todayIronically, it seems to have been taken from what is today "Grand View Golf Club." View Vantage Point on Braddock Steel Mill in a larger map Hardy folks.A ball game in progress and some of the houses have open windows, even tho there's what looks like snow on the ground. Could it be ashes from the furnaces? PanoramaClick here for a quick and dirty pano of these. Hover over the left side of the image to get a menu to download the full size image. [Most impressive! Click image below for full size. Once it downloads, click a second time. - Dave] Mill stands The U shaped objects in the lower left are mill stands. Two face each other and hold work rolls, which shape the steel into its final form. There are a lot of pieces missing which would make up a mill stand. Empty Land NowWhile trees obstruct the current street view in google maps, you can clearly see, from a top down perspective, the location of these pictures in Braddock, PA. Amazing that most of the land is now barren although a steel mill still exists within a much smaller footprint. Even the wonderful steel bridge is now defunct. Pano 2I stitched the three right-side images using Panorama Factory: The warping is due to artifacts of the stitching. There wasn't enough overlap to stitch the left image. Passing ThroughMy aunt and uncle lived in a house much like these in a Dawson, small town down the tracks from here. Had an indoor one-holer in the basement, the only water was a pump at the kitchen sink. The main line of the B&O went right through the middle of town and about 50 feet from their house. In the 1940s we would often stay there between our moves for my dad's construction jobs and I would ride the train with my uncle to his night job in the railyards in Pittsburgh. We would pass through Braddock. It was a great adventure for an 8 year old. U CluesHaving worked at a sister plant of this (Homestead District Works) at a summer job while in college in 1965, I believe the U shaped items may be ingot molds. The molten steel was poured in the top, and as soon as the metal solidified (still red hot) the mold was pulled off by a crane by grabbing the "ears" near the top of the mold. I suspect that the horizontal piece at the bottom of the mold was simply a device to steady two adjacent molds while they were moved about the mill by a locomotive. By the 1960's the ingot molds stood on their own and there no longer was a horizontal piece at the bottom. This is an amazing photo, taken about 4 to 5 miles from where I was raised. Many Thanks for the trip down Memory Lane, Shorpy! This Coke is for YouI hate to disappoint Anonymous Tipster, but there isn't a sniff of anthracite odour on laundry or anything else in this picture. I grew up near here in the heady aroma of metallurgical coke. That's coke made from the beautiful bituminous coal that underlay most of western Pennsylvania. The railroad cars with the slatted sides on the nearest track look like open-top cattle cars, but they are empty coke cars. At this time, the best of the best coking coal came from nearby Connellsville. When asked how we could stand the constant smoky smell, natives would say: "Smells like money to me." My dad grew up in BraddockMy dad grew up in Braddock in the 1920's. I remember a lot of his stories about how poor everyone was, but that the neighborhood helped each other. It's interesting to see the photo of this era. Thanks, Shorpy (The Gallery, DPC, Factories, Railroads)
A Handsome Couple: 1915
... Crinoline Girl," which returns to the Columbia tomorrow night. Unlike "The Fascinating Widow," the new entertainment is not a musical ... Major full-body shiver when I saw the photo. No good night's sleep for me tonight, I guess. Eltinge - Well spotted, all! Well ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 5:34pm -

Circa 1915. "Couple at champagne supper." Anyone recognize their uncle here? 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. My uncledidn't wear that much eyeliner. Uncle?Yeah, he's the guy in drag. If that's my uncle... that sure isn't my aunt! I don't know about my unclebut that "lady" looks a lot like Michael Jackson. Uncle, Nobut maybe Charley's aunt. Every Inch a LadyThe lady looks like Julian Eltinge (1881-1941), probably the most popular female impersonator in American history. After the success of his performance in "A Fascinating Widow," Broadway producer A.H. Woods built him the Eltinge Theatre on 42nd Street, still in business as the AMC Building. Julian from EdinburghI am so glad someone has suggested that the photo is of a female impersonator (and a namesake no less!) Stupidly, it never occurred to me that this might be the case. I just thought that she was, in the words of my Grandma, "blessed in less obvious ways." Bob's your uncleOr Roberta, as he liked to be called at Champagne suppers. Types of American Women Washington Post, Feb 9, 1913 Couldn't Fool Vienna Several years ago, before he began starring in "The Fascinating Widow," and while touring the world as a "headliner," Julian Eltinge played an engagement in Vienna, and received in that city what he claims to be his greatest and queerest compliment. Eltinge's act was entitled "Types of American Women," and during the course of his exhibition he presented four dazzling pictures of femininity. At the end of his performance the famous impersonator pulled off his wig and walked off the stage. The next day the leading newspaper of Vienna came out with a "roast" on the act. The heading was "The Latest American Bunk." The article said, in part: "A woman with closely cropped hair sings two or three ditties, pulls of her wig, and then struts off the stage like a man, trying to make you believe her a female impersonator. She is not. This is merely another clever American 'bunk.'" Washington Post, Oct 11, 1914 Want to Keep Thin? Eltinge Tells How Of all the dire worries that confront an actor in the line of his stage-craft that of taking on a pound or two of weight is probably the least. Yet with Julian Eltinge, star of "The Crinoline Girl," the fear lest his figure grow the least bit stouter is his bete noir. With Eltinge's productions almost everything depends upon his ability to wear his gowns with all and more than the grace of a woman. So, to keep his figure in perfect trim, he wages a constant battle against adipose tissue. In the ten years that he has been on the stage, he has reduced his weight warfare to a science. In the first place he eats no starch foods whatever, such as wheat bread, potatoes, and sugar, or such fatty foods as fat meat, butter, and foods prepared with lard. Nor does he ever touch a drop of alcoholic stimulant, one of the greatest fatteners. Every morning when he arises he takes a cold shower. Than for half an hour he takes stooping and bending exercises, winding up with work on an "exerciser." He eats a very light breakfast. An hour after breakfast he walks for 5 miles. Then follows a light luncheon. Two hours after luncheon he spars for an hour with a professional boxer; after which he takes a cold plunge. His dinner might be termed moderate. After performance he walks from the theater to his hotel, where he repeats the morning exercise. These followed by a hot bath and then to bed. In eight years he has not varied this routine. As a result, Eltinge is far more lithe and graceful than he was a decade ago, and last year's gowns he finds fit him quite as well as those made for him yesterday. Washington Post, Oct 25, 1914 Laughter Lures to Theaters This Week There are many female impersonators and there is Julian Eltinge. But Mr. Eltinge prefers to be known as an "interpreter" of feminine roles. The success with which he impersonates warrants his being a big captious. So he shall be designated as an interpreter of femininity in his new play, "The Crinoline Girl," which returns to the Columbia tomorrow night. Unlike "The Fascinating Widow," the new entertainment is not a musical comedy, but a "dramatic farce with songs." Pancake dinnerThe makeup looks like it was applied with a crop duster! Okay, if you say soI believe I prefer the "Daddy's Back" lady a few panels earlier. Please tellme that they are in stage makeup or something. Otherwise . And that sure looks like a man trying to pass himself off as a woman. I mean the one in the hat so there is no mistaking. YikesWhat's with the makeup on both of them? - and yeah - that might be my uncle on the right. The "lady"is, I am pretty sure, the noted stage actor and female impersonator Julian Eltinge. Some Like It HotJack Lemmon he's not. TSA agent's nightmareAlthough the Adam's apple is somewhat of a warning. The gentShould put that cellphone down and concentrate on his, uh, lady. He's already got her all atwitter. Handsome couple?Pretty scary couple if you ask me. She's no DivineAnd here I thought Divine was the most popular Female Impersonator in the world. Queen Of PopAm I the only one to notice that the shemale looks eerily like Michael Jackson in his later years? Major full-body shiver when I saw the photo. No good night's sleep for me tonight, I guess. Eltinge - Well spotted, all!Well done spotting Julian Eltinge! I found on YouTube quite a tremendous compilation of stills from his films and stage appearances. You can't fool meThat's Tony Curtis! She wouldn't all look that badwith a closer shave Look closer, but not too closeEltinge was probably very effective onstage but enlarging the picture doesn't do him any favors. Still, unlike most of today's drag queens, he's not attempting to look like a hooker. Not a cheap one, anyway. Staged?Whether or not the "lady" is Eltinge, the photograph is clearly a staged image. There are several clues: first, the gregarious amount of makeup on both diners, second, the lack of dinner in our dinner scene, third, perfectly full champagne glasses, and fourth, the lady's gloves -- it is a complete breach of etiquette for a lady to have gloved fingers at the dinner table. [Gregarious makeup -- her lips said no, but her lipstick said Hello! - Dave] (The Gallery, Bizarre, DPC)
The Honeymooners: 1952
... the right. Or maybe the wallpaper got restive late one night and did it? Mayo with the jello ring! Boy, does that bring back ... in 1952, this lovely family may be having a typical Sunday night supper of Swedish meatballs with gravy, boiled potatoes, vegetables, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/16/2016 - 11:35am -

"Folks at 51st wedding anniversary - 17 Feb 1952." We return to Blue Earth, Minnesota, and the home of Abe and Julia Tuttle, parents of Hubert (behind the camera) and in-laws of the lovely Grace. Now, who'll have some of this delicious creamed corn? 35mm Kodachrome. View full size. More detailsThat kid on the right is holding Grandpa's glasses. Grandpa is almost laughing at this little inside joke. I thought originally that they had plastic utensils, however a closer look indicates that they are using the real silver. The kind that my grandma would hide in the register when they went on vacation. MemoriesThis is so like similar occasions at my grandparents' house when I was a little boy in Kansas. The motley collection of chairs dragged from all over the house to fill out the table, the pile of rolls from the store on the plate, and especially the way that Abe has tucked his tie into his shirt to keep gravy off it. My grandfather solved that problem by tucking his tie into a new pair of overalls which he wore with a blue chambray shirt and the tie on the two or three days a year when he went to church and came home to such a dinner. The lady's daughteris standing to her right--same face, just younger. [Grace is Julia's daughter-in-law. -tterrace] [As we explained in the caption! - Dave] I'll have secondsI would have enjoyed celebrating with them. That meal is mighty tasty looking to me. As long as the butter holds out for the spuds and rolls. Please, Please, PleaseLet that be whipped cream in the jello mold, not Mayo, as was common in 50's recipes. The Great Mystery is the partially painted chair. Mix 'n' MatchIn an effort to avoid putting on airs by having even two matching chairs -- "You folks think you're somebody special?" -- someone has painted part of one of those Cedar Rapids spindle-backs white. Perhaps the tyke on the right. Or maybe the wallpaper got restive late one night and did it? Mayo with the jello ring!Boy, does that bring back memories. Don't know who came up with the idea, but it works. Themed MenuAll very denture-friendly. Scandinavian SmorgasbordBeing in Minnesota in 1952, this lovely family may be having a typical Sunday night supper of Swedish meatballs with gravy, boiled potatoes, vegetables, dinner rolls and assorted relish trays, as it is likely they may have been originally descended from Scandinavians as so many in Minnesota were at that time. The most tempting item on the table, the beautiful made-with-love homemade Anniversary cake, completes the picture. The polite little boy on the right seems to be admiring his grandfather. I love this photo as it depicts a scene that was very familiar to most of us who were kids in the 1950's and gets the nostalgic juices flowing. I wouldn't have changed a thing. Someone say Grace already!I'm ready to dig in. As my late mother would say, the cake looks out of this world. And the creamed corn might be fresh corn that was cut off the cob and frozen last canning season, as my mother's mother in East Texas used to do (I got to help her cut, cook and freeze corn from her garden a couple of times). The meatballs (Swedish?) look good and homemade, but I suspect the rolls came from the market. And Sally is back as well.Almost out of view standing by Grace. So much to savorThe Dalmatian almost disappears next to the wallpaper and mom's skirt...and that jello mold close to the camera, are those green olives embedded in that red jello? Would those be meatballs next to the rolls? Enough is enough, please pass me the relish tray. Happy anniversary folks... And for long did the marriage last?Married the first year after the turn of the last century; one wonders how much longer these two stayed together. And the meal is an example of the abundance of their world at that time. With the olivesAre those pickles or is it a bullfrog? Bonus appearance: Sally the dog! Jello MoldI bet that's not "Jello" but rather a tomato aspic made from tomato juice or puree, plain gelatin and ... green things. And yes, it would be served with mayo. Quite tasty if done right. Real butterOf course it's real butter - yellow colored oleomargarine was illegal in Minnesota until 1963. BornI was born 4 days after that meal. Ancestry InfoAccording to a quick search of ancestry web site: -They were married in Story, Iowa in 1901. -They were living in Hebron, Iowa in 1920. - By 1930 census, living in Blue Earth,Minnesota - Abe died in 1966 - Julia died in 1974 Another Who Has FlashbacksLike others here, these images are almost personal. Abe and Julia are about 5 years older than my grandparents in Boone, Iowa. Every scene we have viewed reminds me of times visiting them. I am sure others will say that Julia's dress could have come out of the closet of their relative of that age and time period. Having spent a fair amount of time for 8 years in West Central Minnesota in the early 2000's all of the Scandinavian references strike home as well. Happy Anniversary Abe and Julia! Slender FolksThese no doubt frugal people would have eaten this meal sparingly and been polite about seconds. The fact that they all stood off-camera and let the food be the star of the photo shows that memories of the Depression were still in their minds. There are so many homely details in this charming photo, the mismatched and partially painted chairs, the wallpaper, the mysterious male figure behind the old curtain, the sweet boy in his good clothes and the daughter-in-law's homemade red apron. And of course, the food. This photo's a treat. "Jello" moldActually, I believe that is Tomato Aspic which uses a gelatin with beef broth and tomato and then add olives etc. I remember my mother making that in the 1950s. As a kid it really wasn't to my taste. Julia was a first generation AmericanJulia Tuttle was born in Iowa on August 10, 1880. Her parents were Edvard and Hannah Helland, both born in Norway. She married Abe in Iowa, where he also was born. She died in Minnesota (presumably Blue Earth) in January 1974 at age 93. I wish for a real time machinetransport me back to the half-painted chair. Typical meal, I doubt those meat balls are Swedish though, no sauce for one reason. Someone said these people would not ask for seconds, and I believe that is true. People were very polite then. The jello sits in for lettuce salad and that is mayo--I dreaded seeing that festive dish because I detest fruit cocktail. Still do. I would pick out the fruit bits. The star is the cake. That young'un will be having his eye on it the entire meal. So will I. Same as my great-grandparentsMy great-grandparents celebrated their 50th Anniversary on September 16, 1951 from which I attached the photo. The event took place at some long forgotten banquet hall in the Springfield, MA area. Which means, like the Tuttles, 1952 would have been their anniversary #51. The happy couple is in the lower center, and my father (at age 17) is in the upper left corner in the back row. His father (my pepere) is third from left in the back row, and my grandmother (memere) is dead center back row. (Dogs, Kids, Kitchens etc., Minnesota Kodachromes)
The Rookery: 1938
... under the stars Do you suppose that's for the cool night breeze, or out of fear of the roof collapsing while you are asleep? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:03am -

1938. St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. "The Rookery, Trepagnier House. Norco vicinity. Abandoned plantation house now occupied by Negroes." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Whoa!I've been rooked! Trepagnier PlantationThe Trepagnier Plantation was expropriated, along with several others, by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to build the Bonnet Carre' Spillway. http://www.pbase.com/septembermorn/image/99857528 Amazing perspectiveFrances Benjamin Johnston has definitely become my new favorite photographer. Her capture of dilapidated but still architecturally interesting buildings is beyond compare. While I'm sure this house was never grand, it was well-designed. I would love to have seen the inside of all of the homes FBJ photographed. Needs TLCThe stairs are the definition of negligence, and the porch roof isn't doing its job. Much. Now occupied by photographersInteresting to learn that Russell Lee also photographed this house. Too bad it's no longer available. Stranger than fiction"Always Something Interesting" just doesn't say it well enough. This is the fascinatingest image you have posted. Thanks, Dave, for such wonderful glimpses into our history that the books just don't cover. LaundryI'd guess that a laundress lives here, that the drying clothes are someone else's. Health and SafetyPersonally, I'd move the bed away from the area of the chimney. Wash n WearIf this photo was taken in the middle of summer, those clothes would be dry in no time flat! I know. I live here and it's normal for the summer days to be at 95 degees or more. Also from the tops of the trees, it looks like there might have been a recent hurricane pass through. That's about how they look after one. Fast Forward to...some areas in New Orleans, post Katrina, and there's not much difference! Looks like an old plantation house1700s. I see the timber/columbage construction...turned French columns. In a state of severe decay and I'm sure demolished today? Wash DayLooks like the washing machine works, but the dryer must be out of order. Need a new wordSubstandard doesn't quite work here. Ante-antebellumThat is the predecessor of the Palladian plantation houses you usually see in the Civil War movies. Notice the brick ground floor to protect against water, and the half timbered upper floor that still has some stucco that hasn't washed away yet. It's a combination of traditional European and African architecture that evolved in the extremely wet climate here in Louisiana. That's pure LouisianaNothing to do with Palladianism. Sleep under the starsDo you suppose that's for the cool night breeze, or out of fear of the roof collapsing while you are asleep? No CrackersThat's a Creole House! Yesiree. No white anglo-columns and palladian front doors here. Simple and breezy. It's trueWe may live in a dirty run down house, but gosh darnit our clothes are CLEAN! Tells a long and vast storySo correct about the laundress. This must be one of my very favorite photos seen on Shorpy. Top to bottom, what a picture! 1811 Revolt Trepagnier House was the primary site of an 1811 slave revolt that resulted in the killing of plantation owner Jean-François Trépagnier. Many of the descendants Trepagnier's slaves inhabited the plantation property years after the Civil War, well into the 20th century. Shell Chemical bought the plantation land in the 1950s, which is now the site of a refinery. The building was demolished at that time. Little boyI'm haunted by that beautiful little boy sitting on the stairs looking straight into the camera. Incredible to think that a slave revolt took place here. That's Creole, cherThis house is classic Creole architecture from the earliest years of the 1800s. To see an example of this style that isn't falling down, go to Laura Plantation, outside New Orleans. Trees and HurricanesThe records indicate a hurricane based through Morgan City on June 16th, 1934. This hurricane could have easily struck St. Charles Parish. At the same time, the trees haven't been seriously damaged in the past several years. Notice how fine the branches are on almost every major limb. I'm guessing they are just old trees. I'd also guess that if a hurricane had hit this area, the roof would be in much worse shape than it is. Don Hall Yreka, CA Re: 1811 Revolt Trepagnier House was a site along the way of a failed 1811 slave revolt that resulted in the murder of plantation owner Jean-François Trépagnier. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Christmas Garages: 1960
... one in our kitchen for years. Nothing like a hot summer night with the windows open and the BUZZZZZZZZuZZZZuZZZZZZZflickflickBUUUZZZZZZ ... 
 
Posted by 1955 - 09/14/2011 - 4:02pm -

My brother, at left, and me, at right, proudly presenting our Christmas presents, nice garages with plenty of cars and trucks. View full size. LubritoriumNow there's a word you just don't hear much anymore. Marx Service StationA Marx Service Center, complete with lubritorium, operating elevator, car laundry and grease rack. Marx ToysWhere were we without Marx toys? I remember having that garage, Lubritorium and all. I also had the Cape Canaveral rocket launchpad where the rockets all had hard rubber nosecones that bounced off the ceiling after blast-off (obviously, a toy that would never make it to stores today). If you or your brother received one of those, please post the photo! Great ChristmasSanta treated you two very, very well. Did either of you go into the service station business? Green with envy!I had always wanted one of those Marx garages, too, but never got one. Even at my age now, I think I still want one! What a beautiful photo! Catholic home?I noticed the statue of Mary with the crown-- my grandmother had one in her house. Mary, Queen of Peace? I Still Have Mine!I still have my garage! It was a Christmas gift back when I was a little kid, and I always loved playing with it. It is missing some of the pumps, but the garage itself is in good shape. Good BeginningIf you're gonna be "car-crazy," best to start young. Neat setups. ElevatorYes, I remember the down ramp at the side. I used the clockwork motor from my Meccano set to lift the elevator up and down as well. Ha, great toy! Marx R ToysLouis Marx founder of Louis Marx Toys, at one time, the largest toy company in the world. He was not related to Groucho, Chico, Harpo, Zeppo and especially not to Karl. A staunch conservative, he was terribly disappointed when one of his daughters, Patricia, married Daniel Ellsberg, he of the Pentagon Papers and forerunner of this Assange fellow. Louis Marx considered his son-in-law a traitor. Today's version of that garageThere'd be a "Lotto Sold Here!" sign outside and six tiny pots of different coffees (including Morning Blend, Decaf and Mountain Robust) and miniature plastic Krispy Kreme Doughnuts(c) inside. What Fun!What hours of fun you must have had with those! I think that they would be fun to play with even at our advanced ages, provided that is, we could let our imaginations run like they did then. Naughty or NiceBy the size of the garages it looks like Santa thought your brother was better behaved that year. Just what I always wantedBut never got. The only thing in this photo that did come my way was when the old incandescent ceiling light fixtures in the kitchen got replaced with a couple of those fluorescent ring jobs. Poor substitute all the way around. I had one of those Marx garagesI'd completely forgotten about it. It was probably a year or two later, but I remember the ramp that would allow you to launch a car out into the room. Good times. Remembering Marx ToysI hadn't thought of Marx Toys for many decades, when I saw this it took me instantly back to a Christmas in the sixties. I dreamed of having a Big Bruiser tow truck. I thought it was made by Marx and sure enough it was. I must have been a good boy as it looks like it was probably expensive. It's amazing how your photo took me back to remembering getting this toy and even playing with it that Christmas morning in our paneled den in the old house I grew up in. Thanks! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJHO8AP8Gx0 Looks like you got the short endThe lubritorium looks much more intircate than whan you got. One could wonder that that explains the difference in the size of the smiles. Interesting table expansionApparently there's a leaf hidden underneath the table that pops in between the halves to expand if needed. Ingenious. Ahh those old fluorescent ring lightsHad one in our kitchen for years. Nothing like a hot summer night with the windows open and the BUZZZZZZZZuZZZZuZZZZZZZflickflickBUUUZZZZZZ of the 'ol ring light. I feel much older then I have a right to feel. I wanted one, too! I wanted one, also. Usually got a Tonka truck for Christmas, and back then, they were really built well. I still have them and they're in good shape because I never played with them in the dirt. I think those Marx garages would sell well today if they were of the same quality and not made in China. Just think how many they could sell to us baby boomers! Me too! I may be a woman but I want that garage. That is just too cool. Christmas toysThe next year, I am the one with the big smile! Mark, I don't know if this tow truck is a Marx toy, but similar to the one you talked about. Toy tow trucksYour 1961 model is very cool (love the red dome light), but it looks like plastic. Seven years earlier, my 1954 Christmas tow truck was metal. BTW, were you guys a singing group? Filler up!Your Photo of the Marx Garage brought back memories of when I had one back in the early 1960's. I remember going with my father to store to pick it up then wanting to rush home to put in together. I wish I still had mine oh I have fond memories as well as enjoyment playing with my Marx Service Station. Marx Toy FactoryI live directly across the Ohio River from the old Marx Toy Factory located in Glen Dale, W.V. It's been closed down for many years, but there's a Marx Toy Museum there now. I wouldn't be surprised if they have your garages on display there. Cities ServiceI still have my Cities Service garage, made of metal. I don't remember when I got it so I was probably a toddler at the time, mid 50s. My dad worked for Cities Service and so I also have that tow truck pictured below from tterrace. Both toys are still in excellent condition. They'd probably fetch a nice price today and I could really use the money. But, HEY! I got them from dad so I'll never part with them. What great memories are launched from these great photos! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas, Kids)
Is the Caller There?
... I HAD TO WALK DOWNTOWN TO THE BUS STATION LATE AT NIGHT.. BUT THE BUS DRIVERS WERE WONDERFUL..THEY LET NO ONE MESS AROUND WITH ... AND HAVE KIDS...I'M IN MY EARLY 70'S AND I'M STILL A NIGHT OWL AND I'D WORK 11 TO 7 NOW. I LOVED IT..ESPECIALLY TRACKING DOWN ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 4:21pm -

Early 20th-century telephone switchboard in British-Mandate Palestine. View full size. American Colony Photo Department. Location not specified although sign in background lists police and ambulance numbers "in Jerusalem." OperatorsOh my god that must have been miserable ... I answer phones now and I would die if we had to sit that close! My Mother had to work at one of those but I never got to see it. I have even more respect for her which I didn't think was possible. David Kifer Tulsa Aeron 1.0The chairs don't look too comfy, do they? Of course they all seem to be sitting about six inches in front of the backs anyway. amazing~~amazing~~ OperatorsI was surprised to see men doing this.( No.s 20&21) I thought that they were all female operators back then. Rick Taylor Lecanto, Fl Men as OperatorsFrom 1878, men were employed as operators and within a year callers complained that they were rough toned and too brusque for most people's taste, so women quite quickly supplanted them and by about 1910 there were very very few men still used as operators. An added bonus for the employers was that women could be paid less and profits were thus higher for the Bell Systems of the time. Today we see this as unfair, yet it was an easy decision for employers at the time! Men as Operators and Telephone StrikesThis and the previous comment was by Patrick Frye III of Charlotte, North Carolina For more about the first decades of telephone work and the strikes of those years, go to: www.massmoments.org/moment.cfm?mid=119 A FASCINATING history! Telephone OperatorsWas this a call center? For what company? Probably for Ma Bell (AT&T).Probably for Ma Bell (AT&T). Call Center?If you read the caption you will see this is in British-Mandate Palestine (what later became Israel). Call Center?I don't think "call centers" like we know them existed in that day! I Did That JobYou won't believe it but this is exactly how it looked as late as 1978, I was 18 years old at the time, and I was a telephone operator in Baton Rouge, Louisiana then. The room we worked in was just like this, with just as many people and the chairs were only SLIGHTLY different than these. It was a facinating job!! Telephone ExchangeI worked on one similar to this in England in the 1950's and then for the BBC who had about 20 positions in their telephone exchange. Norma Taylor Tucson That supervisor is ready toThat supervisor is ready to crack the whip, isn't she. Cord BoardI worked on a cord board that looked just like this in Joplin, Missouri until 1980. Not only was it was this long, but there were 2 identical lines in the same room, one up each side. That job taught me more about multi-tasking than I could ever have learned anywhere else. What a fun job it turned out to be. It looks intimidating, but it really wasn't. Telephone OperatorsMy Mother retired from Cincinnati Bell Telephone after nearly 40 years. I find this site's photos excellent as well as the information contained in it. Does anyone out there know of other sites with photos of switchboard operators and related items? Unlike the earlier post from David Kifer I was able to go visit once in a while and remember the boards. The chairs were not comfortable (at least in the 50's and early 60's. The one thing I remember most is the women making making comments about the "Cute little boy" in their midst. Thank you all. Robert Federle New Iberia Louisiana TORTURE!Sitting there, facing a wall ... for what 8 hours a day? Any bathroom breaks allowed? When? And no seat pillows? We've got it made in 2007, don't we. IS THE CALLER THERE?I WORKED AT THE JOPLIN SWEST MA BELL IN 1952..JUST OUT OF HIGH SCHOOL...THEN AGAIN IN 1959-62 IN DOWNTOWN KANSAS CITY ..AGAIN FOR S'WESTERN BELL. MOST OF THE OPERATORS WERE A LOT OLDER THAN ME AND SCARED ME TO PIECES ..THE WAY THEY TALKED! NEW OPERATORS GOT THE WORST HOURS...SPLITS LIKE 8 TO 12 ..4 TO 8 OR 9 TO 12 ..6 TO 9. ALSO 1 TO 9 AND 2 TIL 10..SINCE I LIVED IN INDEPENDENCE, I HAD TO WALK DOWNTOWN TO THE BUS STATION LATE AT NIGHT.. BUT THE BUS DRIVERS WERE WONDERFUL..THEY LET NO ONE MESS AROUND WITH ME..WERE VERY NICE...THESE WERE THE DAYS OF 4 INCH HEELS, A-LINE DRESSES, WHIPPED CREAM MATERIAL, PANTSUITS AND BOUFFANT HAIR..IT WAS WONDERFUL...HAD TO QUIT TO GET MARRIED AND HAVE KIDS...I'M IN MY EARLY 70'S AND I'M STILL A NIGHT OWL AND I'D WORK 11 TO 7 NOW. I LOVED IT..ESPECIALLY TRACKING DOWN CREDITORS FOR THOSE CREDIT COMPANIES!!HAH STELLA [S] D. WISCONSIN .. U.S.A. SwitchboardTHANK YOU FOR THAT WONDERFUL RECOLLECTION! Operators and the old manual cord boards.Many nice memories of a great job from high school until my first child was born. I worked the split trick and as a night operator. Made many lifelong friends and I remember when the Western Electric men came to the office to add new lines and switchboards. They were all such gentlemen and all good looking. Several of the girls married a Western guy including myself. That was 50 years ago and I still cherish my 10 years with New York Tel. Upstate NY Is the Caller There?Thank you Stella, Cincinnati Bell also had those weird hours. I can remember Mom working 3 to 11, 2 to 10, 6 to 12, 11 to 7 and many other combinations. Some were 8 hours and others 6 hours. I think what I remember most was the smell of Ozone when you walked in the front door (once you buzzed in the outer door you went in to a locked foyer. There you picked up a phone and gave your employee I.D. and they would buzz you in that door. Then the Ozone smell would hit you. I can smell it now just talking about it. Mom was an Operator, My Aunt was in Repair Service and her Husband was a Switchman (downstairs where the switch gear was located. Relays would would be clicking and clattering). Thank you Stella for bringing more memories to light. Mom is now 82. When they closed the local office in Hamilton Ohio (automation and no need for the Operators) she was allowed to have the switchboard number plate and it also matched their house number. It is still mounted on the back porch wall. Thanks again and the best to you Stella. Robert Federle New Iberia, Louisiana Operator's StoolsBecause of the height, the stools (many with with wicker seats and backs) were uncomfortable to get on and off. Operators had to enter from the left, exit from the right. Some offices raised the floor to allow low chairs. The location of the switchboard in each building was known as "The Operating Room." Their lounge was "The Quiet Room." (Technology, The Gallery, Matson)
Texalene Benzol Blend: 1925
... Post, pg. 1 Two men narrowly escaped injury last night when a compressed air tank in a gas station at Benning road and Minnesota ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 8:01pm -

1925. Washington, D.C. "Texas Company, Benning Service Station." George H. James, proprietor. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Top viewI wonder if those white rocks were arranged to spell something or just an example of bad landscaping? The white rocks spellT E X A C O Kind of cool What a change!You all should see Benning Road now! BailoutLots, $2 down, and $2 a month? If we had that today, there would be no need for a bailout. I'll take 60 lots please!! Sublime Subprime $2 lots with no interest. I wonder how the real estate of Carmody Hills fared during the upcoming depression. Priceless signageEvery sign in this picture would cost a pretty penny if you could find it today. I especially like the portable cutout tin man selling Hood Tires, but each gas pump and every advertisement is a collectible. Who knew? Thank you for a very nostalgic picture. Shifting RoadsAdvertisements in the Post list multiple locations of the Benning Service Station: all these addresses are within a few blocks of each other on the modern street grid. Its unclear to me if the station relocated or if the names of the roads in this developing area were fluid. 33rd and Benning 3300 Benning Rd Benning and Minnesota Avenue Benning and Anacostia Roads Look at that land price!Even next to a gas station, that's still a bargain. Mortgage CrisisWow, look at that ad for Carmody Hills! $2 down, $2 a month. "Air Tank Explodes; Building Wrecked"From the 12/25/1925 Washington Post, pg. 1 Two men narrowly escaped injury last night when a compressed air tank in a gas station at Benning road and Minnesota avenue northeast, exploded and tore out half the building front. ... Damage of more than $1,500 was done to the station. The station is owned by George H. James of 4222 Hayes street northeast. Merry Christmas. (The Gallery, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Stardust Memories: 1964
... and inter-planetary exploration and when all lit up at night, this moving, twinkling light display was hypnotic. It was one of the ... 
 
Posted by rsyung - 06/26/2015 - 10:17pm -

Taken by my dad in Las Vegas, June 1964. 35mm Kodachrome. View full size. ESQUIVEL!My all-time favorite space-age bachelor pad music hero is on the bill and that almost made me giddy. Fords and Chevys and Caddys, Oh My What a great illustration of good old American iron. We started the family garage business in 1962 and I probably worked on most of those as a teenager helping my dad and learning the business. Vintage carsOh my... just look at that parking lot of vintage cars. What I wouldn't give to have those in my garage. The cars of my youthWe will not see their like again. Trending nowSpike in google searches for the De Castro Sisters and Esquivel! Mixed memories of old ironIn the desert, these beauties wouldn't rust out in 5 years or so like they did here in the Midwest. But these are most likely out of towners for the most part. I lovingly, painstakingly patched and filled the rust on my secondhand '62 Bel Air, gave it SS trim, dual exhausts and '67 Chevy bucket seats and console, then smashed its primer-coated hulk in a car wreck in 1970. Gone at age 59This dazzling casino was built in 1958 at the pinnacle of space age enthusiasm when Sputnik (1957) was newly launched and all the world was reaching for the stars. The decor and architecture proclaimed everyone's fascination with outer space and inter-planetary exploration and when all lit up at night, this moving, twinkling light display was hypnotic. It was one of the many casinos frequented by Sinatra's rat pack and was used to film the Robert DeNiro movie "Casino". Not only were the cars, decorative signage and motifs unique to that era but people really did feel optimistic and hopeful, looking forward to a great and prosperous future. Alas, by 2007 it was being demolished as obsolete, dated and shabby. To me it represented the best of times but for people of other ages, it may mean something different. I'm pretty sure that the phenomena of "happening only once in a lifetime", like many things in life, makes those memories special to hold on to. This picture was taken when the casino was just 6 yrs. old. Not just American IronA lowly, lovely, pastel blue VW bug lurks in this photo. Betcha!I'd wager that my aunt and uncle are inside there somewhere. They drove a Caddy and gambling in Vegas was their favorite pastime. They both were in the CIA so I can only guess where they got their gambling money! LOL De Castro Sisters got their big breakAs a hobby, I sell vinyl records at local record shows. An older customer came up to me once looking for the song "Teach Me Tonight" (1954) a big hit by the De Castro Sisters that he had been looking for for years. But he only wanted it on a 78rpm record version. Just so happened I had brought a separate box of 78's that had a copy of the record in it. He was ecstatic and bought it right away, thanking me profusely. I saw him later in the show, asked him how he was doing and he told me that he had taken the record out to his car, placed it on his front seat to drive out to lunch, opened the car door, got in, forgot the record was there and sat on it - broken into a hundred pieces. I sympathized with him and told him he'd find another copy in 20-30 years. Funny thing is......compared to today's gargantuan hotel/casinos, this looks like a fancy strip mall. Googie!The Stardust appears to be from the commercial architectural school of design known as "Googie", which originated in 1950s Southern California with the styling of coffee shops and fast food outlets. It was all about The Space Age. For someone born in 1950, the car lot is a feast for the eyes. My favorite is the 1961/1962 cream Continental hardtop, a design that is still fresh today - look at the current Roller. The Rambler and the FalconThe owners of the "economical" cars in the parking lot could be at The Stardust for the 99 cent buffet....yum. Station wagonsI always wondered what happen to station wagons. My family had several during the '50s & '60s. They seem like a useful design- better than SUVs that seem to have replace them. The Vanishing WagonIn the days before federal fuel mileage standards, almost every car model had a wagon in the lineup, from the VW Squareback to the Buick Roadmaster. Because those mileage limits applied to cars but not to trucks, manufacturers determined that they could best get their fleet averages under the limit by discontinuing wagons and building more trucks and SUV's for people who want to carry more than what a sedan's trunk will hold. This is called the "law of unintended consequences" and it trumps every law on the books, every time it's tested. [It was the minivan, not the SUV, that did in the station wagon. - Dave] Got here in a C-47As a USAF ROTC cadet at the University of Arizona, along with a bunch of other boys, I was dumped here at the Stardust for an afternoon by the base bus from Nellis AFB (we had flown up from Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, in a veteran C-47 as part of a practical exercise). That was in early 1963, a little more than a year before this picture was taken. Although I was only 18, being in a brand-new, well fitting Class A blue uniform must have made me look grown up. At any rate, no one kicked me out of the casino and I made $12 in silver dollars at the slots. At the time, back in Tucson, I had a ’62 Chevy Impala 2-door hardtop SS 409, 380 hp (one 4-bbl carb), 4-speed, not unlike at least one of the cars in the photo. Coincidence?We just returned from Las Vegas today. It was 113F in the shade. This is old Las Vegas, quite different from the Las Vegas of today but one thing in common - a lot of high hopes and broken dreams. I found a few clips of Esquivel, and Delworthio is right. They sound like something Major Don West of Lost in Space would listen to in his pad. Got here in a C-47As a USAF ROTC cadet at the University of Arizona, along with a bunch of other boys, I was dumped here at the Stardust for an afternoon by the base bus from Nellis AFB (we had flown up from Davis-Monthan AFB, Tucson, in a veteran C-47 as part of a practical exercise). That was in early 1963, a little more than a year before this picture was taken. Although I was only 18, being in a brand-new, well fitting Class A blue uniform must have made me look grown up. At any rate, no one kicked me out of the casino and I made $12 in silver dollars at the slots. At the time, back in Tucson, I had a ’62 Chevy Impala 2-door hardtop SS 409, 380 hp (one 4-bbl carb), 4-speed, not unlike at least one of the cars in the photo. Pick of the crop . . .If I could pick one of the cars in this remarkable photo to have, it would be the 1961 gold-and-white T-Bird. That red two-door Chevy is also a beauty. Dream CarsI would take the 59 Chevy, hands down. Nice1959 Pontiac convertible hiding behind the '61 Falcon wagon to the right of the snap. Where is it now? You'se read my mind!All the classic car comments were right out of my head! Today, this parking lot would be worth a cool couple million! HoneymoonMy wife and I honeymooned at the Riviera, across the street from the Stardust, in October of 1959. When I took my new bride to the Lido de Paris she was blown away by the nudity. Almost too much for the small country farm Texas girl. Could not understand how the girls could keep the strategically-placed flowers in place. I suggested glue. The old Rivera is gone, so is the old Startdust and most of the culture that made Las Vegas of the 1950s. We lived in Las Vegas from June 2000 through August 2005 and things were a lot different. My car at that time was a 1958 Chrysler Newport 4-door hard top painted in three colors with fins so high I occasionally though some was on my bumper. The marqueeStardust photos are usually easy to date because the year was on the marquee most of the time through the 50s-70s. Not so in '64, so it's nice to see an accurate date with the photo. They still make wagonsThe wagon lives on in the car catalog under its new name: the crossover. "Station wagon" is a dated term that conjures images of, well, you know what a station wagon looks like. "Crossover" is hip and new, even though its literally the same thing as a station wagon, but styled to look like its SUV big brother. Mercury Colony Park wagonThe standout in this shot is the light blue Mercury late fifties Colony Park four-door hardtop wagon. The style was derived from a 1956 Ford show car that foresaw high-speed turnpike cruising in comfort on the new Eisenhower Interstate Highways which, by the way, were the most successful government stimulus program in history. And since the government, meaning American citizens, financed and built it, there have been no, zero, tolls on the interstates since they were built. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Postal Flyers: 1923
... look that we see "nowadays." Zombies! Night of the Living Dead '23. Not a bustline in the bunch The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 4:44pm -

Washington, D.C., 1923. "Post Office clerks, calisthenics." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. A la ModeI think for the time period, early 1920's, these ladies are all dressed well, and all but one have their hair done nicely. I have seen pictures of my grandmothers in that time period, and neither of them dressed that well. Styles change over time, and what was stylish then may look awful to people today. I bet there will be some eyerolling at today's styles a hundred years from now. Jenny will saveIf one of the gals flies off the roof, not a problem. The Post Office has considered rescue options well in advance. There Seems to beOne rather shy lady tucked in behind the woman on the far left of the picture. Sweaters with belts were all the rage that season. OSHA on Line 2Apart from the obvious safety concerns -— maybe this was a Roaring Twenties stunt in the spirit of flagpole sitting -— I always thought the Japanese invented this kind of workplace exercising. Up and DownThe decade started with hemlines at midcalf. They plunged to the ankle in 1922, rose back to midcalf in late 1924 and then just below the knee in 1925. The John Held short-skirted flapper look was actually quite short lived -- from 1926 to 1929. Hemlines were starting to drop even before the Crash. Paging MarcelDuchamp, that is. The whole thing is surreal. They're All Z.I.T.'s!Zombies In Training. Government sponsored, you know. At least a couple *are* scary looking. A Dozen Makeovers, PleaseI'm not one to comment on people's appearance, but these clothes, shoes and hairstyles really make these ladies look unattractive. And heaven help them if one were to have a dizzy spell from the exercise and go careening off the roof. 5 from rightShe's a smart dresser! Everyone else looks slightly annoyed by the whole thing, as I probably would be, but No. 5 looks like she's in on a joke, or maybe having a fun flirt with the photographer. Where is Miss Reighley?I wonder how many of these ladies were members of the Anti-Flirt Club. Flapper EraThis was a transitional priod for women's styling. Among many other references try: http://www.fashion-era.com/flapper_fashion_1920s.htm AerobicsI would be a bit nervous up on a roof with no guard rail -- if the calisthenics got a bit more active I could see one of these young ladies flying off the roof! WavySome clients of Marcel of Paris up here? Ready, girls?Our music for today's workout is that new thing, the macarena. Hands out in front now ... and one, and two ... Temperance TraineesWow. Prohibition was in force but, apparently, the slinky flapper fashions we connect with a speakeasy hadn't yet touched the post office. Those are the most uniformly unattractive outfits on Shorpy. Is this what the "cat's pajamas" looked like? Ugh. Which one is Carrie Nation? As usual for the timesNot a fat one in the bunch. Style of the timesThe lady fifth from the right (in the picture) in the grey suit looks very modern in hair and dress style. A trend-setter? By the way, there is nothing short of the building being on fire that would get me up there. Efficient OperationsPost office studies had shown that the postal employees were much more productive when placed in a hypnotic trans. [In high school, I drove a hypnotic Trans Am. Psychedelic paint. - Dave] Ah, the girl from the Post Office!The Post Office girl: A pretty package but When I addressed her She only stamped her foot. ComfyLay off the smart remarks about the clothes. They may be a bit homely, but boy do they look comfy, flat heeled shoes and all. Just think of the corsets these women would have had to stuff themselves into ten years before. You could wear these clothes on a trans-Atlantic flight today. And plenty of sweaters to ward off those office drafts. CriminyI like their outfits; I must be way out of style at the ripe old age of 33. FrumpyThese fashions may look a little frumpy but I'd take them any day over the low-rider, crop-top, protruding-flab look that we see "nowadays." Zombies!Night of the Living Dead '23. Not a bustline in the bunchThe flat-chested look appears to be the style. Those outfits no doubt conceal some lovely contours. Maybe that's the way a US Post Office lady dressed to discourage advances from men. It is becoming office attire and surely more comfortable than the corseted wasp waist, draped with miles and pounds of fabric that the preceding generation wore. Sun in their eyesIt looks to me like the sun is in their eyes, and no one looks their best while squinting! I actually think the second from the left, in the front row, might have been quite attractive, but she is very fair and the light is really obscuring her features. The next one over looks quite pretty to me. The position they are in isn't very figure flattering,either. I have to hand it to the young ladies on the far right, for their courage. They wouldn't have gotten me anywhere near the edge of that roof! (The Gallery, Curiosities, D.C., Natl Photo)
Semper Fido: 1925
... Chesty In basic training our DI had us say a vulgar night prayer then just before lights-out the platoon would shout out "Good night Chesty Puller whereever you are!" There was never a mention of Sgt Maj ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/18/2012 - 11:55am -

1925. "Sgt. Jiggs." The Marine Corps mascot in Washington, D.C., with an actual Marine. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Wow!This is another one of your "thousand word" specials. What a great dog! Serious chops! Chesty PullerThat actual Marine appears to be Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller, the most legendary Marine of all time. Not sure about the Marine...But the dog is almost certainly Jiggs. [Ahem. It wouldn't be "almost certainly" if people would read the caption under the photo first! - Dave] Shoe shine?There is one Marine that needs to do some serious work on his shoes. About Those ShoesHey, Marine, call 278 and ask for Bennie Sims. Your shoes will absolutely glow. Devil Dogs!The USMC got the nickname "Devil Dogs" from the Germans in World War I. The term "Devil Dog" in German is a legendary boogeyman from hell in German folklore. When they saw the fierceness with which the Marines fought in France, the Germans gave the USMC this name out of fear and respect. The Corps loved it and adopted the Bulldog as their mascot. The name persists today even though it is not widely known among the general public. There are some excellent history references on this subject at the Marine Museum at the USMC Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina. Who outranks whom?The human Marine doesn't appear to be wearing any insignia of rank. (In 1925 Chesty Puller was a lieutenant.) Sgt. Jiggs, however, was a MASTER Sergeant. No WayIf that's Chesty Puller, no one would ever complain about the shine on his shoes!! Sergeant Major JiggsIt is not Lewis B "Chesty" Puller. In 1925 Chesty Puller was a new 2nd Lieutenant, the Marine pictured is a Private First Class (Crossed Rifles on his sleeve) and the dog does outrank him, the dog is a Sergeant Major (three up & three down), Master Sergeant did not come to the Marine Corps until after WWII Squared Away MarinesImagine my surprise today when pulling the April 2009 issue of Military Officer magazine from the mailbox. On the cover: Lance Cpl. Chesty XIII, USMC (the four-legged one), official mascot of the Marine Barracks. With Chesty is Lance Cpl. Marquis Jones, USMC. One has his claws neatly trimmed; the other has highly shined shoes. They're Marines, don't you know. Sharpshooter BadgeI believe that marine has both a rifle expert and sharpshooter badge. Very impressive. He is probably adept with the Springfield 1903 rifle. ChestyIn basic training our DI had us say a vulgar night prayer then just before lights-out the platoon would shout out "Good night Chesty Puller whereever you are!" There was never a mention of Sgt Maj Jiggs. I did have to stand fire watch from atop a bucket one night. RankI'd say the the human Marine is pretty junior. NCOs and officers have a "blood" stripe on the legs of their trousers! Happy Birthday USMC!I just wanted to say that this is one of my favorite pictures, and also that today (November 10th) is the 235th birthday of the United States Marine Corps. It all began at Tun Tavern, in Philadelphia, in 1775. Today is also the 82nd birthday of my father, who didn't realize that the Corps shared his birthday until he graduated from boot camp, on his 17th birthday. The Marine is my grandfatherAccording to my dad, my grandfather was responsible for taking care of Jiggs. (The Gallery, D.C., Dogs, Natl Photo)
The Kaiser Comes Calling: 1912
... the smaller signal lamps could reach the horizon day or night though that was not always a good thing. The larger searchlights were ... or other search and rescue), or during warfare for night action (e.g., WWI against torpedo boats, WWII Battle of Savo Island). ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 11:19am -

1912. "German port call. U.S. battleship in Hampton Roads to greet German squadron." Harris & Ewing Co. glass negative. View full size | More here. Searchlights GaloreIn the pre-radar days, men o'war sported lots of searchlights. [Were any of these used for signaling? - Dave] Two guns fired thereThat's one way to signal. How cool that the shot was taken at that time. Slop chuteThey're firing a saluting gun in honor of the dignitary. You'd think a visiting honcho wouldn't have to boat through the bilge discharge and they'd at least hoist the slop-chute inboard for the duration of the salute and coming up the side. Curious what ship this is. And yes, those searchlights all had radial shutters that could be opened to transmit blinker-messages in morse. There were a lot of them because they were subject to gunfire, being mostly glass. EnlightenedJughead may be on to something but most of the lights here have the main function of searchlights. They certainly could be for signaling but strict signal lamps were usually smaller, more nimble, and located in proximity to the bridge (or conning tower on this pre-WWI ship) or signal station. Even the smaller signal lamps could reach the horizon day or night though that was not always a good thing. The larger searchlights were generally for utility (e.g. cargo operations), emergency (e.g. man overboard or other search and rescue), or during warfare for night action (e.g., WWI against torpedo boats, WWII Battle of Savo Island). Radar changed the game and the need for banks of lights. Meeting the MoltkeWashington Post Jun 3, 1912 Norfolk Va., June 2 - The American battleships Utah, Delaware, and Florida exchanged salutes with the German cruiser-battleship Moltke this afternoon as the three former ships sped through the Virginia capes en route to Hampton Roads. The firing of the salutes on Sunday is not customary, naval officers say, and the fact the the Utah, which led the three American ships as they passed the capes, boomed a salute to Rear Admiral von Reuber Paschwitz, commanding the German squadron, was regarded as an unusual compliment for the German commander. The big guns of the Moltke answered the salutes from the Utah, and the officers and crew lined the decks and waved their hats to the American ships. Everything is in readiness for the visit of President Taft in the Hampton Roads tomorrow. The German ships are expected to leave Lynnhaven Bay about 7 o'clock tomorrow morning so as to arrive in Hampton Roads about the same time the Mayflower gets in with President Taft. U.S.S. FloridaThe battleship is either the USS Florida or the USS Utah. The Florida was scrapped in 1932. The Utah was sunk at Pearl Harbor. Lynnhaven BayJust wanted to put this out; the article quoted cannot be completely correct. There is no possibility that at the time a new capital ship such as Moltke or her two escorts could have entered Lynnhaven Bay; Lynnhaven Bay's shallow channel allowed sailing ships of 8-11 foot draft to enter, but Moltke would have drawn 16-18 feet, minimum, as a cruiser-battleship highbred (a type which would eventually be called a Battlecruiser). In addition, Lynnhaven Bay does not, technically, open into Hampton Roads, but is located almost literally at the mouth of the Chesapeake; Hampton Roads, proper, is some 5 miles further north, beyond the small bay at Littlecreek (which is now a US Naval Amphibious base, and is the the far right star shaped bay on the Wikipedia entry's photo of Hampton Roads). [Or, the fault may lie in incomplete knowledge on our part about the Lynnhaven Bay of 100 years ago. The "Movements of Naval Vessels" columns in the Washington Post and New York Times from 1900 to the 1920s contain dozens of references to battleships at Lynnhaven Bay. Below are some examples from 1910-1915. - Dave] "Firing Salutes back and forth"Somehow, I have this eerie feeling about reading the article and seeing the future foes, only 5 years from combat against each other, fired salutes back and forth at each other. I get the impression that hilarity would have ensued if the article had ended with something along the lines of: "After a rollicking 10 gun salute from USS Florida, followed by an additional 10 gun salute from USS Utah was answered by SMS Moltke's own 10 round salute, the enthusiastic friends continued to salute each other for the next few hours until Moltke lit off a massive pyrotechnic display near her forward armory and then slipped off, to the delight and cheers of the men of Florida, Utah, and Deleware. In an unrelated story, 1053 sailors from SMS Moltke were lost in a freak training accident off the Virginia Capes. The US Navy is currently enroute to look for survivors." The Main GunsThe ship looks relatively new. How big are the main guns? They look surprisingly small compared to the monsters that were on the WWII battleships. USS FloridaUSS Florida and USS Utah would have both been a year old at the time of the photo. SMS Moltke would have been the same age. They all had 10 280mm main guns for the main batteries. Cagy QuestionCan anyone explain what the purpose of the two cages on either side of the smoke stacks? What were used they were for? Just a fancy ladder? Cage Masts Cage masts, found on every battleship built in the USA from about 1910 to 1920, allowed spotters to direct artillery fire. The structure was designed to take multiple hits from enemy fire without collapsing. Big GunsUtah, Florida and Delaware all mounted ten 12 inch guns in five turrets. By comparison the last battleships completed for the US Navy, the Iowa class, mounted nine 16 inch guns in three turrets. The biggest guns ever mounted on a battleship where the nine 18 inch guns in three turrets on the Japanese Yamato class. In fact the Japanese were actually planning a "Super Yamato" class with 20 inch guns. I salute the battleship geeks!Seriously, the range of knowledge here is very impressive and much more interesting than the postings of the railfans (I'm one) when a locomotive photograph appears. U.S.S. FloridaThe U.S.S. Florida. Click to enlarge. Thanks Dave!It puts the top picture really into perspective. It's amazing the differences in design philosophy between the British/German dreadnought battleships and the Americans. Still didn't stop them from becoming ridiculously obsolescent fast and into scrap in 10 years. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Harris + Ewing)
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