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Banana Boat: 1906
... to mention that the wagon's master is wearing his Saturday Night Fever white suit and busting-an-attention-getting-move during the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 3:17pm -

Circa 1906. "Banana docks, New York." An interesting cast of characters. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. What is it?What is that device the man in the foreground is operating with the rope? [A produce scale. - Dave] Someone isn't properly dressedMiddle right, underneath the dinghy -- who left their very nice hat and coat unattended? Banana InspectorThe guy with the pipe has a pocket full of bananas, most likely taking them back to the lab to assure their quality. Which oneis "Mister tally man"? Merry Christmas to Dave and all of the Shorpy followers!! The Doomed DisaThe SS Disa, built by O.A. Brodin of Gefle, Sweden, in 1903, was a steamer of 788 tons. On Aug. 25, 1915, the Disa, on a voyage from London to Hernösand with a cargo of salt, was sunk by a mine from the German submarine UC-6 (Matthias Graf von Schmettow), 5-6 miles NxE of the Shipwash lightvessel. There were no casualties. http://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?70026 That's him -- The guy with the hat, and he's eating a banana. Produce scaleI think its a counter, not a produce scale Pimp My RideCuneo's wagon is quite the ride: every wood slat/pole is detailed, and there are at least four fox(?) tails hanging from the rear view mirror (so to speak). Not to mention that the wagon's master is wearing his Saturday Night Fever white suit and busting-an-attention-getting-move during the exposure. That mandoes not look as if he's enjoying that banana. The Daily ShowThe reason almost everyone is smiling and laughing, those 2 hatless guys performing the noontime banana toss. NiftyI love this guy. Merry Christmas. Scale or tally?I think the device being operated by the man in the foreground is a tally meter. I'm guessing that bananas were sold by the "each" rather than by the pound and that the tally meter has a display large enough for everyone to see and also a bell so that everyone knows that each bunch has been counted. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Roughing It: 1905
... the flue, and watching it self-feed into the coals all night long. (The Gallery, Camping, Dogs, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2014 - 2:46pm -

Upstate New York circa 1905. "An open camp in the Adirondacks." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Fine ThingHumph. Lean on meThat lean-to makes me so nostalgic for the time I spent hiking and canoeing in the Adirondacks. I have enjoyed several dozens of nights sleeping in those amazing shelters, hiking the high peaks area near Lake Placid and portions of the Lakeville-Placid trail and canoeing from the lakes and rivers around Saranac all the way down to Old Forge. The lean-tos are all over the trails, rivers and lakes in the park. Were it not for the early 1900s clothing, the photo could have been taken yesterday. The shelters still look exactly the same. Pit BullBecause I own one myself, I cannot help but notice that the dog looks like it is at least part pit bull. Lean-to sheltersThose who have hiked in the Adirondack High Peaks will immediately recognize the lean-to, which is characteristic to the region. These can be widely found and in the state park they are maintained by the state for use by hikers on a first-come, first-serve basis. Some locations and photos, etc., here. You can see that they haven't changed at all. That's how I remember itThree men with guns, check. One man with an oar, check. Two disgusted women, check. One disgusted dog, check. One cabin open to all the bugs in the Adirondacks, check. One man in a three-piece suit carrying a clipboard, check. Okay, then, I guess we're ready to camp! Hey MaWhatcha want us to do with this here city slicker we caught snoopin around? He shore got a funny lookin hat! Didn't read the rulesSomeone in this picture accidentally brought an oar to a gunfight. Who feels like a silly goose now? On a country road close to town?Very interesting picture with the contrast between the rugged outdoors and civilization. Two of the men are wearing ties. One looks like he is the banker there to discuss the mortgage on the property. Only the two on the right look dressed for the outdoors. The structure looks to be just a sleeping platform. Something more sturdy than a tent but without all the comfort of a cabin. This contrasts with the more developed structure in the background and the cleared land indicating this might not be too far from civilization. Two of the men are holding now classic Winchesters. The man on the right an 1886 takedown and the fellow second from the left an 1895. The open cabinYou'd get eaten alive by black flies and mosquitoes, sleeping in that place. Second From LeftI hear a song when I see this picture: "Come and listen to a story 'bout a man named Jed Poor mountaineer, barely kept his family fed" Ahh the memories! I spent a lot of my youth in the Adirondacks camping in lean-tos just like this. The canoe paddle is identical to one my dad and I picked up nearly 50 years ago in the Adirondacks. Every time we went to this one canoe rental place we would look for that paddle. The owner finally sold it to us. It's all about the detailsSo, the lean-to appears to be hung with cedar boughs - is this to ward off bugs? The man on the right it seated on a wonderful chair made of wooden crate. He wears a handsome plaid shirt with corduroy trousers tucked into socks with fancy tops. He appears to be wearing a badge or fob of some kind - perhaps his park permit? And look at that beautiful basket behind him! Note also what looks to be a bunkhouse in the upper right, up the hill. Adirondack ChairThe crate-chair on the far right says Cushman's Menthol Inhalers on it. These supposedly "cured diseases of the head, including hay-fever, colds and bronchitis." Back in Boy ScoutsWe had these three-sided cabins (bigger than the one shown here) at Camp Harris on Lake Echo in Nova Scotia, and we all referred to them as "Adirondacks". Now I know why! See der branches?Looking at the branches that festoon the cabin I see that they appear to be cedar branches. (There are lots of them out here in Oregon) Cedar branches will keep away most insects. they tend to be a natural insect repellent. (think cedar closets) When I go camping out here in Oregon, I look for cedar trees. I cut and bruise (crush the leaves) a few branches, then spread them around and under my sleeping bag if I am sleeping on bare ground. They seem to do the job of keeping mosquitoes away. The Ghosts of Camping past The 'Lean-to' we opted for on Horse Stable Mountain, NY, was twice this size and with a stone fireplace and chimney in the center, facing inwards of course. The breeze atop a 500 foot tall boulder kept most bugs away, and nightly warmth was assured by dropping a ten foot pole down the flue, and watching it self-feed into the coals all night long. (The Gallery, Camping, Dogs, DPC)
Under the El: 1944
... offered lunch for 40 cents, dinner for 55 cents. Last night, my better half and I enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of egg flower soup ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/12/2021 - 1:28pm -

July 1944. New York. "Under the Third Avenue IRT elevated train line, looking north at East 58th Street." Color transparency by Andreas Feininger for Life magazine. View full size. What the 'ell?Amazing what transportation has gone though over the years! From horse pucky to streetcars to this monstrosity! Must've been a real annoyance to people and horses - oh, no horses at this time. Subways must've been a relief for pedestrians. I just cannot imagine living in a city like that. Hard to believeI lived near here. Are you telling me that there was once a clanking, screeching elevated subway line running right down the middle of Third Avenue? Nonsense! A little research shows that there was indeed a third avenue rail line starting in 1886, becoming the triple-tracked, double-decked IRT Third Avenue Line from 1917 to 1955. Who knew? Thanks, Shorpy! Enjoy? it while it lastsThe El, the street rails and the brick pavers would all be gone within a dozen years or so, taking most of the street's character with them. RKO 58th St.A good history of the theatre can be found here. I’m dreaming of going to the movies after looking at the photo below. Rails RuleIt just amazes me that in New York City these main thoroughfares had the elevated trains and streetcars running right down the middle of the street. A Gallery of It's OwnThird Avenue L could have it's own gallery. Here's one of my favorites [This is an excellent opportunity to investigate the difference between its and it's. It's = "it is" or "it has." It's a nice day = It is a nice day. It's been fun = It has been fun. For anything else (i.e., the third-person singular possessive pronoun), we *never* use an apostrophe. - Dave] Big WheelWhoever owned that '38 Buick approaching from the right must have been a well-connected bigshot. Whitewall tires, production of which had been banned by the federal government in April 1941, in the interest of preserving strategic materials, were nearly impossible for ordinary folks to obtain during the war. Its reason? It's simpleFrom the retired pedant: a logical explanation why the possessive of it is its, not it's, is: --HIS not hi's or his' or his's --HERS not her's (though I've seen that one) --ITS [Let's not forget the classic your's. - Dave] Beauty is in the EyeI never thought this about Boston's Washington Street Elevated (demolished in 1987), but there's something beautiful about the Third Avenue El. How Fashions Have ChangedLadies in dresses. Everyone in hats. Not a single pair of shorts or baseball cap to be seen. Detective Jimmy Popeye Doyle approvesAll that's missing here is a battered up '71 brown Pontiac barreling down the street at 80 mph dodging baby carriages. A Photographer's DreamThere hasn't been dappled sunlight mixed with interesting shadows like that on the streets of the city since the Els disappeared, much to the chagrin of urban photographers. Well craftedI'm impressed by the resolution, depth of field, and the exposure latitude in this image. It's hard to expose for full sunlight and full shade in the same scene on film. You almost always end up with black shadows where no detail is visible or overexposed bright spots where the same is true. Sometimes you can make it a bit better in the print, but this is a transparency, so what you take is what you get. Feininger has done a perfect job on this shot. [We have much more control over the finished image with a transparency than with a darkroom print. We can adjust scanner settings and do post-scan adjustments in Photoshop to bring out shadow detail, as was done here. - Dave] Let us not forgetthat Chicago still has some of these over the streets down in the loop. The loop being named after them. I still like them, and don't mind a bit of screeching when the trains turn corners. No free lunch, but closeOver on the right, in the year I was born, Joey Heong's* Chop Suey restaurant offered lunch for 40 cents, dinner for 55 cents. Last night, my better half and I enjoyed a sumptuous dinner of egg flower soup followed by plates laden with pork chow mein, almond chicken and sweet and sour pork, plus a pot of fresh tea, for $13 each, not counting tax and tip. (First time we've dined out in more than a year.) I can't recall seeing "chop suey" on a restaurant or menu since I was in high school. I don't miss that at all, but a meal for less than $1 — sigh — that I do miss. * I'm guessing at the first letter of Joey's last name; it was hard to make out. Let's take a ride . . . . . . on The 3rd Avenue El. Film typeCan anyone answer to what the transparency type is? Doesn't quite look like Kodachrome? (Kodachromes, Andreas Feininger, LIFE, Movies, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Club Firetrap: 1941
... It looks like a big place that could accommodate many "night activities." Shorpy Vehicle Identification Imperative This one's ... the three bullet holes in the ash can. Ready for Saturday night. Gives Me the Willys I'll bet that the owner of that poor Willys ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/20/2017 - 10:27am -

March 1941. "House being converted into a 'nightclub' near Laurel, Maryland." Medium format negative by Martha McMillan Roberts. View full size. I see youEven the car looks sad. I wonder who the fellow is who is almost hiding behind the tree. RegardlessThe corner porch detail is really a fun element. I'm scared... of the scare quotes around "nightclub," though I agree with switzarch that the corner porch is is interesting. It looks like a big place that could accommodate many "night activities." Shorpy Vehicle Identification ImperativeThis one's easy: Willys Americar coupe. The harder part: is it a '37 or a '38? Perhaps a Willys expert could chime in with a ruling. A swinging countyHaving spent about six months in Ann Arundel county in 1950, I vividly recall that cafes often had slot machines installed -- not the kind that dispensed coupons for free cigarettes, either. I don't recall seeing them in Baltimore, but the officers' club at Fort Meade had them too. Oddly, my mother would often give me a nickel to play the juke box, but not to play the slots! More of a NightMareStraight outta Stephen King. Bet there's a Pet Sematary 'round back. Willys!I would say that car is a 1938 Willys Model 38 Coupe. Wish I had it in my backyard! Dead CenterI like the three bullet holes in the ash can. Ready for Saturday night. Gives Me the WillysI'll bet that the owner of that poor Willys wished, around 1944, that he'd taken better care of it. Amazingly battered up for a fairly late-model car. The name "Willys", contrary to popular belief, is pronounced "Willis" Willys IndicatorsThe lack of a pronounced rain gutter above the door indicates that it is a 1937. The two vertical front bumper guards (ignoring the large aftermarket one in the middle) indicates that it was of mid-to-late 1937 manufacture, as the early production versions (starting in the fall of 1936) did not have them. The lack of three chrome trim spears on the sides of the headlight pods indicates that it is a Standard, rather than a DeLuxe coupe. It sold for $499 new. 1939 WillysIn 1945 my parents returned from their World War II military duties in Europe, and my father was accepted into the Harvard Business School. Here they are ready to leave his mother's home on Cornish Road in Toronto for Wollaston, near Boston. The 1939 model Willys is not in bad shape compared to the one in the photo, and there has been a slight redesign of the body. Since it is a coupe, the trunk was jammed to overflowing, which caused a scene at the U.S. border. My father had no recollection of the hood "ornament". Upon returning to Toronto in 1947, when I was born, it was replaced with a 1929 Nash, but that is another story. Beat up WillysThe Willys coupe is a 1937 or '38. If the picture was taken in 1941 that coupe has had a rough life. The coupe in Angus J's photo is a 1940, identified by the rectangular grille and chrome strips on the nose of the hood. The 1939 had a grille similar to the '37-'38 but more pointed and the head lamps had a matching pointed glass. Angus J's hood ornament. That's Ferdinand the bull. Normally depicted laying in or holding flowers in his mouth. high wireWhat is the nature and purpose of the line stretched between the peak of the dormer and the cupola? Lightning protection? Some kind of radio antenna? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Martha Roberts)
Sweet Land of Liberty: 1920
... a Second Language or Pre-Citizenship, were usually held at night. [These were evening classes. 7:30-9:30. - Dave] Looks like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 11:43pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Americanization class." The main location for these citizenship classes was the old Central High School at Seventh and O streets. Thirty nations were represented, "Italy having the largest number," according to a 1922 article in the Washington Post. "The Hebrews come second, with Greece third." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Favorable RatioAs they say, ladies, "The odds are good, but the goods are odd." Penmanship!What a lost art, if you look at any child's hand nowadays. And how well-dressed these folks are, compared to any classroom (child or adult) eighty years hence. One wonders where "progress" has taken us. I get a good feelinglooking at this beautiful and sympathetic people. I think the teachers were very kind to them. Face OffContrast the tough looking character front row second from right, and the big white bow that's wearing the pretty young girl in the back. Sunday BestOf course they were wearing their Sunday's best for the occasion of being photographed and that important step in their lifes being documented for posterity. Photos were expensive. They were made on appointment. So I wouldn't be surprised if they all pooped in on a free Sunday afternoon to have this picture taken. [National Photo was a news service -- this picture would have been taken for publication in a newspaper. - Dave] Ooh, Miss FlirtatiousFront and center, showing off an ankle. Americans By Choice This is a great picture. I have to imagine that they knew that they were to be photographed and wore their finest for the occasion. This class met in the daytime which I find unusual. The vast majority of immigrants had to get right to work. Most classes, either English as a Second Language or Pre-Citizenship, were usually held at night. [These were evening classes. 7:30-9:30. - Dave] Looks like full daylight to me. Daylight Savings Time didn't become law until 1918, so at 7:30PM I don't think it would have been that bright. They probably came in earlier just for the photograph. The MoviesI give two big "Thumbs Up" to movie critic Gene Siskel, second row, far right! China. Poland, Iceland,Jugoslavia, Austria, Ukraine, Prussia, Italy, England Canada, Argentina, try and match the faces. (If that's politically correct today) Father of the popped collarThere he is, back row, far right. And, yes, yes, yes, they're all dead now. Well, perhaps Little Miss Bow there might still be kicking at 90 or so, and as I write this maybe she's online with her great-great-granddaughter in Silver Spring. Spittin' ImageI'll bet the little girl with the bow is the daughter of the lady in the front row, closest to the photographer. The Oath of CitizenshipIt still has that line in it about "potentates." Not a word you hear very often these days. "Mother's full maiden name"That was the only question that posed a problem when I applied (in 1963) -- it was difficult to fit into the allotted space: Yvonne Karen Anna Margrete Christina Augusta Broberg. To prove that I could write in English, the interviewer asked me to write: "I do all my work in a big radio station." (I was working at WNEW, NYC.) When I asked if she could give me something a bit more challenging, she smiled. My chest swells with pridejust viewing this photo. One of the proudest moments in my life was watching my Canadian-born wife reciting the oath and becoming a citizen of the United States in 2004. Hy thereCan anyone identify H*Y*M*A*N K*A*P*L*A*N here? Grandpa?I don't think my Sicilian grandfather, Diego, is in this picture but this was the year he got off of the boat in New York. Thank you for letting me see what his early days in the States looked like. I doubt he was dressed this nice though. He came with only $20 in his pocket! (The Gallery, D.C., Education, Schools, Natl Photo)
Uncle Beans: 1938
... forgets and has to pay an extra dollar interest the next night). I've heard that other kids get $5 a tooth. Admittedly, a buck won't buy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/30/2008 - 8:49pm -

Summer 1938. "Newsboy in Newark, Ohio." View full size. 35mm negative by Ben Shahn. [Update: The always amazing Joe Manning has come through again, and managed to find out this boy's name -- Richard Wolverton. You can read about him on Joe's Web site.] Original post date 02-21-2008. It's Newark!I just found this website yesterday, and of all the places in the world, today's photo on the front page is from where I grew up and still live. It's neat to see! [Just trying to make you feel welcome! - Dave] Looks SadHe looks like he's wearing actual rags, poor kid. The quality of this photo is amazing. You can read the newspaper! [The standout: "Woman Is Rescued From Blazing Bed" - Dave] My Two Front TeethSo what's the going rate for front teeth these days from the Tooth Fairy? When I was his age they brought a quarter apiece. My 2 front teethTeeth still going for a quarter apiece, plus a trip to ice cream parlor. Going rateMy kids get a buck a tooth (though our Tooth Fairy, thoroughly inept, often forgets and has to pay an extra dollar interest the next night). I've heard that other kids get $5 a tooth. Admittedly, a buck won't buy them a bottle of soda. Tooth FairyI'm 13 and have lost all of my baby teeth, but I used to get like $10 plus a present (a bracelet making kit or something of that sort) for every tooth I lost! I guess I was totally spoiled by my tooth fairy. Uncle BeansThis is Joe Manning. I just identified this boy. He is Richard Wolverton, no longer living. I had the local paper publish the photo, and one of his nieces called and said, "I just got the paper, and I saw a picture on the front page of 'Uncle Beans.'" I'll let you know when I post some more information about him on my website. Teeth...I know what little Richard wanted for Christmas. Maybe he sold them to add to his income selling papers? When I was a kid (I'm now 35) the going rate was 20c for teeth, 50c for one of the four big back molars (cos they hurt like the devil falling out and coming through!) Except for the time I swallowed one drinking out of a hose, and the tooth fairy felt sorry for me and gave me $1. Newark Newsie: 1938This is Joe Manning. I have completed my research on this boy. I interviewed his niece, and it's a very interesting story. You can see it at this link: http://www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/newarknewsboy1.html Tooth Fairy?I'd like to say that Joe Manning, you're very awesome, and thanks for all the information you give us. And for you people saying your teeth are a quarter, one buck, five bucks, or even ten (whoa), well I'm 13 and my rate was $0 a pop, but I didn't expect anything anyways.I kinda think the whole tooth fairy thing is ridiculous, but I guess it's just me. Thank you, Joe Manning.I read Uncle Beans' story, and feel honoured to have had the chance to get to know him even this much. The special, warm-hearted people of the world are sometimes too far between. Blown away......by the sweet photos, the research & story behind the pictures, the interview...just blown away. I'm grinning like Uncle Beans. It would have been my privilege to make Mr. Wolverton some delicious Texas pinto beans, using my grandmother's recipe...plus her trademark pinch of ginger. ThanksI read every word of Mr Manning's interview. Very touching. Thank you so much for sharing. Uncle BeansThis is Joe Manning. The link to my story of this boy, as noted below, has been changed. It is now: http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2015/01/05/richard-wolverton-newark-ohi... (The Gallery, Ben Shahn, Kids)
Potatoes? I'll Say!
... Advertisements Poland Spring Water After a hot night of busing tables at the Poland Spring House summer of 1963, we'd grab a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 11:40am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1940. "Caption missing." A table laden with delicacies from Maine, attended by two ladies who seem to be debating the merits of their respective spuds. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Save this photoBecause it's the only time you'll ever see Senator Snowe and Rush that close together. Food FIght!It looks like the two women are about to get into a deadly serious dispute as to who is holding the better potato. I can't speak to the quality of the spuds, but for the fight itself I'll have to put my money on the woman on the left. I'm afraid she's pretty serious about this matter. (Nice tiara, by the way!) Fortunately, it appears that the smiling kid in the middle is trying to mediate by getting them to set down their taters and shake hands. Oh, wait a minute.... Maine's Exports STATE OF MAINE POTATOES For you Health's Sake eat more Maine-Grown Potatoes Rich in needed minerals and Vitamins Poland Water PLAY SAFE WITH POLAND 1938 Advertisements Poland Spring WaterAfter a hot night of busing tables at the Poland Spring House summer of 1963, we'd grab a chilled half-gallon bottle of PS Water, just like the ones shown here, and sink most of it in a minute or two. The water came from the spring down the hill, the bottles were recycled. The only expense was the bottle cap. Never drank better water. Margaret Chase SmithThe lady on the right looks like Margaret Chase Smith -- congresswoman from Maine who served in both the House and Senate. [I don't think so. - Dave] Mad hattersDid any self respecting woman back in the forties ever appear in public without a hat, even for a discussion of potatoes? "State of Maine" logo colorsIf you look at the sign held by the boy in the middle of the photo, you'll see a tri-color logo for "State of Maine" potatoes. This was a common advertising theme, and I remember it most from boxcars in the '50s and '60s. On this Shorpy image: https://www.shorpy.com/node/2252?size=_original , you can see one of those boxcars Red over White over Blue, peeking out behind a loco in the center of the photo. A Google search for "State of Maine" boxcar will yield a lot of photos of the (famous) Lionel model of this boxcar color scheme. Also note the "Poland Water" bottles. Of course, that would be from Poland Springs, famous and available even today as bottled mineral water: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_Spring - notes some controversies over the source of the water these days...) I make no comments on the appendages on the head of the two women in this photo :-) Oh, yeah!From the stern look on the face of Mrs. Left, those potatoes were soon to be projectiles! What it means to be from MaineGood to see Poland Spring represented back in the day. They own the bottled water market here in New England. I don't think they make Ginger Ale anymore though. $500 Reward?Just for drinking club soda? I'LL TAKE IT! Listen You"See here. These tubers are to be consumed individually according to the dictates of the Great State of Maine. These are not your common potAHtoes and shan't be treated as such." "Look, lady. We'll eat these any old way we like. I'm through arguing with you. I'm making a fist with my left hand. With my right, I'm going to show you just how mashed potatoes were invented." The eyes have itI didn't realize that Poland Spring has been in business this long. I also didn't realize that having a potato handy really attracts the babes ! Water is fineBut I want to know where the Vitameatavegemin is. LadylikeThe woman wearing gloves looks like my maternal grandmother - the dark, perfectly arranged hair, the careful lipstick, the neat suit. She too wouldn't dream of leaving the house without gloves, hat and a starched and ironed handkerchief in her handbag. This spud's for youWe still grow 'em like that up here in Northern Maine (Aroostook County). My grandfather spent his entire life doing it. As a young teen, I earned a nice piece of change each season picking them in the fields as they were freshly dug. Worked from daylight till dawn, easily earn $20-25 per day tax-free. Doesn't sound like much now, but back in the 1940s, that would buy you most anything you wanted -- a new bike, a .22 rifle, a guitar, etc. Of course, these days harvesting is all done mechanically. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Glee: 1896
... to these fellows? If these fellows were on the ship the night of the sinking they most probably died. The crew quarters were in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 4:16pm -

1896. "Bachelors' Glee Club, U.S.S. Maine." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Edward H. Hart for the Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A happy crew ...... not that there's anything wrong with that. A bit of a redundancy?"Bachelors' Glee Club" On Second ThoughtNever mind. Kerchief and cordI'm interested in the skinny white cord overlapping the kerchief. Was it decorative, or functional? And I always thought people's faces from earlier eras were truly odd and different. I've changed my tune on that. Ignoring costumes, and probably poor dental work, I could easily imagine seeing these faces on the street today. Remember the MaineI wonder what happened to these fellows when the Maine exploded two years later in Havana Harbor. All men on deckPipes and pie plate hats at the ready. Not such a gleeful bunchBut I'd probably look glum too if I had to sing to banjo and drum accompaniment. The Maine MysteryCould the destruction of the USS Maine be in any way connected with the smoking habits of her crew? What happened to these fellows?If these fellows were on the ship the night of the sinking they most probably died. The crew quarters were in the forward section of the ship which was destroyed in the explosion. The officers' quarters in the stern survived. Phew!I thought it said Gleet Club! The full rangeCigarettes, a cigar, AND pipes: all that's missing is a hookah for the full range of tobacco-smoking options, eh? There don't seem to be regulations on trouser buttoning. What's the Medal?Back row, sixth from left, holding the drum.... What's the medal he's wearing? Smoking habitsTheir smoking habits may indeed have contributed to the disaster. One of the most common explanations for the blast was spontaneous combustion of coal dust in the boiler room. However, the US Naval Historical Center web site says "Despite the best efforts of experts and historians in investigating this complex and technical subject, a definitive explanation for the destruction of Maine remains elusive." [Link] Waiting For The Smoking Lamp To Be Lit ...... might be a good alternative title.
A Place in the Sun: 1964
... a '68 Coronet Wagon pulling a 20' Aristocrat trailer. That night, we'd stay in a KOA-type place at the (then) end of the strip. This would be the first night of one our trips to Bryce, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Arches and all the other ... 
 
Posted by rsyung - 06/28/2015 - 10:16pm -

Another Las Vegas Kodachrome taken by my dad in June 1964. View full size. Marquee small printName recognition drops off considerably after the talented and very beautiful Ms. Carr. But Sonny King had sufficient notoriety to justify third-banana sizing and a Wikipedia entry. Where's my time machine when I need it?Oh to be able to see some of those shows! Yabba Dabba DoWhile for born-and-bred Americans of a certain age these photos really bring back memories, the only connection I can make is to the well-loved cartoon The Flintstones, a ray of sunshine, one of the few that embellished our lives in communist Romania. I was very young back then, but I soon began to realize the sitcom was in fact a parody of the American way of life. Probably this cartoon was the reason why I was so adamant about choosing to learn English,(a language that was just being introduced in schools) over French, which was the most popular. Enjoying ThesePhotos of old LV. Some observations... A nice spread of makes and models of cars of the time. I notice the Buick pulling the camper, back before you needed an F350 diesel to pull a pop up camper. Finally, is there any way to see what the front license plate on the Buick says? It doesn't seem to be a normal plate. First StopWe would drive by later in a '68 Coronet Wagon pulling a 20' Aristocrat trailer. That night, we'd stay in a KOA-type place at the (then) end of the strip. This would be the first night of one our trips to Bryce, Zion, Cedar Breaks, Arches and all the other drop-dead gorgeous parks of the Nevada/Utah/Four Corners area. Saw that show!Or, more precisely, the one probably two years later. Anyway, my family went to a dinner show at the Sands featuring Red Skelton, but it had to have been 1966. Can't remember the opening act. Well, I was 6, for heaven's sake. We stayed across the street at the Dunes, which isn't there anymore either. Fort Lauderdale, FloridaTo this day, Florida only requires a license tag on the back of the car. You are free to place anything you liked on the front, which is often a free billboard for your favorite radio station, or for the dealership from which said car was purchased. [Referring to the Buick license plate, presumably. -tterrace] LurkingWonder what the vehicle is to the right of the main sign Looks older or maybe a shuttle bus? Overall, much different then The Strip today. Well taken, I'm not old enough to have attended many of those showsThey were adult-oriented, like the town was back in the day. If I could go back in the time machine and see the Rat Pack, that would be great. Thanks rsyung, for yet more superb color pictures. Only the sign remains!These early L.V. casino joints were alleged to be rife with mob corruption, more or less "cleaned out in the 80's and 90's. Of The Sands, only the sign remains at an attraction of old, huge casino signs, way out in the desert. It costs a small fortune to go see the signs, which after all, were one of the biggest attractions in the day. Did Red go Blue? Did Red Skelton do a blue show when he worked Vegas? Red was never blue on stageResponding to Bazinga, Red Skelton's stage shows were always suitable for the family. He reserved his seamier stories for smaller, informal audiences. But when those occasions arose, he would enthusiastically perform free for audiences as small as one person on the street. About the Sandshttp://johnnysjoint.angelfire.com/SandsHotel2.html The name that really caught my eyewas Red Norvo. He brought the vibraphone to the jazz genre; an instrument I came to love. I wanted to make sure Red wasn't forgotten! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
West Street Story: 1912
... amazing. We didn't use that setting, because on a Saturday night, that part of town is usually deserted. A REAL Seaport This is ... appear to be Fall River Line steamers. Up until 1937, the night boats of the Fall River Line were the preferred way to travel between NYC ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 7:01pm -

New York circa 1912. "West Street north from the Battery." An amazing view of the Hudson River piers from the foot of Manhattan centered by the West Street Building, which sustained grave damage a decade ago when the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed; to east is the massive Hudson Terminal, and faintly visible through the haze is the Metropolitan Life tower. Note the ant-like profusion of horse wagons along West Street. This 8x10 glass negative was exposed from the Whitehall Building annex just south of today's Battery Park City and World Financial Center. The view up West Street and 11th Avenue is continued here at the Chelsea Piers. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Best of the BestThis photo will become my "forever" all time favorite. It evokes history at so many levels. Amazingly, the two bridges that cross West Street are in extreme close proximity to those that connected the World Trade Center to The World Financial Center at Battery Park City. Actually the northern one looks like it is in exactly the same place! All I can do is stare and marvel at this gem that we are lucky enough to view. Thanks Dave/Shorpy West Street BuildingIt is absolutely incredible to see the West Street Building standing in so isolated a position - yet it is barely a quarter-mile away from Broadway! Such were the contours of real estate values in Lower Manhattan a century ago. The West Street Building (1906-1907) was designed by Cass Gilbert; as his first "Gothic" skyscraper, it became the model for his more famous Woolworth Building of 1911-1913. It is believed that Frank W. Woolworth chose Gilbert as his architect largely because he liked what he saw on West Street. !!Anazing. [Jawohl. - Dave] Whitehall StreetA few personal things come to mind when I read that The Whitehall Building was where this magnificent 1912 photo was taken. First, 39 Whitehall Street, was the building where I, and probably a million others were inducted into the US Army. The date I was there, October 8, 1956 and another momentous event was happening at the World Series in Yankee Stadium, Don Larsen pitched a perfect game. Fast forward to 1995 and my wife and I are at the Whitehall Building looking at the Whitehall Club as a venue for my youngest daughter's wedding. The club occupied the entire top floor of the building with unobstructed views in all 4 directions. The views of the city, the Hudson River and the Statue of Liberty were just amazing. We didn't use that setting, because on a Saturday night, that part of town is usually deserted. A REAL SeaportThis is wonderful evidence that, indeed, NY was once a great seaport. Look at all the piers with so much activity! Fall River Line Steamers?The two large steamboats appear to be Fall River Line steamers. Up until 1937, the night boats of the Fall River Line were the preferred way to travel between NYC and Boston. A "boat train" met the boat in Fall River, MA early each morning. Can anyone identify these steamboats? The far one seems to me to be the "Commonwealth". (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Now Hear This: 1937
... "S-oo-o-ie," hog call of the Corn Belt, laid claim last night to two pigs, whereabouts undetermined. The pigs were the State of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2012 - 11:45am -

June 9, 1937. Washington, D.C. "Congressional hog caller. The Capitol Plaza reverberated with sounds of the barnyard today as Rep. Robert L. Mouton of Louisiana went into serious training for his coming hog-calling contest with Rep. Otha D. Wearin of Iowa. The contest, which will take place on the Capitol steps sometime in the near future, is the result of an argument between the two solons as to the abilities of the hog-yodelers from the respective states. Judging from his demonstration today, the cameraman is willing right now to place the mantle of champion on Rep. Mouton." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Sheep shotAs a hog-calling expert, it is funny to think that the very name of Rep. Robert L. Mouton of Louisiana actually means "sheep" in French. Eh, La Bas! Washington Post, Jun 13, 1937 Congress' Rival Hog-Callers Charged With Dodging Issue. By Sidney Olson. A sinister rumor is rife in the halls of Congress that the two hog-calling artists of the House are dodging a showdown. Representative Robert Mouton, of Louisiana, exponent of the Bayou Bawl, and Representative Otha D. Wearin, of Iowa, producer of the Prairie Shout, have been avoiding the direct issue of face-to-face contest, the cynics say. While each is willing to strut his stuff separately, neither has emitted a time-and-place challenge. Already the whisper is heard in the cloakrooms: "Wearin and Mouton are phonies! Neither one could call a hog across the street, even with corn-cobs hidden in their pockets." Papers Demand Truth. Sneers are observed in the faces of some members when the subject is mentioned. Others, holding the honor of the House is at stake, have begged that the matter be dropped. Newspapers, however, probing the truth, continue to insist on the showdown. Wearin and Mouton, at the invitation of the National Broadcasting Co., displayed their wares on the Capitol Plaza yesterday for the delectation of a crowd of tourists and the radio audience. Mouton, whose opened mouth resembles a gaping satchel, has a warm, alluring bellow which must be highly attractive to any sensitive hog. His old Cajun cry, "Eh, la bas!" (Hey, you down there!) rings forth in a rich vibrato that flutters the ear-drums of everyone in a two-block radius. Mouton Makes Bet. Wearin, of slight, almost fragile build, bespectacled and studious in appearance, has unexpected physical reserves, with a window-rattling roar that makes his whole frame shimmy while he produces it. He begins with a low, seductive repetition of "piggy, piggy," shifts rapidly into second for a tremendous hoot and then swings into his final smashing blast, a call which his backers claim can start up a medium-sized dust storm on the spot. He closes with a soft "Coo-ee," which is supposed to keep the pigs, who have responded to his thrilling barytone from climbing up his leg. Mouton has bet two pigs that he can out-clamor Wearin. Wearin says his only present worry is where to put the to pigs he wins. But still no time has been set for the colossal conflict. People are beginning to talk. Washington Post, Jun 17, 1937 Rep. Wearin Wins Hog-Calling Contest But Pigs Disappear. Representative Otha Wearin, of Iowa, exponent of the "S-oo-o-ie," hog call of the Corn Belt, laid claim last night to two pigs, whereabouts undetermined. The pigs were the State of Louisiana's bet that the Cajun dawn greeting call of "Eh, la bas!" had the hog call licked for carrying power and tonal quality. Wearin pressed his claim for the pigs after Representative Bob Mouton, official Louisiana representative in the scheduled contest, suddenly announced he had withdrawn. Calling this a "victory by default," Wearin said that he was "willing to let it go at that, as long as Louisiana acknowledges the superiority of Iowa hollerin'." Then Wearin learned the pigs were missing. Wearin said Mouton kept them in his office for several days, but a clerk there denied any knowledge of their whereabouts. As said to Marge Simpson"I know you don't think you're good enough for me, but believe me, you are. Hell, I've done it with pigs ... real no-foolin' pigs." IronicallyThe Congressional Representative's name, Mouton, means "Sheep" in French. Ah, what memories "hog calling" conjures up. When we we kids when we went shopping (or practically any place else for that matter) with my Dad, when he was ready to leave and we weren't to be seen would holler "HELLIONS!!!". We knew we'd better get there quick before he started yelling "SOOIE, SOOIE, SOOIE!!!!", a-la a hog-caller. It was all in fun but SO embarrassing! I suppose it could have been worse if Monsieur Mouton had been our Dad. On the spotJason Powell devotes his blog to locating spots seen in old photos (many of them familiar to Shorpyists), and photographing the photo against the contemporary backdrop. Here is Rep. Mouton, in situ: http://jasonepowell.com/?p=145 Uh huhAnd they haven't been able to get the hogs out of congress ever since. HearteningIt is heartening that American politicians - then as now - had a laser like focus on the vital issues of the day. Wearin outCongressman Wearin's loss in this contest began a streak that ultimately returned him to Hastings, Iowa. After three wins in a historically Republican district, Wearin was talked into challenging an incumbent Democratic senator, Guy Gillette, in the 1938 primary by New Dealers who viewed Gillette as too independent of Roosevelt. WPA Administrator Harry Hopkins' endorsement for Wearin backfired; Gillette beat Wearin handily, and someone else claimed the nomination for Wearin's house seat. He then lost two more U.S. Senate primaries and one for the Iowa Senate, before he found something to which he could win election - the Cowboy Hall of Fame. Mr. Smith Goes To WashingtonI wonder if this image was the inspiration for this scene from Mr. Smith Goes to Washington: It seems to meCan't fool us today. This guy is auditioning for the Lion in the Wizard of Oz movie, coming out in two years. Somebody has to say itPork. It's called pork, and for a reason. Hog CallingMy understanding is that this was the kind of thing we lost with the coming of television. Best Background Yet!He's almost life sized on my screen. Representative Mouton will keep everyone away from the computer. Fark! Hark!Farked again! (The Gallery, D.C., Farked, Harris + Ewing)
Truck Stop Diners: 1943
... From the window view It appears They Drive By Night. Where's George and Humphrey? Route 66 to Hollywood Look at the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/10/2013 - 11:06am -

March 1943. "Pearlington, Mississippi (vicinity). Truck drivers at a highway coffee stop on U.S. Highway 90." Who's up for a slice of apple pie? Medium format negative by John Vachon, Office of War Information. View full size. Is that really only coffee?These three guys almost look like an illustrated guide on the effects of alcohol on certain personalities: giddy, glazed, then combative. What is stored under the counter?Add seventy years to the age of each of the truck drivers pictured and also to the counter accouterments such as the napkin dispenser, salt shaker and restaurant china, and the drivers' clothing. It doesn't seem that things have changed that much in all those years except maybe the menu prices. This was also in the middle of WW2 so I wonder if any of the waitresses were named Flossie or Marge. [Under the counter: Shell motor oil. - Dave] Mr. Bright EyesHave a feeling that getting a hot cuppa Joe and great service will never be a problem for the guy in the middle. Hidden LuxuryThat "Ladies Lounge" is what bumped this joint from a three-star up to a four-star. I bet there was also a "Tables for Ladies" sign in the window. Maybe even a "No Shoes, No Service" sign to clinch the deal. Back thenif you saw a lot of trucks it meant the food was pretty good. Now it means that the parking lot is large. Back then these places were truck stops where you could eat, buy fuel, and drink your coffee. Today they're "travel centers" where you wait for tourists to figure out how to fill their oversized pickups, grab a burger at the fast food franchise, and drink your coffee from a paper cup. I know of a few old time truck stops, but they are vanishing. From the window viewIt appears They Drive By Night. Where's George and Humphrey? Route 66 to HollywoodLook at the guy in the middle...talk about sizzling good looks like 1940's Tyrone Power. That hunky trucker should drive his rig all the way to the gates of Paramount Studios in Hollywood. It wouldn't take long before he'd be discovered!! FamiliarWe've seen one of these guys before. I love their hatsWhy do they have badges on them? Were they bus or coach drivers? When did hats like that go out of fashion! [See this comment on the previous photo. -tterrace] Hats were the fashion of the dayMy Dad, a lifelong trucker, wore a hat like that up through the 50's. Today's trucker would have a ball cap. The badges showed the Union local. BadgesThe reason that you don't see those badges anymore is because it's cheaper to issue a laminated CDL (Commercial Drivers' License) that good for several years. 12 O'Clock HighCenter guy's hat has that "sixty-mission crush" popularized by Army Air Corps B-17 pilots of that era. Looks like Tyrone Power but just might have flat feetTwo of the reasons why healthy young males were deferred from military service during most of WW II were some degree of flat-footedness (restricting the joys of marching with a 60-pound backpack) and employment in a critical industry. Some types of trucking jobs could be critical, of course. To have such a job plus flat feet, the juke joint dance floors were yours until Johnny came marching home. ...and a can of Golden Shell to go, please.Now this is a hard-core truck stop -- Cans of Golden Shell motor oil stocked right under the counter! Also interesting that back in the day you could identify people's occupations by the various hats they wore. Gives meaning to the old expression, "He's wearing a different hat today." And apparently, unlike military custom, guys left those hats on when they came indoors... Hubba HubbaCould someone please tell the fella in the middle that I'm waiting on a delivery? Ladies LoungeI thought ladies' lounges were for alcohol-serving joints, it being impossible for men to drink with tranquility in the presence of women. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Eateries & Bars, John Vachon)
Canteen Scene: 1943
... men at the United Nations Service Center on a Saturday night." Medium-format safety negative by Esther Bubley for the Office of War ... not do. Also, I know a lady who was conceived from a one-night relationship between her empathetic mother and a departing sailor. She ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 10:49am -

December 1943. Washington, D.C. "In the canteen for enlisted men at the United Nations Service Center on a Saturday night." Medium-format safety negative by Esther Bubley for the Office of War Information. View full size. On the LeftNo sody pop for him. A bottle of Schlitz? He's taking the "drink 'til they look good" philosophy. Wall flowers?Everyone appears to be having a great time, except the guys seated at the table in the upper left. At least one (judging from the look on his face) appears to be jealous of the attention the others are getting from the girls. Love the way they drank from their Coke bottles with straws. Great shot! Authentic period detailsStraws in a Coke bottle. Golden advertThe two sipping Coke at the left would make a fantastic advertisement. Those bottles really are classic -- such a gorgeous, evocative shape. That Saucy Number......midframe has two fellas at her table, but seems to be more interested in living on the edge (at least for the next few hours) with our suds-sipping stud stage right. Straws in a coke bottleI was in Brazil a few years ago, Rio actually, and everybody there was drinking their sodas from a straw, can or glass and drank their beers with a glass. I asked somebody why that was, while I was sucking down a beer bottle, and they told me because of the rats and roaches that crawl along the bottle and cans while they sit in the back storage room. I have been drinking with a straw ever since. Paper strawsAh, those were the good old days of paper straws. If you sipped slowly enough they started to dissolve and get mushy, then you needed a new one. Meet and greet the elite!At least three of my relatives met their future spouses at USO canteens and welcome centers. It was an honorable way for eligible people to find companionship without hanging out at a bar which "nice girls" did not do. Also, I know a lady who was conceived from a one-night relationship between her empathetic mother and a departing sailor. She never did know her father (no name, no addresse). There are so many unprecedented situations and lots of lost innocence that developed around WW2, which is probably why there were so many books written about it. 6 cents? Outrageous.The Coke machine in my dad's auto shop in the 50's and early 60's sold those little 6 ouncers for a nickel until the bottler changed the machine to 6 cents. At the time (I was 8 or 9)I thought it was a highly inflationary move, and completely uncalled for! Victory Girl?That gal with glasses on the right has a big V on her blouse. I know it ain't her gasoline ration. Unless it stood for virgin, which just might have been true, which is why she was hanging around the USO. [This was the United Nations Service Center, not the USO. Like a hostel, with rooms and showers. Not to mention the Enemy, who was always listening. - Dave] Don't chew on the straw!Kids were always told not to chew on the paper straws. Of course, if you make a suggestion like that to kids, the result is usually that they will do it, even if they might not have, otherwise. I remember it being very difficult to resist the temptation, and how worthless a well chewed straw became, for drinking. Sometimes I would tear the top end off, resulting in easier drinking. Scranton's FinestApparently Jim Halpert was in the service before he started selling office supplies for Dunder Mifflin. (The Gallery, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Esther Bubley, WW2)
Armless Orphan: 1922
... both his arms in a railroad accident, told the police last night, as he reported that he had been robbed of $5,000. Uslie was taken before ... the two became friends, traveling together, Phillips at night taking the money from his pockets, counting it and caring for it. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 4:39pm -

July 28, 1922. "John Uslie, armless orphan." I just know there must be more to the story. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. You never saw a fish with arms, did you?Found a cropped version of the photo Jenniearcheo posted. It's from the "New York Evening Call" 9 August 1922 pg. 8 "Armless Youth is Arrested"According to the Altoona Mirror, August 11, 1926, on page 1, John is arrested for panhandling and asked to leave the city. John's obit, Osceola, FLObituaries as appeared in July 1996 Osceola News-Gazette USLIE - John Uslie, 94, of 1755 Druliner Road, St. Cloud, died June 25. Born in Romania, he moved to St. Cloud in 1981. He was a self-employed realtor. He was Catholic. Survivors include his daughters, Veronica Hood, St. Cloud, Irene Ahart, Imlaystown, N.J., Anna Anthony, Middletown, Del., Lillian Davis, Macon, Ga.; nine grandchildren, 23 great-grandchildren and four great-great grandchildren. Mass of Christian burial was held July 2 from St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church, St. Cloud, with Father Fabian Gimeno officiating. Interment was in Mount Peace Cemetery, St. Cloud. Fisk Funeral Home, St. Cloud, was in charge of arrangements. The rest of the storyApparently there is more to the story. He dives. Tell me moreNow we need to know what happened to Theodore Phillips, the lowlife morally-bankrupt thief who betrayed and robbed John Uslie and could have been the inspiration for the Grinch. The plot thickens with each additional comment. Wow -- that's courageThe look in his eyes, I read as a mix of determination and concern. The people behind him appear to be laughing, but that could simply be the moment, nothing to do with him. -- Above all I am struck by in his face I don't see the terror I would feel alone on a diving board about to dive in with only the angle of my head to cut down into the water, and my legs to lift me out. Where did this man find the courage? God bless him, out there on the edge! Writing With His TeethWashington Post, June 9, 1922. LOSES $5,000 HE SAVED WRITING WITH HIS TEETH Armless Orphan, 20, Charges Partner Stole Money He Laid By to Start Business.         "My life savings are gone," John Uslie, 20-year-old orphan who lost both his arms in a railroad accident, told the police last night, as he reported that he had been robbed of $5,000. Uslie was taken before Clerk Robert B. Gott, and by placing a pen between his teeth signed a warrant charging Theodore Phillips, who conducts a business at 331 H street northeast, with taking his money. Detectives Bradley, Cox and O'Brien arrested Phillips on charges of larceny after trust. He was released on $2,500 bond.         Uslie said he lost his parents when he was 15 years old, and the following year suffered the loss of both arms, but taught himself to write by holding a pen in his mouth and a year later started out in the world, traveling about the country making a living by writing cards and selling drawings.         During his travels, he said, he met Phillips and the two became friends, traveling together, Phillips at night taking the money from his pockets, counting it and caring for it.         "My earnings averaged about $25 a day," said Uslie, "but some days I would make as high as $50. Phillips and I came to Washington in March, and since then I have made more than $900.         "We went into business at 331 H street northeast. Last week I learned that Phillips was going to turn the business over to a relative, and when I asked for an accounting I was turned out of the house and my clothes thrown after me." John Uslie 1901-1996I can find information on only one John Uslie, born in Delaware, December 18, 1901. He died June 25, 1996, at the age of 94! He was married to Mary Uslie, 1902-1982. One source says he died in Florida, but another says his last known residence was Townsend, New Castle County, Delaware. It appears to be a very uncommon surname, so I think he is our man! The fact that he lived to be 94 makes him even more interesting, but the two sources I found didn't give any details about his life, except the dates and places. I'm hoping others will come up with more information, but I may also ask my elderly father, the genealogist, if he wants to see what he can find. This was obviously an exceptional man and I think his story should be told! P.S. OTY is right! Stealing that much money from anyone is awful, but someone who would steal from a young man who had lost his family and his arms would take an especially disgusting scumbag! More; How heartless would one have to be to arrest an armless man whose hard-earned income had been stolen for panhandling? The obituary information is quite amazing, so wonderful that, after having no family at all in his youth, he had 40 descendants when he passed away. I'd still like to know more about how he dealt with the tremendous challenges he was faced with. That WP story is horrifyingPerhaps that is what inspired the National Photo Company to take his photo 2 weeks later. Whatever happened to Theodore Phillips? Did he actually serve a sentence? Did he pay Uslie back the money? Or did he just skip the bail he probably paid with his ill-gotten gains? Uslie's life would make a great inspirational biography. So many of the people featured in these photos have stories that would! I suppose a good juxtaposition would be the child coal miners who died in their late 20s or 30s, near the towns where they worked. Strange parallel storyIn the early 1970s, while working at American University in Washington, DC, I noticed a young student. She appeared to be missing both arms, but had artificial arms attached so she didn't stand out as much. One day I was talking with a teacher in his office when she came in. The teacher dropped some papers she need to sign on the floor: she slid out of her shoes, opened her purse with her toes; picked out a pencil between her toes and signed the papers on the floor. Absolutely amazing. Never knew her name. Have sometimes wondered how she's doing now. The Triangular Wheels of JusticeMaybe there was limit at the time, but $2500 bail for being accused of and charged with stealing $5000? "Will you take cash, Your Honor?" Regardless, it probably devolved into Uslie's word against Phillips's. Bad news for Perry Mason fans and Uslie, most likely. The later panhandling charge might imply that Uslie lost, but it also may have meant that he was always selling his cards and drawings on the street. (The Gallery, Bizarre, D.C., Natl Photo, Swimming)
Royal Street: 1906
... replaced the light bulbs that illuminated the street at night? They look like they are placed every foot or so. What a temptation for a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:34pm -

New Orleans circa 1906. "Royal Street from Canal Street." Where the ice man goeth. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. 45 star flag!In 1906, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arizona, Alaska, and Hawaii weren't states yet. Commercial HotelIt became the Hotel Monteleone in 1908 after being bought by Antonio Monteleone, an Italian shoemaker who came to America to make his fortune. The hotel has been patronized by a who's who of Southern writers, and is haunted by the ghost of a three-year-old boy. The inevitable present -day viewView Larger Map Piece of CakeAh, I spot another lady wearing a cake on her head! I had been previously intrigued by what appeared to be a very fancy cake on top of a lady in this class photo of 1910: https://www.shorpy.com/node/6314. It looks like the woman in this photo is wearing a basic chocolate cake. Fabacher’sFabacher's Restaurant, Oyster House and Hotel -- 137 Royal Street, of noted restaurateur Lawrence Fabacher. His obituary read that his restaurant "meant New Orleans wherever gourmets and epicures gathered." He also founded Jackson (Jax) Brewery. Jax beer was, for us college students, easily affordable, and the inside of the bottle cap featured a rebus. GoneEverything within view on the right-hand side, in the first block, is no longer standing. The newer buildings that are there now don't even compare. The Hotel Monteleone, directly under the flag in the 200 block, is still going strong. The Monteleone!I'll be there in late July. Delightful!How tedious would the job be for the man who replaced the light bulbs that illuminated the street at night? They look like they are placed every foot or so. What a temptation for a lad with a slingshot! Monteleone and FabacherI immediately recognized the Commercial Hotel as the Monteleone simply by its architecture. What a great place! I've been there for a couple of conventions and can't wait to go again. jnc, thanks for the post regarding Lawrence Fabacher; that clears up something that confused me as a kid. We had Jax beer commercials in Houston, and their spokesman was a faux Andrew Jackson who, on occasion, tried to change his name to Andrew Fabacher in honor of a spinoff brand they called Fabacher Brau. I had no idea until now that the name was a nod to their founder. Lawrence FabacherLawrence Fabacher was my great grandfather and sold the restaurant to his brother Peter after he went into the brewing business. I have one of the original beer mugs from the restaurant which I treasure along with some Jax memorabilia. Nice to see the photo as I never was sure where the restaurant was on Royal. Glue chipped and beveledPictured here is a R&E glass advertising sign just above the boy's ICE wagon. These were the very ornate sign of a well to do business! These were not cheap, being composed of a border of chipped and mirrored bevels. The major background as well, with the letters being 24K gold leafed and having faceted glass jewels that would glow after dusk with the help of electric or gas lamps inside the sign. The chipped glass effect was accomplished by applying hot animal hide glue to the glass which then dried and would chip off taking bits of the glass with it. These are very collectible today. Great to see one in its original location. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
The Alleyway: 1914
... But this picture still makes me think of the lyric: Night was dark, but the sky was blue, Down the alley, the ice-wagon flew, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 8:09pm -

Washington, D.C., 1914. "District of Columbia. Alley clearance slum views." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, 5 x 7 inches. View full size. Pail FaceDoes the little kid have a bucket on his head? The KidLooks like he does have a bucket on his head. And another little kid in front of him (facing him?). Must be playing. Yes, he does.A bucket to you and me but endless possibilites for the young. Pre-Bo Diddley...But this picture still makes me think of the lyric: Night was dark, but the sky was blue, Down the alley, the ice-wagon flew, Heard a bump, and somebody screamed, You should have heard just what I seen. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
The Old Swimming Hole: 1941
... in the pond when you're not riding your bike, and every night you have pie for dessert. The Old Swimming Hole Today the path ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:32pm -

July 1941. Swimming hole at Pine Grove Mills, Pennsylvania. View full size. Photograph by Edwin Rosskam for the Farm Security Administration. Paradise.I so wish that was me... Idyllic!I love everything about this picture. i love this picture ..lifei love this picture ..life was so simple then - i would love to be a kid and spend the summers in a town with a swimming hole . I lived in Pine Grove MillsI lived in Pine Grove Mills and remember this swimming hole very well!!!!!!!!!! It was a wonderful place to grow up. Almost expect to see PollyAlmost expect to see Polly Benedict sashay down the path The old swimming holeDoes anyone know exactly where this was located. Several people have been asking here in State College. Thanks Jen Old swimming holeThis was in Pine Grove Mills ... it is no longer there, has a house on it now. It was right before Chestnut Street going up the mountain. Heaven!This is what heaven is like- it's the middle of summer, you're 11 years old, you swim in the pond when you're not riding your bike, and every night you have pie for dessert. The Old Swimming HoleToday the path down the hill and the pond would both need wheelchair access, the water would be checked daily for carcinogens and bacteria, seven lifeguards would be required and fees would be charged; in short, the lawyers and bureaucrats would shut it down. This reminds meof the times we would go swimming it the stock pond. Cows and scum on the water in one end, and us not knowing any better having a good time on the other end. No one ever got sick. (The Gallery, Edwin Rosskam, Landscapes, Rural America)
Milk Squad: 1921
... looks kind of like the young guy who came here last night, grinning from ear to ear, to tell me that I will have a new grandson in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 10:21pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "Walker Hill Dairy." And a milk truck that's been around the block a few times. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size. Lee TiresNote how the "non skid" pattern on the left tire (the one with tread remaining) matches the trademark in the Lee Tire sign two pictures above. Almost as cool as the Non Skid Tire whose treads were formed by many repeats of the words "non skid non skid non skid." Nobody messes... with the Milk Squad! Looks like these boys take their milk delivery pretty seriously. Wouldn't want to get in their way! Scary Tire DayAnother great truck photo with interesting people and lots of fascinating details. And a suicide tire on the left front wheel, even worse than the right front tire on the spiffy tour bus in the previous post. There are many hundreds of wonderful old commercial truck photos in the LOC archive. Can it be that our Dave is using the "That won't last another day" filter? Milk Truck MemoriesAs recently as the mid-50s, Baltimore had non-refrigerated milk trucks delivering dairy products to back porches. They used ice, the smaller chunks of which we kids consumed, dirt and all. The drivers let us ride on the back bumpers as they made their rounds through the alleys. Imagine something like that today. First refrigerated trucks that rolled through our 'hood was circa 1958. By then we were getting dairy products at the "High's" dairy stores that had sprung up all over town. Much cheaper. A Thorobred Cow on Your Corner A Thorobred Cow on Your Corner! - A Modern Convenience Walker Hill Dairy AccessoryThere is any object that hanging in front of the fellow on the left. I appears to be some type of cloth cover. Anyone know what it is? I can't get enough of these old truck photos. Not for nothin', but these guys look like they are up to no good. [It is indeed a cloth cover -- for his head. - Dave] Not just tiresCheck out the crack in that lintel! That's not encouraging! Re:AccessoryAha! I Iook, but I do not see. I guess I wanted it to be something more exotic. Formed in place concreteThe marks on the concrete lintel remarked on above are the impressions on the pour of the concrete from the form, in this case sawed lumber. Forming and pouring in place would allow for a beam of considerable size to be installed in a building without needing a big crane. I believe this was a rather novel approach at the time. 3DThe perspective and shading makes the truck pop right out of the photograph. I was quite amazed when I opened it. In fact I still am. White TruckIf I'm not mistaken, it looks like a White Truck, made in Cleveland. Probably a little after World War One. You'd think they would put the spare on if the rubber ripped off like that. Today you'd get a ticket for an unsafe tire that could cause an accident! In 1921, many dairies still had horse wagons delivering the cow juice! Delivering milk with DadDad delivered milk for NOCA dairy in Kamloops, British Columbia, from 1966 to 1972. I worked on that truck with him Saturdays, 5:30 in the morning and sometimes by the time we were cashed out it was 6 p.m. Dad talked a lot! Well I think he enjoyed the social aspect of milk delivery. The delivery people of the mid twentieth century were a presence in the neighbourhood and I believe they hindered petty crime. I have many happy memories of Dad and the customers on that route. Non-skid TiresDr. Q's comment of non-skid tires jogged my memory. For those who have never seen one, here's a shot of a Firestone non-skid tire I took at Hubacher Cadillac in Sacramento around 1975. Elmer Hubacher had an extensive collection of old cars on display one afternoon. The SpareThat's the spare on the left front. The next time it goes flat we'll put the other good tire back on and save the worn one for the spare again. And notice the rears are solid rubber, no flats back there. Pretty good looking guy! I mean the one in the middle. It isn't real clear of him but, from what I can see, he looked pretty good! He actually looks kind of like the young guy who came here last night, grinning from ear to ear, to tell me that I will have a new grandson in the spring! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Flower Children: 1974
... so I actually rolled down the window (at 9 o'clock at night!) and waved a hearty "HI!" to La Familia TTerrace as I made my transit of ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:14pm -

My brother and sister-in-law amongst the daisies and California poppies in our back yard in Larkspur, California, captured by me on 35mm Kodacolor. When I was a kid, we called this this vacant lot "The Field," as it was covered mainly by wild oats, thus making it perfect for summertime sledding on wax-coated cardboard carton pieces. The wax was actually from slabs of paraffin my mother used in jam and jelly making. How Norman Rockwell can you get. View full size. It's ObviousI think they're reenacting a scene from Harold & Maude. Cue the CowsillsFlowers in her hair, flowers everywhere ... Larkspur Driveby Last weekend I hauled my Olde Asse down the mountain and accomplished some pleasant weekend client business in SFO, and thence over the Bridge and up the 101 to Novato for a brunch meeting on Sunday morning - before turning back eastward for Home and Hearth. Of course one must needs pass Larkspur on that journey, so I actually rolled down the window (at 9 o'clock at night!) and waved a hearty "HI!" to La Familia TTerrace as I made my transit of those thanks-to-Shorpy-now-remarkable environs. Don Juan once said to Carlos: "The world is weird," and I think he was both truthful and factual. Wait!did you actually get to MEET tterace? I am jeeeeaaaalous! California PoppyIn the 1950's and 60's here in Australia, California Poppy was the name of a popular hair oil. Wearing that or the alternative Brylcreem, a young man would set of with his young lady with the intent of sowing wild oats! What a lifeEvery time I see your pics, tterrace, I wish I'd been around in the '50s, 60s and '70s. Ever thought of putting it all down on paper (including all the photos, of course)? Songs to Aging Childrenjust popped into my mind as I studied this photo. Joni Mitchell sang this during the funeral scene in "Alice's Restaurant." A couple of decades ago, I thought that movie might seem as profound to my kids as it did to me when I was in my early twenties, so I rented the video and felt that when my four offspring saw it, they would realize how deep and intellectual I used to be, how cool and hip, how "with it" I really once was. Unfortunately the movie does not hold up over time for kids born in the mid-'60s and they laughed all the way through it while commenting on how lame the whole thing was, including that song. If only we knew then what we know now. We who felt we were so savvy, we had all the answers and would never grow old like our corny parents. The years fly by like greased lightning and suddenly we find we are irrelevant and next in line for roll call from the grim reaper. Time waits for no one but marches on quickly and yes, youth is wasted on the young. If I have not sufficiently brought you down to my level of depression and despair, I'll try harder the next time. Thanks Shorpy for taking us back to when the world was young and so were we. Just call me "Platitudes 'R Us." Terraced HillsI'm picturing the original Beatles video for "Fool on the Hill" when I see this shot. Tterrace never fails to deliver wonderful photos! Larkspur in printThe new revised edition of "Larkspur Past and Present," the definitive history of our town, was just released on Saturday. It's packed with photos (we contributed over a dozen of ours) and thoroughly researched history. Significant emphasis on the varied home and bungalow architectural styles seen in the town. It's also a window on small-town American life of the 20th century, much told first-person by people who were there. Almost like a Shorpy on paper. http://www.larkspurheritage.org/ We don't receive any financial benefit from sales. Like it was taken from my memoriesThe hair, the glasses, that purple shirt and brown pants, and a warm sunny day sitting in a flower filled field in anytown North American. This picture is, like all of tterrace's pictures, is so evocative of how I remember the early 70's. I can almost close my eyes and picture myself there. I actually got misty eyed when i saw this posting. I can't stop looking at it. I have nothing like this to record my own youth. I wish I did. TextbookTterrace, I think you could illustrate the mid-century portion of a U.S. history textbook just with your photos, because so many seem so definitive of what the era supposedly was. I wasn't born until the mid-1980s, so this all predates me significantly, and it is strange what things seem to perfectly conform to certain stereotypes (especially the colorful sartorial decisions!) I have of the 1950s-1970s. Of course, I'm sure your reality was as complex, contradictory, wonderful and terrible as life is in any era, but the photos you share with us are each great little time capsules. Thanks for sharing. I remember this commercial.John Denver and Carole King for Herbal Essence. The Field, Paraffin, I and I as oneHeck yeah you needed paraffin, but we used it on our sleds with metal rails. We may have had a bit more days of snow each year than Larkspur. Our "field" didn't have a sledding hill but is featured in my Dad's slide from the year before here. Those were the days, my friendOTY, I agree with you. In my case however the song "Those Were the Days" comes to mind. Two lines in particular stand out. "Oh, my friend, we're older but no wiser For in our hearts the dreams are still the same." Call me an old softy but when I hear this song my eyes tear up, and things get blurry. [Or, if you want a song contemporary with the photo, may I suggest "Seasons in the Sun." - Dave] Jam with paraffin This photo brings back a lot of memories. I got married that year, six weeks before my 20th birthday. The paraffin brings back memories of frustration. I gave up on paraffin and went to lids, since I could never figure out how to open a jar without leaving bits of paraffin in the jam. Being in California, I'll bet your mother had a huge variety of fruits to make jam from. Did she bake fresh bread or rolls to go with it? Makes my mouth water just thinking about it! Have you ever been experienced? Looks like these guys are "expanding" their minds. I too have seen the looks on their faces before. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Washington Rubber: 1942
... neon flags alternating would really attract attention at night. The Hood Service Man Go to this link. It has everything you would ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2022 - 5:34pm -

May 14, 1942. Washington, D.C. "Filling up with gas on the day before rationing starts." 4x5 inch acetate negative by John Collier for the Office of War Information. View full size. 1940 Studebaker CommanderI don't know my Chevrolets that well but the car facing us, with its driver signing for something, is a 1940 Studebaker Commander sedan. Under the Hood (and under the table)Less than a year later, this station would be charged with violating rationing regulations on numerous occasions!! The apartment building(s) in the background are still there, occupying the whole south side of the 1300 block of Clifton. I need some airI really like the Eco Tirefloater Model 40 from the '30s underneath the Hood Tires man. [It's a Tireflator, not "floater." Because it's an inflator of tires! - Dave] Gee, our old LaSalle ran greatThe man signing something is not at a pump, so not sure what he's signing for. But it brings back memories of when you had to have a separate credit card for each brand of gas. This Conoco did not take a Shell card. After the nice man gave you the amount of gas you requested, cleaned your windshield, and checked oil, tires, etc., you handed him your gas card, which he took inside to swipe in a credit card imprinter (they still sell those things?). He returned to your car with your card, a pen, and a receipt for you to sign. Afterward, he tore off one of the carbon copies for you to have for your records and thanked you for your business. By 1998 that system was all in the past. When my father died that year, my mother had never put gas in a car. And she did not want to learn. The CatwalkIn automotive design terms during the 1930s, the "catwalk" was the area between the front fenders and the hood. "Catwalk cooling" referred to the insertion of air intakes in those areas. Virgil Exner designed that Studebaker while working in Raymond Loewy's studio. Exner later went on to create the huge tailfinned land yachts for Chrysler in the late 1950s. Rationing rationaleMake It Do – Gasoline Rationing in World War II https://www.sarahsundin.com/make-it-do-gasoline-rationing-in-world-war-i... Gas was rationed primarily to save rubber, because Japan had occupied Indochina, Malaysia, and Indonesia. There was a shortage of gas on the East Coast until a pipeline from Texas was constructed to replace the transport of crude oil by sea, which during the early years of the war made it vulnerable to attack by German submarines. In the vault of the National Postal Museum there are a few of the almost five billion gasoline rationing coupons which were produced in response to the 1973-74 gasoline shortage at the direction of the Federal Energy Office. The government had proposed nationwide gasoline rationing, as had occurred during World War II, but national gas rationing never happened and the coupons were never used. https://postalmuseum.si.edu/collections/object-spotlight/gasoline-ration... Neon Flags in MotionThis gas station has a wonderful neon sign. The neon glass tubing is installed so that the uniformed man up on the corner of the building would appear to be waving two flags. The Hood Tires neon flags alternating would really attract attention at night. The Hood Service ManGo to this link. It has everything you would ever want to know about the guy in that sign on the middle of the building. http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/126382/153/39.pdf B.F. Goodrich "Speed Warden" (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Gas Stations, John Collier, WW2)
Raymond Bykes: 1911
... Va. Said he was fourteen. Works until after one a.m. every night. He is precocious and not a little "tough." Has been here at this office ... me he often sleeps down at the Bay Line boat docks all night. Several times I saw his mother hanging around the office, but she seemed ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 08/13/2013 - 3:37pm -

Raymond Bykes, Western Union No. 23, Norfolk Va. Said he was fourteen. Works until after one a.m. every night. He is precocious and not a little "tough." Has been here at this office for only three months, but he already knows the Red Light District thoroughly and goes there constantly. He told me he often sleeps down at the Bay Line boat docks all night. Several times I saw his mother hanging around the office, but she seemed more concerned about getting his pay envelope than anything else. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine, 1911. View full size The BicycleBicycle design and geometry hasn't changed much in a 100 years. pedal as kick standNote how the bike in the middle is being held upright by leaning on a pedal -- I remember practicing for hours, trying to position the pedal just right so the bike would do that. Where I lived in the 1950's, it wasn't cool to use a kick stand. What to people use now? pedal/kick standWe do the same thing now with the pedals on the curb. For utilitarian bikes kickstands are also back in favor. Bykes?Why do I get the impression that "Bykes" is not the kid's real name? re: pedal as kick standIn my country, locks are necessary. Things have changed for the better. Short inseam, big bikeCheck his inseam vs the distance from the pedals to the top tube. Deux FixiesI think both the bikes are fixed gears. Note the lack of rim brakes or a reaction arm for a coaster brake. Fixies are much easier to prop against a curb using the pedal because the wheel and pedal are locked together. When one turns, the other does, too. No coasting! People generally just lean the bike against a wall or lay it on the ground these days. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Kids, Lewis Hine, Norfolk)
Sault Ste. Marie: 1905
... in blankets or buffalo robes, the final sight is the night sky as seen through the smokehole with its welter of poles. As may ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:23pm -

Michigan circa 1905. "Sault Sainte Marie Canal celebration. Reviewing stand and Indian village." Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. GunshipsThese two vessels are Navy gunships -- the U.S.S. Michigan and Essex. The Michigan, renamed Wolverine in 1905, was launched in 1844 as a sidewheeler. The Essex was launched in 1876 as a full rigged propeller steamer. Neither vessel survives. I'll betMany a pocket was picked that day. Dense crowds with plenty of teepees to duck behind. The Soo!Yes that is correct English. You can look it up! Colorful CelebrationThe Semi-Centennial Celebration, held on August 3, 1905, was evidently a very big deal. A commemorative book and history of the St. Mary's Falls Canal was published in Detroit in 1907 by the Semi-Centennial Commission, with this color frontispiece. Hats!You just never left the house without a topper. Any Shipshape Shorpsters...know anything about these ships? It looks like they are powered by steam and sail. Ahead of their timeNot only are the three young men walking toward us across the field flaunting flouting convention by going hatless, the lad on the left is clearly talking on a cell phone. First Class TravelThere are some baby carriages to die for on the right. Wave to the Canadians across the riverThat's Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada in the background. The clock tower of the Post Office (now the Sault Ste. Marie Museum) at Queen and East Streets is visible above the dory on the ship on the left. Slice of AmericanaWhat a terrific photograph for studying faces. The Indian LodgeIt is possible that not every Shorpy reader has had the privilege of camping in a tipi. Since I have done so at Mountain Man rendezvous, I can attest to the superiority of this ingenious abode. The lodges shown in the picture are canvas, which replaced buffalo hide covers once supplies became available in the 1850's. The upper right lodge shows evidence of much use, judging by the well-smoked top. Although it can be a considerable source of amusement to watch several inexperienced men erect a lodge, with experience the poles can be erected, canvas wrapped, and all tied down in no great length of time. Although mountain men of yore spent much of their time sleeping outdoors or under simple shelters, the man with an Indian wife and lodge lived in comparative luxury. Sheltered from wind and rain, gathered around a flickering fire, coffee or food cooking, lounging at ease with possessions hung from the poles at a convenient height, life is good. As they eyes go heavy and sleep is sought in blankets or buffalo robes, the final sight is the night sky as seen through the smokehole with its welter of poles. As may generally be known, the doorway is traditionally oriented to the east to catch the morning sun, by which we can infer this picture was taken in mid-afternoon, and the two flaps are directed by their poles to point downwind to encourage smoke to leave the lodge, or in the worst weather, to close up the smokehole. The circle of lodges with openings pointed inwards, as seen in movies were a director's artistic pretension. And of course, we now know where the lodgepole pine got its name. SteamshipsGreat picture, thanks! The ships in the foreground look rather older than 1905, but ships on the Great Lakes often live a long time because fresh water doesn't rust them as quickly as seawater. The one on the left is rigged as a schooner, the one on the right as a barque, but they obviously have main propulsion by steam with the size of the rig reduced because in light winds the iron tops'l would be doing the work. Note that sails are not bent except for the schooner's mizzen, but smoke is coming from the schooner's funnel. Maddeningly, the name of the schooner can be read easily -- but only the first 4 letters, GLOR, the rest obscured by bunting decorations. Perhaps GLORIANA, or GLORY? There was a sailing yacht by the former name in this period but she was totally different, it couldn't be the same one. Note the huge steering wheel on top of the barque's bridge and what is almost certainly a polished brass binnacle next to it. Among 19th C. sailors it was considered unseamanlike to steer a vessel from an inside station while under sail because the helmsman had to respond promptly to wind changes. There is a glassed in pilothouse on the level below that was doubtless used more often when under steam. The schooner is a side wheeler -- you can make out part of the paddle box -- but the barque is evidently equipped with the more "modern" propeller. On the right background there is a handsome steam yacht that looks like it could have been new or very recent in 1905. Hats! Hats! Hats!A picture like this makes you wonder how many milliners have fallen by the wayside. The TepeesThe Tepees were part of a "historical" demonstration purportedly showing the descendants of the Ojibwe Indians who lived on the site before being driven off my the white settlers. A troupe of Indians were brought in by Louis Oliver Armstrong, a Canadian, who was a minister and self-styled "expert" on Native lore and history. He worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway and was a proponent of opening the west to settlement. He was involved in mapping the west and eventually moved into filmmaking, which started with movies in the early 1900s designed to entice European settlement in the Canadian west. It was L.O. Armstrong who turned the tale of Hiawatha into a play and spread the mythic appeal of the story. This led to the wide fascination with all things "Red Man." He assembled several troupes of Indian actors - Ojibwe from the Garden River Reserve (which is near Sault Sainte Marie) and Mohawks from Kanewakhe, near Montreal. They put on tableaus, plays and did reenactments based on real historical events. However, because their traditional costumes often didn't register as "authentic" with the public, they were put into more theatrical costumes (buckskin and feather headdresses of the Plains Indians and used tipis instead of the traditional shelters of the area they were supposed to be representing. In this case, we see Plains Indian tipis, not the wigwams of the Ojibwe (dome-shaped structures made from saplings, bent wood, covered with bark and skins). The irony is that a good number of the crowd appear to be native, themselves, and are as well dressed as any other European in the crowd. May of them are the descendants of the Indians the troupe are supposedly depicting. Not the EssexFrom the comments section above: The vessel in the rear of the photo is not the USS Essex, she is the USS Yantic. We know this for many reasons; what little of the beak head can be seen is the Yantic (vertical slats vs scroll work on the Essex) and Essex wasn't painted white until after 1910. Also, depending on when this photo was taken, USS Michigan became USS Wolverine on 17 June 1905; so, if this photo was taken after that precise date, she is the Wolverine. She is not Gloria - that is a flag flying in front of the vessel and not her name. Her name would be on her stern. Also, parts of the Wolverine have survived in Erie, PA, and the wreck of the Essex does exist in Duluth, MN. See the work of Maritime Heritage Minnesota for more on Essex; we have digitized all her known logbooks and have been monitoring the wreck's condition yearly. USS Essex is the only known example of the work of shipbuilding Donald McKay known to exist anywhere in the world and the wreck of the Essex is on the National Register of HIstoric Places. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Native Americans)
Wallflowers: 1940
... he polished and brushed to a high sheen every Saturday night. When he was 75 he worked with me (age 17) on grain harvest and made ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/04/2020 - 3:47pm -

December 1940. Radford, Virginia. "Influx of construction workers in small town to build Hercules Powder Plant. Five of the boarders at Mrs. Pritchard's house in the parlor. Eighteen men board here." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. A bit more?I'd say there are about 5 and 1/10th, actually. The saintly nurseI was never one of those girls who aspired to be a nurse, but I have a great deal of respect for all in that profession. The majority of my half-dozen-or-so hospital stays have been for the purpose of childbirth, between the years 1980 and 1989. During that time, at the community hospital where all four of my children were born, nurses still wore the white uniform with white stockings and shoes, and the cap with pins denoting their earned degrees. I miss that. To me, a (female) nurse will always be a gentle but brisk and efficient person in a white dress with white stockings and white shoes, and starched white cap, just like in that picture on the wall of Mrs. Pritchard's boarding house. I never actually saw a nurse with a beam from heaven radiating down upon her face, but around some, there was definitely an aura. Before they invented ExcedrinWhy did people select such busy wallpaper? It's so busy it is just about giving me a migraine just looking at a picture of it. It's horrific. Why they built it thereThe powder plant in Radford was one of several ammunition-producing facilities built in anticipation of involvement in World War II. A number of criteria were announced for selecting locations: - In the South for access to cotton - Near to sources of coal - Away from the coast to prevent aerial bombardment - "Suitable labor" (which evidently required importing these guys). The plant is still operating. 18 boardersWith enough room for 18 boarders, Mrs. Pritchard's house must have been substantial. And it looks like Mrs. Pritchard does not discriminate between white and blue collar. But - does the gentleman on the rear right still sport the price label on his brand new bibs? That wallpaperAs a builder I found that when people look at a little swatch of sample wallpaper or even paint colors they have no idea what is going to look like on an expanse of wall or ceiling. Many have made that mistake even after the advice of experts not to. Well they have to live with it! Fascinating FashionOveralls with a dress jacket is a new one for me. Need to work on the tractor and meet with the bank at the same time? That’s how it’s done! Great group photoI think the two guys on the right (standing and sitting) are brothers. Dressed alike and they have the same jaw, cheekbones, nose, and similar eyes. The guy with the pipe looks like the strong-willed one and younger--but you never know. The guy on the left (that's not chopped off) looks like a fun-loving sort of person, but it's interesting how he's sitting kind of closed off, with hands clasped and legs crossed. You always wonder what their lives were like, how things worked out for them, if they were mostly happy. And yes, that's some busy wallpaper. I also think it's interesting how they'd just nail or tack any sort of small thing onto the wall; calendars or magazine items or whatever. That's a pretty floor lamp, but an ugly shade. Fun coincidence and great Shorpy storyI read this post this morning and then headed to my father's cabin in the mountains near Galax VA for a day trip. Visited with a neighbor there who had just secured a job with the military as a construction contractor in Radford. I said "hey, they built a powder plant there in 1940" to which he replied "that's right and how the heck did you know that?!?". I simply answered "Shorpy" and he just accepted the answer without further question. Mr. 1/10th and small humansMr. 1/10th after he saw the photo was heard to say "Why did you make me wear my Sunday best for that?" Also, why did they hire "little people" to work construction? If those are normal sized humans I'd like to know how tall Mrs. Pritchard's ceilings were. Tick... tick... tick...Maybe it's just me, but I sense that time passed slowly at Mrs. Pritchard's boarding house. Well dressedI'm always impressed with how well dressed most men were back in the day. This is a good example. Even the men wearing bib overalls have collared shirts and sport coats. They are all clean looking and well groomed. I'd bet they all have a fedora, trilby or homburg on a nearby hat rack too. Good lookin' guysBet the women of Radford were glad to have these men in town. Farmer ChicIt's about time that overalls and suit jackets became a thing again. Overalls and suit coatMy grandfather, who died in 1975 at age 91, wore that combination for every formal occasion -- church, weddings and funerals. His footwear was “high-quarters”, also called boondockers. He had two pairs -- one for work and another for Sunday, which he polished and brushed to a high sheen every Saturday night. When he was 75 he worked with me (age 17) on grain harvest and made a dollar an hour, which he said was his best wages ever. Big Ben Bibswere the brand made by Jellico Clothing Manufacturing; after many changes of ownership it was bought at one point by the more recognized Wrangler. That isn't a price tag on the bibs, but rather the Big Ben logo, before it switched from white to a red or a gold background seen in later years. More About The Planthttps://www.roanoke.com/news/local/at-radford-arsenal-continues-to-churn... Putting the class... into "working class." I know two of their namesThe fellow sitting in the rocking chair is Leo Donathon while the person to his immediate right sitting down is W.W. McDaniel. I'll leave the searching pleasure to you. My father moved to work at Hercules in 1966I was born in Radford. My father worked there for 40 years. My grandfather and uncle also worked there. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Greyhound: 1938
... Frosted glass tubes shed soft, diffused light at night. 1938 Advertisement Bygone era Even their ... Tubes "Frosted glass tubes shed soft, diffused light at night." Fluorescents, perhaps? That would be another state-of-the-art feature ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2012 - 1:40pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1938. "Greyhound bus." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Compare and contrast with this Greyhound. Amazing!I agree with Anonymous DC Tipster, this is indeed a really cool bus! This pic went straight to my desktop! Awesome!That's got so much style, I wouldn't mind getting run over by it! Art Deco DesignI'd wager a guess that Raymond Loewy was responsible for this design. Very hip! A restored example today would go for big money at one of the big name auctions. The De Sade Deco Design TeamSeems like that "bumper" was meant to slice and dice anything or anyone it hit! Or, are those raised ridges rubber? Also the sharp looking potentially piercing spear points protruding from each side ... what? They don't appear to be glass (turn signal lights)? Pretty sharp to be door stops. Lots of linear stuff. Art deco stripes, all over, going on. Yellow CoachLooks like a Yellow Coach 719, a state of the art bus that was sort of a roadgoing equivalent of the DC-3 airliner, in the sense that it represented the advanced engineering that was coming into being in the pre-war era, revolutionizing travel in the US. Pretty cool styling too. The art of coolThat is one cool bus! Riding in StyleThey must have hired an industrial designer to produce this streamlined art deco gem. Good looks aside, I wonder if the stripes and the "fins" on the bumper proved to be a maintenance nightmare. Service long goneBack in the late 1950's, my mother and I rode a Greyhound from Eugene to Salem, Oregon. I was very small, but I remember there was a "hostess" on board. She wore a uniform similar to airline attendents (stewardess) at that time. She served small sandwiches and drinks. I became ill and she helped my mom clean me up and brought some soda water. I've often wondered how long they provided this service and why it was stopped. Does anyone else remember these ladies? Go By Super-CoachNot only revolutionary in style, this coach introduced innovative features that still form the basic design of modern buses: rear engine, elevated seating platform and baggage storage below. Hopefully Dave has a side view waiting in the wings. Washington Post, Aug 16, 1936 Greyhound's New Super-Coach Is Latest Thing in Bus Comfort New Model Represents Revolutionary Advance in Design for Vehicles for Long-Distance Travel. One of the revolutionary new Greyhound super coaches - radically different from any motor bus ever built - will arrive in Washington Saturday at the conclusion of a five-day tour from Cincinnati. ... Over 300 of the new streamlined super-coaches are making their first appearance in Greyhound service throughout the Nation this summer. Used exclusively by the the Greyhound system, the super-coachh is radically different from all other coaches on American highways in both construction and appointments. The engine has been placed in the rear for more power and smoother operation, also to avoid noise, vibration and fumes. Passengers ride high enough to look over passing traffic, and baggage travels in locked, weather-proof compartments below the floor, instead of over passengers' heads. More passengers are carried, yet the super-coach, of rugged aluminum alloy construction, weights two tons less than older equipment. Deeply cushioned chairs recline at four different angles, and more leg room between the seats has been provided. Frosted glass tubes shed soft, diffused light at night. 1938 Advertisement Bygone eraEven their buses look cool! Frosted Glass Tubes"Frosted glass tubes shed soft, diffused light at night." Fluorescents, perhaps? That would be another state-of-the-art feature of this vehicle. Apparently they first went on the market in a big way this very year, if you can believe Wikipedia. Of course, there's nothing to stop incandescent bulbs from being configured as frosted glass tubes, either. Dwight E. Austin, DesignerThe Yellow Coach model 719 was designed by engineer Dwight Austin (Yellow Coach history). You can read the entire 1937 patent and see additional drawings here. (click to enlarge) Greyhound 743The 743 model had the headlights slightly lower than the 719 (thus the headlight surround in the cast front end was not as high), the horizontal bars over the air intakes (beside the destination sign) rather than vertical. The door sheet metal extended below the front step on the 743, no doubt to keep water out. The rear end was quite different with 2 windows instead of 3, and a different pattern in the cast aluminum ventilation openings in the motor doors. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Dark Room: 1938
... weather we stayed covered up with a blanket or quilt at night. The skeeters could poke right through a sheet. There was no air ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/07/2009 - 3:42pm -

May 1938. New Madrid County, Missouri. "Interior of house without windows, home of sharecropper, cut-over farmer of Mississippi bottoms." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. DepressionThat little baby's face is pretty comical, but it's hard to laugh when you notice the squalor surrounding the family. With everything we're privileged with today, it's hard to remember people used to live like this not too long ago. SeptuagenariansThose kids would be in their seventies now. Wonder if any of them are still alive and browsing the internet. Shoo FlyJudging from the number of critters crawling on top of the tables amongst the food and dishes, there was little in the way of screening on this house. When the one door opened all the flies came right in. Happy endings.I love this picture. So many unanswered questions. Mom looks healthy and the children well fed. The boy would be about 72 today and his sister 74. Young by today's standards. I would like to think they both succeeded in life and have done well. Words fail meI can't find words to express the heartache of this photo. BuggySo many flies in there. Every single one...Has got creepy hands! Like an ovenWithout cross-ventilation, this little shack must have been stifling in the hot, humid summers of the Mississippi bottoms. The table is covered with a cloth to keep the flies off the food. The flies were a misery, yet closing the door would made the house an oven. The flies remind me of something an elderly fellow in Kentucky told me about his childhood in a house without screens. On summer nights, even when it was very hot, they pulled the sheet over their faces to keep the flies off. Product PlacementHoney Dew Brand Pure Lard! Wooden washboardsI was born in the 60s and I remember seeing those wooden washboards. I haven't seen one in many years now. Before My Timeby four years. I was born in a one room cabin in the coal mining area. I suspect the cabin was similar. Morgantown, Ky. Dad worked the mines for a dollar a day. 1938 - Same year I was bornI was born just outside of Fornfelt, Missouri (now Scott City), in 1938 in a house not much better than that one appears to be. My dad was a deck hand on the Mississippi river. My mother stayed at home to take care of house and kids as most women did in those days. We were poor but apparently more prosperous and (judging from my memories and the family pictures) somewhat cleaner than this family appears to be. My mother was a fanatic on cleanliness. But then, my mother could afford to be. She never had to work in the fields. I suspect this woman did fieldwork all day, then took care of the family's needs. Flies may have been a problem, but mosquitoes were worse. Even in the hottest weather we stayed covered up with a blanket or quilt at night. The skeeters could poke right through a sheet. There was no air conditioning in those days and we sweltered through the summer nights. SadlyI met a family similar to this in many respects only about five years ago. They lived in a small condemned neighborhood which is no longer there. The house was not clean but rather filthy with rooms open revealing deep piles of dirty clothes. The floors were greasy and dark. There were two children very much like this pair. They were well fed but dirty and unkempt. The walls and floors and pretty much every inch of the home was covered in not flies but roaches. The two babies scurried outside to play with a couple of fat dogs out on the dirt porch. I gingerly and half afraid sat on a stool to talk with them. I was afraid the roaches would climb all over me. I am an IT guy and offered to help them fix their computer. I had no idea this is how they lived. There was the mom, a young daughter about 17 and a son in-law about 19 who had just got out of jail and the two children. They were by far some of the kindest and nicest folks I have ever had the privilege to have met but their lives was something I don't think I could have been able to deal with. They moved to Oklahoma and I have not heard from them since. I wish I could have photographed them as this image is not unlike what I saw but better in some ways. (The Gallery, Kids, Russell Lee)
What Sorcery: 1907
What sorcery within a night has made a city street into a fairy glade? Detroit circa ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/26/2017 - 2:38pm -

What sorcery within a night has made a city street into a fairy glade? Detroit circa 1907. The normally prosaic Detroit Publishing caption writers got creative on this one. Added attraction: whimsical mailbox graffito. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Valentine's Day? And the view.That would explain the graffiti, and the weather. The view here is looking east down Forest across Woodward. Today this street dead-ends a block east of Woodward at the VA Medical Center. And the neighborhood hasn't been this sleepy, shady, or residential for many decades. However, the building seen to the left, First Congregational Church, is still there, still active, and still looks very much the same today. Good eye Dave,really good eye! For Love Letters Only110-year-old mailbox graffito. Fairy Glade No LongerAs another poster said, it has not been this residential or shady for decades. Attached is a Google street view as proof. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Where's My Remote: 1938
... Thanks, 'jwp' Hate to come home on a Saturday night and enter this alley from the wrong end. 'The seventh garage on the right ... to leave them on the street! Had to go in a garage at night. There are some in the alley behind our block, but definitely not one per ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2013 - 9:34pm -

July 1938. "Garages in alley behind row houses. Baltimore, Maryland." Which one is ours again? Medium format nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Thought this was RussiaWhen I first saw this photo I thought it was set in Russia, where I saw many of these garageplexes in every city I visited back in the Soviet days. When you lived in a Stalin-era apartment highrise, you had to have some place to put your car, not so much for parking, but for working on it, because keeping a car running was a challenge back then. [Not to mention getting one. - Dave] X marks the spotX marks the spot. Marble StepsAround front, one set for each garage door. Malvina Reynoldswrote "Little Boxes"; Seeger (and others) only sang it. She wrote a whole lot of songs, actually; worth looking up on YouTube. Overhead is BetterHaving endured such a garage (and such garage doors) during a blustery winter in Ft. Leavenworth, I can state unequivocally that getting your car out on a windy morning requires either three people or one driver and two cinder blocks. The aroma!Those old fashioned wooden garages had SUCH a delicious aroma! A blend of old motor oil, dry, unpainted wood, and who knows what else. Strong, pungent aroma. And you have to look far and wide to find one like this any more. VERY narrow rowhouses?If the garages are lined up behind the row houses at one garage per, the residences must be very narrow. Re: Old Garage AromaWe had a garage similar to this when we lived in Brooklyn in the 50's. I know exactly what Jazznocracy means by the aroma. I often accompanied my Dad on the two block walk to the rented garage to retrieve the '39 DeSoto or the '50 Plymouth when we upgraded. Oddly, one of my better memories of that garage was the "lock protector" that Dad crafted from a piece of an old tire to keep the rain out. Thanks, 'jwp'Hate to come home on a Saturday night and enter this alley from the wrong end. 'The seventh garage on the right side' could turn into a real adventure! Eau de 10W40That aroma dear to car nuts may have been due to the habit of draining the oil directly onto the garage's dirt floor, where it soaked in (harmlessly, as was thought back then) and perfumed the air for an eon or two. Most of the hazmat that has to be remediated when military facilities are turned over for civilian purposes, for example, can be chalked up to motor fuels/lubricants' and used dry-cleaning fluids' being disposed of by dumping -- a common practice for decades and cetainly not restricted to the military. In fact, coastal cities in California (and presumably elsewhere) often have stencilled on curbs above storm drains the legend "No dumping/Drain discharges to ocean." Traffic JamImagine the fun of backing out of one of these garages when several of your neighbors, next to and across from you, were doing the same. Old garage aroma solved.When I built a new garage several years ago, it had the smell of adhesives and curing cement. Ugh. I found an old garage that was about to be demolished not far from my house with a very heavily built 30 foot workbench. At least 50 years old, with paint stains, oil, and who knows what else on it. After liberating it from it's doomed home, my neighbor and I split in half, and now we each have that great smell without the wait. ListenA variation on a certain Pete Seeger song comes to mind. Garage vs. house widthThe garages are probably not directly behind individual houses. I don't know where in the city these particular garages are, but here's another Baltimore example. I heard through a neighborhood oral history project that back when cars were relatively rare, you weren't allowed to leave them on the street! Had to go in a garage at night. There are some in the alley behind our block, but definitely not one per house (we don't have one). ooo-ooo that smell!As a realtor, I still occasionally get to experience the aroma of old garages here in Tulsa. And it's not just confined to garages. Old homes have their own unique scents as well. Sometimes, too, an old, vacant home can tell you stories if you just observe. For example, I showed one home close to downtown and behind a bedroom door were these different ruler marks notating a child's height as he progressed through life. The years were jotted down - 1930s to 1940s. Old structures will speak to you if you let them. (The Gallery, Baltimore, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon)
West End Trust: 1900
... 1910. Cotton Yarn Salesmen's Banquet "A Night in Bohemia, or Why Go to Allentown?" was the legend on the cover of the ... at Kugler's Restaurant, Philadelphia, on last Saturday night, and there is certainly no need of any one going to Allentown or anywhere ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 4:36pm -

Philadelphia circa 1900. "West End Trust Co. building." This could be the corporate headquarters of Harry Potter Inc. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Tomorrow lasted until 1925... when the North American stopped publication. GhostlyLots of people who are only half there in this one. I'll have a pint, pleaseAlthough I rarely go a day without checking Shorpy, I'm normally not so nostalgic as to want to go back in time. Life was simpler, you could leave your doors unlocked, street crime hadn't been invented yet, blah blah blah... I'll gladly stay in our modern world, with its antibiotics and labor-saving devices, and gaze upon the past through the window of the Internet. I would make a momentary exception to step into The Keg and order a pint of Tannhaeuser. I'd love to taste what America drank in the days when microbrew was the only kind, before Prohibition conditioned us to the flat watery stuff. It probably wasn't better than the Ranger IPA I'm drinking now, but you can't taste it from a black-and-white photo, and nobody alive today remembers that taste. Ritz CarltonThis building, at the SW corner of Broad Street and Penn Square was across from City Hall. It was designed by architects Furness & Evans and was replaced in the 1920s by offices for the Girard Trust Bank, now made over into the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Stairway to HeavenWow. This one really takes the cake. Faces peering out of windows, looming black empty panes just below Howson Patents, a stairway behind the restaurant on the left that appears to go straight up to nowhere. Even an early "ghost ad" for Lileks. Something going on at the fire hydrant but can't make it out. And what are those little jutting entrances all about on the buildings to the right? The very narrow building with the cuppola. If that's what it's called. Why did they build such a skinny thing? After all these years of Shorpy, you can still provide a great new favorite! Thanks Dave. >> The very narrow building with the cuppola. If that's what it's called. [Namesake of Francis Ford Cuppola. -Dave] Selective sunApparently, the sun shone only on the twelfth floor, since there are no awnings on any of the other windows. Textile humor is differentThose descriptions on the Cotton Yarn Salesmen's menu are real knee-slappers. [It's warped. - Dave] The Phila. North AmericanThere is special meaning to the billboard touting the North American - and its direction (pointed across the street to City Hall). During the 1900s, the North American was transformed from a minor paper with a few thousand subscribers to one of the most popular papers in town. During that time, its editors backed populism and reform movements, while decrying machine politics. For most of the decade, its views were at odds with the mayors and department heads in City Hall. In July 1908, after the "machine" regained control of City Hall with the election of Mayor John Reyburn, Reyburn swore out criminal warrants charging four editors and three cartoonists from the North American with libel. Reformers bailed them all out. VestibulesThe jutting entrances on the storefronts to the right and also on the bank building are vestibules, a double door entrance used in the winter to keep in the heat and keep out the cold when people are coming and going. They are temporary structures which can be removed when milder weather arrives. North American"It Is The Best Today - It Will Be Better Tomorrow," or at least until 1925, when it apparently ceased publishing. Kugler's MenuThe following includes a 1910 menu for Kugler's Restaurant. The alternate descriptions allude in some cryptic way to textile jargon. America's Textile Reporter, March 24, 1910. Cotton Yarn Salesmen's Banquet "A Night in Bohemia, or Why Go to Allentown?" was the legend on the cover of the menu of the annual banquet of the Cotton Yarn Salesmen's Association which took place at Kugler's Restaurant, Philadelphia, on last Saturday night, and there is certainly no need of any one going to Allentown or anywhere else as long as such a good time can be had in Philadelphia. Good fellowship was the keynote of the occasion. From the time the members sat down, about seven, until they left, shortly before twelve, there was something each and every minute to keep the attention engaged. Everyone who has been in Philadelphia knows what Kugler's can do in the way of a feed, and by this Banquet in particular Kugler's has established a new standard of excellence. The menu given below only partially tells the story, for no words can give an adequate description of how good the dinner was. Here is the menu just as printed and only those who have eaten the viands named cooked in true cotton yarn style really know what they ought to taste like. Menu. Manhattan Cocktail (75% mixture) Rockaway Oysters (2% off for shells) Celery (unbleached) Olives (net weight) Cream of Lettuce Soup (well carded) Filet De Sole, Normandy (well-water baned) Chicken Croquettes (nutaper cones) Peas (cross dyed) Filet of Beef with Mushrooms (roller cut) Parisienne Potatoes (mercerized) Lima Beans (gassed) Lettuce Salad (free of specks) Roquefort and Cream Cheese (binder warp) Neapolitan Ice Cream (a la random) Cakes (all mixtures) Coffee (fast black) Wurtzburger (wet twist) Cigars (rope twist) The 56 members and guests present were grouped at small tables in the large private dining room on the third floor. The decorations of evergreens were simple and effective and the best part of the whole affair was its lack of any formality. Those who were not well acquainted got acquainted at once. The fact that there were no set speeches kept any one from getting nervous, but about every one present was given a chance to say a few words. An orchestra added to the pleasure of the occasion and when the guests were not eating they were singing the popular songs, the words of which were printed on the menu. Backside of Wal Mart?Does anyone have an idea of what that massive block wall is between the two high rises? AdorationSo I've been visiting this site for years, I love it, but up until now I've remained a silent participant. This photo pushed me over the edge and I had to register in order to voice my absolute adoration (yes) for this building! Hats off to you guys, when you do it, you do it in style! Does anyone know if this building is still standing? (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Meet the Seegers: 1921
... gave a concert lecture at the Corcoran Art Gallery last night. Wow Was she the first to ever wear a camouflage uniform? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/30/2014 - 11:35am -

TRAVEL AND LIVE IN AN AUTOMOBILE Charles Seeger, Wife and Three Sons See World While Living Outdoors LIKE WANDERING MINSTRELS Click here for the rest of the story. May 1921. Washington, D.C. "Professor Charles Seeger, a composer, is a brother of Alan Seeger, the war poet. His wife is a distinguished violinist." Little Pete Seeger, 2 years old, and family along with their camping rig, last seen here. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Pete did discuss the tripResponding to JohnHoward, I spoke with Pete about the trip briefly, but he was eighteen months old when they left in November 1920 and barely 2 years when they got back in May 1921. When I spoke with him he was almost 90, so he really didn't remember it well. His older brother John remembered it better, and tells something about it in this LOC blog post. There are also accounts in published biographies of Pete's father Charles, who was an important figure in his own right. Incidentally, the photo up top, with Pete holding Constance's hand, is not the photo that ran with the Washington Post story "Travel and Live in an Automobile." An Interesting Picturebut it's possible to be more nostalgic about Pete Seeger than he really deserves. He sang functionally pro-Nazi 'pacifist' songs when the Germans and Soviets were allies, but when Hitler invaded the USSR the CPUSA did a right-about-face and Seeger became a war supporter. The guy was basically a tool. [Or maybe he was an intelligent man of principle who was able to change his mind when the facts warranted. - Dave] MUSICAL PAIR ON AUTO-HOUSE TOURWashington Post, May 22, 1921. TRAVEL AND LIVE IN AN AUTOMOBILE Charles Seeger, Wife and Three Sons See World While Living Outdoors LIKE WANDERING MINSTRELS Mrs. Seeger Famed as Violinist. Husband Professor of Music In California.       Bound for wherever they happen to stop, paying no attention to daylight saving or other forms of time, and spreading music wherever they go, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Seeger, once of the University of California and now "wandering minstrels" of the world at large, are encamped at Rock Creek park, their home an itinerant Ford and a home-made trailer. They are accompanied by their three little boys.       Mr. and Mrs. Seeger, the latter known in musical circles as Constance Edson Seeger, are taking the boys to museums and places of interest wherever they stop, and the two [older] boys are learning to play the violin. Going to New England.       The Seegers spent the winter at Pinehurst and are now en route to the New England States for the summer, expecting to go back South when the winter approaches again. Increasing rents make no difference in their lives, as a camping place is always available.       Mr. Seeger is the brother of the famous war poet Alan Seeger, whose "I Have a Rendezvous With Death," written shortly before he died, has become immortal.       Mr. and Mrs. Seeger gave a concert lecture at the Corcoran Art Gallery last night. WowWas she the first to ever wear a camouflage uniform? That Old Red Phony SeegerOr maybe, just maybe, Dave he really was a person with a diseased sense of politics who never really got the disease of the soul that he got at a very young age. He may have been a Communist that consumers liked but he still loved that old method of killing off millions and he never, but never, really denounced it. Bottom line, he liked it. Oh I think it took him decades to "change" his mind about Stalin. ["Loved that old method of killing millions" -- the bloodthirsty little socialist. Another perspective here. - Dave] Politics of yesteryear asideGiven the Model T's glacial pace under such a burden, that rig is probably not as much a hazard to navigation and its occupants as it might at first appear. Just stopCan't we please have one tiny corner of the internet where people aren't constantly spewing their political opinions? Please? Consider the ironyThis photo was taken in the 1200 block of F Street NW, with the photographer facing northwest. At left is the Homer Building, which occupied the NE corner of 13th and F (as well as the entire 600 block of 13th). Below is a similar view (from a higher floor & a point further east) from circa 1938. The north side of this block is also visible, in varying degrees, from spots in the 1300 block looking eastward here (alas, obscured by cropping tape) and here (center, in distance, prior to construction of the Homer Building). Shorpy has previously featured the south side of the 1200 block. Ironically -- and perhaps intentionally -- our gritty travelling minstrels find themselves more or less in front of Erlebacher's and across the street from Rizik's, two stores specializing in high-end fashions. Where Have All the Flowers Gone?I think all the flowers went on Mrs. Seeger's dress. looks like she might have taken frugality to heart, and made the ensemble from some old curtains. Politics aside, of course. Uncle Alan SeegerIronically, Uncle Alan couldn’t wait to get to WWI and joined the French Foreign Legion (because the USA was still neutral) so he could fight to save the crowned heads of Europe. Uncle Alan promptly got himself killed. I like Pete SeegerAnd I am most definitely on the starboard of his politics. Seeger is a product of his times and family. But the music is American and I like that part. Did anyone discuss with Pete?I'm curious whether Pete ever saw these photos or talked about the journey with anyone who may have documented their stories? Granted, at the age of two he was too young to remember it directly but maybe stories were passed down from mom and dad when he got a bit older. Looking Back Is Grand for CertainPete Seeger carried a card declaring himself a communist, never served his country and made wonderful folk music. I loved the guy and his music as a Vietnam Marine. Maybe I should have been smarter earlier or maybe he should have been a better banjo player. Either/or I mourn him and salute him. His kind is sorely missed today. ["Never served his country"? Pete Seeger began his Army service in 1942, assigned to duty in the Pacific as an aircraft mechanic. Then reassigned to entertaining the troops. Discharged as a corporal in 1945. - Dave] I'm With DavePete Seeger has been a National Treasure for my entire lifetime and as Dave has suggested, "He was an intelligent man of principle who was able to change his mind when the facts warranted." I will miss Pete. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Kids, Music)
Cross-Country: 1915
... K a week? Seems hard to believe--no headlight so no night riding; tires no good for the muddy roads they'd meet with after every ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:50am -

1915. "Baker and O'Brien, transcontinental motorcyclists, back of White House." Bud Baker and Dick O'Brien, whom we first met here. In May 1915 they embarked on a five-month, 10,000-mile jaunt to the West Coast via Indian motorcycle to see the California expositions. Harris & Ewing. View full size. Hard to believe this actually happened....10 K miles, 5 months--1 K a week? Seems hard to believe--no headlight so no night riding; tires no good for the muddy roads they'd meet with after every thunderstorm; the stone exhaustion riding that unmuffled, suicide-clutched, barely-sprung boneshaker; the flat tires, the dust, the breakdowns.... Where are their goggles (they wouldn't get far without eye protection.) Where are their gloves? Where's their repair kit--that box on the gas tank won't begin to hold their spares? Where's their tent, gear, clothing, canteens? Apart from the breeches and puttees or gaiters and that snappy Indian pennant, they seem woefully unprepared. [Not to belabor the obvious, but: This not during their trip. They lived in Washington. - Dave] Cool Boys of the RoadAdmire these guys immensely. What an adventure. With a great masculine style. I'm fascinated by those shin guards. Modern armor for the modern man, very chic. Handsome DevilThat one on the left is dreamy. I wonder if he's got a great-grandson... Leather putteesThe "shin guards" appear to be standard-issue Army leather puttees, as used by the cavalry starting in 1911: http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=3138 ArithmeticNot to further belabor, but 10,000 miles over five months works out to about 475 miles a week, or less than 70 miles a day. Raindrops keep falling on my shin guardsIt's so late '60s, early '70s. This would have made a great property for Paul Newman and Robert Redford back in the day. 70 miles....70 miles a day on dusty, muddy, ungraded country roads or greasy city cobblestones. 70 miles a day on tires regularly puncturing. 70 miles a day over mountain passes with thin oxygen (check that carburetor!) and nighttime temps below freezing. 70 miles a day in Plains thunderstorms, desert dust (check that carburetor again, boys!), across skittery rail and trolley tracks, through piles of slithery horse poop. 70 miles a day without decent roadmaps. It would have been a grand odyssey, but I’d dearly love to know what actually happened. If they were simply swanning around DC on their cherry Indian looking intrepid and not yet actually prepping to leave, fine, but I wish there were a later picture of them suited, geared, gauntleted, goggles, and ready to roll. I wouldn’t ride around the block dressed this way, sexy puttees or no. Indian PowerplusDecember 1915 ad from a Kingston, Jamaica, newspaper that mentions the boys' trip. Where's their book!?Dear Lord - what an adventure -- where's their book? I hope these two guys lived to enjoy enormous notoriety and maybe a few $$ Did they really make the trip? The suspense is killing this 76 y-o scooterist! Amazing adventureIt was a different time. I saw a documentary about Indian cycles. One of the selling points of the early models including this one was its ability to go through muddy, nasty, rough road conditions where cars would be stuck. If it got to bad you could get out and push/pull the bike where a car needed a team of horses to get it out. Still, it makes my trip harrowing to 1000/1500 IBA ride to Colorado, Pikes Peak and points west last summer pale in comparison. Right Write a book? Probably not though they more than likely wrote letters to their loved ones all along the route. It was a different time. Mail traveled by rail. Phones were in 30% of the homes. Tennessee wasn't electrified and these guys road rode two-up on a motorcycle across the same place where barely more than 50 years earlier the Poney Pony Express riders road rode. I guess we all have hero's heroes. There's two more for my list. William Crane (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Motorcycles)
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