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Ford Exposition: 1939
... think they burned kerosene to mark hazards on the road at night. [They burned oil. -tterrace] location? I used to work in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2013 - 12:02pm -

May 12, 1939. "New York World's Fair, Ford Motor Building. Entrance." The stainless steel sculpture of a V8-brandishing Mercury was by Robert Foster. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. That looks like the Trylon behind itThe tall spire behind the Ford Pavillion is the Trylon (of Trylon and Perisphere fame). Eye of the Beholder 2I love that statue. I think it must have been so unique and moderne for 1939. Lovely and interesting. Where is that statue now?It must be sitting somewhere? Does anyone have any idea? Big VHe has a V12 in his other hand. Ah, the days of big engines. Eye of the beholderBeautiful building but that is one ugly statue. Wow!Anyone done a repop of that scuplture - or even just a T shirt or something? Albert Kahn, architect; Walter Dorwin Teague, designer Gorgeous That sculptureis one ugly thing. Merc"The Mercury sculpture was generated by Mr. Robert Foster who is considered as one of the most talented and gifted sculptors in the world. Mr. Foster often referred to this type of work as “Structural Sculpture”. The Mercury symbol clocked in at 25 feet high and weighed over three tons. The most stunning feature was that it provided its own support with no supporting pillars. The weight of the sculpture was carried from the shoulders to the draperies and building structure. The Mercury sculpture contained the V-8 emblem in one hand and the V-12 emblem in the other hand. The V-8 symbolized the Ford models while the V-12 symbolized the beautiful designs of the Lincoln-Zephyr automobiles." Source V-8 FlagsI was puzzled by the flags in front of the Ford building. At first, all I could see was what seemed to be a variation of the Japanese flag, which would have been ironic, given what happened a year and a half later. But it finally dawned on me that they are stylized versions of Ford's famous V-8 symbol, as held in Mercury's right hand. Not So BigThe 1940 engines from Ford weren't that big. The V8 was 239 CID or 3.9 liter for you metric enthusiasts. The V12 was only a bit larger at 292 or 3.9 liter Smudge PotUnder the "Bus Road" sign is an old smudge pot or whatever they were called. I think they burned kerosene to mark hazards on the road at night. [They burned oil. -tterrace] location?I used to work in this park, the site of the Worlds Fairs. It's now a ghost town of sorts, with a few remaining buildings here and there, and some cool artifacts. Was this the site of what's now the art museum/skating rink? I should know but I don't! Re: Smudge PotAlthough slang called those warning lamps smudge pots, they were known as highway flare torches. A smudge pot is an entirely different device. These highway flares were designed to burn kerosene or very similar fuels with a simple wick as it is easy to use, safe and especially in the early years, available everywhere. Kerosene is also known as coal oil (another slang), heating oil and various other names. Kerosene certainly is considered an oil and is derived from petroleum as opposed to actual coal oil, also used in lamps which is very similar to kerosene. A heavier oil, such as motor oil is difficult to light without preheating and facility to keep it hot, then a lighter weight oil or fuel gets dangerous. A search for Dietz Highway Flare Torch will provide much more info. The attached picture is of a K-D brand highway flare torch in my collection. 1930s Ford buildingsSan Diego's current Air And Space Museum in Balboa Park is housed in the only remaining former Ford building of the several Ford Motors built for 1930s Fairs and Expositions across the country. A sleek circular Art Deco Streamlined building, it has a fountain in the inner courtyard designed to resemble the Ford's company's V-8 logo, and a circular indoor mural depicting the history of transportation, both now-restored elements of the building's 1935 construction. Located very near SD International Airport at Lindbergh Field, you've flown over the museum if you've ever come into San Diego by air. Fate of the StatueI asked the experts on the World's Fair Facebook page and the statue's whereabouts are unknown. They think it was more then likely melted down for scrap. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gottscho-Schleisner)
America: 1910
... water ballast to compensate for thermal changes day and night without having to vent hydrogen, perhaps it too might have made the full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/12/2009 - 2:43pm -

Oct. 15, 1910. "Wellman airship seen from Trent." Walter Wellman's hydrogen dirigible America just before being abandoned by its crew near Bermuda, 1,370 miles into an attempt to cross the Atlantic from New Jersey. Its engines having failed, the America drifted out of sight, never to be seen again. View full size. Flying BoatWow, nothing more than a boat attached to a balloon! OtherworldlyAn eerie sight. Great composition with the ship's railing, horizon line, and airship profile forming a series of parallel lines. EerieThis seems like one of those once in a lifetime images. having never seen a dirigible in my lifetime, i'd always seen them as elements of science fiction stories. Line in the waterWhat is that line of waves that seems to be going from the ship to the dirigible? Some sort of tether or anchor to allow the passengers to evacuate? [I'd say it's a dirigible anchor. If there is such a thing. - Dave] Airship EquilibratorIf my airship history serves me correctly, what you see hanging below the airship in the water is a device Wellman called an "equilibrator" ... This was a set of metal cylinders tied together and hung beneath the crew cabin, designed to keep the airship at a constant altitude (around 200 ft) and act as ballast. Unfortunately, neither the equilibrator nor the ship itself worked very well, resulting in the crew having to abandon the airship as seen here. Fascinating photo! [Click here for more on Walter Wellman and his flying kitten. - Dave] Gone foreverAll I can think of is the Bermuda Triangle. This is one strangely unsettling shot. Airship historyThaddeus Lowe was the first to make a huge balloon in an attempt to cross the Atlantic from west to east in about 1859. He failed mainly because he couldn't get enough gas to fill it in a timely manner and also ran out of subscription money. Prevailing winds are favorable for this direction at these latitudes, and with a great deal of luck he might have pulled it off . Even with an engine out, if this machine could maintain that altitude by scooping enough water ballast to compensate for thermal changes day and night without having to vent hydrogen, perhaps it too might have made the full crossing. Both aeronauts, I see now, were backing up their plans with lifeboats as the crew space. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Zeppelins & Blimps)
McGraw Building: 1908
... Press - "Use Our Liner Ads"). Note to Dave: how about a night view of some signs like these "lit up"? As for the brutally retouched ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/04/2011 - 2:07pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1908. "McGraw Building and Michigan Savings Bank." At the corner of Griswold and Lafayette, this earlier portrayal of the building shown in the previous post affords a better view of the Lafayette Barber Shop, home of "Electric Vibration Face & Scalp Treatment." 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Nice retouching jobI can't even tell there were wires in the frame. Someone's Photoshop skills were lacking back in 1908! Don't jump!It's just not worth it. Or high enough. Don't Jump!There's a guy out on the ledge above the bank. SpookyWas this taken on the day of the 1908 Detroit 'One Legged Pedestrian' races? Difficult to pick out a winner! Let There Be Lights!Another fine Shorpy example of early twentieth century urban architecture, complete with at least four examples of illuminated signage (Lafayette Theater, Malcomson's Coal, Central Savings Bank and, of course, The Free Press - "Use Our Liner Ads"). Note to Dave: how about a night view of some signs like these "lit up"? As for the brutally retouched trolley wires, they look to me like condensation trails from a very busy airspace. re: Same Building?It's a photo blog; what captions? A Goldilocks buildingNot too plain, not too ornate--just right! Lafayette Barber ShopI absolutely LOVE the front of that barber shop. Beautiful signage! I'm also really liking the American flags used with the one big star and 12 surrounding it on the other side of the building. There appears to be three barber shops on that one corner. DangDoggone it! At first glance, I thought; "Finally, proof the Air Force was already at work on high altitude aircraft before the trusting, gullible public even knew there *was* an Air Force." Only to find out it was an early Silicon Valley skunkworks Photoshop. Ledge LizardNow what do you suppose that gentleman is doing out on the ledge of that building? De-LightedComparing this one to the German-American Bank picture, we can see that some globe light fixtures were added to the entrance sometime after this picture was taken - I guess in 1908 they just relied on the lone street light. Founder of Ford MotorOn the left side of the building is Malcomson Coal. Alexander Y. Malcomson was the Coal King of Detroit and he was one of the few people who was crazy enough to back Henry Ford in 1902. After he had become successful, Ford eventually squeezed Malcomson out of the auto business - but it all started with coal money. Great photo! I thought they were... chemtrails!!!!!!! Retouching?I'm shocked to see chemtrails so far back in time. Same Building?Isn't this one and the previous German American Bank one the same building at a different time and angle? [One of half a dozen similar comments. Sometimes I wonder if anyone READS THE CAPTIONS under the pictures. - Dave] Edit: Sorry actually I don't think the page was drawing properly and the captions were incomplete. but It could be I missed them I suppose (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Lob Me Tender: 1920
... either it was a very hot day, or she was up very late the night before. Or both. Either that or she actually tried to play for awhile ... have access to a good iron. Or maybe it was just a rough night out with the Lindsey Lohans and Paris Hiltons of her day. Grace and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2008 - 10:51pm -

The actress Grace Valentine strikes a sporty pose circa 1920. View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress. WiltedShe looks as if either it was a very hot day, or she was up very late the night before. Or both. Either that or she actually tried to play for awhile before the shot was taken... Grace NotesThe poolside photos are more fetching than this one, Grace!!! And it looks like the poolside photos were more fun to shoot. How 'bout a bigger smile? Thank goodness modern tennis attire has caught up to 1920s swimwear, in modesty terms. YawnI for one am a bit weary of Miss Grace, she never was all that and this just seals the deal. [There are two more photos of Grace, showing her with an actual flesh and blood companion. Who is tall, dark and handsome. But if you don't want to see them . . . - Dave] More GraceI'm still game ... I want to see more Grace. Little white shoesI wonder if that's the pair that's given Grace her deformed digits? Alex Taylor Co.And this is what became of her "Alex Taylor Co. Wood Tennis Racket" I am sorry, the link is broken, due to the passing of time. After all, I think it isn't a "Alex Taylor" racquet at all, "Varsity" looks more like it, although the brand name is missing Grace AgainI too would like to know why we see so many pictures on this site of Grace Valentine? Is she a relative? She was just a minor actress in her time. You must admit, at least from the pictures I've seen Grace was behind the door when Beauty was being distributed. A Vote for GraceI for one am not tired of seeing her. WrinklesYou would think an actress would have access to a good iron. Or maybe it was just a rough night out with the Lindsey Lohans and Paris Hiltons of her day. Grace and ShorpyDo people not understand that Shorpy.com is a historical site? It's not devoted to glamour or cheesecake. Given that, why are people so annoyed to be shown photos of a minor actress? The fact that she's not famous makes her more interesting to me. There are plenty of places for people to see pictures of stars such as Greta Garbo, if that's what they want. Goodnight, GracieWell, she is being talked about more now than she ever was back when she was "famous." Oh . . . I almost forgot the ellipses . . . Sighing off now. Foy Las Vegas (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Movies, Sports)
Delaware, Lackawanna & Western: 1900
... the UP line. Two sets of rails, all hours of the day AND night. I'll try your dad's newspaper trick sometime. Re: Camelbacks ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 4:36pm -

Scranton, Pennsylvania, circa 1900. "Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad yards." Panorama of two 8x10 inch glass negatives. We've seen the left half of this view before; the right side, with someone's laundry billowing bravely amid the the soot, is new. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The RampI think that the ramp that the left hand photographer is standing on is now the pedestrian ramp to the walkway between Steamtown National Historic Site and The Mall at Steamtown. Advertising to the contraryI doubt that Miss Phoebe Snow's gown would have remained spotless if she had had to change trains here! Dad-burned, no good, blankety blank!The wash on the line reminds me of my early years when our family lived in an old three story railroad station that the RR leased to us since it was no longer needed. There were still a couple of trains per day that went right by our picture window (formerly station master's window). The dirt raised and produced by the trains would blow over on my mother's laundry hanging on the yard line (before there were dryers). Inside the house, the thundering trains would shake down dust to drift onto newly wiped and polished tables, etc. Looking back, I believe this was about the period that my mother honed her "cursing like a sailor" skills to world class levels. Dad kept his face in the newpaper at these times. Graffiti in 1900?Boxcars on the left. Kids were "tagging" even back then? [Chalk marking of cars by switchmen was an essential part of railroad yard operations.] CamelbacksThose locomotives, like the 808 in the foreground, had much larger coal grates in them to facilitate burning the anthracite coal in the region. The wider firebox, known as a Wootten, necessitated moving the cab for the engineer and brakeman forward since there was no room over the firebox. Hence this type of engine was known as a camelback. There have been cases where a broken side rod had completely sheared the cab, along with the engineer, clean off. It must have been miserable for the fireman on rainy or snowy days for the only protection afforded was that little hood over the back of the boiler. Those beautiful steam locomotives are known as Camelbacks or Mother Hubbards, as the engineer sat in the middle of the locomotive astride the boiler, the firebox was wider than a conventional locomotive and would not allow a forward view, the poor fireman was open to the elements at the rear of the locomotive. I don't want to hear it Dutch!I live across the street from the UP line. Two sets of rails, all hours of the day AND night. I'll try your dad's newspaper trick sometime. Re: CamelbacksGoats of Venus: The proverb about camelbacks was "in the summer the engineer roasted; in the winter the fireman froze." Exposed to the elementsIn Britain and some other countries closed or even partly closed cabs were not favoured for some time after railways were invented because of the idea that the engine crew needed to be wide awake and would doze off if coddled by a bit of shelter. DL&W(I think I've posted this before, but what the heck.) My grandmother, who often rode the DL&W over a century ago, told me that they used to joke that the initals DL& W stood for Delay, Linger and Wait. A quick tour of DL&W's downtown yardJust left of the lady's wash is DL&W's Scranton depot, with the long covered platform. It was built in the 1870's at the end of Lackawanna Ave. and was replaced by the palatial Lackawanna station, now a hotel, in 1908. The camelbacks seen here were known as "Hogs" on the DL&W. This batch was numbered 801-815, and were a fairly rare 4-8-0 wheel arrangement. This group of locos was built by the Brooks Locomotive Works in 1899. They were actually too powerful, and so were slippery. Too slippery for road work, they were used on mine runs and in helper service from Scranton to Nay Aug and Gouldsboro, and from Scranton to Clark Summit. They were all retired in 1923. In the distance to the left is some of DL&W's shop facilities and also the plant of Dickson Locomotive and Machine Works. Dickson built a lot of locos for DL&W and other roads in the 1800's, but was rolled into the new American Locomotive Company and was closed. Just beyond the distant middle of this shot is "Bridge 60", where the main line continues west to Buffalo, and the Bloomsburg Branch turns south for Northumberland. [And yes, this is the location of Steamtown today.] Steamtown, USAThis is the yard that is now known as the Steamtown National Historic site. The rampled to the top of the coaling station. Full coal cars were dumped there into hoppers which in turn filled the bunker on the tenders. The ramp from Steantown Mall is in the same place and I think uses some of the same foundation. Steamtown is a great place to visit! (Panoramas, DPC, Railroads, Scranton)
Kay Jewelers: 1919
... Makes me want to run around photographing old stores at night! Very Romantic inspiration ready to become a story. World War I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 5:53pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "Kay Jewelry Co., 407 Seventh Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Re: Off and OnI used to live in an apartment above an old storefront that had an ancient rotary switch in the same relative location, one day in conversation with the landlord I asked him what it was for. The switch was wired to the overhead lights in the display windows. Back in the old days a "merchant policeman," what we'd call a security guard, would turn the lights off during his late-evening rounds. Horrible Slogan?I wonder if this is the same "Kay Jewelers" that uses that horrible slogan "Every kiss begins with Kay..." That little jingle is the worst. If I had to buy jewelery every time I wanted a kiss or gave a kiss than I am both dating the wrong girl and going broke! [I think it's a rather clever slogan. "Kiss" begins with K. Get it? - Dave] Every kiss begins with KayIs this the forerunner of the retail giant that we know today? The 900 store Kay Jewelers, according to the company's website, was founded in 1916 in Pennsylvania. Was this part of its expansion or just another K? Awesome PhotoSymmetry, nighttime exposure. Great photograph. These old pros certainly knew what they were doing. O Kay?The fact that you can recite it tells me that this "slogan" is working quite nicely! Makes me want torun around photographing old stores at night! Very Romantic inspirationready to become a story. World War I is over, there is snow on the ground and a Christmas tree in each window, igniting a festive and holiday spirit among the bling and sparkle. Perhaps it is a minute to closing time on Christmas Eve. Use your imagination and create a tale. Shorpy writers have great literary ability as seen in former wonderful inspirational photos. I love this picture. Kay Jewelry OpensIt would appear that this was indeed an early branch of today's jingle spouting Kay Jewelers. Also note the aptly named store manager. Washington Post, Nov 21, 1919 Kay Jewelry Store to Open Premises at 407 Seventh Street Are Remodeled for New Business The Kay Jewelry store, 407 Seventh street northwest, of of a chain of 26 stores operating in as many big cities, has remodeled the premises formerly occupied by the Columbia Shoe Company, and will open Monday, November 24, with a complete line of fine diamonds, watches and jewelry. M.S. Goldnamer, secretary and treasurer, who will manage the Washington store, was for many years the manager of the National Furniture Company and late sales manager of the Hub Furniture Company. Off and OnNote the pushbutton switchplates next to the door. What an odd location for such a thing. Remodeled for new businessRemodeled is an understatement, though. This would be the same building shown here about a year earlier, when it was for rent. I wonder if the painless dentist was still upstairs. (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Arts and Crafts: 1919
... that in the 30's he would get up and stand guard late at night, almost shooting his wife once, and would have severe nightmares. He ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2012 - 3:11pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "Soldiers at Walter Reed." Displaying their handiwork. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. HauntingAnother scene from the VA porch, at first I focused on the faces and crafts, then I took in the whole picture and at first it seemed like things are missing. I could just imagine the gangrene that took that foot. ThoughtsI would assume the hats were used to identify patients on the basis of treatment or condition. Perhaps with all the various injuries it was easier to keep track of patients this way. As for the comment on "And for what"... I would recommend picking up a history book for the answer. Sometimes war is inevitable, it is always tragic. However, that does not mean war is not sometimes without justification. I would think the Civil War or WWII would be considered as necessary wars. No? And for what?Photos of young men shattered like this are almost unbearably sad. God damn those who sent them into war. [Idiotic comment of the day. - Dave] Those EyesThe guy on the right's eyes are so mysterious. They seem like they're burning straight through you, with a story that needs to be told. Kinda like that very famous National Geographic photo of the Afghan girl. Soldier's samplerI can read "STROPE, NICHOLS, NY" in the handiwork of the second from left. Wonder if the striped caps have any significance. Chemical warfareAny of these guys could also be suffering the effects of mustard gas -- pulmonary scarring, chemical burns, etc. Not to mention gunshot wounds and such. At PeaceSleep well, fellas. What's with the hats?I'm wondering if these guys were "shell shocked." I know that they also have amputations, but they look like there are some mental issues as well. I heard a great deal when I was a child about the extraordinarily traumatic nature of WWl. Trench warfare with artillery pounding overhead not just for days, but for months. Machine guns that could take down an entire platoon. AmputeesOf the four guys in the front that we can see well enough, only the one using the treadle powered saw has both his legs. The others all appear to be below the knee amputations. (On the guy with his legs crossed you can see what I'm pretty sure is the tip of his stump poking out from his robe.) I wouldn't bet against the guy in uniform also being an amputee as well - you can see that he's using crutches - probably far enough along in his rehabilitation that he can walk around the grounds or even go to town from time to time. If this is an amputees ward, I wonder if the man at the saw has been fitted with a prosthesis, and learning to use the saw with it is part of his therapy. RehabilitationThese men seem to have mostly physical injuries, but back in the WW1 period recovery would have been a longer process than now. Even in WW2 my father was in hospital for over a year following a head wound at Dunkirk. Magazines published after the war often carried ads for various arts and crafts for servicemen to use for supporting themselves, and these men seem to be doing physiotherapy and training. And I doubt it was gangrene took the guy's foot - more likely a shell. CompellingThese Walter Reed pictures and those from the Civil War are some of the strongest and most compelling photos that you post. They all remind us of what sacrifices these fellows have made and how grateful we should always be. "Lest we forget." Seen and SawedCool to see those peg-knitter boards in use by these men, and the treadle scroll saw. I have both of those things in my own studio, though my saw's electrified. Peg-knitters haven't changed though. Quick observationsWar: hell Amputations: tragic Treadle jigsaw: sweet! "Shell-shocked, gas-poisoned, disease-ridden"That's how the Toronto Star described the thousands of returned soldiers who passed through the city during and after WWI. Some were American soldiers who managed to hitch a ride on a Canadian ship and then stayed for a time owing to city's hospital facilities. Toronto was typical of many Canadian communities during the conflict. It gave 65,000 men for service overseas from a population of about 547,000 (or 12 percent, which didn't include the many women who also served in various capacities). Approximately 5,000 Toronto men were killed and over 25,000 suffered casualties like these men convalescing at Walter Reed. WWIThere is a great British, Canadian & American WWI cemetery in Archangelsk, Russia. Big British stone cross stands there and whole place looks like it's not in Russia. Russian graves look absoluteluy different. Soldiers, seamen, marines lie there in Russian ground since 1919 and also since polar convoys of 1940s. Unfortunately I've got no pics of that place since I live now at another town. Invisible WoundsGramps was drafted into the 36th Division (Texas and Oklahoma National Guard), 131st Machine gun Battalion, a kid fresh off an Oklahoma farm, and straight to France after training at Camp Bowie. He was in the the thick of it too, at St. Mihiel and the Argonne. Mom said that in the 30's he would get up and stand guard late at night, almost shooting his wife once, and would have severe nightmares. He ended up going to a hospital for a couple of years, but came back a much better person for it. The wounds from this war were not always as obvious as the above picture portrays. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Medicine, WWI)
Perfect Diamonds: 1940
... no doubt the clock and small sign were illuminated. At night when you looked at the time you would also see "Schwartz Perfect ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/15/2022 - 6:31pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1940. "Potomac Electric Power Co. -- Air Conditioning and Lighting -- Chas. Schwartz & Son, jewelers." 8x10 acetate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Lump of coal- quite imperfect ! - would pretty well sum up the prior store The firm added the 1305 F Street NW branch in 1940 -- three years after the namesake died (pehaps the kids wanted a more modern image) -- so if the date is correct actually 1940, the grand opening sign must have just been put away. [To reiterate a point frequently iterated, "circa 1940" does not mean "in 1940." - Dave] Breakfast at Schwartz's ... just doesn't have the same "ring" to it. Glass brickWas a popular decorating motif in the late 30's, early 40's. Also I can almost guarantee that those Art Deco letters are the first four of the word "modern", which it certainly is for that time. Those curved show windows were also in style. Subliminal advertisingI have no doubt the clock and small sign were illuminated. At night when you looked at the time you would also see "Schwartz Perfect Diamonds". I wonder if their name was in white neon script, like a perfect diamond. I wasn't able to find an article about the modern, sleek building. I did find Charles Schwartz & Son is the oldest jeweler in Washington, D.C., currently located in the Willard Hotel and Chevy Chase, MD. I also found an announcement in a March 1919 trade paper. I bet Eugenia got a nice ring. Street display has slanted windows ...I like walking past display windows that are slanted. It looks like I'm walking into myself. [The windows are not slanted. - Dave] Summer fashion in the street and in the windowWoman warring very similar style as mannequin in window. ["Warring" -- as in combat fatigues? - Dave] Looks like a postmodern building nowThis beautiful little building is so 30's modern that it looks like a 1980's Post Modern building, like the Portland Building in my home town. With the interior, it's a unified statement of forward thinking. And the upper windows suggest a cut jewel, I suppose. And what about those two square tiles on each side of the clock? I often wonder how the sad jewelry stores I see in the malls survive nowadays. (The Gallery, D.C., Stores & Markets, Theodor Horydczak)
Christmas Booty: 1951
... and faux that. They do look warm for a cold winters night even here in Ohio. Tis the Season to be Sensible. Glad to see ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/22/2014 - 4:17pm -

"Abe & Julia - Dec. 25 1951." Radiating holiday cheer from the Teal Sofa, Hubert's parents make their Minnesota Kodachromes debut. View full size. Bless HerShe was not pleased to have her photo taken. My mom was the same. Rougher Than A CorncobMy neighbors had a very similar sofa; the springs and scratchy fabric made for some very brief sit-down chats. Those drapes: absolutely gorgeous. Want! Simplicity-of-LifeIt's been very warm and cozy experiencing the 1950's in such Vivid Living Ektachrome Color! [Or Kodachrome, for that matter. -tterrace] So many of the simplicity of life photos this photographer captured have been exquisite and actually looked liked paintings. Thanks Shorpy, for finding and sharing this special treat with us. And Happy Holidays to you and yours! You Shouldn't HaveAbe doesn't look too happy about it, but I'd love to have that grey & red plaid shirt! Nice Electric Clock!Can anyone identify the electric clock ? It looks like the type of clock that Sessions Clock Co. used to make. Is it possible to enlarge that portion of the image sufficiently to read the wording on the clock face? (Might be a good time to discuss the limitations of a fixed-focus, fixed-f-stop snapshot camera vs. the more sophisticated cameras.) PatternsPatterns on the wall, patterns on the sofa, patterns on the curtains, patterns on the pillow, on his tie, slippers, socks, shirts -- it's just the way it was back then. Ummmmm! Warm!I'd love that beautiful peach colored wool blanket that Abe is showing us. I have three solid color wool blankets from the 1950's that are still warm and oh so comfy! Not Many Solid Colors......forget Abe's shirt, I want Abe's tie! Granny SquaresThe throw over the back of the sofa was assembled of 5" x 5" 'Granny Squares', crocheted blocks of yarn. My grandmother, Julia, crocheted one for each of her grandchildren. Same pattern. They're indestructible. I still have mine and curl up under it nightly, here in Minnesota, to watch TV. No hint of wear. Someday, my 19 year old granddaughter, Julia, will do the same. American GothicWith curtains. Startling curtains. PragmaticAnyone that's been in Minnesota in the Winter knows: those are useful gifts, especially for the elderly. A Sad Period of Interior DesignSo someone thought Grandpa Abe would love a 12 pound candy cane for Christmas. It probably annihilated all the teeth he had left. The interior design standards were absouletly dismal. Sadly, my grandma's house was very similar. Those couches were so rough that they would hurt your legs if you were wearing shorts. You can see why there is no retro design revival movement for the 40's and very early 50's. My GrandparentsMy grandparents were just a few years younger in 1951 than Abe and Julia. Older folks of that period all had that same "life has been hard" but they would never let on to their grandchildren. Julia's dress could have been right out of my grandmother's closet in Boone Iowa. Oh dem fluffy slippers!I wold love to have those slippers. Real sheepskin lining I bet. Not like today where everything is faux this and faux that. They do look warm for a cold winters night even here in Ohio. Tis the Season to beSensible. Glad to see...that my family wasn't the only one to stage the "post-frenzy" Christmas take photo. Superior CameraPicking up on previous comment, the excellent quality of this series is accomplished by the camera having been a Contax with a Heiland flash attached. Quite heady (and costly) for snapshots. [Hubert did have a Heiland flash, but his camera was a Kodak Signet 35. -tterrace] (Christmas, Minnesota Kodachromes)
Greensboro, Alabama: 1936
... It is no longer there. I remember the freezing cold night December 31, 1987 @ 11:40 pm , when a Greensboro Police officer reported ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 11:35am -

"County seat of Hale County, Alabama," in August 1936 as photographed by Walker Evans. View full size. The McCollum Grocery on the corner is the subject of another Evans photo, where it's identified as being in Moundville. See Bill Cary's comment. Is this Moundvlle? Haleyville? Greensboro? (Other Evans photos identify this store as being in Greensboro, the county seat.) Greensboro?I noticed the store in the foreground - C.A. Johnson & Son. In the 1930 Federal census for Greensboro town there is a Chas. A. Johnson listed as being a variety store merchant (page 43, family 10). Moundville etc.Moundville is in both Hale and Tuscaloosa counties. Haleyville is about 100 miles to the north in Winston County. Greensboro!!Take a look at the Google maps satellite view of Main St. in Greensboro, AL. It sure looks a lot like this street right down to the angle parking. If you squint...you can see Atticus Finch's office! C.A. Johnson Store It is no longer there. I remember the freezing cold night December 31, 1987 @ 11:40 pm , when a Greensboro Police officer reported smoke coming from the rear of the store. By daylight January 1, 1988 just a pile of molten roof tar. and crumbling brick. It smoldered for 3 days This is GreensboroI grew up in Greensboro - LOVE this picture - great view of Main Street - thanks so much, CA Johnson and Son were in business a long time - if you notice the ornate balcony right next to the store, that would be our old Opera House - an incredible building. Yes GreensboroThat is my grandfather's store. He was married to Julia Simmons also from Greensboro. (The Gallery, Rural America, Walker Evans)
Old New Stock: 1920
... Lens, designed to lessen the glare and thus make night driving safer, is manufactured by the L. E. Smith Glass Company, Mount ... red and yellow rays and is the source of a great many night accidents. Exhaustive laboratory experiments and tests with the ... produces in effect an artificial daylight. The danger of night driving is thus greatly minimized. The Violet-Ray lens not only ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/18/2011 - 9:35pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Universal Auto Co., interior." The parts of old, beset by mold. National Photo Co. Collection glass negative. View full size. Manny Moe & JackThere's a Steering Wheel for the wreck seen here: https://www.shorpy.com/node/10991 "Once you're inside they won't take you for a ride they got a good deal for you and your automobile. for the right price they will sell you fuzzy dice, and leather hand grips for your steering whee-al Manny Moe & Jack". From The Dickies song, Manny Moe & Jack. But the clerks are boldOr so I'm told. Whitewall AttireEven in an auto parts store, of all places. Imagine going into an Autozone and seeing the help there in vests, starched collars and ties. New and OldEverything for your Model-T and your Miata. Theft ProofIn the bottom of the display cabinet at left, an accessory locking steering wheel, or shall I say an *unlocking* steering wheel-- a turn of the key in the spoke, and the wheel spins freely on its hub-- making the car difficult for a would-be thief to control. On top of the box of Eveready-Mazda lamps, another form of theft-deterrent: A wheel lock that wraps around a narrow tire and through the wooden spokes, hobbling the car similar to today's Denver Boot. On the counter behind the books on the desk, Edison-Mazda lamps, to go with the Evereadys. Also a nifty display of Klaxon horns, both hand-powered and electric, with a windshield-post-mounted spotlight with integral convex rear-view mirror, and a MotoMeter (radiator cap with a built-in thermometer visible from the driver's seat). The horns on the top shelf next to the Violet-Ray headlight lenses are Stewart brand, later part of Stewart-Warner of gauge and fuel-pump renown. The Globe Steel Boxes on the shelf are running-board-mounted tool boxes, ubiquitous on Model-T Fords, though not limited to them. A wonderful photo for us gearheads, mold or no. Hi,I'd like one of those klaxon (auuuugah) horns on the top shelf please. If I had known eBay was down the roadWhen I was restoring my Ford '33 three-window coupe many years ago, a search for parts brought me to the attic of an old Ford dealership in Bedford, Pa., where I saw shelves full of parts as in this photo. But all I wanted was a grille, which I bought for $5, shiny and still wrapped with twine in heavy brown paper from the factory. Next to it were a couple of the banjo spoke steering wheels used on mid-1930s Fords. Oh, if only! Mazda Lights on the CounterDidn't realize they had Mazdas back then much less make special lights just for them! UpgradeYes, I'd like a set of platinum spark plugs for my Model A please. Violet Ray Auto Lens Commercial America, July, 1920. The Daylight Lens The Violet-Ray Lens, designed to lessen the glare and thus make night driving safer, is manufactured by the L. E. Smith Glass Company, Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. The ordinary lens produces a shaft of blinding light caused by its glaring red and yellow rays and is the source of a great many night accidents. Exhaustive laboratory experiments and tests with the constituents of light and its projection have resulted in the development of a steel blue glass, which, by eliminating the glare of red and yellow rays and retaining the full power of light, produces in effect an artificial daylight. The danger of night driving is thus greatly minimized. The Violet-Ray lens not only lights the road directly ahead but diffuses the light equally on either side and relieves the driver of a great deal of eye strain. It is in effect a good imitation of daylight. The lens is made in all sizes and is easy to install. The Blue Lens with Black Visor (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Factory Town: 1910
... there’s silence in the streets There’s silence every night here upon these cold white sheets Were my wife stares out the window ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 1:32pm -

Homestead, Pennsylvania, circa 1910. "Homestead Steel Works, Carnegie Steel Co." 8x10 inch dry negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. U.S. Steel - Tom RussellHomestead Pennsylvania, the home of the U.S. Steel And the men down at the Homestead Works Are sharing one last meal Sauerkraut and kielbasa, a dozen beers or more A hundred years of pouring slab, They’re closing down the door And this mill won’t run no more. There’s silence in the valley, there’s silence in the streets There’s silence every night here upon these cold white sheets Were my wife stares out the window with a long and lonely stare She says “you kill yourself for 30 years but no one seems to care” You made their railroads rails and bridges. You ran their driving wheels And the towers of the Empire State are lined with Homestead Steel The Monongahela valley no longer hears the roar There's Cottonwood and Sumac-weed inside the slab mill door And this mill won’t run no more. So, me, I'll sit in Hess' bar and drink my life away. God bless the second mortgage and the unemployment pay And my ex-boss, Mr. Goodwin, he keeps shaking my one good hand. He says "Son, it's men like me and you who built the Promised Land". We made their railroad bridges. We ran their driving wheels And the towers of the Empire State are lined with Homestead Steel The Monongahela valley no longer hears the roar There's Cottonwood and Sumac-weed inside the slab mill door And this mill won’t run no more. I used to live up the hillI used to live up the hill in Pittsburgh, back when this steel mill produced one-third of the steel used in the United States. It is now a shopping center, with a few pieces of machinery and a line of old smokestacks from the soaking pits left to mark the spot. The town of Homestead is pretty much dead at this point. Remembering PeteLittle boxes on the hillside, Little boxes made of ticky tacky, Little boxes on the hillside, Little boxes all the same. There's a green one and a pink one And a blue one and a yellow one, And they're all made out of ticky tacky And they all look just the same. Mom's birthplaceThis photo may show the house where my mom was born. I can't wait to get a copy of it in her hands. The properties from 8th Street to the Monongahela were all bought up by the steel companies and torn down to accommodate expansion in the early 1930s. Thanks for providing this. Sic TransitHome of the epic 1892 strike that was the start of union breaking in the steel industry. The plant, eventually owned by US Steel, closed in 1986 and today the land is home to The Waterfront shopping center and Sandcastle Waterpark. ParticulatesI look at this and just imagine all the lung disorders in the nearby population. They must have waited for a holiday shutdown to take this shot. 100 years later.I'm using those same rollup bamboo blinds on my porch as the house in the foreground. Nice to see some things don't change! Shades of GrayIn 1943 when my maternal grandmother died, my mom took me to the small Pennsylvania coal mining towns (at that time) of Bradenville and Loyalhanna. I was very young at the time but I remember it clearly as it was my first long train trip from Connecticut to Pennsy, overnight. As we passed through many similar industrial towns, I could not help but notice that everything was gray, whether by plan or by the never-ending soot in the air. We stayed a week in a house just like these but the roads and "sidewalks" were charcoal gray dirt, all the homes were gray and for that entire week, so were the skies and everyone's emotions. Train tracks were everywhere and coal trains ran continuously. I'm sure it has changed now but this picture really took me back there to my gray period. Nice people though, ALL very kind, very hard-working and very giving. Ikea et alI know it's a given that much of the old development will, in time, be replaced with new. But how much we have lost over the decades in regards to industrial development. I can't see much to interest me in new development or office buildings, or high tech industrial. Driving through Emeryville, CA this morning I realized what a wasteland of totally new buildings it is today. It used to be an industrial area with a large train yard. Now it's filled with Ikea and other large stores and huge apartments. I could never live there. Found itThese houses still exist, but as others have already mentioned, the factories are gone. Based on the roof styles and the pattern of house construction, I found the houses. They're at the east end of E10th Ave. Since the time of the photo, four more houses on both the north and south sides have been added, but you can figure out which these are based on the roof patterns on Google Maps. The photographer was likely positioned on the rise at the end of the alley (Park Way). Taking a 'drive' down the alley you can see the backs of the two houses in the foreground - they're still the same. Houses in the background on 9th Ave also match up, though it appears that not all the lots were constructed, and since then some of the houses at the right end in the photo have been torn down, where Toth Carpet is now located. The row of flat roofed dwellings still exist, on 9th Ave and Andrew Street. It looks like the sidewalks might originally have been brick, which there is still some today. In front of most homes the approx. one foot wide area where the trees were planted is now sidewalk, though there is still evidence of that previously unpaved area. An earlier picture from the same spot!Isn't it amazing how clean the houses on the left side of the picture are? I can remember in the 1950s, going back to Ohio after a weekend at Grandma's (I'm a Whitaker boy) and watching the bath water turn a reddish brown -- I can't imagine what it must have been like to live in one of these homes. The mill under construction is immediately adjacent to 8th Avenue, and the intersection of 9th and Martha is plain to see. My mom was born in 1925 in a house on 4th Avenue, in what I suspect is one of the houses still visible in this shot. These photos were taken from an accessible bluff (lots of trees, though) just east of where 11th Avenue turns south to avoid going into the ravine. I'll try to get there this summer to get an updated photo of the area. The original can be found here and can be blown up to your heart's desire. (The Gallery, DPC, Factories)
School Zone: 1915
... look awfully small! Can you imagine trying to read them at night? Must be Detroit's version of the driver's eye exam! Old Main ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 10:15am -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1915. "Old Central High School." Now Wayne State University's "Old Main." Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. First women to graduate 1910My wife's grandmother was the first female student to graduate from Central High School in 1910. Both my wife and I took classes in Old Main back in the late 1960s. The building underwent major renovation years ago and looks much like this photo. Both Cass Avenue and Warren Avenue are much wider today. Stunning SceneWhat a lovely, idyllic scene. To think we once invested in public education in such a big way. The "Traffic Light"looks suspiciously like the switch lamps that were used in rail yards to indicate the direction of the points. Also of note, the shovel to the right, to clean up after your own horse? And those street signs on the pole to the right of the officer sure look awfully small! Can you imagine trying to read them at night? Must be Detroit's version of the driver's eye exam! Old Main MemoriesI graduated from Wayne State and spent many hours in Old Main. Great Memories! Hilberry TheaterThat's the Hilberry Theater (originally the First Church of Christ, Scientist) under construction in the background. If anyone could figure out when it was built, we could date this picture pretty precisely. Also, that's a high school? Don't build em like that any more. Big and SmallI'm curious why there would be two mailboxes. I grew up with the small one on my street, it was around until about 2000. re: Big and SmallThe small one on the post is the one customers mail letters in. The big one is probably a relay box, used to store the mail for the next portion of the carrier's delivery route. This is how foot, as opposed to mounted (i.e., using a vehicle), routes work. There's too much mail for the carrier to take all at once. But since I don't see the "Not for deposit of mail" inscription usually marked on relay boxes, but do see a handle for opening the chute, perhaps it's used for both relays and mail deposit, as is sometimes the case. Current view.View Larger Map 1916Hilberry Theater built 1916. Can someone tell me why the leafy trees in these old photos look so lacy? I have always loved the way they looked. [As noted below by bmanther, what's now the Hilberry Theatre at Cass and Hancock Avenues started out as the First Church of Christ, Scientist. Designed by Field, Hinchman and Smith; constructed 1915-17. - Dave] Tonal RangeTalk about your perfect exposure, detail in all but the darkest shadows and whitest highlights, and every possible shade of grey in between -- magnificent photo! Re: Big and SmallThis picture depicts two different styles of collection boxes. The smaller one is most likely for letters and small cards while the larger box would be for more bulky items. The larger box is definitely not a relay box. They do not have handles for depositing mail, and the opening in the front is WAY too small for dropping off relay sacks. I speak from 34 years of experience! Mailbox fightWell, sfnative2, you're undoubtedly right about this larger box, but I myself have personal experience with regular collection boxes being used for relays. When I started with the Petaluma PO in 1985 there was still one walking route left and the standard-sized collection boxes along it were used for relays; occasionally I had to run out and drop them off. They could easily accomodate a #3 sack of mail. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Education, Schools)
Bruiser: 1931
... in one as it did duty as an outdoor pool and come Saturday night you could fill it with a 25 lb slab of ice from the ice man to cool down ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2011 - 11:34am -

Washington, D.C., 1931. "Auto accident." I will leave it up to Shorpy Nation to determine the location and make of this dented dreadnought. 8x10 safety negative, National Photo Company Collection. View full size. What exactly is that lightmounted slightly in front of the drivers door, almost on top of the hood? An extra headlamp? A searchlight? I ask because my father once owned a decrepit 40 Ford model sedan that had exactly the same thing, but it was so long ago (I was just 6 or 7 years old then) I never found out what it was for before he sold the car for scrap. [Parking light. One on each side. - Dave] MeowThere appears to be a kitten coming through the hole in the gate at the very precise moment the photographer took this picture, thus memorializing himself for eternity or for at least as long as the picture lasts. Very clever, these felines. (Or is that a piece of debris?) Not that badIt'll buff right out! Good ObservationIf that ain't a cat it's a dog. I also like the stone curbs. There are areas in the city I live in that still have stone curbs and brick streets. This boat hit everything!Front bumper torn off. Base of radiator pushed back. RF Fender crumpled Right headlight turned a little outward. LF Fender crumpled. Running board bent downward. Drivers door is crumpled, with a section rolled up into a fist sized ball. LR Fender bent. I'd venture to say this guy did all this himself going to fast, spinning out, and bouncing from solid object to solid object. [Also: Large hole in windshield on passenger side. - Dave] The Shadow KnowsAlso memorialized are the photographer's and his camera's shadows! Danger glassI didn't even notice the broken windshield. What can be seen is a clean break, as the large shards are absent in this view. I would have been looking for the telltale spiderweb of modern laminated safety glass, an invention that is too easy to take for granted. Based on the hubcap design My guess is that it's a Peerless. [You were the only person to venture a guess, and you are correct! Circa 1930 Peerless. - Dave] Buff right out?At least this was in the days when it *could* be economically repaired! Other than the panel in front of the driver's door (which probably could be buffed out), everything else damaged just bolted on. Today, if that car were more than a few years old, it'd be totaled by the "insurance" company! ScenarioHit in the driver's side door by another vehicle, which propelled it off the road causing the front-end damage. Doesn't explain the left rear fender well, though. Such a masculine machine -- like a boxer cut and bruised after a fight. Glass Cabinet CarsI'm told that for years, my Dutch immigrant grandparents refused to ride in a "glazen kast" (glass cabinet) car because of the danger of glass shards as so clearly evidenced here. Maybe they had a point back then! Double JeopardyYour grandparents were right. The glass in these cars were extremely dangerous. Equally dangerous were the steering columns which were not designed to collapse during frontal impacts. It was not uncommon for a drivers to be fatally impaled from frontal collisions at speeds as low as 25 mph. So much for the saying "they don't build 'em like they used to"! A PossibilityThe only crash I can come up with which might match this is the June 1931 crash of the wife of Pennsylvania Senator Davis in Frederick, Maryland, as she was on her way back to Washington from Gettysburg PA. She was driving a coupe and struck in the side while passing a milk truck. No serious injuries, but it did warrant a trip to the hospital. [This is a four-door sedan, not a coupe. - Dave] Those Galvanized TubsThose tubs had a great many uses outside their primary use of scrubbing board washtubs. I spent many a summer day in one as it did duty as an outdoor pool and come Saturday night you could fill it with a 25 lb slab of ice from the ice man to cool down the Royal Crowns and Gunther beer for a backyard party. Also with a broomstick and twine it doubled as a bass fiddle or if you liked Krupa or Cole you could bang away with a couple of sticks to the tune of either Topsy or Turvy. 1929 PeerlessAppears to be a 1929 Peerless. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Locomotive Breath: 1910
... Salem station with a passion. When on one freezing winter night a fire in Salem threatened the building, he bundled the entire family ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 2:40pm -

Salem, Massachusetts, circa 1910. "Boston and Maine Railroad depot, Riley Plaza." 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Coming throughHow awesome it would have been to be so close to the devastating power of that engine! A busy railroad sceneLots of fascinating railroad details here. The loco's small size and slide valves indicated it is actually quite old, possibly a rebuilt 4-4-0 going back well into the 1800s. Also note the notch in the coupler knuckle, permitting it to handle link and pin coupling. Obviously a cold day, with that magnificent steam plume, the steam clouds around the loco and also even the horses are wearing coats (blankets), except that poor boy on the right, who is not to happy about the loco. Wish the photographer had included more of the signals on the left edge of the picture. Also note the interesting miniature signals to the right and left of the loco. 1847 - 1958It was located at the intersection of Washington and Derby Streets. The station connected Salem to both Boston and Maine. Today the trains from Boston go underground, directly beneath Washington Street. The state of technologyI guess I don't know my history of technology very well. I am always surprised to see such widespread use of electricity, phone service, etc. in these early 20th century photos. State of the B&M ArtB&M renumbered its roster in 1911 and the one other picture I can find of a No. 200 is a 0-6-0 switcher which is clearly not what we're seeing here. However, they seem to have really liked slide valves, because I haven't seen a picture of a B&M loco before the 1920s that shows piston valves. From what I've been able to find it could date anywhere from around 1885 up to just a few years before this picture was taken, though I'm guessing that it's probably from the early 1890s. SignalsWhat a wonderful photo and details captured on a moment in time. Like Trooper Jeff, I wish the photographer had gotten just a bit more of the signal in view at the left. Extra signal lamp on the ground and some interesting chains and levers that seem too heavy to have been a permanent part of the signal, so perhaps it is being worked on. Two men are flagging the crossing while the train leaves the station. One of them has a bit more of a uniform like either the station agent or perhaps a trainman who will board as the cars roll past in a smooth and graceful ballet type move that has become so natural to him after years of performing it. Not sure if the number painted on the lens of the headlight is the train number, as it differs from the locomotive number, and we have no way of determining if the train is departing on schedule because the cloud of exhaust steam obscures the nice station clock. [Even if we could see the station clock, how would we know if the train was on schedule? - Dave] Hmm, I guess you are right. If it were on time, then we could surmise what time it was by finding a timetable schedule from that date that matches the train number, if that is what the number on the headlight represents, but we still wouldn't actually know what time it really was or if the train was on time. LOL. Good point. Change of PracticesWhat fascinates me about this and many other pictures is the contrast with the modern way of doing things. Here's a locomotive pulling a train down the street as casually as a bicycle, and nobody seems a bit disturbed by it. The lady just to our left of the engine appears to be waiting, a little impatiently, for it to pass, and a couple of other folks are watching idly, as if it were somewhat interesting but in no way remarkable. Today's practice would require at least a chain link fence, possibly topped by razor wire, to isolate the rails from the passersby. What if a child were to run under there? Love ItI love the title of this photo, being a Jethro Tull fan. Steam trains are great. I love the whoosh of them when they pass by! Burning passionFamed railroad fan and photographer Lucius Beebe wrote that his father hated the Salem station with a passion. When on one freezing winter night a fire in Salem threatened the building, he bundled the entire family into a carriage and drove all the way from Boston to watch it burn. When the fire was halted before it reached the station he was furious. 1905 viewAttached is a 1905 postcard view of Salem station. Perhaps someone can confirm that the item hanging in the upper left corner is a trade sign for a pharmacist? Note also the semaphore signals and crossing sign. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, Salem)
Chinatown: 1900
... a walk down the curved Doyers Street in the middle of the night is an interesting experience. Ting's Gift Shop ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 8:44pm -

New York circa 1900. "In Chinatown, Pell Street." Photo by Byron. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Eventful year1900 was year of the Boxer Rebellion in China. The siege of the foreign embassies began in June of that year. I wonder how the much event was on the minds of the average Chinese immigrant in America. And, that's a novel way of carrying a tea tray. Q'dThe man by the door is wearing the traditional Manchurian "queue" hairstyle, in which the front of the head is shaved every ten days and the back is drawn into a ponytail. During the Qing/Manchu Dynasty (1644 - 1912) it was mandatory, and to not wear it was considered treason and punishable by death. Tong WarsPell and Doyers marked ground zero of the Tong Wars between rival secret mutual aid societies. The Hip Sing Association is still on this corner. Pajama GameThe black PJ's did seem to be the dress of the day in Chinatown back then. +109Here's the identical perspective from May of 2009. 15 Pell has been replaced, but its neighbor across the street is the same. Cultural Adaption in ProgressEastern shoes, western hats, a compromise in the middle. An interesting study in cultural adaptation in progress. Pell & DoyersFor some reason 15 Pell is now 18 Pell (at the corner of Doyers Street). I have worked in the area for years -- a walk down the curved Doyers Street in the middle of the night is an interesting experience. Ting's Gift ShopCaption for this 1958 Life magazine photo: "Ting's Gift Shop, alleged supply point for heroin in Chinatown." (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Kingdom of Youth: 1918
... sloped to the front... so that it could be flooded every night after the theater closed; it was believed that a complete flooding would ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 5:59pm -

Washington movie houses circa 1918. "Crandall's Theater, 9th & E Streets N.W." Now playing: Madge Kennedy and Tom Moore in "The Kingdom of Youth." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Fantastic PhotoThe building, signs, soldiers and cars all add up to a great shot for browsing. Haunting ViewI love the Gothic Revival upper windows of Crandall's Theater. Those mysterious arches and curves are very intriguing. Harry's JoyLots of entries in the index of Robert K. Headley's Motion Picture Exhibition in Washington, D.C. for Harry Crandall, who opened his first theater, the Casino, in 1907. Shorpy's image is reproduced on p. 38 of Headley and identifies it as the Joy Theater (opened in 1913, "usually simply called Crandall's"); the caption also notes Tom Moore's "massive" Garden Theater to the right in the image, down 9th Street. The Joy was Harry Crandall's springboard to the top of the Washington movie ladder. He spent $25,000 to build the Joy in what had been a four-story building that housed a haberdashery.... The floor was red concrete and sloped to the front... so that it could be flooded every night after the theater closed; it was believed that a complete flooding would keep the theater absolutely sanitary. Seating about 450, the Joy was in operation only until 1924, when it was converted back into retail space. Madge KennedyHow exciting to see!!!!! I was friends with Madge a few years ago!!!!! [Madge died 21 years ago at age 96. She played Aunt Martha on "Leave It to Beaver." - Dave] Madge & TomThe stars of this early silent drama both had extraordinarily long careers in the business lasting into the television era. Madge Kennedy actually appears in an episode of "The Odd Couple" from 1972! How do we know that Irish-born actor Tom Moore owned that DC theater? [Good question. Theater impresario Tom Moore and actor Tom Moore seem to have been two different people, so I zapped that from the caption. - Dave] Black streetlightWhat is this object? Looks like a blacked-out streetlamp... [A fire alarm call box. The globes on these were usually red. - Dave] Let's All Go to the DentistAfter heading to the lobby to grab yourself a few snacks, make sure to check out the dentist located smack dab in the middle of all the fun. I guess if you were a dentist in 1918, you had to get your business somehow. But they don't need to worry, with "SODA" proudly displayed below the dentist's office, they'll be back. [Right next to "Dikeman's Orange Beverage." - Dave] Movie Palaces and Dental ParlorsNoticing the dentist between the movie theaters, remember that one of the greatest silent films, "Greed," is the story of a dentist -- who, like Washington's Dr. Fitzgerald, called his office a "dental parlor." It would be interesting to know if "Greed" played in either of these downtown theaters in 1924. Roof TanksSeveral years ago I worked in a nine-story warehouse built in 1899. It still had a large water tank on the roof that was for the fire sprinkler system. The tank was filled by huge pumps in the basement. Due to the historic preservation laws here in Portland, Oregon, the tank had to be maintained, but not filled with water. The original pipes and pumps were disconnected. The fire system had been upgraded in the late 1950's to a newer system and most of the old copper pipes were left in place. When the building was converted to condos a couple of years ago,they pulled out all of the old pipes and left the tank on the roof. Heads Up!Note the rooftop water tank above the Lansburgh & Bro sign. The penthouse of that building is devoted to that huge water bucket. I presume these would be filled with rainwater at no cost and supply buildings with non potable industrial water supplies. [Interesting theory -- but how would you fill a cistern on top of a building with rainwater? (Verrry slowly.) This water tank on top of the Lansburgh department store is either regular drinking water or a standpipe tank for firefighting. Back in the day, most buildings taller than six or seven stories had penthouse water tanks, and they're still a familiar sight on older apartment buildings in big cities like New York. A lot of modern office towers have them too, although they're usually concealed. - Dave] An early 80s ghostThis building lingered into the early 80s, though it was barely recognizable by then: The upper floors were sheared off in 1961, and a series of low-rent tenants moved in. One of the last was an adult book store / peep show. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Movies, Natl Photo)
The Great Coal Mine: 1901
... I'd sure like to see a night photo with the sign lit up! Surely advanced technology for its day! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 10:38pm -

New York circa 1901. "The Great Coal Mine, Coney Island." From the book Coney Island and Astroland: "The Great Coal Mine was a 1,500-foot-long dark ride that enabled visitors to travel on coal cars through several levels of a dimly lit simulated mine. It opened in 1901 on the north side of Surf Avenue at West Tenth Street, was not very popular, and was soon replaced by L.A. Thompson's Oriental Scenic Railway." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Re: Fire in the Hole!JimmyLee-I have ridden that ride several times. I you sit in the front car, you can see the big drop before the steam jets blow. (The steam jets were there to hinder your view as you went straight down a 40' to 50' drop!) I'll bet Coney Island was blast back then. I've been enjoying the close-up viewing on the pictures of it that have been posted these past few days. Wild guessI'm thinking that Pennsylvania was just a few hours from N.Y. and since so many Pa. people worked in the coal mines every day, they probably did not choose to go on this "ride" while vacationing at an amusement park, since they knew well the misery of the real thing. Long pants vs. short pantsDoes anyone know at what age boys began wearing long pants? These guys look pretty close in age. [Reaching puberty was usually the point. In this closer view, it's easier to see that one has, and one hasn't, quite. - tterrace] Hop to itBoth the lady in the street by the Zoo, and the man passing by the scenic railway seem to get along fairly well, considering they're both missing a leg. "Fire in the Hole"This reminds me of a ride in Silver Dollar City outside of Branson, Missouri. Built in 1972 it is a dark roller coaster ride that takes you through a simulated burning mine town. Still in operation and another one like it at Dollywood in Tennessee. Rip off: Belle Epoque styleI don't understand how the luncheonette can charge as much for Lemonade as Ice Cream Sodas and Milk Shakes. Similar to to-day's coffee being $1.49 a cup--is outrage! Digital Sign? In 1901!At the peak of the uppermost roof there seems to be an early example of some kind of nine character display sign. Behind the glass there looks to be a fourteen segment display. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fourteen_segment_display I'd sure like to see a night photo with the sign lit up! Surely advanced technology for its day! [According to the article, not so much advanced as costly: "Multiple segment alphanumeric displays are nearly as old as the use of electricity... a complete set of commutator switches, drums and lamps would have been required for each letter of a message, making the resulting sign quite expensive." A related display is the carriage call. - tterrace] Chicago Coal mineAt the age of 12 or 13 I was traveling with my family out to Kankakee, IL. One of the places we stopped was the museum of Science and Industry in Chicago. They had a replica of an operating coal mine there, as well as the U-505, a captured German U-Boat. I know that the U-505 is still there, but I am not sure about the coal Mine. This would have been circa 1959-1961 I wonder if any other Shorpyites remember this exhibit. Other unsuccessful rides at Coney IslandOther unsuccessful rides of the general era at Coney Island included: "Ride with Custer, Hero of The Little Big Horn" "A Trip through the Spanish Influenza Ward", and "Journey with the Majestic New 'Titanic' and Back" Remember it wellGreycat, the coal mine at the Chicago Museum of Science and Industry was just one of the many wonders of "The Pushbutton Museum." I also visited a couple of times around 1961 during our layovers on train trips to Denver, even though it was a $12(!) cab ride to get there. As I recall, the walls on both the elevator and the mine tram portions were on moving belts to make the rides seem longer. Another favorite was the Santa Fe train layout with functioning Central Traffic Control. At the time I saw it, a female museum guard was overseeing it. She told me the male guards would try to run it manually, and derail the trains. What this country really needsThere's a wagon full of them, parallel parked in front of the L.A. Thompson Scenic Railway, though I can't say if they were any good. The coal mine ride, while less than enthralling to anybody who had been inside the real thing, must have thrilled the kids. I well remember the mine exhibit at Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry when I was eight. Funny, if the fourteen segment display was so expensive, that they would put it on such a combustible building. Photographer at largeIt looks as if that fellow is whispering in the policeman's ear about the photographer. The cop is wondering what's up. Casing the joint? (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Mining)
Cast of Characters: 1923
... left with the Baden-Powell swagger: Whatever he did that night, they took away his gun and all his bullets. This photo, of course, is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/29/2012 - 2:11pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Mrs. W. Galbraith -- group." About as colorful as you can get in black-and-white. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Guess who?Tom Mix as a boy scout, Bat Woman with bent coat hanger and the Cisco Kid. Mrs G.October 1914 wedding announcement in the New York Times: Naval Officer Marries Lieut. Com. W. W. Galbraith Weds Mrs. Katharine S. Rose. This isn't what I thought it was.There's not a whip in sight. Having said that, what if this is what passed for normal back then and all those other photos, the skinny beach people, the waterfront panoramas, those elegant New York buildings surrounded by surreys and men in derbies and ladies ready for the Easter Parade...what if they were the odd ones? Naw. I didn't think so, either. The Roosevelt Rough Rider on the left with the Baden-Powell swagger: Whatever he did that night, they took away his gun and all his bullets. This photo, of course, is ripe for bon mots and clever comments, so I'll just step aside. Strategically placedI had to do a double take at the holster worn by the big Boy Scout on the left. And who is it dressed like a Martian -- Lucy or Ethel? Sometimes a holster is just a holsterNot sure if this is one of those times Who is married to whom? The new game for Shorpieites! This must have been an interesting costume party to have a formal photo taken. Must have been quite a costume party.Wonder if the picture was taken before or after the bathtub gin really started flowing. La-di-dahWhat a fabulous assortment of folks in a brilliant array of getups. The lady second from left is rocking the Annie Hall look 50 years before Diane Keaton got to it. Wish I could go back and spend an evening watching ... well, whatever it is that this gang was engaged in. Looks fun. AftermathWhenever i see Shorpy pictures like this I wonder who ended up with whom after the party. MeowYowza! Cat Woman's debut! Some one's got to say it...Avengers assemble!! Just wanna tugI can't look away from the swashbuckler with that awful faux-stache. If only I could tug on it and yell "ha-ha-ha, en garde scallywag!" But alas, all I can do is dream. (The Gallery, Harris + Ewing, Portraits)
Dr. Bliss: 1920
...         Bliss was arrested last night after Esther Bliss, of New York, came to Rochester, claimed he was her ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 11:30pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Dr. Bliss, interior, 13th and G streets." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. If it walks like a duckFine collection of quack machines and gizmos. They all fit into the category of "cash extractors." The MachineI don't know what it does and I wouldn't want to find out the hard way. George Costanza"I think it moved!" TiltI think that pinkie ring is throwing off his posture. Dr. BlissWashington, D.C., DC ? Dr. Bliss and Dr. FeelgoodHaving a name like Bliss really enhances his advertising campaign because of peoples' word association. I'm not one to be a doubting Thomas, but just for the record every single chiropractic patient I have known has been told that they have one leg shorter than the other, even though many of them swear they are miraculously healed by them. There is tremendous power in psychosomatic emotions, hence the placebo successes. My son spent thousands of dollars (uninsured) and long hours with spinal manipulations for years for his back, neck and shoulder pain before he gave up on chiropractors and now, twenty years later he still has the severe chronic pain. On the other hand, I had a hunch-backed boss in my first job in high school who swore that only chiropractors were able to relieve his constant pain. So there are two sides to every coin. Still, I'm trying to see if this patient in the picture has one leg shorter than the other. Please don't sue me or you will be hearing from my lawyers (as soon as they get a telephone) from the law firm of Dewey, Cheatem and Howe. Sorry for the groaners, I couldn't resist. Carry on. OsteopathyThis is a wonderful photo: A office space shared by a Chiropractor and an Osteopath. The osteopathic profession has changed a lot over the century. For starters, it doesn't exist anymore in the United States. We are "osteopathic physicians," which is now just a type of medical school, and we have full license to practice as medical doctors who go into all specialties from family practice to cardiology to anesthesiology, etc. Each one of us still had to learn the manual medicine, though, even if we'll never use it. Not so in 1920, which was only three years after the passing of our founder, Andrew Taylor Still. At this point in history, we were only equivalent to MD's in California. How far we've come! In the UK or elsewhere, osteopaths are still very much like Chiropractors. Practicing I'd be a bit wary of a guy who has to hang the directions on the wall. Roll them bones!Here we see either Dr. Bliis (a chiropractor) or Dr. Willard (an osteopath) doing an adjustment. This photo is interesting for a couple of reasons. First, it's never been usual for the two professions to even share space, let alone run a practice together. Also, given the guide lines on the door, I'm guessing that Dr. Willard is the newcomer. Also, since chiropractic is a profession limited to manipulative treatments (no prescribing, no surgery or obstetrics, etc) while osteopathic medicine is unlimited--DO practitioners even in 1920 did all of the same things that MD practitioners did--surgery, delivered babies, and did manipulative treatments too. The various instruments in the cabinet seem to speak of a wide variety of procedures, so I'm guessing that this is Dr. Willard. Fascinating piece of medical history. Thanks, Dave! It was horrible Doc!It was 4 in the morning, as I tried to sneak into the house through the back window, she caught me with the frying pan. Electrical StimulationThat device on the left looks to be some sort of electrical treatment apparatus. There appears to be a power cord running up to the ceiling from it. The set of metal disks in a circle is a rheostat for adjusting voltage. What it was supposed to treat and how I have no idea though. Diathermy UnitWho can ID the model? Makes my neck hurt to look at it!Lying face down on that couch would be very uncomfortable! Does anyone know what the machine was for? Perhaps some kind of electro-stimulation for the muscles? They did lots of interesting pain treatments around this time. Calling Doctor Quack!All of the equipment in the office appears to be of the "Violet Ray" and "Electro Stimulator" type - early 20th century quack medicine! The Double Life of Dr. BlissWashington Post, November 2, 1921. FACED BY 2 WOMEN, MAN TAKES POISON Lewis Bliss, Former Chiropractor Here, Tries to Die in Cell at Rochester, N.Y. HELD ON BIGAMY CHARGE Taken to Hospital, Where Doctors Doubt His Recovery -- Had Closed His Washington Office. Special to the Washington Post.         Rochester, N.Y., Nov. 1 -- An hour after being locked up at police headquarters today Lewis Bliss, 25, a former Washington chiropractor, dissolved eight bichloride of mercury tablets in a glass of water, obtained from a turnkey, and swallowed the poison. Later, his groans called attention to his condition and he was sent to St. Mary's hospital, where his recovery is in doubt.         Bliss was arrested last night after Esther Bliss, of New York, came to Rochester, claimed he was her husband and had deserted her in New York. He was found at 2 Gibbs street, where he has been acting as a chiropractor for three months. With him was a young woman, whose maiden name was Dworkin, who also said she was his wife. They were married in Stamford, Conn., three months ago, she said. Tells of Washington Office         The other woman said her husband's right name was Max Appel, and they were married by a rabbi in Newark, N.J., seven years ago. She brought her son with her. She said bliss had an office at 1750 M street northwest, in Washington.         She said he told her he had discontinued his office in Washington and took her and her child to her sister's home in New York, where he left her. She recently learned that he was here. Accuses the Other Woman         When the women confronted each other at headquarters, Mrs. Bliss accused the other of luring her husband away from her. The district attorney will investigate and ascertain if Bliss has committed bigamy. The family businessMy grandfather was an osteopath in Chicago in the 'teens (supposedly, Gloria Swanson was one of his patients), but later got into some shady business in the '20s (my uncle told me he was friends with Hymie Weiss) before moving to Montreal after his friends started getting bumped off. I wonder how much his office looked like this? Electro therapy apparatusI believe the cabinet on the picture is a "Thompson Plaster Model E Floor Model High Frequency Physician's Cabinet I'd like to buy or trade one sometime. The cabinet that I own is a DYNELECTRON MODEL 'F' DIATHERAPY MACHINE from The Liebel-Flarsheim Co., Cincinnati, Ohio I like the plate that says "Atomic force for physicians use" (The Gallery, D.C., Medicine, Natl Photo)
Dillon: 1942
... Dr. Stanchfield, ". . . died suddenly while bowling Monday night. A heart ailment was blamed." He had practiced medicine in Dillon for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2012 - 10:07am -

August 1942. "Street corner, Dillon, Montana." Originally posted in 2007; today we published this black-and-white close-up of the entrance. Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee for the Office of War Information. View full size. SchlitzweiserI wonder if there's anywhere I can get a drink in this town. DetailsThe quality of these photos is amazing ... maybe I've been looking in the wrong places, but I don't think I've ever seen a photo reproduced well enough to show details like the radio antennas - "aerials" in those days - on the roofs. Still There, Sort OfThe cafe on the corner has been covered over with some awful siding and is now a casino. But you can still get a Bud next door. View Larger Map Window A/CGood catch, van nuys! The first window air conditioner was marketed by Philco-York in 1938, according to this history of A/C: http://www.greatachievements.org/?id=3854 However, the first mass-market window A/C units weren't produced until 1947. I'd guess that perhaps Dr. Stanchfield had A/C in his operating room. Ram Tough, even back thenThe pickup at near right is, I'm pretty sure, a 1936 Dodge. That year marked the first that Dodge built trucks on a dedicated frame, that is, not one that was based on a passenger car frame. Although difficult to see even in large size in this pic, the '36 Dodge featured the ram hood ornament which the division first used in 1933 and which is still used today not only on the trucks but as the name of Chrysler's truck division. Air conditioner.I didn't realize that in 1942, they had window air conditioners. I see one on the second floor. Dillon's Corner DoctorHarvey Avery Stanchfield, July 27, 1899 - January 9, 1956, was universally known as "Harve" instead of "Harvey." According to an article in the January 11, 1956 Billings Gazette, Dr. Stanchfield, ". . . died suddenly while bowling Monday night. A heart ailment was blamed." He had practiced medicine in Dillon for 17 years and six additional years prior to that. He was survived by his wife and sons. His wife died August 31, 1969. His 1933 fraternity photo is shown below. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
Dream Sequence: 1906
... lines, these lines terminated at "Bridge Plaza." Late night Bridge Plaza looked like this minus the overhead contact wire. One ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:19pm -

New York circa 1906. "Williamsburg Bridge Plaza, Brooklyn." Shades of Magritte or de Chirico. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. FantasticI can see in this picture the building I used to live in in around 1991. I also lived at the entrance to the other side of the Williamsburg Bridge in Manhattan. This area, besides the trolleys being gone and now being clogged with automobiles, has not changed much in the sense there has been little new construction and many of the buildings are intact, albeit in disrepair. There are so many ghost signs in present day Williamsburg and I see they had them back in 1901. Beyond those smokestacks in the background was the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The domed structure is the Williamsburg Savings Bank. Beautiful, thanks Shorpy. I drivepast here every day going to work. Thanks for posting Dave. Here is a postcard image shortly after the el was connected to the bridge. Ceci n'est pas une streetcarGreat picture. Looks like it was taken from the southeast corner of Havemeyer and South Fifth Street, maybe from a rooftop. That spectacular domed building just behind the Turkish bath is still standing (seems to be a bank now). On your markI'm wondering how all these good people know where to stand to catch a certain street car. Shades of DaliA few melting clocks scattered about, and the image would be complete. WaitingWhen I was growing up my mom would see me just standing around and she would ask "What are you doing...waiting for a streetcar?" Now I have a visual of what she was saying. B 46 and B 44 LinesFrom 1980 to 1990 I worked for the New York Transit Authority as a bus operator. I had on several occasions had to work the Nostrand and Utica Avenue lines, these lines terminated at "Bridge Plaza." Late night Bridge Plaza looked like this minus the overhead contact wire. One detail of trolley operation of noteIn the center right of the photo there is a man apparently getting ready to throw a switch in the street trackage. Notice the rod sticking up out of the pavement in front of his little shelter. This function would later be automated with electric switch motors controlled by the streetcar motorman. Speaking of Belgian surrealistsInstead of René Magritte, I'd rather say Paul Delvaux. He was the one obsessed with railways and streetcars in his paintings. Still ThereThe domed building in the distance is now an HSBC bank. The large building on the far left adjacent to the El still is there too. In fact, most of the buildings depicted along Broadway (as in Brooklyn) on the left side are still there. One thing I find amazing is that these buildings look old and rundown in 1906. When did they ever look new? Full-size LayoutIt's really an early prototype of the Monopoly board game. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Horse Man: 1923
... handsome. Among the feats performed by Breitbart last night were sustaining a horse and rider and a dozen men on his chest; biting in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/16/2009 - 8:47am -

"Untitled -- November 27, 1923." Who can figure out what's going on here? National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Update: Stanton Square rides to the rescue with the answer: It's the vaudeville strongman Zishe Breitbart, who was something of a legend in his own time. Harnessed upHe is performing a "feat of strength" by having a team of draft animals (horses, oxen, etc.) pull him and a wagon load of friends with only his teeth to link the two. Strong ManIt looks like he's pulling against something with his mouth--note the people bracing him from the back and the other man with the harness on his side. Maybe he's battling a horse or other animal? StuntTeam of horses (teamster holding the reins) pulling a wagon, with chains going to jaws of one intense guy who is strapped to the wagon to prevent the horses running off with him and leaving the wagon behind. If it were not 1923 I would say alcohol was involved. Okay, I'll bite!He's getting his teeth pulled. Tooth pullIs this one of the guys who used his teeth and mouth to pull a weight such as a wagon (I think I saw a train being pulled) or in this case perhaps a horse is tied to the other end of the chain. And they didn't even have fluoridationMy guess: pulling a coach with his teeth. Because injuring yourself proving you are macho is not a new invention. I'll bet......that he's pulling something (train, car, cement block) with his teeth. Like this guy: http://www.wifr.com/webnews/headlines/9469597.html HerculesThis may have been answered by now, but just in case, I believe the man is performing a prodigious feat of strength: he is holding chains connected to a horse harness in his mouth and the leather straps wrapped around him are attached to a heavy wagon. In just a moment the horse(s) will begin to pull. Tug of WarIt looks like one of those stunts where a guy matches his strength against: 1. horses 2. 10 guys 3. his dentist PullI've seen "strong men" pulling airplanes, large trucks, etc. in this way. I assume that's what this is. Mister Wagon HitchI think he has a team of horses hitched to his teeth. The guy next to him is driving and the guys behind him are holding him in his seat. I shudder to thinkIt seems like the guy with the chain in his mouth is steering something, so I don't think he's a prisoner. Does he have a pack on his back? Could it be a parachute? But if he plans to go flying off in space or air, why wear a cap? I'm curious to see what other people conclude. Feat of Strength?I'd guess he has a piece of leather or rubber he's gripping with his teeth and is attached to that chain which in turn is hooked to something large and that rolls, such as a wagon or other vehicle. Those guys holding the straps around him are there to keep him from being pulled off of whatever they are perched on. My guess and I'm sticking to it...until someone comes up with a real answer. Primitive Dentistry!You see, the other end of the chain is hooked up to the horse, which will be whipped smartly on the rump, pulling the patient's decayed choppers out as it takes off at a gallop while his friends hold him in place. Then, he'll be ready for a set of "Dr. Painless Parker's" porcelain ones! Happened all the time in silent movies... The "Iron King"Zishe (Siegmund) Breitbart, a legendary "strongman," ironically died from an infection due to an iron spike a few years after this photo was taken. Ad in 1924 Popular Mechanics: "Breitbart Reveals it All" Washington Post, Nov 25, 1923 Chain Biter, Crow Marvel, Russians on Bill at Keith's Breitbart, "The Iron King," a sensation in Europe, a man who rivals the most popular matinee idol in appearance, and yet a man who calmly bites through tire chains, winds steel girders around his body with his bare hands, breaks heavy steel bars with his finger and drives spikes into hard wood with his unprotected fist, headlines the bill at Keith's this week. A youthful Pole, handsome, graceful and natural, he has astounded the greatest scientists of the continent with his demonstrations of superhuman strength. ... Washington Post, Nov 27, 1923 A Modern Samson Performs Marvels at Packed Keith's A modern Samson has come to the city in the person of Siegmond Breitbart, the "Iron King," deft wielder of iron and steel bands, who has jaws that seem to possess the strength of steel. He is the principal attraction at B.F. Keith's theater this week. Breitbart amazed two crowded houses yesterday with his herculean feats. He fully lives up to the sensational notices of his prowess. He is youthul and clean-cut and many would call him handsome. Among the feats performed by Breitbart last night were sustaining a horse and rider and a dozen men on his chest; biting in two the links of a chain such as ordinarily used to harness horses; sustaining on his chest a miniature merry-go-round with a dozen persons clinging to it, and bending into fantastic shapes with his bare hands and with the aid of his teeth, steel bars the thickness of a man's thumb. ... (image via Ross Verlag Postcards) ObviouslyHe wants to know what it's like to be married. (The Gallery, Curiosities, Natl Photo)
Gorey Manor: 1939
... way Jose You couldnt pay me to walk down that road at night Flying contest "I'll race you the end of the lane" "You're ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:45pm -

1939. "Driveway looking away from William A. Dawson House, Mobile, Alabama. Spring Hill vicinity. Structure dates to 1840." Channeling the art of Edward Gorey. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. They check inBut they don't check out! Ruh-roh!This looks like the start of nearly every episode of Scooby Doo. Beautiful!I REALLY like a tunnel of trees The dinosaur in the yardOkay, the stone birds in this photo have completely convinced me that birds did in fact evolve from dinosaurs. In fact, it looks like these two evolved just a little while ago. Birds look like turkey vulturesor buzzards as they would be called in Alabama. Not a very noble bird to select as gate guardians. Eagles? Ravens?Whatever those Goreyesque birds are, they look like they're sharing a joke. No way JoseYou couldnt pay me to walk down that road at night Flying contest"I'll race you the end of the lane" "You're on!" Colorization not necessaryNot knocking colorizing old photos but, in my opinion, this is a case where the black and white medium makes for a much more evocative and effective image. Beautiful, as well as creepy! Takes me homeI used to live near this home and passed by it almost daily. Not far offEdward Gorey's actual home (now a museum) on Cape Cod reveals a great deal about his life and art, and this scene reminds me of his garden. There's even a creepy 50-foot-tall magnolia tree. When Gomez met MorticiaWhat a setting for a nice romantic stroll, as long as you're a member of the Addams Family. Or the Munsters. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Mobile)
On the House: 1937
... seen here https://www.shorpy.com/node/7798 at night and on TV from 1982-1993. What's the number? Do they have a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/29/2012 - 9:05am -

August 1937. "A drink on the house. Lumberjacks, proprietor and lady attendant in saloon. Craigville, Minnesota." Where everyone knows your name. Photo by Russell Lee for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Rolling Your OwnOur bartender knows how to save a few pennies during hard times. Like my grandfather, he rolls his own cigarettes. Notice the tobacco pouch string hanging out of his rear pocket. A very popular brand at the time was Bull Durham. Perhaps that's his preference. Nightview Of Bar InteriorPreviously seen here https://www.shorpy.com/node/7798 at night and on TV from 1982-1993. What's the number?Do they have a phone? If so, I have a killer Prince Albert joke. Powerless?Strange to see the liquid fueled gas mantle light fixture, hanging over the bar. Didn't they have electricity in Craigville? Always in good tasteRaising your pinkie makes any drink classy. Those Are Some Small GlassesAnyone know what the standard draft beer glass was back then? Those look like they hold about eight ounces. BooniesI think Craigsville is up in the National Forest area of Northern MN. Might have been a little more primitive up there at that time. Looks like a friendly neighborhood bar. The Eyes have itHer eyebrows are extremely well groomed. I wonder if she gussied herself up to go out for a drink. Beer GlassesI work in the restaurant supply business. Those glasses are still made as far as I know, by Libbey. They were in the '70's when I started. I believe they were/are available in 6 oz and 7 oz versions. Noah BeeryThe guy next to the "lady attendent" reminds me of the actor Noah Beery, Jr. Altho he would have been too young for that photo; maybe it's his father, also a famous actor in his day. :-) Hamms would have been the beer of choiceand it was probably poured from a bottle instead of draft. My grandfather ran a bar very similar to this one in the 20's and 30's. He had no electricity yet, so he used a wind powered generator that charged a room full of batteries. It provided just enough power to run the coolers, heat the water, and run a few lights. Rural electrification would make its way in the 40's and business would become much easier. Rural electricity before most"...electricity in Craigsville?..." Early in the 20th Century most large sawmills had their own power plants. The mill itself was usually steam powered, but most everything else was electrified. Since they could make far more electricity than the mill could use, wires were run to the railroad shops, company store and to the company owned houses in town. When the mill ran out of trees and shut down, the power plant shut down with it. In a few rare instances, private individuals purchased the power plant and continued, but many former mill towns that had cheap electricity before the Great War found themselves getting the old oil lamps out before the Greater War. What is the young lady drinking?Yes she is using a beer glass but that ain't beer in the glass. Rare Items on the Door CasingI don't chew snoose but I recognise the two circles on the door casing as label cutters to free the lid of Copenhagen or other brands of snuff cans. Can't quite identify the logo on in either photo but I think these went away when plastic laminate and aluminum became the norm. Half the Message is Better than NoneThe Prince Albert salesman likely gave three free packs of product to the bar owner for the right to hang his sign. And, the salesman must have figured over the door was the best possible place for the sign, even though it meant cutting off the top caption our spokesman was trying to tell us. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
Pardridge & Blackwell: 1915
... globe on the roof with a big "L" on it that lit up at night, and at Christmas they would drape lights from it to form a Christmas ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:53pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1915. "Pardridge & Blackwell department store." Many interesting details lurking in the corners here; note the phantom streetcar on the left and billboard advertising "Death-Daring Drivers" in a 24-hour auto race on the right. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Crowley'sThe store became Crowley Milner. I remember the wooden esclators. A perfect Valentine's picfor lovers with initials P&B. Long GoneP&B eventually became Crowley's. This building was torn down in the late 1970s, and the Crowley's chain went under in 1999. P & RI did a double-take when I saw the title of this photo come up. Back in the 1970s up until quite recently, there was a popular PARTRIDGE & ROCKWELL appliance store in Greenwich, Connecticut, where we bought most of our major appliances back then. The name of this Detroit store naturally caught my eye. InnovationHonest-to-gosh bicycle racks, so there's no longer a need to prop your pedal up against the curb. Fly free, little one!This delights me. Christmas ShoppingThis reminds me so much of F & R Lazarus Department store in downtown Columbus when I was a child. They had a giant globe on the roof with a big "L" on it that lit up at night, and at Christmas they would drape lights from it to form a Christmas tree that could be seen for miles in any direction. They were also famous for their animated Christmas windows, and Santaland in the basement. The store is gone now, a victim of multiple mergers and corporate takeovers, and i haven't been to downtown Columbus since. All of my childhood landmarks are gone, so I'll stick with memories ... and Shorpy! I found an image of the Lazarus store lit up for Christmas..had to share! Mild dayThere's a lot of open windows for a winter's day! [Why do we think this is winter? - Dave] GhostsA couple of ghost platoons. Perhaps some Starship Troopers? (First one who figures that reference gets a free internet.) Why?It looks like melting snow on the street, but I can't figure out if it's that, or from a very brief rain shower. [That's street-cleaning water. Posters on the billboard are advertising events in June. - Dave] No fair, you guys using reading and observation. You probably have opposable thumbs, too. re: Why?And then there are all the women and little girls not wearing coats. A Shorpilu ProductionSomeone cue Wilbur Hatch! Wehying Bros.Wehying Brothers jewelers is still in business in Detroit today. They've moved about a mile up Gratiot Avenue, not too far from the location in the photo. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets)
Mrs. Information: 1943
... manner? 1956 election I remember that on election night in 1956 the major networks were tabulating the results of the Ike-Adlai ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/26/2013 - 9:36am -

January 1943. Chicago, Illinois. "Mrs. Marie Griffith, manager of the information room, at one of the boards listing rates to points all over the country at the Union Station." Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. IT 1943Must be a real pain when a new city pops up in between two older ones. Wow!This message board makes the code machine shown here earlier look like child's play! Thanks to InflationChicago to San Antonio in 1943: $40.16; this is equal to $540.36 in 2013 dollars. [Adult fare on Amtrak's Texas Eagle from Chicago to San Antonio is $256. - Dave] RatesOK, I understand OW and RT, 1stCl and Coach, and the 3-Mo period for an open RT ticket. But, what's "FURLO"? And why is it set at 90 days, rather than the nearly identical 3-Mo? Also, curious why about the way the classes were split across the board. Looks like OW-1st, OW-Coach, then RT-Coach, followed by RT-1st, judging by the different heading colors and the prices. Rail historians? Anyone? Military fares?I'm guessing FURLO was for special military furlough fares, given that this is 1943. These are strictly railroad fares--if you wanted a sleeper, you'd need to pay the first class rate plus the Pullman Company's charge for the room. And they seem to be just fares out of Union Station, so the rate to Davenport, IA is most likely on the Milwaukee Road via Savanna, IL. Most travelers would just walk a few blocks over to La Salle Street Station and take a Rock Island Lines train direct to Davenport. Furlough fares in WWIIFrom 1940 until early 1947, a special rate was charged to members of the armed forces travelling at their own expense. It was good in coaches only, and priced at 1.25 cents per mile with a return limit of 30 days, later extended to 90 days. I note that the "FURLO" fares (listed in the fifth column) from Chicago to Dallas, and to Houston, were 50.54 percent of the fares in the fourth column. Furlough FaresFurlough fares were a permanent thing. Amtrak continued to offer a 25% active-duty military discount until well into the 1980s, at least, IIRC, heck they might still have it. Reservists and National Guardsmen were not eligible unless they produced orders showing they were in an active duty period. A green I.D. card was normally required. Also well into the Amtrak era were clergy fares, and discounts for blind passengers, either traveling alone or with a human or canine escort. These were a real pain for agents, since they continued to be administered by regional "bureaus" which issued coupon books, and some of them had odd discount rates, like 10.5%, etc. In pre-computer days, all tariffs, passenger and freight, express and baggage, for all modes, were VERY complicated. Similar to Military Standby in the 60sWhen I was in the Navy in the 60s I could travel on leave with the airlines as a military standby passenger for a reduced rate. It was strictly space available but it usually worked quite well for me. This was probably an outgrowth of the tradition of the FURLO fares from the WW2 era. I don't think it is available anymore. It probably wouldn't work well now since most flights today are usually overbooked. A dusty jobI note that Mrs. Information is wearing a duster to protect her dress from the chalk dust. Also, did the train fares really change so frequently that they needed to be recorded in this manner? 1956 electionI remember that on election night in 1956 the major networks were tabulating the results of the Ike-Adlai presidential election in a similar manner. When I was in the Air Force in the late '60s we still tracked critical equipment and circuit status by hand in Maintenance Control at Ramstein Air Base by hand, though we used grease pencils on Plexiglass by then. We've come a long way. An inefficient systemAnd the railroads knew it, even at that early date. By the late 1940's the first punchcard ticketing data systems were being experimented with to eliminate boards like this. Unfortunately, they wouldn't need to utilize and improve such new technology for long. These days Amtrak could probably store all of its destinations and rates on a Commodore 64, so sparse and limited is its service. PreciseI'm astounded at the quality of the penmanship. Maybe at the start of a shift but after a long stretch, you'd start to 'slur' your writing. Impressive. No erasers = no mistakes? Up and down the boardStock brokerage firms had wall-to-wall boards with current up-to-the-moment stock prices, at least into the 1960s. Bookie joints also had boards. Nice to see the old home town on ShorpyEven if it's only written in chalk. Hempstead, Texas. In the lady's shadow - the town where I was born, Hugo, OK. The town where I grew up, Idabel, OK, is not listed, but my mother has often spoken of riding the train between Idabel and Hugo. (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Carlton's Pharmacy: 1940
... attack Italian Navy vessels in the port at Taranto on the night of 11/12 November 1940. ... on the Italian fleet at Taranto, which occurred on the night of November 11-12, 1940. Life on Mars with Chocolate If man ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/12/2019 - 11:59am -

November 1940. "Boomtown store near Shasta Dam construction site, Shasta County, California." Medium format negative by Russell Lee. View full size. What's a girl to doOh dear. To the left of the door we have a full-length view of a larger lass clad only in her smalls, standing on a scale, urged to take diet supplements ... early body shaming? To the right we're treated to a closeup of a gorgeous gal looking longingly at a Whitman's Sampler, the box being proffered by the hand of a gallant gentleman. Such conflict. Keep the scale and the vitamins; I'll take the chocolates. Whitman'sThank you, Whitman's chocolate, for refusing to bow to pressure about modern design and the need to "rebrand." I recognize your box across time, and hope that it had good chocolates within. Fresh MagazinesThat's the December 1940 issue of Movie Life Magazine top left of the rack, with Claudette Colbert and Ray Milland on the cover. Most likely promoting their 1941 Comedy, Skylark. Alka Seltzer ThermometerAs a collector of advertising thermometers, I have never seen a tin Alka-Seltzer. Several PAM type with Speedy very collectible. Tin nice shape bulb works no nail hole damage. That's a real gem there. Wish I had it. Battle of TarantoA precursor to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor -- the British Royal Navy used carrier-based torpedo bombers to attack Italian Navy vessels in the port at Taranto on the night of 11/12 November 1940. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Taranto Safely distantThe bombing of Italy's fleet at Taranto must have made for interesting reading when we were still safely thousands of miles and more than a year removed from the war. Extra! Extra!As you can see, the San Francisco Chronicle and the rival Examiner are keeping a certain wary but respectful distance between one another at opposite ends of the porch. No one make any sudden moves. Read All About ItIt looks like the major headline of the day is about Britain's attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto, which occurred on the night of November 11-12, 1940. Life on Mars with ChocolateIf man ever does reach the point of living on Mars, there will, no doubt, be a retro Rexall Drug Store there selling Whitman's Samplers. But by that time there will probably only be one piece of candy per level in the box. I bought a box recently and was disappointed to find maybe eight pieces on each of the two levels, instead of the filled box assortment of yesteryear. What's hanging up top?On the peak of the roof there is a device I can't identify. It's restrained by a guy wire on each side. Any guesses? [A neon "Rexall" sign. - Dave] Maybe not so much silver screenbut we do have Russell Sambrook's painting "Catch the Turkey" on the cover of Liberty's November 23rd issue, "Springer Spaniel" by W.W. Calvert on the Saturday Evening Post of the 16th, and a slightly jumping-the-gun December 1940 issue of McCall's, with the beginning of a four-part serial "The Beautiful Southwick Girls" by Margaret Culkin Banning, subtitled "a story of how much — and how little — men think of beautiful women." (Banning was a well-known women's rights activist as well as a hot-selling author.) Miss PopularityAmongst other stars: Jimmy Stewart, Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant in Screen Romances 12/40. Linda Darnell in Silver Screen 12/40. Linda Darnell (again) in Movie Mirror 12/40. Paulette Goddard on set, Motion Picture 12/40. Tyrone Power and Linda Darnell (yet again) “Mark of Zorro” in Screenland 12/40. 17-year-old Linda wins the popularity poll, and is at the peak of her stardom. The news stands in colorAnd thanks to Vintagetvs, I missed the Movie Life issue. More Than 30 Comics!Oh, how I long for those days. At two comics per page, that was probably a 16-page section. (When I was in high school I remember hearing a rumor that the Denver Post Comic Section was so huge you could subscribe to it alone!) Today the comics are barely an afterthought - the strips are smaller and you're lucky if you get 4 pages on Sunday. Breaks my heart. (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
Hotel McAlpin: 1912
... we rented a room with communicating bath for 5 dollars a night. Rooms with just a sink were 3 bucks nightly. Here's a picture: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 5:45pm -

New York circa 1912. "Hotel McAlpin, Herald Square." 1,500 rooms with, the sign informs, "communicating baths." 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Communicating BathsThe hotel I grew up in was built around the turn of the 20th century. Though not as large or luxurious as this one, we did have some rooms with "communicating" baths. This was not exactly a private bathroom; rather the bathroom was shared between two adjoining rooms, with a lockable door on each side. We had no rooms with private baths, at least not until my dad did some remodeling. And most rooms had just a sink, with the toilet down the hall. The second floor public bathroom offered a shower, the only one in the building. In the '60s we rented a room with communicating bath for 5 dollars a night. Rooms with just a sink were 3 bucks nightly. Here's a picture: https://www.shorpy.com/node/8006 Yikes!Don't take another step. WMCAone of NY's original radio stations, first started broadcasting from the McAlpin in February 1925. Also, the McAlpin's neighbors to the north and south are still standing! Let us speak of the communicating bathFrom what I'm able to glean, "communicating bath" means what we would call today a private bathroom, ie. one that is connected to the sleeping room. What a strange turn of phrase, though. It seems to persist abroad, if international hotel advertisements online are any communication - I mean, indication. A closer lookI tried the dizziness trick and it worked. Then I noticed the guys at the top of the building on the right side of the pic. That looked kinda scary until I saw a guy in a suit right over the sidewalk bottom right of the photo. That scared me more than the guys 20 floors above him. It's still therestretching a full block along the east side of Broadway between 33rd and 34th Streets. No longer a hotel, it's now called Herald Towers and is mainly an apartment building. Buildings on each side are still standing as well. Sermons in Terra CottaThe splendid Italian Renaissance-style terra cotta cladding on the hotel's exterior was surpassed only by a set of 20 custom terra cotta tile murals in its Marine Grill. Designed by the American illustrator Frederick Dana Marsh (1872-1961), the murals depicted the history of New York Harbor in six colorful scenes that were repeated throughout the large room. Threatened with demolition when the hotel was converted to a co-op in 1989, the murals were fortunately preserved and were eventually reinstalled in the Broadway/Nassau subway station in 2000. Here is one of the murals. All of the surviving murals can be seen here. The Marine Grill ThenThe Marine Grill was a basement rathskeller, and its tile murals were only a fraction of the room's unusually rich terra cotta treatment. The walls, arched piers and vaulted ceilings of the room were completely covered in the colorfully glazed sculptural tiles, with inset light fixtures in the vault crossings. Here is a period postcard that recalls just how much was lost. Woozy!If you open the image to full-size and then scroll up and down quickly with your mouse, it is dizzifying! There It IsOn the lower right side of the picture, our old friend, the United Cigar Store. Smile for the camera!Is our precarious friend on the awning having his picture taken? (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
Hard Copy: 1965
... cemetery at Find-a-Grave to relax and be ready for a good night's sleep. My generation I'm nineteen and read The Toronto Star ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/10/2018 - 9:24pm -

March 1965. My father engaged in the activity that occupied his evening hours every single day: reading the papers. In our case, these were two: the local Marin County daily, the Independent-Journal, and whatever San Francisco afternoon one that happened to be in business, here the Examiner. He was 63, a year before his retirement, when I shot this Kodachrome by available light. View full size. Lovely lightYou did a beautiful job of shooting this, tterrace. Nice capture of a daily moment. Looks like heavenA comfortable chair and ottoman, slippers, newspapers, books nearby, and a good reading light. It doesn't get any better than that. Great photoReally transports you to that time frame - back when reading papers was a ingrained ritual. Pretty much history now, with the Rocky Mountain News and who nows what else disappearing. My 80 year old parents and in-laws read the papers, and re-read the papers to the point where the folds have just about worn through. It was trained into them that this was the was to get information, and it will die with their generation. I sure hope......it won't die with that generation! I'm only in my fifties, and I fondly remember Saturday mornings of my childhood in the early sixties, spent reading the weekend edition of the Toronto paper, The Star. It was called, oddly enough, "The Star Weekly." You used to get the weekend comic section, a couple of colour magazines, and, a tabloid section with a new novel (or part of a serialized one) by name authors...to say nothing of the Saturday newspaper itself. I read the latest James Bond novels there, as well as new Perry Mason novels ... cool stuff to get free with your paper! I still love reading the local paper...or what's left of it. There will always be those of us who prefer reading our news in depth, rather than accepting sound and video "Bites" by talking heads on TV. Hopefully, there will continue to be enough of us to provide a market for newspapers. tterrace, that is indeed an evocative image! Sweet imageTterrace, you need to publish all your wonderful images in a book. I'd buy it in a heartbeat. This one is just lovely. I'm enamored of the charming little details in your house, like the niche above the fireplace. Is that a wrought iron railing around a stairway landing on the left? Like Tina Fey says, "I want to go to there." Two WordsGenius loci. Okay,two more... "thank you!" What fond memoriesthis photo evokes. We had two papers delivered daily to our Washington, D.C., home -- morning and evening -- in the 1940's and 50's. My dad read both of them using a similar chair/ottoman/lamp. I have no memory whatsoever of my mother reading a newspaper. Just like my dadMarch 1965. The only difference being my dad would be reading the Palo Alto Times. On Sunday however it was the San Francisco Examiner. TranscendentOf course it's fairly redundant to say that tterrace's images are enormously evocative. I remember taking pictures like these -- they had so little value to me for so many years and now I would not part with them if you offered me a house. A small house, anyway. Reading papers a dying art? No way!Mr. Kalbacken is a tad incorrect when he says that reading the dailies will die with our parents' generation. I am nearly sixty, my daughter is nearly 30. We read the papers rather than sit and listen to talking heads trying to sensationalise. And then there's the extra content that our daily paper contains, which will never be replaced by a TV news half-hour. The only way that the daily ritual will ever cease is if the newspapers themselves disappear. [Everything in your daily newspaper is probably also on your newspaper's Web site. Before too long that's all that will be left. - Dave] Quite true....It's true that before long all we'll have left of newspapers will be pixels on a screen instead of a hard copy, but it's our own fault. If we don't buy the hard copy it really doesn't make sense to keep producing it and that's the bottom line. To preserve newspapers all we need to do is buy them. Such Nostalgia!The Quintessential Dad. I love this picture, although it makes me yearn for those simpler times. (A little bit, anyway. If I were magically transported back to that year I'd be hankering for my cell phone and my laptop within a half hour.) Save our newspapers!I don't want to read a book on a Kindle or scan the news online. I want to smell the newsprint, feel the paper, hear the rustle as I turn the pages. This relaxing, end-of-the-day scene could not be replicated with Pops staring at a computer monitor, especially if he's been on the computer at work all day. Save our books and newspapers! I grew up in Marin as well.I'm a third generation Marinite, and was just 13 years old in 1965. I may have delivered the I.J. to your house. One of the evening papers was the "News Call Bulletin." So much of Marin has changed in the time since this image was taken. It was not at all like it is today. The late seventies and eighties changed all that. A really nice photo of a slice of life at that time. Reminds me of a lot of dads back then. Thanks. One more thing...For me, this classic image would be more complete with the addition of a dog curled up on the floor next to the ottoman. The picture of life.To me this is a picture of why we work, and why we buy a home, so we can relax in the evening and see what was going on in the world while why we worked. A similar picture today would beDdad at the end of the day, sitting in his recliner in the living room, his computer on a small table next to his chair, where, having checked out all the news, Dad checks out the latest on Shorpy or takes a walk through the online cemetery at Find-a-Grave to relax and be ready for a good night's sleep. My generationI'm nineteen and read The Toronto Star every day. Some of my best childhood memories involve sitting at the breakfast table while my mum read the paper. That's the kind of thing that you just don't get when you read the news online. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
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