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Dime-Store Disaster: 1929
... exact cause of the explosion had not been determined last night, it was learned that the welded end of a 500-gallon tank in the boiler ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/20/2013 - 8:43pm -

During the crowded lunch hour between 1 and 1:30 o'clock today, the oil burner in the basement of McCrory's Five and Ten Cent Store exploded, threw parts of the machinery to the opposite side of the street and making a great hole in the center of the building. The four alarm fire was turned in and every ambulance in the city put into action. Up to 5 p.m., the casualty list showed 2 dead, 3 dying, and 30 injured. Aftermath of the McCrory disaster, a virtually forgotten chapter in the history of Washington, D.C.: At 1:32 p.m. on Nov. 21, 1929, a boiler in the basement of the McCrory five-and-dime store at 416 Seventh Street NW exploded, demolishing the ground floor and igniting a fire in a deafening blast whose final toll was six dead and dozens injured. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Street ViewLooks a little different today, but the building next door has some familiar accents. View Larger Map NeighborsIt surprises me that McCrory's and Woolworth's would be right next door to each other. Veritable Maelstrom Washington Post, November 22, 1929. Concrete, Steel, Wood Sent Hurtling Through Air as Basement Explosion of Undetermined Origin Occurs in Midst of Shopping Crowd. Caught helpless and unwarned in a veritable maelstrom of flying debris, hurled into the street by an explosion of undetermined origin in the basement of the J.G. McCrory Five and Ten Cent Store, 416 Seventh street northwest, at 1:32 o'clock yesterday afternoon, five persons are dead, five more so seriously injured it is believed they will die, while nearly two-score others are less seriously hurt. Fifteen of these received treatment at hospitals. … Three fire alarms and calls for first aid equipment brought all the downtown fire apparatus, the Fire Rescue Squad, ambulances from all hospitals, the Red Cross and public utility emergency cars to the scene, with police reserves arriving in squads. … While the exact cause of the explosion had not been determined last night, it was learned that the welded end of a 500-gallon tank in the boiler room of the store, located under the sidewalk, had been blown out. Just what caused the tank to explode is what the investigators are endeavoring to learn. … Frank Brown, colored janitor in charge of the furnace narrowly escaped being in the furnace room at the time of the explosion, employees of the store said. He had been mopping floors in the store and was just preparing to go to the furnace room when it occurred. He is understood to have told Acting Fire Marshal Achstetter that he had coaled the fire at 7:30 o'clock yesterday morning, and, as is customary, had not looked at it since. A powerful explosion indeed.It even broke the glass negative in the Camera! A ContenderThe first sentence of that Washington Post article should be entered into one of those "longest run-on first sentence ever" contests! +88Below is the same view from July of 2017. (The Gallery, D.C., Fires, Floods etc., Harris + Ewing, Stores & Markets)
Five-Alarm Candy: 1925
... The cause of the fire had not been determined last night. It broke out in a supply of candy goods on the top floor. The entire ... it has become a joke, was no more willing to work last night than it has been in the past. Washington Post, Jan 23, 1925 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/13/2014 - 5:29pm -

December 28, 1925. "G.J. Mueller Fire." A five-alarm fire at George J. Mueller Candy Co. in Chinatown at 336 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., in view of the Capitol. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Much-Maligned Water Tower Vindicated Fireman Injured, Traffic is Tied Up By $50,000 Blaze Tower Proves Value In Checking Flames A Spectacular five-alarm fire in the wholesale candy plant of George J. Mueller, 336 Pennsylvania avenue northwest, shortly before 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon wrought $50,000 damage, tied up street car services for more than fifteen blocks and resulting in the injury of one fireman. The top floor of the five-story building was enveloped in flames when firemen arrived, and it was feared that the fire, fanned by a brisk wind, would spread eastward along Pennsylvania avenue. Smoke from the fire was carried eastward by the wind, forming great clouds around the Capitol. The much-maligned water tower, which has failed at so many big fires, was given credit for checking the fire. The tower was lofted to a position directly in front of the blaze. For an hour it hurled water into the building, the stream being pumped by four engines. Private Joseph A. Mayhew, of No. 2 engine company, suffered severe cuts on his hand when he picked up a broken hose connection. He was treated at Emergency Hospital. The fire, which was in that section of town known as Chinatown, was witnessed by a crowd that overflowed the sidewalks for more than a block. The Chinese occupants of the rooming houses, stores and cafes looked on anxiously through the windows. The first alarm was turned in at 4:50 o'clock, the height of the traffic rush hour. It was after 6 o'clock before street car service on Pennsylvania avenue was resumed, and many home-going government employees and office workers were forced to walk home or hire taxi-cabs. Fire Chief Watson went to the fire on the second alarm. On his arrival he turned in three more alarms. District Commissioner Frederick A. Fenning, who has jurisdiction over the fire and police departments, arrived on the scene early. Maj. Edwin B. Hesse, superintendent of the police, also was on hand, as were Traffic Director M.O. Eldridge, Col I.C. Moller, his assistant, and various other officials of the fire and police departments. The cause of the fire had not been determined last night. It broke out in a supply of candy goods on the top floor. The entire building had been swept clean of trash in preparation for an inventory, according to George J. Mueller, of the candy firm, who said he was at a loss as to the cause of the fire. The stock of candy in the building was extremely low, Mr. Mueller said, because of Christmas sales. What was there, however, is believed to have been lost. The loss caused by the fire entirely was covered by insurance, according to Carl Mueller, secretary of the firm. The stock, he said, was covered by $25,000 insurance, the machinery by $14,000, and the building by $20,000. The candy firm was established in 1849 by Carl Mueller, grandfather of the present owners. The fire is the second in the firm's history. The last one, which was in another building, was started by a tramp who had been sleeping in the stable. The buildings adjoining the candy plant - the William Lee undertaking establishment and the store of the National Mosaic Co. - were damaged considerably by water. Fire Chief George Watson said that the principal difficulty confronting him and his men was to find places of vantage from which to fight the fire. The Mueller building is higher than either of the buildings which adjoin, and this increased the difficulty. The fire chief finally decided to battle it from the front and rear. While the fire was at its height Chief Watson ordered three of his men to come down from a ladder on which they were directing a stream of water at the blaze. He was afraid that the ladder would collapse. So were the spectators, who were visibly relieved to see the firemen descend. The ladder was resting on a tree, which obstruction caused it to sag and lean far to one side. Water from the hose froze in the street. In addition the firemen had to contend with ice covered hose. Washington Post, Dec 29, 1925 Background snarkiness reported on the water tower: Two mishaps of fire apparatus interfered momentarily with the fire fighting, a hose bursting under the strain of the water pumped through it and the high water tower failing almost as soon as it was put in operation. It was quickly abandoned and its crew manned a hose-line. Washington Post, Jan 11, 1925 The firemen were handicapped because of the difficulty in finding places of vantage from which to play their hose. The water tower, which has failed so many times that it has become a joke, was no more willing to work last night than it has been in the past. Washington Post, Jan 23, 1925 National MosaicI want to know about the National Mosaic Co. -- did they just make tiles? Or complete mosaics? ["High-grade work in Mosaics, Interior Marble and Tiling," according to the company's ads. - Dave] Mixed ReviewsMy first impression of this photo was to note how effective the water tower was as a firefighting tool. It looks pretty useful, I wonder why it was so universally panned. [Because most of the time it didn't work? - Dave] No. 2 EnginePrivate Joseph A. Mayhew, of No. 2 engine company, suffered severe cuts on his hand when he picked up a broken hose connection. He was treated at Emergency Hospital.
The Fight: 1913
... a legitimate theater, a porno house and finally a rock night club, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission declared the interior and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/09/2015 - 1:42pm -

New York, 1913. "Quality Shop and Hudson Theatre." Where the audience for Bayard Veiller's drama The Fight included a grand jury probing charges that the play was "indecent and a public nuisance." 8x10 glass negative. View full size. The alphabet thiefis in town - see usiness en's unch. I certainly hopethat those two usiness en enjoy their unch at Café Signage. Business Men's LunchThree martinis and some pretzels. Quality Replacement Letters could probably be purchased at the aptly named, and handily located, shop a mere two doors down. [The letters are not actually missing, they're just semi-invisible thanks to the emulsions used in the days before panchromatic film. - Dave] Red BMLI would surmise, as letters painted with that color would show up darker when using orthochromatic emulsion (no guess as to Pantone color shade though.) Hudson Theatre is still thereIt's still in business at 141 W. 44th Street. After serving as a movie theater, studio for CBS and NBC, a legitimate theater, a porno house and finally a rock night club, the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission declared the interior and exterior an official landmark in 1987. Now restored to its original 1903 appearance, the Hudson is part of the Millennium Broadway Hotel next door, and is used as a conference center and venue for special events. Leo. Feist, Inc.Above the theater is one of the offices of Leo. Feist, Inc., as shown on the open windows and also by the large brass plate on the corner of the building. Leopold Feist founded and ran a music publishing firm in the early 1900s. By the 1920's, Feist was among the seven largest publishers of sheet music in the world. He had offices in major cities around he globe. His largest selling piece of sheet music was "My Blue Heaven" published in 1927. Emblazoned -- at least once on every music sheet he published -- was the slogan "You Can't Go Wrong With Any Feist Song". After his death in 1930, most of the Feist music catalog was acquired by MGM. ComstockeryAccording to John Houchin's "Censorship of the American Theatre in the Twentieth Century", many early twentieth-century plays dramatized female sexual abuse (fueled by a moral panic over "white slavery"). What the authorities took exception to in "The Fight" was a confrontation set in a bordello, where the heroine (campaigning for public office) accuses her opponents of corrupting young women and the community for their own profit. In anticipation of the grand jury's visit, Veiller rewrote the second act and merely described the bordello scene, instead of showing it onstage, and after viewing the revised version, the grand jury dropped all charges. (The Gallery, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Washington Wizard: 1925
... the family had to pick up and move in the middle of the night several times because the Klan was on the way. My grandfather was a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/12/2014 - 1:10pm -

August 8, 1925. "Dr. H.W. Evans, Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, K.K.K. parade, Washington." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Heritage of HateDuring my mother's childhood, the family had to pick up and move in the middle of the night several times because the Klan was on the way. My grandfather was a Cherokee married to a white woman. My mother, now 89 with a memory full of holes, still recalled one of those nights of terror just yesterday.She will never forget, nor should we. Evil passing for sillyToday some may be inclined to laugh at the silly costumes, especially the straw hats, but evil often goes unnoticed for being so commonplace. Listen Phil- - we really have to get together on these uniforms, people are beginning to talk. InterestingThat Indiana now boasts the highest number of Klan members, with Ohio not far behind. Boooo!What a disgrace to our history. We just hate them what ain't like usRead the wikipedia on this guy. He was a nasty piece of work. Symbols of horrorWhen I see images such as these, my daydreams of living in the '20s change to nightmares. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
To the Hounds: 1914
... Meet the Beagles It must have been a hard day's night, 'cause they're working like dogs. Not just the Haircut It is not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/15/2008 - 1:31pm -

1914. Middleburg, Virginia. "National Beagle Club of America. Kennels and dogs of J.B. Thomas." Our second look at the Piedmont Hunt Club kennels. Before he took on the Red Baron, Snoopy had to chase a few foxes. View full size. Meet the BeaglesIt must have been a hard day's night, 'cause they're working like dogs. Not just the HaircutIt is not simply the grooming that makes the beagles appear distinct to modern eyes: selective breeding has changed the fundamental morphology of many common dog breeds in a mere hundred year. Check out some of the historical photos of various pedigrees linked at MessyBeast. Piedmont Kennels First Field Trials at Leesburg Prove Highly Interesting The Piedmont kennels, of Middleburg, Va., have shown the other kennels the way during the first two days of the twenty-sixth annual field trials of the National Beagle Club of America. There has been nothing fluky abou the work of the Loudoun county dogs so far. They have worked their way to the fore by sheer superiority and fine handling. ... Among those following the trials today were Mr. and Mrs. Joe Thomas, ... Washington Post, Nov 7, 1915 The Beagles>> Maybe because they let their hair grow out. Dave, you crack me up. I don't know that everyone got that. [Yeah yeah yeah. - Dave] BeaglesThey sure have a different look than the Beatles nowadays. [Maybe because they let their hair grow out. - Dave] A Christmas Beagle Story...Gosh, they look a LOT like the Bumpus hounds! How the Hounds Have ChangedToday on the east coast, most packs are PenMaryDels, a type of foxhound known for their speed. These guys look to be a little bit of everything but quite capable of giving a good day's chase. Fox HuntingToday's nabobs still organize fox hunts. Of course, this tradition has gone PC and been ruined; you're not allowed to kill the foxes anymore. (The Gallery, Dogs, Harris + Ewing)
Biking in Suburbia: 1968
... was a great place to go for a walk after a long night of hitting the books. I was working full time at the Market Basket on the ... 
 
Posted by Mvsman - 06/28/2014 - 10:55am -

My younger brother, riding his new bike. Our street was a cul-de-sac in Walnut, California. This was probably around 1968. It was a good place for kids to explore the nearby hills. We learned to ride bikes, spend weekend mornings hiking the hills, and staying away from our parents. On our little street, things were mostly like they were in so-called "the good old days." View full size. Possibly in '69 or '70The car in the driveway across the street is a 1970 Olds Delta 88 (we can't see the taillights, but the wheelcover is 1970) in Burnished Gold. So that tells me this must have been later in 1969, or maybe 1970. Collegewood?Could this be in the Collegeood tract across Temple Blvd. from Mt. San Antonio Jr. College? Location informationThere was a tract called Collegewood directly across from the college, and a newer one to the north of and above the school. They were referred to as upper and lower Collegewood. These homes were built from 1962 to about 1965. We lived in the area above Mt.Sac (where I began my post high school academic career). As I recall, my folks paid $28,000 for our home. Walnut, in the early and mid 1960s, was a rural oasis surrounded by more crowded suburban cities, which were hidden from view by rolling hills. It's different now, of course, but the remnants of the old days are still there. Thanks for your question. Beautiful Color!Love to see a current day shot from this same vantage point, bet those trees have matured beautifully. Thanks Mvsman! Lassiter Drive - 1965-1967Very cool! I lived on Lassiter Drive in the lower Collegwood section. We tween-agers used to range far and wide into the surrounding hills. Tatantulas were a common sight, and there were still lemon groves and active cattle raches within biking distance. Fond memoriesI was living at the Temple Grand Apartments when this was taken. Collegewood was a great place to go for a walk after a long night of hitting the books. I was working full time at the Market Basket on the other side of the hill on Badillo and Grand while carrying a full load at MSAC. Some truly life changing experiences took place just down the hill from where this was taken. Thanks for posting this. IdyllicBut then someone mentions tarantulas were commonplace. So much for paradise. California dreamin'Having a big case of the "American Dream" (and I could be more precise saying it's more a case of "California Dreamin'" than anything else), and being born in 1968, this picture is like an invitation for me. An invitation to dream that it's me on that bike, growing up in California in the 70's as a child, and then as a teenager in the 80's. Thank you. TruckLooks like a 1968 Dodge truck behind Junior; and a pretty fancy one at that. It appears to have the chrome grill and bumper options as well as two-tone paint and possibly color coordinated side trim. Great handlebarsLove the handlebars on the bike and his red shirt, matching the bike too! This could have easily been one of my brothers. I'm the baby born in 68 with two older brothers. We grew up on a suburban street in California, but a different city. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Foot Traffic: 1942
... 130 E. Flagler Street, Miami, Florida. Exterior, night. Ross-Frankel Inc., client; Morris Lapidus, architect." Note the ghost ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2013 - 11:42am -

January 21, 1942. "Mangel's, 130 E. Flagler Street, Miami, Florida. Exterior, night. Ross-Frankel Inc., client; Morris Lapidus, architect." Note the ghost pedestrians. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Busy feetLooks like at least four different pairs of shoes out front (three women, one man), and one of the wearers (in dark coat and hat) went closer for a better look and stood still for a while. Not as stellar todayView Larger Map If onlyI could beam myself up into that picture! That store window is fabulous! We NeedTo talk to whomever thought an awning was just what they needed. Amazing how it just destroys the simplicity of the original design. NeonThe glow framing the large second-story window comes from the store name mounted vertically in neon lights. Morris LapidusMorris Lapidus also designed the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach - once the most glamorous of Miami Beach's hotels - which opened in 1954 (and recently re-opened in 2008 after extensive restorations). (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami, Stores & Markets)
Forty Winks: 1940
... your vehicle so if anyone else comes driving in during the night you won't end up getting run over because they don't see you. (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 2:09pm -

June 1940. Washington, D.C. "Negro driver asleep under a truck. There are no sleeping accommodations for Negroes at this service station on U.S. 1." Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I Think I'dPut chocks around those wheels. FrühaufsteherWhat's the significance of FRUEHAUF (German for "up early") on the back of the truck? [The trailer was manufactured by the Fruehauf Corporation. - tterrace] Smart ManThis tired soul appears to have done the best with what he had to work with. He's under the truck for shade, using a bag of whatever he was hauling as a pillow and a small tarp to lay on instead of the hot, dirty, rock hard ground. Young drivers of modern day wouldn't know how to survive without the super size sleeper, GPS, internet hook-up, power this and that, satellite TV, air ride seats etc. Green BookThe Negro Motorist Green Book, 1949 edition, is actually online here, and you can see how bad it was for many people, not all that long ago. Drove North, still found segregationAlthough the state abbreviation is cut off in the photo, the only 1940 state license plates I'm aware of that featured "OCTOBER 31 40" across the bottom are from South Carolina. According to this site the plates were black over yellow. Some years ago I read one of Peter Egan's "Side Glances" columns in Road & Track in which he described finding a 1950s-era road atlas designed specifically for black travelers. The atlas was designed to help the traveler deal with finding food, fuel and lodging in a segregated America. Sad to think such a publication had to exist, and that the driver pictured may have benefited from it. (Edit: Thanks auntjess for finding that!) This photo serves to remind us that the nation's capital was once a Southern city in more ways than one. A Permanent RestAs I truck driver I can sympathize with this guy--it's very uncomfortable to have to sleep in your seat. Having said that, it beats dying. The trucks of that era had one air tank for their brakes, if they even had air brakes at all. If it started to creep then I hope this man had some serious yogi skills to survive being crushed. Hopefully he had the good sense to chock one of the front wheels. I would have opted to sleep on the end of the flatbed. Pillow talkThe fella looks like he is using a bag of grain for a pilla. Times they were tough. WOW! Old Army trickThis reminds me of an old US Army trick my godfather told me about when I was young. Setting up your sleeping gear under your vehicle so if anyone else comes driving in during the night you won't end up getting run over because they don't see you. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Jack Delano)
Gotham Noir: 1933
... it one of the "filter" tricks to just make it look like night? I couldn't help but notice that there are no lights on in any of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/29/2013 - 2:27pm -

March 15, 1933. "New York city views. Financial district from Hotel Bossert." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Tallest buildingsThe three tall buildings in the center of this view, from left to right: 20 Exchange Place (flat top); 40 Wall Street, aka the Trump Building (dark spire top); and 70 Pine Street, formerly the Cities Service Building (light spire top). None were more than a couple years old when this picture was taken. What with the Great Depression and then World War II, there wouldn't be any more significant skyscraper construction for many years, and when construction finally resumed most buildings would have the more contemporary curtain-wall appearance. Masonry construction as seen in these buildings would seldom be used again. Samuel Gottscho really was documenting the end of an era in this picture, though of course he didn't have any way of knowing that. For many years, the Hotel Bossert in Brooklyn Heights was owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses as part of their vast (4+ million square feet) Brooklyn headquarters complex. A few years ago, however, the denomination rather abruptly announced that it would be moving about 30 miles upstate and put all of the Brooklyn properties on the market. A private developer bought the Hotel Bossert about a year ago and announced plans to convert it into an upscale "boutique hotel." I don't know how much if anything has been done. [Note: Samuel Gottscho may not have been able to predict the decline of commercial construction, but he was able to cope with it. When his business of architectural photography tailed off, he switched to nature and botanical photography and became highly acclaimed in that field. An interesting bit of trivia is that he did not take up photography until age 50, yet remained active until shortly before his death in his late 90's.] WowMy new desktop for sure. Of Time and the RiverI like to think that this stunning scene is just about what Thomas Wolfe could see from his Brooklyn apartment when he gazed at Manhattan in 1933. Wow indeedI think that pretty much sums it up. Looked so much betterThe setbacks formed such a better looking skyline than the modern rectangle boxes. I'm no fan of the International style. What Time of Day?When do you think this picture was taken? Maybe early morning - sky/clouds visible and light reflections on one side of the buildings? Or was it one of the "filter" tricks to just make it look like night? I couldn't help but notice that there are no lights on in any of the buildings. [Sunset. West is to the left. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Bottle Boys: 1909
November 1909. "Night scene in Cumberland Glass Works, Bridgeton, N.J." Mak­ing bottles one ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2015 - 1:12pm -

November 1909. "Night scene in Cumberland Glass Works, Bridgeton, N.J." Mak­ing bottles one at a time. Glass negative by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. MessyIn contrast to some of the neat and organized factory floors seen on Shorpy, this place looks like a chaotic mess. The floor is filthy, the fixtures look like they were cobbled together with scrap wood (they probably were), and the workers look to be practically tripping over each other. It was probably hot as hell too, despite the low-hanging ceiling fans. BottlesLooks like they drop more than they make. 12th CenturyAside from plumbing and electrical, this could be a scene from some middle ages manufactory. Mold BoysHolding the mold handles as heated glass formed and cooled, a lot of stooping and bending. You could breathe in the fine glass particles from the air, called blow over. Cumberland Glass Mfg. Co....appears to have made bottles for Bromo Seltzer and Coca Cola among many others, says this history of the firm from the 'Society for Historical Archaeology' site. PerspectiveI will remember this photo the next time I start to complain about my job. I can't begin to imagine how hot and miserable it must be in there! (The Gallery, Factories, Lewis Hine)
The Barge Office: 1900
... of New York had expired. In June 1897, a disgruntled night watchman set fire to the Ellis Island facility, causing so much damage ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2014 - 7:45pm -

Circa 1900. "Barge Office, New York." Meet you at the Lunch Wagon. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Food trucksGuess the "craze" is nothing new! Although one wonders where along the Roach Coach-to-Gourmet Foodie Truck continuum the Lunch Wagons lie. Your ancestors may have arrived hereLocated in Battery Park at the southern tip of Manhattan, the Barge Office was built in 1883 as customs and immigration offices. It also held offices for the Marine Hospital Service, the predecessor of the U.S. Public Health Service. It would be forgotten today except that on two occasions it served as the main processing center for people immigrating to the United States. Its first tenure as such began in April 1890 following the closure of the nearby Castle Clinton processing center, and lasted until the end of 1891, when a huge modern facility opened on Ellis Island. Castle Clinton had to be closed while Ellis Island was still under construction because the federal government's lease from the State of New York had expired. In June 1897, a disgruntled night watchman set fire to the Ellis Island facility, causing so much damage that the Barge Office had to be pressed into service yet again for processing immigrants. It served this function until Ellis Island reopened in December 1900. The Barge Office then slipped back into obscurity as a government office building, until it was demolished in 1911. Beasts of burdenOne must pity the team of horses near the back, warming under White Star Line blankets, that will soon be called on to pull the mountain of trunks, baskets, and bundles teetering ominously atop one of the wagons. Lets hope for the horses sake that the passengers who were well-off enough to own such belongings do not have far to go. In 1898, when the number of Italian immigrants to the U.S. was about half of the number in the year of this photo, the Times would say of the Barge Office site, "Outside in the park and in special rooms the Italians of New York are constantly awaiting their friends. Express wagons stand for the bundles, bags and immigrants themselves. At the meeting there is much joy. This is for the admitted. In the meantime, in the 'pens' the 'detained' wait, eat and sleep." For Official Use OnlyThe wagon with the tallest load appears to have the nicest blankets on its team. They are emblazoned with: WHITESTARLINES U S MAIL That's the company that brought us the Titanic. I wonder if they kept the contract after 1912. Customs Service FlagOf course that lower of the two flags is the Customs Service Flag consisting of 16 alternate red and white vertical stripes with a white canton bearing the US Eagle and an arc of 13 stars all in blue. Some conspiracy theorists maintain this is the "Civil Flag" of the US that was suppressed by Lincoln, but that is incorrect. They point to a passage in Hawthorne's "Scarlet Letter" in which the main character, who is a Customs Service Employee, notes and describes the Customs Flag and refers to it as a "civil" rather than a "military" flag, which of course is true. But that doesn't make it "the Civil Flag" of the US, a concept we never adopted. We have always had only one flag, the good old Stars and Stripes, pictured here in the top most position, as it should be. A Page out of Equine VogueThe well dressed horse this season will have a mid calf length hem and quilting on his blanket. It must have been really cold that day. ....I P News Office = SHIP NEWS OFFICEI wonder what News Office is in there. Anyone knows? "(Manhattan?) Immigration Processing News Office" maybe? Although I seem to see the word "PRESS" on the sign left from the door, so that would make more something like "(Manhattan?) Island Press News Office." Update: I found a solution to my puzzle. On a picture of the U.S. Barge Office - foot of Whitehall Street, East River, by E. & H.T. Anthony, we can see a similar News Office (of the New York Herald), called "SHIP NEWS OFFICE." (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Hoosac Tunnel: 1907
... and while current traffic tends to be later in the day/night, a train can come by at any time. (The Gallery, DPC, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2013 - 11:52am -

Circa 1907. "West portal, Hoosac Tunnel, North Adams, Massachusetts." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Where's the garage door opener?Today the tunnel's west portal looks very different. What's essentially a very large garage door was added around 60 years ago, though I'm not sure why. The door's housing hides the "Hoosac" inscription seen in this picture. The tunnel also has had a single track for many years, not the double track as shown here. One remaining drawback is that the tunnel doesn't have sufficient clearance to handle double-stack containers. There have been various engineering studies to see how that could be remedied, but the cost would be extremely high, and given that there's a more southerly route into Massachusetts with double-stack clearance it's doubtful anything will be done. Open and ShutWhy did they have doors on the entrance? That seems unusual for a railroad tunnel. That DoorI think that the Garage Door Opener (& Closer) is partially sheltered in the nearest structure on the right. It looks like there might be a pair of bi-fold doors and a wood track for them overhead. The doors provide some protection from a "wind tunnel" effect that would allow cold winter air to defeat comparative warmth of being far underground. Nowadays, in conjunction with intake and exhaust fans above the Central Air Shaft, they can regulate which end of the tunnel gets ventilated and try to keep the smoke away from the engineers' eyes. Shortly after the Shorpy photo was taken, a short system of electric locomotives and wires was installed, to pull the steam trains through the mountain. The coal smoke had gotten so bad that someone passed a red Stop Signal without seeing it! Today, there are so few tracks and trains in the tunnel that it is hoped that the doors and fans can deal with the Diesel engine exhaust, and the electrics have been gone for 60 years or so. Tunnel Doors"In 1954 a steel storm door was installed on the West Portal replacing the wooden doors. These doors helped keep strange weather from entering the tunnel, particularly in the winter. In 1957 The tunnel was reduced to a single track 3 feet north of the center for clearance purposes. On November 28th 1958 passenger service stopped. In 1973 the track was centered and replaced by continuous welded rail. Finally in 1997 a 10 foot wide strip of stone was removed from The Tunnel’s ceiling and the track was lowered to allow for even taller railcars. The rail at the East Portal was sunk below ground level." from A Pinprick Of Light by Carl R Byron and Hoosac Tunnel History The west portal circa 1874 Tunnel doorsEBT added doors to their tunnels after a locomotive derailed due to ice on rails in winter from ground water draining through tunnel. Doors were opened and closed by watchmen and later by engine crew. Switch on; then offOverhead catenary wires for electric locomotives were added a few years after this photo. The electric motors would couple onto steam powered trains and pull them through the tunnel so the steamers wouldn't have to work, thus creating a lot of smoke to asphyxiate the engine crews. Even with ventilation shafts, tunnels were hellish in the steam age, and the Hoosac, almost five miles long, was one of the worst. Diesel power eliminated the need for electrics, and the wires were then removed. Hoosac Tunnel: 1907About 16 years ago, I walked about 300 yards into the west portal. A fairly busy road passes only about a quarter mile from the entrance. Three or four times, I dashed out of the tunnel because I thought I heard a train coming, only to realize each time that I was hearing a truck go by. After about 15 minutes, I left, because not only was I pushing my luck regarding a train coming, but also because I was afraid I might startle an animal, such as a raccoon or a bear. I had my camera with me, so I decided to stand by the entrance, hoping that I might catch a shot of a train. I didn't have to wait more than three minutes. A train coming from the west (downtown North Adams) rumbled around the bend slowly and entered the tunnel, as I followed close behind, took a few pictures, and listened to the mysterious sound of the train gradually fading. Five miles later, it would see daylight again. ElectrificationHoosac was electrified in 1910, and while Lost World is correct, Diesels did help, it did not totally do away with the problems crews faced. Wasn't until the late fifties that things were markedly improved. The tunnel was electrified after a number of crews suffocated in the tunnel itself. It wasn't uncommon for crews to exit the tunnel lying on their stomachs in the cabs with cloths over their mouths and noses trying to get fresh air. Even in the early days of diesel locomotives, there was still an ever present danger of this. The Catenary didn't come down right away though, as the electrics were kept as backup until 1958 when the last one was finally scrapped. Even so, much of the catenary was still in place (just disued) until 1973 when the tunnel was made single track. West Portal DoorThis is the West Portal of one of my very favorite places, Hoosac Tunnel. East Portal is way prettier. The doors have something to do with keeping either water or snow out of the tunnel. I know the exact explanation is in the book "Pinprick of Light". The book also mentions failure of the brick lining on the west end due to (I believe) wetter conditions and far weaker rock (one reason why this end actually has a brick lining). Being a responsible railfan, I must add that this is NOT an abandoned tunnel, and while current traffic tends to be later in the day/night, a train can come by at any time. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Swing Your Partner: 1942
... in Weslaco, Texas. Drake family playing for a Saturday night dance." Medium format negative by the under-appreciated Arthur Rothstein. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/06/2017 - 11:01am -

February 1942. "Farm Security Administration Mercer G. Evans camp in Weslaco, Texas. Drake family playing for a Saturday night dance." Medium format negative by the under-appreciated Arthur Rothstein. View full size. This buildinglooks like it was also used as the local theater. Probably used folding chairs which are now stacked in a corner somewhere. Girls dancing with Girls... and young boys too nervous, or shy. [Or maybe the story this photo tells is of girls who'd rather wait for their turn with the man in the middle and waltz with each other, than dance with a bunch of grubby 12-year-olds. - Dave] The saddest dance everMost of these people look like they were forced to show up for picture day. Girls dancing with girlsNot surprising given the date. Enlistments were huge in early 1942. Maybe I'll look older if I smokeThe young boy on the left appears to be getting ready to light up a cigarette. He may not impress the girls, but if his mother is there, he may get some unwanted attention. First lessons?I'm no great dancer, but it's worth noting that nobody but the middle couple is positioned right; the man's right hand needs to gently pull at the lady's waist, and the woman's left hand needs to gently push him away on the shoulder. So I'd guess these folks are a bit new to dancing. Hope they had fun anyways, and as a former nerdy, snot-nosed 12 year old (36 years ago), I hope some of those boys were in fact dragged out of their chairs in the same way I was back when. Flash BulbInstead of lighting a smoke, I think the kid on the left is examining a flash bulb, probably a used one. What a great picture. [I think you're right. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Drake Family, Music)
Cobb Cottage: 1900
... That house is so close to the street. Traffic noise at night must have been awful. Actually, probably so quiet your own heartbeat ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/10/2016 - 10:34am -

Circa 1900. "Nathan Cobb house, a summer cottage, Ormond, Fla." A residence built from materials salvaged from the wrecked schooner Nathan F. Cobb, which capsized and ran aground off Ormond Beach in 1896. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. Marine salvageIn the photo accompanying this article, you can see the ship's nameplate that used to be on the outside of the house. Shocking!The device on the pole to the right of center looks like an early radio or TV antenna until you realize it's 1900! [Radio got its start in the 1890s, with wireless marine telegraphy being the main application. There are more wires going into the tree, and a similar looking mast on the roof with a wire going to it. - Dave] RailingsThe front porch looks like it is utilizing the Schooner rails quite effectively Great treehouseAnd the perfect spot to ambush passing travelers to relieve them of their goods. Still thereBought recently to keep it from being destroyed; story here. NoiseThat house is so close to the street. Traffic noise at night must have been awful. Actually, probably so quiet your own heartbeat keeps you awake. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, W.H. Jackson)
Store Noir: 1940
... or going The blurriness of the photo (and being at night) suggests a long exposure, so the "ghosts" on the front step are probably ... But a nice change, because we don't get a lot of night shots here. The shadow on the street is classic, you couldn't ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/06/2018 - 4:12pm -

May 1940. "Corner store at 11 p.m. Durham, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. SpiritsThere seem to be a couple of Ghosts hanging out on the front steps. Shorpy on filmI'm watching the 1940 movie "Primrose Path" with Ginger Rogers and Joel McCrea, and every shot looks like a still from Depression-era Shorpy photos. I can only conclude that the set dresser and art director knew what they were doing. The diners and stores look just like photos we see here, interiors and exteriors alike. Time exposure with someone coming or goingThe blurriness of the photo (and being at night) suggests a long exposure, so the "ghosts" on the front step are probably one or more people walking in or out of the place during the exposure. But a nice change, because we don't get a lot of night shots here. The shadow on the streetis classic, you couldn't devise a shot like this. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America, Stores & Markets)
Pierce Lumber: 1925
... blaze as a result of a bolt of lightning in last night's thunderstorm. Damage to five tenant companies was estimated at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/23/2012 - 6:43am -

Washington, D.C., 1925. "Ford Motor Co. -- Pierce Lumber." An interesting mix of solid and pneumatic tires. National Photo glass negative. View full size. Piercing Lumber@fishtrucker: Probably a good thing that rig didn't have too-good brakes. One short stop and Pierce Lumber becomes Piercing Lumber for the driver. DangerousBoy, if that contraption somehow got a little speed up and then stopped quick. Hole(s) in Your Tires?Interesting pair of steer tires on that tractor. I knew about solid rubber and steel tires and about pneumatic tires, but these are just strange. I'm guessing that the holes in what must be a solid rubber tires provide somewhat more cushioning than plain old solid rubber tires would? Kind of curious to see tires that intentionally have holes in them. Pivoting load?It appears that the load is supported at the rear by the trailer, but the front of the load is directly on the rear of the tractor? If so, the load will "pivot" on the tractor every time a turn is made. pivoting Them's the brakesThe Ford TT truck tractor only had brakes on the rear wheels , either mechanical rods to the wheel hubs , or a clamp on the drive shaft . No brakes on the front wheels, or the trailer. Ford wouldn't introduce 4 wheel brakes until 1928 on the Model A Interesting trailerThis is a typical 5th wheel setup still in use today. What's a little different is the trailer is built for hauling lumber, the rear wheels can slide forward or back depending on how long the lumber is, the trailer weighs almost nothing (relatively speaking) so they can haul more wood. Holes in the tires NPT or non-pneumatic tires are being re-introduced by Michelin and Goodyear.... but this photo pre-dates them by 90 years! And they were already around for at least ten years in 1921.... The modern versions have newer materials and some built-in give with spider webbing but they really are not new or innovative! William A. Pierce Lumber Co. Washington Post, May 28, 1914. Lumber Company incorporated. The W. A. Pierce Company was incorporated yesterday to engage in the wholesale and retail lumber business at 216 Fourteenth street northwest. The capital stock is $50,000, divided into 500 shares of par value of $100 each. The names of the trustees for the first year are William A. Pierce, S. Percy Thompson, and William A. Middleton. Washington Post, August 11, 1937. William Pierce Rites to Be at Silver Spring. William A. Pierce, 83, former Washington lumber dealer, died yesterday at his home, 9210 Brookeville pike, Silver Spring Md., after a short illness. Until his retirement several years ago he had been president of the William A. Pierce Lumber Co., at 1616 Rhode Island avenue northeast, which he started 40 years ago. Born in Deleware, Mr. Pierce spent the early part of his life there, receiving his education in the schools of that State. When he was 25 years old, he moved to Philadelphia, where he was associated with a large department store. He came to Washington 45 years ago and opened a dry goods store on the site where Kahn's store now stands. Several years later he gave up the store and entered the lumber business. Before the days of the automobile, he was well-known as a horse fancier. Washington Post, August 23, 1943. Lightning Bolt Starts $50,000 Plant Blaze. The old W. A. Pierce Lumber Co., 616 Rhode Island ave., ne., was virtually destroyed by a three-alarm spectacular blaze as a result of a bolt of lightning in last night's thunderstorm. Damage to five tenant companies was estimated at $50,000. PiercingNot only piercing for the driver of the truck, but for the driver of whatever is following the truck! The site todayThe site here is now a bookstore attached to a smallish megachurch. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Left on White: 1926
... on Sixteenth street were taken to traffic court last night. Hard Left Turn The evolution of the left turn, as reflected in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:16pm -

January 5, 1926. Washington, D.C. "Traffic Director Eldridge inspecting new lights." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Synchronous SignalsWashington Post, May 20, 1925. STREET SURVEY MADE TO PLACE SEMAPHORES M.O. Eldridge, director of traffic, and Col. I.C. Moller, his assistant, undertook yesterday a survey of the congested district to determine where to place synchronous light and semaphore signals to regulate traffic automatically. An item of $250,000 will be required in the 1927 budget to install these devices. Washington Post, June 2, 1925. RUDOLPH OPPOSES ELDRIDGE SYSTEM OF SIGNAL TOWERS Question of Whether Lights Shall Be In Center or on Side of Street A synchronized system of light signals on towers to regulate traffic may not decorate Sixteenth street northwest as far out as U street, despite the plans of M.O. Eldridge, director of traffic, backed by the unanimous decision of the traffic council of the District of Columbia, an advisory committee of citizens named last week by the director. Cuno H. Rudolph, chairman of the District board of commissioners, yesterday stated he was opposed to the project. The director of traffic cannot install the signals without approval of the commissioners. Meanwhile, Director Eldridge yesterday advertised for bids. The proposals sought are for unit prices on the different types of towers, since the director does not know how many he can buy with the funds to be available between now and July 1, 1926. The question of whether they will be placed in the middle or at the sides of the street also has not been finally decided. The traffic council was unanimous in its choice of towers in the middle of street intersections, but commissioners Rudolph and Bell oppose such a plan. Notwithstanding this opposition, bids were asked on types for the middle of the street. "There will be much opposition to installation of light signals in Sixteenth street," said Commissioner Rudolph. "I, for one, am opposed to it. As to the placing of the lights, if they are to be installed, both Colonel Bell and myself think it would be a mistake to put them in the middle of the street." Washington Post, June 16, 1925. ELDRIDGE RETURNS FROM WEST WITH NEW TRAFFIC IDEA Changes Opinion as to Signal Type Best Suited for Sixteenth Street. WOULD PLACE LIGHTS AT EACH INTERSECTION. Western Cities Ahead of East In Solving Problems of Motor Control. Installation of a mechanically controlled electric signal light at every street intersection and elimination of crossing policemen is the modern tendency in traffic control, said M. O. Eldridge, traffic director, yesterday upon his return from a tour of cities from Atlantic City to St. Louis. Another result of his trip was to change his opinion with reference to the type of signals appropriate for such boulevard highways as Sixteenth street. Mr. Eldredge, supported by a unanimous vote of the citizens traffic council, before his journey favored signal lights in the center of the street. Opposed by Rudolph. The commissioners opposed the idea and Commissioner Rudolph announced opposition to trying the lights first in Sixteenth street at all. Director Eldridge is now considering the matter anew and has not framed definite recommendations, but he said that what he saw in other cities convinced him that Sixteenth street is not wide enough for lights in the center of street and if he recommends that signals be tried first in Sixteenth street, they will be of the overhanging type, on arms reaching out over the street from posts at the curb. "If they were placed in the middle of a street like Sixteenth street," he said, "reckless drivers would knock them over and in addition they would eliminate one entire traffic lane. In Detroit last week, a motorist ran into the concrete base of a signal light, the base weighing a ton. He overturned it and his machine dashed on and plunged into the basement of a house." West Ahead of East. "The cities of the middle West are far ahead of us in development of signal lights to control traffic. Detroit, for example, is now installing signals that will eliminate 150 traffic policeman and release them for other traffic duty than at street corners. "Syracuse now has no traffic police in sight. There are no horns and there is no noise. When you see the green light you don't feel you are going to hit anyone. You just 'step on it' and go through until stopped by the red light. "I saw an interesting development in Columbus. On a through street there were four traffic lanes, the two at the curbs for slow traffic and the two in the middle for through fast traffic." Washington Post, June 20, 1925. ELECTRIC TRAFFIC SIGNALS ORDERED BY COMMISSIONERS Eldridge Will Recommend Equipping Sixteenth Street LIGHTS WILL BE PLACED ON POSTS AT CORNERS "Stop," "Go" and "Get Ready" Will Show; Turns to Be Made on "Go" Only. Washington's first contract for automatic electric signal lights to control traffic by machinery was let yesterday by the District commissioners to the Crouse-Hinds Company of Syracuse, N.Y. One hundred and one signals were ordered at a cost of $25,000. The commissioners did not pass on the question of where the lights will be installed, but M.O. Eldridge, director of traffic, will recommend that they be placed on Sixteenth street northwest, from Lafayette park to Irving street. Both center lights, mounted on concrete bases, and lamps overhanging from posts at the curbs have been abandoned, and the installation will consist of four posts, with lamps, at each main street intersection, one on each corner, the posts to be 10 feet high. Will Alternate. From Lafayette park to N street they will be placed at each intersection. Beyond that point boulevard stop signs, lit by reflection from approaching vehicles' lights, will be placed at O, Church and Corcoran streets, Riggs place, Swann, Belmont and Caroline streets and Crescent place. Automatic light signals will be installed at all other intersections. Each post will bear red, green and amber lamps. The green light signals "go", the red one "stop" and the amber light flashes between the other two for five seconds to indicate the coming change. North and south traffic will be permitted to proceed for 1 minute and will be stopped for 25 or 30 seconds while east and west traffic enjoys the right-of-way. The regulations for turns will be changed. All turns will be made only on the green signal. Washington Post, July 14, 1925. 2 NEW SYNCHRONIZED TRAFFIC SIGNALS UP Erected to Accustom Autoists To Use; Eldridge's Salary Is Raised to $5,400. Two of the new synchronized electric traffic light signals were erected temporarily yesterday at New York avenue and Eighteenth street northwest by order of Director of Traffic M.O. Eldridge to let motorists and others become accustomed to their appearance. They were not connected with electric wires and were not operated. Mr. Eldridge yesterday received notification that his salary has been ordered increased from $5,200 to $5,400 a year, effective July 1. This occurred as a result of the new efficiency ratings just completed in the District building. Eighteenth street was designated yesterday as the next boulevard highway for which "boulevard stop" signs will be prepared to protect the right-of-way of through traffic. Turn on the white signalWho were those people a while back who were telling us that the real world was always in color? SpikyThat's the spikiest traffic light I've ever seen. That should deter the 100 lb. pigeons. Red means StopWashington Post, January 3, 1926. SIXTEENTH STREET TRAFFIC SIGNALS TO GO IN USE TUESDAY Officials to Test System With Practice Runs Tomorrow Morning. METHOD OF LEFT TURN CHANGED BY BULLETIN All Autos Must Go to Curb and Stop When Fire Alarm Sounds. Final touches are being placed on the Sixteenth street system of electric automatic traffic signal lights. First operation has been delayed again. It was planned to take place tomorrow, but will not occur until Tuesday. The hour has not been named. Meanwhile, traffic officials plan to try out the lights, dashing up and down Sixteenth street tomorrow at 3 a.m., when there is little traffic, in a series of experiments to determine how long to let traffic run in each direction without change of lights. The lights are three colors. Red means stop. Green means go. Amber, in the language of Director of Traffic M.O. Eldridge, means "caution — clear intersection.": "Do not start on amber, wait for green," said a memorandum issued by Eldridge yesterday. The note continues: "Turns are made on green only. In making a left turn, proceed into the intersection and draw up along the right hand crossing in front of standing traffic. Wait in this position until green appears on the left and then complete the turn ahead of the traffic that is now allowed to move." Pedestrians Have Right-of-Way. "In making right turns, motorists should remember that pedestrians moving with the signal have right-of-way at crossing. Red in all directions indicates approach of fire apparatus and motorists should draw toward the curb as quickly as possible. Pedestrians should move with traffic and not cross it." The direction for the left turn is new. Heretofore the instruction has been to turn left only on red signals. The change is in the instruction to proceed into the intersection and stop. When "green appears on the left" red is showing in the direction from which the turn originates. The memorandum does not say what motorists intending left turn shall do if there are more cars waiting to turn than can be accommodated in the intersection "in front of standing traffic." The clearing of the street for fire runs is new, also. It is planned to throw on red lights in all signal lamps when a fire alarm rings that requires an apparatus to travel on Sixteenth street. The red lights will stop all traffic on that street and on all other streets approaching it for four minutes, the intention being to clear streets so the fire engines will have no obstructions to avoid. The police department is planning to assign several policemen to Sixteenth street, six of them at Scott circle, on the first day of operation of the lights, to direct attention of autoists to them. Assistant Director of Traffic I.C. Moller said yesterday that the operation of the lights would necessitate trimming of trees when the foliage comes out in the spring. He said not much trimming would have to be done, as much has already been done in connection with the running of double-deck motorbuses. Confusion and ComedyWashington Post, January 6, 1926. CONFUSION, COMEDY ATTEND BEGINNINGS OF TRAFFIC SIGNALS Many Tie-Ups Follow the Automatic Flashing of Lights on Sixteenth Street. SMOOTHER OPERATION, HOWEVER, IS EXPECTED. The major segment of Washington's synchronized automatic electric light traffic signals in Sixteenth street northwest, from H to U streets, was placed in operation yesterday at 2 o'clock, after many postponements. Confusion, comedy and lack of ceremony characterized the occasion. President Cuno H. Rudolph, of the District board of commissioners, under fire from a battery of cameras and moving picture machines, connected the lights with electric current at a switchbox in Scott circle. Motorists and pedestrians, suddenly confronted with the lights, found themselves unprepared with information as to what to do. Traffic tieups occurred at many intersections, left turns affording the most fruitful source of uncertainty. K.W. Mackall, engineer, and F.W. Clary, publicity manager for the Crouse-Hinds Company of Syracuse, N.Y., the concern that sold the District the lights, expressed themselves as gratified and said that the confusion would be only temporary, until drivers were accustomed to the signals. Mule Flouts Policeman. A practical joker utilized the situation to turn a horse-laugh on Traffic Director M.O. Eldridge's regulation forbidding horse-drawn vehicles to travel in Sixteenth street and three other boulevards. Ensconced in an ancient cabriolet drawn by an equally ancient mule, the jester, who later gave his name as William K. Conway, drove up to Scott circle, while 100 or more persons of prominence were witnessing the proceedings. A policeman stopped the coupe. "Don't you know that horse-drawn vehicles are forbidden on this street?" he demanded, and added, with official scorn, "Read the signs." The passenger leaned out and said: "Officer, I read the sign. This is not a horse-drawn vehicle. It is mule-drawn. Drive on, James." The policeman scratched his head and let the vehicle proceed. Later a police conference was called on this flouting of the law. Assistant Corporation Counsel Ringgold Hart was consulted. What the Courts Hold. "The courts have held," said he, "that mule-drawn and horse-drawn are the same thing." Despite this ruling, however, the mule-drawn equipage drove up and down Sixteenth street for some time unmolested by the policemen. All the District commissioners were among the participants in the turning on of the lights. There were no speeches, music or decorations. Cooperation of the public with traffic regulations was requested by Traffic Director Eldridge in his address, "Stop, Look and Listen," at the Wapiya club luncheon at the University club yesterday. No violations of the new traffic signals on Sixteenth street were taken to traffic court last night. Hard Left TurnThe evolution of the left turn, as reflected in the articles Dave added, is amazing. Each of the earlier variations seems like a prescription for gridlock. But Republican administrations like those in place in the Roaring Twenties never did know how to turn left. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
American Gothic: 1923
... partly the photo and partly the season - Happy Twelfth Night, everyone! - and the Sherman house instantly recalled to me the classic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2012 - 1:57pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Sherman house, 300 block Third Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Beauty before FunctionI gasped with delight when I first saw this. It was a time when architecture was meant to be more than protection from the weather. Even the screened porches have decorative sunburst corners. The neighborhood then was obviously run down and we can be pretty certain this didn't last, but thank you to whoever brought us another picture of the past lest we forget. I wish to add that we used to take drives through D.C. just for the architecture but now one must go hunting to see anything interesting. Fifth-floor walkupIsn't that Rhoda's apartment in the attic? Long goneAccording to google maps, the area is now occupied by the Department of Labor and other office buildings. The whole area appears redeveloped. Alley ViewIn the alleyway there are two closely spaced windows that open from the top out. This is usually indicative of a standing stall for horses, though the rest of the building does not appear to be a stable. 'Tis the SeasonIt's partly the photo and partly the season - Happy Twelfth Night, everyone! - and the Sherman house instantly recalled to me the classic Charles Addams cartoon from the New Yorker issue of 21 December 1946. Next doorI saw some great examples of this style in Providence, RI, recently, but I am partial to the austere balance and symmetry of its neighbor: purely lovely, in spite of it being built for multiple dwellings. Give me more, Dave! Tipton House?The LOC information associated with this photo has led me absolutely nowhere. Additionally, looking at the old Baist realty maps indicates that there is no place on the 300 block of Third street which conforms to this house and alley. The most compelling nearby match I can find from looking at old maps, and it's purely speculative, is that the address is 218 Third street NW. The building was known as the Old Tipton House. It later saw service as the D.C. branch of the Florence Crittenton Mission. Around the time of this photo, it was converted for use by the Women's Auxiliary of the American Foreign Legion as a home for veterans. Too bad we can't see any house numbers, or more of the corner market - that could provide more clues. Bigger Than a Bread BoxThe Bond Bread box in the lower left corner harks back to the day when bread companies made early morning dropoffs, and to the surprise of no one the bread was still there when the shop owner opened the store. Bond bread was my choice as a child since it came with trading cards and I didn't have to spend any part of my 25 cent allowance to buy bubble gum cards and yes mom gave away the cards and my comic books while I was off in the Navy. I still remember the day when I got a Ted Williams card and a few years later when I got to see him play after the St Louis Browns moved to Baltimore and the Red Sox came to town. Fortunately my allowance had been raised to 50 cents by then so I could afford a left field bleacher seat to watch my hero. http://www.americanmemorabilia.com/Auction_Item.asp?Auction_ID=37670 (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Noble Riggers: 1905
... the allure of the steamers: “All day long until late at night, the Belle Isle ferries traveled up and down the river. … The fare was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/02/2018 - 2:25pm -

Detroit circa 1905. "Belle Isle ferry dock." A good place to pick up a yacht sail. The steamer Garland, seen earlier here. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Stove burnedThe giant Garland stove you remember was made of carved oak. It was moved from near Belle Isle to the state fairgrounds off 8 Mile in 1965. In 1974 it was disassembled and stored, but then was refurbished and returned to the fairgrounds in 1998. In Aug. 2011, it was struck by lightning and burned. Belle Isle from CanadaI grew up in Riverside (now Windsor) Ontario in the 1950s, and we lived on Esdras Place, just one block from the Detroit River. At the foot of Esdras there is a private park owned by the residents, and it looks directly across the river to Belle Isle. There were many kids on the block then, and that is where we learned to swim. There were picnics and parties held there though the summer. The Kodachrome photo was taken by my father in 1955, and shows residents swimming in the river, with Belle Isle on the far side. The freighter steaming past is the Ralph Budd, which had an interesting history. A sign in the 1906 photo indicates service to Bois Blanc, on June 7. It was also known as Bob-lo Island, downstream from Detroit. You can read more here. "Naming rights"existed even in 1880, when the Garland was built, reportedly the first electrically-lit vessel on the lakes. She was named for the most popular model manufactured by Detroit's Michigan Stove Company; in return, the vessel's owner, Captain John Horn, had his new craft festooned in nickle-plated decoration, courtesy of the stove manufacturer. Indeed, the odd-looking mass ahead of the funnel is an example of that handiwork, a garland with the letter "G" inside. When I was a kid a gigantic Garland stove, at least two stories tall, dominated the approach to Belle Isle at Detroit, built for Chicago's Columbian Exposition. For all I know, it's still there. The Garland endured quite awhile. Horner lost the vessel after the tragic accident involving mostly altar boys, referred to in the comments to Shorpy's original view of the ferry, when her builder, the Detroit Dry Dock Company, repossessed it. She continued in the Detroit-Sarnia service, renamed City of Sarnia in 1923, until removed from service in the early 1940s. She sank at the dock in 1945, and was dismantled in situ 1946-47. Giggle, Giggle!One can almost hear the gleeful titters of the little girls in their summer frocks and straw hats, about to embark on an exciting voyage to exotic and storied foreign climes. Well, maybe those lands are still in the US and just across the river, but when you're five or ten, opportunities like this take on exciting aspects out of all proportion to the way adults reckon these things. This is a view of the ferry dock at the foot of Woodward AvenueSure, you could travel a few miles down Jefferson Avenue and cross to the Island over a bridge, but for a dime you could cruise there in style on the Garland or its sister vessel, which began ferry service when Belle Isle opened in 1882. In their 1957 book Made in Detroit, Norman Beasley and George W. Stark describe the allure of the steamers: “All day long until late at night, the Belle Isle ferries traveled up and down the river. … The fare was ten cents, and if the passenger so chose he could ride all day long for his original dime. … In the dusk of evening, the ride back to the city was exhilarating. The lights in the scattered high towers gave dimensions to Detroit; the growing skyline gave a sense of growing importance.” Sadly, the last boat sailed in 1957. Does your mother still dress you?Can anyone fill me in on why that one boy seems to be wearing a doily on his shoulders? This is not something that I have seen before, and I am wondering if it is a common article of clothing. It occurs to me that his mother might have thrown that over his shoulders as a sort of shawl anticipating cooler temperatures out on the water. Can anyone shed any light on this for me? [Appears to be a kind of Fauntleroy suit. - tterrace] June 7, 1906?Possibly circa on or shortly before June 7, according to the displayed timetable. Can't make out what the two words to the left of "June 7" are. "Best Blues"? Bois BlancThe sign actually says "Bois Blanc" referring to another island in the Detroit River also known as Boblo Island. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Naughty & Nice: 1941
... http://insomniatheater.com/ where I can still listen all night with ear buds and my iPhone. Jughead 1.0 The lad is sporting a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/22/2018 - 11:04am -

January 1941. "Children in Midland, Pennsylvania." And now if you'll excuse us, there's the little matter of a triple-dog-dare to take care of. Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A Very Cunning HatThat'a a very cunning crenellated sailor hat. It takes a very brave kid to wear a hat like that. The Art of the DareMy pals and I were liberal users of the "double dog dare" but rarely made use of the "triple," figuring that if your friend wasn't sufficiently humiliated by the "double," one more dog wouldn't matter that much. Pardon me ...... while I go attend to Schwartz. He's got his tongue stuck to the flagpole. Nice hat (oblig.)What, when you buy a hat like this I bet you get a free bowl of soup, huh? Oh, it looks good on you though. Jean ShepherdA lot of people only know Jean Shepherd from his writing and narrating "A Christmas Story." For many years he had a nightly radio show in NYC. On Saturday nights it was live from the Limelight nightclub in Greenwich Village in front of an audience. I spent the better part of my teens listening to Shep with an earplug and my trusty 6 transistor radio. Now in the 21st century thankfully there is a website http://insomniatheater.com/ where I can still listen all night with ear buds and my iPhone. Jughead 1.0The lad is sporting a fine whoopee cap, previously seen here: https://www.shorpy.com/node/21401 Flick Livesarchive.org also has a library of Jean Shepherd radio show recordings. https://archive.org/search.php?query=jean+shepherd&page= As a teenager, I would also go to sleep listening to his show on my Heathkit multiband radio tuned to WOR on the AM band. Back then FM was for elevator music. Is that an actual whoopee cap?I don't know that I've ever seen a photo of anybody wearing one in the real world. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kids)
Corner Story: 1939
... you can't do it right, Ain't ya glad we got Saturday night? -- New Christy Minstrels Re: I Guess They Showed Up Early @jdowling23, before they start their Saturday night, they all go down to the crossroads to pay tribute to Robert Johnson. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/05/2012 - 9:37am -

October 1939. "Saturday afternoon in Clarksdale, Mississippi Delta." 35mm nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Still thereThis building is still there. Corner of Issaquena and Martin Luther King Blvd., Clarksdale. I Guess They Showed Up EarlyPut on your shoes, go downtown. Do nothing but walk around. On a Sunday or a Monday you can't do it right, Ain't ya glad we got Saturday night? -- New Christy Minstrels Re: I Guess They Showed Up Early@jdowling23, before they start their Saturday night, they all go down to the crossroads to pay tribute to Robert Johnson. Wrong Clarksdale building?I think it's a different building; the decorative brickwork is different, and the building on M.L.King only has one story. (I suppose the brick pattern could have been redone after the second floor was lopped off, but that's a lot of work for a shrinking building.) I also see at least two other structures in town with the same corner shape, so it's a common type: one is at 3rd/Issaqueena and another at 3rd/Yazoo, though neither faces the right way if this photo was really taken in afternoon. So I'm guessing this building is probably gone. (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott)
Flirty Dancing: 1943
... stockings, saving their one precious pair for weekend date night wear. One of the major cosmetics manufacturers, Max Factor, even ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/11/2017 - 10:47am -

April 1943. Washington, D.C. "Jitterbugs at an Elks Club dance, the 'cleanest dance in town'." Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size. Wartime EmploymentMy late mother worked and lived in Washington during the same time period as these Esther Bubley photos were all taken. I keep hoping I'll see her in one of them. Young Kramerteaches a young Elaine Benes to dance. 919 H Street NWThe best-known Elks Club in Washington in that era was an impressive four-story building at 919 H Street NW, pictured here in 1947. I was razed in 1982, to make room for a convention center that itself only survived for fifteen years. http://www.theruinedcapitol.com/2012/01/919-h-street-nw.html Ticket pocketNice tweed jacket with rarely seen ticket pocket. Proper length too. StockingsI was going comment that since silk was rationed, young women would draw lines on the back of their legs to simulate the seam. Viewing the full size picture shows the young lady does have hosiery, see the small rip at the left ankle. Curly HairMust have been hot, dancing in all that wool. He reminds me of a young Benedict Cumberbatch. More StockingsSilk wasn't the only material from which stockings were made. Nylons had omade their appearance before the War, although by this time were already unavailable. Rayon, on the other hand, was available in limited quantities, and women would forgo daily stocking wear during the week, or wear "cosmetic stockings" by painting their legs with a special leg makeup and drawing the seams on with either an eyebrow pencil, or a purpose-made seam pencil to simulate the presence of stockings, saving their one precious pair for weekend date night wear. One of the major cosmetics manufacturers, Max Factor, even designed and sold a special holder for the pencil, so that one woman could draw on her own seams while keeping the line fairly well centered on the back of her leg, in case she had no sisters, roommates, or friend available to help her. It was rather ingenious, as we are generally known to be, and shaped like a spur holder on a cowboy's boot, holding the pencil in the center of the arch, and the holder shaped to keep it centered on the back of the leg. (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley)
Family Road Trip: c. 1955
... so similar to the places my family would stop at for the night,way back when. Black and white TV, perhaps a pool, and little old me was ... 
 
Posted by Elizabeth Thomsen - 02/03/2011 - 6:50am -

My sister and mother and me on a family road trip in our beautiful black Nash. I loved that car, and thought it was incredibly elegant. I still do. I'm hoping that someone can identify the specific model and year of the car. The year must be around 1955, and the motel is probably in Maine, New Hampshire or Vermont, but it could also be in New York, New Jersey or Pennsylvania. Scanned from a slide taken by my father, Oseo Peter Balestracci. View full size. Nash police carsIt is a beauty, but paint the doors white on it and it could take its place with all the other Nash police cars in zillions of 1950s movies and TV shows. Nash "Twin Beds"Why rent a motel room when your car IS a motel room? Re: Car IDThanks! I think you're right. Zooming in on the original scan, it looks like the second word on the back of the car is Super. Definitely starts with an S, anyway. I don't think we have any other photographs of this car. I wish I had a complete set of photographs of family cars, complete with identification. I know my father particularly loved this car, but I don't know why, or when he bought it, or how he chose it. Nash "Twin Beds"Love the photo of the Nash as bedroom! Our parents never used the bed feature on the road, but they used to let my sister and me sleep in the car with our cousin Christine when her family came to visit. We thought that was a great treat, and stayed up late telling stories to each other. Roadside MotelsSplendid shot. Your car looks to be in great shape for being 5 years old. This motel looks so similar to the places my family would stop at for the night,way back when. Black and white TV, perhaps a pool, and little old me was good to go! We would have a nice coffee shop dinner, usually located close by to the room. Then, back to the room for some telly, a bit of reading, and then lights out. I was just jazzed to be sleeping in a different bed! If we were lucky, there was the Magic Fingers. Thanks for sharing. Car IDThat's a 1949 Nash Super, I believe. Super SpecialNo doubt it's a 1949 Nash Ambassador Super Special. Beautiful car. Pre '51 for sureThe '51 Nash still had the "bathtub" design but had small fins in which the taillights were mounted so this is a pre '51 for sure. Nice car! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Splendor in the Grass: 1942
... of the undershirt by not wearing one in It Happened One Night. Maybe he brought about the end of the swimsuit that covered the torso? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/09/2020 - 2:34pm -

July 1942. Washington, D.C. "Sunday at the edge of the municipal swimming pool." Medium format nitrate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Unhand meI had to study this to mentally attach the random idle hands to the correct arms belonging to the couple in the foreground. It was a challenge; at first I thought they'd brought Thing Addams along just for kicks and giggles. Going ToplessIt seems to me that until the mid-1930s, men's swimwear usually covered the upper torso. By 1940, as this photograph shows, swimming trunks had mostly replaced the old-fashioned suits. Why did the fashion change so suddenly? Bathing suitsI remember reading that Clark Gable brought about the end of the undershirt by not wearing one in It Happened One Night. Maybe he brought about the end of the swimsuit that covered the torso? Or maybe it was the war effort, saving on the cost of fabric. Women's skirts shortened appreciably between the thirties and forties, too (as they did pre- and post WWI.) Re: UnhandMy very thoughts, too. Or it seems as though he has two left hands. He must have tucked the Thing hand underneath himself to avoid the head of smoking lady close to him on the far side. I know if I contort myself into such a position while sleeping, I wake up with massive pins and needles in that arm. WarWhat war? What a faceShe's so young and sweet and happy it hurts my heart a little. Her affectionate boyfriend looks older -- perhaps he was in the service. She looks like she'd gladly stay right there with him forever. Earlier styleWhile this is 1930 and Canadian, men's sleeves and covered legs have already vanished. (The Gallery, D.C., Marjory Collins, Swimming)
Chicopee: 1911
... in WWII. Then & Now I wonder how many hours a night these kids spend chatting on the internet. Stanley Twarog I wonder ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/29/2008 - 9:06am -

November 1911. Chicopee, Massachusetts. "Group of workers in Dwight Manufacturing Co. Stanley Twarog, one of the smallest boys, 81 Park Street. Works in spinning room. Tony Soccha, shortest boy in front, overalls. Very young, 65 Exchange Street. A bobbin boy in Room 7; has been there a year." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Close to home!I honestly never expected to see a Western Massachusetts picture on Shorpy, let alone Chicopee! (I'm not sure why I thought that.) I live about 1½ miles from that Park Street location. I'm going to have to drive by to see if the building is still there. I just spent the last hourI just spent the last hour reading about the fight between the advocates of child labor laws and the Dwight Manufacturing Company. Thanks, Shorpy, for frequently sparking my intellectual curiosity. (Dave: Do you have any photos of Braddock, Pa in the 1920's or so?) Look Up And SmileNow this bunch, even though they're looking into the sun, don't appear that unhappy. In fact they look like they're really having a good time. Stanley Michael TwarogStanley Michael Twarog lived at 64 Cross Street, Chicopee, in 1910, with his father Michael and his mother Francis along with three siblings. In 1920 he lived at 40 Gilmore Street, with the same family members. He was born May 5 or 11, 1896, in Chicopee. In 1930 he is listed on the census at 246 Bradford Street, Pittsfield, Berkshire County, married to Anna, with three children: Stanley, 4 years 8 months; Evelyn, 2 years 11 months; and Eugene, 1 year 1 month. Stanley Junior, PFC USMCR, was wounded in action in WWII. Then & NowI wonder how many hours a night these kids spend chatting on the internet. Stanley TwarogI wonder if little Stanley there ever thought his great-grandson would be a senior partner in one of Boston's most notable law firms. I wonder what happened to Tony Soccha. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Matzo Bowl: 1926
... bowler per game - 2 teams, 5 man each 3 games = $3.00 a night. I learned quickly how to keep score and moved up and out of the pits. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2017 - 11:12am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1926. "Jewish Community Center bowling alley." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Alley waxNowadays it's hard to be really bad at bowling as the modern waxes really help mediocre out. These alleys don't look to have any wax on them at all. I bet there were a lot of low scores counted at the JCC. Duck Pins!That's all I ever saw when growing up overseas in the '50s. Wasn't until I got to the US that I ever saw big pins. We up Northuse the same alley and same size pin only we use five pins, strangely enough it's called Five Pin Bowling. Pin boysMy first job ever was being a pin boy; hiding behind a small wooden piece between lanes, pressing a foot pedal to set pins and giving the ball a good push to get back to the bowlers. $.10 per bowler per game - 2 teams, 5 man each 3 games = $3.00 a night. I learned quickly how to keep score and moved up and out of the pits. Reminds Me of Pin settingPins were bigger, but it looks like the bowling alley where I used to set pins. You had to lift the bar and get your feet up out the way fast or you would get nailed by flying pins! Canadian InventionEverything you need to know about 5-pin bowling is here and here. Teenagers in Vancouver into the 1970s worked part time in a few bowling alleys as "pin setters", before automatic equipment arrived. I met someone who did this job, and he described it as very noisy and dangerous. Alive and wellDuckpins still thriving in my native RI, see link: http://www.ridba.net/ Duckpins!Much more fun than their ten-pin cousins, and they require considerably more skill. But they're getting hard to find, even in the mid-Atlantic states where they were once popular. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports)
Overpass Moderne: 1941
... Thanks to the comment by dongeeguy, which I read last night when I looked at the picture, I recognized this beautiful bridge when we ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/03/2019 - 2:57pm -

July 1941. "Merritt Parkway to New Haven, Connecticut." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Merritt MemoriesMy GPS took me down the Merritt early one morning on the way to pick up the ferry at Bridgeport. It was an unexpectedly enjoyable drive, and I could tell that the road had been carefully designed. Thanks for the background on the bridges. IIRC, there's also a short tunnel. LocationLooks like the Morehouse Drive bridge just east of Exit 44, looking east. 1940 ChevroletFour-door sedan in the lead. Cool driverShoulder to the door and two hands at noon and noon. Bet they all had "duckbutt" hairdos, if guys ever called it a "hairdo". BridgeworkThere were, originally, 69 bridges on the Merritt Parkway, each of them distinctly different and commonly fascinating to see. They were all designed by one George L. Dunkelberger, an astonishing accomplishment. Amazingly, also, 66 of them yet survive! Driving the Merritt is a unique experience, not to be missed, when you are in the area! Dongeeguy is right. Time in New EnglandThanks to the comment by dongeeguy, which I read last night when I looked at the picture, I recognized this beautiful bridge when we passed under it this evening on our way from Boston to Philadelphia. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, M.P. Wolcott)
Hotel Fire: 1963
... about the fire highlighted one group of hotel guests that night - adults and children in the tour company for "The Sound of Music" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2015 - 12:09pm -

"Sherry Biltmore fire, Boston, 1963." Aftermath of the five-alarm blaze that killed four on March 29, 1963. 35mm negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Eight O'Clock Coffeeis still around, although the name was bought by another company. I shopped at A&P. It was a "Great" place. "La fille aux yeux d'or"Is that theater called the Fenway? It must have been an "Art House" cinema, as it was showing a rather obscure French film from 1961. Do-re-mi-FIRE!-so-la-ti-doThe initial newspaper stories about the fire highlighted one group of hotel guests that night - adults and children in the tour company for "The Sound of Music" (starring Barbara Meister as Maria). One week later, UPI reported that an 8-year-old son of an actress in the touring company and a Viennese opera singer had been accused of setting the fatal fire while playing with matches. The April 6, 1963 account added that "in recent months there have been fires in other hotels where the cast stayed in Minneapolis and Baltimore." '56 DeSotoThat tailfinned beauty in front of J.J. Newberry is a 1956 DeSoto. My late father had one during my childhood. It was our first experience with power windows and pushbutton gears. They shoulda "Biltmore" like it.Because it's still standing. Plaid StampsOn the eve of the demise of The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company, it is pleasantly nostalgic to be reminded of The A&P's Plaid Stamps trading stamps. My mother collected both Plaid Stamps from the A&P and Blue Stamps from the Grand Union. I can remember helping her to paste them into the redemption booklets. There was a walk-in redemption center for the Blue Stamps at the county seat. Perhaps some other Shorpy contributor can remind me of how the Plaid Stamps were redeemed. I can hardly believe that the A&P has come to the end of the road. Will Jane Parker. Ann Page and Sultana find employment elsewhere, or will they go into retirement? (The Gallery, Boston, Fires, Floods etc., Found Photos, Stores & Markets)
Trip Advisor: 1902
... The latter part of the Ocklawaha journey is made at night, and it is then that the river is seen most impressively after a fire of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2011 - 11:12am -

1902. "Mr. Foster's office in Palm Beach." An outpost of the Ask Mr. Foster chain of travel agencies and souvenir shops started in Florida by Ward Foster in the 1880s. 8x10 glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. Ocklawaha?Where the heck is Ocklawaha? I might buy a ticket just to find out. [It is both a town and a river. - Dave] Philip Morris ain't hereAt first glance, I thought the boy was dressed in a red bellhop uniform like those who used to page people with phone messages at hotels i.e. "Call for Philip Morris!" but on closer inspection he seems to be a messenger or junior assistant of some sort. Also, just think, 109 years ago, somebody cut some lily of the valley out of their garden in the morning and put them in a water glass on their desk and still today they convey the beauty and fragrance of nature, my mom's favorite flower. The posters, postcards, travel photos, etc. pictured would today get you on TV in the Antiques Roadshow and be worth a hefty sum too. Carry on. A room loaded with Shorpy fruitLook at those walls full of photos and those stacks of big brochures (or whatever travel agencies used then). One of the eye catchers for sure is the Ocklawaha Steamer Tickets sign (part of one was used for a window sign of some kind). A photo like this is why Google was invented, sort of, where I found some marvelous prose: St. Johns and Ocklawaha Rivers (Highways and Byways of Florida, 1918) Palatka is the starting-point of the Ocklawaha steamers. They go south twenty-five miles, then turn west and enter the old forests of the "dark crooked water," which is what the name of the stream means in English. The journey ends at Silver Springs, one hundred and ten miles farther on. Enthusiasts call the Ocklawaha "the sweetest water-lane in the world," and the voyage through this liquid silent forest aisle is full of weird interest. Certainly no trip to Florida is complete which does not include an outing on this romantic stream with its ever-changing scenes and its tonic air laden with the balsamic odors of the forest. The latter part of the Ocklawaha journey is made at night, and it is then that the river is seen most impressively after a fire of pine knots has been kindled in a big iron box on the top of the pilot-house. This blazes finely, and the light from the resinous yellow flames advances up the dark sinuosities of the stream in a manner that is enchantingly mysterious. The foliage which it touches is magically green, the festooning mosses are transformed to silvered garlands, the tree trunks turn to corrugated gold, and the black slimy stumps become jeweled pillars. When the fire dies down a little the distant scenery becomes indistinct and shadowy, and the great trees are pallid and ghostly. Then fresh knots are thrown in, the fire blazes up, and again the winding forest walls are brightly lighted amid the impenetrable surrounding mirk, while everything is reflected in the smooth water. Ocklawaha and Silver RiversAs a photographer I wish I could go back in time and visit this place. I live near the Ocklawaha and Silver Rivers. They haven't changed much since the old days. Here is the Ocklawaha River today. Here's the Silver River which starts at Silver Spring and flows into the Ocklawaha. I fell in love with these rivers about 12 years ago and started photographing the flora and fauna. There is a high concentration of wildlife on these two rivers including rhesus monkeys which in itself is an interesting story as to how they got there. Even with the small boat sometimes it's hard to get through. After a big storm there's always trees blocking the rivers and in the old days they must have had a crew working full time to keep the waterway clear. [One would be hard pressed to tell them apart. - Dave] Hand Painted Art for sale Ah, hand coloring a black and white photograph. That is a lost art these days. Very few, if any photographers have the time or patience to sit down with a picture and a large box of watercolor type paints with which to hand color a photograph. I used to do hand spotting of photos and that was hard enough matching the gray-tones to the photo. Now it is all computerized as displayed on Shorpy.com. We have some artists who excel at digitally colorizing photographs, such as Don W. Timeshift"Hedonism? Well! Certainly not, Sir!" (The Gallery, Florida, The Office, W.H. Jackson)
Kodachrome Crowd: 1952
... until 67-ish, the yellow was biggest and held the Friday night popcorn snack for mom, my brother and I. Pops was busy smoking and watching Friday night fights sponsored by Gillette in glorious 21" of black and white on the ... 
 
Posted by Vintagetvs - 12/06/2016 - 7:44pm -

Everybody in the colorful kitchen has come through the door to join the rest of the gang in the more subdued dining room. Other shots indicate this was a going-away party for a son who had joined the Navy and was leaving for the East Coast. Pyrex fans will note the missing yellow bowl. View full size. Gadzooks!Look at angry boot boy, he and his sister look fit to be tied. Everyone else is happy to be there -- even the ghost Grandma mustered up a faint smile. OopsI was close, but no cigar. Those were sandwiches being made in yesterday's picture, but not pinwheels. Just crust trimmed finger sandwiches. Maybe that's why the two kids on the left are so upset... they wanted pinwheels. LOL. A family affairLooks like three sets of parents here, and the women are all the siblings, based on resemblance to each other. It's fun trying to match the kids to their parents - I can't figure out who Brother and Sister Crosspatch in the front row belong to, though. It's funny, the yellow Pyrex bowl was the only one I had for a long time - I found it in a cabinet in an apartment I moved into many years ago. The previous tenants must have left it behind. Now I've amassed a rather large collection. Rebel with a causeThe grumpy boy on the left of the bench seems disgruntled and stubbornly refused to smile. One of my sons also used to take on a similar persona if he was uncomfortable in his clothing, most especially his pants if they didn't fit perfectly, and his footwear. This kid seems annoyed with both those items also. In many of our family pictures he shows the same kind of annoyance, so similar to this boy that it made me laugh. Pyrex BowlsUsually 4 bowls in the set. I remember blue, orange, green and yellow-yellow being biggest. Mom still had these until 67-ish, the yellow was biggest and held the Friday night popcorn snack for mom, my brother and I. Pops was busy smoking and watching Friday night fights sponsored by Gillette in glorious 21" of black and white on the old Zenith. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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