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The Crucible: 1920
... Uranium? Well yes, I did notice my hands glowing last night. Do I plan on having children someday? Yes, why do you ask? Who is my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 2:42pm -

Circa 1920. "Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior, Washington." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. DatingGood thing there's a date for this, albeit approximate. You could Fark that guy out and stick him in a 1950s, even up to mid-1960s shot and nobody'd notice. [I just found an exterior shot from the batch of photos showing cars with 1920 license plates, so I've changed "circa 1910-1915" to 1920. - Dave] Why is it glowing?"What did you say this stuff is called Dr. Oppenhiemer? Uranium? Well yes, I did notice my hands glowing last night. Do I plan on having children someday? Yes, why do you ask? Who is my next of kin?" Lab TestThe same Corning ceramic crucibles. The same basic oven, though I don't remember the brand. The same tongs. This could be a quality control laboratory at Tennessee Eastman in the late 1950's when I started work there. We used this equipment to determine percent ash on photographic chemicals and other chemicals from production. We had learned to wear gloves and protective glasses by then. MarshmallowsWhen I first glanced at the photo, I thought the guy was toasting marshmallows. The Hot MetallurgistI could positively eat this young man with a spoon. [Or maybe a shovel. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Mining)
Nicollet Avenue: 1904
... Department store, which burned down on Thanksgiving night 1982. Arson suspected. Donaldson's Dome I believe they had a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2017 - 6:41am -

Circa 1904. "Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. New facades on old department storesLike the old Donaldson's building, the building one block further north on Nicollet (between Sixth and Fifth Streets) survived until the 1980s. According to a 2013 City of Minneapolis Community Planning and Economic Development staff report, that building was constructed in 1890. The occupant in 1912 was the Minneapolis Dry Goods Company. In 1934 the tenant was the Leader Department Store. A 1944 map identifies the occupant as The Baker Company Department Store. J.C. Penney occupied the building from approximately 1955 through 1989. By then, its windows had long been covered by a long wall of modernist dark stone. It was demolished in 1991 to make way for a mixed-use development (that included a Nieman Marcus store that did not endure). Donaldson's Glass BlockThe building to the right, with the dome on the Sixth Street corner, is the old Donaldson's Department store, which burned down on Thanksgiving night 1982. Arson suspected. Donaldson's DomeI believe they had a roof garden up there by the dome, which was dismantled during WWII for the scrap metal. Boarded windowsDoes anyone know why the Donaldson's Department store building at right has so many boarded up windows? Must be a story behind this. Also what was the big dome atop it used for? (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Horses, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Naked Truck: 1919
... not jammed on tight, it might take flight, but driving at night must have been difficult by kerosene light. But each wheel spoke has ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2017 - 1:49pm -

San Francisco circa 1919. "Sandow motor truck." Latest entry on the Shorpy List of Lapsed Lorries. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Seatbelts ON! Just think, this truck has solid rubber tires, providing no cushioning that pneumatic tires would provide, has no shock absorbers to speak of, and no seat belt. The beefy leaf springs don't look as if they would flex much on each pothole. The only cushioned thing is the horsehair he's sitting on. The driver must have had to hang onto the steering wheel to stay seated. Lacking a windshield, if that bowler is not jammed on tight, it might take flight, but driving at night must have been difficult by kerosene light. But each wheel spoke has pinstripes. GreatRadiator; very distinctive and memorable. Regarding windshields and such, sure most of those items would be part of the final vehicle design as specified by purchaser. BTW, wonder if Sandow was the same strongman featured by Flo Ziegfeld and depicted in the movie The Great Ziegfeld. Probably so, interesting factoid. Pretty awesomeThere is virtually no information extant these days on this Sandow truck, which is a pity. The rear suspension is very advanced for the time, and better than what you get on a five-ton truck today! The springs are not required to do anything but be springs. Location of the axle fore and aft is by huge trailing arms, and a Panhard rod locates it laterally. The usual arrangement is for the leaf springs to do both as on brand new Ford and Chevy pickups and medium duty Navistars, and it isn't elegant mechanically. The rear axle itself is a worm drive from an outside supplier, quite common at the time. Nice photograph by Helin, the Hearst motoring and travel writer from 1915 to 1929, who seems to have done quite well for himself. http://yosemiteblog.com/2011/03/28/a-look-back-at-yesteryears/ PinstripesNo greasy t-shirt for this truckie! (Yes, I realize it's a publicity shot, and he's probably the regional sales manager, trying to look like he's doing real work) A Strong NameProbably named after Eugen Sandow (1867-1925), the pioneering German bodybuilder and legendary strongman. [That would be an excellent guess. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Crowded House: 1940
... there would always be a bed or two to spare. Maybe three night shift workers and three days? Did Mrs. Jones supply ear plugs? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/06/2020 - 3:11pm -

December 1940. Radford, Virginia. "Construction workers in room at Mrs. Jones's boardinghouse. Six men live in this room. Three beds, pay eight to ten dollars a week rent. Most of them have families they left behind in Bluefield, West Virginia; Bristol, Tennessee; or High Point, North Carolina. They are carpenters, carpenters' assistants, riggers and laborers. They make sixty cents to $1.25 per hour." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. So ...Two to a bed? Cozy. ShiftyI imagine they worked different shifts, so there would always be a bed or two to spare. Maybe three night shift workers and three days? Did Mrs. Jones supply ear plugs?Lots of snoring going on I bet. Laurel and Hardy always slept two to a bed. In the movie versionThe role of the blond gentleman on the right will be played by Tab Hunter. Looking for your belt?If the guy on the right, the one with his thumb in the belt loop, is looking for his belt, it's hanging on the bed of the guy on the left. She works hard for the moneyEighteen boarders (from the previous posting) x $9/week average rent x 52 weeks = $8,424 a year gross at full occupancy. Lots of overhead, but Mrs. J. probably did OK. She likely earned every penny. (The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Name That Airfield!
... on the roof in your photo. From what I read online last night, the building was covered in ugly concrete panels in the early 1960's so ... 
 
Posted by Jim Page - 09/28/2012 - 8:05pm -

My dad had a new Piper Super Cub fitted with pontoons and this may be where he had it done. This slide would have probably been taken in mid-1957. Can anyone identify this place? I'd love to know where it is; that's a nice-looking building. I have a couple of other photos taken here but they show planes and probably wouldn't help identify the locale. I apologize for the terrible focus; I was in the first grade when I took this and was nervous using my dad's camera (Kodak Signet 80, for you camera buffs!). View full size. More Info!Thanks, Cerrito68; that makes sense! We were living then in Pascagoula, Mississippi. The only other picture I have is here. My dad would usually fly around the Gulf Coast area as far west as Sabine Pass, Texas, and as far wast as Fernandina Beach, Florida, so the location is probably in between those points somewhere. Thanks again! More info pleaseWhere did you live when the photo was taken? Do you know if this is in the eastern or western US? Southern? The other photos would help identify the airport. It could be the New Orleans Lakefront AirportAlso know as the Shushan Airport. The photos I found online show the same Art Deco detailing. Possibly From Same AirfieldThis photo, showing two fellows working on the rear end of a PBY, may also be from the same airfield; they were from the same batch of slides. --Jim Tail NumbersIf any of your shots have tail numbers, you might be able to do some detective work. Also, if you post the photo of the building on some aviation websites, you might get an answer. Luscombe....The Taildragger parked in the grass on the right side of the image is a Luscombe 8(A or maybe an E) with metal wings. They could have either metal or fabric wings. This particular one has a single wing strut which indicates that it had metal wings. I owned a 1947 Luscombe 8A for many years, but mine had fabric wings and two struts that formed a "V" where it connected to the fuselage. Here is a photo of mine... Amazing Eyes You (Two) Have!justhappy's New Orleans identification makes perfect sense to me. That building looks just like the one in the photo, especially if there's another wing of the building out of sight in my photo. Thank you! My dad later started flying out of Houma, Lousiana, and I have a couple of photos taken at that airport. And bobstothfang: Thanks for IDing that plane. Your Luscombe is beautiful. Love that paint job! Another wingJim, if you do a Google image search you'll find the building has another wing and you can even find a photo that shows the same metal tower structure seen to the right on the roof in your photo. From what I read online last night, the building was covered in ugly concrete panels in the early 1960's so it could be used as a bomb shelter during the cold war period of the Cuban Missile crisis. The building was damaged during Hurricane Katrina, but they thankfully started returning it to it's former glory in 2010. It was used as a filming location posing as the Ferris Aircraft Headquarters in the Green Lantern movie. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Typewriter Geek: 1922
... 17 years old, working in the pension office and attending night school. He lived at 509 F street NE and attended both Carberry and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 8:16pm -

Feb. 7, 1922. "Hobart Reese." Whose talent seems to have been an ability to type Abraham Lincoln the hard way. National Photo glass negative. View full size. Old SchoolI always wondered how they did that ASCII art Born Too SoonThis is so cool. He would have loved having a PC at work. Quite well executed regarding the yearHobart must have spent some considerable time creating that gem. On the other hand, the splendid filing cabinet might contain many more examples of Hobart's creative art. It would be nice to think that he kept his creations safe, and that this example, at least, survives and is currently sandwiched between the pages of a friend's, or family member's, book. I believe it would qualify as art, unlike a creation today, using a computer program to render a picture into text symbols. Coat PocketI've never seen a side coat pocket shaped that way. Way custom tailored. Not sure at all the picture was done on a typewriter. He may be just typing a label. [Typewriter art dates back to at least the 1890s. - tterrace] The typewriterIt's a Monarch visible from around 1914 or 1915. Nice and heavy machines! Cousin JollyHobart M. Reese (aka "Cousin Jolly") was a contributor of both letters and artwork to Aunt Anna's children's column and drawing contests in the Washington Post. In 1914 he is listed as 17 years old, working in the pension office and attending night school. He lived at 509 F street NE and attended both Carberry and Peabody School on Capitol Hill. (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
All You Can Eat: 1894
... in the South … The Royal Poinciana at night is the centre of the show. Evening dress is de rigueur for dinner. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/02/2015 - 6:02pm -

Palm Beach, 1894. "Dining room, Hotel Royal Poinciana." At the time, Henry Flagler's giant hotel was the largest building in Florida. 8x10 inch glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Very nice.Imagine going there for a great meal, then smoking a Havana cigar after the repast. What a beautiful sightThose rooms must have been in the evening with those gas chandeliers glowing! 2,000 guests Could be accommodated at this hotel. It was the largest wooden structure in the world before being razed during the Depression. Jewel Encrusted Dining Harper’s Weekly, January 24, 1903. A Show Resort in the South … The Royal Poinciana at night is the centre of the show. Evening dress is de rigueur for dinner. There is immense wealth (if not always refinement) shown in the costumes and jewels of the women at dinner, and when it is borne in mind that over a thousand people easily can be seated in the Poinciana dining-room, the brilliancy of the scene can be imagined. Palm Beach is a show-place in more senses than one. After dinner the display continues in the parlors and on the broad verandas. Some women, whose bank accounts are more flourishing than their family trees, literally seem to stagger under the weight of their jewels. … (The Gallery, DPC, Eateries & Bars, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Plugged In: 1941
... many lifetimes. Too Many Cables For Me In 1968, the night manager at the Cove Inn in Naples, Florida, had the insane idea of having ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2020 - 7:47pm -

December 1941. "Telephone operators at Aberdeen proving grounds. They live in dormitory for defense workers. Aberdeen, Maryland." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. As Lily Tomlin once said Here at the phone company, we serve everyone from presidents and kings, right on down to the scum of the earth. ReplacedThese women are switching phone connections, now done by something you can't see without a microscope (unpackaged IC) and switching more calls in a second then could be done using the method in the photo in many lifetimes. Too Many Cables For MeIn 1968, the night manager at the Cove Inn in Naples, Florida, had the insane idea of having me handle the switchboard while he ran an errand. I was a newbie bellhop and he gave me no instruction at all. I freaked when I saw that contraption and tried to handle a couple of calls when the lights blinked, but decided the only rational thing to do was nothing. So that's what I did until he returned. Anyone else remember:NumBA paalleezze? Easier Than It LooksI was a telephone operator for Bell South in the mid '70s. I was straight out of high school and it was a good job. The switchboards were exactly the same as these except we had modern headpieces that looped over one ear and a skinny plastic mouthpiece. It was not nearly as complicated as it looks and I could work two switchboards at once. Then a couple of years later, the phone company switched over to their new computer terminals. I HATED the new terminals and soon quit. I enjoyed the old style switchboards much more. Little did we all know how soon the operator job would become all but obsolete with advances in technology. So I'm glad I moved on to a job in an industry that is always needed. If you're ever in Seattle on a Sunday...There's a museum full of this stuff near the airport. https://www.telcomhistory.org/connections-museum-seattle/ My son and I spent a fascinating morning there recently (of course, it's closed now, due to coronavirus). Very hands on and it's run as a tour with a guide who answers questions, demos the equipment and lets you try your hand. If you're an obsolete technology geek, it's well worth the visit. (Technology, The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Cornerman: 1943
... protection from unexpected rain (which frequently falls at night when cooler airs are more commonplace) allowing our airman to sleep as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/04/2016 - 7:02pm -

July 1943. Greenville, South Carolina. "Air Service Command. Enlisted man of the 25th Service Group relaxing in his hutment." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. "Squared Away"That young Airman has his corner of the hut neat & tidy, or as they say in the Military "squared away". One thing that surprises me is that he appears to have 4 pairs of shoes. I wouldn't have thought they would have had that many pair in those days. America's "Greatest Generation", not many of them left these days. God bless them all. Two WordsPalmetto Bugs. My dad was stationed in the South at one point during WWII - the Palmetto Bugs were legendary. About Those ShoesOur airman is wearing a pair of Brogans, an ankle high boot that was regular issue to Army personnel at the time. He also has a standard pair of boots under his bunk on the left, along with a standard pair of Army issue low quarter shoes (on the right). In the middle is a pair of shoes only Air Corps members were allowed to wear, wing tips! Like all low quarter shoes, they were only worn with the Class A uniform or any other off post, non-combat uniform combination. Palmetto bugs?The south's euphemism for giant freaking cockroaches, and plenty of them! The windowsI find the configuration of the two open windows very intriguing, never having seen this kind of window opening before. I must presume that the slot & pin arrangement allows the window to be the most fully open for maximum airflow yet still giving some protection from unexpected rain (which frequently falls at night when cooler airs are more commonplace) allowing our airman to sleep as peacefully as possible. Very nice, great photo. BTW - are those two little glue pots on the shelf? [I think you're right. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Jack Delano, WW2)
Leif the Discoverer: 1899
... came. "Where are my matelots? They were with me last night when I opened the celebratory wine barrel. I just checked and this sea ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2018 - 3:59pm -

LEIF THE DISCOVERER SON OF ERIK WHO SAILED FROM ICELAND AND LANDED ON THIS CONTINENT A.D. 1000 The shores of Lake Michigan circa 1899. "Leif Erikson statue, Milwaukee, Wisconsin." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Born and raised in IcelandWe didn't exactly skip through Leifur when I began my school years (Reykjavík, 1930s), but they should have told us about that early miniskirt! Viking breastplatesDid Leif wear breastplates like that? Really? Hmph. Ho ho hoHe looks a little like the Jolly Green Giant. Hello Sailor!Leif must have been popular with the crew during long sea voyages. Now you knowwhy sailors call each other "mate." "What happened?" Leif cried.Shading his eyes from the burning sun, he gazed back to whence he thought he came. "Where are my matelots? They were with me last night when I opened the celebratory wine barrel. I just checked and this sea behind me is fresh water!" The actual location of the subsequent Norse settlement where Leif first bounded ashore in North America is in Newfoundland, some 2500 miles east and now both a Canadian National Historic Site and UNESCO World Heritage Site: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/L%27Anse_aux_Meadows Quite what the citizens who erected this statue in this inappropriate spot were thinking may well have been influenced by copious drafts of Milwaukee's most famous product. Leif's Roman tunic instead of reindeer skins from head to foot, the Gillette-smooth shave instead of full beard and especially those snappy shoes and socks are mere further indications that excessive alcohol consumption can lead to strange outcomes. Ahem. It's about the kind of surprise that astonished first-time visitors to some small town may experience - something like a giant billboard proclaiming "Home of the World's Most Famous Hot Dog!" (The Gallery, DPC, Milwaukee)
Grand Hotel: 1908
... have cost s pretty penny. Would love to see this sign at night all lit up. Oculus windows Found this pic on the LOC website, it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2014 - 4:07pm -

New York in 1908. "Hotel Astor, Times Square." Note the fancy roof garden. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I found my room!But by the Summer of '65, it had no awning any more. Two years later, it had no walls, floor, or ceiling either. Interesting juxtapositionUnited Cigars, just a few doors down from Churchill's. Oculus WindowsInto what sort of interior space did that row of oculus ("eyeball") windows admit light and air? Perhaps a ballroom? Note that some of the other buildings in the background have oculus windows, but these are single windows, not a long row. Certainly a nice collection of brass-era automobiles on the street. A Pretty Penny!Just look at the size of the Budweiser sign to the right rear of the photo. Even for 1908, the cost to build and erect such a sign must have cost s pretty penny. Would love to see this sign at night all lit up. Oculus windowsFound this pic on the LOC website, it appears to be the top floor banquet room. The round windows appear to be covered in this photo. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
Lights Up: 1929
... Where illumination seems to be the order of the day (or night). 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Shocking? This is very ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2017 - 9:18am -

San Francisco circa 1929. "Dodge Brothers truck at City Hall." Where illumination seems to be the order of the day (or night). 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Shocking?This is very odd - why would there be three enormous, ugly, high-tension electrical towers on the lawn of the City hall? Just to provide lighting of the building? Moreover they don't seem to be connected to anything, or even to each other! [Temporary lighting for an event held in the City Hall plaza. -tterrace] Why we have OSHAWe have a guy with no "personal protective equipment" climbing a (metal) ladder (injury lawyers love ladder manufacturers) towards 12kV while the ladder is mounted on a bouncy truck with no stabilizers. Yikes! [The ladder is wood. - Dave] OK, that's a little better, but still...Yikes. Another fine productof the Dodge Light Truck Division. No change in 88 yearsI like to see how things changed over the years but the bell string wire insulators of 1929 look just like the bell string insulators of today. It's all in your perspectiveThe natty vested ladder climber is nowhere near the tower. To get to the tower from his truck, you'd have to cross the sidewalk, go over a low wall, across another walk, then past the woman on the park bench and finally into the shrubbery. It's a camera lens depth of field effect. It looks as though ladderman is actually going to inspect the ordinary streetlight. [What he's really doing is promoting Dodge Brothers trucks. The Helin glass negatives are not documentary photography; they're publicity photos. - Dave] That said, as someone who worked for a major electric utility for two decades, if city hall called us up and asked for the loan of three or more spare 115kV transmission line towers, double-circuited ones at that complete with pre-installed insulators, to just act as temporary spotlight stands, we'd have laughed our heads off. Then quoted a big price if they were insistent. Those things would have to be assembled and taken down fairly painstakingly. Typically 70 or 80 feet tall, you don't just load 'em on a flatbed and truck 'em on over. They'd be bent up and dinged lying flat. Although, judging by the lack of safety standards they might have done just that given a long enough truck. Crazy. Amazing somebody didn't figure out a cheaper way to build temporary lighting platforms more appropriate to the task. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Klein's in Biloxi
... 20 years. At the height of the postwar boom, Saturday night couples out on the town would line up on the sidewalk waiting for a table ... vacationing families and personalities. One summer night, veteran actor (and original voice of Frosty the Snowman) Billy de Wolfe ... 
 
Posted by FredKlein - 06/25/2008 - 10:17pm -

Opening week, 1943: Klein's Restaurant was one of the most popular spots in Biloxi, Mississippi - and remained so for the next 20 years. At the height of the postwar boom, Saturday night couples out on the town would line up on the sidewalk waiting for a table or booth – no reservations – It was strictly first come, first served. Klein's was also the first restaurant in town featuring air conditioning - a blessed relief on those sultry Summer Gulf Coast nights. The art deco styling, glass brick and stainless steel trimmed restaurant attracted locals, vacationing families and personalities. One summer night, veteran actor (and original voice of Frosty the Snowman) Billy de Wolfe stopped by. Unfortunately, it was after 10 p.m. and the place was closed for the evening! Yes, Biloxi was one of those small towns that "rolled up the sidewalks" after dark! In another 30 years, the adjoining bakery and delicatessen were demolished to make way for a new Federal Courthouse. Ironically, today that same Courthouse is empty and derelict! Fiesta at the FiestaKnew Biloxi and the Mississippi Gulf Coast pretty well in the mid 80s when I stayed in Pass Christian to restore an old house on the beach for the Historical Register – during summer break. An 1880s era house that survived many hurricanes. It’s all gone now thanks to Katrina. Recalling a few hot spots in Biloxi like the Fiesta, fondly… their theme was “Fiesta at the Fiesta”. Too bad Klein's passed before then, would have loved to eat there. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Mr. Peanut: 1943
... and newspaper for when thing got slow to the lantern for night visibility and a bag of peanuts waiting to be roasted. I also see a broom ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/21/2017 - 7:08am -

April 1943. "Baltimore, Maryland -- peanut stand." Medium format nitrate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. A day in the life of a peanut vendor.A very interesting picture of how things were. It shows all the little things needed to make it through the day. From the box of wood scraps for the roaster to the chair and newspaper for when thing got slow to the lantern for night visibility and a bag of peanuts waiting to be roasted. I also see a broom for keeping the area clean and the city off his back. Modifications appear to have been done as he found scraps of wood. SpeakersI wonder what was the purpose of the array of speakers mounted high on the utility pole on the corner. Wartime public address system? Air raid signal? Location, Location, LocationThe photo was taken on the North East corner of the intersection of E. Baltimore St. & Holliday St. Much has changed. But the tall building on the left in the photo still stands. Re: SpeakersI seem to recall speakers like that in 'B' movies of the 1950s, being used to warn the public to take cover from the Space Aliens or Mutant Critter. So probably they did originally have some Civil Defense function. Hey Get Your Hot NutsBaltimore and Peanuts have a history with me. I'm a Baltimore native who as a young child (1950's) would go with my mother as she paid our utility bill at the Baltimore Gas and Electric Company Building at 39 West Lexington Street. The highlight for me was that this little patch of Charm City was also occupied by a Planter's Peanut Man in full peanut costume who gave away peanuts. It didn't even matter to him if you came back for seconds or thirds which I always did and of course I had Mom get a handful too. There was handicapped man one would see at various places downtown who was a veteran of WWII who traveled on a skate board with his legs under him and sold 5 cent bags of peanuts. Another place to visit and enjoy the great smell that made your mouth water was the Geppi roasted peanut stand in the Lexington Market. And last but not least was the peanut vendor who stood near Blaze Starr's Two O'Clock Club on the infamous Baltimore Strip selling his peanuts with a sing song ditty .. " Hey get your hot nuts. Get'em from the peanut man." (The Gallery, Baltimore, Marjory Collins)
Washington Noir: 1926
"Pennsylvania Avenue at night." A wintry Washington, D.C., scene circa 1926. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:14pm -

"Pennsylvania Avenue at night." A wintry Washington, D.C., scene circa 1926. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Creme de la CreamVelvet Kind was involved in a trademark dispute between Chapin-Sacks Manufacturing and Hendler Creamery. Chapin-Sacks is likely the owner of this electric sign. They had the Washington market. Hendler was out of Baltimore, and took up the "Velvet" name and much of the product identification, but in Maryland. Once Chapin-Sacks expanded out from D.C., the lawsuits flew. Wallpaper NoirThis is another of the "Shorp" shots that I am putting in my wallpaper rotation. I would be curious about how many people around the world have distinctive wallpapers due to your hard work Dave? I thank you once again. The Willard's fraternal twin The tall building on the north side of Pennsylvania is the Hotel Raleigh, which along with the Willard Hotel (behind the camera) was designed by Henry J. Hardenbergh. Built in 1911 and demolished in 1964, it must have been caught up in the JFK-initiated renewal of the Avenue. It's one more reason why I wish the historic preservation movement had arrived a decade or so earlier. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Kentucky Tavern: 1940
... stripes. I cannot picture going down this road on a dark night, especially with a such a distinct lack of streetlights. (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/07/2019 - 7:17pm -

August 1940. "Tom Moore distillery near Bardstown, Kentucky." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. No food, no gasThe Tom Moore distillery was bought in 1944 by the Barton Group, and this is now the Barton 1792 distillery. Bard's Tavern expanded, got a brick veneer, and became the Hilltop Inn, but you can still see the original roof line and windows on the end. The Hilltop Inn closed a few years ago when the owners retired. Cars and StripesThe road markings seen here might puzzle modern-day drivers, due to the use of a solid line to separate lanes instead of today's dashed line, which was not standardized until 1956. While the double solid line seen deeper in this 1940 photo prohibited passing, as is the case today, the lack of an available dashed line eliminated the option of prohibiting passing in one direction but not the other. Thank you Dave!I‘ve been with you from early on although not signed up for several years and just wanted to thank you for posting a photo of my home, Bardstown. It’s the “Bourbon Capital of the World” and the inspiration for Stephen Foster to write “My Old Kentucky Home”. With bourbon skyrocketing in popularity these days, new warehouses have been continuously going up around the county and new distilleries have come online and bourbon tourism is very popular. It was so surprising to see something very familiar (minus 80 years) in Shorpy. I had no idea those warehouses and the Hilltop Inn existed in 1940. I hope Walcott shot a few more photos around the area. What a treat to see. Curbside ServiceNo curbs to be seen. MPW took many Bardstown picsMost are at a church picnic, so they're mostly people, not locations. That said, this is my favorite: https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8a43113/ Just browse around on the LOC site to see more. Stripes AgainIn addition to Doubleclutchin's comments about the striping, I for one am also thankful for the person who came up with the idea of edge stripes. I cannot picture going down this road on a dark night, especially with a such a distinct lack of streetlights. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott)
Tastee Drinks: 1942
... black. My mother told me the reason, so not to be seen at night during the war. This yard worked 24/7 and closed in 1986. +64 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2019 - 9:44am -

September 1942. "New York, New York. Macy's department store at Herald Square." Acetate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. The Billboard Above the Calvert AdIt's wartime, and everyone wants to save scrap metal to defeat the enemy, but it looks like poor Elsie the cow may be politically incorrect, at least by today's standards. At the same time in Chicago, Jap's potato chips suddenly felt the urge to change their brand name to Jay's, which it still is to this day. HeadlightsDoes the bus have wartime blackout headlights? As a kid in the '70s we'd drive by the Quincy Shipyard near Boston. One building was home to an odd lot / salvage type store that became a fairly big chain around Boston for years, now gone. What I noticed about this building and all the others was all the windows (lots of them) were painted black. My mother told me the reason, so not to be seen at night during the war. This yard worked 24/7 and closed in 1986. +64Below is the same view from April of 2006. Times changeMen all in suits. Ladies all in dresses and hats. Where did we go wrong? Million Dollar SpiteThat little mismatched building with Tastee Drinks in it was the subject of some strife. When Macy's announced it was going to build The World's Largest Store on that block, someone paid a huge sum of money for the building and refused to sell. So Macy's was built around that little building. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Radio Highlights: 1957
... get up and re-arrange the furniture in the middle of the night if she couldn't sleep. Not popular with my bare-footed dad the next day ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/02/2017 - 12:50pm -

December 1957. Washington, D.C. "Man with broadcast listings; woman tunes radio." The console set, seen earlier here, is evidently a portable, or maybe this is a two-radio household. News Photo Archive 35mm negative. View full size. Military family?That Turkish tray and the camel saddle could be found in the living room of almost any U.S. Army or Air Force family back in the '50s and '60s that had spent time in Germany. They sold those things by the thousands in base exchanges all over Germany. My wife and I, both military brats, both have the camel saddles our parents bought back then. Turkish DelightThis couple has visited Turkey - or loves Turkish accessories. The first photo had a Turkish tea tray mounted on the wall; this photo has a "camel saddle" seat. Radio/TV December 1, 1957: Cold War, Classics, Comedy, & SportsSome of the Washington, DC television programs that the newspaper Washington Star recommended for viewing for Sunday, December 1, 1957: WTOP “Red Telephone: A first look at the heart of this country’s powerful retaliatory striking force - the underground command post of the Strategic Air Command.” WRC “Omnibus: Composer Conductor Leonard Bernstein with highlights from the stage production of “Mary Stuart” and a narration of his musical tour through Israel.” WTOP “Conquest: Eric Sevareid narrates with his customary perception the story of a balloon ascent to over 100,000 feet, blood cell research, and deep ocean exploration.” WTOP “20th Century: Vertijets” examines the attempt to construct a plane that can take off and land without an airstrip and some of the weird airplanes that the Air Force has tested. Interesting Show.” WRC “Ted Mack’s Amateur Hour: features talent from Albania and Yugoslavia.” WRC “Dinah Shore Show: features Jimmy Durante and Italian film star Rossano Brazzi.” WTOP “Ed Sullivan Show: features Polly Bergen, Douglas Fairbanks Jr., and as much rock and roll as any group should be expected to take, Sam Cook, Bobby Helms, and Ray and the Crickets.” Washington DC radio highlights included: “Invitation to Learning: David Hume’s Inquiry Into Human Understanding.” “Concert Hall: works by Haydn, Brahms, and Bizet.” Washington Redskins versus Chicago Bears and Baltimore Colts versus Los Angeles Rams “Fact the Facts: Belated kudos to the late Senator Joseph R. McCarthy - Developed in retrospect, how his Senate Investigating Committee instigated house cleaning in Government.” “Hillbilly Hit Parade: Don Owens plays top ten songs.” “Meet the Press: Guest Dr. Simon Rymo, chief scientist for the Air Force Ballistic Missile Organization.” “Leading Question: Basic Soviet foreign policy is discussed by Professors Buce C. Hopper and Robert C. Tucker.” Bursting your bubbleAngus, Hate to burst your bubble but these people were not world-travelers, just stylish. Those camel saddles and trays were extremely popular and were mass-produced right here in the U.S. of A. Antique malls are full of them. Also, I doubt they were a two-radio family. One of the popular pass-times for bored housewives was re-arranging the furniture. My mother used to get up and re-arrange the furniture in the middle of the night if she couldn't sleep. Not popular with my bare-footed dad the next day when he stubbed his toe on chairs that had mysteriously moved overnight. Better location for the pricey radioIt was blocking access to part of a bookcase and jutting out into the doorway between the living room and dining area in the previous photo. Newspaper radio logsOne can look up the radio programming for any day from 1930-1960 at this website: http://www.jjonz.us/RadioLogs/ And it may just be an artist with a similar technique, but that caricature looks like an Al Hirschfeld. Casual Friday?Because everybody lounged around the house in 1957 dressed it sport coats, skirts and high heels. (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., News Photo Archive)
Carbery Mansion: 1901
... shadows lengthen and the massive doors are locked for the night the spirit of the haunted house still lingers in the familiar ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 5:02pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "Carberry [Carbery] Mansion." Built for Thomas Carbery in 1818 at 17th and C Streets N.W. National Photo Co. View full size. Fixer-UpperThis is what used to be called a handyman's special, needs a little work. I'm not a snob, but calling this a mansion is a bit of a stretch. Double-dare SpookyNothing in a neighborhood could fire a young boy's imagination quite like a huge run down and empty old house. I wish that I, along with my boyhood friends, could jump into this picture today. On the EdgeThe mansion was razed in 1903; Carbery was Mayor of Washington from 1822 to 1824 and I'm sure the mansion was in better shape back then! "Miracle House"I suppose I don't have the eye for spookiness which other commenters readily pick up on: before finding the following article I viewed this house as a typical run-down dwelling. Also, it seems to me (a non-Catholic) that Prince Hohenlohe received an inordinate degree of credit for Ms. Mattingly's "cure." Miracle House by Marie Lomas Washington's Miracle House has again come to light. A water color painting discovered a few days ago by the curator at a local museum brings up a story stranger by far than many of the bizarre tales of fiction. Although separated from its identification marks, the picture has been established as a rear view of the Miracle House, or Ghost House, as it was sometimes called, down in the neighborhood of "Foggy Bottom." ... Even as the residence of Capt. Thomas Carbery in 1824, it was familiarly known as the the Miracle House, for it was here that the famous Mattingly miracle occurred. The legend, which will accompany the picture now carefully guarded behind locked doors of a display case in the D.A.R. museum, states: "This house, in 1824, was the residence of the Mayor, Capt. Thomas Carbery, and living with him was his widowed sister, Mrs. Ann Mattingly, a great sufferer and confirmed invalid. Marvelous cures were being made by Prince Alexander Hohenlohe, a Catholic Priest of Bomberg, Germany, throughout Europe. His Highness stated to the Diocese of Baltimore that he would offer up a prayer the tenth of every month at 9 a.m. for those living out of Europe. "Mrs. Mattingly performed a novena, or nine days' devotion, commencing March 1, 1824, assisted by the pastor of St. Patrick's Church, and on March 10 she was relieved of all pain and, although bedridden, rose from her bed and opened the door to callers." This miracle was sworn to before John Marshall, Chief Justice of the United States, and immediately aroused great excitement throughout Washington. No doubt the setting was partially responsible for many of the later stories in connection with Miracle House, which soon became and enigma to the residents of lower Washington. Situated near the canal and lock houses, which still stand on Constitution avenue and Seventeenth street, it was at the edge of what was considered a dense and dangerous jungle. The nearby shores were covered with an almost impenetrable growth of somber trees shrouded in tangled vines. Hoarse croaking of frogs and the screams of swamp fowl pierced the abysmal darkness of the nights. Even Scott, the major-domo of the great marble edifice built by the D.A.R. on the site of the "Ghost House," vouches for the mystery of its unknown inhabitants. He recalls today his frog-catching expeditions into the swamps near the house, "We could see people in there and sometimes a light," he said, "but nobody ever came out." In its later days it was deserted, but the latest happenings at the "haunted house," as it was called by the little Negro boys of Foggy Bottom, continued to be the news of the day. The house was demolished in 1903 to make way for Memorial Continental Hall. Perhaps when shadows lengthen and the massive doors are locked for the night the spirit of the haunted house still lingers in the familiar surroundings of aristocratic Hepplewhites, Chippendales, Duncan Phyfes and shining Steigle glass. After all, it was in the basement of this museum, on the site of the Miracle House that the picture came to light. Washington Post, Nov 3, 1937 LOTS of wires on that pole...So.. are the wires telephone/telegraph wires or "newfangled" electric wires? In 1901 electricity was relatively new, while telephone/telegraph had been around for 25+ years by that time. What is interesting is that there was no such thing as a big trunk cable. Looks like everything was run individually. I can remember seeing other old photos here on Shorpy of city scenes that showed poles literally ready to fall over with the weight of so many wires on them. Imagine what our cities, and towns for that matter, would look like today if poles were huge with tons of individual wires running on them! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Tex Williams: 1953
... keeps it there, he says, so it's the last thing he sees at night and the first thing he sees in the morning. Are some Martins more ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2015 - 3:28pm -

Los Angeles circa 1953. "Tex Williams, host of Town Hall Party on KNBH-TV." The country singer known for "Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! (That Cigarette)." 4x5 acetate negative from the Shorpy Publicity Department archive. View full size. Must Be the Smoke...SniffI am not ashamed to say that Jim Page's comment made me tear up a bit. My dad did smoke, smoke, smoke that cigarette but he also play, play, played a 1943 Martin. He's gone but the guitar is currently in the hands of a Martin-certified craftsman being sensitively refurbished after being abused by someone who never should have had their hands on it. It won't be the same but it will be returned to playing form and gifted to a deserving grandchild. Tex's tunersTex's lovely Martin D-28 seems to have replacement tuners. Those Deluxe Klusons were more often seen on Gibson guitars; Martin usually used Klusons with metal buttons. Sheet metal reverbI wonder if those steel cupboards sang along? Thanks Mr. Page. I was wracking my brain as to why those tuner buttons looked so familiar. These Martins are so timeless that Martin keeps rereleasing older designs. I currently have a two-year-old D18 (1935 design) with a 32 bit d-a, 10 microphone emulator pickup. Martin-the best.Thank you, Paul A and Mr. Page, for your knowledge and appreciation of Martin guitars. I have an O-17 (given to my mother, new, in 1937)which I have played (not well) most all my life, And, gentlemen, it just rings like a bell. I am one lucky dude. Old MartinsMacKinzie, you are indeed lucky to have your Martin. An instrument like that instructs the player, in my opinion. I can only imagine how sweet it sounds. I think the 0-sized Martins are the best-sounding of them all. They may not boom like a dreadnought, but they caress the ear. My best friend for over 40 years developed a terrible medical problem, and his wife and sister told me they were afraid he was giving up. I sent him my 1953 0-18 with this note: "My most cherished friend now owns my most cherished guitar. I can find another best guitar, but not another best friend. Now get out of bed, play this thing, and beat that problem of yours." He did, and he did, and he did. That was over five years ago, and he's still playing that little Martin, which is on a stand in his bedroom. He keeps it there, he says, so it's the last thing he sees at night and the first thing he sees in the morning. Are some Martins more than just a guitar? I think so. (The Gallery, Los Angeles, Music, TV)
Daddy Folds a Dydee: 1943
... drawer crib is moved to the side of their bed for the night." The Massmans were a young Navy family whose lives in Washington, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:34am -

December 1943. "In the evening, Hugh Massman and his wife fold diapers. Joey's bureau drawer crib is moved to the side of their bed for the night." The Massmans were a young Navy family whose lives in Washington, D.C., were documented by Office of War Information photographer Esther Bubley. We're fortunate to have heard from their son Bascomb, whose comments have served as informative and entertaining annotations for these pictures. View full size. Massman FamilyThese photos of the Massman family are just wonderful. And Bascomb Massman's comments make them even more special. I love it that baby Joey had a bureau drawer for a crib. And I'm guessing that Hugh was left-handed. Wedding BandIs that his wedding ring on his pinky or was he not allowed to wear one in the military? TK Re: Wedding BandThat's not a wedding band on his pinky. It seems, from closer examination, to be either an onyx men's ring, which was a common style worn by men, or it could have been an insignia or class ring. Not every ring worn on a man's left hand is a wedding ring. In fact, in this era, even though men's wedding rings were gaining a great deal in popularity by virtue of ad campaigns from the jewelry industry, not all married men wore wedding rings. (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, Massman, WW2)
The Underground: 1915
... the crew. All the older guys would say "Saftey First" all night long to us new guys over and over. We always had a chuckle and thought ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/03/2008 - 2:00pm -

"Safety sign in coal mine" circa 1915. View full size. National Photo Company. Safety FirstI work on the Tracks myself > The T in Boston and have for 24 years. When I was first hired and a green horn on the crew. All the older guys would say "Saftey First" all night long to us new guys over and over. We always had a chuckle and thought they were busting out butts. But I guess they were looking out for us and just passing along what they had heard from the older guys when they were new workers - so all would be safe. they also would say " Accident don't take Holiday " and " Watch out for your finger they don't grow back ". My self and a few others still say these sayings but not as much as we should but after seeing this picture I am going to make a point of saying it more to the newer men or persons Haaaaa. As I have lost 2 friend/co-workers on the job through the years. Never mind injuies. So thanx for the PICTURE and all the other!!! This site is one of my fav. as I have been on here for over 2 hrs --- now. THANKS !! Mark from BOSTON june 5 2008 (The Gallery, Mining, Natl Photo)
Harlem River Speedway: 1905
... 7 days, from 8 o'clock in the morning until 6 o'clock at night, during the early part of last month showed that during this time only ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 1:38am -

New York circa 1905. "The Harlem River from High Bridge. View of Harlem River Speedway and Washington Bridge." 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. CascaretsPleasantly(?) flavored laxative. Looks the same today (with less traffic)I'm amazed at how similar the area looks to this day. I use the Harlem River Drive regularly and usually have time to appreciate the bridge while I sit in traffic. Not quite as photogenic todayBut at least the bridge is still there. View Larger Map Fast Trotters and Pacers The Motor World, July 6, 1911. Want Speedway Thrown Open. New Yorkers Take Steps to Restore $6,000,000 Roadway to Public — Now Monopolized by Few Horsemen. The Licensed Automobile Dealers of New York have given drivers of fast horses something to think about. The Dealers have started a movement to have the Harlem Speedway thrown open to the general public. This magnificent speedway extends along the Harlem river from One Hundred and Fifty-fifth street to Dykman street. It was built under an act of the Legislature of 1893 for the exclusive use of drivers of light, horse drawn carriages, and at a cost of some $6,000,000. At that time the driving of fast horses was carried on extensively and automobiles were few and far between. Since then the trotting horse has become conspicuous by his absence and the automobile is very much in evidence. The result is, the Speedway is seldom used excepting Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings by a few horse owners. The Dealers feel that all automobile owners are being taxed for the upkeep of this magnificent roadway, which is under the direction of the Park Department, although they derive no benefit. They do not ask the City to turn the road over for speeding of automobiles. The object is to have it opened to automobilists for pleasure purposes, the same as drivers now controlled by the Park Department. … Motor Age, January 13, 1916. Famous Drive of Wealthy Horsemen to Be Opened to Motors. Harlem Speedway, Costing More Than $5,000,000, No Longer Attracts Millionaires with Fast Trotters and Pacers. Another province over which the horse once reigned is threatened with attack and capture by the motor car. Following the reconstruction of the Sheepshead Bay track, where once satin-bloused jockeys plied whip and spur to thoroughbreds in the home stretch drive, into a speedway for motor car competition, comes the announcement that the Harlem speedway, constructed at a cost of more than $5,000,000 and famous as the scene of the brushes of amateur light harness horsemen, is to give way to the gasoline-driven limousine, touring car and roadster. According to reports made to Borough President Marks by Chief Engineer Stern of the bureau of highways on present conditions over the speedway, traffic has fallen off to such an extent that it is estimated by Chief Engineer Stern that the average yearly maintenance for the last 15 years of approximately $20,000 is too high for what the taxpayers are receiving in return. Park Commissioner Cabot Ward intends to have a bill introduced in the legislature to enable him to change the character of the speedway and throw it open to all kinds of vehicles the same as a public street. The Park Commissioner and Borough President Marks have agreed to lay the matter before the board of estimate with the recommendations for legislative action. The plan calls for paving one side of the 90-foot drive and open it for motor traffic. The cost of paving it is estimated would amount to $107,000. At the present time the speedway, under an act of the legislature, is used exclusively by light horse-drawn vehicles and equestrians. Motor cars are not allowed on the drive which extends from 155th street to Dyckman street. The study of traffic, which covered a period of 7 days, from 8 o'clock in the morning until 6 o'clock at night, during the early part of last month showed that during this time only 641 vehicles and 25 equestrians used the driveway. During the early days of speedway brushing prominent horsemen were to be seen handling the reins over trotters and pacers famous in the annals of harness horse racing. The introduction of specially prepared events, arranged in classes according to the records and speeds of the horses, drove many of the amateur drivers off the speedway, and thereafter the public interest waned. The sidewalk specially built on the riverside for the use of the public served as a grandstand, but of late years the small fields did not help to popularize the sport. Many men prominent in New York affairs were to be seen driving on the speedway. The late William H. Clark, who was corporation counsel, built a stable at the south end of the speedway and exercised his famous horse there daily. C. K. G. Billings is one of the few to continue to use the drive. Harlem River SpeedwayAppreciate the article and pics of the Speedway - my great-great uncle, Clark McDonald, was the first superintendent of the Speedway and raced on it frequently. I was curious about what happened to it, and now know. It's nice to see the bridge, too. I do not live in NY, so it is great to see information that shows me the location and history. Clark was the owner of two horse-boarding stables in the 1800's in Manhattan (McDonald's Boarding Stables and Edgecombe boarding stables) - would love to see information/pics about any of the old boarding stables which existed in the center of the City; next to no information available for research and it seems fascinating to think of all these horses in the center of Manhattan! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Horses, NYC)
Kitchen Klatch: 1959
... 3:15 and it's dark outside so this is the wee hours of the night, either it's New Years or these are hard core party people. The ... 
 
Posted by Deborah - 09/26/2013 - 7:04pm -

January 1959. In this prequel gathering of the California Picnic group here, we have Ruby Lee and her hubby (back right), their daughter Peggy (def. too young to drink) cozying up to declared hottie Clay (who is not Thomas Cave a.k.a Mr. 535-07-5248) as his wife gamely looks on. Part of the Humphries Family Kodachrome collection. View full size. Perhaps January 1st?It's 3:15 and it's dark outside so this is the wee hours of the night, either it's New Years or these are hard core party people. The kitchen is classic! the colors, the appliances, the clock, very nostalgic. [The clock says 9:15. - Dave] So it does, the hour hand was blotted out by the flash. "Never mind" [Actually, this was taken by available light, not flash. -tterrace] Familiar FurnitureI see a wonderful old kitchen table peeking out there. I remember we had a table like that with the aluminum (?) sides and the great chairs that matched. Great photo. So what's the brand?Not one but two cans of beer visible, and I can't quite make out the brand name. It appears to be Buck[something]. Two brands around in 1959 that would have started with Buck were Buckhorn, produced by Olympia Breweries in Texas, and Buckeye, an independent brand from (duh!) Ohio. Neither one's logo was similar to that in the picture and it's doubtful that either would have been distributed in California. Grandmother's Kitchen TableMy grandmother had that same table-and-chairs set, with the same pattern cushion covers, in her kitchen as well. Wedged into about the same amount of space!! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Life in the Slow Lane: 1910
... was her brother who worked at that job for fifty cents a night in the late 40s and early 50s. She made that same rate of pay working as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/23/2010 - 11:39am -

February 1910. "Bowling Alleys connected with Geo. P. Gray's Bastable Cafe on Genesee Street. About eight very small boys employed here. Work until midnight. Photo taken at 11:30 p.m." View full size. Photo & caption: Lewis Wickes Hine. Mechanical Pin Aligner?Nobody else has mentioned something on this photo that is quite different from all the other c. 1910 pinboy images... This lane is equipped with some sort of mechanical gizmo above the pins which can be lowered on ropes to assist in setting the pins. All the other pictures show no such device -- there must only be spots marked on the lane to assist in pin placement. These kids had it easier (assuming it worked well!) Pin AlignerMy mom was a pinsetter as a girl in the 1940's. They had some sort of mechanical unit like this. She said you'd scoop up the pins and drop them into the slots, then manually press the whole contraption down to set the pins. I don't know how much she made for her labors - I'll ask when I talk to her tonight. Pin Aligner UpdateMy mom corrected me - she said girls couldn't get the pinsetter jobs, it was her brother who worked at that job for fifty cents a night in the late 40s and early 50s. She made that same rate of pay working as a movie theater usher, starting at age 13 in 1948. Pin alignmentMy dad was a pin boy in the 30s. When I was a kid in the 70s we found a place that still had had two manual lanes; my dad said it was the same setup he'd worked with--he thought it was what all the alleys had. Behind the end of the lane there's a little pit where the ball and pins (and pin boys) drop. In there, you step on a little pedal and steel rods about half an inch in diameter and about two inches long pop out of the alley where the pins go. Each pin has a corresponding hole in the bottom. Stick the pins on the rods, wait a second for them to stop swaying, release the pedal to drop the rods back into the floor, and GET OUT OF THE WAY! What you might be seeing as marks on the floor for pin placement may actually be the little holes that the rods come out of. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Sports)
Polka-Dot Tot: 1958
... 1958, somewhere in Pennsylvania, getting ready for the big night! Our third slide from this batch of 35mm Kodachromes. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2012 - 2:16pm -

October 1958, somewhere in Pennsylvania, getting ready for the big night! Our third slide from this batch of 35mm Kodachromes. View full size. It's a Shorpy lifeI pointed out Polka-Dot Tot to my wife, indicating that October 1958 is when she was born, and she told me to forget about that and to notice, instead, that the pattern on the little-person rocking chair is identical to the pattern on our big-person rocking chair. Just Plain CuteReady for Trick or Treat. I can see Mom in the mirror, who probably took the picture next to the piano. Slice of LifeI can't help but think of Wonder Bread! GoosebumpsI don't know, there's something about a miniature Pagliacci wearing a Wonder Bread pattern and a Phantom of the Opera mask that chills me to the bone. Scarred for lifeHe or She for having to wear that outfit, and me seeing it. (ShorpyBlog, Halloween, Pa. Kodachromes)
Civil War Signal Tower: 1864
... transmit coded messages, used flags by day and torches by night. hey i used to live in that area. thats probably where the strip ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/17/2009 - 8:54am -

Bermuda Hundred, Virginia. Signal tower on left of the line near the Appomattox River. Photograph from the main eastern theater of war, the Army of the James, June 1864-April 1865. Wet collodion glass plate. View full size | Even larger. Signal towers, employed by both the Confederate and Union armies during the Civil War to transmit coded messages, used flags by day and torches by night. heyi used to live in that area. thats probably where the strip mall is now. (The Gallery, Civil War)
Lower Wider Smarter: 1946
... Grand Boulevard, working his way through college on the night shift, with a locker full of books to study on his breaks. Still to this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2016 - 1:39pm -

September 12, 1946. Washington, D.C. "Showroom at Superior Motors. Client: Griffith-Consumers Co." Step into the FUTURE today with the Packard Clipper! 8x10 acetate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Just Add WaterNote the faux-seashore complete with sand, palm trees and beach umbrella. End of an eraAlthough Packard introduced the Clipper in 1941, 1946 was the first model year that saw total abandonment of the classy vertical louvered grille that had distinguished most Packards starting with 1933, and even earlier on some models. Once Clipper-type styling got perfected with the Custom line in 1950, that also got abandoned. And it was downhill from that point on. Already joined with Studebaker, the last authentic Packard was built in June 1956. The marque that was once among the top rated "3 Ps" (Packard, Peerless and Pierce-Arrow) amounted to little more than rebadged Studebakers for the next two years. Then, nothing. Happy days are here again!I turned 7 on that very day. The war was over, soldiers were returning home, no more food rationing, families and lovers were reuniting, prosperity was booming and America had emerged victorious. I wish the spirit of that exhilarating, invigorating and revitalizing era could have been permanent. If I could keep time in a bottle, that would fill one of my treasured bottles. Life was good. [Unless you were dead. -Dave] Some future!A decent car, the Packard Clipper, though far from the marque's pre-war standards of luxury. The body is a pre-war holdover, and mechanically the small straight-8 engine, though smooth and reliable, was hardly a harbinger of things to come either. Except for the new brands -- Kaiser, Frazer, the token production of Tucker -- it was 1947 before any radically new coachwork was being produced by a major manufacturer: Studebaker, followed a year later by Hudson and then Nash. Obviously the majors, having a heavy investment in their 1941-42 body dies and facing a seller's market after the war, held on the longest, badge-engineered pre-war cars until 1948 and '49. Though there was much reason for euphoria after the war, rationing did not end immediately upon V-J day, though by late '46 I suspect it had. I recall being punished by my father, recently returned from the Pacific, for ruining a rationed item by attempting to blow away a cigarette ash he'd dropped on the tablecloth. (Yes, smoking and eating were complementary activities in the winter of 1945-46). Instead, I blew the whole tray's worth of Chesterfield ashes onto a stick of still-rationed butter. Our relationship went downhill from there. Just a bit early for Father's Day The war was over. Rationing was slowly fading away. My grandmother was pushed off of her wartime job working on airplane engines so that returning servicemen, and Packard, could get back to the business of building cars. But my dad was there in the big plant on East Grand Boulevard, working his way through college on the night shift, with a locker full of books to study on his breaks. Still to this day, at the age of 90, every time he sees an old Packard or Hudson (another plant where my father worked in those years) he says "I think I built that one". (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Theodor Horydczak)
Dale and the Pale Pumpkin
... of the year to write to the Great Pumpkin. On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of his pumpkin patch and flies through the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2013 - 4:06pm -

"Dale and pumpkin, 1962." Dale, last seen at the reunion, now in the pumpkin patch. From the Kermy & Janet Kodachromes I found on eBay. View full size. Flash forwardSomething about the bare chest and the foliage makes me imagine Dale, a few years later, in the jungles of Vietnam. It's the Great Pumpkin!"This is the time of the year to write to the Great Pumpkin. On Halloween night, the Great Pumpkin rises out of his pumpkin patch and flies through the air with his bag of toys for all the children" It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!Linus: "Each year, the Great Pumpkin rises out of the pumpkin patch that he thinks is the most sincere. He's gotta pick this one. He's got to. I don't see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one. You can look around and there's not a sign of hypocrisy. Nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." Trust MeFifty years ago I was just about his age. I was that skinny and had that much hair. Today I haven't changed a bit. You'll just have to take my word for it. RobinThis young man really reminds me of Joseph Gordon-Levitt ! (Halloween, Kermy Kodachromes)
Chicken House: 1948
... the mattress were so insanely noisy they woke you up at night when you moved. Little details I love the little photo to the left ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2015 - 10:25am -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1948. "Housing -- 'A.C.' chicken house dwelling." These youngsters may be poor, but they seem to be comics-literate. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Bad DollyYou have to sleep under the bed! Saving the boxesSmart kids to be saving the toy tractor boxes on the top of their closet. Among collectors of old toys, having the packaging doubles the value of the toy, sometimes more than doubles it. That bedWow, I had that exact same bed 40 years ago at my grandfather's (now mine) country house. The springs below the mattress were so insanely noisy they woke you up at night when you moved. Little detailsI love the little photo to the left of the door of two kids on a pony. Unfortunately it's too small to tell which two kids. The boy on the left appears to be enjoying a lollipop and reading the second page of "A Present for Cliff," which was a two page story from the April 1946 Georgie Comics. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
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