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Weld Noir: 1943
... Liberty ship construction. Welding on a hatch assembly at night." Medium format negative by Arthur Siegel for the Office of War ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/18/2014 - 11:32am -

May 1943. "Bethlehem-Fairfield shipyards, Baltimore, Maryland. Liberty ship construction. Welding on a hatch assembly at night." Medium format negative by Arthur Siegel for the Office of War Information. View full size. There are more handlebars in this photothan there are bicycles. [Looking for the house across the street? - Dave] Nautical TermsA hatch is an opening between decks. A door is an opening in a bulkhead. The welder is working on a door. [It's a hatch subassembly. There is no ship yet. - Dave] (The Gallery, Arthur Siegel, Baltimore, Industry & Public Works, WW2)
Glassworks Boy: 1908
August 1908. "A Glass Works Boy waiting for the Night Shift. Indiana Glass Works." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/01/2013 - 8:38pm -

August 1908. "A Glass Works Boy waiting for the Night Shift. Indiana Glass Works." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Look at his giant shoesClearly he got them second-hand from someone who had gotten most of the good wear out of them already. What an old soul he looks like. Strictly Upscale EmploymentI don't think you will find any barefoot kids working in a glass factory. A Tough KidIt's difficult to guess this boy's age. He's probably younger than he looks. The steady gaze of his eyes, the firm set of his mouth and the position of his hands suggest a tough kid who has had to grow up quickly in bleak and maybe hopeless environment. The Shorpy archive contains lots of subtle information - as in this Lewis Hine photo - which you can't acquire by reading history books. There are many photographs that show, if you look for them, glimpses of the very age and body of a time, its form and pressure. (The Gallery, Lewis Hine)
Call Me Bossy: 1936
... farmer on the homestead, would call the cows home at night from pasture for feed 'hey bossy bossy, hey bossy bossy'. And they'd come ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/08/2012 - 4:30pm -

April 1936. "Ropesville Farms, Texas. United States Resettlement Administration rural rehabilitation project." Moooo. Photo by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. Beautiful Cow!When I was growing up, I spent summers on our family farm and my uncle (five years older than I) had a cow who looked just like that; her name was Gail and she won many awards in 4H and FFA. Such a benign animal, unlike the geese and guinea fowl also on the farm. Here she is in the front yard of the Page farm in Callahan, Florida; the year is probably 1958. She's on the far left of the photo. --Jim I'd call her....Jersey. Bossy, hey BossyMy grandfather born 1892, a South Dakota farmer on the homestead, would call the cows home at night from pasture for feed 'hey bossy bossy, hey bossy bossy'. And they'd come trotting back to the barn. Thanks for bringing back the memory Shorpy. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Animals, Arthur Rothstein)
Rescue Methods: 1917
... by name. I'll mine with my missus From morning 'til night; No non-Manning misses Can bring such delight. Memories ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 11:05am -

1917. "Mrs. Van H. Manning. U.S. Bureau of Mines. Mine rescue methods. There were 750,000 men employed in coal mining in 1915, and of this number 2,264 were killed -- 190 less than in 1914 and 521 less than in 1913. 'This is the most gratifying report the Bureau of Mines has been able to make since it was established,' says Van H. Manning, director of the bureau. 'It indicates very forcibly to me that "safety first" has come to stay in the coal-mining industry.' " Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Aren't these people a littleAren't these people a little too old to be playing Doctor? Manning of MiningI'm Manning of Mining, And mining's my game; The man in the mine Is a Manning, by name. I'll mine with my missus From morning 'til night; No non-Manning misses Can bring such delight. MemoriesI had a boyfriend who liked this kind of thing. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Mining)
Dead End: 1905
... trunks have a whitewash applied to them. To see better at night? [Once commonly done in an attempt to control insects or "sun ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/08/2018 - 7:50am -

Circa 1905. "Cemetery Avenue, Springfield, Mass." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A less grand entrance. Or, uh... exit, as the case may be. There is a building there to the left that mimics the appearance of the now missing portal: WhitewashedIt appears that all the tree trunks have a whitewash applied to them. To see better at night? [Once commonly done in an attempt to control insects or "sun scald." -tterrace] City of the DeadThe historic entry drive. The Majestic Elmsmust have all been victims of Dutch Elm disease. I'm thinking the whitewash is indeed an attempt to battle the scourge that wiped out the American Elm. [Dutch elm disease wasn't discovered in Europe until 1910 and not found in North America until 1928. - tterrace] Lost New EnglandThere's an alternate view here. (The Gallery, DPC)
KNX Radio in 1967
... with my time machine. Tlachiquero, save me a seat on the night the Byrds are playing. If it's "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"-era Byrds, I ... 
 
Posted by brianvnt90 - 08/17/2012 - 8:13pm -

Advertisement in Southern CA in 1967. View full size. Missed the real landmarkForget KNX. That's Pandora's Box below the sign. Infamous hippie hangout where I saw the Byrds. Add Pandora's Box to my itineraryThis just might be the "newest" place I plan to visit with my time machine. Tlachiquero, save me a seat on the night the Byrds are playing. If it's "Sweetheart of the Rodeo"-era Byrds, I want to be in the front row. Cars seen The car in front appears to be a 1967 Pontiac Bonneville, There is a 1965 Mustang, a Buick LeSabre (1966), a Ford Econoline (1965) ans way in front of the van is a Pontiac Catalina of 1961 vintage! The REAL Landmark - Schwab's PharmacyThis is looking East on Sunset Blvd, at Crescent Heights Blvd. Pandora's Box was razed to 'improve' the intersection, after much civil unrest. Schwab's (behind the palm) is long gone. The Standard gas station, and the building behind it (with the short tower) are extant in Google street as of August 2012. Cars seen Part 2With all due respect to poikaa, that gold Pontiac is a 1966 Grand Prix (unique tail light set up), while the Buick is a 1965 LeSabre (I owned a two door). I don't have a wide range of expertise, but I am quite certain about these two cars. Good call on the rest of the vehicles. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Doesn't Cotton: 1936
... money (for needles, thread, and even light to mend at night), time, and energy to mend clothes. In this photo, speaking as a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/16/2013 - 10:45am -

May 1936. " 'Damned if we'll work for what they pay folks hereabouts.' Crittenden County, Arkansas. Cotton workers on the road, carrying all they possess in the world." Photo by Carl Mydans, Resettlement Administration. View full size. Ladies First!One thing I've noticed in these photos is that regardless of their poverty level, the ladies almost ALWAYS look better; meaning.. their clothes are cleaner, neater etc. The guys always look shabby, with ripped and torn clothes, hats shoes etc. I wonder whether the ladies just cared more about their appearance, or did the men just want their ladies to look better, allowing them to spend their hard earned money on things for herself rather than themselves? As a matter of fact, don't husbands of today do the same? or maybe...Or maybe the man has a tough job, digging ditches, hauling heavy stuff, toting and heaving? Jobs like that are rough on clothes, and if you are broke sometimes there is not a lot you can do to keep your clothes mended. It takes money (for needles, thread, and even light to mend at night), time, and energy to mend clothes. In this photo, speaking as a person who has made her own clothes, it looks like both of them are equally dressed. Not fancy, not brand new, but clean and together. I hope they made out ok. (The Gallery, Carl Mydans, Great Depression, On the Road)
Cathedral Place: 1906
... is one of the most pleasant cities to walk around in at night. That probably sounds crazy, but it's FACT. As a kid growing up in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/28/2020 - 1:55pm -

St. Augustine, Florida, 1906. "Cathedral Place at Charlotte Street, Plaza de la Constitución." The Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine at right, with the Ponce de Leon Hotel at the end of the street. 5x7 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. St. Augustine is amazingSt. Augustine is one of the most pleasant cities to walk around in at night. That probably sounds crazy, but it's FACT. As a kid growing up in Fernandina Beach, we used to say, "Oh, YEAH? Fernandina is older than St. Augustine," and who really knows? Both are old, and both are beautiful—and spooky. New Orleans is another such place. Maybe Baltimore, too. But I've been fascinated from Day One by coquina buildings, and just imagining all the folks who've live in them. Wow. Cool town. Even if it is younger than Fernandina. GHOSTS. Ponce de Leon HotelYes, the Ponce de Leon Hotel never burned down, because it was built of solid mass concrete (unreinforced). The concrete is mixed with coquina shells, like the local stone used to construct the nearby Spanish fort, the Castillo de San Marcos, in the late 17th century. Many other 19th-century hotels were built of wood frame construction, which is why they had a tendency to burn down. The architecture firm of Carrere and Hastings designed the Ponce de Leon Hotel, as well as the Hotel Alcazar across King Street, the Flagler Memorial Presbyterian Church, and the Grace United Methodist Church; all these St. Augustine structures are built of unreinforced mass concrete. Much the Same TodayThe street view from this direction looks remarkably unchanged -- sans cannonballs! The Ponce de Leon Hotel is apparently one of the rare ones that didn't burn to the ground like so many others. The magnificent building is now a part of Flagler College. Cannonball RunI see that there is a pyramid of cannonballs stacked up at the corner in case the Spanish come back to reclaim Florida. We are now so used to not seeing underground utilities that telephone poles are getting to be, more and more, an oddity. I had hoped to see them completely eliminated in my lifetime, but since they are popular (and cheap) as neighborhood towers for the new 5G service, I have to doubt it. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida)
Modern Family: 1941
... to doing without electric items but they needed light at night. It was also difficult to rewire an existing house. In this case I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2019 - 10:40am -

October 1941. "Mrs. Melvin Rivers, some of her children and her father-in-law in their new relocation corporation farm to which they have moved just recently, near Orwell, New York." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Where's the Mini-Bar?If they installed one at the Rivers abode, liquor would have been hard to come by. The Women's Christian Temperance Union was founded in 1874, but by then Orwell itself had been officially "dry" for 31 years. It remains so to this day, one of only ten such towns with no alcohol for sale of any kind in the Empire State. The closest vote to repeal was held in 1971. It failed by one vote. So buttermilk it had to be for Mrs. Rivers and her farming brood. Unless they fancied a bit of travelling. No (fashion) victimsI'm always impressed about the self-consciousness kids of that era show in these photos. Imagine a modern kid posing barefoot, in an empty room and with torn bibs? Distinctly unfashionable bibs, and unfashionably torn? How embarrassing! Bare!Room, Feet, Walls, but not the lonely flowerpot and cup. Minus OneIt looks like Grandpa is missing the middle finger on his right hand. Maybe Baby got hungry and gummed it down a bit. Grandpa does look like he's lived a very hard-working life, teething babies aside. Modern TimesWhere rural electrification came by cooperatives in the 20s, 30s, and 40s, many times the only electric fixture in the room was the overhead light. You had a socket you could screw into the bulb socket that allowed you to have either light, and electric plug, or sometimes both. For a long time, baseboard sockets were a rarity in the country. because people were used to doing without electric items but they needed light at night. It was also difficult to rewire an existing house. In this case I think I see a baseboard socket behind the boy at right. That could be the only one in the whole room. Many old farmhouses are still like that today. Looks like there is a plumbing, heating pipe, or wiring run back in the left corner of the room. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Kids)
A Star Is Born: 1954
... in the Navy and stationed near San Diego I was taking a night class at San Diego State; one evening we heard that Judy was rehearsing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/15/2013 - 12:14pm -

1954. Judy Garland in a still from one of the musical numbers in her movie "A Star Is Born." Color transparency by Robert Vose for Look magazine. View full size. MemoriesI remember her sitting like that on the stage of the Palace theatre. It was at the end of her career. She lit a cigarette and started talking to the audience about the regrets and the problems in her life and as she rambled on, the orchestra started playing "Over the Rainbow." There wasn't a dry eye in the house. Born in a trunkIn the Princess Theatre, in Pocatello, Idaho. Must have been very cramped for Mom. She wasExtraordinary. It's the voiceWhen I was in the Navy and stationed near San Diego I was taking a night class at San Diego State; one evening we heard that Judy was rehearsing in the college auditorium for some gig. They let folks in but we had to sit near the back; she was quite demanding with the orchestra - yelling at the director etc. - but as soon as she started to sing - well that was what it was all about: wonderful! (The Gallery, LOOK, Movies)
Margaret: 1925
Next up in the Shorpy Sunday Night Cavalcade of Enigmatic Portraits Dated Dec. 12, 1925: "Miss Margaret Van ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 3:59pm -

Next up in the Shorpy Sunday Night Cavalcade of Enigmatic Portraits Dated Dec. 12, 1925: "Miss Margaret Van Horn." National Photo Company. View full size. Where the Bauhaus beganAfter looking at this scene, with tassels on lace and feathers on tassels and curlicues on tassels on feathers on lace, I finally understand the impulse behind the absolute rectangular starkness of the Bauhaus school. "I've written a letter to Daddy"I know I'm not going to be the only one that makes the Baby Jane comparison with this photo. And I bet she was strictly warned to not get that dress dirty before 6 o'clock. Collecting DustMy grandparents (non-smokers themselves) had an ashtray just like that in their living room. I don't think it was ever used - nobody ever, EVER smoked in their home. And the matches in the holder were probably the same in number from the day they were installed to the day the house was cleared out in the early 1970s. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Portraits)
Capitol Chill: 1940
... "Washington snow scenes. U.S. Capitol, East Front, at night in winter." 8x10 inch safety negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/20/2014 - 10:30am -

Circa 1940. "Washington snow scenes. U.S. Capitol, East Front, at night in winter." 8x10 inch safety negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Structural note concerning the domeFew people realize the revolutionary nature of this majestic dome. Though inspired in European models, the structure of the double dome is made of (at the time) a revolutionary cast iron frame and skin. Begun in 1855 (replacing the dome previously built by Charles Bulfinch), the structure was designed by Thomas U. Walter. By the end of 1863 Walter was able to set the Statue of Freedom atop the dome but it was not until 1866 that Constantino Brumidi unveiled his fresco of the Apotheosis of Washington, painted around dome's oculus, signaling the conclusion of the work. Interesting patternThe black sky has a pattern that I've only seen when you litho screen some patterns that I know as Mackey lines. Does anyone know what caused this? Oil adhesion on a drum scanner. [Newton rings, and there is no drum scanner. -Dave] Wanna see those particular columns?Don't head for the Capitol, try the National Arboretum. Capitol scaffoldingThe Capitol dome is now encased in scaffolding, as a two year project to repair all the leaks and refurbish the dome has begun. (The Gallery, D.C., Theodor Horydczak)
Princess Fatima: 1921
... learned, takes out her nose jewel when she goes to bed at night, as other women remove their earrings. Unlike American women, she is not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/27/2017 - 9:47am -

July 1921. New York. "Princess Fatima Sultana of Afghanistan." The "princess," whose claim to royalty was questionable, met with President Harding in Washington after a notorious impostor named Stanley Weyman (among other aliases), pretending to be a "naval liaison," tricked the State Department into arranging the interview. 8x10 glass negative, Bain News Service. View full size.         The princess, it was learned, takes out her nose jewel when she goes to bed at night, as other women remove their earrings. Unlike American women, she is not afraid of rats, mice, or bats. The reason for this immunity from those customary feminine fears is that in the Mohammed religion, which she professes, not only cats but all animals are sacred. (Washington Post) The Princess BroadWhat's that old saying -- If you can't say something nice don't say anything at all? Sorry, but I'm breaking that rule right now. That is one rough looking "woman". Weyman - the imposterWeyman the imposter, in addition to being a lieutenant in the French Navy, several doctors of medicine, and two psychiatrists, he was a number of officers in the United States Navy—ranging in rank from lieutenant to admiral—five or six United States Army officers, a couple of lawyers, the State Department Naval Liaison Officer, an aviator, a sanitation expert, many consuls-general, and a United Nations expert on Balkan and Asian affairs. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Men of Steel: 1938
... their lives by merely entering the city limits. On the night of May 12, 1937, 25,000 workers went on strike at Jones and Laughlin. It ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 12:06pm -

July 1938. Veteran steelworkers in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. SWOCNote the S.W.O.C. label on the window with "Lodge 1211." Below you can see writing on the window about "PM" and "attend." The Steel Workers Organizing Committee, precursor to the United Steelworkers of America, was formed by the CIO in 1936. It organized at Jones & Laughlin Steel in Aliquippa as an "industrial union" unlike the AFL which was a trade union. Aliquippa was one of the handful of steel towns where union organizers risked their lives by merely entering the city limits. On the night of May 12, 1937, 25,000 workers went on strike at Jones and Laughlin. It turned out to be one of the shortest strikes in the history of the steel unions. Within 36 hours J&L capitulated and agreed to a union. The 1937 strike was the benchmark by which the United Steelworkers of America would be measured. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Industry & Public Works)
Artillery Hall Ball: 1910
... by the Glad-U-Kum and Merry Widow social clubs on Shriners Night. View full size. Ford, Bacon & Davis Streetcar Before the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/15/2018 - 11:37pm -

April 1910. "Washington Artillery Hall, St. Charles Avenue, New Orleans." With signs advertising a "Fancy Dress and Masquerade Ball" given by the Glad-U-Kum and Merry Widow social clubs on Shriners Night. View full size. Ford, Bacon & Davis StreetcarBefore the more well-known green Perley streetcars, the St. Charles line used Ford, Bacon & Davis cars, built in the 1890s. Here's of the one remaining FB&D cars, next to a traditional Perley of the 1920s. Also a great article, explaining the history. https://gonola.com/things-to-do-in-new-orleans/history/nola-history-the-... The Final SalvoWashington Artillery as a Buick dealership, with the regiment long gone, before final demolition in 1952 Glad-U-KumIn 2012, Shorpy showed us the Cathedral housing the Washington ArtilleryOne of the oldest National Guard units in the United States, the Washington Artillery [by that name] traces its origins back to 1819, although it may have descended from an earlier military unit in New Orleans. The unit first saw combat during the Mexican War. The 1st through 4th Companies saw combat in every major campaign of the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, and the 5th Company saw combat in every major campaign in the Western theatre, from Shiloh to the final battles in Alabama. The unit was mobilized during the war with Spain in 1898 but saw no action. It served on the Mexican Border in 1916-1917 in support of Pershing's Punitive Expedition, and saw action in France during WW1 [by this time it was officially known as the 141st Field Artillery Regiment]. It saw combat action in the Italian campaign during WW2, and continues as an active unit of the Louisiana National Guard to this day. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans)
The Farmer's Son: 1941
... View full size. Grooming Combed his hair all night with a pillowcase. His eyes Beautiful. Hope he had blue eyes. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/03/2019 - 8:12pm -

August 1941. "Son of a dairy farmer near Rutland, Vermont." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. GroomingCombed his hair all night with a pillowcase. His eyesBeautiful. Hope he had blue eyes. Dairyman's HandsIf only this young man had been able to get information to help his dry and cracked fingers with one click of a mouse button. I'm sure they had some remedy in 1941. Also, some relatives had the same floor covering when I was little, but theirs didn’t look as new as what we see in the photograph. The pattern nowadays reminds me of digital art made with very large pixels. TiredThat is one tired youngster. Have to believe it is the end of the day, and he can't wait for the photo session to be over so he can hit the sack. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Jack Delano, Portraits)
How to Make a Hairbrush: 1912
... for the boys than doin' nothin'.' The mother said the night work hurts their eyes and John said so too. He was not very enthusiastic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:15am -

6 p.m., January 31, 1912. "Making hair-brushes. Hausner family, 310 East 71st Street, New York. Frank is 6 years old and John is 12. The mother had a sore throat and wore a great rag wrapped around it, but she took it off for the photo. They said they all (including the 6 yr old) worked until 10 p.m. when busy. Their neighbor corroborated this. She said, 'It's a whole lot better for the boys than doin' nothin'.' The mother said the night work hurts their eyes and John said so too. He was not very enthusiastic about the beauties of work. All together, they make about $2 a week. Father is a motorman." Photo and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Tedious!That looks very tedious. And what is the light source? Seems like they would need good light to even see what they are doing with those tiny bristles. [Which were probably pig bristles. - Dave] (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Die Meistersingerin: 1917
... Hempel appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House last night in the role of Eva in "Die Meistersinger" for the first time here, and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/24/2017 - 10:32pm -

February 1917, New York. "Frieda Hempel." The German soprano and Metropolitan Opera star. 4x6 glass negative, Bain News Service. View full size. ColoraturaShe was an amazing coloratura soprano! Some coloraturas are great at singing the runs, but their voices don't have much substance for anything else. Frieda's was amazing, no matter what she was singing! Believe It Or NotOur opera star was only 31 years old at the time of this photograph. Eine saftige SopranI wonder if she actually ever sang Eva in my least favorite Wagner opera. Die Meistersinger is supposed to be a comedy! Die Meistersingerin im Die MeistersingerNew York Times/March 28, 1914: Frieda Hempel appeared at the Metropolitan Opera House last night in the role of Eva in "Die Meistersinger" for the first time here, and achieved great success. It was also the first appearance this season of Mme. Homer as Magdalene, and of Herbert Witherspoon as Pogner. The rest of the cast was familiar, including as it did Rudolf Berger as Walther, Hermann Weil as Plans Sachs, Otto Goritz as Beckmesser, and Albert Reiss as David. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Music, NYC)
Park Terminal: 1943
... "Baltimore, Maryland. Trolleys inside the Park Terminal at night." Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/01/2013 - 8:47am -

April 1943. "Baltimore, Maryland. Trolleys inside the Park Terminal at night." Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Timely PhotographThe last Baltimore streetcar ran on November 3, 1963. Thus, this weekend marks the 50th anniversary of the end of streetcar service in Baltimore. The Park Terminal, which was built in 1909, was the largest streetcar barn in the Baltimore system. It still stands at Druid Hill and Fulton Avenues. Some still runningRestored street cars and interurban cars are still running at the Illinois Railway Museum, Union, Il, about 50 miles NW of Chicago. It's the largest railway museum in the US and, April through November, runs at least one restored street car every weekend on a mile-long loop. This past summer about 60 electric cars ran on one day -- not just sat for viewing, but ran on tracks. The IRM is run entirely by volunteers and has over 400 cars and engines. (The Gallery, Baltimore, Marjory Collins, Streetcars)
Carrying-In Boy: 1908
... for several years. Works nine hours. Day shift one week, night shift next week. Gets $1.25 per day." Photograph and caption by Lewis ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 9:35am -

October 1908. Grafton, West Virginia. "Glassworks carrying-in boy at lehr (annealing furnace), fifteen years old. Has worked for several years. Works nine hours. Day shift one week, night shift next week. Gets $1.25 per day." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. GranddadMy grandfather made $12.50 a week at Mohawk Carpet Mills in Amsterdam, N.Y., a slightly higher wage than this kid made. Enough to support his wife and six kids. SkillIf he lived long enough, he'd have been one of those fantastically skilled glass blowers who just know everything. That look on his face is of competence and talent, burned into him. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Powder Roomer: 1940
... A bright idea Some years ago, I spent a night in New Orleans at the Kentucky Hotel (or maybe the Hotel Kentucky) in a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/02/2020 - 1:53pm -

December 1940. Radford, Virginia. "Hercules Powder Plant employee going upstairs. Mrs. Pritchard's boardinghouse. Eighteen men board here." One of the gents last seen here. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Rules of the house:"Please extinguish all smoking materials until you've showered, and don't dry your asbestos boxers on the windowsills." A bright ideaSome years ago, I spent a night in New Orleans at the Kentucky Hotel (or maybe the Hotel Kentucky) in a room illuminated by just such a single bare light bulb. It was the sort of establishment where one sleeps with one eye open. Audition?If this was 1960, would this gent have been auditioning for the lead in Hitchcock's 'Psycho'? (The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Cumberland Glass Works: 1909
November 1909. Blowing bottles. Night shift at the Cumberland Glass Works in Bridgeton, New Jersey. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2007 - 3:21pm -

November 1909. Blowing bottles. Night shift at the Cumberland Glass Works in Bridgeton, New Jersey. View full size. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. (The Gallery, Factories, Lewis Hine)
Let's Roll: 1926
... not scheduled to use the Arcade until tomorrow night, a roller hockey game has been booked for tonight at 9:30 o'clock, when ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/22/2012 - 12:09am -

Washington, D.C. January 15, 1926. "Arcade Roller Hockey Club." National Photo Company Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. Game TonightWashington Post, Feb 7, 1926 Roller Hockey Game at Arcade Tonight With the Palace pro courtmen not scheduled to use the Arcade until tomorrow night, a roller hockey game has been booked for tonight at 9:30 o'clock, when the Washington team will meet an all-star combination from Baltimore. Skating will be permitted both before and after the game. If local fans show enough interest in the roller skating sport, the Arcade management plans to bring some of the best teams in the country here. Game FacesWhat a bloodthirsty-looking bunch. Could this be an early version of the Witness Protection Program? (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports)
Rural Customs: 1942
... herd my 6'3", 225-lb. roommate around the ballroom. The night before "auditions," those of us who could hoof it a little attempted to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/03/2013 - 4:45pm -

February 1942. "Madison, Wis. Farm short course school at the University of Wisconsin. This class in rural society often practices square dances. Interest in rural culture and customs is stimulated at the school." You betcha! Medium format negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Teaching Wisconsin farm boys to square dance They were probably already down with the Polka and the Schottische. It's good practiceto be teaching those boys to dance both sides (belle and beau, boy and girl, whatever your club calls it). I wish their grandchildren were able to do it too. Terpsichorean terrorsIn the 1950s, when playing fields were snow laden and the students had tired of playing half-court basketball in their socks, high schools in upstate New York used to feature square dancing in P.E. classes. Not the most popular activity with the students, but a welcome chance to hold the hand -- however briefly -- of a young woman who might not otherwise welcome such untoward intimacy. A few years later, at our oldest service academy (then all male), ballroom dancing was a required proficiency, no doubt inspired by the leadership's nostalgia for those pre-WW II cotillions. With whom did one dance in these classes? One's roommate, more than likely. Fortunately, my previous exposure to dance classes prevented my having to try to herd my 6'3", 225-lb. roommate around the ballroom. The night before "auditions," those of us who could hoof it a little attempted to bring our less twinkle-toed fellows up to minimal box-step standards, for being doomed to "remedial ballroom dance" seemed an unmitigated horror to most of us in those less enlightened times. (The Gallery, Dance, Jack Delano, Music)
Fly BOAC: c.1958
... an incredible chick magnet. Co-eds loved to ride in it at night with the windows down, and my buddies and I loved to oblige them. BTW, ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 07/13/2012 - 10:37pm -

This is one of many color slides that my father shot when we lived in the San Francisco area in the mid to late 1950's. This particular shot was taken on Anscochrome film and shows Union Square in downtown SF. Note the overhead wires for the electric buses. I have many more like this, which I'll try to post as time allows. View full size. A Corvette!Gimme that Vette, please! Time LineThat 1958 Chevrolet looks like the newest car in the pic. This would make the earliest date fall of 1957. I don't remember that chrome piece at the rear of the back window. [That bit of chrome was specific to certain Bel Air models. - tterrace] A rare body styleThe Corvette is cool, but I'll take the '58 Bel-air hardtop. In fact, I had one almost exactly like it, bought it used in 1962 to go to college in. 1958 was a rare year for the entire GM lineup. The cars were new from the 55-57 group, but strangely not repeated in 59. The 58 models had another distinction––there were more available body styles than in 57 and previous years, or 59 and succeeding years. The one pictured here was a rare variation of the Bel-air 4-door hardtop. Most Bel-air 4-door hardtops had a slightly different treatment of the roofline and rear door pillars. This one is white over silver blue. Mine was silver blue over white, otherwise this car would be identical to mine. The car was a dreamboat and proved at college to be an incredible chick magnet. Co-eds loved to ride in it at night with the windows down, and my buddies and I loved to oblige them. BTW, the "V" emblem on the hood indicates a V8 engine, the soon to be famous "small block" Chevy. First year with 283 cubes, too. What a car! B O A CAs our Brit friends explain it, "Better On A Camel"! Thanks to DbellI sing with a community chorus, and we just wrapped up a concert series that was all music from the Beatles. Thanks to Dbell's pointing out the B.O.A.C. sign, I now have "Back in the U.S.S.R." stuck in my head - "Flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C...." Thanks for a great historic picture of one of my favorite cities! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Happy Anniversary
... endlessly complained about my grandmother's cooking. One night he heard noises in the kitchen and found his mother tucking into the food ... 
 
Posted by Mudhooks - 10/10/2010 - 5:20pm -

My Great Grandparents, William Bowie McIntosh and Jane Spence Soutar, on their what may be their 50th wedding anniversary. He was an engineer who worked at Vickers Armstrong where he invented and patented a valve for Vickers, at Barrow. He was also a Lay Preacher and a "Keir Hardie" man (trade unionist). He also taught apprentices English in his spare time. He died in 1935. Mom remembers him having a rather brassy red (Mom corrects me... It was dark black, despite his little remaining hair being grey) toupée. She accidentally pulled it off when she was very small and recalls him being very angry with her. He was normally a very nice man. Her grandmother on the other hand was very grim and always complained. During the war, she came from Newcastle to stay with my grandparents. She and my grandfather had a falling out after she endlessly complained about my grandmother's cooking. One night he heard noises in the kitchen and found his mother tucking into the food that she had complained she couldn't eat at dinner time. They argued, she packed her bags, went back to Newcastle and never spoke to him again. This also caused a rift in the family and all but one of his sisters sided with his mother. View full size. StoryThe picture is very good and evocative but it is the story that truly makes this stand out. Thank you for the words! Knocked my head off!Mom clearly recalls her grandfather calling to his wife "Mother! She knocked my head off!" A number of years laterWhen my grandmother was ill with terminal cancer, one of my grandfather's sisters had sent her daughter to live with them. Because of her increasingly ill health, my grandmother was unable to continue cooking and housekeeping for an extra person (my grandfather had died by then and my mother was studying in Edinburgh) and wrote to her telling her that she regretted but the girl would have to find someplace else to live. The girl's mother called her "selfish." AgreedIt's the story along with the names and faces that holds my attention. Thank you for sharing! Great-Grandmother’s deathI recently found the following article. I had forgotten that someone in the family had been run down by an army truck during the war. Apparently it was my great-grandmother Jane McIntosh (nee Soutar). In June 22, 1940, during an air raid readiness practice, she stepped off a tram along with two other passengers. They had their umbrellas up and did not see the Army lorry and it struck them. What the article doesn’t mention was that she died several hours later in hospital. The other two passengers survived. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Municipal Gothic: 1908
... Built in 1872, it stood till 1921 when it burned on the night of Jan. 12. The Ohio Theater (built in 1928) now sits on this site. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2013 - 9:23am -

Circa 1908. "City Hall -- Columbus, Ohio." Populated by a cast of ectoplasmic pedestrians. Added bonus: windowsill milk bottles! View full size. Looks like sootI was just thinking how the building looks like many we saw in Europe, in the later 1980s. There had been so much coal burned for so many years that the buildings were covered in soot, more on the top and less on the bottom, like this building showed. At that time, we saw scaffolding in many countries, where the buildings were being literally scrubbed clean. I felt the soot actually gave them some character. However, when one was finished and the scaffolding came down, I realized that I was seeing the building just as those who had been there when it was first built had seen it, and that was pretty neat, too! Burned 1/12/1921Built in 1872, it stood till 1921 when it burned on the night of Jan. 12. The Ohio Theater (built in 1928) now sits on this site. If the City Council debate gets too boring ....... you can pop over to the Gayety Burlesque right next door. Guaranteed NOT to be boring! (The Gallery, DPC)
Schlitz Hotel: 1910
... bet they were gorgeous when backlit in the late evening or night. Also the turret corner is lovely. The Bank is my favorite with all the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2016 - 9:47pm -

Circa 1910. "Schlitz Hotel, Atlantic City." On the Boardwalk at Ocean Avenue. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Beer Hotels?I see that the Schlitz Hotel has the same logo as the brewery and next door (to our left) is the Blatz Hotel. That was (is?) another brewery from back in the day. Did these breweries own lodgings? I know that they did run restaurants that showcased their products. Also, these hotels were in Atlantic City, a long way from Milwaukee, and that beer didn't travel that well in those days, was there a locally-owned brewery? [The sign next door is for Blatt Royal, a haberdashery. - tterrace] Lovely Stained GlassSuch interesting buildings. I love the designs and visual interest each have. The details, such as the stained glass awning at the Schlitz entrance and the transom on the other hotel. I bet they were gorgeous when backlit in the late evening or night. Also the turret corner is lovely. The Bank is my favorite with all the beautiful ironwork. Too bad we don't have such interesting and pretty details on buildings today. Instead most of what we have today is a square, bland Lego block style. IMHO they are depressing to look at. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Mrs. Henry Dukes: 1941
... been able to shake this image since first seeing it last night. This gaunt woman, relatively young, with “about” nine children, and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/05/2019 - 7:30pm -

April 1941. "Mrs. Henry Dukes, wife of tenant farmer and FSA borrower. She has about nine children and has been to hospital suffering from cancer. Heard County, Georgia." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Hope Springs EternalWhat a poignant tableau here, as this poverty-stricken, ailing, and presumably exhausted woman stares into the camera against a backdrop depicting new cars, society weddings, and an immaculate "well-loved" house. We can only hope that her children were at least spared the poisonous effects of the touted lead paint with which that unattainable house was "loved." HauntingI haven’t been able to shake this image since first seeing it last night. This gaunt woman, relatively young, with “about” nine children, and cancer, has such a defeated and hollow air about her. And to be posed as if for a mug shot, or firing squad, in front of such images that contrast so baldly with her own reality, well, it’s heartbreaking. Give or take"About nine children" -- I guess when you pass four maybe numbers become immaterial? (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Portraits, Rural America)
It's a Small(er) World: 1969
... Disneyland was a great and relatively inexpensive date night back then. Grad Night was filled with high school graduates and dates for a few dollars and my ... 
 
Posted by rsyung - 09/15/2017 - 7:25pm -

Disneyland, 1969. Kodachrome slide by my dad. View full size. It was a Small World in 1969It's A Small World was one of my favorite Disneyland rides. If it was hot outside it was cool inside. When I graduated from high school in Long Beach in 1966 Disneyland was a great and relatively inexpensive date night back then. Grad Night was filled with high school graduates and dates for a few dollars and my date Jill and I were there. By 1969 I was in the Air Force flying over Laos and the Ho Chi Minh Trail. I see two Marines walking through the scene and wonder if they are from Camp Pendleton on liberty with Vietnam in their futures. My 6th grade teacher, Mr Kim (a WW2 Marine), was one of the engineers on the Disney train and in 1995 I introduced him to my 5 year old daughter at the Small World train stop. He invited us into the cab of his diminutive locomotive and we rode around the park in style. I've been watching the Ken Burns documentary on Vietnam and Disneyland in 1969 was obviously in a different world. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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