Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Most were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.
Shorpy is an online archive of thousands of high-resolution photos from the 1850s to 1950s. Our namesake, Shorpy Higginbotham, was a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago.
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December 11, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Margaret Swartzell -- Swartzell railroad system." Not just a model train, it's a "system" -- who can tell us more? National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1902. "Residence on Hasell Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Circa 1904. "Center Street, Rutland, Vermont." Our second look at this charming town. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Lexington, Massachusetts, circa 1901. "Harrington House." The residence of one Dr. Bertha C. Downing. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1920. The caption just says "football." Who can identify the venue? Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, 1904. "On the beach." Someone pass the Coppertone, please. 8x10 dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

September 1, 1900. "Wabash Avenue north from Adams Street, Chicago." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.