re: Dennis M's comment: if you look at the shadows, you'll see that the guy bending over is several feet away from the chair, so I don't think the two are necessarily associated. I'd say it's more likely he's related to the overflowing trash can and broom at the curb - possibly collecting some detritus on the street. I'm going with your speculation that the umbrella/chair has something to do with a streetcar functionary.

[Perhaps the fellow over by the streetcar. Umbrella bears the name of Something Milling Co. - Dave]

When you place one on your head, it tells you which branch of Hogwarts you are a member of: Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw or Slytherin.

By the time you walk up 5 flights of stairs you will have forgotten about your toothache.

The photographer is looking basically southeast. The buildings on the right (south) of Monroe are mostly all gone; now Rosa Parks Circle is there, a downtown gathering spot for open-air concerts and ice skating in season.

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As I scrolled across the enlarged version of this photo, I noticed the hat on the woman in white on the street corner. Did her hat have two tiny people on top of it? That would explain the talking hat part. No, it was people in the background, giving that illusion. As I scrolled down, I noticed the horse turds in the street and the fact that the woman was holding something that gives the illusion she is about to be hit by a flying horse turd (at least I HOPE it's an illusion).

There she is in her lovely white dress, just waiting to cross the street, and 103 years later people are seeing tiny talking people on her head and large turd flying at her. It makes me wonder what people might notice about my own candid photos 100 years from now.

OK, can anyone elaborate on "The Hat That Talks"? And the guy with the chair under the umbrella in the middle of the street -- a streetcar dispatcher?

The city looks like a grimy place, but somehow the lady in the white -- or at least light coloured -- dress on the street corner manages to keep her apparel squeaky clean.

Interesting to see the National City branch at Pearl Street and Monroe. A modern branch is here in Grand Rapids just rear-right of the viewer. Monroe Avenue has changed over the years, from a road to a pedestrian mall, back to a road. Still a good variety of historic structures along its path, though the corner buildings and distant Herpolsheimers building are gone.

No need for a person to "talk through his hat." Now the hat can do the talking for him.