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.) Many 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.

Chelsea, Michigan, circa 1901. "Glazier Stove Company -- an adjacent building." The stove empire seems to be expanding. And for you cyclists: Please, no bikes on the railroad right-of-way. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size.
I'm sure that with the state of roads back in 1901, the railroads provided a nice alternative for cyclists, especially the tracks that didn't have the raised crossties that the bike tires had to bump over. I remember hiking over them, and if your stride didn't match the length between the first and third or fourth crosstie, it almost wasn't worth it.
Today's Top 5