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[REV 25-NOV-2014]
Vintage photos of:
September 1942. "New York, New York. Waiting for the Third Avenue elevated railway at East 89th Street about 8:45 a.m." Medium format nitrate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Looks like a young Trixie back there, a few years before she married Ed Norton. Maybe that's Alice with the nuts. She's still taking the El so hasn't yet fallen for the driver on the Madison Avenue bus.
I believe that was the name for those two-tone pumps the Gumball Goils are sporting.
Looking at Google street view I see the elevated railway is gone. When did they get rid of that section? I've walked on another abandoned elevated railway somewhere in New York that has been turned into a nice park.
[The Third Avenue El tracks were gone by 1955. The elevated park is the old High Line. - Dave]
Star Trek came to mind as I wondered whether the peanut machine was floating, being held by the girl or attached to the post
"Who's this weirdo taking my picture?"
Yes they are peanuts but they were generally used to feed the pigeons not the commuters. There didn't seem to be many rats in evidence back then.
I'll bet these 3 ladies know all about the benefits of Griffen Allwhite shoe polish that is advertised on the banner at the station. Used to use it on the white shoes I had for my First Communion back in the early 60's.
I remembered the hardware store - here also:
http://www.shorpy.com/node/16902
Those look small for gumballs, could they be peanuts for some early morning protein for the '40s gal on the go? Or perhaps food to fend off rats. Either way, it could be this "Sanichu" dispenser:
Hardware store is still there today, 1573 3rd Ave and 88th.
Managed by the founders great granddaughter.
Great garden supplies by the way.
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