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1903. "Greene Street, Augusta, Georgia." When mounting blocks and hitching posts were as common as curbstones. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.
Before the advent of vinyl siding, clapboards often varied in width and pattern. This narrow version gives the house a refined character; it's nice to see they're still there. (A coincidence that the porch plants are almost the same as 100 years ago!)
I lived in a neighborhood in Minnesota that had rings set into the sidewalks in front of each house. They were to tie up the horses. I guess the reins had to be long -- it would have made more sense to have posts, considering the snow in the winter, but no one ever explained why there were just rings instead. We didn't have the blocks though. Either they had been removed (and the rings were still there because no one had torn up the sidewalks) or people had longer legs, too. :)
The 1860 house I grew up in had one of those blocks until the city paved the streets and installed curbs. There were still several others in the old neighborhood besides ours. We called them carriage stoops. Wonder what happened to them.
That I could saunter down this lovely, quiet street and-if my time machine is out of order-that some kind and talented "Shorpyite" colorizes this beautiful shot, thanks!
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