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Circa 1910. "Main Street -- Springfield, Massachusetts." Back when people actually had to go outdoors and walk around. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size.
Cities back then were so much nicer looking with their detailed architecture and more moderate size; a lot more human-scaled and natural seeming than the bland faced, towering glass and concrete boxes that litter our streets today. There was good reason to be out on the street back then, there's was lots to see! I always prefer going to the older parts of a new town when I visit because they're so much more interesting and engaging. This street here looks fascinating. Pity most of them appear to have been torn down from what I can see on Google streetview.
JKoehler forgot to mention the motorcycle:
If TomR is correct, then basketball and volleyball might never have been invented. Both originated in Springfield, MA during the pictured era -- to provide a fun means of exercise to sedentary people. I guess there's always a reason to avoid exercise, even before TV, computers and the Internet!
I want to eat at
THE L Y N C H LUNCH
That sign has quite a few lightbulbs. I had to look it up on wikipedia to learn that the first neon signage was demonstrated in December 1910.
In this scene, a person could be walking, driving a car, reining a horse, hopping a trolley, traveling by railroad or be flying a plane above the clouds.
How more modern could it get, they asked?
I suspect if there had been TV, computers and the Internet in 1910 (or 1810, or 1810 B.C.), people would have holed up in their homes and never saw or talked to each other then, either.
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