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Parkersburg: 1940

February 1940. A snowy intersection with gas station in Parkersburg, West Virginia. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein.

February 1940. A snowy intersection with gas station in Parkersburg, West Virginia. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein.

 

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Wow

Has everyone lived in Parkersburg at one time or another? I'm here right now, and the place is barely recognizable when compared to that picture. Neat.

Either Way

"Is that car traveling the wrong way on a one-way street?"

Well, probably not. In WV you can park on either side of the street no matter which way you are traveling.

Parkersburg

Makes you want to cuddle up in front of the fireplace and listen to Benny Goodman on the tube radio.

Parkersburg and Juliana Street

That's definitely Juliana Street. We lived on 13th and I walked to Washington Junior High School and also to the old Carnegie Library, and Juliana is in the area. Part of Juliana Street is now in the National Register of Historic Places. Thanks for the photos - Wood County is still home even though I haven't lived there for over 53 years.

Beer Bottle Xing?

Two views of what may or may not be a bottle crossing the street.

My darling In-laws live in

My darling In-laws live in Parkersburg, and we have spent a lot of time in this area. (Specifically 13th street). It's nifty to see these, and pass them on to all the friends we have in P-Burg.

Stoplight

Such evocative lighting. It must have been spectacularly moody weather: low, sooty clouds swirling against the faint, silvery luminescence of higher clouds. Midday twilight, dreary and peaceful and comforting.

I think it's a groove in the pavement

The pavement is in terrible shape.

Not a Bottle

What appears to be a bottle seems to me to be the remnants of the tire track in the snow made by the car parked last in line on the left side. Note the dashed line aiming from the illusion of a bottle to the rear right tire.

A bottle?

Sure looks like a bottle to me!

A bottle in front of me, or...

Is that a bottle standing in the street directly in the path of the car, or just a smudge on the negative?

Is that car

in the middle of the street traveling the wrong way on a one-way street?
Denny Gill
Chugiak, Alaska

Parkersburg, West Virginia

Moved to Parkersburg in 1939. Loved seeing these pictures on Christmas Eve 2007.

Thank you from Texas.........rapa

Parkersburg 1940

I moved to Parkersburg in 1939. What a joy to see this picture on Christmas Eve 2007!

Thank you from Texas.

Location of the two Parkersburg pics

I'm not from that area, but from looking at a map and aerial photo of Parkersburg, I would have to conclude that this photo was taken at the intersection of Juliana and 7th Streets, looking westerly down 7th Street (note that this intersection forms a less than 90 degree angle, which is rare in downtown Parkersburg).

The "Community" (bank?) building on this corner also shows up on the right edge of the "Sleet Street: 1940" photo below. Therefore, that photo was apparently taken from the same spot as this photo, only looking down Juliana St. towards Sixth St. (note the inclining railroad bridge in the background of that photo, which parallels Sixth Street).

Update: here is a 1937 photo of the Community Bank of Parkersburg. The photo caption identifies it as being located at the southwest corner of Seventh and Juliana Streets and its architectural details match the building shown in the above photo.

Mike_G

Parkersburg

Sure would like more information and/or pictures like these. I grew up in Vienna during the mid 1950's. Any idea *exactly* which street this was? Thank you!

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