Our holdings include hundreds of glass and film negatives/transparencies that we've scanned ourselves; in addition, many other photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs) in the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) They are adjusted, restored and reworked by your webmaster in accordance with his aesthetic sensibilities before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here. All of these images (including "derivative works") are protected by copyright laws of the United States and other jurisdictions and may not be sold, reproduced or otherwise used for commercial purposes without permission.
[REV 25-NOV-2014]
Vintage photos of:
"1912. Post Office. Hupp Automatic Railway Service." Another look at the Hupp system for mail transfer to and from a moving train, this being the upload part. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
Georgetown, D.C., circa 1919. Our second look today at the morose moppets of the Lee School, one of whom seems to have a black eye. (Alternate title: "An Addams Family Education.") National Photo glass negative. View full size.
"William Lee's School, Georgetown," ca. 1919. Come closer, Mr. Photographer ... just a little closer ... National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.
1912. "Post Office Department. Hupp Auto Railway Service" (i.e., Hupp Automatic Mail Exchange, a system for transferring mail bags to and from a moving train). Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. Note the two utility poles at left that have been scratched off the negative. View full size.
Washington, 1921 or 1922. "Mayer & Co." The Mayer furniture store in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows Temple at 419-423 Seventh Street N.W. between D and E. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.
An uncaptioned circa 1915 photo showing the assembly of what look like locks or latches inscribed "U.S. MAIL." Like any progressive workplace, it's equipped with spittoons. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Update: These are "L.A. locks" being assembled at the Post Office Department's Mail Equipment Shops, 2135 Fifth Street N.E. See the comments for details.
"District of Columbia. Traffic Stop and Go signs." Here we are again at 14th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, still waiting for the umbrella to change. After seven days (or is it 91 years) in this intersection, will these dapper gents in their snazzy Haynes roadster ever make it across? Tune in again tomorrow. And maybe the day after that. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.
1912. "Football, Costello; Georgetown-Virginia game." Costello seems to be having a pretty good time. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.