"Dam at Blue Earth below cemetery -- May 4 1952." The latest episode of Minnesota Kodachromes is back with the boys at the swimming hole for a bracing dip. At least it looks pretty cold. Photo by Hubert Tuttle. View full size.

My good friend and former neighbor Jim and his wife Lois in their trailer home in the early 1950s, when he was stationed in Florida as a radioman in the Navy. He loved motorcycles, hot rods, music, cats, exotic birds, and most of all people. Talking to him was guaranteed to make you smile. Godspeed Jim! View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1931. "Longworth, Paulina, with parents." Paulina (1925-1957), last seen here with her mother Alice Roosevelt Longworth, oldest daughter of Teddy, is now joined by her legal father, House Speaker Nicholas Longworth. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1901. "The Breakers from the casino." Note the horsecar and boardwalk with cutouts for the palm trees. Another of Henry Flagler's wood-frame behemoths, the Breakers burned in 1903 and reopened the following year, then burned yet again in 1925. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size.

From San Francisco circa 1948 comes this nighttime shot of a Pontiac showroom, which our learned commenters reveal was at 1560 Van Ness Avenue. 8x10 inch Kodak safety negative, photographer unknown. View full size.

Miami circa 1901. "Hotel Royal Palm, west front." Henry Flagler's hostelry opened in 1897 and closed in 1930, condemned after a termite infestation. 8x10 inch glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

San Francisco, 1922. "Buick roadster at California Street firehouse." If we ride along, can we ring the bell? 5x7 glassneg by Christopher Helin. View full size.

Detroit circa 1911. "Boulevard view, Packard auto plant." Expansion of the Albert Kahn-designed factory building on Grand Boulevard, now an infamous urban ruin. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Nation's Business." A look behind the scenes at the offices of that magazine. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

"Athletes from various colleges demonstrating a variety of football moves." Who'll be the first to name that team? 35mm Kodachrome by Marvin E. Newman for the Look magazine assignment "1957 Football Forecast." View full size.

"Earthquake panorama." San Francisco after the devastating earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. Landmarks include the domed, burned-out shell of the Call newspaper tower at left, and City Hall at right. Still standing and open for business: Cold Day Lunch and Oyster House, along with "New Franks" and "Original Coppa." 8.5 x 6.5 inch glass negative originally from the Wyland Stanley collection of San Francisciana, purchased and scanned by Shorpy. View full size.

San Francisco circa 1915. "Studebaker motor car in repair shop with garage mechanic." Don't try this at home. Or at work. 6.5 x 8.5 inch glass negative from the Wyland Stanley collection of Bay Area historical memorabilia. View full size.

Sept. 20, 1939. "The Dunes Club, Narragansett, Rhode Island. Dining porch. Purves, Cope & Stewart, architect." Shorpy has a group rate for the second seating at 9. See you there? 5x7 acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.

Sept. 20, 1925. "Man wearing a mask made by W.T. Benda." Our introduction to the creations of Polish-born artist and costume designer Wladyslaw Teodor Benda (1873-1948). 4x5 nitrate negative by Arnold Genthe. View full size.

1865. Charleston, S.C. "Broad Street, looking east with the ruins of Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar." Aftermath of the Great Fire of 1861. Wet plate negative from the Civil War photographs collection, Library of Congress. View full size.