Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Hoover & Denham." Which is which, the caption doesn't say. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Wamsley billboard." While pondering the postworthiness of this moldy old glass negative, I noticed the small sign appended to the big one: "On this site will be the new home of the Methodist Board of Temperance, Prohibition and Public Morals." And therein lies a tale, having to do with the Chesterfield ad at the far end of the billboard. Which seems to have caused some embarrassment for the temperance board, who owned this property and was profiting from the advertisement for the "weed," despite tobacco being one of the vices it aimed to stamp out. After all that research I still don't know who Wamsley was. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

New Orleans circa 1906. "Royal Street from Canal Street." Where the ice man goeth. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Atlantic Avenue." Meet you in front of Two Stumps in an hour. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size.

The Jersey shore circa 1904. "Steel Pier, Atlantic City." Can anything compare to Atlantic City in the summer, and the feel of sand in your bathing-socks? 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Circa 1897. "Berth deck cooks, U.S.S. Oregon." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Edward H. Hart, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

San Francisco, April 1906, after the earthquake and fire that leveled much of the city. "Cooking in the street." Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size.