Medford, Mass., circa 1977. Marion Street about 2 a.m. around the corner from my house. It was fall and the leaves were just turning over a Pinto wagon with fake wood paneling. I took this for a class at the New England School of Photography. The exposure was about a minute with a 4x5 view camera. The wind hardly moved. It was a truly beautiful timeless moment. View full size.

Philadelphia circa 1905. "North American, Real Estate Trust, City Hall and Land Title Building." Over the years the North American building has lost its cornice but acquired a ruddy-looking suntan. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Daniel Boone group." When I was a kid I had all their albums. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

June 1942. "Crewman of an M-3 tank, Fort Knox, Kentucky." Or could it be Fort Dix? Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer for the OWI. View full size.

Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, circa 1908. "Algonquin Tannery." Served by the Soo Line, as well as the Duluth, South Shore & Atlantic. View full size.

November 24, 1924. "Bonus Bureau -- Personnel Records Division." Workers in an intriguingly named section of the government department responsible for keeping track of World War I veterans so they could get their "bonus money," a benefit they were supposed to redeem no earlier than 1945; their demands for early compensation led to the Bonus Army protests of 1932. View full size.

February 1922. Washington, D.C. "Food show -- Peacock exhibit -- Mrs. Julian E. Carabillo." Hollyhocks, peacocks and hens at the Retail Grocers Protective Association exposition at Washington Convention Hall. View full size.

February 1939. "Boys sitting at table in restaurant, Raymondville, Texas." While most web sites might be content to give you one picture of a lunch joint with a Fritos calendar and a deer, Shorpy gives you not one, or even two, but three. It's practically a damn movie. We do this because you deserve it, and so much more. Photos by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

November 1939. Waco, Texas. "Proprietor of small store in market square." Pop bottles on the cooler: Woosies, Double Line and Double Cola. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1918. "The Kitchen Clock." A dramatic endeavor whose players were last glimpsed here. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1900. "U.S.S. Massachusetts crew at mess." Watermelon -- yay! 8x10 inch glass negative by Edward H. Hart, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Miami circa 1907. "Miami River and Royal Palm Hotel." Yet another Florida hotel built by Henry Flagler, the Royal Palm is said to have had Miami's first electric lights, elevators and swimming pool. 8x10 glass negative. View full size.

Hot Springs, Arkansas, circa 1900. "The Hotel Pullman." HELP WANTED: Sidewalk jockey with a good head on his shoulders. Not to mention arms. Hands a plus. Apply within. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1917. "Harry Haas -- Jacobs truck." Prehistoric "transportation," complete with irony quotes. National Photo. View full size.

October 1920. Washington, D.C. "Lust's Regent." Theater impresario Sidney Lust's 18th Street cinema decorated for Halloween with an array of eye-catching movie posters. National Photo Co. glass negative. View full size.