The Motor City circa 1912. "Campus Martius. Detroit City Hall, Bagley Fountain and Majestic Building." Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size.

Laurel, Maryland. July 31, 1922. "Two B&O freights wrecked in head-on crash at Laurel switch." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

"Washington Tidal Basin Beauty Contest -- August 5, 1922." Misses Eva Fridell, 17, and Anna Niebel. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1905. "Sailing on the beach -- Ormond, Florida." It'll never take off. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Detroit circa 1904. "General offices, Whitney-Warner Publishing Co." Interior of the sheet-music business seen here yesterday. Among the tunes on display: "Hiawatha Song," "Bedelia" and the "Soko March" Two-Step. View full size.

July 28, 1922. "John Uslie, armless orphan." I just know there must be more to the story. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Detroit circa 1904. "Whitney-Warner Publishing Co." In the heyday of the parlor piano, sheet music was big business. Crates of the latest hits ready for shipment. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

New York circa 1904. "The Ponies, Coney Island." Your Cute Filter must be set to Off to view this photo. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size.

August 1922. Washington, D.C. "Eslie Williams." The officer and his Henderson #1. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

September 1938. "Farm wife washing clothes. Lake Dick Project, Arkansas." 35mm negative by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size.

New York circa 1905. "Luna Park circle swing, Coney Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Portland, Maine, circa 1904. "Middle Street." Much signage for various goods and services including Taxidermy, Trunks & Bags and "The Ezy Blind Worker." Something to do with window shades, maybe, or a kind of libertine Helen Keller. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

Washington circa 1920s. "Mrs. Gaillard." From a Harris & Ewing portrait series depicting society types in historical and theatrical costumes. View full size.

Manhattan circa 1910. "Singer Building down Broadway from the post office." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "People's Drug Store No. 5, Eighth and H Street N.E." If you're not lured in by the abdominal trusses, cigars or Hypo-Cod, there's always the photoplay next door -- "Blazing the (Something)." View full size.