Shorpy Photo Archive - History in HD

Turning Point: 1913

Dave — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:33:50 -0500

February 28, 1913. "Woman suffrage. Greeting hikers arriving from New York." The scene at Pennsylvania Avenue and 15th Street in Washington. From the pages of the Washington Post: "General" Rosalie Jones and her suffrage "army" marched triumphantly into the Capital shortly before noon yesterday, through the Capitol grounds and down Pennsylvania avenue, with an escort of local enthusiasts and citizens which fairly choked the streets and delayed traffic. It was one of the most remarkable street demonstrations ever seen here." The bunting is decoration for the upcoming presidential inauguration. View full size.

Your Grocer's Dairy Case

John.Debold — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 20:05:27 -0500

Supermarket dairy case circa 1950. You'll get change back from your half-dollar if you purchase a dozen eggs. View full size.

Young America: 1959

Dave — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 18:47:55 -0500

Circa 1959. "Swimming pool." Not just any swimming pool, but an Esther Williams prefab above-ground swimming pool. I wonder if any of these survive. Color transparency by Frank Scherschel, Life magazine photo archive. View full size.

Super Giant: 1964

Dave — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 07:28:34 -0500

1964. The Super Giant supermarket in Rockville, Maryland. Color transparency by John Dominis, Life magazine photo archive. View full size.

Fine & Dandy: 1912

Dave — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 04:24:14 -0500

1912. "Democratic National Convention, Baltimore. Bennett Clark, son of Champ Clark." Beauchamp Clark, favored to win the presidential nomination, ended up losing it to Woodrow Wilson. Son Joel Bennett Clark represented Missouri in the Senate from 1933 to 1945. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Mrs. Slater, Miss Moore: 1916

Dave — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 03:41:19 -0500

1916. "Woman's National Service School, under woman's section, Navy League. Mrs. Slater and Miss Moore." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

A Little Off the Middle: 1922

Dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:51:00 -0500

Circa 1922, another entry in the "Surgery" series, this one pre-op. The laundry mark on the towel says "Vets Hospital No. 11 (or maybe 17) Washington D.C." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Thruway Lanes: 1956

Dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:04:27 -0500

Bowling alley circa 1956. Next door: Fine dining at the Thruway Restaurant. Color transparency by Dmitri Kessel, Life magazine photo archive. View full size.

The Summer of '40

bronson — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 13:35:43 -0500

From a set of Kodaslide transparencies found in a mailer postmarked 8/12/40; rate was 1½ cents from Rochester, NY (developed by Kodak) to Paul Smiths, NY. The rest of the set is here. View full size.

Rabbit Jump: 1916

Dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:28:47 -0500

Washington, 1916. "Horse shows. Ralph Coffin jumping his horse over Sylvanus Stokes's Rolls-Royce on Rabbit." Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Fairview Hotel: 1916

Dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 07:00:39 -0500

Washington circa 1916. "Fairview Hotel, 1st Street and Florida Avenue." The proprietor is former slave and "colored philosopher" Keith Sutherland. See the comments below for more on him. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Down Will Come Baby: 1915

Dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:55:08 -0500

1915. "Mrs. William Gibbs McAdoo, nee Eleanor Wilson. Baby McAdoo's open-air bed." The infant with the precarious perch was Ellen McAdoo, born in 1915 to Woodrow Wilson's daughter and Treasury Secretary William McAdoo. At the age of 31 she killed herself with an overdose of sleeping pills. View full size.

Bloodbath on Wall Street: 1920

Dave — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 06:54:44 -0500

"Wall Street bomb." Aftermath of the explosion that killed dozens of people in New York's financial district on September 16, 1920, when a horse wagon loaded with dynamite and iron sash weights blew up in front of the J.P. Morgan bank at 23 Wall Street. The attack, which was attributed to Italian anarchists, was never solved. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.

And Your Little Dog, Too: 1915

Dave — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:06:59 -0500

1915. "Mrs. H. Morgan Hill, Dog Show." Another photo from the Washington dog show series of pictures. If you crossed William Wegman and Richard Avedon, this might be the stylistic result. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Splashdown: 1960

Dave — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:11:29 -0500

Somewhere in suburbia circa 1960. Probably South Florida. Anscochrome transparency by Frank Scherschel, Life magazine photo archive. View full size.

Si Wa Wata Wa: 1903

Dave — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 15:02:33 -0500

1903. The Zuni elder Si Wa Wata Wa. Who does not look like someone who put up with much nonsense. Photograph by Edward S. Curtis. View full size.

Bureau Drawers: 1925

Dave — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 14:26:15 -0500

Washington circa 1925. "Bureau of Identification, Department of Justice." More thrilling cases from the Bureau's files. This was the forerunner of today's FBI, before they got the F. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

Old Hero of Gettysburg: 1863

Dave — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 05:22:02 -0500

July 1863. Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. "John L. Burns, the 'old hero of Gettysburg,' with gun and crutches." Burns, born ca. 1793, was a 70-year-old veteran of the War of 1812 when he was wounded in the Battle of Gettysburg, having volunteered his services as a sharpshooter to the Federal Army. He died of pneumonia in 1872. Wet-plate glass negative by Timothy H. O'Sullivan. View full size.

Spruce Street: 1912

Dave — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 04:20:29 -0500

November 1912. Providence, Rhode Island. "Spruce Street. Tiny girl with big bag she is carrying home." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size.

Midnight Picnic: 1947

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:46:03 -0500

September 1947. Warrenton, Virginia. "Midnight picnic being given by Eve Prince." Photo by Martha Holmes. Exciting news: Google and Time Inc. are putting the entire Life magazine photo archive of some 10 million images online. If I post one every day, we'll be done in about 27,000 years. View full size.

Delaware River Bridge c.1935

D_Chadwick — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:30:55 -0500

Now known as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, connecting Camden, New Jersey, and Philadelphia. From the original 2½ x 3½ inch negative. View full size.

Groceries and Meats: 1919

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 17:55:06 -0500

"1701 9th St. N.W., Washington." 1919 or 1920. It seems to be skating weather. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Desk Set: 1925

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:05:42 -0500

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Bureau of Identification, Department of Justice." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

The Picture Gallery: 1910

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 12:22:39 -0500

Circa 1910. "The Picture Gallery, New York Public Library." Please, no talking while we gaze upon the Art. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size.

Ladies and Germs: 1912

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:10:43 -0500

1912. "Dr. George Stiles. Bacteriologist at George Washington University who was supposed to have discovered a TB germ." Harris & Ewing. View full size.

Brick Work: 1916

Dave — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:33:24 -0500

1916. "Brick yard below Mount Vernon." Harris & Ewing. View full size.

Safety First Train: 1917

Dave — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 17:34:56 -0500

1917. "Baltimore and Ohio Railway. Safety first train." The train, according to newspaper accounts, carried exhibits "informing the public of the careful and effective means that are being taken by the government in the interest of good health, safety and preparedness." Shown here at Union Station in Washington. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Guys Gone Wild: 1915

Dave — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:57:19 -0500

1915. "National Guard of D.C. -- Field tactics." Nothing like a blanket toss to confuse the enemy. Note the Hollywood type behind the movie camera. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size.

Ghost Ship: 1916

Dave — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:47:05 -0500

September 1916. "Kron Prinz Wilhelm, German ship, interned in U.S. in tow." The former passenger liner, pressed into service as a commerce raider by the Imperial German Navy at the start of World War I, being towed from the Norfolk yards to Philadelphia. During its eight months on the high seas -- after leaving New York Harbor with 2,000 tons of coal -- the converted 15,000-ton cruiser sank more than a dozen Allied ships and took hundreds of prisoners. Running low on supplies, its crew and prisoners beset by a variety of illnesses, the battered vessel sought refuge in April 1915 at Newport News, where its sailors were interned for over a year. After the United States entered the war, the ship was seized by the government, rechristened the USS Von Steuben and converted into a troop carrier. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size.

Senate Pages' Dinner: 1916

Dave — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 05:01:05 -0500

1916. "Senate pages. Marshall, center, giving dinner to pages." I know you'll all be on your very best behavior. Harris & Ewing Collection negative. View full size.