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Chester Park: 1906
... heads of the spectators to help light their way along the boardwalk after dark. [Those globes hanging from the poles are carbon-arc ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 4:22pm -

Cincinnati, Ohio, circa 1906. "Lake and clubhouse, Chester Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. High wire actI wonder how the wagon-wheel looking thing figured in all this. What a great day for walk!Life is being on the wire; everything else is just waiting No longer thereSome interesting details about the park and its history: "The park was in Winton Place on the north side of Spring Grove Avenue near Mitchell Avenue, opposite the Winton Place railroad station." View Larger Map Twirling sparklersCould the "wagon wheel" have been a fireworks set-piece? Clearly, it can be lowered to the water level, and raised to just below the wire. If lances were installed on the angled sticks, it would probably rotate slowly, shooting fountains of sparks up and over the highwire artist. Lots o'LightsThere is a spotlight on the upper balcony. Probably to shine on the evening performance of the high wire act? And most of the telephone poles have globe lights that can be raised and lowered via pulleys. Maybe they were lowered at dusk to be lighted (gas lamps, you know) and then raised above the heads of the spectators to help light their way along the boardwalk after dark. [Those globes hanging from the poles are carbon-arc (electric) lamps. - Dave] Artistic licenseI wonder they somebody (photographer) drew over that one cable that crosses the frame. If he was trying to hide it, well, the pure black shows up more than if it were left alone. Or was that a physical crack in the plate? [The negative is broken in two. Which is why the ropes don't quite line up. - Dave] TodayBeautiful, thank you. I live in this Cincinnati neighborhood -- now called Spring Grove Village -- and there is no trace left of Chester Park. Chester Park VelodromeIn my research on the early history of bicycling in Cincinnati I've come across a number of references to Chester Park. To the outside of the rail track was a quarter-mile cinder sprinting track and outside of that was a third-mile cement bicycle track. Races were held here throughout the summer months and even at night. A famous contest in the 1890s called the Poorman Road Race began in Hamilton Ohio and finished at the track. The clubhouse you see housed bicycle rooms, shower facilities, and athlete changing rooms. (The Gallery, Cincinnati Photos, DPC, Railroads)
At the North Pole: 1958
... about 4, we stopped at Santa's Village on the way to the Boardwalk. They had a bunch of those coin operated machines with performing ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/24/2009 - 5:11pm -

My brother-in-law at the North Pole, which in February 1958 was in Scotts Valley, California. The second Santa's Village theme park to be built, 1957-1979. 2¼ 120 Anscochrome transparency shot by my sister on her honeymoon. View full size. Missing!Someone stole Florida! Santa's Village AnswersBaton Rouge Bill: 1. Anscochromes from this era tend to be on the cyan side to varying degrees; most, like this one, are fairly easy to fix. Harder are Ektachromes, which have gone very red, like my example here. Also, Dave frequently improves them. 2. My sister's Kodak Duaflex was a better-than-average snapshot camera, but you did get chromatic and speherical aberration from the simple lens. 3. Dress like Santa Claus! Bwah-haaa, spit-take! Sun and Moon Tipster: Excellent calculations. The wedding was Feb. 16, 1958. Yes, that's the moon, which I noticed when I almost retouched it out while dust-spotting the original 2400 dpi scan. They also took 35mm Kodachromes. AbandonedSanta's Village had random bits of 'stuff' in place up for about 15 years after it closed. You knew you were almost to the beach when you saw the giant candy canes. Anscochromes, preppy drag, tattoosFifty years ago? How some things change and how some things remain the same! 1. My Anscochromes from that era--as well as many Ektachromes--have faded. How much Photoshop did you have to do to rescue the color? The reds sure look like that scarlet-brown sunlit Anscocrhrome I remember so well. 2. Lens aberrations never change do they? I swear I can see minor purple fringing in the outer parts of the image around the high-contrast tree-branch/sky and shadow-cracks/cement(or rock?). It's much the same with my current high-end lenses on digital cameras. In fact, I'm told Photoshop has an anti-purple fringing plug-in that I've never bothered with. 3. Unlike women's fashions, men's fashions never seem to change, do they? I swear I wore that that exact outfit to work yesterday. As a mental health professional, I always try to dress like Santa Claus. No, seriously, I wore khaki pants, a plaid button-down shirt and brown loafers, which is what I wore all the way through grammar school, high school, college, and pretty much since (unless I'm going to court to testify, in which case I'll wear a coat, white shirt and tie). 4. Of course some things do change. No one I know wears long sleeves these days unless they want to cover up their tattoos, and they don't roll their sleeves up unless they change their minds about covering up the tattoos. In 1958, polite people didn't get tattoos, but if you actually had tattoos, particularly on a forearm, you wanted to hide it, you didn't want to be reminded of it, you probably couldn't remember getting it anyway, so you never EVER wore short sleeve shirts till the day you died. My, how times have changed in fifty years! Santa's VillageAh, Santa's Village. Its former location is still visible from Highway 17 running between Santa Cruz and San Jose over the mountains. In fact, a sign for Santa's Village lane is still visible, although the exit is now closed. In the early 80s, crumbling buildings and amusements were still visible there. The Sun and the MoonAssuming that's not a weird cloud or a lens flare there, the moon phase can narrow that Feb 1958 date down a bit. It appears to be close to 1st or 3rd quarter (and would be rising or setting, respectively). Since in Feb the sun still has negative declination it couldn't illuminate a setting moon the way it's doing here so it is a rising moon near 1st quarter. The Feb 1958 1st quarter was on the 26th. http://wise-obs.tau.ac.il/~eran/Sky/MoonPhase.html I loved Santa's Village - Got Engaged there!I LOVED Santa's Village- I got Engaged there....to a chicken. When I was about 4, we stopped at Santa's Village on the way to the Boardwalk. They had a bunch of those coin operated machines with performing animals...anyone remember those? You put a quarter in, and the animals had to do something to go get a treat, then you got a gumball machine prize. There was a duck that played the guitar with his beak (surreal feedback loop, I recall), a white bunny that played a mini grand piano, and a very sad rooster who walked a tightrope. I placed my bet, the rooster walked, and I got a quite nice little brass ring with two enameled hearts on it. I wore it for months, and my Dad told everyone I was engaged to a chicken. I lived in that area for ten years. You can count on features about the old staff to show up in the local weekly paper at Christmastime. What a swell place that was! Still there, sortaSanta's Village is still there, mostly. The current owners put up a bunch of gaudily painted carved totem poles, a couple of coke machines (in tank-proof cages to prevent vandalism) and a fruit stand. It's right at the crest of the hill leaving Scott's Valley for the twisty part of 17, so most people don't stop there unless they'd planned to from the start. I used to wonder about it every time I drove that hill to or from UCSC. My mom says she remembers visiting Santa's Village when she was a kid. That, and the place with the Circus Trees, which were apparently sold to Busch Gardens not too long ago. More photosWanted to share a website I found when looking for more information about Santa's Village (I have a weird attraction to abandoned places.) At http://www.alamedainfo.com/santas_village_ca.htm, you'll find dozens of scanned postcards and brochures from Santa's Village in its glory days. On an unrelated note, found this story at CNN.com a couple of weeks ago and thought many people here at Shorpy might find it interesting. Has The Digital Era Killed Kodachrome? Santa's Village MoonI do believe it was Feb. 17. We were on our way to Carmel the day after the wedding. -- Ex-Honeymooner More great memories, sort of.We lived in San Jose (about a mile from the "Winchester Mystery House") and I recall when the advertising for Santa's Village started. I wanted desperately to go there. We'd drive past Santa's Village about once a month on the way to my grandparents' house near Felton, but since my dear ol dad was one of those "No stopping for tourist traps!" people I didn't get to actually visit Santa's Village until I was about 12 years old and by then the magic had pretty well worn off. Santa's VillageSorry to say but the various dips at my high school (Saratoga High) would vandalize Santa's Village for part of the Senior Prank on the first day of school, and haul back a fake tree or something else from there. I never went there personally but passed it each time I was headed for the beach (Capitola or points south) and always thought I should stop, but never really did. Another "Santa's Village"There's another Santa's Village located in Jefferson, NH. My Uncle George used to take family and friends there for trips at least 3-4 times a year. We always had to stop on the way back to get an ice cream. Since he passed away in 1992, I have assumed the responsibility as "Uncle George." I don't get there as often as he did, but I try to maintain the family tradition of an ice cream stop on the way back. We also used to visit Storyland in Glen, NH; another favorite from my childhood that got visited at least a couple times each summer. We even went to Six Gun City, our version of "out west." Of course, coming from Maine, "out west" meant New Hampshire or Vermont. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Travel & Vacation, tterrapix)
Streamline Moderne
... Hill district of Santa Cruz, overlooking the historic Boardwalk and the fifth oldest roller coaster in the USA, built in 1924, The ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/23/2017 - 1:17am -

A classic example of 1930s Streamline Moderne architecture in a Santa Cruz, California house I photographed in 1984, showing a number of characteristic elements: porthole and corner windows, the rounded edge of the entryway, the flat roof and white stucco surfaces. Unfortunately, the current Google street view shows it's acquired a color scheme not in keeping with the spirit of the style. A 35mm Kodacolor negative. View full size. Fascinating I love being able to see it on street view today. I know today flat roofs use a thick rubber as a first layer then cover it with gravel. What was used back when this house was built? I kind of like the new color scheme. Stucco- yuckThe stucco looks like a recent 1980's job. Bad one at that. I bet when it was first built (1930's) it was smoother and held cleaner and crisper horizontal lines. This one just looks bad. Streamline Moderne RulesAccording to Wikipedia, the new colour scheme is wrong because it is too dark. Streamline Moderne structures featured "subdued colours: base colours were typically light earth tones, off-whites, or beiges; and trim colors were typically dark colors (or bright metals) to contrast from the light base." In this photo the white house may be a bit too stark, but the dark grey or metal trim around the windows is just right. In the modern view the terra cotta main paint is a bit too aggressive but what really sticks out is the bright blue trim. It shouts, while Streamline Moderne - which is an off-shoot of the Art Deco style movement is subtle. I agreeI lived down the street from this house from 1968 through 1975. I agree this great old Streamline Moderne home should be white and trimmed as your old photo shows. Currently, it is a toad, for sure, pretending to be Southwest for all I can tell in an adobe sort of color. It can be Google Earthed: 1012 3rd street, Santa Cruz, CA. This is the historic Beach Hill district of Santa Cruz, overlooking the historic Boardwalk and the fifth oldest roller coaster in the USA, built in 1924, The Giant Dipper, probably worthy of a Shorpy series in itself! No big dealWell, if they felt compelled to change something about the house, at least it was only the paint. Why wouldn't I be surprised if SpongeBob SquarePants walked out that front door? 1930s House of the future?If you look at home design and decor magazines from about 1935 the pages frequently feature houses looking much like this example and tout them as the future of residential architecture, something which really didn't happen. Here in Southern California, many newly built homes are Spanish or Monterey style with very similar design features to the extant & coveted 1920s-30s period revival homes of our pre WW2 suburbs. Mixed feelingsOn the one hand, the colors aren't true to the Streamline Moderne style, but paint can be changed. One Moderne house in my hometown was 'improved' by adding a typical sloped roof on top of the flat roof. In the past, as now, many flat roofs were covered in tar. My eye wants ...... something like this: I Like dwig's VersionMy understanding of Streamline Moderne is that the principal colour shouldn't be as glaringly white as in tterrace's 1984 photo but more of an off-white to beige. dwig has that part right. I also like the more subdued blue than the modern version of the house that he uses for the trim and that he uses it more extensively than was the case in the 1984 photo. I'm not sure that it's historically accurate to use the colour on the body of the house but for me it works. It doesn't surprise me that this style was touted in the 1930s. It was an outgrowth of both the Art Deco Movement which would culminate with the buildings for the 1939 World's Fair, and the streamline design movement which dominated industrial design most notably by people like Raymond Loewy. America loved it's Art Deco, and I suspect we would have seen more houses like this - at least in the United States - if the recovery from the Great Depression hadn't been so tied with World War II. "Colorized"You know, I don't think the grayed terra cotta color is so bad, even if it is not "historical". But with blue trim? No, no, no. Imagine it with charcoal-black trim... A HUGE improvement. "Smart" even! Now I thought the off-white version with blue trim was handsome. But where did they come up with the design for that hideous blue awning? Awnings should always be architectural, not just some shape chosen because someone "likes" it. At any rate, the important thing is that the house survives largely intact, with the original windows, and in this day and age that's a minor triumph. Here's another super Santa Cruz Modernist moment: a terrace apartment over a commercial ground floor. Pretty swanky... (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Giant Dipper: 1984
... Mouse ride, and based on my quick scan of the Santa Cruz boardwalk on Bing Maps Bird's Eye View, may no longer be in place. tterrace ... Jet Star This is definitely the Jet Star at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz California. The Jet Star was a secondary roller coaster ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/17/2011 - 10:38pm -

If you ask me, one of these people is enjoying this ride more than the other. UPDATE: Well, as SilentEchoes57 has pointed out, this isn't the Giant Dipper. As the Wild Mouse had been gone for several years when I took this shot, this is probably the Jet Star, a smaller coaster ride that operated until 1991. 35mm Kodacolor 100 negative. He looks like he has a good gripof his senses. The Giant Dipper is a vintage wooden roller coaster classic, and is not the one in the photo. The ride depicted here looks more like a Wild Mouse ride, and based on my quick scan of the Santa Cruz boardwalk on Bing Maps Bird's Eye View, may no longer be in place. tterraceHow did you take this? Its a fantastic pic and you were moving at the time. I am impressed (not that I wasn't already with your body of work). Cute couple!It looks like she is trying to be a good sport, but isn't totally enjoying it, like the boy. Quite likely they are boyfriend and girlfriend, but it reminds me of the time I was on the Wild Mouse at Seattle Center and the boy I was with was my cousin. I wasn't trying to be a good sport, though. He had told me it wasn't that bad, to get me to go on it. After it was over, he had a good laugh and I slugged him! PS -- I almost missed commenting on my first year anniversary on Shorpy. I have enjoyed every minute of it! [Awww. We heart Noelani! - Dave] Not DipperSilentEchoes57 is right, this isn't the Giant Dipper, so I've corrected my caption. Re: Ron's comment, this was a smaller ride, and it my just have been possible that there was close access to the rails - note the grilled railing at the right, and there's a close-up blurry bit of it at the lower right corner. If so, I just positioned myself there, set a high shutter speed, and waited for the right moment. Here's the other shot I took that day: They're Not AloneWhile at first glance it appears that the boy and his girlfriend are alone on the ride, the second pic of the day below reveals three riders. On the main pic, you can see there's a head behind the couple. Jet StarThis is definitely the Jet Star at the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz California. The Jet Star was a secondary roller coaster to the Giant Dipper,the historic wooden roller coaster. The Jet Star was dismantled I believe in the 90's and replaced by a similar ride and is now called The Hurricane. I wonder if we could track them downIf we could interest folks at Reddit and other larger sites, I wonder if the power of the Internet would suffice to track these two down? It's a spectacular photo, and however their date went, I bet they've love to see it now. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Brighton Beach: 1903
... Beach, N.Y., circa 1903. "Brighton Beach Hotel and boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. ... out the photographer or the man couple ahead of her on the boardwalk. Moving Day The ocean was eroding the beach, and was almost ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/24/2019 - 12:01am -

Brighton Beach, N.Y., circa 1903. "Brighton Beach Hotel and boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Two couplesI like those two couples on the right, the way one person in each duo is glancing up. With regard to the man couple, the fellow is definitely checking out the photographer (in what I take to be a fetchingly bemused manner), and with the woman couple, I can’t tell whether the lady is also checking out the photographer or the man couple ahead of her on the boardwalk. Moving DayThe ocean was eroding the beach, and was almost lapping at the front porch. In a bold move that was costly, but highly publicized, Engelman had the entire enormous building raised up on tracks and moved further inland. 120 railroad cars were used to support the hotel, and three pairs of double engines slowly pulled the building 600 feet inland. It took over three months, but they did it, and the hotel was saved. Not even a window pane was broken.* *Source: Brownstoner Magazine Fill in the Blank (Sign)Willing to bet the bleached-out sign says "Keep Off the Grass". Either that, or "Fire Hazard". Mobile HotelQuite a story on several websites how they had to move this entire hotel due to beach erosion. But no record of it burning down. It did burn down did it? I mean, since the advent of fire insurance, didn't all such wood structures burn down? Lots of history herehttp://www.heartofconeyisland.com/brighton-beach-coney-island-history.ht... Elegant livingWow! What beauty and elegance. I would love to be there -- strolling on the boardwalk, taking my paints down to the beach and doing some sketches, back to the hotel for a delicious dinner and retiring to my room to read a book before bed. (The Gallery, DPC)
Gold Coast: 1905
... remains of a homicide victim have been discovered off the boardwalk behind the wall. It's going to take the whole forensics team and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:58pm -

Florida circa 1905. "The beach at Palm Beach." Making a cameo appearance here: our old friend Alligator Joe. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. A light perambulator, of adult sizeHenry James, the great novelist of the American expatriate experience, made a ten-month return visit to the United States in 1904-05 and described his impressions in "The American Scene." In Chapter 14, he describes tourists at Palm Beach traveling "by means of a light perambulator, of 'adult size,' but constructed of wicker-work, and pendent from a bicycle propelled by a robust negro." And where were they going? To visit a citrus grove -- or, as James calls, it, a "jungle." Swimming AttireIs the person to the left of the umbrella actually wearing a tie in the water? I didn't realize Palm Beach was so dressy back when. Finally some African-American faces!They may not have been permitted on the beach, but at least they got to enjoy the sun and breeze while propping up signs and peddling velocipede-chairs. CSI Miami - 1905Someone call Horatio Kane - from the looks of the beach strollers, the remains of a homicide victim have been discovered off the boardwalk behind the wall. It's going to take the whole forensics team and trite dialogue to solve this case. "Expert Life Guards"The bathing hours on this beach are 11 to 1 during which expert Life Guards and Boatmen are provided for the safety of Casino Guests. Please be guided by their advice when entering water. -- Geo E. Andrews Supt Move along, folksThe crowd down by the water's edge is looking at something. The only thing we can see are the two guys in the rowboat and a few guys between them and the beach. Was something dangerous happening? Or does Alligator Joe have a new exhibit in the water? ClothesI don't know why half of them aren't dying of heatstroke. Especially the men in dark three-piece suits and hats. And in that salty and sandy environment... makes me itch just to look at them. [It's winter, or thereabouts. - Dave] But they never get them wet!For all that ocean, and all those bathing suits, somebody should be getting wet, yes? (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Florida)
Shore Fastline: 1908
... Atlantic City circa 1908. "Virginia Avenue from the Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2015 - 10:15am -

Atlantic City circa 1908. "Virginia Avenue from the Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Looks LikeAtlantic City was the location of the very first AARP convention! Or was it initially a 55+ only resort? Babyface Nelson?That baby up against the fence appears to have a goatee! Trains to Pleasantville!Upon arrival, the photo will become colorized, and the women will toss away their bustles and funny hats, and get uppity! Sweeney's Billiards, Pool and Bowling AcademySounds like a great place to pick up a Bachelor's Degree. YikesBefore solid infrastructure - Umm... Where is it now? Bench WarmersLove to look at these people soaking up the vitamin D and relaxing. Wouldn't it be great to sit there just one day all day and listen to and observe folks of that time. Atlantic City & Shore Railroad American Street Railway Investments, 1908. Atlantic City & Shore Railroad. — Incorporated Oct. 21, 1905. This road connects Atlantic City, Pleasantville, Somers Point and Ocean City and by traffic agreement with the West Jersey & Sea Shore R. R., operates cars to Longport. Plant And Equipment.— Miles of track (electric), 44.8 of which 17 are leased; gauge, 4 ft. 8½ in.; 20 cars; overhead and third rail. Power rented from West Jersey & Sea Shore R. R. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Railroads, Streetcars)
The Dennis: 1901
... is a "rolling chair," used to convey guests along the Boardwalk. - Dave] Trees on the beach Why are all the trees stacked up ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2016 - 7:21pm -

"The Dennis, Atlantic City, 1901." Decades before The Donald came to town. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Lady on leftEdith, I swear if it get any hotter I'm going swimming clothes and all! Second Boy from the right"Hey Elmer, check out the ankles on that chick" No towelsMust have been an extra sandy experience, back then. The Dennis"You'll love our pine-scented beaches.' Not wheelchair compliantIt appears the hotel is not ADA compliant. There is a wheelchair at the bottom of the stairs on the left. Looks like the user is hobbling up the stairs to her room. I hope they didn't put her on the top floor. No light colored parasols here, just dark rain bumbershoots to hide under. I really enjoy looking at these pictures on my tablet. The spreading of the fingers zoom feature allows one to check the fine detail. Keep up the good work! [The vehicle at the foot of the stairs is a "rolling chair," used to convey guests along the Boardwalk. - Dave] Trees on the beachWhy are all the trees stacked up on the beach in front of the fence? Some kind of erosion control? Strange effect The kid in front of the two ladies looks like he fell out of a Winslow Homer painting and landed on the beach. Trees on the beach, a Jersey Shore traditionAlthough those don't look like Scotch Pines and Doug Firs, they may be there for the same reason hundreds of New Jersey towns, at least throughout my youth, used to collect used Christmas trees at curbside and send them on a seaside excursion. Yes, it was for erosion control, they claimed... possibly to keep the sands from swirling and shifting during the rough winter-spring transition. Earlier generationWhile the Dennis Hotel is still used by Bally, this picture is of an earlier incarnation of the hotel: "The latest version of the Dennis, pre-casinos, was constructed between 1919 and 1925, Kutschera said. It was built in the French regency style, with a distinctive mansard roof." [Other Shorpy photos show mansard roofs present as early as 1905 and 1908. -tterrace] Where?Anyone have any idea of where in AC this hotel was. I will be going to AC in 3 weeks and would like to see what's there now. [It's still there, now incorporated into the Bally's complex. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Ocean Grove: 1905
... went for a walk in the warmer air. We noted that the boardwalk was guarded at the border with Ocean Grove, and our family was not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/26/2011 - 8:43pm -

The New Jersey shore circa 1905. "Bathing at Ocean Grove." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. We see the well uniformed crewestablishing the final steps to the newly arrived trans- Atlantic cable, altogether now, 1-2-3 PULL ! ToppersI can't get over two women that have on hats, one looks like she has a bell on top of her head and the other looks like she could promenade down Main Street in the Easter parade. Also, the woman left center looks like she may have on some sort of life preserver. Her hat looks weird, almost like a bird's nest. AppendagesPlease tell me those are some sort of Victorian water wings she is carrying out of the water. The guy with his hands clasped behind his back would like to know too. So awesome!To see where I grew up, 80 years before I was born. I feel strangely connected to these people who have been on the beach so many years ago. Poor little girlWhat has happened to this child? She looks as though her leg has been gashed and she's lost some clothing as well. The "Grove"...At one time the Jersey Shore had seriously bad Rip tides which can sweep a swimmer off their feet and out to sea in a minute. The ropes seen in this photo were there for folks who could not swim that well to hold onto. After the built a number of rock Jetties out into the ocean the riptides decreased. However I still remember there still being ropes as late as 1974 or '75. Wistful VistaI was struck by the lovely young lady at the right with that incredible shawl. She looks like she really wishes she could join in the fun. Once again, some seem to come to the seashore just to verify that it is still there. 60 Years Before Candid CameraLove the three ladies holding hands in a circle and laughing hysterically as they tug at one another. So many pictures from this era show people looking so stiff, so formal. These are real people having real moments, 60 years before Candid Camera. I like spotting the family groups, huddling together, not straying too far. My grandparents, all of whom I was lucky enough to know when I was little, would have been about fifteen to twenty years old in 1905, and I can imagine any of them in this scene. Please do not enter Ocean GroveDuring the late fifties, before Asbury Park (the town to the north) began its decline, our family spent the day on the beautiful beaches. Tired of the cold water and strong undertow, we went for a walk in the warmer air. We noted that the boardwalk was guarded at the border with Ocean Grove, and our family was not permitted to cross. My father, brother and I were indecently dressed, on a Sunday. We wore no shirt, jacket or swimsuit top as required by law. Ocean Grove was and to this day remains a strict religious center run by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. Re: the two ladies by the lifeguard towerWell I guess if you're going to play leapfrog you might as well be in the water! Either that or it's a very public backrub. FlotationI wonder if the girl in the light coloured bathing costume in the centre has got something akin to the bulky kapok-filled "Mae West" life vests that we all wore into the '70s. Mae West would have been 11 or 12 at the time of this photo, so the term would still be a few decades in the future. (The Gallery, DPC, Swimming)
Kittatinny House: 1905
... or Atlantic City back then and wander up or down the boardwalk? What would it be like to stay in one of the big hotels or popular ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 4:37pm -

Circa 1905. "Kittatinny House, Delaware Water Gap, Pennsylvania." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Huh?Excuse me but are those curtains on the outside of the window? Need A BreakThe gentleman to the left looks to be taking a break from the food service area to have a smoke. Natural telephone polesNotice the trees on the right are used for telephone poles. Any trees left after it was built?Wow...what a monster. Imagine the maintenance required....paint...shutters, shingles.....ice. CurtainsThey may have been used to keep insects out - like a screen window Tree powerInteresting use. Trees don't grow upwards their whole length but only at the top. The trees grow in girth. So at least the lines won't move up through the years. The standoffs might evidentially be engulfed in the outer layers of the tree. A stream runs through itOne unique feature of Kittatinny House was the mountain stream that ran through the kitchen (I hope it was planned that way). The road we see with the horses and buggy is now Route 611, with I-80 down below along the Delaware River, which divides New Jersey and Pennsylvania here at the Delaware Water Gap. Nearby is what's described as the best rock climbing in New Jersey. Here's the fountain we see at the far end of Shorpy's photo. Dave, would all this light come from one Mother of All Gunpowder Flashes? NPS informationA user-friendly pdf of the Park Service's Spanning the Gap newsletter provides background and a map of the resort. Just a memoryThe best I could find out is that there are ruins of the fountain and the stone ovens. [It was destroyed by fire in 1931.] Dreaming of a Different TimeI see these pictures on Shorpy of the way people lived and played back in those days and I feel left out that I cannot experience the same. Wouldn't it be great to take a trip on a river boat like the stern and side wheelers we see in these photos? Even just a day trip down river and back. How would you like to visit the seaside and see Coney Island or Atlantic City back then and wander up or down the boardwalk? What would it be like to stay in one of the big hotels or popular inns that are featured in these photos? Actually, a lot of us would not have been fortunate enough to afford a trip or a vacation to some of these places. Money was as tight then, or tighter, than it is now. But it is nice to dream and just imagine that you are there enjoying the sights and sounds. [It was destroyed by fire in 1931.]Well of course it was, was there ever any doubt? (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
Atlantic Avenue: 1905
... But ended up losing them to some rich guy with a hotel on Boardwalk. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 9:52am -

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. Detroit Publishing Co.I was wondering, was the DPC cmomissioned to take photos all over the USA, or did they do this on their own. Interesting picture of Atlantic Avenue. [Detroit Publishing's main business was selling color postcards printed using autochrom process. These glass negatives were the starting point. And right here on Shorpy, 100 years later, is where they are being seen for the first time in all their hyper-detailed glory. - Dave] Two Stumps?Then you really don't need shoes at all. After 105 years, not much is leftThis appears to be the corner of Pennsylvania and Atlantic Avenues. The old Courthouse can be seen on the left, and is now gone, as is almost everything else. The only structure extant is the six-story building with the clock-cupola on the right. The clock and cupola are gone, but the distinctive front entrance is intact. View Larger Map What is this, the Old West?Come on New Jersey, it's the 20th Century. Put down some asphalt, cobblestones, anything! [The paving here seems to be brick, with an overlay of crud and mud. - Dave] Coffin nails...I note that Smoker's Paradise is right across the street from the undertaker's. Amazing detailThe building on the right has a lot of interesting details on it, like the rounded windows (they must have been expensive to replace), the fleur-de-lis below the windows, and the old men (Neptune?) along the roof line. I also liked the Common Sense Shoe Store, which must have been for people without stumps. Help WantedThey talk about the "good old days" being a misconception. Still, when the Employment Bureau has a "help wanted" sign out front, makes you think certain things like the job market were certainly better in 1905. Used to own two houses on Atlantic Avenue.But ended up losing them to some rich guy with a hotel on Boardwalk. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Streetcars)
GM on the Beach: 1964
... convention, which was held in the Convention Center on the boardwalk in August 1964. Thanks WFPG The then CBS Radio Station's call ... Back when the old Convention Center opened on the Boardwalk, the station broadcast from there. Buicks White one on the ... 
 
Posted by adamgilson - 05/16/2015 - 1:38pm -

Another look at the fading Atlantic City from my grandfather's family trip in 1964. View full size. Vaughn MeaderHaven't heard that name in years. As I recall he did a comedy album spoofing the Kennedy family and did a spot on impersonation of JFK. Hilarious at the time. Something I've wonderedNow I have an idea of what Vaughan Meader did after 1963. Compare this pictureto some of the turn of the century photos of Atlantic City. One person on the beach? At least Al Martino still had a gig there. My Parents Had This AlbumI never remember hearing it, though. After Nov 22, 1963, we were forbidden to play it. I was only 5 1/2 then so, if I heard the album I don't remember it. Summer of 1964I remember visiting this exhibit at the Steel Pier while in Atlantic City with my parents. They were in Atlantic City for the 1964 Democratic convention, which was held in the Convention Center on the boardwalk in August 1964. Thanks WFPGThe then CBS Radio Station's call letters WFPG were the acronym for Atlantic City's then self-appointed nick name of the "World's Famous Playground." Back when the old Convention Center opened on the Boardwalk, the station broadcast from there. BuicksWhite one on the left is a 1962 LeSabre or Invicta, and the one the right looks like a 1960 Electra 225. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Grand Hotel: 1908
... What the heck Los Angeles Chamber of Commerce on the Boardwalk ? No, No, Nanette! This fabulous hotel had famously fabulous ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:07pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Marlborough-Blenheim Hotel." All this needs is some icing and a bride and groom on top. View full size. Fabulous!Up till then, the largest reinforced concrete building in the world. Razed in 1979. What the heckLos Angeles Chamber of Commerce on the Boardwalk ? No, No, Nanette!This fabulous hotel had famously fabulous afternoon teas. Irving Caesar wrote the words to the song "Tea for Two" here in the hotel's lobby in 1925. A King's RansomI'll bet that penthouse suite cost $10 or $12 a night! So hard to imagineThese things ever existed. Thank God these photos do. Inn-cineratorI hope those twin towers at the front are smokestacks -- to have them belching oodles of black smoke would complete the sinister look! Whoa Nouveau!That's grand, all right. If I ever get my time machine working, I'm using Shorpy as the GPS. Profit can be a HUGE motiveThis 1753-room casino (Bally's Atlantic City) replaced it. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Immense Chewing Candy: 1904
The Jersey shore circa 1904. "Young's Hotel and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Where strollers confront a plenitude of amusements, ... Atlantic City Is that Nucky I see down there on the boardwalk smiling? (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2013 - 9:42pm -

The Jersey shore circa 1904. "Young's Hotel and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Where strollers confront a plenitude of amusements, confections and refreshments. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. That's The Beer Brewed in ColumbusIn the middle left of the photo (right above the Brady's Baths sign) is a sign for Hoster's Beer which was one of the major breweries here in Columbus, Ohio in those days. Mexican PenochisThis from Historical Sketch of the Chicago Confectionery Trade: BELL, Jonas N. Started jobbing and is now (1905) a manufacturer of sweets at 606 West Madison Street As Senior Partner began manufacturing as BELL & PFEIFFER at 40 Fifth Avenue and 612 West Madison 1901 Has also manufactured vending machines Ex-Vice President of the Jobbing Confectioners' Association Ad: (Photo of BELL) "JONAS N. BELL Manufacturer and Jobber of High Grade Confections, Sole manufacturer of the Original "Mexican Penochis" as made in Old Mexico, Tin Boxes 25 cents. Texas Pecan Clusters made of Texas Selected Pecan Nuts, Tin Boxes 30 cents, 604 W. Madison Street -- Chicago" Page 83, 119, 122 (Ad/Photo) Low down on Mexican penochis...http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/38621364/ As it's poorly OCR'd it's a bit of a puzzling read, but worth a couple minutes. 25% purerFrom the Boston Evening Transcript, May 8, 1902. Ten-cent cigarActually, something of a premium smoke back in 1904. Where It All BeganThe custom of keeping right of oncoming traffic. Perhaps it was a continuation of the American Revolution, when Patriots began to drink coffee vis-à-vis British tea, while the British had and still have the custom of keeping left? Early Atlantic CityIs that Nucky I see down there on the boardwalk smiling? (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Back Story: 1925
... archive and looked at this picture of the New Jersey boardwalk in 1905, marveling at the crowd (and all the dead people): ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/11/2016 - 4:06pm -

        UPDATE: Shorpy member Ben Roundabloc reveals our inscribed ingenue to be the actress Dorothy Appleby, who featured in the theatrical revue "Puzzles of 1925." January 1925. Washington, D.C. "Man painting woman's back" is all it says here. Who can help fill in the blanks? Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. One thing I'm sure ofYou don't have to roll your stockings down below your knees to have your back painted. The Sign is a HintLooks like it's for "Eddie L" which could be Eddie Leonard. The 1920s, more modern than todayAh, Bohemia. I love this woman's free spirit: allowing herself to be photographed topless and showing a "wicked knee". Did she answer an ad in the paper or do these two have some extracurricular connection? Commercial sign painting, theatrical, unfortunate racism on prominent display. Is she a showgirl? Is to be part of a coming attraction? The exuberance of the age and flaming youth speaks in so many details, not the least of which the SHAG carpet. It's good to see people with a sense of fun. Dorothy Appleby, Star of Stage and ScreenFeatured in the revue "Puzzles of 1925," based on the book by Elsie Janis. Dorothy had parts in several other movies and plays include some Three Stooges films. Spice it upFinally a way to spice up my daily Sudoku puzzles! I hope the wife plays along with this idea! Best not use permanent markers I guess. The benchThere's some funky stuff in the background ! The bench is a joiner's or carpenter's bench with a face vise on the left and a tail vise on the right. Such a bench would be appropriate in either a sign shop or a theatrical prop workshop. Way over on the left are two empty liquor bottles and an electric hotplate. The hotplate might be there to warm old-fashioned hot hide glue which was used for woodworking in those days. What do you make of the partially-readable labels on the cans on the bench ? Elsie JanisOK, this is a funny coincidence. Not a week ago I was poking around in the Shorpy archive and looked at this picture of the New Jersey boardwalk in 1905, marveling at the crowd (and all the dead people): https://www.shorpy.com/node/8294 Now, down in the corner, there was a little sign that said, "A Sensation! ELSIE JANIS, the World's Greatest Imitator!" So I did a little Google search on her, and she turned out to be quite an interesting character (look her up!), who'd been just starting out in 1905 at 16 years old. Just another day on Shorpy, finding interesting little details and people who lived long ago. So today I look up Puzzles of 1925, and who pops up as the author of the book, and the director of the Broadway play, 20 years later? Elsie Janis! https://www.ibdb.com/Production/View/8952 Elsie is clearly stalking me. "Always Something Interesting" here at Shorpy. Cans on the BenchUnfortunately I can't make out the brands, but the cans between the artist and Dorothy James appear to be show-card colors aka posters paints. Water soluble, so easy to use and easy to fix mistakes. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Pretty Girls)
Moxie Kids: 1904
... In 1887 he built a rolling scenery railway on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City that is said to be the forerunner to Space Mountain ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 1:43pm -

New York circa 1904. "The goat carriages, Coney Island." Similar to this image posted here last year, except this one shows the Moxie sign. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. MoxieAs some have surmised Moxie is a soda. It is still available in New england. It took its name from Lake Moxie in Maine. It tastes something like a cross of Dr. Pepper and root beer. MOXIE was greatI have an advertising sign with Ted Williams endorsing Moxie, if that doesn't prove it's great, I don't know what could. Oh the Joy, the thrill!They just couldn't look any happier to be there! So what was Moxie anyhow, a brand of Castor Oil? ExpressionismSome classic faces in this photo. There is the man (hands on hips) to the far left who is thinking "Darn kids, get them dang goats out of here!" The young Irish Boy, leaning on the left most cart, with his friend, who for the moment is looking elsewhere and NOT at the camera. The two young men who are leaning on the cart in the middle seem to be in charge as they look to be the oldest ones in the bunch. I see that the little girl in the middle cart is still trying to get herself settled as well. The two lads in the cart on the far right are interesting as well One is well behaved and sits looking straight ahead, holding the reigns, while the other one eyes the photographer suspiciously, probably wondering if he is going to take a third picture. Lastly, why are those two women on the far right wearing pizzas on their heads? You want me to wear a tie?Look mister, I work with kids and goats all day. Coney Island Railroad?!Intrigued by "The L.A. Thompson Scenic RY. Co." sign, I did a little checking and found it was s switchback railway invented by LA Marcus Adna Thompson (1848 - 1919). It was the first gravity powered roller coaster in the United States. He built the very successful ride at Coney Island in 1884 based on the Mauch Chunk Switchback in Pennsylvania. In 1887 he built a rolling scenery railway on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City that is said to be the forerunner to Space Mountain in Disneyland. He also sold his patented automatic car coupler invention to railroad car manufacturer George Pullman. "Full of Moxie"Did not know the word moxie came from the name of a soda. Usually heard the word used to describe someone who seemed to have a lot of nerve or as some say "fire and brimstone." (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC, Kids)
Glen Echo Park: 1928
... known as "Penny Arcades". The one I remember was on the Boardwalk in Shorpy's favorite Queens, NYC site, The Rockaways, an area of ... the 1940s here. When you entered the place from the Boardwalk, the first thing you saw was the Fortune Teller console with a witch ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/18/2012 - 12:02pm -

Montgomery County, Maryland, circa 1928. "Glen Echo Park." Another look at this old-school attraction in the Washington suburbs. View full size. Play Station ZeroThe Penny Lane attraction in this photo brings back memories of what were known as "Penny Arcades". The one I remember was on the Boardwalk in Shorpy's favorite Queens, NYC site, The Rockaways, an area of beachfront summer bungalows and rooming houses. We're talking the 1940s here. When you entered the place from the Boardwalk, the first thing you saw was the Fortune Teller console with a witch like mannequin moving her head. Inserting a penny got you a tepid fortune card. There were change making people walking around with a wide apron pocket loaded with pennies. My favorite game was a mechanical baseball machine with lead soldier like pitchers and catchers. The one cent coin got the pitcher throwing (actually bowling} an agate sized lead ball toward the bat. The trick was to be able to press the lever quickly enough to hit the ball. It wasn't easy and if you scored runs you were awarded chits for the usual Carny junk. These were the last century's version of what we now know as Video Games. I rememberWhen I was a kid in the 1950s to early 60s, my mother took my brother & me to Glen Echo once every summer or so. Next to the beach it was my favorite destination. I believe they had a large roller coaster my mother wouldn't let me ride & a "junior" roller coaster she would. I didn't find out till years later that Glen Echo was strictly segregated. That realization took some of the gleam out of my memories. I couldn't fathom why some kids were kept from the fun times because of outward appearance. If I also remember correctly the owners of the park were finally ordered to integrate. They chose to close Glen Echo instead. A Sad EndNot entirely true Palmatier Meg. There were non-violent protests to the segregation in 1960. In 1961 they DID integrate. It remained open with out incident until 1966 when there was an ugly incident which caused the park to close early. The kids from the urban area had been bused in for the evening of fun and the buses refused to return to pick them up when the park closed early. They had to walk back home and violence ensued. Glen Echo Park is mentioned on pages 6 and 7. The park stayed open until 1968 even after the so called "riot." I grew up in the neighborhood and our family were regular customers. It was so sad to see it close. I almost cried when I saw this picture in Shorpy. It is now open again as a park dedicated to the arts. The carousel is still there and beautiful! Penny ArcadesAs Mr Mel stated there always seemed to be a fortune teller at those Arcades. In the Baltimore area's Gwyn Oak Park & Carlin's the same lady ruled both houses. You put a penny in a high slot and it rolled down a bridge to fall into her hands. Lights flashed as she turned to drop a card into a slot and there was your fortune. I spent many a happy hour with only a dollar in those arcades watching hand cranked movies and stereopticons (magic lanterns). The topics ran the gamut from the Johnstown Flood, The San Fransisco Earthquake, The Baltimore Fire, WWI and old silent cowboy movies. There were machines where you could stamp out your name or some other message on a round lucky coin. The best were the pinball machines. One penny for 5 balls and some grand shows complete with bells, whistles, lights and gongs. Today's electronic pinballs may wow you but they are but cheap imitations of the classics from the 20's through the 50's. Of course the pictures of scantily dressed ladies on the main board did impress a young lad of 11 or 12 in those pre Playboy days. Oh wellHowdy Folks, I came in the last few years of Glen Echo. My grandma took me when I was little once. I remember all the fun I had there. Being an inner city kid, awhile later we found eternal freedom through DC Transit and headed sraight to Glen Echo a few times and the last time it was closed. Our hearts sank and the ride back was long and sad. Sorta like losing Coney Island. We had found sanctuary and now it was gone. We now have Kings Dominion and six flags but the two combined will never match the experience I had at Glen Echo. Eventually, I would live in Glen Echo a short time but the area has now been developed and bears little resemblence to older times. Life is short so we must make the most of it. Thanks Shorpy (The Gallery, Natl Photo)
The Sands of Time: 1906
The Jersey shore circa 1906. "Beach and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Brought to you by Gillette. Detroit Publishing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/25/2012 - 3:09pm -

The Jersey shore circa 1906. "Beach and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Brought to you by Gillette. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Bird's eye viewSo, was this photo shot from a hot-air balloon? Aeroplane? Observation tower? [It was made from the tallish Hotel Traymore. - Dave] Splash.Makes me want to go to the beach. Thanks Shorpy. Up On the RoofSo what's the large cylindrical object atop the building towards the end of the pier? It appears to be made of fabric. An inflatable airship? Or maybe just a giant advertisement for foot-long (block-long?) hotdogs? [The sign hanging underneath reads THE AIRSHIP. Another Shorpy Mystery! It looks something like one of Melvin Vaniman's ill-fated craft. In 1910 he attempted the first air crossing of the Atlantic Ocean from A.C. in the dirigible America, but had to abandon ship near Bermuda. He was killed in 1912 when his hydrogen blimp the Akron blew up off Atlantic City. - Dave] An idea before its timeWhere's the Barbarossa now that people are wearing Bikinis and Speedos? Gillette's advice still holds. So much to seeAnd so little time. But, my favorite thing so far are the five gals arm in arm walking away from the camera about 40 yards to the right of the covered beach chairs. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Steeplechase Pier: 1905
... gone, all gone now Today most of the traffic on the boardwalk is people shuffling from one gambling casino to the next. There are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 10:20pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Steeplechase Pier, Atlantic City." Appearing April 22: The Mask and Wig Club of U-Penn performing "Mr. Hamlet of Denmark." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I wonder... what time of year this is? No one is on the beach or the pier. [It's April. - Dave] Shills rolling chairsWhy yes. I believe he is. Gone, gone, all gone nowToday most of the traffic on the boardwalk is people shuffling from one gambling casino to the next. There are few attractions. The benches are mostly occupied by the homeless, who tend to be dirty and talk loudly to themselves. Instead of sun and the sounds of the surf, what most people experience these days is the constant din of endless rows of slot machines inside cavernous, windowless rooms. It's hard not to sound negative, AC really is bleak. Got Windex ?Imagine the chore it must have been to keep those beautiful ornate windows clean. Salt spray had to be the worst culprit. I was wondering.Quevic? After this Steeplechase Pier Burnt DownI worked on the replacement Steeplechasr from 1944 to 1948, I ran the Ferris Wheel and my best friend Felix ran the Dodgem cars. This was B.C. -- before casinos. A great place to grow up in.....Lew Bobb (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Atlantic & Pacific: 1907
... churches and grocery stores and such. I don’t remember Boardwalk Empire as being heavily populated by the “normal” either! Now ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2021 - 11:26am -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1907. "St. Nicholas Church, Pacific and Tennessee Avenues." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Reprobates?Based on my own misspent youth, it appears those boys to the left of the church are up to no good. Not on my Monopoly boardHaving visited Atlantic City but once, it is difficult for me to think of it as a normal town with churches and grocery stores and such. I don’t remember Boardwalk Empire as being heavily populated by the “normal” either! Now if the spires displayed gold letters spelling T R U M P .... Fresh GroundIt would be holy [sic] appropriate, then, if the post-service convivium featured refreshment made possible by a classic A&P Eight O'Clock coffee grinder (the sort of which was omnipresent in grocery stores of the not-so-distant past). Ground for this church was broken not so very long before this image was captured, as construction was completed in 1905. And it still stands! (I was prepared to discover this would be yet another church to face the wrecking ball.) Quite the tangle Power line work by the local electric company has left the top of this utility pole looking like the aftermath of an explosion in a spaghetti factory. The carbon arc light suspended above the street brings back memories of the old movie projectors. For a couple of summers during my adolescence I was friends with the projectionist at one of the local drive-in theaters. I would go to work with him different nights and learned to operate the projectors. One of the neat things was watching for the little circle of light to flash on the bottom right of the screen to signal when to start the second projector. When the circle flashed again you opened the shutter on the second projector and shut off the first projector. If done correctly it was seamless. I don't remember exactly long each reel of film lasted but there were a lot changes in a two hour movie. Add that to the standard double feature starting about nine o'clock and you had yourself a hot summer night. Now I've Robert Palmer and those girls in my head. What were they looking at?The St. Nicholas of Tolentine Catholic Church, circa 1907, is a beautiful church. But I wonder what parish it serves? Today it's surrounded by mostly low price hotels and parking lots. This picture captures some great moments. At left is a group of boys, circled around something, all staring down intently. No doubt it was something only boys would find fascinating. While around the corner are the girls, grouped at the top of the steps. You can almost hear the giggling. I also like the man up against the wall, with his thumbs in his vest, posing for the photographer. Then and NowLooking at the magnificent structure in 1907, one is aware of its huge size, and with the spartan number of people around makes it seem even more huge and out of sync with reality. Skip forward to 2021 and it seems not many more people are around than 114 years before. In reply to Rob EllieCarbon rods, positive and negative or sometimes two negatives, were used in projection world wide up until around the 1960s when xenon filled high pressure glass bulbs were introduced. Both consumed large amperage but at low voltages, based on the size of the rectifiers supplying the DC current, the size of the screen, and the size of the carbon rods and xenon lamps, ranging anywhere from 5mm to 30mm diameter or more for the carbon rods to 1000 watts to 15000 watts for xenons, depending on whether the screen was small or huge such as Imax. The latest technology is laser powered light sources in some locations. The xenon lamps are used for both film (now rare) and digital projection. Carbon arcs were also the norm for film studio lighting, in combination with sealed lamps. Carbon arc light was very intense, needed especially for early slow speed film stock. It was also the closest natural color temperature to daylight. Film spools were usually around 1000 feet in the era of flammable nitrate film and then when safety film was developed around the early 1950s, 2000 feet became the industry norm for shipping and most projection, until larger spools, example 6000 feet started being used in some cinemas in the 1960s, leading to the entire film (35mm or 70mm) being held on horizontal 'platters' introduced around the early 1980s, all systems that were joined up by the projectionist from the delivered 2000 foot spool. A 2000 foot spool ran for about 20 minutes when full. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Jersey Shore Jesus: 1908
... there find nothing so fascinating as to hang over the Boardwalk, milady chewing a wad of gum, her husband smoking his stogie, and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/20/2011 - 5:43pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1908. "Sand modeling." Kindly remember the worker, and don't forget to visit the gift shop for a postcard or two. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Sand Artists Park and Cemetery and Landscape Gardening, Vol. XXI., No. 6, 1911. Sculptures in the Shifting Sands. Atlantic City has become the happy hunting ground of the sand sculptor. The vulgar populace there find nothing so fascinating as to hang over the Boardwalk, milady chewing a wad of gum, her husband smoking his stogie, and watching the sand artist. Sometimes he'll select one of those standing near and depict him from life. It takes time, of course; one must wet the sand to stick — but at Atlantic City time is no matter. And what pictures they do make — those sand artists! "Some of 'em is all right, and some of 'em ain't," says the beach patrol, as he orders the immediate overthrow of many. But others — well, they're works of art. For these latter one needs a license. And then one ropes off an area of beach. Sometimes they're only children, these artists. One, a lad of nine, modeled a picture .of two baseball players. "Safe!" is its title, and it shows the baseball player just coming to base, with his rival close behind and about to catch him. The work is done by hand, with just now and then a sharp-pointed stick to get in the details. Sometimes after its all done the figure will be painted, but that rather spoils it. Of course there are actual works of art. For these there are large boxes, in which the sand is carefully packed. Then it is dampened, and then worked. It's a matter of hours, often, this latter. "The Seasons," after the old Greek tapestry effects, is a prime favorite. It is in white sand on a black board back-ground, and, not content with that, the sand, too, is painted black. The Lion of Lucerne is also often shown. Notable Atlantic City sand artists of the early 1900s: James Taylor, La Rue Yost, and Harry A. Ross. Somethin' ElseThis left me speechless. (A condition I rarely find myself in.) I've just sent the pic to members of my Bible study group. I'll be interested to see their reactions. Spam '08Shameless self-promotion, 29 years before the word we now use for it was even invented. Catchin' some raysShall I assume my fellow Shorpyites will all ascend to the heavens, tomorrow? And, can I have your stuff? WowJames Taylor is older than I thought! WWJD?Probably not THAT. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
A Fast Crowd: 1905
... City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Rolling chairs on the Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... have changed in Atlantic City over the years, but on the boardwalk the rolling chairs are still rolling. (The Gallery, Atlantic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/23/2014 - 12:24am -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Rolling chairs on the Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Rolling alongLots of things have changed in Atlantic City over the years, but on the boardwalk the rolling chairs are still rolling. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Travel & Vacation)
The Old Neighborhood: 1904
... Nothing left of this view landward from near the famed Boardwalk up Pennsylvania Avenue to the intersection with Pacific and beyond. ... few architectural links with the 19th century along the Boardwalk. The five-story clapboard structure has a two-story porch along its ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/24/2017 - 3:59pm -

Circa 1904. "Pennsylvania Avenue, Atlantic City, New Jersey." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Quite the Monopoly-- on a complete change for modern visitors. Nothing left of this view landward from near the famed Boardwalk up Pennsylvania Avenue to the intersection with Pacific and beyond. There is still a church at the corner but it's a newer build. The once genteel neighborhood of homes, boarding houses and hotels disappeared and what's left is a canyon between self-parking structures for the casinos. The 100 Block of Pennsylvania AvenueAs recently as 1981 the NY Times described the Holmhurst Hotel as one the architectural gems worth seeing in Atlantic City:         The largest extant frame hotel in Atlantic City -- the Holmhurst, at 121 Pennsylvania Avenue -- is one of the few architectural links with the 19th century along the Boardwalk. The five-story clapboard structure has a two-story porch along its front and two-story oriel windows at the end of the central section and at the outside corners of the end pavilions.         The interior, stark and simpler than most, is characterized by shallow arches, a wide staircase and rooms with their original frame doors topped by transoms. Unfortunately, the whole area today is naught but boring building blocks and parking structures: Weathervanes and Lightning RodsAdorn nearly every one of these exquisite homes. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Sun City: 1910
... and Rudolf hotels, Atlantic City." From the heyday of the Boardwalk, parasol and rolling chair. View full size. The Monopoly Card ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/25/2015 - 12:26pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1910. "St. Charles and Rudolf hotels, Atlantic City." From the heyday of the Boardwalk, parasol and rolling chair. View full size. The Monopoly Card"Advance to St. Charles Place," only in this case it would have to say "Return to St. Charles Place". The Mailbox. When I started with the Post Office Department in 1970, we only had one box in our city like the one in the picture (out of 100 or more collection boxes). Notice it has a lock instead of a slot for a key. Instead of inserting and turning the key to open it, You inserted a special flat key into a slot on the lock and it would pop open. Every Letter Carrier had to sign for the special key and the regular key daily, even though most never used it. Mailbox MemoriesThey haven't changed much over the years but eventually rust out and get replaced. The oldest one I remember was in the mountain community of Julian, CA, embossed with the manufacture year 1933. I think it was there until about the 1980s, so they sometimes have a good long run. St Charles PlaceAnd not a scotty dog, flat iron, or thimble to be seen. The U.S. P.O. TardisThat U.S. Mailbox does indeed look like the one setting on the corner near my house at this very moment. Too bad we're not Timelords. We could crawl into it like Dr. Who's police box and visit 1910, then come back and get some KFC. I suppose I, myself, would look pretty suspicious wearing jeans and tennis shoes, and a teeshirt that reads "Bonnie and Clyde Death Death Car." "It's So Dreadfully Hot, Mabel""Let's dress in many layers and stroll under a parasol." What a DumpI see one piece of white litter along the curb. Mail BoxAnd one hundred and five years later the U. S. Mail collection box could still be in use somewhere. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Sea Water Baths: 1904
The Jersey Shore in 1904. "Boardwalk at Green's Hotel, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... beyond the surf line when there was a decent crowd on the boardwalk and very histrionically thrash about like a drowning man. With ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2018 - 11:40am -

The Jersey Shore in 1904. "Boardwalk at Green's Hotel, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Such Civility!My mom, born in 1920, instructed me at a very early age to always walk to the right-hand side be it a staircase, a sidewalk or a hallway. Everyone stays out of each other’s way and can enjoy the view without worry. No Mexican standoffs! Nowadays you’d think most young people were British the way they hog the left side -- very stressful. "Do you know what fish do in that stuff?"Despite W.C. Fields' ostensible dislike of good old H2O, very early in his career he had a summer job as a "drowner" for various Jersey Shore hotels. He'd swim out beyond the surf line when there was a decent crowd on the boardwalk and very histrionically thrash about like a drowning man. With commensurate drama, a lifeguard or two would perform an exciting rescue, to the "ooohs" and applause of the tourists. [Another version of that story can be found here. And yet another here. Both involving concession sales. - Dave] Someone who claimed to have known Fields once told me that after one such performance, as the future comedian was being borne on a stretcher off the beach, he heard a woman remark, "My God, Mabel! That man must be a hopeless drunkard. It's the third time they've had to rescue him today." Reflecting on W.C.'s distinctive features, it's clear that he was a poor choice to play a succession of non-descript victims. But he survived to conquer vaudeville, then talking pictures, and leave a legacy that persists until this day, so in a small way we have publicity-hungry Jersey hoteliers to thank for that. Six years laterFrom a slightly different perspective, here's a view of the beach and the "Richard's Baths" in 1910, from a postcard in the New Jersey Almanac records. Sun Baths at The PierAtlantic City "Sun Baths" Look closely for the sign. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
The Shelburne: 1910
Atlantic City circa 1910. "The Boardwalk and Hotel Shelburne." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit ... View full size. Made of wood, after all Did the Boardwalk ever burn? Is that smoke I smell? Wrong Name Shall ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/30/2020 - 12:25pm -

Atlantic City circa 1910. "The Boardwalk and Hotel Shelburne." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Made of wood, after allDid the Boardwalk ever burn? Is that smoke I smell? Wrong NameShall burn is probably a better name. The No Burn ShelburneOriginally built in 1869 and over the years went through a slew of owners and renovations before finally being demolished 117 years later in 1986. Kudos to The Shelburne for surviving the predominant fate of most wooden hotels of the era - burning down. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Windsor Castle: 1906
... Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1906. "Hotel Windsor and Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... Illinois Avenue This was at Illinois Avenue and the Boardwalk. The Walls Have Eyes I kept coming back to this photo, and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 4:34pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1906. "Hotel Windsor and Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Illinois AvenueThis was at Illinois Avenue and the Boardwalk. The Walls Have EyesI kept coming back to this photo, and finally remembered what was so familiar. The "Archy Face" on the top floor has a few cousins lurking in an old image folder on my hard drive. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Space Ranger: 1953
... partially obscured poster in the window that mentions a "Boardwalk Parade" is for the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City? It seems to ... 
 
Posted by Born Too Late - 06/08/2013 - 10:28am -

One of a series of professional 8x10 pictures taken in August 1953 for Better Living Magazine, featuring my in-laws. Here's my brother-in-law at age 5. View full size. HeadlampThat is a 1952 Ford parking lamp being used as a headlamp. That noseIt almost looks like it was made from a Studebaker grille. Headlamp III have a question for "bravo tango". Your photos show these lenses were produced by Van Brode, a one-time major supplier of plastic utensils from my father's hometown. Some claim that they were the inventor of the "spork". They have since gone out of business and I'm curious where you obtained the lenses. Were they an aftermarket item since I don't see any Ford logos? If they are aftermarket I find it interesting that Van Brode produced auto items at one time. [I attached the photo, found on an eBay auction. -tterrace] Pleeeeaaaaase may I have a dime?To the right is the horse ride. My all time favorite. My poor mother couldn't get me out of the Woolworth store without me begging for a ride. They had a handsome one with a real leather saddle like the one in the picture. It was right by the bulk candy bins and popcorn popper. How I miss Woolworth. The most awesome ride ever!There is a video of this ride in action here: http://microcarmuseum.com/video/rocketship.html This must have seemed incredible for a kid in 1953! "There she is..."I'm wondering if the partially obscured poster in the window that mentions a "Boardwalk Parade" is for the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City? It seems to feature a tiara on a cushion. [It was part of the 1953 event. -tterrace] Horse rides for a penny...are still available at my favorite King Soopers grocery stores in CO Springs! Alas, they are far too small for me to ride, now that I have all the pennies I want. At the other endIf I recall correctly, the 'exhaust' on these rockets was (or resembled) the taillight lens of a 1953 Ford. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
In Dreamland: 1905
... around by the score. Are they truly awestruck by this boardwalk magnificence or checking out the place before allowing wife and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2013 - 7:27pm -

Coney Island, New York, circa 1905. "In Dreamland." Meet you over at Canals of Venice. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Scads of men & women, few childrenI love these photos of places like this from the past century. But one thing struck me as I scanned this one. I notice hundreds of men and women but relatively few children. I realize it might be Saturday or Sunday (still, where are the kids?). But if not, what are all these men (most women of the higher classes stayed at home) wandering around an amusement park on a work day? I hear how hard and long men, as well as many children,worked, that the "family vacation" as we know it didn't exist. Are all these people of the moneyed, leisure class? Many of these men are unaccompanied by a lady or a child, yet stroll around by the score. Are they truly awestruck by this boardwalk magnificence or checking out the place before allowing wife and kinder to come? Most puzzling. [These weren't "amusement parks" in the present-day sense of a place where one took one's children and put them on rides; many, if not most, of the attractions were designed to entertain adults.- tterrace] "Within 3 Pounds"The tripod set up in the right foreground appears to be a "Guess Your Weight" scale. Taller Than You ThinkI've seen the Dreamland Tower many times on Shorpy, but I never thought of it as particularly tall; maybe 5 stories or so, but this time I noticed the folks walking around underneath it and realized that the photos have not captured the scale very well. It took a little research to find, but turns out the tower was 375 feet high, or about the height of a 37-story building. The arches at the deck level are 50 feet tall alone. All in all, pretty impressive for 1904! The tower held a 600,000 gallon water storage tank for fighting fires, all to no avail, it turns out. The entire place burned to the ground only 7 years after opening. WoodThe entire structure is probably all wood, and most likely received a fresh coat of paint every spring. Also, I highly doubt that it is 37 stories high. Just my opinion. [According to the New York Times, the steel-and-stucco observation tower, "an imposing edifice of white and gold in the French Renaissance style," was 370 feet tall, had two elevators that carried passengers to an observation deck, and 50-by-50-foot base "profusely decorated with bas-reliefs by Perry Hinton." If the tallest man at the base is 6 feet tall, the tower, based on its relative height, would rise around 230 feet; if the base really is 50 feet wide, more like 250 feet. - Dave] (The Gallery, Coney Island, DPC)
The Seaside: 1905
... Monopolists Atlantic City, home of the famous Boardwalk. I wonder if they passed "Go." Paddle Steamer Hotel The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:03pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1905. "Seaside Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Vacationing VictoriansOh how I love this photo! Most everything during this time is beautiful, the homes, hotel and the very lovely ladies. I wish I could stroll this street right now. I was born in the wrong time. Sigh. Five Kinds of Wheels1. Motor vehicle 2. Horse drawn wagons 3. Bicycle 4. Entrepreneurial fellow with the wicker push chair 5. Mom with crutch pushing baby carriage. MonopolistsAtlantic City, home of the famous Boardwalk. I wonder if they passed "Go." Paddle Steamer HotelThe structure of that hotel is reminiscent of the big paddle steamers, with the full-length double deck verandas, the tall cupolas taking the place of the smokestacks, and the staircased portico at the side standing in for the paddle wheel. I wonder if this was deliberate imitation. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, Bicycles, DPC)
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