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Arsenal of Democracy: 1941
August 1941. Warren, Michigan. "Tank manufacture (Chrysler). These are partially completed M-3 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/16/2020 - 4:55pm -

August 1941. Warren, Michigan. "Tank manufacture (Chrysler). These are partially completed M-3 tanks, 28-ton steel giants being turned out at the huge Chrysler tank arsenal near Detroit. The camera was directed toward the end of the three main assembly lines. Mass assembly methods developed in automobile manufacture are used. Note overhead cranes for heavy parts." Photo by Alfred Palmer for the Office for Emergency Management. View full size. BookWhen I was younger, I found, in a used book store, a small book about the effort by an automotive manufacturer to build tanks for WWII. I believe it was actually published by the manufacturer to document their work after the war. Don't remember whether it was GM, Ford or Chrysler. But, it was a fascinating read, with pictures of the assembly process, at least one of them much like this one. Previously on Shorpy --Quite a few Alfred Palmer 4x5 Kodachromes featuring M-3 crews training at Fort Knox have appeared on Shorpy. Here are a few: M-3s in Action: 1942 Aim High: 1942 Fort Knox: 1942 Hits the SpotLooks like a very thrifty operation indeed, at least if judged by the recycled Pepsi-Cola bucket sitting on the floor just ahead of the stand-mounted engine at lower right. M-3 Medium Tank (Lee)as opposed to the M-3 Light Tank (Stuart). The Confederate general names were applied by the British to distinguish the tanks, with the Grant M-3 being a modified version that suited the Brits more. They were used extensively in the North Africa campaign by the British, despite the tank being a stopgap measure until the M-4 Sherman could be developed. An unusual characteristic was the 75mm cannon in a fixed sponson on the right side because a turret capable of handling such a large gun hadn't yet been developed. The turret at the top held a rapid firing 37mm cannon. As a little note, the tank pictured by Vonderbees is an M-3 Stuart light tank. The Stuart has four road wheels and no 75mm cannon and the Lee six road wheels. Continental R-975Based on the glimpse of the yet-to-be installed engine on the floor in the bottom right-hand corner, this would appear to be one of the many thousands of Wright developed R-975 C1 air-cooled radial engines manufactured under license by Continental for use as a powerplant for Allied tanks and other armored vehicles. http://usautoindustryworldwartwo.com/images/Continental%20Engine/r975-aa... This engine in its C4 variant went on to be the main engine for the Sherman. Not that the R-975 isn't a great engine (it is!) but it's a bit of a disappointment for me as I was hoping to catch sight of the Chrysler A57 Multibank. The A57 was a 30-cylinder 1,253 cid engine (five Chrysler 250.6 cid L-head inline six cylinder engines arranged around a central shaft) that was developed in 1941 out of the necessity for a rear-mounted tank engine to be developed and produced in the shortest time possible. ... and here I am, hijacking my own post about the R-975 For sheer output to space ratio, the Radial Engine configuration can't be beat. Yank In A TankUpon further review, the tank on fire in the photo below is actually the M3 Stuart Light Tank which is different than the M3 Lee tanks in the manufacturing photo. PhotographerIs the photographer really Russell Lee? Per https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8b00695/, the photographer is Alfred T Palmer. [It is indeed and the caption has been corrected. - Dave] More About The PlantInteresting info here about the tank plant in the photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detroit_Arsenal_Tank_Plant Tanks!"Yer welcome!" Amazing timesI continue to be amazed at how America mobilized for WWII, the massive output of war machines, airplanes and ships. And how the railroads managed to come back from very lean years with worn out equipment to handle all the traffic. America truly came together. I'll be 80 in two days and really all I can remember is my dad being on the road as a Frisco engineer and the huge number of trains running then. (The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Detroit Photos, Factories, WW2)
Metropolitan Life: 1912
... Square. The fountain was a bequest to the city from former Michigan governor John J. Bagley, who had made his fortune in the tobacco ... water. The Bagley Fountain is the only structure in Michigan designed by the great American architect H.H. Richardson. Nice ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/29/2017 - 3:12pm -

1912. "Campus Martius, City Hall and Detroit Opera House." Other points of interest in this view along Woodward Avenue at Fort Street include the Bagley Memorial Fountain, Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument and Majestic Building. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Bagley FountainThe Bagley Fountain is actually a drinking fountain. It now sits a few blocks east of this view on Cadillac Square. The fountain was a bequest to the city from former Michigan governor John J. Bagley, who had made his fortune in the tobacco business and was one of the people most responsible for Detroit's status as a center of the U.S. cigar industry in the second half of the 19th century. He was also a temperance man, who felt strongly about the availability of fresh, clean drinking water. The Bagley Fountain is the only structure in Michigan designed by the great American architect H.H. Richardson. NiceThat is a very skillfully made old photograph - good architectural photography. Indian crossingThe motorcycle the young man is walking across the street I believe is a 1912 Indian twin cylinder single speed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Splashdown: 1904
Ecorse, Michigan. November 1904. "Steamer Detroit , Michigan Central Transfer. The launch." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 1:21pm -

Ecorse, Michigan. November 1904. "Steamer Detroit, Michigan Central Transfer. The launch." 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Defying the cowering hordes of PC dronesBig boat faw down and go boom! There!!! Inspired by the poster commenting on the previous photo, I am defying (yes, defying!!) convention and going against the cowardly hive mindset by daring to comment on this photo where no other commentator has trod before (so to speak). Even the revelation that this could be the 12th post on this photo does not diminish the history being made here. Yea, even the impending discovery that Dave took Memorial Day weekend off and was not able to work up 512 comments for this photo does not tarnish what we have accomplished. Otherwise, note the rapt attention of the crowd for this. Would they be as focused if this were a movie or theater performance? Telekinetic ProdigyUnnoticed by the crowd, the young man at bottom center was able to project sufficient telekinetic force to prevent a disastrous flip-over. Oh No!Looks like the guy in front with his arms raised just realized that it might actually tip over -- or not. What a ride!!Those guys on the starboard rail sure got a heckuva ride!! Definitely a time before lawyers had their hands n everything. Sir Jethro of Raleigh, NC USA! (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Dime Bank: 1911
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1911. "Dime Savings Bank building under construction." 8x10 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 10:14am -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1911. "Dime Savings Bank building under construction." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. CompetitionLooks like the crew on the left has a one story lead over the crew on the right. The ornate rooftop at lower left was Detroit's old City Hall, demolished in 1961. But the Dime Building is still there. Happy centennial, Dime. Current LookThe beautiful Penobscot building replaced the smaller building on the far left of the photo 15 years later, sitting nicely next to the tallest building on the left edge of the photo, the Ford Building. View Larger Map MaterialsHard to imagine that everything on that building was hauled there by horse teams and freight wagons! Sure would like to see some SHORPY photos of that procedure. [Don't forget trucks. By 1910 there were thousands of motor trucks and electric trucks on the roads. Below, an ad from 1911. - Dave] Working the steelI'm not sure if I could handle working on those stage platforms like those guys that are cladding the structure. What is the process here? Is it concrete, brick or some other rendering over the steel. It sure is a handsome building. ConstructionThe steel insides don't seem all that different from contemporary construction, but it's shocking to see the lower unfinished levels - airy and open with all that massive (granite?) density above. With older buildings I tend to believe the that the external skin is structural even if I know better and this messes with that illusion. Margaret Bourke-White (1904-1971)Would have been only seven years old in this year, but I'm sure this vista would have inspired her immensely. Her late 30's Chrysler Building gargoyle picture still gives me vertigo! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Motown Riviera: 1906
... The Detroit River circa 1906. "Detroit Oak Belting Co. and Michigan Stove Works." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2016 - 11:19am -

The Detroit River circa 1906. "Detroit Oak Belting Co. and Michigan Stove Works." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Not Much LeftNot much left of this Wight Street waterfront view, unless you count the rig being steered by the dapper gent. It might have a home at the still extant Detroit Yacht Club at nearby Belle Isle. Otherwise this stretch of the Detroit River has been thoroughly re-purposed, and in many cases more than once. Oak BeltingOn the 'About' page of the Cleveland Oak Belting company I found this explanation: Our roots as a company reach back to 1916 when we began as a manufacturer of oak tanned leather belting for industrial transmission and conveying If you need beltingA 1910 ad in the Spokane Spokesman-Review informs me that Detroit Oak Belting "means longer service, less trouble and lower cost." "Red Strip Belting," however, "has won for itself an enviable position in the opinion of users of rubber belting." The choice is, er, was yours. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Detroit Photos, DPC, Factories)
The Stove Factory: 1901
Chelsea, Michigan, circa 1901. "Glazier Stove Co., view in yard." It's been ages since ... I couldn't resist. Chelsea - a Jiffy town Chelsea, Michigan apparently never went without heat in the winter - nor did it probably ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/20/2012 - 10:51am -

Chelsea, Michigan, circa 1901. "Glazier Stove Co., view in yard." It's been ages since we checked in at the stove works. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. FirewoodThere seems to be an awful lot of wood around there for a Stove Factory. Packing crates perhaps? [See below. - Dave] Making wood stovesout of wood ??!! Got Wood?I'm guessing the boards on the rail car will become shipping crates for the stoves. Single-useThey must be making "wood stoves." Sorry I couldn't resist. Chelsea - a Jiffy townChelsea, Michigan apparently never went without heat in the winter - nor did it probably lack for muffins, as it is to this day the home of "Jiffy" muffin mix, put up in those cute little boxes and sold the world around. Did Detroit Publishing Company's camera man point his box toward that venerable plant while in Chelsea? Coal bunkerLooks like they are storing coal in the building to the left and it is spilling out of what were once windows. Great view of the brake pipe hose, glad hand and coupler on that old rail car! EfficiencyThis company was both quite efficient and attentive to their customers's needs. Not only did you get a new stove, you also got the makings for the first fire you'd start in it. (The Gallery, DPC, Glazier Stove Works, Railroads)
Home, James: 1910
Grosse Pointe, Michigan, circa 1910. "F.M. Alger residence." The home of banker-industrialist ... he rose to become a Brevet Major General, Governor of Michigan, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of War. In his spare time, he made a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/24/2020 - 2:12pm -

Grosse Pointe, Michigan, circa 1910. "F.M. Alger residence." The home of banker-industrialist Frederick Moulton Alger. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A story of three Freds (and a Frances)To the right of Fred, and between the two pooches, are Miss Francis Alger and Master Fred Alger Jr.. Fred Jr., like his father, would enter politics, ultimately serving as an Ambassador to Belgium during the Eisenhower Administration. His two sons - Fred Alger and David Dewey Alger - were the first and second CEOs of Fred Alger Management, a fund investment firm with principal offices on the 93rd floor of the World Trade Center. The September 11 attacks killed David and most of the firm's analysts, but Fred (who had moved to Switzerland) returned to rebuild the company. https://www.alger.com/AlgerDocuments/Money_ReincarnationofFredAlger.pdf The oldest Fred served in the Army in the Spanish-American War and World War I. In World War II, Frances served in the Red Cross and Fred Jr. served in the Navy. His son Fred served in the Marines. Before the Three FredsThe father of Fred the First was Russell Alexander Alger (1836–1907). Orphaned at 13, he worked on a farm to support his younger siblings. From those humble origins, he rose to become a Brevet Major General, Governor of Michigan, U.S. Senator, and Secretary of War. In his spare time, he made a fortune in lumber and railroads. No longer thereLost to development in the 1960s. https://www.higbiemaxon.com/blog/historical-architecture-of-grosse-point... Fred's ChauffeurAs the title suggests, I don't think that's the elder Fred at the left of the photo. The gentleman is wearing the proper attire of a professional driver, and perhaps he's getting ready to take the car out of the garage for a trip (but first taking a few moments to play with the dogs/kids and pose for the photographer). Are these really the Alger children?Frances would have been about six (born 1904) while Frederick (born 1907) would have been about three. The children in the photo are almost exactly opposites of what I expected. [We're not sure who they are or when the photo was taken. But probably 1910 or earlier based on the license plates. - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, Dogs, DPC, Kids)
Slider: 1910
... 14, 1910. "Detroit Shipbuilding Co. yards at Wyandotte, Michigan. Launch of bulk steel carrier E.H. Utley ." 8x10 inch glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 4:21pm -

May 14, 1910. "Detroit Shipbuilding Co. yards at Wyandotte, Michigan. Launch of bulk steel carrier E.H. Utley." 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. ViolentIt has always struck me as sort of odd how violent the launching of a hull is. Such a massive construction in free fall just seems so counterintuitive, especially considering the mass and momentum. A hard workerThe Utley was renamed the Cambria 3 in 1925, then sold off the Lakes in 1973, used as a transfer ship in Milwaukee from 1971 to 1973. The vessel in 1995 in use as a crane ship. Look out!Note that the ship is moving toward the crowd as it slides off the ways in the background. Must have been somewhat scary, as evidenced by the people running away from the water. ObliviousThis must have been quite a sight to see and look how many people turned up! There are women, children, and men. Only two young lads are oblivious to what is happening, happily playing on the wooden planks (far right) and running with a stick (bottom edge). Wet FeetI love how almost everyone is standing on rails or planks anticipating the mini-tsunami. And there's the kid looking in the complete opposite direction, probably at something tiny, which makes this all the more ironic. 1910 to WhenE. H. UTLEY (25), (b) CAMBRIA, (U.S. 207568). Steel bulk carrier built 1910 at Wyandotte by the Detroit Shipbuilding Company (Hull 184). 504.0 x 54.2 x 31.0; Gross 6287, Net 4861. Built for the Frankl Steamship Company (Oakes), Cleveland, but transferred 1916 to the Beaver Steamship Company (also Oakes), Cleveland. Ownership taken over 1924 by the Bethlehem Steamship Company and in 1925 by the Bethlehem Transportation Corp. Transferred 1942 to a Bethlehem subsidiary, Iron Mines Company of Venezuela, but no change in management. Transferred prior to 1949 to yet another subsidiary, the Gasparillo Dock Company. Rebuilt 1955-56 as a craneship by the American Shipbuilding Company at Lorain, Gross 6393, Net 4966. Although registered thereafter to the Bethlehem Steel Corp., management was transferred at the time of the rebuild to the Ore Steamship Company and she was operated by Boland & Cornelius, Buffalo. Retired from service late in 1970 season and sold October 30, 1970, to the Miller Compressing Company for use as a storage and transfer barge at Milwaukee. Sold 1973 to the Elizabeth River Terminal Company and taken to Norfolk, Va., for further use as a transfer barge. GreatReally great picture. Back then it must have been very hard work to build such ships. Oh what a rideI'd gladly give up a day pass for Disney World just to be riding aboard that vessel as it gets its first taste of water. Ship DesignBy 1910 the design of GL ore carriers had stabilized into a form that would hold true for the next 60 years. Not until the 70's did they start to get rid of the forward wheelhouse and stick the bridge on the aft superstructure. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Tennessee Club: 1906
... Curved dash Oldsmobile. Built in my home town, Lansing Michigan. A few more manhole covers please One every 5 feet or so? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/29/2014 - 7:46am -

Memphis circa 1906. "Tennessee Club." Bonus points if you can identify the runabout. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. The obvious comment:My club is my castle? Curved dash Oldsmobile.Built in my home town, Lansing Michigan. A few more manhole covers pleaseOne every 5 feet or so? RunaboutI don't think that it is an Oldsmobile, although it has a tiller like they did. The Olds had an outwardly curving dash, unlike the vertical one on this car. It looks a little like the original Cadillac, but that car had a steering wheel. NoldsmoblieThe dash is similar to an Olds, but not the same. The Curved Dash Oldsmobile also had a transverse leaf front suspension, the car pictured has parallel leaf springs. I don't know what it is, but I hope some else can set us all straight. The Tennessee Club building is fantastic, a wonderful Moorish architectural confection -- please tell me it wasn't torn down in 1952 to make room for a Piggly-Wiggly. Interesting architectureKind of Richardsonian Romanesque with some Moorish and Oriental design elements. Best part is that the building still stands at N. Court and Second and is mostly intact (the balconies have been closed in). The repeating, carved "T" under the dentils is a nice touch for the Tennessee Club. RunaboutI think it's a National Electric. The headlight looks electric, too. It's still there!It is now the The Burch, Porter & Johnson building, a well known Memphis law firm. Compliments To Memphis-For preserving this handsome building. In our sunny San Diego (as well as in most of Southern California) it would likely only be a fond memory by now. 1904 National Electrobile SpecialBruce Lancaster called it right—it's a 1904 Model 105 National Electrobile Special that cost $1,250 new. Without the leather top it would have been a $1,200 Model 100. Automobile Review called it "the most powerful electric two-passenger runabout on the market." National's "new pattern 'C' springs" in front give it away (conventional elliptics in the back). The Piano Box style black body was six and-a-quarter feet long, and two and-a-half feet wide with the two-passenger carmine leather seat hanging over four inches on each side. The running gear (axles, wheels, etc.) and the supports for the top were also finished in carmine. It had a track of 54 inches and 32 x 3 and-a-half inch Continental tires were standard. The six-pole 3 hp (overload capacity 9 hp) electric motor mounted on the rear axle was made by National, and drove through spiral gears that ran in oil inside a dust-proof case. The motor drew its power from a 36 cell Western brand battery that came with a rheostat to charge from any 110 to 125-volt circuit. The car was also equipped with an odometer and a combination volt/ammeter. It had a compression band style brake along with an auxiliary electric hub brake. First gear would top out at 5 mph, while fourth gear was good for 17 mph. Reverse gear was activated by a button in the end of the steering/controller handle. A clearer view of the ad picture of the runabout can be seen here. What a mess!It looks like the inside of the dumpster at a school of architecture. Not a mess!All in the eye of the beholder, I guess: I love this building! Admittedly, it's not exactly following any of the rules for Richardsonian Romanesque, or Moorish Revival,or whatever else might be going on here... but what a treat of architectural mixed metaphors. Provides a valuable counterpoint to the predominant architectural blandness, both then and now. DetailsLove the 'hidden' gutters on the pitched roof portions. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Memphis)
Grand Circus Park: 1908
... from the circle is the Governor Bagley house, later the Michigan Conservatory of Music, previously featured on Shorpy . Current ... as a face for a future building. Like much of downtown Detroit, it is marred by the unsightly People Mover elevated rail which ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/19/2014 - 11:55am -

Detroit circa 1908. "Corner of Grand Circus Park." If a circle can be said to have a corner. Maybe more like a pie slice. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. The Felix Unger ExperienceSo clean and neat that it looks like a model train layout, not a real place at all. Bagley HouseThat large Italian Villa on Washington Boulevard leading away from the circle is the Governor Bagley house, later the Michigan Conservatory of Music, previously featured on Shorpy. Current view of Grand Circus ParkThe Michigan Conservatory of Music which was located at Park and Washington Blvd was replaced by the Statler Hotel in 1914,itself subsequently demolished in 2014. The only remaining element in this photograph is the façade of the Fine Arts Building on Adams, preserved as a face for a future building. Like much of downtown Detroit, it is marred by the unsightly People Mover elevated rail which obstructs any remaining esthetic of architectural harmony that may remain. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
A Chorus Line: 1905
... "ore docks." The system was introduced at Marquette, Michigan. Ore was delivered to the top of the dock, and dumped into large ... the hand shoveling. Lakes boats didn't come home to Michigan empty, they typically backhauled coal, which was also loaded by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 11:16pm -

Lake Erie circa 1905. "Hulett clamshell hoists, Cleveland, Ohio." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Nine men......one must look hard to find most of them. Count the PeopleI stopped counting at eight people, upon encountering an additional one that I couldn't tell about. Two guys with great proprioceptionAnd they give you a sense of the huge size of this processing plant. I wonder how many men got injured falling off the hoists, working up there in various drenching conditions? How exactly did these hoists work? They would lift up nets or pallets full of oysters, which would then be trundled out by conveyor belt? The din and smell of a fleet of ten boats unloading at one time must have been stupefying. Do you have any shots of this plant at work? [Clamshell hoists don't have anything to do with oysters, clams, or seafood in general. They're for loading iron ore. - Dave] I count 11if you include "the Shadow". ClamshellsTechnically, clamshell hoists are so named because they (somewhat) resemble and open and close similarly to the bivalves' shells. Brown Fast PlantsTracking down the historical/technical details of this photo was complicated because the internetz are full of information on its more famous kin: the still-standing Hulett Ore Unloaders. Nonetheless, the best information on the pictured machinery is in the 1905 book, "Brownhoist": Patent Automatic Hoisting and Conveying Appliances. Pages 43 & 44 have alternate views of the same equipment. Briefly: The location is the Cleveland & Pittsburgh Dock of the Pennsylvania railroad. This type of hoist, designed by Alexander Brown, was known as a "fast plant" and was used to unload ore from a ship and transfer it to waiting rail cars. The specimens here were all steam-powered but later models used electricity. The unloading arm of the hoists spanned 5 to 7 railroad tracks and could load fifty rail cars without shifting. The business end of the hoists were equipped with Hulett clamshells and Andrews scrapers. Hulett ClamshellsThese are Brown rigs with Hulett clamshells, as noted in the caption, for transferring ore onto railcars from ships called ore carriers. I count 11 alsoI also count 11 including the man bent over behind the crane rails near the steam vent and the 3 atop the rail cars What's up dock?Since 1858, gravity has been used to load ore boats (naval tradition notwithstanding, all bulk carriers are "boats" on the Great Lakes) from structures properly known as "ore docks." The system was introduced at Marquette, Michigan. Ore was delivered to the top of the dock, and dumped into large holding pockets, each fitted with a side discharge chute. Brigantine-rigged (no boom between masts) Schooners were the favorite for ore shipments. They came alongside and typically loaded ore directly on deck, roughly 300 tons per trip — which could take four or more days to offload by hand on arrival, longer if it was loaded in the holds below deck As demand for ore skyrocketed, deck hatches were cut into these vessels to increase capacity. The first bulk freighter (the R.J. Hackett) was purpose-built for the iron ore trade in 1869. These bigger vessels opened the floodgates to a variety of mechanical unloaders mentioned in the earlier post, but the Brown and Hulett machines emerged as the leaders. A Brown bucket held roughly 1-1/2 tons, but the machine could only lower and raise the bucket straight into the hold, where it still had to be filled by hand; fitting the machine shown with clamshells should have greatly improved its efficiency. The first Hulett bucket held 10 tons (later models could handle up to 22 tons per bite), but its greatest advantage was its mobility, as it could move up & down, left & right and forward/reverse within the hold, greatly reducing the hand shoveling. Lakes boats didn't come home to Michigan empty, they typically backhauled coal, which was also loaded by gravity. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cleveland, DPC, Railroads)
Le Bel Âge: 1908
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1908. "Crowd at Belle Isle Park casino." 8x10 inch dry plate ... of the interior that I should post. I no longer live in Detroit, but I believe the replacement casino got a big update a few years ago. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2019 - 4:28pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1908. "Crowd at Belle Isle Park casino." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Forget gambling!The "Belle Isle Casino" was an open air building for decades on Detroit's Belle Isle, in the Detroit River. But it never was what we consider the "Casino" term today. No gaming in any form. It was just a nice place with tables and some food attractions then and forever more. End of an EpochBuilt in 1887, torn down in 1908. (Hey, at least it didn't burn!) Replaced by a still existing Casino building. When casinos weren't casinosThis wouldn't have been a place for gambling, thus all the kids, one of whom seems to have an armload of presents. Originally, casino was another name for a ballroom or place of entertainment. Johann Strauss II, the Waltz King, often premiered his music at places like Dommayer's Casino in Vienna, which was a ballroom. Staring boyThe whole composition appears to be a blurred whirl of activity around the still center of the boy in the cap with his hands behind his back, staring at the camera. There, wolf?Is that guy in the foreground a graying werewolf or did he just puff out some cigar smoke? Lots of weddingsMy parents got married in the replacement casino in 1954. I've got lots of pictures of the interior that I should post. I no longer live in Detroit, but I believe the replacement casino got a big update a few years ago. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Kids)
Give Him a Schick: 1941
July 1941. "Detroit, Michigan. Men's toilet accessories department at the Crowley-Milner department ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2013 - 4:29pm -

July 1941. "Detroit, Michigan. Men's toilet accessories department at the Crowley-Milner department store." Inspecting the Schick Shaver. Large-format nitrate negative by Arthur Siegel for the Office of War Information. View full size. Am I reading this correctlySoda-Mizer - - It Seals- - It Saves - - It Syphons. SODA MIZER, really, just don't say it too fast. WowThat little Schick shaver retails for an inflation-adjusted $226. Crowley's and Hudson'sIt's very nostalgic for me to see all of these pictures of Crowley-Milner that you've been posting recently. This department store, known by generations of Detroiters as "Crowley's," is still fondly remembered by people of a certain age for the big wooden escalators that clacked loudly up the center of the store until its closing day in 1977. But, even though many people preferred to shop there, Crowley's always played second fiddle to its larger arch-rival and neighbor, the J.L. Hudson Co., or "Hudson's". My great aunt worked for many years at a cosmetics counter that must've been within sight of the men's toiletries counter shown in this photo. But her older sister, my grandmother, worked in the cosmetics department of Hudson's, and would lord Hudson's greater size, fame, class, and sales volume over her poor sibling at holiday parties. Such was the rivalry between the stores - and the sisters - that we were strictly instructed on our trips downtown never to mention to either one of them if we had just visited the other at her cosmetics counter. Was a pharmacist required?The salesman is dressed like a pharmacist. Did they need a license to sell brushes, toothpaste an soda mizers in those days? Ya reckonthe folks at Kolynos paid JD Salinger to plug their product in “The Catcher in the Rye?” Holdon Caulfield laments that "Everybody was asleep or out or home for the week end, and it was very, very quiet and depressing in the corridor. There was this empty box of Kolynos toothpaste outside Leahy and Hoffman's door, and while I walked down towards the stairs, I kept giving it a boot with this sheep-lined slipper I had on." Holdon, birthed in 1951, would have been a couple years shy of knowing the joys of chlorophyll laced Kolynos. ["Holdon" -- really? - Dave] Salinger was smarter than thatHoldon [sic], birthed in 1951, would have been a couple years shy of knowing the joys of chlorophyll laced Kolynos. While the book came out in 1951, with a contemporary setting, Holden was supposed to be 16 years old. With a 1934-35 birthdate he would have been old enough to have enjoyed Kolynos. [Especially since it would already have been an established brand at the time of his birth. The chlorophyll version, not mentioned in the novel, was not marketed until 1952. - tterrace] Hold on, everybody!It wasn't only Holden Caulfield who did product placement for Kolynos. Salman Rushdie's book "Midnight Children" has a chapter, "The Kolynos Kid" and Cyril McNeile, who created Bulldog Drummond, wrote a 1922 novel, "The Black Gang", in which this can be found: "By the way, my boy, you skimped your teeth pretty badly to-night. You'll have to do better to-morrow. Most of your molars must be sitting up and begging for Kolynos if that's your normal effort." The brand name dates back to 1908 and was a top U.S. dental care company in the 1930s and 1940s, sponsoring big time radio programs such as "Mr. Keen, Tracer of Lost Persons", "The Adventures of Ellery Queen" and "Our Gal Sunday". Not a reality show among them. Kolynos was bought by Colgate-Palmolive in 1995 and is a leading brand in Latin and South America. Pro-phy-lac-ticBefore we get too carried away, I'll point out that the Pro-phy-lac-tic Brush Company of Florence, Mass. was a manufacturer of... yes, brushes, notably tooth but also hair and grooming. However, I did spot a non-PC accessory - though not one of their products: Soda-what?Yeah, the soda thing caught my eye too. Either a dreadful oversight by the marketing department or some kind of joke. How to Make the Most of a Bottleneck! Life, May 12, 1941.
The Grayhouse: 1907
... procedings of the City of Detroit going on, the State of Michigan has acquired ownership of the entire island including all upon it. ... of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan, April 1956. Scanned Kodachrome slide. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/21/2014 - 11:35am -

Detroit circa 1907. "Horticultural Building, Belle Isle Park." Check out their latest Vine. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. ChallengeOK Shorpy colorists, you're on. Belle Isle BeautyInfo from the Belle Isle Conservancy website: "The Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory was opened in 1904 and was designed by Albert Kahn, modeled after Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello. The Conservatory is divided into 5 distinct sections: The Palm House, Tropical House, Showroom, Cactus House and the Fernery. Mrs. Anna Scripps Whitcomb bequeathed her 600-plant orchid collection to the City of Detroit and the Conservatory. In 1955 the Conservatory was dedicated to her." My family, beginning with my grandparents, visited Belle Isle at least twice yearly for nine decades. It's great to see the historical photos displayed here at Shorpy. I keep hoping to find family in one of these oldies. Now belongs to the StateWith the current bankruptcy procedings of the City of Detroit going on, the State of Michigan has acquired ownership of the entire island including all upon it. Hopefully this bids for better times, as it has fallen upon hardship in recent years. Fond memoriesOf occasional visits here with my mother in the '50s. For all the exotic plants, bright colors & winter warmth, I most remember the humidity. Now that Belle Isle is a state park, maybe the Conservatory will be returned to its former glory. Grayhouse Kodachrome: 1956Interior of the Anna Scripps Whitcomb Conservatory on Belle Isle, Detroit, Michigan, April 1956. Scanned Kodachrome slide. View full size. More Kodachrome slides of the interior and exterior that were taken in 1955-56 can be found here. MomMy mom told me stories of trips to Belle Isle on the streetcar when she was a young child. Here she is in 1936 at 17 years old in front of the greenhouse. (The Gallery, DPC, Kids)
Overturned: 1921
... on the radiator is actually "THE DUPLEX LIMITED." The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collection states, "The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2011 - 9:15am -

1921. "Washington Rapid Transit Co. wreck." More vehicular mayhem in the nation's capital. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Heated StairsLooks like the extra exhaust plumbing goes into the stairs. Probably to keep the ice off of them. There are holes in the bottom of the steps to let the exhaust fumes escape. PlumbingThat's an interesting assemblage of pipes on the right side of the vehicle from just in front of what appears to be a muffler. The cleanliness of the underside makes me think the vehicle hasn't been in service long. The extra pipeI see what appears to be an exhaust pipe coming from the engine and going into the muffler. What is the pipe that looks to be tee'd off of the exhaust, prior to the muffler, running to the area behind what are probably steps to get into the driver's seat? [The driver's seat is on the other side. The steps are for the passenger entrance. - Dave] Re: The extra pipeI hate to think it's a heater feed, but that's all that comes to mind! External plumbingVery clean undercarriage. Interesting plumbing on the exhaust, very curious. Heater Pipe?I've seen asphalt trucks run their exhaust into the cargo area to keep hot stuff from freezing in winter. Judging from the way the spectators are dressed it was cold that day. Wondering if this wasn't some form of heater. The mufflerIt seems to be a closed tank. Perhaps it is tuned to reflect the exhaust pulses 180 degrees out of phase to muffle the sound. Heat for interior radiatorJust a guess: the piping appears to be too heavy a gauge for exhaust fumes. Perhaps it conveys water to a radiator within the interior, and located by the exit, where the cold air enters the bus. JanusThis section is my favorite in the entire photo: Here's Your ProblemYou don't have any front brakes. This thing pretty much has the suspension of a covered wagon and a two ton tank engine. Slippery When WetThe undercarriage is incredibly clean, especially considering the condition of roads (and occasional lack thereof) at that time. It's like someone took it out for a test drive right of the dealer's lot! "Yeah, I don't think I'll take this one -- it feels a little lopsided." Okehed Transportation Advertisement, Washington Post, Sep 26, 1921. Washington Motor Bus System Comparatively few people are as familiar as they should be with the very marked and singular success of the Washington Motor Bus System. So we wish to give you some of the plain, honest facts about the way all Washington has okehed this most convenient, safe and practical means of transportation. Yet, in pointing out the success of the motor bus system, we do not for one minute wish to convey the idea that the motor bus is going to supersede the street car. No, indeed. The street car has its place, and a mighty important one. So has the modern; properly organized and efficiently managed line of the motor buses! But we do wish to let Washington know what only a part of it already knows — that is, the Washington Rapid Transit System has become a prominent factor in the daily transportation of tens of thousands of Washington folks. This Motor bus system was started only six months ago! Yet in that short time it carried over three-quarters of a million passengers, and mind you, this was when Washington was comparatively empty. How many of you have stopped to realize what enormous profits there are in a properly organized, efficiently managed municipal motor bus system? For example, are you familiar with the facts in connection with London, New York, Detroit and Chicago? In London, even during the war, they paid over a million dollars a year in dividends. New York is the best "at home" example we have. Here they have carried over 40,000,000 passengers a year. … Less than six months ago the first properly organized and efficiently managed system of motor buses was introduced to Washington. The first installation consisted of a fleet of ten motor buses, and they operated on Sixteenth street northwest. So popular were they with the public that April 20th we had to put for new buses on! … So insistent has the demand been for more buses and additional routes that we have decided to expand the system, and will install sixteen brand-new buses. Ten will go into operation during the next three weeks, the balance soon after the first of November. On account of the growing popularity of this splendid motor bus service, the Federal Utilities Commission has granted us two new franchises, which require the installation of these additional buses, First route, starting from Eighth and Pennsylvania to Twelfth street, to Massachusetts avenue, to Sixteenth street northwest, to Harvard street, to Thirteenth street, to Park road, to New Hampshire avenue, to Grant Circle, and return (Petworth Division). Second route, starting at Eighth and Pennsylvania avenue, to Twelfth, to Rhode Island avenue, to North Capitol street, and return. … Washington Rapid Transit Company Fourteenth and Buchanan Streets N.W. Telephone — Columbia 4026 In 1933, Washington Rapid Transit merged with the Capital Traction Company and Washington Railway and Electric Company to form the Capital Transit Company. Route Map of Washington Rapid Transit Company with examples of double-deck and single-deck buses operated by WRT, "Fare 10 Cents" (via): 16th and VLooks like the apartments at 16th and V Street NW. 16th and U is still a pretty treacherous intersection. View Larger Map The Line UpBelow are a photo of the new buses lined up from a Library of Congress photo, and a close-up of bus Number 2. "Built For Business"I turned the original photo from the LOC sideways and it is possible to read, "THE DUPLEX," at the top of the radiator: Another picture from the LOC shows that the entire set of words on the radiator is actually "THE DUPLEX LIMITED." The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collection states, "The Duplex Power Car Company was founded in 1909 and produced mostly trucks and truck related machinery until it was reorganized into the Duplex Truck Company in 1916. The Duplex Truck Company was a prominent builder and supplier of trucks to private companies as well as government agencies during the years between 1916 and 1955. In 1955 Warner and Swasey Company purchased the Duplex Truck Company and the Duplex division closed in 1975." A picture of a Duplex radiator, their logo, and a truck, all from another LOC photo, are below. Overturned by Big TruckThe Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) of March 10, 1921, page 12, details the accident that is shown in the photo. The Washington Herald, on the same date, page 1, states the ambulance on the way to the accident scene was also involved in a mishap. The full Evening Star article and an extract from the Washington Herald story are below. Other information found confirms that the Washington Rapid Transit Company purchased 20 chassis and bus bodies from William P. Killeen who was the Duplex Power Company (truck) distributor for the D.C. area. Service with these buses began on March 1, 1921 which is probably why the bottom of the bus is in such good condition. The bus fare was eight cents on the route. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Oyster Wagon: 1905
... form of illegal enterprise. As a merchant sailor from Michigan, my mother's father, according to stories he told his children, was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:27pm -

Circa 1905. "Unloading oyster luggers at Baltimore." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Bowlerstache"No man shall wear a bowler hat in public unless he is festooned with moustache." Baltimore Public Ordinance 23 of 1902. Arlo Guthrie?The guy in the front of the picture looks like a young Arlo Guthrie. I've heard of Alice's Restaurant, but Alice's Oyster Bar? [I think it's Richard E. Grant. - tterrace] Those were the days,when oysters were the food of the masses. Pirates of the Chesapeake???Back in those days, nighttime rustling of oysters out in the Bay from beds planted by commecial interests was a popular form of illegal enterprise. As a merchant sailor from Michigan, my mother's father, according to stories he told his children, was part of that trade. The oyster policew were hot on his trail by 1890, so he fled north to New York State and became an insurance man and real estate operator...somewhat of a less exciting job. This is a terrific photo. Wilse Keaton?I think the guy front center looks like Buster Keaton. He has the right hat anyway. Also, front right is a telegraph boy. We have seen many pictures of child laborers with the photographer's seeming disapproval. What did telegraph boys grow up to do for work? $1 per bushelWhoever captioned this photo for the Detroit Publishing Co. did not know their boats. While luggers were common in the Gulf Coast oyster fisheries, on the Chesapeake the dredgers sailed in bugeyes, pungies and skipjacks. The location of the photo is Pratt street; in the background is Pier 1 and the Maryland Lime and Cement Co. Baltimore Sun, January 10, 1903. Many Oysters Brought In At Least 30,000 Bushels Arrive and More Coming. Fifty sailing vessels deeply laden with oysters anchored in the harbor Thursday. It is estimated they contain at least 30,000 bushels of oysters, representing a value of $30,000 or more. Another large fleet is reported bound up from the lower bay, and some of the captains who have had experience in such matters said yesterday that a glut may ensue. Yesterday along the wharves oysters were selling at prices ranging from 80 cents to $1.25 per bushel, according to size, quality and flavor. The demand was not unusually brisk, even for selects, and many captains who arrived early yesterday morning went to bed last night with their cargoes still unsold. Many of the vessels were consigned directly to the packing houses or are running under charter. Many other captains, however, depend solely on the market to dispose of their stock. Among some of these there was a feeling of uneasiness as the fleet continued to grow during the day. At 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon there were 27 deeply laden oysters freighters in Canton Hollow or tied up along the Canton docks, discharging. At Pratt street, between Bowley's wharf and Light street, 23 loaded craft were tied up waiting to unload. Capt. Allen P. Vane, of the schooner Margaret H. Vane, which arrived Tuesday, said yesterday that he passed a large fleet of loaded oyster boats in the lower bay, bound for this port. They were expected to arrive this morning, as the southwest wind must have brought them hurrying up the bay yesterday afternoon. The quantity of oysters now in port exceeds by far any previous day's record since the opening of the present season. Most of them are of fair quality from the York, Putuxent and Rappahannock rivers and from the Western Shore of the bay. Some are from Tangier and are very large. Very few are from the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The packing houses there are said to be using all the stock taken in those waters. Practically no oysters are coming from the upper bay and the present season there is said to be a failure. Local packing houses are running with full forces and have no difficulty in securing working stock. The $1.25 quotations yesterday were for select stock from the rocks which can be utilized as barrel stock. The prevailing prices hovered about $1. Shucks!What you say when your oyster wagon tips over... Skipjacks and Buy BoatsThe boats with the masts raked sharply back are skipjacks and bugeys. They would dredge for oysters. Early bugeyes were made from hollowed out logs, like big canoes. The more modern skipjacks appeared late in the 19th century. Buy boats would go around and buy oysters directly from watermen at work on the bay and bring them into Baltimore and other ports to resell. The boats with the more vertical masts are likely buy boats, called luggers, I suppose, in different locales. A sharply raked mast is an advantage when pulling a dredge, but otherwise makes for difficult sailing. Here is a photo of a working skipjack or two that my father took at the Annapolis City Dock in October 1965. The Dock was full of working skipjacks at that time. A banana and oyster sandwichIn the distance is the USS Constellation moored at Pier One Pratt Street today. This is also the same area where Bananas to Baltimore was featured a while back on these pages. Dirty waterI always thought that the water would have been clean, but I daresay, it looked worse then! Oyster warsThe last person killed over oysters was in the 1950's. There are two excellent books about oystering and the attendant violence. "The Oyster Wars" by David Faulkner and "The Oyster Wars of the Chesapeake Bay" by John Wennersten. (If you're interested.) http://www.amazon.com/Oyster-Wars-David-Faulkner/dp/1601455313 http://www.amazon.com/Oyster-Wars-Chesapeake-Bay/dp/061518250X (The Gallery, Baltimore, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
The Car Factory: 1911
... Detroit’s landscape. License on the radiator Michigan started with official license plates in 1910. From 1905-1910 the auto ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/28/2014 - 4:36pm -

Detroit circa 1911. "Boulevard view, Packard auto plant." At least two laborers are hard at work in our second look at the expansion of Albert Kahn's factory from two stories to four, at the spot where a bridge was eventually built over Grand Boulevard, connecting this building with one across the street. View full size. Interesting PlateIt looks like the license plate number was painted on the radiator of that car. Was this a common practice? [Or "license number," since there is no plate. - Dave] Bryant and Detwiler Contractor There can be no question that Albert Kahn, John Bryant and Ward Detwiler (Bryant and Detwiler Contractors, Detroit) helped shape the greatness Detroit had achieved at its peak. Arguably, Kahn and Bryant/Detwiler were a team: Kahn would design and Bryant /Detwiler would build many of the great buildings that once graced Detroit’s landscape. License on the radiatorMichigan started with official license plates in 1910. From 1905-1910 the auto owner had to provide his own plates based on a number assigned by the state. This motorist opted to paint his number in bold and sloppy lettering across the radiator. Not classy, but legal. So this photo has to be earlier than 1911. Want to know more, visit www.LeatherLicensePlates.com Packard plant todayhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvTwY6tPf4k A youtube link to a drone tour through the remains, with a MoTown tune to view by. It pains me bad to think that one of America's finest autos used to roll out of there, and today it looks like a bombed-out 35 acre war zone. What I wouldnt give to see it operating in its heyday. The look of industrial AmericaThis plant is so typical of industrial buildings in the first half of the 20'th century, reinforced concrete columns and floors with wall gaps filled in with brick or glass. They were efficient in the use of steel, trading low steel use for high labor costs for forming, pouring, stripping, etc. This style of construction was especially appropriate for WWII factories when steel was needed by the war effort and concrete and brick were more readily available. As structural steel became less expensive and more plentiful and labor costs increased for the forming and pouring over the years, structural steel structures with steel curtain walls replaced this style of building in America in the 1950's. The style continued on much longer in Europe and the Eastern Block. Today it is very rare to see a new cast in place reinforced concrete building in America. Kahn's work was not limited to rectangular layout factories like the Packard plant. He was also very capable of designing "people" buildings that were functional and very good looking. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Factories)
Iron Ore on Erie: 1900
Circa 1900. "Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway ore docks, Ashtabula, Ohio." 8x10 inch glass ... in one scoop. D for dedicated The Lake Shore & Michigan Southern gondolas have the letter D prefacing the car number. This ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2016 - 10:09am -

Circa 1900. "Lake Shore & Michigan Southern Railway ore docks, Ashtabula, Ohio." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Clean, but ...Am struck by how clean this busy site seems to be. Of course, those massive piles of iron ore are a rust-red color and that tint might prevail all across the scene. A really fine steel industry shot. Glad you put it up. Cranes?How did those Crane like thingies in the background work? When You're Out of Schlitz ...That little Schlitz private owner refrigerator car was the prototype for one of the most popular Walther kits for kids like me, whose parents could only afford a Marx 027 set. At 36ft long in real life, it scaled down small enough to go around the 027 curves, and still let an impecunious kid build a "proper" piece of model rolling stock. I still have mine. I'm often reminded of painters and paintings on this site. Today it's Charles Sheeler, particularly the smaller sized version. [Tiny Charles Sheeler is one of my favorites, too. - Dave] "Cranes"I think those are actually movable sets of elevators/conveyor belts. They transfer the material (coal) from one side and then dump it into the piles you see. They move side-to-side (into and out of the page in this picture) to service different parts of the yard. I think there are elevators/bucket lifts on the input side that puts the material on the belts which climb then the stuff falls off the free end. Still thereThe docks are still there, with ore trains and big piles of ore. Only the equipment has disappeared. I imagine that a modern loader can move a third of a carload in one scoop. D for dedicatedThe Lake Shore & Michigan Southern gondolas have the letter D prefacing the car number. This told car checkers the car was in dedicated service so not to be taken off its current route. In this case mine to pier to steel mill over and over again. The ore bridges were a step up from the whirley cranes but soon have competition from massive Hullet unloaders with their grasshopper-like dipping legs. The ground looks clean since this was an area where only the most foolish non-railroader would tread and drop trash. There is little in this photo that a safety inspector would praise. Those crib retaining walls being a first concern. Short-lived lighthouseThe lighthouse at the left side of the picture dates this to between 1897 and 1904, the latter date when these facilities were doubled in size and a whole new terminal was built for the Pennsy. It served as the rear light of pair to guide ships into the harbor. With the expansion a new tower was built in the new section, and that was all she wrote for this one. More "Cranes"Those structures do not have conveyor belts - if you look closely, you can see a few of the buckets at various distances from the ship. There are small 'trolleys' which move along the bridge-like structures, one on each. Each trolley caries a bucket (probably clamshell) which can reach into the ship's hold, remove some ore (or coal, but I suspect ore), raise it up, and then move either over the large piles, or over railroad cars to dump the load. Rebuilds...The hopper cars on the far right look to be rebuilds from earlier composite hoppers. Composite types had metal frames, and wooden sides with metal bracing. These cars, however, look to be of an all metal construction. While not overly common in 1900, all metal construction hoppers were starting to come into use. The cars had a longer life span than the wooden composite types, and actually ended up being cheaper to operate in the grand scheme of things. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Mining, Railroads)
The Accident, Part 2
November 12, 1906. "Accident at Michigan Central R.R. depot, Detroit." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 7:11pm -

November 12, 1906. "Accident at Michigan Central R.R. depot, Detroit." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Forensic trainspottingThe workmen are on top of the "sloped back" tender tank. These were used on switch engines to improve visibility when backing up. The backup light is in front of the guy with the shovel. Under the tender tank is one of the trucks that have been sheared off the underframe. Buried in the building is the crushed cab of the engine. Yikes!Imagine yourself sitting in that office with the collapsed floor, seconds before the train hits. I wonder if you could survive that. Motion captureBoth of the photos of this accident show a lot of understanding of the delicate balance of what was possible in the available light with the emulsions available to the photographer at the moment. Many people wouldn't have bothered because they knew it wouldn't have been a completely sharp image. The photographer with an 8x10 would know the expense and time involved in developing and printing each shot. He chose to shoot it anyway. The fact that motion blurred is not immaterial to these photos -- it brings a moment in time to life for me that I can't experience any other way. These photos are great, as are the choices made in the transfer to digital here. I know it is not possible to pull detail and contrast out that is not in the original - but the result is very strong. Perhaps more so than the photographer might have chosen in a more "literal interpretation." Doesn't matter -- this is a great pair. I love it. Intact exampleGo here to see a loco and tender that appear to be very similar to the ones in the accident photo: https://www.shorpy.com/node/6855 (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Railroads)
The Commuter: 1910
Ann Arbor, Michigan, circa 1910. "Michigan Central railroad station." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 4:51pm -

Ann Arbor, Michigan, circa 1910. "Michigan Central railroad station." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Ann Arbor LinemanUp a pole off in the distance. The Same View TodayView Larger Map 401 Depot StreetThis is a restaurant called the Gandy Dancer now. Why is the guy in the horse and buggy not only on the wrong side of the road, but seems to be charging the camera? I got a ticket once right about where they guy is walking. Playbill"The Awakening of Helena Richie" opened on Broadway in September 1909, closed in January 1910, and went on tour in the spring of 1910. Elsie Janis, born Elsie Beerbower, was a multi-talented composer and entertainer whose play "The Fair Co-ed" was touring the country that same spring. Returning in the 1920s to her hometown of Columbus, Ohio, she would live, ironically, in a house across the street from the football stadium. The route from this place to that place is known by heart to most Wolverines: "South until you smell it, then east until you step in it." Dramatis PersonaeStage stars Elsie Janis (in "The Fair Co-ed") and Margaret Anglin ("The Awakening of Helena Richie"), two big names now almost completely forgotten. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Gratiot Light: 1901
Circa 1901. "Gratiot Light, Port Huron, Michigan." A great lighthouse on a Great Lake! 8x10 inch glass negative, ... Just upstream from the Blue Water Bridge between Michigan and Canada. Bucolic Heavy woolens, aside it looks like a ... porch of the Grand Hotel. Gratiot Pronounced in Michigan as GRA-shut, with the 'a' as in grass. What a tease To stand so ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/10/2016 - 2:40pm -

Circa 1901. "Gratiot Light, Port Huron, Michigan." A great lighthouse on a Great Lake! 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Beacon for breakfastStill open for tours, both in reality and here on Street View. Just upstream from the Blue Water Bridge between Michigan and Canada. BucolicHeavy woolens, aside it looks like a beautiful summer day on the shores of Lake Huron. Perhaps that steamer on the horizon is taking patrons to Mackinac Island where they can enjoy the sunsets from the huge porch of the Grand Hotel. GratiotPronounced in Michigan as GRA-shut, with the 'a' as in grass. What a teaseTo stand so close to the water... and have to keep your shoes and stockings on. Scratch ItRhymes with Gratiot, at least in Wisconsin. (The Gallery, DPC, Landscapes, Swimming)
Something Wicker: 1912
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Pringle Furniture Co. -- chairs." 8x10 inch dry plate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 6:09pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1912. "Pringle Furniture Co. -- chairs." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The furniture store on Gratiot AvenueAccording to old Detroit City Directories, the Pringle Furniture Company was located at 121-123 Gratiot Avenue, between Brush and Beaubien Streets. It was originally incorporated in 1884 as the Detroit Picture Company with a capitalization of $25,000 for the purpose of selling "furniture, carpets, pictures and frames." In 1910, the company changed its name at the same time Herman Endriss left as President and was replaced by the Vice President, William A. Secord. In 1911, James Pringle came aboard as VP, joining the company's long-time Secretary-Treasurer, David Pringle. Eclectic and ElectricIt looks as if the folks at Pringle's were pulling out all the stops for showroom illumination. Somehow, I imagine the resulting glare didn't enhance the appearance of anything in the showroom. You can have any style you wantas long as it's Wicker. I suspectThose hideous blinds were never meant to be seen by the public. However, judging by the light filtering through, even with the awnings which you can see the shadow of, without the blinds you wouldn't see the merchandise in this photo. State of the ArtJudging by this picture the wicker industry hasn't enjoyed the same rate of technological development as say the radio or automobile industries have in the last century. In fact I would guess that you could pick up the very same models today at Wild Wally's World of Wicker. Wicker TechnologyActually, Julian, wicker received a technological boost in about 1920 when a Minneapolis resident by the name of Marshall Lloyd developed and patented an automatic wicker loom. This invention allowed the construction of sheets of woven wicker quickly and inexpensively. The loom patent was sold to Heywood Wakefield and that company was soon a very major producer of wicker furniture. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Castle of Culture: 1899
Wayne County, Michigan, circa 1899. "Detroit Museum of Art." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/13/2018 - 1:34pm -

Wayne County, Michigan, circa 1899. "Detroit Museum of Art." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 704 E Jefferson AveRazed for the Hastings Expressway, February 1957. Beautiful BuildingAlthough made in the architectural style called "Richardsonian Romanesque", in fact James Balfour of Hamilton, Ontario was selected as the architect. First art exhibitMy great-grandfather, Rob Wagner, a portrait artist, and his friend and fellow Detroit painter, John Donovan, who painted marine landscapes, held their first exhibit of their work at the Detroit Museum of Art in November 1904. They had just returned from Paris a few months earlier after studying art at the Académie Delécluse for nearly two years. More BackstoryMore backstory here. Baby Got BackAdditions were tacked on in 1894 and again in 1905. You can see one addition on the left side of the above photo. The lighter colored stone reveals the effects of both age and air pollution. And now you know...the rest of the story. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Ecorse of Course: 1906
Ecorse, Michigan, circa 1906. "Great Lakes Engineering Works, a portion of the yard." ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 1:27pm -

Ecorse, Michigan, circa 1906. "Great Lakes Engineering Works, a portion of the yard." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Birthplace ofThe ill-fated SS Edmund Fitzgerald. Pride of the American SideIn business for 58 years, this shipworks built many famous vessels including the SS Edmund Fitzgerald. Rusty rootsI was born in Wyandotte, which is the next city south of Ecorse, which is itself just south of Detroit with River Rouge in between. My grandpa (also named Vince Prygoski but with a different middle name than me) worked in Ecorse at Great Lakes Steel, which I think is probably a different company than Great Lakes Engineering, from probably sometime in the 1930s or 40s and retired in the mid 1970s, by which time United States Steel had bought Great Lakes and rebranded the factory. For a while I attended Catholic schools in Wyandotte and there were a number of students from the other nearby cities including Ecorse and River Rouge. Oldest freighterThe oldest active freighter on the Great Lakes is the SS St. Mary's Challenger, ex Medusa Challenger, built here in GLEW's Ecorse yard in 1906 as the William P. Snyder. Still steam powered, but repowered with a relatively modern Skinner Unaflow (correct spelling!) 4 cylinder steam engine. We got aboard a few years ago, before all the security stuff hit. She is steam from stem to stern, not just steam powered. At the time, she had one of the most legendary chief stewards on the lakes, who gave us some awesome cookies. Some of her components might be in this picture. GLEW works in EcorseIn 1922 the township of Ecorse divided and the shipyard ended up in the city of River Rouge. In 1958 I signed on aboard the Edmund Fitzgerald there for its short maiden season. Pay Shack or OuthouseWhatever its purpose, the little building at the bottom seems the place to be. re: Rusty RootsGreat Lakes Steel - River Rouge. My grandfather worked there 43 yrs and how lived to be in his mid 90's amazes me. (The Gallery, DPC, Factories, Railroads)
These Trees: 1910
St. Clair Flats, Michigan, circa 1910. "Willow Avenue, Star Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... the border with Canada near Harsens Island and Algonac, Michigan. I found this image at the web site for the Harsens Island ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 2:01pm -

St. Clair Flats, Michigan, circa 1910. "Willow Avenue, Star Island." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. What are those lines?There are marks on the trees just below where the branches split off. Marks on treesIt looks like they were trying to prevent an insect infestation. I can remember doing this to our elm trees at home. You have to get a draw knife and shave the rough bark down fairly smooth but not cut into the live bark. Then you spread a very sticky substance onto the trimmed area. I think one brand was called Tanglefoot. Looked like Vaseline but was like resin. Any bugs that tried to crawl up the tree got stuck in the mess and died. Good for gypsy moths too. Lines on the treesMy father used to circle the trunks of his fruit trees with some thick, sticky black gunk to trap ants and other destructive creepy crawlies trying to make their way up. Maybe that's some similar stuff, or its residue, here. Not that these are fruit trees, obviously. My kind of "Avenue"It's high time for a stroll down a grassy path on what appears to me to be an early spring day. I agree with tterrace; those lines are some sort of pest control material that an arborist has applied to protect them. Ironically, sometimes even used motor oil is employed to defend trees from certain insects! (click here for a really technical discussion) Tree linesI think tterrace has it exactly right, some sort of sticky gunk to keep insects from climbing from the ground to the tasty leaves. In this case it is probably to protect against tent caterpillars or something similar. These days when we have a possible infestation developing they tell us to put a band of insulation around the trunk of the tree, then cover the insulation with plastic, and then put the gunk like Tanglefoot on the insulation. This was seems quicker if not as efficient. Current stateI would love to see what this area looks like today. C FlatsThe St. Clair Flats, where the St. Clair River empties into Lake St. Clair, is the largest freshwater river delta in the world. Star Island House was on the south channel through the delta. I think I found the "Flats."The St. Clair Flats is the name given to the northeast section of Lake St. Clair along the border with Canada near Harsens Island and Algonac, Michigan. I found this image at the web site for the Harsens Island Historical Society. Note the reference to Star Island (lower right) and a ship often seen on Shorpy, the Tashmoo. (The Gallery, DPC)
Going Up: 1911
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1911. "Dime Savings Bank building under construction." 8x10 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 10:05pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1911. "Dime Savings Bank building under construction." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Danger Mason fears nothingSome of the workers on the mezzanine(?) level look to be in peril of falling boards on the ledge above and any dropped bricks from the men farther up. In turn, some of those fellows look to be in peril of falling junk from the man working several stories above them. "I knew I should have worn my derby today instead of a cloth cap." PricelessWhat would the white collar guy in the middle window on the top floor of the building on the left pay for a pair of noise canceling headphones? TrackageThe rails in the photo -- would they have been built to ferry supplies to the building or are they exposed streetcar tracks? I agonizeat the poor guys who had to pile all those bricks and blocks inside the lower floors. I also surmise the cement(cinder) blocks are not a recent invention. Do the twistNot a single diagonal cross-brace anywhere in sight. Unbelievable. A fearless worker having a breakI wouldn't have selected the seat as the guy on the top of the building! Due to many visible risks on the site, the man standing at the street corner is apparently an undertaker. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Summertime: 1900
Circa 1900. Our next stop in Grosse Ile, Michigan: "Cabin at Rio Vista." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit ... like something out of Dogpatch. Ahhhh Southern Michigan Summertime! What's on the window sill? It looks like a toy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 3:50pm -

Circa 1900. Our next stop in Grosse Ile, Michigan: "Cabin at Rio Vista." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. SpeculationThe boys are just a mite too well dressed to be sharecroppers. Dad probably owns the farm and they and the dog are taking advantage of a photo op with a then 150 year old cabin (give or take a decade). Li'l Abner slept hereHoo-wee! That house looks like something out of Dogpatch. AhhhhSouthern Michigan Summertime! What's on the window sill?It looks like a toy dinosaur. Did they even have those back then? [It's a Leafosaurus. - Dave] Potatoes, as far as I can tell.Spaced a bit too far apart in the row, but it's easier to hack weeds that way. Growing a winter supply of spuds by hand is tough, but the option is serious hunger. "Local Food" people, of which I am one -- I also grow organic veggies for a living -- should remember how scarce and weakly nourishing a truly local food supply can be if that's all you have. Leafosaurus on the windowsill?Sure looks like a cat to me! One vote for LeafosaurusDefinitely some Virginia creeper leaves. (The Gallery, Dogs, DPC, Grosse Ile, Kids)
Fast Fraight: 1906
Ecorse, Michigan, circa 1906. "Great Lakes Engineering Works." Our title comes from the ... next to the barrels, no plates are visible. In 1923, Michigan Steel Mill started production (see Ecorse Michigan by Kathy Covert Warnes.) No gym membership required It's no ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/25/2017 - 10:54am -

Ecorse, Michigan, circa 1906. "Great Lakes Engineering Works." Our title comes from the idiosyncratically graffitoed flatcar. Panorama made from two 8x10 inch glass negatives. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Quite possibly a building slipIt looks like the stern of a ship being built on a slipway. Great Lakes Engineering was a large shipbuilding yard from 1902 until they closed in 1960. The Edmund Fitzgerald was built here in 1958. Dry DockBigGuy1960 is correct. The barrels on the dock are full of rivets. You can see them laying next to the barrels, no plates are visible. In 1923, Michigan Steel Mill started production (see Ecorse Michigan by Kathy Covert Warnes.) No gym membership requiredIt's no wonder that our ancestors who did these jobs never had to "work out". I don't know what was in all those barrels or how heavy they were, but this type of hard labor had to be like an eight hour workout and then some. I've thought the same thing seeing Shorpy pictures of coal-miners, men loading cotton and or bananas onto ships, foundry workers, etc. Yes, there are still lots of grueling, physically back-breaking jobs around today but most of us are spoiled rotten with cushy desk jobs and use our brains and schmoozing abilities more than we do our muscles and brawn. Floating Drydock?I believe the structure in the right foreground is a corner of a floating drydock - note the bollards at deck level and at the top of the structure. I believe the structure perpendicular to the stair landing is a cradle for a ship to rest on. Wonder if it's under construction or used by the shipyard? Iron menMy grandfather was a riveter there. I'm wondering if the towers in the distance are salt wells for the chemical industry. (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)
Edifice Complex: 1901
Detroit, Michigan, circa 1901. "Wayne County Building." This multi-layered municipal ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/13/2020 - 9:31pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1901. "Wayne County Building." This multi-layered municipal confection, completed in 1902, still stands as a monument to the wedding-cake school of architecture. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Co. View full size. Work in ProgressIt looks like they started with a birdbath, then jacked it up and started building the bits under it. Sigmund FreudIs spinning in his grave. If only they had asked meMulti-layered indeed. The banded base should have stopped at the ground level. The layer above it with the portico wouldn't look so squished if that layer extended down to the top of the stairs. The building now has some statues on the roof and tower, nice patina. It helps tie the building and tower together. Responding to mrwowiezowie - you must be a big fan of "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" where Dr. Frank-N-Furter's castle does in fact become a space ship. My only response to that is: Let's do The Time Warp Again! Born in the USAMy father's birth certificate resides in that building. Tough CrowdI visited Detroit about 40 years ago. This building and Tiger Stadium are about the only things I remember. I was impressed by both. But I'm no architect (or architectural critic, obviously!) Enough architecture for three buildingsCoco Chanel said, "“Before you leave the house, look in the mirror and take one thing off: better to be underdressed.” That rule might have helped this building. I have a courthouse/spaceship problemWe have a lot of old courthouses in Iowa that look very similar. I have always found them impressive for their over-the-top attempt at the ornate. Between our state capital in Des Moines and all of these courthouses, my mind goes straight to science fiction. I envision these massive buildings rocketing out of their squares and into space with the main spires being where the cockpit is housed with lasers and other sci-fi weaponry coming out of the quadrant spires. If I had any artistic ability outside of my daydreaming I would draw it out for you, but that is what I see. Consider this my confession. Stones are heavyThe ground level walls are quite thick compared to the second floor walls, and they're both thicker than the upper levels. These buildings have stood for over a hundred years. Change the structural design at your peril. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Mansard Family Values: 1905
St. Clair, Michigan, circa 1905. "Residences on Front Street." Not for the stair-averse. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/08/2022 - 12:48pm -

St. Clair, Michigan, circa 1905. "Residences on Front Street." Not for the stair-averse. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Still ThereThe siblings, minus some of the lofty ornamentation, are both still there, with the one farthest down serving as a bed and breakfast. Also extant is the handsome but plainer frame house next door, a snippet of which is seen on the photo taken from its front lawn. Later that centuryOr could it be... Disneyland? It's had some dentil work MinimalistMansard roofs were all the rage in the 1860s-70s, when these houses certainly were built, but they're a real chore to maintain and went out of fashion by the mid-1880s. [The Times-Herald newspaper of Port Huron reports that both houses were built by the Mark Hopkins family -- 615 N. Riverside in the late 1880s and 613 (the farther of the two) in 1876. - Dave] Everything's Up to Date in St. ClairThe neighbors down the way have a smokestack! Too Tall HandrailIf one figures the rise of the steps are about 7", then that handrail is about 56 inches plus another 36 inches above the first step, or about 7' 6" above the ground. That would be awfully tough for anyone besides an NBA center to hold on to, not to mention a 5'4" woman. [That's a grille. A handrail would be at an angle, parallel to the stairs. - Dave] Still a charming community.I "toured" this charming little community yesterday using Google street view. It looks like a peaceful place to live. Houses have been built directly across the street from these old houses, partially spoiling the view of the water from the first floors though I suspect the second floors still have a nice view. The second house is a bed and breakfast called Memories Manor and there are interior pictures on the Street View for the house. (The Gallery, DPC)
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