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Foot Traffic: 1941
... last seen here . Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I'm waiting for a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/10/2020 - 5:04pm -

March 1941. "Portsmouth, Virginia. Houses near Navy yard." The street last seen here. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I'm waiting fora report on the guy with all the stripes. Hey Chief!Get your hands out of your pockets! Disapproving lookWhat a marvelous tableau, with so many groupings of people at various levels of interaction. My favorite is Dad with Junior pushing the stroller while Baby cranes around for a look, all under the scowly and scoldy scrutiny of Madame Tightly-Clasped Hands. CPO The guy with all the stripes is a chief petty officer. He has at least sixteen years service according to the hash marks (diagonal stripes). The stripes are only on his left sleeve and in this time period that would signify his rating was something other than a normal sea going rate which would be displayed on the right sleeve. The rating badge is between the chevrons and the rocker and is difficult to make out. It appears to have wings which signify an aviation job. The chief appears to be feeling his Cheerios he's taking a good stride I have to agree with rayray, the chief has five hash marks not four, and what I took to be wings are probably ships propeller blades which is the rating badge for machinist mate. The Navy would abbreviate his rank and rate as MMC. An Old SaltThe old salty sailor is a Chief Petty Officer, Machinist Mate. The Navy authorizes one service stripe per every four years completed. This chief's got 5, so he's been in the Navy 20+ years. More than likely he's looking forward to retirement, but that's probably not going to happen with December 7 looming in just nine months. Here's hoping he made it through the war unscathed. All the stripesbelong to a Chief Petty Officer, looking bored to be back on land. Child laborI'll bet that baby carriage was fun to push with those little tiny wheels. The little guy pushing it seems to be working all out on it while Dad looks amused. The house seems to have a sagging problem. Great scene. Navy heading homeLooks like a Chief Machinist Mate with 20 years service. If they are gold colored it means he served with Good Conduct (not getting into any trouble) This part of the street sure looks a lot dirtier than the previous view. Six seconds in the futureThe CPO is pushing the carriage, having recognized dad from Shop 31 at the Yard. Chief and dad discuss their mutual 1920's China gunboat service; the serviceman has recognized the civilian's tattoos as similar to his own. Junior walks between the two, holding his father's hand and happy to be relieved of his duties. The little shaver continues to stare intently over his shoulder, impressed by his uniformed motivator. Most good ladies of Portsmouth disapprove of tattoos. CPO RatingHis rating badge looks like a caduceus to me, which would make him a Hospital Corpsman. Which would make some sense in that his stripes are on his left sleeve indicative of a less than normal chance he'd be at sea. Also there is a large naval hospital in Portsmouth. MMCMachinist Mate Chief Petty Officer (MMC) Back in the day it wasn't so much an issue but in the last 40-45 years the Navy has frowned on "slovenly", unprofessional appearance while in uniform. This includes walking with your hands in your pockets, wearing your cover (hat) askew, jacket unbuttoned, etc. I know it's not definitive, but, the stripes (and rank chevrons) appear to be gold. Gold stripes were authorized for 12 years of continuous good service/conduct. In the early '80s, I recall seeing a few "ole timer" Chiefs, Senior Chiefs and even one Master Chief retiring with red stripes. Another tradition that has been done away with. Today, when authorized, all service stripes will be gold. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, NYC)
Ask at Bar: 1941
... must be mistaken! Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A respectable joint No ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2018 - 8:41pm -

February 1941. "Juke joint and bar in the Belle Glade area, vegetable section of south central Florida." Bottle of Old Grand-Dad? You must be mistaken! Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A respectable joint No hourly rate. One dead soldier on the tableAs my dad, who was of this generation, would have said. I'm So Enviousof his beautiful fingernails. Four peopleone glass, a very friendly group. 3 Ring TimeCheck out that nifty Ballantine Beer clock. Purity, Body, and Flavor -- "That's ale, brother." I'm ready for my close up, Mr. DeMilleThe lady on the right. Really excited!SHORPY flipped over this one. Not great.But, a good beer. After Capone. According to the book After Capone: The Life and World of Chicago Mob Boss Frank "the Enforcer" Nitti, Manhattan beer was mob owned, primarily by Nitti. Strong family resemblanceI think the girls are sisters. They have very similar facial features and hairstyles. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Florida, M.P. Wolcott)
The Herd: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Chicago's El Trains ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/03/2020 - 2:39pm -

July 1941. "Union Stockyards, Chicago. Employees' parking lot in the foreground." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Chicago's El Trains Moooved the WorkersAt its peak, the Chicago Stockyards employed 50,000 people. A special Elevated train branch line was built in 1908 to serve the yards, and ran until 1957. There were seven stations, and buses replaced the El trains until the Stockyards closed in 1971. You can read more about it here. The Stockyards even had a geographic telephone exchange name, YArds. Social ChangeCould one imagine this parking lot today without pickup trucks? Nostalgia lens"Dang it, all cars today look the same. Back in the Old Days, cars were unique and had real personality!" The "Back of the Yards" Neighborhoodlurks behind the G. H. Hammond Co. building. It had to be very pleasant at times when the wind blew in the wrong direction. DirectionThey're all, in the main herd, pointing the same direction. The drill for mass parking is usually back in to your space, because people arrive at different times but all leave at once, and the less backing out all at once the better. No clunkers herePay must have been good, mostly newer vehicles. That smellOn a recent cross-country drive we drove through Las Cruces, NM, and the interstate goes by a large dairy cattle stockyard area south of the city. I'd never been near one, and the smell was so much worse than I could have imagined. I can't imagine what Chicago was like back when the Union Stockyards were active. At least one grand old PackardFour rows from the top, 12 cars from the left. Looks like a 1934 Packard 5 Passenger Sedan. Patio hairBack in 1970 I bought 1100 paving bricks for my patio that came out of the stockyard pens. Some still had cattle hair sticking to them and smelled a bit. Looked nice, though. Memorable smellThat image reminds me of why I was once a vegetarian for 20+ years. As an ex-pat Chicagoan, the smell of that place c. late 1950s-early '60s for many blocks around lingers in the mind to this day. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon)
Midland: 1941
... Pennsylvania." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. What's that got to do with the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/26/2018 - 1:18pm -

January 1941. "Main street in the steel town of Midland, Pennsylvania." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. What's that got to do with the price of ribs?Wow! Ribs 12½ cents a pound! Smoked, yet! I like the outfit!Nothing says GANGSTER CHIC like pinstripes! E A T- - - any other instructions ? Half cent pricing"Smoked Ribs 12½¢" At first glance I thought the half-cent pricing was odd. But then I realized that pennies were valuable enough to make a half-cent equivalent to 50 cents per pound for us. Winter greensLet’s hear what greens those are in the peach basket out in the freezing weather. Got fresh ribs at a military commissary back in 1969 for 17 cents a pound and we still mention it when we purchase a rack today. EATThat restaurant convention was in a Gahan Wilson cartoon, a diner in the desert with a huge EAT sign and a horrible giant monster approaching; "I hope he can't read," says one diner to another. Ready for Ribs!It looks like the ribs building is currently vacant and ready to lease to an entrepreneur who can fire up the rib smoker. Also, it unfortunately looks like many of the buildings along Midland Avenue fell victim to the ubiquitous 1970's-era "beautification." What's going on at Megdal's?Looks like a delivery driver arrived early and plopped some Big Things in the doorway. Flat cap man seems concerned. E A T (again)I remember, as a kid on long family vacation drives from Ohio to visit my grandparents in Oklahoma and Arizona in the '70s, seeing lots of places on the side of the road named EAT. I always thought that was the funniest name for a restaurant, and there were so many of them! Now I can't remember the last time I saw one, though I imagine there must be a few surviving still. My home.This photo was taken just a few miles from where I live. My grandfathers and uncles all worked at Crucible Steel in Midland, PA. Here are a couple of photos of my great-grandfather at work as a roller at Crucible. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Stores & Markets)
Creative Differences: 1940
... Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Scriptorium The monks never ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2021 - 5:00pm -

November 1940. "Boys in the schoolhouse in Ledyard, Connecticut, working on the school newspaper." Title of their typescript: "A Happy Christmas for Tom." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. ScriptoriumThe monks never had carbon paper, so modernity had taken over the school newspaper by the 1940s. Fond MemoriesI well remember those wooden desks and wooden floors. However, you didn't want to get caught scratching your name into the top of your desk! Love these old photos! "Rosebud"Citizen Kane: the early years! "You look warm, Friend Rabbit"The boy in the foreground appears to be fully immersed in the short story "Why the Rabbit's Tail is Short". Happy Christmas for Tom        Once upon a time a poor woman and her son Tom lived in an old cabin in the woods. They could not have anything for Christmas because they didn't have any money. This made the little boy sad. So he put on his hat and coat and went out side. He walked through the woods. Soon he came to a little town. A man was shoveling snow off his walk. He called to Tom and said, "I will give you a quater if you shovel off my walk." So Tom went to work. When he was through the man gave him his quater and he hurried to the store. So he bought a new shovel so he could do some more shovelling. He worked hard all day and made one dolar. He bought a present for his mother, and some bells and things for a Christmas tree.         Tom did not know what was going on at home, but his mother was making cakes and other good things to sell. With the money she received from them she brought a new sled for Tom. Tom's mother hurried to get home first and she hid the sled.         When Tom ... And that's all I can read. I guess we'll never know how it turns out. Lefties?I wonder how many lefties dripped ink on their papers while dipping their nibs into the inkwell holder so awkwardly located on the right side of the desk? BBP -- Before Ball PointI sat at desks like that in grade school, but by then (in the latter half of the 1950s) those inkwells at the upper right corners were just empty cavities. (The Gallery, Christmas, Education, Schools, Jack Delano, Kids)
Open All Night: 1940
... Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. 24 Hour Cafes Vancouver, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/06/2021 - 11:00am -

October 1940. "Along U.S. Highway No. 1 -- street scene in Caribou, Maine." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. 24 Hour CafesVancouver, B.C., still has a few restaurants that are "Open All Night", but fifty years ago there were many more. The Knight and Day was near the General Hospital, and it only closed for six hours every Sunday night. I love the shaded lettering on the MIKE'S PLACE sign with the giant apostrophe. The Rheingold beer neon sign would have been a beacon at night. There is no shortage of sidewalk superintendents here. Clearing The AmbiguitiesYou have to love a restaurant that advertises itself as "Home Choking". They understand that dining out negatively impacts a family by removing a sense of belonging and oneness with others in the house. Shovel it in, at Mike's!This image from the August 6, 1932 edition of The Bangor Daily News. Mike was Michael Corey (1892-1963), who emigrated from Lebanon. Typical3 supervisors, 3 workers (one resting) and a woman trying not to get noticed. Sounds about right for a construction project. Cheers!From the more fortunate on the scene, raising a glass to the photographer. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Jack Delano, Small Towns)
Irrigon Oregon: 1939
... Morrow County, Oregon." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Off-kilter The horizon is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/18/2018 - 3:53pm -

October 1939. "Western Pacific line runs through unclaimed desert of northern Oregon. Ten miles from railroad station at Irrigon. Morrow County, Oregon." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Off-kilterThe horizon is not quite, well, horizontal. Which makes the tracks appear somewhat diagonal. Which obviously sets off the fussy alarm in me. Supply LinesIt's stunning to think how much of this track had to be laid out on barren areas far from any depot for supplies, water, food, shelter. The logistics and flat-out suffering required to build in such long stretches through land like this is simply staggering. Back up! No, you back up!I sure hope there's a passing track somewhere along that line... CuriousDid 'unclaimed' simply mean there was no known owner of the land in question? Geographic Typographic ErrorThe Western Pacific Railroad did not serve Oregon. The Union Pacific railroad operates along the south bank of the Columbia river and is presumably the subject of this image. NowhereReminds me of the statement "Everyone knows this is nowhere" Union PacificMust be looking ESE from the overpass at 45.84047N 119.61106W. On the second pole is Milepost 167 from Portland. US 730, a mile northeast of Interstate 84The landscape of this Columbia River valley area is now densely green with irrigated vegetation; but it looks like this photograph might have been taken from a bridge across the existing railroad tracks along (or close to) highway US 730, just northeast of Interstate 84. The camera would have been pointing approximately "east-south-east". A double "passing track" is now along this view. The Outback of BeyondMiles and miles of nothing but miles and miles. I LOVE THIS PLACEThis photo and its comments are case in point why I love this website. I now have "fussy alarm" in my lexicon thanks to davidk. I now know Leucas and I share a fascination with logistical challenges (I used to marvel at the engineering it took to reroute traffic in Boston during the Big Dig). I love PhotoFan's imagination at work here. I know I can call on Timz to give the the location of a gnat on an elephant's behind any given Sunday. And I simply love that you all care about this stuff in any way, because part of me deeply appreciates this too. How Far To The HorizonI'm in a rush you see We were to meet by the western sky My love must be waiting on me.         Recorded by Jesse Winchester As noted by Socks below the country has turned a little green since October 1939 when my dear Mom was still carrying me inside of her. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Landscapes, Railroads)
Fargo Forum: 1940
... Dakota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I take offense! As someone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/04/2012 - 8:19pm -

October 1940. "Street corner in Fargo, North Dakota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I take offense!As someone with a "defective collecting gene" (I only have 3), I'll bet my hydrants can beat up your teaspoons or postcards. By the way, if you have one of these plugs just lying around the house let me know. 3 friends and I will come by and pick it up. They make great paperweights or bookmarks! Spot-on, PerpsterAccording to the website of the Dickinson, North Dakota History Center, "As early as 1900, a process was discovered in Germany for extracting oil and water from raw coal and compacting the leftover char into large pellets [briquettes] for a more efficient fuel." Lehigh, North Dakota, was the home of the Lehigh Briquetting Company, which produced lignite coal briquettes. And, maybe they did "suit without soot." Here is a photo of the Lehigh plant from the collection of the State Historical Society of North Dakota. Forum Fargonum MCMXXVIWell, it came to mind for no good reason. This was and is the city's newspaper building, the new one constructed in 1926, and still the home of the Forum Communications Company. Here is a wider shot. Still thereUnder new management, and Google's Street View doesn't show us quite the same angle, but both the building and the plaque are still present: View Larger Map AnotherPiece of Photgraphic Art from John Vachon. What a wonderful shot; carefully composed and clean. A delight to the eye. Lehigh BriquI'm guessing "Lehigh Briquettes - They Suit Witout Soot" Danger....danger!I keep waiting for Dr Smith and young Will Robinson to appear. On the lighter side, would you believe there are fire hydrant collectors out there? Years ago I stumbled over a website where you could post pictures of your hydrant collection. Talk about the defective collecting gene! [One man's trash is another man's... Well, you know.] In Splunge's link, it almost looks like the same hydrant. Defective collecting genesBeing a collector of just about everything (NOT a hoarder), I have managed to corner the market on bowling balls and bags, washboards and wooden shoes. Unfortunately I cannot find one other person on the planet who desires such things and my garage is at maximum capacity, so I have had to quit. I am grateful that I did not get into fire hydrant collecting and didn't even know there was any interest in it so we do learn something new every day on Shorpy. Canine approvalThis photo has been recommended by the canine (doggie) members of my household as having historic value. I see facesAnd I thought photographing inanimate objects with 'faces' this was a recent internet phenomenon. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Parked Tight: 1940
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. ZOR The Mark of Zorro w/ Tyrone Power came out ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/03/2008 - 1:45am -

May 1940. Parked cars in Des Moines, Iowa. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. ZORThe Mark of Zorro w/ Tyrone Power came out in 1940, but it wasn't released until November. Besides, I would expect a slashing Z rather than the boxy typeface they used here. And, of course, no apparent room for 'The Mark of'.... Isn't the Internet a wondrous thing? And for all you film buffs out there, there is some extant gag footage (there's a phrase you don't hear every day) of Ty Power doing his trademark Z, but it's referred to on the soundtrack as 'gasp', the Mark of Zanuck! but, I digress.... Reading MaterialIn the white car second from the left, looks like there's a newspaper in the back. Wonder what the headline was. [ZOR - Dave] ParkedI wonder how the driver got out of the cars after he parked them, or how is he planning to get in. Maybe they put first the car on the right, then the next one to his left and so on. Kind of a Tetris game! SpaceIt looks like they still had about 1meter of space to open the door and go. But the way they were planning to get out of this parking must be interesting. On the other hand it looks like a parking for office or small factory workers, so probably, as they ended work at the same hour, there was no problems with driving away. [I think this was the view from John Vachon's hotel window. - Dave] Running BoardsAll these cars have running boards, which means that although tightly packed, a driver could step on the adjoining car's running board as he got into his own car. It is odd that they would be parked so closely, though. [These would have been parked by an attendant, not the owner. - Dave] Bumper CarsA couple of these are brand-new cars. The second from the left in upper row with the one chevron-shaped taillight is a 1940 Ford standard coupe (the Deluxe had two taillights). Apparently in those days the bumper was there to bump. They must have backed the cars up 'till they heard or felt contact. Parking lot?I read all the theories about the parking methods used in this "parking lot", but I think it more likely to be the parking lot of a car seller. That is the place where you, also nowadays, will find cars parked like "herrings in a barrel" (like is said in Dutch). [You don't leave hats and packages in cars for sale. It's a typical urban pay lot, familiar to anyone who lives next to a vacant patch of land in a big-city American downtown. They still park them like this today. - Dave] Washington D.C. parkingI worked in Washington during the early 70's and commuted to work in my personal car. The parking lot was behind the Old Post Office off of Pennsylvania Avenue. The attendants would start in the center and pack the other cars around it until the lot was filled. You can imagine what would happen if a person wanted to leave work early! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon)
Snakebite: 1938
... Louisiana." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Really fast food And this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2012 - 1:16pm -

November 1938. "Man chewing piece of snake which he has just bitten off. State fair sideshow in Donaldsonville, Louisiana." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Really fast foodAnd this was before "bath salts" was a street drug. SnakebitHmm, a man bites snake story. Now that's news, or at least an interesting picture. Do You Really Want To Know?"And what does your Daddy do for a living, little girl?" Is that a geek?I thought they bit the heads off chickens. Fess UpYou Shorpians couldn't click that Hi-Def button fast enough could you! NO Thanks!What did the Snake ever do to this guy? Tastes like chickenThat's the good news. More good news: No feathers to wrangle. Now, this begs the question: What does chicken taste like? Note to all snakesDont mess with this guy! YupIndeed, this is a geek, I believe. And how the man at the far left enjoys the spectacle! (The Gallery, Curiosities, Russell Lee)
Santa Fe Time: 1939
... Union. San Augustine, Texas." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Extra keys under the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/22/2018 - 10:57pm -

April 1939. "Office of train dispatcher and Western Union. San Augustine, Texas." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Extra keys under the typewriter?Can anybody figure out what's going on with the extra row of keys (?) under the spacebar? Operator, I'd sayThis busy guy is doing the work for an entire station, I believe. He's probably in and out handing up train orders, doing telegrams for the public and the railroad, taking phone calls from up and down the line, and, if you look to the left side of the photo under the calendar, he's also the ticket seller. That's what the rack is full of. Likely a broom just out of sight for his slow periods. And, he probably has to maintain and wind that beautiful clock with the interesting face. What a fella! Train Order Operator / TelegrapherThis man appears not to be a dispatcher (a person in charge of train movements on a subdivision) but rather an operator / telegrapher who relays instructions from the dispatcher to the train using typed or handwritten messages (see the bottle of Sheaffer Skrip ink to the left of the telephone). You will note that there is no train sheet on the desk in front of him to record train movements, and a dispatcher would probably not have time to be distracted by the sending or receiving of Western Union messages. Train orders ready to be delivered to upcoming trains would be hung on the hooks above the desk -- perhaps we can see the corner of one over his right shoulder. To see a Santa Fe dispatcher in Amarillo from the same era see this Shorpy photo. Tighten cap. Tip bottle to fill the wellAnd on the left, a bottle of Sheaffer Skrip ink, with the little side reservoir just inside the lip of the bottle. Convenient for filling your fountain pen without picking up the crud from the bottom! But it looks as if our railroad man didn't follow the first line of the instructions. Dispatchers and TelegraphersDispatchers and telegraphers usually used special typewriters. Railroad rules usually specified train orders be hand written or typed in multiple copies on a thin semitransparent paper called flimsy. If typed they must be in all caps with no punctuation, so there is no shift key. All letters were caps. I suspect this particular typewriter had the extra row of keys for typing characters that would normally be accessed with the shift key. Railroads normally didn't use all characters, but this feature may have been useful for Western Union telegrams. This also explains Western Union's use of the word "STOP" instead of ".", as most railroad typewriters had no "." Another railroad oddity is that there is no ribbon. Multiple copies were typed "in manifold" using double-sided carbon paper. The image on the first and all odd numbered pages was actually imprinted in reverse by carbon on the back of the paper, and read through the paper, while even numbered pages were impressed with their images on the front. Phone TerminalUpper right corner of the photo shows a telephone connection strip. It appears the lines going N have been cut. Was this the most northern station? Covetous!I would dearly love that beautiful Seth Thomas clock! 10:22:52 and a fraction; can't tell if it's 3 or 5 beats to the second, but it's certainly finely divided. And with a precision, temperature compensated pendulum. 1909 Seth Thomas ClockAnd if you have a spare $112,000 lying around you can own one too! Exra row of keysI suspect this is not an ordinary typewriter, but a form of teletype machine. The extra keys may have been to transmit various codes or information, other than printable characters. Number PleaseWhen we were kids back in the early 60s we had a candlestick phone just like the one shown here (no dial). Unfortunately we played with it as kids do and ultimately messed it up so bad, taking it apart etc., that Mom ended up tossing it. Similar to the one here, it came with a large metal box in which all of the telephone circuitry and bell were housed. Later on I guess Western Electric figured out how to cram all that stuff into the phone itself. Re: Number PleaseThe "large metal box" on which the candlestick phone rested was, in this photo, wood; you can see the dovetail joints on the curved corners. The box itself was called a "subset" and housed the meager electronics to make the phone operate, as well as the bell on top. The crank wound a dynamo, also inside the subset, to generate electricity to make a call. (Technology, The Gallery, Railroads, The Office)
Stella May: 1938
... Louisiana." 35mm negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Madam Stella She looks ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/02/2008 - 11:44pm -

November 1938. "Fortune teller, state fair, Donaldsonville, Louisiana." 35mm negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Madam StellaShe looks pretty grim. I'm not sure I'd want to know the future she'd predict! That could be a cute hat on someone younger or more lively, though. Looks like....Is that Zsa Zsa Gabor's husband in drag? Prince Von A-something? Your EnemiesI get the feeling Stella might have a clearer focus on enemies than friends or sweethearts. When Stella smiles she probably looks much much different. She does look like a tough lady though, that's for sure. Yikes.George Washington lives! Stella!!!Wow -- I love these old photos! She's not very attractive, true, but she may have a been a really sweet woman. I've noticed that a lot of these older photos of women way back when are very stern and no-nonsense but that didn't always reflect their personalities. I'm thinking of some in my old family photo album who looked really mean but i remember them being the sweetest people. Dear Heavens!She truly has what some people used to call "a face made for radio." (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Sports)
Fishing Hole: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Certain Death? It would ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2021 - 12:32pm -

May 1941. Malheur County, Oregon. "Glory hole of the Owyhee Reservoir. Water for the Vale-Owyhee irrigation project is impounded here." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Certain Death?It would seem like being sucked down that hole would be certain death. Why is there no safety fence around the hole that would prevent a person or animal that had been unfortunate enough to be pulled into its swirling vortex? The only warning sign I can see is a 'No Fishing' sign - which obviously is being ignored. [Not so. Read the rest of the sign. - Dave] No gluts, no gloryIf there isn't enough water in the spring runoff, they aren't able to use the Glory Hole Spillway (err, Morning Glory Ring Gate). After some dry years, they had enough water to use the gate in 2017, and for several years after. Recently, they deliberately drew down water levels so they could do maintenance on the gate. OK, Let's Be ClearI would not want to fall in there! The hole? It's still there. But then, where else would it go? A Descent into the MaelstromThat hole in the water brings to mind the 1845 story by Edgar Allan Poe. Who knows what’s inside this Owyhee Reservoir hole? Possibly not what the storyteller in Poe’s tale found: "Never shall I forget the sensations of awe, horror, and admiration with which I gazed about me. The boat appeared to be hanging, as if by magic, midway down, upon the interior surface of a funnel vast in circumference, prodigious in depth, and whose perfectly smooth sides might have been mistaken for ebony, but for the bewildering rapidity with which they spun around, and for the gleaming and ghastly radiance they shot forth, as the rays of the full moon, from that circular rift amid the clouds which I have already described, streamed in a flood of golden glory along the black walls, and far away down into the inmost recesses of the abyss.” Glory holeI saw a picture of the gloryhole at flood stage and water was pouring down it at an alarming rate. The picture was captioned “Someone divided by zero.” A decent descent"Glory hole" -- you don't want to know what information you get if you "google" it! Look here for a decent description of the descent. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Industry & Public Works, Kids, Russell Lee)
Garden State: 1939
... Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Now? Not a rail buff, so ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/29/2017 - 12:17pm -

April 1939. "Rail yard. Newark, New Jersey." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Now?Not a rail buff, so I'm guessing here: from the descriptions in other comments, does this image capture the same area? Oak Island YardOak Island Yard maybe? That’s THE Garden State to you!Most people don’t understand Newark. The world needs airports, docks, rail yards, highways, warehouses and carting services. Most people aren’t used to seeing, or smelling, all of them in one place. My Newark native parents act like the place had the riot yesterday, but honest they just opened a Whole Foods there! The other crazy thing is just how alive the streets are there. Sure, the last place you’ll see a person in the street is anywhere near a crosswalk, and yeah, they’re are plenty of poor people, but man there’s some energy there. Newark turned the corner if you ask me! Sewage plant stack?Like they said, the camera is looking ESE from the US 1 overpass, about 40.7150N 74.1564W. The Western Electric plant in Kearny (whose twin stacks were demolished a few years ago) is out of the pic to the left -- the stack in the pic is on this side of Newark Bay. The distant lift bridge right of center is still there at 40.6990N 74.1195W. Interesting carTake note of N&W 46437 at upper right, with the oddly rounded roof edges. Some sort of express car, perhaps? I've never seen one like it before. Yes, this is Oak Island yard. Most of the hoppers are Lehigh Valley and the Pennsy runs right alongside the yard. This is right about where the NJ Turnpike splits into the eastern and western spurs. This same view nowadays would be completely obscured by elevated concrete and jammed traffic. It is Oak IslandThe photographer is probably standing on the Northbound U.S. 1 Lincoln Hwy. bridge looking East at the Lehigh Valley RR's Oak Island yard, with the Lehigh Valley's Upper Bay Bridge over Newark Bay in the right background. The New Jersey Turnpike now crosses over in front of the photographer, and its Hudson County Extension bridge will be just to the right of the railroad drawbridge. The Chemical Coast branch runs from right to left in the middle of the photo. Possibly in KearnyOak Island Yard is possible, but the elevated structure in the background is out of place. The undeveloped area on the right side could be where Newark Liberty airport is now, but then the elevated structure would have to be Doremus Avenue (not elevated today) or another rail line that is long gone. This may be what is now called the CSX South Kearny yards, specifically the northern yard area. Old pictures of the "flats" and "meadows" in Kearny, including the Western Electric, Ford and Federal Shipyard facilities were often identified as Newark right through the 1970s. The track layout, and especially the elevated main line with the sunken yard, more or less matches the arrangement today leading into Newark where the PATH trains run next to a sunken yard area. The yard tracks match very closely, assuming the view is to the east (sun in the south; shadows to the north) across the Hackensack river towards the Journal Square area of Jersey City. If so, the lift bridge in the background would be today's PATH lift bridge (built by the Pennsylvania RR into Exchange Place) and the elevated structure would be the tail end of the Pulaski Skyway heading south. The smokestack on the left would be about where the Standard Chlorine plant was (mostly demolished; today a Superfund site) and the rail line running across the photo from left to right would be the abandoned rail lines north of the Portal Bridge (today's Northeast Corridor) whose outlines are visible in Google Maps. The problem with this explanation are that there is an awful lot of undeveloped land that by 1939 I think had been built up. If that is the PATH lift bridge, where is the US 1/9 lift which was even bigger and should be visible just to the left of the one we can see? Secret GardenFine crop of boxcars this year! Pennsy NJLook like Pennsylvania RR signals on the gantry on the raised embankment. I wonder if the bridge in the distance on the right is the bridge that causes so many problems for modern-day Amtrak and NJ Transit. Lehigh Valley Oak Island yardI posted a link to the photo over at a railroad message board to which I belong, for the purposes of identifying the exact location and the identity of the railroad yard. Members there were in unanimous agreement that this location is the former Lehigh Valley Railroad Oak Island yard. The building with the tall smokestack across the river belonged to the Western Electric Plant in Kearny, NJ. The lift bridge on the right crosses into Newark, NJ Norfolk & Western boxcarThe N&W boxcar with the rounded eaves is their version of the better known Pennsy X31 "wagontop" boxcars. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Railroads)
Louisiana: 1937
... nitrate negative and caption by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. La. Woman I love her hat and parasol, with her ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/08/2013 - 11:12am -

July 1937. "Louisiana Negress." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative and caption by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. La. WomanI love her hat and parasol, with her crisp pinner apron! Louisiana: 1937Another wonderful photo Dave. New screensaver... Nice.Una foto preciosa. Louisiana WomanI'd be hard pressed to name a favorite among Lange's work, but this would be near the top. I love the reflected light on the woman's face, the few beads of sweat, the wonderful textures of the hat and the umbrella. I love love love this pictureIt has been posted for several years now, but it stuck in my mind's eye and I had to go back and find it. Maybe a recent comment will attract some new viewers to share my appreciation! (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Pretty Girls, Rural America)
A Busier Bisbee: 1940
... center." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Walgreen Agency Note the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/23/2018 - 7:06pm -

May 1940. "Main street of Bisbee, Arizona. Copper mining center." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Walgreen AgencyNote the Walgreen Agency drugstore. "One of the most significant expansions during the 1930s was the establishment of an agency cooperative purchasing system, whereby Walgreen's products became available in a number of independent pharmacies. By 1934, there were 600 agencies in 33 US states, stocking over 1,000 Walgreen's products. At its peak the Walgreen's Agency system had more than 2,000 participants within the network. The system continued until 1980, when the administration of the cooperative purchasing program was discontinued." On another note, Walgreen's invented the Malted Milkshake. I did not know that. Copper Mining EconomicsIn the 1970's, I lived a few months in Ajo, Arizona. Phelps Dodge operated an open pit copper mine and smelter there. It was a company town. The price of copper spiked while I was there, and the workers were put on a 12 hour workday, seven days a week for four weeks, and then took a weekend off. On Monday, they started a new cycle of 12 on and 12 off. Most of the modest housing was built by Phelps Dodge and rented to the workers. After working for Phelps Dodge for five years, the workers could buy their house for $1. National brands squeezing out the local guysThis is 1940 and I see Walgreen's, JC Penney, Woolworth's, Coca-Cola, Florsheim, Rexall, and maybe Blue Ribbon. I hear so much about Chain Stores and national brands squeezing local stores as some modern problem, and here we are in the photograph. All we need is for that business at the end of the street to be a Sears. Many years ago Sears was accused of shutting down Main Street as Wal-Mart is today. [That's the company store at the end of the street -- Phelps-Dodge Mercantile. - Dave] Neon Signage lit up at nightI imagine it sure would've looked pretty. And attention grabbing. The Review lives on. Looking from the other end of the street. More of the Bisbee Daily Review. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Five & Dime: 1939
... Medium format negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Car ID Chevrolet coupe with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/22/2014 - 10:00am -

July 1939. "Appliqued embroideries for sale on street in front of ten cent store. Saturday afternoon. Siler City, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Car IDChevrolet coupe with landau irons circa 1928. Gas filler on the left; gas gauge on the right. '37 Chevy Hood OrnamentA color shot of a '37 Chevy hood ornament. Rose's and Sheriff TaylorRose's still has stores in my neck of the NC woods, but it looks like they're no longer in Siler City. Saw a Mayberry episode recently where Andy takes his girl all the way to Siler City to go fishing. Woohoo!! Window decorator wanted - apply insideI remember the old 1940's "Five and Dimes" as having the largest variety of assorted goods of any single store on Main Street with all sorts of colorful dishes, hardware, cosmetics, art supplies, holiday decorations, fabulous toys and books, pots and pans, knickknacks, shiny things, sewing notions, inexpensive costume jewelry, toiletries, bulk candy, you-name-it, but virtually something for everybody. Why would they feature in their most valuable advertising space (the front windows) something as boring and nondescript as socks? Hood ornamentThat's a killer hood ornament at right. The hood ornamentIt's a 1937 Chevrolet. We own a '37 Chevy coupe. I don't have clue as to what the car on the left is. Field's Five & DimeWas my go to place as a kid in the 60's. My mom had worked there before I was born and every so often we would go to the store in St. Albans, WV. so she could do a little shopping and visit with her friends. I wandered through the store and the ladies there would brag on how much I'd grown in the last few weeks and then I'd tear over to the toy department which was full of anything a little boy (or girl) would want. They had a big notions counter and a hardware department that would put most hardware stores to shame. They even had an alteration department in the back. Before we would leave I usually managed to get a big bag full of the best malted milk balls I ever ate, often on the house. It's good to know people in the right places. I was in that building last year. It now houses a flooring dealer, but I could still see some of the original walls and ceiling and could point out to some people I was with how the old store was laid out. The lady working there could also remember the old store. 5 & Dime + 75 =Today. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Stores & Markets)
Quiet City: 1940
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Street Name? Anyone know what street this is in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2011 - 10:43am -

St. Louis, May 1940. "Downtown street on Sunday morning." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Street Name?Anyone know what street this is in St. Louis? I would be greatly interested in more information. Meet Me in St. LouisI'm guessing this is Broadway looking south, perhaps a few blocks north of Market Street. Broadway was the eastern edge of the streetcar system and there are no tracks going off to the left (east). I always enjoyed riding the streetcar in St. Louis as a kid. Fourth & OliveThe intersection in the foreground is North Fourth and Olive streets. The three closest buildings on the west side of the street are all still there, mostly unmolested. (The Gallery, John Vachon, St. Louis)
Horse Clothing: 1940
... industry. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Fly Net for the home I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2010 - 12:32am -

July 1940. "Manitowoc, Wisconsin." Hub of the fly-net industry. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Fly Net for the homeI used to have a Fly Net as a wall hanging back in the old hippie days. But then my wife wanted us to "class up" and got rid of it when I wasn't lookin'. Women! Timing A stroke of genius to wait for the kid on the wagon to come scooting along. Wonderful touch. Wow, nice surpriseI was born and raised in Manitowoc. Population around 30,000. My whole family is still there. Yes, Manitowoc is known for their ice machines, cranes and Burger Boats. I'll have to find out where this building is. Many of the oldies still remain. Horse CollarsI wonder if the Arrow Co. gave 'em much competition. Also, do you think they offered Wingtip Horseshoes? Ice MachineManitowoc, Wisconsin is were Manitowoc ice machines are currently made. Our office got ours from them. There are still things made here in the USA. [Indeed, the U.S. of A is still the largest producer of manufactured goods on Planet Earth. - Dave] I Need a Raise Those basement windows tell a story of a once much lower street elevation before the paving. Apparently the effects of the automobile encroached on this business physically as well as economically. Like a time machineI've only been to Manitowoc once, but part of it has the feel of America in the 1950s. Lots of old brick buildings, a fair amount of industry yet. Active shipyard, lots of steel bridges. And a coal fired ferry going across Lake Michigan from Manitowoc. This building seems typical of what is in that city today yet. That wagonHow "Little Rascals" can you get? That's no Radio Flyer. I can only make what I believe says "Nash"? Someone with zoom powers help me here, please. ["Gamble's Flash." - Dave] Looks like a Gamble's NashGamble's used to be a chain of department stores or hardware stores, can't remember which. I do remember going to them with my Grandparents when I was young though. [You remember correctly. And the wagon says "Gamble's Flash." - Dave] Horse pantsSome previous Shorpy examples of horse clothes and fly nettiing. (The Gallery, Horses, John Vachon, Kids)
Curb Service: 1940
... California." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Here, smoke my brand My ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2018 - 11:03am -

December 1940. "Workmen during lunch period, across the street from the Consolidated Aircraft factory. San Diego, California." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Here, smoke my brandMy Doctor says they're actually good for you! I Pick Bachelor #2, JimFor Handsome Rakes inclusion. Shorpy Vehicle Identification ImperativeL to R: 1934-35 Chevrolet two-door sedan, 1935 Dodge, 1936 Ford, and far right, a 1937 Oldsmobile convertible, complete with fog lights, cowl mounted spotlights, outside rearview mirrors (note the other cars do not have them), and some oh-so-sexy fender skirts. Also note the Oldsmobile has been "nosed," meaning the hood ornament has been removed. On the MendThe stitching job on Joe Smoker's shirt pocket is serviceable though inexpert. I wonder if he did it himself. My mother's hand-stitching was a thing of beauty - every stitch precise, evenly spaced and tiny. She gave the same care and attention to even the most ragged of our clothes. Pacific Coast HighwayHaven't been down that way in years (late 70's), but at one time you could bypass Interstate 5 and go down PCH. On one side of the road was the old plant parking lot. There was an elevated walkway over PCH that led to the Consolidated plant. The security turnstiles were still in place. Should have looked first!at your comment bohneyjames! Just spent a bit of time trying to ID that Dodge! I came up with a '37, but I'll take your ID. The '36 Ford was the easy one and the '37 Oldsmobile is a Six for what it's worth. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Factories, Russell Lee)
Route 99: 1939
... 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Long way to Anywhere In the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/12/2021 - 12:34pm -

April 1939. "U.S. 99 on ridge over Tehachapi Mountains. Heavy truck route between Los Angeles and San Joaquin Valley over which migrants travel back and forth." 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Long way to AnywhereIn the '30s, Dad drove a tractor near Fresno. Mom had to move back to Burbank to run her beauty shop -- too poor to stay together. Two hundred miles in a Model T coupe or in Grandpa's old Buick were the only means of travel between. I have the love letters they wrote. Years later and on trips much faster, we called 99 "the looooonnnngggg stretch." PotentialWhat that stretch needs is a WaWa, McDonalds, Starbucks, and maybe a Taco Bell to make it more civilized and up to date. Hairy RoadWe lived in Tehachapi for three years, 1984 to 1986, and that road is positively exciting at times when you go down to Bakersfield. I was pregnant in 1986 and had to go to the hospital in Bakersfield to deliver. The small local hospital in town didn't do deliveries unless you were having the baby on their doorstep, and the fire station halfway down was very practiced at deliveries! The other direction into Mojave was a much easier slope at least. The worst problem was staying out of the way of big trucks going down to Bakersfield, their brakes often overheated and they had to pull off to let them cool down. I learned very quickly to not get in their blind spots. Foggy conditions, or snow the occasional ice/snow could make it extra exciting. Pre I-5Before there were interstate highways, this was transportation a la mode. Twice I traveled cross country (SF to Mississippi) before the Interstates. It was part of the vacation, spending four or six days hopping from motel to motel, packing and unpacking the Buick, meeting exotic girls from St Louis or Cleveland in the motel; pools,. and loading up the swamp cooler with ice twice a day... and yes, we did go this route! Then it all changed. I always wished we'd taken the train! I-40 and I-10 were simply different. Looks Like the 5 I’m pretty sure this is the 5 now, atop the grapevine between Bakersfield and Los Angeles. Nope, not that oneIt's a great photograph. I can appreciate in that location Dorthea Dorothea Lange heard only the sounds she made and possibly the sound of the car. I wonder how many vehicles had passed and how long she had to wait before she got the photograph she wanted? [Six. - Dave] Woody's WordsThis photo by the incredible Dorothea Lange makes me think of Woody Guthrie's song lyrics to his fellow Okies who were trying to find a better life in California: Lots of folks back East, they say, is leavin' home every day Beatin' the hot old dusty way to the California line 'Cross the desert sands they roll, gettin' out of that old dust bowl They think they're goin' to a sugar bowl but here's what they find Now the police at the port of entry say "You're number fourteen thousand for today" Oh, if you ain't got the do re mi folks, if you ain't got the do re mi Why you better go back to beautiful Texas Oklahoma, Kansas, Georgia, Tennessee California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see But believe it or not you won't find it so hot If you ain't got the do re mi Lonely RoadI hope that driver doesn't need to stop for directions. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Landscapes)
Drugstore Noir: 1940
... in Santa Fe, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Manhole cover I think the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/04/2014 - 6:09pm -

July 1940. "Street scene at the fiesta in Santa Fe, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Manhole coverI think the manhole cover in the 1940 Shorpy photo is the same manhole cover of on the southeast corner of the Santa Fe Plaza shown in the Google Maps street view link below: http://bit.ly/JUMJEu Yes, Santa Fe - Stowe's Drug StoreFrom the Wednesday, September 5, 1934, Santa Fe New Mexican. Stowe's Drug Store, located on the SW corner of the Plaza. Santa Fe?I lived for many years in Santa Fe, New Mexico and I doubt VERY HIGHLY that there has ever been that type of archetecture in that city. [Yes, Santa Fe. And the word is "architecture." - Dave] Just making comment according to my experience from having lived in Santa Fe. I see little need in you making "nasty" about my spelling, Dave... Getting a bit burned out, are we? [VERY HIGHLY. -Dave] I don't care! It isn't Santa Fe. You said on Facebook that it probably isn't Taos, but Santa Fe. That means you don't really know, now do you? [Scroll up. -Dave] No questionThe building in the picture no longer exists as it burned in 1946 and was eventually replaced by the building that now houses Ortega's. The new building retains the 'bevel' in the corner seen here. One clincher is to go to street view and see the manhole cover in the same place. cf. Hammett, 'Santa Fe, A walk through time'. This reference contains a photo showing the identical brickwork above the entrance, as well as the information given above. Just SayingNow that we've settled on Santa Fe as the location. Am I wrong or is this photo not in focus? [Motion blur from camera and subject movement due to slow shutter speed. -tterrace] Santa Fe has changed a few timesThe adobe-covered Santa Fe we know today is mostly a deliberate 20th-century creation inspired by a citizens' movement in the 1910s or so. If you peruse photos from a hundred years ago, you'll see Santa Fe looked like any other Western town of the era with buildings like this drugstore on every corner. We would consider the styles quaint today, but at the time they were derided as cookie-cutter architecture that could have come from anywhere and didn't honor New Mexico's history. Laws were actually passed around then requiring new and renovated buildings to adopt a pueblo-like adobe (usually stucco in reality) facade. In fact, pretty much any adobe-style building in central Santa Fe that was built before the 1920s now looks nothing like its original appearance. I've seen older buildings under renovation near the Plaza, and it's always jarring when the stucco comes down to reveal briefly a Victorian brick facade underneath! It's the Claire Hotel buildingYes, this is Santa Fe, New Mexico. If you want to see a good shot of the building as it was, here's a link to our online catalog. The previous poster is correct; the building burned in 1946, and the replacement building is much smaller and less notable than the historic one. (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
Pony Mart: 1939
... Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Cheap gas As an automobile ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/08/2017 - 11:19am -

June 1939. "General store in Pony, Montana." Back when the brands on stallions, bulls and heifers migrated to the gas station. Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Cheap gas As an automobile tech (now service writer) weaned on points and replacing starter brushes, I sometimes hear my customers complain about how expensive the newer models are to repair compared to cars in their childhood. They don't remember having to do a tune-up every 12000 miles and valve jobs every 50,000 miles. The spark plug electrodes were made of soft copper, so they spark-eroded in about 20,000 miles, creating a wider gap that the ignition system had to jump. Combine that with a carburetor that was not that efficient when new and poor quality fuel, and you have a recipe for a car that refuses to start on a cold February morning. By the time you finished pumping the accelerator for lack of anything else to try, it was towed to the local shop. There, they would probably find gas-soaked spark plugs that should have been replaced in the summer, along with a crankcase diluted with fuel. The culprit was usually a malfunctioning automatic choke. Sometimes you might find a tell-tale stick on the front seat they used to hold the choke open. Everything has to be right for a cold engine to start. Cold cylinder walls don't allow the fuel-air mixture to ignite so they dump fuel in the cylinder (choke off the air) and hope science takes over. We frequently saw the ignition system was inadequate and couldn't deliver the required voltage to jump the spark gap. Fuel back in the day left a lot of carbon deposits on the back side of the intake valve. This carbon could get lodged in between the valve head and valve seat, which prevented the valve from seating. The valve is cooled when it touches the valve seat so if the carbon was keeping the valve off the seat, the valve would burn and cause a compression loss in that cylinder. We have not done a valve job at the shop in years. We also have not used our behemoth Sun analyzer, which was top of the line in 1980. Everything is hand held. Vehicles ARE more expensive (and harder) to repair, but they don't go in the shop nearly as often. Electronics are becoming more reliable. I would like to see a study comparing total vehicle expenditures (fuel and maintenance) over the lifetime of the vehicle from 1950 compared to 2010 (adjusted). I would be surprised if the 2010 car cost more over its lifetime than the same model from the 50s. Picking a Ford Crown Victoria would give a wide sample. Dang!Will Rogers and FDR, and you missed it!! Don't know who the standing guy is, but probably Harry Hopkins. Wish I were therePorlock, while you were making those great observations, I was pondering the likelihood of Conoco, Shell and Quaker State brands all confined to about twenty feet of store. Must be crowded in there. Shooting the breezeI have to wonder if people from small towns still congregate on a frequent basis to just chat idly and be with others with whom they have things in common. I was raised in a place like that and it seemed like the local gas station, the post office, the liquor store and even church on Sunday would be meeting places (especially for men) who were either retired, unemployed, disabled or just had some time on their hands who would stand or sit out front, like birds on a wire, and kibitz, gossip and exchange local news among themselves over happenings in their area. One local doughnut shop even had empty, lidded lard cans (coincidentally also my nickname in eighth grade) placed out front to be used as seats for the long-winded lingerers who liked just hangin' out. Of course, that was before computers, cell phones and texting took over the world. I don't see this anymore. Gas priceMighty expensive gas at 25 cents a gallon. The current cost of gas in Montana, at roughly $2.50, converted to 1939 dollars, is 14 cents. Factor in the fuel consumption today being less than half of what it was in cars of the era, and you're talking about one-fourth of the cost per mile to go somewhere using gasoline today vs 1939. How did the gallon indicator work? I see the gallon indicators in the glass gas container. They look like Capital Ms. Was there a gallon in the gas container when the gas rose to the bottom of an M, or to the top of an M? I was in Rockmart, GA one Sunday morning at 8 AM. I went in the town McDonals, and saw 10 people sitting around talking like the guys in front of the Pony Mart. At 8:15, they left for church. The Rockmart folks sit around inside for the air conditioning in summer, and heat in the winter. Gas indicator function They're gravity feed, so the gauge reads from 0 at the top to 10 at the bottom and measures at the bottom of each 'tag' where it widens out. On some the gauges were painted on the glass and easy to read, others had the gauges mounted back away from the glass, which seems like you could get a different reading depending on whether it was a short guy or tall guy manning the pump. Processed by GERMS!!!The Conoco standup sent me off to find out what "germ" processing was all about when it came to motor oil. I found the following explanation from a user called DuceCpe at oldgas.com: "Conoco and Marland both began producing passenger car motor oils as early as 1921. Marland held the patent for the first canned passenger oil product from the new Continental Oil Company, founded in 1929. This product was called "GERM PROCESSED" motor oil. Germ processing was the first motor oil additive ever used by any oil manufacturer. It was a special oiliness additive invented and patented by two British scientists in 1918, made from castor oil components. In 1934, Conoco developed a synthetic version called GD-160, later called MDS. This MDS was the material referred to as "OIL PLATING" on cans and in advertising. GERM PROCESSING was chosen as the name of the first motor oil because it was a "germ of an idea"!? Germ Processed oil didn't come in refinery-sealed cans until the early 30's and was dropped in 1940 for Motorine oil, a low cost paraffin-based oil. There were nine different Germ oil cans in those years." Let There Be ColorIt would be great to time travel back to this homey scene and listen in to the conversation and maybe even lead it to world politics and make your prediction about the start of WWII, D-Day and the A-bomb and quietly leave. These gentleman would have a tale to tell that no one would believe. While watching a little Red Zone today I went goggling signs and here they are in living color. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Gas Stations, Stores & Markets)
Cattleman's Bar: 1938
... South Omaha, Nebraska." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Cobbs Creek Click to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2017 - 9:22am -

November 1938. "Saloon in stockyards district. South Omaha, Nebraska." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Cobbs CreekClick to enlarge. Second floor ladiesNot saying this is necessarily true of the Cattleman's Bar, but the second floor was frequently the domain of ladies of the evening, partly because it was less likely for the customers to skedaddle out a window without paying for the entertainment. I used to volunteer at the Mining and Railroad Museum in Helper, Utah, which was situated next door to a notorious bar with second-floor clientele. The brothel remained open until 1977 or so, when one of the patrons went back north to Salt Lake City and blabbed. The state promptly shut it down. Re: Cobbs CreekThose are definitely some of my late mother's drinks on that thermometer! And if you get luckyThere are rooms upstairs. P.S. The cattle have their own hangout down the street a piece. Semi tough looking jointMight have to know how to use a set of knuckles there after midnight. Love that thermometer though. vehicle IDs1930 Plymouth coupe and 1926/1927 Ford truck. Up the creek with a thermometerThe first thing that caught my eye was that sign with "Cobbs Creek" at the bottom. It is on the white beam between the door and large window. With the liquor bottle at the top, it was an easy Google to add whiskey to Cobbs Creek. Sure enough, it is a Cobbs Creek blended whisky sign with a Drink-O-Meter whiskey thermometer of suggested cocktails ("Bell Ringer" at the top). I don't see a needed apostrophe on Cobbs, but after a glass of Cobbs Creek whiskey, who cares? How appropriateAccording to Ancestry.com: "Vachon Name Meaning --French: from a diminutive of vache (from Latin vacca ‘cow’), an occupational name for a cowherd. " Slake your thirst elsewhereA 1940 telephone directory has Cattleman's Bar at 4939 S. 26th St and Breeders Supply Co. #2 at 2517 O St. Looks like both were demolished for an overpass. What's in a nameYou don't need/want an apostrophe after Cobbs when it's your last name -- ie LIKE mine. Yes, there are lots of people with the last name of COBBS. (The Gallery, DPC, Eateries & Bars, John Vachon, Omaha)
Pittsburgh Panorama: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Look out below! To that guy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/11/2020 - 10:21am -

June 1941. "Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Look out below!To that guy working on the roof: Look out -- it's a long way down! Pittsburgh: City of StairsIs there a city in America with as many stairs as Pittsburgh? This photo shows about eight staircases, as well as an area where the slope appears too steep for a staircase. As I've pointed out elsewhere, many of the staircases are owned by the city and are classified as streets. On a clear day in Pittsburgh, Pa.Which was very rare indeed. It was nicknamed 'The Smoky City' for a very good reason. Cherry Blossoms SodaBy 1941 the Cherry Blossoms ad had already become a ghost sign. Not much to be found on this St. Louis company that produced a line of soft drinks, including "Kreemo" root beer. Old GloryThis photograph is a bona fide Coronavirus Quarantine Sanity Keeper: Let's play "Find the 48-Star American Flag" Ready ... Go!! Challenge AcceptedI found the 48-star flag, but not where I expected to see it. I won't give away the location to allow others to play the "Coronavirus Quarantine Sanity Keeper" game. How didthe guy get up on that roof? Bloomfield VistasIt took me a while, but I think I finally pinned down the Pittsburgh neighborhood in this photo. It had to be a relatively flat area that bordered a steep hillside. At first I was thinking it was on the south hilltops, but the large church just didn't fit and I couldn't find a vantage point. Then I remembered the plateau from the Oakland neighborhood all the way to Highland Park and it all fell into place. I believe this is Bloomfield probably taken from the Bloomfield Bridge, facing east-northeast. The church with the asymmetric steeples was then known as St. Joseph. It still exists on Liberty Avenue (now part of Saint Maria Goretti). The upper portions of both steeples have been removed, so they now are of equal height. The other large building to the right (with a cross as well) is likely the parish school, but that building no longer exists. There is a large parking lot where it once stood. The large, lighter colored building in the background has to be West Penn Hospital. Like most urban hospitals, it has had several expansions over the years and looks much different today. The hillside in the foreground is the north edge of the ravine (crossed by the bridge) that separates Bloomfield from North Oakland. It was a major railroad right of way heading east (Pennsy and B&O I think). It still has CSX tracks and also the East Busway. VantageThis appears to have been taken from South Oakland looking north toward the Carnegie Library. Today? Less charm. But, hey ... more fence. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Pittsburgh)
On the Mend: 1941
... Virginia." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. That's some bad hat, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/17/2021 - 1:17pm -

March 1941. "Boy from Maryland in charity ward, Saint Vincent's Hospital. Norfolk, Virginia." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. That's some bad hat, HarrietNot hard to see why those are no longer in style, especially in hospitals. Lots of nooks and crannies for infection to hide. I wonder how they are washed? Mom! Help!Can you get this flying nun outta here? Now I understand... where the concept for the TV show "The Flying Nun" came from! Comical cost...On the side table is the #21 (April 1941) issue of Magic Comics. Current value about $525. Poor soul-He looks absolutely terrified; I hope he recovered, with the help of the good sister. In good handsI see Sister Bertrille flew in to help! With that hatShe must be Sister Bertrille's mother! Current ReadingLooks like Magic Comics #21 on the table, starring Henry and Mandrake. WowMemory flashback. My longtime girlfriend's mother was a nun-nurse, same uniform as in the photo, who fell in love with the young "civilian" doctor. The rest was a history, as they say. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Medicine, Norfolk)
Dakota Depot: 1940
... glimpsed here . Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Hopper Come a Cropper This ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2022 - 6:15pm -

October 1940. "Rail depot in Burlington, North Dakota." The station last glimpsed here. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Hopper Come a CropperThis Vachon photograph evokes an Edward Hopper painting. No DepotThere is no train depot in Burlington now. The two buildings to the right are also gone. But train depots of that era were usually near downtown and today there is still only one road in downtown Burlington that crosses the railroad tracks. So I started there and looked at the terrain in the 1940 photo. The red line starts where I believe John Vachon was standing when he faced east (I rotated the map) and took his photograph. In the top right of my photo below you can see the coal mines jsmakbkr referenced. Who would have ever thought?Back in the early '90s I worked with a guy in Milwaukee who started his railroad career as an operator/telegrapher working vacation relief in just about all of the Soo Line stations between Harvey and Portal, North Dakota. The probability is high Stu worked the Burlington office on occasion. I recall complaining about the winter weather in Milwaukee once, and my buddy just gave me a look over the top of his glasses and didn’t say a word. The look said, let me tell you about bad winter weather. Even as recently as the late 1950s these remote stations were heated with potbelly stoves, light was provided with kerosene, and bodily relief was facilitated outdoors. Communication was by telegraph key or block phone, and occasionally by telephone if the local feed store was blessed with one. Train movements were controlled by means of handwritten train orders. Now it’s all done in an air conditioned office a thousand miles away with a keyboard and state of the art radios. Who would have ever thought in 1956? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Railroads, Small Towns)
Behind the Scenes: 1938
... of his home." View full size. Medium-format negative, Farm Security Administration. Who'll Hold the Camera? And the next photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 10:38am -

September 1938. Westover, West Virginia. Marion Post Wolcott and her intrepid camera head downstairs: "Miner takes shower, which he built in the cellar of his home." View full size. Medium-format negative, Farm Security Administration. Who'll Hold the Camera?And the next photo shows Marion wedged under his chassis. Bargain BasementAre you sure this is not Montana? I see Butte. At least we are not seeing junk this time. Seriously, why put a shower downstairs? This has to be one of the oddest pictures you have unearthed yet. [Probably because there's no bathroom upstairs. - Dave] Basement ShowerMany miners, farmers and others who get very dirty at work have showers in the basement so that they don't spread the coal dust/dirt through the house. Basement ShowerMy grandfather built a shower in the basement of his family's farmhouse in New Martinsville, WV back in the 40's. Until the late fifties that was the only bathroom plumbing in the house. A two-tub sink and a full mirror, along with a medicine cabinet and shelf for towels stand beside it. It's still where we're instructed to go when we get dirty working 365 acres of land. This picture is every bit of familiar to me. Mining PhotosOne of the most extensive collections of Mining Photography and mining artifacts is located within the West Virginia State Archives and State Museum Collection at the Cultural Center in Charleston. I have compared the faces of miners in the hand-loading era with those of sailors in the sail era. They are strikingly similar. I guess the stress and strain of an extremely dangerous, and physically demanding job took its toll all who were there. [Was there something memorable about this face in particular? - Dave] (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Mining)
Iron Man: 1941
... Medium format safety negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Grand Canyon of the North ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 11:40pm -

August 1941. "One end of the Hull-Rust-Mahoning pit, largest open pit iron mine in the world, near Hibbing, Minnesota. The pit is two and a half miles long, three quarters of a mile wide and about four hundred feet deep." Medium format safety negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Grand Canyon of the NorthWe visited Hibbing several years ago, searching for where my wife's grandparents had lived. We found an old town map in the library, and headed out to take a look. We came to the end of a street. The town ended at the edge of a huge canyon, several times bigger than the information posted with the photo. There are hills and small mountains all around the area where they dumped the mine tailings (rock and dirt not good for anything). It is a profound statement to man scarring the earth. Right or wrong it is there for all to see. Could you step back...Just a little further... a little further... just a little mo... uhh, never mind. Scarring?Mother Nature left the Grand Canyon. That's quite a gash in the earth. One might think of retrieving iron as part of building the nation, and this valley as evidence of hard work and determination. Oh, well. Fashionability and all that, eh? It’s no wonder.Why Bobby Zimmerman moved to New York. The mining company may have scarred the landBut they built a High School beyond belief http://www.ironrange.org/attractions/historic/hibbing-high/ Unique hand-molded ceilings in the foyer welcome visitors and accent the breathtaking auditorium designed after the Capitol Theatre in New York City. Cut-glass chandeliers of crystal, imported from Belgium, light the 1800-velvet seat grand auditorium. The cost of each chandelier in 1920 was $15,000 and today they are insured for $250,000 each. The auditorium boasts a magnificent Barton pipe organ, one of only two that still exist in the United States. Containing over 1900 pipes, the organ can play any orchestra instrument except the violin. Bob Dylan and Kevin McHale attended school here. The BeholderWithout iron ore, there would have been no steel. Without steel, how would America look today? The mining boom left behind beautiful schools, Carnegie libraries and other public buildings not typically seen in such small towns. Not in the least, three generations of my male ancestors worked in or for the mines. They built families, and their houses too. As far as aesthetics go, one could also argue the vibrant rust red of the ore, the deep blue of the Northern sky and the bright green of the brush make for a beautiful scene. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Mining, Railroads)
Domestic Bliss: 1936
... six people in Missouri. May 1936. View full size. Farm Security Administration photograph by Carl Mydans. Domestic Bliss, 1936 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 7:47pm -

Interior of Ozarks cabin housing six people in Missouri. May 1936. View full size. Farm Security Administration photograph by Carl Mydans. Domestic Bliss, 1936I am compelled to defend this woman's scowl - it seems like the private moment she's having with baby (breastfeeding?) is being interupted by the photographer. InsulationI think it is a private time but also, it shows not only how they lived in those times but how they insulated their homes. Paper is the best insulation and they new it back then. Not safe, but all that they had if they were lucky. Let Us Now Praise...These folks were poor. Think of the other pictures from the depression, like Lange's mother portraits. The newspapers were to keep the drafts out. This poor gal is probably barely 30 and already looks worn out by life. This RoomI really love imagining this room in color (minus the newspapering) as a modern day room with people of our time. In many ways this picture just seems like a fairytale, like America could look less technological-- it almost seems impossible. Woman's "scowl"Having seen thousands of pictures from this era, and having known Ozarks residents who lived in this time period, I must say that this woman is not likely scowling at all. She probably does not know the concept of "smiling for the camera." I recall my mother taking pictures of my grandparents in 1957, and my mother's attempts to get them to smile. They couldn't understand why in the world anyone would smile when there was nothing at all funny. Mom finally asked them to say "cheese," which they thought was hilarious, and caused them to laugh enthusiastically, resulting in several humorous pictures to go along with the sober, staid photos that had already been taken. (The Gallery, Carl Mydans, Kids)
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