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Dramatic Entrance: 1940
... gold mining town." Acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The short way out If you ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/03/2020 - 9:40pm -

May 1940. "Front of abandoned residence in Georgetown, New Mexico. Ghost gold mining town." Acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The short way outIf you think the entrance is dramatic then stay to watch the exits. Not to be found nowGoogle maps doesn't even show a place called Georgetown, New Mexico now; just Georgetown road leading to Georgetown cemetery. I'm sure this porch was intended to project prosperity and was frequently used as an outdoor sitting room during hot summers. My mother's family ranched (& still ranches) about 60 miles north of Georgetown. The front porch on the old house there is larger than this one, but not as ornate. During the summer my grandfather rolled his roll-top desk onto the front porch and conducted his business there. At least the walls are well insulatedAdobe bricks are good for that. SmallpoxThis site has some background on the place, other pics by Russell Lee and a shot of the only surviving relic, the cemetery. It mentions some reasons for the town's demise, a fire and a smallpox outbreak in 1892. Not long after that the Panic of 1893 finished it off. Cord and shadowI see a cord or wire or line of some kind running horizontally along the base of the house, on the left, about a foot off the ground, and it appears to continue along the underside of the porch, past the stairs, and on to the right underside of the porch where it disappears. To complicate matters, I also see the shadow of a line running diagonally across the wall on the left, above the wire, and also cutting across the porch. Does anyone know what I am looking at? [A barbed-wire fence. - Dave] Oh, now I get it! No wonder the wire is out of focus – it's in the foreground. Thanks, Dave. Just off screenBoris Karloff and Bela Lugosi. Going, going, goneIt's interesting to compare topo maps from 1999, 1948, and 1909 (top to bottom.) Location of the Georgetown CemeteryApparently the only thing left of this town: https://goo.gl/maps/BeJ28rWeqV6JMrDP9 Interestingly, the apparent foundations of several buildings can be seen nearby when you switch to Satellite view. (The Gallery, Mining, Russell Lee)
Dust Bowl Boy: 1936
... Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Arthur's daughter Annie ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/02/2009 - 8:12pm -

April 1936. "Son of farmer in dust bowl area. Cimarron County, Oklahoma." Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Arthur's daughter Annie Rothstein-Segan writes in with a reminder that Documenting the Face of America, about the thousands of Depression/WW2 era photos taken by her dad and others under the auspices of the FSA-OWI, premieres tonight at 10 on PBS. NYT article. Poor Little Dust Bowl BoyMy grandmother would've been 7 in 1936. She, too , endured the Dust Bowl in Southeast Kansas. Thanks for the PBS shout-out. I'm going to Tivo it now. (Look how far we've come in 72 years!) Awww !Look at that sweet little face! Thank you for this photo! LOLZ!Holy cow! You've been SULLIVANED! Shorpy's the best! (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Dust Bowl)
Winsome Ragamuffins II
... his sister. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Better! They look a lot ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2010 - 2:39am -

April 1940. Dubuque, Iowa. "Children who live in the slums." Our second look at this towheaded twosome, a sort of proto-Opie and his sister. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Better!They look a lot happier here. Why does that comfort me? Also? Check out the buckles on the little girl's shoes. FABULOUS. I'll bet she loved them. We Were Poorbut we didn't know any better. This photograph is definitely my favorite of the two. It's showing them with a winning smile and a "we can make a better future" look, which is what America is all about. Cute kidsSince the first picture of these kids I've wondered if maybe the photographer dirtied their faces up for effect. Guess I'm of a cynical nature. [You should read up on John Vachon. - Dave] Re: Cute KidsMaybe the dirt is the reason for their smiles, no? All these years removed, it's not always easy to remember the fun of being carefree, running and exploring the outdoors from sun up to sundown -- but it's there, tucked away. Something tells me there was no need for the photographer to apply any more dirt than was already on those adorable faces! Sad or happy, these children tug at my heartstrings! Not always a hindranceMy mother, born in 1919, grew up poor and also with a crossed eye, she always said it developed her backbone in life. My father found a doctor in 1957 to correct it. Many photographs later she was convinced it was fixed. SweetThe reason my eyes tear up when I look at this photograph is because it makes me remember how sweet and innocent my own children where at that age. Texas CitrusWhat a neat connection with the pictures of the other children from Weslaco & Harlingen, Texas, posted earlier. That fruit box is from the Rio Grande Valley, maybe even from the farms/orchards worked by the FSA workers. Small world. One day at a timeI'm convinced this is a young Bonnie Franklin. These children were loved.These children may not have lived in the best house in town, but they look well-fed and adequately clothed and shod. Believe their parents did what it took to keep those little folks cared for and cared about. And I weep for my little children, who always lived in a nice house and always had at least enough, but whose mother abandoned them years ago, when my daughter was 8 and my little fellow 5. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
Summer Internees: 1942
... CCC camp now under FSA management. Japanese-American farm workers swimming." Medium format nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Beam me up! The an on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 8:34pm -

July 1942. "Rupert, Idaho. Former CCC camp now under FSA management. Japanese-American farm workers swimming." Medium format nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Beam me up!The an on the left could be a relative of George Takei. He spent time in an internment camp as a child. I hope they found some funHard to be happy when your family is interned for no other reason than being Japanese. Unless I have my facts wrong. Good photo though!! They seem relatively happydespite being interred for no real good reason. I wonder if they were asked to smile for the camera. [You might want to check the difference between "interred" and "interned." - Dave] The campsA former Japanese American co-worker said that from her personal experience once people arrived at the internment camps friendships were made and people generally made the best of a terrible situation. She said she met her future husband while there and that her family was able to buy a few simple comforts of home from the Sears and Montgomery Ward catalogues. Many of the San Diego children regularly corresponded with Miss Breed, a kindly downtown librarian who later published some of those letters in a book entitled "Dear Miss Breed." She remained close to some of those former children the rest of her life. Bathing BeautiesFinally some bathing beauties I can appreciate. hubba hubba! (The Gallery, Relocation Camps, Russell Lee, Swimming, WW2)
Li'l Skeptics: 1943
... 1940; by the time Esther went to work for him in 1942, the Farm Security Administration had been absorbed into the Office of War Information. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 1:55pm -

Washington, D.C. July 1943. "Spectators at the parade to recruit civilian defense volunteers." Medium-format negative by Esther Bubley, OWI. View full size. SiblingsBut probably not twins. Just notice the difference in size. Sister's peripherals are vastly more robust, even if brother's CPU is somewhat close in capacity. That their countenances are so alike is remarkable. I'd say they are twins separated by a year or so. Seersucker bibsYes, its definitely July in D.C. If I had to squeeze in on that curb to watch a lame-o parade in the middle of a D.C. summer, I'd be a touch crabby myself. Double the pleasureTwin sourpusses! This must be the worst parade ever. Esther Bubley had the sense to turn her camera away from the event, and she captured a priceless moment others probably missed. Just drop your trash in the street...Looks like the streets were everybody's waste receptacle. I do remember finding cigarette packs, gum wrappers, and all manner of rubble in the streets when I was very young, we used to save found tobacco coupons, redeemable cigarette freebies, chewing gum give-away points, soda pop caps AND cigar bands that we wore as rings (yeah, we were poor). These youngsters look absolutely miserable and yet we never were. They appear to have lived in a cave. This pic does bring the memories flooding back, thank you. A family faceThese two obviously look just as much like Mommy or Daddy as they look like one another (and they also look like they thought this parade was going to be much more entertaining). And I covet everything worn by the lady on the right -- dress, purse, and especially the shades she's holding. I wonder if she's those kids' designated Cool Aunt. Esther BubleyShorpy is leading the much-deserved revival of interest in Esther Bubley. Born in 1921, he was younger than most of the photographers associated with Roy Emerson Stryker's documentary projects in the 1930s and 1940; by the time Esther went to work for him in 1942, the Farm Security Administration had been absorbed into the Office of War Information. Probably only Jack Delano and Gordon Parks (both well represented on Shorpy) caught the look of the World War II homefront as compellingly as she did. Esther died in 1998. Aperture's 2005 collection of her photos is a fine tribute. DisappointedThey look like they had been told there'd be ice cream "before" the parade! CurbedIf twins are indeed telepathic, these two are having a serious conversation about something. Either that or the drunk clown just threw up. AccessoriesI'll bet they still looked like this when they were 60. On the other hand, Cool Aunt is smokin'! One can still make the dress, buy the purse in a good vintage shop, & procure the specs via the intertubes. The ring might be a special order. Depending on where you are starting from, you might need some meatloaf and whole milk to approximate the figure. Yum! Cool Aunt is also sans hose - a delightful byproduct of wartime nylon & silk shortages. D.A.There's something very Diane Arbus about this photo. I love it. Fashion-forwardI see the wearing of the dark socks and shoes with the short pants began early in that generation, and persists to this day. They Look So Cereal!These kids look like they were the models used for the signature character for Frankenberry cereal from General Mills. In our family, we used to say someone with such an expression was "pooty-mouthed." Where that came from, I do not know, but it seems like a pretty descriptive and self-explanatory word. (The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley, Kids)
Country Barber: 1941
... Heard County, Georgia." Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Maybe there's one just ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/28/2021 - 4:35pm -

April 1941. "Mr. J. H. Parham, barber and notary public, in his shop in Centralhatchee, Heard County, Georgia." Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Maybe there's one just out of sight --My grandfather was a country barber for most of his adult life. I remember his shop very well. What's missing in this shop is a spittoon. JepJeptha Howard Parham was born in Georgia on June 23, 1886, to Charles (1864-1948) and Mollie Virginia Bell (1867-1907). He married Cora Lee Adams in 1905; they had one son, Austin Hershal (1908-1970), a WW2 vet. Jep was a four-time mayor of Centralhatchee, serving in 1925, 1930, 1931 and 1935. According to his WW1 draft registration he was of medium build and height, had light brown hair and blue eyes. Cora died in 1972, Jep in 1974. Just what this country really needsAre more barber shops. Instead of calling for an appointment how does six weeks from today sound? I liked walking into a shop and hearing two ahead of you. Look down before looking up A string of posted licenses and certificates; enough reserve Colgate stock to last a year; and the prestige of a notary public commission -- all the trappings of a high-status pillar of the community... ... but the farmer's got WAY better shoes than the barber. Old-school barberI’m old enough to have gone to classic barbers like this, and the photo evokes so many positive memories. I love the stuff on his shelves. And those bottles of dark liquid immediately trigger a cavalcade of smells, not to mention the sound of the barber slapping it in his hands and applying it to my freshly-shaven neck. I’m just putting two and two together and wondering if the not-unpleasant smell I associate with older guys from the olden days was partly due to the smell of these magical potions and fluids. (Thank you, Shorpy, once again, for awakening and clarifying features of my life from long ago.) I miss barbershopsNot stylists, not chain haircut franchises, not "men's salons"... just plain old barbershops. A snarky barber, three or four of the gentry sitting and discussing the state of the union, 14 year old magazines on the table. You just don't find them anymore. Pop. 200The population of Centralhatchee in 1940 was approximately 200, so I would presume that Jep Parham was the only barber in town. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America, Small Towns)
Bisbee, Az.: 1940
... Copper mining center." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Updated streetlight The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2018 - 1:54pm -

May 1940. "Side street [Subway Street] of Bisbee, Arizona. Copper mining center." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Updated streetlightThe incandescent streetlight was undoubtedly converted from an arc light, which had to be maintained several times a week. Zephyr!Holy Moly, a 1939 Lincoln Zephyr Coupe parked in front of the jewelers sign. Flathead V12 power! Likely very old train tracksI think those tracks are from the original El Paso & SouthWestern (EPSW) rail to Bisbee. The trolley tracks ran along Main Street. [The EPSW line would not have gone through the business district. Bisbee was served by both a streetcar system, with much trackage re-laid and embedded in concrete in 1920, and the Warren-Bisbee Railway, an interurban trolley with service to the nearby town of Warren. - Dave] Now (2016) with Air Conditioning 66 years of public service . . . make 100 cigarettesI was intrigued by what was visible on a distant building, and quickly found the full text of the Bull Durham roll-your-own pitch. They seem to have been counting years starting from around 1860, which means the sign had been there a while when Lee took this photo. Near 8 Subway StFrom research with Bing Maps, I was surmise we are near 8 Subway Street. It's amazing how many structures are recognizable today. For example, the corner curb steps on the sidewalk are still there. One interesting detail that seems to be gone is the abandoned RR siding track buried in the street. It would be interesting to know which building(s) had rail service, and why. Also absent is the quaint streetlight mounted on a pulley-and-rope system so that it can be lowered to change the bulb. So that's what that area was for!I just knew it as an unusually wide alleyway behind Main Street, which is well out of frame to the left. The first storefront on the right beyond the telephone pole now houses (or did in May 2013, when I was there) a little vintage kids toys/antique shop -- picked up a pretty fair stack of western swing 78's there, too. To the left, the L.L. Gilman Jeweler's building now houses a gigantic antique shop. 3 floors (including basement) packed to the gills with just about any vintage knick knack you'd want if you've got the money. Place still has an intact vault where they keep all the records (yes, I'm a 78rpm record collector). Also, about 200 feet behind and around 50 feet up a set of steps to the left as you're facing it is the relatively posh Copper Queen Hotel - a 4-story affair that holds the distinction of being the longest continually operating hotel in the state of Arizona (opened 1902). Back-Alley AblutionsSubway Street's namesake is the Subway, a large subterranean drainage channel paralleling Main Street. After a series of devastating floods, Bisbee thoroughfares including Subway and Main were reconfigured and paved with concrete to serve as spillways during the monsoon season: Ghost SignIf you go backwards a little on the Google Street View (click the arrow pointing towards you), you can still see white painted lettering above the Bisbee Antiques sign on the brick building towards the left. I believe I can make out the "Gilman" and "Jeweler" shown in the 1940 photo. In fact, the darker brick color seems to appear only where the original painted sign once was. 38 Zephyr I believe the Zephyr is a 1938. The trunk handle is above the license plate. I'm probably wrong, but that's what it looks like. (The Gallery, Mining, Russell Lee, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Local Heroes: 1940
... Dakota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wonder if it was a Friday ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 5:00am -

October 1940. "Football players. Minot, North Dakota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wonder if it was a Friday night?Did a bit of poking around this morning on Google Earth, and I think this might be the same spot on Main Street. No Spoiled JocksI'm guessing that in 1940 they were not provided with rides to and from the games but one would think the guy on the right would have taken his helmet off at least to walk down Main Street. Or perhaps they were in a parade or downtown pep rally. Vertical HoldPrecursor to the early 1960s Denver Broncos vertical-striped socks. Yikes. The Three MagiI would guess this photo was taken on the afternoon of October 18, 1940, before the Minot High Magicians lost 28-6 to the Bismarck Demons. Minot High had designated Oct. 18 as "Loyalty Day," involving Homecoming-like events. Going into the game, the Maroon-and-Gold Magicians (or "Magi" for short) were tied with Bismarck atop their division of the East-West Conference. With the possible exception of the next week's game against Williston, this was the only home game for the Magicians in October 1940. (They were only one of four football teams playing in Minot then. The others were the Minot Model High Beaver Kits, the St. Leo Lions, and a college team, the Minot Beavers. It is possible that these were players from one of those teams, but even in black-and white that sure looks like maroon and gold.) So UncoolIn the late 1950s Baltimore, walking around town, or even your own 'hood, in your football togs, was seriously frowned upon by your peers. The guy on the right goes the extra mile, even wearing his hat. Sheesh. [Ever wear a football hat yourself? Just wondering. - Dave] Before GPS"I thought you said the stadium was over here!" VarietyWe've seen a few of Vachon's photos [155. - Dave]; he had an interesting choice of subjects. The high, diorama like shots, then interesting signage and people. Nothing specific, like he looked up and there these three were, just trudging along. Spontaneous reaction shot. Same with the shot of the two kids coming home from school down that snow covered road. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Sports)
Bovey Blasters: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Light 'em up if you got ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/22/2020 - 4:54pm -

August 1941. "Blasting crew in the Danube iron mine. Bovey, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Light 'em up if you got 'emOh wait -- maybe that's why they're all using chewing tobacco. SnooseSnus or snoose would be the local name for what's in those cans; a very common Scandanavian habit here back in the day. RequirementWanted: Blast crew members. Must wear glasses. All others need not apply. [The identical safety specs they're wearing are indeed mandatory. - Dave] Snuff cansor hockey pucks in their shirts. I'm betting on "Red Man". Or TapeAs a longtime snuff chewer, I would agree that those are most likely smokeless tobacco cans, but there's a good possibility that those are rolls of electrical or friction tape, used to splice wire. Safety glassesAnd I thought they were a gathering of the Robert Woolsey fan club! GrouchosThese cowboys look like they know how to joke and take a joke. I wouldn't be surprised if they had all put Groucho mustaches under their safety glasses for this picture. Safety SpecsI have a very similar pair that belonged to my grandfather. He was a machinist during the run-up to WW2. If memory serves me the lenses are ground from quartz. My grandfather's pair has a deep scratch that was caused by something in a metal lathe shattering and the pieces flying everywhere. Better a scratched lens than a missing eye. Happy BunchA really happy bunch. They get to blow things up! Those aren't tobacco cansThey are the tins that held the blasting caps that fired the dynamite. I remember my dad had his shot papers to shoot underground dynamite. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Mining)
The Whitfields: 1939
... size. 35mm nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Daddy's little girl I bet he didn't spoil ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:48am -

July 1939. "Tobacco sharecropper's house. White family. Rural rehabilitation clients. Whitfield family. Near Gordonton, North Carolina." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Daddy's little girlI bet he didn't spoil her (much). CropsSomeone was asking about the crops grown here. Gordonton is in Person Co., not too far from Granville Co. Rural RehabilitationInteresting caption. But just what are rural rehabilitation clients? Sounds like a classification that a federal bureaucrat would come up with! [Google books link - Dave] A roving eyeShe's grown heavy from having four children and tries to keep her family and herself looking nice. He has a roving eye and considers himself quite a dandy. He holds his cigarette the way the guys in the movies do. He'll go away before long. Interesting that the brim of his hat echoes the roofline, wavy and worn. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kids, Rural America)
Man of Tin: 1941
... Pennsylvania." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Lil’ Warshington So known ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2022 - 11:40am -

January 1941. "Punch press at the Washington Tinplate Works. Washington, Pennsylvania." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Lil’ WarshingtonSo known by locals far and wide. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano)
Egg Grid: 1942
... Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Well ... That's gross. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/29/2022 - 10:16am -

January 1942. "Sonoma County, California. Eggs." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Well ...That's gross. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Russell Lee)
Askew-Trippe Furniture: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Could be a Furnace store We ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/04/2019 - 10:46am -

April 1941. "Store in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia." Ask about our big Fall sale! Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Could be a Furnace storeWe just don't know at this point. All my life - - I wanted to be a sign painter, was talked out of it by a retiring painter, he said computers are taking over, and to think I could have owned a classic truck like that if I had not listened to him. Freehand painting?I see faint marks that can't really be deciphered. Either vestiges of a previous store name, a Shorpy watermark or the painter doesn't know how to spell 'Furniture'. I see no hint that he has marked off guide lines for his work and is thus doing it all freehand. As someone who can't even write his name legibly, I am in awe. It's that time of year"Ask about our big Fall sale!" Really bad, Dave. I nearly fell for it! Hot paintA good friend with the last name Pintar told me a story about sign painters. His family had been painters before there was paint. They changed their name from Painter to Pintar in the 1900s. The type of paint they used required the bricks to be hot so the paint would cure correctly. This meant the sign painter had to do his work with the sun blasting down on the bricks and his back. Lots of sign painters developed carcinoma. Judging by the shadow under the truck and the painter, it is either a little before high noon or a little after. I am amazed there is no stencil or trace for the painter to follow. Of course, the two Ps are not exactly the same, but only someone with OCP would notice that. Good tacosThe building at 170 Davis Street is still recognizable, though it doesn't have much to do with furniture anymore. It's now a Mexican restaurant. The enclosed rear dining patio overlooks the Chattahoochee River. Here's Your SignFurniture that is askew does not sell very well. But, what's in a name Sign paintersI grew up in an old school sign shop. Ice Gang is right. A man and a brush was replace by vinyl letters right after I got out of high school, and in to the craft. Here in Kansas City, there seems to a Renaissance of hand lettering in the old part of town, and I certainly hope it gains momentum. This guy reminds me of all the old journeymen that mentored me in my youth. A truck, a ladder, a brush, and a piece of Grumbacher No. 7 charcoal to layout with. No safety belts, no hand rails. OSHA be damned! Now a Mexican Restaurant What's in a name?The truck is cool … &, hopefully the owner didn't roll backwards off the roof and into its bed. Unlike Askew-Trippe Co. Furniture, the sign painter's business appears to simply be called: "Signs of All Kinds." With no personal identifier it kind of makes it challenging for anyone to refer business to him. Hand painted!Really neat to see an actual sign painter at work here! Guessing he painted the sign on the truck as well. Recently here in Cleveland, Ohio and elsewhere, I have been seeing a resurgence of this once-dying art form by new young practitioners who appreciate the old hand lettering like this! (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Rancho Glutenous: 1941
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. "Ranch" ?? You ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/17/2019 - 7:15pm -

August 1941. "Harvesting wheat with combines on Schnitzler Corporation ranch at Froid, Montana. There are about 2,800 acres on this part of the ranch and they are getting over forty bushels to the acre. It is one of the largest wheat ranches in the West." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. "Ranch" ?? You would be hard pressed to find a grain farmer who would refer to his farm as a ranch, "farm" would be the term, "wheat ranch'' ? C'mon. [Scroll up. - Dave] Forecast - hot and dryHaving spent a bit of time in wheat country, I look at this picture and can relive exactly how it looks, feels, smells, and sounds. You have to squint a bit because in the direction of the light tan wheat, with shiny stalks, it's really bright, it's hot and and (perpetually) windy, there's a smell of dust and the unmistakable smell of the moisture sucked up that is getting released as it's cut. There's a very "large" silence with rustling wheat from the wind, with the sound of the tractor a tiny source in a huge, huge space. Cold by any other nameHad to chuckle when I realized the bad advertising involved in naming Froid, Montana. Froid (pronounced fwad) is the French word for "cold", which is appropriate for winter in Montana. Maybe it was a Froid-ien slip. The combiner ...... seems to be a McCormick-Deering No 31-T Harvester-Thresher. Ranch!It seems the family referred to it as a ranch as well, at least per this obituary for a family member "She was raised in Froid, devoted to her father who was a leading newspaperman, wheat rancher, banker and state senator." Source: https://www.bozemandailychronicle.com/obituaries/obituary/article_b46635... (The Gallery, Agriculture, Landscapes, M.P. Wolcott)
Little Boy Blue: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Below decks The very best ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2020 - 2:44pm -

August 1941. "Son of Mr. Nichols, defense worker from Cass City, Michigan, now living in a trailer at Edgewater Park near Ypsilanti. Mr. Nichols works in the Ford bomber plant." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Below decksThe very best in the design of yacht interiors. Oh, it’s a trailer? Whatever. And such beautiful grain in the plywood. And a cute (albeit sad) kid. Sit this wayThe reason the boy is sad is likely from the task of having to follow the directions of the photographer and his mother. He probably hated the whole ordeal and just couldn’t wait to get back outside and play where there were no adults. Poor lad. The Shadow knowsthat all you need for mystery and suspense is a small breeze and a warm radio. The thing above the valanceMany RVs from the 60s on have built-in entertainment systems, but I've never seen a pre-war unit with one. If that's what it is, then the small bakelite radio below is like what I remember from many basements in the 70s: a small TV, set atop a larger wood cabinet TV that had stopped working. What is that top dial?I see the bottom table top radio but what is that top dial about? Don't touch that dial!The interesting thing here is that there is what appears to be another radio (or some other electronic equipment) directly above the while marble radio in the center. I cannot read the make or model for either the upper or lower device. Perhaps someone with expertise in radios of this era can identify them. The upper one looks to have several bands. It's placed so high that the morose young man certainly cannot touch it, but it's also above what I expect would be the parents' comfortable reach as well. Also intriguing are the paper cards marked "RECEIVED" that are blocking the speaker grille. Does the radio still work? Questionable designWhat's with the cabinet above the radio and fan? To the left: an instrument that's hard to read with 4 knobs that are hard to reach. To the right: an awkward place to store receipts. Two radios doesn't make it stereo.They built an old Montgomery Ward Airline brand AM & shortwave band radio into the space above, but have a newer General Electric H-500 model AM-only radio on the counter. That upper radioThanks Wiscojim for identifying the radios. You can see a see a nice picture of the GE H-500 here: https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/general_el_h500.html . As for the Montgomery Ward Airline, that is quite interesting. The Airline was a very long-lived brand - and was quite diverse, as you can see here: https://radioatticarchives.com/archive.htm?page=a4#Airlin Looking at the dial, the one here seems to be the closest match for the 62-196, https://www.radiomuseum.org/r/montgomery_62_196_1.html https://radioatticarchives.com/radio.htm?radio=5810 which was a rather handsome tombstone three-band unit before it was dissected. Beetle GE General Electric H 500The Classic Radio Gallery informs us about the plastics used in radio cabinet construction. The GE H 500 radio, also known as the GE "Turbine", has a housing of Beetle plastic, a trade name used by the American Cyanide Cyanamide Co. ["American Cyanide"? Um, no. - Dave] [Um, I see: do not quote without checking the quote itself, thnx Dave - Alex (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
Twin Cities Trucker: 1939
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pre Aerosol Graffiti I see ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2020 - 1:17pm -

September 1939. "Truck driver who operates between Twin Cities and radius of 150 miles tying in load. Minneapolis, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pre Aerosol Graffiti I see the street artist of the time had to use sidewalk chalk for their tagging. Or, are those rail hobo telegraph messages? [Routing designations scrawled by railyard switchmen. -Dave] Independent TruckerThis is a good example of how independent owner-operated trucking worked back then. Licensed and regulated trucking companies and union drivers would have referred to him as a "gypsy." If you had a large enough freight shipment, it would be much cheaper to just "rent" a boxcar from the railroad and be responsible for loading and unloading it yourself. The railroad would park the car on a "public" or "team" track, and you would "release" it to the railroad when it was loaded and ready to move, and when unloaded at the destination and available for reassignment. You had a limited time to hold the car at each end without incurring extra charges called "demurrage." You could save even more by having a one-person delivery service like this one to unload it for you if you couldn't do it yourself. My great-grandparents used this method circa 1895, when they moved 75 miles from Darlington to Columbia, South Carolina. It was the only way to do it then, since roads (and trucks) did not yet exist. Safety CabWhen your brakes are unreliable, it's important to be able to jump out quickly! Thisis N.P.R. Trucker's Hitch?I'm curious how the tension on this load is maintained. Is it possible that a "trucker's hitch" is applied on the opposite side of the vehicle? Insulation for Minnesota wintersThese are Gimco rock wool insulated batts. Rock wool has traditionally been made by melting down basalt stone and recycled slag from steel mills. Interesting article about it here: https://www.familyhandyman.com/walls/mineral-wool-insulation-is-making-a... He's got a story to tellIf only he could tell about that time he lost the cab's door. ToastyI'm sure that new Minnesota homeowners will appreciate those "Full Thick Sealal Bats" come wintertime. Old boxcarsA couple of elderly cars for a 1939 photo. Believe it or not, the one on the right is probably older -- you can see the metal “truss rods” under the floor of the car, a tensioning system to strengthen the wood floor. Unless it had steel members added, most of that car’s structural members are probably wood, while the car on the left lacks the truss, and probably has a steel underframe. I love the arched “Northern Pacific” lettering -- the kind of thing that vanished as wages rose, because it was harder to do with a single stencil. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Railroads)
One Way: 1936
... Medium format nitrate negative by Carl Mydans for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. This is Peace Street This ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2015 - 11:51am -

February 1936. "Narrow street in New Brunswick, New Jersey." That part of town known in many American cities as the Gashouse District. Medium format nitrate negative by Carl Mydans for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. This is Peace StreetThis would be looking down Peace Street, as Eber's was apparently located at 5-7 Peace Street as per the 1937 city directory. Despite my best efforts to figure out what happened to it, I couldn't figure out where Peace Street was/is, as it apparently was either renamed or obliterated over time. All Gone NowThis was looking north up Peace Street toward Albany. (Burnet became Peace at the intersection where this was taken.) Most of this came down in the 50's as part of a roadway expansion, and the rest when what became the Hyatt Regency was built in the early 80's. Hard to believe the gashouse lasted until around 1960! I remember that building!The tan brick affair (well, I know it was tan but of course it's in black and white here) with arched windows at the end of the street is the Public Service Electric and Gas building. I was born in New Brunswick and I remember it, but I don't remember any narrow street like this opening onto Albany Street where the building was. I also don't remember a fuel storage tank, although it certainly stands to reason one should have been there. I'm sure the other people who posted comments are right - it is Peace St., which I never heard of. There were very few cobblestoned areas in the New Brunswick I remember, mainly the square by the railroad station. [The "fuel storage tank" is a gas holder, also called a gasometer. - Dave] Narrow streetsI lived on Neilson Street in the early 50's. The area wasn't much different then. Most building were torn down in the 60's and replaced with restaurants I can't afford to eat in. Can't help thinkingphotographically speaking that the original Peace Street was much more interesting than its present incarnation. Packed full of character. Based on historical aerial photosThe large tank came down between 1957 and 1963. The space it occupied is currently the Johnson & Johnson property (the tank was near the current Johnson Drive on the Route 18 side of the property). Unfortunate ChangeWhat a remarkable change to the area between then and now. It looks like suburbia today, while in the 1930s it was apparently part of the city center. I can imagine all those old buildings restored, renovated, and in use as a trendy touristy area of shops and eateries. Tough Work If You Can Get ItIt appears they had no problem getting men to shovel snow during those tough Depression years. 1912 Sanborn map Here is a segment from a 1912 fire insurance map showing Peace Street between Albany and Washington Streets. I think the photographer was at the intersection of Church and Peace looking north. I estimate that the gas tower would have been situated in the vicinity of the '37'. (The Gallery, Carl Mydans)
Mom-and-Pop: 1939
... in their off times." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Name Your Poison Sugar? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2014 - 8:42am -

July 1939. Granville County, North Carolina. "Country filling station owned and operated by tobacco farmer. Such small independent stations have become meeting places and loafing spots for neighborhood farmers in their off times." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Name Your PoisonSugar? Nicotine? Lead? But Wait! There's More!Those steps would not meet any building code enacted since the invention of writing. Any Second NowI expect to hear the squeaky spring on that screen door and see Gomer Pyle walk out. Is that a Moon Pie?A bad one, stuck to the window as a warning to customers? Where Did They Go?The RC Cola and 7-Up bottle signs along with the rectangular sodee pop signs may have ended up in an old barn only to show up on an American Pickers episode. Empties tell the taleRoyal Crown Cola may have a sign as big, but the Coke empties show which soft drink was king. Robert Benchley: Everyman, Pacifist, WitMelody and Madness did not last very long as a radio program. Mr. Benchley had many other successful projects and influenced many modern humorists. His short film "How to Sleep" was nominated for an Academy award. Back In The Day StoryCirca 1950 during the hot days of August where the only air conditioned places were bars and movie houses Bob and I used to go scouting under the kitchen sink, the neighborhood, back lots and wooded tracts for any thrown away soda bottles. If we could come up with 12 bottles @.02 cents a bottle refund that was the price of admission for us and any more bottles we found would be good for penny candy at the little confectionery store where we would cash in the bottles. Kids today would have to lug a couple of trash bags and fight the adult pickers to get enough bottles and cans to get into today's movie houses even at matinee prices. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Gas Stations, Stores & Markets)
Tahlequah Revival: 1939
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Wow, a National (probably) resonator mandolin ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/01/2009 - 10:34am -

July 1939. "Group of people assembled under tree to listen to revival rally on Saturday afternoon. Tahlequah, Oklahoma." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Wow, a National (probably) resonator mandolinThe intense young lady at the right is holding a National resonator mandolin, guaranteed to cut through that crowd's most fervent rendition of "Amazing Grace." A rare instrument, fairly pricey even back then. I once owned a modern replica and it was a rowdy raucous little beast. I hope she's havin' more fun than she's lettin' on. Often DunkedMy paternal grandfather was a gospel preacher in the southern states from the 1930's through the 1980's. I would often travel with him on his summer "tent meeting" tours in the 1960's and 70's. After he preached hellfire and brimstone for an hour or two in the humid southern summer evening air, he would call for folks to come down to be saved with a river or stocktank baptism. If we got to the third verse of "Just As I Am" and nobody had come forward, I took the cue and walked down the center aisle between the folding chairs to prime the pump. I've been baptized (full-dunk immersion, fully clothed) more than 100 times. Amen. Goober Pea Priming the PumpI nominate Goober Pea's anecdote as the most charming personal recollection yet posted to Shorpy. Priming the PumpAmen! Plunged beneath that cleansing flood over 100 times! Mercy! RevivalIt's just like a Renoir! Amazing GraceIn the South, that would have been called "Singing all day, and Dinner on the ground." In the early '70s I traveled with friends down to southern Illinois to a family reunion for the wife's grandmother. The next day we went down into southeastern Missouri for her family reunion, held in a pine forest. The weather was "hotter than Dutch love," as my mother used to say. I was wearing cutoff Levi's and a tattoo on my shoulder that reads "CFMartin & Co.," and I must have looked like an orangutan to those country people. All of one side of the family were Christian folks, and members of a sect that didn't allow instrumental music in church. They were wearing proper dresses, with the men in black pants and long-sleeved white shirts, buttoned all the way to the collar. I was playing guitar with the family black sheep, a whiskey-drinking fiddler named Tommy, and the church folks all gathered round on folding chairs to listen. After I'd sung a hymn, one of the older ladies leaned forward and asked, "Can you sing 'Amazing Grace'? I believe we could all sing that with you." Which they did, a cappella, in perfect shape-note harmony, sounding like the very wind in the trees. I still shiver. MandolinUncleJimmyPie: Yes, that's a National RM1 - 98% certain of model from hole pattern and tailpiece. In well-restored condition, worth something over $2K today. I don't know the 1939 price, but it was probably under $50, possibly under $40. (The Gallery, Music, Rural America, Russell Lee)
Crossing Thirteenth: 1939
... format acetate negative by David Moffat Myers for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Portable camera being held by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/15/2019 - 8:31pm -

Spring 1939. "Waiting for stoplight in Washington, D.C." Medium format acetate negative by David Moffat Myers for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Portable camera being held by a woman?Does it seem like the woman to the right of the tall man (on his left) in the center has both her handbag and a portable expanding camera hanging from her left arm? [A "portable camera" -- i.e., a camera. - Dave] Dave, shucks, thanks for the clarification - I was trying to be descriptive as more portable than the typical large format flashbulb-equipped, newspaper-type cameras with flash bulbs of that era. After some quick research it appears similar to a camera like an EASTMAN KODAK BROWN SIX-16 FOLDING FILM CAMERA. Judging from the expressionsI'm guessing most of these folks could use a Dr. Scholl's insert. At some point it became acceptable for people to wear sensible shoes with otherwise business/smart attire when going to and from their place of work. But I'm not sure when. The good doctorWhen studying marketing in school, I interviewed a old shoe-store manager in Miami who had been called upon by Dr. William Scholl. He told me the doctor opened his briefcase, took out an articulated human foot skeleton, slapped it on the counter, and said, "As long as people, especially women, buy shoes based on style instead of anatomy, you and I are going to make a lot of money." On those shoesIf they were truly uncomfortable, I'd expect to see a few of these people rocking back and forth to ease the the soreness. Notice that only one lady is lifting a foot; everybody else is firmly planted. Also, the guy just to the left of the light pole wearing a tweed coat & sweater is wearing "suede bucs", an early version of what I grew up with as "Hush Puppies." I've actually got a couple of pairs of shoes--Allen Edmonds--made on lasts/designs dating back to about this time, and they're great. F + 13th streets NWErlebacher's was 1222 F Street; Shenley's hat shop was at 1221 F. There's not a single thing in the photo that's left now. The honeymoon's over.From the expression on their faces, I'd guess the two on the left had been together for TOO long! Holy Cow Hats I just noticed that almost everyone captured in this image is wearing a hat. I never knew they were so popular back in the late 1930's. Back then owning a hat factory was like owning the umbrella concession when pigs fly. Re: F + 13th streets NWThe building in the foreground at the left of the picture is still there. Compare the corner of the building and the piece under the window, it's the same as in the new view. The streetlight pole... is still there. Two things left ...at least I believe is the building on the corner behind the people. Though its been likely remodeled it is the same structure. Also the light post, albeit shortened with a new top (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., David Myers, Streetcars)
Cut Rate Drugs: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Is this the spot? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2021 - 12:12pm -

September 1941. "South Royalton, Vermont. Storefronts on the main street." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Is this the spot? The brickwork is redone and the building has been renamed, but this could be it. [It is the same spot but a newer, shorter, building. - Dave] Belt Drive Drill?Taking a peek through the window of Dr. Dearing's office window I spy something that looks suspiciously like a belt drive dental drill. Those of us of a certain age may not want to be reminded of slow speed drills and a lack of novocaine. I was always fascinated by the spinning belts. Money Well SpentI've shopped in the last store on the right. I believe the cashier's name is Patreon. I wonder if that's MartinWatching over his block. De rigueurOf course Dr. D.E. Dearing was a Dentist. Visiting his office was no doubt de-de-de-delightful. '59The Martin Block (constructed in 1887 upon the ashes of a fire that destroyed the village's commercial core) was replaced by the Crawford Block in 1959 - the same year that Dr. Dana Emerson Dearing (Tufts College of Dentistry Class of 1904) was laid to rest in the main South Royalton cemetery, a decade after the death of his wife May. Dr. Dearing had been an officer in numerous agricultural or natural associations in the White River valley. (The presence of an IOOF hall, next to the Crawford Block in part of the original 1887 commercial redevelopment that remains standing, makes this an official Shorpy photo.) Zoot SuiterJust down from the SHORPY What Not Store sits local Zoot Suiter awaiting opening of the cleaners to get his pegged pants pressed. Reminiscent ofwhat Edward Hopper was intrigued with. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Villa Carlesia: 1939
... Florida." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Could be yours for $27M ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/27/2021 - 9:31am -

April 1939. "Part of Florida home in wealthy residential section. Miami Beach, Florida." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Could be yours for $27MLooks pretty impressive from this listing: https://www.redfin.com/FL/Miami-Beach/5030-N-Bay-Rd-33140/home/42775864 Not bad at all5030 North Bay Road. Some changes, but appears all intact (plus incredible tree growth). Product PlacementThe entrance loggia served as backdrop for this photo in the 1960 Imperial sales brochure. Only 80 miles from Belle Glade... in the unlikely event that the owner of Villa Carlesia wanted to drop by. Mirrored lionsWho knew that lions could be either right or left handed? Beyond the paleI take note from which side of the gate the photographer is taking her picture. Bohn to RickyThe manse was only two years old when Wolcott took this photo. Architects Carlos Schoeppl and George Maguelo built it for Detroit-based Charles Bohn and his family, who made their fortune on bronze, brass, and futuristic dreamworks that are the subject of several beautiful but quite affordable prints. It was later owned by the Wolfson family, whose members owned the Wometco movie theater chain, built the Seaquarium, founded the Wolfsonian Museum, and produced a mayor of Miami Beach (Mitchell Wolfson Sr.). Less than two years after Enrique "Ricky" Martin's record-shattering crossover hit album and singles, he picked up this home for $6.4 million, held it for four years, sold it for $10.6 million and then moved a few doors up the street, to 5130 N. Bay Road. For more, see https://miami.curbed.com/2015/3/4/9984682/ricky-martin-mitchell-wolfson-... (The Gallery, Florida, M.P. Wolcott, Miami)
Hart to Hart: 1941
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Just in time for Pearl Harbor ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/01/2019 - 9:26am -

July 1941. "Bridge from Hartford to East Hartford, Connecticut." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Just in time for Pearl HarborIn this image one can see there are no overhead trolley wires for the streetcar tracks. A little searching on the internet indicates the streetcar system in Hartford had lost money for years and in December 1940 the City Council empowered the mayor to execute agreements to convert the remaining streetcar lines to motorbus operation. The last car ran on July 28, 1941, when the last four lines were converted. One can see dark horizontal stripes on some of the lamp poles where support brackets were undoubtedly once were installed. Within a year rationing of fuel and tires would take effect. Mostly Prosaic Cars, but ...Curb lane behind the pickup is a '41 Ford convertible - maybe red. Inner lane just ahead of that Ford is a '39 Ford panel truck just behind a '39 Ford Woody (technically a 'station wagon". I'll take the woody, thank you! How Ever Did They Manage? Imagine: all those vehicles with only one possibly equipped with an automatic transmission (the '40 Olds, center oncoming, about five cars back) and another with a semi-automatic (the '41 Dodge behind the box truck). How ever did all those drivers manage? Great TV ReferenceDave, do yo have a book with these in? By the way, one of the first TV shows that my wife and I watched together. The DePasquale Bros. van looks suspicious and might be carrying more than bread! I am fascinated by this!Just normal people on a normal day driving to normal places in their normal lives. I wish I could visit this moment and find out where they were all going. I would bet it was fabulously boring. Re: How ever did they manage?As a 61-year-old, I grew up with automatic transmission, but I’ve evolved into a driver who owns a car with a stick. Greater control, better gas economy: two of the many reasons. I drove a car with automatic transmission on the weekend, and it freaked me out how the car moves forward on its own when you take your foot off the brake. It wanted to drive itself! De Pasquale BrosDe Pasquale's bakery is still in business today; it was bought in the 70s by a more recent Italian immigrant and is today known as Mozzicato De Pasquale Bakery. Interstate 84Ah, photo from my childhood. The Buckley Bridge, today known as I-84. After this photo the photographer seems to have pivoted left from due east to roughly north to take tomorrow's photo, "Rolling Stock: 1941", of the Railway Express terminal of the New York, New Haven & Hartford railroad. Or the reverse pivot. Traffic SignalCan anyone explain the (apparent) traffic signal next to the cop? Or is it a coin-operated telescope for brave and voyeuristic pedestrians? Seagram's Managed to pick up a couple more crowns during the interval. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, M.P. Wolcott)
Tidewater Texaco: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Match or March I hope it's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/12/2021 - 12:19am -

March 1941. "Gas station. King William County, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Match or MarchI hope it's not match, given the possibility of fuel present, and the possible significant distance to a fire station ... but at any rate, I love the shepherd's hook signage on this Texaco. When I was little, in the late '50s until the mid '60s, my small family (mom, stepdad, sister, and me) were constantly on the move, virtually itinerant in a stolen baby blue Nash Rambler, in whose back window I slept. I loved rolling into a filling station because once you heard the ding, Mama started looking around for the Coke-Cola machine. I scanned the sky outside my backseat window mile after mile for the big yellow Shell shell, or the red Texaco star, or the green Sinclair dinosaur, or the sinuous Esso logo, hoping that a frosty glass bottle of sodey pop could be in my near future. Fly in the ointment: it saddened (well, angered) me that I always had to share with my big sister. Which meant, grab it out of her hands whenever I had the chance. I don't see refreshments here so let's move on before the whole thing blows sky high. I’ll have a grape Nehi!The only ads I see. It’s either tires or a Grape Nehi! Edit: the picture reminds me of the upper peninsula of Michigan. NokesvillePicryl.com locates this on King Richards Court in Nokesville, which is about 10 miles southwest of Manassas. I do hope that nice big pine tree was spared during the inevitable urban development and expansion of the roadway. [Nokesville is in Prince William County. Our photo was taken in King William County, a hundred miles away. - Dave] Southern PinesThe large pine tree here drew my attention immediately. Having grown up in the south, pines were a part of my existence. We lived in a trailer park that had once been a plantation, now grown over with 50+ year old pine trees that towered over our yards. Each year a storm or a tornado would topple one of these trees and slice through a trailer like a knife through soft butter. Needless to say I grew up with a fear of bad weather. Rough Neighborhood?Are those bars on all the windows? Seems like a little overkill for a one-pump station out in the sticks. Perhaps running a gas station was a very lucrative enterprise back in the day! Another Fantastic VachonHis work is consistently amazing to me. For the second time, I purchased a print of his from Shorpy (sorry if that sounds like an endorsement - it is!). The thing that strikes me (living thirty miles away from this scene, is that I can see the sky at the top of the frame, in a deep blue. Thanks, John Vachon - and Shorpy. Root 66I thought the same thing re: the iron bars. I wondered briefly whether the filling station housed the jail. Barney Fife would know the answer. Isolated LocationI was just thinking that the bars on the window were there because otherwise the humble establishment would be a softer target. I imagine when the shop closed up it didn't have the benefit of nearby buildings or persons who could witness a break in by someone traveling by. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, John Vachon)
Back at the Diner: 1939
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Kellogg's Krumbles The cereal box between ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/17/2008 - 12:13pm -

May 1939. "Man in hamburger stand. Alpine, Texas." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Kellogg's KrumblesThe cereal box between Pep and Rice Krispies is Kellogg's Whole Wheat Krumbles, which was discontinued in 1972. Kellogg's Whole Wheat Biscuits were a bone of legal contention with National Biscuit Company for many years. Don't fumble, choose KrumblesCan't imagine why they didn't last. But wait! They're Krumbled? Oh. Alrighty then, let's celebrate! I love that old ad though. ~mrs.djs T-boneWith prices like those, I could afford a T-bone steak WITH swiss cheese and a cuppa joe! Those were the days. Pep vs. WheatiesAlong with Wheaties from General Mills, Pep offered the best in-package premiums of all of the dry cereal products marketed to kids back in the Good Old Days. Especially good were the little enameled metal pins showing the faces of comics characters. I used to save up spare change to buy the boxes of the stuff at the corner grocery. But Pep tasted terrible. On the other hand, Wheaties had a great flavor PLUS the fact that they sponsored the radio serial "Jack Armstrong, All-American Boy" during World War II. Great CerealI LOVED KRUMBLES!!! I wish they'd bring them back. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
The Wonder of It All: 1938
... parade. Crowley, Louisiana." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Enchanting I'd bet a pound ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/05/2012 - 4:38pm -

October 1938. "Boys at the National Rice Festival parade. Crowley, Louisiana." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. EnchantingI'd bet a pound of Popcorn rice that this is their first date. Look! Up in the sky!It's a bird! It's a plane! It's.... 3 of a kindThey look like brothers to me. The Rice Festival is still held in Crowley, La. HmmmThey look very much like brothers!!! The Middle boyI suspect from his lack of expression, that the middle boy is blind and the boy on the left is explaining what's happening. TheoriesThe rice straw is most probably on a float, as in the picture of the contestants. So these boys were either on a float or next to one. Given the pose, and the laughing third boy, I think they were hamming it up for the camera. Perhaps an exaggerated gaze and stance which drew a chuckle from number three. [It's a fence lining the parade route. - Dave] A Woman to BlameI believe the guys are trying to impress, amuse or aggravate a girl or a group of girls just out of the picture. All worthy causes for boys of that age group. A case of conjoined twinswith older brother as escort sporting teeth as nice as photos in a dentist's office. Small TownCrowley couldn't have been a very big place in 1938 (or 2012 for that matter.) Perhaps someone from there actually knew these guys and could provide their story; I also agree that the 2 on the left are very likely brothers. (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
F.W. Woolworth: 1940
... Indiana." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I grew up on the far I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2012 - 3:00pm -

May 1940. "Woolworth Company, Indianapolis, Indiana." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I grew up on the far I grew up on the far eastside of Indpls and remember the day the Grant building was on fire. I came home from school and it was all over the news, I was young and got the impression the whole downtown was on fire. CrispThe Woolworth facade is like the crisp dollar bill you find in the middle of the worn and well circulated dollar bills in your wallet. ConflagrationThe left-most structure was the Thomas Building. It and the Grant building adjacent to it were consumed by a massive fire in November 1973. In all, 15 buildings were either destroyed or damaged. http://digitallibrary.imcpl.org/ffm/ffmGrant.php By this time the Woolworth building had become the Kirk Furniture building. Today it houses a Buffalo Wild Wings. The brick building to its right was then called the MNB building and still stands. This photo shows the backside of the Grant buiding as the fire raged: Calling Dr. FreudNow there is a building with an inferiority complex! A Rose Between Two ThornsI don't know what style of architecture that is, but I sure do like it! Those sleek lines and shiny facade just make you want to go in and shop for some moth balls and shaving cream, then wind up at the lunch counter for a burger! [This is Art Deco style. - tterrace] Thanks! I thought it was. It looks like what the future should have been! Still there today!This beautiful Art Deco building is still standing, as is the one to the right of it. I was admiring the Shorpy version of the building and, when I saw on Street View it is now Buffalo Wild Wings, realized I've been inside it! (The Gallery, Indianapolis, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
The Peanut Gallery: 1939
... had ever attended school." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Boy trouble The two on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/27/2018 - 10:48am -

June 1939. "Sons of day laborers in tent camp near Webbers Falls, Oklahoma. Some of their fathers were agricultural workers and some were dispossessed tenant farmers now on Works Progress Administration. The WPA work is holding many of these former tenant farmers in their communities, but they are all potential migrants. None of these children had ever attended school." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Boy troubleThe two on the far right are definitely trouble. Their grins are wicked funny! The thoughtful boy at the far left looks as though he might have gone on to invent something (definitely a bit of the dreamer). The boy next to him would go on to caring profession. The two in the middle are cooking up some kind of scheme to get candy. They look familiar...Except for the clothing, that could be our Cub Scout Wolf den. Boy second from the rightSeems to have his left foot on his right leg. Ear boxing?The boy on the left appears to have what I think is called "cauliflower ear" on both ears. Google tells me this is usually the result of blunt trauma - I wonder if having his ears boxed was the discipline of choice by his parents. (The Gallery, Dust Bowl, Kids, Russell Lee)
Cold Drinks: 1938
... Donaldsonville, Louisiana." 35mm negative by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. It likes you The sight of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/30/2015 - 8:46pm -

October 1938. "Ice at refreshment stand, state fair, Donaldsonville, Louisiana." 35mm negative by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. It likes youThe sight of that bottle always made me happy. And it wasn't the lady with bubbles, which was gone by my day. Maybe it was the green, maybe it was the magic number. [Another thing: If my circa 1963 childhood memory serves, it used to taste better. - Dave] Good for stomach miserySoda crackers and 7-Up: good for the upset stomach, at least back when I was kid. Mama's remedy. We Don't Know... where Mom is, but we've got "Pop" on ice! Stomach settling In the South, soda crackers and pop as a stomach remedy is still used: Three or four Saltines and a glass of either 7-Up or ginger ale. I still do it and I bet my granddaughters are dosed in that fashion, because my kids certainly were. Funny! Seems to work somehow and does no harm. 7-Up slogan & bottle -- fond memoriesI spent more hours in a bar at age 4 than I have in my entire adult life. My dad would stop at a friend's tavern and have a beer, and I would always have a 7-Up sitting next to him. I have to confess that exposure to this environment at such a tender age has resulted in my being somewhat of a lush in my senior years -- on average, I now consume one beer a month. The original pic is sure a great one; I remember as a kid drinking the 6-ounce Cokes from the old greenish "hoopskirt" style bottles. I certainly regret not taking a store owner up on the offer of "taking an old Coke machine" for free when I was about 16 years old. It was probably a Vendo Model 3. I wish I had the machine today! Barrel on the leftIs that Moxie? 7-Up and soda crackers makes bicarbonate of soda. Makes you burp and settles your stomach. Very relaxing...This was when 7-Up really did like you a lot - it contained lithium citrate, a mood stabilizer until 1948. I agree, DaveI bought a 6-pack of 7-Up recently. It tastes fizzy and very little citrus taste. It's nothing like it used to be. 1956 era here. Ice Bucket Challenge ???Looks like they already were ready for Ice Bucket Challenge ... Drinks on the left are...Delaware Punch (The Gallery, Russell Lee)
City Sidewalks: 1940
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Cake Sign I can't seem to get the pictures as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/30/2007 - 10:47pm -

May 1940. Business district and gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Cake SignI can't seem to get the pictures as large as before, but the cake-shaped sign on the right corner is pretty amazing. I also don't think I've ever seen anything called a "Savery"--had to look twice. Des MoinesThis is looking north up Fourth Street. The building with the Buick sign (on Grand Avenue) and the Hotel Savery (on Locust) are the only structures left of those shown in the photo. There is now a Domino's Pizza where the Buick sign is and the Hills building is now Nolen Plaza, a fountain plaza. To the east of that is the Des Moines Civic Center (also relatively new). The block west of the Hills building is now a business center called Capitol Square. The Shell station would have been on Walnut. There are now high-rise condos there. Fourth street was eliminated between Locust and Walnut. Wish it was still like this ... City SidewalksWhat always amazes me is that in these vintage street scenes the people are so nicely dressed. Quite the opposite of today. Just like a movie setIt's amazing, but it really does not look like it is real. It looks too perfect, right down the couple swinging their children. Contrasting imagesThis is just incredible contrast to some of the other photos that you show of people living in abject poverty in the 40's. This looks so prosperous. Web siteFor me, this is one of the best sites I've ever found. It deals with real and decent subject matter. I, personally, find it very educational. It is very well thought out and executed perfectly. The "comments" section is a very integral and necessary function in this presentation (the educational part). Kind of pulls it all together. I'm 63 yrs. old and enjoy every "time-line" represented. It gives me great comfort knowing that there are still people out there that can put something together like this for us. By us, I mean everyone who views this site and maybe makes a comment now and then. It all seems to have a very "American" slant among all the craziness around us these days. Mike J. Albany, Oregon Odd isn't it......this oasis of normalcy among the gritty ethnic industrial centers and dry starved-out dust farms that today make up the era to us. I'm from central Iowa and know Des Moines well. There really were places like this then, but obviously taking pictures of them didn't educate the public about all the privation out there. You wouldn't recognize downtown Des Moines today. So this pic isn't even history, really. In a way, it is too perfect to ever have been real ... whatever Vachon took pictures of out of his window that day in 1940. PS: The Savery Hotel became a barracks for WAC officers during WW2. It's still there. I spent the night there once. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon)
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