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Welcome to Duluth: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. But what does it say on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/05/2021 - 1:42am -

August 1941. "Entering Duluth, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
But what does it say on the other side?Where are U going?
Duluth is other way
You're leaving us?
Have enough Gas?
Go, just go
Welcome Robert ZimmermanThree-month old Bob Dylan is somewhere in this photo.
Similar view todayCurrent view of train tracks that pass over near the intersection of Interstate 35 and Highway 2 west of Duluth. You can see the distant power generation station and tower still exist out in the St. Louis River.
Bucker-up near Gitche GumeeI have always marveled at the number of rivets in plate girders such as these. The fabricating shops where they were made must have been a beehive of activity. The overhead cranes to move the heavy material and the punch machines to make the holes. The shears that cut the plate to size and the crew that assembled all the pieces, heated the rivets and formed the head with pneumatic guns while the guy on the other side bucked-up. The din would have been terrific. 
Forever taintedEver since I watched this movie in the 80's, this is all I can think about.
Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range RailroadThis bridge, once owned by Duluth, Missabe & Iron Range railroad, now part of CN, provided access from the Missabe Range where the ore was transferred to lake steamers for delivery to various midwestern steel mills.  (The Edmund Fitzgerald had loaded taconite, a processed ore, at nearby Superior Wisconsin.)
The DM&IR put their gigantic "Yellowstone" locomotives to good use during WWII's incredible demand for steel.  You can read more about these locomotives here:
https://www.steamlocomotive.com/locobase.php?country=USA&wheel=2-8-8-4&r...
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Duluth, John Vachon, Railroads)

The Laundry Shed: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Laundry Days I bet washing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/02/2020 - 8:47pm -

July 1941. "Children of FSA borrower on cut-over land. Itasca County, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Laundry DaysI bet washing clothes in January was "loads" of fun!
There Was A Crooked ...Chimney. Topple is in its future. Maybe in the FALL.
As Opposed ToThe living shed.
That washerWhen I was in my early teens, in the 1960s, we spent summers at a place my grandmother owned in Duxbury, Mass. It was an old house, located on property which had been a shipyard in the 1800s. The house had been added onto multiple times, and had no basement except under one section, where there was a furnace. Located in that small room was a very close relative of the washtub and wringer shown in the photo. Never used while I was there, but the photo brought back the memory.  
Hope it's not too windy thereThat chimney is giving lesson on how to dance the wah-wahtusi. A little to the left a little wiggle to the right.
Lubing the wringer?I've never thought of Spry as a laundry additive.  They must have used it to make wringing smoother.
Spry Can RepurposedPerhaps the can with a saucer lid has grated bar soap to be used as laundry soap.
The Clue of the Leaning ChimneyFear not, children, Nancy Drew will figure it out.
Brrrr ...I'll guarantee that living through a winter in that building in Itasca County would be a bone-chilling existence. That washing machine will be unusable for at least 5 months. That huge crock on the right will, if it collects any water, be cracked in half by springtime.
On the other hand, the children look healthy and well-fed, as do many of the others pictured in farm-state locations, unlike some who lived in mining areas or inner cities.
(The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, Rural America)

Farmhouse Kitchen: 1940
... Creek County, Oklahoma." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Census Realizing Pomp is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2018 - 9:35pm -

February 1940. "Family of tenant farmer Pomp Hall, eating breakfast consisting of corn flakes, biscuits, fried bacon, milk and coffee. Creek County, Oklahoma." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
CensusRealizing Pomp is probably not his given name. I did many searches but came up empty. Odd. 
MilkAt first I thought using plates for the corn flakes odd.  But it keeps you from using too much milk. My grandmother (born 1903)  hated when us chaps used too much milk in the cereal bowl and just poured it down the sink.  
And the use of fresh newspaper on the table surfaces kept them cleaner.    A charming family photo, although poor.  Mama doesn’t like the intrusion but her family looks well fed.
[That's not Mama, who is seated next to her husband. - Dave]
Could be that he moved by 19401940 United States Federal Census
Name:	Pompey Hall
Age:	50
Estimated Birth Year:	abt 1890
Race:	Negro (Black)
Birthplace:	Arkansas
Marital Status:	Married
Home in 1940:	Spring Creek, Phillips, Arkansas
Farm:	Yes
Inferred Residence in 1935:	Rural, Phillips, Arkansas
Residence in 1935:	Rural, Phillips, Arkansas
Resident on farm in 1935:	Yes
Occupation:	Farmer
House Owned or Rented:	Rented
Attended School or College:	No
Highest Grade Completed:	Elementary school, 3rd grade
Class of Worker:	Working on own account
Household Members:
Name	Age
Pompey Hall	50
Missouri Hall	49
Willie R Landford	13
Looks familiarThat newspaper on their dinner table is a copy of the now defunct Tulsa Tribune. I see ads for both Street's Clothing and Renberg's, a clothing store as well. They have been closed for quite a while. My very first IT job was at Renberg's starting in November 1977. The old Renberg's sign is still on the building at 311 S. Main in Tulsa. My grandfather attended Central High School with George Renberg. He said he was jealous because George would come to school in a different suit every day!
(The Gallery, Kitchens etc., Rural America, Russell Lee)

Interiors: 1941
... County, Georgia." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Take a guess The three ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/13/2017 - 2:47pm -

June 1941. "Interior of Negro rural house. Greene County, Georgia." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano, Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Take a guessThe three people in the background in two other rooms all appear to be watching TV, but I doubt that many people had a TV in 1941.
What do you think they were looking at?
[The lighting suggests the two in back are on an open porch and the seated man in a room with an open door, and they're all looking at whatever is going on outside. -tterrace]
House DesignI believe we're looking at the interior of what is called a "Shotgun House." They were built narrow and long to fit more buildings into one area. The name came from someone saying you could "Stand at the front door and fire a shotgun out the back door and hit nary a thing."
Shotgun Shack......was my first thought when I saw this photo, but obviously it's not really one, because there's not a door at the back end, and there look to be rooms on both sides of the hallway. I'm not from the South; I first heard about shotgun shacks when reading a biography of Elvis' life- his first home, where was born, was a shotgun shack.
Also, I noticed how the woman in front has the top of her apron pinned to her dress, rather than holding it up with a neck strap. Never saw that before.
Norman Rockwell, Eat Your Heart OutSo many details to see from the safety pins holding up her apron, to the cupcake tins that seem to double as decor on the far wall, the open lock on the old chest, the bare feet, the quality of light...
Except this was not an artist's idealized fiction. Though I don't doubt there was some level of deliberate positioning between Jack Delano and the subjects, the overall feeling has a rich truth to it.
Deep FocusI couldn't help but think of deep focus photography, as seen in movies such as "The Best Years of Our Lives." It's an amazing technique that draws the viewer in.
Domestic sceneThis reminds me of Dutch domestic paintings where you can see people in distant doorways. A young woman stands at the entrance of a spotlessly clean house (also like the dutch) where her family members stand and sit farther back in the house, resolutely ignoring the camera. A beautiful, enigmatic photograph.
Kitchen houseIn some parts of Georgia, families often had separate "kitchen houses" to keep heat and risk of fire away from the house.  You can still view them in historic house tours.   In the North, there was a similar concept, but used only seasonally, the summer kitchen.  
It appears to me that this family also had their kitchen area separated from the other parts of their living quarters by a breezeway or porch area.  The woman/girl in the foreground is in the sleeping area, then there is a porch with two folks seated, and beyond them, is the kitchen.
Hat bandI would love to know what's around that guy's hat, just in case there were other photos from that day. Muffin tins (on the wall, in the kitchen), probably for corn bread. Someone said cupcake pans, but even when they're used for cupcakes, they're called muffin tins.
A dark and stormy nightFor what it's worth, my mom and dad and older siblings lived in a shotgun house back in the late 1940's.  My dad was sitting in his chair smoking a cigarette in the living area in the middle of the night during a thunderstorm.  A ball of fire came through the front door, rolled down the length of the house, and exited through the back door.  True story.  
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Rural America)

Gee's Bend: 1937
... Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Gee's Bend Gee's Bend ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:49am -

February 1937. Gee's Bend, Alabama. Descendants of former slaves of the Pettway Plantation. They are still living under primitive conditions there. Meat in sacks hangs from tree limbs to be cured. Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Gee's BendGee's Bend was perceived by many of the academics of the day as a pure distillation of slavery. The New Deal saw them like the exotic, mysterious folk found in deepest Amazon or darkest Africa. The FSA project that was created there was entirely different from all the other 1930s projects because of these perceptions. 
The Pettway Plantation was purchased in 1937 by the FSA and a full project was developed there including schools, store, blacksmith shop and cooperative cotton gin.
The photo shows the "swept yard" of the cabins and the China Berry tree where meat was stored as part of the curing process. Gee's Bend still exists as an African American community in Alabama.
Gee's BendGuess there wasn't too much to do after dark except....
Gee's Bend and Civil RightsHere is a great article on Gee's Bend and the amazing quilts that come from there.
I have been thinking about this article since Shorpy.com published the picture of the Gee's Bend Ferry...
This paragraph contains one of the most chilling comments I have ever heard. I don't think I will ever forget it.
Many who marched or registered to vote in rural Alabama in the 1960s lost their jobs. Some even lost their homes. And the residents of Gee's Bend, 60 miles southwest of Montgomery, lost the ferry that connected them to Camden and a direct route to the outside world. "We didn't close the ferry because they were black," Sheriff Lummie Jenkins reportedly said at the time. "We closed it because they forgot they were black."
I am a newcomer to Shorpy, and I love the amazing photographs...but I am also glad that it provides a forum to remember both the good and bad of American history.
(The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Gee's Bend, Kids)

Chillicothe Buicks: 1940
... A bit of background on the FSA.The purpose of the Farm Security Administration Photographic Project was to gain support for projects ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/27/2007 - 1:39pm -

February 1940. Courthouse and auto transport hauling Buicks in Chillicothe, Ohio. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the FSA.
The Buick Highway!US23 must have been known locally as the Buick Highway thru Chilli!
"....Well,..you turn left onto Buick and then go three miles to that IHOP [sorry] on your right, and then pull a right at the corner...." 
IHOPWe have a Bob Evans in Chillicothe, not IHOPs, thank you.
It's funny, Route 23 doesn't run through Main Street in that direction. 
FSA photographersA bit of background on the FSA.The purpose of the Farm Security Administration Photographic Project was to gain support for projects proposed by Roosevelt's New Deal government and funded by the taxpayers. FSA photographers followed a detailed outline when documenting life in small-town America, using a checklist for their documentation. For example "street life" would include photographs of stores, theaters, churches, garages, shops, restaurants, hotels, public buildings (such as the courthouse in the photo above ) and were to include details such as fire escapes, balconies, signs, facades, etc. Their primary responsibility was to create a historical record.
Again, no bumpersAfter someone mentioned it in comments for another picture with a car-hauler I've been keeping an eye out.    I can't tell if hubcaps are on, though.
HubcapsLooks to me as if they have their hubcaps, at least the two on the top of the carrier do.
U.S. 23The picture in question shows an older alignment of U.S. 23, along Paint Street. The camera is facing west, on Main Street, which is still U.S. 50 today. Paint Street is still Ohio highway 772.
IHOP in ChillicotheYou have an IHOP now, ha ha, but still many more Bob's ... just wanted to say this is the first time on this website and I am enjoying it so much ... it's so interesting ... I have already been sending links to all of my family.
(The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Cars, Trucks, Buses)

Loves a Parade: 1938
... in Crowley, Louisiana." 35mm negative by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Joy from little ones I love ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/16/2012 - 9:14pm -

October 1938. "Spectators at National Rice Festival parade in Crowley, Louisiana." 35mm negative by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Joy from little onesI love this picture! Everyone is happy, here, but it looks like the little boy is the only one watching the parade.  Everyone else is enjoying seeing the little boy, especially his Grandpa! There isn't anything better than watching one's grandchildren happy and excited about something!
PBnelson, I think you may be right about the little guy's left leg being missing, but I hope not!
I love that the little kidI love that the little kid is wearing a tie!
Amputee?Another fantastic photograph by Mr. Lee.  Is it just an illusion, or is that little boy missing his left leg?  
SmileI'm having a rough morning at work. As usual, thank you Shorpy!
RembrandtyThe leg is there. It is hidden by the hand that is highlighted and the strong contrast of the orthochromatic film of the day. BTW, this lighting effect is called Rembrandt lighting. That is a strong side light with little front fill lighting. So named after the way the artist painted his portraits. It produces very strong shadows, but as you can see it is very dramatic.
What we're not seeingI wish we could see a couple feet to the left. I suspect the boy is completely surrounded by onlookers and his attention is being drawn to something cute/amazing in front of the onlookers, not a parade possibly behind the onlookers. Maybe a cute puppy being held, a clown or ??
The Hands Tell the StoryMoreso than in their faces, the universal truth about youthful exhuberance and subdued experience is told in the hands of the boy and the elderly man.  Without seeing their faces, which clearly express joy, the old man's hands are gently saying, "I'm not going to stop you from living your life but I am going to teach you a few things before you go."
(The Gallery, Kids, Russell Lee)

El Indio: 1939
... Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Now Improved! More ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2022 - 11:44am -

March 1939. "Approach to El Indio, Texas." Welcome, but NO SWIMMING. Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Now Improved!More vegetation, and the bridge has been replaced with a culvert over Cuevas Creek so you don't get your ankles wet.
Water tower in now a ground-mount vertical tank, but the long-low white building is still there which you can see if you Street View up the hill to it just past the water tank.

(The Gallery, Russell Lee, Small Towns)

Delta Matinee: 1939
... 35mm nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. If It's Of Any Interest... The ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 10/17/2018 - 6:04pm -

October 1939. "Belzoni, Mississippi, in the Delta area. Negro man entering movie theater by 'Colored' entrance." 35mm nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
If It's Of Any Interest...The complete name of the movie on the poster (partially hidden by shadow) is "Feud Of The Range"
How do I purchase a print of this?I really love this photograph and would love to purchase a print.
Do you know how I can get one?
PrintThere are now links below the image for purchasing prints.
GreatI'm really surprised I've never seen this before.  The picture is so compelling both on the surface, and its depth.
(The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Movies, Rural America)

Winter Light: 1941
... Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Speedy Pizza? Red ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/22/2018 - 11:05am -

January 1941. "At the steel plant in Midland, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Speedy Pizza?
Red LightThe traffic light looks the same in this monochrome photograph as they do in real life to my colourblind eyes.
[It could also be a green light. - Dave]
Train in the backgroundI have the NYC gondola and PRR boxcar. Only in the smaller Lionel electric trains version.  
Brrrr ...This is one of those pictures that make you feel cold just looking at it.
Ice Ice BabyI'm hoping that the baby carriage is unoccupied.
Stop LightIt's RED. as the rhyme I taught my children says: the light on top means STOP.
[Back in the day, green was the top light on many a stoplight. - Dave]
If you say so.
Green top, red bottomAs seen here.
Stoplights Part 2Dave's right, Phaedrus, because back before 1950, there were a number of different types of traffic control devices until they were standardized. I worked for the local County Highway Department and according to the Seeley Book of Standards (our office Bible), there were (among others) red/green (no yellow) and the type that Dave is talking about. On the main road was (top down) red/yellow/green and on the side road, green/yellow/red with the lenses being illuminated by a common bulb at each level.
Stark, grim, and beautiful Why do I get the feeling that this guy is going to find his way into a taproom sooner or later. 
(The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Gonna Fly Now: 1941
... County, Virginia." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Much to come In a few ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2019 - 10:37pm -

June 1941. "Some of the children of a family who must move out. The Army is taking over the area for maneuver grounds. Caroline County, Virginia." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Much to comeIn a few months, these children will see a dramatic turn around in their lives. The entire nation got spun up in response to WWII. By the time the girls reached adulthood, America was on top of the world and would soon be on the moon. But for the time being, that story would have been a tough sell.
The faces of true poverty If anyone has forgotten, this is what poverty looks like.  I can’t get the haunted look on their faces out of my mind.   And the filth.   Even the baby is just covered in dirt, her little dress just grimy most likely from wearing the same clothes for days on end.  The flies complete the picture and the kids seem oblivious to them because they are always there.   Just like the dirt on their clothes.   No wonder they look haunted.   It just makes you wonder what became of them.   
Indoor/OutdoorAt first glance this looks to be and indoor photo but I think this is an outdoor shot. The difference in siding suggests to me a later addition with a covered porch, probably near the kitchen area. The flash bulb gives the appearance of an overhead light.
[If this was outdoors, the window would be hung the other way, with the bottom sash on the inside. And the icebox and kitchen utensils wouldn't be on a porch. - Dave]
Las Meninas by VelazquezAnother place, another time.
Aerial ManeuversAnd that area is now Fort A.P. Hill, the fly capital of Virginia, and them flies will be moving from house to latrine shortly.
Countless FliesAnd to think I go on a commando mission if there is just one fly in the house!
The Art of WagAs in Picasso's "Three Musicians," the important part of the picture is the dog.
Henry (Hy) HintermeisterThe December 1940 calendar plate is from the hand of the American illustrator Henry (Hy Jr.) Hintermeister (1897–1972) (or 1970?)
Below another example, with the same "uncle," boy and dog.
thnx Dave, of course it isn't (the boy's) grandpa
(The Gallery, Dogs, Jack Delano, Kids, Kitchens etc., WW2)

Beer Belle: 1939
... Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Grabbing the gusto Not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/06/2018 - 3:10pm -

June 1939. "Dudes at bar. Birney, Montana." Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Grabbing the gustoNot quite an upscale gin mill, but the lady appears to be relishing her thirst quencher and doesn't care that there is not even one bar stool on which to sit.  Looks like the bar is hand-built, there is no shade over the naked light bulb and it is only 4 p.m. (according to the clock on the shelf) since June in Montana can be pretty hot and we only go around once in life. Why wait until 5 p.m. to start drinking and who needs "ambiance"?  The bartender has a contagious, magnetic smile and is happy to have customers. 
Top ShelfThere's no denying that all the liquor proffered was — indeed — top shelf.
Bell-Bell-LemonAnd right there, put in temptation's way next to the beer, is what appears to be a nickel slot machine--maybe a Daval?--with a small stash of cash ready to buy the next turn on the dials or the next beer, whichever seems the better idea.
Is "dude" gender specific?I guess not, but I still prefer using "dudette" when referring to a woman.
[Dudes are the guests at a dude ranch. - Dave]
Speaking of dudes.Here is my aunt with a friend at a "Dude Ranch" somewhere out west. It was kind of a thing to go out and get all cowboyed up and hang out at the ranch back in the day.
Not going to make the obvious jokeabout what appears to be a woman slugging back that beer, but of course "dude" meant something different in those days.
[Dudes are the guests at a dude ranch. - Dave]
Is that a slot machine?That appears to be some type of revenue generator on the bar. The bar itself reminds me of my late father's type of construction. In his words it was " not much for looks but hell for strong."
“Scrap” wood barInteresting how all the scraps used to create the bar are clear and knot-free.
Pick me, American!That Orange Crush cooler is just waiting for Frank or Mike or Danielle to drop in and start peeling off bills from a roll of fifties.
(The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein)

No End in Sight: 1939
... size. 4x5 nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. No End The picture is a beauty. I can't stop ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/31/2007 - 1:42am -

October 1939. Western Pacific tracks through the unclaimed desert of northern Oregon, 10 miles from the railroad station at Irrigon. View full size. 4x5 nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration.
No EndThe picture is a beauty. I can't stop staring at it. It makes a great case for the Flat Earthers. Anyone know if the land's been reclaimed or if those tracks are still being being used?
Irrigon, OregonCan't be certain of the status of the rail line. It would be a Union Pacific line now and from Google Earth I do know that there is a rail line running east to west through the town of Irrigon, Oregon (what a great name), but I can't verify that this is it. In looking at the Google Earth images of this place I noticed these circular areas of presumably irrigated land along the rail line (Irrigon, Oregon, irrigation!) so it would seem that this area is being "reclaimed." I do know as someone who grew up and still lives in Saskatchewan the concept looks entirely foreign. Talk about crop circles!
Railroad at IrrigonIrrigon is near Hinkle, almost on the banks of the Columbia River.  Western Pacific never got to Oregon except by trackage rights on the Great Northern "Northern California Extension" from Klamath Falls, finished just in time (1931) for the depths of the Depression, but now possibly with its heaviest use ever. The track shown is now and has been for at least a century Union Pacific. Oops, wait a second --  depending on the actual location, that particular piece may have been lifted on account of river work, as Terraserver indicates a dead end at Irrigon. Perhaps it was originally Oregon Railway and Navigation, but the dog ate my homework.
From a bridge?The pic was taken from some height over the tracks. I wonder if it was taken from a bridge.
IrrigonNot that far from where I live, and it doesn't look that much different today.
[I drove across Oregon to Idaho in 2000. The high-desert part was gorgeous. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Railroads)

Farmall M: 1941
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. PTO safety! Every time I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/20/2019 - 2:03pm -

September 1941. Waterloo, Nebraska. "George Leaver, president; Don Shinaut, treasurer; Russell Smith, director; Henry Wollen and Jay Rowell, board of directors of Two River (FSA) Non-Stock Cooperative, looking at demonstration of Farmall 'M' tractor." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
PTO safety!Every time I see a machine with a PTO, I see what a dangerous thing that it is!
Three Wheels of DeathYou haven't lived (or nearly died), until you've gone too fast downhill on a gravel road, driving a tricycle gear Farmall.  
PiggybackI wonder what is up with the tiny truck on top.
For those of you... who, like me, haven't spent much time on a farm, PTO means Power Take-Off. It refers in this case to the shaft with the pulley that is driving the belt extending out of the picture to the right.  As with all such things, you can learn more than you would have thought possible about PTOs on the wikipedia page 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_take-off
And yes, @TheDon, it looks like it could take off a hand in the blink of an eye.
Tractor TippingAs in the movie CARS. This looks like the tractors they scared and tipped (as in cow tipping).
PTOI agree about the PTO being a dangerous thing. We had table saw attachment that ran off the PTO. Talk about dangerous - 3 1/2  foot blade! Actually the belt on this one looks too tight. Our experience is that a tight belt will quickly walk right off the drum. To work the best the belt needs to be downright floppy. Thanks for the memories Shorpy!
(The Gallery, Agriculture, M.P. Wolcott)

New Beach: 1940
... cars." 35mm nitrate negative by Edwin Rosskam for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Double take I had to do a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/14/2012 - 1:49pm -

August 1940. Provincetown, Massachusetts. "Beach scene at New Beach, the most popular beach near Provincetown. Regular bus service makes this beach easily available; lack of bath houses causes a great deal of picturesque dressing and undressing in and behind parked cars." 35mm nitrate negative by Edwin Rosskam for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Double takeI had to do a double-take - I just assumed the hand belonged to the lady sitting up, then realized this was impossible and then realized there were two arms.  That'll teach me to take my time!  
Herring CoveKnown more commonly today as Herring Cove Beach, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and a not-legally-recognized clothing-optional recreation area (New'd Beach?). One of the few places on the East Coast where a person can sometimes observe whales from shore.  Other alternative names for the beach are included in the second entry below.



Massachusetts: A Guide to Its Places and People,
Federal Writers' Project, 1937.

Provincetown


New Beach was a location a generation ago of a colony of fisherman's shacks known as Hell Town. Its white shelving sand and its safe exposure on Cape Cod Bay make it now the finest bathing beach in town.




Provincetown Banner, July 16, 1953.

State Officials Coming For Dedication of New Bathhouse.


Dedication of the new bathhouse at New Beach is now scheduled for one o'clock, Monday afternoon, July 27, at which time Governor Herter, Senator Edward C. Stone and others are scheduled to speak. … In connection with the dedication Perry Strassburger, historian and antiquarian, has written to Governor Herter suggesting that the name "New Beach" be changed to "Provincetown Beach." He points out that older names were also used to designate the particular strip of shore. "Furdustrander" (wonder strands) was the name given 953 years ago in the Viking sagas while the same stretch was long and widely known as Herring Cove Beach when early Provincetown fishermen landed their catches there to have them hauled over the dunes and into town by horse and cart. The place was also called "Hell Town" at the time, but Mr. Strassburger doesn't mention this to the Governor. In the "Cape Cod Pilot" published in 1937 it was called "Outermost Beach" and in some Navy charts it is indicated as the "Measured Mile Beach." It has also been called the "Beach of Jewels" by artists because of the color of the pebbles found under the water at the beach.

 3 miles of beachand this guy has to lie on top of ME !
Beach attireSometime between the 20's and 1940, beach attire changed from being almost fully dressed to shorts and swimsuits that would pass on a modern beach. Wha' happened? 
"Siamese Twin"The man on the beach has been devoted to his siamese twin sister since they were born. He even paints her nails and buys her bling for her beautiful hands.
(The Gallery, Edwin Rosskam, Swimming)

Muskogee Yards: 1939
... Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. On the tracks to the left -- ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/17/2021 - 11:18am -

July 1939. "Railroad yards. Muskogee, Oklahoma." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
On the tracks to the left --I see him. The Okie from Muskogee.
They like holding hands and pitchin’ wooIt’s a place where even squares can have a ball.
There's a great future in plastics.Not a plastic bag or single piece of litter in sight.
He was proud to be.Even if Merle was only 2 at the time.
The KatyHere we see a baggage car from the Missouri–Kansas–Texas Railroad, nicknamed "The Katy" for its initials, MKT. 
Known to legions of Blues Brothers fans from the opening credits with "She caught the Katy, and left me a mule to ride."
Could this be …… the cleanest, best-groomed railroad yard ever to grace the pages of Shorpy?
(The Gallery, Railroads, Russell Lee)

Harsh Druggist: 1940
... no can do. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Don't Be Harsh Rx I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/01/2011 - 3:55pm -

November 1940. "Drug store in Seneca, Kansas." In need of a mild laxative? Something to soothe that upset tummy? Sorry, no can do. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Don't Be Harsh RxI once met a man whose family name was Doctor, anyone want to guess what profession he chose.
Initially...The D.B. must stand for Dad Burn.
WellSeneca is the home of the second deepest hand-dug well in Kansas.  The deepest, of course, being in Greensburg.
Don't Be Harsh & Co.Wonder if D. B. compounded the paints and oils mentioned on the sign.  And was he a harsh man? 
It would also be interesting to know if anyone else in the Harsh family owned a business -- like, say, a lighting supply company, a laundry, etc.
Theory of relativityIs he related to I. Yankum, dentist, or Dr. Ina Coffin, GP? 
Not well thought-outIf I was the guy(?) who owned that business, I don't think I would have slapped my name on it. How many people would would think twice before visiting a doctor named Dr. Hertz? Just saying.
In the words of James Taranto"It's the eponymy, stupid!"
I Visited a Dentist Named HertzHonestly!  It was 35 years ago so he is probably retired and does not appear on the internet. But a GOOGLE search shows there are many in different cities including Doctors Peter, Paul and Amy Hertz.
The History of The Building (Per Current Tenant of Location) The Seneca Dental Clinic is housed in one of Seneca’s historic buildings on Main Street.  On February 1, 1901, Harsh Drug Store was founded by D.B. Harsh.  During the 1950’s steel strike, the original building was torn down and the current structure was built.  In 2006, Harsh Drug closed and the Seneca Dental Clinic expanded into its current 2400 square foot location.  
(The Gallery, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)

Fine Liquors: 1941
... Leadville, Colorado." Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Carlton Tunnel / Colorado 104 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/01/2014 - 10:28am -

September 1941. "Main street of old mining town. Leadville, Colorado." Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Carlton Tunnel / Colorado 104When I went to try to locate what intersection this was, I learned that the Carlton Tunnel collapsed in 1943 (two short years after this photo was taken), with the end result being the decommissioning of Colorado Route 104.
"SH 104 is an original 1920s highway, and went from SH 82 at Basalt, east via the Fryingpan River to Meredith, through the Carlton Tunnel (toll), to US 24 at Leadville. There was a tunnel collapse in 1943, and SH 104 was decommissioned by 1950."
http://www.mesalek.com/colo/r100-119.html
Not too much differentThe bar is now called the Manhattan Bar. The building has some different architectural detail, but I'm positive it's the same building. The town is still old, some refurbished, but really, not too much going on.
I took a photo of it last year.
https://flic.kr/p/gxY2hX
Yep !you are in the right town if you want a drink or a meal. 
Yeast and WestI never would have guessed that Grain Belt Beer, at this time anyway, had a distribution network that went as far as Colorado. And west of Denver at that! I thought it was strictly an upper Midwest brew, like (Jacob) Schmidt or Gluek.
Other way around with me.For most of my drinking career first came the liquor then came the fine(s)
Probably not the Manhattan BarI think the original here was taken a block south of Gwendeanne's photo. Fine Liquors and Rooms are in the "Iron Building" on the SE corner of Harrison and 6th. The Kobos building across the street is now a parking lot (or was in 2009 when Google last drove by). 
View Larger Map
Hydrant HatI've seen a lot of fire hydrants in my life, but never one with a device like the one on top here.
[Here's another, from 1905. Details here. - Dave]
Definitely not the Manhattan The Manhattan, Kobos and Fine Liquors can be seen here.
(The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Mining, Stores & Markets)

Mount Pleasant: 1935
... County." View full size. Photograph by Walker Evans, Farm Security Administration. Life looked so much more Life looked so much ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 11:36am -

July 1935. "Back street. Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania. Westmoreland County."  View full size. Photograph by Walker Evans, Farm Security Administration.
Life looked so much moreLife looked so much more peacful there....
IdyllicMarvelous.  It feels like I can walk right into the picture.
What street is this?I live in Mount Pleasant and would like to know what street this is.  BTW I found this site a couple of days ago and my work production has gone way down.  Thanks Shorpy.
Their TownI would also like to know what part of town this is. My grandparents and dad are from Mount Pleasant. It pretty much looks the same all these years later. Amazing.
(The Gallery, Great Depression, Rural America, Walker Evans)

Eggerss-O'Flyng: 1938
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Reclining on his yacht in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2020 - 10:15am -

November 1938. "Railroad and coal yard, Omaha, Nebraska." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Reclining on his yacht in Florida, 1940A retired Omaha sign painter.
C&NWCan’t tell you exactly where this is, but going to guess it is a Chicago, St Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha RR yard, because the CStPM&O was a subsidiary of the Chicago & Northwester, and the shovel-nosed engine on the head of that short passenger train on the upper tracks is a C&NW E-4 class locomotive.  The cars it is pulling are what Railroader’s called “head end” cars- baggage or (possibly) Railway Post Office cars.  Odd seeing a road engine like that on the head of an equipment consist like that without coaches or Pullmans.  Usually smaller engines put a train together or took it apart, and road engines like this one came on just for the revenue trip.
Streamlined SteamOn the far right there appears to be a Chicago and North Western Railway Class E-2a 4-6-2 “Pacific” type locomotive. 
Good Ol' 4008?The steamin' streamlined beauty (far right) may well be Chicago & North Western engine #4008.  
This Hudson-class E-4 (4-6-4) would be relatively new here, having rolled out of the Alco works at Schenectady in March of '38. 
Still thereWith the original signs still faintly visible.

I wondered how longit would take for someone to zero in on that steam locomotive with the correct description, I believe they may have been painted orange.
Similar, but differentThat is a North Western E-4, loafing with a short consist -- humiliating for an engine capable of more than a hundred miles per.
But the orange engines mentioned (more gray than orange, actually) were the similar locomotives owned by the Milwaukee Road. The North Western ones, as seen here, were a deep green with an accent stripe. Each an outstanding example of streamlined steam. Nice photo with much besides going on.
Not LoafingOmaha Union Station is just out of the picture at upper right. This is where through trains changed from C&NW to Union Pacific operation. The C&NW Hudson has undoubtedly just cut away from a hot "Overland Route" train, probably the "Challenger", taking the Omaha-bound head end cars with it. The crossovers are a few blocks farther west (to the right and behind the photographer), where the engine & cars will cross over and back into the mail and express tracks. Meanwhile, once the C&NW locomotive has cleared the track, a Union Pacific locomotive will be attached to the train, and the "Challenger" (or whatever train it was) will continue on it's its way west. All of this, including connecting air and steam lines, was done in less than 30 minutes.
(Panoramas, Factories, John Vachon, Omaha, Railroads)

Hello Trouble: 1937
... (November 30, 1942). Washington D.C.? Why was the Farm Security Administration taking photos in D.C.? I can understand that the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2011 - 1:42pm -

December 1937. Midcity Cinema at 1223 Ninth Street NW in Washington, D.C. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the FSA.
Confectionery adsLove the ads on the lower front of the store "Welcome Students  Get A Lift With A Camel".  
I had forgotten about the movie stills. Our local theater placed the big advertising poster in a display behind glass and had the movie stills in small frames all around it at one end of the lobby.  If I remember correctly, they were also in frames seen from the outside of the theater too.  All those beautiful brass fixtures, chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, crystal drop sconces on the walls that dimmed slowly as the movie started, velvet wallpaper, all gone now.
Sign in the WindowS.H. Dudley, Promoter and Producer.
King's Beauty ParlorKing's Beauty Parlor offers the Poro System of beauty treatment, which, though now mostly forgotten, was probably the most significant and socially important factor in the assertion of Afro-American women's self-esteem in the first half of the 20th century. See the Answers.com bio for Annie Turnbo Malone.
At the MoviesA rather curious mix of pictures at the Midcity. They're showing a double feature of two movies made five years apart. The main feature is "Easy Living" which was released on July 7, 1937. It starred Edward Arnold, Jean Arthur and a young Ray Milland, and was written by the great Preston Sturges. The second feature is the real puzzler. According to IMDB, Charles "Buck" Jones made "Hello Trouble" back in 1932. In fact it was release July 15th 1932 meaning it was a week shy of being exactly five years older than "Easy Living." Also visible but nowhere near as prominent is a poster for a serial "The Black Coin". Even it was newer than "Hello Trouble." having been released September 1, 1936. A line-up that would seem to indicate at best a second run house.
The cast of "The Black Coin" is sort of interesting. It included a couple of really major silent movie stars - comedian Snub Pollard and Clara Kimball Young - as well as the legendary stunt man and stunt coordinator Yakima Canutt. Canutt was the second unit director who directed the chariot race scene (among others) in the 1960 remake of "Ben Hur." Also in the cast were Dave O' Brien, who would go on to win an Emmy as a writer for Red Skelton, and Ruth Mix, the daughter of legendary cowboy star Tom Mix, in what would turn out to be her final movie.
As for Buck Jones, he is considered to be one of the greatest of the "B" movie western actors. He made 57 more movies in the ten years between "Hello Trouble" and his death in 1942 in Boston's Coconut Grove Fire (November 30, 1942).
Washington D.C.?Why was the Farm Security Administration taking photos in D.C.?  
I can understand that the govenment might need images of small town and rural American but this was just a few blocks away.  
Lobby stillsThose movie stills - which incidentally were almost always displayed in glass-fronted cases outside cinemas in the U.K. - were never actual prints taken from the movie footage. They were specially taken on-set by a studio stills photographer shooting with a 5 x 4 camera from more or less the movie camera position. As a result sometimes, though not often, they showed angles and even set-ups that didn’t appear in the movie itself.   
Midcity CinemaA chunk of ceiling and chandelier fell on audience in 1945: http://cinematreasures.org/theater/23359/
[Thank you. Now we know the address, which I added to the caption. - Dave]
Midcity CinemaThis location is now Washington Convention Center.
Mid City AddressTthe address of the Mid City was probably 1223 7th St.
During our research on the address of the Alamo, the most reliable source of info was the website about the Shaw District of Washington DC where the theaters were located:
http://planning.dc.gov/planning/lib/planning/preservation/brochures/hist...
This document mentions the address of the Mid City Theater twice on p. 14, including a reference to the theater's owner:
"As early as 1907, Shaw residents could enjoy a vaudeville act or be treated to the new technology of a moving picture show in their own neighborhood. The Happyland, Gem, Alamo, Mid-City, and Broadway Theaters were all built between 1907 and 1921 within five blocks of each other on 7th Street; the Raphael was two blocks over on 9th Street.
Of these, the Broadway and Mid-City were owned and operated by African Americans for the largely black patronage in Shaw by this time. In 1919, well-known vaudeville performer Sherman Dudley advertised his Mid-City as “the only theater on Seventh Street catering to colored people that does not discriminate.”
Colleen
(The Gallery, D.C., John Vachon, Movies)

The Red Truck: 1940
... 35mm color transparency by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. The wind Can you feel the wind in the picture? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 2:23pm -

Field workers in Mississippi circa 1940. View full size. 35mm color transparency by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration.
The windCan you feel the wind in the picture? Look at how it shapes the trees.
International Harvester TruckLooks like a 1936 model, possibly 1935.
VincentJust beautiful. And yes, the wind in the trees has a painterly effect, reminds me of Van Gogh's "Cypresses."
About the truck.About the truck. Right now in Auto Trader.ca in the Ontario section there is a 1934 Dodge Brothers truck for sale that is the spittin' image of the truck in the picture, right down to the color.
[Does it say INTERNATIONAL on the hood? - Dave]

Old school truckYou won't see a lot of those trucks these days. Personally, I think they're pretty old school and that adds much to their mystique.
[When I was a kid, we rode on an old school bus. - Dave]
International C SeriesThis truck could also be an early 1937 model as the International C Series trucks were current from April 1934 until March 1937.  The completely restyled International D Series trucks were not introduced until March 1937.
This truck looks like a 1936 IHC 1-ton Model C30 Platform Stake Truck.  International trucks were available in sizes ranging from 1/2 ton C-1 and C-5 models to the 7 1/2 ton A-8 model.  The ligher models had 'skirted' front fenders, but the heavier models, as shown here, wore 'flowing' fenders.
The four cylinder models (C-5, M-3, and C-20) were powered by Waukesha engines, while all 6 cylinder models used International engines.
International continued to recover from the Great Depression.  Calendar year registrations were 31,555 in 1934; jumped to 53,471 in 1935; and advanced again in 1936 to 71,958 giving them a 11.03% market share in 1936 and third place in truck sales.
With the introduction of the C Series trucks, International no longer needed Willys-Overland to produce the old 1/2 ton D-1 series of trucks.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, M.P. Wolcott)

The Outsiders: 1939
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Not getting it I don't see ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2019 - 1:11pm -

January 1939. "Bar in Belle Glade, Florida, for Negroes." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration.  View full size.
Not getting itI don't see any signs outside.  How was the person walking by to know that a given establishment was for whites or blacks?  Or would that have been inside?  I'm really wondering this for a lot of the pictures coming from the Jim Crow era south.  
Or maybe it is obvious, and I would have made a terrible segregationist.  I'm fine with that.
[Marion Wolcott spent months hanging with the brothers and sisters down South, taking more than 1,100 photos in Florida alone. I suspect she knew what she was talking about. - Dave]
No doubt she did.  I'm just becoming very aware that Jim Crow appears to have been, at least on the "black" side of the equation, a lot more subtle than I'd have guessed.
For Negroes?I must be missing something here.  Is there a sign or any indication this is negro only?
MislabeledThe white guys wouldn't go anywhere hear a black bar in inland Florida in those days!
Because the music is better thereThat's my theory.
Sunny DayShade makes it the best place to be in the Florida sun.  Somewhere to sit makes it even better.
"For Negroes"?Why are all those white fellas standing out front then?
[Because they're not black. - Dave]
Back alley surgeryNo thanks.
B&W PhotographyPerhaps the good doctor specialized in irony?
You just knewThat's how my mother (4 years old and living about 150 miles north of here at the time) would have explained how you'd know who could go where in those days.
(The Gallery, Florida, M.P. Wolcott)

Neighbors: 1936
... Large-format nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Along the fence line. Is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/30/2009 - 4:00pm -

March 1936. "Frame houses, Fredericksburg, Virginia." Large-format nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. 
Along the fence line.Is that someone standing there, or is it just an illusion?
Looks likeit was built by committee. 
I'll  make a guess that......the ones who put up this row of houses were tenant farmers organized into work groups by the FSA, not professional framers. Switching those two letters in farmer and framer can be crucial in the result, as seen in the photo. And on the other side of the coin, a framer would doubtless produce some sorry crops and animals. Bless all of them, those were proud people doing the best they could.  
Shotgun HousesThose houses are of the classic "shotgun shack" or "shotgun house" design. 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shotgun_house
I like the ripples and sagsI like the ripples and sags along the eaves.  That does look like someone standing there - a woman? looks a bit chesty?
But what street?If anyone knows the street or general area this was taken in, I can snag a modern picture for comparison.
TK
tk42one@gmail.com
(The Gallery, Small Towns, Walker Evans)

Dwarfed: 1941
... White." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Every girl crazy 'bout a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/09/2018 - 10:30pm -

April 1941. "South Side Chicago. Scene in Negro tavern." The walls adorned with murals from the Disney version of "Snow White." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Every girl crazy'bout a sharp dressed (and manicured) man.
Our front-and-center couple are enjoying what in Detroit (and maybe Chicago) we called a "boomba".
Man-icuredThat fellow in the middle has more delicate fingers and nails than the ladies on either side of him.
What classGo out for a sandwich and a beer, dressed to the nines.  Back then people took pride in their appearance.
Just like meThat lady on the right must be watching her carbs.  She left her crust.
Hat CheckThe men in my family were taught to remove hats before taking a seat. (Quite a few, er ... confrontations with my own son with regard to this social faux pas.) Perhaps the dapper folks in Chicago didn't get the memo?
[Perhaps you've never been to Chicago. - Dave]
A pickerRegarding the nails on the man in the center with the beer.  I bet he was a guitar picker, left handed.
Tony's Tavern"Russell Lee took this photograph on April 6, 1941, at Tony's Tavern. Located at Thirty-first and Federal Streets in Chicago, the heart of a neighborhood called Bronzeville, Tony's Tavern opened around 1900. Its owner, Tony Finkelstein, hosted some music legends—Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Estelle and Jimmy Yancey. Menu specialties of the house were gumbo, fried shrimp, and hot dogs. Although big-name jazz and blues performers were often showcased at Tony's Tavern, lesser-known groups were also welcome, such as the one shown here. The painted mural of Walt Disney's Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was used as an identity backdrop for photograph sessions."
From Images of America - Chicago Blues - By Wilbert Jones
We visited this place before - Cafe Society: 1941
Low on CamelsLooks like there may only be a one or two left in that pack. Better scare up 12 cents for another. 
(The Gallery, Chicago, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)

Wine Dine Dance: 1940
... Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Tread lightly Spring Chickens ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/26/2018 - 11:08am -

March 1940. "Main street. Austin, Nevada." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Tread lightly Spring Chickens Austin cafe is looking for halves. Hope they're served with mashed potatoes and gravy.
The Two Horse BrandI had never heard of jeans being described as "waist overalls," but when you think about it, it does make sense.
60¢I gained weight just reading the signs...
Half a Chicken
Soup
Salad
French Fries
Veg
Dessert
Drink
60¢
Monster Slide Rain GuttersI am looking at those huge 45 degree slides on the two left buildings and thinking they must be rain gutters. I understand the climate in mostly arid Nevada. It doesn't rain often, but when it does, it can really pour.
But seriously, whoever designed and built those must have been planning for a combo car wash and amusement park attraction for ground squirrels. 
New Levi's if they rip.I used to know a farrier in Marin County who would get new Levi's all the time. Wrestling with the horses, he developed large thighs. He had to be careful whenever he would squat down to work on a hoof so his Levi's wouldn't split down the leg seams.
Half FriedYeah, I remember back was I was a half fried spring chicken!
Oil your curb..........In the late 1800-early 1900's there was a local ordinance that citizens were required to "oil their curbs" each spring.
$10.62According to the InterWebs, $10.62 is what you'd pay for the chicken dinner in today's dollars, which is still a great deal for all that food. 
"A new pair free if they rip"Can anyone tell me, does Levi's still offer that guarantee? If not, when was it discontinued?
Thinking of the Levi's guarantee reminds me that L.L.Bean recently discontinued its famous guarantee. LLB used to give refunds with no time limit. A dissatisfied customer could get his money back, even after using a product for years. Apparently, abuses of the generous policy have been on the rise, and the company had to discontinue its 100-year-old practice. Once again, the few spoil things for the many. 
(The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)

Triple Cola: 1939
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Um, er Perhaps blusun meant ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/20/2019 - 12:45pm -

November 1939. "Lunch stand and tobacco inside entrance to warehouse at end of auction sale. Durham, North Carolina." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Um, erPerhaps blusun meant the Coca-Cola clock to the right below the Atlantic Ale/Beer neon sign?
[Well duh. Thankyou! - Dave]
Sold AmericanIn the back of my mind I can still hear the chants of F.E.Boone and Speed Riggs selling that fine, that ripe, that mild tobacco. Did you know doctors prefer Luckies 2-1?!
Coke-lectableLooking at auctions, the Coca-Cola clock is worth about $6K.
Luckies 2 to 1I threw almost a full pack of luckies in the trash in 1974 after an endless coughing spell - a weak later the cough went away and never returned
Double Cola ClocksThe Coca Cola clock in the right-hand window reminds us that he who has one clock always knows what time it is. He who has two is never quite sure. 
Pads of TobaccoI tied many of those bundles of tobacco and knelt in those wooden baskets to pad them up. The baskets are becoming collectors items. I remember well standing in the warehouse to see the auctioneers and buyers pass through and make or break your year.
Times long gone in DurhamWhen I first moved to Durham in the early 1980s, the city still had a sweet, distinctive aroma of curing tobacco in its downtown district. Over the years that fragrance disappeared, and many of these warehouse/auction houses have been leveled to make way for high-dollar condominium complexes.  Thank you for a reminder of a simpler time. 
The JukeboxWurlitzer Table Model 61 – 1938.
(The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, M.P. Wolcott)

Unknown: 1937
... in an uncaptioned frame from a roll of 35mm film shot by Farm Security Administration photographer John Vachon in 1937. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/02/2008 - 1:37pm -

Unidentified man in an uncaptioned frame from a roll of 35mm film shot by Farm Security Administration photographer John Vachon in 1937. View full size.
LookalikeBrian Williams?
CuteWhoever it is, he's handsome. :3
Mr. CI was thinkin' more like Perry Como taking a break during a whirlwind tour with the Ted Weems Orchestra...
Mystery ManSome nearby frames below. Top one taken in a mirror, probably JV himself. The holes, made with a paper punch, mean he didn't want prints made of these. There was a punch in the main pic too, which I managed to Photoshop out.

Now, I think....It may be a self portrait of Vachon.
Check out this link---
http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/8917/8917.samples.pdf
page 2
[Those are some great photos. But Vachon had a narrower face (below). - Dave]

Whoever he isI find the photo strangely sexy.  I'm not entirely sure why!
I think...it's Warren Beatty, Sr.
[I thought the same thing. 1937 is the year Warren was born. - Dave]
Mystery menYeah, top guy has to be JV - check out that head of hair, looks like he has an advancing hairline. (I used to have hair- *sigh*) The bow tie guy looks somewhat like Truman Capote- until he smiles. And then there's Warren Beatty. 
Quite a stellar lineup.
Hello HollywoodIf this kid has any kind of a voice at all, he has a career calling in Hollywoodland. I'm not Gay, but I must say, this dude is good lookin'! Wow!
(The Gallery, John Vachon)

Wheat Whacker: 1941
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Water Jug? We had jugs like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2021 - 3:19pm -

August 1941. Froid, Montana. "Scandinavian tractor combine driver drinking water out of a jug in the field where they were harvesting wheat on the Schnitzler Corporation ranch. This boy came to the Schnitzler ranch from South Dakota, where he lives and first harvested their earlier wheat crop before coming up here for the Montana harvest season." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Water Jug?We had jugs like that but we didn’t carry water.
He likely continued whacking wheatMen who worked on their family farms and ranches during WWII were given deferment from military draft.  Agriculture production was considered too valuable to the war effort to draft this labor force and was one area where women were not recruited as substitutes.  It was for this reason that my father and both his brothers served in the armed forces during WWII while both of my mother's brothers did not.  After the war, my father was not impressed to hear my mother's family complain about how hard the war had been on them, with all that rationing.  
A fair day's work.He looks pleased with the way his day is going. I wonder if he survived the horrors of war. 
GogglesDriving the tractor in style.  Love them!
Cool WaterSoak the burlap when you fill the jug.  As the water in the burlap evaporates, it cools the container and the water inside.
(The Gallery, Agriculture, M.P. Wolcott, Rural America)

Such Is Life: 1938
... Festival. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Now let yourself drift ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/14/2012 - 2:44pm -

October 1938. "Mother and children with popcorn, National Rice Festival, Crowley, Louisiana." Valuable practice for the Popcorn Festival. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. 
Now let yourself drift back...Somewhere there is a psychologist with a grumpy old man on his couch, trying to search through his childhood memories to determine what event has made him so miserable all these years.
One Size Fits AllI just don't understand the fashion of showing off every inch of your child's legs.
Totally cute!Just cute; there is nothing else to say!
Oh Those clothes!I wore a similar one-piece sunsuit with the too-short shorts in the early 1950's. I hated those things. And I had the same haircut, shined shoes and older sister who wore dresses like the girl has on. Sis couldn't walk half a block in a breeze without everybody seeing her drawers and this poor girl won't get that far either. 
Who Hasn't Had This Happen?The only difference is that my sisters would have been laughing at me for spilling my popcorn!
MarkThe kids look like they just stepped out of a Peanuts comic strip. 
(The Gallery, Kids, Russell Lee)
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