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A Solo Stroll: 1941
... in Ontonagon County." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Anytown ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2020 - 5:03pm -

August 1941. "Ewen, Michigan. Former lumber town in Ontonagon County." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Anytown USASadly, a similar scene is playing out across the nation and for good reason. Keep your distance and please stay safe all. Thanks to Shorpy for reminding us and keeping us entertained in time of need. Not too much left Masonic light globeMaybe they held their meetings upstairs above the print shop. Everyman in AnytownIt's nice to see that places like this still exist. These days Anytown USA is made from a cookie cutter, with the same shops, and the same restaurants. And way fewer phone linesJudging from the telephone poles the solo stroller is just coming up on what is now Ewen Gas Mart, a British Petroleum station, where they carry only regular and diesel. He's nicely dressed. I wonder where he was going? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns)
Ragamuffin Wagon: 1937
September 1937 and another dispatch from John Vachon: "Children living on the outskirts of Washington, D.C." And their rabbit ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/14/2013 - 1:37pm -

September 1937 and another dispatch from John Vachon: "Children living on the outskirts of Washington, D.C." And their rabbit hutch. View full size. Of mice and men"Tell me about the rabbits George. Tell me again about the rabbits." Poor and HappyAt first you would think what a miserable childhood these kids must have had. My mother grew up relatively poor in this same era. She would have been 11 when this was taken. She is the first one to tell you that she would not have traded this time in her life for anything. Even growing up with nothing, she had a great childhood with very fond memories. I'm sure not all share this fondness of the depression era, but if you ask, I'll bet most do. Andy Griffith lookalike The older boy on the far left looks like I would picture Andy Griffith, who was born in 1926, to have looked at the same time. All one family?If they are all siblings their Mother must be one tough lady. IdealA little dirty. A little feral. Different ages together, the older watching the younger. Access to animals. I'd take this childhood any day. AgreedCrosley both my Mom and Dad were also 11 when this was taken, and my Mom would agree with you. She had wonderful childhood memories, growing up on a farm in Ontario. Because of the farm, of course they never went for lack of food and I'm sure that made a difference. My Dad also grew up on a small farm in Manitoba, and his memories may have been better if his own father had been a little less crabby. (The Gallery, D.C., John Vachon, Kids)
Departures: 1940
... "Waiting for the train to Minneapolis." 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wallpaper ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/30/2008 - 1:53pm -

April 1940. East Dubuque, Illinois. "Waiting for the train to Minneapolis." 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. WallpaperEvery week I choose a Shorpy photo to be my wallpaper. This week, this will be. WaitingYou know, it'd be nice if this railroad still had passengers. It's only freight now. 1942Two years later, this stop would be packed with servicemen leaving for the great unknown, sobbing wives and girlfriends and staunch parents (Dad with his lip quivering, Mom dabbing her eyes with the hankie). Wow, so much changed in such a short time! (The Gallery, John Vachon, Railroads)
Portsmouth Parkers: 1941
... Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Economic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/16/2021 - 8:29pm -

March 1941. "Houses near Navy yard. Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Economic ProzacExcept for the DeSoto at the extreme left, the vehicles appearing here are predominantly recent or even current models. Clearly, for workers in the booming defense industry (as would soon be the case for all Americans), the Great Depression was a rapidly fading memory. "Houses near Navy yard"Houses? Cars! This is Shorpy, man. (Also, I can’t help noticing that paint can in the puddle.) Parking KingsAlthough I probably couldn't identify most of these old beauties, I'm quite amazed by how closely they are parallel parked to each other! You couldn't cram a piece of paper between some of them. How in the world did they get out? Instant Car ShowThough no one at the time gave any thought to the variety of automobiles here, to see them all again together would make for an enjoyable car show, I think. Thanks in advance to the Shorpy antique auto aficionado who can identify the nice sedan on the far left. 1930s, at least? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, WW2)
Ore of Yore: 1941
... and iron range souvenirs to tourists." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Postcards ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/22/2020 - 6:24pm -

August 1941. "Children of old Hibbing, Minnesota, the part of town which is gradually being torn down as mining operations expand, sell pieces of ore and iron range souvenirs to tourists." Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Postcards from the edgeLitigation arising from the City Council's decision to allow the mining company to devour a chunk of Hibbing brought about some interesting case law from the Minnesota Supreme Court. If they took your house, or the road in front of your house, you were constitutionally entitled to payment, but not if they only took the road to the road in front of your house. Entrepreneurs at the startIndustrious boys for sure. I wonder where their dreams took them. I'm pretty sureSomeone was trying to create the biased bowl haircut! Long term moveMoving this part of the town began in 1918 but wasn't finished until the mid 1950s. The photos of them moving really BIG buildings are amazing. https://www.mnopedia.org/event/relocation-hibbing-1919-1921 LousyFiled for bankruptcy. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, Mining)
Louise Dyson: 1940
... of fifteen children." Medium format safety negative by John Vachon for the FSA. View full size. St Mary's Wow, I've been ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/22/2011 - 7:34pm -

September 1940. St. Mary's County, Maryland. "Mrs. Louise Dyson, wife of Farm Security Administration borrower. She is the mother of fifteen children." Medium format safety negative by John Vachon for the FSA. View full size. St Mary'sWow, I've been living in St. Mary's County for 11 years now and it is great to see this snapshot of history. I wonder if there is any way to learn what became of Mrs. Dyson? The Belle of St. Mary'sI am from (and currently live in) St. Mary's! Very cool pic. Dyson is still a county name. I wonder where in the county this was taken? My grandfather would have been farming about that time, and I'm sure probably knew or knew of Mrs. Dyson and family. She has a beatific face...as befits a mother of 15 in a room with at least four portraits of her Saviour (and one of a man ... her husband? her father?) looking down upon her. You have to enlarge the photo to see it, but her facial expression is a marvel. I'd say "God Bless Her," but He seems to have seen to that already. I wonder how her children, and their children, have fared? AlmanackWhat else is on the cover? All I can read is 1940. Granddaddy told me that hole was for hanging in the outhouse. [J. Gruber's Hagerstown Town & Country Almanack. Of which there are several examples on eBay. - Dave] (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Today's Tom Sawyer: 1940
... as many days, the impish Iowa farmboy captured on film by John Vachon in May 1940. View full size. Dee Dee Do Do He looks as though ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/04/2008 - 9:41am -

Making his third appearance here in as many days, the impish Iowa farmboy captured on film by John Vachon in May 1940. View full size. Dee Dee Do DoHe looks as though he stepped out of a Twilight Zone episode. Maybe Billy Mumy sent himself to the cornfield. No his mind is not for rentExactly what I was thinking!! hahaha A Little Boy's PocketsI'll bet he has a frog in one pocket and marbles in the other. My New Favorite BlogMy goodness, I just can't get enough of this blog. I snuck peeks all day while "working." It's the images from Hine that have spoken to me the most. I look at the faces of the children in the mills, the "newsies," the children of the migrant farmers, and the tenement dwellers and keep thinking of my own little boy, who at 4 1/2 would, perhaps, be out working in these same conditions if it were a hundred years ago. I just can't put my head around that. And yet I look at this impish, freckle-faced guy staring out at me from 68 years ago and he looks so much like my little guy who likes to play Gameboy while lounging in his Spiderman PJs. Thank you for reminding me how fortunate we were to have had these people as our ancestors. We forget them so quickly but a blog like this -- something they couldn't have ever imagined! -- lets them live on. [Wow. Thanks, Tricia. - Dave] Best. Caption. Ever!. He gets high on you...and the space he invades he gets by on you. Dave, did you just drop a Rush lyric on a Shorpy pic? Wow. The KidGave him a thumbs up and added it to Stumble! (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, Rural America)
Porch Patrol: 1941
... Norfolk, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Maybe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2021 - 2:20pm -

March 1941. "Defense workers in front of rooming houses. Norfolk, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Maybe TwentyThese two young guys look about twenty, or younger, to me. My own mother quit high school at 16 in 1942 to go to work in a defense plant and made good money until the end of WWII. After all, there was a war on! Defense workers?I realize as I get older kids look younger but I really can't believe these two are defense workers. Defense workers' kids maybe. I know, all you have to go by it is written the negative. [He's old enough to smoke! - Dave] One Man's oil canIs another Man's flower planter. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Norfolk, WW2)
The Three Graces: 1939
... background. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon. Love it This is pure and perfect! Pure and perfect, indeed ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 4:54am -

June 1939. Daughters of a Tygart Valley, West Virginia, homesteader. House and factory in background. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon. Love itThis is pure and perfect! Pure and perfect, indeedAmazing. Just amazing. Thanks so much for posting this! (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Vachon, Kids)
Doggie in the Window: 1937
... D.C. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Woof. Even after reading ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 12:55pm -

April 1937. Children playing in Washington, D.C. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Woof.Even after reading those signs, I don't know. How much is that doggie? The Panama"The Panama," home to the doggie, was at 913 M Street NW. (The Gallery, D.C., Dogs, John Vachon, Kids)
Billy Williams: 1942
... shack he built himself." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. The Good ol' Days Weren't that Great ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/22/2021 - 11:37am -

January 1942. Washington County, Illinois. "Billy Williams, 65-year-old squatter, living in shack he built himself." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. The Good ol' Days Weren't that GreatSomehow I find this fellow's situation very sad. Especially the snapshots on the little shelf behind him. Could that be a wife or mother? He started life in another time, probably on a farm without telephones, automobiles, electricity, etc. Softens the AnglesThe nice thing about wallpaper is that you can glue it over pretty much anything, and not worry too much about what used to be underneath. Note to "influencers" and home decorating vloggers: It's the ultimate choice for stress relief - no sharp angles. Iyam what IyamLooks like Popeye looking over his shoulder. Leaders No. 1, 16 and 92The man is well dressed, and his self-built abode is neat, tidy and well decorated. As Popeye the Sailor over his shoulder might say, he appears to have his sh-t together. I salute the man. Born in 1877It was pretty much the luck of the draw for that generation. Ten years younger than my paternal grandfather, but still probably too old for Social Security which had started just five years prior. He may have prospered during the Roaring 20's, but they had no safety nets then. For sure he was standing in one of those food or work lines we see so many photos of from 1932 at the height of the Great Depression. He'd still be dressed in a suit and ready to work like he'd done all his life. We can't see it, but I'll bet is bed is made, too, not all messy and rumpled. [Odds are 11 out of 12 that he was born in 1876. - Dave] (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kitchens etc.)
Contemporary Creosoter: 1943
... plant. This work was formerly done by men." Photo by John Vachon, Office of War Information. View full size. Now a wasteland ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/23/2021 - 2:21pm -

May 1943. "Beaumont, Texas. Woman worker at the International Creosoting plant. This work was formerly done by men." Photo by John Vachon, Office of War Information. View full size. Now a wastelandI've passed by it many times in my 50 years living in the region. Not far from downtown Beaumont, it's now an EPA Superfund site. It leached nasty stuff into the nearby creek (and, from there, into the Gulf of Mexico) for decades. Railroad tiesThat’s what comes to mind / nose when I think of creosote. (The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Miller Time: 1943
... Texas. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon. Segregation Notice how all the "colored" workers are in their ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 5:34pm -

June 1943. Workers leaving the Pennsylvania shipyards at Beaumont, Texas. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon. SegregationNotice how all the "colored" workers are in their own line on the right. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Industry & Public Works, John Vachon, WW2)
A Victorian in Dubuque: 1940
... house. Dubuque, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Redstone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/27/2019 - 1:55pm -

April 1940. "Victorian house. Dubuque, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Redstone MansionI noticed "A A Cooper" etched into the concrete on the first step. This seems to be the Redstone Mansion in Dubuque. We know this guy!A A Cooper is the guy whose name appears on the side of an old warehouse, last seen on Shorpy here. It's Greystone Not RedstoneMr. Cooper built 3 houses on the same block. The one pictured is Greystone (yes, it was torn down for a parking lot in the 50s). A picture from its heyday is here: https://www.facebook.com/ykyguidiiyr/photos/pcb.539853032776238/53985289... The Redstone's father, the GreystoneThe Redstone wasn't quite a match. Turns out that this photo is of the Greystone, AA Cooper's grand residence in Dubuque. It was razed in the 1950s and is now the site of a parking lot. AA Cooper built the Redstone across the street for his daughter, and it survives as a Bed and Breakfast where you can stay. AA Cooper grew rich as a wagon manufacturer. It's the GreystoneA little more detective work pulls up a photograph over at FindAGrave called "Practicing the art of porch sitting" showing the Cooper family on the porch of a building identified as the Greystone. The distinctive columns in the photo there match the columns on the porch here - so I think we've got a match. Located directly across Bluff Street from the Redstone, it was - sadly - torn down in 1956 to make way for a municipal parking lot. The other stoneThis may be AA Cooper's earlier mansion, Greystone. It was just across the street from Redstone, and built with gray stone - imaginative fella, that AA. Greystone was demolished in 1956 for a parking lot. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Drink a Bite to Eat: 1938
... and patent medicines. View full size. Photograph by John Vachon. Ah... ...The good old days. (Can't say much, this pic is some 25 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/28/2007 - 1:55pm -

April 1938. Store in Halifax, North Carolina, with signs advertising carbonated beverages and patent medicines. View full size. Photograph by John Vachon. Ah......The good old days. (Can't say much, this pic is some 25 years before my time.) 666Colds, fever, Armageddon. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Rural America, Stores & Markets)
Slop Sink: 1941
... unit, water faucet, slop sink, and garbage pail." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Car make? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2012 - 5:49pm -

June 1941. Erie County, Pennsylvania. "Each group of ten trailers in the FSA camp at Erie has a trailer service unit, water faucet, slop sink, and garbage pail." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Car make?Ok, what is the make of that car on the right side of the photo? [Appears to be a 1930 Durant. - tterrace] You nailed it: 1930 Durant Model 614 Standard sedan. Thanks. Yep, a Slop SinkDon't think I was aware of the headline term until some years ago when I bought some plumbing part to repair a fixture in my house, and was warned in the instructions, "Not for use in slop sinks." Have loved the concept ever since. The man in the photo appears to be cleaning a bucket in the slop sink, rather than installing any forbidden fittings, so he should be safe. Intriguing image from the days when '41 Pontiacs still rolled the earth. Can on the SideNo coolant recovery sytems on that old Detroit iron back then. So between boil overs and leaky radiators, water pumps,etc. a good water can was a must. Home Sweet HomeThat it was, for myself, Mom and Dad, for about three years in the 1940's. I believe these are the Schult trailers. (http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/s/schult/schult.htm We had the short model near the camera, but only one heater near the door. The trailer had only two tempertures, too hot and too cold! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon)
Bovey Blasters: 1941
... mine. Bovey, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Light ... 
 
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)
Farm-Fresh: 1942
... their farms. One of the McRaith grandchildren." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Mmmmm! This ought to have been a billboard ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2021 - 6:41pm -

February 1942. "Meeker County, Minnesota. Three generations of the McRaith family on their farms. One of the McRaith grandchildren." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Mmmmm!This ought to have been a billboard for ice cream or such, and it ought to have been used nationwide. For that matter, it would be perfect for such use today. (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Vachon, Kids, Rural America)
Sulfur Vat: 1943
... Texas. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, John Vachon, Mining) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 1:59pm -

May 1943. Sixty-foot-tall sulfur vat at the Freeport Sulphur Co. in Hoskins Mound, Texas. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, John Vachon, Mining)
Home Office: 1941
... County, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Sleeping ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/21/2020 - 2:08pm -

August 1941. "FSA borrower working on accounts. Itasca County, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Sleeping dog?No! He's got his eye on you! Maytag!That model of wringer washer came with an optional sausage making attachment. As my friend up in the mountains tells me, "That's something I'd rather just hear about." Cut & PasteTo the left of the electrical outlet above the table, the wallpaper has been carefully incised, peeled back, and then repasted. This house was probably electrified only within the last decade, and the electrician took care to minimize the mess. Atop the cabinet, at left behind the electric percolator, there is a kerosene lamp, in case the new technology is not so reliable. Hanging WallpaperLooks like he took the term Hanging Wallpaper a bit too literally? (The Gallery, Agriculture, Dogs, John Vachon, Kitchens etc.)
Tygart Sliders: 1939
... Administration." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Splinters Is that slide made of wood? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2019 - 2:35pm -

June 1939. "Tygart Valley Homesteads, near Elkins, West Virginia. Children of homesteaders at play. A subsistence homestead project of the U.S. Resettlement Administration." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. SplintersIs that slide made of wood? Interesting construction of a home made slideBut I'm sure a hard landing was guaranteed. Fast trackWhat could possibly go wrong? Soon to be smooth Of course they are sliding on wood. But they have a layer of sandpaper under their cheeks, along with cardboard or some folded flour sack. How else would the slide get smooth? Shirley, I jest. Though they do have under-armor of some sort. Wood I?Surely I'm mistaken about the building material for this children's slide. That can't be wooden planks with nailed construction. Are my eyes playing tricks on me? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
Get the Party Started: 1940
... 1940. St. Mary's County, Maryland. An uncaptioned photo by John Vachon showing Louise Dyson ( last seen here with her husband) and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/08/2019 - 12:46pm -

September 1940. St. Mary's County, Maryland. An uncaptioned photo by John Vachon showing Louise Dyson (last seen here with her husband) and unidentified guest playing Mr. Dyson's ancient accordion. Laissez le bon temps rouler! View full size. Laissez le bon temps rouler! In Maryland? Probably more like: Niech dobre czasy! This sort of thing... was later outlawed by the State of Maryland. The look says it all"Another hour of this and I'm going to break that Accordion over her head" The instrumentAlthough of the accordion family, the box would be called a one-row melodeon these days. Unless those ladies are tiny it looks quite big for a one-row. It plays in one major key. Each button plays a different note on push and draw. The mushroom shaped objects should be stops that open and close different reed pads to alter the sound. There should be a thumb strap behind the button row, and the bass side, which can't be seen, probably has two buttons or levers, one for a bass note and one for a bass chord, again a different note/chord on push and draw. RequestsFor my next number: "Lady of Spain." (The Gallery, John Vachon, Music)
Down and Out in Omaha: 1938
... Street, where the unemployed hang out." 35mm negative by John Vachon. View full size. Omaha Wouldn't be known for its beach for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2017 - 9:21am -

November 1938. Omaha, Nebraska. "Lower Douglas Street, where the unemployed hang out." 35mm negative by John Vachon. View full size. OmahaWouldn't be known for its beach for six years or so. I wonder what little Warren Buffett was doing at this precise moment. Conor Oberst couldn't handle this kind of depression. Stylin'The unemployed in 1938 dressed better than most people going to work today. The Car blurMight that be a 1935 Chevrolet passing by? I can't be sure. While You WaitPersonally I've never done it that way. Those pressing tables can get awfully hot. I would prefer to leave the suit and come back later. Jake & ElwoodThe New ***stone Hotel, with its "Clean, Modern Rooms" featuring cracked glass windows and "E-Z Tatter Shades" reminds me of the hotel the Blues Brothers lived in until Carrie Fisher blew it up! Pressed for timeThey're not unemployed - just waiting for their suits to be pressed. Love the clothesDid people just get more dressed up back then even to just go to the store? PlymouthI believe it's a 1933 Plymouth, Model PD, from fairly late in the model year. Hints: Goddess mascot, long-teardrop headlights, front-fender sweep, arched bumper, horn mounted under the headlight, hubcap shape, hood louvers (and the hood covers most of the cowl), deep arc of lower windshield (which is hinged at the top). Here's mine, fresh out of the barn, in 1987. After sitting since 1959, all it needed was a battery and TLC, and it started right up. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha)
Fountain of Youth: 1941
... in public school." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Miss Cheatham's Damoclean hatchet. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/29/2021 - 4:21pm -

March 1941. Norfolk, Virginia. "A miscellany of pictures in overcrowded Navy towns. Corridor in public school." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Miss Cheatham's Damoclean hatchet. 1879-19525L was taught by Miss Lillian Lee Cheatham, who died in 1952 of a heart attack en route to the hospital. I imagine she gave a great education to a couple (or more) of kids, like the lad in the photo. The AxeThe first thing that came to mind was Jack Nicholson playing Jack Torrance in Kubrick's 'The Shining', making a bee-line for that axe. Pre-Oasis Whenever I see a photo of someone drinking from a water fountain back in the '30s, '40s, or '50s I often wonder what the temperature of said water was? Was it room temperature? As I have seen in parks or community drinking fountains or is that a sort of insulation to keep the water chilled? Me being a lad of the '60s enjoyed cold water in the halls of our schools, especially after a hard hour on the playground. Dirty WallsShe may have provided a good education, but did she teach the children to wash their hands? It appears dirty hands have been touching the walls and doors. Law FirmDewey, Cheatham and Howe. What this inevitably calls to my mindFor me, this photo immediately evokes well-known pictures of segregated drinking fountains -- remembered from my own Southern childhood. This one is not labeled "Whites Only" -- because the whole school would have been segregated. Trouble, right here in Norfolk City!This boy’s knickerbockers look decidedly as though they have been buckled below the knee. Sometimes sad memoriesare like GlenJay's comment about the segregation in schools. I graduated from high school (In the South) in 1958, and we had white and black and Indians, and we just didn't know that it wasn't OK for us all to get along with each other so we got along well. We all had one single water fountain on each floor of the high school, just labeled "WATER". The 3 top grades had about 500 total students, and we all got along with the possible exception of the bullies, and most of them were white. I'm white, but not one of the bullies. Dirty WallsLooks like many used each of the adjacent walls to do the water-fountain-lean (The Gallery, Education, Schools, John Vachon, Kids, Norfolk)
Half-Pint Posse: 1941
... Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Planning ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/14/2020 - 1:28pm -

March 1941. "Children of construction workers in trailer camp. Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Planning aheadHe'll grow into them. The hat, too. Another Christmas StoryLook! It's Randy & Ralphie and "Flick" Schwartz! Mom's no slackerNote the ironed creases in the jeans. End of the LineThose Buck Jones pants would soon become a collectible item, as the movie cowboy would die in 1942. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
The Dairy Maids: 1941
... plant, Minneapolis, Minnesota." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. How did this world survive through World Wars ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/21/2020 - 3:03pm -

July 1941. "Packing butter cut into squares for use in restaurants. Land O'Lakes plant, Minneapolis, Minnesota." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. How did this world survive through World Wars & the Depression?Imagine a world of no hair nets, facial masks, rubber gloves, and only male and female bathrooms Form or function?Did that head gear have any practical effect? Other than for looks and for modesty's sake? These days the remaining two workers in such a packaging line are dressed more along the lines of a trauma surgeon. Yes, gloves too. I also wonder about the temperature in there. The product would warrant a little chilliness, but the short sleeves say otherwise. Well, maybe there are cold rooms at either end of that conveyor. And the time in between would rather limited anyways - "hurry up, we have to move product, ladies". LOLLand O' Lakes will be 100 years old in July 2021. We've eaten it for what seems like forever but I always assumed it was a younger brand. Here around MinneapolisThat flat little square of butter is called a pat. This is one of the largest group of pretty girls ever captured on Shorpy. [Pats are for table use. These giant slabs are for the kitchen. - Dave] Land O' LakesI had no idea how this was done. MissingNo gloves, no hair nets and NO smiles! Land O' Lakes plant. Great moisturizer!I'll bet they had the softest hands in town. (The Gallery, Factories, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Bungalow of Doom: 1941
... operations expand." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Still going! Amazingly, to me at least, this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/24/2020 - 9:27pm -

August 1941. "House in North Hibbing, Minnesota, on the edge of the world's largest open pit iron mine. Houses in this section are being demolished daily as mining operations expand." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Still going!Amazingly, to me at least, this mine is still operational. If Wikipedia is to believed, the owner of this bungalow may have been about to get the shaft from the mining company, and get paid only a fraction of the property's value before its demolition. Neat streetThis pleasant-looking house seems to be set on a company-built street with curbs and sidewalks and could have been company owned. It is, however, not a bungalow as it has two full floors of rooms. Get off my lawn!They may be doomed, but by hell, they've managed to keep mowing the lawn. Cute house, ugly mine. I laughedBefore I even scrolled down to the photo I was amused. And I also instantly decided that "Bungalow of Doom" would be a terrific name for a band. They moved the town but built Hibbing HighHibbing High School built at tremendous cost by the mining companies -- easily the most beautiful high school on Earth. My mother graduated in 1935. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Mining)
God Bless America: 1941
... Ambridge, Pennsylvania." Medium-format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Houseplants That looks like a nice clivia ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2012 - 2:23pm -

January 1941. "Window in home of unemployed steelworker. Ambridge, Pennsylvania." Medium-format negative by John Vachon. View full size. HouseplantsThat looks like a nice clivia being nurtured through the winter on the window sill. The leaf tips are so pointy because the brown parts were scissored off to keep the plant looking good. The lumpy little thing in the small pot to its right is looks like a starter cutting from an epiphyllum, probably a Christmas or Easter cactus, and a longtime favorite of cold-climate indoor gardeners. ConfidenceI admire the "God Bless America" sign in the window despite his employment status at the time. Faith in his Country and in the Future. We need more of that can do attitude today. Rough times, yes, but this is America! Nothing is impossible! Patriot GamesI remember the door of my father's laundry store had, what must have been, a holographic banner with an American flag in the center and when you looked toward the left a picture of General Eisenhower appeared and to the right, one of General MacArthur. Unemployed to Overemployed in 12 monthsJust think... if this is January 1941, this guy is about to go from unemployed to working 12 hour shifts seven days a week for three years in the next 12 months. WOW. Numerous NumeralsI wonder what the house number was. (The Gallery, Ambridge, John Vachon)
The Long, Long Slogan: 1940
... in Marshalltown, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Need ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/26/2019 - 9:41am -

April 1940. "Earl May seed store in Marshalltown, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Need closure on thisTrying to figure out the last word. Cushions, cub scouts, cuckolds, cufflinks, curmudgeons, curly fries, cucumbers, cummerbunds, cul-de-sacs ... [Custards! - Dave] More ClosureI think it's Cucumber Seeds! In keeping with how many they sold. They are extremely satisfied. Having the last wordCuts of meat ... culinary geniuses ... cuticles ... cuddles ... cultivars ... curlicues ... curveballs ... curtseys ... culprits ... cuspids ... cuttlefish ... curses ... cutie pies. VoteOf all the words proposed by Koogan and JennyPennifer, I vote for "cutie pies" as the ending phrase. One more?Cuyahoga Falls residents. Top Shelf stuffI count four boxes of Arsinate of Lead on the top shelf. This toxic and dangerous insecticide was very widely used through the 1940s, after which it was supplanted by the new new "less toxic" discovery, DDT. Did you mean Kumquats?That's what my reply said on my spelling mistake. Don't eat the mushroomsWikipedia says not to eat mushrooms from old apple orchards that have been treated with lead arsenate in the past. I'll remember that. When You Care to Plant the Very BestThat seed wall looks like the card rack in a Hallmark store. Outstanding LineupKudos to the person who did that string of symmetrical products atop the rack of seeds. We all wish we had our lives ordered in such an array of neatness but to most of us the ideal symmetry falls into the shambles of reality. (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
Milk & Cookies: 1940
... Schulstad is salesman for a hardware company." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Find Three Things Wrong with This Picture 1. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/27/2019 - 11:25am -

November 1940. Aberdeen, South Dakota. "Mrs. L.M. Schulstad and children in the kitchen. Mr. Schulstad is salesman for a hardware company." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Find Three Things Wrong with This Picture1. The boy has two hot dogs but no hot dog rolls. 2. There's no sink where the sink should be. 3rd thing wrongThe microwave has no control buttons. Found the sink --Left of the window Good genesThe Schulstads had beautiful children. Little missy needs to eat her crusts though. All goneFrom the left: William Harry Schulstad (1924-1995) Mary Elizabeth O'Hara Schulstad (1895-1979) Mark Leslie Schulstad (1927-2009) Joan Lenore Schulstad Carey (1930-2000) Father was Lewis Melvin "Bud" Schulstad (1883-1970). Norwegian FoodMy research shows that the Schulstad ancestors came from Norway. Perhaps the boy preferred Frankfurter sausages, which are eaten without rolls. Btw, hot dogs are a forerunner of Frankfurters, introduced by a German immigrant mid 19th century. I myself prefer Viennese sausages. Actually everything is identical, only the name is a matter of taste. Greetings from Germany. Going bunlessI know there were times when my mom ran out of buns or didn't have the extra to buy them and we made do with plain white bread as this boy seems to be doing. I actually would rather eat them "naked" than use bread, but then I was a brat. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids, Kitchens etc.)
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