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Crowded House: 1940
... make sixty cents to $1.25 per hour." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. So ... Two to a bed? Cozy. Shifty I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/06/2020 - 3:11pm -

December 1940. Radford, Virginia. "Construction workers in room at Mrs. Jones's boardinghouse. Six men live in this room. Three beds, pay eight to ten dollars a week rent. Most of them have families they left behind in Bluefield, West Virginia; Bristol, Tennessee; or High Point, North Carolina. They are carpenters, carpenters' assistants, riggers and laborers. They make sixty cents to $1.25 per hour." Acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. So ...Two to a bed? Cozy. ShiftyI imagine they worked different shifts, so there would always be a bed or two to spare. Maybe three night shift workers and three days? Did Mrs. Jones supply ear plugs?Lots of snoring going on I bet. Laurel and Hardy always slept two to a bed. In the movie versionThe role of the blond gentleman on the right will be played by Tab Hunter. Looking for your belt?If the guy on the right, the one with his thumb in the belt loop, is looking for his belt, it's hanging on the bed of the guy on the left. She works hard for the moneyEighteen boarders (from the previous posting) x $9/week average rent x 52 weeks = $8,424 a year gross at full occupancy. Lots of overhead, but Mrs. J. probably did OK. She likely earned every penny. (The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
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)
A Kid and His Calf: 1940
... is a miner." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the FSA. It's interesting to note that the dirt-eating calf seems to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/04/2008 - 1:08am -

May 1940. "Young boy and calf at Granger Homesteads, Iowa. His father is a miner." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the FSA. It's interesting to note that the dirt-eating calf seems to have a collar. calf collarPerhaps because it is a bull calf? (The Gallery, Agriculture, Animals, John Vachon, Kids)
Red, White & Brew: 1943
... Texas. Liquor store." The original wine box. Photo by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Patriotic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2014 - 6:48pm -

May 1943. "Palacios, Texas. Liquor store." The original wine box. Photo by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Patriotic ClarityMy first thought regarding the besmudged starfield is that it wasn't really meant to be an accurate depiction. Kind of an abstract. Where'd the other stripes go?I too am just a simple Canadian, but, eve I know there's some stripes missing on that flag too. I guess they got into the liquor before they painted the place. Nothing changesKnowing Palacios, that building may well be standing yet. Everything there remains until it falls into a heap of rubble; nobody ever bothers to tear down anything. I once spent a very uncomfortable Fourth of July in Palacios at a ramshackle beach hotel that ought to have fallen down years ago, but somehow still goes on. A Bit WobblyI could get a little wobbly on that bench without partaking. Old GloryI know I'm just a simple Canadian, but what's with the flag? The "stars" are very strange. Carpenter GothicDespite some lost or badly replaced brackets, that screen door is the building's fanciest feature by far. How Texans Pronounce "Palacios"We say "puh-lash-us" So this would beA small box retailer? Little or not, probably pretty busyThe store probably had its fair share of military customers, since Palacios was home to Camp Hulen, a Texas National Guard camp before the war and used as an anti-aircraft training center during Ww2. Re: the Flag There was a time, long ago, when businesses respected the Flag Code of the U.S., and did not use the flag or a true likeness of it in their advertisements or in their logos. That day is long past, and so are the days of not wearing the flag as apparel. This would explain the flag not looking like a real flag. Guess I am old fashioned, even in my early 50's. :) (The Gallery, John Vachon, Patriotic, Stores & Markets)
Our Lady of the Ascension: 1941
... Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Door stop ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2020 - 10:47am -

January 1941. "Going to Mass. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Door stopThere’s a disembodied foot under that door on the right. And spindly fingers groping around the edge of the other door. Oh My My My WhooooopsNo railing on slick marble steps compounded by high heels possibly with slick leather soles has got to lead to a fallen lady at the bottom of the steps unless she said a prayer to St Jude, Patron Saint Of Lost Causes or St Christopher, Patron Saint Of Travelers then all would be good. Highest marksAnother contender for Best Title Ever! Also, I think our lady looks a bit like Radar O'Reilly in drag. Saved from the wrecking ball... and the same view today, the interstate highway ominously close: Formerly St. Mary's Church and Parish. Now a hotel, saved from what seemed to be certain destruction: http://thepriory.com/priory-history.php (The Gallery, John Vachon, Pittsburgh)
Two of a Kind: 1941
... Street and Vernon Park Place." 35mm acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Fast ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/22/2020 - 3:30pm -

July 1941. Chicago. "Man seated on corner of Jefferson Street and Vernon Park Place." 35mm acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Fast forward 79 yearsMany parts of the hydrant look original. The forlorn vagabond moved on, long ago. Have mercy!Been waitin' on the bus all day! SleuthingGreat detective work! (The Gallery, Chicago, John Vachon)
Striking Beauties: 1938
... Morrisville, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pin close ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2019 - 8:34pm -

August 1938. "Girl fieldworkers at the King Farm on strike against 17-cents-an-hour wages. Morrisville, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pin close upI think this is it. More like stricken beautiesWait, strike that remark. They Paid 25 Cents a BushelTo pick garlic in 1970. I was 12. An hour later, the farmer didn't get a bushel, and I walked an hour back home without a quarter. Value of Money17 cents an hour is about $3 an hour in today’s money. No wonder they were on strike. You couldn’t live on 17 cents an hour then, you can’t live on $3 an hour today. (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Vachon)
News of the Day: 1941
... porch. Elgin, Illinois." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Enjoying ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2020 - 4:25pm -

August 1941. "Front porch. Elgin, Illinois." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Enjoying some fresh airWhistler's daughter? A Long RoadThis lady, surely reading news portending the U.S. entry into WWII, was no doubt born before the Civil War. She must have taken considerable pride in the fact that she and America had grown up together. New LensA few years ago, I wouldn't have why she needed that magnifying glass to read a newspaper. Now I know. New Lens, part 2A few years ago, I wouldn’t have known why some older folks take off their glasses and put the book or newspaper right up close to their eyes to read. Now I know. Would love to see the whole houseThe craftsmanship of the windows, the perfectly spaced balusters, the well made and attractive handrail, the tongue and grove wood for the porch floor and the column built with individual curved pieces of wood to form the perfect taper. And then at the bottom edge of the photo we see the perfectly spaced trim to cover the crawl space under the porch. "Craftsmen" of today have difficult time in drilling well spaced holes to make a crude baluster row and would never even think that the handrail needs to be smooth and have some architectural beauty to it. Reducing Her Screen TimeIt's August in Elgin, and I see clips but no screens on those windows. Kudos to the ownerThat is a very well-maintained home. Good NewsThis appears to be the same porch and not much has changed! (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns)
Savage Retail: 1939
... Minneapolis, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. 3 FEEDS for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/13/2019 - 11:40am -

September 1939. "Abandoned mail-order house. Minneapolis, Minnesota." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. 3 FEEDS for ONE CENTTheir faded slogan is barely visible above and behind the first "A" in their name on the tower. "3 FEEDS for ONE CENT". Were towers like this only to serve as a highly visible landmark to place their name, or did they have another function as well? More on Savage - Dan Patch!http://www.danpatch.com/marion-w-savage.html Final Year.The former Minneapolis Exposition Hall, demolished in 1940. More info; http://www.minneapolishistorical.org/items/show/91 Well —This explains why I didn't get my order. (Sigh) (The Gallery, Bizarre, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Stores & Markets)
The Summer of '41
... bathing beach, Lake Michigan." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I Hope ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/26/2011 - 8:41pm -

Chicago, July 1941. "Ohio Street bathing beach, Lake Michigan." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I HopeThe two young men enjoyed it while it lasted, then came home alive in '45! How styles changeFunny, all the guys in the photo are in bikini type bottoms and the girls have loose flowing beach wear. Now days girls are in bikini's and the guys wear loose flowing shorts. I like the styles now better. Number of the Beast!The big building at the left is the former American Furniture Mart, built in two sections between 1923 and 1926 by several associated architects: Henry Raeder Associates, George C. Nimmons & Co., and N. Max Dunning. The building's original address was 666 North Lake Shore Drive; in 1988 it was changed to something far less interesting: 680 North Lake Shore Drive. This change is especially unfortunate, as the building currently houses the offices of Playboy Enterprises. What a missed opportunity! SwftnessAlways amazed at the contrast between a shot such as this one and how the same folks would have dressed only 35 years before. A fairly fast evolution in clothing styles. Yes, and I agree with VJ, hope they made it through what lay ahead. Just 5 MonthsJust 5 months until their world was rocked. I wonder how many in the photo wound up in the service, and how they fared. I wonderI wonder what the water quality was like this close to a heavily built-up area. Both chemically and biologically. Memories...I grew up in Chicago, now live in Indiana. Lots of hot summers were spent at these beaches as a kid. What carefree days. Met my wife just a few hundred yards from here and had our first date on Navy Pier (behind photographer position). Love my city and it's history. Thanks Shorpy and all who share these historic gems. I can just hear the sound of the waves, the traffic on The Drive, I can feel the heat and the sound of the Cubbies on a nearby radio interspersed with the laughing children. Great significance in this one as the Greatest Generation enjoyed a final summer of innocence before the storm. -Aaron +76Below is the same view from June of 2017. (The Gallery, Chicago, John Vachon, Swimming)
Dear Old Dad: 1943
... to his children." Happy Father's Day from Shorpy! Photo by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Very cute! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2013 - 10:53am -

March 1943. Montgomery, Alabama. "Marvin Johnson, truck driver, reading the 'funnies' to his children." Happy Father's Day from Shorpy! Photo by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Very cute!I remember my dad reading the funnies to my brother and me with dramatic intonation. Happy Father's Day gang! Happy Father's Day!There is nothing more endearing than seeing any hardworking man (like my Dad was) taking the time to read to his children. I did this with my daughters, and now, at 65, I am blessed to be able to do it AGAIN with my grand-daughters. A grandfather's best blessing is to have that "second chance" to repeat the things he did with his children, and have another opportunity to do some of the things he may have missed out on with his children BECAUSE he was out working hard to provide for his family. HAPPY FATHER'S DAY TO ALL.... A Bird, A Plane?Maybe Superman? Superman? No.But he is faster than a speeding bullet. This is MASTER COMICS #36, published February 24, 1943, and sold for just 10 cents. The page seen is page 28, part of the Bulletman story "Bulletman Battles The Wizard of Murder." This comic is now in the public domain. (By the way, the headliner of MASTER COMICS was Captain Marvel, Jr., who legend has it was the basis for Elvis Presley's hairstyle.) (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
The Ruby Troupers: 1953
... of the film The French Line ." Color transparency by John Vachon for the Look magazine assignment "Two Gals From Texas." View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/20/2014 - 4:19pm -

August 1953. "Jane Russell and Mary McCarty on the set of the film The French Line." Color transparency by John Vachon for the Look magazine assignment "Two Gals From Texas." View full size. Uh-unhHey, I lived in Texas for a few years and I can say for sure that those gals aren't from Texas. They're from somewhere further north, say Kansas, or even Minnesota. Jane's sidekickOthers will most likely have something to say about Jane Russell (and the two reasons why RKO chose to release this pic in 3-D) so I'll talk about her sidekick. Ms. McCarty seems about halfway through her career journey from Florabelle in Shirley Temple’s "Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm" (1938) to Mama Morton (matron of the women's jail) in the original Broadway cast of "Chicago" (1975). (Kodachromes, Dance, John Vachon, LOOK)
Once Upon a Time: 1941
... Indiana." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Lazy hot July days... ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/13/2008 - 5:56pm -

July 1941. "Sunday afternoon. Vincennes, Indiana." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Lazy hot July days......call for iced tea (UNSWEETENED, as God intended!) a good book, and the shade of the front porch. If this were my grandpa, I'd happily settle in that other chair... Grampa(s)Except for the full head of hair, this could be my Grampa. It brings back those warm summer evenings, before air conditioning. Thanks for the memories! TextingIn the old days they had the Internet and video games but they were called "books." Beautiful picture. Those Socksare just plain awesome! (The Gallery, John Vachon, Small Towns)
A Million Newsstand Readers: 1937
... browse a street market in Washington, D.C. Photograph by John Vachon, November, 1937. View full size. Hungry Children? I'm sitting ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 8:38pm -

Children browse a street market in Washington, D.C. Photograph by John Vachon, November, 1937. View full size. Hungry Children?I'm sitting here looking at these children and hoping that they are well fed. The look on the girl's face and the boy touching the canned food, seem like they say "I'm hungry!" I hope not but it is 1937. A million newsstand readers....but how many buying? Ewww…Look at those rotten orang… Hey, wait a minute! That's paper! (The Gallery, D.C., John Vachon, Kids, Stores & Markets)
Down and Out in Omaha: 1938
... Nebraska." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Immediacy There's something ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2017 - 9:23am -

November 1938. "Unemployed man. Omaha, Nebraska." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. ImmediacyThere's something very real about this photo. Often times when you see old B/W photos, one gets a sense of nostalgia, which detracts from what we can associate with. This picture looks like you could be there with the guy in the photo. I can't put my finger on it. It has a sort of crispness to it. (The Gallery, Great Depression, John Vachon, Omaha)
St. Paul: 1939
... 1939. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by by John Vachon, Farm Security Administration. we found her!! Goodnight Mrs. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2011 - 12:18am -

Lady resident of a St. Paul rooming house. September 1939. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by by John Vachon, Farm Security Administration. we found her!!Goodnight Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are Mrs. Calabash RemembersAh that Jimmy ... such a card ... and what he could do with that schnozzola ... but I wouldn't leave Mr. Calabash, no sir ... if you see Jimmy say hello ... What would she have thought.....if she knew that one day (sixty-eight years later) her photograph would be displayed on the 'internet'? She has kind eyes, but looks a bit surprised at being old. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Portraits)
Chillycothe: 1940
... Ohio. "Children going home from school." 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A rare ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/29/2011 - 4:01pm -

February 1940. Chillicothe, Ohio. "Children going home from school." 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A rare sight indeedKids walking home from school. As rare a sighting as Bigfoot today. Nowadays the Escalade pulls up and Mom the chauffeur drives them two blocks to the house. Snow LieHey, they're not walking backwards or uphill, and that's not three feet of snow. My grandparents lied! The Trudge ReportThis is the way we all went to school, many miles of trudging through the snow, sometimes with bleeding bare feet, through searing winds and minus temperatures and uphill -- in both directions! At least that is what I tell the youngsters, until their eyes start to roll. Chilly in ChillicotheThis is a beautiful snow pic from Shorpy. I could easily see this on a Christmas card. Kid on the left is mighty casualSwinging that iPad around like that. They don't grow on trees, you know, young man! ChillingYou keep us laughing Dave! As an old time radio fanFor some reason this scene makes me think of The Great Gildersleeve. This is how I imagine it would look for Leroy and Marjorie walking home from school in Summerfield on a cold winter's day. Maybe that's Old Judge Hooker's house on the left. Putting the Chillyin Chillicothe! Back in the days of warm winters!I froze my butt off walking to school. About a 1 1/2 mile walk and never a ride! I'm just glad that back then there was no such thing as a "wind chill," we would have REALLY froze our butts off! Snow!!!Ahhh, the delicious crunch, crunch under the feet of fresh fallen, really cold snow. And the sky on a day like this, after a big snow storm has passed, is an incredibly deep bright blue. FrostbiteI remember walking 2 miles home from high school in winter. Really! Skirts were short then, in the late '60s, and even though knee socks were stylish, they didn't keep me warm. My legs would be beet red and it took an hour to thaw out once I got home. To say it hurt would be an undertatement! When I saw this photo my sympathies immediately went out to this girl. I hope the big house on the left was her home, because that would mean she was almost there. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Nebrewska: 1938
... on the left, Blatz on the right. Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2018 - 11:45am -

November 1938. "Saloon and liquor store near Cudahy packing plant. South Omaha, Nebraska." Metz on the left, Blatz on the right. Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Alternative ViewThe same, but less sunny, view was previously featured here https://www.shorpy.com/node/2369 Vodkas “R” Us?Peoples Liquor Store: an early experiment in USSR-USA cultural exchange? GoneThe address of Peoples Liquor Store, 2524 Q Street, has been completely erased. It is now Highway 75. VodkaSouth Omaha, where this picture was taken, was in a significantly Eastern European region of the city. That, along with growing a lot of grain in Nebraska and the fact that vodka doesn't generally need to be aged (big deal a few years after Prohibition ended), explains its prevalence. Edit: and I am responding to an earlier comment rather than actually seeing any vodka mentioned in the picture. Oopsie! (though I'd bet a nickel they sold a fair amount of it there) Babied PickupThat Model A truck around the comer looks to be in pretty good shape for 8 or 9 years old. Metz Beer is Backhttps://www.omaha.com/columnists/grace/grace-metz-beer-flows-again-in-om... (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha, Stores & Markets)
Kempton: 1939
... Virginia. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Kempton 1939 I own the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/14/2008 - 2:55pm -

May 1939. The coal company town of Kempton, West Virginia. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Kempton 1939I own the third home from the right and several acres of land in Kempton. I live in D.C. and use the place as a vacation house. It's a little over a hundred years old and has been totally restored. Both my parents and grandparents lived there. The land was reclaimed and restored by the state of Maryland. Incidentally, Kempton is located in Maryland. The state of Maryland didn't allow mining company stores so therefore the store and the post office were located just across the line in West Virginia. Hence the name, Kempton, W.Va. [All very fascinating. Thanks for writing. - Dave] KemptonThis photo prompted me do to some further searching and I found this site with more photos and description of reclamation efforts: http://www.osmre.gov/awardsaml/md02.pdf (The Gallery, John Vachon, Mining)
Freedom Factory: 1941
... Freedom, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Four oil ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2021 - 11:34pm -

January 1941. "Freedom oil refinery. Freedom, Pennsylvania." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Four oil tanksare all that remain. Thanks to Google Maps you can see that Freedom is nowadays dominated by a very large Norfolk Southern railroad yard and the four tanks mentioned above are just north of the Monaca - East Rochester bridge. Looking south from the same bridge onto abandoned roads and overgrown property, where Railroad Street becomes Freedom Road, is where I guess this refinery was located. (The Gallery, Factories, John Vachon)
No Gane: 1939
... factory, Minneapolis, Minnesota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Boys with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2014 - 6:16pm -

September 1939. "Abandoned factory, Minneapolis, Minnesota." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Boys with rocksfind the windows of an abandoned factory irresistible. No paneNo gane! (The Gallery, Factories, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Kentucky Moonshine: 1938
... or lack thereof. Medium-format nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Pattern Houses Despite the apparent poverty ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/21/2013 - 9:46am -

May 1938. "Houses in Atlanta, Georgia." Last seen here, two years earlier in a picture snapped by Walker Evans. An interesting study in contrasts, or lack thereof. Medium-format nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Pattern HousesDespite the apparent poverty of the houses and the neighborhood, I am impressed with the interesting and odd circular design-work on the upper porches. Porch ProblemsThe billboards are actually part of the porches on these two houses, not on a fence in front of the porch. You can tell by the porch columns - they're visible running down the billboard, and their bases stick out below it. Finally, the right-most poster is mounted on the side of the house. Desperate times. [I suspect this was a block of renters and absentee landlords (or condemned houses and squatters), and that in derelict neighborhoods the handbills are plastered wherever you can get away with it. - Dave] I'm Gonna See Kidnapped!Robert Lewis Stevenson! Freddy Bartholomew! A cast of 5,000! At the Fox! Stars and clouds on the ceiling! Too GoofyThe billboard for Kentucky Moonshine just doesn't cut it. I'll wait for "Thunder Road". Re: Too GoofyThe poster fits pretty well with the plot! Radio show farce, with fake hillbillies (from NYC) decked out in beards and long guns, caught up in mountain folk feuds. Same houses?As in Walker Evans' photograph. [As noted and linked in the caption. - tterrace] Of the Two'The Count of Monte Cristo' is a wonderful adaptation, revenge and regret, beautifully portrayed by Donat. I do agree about the two houses, neatly done, but fallen on hard times and making the best of it. Watch This Space!Those houses were quite respectable when constructed but, obviously, the Great Depression has lowered all boats. Apparently, in lieu of (or perhaps in addition to) taking in boarders, the owners have turned their front fences into income-producing billboards. (The Gallery, Atlanta, John Vachon, Movies)
The Cherry Pickers: 1940
... workers from Texas." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Divergent paths Looking at these boys, I can ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/05/2019 - 10:52am -

July 1940. Berrien County, Michigan. "Cherry-picking season. Family of migratory fruit workers from Texas." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Divergent pathsLooking at these boys, I can imagine very different futures for the two. Brr!Little guy in the jumpsuit reminds me too much of Chucky! And his brother looks kinda sketchy, too. Fruit PunchesI picked Michigan cherries for a summer job in the early 1950s. You get a card that they punch for each bucket you fill. You can eat all you want. You do have to finish every tree you start, however. No just doing the lower branches where it's easy; you've got to get up on the ladder and do the top ones too. At the end of the day they count your punches and pay you. Goofus and GallantThe two boys made me think of the duo from long-running series in Highlights for Children magazine. Car IDStar, made by Durant. Deeply moving, and sadThis photo could be hanging in a museum of 20th century existence: the motorized covered wagon; the sun-bonneted mother who seems old beyond her years; the cloud of tobacco smoke coming from the father's mouth; the sullen kids, who already appear to be angered by life. Funky headwearFedora on the kid, sideways engineer’s cap on Dad, and Handmaid’s Tale for Mom. Go "Strait" to MackinacI imagine this family began the season picking cherries in Berrien County, which, being in the southwest corner of the state, had the earliest crop, and then followed U.S. 31 up the shore all the way to Traverse City and beyond to Mackinac as the fruit ripened on the northern route. Living in Berrien County now and seeing local images pop up on Shorpy every so often makes me wonder if any of the migrant workers stayed, and whether I know any of their descendants. Sour looksSour cherries too, it seems. Decisive MomentWhat a great capture! Matching bonnetsThe wife's headgear and the pickup's bed cover came from the same plan, only the scale was changed. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Kids)
Powder Roomer: 1940
... One of the gents last seen here . Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Rules of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/02/2020 - 1:53pm -

December 1940. Radford, Virginia. "Hercules Powder Plant employee going upstairs. Mrs. Pritchard's boardinghouse. Eighteen men board here." One of the gents last seen here. Acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Rules of the house:"Please extinguish all smoking materials until you've showered, and don't dry your asbestos boxers on the windowsills." A bright ideaSome years ago, I spent a night in New Orleans at the Kentucky Hotel (or maybe the Hotel Kentucky) in a room illuminated by just such a single bare light bulb. It was the sort of establishment where one sleeps with one eye open. Audition?If this was 1960, would this gent have been auditioning for the lead in Hitchcock's 'Psycho'? (The Gallery, John Vachon, WW2)
Store House: 1941
... yard. Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Brand New 8 Years Ago The car is a 1933 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/30/2020 - 9:57pm -

March 1941. "Grocery store being converted into apartment to rent near the Navy yard. Portsmouth, Virginia." Medium format negative by John Vachon. View full size. Brand New 8 Years AgoThe car is a 1933 DeSoto. It was known by that large wraparound grille and the vertical metal trim over the headlights. It the middle of that trim piece is a very small DeSoto logo. My brother owned a 1933 coupe. Have we met?The guy in uniform with his hands in his pockets looks really familiar. I think I saw him exactly three weeks ago. Old Salt From A Previous Shorpy PhotoLooks like the same Chief Petty Officer in the background as another Portsmouth photo presented here. How do I know it's the same Chief? He still has his hands in his pockets! Quick photographerIf that's the same confidently striding CPO we saw in "Foot Traffic: 1941," the photographer must have had to sprint ahead to get the next photo in this series. The photographer didn't have to move muchIt's just that others from the previous photo turned the corner from Nelson onto Sixth Street. Google maps shows that all of those buildings are now gone. Featuring the Same Cast of CharactersActually, the Navy CPO isn't the only repeat from the Foot Traffic photo of three weeks ago. If you look closely, the woman, the stroller dad, the roller skate kid and a couple others are one in the same. Not that we're in a rush, or anythingBut could you hurry it up a little, Bud? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Kids)
Convent Postmistress: 1939
... Office in Convent, Louisiana." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Was she or ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/12/2011 - 3:03pm -

Circa 1939. "Post Office in Convent, Louisiana." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Was she or wasn't she?Do you think the postmistress of the Convent post office was a nun? Love It!They wanted to put U.S. on the building, so there's a "U" on one side and way, way over on the other side of the roof is an "S"! Wonderful. I can taste the gumbo now! Yessir! And atop the building is a wonderfully whimsical cupola. She's proud of her Post Office and happy to have her picture taken. DownsizedNot quite the same these days. No Such ThingMy brother-in-law's aunt was the Postmaster of the small upstate New York town she lived in in the 1940s. She was adamant that there was no such position as "postmistress." Illegal Photo?All my life I've been taught that it's illegal to photograph a Post Office building. I guess it was to keep the Soviets from learning our efficient ways. But the law is old. I wonder if it was like that back then, though I doubt we were worried about Hitler knowing how our Post Office worked. Unfortunately, his country was quite efficient in its own right. I can't stop from finding details that I love here. The hitching rail, the 2x14 boards for a sidewalk, functional shutters on the windows, the wind vane, the fancy porch roof and cupola matched with the worn corrugated tin roof, the crooked Mona Lisa smile on the post office lady, with her arms crossed and toes pointed inward as if she was embarrassed to be dragged out for the photo. I can even imagine a garden planted on one side and laying hens pecking the ground on the other. Mayberry, RFD. [News flash: It's never been "illegal to photograph a post office." At least not in the U.S. of A. Who in the world "taught" you that? - Dave] I'll betThe crusts on her pies were good! MayberryI never heard that it was illegal to photograph a post office, but I did learn from The Andy Griffith Show that it is illegal to photograph an FBI agent. Agnes SubraAccording to the USPS Postmaster Finder page this would be Mrs. Agnes B. Subra. She was appointed acting Postmaster on July 1, 1938 Postmaster on Sept 15, 1938 and remained so until June 30, 1947. Based on the 1930 census she was born in 1877 in Louisiana and was the Assistant Postmaster to her husband Charles, also born in 1877 in Louisiana. Circa SpringtimeMany a fine springtime hour has been spent examining blue sky and puffy white clouds from a soft bed of clover like we see here in the front yard. Convent Postmistress: 1939In the 1910 census, Charles Subra, husband of Agnes, is the postmaster of the Convent PO. 62 years oldAgnes, according to some of the other posts, would be 62 years old in this picture. Somehow, she looks quite a bit older than that. May be a combination of a hard life, and no "beauty shop" in Convent? (The Gallery, John Vachon, Rural America)
Harsh Druggist: 1940
... upset tummy? Sorry, no can do. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Don't ... 
 
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)
Ride the Cars: 1938
... "Streetcar motorman in Omaha, Nebraska." 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. How ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2017 - 9:24am -

November 1938. "Streetcar motorman in Omaha, Nebraska." 35mm negative by John Vachon for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. How simple, how sweet ...... life must have looked from those windows. Some things change very little over time...I was recently down on Ybor City (Tampa) Florida and took a ride in one of their new retro streetcars. The operators station has changed very little. In fact, some of the hardware used in the new cars was salvaged from old streetcars. There's an identical station at the opposite end of the car so the driver can just walk to the other end of the car (flipping the wooden seats as he goes) and drive the opposite route. Must fight the urge to do a Tennessee Williams pun. Actually, I was sorta thrilled by it. A pain in the a...I cannot imagine how uncomfortable it would be to ride all day one what looks and probably felt like a piano stool, with your legs dangling at an uncomfortable angle. WattmanAt the time where streetcars were popular, here in Belgium and France the conductor was called a "Wattman". The name was based of course on the control they had on the power of that thing ... Vibration DamperI had a long bus trip in Detroit during the early 1960's to get to high school. Even will all the Motor City engineering know-how, they had not solved the problem of dampening the heavy rattling fare boxes which were built like safes. One hand on the wheel and the other quieting the fare box. Next stop the 1930sThe inclusion of the car makes this photo for me. One way ticket to the 1930s please! UpscaleThis was a big improvement over the older cars, where the operators had to stand on a outside platform. Strangely familiarIt looks a lot like the streetcars I've ridden on Main Street in Memphis. Crash that puppy... and you cold lose the family jewels on the coin changer! As Uncomfortable as It Might AppearThis arrangement was far superior to the Motorman's accomodations on earlier streetcars and horsecars. I recall reading a book about Baltimore's system whereby the company refused to provide any protection beyond a waist high dash until an operator died from exposure during a winter storm. ...OR ELSE!I love the sign. It's like they're threatening you. Fare BoxThe motorman is resting his hand on top of the fare box. I have often seen bus drivers do this, as well. The explanation I got was that it keeps the damn thing from rattling too much and making a racket. An outstanding jobUntil the 1910s or 1920s most motormen were required to stand, and this was when they had 10 or 12 hour shifts. Early streetcars (and the horsecars and cable cars that preceded them) usually had open front vestibules, so if it was rainy and cold, the poor motorman just had to take it while standing the whole time! Still Running in TucsonIf you want to try the real thing there are still some running on the Old Pueblo Trolley line in Tucson! http://www.oldpueblotrolley.org/ Back and forthMy grandfather drove a streetcar in Binghamton NY at about the same time as this picture. My mother rode with him to the end of the line and flipped the seats around to face the other direction before walking on home. We still have the stool he used, with the footrest very worn. "Ride the Cars"Omaha was the site of a violent streetcar strike in 1935. I wonder if the sign is an attempt to dispel any lingering anger over the strike. The motorman's woesFor an account (albeit fictional) of a motorman's miserable day, find the episode in "Sister Carrie" where Hurstwood tries to be a scab motorman while the union is on strike in late 1800s Chicago. Streetcar seatsI heard a Fibber McGee & Molly radio show from the 1930s with the joke, "What do motormen do at the end of the shift?" "Turn their seats around and go home." See the Streetcar Museum!And apropos of streetcars and Baltimore, I recommend their streetcar museum for anyone interested in the subject. I first learned about from my father-in-law, who did a good deal of volunteer work for them, and a couple of years ago we finally got there. (Warning: it's not easy to find or get to; for best results, phone and ask for directions.) The museum occupies part of a Ma & Pa (Maryland & Pennsylvania Railroad) maintenance yard, and runs their excursions on a section of Ma & Pa line. Right next to the museum, railfans will note the roundhouse converted by the state of Maryland to a road maintenance yard; the engine stalls now shelter piles of sand, gravel, and salt. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Omaha, Streetcars)
Fill Er Up: 1940
... worker at gas station in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Early RV? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2012 - 10:40am -

July 1940. "Auto of migrant fruit worker at gas station in Sturgeon Bay, Wisc." Photo by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Early RV?We have all seen pix of the typical "Okie" and his car. Mattresses, pots and pans, washboards etc. strapped willynilly to a worn out old heap. This car was well thought out and built, with it's extension at the rear which may have allowed sleeping in the car or keeping valuables out of the weather Homemade Camper?Impossible to say with any certainty what kind of car this is (for me, anyway), since the rear end is obviously modified with some sort of hand-fabricated panel. It looks to me like it might be hinged, ala the rear end of a teardrop trailer, so that you could cook, etc., under its shelter. Since they were in Sturgeon Bay, they were there to pick cherries. There are worse ways to make a living as a migrant worker than camping in Door County, Wisconsin, and picking cherries! I dont think he's pumping EthylMigrant fruit pickers could probably only afford Ethyl's sister, Regular. beer can gas capIn all my years of pumping gas and laying various versions of improvised gas caps on the car, I recognize the beer can nesting temporarily on the rear window. Hard times indeed. STOP!Note the stop light on car consists of a single lamp cyclops bulb with the words STOP cast into the metal. I agree that the back panel looks hand-made; a prototype limousine perhaps? [For the upscale migrant worker market? Also, the "STOP" is glass as well. - tterrace] Model A BumperLooks like the a modified rear bumper for a Model A ford (The Gallery, Gas Stations, John Vachon)
Outstanding in Their Field: 1939
... potato field. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. File this under "1970s album ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/31/2007 - 2:53pm -

June 1939. Tygart Valley, West Virginia. Homesteaders' daughters in a potato field. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. File this under "1970s album covers that never were." "Shining" ReduxBrings to mind the two little girls in "The Shining" with the man in the background getting ready to "correct" them. Creepy. (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Vachon, Kids)
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