MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page

The Shoe Line: 1943
March 1943. "New Orleans, Louisiana. Line at rationing board." Medium format negative by John Vachon for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 7:23pm -

March 1943. "New Orleans, Louisiana. Line at rationing board." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Good Grooming 101Not a slob in sight. Any one of these people would be considered presentable enough to work in an upscale environment today. Personal pride and self-respect counts for something. It seems to stand out in these old photos above all else. Thanks for this flashback and proof that America's backbone (its people) seemed so much stronger then. Gravier StreetNot 100% percent sure, but the building details and the fire hydrant match perfectly even 67 years later. 522 Gravier Street looking toward Carondelet. View Larger Map RationalityMy grandmother talked about rationing, and how it affected her cooking; the thing in particular I remember was that sugar was rationed so she would carefully hoard it so she could bake birthday cakes for her kids. My mother remembers it because butter also got rationed, but you could get oleomargarine; she hated that because the margarine came in a tub with a separate packet of yellow food coloring. She had the job of kneading the coloring into the otherwise lard-colored and unappetizing oleomargarine. My grandfather on my father's side got a extra gasoline ration because he was a member of the South Carolina Senate & often had to drive back and forth to Columbia (the state capitol). His first cousin was a country doctor and got extra gasoline too, for making house calls etc. And both my parents recalled going out with other kids on scrap metal collecting expeditions to contribute to the war effort. Cruel shoesMy mother remembers the poor quality dress shoes that she could buy back then. She says they were practically cardboard with ribbon, and fell apart if they got wet. She danced at the USO in Dallas, so she needed good shoes for that. But, everyone sacrificed, so that soldiers and Marines could have the materials needed for combat boots. Ration stampsI recently found some of these stamps and tokens in some of my mother's things. I was pretty young, but I remember Mother counting out the stamps at the stores. What exactly is the line for?Are they queueing up for the ration books, or for the shoes themselves? I've seen pictures of clerks in ordinary stores -- butchers and the like -- accepting coupons. Wouldn't shoe stores do the same? The only "rationing" I remember is the "odd and even" system of gasoline sales during the energy crisis of the 1970s. The LineThey are lining up for their ration books. These would include the coupons for the particular product, in this case shoes. If I'm not mistaken - and I could be because Canada used a similar but different system - the coupon books were issued on a monthly basis. I can only imagine that they would stagger the dates to get ration books for various commodities so that you didn't have everyone lining up for everything on the same day. Alternatively, they may have been in the process of changing from one design to another to prevent counterfeiting, which was a major problem. It was good to be a farmer during WWIIAnother great picture! My grandfather was a 32-year-old dairy farmer, on a farm outside of Walla Walla, Washington, as of the start of America's involvement in the war. With so much food required to feed the troops, farmers were essential to the war effort, so they were exempt from the draft. Although they were affected by the rationing of shoes, and other items, they were not affected by the rationing of certain things. Farmers got all of the gasoline they needed. My grandparents still avoided driving their family car more than they needed to, but they definitely benefited from it. Meat rationing didn't affect them much, either, because they could keep enough of whatever food they raised, for their own use. My mother remembers her school having scrap metal drives. Mom also had an uncle who hoarded sugar. He kept several large bags in his basement. Had he been discovered, he could have gone to jail. The war had some interesting effects of my father, who was the son of a divorced mother who really struggled just to provide her children with the very basics. From a very young age, Dad always had a job. Born on November 10th, 1928, he was a little too young to serve in the military, until the very end of the war. The fact that so many of the young men were gone meant that there were jobs available for teenage boys that wouldn't have been, otherwise. At the age of 15, Dad was working as a bartender! Red Dot MargarineSome of my first memories (born on July 4th, 1942) were of my mother taking her clear plastic bag of margarine out of the shopping basket and plopping it down on the kitchen table. In the center of one side the soft mass was a red dot. She would let me play with it for a while, urging me to "make the red disappear." This was more than a child my age at the time (3?) could handle to her satisfaction. But with sufficient kneading and rolling that bag around, it came out yellow, as advertised! Bacon Grease and Toothpaste TubesI was eight years old when the war started. Mom used to save bacon grease, for which we got 2 cents a pound. It was used to make munitions. Toothpaste tubes were made out of tin, which, since the Japanese had taken Malaya, was scarce. If you wanted a new tube, you had to turn in the old one. We had it pretty good, living in New York City. My dad was too old for the war, and suspect anyway, for he was a German. Not many wanted to hire him. He got a job at the Merchant Seaman's YMCA and used to bring home some butter and coffee, which was priceless. He also brought home tales of the survivors, which gave us a clue as to how bad things were going for us in early 1942. The govt kept mum on all the merchant ships being sunk offshore but the people along the New Jersey coast told us about all the bodies and wreckage being washed up every day. (The Gallery, John Vachon, New Orleans, WW2)
A Little Cottage: 1938
... (Thibodaux?) cabin, Franklin vic., St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. Related name: Mrs. Streva." Photo: Frances Benjamin Johnston. View ... were expelled by the British in 1755. Many ended up in Louisiana. From our National Post newspaper telling about a Thibodeau reunion ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/17/2017 - 12:13pm -

1938. "Thebideau (Thibodaux?) cabin, Franklin vic., St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. Related name: Mrs. Streva." Photo: Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Alternate spellingsThis surname could also be spelt Thibedeaux or in several other ways. The first "e" is sometimes rendered as an "i," "a," or "o." As an amateur genealogist, I am often confounded by such alternate spellings, which reflect variations in dialect across Medieval and Renaissance France as well as later modifications made in the New World. Interesting DesignThat porch seems to double as an open-air hallway, giving access to all the rooms. Was that a standard design in those parts, back in the day? Thibodeauis the usual spelling here in Nova Scotia, from whence the Acadians were expelled by the British in 1755. Many ended up in Louisiana. From our National Post newspaper telling about a Thibodeau reunion here in 2013: "Don Thibodeaux, a former accountant from Baton Rouge, La., (Cajuns — Acadians who migrated to Louisiana after the deportation — add an “x” to the surname), traced his line to a spot near Moncton, N.B., only to discover it’s now a bowling alley parking lot." Note that after much wandering, many Acadians were allowed to return to Nova Scotia by the British, who gave some of them land 100 miles away from the fertile valley they had lived before the deportation. My sister-in-law hails from Clare. There is a lively tourism between Cajun country and the Maritime provinces of Canada due to a shared past. Plein Air!Porlock, yup: that is a typical Deep South feature of southern homes built way back BAC (before a/c), to allow fuller ventilation of the rooms. Also typical was a FULL hallway right through the house (a dogtrot), as shown in the below floor plan. The below plan also has the more typical southern arrangement of chimneys on the outer walls, so that the heat from them radiates or escapes out of the house, while the Shorpy example has the chimney in the center. In the north typically, the chimney would either be in the center, or it would cover an entire end wall. In both cases, the chimney would be waaay more massive than structurally necessary to retain heat. The fire would be kept going all winter if possible, with bricks radiating heat all night as the fire died down to embers, to be rejuvenated ASAP in the morning. ThibodeauxOne of the greatest Cajun names ever [of course, I'm a little biased]. I'm a descendant of Pierre Thibodeaux, first settler of that name in Louisiana in the late 1750s. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Nitro Express: 1939
... kidnappings and bank heists in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. He began his criminal ways with a few minor arrests in Florida and ... 1932 he was sentenced to serve 9 to 14 years for a Miden, Louisiana, bank robbery. However, he and two others escaped from the Caddo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/14/2018 - 7:31pm -

October 1939. "Post office in the general store. Lamoille, Iowa." Let's see now. Stamps, ammo, and a case of Iten-Barmettler, please! Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Bullet PointsLook at that Remington poster with the boy and his Indian chief metal silhouette! I've tried to do just that, but only have luck with a punch and hammer. Everything's up to date in LaMoilleSocial Security was so new, they needed a poster explaining that they wanted to hand out money. (My grandfather's Social Security card, which was issued around this time, had a short explanation on the back, too, and gave an address in Washington where you could write for more information. My father's card, issued in the 1950s, had a different, but still relatively friendly, explanation, of how to use it. Mine is full of dire warnings about improper use.) You can also send mail on an AIRPLANE for only 3 cents! Not only that, but you can send insured parcel post packages to France, Italy, and Japan, and registered parcel post packages to Germany! (Limited time offer.) Love that kid's overallsWish I could find some like that today. For the same reason you can't at home.Or maybe Mom has other reasons why you can't spit on the floor. In any case, the sign helpfully offers one explanation. I can think of others, if you need more reasons to refrain. Frost Killer indeed!I'll bet 'ol man Winter didn't dare get close to that No. 218! Real P.O.Would not be an official Post Office if it did not have that wanted poster. Desperado: 1898-1942A thumbnail sketch of Irving Charles Chapman, seen on the Wanted poster at lower right, from Oklahombres.org: Irving Charles Chapman was born on December 29, 1898 in Philadelphia, Mississippi. During the stock market crash in the late 1920s, he lost all of his fortune, and decided to be a criminal instead. He began a series of kidnappings and bank heists in Mississippi, Arkansas and Louisiana. He began his criminal ways with a few minor arrests in Florida and New Jersey, before embarking on a decade-long career as a gangster. In 1932 he was sentenced to serve 9 to 14 years for a Miden, Louisiana, bank robbery. However, he and two others escaped from the Caddo Parish jail at Shreveport on December 5, 1932, by lowering themselves from their eighth-floor cell with a rope made from whatever they could find. Captured in 1934, he was wounded in a gunbattle with police and sentenced to 15 years for a bank robbery in Mississippi. He was turned over to Arkansas, where he received another 15-year term for another bank heist. He escaped from the Tucker Prison (some reports say he escaped from a Little Rock prison) on August 25, 1936, using a pistol taken from the warden's office. Chapman then robbed the First National bank of Atlanta, Texas (twice). He was captured after the second robbery and given a 60-year prison term. He was sent to Eastham Prison Farm, the same one Clyde Barrow was once imprisoned at. He along with infamous Oklahoma bandit Pete Traxler, as well as six others, escaped on June 22, 1937. All were captured or killed except Chapman. In 1939, he shot his way out of a police trap near his home town in Mississippi. In January 1942, he shot Patrolman Ralph McNair at Meridian and escaped. Finally, on February 22, 1942, he drove away from his residence and right into a roadblock. He was shot, and before dying told the police, "Go ahead and shoot, you bastards!" They didn't have to, as he succumbed to his wounds. He was buried at the Sandtown Cemetery at Sandtown, Mississippi. So ended the career of this famous outlaw! The Wanted PosterClick to enlarge. Different country, different decadeBut kind of reminds me of may preschool days when my grandma gave us a little change in order to run down to the neighbourhood grocery shop and have a Kaiser roll filled with a whippet cookie. Yummy. Alas, no more neighbourhood grocery stores. No more running down the street on one's own for a preschooler. And a white flour wheat product filled with foamed sugar and fat? That's just sooo nutritionally incorrect. Sam Drucker Seal of ApprovalWhile looking a little beat down in the photo, a nice condition Eclipse/Tappen "Frost Killer" stove today at auction might go for around $2,000+. Whether ol' No. 218 is still in the mix somewhere, who knows? WantedIRVING CHARLES CHAPMAN, for Bank Robbery It has an ageThat Eclipse #218 "Frost Killer" stove predates 1920, the year that the Tappan family of Mansfield, Ohio, changed the name of their stove company from Eclipse to Tappan. I'm undecided about whether the storekeeper is burning coal or wood (it could use either), but I am fairly certain that the stains below the firebox door are evidence of sitters-and-spitters-and-whittlers getting cranked up for the winter. And the case of Iten Barmettler? It's either crackers or cookies, both of which the Iten Barmettler Biscuit Company of Omaha made for years. They must be brothers The postmaster and the coffee grinder in this: https://www.shorpy.com/node/22928 Sure look as if they could be brothers. [They are the same person. -tterrace] [In the same store. - Dave] (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Kids, Stores & Markets)
Highway Lighthouse: 1926
... of the state, it is announced from-the offices of the Louisiana Highway Commission, which has just entered into a contract with the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 9:54pm -

Rockville, Maryland, circa 1926. "Montgomery County Motor Co." What caught my eye is the "Highway Lighthouse" on the left, emblazoned with an ad for Studebakers. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Gas pumpsI love those old gravity gas dispensers. When I was a kid in the 50's there was one small gas station that still used them. Gasoline was pumped into the chamber at the top with a crank until the level indicator reached the desired gallons, then you emptied the contents into your tank. Hopefully it didn't run over before the chamber was empty. Take a telegram quick!Once somebody collided with the lighthouse "Signal" (which seems inevitable), I wonder how they were going to notify the company, 200 miles away and with no telephone number and only the city given. Highway LighthouseThey're road hazard signs with room for an ad, apparently; owned by American Gas Accumulator Co. [At this location at least, it seems to have offered free air for your tires. Another photo shows an air hose at the base. - Dave] Self PortraitGotcha, Self portrait of the photographer or at least his camera, 2nd window from the left, right side, just about center. Some type of twin lens view camera, on top of or behind a car parked across the street. [I think you're imagining things. It would be impossible to see the camera's reflection unless the windows were perpendicular to its line of sight. - Dave] Amazing!Four different brands of gasoline within 50 feet, three of them at one business on the right. Watch out - but watch thisFrom the Ruston (LA) Leader, July 27, 1931: SAFETY LIGHTS WILL BE PUT ON HIGHWAYS A hundred flashing safety lights are being installed in dangerous places on the highways of the state, it is announced from-the offices of the Louisiana Highway Commission, which has just entered into a contract with the Highway Lighthouse Co., New York, for the installation. The company agrees to "Install and maintain the lights In return for the privilege of selling advertising on one side of the base." [Below: Ad from 1922. - Dave] The Lighthouse Comes InlandAs precursors to the electric traffic signal, these were a fascinating technological dead end -- a terrestrial version of the acetylene-lamp buoys that were used as channel markers. Also interesting as a study in advertising -- the sponsored traffic light. I wonder what happened when a car ran into one at 50 mph -- kaboom? The developer of the highway lighthouse, Nobel laureate Gustav Dalen (inventor of the sun valve), was blind, having lost his vision when one of his experiments exploded. Click to enlarge. No telegram necessaryThe telephone number is provided: Elizabeth 2900. The call would go to the local operator who would call the operator closest to Elizabeth, New Jersey. The connection would be made, or a call back would be made back to the Rockville operator, who would then pass the phone to the caller. The telegraph would probably be cheaper. Having grown up in Rockville,albeit many, many years after this photo, it is a treat to see. Rockville maintained that ambiance into the sixties. Sherry Seiberling TiresHenrietta Seiberling was married into the Akron, Ohio rubber industry dynasty. Mrs. Seiberling was active in society and social reform. She created an "alcoholic squad" within her Christian fellowship to address the tragedy of chronic, untreated alcoholism. In 1933, Mrs Seiberling introduced an Easterner, Bill Wilson, to Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio. The three, and others, continued meeting regularly under the auspices of the Oxford Groups, a broadly defined ministry association, to help alleviate the effects of alcoholism. By 1937, Wilson and Smith had split from the Oxford Groups to form their own fellowship: Alcoholics Anonymous. InsideThe showroom of the dealership can be seen here. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
The Lettermen: 1915
... in 1898 (started Jan 1, 1899). The Floral Clock at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis World's Fair) of 1904 also used his ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2014 - 11:26am -

Circa 1915. "Mailman and truck," location unknown. Collection times 6:15 a.m. to noon. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. H-pattern gearshiftThe lever closest to the driver is almost certainly for shifting gears. At its base is a gate mechanism with two arched parallel slots with a path between them at the halfway point. This to to enforce the H-pattern. Why two levers?I was surprised to see the mailman has a driver. What are the two levers for by his right knee. One looks like a parking brake. What's the other one for? Where is it today?That delivery truck, so beautiful! As late as the 1970s, in Queens NY City, we had a cast iron mailbox like this mounted on a cement pole. When the lid flapped closed it did so with a dull THUD. Not Entirely UnknownWell we do know it's at the intersection of Waverly Place and some other road, surely some intrepid individual can put match it to a city. Mail PeriodThere's that obligatory period again. Right after mail. Re: Why two levers?The other may be to disengage the transmission and/or to switch from forward to reverse. Right-hand-drive vehicleThe mailbox says US mail so we know it is the United States at least. Why then is it the truck right-hand-drive? Is it so the driver is closer to the edge of the road so he can put stuff in some letterboxes without leaving his seat? [All U.S. mail delivery vehicles are right-hand drive for that very reason. -tterrace] Re: Right-Hand Drivetterrace is correct about USPS delivery vehicles still being right-hand drive. However, in c.1915, many, if not most, US-built commercial trucks were right-hand drive, regardless of application. I don't know why trucks were often right-hand drive when passenger cars had already become uniformly left-hand drive in the U.S. It seems that by the end of WWI, American trucks had mostly become left-hand drive. Sorting?Wonder if the mailman has a driver in order that he can perform sorting or other similar tasks as he is being chauffeured about on his route. Scenically, I noted that the lampposts are equipped with the "arms" on which the "Old Lamplighter" would rest his ladder when tending the lamps. Photo op does make more sense, tterrace. Semper vigilans! Playing post officeThere's no telling what the purpose of this photo is, so it may not fully reflect real postal operations. One guess is that it was to illustrate the Post Office Department's use of motorized vehicles, and the idea was to make the shot more interesting by having a larger cast and more action, as it were. Normally there'd be no reason for postal employees to be traveling in pairs. Anyway, in actual practice, the only reason a carrier would service a collection box of that size would be to remove the outgoing mail, and any processing, including sorting, would be done back at the post office, not in the truck. St. Louis?Due to the victorian homes, I cross searched victorian homes with Waverly Place and came up with a bit of St. Louis history. [The National Photo Company operated in just the Washington, D.C. area, though. -tterrace] Motorized Postal ServiceI fall in with tterrace and think this might have been a photo op showcasing the motorization of the postal force; it coincides with the retirement of the last postal horses in Washington. The letterbox being emptied appears similar to the drop-bottom design patented by Dr. S. Clifford Cox of Washington, DC. More info at previous Shorpy post Letterbox: 1912. The center of Bethesda, Maryland has a short Waverly Street but the area is so redeveloped that Google Maps doesn't yield any obvious matches. Washington Post, June 6, 1915. Motors Only to Carry Mail Last Horse Soon to Be Dropped From Service Here. The horseless age is not a dream of the distant future. At least, it is not in so far as Uncle Sam's Washington mail service is concerned. Within the next 90 days, it develops from an announcement yesterday, the last “Old Dobbin” on the city postoffice force will be thrown into the discard and the service will be placed entirely on a motor basis. Only sixteen horses have survived the rapid motorization of the service so far, and those are slated to go. The complete motorization of the service was brought measurably nearer last week when the horse-driven collection wagons in use of in the eastern section of the city were superseded by automobiles. Right-hand drive: deliberate, or default?Although Americans have driven on the right-hand side of the road since at least the 1790s, Henry Ford was the first person to persuasively argue the case for a driver sitting on the left, in 1908. Even in 1915, most vehicles (including this non-Ford) by default had the controls on the right, and the USPS (like many fleet owners) had not yet learned the wisdom of limiting the number of different makes and models in service. But it seems that in 1954, Popular Mechanics felt their readers would find a right-hand drive mail truck (the Jeep many of us recall from our youth) a "Continental" novelty. I was wondering why the USPS website had such a large gap in their collection of historical mail vehicles. Oh, of course. Depression budget cuts, followed by wartime rationing. It seems that in the interim, the Ford Model A was the postal truck of choice. Anybody in the DC area (hint, hint) care to walk or take the Metro to the National Postal Museum and tell me if this one is right-hand drive? Why mailmen driveThe driving letter carrier (aka "mailman") is largely a post-WWII development. Prior to that, carriers mostly walked, except in rural areas. Vehicles were mostly used to transport mail between postal stations, deliver parcel post and carrier relay mail - segments of the carriers' load placed in special boxes (the ones marked "not for deposit of mail") to access as they progressed along the route. After the war, the growth of suburbia and the increasing volume of mail made this system increasingly impractical; having the carriers take all their own mail, including parcel post, was more efficient. The carriers you see walking today are using the park-and-loop method; rather than driving to each address, they'll park, take a satchel of several blocks' worth of mail and follow a circular path from the truck and back, then drive to the next point and repeat the process. Right-Hand Drive"[All U.S. mail delivery vehicles are right-hand drive for that very reason. -tterrace]" Not all. I had an ex-Postal Delivery Jeep (1968 Kaiser DJ-5) with a steering wheel on the left side. A limited number of them were made in this fashion for Postal Inspectors, mechanics and supervisors. Of course, the primary heat outlets were STILL on the right side for my non-existent passenger. But it was the best $750 I ever spent on a car. However, you're right in that all Mail Delivery trucks had right-hand drive. MilwaukeeThis exact picture is shown in the book Motorized Mail by James H. Bruns and published by the Smithsonian Institution in 1997. The caption states the following on page 83 (paragraphing added). "In 1911, the Post Office Department tested 'drop bottom' mailboxes in 20 cities, including Milwaukee, Wisconsin where this half-ton Johnson Service Co. 'light delivery wagon' was used for collections. The Milwaukee made vehicle was powered by a four-cylinder, 35-hp gasoline engine. "The idea for drop bottom boxes came from David C. Owens, Milwaukee's postmaster. 'The idea appealed to me,' Owens said, 'when I first became postmaster and being formerly in the coal business, where drop bottom cars have become generally used, I thought the same principle could be applied to the mailbox. In this way, the carrier can empty a dozen or more boxes in the same time as he could empty one by the old method of reaching in and hauling the mail out by hand.' "This type of box was basically the same as the others then in use, except that instead of removing mail from the front or side, these had a hinged bottom that would automatically dump all the contents into the carrier's sack as soon as it was unlocked. The first 500 drop bottom boxes were manufactured in Milwaukee by the A.O. Smith Co." The Johnson Service Co. made a variety of steam and gas vehicles from 1901 to 1912. "Johnson" is Professor Warren S. Johnson (1847 - 1911) of the State Normal School, now the University of Wisconsin - Whitewater, who received a patent for the first electric room thermostat. His company, which began in 1885, survives today and is now known as Johnson Controls. Since 1978 the firm has again been involved with automobiles - first with making batteries and gradually adding the ability to make all of the interior parts of a vehicle. You may have seen Johnson's handiwork when visiting Philadelphia. His pneumatic time system was installed in the Philadelphia City Hall Clock in 1898 (started Jan 1, 1899). The Floral Clock at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition (St. Louis World's Fair) of 1904 also used his invention (the clock works still exist). Noon? Or later?Even though it does look like "12:00 P.M." in the photo, I wonder if it isn't a blurry 10:00 P.M. instead. A few things occur to me. One is that the Post Office used to collect mail typically throughout the day, with both morning and afternoon (and sometimes evening) collection times. Another is that the lower part of the placard is divided into two sections, which may be an early version of the two-column A.M./P.M. format that the Post Office used for many years. If so, what we're seeing are two morning times and two afternoon/evening times. Also, it's a fairly modern thing to refer to noon as "12:00 P.M." In 1915 they would have (correctly) said "12:00 Noon." [The card says "12:00 P.M." - Dave] So it does! And the two sections at the bottom of the placard are Sunday and holiday collection times. Thanks for the detail. Thing is, if Sunday collections were at 8:20 A.M. and 9:45 P.M. and holiday collections were at 9:30 A.M. and 9:25 P.M., then "12:00 P.M." almost certainly means midnight. Probably a limitation of having "A.M." and "P.M." preprinted on the placard. Location Found! Just came across this image. I thought the street sign said Waverly Pl, which is on the lower east side of Milwaukee. Drove around street view until I came across the intersection of Waverly Pl and Juneau Ave. This is looking east down Juneau. The peaked roof building in the background is the key. This neighborhood still has a number of beautiful mansion-quality homes, but so many have fallen to the wrecking ball in favor of parking lots and faceless apartment buildings. Oh, to travel time. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Natl Photo)
iTunes: 1939
... strawberry picker playing guitar in his tent near Hammond, Louisiana." Safety negative by Russell Lee. View full size. Germ ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 7:09pm -

April 1939. "White migrant strawberry picker playing guitar in his tent near Hammond, Louisiana." Safety negative by Russell Lee. View full size. Germ Processed Motor OilConoco developed a process for making motor oil from corn "germ" (hypocotyl) back in the early 1930s. Sign of the timesFunny how they felt it was necessary to point out that he is white. Well, on second thoughtMaybe he was picking white migrant strawberries. Bringing bad luckI don't know if I just have strange relatives (well yes I do, but I digress) or if it is a common superstition, but as far back as I can remember, we were warned NEVER to place a hat on a bed because a hat on a bed was a sign of impending death to someone close to you. Whenever I mention that today, people think I'm crazy (well maybe I am, but aren't we all?). Its a lot like breaking a mirror but worse. [You and Matt Dillon. - Dave] Castrol etc."Germ-Processed" motor oil came from castor beans, not corn, and was paraffin based. Castrol (a contraction of "castor oil") was one such product. In his pocketI'm trying to figure out what is in his pocket, and is it attached to that string? [A pack of cigarettes. I recall having this discussion earlier about a different guitar player, but can't find it in the comments. Help! - Dave] That rolling pinmay explain the shoes. Or vice versa (let's hope). Strung OutThe University of North Carolina Libraries have some interesting details about Tobacco Bag Stringing. Not Just a MoviePerhaps a packet of rolling tobacco? Completely fascinatedIt's like looking into a frozen moment in time in every detail. Extremely fascinating as all these images are. What is funny is to read the comments and how people tend to post flippant comments with absolutely no concept of perspective the time period and the situation. I see a young man living in a tent enjoying a short respite away from the rigor of hard work and poverty in extreme focus. Pointing out that he is a white migrant strawberry picker is not different if he were black and the title read black migrant strawberry picker. The moment, circumstance and situation would remain the same. So much detail and oddly enough beauty caught in one frame. It is amazing to me. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Music, Russell Lee)
Old New Orleans: 1906
New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1906. "Old French courtyard on Royal Street." 8x10 inch dry ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:04pm -

New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1906. "Old French courtyard on Royal Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's still there.Courtesy of Bing's Bird's Eye View and Google Streetview: this is 729, 731 and 733 Royal Street, New Orleans. The cistern is gone, the awful enclosed porch over the tunnel has been removed and the neighborhood seems to have gone more upscale since 1906 but the building survives in fine shape. Potato patioToo poor to paint, too proud to whitewash? AccretionReminds me a little of how corals build a reef. Sisters a-courtingThere's a popular restaurant in New Orleans by the name of the Court of Two Sisters. This isn't it. Thinking of that name compels me to name this photo the Court of Five Sisters. There's four women to be seen and that water tank is a ... cistern. You can tell it's Frenchby the plumbing. Porch railingOn the upper left. It took me a long time in looking at it to realize why it looked like it was leaning outwards instead of straight up and down. It's the stays, not sure if that's what they're called, that are placed at an angle instead of up and down. Creole TownhouseThe planking on the facade is a late extension. Are those stables on the right? Stella!Sorry, couldn't resist. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans)
Fires for Jewish People: 1909
... about her doing this in the 1920s and 1930s in Thibodaux, Louisiana. There were one or two Jewish families in Thibodaux, and I guess my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/13/2012 - 4:00pm -

October 1909. Boston, Massachusetts. "Fire - Fire - I want to make the fire. An Italian boy on Salem Street Saturday morning, offering to make fires for Jewish People." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. A very young Shabbes GoyAs Orthodox Jews are prohibited from lighting fires on the Sabbath, from sundown Friday to just after sundown Saturday, the custom arose of hiring Gentiles to light fires for them. The person who did this was called a "Shabbes Goy" (Sabbath Gentile) in Yiddish. This was a necessity in cold winter climates like Eastern Europe or North America; presumably it was not quite so necessary in the ancient Middle East, where the Sabbath customs and prohibitions were first formulated. The boy in the picture will probably have to wait until the end of the Sabbath to get paid for his efforts, as handling money is also prohibited on the Sabbath. The 39 MelachotThe 39 Melachot. Today, kindling (making) a fire includes using switches, such as light or elevator. The "fire" is the electrical spark made when the contacts touch. Snow in AugustThere's a great book (and also a pretty good movie) built around the concept of the "Sabbath Goy" (as they call it in the book) called "Snow in August."" My Grandfather used to do thatHe'd also help them with small tasks they could not do on the sabbath. This was probably also in the 1920's. He spoke Polish, German, Russian, French and English so he became a helpful gentile for the mix of Jewish groups in Holyoke. In UK tooMy grandfather used to say that he used to do this in Liverpool for Orthodox Jewish families - he was born in 1899. I was always a bit dubious about this - but thanks Shorpy, it appears he was telling the truth. Even in the Arab WorldMy grandfather, a Sephardic Jew from Morocco, used to say his family had servants to do all the prohibited things on the sabbath. I wondered about this because the Islamic Sabbath, like the Jewish, is on Saturday, and while I'm not aware of exactly what behaviors are prohibited for Moslems on that day, it is hard to imagine hiring an Arab or Berber to violate the Sabbath so you don't have to. The basis of the Sabbath Goy in Europe and the US is the fact that Christians use a different day of the week for their Sabbath than Jews. The phrase "Shabbes Goy" is Yiddish, a language that was not used by Sephardic Jews, another indicator that this should not have happened in the Arab world. But my grandfather said it did. However, I'm also remembering that in French North Africa, as you can find out just by reading Albert Camus's novels, slavery was legal. It might be that my great-grandfather's "servants" were the kind that could neither quit nor say no. I remember whenI did this In late 30s-40s for a Orthodox Jewish family next door also on there Holidays, had my eye on their (Shana Mattel ??) girl, she thought I was a nice Italian boy!! Not just in New YorkMy mother told me about her doing this in the 1920s and 1930s in Thibodaux, Louisiana. There were one or two Jewish families in Thibodaux, and I guess my mother was the most reliable, or cute, kid available. [This photo was taken in Boston. - Dave] Shabbos ElevatorsMany Orthodox Jews living in NYC opt for apartments on lower floors to avoid using elevators on the Sabbath. In some other situations, Senior residences or Assisted Living situations etc, the use of a Sabbath Elevator is permitted. That type of lift operates continuously, stopping at each floor as it goes up or comes down. So that the resident does not have to press a floor button. [There are also Shabbos kitchen appliances. My refrigerator has a "Sabbath" setting that keeps the inside light on from late Friday to late Saturday, even when the door is closed. - Dave] Dave I hope you're kidding about the light going out when the door is closed. I had more than one customer that drunkenly drilled a hole in the Fridge to see if the light really goes out when the door is closed. Mom was a GentileIn the 1950s, Mom was a nanny for a Jewish family that kept Kosher. Even though she was a Gentile, she had to observe the same practices that the family did. I suppose that practices can vary from place-to-place. SabbathI thought (in fact I'm sure as my daughter lives in the UAE) that the Islamic Holy Day is Friday, not Saturday. And there are no restrictions on what can be done, only a requirement for prayer. (The Gallery, Boston, Kids, Lewis Hine)
8th and K: 1923
... Pimiento mayonnaise is delicious. Here's a recipe from a Louisiana cookbook I own that was printed in 1895: 1 cup mayonnaise 1 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 10:36am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Hopwood furniture, 8th and K." A slice of life from the intersection of Then and Now. National Photo glass negative. View full size. NowView Larger Map Re: Old 54I thought it odd as well that '54' would be considered one of the oldest businessmen in Washington. Nonetheless, I double-checked the Washington Post article and also verified the age from census records. I think the hyperbole could be more a testament to his many years in business rather then his age. I find the ghost...... with the child looking at the deli (is it a boy with a cap?) to be particularly touching. Quite likely they are both literally ghosts now. Pimiento MaysA quick Google search turns up nothing for "pimiento mays." If it was a manufactured product, rather than a signature recipe of the Broadway Delicatessen Stores chain (?), it was an awful obscure one. [Google doesn't do 1923 very well. But I'll bet it's there now. - Dave] DCOn a recent trip to Washington, I was struck how, for such an historic city, the downtown area is quite lacking in period detail. The area depicted in this, and a few recent Shorpy posts, is evidence of that. So much has been replaced with huge, modern office towers. You really get no sense of the city's true age, when, with few exceptions, the only prewar structures are the obvious and overscrubbed government buildings. I sure wish more blocks like this one still existed. [Right across from the buildings in our photo is the ancient D.C. public library. Also you will want to tour period-rich Anacostia. - Dave] Pimiento MaysSounds like the ideal condiment to make that iconic Southern sandwich spread, pimento cheese. Details, for non-Southerners, from a source near that site: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6877304 I hope ...that someone points the Bealls' descendants in this direction and one of them can look up the *authentic* recipe for pimiento mays. I'd eat it. Hell, I'd buy it. Broadway Deli Washington Post, Jul 17, 1927 Largest Delicatessen in D.C. Broadway Co., Now Doing $100,000 Business, Had Small Start. In June 1918, William E. Beall started the Broadway Delicatessen in a small basement room at the corner of Eighth and I streets, just a little more than a block from his present location. At the time he was "boss," and the only employee. A little more that a year later Beall opened at 714 K street northwest, paying a rental of $250 monthly. His gas bill alone as $150 a month, and now he employs 25 people. Six years later Mr. Beall bought the building at the corner of Eighth and K streets northwest, remodeling and fixtures amounting to $25,000. The business has more than doubled itself in his new home. In volume, he is doing more than $100,000 annually, and asked what he attributed his success, Mr. Beall said, "Experience. Without experience, capital would have been very little good to me." ... Broadway Delicatessen Store This class of puddings you cannot make yourself for 30¢ a pound. Why Cook This Hot Weather? To Improve a Club Sandwich, Add a little "Pimiento Mays" Still on the menuTheir deli menu is pretty much what is available today at most supermarkets. Back then roast chicken was $1.25 to $1.75; today it will be around $5.90 to $7.90 at the stores where I shop. Don't see fried chicken, though; good friend chicken is hard to find. I guess these menus count as good old American cooking. I have not had a pimento cheese sandwich in a long time. Memories of my grandmother, who could make pimento cheese but couldn't fry chicken to save her life, but my mother certainly could. Her big cast iron skillet was the one thing everyone wanted to inherit. "Bring Bucket"I am so sad. Nowadays, to what fine food purveyor may you bring a bucket to fetch you some clam chowder? (See ad below.) "Authentic" recipe"Mays" was a common 19th century abbreviation of mayonnaise. Pimiento mayonnaise is a much older item than the Bealls' restaurant chain, and probably dates from the 1700s. Their recipe is no more "authentic" than anyone else's. Pimiento mayonnaise is delicious. Here's a recipe from a Louisiana cookbook I own that was printed in 1895: 1 cup mayonnaise 1 cup fresh pimiento peppers*, seeded, chopped, and steamed or simmered until very soft, then cooled, minced finely, and crushed in a mortar and pestle 1/4 cup minced sweet onion 2 tbsp minced parsley zest of one lemon, minced Salt to taste Tabasco Sauce to taste Drain crushed pimientos and reserve any liquid. Add pimientos to mayonnaise with other ingredients and whisk to blend. Adjust thickness with reserved pimiento liquid if necessary. Serve immediately. I use bottled pimientos, well-drained, and I blend the ingredients together using an immersion blender. This saves having to mince everything and it produces a smoother product. Melvin Hopwood Washington Post, May 23, 1924 Melvin H. Hopwood, Business Man, Dies Was Identified With Movements for Betterment of the City Melvin H. Hopwood, 54 years old, one of the city's oldest business men, died yesterday at his home 1101 Florida avenue northeast, after an illness of 14 weeks. For nearly 30 years Mr. Hopwood conducted the furniture store at Eighth and K streets northwest. He was identified with all movements for the betterment of the city and was prominent in the Board of Trade and Chamber of Commerce. He was a member of the Douglas Memorial M.E. Church, eleventh and H streets northeast. He was born in Frederick, Md. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Betty Hopwood, two daughters, Mrs. Daisy Thour, of this city, and Mrs. Edna Sanford, of Miami, Fla.: two sons, Thomas E., and Mason, and to grandchildren, Anna Mae Thour and Betty Brown Sanford. Funeral services will be held at his home at 2 o'clock Sunday afternoon. The Rev. J.O. Wrightson will officiate. Interment will bin the Fort Lincoln cemetery. Washington Post, Jun 1, 1924 ... Melvin H. Hopwood, who died May 22, left an estate valued at $100,000 according to the petition for letters testamentary filed yesterday by his widow, Mrs. Battie L. Hopwood, who is named sole beneficiary in the will. The estate includes his home at 1101 Florida avenue northeast. ... Old 54Could Mr. Hopwood, at age 54, really be one of the oldest businessmen in D.C.? Age 84 seems more like it. Thank you, Charlene!Now to find a jar of pimientos, because that sounds great. Heh, I work there now.I'm in the bit linking the two buildings in the Street View. Seriously. Double ExposureHas anyone else noticed the double exposure in this photo? Right behind the parked car there is a woman holding a baby. [This is a long exposure, not really a double exposure. There are many others to be seen here on Shorpy, populated by legions of ghost pedestrians. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Levee Work: 1903
New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1903. "Mule teams on the levee." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:35pm -

New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1903. "Mule teams on the levee." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Keep OffIt seems the only way to get this photo was to disobey the signs. JAXThe brewery has the only public washrooms in the French Quarter, a dangerous situation in a city that sells beer on the streets! Jax BreweryThe Brewery is now shops. BreathtakingThe photographer had a true artist's eye. R.R.sCan anyone identify the A&V and S.I.C.V. railroads? Reporting MarkI've only been able to find the A&V which was the Alabama & Vicksburg. The SICL (not SICV) is a mystery. All that's leftbesides the Jax Brewery is one of the four industrial buildings about midway down the levee (and the corner of Clay and Bienville) and I think that's the spire of St. Patrick's Church in the background. Thanks for showing us a long-gone New Orleans. The railroadsare the Alabama & Vicksburg, which ran between Meridian and Vicksburg. It later became part of the Illinois Central's greater Meridian to Shreveport line. The road has quite the history; it was first proposed in the 1830s. As for the SICL (figuring this out took me a good half-hour), it's the Southern Iron Car Line, which according to The Railway Age of December 9, 1904, was a freight car provider. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, New Orleans, Railroads)
House Without Windows: 1938
... to the next wood-lot and start over. Though Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi had more acres planted in cotton, the fields there ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/07/2009 - 1:09pm -

May 1938. New Madrid County, Missouri. "House without windows. Home of sharecropper cut-over farmers of Mississippi bottoms." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. You are my sunshineHow heartbreaking to know that these beautiful, innocent youngsters were in a home with no windows, no sunlight, no birds to look at, no flowers, trees, rain, only darkness, like solitary confinement. A home with no windows is like living in a bunker or an airplane hangar. I hope life became brighter for all of them at some point but it is difficult to see how they could have kept from getting depressed. They lived like ground moles. ChangeSometimes things do change for the better. It's amazing what was allowed or condoned and even thought "normal" just under 75 years ago. Cut-Over FarmersBy the 1930's, Depression-ravaged farm families - both Black and White - were moving out of the Deep South to cut bottomland timber and farm cotton on shares in the cleared land of the Missouri Delta. The sharecropper would be paid in shares to clear bottomland (much of the timber was sold for fuel or to turpentine mills). After the bottomland was cleared of timber, it would be planted in cotton and corn. Much of this bottomland soil washed away once the timber was removed - so only a few years of cash crops were possible -- then the sharecropper would move on to the next wood-lot and start over. Though Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi had more acres planted in cotton, the fields there were depleted and infested by weevils. The newly-cleared Missouri Delta cotton fields were marginal due to cooler weather, but outperformed the played-out croplands farther south. Still, the collapse of crop prices in the early 30's left many farm families living on relief or in poverty. A good resource is "The Final Frontiers, 1880-1930: Settling the Southern Bottomlands" by John Solomon Otto. House w/o WindowsSo they're running Linux? A hole in the wallWindows are not the be-all and end-all. That house looks pretty decent to me. It's solid, raised, with an amazing roof (beautiful hand-cut shakes), and it's pretty large. True, they had no washing machine, microwave, toaster, internet, and the other things that make us feel superior. Eskimos in Alaska, where I'm from (and many others), lived in mostly underground sod houses without windows; did this make them less connected to nature? Now that more than half of humanity is living in cities, I think the problem is pretty much the opposite you mentioned. It's impossible to tell from this photo, but maybe that family was more loving, aware, responsible, active, and connected to nature than anyone you or I know. In and OutI think the children probably left the house instead of staying in to play video games. The solitary confinement is a bit of a stretch, and the lack of windows might have been handy in the wintertime. "Missouri Delta"That term threw me for a minute. I was born in Poplar Bluff and am somewhat familiar with the region even though we moved from there in my childhood. My confusion was from knowing that the Missouri River runs into the Mississippi at St. Louis, which is about 100 miles north of New Madrid. And there really is no delta there. So even for this Missourian, it was interesting to learn that bottomland of the Mississippi River as it meanders along the bootheel area of southern Missouri is indeed called the Missouri Delta. I would assume the vast expanse of the Big Muddy snaking back and forth through there gives it the look of a delta. But I'm calling it a technical misnomer, yet I wouldn't go so far as to start any arguments over it with the locals...especially since I was raised by a pair of them to be a polite gentleman. Low paymentsTrue, it's a crummy house, but it's brand new (new boards still visible on ground) and cost little more than the labor in it. Remember labor? Is that...the family shoe I see out in the yard? Gimme glass!I just pictured myself walking into that scene with an old storm window with intact glass. The smiles that would light their faces as Dad and Mom ran to get tools to cut the hole into which the new Real Glass window would fit. I'm sure the glass was simply too expensive for them and it was on the Wish List alongside a fine fat turkey and a bushel of apples. As tragic as it seems that they didn't have windows, they DID have a house, and it looks like they had food, far more than far too many families then, and now. [These people were tenant farmers, or sharecroppers. Their landlord (the property owner) would have built the shack. - Dave] Sad but true.As sad as this picture is, as recently as 10-15 years ago there were still plenty of people living like this in "the Delta." Not long ago, I was working not far from where this photo was taken. I was steering around an old shack in the middle of a cotton field and wondering how long it had been vacant. 1940? 1930? Surely, no one had lived in it for 50 years. The shack was identical to this shack only it had a few glassless windows, a corrugated tin roof and a porch. After a couple days, I finally passed by when a lady was on the front porch enjoying the morning air from her rocking chair. It wasn't vacant, it was very lived in. A funny thing about the Missouri side of the Mississippi Delta are the rural, non-engineered roads. You're driving in flat, treeless bottomland yet the roads meander all over. They began as paths meandering through the woods connecting shacks and clearings in the trees. As the shacks and trees were cleared off and the land turned to farming soybeans and corn, the meandering roads remain in place as they were 100 years ago. The world was their "window"People then spent most of their waking hours outdoors, not cooped up inside; that was reserved for cooking and eating, doing chores like mending, and sleeping. Today, most people spend much more time inside, and even when we're outside, it's most often in a city or suburb at best, not the open country they had. (The Gallery, Kids, Russell Lee)
Open Floorplan: 1938
1938. Iberville Parish, Louisiana. "Belle Grove." The rear of the mansion. 8x10 inch safety negative by ... building was left vacant for years. Deterioration Louisiana is a harsh environment - the constant humidity isn't just present in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:05pm -

1938. Iberville Parish, Louisiana. "Belle Grove." The rear of the mansion. 8x10 inch safety negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Sic Gloria MundiDecay caught mid-stride. This photo was taken about 10 [actually more like 20] years after Belle Grove had been abandoned. About ten years down the road [14 years -- 1952], what was left of the carcass caught fire and was leveled. The house was built in three wings. The man is standing in the central hall of the main wing, the front door can be seen in yesterday's photo. The door to his left and gallery of windows are the remains of the dining room. The fallen catwalk was originally a balcony facing the sugar fields that made up the plantation. No doubt this is where the owners took guests to show off their property, real and "personal". The wing to the right held the kitchen and domestic slaves' quarters, while the arches below gave access to the carriage houses, jail, and storage. There is no basement: the house is yards from the Mississippi River and the water table is too high. The third wing had collapsed some years earlier and was positioned in the foreground. Had it survived, the man would be at the foot of a vast, circular staircase to his right. The treads are gone, but diagonal bands of plaster can still be seen. The wing also held guest rooms and the library. The bricks have long disappeared to scavengers. Contrary to rumor, there was no ballroom in the attic. It's just a confabulation that borrows on the grandeur of the Knickerbocker Hotel. The mansion went through many hands in its last years, each new owner vowing to restore it. I suspect the house could not be saved. It's well photographed, and even the first generation of post-abandonment pictures show cracks in walls that are well out of plumb: the muddy land just slipped out from under the foundations and the rest was inevitable. Belle GroveThanks for the new visits to our site! Jason http://bellegrove.net So quickly to ruinHow odd that such a magnificent structure didn't even last 100 years. There are stone and brick buildings all over the world that are hundreds, even thousands, of years old and in better shape than this. I'd complain to the general contractor for sure, I think he cheaped it out with the masonry subs. How beautiful it must have been!I grew up in a wonderful antebellum home (c. 1840) in Mississippi. It certainly didn't have 75 rooms (about one-third that). The large windows were to allow cooling breezes to come in off the river, as the heat could be unbearable. The high ceilings help to concentrate the hot air near the top, and the house was elevated off the bottomland to help shield the residents from the "unhealthy vapors." Thankfully, we had the luxury of window air conditioners! My old home was sold years ago, but it has been kept in fine repair and dazzles on Pilgrimage tours today. (I sure with I had that house today!) So sad Belle Grove died a tragic death. Kind of makes you wonder what went on there. Belle Grove's DemiseAlthough vandals and scavengers did their destructive worst to Belle Grove, it is generally believed that her demise came about due to her roof. Over the years after her abandonment, her roof was not maintained, which allowed rainwater to seep into her attic. The water continued downward, dissolving plaster and rotting wood. As vandals broke windows and smashed doors and shutters, more rainwater entered. Had the roof been maintained, and the windows and doors boarded up, less destruction would have occurred. At that point, Belle Grove's new owners could have put their full attention toward shoring up the foundation, which - through fraught with problems - could have been fixed. I can fix this.All I need is duct tape, super glue, a multi tool, and two weeks, tops! Not the builder's faultI read a little last night about Belle Glade Grove, and the damage seen here was mostly caused by scavengers looting for woodwork, fittings, used bricks, etc. They brought down that wall, and the weather finished the damage. The building was left vacant for years. DeteriorationLouisiana is a harsh environment - the constant humidity isn't just present in the warm seasons, but also during the winter. Hard freezes followed by quick thaws and long scorching summers wear out even the strongest structures quickly. Building foundations also tend to shift and buckle, since there's not much - if any - bedrock under the southern half of the state. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Galaxie 500: 1964
... our school bus driving by the Ford dealer in Houma, Louisiana, and seeing the windows covered in Kraft paper. Mysterious and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/21/2016 - 5:47pm -

June 23, 1964. "Ford showroom in Wheaton, Maryland." 35mm negative by Warren K. Leffler for U.S. News & World Report. View full size. My Galaxie 500 TodayI have owned this 1966 Galaxie 500 since September 1997. It just celebrated its 50th birthday in May, which makes it as old now as the Model T touring car in the background of the showroom. My car is unrestored and perfectly driveable, and was purchased from the original owner. Galaxie 500s that survive today are but a mere number of the thousands that were produced. Got my license the day they started makin' Mustangs! I cruised the local Ford dealer regularly as my license was burning a hole in my pocket. Newly minted, it was my key to freedom. I remember seeing the first Mustang, $2368 base price, FOB Dearborn. Shipping to Indianapolis was $53. There was also an original Cobra, I think with a 289, fenced off from lookie-loos, with the oddball rear facing shift lever. A drag-race version of the Ford Custom 2-door, with heater, radio and rear-seat delete options, in whitest-of-white made an appearance also. It had a 4-on-the-floor and a 406 under the hood, and black sidewall tires. Carpet? Ha, rubber floor mats did the job just fine. Compared alongside the 4-door hardtop next to it, a Galaxie 500 with front bucket seats and a floor-mounted Cruise-O-Matic shift lever, it was a stripped wasteland. The new 'feature' of the 64 full-size models was the dual-action lower A-arm front suspension, which allowed the wheel to 'kick back' when it encountered a pothole. Most were replaced when tire wear became a factor. When winning NASCAR races became problematic with the T-Bird style chopped roofline, a fastback model was rushed into production. Cushy comfortI always thought the old large sized bias-ply tires looked sharp. Easy breezyBack when you could work on your own car without a need for an engineering, and computer specialist degrees! The 390 and the 406 enginescould never keep up with the 409 Chevrolet power plant. Running the single 4 barrel carb the 409 was a beast. The Tin Lizzie in the backgroundwas at that time about the same age as the cars in the showroom are today, but look at how much progress had been made in that same number of years. By contrast, the '64s could still look at home on any street and compete in virtually any contest with a modern car in creature comforts and performance if it had the optional 406! There were no flies on the 390 either. Never a 64 and thats not the "half" of it!The Mustangs went on sale in April of 64 but were always classified as 65 models. Over the years the early 65's have picked up the 64 and a half designation but they were always 65's to be accurate. So much room under the hoodYou could sleep one adult and two children! Later in 64The salesman is wearing a Mustang emblem on his jacket so the picture is after April 64 I would guess. Fords GaloreI’m not a “car guy” at all, and even I can spot a few interesting items here! At least two Mustangs lurk in the background, as the salesman wears a blazer emblazoned with the Mustang logo (first year they were offered, right?). There’s also a Thunderbird back there, and then outside, or in whatever the next space beyond the showroom glass is, there’s a Christopher Helin-era car getting some attention. Ah, the GalaxieMy first car was my Grandpa's '67 Galaxie 500, with a 390 engine in it, affectionately called "The Slimemobile". Fun to drive, for a boat. I used to like to Armorall the back seat, take my friends for a non-seatbelted ride, and take the corners hard. Good times. Not so fast...Regarding VictrolaJazz’s comments regarding the degree of improvement in cars from 1920-1964 vs 1964-2016, I respectfully beg to differ. Straight line 0-60 time is only a tiny part of the whole picture. More important things like reliability, durability, drivability, functionality, and especially safety of cars didn’t improve as much from 1920 to 1964 as they have from 1964 to 2016. Galaxie fastback roofIt was actually introduced mid-year 1963. tomincantonga is correct in that it was for aerodynamics and racing. These Galaxies were called 1963½ models and it was the first half-year model introduction ever. Also, that stripped Custom 1964 would have been a 427, as that engine replaced the 406 partway through the 1963 model year to take advantage of NHRA and NASCAR maximum engine size of 7 liters. It was rated at 425 HP with two four-barrel Holley carbs. No doubt, this was a conservative rating. My first "decent" car after getting married was a 1964 Galaxie hardtop coupe. It had the little 289 V8 engine. With a little tinkering I found that I could get around 19 mpg on the road by advancing the ignition timing and using premium gas. With the timing set for regular gas the mileage (and power) would drop to about 17 mpg. Kraft paper on the windowsThough ours was a GM family, after they stopped making DeSotos, I was fascinated by the Ford Mustang. I remember our school bus driving by the Ford dealer in Houma, Louisiana, and seeing the windows covered in Kraft paper. Mysterious and tantalizing! A few of us rode our bikes there one Saturday to see whether we could sneak a better look, but were given the bum's rush. My friends and I--all of whom were too young to drive--would bring our Motor Trend and Car and Driver magazines to school and discuss all the new cars that were coming out. I thought the Camaro was the most elegant design around but the Olds Toronado was, to me, the most beautiful American car ever. I was so upset when, in spite of my pleading, my mom bought a new '67 Riviera GS. Just like my father's car.Flashback to my post over 4 years ago with my late father's '64 Galaxie 500XL you can see here. Hill & Sanders It's the showroom of Hill & Sanders Ford 11250 Veirs Mill Rd, Wheaton, MD (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, LOOK)
Angola Prison Farm: 1910
Louisiana circa 1910. "Sternwheeler America at Angola Landing, State ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 2:31pm -

Louisiana circa 1910. "Sternwheeler America at Angola Landing, State Penitentiary farm, Mississippi River." 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Strapped onSo much to see here in this image. I love the buggy strapped to the front railing. Is this being transported or is this the Captain's mode of travel when dockside? The antlers on the ship's bell are a quirky touch. That is a lot of lumber and merchandise on and around the America. Come on lads, only 4 tons to go. EscapeI wonder how many attempted to escape over the years by simply getting someone on the dock to exchange clothes (willingly or unwillingly) and then casually boarding the steamer. O Brother, Where Art Thou?"Say, any of you boys smithies? Or, if not smithies per se, were you otherwise trained in the metallurgic arts before straitened circumstances forced you into a life of aimless wanderin'?" State IssueI see only a few men with prison stripes. Most of them, including several who are actually working, are in street clothes and therefore unlikely to be actual Guests of the State. The other thing missing: any form of weaponry. I'd expect to see at least a few fellows standing guard over their charges, shotgun or rifle at the ready, a la "Cool Hand Luke." The AntlersAccording to the captain of the Delta Queen when I had the privilege of riding her on the Mississippi years ago, antlers were the traditional prerogative of the fastest vessel on the river (according to some arranged speed contest). And how about those two powerful searchlights on the bow? Re: The AntlersTrophy antlers are also seen on the river steamer Hoppin' Tom Dodsworth: Duquesne Incline: 1900. Coals to NewcastleEnormous cargo on the America but also there are two additional loads of wood on the barges on the left. Maybe there's a major construction project going on at the prison farm? Note the hogging trusses keeping the wooden barges from deforming under their loads. This must have been a common feature on Southern barges in this time frame because we've seen it before on Shorpy. The America is very ornate. Note the carving on top of the wheelhouse -- is it the Capitol dome? There's also Victorian gingerbread along the superstructure decks and ironwork on top of the funnels. Unlike some of the steamboats in photos of this period, she seems well maintained. CargoIt appears to me that the convicts are loading, not unloading, the America. I was thinking perhaps convicts worked in prison sawmills instead of stamping license plates back then. Steamer AmericaThis sternwheeler is the steamer America. It was owned by Captain LeVerrier Cooley. The bell at the front of this boat can be seen at his grave memorial in Metairie Cemetery in New Orleans. The captain of the steamer on this day is my great grandfather Sam Cotton who is the portly gentlemen you see leaning halfway out of the pilot house. Pain and PerseveranceI work with my hands everyday. I can't imagine stevedoring raw lumber bare-handed. Perhaps the men work slowly and carefully together, mindful of each movement's ramifications. But, inevitably, their ungloved hands must be torn up (splinters, abrasions, chapping, cracking, blisters, reactive arthritis, tendonitis, fissures.) My fingertips burn just thinking about it. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Soul Trailer: 1940
... workers at Camp Livingston job near Alexandria, Louisiana." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Dead Center Alexandria, in the heart of Louisiana. Lovely little town; not that much changed from the 50s when I was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/12/2010 - 4:04pm -

December 1940. "Itinerant preacher from South Carolina saving souls of construction workers at Camp Livingston job near Alexandria, Louisiana." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Dead CenterAlexandria, in the heart of Louisiana. Lovely little town; not that much changed from the 50s when I was there. ON the Lord?Odd to see the logo as "believe on the Lord" rather than "believe in the Lord." A mistake, or perhaps a now-obsolete usage? [Acts 16:31. How do we alert the authors of the New Testament about their "mistake"? - Dave] Old before its timeI love how both the car and trailer, neither of which would be more than four or five years from manufacture in late 1940, look as though they are both 20 years old. It's not the yearsIt's the miles! "Believe on the Lord"This phrasing is still in use, I think it's common among evangelicals. [For those who have not caught on, the "phrasing" is from the Bible itself. The verse on the trailer, as noted below, is Acts 16:31 (King James Version). - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, M.P. Wolcott)
The Guitar Lesson: 1940
... guitar on the porch in the evening. Near Natchitoches, Louisiana." Medium format nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the ... is a main street community in the central part of Louisiana. It has a history of being the oldest settlement of the Louisiana Purchase. Dibs You guys can have everything else; I want the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/03/2017 - 5:51pm -

August 1940. "Farmer playing guitar on the porch in the evening. Near Natchitoches, Louisiana." Medium format nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Nah-codishNatchitoches- Pronounced nah-codish, or nah-coh-doches in Texas. This name is not to be confused with Nacogdoches, its sister-city in Texas, Natchitoches is a main street community in the central part of Louisiana. It has a history of being the oldest settlement of the Louisiana Purchase. DibsYou guys can have everything else; I want the catalog archtop guitar and the little kitty. Maybe a RegalI've looked closely at that guitar and my guess is that it's a late-1930s Regal as in the attached photo. I'm basing that on several things: The headstock shape and the fact that the maker's name can't be seen, the fretboard dot-marker pattern, the tailpiece type, the segmented F-holes, and the two screws holding the pickguard. Can't see the bridge, which would have been a floating one. There were so many of these great archtops made back then and they often didn't stay consistent in style from one guitar to another from the same maker. My first thought was Epiphone, then a Gibson-made Cromwell or Kalamazoo, but the fretboard dots just didn't seem to match. Would have loved to hear this gentleman play it, no matter what it is. By the way; the price of such a guitar in 1940 would have been around $15. You can find them now for $500 to $800. Ms. WalcottShorpy has posted so much of her work but I believe this one has become my favorite. What a terrific photograph. Thanks Dave for posting it. [You're welcome. And her name is, ahem, Wolcott. - Dave] (The Gallery, Agriculture, Cats, M.P. Wolcott, Music)
Kewpee Hamburgs: 1930s
... lunar landing modules posing as concession stands at the Louisiana State Fair. As I enter my 7th year as a member of the Shorpy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/10/2014 - 5:43pm -

Circa 1930s. "Kewpee Hotels hamburger stand." This early fast-food chain ("Hamburg / Pickle on top / Makes your heart / Go flippity-flop") got its start in Michigan in the 1920s. Location and photographer unknown. View full size. A Clean, Well-Lighted PlaceThe old short story by Hemingway is the first thing that popped into my head when I saw the photo, though I can't imagine the name "Kewpee" is one he would have approved of. Hard to findIt might be hard to nail down the location. There were 400 Kewpee franchises by 1940. Some locations shut down during WWII because of meat rationing; others closed in the 60's when the new owners demanded stricter franchise agreements and a cut of profits. There are still five locations, including three in Lima, Ohio -- they must love their olive burgers in Lima. Dave Thomas ate Kewpee burgers as a child. When he founded Wendy's, he replicated their square burger. He didn't offer Kewpee's olive topping. Moon BurgersMy father and uncle started an ill-fated hamburger chain in the late 1960's. Moon Burger was their attempt to cash in on the public fascination with the Apollo "moon-shot" program (that's what Pops always called it). The restaurants were tiny - built to resemble Apollo lunar landing modules. They were primarily drive-up joints, but had a few cramped stools inside. You placed your order with a Robbie-the-robot looking device a few yards away from the building. I think they tried some type of radio gizmo in the order-taking machine - never really worked that well. Folks just jabbed at the buttons for a while and then drove up to the window. This was East Texas folks, hot as two rats in a wool sock. The metal-clad structures were tiny and not well ventilated - think Airstream trailer on it's end. I'm going to try to find photos - know they're somewhere. The kicker was the Moon Burgers themselves. The cutting edge of interplanetary cuisine consisted of a 1/4 lb meatball encased in a moist doughy bun and deep-fried. After scooping it out of the fryer, green-tinted "cheese" was injected into the bun and it was wrapped in paper and served with fries and Coke. The damn things were so hot! That melted "cheese" and deep-fried beefball adhered to the roof of your mouth and sizzled. It was impossible to vent the "cheese" because once it started oozing out it stained everything it came in contact with. Never knew what they used to tint the "cheese". I remember at some of the "grand openings" they gave away little slide-wheel calculators that revealed your "weight on the moon" when you rotated the device to your Earth-weight. Wish I still had one. Moon Burgers never quite caught on. Though they didn't really become the hoped-for official fast food of the Age of Aquarius, one can still see some of the lunar landing modules posing as concession stands at the Louisiana State Fair. As I enter my 7th year as a member of the Shorpy community I offer many, many thanks to Dave, tterrace, and all who make this site possible. I'll plug Juniper Gallery - their prints make great gifts and office adornment. When I need a little perspective I amble on over to Shorpy to look back in time for a while. Can't say there are any profound answers lurking in these images and comments - but there sure are a lot of great questions. Wish me a happy Shorpy anniversary! Goober Pea PickleAs Mr Kitzel would say, "the pickle in the middle with the mustard on top", although that was for hot dogs. At Last, the Answer!I was born in Lima, Ohio, and lived there until I was almost four years old, my father being at the time engaged in an all-expense tour of places like Bougainville and the Philippines. I have always had a vestigial memory of a strange building I saw on walks with my mother or grandmother, but neither of those worthies in later years seemed to know what I was talking about. When I saw this photo, it was as if the intervening 67 years had never happened and, thanks to archfan's comment, I now know that what I dimly remembered was a Kewpee Hotels Hamburger stand. Thanks, Dave! Thanks, archfan! Thanks, Shorpy! HamburgsIn my experience, "Hamburgs" pegs the chain to Michigan or northwest Ohio, even without reading the caption. I know of nowhere else that America's favorite sandwich is a two-syllable word. A Racine VestigeAccording to the information here, the Racine, Wisconsin Kewpee is one of five remaining restaurants in the chain. I have eaten at this location and can say that the food is good and that there is always a line of people waiting to get seats. Attached is a photo from my July, 2010 visit. HamburgsThe area around Rochester, NY is (or was when I lived there) another in which hamburg prevails over hamburger. And hot dogs are simply "hots," and come in red and white. "Hotels"Any reason "hotels" was used in name? [The Kewpee Hotel in Flint, Michigan, is where the restaurant is said to have gotten its start. - Dave] Kewpee dolled up with a HaloThe Kewpee chain started in Flint, Michigan, and evolved in to what is now known as Halo Burger. Under recent new ownership, the chain is starting to expand in southeast Michigan. I was introduced to it by a girlfriend who liked the olive burger. Every so often I need a Halo Burger fix and I used to have drive over an hour to get one. Now I only have to drive about 30 minutes. Kewpees There was one in Grand Rapids. Grandma took us there a few times when I was a kid. It's where I developed my love for olive burgers! There was also a Wimpy's nearby; sadly they both closed before I was old enough to go there on my own. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars)
Belle Grove: 1938
1938. Iberville Parish, Louisiana. "Belle Grove. Vicinity of White Castle. Greek Revival mansion of 75 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 4:15pm -

1938. Iberville Parish, Louisiana. "Belle Grove. Vicinity of White Castle. Greek Revival mansion of 75 rooms. Ruinous condition. Built 1857 by John Andrews, who sold it to Stone Ware. Occupied by Ware family until circa 1913." The decaying portico of what was reputedly the largest plantation home in the South. 8x10 inch safety negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Greek RevivalDoesn't look very revived to me. Matthew 6:19"Lay up your treasures not upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, where thieves break through and steal." Southern Gothic The first thing I thought of is the crumbling mansion Bette Davis presides over as her sanity crumbles along with it in "Hush Hush, Sweet Charlotte." William Faulkner or Tennessee Williams would have had a field day with this place! The Long Hot SummerShades of Ben Quick and Clara Varner, lemonade on the veranda and Spanish moss hanging from the live oaks. With 75 rooms, who cleaned the house? At BelleGrove.net, the Friends of Belle Grove have a wonderful website. Der AnschlussSpeaking of 1938, note the swastika scratched in the stucco. Manderley!A la Rebecca, what was left of the place burned in 1952. Always mixed feelings... when viewing the ruined beauty of Southern mansions. A 75-room plantation in the deepest South, "down river," is a gorgeous building with a very problematic past. Who cleaned all those rooms? Who *built* all those rooms? Who labored in order to provide the wealth that created the entire plantation? Those are always the unspoken questions that accompany these images, at least for students of American history. In 1938, "Gone With the Wind" was a huge best seller, and being made into one of the most iconographic movies ever produced. The nostalgia for the "genteel Old South" was stronger than at any time since the Civil War. The further away we get from an era, the more it is idealized. "Life After People"A good example that would fit right into that History Channel series. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Everyone Was There: 1938
October 1938. Crowley, Louisiana. "Crowd of people waiting for Cajun band contest to begin at the ... of his family, is in this photo. He was born in Mermentau, Louisiana (between Jennings and Crowley) in 1929. I wish he was still around so ... like that nowadays to go and see cajun bands here in south Louisiana. I'm from Lafayette and it seems like our musical heritage doesn't ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/14/2008 - 6:30pm -

October 1938. Crowley, Louisiana. "Crowd of people waiting for Cajun band contest to begin at the National Rice Festival." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Cajun connectionI can't help but think that my dad, or at least some of his family, is in this photo. He was born in Mermentau, Louisiana (between Jennings and Crowley) in 1929. I wish he was still around so I could ask him about things like this. Love the site and keep up the good work. A friend turned me on to Shorpy about a month ago and now one of the highlights of each day is to check out the latest posts. Drive on! AcadianaToo bad we can't get crowds like that nowadays to go and see cajun bands here in south Louisiana. I'm from Lafayette and it seems like our musical heritage doesn't have the same appeal or importance placed on it like used to back in the 20's, 30's and 40's. Luckily, we still have a few musicians keeping the music of Acadiana alive. Crowley still hosts the Rice Festival every year, and is a great place to come pass a good time! http://www.ricefestival.com/ (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Two Belles: 1906
... dat barge, Lift dat bale!" Delta Queen I live in Louisiana and my mom used to paint oils of these old paddle wheelers. Her ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:38pm -

The Mississippi River circa 1906. "Steamboat landing at Vicksburg. Sternwheeler Belle of Calhoun and sidewheeler Belle of the Bends." Our second look at these river packets. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. A picture is worth... a thousand words, but this one is worth at least a dozen pictures. An amazing photo from which can be extracted a multitude of wonderful stand-alone shots. Such as: Waiting for some automation!Really brings home the feeling of, "Tote dat barge, Lift dat bale!" Delta QueenI live in Louisiana and my mom used to paint oils of these old paddle wheelers. Her friends used to call her "Delta Queen" for her love of these old vessels. Thanks for the memories! Her paintings were right on! Very coolIt's amazing how close to the shore these boats came to the shore. How deep could the water be? 10 feet? Then the boats further down the shore look like they are landed right up on the beach. Great photo of the old American industrial machine working. The life of a Belle. The Belle of Calhoun was a 181-foot sternwheeler built at Carondelet, Illinois, in 1895. Named for Miss Anna Wood, who was crowned the Belle of Calhoun County, Illinois. Sank three times in her career, finally burned at Alton in the winter of 1930-1931. Belle of the Bends was a 210-foot sidewheeler. Built in 1898 at the Howard Yard in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Converted to an excursion boat at Cairo and renamed Liberty circa 1918. Dismantled in October 1919. The levee todayThe Vicksburg levee today, anchored to the south by a casino "boat." The quick and the dead? Is that far left ship beached or swamped? It's deck looks too steep to still be afloat. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Horses, Vicksburg)
Home Place: 1938
St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, circa 1938. "Home Place. Hahnville vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate ... in the 1790s, is one of the oldest plantation houses in Louisiana. It hasn't been inhabited in many years, and is in a state of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:04am -

St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, circa 1938. "Home Place. Hahnville vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Beautiful Home PlaceHome Place, built in the 1790s, is one of the oldest plantation houses in Louisiana. It hasn't been inhabited in many years, and is in a state of advanced decay. Here's the house from a distance (via Google Images): http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/archives/compress/2006/559/06.htm Four years ago, I was working on a film shoot down the road, and our trucks were were parked on the plantation grounds. The owner of Home Place, a genteel 85-year-old who'd grown up in the house, offered to take us inside to see the ground floor wine cellar. But our schedule was tight, and we didn't have time — something I've regretted ever since. ScaleThose columns on the porch are superb; very fine proportions, hard to duplicate today. Woodstove owner's opinionThe two chunks of firewood lying on the ground in the foreground -- someone was splitting firewood there and decided they had enough wood for the moment. The rest of the firewood is stowed where it will stay dry, under the veranda and under the attached building at right (summer kitchen?) Southern Decay"Home-Place is a near perfect example of a raised Creole plantation house." More here. Columns and kitchens Anonymous Arkie is right; love the columns, but I have some questions about the brick ones holding up the house. Again we have a semi-detached kitchen. Still standingThis looks like one of those casually wonderful plantations, nestled among the chemical plants, that make the drive along the river from New Orleans to Baton Rouge a beautiful but occasionally startling experience. [Birthplace of Howard Johnson! - Dave] Johnston's amazing gift Did Frances Johnston ever write about how she selected the perspectives and views for her photographs? Was it just her natural "eye" for the shot? She picks the most illuminating views. For instance, the standard photo of this fine 18th Century Creole plantation house is the head-on, symmetrical one which we see in the portrait shots from the Anonymous Tipsters. But Johnston has chosen a rear-yard shot that reveals the inner working of the plantation, along with the wear-and-tear of life itself. The detached kitchen, the chickens pecking under the porch, the pillars losing stucco, the brick path that vanishes, the graceful yet now unpainted columns original to the house ... all give us a more vivid image of domestic life in that home more than any book could have ever done. [She shot many views of each house. Lots of them including a finger in front of the lens. - Dave] (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
The Birds: 1938
... of the Lake, St. Martinville vicinity, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/10/2014 - 4:04pm -

1938. "Lady of the Lake, St. Martinville vicinity, St. Martin Parish, Louisiana." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Re: The Birds III was referring to the bird behind the car tire. It's marked like the guineas we have around here. Looks too small to be a turkey. Where'd the chicken come from in your close-up? I can't find it in the big picture. The BirdsWhat are they, exactly? The one on the far right has nice striped plumage, maybe black and white. A Lady Amherst pheasant? We sold their feathers in the fly tying section of the sporting goods store I used to work in. The BirdsWell, a couple of them, anyway. Gobble?Turkeys, aren't they? Look closelyThere is a third bird. Third BirdThe hood ornament/radiator cap? Shim, shim ... more shimsLooks as if every part of this structure is being shimmed up and re-shimmed. Never-ending battle with gravity. Car IDHudson What birds where?I may regret this later if I FIND THEM, BUT I SEE NO BIRDS AND RESENT WASTING MY TIME LOOKING FOR THEM, WHEN I COULD BE ADMIRING THE ARCHITECTURE AND THE MAGNIFICENT COMPOSITION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH! Sorry to yell, but I accidentaqlly hit the capslock in my enthusiasm. Please circle the bords for us dummies!i Oh.Knew I would find them after I expressed my frustration. I won't give it away if others want to play the game. Duh. I give upPerhaps it's my aging eyes but I can't seem to find a third bird. [There are actually four -- two turkeys, a pelican and the radiator cap hood ornament. - Dave] Look at that staircase stringer!Not a single knot in the entire length. The quality of wood has certainly deteriorated over the years! Re: The BirdsThe one under the car looks a lot like a guinea from here. [In the immortal words of Robert Young, it could well be. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, F.B. Johnston)
The Matrix: 1907
New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1907. "Canal Street." Life on the grid a century ago. 8x10 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:35pm -

New Orleans, Louisiana, circa 1907. "Canal Street." Life on the grid a century ago. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. +101Here is the identical view looking up (roughly west) Canal from just below Camp (on the left)/Chartres (on the right) Street taken in September of 2008. Five sets of streetcar tracksAnd now there are two. The palm trees and street lights are a beautiful addition to this famous street. Old Familiar NamesI see two store names that I know very well and used to shop at from time to time at their sister stores in Baton Rouge -- Godchaux and Werlein. Godchaux's was a high end department store and Werlein's sold musical products, specializing in pianos. Neither store, to my knowledge, is in business any longer. Praying or drunk?The man on the right behind the horse and cart holding onto the lamp standard from some reason best known to himself. [Look closely and you'll see that it's not a lamppost. And that what the man is doing is reading. - Dave] Streetcar RemnantsNew Orleans once sprawling streetcar system has been reduced to two lines, Canal Street (which we see in the modern photo) and St. Charles Avenue (the old New Orleans & Carrollton Railway, in service since 1835). That said, there are still relics of lines abandoned over 70 years ago, namely Prytania Street. This site shows some of the remnants of these long-abandoned lines: http://www.streetcarmike.com/nopsi_artifacts.html. Sadly, Google Street View hasn't made it to New Orleans yet and photos of all the patches and rail visible on lower Prytania (a line that was torn out in 1932!) don't seem to be online at this time. [Street View is available for almost all of New Orleans. - Dave] View Larger Map Only two years after Groucho joined the troupe.And the Marx Brothers already dominated the theatrical marquee. According to Wikipedia, at that time they were purely a musical group. [Marx Bros. was a dry-goods store on Canal Street ("Furnishers & Hatters, Leaders in Low Prices"). - Dave] I see "Annunciation"But where is "Desire"? Actually three car lines nowThe Riverfront line was created in 1988, long before the Canal line was restored. It was partly as an attraction for 1988 Republican National Convention. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Say Army: 1940
... Gordon in Georgia; Camp Howe, Texas; and Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. On December 9, 1942, Kermit married Juliette Wilson Bennett of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 1:19pm -

Washington, D.C., June 1940. "New recruits join up. Kermit Kuhn, 21 years old, of Bayard, West Virginia, being examined by Army doctor Major Seth Gayle Jr." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. SuspendersNote to vintage clothing enthusiasts: His trousers have buttons for suspenders, but he's wearing clip ons. Clip ons were definitely in use back in the day. Wow!That would mean he was born in 1919 - and the same age as my parents! Hard to imagine my parents that young! 1-AGREETINGS! Report for immediate induction into the armed forces of the United States of America! Two years latermy father would lie about his age to fight in this war. I salute you Pvt Kuhn, and all others that gave their lives in this war. You did what you had to do. SadMy heart just broke a little. All the fine young men we've lost to wars. The greatest generation-We're losing a huge number of them now per day, and heroes such as Kermit never had the pleasure of growing old beside their loved ones. It's good to see their bright, optimistic young faces and remember the sacrifices all of them made to preserve our basic American freedoms, now by many taken for granted. CasualtyAlas, Kermit did not survive the war. He died 27 February 1945, and is buried in the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial. 1919-1945 Kermit Dale Kuhn was born August 22, 1919, at Bayard, West Virginia, the third of six children born to Walter and Margaret Kitzmiller Kuhn. Kermit attended Bayard High School, where he played basketball and baseball. A star athlete, he was captain of the basketball and baseball teams and won the Bayard High School Athletic Award for his sportsmanship and athletic ability. Kermit was high point man in the basketball tournament at the Parsons sectional for three years. Private Kermit D. Kuhn entered the Army on June 21, 1940, and was trained Fort Benning and Camp Gordon in Georgia; Camp Howe, Texas; and Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. On December 9, 1942, Kermit married Juliette Wilson Bennett of Atlanta. They had a daughter, Brenda Dale, and a son, Randy. In September 1944, Kermit went overseas and received further training in England after which he saw action in France, Holland, Belgium, and Germany. In January 1945, Kermit, a member of the 309th Engineer Combat Battalion, 84th Division, was awarded the Bronze Star for the heroic act of administering first aid while under enemy fire to ten men who would have died without receiving it. His sister Mary Scripp received word from the War Department that Private Kermit D. Kuhn was killed in action in Germany on February 27, 1945. Private Kuhn was buried in the American Cemetery in the Netherlands. -- Kermit Dale Kuhn, West Virginia Division of Culture & History No war yetJune 1940 - still a year and a half from Pearl Harbor. Kermit probably had no idea that he'd be heading to Europe when this photo was taken. Makes it even more poignant that he didn't survive the war. [The war started in 1939. In June 1940, Germany had just invaded France and the Battle of Britain was only weeks away. Europe is exactly where he would expect to be sent. - Dave] Side noteMy father was wounded Jan 11 1945 near Samree, Belgium. He was in the 84th, 335th regimen. He met my mother a month or so before he was wounded. She was from Heerlen, Limburg, NL. She and her brother took care of graves at Margraten until, she came to the US in 1951 when she married my father. Small world. GrandfatherHe was my grandfather. I have his medic kit and flag. Thank you all for your comments. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Medicine, WW2)
The Four Muskrateers: 1941
... their marsh camp. Delacroix Island, Saint Bernard Parish, Louisiana." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security ... The Islenos came from the Spanish Canary Islands to Louisiana in the 1770’s and settled in the St. Bernard parish area (south of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2019 - 6:30pm -

January 1941. "Spanish trappers putting muskrat skins on wire stretchers before hanging them up to dry in back of their marsh camp. Delacroix Island, Saint Bernard Parish, Louisiana." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Price inversely related to demand for Mink"Muskrat can be dyed and used to make coats that resemble mink,” Mott said. Muskrat finery can run $1,300 to $4,000. In general, back fur is used for coats and hats, and belly fur for trim. From https://www.dispatch.com/article/20120115/SPORTS/301159783 You really need to click on the link. Economics, foreign trade, substitution effects, and Baptist ministers picking up a little cash. I just don't know ...What makes a trapper a "Spanish" trapper? Did ethnicity categorize trappers in the Mississippi delta? In 1940, what was the commercial use of muskrat skins? Fur coatsAccording to Wikipedia, making fur coats out of muskrat fur was a thing back then. Muskrat loveLike captivated, I was surprised that people were trapping muskrats for their pelts. It turns out, they made distinctive fur coats on their own, or could be dyed to match (or fake) mink. The Muskrat as Fur Bearer with Notes on Its Use as Foodimitation mink, gloves, hats, collars, coat linings, etc https://books.google.com/books?id=G8mBIE_sPnAC&pg=PA16&lpg=PA16&dq=muskr... IslenosThe Islenos came from the Spanish Canary Islands to Louisiana in the 1770’s and settled in the St. Bernard parish area (south of Orleans parish). This area was heavily damaged in Hurricane Katrina but a lot of their descendants are still there. The were fabulous hunters, trappers, oystermen and fishermen. I remember in the late 50’s still seeing muskrat skin drying in the winter sun. It was an excellent way to get rid of this invasive species but, alas, people did not desire muskrat fur coats. Louisiana currently has a bounty of $3-5 for each muskrat tail brought in. Muskrats are notorious for burrowing into levees and weakening or destroying them, hence the bounty. (The Gallery, Kids, M.P. Wolcott, Small Towns)
Street View: 1937
... How I love all Southern architecture but especially Louisiana's unique style. The second-story veranda, the floor-to-ceiling ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:42pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "837 Gov. Nicholls Street." We just dropped by to say hi. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A new old favoriteI've written this before, Frances Benjamin Johnston has become my new favorite photographer. I love seeing her pictures here. With interest, I read on the Library of Congress web site: A grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York extended the survey to cover the entire state of Virginia under sponsorship of the University of Virginia. Successive Carnegie grants totaled $26,000 to cover the other States under Library of Congress sponsorship. This was between 1927 and 1929. I used an inflation calculator to translate that sum into 2010 dollars -- $325,763.56. Not bad. As a working photographer myself, I can imagine the freedom this allowed her to work. Another source reported that she was driven around the South in a chauffeured car when she worked on this project. I believe she had a wonderful eye. I would have loved to have met her. Lonely dormerThat single dormer looks like it might be a false one like they have been building in recent years. Wish I could linkBut this Interwebs stuff confounds me. Look up this address in Bing maps (birdseye view), the house has been fixed up right pretty and sits behind a brick wall. Well, hey. Look at that. And nowPlease ring at the gate. View Larger Map Good BonesI'm always amazed to see how these old houses have survived the years. When I first saw the large image of this one I thought that there was no way it could possibly still be standing, but sure enough, the records show that it is indeed still the same structure. So very Blanche DuBoisMy mother was born in 1937 in Mississippi but reared in Baton Rouge. She lived in the bottom half of a house a lot like this one, on Chippewa Street. How I love all Southern architecture but especially Louisiana's unique style. The second-story veranda, the floor-to-ceiling windows covered with plantation blinds, and the stairway on the side are particularly charming. A house dividedThis place looks to have been turned into a duplex. And am I the only person to have noticed the old man watching the world go by? I suppose he's the one with the "street view" of the title! FBJWhat a treasure in photographs she has left New Orleans. Here is Frances Benjamin Johnston in 1904. And the front yard today. DuplicityIndeed it does seem to be a duplex. There are two gas meters - at least I think that's what they are - under the stairs on the right. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Open House: 1938
1938. Iberville Parish, Louisiana. "Belle Grove. Vicinity of White Castle. Greek Revival mansion of 75 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:44pm -

1938. Iberville Parish, Louisiana. "Belle Grove. Vicinity of White Castle. Greek Revival mansion of 75 rooms. Built 1857 by John Andrews, who sold it to Stone Ware. Occupied by Ware family until circa 1913." What was left of Belle Grove, reputedly the largest plantation house in the South, burned to the ground in 1952. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. The best partis the weed growing out of the chimney. InsideDid she ever photograph the inside of these homes? Granted, in many cases it may not have been safe, but other than the one photo with the odd door at the top of the staircase (and a couple others around that time, iirc), I don't think we've ever seen inside any of these homes. I would so love to go poking around in some of these! It was a beautiful house. For the curious, there are more photos and information about the house here: http://www.bellegrove.net/ AmazedI'm always curious at what point a person or family walks away from a house, especially a mansion. When does it go from livable to abandoned? Strange CoincidenceI took a cross country car trip and stopped in at White Castle to look at the old Belle Grove plantation just yesterday. The adjacent fields still grow sugar, but the house is completely gone, replaced by dozens of brick tract homes. Oven SafeStone Ware! It has a solid ceramic sound to it. House envyReminds me of Nottoway Plantation, also in White Castle. Nottoway was built in 1859 for John Hampton Randolph. Beautiful MelancholyOh, what I would give to have had the opportunity to poke through this incredible home before it's demise! Something about this magnificent photo....got me wanting to see if there were other pictures of the place. Not many, but found a few here (thanks, Mary!). Such a sad story behind it, really. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Oysterboy: 1909
... age 18 born about 1892 in Georgia, father born in Louisiana but not listed, mother Margaret, 56, born in Georgia, one sister, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 3:04pm -

January 1909. Apalachicola, Florida. "A young oyster fisher. Randsey Summerford says he starts out at 4 a.m. one day, is out all night in the little oyster boat and back next day some time. Gets a share of the proceeds. Said he was 16 years old and been at it four years. Lives in Georgia and is here six months a year." Glass negative and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. His Left FootI wonder what happened to his other shoe. Oyster BoyJoe Manning, from the Lewis Hine Project. This young man died in 1971. I have requested his obit, and I have the address of one of his relatives. I'll let you know what happens. Randsey Summerford...seems to be listed in the 1910 U.S. Census as Lounzo Summerford / Semmerfort, home Apalachicola, Franklin, Florida, occupation oysterman, age 18 born about 1892 in Georgia, father born in Louisiana but not listed, mother Margaret, 56, born in Georgia, one sister, Gena, same age and birthplace. Photoshop footWhy doesn't his left foot cast a shadow like his right? [It does. - Dave] Smells FishyWhy is this kid the only white person in the frame? In this part of the country, (where I currently live) oystering was usually a family enterprise and it is very odd that a Negro crew would have a white employee (although, not vice-versa). I hope we find out more of backstory because I suspect, the census not withstanding, that Hines [sic] was either mislead [sic] or artfully arranged these people to fit his crusade against child labor. [Hine's caption notation from a different oystering photo: "Mostly negro workers. The boss said, 'We keep only enough whites so we can control the negroes and keep them a-going!' " Below: Another mostly black Apalachicola oyster crew from January 1909. - Dave] Oyster TongsOne thing I can tell you about oyster tonging is it takes a real man to do it all day. When I lived on the Chesapeake Bay in the 60's and 70's I had the opportunity to try my hand at using oyster tongs to harvest oysters....it ain't easy!!! The heavy tongs hinge about where his right hand is and when dropped straight down to the bottom the jaws open about one foot for a spread at the surface of about four feet. After closing the jaws to scrape oysters from the bed the rig is hauled back up and opened to release the oysters on deck. For pussies like you and I it is hard just to do it a few times much less all day. Oystermen have fantastic arm and chest muscles and one thing for sure, don't ever get in a brawl with them...they are as tough as they come. When I went out with friends who were from oystering families they had quite a good-natured laugh at my pathetic attempts to oyster, though I worked out and was fairly active....after a few trips to the bottom and back I was pooped. So think about that when you look at these guys in the picture who had arguably one of the toughest jobs ever. "Oyster Boy" indeed! OysterboyThis is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. You can see my story of this boy at this link: http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2015/01/18/ramsey-summerford/ Tough OystermenTo further Anonymous Tipster's point from 2008, the young men who worked the oyster boats in Apalachicola, Florida, were indeed tough. I lived in that wonderful town for about five years in the mid-1960s and Chapman High's football team was consistently much better than others in their class. Considering how small that school was, it was remarkable. I always chalked that up to the work many of those young men did on oyster boats. Their upper-body strength was uncanny. --Jim (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Florida, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Diamond T: 1940
... Notice also the GVW rating uses the French wording "Tare". Louisiana=French! Not an expert by any means but I would guess no power ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/06/2012 - 7:36pm -

June 1940. Washington, D.C. "At a truck service station on U.S. 1 (New York Avenue)." Let's hope this rig was red. Another truck stop shot by serial shooter Jack Delano. 35mm nitrate negative. View full size. A Diamond Twas known in its day as the “Cadillac of trucks.” Although the specific model and year of this T remains unknown (as well as the designer), the very handsome features represent well the coming together of design and industry during the 30s. This truck, complete with hood ornament, is very pleasing to the eye. The basic design features remained on successive models through at least the late 40s. A slight correction to a previous post: the vehicle was air conditioned. Notice the position of the driver’s side windshield. Only real men need apply The design elements and overall styling of these 1930's and early 40's OTR trucks are amazing. Notice also the GVW rating uses the French wording "Tare". Louisiana=French! Not an expert by any means but I would guess no power steering, brakes, air conditioning, maybe a heater? Only real men need apply for these jobs! Maybe some Shorpy prehistoric truck-o-phile can tell us what kind of powerplant and other interesting factoids about this beauty can be shared. ["Tare weight" is a standard expression in the shipping and freight industries, found on trucks, boxcars and postage scales. -Dave] Tare... refers to the weight of the "container", not the load, or gross weight. Sleeper CabIt looks like there might be a mattress in the window behind the driver. Privacy and darkness seems to be a bit lacking though if it is a sleeper cab. There might be some curtains or screens to cover the windows that are not visible. Hercules engines in Diamond T trucks Go here for some photos and comments about the Diamond T series of vehicles in the 1940s http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/tag/diamond-t/ Anyone for shrimp?Elzie J Hartley was born in St Augustine, Fla in 1902, he was married to Lillie (nee Skinner)b 1905 on Dec 16th 1919 , they appear to have had 4 Children Edna b 1922, Jaqueline b 1924, Helen b 1926 and Jane b 1932 who died at 6 months old. In 1940 our Elzie was according to the census the manager of a shrimp trucking firm in Patterson, La In 1945 the Hartley's were back in St Augustine living at 21 Masters Road where he was a sea food dealer Elzie died in 1949, Lillie i believe died in 2001. Was it normal to be married at 14 in Florida? Riding on 22s? or 24s?The wheel cover says a lot. For a truck to be fitted with fancy wheels back then tells of the Diamond Truck Co. or perhaps the trucking company, E.J. Hartley itself. Year of TruckSearching the Internet I believe this is a 1938 model. That's the closest I can find. Trucks of YesteryearMotorhead56 is correct. No power steering, no AC,and a hand- cranked dolly (the landing gear at the front of the trailer when detached from the tractor). My father was a truck driver from 1950-80 and told me of all the luxuries that these rigs lacked. Beautifully designed tractor though! Small but heavyEighteen-seven is very heavy even for a three-axle day cab tractor today. This one is a two-axle. His trailer is 40 feet max, compared with 53 today. Now 80000 lbs. gross is standard, while that truck probably never even pulled 50000. Without power steering trucks today would not be drivable,at least in metro areas. Where I've got to hand it to this guy is running the Appalachians with (almost certainly) a gas engine, hydraulic brakes (with air for the trailer only) and no Jake brake. Go down some of those passes in too high a gear with that rig and you might as well kiss it goodbye. By the way, trailer dollies, like transmissions, are pretty much all still manual. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Jack Delano)
Flowers for Rose: 1950
... Tutankhamen. Even 63 years later Most wakes down in Louisiana look exactly like this. Although photographing the deceased in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/15/2013 - 2:51pm -

May 1950. Washington, D.C. "Miss Dorothy Torr [client]. Funeral flowers." Rose Bell Torr in repose. Safety negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Pumphrey Funeral Home Washington Post, May 12, 1950. In Memoriam Torr, Rose Bell Hurlburt, On Wednesday, May 10, 1950, at her home 8403 Irvington ave., Bethesda, Md., ROSE BELL HURLBURT TORR, beloved wife of the late Charles Stevens Torr and mother of Dorothy and Ruth Torr. Remains resting at the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Funeral Home of Robert A. Pumphrey, Bethesda, Md., where services will be held Saturday May 13, at 2 p.m. Internment Forest Oak Cemetery, Gaithersburg, Md. Meeting my relativesIn the early 1900's my youthful grandparents came to the USA from Poland. They left their own parents, siblings and other family members, never to see them again and with no pictures to look at, I could only imagine what they looked like. But as these relatives started to die off, 'death pictures' were sent in the mail to my grandfather very similar to this but nowhere near as elaborate. He would show us the pictures of his "old country" loved ones in their coffins We were not frightened since, as kids we went to a lot of funerals when children did not require a constant flow of drinks, snacks and electronics to keep them entertained, just told to sit down and shut up. In those days, people who were quite poor could not afford to have pictures made as we do today, but would try to have a "last photo" as described, as a keepsake. When I was older and heard about the tradition of death masks, I was glad we did not have any of those hanging around the house, although many people did have them made including Abe Lincoln, Napoleon, Beethoven, Ben Franklin, Nikola Tesla, even Alfred Hitchcock among others. It all started even before the time of Tutankhamen. Even 63 years laterMost wakes down in Louisiana look exactly like this. Although photographing the deceased in the casket was normal well into the 1930s, for the most part it died out. [So to speak. -Dave] Check the pipes!Are those just shadows on the ceiling, or did the mourners stage a smoke-in, or do we have a plumbing problem? A rosefor a Rose. Embarrassed to admit this, but a friend recently emailed me a photo of his deceased mother. So I would have to say this practice continues, although much to my distaste. May I add, I prefer the before photos rather than the after to remember someone. VideotapingAlthough i haven't seen anyone take photographs of the deceased, i have been to funerals where people have been videotaping the entire thing! Photos or Video?I work at a funeral home. I only know of one circumstance (since I started working there) where a family member has taken video of the funeral service. As a general rule, we tend to not encourage photography or videotaping at the funeral home. Most families don't ask anyway. The casket, in this photo, seems very fancy. Today's prices for a casket like that would make one pass out. RE: Check the pipes!Based on the uniformity of the dark patches on the ceiling, I'd say it was the lights reflecting through the cut glass pieces in the ornamental fixture. Dark ShadowsI wonder if those dark spots might not be paint roller marks. They show up under the right light conditions. I've noticed the same thing on my own living room ceiling. Funeral photosMiss Rose Bell Torr looks pretty old and probably had a good life. Her relative gave her a beautiful sendoff, and who wouldn't want to remember that. I wish photos had been taken for my three family members who died. [Rose was a Mrs. - Dave] Oh. Well, than maybe not. Some ChangesHaving worked part-time for a funeral home (had two girls to put through college), I see some things missing in this picture that have become part of today's funeral home chapel. Modern chapels have a pink colored spotlight on the ceiling, pointing down towards the deceased person's face. Its purpose is to assist in making the deceased person's face look more rosy (lifelike) in coloring. Also, kneelers are usually placed directly in front of the casket, so that mourners are able to kneel down to pray. Also, florists now usually provide wire stands for the flowers sprays that are attached to the accordion-like devices on the right side of the picture. These devices are now usually to hold collages with pictures. And YES, families still do request private time to take photos of the deceased to send to those who cannot come in person to the wake. Research on Rose and familyThanks to stanton_square's posting of Rose's obituary, I'm able to find the following: Rose was born either in 1872 or 1873 in Nova Scotia. She emigrated to the US sometime in 1879 at the age of six. In the 1900 Census, Charles and Ruth lived in Lynn, Massachusetts. Charles is listed as having been born in Massachusetts. In the 1920 Census, Charles and Ruth lived in Ramsey, Minnesota. In the 1930 Census, they were living in Hennepin, Minnesota. They had three children: Dorothy, Roland and Ruth, all born in Massachusetts. Charles is listed as a Stationary Engineer at General Electric. Lastly, the Pumphrey Funeral Home in Bethesda, Maryland, is still there. http://www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com (D.C., Theodor Horydczak)
« first‹ prev…3 [4]5…next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.