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Idyllic Avenue: 1905
... well-to-do have the means to move on. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/27/2020 - 11:23am -

Hartford, Connecticut, circa 1905. "Farmington Avenue." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. East of Prospect AvenueAlthough I can't pinpoint this location, the Sanborn fire insurance maps give some clues. The 1900 map shows Farmington developed out to about Prospect Avenue. It's residential much of the way back to the intersection with Asylum Avenue, although the lots get smaller as you head toward the river. The trees here are mature, maybe 30 or 40 years old, so unlikely to be a brand new, unmapped area, either. Somewhere between Prospect and Asylum, then. If there were more details of the buildings, it might be possible to match the house shape and construction (plus the small cross street) with an existing building, but there's really not enough to go on here. If anyone wants to poke around, Yale University has made it easy. They have a tool that matches Sanborn maps to Google Earth. From Google Earth, you can click through to an image of each page of the corresponding Sanborn map. Here's the link for all of Yale's Connecticut maps. Scroll down for Hartford. http://www.library.yale.edu/MapColl/print_sanborn.html [Possible clues: Trolley pole No. 4074 at right, and the mailbox street sign. - Dave] Give Them ClemencyMark Twain lived on this street. While it would be nice if this scene wasn't plowed-under today and replaced with CVS's and strip malls, you can't blame anybody for progress. Too much changeFarmington Avenue has always been a major thoroughfare in Hartford. It is home to Mark Twain and Harriet Beecher Stowe's homes in the late nineteenth century- both modestly-sized but ornate residences in a neighborhood of literati. So much of the street was redeveloped, first in the 1920s, when many fine houses, mansions, and churches were torn down to make room for apartment buildings (still standing), and then again in the 1950s/60s to make way for a limited amount of strip development. I lived on Farmington Avenue for four years, and can't find a clue in this photo as to where it was taken along the street. A few years ago the asphalt wore away in the road, revealing the buried trolley lines as well as original cobblestones. Very cool. Cars Stop HereIn other words, that's where you catch the trolley, or get off of one. It's true in almost every US cityToday, almost no one would want to build their impressive house on a street that becomes a main downtown thoroughfare. But 120+ years ago that is exactly where prosperous homeowners wanted to build. Fifth Avenue in New York and Euclid in Cleveland are two excellent examples. And today both of those streets also have almost no surviving private residences. Much beautiful residential architecture has been lost because commerce almost always triumphs and the well-to-do have the means to move on. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Streetcars)
Young Again: 1920
... Briggs and Stratton were sold seperately to be attached to bicycles. Most of the engines were sold for bicycles, and only a few for the Flyer. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 12:06pm -

New York, 1920. Ms. Young returns, piloting a less imposing conveyance but still with a gleam in her eye. 5x7 glass negative, G.G. Bain Collection. View full size. The Smith FlyerA company called A.O. Smith originally had the rights to these motors and along with Briggs manufactured the Smith Flyer. They were not very successful because of the lack of power. But B & S went on to become the small motor supplier for a multitude of uses. Whatizit?It's a Smith Flyer. [Close. Briggs & Stratton Motor Wheel. - Dave] Fifth WheelMs. Young isn't exactly dressed for tinkering with a finicky one-lunger. Nonetheless she and her outfit are spotlessly clean. Her pit crew must be nearby. Wait'll her father finds out about the bad trade she made. Nice go cartLooks like it might have blown some air somewhere unladylike, though.... You've just got to enjoy that fifth wheel for power. Smith Motor WheelA.O. Smith purchased rights to manufacture the British-designed Wall Auto Wheel. They made a number of improvements to the original. Briggs & Stratton continued to improve it after their acquisition. A surprisingly large number have survived. Red BugThis vehicle is known as the Briggs and Stratton Flyer. They were also called "Red Bugs" because they were painted red. I own an A.O. Smith Motor Wheel (just the engine). The engine, both the A.O. Smith and the Briggs and Stratton were sold seperately to be attached to bicycles. Most of the engines were sold for bicycles, and only a few for the Flyer. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, G.G. Bain, NYC)
College on Fire: 1963
... that day. We could see the smoke. So we rode our bicycles over to see the fire from Wolfe Grade school. I was likely standing ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 8:25pm -

December 16, 1963. Fire destroys the old gymnasium at the College of Marin in Kentfield, California. Arson suspected. The building had already been condemned for public assembly and was scheduled for demolition. In a way, the beginning of the end of the mission revival architecture of this institution, of which nothing remains on the present campus. Also: 1960 Thunderbird; vintage Van Pelt fire engine, but I can't identify the original truck make. Plus a really vintage, even for 1963, pedestrian signal at the extreme left. 35mm Kodachrome. View full size. FiretruckLooks like a 1950s White cab-over. More old trucksThe truck is a White 3000 made sometime between the very late 1940s and 1960 or so. 12-16-63What intersection is this? Is this near where Woodland's Market and Kent Middle School are now? AWESOME shot. It's a shame they demolished it all. Looks like it was a much prettier campus than it is nowadays. College Fire LocationThis is on College Ave. and the signal is for Stadium Way, the short street behind the Woodland Market shopping center. It's called Stadium Way because that whole area immediately to the north was occupied by the football field. Here's a Google street view from about where I took the shot: View Larger Map Vintage pedestrian signalGreat shot and gorgeous fire truck. That vintage crossing signal (good eye BTW) is an old Wiley. It Was A Much Prettier CampusI went there in 1967-69, when the campus still had some of the Spanish style (someone called them Mission Revival) buildings, and a free-running creek. Now it's just ugly, and the creek is a concrete ditch. It Was a Prettier CampusI was there around the same time, Anonymous Tipster, and you're absolutely right about the former Mission Revival look of the College of Marin campus. You should see pictures of the place from the 30s through the early 50s; utterly charming. Ironically, an article in the Independent-Journal when some of the newer buildings were going up (after knocking down the old ones) quotes some college administration brass to the effect that the new structures were designed to reference and harmonize with the traditional architecture. What a joke. In reality, where once we had distinctive and characteristic, we now have Anywhereville. PlymouthAnd an ever more vintage '51 Plymouth For Mr. La FongAlways glad to accommodate a classic car fan. Here's a close-up of the cars from another shot: The Gym FireThe fire started when a jersey that was hanging to dry fell onto a portable heater. The truck is a 1955 White, powered by a Mustang flathead Six, with a 1,000 gpm two-stage pump. In service 1955-1972, used as a backup 1972-1989, then sold to Hewlett-Packard in Santa Rosa, repainted and still in service. Sources: Chief Robert Mariani, Battalion Chief Ron Darrington, Engineer Frank Berthiner (all retired), Volunteer C.J. Curtin. 1974-1993 Frank was the engineer on duty that day. We could see the smoke. So we rode our bicycles over to see the fire from Wolfe Grade school. I was likely standing across the street at the "Eat and Run" drive in. We went back a few days later to inspect the damage. What we found out was, there was a shooting range under the gym. Lots of spent .22 casings everywhere. Also, the football field next door became a lake whenever it would flood. That was before the Corps of Engineers built the "concrete canal". I saw some guys water skiing on the field one winter. I grew up in this town, and this image is unbelievable to me. Extraordinary photoA memorable event, fabulous composition, colors, lighting, and the onlookers -- all adding up to a fascinating glimpse into history. College of Marin gym fireI had just finished my day at Kent School. I was buying an electric can opener for my mom at the hardware store just north of the creek when I heard the sirens and horn go off for Kentfield Fire Dept. I walked out front, saw the engine stop in front of the gym, and jumped on my bike and rode down. Somehow the alarm was called in quickly, because there was heavy black smoke only coming from the locker room windows, the fire hadn't spread yet. The smoke hadn't even spread. The locker room was below grade, so the windows were at ground level. The interior of the gym was wood that had shellac applied for years, and you can see the results. It really took off, and the heat and flame lengths were impressive. I knew a lot of the firefighters because my stepdad bought our house from Harry Kamp, and his son Kenny was a firefighter at KFD who later became the Chief there. All of us young Kentfield guys respected the firefighters at KFD, and rightfully so. They were known for being aggressive firefighters who excelled at protecting life and property. Problem with a fire like that, about the only choice you have is to fight it defensively and "surround and drown" it. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Fires, Floods etc., tterrapix)
Tall Beer: 1900
... In a number of Shorpy street scenes of this era, bicycles stand upright next to curbs (obviously, bike thieves were rare in ... ever seen as having fallen over. I am curious if vintage bicycles had some kind of special kick-stand to keep them tight against the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/24/2015 - 12:52pm -

Milwaukee circa 1900. "Wisconsin Street and Pabst Building." The city's first sky­scraper, completed in 1891, demolished 1981. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Another point or two...Attached is a picture of the building that replaced the Pabst, taken from the south, pointing north. Some of the design themes of the original are evident in the new building. Also, I missed the Pabst sign in the lower left corner. It’s most likely at the entrance of a Pabst tavern, as all of the local breweries (5) had their own retail outlets. One other item of interest is the Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. Ticket Office, across the street from the Pabst. Silents, pleaseEdwin Thanhouser, manager of the Academy of Music, later went on to form one of the earliest motion picture studios, which produced over 1000 films from 1910 until it went kaput in 1918. Foamy environmentThere's a lot going on in this picture! The crowd of people on the street, the streetcars, the really cool bridge, and all the aerial wires - the result of swift development of telegraph, telephone, and trolley and power wires - reveal a bustling excitement that was brewing in turn-of-the-century Milwaukee. I wonder if the brewery's founder's grand-daughter - who was vice-president of the company until 1894 - had anything to say about the building's design? Short-SightednessWhy would they demolish such an iconic building? [To make money from renting offices in a much larger modern building. - Dave] Here there be dragons?Can we get a closeup of what appears to be a sculpture of a dragon at the top corner of the second floor of our skyscraper? Tale of two townsA guy named Solomon Juneau is credited with founding Milwaukee. He developed the area between Lake Michigan (about a mile east of the Pabst Building) and the Milwaukee River, which is on the far side (west) of the building. A fellow by the name of Byron Kilbourn settled in and developed the area west of the river. If you can believe it, these two political powerhouses did not get along. So when Juneau built his streets to the river, Kilbourn, out of spite, offset his by about 100 feet or so from the center of Juneau’s. The net result was that when bridges were finally built they had to be angled (visible in image) to connect the streets. All of the river bridges in downtown Milwaukee have that feature. Deja vu all over againAlthough I'm not from Milwaukee (I live on the opposite side of the country), I recognized this street scene immediately. When Wells Fargo Bank and Norwest Bank merged, I was sent to Milwaukee as a network engineer to site survey buildings in Wisconsin and Illinois. One of the buildings was 100 E. Wisconsin -- the location of this building. A few months later I returned to convert the building to the Wells Fargo network. I checked on Google Earth just to make sure! I live in Milwaukee and the view has changed...but the intersection of Wisconsin and Water is still the heart of downtown. Yes, we mourn the loss of the building in this photo, but, by 1981, it was a sad caricature of its former self - whitewashed, amputated and deformed beyond recognition. Bicycle Built for One?Are my eyes deceiving me, or is the young man near the bottom of the photo riding a unicycle? [No; the angle obscures the rear tire, besides, the handlebars are visible, -tterrace] Also, thanks to kreriver for the interesting history lesson. I love stories like that, stories that most visitors or non-natives would never hear about a town. Question for vintage bicycle expertsIn a number of Shorpy street scenes of this era, bicycles stand upright next to curbs (obviously, bike thieves were rare in those days). None are ever seen as having fallen over. I am curious if vintage bicycles had some kind of special kick-stand to keep them tight against the curb. Then again, they didn't have the suction caused by tractor semitrailers zooming along the streets. [Here's a Shorpy example of how it was typically done using the pedals. In this Milwaukee photo, also note how high the curb is. -tterrace] I was trying to understand....I was trying to understand why I did not know that building. It was because it was so stripped down when it was torn down. I've lived in Milwaukee all of my life. There was a period in the 70's and 80's when any older building was just torn down because it was old. We lost a beautiful railroad train station that was at the lakefront and many other buildings. (The Gallery, DPC, Milwaukee, Streetcars)
City Hall: 1905
... out front seem to be precisely arranged. Not so the bicycles, but considering they had neither kickstands nor bike racks, but I can ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 3:12pm -

Minneapolis, Minnesota, circa 1905. "Courthouse and City Hall." Look at the time! 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Looks the sameBut boy has the neighborhood changed! The JailThat's Hennepin county jail, it might still be there. The proper entrance to the building has a quaint statue of a god, Poseidon perhaps, reclining on a cot. TurnaboutThe view from the tallest tower on City Hall, in the direction of this camera location (on the top of the Metropolitan Building) is https://www.shorpy.com/node/6973. The state courts outgrew this Richardsonian building by the 1970s and moved a block south, and the jail moved a block east in 2001, but it remains the center of city governance. A cathedral of governance!It embodies in stone the sacredness of democracy in the public mind at the time. Love the beautiful frame houses in the neighborhood too - and it's charming to see the row houses. Stone barrierIt's curious how there seems to be a barrier around 3 sides of the building. By the way it rises and hides 1st floor windows, it's on the higher-ground side. Perhaps a protection from water runoff? Yet there's a stairwell heading down halfway along it. [The handy fence kept pedestrians from falling off the sidewalk into the light well as the street slopes up. - Dave] His Left FootThe statue in the rotunda is "Father of Waters," sculpted by Larkin Goldsmith Mead. Legend says that rubbing his toe brings good luck. The left big toe is worn smooth. Clean and symmetricalHave you ever seen such pristine sidewalks?? Or a better tribute to the stonemason? Even the horses and carriages out front seem to be precisely arranged. Not so the bicycles, but considering they had neither kickstands nor bike racks, but I can bring myself to overlook this. The rowhouses look like highly flammable Monopoly tokens. I'm pretty sure this building was seen last year (pretty creepily in winter twilight) in "The First 48," a true-crime show on A&E. TintinnabulationsWith such a beautiful tower as the crowning touch of this structure, I am curious if it included bells, if not for melodies, at least to mark the time. It appears there is some type of mechanism in the tower, but I can't make it out. Could any past or present residents of Minneapolis let us know if the tower chimed, and if so, does it still chime today? I am interested to know what was housed in the tower structure and if it is still in use. I certainly wouldn't pass up an opportunity to go exploring in this building from basement to pinnacle. Peal outThe tower has a 15-bell carillon, and noontime concerts are still played. The bells also chime at the quarter hours. I don't know what the tower was used for, but a trip to the bell loft is unnerving. A tiny elevator and rickety stairs gets you to a beautiful view. Look out! It's santa!That elegant tile roof was replaced not more than 5 decades later with some lame copper sheeting. When tiles cracked from the cold, they broke free and impaled pedstrians. Now you have to worry about giant icicles sliding off the copper all winter long. And on another note, the "Father of the Waters" used to get all dragged out for Christmas. Frightfully so. Beyond the BellsLongshanks is right - a wee slow elevator takes you up to the bells. Not recommended for the claustrophobic. You can walk if you wish; a tight, dusty, dim spiral staircase goes up to the chimes we well. But that's not as high as you can get: look at the full-size view, and find the tiny semi-circles at the peak of the tower. That's another floor, and they change the flag from those windows. I've been up there. It was easier to get into East Germany in 1964 than to get into that space, but we did it - and to get down you have to walk backwards in the dark over a three-story void. It's an amazing building. Just wish it wasn't puce. (The Gallery, DPC, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
Fasten Your Seatbelts: 1912
... Glenn Curtiss, the plane's designer, started out racing bicycles and motorcycles. It seemed perfectly natural for him that you'd make ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 6:58pm -

1912. "Navy aviation. Commodore J.C. Gillmore in Curtiss headless plane, dual control, at College Park Army flying field. Lieutenant Milling, right." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. I forget.Which is Paulson, and which is Bernanke? Headless Curtiss PusherIf this a Curtiss Model D with the elevators mounted on the rear stabilizer rather than in front of the pilot (hence "headless") then the outrigger beams are indeed made of bamboo although most of the construction was done with spruce and the engine bearers and undercarriage beams were done in ash with doped linen over it. Treated bamboo is a good choice because it's durable and and flexible. I'm not sure about the construction details of the Curtiss Model E, which was the first aircraft purchased by the US Navy. The Commodore The Commodore appears to be wearing his dress whites. I guess he was going to the Officers Club after he was done tooling around in his flying machine. The Commodore rank comes and goes. It falls between Captain and Rear Admiral and was last used during WWII. It signified an officer that commanded more than one ship. College Park Flying FieldCollege Park Flying Field went into operation in 1909 when Wilbur Wright began training military pilots there, and is still in operation as College Park Airport, the oldest in the world. Since it is only seven minutes flying time from the Capitol, it has suffered seriously since 2001, with security measures driving general aviation elsewhere. There's a nice museum there, a decent restaurant, and a small park at the end of the runway where most mornings you can find me walking my dogs. StrapsNotice the shoulder straps attached to the tubing. I suppose that is to help them sit upright. With no cockpit or even a windscreen I guess that was a necessity. But I see no straps on their feet or legs. The whole contraption looks so flimsy, it only emphasizes how it took a fair measure of guts to fly one of those things. StrutsAre the struts on this plane bamboo? Well-Earned RetirementCommodore James Clarkson Gillmore had retired the previous year, following an eventful naval career. In the aftermath of the Spanish-American War, when the U.S. Navy was battling insurgents in the Philippines, Gillmore and 13 members of his crew on the USS Yorktown were captured in April 1899 and then abandoned in an area controlled by "murderous savages." Those who survived were rescued by American troops about eight months later. New York Times account of his rescue. Rope for the Commodore!The poles are indeed is bamboo. But what I find the most interesting aspect of this photo is the rope tied across the bracing to allow the Commodore a way to anchor his feet. He apparently is too short to reach the struts. American (or Yankee) ingenuity in action! Lt MillingInteresting, at first I thought Lt Milling was US Navy but research shows he was US Army. In fact he was the first to receive a military flight certificate. He retired in 1933, brought back on active duty in 1942, retired again in 1946 as a Colonel. When he died in 1960, he was promoted to Brig General retroactive 1940. Not bad for a very youthful looking 24 year old. Shoulder TubesI believe the tubes are control levers. Glenn Curtiss, the plane's designer, started out racing bicycles and motorcycles. It seemed perfectly natural for him that you'd make a plane turn by leaning to one side or the other, just like a bike. Death SpiralI would just as soon share cigars with the consumption patients than go up in that contraption with The Wacky Commodore and his "ingenious" rope pedals. (The Gallery, Aviation, Harris + Ewing)
Valley Green: 1909
... summer's hurricane, but they are rebuilding it. Horses, bicycles and dogs all patiently wait while their humans sip lemonade on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:25pm -

Philadelphia circa 1909. "Valley Green, Fairmount Park." Back in the day, less green than gray. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. AhhhhThis is one of the most idyllic scenes I've ever seen here on Shorpy. I just want to go up and join those lovely ladies for a nice cup of tea. In Wissahickon Valley Park, nowAnd almost entirely unchanged: GemutlichkeitThe most fitting word for this cozy scene, would try to do a watercolour of this, but I don't have enough greens. PunctuationI noted some minor differences between the 1909 photo and the modern one posted by J W Wright, like the addition of more lighting on the front, and the change to the hanging sign, but one that's more subtle is the failure to repaint the period at the end of the lettering on the side of the building. A favorite spotMany of us go walking along Forbidden Drive with Valley Green as our destination. The stable beside the Inn was wrecked in the flooding of this summer's hurricane, but they are rebuilding it. Horses, bicycles and dogs all patiently wait while their humans sip lemonade on the porch or have a meal. Many's the wedding that is celebrated here. In face we came here with friends and family to celebrate our daughter's first communion. It's a lovely spot. Not to be missed on a visit to Philadelphia! Modern sign not there any moreI'm old fashioned in my thinking. To me, a Bell Telephone is a modern appliance. But, only the old photo has a sign advertising a Public Bell System Telephone! When I pass by there next, I'll report if the instrument (or even its modern push button replacement) is still in the premisses. I grew up very near to thisI grew up very near to this place and it is still there. In fact my wife and I are having our anniversary brunch there on Sunday 2-26. It's a beautiful area. Valley Green In(n) SnowIn Our History of the Valley Green Inn we may read that also this building narrowly escaped from being demolished, as so many builings, shown on Shorpy over the years. So-called Colonial Restoration The Wissahickon, 1922. Of all the inns and roadhouses, once numerous enough along the creek, only one still stands, offering temperate refreshment to travelers—Valley Green Inn. Tradition, which is not at all dependable, would make the inn at least 150 years old. For it is said Washington and Lafayette dined there one day on their way from the camp at Barren Hill to Germantown. Another story has it that a large quantity of wine sent from France to Franklin was buried there for safekeeping while the British occupied Philadelphia. Suburb in the City: Chestnut Hill, Philadelphia, 1850-1990, David Contosta, 1992. Given the interests of the Colonial Dames, a patriotic lineage society that had been founded in 1890 in order to honor the pre-Revolutionary ancestors of fellow members, it is not surprising that the were attracted by a series of myths about the Valley Green Inn. Although the structure then standing dated from about 1850, an apparently false local legend held that a pre-Revolutionary inn had stood on the site and that George Washington and Marquis de Lafayette had dined there during their retreat from Barren Hill to Valley Forge. The Dames proposed to remodel the inn "along original lines," but photographs of the 1850 structure show that they had no intention of doing an exact restoration of the midcentury building. Instead, the women and their architects decided to use their imaginations and to create what they thought a colonial inn should be. Like so much so-called colonial restoration of the day, the resultant Valley Green Inn was largely fantasy. Among its more charming but unauthentic features were leaded glass windows on the upper story, stylized picket gates, and built-in porch benches with large scrolled shoulder rests. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Seventh Street: 1920
... Familiar Things Besides men in hats, ghostly images, bicycles, buggies and cars all at the curb, and trolley tracks, I seem to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 8:27pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Goldenberg's, Seventh Street side." Another perspective on three places and one thing we've seen before on Shorpy. Who can link to them? National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Fourth familiar Shorpy thingMan in a hat - am I close? Noon Time FriendThe "Noon Time Friend" Liberty Lunch wagon seems familiar, as does the bike with the jacked-up handlebars. Canvas everywhereHad I been around during this time, I probably would have pursued opening a company that supplied awnings for buildings and roofs for cars. Walking inside the buildings, oilcloth coverings were on cabinets everywhere for protection. Oilcloth would have been my sideline. On the other hand, the competition must have been tremendous. FamiliarGoldenberg's, People's Drug and Hahn's ... ? [Three out of four! - Dave] Multiple Familiar ThingsBesides men in hats, ghostly images, bicycles, buggies and cars all at the curb, and trolley tracks, I seem to recall seeing the "Noon Time Friend" sandwich cart featured in a Shorpy posting before. License PlatesWhy do you suppose that the two cars at the left each have two license plates? Is it one for Washington and another for the state of their residence at the time? [You had to have plates for wherever your motor vehicle was operated. Many cars in Washington also had Maryland or Virginia tags. - Dave] Peoples Store No. 1This would be The Link for the image of the Peoples Drug Store. [Also here. And let's not forget Hahn's Reliable Shoe House.- Dave] FamiliarThe lunch cart? [Ding ding ding! You are correct. - Dave] One more thing.Mold. I would guessChestnuts roasting on the curb? The Seven StoresWhen I was in high school in the 1940s, I worked at the Central Public Library at Seventh and K Streets, just off to the right of this scene. We always considered Goldenberg's to be a bargain department store. For example if something was cheap or looked cheap it "probably came from Goldenberg's basement." The other six department stores in D.C. were farther south on Seventh Street or farther west on F or G Streets. Seventh Street: 1920 plus 90Here's the same view today. The Hydrant Lives!I know I am a bit late in this (out of town). It appears to me that the fire hydrant on the corner may have outlived much of what has now been replaced. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Bike Raffle: 1954
... The event began in the iconic city park, where the kids' bicycles were inspected and registered, and this raffle was held for a free ... barber. Kids and Bikes Our small town required the bicycles to have small metal license plates on them. We kids would line up ... 
 
Posted by ZebraMan - 07/21/2013 - 8:08pm -

Carefree postwar boys, complete with a Beaver Cleaver look-alike, participating in a bicycle registration day in Lafayette, Indiana. The event began in the iconic city park, where the kids' bicycles were inspected and registered, and this raffle was held for a free bicycle. Later, they rode through town in a bicycle parade led by two local police officers on three-wheel motorcycles. View full size. WowA great photo. Who took it? How did it come into your possession? Shirt TuckingSome are more skilled than others. Looks like they all went to the same barber. Kids and BikesOur small town required the bicycles to have small metal license plates on them. We kids would line up early that Saturday morning when the new plates were issued in order to get a single digit number. (Plate # 1 was on display in city hall, with the reminder to register your bike.) I think the plate cost 25 cents, which was a substantial amount for a child. The plate typically hung from the back of the seat with 2 metal S hooks (provided with the plate), and rattled when you rode. BuckyThe kid with the striped shirt could, as my Mother used to say, eat corn on the cob through a picket fence! Look who snuck in the back.A girl! Thank you!This and a few others I have that are from the same event were discarded by the local newspaper when they cleaned out their archives. I founded and manage a Facebook page called Lafayette/West Lafayette Nostalgia that has 11,000+ members and thousands of photos; a friend of mine found these large-format negatives and sent them to me; photographer is unknown. Your site is one of the great joys of my life, Dave. Thank you so much for all you do and for publishing my photo! A Girl?We said "Gurll" in those days. They had Gurll Cooties. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The New Century: 1900
... pictures and this one has me convinced. The wicker pram, bicycles and now the "convertible" highchair were not average household items ... Father was a farmer, no photos exist of their early years. Bicycles would have been unthinkable. (The Gallery, Found Photos, Kids) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/23/2014 - 10:48pm -

"Lettis -- Ma and tot." From around 1900, it's Miss (or Mrs.) Handlebars again (and our third look at her house), along with another look at the baby. 4x5 glass negative, photographer and location unknown. View full size. Family Treasure!I inherited a similar high chair from my grandmother, born in 1892. It folds down into a stroller and is still functional. Amazingly, so many things made in the past were built to last, as this chair has for several family generations. Eye rollThe look on that baby's face slays me. "Take the dang picture already!" Hybrid blouseIf you take the stripes of the highchair fabric and blend it with the dots of the baby's outfit, you get the striped/dotted pattern of the woman's blouse. Chloe SevignyThe mother in this picture has a striking resemblance to Chloe Sevigny. Toy phone?Is that a toy telephone on the high chair table in the style of the era? [It's a cup on a leash, like the ball. -tterrace] MoniedI got the impression these were well to do folks from some of the earlier pictures and this one has me convinced. The wicker pram, bicycles and now the "convertible" highchair were not average household items of the day. In the duo bike picture, one of the fellas is wearing a pretty nice watch chain too. For some reason I'm convinced her beautiful hair is red. Go figure. [Their home, property, possessions and dress are not those of this period's wealthy. These folks are solidly middle-class. -tterrace] I wasn't implying great wealth but for many "average" families of this time period a photograph was a big investment. Case in point my mother's family, 9 boys and her. Father was a farmer, no photos exist of their early years. Bicycles would have been unthinkable. (The Gallery, Found Photos, Kids)
Seawater Baths: 1905
... someone enlighten me as to how they worked? Were they like bicycles or were they pushed? I've looked in Boardwalk Empire but he gives no ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 6:58pm -

Circa 1905. "Boardwalk, Atlantic City." Strollers on parade, at least one beach baby, and a number of ponies. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Slowly --Careful with the baby!! My eye went straight to the ladies taking the stroller down to the beach. I just love how that moment was captured. About those power linesHawk777-I'd slap a newborn for some of those beehive insulators off to the right. Anyone expecting? Baby Carriages and StairsI wonder about the baby in the pram. Was it a boy or a girl? How much of the 20th century was he/she around to see? My grandfather, born just three years later, said that he thought he'd been born at about the best time possible. Better get a discount for thatIt's "Hot and Cold Seawater Baths"!. Charging for hot seawater baths I could see, but cold? Go swim with the fishies! Rolling chairsI see several examples of rolling chairs in this photo. Can someone enlighten me as to how they worked? Were they like bicycles or were they pushed? I've looked in Boardwalk Empire but he gives no details about their mechanics. [They're something of a Shorpy tradition: for example.] Boardwalk eye candyBoth men and women are stealing glances of the slender young ladies in the center foreground. We'll never see what they saw. The beach and people are nice butDave: best detail yet in all your pics of, er, powerlines. What a waist. The lady in the foreground has quite the figure. Considering the glances within the photo in her general direction, I'm not the only one me thinks. "But each day when she walks to the sea, She looks straight ahead not at me." Rolling chairsThe rolling chairs are still part of Atlantic City. You pay someone with a chair and they push you on the boardwalk. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Old Money: 1914
... As a result, she bought the little house, bought her sons bicycles and later sent them to college. -- We always loved that story and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2012 - 5:05pm -

Washington, D.C., 1914. "Treasury Department -- Ofc. of U.S. Treasury -- second step in destruction of paper money. Machine cutting bills in halves." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Holy Crap!!!!Look at the bare terminals on the big electric motor under the table. What is the first step?How can the second step be to cut a bill in half? Watch out,the boss is taking a go on Old Nailcutter for the press. The gentleman in the apron (presumably the regular operator of the machine) does look kind of wary. Like all practical people look when a suit from the head office takes over for a photo op. Not on boardSays the guy in back: "This is bogus, man...I could by a house with just one of those wads." High Tech SecurityShearing the bills lengthwise provides "extra" security before they are burned. That's one impressive paper cutter as evidenced by the size of the electric motor under the table. The exposed electric connections on the motor probably met the "OSHA" requirements of the day of "common sense" and a stern warning on your first day of work of "don't touch that". A tale of old money for newAround 1924 a widow friend of my father's family moved into a tiny house in West Philadelphia. The house was a lowly place which suited her straitened means. She had four fatherless children and little hope, this being before the days of Social Security. One day in the attic above the stairs one of her sons found a box full of money! (The previous owner had died in the house, and must not have told anyone of his nest egg). It was about $1,000 of the old bills. -- She was thrilled, seeing at last some hope for her children and her future. But being old money, it seemed the banks would balk at exchanging it for new, and it would be considered worthless. She approached my grandfather about what to do and he devised a plan where friends and family, just a few bills at a time, brought these old bills in to their local banks and had them changed for new, being just a few dollars at a time didn't cause consternation as a lump sum would have. As a result, she bought the little house, bought her sons bicycles and later sent them to college. -- We always loved that story and especially its happy ending! It’s all for the better.I didn’t care for the grouchy engraving of Salmon P. Chase either, so I got rid of my $10,000 bills the same way. Handy and PracticalI need one of those machines--with the way money piles up, how else can you deal with it? I bet Jack Benny hadI bet Jack Benny had nightmares of this room. Granite tabletopsAlways good for rolling out dough. [I think that's marble. - Dave] (The Gallery, Natl Photo)
Your Move: 1922
... motorists going any faster were trailed by policemen on bicycles. He had beats in the 1st, 5th, 6th and 9th precints. During his ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2014 - 1:20pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "Traffic court -- George H. Scriven, Otto G. Hauschild." Another moldy oldie from the National Photo vaults. View full size. Weird white figureThere's a diffuse, irregular white circle that looks like damage to the image, but which is strictly contained by the boundary of the tabletop. How is that possible? [It's mold on the emulsion. - Dave] Boardwalk with a Motelis where you landed, and that'll be $10,000. Early Monopoly prototype? Boys and their toysIf I had seen this photo when I was eight years old I'd have known what I wanted be when I grew up. Subpoena the HorseHe saw everything! Pre-ComputersInteresting to see how they handled such graphics problems before the computer. This does look like more fun. Movable pieces! Can anyone recognize the lapel pins these two gents are wearing? DeskDon't look now but your drawers are open! Drat!You sank my battleship! Otto C. Hauschild Washington Post, Mar 4, 1959 Otto Hauschild, Served as Policeman 44 Years Otto C. Hauschild, whose 44 years on the Washington police force were a record in length and service when he retired in 1946, died of a stroke Monday at the Washington Hospital Center. He was 79. When Mr. Hauschild joined the force in 1902, the speed limit was 4 miles an hour and motorists going any faster were trailed by policemen on bicycles. He had beats in the 1st, 5th, 6th and 9th precints. During his longest assignment, from 1919 until retirement, he was an assistant in the Corporation Counsel's Office, preparing trial papers and conducting preliminary hearings in traffic cases. Studying traffic problems, he hit on the idea of reconstructing traffic accidents with toy cars. His system became so successful that it was adopted across the country to clarify complicated collision cases in court. Earning a law degree in 1928 from Georgetown University, he became the first policeman ever admitted to practice before the Supreme Court. Your tax dollars at workThese guys cannot conceal their happiness in getting to play their favorite boyhood game of "cars and trucks" on company time and with those beautifully detailed and crafted vehicles. They may be in their forties but had to have had lots of fun creating the crash in the center of the model town and probably taking dibs on whose child is going to finally receive those marvelous toys. FOB SOSI don't recognize the insignia on his watch fob. Is that a DC police fob? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Rise & Fall: 1903
... But where are the automobiles? Plenty of carriages and bicycles seemed to be in full swing, though. Street no longer so broad ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2014 - 1:01am -

No nation rose so white and fair. None fell so pure of crime.         — Confederate Monument inscription Augusta, Georgia, circa 1903. "Albion Hotel and Confederate Monument." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Selective perception?White? Fair? Pure of crime? Ha-rump. Where does "the other half" fit into this image? Or the "special institution"? Ye gads! The wires!The Victorian Internet was in full swing with telephone, telegraph and electric power! So much so that crossarms are suspended from wires, just to add to the mix. Birds had no problem looking for a place to rest. But where are the automobiles?Plenty of carriages and bicycles seemed to be in full swing, though. Street no longer so broadApparently the Albion Hotel burned to the ground in November 1921, and was replaced by Hotel Richmond (now the Richmond Summit Apartments), which still stands. The Confederate monument is still there - at approx. 755 Broad Street (which is not quite so broad now) Pure of crime?Only if atrocities toward Africans do not count as a crime. What blindness those Confederates had. Thank god they were crushed. Well, they got the "white" part rightNo disrespect intended to the fallen, but that inscription borders on the sanctimonious. That teamsterAssuming he is literate, which is by no means certain, but which I wouldn't bet against, is no doubt using the broad brim of his hat to prevent his eyes from rolling at the sight of that inscription. This is a survival skill common to every black American in that era, and long after. Not everyone was a criminalSome, like my great-great grandfather fought for Georgia, not because he owned slaves, but for for things like protecting his friends, family, and property. Most memorials in the South, like this are to remember the dead that fell in a war, regardless of the issues. Respect the dead, and remember that racism wasn't, and isn't, exclusion to the South. Still "Broad"Broad Street is still "Broad," it just has lots of trees and a median that was put in during a downtown renovation in the late '70s. When I was a kid growing up there in the '50, Broad Street was treeless, like in this photo. The Richmond Hotel seemed, to my small-town eyes, like the height of urbanity. Loved the overstuffed leather chairs, the barber shop, the newsstand in the lobby, the smell of cigars, when my mom would visit the beauty parlor there and I'd have to wait in the lobby with all the traveling drummers. Still Broad, and a 'New' FacadeThe hotel building itself appears original, with an 'updated' deco-esque veneer. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Civil War, DPC, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Light Reading: 1941
... of this library, the more I think they should have rented bicycles so you could get from one section to the other. I prefer my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 7:08pm -

January 21, 1941. "Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park Plaza, New York. Popular Room." 5x7 safety negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. That's a proper library.Our local branch remodeled itself into a pale imitation of a Borders bookstore. Low shelves that hold only a fraction of the collection, tiny little tables that are no good for research, a superficial reference section, and only one lonely shelf of sale books. But they're very proud of their new overstuffed chairs. It's trying so hard to be hip and trendy that it's depressing. Sir, Anthrolopogy is in the East Wing, Three Miles South...The more I see of this library, the more I think they should have rented bicycles so you could get from one section to the other. I prefer my libraries smaller and less a tribute to progress, or whatever the heck they were trying to do here. Look at the time!I better get my suit on and head to the library. A little dab'll do ya!Obviously didn't use enough Brylcreem to keep that cowlick down. MLISIn library school I practiced pulling the pencil out of my bun and swinging my hair around. I'm saddened that no one has a bun. The more things changeLooked the same when I was last there in 1984 (except clothing styles). Wide Open spacesI can't believe how much ROOM there is in this place! I work at the public library here in town and we have stuff crammed into our areas. Our town has grown, but because of budget restrictions, we haven't been able to expand much and we are a BUSY library! MismatchedThe chairs don't go with the tables at all I've heard of these!Back in the olden days, it took two days for Kindles to recharge, leaving people stranded with no way to read books - thus, the library was invented. I understand some still survive to this very day. (The Gallery, Education, Schools, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Japanese Emporium: 1901
... decade of the twentieth century was the only time that bicycles were considered a legitimate mode of transportation. I read that the ... almost 120,000 miles on a bicycle, I can assure you that bicycles have always been legitimate transportation. The fact the the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2020 - 1:30pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "Businesses on F Street N.W., north side, between 12th & 13th Streets, Nos. 1201-1219." 5x7 glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Established 1891When the Japanese Emporium opened in 1891, the Sunday Herald took a full page to wax lyrical about it. https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82016373/1891-06-21/ed-1/seq-1... Pedaling aroundThe first decade of the twentieth century was the only time that bicycles were considered a legitimate mode of transportation. I read that the first paved roads and road maps had bikes in mind. I'm lovin' the new series. Still legitimate transportation.As someone who has logged almost 120,000 miles on a bicycle, I can assure you that bicycles have always been legitimate transportation. The fact the the privileged class does not like them on the road does not change that fact. Paved roads were brought about by cyclists through the Good Roads Movement. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Roads_Movement (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Stores & Markets)
Annisquam Light: 1910
... next to the rocks. As for the rest, little boats are like bicycles. They spend most of their time not being used. - Dave] Sui ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 1:34pm -

Circa 1910. "Annisquam Light. Gloucester, Massachusetts." Detroit Publishing Company glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. Panchromatic filmThe dramatic skies are unusual for photos of this age. Most, if not all, of the emulsions used by photographers was orthochromatic (sensitive to blue and green light). It is true that panchromatic dyes were invented in 1904 (sensitive to all colors including red). And apparently this photographer had the red or orange filter necessary to make such dramatic skies. Alternatively, the picture has the wrong date. The other question is the relatively high ISO that allowed for a fast shutter speed and great depth of field. Aside from those puzzles it is a wonderful image. [This photograph was made on glass, not film. - Dave] Re: Panchromatic filmI've been following a the comments here for about a year now, and it always tickles me when the supposedly knowlegeable people expounding on this or that aspect of photography back in the Civil War era or early 1900s keep referring to "film." Still looking good It's still there.The lighthouse is still there (Wigwam Point, MA) but the photo is a reversed mirror image. The pier is gone and some other changes have been made through the years, but not much has changed at Wigwam Point. [Your are correct. Maybe someone put the negative in the scanning frame backward when it was digitally imaged. In any case I've flopped it back again to conform with reality. - Dave] Annisquam LightI drink it all day. Film or plate?I probably didn't make the point carefully enough, but I don't think there were panchromatic "plates" - there was only panchromatic film to my knowledge. Maybe someone else knows more about that. I note in a later post that the "negative" was inadvertently reversed. I'm not sure of the process here where a "negative" is used for the scan or a plate. [Like it says in the caption under the photo, this image was made from a glass-plate negative. - Dave] Gone FishinI see lots of boats but no people in them. What's going on? [There's a man rowing in the boat next to the rocks. As for the rest, little boats are like bicycles. They spend most of their time not being used. - Dave] Sui generisThere is not another example on Shorpy of an image showing such detail in the skies in 1910.There has to be an explanation for this rather than just citing the LOC. [There are more than a few, actually. The clouds that do show up tend to be low in the sky, as they are here. (Below, Nashville in 1864; click to enlarge.) Because the old emulsions were more sensitive to short (ultraviolet and blue) wavelengths than modern panchromatic b&w emulsions, high clouds tended to register only faintly, and 19th-century skies as depicted in photographs tend to be rather featureless and overexposed-looking. That's only a general rule, though. There are plenty of exceptions. - Dave] A five minute exposureI appreciate the opportunity to understand these pictures. The image from Nashville is a long exposure, perhaps 5 minutes, perhaps more. What you have in the Annisquam Light is an almost instantaneous exposure that also has deep depth of field. And, in addition, there is the fleecy and round character of the clouds. There is no way to get there without a film emulsion that records all of the spectrum of light, which is what panchromatic emulsions did. I categorically state that you will not find another image that has all of these characteristics. And therefore, the description is wrong. [Exposure times for outdoor glass plate photography in the 1860s were measured in seconds, not minutes. Below, an 1864 glass negative by Samuel Cooley, which, judged by the passage of the boat, couldn't have been exposed more than a few seconds. "Film emulsion" wouldn't enter into the discussion -- no film was used the the making of this picture; film didn't even exist during the Civil War. The lighthouse photo didn't use film, either. Taken by William Henry Jackson, it was the basis for this photochrom postcard dated 1904. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, W.H. Jackson)
Mysterious Fire: 1912
... was to reverse the sizes of the wheels on pennyfarthing bicycles. $75 today Adjusted for inflation, that's $1.6 MILLION dollars ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 12:11pm -

May 24, 1912. "R.P. Andrews fire, 628 D Street N.W." Washington Post headline: "Mysterious Fire in R.P. Andrews Warehouse Does $75,000 Damage." The item goes on to say that the cause was thought to have been "wires connected with the electric elevator." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Enough signsThank goodness there were enough signs so the firemen could find this obscure little business. I also think being next to the buffet helped. Master detectives.Paper, paper, paper, stationery, stationery, paper, paper paper, and twine. Plus faulty wiring. And the place goes up in flames? A complete and utter mystery! The "P" in "R.P. Andrews"......stand for Primatech, of course. This was a Company raid on an early group of Heroes led by Hosmer Higginbotham, whose superpower was to reverse the sizes of the wheels on pennyfarthing bicycles. $75 todayAdjusted for inflation, that's $1.6 MILLION dollars today! [Or would it be more like a billion? - Dave] When the fire's out...Stop! Hammer time! More fuel for the firePaint supplies and toilet paper. Those combustibles wouldn't have slowed things down. Both are advertised on the windows. [The sign says "Printers' Supplies." - Dave] Modesty PermitsNote the mention of TP in the window of R.P. Andrews' shop. I guess our Edwardian forefathers weren't as modest as I thought. I'm still kind of shy about carrying toilet paper home in my shopping bundle for all to see. Hmm.Anyone know what the R.P. Andrews warehouse contained? I'm stumped... (The Gallery, D.C., Fires, Floods etc., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Dirty Laundry: 1924
... wrist. - Dave] Turning Those of us who ride our bicycles everywhere still use those hand signals. Turn signal For a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 7:54am -

"Old Colony Laundry. Ford Motor Co." Washington, D.C., in 1924, when the streets were a honking sooty gridlock of trucks delivering diapers, blackberry pie and Whistle. Note the integrated, state-of-the-art turn signal attached to the cab. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Turn signalCheck out the state of the art turn signal (wooden hand just outside drivers door). Just pull the rope inside for a left turn. Umm, what do you do for a right? Maybe they only made lefts. Blair Road"We Wash Everything but the Baby" Located at Blair Road and Butternut Street NW in the Takoma Park section of Washington. The president and manager was Gordon W. Bonnette, perhaps that's him in the doorway. FoMoCoFrom the Ford Motor Co. credit in the caption I guess this was taken for promotional purposes, showing the Model T hard at work. However, if that is the case, unlike most promotional material I've seen, this shows a very used and slightly battered example. I love the scrollwork brackets by the driver's head. Hand SignalMaybe you just pull the rope part way for a left turn and pull a little more for a right. Looks like it could go higher than horizontal. Left and RightI watched a video on the Jay Leno's Garage website the other night, about his Tatra T87 car, built before WW2. It had the same sort of turn signal, only it was a little wand that flipped out. Jay said it was a handy thing for when you were out for a drive and stopped at an intersection. You could call a pedestrian over to visit and whap them in the head as they bent over to the window. Regarding the turn signalIs it possible there's another wooden arm on the passenger side? [It's a substitute for a regular hand signal. Which you'd give on the driver side using your arm to indicate either left or right turns, as well as stops. You wouldn't need one on the other side. - Dave] Right TurnsIf I recall correctly, they used to bend their left arm at the elbow, with the forearm pointing to the sky to signal a right turn. Not sure how they'd do that with this inflexible wooden arm. [It's hinged at the wrist. - Dave] TurningThose of us who ride our bicycles everywhere still use those hand signals. Turn signalFor a similar contraption in action, see Buster Keaton's 1922 film "Cops." (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
One Star Hotel: 1906
... serifs, a surprising lowercase Gill Sans-ish precursor in "Bicycles and Sporting Goods." Colourised for postcard! "A view of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 11:16pm -

Columbus, Ohio, circa 1906. "Hotel Star." Free telegraph in every room! 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Columbus, Arch Cityhttps://www.shorpy.com/node/8652 https://www.shorpy.com/node/8661 (fwiw, where I was born.) Shock of the NewAmidst all the period capital serifs, a surprising lowercase Gill Sans-ish precursor in "Bicycles and Sporting Goods." Colourised for postcard!"A view of the Star Hotel located at 227-229 North High Street, Columbus, Ohio. Also shows the metal arches over High Street." From the Columbus Metropolitan Library. At last, a dentist !For some time now, the Shorpy cityscape has not revealed the upstairs dental treatment that we were seeing much of a few months ago. "May" the force be with youIn noticing the May & Co store on the right I remembered hearing the name over many years and decided to look them up. May & Company was founded 1877 by David May in Leadville, CO during the silver rush. Eventually becoming a nationwide chain, there is no connection to the NYC Mays Department Stores. In 2005 May & Company was merged into Federated Department Stores (Macy's Inc.) for $11 billion in stock. [This May & Co. was a local Columbus furniture dealer and was not connected with the May Company department store chain. - tterrace] North HighThe Puntenny & Eutsler music store was located at 231 North High street, so this whole block is gone. The Hotel Star address is 227 N. High. The City of ArchesReplicas of the lighted arches still exist in Columbus Ohio on North High Street near The Ohio State University. See "A Short Walking Tour" here. Head to Toe ServiceBusiness must be good for the barber/shoeshine shop to have two fancy carved poles. While barber poles have been common and readily recognized for ages, this is my very first introduction to a shoeshine pole. I have to say it's attractive. Come on down! Woosh!I like the motion blur on the carriage moving out of frame. Zoom zoom! (The Gallery, DPC)
Walk Your Horse: 1910
... horses across bridges. Today, we only have to walk our bicycles across them! Lower right corner Check out the 3-level diving ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 7:13pm -

Little Rock, Arkansas, circa 1910. "View from the Free Bridge." The sign: YOU MUST WALK YOUR HORSE OVER BRIDGE. View full size. High waterThe stairs down to the diving platform have been washed out, and further to the right of the floating dock, there is some trash on the bank. Hmm.What if I don't have a horse -- how do I cross? Modern EquivalentWith the march of progress, we no longer have to worry about walking our horses across bridges. Today, we only have to walk our bicycles across them! Lower right cornerCheck out the 3-level diving platform, inboard speed boat and homemade sternwheeler. Fones Brothers HardwareMy dad worked for Fones Bros. for 44 years until 1981. They were one of the oldest and longest lasting businesses in Little Rock. They started in 1865 and finished in 1987. Their last location was built in 1921 and today has been totally revamped on the inside. It is now the main branch of the library system in Little Rock. The building was built so well and with so much reinforced concrete it was declared a Civil Defense fallout shelter in the 1950s. Fones buildingThe Fones building that was renovated as the Central Arkansas library is farther east (at 100 S. Rock Street). This one would have been a predecessor. You can see the upper facade of the Capital Hotel (still there, at 111 West Markham Street) rising over other buildings slightly to right. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Little Rock)
Camping in Quebec: 1959
... a story about a couple guys like this who converted their bicycles to go on an abandoned railway. They headed west in search of ... But yes, this picture is from the late 50s. These bicycles were relatively new CCM 3-speeds, with British Stermy-Archer rear ... 
 
Posted by Islander800 - 11/14/2014 - 7:38pm -

This is my oldest brother and one of his buds, heading off for a weekend of camping, riding their bikes on two-lane blacktop and gravel back roads in the Eastern Townships, Quebec, summer of '59. View full size. The RailbikersI have written a story about a couple guys like this who converted their bicycles to go on an abandoned railway. They headed west in search of adventures! This picture look more as if it were taken when I was around the age of these boys -- in the mid-1960s. The tires on these bikes aren't the ultra-fat ones I think of from the 40s and 50s. (I got a Schwinn Typhoon for Christmas 1965 when I was 9. I had it restored a few years ago, and it is still at Mom's house.) Days gone by...beautiful.When kids were not micro-managed, and they could actually do a trip like the one you describe, sans adults! Railbikers response510Russ I appreciate your comment on my submitted photo. I can relate to your story about an abandoned railway, as in late 1950s Bedford, there was an abandoned rail line that led out of town, to an abandoned quarry... I remember exploring down that line with my buds as kids, as in "Stand By Me". It was really a remarkable, and never to be repeated, time to be youngsters. But yes, this picture is from the late 50s. These bicycles were relatively new CCM 3-speeds, with British Stermy-Archer rear hubs. By this time, balloon tires were falling out of fashion. I had, as a kid, a "Leave It To Beaver" experience in 1950s Bedford, Quebec, for which I am very grateful. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Visitors Welcome: 1906
... racks in most of these photos, despite the abundance of bicycles. Well, this place appears to have two! Unfortunately, at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 10:47am -

Niagara Falls, New York, circa 1906. "Entrance, Natural Food Conservatory." Breakfast food pioneer Henry Perky's Shredded Wheat factory, a.k.a. "The Palace of Light," was a popular tourist attraction. Bring your appetite, and watch your step. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. They took paradise and put up a parking lot.The "Palace of Light" Shredded Wheat factory was apparently on the north side of the 400 block of Buffalo Avenue in Niagara Falls with a nice unobstructed view of the rapids near the falls. The site is now a vacant lot with a nice view of the Ramada Inn between it and the rapids. "The beautiful structure of The Natural Food Company is located on Buffalo Avenue (occupying ten acres), in the finest residence portion of the city, with a frontage of 900 feet on the Niagara Rapids." Don't look up!I said DON'T look up, there's a guy in the window on the right watching us. Just act cool. 50,000 Vistors Annually! "V"Why is "Natural" spelled with a "V"? Odd. [Classicists will recognize that as a Latin (or Roman) U. - Dave] Creepy, but at least there is a place for your bike...I've noticed people frequently commenting on the lack of bike racks in most of these photos, despite the abundance of bicycles. Well, this place appears to have two! Unfortunately, at least in this photo, it also looks like you might not need to secure your bike. After all, you won't be seeing it, or the light of day, again. The uniforms look likeThey came from West Point, what the cadets wear. Deveaux studentsMy wife grew up across the street from this building. Her brother attended Deveaux School and according to her the uniforms are identical to what the Deveaux students wore. The brother attend the prep school on a scholarship because their father was serving in WWII. The Deveaux school said the school was preparatory for entry into West Point, but few students actually became West Point Cadets. (The Gallery, DPC, Factories)
Geared to the Road: 1924
... light. I think it was just a reflector like they have on bicycles. [It's a lamp with an electric bulb. - Dave] Monochrome ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/23/2019 - 2:23pm -

San Francisco circa 1924. "Hudson Super Six touring car at Spreckels Mansion." Plucked from the Shorpy Pantheon of Pharaonic Phaetons. Our title comes from the slogan on the car's gigantic Miller Cord tires. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. I don't think ... ... the doors were poorly fitted. I think that's the way they were designed to look. Also I don't think that was a single brake light. I think it was just a reflector like they have on bicycles. [It's a lamp with an electric bulb. - Dave] MonochromeI'd love to see this colorized. In its present condition, it almost looks like Pershing's spare staff car. No Okies HereAlthough it was a Hudson Super Six of this vintage that years later purportedly carried the semi-fictional Joads from Oklahoma to California in "The Grapes of Wrath," it is extremely unlikely that theirs featured double-sided whitewalls or full spare wheels (as opposed to merely the demountable rims). Nor was their Hudson likely to have bristled with padlocks like the photo car -- quite an oddity considering that anyone possessing a short length of wire could have made off in minutes with the entire vehicle. Just for hooligansThe spare tire has a padlock. I didn't know that feature was required then. We just love rooting through customers' cars looking for the key for the locking lug nuts. In a perfect world, the last people that touched it put it back where it belongs. Once in a while we will get a car owned by a packrat. Stuff piled to the ceiling, with who knows what living under the pile of magazines and old food. The trunk is usually stuffed too, and the key is buried somewhere in there. No one really steals alloy wheels anymore so we usually use our special tool to get the locking lug nut off, and install four new lug nuts to match the others. Give me a brakeCheck out the puny single brake light, placed low where no one will see it. Several degrees from ElvisThe Spreckels mansion was designed by George A. Applegarth for Adolph B. Spreckels, an heir to the Spreckels Sugar Co. fortune. At 2080 Washington Street, it is currently the home of romance novelist Danielle Steel. Judy Spreckels, the ex-wife of Adolph Jr., became a huge fan of Elvis Presley, traveling and hanging with him and his entourage in LA, Vegas and Memphis. OdditiesI suppose the padlock on the sidemount spare might have been justified, but it is curious that the one on the external trunk is used not to protect the contents but rather to keep the entire trunk secured to the vehicle. I also had not noticed before the vertical bars between the trunk and the rear of the car body, presumably to prevent movement of the trunk from damaging the body panels. The other thing that is revealed by the shadows is the shockingly poor fit of the doors, which seem to jut out at the bottom from the body structure itself. Odd on what is otherwise an impressive-looking vehicle. Trunk or bootI see why we still call that space in the back of our cars a trunk. It was a trunk. So why do the British call it a “boot?” Perhaps someone can enlighten me. [The boot locker was where your coachman or driver kept his boots. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Thanks Sherman?
... between the States. If nothing else, the poster selling bicycles shows the picture is much later - probably 1880's or later. It ... 
 
Posted by Loneliness - 09/09/2011 - 10:18pm -

Found this glass plate in a shop in Savannah. No clue about the subject, though. Maybe from the War of Northern Aggression? One of the ads on the left is for Pope Mfg. Company, 817 Pine Street. View full size. 1890sThis is the aftermath of a gasworks explosion. Clothing and ads (and the fact this is a dryplate glass neg) put this around 1890. Not ShermanSavannah was never ravaged by Sherman. It must be something else. Clothing looks post civil war era. KaboomLooks to me like a gasometer exploded, judging by the twisted pieces of steel lying about, and the piece stuck in the roof near that group of boys. Post WarThis looks to be the aftermath of an explosion of a manufactured gas plant. Pope Mfg. Co. used that name from 1876 to 1915, and American Cereal Company (now Quaker Oats) started using that poster for their Scotch Oats (steel-cut) brand in 1899. Between 1899 and 1915 there were at least a dozen gas plant explosions in cities east of the Mississippi. Do you have a higher res scan? PostbellumIt's extremely unlikely this picture has anything to do with the late unpleasantness between the States. If nothing else, the poster selling bicycles shows the picture is much later - probably 1880's or later. It looks like a picture of an accident involving a gasometer - a storage structure for gas, where the cylindrical structure telescopes up and down within the poles you can see in the picture to maintain pressure as the gas is pumped in and out. You can see a complete gasometer, in the collapsed state, in the background, with the toppled poles from another gasometer in the foreground (and one pole leaning on the gasometer structure in back). As with the bicycle in the poster, gasometers weren't widely used until decades after the Civil War. Blowed UpMaybe a gasworks explosion? I think the duds and posters are somewhat postwar. Also, I'll have a breakfast scotch. A defunct gasometer for sure.This defunct gasometer for sure but it doesn't seem to have 'exploded' (caught fire) as the fence that supports the ads is still there (and the ads and fence are years old too). Reckon it dates from 1890s too. The telegraph/power pole on LHS is of this type not common in Civil War photos (where wires were few and usually supported on the main pole by a couple of insulators, here we've cross supports). Almost certainly a dryplate (edges are a dead giveaway), that dates it to near century's end. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Big City: 1941
... they all seem to be converging. Today he'd have to include bicycles and skateboards I suppose. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, NYC, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2018 - 10:47am -

December 1941. "Elevated train structure and buildings -- Lower Manhattan." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. Another view of this spot from that timeOn http://dinosnycpics.com/?page_id=48 is a color photo from more or less the same spot taken just about 6 months earlier by a photographer called Charles W. Cushman. The http://dinosnycpics.com/ site gives a comprehensive then-and-now (where "now" is about 2008-2010) of Cushman's photos of NYC taken in the 1940s and 1960s. And a sad comparison it is. LocationAh, looking north on Whitehall Street, East Side El turning right into Water Street. The distinctive 26 Broadway in the distance still stands. +73Below is the same perspective (from the Staten Island Ferry landing up Whitehall Street) in September of 2014. Not Much to Say, Except --Wow. Great picture! All Gone NowIt still amazes me that New York City had these elevated railroads dominating a number of the main streets like that, even though they had the subways as well. FascinatingLooks more like an artist's drawing or a stage backdrop than reality. Wonderful. Superman!The hustle and bustle with a great skyline, I expect to hear someone yell "Look! Up in the sky! It's a bird ... It's a plane ... It's -- " Locomotion ExtravaganzaThe photographer has caught the various forms of locomotion in Manhattan at that time--autos, trucks of many descriptions, a bus, a train and people walking--in a wonderfully composed photo where they all seem to be converging. Today he'd have to include bicycles and skateboards I suppose. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, NYC, Railroads)
Orders Neatly Boxed: 1940
... in them it seems from hardware to auto accessories to bicycles and tools. Another venerable institution that's bitten the dust. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/26/2012 - 9:39pm -

November 1940. "Men outside of a beer parlor in Jewett City, Connecticut." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Fish & Chips in NewspaperWhen I lived in England in 1972 fish and chips were sold wrapped in newspaper. By the time you got to the last chip the newspaper was transparent from the grease soaking. Western AutoThose were wonderful stores. I remember bugging my dad until be bought me a seven-transistor turquoise-colored portable radio from Western Auto. It was an AM/FM model, but of course there were no FM stations near Pascagoula, Mississippi to tune into. I taped that radio to my English racer's handlebars and rode around listening to WTIX out of New Orleans. Western Auto also sold student-grade guitars and amps. Many of us began on those; very similar guitars were sold at Sears and Montgomery Wards. When we moved to Port Arthur, Texas, a few years later, my mom bought me a Texas Ranger red wagon from the local Western Auto. Re: Fish & Chips in NewspaperAlso back in the early 70's, our company in California had hired a bunch of Scottish machinists. I had picked up a large order of F&C for lunch, traditionally packed in newspaper. I brought the leftovers to work that night, and joined co-workers in the cafeteria to eat. The Scotsmen a few tables over looked like they *really* wanted to come over and help me eat! (I can't believe I remember the place! Foghorn Fish & Chips, in the Haight.) No disorderlyfish and chips here, ours are neatly boxed, and don't forget to pick up your clean suit for 39 cents. And haven't heard the word beer parlor since I left the prairies. ... as opposed to?Being wrapped in the daily news? Highway PackageBeing a native of Massachusetts, a "package store" to me doesn't mean a UPS or FedEx shop, it's the old name for a liquor store. My Dad still uses the term, "going to the packy" before the holiday party. Since Connecticut is right next door, I'm assuming that it means the same there? Also, can anybody make out what costs 19 cents on the front of the dry cleaner's window? Western AutoI used to go to Western Auto with my dad -- to me as a kid, they were the neatest stores: they had a little bit of everything in them it seems from hardware to auto accessories to bicycles and tools. Another venerable institution that's bitten the dust. The 19¢ signEven with processing, there's still a lot of guesswork involved. But I think the left front window sign says... Special Men's Pants Dry Cleaned & Pressed 19¢ (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Jack Delano)
Fayette Street: 1910
... then. I take that back, there are two unattended bicycles confidently left by their owners. Try that nowadays! (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 10:21am -

Syracuse, New York, circa 1910. "Post Office, Fayette Street from Warren." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Most Stoic FellaAm I the only one to smoke out the wooden Indian standing on the corner? A Warranty With Some Teeth In ItAbove the smoke shop on the left: "Painless Dentistry, 'All work guaranteed for 10 years." I wonder if my dentist guarantees his work for 10 years? What an intriguing neighborhood!I would love to live here. This reminds me of city scenes in Marx brothers' or Charlie Chaplin's movies. Dig we mustFive guys working, three checking for traffic and two (apparently) supervising. Times were only slightly different then. I take that back, there are two unattended bicycles confidently left by their owners. Try that nowadays! (The Gallery, DPC, Syracuse)
Arnold Park: 1905
... on this street, only narrow curb cuts that must be for bicycles or wagons or pushcarts or something. My 21st Century mind kept telling ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:42pm -

Circa 1905. "Arnold Park -- Rochester, New York." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. This looks like the spotFirst pass through from the end, and the stonework entrance is still there. View Larger Map DrivewaysIt took me a while to realize there are no driveways on this street, only narrow curb cuts that must be for bicycles or wagons or pushcarts or something. My 21st Century mind kept telling me those were driveways until I looked closer. No cars? No driveways yet. [Actually the words "driveway" and "driving" are products of the carriage-and-buggy era. Some of these homes may have had carriage houses with driveways to the street. Also note the curbside mounting blocks and hitching posts. - Dave] Rochester MemoriesI didn't live in Rochester very long but I do remember it having more trees and railroad tracks than any city of its size. There's one in every neighborhoodThe neighbor who piles up trash in his front yard. In Arnold Park, he lives in the house on the far left. Champagne Anyone Beautiful American Elm trees. Not may left in our cities any more due to dutch elm disease. What a shame! Trees are mapleThose aren't Elm. Look at the leaves....those are all Sugar Maple. (The Gallery, Rochester)
Seasonal Greens: 1940
... when the family income was $85 a week, and you still had bicycles and Roy Rogers gun belts to pay for. Oh, and Slinkys and Silly Putty ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/03/2018 - 11:20am -

December 1940. "Christmas trees for sale at the market. Providence, Rhode Island." Medium format negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Brown & SharpeBoth my maternal grandfather and my stepfather were machinists at Brown & Sharpe, and probably concurrently, altho they didn't know each other. Southern New England was for many years the center of the machine tool industry. For those interested, Wikipedia link for Brown & Sharpe follows. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brown_%26_Sharpe Vehicle IDsL-R: Chevrolet; Plymouth; GMC truck; Buick (in the background -- a taxi?); Buick. The R is SilentI grew up just a few miles north of Brown & Sharpe, and can assert with complete confidence that Sharpe rhymes with hop. Never mind my comment, about your commentDear Webmaster, I'm writing to let you know you have someone who appreciates your quick mind. Seasonal Greens --- I love it! I look forward to your bon mots and (almost) pun titles as much as the pictures. They almost always give me my daily chuckle. A bit about Harris AveThe wholesale produce market on Harris Avenue operated for many, many years. It wasn't until the freeway relocation project that it closed. I'm a former Rhode Islander, and my dad worked just down the street from here, at Boyd Corporation (also now defunct). You Paid What?Once upon a time the going rate (at least in our neck of the woods) for a tree was a dollar per foot. When my dad came home from work and saw the six-foot tree my mom had spent $6 for he was mortified, but got over it after it was decorated. In retrospect I suppose 6 bucks was a lot of cash for a Christmas tree when the family income was $85 a week, and you still had bicycles and Roy Rogers gun belts to pay for. Oh, and Slinkys and Silly Putty eggs for stocking stuffers. A couple decades later.My first summer job after I turned 16 was trimming Christmas trees. Hot work out in the sun all day with some not so friendly critters taking exception to being disturbed. Bald faced hornets come to mind. Browns & Sharpe ShopsA global view of the premises from "Modern Machine-Shop Economics" in Engineering Magazine from 1896. (The Gallery, Christmas, Factories, Jack Delano, Providence)
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