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Speedway Racers: 1925
... helmets). Old School As far as I can tell every bike is single-speed and none had brakes. Track Bikes Track bikes are ... trap" pedals. I still use this style pedal on my mountain bike. Most riders use a clipless pedal today with matched biking shoes. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:26pm -

July 18, 1925. Prince George's County, Maryland. "Bicycle races at Laurel Speedway." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. So,I'm guessing the fourth fella from the left is either A) not a touchy feely kinda guy B) itchy to get the race started and stop this photo nonsense C) disturbed that he forgot his cycling shorts Sans SpandexAh, the days before obnoxious kits (and helmets). Old SchoolAs far as I can tell every bike is single-speed and none had brakes. Track BikesTrack bikes are pretty much the same today. No brakes, one gear, and no freewheel so no coasting. You just apply back pressure to slow down. At least two of these have brake levers, though. You wouldn't see any brakes at a track race today. Looks like a wood track, too. Watch out for slivers! 4th from the leftThat old guy (he's gotta be at least 30!) is going to get dusted by these kids! He apparently thought he was going golfing judging by his pants. FixiesTrack racers are still usually fixed-gear brakeless speedsters today. But these guys haven't dreamt of the solid wheels and carbon fiber you see now. Track BikesThese bikes are a bit strange in one respect: they are classic track bikes (single gear -- you brake by trying to stop peddling) with touring type front forks. Current "racing" bikes have nearly straight front forks. Rat trapsLooks like they are using "rat trap" pedals. I still use this style pedal on my mountain bike. Most riders use a clipless pedal today with matched biking shoes. Board racing was awful!One spill and the board track turned you into a porcupine. Board tracksBaltimore-Washington Speedway was a 1.125 mile wooden oval with 48-degree banked corners, and was built by Jack Prince, an Englishman who basically was the father of board track construction in the U.S. He was an ex-bike racer. It was operational between 11 June 1925 and 25 September 1926, so these guys raced (on a Saturday) just five weeks after it opened. All of the board tracks' primary users were race cars, not bikes, although Prince based his design on bike racing's wooden velodromes. From my article "Racing on Wood": "With boards stacked on edge, 16 to 20 feet long or so, two inches by up to eight inches wide, 24 tracks were built in the U.S., all but two of them ovals, with banking in some cases as much as 50 degrees. Today's Daytona has 31-degree banking, Talladega has 33, Bristol 36, California Speedway and Pocono 14, and Indy might as well be a giant cafeteria tray with its relatively flat nine degrees. For promotional purposes it was not unknown for owners to claim higher banking for their new track than for the last one built, so precise measurement could be snookered occasionally." AND: "The 'boards' didn't last long. Their champion proponent, builder Prince, died in 1927. The 1929 stock market crash was no help. The tracks' average life was four seasons. Altoona, which ran from 1923 into 1931, had the longest career. Not much was known about preserving wood outdoors without creosote (too slippery) to provide stable, even surfaces able to withstand the pounding of race cars capable of covering 220 feet a second." Faster guys on the insideThese fine racers are obviously arranged by speed, with the guys near the outside lane looking like they're just there for kicks. I also notice that the tires look like 27 x 1-1/4 size, which is 32mm, compared to the modern 23mm tires. Just one of the many things that have changed in bike racing. Dusie on the boardsThe racecar is a 1925 Duesenberg Eight Speedway Car, driven at the time by Peter De Paolo. The car apparently sold for 330,000 dollars at the Monterey Sports and Classic Car Auction in 2007. The guy so comfortably ensconced on the front is undoubtedly waiting for the real racing action to commence. Captain Pedantic hereThe city of Laurel is in fact in Prince Georges County (which technically should be spelled without the apostrophe, since it was spelled that way in the original charter almost 400 years ago). However, the old (long-gone) speedway was just about an ant's tiptoe over the line into Anne Arundel County. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Sports)
Brooklyn Wading Pool: 1942
... 80's it was still there minus the water. I used to ride my bike in that space. It's now filled in and part of quickly disappearing history ... each Saturday from 11 to about 4. I learned to ride a bike at Coffey Park, was mugged there, skated and went to see the Yo-yo man ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 09/08/2011 - 6:48pm -

Children play in a wading pool at a play center at the Red Hook housing development, Brooklyn, New York. The charge to use the pool is nine cents for children, 25 cents for adults. Photograpy by Arthur Rothstein, June, 1942. View full size. Wonder what it looks like today...Instead of water, that pool is likely filled today with empty crack vials and shell casings. Actually...I assume this pool was in Red Hook Park, but It's not there at all now. I ride my bicycle through this area all the time and haven't lost a tire to empty crack vials or shell casings. Or maybeit has to do with that the original poster believed it to now be a high crime high drug use area.(shakes head as well) It looks like trees and some kind of play areaA satellite view of the area shows some dark square areas surrounded by trees, possibly basketball courts? The apartment blocks are still there, southwest of the park but still on the same block. I suppose the "crack vials and shell casings" comment has to do with the fact that the neighbourhood, which was once white, is now mainly black. (shakes head) better satellite viewCharlene, the satellite view you used is off by a few blocks. The pool is still there but a few blocks east. the mixed blessing of public housing projectsIn 1942, when this picture was taken, we as a society, still thought that we could solve poverty by creating consolidated housing projects like the one shown. At their best, resources like this pool were available to kids who might otherwise be swimming in the polluted waters of New York Harbor. But sadly, in the 65 years since, we have discovered that this sort of project actually tends to foster more crime, and can create more abject forms of poverty than the tenaments they replaced. Hence an earlier poster's "crack vials and shell casings", which doesn't necessarily have anything to do with the color of the people living there. I think Red Hook is pretty racially mixed right now. PoolI was born in Red Hook in 1944 and lived there for several years. My aunt lived until sometime in the 70s or 80s. I recognize the look of the building in the background, but neither I nor my older brother remember the wading pool. What street was it on? We lived on Henry Street. We also remember a regular pool very close (I think on it was on Lorraine Street). There was also a park with a pool with sprinklers. Anyone remember the Clinton Movie theatre? Go Ahead...Shake your heads all you want, and keep telling yourselves that the inner city of today is a wonderful place to be. Should you actually drive through it--as I do daily in places like Trenton, Jersey City, Newark, and Paterson NJ--you might think differently, should you choose to take your blinkers off, that is. The locals, I'm sure, would love to make your acquaintance. Possibly dumb questionFor those of us who've not lived in an area where such things are common---what exactly is the difference between a tenement and a housing project, and is a tenement just the same as a cheap, seedy apartment? Why should one be more prone to foster crime than another? Red Hook TodayThe wading pool is gone. There is no mention of it in the NYC Parks Department web site. The Red Hook swimming pool is still a going concern. It is not filled with broken glass, litter, crack vials, or shell casings. Lost World, I don't know where you're from, but I can tell you that Red Hook today bears almost no resemblance to the red Hook of 20, or even 10 years ago. The projects are still there, and yes, they still suck. The rest of the neighborhood is fast becoming quite the desirable residential neighborhood. Red Hook PoolCan't help you with any information about the wading pool. The Red Hook Swimming Pool is still going and is on Lorraine Street. Filled with waterThe Red Hook pool that is under discussion here (not the wading pool shown above) today is not filled with some of the things that were asserted below. Rather, it is filled with water. Clean water. And people. A diverse group of families, to be specific. Say What?Apparently no one has been to Red Hook lately, which boasts both an Ikea and the upscale Fairway Market. Inner city neighborhoods in New York City have become gentrified, you'd have less trouble buying an excellent key lime pie in Red Hook then getting either crack or ammunition. Wading poolThat wading pool was in the park on Clinton Street across from the much larger Red Hook Pool. When I lived there as a young boy in the 80's it was still there minus the water. I used to ride my bike in that space. It's now filled in and part of quickly disappearing history of Red Hook. Hooverville in Red HookWe are two norwegian authors writing a book about the big Hooverville in Columbia Street, in the area where the park is, beside the big grain elevator. if someone knows some old people who lived in Brooklyn in the 1930s, please send e-mail me! Kvarog@hotmail.com This Wadding Pool LocationIt is no longer a wadding pool. It was filled in then made into a track. You can see it right across the street from the Red Hook Pool today. I have lived in THE HOOK for 37 years and i remember playing in it and remember it used to be open in the late 70's early 80's. [Red Hook Pool -- full of wadder, I'll bet. - Dave] Clinton Street movie theaterI was born in 1943 and lived in the Red Hook housing projects until 1954 when we escaped to suburbia. I have wonderfully fond memories of those days at the pools, at the stadium, at the docks and definitely at the Clinton Street movie theater. I went to P.S. 30. The Clinton Theater played two features, five cartoons and a serial (Flash Gordon, Tim Tyler's Luck) each Saturday from 11 to about 4. I learned to ride a bike at Coffey Park, was mugged there, skated and went to see the Yo-yo man each summer when a new yo-yo was introduced. I'm writing a YA book detailing the life and times of three young boys who live in the housing project during the time of my youth (about 1953). Hope to finish it this winter and publish it as a Kindle book. It's still there.....I'm sure the wading pool was there because of the picture. Just as well as the movie theatre. However, it looks like it is the home to a reconstructed track and 4 new basketball courts for all the ball players and future Carmelo Anthony's of RED HOOK. It's also the home to the classic ball games that many come to from all around to watch. It also has a nice sized playground for the children that caters to the ever growing diversified population of people making new memories. Crack doesn't even exist in RED HOOK anymore. If it does you do not see it. I know I don't. And RED HOOK POOL... it's still there! If RED HOOK is such a bad place to live in and it is so full of drugs and corruption and all the negativity that people are quick to judge and whom obviously doesn't have a clue because they are not from there, then why the sudden urge to move in? (Arthur Rothstein, Kids, NYC)
Fins: 1961
... she ran into a fin on a 1959 Cadillac, while riding her bike or something. Ripped open her torso or some such gory injury. Nader also ... 
 
Posted by daross - 03/26/2009 - 7:22pm -

Big brother and little brother pose in Mom's new 1961 Cadillac. Seems big brother did a little damage. View full size. Sweet CaddyBut what's the "damage"? Those are leaves in front of the rear fender. Damage?Looked close as I could and it just looks like a number of light, tree and bush reflections. I don't think Big brother would have such a smile on his face if he had done any damage to Mom's Caddy, Little brother would have tattled on him anyway. Beautiful Car. Nice Pontiac 4-door hardtop in the background and not too sure of the other, Maybe a Chevrolet. Cruisin'You are correct, those are leaves. And that's a '62 Impala, 4-door hardtop in the background. Joe from LI, NY Stud BucketsDidn't anybody have a Studebaker? Lucky FellaThat's the ultimate Prom mobile! Most excellent! Babe MagnetWhat a neat car; mom had to be cool. Big brother is trying to find a way to lose little brother and cruise over to Sally's house. PS - My folks had Stud Buckets' Studebaker - moss green. Those were the days!Wow! Those were surely the days. No carbon credits, global warming, gas prices or other modern ills to worry about. What I wouldn't give to live back then. Where is this?Does anyone know where this was taken? Would be interesting to see if there is a Google Street View. The coral CadillacMy aunt had one of these and drove it for many years. From the mid 1950s to mid 60s, Cadillac offered two convertibles -- the Series Sixty-Two (pictured here) and the Eldorado Biarritz. Sharp CarI had a college professor who mentioned that when he was 12, he was chasing after a stray baseball and broke his arm running into the fins of a '59 Cadillac. Looking at this one, its amazing he didn't impale himself as well. Swell-looking guy in a nice carAt least the little brother got to be groovy... We Are Going BackwardsDagnabbit folks! Don't mean to be a cranky old geezer, but these incredibly beautiful, artfully designed, forward, streamlined, futuristic, jet-age, space patrol-ish, magnificent vehicles bring back so many wonderful memories of the 50's through the 70's, when we felt as though we were moving forward, we were modern, we were progressing into a Jetsons future, everyone seemed happy and upbeat and prosperity flourished. What happened? Many cars today are so downright ugly, the design is dowdy and square, the colors are bland grays, creams or blacks, no more two-tones, no more bright interiors (you may choose from gray or tan), no more chrome, sleek lines or white-wall tires, no outstanding or unique features. We keep hearing about the geniuses among us and yet there seems to be a severe shortage of brilliant designers in cars or anything else. Lots of copycat stuff, commonality and boredom. I know energy is a problem, but still that should not rule out STYLE and brilliant design. Anyone who lived in past decades knows what a boost one got from driving or even just seeing a snazzy, jazzy, cool, inventive vehicle. I just consider myself very lucky to have been there for the best years of American automobile manufacturing. This photo is a favorite, evocative of how good youth felt at one time. Unsafe?In "Unsafe at Any Speed," Ralph Nader claimed a little girl was killed after she ran into a fin on a 1959 Cadillac, while riding her bike or something. Ripped open her torso or some such gory injury. Nader also had harsh words for the sharp lower-body fins, which are properly called "skegs." In the year of its greatest height, the Cadillac fin bore an uncanny resemblance to the tail of the stegosaurus, a dinosaur that had two sharp rearward-projecting horns on each side of the tail. In 1964 a California motorcycle driver learned the dangers of the Cadillac tail fin. The cyclist was following a heavy line of traffic on the freeway going toward Newport Harbor in Santa Ana. As the four-lane road narrowed to two lanes, the confusion of highway construction and the swerving of vehicles in the merging traffic led to the Cadillac’s sudden stop. The motorcyclist was boxed in and was unable to turn aside. He hit the rear bumper of the car at a speed of about twenty miles per hour, and was hurled into the tail fin, which pierced his body below the heart and cut him all the way down to the thigh bone in a large circular gash. Both fin and man survived this encounter. The same was not true in the case of nine-year-old Peggy Swan. On September 29, 1963, she was riding her bicycle near her home in Kensington, Maryland. Coming down Kensington Boulevard she bumped into a parked car in a typical childhood accident. But the car was a 1962 Cadillac, and she hit the tail fin, which ripped into her body below the throat. She died at Holy Cross Hospital a few hours later of thoracic hemorrhage. The obscured car......appears to be a '62 Chevrolet Impala. Oh, and I'm a former Studbucket owner as well - in my case, a '63 Lark. Sleek ConvertibleMy dad had to be different. He owned a 1961 Volvo PV-544 back then. It looked like a 1940 Ford. My mom got handed down our 1952 Oldsmobile 98 4-door, which I learned to drive on. What a tank that car was. Way to go, Dad!Angelo Frank! As the owner of a 1964 PV-544, I must congratulate your dad on his choice of wheels! SnapAh, just like our '64 and '66 Pontiac convertibles... It had to be pretty sunny and warm to get all the snaps done on the tonneau covering the stowed top. broke a lot of fingernails on cool days trying to get the snaps snapped! Cadillac StyleI drive a 61 DeVille daily, it gets more respect than a new Escalade. Great, colorful pic. Later, Ray in CT Wow. This jumped out at meWow. This jumped out at me immediately. While in high school in the mid '80s I inherited my infirm aunt's '62 Caddy DeVille, which was a sage green color. I instantly became a hit at school. During homecoming we papered the Caddy up and it was dubbed the Batmobile. First car I'd ever had that had no a/c, FM radio, or headrests. But I loved the thing, bad as it was on gas, and drove it til it died one day in 1985. Gorgeous!What a beautiful photo -- so sharp and clear! I'd like to know the kind of camera it was taken with. I remember cars like that in my neighborhood on Long Island. Looks like The Wonder Years -- and they were. I was 6 in '61. Four wheeled optimismMr Magoo, your comment is so right. The cars of that era were the embodiment of optimism and aspiration. The designers wanted their car to stand out from the crowd and each year a new one would appear almost completely different from the last. The fact that these cars are so revered and stir such emotion is an example of what cars meant to people in the 50's and 60's. Although modern cars are more efficient etc. the fact that the retro trend in car design keeps popping up shows the basic shortcoming of modern car design techniques, computers have replaced the soul that was injected into the styling. Old CarsNothing like old cars. Most things on them can be fixed with a few wrenches, pliers and a screwdriver. Oldsmobile in backgroundThe car in the background behind little brother's head is either a Pontiac or Oldsmobile, not a Chevy, I am thinking Oldsmobile. The '62 Chevys were not as angular as that car. [The car on the right is the Chevrolet. Car on the left is a 1960 Pontiac. No Oldses in this photo. -Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Motorcycle Mama: 1941
... slip off the clutch and, if the motor was running and the bike in gear, it could lurch forward a number of feet. This was extremely dangerous at intersections. When I was a bike rider in the late '50s it was not uncommon to see a fallen rider lying in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/06/2022 - 10:28am -

October 1941. Berkshire Hills County, Massachusetts. "Members of a motorcycle troop out to enjoy the fall coloring along the Mohawk Trail through the Berkshires." Medium format acetate negative by John Collier for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Definately a vintage biker photo …... because if it was taken today, the dude would have a seriously huge gut. ["Definately"? Sic! -Dave] I'm disappointedIf they were a motorcycle troop, they had a name. I wish John Collier had captured it so we would know if we're looking at the South Side Devils ... or the East Side Demons. [It's right there in front of your nose! - Dave] You are correct. I was thinking of something more rebellious. As best I can make out, the name on his shirt is Bridgeport M.C., so they rode about 75 miles north to see the foliage. The patch has a nice, sort of Art Deco style. The other AMA ...The American Motorcycle Association, founded in 1924 (and "whites only" until the 1950s). Killer BikesBecause those early Harleys had a hand shift, the rider had to have a foot clutch. It was easy for one's foot to slip off the clutch and, if the motor was running and the bike in gear, it could lurch forward a number of feet. This was extremely dangerous at intersections. When I was a bike rider in the late '50s it was not uncommon to see a fallen rider lying in the middle of an intersection. (The Gallery, John Collier, Motorcycles)
Drop-In Guest: 1958
... officers. Mom used to tell us "Don't leave your bike lying in the front yard when you're done riding it." Is Wallace Home? ... with rear brake locked - probably no front brake on that bike. Front tire hits step (leftmost scuff mark). Rear hits step (chipped ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/16/2015 - 8:29pm -

Oakland circa 1958, and yet another motoring mishap. The clipboard reads CECIL PRICE, OPD. 4x5 acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. The Honest Truth"I swear, officer -- that house came right outta NOWHERE. No signals or nothin'!" Aww, and in the high-rent district, too!This is why Hogs never caught on for motocross. Just doing my duty, sir"Never mind the excuses, I'm writing you a parking ticket." Was alcohol involved?As a motorcycle enthusiast of many years I have had a few harrowing moments. This would go in the "one heck of a ride" column. I wonder if the rider had anything to do with the marks on the window frame by the S watermark. I also noticed the lack of equipment hanging from the policeman's belt as compared to today's gear-laden officers. Mom used to tell us"Don't leave your bike lying in the front yard when you're done riding it." Is Wallace Home?Hijinks lead to hilarity when Eddie Haskell shows off for Mrs. Cleaver in this lost episode of Leave it to Beaver. I thought you said --He hit a Porsche. A useful statistic90 percent of all the Harleys ever built are still on the road. The other 10 percent made it home. Presumably, this is one of the 10 percent. Crash landingAfter crossing the lawn, how did he get through the door, up the stairs, and off the balcony? Optional Equipment in '57Strange that the Harley doesn't seem to be equipped with a "suicide clutch". That'll leave a mark ! Mouse TrapThe silver cover next to the dent in the fuel tank would seem to indicate a mouse trap (or rat trap) clutch mechanism is installed. Not too hard to figure this one outGuy comes screaming across lawn with rear brake locked - probably no front brake on that bike. Front tire hits step (leftmost scuff mark). Rear hits step (chipped cement on right). Rear brake still locked as bike skids across porch and is launched into the air after hitting the step. The really remarkable thing is the house, and particularly the window, remain unbroken so the bike must have come down like a missile and the rider probably bailed or he would have landed in the living room. Harley-Davidson: Turning gasoline into noise since 1903. Classic Side ArmWould love to have that Smith & Wesson on the officer's right hip. Looks like it has been in the leather quite a long time. ~ ZM (The Gallery, Motorcycles, News Photo Archive, Signal 30)
Ithaca: 1901
... the bicycles have remained a presence in Ithaca. People bike everywhere, which is somewhat incomprehensible to me in a town that has as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 11:05am -

State Street in Ithaca, N.Y., circa 1901. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Far above Cayuga's waterswith her waves of blue stands our noble alma mater glorious to view! Well not yet my alma mater, its quite interesting to see a view of Ithaca, where I'm going to be spending the next four years of my life, from over a century ago. To think Cornell was only 36 years old when this picture was taken! BTW the guy in the beanie was probably an alumnus of Cornell. Ithaca College was a tiny music conservatory until 1931. Nice perspectiveBeautiful composition. The city before it was cluttered with cars is lovely. They've Got Moxieand they'd probably sell it to you, too. Calling all KeystonesAs any silent film fan knows, the window washers, the dog, the well-dressed ladies and the unattended bicycle can only spell trouble. Throw in the barrels, the trolley tracks, plus the horse droppings, and you've got an epic scene on your hands. Rat Cap!We had to wear freshman beanies like that back in the late 1940s in Florida. BicyclesI can see at least four bicycles. The 1890's were the "Golden Age of the Bicycle," with the invention of the double-triangle frame and the pneumatic tire both less than 15 years old in 1901. North TiogaThis appears to be Ithaca Commons looking east toward North Tioga Street from Cayuga Street. Some of the buildings still look the same. Ithaca CommonsI believe this is the part of State St. that is now the Ithaca Commons, with this view looking east up the hill towards Cornell. If I'm wrong, someone correct me. Awesome photo. Ithaca CommonsBird's eye view. "Cars stop here"What about the wagons -- they had the right of way? ["Cars" meant streetcars. It was a "car stop." - Dave] Behind the TimesI'm surprised that a prosperous Northern city still had horsecars in 1901, many cities electrified their trolleys in the 1890's, if I remember correctly. I'm curious yellow....That's a scene one doesn't see anymore, a sparrow hittin' on mashed horse apples on the street. Puzzles me however, how to understand the relection of the gent on the bicycle in the window and how it relates to his actual position on the street, an optical illusion of sorts? BicyclistsWhat a great scene! One doesn't think of 1901 daily life having a lot of bicycling as primary transportation. But just look at all the bikes on the street! Comparing photosThis has to be my favorite then and now comparison of the same area. Great work. The popular priced clothiers at P. Rascover have been replaced by the hip sounding Loose Threads, but the mannequins have stayed! The woman on the right with the parasol has a 2009 counterpart in almost the exact same spot, but now with a messenger bag. Then and NowHere's a picture taken today from as near as I can get to the same spot. The conversion of State Street to the Commons back in the mid-1970's has blocked the long vista down the street, but many of the buildings are still identifiable. Click to enlarge. [Great photo. Thanks! - Dave] What's cooking?The "Now You're Cooking" building in the modern photo looks completely different from the building in that spot in the 1901 photo, and - strangely - it looks older. I like the nice curved windows at the top. Those two guysI don't like either one of those two guys walking on the right No, not at all. Foy Las Vegas Beer DogCan any Cornelians verify the legend of the dog who lived in one of the frat houses on campus and would ride a streetcar into town by himself every day to drink beer at one of the bars? My dad, btw, graduated from the university 40 years after this picture was made. Wide Angle?Seems to be a fairly wide angle shot, without the 'fish eye' type distortion at the edges of the pic. Was there something different about lenses, apertures or cameras then? [This is the "look" characteristic of just about any large view camera. - Dave] BicyclesIn addition to the buildings, the bicycles have remained a presence in Ithaca. People bike everywhere, which is somewhat incomprehensible to me in a town that has as many hills as Ithaca. What has not remained the same is the level of dress (although that is true of nearly every locale pictured on Shorpy). Still, if someone wore a suit in Ithaca, they'd probably stop traffic. The type of stores on this street has changed as well. I'm guessing Ithaca Hemp Company would not have been nearly so popular at the turn of the previous century as it is with the hippies that largely make up the town now. To R-Spice: I hope that you retain that enthusiasm for Cornell after you've been here awhile (and particularly through your first winter). Good luck! Ithaca StreetcarsIthaca streetcars seem to have been electrified from the outset. In the year 1887-88 the first track was laid, extending from the Ithaca Hotel to the railroad stations at the foot of State street. On the 1st of May, 1891, the franchises and property of the old company were transferred to the present organization, and on the 1st of June, 1892, the company purchased the franchise and property of the Brush-Swan Electric Light Company, which it still owns. That company had used electricity on the street cars under the unsatisfactory Daft system stem since January 4. 1888. The Brush-Swan system was adopted in 1891. -- "Landmarks of Tompkins County, New York" by John H. Selkreg, 1894 The Daft system apparently used a low-voltage third-rail power - which had to be a problem in snowy Ithaca. It's possible that Brush-Swan was a battery system, which would explain the lack of overhead wires. A different perspectiveI took a pic of that same spot as well: The photo was probably taken with a large-format camera that had perspective controls. It's very hard to do that with a 35mm SLR -- you would need a tilt-shift lens and there aren't any that are really wide enough. I tried to do it by stitching several photos together in Photoshop and adjust perspective, but it's not really very good. That photo, the old one, is really amazing. It was taken by a professional, to be sure! (The Gallery, DPC)
All Nite: 1941
... is an Elgin bicycle. I learned to ride on an identical bike, circa 1965. It was a hand-me-down. The sea shell ornaments were not ... for Sears, but it had some resemblence to an Iver Johnson bike I once saw. The two curved bars going from the base of the steering ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:30pm -

July 1941. "Street scene in Chicago Black Belt." Old-school fixie. 35mm negative by Edwin Rosskam for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Shell OilI think the shell is a license plate tag given out by Shell Oil. That's an Elgin BicycleThat is an Elgin bicycle. I learned to ride on an identical bike, circa 1965. It was a hand-me-down. The sea shell ornaments were not present on mine, although I did have a chain guard. Mine was a redish maroon and cream color scheme. The saddle bags resemble World War ONE surplus musette bags. I believe that Elgin was a Sears & Roebuck brand name. I have no idea who actually made them for Sears, but it had some resemblence to an Iver Johnson bike I once saw. The two curved bars going from the base of the steering knuckle down to the sides of the front fork were purely decorative. All-in-all, it was a VERY heavy bicycle, not ideal for a boy learning to ride. On the flip side, the seat was very comfortable. There was decorative paint on the fenders, maroon & cream stripes and small stars. Perhaps this would become visible if the photo were enhanced. A Tough PairThat bike is a classic. It looks like it had almost as hard a life as its owner, but both are still looking solid and able to take on whatever task needed for survival in hard times. Check out the sea shell ornamental castings on the front spindle! The winds of war are blowing in the distance, though. I wonder if either the young man or his bike survived the draft and metal drives of WWII? Not Only, But AlsoWe're left to guess exactly what is hot all night, but the young man's air of quiet alertness and the saddle bags on the bike suggest that delivery is available. Maybe not always SearsAt least by the mid-1930s Elgin was a Sears brand, and became "J. C. Higgins" sometime after WW II. Elgin-labelled bikes were manufactured by Columbia Westfield Mfg, and I've read that there was at least one other builder for Sears. I have seen hints, but no clear proof, that there was an Elgin bicycle company in the 1920s. Could it be that there was a well known Elgin company that died in the Depression and Sears bought the name and had them manufactured elsewhere? Half-tooth sprocket...is an unusual feature I have not seen before. See a modern version here. A hot timeHe's got a lot of clothes on for it being July in D.C. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Chicago, Edwin Rosskam)
Penn Varsity: 1914
... dates back to 1874, invented by the good people at Bike: http://www.bikeathletic.com/History.aspx Support From ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2022 - 1:18pm -

Summer 1914. "Penn varsity crew team in Poughkeepsie." Bain News Service glass negative. View full size. HmmLooks like Penn cut the jockstrap budget that year. Hah!Glad I'm not the only one who noticed the budget cut. Hmm againThey have all been looking at Rosie O'Donnell. More SupportActually, the jockstrap dates back to 1874, invented by the good people at Bike: http://www.bikeathletic.com/History.aspx SupportFrom About.com, history of clothing: In 1920, Joe Cartledge, the owner and founder of the Guelph Elastic Hosiery Company, invented the first jockstrap or athletic supporter, marketed under the name Protex. Another great photographThis is a great photograph on a few levels. Compositionally it is very interesting because of all the vertical and horizontal plains created by the oars, the bridge and the dock. The little guy dressed in black who I think would be called the coxswain anchors the bottom of the photo. The rowers are all rather glum looking while the guys in the background with the white hats and shorts look like a hive of activity. Another thing which is a little eerie is that all the rowers have a timeless look about them. They all look like the photo could have been taken last week. Considering that this photo is almost a hundred years old. The Boys, the Boat & the BookThough taken 20 years earlier, this image reminds me of one of the most compelling and inspiring books I've read recently, The Boys in the Boat, which is about the hardscrabble group of young men who comprised the 1936 Olympic rowing team. The individual stories are so engrossing that competing at "Hitler's Olympics" is not the climax of the book. The author also adapted the original book to a middle school audience, and it has been a favorite among the students at my school for several years, as well as an object lesson in how one chooses to confront the inevitable obstacles the life presents. https://www.danieljamesbrown.com/books/the-boys-in-the-boat/ The future they did not expectSince this is the varsity team, I'm guessing each of these nine men is around 22 years old. Most likely for them, the years just before and after the turn of the last century were pretty good in terms of peace and prosperity. Their futures were bright. But the summer of 1914, when this photograph was taken, is when World War I broke out in Europe. In four more years, the United States would join the English, French, and Russians to fight the Germans and Austro-Hungarians. As American soldiers crossed the Atlantic they very likely took what would be called the Spanish Flu with them. Young people in the prime of life was who the Spanish Flu killed most. But at least American forces and weapons helped bring the war to a close in November 1918 and by early 1920 the Spanish flu was done. Then, as these nine men entered their thirties a very vocal group shamed enough elected officials about the evils of alcohol that the Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed, effective January 1920. For the families of these nine young men who made their incomes from the manufacture or sale of alcohol or from restaurants or hotels for which alcohol was and still is a major profit center -- they very likely faced bankruptcy. Double takeI assume we're all looking at the same thing... ... the coxswain dressed all in black. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Detroit Opera House: 1900
... to the store. If you weren't trying to carry too much a bike could take you anywhere a horse could in about the same amount of time. I guess the thing that makes the bike seem out of place is the lack of provision for the bicycle in any of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:33pm -

Circa 1900. "Opera House and Campus Martius." The leftmost section of a four-part panorama whose center includes the Detroit City Hall view posted yesterday. Photo by Lycurgus S. Glover, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Bicycles!!!I'm impressed by the prevalence of bicycles in this date and time. It makes sense, now that I think about it. Horses and carriages were such a hassle for the casual trip around the corner to the store. If you weren't trying to carry too much a bike could take you anywhere a horse could in about the same amount of time. I guess the thing that makes the bike seem out of place is the lack of provision for the bicycle in any of the pictures I've seen from the turn of the century. Things like bike racks, bicycle shops, tires, etc. I guess they were mostly sold out of department store basements or something so they weren't usually visible to the street camera. The 45 star flagServed its country from 1896 to 1908. It must be an interesting animal in the wagon.Eveyone in front of the Opera House is focused on the animal in the crate. It would be interesting to figure out just what is in there! Enlarging the image, patterns on the animal almost seems like a farm animal (like a cow). But if it is something non-exotic, why would they crate it instead of just leading like a horse? Looks like Charlie Chaplinis crossing the street to go see Dick Mansfield rock the House. All Gone AwayThis was the second Opera House on this site, and is almost brand new in this picture, having been built in 1898 after the previous one was destroyed by fire. In those days Detroit's theater and entertainment district stretched off to the right past Wonderland up Monroe St. for several blocks. Not a building in this picture is still standing. The only survivor is the fountain. It was moved out of downtown in 1926 to a park 6 miles to the north, where it has sat dry for many decades now, to facilitate - what else - automobile traffic. The Opera House ended its days as a discount store. It, along with all of the other buildings on that block, was torn down in 1966. Surprise sightingI see two dogs on the sidewalk, both off leash. One is in front of the fountain. The other is just to the left of the Sparling's store. Remains of the DayThe only thing in this picture that still exists is the Merrill Fountain, lower left. It was moved six miles up Woodward Avenue to Palmer Park, where it sits in deplorable condition. The FoysThey probably never saw the inside of the opera house, but I'm willing to bet they played the Wonderland more than once. Charlie Chaplinprepares to cross the streetcar tracks! Remarkable pictures.I've never seen, on Shorpy or elsewhere, pictures like these in which all the participants seem so alive. It's almost like a painting of a streetscape, in which the artist has spent time on the body language of each of the people. I suspect the secret is that the photo was taken on a holiday or Sunday. There aren't the dense business crowds so each person can be seen as an individual. First class. Thank you. Henry VRichard Mansfield was touring 'Henry V' in 1900 so it's either a bear for the crowd scenes in that crate or perhaps one of the dogs of war. I also noticed Charlie Chaplin.It also struck me that these guys had a resemblance to Stan and Ollie: Look ~ A Zebra!The extraordinary detail exposed in these images is a great lens into what's going on within the finely grained detail of everyday life. The cart in front of the "Mr. Richard Mansfield" marquis sign - the one that's drawn a crowd, including children, would appear to hold a Zebra. At least that's what it looks like within the pixellation limits of the image. An exotic, striped animal is the best I can make out - and a Zebra seems plausible. A walkable, bike-able center of Detroit - how futuristic! The city's been struggling and spending billions in the post WW2 era to bring back this kind of density and detail to little avail. Too bad that when cars allowed people to whir & whizz by at 30 mph or more, no one thought the refinement and detail of urban fabric was important any more. What once rewarded you as a citizen-pedestrian-saunterer at every turn, began to degrade you with subtracted empty storefronts, fountain removals, and missing teeth. Today you'd probably be arrested for bringing a Zebra to the curb for children to have a look. Can't wait to put the 4 pics together into a panoramic view. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Marbles: 1940
... and that could be me on the bicycle. In fact, I had a bike and a jacket just like the boy on the right. And I did play marbles. ... I spent many hours playing marbles and riding my bike as a youngster. Didn't have to worry about some slug coming around trying ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:00pm -

May 1940. "Boys playing marbles. Woodbine, Iowa." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Looking BackMove this picture's date up 10 years and place it in a Deep South state, and that could be me on the bicycle. In fact, I had a bike and a jacket just like the boy on the right. And I did play marbles. Re: My Brother, The ChampionIn our neigborhood the big marbles were called "Log Rollers". Dubs, aggiesclunkers, cats eyes, and I've forgotten the other 50 names for marbles, do children play marbles any more? Playing marbles on Memory LaneWow does this bring back some memories, for many of us I would imagine. I wonder if anyone can identify the make of that bicycle. The Edge of ProsperityIn May 1940, Woodbine's future was bright; it was the centerpiece of Iowa's apple-growing business (then second in the nation), and was bisected by the nation's best-known transcontinental route (the Lincoln Highway, US 30). Six months later a severe storm known as the Armistice Day Blizzard devastated Iowa's orchards. Arriving in the warmth of fall, before tender new growth in the apple trees had a chance to "harden off," the blizzard blackened and killed all but the oldest trees. Highway 30 would bypass downtown Woodbine on the east, and Interstate 80 would bypass US 30 on the south, but the bricked-streets of the old Lincoln Highway remain preserved on County Highway L16 (and Lincoln Way Street) in Woodbine. Woodbine's annual Applefest survives. Lost My MarblesGood marble players only bought marbles one time. You could tell a good shooter by the way he aimed and addressed the circle. In my neighborhood we had two or three that would need to keep a sock attached to their belt to hold the marbles that they knocked out of the circle. Brings back memoriesI spent many hours playing marbles and riding my bike as a youngster. Didn't have to worry about some slug coming around trying to sell us dope and junk back then. Times were a lot more carefree for a kid. For funsies or for keepsThis picture brought the memories flooding back since it was a common pastime when I was a kid. Every kid knew exactly what marbles were his and when we did not want to lose any, we would play for "funsies" which meant when the game was over, we each took all ours back. Playing for keeps was serious business and losing a favorite marble was a personal tragedy. Sometimes you could win that coveted one back in a future session. We also played what we called a "Polish" version of marbles (it was my yard and I'm Polish) wherein we had to shoot the marbles into a hole in the dirt with our fingers and the last one to get the last marble in would win the whole lot, a real bonanza. Those were great days. SteeliesI remember my older brother used "Steelies or Ball Bearings" and would crack my marbles or chip them so bad that you couldn't use anymore. Those were the days. Now bannedWow, I spent so many recess and lunch periods playing marbles as a kid back in the 70's. It was THE schoolyard game. We played the "polish" version, though to us that was the only game we knew. Imagine my dismay when I found out that marbles have now been banned from school yards around here as some teachers view it as "gambling;" how sad is it that kids will never know the rush of winning his opponents marbles or the disappointment of losing his. My Brother, The ChampionI remember being very proud of my brother because he was the best marble player in our school. I remember they used to draw a circle (girls weren't allowed to play). There were certain marbles that were more valuable than others. There were also some big ones called Aggies, I think. I RememberWe played in Brooklyn, NY as late as the early seventies. Re: SteeliesSteelies were a no no. You could not use them. If you tried it was bad news for you. SkullyI missed out on the marbles generation(s), but sure loved Skully. I-am-the-killer-diller-of-this-game! Marbles in 1947In Farmington, Michigan, in 1947, rarest marbles were the crystal-clear ones in various colors - we called them "peeries," and any large-size marbles were called "boulders." A peerie boulder was the most valued marble of all. You could win one by making a tough shot - say shooting between two marbles, spaced an inch apart, at a distance and hitting the target marble behind them. At recess, we'd try our skill at various such challenges which were set up on the ground, side-by-side, like the midway at a carnival. Grandma raised my dad here He was born in 1932, and lived in Woodbine until he shipped out with the Marines in 1950. Even as a kid in the 1970s I remember her cafe on the main drag, right across from the five-and-dime. I can also remember the artillery pieces on the street corners that were placed as memorials to our soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. I miss that place and those times almost as much as I miss my grandma. (The Gallery, Bicycles, John Vachon, Kids, Small Towns)
Geese Better Scurry: 1901
... Unsecured Bicycle How long until an unlocked bike was purloined in 1901? I'd give it five minutes today. This ... Luddite Bicycle Jockey Doesn't trust those newfangled bike racks. Fixie Nowadays, you have to pay someone to make a bike like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2016 - 2:43pm -

New Jersey circa 1901. "Coleman House, Asbury Park." Fringe Festival in progress. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Unsecured BicycleHow long until an unlocked bike was purloined in 1901? I'd give it five minutes today. This isn't OklahomaBut you get an Oscar for your Hammerstein reference anyway. Luddite Bicycle JockeyDoesn't trust those newfangled bike racks. FixieNowadays, you have to pay someone to make a bike like that for you. We call them "fixies", and they don't have brakes because they don't have a freewheel: you cannot coast, your legs are always moving. Stop moving your legs, and you stop. Sort-of. Up a hill, not so bad. Down a hill, rather exciting. Stopping is overratedWho needs brakes when you have a bell, though it looks like they may have lost the actual bell part. Razed, not BlazedAccording to http://noweverthen.com/asbury/ap1.1fold/ap1.12.html: "The Coleman was torn down in the '50s and replaced by a modern motel, the Empress." An early drawing of the Coleman, click to embiggen: Back seat driverNote first surrey. stopping is NOT overrated......and entirely possible with a fixed gear bike. Once a necessity, now a hipster status symbol/phenomenon. Google "hipster fixie" if you care to know more. Early auto designI don't ever recall seeing a full-size buggy with wire wheels. Imagining it without the back seat, and the top, (and the horse!) it looks a lot like a early Winton auto. Water tower designTop left of the hotel is what looks like to me a water tower built for the purpose of water pressure throughout the hotel. Best looking water tower I've seen. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Horses)
Locomotive Lair: 1942
... Boulevard that became Bellwood Avenue and ditch my bike in the bushes where Bellwood dead-ended at the Proviso yard. I would then ... done all day, and I would reply, truthfully, "riding my bike." Any more detail would have invoked a wrath I did not want to even ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2022 - 11:01am -

December 1942. "In the roundhouse at Proviso Yard, Chicago & North Western Railroad. Chicago, Illinois." Nitrate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Proviso Yard Noir"Yeah, that was a gunshot ... but pay it no never mind. Quit lookin over there; look at me! You ain't heard nothin! Got it? You, me, and Crazy Dave was workin' together all night in the roundhouse. Got it?" Steam age environment ... captured on film. This is a marvelous photo. Where there's smoke, there's work. Superb imageWhat a powerful, evocative image. A dual environmental portrait with an element of mystery. I suspect if he ever saw this, Alfred Stieglitz said or thought to himself, "well done!" For his part, could he have seen it, Rembrandt would have found the lighting to be familiar and splendidly appropriate. For my part, I hope Jack Delano won an award for this one. He certainly should have. When I was about ten years old, out of boredom,I would hop on my trusty Hercules "racer" and pedal the two miles or so north on Westchester Boulevard that became Bellwood Avenue and ditch my bike in the bushes where Bellwood dead-ended at the Proviso yard. I would then wander around one of the largest railroad yards on the continent. Upon my return my Irish mother would ask what I'd done all day, and I would reply, truthfully, "riding my bike." Any more detail would have invoked a wrath I did not want to even imagine. When my father came home, though, I'd relate to him in detail the engines and rolling stock I'd seen. His job after leaving the navy was to deliver Diesel locomotives for Electro Motive and instruct steam engineers in their operation, so he was an interested audience, and saw nothing odd about such an adventure. I doubt kids do that kind of thing today. Indeed, thinking about it, they shouldn't. No steam locomotives at the yard then, but there was a long line of tenders that sat there for several years. When I was a bit younger, though, I distinctly remember running a few doors down to the corner (not allowed to cross the street on my own) on those rare instances when I heard the unmistakable sounds of a Milwaukee Road steam locomotive puffing down the Indiana Harbor Belt Line tracks and becoming visible in all its smoke-belching, steam-hissing glory in the not-too-far distance from that corner. What a memory that is. (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
ER: 1900
... A Shorpy rarity. Clipped The toe clip on the bike caught me by surprise as I thought it was a more recent invention, but ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:44pm -

New York circa 1900. "Stewards and nurses, Brooklyn Navy Yard hospital." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. TherapistsI'd be afraid not to get well. In the cusp of changeThis motley crew shows the rapidly changing looks and appearance of urban men during this period. Caps, hats, and bare-headed; turned-up collars, turned-down collars, no collars; vests with lapels, vests with no lapels, no vests; cravats, neckties, bow-ties, no ties; pant cuffs, no cuffs; mustaches & clean-shaven. Might even be a belt or two underneath those vests and suspenders. MissingWhere are the women nurses? MedicineIt was not then (nor is it now) for the squeamish or the weak of heart. Happy to seethose two doggies, especially the one on the right. The pups likely did more to comfort the sick than some of those grim customers around them - except for the kid holding the curly dog. TriageIf you can get past this crowd, the rest of your stay should be smooth sailing. SawbonesThat'll be the surgeon then, on the right in the overalls. What does the different headgear denote?I'm guessing the guys in the derby hats were the ones you didn't want attending to you. Be Afraid"I'm here for your sponge bath ... " Cool DogsI think the one on the right is a Portuguese Water dog. The dog on the leftIs pit, one of the most kid-loving dogs around. When this picture was taken, they were one of the most popular dogs in America. Fat guys! A Shorpy rarity. ClippedThe toe clip on the bike caught me by surprise as I thought it was a more recent invention, but after looking it up apparently they've been around almost since the first bicycles. Confidentiality out the windowApparently, they didn't need HIPAA to keep those medical records from falling out of the window. PugnacityThere sure is a lot of it on display here. Sheesh! Apparently, the photographer shouted "Scowl!" rather than the (now) customary "Smile!". But, then again, it is Brooklyn and it is (circa) 1900. A Steady HandGiven the amputation we recently viewed, and the nature of the instruments used in that procedure, it's clear that physical strength and skill with hand tools was of probably greater importance in surgery 110 years ago than it is now. The invention and implementation of power tools, both in surgery and in carpentry, has dramatically diminished the need for physical strength to succeed in both arenas. Therefore, if I needed an amputation 110 years ago, I'd appreciate seeing that my surgeon was a big, burly guy. Brute strength still neededJust a few weeks ago my grown son had to have a big, deeply-rooted back tooth extracted and he was surprised to see that the dentist STILL had to brace himself for leverage and use his own muscle power (with no easy way) to yank that tooth. As for this fascinating photo, the two men with dogs in the front row, center, have GOT to be related, just look at those faces. Old-school scowlsI love the confident body language, posture and facial expressions in old photos. People just don't stand around and scowl like this anymore. Dogs of yesteryearThe two dogs in this pic -- a pit/Staffie and Newfoundland or Newfie cross - were apparently the most popular dogs around back then, along with certain terriers. I come across dogs that look like these over and over again in all my searches of pics of the past. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Dogs, DPC, Medicine, NYC)
Queensboro Bridge: 1909
... The pedestrian path on the upper level is gone. Bike/ped access is now on the lower level, also on the opposite side of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:10pm -

New York, 1909. The new Queensboro (59th Street) Bridge over the East River. 8x10 inch glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. It's Amazing!Given that it is 1909 it is amazing the large and heavy construction that was done. At this time I would assume it was mostly horsepower and manpower to dig the holes for the pilings, to lift the heavy beams and pour the concrete. [They used steam-powered dredges, shovels and cranes. - Dave] Feelin' GroovyShe doesn't get as much play like her more famous sisters the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges, but she's a beauty just the same. She offers one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline, too. As IsThe row of tenements on the right side is intact today. It is 59th St between First and Second Avenues on the downtown (south) side of the street. It is just as seedy looking today as it was in 1909. If you travel one block in any direction you're in a high rent district. Still Smokin'A lot has changed, but the old smokestack is still standing sentinel. View Larger Map S-s-smokin'Okay, you urban savants, we have a sizable smokestack rising from the middle of a sidewalk, evidently still doing its thing. Now, what and where is the source of the smoke? Suburban minds want to know. [It's a smokestack for the Con Edison steam plant at York Avenue. - Dave] Kickin' down the cobblestonesI moved to NYC in the fall of 1986, and the first time I tried to drive over this bridge it was tied up with construction workers paving over the brickwork surface. I sat sulking in the traffic jam for a long time before I realized that those of us stuck on the bridge were seeing -- for the last time -- the cobblestones sung about by Simon and Garfunkel. And suddenly I was glad to be there. Junk ShopFilled with today's valuable antiques! CagyWhat do you think the round cagelike structure on the left is? [It's the framework for a gas tank. - Dave] Gas LightsAre those foot pegs on the post for lighting/servicing the light? This is the exact locationThis is the exact location of the original photo. I walk or drive past this street almost daily. It's one-way from 2nd Avenue halfway to 1st Avenue. Westbound traffic is allowed to enter only the outer roadway of the lower level of the bridge. I know, it's confusing to many in New York City too! View Larger Map Cable CarsApparently the street cars were powered by cable? I did not realize that form of propulsion was in places other than San Francisco (then again I never really thought about it). Am I incorrect? [These are electric streetcar tracks with an underground power supply. - Dave] The BridgeIt is fascinating that the south side of 59th Street overlooking the Manhattan-side bridge approach has remained the same for a century, while almonst the entire surrounding blocks have been upgraded to the nth degree. I lived only five blocks south of here in the 1960's. The very first T.G.I. Friday's saloon opened four blocks north at 63rd and First back in 1963 -- I was one of their first regular customers. Fill 'er upThose natural-gas tanks are still around. The tank will partially retract into the ground when its contents are low. As the amount of gas rises, so does the tank. The cage supports the adjustable design of the tank. StreetcarsAlthough the tracks in the picture might have had underground electric supply, there were cable cars in New York not far from where this picture was taken. The cars which crossed the Brooklyn Bridge were cable powered from 1883 through 1908. There were other cable car lines in New York City as well. See http://www.cable-car-guy.com/html/ccnynj.html Low-RentI like "Rent Very Low" sign -- you don't see that much in NYC anymore. Still Seedy After All These Years60th Street on the other side of the bridge is home to Scores strip club. Gotta go one more block to get a little more upscale. The pedestrian path on the upper level is gone. Bike/ped access is now on the lower level, also on the opposite side of the bridge. The first three arches on the left house city maintenance garages, the fourth arch (blocked by the wagon with blanketed horses) is First Avenue. The next five or six arches house a supermarket with astonishing Guastavino tile ceilings and very weird acoustics, a supermarket that took 20 years to arrive because of resistance from the $utton Place community to the south and east that didn't want the neighborhood north of the bridge encroaching on its own. 59th StreetThe south side of 59th Street. Photographed from upper level of Queensboro Bridge during 100th Anniversary Celebration of the opening of the bridge. +101The current view east on 59th Street of the Queensboro Bridge isn't as tidy as it appeared in 1909. Below is the identical perspective taken in April of 2010. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Rollfast Redux: 1959
... a second look at my husband Peter's Rollfast Deluxe bike . Chenango Bridge, New York, 1959. Anscochrome slide. View full size. ... today, even. Perspective of Time I look at that bike now and think "It's cooool, maaaan." But I know my 12-year-old 10-speed ... 
 
Posted by jckazoo - 02/04/2018 - 11:11am -

Here's a second look at my husband Peter's Rollfast Deluxe bike. Chenango Bridge, New York, 1959. Anscochrome slide. View full size. That's a beauty for sureLiving in the coal mining town I grew up in in the 50's and 60's. A bicycle that nice would get you beat up everyday. Nobody had that kind money to buy one. Nice shirt.Would be fashionable today, even. Perspective of TimeI look at that bike now and think "It's cooool, maaaan." But I know my 12-year-old 10-speed riding self would vehemently disagree. "Ugh, those handle bars.", she would say, turning up her nose. With a Rin Tin Tin belt buckle!This young man is seriously stylin' with the new bike and the Rin Tin Tin belt buckle. The Folly of YouthI cringe when I think of all the bikes that I destroyed as a kid. We all thought that the fancy stuff was for sissies and girls. Fenders, racks, bells, bags, lights all went into the junk pile. All the stuff that a restorer pays a premium for today. About the shirtI arrived on the hallowed shores of the US that same year and was about the same age as Peter. After spending the previous 5 years going to school in a grey shirt and grey shorts, the wildly colored and paisley patterned shirts that I would now be required to wear to school pretty much freaked me out for a few months until I got used to them. Memories!When I was 8 I wanted a bike. I can't remember if it was for my birthday or Christmas but Dad bought me a Rollfast bike. It was green. I must have ridden at least 100 miles on it during the next 8 years. By the time I was 15 or 16, it definitely as NOT cool to ride a bike so it went in the garage and who knows what happened to it. Home SewnThere's a very good chance that Peter's mother sewed that shirt - she made most of her own clothes, including the dress she wore at our wedding. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Cruisin' 1968
... View full size. Me Too I also had a Schwinn bike. Mine was green and I seem to remember it being much heavier than the one in the picture. Me and that bike went all over Brooklyn and out over the Marine Park Bridge (now the Gil ... 
 
Posted by bhappel - 09/13/2011 - 1:38pm -

Indianapolis, 1968. My brother Dan on his Schwinn along with sister Beth on her trike, in the alley next to our house. Our cousin David is back by the fence. We were all dressed up for our youngest brother's Baptism. View full size. Me TooI also had a Schwinn bike. Mine was green and I seem to remember it being much heavier than the one in the picture. Me and that bike went all over Brooklyn and out over the Marine Park Bridge (now the Gil Hodges Bridge) to Riis Park back in the '60's. Thanks for helping me to remember! Memories of the mid-1960sThis picture really takes me back to the mid-60s when my brother and sister and I would be ready for church, but still have some time to kill before my parents were ready to leave. We'd ride our bikes in the street in front of our house, play catch (either baseball or football) or play tag. The CousinGrowing up I was fortunate to have many cousins in the neighborhood. Two of my mothers three sisters and my father's two brothers and his sister lived within walking distance. I grew up with eight cousins (there were two more in Boston) and that extended family supported each other (and grandparents) through the hard times of the 30s, the war and old age. The next two generations were not nearly as close and now live across the breadth of this country as well as Europe and Asia. Love the kickstandIt looks like he's actually riding the bike, until you zoom in on the larger version where you can see the kickstand holding him up. Funny! I love little details like that in these older photos. I'm confused...Did you and your brother & sister have the same Dad? The previous picture shows your father on a tricycle in 1963, looking younger than your sister did in 1968. [You'd be less confused if you looked at the "Submitted by" tag above each photo. - Dave] Trusting ParentsI was 8 years old in 68, so I too know what it is to dress up in "nice clothes" to go someplace important. I my case Disneyland was an every-other-month event. Mom always got me ready first, and rather than turn me loose to play, made me sit on a couch for the half an hour it took her and Dad to get ready. The worst part was that the TV was in the den (just one set in the house, thank you) and I was always made to sit on the Ethan Allen sofa in the living room, clad in stiff plastic slipcovers where she could keep an eye on me. Time never dragged so slow as waiting on that dull, hot, uncomfortable sofa, and there would be words if I squirmed so much she had to tuck in my shirt a second time. The kid in the backgroundI remember childhood from the perspective of the kid in the background. Involved, but not quite, if you know what I mean. The last kid to be picked for kickball, waiting hands in pockets. Re: Kid in the backgroundI can't fully speak for my cousin David, but I expect that his expression and mood stem from: having to dress up in "good" clothes / going to church not on a Sunday / going to Aunt & Uncle's house where he has to behave and can't get to his toys / not getting attention from our Aunt Lee who was photographing my family more than he and his siblings (my profile photo is also from this same day). And farther in the background, my father can be seen in the front yard setting his 35mm camera, likely getting a picture of Jim's godparents. Jim's godfather? Why, it's cousin Steve, seen here on Shorpy some 20 years earlier! Pink and WhiteMy Schwinn bike came to me on a cold snowy Christmas morning in 1960 or 1961 in Colorado. Pink and white with streamers coming out of the handlebars. There was a push button horn in the middle framework of this "lady's bike". My beloved father shoveled the snow outside our house to the corner so I could ride it up and down that short distance. I was 6 and I remember it as if it were yesterday. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids)
Mott Street: 1905
... tower, timeandagainphoto. And it looks like the guy on the bike is horning in on your racket. Re: tterrace Thanks tterrace. Yeah, that guy on the bike won't be bothering me anymore, if you know what I mean. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 8:24pm -

New York circa 1905. "Mott Street." Another view of the funeral procession seen here. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Not the same procession!The carriage and driver are not the same in the two photos. Hence the two photo angles. I wonder if these were taken by the funeral company to advertise? [It is the same procession. The hearse seen here is the third carriage in the other photo. - Dave] A very pretty young ladyAbsolutely charming. Mason, first class, I believe. All the trimmingsNotice that every person on the street has a hat on. Also isn't all the wrought iron work on the buildings beautiful. Even the utilitarian fire escapes are ornate. I was born in the wrong decade! CentaurVery weird how the exposure time seems to have merged the horse with the man! TimingI wonder if this photo was taken by a different camera from the previous one of the same procession? Both are taken on the same side of the street, but this is on street level, whereas the other seems to be from a second floor fire escape. This photograph is apparently taken just a short time after the first one, since the main white funeral coach has moved only a few buildings farther down the road. Does anyone know if seems plausible to have moved the bulky photographic equipment of 1905 down a fire escape in time to set up a new shot in under a minute? +104No funeral procession is complete without fresh roasted peanuts. Below is the same view from May of 2009, sans peanuts and procession. re: +104Interesting that new building at the right is carrying on the tradition of having a marquee. Clever framing job on the old building tower, timeandagainphoto. And it looks like the guy on the bike is horning in on your racket. Re: tterraceThanks tterrace. Yeah, that guy on the bike won't be bothering me anymore, if you know what I mean. Paleoelectrical wiringIf you look under the marquee/awning on the right, you will see some ancient exposed wiring. Time waits for no oneEvery single one of the people watching this funeral has since had their own. And you know what that means for us. The Sun, peeking outThe upper floors of the Port Arthur Restaurant were also the home of the Chinese Empire Reform Association. Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the future founder of the Republic of China but then an exiled leader of the Revolutionary Alliance, often used those offices when in the city. Two biographies say he spent six weeks in New York in early 1905. Phantastic photoI could gaze at that young girl's face for hours. This capture has the quality of a painting, and yet the girl's face has an almost modern look, a face you could expect to see today anywhere. The close-up of the horse-drawn vehicles is an intense delight, as are the faces of the men admiring them. The architectural detail in this photo is dizzyingly delicious. This is one of my very favorite pics on all of Shorpy. Penultimate tripPeople who are not from New York or the Northeastern states might not know that in the olden days the hearse would drive around the neighborhood of the deceased for one last time. I was just a kid when I was first made aware of this and went to an old Brooklyn relative's funeral, it was their last earthly trip around the block so to speak. I don't think they do that anymore but it was definitely a custom throughout the 1940s and 50s. Those people who were stopping and staring may have known the departed personally. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, NYC)
Mobile Newsboy: 1914
... taught me was not to be a paperboy. I ran my route on my bike between May and August of 1964 and delivered every day to about 90 homes ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/15/2011 - 1:20pm -

October 1914. Mobile, Alabama. "Young newsboy who begins work at daybreak." View full size. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. Mobile Newsboy: 1914, date of photoFlip the picture upside down, and you see the newspaper has a banner headline that reads, in part, "BOSTON TAxxx SECOND." On October 10, 1914, the Boston Braves beat the Philadelphia Athletics, 1-0 in the second game of the World Series, ultimately sweeping 4-0. Suffice to say, the newspaper, and the photo, are probably from the morning of Oct. 11, 1914. [Another clue would be the caption under the photo that says "October 1914." It's the afternoon paper of Saturday, October 10 - Dave] ww1 news alsoChannel ports now Kaiser's Objective, I think thats what is written next to the game, also Portugal expected to Decla but his hand blocks the rest - Mobile NewsieAs an artist I love it. ResolutionI am wondering about a technical question: how is it possible to get a detail from the original picture with such a fine resolution. If I download the picture it has a resolution of 1200x861 and the detail from it will have a resolution of approximately 120x100 but the detail shown in the comment has a resolution of 485x400. Can anyone tell me how that is possible? By the way: I am a European lover of historical and cartographic sites. I am very pleased to have found Shorpy. Gives me such an interesting insight in the U.S. society in the past century. thanks for all that. Alex Bussum, Netherlands [The full-resolution image here is 5000 x 3587 pixels. We downsize the full-resolution images to approximately 1200 pixels wide before posting them to the site. - Dave] 10-10-14Amazing, that we are looking at a newspaper as it was on Saturday, October 10, 1914 -- papers are so forgettable, no one could have guessed, least of all the Newsie, that he'd be seen and known all these decades later. This site really is like going back in time. Paperboys were once a legend, [We'll be right back with Part 2 of this windy diatribe after a brief intermission. - Dave] Disappearance of paperboysThe reason you don't see paperboys anymore has nothing to do with kids and their willingness to work, and everything to do with the newspaper delivery business and how it is run. Newspapers want no part of child workers anymore. But don't let me stop your misinformed rant... I was a paperboy onceBack in the 1960s, I had a paper route for a while. Even then, paper carriers were not newspaper employees. No, we were "independent contractors" who solicited sales door to door, delivered to homes 7 days a week and collected once every 2 weeks. I had a canvas bag draped over my bicycle handlebars, loaded with 50 or 60 papers. It was tedious and not very rewarding - I didn't last long. Our town, anyway, had no newsies hawking papers on the street. I think by then radio and TV had taken over the "breaking news" category. You could buy individual papers at barber shops, drugstores and the local hotel. Our town had 4 daily papers available (Omaha, Lincoln morning & evening, and Beatrice) plus the local paper 3 days a week. The Internet is taking a toll on those papers today. From a would-be paperboyI remember when the paperboy job disappeared from Long Island. It was in the mid 1980's, right when I was wanting to be a paperboy like my older brothers had been. I don't know the details of it, but some older man bought one of the Postal Service's discarded right hand drive Jeeps and took over all the local paper routes. That was the end of it for the kids. They left an envelope in your box every week for you to leave your check in and we never saw the paper deliveryperson again, unless you were up at 5 AM when he was passing by. I have no idea what it's like now, as I left the U.S. nearly a decade ago, fed up with the direction it was headed and boy am I glad I did. Love the site, keep up the good work. Mobile PaperboyIn Mobile as a 10-year old, 1950-51, I sold newspapers early in the morning--5:30 a.m.--on a street corner near the main entrance to Brookley AFB. Like a previous commenter, I didn't last long. The newsboy in the photo is probably on Government Street, a main thoroughfare, about where the entrance to the Bankhead tunnel now is. It's also possible, though less so, that he's a few blocks around the corner on Royal Street. OMG! That made me LOL!Seriously...hilarious with the fadeout. Thank you, Dave, for the laugh. I Was A Paperboy Once ...and all it taught me was not to be a paperboy. I ran my route on my bike between May and August of 1964 and delivered every day to about 90 homes within a three mile radius. Collecting from customers was like pulling teeth and I was always short - and always having to go back and back and back to try and get paid. The job took more time than I would ever have imagined and by the time I left it I had made only $12 "profit." So much for being an All-American Icon. Car Paper RouteFound this pic just today by clicking on "Prev Page" on the home bar. Brought back more memories of my 3 year career delivering papers. My first 6 months I worked for a lady that had a very large car route. We rolled and I threw from the car windows. My target was driveways and sidewalks. Sometimes I would actually hit the porches and when I did my lady boss would yell out "good shot, Jimmy". We would stop the car if I hit the bushes and if a paper landed on the roof, I would throw another paper. She retired and I got the 1st choice of a walking route as there were 5 routes created from her auto route. PaperboyI had three routes at once in the mid 60's and made about as much as some adults. My routes were broken up into seven routes when I quit. Collecting was up and down. Some customers were great, and others real deadbeats. Who stiffs a kid for a few cents? There are still paperboys in the Hillsborough and Durham NC area. They sell the papers at intersections, not much walking, but some dodging of texting drivers. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Mobile)
Lincoln, Nebraska: 1942
... is--well, it's there. I watched them build it riding my bike home from work in the afternoons. It has an opulent but gaudy lobby. But, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 1:17pm -

"Seed and feed store in Lincoln, Nebraska." Our third view of the Grand Grocery from 1942. View full size. Kodachrome transparency by John Vachon, OWI. Living, breathingHere it is folks, real life 66 years ago. I could gaze at an image like this for hours, wishing I could fall into it. In fact, if you don't hear from me after several days, it's because I'm over at the market squeezing the oranges. Now an Embassy SuitesA little googling and someone said that a Lincoln phone book from 1938 gives the address as 1000 P Street. Well, here it is: View Larger Map How sad, how sterile. We've really lost a feeling in our country. Sigh...I am fairly certain that no generation will look back to their childhood and wish they could go back more than the Baby Boomers!!! It was a time of innocence, more prosperity than the generations before and close family ties! It was a time of feeling safe and loved. It was a time of growth! I love my "electronic toys" that I have today, but I would actually love to go back to a time when I had to actually get my butt out of the chair and change the channels on the TV. When I would have to keep calling someone until their "busy signal" went off. Sigh...I love the present, but I cherish the past!!! I was lucky...I was born AFTER the terrible times in the 1930's and WWII. I was born in the time after war and poverty - a time when America was growing! Thanks for letting me wallow in my sentimentality! Absolutely love this site - it lets me remember where I came from. Thank you sooo much! Ah, yes the swell world of 1942No internet (No Shorpy!). No iPod. No computers. No Lasik. No Viagra. And for those of us who are not persons of pallor, well before Brown v. Board of Education, Rosa Parks and MLK. Rationing, a world war to be fought... I wouldn't go back there on a bet. Going backWith family in the Seattle area we have found it nice to cross Nebraska on old U.S. 30. It is relaxing and not much traffic and we get to see a lot of nice towns. Next weekNext week the family and I are flying to Kansas City, renting a car, and driving to Great Falls to visit my in-laws. Our first stop is Lincoln, to visit some work-friends and to see that amazing work of art, the capital. A lot of the old buildings are gone, but the people are just as nice. No remotes???That would indeed be a barbaric time in which to live!...There weren't even any TVs back in 1942. So, PattyAnne, you'd be getting up to change the dial on your radio. Maybe from "The Shadow" to "The Jack Benny Show". And PattyAnne (I don't mean to pick on you...really!) You were born AFTER war and poverty? When was that? I think the latter was certainly still there, even during the Eisenhower years. And as to war (assuming you are American) there was that little business in Korea, and then, that nastiness in Southeast Asia...etc. Fortunately, I was born in Canada. Had I been American, I would have been just old enough to be eligible for the draft before the end of the Vietnam War. I love the past too, but I think I'd like to just visit, not actually live there. As the poster who "Wouldn't go back there on a bet" observed, the past was not perfect. When people wish they lived in another time, they never seem to imagine themselves as out-ouf work and starving, as beaten down minorities, as fighting in a war, or as having an illness that was yet incurable. All this being said, I am a "person of pallor", so I too would love to stroll down that long-ago street and exchange some pleasantries with the locals. But I'd want to be back before the draft board found me. In '42, the War was not yet going too well for the Allies. I thank the ones who did go over there, many of whom never returned. They were fighting for the preservation of just such idyllic scenes. [Just on a technical note: There were a few thousand telvision sets in use, mostly in the Northeast, in 1942. - Dave] LincolnI think those folks in the pic are standing on the corner where the Embassy Suites is ... looking toward the point where the Google photo was taken. Same result, though, if you really want to embrace that whole "How sad, how sterile" stance. The building with the yellow awnings is now a multiplex theater. Re: Ah, yes the swell world of 1942I agree with the notion that it is of great nostalgia to look back at such times in history. But perhaps it is best to do just that, look back. I can't imagine the social norms of 1942 as I am merely 23 years of age, but I am willing to bet that there has been much progress made in the way of personal and individual freedoms - even if not stated in law. I'm also willing to bet that "minorities" of race, sexuality, gender, or whatever it may be would agree. I once asked my grandmother, born in 1921, if she could live in any time period of history which she would choose... she had many reasons for different places in time but she said as a woman, she would want to live in no time other than the present (or the future I'd say). I'm fine right here in 2008. Old Lincoln, 10th and P I've walked that street. A friend in college lived in an apartment upstairs of the corner building at the end of the block north of the Grand Grocery, the little building with the gap just south of it. A funny apartment in a funny little building. The apartment was one room wide but 4 or 5 rooms deep, because the building extended to the alley, half a block. And and unbelievably cozy apartment it was. Downstairs, a courtly gentleman from the British West Indies, I believe had a tailor shop. The thing I find so appealing about this picture is the people have the time to stop and chat with each other. No one is hurried and they seem to be enjoying themselves and each other in a way we've lost. Lincoln was much smaller then, about 90,000, and much closer to the farms around it than now, as can be seen. The modern hotel is--well, it's there. I watched them build it riding my bike home from work in the afternoons. It has an opulent but gaudy lobby. But, to be fair, the hotel was not the reason all those buildings except one are now gone. An ill-conceived downtown redevelopment plan in the late 80s led to the entire block being razed, the only one of many targeted to suffer that fate. An even uglier parking lot was there for several years before the city convinced the hotel magnate to put up the new hotel. And also, to be fair, I remember that more than half the buildings on that block were in really run down condition by 1989, several vacant. Fortunately, the redevelopment plan failed to ruin the rest of the downtown. The block was pretty much intact until 1989, though the Grand Grocery was long gone by then. I believe the Green Frog Lounge was in that building or just east of it. The gap you can see between the buildings on the right side between the building where my friend had his apartment was wider in my time there, with a 50's bar built back from the street that extended south to the alley where the power poles are. Otherwise the buildings are pretty much as I remember them. Around the block to the east was the best Mexican restaurant in town. Next to it was a business supply store whose elderly founder was so distressed at the loss of his building that he passed away. Next to that was Lincoln's best "hippie" store, Dirt Cheap. South of that was the Sam Lawrence Hotel, which my mother informed me that back in the 20s when she came to Lincoln on the train with her mother to go shopping, "Nice ladies didn't stay there." The only buildings left today as they were then are the one you can't see casting the shadow on the lower left side, which is the former post office, now condos. The other you can just see the top in the upper left side of the picture and used to be the Law School at the University of Nebraska. Everything else is gone or changed. Unlike the picture with the girl, the cars, and the office buildings, 12th Street looking north from N, which is nearly the same today, in this picture nearly everything has changed. But this one, with the people enjoying each other and the nice day, is in my opinion the most attractive of the 5 color shots Mr. Vachon took that day, all within this 5 block area. A tip of the hat to the kind poster who mentioned our exquisite state capitol building. Most states' capitols are worth a visit but ours is a real treasure with its grand rotunda, lofty tower, and beautiful interior finishing. I never tire of touring that wonderful building. If you don't see anything else in Lincoln, you should see that. Or for an excellent virtual tour, www.capitol.org Thanks Shorpy, for the wonderful trip down memory lane. It was different when I came here to the university in 1963, but much more like this picture than what it is now. I've only been in the new hotel once. These old pictures are treasures indeed. Lincoln, then and nowI'm always excited to see pictures taken in Nebraska, because, as a Nebraskan, the fact that our state is frequently ignored by the other 49 gives us a bit of an inferiority complex. Anyway, I've greatly enjoyed the grocery pictures from Lincoln, and find the comments prompted by this one to be very interesting. To start with the obvious, yes, the Embassay Suites is not very exciting, but I can think of much worse fates for an old part of town than having a higher-end hotel locate there. Here's a picture I snapped of it this afternoon. (I'm no tterrace, so bear with me). The people in the foreground of the 1942 picture are where the trees are in my picture: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27323798@N05/2718259429/ As Lee pointed out, there is a building casting a shadow in the 1942 picture that still exists today as high-end apartments. It would be directly to the left of the people in the foreground of the photo. This building is still looking pretty spiffy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/27323798@N05/2718260985/ I also love the community feel of the 1942 picture, though I disagree with the statement that our country has "lost it" (I was born in the mid-1980s though, so maybe I just have no idea). After growing up in a town of 2,000 people, I feel that smaller towns and rural areas still have a lot of the things that so charm people from this picture present in real life (including old guys in bib overalls). It probably is true that urban areas are increasingly disconnected, but their huge size and the relative mobility of their residents makes this unsurprising. And in defense of the lack of non-carbound Nebraskans in this picture, I will mention that it was about 98 degrees when I took this picture at 5:15 tonight--not great weather for socializing outdoors! :) @CGW: I am visiting the state capitol on Monday before I move out of state. First time since 4th grade--I hope you enjoy it! Maybe we'll be on the same tour. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Truck Up: 1928
... of Rock Creek Parkway between M and P Streets (before the bike path was paved). Mechanism It looks like those rollers would be ... the foreground. At first I thought that was a boy with the bike, suggesting some informal setting open to anybody, but I think he's an ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2014 - 12:42pm -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1928. "Four Wheel Drive hill-climbing demonstration." Our second look at this exciting test of trucks and traction. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. This looks likeA stretch of Rock Creek Parkway between M and P Streets (before the bike path was paved). MechanismIt looks like those rollers would be engaged against the rear wheels, in turn operating the exposed gears. To lift a dump bed, perhaps? Good LordSubtitled "Accident waiting to happen." Toothsome Winch! Wonder what the wicked looking winch on the back was to be used for. Pretty serious towing or dragging by the look of it. Note the rear towing hooks on the frame as well. FWD/Seagrave is still alive and well in Clintonville, Wisconsin, where the High School team is the “Truckers.” PTOIt looks like a Power Take Off unit driven by the drive shaft. There would be a selector that switches between the axles and the PTO. The two large drums behind the rear wheels would accept a drive belt from some other piece of equipment and operated while the truck is stationary. My grandfather had a similar one-drum arrangement on an old tractor from the '40s that was used to run a conveyor-elevator that went up into the hayloft of his barns. LandmarksIt might be possible to figure out where this photo was taken if anyone recognizes the water tower[?] in the background above the truck. It looks like there may be a sign painted on it, but I can't make it out. Hill climbing tipsWhether he makes it to the top depends a lot on how fast he was going when he started the climb. Rocks OnNotice the wooden box o' rocks and other stuff, including a shovel, behind the cab temporarily (judging by its cobbled-together look) mounted as far forward as possible in an effort to get some extra weight on those front driving wheels OR to minimize the possibility of a crowd-pleasing 1928 FWD truck wheelie. I wonder what water tower that is in the distance? One final thing, whatever the photographer was standing on, it's much higher than the far side of the draw/arroyo/small canyon. His position so near the action and unobscured view seem to indicate he was shooting from a building that stood on the edge on the high ground. This could have been at the Army's Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, not far from me, which has been testing military equipment including tanks and trucks since 1917. Note the uniformed gent in the foreground. At first I thought that was a boy with the bike, suggesting some informal setting open to anybody, but I think he's an adult, so it could be on government property. Kids to the front!Interesting that the kids and the one on the bike got in front of the suits and the Army officer observing the demo! Disturbingly CloseThe spectators seem to be dangerously close to the action. In particular, the lone guy on the right seems vulnerable. I see no chains to safely hold this vehicle should it slip backwards, so why would one assume that it would fall back in a straight line? Friction winch rollersThose rollers are used for friction winches, a rope is wrapped around the roller several times, by pulling on the rope it grabs onto the roller like a friction clutch and transmits the power from the winch, easy way to control operation and loads of pulling power, the tighter you pull the rope the more power transmitted, let up on the rope and the pulling stops. The belt drive mentioned by PTO would not have had sides on the pulley; the pulley would be slightly crowned in the center but no sides or flanges. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Grass Routes: 1940
... kids did, riding a balloon-tired Schwinn or Western Auto bike with a big basket on the front. I'll never forget one Friday in 1963. ... does have a conventional seat pillar. It was my first bike, a hand me down from an older cousin. He, in turn, must have received it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2017 - 1:03pm -

July 1940. "Boys in Natchitoches, Louisiana, folding papers before delivering them in the afternoon." Photo by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Same for many years . . .At least until 1964, paper boys (and I hated that expression) did it the same way these kids did, riding a balloon-tired Schwinn or Western Auto bike with a big basket on the front. I'll never forget one Friday in 1963. I collected for my papers on Fridays, and that usually took an hour-and-a-half for my 25-or-so subscribers. That day, it took five hours as every subscriber wanted to discuss their horror at President Kennedy's assassination. Houma, Louisiana, November 22, 1963. WhackI'd always do that task standing up, the better to whack the paper against the front of my thigh after I'd made the fold-and-tuck. Elgin Four-StarI believe the bicycle on the far right is also an Elgin, this one being the "Four Star" model which has "over/under" double upper frame members. As you can see, this model does have a conventional seat pillar. It was my first bike, a hand me down from an older cousin. He, in turn, must have received it as a hand-me-down, because it's from the 1930's. Wish I still had it! Ah yes, paperboy memories:Some 10-15 years after this picture was taken, until I was old enough to work in the stores, I delivered the Miami Daily News in the N.E. section of Miami and later on in West Hollywood, Florida after school. The Sunday morning edition was the exception to this routine. I had similar bikes, I had both 26" and 28" Schwinns. And yes, I said that right, not a 24" and 26" sizes. I was the proud owner of a fairly rare 28" Schwinn. It was a real workhorse for a paperboy My handlebar basket was twice as big as on these boy's bikes and I had a pair of saddle bag style wire baskets on the back like the bike on the right. These were usually large enough to carry all of my papers 6 days a week. On Sunday mornings I had to add a large pair of canvas saddle bags over the wire ones to carry all of those thicker papers. If the bike fell over, which was frequently, I had to unload it, prop it against something and reload it before continuing on. I rarely folded a newspaper and even though I would buy a box of rubber bands from my route manager they usually lasted me for months. I walked the paper to the porch, placed it between the doors and usually made as much in tips as I did my share after settling my "paper bill" on Saturday afternoon. Ah yes, those were the days. Love the old bikes.Back in 1952 as a 10 year old my Dad took me to Sears to buy my J.C. Higgins bike. The memory comes back every time I see one of these old American bikes. Paper and PopThe highlight of my paper route was stopping by the grain elevator for an ice cold coke. I had a route in the country and only had about 46 customers, but had to ride several miles each day to deliver them all. There is a nice Elgin Twinbar bicycle second from the left. Notice that it has twin bars making up the frame and that there is no seat tube on the frame. Roll and tuckAlthough it has been many years since I have had a paper route, I still roll & tuck newspapers before realizing I've done it. Folding paper.Salina Journal, (Kansas). I learned to fold my papers from an older kid, fold it flat. I could "wing it" like a boomerang while riding my Schwinn down the sidewalk. The paper would land within a foot of where I was aiming. We had one extra paper each day and if a large tractor-trailer truck drove past we'd throw the extra paper on the roof of the trailer thinking that it might end up in some exotic place like Kansas City or even farther!!! (The Gallery, Bicycles, M.P. Wolcott)
Rover Boys: 1900
... just a simple platform pedal are preferred. Also many bike commuters and touring bikers prefer "rat trap/mouse trap" pedals which ... shoes for ease of walking and lower cost since cleated bike shoes cast more and must be used with "clipless" pedals. However there ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/19/2014 - 1:23pm -

Circa 1900, back at the Handlebars Homestead. Lettis, bikes. f5.6 no filter +2" shirts is what it says on the sleeve. 4x5 inch glass negative. View full size. Interesting TiresThose tires have flat treads and they are made of vulcanized natural rubber (as opposed to synthetic.) I imagine cyclists slid out a lot and got a lot of flats in those days. Old thoughts exposedI'm not familiar with the abilities of early cameras. However, I wonder if he meant that there were two f-stops difference between the surrounding area under the shade trees and the brightness of the white shirts, and found that f5.6 worked best overall. Track Stand It's cheating to wedge the rear wheel into a fence to do a track stand. The rat-trap pedals were current until quite recently, only they'd have an additional strap over the top so you could apply more forward force to the pedal without bending the thing. Nowadays shoe cleats are favored. Printing instructionsThe info on the sleeve is probably for whomever was printing from that neg. likely the shirts were overexposed and needed an additional 2 seconds of exposure (burning in) when printing in the darkroom. F/5.6 would have been the aperture for the enlarging lens. siding on the houseNote how the siding boards on the house align exactly with the tops and bottoms of the windows. Old-time carpenters adjusted siding spacing to do that. It's a detail you'll never see with modern vinyl or metal siding. Tires ExposedI've been riding on natural rubber tires year round in Minneapolis for ten years. Smooth ride in the summer and great traction in the winter down to -15° F when I bale. It's funny how modern materials have been hyped for a while when that what they replaced is actually better. 2" shirtsWith reference to the length of the sleeves of the outer shirt of the cigar-chomping, photo-bombing guy who obviously doesn't care about his long inner sleeves extending beyond the outer shirt sleeves? [He appears to be: a. in long johns and, b. not the kind of guy you'd criticize to his face. -tterrace] I very much agree. I'm a big talker at a distance of 114 years. Oh, and he needs to mow his lawn. Wait..."Rat Traps" Still PopularCleated or "clipless" pedals are used almost exclusively in road racing where a secure foothold is adventageous and some power may be transmitted on the upstroke. However, for single-track biking, mountain biking, cyclocross and other cycling competitions where the rider needs to constantly and quickly drop a foot, not only are cleated/clipless shoes a hinderance, so are the straps of "rat trap/mounse trap" style pedal clips. In these cases strapless toe clips and even no clips, just a simple platform pedal are preferred. Also many bike commuters and touring bikers prefer "rat trap/mouse trap" pedals which allow for the use of regular shoes for ease of walking and lower cost since cleated bike shoes cast more and must be used with "clipless" pedals. However there is no denying the popluarity of "clipless" pedals among casual riders. Acetylene Lamps Well Into the 1950sThat "steampunk" acetyline headlamp reminded me of a bicycling memoir I read a couple of years ago where the author wrote about touring the Welsh countryside in the late 1950's and early 60s with acetylene headlamps. [That's a paraffin bike lamp in our photo. -Dave] (The Gallery, Bicycles, Found Photos)
Anacostia: 1918
... details. I love the wee bicycle rack and the self-service bike pump on the sidewalk to the left. Re: Anacostia Square How ... As a bicyclist I love the air pump next to the bike rack. Nice to see when you're away from home. I'll take... the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:48pm -

"Nichols Avenue and U Street S.E." Storefronts in Washington's Anacostia section put on a patriotic display circa 1918. The hardware store on the corner, at 1919, was run by one William Ira Mushake. Nat'l. Photo glass negative. View full size. RemnantsNichols Avenue is now Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The middle section of the facade in this Google Street View (the part with the double arch of bricks over the windows) seems to be the same as the brick storefront at the far right in the 1918 photo. View Larger Map View Larger Map Anacostia SquareHey, its great to see a photo from Anacostia, home of the Big Chair and many beautiful old buildings. The blog And Now, Anacostia has lots of great articles and photos on the old buildings and current redevelopment in the area. Last year there was a series of posts regarding the partial demolition of this specific building (1901-1919 MLK Blvd). The facade was saved to be incorporated into a future project called Anacostia Square. April 28: Distressed Property April 30: Working on the brickwork May 29: Strengthening Facade June 17: Break out the Heavy Equipment July 25: Rendition of Future Plans Sept 3: Rear View May Manton, Japalac ...May Manton (sewing patterns) also gave sewing advice in a syndicated column of the time. Japalac was a brand of enamel paint. It was later bought by Glidden and sold in spray cans as late as the 1950s. This photo has so many great little details. I love the wee bicycle rack and the self-service bike pump on the sidewalk to the left. Re: Anacostia SquareHow fascinating. The three facades would seem to be for 1913, 1911 and 1909 Nichols Avenue. 1911 would be the brick shoe store at the far right in our photo. The bricks seem to match exactly. I see that the far left facade in the current photo has the address "1915" over the door. I wonder if they got renumbered at some point. Spencerian nibsAs a bit of an antique pen fanatic, it is wonderful to see the Spencerian steel pen nib was carried in this hardware store. Re: Anacostia SquareDave, what an amazing job to match the brick work! I hadn't realized the puzzle regarding street addresses till you pointed it out. The DC Historic Preservation Review Board considers the remaining structures to be #1909, #1911, & #1913. I wouldn't accept anything promulgated by the D.C. government at face value, but, in this case, I do think they are correct. The catch, and as Dave's brickwork analysis suggests, is that shortly after this photo was taken, #1913 was razed and replaced with a brick building. Below are two maps from the Baist Realty Survey (courtesy Library of Congress). The first map is dated 1913-1915, the second from 1919-1921. Brick buildings are shown in red, wood buildings in yellow. The printed numbers are lot numbers, with the largest printed numbers being square (block) numbers. The addresses are written in handwriting within the streets. In this case we are looking at Square 5770, lots 804 & 805. As the maps show, both buildings on lot 805 (#1911, #1913 Nichols Ave) were converted from wood-framed to brick between the (approximate) years 1914 and 1920. Based on this photo, it would appear that this was done in a two-step process, #1911 was replaced prior to photo, #1913 after the photo. What remains today are the facades of the brick buildings on lots 804 and 805. Baist Realty Map 1913-1915 Baist Realty Map 1919-1921 As a bicyclistI love the air pump next to the bike rack. Nice to see when you're away from home. I'll take...the lawn swing and one of the screen doors. I already have the lawnmower, and the wooden ice cream maker. Oh, and one of the flags. Mine all have 48 or 50 stars. LetteredThe lettering on the storefront is astounding. It's a real shame hand lettering has gone with the wind. In Awe I am in awe of the wonderful contributions of Stanton_Square and all the extra work that Dave does. They and the other commenters truly make these photographs and history come alive. Thank you all for making this a great website. [Just wait'll you get our bill. - Dave] More from the blogHere's where I posted this same photo (I also added a bit) and pointed out the differences. This is one of my all-time favorite Anacostia photographs. That DormerWhat a wonderful bit of whimsy shown in the dormer atop 1919. Marvelous! And it appears to have been done just so it could be there. Another Gem! Thank You! Fake 1918 facades?Look closely and you'll see the siding differs from 1st to 2nd floors on what are labeled as "1917" and "1915". In addition, according to this picture thanks to the blog mentioned below, the 3 storefronts - the 2 arched ones closest to the camera in the modern photo, to be specific - are identical to the closest arched storefronts in the 1918 photo. Also, notice the pressed tin in this modern photo matches what's seen in the nearest 2 storefronts in the 1918 photo. With all that, I believe that the 3 remaining facades today are the 3 storefronts shown immediately after "1919" in the 1918 photo, with the circa 1918 facades being fake in an attempt at uniformity with the wood framed "1919" above. [As noted below, the three remaining storefronts would be 1913, 1911 and 1909 in our photo (1909 is out of the frame; 1911 is the brick-front shoe store at the far right; 1913 was torn down and replaced with a brick facade after this photo was taken. - Dave] Und Him Mit All Dese FlagsNo one has commented on the priceless expression of Louis Smith (Schmidt?) checking out his next-door neighbor's panoply of flags. Original cornicesIn a this photo from stanton_square's cool blog - probably circa mid-1980's or so - it shows the 2 original cornices still intact: one at the top of the 1st floor and one at the top of the building itself for each store. In comparing the 2 pictures, I noticed something a little unusual. The top cornices are identical to the 1918 photo, yet the 1st floor cornices, while original looking, differ in placement from the 1918 photo in that the 1980's photo displays 3 identical 1st floor cornices in a row. The 1918 photo shows identical 1st floor cornices at "1917", "1915" and "1911" above - not 3 in a row of the same 1st floor cornice. In addition to the apparent number jumbling (apologies for initially overlooking the number correction), might there've been some piecemeal storefront action done when 1913 was torn down individually? [Still some confusion here. The blog is DG-Rad's And Now, Anacostia. The photo in question was taken by the wife of PGCist in April 2005, not the 1980s. The buildings in the 1918 photo are all wood-frame structures except for 1911. They were demolished after the picture was taken, with only 1911 left standing. 1913 was rebuilt with a brick facade and a brick cornice to match 1911 and 1909. As for the three lower-floor cornices in the 2005 photo: The far-right facade (#1909) is not visible in the 1918 photo. The cornice on 1911 seems to be the same in both photos. The cornice on 1913 is not the same -- it's not the same building. The cornice on the "old" 1913 was the roof of the window bay that stuck out several feet past 1911. - Dave] Sic transitThose facades at numbers 1909 through 1913 collapsed this weekend. A snowstorm with wind gusts exceeding 50mph finished them off, although years of neglect by DC government were the underlying cause. Below is another view of this now obliterated block (detail from a roughly contemporaneous National Photo Co. photo taken from a point one block further south along Nichols Ave.). (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Toledo: 1899
... lady rider. A bit less than 15 years earlier, the "safety" bike with two low wheels, chain, and most of the trappings of the modern bike had been invented. By 1899, about a million bicycles a year were being ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:42pm -

Circa 1899. "Toledo, Ohio. Produce Exchange." Playing next door: The Mutoscope blockbuster "Animal Photographs." View full size. Looks like a bandAt first I thought the people on the sidewalk were lining up for the Mutoscope. But they all seemed to be facing toward the crowded street scene. When I got out my trusty magnifying glass I spied what appears to be musicians in white uniforms. Reminiscent of the old timey bands they used to have marching down Main Street at Disneyland. Also, I could just make out what looks like a large picture of a woman on the right side of the crowd in the street. Perhaps the band and the photo were part of a promotion for the Mutoscope exhibit. Wikipedia is great for learning about things such as the Mutoscope. The boody house and Huylers The boody house was very popular as can be seen here. http://www.toledosattic.org/details_item.asp?key=207&did=23 And here is a trading card for huyler's Chocolates. http://www.tias.com/6692/PictPage/3923560941.html Enjoy. Look!Isn't that Klinger's Grandfather looking out of the third floor window? Nope, I was fooled by the dress. MutoscopesThis is a glimpse at the prehistory of the motion picture business. The Mutoscope was an early competitor to Edison's Kinetoscope. Like the Kinetoscope, it was a stand-alone, single-viewer coin-operated projector. The technology was simpler than Edison's, which gave the Mutoscope an edge. The viewer operated a crank that rotated cards on a reel. In the earliest machines, a reel of 800 or more cards provided about a minute's entertainment. Mutoscopes with different content were lined up in exhibition parlors like the one shown here in Toledo. Amazingly, Mutoscopes were manufactured until 1949 as the mainstay of slightly-disreputable peep-show arcades. Some survived in England until 1971, when they wouldn't work with new UK coinage. Movies had long since taken the road pioneered by the Lumiere Brothers in 1895, with film projection on a screen that could be viewed by a group seated in a theater. More victims of Toledo's urban renewal programsBuilt in 1878 and demolished in 1984. Penny Arcade on Main Street USAI remember the Penny Arcade on Main Street, Disneyland (Calif) with its rows of Mutoscopes just as shown in the picture. Even in the 50's and 60's a penny was a rather token fee, but it was part of the historic ambience and someplace you could linger awhile with merely pocket change. Sadly, the Arcade went to video games or some such a couple of decades back. Ars Gratia Pecunium. One in a millionIf you look closely, you will see quite a few bicycles in this scene, including the one on the corner with a lady rider. A bit less than 15 years earlier, the "safety" bike with two low wheels, chain, and most of the trappings of the modern bike had been invented. By 1899, about a million bicycles a year were being manufactured with a value at more than $31 million. For more info, check out the The Bicycle Museum! CrankedI remember, as a young lad, that the mechanical hand-cranked Mutoscope machines were still around in certain places like in resort pavilions or at carnivals, and that sometimes, if you didn't keep cranking, the reel of pictures would spring back to the beginning. I have a vivid memory of being at Playland Beach in Westchaster County, N.Y., at a company outing almost 70 years ago, and my dad holding me up while I looked into an electrically operated machine based on the Mutoscope principle, at a "Popeye" cartoon, and being totally frustrated because I couldn't distinguish the animated action of the cartoon. My eyes must have been out of sync with the film. FlicksI can't help wondering if this is part of the reason they call films "flicks," with all the cards flicking around inside there. Also, I would totally love to see some of those reels (converted to movie files of course), or at least a few of the cards. Orderly linesNotice how the spectators on the sidewalk in front of the Produce Exchange are in two orderly rows, one right next to the building and one along the curb line, leaving most of the sidewalk unobstructed. You'd never see such neatness or courtesy today. Odd FontThe font used on the Huyler's sign really stands out. "Bon Bons, Chocolates, Breakfast Cocoa" looks very modern for the time. Boody House is still thereAnd it's still called the Boody House. It escaped the demolition craze. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Movies, Toledo)
Madame Boyle's: 1901
... going on in here. The dog, the horse, that guy on the bike, those two little kids in the background (especially the grin on that one ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:48pm -

Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, circa 1901. "Shoo-fly at Madame Boyle's." Another glimpse of nattily dressed tourists taking the air in this Southern resort. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. All God's Children got hats....I can count only the lady of the house and her son plus the dog and the horse who do not have their heads covered with a hat. The boy has bows on his shoes and a tuxedo- like jacket. These certainly were some formal looking summer clothes considering the sultry heat and humidity of the Mississippi coast. I really did feel like I was in the deep south when I summered there a few times enjoying evening cruises on old-time riverboats and I absolutely loved the people, its a whole different world. Nice photos, thanks Shorpy. [I think it's probably winter or spring. Not much resort business down South in the summer. - Dave] Harry's or Madame Boyle'sThis looks like the view from Harry's Villa - even the same rather ample cheery lady and her husky little boy. So does the place belong to Harry or Madame Boyle? Or does the platform below to Madame? Love it any which way! [It is the same place, obviously. And the lady is wearing the same dress in each photo. - Dave] The other side of the fenceThe two little boys pausing across the street to take a look at all the swells having their photo taken makes this a classic. (And do you think Mr. Fedora may be overly attached to that potted plant?) Pass the smellin' saltsOne thing I've noticed in my short time here is how easily some are overcome by the vapors when confronted with manly specimens. Interesting that they didn't bother to whitewash the inside of the picket fence. That little kid was born 20 years too early, or he'd have been a star in the Our Gang shorts. Young Will RogersThat's gotta be him -- second from right sitting on the tree deck. Well HelloDoes anyone have a time machine I can borrow? I'd like to spend some time with that lad at the bottom of the stairs with his leg thrown over the railing. *sigh* Wow!Little windy in this photo. I just love everything going on in here. The dog, the horse, that guy on the bike, those two little kids in the background (especially the grin on that one little guy). Not to mention the one legged ghost by the sailboats. Might I ask why it looks like they whitewashed the trees half way up? To better match the fence? Odds and EndsOne thing I've noticed in my long time here at Shorpy is that amorous comments posted about women in these photographs outnumber those posted about men by at least 15 to 1. Overcome by the vapors? Aargh! WhiteoutSo why are the tree trunks and utility poles painted white? Notable IndividualIn photographs like this, I am as interested in the long gone tree specimens as I am in the human ones. Unfortunately I am left to guessing tree species most of the time. The one here is as notable as the people. Can anyone identify it -- or even better, its history? [Looks like a live oak. Or maybe a water oak. - Dave] Too poor to paint, to proud to whitewashIn Northern states, the trunks of trees are whitewashed to help prevent winter sun scald. In the south, lime-wash was used for insect control. It was believed that it would keep catepillars from climbing and borers from boring. And besides, it's makes everything look so pretty! The view todayThe bridge is the Louisville & Nashville's line from Mobile to New Orleans. View Larger Map Live Oaks Live OnDespite Camille, Katrina, and probably a half dozen more hurricanes that have hit the Bay St. Louis area since that photo was taken, that old live oak is probably still there and doing well. Everything else in the photo, well they are surely long gone. If the rose thorns don't get you...This looks to be somewhere along North Beach Boulevard, given the bridge in the background, and the Gulf beyond. There are still a few old houses along there. The tree appears to be a live oak, Quercus virginiana -- we have two in our yard that look like descendants of this specimen. With respect to the whitewash on trees and poles: growing up in the deep South, I was also given the explanation that a bit of whitewash might prevent an unfortunate collision in which I might be the injured party. Note the tips of the stakes for the roses. What Caught My EyeThe year was 1901 and the majestic live oak must have been so old when the pic was taken. Live oaks grow very slowly. It lived a long life even before this picture was snapped...I'm awestruck. Gone With the WindI hate to say it, but if this tree was still there after Camille, it was surely taken out by Katrina. Bay St. Louis was virtually wiped out. We went thru there four months afterward and it was simply a clean slate. Nothing was standing. I was always told the white paint was to keep bugs off the trees. We had a river house and we always had to put screening on all our trees to keep the beavers from chewing them to pieces. Snowbirds on the Gulf CoastI grew up in Pass Christian, across the bay from Bay St. Louis, as did my mother, who was 20 at the time of this photo, sewing dresses like these for the "snowbirds" who came down from Canada to spend the winter at the Mexican Gulf Hotel across the street from her family home. I have pictures of some of them and also some of my mother and father in their "courting" clothes on the beach at P.C. I think that that photo is close to, or across the street from St. Stanislaus Hi School, which survived both Hurricanes. Many of the old homes on East Beach Scenic Drive in P.C. survived Katrina while the West Beach side was devastated. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Travel & Vacation)
Tour de Fence: 1900
... I see an old gnarly woman offering a skateboard to our bike hikers. Tomorrow with the Thanksgiving cocktails I might be seeing ... line "We'll have to wait until they invent the Mountain Bike to get across this" I remember those I used to wear those kind of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/25/2014 - 11:51am -

From the early 20th century, somewhere in the Northeast, comes this 4x5 inch glass negative with the caption "L.K. -- bicycles at spring." View full size. I Saw Her TooNo strong drink for me today but on the smaller version I see an old gnarly woman offering a skateboard to our bike hikers. Tomorrow with the Thanksgiving cocktails I might be seeing the Andrews Sisters but as a sober man today I see the old woman too. Rest BreakHere the lads stop to water their mounts. The old womanAm I the only one who sees the 'old woman' back beyond the fence, shawl over her shoulder, leaning forward with outstretched hand? Where is everyone ridind?3 bikes and 5 people with no fenders - where did everyone ride? Old WomanJohnHoward - not the only one. It jumped out at me from the smaller view. Somewhat less apparent at full size. Brakes?These look like pretty good bikes, but they don't seem to have any brakes unless they're coaster brakes. I've ridden track bikes where you had to resist the foreward rotation of the pedals to slow down, and it would really scare me to try the same thing on the open road. Is that what these bikes had? That Old Woman!JohnHoward, I wasn't going to say anything about it, but yes, I saw the "old woman" the instant I looked at this photo. SPOOKY! End of the line"We'll have to wait until they invent the Mountain Bike to get across this" I remember thoseI used to wear those kind of metal clips on my pants legs too when bike riding (so that said pants did not get tangled up in the spokes etc) Looks like they've been around for quite awhile...and is anybody else a bit baffled by the pose of the fella on the far left? He is semi-lying down while leaning both on his friend and his hand i.e. it looks both odd and quite uncomfortable! American GraffitiLiking the carvings on the roots at the base of the tree. Looks like those are circa 1895. The old woman...JohnHoward good eye. Didn't see that until after you pointed it out. Didn't see it at all when the image was enlaged. No helmets...but funny hats are mandatory! (The Gallery, Bicycles, Found Photos)
Harry's Villa: 1901
... the zonked out guy in the hammock. Carbide lamp The bike "horn" that one person noted is a headlight powered by carbide pellets and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:45pm -

Mississippi circa 1901. "Harry's Villa, Bay St. Louis." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Simply grandI love this photo. How wonderful. I have never seen a picture of such a well dressed crowd looking so casual. If you could step back in time and just land here, it wouldn't be so bad to hang around for a day. "Buster Brown"I expect Buster's name was either Beauregard or Leroy! TextureSuch an interesting shot. I love all the texture from the tree, roof, and dirt. The people are interesting too. Like the little boy on the railing and the zonked out guy in the hammock. Carbide lampThe bike "horn" that one person noted is a headlight powered by carbide pellets and water mixed to create a gas and then lit (like early mining lamps). Very cool photo that is now my desktop wallpaper. Love it! A beautiful and lost timeMost of Bay St. Louis appears to have been swept away by Katrina. Almost all of the beachfront lots are still empty, with nothing but slabs, or front steps leading to houses that no longer exist. Shady Rest"There's Uncle Joe, he's a movin' kinda slow, on the hammock." I Wonderhow many more years went by before that tree crushed Harry's Villa? Arboreal TemptationI'm sure any of Harry's younger guests would have been tempted immediately by that tree. Good ole Harry even provided a platform to make it up to the first level. I wonder how many took on the challenge before the yelling and running around got started. Hanging outEveryone looks so front-and-center for their photo op, except for the fellow in the hammock, who couldn't be bothered. I'm just wild about Harryand his villa, but can't find any info on it. Another copy of this picture is located on the Hancock County MSGenWeb site, but sans remarks. It is quite a nice little 19c Greek cottage, and I love the tree "house." The good old daysI love the bicycles, especially the one leaning under the platform surrounding the beautiful tree. Check out the horn! [As noted above, that's a headlamp. - Dave] Takes my breath away.This image is just plain fantastic. From the vintage bicycles to the fantastic clothing modeled by some easy going town folk. An instant in time captured that seems like so long ago, but looks like it was taken only yesterday. That tree stand must be for watching the Fourth of July parade. BTW, is that Buster Brown standing on the railing??? Amazing photo!The house looks like a facsimile of the Jefferson Davis House - Beauvoir - over in Biloxi about 30 miles away. The seating area around the tree is called a "Shoo-Fly" - it was built up off the ground so that in the evening people could sit (and smooch?) above the ground and avoid the low flying mosquitoes, gnats, and flies that are fairly pervasive during the warm summer months. Wonderful placeBay St. Louis, Biloxi, Gulport, Waveland - all along the Mississippi Gulf Coast a lot of these houses were owned by families from New Orleans who stayed there in the summer to escape the worst of the heat and humidity in the city - at least you had the breezes off the Gulf. My father's parents had a house in Gulfport on the beach, and Dad talked about how my grandmother, his sisters and he would go stay there in the summer. My grandfather would stay in New Orleans, and come out to Gulfport on the weekends, taking the train that used to run regularly from N.O. along the towns on the Gulf. This was back in the 1940's. People had been vacationing there since the 19th century. When I was a kid in the 1970's my parents and I would sometimes stay on the weekends at a house in Bay St. Louis which was owned by cousins of very good family friends of ours, when it was loaned to them. The house had originally been built in the 1880's. It was a big Queen Anne house, originally a third of an even more enourmous house. During some earlier hurricane, the center of the house was heavily damaged, so the center was torn down, and two houses made out of the left and right portions. Considering the remaining houses were not THAT close to each other, and were both sizeable themselves, the original must have been truly gigantic. I remember 12'-14' ceilings, floor to ceiling windows, wallpaper that must have been from the 30's, no AC, huge screened porches with swings, thinking back on it now. The house was sold 30 years ago, and completely renovated by the new owners-I passed by it about 10 years ago. It was destroyed in Katrina, as were all the places around it. WealthAnother thing that I haven't seen commented on (yet) is that this family is probably very well off financially. The title itself loosely implies this is a home away from home. Also everyone has shoes on (odd for this time period for younger children). And that kid on the railing is quite plump. All these little things add up to... Harry's done well for himself. It's just an observation... nothing else should be taken from it. [This is most likely a boardinghouse for vacationers. - Dave] Note the Spanish MossNote the Spanish Moss hanging on the tree in the upper left of this photo; this is a good representative example for those of y'all not familiar with it. Well before Katrina, Camille devastated this area in 1969. Until then, US Highway 90 between Pascagoula and Bay St Louis was one of the prettiest scenic drives in US, with old large houses, many antebellum, white fences, and large oaks with spanish moss on one side, and white sandy beaches on the other side. --- Just a hop, skip, and jump along the coast east of Bay St Louis: https://www.shorpy.com/node/6834 https://www.shorpy.com/node/6834 https://www.shorpy.com/node/6230 https://www.shorpy.com/node/5717 https://www.shorpy.com/node/4617 https://www.shorpy.com/node/3699 https://www.shorpy.com/node/3698 https://www.shorpy.com/node/733 No PeekingIs that a modesty panel inside the railing around the Shoo-Fly? I should imagine that a glimpse of an ankle or (heaven forbid) a leg would be quite unseemly during this time period. Wouldn't want anyone at sidewalk level to see anything they shouldn't. (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Travel & Vacation)
Bustling Beantown: 1906
... Basement do an internet search for "Filene's Hole". I bike/walk past every day on my way to work. It's a sad state of affairs for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 12:55pm -

Boston circa 1906. "Washington Street." On our left: National Fireworks. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Lowest rates to the West!Seems to be the downtown ticket offices for no less than 6 railroads: Grand Trunk; B & O; Canadian Pacific; Boston and Albany; Chicago; Milwaukee and St. Paul; and finally the New York, New Haven, and Hartford, who advertise the lowest rates to the west via something I can't make out. Of course they don't say you'll most likely have to go southwest through Connecticut first, but you'll get there. I love any glimpse of the New Haven's glorious script logo, but the hand-set sign above is a real treat: notice how the flourishes on the 'N,' 'Y,' 'v,' and 'f' match those in the logo. Simply wonderful. My HometownThis is my hometown. I spent a significant part of my youth in the '50s and '60s on Washington Street, shopping with Mom and later running around with my friends. Now I just study every detail and drift back to my father's youth and try to visualize the sights, sounds and smells of Boston at the turn of the 20th century. Thanks, Shorpy, for preserving this for us today. Old SouthThe vine covered tower in the background belongs to the Old South Meeting House (also called the Old South Church), built in 1729-1730. As the biggest gathering place in colonial Boston, it housed the mass meeting of December 16, 1773 that led to the Boston Tea Party. Curiously, the main entrance to the building is not through the tower, but around the corner on the broad side of the building (along Milk Street and out of the picture). Horse senseSpeaking of equine exhausts, note the advertising for Daniel's Horse Colic Cure. An essential product for the time, I suspect. Filene's BasementWhatever happened to Filene's Basement? Wilse Neat!A fireworks store right in the middle of town! Bowling and Pool right across the street. All I need now is some alcohol. If only there was a Boston Tavern nearby. Angled signsMan, I would have been afraid to walk under those angled signs hanging from the upper floors. Also, I would like to believe that the shop on the extreme right of the photo whose sign is cut off is selling fish tacos. [Alas, the original negative indicates otherwise. "Fishing Tackle," presumably. - tterrace] Street-Sweeping FashionAnother example of the strangeness of women's fashions of that day - dresses so long that two-stepping was the only way to avoid the equine exhausts found everywhere. Women must have been gathering and hiking those street sweepers all the time, yet I can't recall seeing that action on Shorpy. Wonderful tip-down signage. And isn't 50 cents/hour for pool a bit steep for those times? 100+ years laterThings have changed a bit, as one assumes O.F.C Rye"Mellowed by ten years repose in the wood." Pa was hereMy grandfather, Francesco Conte, came to America from Naples, Italy, aboard the SS Romanic and landed in Boston on the Fourth of July, 1906. I wonder if he had time to stroll around the city a bit before heading to the north shore, where he soon settled. If so, my imagination tells me this is pretty much what he saw. And coming from a small town just outside of Naples, it must have been quite a sight for a 17-year-old. Another amazing photo from my favorite website ever! Thanks. +98Below is the same view (north from Bromfield Street) from May of 2008. So many signsSo many signs to read - a wonderful image. Have you spotted Charlie Chaplin walking away from us towards the horses on the right? 50 cents per hourI agree it seems like too much for the times. It would only cost 25 cents to play 10 games at 2.5 cents a cue which is what the competition and the parlor in question is also charging. Blueprints Gone The Way of Horse Colic CureThe Makepeace Blueprints sign advertises the services of B.L. Makepeace, a firm still in the architecture and engineering reprographics business. The "fish tacos" stand may well be Stoddard's, another firm still in business but just in cutlery and other carriage trade products. Filene's b'mentwilso127- If you want to see what became of Filene's Basement do an internet search for "Filene's Hole". I bike/walk past every day on my way to work. It's a sad state of affairs for what was a true Boston icon. (The Gallery, Boston, DPC, Streetcars)
Street View: 1905
... did someone invent the kick stand? Or for that matter, bike racks? Many of these Shorpy street views include bikes leaning against ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 4:31pm -

Minneapolis, Minnesota, circa 1905. "Chamber of Commerce." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Howard's LabCouple of cool early cars down there - probably well-to-do businessmen checking in on the chamber. What do you think all of those planks are laid down for - curing concrete? Location, Location, LocationDid the Federal Elevator Company really expect anyone to be able to read their signage from the street? And on your leftbeyond the Milwaukee Road train shed you can see the old Exposition Hall across the river, already repurposed. I am for menThe incomplete wall ad in the back is for Henry George cigars. It probably reads "I am for men. Henry George. Great 5 cents cigars": And Henry George was quite a guy. They Got AroundInteresting mix of conveyances, powered by horse, humans and petroleum. [Also a few "ghosts"! Click below to enlarge. - Dave] Milwaukee DepotAt the end of 4th, see the passenger loading area of Milwaukee Station on Washington. Oh the memories. K&CLooks like a Louis Sullivan building, but it's not. It's by Kees and Colburn. Later known as the Grain Exchange building. Fourth and FourthBuilt in 1900, at the corner of Fourth Avenue and Fourth Street South. The picture was taken from Minneapolis City Hall, seen recently on Shorpy. Grain ExchangeMy father in law worked for Continental Grain for over 30 years, spent some time in this building until the mid 1980's. Bicycle technologyI don't know too much about bikes (god knows I haven't ridden one in 30 years) but when did someone invent the kick stand? Or for that matter, bike racks? Many of these Shorpy street views include bikes leaning against the sides of buildings buildings or perilously propped against curbstones. Even horses usually got hitching rings. Bemis Bro. Bag Co.Bemis, founded 1858 in St. Louis, opened its second facility in 1880 in Minneapolis. 2009 sales were $3.5 billion. Sadly, the company does not have a baby buggy bumper division. Rides Like a CadillacIt's hard for me to tell since I'm not that well versed in early autos, but that automobile parked near the two bikes looks like an '03 Cadillac in some ways. That's quite a few autos around for such an early time period. Must be a bit of wealth around that day... I'd love a blow up shot of the other two cars down the street to the northeast. I've walked past this building many times while living in Mpls and it's a treat to see these old photos. Curing ConcreteThe wood laid in the street is so that the fresh concrete will not cure too fast and crack. Today they use a thin layer of water, wet canvas or plastic sheeting. Third and FourthNext door is the old Chamber of Commerce building, which that grain exchange organization outgrew as its power rose. In the 1920s when the Chamber of Commerce again needed more room, it demolished its original home and built an annex there. While the organization's name changed, it has always been a commodity exchange, always on this block. Across Third Street is the Corn Exchange Building (which burned in 1965). Across Fourth Avenue (at the photo's edge) is the Flour Exchange Building - the first four floors of it, that is. It remained unfinished from the Panic of 1893 until 1909, when the last seven floors were added. That was then, this is nowNotice the unfortunate loss of the cornice. Also note the taller beaux arts 1914 addition to the right, also missing a cornice. View Larger Map Needs awning maintenanceI notice a few torn and/or collapsed awnings. Wonder how common that was? Had there been a storm? (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Streetcars)
Merrimack Street: 1908
... he parked, or "propped" it at the curb. By positioning the bike exactly as shown, it would stay that way without falling over. If the curb ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 6:58pm -

Lowell, Massachusetts, circa 1908. "Merrimack Street looking west." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Massachusetts Oriels No, not birds of any kind but those lovely protruding windows about half-way down the block, supported on the stone brackets. Bay windows are similar, but do not have the supporting bracket. For comparison see the window of V.E. Darlings' office in the Courier-Citizen building. "In Rain or"Or what? what I say?, I must know! Now I won't sleep tonight. Uneeda BiscuitNational Biscuit Company (Nabisco) had only been in business 10 years when this photo was taken. In rain or shineUneeda Biscuit! Is it Adam Good?Signs painted on the buildings on the right of the picture advertise either A Dam Good Co. or Adam Good Co. The street level store just below that sign sells coffee, tea, butter and cheese. I'm confused (as usual). A Dam Good PictureA plethora of great signs here, but I was initially surprised to see the sign for the nicely-named A Dam Good Company, especially in 1908 New England. Took me a minute to realize the sign was for the Adam Good Company. Propped bikes todayI've seen bikes propped up against the curb like that in Tulum, Mexico, but never in the U.S. Pretty nifty. Pioneer SignageThe O.J.Gude Company of N.Y. the company that made the Uneeda Biscuit Sign, partially seen in this picture, was a preeminent outdoor advertising company. They must have had a deal with the other NBC (the one that makes the Mallomars) to paint their signs wherever in the nation that the biscuit company felt it was needed. I think they also made the first electrically lighted outdoor sign as well. Streetcar TracksMust have been a real challenge to buggy drivers to keep those narrow wheels from becoming trapped in the tracks. (Still a problem today, albeit for bicyclists at diagonal railroad crossings). Nat'l Biscuit Co. logoHere's a link to a brief, interesting history of the National Biscuit Co. (later, Nabisco) logo, the first incarnation of which is the version depicted in the photo: http://www.bfdg.com/other-thoughts/nabisco.html Who's paying for this pic?This picture raises a question I've had generally about how these photos got made. Did Detroit Publishing, National Photo, etc, just send photographers out in the field to take pictures at the photographer's whim? And then hope to sell them later? I can understand the party photos, portraits, etc, I would imagine someone called up the local photographer and wanted a photo shoot. But what was the motivation for the more "arty" shots that we see? Or the last picture, where we see people hauling granite? I'm thankful they did, but don't quite understand how the bills got paid. [Detroit Publishing, which had retail galleries in New York, Detroit and other major cities, was mainly in the postcard business; National Photo was a news service and commercial photography and portrait studio whose pictures were commissioned by its clients. -Dave] Then and nowI live downtown. Still a fun city but with fewer horses and buggies. "Propped" Bicycle.The young guy on the right appears to be picking up his bicycle from where he parked, or "propped" it at the curb. By positioning the bike exactly as shown, it would stay that way without falling over. If the curb wasn't high enough, the pedal would also help by being placed to hold it at the top of the curb. We sometimes parked our bikes this way as kids, and without the benefit of Kryptonite locks, they were always there when we came back. But then again, it was the 1950s. On the street . . . . . . where, about thirty years later, you'd find Jack Kerouac and his high school pals encountering the existential night. Uneeda Biscuit mentioned inUneeda Biscuit mentioned in the opening number of The Music Man (as the train approaches River City): "The Uneeda Biscuit in an airtight, sanitary package, made the cracker barrel obsolete, obsolete...." Nabisco Logo OriginsJohnB, thank you for the link regarding the history of the National Biscuit Company logo. It traces its origin to a 15th century printer's design used in Venice, which in turn was derived from early Christian art. Perhaps it was inspired by this Byzantine icon of the Archangel Michael found in the church of San Marco in Venice. Note the orb held in the Archangel's hand: Adam Good Companyis it this lot? http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=NhVAAAAAIBAJ&sjid=K6QMAAAAIBAJ&pg=5... (The Gallery, DPC, Streetcars)
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