MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

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

Search results -- 30 results per page

River Crossing: 1907
... on which to rest. [Nowadays half the walkway is a bike path. I'd rather have the benches. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:24pm -

Circa 1907. "Brooklyn Bridge, East River, New York." From a group of pictures that are probably Detroit Publishing's best known photographs. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Remarkably avant-gardeEspecially for 1907. BowlersAs far as men's fashion goes, this is my absolute favorite era. I would love to be able to walk down a street in a suit and bowler hat these days. Unfortunately, I'd probably be mistaken as either a performance artist or a complete nutjob. Building UpVery interesting to see all the scaffolding for new high-rise buildings in the background (middle left). And I wish I could see more details for the lady walking with her hubby and kid. Looks like a lovely dress with embroidery or details on her chest. Lost in TransitionThe Bridge, by definition, is transitory, yet the rest -- the pedestrians, the two cities -- have changed or are gone. Only the Bridge remains the same. How civilized... to have benches along the bridge on which to rest. [Nowadays half the walkway is a bike path. I'd rather have the benches. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Motorcycle Cop: 1922
... would guess the rocker-clutch is on the right side of the bike. Location Is that Griffith Stadium in the background? Re: Sound ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:54am -

August 1922. Washington, D.C. "Eslie Williams." The officer and his Henderson #1. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Painful ergonomicsHandle bars set to hit thighs on close turns, seat angled down at the rear, up at the front, oh my. Like the palm-slap horn/siren though. Excelsior-HendersonA motorcycle with a more distinct sound than a HD. Harley Who?The Henderson, built from 1911 to 1931, was considered to be the Rolls-Royce of motorcycles and was the favorite ride of police departments throughout the country. (Rolls-Royces, sorry to say, were not considered to be the Hendersons of luxury cars.) Suicide ClutchI'm going to guess the left peddle is a suicide clutch (next to the gear shift mechanism levers. So-called because if you are stopped with the machine in gear and take your foot off the peddle (perhaps to maintain balance) you'll shoot forward unless the engine stalls. [Psst. It's a PEDAL. - Dave] Old BikesYes, that is "The" brake pedal on the left. There is no front brake. I would guess the rocker-clutch is on the right side of the bike. LocationIs that Griffith Stadium in the background? Re: SoundThere is a YouTube video of a running 1928 Henderson, it sounds great! Too large to embed so here's a link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgWb2nmxfAU Hey why don't you stop by the detectives officeput in a report about your stolen clothes iron. Low set handle barsRe: Painful ergonomics - I thought the handle bars were set low, so the officer could drive with his knees; leaving both hands free for his rolling shootouts with Al Capone and Bonny & Clyde. Then I saw this https://www.shorpy.com/node/5914 and it changed my thinking entirely. Henderson?Are you sure that's not a Harley? There's a lot of oil leaking around that crankcase. On the "suicide clutch"my 1936 HD ULH had a foot clutch/hand shift , and it wasn't too bad once you got used to it. The Henderson clutch is double linked, the foot pedal, as noted, and a second hand lever that also worked the clutch, so that if you needed both feet down, you still had control of the clutch. Ace motorcycles had a similar setup. Hendersons were quick, the 1922 Police model could do an honest 100 mph, although I doubt the brakes were up to the job. Re-Tire TimeLooks like a pretty wicked gash at 6:00 on the front tire. Four Crosswheel spokes. Gives the most "comfortable" ride possible on bicycle wheels. (The Gallery, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo)
Shine: 1936
... Bennie's ride It's a Columbia. Great classic bike. Questions In 1936, a telephone was a total luxury. Why did ... get calls for pickup and delivery? That would explain the bike. If he was into running numbers or some other gambling enterprise he might ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:10pm -

"Shoeshine stand, Southeastern U.S., 1936. (Title and date from Walker Evans, 1973. No caption for this image in FSA/OWI shelflist.)" Who will be the first Shorpyite to clear up a longstanding curatorial mystery and figure out where this is? Large-format safety negative by Walker Evans for the FSA. View full size. Phone 278So who out there can lay his hands on a 1936 telephone directory for Marion, Alabama? That would clinch it. Bennie's signI love his sign! I especially like the curved lettering on his name. Winston-Salem, NC?SSDI gives a Bennie Sims, 1899-1987, born in NC and who died in Winston-Salem. I'll guess the photo's multi-seat setup means it wasn't too small a town, and that that's Bennie in the photo, face blurred, in his mid-30s. He did lots of manual labor and socialized regularly, and so lived to a ripe old age of c. 88 after eventually closing down his shine parlor in Winston-Salem. B-B-B-Bennie and the guessBennie Sims: 1930 census, Marion, Perry, Alabama. 26 years old, bootblack, private stand. Lives with Mother Lissie who is 58 and divorced, washerwoman at home. Also residing with them is a neice, Edith 18 years old. The home is owned by them and its worth is listed as $2,000.00 Bennie is listed as married but no spouse is attached to the census. Bennie Sims, bootblackAccording to the 1930 U.S. Census, Bennie Sims (born circa 1904) was a bootblack employed in a "private stand" who resided in Marion, Perry County, Alabama. He's listed as the head of household and his mother, Lizzie (born circa 1872), resided with him as did his niece, Edith Cannon (born circa 1912). Bennie's rideIt's a Columbia. Great classic bike. Questions In 1936, a telephone was a total luxury. Why did Bennie need one and where is it? Did he work by appointment? If he did off-the-foot shines did he get calls for pickup and delivery? That would explain the bike. If he was into running numbers or some other gambling enterprise he might have needed both. Your background music for viewingwritten in 1922 I believe. Have you ever passed the corner of Fourth and Grand, Where a little ball of rythm owns a shoeshine stand, People gather 'round and they clap their hands, He's a great, big, bundle of joy, He pops the boogie, woogie rag, The Chattanooga shoeshine boy! He charges you a nickel just to shine one shoe, He makes the oldest kind of leather look like new, You feel as thought you wanna dance when he gets through, He's a great, big, bundle of joy, He pops the boogie, woogie rag, The Chattanooga shoeshine boy. (There may be other verses but you get the idea!) 19 Million TelephonesBy 1935 there were something like 19 million telephones in the United States -- around one for every six people. Sixty years after its invention, the telephone was hardly a luxury. Popular Shoe Colors Judging from the row of Shoes in the center of the photo, the popularity of White shoes outnumbered Black shoes and Two Tone Shoes (the pair on the left) by at least a ratio of 3 to 1 in 1936. Good for the Shoe Shine Business as I assume white shoes would get dirty very quickly walking around on those dirt streets! High Society In 1935, my father earned perhaps $60 a week. We lived in an apartment in the Bronx in NYC. Our rent was probably less than $60. We didn't get a phone until 1950 or a television set until 1952. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Small Towns, Stores & Markets, Walker Evans)
Best Christmas Ever: 1971
... here. Three years later, that would be me with my first bike, while two years earlier, that would be me in a photo that I will one day ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/04/2009 - 8:26pm -

December 24, 1971. My nephew Dave, age 6, on his just-unwrapped and assembled Big Wheels. He uses this for his Facebook profile pic now. A Polaroid by yours truly. View full size. THOSE NOISY THINGSi hated those things as they scared my horses. i feared for my life when i would be riding along the roads and hear one of those things coming. later on they would be my enemy again as the neighbors would allow the kids to use them at an early hour, waking up and causing cranky husbands to roar, making for a bad morning. me? im an early riser and they didnt wake me up at all. I loved mine!I still miss mine today, and I'm 45. I felt like I rode it all over Anaheim. Big Wheels in the City by the BayYou may have ridden a Big Wheel but unless you have done it with us in San Francisco on Easter weekend you havn't lived. I would have been so jealousNever did get a Big Wheel; I'm a year younger than your nephew here. Three years later, that would be me with my first bike, while two years earlier, that would be me in a photo that I will one day upload here, in a 1965 Mustang pedal car (wish I still had that thing, it would be worth a fortune today). Seems to me that it was either the 1970 or 1971 shot that still had me in Doctor Dentons (the pajamas with built in feet!) and a Matchbox superset that included a car carrier. The neighbour's catsoon learned to stay off the sidewalk. My four year old daughter wore out a couple of those, roaring up and down, spinning out, colliding with other members of her gang. They were known as Heck's Angels. BrownLooking at this photo bolsters my memory the early to mid 70s were brown. Other color memories include avocado and variations of orange/gold/yellow. Never met the kidBut I dearly miss everything ELSE in that picture. Massive TV? Check. Fringed vest? Check. "Earth shoes"? Check. Brown cords? Check. I would've been 18 days shy of 10 when this was taken. Photoshop my head onto that kid and you'd have no trouble convincing me this was taken in my living room. Sigh.... Don't step on my brown suede shoes!The brown cords ... check! Brown suede shoes ... check! the cowboy vest! Check! Streamers on the handlebars ... check! It's officially 1971 (and your happy nephew looks exactly the same as I did in '71). Noisy and disposableThose noisy darn things..I was too big and too old when they appeared here in southern Ontario. The neighbours had three, one for each of their children. Being constructed entirely of plastic, the front wheel eventually became worn, and then hollow and then only so much scrap and not recyclable. Somehow the earlier tricycles manufactured from metal, and rubber (tyres) and wooden seats were more durable, repairable and domestically constructed. These days those noisy contraptions have been replaced by skateboards and their variants, ditto the children, both of which I can well without. Change one wordSteppenwolf would be appalled! "Born to be miiiillld" (cue the music) Big Wheel Keep on Turnin'I loved my Big Wheel. When I was a kid, my brother and I would ride ours halfway around the block to a friend's house, where he'd join us in Big Wheel races. Our track used his entire driveway (one-car wide until it doubled in width as it approached the garage), plus the sidewalk in front of his house, with a hairpin turn at the foot of his neighbor's driveway. We'd give each other room on the sidewalk, and all was well... until my parents unwittingly messed it up by giving my brother a Green Machine for Christmas. The Green Machine was similar in profile, but steered with two levers that worked the ultra-wide rear axle. The unorthodox steering wasn't the problem, but it made overtaking impossible. My ShirtI just got this shirt back from the cleaners. It looks just like the one tterrace's nephew is wearing. I bought at Bloomingdales about three years ago. It's like "Back to the Future." Big Wheel a bad dream for meIn 1976, driving down a street with many parked cars, I hit a kid on a Big Wheel. He had zoomed out of a driveway and the very low profile gave me no chance to see him until he hit me on the side. He only had some head lacerations and was plenty scared. I was very lucky I didn't run over him. His parents saw the whole thing and apologized to me. Big 3I'm 42 and I'll never forget the clickety-click sound they made. I loved mine to pieces until I graduated to a bicycle. Lost Times, Good Times...I miss the times and memories that these photos evoke. TTerrace, you are a blessing, sir. Disposable RacersI was 7 in 1971. Boy I loved my Big Wheel. I so fondly remember building up speed, then turning the front wheel sharply to slide around. They did not last long. So, off I go with my grandfather to the downtown Sears to get another one. Very fond memories indeed! MemoriesMy son wore out three of these -- the classic as pictured, an Incredible Hulk model, and his favorite, the Dukes of Hazzard edition. There was something on the back wheel that made a lot of noise. We quickly learned to take that thing off. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas, Kids, tterrapix)
Motor Maid: 1962
... on things. She's wearing pretty good riding gear, and the bike appears to be a dressed Harley-Davidson Big Twin, near as I can tell; not ... no Darth Vader, full coverage, DOT approved helmets. The bike is a Harley Davidson, probably a Big Twin, 74 cubic inch model. There were ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/03/2013 - 10:40am -

New Jersey, 1962. "People riding motorcycles, including members from various state chapters of the Motor Maids." Mom, could you drop me off a block from school? Photo by Bob Sandberg for Look magazine. View full size. Cool momI think it'd have been "Mom, could you take me to school on the motorcycle?" - pride, not embarrassment. For 1962, she's surprisingly safely dressed - helmet (albeit not a good one), heavy jacket, gloves, presumably long pants and boots - though that may all have been weather related. Actually, she's more appropriately dressed than the vast majority of the riders I see in Texas now. Maybe Dropped Off At School?I think it depends on the neighborhood whether he wants mom to drop him off at school or not. I could definitely have wanted mom -- bless her, she never was a motorcycle momma -- to drop me right in front at a couple of schools I went to. "Did you see that, Sparky?" "What?" "The new kid's mom is in a motorcycle gang! Guess we shouldn't repeat that wedgie at recess today!" I'd have expectedThe Motor Maids to have had a rule about wearing a helmet properly, not just as a fashion accessory. I trust she never had to test it for real. Mom, please --Can I have a helmet too? Good for herThe lady definitely has a handle on things. She's wearing pretty good riding gear, and the bike appears to be a dressed Harley-Davidson Big Twin, near as I can tell; not a beginner's ride in 1962. Her son is wearing a heavy jacket, and from the way that he's sitting, seems to be used to riding. I'm sure he looked forward to his envious classmates seeing him dropped off at school. Skid LidThe helmet may seem inadequate but, in 1962, that was a typical style. There were no Darth Vader, full coverage, DOT approved helmets. The bike is a Harley Davidson, probably a Big Twin, 74 cubic inch model. There were no electric starters at that time, so Mom had to kick her hog to get it going. Not really that hard, if you know the trick. I thought my mom was cool because she could back up a trailer, but this lady trumps her - and she's way cute. Looks a lot like my momEight years after this was taken, my dad bought a 90cc Yamaha Enduro. It wasn't long before my mom was riding it. At the time, you didn't have to wear a helmet where I live, but we got one "half egg" helmet with the bike. When my dad took me for a ride or to the backroads to teach me how to ride, I wore a plastic toy racing helmet. A lot of good that would have done! After my cousin fractured his skull on his bike, I didn't go anywhere without one. I rode Enduros and a few street bikes for many years. But back to my mom. She would get together with anywhere from one to three of her friends and take off on an afternoon jaunt through the countryside, purses slung over the handlebars and scarves flying. It was quite a sight. Sometimes she would come home looking like she had ridden in the Eight Day Trials or a motocross. She can barely walk now, but still wishes she could do it again. The lady in the picture looks surprisingly like my mom at that time, including the "cateye" glasses. By the way, I would have been embarrassed to be hauled around on a motorcycle by my mom. It was bad enough in a car. But that's the way it was back then. Looking back though, I think it' pretty neat remembering my now 77 year old mom riding a motorcycle with her little "gang". (LOOK, Motorcycles)
Death Avenue II
... share the same space. You just need to get yourself, car, bike, or horse out of the way if a train / tram / trolley / cablecar starts ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 2:24pm -

Another bird's-eye view of Eleventh Avenue, a.k.a "Death Avenue," on New York's West Side as captured by the Bain News Service circa 1911. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Trains and horsesHow long did it take people to decide it's not a good idea to allow horses and horse-drawn vehicles to go directly atop train tracks? The driver of the horse-drawn wagon on the left has the right idea: you can't be killed by a train if you're not in its path. Why "Death Avenue"?Why the name "Death Avenue"? [See Friday's posts. - Dave] Trains & HorsesThese trains aren't moving at 70 mph... In lots of cities rails and other traffic share the same space. You just need to get yourself, car, bike, or horse out of the way if a train / tram / trolley / cablecar starts coming at you. Ever driven in San Francisco? Death AvenueEleventh Street was called "Death Avenue" due to the fact that an average of 100 people a year were killed in train accidents on the street during the 1890s. 11th Avenue and?Can anyone make out the cross street? Looks like a 24 to me, but I'm not sure. Street's too narrow to be 14 or 34 (They've always been bidirectional). Man! People think NYC is dirty today! [The answer is in the previous post. 11th Avenue and West 26th Street. - Dave] Tenth AvenueAll (?) of these "11th Ave" pics are actually on 10th Avenue. Easiest way to confirm that is look at the old real-estate (or fire insurance?) atlases at http://historicmapworks.com that show the west side of 11th Ave to be almost empty of buildings between 25th and 26th St-- just railroad yard. Also note the building numbers, which fit 10th Ave and not 11th (and in the other pic, looking south, 34 10th Ave is at the SE corner of 13th St). The railroad ran on 11th Ave from the 60th St yard down to the 30th St yard, where it crossed over to 10th Ave to continue south. The newspaper term "Death Avenue" might refer more to the 11th Ave stretch than 10th Ave. [The negatives all have "11th Ave." written on them. - Dave] Death Avenue267 11th Avenue there on the left is between 27th and 28th on the western side of the road. On horsebackI think that's the first photo I've seen of riders on horseback, as opposed to horses pulling wagons or cabs of one sort or other. And that must have been some really fast shutter speed, to freeze the action like that. It's rare that we don't see ghostly motion blurred inhabitants. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Horses, NYC, Railroads)
The Stroll: 1900
... to trails). On rail-trails, we have strolled, walked, run, bike and, even though I'm too old for such silliness, roller-bladed (on a paved ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 5:00pm -

New Jersey circa 1900. "Mine Brook Road, Far Hills." We return to the Garden State to observe the lost art of strolling. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. To me, it looks more like --Sashaying. Goin' My Way?Regardless of their gait, if they have a destination in mind, even back to where they started from, they're meandering; if they have no destination in mind, they're maundering. It's neitherI've studied the photo in normal and hi-def modes and the juxtaposition of length of stride in relation to body heights amd have come to the conclusion that what we have here is a saunter. Step softly.Maybe the troll won't hear us. The missing creekI took the geography challenge using Google Maps. I discovered that Mine Brook Road as it runs westward through Far Hills morphs into the modern day Main Street. Following Main Street heading further west you can see a sizable creek flowing under it. My bet is that at some point the Mine Brook Road location we see in the photo was renamed Main Street as Far Hills was developed. The shadows in the photo show Mine Brook Road as a somewhat east-west road and the creek would then be running north-south. The current map view matches this. Strolling, or --Could they be moseying? Different JargonThe first comment reminded me of when I first moved from the Northeast (where everybody moved at a full gallop) to the Deep South (where everybody kept telling me to "slow down") and the crossing signals at the intersections, instead of saying "Walk" or "Don't Walk," said "Mosey" or "Don't Mosey." It Adds So MuchA picture like this could add so much to stories you may have heard about the old days from your grandparents or great grandparents. It would be easy to describe Spring walks with Mom down country roads and how special those times were. But to see the dirt roads, budding trees, iron bridge over a gentle river and a special person holding hands with a little girl really fills out the moment... Destination dependentA mosey would take them to a destination different than their starting point. Strolling is a loop function. My guess is a stroll to the river. A more innocent worldI just want to walk into that picture and down that road and into 1900 . . . Can't find a creekMaybe someone else can try, but I couldn't find an obvious creek along Mine Brook Road, whether in Bing Maps or Google Maps. There is a Beaver Creek Court off of Mine Brook Road, so there might be one there. It's a largely wooded area, and there are plenty of very large, expensive homes. I can't breathe!I'm no expert on these matters, but that belt looks like its cinched so tight that it's gotta hurt Strolling, or --clearly a walkabout. Corsets againIt isn't the belt that is cinched tight, it's the bloomin' corset those women grew up with. And, yes, it probably does affect her breathing. IMHOA clear case of ambling. To add to the confusion...According to my Delorme TopoUSA map, there are two Mine Brook Roads. Route 202 heading northeast out of Far Hills morphs from Main Street to Mine Brook Road, as a previous commenter noted. There is also a Mine Brook Road off Whitenack Road. Now you figure it out! [It is (or was) the same road. Part of it is Route 202 now. - Dave] Mine BrookThere's actually a place named Mine Brook at the intersection of Old Mine Brook Road and the present-day Whitenack Road, which crosses the railroad and then Mine Brook (the stream) as one heads North from Mine Brook (the community). I'm speculating this section of Whitenack Road was originally called Mine Brook Road simply because it crossed the stream by that name and led to the community of Mine Brook. I expect that early trains could be flagged at Mine Brook. See this aerial view. Also, an 1898 topo map: I'm going out on a limb here and say that it's afternoon in the photo and the strolling pair has walked up to the bridge and are now heading south back to Mine Brook. You Are HereI think this is the location, looking north. View Larger Map Strolling, still doneThis photo looks like hundreds of today's rail-trails (former railroad beds converted to trails). On rail-trails, we have strolled, walked, run, bike and, even though I'm too old for such silliness, roller-bladed (on a paved trail in Fla.). Rail-trails are among our national treasures. Dead RiverThe bridge could be over the Dead River, farther south on Old Mine Brook Rd on the other side of I287 toward Liberty Corner. I prefer this location over the one near the railroad, because the terrain is flat as in the picture. (The Gallery, DPC)
Susie, Susie, Susie, Susie: 1950
... the middle one in 3-D. It's like learning to ride a bike ... not easy, but once you do it, that's it. View full size. It ... vision instead of convergent vision. It is like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it. If the center of each photo is beyond ... 
 
Posted by Joseph M Hohmann - 02/20/2019 - 2:22pm -

3-D was big in the early 1950s. This slide is one of 4,800 3-D slides I have bought over the past 21 years. It is captioned "Susie at home for Christmas 1950". You can learn to "free-view" this digital version by giving the image a blank stare. In time, you brain will produce three images, the middle one in 3-D. It's like learning to ride a bike ... not easy, but once you do it, that's it. View full size. It works!Wooow! it is really easy if you cross your eyes slowly to finally "lock" the center image. Fantastic effect. Crosseyed and ParallelThe top pair is for crosseyed viewing, the bottom for parallel (like those 'magic-eye' patterns). Stereo Pair ViewingWhile on the pursuit of a Forest Management degree in the mid 1970's, I took a required course in Photogrammetry and Aerial Mapping. I was provided with optics that enabled me to view stereo pair photos. After a time I mastered the art of parallel focused vision instead of convergent vision. It is like riding a bike, you never forget how to do it. If the center of each photo is beyond parallel vision (divergent), you can't bring the photos into full overlap. In this case, if you're on a computer (I know you are), scale the image down until you can converge the images. https://www.instructables.com/id/How-to-view-stereo-graphic-images/ Two different styles of stereo pairsUpper photo pair is for crosseyed technique (not my preference). Left eye focuses on right image, right eye on left) Lower photo pair is for parallel technique (much more relaxed in my book). Left eye to left photo, right to right. If you use the wrong technique for a given stereo pair, items that should be in the forefront are pushed to the back. StereoscopeIt's really easy if you happen to have one of these. I never could do it with the "blank stare". I also wasn't good at autostereograms in the '90s but at least I was able to do it occasionally. Freeviewing SusieThe bottom set of images is the one to use for traditional "freeviewing" to see the 3D image -- the left image is on the left, the right image is on the right. On the top set of images the right image is on the left. That would be proper for anyone using "crosseyed freeviewing" which is used for stereo images if the image is large. For traditional "blank stare" type freeviewing the left/right images should be in proper order (the bottom set here) and the size of the image on your screen should be adjusted so that the distance between the centers of the two pictures is about the distance between your pupils. Freeviewing in a skill worth learning -- once your mind learns what it is supposed to be doing, it will lock in the 3D image easily. There are thousands of antique stereoviews every day on eBay, and you can free-view them on your screen. At last!I've been waiting for someone to post something in three dimensions. I hope you come up with more. Free ViewingThe two pictures have to be printed with a point-to-point separation less than eye separation to free-view. Anaglyph of SusieHere's a black-and-white 3D anaglyph of Susie for anyone who has the red/blue lens glasses used for 3D comic books, many children's books, early 3D movies, etc. Anaglyphs don't work well in color if there is any red or cyan in the photo as one eye will not see that color and it creates uncomfortable viewing. Tried so hardWell, now that my eyes are stuck in the crossed mode, does any know the name of a decent ophthalmic surgeon? Wake up, little SusieThank you for this! Yesterday I tried but nothing happened. Today, after reading all the comments, I stopped overthinking it and just crossed my eyes and Bob's your uncle, the picture popped right into 3D! Now I can't stop looking at little Susie triking past that see-through Christmas tree, the icicles nearly brushing her face. It's awesome. What a treat. Glad you liked this.And thank you, Shorpy folks, for including it. Yes, the top is "cross eye"(X) and the bottom is "parallel" (P). I can only do P since I learned from "Magic Eye" books. P is actually more "useful" in that you can view old stereo cards that way. I'm delighted that some of you were able to do this. I'll offer a few more in the future. Modern StereoscopeI bought a modern plastic version a view years ago and instead of a postcard, I held my smartphone in front of it. Works Great. 3DWhen I was a child my favourite toy was my Viewmaster and its reels; once grown up I worked for 20 years on aerial mapping with different kinds of equipment: analogic and mechanical first, digital later. I always liked 3D photos, those of the '50s are wonderful, it seems that everyone had a 3D camera in those years. When I take pictures now with one, people always ask me what I'm using. I hope that there will be other pictures like this. Oh WOWJust like the "Magic Eye" from the 1990's!! Very cool. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The Passion of Pola: 1921
... He looks up to something. Also, behind the boy with the bike is a motion-blurred kerfuffle. It's probably a gesticulating ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:50pm -

January 1921. Washington, D.C. "Metropolitan Theater crowds for 'Passion.'" The line outside Crandall's Metropolitan on F Street to see Pola Negri in "Passion," aka "Madame DuBarry." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. A TalkiePassion was an early "talkie." These people are probably about to see their first motion picture with sound. [Where'd you get that idea? There were no "talkies" in 1921. - Dave] 9:30The tall building, the Atlantic Building, is the site of the original 9:30 Club. That venue drew big names in music in the 80s and 90s before moving to its new location up on V Street. And before the Google street views show up, the architectural details of the two short buildings on the left have all been reconstructed. It looks like the original is still intact, but that's not the case. Metal storefront, windows hoods, etc. are all new. Re: A TalkieAnonymous might have confused Pola's "Passion" with Norma Talmadge's "Du Barry, Woman of Passion" from 1930. Reportedly a terrible film. "Passion", which was also about Madame Du Barry, was an early film of famed director Ernst Lubitsch. Sprechen Sie Englisch?If it had been a talkie, the film would've been in German, since it was made in Germany by the great Ernst Lubitsch. Pola Negri, by the way, was offered the role of Norma Desmond in "Sunset Boulevard," but refused to play a washed-up star. Her last screen appearance was in 1964. A different viewHere's a picture I took of these buildings in 2001. They were knocked down, and only their facade was left standing. The pic is from behind, with the Atlantic building on the left. They've since been integrated into totally new buildings, one of which I believe is an entrance to Ford's Theater, which is around the corner. Streetcar tracksThe streetcar tracks look to be for cable cars with the center "slot." There are no overhead lines for a typical electric connection for an electric streetcar. I wonder if they were still in operation at the time of this photo. [Downtown Washington's electric streetcars had an underground power supply. - Dave] After 9:30That was a great old space for the 9:30 Club. Even if it was a firetrap. Practically that entire block was demolished a few years ago except for the facades. Upstairs in the WhitakerUpstairs in the Whitaker building, there is a man with a derby and a cigar poking his head out behind the Irish lace curtains. He looks up to something. Also, behind the boy with the bike is a motion-blurred kerfuffle. It's probably a gesticulating meet-and-greet; it's fun to see it caught in time. Guy Noir Lives!On the third floor of the Whitaker Building one man is still trying to find the answers to life's persistent questions! Hommes pour PolaTwice as many men as women lined up for Pola -- could it be because the film is about the private life of a well known courtesan who was Louis XV's mistress until her death on the guillotine? I think it was banned in Finland. Farther Upstairs at the WhitakerIf you look in the windows above the curious gentleman, you will see two small posters for Harding and Coolidge. The Harding inauguration would be coming up on March 4. PeeragePerhaps the curious man is Norman Whitaker, wondering why no one is coming upstairs to get a patent. Or maybe he's like me, gazing at the sidewalk as disembodied feet go walking by. Crandall's MetropolitanHeadley describes the Metropolitan, 932-936 F Street, as Harry Crandall's flagship theater, with a seating capacity of 1,500. Opened in 1918 and remodeled in 1926, it premiered the first sound picture in Washington, "Don Juan" starring John Barrymore. Last screenings were in 1966. Norman T. WhitakerRan across Internet information on a Norman T. Whitaker who: graduated Georgetown Law School, was a patent attorney, in 1922 became Assistant Secretary of the Interior, was later disbarred, convicted of several unsavory crimes, including extortion connected with the Lindbergh kidnapping case, and served time in Alcatraz, where he became a friend of Al Capone. Oh, he was also an outstanding chess player, becoming an International Master, and spent the "last years of his life were spent driving around the country in his Volkswagen Beetle playing in weak tournaments he could win in the South." He continued to complete actively until his death at age 85 in 1975. 900 Block F St: TodaySomehow this photo has escaped a link to Google Streetview of a contemporary image. I don't know how well other cities do this, but D.C. building/zoning permits do (thankfully) appear to enforce a preservation of historic street-level facades. Now, mainly owing to all the Shorpy photos, I am much more aware of the numerous examples of this type of architectural preservation throughout the city. View Larger Map +88Below is the same view from September of 2009. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Movies, Natl Photo)
Old Hat: 1920
... to a guy who had never ridden one. I had to drive the bike into his pickup truck and he said he was going to unload it in a 40 acre ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 12:01pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "814-816 Ninth Street N.W." Moldy negative of a decrepit storefront, with many musty details. National Photo Co. View full size. Motocycles?I just learned that the folks at Indian didn't know how to spell "motorcycle." The Indian Motocycle shopI find the partial view of the Indian Motocycle shop more interesting than the almost-derelict storefront that's the subject of the photo. Here's a photo of a 1920 Indian Motocycle; the "Indian" name and the fuel tank (I assume) it's on look the same as in the window of that shop. http://parkerindian.com.au/1920PP.html "Silent" OlsonThe poster above the For Rent sign is for a wrestling match between Joe Turner and Silent Olson, a deaf-mute. "Christmas night he beat Joe Turner, for ten years champion middleweight wrestler." They came and went.BEAUTIFUL Indian in the window next door. One please, to go ! Washington RedskinsWhile the out of business hat store has its decrepit charm the store to the left has much more to offer. Indian brand motorcycles, bicycles and tricycles are all on display. What a treasure trove. Also,the reflection in the hat store window shows cars in the street and what looks like someones legs on a ladder or scaffold rung. I wonder if it is somebody in the store working or perhaps the reflection of the photographer in the street getting a raised perspective. The Gold Medal Flour sign up above states "Why Not Now?" No time like the present indeed. Elementary ParticlesNot sure, but that curved white line with the little black teardrop at the top ... I think it's the Higgs Boson! New HatIt's all gone now, replaced by the U.S. Mint Headquarters. View Larger Map Lady of the Lamp Looks like she left it on the sidewalk in front of the Indian dealership. Also looks like the rear of the hat store has collapsed. Sniper!Top window, second floor! Or maybe it's some sort of Rube Goldberg drainage system. The Lady of the LampThe sign in the window to the right is a play by Earl Carroll, closed November 1920. The sign states Dec. 6. Seems it never made it to that date. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=8963 [December 6 is the performance date in Washington. The Broadway Database dates are for performances on Broadway, in New York. - Dave] Motocycles and motorcyclesThe corporate name was always "Indian Motocycle Company" but it made motorcycles and advertised them as such. Well the nearly new 1946 Chief I owned was called a motorcycle, but company name was still "Motocycle." Dang, I sold the thing for $75 in 1958 to a guy who had never ridden one. I had to drive the bike into his pickup truck and he said he was going to unload it in a 40 acre pasture and learn to ride. He figured there weren't many things to hit in a pasture except for the cow patties. Too dark to see in the daytimeWhat's with the kerosene lantern on the sidewalk? Now a Parking LotNo, not the U.S. Mint headquarters; that's on the east side of Ninth Street, the odd-numbered side. Where 814-816 Ninth Street was is now a vast parking lot, where the old new Convention Center used to be, till it was mercifully torn down. Even a parking lot is preferable to that awful building. If the Hoover FBI building and the OPM building at 20th and E could go the way of the old new Convention Center, even if they became nothing but parking lots, Washington would be a better place. F.L. Leishear, Indian MotorcyclesThat's F.L. Leishear's motorcycle shop to the left, also seen in Shorpy post Wireless Apparatus: 1919. The previously open D. Neufeld Hat Manufacturer has since closed and lost its most prominent signage. Washington Post, Jun 23, 1921 Motorcycles PRICES reduced 20% on new 1921 Indian motorcycles and side cars; also used machines at exceptional prices. F.L. Leishear, 812 9th st. nw. A LeopardIt seems strange that there is a leopard skin in the Indian window. One item that Indian made that does not appear to be on display is a canoe and trailer that can be used with a motorcycle. (The Gallery, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
King Street: 1921
... be a Douglas, or maybe even a Scott, an early water-cooled bike. Harley Model 20 Great bike! It's got the longitudinally oriented opposed twin engine, but it's not a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:47am -

King Street in Alexandria, Virginia. 1921 or 1922. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Who can pinpoint the intersection? King and WashingtonThat's the intersection of King and Washington streets. The surplus store is now Cafe Mezzogirono. Overhead WiresThere seems to be 2 overhead wires for 1 set of street car tracks. This seems quite unusual as street cars only required 1 overhead wire. Is it possible that 2 different transportation companies shared a set of tracks but drew power from their individual overhead wires? [It's a dual-wire trolley. Not unusual. From another commenter: "To avoid use of frogs where the line diverged or at a siding so trolleys could pass each other, dual wires were used, one for each direction." - Dave] King StreetWhere the power lines seem to end, King Street takes a sharp downhill for 3 or 4 blocks, and then there's the Potomac. The trees in the distance are on the other side of the river, in Maryland. BumblefishCurrent view of the cafe from Google: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/2854664 Other cornerLooks nearly like a twin building on the opposite corner. near the Charlie Lee laundry. Any pics of that corner? Clang Clang ClangA single trolley pole collects current from an overhead wire and uses the tracks as the electrical return. Trolley buses, which have no ground because of their rubber tires, have to use two trolley poles and dual overhead wires. One for the negative live current and the other for the positive or neutral return. Which might have been the case here. The treesAmazing how there are no trees in the first picture, but how tall they are in the modern picture. The tellaphone pole is gone and so are the trolley tracks. Sweet RideThat's a swell motorcycle! Not your run-of-the-mill Harley or Indian, it appears to be a Douglas, or maybe even a Scott, an early water-cooled bike. Harley Model 20Great bike! It's got the longitudinally oriented opposed twin engine, but it's not a Douglas, it's a Harley Davidson Sport Model 20, which was produced from 1919 to 1923. Cheers! Craig LOC Number Please...I've done a quick search for this shot on the Library of Congress site but can't seem to find it. Does anyone have the reference number? [Right-click on the photo, choose "properties." There's the number. - Dave] +89Below is the same view from December of 2010. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Motorcycles, Natl Photo)
The Old Swimming Hole: 1941
... old, you swim in the pond when you're not riding your bike, and every night you have pie for dessert. The Old Swimming Hole ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:32pm -

July 1941. Swimming hole at Pine Grove Mills, Pennsylvania. View full size. Photograph by Edwin Rosskam for the Farm Security Administration. Paradise.I so wish that was me... Idyllic!I love everything about this picture. i love this picture ..lifei love this picture ..life was so simple then - i would love to be a kid and spend the summers in a town with a swimming hole . I lived in Pine Grove MillsI lived in Pine Grove Mills and remember this swimming hole very well!!!!!!!!!! It was a wonderful place to grow up. Almost expect to see PollyAlmost expect to see Polly Benedict sashay down the path The old swimming holeDoes anyone know exactly where this was located. Several people have been asking here in State College. Thanks Jen Old swimming holeThis was in Pine Grove Mills ... it is no longer there, has a house on it now. It was right before Chestnut Street going up the mountain. Heaven!This is what heaven is like- it's the middle of summer, you're 11 years old, you swim in the pond when you're not riding your bike, and every night you have pie for dessert. The Old Swimming HoleToday the path down the hill and the pond would both need wheelchair access, the water would be checked daily for carcinogens and bacteria, seven lifeguards would be required and fees would be charged; in short, the lawyers and bureaucrats would shut it down. This reminds meof the times we would go swimming it the stock pond. Cows and scum on the water in one end, and us not knowing any better having a good time on the other end. No one ever got sick. (The Gallery, Edwin Rosskam, Landscapes, Rural America)
Fruit Market: 1908
... kid who would sell fresh Philly soft pretzels from his bike, they would yell "FERRRESH PERRRETZELS" Iske Furniture This photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 9:28am -

Indianapolis Market. August 1908. Wit., E. N. Clopper. People shopped at open-air markets like this for fresh produce before the advent of the supermarket, which was basically a self-service farmers market, butcher shop and dry goods store all under one roof. View full size. Fantastic photo. I'll takeFantastic photo. I'll take a couple potatoes, a couple apples, and oh yeah, a cucumber if its not too soft. Take a little time, feel the sunshine and fresh air, have a nice little chat.....This is why I dislike Walmart so very much. Market PlaceHere in Baltimore, we still have "hokey men." They come around with a pony-drawn cart selling fruits, veggies, and crabs. Each has his own cry. They are honest and the wares are fresh. MarketsWe still have the Haymarket in Boston. Amazing produce at bargain rates. Having had the pleasure of living in London for several years I've been to markets in many European cities. The best? I think Vienna. Van VendingWhen I traveled around Great Britain a while back. I became acquainted with the minivan produce vendors in the small hamlets and villages. Granted, the distances to the larger towns were not that big by our standards here in the USA but over there they just didn't travel to shop. If the local shops didn't have what you wanted fresh you waited for the minivan vendor to come around. The driver would stop in a mostly central area and opened the back end or side door. There was a scale and sacks and a variety of produce. MarketI live in Decatur Alabama and we have a farmers market but the market here has a catch only locally grown produce.It's something my wife and son and myself do together we enjoy talking to the farmers they are always so proud of their produce and you can buy things alot cheaper and of better quality than what is sold at the supermarkets like wal mart or publix.I hope more people go to these ans support the little guy ! If you tell the truth you don't have to remember anything. Mark Twain HuckstersIn Philly people would buy produce off Hucksters who would drive to the streets with fresh fruits and vegetables, but that was in the day when the milk and bread were also delivered and I remember the guy who would sharpen kitchen knives on his wheel using foot power, lots of mobile vendors but my favorite was the pretzel kid who would sell fresh Philly soft pretzels from his bike, they would yell "FERRRESH PERRRETZELS" Iske FurnitureThis photo is looking eastward across Alabama Street. I found Iske Furniture in the 1909 Indianapolis City Directory with an address of 23 N Alabama St. This puts the location across the street from (east of) the city's former court house (now replaced with the 28 story City County Building. Also seen is the 'Court House Kneipe' saloon which has an address of 19 (N. Alabama St). So this is near or on the corner of Washington and Alabama St. This area is now a parking lot and was the southern edge of the now-demolished Market Square Arena. ColorizedColorized in photoshop. Click to enlarge Hokey MenIn Baltimore they are also known as Arabbers. (The Gallery, Indianapolis, Kids, Lewis Hine, Stores & Markets)
Hollywood Family: 1965
... go to Wallachs to shop for records. Early on, I'd ride my bike across town from the West Adams area and have loads of fun listening to ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 7:14pm -

November 1965. Fabulous, glamorous, glittering, world-famous Hollywood & Vine. My mother, father and brother take in the dazzling sights while I snap off this Kodachrome, two years after my previous memorable visit. Looks like brother and I have been hitting the record shops. Notable vehicles include a shiny red pre-1957 Volkswagen beetle, a 1961 or 1962 Thunderbird, a 1958 Plymouth wagon and, most interesting of all, a City of L.A. Water & Power Studebaker Champ pickup. View full size. Then and NowIn South Central, Drug King is now Drug Lord. Still one on every corner. RecordsStill a couple great shops for record collectors in that neighborhood. An Amoeba down the street on Sunset, and a couple on Hollywood which are like storefront garage sales for record buyers. Remember Lana TurnerI believe that this is the drugstore where Lana was discovered by a talent scout sitting at a lunch counter and having a soda. It started a stampede of young women going in and posing the same way, hoping to be discovered. [The drugstore where Lana Turner was discovered, according to showbiz lore, was Schwab's on Hollywood Boulevard. - Dave] Post 57 VWIf that were a pre 57 VW Bug it would have the split oval rear window. The one piece oval window was between 58 and 62, I think. [The VW's oval, one-piece rear window made its debut in 1953. Tterrace knows this VW is a pre-1957 model because 1957 is the year the back window was almost doubled in size. - Dave] Hollywood & VineI used to work, just down the street, at Hollywood Sport Cars at Hollywood and Van Ness during the final, sad, years of the British automobile industry. They're mostly gone now. MG, Austin-Healey, Triumph, Jensen and the rest. Hollywood had gotten pretty seedy by the mid 60s, but it's been cleaned up in many areas. Still, the glamour is gone. And where was I... while my family members were out seeing all the glamorous sights? Home in the 'burbs with the little babes. This is fun, I never know when I'll see my relatives on Shorpy. -- tterrace's sister Nice Shot, Tterrace!Does Rexall still exist? They used to be everywhere. November 1965 was the month that "the lights went out" all along the Eastern seaboard and also the first and last time I ever saw The (original) Rolling Stones when they came through Providence, touring on "Get Off Of My Cloud." I think the tickets were $2.50, and the auditorium (a hockey rink, really) was only half full. Other vehiclesBehind your parents, a 57 Ford. Behind it a late 50's Ford pick-up. Behind it a 64 Olds. Behind it a 63 Pontiac. Time travelThis building is still there, and "Holly Vine Shoppe" seems to be inside. [But since replaced by a Starbucks. -tterrace] The Taft BuildingThat's the Taft Building, where my husband had his office. Right across the street from the Broadway Building, where the Hollywood Broadway Store was for many years, I hear it's being converted into residential living with stores on the ground floor. Wallach's Music CityWallach's Music City was just down the street on Vine and Sunset - you used to be able to take a record into a listening booth - it was a great outing for the family! That was back in the 60's. "Drug Lord"?!!>> In South Central, Drug King is now Drug Lord. Still one on every corner. What a poor choice for a pharmacy chain name! Either someone had an offbeat sense of humor or they must have been into some of the pharmaceutical opioids when they put that one together! [Or maybe someone didn't get the joke. - Dave] I rememberWhat a nice photo. I used to go to Wallachs to shop for records. Early on, I'd ride my bike across town from the West Adams area and have loads of fun listening to records. I never saw any movie stars shopping there, but by 1964 my family had taken be south of L.A. I used to buy records at Sams Record store on Adams Boulevard too. His pretty assistant used to sell me anything! I was around 12 at that time. BTW, I only sold my record collection about 5 years ago - I couldn't manage the move back from the Netherlands, where I had moved in 1993. It's great to see all those cars. I want a 1957 Imperial! Or perhaps a '57 de Soto, or maybe a Chrysler 300! I will also take a 1957 Ford Skyliner or even a convertible - powder blue and white two-toned please. Cheers! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
Biking in Suburbia: 1968
My younger brother, riding his new bike. Our street was a cul-de-sac in Walnut, California. This was probably ... for me. An invitation to dream that it's me on that bike, growing up in California in the 70's as a child, and then as a teenager ... trim. Great handlebars Love the handlebars on the bike and his red shirt, matching the bike too! This could have easily been one ... 
 
Posted by Mvsman - 06/28/2014 - 10:55am -

My younger brother, riding his new bike. Our street was a cul-de-sac in Walnut, California. This was probably around 1968. It was a good place for kids to explore the nearby hills. We learned to ride bikes, spend weekend mornings hiking the hills, and staying away from our parents. On our little street, things were mostly like they were in so-called "the good old days." View full size. Possibly in '69 or '70The car in the driveway across the street is a 1970 Olds Delta 88 (we can't see the taillights, but the wheelcover is 1970) in Burnished Gold. So that tells me this must have been later in 1969, or maybe 1970. Collegewood?Could this be in the Collegeood tract across Temple Blvd. from Mt. San Antonio Jr. College? Location informationThere was a tract called Collegewood directly across from the college, and a newer one to the north of and above the school. They were referred to as upper and lower Collegewood. These homes were built from 1962 to about 1965. We lived in the area above Mt.Sac (where I began my post high school academic career). As I recall, my folks paid $28,000 for our home. Walnut, in the early and mid 1960s, was a rural oasis surrounded by more crowded suburban cities, which were hidden from view by rolling hills. It's different now, of course, but the remnants of the old days are still there. Thanks for your question. Beautiful Color!Love to see a current day shot from this same vantage point, bet those trees have matured beautifully. Thanks Mvsman! Lassiter Drive - 1965-1967Very cool! I lived on Lassiter Drive in the lower Collegwood section. We tween-agers used to range far and wide into the surrounding hills. Tatantulas were a common sight, and there were still lemon groves and active cattle raches within biking distance. Fond memoriesI was living at the Temple Grand Apartments when this was taken. Collegewood was a great place to go for a walk after a long night of hitting the books. I was working full time at the Market Basket on the other side of the hill on Badillo and Grand while carrying a full load at MSAC. Some truly life changing experiences took place just down the hill from where this was taken. Thanks for posting this. IdyllicBut then someone mentions tarantulas were commonplace. So much for paradise. California dreamin'Having a big case of the "American Dream" (and I could be more precise saying it's more a case of "California Dreamin'" than anything else), and being born in 1968, this picture is like an invitation for me. An invitation to dream that it's me on that bike, growing up in California in the 70's as a child, and then as a teenager in the 80's. Thank you. TruckLooks like a 1968 Dodge truck behind Junior; and a pretty fancy one at that. It appears to have the chrome grill and bumper options as well as two-tone paint and possibly color coordinated side trim. Great handlebarsLove the handlebars on the bike and his red shirt, matching the bike too! This could have easily been one of my brothers. I'm the baby born in 68 with two older brothers. We grew up on a suburban street in California, but a different city. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
We Are the Champions: 1920
... same park policeman visiting the circle every day on his bike. We never called him Officer, but Mister Whatever. When I was growing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:06pm -

Proud winners of the 1920 Washington Herald Junior Baseball Championship. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Boy Oh BoyMost of those "boys" look to be between 15 to 18 years old. I wonder what the requirements to be in the "Junior" baseball league were. Only the "scowl for the camera" boy holding the cup, and the two fellas above him, trying to see between the taller guys' shoulders, are younger than high school. Quite a hodgepodge of uniforms!As well as faces. Quick, spot the future ax murderer. No, not him. Despite the dark, sunken eyes. Nope, not the next guy. Although he does look a little crazed. Yes, that's the guy! The cop on the right. He's on the edge! High securityDo the junior baseball champions always get police protection? Sad Faces in 1920So many, likely just having heard about the passage of the Volstead Act. I don't like the guy in the Straw Hat.Rear left, he looks kind of shifty to me. And it's not the hairstylesThere is just something about the look of every one of these people: I cannot imagine running into any of them even in modern clothes. Around the CircleI was born in D.C. in 1926 -- yeah, I'm an old guy. We lived on one of Washington's famous (or infamous) traffic roundabouts, Sherman Circle. All of the kids played there (after our mothers saw us safely across the street). I remember the same park policeman visiting the circle every day on his bike. We never called him Officer, but Mister Whatever. When I was growing up, the trees in the circle were just saplings. Years later (and also many years ago) the circle was a virtual forest. Much has changed. Crouching CagneyVictrolaJazz and jimchig, you're both wrong, do you hear me? Wrong, wrong wrong. Cagney and all those guys in the second row appear to be neither sitting nor kneeling, but crouching. You both may now genuflect to pay obeisance to my perspicacity. On another note, nobody else seems to have spotted Charlie Sheen. Young James CagneySeated, third from left! Petworth SluggersJudging from the large P on several of the uniforms and the partial WORT on the uniform of the kid kneeling in the middle, it appears that this team represented the Petworth sector of D.C. -- a residential area in the upper northwest between Georgia Avenue and North Capitol Street. Cagney?VictrolaJazz, I think you meant 'kneeling', third from left. And yes, he is a ringer. Okay!Hard to prove or disprove the kneeling/crouching discussion, but I do see Charlie Sheen, or his Estevez forefather! I also see manager Harry Houdini, or is that Thomas Edison? Hunkering or crouchingLast guy on the right crouching looks like a young Ray Bolger and I'm still looking for Charlie. Charlie Sheen??Where, I don't see anyone passed out on the ground? New Wave, 1920The funny thing for me personally about pictures of young men of this vintage is I find them particularly cute because so many of them are wearing the long on top/short on the sides haircut that was also popular with young men when I was a D.C.-area teenager in the 80s and 90s. Hand several of these guys a skateboard each, and I'd be required to develop an instant crush on them. Catcher, guy two behind him holding the bat, and Mr. Tie Askew, I'm talking to you. P Is For ParksThere were 12 teams in the tournament with the championship game coming down to Parks versus the Yankees. Other teams in the "down-and-out" tournament were the Petworth Athletic Club (A.C.), Eastern A.C., Auditors from Southern Railway, Cavaliers, Hilltops, Arrows, New Haven, Rolands, Renrocs, and Maryland Juniors. All junior tournament games were held from August 23th to September 5th, and the event was "... to determine the best team of 18 year olds," according to the paper. The results from the September 6th edition are below. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports)
Welcome to Detroit: 1900
... I could just step into the scene and walk or ride my bike amongst them. I love these pedestrian/scenic pictures. Sure glad somebody ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:50pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "City Hall and Campus Martius." To the left, the Soldiers and Sailors Monument; rising to the right is one of the city's "moonlight tower" carbon-arc lamps. Palm trees and bananas strike a tropical note. 8x10 inch glass negative by Lycurgus S. Glover, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. American IdyllI think any city would be glad to have such a civic building. Interesting French (Second Empire?) style architecture. I love the two men languidly conversing on their bicycles, oblivious of the surrounding traffic. Try that today! In toto the pedestrians look like a idealized Hollywood scene representing city life at the turn of the 20th century; people running, promenading, talking, pricing fruit perhaps on a fine summer's Sunday. Moonlight Towers: now Austin residentsThose carbon-arc lamps were once very common ways to light a city, much more economical than a lower-wattage streetlight every 100 feet. The light they gave off was by all accounts glaring and harsh, though. In 1894 Austin TX bought a bunch of the towers from Detroit and moved them southwards. Through a fluke of history, half of them survive to the present day, making them the only remaining functional towers in the world. One played an important cameo in "Dazed and Confused." All the remaining towers (17 of the original 31) are protected historic monuments, though two were recently removed. Austinites, myself included, are strangely fond of them. The rest of the story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_tower Idyll Over"I think any city would be glad to have such a civic building. Interesting French (Second Empire?) style architecture." You might think that, but Detroit tore this building down in 1961. It was seen locally as embarrassingly old-fashioned soon after the turn of the 20th century. The editor of the Detroit News described it thus: "It is an architectural monstrosity. It belongs back in the twilight zone of American development. … It belongs to the era of the whatnot and the putty vase and the ship carved in a bottle. It is not Colonial, it is not Gothic, it is not Byzantine. It just ain’t nuthin’. It’s been standing there these 70 years or more, a lumpy, gloomy, ugly pile of curlicued stone. No artist has ever painted a picture of it. No artist would. No lover of beauty has ever found a single line of grace or dignity in it." And not a car in sight. I think this photograph shows the destruction wrought on the American landscape, and social fabric, especially in urban settings, by the advent of the automobile a short time later. The Motor City!Where are the cars? (Always interesting to me how long it took for automobiles to take hold.) Moonlight Bat BuffetLiving in Austin in the 80's I used to frequent a cafe in the Clarksville section of town where I would often see some of Austin's famous Mexican free-tailed bats feasting on the insects drawn to glow of moonlight towers. Austin, whose unofficial motto is "Keep Austin Weird," is a Mecca for bats, batty moonlight tower protectors, and all things odd and different. I'm glad to hear from Kevin M. that the towers are still there. All those people are deadbut yet, when I put this on full screen, I still get the feeling I could just step into the scene and walk or ride my bike amongst them. I love these pedestrian/scenic pictures. Sure glad somebody invented the camera when they did. CinematicThis does look like a Hollywood scene! Now we have our cars, our phones, our iPods, etc., and you would never see people out strolling about and chatting like this! We (myself included) are always in our cars and in a hurry! Wayne County BuildingOne of the previous commentators mentioned that this building was torn down. It is actually still standing. [You're confusing City Hall with the Wayne County Building. City hall is long gone. - Dave] (The Gallery, Bicycles, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Miss Handlebars: 1900
... her unbraided hair is knee length. I'm surprised that her bike has skirt netting on the rear wheel but the chain guard stops at the chain ... Ms. Sprocket Amazing hair. Very cool chain guard and bike. Bicycle "Take me away". Freedom at last look on her face. Toto? What ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/19/2014 - 1:23pm -

Circa 1900. "Lettis -- girl with bicycle and dog." 4x5 inch glass negative, photographer and location unknown. View full size. Anti-bobI bet that her unbraided hair is knee length. I'm surprised that her bike has skirt netting on the rear wheel but the chain guard stops at the chain ring. I have a hard enough time keeping my chain from amputating my aglets. Ms. SprocketAmazing hair. Very cool chain guard and bike. Bicycle "Take me away". Freedom at last look on her face. Toto? What happened?Why are we still in Kansas? What happened to that witch, and is that the straw man back there? Old Dog Trey, Ever FaithfulStanding guard to ensure that no strange canine nips at Letitia's comely ankle. Shorpy answers questionsI love that Shorpy answers questions I never knew I had, such as, "I wonder what people's yards looked like prior to the invention of the modern lawn mower." EnchantingHer bike is much like mine but rather more Spartan in its appointments. Lovely hair, fine old house, rampant foliage, baby in wicker pram, doting grandad, loyal pup (looks like they've put his mat there to encourage him to join the portrait) - a cosy corner of time. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Dogs, Found Photos, Kids)
College on Fire: 1963
... saw the engine stop in front of the gym, and jumped on my bike and rode down. Somehow the alarm was called in quickly, because there was ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 8:25pm -

December 16, 1963. Fire destroys the old gymnasium at the College of Marin in Kentfield, California. Arson suspected. The building had already been condemned for public assembly and was scheduled for demolition. In a way, the beginning of the end of the mission revival architecture of this institution, of which nothing remains on the present campus. Also: 1960 Thunderbird; vintage Van Pelt fire engine, but I can't identify the original truck make. Plus a really vintage, even for 1963, pedestrian signal at the extreme left. 35mm Kodachrome. View full size. FiretruckLooks like a 1950s White cab-over. More old trucksThe truck is a White 3000 made sometime between the very late 1940s and 1960 or so. 12-16-63What intersection is this? Is this near where Woodland's Market and Kent Middle School are now? AWESOME shot. It's a shame they demolished it all. Looks like it was a much prettier campus than it is nowadays. College Fire LocationThis is on College Ave. and the signal is for Stadium Way, the short street behind the Woodland Market shopping center. It's called Stadium Way because that whole area immediately to the north was occupied by the football field. Here's a Google street view from about where I took the shot: View Larger Map Vintage pedestrian signalGreat shot and gorgeous fire truck. That vintage crossing signal (good eye BTW) is an old Wiley. It Was A Much Prettier CampusI went there in 1967-69, when the campus still had some of the Spanish style (someone called them Mission Revival) buildings, and a free-running creek. Now it's just ugly, and the creek is a concrete ditch. It Was a Prettier CampusI was there around the same time, Anonymous Tipster, and you're absolutely right about the former Mission Revival look of the College of Marin campus. You should see pictures of the place from the 30s through the early 50s; utterly charming. Ironically, an article in the Independent-Journal when some of the newer buildings were going up (after knocking down the old ones) quotes some college administration brass to the effect that the new structures were designed to reference and harmonize with the traditional architecture. What a joke. In reality, where once we had distinctive and characteristic, we now have Anywhereville. PlymouthAnd an ever more vintage '51 Plymouth For Mr. La FongAlways glad to accommodate a classic car fan. Here's a close-up of the cars from another shot: The Gym FireThe fire started when a jersey that was hanging to dry fell onto a portable heater. The truck is a 1955 White, powered by a Mustang flathead Six, with a 1,000 gpm two-stage pump. In service 1955-1972, used as a backup 1972-1989, then sold to Hewlett-Packard in Santa Rosa, repainted and still in service. Sources: Chief Robert Mariani, Battalion Chief Ron Darrington, Engineer Frank Berthiner (all retired), Volunteer C.J. Curtin. 1974-1993 Frank was the engineer on duty that day. We could see the smoke. So we rode our bicycles over to see the fire from Wolfe Grade school. I was likely standing across the street at the "Eat and Run" drive in. We went back a few days later to inspect the damage. What we found out was, there was a shooting range under the gym. Lots of spent .22 casings everywhere. Also, the football field next door became a lake whenever it would flood. That was before the Corps of Engineers built the "concrete canal". I saw some guys water skiing on the field one winter. I grew up in this town, and this image is unbelievable to me. Extraordinary photoA memorable event, fabulous composition, colors, lighting, and the onlookers -- all adding up to a fascinating glimpse into history. College of Marin gym fireI had just finished my day at Kent School. I was buying an electric can opener for my mom at the hardware store just north of the creek when I heard the sirens and horn go off for Kentfield Fire Dept. I walked out front, saw the engine stop in front of the gym, and jumped on my bike and rode down. Somehow the alarm was called in quickly, because there was heavy black smoke only coming from the locker room windows, the fire hadn't spread yet. The smoke hadn't even spread. The locker room was below grade, so the windows were at ground level. The interior of the gym was wood that had shellac applied for years, and you can see the results. It really took off, and the heat and flame lengths were impressive. I knew a lot of the firefighters because my stepdad bought our house from Harry Kamp, and his son Kenny was a firefighter at KFD who later became the Chief there. All of us young Kentfield guys respected the firefighters at KFD, and rightfully so. They were known for being aggressive firefighters who excelled at protecting life and property. Problem with a fire like that, about the only choice you have is to fight it defensively and "surround and drown" it. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Fires, Floods etc., tterrapix)
Spring Hardware: 1939
... just like that one. As a kid I was fascinated by it. The bike looks like a "Rollfast," just like the used bike I had back in the '40s. That was the only bicycle I ever had. A nod to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/23/2021 - 12:20pm -

April 1939. "Front of hardware store. Enterprise, Alabama." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The view today Work or Play?You see a display full of hard-working tools -- I see the ingredients for a lazy day. A feller could do some mighty fine fishin' with one of them bamboo poles. And eight cents worth of celery for bait. Lee's Watchful EyeNot sure Dr. Lee approved of next door's "Use Union Tools" sign. Un-Boll-weevibleMy fifth-grade teacher was from Enterprise and was always telling us kids about their monument to the Boll Weevil. The bug forced Southern farmers to diversify by turning away from cotton to other crops, mostly peanuts. A Blessing in DisguiseEnterprise is famous for its Boll Weevil Monument, erected in 1919 to celebrate the agricultural pest. After boll weevils repeatedly destroyed the area's cotton crop, local farmers switched to growing peanuts, and have prospered ever since. The 13-foot monument features a statue of a woman holding a boll weevil aloft. Often stolen from the monument, the boll weevil was removed and replaced with a replica in 1998. The original boll weevil is on display at a nearby museum. I See Something I "Reely" Like...I wish I could have a closer look at the lawn mowers; I've become fond of that type. I currently use a 1940s era mower manufactured by the Pennsylvania Lawn Mower Co..."As light and easy running as a watch, with the sturdiness of a locomotive." Recognizable itemsOur small town store in Chesterfield Ma.had a rake rack just like that one. As a kid I was fascinated by it. The bike looks like a "Rollfast," just like the used bike I had back in the '40s. That was the only bicycle I ever had. A nod to the sign painterWho probably used Sargent Paint Products. A service, not yet a professionIn the early 1920s, Dr. A. (for "Albert") L. Lee helped establish the American Legion post in Enterprise, Alabama and was one of its first officers (a sign that he likely served in the First World War). What is striking about his family's 1940 census data is what the optometrist's wife reported about each family member's educations. Dr. Lee reached the third of four grades of high school, and did not attend college. Union Tools Made Up NorthThe Union Fork and Hoe Company was located for nearly a century in Columbus, Ohio. The products were made here for much of that time. The company was sold to Ames True Temper in 2006 but the Union Tools brand is still around. Sunset reveals ...Night Gardening, Easy Squeezing, and 6 Other Gardening Ideas That Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time Union Fork & Hoe Co.'s dandelion rake: Dandelions Don’t Work Like That I like in KansasI wonder if on a windy day in Kansas three of those wheeled displays would drive off by themselves? (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Astoria, Oregon: 1944
... brother first rode our 24", coaster-brake, heavyweight bike to Seaside. Then I had to do it. Then he road to Cannon Beach, some miles ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/24/2021 - 10:54am -

"Astoria '44" is the latest Kodachrome from Navy photographer's mate Don Cox. The view here is looking west along Commercial Street at the intersection with 14th. View full size. Nice, shiny pavement very photogenicDon was fortunate to find Astoria when it had been raining. It's a rare occurrence in that arid corner of the country. Ha ha. The Liberty Theater, just visible up the street on the left, is the object of a long restoration project: https://libertyastoria.org/. Rain lightThis is such a gorgeous photo. At the level of detail, my eyes swim all over it, trying to take in all the signs and buildings and vehicles, not to mention the vanishing point that has the added bonus of going up, as the road slopes. But when you pull back for the overall effect, the splash of light on the right, so momentary, of sun breaking through cloud following a rain shower, is truly spectacular. Confidence is keyIn enlarging the photo to take it all in, I was captivated by the attractive-looking lady with the confident stride, crossing the street just to the left of the car coming towards us in the roadway. She's wearing what looks to be a red skirt and white blouse, with an olive-drab trench coat slung casually over her shoulders, and she's carrying something in her arms. She's a brunette with nice legs who appears to have matched her shoes to her hemline. Usually that's a no-no but from my POV, with her energy, it looks snappy and positive. I hope she was having a great day under that beautiful sky, and that she enjoyed a long, successful, and happy life. I'll always be gratefulThat I grew up in an era when downtowns looked like this. STOP?This is a great photo. Like all of you I love color snaps of earlier times. Wonderful. In the part of the country I grew up in, we never had STOP signs rising up out of the street. But, I'm sure it had some practical safety reason for being there. Anyone know the answer to this? Traffic Control?This is a great photo but that little stop sign in the middle of the street is killing me! Commodore HotelIf you'll be my Dixie Chicken, I'll be your Tennessee Lamb -- Right Turn on Red... and you didn't even need to stop. Commodore HotelThe Commodore Hotel is still going strong. It was a nice boutique hotel when I stayed there a few years ago. I noticed the yellow stop sign next to the hotel. When did the color get standardized to red? 1935Can’t resist another comment, if I may. I found another view, from nine years earlier. MemoriesThe rubber "Stop" flap is a vague memory to me. I would have known it 10-15 years later. Liberty Theater: Saturday matinees. 15 cents, so mostly out of my budget. Seaside 20 miles sign: Back before the Young's Bay Bridge and 101 straightening and modern traffic, my older brother first rode our 24", coaster-brake, heavyweight bike to Seaside. Then I had to do it. Then he road to Cannon Beach, some miles south of Seaside. Then we moved away. I was nearing my 12th birthday when we moved. Note the Jeep. Battery Russell maybe? Or even Tongue Point. With the war, Astoria was probably about the size it is today. Little over 10,000 people. In the '50's the river often had liberty ships anchored on their way somewhere when the tide changed. Tillamook 71 miles: Some months after this pic, our Mom and Dad would have met and married there. And, yeah, the wet pavement pretty much sums up Astoria. I always laughed at the most-commonplace prediction or report of "scattered showers". In Astoria, that meant "variably drizzling". Liberty TheaterAs noted by notinfocus, two blocks down on the left, you can see the sign of the Liberty Theater, opened for vaudeville and movies in 1925 in the Astor Building. As grand old theaters go, the Liberty is a success story--so far. The Astor Building has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1984. The theater had a thorough restoration in the early 2000s and is now a performing arts center for live entertainment. Of course, the last year has not been good. Here's hoping for the centennial. Oh! Those Christmas lights strung across the street.Had those bulbs in our town growing up how bright and cheerful they were during the holiday season. Nice to see those again and I'm happy Astoria didn't get around to taking them down or may be just put them up. Things have changed a bit Penney's closed a couple of years ago. Many of the buildings are still there, just under different ownership and with different activities inside. The street is a one way now, and can get pretty hectic during tourist season. Perhaps it was Christmas time, since the lights over the street are red and green (that might also explain the rain). The Commodore is still there but decidedly more upscale than before. The little stop signs are still there... I lived at 10th and Exchange and we had one outside the building. He must have been staying at the Hotel Astoria, as the picture is from the sidewalk outside of it. Nicest place in town back then. Now apartments. Turn the google street view to your left to see it. I love to visit but it's a tough town to live in. Pretty expensive. Pretty damp! The ivory colored steering wheelon the car to the left adds a touch of class not seen in today's vehicles. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Don Cox)
New Jersey Luncheonette
... trip This shotgun diner would have been worth a long bike trip for me when I was about 10 or 12 years old. Could I please have a ... 
 
Posted by John.Debold - 07/15/2008 - 12:03pm -

Another New Jersey luncheonette circa 1955-1957. View full size. Literary LuncheonetteThe shelves behind the stools are stocked with books, magazines and newspapers. It would be a wonderful thing if McDonald's and Burger King sold books today. I read recently that even New York City's venerable independent newsstands are being replaced with chain-type kiosks. The fewer options we have to experience literature, the fewer options we'll have. Goober Pea Change back from a dollarI'll have a regular coffee and a crumb cake please, and for the kid, a chocolate malt. The game...I noticed the scores for the baseball game on the Pepsi sign on the back wall. Saved the workers from telling the score to every Tom, Dick and Harry that walked in. I wonder who had played that day... Ah, for the days ...... when you could find a place like this in every American town. I love its cool, clean look. I even love the word "luncheonette"; I once ate at a place simply because it still called itself that. SighI wish I was sitting at that counter right now! Wonderful memories. Sigh... Submitted for Your ApprovalLooks like the perfect makings for a Twilight Zone set. Spacing I can't help but think that today people couldn't sit that close together. Many people today would have a problem swinging their legs between the stools. Luncheonettenote the tin ceiling, I bet this place knew how to make a milkshake. Cash in the CardsI can't help but thinking that some of those small boxes around the cash register area must be filled with 5 cent packs of baseball cards and gum! Every mint card in those packs would be worth hundreds of dollars today. Find a Mantle or other such star of the day and you're talking thousands. One Hot Fudge Sundae PleaseA very interesting article discussed how teenage offenders are actively restoring old diners to their formal glory. I, for one, will gladly patronize one of these refurbished beauties--and order a tasty sundae too. I'll just have to remember to wear my grandma's poodle skirt. Game 7It looks like the line score posted behind the counter matches up with Game 7 of the 1957 World Series in which the Milwaukee Braves beat the Yankees on Thursday, October 10th. Milwaukee, the visiting team, scored 5 runs on 9 hits and 1 error that day and the Yankees scored 0 runs on 7 hits with 3 errors. The Braves scored 3 in the third inning and 1 in the eighth, which certainly seems a plausible reading of what is legible in the photo. It seems that a New Jersey luncheonette, particularly if it was in northern Jersey, would have a clientele interested in Game 7 of a World Series that the Yankees were playing in, so the presence of the posted line score would make some sense. I hope this is helpful. Be still my beating heart!Be still my beating heart! I can almost smell this place. The faint scent of onions, and burger meat...and I can almost hear the whirrrrr of the malted machine and the boxy a/c above the door. Heaven! Worth the tripThis shotgun diner would have been worth a long bike trip for me when I was about 10 or 12 years old. Could I please have a double chocolate cone to go with my package of baseball cards? (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Eateries & Bars)
Where the Money Goes To: 1910
... on my route and I would never pass it without parking my bike out front and going in and buying a Three Musketeers candy bar. It was the ... collecting the papers, rolling the papers, and riding my bike up and down streets throwing the papers. On Sundays I had to be at the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 10:14pm -

May 1910. St Louis, Missouri. "Where the money goes to. Bach branch office usually has a candy counter. 4020 Manchester Street." One in a series of photos by Lewis Hine showing the "frivolous" uses to which newsies put their earnings -- money spent on candy, ice cream, the nickelodeon, etc. View full size. Just GuessingJudging by Mr. Hine's choice of words for this series of photos, I'd say his own childhood was lacking in frivolity. Too bad. It's his money!Did Hine think that newsies couldn't spend a little of their own money for a treat? Lighten up Mr. Hine.The kid is wearing a hat advertising "Zeno Gum." If he has to be a walking billboard, at least let him sample the product. FoolishnessIf instead he had put that nickel into the stock market, it would be worth three cents today. I'll betLewis Hine was a lot of fun at parties. If it doesn't hurtShame on that kid for buying himself a candy bar. I once reported to a new outfit when I was in the Army. I entered the Orderly Room (the Company Headquarters), and there was a plaque on the First Sergeant's Desk that read "If it doesn't hurt, you're not doing it right." That, I guess, was also Hine's psyche. Give Lewis Hine a breakI'm sure Lewis Hine got tired of being told that child labor was noble work to support families, and that it built character - arguments still being made on Shorpy a century later. So Hine took some pictures of wasteful spending - and promptly gets attacked for being against pleasure and freedom! Is that really candyFrom the previous pictures of newsies and their penchant for smoking I suspect that object he is buying is an all day cigar. FrivolitiesBecause we all know that adults NEVER spend their money on "frivolous" things. Frivolous?This is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. I would like to respond to Shorpy's comment: "One in a series of photos by Lewis Hine showing the 'frivolous' uses to which newsies put their earnings..." I word-searched all 5,000-plus Hine child labor photos on the Library of Congress site, and "frivolous" does not appear in Hine's captions. He does make occasional references to newsies spending money on gambling (or other unwise choices); and in the photo above, one could infer that Hine is commenting unfavorably about the boy spending his hard-earned change on candy. So what? What child hasn't experienced a mother or grandmother scolding him or her for wasting money on candy? It is well documented that early 20th century newsies, especially in urban areas, were working in an environment that we would never think of subjecting our children to now. So what's the point in trivializing Hine's important work with a cynical comment, especially when it appears to quote Hine as saying "frivolous," when he did not? I was a paper boyI had a paper route when I was about the same age as this young man. Stanton's Grocery Store was on my route and I would never pass it without parking my bike out front and going in and buying a Three Musketeers candy bar. It was the largest candy bar you could buy at the time for a nickel but it still wasn't near as large as the the candy in this picture. I spent 3 hours each day after school and 3 hours on Saturday collecting the papers, rolling the papers, and riding my bike up and down streets throwing the papers. On Sundays I had to be at the paper office at 6 AM. I deserved a treat and so did this young man. It was not frivolous. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, St. Louis)
Freddy and Harley: 1922
... ubiquitous Ford T in the background. I love it! The bike has a very interesting arrangement for the chain drive. The center ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:57am -

"Fretwell, 1922." Fred "Freddy" Fretwell of Washington on a Harley-Davidson motorcycle. National Photo Collection glass negative. View full size. Re: He is a hottie!I agree ... it seems that Dave is rather parsimonious with (or oblivious to) the proper use of the Handsome Rakes tag. [Alright. Freddy has now ascended to the ranks of Rakedom. - Dave] Harley Smokes Indians Fretwell Double Winner in Motor Cycle Events The bicycle, motorcycle and automobile racing program staged by the Costello post yesterday afternoon attracted about three thousand people to the Arlington race track. Those who journeyed to Virginia side of the Potomac witnessed some fine racing as well as an excellent exhibition cavalary drill put on by Troop B of the Third U.S. calvary from Fort Myer. The Fort Myer band was also on hand to enliven things during the progress of the program. The day's card opened with a half-mile bicycle race for the D.C. championship. V. Messineo covered the dirt course in 1 minute and 19 seconds. Daly and Nigoria crossed the line second and third, respectively, while the rest of the field was closely bunched. The first motorcycle race, a three-mile novice event, went to R. Bean riding an Indian. He covered the course at an average of 44.77 miles per hour, his time for the event being 4 minutes and 43 seconds. Charles Crawford and B. Frazier finished second and third, respectively. Both riders rode Indians. The 10-mile motorcycle race featured the day's program. F. Fretwell, riding a Harley-Davidson, had no trouble outclassing the rest of the field. He finished a full lap ahead of R. Dean, mounted on an Indian, who in turn was two laps ahead of the other entrants. Charles Crawford, also riding an Indian, finished a poor third. Fretwell covered the 10 miles in 12 minutes 37 seconds. The 3-mile race for the D.C. Championship was won by F. Fretwell and his Harley Davidson. Fretwell toyed with the other two entrants in this race, making the distance in 4 ½ minutes. Cy Fendall and Charles Crawford, both mounted on Indian machines, finished second and third. In the sidecar event there were but two entrants. Both machines were of the Harley-Davidson make. Speed Connors with Kellar as a passenger did the distance in 6 minutes, 15 seconds, outclassing George Green with Karart as hi passenger all the way. Washington Post, July 30, 1922 He is a hottie!Just changed my name to Harley. Vintage machinesA Harley Davidson, and the ubiquitous Ford T in the background. I love it! The bike has a very interesting arrangement for the chain drive. The center sprocket looks like it has a pedal attached. Do you pedal it like a bicycle to start the motor? Or that was the clutch/shifter? In LoveOh he is dreamy! If I could only go back in time. Ernest Homer Fretwell Jr., 1899-1966The monkey story mentioning Edmonston -- a small community in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington -- and the fact that Freddy worked in a garage (which might be the building with the Ebonite oil sign behind him in the photo) sent me delving back into the archive. Fred seems to have been a nickname for Ernest Homer Fretwell Jr., born in 1899. He raced motorcycles in his twenties, married a girl named Hilda, had a daughter, worked as a mechanic and kept a monkey. In the 1950s he owned a Sinclair service station on Annapolis Road in Bladensburg. He died August 24, 1966, at the age of 67, still a resident of Edmonston. Among his survivors were two grandsons, Ronald and Donald Fleshman. Residents Are AlarmedWashington Post, August 23, 1929. ESCAPED MONKEY SPREADING TERROR Pet "Goes Native;" Antics Give Birth to Tale of "Gorilla." RESIDENTS ARE ALARMED A 30-pound monkey with a fierce mien has started a "gorilla" scare in East Riverdale and its environs. Children seeing the monkey have been frightened by its appearance and antics, and have helped spread tales of a ferocious gorilla. Since its escape from the household of Freddie Fretwell, of Edmonston, several weeks ago, the monkey has made its appearance on several occasions. Once it pulled the feathers from all of the chickens in the yard of an Edmonston resident. The chicken owner attempted to capture the monkey, but refrained when he was bitten. Size of Dog. The simian is about the size of a dog, and has an especially ferocious appearance, aided by the long teeth it shows when attempts are made to capture it. It will accept bananas and other food, but begins to snarl when efforts are made to capture it. The monkey has apparently "gone native," and seems to have decided on a woods near the Fretwell home as a hiding place. Two men succeeded in throwing a net over the animal but he escaped and jumped into a creek, swimming under water to the opposite side. Monkey Is Trained. Fretwell was given the monkey to keep by a truck driver who had bought it from a carnival. The monkey rode on a pony in the show but was injured when it fell off and was stepped on by the pony. The monkey used to ride on his motorcycle and go to work with him, Fretwell said, and seemed to enjoy the ride. One day he became peeved and began throwing storage batteries around the garage where Fretwell works. It was reported to Fretwell that the monkey was captured several days ago but he has been unable to find the captor. The story of the "gorilla" has spread from Hyattsville to Beltsville and through the intervening territory. The further from the source the tale is traced, the more fierce and enormous is the "gorilla." Re: Ernest Homer Fretwell Jr.A rich, full life. Especially the monkey part. [Really. How many pony-stomped-monkey-gifting truck-driver friends do I have? Zero. - Dave] (The Gallery, D.C., Handsome Rakes, Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Sports)
Chillin' Under the El: 1913
... which would waste far more water. nowadays I ride by on my bike on the hottest days of summer and can't resist going under the water ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 7:10pm -

New York City, July 31, 1913. "Children at Play." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress. View full size. eddieandbillOh the joy when the world suddenly becomes "puddle-wonderful." Splash.My favorite part is the little footprints in and out of the puddle. 100 Years YoungThese are the cutest 100 year olds I have ever seen! and the little lame balloonmanwhistles far and wee The guy in the backlooks like a texting hipster An El in New York?Isn't that a Chicago term? [You've never heard of the Third Avenue El? - Dave] SobrevivientesVivirá alguno de ellos, sería posible encontrarlo... Se les ve llenos de vitalidad. Hemosa foto. Gracias Shorpy. Yippee!Those are some seriously cute and joyous kids! Spring waterMmm, clean pure street water! Same as it ever wasNow kids open fire hydrants and do a similar thing. The NYC fire department now fits the fire hydrants with special caps that sprinkle water rather than a whole stream which would waste far more water. nowadays I ride by on my bike on the hottest days of summer and can't resist going under the water sprinkles. Paco matematicamente es posible que alguno este vivo.. intrigante! Ack!Maybe this is just the 21st century in me speaking, but -- Ew! Ew! Ew! Get out of there! No! (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Kids, NYC)
Bicycles, Cadillacs: 1910
... Couldn't help but notice the similarities with this bike shop, still functioning in Montreal. View Larger Map ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:58am -

New Orleans circa 1910. A close-up of the H.A. Testard Bicycles & Automobiles storefront from the previous post. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. And Motorcycles Too!Sure is a motorcycle prominent at the end of the window. I can't tell what make it is (there were a lot). But, back in those days motorcycles had more in common with pedal bicycles than not. What a lovely old car!And it's under repair - the far side of the bonnet (or hood, as it's American) is open. I can't make out a manufacturer's name on the front: does anyone know what kind it is? [It's a Cadillac. - Dave] Move along, nothing to see here...Unless you want your SOUL to be EATEN! Still around.There are some of those cars around today thanks to collectors.It would be great if this car was one of them. French ConnectionCouldn't help but notice the similarities with this bike shop, still functioning in Montreal. View Larger Map Bugs in Your TeethHere's the Cadillac, with optional no windshield, snapped at Hershey, Pennsylvania, October 2009 General Store? Ah yes, autos, bikes and... funnels? I guess fueling up could be quite the adventure in those days. 1910 Indian singleAs far as I can make out the motorcycle is a Indian 1910 single. A current photo of one can be seen in Classic American Motorcycles by Tod Rafferty. According to the book they sold that year for $215. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Motorcycles, New Orleans)
Potatoes? I'll Say!
... that would buy you most anything you wanted -- a new bike, a .22 rifle, a guitar, etc. Of course, these days harvesting is all done ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 11:40am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1940. "Caption missing." A table laden with delicacies from Maine, attended by two ladies who seem to be debating the merits of their respective spuds. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Save this photoBecause it's the only time you'll ever see Senator Snowe and Rush that close together. Food FIght!It looks like the two women are about to get into a deadly serious dispute as to who is holding the better potato. I can't speak to the quality of the spuds, but for the fight itself I'll have to put my money on the woman on the left. I'm afraid she's pretty serious about this matter. (Nice tiara, by the way!) Fortunately, it appears that the smiling kid in the middle is trying to mediate by getting them to set down their taters and shake hands. Oh, wait a minute.... Maine's Exports STATE OF MAINE POTATOES For you Health's Sake eat more Maine-Grown Potatoes Rich in needed minerals and Vitamins Poland Water PLAY SAFE WITH POLAND 1938 Advertisements Poland Spring WaterAfter a hot night of busing tables at the Poland Spring House summer of 1963, we'd grab a chilled half-gallon bottle of PS Water, just like the ones shown here, and sink most of it in a minute or two. The water came from the spring down the hill, the bottles were recycled. The only expense was the bottle cap. Never drank better water. Margaret Chase SmithThe lady on the right looks like Margaret Chase Smith -- congresswoman from Maine who served in both the House and Senate. [I don't think so. - Dave] Mad hattersDid any self respecting woman back in the forties ever appear in public without a hat, even for a discussion of potatoes? "State of Maine" logo colorsIf you look at the sign held by the boy in the middle of the photo, you'll see a tri-color logo for "State of Maine" potatoes. This was a common advertising theme, and I remember it most from boxcars in the '50s and '60s. On this Shorpy image: https://www.shorpy.com/node/2252?size=_original , you can see one of those boxcars Red over White over Blue, peeking out behind a loco in the center of the photo. A Google search for "State of Maine" boxcar will yield a lot of photos of the (famous) Lionel model of this boxcar color scheme. Also note the "Poland Water" bottles. Of course, that would be from Poland Springs, famous and available even today as bottled mineral water: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poland_Spring - notes some controversies over the source of the water these days...) I make no comments on the appendages on the head of the two women in this photo :-) Oh, yeah!From the stern look on the face of Mrs. Left, those potatoes were soon to be projectiles! What it means to be from MaineGood to see Poland Spring represented back in the day. They own the bottled water market here in New England. I don't think they make Ginger Ale anymore though. $500 Reward?Just for drinking club soda? I'LL TAKE IT! Listen You"See here. These tubers are to be consumed individually according to the dictates of the Great State of Maine. These are not your common potAHtoes and shan't be treated as such." "Look, lady. We'll eat these any old way we like. I'm through arguing with you. I'm making a fist with my left hand. With my right, I'm going to show you just how mashed potatoes were invented." The eyes have itI didn't realize that Poland Spring has been in business this long. I also didn't realize that having a potato handy really attracts the babes ! Water is fineBut I want to know where the Vitameatavegemin is. LadylikeThe woman wearing gloves looks like my maternal grandmother - the dark, perfectly arranged hair, the careful lipstick, the neat suit. She too wouldn't dream of leaving the house without gloves, hat and a starched and ironed handkerchief in her handbag. This spud's for youWe still grow 'em like that up here in Northern Maine (Aroostook County). My grandfather spent his entire life doing it. As a young teen, I earned a nice piece of change each season picking them in the fields as they were freshly dug. Worked from daylight till dawn, easily earn $20-25 per day tax-free. Doesn't sound like much now, but back in the 1940s, that would buy you most anything you wanted -- a new bike, a .22 rifle, a guitar, etc. Of course, these days harvesting is all done mechanically. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Ice Men: 1941
... - and, of course, one cuff rolled up when riding my bike. Sugar, sugar I'm fairly certain the bowl with the metal lid is a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/26/2013 - 10:53am -

December 1941. Washington, D.C. "Diners in Washington Hot Shoppes restaurant." An exciting night of ice skating awaits, or has just concluded. Medium format nitrate negative by John Collier. View full size. Close to HomeLived in a small garden apartment complex just up Yuma Street from where this Hot Shoppe was located. It had a drive-in as well. Good to know that the 'Ice Palace' building has not been altered that badly over the years, hope WMAL [ABC] stay there for a long time. There used to be a Mercury dealer on the other side of Yuma Street from this restaurant. Celebrity look-alikesThe guy at the left front of the table looks like a young version of the blond half of the Siegfried and Roy (Las Vegas and white tigers) act. The guy reflected in the glass block mirror (sitting with a girl) looks like a young Jimmy Stewart. The plates of food look like burgers and fries. mirror. mirrorI love the woman in the mirror who is checking out the photographer. Poor plants.Those stringy philodendrons need some tender loving care! Material for Future NostalgiaSoon this prosaic scene will be remembered with some poignancy should either of these young men end up at Guadalcanal or Anzio or Omaha Beach. In Vietnam, I found myself recalling fondly such odd moments as spaghetti day in my elementary school's cafeteria or the day Suzie Egan smiled at me for no good reason. The recollection of an evening's skating, followed by a burger with a friend, and all the while nobody's shooting at you ... priceless! Re: BottleThe same type of bottle is seen at Girls' Night Out: 1941 but also lacking a view of the label. I too would guess ketchup but have been unable to find anything similar on the intertubes. I'm also curious what was in the bowl with the metal lid. Relish? Sugar? [Another Hot Shoppe shot shows that bowl seemingly immediately before or after use. - tterrace] Nice Collar Flipon the blonde guy. The Army will straighten him out. Across from the Ice PalaceCould this be the Hot Shoppe across Connecticut Ave. from the Ice Palace? (approx 4400 block) In 1941, we ate dinner there before going skating with the Washington Figure Skating Club. Full dinner was either 66 or 88 cents depending on whether you got dessert. Note the coin box on the wall for the jukebox. The Marriotts thought their choice of music was superior to what the diners might choose. After WW2, what had been the Ice Palace became the studios for Channel 7. The Hot ShoppesI remember when the Hot Shoppes operated the restaurants on the NY State Thruway. It didn't matter what time of day or night you went there, there would be someone mopping the floor with some smelly ammonia based liquid. What's in the bottle?I'm not quite old enough to remember what it might hold, but any idea what's in the shapely bottle closer to our diner on the right? At first I thought it might be some long-forgotten beverage, but it appears to have rings in the glass neck, so maybe it's ketchup. Or a Hot Shoppe special topping? But where's the label? Inquiring, somewhat younger, minds want to know. Fuzzy MemoryI lived in Fairlington in Arlington from age 2 thru 5. My distant memory may be deceiving me but I seem to remember there was a Hot Shoppes in the Shirlington Shopping Center not far away. My mother went shopping in Shirlington a lot and I can picture myself as a young tyke eating there on occasion. Same booths and table setups. Anyway, Hot Shoppes is gone but last I knew Shirlington lives on. Chevy Chase Ice PalaceWhere the Ice Men cameth from... Before or afterIt appears that both men have their trousers cuffs rolled up. Easier to skate with not so much material in the way Sooooo, I would assume it is an after skate snack. Apres Skate?Seeing the young men's cuffs rolled up that they had already had their "skate." I used to do the same, as a kid, when I roller-skated around the neighborhood - and, of course, one cuff rolled up when riding my bike. Sugar, sugarI'm fairly certain the bowl with the metal lid is a sugar bowl. (This was before sugar came in little packets.) The hinged lid allowed one to level the teaspoon before removing it and prevented spills on the way to the coffee cup. Sugar cubes were also sometimes used at places like this and often stuck together in the bowl. When I was a kid we would sometimes stick our fingers in the sugar bowl (yuck!) and grab one or two cubes to suck on. Condiment ChoicesThat condiment bottle does look like ketchup, which wasn't always blood-red, according to oldsters in the know. Some ketchup was more orangey-red before artificial coloring became widespread. My maternal grandmother used to make her own ketchup when we had a particularly good tomato crop. I remember it being acidic and tangy and quite runny, not so sweet like the corn-syrup laden goo sold today. She canned it with a paraffin wax seal and served it right out of the jar with a spoon. Right beside it was her homemade chow-chow sauce, another tomato-based condiment that contained finely-chopped onions and hot peppers, vinegar, and salt. Both of my grandmothers made chow-chow, maternal "Mimi" made it soupy and paternal "Mamaw" made it chunky. "Ankle Beaters"What they called it in the 50's when you wore your jeans like that. (The Gallery, D.C., Eateries & Bars, John Collier)
The Sultan's Palace: 1937
... had to be at work at 7 am Saturday and Sunday. I rode my bike from uptown, and this picture really reminds me of the early morning ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2012 - 4:05pm -

New Orleans, 1937. "Le Pretre Mansion, 716 Dauphine Street, built 1835-6. Joseph Saba house. Also called House of the Turk." As well as the Sultan's Palace. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Iron LaceThere is nothing more iconically New Orleans than lacy ironwork balconies and long shuttered windows. I'm so in love with this image! Does anyone know if this building still exists? I'm from Oregon, but I've always loved New Orleans and will be back soon to visit. I'd love to put this gem on my list of places to see if it's there! One last question - is it because of potential flooding that the home appears to be built one story above the street entry level? Do those lower floors get used at all, or are they essentially a basement? IntoxicatingAnyone who has spent time in New Orleans knows there is no other place quite like it. It creates an atmosphere that is almost mind-altering, with the close, sultry, earthy air (no air conditioning in those days) and the curious, intimate stillness that occasionally occurs as in this photo, streets deserted with no signs of life except a bit of trash lying in the gutter. Where is everybody? They are inside and there lies the inspiration for the imagination. Especially intriguing are the rooms behind the real, fully functional shutters, open to air, closed to rain. Are the people within just trying to stay cool with overhead fans, are they cooking spicy, savory red beans and rice, are they making crazy love, sipping sweet tea and sampling pralines, listening to Louis Armstrong on the Victrola? I am transported back there by this so-accurate portrayal of a New Orleans street to where I can smell the smells and feel the surrounding humanity close, but unseen. Thank you Shorpy. As we know, you can leave New Orleans but New Orleans NEVER leaves you. Nice words, OTYYou've captured so beautifully what makes New Orleans unique. It is one of the world's great cities "with a feel" that you just can't and won't find anywhere else. I've been there half a dozen times or so, and every time I visit that curious intimate stillness you speak of strikes me. Harem of HorrorI've spent many a night in this house but I never heard the thump of heads of the Sultan's harem rolling down the stairs ... just the thump of tipsy neighbors falling up the stairs! http://www.nola.com/haunted/harem/hauntings/murder.html http://www.neworleansghosts.com/haunted_new_orleans.htm ["The Sultan's Massacre" makes a good ghost story, although it doesn't seem to be anything more than that -- a story. Any actual massacre would have been recorded in the newspapers of the day, and the "sultan" would have a name. If I had to pin one on him I'd say it was the Muslim entrepreneur Joseph Saba, who bought 716 Dauphine, along with several other New Orleans properties, after coming to America from Syria in 1886. What with Syria being part of the Ottoman Empire at the time, he could have been considered Turkish, although he wasn't a sultan, and seems to have died of natural causes. - Dave] The beauty of cast ironNow that large buildings are made of glass and steel, we see what we have lost: romance. Desiring a streetcarIts a shame that they tore out almost all of the streetcar system, the local traffic from Bywater to Carrollton and everywhere in between is miserable and could be seriously helped by better transit than the buses. Thank goodness for Google maps!This wonderful building still stands at the corner of Dauphine and Orleans Streets. It looks like most of the incredible ironwork is still there, as are the original shutters (some missing a few slats). The trolley car tracks are long gone, torn up and asphalted over, as happened in so many American cities in the decades between 1930 and 1950. Does the personal-injury lawyer who occupies the building know its history and alias? Let's hope a friend sends her to Shorpy if she doesn't. View Larger Map Thanks, Dave, for adding the map link. Shorpy has made a reflex out of the use of Google maps for street-level architectural site obit checking. Yes. The building is still there.This one, in particular has a good ghost story about it. A deposed Sultan rented the place and fillled it with harem girls and armed guards, not participating in the regular Creole culture of the City at all. Every single person in the building was found butchered to death one night. The people were chopped into little bits and the police couldn't tell how many people were killed. So the place is haunted. "They" say that it was his brother, the real Sultan who had the entourage killed, the murderers escaped before the crime was known to the public. I went to a garage sale in the courtyard once and pass by the building all the time. I just love living here in the Quarter. Many homes are elevated or have storage type basements that are actually sitting on ground floor. Re: Iron LaceThe French Quarter is on the highest ground in New Orleans, and since the installation of pumps in the 1890s, flooding, beyond an inch or so in the street, has been a rare event. The lower floors of all buildings in the Quarter are functional. True, subgrade basements are very rare in New Orleans. Dauphine dreamI was a bellman at a bed and breakfast on Dauphine Street my freshman year at Tulane in 1985. I had to be at work at 7 am Saturday and Sunday. I rode my bike from uptown, and this picture really reminds me of the early morning stillness of the Quarter. IronworkMuch of the intricate and beautiful wrought iron that has helped make New Orleans so unique was actually made in the industrial North, mostly Cincinnati. Then it was floated down the Ohio River to the Mississippi River and onto the balconies and steps and whatnot in N.O. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Speedy Cyclists: 1913
... An old acquaintance owns a couple of large and successful bike shops in Maryland. On his web site [bike123.com] he has a quote from his daughter: "Laurel's famous quote as a toddler was "bike rides are where you see more people in Lycra that shouldn't be!" Given ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2013 - 7:36pm -

Christchurch, New Zealand, circa 1913. "Jack Suckling (center right with watch chain) and cyclists outside Speedy Cycle Works, Manchester Street. Champion cyclist Phil O'Shea is third from right." Photo by Adam Maclay. View full size. No Lycra hereAn old acquaintance owns a couple of large and successful bike shops in Maryland. On his web site [bike123.com] he has a quote from his daughter: "Laurel's famous quote as a toddler was "bike rides are where you see more people in Lycra that shouldn't be!" Given the thighs on some of the guys, no Lycra needed. Re: Phil O'SheaMust have been a bit of honor to have Phil O'Shea show up for your picture taking. A very full cycling life. Suits?I wonder how the guys with jackets and long pants did racing alongside the guys in shorts? FixiesThese guys were riding fixed gear bikes before it was cool... in fact, it was just about their only choice for another decade or two. Still thereView Larger Map Great legs!There are some pretty impressive thigh muscles among that group! Mr. BeanOn the far right? David Copperfield's PalIn which Dickens novel was Jack Suckling a character? Old roadiesAn interesting mix of moustache bars and drop bars here. No brakes, balloon tires on wood rims and wool shorts. Geez I'm gonna feel like such a wuss the next time I go riding. Bobby DarinOn the far right? (The Gallery, Adam Maclay, Bicycles, New Zealand)
« first‹ prev…5 [6]7…next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.