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Pan-American: 1935
... as it doesn't flex under side forces. Otherwise the bike goes unstable. The front bag looks bad in this regard unless it's all ... front basket I had on my one speed J.C. Higgins nerd bike when I was a kid so I could deliver papers. It had so much weight ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/18/2015 - 7:32pm -

        Ready for international bicycle ride. Henry G. Slaughter of Washington, supported by those interested in publicizing the Inter-American Highway, prepares to leave for a trip which will carry him, if he is successful, down into the tropics through Central America to the Argentine. November 23, 1935. Washington, D.C. "Henry G. Slaughter." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. BustA blurb in the Loredo Times from Feb. 6, 1936 reported that Mr. Slaughter decided to abandon "the idea." He had written a friend that he had encountered delays in entering Guatemala on account of very strict laws of entry, and now that the rainy season had begun in that country he had decided to abandon the trip. By June 1936, however, The Carthage Watchman reported that Henry and his handlebar-based typewriter were about to make a second attempt. Foot HelpI have no idea what was available back in the day, but riding without at least toe clips makes it a lot harder when climbing. I logged many thousand miles on a bicycle back in the 1970s including a parts of Montana and Wyoming in 1976. Gee, I wonder why my knees hurt so much these days? If you look hardyou can see the revolution counter on the front fork and the pin to turn it on one of the spokes. I'll wager -I'll bet that he doffs his necktie before he reaches San Luis Obispo. [Which would have been a major detour on a trip from D.C. to Argentina. - Dave] Wobble InstabilityYou can pile any amount of stuff as high as you want on a bicycle so long as it doesn't flex under side forces. Otherwise the bike goes unstable. The front bag looks bad in this regard unless it's all rigid. Also it blocks his light from shining on the road, which in 1935 is surely all potholes. So I'd guess he didn't make it, unless he piled the front bag in the back and strapped it down. Incomplete PreparationThis guy isn't fully prepared for such a long trip and doesn't appear to understand what's cool. For example, he has no streamers coming out of his handlebars, and no playing cards rubbing against his spokes. Nor does he have a hub polisher on either wheel. Not to mention he's not wearing a bow tie and a houndstooth suit. Pure Amateur Hour. I bet he didn't make it. Story of EvolutionEarly nerd. Panama or BustHenry had just left San Antonio, Texas and bound for Panama a week after this photo, Methinks there are some inaccuracies abounding. See attached article from the San Antonio Light, published 30 November 1935. Not So Fast!Seems Henry did make it as far as Panama. May of 1936 had him in front of the US Capitol after a 3400 mile trip. He made the front page of the Erie County Independent. (NY) At that point he has a typewriter attached to his handlebars to ". . . type notes. . . " - I bet the paper was beat up by the bottom of the page. Pith Helmet and Linemans bootsJust like they use in the Tour de France. Wobble InstabilityForgive me for posting twice, but rhhardin's comment about Wobble Instability reminded me of the enormous front basket I had on my one speed J.C. Higgins nerd bike when I was a kid so I could deliver papers. It had so much weight forward, especially with a load of papers, that I had to be extremely careful making turns, and I dumped it more than once. I learned to hate that hill I had to climb halfway through my route, and envied those "rich kids" who had parents that could afford one of them "English racers". (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Look, Ma: 1921
... of someone's fingers intertwined within the spokes of a bike must be the visual equivalent of nails on a chalkboard because this photo, ... they made buckets of money and had tons of fun with their bike tricks. Fixee That's one heckuva track stand! Sprockets Yes, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:06pm -

January 29, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Herbert Bell and Joe Garso," a duo of one-legged trick cyclists who were probably war veterans. Which one this is, I'm not sure. National Photo Co. Collection glass negative. View full size. Twin sprocketsI wonder how pedaling energy and speed is affected. Most modern bikes now have a drive sprocket that is several times as big as the driven one. Seems like it would be a bear to get moving up to speed. With one leg no less. Wow!I can't imagine the trick he is trying to perform here, the handlebars are straight, the tire is at a 90 degree angle and he is pulling something from his back pocket. And the calm look on his face shows he knows exactly how this is going to end. Cringeworthy.The sight of someone's fingers intertwined within the spokes of a bike must be the visual equivalent of nails on a chalkboard because this photo, viewed large especially, made me actually flinch! P.S. And I'm guessing your hunch about these two being war veterans is a sound one...here's hoping they made buckets of money and had tons of fun with their bike tricks. FixeeThat's one heckuva track stand! SprocketsYes, most modern, and ancient, bicycles have a front sprocket that is several times the size of the rear sprocket. However, this bicycle is a very specialized one, designed for doing trick riding. Having this small front sprocket allows one great control at low speed (the only speed required for trick riding). Modern "trials" and other trick bikes have the same kind of gearing. About the saddle, which looks rather more like a baguette, I have no idea. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Herb & Joe, Natl Photo, Sports)
Going Nowhere: 1930
... Ridge Mountains. Today, its right-of-way is a much-used bike path that stretches from the west end of Alexandria west, passing through ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 6:43pm -

"Car interior. Washington & Old Dominion R.R." Our third and final look at Pennsy car 4928 on the tracks of the W. & O.D., whose right-of-way is now plied by commuters taking I-66 into Washington. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Next stop, Willoughby!It looks like the old railroad car in that "Twilight Zone" episode. Is ComfyIt IS more comfy than a modern jetliner. I volunteer at a railroad museum where we refurbish and display old RR cars and have sat in many of these. The seats are like your couch at home; there is more than ample room to cross your legs and the passenger next to you can still get up and leave his seat without tripping over your legs. Some of the newer (1920s-30s) ones have pivoting seats that let the whole bench swivel toward the aisle. Like so many modern things, the "good" has been engineered out of it. We used to get things such as durability and ruggedness for free, but now it's all designed out as unnecessary, as exemplified by the sardine-can seating of modern airliners. [I'll bet airplane seats are pretty durable. And of course there's a reason airline seats are closer together. The per-mile cost of moving a pound of passenger through the air is much higher than it is on the ground. - Dave] ContrastWhile a bit seedy and mussed up, the interior of Old 4928 looks fairly decent. Like an old dowager queen waiting for a rescuer, hoping for salvation. But, alas, it probably never came and we are the worse off for that. The W&OD lives, sortaThe Washington & Old Dominion ran from Alexandria out to Purcellville in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Today, its right-of-way is a much-used bike path that stretches from the west end of Alexandria west, passing through wooded areas, suburban sprawl, and eventually rural stretches as it gets outside the Washington Beltway. It's a wonderful trail to ride. Most folks don't realize that one small (maybe a mile or two) of the RR still is in daily use: the stub that goes from the former Potomac Yard (and Conrail/Amtrak mainline) east into Old Town Alexandria, dead-ending as siding at the warehouses on the banks of the river. On a daily basis, two- and even three-engine trains of boxcars and coal hoppers pass by my office window, servicing the coal-fired Mirant power plant and the riverfront warehouses. With Old Town becoming increasingly an upscale tourist destination, it's nice to have reminders that it's still a working port! W&ODI-66 does not follow the W&OD Railroad. The W&OD's right of way is instead now a trail, from Shirlington to Purcellville. The right-of-way west of Purcellville was sold before the rest of it, so it will likely never extend further west than that. [I-66 uses two stretches of W&OD right-of-way through Arlington. - Dave] Looks ComfyThis car looks about 1000 times more comfortable than the coach seats in a modern jetliner (and the TGV trains in Europe for that matter). Doesn't look comfortableHard wooden armrests, scratchy fabric, no headrests, and no lumbar support all add up to uncomfortable in my book. All Aboard...When I was a child, and the Pennsylvania Railroad had not yet become Penn Central, there were still 1910-1938 era cars in use similar to this one. Far from being uncomfortable, they had soft mohair seats with very plush and pliable springs, and those seatbacks could be shifted to the front or back of each bench, allowing one to ride facing forward, back, or to create two adjacent seats that faced each other for a cozy group alcove. None I ever rode on had carpet runners like this one. They had linoleum or tile. The thing you cannot see in the picture is how noisy those very oldest cars were to ride in. The windows, when they were wood, banged, and the tracks were not yet welded into a seamless beam (done for the Metroliner in the 1970's), so at every segment of rail the windows rattled and the train went clack-clack-clack. The silversides of today are quiet and smooth riding, but they have none of the art deco and pre-WWI charm of these cars. Each train ride was an excursion into art history. You never knew in advance what art era you would be studying. W&OD TrailHere's a map showing the trail. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Railroads)
Bridges of Pittsburgh: 1905
... are now home of Pittsburgh University. And there's a great bike trail where those rail cars and the mill once sat. This is all less than a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 4:55pm -

Circa 1905. "Pittsburgh from Mount Washington -- Monongahela River with Smithfield Street Bridge and Pan Handle Bridge." Panorama made from two 8x10 inch dry plate glass negatives. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Little engine that couldThe steam locomotive bottom left has me wondering. Upon magnification it appears to be numbered 301, but can't quite make out the number, railroad initials or wheel arrangement. If this is the Monongahela Railroad the initials could be PRR or P&LE. They did acquire two class D-3 locos in 1904 and 1905 with a 4-4-0 wheel arrangement AND they were numbered 301 and 302. Then there was a 2-8-0 arrangement purchased in 1903 if the number is 201. Oh well, regardless of identity it certainly looks like an "engine that could" do its duty. Topography underneath the cityWhat I love about this shot is you can see the topography that lies beneath all the buildings of Pittsburgh today. The HillGreat shot of the East side of the city. Long before Boulevard Of The Allies and the Parkway took over the landscape. Those barren hills to the North are now home of Pittsburgh University. And there's a great bike trail where those rail cars and the mill once sat. This is all less than a mile from my place. I never get tired of looking at the old shots of this city and seeing how it has evolved into what it is today. LOTS to LQQK at!!!That is just a totally awesome photo right there with lots and lots of stuff to look at. Just the railroad stuff (my favorite subject) can amuse one for hours. All those passenger and freight cars and rail served industries and in 1905 they probably kept track of where everything was and where it was going than they do now with computers, GPS tracking and less rolling stock and rail served industry! In looking at the sky, though, one should be glad we DO have an EPA now. Of course, I suspect there may be just as many pollutants in the air now, it's just that we have cleaned them up so that you can't see them or smell them as well. [Your suspicion is incorrect. The air here was much dirtier a century ago. - Dave] I suspect you're right. --RJ-- Air QualityMeasured not in picograms per cubic liter, but in lbs. of cinder per cubic foot. Holy moley - that is dirty-ass air! The little engineis a 4-4-2, presumably a P&LE class E-1 engine. Jim CrowOf interesting note is the combination and coach in the yard near the Atlantic (4-4-2) locomotive. Though more than likely they are currently in storage, it's probable that the cars came off a train oriented like that. You saw that type of orientation quite often in the time of segregation, with black riders being placed in the section forward of the baggage compartment, and whites riding in the rest of the train. This gave rise to calling the orientation "Jim Crow." It would later be applied to special "Jim Crow" cars which had the baggage compartment in the middle of the car and passengers on either end. (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Pittsburgh, Railroads)
Take a Letter: 1920
... at. In 1920 You didn't have to lock up your bike in DC. Competent Secretaries Both of the following are 1920 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:56pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Washington School for Secretaries building." 1419 F Street N.W. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Pigeon HavenLooks like the attic vent serves as a home for our fine feathered friends. Just a couple blocks down From Steward's Business College. Sharp!Under enlargement, the sharpness of this image is impressive, even for large format. There's a white sign on the right side of the secretarial school door and about half the things listed on it can be read, or at least guessed at. In 1920You didn't have to lock up your bike in DC. Competent SecretariesBoth of the following are 1920 advertisements for The Washington School for Secretaries. The first appeals to the pragmatic choice of a field of study to match the need of employment opportunities. In contrast, the second lures the prospective student with an idealized picture of being an exclusive "private secretary." Perhaps it is a modern reading but the later seems rather sexually suggestive. Awning of a new ageI love all the fabric awnings that appear on seemingly every building in these old pics. I know they were pretty much for pre-air conditioning cooling. I always wonder how much maintenance was involved with them, though. Didn't they get ripped, torn and weather damaged with regularity? How often were they replaced? It seems like it wouldn't take much more than bad storm to shred them, even if rolled up! Was awning repair a big business back in the day? Helter skelter in the summer swelterMust have been a sauna of a day in DC, when this picture was taken. Seems most of the windows that could open, were opened, even the ones above doors. And that fellow sitting in the chair above 1421 Tailor seems not to have the energy to even sit up. Swelter time off the Potomac, it seems. Hotel AwningsThe awnings on the near right belong to the Willard Hotel and the ones on the building to the far right belong to the Washington Hotel. About those awnings.When I was a small boy in Newark in the 1950s, a friend of mine, he was probably 8, had a job and on a few occasions I acted as his assistant. Each morning he walked down the block to Orange Street and using a long steel crank, unfurled the awnings at a shop or two, so I actually had a pretty close-up view. The green and white striped awnings were made of very tough canvas, almost like sailcloth, while the frames were made of galvanized pipe. So the frame could last decades. The awnings were replaceable. Just from the feel, I'd guess ten years or so under normal conditions. Very Sharp!All are quite readable. They are: * Abstracting * Bookkeeping * Business Writing * Cataloging * Charting * Classifying * Commercial Arithmetic * Commercial Correspondence * Commercial English * Commercial Law * Commercial Spelling * Compiling * Duplicating * Dictaphone Operation * Elementary Accounting * Elementary Research Methods * Filing * Gregg Shorthand * Graham Pitman Shorthand * Indexing * Listing * Multigraphing * Office Practice * Pitman Shorthand * Secretarial Bookkeeping * Shorthand Penmanship * Standard Office Appliances * Touch Typewriting Down the Line Liebermann & Hawn 1421 F St. ca. 1920 H.P. Peterson 1421 F St. ca. 1920 F.J. Heiberger & Sons 1419 F St. ca. 1911 Val Richter's Colonial Shoe Shop 1417 F St. ca. 1920 AwningsThose awnings couldn't belong to those hotels because they would be behind the photographer. Odd numbered addresses are on the north side of wast-west streets in Washington, and the Willard and former Hotel Washington are on the south side of F Street. The whole block pictured in this photo has been replaced by Oliver Carr's 1980s Metropolitan Square abomination. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Stores & Markets)
Cowboy Tricycle: 1963
... Dad on a trike? There is the picture of your brother on a bike that says 1968. Love all the photographs you post. [You are ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:06pm -

This picture of my dad was taken on Christmas Day, 1963. I thought it fitting to post this after seeing tterrace's tricycle picture. I guess the whole dressing up like a cowboy and riding tricycles thing was popular for a while. View full size. The Right StuffNow this is a real tricycle (i.e., like mine): all made out of metal and rubber. I realize the kids of my nephew's generation thought that Big Wheels were the coolest things ever, but to me they were tacky, garish, disposable polyethylene abominations. Not to put too fine a point on it. So cute!What a cute little boy - and I think we had that exact carpet also! What A Machine & Look At That Tinsel!!! I had an old trike that was all metal & had real rubber tires as well; when your little they seemed to weigh a ton! But tterrance don't knock Big Wheels; we would take ours & ride them in the creek- they would FLOAT!!!! I would never have dared to try that with my 1-ton trike and not in the deep parts for sure :-() !!!! Ride 'em cowboy!Talk about mixed metaphors! Cowboy on a trike? I had a "horse" a few years after this--a green Sting Ray! Sooo, I was a cowgirl with a banana seat. You dad was a super cute kid! '65 StangOK, I may not have ever gotten the Big Wheel I wanted but my trike was EXACTLY like this, except red. That 1965 Mustang peddle pedal car I mentioned was this color (Gold), though. And I had a Stingray with a Banana seat, too, just a couple years later. 1963?Is that date right for your Dad on a trike? There is the picture of your brother on a bike that says 1968. Love all the photographs you post. [You are confusing photos posted by two different people. Pay attention, class. - Dave] Your Dad in '63If this is your Dad, He doesn't look much older than you and your brother in the '68 photo. [You're confusing Tony W. with bhappel. - Dave] This isAdorable. Your DAD?Man, that makes me feel really old! Confusing Tricycles>> You're confusing Tony W. with bhappel. - Dave And what's hilarious (to me) is that my father was called Tony (given name Anton) and had the middle initial of "W"! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas, Kids, Tonypix)
Tall Beer: 1900
... this era, bicycles stand upright next to curbs (obviously, bike thieves were rare in those days). None are ever seen as having fallen ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/24/2015 - 12:52pm -

Milwaukee circa 1900. "Wisconsin Street and Pabst Building." The city's first sky­scraper, completed in 1891, demolished 1981. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Another point or two...Attached is a picture of the building that replaced the Pabst, taken from the south, pointing north. Some of the design themes of the original are evident in the new building. Also, I missed the Pabst sign in the lower left corner. It’s most likely at the entrance of a Pabst tavern, as all of the local breweries (5) had their own retail outlets. One other item of interest is the Milwaukee & St. Paul Ry. Ticket Office, across the street from the Pabst. Silents, pleaseEdwin Thanhouser, manager of the Academy of Music, later went on to form one of the earliest motion picture studios, which produced over 1000 films from 1910 until it went kaput in 1918. Foamy environmentThere's a lot going on in this picture! The crowd of people on the street, the streetcars, the really cool bridge, and all the aerial wires - the result of swift development of telegraph, telephone, and trolley and power wires - reveal a bustling excitement that was brewing in turn-of-the-century Milwaukee. I wonder if the brewery's founder's grand-daughter - who was vice-president of the company until 1894 - had anything to say about the building's design? Short-SightednessWhy would they demolish such an iconic building? [To make money from renting offices in a much larger modern building. - Dave] Here there be dragons?Can we get a closeup of what appears to be a sculpture of a dragon at the top corner of the second floor of our skyscraper? Tale of two townsA guy named Solomon Juneau is credited with founding Milwaukee. He developed the area between Lake Michigan (about a mile east of the Pabst Building) and the Milwaukee River, which is on the far side (west) of the building. A fellow by the name of Byron Kilbourn settled in and developed the area west of the river. If you can believe it, these two political powerhouses did not get along. So when Juneau built his streets to the river, Kilbourn, out of spite, offset his by about 100 feet or so from the center of Juneau’s. The net result was that when bridges were finally built they had to be angled (visible in image) to connect the streets. All of the river bridges in downtown Milwaukee have that feature. Deja vu all over againAlthough I'm not from Milwaukee (I live on the opposite side of the country), I recognized this street scene immediately. When Wells Fargo Bank and Norwest Bank merged, I was sent to Milwaukee as a network engineer to site survey buildings in Wisconsin and Illinois. One of the buildings was 100 E. Wisconsin -- the location of this building. A few months later I returned to convert the building to the Wells Fargo network. I checked on Google Earth just to make sure! I live in Milwaukee and the view has changed...but the intersection of Wisconsin and Water is still the heart of downtown. Yes, we mourn the loss of the building in this photo, but, by 1981, it was a sad caricature of its former self - whitewashed, amputated and deformed beyond recognition. Bicycle Built for One?Are my eyes deceiving me, or is the young man near the bottom of the photo riding a unicycle? [No; the angle obscures the rear tire, besides, the handlebars are visible, -tterrace] Also, thanks to kreriver for the interesting history lesson. I love stories like that, stories that most visitors or non-natives would never hear about a town. Question for vintage bicycle expertsIn a number of Shorpy street scenes of this era, bicycles stand upright next to curbs (obviously, bike thieves were rare in those days). None are ever seen as having fallen over. I am curious if vintage bicycles had some kind of special kick-stand to keep them tight against the curb. Then again, they didn't have the suction caused by tractor semitrailers zooming along the streets. [Here's a Shorpy example of how it was typically done using the pedals. In this Milwaukee photo, also note how high the curb is. -tterrace] I was trying to understand....I was trying to understand why I did not know that building. It was because it was so stripped down when it was torn down. I've lived in Milwaukee all of my life. There was a period in the 70's and 80's when any older building was just torn down because it was old. We lost a beautiful railroad train station that was at the lakefront and many other buildings. (The Gallery, DPC, Milwaukee, Streetcars)
Crosstown Auto Supply: 1927
... auto parts. I'm guessing that the clerk on duty rode his bike to work. The writing on the wall The boldest letters at the top are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:56pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1927. "Crosstown Auto Supply Co." 1801 14th Street at S Street N.W. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Ha! Still there!It looks like it's a garden-supply place now! View Larger Map Schacht and CarterCar autosPrior to use as Crosstown Auto, this site saw service as retail sales of automobiles I have never heard of, including: 1911: Hinds Auto Co., dealers for the Lion "40" Schacht 1914: CarterCar Gearless Drive automobiles The Crosstown Auto Supply Co. was in existence by 1920 and survived at least till 1930. [Crosstown Auto's presence in the pages of the Washington Post runs from 1919 to 1957, with a mysterious gap from 1930 to 1954. - Dave] Fourteenth and SThat's just one block from me! Yes it's a garden supply store now. Antique Shop next doorCan you imagine what amazing things were in a c. 1921 antique store? Cool!I'm very happy to see that this building still has life, but it looks like the larger (and perhaps more beautiful) building behind it has been thoroughly molested over time and turned into a faceless brick box - albeit with Scottish Bond brickwork! I like that on the smaller building, even the castellations - those castle-like shapes along the roofline - have survived the heartless ravages of time. Ghostly ad on wallI can barely make out the words Antique Furniture on the wall above the garage. Anyone want to try and guess what else was on that wall? Low Traffic AreaMust have been a slow day for fuel and auto parts. I'm guessing that the clerk on duty rode his bike to work. The writing on the wallThe boldest letters at the top are from another (later?) application of ANTIQUE, but the widest span of letters... I dunno. [I see ANTIQUE, as well as a smaller ANTIQUE FURNITURE, and EDA B, which might be part of a famous slogan/product name that was painted in giant letters on thousands of buildings circa 1900-1910. - Dave] Rotor GasI'm going to guess (can't find it on the internets) that Rotor was somehow taken over by Conoco. The inverted pyramid spent a number of years as the logo of the Continental Oil Company. [Rotor Gas was a brand of the Columbia Oil Co. from 1924 to 1926. - Dave] Wall WritingI think I see Uneeda Biscuit and a very very faint National Biscuit. One was painted over the other, including the antique furniture lettering. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
La Dolce Vespa: 1955
... a naked D along with the Benelli, the MV and the mystery bike at the end MV Agusta The bike with the tag numbered 4951 appears to be a 1955 MV Agusta 125 cc TR. Power ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/20/2015 - 6:18pm -

July 1955. "Vespa motor scooters in Rome, Italy." From photos taken for Look magazine. View full size. Hype, Italian Style"You will be torn from your seats - Taken into the screen - Become actors in the film!" sez the Cinerama posters. This Is Cinerama opened at the Sistina Cinema on June 28, 1955 and played for 49 weeks. Other films: L'ultimo ponte, a 1954 Austrian production released as Die letzte Brücke and later in 1957 in the US as The Last Bridge; Operazione Mitra (1951); Le vacanze del Sor Clemente (1954). Steve Barclay of Operazione Mitra was born in Baltimore, Maryland in 1918, had minor roles in US films in the 40s, then apparently worked exclusively in Italy starting 1949, even once co-starring with Sophia Loren. IMDb lists his last film in 1956, and his death in 1994 in Rome. I couldn't find if he rode a Vespa. Wasp MinorityLambrettas outnumber the Vespas (Italian for wasp). There are two LDs and a naked D along with the Benelli, the MV and the mystery bike at the end MV AgustaThe bike with the tag numbered 4951 appears to be a 1955 MV Agusta 125 cc TR. Power came from a single cylinder four stroke. Race prepared MV Agustas were formidable competitors well before 1955, and the brand is still available today. The Sweet WaspI bought a (new) red 1965 Vespa when I was in high school...not much different from the ones pictured here - cost a little over $300, and it's still in the family! Nice to see these '50's models with original, authentic Italian accessories. LOVE the roll bars on the Vespa in the center. Wish I'd had a set on mine...(ouch!) Here's mineI bought mine from Sears, Roebuck & Co. about 1962 for about $300. Repaid my dad with earnings from a Roswell Daily Record paper route. LambrettaI have a 64 Lambretta that I rebuilt from a barn recovery...It'll get refreshed this winter... (The Gallery, LOOK, Motorcycles, Movies)
Cardiff-by-the-Sea: 1960
... I don't know for sure). also Whoa I used to ride my bike there in the 60's and 70's; lots of great folks along there. Anybody ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:23pm -

The man who looks like he's ready to hunt a giant shark is Bob Beach. Behind him is Bob's son, Rob, and next to Rob is his grandma. Taken on Crest Drive in Cardiff, California, June 1960. 35mm Kodachrome slide. View full size Unmistakable Fin1957 Chevy Bel Air is what I would guess. Chevy CoupeThe car is a classic 1957 Chevrolet two-door hardtop. Yellow and white. It has a V8 engine, denoted by the chrome V on the trunk lid. Wish it were mine. Tri-FiveCertainly a '57 Chevy, but since we can't see the side trim "wedge" it could also be a 210. But Bob Beach does look like a man who would be driving the top of the line Bel Air, don't you think? Gimmmeee!Want. The. Chevy. Learning to DriveI learned to drive in a '57 Chev 2 door Bel Air in 1960. It was missing the big "V" because it was a "Six Banger" with PowerGlide. It was my father's first automatic transmission car, it only had two gears, low and high and no power steering. Vertical bumper guardsWere they a dealer accessory or factory option? Nice Chevy. V-8 even.You reckon ol' Bob liked get it sideways every now and again? Shark-Hunter Bob's flip-flopsThen called "thongs," they've come a long way from the flimsy, inexpensive rubber ones of 1960. Now we have a lot more options in style, quality, composition and variety. We used to get ones like those pictured for about $.39/pair at Thrifty Drug Store or Woolworth's here in San Diego, all cheaply produced in Japan. '57 ChevyLovely car, we had a Bel Air 4 door hardtop, Corvette power pack and that awful PowerGlide two-speed tranny. A great car for a high school kid; made a wonderful noise when a small hole "appeared" in the mufflers. Who knew that the '55 to '57 designs become such icons of Chevy history. If I remember correctly, the bumpers were set up to take those guards so the dealer could add them. Whoa!My wife used to live on Crest back in the early 80s! Does anyone know at which address this was taken? I'd love to do a comparison shot. I go to Encinitas all the time. Re: Whoa!I'd rather not give the address as the Beaches still live there. I will say that there is now a large porch/patio where the grass is, a sizable garage where the car is, and a big tree between the two (it may very well be the tree in the photo but I don't know for sure). also WhoaI used to ride my bike there in the 60's and 70's; lots of great folks along there. Anybody remember any Gardners along that road? (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix)
Proviso Departure: 1943
... through the East end of Proviso Yard. It was a very short bike ride in those days. The bridge in the background appears to be the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:04pm -

Chicago, April 1943. More of those yellow Proviso rails. "General view of one of the departure yards at Chicago & North Western RR's Proviso Yard." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the OWI. View full size. East 5 looking westF.S. Adams - This picture was taken facing west. Yard 4 is east of this vantage point. If you look closely you can see the CRO towers at the west end of this yard 5 so those cars (far background beyond the Wolf road bridge) are ones being pushed to the Hump. The steam locomotive in the foreground is most likely one of the pull down crews that will couple and then pull tracks east into yard 4. As a side note the only people I ever heard refer to yard 5 as the "bowl" were clueless trainmasters. Any rail spending time in this yard knew that it was downhill all the way from the west end. I can speak with some authority having spent many years working as a skateman being responsible for keeping those freight cars from running out of the east end. No "bowl" grading existed. ProvisoGreat photo, & I'll bet they were really busy with transporting material for the war effort. Proviso YardGreat photo. Amazingly, as railroad locations go this location is remarkably similar today -- Proviso Yard is still over 60 tracks wide and busy as all hell. Of course it's now Union Pacific and there's no steam -- though as of a few years ago several coaling towers were still standing along the line toward Chicago. From Google Earth I believe this was photographed from 41deg 53'49" N, 87deg 53'45" W, and facing west. There is today a catwalk over the tracks there -- if it was there in 1943 it was almost certainly where the shot was taken. The small yellow building in the foreground is gone, and the tracks have been slightly reconfigured. Proviso YardI grew up in Bellwood in the early fifties and I spent many hours as a brat, chasing around through the East end of Proviso Yard. It was a very short bike ride in those days. The bridge in the background appears to be the Wolf Road bridge, which was torn down before my time, but the remnants of the south end of the bridge were used for Soap Box Derby races before finally being leveled for an industrial park. Proviso is in the middle of this Google Map. View Larger Map What is the second bridge beyond?I have passed over that yard many times on Mannheim Road. Is that the bridge in the far background? I don't see a catwalk on any aerial photos I can find, any clues? Also, is this view facing west? I think it is from the Wolff Road bridge comments. I'm kind of a freak for noticing sites and then wanting to know their history. After seeing all the Proviso yard pics here, I thought "that might be the huge rail yard I have driven over many times" and so it seems to be! Plus, being a WWII buff makes it more interesting. Yard 5This shot was taken from the light tower at the east end of Yard 5 facing west. Mannheim Road bridge is east from this location. Near background is the Wolf Road bridge. The far background shows freight cars being shoved up to the "hump" for classification. East FiveThe location as stated by Anonymous Tipster is the east, or "pulldown" end of Yard 5 which was the classification bowl. The cars in the background would not have been being pushed to the hump for classification, as they would have already been "humped" or classified into Yard 5. More likely they were being handled by one of the "pulldown" yard engines which would couple up all the cars on the classification track, then pull them into Yard 4 which was one of the departure yards. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Rolling Roadblock: 1953
... It's a beautiful ride in fall, particularly on a bike. Much of the time the Mississippi and its traffic is visible as well. ... 
 
Posted by mpcdsp - 10/12/2013 - 5:22pm -

October 1953, on US 61 south of Hastings, Minnesota. The new Henry J with Wisconsin plates is flailing along on all four cylinders, but getting great gas mileage. We'll pass as soon as we get around this curve. Who remembers bug deflectors? View full size. Highway 61 VisitedDeep in the backseat of that Corsair is twelve-year-old Bobby Zimmerman of Hibbing, making mental notes about the things he saw along the way, such as Wabasha, the walls of the Red Wing Boy's Reformatory, and a bored gambler trying to create the next world war. The bugs are asleepNever seen a bug deflector like that but the trees looked about the same today on the same stretch of US 61. Bugs AwayI remember bug deflectors; my dad had a green one on our '48 Chevy. When hood ornaments disappeared there was no longer a place to attach one. I also remember Henry J's, and wing vents; note the open one on the Henry J's driver side. Deee-Luxe ModelWow, that was the Corsair Deluxe Henry J. It came with a trunk lid AND back-up lights! The plain Jane versions didn't even have gloveboxes or armrests. But what can you expect for less that $1,300 in 1952? One uniqueness: the "widow's peak" rear windshield. Those bug deflectors really worked; note how clean the windshield is in the photo. Their worth was confirmed for us on a family vacation in my dad's Hudson when some horseplay at a rest stop broke ours off. The bugs started piling up. Finally dad stopped at a Western Auto store and bought another. Road LipAm I wrong or is there a bit of a lip on the highway on the left side. I remember when there were highway lips and then when the lips were removed because of safety. Maybe it was a Minnesota thing. Origins of Henry J When Henry J Kaiser envisioned a mass produced 'people’s car' he went to the federal government for money in 1949. The treasury was happy to oblige, but with the money came a list of---surprise, surprise---requirements the feds thought appropriate. Those requirements played a partial role in the car’s overall design. Attached are pics of Dutch Darrin’s proposal, and the prototype (the AMP) that the production Henry J was eventually based on. Henry J sales were so bad that old man Kaiser struck a deal with Sears and they marketed the product as the Sears Allstate. It was all much too little and way too late. 61 runs pretty much parallel to the old Milwaukee Road River Sub between Hastings and Lacrosse, Wisconsin. It's a beautiful ride in fall, particularly on a bike. Much of the time the Mississippi and its traffic is visible as well. Bug Deflectors and Sun VisorsI remember those bug deflectors, as well as those full width sun visors across the top of the windshield that were popular in the early '50's. First CarWow...my first car was a 1952 Henry J. My father bought it for me in 1963 for $50.00. I drove it in the field in the back of our house to learn how to use a manual (3 on the tree) shifter. I always remember the sound of the flathead 4 willies engine wailing away... I sold it to the next year when I was 16 and got a 1958 Impala...Pale yellow with a white roof and turquoise interior... Bug screensI don't remember seeing bug deflectors like that, but when we'd drive out to Kansas in the summer, a lot of the cars had screens that attached in front of the grill, to catch bugs. I thought they were "cool," but my father wouldn't get one. Instead, he'd open the hood and pull the dead bugs off the radiator when needed. Too, remember the wind deflectors for the front side windows, and wing windows. AllstateThe Allstate wasn't the first time Sears sold a car through a catalog. They did it early on during the 20th century. They almost did it again around 1979 with the Volkswagen Rabbit/Golf. The interesting thing about the Sears version of the car was that they used Sears batteries and other parts (which were good parts....I had my car serviced through Sears up to the 1980's) and they charged less for the car than the Henry J. Even then, it seems most people didn't want a basic car. The reason the Nash Rambler succeeded was that their base model had several options that were standard and made it a trendy vehicle. A base model Rambler was made only after initial sales took off. J is for JalopyI have just returned from the world's largest antique car show (complete with record-breaking rains) in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Saw one Henry J there but it was not as photogenic as other "orphan" cars that were there—Kissel, Jordan, Roosevelt (named after Teddy, not FDR), Rockne, Oakland, Muntz. I had a friend who worked as a stylist for Howard Darrin when the Henry J was not-so-much designed, as congealed. Apparently it was almost like today's reality TV—with deadlines, drama, etc. He showed me which body panels they "lifted" from various contemporary cars. For undisclosed sentimental reasons I did snap another WWII magnate's attempt at an underpowered and under-styled car, the Crosley. CrosleyInterestingly, the 1946 Crosley shown below pioneers the 'modern' slab-sided look usually credited to the 1949 Fords. Never a RoadblockMy friend Roger B. in Altoona, Pa., way back when, dropped a 327 cubic inch Chevy V-8 and a four-speed transmission into a Henry J. Much fun ensued, especially when "faster" cars thought they'd just go ahead and blast past that little Henry J on one of the many mountain roads around Altoona. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Washington Flyer: 1921
... I wonder what these guys would make of humble, daring "bike trials" rider Danny MacAskill? If only.... If ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:09pm -

January 29, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Herbert Bell and Joe Garso." Evidently lost to history. Does anyone out there remember them? Two final pics in the comments. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ReincarnationTrick bicycling is making a comeback. I wonder what these guys would make of humble, daring "bike trials" rider Danny MacAskill? If only....If only that kid with the scooter had taken off the handle and riser, he'd have been the inventor of the skateboard. Cowabunga! Herb and Joe (or Joe and Herb)Click to enlarge. By headstand time,the Railway Express guy has lost interest. I can't imagine why. This looks like it was a pretty interesting act. Joseph GarsoI've scoured the Washington Post archives using all the name variants and keywords I can think of: sadly, their is no report of their performance. The 1920 census lists one Joseph Garso, age 34, living in Clifton, NJ. He was born in Italy and his occupation is listed at "actor- showhouse." He is married and has 4 children. He also appears in the 1910 census, living in Manhattan. His age at the time was noted as 27 (such discrepancies are not uncommon in census records) but it is clearly the same person as the name of wife and 2 eldest children match. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1896 but does not seem to be listed in the 1900 census. The 1920 Census lists 127 Herbert Bells - none of the ones I checked in NJ and NY had occupations which could be construed as "one-legged trick cyclist." CRIPPLE TRIES SUICIDEHere's a one-legged Herbert Bell from Long Island City (NYT, Jan. 22, 1914). Perhaps he found happiness as a bicycle showman later on? "We could do that"Danny's riding is rather spectacular, but given that Herb and Joe are artistes in their own right and from the look of them, no-nonsense guys to boot, their reaction would probably be, "Hell, give us two legs (each) and a couple of those Tarty bikes, we could do that! And what's with that sissy helmet? And why didn't he draw a crowd? And we didn't have no music neither." Above the kneeA leg amputation above the knee is a much more serious issue than one below. My grandfather, a jockey, fell off a horse and broke his leg while exercising at Belmont Park in 1937. Through medical errors, his leg was ultimately amputated above the knee a year later. His life was hell from then on. He suffered phantom pain and even convulsions due to nerve damage. These men really overcame a lot to accomplish what they did. Very impressive. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Herb & Joe, Natl Photo, Sports)
Hell Gate: 1915
... View full size. I remember this bridge! I used to bike out on Ward's Island & sit next to the base of this bridge! It brings ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/25/2018 - 10:04am -

"Hell Gate Bridge (New York Connecting Railroad Bridge)," circa 1915. This steel arch span over the East River was completed in 1916. View full size. I remember this bridge!I used to bike out on Ward's Island & sit next to the base of this bridge! It brings back neat memories; thank you! The Eighth BridgeI first learned of this bridge from a memorable New Yorker article (Jan 14, 1991) written by Tom Buckley. A few extracts from the opening section are below. Eight bridges cross the East River, Four of them - the Brooklyn Bridge, the Manhattan, the Williamsburg, and the Queensboro - have been in the news frequently in the past few years. They are the oldest, are owned by the city, and can be crossed free of charge. As a result of these interacting circumstances, they have suffered from prolonged and serious neglect, which has already cost hundreds of millions of dollars to remedy..... The three newest bridges - the Triborough, the Bronx-Whitestone, and the Throgs Neck - are by contrast, pampered darlings. They are owned by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, and the tolls it levies are more than sufficient to keep them gleaming with fresh paint.... Whatever their condition, these seven bridges are such conspicuous landmarks that most New Yorkers could probably name at least five of them. Even a cabdriver might be able to identify two or three and drive across them without getting lost. The eighth bridge is another matter. Even in a period of heightened bridge consciousness, scarcely anyone I asked about it over a period of many months was able to provide its name or location, let alone to describe its appearance or function. ... The Hell Gate was a lot more noticeable in 1917, when it was opened, than it seems to be nowadays. It was the longest and by far the heaviest and strongest steel-arch bridge in the world, at a time when the country rejoiced in such evidence and skill. The bridge was also the final link in one of the costliest privately financed construction projects of the industrial age - the New York Extension of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The extension brought that railroad into Manhattan, and from there to a connection with the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad in the Bronx, giving it, for the first time, a direct route to New England. Hell GateThis bridge is still in regular rail use, by the way--by freight trains and Amtrak passenger rail, between NYC and Boston, Mass. I'm not ashamed to say I get a bit of a thrill when I ride across Hell Gate on the Amtrak. View Larger Map Hell Gate ForeverNot only is the Hell Gate bridge still in regular use, it is likely to be the longest surviving bridge of any of the current NYC spans. The February issue of Discover Magazine postulated what would happen to humans' creations if we suddenly disappeared: Unless an earthquake strikes New York first, bridges spared yearly applications of road salt would last a few hundred years before their stays and bolts gave way (last to fall would be Hell Gate Arch, built for railroads and easily good for another thousand years). Ok, since nobody's askedI will. Why is it called Hell Gate? Why Hell Gate?From the Dutch "Hellegat" it refers to a portion of the East River between Astoria, Queens and Ward Island. Between tide driven currents and rocks it was extremely difficult to navigate and hundreds of ships were lost in the area. In September 1876 the worst of the rocks were blasted away by the Corps of Engineers. Navigation continues to be difficult thanks to the tidal flow (the East River isn't really a river but rather a tidal strait) but considerably easier than it was. StackedI wonder what that smokestack is used for on the far right? It's doing something in this picture cause it's a smokin. [It's for a coal-fired boiler. You can see the steam farther down. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Dirt Track Daredevils: 1912
... Bikes in the Blood My grandfather was a bike racer. He rode in what we called a "motorcycle scramble" on a dirt track ... to this one. I remember watching him work on his bike when I was very young (50-plus years ago now). Although I never was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2015 - 12:59pm -

        Motorcycle racing 103 years ago at the old Benning horse track in Washington. May 30, 1912. "National Capital Motorcycle Club -- Decoration Day motor races at Benning track." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. When Men Were Men and Bikes Were WorriedEarly dirt racing bikes were primitive even for the time, according to my late father who raced a few: most notably, they had no brakes -- an ignition cut-off served to slow down a little, often with a string connecting the cut-off to the rider in case he fell off, as a kind of "dead man" switch. Most also had but one gear and they were push-started with the aid of whatever crew the rider could muster, thereby saving the weight of a recoil starter. And on short tracks, typical of county fairs, the most valuable driving technique involved the infamous "pendulum skid," with riders taking the curves much as automobile drifters do today (but with two wheels fewer, to add to the excitement). Bikes in the BloodMy grandfather was a bike racer. He rode in what we called a "motorcycle scramble" on a dirt track very similar to this one. I remember watching him work on his bike when I was very young (50-plus years ago now). Although I never was allowed to go watch him, I was told he was quite good. Life goes onSix weeks after the sinking of the Titanic. Better not to askHow those fence rails ended up in the grass. Ah, flattrack motorcycle racingFull speed ahead, and no brakes on those bikes. What could go wrong? Want to see this type of racing soon?This type of racing is still going on. Google "AMA flat track racing" to find where and when you can see it. You can also view it on the YouTube. It's one of the few forms of motorcycle racing where the winner isn't always predictable. The bikes race on 1/2 to 1 mile ovals, there's only a rear brake and it's use is only to slow in case of a downed rider or at the end of the race. Straightaway speeds of 120 mph are common, and they slide around the corners at 100+. (The Gallery, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Sports)
The Case of the Dented Dodge
... and another vehicular misadventure, this time starring the bike that couldn't quite dodge a Dodge. Cameos by two Cadillacs. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/08/2016 - 9:01pm -

Oakland circa 1953 and another vehicular misadventure, this time starring the bike that couldn't quite dodge a Dodge. Cameos by two Cadillacs. View full size. Lane MarkersI don't know exactly how those old lane markers (X) are operated, but there are still some of them in use here in the Atlanta area. [I believe the hanging "X" signs relate to the rail tracks that appear to be running along the cross street. -tterrace] 19 cent hamburgersThat seems rather high for 1953, especially since they didn't have to go far to get the meat. X for a CrosswalkI remember seeing those "X" signs used to indicate to drivers that a pedestrian crosswalk was located below. 19¢ hamburgers!Those 19 cent hamburgers would be nice in this day of low wages and tight budgets. The 19¢ hamburger story continuesIt was probably about this time that the Hi-Fi Drive-In on U.S. 101 in downtown Petaluma, California put up their "19¢ Hamburgers" sign, the "19¢" in huge, neon-and-bulbs-illuminated letters. It was my first lesson in the realities of economics when at some point in the 1960s the "Hamburgers" under the "19¢" was changed to "Fries." X for Ped Xing?I remember them as markers for pedestrian crossings. We appear to be at the intersection of Telegraph and Grand, looking down Telegraph with Grand as the cross street. The Key System ran down Telegraph, no tracks on Grand: http://djjr-courses.wikidot.com/soc128:project13-key-system Cancel Previous TransmissionRailroad crossing is plausible, you can see the overhead trolley wires as well as the tracks. Now I'm confused as to which way we're looking. It's only been fifty plus years since I was at that intersection. MEATS MEATSYou just don't see signs like that anymore. Scene todayThanks to the Google Street View Time Machine: You Have Reached Your DestinationX marks the spot! (The Gallery, Bicycles, Cars, Trucks, Buses, News Photo Archive, Signal 30)
Attention Honeymooners: 1939
... golf course. Oh, and attempting to ride the messenger's bike down the toboggan run. I'm sure my parents found other attractions to the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/14/2013 - 8:46am -

From August 1939 comes this unlabeled negative, one of a series of pictures taken by Herbert Mayer in Virginia and Maine and residing in the Farm Security Administration archive at the Library of Congress, and its cryptic message. Honi soit qui mal y pense: Happy Valentine's Day from Shorpy! View full size. No Thanks, Mr. GilbertI think if I was on my honeymoon I'd let Hollywood icon John Gilbert keep his bed while the missus and I got our own. Thanks for the offer though. And I do speak French and I do think evil of your offer. News item: Aug. 26, 1936 An old saying."Evil be to him who evil thinks." John GilbertAnother Rudolph Valentino-esque silent film star, John Gilbert died an alcoholic a few years before this photo was taken, but when the sign was painted he would have been one of the leading men of his era. He was blacklisted by Louis Mayer after a fight between the two at Gilbert's (planned) double wedding, where he would have married Greta Garbo (who jilted him at the alter) while one of Mayer's leading directors, King Vidor, married his on bride, in what would have been a blockbuster event. Sad tail of one of the early great romantic leads in Hollywood. [The rest of him sounds sad, too. - Dave] Into the WoodsIn the late 1940s, my parents, with me in tow, spent several Summer sojourns at the Summit. Being but a tad at the time, my recollections now are somewhat sparse -- mainly the nice lady who ran the gift shop and let me play (carefully) with some of the toys, my first taste of honeydew melon in the restaurant, some time in the swimming pool, finding the odd golf tee whilst rambling on the golf course. Oh, and attempting to ride the messenger's bike down the toboggan run. I'm sure my parents found other attractions to the place, though decency militates against my contemplating them. With the Internet, I could probably find out almost instantly what ever became of the place, but I prefer to remember it as it was then: a renowned haven for harried city dwellers (and apparently the repository for some of a failed actor's furniture). The Summit Hotel and John Gilbert's BedFrom The National Road in Pennsylvania, pp. 54-55 (available in Google Books) By Cassandra Vivian (Arcadia, 2003): The Summit Hotel Caption from post card on page: Summit Hotel, Golf and Country Club, (above the clouds) Uniontown, PA "Sitting atop Chestnut Ridge (the south side), the Spanish mission-style of Mount Summit Inn was once famous as a honeymoon hotel (actor John Gilbert's bed is in its honeymoon suite). It was built in 1900 of native mountain stone to accommodate the tourists of the automobile era. The view is spectacular during all seasons of the year, and a huge veranda surrounds the hotel." There are additional postcards and text in the adjoining pages. A billboard so naughty... they had to say it in French. They forgot to mentionHourly rates. Mail PouchMail Pouch would paint your whole barn free in return for the ad space, not just part of it. The bedHere's a postcard of the room. [But steer clear of the Lupe Velez bathroom. - tterrace] The photographerThe photographer was my great uncle. He owned a lumber company in Virginia, not sure how his photograph got into the archives. Someone needs to relearnFrench because the direct translation of 'Honi soit qui mal y pense' is 'evil be to him who evil thinks' buuuut if it is actually Latin it's more along the lines of 'Evil is not welcome'. Side note... "honi" should be "Honni" [It's archaic, not modern French, and appropriate for the historical context of the phrase. - tterrace] (The Gallery, Valentine's Day)
Daytona Beach: 1910
... NASCAR scout I think that's Bill France Sr. on the bike looking for a place to race stock cars. The Ridgewood Based on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 6:15pm -

Daytona Beach, Florida, circa 1910. "South Ridgewood Avenue." Over the past century, the trees have thinned and the traffic has thickened. View full size. Reminds me ofthe Spanish moss in Mobile, Alabama. The first Daytona 500And here he comes with a half-lap lead -- ExtraordinaryThe Daytona Beach of long forgotten dreams. I'm sure it will be nigh onto impossible to duplicate this vantage point today. Wonderful Spanish moss; reminds me of Louisiana. Great photograph. As Time Goes ByThis street eventually becomes part of US 1. Living in the area, I have no doubt that some homes -- not necessary those in the picture -- from that period are still around. No changeEven back then the streets were clogged with biker trash. NASCAR scoutI think that's Bill France Sr. on the bike looking for a place to race stock cars. The RidgewoodBased on the closeness of the homes, shadows, and a 1912 Sanborn map, I believe this to be looking north from a point just south of the Orange Ave. intersection. The rider would be in front of the current City Hall, and the buggy in the distance would have been parked in front of The Ridgewood Hotel, which was demolished in 1975. The 5-story Brown & Brown building now stands where the old Ridgewood Hotel once stood. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida)
Shady Rest: 1950
... wire. Sell only 24 cases of salve! That shiny bike has pride of place in this humble scene. What a story that must has been. ... Somebody (maybe a visitor) appears to have a new, nifty bike but otherwise this is a stark picture of the "have-nots" as they have ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/25/2015 - 2:43pm -

Columbus, Georgia, or vicinity circa 1950, and another snap from the "Housing" series. 4x5 acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. Take the Money and Run ... er, Roll!Had it peradventure survived to the present in that condition, that Schwinn would be by far the most valuable artifact in the photograph. The baby boom certainly hit that tiny community.I count at least ten kids among the houses. What goes up might not come downLooks like a mischievous tyke made a toy parachute from a handkerchief and Dad's tobacco pouch, then managed to get it hung up on an overhead wire. Sell only 24 cases of salve!That shiny bike has pride of place in this humble scene. What a story that must has been. "Stay in your own yard"That's something my mom always told us if we were have a temporary tiff with neighborhood kids, but these people had, literally, only about one square yard of space on their own porches. Somebody (maybe a visitor) appears to have a new, nifty bike but otherwise this is a stark picture of the "have-nots" as they have absolutely nothing to do and look bored beyond words. Hot, humid summers in Ga. with no a/c, no TV, no nothin', jammed in small, run-down homes, too close together, really must have been difficult. And talk about "airing your dirty laundry in public", it's all out there for all to see, although it looks very clean. Reminds me somewhat of the old "Petticoat Junction" intro without the happiness. Hope things got better for all of them. River livingLooks like the house that my mother lived in back in the 30's & early 40's. First Ave on the Chattahoochee River at the intersection of 21st St. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Inflationary Pressure: 1936
... in Korea many years ago. Horsefeathers I had a bike like this in the 40s and I was a lot scrawnier than this kid. I have lived ... internet. Ouch My first thought .... riding the bike barefoot seems like it would've really been painful on his tootsies. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:39pm -

September 1938. "Inflating bicycle tire in Abbeville, Louisiana." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Look at the bright sideIt's only flat on the bottom. (As my buddy would always say) First some airAnd then a clothespin and a playing card. For real power, go with two clothespins and cards. Humm...He's trying to inflate using a gas station air pump -- usually a bad idea because the pump's pressure is not what the tube is expecting. Done all the time, but not the best choice. And one has to wonder why he appears to inflating a tire without repairing the puncture: that tire didn't get that flat just from neglect. Oh well...we don't know the background, but one wonders how it worked out for this kid. This bicycle was used to carry heavy loads.Note the reinforcing bar on the handlebars. Used to see the same thing on freight-carrying bicycles in Korea many years ago. HorsefeathersI had a bike like this in the 40s and I was a lot scrawnier than this kid. I have lived in the far east and have seen bikes like this carry 3-4 people and very, very other heavy cumbersome loads that you would not believe, but are posted on YouTube, and elsewhere on the internet. OuchMy first thought .... riding the bike barefoot seems like it would've really been painful on his tootsies. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Kids, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Harlem River: 1890
... now and they are refitting it for a linear park and bike path. It should be open by 2009. Historic slide show of the Harlem ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 1:33pm -

The Washington Bridge and High Bridge over the Harlem River along the northern boundary of Manhattan, looking south. Circa 1890 albumen print from a photograph by William Henry Jackson. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Graffiti on the rocks?Beautiful picture! I never realized how beautiful the High Bridge had been -- it calls to mind a Roman aqueduct... Hey, do you think the large rocks in the right foreground have graffiti on them? I thought first it was some natural geologic pattern, but it sure looks like an "A" on one of them. If so, I wonder what it says ... High BridgeIt looks like an aqueduct because it was an aqueduct. The Croton Aqueduct carried water from Westchester county into Manhattan. Hidden by the Washington Bridge is the still-standing High Bridge tower. From the tower, water was gravity fed to the rest of Manhattan. Harlem River BridgesThe Washington bridge (at 181st Street) looks largely the same, but the Harlem High Bridge (at about 174th Street), once famously the prettiest bridge to Manhattan, has been significantly reworked. The entire middle section, over the water, has been replaced with a now-rusting metal structure. It is sadly ugly, but presumably provides easier passage for boats. There is now a third bridge that sits between the two at about 178th Street. Here is a view of the two northernmost bridges from the south: That's the Harlem River Parkway on the left; it follows the route of the old Harlem Speedway, of which I am sure there are many photos in the archives, perhaps to be delivered to us by Shorpy in the future. Here is an image of the High Bridge showing the replaced section in the middle: The High Bridge does not carry cars or trains; there is some kind of water pipe embedded under the roadway, and the surface has been closed since the 1960s. Supposedly, local kids used to walk out to the middle and drop rocks on tourist boats passing underneath. Personally, I do not believe this. The city of New York has allocated money for repairing the surface of the bridge and it is scheduled to reopen as a pedestrian and bicycle route across the East River. BeautifulNicely architected and nicely implemented! This gives the lie to my boyhood fantasy that nothing significant was accomplished before I was born. Harlem River SpeedwayLook through the Washington Bridge on the right side and see Highbridge water tower. It's still there, although the reservoir that was beneath it is now a park. The muddy shore on the right was later made into the Harlem Speedway for horse & buggy racing. Today the Speedway is a "Class A" bicycle path on the river side, and the Harlem River Drive inboard of that! The arches that stepped across the river (farthest bridge) were removed when they widened the Harlem River and created The Erie Ship Canal. Today the arch piers that touch the river are now one large arch like the Washington Bridge in the foreground of this photo. The NYC Parks Department "owns" Highbridge now and they are refitting it for a linear park and bike path. It should be open by 2009. Historic slide show of the Harlem RiverSee a slideshow of historic images of the majestic Harlem River here. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, W.H. Jackson)
Johns Hopkins: 1903
... Monument was a favorite destination when we felt like a bike ride. The main attraction was a great view of our town and the cost ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 12:57pm -

Baltimore circa 1903. "Johns Hopkins University from Washington Monument." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Think I can see my house.So awesome to see my neighborhood that long ago. Thanks to ShorpyEvery time I see a photo of roof tops I look for a broom. Don't do it!Man on the edge of the roof, thee story townhouse, right side of photo. Today's View View Larger Map The picture would have been taken from the window high up the monument facing east towards Johns Hopkins. Do a 180 on the Google view and you can see Monument Street as it goes towards the hospital. The Washington Monument was a favorite destination when we felt like a bike ride. The main attraction was a great view of our town and the cost was right (free). We would run up the spiral staircase and take in the wonders of the town. To the South was the sprawling port, tall buildings and the infamous Baltimore Street, to the North was the newly built Memorial Stadium home of the Orioles and Colts, to the Northeast was our home turf along Belair Road, to the Northwest was Pimlico Race track. Not the Johns Hopkins of todayThis downtown campus was a temporary home from the start. Legal and financial problems kept Johns Hopkins in this crowded neighborhood for over 30 years. But around the time this picture was taken, previously secret plans were revealed to move a couple of miles north to what is now known as the Homewood campus. The relocation wasn't complete until 1924. I may be more than a tad conservativewhen it comes to architecture. But when I see photos like that I wonder why we let architects, builders, clients, planners, authorities and regulators to lose all artistry, skill and craftmanship. Especially (but not limited to) when it is about every-day urban architecture. It's a west view from the Washington MonumentThe camera is looking west toward W. Monument Street. W. Mount Vernon Place is in the foreground. Cathedral Street runs north and south just beyond that. Many of the buildings are still there, but the partially ivy-covered mansion at the southwest corner of W. Monument and Cathedral is gone. Peabody Court Hotel, originally built as luxury apartments in 1928, occupies that space now. (The Gallery, Baltimore, DPC, Education, Schools)
SuperCenter: 1941
... the railroad tracks are long gone, replaced by an asphalt bike/ped trail, which young hiker seems to be enjoying. Minus a chimney ... few hundred yards west of the store. This bridge is now a bike trail but was placed into service as a highway bridge when a bridge on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/28/2018 - 3:08pm -

October 1941. "Main store for Fort Hunter, New York." Glimpsed earlier here and here. Medium format nitrate negative by John Collier. View full size. Still around todaySalada Tea company was founded in 1892 by Peter Charles Larkin. He introduced the concept of storing the tea in aluminum foil instead of storing it loosely. Looks drearyYou sure the Bates Motel isn't somewhere in the background? Wittemeier Coal and CokeHarold Wittemeier owned the largest coal company in the area. He stated that during the depression, people in Fort Hunter would remove up to two tons of coal from parked trains. As a result, coal trains were instructed to speed through the town to avoid "scooping". Rails to TrailsA quick pivot of the recent Google Earth view shows that the railroad tracks are long gone, replaced by an asphalt bike/ped trail, which young hiker seems to be enjoying. Minus a chimney & porch Car ID1939 Pontiac. New York, West Shore & Buffalo RailroadThis store was located along the railroad that was built with Pennsylvania RR interests to compete with the New York Central Railroad. (The two roads later declared a truce and swapped some of their routes.) A few images of the Fort Hunter train station can be seen at the bottom of this website as well as the railroad bridge located a few hundred yards west of the store. This bridge is now a bike trail but was placed into service as a highway bridge when a bridge on the nearby New York Throughway collapsed in 1987 killing 10. (The Gallery, John Collier, Railroads, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Genesee Street: 1904
... sort. -tterrace] Cyclecuse, NY Has to be the most bike friendly city in the early 1900's. You've posted many street scenes from ... Rack it Apparently the bank wasted their money on the bike racks. They don't seem to be very popular. When we were 21 ? An ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2014 - 2:19pm -

Syracuse, New York, circa 1904. "Genesee Street." Early-1900s standbys include the usual assortment of painless dentists, and a "Misfit" clothing parlor. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Low self-esteemOddly enough, the majority of the people are clustered around Meyer's Misfits which perhaps would indicate they didn't have a very high opinion of themselves. (Wonder if Marilyn Monroe got her wardrobe there for her movie of the same name). [Looks like a youth outing of some sort. -tterrace] Cyclecuse, NYHas to be the most bike friendly city in the early 1900's. You've posted many street scenes from numerous cities, but I can't recall any with so many bicycles. Rack itApparently the bank wasted their money on the bike racks. They don't seem to be very popular. When we were 21 ?An early film, perhaps? There was to be one in 1921, but I couldn't find anything earlier. [Large movie theaters and feature-length films were still a bit in the future in 1904. The Bastable offered live theater, both vaudeville and plays, such as "When We Were Twenty-One," a 1901 four act comedy by H.V. Esmond. It was also filmed in 1915 and adapted for another in 1930. -tterrace] Darned treesIt's hard to see, but this is pretty much where the image was taken. If you go straight down the tree-lined path, almost all of the buildings on the right hand side seem to be there (actually the Salt Springs Bank on the close left is also still there without its pretty entry). View Larger Map (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Stores & Markets, Syracuse)
White Castle: 1910
... parked that way today, and one is right next to an unused bike rack on the sidewalk. Hometown Bias I wonder if they only had an ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/17/2013 - 11:44am -

  UPDATE: Note the baseball scoreboard on Sharpe's Chop House. Detroit circa 1910. "Griswold Street south from Michigan Avenue." And a view of the recently completed Ford Building. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Well, imagine thatHorseless carriages in Detroit in 1910. Scoreboard? Stock prices? Daily Specials?I'm referring to the chalkboard on the second floor of Sharpe's Chop House. See the fellow in the window and the catwalk? What interesting news is he purveying to the Detroit public? Can we get a zoom-in Dave? Curbed bicycleswouldn't last long if parked that way today, and one is right next to an unused bike rack on the sidewalk. Hometown BiasI wonder if they only had an American League scoreboard because Detroit was an American League team, or if there was a separate National League scoreboard somewhere. ScoreboardDefinitely looks like baseball scores. Top row, last three letters looks like R H E. Runs, Hits, Errors. Ford BuildingStill looking good. View Larger Map They misspelled it!The sign should read SHORPY'S CHOP HOUSE! Sharpe's Chop HouseHere's another view. Chicago is visiting Detroit and St. Louis is at Cleveland in both shots, but New York is hosting the Red Sox and Philadelphia the Senators in the U of Michigan photo. The presence of the cigar billboards in May of 1910 in the UMichigan shot leads me to think that Shorpy's may be earlier than 1910. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Petite Visite à Grosse Ile: 1900
... Channel into the Wayne County Bridge for use by vehicular, bike and pedestrian traffic. The rail tracks across the island were replaced by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/08/2014 - 12:36pm -

Circa 1900. "Railway depot at Grosse Ile, Michigan." Sunnyside Station, as one commenter has informed us. This concludes our visit to Grosse Ile on the Detroit River. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. The Far SideThe other end of this building is much more attractive, as it features a spiffy awning. Wooden you know- In the photo of the boy and dog, is the sturdy-looking apparatus in the left corner a block-and-tackle boat hoist, indicating a rather serious boat down below? It appears to be a bridge. The bridge - no trains?It appears the bridge was built for the trans but now they stop here. It would be interesting to see more of this feature! Right next to the LivingstonesThe end of the bridge in the left background (with its distinct sign and trio of ribs) is also seen in the left background of "A Boy and His Dog" picture 3 pages back, which ALSO shows us the corner of the Livingstone house, so apparently the Livingstones lived right next to the track, opposite the station. The railway is now Grosse isle parkway, and in the accompanying picture, you can see the spit of land the bridge used to connect to. The livingstone home is circled. More informationNow that we get to see the reverse angle of the other photo, note how the track no longer goes over the bridge. Just how old is this rail line, and the station? That building is in a terrible state for ~1900. When was that depot built!?It's 1900 and that depot looks like it has been around for a century. It definitely has seen better days as it no longer has a telegraph wire and doesn't appear to be receiving upkeep. There is a bumping post in the track indicating this may now be the end of the line, but it appears that it may have utilized that bridge in the distance at one time. It must be seeing some use and in the previous photo on Shorpy, there was a rail car in one of the tracks. Rural Blight.Yikes! This mess is right next to Rio Vista. Rails turned to ParkwayDuring 1931, the county government converted the Michigan Central Railroad's defunct rail bridge crossing the Trenton Channel into the Wayne County Bridge for use by vehicular, bike and pedestrian traffic. The rail tracks across the island were replaced by a roadway that is now known as Grosse Ile Parkway. The Wayne County Bridge is commonly referred to as the "Free Bridge" by residents because of the absence of a toll for crossing. Defunct DepotThis is the old Canada Southern Railway station and the bridge led to the railroad ferry, which crossed the Detroit River to Amherstburg, Ontario. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Grosse Ile, Railroads)
Bicycle Queen: 1959
... Annette: going to a soda shop, or the movies, or even a bike ride. She was the sweetheart of my pre-teen years! One Classy Lady ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/01/2014 - 5:01pm -

March 20, 1959. "Sixteen-year-old actress Annette Funicello, Bicycle Queen of 1959." New York World-Telegram and Sun Photo Collection. View full size. She Gets Around a LotAnnette's posed in front of the guard shack at the Walt Disney Studios lot in Burbank facing South Buena Vista Street. Though lovely in 1959-She truly blossomed in the styles and fashions of 1960s on the golden California beaches, and her films from that era will always be a treat, particularly to those of us of who initially saw them as teenagers. A StarletIronically enough it seems she's riding the Schwinn "Starlet" model. See: The 1959 Schwinn Catalog online Bicycle Queen of 1959And queen of my heart forever. My First "Crush"First of all: Thanks! BIG MIKE for saying it all; you put my very thoughts into words. Well Said! In 1959, I was 11 years old, and Annette, at 16 was the "older woman" in my life. I wonder how many of "us of a certain age" remember how we dreamed of a date with Annette: going to a soda shop, or the movies, or even a bike ride. She was the sweetheart of my pre-teen years! One Classy LadyThose of us of a certain age grew up with Annette on the Mickey Mouse Club and her later ventures into music and films and remember her well. A beautiful young lady and woman who I'm sure passed up many offers from the Men's magazines of the day for a bit more. She remained a classy and courageous lady 'til the end and is a fond memory for all of us. My First HeartthrobAnnette was my 1st dream girl. All the young boys watched her on the Mickey Mouse Club dreamed about her. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Pretty Girls)
Little Creek: 1938
... Fender, Batman! The holes in the rear fender of the bike were used to thread heavy string or twine to create a guard to keep a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:39pm -

July 1938. "General store and post office in Little Creek, Delaware. A fishing village." Medium format negative by John Vachon. View full size. A Rose by any other abbreviationAccording to the 1940 census log, R.A. Haggerty was Rose Haggerty, whose occupation was listed as "post mistress." She was married to oyster planter George C. Haggerty, and they had two daughters, Mary Louise and Rageno, who were nine and eight in the spring of 1940. According to Mary Louise's July 2012 obituary she was eighteen months older than her sister Jean, who is now Jean Lawson of Dover. It also states that Mary Louise "didn't care for working at her Mother's General Store or going to school. In fact, her high school yearbook listed as her ambition 'housewife' and that she 'intends not to be a clerk in a store.'" One might speculate about whether the two girls in this photo are eight-year-old Mary Louise and six or seven-year-old Jean. Very nice picture.A quiet place, in the calm before the storm of World War II. One pump, no waitingBesides being able to buy any milk, bread and cold cuts you needed inside the store, along with a fudge bar or two for the kids, all the gasoline service you needed then in Little Creek was handled through that one pump. Quiet today?Little Creek is still a quiet town today. Although it isn't too quiet when huge airplanes take off or land at Dover Air Force Base, given that Little Creek is about a mile away from the end of the main runway. B.Y.O.H.I don't see a hose and nozzle, or even the shadow of one. Gas Pump ShadowRef BYOH comment, it's July, so sun is very high in the sky and this is probably around noon as well. Shadow length would be minimal. Notice the shade under the covered store porch where the girls are is nearly directly underneath. I suspect that that clump of shaded grass just to the right of the pump is the pump and both the handle and the hose. Since the sun is coming directly down, all would appear as one small shadow. That pump handleI'm no gas pump historian, so may be completely wrong, but is it possible that the hose and nozzle are stored inside the locked door on the face we do see? Clockface PumpThis is a fairly common gas pump from the 1930s known as a clockface pump. Here is a photo of a restored pump. We can assume the hose unseen is on the opposite side. Hol(e)y Fender, Batman!The holes in the rear fender of the bike were used to thread heavy string or twine to create a guard to keep a young girl's skirt from getting tangled up in the spokes. I'm sure their short sun dresses were not in any danger though. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Gas Stations, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
Candy Kitchen: 1908
... full size. Handlesbar Net I like the net on the bike, and note correct usage: two handles, one bar. [Kind of like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:09pm -

Grand Rapids, Michigan, circa 1908. "View of Monroe Street showing Hotel Pantlind." Not to mention the Candy Kitchen and Ice Cream Parlor. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Handlesbar NetI like the net on the bike, and note correct usage: two handles, one bar. [Kind of like teethbrush, or eyesglasses. - Dave] Don't use the tower clock to sync your pocket watchThe clock on the tower says that it is 9:34, but the shadows, especially the awnings on the hotel, appear to be more middle of the day, noontime, shadows to me. Amway Grand PlazaThe old Pantlind Hotel is now the east portion of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. NowadaysIt would be called Kandy Kitchen. Spacious Streetscape It's positively capacious! No bus shelters, benches, trees or overflowing litter receptacles. There aren't even any parking meters or lampposts to properly lock those newfangled bicycles against. So many peopleBy my count there are over 40 people (and one dog) visible in the picture. That's more than in most cityscape pictures, even ones in much larger cities than Grand Rapids. Cover StoryWhat's the story behind the tarps that are covering some of the store front windows? (The Gallery, Bicycles, DPC, Streetcars)
Sally's Harley: 1937
... as much. More on Sally I learned to ride a "Big Bike" in 1965 -- my buddy's 1939 Harley 61. At 150lbs I was not much of a match ... I ride my 1980 GoldWing with pride at 35 years on the bike. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Motorcycles) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/26/2014 - 5:58pm -

Sept. 15, 1937. "Although she weighs only 88 pounds -- one-third of the machine she rides -- Mrs. Sally Halterman is the first woman to be granted a license to operate a motorcycle in the District of Columbia. She is 27 years old and 4 feet, 11 inches tall. Immediately after receiving her permit, Mrs. Halterman was initiated into the D.C. Motorcycle Club -- the only girl ever to be accorded this honor." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Motorcycle MamaAnother post on Sally Halterman and her Hog here. Anorexic Harley?A V series Harley Davidson weighed about 530 pounds, six times the weight of Sally Trending upwardsAt approximately 700 pounds, the rule of thumb for Harleys today is for their riders to weigh about half as much. More on SallyI learned to ride a "Big Bike" in 1965 -- my buddy's 1939 Harley 61. At 150lbs I was not much of a match for the 550lb mount, but I never dumped it. A kick starter and manual spark advance (to keep one from a sprained leg), 3-speed tank shift (and no syncro tranny) which required a 'double-clutch' to keep from a grind. I became friends with a man in his 80s when I was still in my 20s. He rode Harleys on a board track testing instruments for Stewart-Warner. He told me about woman riders on the track riding 24 hours, and more. Sally had good company. I ride my 1980 GoldWing with pride at 35 years on the bike. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Motorcycles)
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