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Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Many were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.
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- Adult Swim: 1942
- ... as ball game with UFO in background, boy and girl with bikes lying on grass and two girl swimmers.
East Potomac Park Yes, thank ... Posted by Dave - 02/21/2013 - 8:02pm -
- The Summer of '42
- ... to judge from the license and lack of one on the two bikes.
Catching Up Along with some relaxation and lunch, looks like ...
Been there Done that! My wife and I used to ride our bikes there and later drive that in the early 60s when we were dating. It was ... Posted by Dave - 02/15/2013 - 12:13pm -
- The Nasby: 1905
- ... did a number on that place. Geez.
A safer time for bikes Not a bike lock in sight.
Nooks and Crannies What I wouldn't ... Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 3:40pm -
- Big Wheel: 1977
- ... own world pretending to be the characters of CHiPs on our 'bikes.'
Super-size it, you say? Here's the Marx page (it is Big Wheel's ... Posted by rizzman1953 - 06/03/2012 - 5:06pm -
- Boody House: 1900
- ... first paved roads and first road maps were designed with bikes in mind.
Boody Facts "A Toledo landmark for fifty-five years, ... Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 10:18pm -
- Junior Driver: 1949
- ... much closer to those of a motorcycle than the bigger bikes possessed. When I outgrew it, I inherited my mother's Schwinn, complete ... Posted by historic52 - 12/08/2012 - 7:25pm -
- Board Track: 1925
- ... mph on the boards and having splinters thrown up by other bikes with such force that they would pierce the protective leather gear. At ... Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 6:56pm -
- Speed Racer: 1925
- ... and over the handlebars you go.
Fixie Track racing bikes still have no brakes (and no freewheel device). The rider slows down by ... and in the 1950s and '60s "Beezers" were legendary racing bikes. They couldn't keep up with Japanese manufacturers, though, and by the ... Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 9:49pm -
- Ithaca: 1901
- ... as primary transportation. But just look at
all the bikes on the street!
Comparing photos This has to be my favorite then ... Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 1:05pm -
- Vital Foods: 1937
- ... a Colson or a Huffman Best I can tell. Both of these bikes of this vintage had the radical curve in the twin bars near the seat.
... Posted by Dave - 08/22/2012 - 11:18pm -
- Sugar and Spice: 1900
- ... play...
"In my day, no one wore helmets riding their bikes and we all lived to tell about it!"
"In my day, had metal monkey bars ... above and cracked their heads open, fell off their bikes and got concussions, and broke their arms falling off the monkey bars.
... Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 4:04pm -
- Childs Restaurant: 1917
- ... I love the two policemen riding bicycles: police on bikes vanished for many decades only to be recently revived as an effective ... Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 9:56pm -
- Street View: 1905
- ...
Bicycle technology I don't know too much about bikes (god knows I haven't ridden one in 30 years) but when did someone invent ... bike racks?
Many of these Shorpy street views include bikes leaning against the sides of buildings buildings or perilously propped ... Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 6:31pm -
- Rabbiteers: 1954
- ... located up on Balltown Rd.)
Also, we used to ride our bikes to go swimming at Grout Park, adjacent to that school.
Thank you, ... Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 9:06pm -
- Tashmoo Trippers: 1900
- ... Detroit. - Dave]
Lovely day Great collection of bikes, too.
Do you think the group of white-coated boys is a band, or a ... Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 10:18pm -
- Our New Ride: 1921
- ... full size.
On the fringe Looks very close to the bikes we had in the 50's. Just add handle bar fringe and a few playing cards in ... The lady's bike in the window is something to admire too. Bikes were built for transportation back then, not just playing a sport as so ... Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 9:49pm -
- Neumann Grocery: 1910
- ... trees in our yard. In spring it was pure joy riding our bikes in the street with all the blossoms. Next subdivision over were in a ... Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 2:30pm -
- Over and Under: 1900
- ... still!
The General A picture of the boys and their bikes would be interesting enough but this is an amazing picture. There's ... Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 7:26pm -
- Eastman Kodak: 1905
- ... in these photos. The fellow leaning out the window. The bikes left at the curb.
RIP Kodachrome I assume that Shorpy readers ... Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 1:55pm -
- American National: 1918
- ... right. The more recent Schwinn Heavy Duty or the Worksman bikes look like that.
Sidewalk sidecar Check out the bike with the cargo ... Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 7:35pm -
- Cycle Cops: 1918
- ... golf course in those outfits. I wonder when fenders for bikes appeared.
Ooohhhh My legs are itching from the sight of those wool ... Posted by Dave - 08/29/2012 - 12:18am -
- Garter Girls: 1925
- ... available for the shot. The "step through" frame girl's bikes, once de rigueur for proper young ladies, especially before it became ... Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 1:43pm -
- Birmingham Messenger: 1914
- ... Lee
birmingham messenger interestingly, fixed gear bikes are especially popular among urban bike messengers.
fixed gear baby! ... I've been on touring rides where a few of riders had track bikes: they are tough going up hill and scary downhill.
A number of years ... Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 11:45am -
- Our Little Pony: 1938
- ... I guess "Cleveland" sounded better), advertised their bikes in Europe with marvelous posters showing western themes -- cowboys and, ... Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 9:50pm -
- Postal Boys: 1911
- ... the center bike with the auto horn and spring seat, these bikes look like they had earlier been board track racers.
Bare bones frame ... Posted by Dave - 09/20/2012 - 11:35pm -
- Chevy Baby: 1963
- ... car seats. Not to mention the pedestrians and kids on bikes all over the place.
Backseat Rider I was put in a seat like this ... Posted by deluxeczech - 12/31/2008 - 8:46am -
- ADT Messengers: 1908
- ... supporting the hanging sign.
No Fenders On those bikes. Trust me: you will get very wet on a street with any amount of water. ... Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 11:35am -
- Bricks and Mortar: 1901
- ... seems to be expanding. And for you cyclists: Please, no bikes on the railroad right-of-way. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. ... Posted by Dave - 10/20/2012 - 12:56pm -
- Crossings: 1908
- ... at 5 a.m. Ah, the days before angry hipsters on their bikes with whistles blowing at tourists trying to enjoy the skyline.
Free ... Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 9:15pm -
- Bureaucrat in Autumn: 1942
- ... days people sometimes block them off with a gate and store bikes etc in them. In the north of England there is often a back street as well ... Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 4:50pm -
THE 100-YEAR-OLD PHOTO BLOG
Shorpy.com | History in HD is a vintage photo blog featuring thousands of high-definition images from the 1850s to 1950s. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago.
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