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Just Add Water: 1936
... [Hence the title. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Great Depression, Kids) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/24/2018 - 11:56am -

November 1936. "Migratory family in automobile camp, California." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.
Something is in thereI'm guessing that the man in the foreground has caught something in the tub and is wondering if it is something they can use for dinner because I doubt that a grown man would just sit and stare into an empty washtub.  If a squirrel, raccoon, rabbit, opossum or some other critter has become trapped in there, he could not get out on his own and may provide some protein for the family to go along with the fried dough many had to eat to sustain themselves in those dire days.  Desperate people would even eat rattlesnakes and still do today, even though they are well off.  What do you think it is? 
It's the LaundryJudging from the clothes on the hood of the car drying in the sun, I'd say it's the laundry.
[Hence the title. - Dave]
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Great Depression, Kids)

M-Squad: 1919
... Maxwell once. It sounded like Mel Blanc. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/01/2016 - 3:17pm -

San Francisco. "Maxwell - 1919" is all it says here. Perhaps these gents are in scale sales. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.
Not sure what's going onI do know where it is, though.
95-97-99 New Montgomery Street. The buildings had a face-lift but it's obviously still the same one. I found the address via an ad for the Crocker-Wheeling storefront.
G-Menla Costra Nostra or G-Men? I see what looks like stars on the license plates.
[The star tab indicates registration for the year 1919. -tterrace]
Great impressionI had a Maxwell once. It sounded like Mel Blanc.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)

Goodbye Yosemite: 1920
... way of making M's and L's back then. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, W. Stanley) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2015 - 10:35pm -

1920. "Bulletin press car -- Mitchell auto at Yosemite National Park." 6½ x 8½ inch glass negative, originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size.
Interviewing WitnessesHe's compiling his facts for an upcoming feature on a recent sighting of the "Ghost of Yosemite."
Exposure time?I see some motion blur as well as ghosting -- yet the quality of light is extraordinary; any details on how the exposure was taken?
Uitche?Since no one else is going to ask, I will.  What is Uitche?
[MITCHELL, like it says in the caption. -Dave]
They had a peculiar way of making M's and L's back then.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, W. Stanley)

Cold Wheels: 1947
... hid from an 8-year-old boy in 1958. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/20/2018 - 6:57pm -

From circa 1947 comes this News Archive snapshot of a freezer truck. Location: railroad tracks behind The Playhouse. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size.
The Truck, The Building, and The CityThe truck appears in an advertisement from the May 17, 1947 Tampa Tribune. It was built by the Hackney Brothers Body Company of Wilson,NC for Southern Dairies on a 1946 Chevrolet cab and chassis. The truck is wearing Southern Dairies livery in the ad.
The building in the background is The Playhouse Theatre located at 1852 Central Avenue, St Petersburg, Florida. The railroad tracks have long since been gone.
I can get it for you wholesaleThis appears too large and heavy to be one of the retail sales trucks I remember from childhood.  The vehicles that disturbed the sonic peace in my neighborhoods (and I include metropolitan DC in that group) invariably comprised a special body mounted on a lighter chassis, say a half-ton Ford, GMC, Chevrolet, or, on occasion, a step van. This truck appears much better suited to delivering frozen or refrigerated foods in bulk, say to grocery stores or restaurants.
Too big.All the ice cream trucks I remember were smaller vans. The one that currently haunts my neighborhood plays Beethoven's Für Elise to tempt the kids. 
No Bell The ice cream guy in my neighborhood in the 50's and 60's drove a smaller truck without a bell. In it's place was a loud p.a. speaker that blasted "Turkey in the Straw" at a decibel level approximately equal that of an 80's hair band. Could be heard miles away. Gave us time start the begging for ice cream money from Mom and or Dad. 
Before all the paint and decals and the bellSignaling the arrival of the Good Humor driver. Oh the treasures those doors hid from an 8-year-old boy in 1958. 
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, News Photo Archive)

Franklins at the Flood: 1928
... those that powered helicopters. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2017 - 11:04pm -

San Francisco, 1928. "Col. M. Franklin with Franklin Airman at Flood Mansion (Pacific Union Club), Nob Hill." Even not counting the lion perched on the fake radiator, we have a small crowd here. Photo by Christopher Helin. View full size.
"Airman"So named after Charles Lindbergh, who accepted a Franklin car as an honor after his flight; being a thrifty Midwesterner, he drove it until around 1940.
Fake radiatorNot familiar with this model/make car, I  cannot se how the radiator could be deemed to be fake.
[Franklins had air-cooled engines and did not need functioning radiators. - tterrace]
Some of the small crowdBesides Col. Franklin, I spy:
1. Someone - possiby a waiter - with his back turned to the window of the Flood mansion
2. In the farthest driver side rear window, the reflection of a man smoking a cigarette
3. On the left headlight, the reflection of what looks like a woman, possibly waving
[That's the happy hatted car owner; the fixture's curvature is acting like a fisheye lens. -tterrace]
4. On the left front bumper, the reflection of what may be a policeman, who is possibly present to make sure neither Col. Franklin nor the photographer, nor the smoker, nor the lady, or run over by a careless motorist.
[I think you mean fender, not bumper, but I don't see a person. -tterrace]
I do not think we see a reflection of the photographer, but I am willing to be corrected.
I learned from Google that Franklin developed aircarft engines, including those that powered helicopters. 
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)

Dad's car, Dad, Grandma
... a 1961 Quebec plate. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by Oldandgettingolder - 09/20/2011 - 1:34am -

Camping in Canada around 1960. View full size.
Dad's carThat's a 1952 Meteor, a Canadian-branded Ford.
ThanksI was wondering what model that was.
Dad's CarCamping in cabins, I love it!  Grandma looks like a super good sport.
Sixty-OneThat's a 1961 Quebec plate.
(ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)

Elm Avenue: 1921
... the houses, parallel to the street. That put the unsightly cars out of sight of the street. Thanks to google and Gordon61 I found ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2014 - 12:26am -

Takoma Park, Maryland, circa 1921. "9 to 11 Elm Avenue." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
The "Japanese" bungalowMy favorite great aunt lived in a larger version of these bungalows,  from 1907, and it was one of the most comfortable, light, airy, commodious and well-thought-out houses I have ever been in.  She and my great uncle bought it in 1952 or so. About the only real change they ever made was to screen in the front porch at some point. 
Variety is the spice of life!What I find fascinating in this photo is there are 5 different styles of porch posts/pillars which is wonderful to see.  So different to subdivision homes these days.  From large cylinder columns to large square ones to smaller squares to pyramidal and then trellis style, the houses may be similar in plan, but so much thought has gone into making them seem unique.  (And the rocker is facing the porch next door so it seems neighbours were really neighbours then!)
Thanks Shorpy!I have very fond memories of this stretch of street from when I lived there thirty years ago. Not many of those bungalows remained even then.
Brand New!!The contractors are not even finished yet, and the new owners are hangin' out on the porch already! New sidewalks and I'm sure curbs and a new road are not too long in this neighborhood's future. But where will the driveways be? It is 1921 and a garage should also be waiting for the family sedan.
Round the backIf there was a garage, it was off the alley that ran along the back of the houses, parallel to the street. That put the unsightly cars out of sight of the street. 
Thanks to googleand Gordon61 I found the place, most of the houses are still there, and there are no back alleys but now people have added small driveways to their houses. I guess houses were built to last back then.
A Brief History of the Home GarageThough obviously some homes were built with garages and driveways during the 1920's, it was not at all considered a standard home amenity until after World War 2. The early garages tend to be converted carriage houses and in a separate structure than the human living quarters so you didn't have to smell your horses and goats in your kitchen.
My parents have an amazing 2 story 3 car garage in the back yard of their 1920's home. It came with a pot belly type gas stove in one bay (obviously no car could go there) because the original owner had a pet donkey that needed to be kept warm in the winter.
A house I grew up in that was built in 1920 had a Sears Catalog kit garage in its back yard, facing an alley. It was added in 1927 and still had the stock numbers stamped on the boards to help one put it together. No driveway led to it. Only one car could park in it even though it was Sears deluxe 2 car model because the proportions of 1920's garages were tall and narrow like a Model T Ford.
I suspect the homes on this street will get no garages unless the owners separately chose to put some in. 
The attached garage in the same building as the home (where zoning laws permit--not all do) becomes a standard amenity with the WW2 GI bill housing boom. But even then, whole communities were built without garages. The Jubilee model of baby boom homes in Levittown Pennsylvania comes with garages. The other models get driveways with carports only.
Street has changed. Houses still thereLooks like the street has changed to Westmoreland Ave.
View Larger Map
Milk bottlesAt the base of the stairs of the nearest house, it looks like two empties waiting for the milk man.
I have always loved that architectural style of house.
Re: 'Japanese Bungalow'Always learning something new on 'Shorpy'!
You can see the Asian Influence...now that 'claiborneray' mentioned it.
This design must have been very modern and unusual in that day.
Amazing photo of a beautiful streetaenthal:
Thanks for your comments. Very interesting indeed. It would be wonderful to have one of those Sears homes/garages that you mentioned. As for these homes, this is one of my favorite architectural styles, although in Houston, most of them have been torn down or are now priced out reach for the average Joe.
(The Gallery, Natl Photo)

Hound Doc: 1943
... brother. That's strength pictured. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Esther Bubley, Pittsburgh) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/23/2017 - 10:49am -

September 1943. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "A mechanic at the Greyhound garage." Photo by Esther Bubley for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Hey, there's your problem -- gremlins!This here grimy lookin' guy was hiding inside your engine!
Me too!Looks like another mechanic is lurking behind the first one.
Those hands and forearmsI yam what I yam. could be Popeye's brother. That's strength pictured.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Esther Bubley, Pittsburgh)

Belt Line Caboose: 1943
... a hickory brake club. There were many early freight cars and cabooses that still had mechanical brakes still in service during and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/13/2013 - 5:00pm -

January 1943. "Freight operations on the Indiana Harbor Belt railroad between Chicago and Hammond, Indiana. Belt Line cabooses never go long distances or at very high speeds and are therefore constructed differently from line cabooses." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size.
Just a DreamI'd sure like one of these to live in. My needs are simple but my romance
is great!
1940s Man-CaveNow I realize what a man-cave looked like during World War II. No wonder little boys wanted to grow up to work for the railroad, all the live-long day.
Hidden in plain sightI like the floodlight the photographer has cleverly hidden behind the stovepipe.
Some prerequisite needsA baseball bat next to the door for intruders and a calendar girl on the right wall.
RecycleI always thought it would be great to be able to have enough property to have a caboose behind the house someplace and make it into my artist's studio. Plenty of room for my needs, and I would add just enough amenities to make it livable. Alas, another dream never to be fulfilled.
Shoe rubbersWhen you bought a pair of work shoes every 3 years, you dare not step in the muck without your rubbers on.
Brake StickThat's not a baseball bat, and security isn't its primary function, although it certainly could be used for that.  It's a "brake stick."  Inserted into the wheel of a hand brake, it makes tightening it down a lot easier. They were also used to release hand brakes, by hitting the ratchet that maintained tension on them.  The tension on it was usually too strong for just a human hand.  Hence the term, "knocking off" brakes.
The two ancient terms relating to hand brakes and brake sticks:  "tie down" (set brakes), and "knock off" (release brakes) are still in widespread use on railroads today.  You will hear them used in various permutations on the radio often.
Not a BatThe "bat" by the door is a brake club, once used to apply extra leverage when applying or releasing hand brakes.  I disclaim any suggestion that it also doubled as a defensive device.
Brake ClubThe stick next to the door is most likely a hickory brake club.  There were many early freight  cars and cabooses that still had mechanical brakes still in service during and after the war.  During WWII they used anything with wheels.  The brakeman would use it as a lever between the brake wheel spokes and shaft to tighten an lock the brakes.  The brake wheel on top of the car was attached to a shaft that when rotated wound the chain under the car and connected to a bell crank that forced the brake shoes into the wheels.  Before air brakes the brakeman would apply brakes of each car as the train was rolling according to steam whistle commands from the engineer.  Many train museums have one of these on display.
A Brake ClubThat "baseball bat" is a brake club. So named because the brakeman would use it for extra torque when applying the hand brake using the brake wheel. The "club" would be stuck through the spokes of the wheel and used for added leverage.
Of course, if an errant hobo were encountered --
Above the door is a red flag that the flagman would use to "protect" the rear of the train when stopped to flag down any following trains.
Hunting Dog vs Pin Ups  It looks like the Conductor is more fond of his dog, than pin-up girls. One item on his desk rack is a Michigan Central employee timetable. Both the IHB and the MC were New York Central subsidiaries. Did anyone notice the "Carnegie" stamp on the roof beam?
(The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)

Tread Whitely: 1920
... green and a nice touch to the display. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/10/2017 - 10:21pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Mid-Washington Service Co., 14th Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
Simply Elegant DisplayThis elegantly simple window dressing also serves as a reminder that auto tires/tubes were originally white, like latex. The addition of carbon black to tire rubber dramatically improved tensile strength and durability, while reducing damage from heat stress. Oh, and black tires were a lot easier to keep clean.  
Tire shop long goneBut the church in the reflection is still there. From Motor World for Jobbers, Dealers and Garagemen, Volume 61: Paul Grimes opened his shop at 1602 14th Street NW. Here is what you see today in the reflected scene.

Marble TileI like the title of this pic, Dave. The marble tiles at the base of the window are probably green and a nice touch to the display.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)

General Outdoor: 1941
... Now if I can just find my automobile! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:21am -

July 1941. Chicago parking lot. View full size. 35mm negative by John Vachon.
Killer parking lot!That's the most! Now if I can just find my automobile!
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chicago, John Vachon)

Pioneer Park: 1929
... as the depression got under way. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/23/2015 - 8:27pm -

San Francisco, 1929. "Franklin sedan at Pioneer Park, Telegraph Hill." The view-blocking "funeral urn" balustrade, like the Franklin, proved unpopular with motorists and soon vanished. 5x7 glass negative by Chris Helin. View full size.
View-blocking livesBut now it's trees that have unaccountably been allowed to obscure much of the view from up there.

Don't just sit thereIf you were a Velie you would climb those stairs.
Victoria BroughamThat great car is a 1929 Franklin Victoria Brougham. A 2 door close coupled sedan. I restored an exact copy in 1972 after pulling it out of a Long Beach N.Y. garage. Considered a full classic today, back then it could only be purchased by the very wealthy, as the depression got under way. 
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)

En Route: 1936
... "ditchers" and traveled on a set of rails on the flat cars so they could clean out the drainage ditches beside the track. Are You ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:23pm -

May 1936. "Steam shovels on flatcars. Cherokee County, Kansas." Medium-format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the FSA. View full size.
DitchersThese are maintenance-of-way shovels of the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad, used to clean along the tracks. Instead of caterpillar treads they have small wheels that allow them to run on rails placed on the flatcars so that they could move about while working.
Mary AnnWhich one is Mary Ann and where's Mike Mulligan?
Steam shovelsWe had that type of shovel when I worked at the GM&O railroad.  They were called "ditchers" and traveled on a set of rails on the flat cars so they could clean out the drainage ditches beside the track.
Are You My Mother?It seems fitting to share this photo on Mother's Day.  Surely, you remember the Dr. Seuss classic.  The "hero" was the steam shovel-- just like of these-- that scooped up the baby bird and plopped it back into its nest.
TheftSombody must have stolen number 262
Cloud Cover.Forget the steam shovels  --  I'm in love with that SKY!
Dr. Seuss WAS NOT my motherIt was by P.D Eastman.  I remember that because that was one of my favorite books when young and still fondly remember it.  He also wrote Go, Dog, Go among others.  I always liked him better than Dr. Seuss.
(The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Railroads)

Full Steam Ahead: 1913
... type of shovel only the boom swings to load the railroad cars. The same railroad that took the rock away also delivered coal and water ... be repeated in reverse to lay new track. The railroad cars are flat cars with a bulkhead on one side. At the dump where they are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/18/2014 - 4:59pm -

"Panama Canal excavation, 1913." The world's most celebrated shortcut marks its centennial this month. Copy negative; Harris & Ewing glass plate. View full size.
Blast Hole DrillsHere is a beautiful restoration of a similar blast hole drill, although this one is run by a gas engine, instead of piped in steam or air...
http://youtu.be/h-A6qXwfe-Y?list=UUFi8qTmbq8tIIyCap45cEGA
Moving the shovelBeside winding up with a very useful canal, this operation showed the way to large open pit mining that followed in places like Utah and Minnesota.  The same equipment was used there.
The shovels are steam operated and move on railroad track.  There are outriggers near the front to stabilize the shovel while digging.  On this type of shovel only the boom swings to load the railroad cars. The same railroad that took the rock away also delivered coal and water to the shovels and drills. In normal digging the shovel was supported on short panels of track, about 10 feet long.  As the shovel dug its way forward a track gang would leap frog the panels from the rear of the shovel to the front. I can't tell for sure who made these particular shovels but the shovels used for the canal were made by the Bucyrus and Marion companies. Both made similar machines. It appears in the picture that they are laying track to back the first shovel out of the cut to get it out of the way of the other shovel and prepare for the next blast.
The machines on the bench above the trains are drills, drilling holes in the rock for the next blast.  Before the blast can take place, both shovels have to be moved out and the tracks have to be removed.  Then the holes can be filled with that new fangled dynamite and the rock can be blasted, the rail re-laid, and the shovels moved back in to start digging.
The railroad track was also probably panels to speed up assembly and disassembly, sort of like Lionel track.  A crane would come along and lift out 39 ft long panels, ties and all, and put them on a flat car behind it.  The process would be repeated in reverse to lay new track. The railroad cars are flat cars with a bulkhead on one side.  At the dump where they are unloaded a lever is swung into the first car from the side.  As the train moves the lever pries the rock out of the cars to the open side.  In later operations, side dump cars were used where the car bed itself was tilted to the side with air cylinders to dump the load.
It was very labor intensive, dangerous, hard work to do these things, especially in the tropical heat.  Hats off to these guys.
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Harris + Ewing, Railroads)

Open and Shut: 1921
... became part of a home-made coaster! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2017 - 10:58am -

San Francisco circa 1921. "Chalmers touring car at Lurline Baths, Bush side of Bush and Larkin." An open car whose "California top" is fitted with windows on the driver side. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.
Wheels Not TurnedWhen I learned to drive in S.F. the police would hand out tickets to drivers who parked on hills without turning their front wheels into the curb (to prevent runaway vehicles if the parking brakes failed).
It is somewhat difficult to tell but it looks like this car is pointed downhill and the wheels are still straight - yet no ticket on the windshield......yet.
Wheels Not TurnedWhen I learned to drive in S.F. the police would hand out tickets to drivers who parked on hills without turning their front wheels into the curb (to prevent runaway vehicles if the parking brakes failed).
It is somewhat difficult to tell but it looks like this car is pointed downhill and the wheels are still straight - yet no ticket on the windshield......yet.
-24At the Lurline Baths in 1897, courtesy the Edison company and the Library of Congress.

Splash Apron Modesty PanelClassy solution to the usual practice of leaving the forward mounting nuts of the rear leaf springs exposed in gaping access holes. 
PerambulatorAt the extreme right of the image, one can see a wicker perambulator, more commonly known as a "pram", parked up against the wall of the building.
"Pram" could be derived from the small boat of the same name, or it might be a truncation of "perambulator"
My parents had one of these, though not wicker. I can actually remember sitting in it. I have clearer memories of my little brother sitting in it.
And, of course, when it had outlived its usefulness after the fifth offspring, its wheels became part of a home-made coaster!
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)

Federal Triangle: 1935
... I thought it was pretty cool. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Theodor Horydczak) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/21/2014 - 5:36pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1935. "Post Office Department Building (Old Post Office Building or Pavilion). Old (far left) and new Post Office Department." The "new" building, inspired by the Place Vendome in Paris, is now the Ariel Rios Federal Building. 8x10 nitrate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size.
Ariel Rios BuildingNow the William Jefferson Clinton Building and headquarters of the EPA.
Nice building - let's hide it with treesView Larger Map
Point of view, old & newThe photographer took this from the "new" Raleigh Hotel (constructed after the original was razed in 1911) on the northeast corner of the intersection.
Still looks the same, sortaThe view here is looking south on 12th Street NW at Pennsylvania Avenue. 12th Street is now one-way northbound. Peeking down 12th Street between the buildings, the Department of Agriculture is still across the Mall but the view is now blocked by the Museum of American History. 12th Street now exits a tunnel under the Mall.
The Old Post Office is now closed and being converted to a luxury hotel by Donald Trump. In the 1960s the parking area in front of the Old PO was  two or three bus lanes, this was the point of origin for Alexandria and South Arlington bound buses. Today the Federal Triangle is a Metro station and EPA offices (the entrances still have "Post Office Deptartment" in stone over doors).
First Time I Saw a President of the United States......was outside of the Pavilion on a family trip in 1991.  I was twelve at the time.  We had just finished shopping and eating lunch there, and left the building when we noticed some Secret Service agents on the street corners.  My dad, never one to be shy, walked right up to one and asked him what was going on, and we were told the President was about to pass by.  Sure enough, about ten minutes later, here comes Bush Sr. in his motorcade.  I thought it was pretty cool. 
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Theodor Horydczak)

Dependable Spark Plugs: 1926
... leaning against the parts cabinet? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/16/2013 - 10:31am -

Rockville, Maryland, circa 1926. "Montgomery County Motor Co., Parts Dept." Our umpteenth visit to this Chevrolet dealership in the Washington suburbs. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
"A Name You Can Trust in Rubber"Was the Sieberling Tire Company's slogan during the 1940's and 1950's. They supplied a lot of heavy duty tires during WWII. I can't help but notice their logo looked a little too familiar. Eventually, someone in their marketing department must have felt the same.
See the USA in Your ... Ford?Interesting to note that this Chevrolet dealer was stocking so many Model T Ford parts.
The shelves are loaded with parts specific to the Model T. A hood, timer spark advance rods, front fender support arms, coil boxes etc.
SeiberlingSeiberling is a well known name in Akron, Ohio.  Frank Seiberling founded Goodyear Tire & Rubber and then later Seiberling Rubber, both of which were headquarted there. He build a mansion in Akron named Stan Hywet Hall which is today open to the public for tours. I visited many times as a boy, and my Boy Scout troop held campouts on the grounds there during which we cleared away underbrush in some of the areas that had become overgrown.
Frank Seiberling's grandson John F. Seiberling served as Congressman for the Akron area from 1971 to 1987.
SeiberlingI don't think Seiberling did much OEM business, but they were a popular aftermarket brand. My maternal grandfather was working for Seiberling when this picture was taken; he retired in 1964 as their chief engineer.
Re: InventoryAnd every one of these parts could be installed by any shade tree mechanic like me with a minimum of tools and no special schooling. Also, you didn't have to take a car apart simply to change a part. Last week, I spent 3 hours changing a serpentine belt in a Cavalier and had to have my wife help at the end because I ran out of hands and it took nearly 2 hours the week before to change a headlight bulb. I used to do those jobs in minutes. I think my next car or truck will be pre-1980 (or way earlier if I can find one, preferably a Model A). Those were the days!
InventoryAs a professional auto mechanic with over 35 years in the trade, I should recognize almost every part on view.  However, the reverse is true. If it's not an oxygen sensor, brake caliper, fuel injector, variable valve timing actuator, or any of the myriad of electronics of modern motoring, then I would lose a contest of "what is it?"
Bumper?Is that a bumper leaning against the parts cabinet? 
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Natl Photo)

Curb Service: 1942
... side of the line. A busy spot indeed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Marjory Collins) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2019 - 5:51pm -

July 1942. "Chevy Chase, Maryland. Serving supper to motorists at an A&W Hot Shoppes restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue, just over the District line." Medium format negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size.
My First Drive InWas an A&W root beer stand here in Dayton. My wife took me to get an idea of what it was like eating in the car.
The reason? Because I had had seen it in American movies as a kid and wanted to try it.
Friendship HeightsThis Hot Shoppe was at the intersection of Western Avenue (the D.C. line) and Wisconsin Avenue. Western connected you to Chevy Chase Circle. The D.C. Transit streetcar line on Wisconsin Avenue ended at this location and their tracks basically went around the Hot Shoppe! There was a large shopping center just cross the way and a Woodward & Lothrop department store just across Wisconsin Avenue on the Maryland side of the line. A busy spot indeed.  
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Marjory Collins)

Banner Laundry: 1925
... were bifolds? Seems almost unfair! j/k (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/01/2018 - 6:24pm -

Alexandria, Virginia, 1925. "Ford Motor Co. -- Banner Laundry truck." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
Early Example of Fake ShuttersThose shutters on the second-floor window above the front door really look out of place and are designed very differently from the working ones on the other windows. Perhaps the homeowner had an early Home Depot moment and decided to have some non-functional ones installed after the fact for looks. Then as now, a mistake in judgment.  
[Or perhaps it's you who are mistaken! The bifold shutters, seen here in another view, cover the entire window. - Dave]
Re Phone 203A search of the District of Columbia city directory reveals no 3 digit telephone numbers. They were using 4 digits with a central office name. Among the names were POtomac, MAin and FRanklin. Each central office supported 10,000 lines.
Additionally, there is no Banner Laundry (although a plethora of Chinese laundries). This is most likely a promotional photo from Ford Motor Company.
[Banner Laundry had locations in Alexandria and Washington, whose metro area includes the Maryland and Virginia suburbs in Montgomery and Arlington counties. The photo, as indicated by the caption, was made by the National Photo Company of Washington. - Dave]
Not as easy as it looks.Phone 203. But first you had to tell the operator to connect you.
Three digit phone numbersIn 1925 it took only three digits to phone out in DC, and dialing calling probably needed the assistance of an operator who would greet you with "Number, please."  While today's land line phones, cell phones and other devices involve 10 digits, we certainly don't miss the old party lines of the 1920s where our privacy was never certain.
And the actual address is ...607 Cameron Street, Alexandria.
[The residence of one Dr. Fairfax, also seen here. And kudos for correcting the previous correction. - Dave]

Another View?!?How was I supposed to know you had another image of the shutter up your sleeve that showed they were bifolds? Seems almost unfair! j/k
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)

Original Signers: 1921
... for its being more permanently replaced. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/17/2016 - 9:43pm -

        "We are signing the Victory Highway, San Francisco to N.Y."
San Francisco circa 1921. "White motor truck at Palace of Fine Arts -- California State Automobile Association." A project from the early days of long-distance motor travel, when auto clubs took the lead in establishing and marking routes between cities and across the country. 8x10 inch glass negative, formerly of the Wyland Stanley and Marilyn Blaisdell collections. View full size.
InvisibilityIs the painting of Yosemite on the side of the truck a 1921 form of camouflage?  Or is this perhaps the world's first hippie van?  After all, it is San Francisco.
Still standing, sort ofThe Palace of Fine Arts was built in 1915 as part of the Panama-Pacific International Exposition which celebrated the opening of the Panama Canal. As were all the structures for that event, it was made of non-durable materials, since the expectation was that the entire area would be cleared when the fair closed. The POFA was so beloved that the city decided to retain it, but it began to deteriorate almost immediately, as can be seen by the hole in its roof. The original was in near ruin by 1964 and was demolished that fall. It was then replaced with an exact replica made of steel and concrete. It still stands today and is still beloved---the site of many weddings and other ceremonial events.
PoFA todayThe 1964 reproduction Palace of Fine Arts as I saw it on January 5 this year during a propitious golden hour break in a winter storm.
Much nicerBy comparison to the Grant truck a few days back, this is nearly a luxury vehicle. Snazzy, I say. Take me campin' grandpa!
It was sadI first laid eyes on the original Palace in early 1960, and by that point it was in terrible condition, though one revelatory of its mode of construction: timber framework, lots of chicken wire, and plenty of stucco.  The present replica cannot but be more durable, yet it is a miracle that the original survived long enough to garner support for its being more permanently replaced.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)

Aerial Bridge: 1908
... population on Minnesota Point, a greater demand for cars, and an increase in tourism soon meant that the bridge's capacity was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:47pm -

Duluth, Minnesota, circa 1908. "Aerial bridge car, Duluth Ship Canal." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
UnbelievableJust how rare is such a bridge.  That's quite amazing! Wonder how it is if there's a good, strong wind blowin'!
High and the MightyWhat a tremendous amount of engineering for such a small passenger load. I've never seen anything quite like this. You'd think it would have been much, much easier to have engineered a drawbridge.
I'm especially charmed by the whimsical little paddle wheels. Were they there to make queasy passengers, used to sidewheel ferries, more comfortable during their aerial passage?
[The faux paddlewheels turn the cables that move the car. - Dave]
About this bridge:This bridge began life as an extremely rare transporter bridge—the first of just two such bridges ever constructed in the United States and what you see in this picture. This type of span, which is known variously as an aerial transfer, ferry, or transporter bridge, and was originally built in 1905. When it was completed in 1905, the Aerial Bridge's gondola had a capacity of 60 short tons and could carry 350 people plus wagons, streetcars, or automobiles. A trip across the canal took about one minute, and the ferry car moved across once every five minutes during busy times of the day. However, a growing population on Minnesota Point, a greater demand for cars, and an increase in tourism soon meant that the bridge's capacity was being stretched to the limit. The bridge was upgraded in 1929–30 to the current lifting design and continues to operate today.  
A quick look at the New Duluth Bridge A much cleaner design. The entire center section travels up and down with the roadway.
Another oneSited in Middlesbrough, England.
This one is still working too. 
So few remainThis one in Rochefort, France, Europe is still operational. 
They built them at a time and in places when they still had to fit sailing ships underneath but were not yet able to build or pay for high rise regular bridges, or traffic load didn't warrant the expense of such a bridge. 
Films with Transporter BridgesThe transporter bridge in Rochefort, France can be seen at work in Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, and the one in Newport, Wales can be seen at work in Tiger Bay.
A system like that gets close to the boundary of being recognisable as a bridge. It could plausibly have been called a "low-slung cable car" or a "suspension ferry."
Cape Cod Canal Railroad BridgeThis is the railroad bridge over the Cape Cod Canal, maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers and in continuous operation since built sometime in the early 20th century.  As a child, I always wondered how the trains got up there, despite having traveled over the bridge in a train at canal level.  
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Duluth)

Bustling Boonton: 1900
... temporary, and is in the process of being filled in. The cars on the temporary trestle are delivering the material for the fill. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/25/2017 - 10:54am -

Circa 1901. "Railroad tracks and trestle at Boonton, New Jersey." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
Nice prototypeThe trestle is great, but I love the turntable.  What a project for a modeler!
Ruins persist.You can see some snaps of what the round table and trestle look like today, here: 
Trestle and Turntable
PushTurntable is of the Armstrong style still used even in recent installations, i.e. Great Smoky Mountains Railway in Bryson City, NC. Siding ending on the trestle is certainly unusual.
Summer PlatesAnyone else remember Boontonware? 
My high school cafeteria was stocked full with it, not to mention our summer home. Incredibly sturdy plastic dishes. My dad used to joke that those apocryphal cockroaches that would survive a nuclear war would be dining off them.
Still around, although no longer made in Boonton, New Jersey, but a few hundred miles away in Ashtabula, Ohio.
Work in ProgressThe track is under construction. The trestle to the left is temporary, and is in the process of being filled in. The cars on the temporary trestle are delivering the material for the fill. 
Sellers TurntableThe turntable was built by William Sellers and Company of Philadelphia. Well built and easy to use, properly maintained they last a long time. They were widely exported to countries like Japan and Australia. My depot still has one, although it's currently out of use. Down the line at Kiama the 60' Sellers turntable is still used to turn the loco when the picnic train is steam hauled. 

Even though they're known as "Armstrong" tables, if the loco is properly balanced they can easily be turned by one person. A contemporary description is here.
Also GoneThe toothed leaves silhouetted at the top of the photo look to be American Chestnut, just a few years before the blight that was to wipe them out was introduced.
Boonton ReservoirThe hill is still there, the town at the north end of the Boonton reservoir, so-called, a practice area for student pilots in the 50s, with an island to work at circling in a wind and nobody on the ground to annoy with the air work overhead.
Still an old, old placeWhile the frame structures have mostly vanished, the number of very old buildings still in use is striking... actually powering a bit of a hipster influx these days. The Civil War monument at right still stands; and the legacy of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western infrastructure is seen today in commuter and freight traffic, plus the shops of the Morristown & Erie Railroad, a relatively young shortline, which undertakes refurbishment on historic stock as a sideline.
(The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads)

Snap Shatow: 1905
... I guess they stayed there all day as long as the cars were running. (The Gallery, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2020 - 9:04pm -

Circa 1905. "New York City, Snap Shatow, 42nd Street, showing entrance to Grand Central Station." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size.
CrosswalksA society without jaywalkers is a society without artists.
Must askSnap Shatow?  I see it in Detroit Photo Co.’s original caption, so I figure it’s not some sign in a window or on top of a building that Dave has snagged for the title.  (Now I’m ready to be enlightened or admonished.)
[It is a mystery. It might refer to the source of the image -- a photographer named Shatow. - Dave]
I Learned Something (Again)A terminal is a station from which trains do not go further. Trains enter and leave the station in only one direction -- which seems pretty simple once it's pointed out.
But I grew up in Boston, where both North Station and South Station are terminals, regardless of their names. 
A Not-So-Grand CentralThis would be the predecessor of the current Grand Central Station Terminal. It lasted just ten years (1900-10) before being judged obsolete. 
Buggy whips Not an automobile to be seen. 
Grand Central TerminalGrand Central was a terminal, not a station.
[In 1905, it was Grand Central Station. Before that, it was Grand Central Depot. Grand Central Terminal, which replaced the building in our photo, opened in 1913. - Dave]
Handsome hansomsAt the bottom right.  Despite starring in numerous Sherlock Holmes mysteries, these conveyances were not long for the world thanks to motorized taxicabs. For those tempted to spell hansom cab as handsome cab, I wish to point out that the handsome spelling was the original name of the inventor until Mr. Hansom changed it.  He was a well know architect, and many of his creations in that field dot the British landscape including the Birmingham City Hall.
FingerWonder who's whose fingerprint is embedded near the top right corner?
Woman in capeIn front of the main entrance, midway between curb and streetcar, all in black except for the light-colored purse.  She has been catching my eye for the last few days.  In a hundred years, her cape will be traded for a short puffy jacket, she will likely be wearing trousers or leggings and not a long pavement-touching skirt, and her ankles could very well be exposed on this chilly day.  But she will still be dressed in black.
PointsmenNote the two pointsmen on the left controlling the points for the streetcars. I guess they stayed there all day as long as the cars were running.
(The Gallery, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars)

The Long, Long Factory: 1941
... easy to find---the one with a window. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Industry & Public Works, John Vachon) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2021 - 6:44pm -

October 1941. "General Motors Fisher Body Ternstedt Division manufacturing plant. West Trenton, New Jersey." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size.
Let's meet in my office.It's easy to find---the one with a window.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Industry & Public Works, John Vachon)

Bridge of Sighs: 1907
... parking space in a city that didn't know about all of the cars in it's future, but you do get used to it or I wouldn't live here. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 12:56pm -

November 8, 1907. "Bridge of Sighs," connecting the 1902 Tombs prison at left with the 1894 Manhattan Criminal Courts building at right. 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size.
Wow.Looks like some sort of Cecil B. Demille set.
This is a phenomenalThis is a phenomenal photo!
It would look amazing in a simple frame!
NY or Venice, ItalyThought the bridge was located in Venice
[The original Bridge of Sighs crosses the Rio di Palazzo in Venice. This one went over Franklin Street in Lower Manhattan. - Dave]
Parking?Looking at this beautiful photo made me (naturally) think about how life was like atthe time, then I started thinking about what ways things have changed over the decades.  When these buildings were constructed, I doubt there was much thought given to - among other things - parking garages for automobiles; at least not with enough room for an entire buildings' worth.  In a few short years that would become a necessity for city construction, along with the logistics and rules for such a place.
ParkingI can tell you first hand how hard it is to find a parking space in a city that didn't know about all of the cars in it's future, but you do get used to it or I wouldn't live here.
RailsParking's not needed. See them streetcar tracks?
[Also not needed because it's 1902! - Dave]
Bridge of SighsWow.. beautiful building. They don't make those buildings anymore.
(The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC, Streetcars)

Making Tracks: 1928
... to style them as if they had a radiator. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/23/2016 - 10:20pm -

San Francisco, 1928. "Franklin convertible coupe at Land's End, Presidio." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.
Clean as a whistle!How did they get the car to this dusty spot and keep it so clean?
Sharing a moment across timeThe driver and I are both interested it whatever that is on the ground. 
It looks like a strip of movie film, it would have to be 16mm, too small for 35mm and 8mm wouldn't be around for four more years.
[My first thought was a garter snake. -tterrace]
I think you may be right!

Faux RadiatorFranklins all had air-cooled engines.  The earlier ones had unconventional-looking sloping front ends (similar to early Renaults) due to the lack of a radiator.  Later models, like this one, were styled to look like their conventional, water-cooled competitors in order to appeal to the masses and increase sales.  Supposedly, the head engineer at Franklin resigned when the decision was made to style them as if they had a radiator.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)

Navy Yard Newsies: 1903
... the Jay Street Connecting Railroad. It switched freight cars between buildings and the piers. +101 This is the same view from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 9:53am -

Circa 1903. "Sands Street entrance, Brooklyn Navy Yard." With a flock of newsies, and Lewis Hine nowhere in sight. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.
TracksThose trolley tracks can still be seen on Plymouth Street in the neighborhood now called DUMBO. 
The Brooklyn DodgersAnd the newsies would be among those who dodged the trolleys in Brooklyn. 
The Navy Yard TodayThis is now the entrance to a vehicle impound lot run by the NYPD. Sadly, the entrance buildings look just about ready to fall apart any day now.
Sands St. entranceThe entrance structures still stand, albeit with fugly alterations:
View Larger Map
DUMBO Tracks.Those weren't trolley tracks on Plymouth Street. They were from a very short line called the Jay Street Connecting Railroad.  It switched freight cars between buildings and the piers.
+101This is the same view from November of 2004.  A portion of the wall and turret can be seen behind the truck.
+108Updating my previous modern view (+101 below), here is the same view from April of 2011.
Sands Street Gate, October 2013Looks pretty well restored now.  Eagles not present, but may have been repurposed at Clinton Avenue Gate.
(The Gallery, DPC, Kids, NYC)

Temple of Beauty: 1908
... identity those vehicles. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/23/2017 - 11:03pm -

Detroit circa 1908. "Mather Block, Woodward Avenue." Where merchants vying for your trade include Madame Mattlar's Temple of Beauty ("Corns removed, 25¢"); William E. Metzger, dealer in "Motorcycles Bicycles Phonographs"; an outpost of the Singer Sewing Machine Co.; Tuomy Bros. (suits and cloaks) and the eyeball-bedizened offices of L. Kaplan Optician ("I Glassed Detroit"). 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
AG Spalding storeThe most interesting to me is the first store on the left, the AG Spalding Sporting Goods. The Spalding trademark sign which caught my eye, is right there. That logo goes back to 1876 and their baseballs were used by the National League for 100 years. As a kid I can recall getting a signed Spalding ball from Dusty Rhodes, who, during the off season, worked as salesman at the brokerage firm that my dad managed.
Almost new 1908 CadillacThe first car I see is unmistakably a 1908 Cadillac Model S Runabout, the last year for their simple and high quality single cylinder automobile.  This photo has to be at least 1908.   The 1907 Cadillac single cylinder is distinctive enough to tell apart from the 1908.   I have a complete but unrestored 1906 Cadillac runabout.
Still standing (sort of)Looks like parts of that block are still there. Detroit addresses were renumbered in 1921 so these businesses correlate approximately with the addresses on The Mather Block. 
Woodward looking southThis appears to be the first block south of Grand Circus, on the east side of Woodward. In the distance is the original Pontchartrain Hotel. 
AG Spalding!Those merchants vying for your trade also includes an A G Spalding sporting goods store!  Spalding - one of the founders of the National League of Professional Baseball Clubs and of the company that made the some of the gear I (and millions of others) used for years as a young ball player.
LOVE the baseball sign he's got hanging there!
1905? Maybe not.The Hotel Ponchatrain opened October 29, 1907 and since we can see folk in Summer frocks I suggest the earliest this photo could be taken would have been the summer of 1908. I know Shorpy isn't really worried about carbon dating every photo but thought a revised date might help other Shorpyites (shorpyologists?) identity those vehicles.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets)

Mrs. Manors: 1920
... [Doesn't quite match. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/21/2016 - 3:31pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Marmon 34 Limousine." A notation on the negative sleeve identifies this stately structure, seen previously here and here, first as a hospital (struck through) and then as "apartments." Who can help us fill in the blanks? 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.
Warner-LenzHeadlight lens. The above is their spelling.
Van Ness AvenueThis the old Dante Sanatorium at Broadway / Van Ness Avenue.
[Doesn't quite match. -tterrace]
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)

And Away We Go: 1912
... folks and children are left behind. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/16/2017 - 6:01pm -

July 10, 1912. "Karmnes [Karmner? Kaminer?] automobile (Overland touring car). Taken at barn-raising." With an Illinois tag. 5x7 glass negative. View full size.
House of HorrorIt seems Nosferatu is staring out the window.
Perforated plates1912 Illinois tag like the one in the photo.
Enjoy your rideThese young folks are nicely dressed, but once they get out onto the dusty roads, their crisp white shirts and dresses will be crisp and white no more. The older folks and children are left behind.
(The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
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