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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)
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)
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)
Shift Change: 1916
... of the way things used to be there. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Factories) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/20/2017 - 12:39pm -

Detroit (Highland Park) circa 1916. "Four o'clock shift, Ford Motor Company." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Albert KahnIt definitely was built to last. That's why Ford hired Albert Kahn to be the architect. A few years earlier, the Kahn-designed Packard plant opened in Detroit. It was the first industrial site to use reinforced concrete in the US. Kahn designed several auto plants and other industrial buildings in and around Detroit. A signature of his are the cylindrical columns that expand outwardly near the top and are loaded with steel rebar - some 2" in diameter! That's why the Packard plant and the Highland Park Ford Plant are still standing today - for the most part!! So much more room for activitiesA wee bit less congested now Fordism in ActionNote the permanent nature of the building; steel-framed masonry with plenty of architectural detail. Long-lived (although not energy-efficient!) steel window sash. etc. Ford built this structure to last, reflecting confidence in the long-term future of the company. Blue collar laborI was born in and lived my first 22 years in a small totally industrial town in the Naugatuck Valley in Connecticut from 1939 until 1962 but like Detroit, the shift changes in the many mills and factories would cause an overwhelming surge of both foot traffic and auto congestion at every shift change. We also had very loud whistles, that could be heard throughout the town, that blew at 7 a.m., 12 noon (for lunch), 3 p.m., 5 p.m. (for supper) and 9 p.m. (I guess that was our signal to go to bed). Eventually, one after the other, all the factories closed except two or three, and currently the town has been gentrified to be occupied by mostly boutique-like antique stores, tea rooms, specialty shops, craft booths, expensive condos, cafes, etc. more slanted toward touristy, quaint New England type storybook meccas, but we old timers know that it is not a true picture of the way things used to be there. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Factories)
Hay, Grain, Feed & Coal: 1924
... agent in 1918. Car ID Essex. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Stores & Markets) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/13/2017 - 5:48am -

Santa Rosa, California, circa 1924. "Graham Brothers truck at Nelligan & Son." 8x6 inch glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Graham Bros.The hub caps, radiator badge and truck cab all indicate it's a Graham Brothers truck. To be fair, the body (cab) and engine were made by Dodge. The Egg MenGarret Sr., Garret, Jr. and Maurice Nelligan were also egg buyers. Their operation was at the corner of Second and B Streets. Today there is no evidence of the building. Maurice was an Buick agent in 1918. Car IDEssex. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Stores & Markets)
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)
The Hill Building: 1926
... Much smarter than a piece of cardboard. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/21/2017 - 7:39pm -

        Connoisseurs of anodyne architecture will be pleased to learn that this building still stands. Washington, D.C., circa 1926. "Hill Bldg., 17th and Eye Streets N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. "Anodyne architecture"Looks like a high-rise factory to me. Metro StopIn the 70's the Farragut West metro station was established underneath this building servicing the blue and orange lines..( and now silver as well). I use it often to get to my office a block east of there. Winter frontThe pre 1925 Chevrolet sedan (no frame horns) sports a winter front. On cold days the center section could be rolled down and held in place by the two straps at the bottom. The whole affair is lined with wool and the outside is oilcloth. Much smarter than a piece of cardboard. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Brunswick: 1906
... rubble through the doorway. (The Gallery, Boston, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/15/2014 - 1:06pm -

"Hotel Brunswick, Boston." The final installment of today's 1906 trilogy. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The March of TechnologyThis and many other photos on Shorpy bring home the sad realization that a great many awning makers must have gone out of business when air conditioning became common. Not being one myself, nor descended from any, I'll take cool and dehumidified over sheltered from direct sunlight any day. Checkout TimeOnce considered one of the grandest and most modern hotels in the country, the Brunswick was closed in the 1930s but reopened after World War II to provide married student housing for veterans attending Harvard on the GI Bill. It was torn down in the 1950s to make way for an office building -- check out this final concert, with a view of encroaching rubble through the doorway. (The Gallery, Boston, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC)
Sound Your Sparton: 1918
... sooooo---, you really don't need BOTH) (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/12/2015 - 5:30pm -

California in 1918. "Chalmers touring car on dunes." Along with a reminder from the Sparton auto-accessories company to sound your horn -- branding disguised as a safety message. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Sparks-WithingtonSparks-Withington Corp. made its Sparton-brand "Motor Horns" in Jackson, Michigan. More here and here. [In 2009 Sparton Corp. moved its headquarters to Illinois, and its manufacturing to Florida and Vietnam. Two years later, its abandoned plant in Jackson was torched by a teenage arsonist and burned to the ground. - Dave] Choose Your Auto Accessories Wisely!Those sounding a Klaxon are ineluctably doomed to perish in a flaming motor wreck. DownhillThose old mechanical brakes SLOW YOU DOWN until you stop. We have a '24 Model T coupe that my wife refuses to drive because she insists on having a car with BRAKES!!! (The horn works sooooo---, you really don't need BOTH) (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Her First Kissel: 1922
... the gag ... so to speak. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/11/2016 - 12:36pm -

San Francisco circa 1922. "Kissel Tourster at Golden Gate Park." The driver evidently an understudy for Isadora Duncan. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Isadora LiteEvidently one must work up gradually to the full-throttle version. She's a beauty, the car that is, and is presently represented by one surviving example per KisselKar Klub. It’s a 1921 Kissel Model 6-45 Sport Tourster. Kissels were produced in Hartford, Wisconsin and were known for their high quality. The factory building is still with us, having housed the Chrysler outboard motor operation and the Bayliner boat company, among other enterprises. Could that be the understudy’s scarf hanging out the door? [Hence the gag ... so to speak. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
More Skateboard Fun
... I can't quite place it. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Tonypix) ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/19/2011 - 8:35pm -

Here's another picture of my dad skating in 1965 in West Covina, Los Angeles. My dad left a comment about what it was like skateboarding back then on the other picture I posted of him skating here. View full size. A Smoggy Day1965 was more-or-less the heyday of smog in LA. Note the misty background. In those days, inland areas frequently reached 50-60 ppm pollution levels. It hurt to take a deep breath and eyes would sting. Nowadays it's a triple-stage alert (and quite rare) to reach 15 ppm. This is progress and should be appreciated. Azusa AvenueI grew up in West Covina and was wondering about that sign in the background. Was that Azusa Avenue? I can't quite place it. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Tonypix)
Reduced Prices: 1924
... Twn. Brougham 7 $4600 2059 kg (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2016 - 4:42pm -

San Francisco circa 1924. "Don Lee Cadillac agency -- N.E. corner Van Ness & O'Farrell." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Harley EarlDefinitely custom bodied. Harley Earl was the manager of the Don Lee Cadillac Custom Body Shop during this period. They had a good market selling custom bodied Cadillac to the Hollywood elite. Four Door Hardtop Who knew there was Cadillac 4-door hardtop before 1956? Very interesting, I wonder if that was factory or custom bodied. Made in the ShadeThis Cadillac, probably a Type V 63 touring car, has an accessory fixed, but removable, hardtop. They were developed and popularized by Murphy Coachworks in Pasadena, California. They became generically known as "California Tops" regardless of by whom or where they were made 1924 Cadillac Town BroughamMy guess is that this gorgeous vehicle is a Town Brougham model. Usually the Brougham has a half roof leaving the driver in the sun or rain. (Same proportions in the rear as this). This variation seems to have opted for a full roof. There is no such body style as a full roof Brougham in the 1924 Cadillac advertisements. But clearly you could special order one because here it is. [This is a touring car with what was generally known as a "California top," an aftermarket or dealer-installed accessory that was a cheaper alternative to a closed car. - Dave] Very expensive (for the time)Below is a list of the 1924 Cadillac prices. Notice that the Touring car was the lowest priced (adding the roof probably added a few hundred). Today we could probably buy that with pocket change. Style No. Body Type Seating Price Weight NA 4-dr Touring 7 $3085 1945 kg NA 4-dr. Phaeton 4 $3085 1909 kg NA 2-dr. Roadster 2/4 $3085 1905 kg 5490 2-dr. Victoria 4 $3275 1991 kg 5380 2-dr. Coupe 2 $3875 1941 kg 5280 2-dr. Coupe 5 $3950 1986 kg 5270 4-dr. Sedan 5 $4150 2036 kg 5290 4-dr. Landau Sedan 5 $4150 2036 kg 5460 4-dr. Imperial Sedan 5 $4400 2091 kg 5260 4-dr. Suburban 7 $4250 2073 kg 5310 4-dr. Imp. Suburban 7 $4500 2109 kg 5470 4-dr. Sedan 7 $3585 2095 kg 5300 4-dr. Limousine 7 $4600 2109 kg 5370 4-dr. Twn. Brougham 7 $4600 2059 kg (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Pantry Pride: 1941
... as the trusty Shorpy commenters do with trains and cars. That brings back memories We had a walk-in pantry in our basement ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/22/2019 - 8:19pm -

November 1941. "Mrs. Buck Grant, Farm Security Administration client, with her canned goods. Near Woodville, Georgia." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. Canning vs drySome folks might say that canning the beans helps retain more of the freshness, flavor and nutrients. And the canned beans are indeed more convenient since the beans are basically cooked in the canning process. Dry butter beans would be available in the fall, some to be used for cooking, and some as seeds for next year's planting. Nowadays, I store them fresh frozen from the garden! The Bare NecessitiesLooks like Mrs. Grant is well prepared for the winter and should be proud of her "stash" of canned fruits, veggies, and pickles. At that time, living in the country with little other way to preserve the harvest, canning was more of a necessity than a hobby. That cupboard of jars represents a lot of hot, hard work. Those were the daysWhen prepping was a necessity and a way of life, not an urbanite affectation. Justifiably proud!So many big jars! I'd smile like that, too, seeing the volume and variety of things she's canned, or, as we used to say, "put up". I spent summers in the late '60s with my grandparents in East Texas, and I would help my grandmother can vegetables in her kitchen, and sit in her backyard to string green beans and shell peas and butter beans from her large garden. Things that needed to stay frozen, like corn, were carried to the local locker plant, that was owned by our cousins. A winning smileShe seems to be suppressing a very cute and winning smile. Wow ... think about all the work that went into the bounty in that cupboard! Impressive inventoryThe investment in jars and lids looks substantial, but it should pay off by providing sustenance for this family through the winter. CannyI must say how much I am adoring these canning photos. The people who did the work are justifiably proud. Some of the jars are both fascinating and beautiful, such as the pickles on the left, second from the bottom. I wish someone would do the ID on all the contents, as the trusty Shorpy commenters do with trains and cars. That brings back memoriesWe had a walk-in pantry in our basement filled with shelves of canned vegetables and fruit in canning jars from our garden. My mother worked non-stop from summer to fall making sure that had enough food for winter and spring. ImpressiveA nice supply of goodies. And such large jars. I made thisIf I can read the lady's face, the expression seems to show her pleasure from having worked hard to produce a thing of value. Top ShelfI'm gonna go with okra on the top shelf. Best guess below that is turnips (purple top white globes). Middle shelf on the left might be plain cabbage, with butter beans (Henderson's?) on the right. Fourth shelf down pickles, of course, with beets(?) on the right near her hand. Bottom shelf looks like more turnips. And that is how you survived the Great Depression. What canned goods are missing and probably in another pantry? (Definitely string beans! Probably some collards or mustard greens.) 14 mouths to feedAccording to census records, in 1910 Mr. and Mrs. Grant had been married a year and had no children. The 1940 Census shows they were parents to eight girls and four boys. A Thing of BeautyI would be proud too! I have a question for the experienced canners : why can butter beans? It seems like the dried version would last just as long or longer? (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kitchens etc., Rural America)
Fantasy Island: 1960
... it. I say nothing about how they affected our roof and cars. The birds were aggressive and would sometimes grab food off our patio ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 10/22/2011 - 2:32pm -

The Los Angeles County Arboretum in Arcadia, California. I'm looking at a duck while my mother and almost-visible father stand by. Formerly the realm of early Los Angeles land developer E. J. "Lucky" Baldwin, the jungle-like grounds have been used in hundreds of films and TV shows, from such illustrious entries as many Tarzans, The Lady Eve, Notorious, Road to Singapore, Passage to Marseilles, The Yearling, Marathon Man, Roots and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the not-so-illustrious Attack of the Giant Leeches and Zombies of Mora Tau. The Queen Anne Cottage across the water was the Fantasy Island house in the opening of the TV series. Just last week we watched a 1962 Perry Mason episode filmed on the grounds. This Ektachrome was taken by my brother on our first trip to the Southland, mainly to visit my sister's family and my four-month-old nephew. It was also my first visit to Disneyland, upon which my brother expended one whole photo, incidentally capturing my elbow in the process. For some inexplicable reason (though possibly economic: Well, your brother will be taking pictures.), I didn't take my own camera along. View full size. WI think this was where they all had to find the big W where the treasure was buried in "It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World." I doubt if you could ever get every known talent in Hollywood for the past 30 years to all work on a single movie ever again, like that one. [Reliable sources say this is not where the W was. - Dave] "De Plane, boss"I grew up just several miles from here. The Arboretum is a real treasure of the San Gabriel Valley. I can remember many visits, especially the Tarzan locations in the bamboo forest, and of course the Baldwin House. As I recall, there are rooms one can look at from glassed-in exteriors. It was fascinating to me at a young age, and still is. The place is a treasure trove of flora and fauna. As you stroll the grounds, you get the impression you are not in one of the most densely populated areas in California. My last visit here was to take my parents, both in their mid 70s then. It was a great outing. Thanks TT, keep 'em coming. ArboretumI grew up in Arcadia. I attended summer classes at the arboretum for several years in my early teens. we learned about plants and cactus and how to care for them. We created many planters. A couple hours ago I watered some of the cactus plants from the early seventies in my backyard. I still live close by and my wife and I are members. We go there on many weekends so that I can photograph peacocks and hummingbirds. You could take the same picture in your post today and not be able to tell the difference between 1960 and 2011, except the benches are no longer on the lawn. I was born in September 1960, so I missed you by a few years. The Arboretum holds many fond memories for me. Doug Santo Pasadena, CA OwcadiaMy grandmother lived in Arcadia. I visited the Arboretum in the '70s. I got bit by a peacock there. Very traumatizing. re: OwcadiaWalter, apparently the peacock I encountered there on this same visit had a more pacific nature: Very nice picIn a nice way I wanted to look for Toto and her red slippers. Those darts! Those pleats!Your mother presented a splendid figure. Such beautiful posture. That dress is perfectly, perfectly neat and tailored to a fare-thee-well. And that in the days when those pleats had to be ironed. 20-pound pigeonsI was a teenager near there (hard by Santa Anita racetrack, also) and I recall having to skim peacock droppings out of the pool every time we wanted to use it. I say nothing about how they affected our roof and cars. The birds were aggressive and would sometimes grab food off our patio table. [W]hereThe Mad World giant "W" was actually on a private estate in Rancho Palos Verdes, miles away on the coast. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Bootleg Booze: 1922
... courts. War on Booze Booze won. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2014 - 1:32pm -

Washington, D.C. "Confiscated still -- 10/6/22." Our second look in as many days at Prohibition-era contraband. 4x5 inch glass negative. View full size. Double your pleasureBusiness must have been booming. That looks like two stills and some associated spare parts. Looks pretty usable still.This is nothing like the stills we saw on the "Untouchables" This looks like it could be reassembled to produce more evidence for the courts. War on BoozeBooze won. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
James Lee: 1900
... as modern big city dwellers frequently don't own their own cars but rent one when really needed. As far back as October 9, 1910, the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 11:49am -

On the Mississippi circa 1900. "The levee at Memphis. Sidewheeler James Lee." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Miles Per OatI wonder, in terms of 1900 income versus 2011 income, how much it cost to feed and care for a horse? Is our gas cheaper, compared to what we typically earn, or were those "eats like a horse" creatures less expensive? For sure, there was not a choice of compact models that ate less, though that white one in the middle of the social circle, seems to have been fed less than his peers. [The benchmark measurement, going back to the days of the Spanish Armada, was Mules Per Galleon. - Dave] RO/ROSeems like James Lee is equipped for Roll on/ Roll off operation. Both similarites and differences compared to modern times are notable. Just like today, the "intermodal" tractors deliver their trailers to the dock, where the trailers only are rolled onto the ship. Note the carts ranged along the starboard side forward on the main deck. The "Tractors" (in this case they seem to be mules) stay on shore. We don't get to see the loading, which must have been interesting to say the least. An engineering peculiarity of the ship is the side paddle wheels far aft. Is it to make room for vehicle access on the main deck, or is it to take advantage of the higher value of the wake fraction (a source of hydrodynamic efficiency) to be expected where the boundary layer is thickest? Or is there a fancier explanation (shape of the wake at cruising speed, say?) It's anyone's guess because those who knew for sure are definitely dead now. Steamer James Lee Commercial and Statistical Review of the City of Memphis, Tenn., 1883. Lee Line Steamers When the Lee Line of steamers was first started from Friars Point to Memphis, in 1867, by Capt. Jas. Lee, Sr., it was predicted by many that the enterprise would prove a failure. That such a prediction was at fault, is evidenced by the fact that to-day the trade brought to the city is of far more value and has done more to promote the general welfare and prosperity of the community than that of any other steamboat line that enters this port. … The first boat entered in this trade was the Natoma; since then the line has bought and chartered many boats, until in 1879 they built the famous steamer James Lee. They now own and run, three boats, named as follows: The James Lee, Coahoma and Dean Adams. These boats are all very fast and are kept in good order, and the very best of repair. … Over $200,000 per annum is expended by this line for fuel, wages, repairs and supplies. We give below, the following description of the boats now owned and run by the line: The steamer James Lee is 241 feet long, 35 feet beam and 32 feet floor, depth of hold 7 ½ feet. She has two cylinders 22 inches in diameter, with a 7 foot stroke; 4 steel boilers, 28 feet long and 44 inches in diameter. She is particularly noted for her speed, has very large and elegant staterooms and is a superior packet in every particular. … Update: There were two James Lee steamboats operated by the Lee Line. The first, described above, operated 1879-1894 while the second, pictured in the original Shorpy post, was launched in 1898. She was crushed by ice floes on the Mississippi River at Memphis in January 1918. Hay is for HorsesOwning a horse was an expensive proposition. Not only did you have to feed the thing copious amounts of oats and hay, you had to pay for shoeing, vet costs, stable fees, etc. Most city folks didn't own their own horses but rather went to local livery stables to hire a horse and buggy/wagon when they needed one, much as modern big city dwellers frequently don't own their own cars but rent one when really needed. As far back as October 9, 1910, the New York Times ran an article titled "Auto Vs. Horse" comparing the costs of a horse and buggy to those associated with an automobile (a Maxwell Model Q to be specific). The results: it cost 1.5 cents per passenger mile for the auto versus 1.8 cents for the horse and buggy. The auto was 15 percent cheaper. Jordan Is a Hard Road to TravelI've often thought about how interesting it would be for all of our current modes of transportation to be replaced instantaneously with the transports of 100 or more years ago. I have to laugh when I think of the I-465 loop in Indianapolis loaded with a ton of horses and buggies hurrying to workplaces in the morning. The idea sounds like a lot of fun to me, though I do think that it would cost a lot more to feed a horse than it did 100 years ago. Think of all the farm ground formerly used to grow feed for horses that is now suburban housing developments. I'm scared to think what it costs to keep a horse fed these days with all our agricultural cutbacks across the country. Here's a stanza, though, from a late '20s song "Jordan Is a Hard Road to Travel," by Grand Ole Opry pioneer Uncle Dave Macon. Uncle Dave was a mule train driver before he become a country music star and always swore by mule and horse-pulled transportation: "I don't know, but I b'lieve I'm right, The auto's ruined the country; Let's go back to the horse and buggy, And try to save some money." Miraculous curvesVery graceful. Looks like there wasn't a straight piece of lumber in any of the horizontal sections of these boats, in spite of their design for use on flat water. Compared to them, the industrial-looking tows of today look like boxcars. Same day as this picturehttps://www.shorpy.com/node/10574?size=_original The James Lee is in the left background. Also the bridge can be seen in both pictures. InflammableThis is a conflagration just waiting to happen, and it did with horrifying frequency on river boats such as these. The boats themselves are almost completely made of wood, and are driven by spark-spewing coal-fired steam engines - adding bales of hay, cotton, wooden crates, carts, and the inevitable careless smoking patrons only adds to the danger. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Memphis)
Hines Pines: 1942
... see a REAL load of logs? (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/27/2018 - 11:23am -

July 1942. "Truckload of ponderosa pine, Edward Hines Lumber Co. operations in Malheur National Forest, Grant County, Oregon." Medium-format Kodachrome by Russell Lee for the Office of War Information. View full size. Loose LoadI hope he is stopping to put the wrappers on this load otherwise he will be picking up logs all the way down the mountain. Kind of ironic I had to "log in" to leave a comment. Pre-CuredThis was flooring a month later. Pines grow relatively fast, so this is still common. But we are in 2018 and still seeing these trucks roll by, but full of ancient Redwoods. I live on the East Coast, but when traveling in the Upper Northwest this is disheartening to see. Pfffft. Big deal.You want to see a REAL load of logs? (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee)
Central Market: 1942
... entire scene is today. Pedestrians now rule the road as cars are banned. In 1945, all of the 19 people are slender, as are the 6 people ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/07/2009 - 10:23pm -

November 1942. "Central Market in Lancaster, Pennsylvania." 4x5 nitrate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. A movie setis what comes to mind. Something artificial about this scene. Is it still there? Yep.http://www.centralmarketcampaign.org/ Looks EuropeanI think that may be because the streets look so clean. And they're oddly angled. Looks more like a European street scene. You're right. It does look like a set. Striking. For once, a lack of changeThe view is remarkably similar today. [They covered over all that gray paint. I like it! - Dave] 19 and 6Interesting how similar the entire scene is today. Pedestrians now rule the road as cars are banned. In 1945, all of the 19 people are slender, as are the 6 people in the new view. Travel timeOur great interstate highway system really reduced travel time in the Eastern states. In 1939 it was a two day trip from Detroit to Philadelphia because of driving through, not around, cities like Lancaster. Same trip today takes half the time. Finally!Wow, the first one I've seen of downtown Lancaster (small as that may be) on Shorpy! It's still a thriving little area, and Central Market is still a great place to get lunch on Tuesday and Saturday. I used to work in an office down the alley where the red truck is in the new picture. Our office had very dark tinted windows, so during the day the windows were closer to a mirror to people outside (and vice versa at night inside). A favorite past time was to laugh at all the people picking their teeth or adjusting their bras in front of the window, not knowing there were three or four people right in front of them watching. Ahhh, I miss Lancaster! Love the Central MarketI live in Lancaster and try to make it to this market as often as possible. The streets around this market are still the original stone or brick. The scenery has not changed much at all besides the new convention center they are just about to complete. Other then that, this area is a blast from the past. YepWow, it does look remarkably similar to what it looks like now. Except for the streets being changed to pedestrian walkways, I would think that picture was just shot in black and white yesterday. I go there every Saturday -- fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and milk can always be had. Its a very cool place to visit. Market BasketsI live near Lancaster, and so know that the community is mostly "upright Christian" -- the Pennsylvania Dutch values of keeping things neat as a pin are in evidence here. Mostly I was surprised by how many women had market baskets. I didn't realize that they were still so common in 1940's, but then this is Lancaster, so maybe the baskets were part of the plain approach. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, Stores & Markets)
Dad's 1939 Pontiac
... old days. Maybe people didn't need seat belts because the cars were made of steel, not the aluminum foil of today's models. ... crashworthy. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by Frisco1522 - 09/20/2011 - 9:21pm -

This is the car I literally grew up in, having been born in 1940. Dad and Mom kept this car until about 1949 and traded it for a '48 DeSoto. For me it was like losing one of the family. This is in front of our house in Maplewood, Missouri, about 1946. 616 Negative. View full size. I Love This CarIt's looks to be quite roomy, front and especially the back. There would have been lot of space for you play, sans seat belts, in those good old days. Maybe people didn't need seat belts because the cars were made of steel, not the aluminum foil of today's models. [Today's car's are quite a bit sturdier, not to mention crashworthy. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Daytona Beach: 1910
... France Sr. on the bike looking for a place to race stock cars. The Ridgewood Based on the closeness of the homes, shadows, and a ... 
 
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)
A Tale of Two Chevys: 1940
... this picture in 2005. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/21/2017 - 5:21pm -

March 1940. "Cooperative gas station at Shafter migrant camp. Shafter, California." Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A Clean Plate1940 was one of the last years that California issued a new set of plates, front and back, good for only one year. Tabs started to become the norm starting in 1942. Safe to say the Chevy on the right was either "driving dirty" or more likely a transient vehicle from another state, one that did not require a front plate. Classic LightingThe streetlights here feature the "radial wave" shade, and likely have a 200 or 300 watt clear incandescent bulb. These were often maintained into the 1970s, when they were replaced with modern fixtures. Some cities have returned to original designs in street lighting for historic areas, with various light sources. The updated radial wave streetlight can be seen again in a number of cities. Chèvre au laitThe Chevy on the right is from either 1929 or 1930, just like this carcass found at the Mariscal mercury mining complex, at Big Bend National Park. I took this picture in 2005. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations)
Grand Entrance: 1952
... was really a novel concept back then! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/05/2016 - 9:57pm -

San Francisco, 1952. "Fairmont and Mark Hopkins hotels." You'll come for the balustrade but stay for the porte-cochere. 8x10 inch negative. View full size. Those behemoth vehiclesmust be some of the worst designs in American automotive history. General observationThe lady is hiding the silver streaks on the 1948 Pontiac station wagon with "Silver-8-Streak" on the side of its hood. I see several Chevys, a black 1950 Buick in the Series 41 Special trim and a couple of Cadillacs to round out Alfred P. Sloan's "car for every purse and purpose." The only one missing is Oldsmobile. GM really did command nearly half of the market in those years. My honeymoon hotelThe Mark - where I spent my first night of my honeymoon only 2 years after this was taken. We had that suite seen near the top front that has an outside glassed wall garden. I think it was $75 or $100 a night which back then was an extraordinary amount of $ to spend on a hotel room! We stayed there 1 more time later and they had put in grass on the outside garden and put in a safety glass walled heated conservatory room just before the outside garden part - we had dinner on that our first night there looking out over the Bay. The room had phones all over, even one in the bathroom which was really a novel concept back then! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco)
What a Dumper: 1918
... the roller. The good old days ... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2016 - 3:06pm -

San Francisco circa 1918. "Peerless truck." With a dump body by Modern Vehicle Company of San Francisco. 5x7 glass negative by Chris Helin. View full size. What a tailgateAn arrangement of lever, pulleys and wire rope appears designed to automatically lift the gate as the bed tilts Re: TailgateI'm not so sure. I think that the rig is to unlock the tailgate when dumping a load. When the bed is raised, the unlocked gate would open automatically because of gravity (and closed similarly when the bed came back down). I've seen these on many modern-day dump trucks. Unsafe hoist design still used 35 years laterIn 1952 my father purchased a new IHC L160 with a dealer-installed GarWood cam-and-roller hoist. That design, like this 1918 one, could, and occasionally did, allow the contents of the box to slide toward the back of the truck, which caused the box to flip up as far as the safety chain allowed, which was enough to spill grain over the back side of the box. Messy and scary! Later versions of that make of hoist had a revised design which prevented the hoist from lifting the cam off the roller. The good old days ... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Follies of the Day: 1925
... was the 17th season for the Follies. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 10:42am -

From 1925, another Ford at work (for a billboard company that advertises Fords) on the streets of greater Washington. View full size. National Photo Company. Barney Gerard's Follies of the DayThe archive of the May 9, 1909 New York Times has a rather rave review of the new burlesque "Follies of the Day" which was showing at Lincoln Square, and which "has played all over the country this season with success." They note a featured dancer named Gertrude Hayes "and her Eight Dancing Bricktops". "The play is devoted chiefly to burlesquing the different notabilities of the day, such as Taft, Bryan, Roosevelt, Jeffries, and Johnson." In the November 9, 1913 New York Times there is an ad for Barney Girard's 1914 "Follies of the Day", where it played at Miner's Bronx Theatre, and still starred Gertrude Hayes. The notice in 1913 is much briefer than the one of 1909. Apparently Gerard updated the show yearly and renewed the copyright on his Follies until at least 1924, when the 16th version was produced. Since this is 1925, I'd assume this was the 17th season for the Follies. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Old Store: 1937
... to visit as well as a soda or two. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, HABS, Stores & Markets) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/09/2014 - 4:04pm -

March 25, 1937. "Close-up of front elevation -- old William Henderson store (Miller's Ferry Post Office), State Road 28, Canton Bend near Camden, Wilcox County, Alabama. Built 1858." The perfect place to start your trip. Photo by Alex Bush for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. Nice stone stepsWait ! There must have been an old flour mill around here. Visitedmany of these old stores in South Carolina. Pot belly stove in the middle of the room surrounded by wooden slat chairs. They sold everything from mule harnesses to barrel pickles. I got directions to the homes I needed to visit as well as a soda or two. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, HABS, Stores & Markets)
Allyn House: 1908
... later? A good question for a Surveyor. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/06/2012 - 5:55am -

Circa 1908. "Allyn House, Hartford, Conn." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Allyn HouseAccording to the Connecticut Historical Society, the Allyn house was the finest hotel in Hartford when constructed in 1857. It was designed by Octavius J. Jordan and was located near the railroad station. It was demolished in 1960. Someone is slacking offI see the street sweepers broom, but no sign of the street sweeper. Think he snuck into the drug store for a cream soda? He better get finished- there is work for him out on the street. And it may be a coincidence, but the broom is right near the storm drain- they didn't just sweep the 'debris' into the storm drain did they? Interesting DetailThe building, to the right with the rug shop, seems to overlap the front wall of the hotel proper. I wonder if that structure was part of the hotel. Probably not as the floors don't seem to line up correctly. Curious. Or built later? A good question for a Surveyor. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC)
Devil's Dozen: 1961
... question. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by Nanoraptor - 09/18/2011 - 10:20pm -

My father is the middle-most biker with the somewhat ill-fitting sunglasses, and the photo was taken in 1961 in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Dad was seventeen at the time and had run away from home. He joined a traveling carnival, ended up working in a circus, then took up with a group of bikers. I think these were the Devil's Dozen. From memory, that leather jacket was stolen and it was the police that discovered this who sent him back on his way home to Bathurst, NSW. View full size. Just amazingI love this photo. Could this be the tryouts for the cast of "Australian Graffiti"? Grease is the wordDid your dad continue to live an adventurous life, or did he settle down? [One three-letter word here makes this what I call a self-answering question. - Dave] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Banks of Richmond: 1912
... coming back to a car with a flat tire. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Horses, Richmond) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/06/2017 - 10:22am -

Richmond, Virginia, circa 1912. "Main Street west from Twelfth." A rank of banks. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. +99Below is the same view from April of 2011. Ooops!Lower left-hand corner. Someone is coming back to a car with a flat tire. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, Horses, Richmond)
The Rubber Room: 1930
... anyone to buy new tires instead. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/14/2015 - 5:33pm -

San Francisco in 1930. "Goodyear tire retreading." Equipment by Western Dri-Kure. Third photo in this series. 8x10 nitrate negative. View full size. Time's upThe amount of time the cores stay in the mold must be critical. Each device on the right wall has a card noting either start or end times. The alarm clock attached to the shelf must be the official time. Rubber SmellI put myself through Penn State selling tires at Sears and often visited the subterranean tire warehouse. It had a pervasive and distinctive odor. 25 years after that building became a restaurant, I again was in that room...and could still smell the tires. Laws, sausages, retreadsOne look at those carcasses he's using should convince anyone to buy new tires instead. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco)
Stakes and a Grille: 1940
... I wonder how they paid tolls? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2018 - 12:17pm -

San Francisco, 1940. "International stake bed truck." Ready to roll up its sleeves and get to work. 8x10 inch acetate negative. View full size. Enhance!Unusually good opportunity to see the photographer (woman?) in action. A survivorDunham, Carrigan & Hayden was listed at being at 8th and Townsend, but this shot appears to have been taken on Vermont St. The building dates from 1915 and now is part of the San Francisco Design Center complex. Buildings on the left are gone, the space now occupied by an elevated freeway carrying U.S. 101. "Stuck in the middle again!"On occasion one can still see trucks of this type, typically built to carry various pieces of steel or pipes, loaded on either side of the doors, as they could be as long as the truck. Drivers had to access the cab through the windows or a roof opening, as the doors would be blocked. I wonder how they paid tolls? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
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