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Golden Rocket: 1957
Columbus, Georgia. "Oldsmobile dealer." The Golden Rocket 88 Holiday Sedan for ... is the northeast corner of 13th street and 5th Avenue in Columbus. The construction of the 13th street bridge took its toll on this ... 5th Ave., TEL 3-7313, according to Polk's City Guide for Columbus (Muscogee County) Georgia and Phenix City (Russell County) Alabama. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/10/2015 - 10:40am -

Columbus, Georgia. "Oldsmobile dealer." The Golden Rocket 88 Holiday Sedan for 1957. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. Shoe optionTwo-tone to match the paint? Yes please! Roof lightingYou might think there's a used car lot up there, but it's actually the spaceport. Fast CarMy parents had a 1957 Olds Super 88. My cousin and I were riding in the back seat with my dad driving. We looked up to see what my dad was up to and saw that we were going over 110 mph. As I remember, I think that slowed him down. I don't believe Missouri had a fixed speed limit in 1957. The good old days. All bricked up...when they built the viaduct over the rail yard, I would guess. Close inspection of the building through the vegetation on the right matched the 1957 photo. Last used as a Mitsubishi dealer. "8" SpeechA phonetic "phooey": A Deal You Can't RefuseC'mon down, folks. If you buy this little number today, I'll include this futuristic space-age antenna. Rusting ALREADY?Is it my imagination or is there already rust on the back door? I see a spot with streaks below it just ahead of the rear wheel! [Pontiac had its Silver Streak; Olds had the Brown Streak. - Dave] 13th and 5thThis is the northeast corner of 13th street and 5th Avenue in Columbus. The construction of the 13th street bridge took its toll on this deco building. I believe it became Rustin Oldsmobile around 1962. The upper level was for extra parking (still is) and for showing new models as well. I remember driving by there for years and seeing shiny new cars perched on the edge of the abyss. [Who can tell us the name of the dealership in 1957? - Dave] Rucker OldsmobileIn 1956, it was Rucker Oldsmobile Inc., 1300 5th Ave., TEL 3-7313, according to Polk's City Guide for Columbus (Muscogee County) Georgia and Phenix City (Russell County) Alabama. With apologies to the Rustin family, the 1962 name change to Rustin Oldsmobile was an unexpected gift for local punsters and other comedians. Consumer ReportsConsumer Reports bought a 1957 base-model Golden Rocket 88 in 1957 and remarked that with the exception of the Chrysler 300, it was the most powerful car they had ever tested--not surprising when you consider how recently these brands had been virtual puddle jumpers. In prior years, both the Super 88 and 98 had the same higher compression engine with a four-barrel carburetor with a lower compression two-barrel in the base 88. However, in '57 in an attempt to gain back some of the performance lost to the very powerful Pontiac and Chrysler 300, all Oldsmobile series were equipped with the same 371 cubic inch four-barrel setup but with different axle ratios--3.07 for the base model, 3.23 for the Super 88 and 3.42 for the 98. The only engine option was the three two-barrel J-2 setup available for about $75 in any model. BumperThe front bumper makes it look like it had collagen injections for the "bee-stung" look. Hardtop StylingBack when there was enough steel in a four-door car to toss out the B-pillar and roll down those windows for some real open air driving. Sigh. I had a 1965 Imperial LeBaron a few years ago that had no B-pillar. That small, missing detail really made rolling down the windows a liberating event. [There's generally more steel in cars now. The four-door hardtop, introduced by GM in 1955, took quite a bit of engineering. The roofs, however, tended to collapse in rollovers. - Dave] ObscureThanks, Dave, it has taken me two days to find that pesky "phonetic phooey"! That's the fun of Shorpy, finding noted details. I can rest easy tonight! 98 RocketHad a girl friend in high school whose mom had 1957 98 four door sedan with the J2 option. When asked why, she replied, "Because it's fast!" (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Service in a Flash: 1952
Columbus, Ga., circa 1952. "Radio Cab Co." A fleet of two-door taxis -- Ford ... trainee, I never had the privilege of actually seeing Columbus! A Big Investment Base price of a 1952 Ford Tudor = $1629 ... dealership was Hardaway Motor Company at 1541 1st Avenue, Columbus, Georgia. In 1939 Strickland-Rogers Motor Company had a Ford, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/30/2015 - 12:17pm -

Columbus, Ga., circa 1952. "Radio Cab Co." A fleet of two-door taxis -- Ford Mainline Tudor Sedans. 4x5 negative from the News Archive. View full size. Don't be like this guyNotice how the cab with the bent bumper is parked all by itself. Are there some other shots of this scene? I'm trying to figure out the name of the Ford dealer behind the cars - there's a Ford V8 emblem on the side of the building, and it looks like at least one on the front, and probably two, flanking the entrance. Which season?Are there two different seasons on opposite sides of the street? On the left the trees are bare, but on the right the leaves are all out. [It's spring. When trees can come into leaf weeks apart, depending on the species. - Dave] This must be a southern phenomenon with which this northern boy is unfamiliar. Up in Canada, trees come into leaf pretty much simultaneously, with a light green fuzz appearing overall, followed by full leaf. The autumn situation is more like this photo, where one tree can be bare of leaves while another is still full, albeit in glorious fall color. [If it were early enough in autumn for the tree on the right to still be in leaf, there would be leaves all over the ground, and a few still in the big tree. - Dave] Oh, I agree this is not fall. It's just a spring I'm not familiar with. The further south I go in life, the more disoriented I become. 1st Ave and 16th StreetThis is looking north toward the Southern Railroad (now Norfolk Southern) bridge, which then proceeds across the Chattahoochee River. This remained a car dealership until the late '90s, when everything for several blocks along 1st and 2nd Avenue was demolished to make way for a corporate campus. Today the day-care facility for the company sits on this site. Aerials?Being "Radio" dispatched, wouldn't these taxis all have aerials? Radios!I'd like to see a picture of the two-way radios used back then. Before solid state, and VHF they must have been low-band and would require fairly long aerials. Why?A two-door taxi fleet would certainly keep the back-seat fares from leaping out and running away without paying, but otherwise the logic escapes me. [Tudors cheaper than Fordors. - Dave] Well, that. But it must have cost them dearly in the less-than-lithe rider market. Must have cost a fortune.I counted 22 cars in that photo. All 1952 Fords equipped with two way radios. Add in the cost of a base station, dispatchers, etc. Even in 1954 dollars, the cost must have been astronomical. [Those are 1952 Fords. - Dave] Regarding the radios High-band VHF was available in 1952. Taxicabs were typically around 152-Mhz. A quarter-wave antenna for that frequency is thin and short, about 16 inches long and usually mounted in center of roof for best radiation pattern. The transceivers, being all-tube, were the size of a small suitcase and were located in the trunk with only the control console with mike and speaker on the dashboard inside. Hi-bandWould be the right era, if new, for Motorola "Research" line radios. http://www.wb6nvh.com/Moto42/Moto42.htm Also, just a thought, perhaps this photo is a delivery shot from a nearby dealer/paint shop where the radios and antennas haven't been installed yet. Lots of businessWith a massive army base next door (Fort Benning with the Infantry School and paratrooper training) I'm sure they had a lot of business, especially on weekends. I took basic training at Fort Benning at the height of the Vietnam War, in old WWII wood barracks at Sand Hill that had been taken out of mothballs. Being a basic trainee, I never had the privilege of actually seeing Columbus! A Big InvestmentBase price of a 1952 Ford Tudor = $1629 Times 22 cars = $35,838 Adjusted for inflation = $321,791.43 in today's prices. Even in the 60`sAs Zoreo commented the radios of the time were pretty cumbersome. I invested in a cabbing company in the 60`s in the UK (using Fords too!). Our PYE brand radio equipment had its box of tricks in the boot (or trunk if you prefer). In built up areas the range was limited, barely adequate, but was very useful. Next stop, the radio shopInstallation of the 2-way radios would be a job of an FCC 2nd Class or 1st Class Radiotelephone license holder not the factory or dealer. Re: Bent BumperThat vehicle just came in from Oakland, Calif. Radio in the trunkIn the first summer I ever worked as a cab driver (1977, age 19), I was hit from behind by a new driver (he looked 14, but had to have been at least 16), and he crumpled my rear end. I wasn't as freaked as he was (he literally could not speak, and so I gave his version of the story to the cop, who wrote it down!), but I was fairly frantic in repeatedly calling in the accident on the cab radio, frustrated by the lack of response from dispatch, until I realized the radio was disabled by the wrecked rear end. Radio DazeEch. As a former Second Class Commercial Radiotelephone (now General Class) licensee, I've done many installs of remote-controlled, trunk-mounted radios. Not much fun, they could take two to four hours to complete and could be dirty work. The worst were dynamotor-powered hundred-watt units. Thank heaven solid-state radios soon replaced the tube-type boat anchors! DealerThe dealership was Hardaway Motor Company at 1541 1st Avenue, Columbus, Georgia. In 1939 Strickland-Rogers Motor Company had a Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln-Zephyr dealership. Within a year the Ford dealership was split off and Hardaway Motor Company came into existence as 1216 - 1222 1st Avenue. This was previously Strickland's main location. Strickland continued at 1227 1st Avenue which was previously Strickland's used car lot. Hardaway was Benjamin H. Hardaway, Jr. who also owned Hardaway Construction Company. By 1941 he had relocated Hardaway Motors to the 1541 1st Avenue location. By 1960 the president had beome Hardaway's son, Benjamin H. Hardaway III. The business continued at least into 1966. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Future Marines: 1951
Columbus, Georgia, 1951. "Future Marines of America -- Juniors." Signatories of ... Not that we even need many of those these days. (Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2022 - 12:04pm -

Columbus, Georgia, 1951. "Future Marines of America -- Juniors." Signatories of the FMA pledge ("We further, in the interest of worldly peace and humanity, do agree at all times to conduct ourselves in a military manner") include Tommy Tucker, Jerry Tucker, Lasseter Jones and Allen Leroy Osborne. 4x5 acetate negative from the News Photo Archive. View full size. USMC Uniform InsigniaRegarding Lost World's comment above, the USMC tie bar was introduced as part of the 1957 revamping of USMC uniforms and insignia, which were still pretty much WW2-style until the change. Another change was the addition of crossed rifles to NCO chevrons. Both are still in service to this day. Next to the inkwellis what appears to be a bowl of sand. For sprinkling on documents still wet from the dip pen? [About a hundred years too late for that, but perhaps a moistening pad for stamps and envelopes? -tterrace] Uniform of the DayAt first I was going to say Dress Blue C--blue trousers with blood stripe, long sleeve khaki shirt with tie, and the white barracks cover visible in the background--a uniform worn mostly by recruiters. But the lack of ribbons and shooting badges on the shirt has me thinking this is a khaki service A uniform minus the green or khaki jacket (khaki jackets were long gone by my time). And perhaps the barracks cover in the background is khaki and not white. I also find it odd he's not wearing a tie clasp, but perhaps those came later. No butts about itYes boys, you'll get free cigarettes in every box of C-Rations. Moist PadYes I'd say the little circular bowl was a moistening pad (sponge with added water) This was mighty useful in preventing horrid tasting (and probably very unhealthy) glue from stamps and envelopes getting on your tongue. I've still got one, but don't need it any more as stamps and envelopes are self sticking. Not that we even need many of those these days. (Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
The Three Amigos: 1948
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1948. "Philip Schley" and "Musketeers" is all it says ... was the name of the local Fort Benning basketball team and Columbus also had The Musketeer Club, a prominent social club. Philip’s ... In December of 1941, a large advertisement in the Columbus newspaper sought recruits for "The Three Musketeers" of the Army Air ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2017 - 9:56pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1948. "Philip Schley" and "Musketeers" is all it says here. Hide your women and lock up the silver! 4x5 acetate negative. View full size. About 10 years laterPhilip would become a doctor and have a son, Philip Thomas Schley Jr., who died in 2010. Apparently he outlived his son: http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Philip... That's Doctor Schley to youDoctor, Eagle Scout, Urologist, Member of the School Board, Philip Schley seems to be a rather busy guy. There's quite a lot of information about him on the Web. https://dicksworld.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/mcpec-is-nice-but-not-opulen... A short Biography here about halfway down. http://www.whsc.emory.edu/_pubs/em/1999winter/notes.html Sadly his son seems to have passed away a few years back. http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=Philip... Medical research?I hope that's not the future Dr. Schley on the right with the pack of ciggies outlined on his shirt pocket. Musketeers In Peace And War"Musketeers" was the name of the local Fort Benning basketball team and Columbus also had The Musketeer Club, a prominent social club. Philip’s father, Frank, was president of the Musketeer Club in the mid-1940s. In December of 1941, a large advertisement in the Columbus newspaper sought recruits for "The Three Musketeers" of the Army Air Corps: bombardiers, navigators, and pilots. Both the icon of the Musketeer and the Schley family are prominent in Columbus, Georgia, history. Tom Sawyer spaceship binocularsI had a pair in the late 1940's. They still can be purchased on eBay. (Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
Teen Arsenal: 1959
From Columbus, Georgia, or vicinity circa 1959 comes this uncaptioned shot of the ... father may have been a Marine due to the Arisaka rifle. Columbus is right next to Fort Benning, so it's more likely than not that his ... looks too nice to be 4:25 in the AM (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/28/2018 - 9:51am -

From Columbus, Georgia, or vicinity circa 1959 comes this uncaptioned shot of the young marksman last seen here. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. We need a reason to raise families again.There were a lot more guns back then. Kids brought them to school and schools had shooting clubs. What went wrong? People changed their values. Life just doesn't hold the same value as it used to especially when kids play games that provide extra points for finishing the wounded off. Tighten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy ride. [There were not "a lot more guns back then." - Dave] You're correct, there are more guns today, but less gun holding households. Since they are primarily manufactured for domestic use, it translates to more guns per holding household. Accordingly, 3% of the population own half the guns in the US while gun manufacturing numbers have increased since at least 1972. In any case, it's the psychology that has changed most drastically. Gun Ownership in America No high end rifles thereBut I do like the pneumatic pump up rifle next to the young man. Crosman or Benjamin 5.5 mm or .20 caliber Kids and GunsIn that day and age kids were taught gun safety and were trusted not to misuse them. Today they only know what they see on TV, which is the misuse of them. Real Penny LoafersIt’s been many a year since I’ve seen pennies in penny loafers! When I grew up in Texas in the 1950s, adults and kids had guns, but they were used for hunting and plinking. They were not misused. Guns in racks in pickup trucks were not given a second glance. My how times have changed. RE: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?Sulzermeister, just so you know (this coming from a once-Texan no less), not everyone on this side of the pond thinks gun ownership is a good thing. In fact, I'd like to think it is a majority of Americans who shudder a bit at the thought of a kid with an arsenal like this in his bedroom. What Could Possibly Go Wrong?From the UK side of the Atlantic this looks pretty odd. I'm not aware of any of our considerable list of friends here in Scotland actually owning or possessing a firearm! A boy and his bayonetI'm not a gun enthusiast. While I can understand that a kid from Georgia might want a rifle, and a few more rifles, and a shotgun, maybe someone can explain why he needs a bayonet. When onejust isn't good enough. Arisaka Type 44 CarbineI could be wrong on the exact identification but the weapon on the extreme left is a Japanese Arisaka Type 44 carbine. The bayonet is actually a part of the carbine and is not easily removable. It folds underneath the stock. The boy simply has it extended. This weapon could have been a bring-back by his dad or other relative during World War II as at the time the US military allowed certain captured weapons to be sent home. The amount of rifles/carbines is not unusual for a boy of the period especially in rural areas or the South. My dad and his brothers for instance, around the same year as the photograph was taken, had quite a few rifles. They lived on a farm and hunted game with them or just did target practice. Army bratThere was some speculation in the previous iteration of this young man that his father may have been a Marine due to the Arisaka rifle. Columbus is right next to Fort Benning, so it's more likely than not that his father was in the Army. The US Army fought in the Pacific too, most notably in New Guinea, the Philippines, and Okinawa. It's even possible that Dad was still in the Army and stationed at Fort Benning (where I took basic training almost 50 years ago). It's also possible that most of the weapons on display belong to Dad too. The term "Army brat" is a term of pseudo-affection given to children of career Army soldiers. Fountain PenI suspect our marksman was using a fountain pen, since I see the familiar bottle of Sheaffer Skrip ink. It came in a number of colours, such as blue black and emerald green. But only the girls would dare use green ink. I still have a jar of jet black Skrip ink, now mummified. The jar featured a little reservoir to fill the fountain pen easily. Cadet Corps was compulsory in Windsor, Ontario high schools in 1964, and we had to learn how to dismantle a gun and clean it. We also did target practice with .22s down at the shooting range in the basement. Keep them cleanI'm guessing he is putting his firearms away since the shotgun is no longer on the left end of the bed. And those might be used patches on the bedspread. I know I would not want my mom seeing those patches and cleaning rod on my bed. They'd have been cleaned up first! Course, if I knew the time stamp on the pictures it would confirm putting away or taking out. Times have changedI graduated high school in 1969. From the 7th through 12th grade the school had a rifle club whose members would shoot in the basement firing range. This, mind you, was about eight miles from downtown Boston. These days people would freak out just seeing a photo of the rifle club. To my recollection, there were no incidents of gun violence involving anyone in the schools. Arisaka RifleI agree that the rifle on the far left is likely a war prize Japanese Arisaka rifle. My late great uncle brought one back from his stint as a U.S. Marine fighting on Guadalcanal Island. We had it in our household for a period of time when I was a kid (I was fascinated by it), but my uncle at some point took it back and no telling where it ended up. He returned from combat a profoundly changed man and lived the rest of his life as a delusional drunkard - a victim of PSTD before it was a widely-recognized affliction. What folks knew in '59Clearly, no one is going to change anyone else's mind on gun issues. But, in spite of what a couple of the comments posted here might suggest, could we at least agree on the proper use of "less" vs. "fewer"? The Real DangerThe young lad could easily get tangled in the venetian blind cord and strangle himself in his sleep. Those cords are real killers! Words of WisdomIn the word of Santa Claus and Ralphie's mom, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid!" Speaking of bayonetsI’ve always wondered about the dual nature of a rifle with a bayonet affixed, making it a weapon both to shoot and to stab. Which raises the following macabre question: does not the function of the bayonet sometimes result in an impaired function of the rifle as a shooting weapon? In other words, doesn’t the muzzle sometimes get clogged with blood and gore, resulting in a blocked rifle, making it impossible or even dangerous to shoot? Dime a Dozen SpringfieldSecond from left looks like a Springfield .58 from the Civil War. It has been cut down a bit and is missing the original barrel bands. Looks like someone put an Enfield barrel band on it. My dad said when he was a kid, these rifles were a dime a dozen, with many being cut down and used as shotguns. A decent Springfield of Enfield will set you back at least $1500 now. On that bayonetIt's probably a war prize. Is it a huge risk? Not really, as the gun it's mounted on is far more lethal than it is. David Grossman, who made a career out of teaching soldiers to kill (it's evidently harder than you'd think), characterized the use of the bayonet as one of the hardest things to teach simply because it by definition is a close up killing. RE: What Could Possibly Go Wrong?kines - I' glad to hear your take on this. Sorting gun ownership in the USA will take time and there are numerous "interested" parties but I hope you'll eventually reach the near-zero figure we have in Scotland! RE: Keep them cleanThere IS a time stamp on the photo. It is on the desk and shows about 4:25. I have to assume it is in the afternoon as his hair looks too nice to be 4:25 in the AM (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
The Girl With a Job: 1953
Columbus, Georgia, 1953. "Kayser-Lilienthal window display." Tied to the fall ... Kayser-Lilienthal announced their opening in Columbus, Georgia in the August 26th 1923 issue of the "Columbus Enquirer Sun." Leslie Lilienthal was president, Edwin Kayser was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/22/2017 - 1:44am -

Columbus, Georgia, 1953. "Kayser-Lilienthal window display." Tied to the fall issue of Glamour and its focus on "The Girl With a Job," who if she was really kicking it as a career woman might be working as a switchboard operator or even a secretary. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Mannequin on the leftSuch an expressive pose. What really intrigues me (and always has) is the foot sloping away at the ankle. Was this simply to relieve pressure in high-heel shoes or to strike a fetching pose? The New LookIt was pretty spunky of Kayser's to feature working women in their windows at a time when women were pressured to be housewives. Just a few years before, these young women's mothers and older sisters were working at a wide range of jobs for the war effort. A Hat for Every Occasion!No self respecting woman (working or not) went out without a hat to complete her outfit. I remember a hat my mother had in the 1950s that was like an inverted shallow bowl covered in shiny black feathers. So stylish. If you're curiousThe window display is better than the magazine cover These GuysAre flies. Moths?Are you sure those are flies? Maybe, but they look more like moths attracted to all the light at the top of the display case to me. The House of Original StylesThe company name comes from the last names of its founding business partners: Isidore Kayser and Leslie Lilienthal. Isidore Kayser (1876 - 1951) was born in Selma, Alabama. In 1900 he was working as a clerk in a dry goods store, but by 1904 he had opened his own store where his brothers Edwin and Samuel also worked. This store eventually became Isidore Kayser & Co., a department store, and existed until 1923. Leslie H. Lilienthal (1895-1973) was also born in Selma, Alabama. His father Henry Lilienthal was the manager of the Lilienthal Mercantile Company which were outfitters for men, young men, and boys. Leslie dropped out of school in 1913, and he went to work for the Kayser Store. By 1920 he was working as the assistant manager of the Rothchild Mercantile Company which sold ladies ready to wear and millinery. Isidore Kayser's younger brother Samuel J. Kayser (1887-1982) had moved to Mobile, Alabama by 1922 to open a ladies ready-to-wear store called Kayser's, originally at 207 Dauphin (later 224 Dauphin). This later became The Style Shop and part of Kayser-Lilienthal. Kayser-Lilienthal announced their opening in Columbus, Georgia in the August 26th 1923 issue of the "Columbus Enquirer Sun." Leslie Lilienthal was president, Edwin Kayser was vice-president, and Isidore Kayser served as the secretary-treasurer. Isidore Kayser had asked Liliental to join him in the new business in Columbus. The business address was 1109 Broad Street, and they sold women's clothing. Later, in addition to the Mobile, Alabama location, there was a branch of the store in the Village of Wynnton (Midtown, Columbus, GA). After the death of Isidore Kayser, Samuel Kayser became the vice-president of Kayser-Liliental despite still living and working in Mobile. The store in Columbus survived until just after the death of Lilienthal and officially closed in 1974. The store billed itself as "The Shop of Original Styles," and, in addition to ready-to-wear clothing, sold furs and women's shoes with the Kayser-Lilienthal logo stamped or labeled on the items (examples below). (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive, Stores & Markets)
I Wuz Robbed: 1960
From around 1960 in Columbus, Georgia, comes this News Archive snap of Baker Lion No. 13 liberating ... dad up in arms in the stands for sure. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive, Sports) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/16/2022 - 1:06am -

From around 1960 in Columbus, Georgia, comes this News Archive snap of Baker Lion No. 13 liberating the basketball from an opposing player who does Not. Look. Happy. But that's the way the ball bounces in high school hoops. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. Chuck Taylor was king of the feetLong before Nike bought out the world of sports, Converse held sway. Comfort zoneI don't know about you guys, but it'd drive me nuts running around with my sock bunched up inside my shoe. Maybe that's why he has that look on his face. How thin these boys were thenThe time before 'supersize' those fries became a household word. If This Was a "No Call" --If no foul is called on #13 this is the kind of thing that would have my dad up in arms in the stands for sure. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive, Sports)
Motel Moderne: 1962
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1962. Our second look at the Martinique Motor Hotel, ... an AAA service ? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/04/2022 - 12:41pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1962. Our second look at the Martinique Motor Hotel, last seen here from different spatial and seasonal vantages. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. Late 1950s Cars1957 Cadillac; 1959 Ford station wagon; 1960 Ford; ? Lincoln Continental; Chevy Corvair; 1957 Chevy; '58 Mercury station wagon; '58 Chevy; maybe a Cadillac behind the bushes; '56 Oldsmobile; '59 Chevy station wagon. [The Lincoln would be a 1961 or later model; that's a 1959 Mercury wagon; the car next to the '58 Chevy is a 1962 Chevrolet. - Dave] Motel? More like school!The architecture closely resembles my high school (also built in the 60s). The school had a few more windows -- not many, but a few. The upper 48 ?The corner building is apparently a later addition (and explains the differing info on postcards). How much later I guess we can judge by the cars ... who knew "dating assist" was an AAA service ? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
O America!
December 1940. "Religious sign on highway between Columbus and Augusta, Georgia, indicating revival of interest in religion. This ... up in Augusta and my first job was as a reporter for the Columbus newspapers, so I can tell you from my many trips back home to visit my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/16/2021 - 12:33pm -

December 1940. "Religious sign on highway between Columbus and Augusta, Georgia, indicating revival of interest in religion. This sign was painted red, white and blue." Under "God," we see that these "Bible Signs" were the work of "David Brinkman evangelist" of Augusta. Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Ok, this one scares me a bitI would think twice about driving down that road. That doesn't narrow it down muchI grew up in Augusta and my first job was as a reporter for the Columbus newspapers, so I can tell you from my many trips back home to visit my parents that "the highway between Columbus and Augusta" is about 250 miles long. Not for motor carsThe beauty of Burma Shave signs is that they spread the message out so it could easily (and usually amusingly) be read at 40 or 50 miles per hour. This sign might be a challenge to take in at any speed above that of a horse-drawn vehicle. Now if it were a billboard -- Hey Groucho, you think -that's- scary?You need to check out the view here, still my favorite Shorpy photo of all time: https://www.shorpy.com/node/22786 Sign autographIn the lower right corner is a signature which reads' "Bible Signs, Augusta, GA", and also another hood. [Which we already know from reading the photo caption! - Dave] So that's where it isThe road to Perdition, I mean. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Columbus, Ga., M.P. Wolcott, Rural America)
Bibb Mill Girls: 1909
... in life. Bibb Mill I thought the Bibb mill was in Columbus, Ga. Was there more than one? The bits extant in Columbus are lovely. [ Bibb Manufacturing , one of the largest ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/13/2008 - 4:14am -

January 19, 1909. Macon, Georgia. "Some adolescents in Bibb Mill No. 1." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Brown LungAll the mill workers we've seen have an alarming amount of lint and fiber on their clothes, in their hair--you know they must have inhaled so much. I wonder what they would look like if they had the lives of the DC basketball girls, below. Macon, GeorgiaI live in Macon and if I am not mistaken this building still remains today, and is a great antique store. Boy don't we know how to raise those Southern belles here? That GirlIs it my imagination or does the angry looking one in the center look "not all there"? Yep!She does have that "Full Metal Jacket" sort of look in her eye, doesn't she? Angry girlThey all look tired and unhappy. It would be interesting to know what was happening right before the picture was taken. Why tired and unhappy?I would surmise it was long long hours that would not even be allowed for adults, let alone children, in this day. Tired and unhappyTired and unhappy is easy enough to understand given the photo was likely taken to document unpleasant work conditions, but the girl in the middle not only looks 'not all there', but as if she were about ready to punch Hine and her friend wants to calm her down or hold her back with that hand on the shoulder. Wonder if she was a bit 'odd' and prone to fits of temper, or just PMSing and didn't want her photo taken after a long, sweaty day's work. Bibb Mill GirlsWow, the turn of the century child worker photos always get me, but this one in particular breaks my heart. They look so weary, so old before their time. I hope they found some rest and happiness later on in life. Bibb MillI thought the Bibb mill was in Columbus, Ga. Was there more than one? The bits extant in Columbus are lovely. [Bibb Manufacturing, one of the largest employers in the South in the first half of the 20th century, got its start in Macon. Eventually it had over a dozen mills. - Dave] PostureA big reason the girl in the middle looks "angry" or "not all there" is her posture: forward head and shoulders, maybe mild torticolis, one shoulder higher than the other. The kid probably had scoliosis and or congenital torticolis, neither condition which would have been helped by leaning over mill machinery all day. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Savings & Trust: 1910
...         Completed in 1905, the Columbus Savings & Trust Building, known today as the Atlas Building, ... pneumatic clock system with dials on each floor." Columbus, Ohio, circa 1910. "Columbus Savings & Trust Company." 8x10 inch ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/22/2013 - 9:20pm -

        Completed in 1905, the Columbus Savings & Trust Building, known today as the Atlas Building, counted among its amenities "seven elevators, complete refrigerating plant, its own power plant to furnish electric lights for the offices, direct steam heating and a pneumatic clock system with dials on each floor." Columbus, Ohio, circa 1910. "Columbus Savings & Trust Company." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 8 E. Long St.The Atlas Building is still standing and scheduled to be redeveloped into apartments by the Schiff Capital Group. Story here. One ThingColumbus hasn't torn down ...and it still looks great! Big Number!Boy, I wish I could get the interest rate on the roof for my savings account. Modest SKYSCRAPER!This modest 11 or so story place reminds me so much of the Medical Arts building in my home town, a taller, similarly, yet more modestly Beaux+Sullivan-ish building. At 18 stories it was a skyscraper. Miss it, and glad Dr. Skokie took out my tonslls. ArchwayIn a recent effort to redevelop the Short North district, they have reproduced the arches shown in the lower left and erected them along High Street. Refrigerating plant?What would a "complete refrigerating plant" be used for in a 1905 office building? Was some kind of early air conditioning an option? CogenerationThis would be very early for "air conditioning", zealously defined by the profession at the time as precise humidity control and filtration, with refrigeration not necessarily being involved. These factors were very important in certain manufacturing processes such as printing, textiles, and munitions. An office building might have only demanded comfort cooling, which might have been as primitive as having chilled water pumped through the heating radiators. This might have been cool ground water, or it might have been produced by machines using either ammonia or sulfur dioxide as a refrigerant, bringing the well-known hazards of 19th century ice plants into your office basement. In any case, I see open windows. It wasn't at all uncommon at this time for builders of high-end properties to opt for on-site power generation. Public utilities had not yet reached the economy of scale necessary to make grid power a no-brainer. Besides, if you have a steam engine in your basement, you get free heat. Also, free refrigeration, if you use the absorption process. In 1935, Eleanor Roosevelt visited the Austin office of the National Youth Administration, and found its director, Lyndon Johnson, pulling late nights by gas light, since the landlord would shut down the generator at 10 PM. (The Gallery, DPC, Streetcars)
Spring Planting: 1950
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950. "Mrs. Clarence Butler" is all it says here. 4x5 ... Butler (1918-2004), both interred at Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus: ... served on several boards and committees, such as the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Junior League of Columbus. She also ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/02/2018 - 12:00pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1950. "Mrs. Clarence Butler" is all it says here. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Girls Will be GirlsMiss Butler decided she didn't like having her picture taken so she screwed her eyes tight shut. It's hard to get my own daughters to pose. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose. Is it likely the photographer would be using flash in this period? The scene certainly looks like there was enough ambient light. [Strong side light would have left their faces in half shadow without the flash. Little girl was likely caught in mid-blink. -tterrace] [Also, you can see the flash reflected in the window, as well as two sets of shadows. - Dave] Sarah Turner Butler (1920-2012)Find-A-Grave has a record for Sarah Louise Turner Butler (1920-2012), widow of Dr. Clarence Cooper Butler (1918-2004), both interred at Parkhill Cemetery in Columbus: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98992768/sarah-louise-butler A graduate of Wesleyan College, Mrs. Butler served on several boards and committees, such as the Columbus Chamber of Commerce and the Junior League of Columbus. She also served as the president and chairman of the board of the Historic Columbus Foundation, so she would probably find this picture to be of interest. [An heiress to the Coca-Cola fortune, Mrs. Butler was, according to Forbes magazine, one of the richest people in the United States. -Dave] (Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
Toledo Panorama: 1909
... coal fields that ran northwest from Charleston up to Columbus and thence to Toledo. At this time it was still independent, but was ... in southeast Ohio, assembled the cars at a main yard in Columbus and ran them up their main to Toledo. C&O absorbed the HV in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2012 - 4:46pm -

Circa 1909. "Toledo, Ohio, waterfront on Maumee River." Humongous 40,000-pixel-wide panorama made from five 8x10 glass negatives, downsized here to a still-hefty 11,000 pixels. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Even MoreCharles Fletcher signs, just like in the Brooklyn Bridge picture of a few days ago. The guy was everywhere. Holy Toledo!Another Fletcher's Castoria sign!! Great picture! Road NamesT&OC was the Toledo & Ohio Central, a railroad originating in the West Virginia coal fields that ran northwest from Charleston up to Columbus and thence to Toledo. At this time it was still independent, but was later absorbed into the New York Central system. Hocking Valley collected coal on network of feeder lines in southeast Ohio, assembled the cars at a main yard in Columbus and ran them up their main to Toledo. C&O absorbed the HV in 1925, a strategic move that gave the C&O an outlet in the lucrative lakes coal trade. Kanawha & Michigan was a short line in West Virginia. WOW Factor = 10.Now THAT'S a Picture. Worth every minute (hour?) it took to do the merge. Peter Piper Picked a Passel of PixelsMy mouse is tired after studying this pic. I will come back to this one and find some more stuff to look up. Already found that there is still a Hocking Valley Railway. Located in Southeast Ohio, it is a scenic railway offering rides on restored cars. New York Central territoryLooking at the coal cars in the foreground, Toledo & Ohio Central, Zanesville & Western and Kanawha & Michigan eventually became part of NYC System. Hocking Valley Ry. became part of Chesapeake & Ohio. In the tall structure in front left, a K&M car is about to be turned over to empty its contents. The middle foreground finds an immaculate T&OC switch engine with no lack of work, going about its duties. PaintAccording to Google Maps, the Acme Quality Paint Store no longer exists at 420 Summit Street. Where should I buy my paint? Holmes Snowflake LaundryIn the distance, behind the Jefferson Hotel and in the upper center area of the photo, we can see the Holmes Snowflake Laundry building. See below for a different view. The Holmes Snowflake Building was the first Toledo location for the Champion Spark Plug Company, attracted to the city by the Willys Overland Company. Willys agreed to buy spark plugs from Robert and Frank Stranahan, if they would relocate their company to Toledo (ca. 1910). Louisa May Alcott'sLyttle Weeman Saddlery & Hardware. Jay C. MorseThought I had seen this ship before. Sure enough, one of the plates from this set is here. [That's a different plate. -Dave] At least the smokestack is still thereSeveral weeks ago we had lunch at a restaurant along the river with the same great view of the river. This view fills in the details that I imagined. AdsI wonder if the early marketing folks at Coca-Cola were influenced by Fletcher's Castoria ads. The logos are similar in style and the signs are everywhere. [I think Spencerian script was generally in vogue. - Dave] About that Hand SapolioI see by my desktop copy of "Once Famous Brands Now Forgotten" (I made that up) Hand Sapolio was the Ivory of its day, possibly the most famous soap there was around the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. In fact, I just checked in Volumes 27 and 28 of Nursing World for 1901, and found on page 391: “Hand Sapolio equals a mild Turkish bath in many of its advantages. It demands no extreme or heat or cold, but removes all scurf (sic), casts off the constantly dying outer skin, and gives the inner skin…..” Well, you get the idea. Here's a typical ad: Two-Masted TubsThose are interesting vessels on the river's far side, just left of panorama center. They look like they must have engines on board; I wonder if they ever got under sail using those masts, or were they formerly sailing barges that got converted? (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Toledo)
Invisiball: 1908
Circa 1908. "Franklin Park, Columbus, Ohio." Where something's up, or maybe not. 8x10 inch glass negative, ... are clearly pointing to one of the many UFOs that plagued Columbus during the summer of 1908. Branch Office There's a birdhouse ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 7:18pm -

Circa 1908. "Franklin Park, Columbus, Ohio." Where something's up, or maybe not. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. My takeThere is something there - or rather, two somethings. It looks to me like the girl on the left has noticed the birdhouse high in the tree to the right, and is gesturing toward it ("Look! A birdhouse!"), while the girl on the right is waving at the people on the shaded bench to the left. Or maybe there's really more here than meets the eye. The Flying NunFirst impression of the person on the park bench at right was that it was a man with an upside-down umbrella. However, upon closer inspection, it appears to be a woman with a HUGE hat. Sally Fields would indeed be jealous. By Jove! I think I have it.If one selects a point pretty much equidistant between the girls feet, and then lifts one's gaze vertically, there is what appears to be a ball hovering. I suppose those girls would now be around one hundred and twelve years old. I hope they are still having fun playing ball somewhere. Badminton birdJust visible in the trees. [I don't think so. - Dave] VisitorsThese young ladies are clearly pointing to one of the many UFOs that plagued Columbus during the summer of 1908. Branch OfficeThere's a birdhouse (or something like one)at about 4 branches up on the very right. Re: My takeFirst glance at Splunge's version and I thought they were playing laser tag. Pinafored warrior on the left is a horrible shot, says I to myself. "You don't have to use any windage with lasers," I wanted to tell her. Then I realized it was too late; by now she'd be dead anyway. Bird House?It may be that, but I agree that the two gals are playing some kind of pitch and catch with a ball that is invisible to the slow speed of the camera lens. Still invisibleThe problem with the birdhouse theory is that the girl on the left would have to be looking toward her left for it to be in her line of sight; in fact, she's looking slightly toward her right relative to the tree. As for the girl on the right, she's looking up rather than across toward the people on the bench across the way. I think it's clear they're both looking at whatever object they're tossing back and forth. And since the exposure was not fast enough to freeze their arms in motion, an object in flight would also be a blur; less so if it happened to be caught at the top of its arc of trajectory, but still a blur rather than a crisp image. Using careful Computer enhancementI was able to find out what the girls were tossing back and forth. What's clearis that my eyes aren't what they once were. As tterrace noted, the girls aren't facing quite the right way to be looking at the birdhouse and people. Still, before they wandered off toward the birdhouse and bench-sitters, those laser-tag lines were originally approximations of the girls' apparent lines of sight (see attached), and I couldn't find anything at all in the highlighted area to suggest an object at or near their depth (in particular, no blur), even playing with false color and contrast and such. Oh, well. Maybe some younger, sharper eyes can provide us with an answer. Or maybe these girls are the forebears of the little boy in the Sixth Sense movie. Or maybe, just maybe, I'm spending a little too much time on Shorpy these days. The Grassy KnollKeep in mind that Detroit Publishing was not in the candid-snapshot business; the end product here would be a color postcard, very possibly with the ball added in post-production. I must be wrongBut at first glance I thought they are playing diabolo. (My grandmother, born in 1905, teached my kid how to play it - at 97!) TheoriesThe girls appear to be twirling a skipping rope between them. You can faintly see a blur that appears it couold be the end of the rope in here hand. Another theory is that they are not tossing something back and forth, but rather each individually up into the air. Invisible DiaboloFrom their postures and the blurring of their arms it looks like the girls could be playing toss-and-catch with a single diabolo, or each tossing and catching their own diabolos, but in close-up their blurred hands don't appear to be holding the whip handles. If the handles were very thin, as was sometimes the case, they might have disappeared in this slow exposure, but it's hard to make a good case for it. NancyThe girl on the left is the spitting image of Nancy from Little House on the Prairie. Nellie Oleson's adopted younger sister. Could BeThey're trying to find the mysterious orb that's hovering to the right of the bench-sitters. Or maybe this is a photo version of the old "make the rubes look up" trick. It worked. Flying bears!I am sure they have spotted a balloon-borne Winnie-the-Pooh on his way to get the honey. Grownups can't see him. EurekaI may have found it—the object of the girls' attention that is. I've circled a black, disk-shaped item in front of one of the bushes in the background. Dave may be able to clarify on his hi res version. This item is definitely not part of the shrubbery. Looks about 2 inches in diameter. I too am spending a little too much time on Shorpy, but I love it! [That's a gap in the leaves. - Dave] Thanks for the hi res clarification, Dave. Looks like we may never know!! [Scroll up. - Dave] Motion DetectionI think this might be it. A vertical, vaguely cylindrical blur. Air Ball?I have made several observations, and come up with the following theory: There isn't any ball or anything else in the air; the girls were simply dancing around, as young girls of that era were prone to do on a warm sunny day. I come to this conclusion based on the length of the shadows left by the girls. Since the shadows are similar in length to the girls heights, any object (such as a ball) roughly 3x their height in the air would cast a shadow on the ground that would be at least 3x it's physical size. The only thing between them that resembles a shadow is a small dark patch (nearer to the girl on the left), that appears to be 4-5 inches in diameter. Given that, the ball they threw in the air would most likely have to be less than 2 inches in diameter to cast that specific shadow. Therefore; unless they were throwing marbles or superballs in the air, I postulate they weren't throwing anything at all. I base my theory on strict principles of quantum physics, certain geometric theorems, orbital mechanics, lightwave theory, and a big, fat, uneducated guess. Top that, Einstein! [It has already been established that the exposure would not have been fast enough to stop a thrown object in motion, thus said object would register as a blur. It therefore follows that any shadow of the object would also register as a blur, and further, would be virtually undetectable when cast against such a background as the grass. Hence, the apparent absence of a shadow is inconclusive as to the existence or non-existence of the object. -A.E.] Thank you Mr Einstein. ;-) Also, Dave B. At the time of the morning when I wrote this, thoughts were not guaranteed to be coherent. :-P Re: Airball"Since the shadows are similar in length to the girls heights, any object (such as a ball) roughly 3x their height in the air would cast a shadow on the ground that would be at least 3x it's physical size." HUH?!? I think what you meant to write was that the shadow would be distant approximately 3X the height of the girls (or equal to the height of the object), in the same direction as the girls' shadows. The size of the shadow is almost unchanged by its height, barring blurring of the edges due to the finite visible diameter of the Sun (penumbra shadow.) That would put the "ball's" shadow roughly on a line from midway between the girls, to the nearby tree. And unless it's behind the girl on the right, I don't see it, either. Dave B (The Gallery, DPC, Kids)
Hydration Station: 1940
December 1940. Columbus, Georgia. "Water trough and Y.M.C.A. welcome sign in square in center ... pointing down 11th Street to the old Armed Services YMCA. Columbus had separate YMCA's due to the large number of soldiers from Fort Benning who took the bus into downtown Columbus each weekend. The building and its façade is still there, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2019 - 12:46pm -

December 1940. Columbus, Georgia. "Water trough and Y.M.C.A. welcome sign in square in center of town." A cast-iron horse-watering fountain with an attachment for dogs, squirrels, etc. Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Broadway and 11th StreetThis appears to be the median along Broadway, pointing down 11th Street to the old Armed Services YMCA. Columbus had separate YMCA's due to the large number of soldiers from Fort Benning who took the bus into downtown Columbus each weekend. The building and its façade is still there, (below), although it's now home to a barber shop. Nice for an animal watererThe casting work is pretty, too bad the horses/dogs/squirrels would not appreciate it. Some dogs would doubtless use it to relieve themselves also, so it's dual-purpose. Not our dog, though. She's a lady and would choose the grass to the left. Broadway and 13th?The small building across the street is a bit different (possibly remodeled), but the corner looks similar, and there's a YMCA down the street. There's also a similar lamp still there in front of the buildings in about the right spot. Gone or moved?Any of you Georgians know for sure? I found photos of a similar one in Columbus, but it wasn't quite the same, and it was in a different place. Nevertheless, it's a beautiful piece of cast-iron work. Street furnitureI believe that's the name for items like this, including carriage steps, hitching posts, pissoirs, and the like. Not much of this sort of thing is seen anymore. Even street lights look drably utilitarian, however much more efficient for illumination than the old cast iron items they may be. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Columbus, Ga., Dogs, Horses, M.P. Wolcott)
WMOM: 1950s
For Columbus Day we return to 1950s Columbus, Georgia, for this uncaptioned News Archive snap of a lady and a baby ... show called "At Home With Rozell," which ran on WRBL in Columbus from 1954 to 1988. There's a sort of obituary here . Clock ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2015 - 12:13pm -

For Columbus Day we return to 1950s Columbus, Georgia, for this uncaptioned News Archive snap of a lady and a baby with a bent for broadcasting. It's 10:33. Do you know where your children are? 4x5 acetate negative. View full size. Tupperware!The canister looks like it might contain Junior's toys. Cue TalentBut what's his demographic? Classic RCA 77-D microphoneOr it could be a 77-DX, which had a slightly better tone. Both were used extensively by radio stations and recording studios from the mid-50s, the DX appearing in the RCA catalog as late as 1967. ThesaurusOn the turntable, that's an NBC Thesaurus transcription disc. It has numerous short tracks, so I'm thinking it might be music beds for commercials. Widely spaced tracksAgree with saintrussell - the wide track separators are a giveaway, too. Easier to place the pickup ahead of a track. Those were the days when radio was fun. RecordingThe Ampex 601 tape machine in the photo is "recording", the VU Meter is registering, the tape movement switch is past the "play" position into the "record" position and the light behind the record interlock button is lit. Rozell, we love you!I believe the lady is Rozell Fair Fabiani, hostess of a weekday-morning show called "At Home With Rozell," which ran on WRBL in Columbus from 1954 to 1988. There's a sort of obituary here. Clock Time Synced Western Union rented these clocks, made by the Self Winding Clock Company, and provided a transmission over its telegraph lines that would sync the correct time to the clocks. Western Union Time/Ampex Tape DeckThe clock is Model No. 37-SS, Naval Observatory Time/Western Union: "Made Expressly for Broadcasting Stations..."; Western Union sent a signal (no longer available) each minute to synchronize the movement; the cost of the service was $1.75/month. Regarding the Ampex tape deck: It is playing the tape as evidenced by the VU meter level and the roller engaging the capstan and moving the tape with the level in the play position. I worked at a radio station in the Cleveland, Ohio area in the 1970's--it was a lot of fun, but didn't pay well. (Technology, The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
Marfak Lubrication: 1960
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1960. Our second look at John Holland's Texaco ... it in your car for you. Take your pick. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Gas Stations, News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2022 - 12:00am -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1960. Our second look at John Holland's Texaco service station (and Midas Muffler shop, and "Official Georgia Tourist Welcome Station") on 13th Street. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the Shorpy News Photo Archive. View full size. Just another day at Holland's Texaco.It's only 1:20 P.M. and you have the guy at the far right rushing to the restroom after a spicy lunch and the guy on the bike in front of the Service bay is learning where the muffler's located. The boat on the trailer is still waiting to be lubed in the Marfak bay and at the Washing bay, they are still waiting for the afternoon shift to come in--- that's the reason for the "Blow Horn For Service" sign not being put out. And finally on the far left, the fellow is describing to the cop the getaway car from last night's holdup. This Old (Gone) HouseAt least one of the houses behind the location was still there, in 2007: Location, Location, LocationI would like to have resided in the big white house -- the one with the impressive dentil molding -- two doors from the Texaco. Then I could have popped down to the station whenever I wanted for a Kinnett's Ice Cream. Here's a link to a poignant reminiscence by the son of a Kinnett's employee, upon the death of John Robertson Kinnett in 2017: https://columbusandthevalley.com/tag/kinnett-dairies/ No Marfak for you, buy a mufflerNot so evident in the previous photograph is that the center bay, for Marfak Lubrication, contains what appears to be a fishing boat, probably John Holland's fishing boat. No doubt a perk of ownership. I also like the small Midas Muffler billboard at far right, advertising free installation. That's right folks -- for the same low price you can either carry your new muffler out the door or we'll install it in your car for you. Take your pick. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Gas Stations, News Photo Archive)
Weight Watchers: 1964
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1964. "Jaycees -- Golden Gloves physicals." The first ... said this would be a private weigh-in! (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Medicine, News Photo Archive, Sports) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/30/2022 - 1:44pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1964. "Jaycees -- Golden Gloves physicals." The first rule of Fight Club: You do not talk about Fight Club. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. What that young man needsis more flattering underwear. The young man at right, in the crew neck t-shirt, resembles Robbie Douglas from My Three Sons. Boxers or briefsYou said this would be a private weigh-in! (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Medicine, News Photo Archive, Sports)
Stacking Up: 1955
... warehouse, these guys are still piling it on. Columbus, Georgia, circa 1955. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the News Photo ... are "mixed up and set in their ways." (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/26/2022 - 4:06pm -

Meanwhile, back in the cement-sack warehouse, these guys are still piling it on. Columbus, Georgia, circa 1955. 4x5 inch acetate negative from the News Photo Archive. View full size. Two tonsAbout a month ago I helped a friend pour a concrete pathway to his front door. He was the on-his-knees guy, I was the wheelbarrow guy, and my 25-year-old son was the mixing guy. Over the course of the afternoon, my son heaved 67 bags (lifted and poured into mixer), each one 66 pounds (30 kg), so that’s 4,422 pounds = over two tons. Thank goodness for youth. 94 poundsWhy was 94 pounds the standard weight for a bag of cement? Because that's the weight of one cubic foot of dry cement. That makes it easy to state concrete "recipes" in terms of volume because sand and rock were more easily measured by volume than by weight. The water/cement ratio is the critical factor but there, again, a gallon is easier to measure on a jobsite by volume than by weight. Concrete workers... are "mixed up and set in their ways." (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Wate and Fate: 1955
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1955. "Don Wasson" is all it says here. In addition to ... the Pulitzer Don Wasson was the city editor when The Columbus Ledger won the Pulitzer Prize in 1955 for covering the Phenix City ... in August of 1994 in Montgomery. According to the 1954 Columbus city directory, he was the news editor for the Columbus Ledger and his ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2015 - 2:38pm -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1955. "Don Wasson" is all it says here. In addition to "Meet me at Lee's." 4x5 acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. How much is that panda in the window?I never knew what it cost, but I had one just like it that accompanied me through my childhood in the 1950s. Lee looks like he has a nice assortment of goods for a drug store. Our neighborhood drug store had a soda fountain and sold candy but not stuffed animals or pots and pans. I chiefly remember its smell: vanilla. The other four (or more)Wasson's pose with his hand lifted to his hat and his lovely brogues and all that talk about the scale made me take a while to notice the other two pairs of people: inside the store, a man and woman staring directly at the photographer, and the two on the street, whom I'd like to think are mother and daughter (note the cuffs and shoes of the shorter woman). And if I stare into the glass in front of the beautiful plywood grain above the panda, I imagine I see the reflections of possibly three dresses or skirts with legs attached. Wasson and the PulitzerDon Wasson was the city editor when The Columbus Ledger won the Pulitzer Prize in 1955 for covering the Phenix City cleanup and the Albert Patterson assassination. I knew him when I worked in the Alabama legislature while in grad school at Auburn and also when I was later press secretary to Gov. Fob James. He, like many Ledger reporters and editors, gravitated west to Montgomery over the years, including Ray Jenkins, who later worked in the Carter administration. He was a true old-school journalist and commentator. All for a pennyThere was one of these in my neighborhood. For a penny, the lightest one of us would get on it, note the weight, then the next biggest, and then subtract the first number and get two for the price of one. We never could get three on there without it locking up on us. The other thing on ours was someone had removed the "e" from "Fate". I don't remember if Weight was misspelled. Character readingsFrom an auction listing: NewspapermanDonald Forrest Wasson was born in 1918 in Birmingham, Alabama, the son of Oscar and Mabel Wasson. His wife was Aline (or Aliene depending on the city directory involved). He passed away in August of 1994 in Montgomery. According to the 1954 Columbus city directory, he was the news editor for the Columbus Ledger and his wife was a clerk at the First National Bank. In other words, someone took a photo of their boss. Lack of PrivacyAfter trying changing at drug store scales, Clark Kent found the ambiance and privacy sorely lacking. He then tried a phone booth which he found fit the bill. The rest is history. One size fits noneAs a young lad, close scrutiny revealed to me that all of the coin slots dumped into one plenum. My baloney detector thus triggered, I didn't cough up. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive, Stores & Markets)
Three Indians: 1915
... to: July 21: 3:15 AM, Victor, Iowa to Walnut, Omaha, Columbus, Kearney, North Platte, Julesburg to: July 22: 3:15 AM, Cheyenne, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 11:57am -

Washington, D.C., July 1915. "Motorcycle team, relay to Frisco." Frank S. Long, F.L. Leishear (whose Indian store we saw here) and Josiah McL. Seabrook. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. California, screamin'They sure did take a circuitous route (NYC and then way up to Albany). The stretch from Reno down into Sacramento must have kept the lads awake with fear if that lap's bikes had no front brakes either. The first time I drove from Reno to Sacramento - and this was on a road they could not dream of, I-80 - one item that caught my eye was a sign, "Caution. Downgrades next 40 miles." Light fantasticThe one smart enough to put the light on his bike will win it for them. Gold mineThe guys from "Pickers" must be drooling. Maybe they could find out who these men are and see if their families have these bikes behind the barn. Safety first!At least for the fellow with the tossled hair. He has on his protective gloves! Rudimentary brakes.Emergency stops much have been pretty exciting on those old bikes- I don't think they even had front brakes. No stoppies for them! Nice!I've been sitting here soaking up this picture. Just fabulous! Great shot, great clothes, great bikes! Wish I could go for a ride with them. Thanks again Dave. Handsome BravesBeautiful bikes! These have many, many similarities to this amazingly restored model, snapped last spring in Charlotte, North Carolina. They may be a bit newer, with kick starter, no leg-power pedals, skirted fender, hand-grip clutch, an electric headlamp on the rear bike (as opposed to Prest-o-Lite [acetylene]), and "soft-tail" rear suspension. I guess any of this could have been optional equipment. DatingI believe that the date of this photo is probably 1916 and not 1926. The Indians pictured appear to be 1915 models. I believe that 1915 was the last year of the inlet over exhaust engine (which these bikes have)and the first year of the kick starter. [You are close -- the year is 1915. - Dave] World's Fastest IndianWhen you see these bikes it really is incredible that Burt Munro took a similar model, a 1920 Scout, modified it and drove it to several land speed records. In 1967, with his engine punched out to 58 cu.in. (950cc) he set a class record of 183.586 mph. To qualify he made a one-way run of 190.07 mph, the fastest ever officially recorded speed on an Indian. The hogs of their dayLaugh at the funny horn if you like, but those bikes are Indian "standards" with 1,000-cc engines. Too bad they didn't add front brakes until 1928. Murder Inc.Maybe these fellas were part of the traveling team of hit-men for Murder Inc. They sure look like they want to kill something. a-OO-gah!Although the braking wouldn't be the greatest, at least they'd be able to clear a path with a mighty squeeze of the horn. Silent RIt was Shorpy that taught me that these are "Motocycles." 119 Hours to FriscoWashington Post, July 18, 1915. RELAY RACE TOMORROW Motorcyclists to Carry Message From Capital to Pacific. START FROM WHITE HOUSE Three Washington Men Will Cover the First Lap, From This City to Baltimore -- Expect to Make Cross-Continent Run in 119 Hours -- Secretary of War to Start Riders. With all arrangements for the transcontinental motorcycle relay race completed, the riders for the first lap of the long journey await the starter's word. The start will be made from the White House at 10 o'clock tomorrow morning. They will carry a message from the President to the officials of the Panama-Pacific exposition at San Francisco. The Washington team, which will cover the first lap, will be composed of Frank S. Long, F.L. Leishear, and J. McL. Seabrook, mounted on Indian motorcycles. These men will carry the message from here to Baltimore, where another team will take it up and carry it over the second lap which ends in Philadelphia. From there the route across county is via New York, Albany, Buffalo, Cleveland, Chicago, Davenport, Des Moines, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, Reno and Sacramento to San Francisco. Fast Time Is Scheduled. On account of the absence of the President, the message will be handed to the riders by Secretary of War Garrison. It is due on the Pacific coast 119 hours after leaving Washington. The riders in the Eastern part of the country will have little difficulty in keeping up with the schedule on account of the good roads, but some of the Western relays are more than 200 miles in length. The longest lap will be between Elko and Fenley, Nev. This stretch is 274 miles long. One of the purposes of this relay is to demonstrate the utility of the motorcycle for military use. The relay is intended to show that the motorcycle is capable of delivering messages under all conditions of road and weather. There will not be one minute from the time the message leaves Washington until it is delivered to the officials of the exposition that it is not moving, day and night, rain or shine. The motorcyclists of this country have been as one volunteering their services as dispatch bearers, and it has been a task for John L. Donovan, chairman of the competition committee of the Federation of American Motorcyclists and manager of the relay, to select the riders. HornyThe furthestmost bike from us has an electric horn, but the others have the bulb variety; I'm guessing it was an optional extra or later add-on. Also interesting to note that heavy cardigans seemed to be the outer garment of choice for moto-cyclists at this time. I wonder when and why the black leather jacket took over. Front SuspensionIt's called a trailing link suspension as the arm pivots ahead of the axel axle. Not too common at all. I believe some early BMWs used this type for awhile as well. In All It's Its GloryHere is a picture of a restored bike that is exactly like the ones in the picture. Note the kick start is on the left side and there is no gear shift to the left of the tank. Apparently slightly later models had the space occupied by the kick start mechanism replaced with a transmission that included a gear shift from it to the left side of the gas tank. Front SuspensionThe Indian front suspension was designed so there was caster to the wheels. According to the old guys I knew 60 years ago, this caster made for very secure handling and less tendency to high speed wobble. You haven't lived until you have experienced a case of high speed wobble!!! UnpunctualThe messages were delivered 36 hours late according to the article below from The Salt Lake Tribune from July 26, 1915. Research indicates that the riders were trying to show that taking a dispatch on a motorcycle across the country would be faster than placing the same message on a train. As originally scheduled, the race would have gone through Sacramento during the national Federation of American Motorcyclists (FAM) convention in Sacramento, but this did not happen because of the belated arrival of the dispatch rider. The FAM was the organization behind the race. All riders were asked to conduct a rehearsal ride on July 11th. The purpose of riding in teams of three was to ensure that if something happened to the primary rider or his motorcycle another rider would be immediately available to continue the mission to San Francisco. Of the three riders pictured here, Seabrook punctured a tire before reaching Baltimore, and he dropped out; Long ran into a pile of rocks in Baltimore, and he was injured; so Leishear became the only man to make it to the first transfer point. By Bryan, Ohio, near the Indiana border, the racers were five and a half hours late because of rains and bad roads. By the time the riders reached Chicago they were 12 hours behind schedule. Some time was made up on the way to Moline, Illinois as the deficit was reduced to just eight and a half hours upon arriving there, and seven hours at Des Moines, Iowa. In Nebraska the lead rider had an accident, but the other riders were far behind him. Consequently, by Rock Springs, Wyoming the riders were 19 hours behind their scheduled arrival, and at Ogden, Utah 18 hours overdue. I did not find where the other 18 hours were lost, but many sources mention the 36 hour late arrival. The official route, dates, and times as originally scheduled were shown in the Ogden Standard (Ogden, Utah) on July 17, 1915. Note the earlier start time than what actually took place. July 19: 6:00 AM, Washington. D.C. to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, Poughkeepsie, Albany, Utica, Syracuse, Rochester to: July 20: 12:45 AM, Buffalo, New York to Erie, Cleveland, Toledo, Bryan, South Bend, Chicago, Sterling, Davenport to: July 21: 3:15 AM, Victor, Iowa to Walnut, Omaha, Columbus, Kearney, North Platte, Julesburg to: July 22: 3:15 AM, Cheyenne, Wyoming to Pine Ridge Station, Rawlins, Rock Springs, Evanston, Salt Lake City, Ogden to: July 23: 12:45 AM, Kelton, Utah to Cobre, Elko, Rye Patch Station, Battle Mountain, Tenley, Reno, Colfax, Sacramento, Tracy, to San Francisco. (The Gallery, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Sports)
Chicago: 1901
... Fountain, 6 tennis courts, 16 baseball diamonds, South Columbus Drive, and even South Lakeshore Drive. Henry George Fascinating ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:36pm -

Chicago circa 1901. "The lakefront from Illinois Central Station." Panorama of two 8x10 glass negatives. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Would you really want to drinkthe "Best Kidney Water on Earth"? StatueThat is one seriously gorgeous statue in the middle of the park. Anyone have any info on that? Perhaps another photo? [It's the Logan Monument.] Thanks, Dave. Love the photos up close! KodaksInteresting that one of the signs says "Kodaks Cameras and Supplies" and not "Kodak Cameras and Supplies." [Shorpy abounds with signs advertising "Kodaks," meaning Kodak cameras. - Dave] Illinois Central Station Are there any pictures of the Illinois Central Station available? I assume that this picture was taken from near the top of the clock tower looking north towards the lakefront. [Also from the DPC:] GrassDoes anyone know how they kept large expanses of grass like this mowed back in 1901? [See this earlier comment.] ObsolesenceIronic that CP Kimball's carriages and harness products would soon be obsolete with the advent of the automobile. Fast forward 110 years, and Kodak just announced they will file Chapter 11 bankruptcy due to digital photography making their own products obsolete. Three agentsFrom the Ministry of Silly Walks, on the west side of the Michigan Avenue, lower left. [Their apparent stance is an optical artifact.] Holy landscaping!That area is filled with trees and concrete walks now! Pollution?It's photos like this that leave me scratching my head whenever people start griping that our air isn't clean enough today. KimballAn interesting piece on the Kimball family if you are so inclined. http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/k/kimball/kimball.htm Kimball TimeOh my! It's K minutes to B o'clock! I better hurry or I'll miss my train. Lakeshore DeltaIf you Google-Maps "901 S Michigan Ave, Chicago, Illinois 60605" you can see that all the Lake Michigan waterfront visible in this photograph was filled-in and is now occupied by the Buckingham Fountain, 6 tennis courts, 16 baseball diamonds, South Columbus Drive, and even South Lakeshore Drive. Henry GeorgeFascinating to find a 5-cent cigar named after Henry George (1839-97), founder of "Georgism" and author of "Progress and Poverty." He proposed the "single tax"--based on the theory that land, and thus rents, should be common property. Given that, shouldn't tobacco products be free? All Gone, Up to a PointEvery building shown here lining the west side of South Michigan Avenue has been demolished and replaced with bigger and usually better buildings - up to the point just beyond the "Studebaker Bros." sign. Then we see three great buildings in a row, all still standing: 1) the first portion of the Congress Hotel (originally the Auditorium Annex, Clinton J. Warren, 1892-1893), 2) the Auditorium Building (Adler & Sullivan, 1887-1889), and 3) the Fine Arts Building (formerly the Studebaker Building, Solon S. Beman, 1884-1885). The slender tower in the distance belongs to the Montgomery Ward Building (Schmidt, Garden & Martin, 1897-1899); it, too, is still standing, but its steep sloping roof was lopped off long ago. Chicago: 1901That statue of the soldier is General Logan, the Civil War Officer who worked to have the 30th Day of May honor Military Dead as "Decoration Day" / "Memorial Day". General LoganWas a focal point of the 1968 demonstrations during the Democratic Convention. Montgomery Ward BuildingAs Michael R says regarding the Montgomery Ward building, "the steep sloping roof was lopped off long ago." Here is a photo showing what is the top of the building today. Current ViewI was fortunate to live in building on site of old Illinois Central Station and have this view of same locale looking north during my two years in Chicago. (Panoramas, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Ham Dad: 1960
From Columbus, Georgia, around 1960 comes this News Archive photo of an amateur ... so proud. Good times. (Technology, The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/10/2022 - 9:24pm -

From Columbus, Georgia, around 1960 comes this News Archive photo of an amateur radio operator and his assistant, "Shortwave" Sally. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. 80mIt looks like he works only the 80-meter band, both from the band setting on the (Hallicrafters S-40) receiver and the almost exclusively local area cards he's posted, the farthest being Pennsylvania. The cards include ones that were all over -- every new ham got offers from some company to print them, so much that they became tedious to receive. WN4YES is an example of the genre. Red letters, blue lines, as I recall. Still a hobby... with 750,000 US operators and 1 percent growth annually. This photo could have been my Dad and me in 1960. "Home Brew" rig on the floor with a National Vernier Dial, the Hallicrafters receiver (top right) that I still have and use in my office at work. With all of the "WN" QSL cards this man was certainly using Morse Code along with AM phone. In those days you started with a Novice license (code only) and had to upgrade within a year to General Class (it may still have been called Class B). Dad was W1TAV, in 1975 I became WA1ZUF and today I hold my dad's call W1TAV, still operating some of his equipment. Now we're talking!See, having a ham radio license attracts the chicks, even if it's your own daughter! Surplus gear was cheap back then and a lot of guys bought it. Hams were doing a lot of homebrewing too as seen by the rig on the floor to the left of the chief OP ... maybe a linear? Is the Hallicrafters receiver a S-77? I'm not sure with the speaker grille that color if it is. In good shape they are worth some bucks. My dad was an active ham back in the early '60s. The neighbors knew when he was home and on the air -- TV interference was a bit of a problem. I followed in his footsteps and got licensed in 1972 and am still pounding brass -- WA4CHQ Amateur FatherMy alternate title. My dad was a bit of a ham but did not operate radios. Come to think of it, he was pretty amateur at fathering too. Kids and their dad's radioMy mother and her sister on the left, pose for a photo with my grandfather's radio circa 1922. About the only thing Mom remembered about it was her sister complained she was making the radio squeal. A shoo-inAll four of our children learned to walk in shoes identical to those that Shortwave is wearing: genuine leather hard-sole high-top oxfords in white. My children's were scuffed and polished countless times. All four pairs of said footwear were purchased at the Hub Bootery in Crown Point, Indiana, during the '90s. We'd sit the kids up in a chair for their feet to be measured by the salesman, pay what seemed then to be an exorbitant amount of money, and walk out with a little leather-smelling shoebox, so proud. Good times. (Technology, The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive)
The Gift Cycle: 1953
From Columbus, Georgia, comes this circa 1953 image of what seems to be a Christmas ... Christmas in the Snow? Or, perhaps, in Snow's, the Columbus laundry depicted a few posts ago? Part of a hard-hitting ... the collar, no doubt. W Roy Kenimer In the 1953 Columbus, Georgia city directory, we find W Roy and wife Ruth M. Ruth is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2015 - 8:16pm -

From Columbus, Georgia, comes this circa 1953 image of what seems to be a Christmas party at a laundry. Be of good CHEER, and a happy yule TIDE to ALL! 4x5 acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. One spark...One spark from one of those electrical boxes on the wall would certainly yield a well lit tree!! So sad...This has got to be the saddest Christmas photo I've ever seen. I'd hate to see the rest of the place if this is the only area to put up the tree. And that spray on window snow looks more like an early attempt at graffiti. Let's hope that none of those fuses blow next to that splendid tree hidden beneath the ton of angel hair. Joy to the whirl cycle. The size of the packagelooks about right for a box of detergent? Christmas in the Snow?Or, perhaps, in Snow's, the Columbus laundry depicted a few posts ago? Part of a hard-hitting photo-journalistic exposé of the perils of ring around the collar, no doubt. W Roy KenimerIn the 1953 Columbus, Georgia city directory, we find W Roy and wife Ruth M. Ruth is running the Sunshine Automatic Laundry while W Roy is a salesman for Eelbeck Milling Company, a purveyor of grits and corn meal. The laundry was located on Victory Drive. W Roy is handing out the gifts while Ruth looks on approvingly from the left. Afterwards, the entire company will sit down to Christmas brunch. If this is 1953, then this is Christmas Eve. Christmas came of Friday that year. After brunch, W Roy and Ruth will find the City code inspector looking for a "gift" to overlook the location of the Christmas tree in front of the power distribution panel. The lady in front reminds me of my grandmother. Square DBegun as McBride Manufacturing Company in 1902, the name was changed to Square D in 1917, and as of 1991 it has been a subsidiary of Schneider Electric. The most recent circuit breakers I bought for my electrical box this year are Square D, with the exact same logo as on the box in the photo (adopted circa. 1910). By the way, the sight of those old fuses makes me shudder. So many fires caused by stupid and careless people replacing them with fuses of higher amperage. When it comes to punsnobody DUZ them like Dave. HairLooks like the Christmas tree is decorated with hair. Maybe the barbershop is next door? Rock around the laundromatThat must have been one wild party judging by W. Roy's festive tie and the ratio of four goils to one guy. It's not my place to judge, but that cedar bush looks like it was decorated with laundry lint and loose threads, in keeping with the wash-a-teria theme. I appreciate the "rest of the story" revealed by commenter John J's enlightening research which makes the picture much more interesting and I can certainly relate to those much simpler times. Perhaps some of those gifts contained grits and corn meal samples which Roy sold as well as laundry detergent. Good times. Angel HairWhat you see on this tree was and is called angel hair. It is made of spun glass. In the 1950's my uncle would always decorate his tree with it. Angel hair was never allowed on our tree because it was known to draw blood if you were jabbed by broken ends. Properly applied to a tree it took on a very pleasing appearance. However, when hastily applied the tree could take on a Harpo Marx look as in this Shorpy photo. (The Gallery, Christmas, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Cozy Shack: 1951
Columbus, Georgia. "Housing 1-18-51." First in a series from the News Archive ... to relieve the inevitable itching. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2015 - 2:46pm -

Columbus, Georgia. "Housing 1-18-51." First in a series from the News Archive showing slums supposedly in need of clearance. 4x5 negative. View full size. A woman ahead of her timeThe caption says it's January, but all four calendars say February. [Not everyone can afford all 12 months. - Dave] Clearance.Starbucks needs this land for Gentrification. Clean & NeatYou could probably eat off this lady's floors. She's proud of her small home and her son serving in Korea. What month is it?Interesting that she has four calendars hanging behind her, all showing February 1951. Where Do I Go?What we see here is the American Spirit. A smiling Senior, apparently happy in her home, proud of her (I'm guessing) son who served. The Government considered her home a slum, but what's the alternative? Slum clearance is old-fashionedThat's why it's called urban renewal nowadays. In China there is a community that has lived in caves on the side of a hill for generations. Instead of moving the people into "modern" housing, the government modernized the caves with electricity. I thought it was smart but the story was written with a tone of ridicule. Alternate titleCalendar Girl All those 1951 calendarsBright, decorative and most importantly free, I can see how a householder of modest means might want more than one of them hanging on her walls. When I was in college in the 1960s, I had posters depicting all the visiting rock bands and surfing movies hanging on my San Diego apartment's walls for much the same reasons. We always got them free at the local head shops and coffee houses; I may still have a few of them rolled up on the closet shelf. Lawyers' Lane?If that's the street this place was on, I may have rented it for a few months in 1965. While I was enjoying the salubrious outdoor activities of the Infantry School's Ranger and airborne courses, my then wife was ensconced in a place very like this, down to the bead board walls (though minus the calendars and furniture), enduring the lack of air conditioning and the hordes of cockroaches -- excuse me, June bugs. Municipal projects in the South in the last century often followed a deliberative, even leisurely, schedule, so it's quite possible that such places, though long viewed as something substandard to be replaced, would have continued to exist in that state for several decades after they had first been considered for demolition. I suspect, however, that by the mid-60s, the lady pictured had taken up residence in her cabin in the sky. Making DoA lovely photo of a woman who is grateful for what she has. After raising a family during the Depression, she probably feels cause for gratitude. There certainly are lots of chairs. Visitors welcome. Looks homeyThis looks a lot like my Grandmother's house on the Monarch Mill Hill in SC. Lovingly maintained and still standing after nearly 100 years. Flower linoleumI had aunts and uncles with that same painted linoleum on their floors. Mississippi, 1960s. And every sitting room had at least one rocker! SnowdropTrying to make out what's in that can by the gas heater, but zooming in blurs the words. Anyone know what it is? At first I thought it was lard, but that's "Snowcap", not "Snowdrop". ;-) [Snowdrift shortening - "It's emulsified" -tterrace] Ouch.She's hurt her hand. Perhaps she scalded her hand spilling water from the top of the heater. My grandmother (born 1902) used to keep water on the heater to increase humidity. One of the most famous 50s commercialsAnd very short too. Simply one woman saying "John" and he replying "Marsha" - then came the closer "Snowdrift". [I remember it well. And here it is. -tterrace] Snowdrift and the space heaterThe Snowdrift can likely holds water for replenishing the pan on top of the space heater. Without this early day humidifier the house would be very dry and cause skin and dry throat problems. The heater itself is a piece that would call out a hazmat team today. The white fluffy material above the burner is asbestos. When in use the asbestos would glow in various colors as the temperature varied. Reminds me of someone...This lady and her home reminds me of one of my great-aunts and the house she lived in. Born in 1905 into a poor farming family, and married a farmer who had to make their living through the Great Depression years. By the time I was a youngster in the 1980's, she was still living in the same home, with worn furniture and fixtures, and religious paintings and family photos in old frames that hung away from the wall a little. She was thrifty; she would wear clothes until they were threads and if anything could be fixed, she would fix it (or have it fixed). No waste for her! I always was intrigued by her home, and of course even though it was old, it was CLEAN. Sure, it could have used a coat of paint here or a new board there, but still as clean as a whistle. And I can remember her making a big breakfast in old-school cast iron skillets that she probably had her entire life. Poor but happy and sweet! I noticed she still hangs a portrait of Franklin D. Roosevelt...obviously someone who appreciated the New Deal during the 30's. A spittin' and a scratchin'?The first thing the can on the floor reminded me of was a makeshift spittoon, just like the large Folger's can my grandfather kept on the floor near his stove in which to deposit his Day's Work tobacco remnants. I would say that an elderly southern lady who imbibed in chewing tobacco was probably not all that unusual at the time. I also noticed that she has a stick or hanger wired stuck up inside the cast on her arm, no doubt to relieve the inevitable itching. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Elizabeth Street: 1912
... Calogero Sacco, first arrived from Sciacca, Sicily on Columbus Day 1899, the ship's manifest said he went to live at 126 Elizabeth ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2020 - 2:49am -

March 1912. "Row of tenements, 260 to 268 Elizabeth Street, New York, in which a great deal of finishing of clothes is carried on." 268 Elizabeth Street, in Little Italy, is now a "luxe sweater bar" called Sample; 258 (Kips Bay) is a handbag boutique called Token. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. ClaustrophobicSeems like a real fire hazard. updateI love this building– it's remained very much the same. The small building at left is Cafe Colonial. I posted an update photo. AmazingI live on Mott Street. From my living room window is right across the street from that building. When I first saw this picture I wondered exactly where on Elizabeth it was and then I noticed the distinct fire escape. Amazing. It's like riding a time machine. Fantastic find, I live in this buildingWhat a fantastic shot. I live in this building that extends from 260 to 268 Elizabeth Street. Aside from new storefronts and loss of light fixtures, it looks very similar today. The small building on the corner still exists, but but the Kips Bay structure and the building housing the Cafe on the northeast corner of Houston Street are long gone. I've tried to find a good, historic image of this building for years, but didn't think I'd come across something that also reflects the vibrance of the neighborhood. [Thanks so much for the info ... a current photo taken from the same vantage would be interesting! - Dave] Elizabeth street update photoI had posted a photo update from the same(ish) vantage point several months back: [Link] I want to know what the inside is like! The entire BLOCK at the extreme left is gone-- a casualty of street widening. I believe that is the middle of Houston Street now. 260-268 Elizabeth StreetYou really can find out about old building through the New York Times! 1883- Listed as a residence in arrest report 1900 - An alleged gambling house 1901 - Raided by police 1902 - 1908 - It was a marionette theater operated by a Senor Parisi 1910 - It was a saloon owned by Francesco La Barbera that was bombed by the "Black Hand". Query No sign of Steve Spinella, though! Kips BayAnyone have any idea what the Kips Bay building was then? Or who Steve Spinella is? 126 Elizabeth & StatueGreat photo! When my Grandfather, Calogero Sacco, first arrived from Sciacca, Sicily on Columbus Day 1899, the ship's manifest said he went to live at 126 Elizabeth St. I'm told that building is also still standing with a statue of Madonna del Socorso in the window at street level. Anyone know if that is true, and/or have a photo of the building or statue? ElizabethStreet@spenceburton.com I lived here I lived here in the 70s. There were no locks on the downstair doors so late at night, I had to step over people sleeping in the hallways in boxes. THere were 2 apartments per floor. One faced the front on Elizabeth Street and the other faced Bowery. It was an amazing experience living here at 268 Elizabeth as we had artists mixed in with local Italian families. I grew morning glories on the fire escape. On feast days, the parade would come up the block on Elizabeth and I would throw down money for the church. I love this photo. 260-268 ElizabethSince I lived here in the 70s, the buildings were painted grey. They were white. Someone here said it would interesting to see this buildings now. I took this photo in 1999 on one of my many trips back home to NYC. Shouldn't be so judgmentalI was actually going to write that the 1912 street scene made me wonder why anyone would want to leave their country and come to America. Surely things in Italy and Sicily couldn't be this bad. And then I read all the comments and realized I'd missed something. Obviously, this tenement holds something dear to those who have lived there & I smacked myself for being so judgmental. 198 and 200 Elizabeth St.Great picture. I have been looking for circa 1900 pictures of 198 and 200 Elizabeth St. NYC(just a little bit further up the street). My family had a fruit stand/market and lived at the 198 address in 1897 and the 200 address in 1900. Does anyone know where I might find pictures of that genre and location?? (The Gallery, Horses, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Public Pool: 1960
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1960. "Municipal pool." 4x5 negative. View full ... looking chilled to the bone. Pool This pool in Columbus was filled in a few years after this photo was taken because of ... I used to swim there as a child. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive, Swimming) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2015 - 8:42am -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1960. "Municipal pool." 4x5 negative. View full size. What's "sunscreen?"Those kids are keeping the dermatologists very busy these days. Well, Semi-PublicSegregated Public Pool. Swimming and Civil RightsWhen I was a kid, the black kids did not know how to swim because they had no access to public pools or beaches. Lifeguard! Lifeguard!The boys wait in anticipation for Wendy Peffercorn to begin her shift. Jim Who?I sure the black kids had a separate, but equally nice, pool across town. Skin Cancer CityETres has it right. Not just the dermatologists, all too often the Oncologists as well. Mom would send us out without shirts in the summer and we'd be out all day w/o anything more than baby oil on us. I just turned 65 and recently had malignant melanoma removed. The chickens have come home to roost for the babyboomers! The tremblerThinking back to childhood's summer days, I remember that there was always at least one kid who was usually very slightly built who would be in the water for just 15 minutes or so before his very pale skin would become almost transparent, his lips would look blue, his teeth would chatter and he would shiver for the entire time he was in the water. In later years, I often observed this in other people swimming in different places around the country but whenever I think of kids in the pool, I always think of at least one of them looking chilled to the bone. PoolThis pool in Columbus was filled in a few years after this photo was taken because of desegregation. I used to swim there as a child. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., Kids, News Photo Archive, Swimming)
The Glory of Grain: 1985
... The flatironish building in the center is San Francisco's Columbus Tower, aka the Sentinel Building, begun a year before the earthquake ... Me Bings" (it is still there) with entrances on both Columbus and Pacific is Brandy Ho's some of the best food in Chinatown. If you ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 10/03/2020 - 10:25am -

As photographic film continues its inexorable decline to the status of quaint, if not forgotten, technology, I offer this example demonstrating one of its often-derided properties: grain. If you follow home video fora, you'll see many who think it's something to be minimized if not expunged entirely. Of course, grain is why there is an image in the first place. I think the heavy grain structure in this 35mm Kodacolor 1000 negative I shot in 1985 lends a rather painterly quality, especially viewed full-size. The flatironish building in the center is San Francisco's Columbus Tower, aka the Sentinel Building, begun a year before the earthquake and completed a year later in 1907. Since 1970, it's been the headquarters of Francis Ford Coppola's American Zoetrope studio; The Godfather was edited and sound- mixed here. Also, a K-car an M-body Chrysler Fifth Avenue taxi. View full size. Grainy GranadaMy father in law had a Mercury Monarch that was the most problematic vehicle that he ever owned. He bought it new and sold it about 7 or 8 months later. Grain PhotosToday's Panasonic Lumix Digital point and shoot digital pocket cameras have a feature called "film grain." It captures images in b&w, great contrast, with a hint of grain. It's a lot of fun. (and you do not have to spend precious time playing around with Photoshop!) Loma PrietaI was working in the basement studio of the Sentinel Building when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit. It was especially frightening because we were in an area directly under the sidewalk, which had shown signs of being structurally compromised. Before the quake wood support beams had been placed under the sidewalk to prevent it from sagging into the basement space. At the moment of the quake my first fear was that it would crash on our heads. But it didn't and we were able to fumble our way out of the pitch black studio and climb upstairs into the old Captain Video space on the ground floor (still in business in the photo). We couldn't get out of the building until someone from Zoetrope remembered us and came to unlock the door. On the street in Chinatown I could see the blanket of dust kicked up by the quake and looking down Jackson Street I could see cars heading west on both decks of the Bay Bridge. Rumor was the bridge had collapsed, which I couldn't believe, and later we learned the damage was serious but not catastrophic. The Sentinel Building suffered only minor exterior damage; it was one of the first buildings in S.F. to be built with a steel skeleton. San Fran GrainBefore I read your remark, I thought this was about Rice-A-Roni, the San Francisco treat. The Purple OnionSharp-eyed Shorpyites will notice on the left the sign for the famous Purple Onion club. Comedy and music greats of the 50s and 60s had their starts or practiced their craft here, such as Bob Newhart, Phyllis Diller, the Smothers Brothers, and of course, Lenny Bruce. As a college student in the City in the 70s I went there once, but more often had coffee and donuts at the Winchells across the street...when my monthly GI Bill check arrived. To this day, I still want to launch a paper airplane from the top of the Transamerica Building. GrainIf Ansel Adams had only digital, I don't know that his name would be a household word today. Undiplomatic Calling that clumsy rear-drive Chrysler LeBaron a "K-Car" serves only to besmirch the name of the cars that truly saved the Chrysler Corporation from oblivion. [Actually, it's an M-body Chrysler Fifth Avenue. I've corrected my caption. - tterrace] Lonestar: The 2.6 Liter Mitsubishi engine w/Mikuni Carb that was a low percentage option on some K-Cars and was extremely problematic due to it's hydraulically tensioned and failure prone timing chain and chain driven balance shaft system. I made a lot of money servicing the 2.6L engines that lived to see a replacement chain kit. I also put a boatload of choke pull-offs in those Mikuni carbs. Made in Japan but fixed in the USA. Thank youThank you, tterrace, for all you've posted over the last several years. Wish you'd post more. I enjoy all of them, and your descriptions! Mercedes or Granada?Remember those ads comparing the two? The oldster's grainis the youngster's pixel. And I do wonder whether my digicam, being a computer at heart, will have the service life of my analog SLR. We have all read how easy it is for manufacturers to program some planned obsolescence into anything digital. Brandy Ho's? Behind Me Bings" (it is still there) with entrances on both Columbus and Pacific is Brandy Ho's some of the best food in Chinatown. If you dine alone (can you spell business trip?) they will seat you at the "lunch counter" with all of the cooks and huge woks on the otherside of the counter the grill in a diner. The "show" is as good as the food. The Winchel's Donut is long gone, replaced by a Happy Donut. Wonder if their whole wheat donut is as good as Winchel's, if it has the same quality of grain? Thanks TTerance.. great shot, great memories, great grain. Chrysler's Savior(s)Matt Fuller: "Calling that clumsy rear-drive Chrysler LeBaron a "K-Car" serves only to besmirch the name of the cars that truly saved the Chrysler Corporation from oblivion." IMHO, it was the US Government and Mitsubishi Motors that saved Chrysler's bacon at that time. Of which neither were bad things in and of themselves. But, I found it epically ironic then that Lee Iococca was bashing Japanese imports when it was the Japanese that pretty much enabled him to remain employed. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. K-CarWhen I read your original caption (with K-Car) I thought that you were referring to the car behind the VW on the left (with the chrome side mirror) - I think it just might be a K-Car! The StreetsI half expect Karl Malden and Michael Douglas to pop out from behind one of those parked cars. times have changedLoved your photo, but in a non-second the exact same effect is done in photoshop by adding noise. Don't get me wrong the "good old days" were great! Milk BottleHey, isn't that a milk bottle on the hotel window ledge? Oh, wait, I think it's about 40 years too late to see that. Thanks, tterrace, for all of your evocative photos and for your detailed commentary that accompanies them. Wild in the StreetsThis is the same angle as the cover photo of the Circle Jerks' "Wild in the Streets" Second oldest bar in San Francisco Just up the street next door to Winchell's was the second oldest bar in San Francisco. A friend of mine opened the San Francisco Brewing Company the very year this photo was taken. He left the bar in its classic state, but for the addition of the brewing equipment. One of the most unique items of the bar was the tiled area just below the front of the bar. It was said to be used by the men to relieve themselves, so as not to lose their position at the bar. I haven't been there in years, but I do know that the brewery closed some years ago. Great beer was made here, with an amazing barley wine style topping the list. Here is a link with more information regarding the bar. Kougar?@Minnesotaart: I believe the car behind the VW is a c.1980 Mercury Cougar, not a Chrysler K-Car. Purple OnionI just started reading a Smothers Brothers bio today that talks about their early years at the PO. Nice serendipity. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Smoking Concerts: 1906
... Hall (which can be seen in both views) is now occupied by Columbus Park. The area on the right of the 1904 photograph is now occupied by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 5:31pm -

1906. "Post Office and Eagle Building. Brooklyn, N.Y." At the Alcazar Theatre: "smoking concerts." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Please clear this upI admit to not knowing much about photography but please explain why the moving people aren't blurred in this extremely clear early photo. [With a fast emulsion and short exposure time, you won't see blurring. This isn't an "early" photo. Photography had been around for well over 60 years in 1906. - Dave] Pre-automobile NYTime after time it never seizes to amaze me how pre-automobile and pre-skyscraper NY was actually an overseas London! The streets, the buildings, the bowler hats - it seems as if America hadn't been born yet back then. Smoking ConcertsThe exact opposite of what we're doing today. I guess they were saying that during theses concerts you could smoke and not that the music was so hot, it smoked. [The smoking concert, a holdover from Victorian England, was traditionally a stag affair. - Dave] Cable CarPeople often see the slot between the tracks in Manhattan photos and assume they are looking at cable car tracks, while it is actually a conduit electrification. I assume this photo shows Montague Street in Brooklyn. The Brooklyn Heights Railroad operated cable cars on Montague Street from the Wall Street Ferry to the Borough Hall area (http://www.cable-car-guy.com/html/ccnynj.html#bhrr) from 1891 until 1909. Regards, Joe Thompson [Or would this be Washington Street. The Eagle's address was 207 Washington at Johnson. And if the streetcar was a cable car, what's the overhead trolley wire for? - Dave] Brooklyn EagleDave would it be possible to get a nice close up of the eagle statue over the "Brooklyn Eagle" door? ConfusedI see rails on the street, plz excuse my lack of knowledge, but r those for trains?? [They're for streetcars. - Dave] StreetcarsIs this an example of a cable car track, conduit electrification or - as I suspect - two side by side sets of tracks; in other words northbound and southbound lines. If you look at the overhead at the "Theatre Stop" sign you'll see two wires running down the street. I would suspect that what we're seeing as a groove is a way to keep the space for the flanges of the wheels uniform to avoid derailments. If I can judge gauge by the wheels of the wagons the spacing would seem to be right. Oh, and by the way, is that a streetcar (with its pole up) heading toward us, just above the horse and wagon on the right side of the street? Are they still there?Is the post office building or the Brooklyn Eagle building still standing? If not, what's replaced? Has anyone any images which show it? [See above. - Dave] WagonIs that a Police wagon down the street? [That's a delivery wagon. - Dave] GorgeousNo questions, not much of a comment, other than to say thanks for a gorgeous photograph! Little TrampsWOW!! A city full of Charlie Chaplins. Sharp peopleAlong with faster film emulsion, another reason that walking people in the photo are in relatively sharp focus is that they are far enough from the lens to make the distance they travel across the negative during the exposure, which I would guess to be around 1/10th of a second, to be very short. I am guessing too that the domed tower in the far background is Brooklyn Borough Hall, which is, thank goodness, still in place. Brooklyn Post OfficeThe Post Office building is still there. [What's the address? - Dave] 271 Cadman PlaceIt looks as if an addition was put on at some point, where the Alcazar is. The address is 271 Cadman Place East # 1, Brooklyn, NY. If you go to Street View, at the SW corner of the building you can see the tower. The street that is in the foreground is closed off now. View Larger Map Brooklyn Eagle and Post OfficeThe Brooklyn Eagle building is still standing, and is now residential. The Post Office underwent renovations a couple of years back and now houses the P.O., as well as other government offices. Click the pictures for more info. Eagle WarehouseThe Eagle Warehouse (on Old Fulton Street, very near the East River) is quite lovely, but is an entirely different building about 1/4 mi west. Brooklyn TheatreNear the site of the Alcazar had been the Brooklyn Theatre, at the southeast corner of Washington and Johnson. It burned on Dec. 5, 1876, with a loss of nearly 300 lives. +98This photograph below is a scan from a slide (clearly I need lessons on scanning slides from tterrace) that was taken in November of 2004 looking south on Camden Plaza East from Tillary Street. At the time of the 1904 photograph, this would be looking south on what was then Washington Street with the Eagle Building on the southeast corner of Washington and Johnson Streets. That corner and the area beyond to the former Brooklyn City Hall (which can be seen in both views) is now occupied by Columbus Park. The area on the right of the 1904 photograph is now occupied by the Korean War Veterans Plaza. As noted previously, the area occupied by buildings on the right in the 1904 view is now occupied by an addition to the post office. LocationIt was Alcazar for just two years. http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/7747 (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
Killed in Action: 1951
Columbus, Georgia, circa 1951. "Military funeral." One in a series of photos ... War casualties. The deceased may or may not have been from Columbus, GA. Just a guess, but the scene here would be prior to their ... at Fort Benning, located about 12 miles southeast of Columbus. The presence of the African Americans in uniform suggests that at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2015 - 11:43am -

Columbus, Georgia, circa 1951. "Military funeral." One in a series of photos showing a quartet of flag-draped caskets. Georgia historians please fill in the blanks. 4x5 acetate negative, ex newspaper morgue. View full size. Home of Fort BenningMy son went through Airborne school there. Most likely Korean War casualties. Chef GreppiWon't honor my reservation. Fort Benning CemeteryAgreed that these were probably Korean War casualties. The deceased may or may not have been from Columbus, GA. Just a guess, but the scene here would be prior to their interment at the post cemetery at Fort Benning, located about 12 miles southeast of Columbus. The presence of the African Americans in uniform suggests that at least one of the deceased served in Korea with the all-black 24th Infantry Regiment. (The Gallery, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive, Patriotic)
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