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Library of Congress: 1905
Washington, D.C., circa 1905. "Library of Congress, Main Reading Room." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 4:15pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1905. "Library of Congress, Main Reading Room." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. StunningComparing this photo with the 2007 version was awesome. So little change. The big difference is color, quality of the lens and film between the two. [Technically speaking, neither one uses film -- the 1905 photo was made on glass, and the 2007 photo is digital. - Dave] ReminderThat the more things change, the more they stay the same. Thanks OK ColorizersDo your stuff. Let's see how close you can come. Glass vs. DigitalI will always prefer the glass over the digital. I think it looks much better. Awesome. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC)
Light Reading: 1941
January 21, 1941. "Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park Plaza, New York. Popular Room." 5x7 safety negative by ... View full size. That's a proper library. Our local branch remodeled itself into a pale imitation of a ... East Wing, Three Miles South... The more I see of this library, the more I think they should have rented bicycles so you could get ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 7:08pm -

January 21, 1941. "Brooklyn Public Library, Prospect Park Plaza, New York. Popular Room." 5x7 safety negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. That's a proper library.Our local branch remodeled itself into a pale imitation of a Borders bookstore. Low shelves that hold only a fraction of the collection, tiny little tables that are no good for research, a superficial reference section, and only one lonely shelf of sale books. But they're very proud of their new overstuffed chairs. It's trying so hard to be hip and trendy that it's depressing. Sir, Anthrolopogy is in the East Wing, Three Miles South...The more I see of this library, the more I think they should have rented bicycles so you could get from one section to the other. I prefer my libraries smaller and less a tribute to progress, or whatever the heck they were trying to do here. Look at the time!I better get my suit on and head to the library. A little dab'll do ya!Obviously didn't use enough Brylcreem to keep that cowlick down. MLISIn library school I practiced pulling the pencil out of my bun and swinging my hair around. I'm saddened that no one has a bun. The more things changeLooked the same when I was last there in 1984 (except clothing styles). Wide Open spacesI can't believe how much ROOM there is in this place! I work at the public library here in town and we have stuff crammed into our areas. Our town has grown, but because of budget restrictions, we haven't been able to expand much and we are a BUSY library! MismatchedThe chairs don't go with the tables at all I've heard of these!Back in the olden days, it took two days for Kindles to recharge, leaving people stranded with no way to read books - thus, the library was invented. I understand some still survive to this very day. (The Gallery, Education, Schools, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Country Kitchen: 1942
... nails doing on the kitchen counter? From the breadbox library Charles Gundel's "Hungarian Cookery Book" had its first printing in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2023 - 11:43am -

July 1942. "Birmingham, Michigan (vicinity). Kitchen in a country house." 4x5 inch acetate negative by Arthur Siegel for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Eleven Years Later ... ... I finally see the rest of the kitchen. I clicked on "Kodachrome treatment" and discovered I made a comment on 01/01/2012. [There's even a third pic! Check back in 2034. But seriously, the negative for this particular photo didn't get scanned until 2022. - Dave] Drink Sanka Coffee and Sleep!My grandma use to drink Sanka. I remember seeing the jar in her kitchen when we'd visit. I also remember seeing Grandma's weed she kept in a big jar, between the Sanka and the juicer. Ahhh, those were the days. Made in Detroit -- "Tasty-Krisp Popkorn"... just to the left of Sanka. Popcorn was the go-to snack in those days. Tasty Krisp Products was located at 11166 Grand River Avenue in Detroit. Now an empty lot in a much-decayed neighborhood, but in the 1940s it was growing and prospering. Cold QuestionHave to wonder what the jar of cold cream is doing on the kitchen counter. With 6 sisters I sure saw a lot of that product in my youth, but always in the bathroom. Perhaps there's a culinary use I'm not aware of? [In the kitchen, a cold cream jar is not necessarily a jar of cold cream. - Dave] The MirolarmThe clock on the shelf is a Telechron Model 7F77, or "Mirolarm". Made between 1932 and 1938, it was Telechron's first "buzzer" alarm clock and would have been rose colored glass with a mirrored background. [Not to be confused with "Mirro" brand kitchen timers, or Joan Miró. - Dave] Grandma's weed?My first thought was: What’s a jar of nails doing on the kitchen counter? From the breadbox libraryCharles Gundel's "Hungarian Cookery Book" had its first printing in 1934 and is still available 45 printings later, and Gundel's is a world-class restaurant in Budapest still in business today. If one enjoys Hungarian food, this cookbook with its delectable offerings is sure to throw one off their January weight loss diet. Sone things never change (much)The bottle near the middle of the top shelf, in the paper wrapper, is clearly Angostura bitters. The labeling is amazingly similar to the one on my shelf, 80-plus years later. And my tin of Colman's Mustard is still more like this one than it is different. Bitters with the sweetThere's a bottle of Angostura bitters on that top shelf next to what might be maple syrup. UtensilsArthur Siegel also gave this kitchen the Kodachrome treatment -- Maybe not weed --Oregano? Well-wiredAny decorator magazine today would publish this kitchen with the word "whimsical" somewhere in there, but they would either studiously ignore the exposed electrical conduit, or comment on its "industrial" aesthetic. This is certainly an unusual abundance of electrical outlets for a kitchen of this period, and no doubt added at the owner's discretion to serve their abundance of kitchen gadgets. (How many people had an electric orange juicer in 1942?) Notice the light fixture above, with the original wiring concealed in the walls. In 1940, the National Electrical Code added a requirement for a dedicated 20 amp circuit for kitchen appliances, something that had been recommended as a best practice for a couple of decades. My sense is that this rule was little-enforced, as wartime materials shortages soon prevented compliance. But here's the original concept, illustrated in an official publication of the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition. Edit: I mistakenly typed "conduit," though this is clearly the first-generation iteration (1928-ca1950) of non-metallic sheathed cable, popularly known by the trade name Romex. Brought to You By --Shorpy should get ad fees for product placement: Kroger’s Colman’s Durkee’s Jell-o Sunkist Sanka Mary Scott Rowland Grandma's laboratory Perfect meals (The Gallery, Arthur Siegel, Kitchens etc.)
Walnut Street: 1910
... Co. glass negative. View full size. Mercantile Library If I'm not mistaken, I believe that those top floors are the Mercantile Library. They've just celebrated 175 years. ... but it's actually 13) is the Young Men's Mercantile Library Building (Joseph Steinkamp & Brother, 1902-1903); and the third ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 2:41pm -

Cincinnati, Ohio, circa 1910. "Walnut Street." A detailed street scene in the business district. Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Mercantile LibraryIf I'm not mistaken, I believe that those top floors are the Mercantile Library. They've just celebrated 175 years. http://www.mercantilelibrary.com/ I worked hereThis is the Bartlett building. I worked there 1989-1991. American Airlines had a reservations office on the top four floors (they moved out about five years ago) and a ticket office at street level. My office was on the 11th floor and my window was in the center of the eastern side. I loved that building. Sometimes we'd go up to the roof at lunch and have a great view of the river. The top floor was storage and had all sorts of stuff stashed away. I never took the time to explore that area too much. Slightly creepy apparitionI have no idea what might be causing the illusion, but there's a really angry looking cartoon-like face in the window at the lower left-hand corner of the taller building. It sort of resembles a Peanuts character screaming "AAAUUUGH!" GAME TODAY globeThis sign must refer to the Reds/Redlegs having a home game the day this picture was taken. Maybe the cigar store below it was a place to buy tickets. Had the Crosleys an interest in the team as early as 1910? And who else besides me remembers those little Crosley cars and that innovative Crosley "Shelvador" refrigerator? Until then, no-one thought to put shelving on the inside of a refrigerator door. Those high-up window signsWhen I see those 10th-story windows advertising various trades, I always wonder what use they were. Maybe a couple dozen people working in the building across the street would be able to read them, but they certainly seem like they would be invisible or too far away to the multitudes at street level. It's an Alternate LifeThe lawyer occupying an office on the top floor of the building on the far right is George Baily. I guess Frank Capra had an alternate ending or storyline, one where George is forced to leave Pottersville, goes to Law School and winds up in Cincinnati. Scary scaffoldingThose guys at the bottom right obviously must know what they're doing. What's missing?Someone removed a bunch of something from the top and left of the big building. Evidence? [Part of the sky was masked out on the negative. - Dave] Business, IndeedLoads of lawyers in the building to the right, and insurance and accounts to the left. Love the auditor looking out the window -- to keep an eye on the lawyers?? Porkopolis?I don't see any hogs in the streets. Must be after they lost the butchering title to Chicago. Drach ArchitectDrach Architect (top floor) designed the Cincinnati Water Works building shown in this Shorpy post. Oh, that CrosleyPowel Crosley (law office, fourth floor, lower right in photo) was the father of Powel Crosley, Jr., a Cincinnati icon for years. Jr. not only invented, patented and built automobiles and low-priced radios (among other consumer products) in the first half of the 20th century, he was also a giant in early radio and television broadcasting. As kids growing up in southwest Ohio, our standard joke was that one could hear "blowtorch" WLW radio (700AM, still o the air) by wrapping one's mouth around a metal fence strand and receive a signal through our (metal) fillings. Crosley's biggest claim to fame may have been his ownership of the Cincinnati Reds, beginning in 1934. He rechristened Crosley Field in his own honor, and was the first to hold night baseball games (in 1935). A rite of passage for kids in my era ('50s-'60s) was to attend opening day at bandbox-sized Crosley field, skipping school of course. Early retouchingWhat happened to the sky on the left side of the photo? [It was inked out. - Dave] Powel Crosley Law OfficesThis is the office of Powel Crosley Sr. He was the father of Powel Crosley Jr. and Lewis Crosley. Powel Jr. later bought the Cincinnati Reds baseball team and the ball field that they used until 1970 was called Crosley Field. Powel Jr. was interested in automobiles and was tinkering with cars and selling auto accessories shortly after this photo was made. Powel Jr. was born in 1886 and was 24 years old at the time of this photo. Interesting reading about the Crosley family can be found in the book "Crosley" by Rusty McClure. Some interesting old photos can be found there too. Sidewalk BustleMost of the bustle looks to be on the sidewalks. The streets are relatively quiet. Even the street vendor is standing in the street so as not to block the pedestrian traffic on the sidewalk. I imagine today it would be the opposite. Medical ArtsDo I win the prize? I spotted two doctors' offices, two dentists' offices, and a rare osteopath. (You just don't see those very often). Powel Crosley Sr.Today's famous-name-in-gold-on-a-window is Powel Crosley, who was then a 60-year-old attorney and real estate developer with two precocious sons (Lewis and Powel Jr.). In 1910 Powel Sr. asked college dropout Powel Jr. (not for the last time) when he was going to start making something of himself. Powel Jr. loved cars but couldn't get traction in the business, until he invented a new type of tire and borrowed $500 from dad to try to market it. With the help of Lewis, Powel Jr. used that product as the foundation for what would become one of the nation's largest auto parts companies. A business empire that included radios, refrigerators, proximity fuzes, radio stations, ownership of the Reds, and many other successes followed. East Fifth & WalnutThis is a view from the corner of East Fifth and Walnut looking south down Walnut. Fourth is the next intersection on Walnut, where the street can be seen beginning to slope down toward the Ohio River. Most of the buildings on the left still exist. View Larger Map Fort Thomas streetcarThe streetcar has a destination of Fort Thomas which was across the Ohio River in Kentucky. I remember Fort Thomas quite well as it was the home of the military induction center for the area. In those days if you were 18 or over, you were required to serve in the military. You either joined or eventually got drafted. I took my physical for the Air Force at Fort Thomas in August, 1961. That was an experience I will never forget. For those of you who have been through it, I'm sure you will agree. Let's Get These Buildings Straight ...After much surfing, I have obtained the following results: The tall 15-story building on the left is the Traction Building (now the Tri-State Building) of D.H. Burnham & Co. (1902); the shorter building next to it on the right (looks like 11 stories, but it's actually 13) is the Young Men's Mercantile Library Building (Joseph Steinkamp & Brother, 1902-1903); and the third tall building on the left is the First National Bank, again of D.H. Burnham & Co. (1903). The Union Savings & Trust Co. (now Bartlett) Building (D.H. Burnham & Co., 1901-1902) is on the right in the background. It seems that all four are still standing. I'm not from Cincinnati, so I hope I got this right. (The Gallery, Cincinnati Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
TRX: 1910
... this great photo is described as Detroit Publishing Co., Library of Congress, but I am unable to find this photo at the Library of Congress website. Could someone provide me with a link to the photo? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/19/2023 - 3:58pm -

Mobile, Alabama, circa 1910. "Unloading bananas." Tropical Refrigerator Express reefers at the ready. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Open Air Ship's WheelThis is likely an emergency wheel located close to the steering mechanism. The regular-use wheel is forward, in the bridge of this steamship. BananasThis was about a decade into the long march of the United Fruit Company through Latin America, leaving in its wake "banana republics", untold injustices, and the lasting model for multinational corporations. Open door policyI'm guessing that the reefers are in "ventilated car" mode, since bananas, while temperature sensitive, don't require the level of cooling some products do (namely frozen ones). The hatches are in the up position to facilitate air flow, rather than for icing. Where's Harry?I don't see the tally man. Norway?I can’t make out the name of the boat, and regardless it doesn’t appear that there’s a country listed, but the flag looks Norwegian to me. Does that even make sense? Mr TallymanThe tallyman and his buddy are on post, they even arranged a bench to check the unloading in comfort. The banana boat is NorwegianAs evidenced by the flag. It's from Bergen and its name ends in "DØ" The beginning is obscured by the flag Ship's WheelI don't remember seeing a ship's wheel quite so exposed to the elements outside of a pirate movie. Sidewheeler IDJas. A. Carney 1894 according to page 219 of the 1910 Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United Stares WHAT Bananas?I see coal and not bananas! "Yes, we have no bananas?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QqkrIDeTeA or if you prefer originals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDd8shcLvHI Where's the Day-O? Yes, we have no ...I'm banana blind -- not one in sight. Yes -- bananas!Look carefully at the conveyor just above the righthand white ventilator. The conveyor consists of a series of slings, each one lifting a bunch of bananas. Hellø BodøHere we see the diminutive 181-foot Norwegian steamer Bodø, launched as the Xenia in 1894 at Bergen by Bergens Mekaniske Versteder for Bergh & Helland of that city. At 666 gross and 398 net tons, it was powered by a triple expansion steam engine supplied by a Scotch boiler. It became the Bodø in 1899 and was chartered to the United Fruit Company to haul fruit, primarily bananas, between Jamaica and the the East Coast. United Fruit chartered many Norwegian vessels around the turn-of-the-last century beginning in 1899. Later named Plentingen, Polar, Samos and Ikaria, it was dismantled in Greece in late 1928. It has appeared before on Shorpy (as has a similar comment of mine!) Gaillard-Johnson Coal CompanyFrom the 1909 Mobile city directory. When cities had more than one telephone company. Coalyard located at foot of St. Anthony. Phone Bell 248 or Home 51. [City directories go back to before people even had telephones. - Dave] Walking the GangplankAs a free-range kid in Mobile, I have personally watched bananas being unloaded from a ship, circa 1950. It was nothing like this photo. There was a slanting gangplank between the ship and the dock, and a continuous line of men descending with stalks of bananas over their shoulders. I recall the gangplank being wooden, but am not sure of this. Nor do I recall how the men got back on board, but obviously they did. “Lighter”I’m interested in the boat off to the right of the ship. It’s actually a barge called a Lighter. These were, and in some cases still are, used to service ships in port. In this case the Lighter is providing coal to fuel the steam boilers. It has never been clear to me where the term came from. Some have suggested it’s from the German “Lichter” as some barges were used to off load (lighten) small deliveries to shore from large ships. Another great photo. Source of photo?The source of this great photo is described as Detroit Publishing Co., Library of Congress, but I am unable to find this photo at the Library of Congress website. Could someone provide me with a link to the photo? I've tried every search term I can think of. [This was one of a group of hundreds of damaged glass negatives added to the LOC archive in February. They have yet to be captioned, so will not show up in search results. - Dave] (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Mobile, Railroads)
Patent Library
... in the contest, this is a photo taken in a patent library. I colorized it for my entry and won that contest. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by GeeGee - 01/06/2010 - 2:44pm -

This was a black and white Shorpy image used in a Fark Photoshop contest back in early August of '09. According to the information in the contest, this is a photo taken in a patent library. I colorized it for my entry and won that contest. View full size. Awesome colorizingI really appreciate the care you gave to finding just the right colors for the rails and even the fine details of the books on the shelves! All hues are right with just the right levels of brightness. Very effective job! What else ya got? (Colorized Photos)
Soft Serve: 1942
... Hi Dave, The name is spelled Camblair according to Library of Congress. Love the photo, BTW. [Camplair, with a P, is the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/29/2023 - 1:44pm -

September 1942. "Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Sergeant George Camplair on one of his many visits to the post exchange." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Many Visits?Who can blame him? Born here ...Eight years later, I was born at Fort Belvoir, as Walter Reed was full up. They did not give me a softie cone, though. Just a slap on the behind. I can see whyI also would be making as many visits to the PX as my duties would allow, with a doll like that behind the counter. Woof! Yes Sir!I can see why the sarge is a frequent customer and it ain't because of the cold fountain drinks or the Chesterfields. Nutty for McNuttThe woman here with Sgt. Camplair in 1942 looks to be Mary Jane McNutt, co-worker bride per that 1946 wedding post found under his onion peeling pic. “Many visits to the post exchange” indeed, thus making it two winning campaigns for the duration. Hmmm ...One has to wonder if this is also a picture of the future Mrs. Camplair. Same uniform for me The cap I have still fits. The rest just didn't keep pace. Whatcha got there, soldier?I can read the word Exchange and understand it's base currency. Not sure how much they pay a sergeant for peeling onions. I can't find an example of it on the Internet. Camblair?Hi Dave, The name is spelled Camblair according to Library of Congress. Love the photo, BTW. [Camplair, with a P, is the correct spelling of his name. - Dave] They treat you right?The surgeon general will disagree in a little over 20 years, but it is a cool advertisement by Chesterfield. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Jack Delano, Pretty Girls, WW2)
University City Library: 1959
... the largest mural in the world, covering all sides of the Library. The mural is based on Aztec and Spanish motifs and UNAM's coat of ... 
 
Posted by bhappel - 06/20/2011 - 1:06pm -

Ciudad Universitaria (University City), Mexico is the main campus of the National Autonomous University of Mexico. Located in the southern part of Mexico city its construction on a solidified lava bed was finished in 1954. My Aunt Lee is on the right (I'm assuming that Aunt Emmy took this picture since that is not her by Lee's side). My Aunts, at ages 38 and 40, were on their first international trip. At the time of this trip they had worked at least 15 years as executive secretaries at GM divisions in Anderson, Indiana. The mural pictured here is recognized as the largest mural in the world, covering all sides of the Library. The mural is based on Aztec and Spanish motifs and UNAM's coat of arms. The artist was Juan O'Gorman, a painter and architect. The image was digitized from a 35mm Kodachrome slide. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Literary Landmark: 1906
Circa 1906. "Cossitt Library, Memphis." This Romanesque red sandstone structure, at Front and Monroe ... the banks of the Mississippi, was Memphis's first public library when it opened in 1893. Detroit Publishing. View full size. ... much less graceful structure. I've seen this shot of the library before but at a much lower resolution. Here's an example: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 12:30pm -

Circa 1906. "Cossitt Library, Memphis." This Romanesque red sandstone structure, at Front and Monroe on the banks of the Mississippi, was Memphis's first public library when it opened in 1893. Detroit Publishing. View full size. FlyersAny chance of an enlargement of the flyers on the pole? The Cossitt, R.I.P.http://www.memphislibrary.lib.tn.us/ABOUT/libraries/cossitt.htm Unfortunately, this beautiful building was razed in the late 50's and replaced with a much less graceful structure. I've seen this shot of the library before but at a much lower resolution. Here's an example: http://z.about.com/d/nashville/1/0/6/9/mem04.jpg The two things that stand out to me in this shot are the cobblestone, which today are only visible down at the river landing at the bottom of the slope, and the river channel in the background. The Arkansas bank is now shored up to support the I-40 bridge a mile to the north and the I-55 bridge maybe a mile to the south. All in all, a marvelous shot. Thanks for sharing, I know just who will enjoy this print come Christmas. High res picsIf you don't mind me asking, how did you go about getting these recent high resolution images? I know the HABS/HAER collection has good hi-res pics and so do the G.G. Bain and National Photo (Washington D.C.) images you typically feature, but I have only seen very low-res images in the Detroit Publishing collection at the LoC website. Have they added a high res section for this I didn't know about or do you just have to query them for high res versions of individual images? Thanks for the info. [The Reproduction Number series LC-DIG-det has 397 Detroit Publishing images with hi-res tiffs. - Dave] Worse Than GoneThe Cossitt Library is still in the same place, but it's now an ugly 1960s box. The magnificent Romanesque building was demolished in the interest of whatever people were thinking at the time. It's said in Memphis that the Crossitt Library is now imperiled because the site is valuable for development. Alas, it hardly seems to matter. CossittWhat a beautiful sight. Was this a Carnegie library? Will someone post a picture of the site today? Romanesque librariesI lived in Memphis in the 1980s and can testify that much of the charm of the late 1800s has disappeared and replaced by 1960s boxes. Warner, New Hampshire, has a charming example of a small Romanesque library that has been tastefully and thoughtfully enlarged. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warner,_New_Hampshire http://www.warner.lib.nh.us/ RomanesqueGorgeous. Reminds me of Stewart Hall at West Virginia University: The Cossitt TodayThe Cossitt Library is right up the street from where I work. It's true that it was "modernized" into an appliance like structure that looks more like an air conditioner than a public building many years ago. However, part of the original red sandstone structure still exists. It faces the river. The turret (actually almost all of what is visible in this photo) was "replaced" with the new box building and it actually is attached over some of the original building. It's always under the threat of being closed, but has somehow managed to stay open. Seems to be deserving of restoration. We managed to save the Overton Park Shell (now the Levitt Shell) and built a replica of the demolished Stax studios as the Stax museum so it seems to be possible, even though it rarely happens. A Trip to the LibraryIn the late 1930s we went by public streetcar (later by bus) downtown to this library. We got off at Court Square and walked across the square, passing Woolworth's on Main Street on our way. When I was a bit older, I was allowed to make this trip alone. Every Saturday I climbed these steps and entered the cool porch and then what seemed to me a sanctuary of quiet and wonder. The librarian would sometimes notice what I was returning and recommend a book or an author and I happily browsed the shelves and sat in the reading room which had windows on the river. After I checked out my books -- limited to four, so the selection took a while -- I retraced my steps to Woolworth's where I would stop for a little shopping, real or imagined, and a wonderfully real pineapple ice cream soda. The building seen to the right in the photo is the Post Office. Oh, if only...we still created public buildings with the same pride and care. I think I could get my kids to actually want to go to the library if they felt they were heading to a "castle." I see pics of European castles/buildings which simply make me sigh. Our "boxes" and public structures leave so much to be desired. Many people build their own personal castles (mansions) but only they and their neighbors get joy from these. I want to go to this library and read for hours! OverdueAn excellent guide to Memphis architecture I have explains that the red sandstone used to build the library began to deteriorate and experts at the time determined that it could not be saved as it was. Most of it was torn down and an International Style structure took its place. Though some of the original red sandstone can be seen in the back (river-facing) side. ColoringI love to dabble in photoshop and this photo just seemed to cry out for some color. I have no idea whatsoever if this is even CLOSE to the original color, but it's what I saw in my mind. I give you the photo because all I wanted to do was colorize it. I did so and had a lot of fun doing it. I don't make money off it, I just have fun with it. Thank you for bringing us so many wonderful memories. [Ooh. It's beautiful! Click below to enlarge. - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, Memphis)
L.A. Over D.C.: 1931
... overflew Washington on November 2, 1931. However the Library of Congress photo caption (which is not dated) says it's the Akron. - ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/26/2023 - 1:19pm -

        UPDATE: The aviation experts among us aver that the photo shows the USS Los Angeles, not the Akron. In which case the date would be November 2, 1931, when both airships overflew the capital. August 19, 1932. The Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. "The Navy airship Akron appeared in the morning and after circling the city released several of her small fighting airplanes over Hoover Field. These were later drawn into the hangar constructed on the interior of the airship." 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Non-flammable, but deadly nonethelessAll Most of the Navy's airships came to tragic ends (the Los Angeles was the only one to make it to retirement). The Akron's death toll of 73 -- coincidentally the same as the number of flights it had performed -- was the worst of the lot. Flying aircraft carriersIt seems incredible now, but in the early 1930s the Navy experimented with launching and retrieving fighter planes from airships like the Akron. The photo below, taken three months before Horydczak's, shows a Sparrowhawk fighter suspended from the "trapeze" of the Akron. The pilot can be seen reaching to check the wing attachment that will allow the plane to be dropped safely into the air. The program died after two fatal accidents, both caused by weather. Almost MemorialThe top of that memorial looks like a pathetic "hurry up and finish it" to an otherwise very nice building. Sad and deadly endingThe USS Akron was destroyed in a thunderstorm off the coast of New Jersey on the morning of April 4, 1933, killing 73 of the 76 crewmen and passengers. The accident involved the greatest loss of life in any airship crash. I'm doubly impressedFirst, that F9C Sparrowhawk fighter planes could be released from the airship. Even more, that the Sparrowhawks could return to the airship. USS Los Angeles!The Akron was a great ship, however this is the USS Los Angeles built by Zeppelin in 1923. This is the ZR-3 USS Los Angeles, not ZR-4 USS AkronUSS Akron's engines were in a single line along the lower half of the hull, where USS Los Angeles had 5 engine pods (4 staggered on the hull and one on the bottom). The airship in the photograph is ZR-3 USS Los Angeles. I don't think that's the AkronLooks like the Los Angeles, but not the Akron or Macon. The engine pods give it away. Engines on the Akron and Macon were internal with drive shafts out to the props. Wrong AirshipThat's the Los Angeles (ZR-3), not the Akron. Comparing photos of the two make that obvious. The Akron may have been in the same area at the time but it's not in this picture. [The Akron and Los Angeles overflew Washington on November 2, 1931. However the Library of Congress photo caption (which is not dated) says it's the Akron. - Dave] Dirigibles were grossly overrated. Yes, that's the Los Angeles. The Akron hat four vertical lines on its skin from the condensers which were used to recoup water from the exhausts so they would not have to vent ever so much scarce and expensive helium. As for being overrated, just look how they all fared. Imperial German airships - way more than half lost to accidents, bad weather and enemy action. Well, they make one hell of a big target. LZ 32 even had the distinction to be shot down by a submarine. Of the six post WW1 zeppelins actually built two were lost and three of the rest hardy flew at all. The Brits were not doing much better. And had their own notorious command economy showcase with R101. The US had five of them (arguably some to the finer ones, especially the domestically built) - and lost four. Just look how often somebody comes up trying to resuscitate them - and not getting anywhere. IMHO a clear case of "mine's bigger than yours". Blimps on the other hand are a different matter. [Blimps are dirigibles. Dirigible means directable, i.e. steerable. - Dave] (The Gallery, Aviation, D.C., Theodor Horydczak, Zeppelins & Blimps)
Nashua: 1908
... like an avenue in Manhattan. I am also grateful that the Library of Congress has these Sanborn maps...! Terrific detail about buildings ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/20/2023 - 3:43pm -

1908. "Main Street -- Nashua, New Hampshire." At right, offices of the Nashua Telegraph and Fletcher's Optical Parlors. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 1908 and 2017 PigeonsJust try to tell me pigeons aren't trash birds! Safe spaceMaybe you heard this already but WalletHub just named Nashua, New Hampshire, the safest city in America. The other nine in the top ten are Columbia, Maryland; South Burlington, Vermont; Gilbert, Arizona; Warwick, Rhode Island; Portland, Maine; Casper, Wyoming; Yonkers, New York; Burlington, Vermont; and Scottsdale, Arizona. According to the same study, South Burlington, Vermont (the third safest city), "also tied with Cleveland and Cincinnati, Salem, Oregon, Washington, D.C. and Seattle for the most hate crimes per capita." Uh oh. Maybe move to Burlington, Vermont -- less than three miles away and coming in at ninth on the safest city list. Or just stay put and take your chances. CLOUDS!I don't know if it was luck or some type of different exposure process, but it's rare to see a sky with clouds in these old photos. The cameras couldn't pick up the subtle shades and usually the skies appear completely white even though at the time they may have been overcast or partly cloudy. Because now you can bank onlineWorking left-to-right: JennyPennifer's comment caused me to pay special attention to the police officer walking his beat, just to the left of the wagon parked at the curb. He's dressed like a London Bobby. The four-story building with the curved front is, regrettably, gone. This likely happened when Main Street was straightened, and a newer bridge was built across the Nashua River. The Romanesque church at the end of the street is on the other side of the river. The building at right, which became a bank in jrpollo's update, is now luxury condos, called The Mint. Not to criticize too much, but my first efficiency apartment had more kitchen space. I guess the residents are expected to eat out. A number of nearby restaurants have expanded their al fresco option to include both the sidewalk and the parallel parking spaces in front of their restaurant. Straight and trueI lived in Nashua for 12 wonderful years and lived in the North End right off of Concord. This image did raise a question about the curved building a block from the river crossing. Any straightening alluded to earlier would have taken place much earlier in the 19th century... The Sanborn Insurance maps of 1912 indicate that Main Street and the bridge were already where they are today. But the curved building, identified as the Howard Block gracefully curved to widen the main street from the width of the bridge (I am guessing). Main Street really is three lanes wide in each direction... feels like an avenue in Manhattan. I am also grateful that the Library of Congress has these Sanborn maps...! Terrific detail about buildings and their particular use. Here is the link to that image: https://www.loc.gov/resource/g3744nm.g3744nm_g053631912/?sp=32&r=0.517,0... Different process = CLOUDS!Eary photographic processes were primarily sensitive to only blue light. Numerous newer processes throughout the late 19th century added increases sensitivity into the greens and yellows resulting in what we now call orthochromatic materials. It wasn't until around 1906 that a truly panchromatic emulsion with full sensitivity to red was developed. This took several decades to become dominant. It wasn't until the panchromatic films and plates became available that we begin to see photos that can render skies anything other than nearly blank white. Orthochromatic materials remained in use for quite a while largely because you could develop them under a red safelight. Panchromatic materials required total darkness. [Here and here, some clouds from 1864! - Dave] Light grey/white clouds against a blue sky require a panchromatic emulsion, otherwise the clouds and sky reproduce nearly the same light grey. Only when the clouds are all grey and dark grey (think: storm clouds) will they reproduce on earlier orthchromatic or pure blue sensitive emulsions. Tea TimeThe Grand Union Tea Company delivery wagon in the Nashua photo made me curious. My local New Hampshire grocery store used to be a Grand Union. I found a brief history of the company here: https://oldmainartifacts.wordpress.com/2013/10/07/grand-union-tea-compan... (The Gallery, DPC, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
The Village: 1905
... York City circa 1905. "Jefferson Market Courthouse." Now a library. Looking down West 10th Street at Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village. ... were two big names associated with it. Before it was a library, and even before it was a courthouse, it was a market and a fire tower. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 3:34pm -

New York City circa 1905. "Jefferson Market Courthouse." Now a library. Looking down West 10th Street at Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Look into Milwaukee City HallThis picture reminded me of Milwaukee City Hall except this building is way too top-heavy. Hopefully Shorpy will find an exterior and interior of one of the last great Flemish Revival city halls in the world. PointyI love these big old buildings that look like castles. The stunningly fine details of these photos takes my breath away. The sign reading keeps me very entertained as well. Basin street viewsWhat in the world is the basin-like feature at the base of the high tower? It looks exactly like a Baptismal font -- but this is a courthouse -- and it's outside, to boot! If it is another one of those zany combo people/horse fountains, the horses would have to step up on the sidewalk to use it. The puddles/stains around the area also are a little disquieting. Tagged!Would that be circa 1905 graffiti on the roof? Pause to refreshOne Moxie ad and none for Coca Cola? Long and Winding HistoryAs you can imagine, Jefferson Market Courthouse saw plenty of drama and high profile cases. Harry K. Thaw and The Triangle Shirtwaist Company were two big names associated with it. Before it was a library, and even before it was a courthouse, it was a market and a fire tower. I'm always amazedto see so many streetcars in these old pictures. Jefferson Market architectureWhat a remarkable building, and remarkable also that it survives intact, including the massive and somewhat top-heavy-appearing tower. Often such things were lopped off, if the building wasn't demolished in toto. I had originally thought this architecture was Romanesque Revival, but further research reveals that it's more like Venetian Gothic. Both styles were very popular in the late Victorian Era, and fell out of favor as the early 20th Century progressed, in fact becoming somewhat emblematic of the whole concept of old-fashioned. Ornate and massive was out and streamlined and airy was in, and lots of people welcomed the idea of these buildings being reduced to rubble. We really miss something by not seeing this one in color, which you can do at its Wikipedia page. My Favorite LibraryWhat a beauty, both inside and out. There is also a large garden with gorgeous roses at the south end of the building. John Sloan In New YorkOne of the best of the Ashcan School--the same building in this John Sloan painting of 1917. Street corner fountainGreat photo. My eye kept wandering back to the street level fountain at the building's corner because it looked vaguely familiar. Then it struck me; there's a very similar fountain at the Sharon Lodge in Golden Gate Park in San Francisco, built in 1885. Main difference seems to be in size -- and possibly intent. The GG Park version was designed for people while the basin in the NYC version looks like it's horse-sized. TaggedCan we get an enlargement of the roof of the courthouse? Straight up from the main entrance on the left side of the building, near the bottom of the large roof there appears to be a name, like "N. LANY". Maybe some kid snuck up there, or a worker did it and didn't think anybody would ever notice. Reminds me of a poemby William Henry Davies: What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare. I refer to the policeman standing in the middle of junction, arms behind his back like policemen all over the world. Perhaps he is on traffic duty but he doesn't seem to be making much effort. WowI love buildings in this style. Glad to see it lives still and did not meet the same fats as many of its contemporaries.I love the full size too. The details are pretty cool, like the walkway on the rooftop for the billboard hangers to walk on, laundry drying, and the funniest part, the cop in the street giving the guy in the stairway the big staredown! (Gotta admit he does look suspicious.) Yankee Doodle LaundryI don't know what delights me more -- the billboard advertising "Yankee Doodle Comedian" George M. Cohan and his Big Singing-Dancing Company in "Little Johnny Jones," or the clotheslines strung out on the rooftops behind the hoarding. Pastiche and PresentAny structure this non-conformist and excessive will win me over every time. What's not to love about this quirky gift from the past? Part of what makes it so wonderful is that it refuses to be neatly pigeon-holed into any pat architectural classification. While I don't feel a very strong Venetian vibe going on here, the Gothic (and Romanesque) aesthetic is happily blatant. I think that the folks at nyc-architecture.com have nailed it with the label "High Victorian Gothic neo-late romanesque." It's huge!And really impressive. There's a long, spiral staircase leading to the second floor that is completely dizzying. The stained glass windows are beautiful. Trick or TreatI love this building and I paint it all the time. I dressed up as the Library once for Halloween! Cardboard Jefferson MarketI love Halloween. I love the jefferson Market library. The Village Halloween parade goes up 6th Ave RIGHT ALONGSIDE the Jefferson market Library! Great-Great-GrandgrocerI had an ancestor who lived near Patchin Place and ran a grocery in the Village I wonder if that's the one? (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Koh-I-Noor: 1902
... your eye, AND your hand -- a different skill set. Library Paste ... Yum! Some big jars of great smelling minty tasting paste ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 11:52pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1902: "Window display, art and drafting supplies." Our second look at Richmond & Backus, printers, binders and "office outfitters." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The reflections are interestingBeyond the scope of the photograph, the reflections in the window are intriguing. I see an Army recruitment center across the street. Is this enough clues for someone to come up with an address? [111 Woodward Avenue. - Dave] Window GlassInteresting reflections!I think the male reflection is the photographer. French CurvesDarn! Those sure are some sexy French Curves in that window!!! Same in 1982 as 1902Most of the items and brands in this window were still what we used in architecture school 80 years after this was taken. It's only in the last 15 or so years most of these drafting supplies became rare - everything's on computers now. The Fox in the HatHubba hubba! Take our brief survey.Looks like surveying scales mixed in with the drafting implements. Richmond & Backus adFrom the 1902 Detroit City Directory. Perhaps created in the "bohemian lair with lots of flair." Cuff GaitersThat's what I need to keep the AutoCAD smears off my shirt! Office ImplementsI have a cased surveyor's tape almost identical to the one on the far left; our son gave it to me some years ago (hand-me-up?), purchased from the Greenwich Observatory gift shop. And it's been forever since I last saw those circular erasers, although these don't have the conveniently attached brush! Hand-me-downsWhen I went into art school, Dad presented me with one of his sets of Koh-I-Noor drafting sets (he was a mechanical engineer - heating, cooling, and refrigeration). They had stood him in good stead for over 30 years. I gave them to my brother about 20 years ago and he's still using them for projects. Hopefully, his son will get them. A Different Skill SetHow much "hand skill" went into drafting! We've all crossed the borders between eras in some way; I remember practicing my alphabet in college at 19 (or I should say relearning), and now it's point-and-click. I'm honest enough to admit that saying I miss the pencil and eraser sounds old, and watching a good CAD draftsperson is like watching magic, but producing a good drawing with your head, your eye, AND your hand -- a different skill set. Library Paste ... Yum!Some big jars of great smelling minty tasting paste there, just waiting to be nibbled on! Dear SantaWith Christmas fast approaching, can you go back in time and get me that Thatcher High-Precision Slide Rule? It's the grooved drum in the top center of the display. In my time they cost one or two thousand, can we strike a deal on this one? Railroad curvesI have a box like that sitting on my drafting table at work loaded with railroad curves. It even has the two hook latches to keep the lid closed. And it looks like engineering or architectural scales in a circular holder on top of the box. Leaning on the box is a range pole, with three Philly Rods and targets in the window. I still have my Koh-I-Noors in a drawer at work - but I haven't used them in years. DetailsThis picture is a perfect example of why I love this site so much. The small details and the memories they trigger are fascinating. E. Faber The School Journal, Vol. 59, 1899 The lead pencil and paper has largely taken the place of the slate and pencil in school, and no wonder. Cleanliness is one consideration and not the only one. The pencils of E. Faber, New York, and Chicago, will be found of an excellent quality. He also manufactures standard sorts of pen-holders, rubber erasers, rulers and other articles in this line. Sign of the timesIn the upper left is Prang's Standard Alphabet - which, among other things, could be used as a standard for sign painting. If that copy still exists in good condition, it might be worth quite a bit (though possibly not as much as the linked first edition.) ComputerWould the device prominently displayed center top of the case be used to convert various measurements to drawing scale? Thacher's Calculating InstrumentThe device at the center of the top shelf is Thacher's Calculating Instrument. It is a cylindrical slide rule, four inches in diameter and 18 inches long. The inner cylinder rotates and slides longitudinally within 20 scales. These give the instrument an effective length of 30 feet and an accuracy of up to five digits. Basically, it's a slide rule on steroids. They are very desirable today and bring in excess of $2,000 at auction. Koh-I-Noor: 1902 extended through at least 1959I was a photo interpreter and photogrammetrist in the USAF during the years 1956-1960. Part of the equipment issued was a "P.I. Kit", offering most of the tools required for those jobs. Kit included a sheaf of Koh-I-Noor pencils. Very good for their purpose: Drawing precise lines on an acetate overlay that would eventually be photographed and printed as a (Sectional Aeronautical) Chart. After my service, some folks presumed my "USAF" implied I was a pilot. "What did you fly?" "Koh-I-Noors". (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Stores & Markets)
Let's Get Fiscal: 1942
... use it to do her taxes. Detroit - or Indy? The Library of Congress's archives include dozens of Arthur Rothstein pictures of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/13/2023 - 11:52am -

September 1942. "Detroit, Michigan. Office worker at aircraft engine plant, Allison Division of General Motors." Photo by Arthur Rothstein for the Office of War Information. View full size. FridenThat is a Friden calculator. It adds, subtracts, multiplies and divides, all mechanically. The electricity just runs a motor that turns the gears. No floating point decimal though, so you have to know where it goes. Some versions of this calculator will extract square roots. The good old Friden calculatorIn the 60's, my mother worked as a lab assistant at an agricultural experiment station, and the PhD she worked for had one of those beasts. I often visited the lab and one day after doing simple additions and subtractions on it, a decided to do a division problem. Big mistake. The machine went into gyrations while sounding like it was stripping gears. The good doctor poked his head out of his office and gave me the filthiest of looks. Later on, my mother would borrow it and haul it home so I could use it to do her taxes. Detroit - or Indy?The Library of Congress's archives include dozens of Arthur Rothstein pictures of individual workers at an "aircraft engine plant, Allison Division, General Motors" with a reference to "Detroit, Michigan." But (aside from Rothstein's photos) I can find no evidence that such a plant was in Detroit. During WWII the Allison Division of General Motors operated large aircraft engine plants at Speedway, Indiana and nearby Indianapolis, and of course other GM divisions had plants in and around Detroit - but perhaps not the Allison Division. https://usautoindustryworldwartwo.com/General%20Motors/allison.htm [The Cadillac plant in Detroit manufactured parts for GM's Allison Division. - Dave] Divide by ZeroMy father used a large 9 column mechanical calculator to balance the books at our small dime store. I used to play with at times. When you tried to divide by zero it would go through some amazing mechanical spasms before it would spit out a "0.0". Musical NumbersEverything you need to know about the Friden calculator is in this video. There is a scene with Jack Lemmon in the movie "The Apartment" working on a Friden calculator. He enters a sequence of numbers to produce the "Friden March." (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Detroit Photos, The Office)
Loie Fuller: 1902
... taken? [The photo and caption info come from the Library of Congress . - Dave] (The Gallery, Dance, Public Figures) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/16/2023 - 10:47am -

The dancer Loie Fuller in a 1902 portrait by Frederick Glasier. View full size. Identification of Loie FullerI'm interested in finding out more about how you identified Loie Fuller as the subject of this photo. Is there an annotation on the back of the photograph? I'm assuming that since you haven't posted it online there is no other information about where this photograph was taken? [The photo and caption info come from the Library of Congress. - Dave] (The Gallery, Dance, Public Figures)
I'm a Wreck: 1923
... Washington, D.C., vehicular mishap, this time at the Library of Congress. View full size. National Photo Company Collection. ... below) but no luck so far. - Dave] It's the Library of Congress It's perhaps the most elegant public building in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 9:42pm -

"Auto Wreck, 1923." Another Washington, D.C., vehicular mishap, this time at the Library of Congress. View full size. National Photo Company Collection. Old Post Office?Thinking maybe that is the SW corner of the old post office - now the postal museum - if it is...then the corner depicted now houses the Capital Grill and is adjacent to Union Station of earlier Shorpy fame. Goober Pea National Archives?It looks a lot like the National Archives... Not Sure About the BuildingBut I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that the car is a Chevy. Treasury Building?I believe it's the Treasury Building http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ustreasur.JPG Archives?That building looks very familiar but I can't just place it. Is it what is now the National Archives? I haven't been to DC in some time. [It's similar in style to the wings of the Capitol. But not an exact match as far as I can tell. I've looked at about 3,000 photos of Washington buildings today (including the Old Post Office, National Archives and Treasury Building, among the guesses below) but no luck so far. - Dave] It's the Library of CongressIt's perhaps the most elegant public building in Washington -- the original building of the Library of Congress, now known as the Jefferson Building. The photo shows the east side of the building, when viewed from the south, which means that the accident took place at the corner of Independence, Pennsylvania, and 2nd Street NE. [Indeed it is! You'd think I would know that, seeing as how it is the mother of all things Shorpy. Thank you. Photo below shows the west front. - Dave] Spandy-new ChevyThat old japanned enamel didn't stay that fresh looking for long, that car was showroom new less than a year before and it was probably totaled. It looks like it was T-boned on the passenger side, even if the kid in the passenger seat is holding the door open a bit the door pillar behind him is seriously out of line which means involved carpentry work to repair it, that body is all oak, ash and maple with a thin sheath of sheet metal. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Music Men: 1920
... Collection glass negative. View full size. Old Library The building visible in the background is the Old Library, which by the middle of the 1910s had taken up residence in the former ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/22/2015 - 10:49am -

"Virginia P.I. Cadet Band." Circa 1920, the men of Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Old LibraryThe building visible in the background is the Old Library, which by the middle of the 1910s had taken up residence in the former chapel. Unfortunately, this building burned down in August of 1953 - the new library which now replaces it (Newman Library) was completed in 1955. The red arrow indicates the place where the band was standing at the time it was photographed; the orientation of the building is, of course, different. The second picture shows the day of the fire. The Highty-TightiesAll of my wife's cousins were members of the cadet band, called The Highty-Tighties by students at VPI&SU, as Virginia Tech used to be named. No smiling!Except for the snare drum player: "I'll smile whenever I want". Heavy MetalOnly two reed instruments. They must've played in the altissimo register to be heard above the brass. Good Brass Band InstrumentationAbout the right numbers of the various types of brass instruments, except perhaps, another Eb Alto Horn or two are needed. Albert System ClarinetsJudging from the pads on the second section joint, those clarinets are Albert system.: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_system. (The Gallery, Harris + Ewing, Music)
Higher Education: 1949
February 19, 1949. "Lamont Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachu­setts. Fifth-level reading ... force. Not one pot plant to soften the picture. Cool library furniture The light colored wooden tables and chairs remind me of public library furniture when I was a lad. Now, my local library is almost ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/01/2014 - 4:44pm -

February 19, 1949. "Lamont Library, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachu­setts. Fifth-level reading room. Coolidge, Shepley, Bulfinch & Abbott, architect." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Serious young manOn the left, reading. Why is he frowning at his book? Is it his regular manner, the book's contents, or annoyance at the presence of the photographer? 40's BlandnessBlank walls with only industrial looking air vents to relieve the tedium, blond furniture except for the four nicely upholstered chairs, sharp edged reading carrels and fluorescent lights and acoustical tile ceiling in full force. Not one pot plant to soften the picture. Cool library furnitureThe light colored wooden tables and chairs remind me of public library furniture when I was a lad. Now, my local library is almost unrecognizable with computers, soft chairs, different color schemes and all the other whiz bang things we have today. No one whispers anymore, either! Not much changed...I was in Lamont frequently in the late 1990s, and it looked much the same. The flooring certainly hadn't been replaced, and even the furniture looked quite similar, as I recall. (The Gallery, Boston, Education, Schools, Gottscho-Schleisner)
Pull In for Pepsi: 1941
... [And "dinner" is lunch. - Dave] Old Tiny Library There are other words -- in cursive -- on the sign, but I can't make them out, so I'll just say I want to visit the Old Tiny Library and buy a few gifts, then go to the cafe for dinner (lunch) of a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2020 - 12:18pm -

March 1941. "Four o'clock traffic. Norfolk, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Breakfast,Dinner, Supper, that's what we called them, now everyone calls "supper" dinner. [And "dinner" is lunch. - Dave] Old Tiny LibraryThere are other words -- in cursive -- on the sign, but I can't make them out, so I'll just say I want to visit the Old Tiny Library and buy a few gifts, then go to the cafe for dinner (lunch) of a sandwich, with what my stepdad used to call a "Coke-Cola." Granby StreetAfter reviewing this photo for a while, and taking into account this is afternoon traffic, I have to think that this is a photo of Granby Street just south of where it crosses the Lafayette River. The cars are probably returning from shifts at the Norfolk Naval Yard I am wagering. Almost too Tiny to tell, butDoes the sign maybe say "Old Timy" library? More commonly spelled "timey" these days? [Yes! - Dave] Spell bindingThanks to Kines and Dave on the spelling of Old Timy -- as opposed to Tiny. To be honest I thought I saw an M as opposed to an N but the word "Timy" would not register. Guess I'm a traditionalist. You CAN have it both waysOne establishment serving both Coke and Pepsi? This is truly a bygone era. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Eateries & Bars, John Vachon)
Going in Style: 1920
... car (note the multiple lamps and lanterns) outside the Library of Congress, the eventual repository for his company's vast archive of ... inch glass negative. View full size. Party at the Library, actually What you're seeing in the background is the front of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/20/2015 - 6:28pm -

        We'll leave it to our erudite commenters to elaborate on the party taking place in the background, a sort of Beaux-Arts photobomb involving a naked lady and a horse. Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "H.E.F. in Packard at L.O.C." National Photo proprietor Herbert E. French in an enormous touring car (note the multiple lamps and lanterns) outside the Library of Congress, the eventual repository for his company's vast archive of photographs. 8x6 inch glass negative. View full size. Party at the Library, actuallyWhat you're seeing in the background is the front of the Library of Congress Jefferson Building, with the Neptune fountain by sculptor Roland Hinton Perry. It's very educational for the kiddies, if they're interested in anatomy. Love the handlebar moustacheson the dolphins. And look at the arms on that dame--I wouldn't arm wrestle her for money! More than a century old nowThe Packard appears to be a 1914 Series 4-48. A fine facade, indeedOn a spring day in 2013 Allegorical SculptureOf course it's the famous "Wisdom Inspired By Music While Beauty Flogs a Dead Horse," sometimes attributed to the elder Saint-Gaudens but really executed by an anonymous but decidedly rebellious disciple of Henry Moore. Beaux-Arts CandyWhat a façade and car! But what really caught my attention is the horn that is both electric claxon and air-reed horn. I guess it's backup for those who can't yell loud enough from an open car. Juvenile DelinquentsLooks like some street punks swiped his hubcap. Hooligans! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Yerkes Mansion: 1908
... and filmmakers alike. "City Loses Yerkes Library" Financier and public transportation developer Charles T. ... again in 1908, when the Times reported that its attached library and art gallery, willed by Yerkes to the city for public use, was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2011 - 3:25am -

New York circa 1908. "Charles T. Yerkes house, Fifth Avenue and East 68th." 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Creator of the Chicago Loop Charles Tyson Yerkes, as the robber-baron-in-chief of Chicago traction, acquired a distinctly unsavory reputation in the Windy City and was eventually run out of town. But he created - by hook AND by by crook - one of Chicago's greatest assets: the elevated railroad loop that encircles the downtown business district, which was completed in 1897. The name "Loop" derives from the turn-around circuits of the cable car lines built in Chicago in the 1880s, but it is forever linked to the giant elevated train merry-go-round that remains a favorite with residents, tourists, and filmmakers alike. "City Loses Yerkes Library"Financier and public transportation developer Charles T. Yerkes was one of those 19th Century capitalists whose ruthless business practices defined the term "robber baron." When he died of kidney disease in 1905, he was residing in an apartment at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel, and not in the mansion seen here, which was occupied by his wife, as reported in his New York Times obituary on December 30, 1905. The Yerkes mansion was in the news again in 1908, when the Times reported that its attached library and art gallery, willed by Yerkes to the city for public use, was instead being lost to foreclosure. Couldn't be more... spooky! East 68thSomewhere along the street is an apartment building owned by a couple named Mertz. On The AvenueIn 1895 the Yerkes Mansion was replaced by Thomas Fortune Ryan, another robber baron, who built an even larger house and garden on 2 lots. That lasted until 1950 when the architecturally ordinary 860 Fifth Avenue was built for the rich and famous. Gone and ForgottenWhen I first saw this picture I thought "Who in the world was Charles T. Yerkes and what is he famous for?" Well, after reading the remarks, I have decided that it is to mankind's benefit that the man has been, more or less, forgotten in just over 100 years. Too bad he didn't use some of his ill gotten gains to help people. Maybe his name would be remembered in the same spirit as Andrew Carnegie. [He did get those rail lines built, and provided employment for thousands. As for the pejorative term "robber baron," the people who most objected to those sharp elbows were other industrialists. - Dave] Yerkes ObservatoryI'm familiar with Yerkes in association with the observatory by that name. The U. of Chicago astronomer George Ellery Hale persuaded him to fund the observatory by pointing out that his name would be on the largest telescope in the world. Those tycoons love having their egos stroked, eh. Dreiser booksTheodore Dreiser wrote three books "suggested" by Yerkes' life ("The Financier," "The Titan" and "The Stoic"), and they are a great read for anyone interested in that time period. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Corner Store: 1921
... [Briar pipes 75 cents. - Dave] Across from the library A comment on the night-time view of this same drugstore (node 6491) ... in the door of the unique windows of the Carnegie library across the street, in Mt. Vernon Square. The reflections in the plate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 5:16pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "People's Drug Store, 7th and K." Seen here just a few days ago, as well as here and here and here. One-stop shopping for all your truss and hot-water-bottle needs. National Photo Co. View full size. Truss We GotWhat the heck was the deal with trusses back in those days? Magazines, especially pulp, had numerous ads for truss supporters. Never see any mention of them now. The way I feel todayI'll take one of everything. Truss ubiquityMy guess about truss ubiquity in the old days was that surgery for hernias was major and expensive, as well as dangerous. Today, I'll bet it's an outpatient procedure, although a quick search returned a number of places still selling trusses today. On a Side NoteSo can anyone tell me what "Advice Free Gas" is? [Gas that minds its own business. - Dave] TrussesNot only was surgery expensive, but in 1921, antibiotics were not yet invented, so surgery itself was more dangerous than just living with a hernia. "Sick Room and Invalid Needs"Look at all the stuff in those windows displays. You don't see that anymore, especially at a drug store. First to spot the dentistOk, I let that one go, but the sign for briar pipes is interesting. Is it 7 Dollars or 7 cents? As a guide a pipe today is around £30, where I live. Tobacco is £10 a shot. As everything is relative, is this a dear shop or not? [Briar pipes 75 cents. - Dave] Across from the libraryA comment on the night-time view of this same drugstore (node 6491) correctly places it at the site of the current NPR building. In the daytime photo, you can actually make out a reflection in the door of the unique windows of the Carnegie library across the street, in Mt. Vernon Square. The reflections in the plate glass on the right are of Massachussetts Avenue, and K Street on the left. New site for AAMC officesThis picture is fascinating as this is the site of the office (yet to be built) that my organization (AAMC.org) is scheduled to move into in 2014. Glad to see this history preserved. Not NPR, BlackboardAs seen in my comment here, the location of the Peoples is actually on the other corner where the Blackboard Building is. It seems kind of cross-purposes to put the graphic in both locations. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, PDS, Stores & Markets)
Along Fifth: 1908
... southbound traffic. If the photo is facing south the NY Library is out of view on the right, if it's facing north the Library is out of view on the left. North South reply Since 5th Ave runs ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/15/2016 - 3:12pm -

New York circa 1908. "Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street." Where hustle meets bustle. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Old New YorkI think I see Edith Wharton out for a stroll with friends. Down belowFor some reason I am really enjoying the elderly gentleman peering down the manhole over at the right. That little scene looks to me like a New Yorker cartoon waiting for its caption. Facing North or SouthAn amazing photo. I doubt if even a single building in this photo is still standing. Can anybody tell whether this photo is facing north or south? In 1908 Fifth Avenue was obviously a two-way street, but today it's one way southbound traffic. If the photo is facing south the NY Library is out of view on the right, if it's facing north the Library is out of view on the left. North South replySince 5th Ave runs NNE and the shadows are cast almost straight down the street , this shot was taken at app 2 pm with the camera facing almost due north . Re Old New YorkFunny, this photo made me think of Henry James! I wonderWould a man get dirty looks back in the day if he was on the street without a hat? PatchworkThe patch on the police officer's left arm is the oldest patch still in continuous use in the NYPD. It is a brown horse's head and neck, centered over a yellow spoked wheel. The Traffic unit/squad/division (it has had various names over the decades) was one of the first specialized NYPD units. This was at a time before traffic lights, etc., and was in response to the chaos visible in the photo. A Mostly Automobileless Street?It is interesting to note that in 1908, years after the automobile was common-place in New York and other large cities, that I can discern but a few of these "Horse replacements" in this busy street scene. The first that I see is beneath the "Fifth Ave." sign to the left, the second between the first two delivery wagons and a third and possibly a fourth are to the right of the large street light. Anybody see more? Or - Quite possibly it is a cold day, owing to everyone's attire, and most of those "Gas Buggies" are already garaged and up on blocks for the winter. Street lightsThe street lights of "the old days" are so artistic compared to the lights of the present. Even the street signs have class. This is why........I always check in to Shorpy. What a fantastic photograph. LibraryThe library was built from 1897 to 1911, so it was under construction when this photo was taken circa 1908. The library is out of frame on the left, across 5th Avenue, on the same side of 42nd Street as the photographer. The subway pole and metal pipe railing in the photo's right foreground (i.e., the southeast corner of the intersection) can be seen, along with the library itself, in this photo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_Public_Library_Main_Branch#/media... Detector of the UnwaryI wonder how many succumbed to the 18 inch high railings in the right foreground? Best EverBest Shorpy scene ever. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Awning Manor: 1908
... Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Library My husband and I have been inside this building many times. On the ... right is a wonderful (but expensive) restaurant called the Library. They specialize in meat. I guess they found their niche since every ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2014 - 3:17pm -

1908. "Rockingham Hotel, Portsmouth, New Hampshire." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The LibraryMy husband and I have been inside this building many times. On the first floor, to the right is a wonderful (but expensive) restaurant called the Library. They specialize in meat. I guess they found their niche since every other eatery in Portsmouth caters to seafood lovers. The library has been there a long time. The walls are lined with books that you can look at while you eat. They also bring your check inside of a book. It's a fun place. Still a beauty!View Larger Map Lord RockinghamI wonder if that is the Marquess himself in the left pediment. [It's Woodbury Langdon. The other bust is Frank Jones. -tterrace] PerspectiveExcellent perspective correction by lens shifting. Note how the lines do not converge, unlike the Google Streetview image in another comment. Falling backwardsYep, that's the place, falling backwards because of perspective distortion. Makes you look at old straight buildings with new respect considering the skill it took to make them straight. By the way, there are other faces in the center horizontal line of the building as well, which Wikipedia didn't cover. Can anyone figure out who *they* are? One may be a cherub (far left) but the others? ["The Four Seasons of Man." -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC)
Akron Over Lincoln: 1931
... sizable catalog of large-format images was given to the Library of Congress a couple of years after his 1971 death. I learn ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/26/2023 - 7:48pm -

November 2, 1931. Washington, D.C. "Navy airship U.S.S. Akron over the Lincoln Memorial." 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. THE AKRON'S VISIT.         The giant airship Akron arrived yesterday to salute the Capital on its first flight, after having been officially dedicated to Navy service on Navy Day. Accompanied by its older, slimmer sister, the Los Angeles, the Akron, bearing 108 men, circled over the city, dipped in salute to the White House, and gave Washingtonians their first chance to see the world's largest and newest dirigible. (Washington Post, 11.3.31) Look! Up in the sky --The craziest thing happened today. Looked up to see the Goodyear blimp flying over near where I live. Especially interesting after seeing all these airship photos the last few days. Build it and they will comeLadies and gentlemen, if you look out the left side of the aircraft you will see the Lincoln Memorial. Completed nine years ago on reclaimed swampland in West Potomac Park, it backs up to the Potomac River, making it one of the less accessible D.C. monuments. Doubtful any important events will ever take place there. Theodor HorydczakThat's a really nice photo. The use of the columns to frame the airship is inventive and well executed. The balance of light between deep shade and full sun was difficult to finesse, no doubt; it is pleasing to the eye. I don't recall the name Theodor Horydczak in all my years of following 20th century photography. Maybe Shorpy has posted some but I hadn't taken notice. This one, though, is worth noting (for me). [Click on his tag above the photo. - Dave] (Thanks, Dave! That's a really deep and great body of work by Theodor Horydczak you've presented here on Shorpy through the years! And many of them I recognize as pictures that had held my attention in the past. Horydczak really understood architectural photography! And he had a good eye for people, too. Being (re)-directed to the tab above the image is a good reminder: don't get old; retention of simple tricks lessens.) So I looked up Horydczak. He was born in Poland in 1989, emigrated as an 18-year-old, took up photography during his military service in the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War I, and then became a commercial/documentary photographer in Washington, D.C., until his retirement in 1959. His sizable catalog of large-format images was given to the Library of Congress a couple of years after his 1971 death. I learn something via Shorpy (and Wikipedia) pretty much every day. Thank you. (The Gallery, Aviation, D.C., Theodor Horydczak, Zeppelins & Blimps)
Textbook Example: 1912
Circa 1912. "New York Public Library building." With a variety of motorized conveyances. 8x10 glass ... in the past 102 years, one survivor in addition to the library itself is the building at the extreme left. Built in 1902 in the ... enormous highrise building crowding it on two sides. Library Lions "Fortitude" on the left, north side; "Patience" on the right, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/10/2014 - 10:06am -

Circa 1912. "New York Public Library building." With a variety of motorized conveyances. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Libraries and carriagesI wonder if 100 years from now, whether Shorpy will display a similar photo that shows how libraries became as obsolete as horse-drawn carriages? Will e-books have the same effect on these magnificent edifices as the internal combustion engine had on the carriages? Hold On To Your HatThe building at the extreme left in this photo is still with us today. It was known as the Knox Hat Building, standing at 452 5th Avenue, it was built in 1902 as the headquarters of one of the Country's largest and most famous headgear manufacturers. A surrounding high rise glass tower was added when it was known as the Republic Bank Building. The major tenant and new owner is now another bank, HSBC. He kindly stopped for meIn the bottom right corner of the photo there is a wagon hurrying along. Is that a coffin in the back? [Whooooo knows? -tterrace] Knox HatsWhile so much has changed in the past 102 years, one survivor in addition to the library itself is the building at the extreme left. Built in 1902 in the Beaux-Arts style, and designed by the same architect as Grant's Tomb, it was the headquarters of the Knox Hat Company for many years (Knox also had a huge factory in Brooklyn)and is still known as the Knox Hat Building even though the company's long gone. HSBC Bank now uses it for offices and has an enormous highrise building crowding it on two sides. Library Lions"Fortitude" on the left, north side; "Patience" on the right, south side. http://www.nypl.org/help/about-nypl/library-lions A Very Good YearI'm always on the lookout for photos taken in 1912, because that's the year that my Mom was born. She's 102 years old, and still lives on her own and is sharp as a tack. When I see a photo like this, I try to imagine all of the things she has seen in her lifetime, and it helps me visualize the work into which she was born. The New York Public Library has hardly changed a bit, except I did notice that the facade in the 1912 views must have been unfinished, for today, 6 statues grace the frieze on the colonnade, rather than the single one that was there then. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Chicago: 1943, 11:35
... in front of the domed Jewelers' building? Crerar Library The gray building was the John Crerar Library at Michigan & Randolph, just north of the city library. Opened May ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 4:56pm -

April 1943. South Water Street freight depot of the Illinois Central Railroad at Chicago. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. Now......it's a golf course: http://tinyurl.com/2z29tf Amazing that the signage on 203 N. Wabash is so visible nearly a mile away! Mmmmmm, 33 Fine Brews...Blended to Make ONE Great Beer. New Life for Carbon & CarbideThis landmark is now the Hard Rock Hotel! http://www.hardrockhotelchicago.com/accommodations/history Carbon & Carbide BuildingThe black (actually green) building to the left of the Pabst sign is the Carbon & Carbide Building, built in 1929 by Burnham Brothers architects. It is beautiful in the sunlight. A few cool facts: The base is covered in black polished granite, and the tower is a dark green terra cotta accented with gold terra cotta. According to legend the building was designed to resemble a dark green champagne bottle. Because of this building's success, its architects were commissioned to design the Cuneo Building two blocks away, which would have been the tallest in Chicago if the Great Depression had not resulted in the project's cancellation. The color scheme is similar to The Bryant Park Hotel with its dark facade and gold highlights. The ground floor was originally designed to display products of the Union Carbide and Carbon Corporation's subsidiaries whose offices were in the building. Domed BuildingThe domed building behind 203 N. Wabash is 35 E. Wacker Drive, usually referred to as "The Jewelers' Building." For the first fourteen years of the building's life it contained a 22-story car lift inside its core. Delivery vehicles would enter on Lower Wacker Drive and ride up to jewelry merchants to make safe transfers. The building is featured in scenes from 2005's "Batman Begins", with Batman perched on one of the turrets rising at the corner of the dome's base. ChicagoWell, it hasn't been a golf course for nearly a decade. The eastern part is now nearly full of apartment buildings. But the part seen in the photo was developed as office buildings in the early 1970s. An unfamiliar facadeDoes anyone know the name of the gray building with arched upper windows in front of the domed Jewelers' building? Crerar LibraryThe gray building was the John Crerar Library at Michigan & Randolph, just north of the city library. Opened May 1921 with "seven stack floors, two reading rooms and commercial space." Library moved to IIT in 1962, then to U of C in 1984, where it is today. Postcard here, in the third row. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
30 Rock: 1933
... (the Nebraska State capital and Los Angles Public Library the best examples.) Goodhue's unique career was the crucible where ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:22pm -

New York. December 5, 1933. "Rockefeller Center and RCA Building from 515 Madison Avenue." Digital image recovered from released emulsion layer of the original 5x7 acetate negative. Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. City of the godsIn 1933, my father was a seven-year-old living up Lick Branch Hollow in the Ozark Mountains. He would read books by kerosene light in the evenings. His family kept butter and milk (and Uncle Linus' hooch) in the cold spring-fed creek outside their house. It's astonishing to think he could have boarded a train and eventually arrived in this city of the gods, only a thousand miles away. Sign of the CrossThe double bar cross was the emblem used by the National Tuberculosis Association. Wonder if the lights were part of the campaign to fight TB. Gotta love those whitewalls!On the convertible by the front door. Double O's. Looks like it's ready to go somewhere in a hurry. Released emulsion layer?Dave, can you explain the technology of this image? How does an emulsion layer get released from a negative? [This is a process used on deteriorating acetate transparencies and negatives when they've begun to shrink. The negative is placed in a chemical solution that separates the emulsion from the film base. The released emulsion layer (the pellicle) is then placed in another solution to "relax," or unwarp, it. It's kind of like disappearing your body so that only the skin is left. More here. - Dave] Amazing viewThe shot is incredible! It looks almost surreal. I love it! Awesome scan job.I only wish I could see an even higher res version. Great work bringing this one back to life. WowI just can't believe how beautiful this shot is. Looks like the view from my New York Penthouse sitting there drinking martinis and listening to that new "jazz" music. High DramaThis marvelous building, reaching for the sky as if erupting from the ground, combines amazing delicacy, impressive size, and a feeling it is built for the ages to admire. SO much more breathtaking than today's typical glass box, although you need a view like this to really appreciate the classical lines and artful massing. A nice complement to the gothic cathedral in the foreground - a true temple of commerce! Churchly And Corporate SpiresThat's St. Patrick's Cathedral on the lower left, probably the only building from the 19th century left on Fifth Avenue, except for the Chancery House that's attached to it. Both styles of architecture are very dramatic. When I was a small child, at Christmas, my family would go to the Christmas Pageant at Radio City Music Hall every year, and then attend Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's. Ever since, I've never been able to separate religion from showbiz. Possibly because they really are the same thing. Take a peekThis picture makes me want to get out the binoculars and look in the windows. "Don't get much better"This image is a about as close to textbook perfect BW as you will find. It contains the complete range of grays from what looks like solid black in a few places to solid white in the highlights. The camera was level and the focus was dead on. As a photographer, I am envious. Old shooter Reaching New HeightsThe skyscraper is 30 Rockefeller Plaza before the RCA and current GE neon signage. Not that it wasn't famous before, but the TV show "30 Rock" has made it an even more iconic. Another claim is the gigantic Christmas tree on the Plaza, between the building and the skating rink, that when illuminated kicks off the Holiday Season in NYC. Hugh FerrissThis is like the photographic equivalent of one of Hugh Ferriss' architectural drawings, coincidentally of roughly the same era. MagicThe quality of this incredible photo captures the magic that New York City always longs for but seldom delivers. King Kong might have had a chance...had he chosen 30 Rock instead. OKLo mismo digo. Gracias. American Express BuildingThat hole in the ground, I believe, bacame the American Express Building. If you come out of the subway at the Rockefeller Center stop, and come up on the escalator in that building, you get an incredible view of St Pat's from below, with the spectacular statue of Atlas in the foreground as well. Very cool. Other noteworthy background details here include the Hotel Edison, and the old NY Times Building, at Times Square, before they went and utterly ruined it in the 60's by stripping all the detail off the skeleton. And check the skylights on the roof of what I think is the Cartier store, in the foreground! Send this to Christopher NolanHere's the art direction for the next Batman sequel. SpectacularWhat a wonderful, wonderful image! I love coming to Shorpy because you never know what Dave will come up with next. Thanks so much! The GreatestDave, this has to be one of the greatest photos you have posted. I work around the corner, and can look out my window at 30 Rock from 6th Avenue... my building wasn't built until 1973. Thank you. Time stoppedIs it 2:25am or 5:10am? Can you spot the clock? What Gets MeLooking at this photo - and it looks spectacular on my new monitor - is the sky. It has a sort of foggy twilight quality that is difficult to put into words but which emphasizes the the "star" of the photo - the RCA Building - and its nearby consorts or supporting cast over the buildings in the background which seem to fad into the mist. The building seems like the height of modernity, and one can easily imagine a couple of kids from Cleveland named Siegel and Shuster seeing this and making it a model for the cities of the doomed planet Krypton. Very neat picture...Can you give us an idea of what it looked like before it was restored? [There's an example here. - Dave] StunnedWhat a totally wonderful image, Sat here slack jawed at the incredible detail and the superb composition. I am amazedThe detail in the spires at St. Paul's Patrick's is fantastic. The amount of work that went into that building must have been enormous. I am very grateful not to have been on the crew detailed to put the crosses atop the spires! The Future Is NowInteresting that this photograph looks into a future in which many of the same buildings are still with us. At far left midground is the tower of Raymond Hood's American Standard Building. Next to it, with the illuminated sign on top, is the New Yorker Hotel (now Sun Myung Moon's) where Nikola Tesla spent the last ten years of his life. At center is the N.Y. Times Building with its flagpole convenient for deploying the New Year's Eve ball. And last, but not least, the Paramount Building topped by a globe and illuminated clock which is about as close to the Hudsucker Building as could hope to be seen. Of these four only the appearance Times Building has changed to any extent. A wonderful slice of time. TremendousTwo of my favorite photos on Shorpy consist of those like this one, showing the immense power of a huge city, even in the depths of the Depression, and those of small towns, especially when patriotic holidays were still celebrated. Samuel H. GottschoI'd never heard of him, but one look at this photo and I'm instantly a fan. This image is nothing short of spectacular. Ethereal, PowerfulThere have been many photos on this site that have impressed and pleased me, but this one is one of my favorites. Absolute magic. It's the quintessence of the power and style of 1930s design. Time machineI admire NY photos of the 1950s. And now I see that many of the buildings in NY I admire already were erected in early 1930s! What a discovery. What a shot. The Singularity of the MomentThis is an amazing photograph. As one earlier contributor observed, the pure technical aspects of the black and white composition are fabulous. The spread of detailed gray shadows and whites make this photo almost magical. It has the qualities of an Ansel Adams zone photograph that makes his work so arresting. But what really makes this photograph dramatic is what it reveals about New York City in 1933. A vision of the future of large cities, bustling twenty four hours a day and electrified. Today visions such as these can be seen on any continent in any large city. It has become the norm. But in 1933 there were only two places in the world that looked like this: New York City and Chicago. One can vicariously put oneself into the shoes of some kid from rural America or from Europe setting on Manhattan Island and seeing visions such as these for the first time. I can only guess it had the same effect as it had on 14th-century peasants in France, visiting Paris for the first time and entering the nave of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Beautifully put!I'm sure Samuel Gottscho would have been very gratified to know thoughtful and eloquent people like Bob H would be appreciating his work in the 21st century. PenthouseIs the Garden Patio still across the street from the skylights? I am in love with this photographExquisite doesn't even begin to describe it. In Your Mind's EyeYou can smell and feel the air and hear the traffic. It may be calm now...I have a feeling that all hell is about to break loose -- this picture was taken the day Prohibition was repealed. I worked hereI worked here in the 1960s for the "Tonight" show unit as as a production assistant for Dick Carson, brother of Johnny Carson. An attractive, dark-haired woman named Barbara Walters was working at the "Today" show at the same time. She is about 10 years older than I am. I also worked with the News department for a time. I was in the elevator with David Brinkley coming back from lunch when I learned that President Kennedy had been shot. We stayed up all Friday night and most of Saturday assembling film footage for a retrospective of JFK's life. When we weren't editing, we were visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral to light candles with others in the crowd. That's an absolutely amazing photo. I'm going to link this to other New Yorkers and broadcasters who might be interested. Thanks for all your work. Cordially, Ellen Kimball Portland, OR http://ellenkimball.blogspot.com 30 RockIs the excavated area where the skating rink is? I've been there once and it is very magical. Right across the street from the "Today" studio. Tipster's PhotoStunning, but in a different way than Gottscho's. It helps when the subject is beautiful. 30 Rock 09 Here's the view today made with a 4x5 view camera, farther back seen through the St. Patrick's spires and somewhat higher than the 1933 photo. Lots more buildings now. I was doing an interior architectural shoot, and went out on the terrace of a wedding-cake building on Madison Avenue. It was after midnight. Not much wind. Strangely quiet. As an architectural photographer I have great admiration for these Gottscho pictures. 30 Rock in Living ColorThat's a lovely photo, and it's nice to see the perspective so close to that of the original. Design Continuum of Bertram GoodhueThe proximity of St. Patrick's Cathedral to the newly constructed tower by Raymond Hood brought to mind two "bookends" to the unfulfilled career of Bertram Goodhue. During his early apprenticeship he undoubtedly worked on the St. Patrick's Cathedral, in Renwick's office, which greatly influenced his early career and success. The tower (30 Roc) represents what might have been...rather what should have been the end result of Goodhue's tragically shortened career (ending in 1924). Hood's career, which began to emerge after Goodhue's death is far better known, but is greatly in his debt. Hood's 1922 Tribune Tower clearly displays this link, as a practitioner of the neo-gothic style. Much of Hood's gothic detail is a through-back to design ideas that by 1922, Goodhue had already left behind. Goodhue was by this time already synthesizing elements of european modernism into an new original american idiom. Goodhue's last major projects were already working out the language of the modern/deco skyscraper; (the Nebraska State capital and Los Angles Public Library the best examples.) Goodhue's unique career was the crucible where concepts of romantic imagery of the Gothic, the sublime juxtapositions of minimal ornament on architectonic massing was being forged with modern construction technology. A close study of his career and work will show that not only Hood, but other notable architects of the era built upon the rigorous and expansive explorations that Goodhue was beginning to fuse at the end of his life. *It is also curious to me that Hugh Ferris is credited with so much of these innovative design ideas; no doubt he was a super talented delineator, his freelance services were utilized by many architects of the time including Goodhue. Some of his famous massing studies (sketches) owe much to Goodhue's late work. Amazing Execution and RestorationI agree with "Don't get much Better" ! This is as good as it can get for B&W. The exposure is so right-on and this in 1933!! Is this a "night" shot.. there is a lot of ambient light. Simply Amazing. I want it! Rock RinkThe not-yet-built skating rink is in front of the building. The empty space became 630 Fifth Avenue, where a statue of Atlas stands. Vanderbilt Triple PalaceA long time since this was posted, but I am surprised no one recognized the southern half of the iconic, brownstone-clad Vanderbilt Triple Palaces in the foreground (640 Fifth Avenue), just opposite the lower edge of the excavated building site. The northern half, with two residences, had been sold, demolished & replaced a long time ago, but the southern half stood until 1947 (Grace Wilson Vanderbilt continued entertaining in her usual style until WWII). The entrance vestibule to the three residences featured a nine foot tall Russian malachite vase, once given by Emperor Nicholas I of Russia to Nicholas Demidoff, now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art a couple of dozen blocks north on Fifth. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Study Hall: 1936
... at the photographer disturbing the Golden Silence of "her" library One of the great mysteries of life is how old maid librarians ... so ... much ... about ... me. - Dave] McKinley Tech Library It may be too late for Dave to check on that muralist. Take a look ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 8:37pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1936. "Tech High School students." View full size. 5x7 safety negative, National Photo Company Collection. MuralsI'd love to know who the muralist was. This looks like the murals the WPA painted in many courthouses in the 30s. The librarian looks disapprovingly at the photographer disturbing the Golden Silence of "her" library One of the great mysteries of life is how old maid librarians reproduce. However they do it, it must happen, since there seems to be a never ending supply of spinster librarians. Distracting environmentSo many books available to browse, several panels, statues, those murals. I know I would be unable to study here, too many distractions; on the other hand with some additions it would make the perfect cafeteria for academics and artists. But definitely not the place to prepare for my finals. Study HallThis is most likely McKinley Tech High School. My mother graduated from there in 1936, so when I saw the photo, my heart almost stopped. But she was not one of the girls in it. [There's one more (below). - Dave] Safety NegativeHi. Sorry for the dumb question but what's a safety negative? [Acetate film as opposed to nitrate stock, which being chemically similar to dynamite was dangerously flammable. Wikipedia entry: Safety film. - Dave] The MuralThe mural has all the hallmarks of being one of Thomas Hart Benton's works. I'm working on verification. Great photo! Tech CycloramaThomas Hart Benton had a much looser and more fluid style than the stiff and somewhat formal scenes here. It is also not typical of Benton that he would have posed iconic figures such as Moses The Lawgiver (I think) over the doorway. This is much more in the style of the Capitol Rotunda. [See below for what might be the artist's signature. The art instructor at McKinley was Alexis B. Many (1879-1937). - Dave] LibrariansNoooo!!! Not a stereotyped librarian! She puts the rest of us non-sensible shoe wearing librarians in such a bad light! Dave's BackyardIf this HS still exists, Dave could visit it and get the name of the muralist, Dave lives close by. [How nice that you know so ... much ... about ... me. - Dave] McKinley Tech LibraryIt may be too late for Dave to check on that muralist. Take a look at the photo here. http://www.reflectiondigital.com/clients/mckinley/home.htm [OMG. The muralist is . . . Sherwin Williams! - Dave] Double takeBefore enlarging the photo, I thought the librarian was George Washington. As for the mural: Please don't tell me it has been painted over! Phillip Fletcher Bell muralIf this is indeed McKinley High School the mural in the library was painted by Philip Fletcher Bell. He painted the mural prior to the Federal Art Project under the WPA, first under the Federal Relief Administration and then the Civil Works Administration. He worked on the painting part time and it took two years to complete. Bell's work on the mural led to him becoming director of the Children's Art Gallery in DC, an experiment in children's art education. Art galleries were set up through the WPA across the country during the late 1930s, but the one in DC was unusual because it focused on children's artwork. The mural itself generated a little controversial when it was painted. It includes portraits that represent prominent politicians of the day including Huey Long, a populist who was assassinated in 1935. Bell included a halo over Long in the painting that he had to remove. I've tried to find out if the mural is still extant but can't find anything about it online. The high school's enrollment had dropped from a high of 2,400 students in the late 1960s to 500 in the mid-1990s, and closed in 1997. The school reopened as a technology-focused high school in 2004, but I can't find anything online about the schools renovation that includes restoration of the library mural. If you want to learn more about Philip Bell, an oral interview with him completed by the Archives of American Art is posted here. (The Gallery, D.C., Education, Schools, Natl Photo)
Glen Echo Girls: 1935
... right here. They are all from the collections of the Library of Congress. - Dave] Sign of the times The girl on the right ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/14/2023 - 9:49pm -

August 4, 1935. Montgomery County, Maryland. "Bathing girls at Glen Echo amusement park." 4x5 inch acetate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Don't forget your keysThree of them are wearing a anklet with a key (from home or a locker) Too bad we don't know their names - wonder how their lives turned out A snapshot in timeWhat pretty girls with kind eyes. A look at the row behind them more than suggests the young men are thinking the same thing. Do you every just look at photos like these and hope that things turned out well for them all? I do. This old architect was so hoping for another old building in today’s Shorpy! Guess I’ll just have to make do … Before the days of …silicone. Just registering my approval. Fun is where you find it ...Where do you find it? Glen Echo Amusement Park The Coaster Dip is cool, so's the Crystal Pool. For Summertime fun, it's Glen Echo after dark, Glen Echo Amusement Park. I remember this jingle on WPGC (Good Guys Radio) in the early '60s. So ThinThese pretty young girls are all quite thin -- one with her ribs showing. In that decade of Depression, one suspects many were quite thin. A scan of the background figures certainly confirms that. Our 21st century folks are pretty well padded in comparison. Interesting little spot up the river from DCI had not heard of this park just outside of DC. Even more interesting is that it had bathing facilities that included water slides and artificial beaches. I found this website with another image taken on the same August 4, 1935. I can see two of the girls sat for both images -- definite beauties so they would have caught the photographer's attention. [We have many more Glen Echo photos right here. They are all from the collections of the Library of Congress. - Dave] Sign of the timesThe girl on the right appears to have gotten her smallpox vaccination. I don't think that was a universal thing in 1935, and of course young people today probably have no idea what it was all about. (The Gallery, D.C., Pretty Girls, Swimming, Theodor Horydczak)
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