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New York Giant: 1908
... Forty-five years ago, however, the idea of living in lower Manhattan would have struck almost everyone as strange to the point of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2013 - 10:03am -

New York circa 1908. "The Singer Building." Shortly after its completion. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Man on a LedgeI love looking at these big building and finding a man on a ledge cleaning windows. This time it looks to be the 7th floor at the right side. So it goesIn the 70s, the New York city fathers saw the error of their ways and replaced this striking, beautiful building with a brown Modernist rectangle. Howard Roark would be pleased, at least. (Trivia: the Singer Building was at the time the tallest building ever demolished.) Obligatory rooftop laddersTwo, at least, on the ornate setback deck. Still hold the recordIt still holds the dubious record as the tallest building ever intentionally demolished (I presume there's no need to explain the "intentionally" part). As unfortunate as its demolition may be in retrospect, it was not at all surprising at the time. The floors in the tower section were very small in terms of square footage, wholly inadequate for 1960's-style offices. Today the obvious solution would be to convert the Singer Building into very expensive apartments. Forty-five years ago, however, the idea of living in lower Manhattan would have struck almost everyone as strange to the point of absurdity. You *worked* in the area, and at night it was a ghost town. Things most definitely have changed. Happy MealBentwood chairs, specifically the Vienna Cafe chair #14 was produced for "mass consumption" beginning in 1859. According to Carroll M Gantz' Design Chronicles, there were more than 50 million Vienna Cafe chairs produced by 1859 and the company had 52 European factories by 1900. So, it might be safe to say that in 1908 this type of dining chair was fairly typical. Looks like this family is prepared for a happy meal quite unlike the happy meals of today! (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
H Street Market: 1920
... until the opening staff retrieved it. If you wander Manhattan around 5:30 AM you will see bags of fresh bread on the sidewalk ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/17/2014 - 10:23pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "The New H Street 620 Market." Another glimpse of a long-vanished item of urban street furniture, the bakery delivery box. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Corby's Florida connectionBrothers Charles and William Corby built and grew their bakery into the largest in Washington D.C. in 1920. They were ahead of other bread bakers with automation and were able to deliver 90,000 loaves per day. Charles died at a polo match in Florida in 1926 and his son also died in Forida in 1937 while vacationing from the bread business. Both had heart disease. Charles was 55 and his son was 44 when they died. A hard way to live & maybe an easy way to die.This could almost be my Grandad's Grocery on Singleton St @ LeGrande Ave. Indianapolis, Ind. 1924. He was shot down during a holdup in 1925. It was a hard way to make a living, and for an unlucky few, an easy way to die. But for 30 years it provided a family of 4 with a warm home & a fine upbringing for my dad & his sister. Sometimes it is dificult for us to see past the black & white of the photograph, but the ghosts are all there with their own stories to tell, to those of us who can hear them! Old-time DC bakeriesMore about the history of both the Corby and Bond bakeries, which were located on either side of Georgia Avenue near Howard University, can be found here. Bakery delivery boxCan anyone tell us, foreigners, how the bakery delivery box worked? Was it used to deliver the fresh bread to the customers? They could take out and pay later, or how? Thanks Jess, for the answer! The Bread BoxAlex, as a former wholesale baker, I can tell you how the bread box worked. The store had an account for a set number of loves a day, but the bread was baked at night and delivered at dawn before the store opened. The delivery driver and the grocer both had a key to box. It was a safe place to leave the bread so it wouldn't be stolen before the store opened. The grocer would get the bread from the box and sell it in his store. Wholesale bakeries in large cities still work like this. At my NYC bakery, our baguettes would be delivered at dawn and, if there was no one to receive the bread, it would be left outside of restaurants until the opening staff retrieved it. If you wander Manhattan around 5:30 AM you will see bags of fresh bread on the sidewalk outside of many nice restaurants! It's a system that works better than you think it might, and we didn't use the old boxes because no one can keep track of thousands of keys if you have thousands of accounts. PS- I'm working on opening a small green grocery now, I love this picture! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Fraunce's Tavern: 1900
... which figured in the Revolutionary War, is said to be Manhattan's oldest. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/11/2012 - 9:31am -

New York circa 1900. "Fraunce's Tavern, Broad and Pearl Streets." The building, which figured in the Revolutionary War, is said to be Manhattan's oldest. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. An entrance for the ladies?Is the covered entrance under the word Tavern likely a ladies' entrance? I believe all the finest places offered them, providing a more gentile doorway for the more gentile of our species. [Oy vey. - tterrace] Which Fraunces?There's good old George Ehret's beer again! Interesting thing about Fraunces Tavern. The one that George Washington knew, burned in 1854, leaving only one wall. The one seen here, was the rebuild. The Sons of the Revolution, who are still HQ'd here bought the place at the turn of the last century. The owner of this place sold off everything at auction; the sign, the collection of muskets, tables, (Colonial Dames bought up the furniture) flags, mugs etc. thinking they had a fine collection, of historic items. Not a stick of it was authentic to Washington and Fraunces. (See - Fire, above.) The Sons of the Revolution painstakingly reconstructed the Fraunces Tavern of today, the architect utilizing similar extant buildings of the period and presumed original builder, and noting the fire lines and remains of the original floor lines on the only original remaining wall. When the new rebuild opened the public hated it. Why? Because they knew the Fraunces that they remembered, the one pictured here. +104Below is the same view from November of 2004. Re: +104Love these shots showing a century of change in buildings and landscape. Noticed that the two side by side buildings lost a floor. (The Gallery, DPC, Eateries & Bars)
Cockaday and Banning: 1924
... Maryland. 1986: Cockaday dies on November 18th in Manhattan, New York. Both he and his wife are buried in Annapolis at St. Marys ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2012 - 4:20pm -

New York circa 1924. "L.M. Cockaday and Maj. Kendall Banning." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Flat TopThe guy in the light shirt could almost fit in perfectly in appearance with young men in the early 60's. Kendall Banningwas the editor of Popular Radio magazine at this time. Unusual name ? Banning Major BanningWith that shiny jacket and matching trousers, he must have been quite the rake at the big post-war 1919 national wireless radio convention. But, alas, by 1924 what once was stylish apparently was demoted to throw-something-on-for-work. A veteran of World War One (signal corps), Banning was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution (the Banning lineage in the U.S. goes back at least to the late 17th Century). Also he was an author, possibly most famous for "Censored Mother Goose Rhymes", per this, found online: Censored Mother Goose Rhymes by Kendall Banning (1929) Flipped through an interactive version of this very funny book today at the Ransom Center’s wonderful “Banned, Burned, Seized, and Censored” exhibit. (It’s out of print, so you can read the whole thing online.) Originally published in 1926 and dedicated to “The Censors who have taught us how to ready naughty meanings into harmless words,” Banning reprinted it in support of the efforts to revise parts of tariff legislation that allowed customs agents to ban “obscene” books from the US—the book was distributed to congressmen in the middle of the debate.1 Banning (1879-1944) wasn’t some underground prankster: he was a war veteran, a poet (a New York Times review in 1913 said of his work, “no other poet in America at the moment has such a gift of pure melody”), an author of over a dozen books (he wrote books on Annapolis and West Point), and an editor of Cosmopolitan, Popular Radio, and Hearst Magazine. Fun fact: Gertrude Stein owned a copy. Major Banning is buried at Arlington National Cemetery, and here's his grave: Re Flat TopMister Cockaday was much more than just a telegraph key pilot. That component to the left of the desk (shown below) was one of the radio products of L.M. Cockaday and Company, 2674 Bailey Avenue, New York City. It was described in a Cockaday ad in the January 1921 issue of Wireless Age as "...the BEST detector and single stage amplifier in the WORLD" and cost $45, about $523 today. ARRL MemberIn the middle of the wall is a Membership Certificate in the American Radio Relay League, the pioneer Ham Radio organization, headquartered in Connecticut. Radio components identifiedThe Detector/1-Stage Audio Amplifier was a Superadio Corporation D/A as seen on the logo on the set. The Superadio Corporation was the successor to the L. M. Cockaday Co. starting January of 1921 as seen in a January 1921 Pacific Radio News advertisement. The radio on the desk was also a Superadio Corp. product as can be seen by the same logo. On top of the device with two meters sits a Wireless Specialty Apparatus Clark Tone-Tester which is a miniature crystal radio to monitor the tone of the transmitted signal. Chronological Cockaday Father: Edward J. M. Cockaday, born February 1866 in England Mother: Kate Simmonds, born August 1869 in England Laurence Marsham Cockaday, born June 18, 1894, Greenville, New Jersey 1915: Vocalist, possibly with his father who was also a vocalist and a professor of music 1916: General Secretary, Cathedral Choir School (of St. John the Divine which still exists) 1917: Electrical Engineer for the New York Interborough Railroad 1918: Radio instructor for the U.S. Navy 1919: Patent for Radiotelegraphy, "invented certain new and high potential electrical oscillations from a direct current or other supply" 1920: Electrical Engineer 1921: Was involved in relaying the Dempsey-Carpentier heavyweight title fight via radio. Setup a relay at the Majestic Theater which was heard by 265 people. More info here. 1922: Techical Editor for "Popular Radio." (he was also one of the founders). Authored Radio-Telephone ($1.50) for Everyone which was also published in England. 1923: Authored three publications: Wireless Telephony For All; How to Build the Haynes DX Receiver; and How to Build the Haynes 2-Tube Amplifier. 1924: With Kendall Banning authoried How To Build Your Radio Receiver. 1925: Working at Popular Radios's laboratory. Designed a circuit for radios to operate with alternating current. Served on the Operating Regulations Committee at the 4th National Radio Conference. 1926: Silver Cockady Four Tube Receiver is being sold 1927: On the advisory board for WGL based at the Hotel Majestic (the station lasted less than two years). 1931: In March became the Editor for "Radio News"; Author of 23 Lessons in Radio 1932: Author of Radio Experimenters' Handbook 1933: Author of Short-Wave Handbook with Walter H. Holze 1934: Author of If Not Television Why Not Facsimile published by "Radio News 1937: Was teaching at New York University, and authored 34 Lessons In Radio and Television. 1940: On July 12th he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He retired at the grade of Captain in January 1957. 1957: His wife Marguerite Mary Cockaday, a social worker, passes away after a long illness in Annapolis, Maryland. 1986: Cockaday dies on November 18th in Manhattan, New York. Both he and his wife are buried in Annapolis at St. Marys Cemetery. He was also the Technical Editor of the New York Herald Tribune, but I could not find the exact dates, but certainly before 1931. Details of one of the transformers he helped design can be seen here. The first photo below is the frontispiece of his book Radio-Telephony For Everyone, and it shows the same room as in the Shorpy photo. The second, also showing the same room, is from the November 1921 edition of Popular Science Monthly, Page 22. (Technology, The Gallery, G.G. Bain)
Times Past: 1906
Manhattan circa 1906. "Times Building." The recently completed New York Times ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/21/2019 - 1:30pm -

Manhattan circa 1906. "Times Building." The recently completed New York Times newspaper headquarters, now encased in electronic signage and venue of the New Year's "ball drop," gave the former Longacre Square its current name. Photoprint by Irving Underhill. View full size. View From The Other SideI've been using the night scene of the Times building and this great shot shows it from the back looking towards where the night scene picture was taken. Really Too BadIt is such a shame both that this beautiful building is unrecognizable today, and also that it is vacant except for the ground floors. Legendary hostelryTo the right of center and at a greater range stands the impressive pile that was the Hotel Astor, once near the top tier in Gotham lodgings. I last stayed there in 1965, in a $6.50/night (with military discount) single that overlooked the smoke ring-blowing Camel billboard that graced the Times Square area for so many decades. Two years later, the site was but a hole in the ground as construction commenced on the 54-story office building now designated One Astor Plaza. Above the 12th floorAny historians care to weigh in as to what went on above the 12th floor? Floors 14-16 (assuming no 13th) seem slightly more ornate, then 15 is a bit fancier. 16-20 are in the tower, and 21 looks like the boss's office. Would love to see photos and the story behind the upper floors. (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC)
A Higher Tower: 1919
... Church street is the Hudson Terminal of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad, the current PATH. The Hudson Terminal was demolished to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 7:14pm -

New York. April 19, 1919. "St. Paul's Church and St. Paul Building from Woolworth Building." The St. Paul Building at left, seen here in the previous post in 1900 when it was one of the world's tallest, now cut down to size by its much bigger neighbors. Bain News Service glass negative. View full size. Sixth Avenue El and the Hudson TerminalThe Sixth Avenue El is visible over Church street on the right a handful of blocks north of where it split from the Ninth Avenue El (which ran over Greenwich St. a block west) and a few blocks south of where it turned west on Murray St. to make the shift to West Broadway on its way to Sixth Avenue. The Sixth and Ninth Avenue Els were demolished between 1938 and 1940 having been replaced by subway lines. Also visible in the back right of the photo beyond Church street is the Hudson Terminal of the Hudson and Manhattan Railroad, the current PATH. The Hudson Terminal was demolished to make way for the original World Trade Center. St. Paul's Chapel TodayA view of St. Paul's today with large trees completely hiding any view of the tombstones. J&R World (Corner/Block)I believe the whole block under the "Sonora" billboard is now J&R Music and Computer World, and the corner by the sign is Anne Street (east/west), with the intersection of Park Row and Broadway coming from the bottom left. One can see the tracks of the then-elevated subway that is now the "1" Train going towards South Ferry to the (what else) south. Of course, just to the right (west) of the graveyard stood the WTC until 9/11/01. The church still stands. The graveyard has several luminaries of 1700's and 1800's NY. Nice lawn, young treesWhen I saw the smaller version of this picture I thought how nice it was that all of those people were enjoying the huge lawn in front of the church. The larger version reveals they're not really enjoying it. Neat to see some of the young trees that make this scene not visible with satellite technology today. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC, Streetcars)
Memorial Lamppost: 1909
... In The Hudson River? No, but the section between Lower Manhattan and New Jersey has been known to develop exposed film plates that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/05/2014 - 10:54am -

Circa 1909. "Henry Hudson Monument, Riverside Drive, New York." Memorial to the ill-fated discoverer of the Hudson River, Hudson Bay and electric streetlight. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Do They Really Swim In The Hudson River?No, but the section between Lower Manhattan and New Jersey has been known to develop exposed film plates that were dipped in it. Lincoln, The Car and The ManA writer I knew had written a book with the above title. He had a tough time trying to get it published. He didn't give up he wrote another, "Hudson and his Automobile". He was also having trouble with the publishers with this one. On his way to the offices of a small but adventurous publishing house, he was struck by a car and killed. The offending vehicle was a Henry J. Memories of Junior High 141"The Monument," as we called in back in the 60s, was the primary bus stop for us junior high students at Riverdale Junior High 141. Every day, arriving and leaving, we caught the #10 bus at the monument. I still pity the poor city bus drivers who had to put up with hordes of 13, 14 and 15 year old kids. Oh, and we had to walk a few blocks from and to school to get to the monument bus stop. Imagine that. Are bad drivers relevant? Yes, doubly so.While the circle in which the monument stood is still there at Riverside Drive and 72nd Street, the lamppost, er, monument is long gone, having been knocked down by a truck in the 1950's. By then it was merely an afterthought, as in 1938 the city had dedicated a huge new Hudson monument in the Bronx. It features a 17-foot-high statue of Henry Hudson atop a 100-foot. Errant motor vehicles actually are relevant in two contexts. The Bronx monument originally was supposed to have been completed decades earlier but had been delayed both by fundraising issues and by the 1915 demise of the sculptor, Karl Bitter, run over by a car as he left the Metropolitan Opera. GloriousNo expense spared on this monument, as only NY can do. Sea horses?Do they really swim in the Hudson River? (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Got Bread?
Bread peddlers, East Side Manhattan circa 1915. View full size. 5x7 glass negative. George Grantham ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2007 - 4:51pm -

Bread peddlers, East Side Manhattan circa 1915. View full size. 5x7 glass negative. George Grantham Bain Collection. Fresh breadImagine trying to sell bread like this today, I think the board of health would be shocked Solarize/preflashThe out of focus images of a few people in the background look almost solarized. Can anyone explain this effect. Could it be an artifact of pre-flashing the film? Re: Solarize / preflashThe solarized-looking areas are places where the thickest parts of the emulsion are deteriorating, getting darker and flaking on the glass negative, possibly due to mold. On the positive when the image is inverted, the effect is a white outline. There was no flash used. And no film, either. Ah! that explains it.Thanks. The mystery is solved. BTW "Pre-flash" was an old technique of slightly fogging the film in an attempt to soften the image. It predates flash photography. Secret Agent ManI love the guy peeking around the corner!! [Also note the kid on roller skates! - Dave] (G.G. Bain)
Washington Market: 1812-1912
... George McAneny was the President of the Borough of Manhattan from 1909-1913 and then of the Board of Aldermen for New York, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 11:02am -

New York, 1912. "Washington Market Centennial. With outside sheds removed by President McAneny. Also new window fronts affording light and air for interiors and the sidewalk restored to the public." View full size. New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection. Very nice buildingThey don't make markets like this any more, the window fronts are great! Who is McAneny? Tilt-plane cameraYou can tell the camera was a tilt-plane one from the fact that all of the building’s vertical lines — as well as all of the other buildings’, too — are all straight up and down. Here’s an 1893 photo of the Washington Market that gives the location as Washington & West Streets, between Vesey & Fulton Streets, which puts it in the former World Trade Center site. George McanenyGeorge McAneny was the President of the Borough of Manhattan from 1909-1913 and then of the Board of Aldermen for New York, including a stint as acting mayor. He is often referred to as the "father of zoning" which makes sense given the caption of the photo. He ordered up something quite nice. (The Gallery, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Ice Dealer: 1941
... itself. Old maps label this a gasholder house for the Manhattan Gas Company. It shows up on the earliest map I could find of this ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2018 - 10:00am -

December 1941. "Ice man. New York City." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Alas, Doomed James"Tell of Seeing James Go to Doom in Flight Fight," the headlines scream. Who among the Shorpyite sleuths might be able to pin down the date of the photograph from this tantalizing little clue? (Flair enough; the flocus on these phlotographs are always a tad flidgety.) PushcartsThe ice dealer was one of the few who plied the streets with their carts. The others were gathered into centers where they sold their wares. Mayor LaGuardia housed them in the Essex Street Market. The first pushcarts appeared on Hester Street in 1886. There were 10,000 street vendors at one time in NYC. Grandpa did thisMy grandfather Anthony Sabbatini was the iceman in East New York, Brooklyn. Known as "Tony the Iceman" for years until he finally got a job with Railway Express, sort of like UPS of the 1930s. He was a strong stocky guy who must have climbed a million stairs delivering ice and packages. A hard life no matter how you look at it. I still remember:Growing up on Belmont Avenue in the Bronx in the 1940s and seeing the ice man, the coal delivery trucks, the horse-drawn vegetable wagon, and the small wagon with the cage-enclosed merry-go-round for the kids. All going door to door offering their goods and services. The leaping ramgives away the 1936 Dodge on the right. A universally recognized trademark, it is still in use both in name and image 82 years later. Maybe ...If those are old newspapers that he's using for wrapping, could the headline refer to the sinking of the Reuben James? [Yes, and he went down at Madison Square Garden. - Dave] Looks like the placeWest 18th Street between Ninth and 10th avenues. A most unusual building in a neighborhood rapidly redeveloping itself. Old maps label this a gasholder house for the Manhattan Gas Company. It shows up on the earliest map I could find of this area, 1854, and could be a good deal older than that. An incredible survivor. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, NYC)
Fall Color: 1910
... 1910. "Riverside Drive, New York." A crisp autumn day in Manhattan -- perfect for enjoying nature's tapestry ablaze in a riot of grays. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/30/2014 - 11:54pm -

Circa 1910. "Riverside Drive, New York." A crisp autumn day in Manhattan -- perfect for enjoying nature's tapestry ablaze in a riot of grays. View full size. Top ThisIt wasn't easy to make a millinerial statement in an era of giant women's hats. Woman attacked by Sea Gull, film at 11I wonder if that is what caught the Photographer's eye? That Hat .....is for the birds ! TolerationI'm a pre-millinerialist, but I do not object to anyone's post-millinerialism. But it does look like a rabid seagull has sidelined that poor woman. The hats are the first thing I look atAs a theatrical milliner, I love the photos with ladies in them, as a way to check out the clothing details like the backs and sides of these hats. It's not always easy to figure out how to attach the birds, or how the draperies resolve in the back--thanks, Dave! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Radio City: 1939
... still a marvel. Few if any buildings that have gone up in Manhattan in the last two decades have any real architectural integrity. More ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/31/2015 - 4:21pm -

Rockefeller Center, New York, 1939. "Radio City buildings -- RCA." The sky­scrap­er known as 30 Rock. Gelatin silver print by Irving Underhill. View full size. The Beauty of Art DecoRockefeller Center is a classic example of modern architecture in a big city done right. From the design, the structure, the functionality and the beauty, every thing works. Three quarters of a century after it was finished, it is still a marvel. Few if any buildings that have gone up in Manhattan in the last two decades have any real architectural integrity. More recently a drastic change in zoning rules has allowed for the construction of a multitude of spindly luxury skyscrapers that are an atrocity and are destroying the skyline of New York City. 30 RockI can see right into Liz Lemon's office! RockyCellar FentaAccidentally dubbed by some tongue-tied radio announcer years ago. Anyone know...Where this was taken from? I'm guessing the Waldorf Astoria? (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC)
23rd Street Piers: 1910
... was in use by the railroads before they had tunnels into Manhattan. I think the end of the line was in New Jersey and they brought ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/01/2019 - 11:07am -

Circa 1910. "Twenty-Third Street piers, North River, New York, N.Y." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Tank wagonI'm sure some Shorpyite out there will know: What's that liquid being discharged from that wagon on the left? [Dihydrogen monoxide. - Dave] Oceans of it ...To AD: She is indeed the Oceanic. To Dave: That insidious poison Dihydrogen Monoxide is everywhere! I think Monsanto plays a role. They spray it on the streets. They spray it on plants. Why, it's even here in the drink at my elbow! Nasty stuff. The End of the LineI believe this was in use by the railroads before they had tunnels into Manhattan. I think the end of the line was in New Jersey and they brought everybody over to New York on ferry boats. By this time, however, the Pennsylvania RR had a tunnel into NYC and Penn Station, but I think I remember reading that the Erie and Lackawanna Railroads used the ferry from NJ to NYC for a number of years after this. A White Star LinerThe liner whose funnels and aft masts are barely visible belongs to the White Star Line (the company flag being clearly visible). I am going to make an educated guess that the ship is the SS/RMS Oceanic of 1899. My rationale is there were a limited number of WS ships that sailed to and from New York which was regarded as the most glamorous port on this side of the Atlantic. In 1910 there were five ships assigned the Liverpool/Southampton to New York route. Those were the Oceanic (a one off ship design that had no sisters) and the so called Big Four consisting of the Celtic, Cedric, Baltic and Adriatic. All five were two stackers. But after looking at photos of the ships (Wikipedia is awesome) I believe that the mast closest to the aft most of the smoke funnels is too far forward to be one of the Big Four. That leaves the Oceanic. I tried to match the masts in the photo here with ones from photos of the Oceanic and they are close though not a perfect match. But the difference is so slight it could be attributable to the angle of the photo or simply ordinary maintenance on the masts. Input from other Shorpy regulars is welcome. (Add -- The White Star flag was so far down it appeared to me as though it was at half mast. On reflection, I believe that is likely the case. King Edward VII died in May of 1910 and in those days formal mourning was observed for a full year.) [You're grasping at straws here. This photo could have been taken in any number of years. Neighboring DPC images are from 1908 and 1911. - Dave] Sorry. I was going by the 1910 in the caption. But if the date could run as far back as 1908, and I am unable to see anything in the image that would narrow the date range, then yeah, it's not possible to be sure what was going on there. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Railroads)
Fifth Avenue: 1911
... have greatly outnumbered the automobiles, even in midtown Manhattan. But by 1911, the tide had clearly turned. (The Gallery, Cars, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2017 - 1:29am -

New York circa 1911. "Fifth Avenue at West 43rd Street." 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Right-hand drive?So early on the US had right-hand drive cars? Very interesting, would love to know the history surrounding the change. [A situation often noted in Shorpy photos; in the words of Dave, "Cars of the era were a mix of right- and left-hand-drive. By 1920, most auto makers had settled on left-hand drive." -tterrace] From wherewould this photo be taken? [I think a couple of them are heading down the street on the right. -tterrace] Looking northThis is a view looking north on Fifth Avenue. Virtually everything in this photo has been changed since 1911, with the exception of St. Patrick's Cathedral, the twin spires of which appear in the distant haze on the right. There is today, however, a big pedestal clock on the same (west) side of Fifth Avenue, one block north of its location in the old photo. You can see it on Google Maps, and all of the filigree and other details on the clock appear to be the same as the one in the photo. Perhaps it was moved sometime after 1911? One final note: if this photo had been taken just 5-7 years earlier, the horses and buggies would still have greatly outnumbered the automobiles, even in midtown Manhattan. But by 1911, the tide had clearly turned. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Washington Market: 1956
... north along Washington Street at Fulton Street in Lower Manhattan. The market, which began as an open-air bazaar in 1812, was renovated ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 8:36pm -

Part of Washington Market in 1956, looking north along Washington Street at Fulton Street in Lower Manhattan. The market, which began as an open-air bazaar in 1812, was renovated with the facade seen here in 1940 and razed in 1967 to make way for the World Trade Center. With more than 800 vendors, it was for many years the largest wholesale produce market in the United States. Photo by Fred Palumbo, New York World-Telegram & Sun. View full size. Twilight ZoneLooking at the picture (the way the people are stuck in time) and reading the text about being razed for the World Trade Center gave me a little "Twilight Zone" feeling. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Bryant Park: 1948
... Avenue." With views of the Chrysler Building and other Manhattan landmarks waiting to be named. 4x5 inch acetate negative by John M. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/17/2015 - 12:36pm -

New York City circa 1948. "Bryant Park and New York Public Library from Sixth Avenue." With views of the Chrysler Building and other Manhattan landmarks waiting to be named. 4x5 inch acetate negative by John M. Fox. View full size. Mercantile BuildingPreviously known as the Chase Tower, located at 10 East 40th Street. Designed by Ludlow & Peabody in the Renaissance Revival style. At 48 floors high, it was the fourth-tallest tower in the world when it was built in 1929. American Radiator BuildingLocated at 40 West 40th Street, designed by John Howells and Raymond Hood, built in 1924 in the Gothic Art Deco style. The black brick symbolizes coal and the gold brick fire. Later renamed the American Standard Building, it became the Bryant Park Hotel in 2001. 500 FifthThe tower to the left is 500 Fifth Avenue. Its Emporis page is here. (The Gallery, John M. Fox, NYC)
Union League: 1906
... buildings were still on a more human scale, even Midtown Manhattan was Big Sky Country. Sadly, this gem burned down in 1932. Today, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2018 - 1:43pm -

New York circa 1906. "Union League Club, Fifth Avenue and West 39th Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Horse manure!It's estimated that each horse produced 15-30 pounds of manure per day. Remember, the horse population in New York City was about 170,000 in the 1880s. That means there were 3-4 million pounds of manure piling onto city streets each day. Big Sky CountryBack when buildings were still on a more human scale, even Midtown Manhattan was Big Sky Country. Sadly, this gem burned down in 1932. Today, the site is occupied by a tall glass box. Sic Transit Gloria Mundi. Fifth Avenue address divideThe Union League was on the east side of Fifth Avenue and thus on the corner of EAST 39th Street. The photo was taken from West 39th - Fifth Avenue is the dividing line between the East and West streets... What a load!That horse manure was actually gathered and sold to farmers who came to the public market. Why go back to the farm with an empty wagon after you've sold your produce? You can find it in Thomas Devoe's: Market Assistant. Devoe was Superintendent of Markets in NYC in 1881. You can find Market Assistant at archive.org Invitation only.A big step up from the YMCA. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Downtown: 1962
March 2, 1962. "New York City views. Downtown Manhattan skyline from the Al Smith houses." 4x5 acetate negative by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/16/2017 - 8:56am -

March 2, 1962. "New York City views. Downtown Manhattan skyline from the Al Smith houses." 4x5 acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Edison PowerThat tall smokestack would be the Edison Power station on Fulton Street. Long gone, but a plaque marks the spot. The Singer building still stands on the far right - it will be there for another six years. Once the tallest in the world. Just out of frame on the left is the Fulton Fish Market and assorted fish related business - trawlers still land along the shore - This area was eyed to be the location of the proposed World Trade Center, but was rejected as being too swampy - and it headed to the West Side. My homeThe buildings on the lower right - the blocks defined by Fulton, Pearl, Frankfort, and Gold Streets - are now a superblock containing Southbridge Towers, built in the early 70s, which was until recently a Mitchell-Lama affordable housing complex. Hanging in my apartment: two ancient street signs from before the streets around there were demapped. Jacob and Ferry Streets, and Pearl and Hague Streets (which was where now stands the Verizon Building, not pictured or built yet). You can barely make out the Brooklyn Bridge at the very bottom of the photo. Power StationThat tall stack on the left belongs to the Edison Power station on Fulton St. Building long gone but the station is commemorated by a plaque. NY SteamThe smokestack at left is on the New York Steam Company plant on the west corner of Water St and Burling Slip/John St. The original Edison plant was on the west side of Pearl St, a block away. In the lower left corner, Pearl St has recently been cut through to a widened Water St. The bus is pointed at old Pearl St. Just coming into view left of center: must be 60 Broad St under construction. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Guys and Dolls: 1955
... in for good measure. Da Venue Cleanest sewer in all Manhattan. Stubby's Horse As a very young man in a Marine uniform I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2014 - 1:57pm -

July 1955. "Frank Sinatra's gambling-in-the-sewer scene from the film "Guys and Dolls." What better place to have the oldest established permanent floating crap game in New York? Photo by Maurice Terrell for Look magazine. View full size. Luck Be A LadyFunniest part of the crap game scene was B.S. Pully, playing Big Julie, the Chicago Mobster, announcing to the players that they will use his dice. The cubes had no pips (dots) on them. When they objected, he said, not to worry, he remembered where they were. Pinstripe PanacheI love Sinatra and I love the suit. You gotta admit they had style back then with a little bit of attitude mixed in for good measure. Da VenueCleanest sewer in all Manhattan. Stubby's HorseAs a very young man in a Marine uniform I saw Stubby Kaye at JFK Airport. He was talking with some fans and seemed like a jovial chap. I asked him if he still had the horse and he actually began to sing "Fugue For Tinhorns" - I got the horse right here, the name is Paul Revere And here's the guy that says that if all weather's clear Can do, can do, this guy says the horse can do If he says the horse can do, can do, can do... (The Gallery, LOOK, Movies, NYC)
On the Waterfront: 1900
... match. Does anyone know where this pier was on the Manhattan waterfront? H.B. Moore Jr. The tugboat H.B. Moore Jr. was part ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/01/2014 - 8:19am -

New York City circa 1900. "Shipping at East River docks." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Earl of DunmoreThis appears to be another view of the Earl of Dunmore, previously seen at Nautical New York: 1900: the paint and portholes match. Does anyone know where this pier was on the Manhattan waterfront? H.B. Moore Jr.The tugboat H.B. Moore Jr. was part of the "Dalzell Fleet." She struck the ferry steamer "Wyoming" in 1909, with minor damage to the tug and none to the ferry. I guess New York harbor traffic was as bad as land traffic is now. LocationBased on the position of the towers on the then brand-new Park Row Building near the left of the photo, and the fact that the Brooklyn Bridge is out of view on the right, I would place this near the East River end of Maiden Lane or Wall Street. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Busy River: 1904
... ugliest bridge. But combined with its neighbors, the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, they make an elegant chorus line up ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/30/2013 - 12:05pm -

New York circa 1904. "Williamsburg Bridge from Brooklyn." The new span over the East River. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Another NailThe owners of the ferries on both sides seeing the bridge as another nail in the coffin of their business. GenerationsLet's see, 1904 ... that was about when the great-grandparents of the hipsters now flocking across the bridge into Williamsburg were born. As for the bridge, it's one of the relatively few long bridges in the country that carries trains (the J, M and Z subway lines) in addition to vehicles. Originally it had four traffic lanes, two on each side of the bridge, with six train tracks in the middle. Sometime before World War II, four of the tracks were converted to traffic lanes, so today there are four traffic lanes in each direction with the two train tracks in the middle. The two "inner" lanes in each direction, which occupy the former train tracks, are narrow and hemmed in on each side by the bridge's ironwork. Driving on them is a scary experience, especially when trains blast by just inches away. It is true, as another comment noted, that the nearby East River ferries weren't long for this world once the bridge opened. But they weren't gone forever. In recent years a very popular ferry service has opened, with a couple of stops not far from the bridge. It can be a faster route to Midtown and Downtown than the subway. Beaux art bridgesThe Williamsburgh and the Queensborough are my two favorite bridges in New York I have climbed over up and under every bridge in NY at this point for my business. I remember going on a site walk around 1998 where one of the other engineers almost fell through a rotted floor beam. Since then the bridge has basically been rebuilt 80 percent. It is amazing how it was left to deteriorate. It was so bad that they were actually considering tearing it down and building a new one. The towers were actually leaning in due to corrosion, the solution was to reinforce the land facing section of the towers on both sides. When the trains go over this bridge you have to be extremely careful not to be in any pinch points in the girders you could lose an arm or leg due to the flexing. P.S. it always reminded me of an Erector set drawing. UglyHands down, New York's ugliest bridge. But combined with its neighbors, the Manhattan Bridge and the Brooklyn Bridge, they make an elegant chorus line up the East River. And todayView Larger Map (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
A Female Drummer: 1898
... at the Star Theatre, the Grand Opera House, and the Manhattan Theatre. The opening day cast can be seen here . Drummer ... 
 
Posted by Ken - 07/30/2007 - 1:47pm -

"Chas. E. Blaney's Big Extravaganza Success." This is a lithograph advertising the theatrical comedy "A Female Drummer," c. 1898. View full size. A Female DrummerThe show opened on 26 December 1898 and closed 22 May 1899 after 56 performances at the Star Theatre, the Grand Opera House, and the Manhattan Theatre. The opening day cast can be seen here. Drummer In ContextDrummer in this sense means salesperson, from the practice of peddlers banging a drum to alert housewives they were approaching. Drummer in this sense began to fade from usage in the 1920s as "salesman" and its derivatives entered common use. (Very Old Ads)
Strange Leaf: 1908
... that the reference to Speedway may be the one in Manhattan that eventually became part of the FDR Drive? [The Harlem River ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 3:44pm -

May 1, 1908. "Speedway parade. Louis Frank with trotter 'Strange Leaf,' a prize winner." View full size. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. Wacky weed?I wonder what the origin of the name "Strange Leaf" is... although it's no more inscrutible than many modern racehorse names. Which Speedway?Any possibility that the reference to Speedway may be the one in Manhattan that eventually became part of the FDR Drive? [The Harlem River Speedway was a 2½-mile dirt trotting track completed in 1898 along the west bank of the river from West 155th Street to West 208th. The stretch from Dyckman to 155th is now a bike trail. - Dave] Strange LeafStrange Leaf ran in a trotters race at the Speedway on May 10, 1906, against Euchre Prize, Manana, Jabbowok, Teddy K (!), Barbara Smith, and Baron. I wonder who won? (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Horses, NYC)
A Capitol Photo: 1957
... of my rock collecting expeditions in Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan! PS unless you color enhanced your old Anscochrome it looks like ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 04/08/2017 - 3:09pm -

While I didn't take this photo of the California State Capitol - my brother did on 35mm Anscochrome - I am the reason it exists. At 11 years of age I was an avid rockhound and longed to find things like quartz crystals or what was for me the holy grail: a geode. What I lacked was field experience, so I wheedled my father into driving up from Marin County to the American River in the Sierra foothills east of Sacramento. My brother came along for the ride. History does not record, nor did my brother, anything that might have happened past Sacramento. If I'd found crystals or a geode, I'd have remembered. But today I have one consolation: my brother fortuitously captured a Nash in its natural habitat, the roadways of the 1950s. View full size. Sweet rideWhen I saw the photo the first thing I noticed was the Nash. Then I read the caption. Nice photo Tterrace PuzzlingNice photo, if someone were to make this into a puzzle I would love to put it together The more popular-Plane Jane '56 Ford and the immensely popular '56 Chevrolet Bel-Air with accessory bumper guards and '56 Oldsmobile wheel covers. The Chevy was the car to own at the time compared to the soon to be gone Nash. And two of the Low Priced ThreePhotobombed by a '55 Ford, and a '56 Chevy owned by someone with a sense of style, as evidenced by the custom wheelcovers. Hey!I signed in just to comment on this one because it sounds so much like me! I too was a rock collector as a kid and i too took color slides on Anscochrome and some Ektachrome especially in 1956 and 1957 and i too loved quartz crystals and i too always hoped to find a geode, also my holy grail, but never did! I was on the opposite side of the country in New York City. Now i need to figure out how to upload the photo of me on one of my rock collecting expeditions in Fort Tryon Park in Manhattan! PS unless you color enhanced your old Anscochrome it looks like yours have faded much less than mine. My rock collecting photo, tho, is in b&w. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Alice Under Control: 1908
... Brooklyn, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through downtown Manhattan, and then on the ferry to Staten Island. Once near shore, Alice was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/26/2016 - 5:28pm -

New York, 1908. "The end of the rampage -- 'Alice' under control, and thinking it over. Two zookeepers with restrained elephant lying on the ground after running free around the New York Zoological Park (Bronx Zoo)." Gelatin silver print from the William Temple Hornaday papers, Library of Congress. View full size. More On AliceThe Elephant That Escaped and Swam to Staten Island. and Alice Put to Sleep. Just Wanted Some New SceneryThis was not Alice's only attempt to escape. In June 1904 she was a resident at the Luna Park amusement, and sneaked out of her shed with two other elephants, taking to the river to swim from Coney Island to Staten Island where the New Dorp police took her into custody. (The other two elephants wandered in a different direction and were soon found). "Press agent or no press agent, we got him, and we are going to keep him till a bondsman shows up," a police officer said, according to printed accounts of the event. [The press agent would be Luna Park PR man Fred Thompson, who according to contemporary accounts is alleged to have "hired a furniture van to cart the elephant through Brooklyn, across the Brooklyn Bridge, through downtown Manhattan, and then on the ferry to Staten Island. Once near shore, Alice was released into the water." -Dave] Elephantidae PrecursorHow sad and heartbreaking. It appears that Alice was under-nourished. Perhaps she needed better attention and care. (The Gallery, Animals, NYC)
Six-Step Program: 1947
... and turban. Orkin took a lot of photos in Harlem and Upper Manhattan. Most likely, the brownstone where this photo was taken is now all ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/05/2018 - 2:12pm -

"Alcoholics, Greenwich Village, NYC, 1947." Gelatin silver print by the pioneering photojournalist Ruth Orkin. View full size. Sitting on the AshcanIf Ruth Orkin notes that these women were drunk, they probably were. The woman on the left has a huge run in her stocking, a big no-no for women in those days. Still, they look oddly fashionable with their smart wool coats and the woman on the right's nice striped sweater and turban. Orkin took a lot of photos in Harlem and Upper Manhattan. Most likely, the brownstone where this photo was taken is now all fixed up and worth a few million. LOVE...love love the handbag!! (NYC)
A Million Stories: 1913
New York, 1913. "Manhattan looking south along Broadway from Woolworth Bldg." Skyscraper ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/10/2020 - 12:28pm -

New York, 1913. "Manhattan looking south along Broadway from Woolworth Bldg." Skyscraper landmarks in this bird's eye view include the Singer (tallest) and Park Row (lower left) buildings. At right, the Statue of Liberty. Gelatin silver print by Irving Underhill. View full size. Sic transit gloria mundiThe Singer Building was the world's tallest for about one year (1908-09), before being surpassed by the Metropolitan Life Tower. The Singer Building retains its title as the tallest building ever peacefully demolished. Gone since 1973Much of the view of the Singer Building is blocked by the City-Investing Building, constructed 1907. They had to build around the much smaller Gilsey Building at 169-171 Broadway (on the corner) because the owners refused to sell. You can read the interesting history of the Gilsey Building at daytoninmanhattan.blogspot.com. The only reason I connected the two is the story was published four days before Shorpy posted this photo. Dot GovGovernor's Island is looking mighty ungoverned. (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC)
Meet the Tenants: 1906
Manhattan circa 1906. "Trinity Building and Broadway, New York." Along with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/26/2014 - 10:11am -

Manhattan circa 1906. "Trinity Building and Broadway, New York." Along with Trinity Church cemetery and its Independence Memorial Spire. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The dearly departedThat's a sizable cemetery of the Cathedral of St. John the Divine nestled next to skyscrapers in 1906. Is it still there? [You are very lost. Try reading the caption! - Dave] Powerful memories, 105 years laterIn September 2011, I was honored to be part of the Portland (Oregon) Gay Men's Chorus, who was invited to sing a concert at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine to help commemorate the tenth anniversary of the September 11th attacks. Spending a few days in New York at the time of the anniversary was a memorable and moving trip. Seeing the place where the towers once stood, hearing the stories of survivors and how they escaped and how many of their coworkers didn't make it out, looking at the beautiful new Freedom Tower being built are things that will stay with me for a long time. One very simple and powerful tribute to the victims of that horrible day was done on the fence of Trinity Church. People were invited to write memories, prayers, and messages on simple white ribbons and tie them to the fence around the cemetery. There were thousands of them, blowing gently in the breeze, a silent reminder of all who were lost. There wasn't a dry eye in our group as we passed them. One cementary on very expensive real estate.The first thing I thought of on seeing this image was how valuable this small piece of real life history was. Of course, ask 10 people and they would assess its value differently. Donald Trump would love to get his grubby fingers on this one. Also the work demolishing the building is of interest. One can easily think that the present appetite for destroying (to improve?) is a modern phenomenon. [A cheaper alternative: the ready-mix cementary. - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Alma Sanitarium: 1902
... towers in many US cities. (Shorpy has an early view of Manhattan which shows one.) Next Time, Let's Use Brick By the first ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/12/2018 - 8:05pm -

Circa 1902. "Alma Sanitarium, Alma, Michigan." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Lycurgus Solon Glover, Detroit Photographic Co. View full size. What Sort of BuildingWhat is the use of the dark, pyramidal building in the background? I don't see any chimney on the top, so it doesn't seem to be a heating source. It has a window about halfway up. Sure has me wondering. Shot Tower?The tall pyramidal building might be a shot tower, which was a place where lead shot, as for shotguns, was made. The basic idea was to release droplets of molten lead from a height. They would solidify into spherical shape while in free fall, then land in a tub of water. They'd be removed from the tub and sorted for size and checked for roundness before being packed into canvas sacks. There were shot towers in many US cities. (Shorpy has an early view of Manhattan which shows one.) Next Time, Let's Use BrickBy the first decade of the 20th century, Ammi Wright had seen enough. His once spiffy hotel, built right next to his own handsome house in Alma, just wasn't drawing them in anymore. "Taking the waters" was having a rough time competing with the advances of medical science. But he got a break. The Masonic Home for the elderly in Grand Rapids burned down in 1910 and the fraternal group was on the hunt for new digs. Wright offered his sanitarium for $60k along with 80 acres. The Masons balked. Wright lowered his offer to free, please just take the damn place. Offer accepted. The original structure pictured is still there, in a way. Over the years Michigan Masonic added a new main building and others, repurposing most of the pieces from the 1885 edifice. Waste not, want not. Not the current buildingThis building is not incorporated in the current Michigan Masonic Home building. This building is located near downtown Alma on State Street. Parts of this building still stand but not all of it. Most of it was torn down after the Masons moved out. The current facility was built in 1929 on Wright Avenue. http://www.michmarkers.com/default?page=S0567 There are a lot of erroneous articles thanks to a local "historian" who did not do his research very well. (The Gallery, DPC)
Bowery Banking: 1947
New York circa 1947. "Manhattan Savings Bank and Third Avenue elevated tracks." The bank, completed ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/30/2015 - 2:40pm -

New York circa 1947. "Manhattan Savings Bank and Third Avenue elevated tracks." The bank, completed in 1924, stands at the corner of Bowery and Canal on the Lower East Side. 4x5 acetate negative by John M. Fox. View full size. Sublime ...That film was eleven minutes of sheer joy. If anyone can watch that film and not fall in love with New York, they cannot have a heart. That little girl would be the same age as me now ... I have visited New York a couple of times, but if I could step into a time machine and see her as she was when that film was made, I would head across the pond in a heartbeat ... and never want to come back. And I am not at all a 'city person'. Much has been lost in the interim. I don't believe we are any better off. Let's go for a ride... on the Third Avenue El. From street level todayView Larger Map (The Gallery, John M. Fox, NYC, Railroads)
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