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Streets of Baltimore: 1940
... whole city. The ground lease was typically for 100 years. Philadelphia and St. Louis also had many rowhouses. What's the larger structure ... 1800s. They do have rowhouses in other cities. Washington, Philadelphia, and the narrowest ones I've ever seen were in Georgetown (DC). ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2012 - 6:45pm -

"Row houses, Baltimore, June 1940." Medium format safety negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. For the love of old cars.The immaculate black 1937 Ford Touring Car was a rarity at that time and scarce today - valuable indeed. The last car is a similar vintage Chevrolet. Would someone please identify the car in the middle of the scene. ShuttersI don't think I've ever seen shutters on doors before. You usually see them on the windows of coastal cities for storm protection but unless the doors were primarily glass the shutters would be more ornamental than practical. AntennasI'm always fascinated to see rooftops without TV antennas but I'm seeing shortwave "longwire" antennas aplenty here. Radio truly was the mode of communication back then. Work dayIt must be a workday -- no one is stoop-sitting. Baltimore was famous for marble steps on its row houses, but these look like wood. LocationAnyone know this intersection? Hear the drums?Gene Krupa! ShinySo that's what they looked like brand new! Bazooka Bubble GumI bet those kids are reading the Bazooka Joe comics from the gum they just bought. Gene Krupa, July 2Wow! There's a band date I would have liked to attend. Baltimore Row ApartmentsAll those incredibly narrow apartments with the flimsy wood stoops. They can't be much more than 12 or 14 feet wide. Is this an old Baltimore solution for cheap housing, or do some other Eastern cities have these as well? They all look neat and well scrubbed, but my dad would have called them "cribs." Meeeeeeooooow!You can almost hear that kittycat on the stoop wailing to get back in! Graham-PaigeThe middle car would appear to be a circa 1934 Graham-Paige, possibly a Blue Streak or Custom Eight. Quite a machine. Fond memories are mineThese are not apartments! They are individual homes. Many had small back yards on the alley. Some even had garages. Many residents would turn their "stoops" over at night. Virtually every step was painted annually, and was washed every day. Most of the rowhouses were on "land leases" over the whole city. The ground lease was typically for 100 years. Philadelphia and St. Louis also had many rowhouses. What's the larger structure in the background? That would place this on the money. I think this is north of the harbor. Marble stepsIt looks like there are some of the famous marble stairs by the first parked car in the background. I imagine this looks fairly similar to my dad's boyhood home on Kennedy Avenue in Bawlmer -- He'd have been about 4½ when this picture was taken. Cross-ventilationThe shutters were on the front door for ventilation. The row houses I knew had solid front doors. The front door was opened; the shutters were closed and latched. Typically the front door was at the bottom of the steps to the second floor. The windows would be opened at the back of the house on the second floor. Voila; natural ventilation. Shuttered doorsShutters are common all over the Caribbean and in South Florida, and exist in many places in the south. They were popular in pre-air conditioning days, so you could get let a breeze in with the window or door shaded to stop "heat gain" and a wood barrier is slightly more security than a flimsy screen. In a urban setting like this, the bigger appeal may have been privacy, even with the door open. Yikes,This is funThe tracks were for the #27 Streetcar line. The building in the background was the Carroll Park Shops. This was an absolutely enormous facility that did virtually all of the heavy overhaul and maintenanc for Baltimore's streetcars. Found this on Wikipedia: The Washington Boulevard streetcar line, which started operating in 1905, was designated No. 27. This was converted to electric trolley buses in 1938. Ground RentNot called "land lease" but "ground rent." It made it possible for people with not a lot of money to buy a house without buying the land. The rent is fixed and rather low. The system is so old and antiquated and the deeds were so poorly unrecorded that people who bought a rowhouse would sometimes not know they were on ground rent. Until they didn't pay for X years and had their houses taken away from them! The Baltimore Sun did a series on this in the last couple of years and laws have been reformed to make this impossible. Too bad there are no visible house numbers, that would help narrow it down a lot. You can see it was on a streetcar line. It appears to be fall or spring, not hot enough for the man in the background to go without a jacket, but the kids are okay without one. [Another clue is in the caption, where it says "June 1940." - Dave] So tidyYes, those are actually wooden steps. I think marble would be seen on a slightly higher class house (or later). These look like "alley" houses, the smallest of the rowhouses, usually built for working folks. I just looked through a book at BCPL on Baltimore Alley Houses, and they showed a lot of pictures of houses with shutters on the doors and windows, to actually use in hot weather. Seems like it would be so handy. They do look about 12 feet wide in this picture, which is pretty common. Judging from the Italianate styling, I'd guess late 1800s. They do have rowhouses in other cities. Washington, Philadelphia, and the narrowest ones I've ever seen were in Georgetown (DC). MemoriesGrowing up in Bal-mer in the 50's and 60's, these places are my memories. We lived in the burbs although all my family lived in places like these. And yes, even in the burbs we were paying ground rent! Just a way of life and I've never heard of it anywhere else! Horton"Horton" (or Morton) would be the company that painted the sign. HortonDidn't they sometimes used to put street names on corners of buildings back then? I wonder if Horton is maybe the name of that side street. Just a thought. Hortons Nortons and MortonsI checked them all via local.live and google maps. They're alleys with nothing like this scene. The street has streetcar tracks, so it's at least a halfway important street. But Baltimore had tons of lines. The big structure in the background looks like a church nave to me, the front of the church facing the photographer, so that would put the church on a corner. [This is from a series of photos taken on U.S. Route 1, Baltimore-Washington Boulevard. - Dave] I think it's a LincolnI think the spiffy droptop on the street is a Lincoln Zephyr, which would've looked a lot like it's poor cousin, the Ford. The teardrop shaped headlamps are the clue. [The car is a Ford, not a Lincoln. - Dave] Found it: Carroll ParkThanks Dave for the clue about US 1. View Larger Map This is at the corner of Washington Boulevard and Bayard Street. The opposite side of the street is Carroll Park (which probably explains why the car has such a long shadow). The big roof in the back ground is not a church like I thought, but an old carbarn for the streetcars. The long monitor roof along the ridge of the carbarn has been removed and the building is now a bus maintenance garage. Of course, being Baltimore, the whole row is covered in FormStone or PermaStone, whatever you want to call it. You see one of the sad things about FormStone: all the great wood cornices are chopped off so the FormStone can be installed. Charm CityGreat shot--it's June, the two kids are hanging out at the corner store, the cat on the steps, the car--a nice moment in time. Trackless TrolleysYes, these are in fact trackless trolley wires. You can clearly see where the B.T.C. simply added a negative wire along side the existing positive street car wire. There is a Baltimore trackless trolley sitting inside of the car barn at the Baltimore Street Car Museum. It was built by the old Pullman Standard Car Mfg. Company of Worcester, Mass. I grew up in BaltimoreIn the 26th Ward, in a rowhouse just like these. I'll never forget Saturday mornings and my mother scrubbing the white marble steps. Although we lived on the southeast side, I passed this intersection daily making deliveries to the old Montgomery Ward building that was the next block down!! MemoriesI grew up in Baltimore and my grandma lived on East Monument Street and she had marble steps. All the neighbors would wash their marble steps and keep them looking white. And everyone sat outside at night to chat. Pigtown Historic DistrictThis scene is indeed at Washington Boulevard and Bayard Street, facing south. It is within Pigtown Historic District. The hip-roofed building at the end of the row appears to have been constructed after 1914 and been demolished by 1951. It stood at 1463 Washington Boulevard, and was a filling station by the December 1951 Sanborn map. The 1914 Sanborn shows the lot owned by D.M. Larkin, Contractor. None of the buildings depicted look much like the hip-roofed structure in the photo. The Carroll Park Shops, on the far side of Bush Street from the mystery building, were constructed c. 1899. The United Railway & Electric Company hired B&O architect E. Francis Baldwin to design a single, centralized shop for repairing and rebuilding streetcars. Two huge one-story buildings (each covering an entire block) went up on the southeast side of Washington Boulevard, between Bush and Elk Streets. Each structure is lit by four long roof monitors that run the entire length of the building. Today, these turn-of-the-century facilities still stand as the repair shop for MTA buses. The buildings were never three stories high, however, and couldn't be the structure depicted in the photo. Of the houses in the photo, they were built in 1888 by Cornelius H. Saffell (or Soffell), and have typical Queen Anne-style decorative brick door hoods; first floor windows have segmentally arched lintels made up of a double row of header bricks, with the upper row alternately projecting to create a decorative effect. The late Italianate-style cornices have jig-sawn friezes. Saffell was one of many German-born builders to construct buildings in the district. Indeed, many of the residents were German immigrants working in the butchering industry. +74Below is the same view from July of 2014. (The Gallery, Baltimore, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano)
The North American: 1904
Philadelphia circa 1904. "The North American and Real Estate Trust buildings." Plus a glimpse of Philadelphia City Hall. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Folks ... will rank as the tallest structure in the city of Philadelphia. It is located at the corner of Broad and Samson streets, and is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:08pm -

Philadelphia circa 1904. "The North American and Real Estate Trust buildings." Plus a glimpse of Philadelphia City Hall. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Folks in windowsAnd following the grand Shorpy tradition, I see at least 2 people in the windows of the North American building. I walk past these buildings every day, so it's really neat to see them from so long ago. And the ones that didn't make it to this point in time. Private exhibition?What about a sculpture at a yard at the lower-right? I wonder what's the building the yard belongs to? It doesn't look like a living home. 9351?Interesting, there's a number, 1539, reversed on the window of the shed-like structure at the lower right of this photo. Wonder why? Dry spotThe block that is permanently shaded by both buildings has pavement covered in slush, except for one dry parking space. Steam leak? [That's street-cleaning water. The dry spot would be where a wagon or car was parked. -Dave ] Fine View from the Roof Carpentry and Building, 1900. When completed, in the course of a few months, the 20-story structure, known as the North American Building, will rank as the tallest structure in the city of Philadelphia. It is located at the corner of Broad and Samson streets, and is of the modern steel skeleton frame construction. An interesting feature of the work of erection, and one to which reference has been made in connection with some of the towering office buildings in New York, Chicago and Pittsburgh, is the carrying forward of the masonry at the upper stories before completing it at the lower portion of the building. In this case the exterior stone work was commenced at the tenth floor and carried upward, while the lower stories were still unenclosed. The appearance of the structure while this work was in progress was the source of much curiosity on the part of those who had never before seen a modern sky scraper constructed. The United States, Handbook for Travelers, Karl Baedeker, 1904. [A]djoining the Real Estate Trust Co., is the North American Building, named after the newspaper which occupies the upper five floors (fine view from the roof; free pass obtained on the 16th floor). Billy PennIn the background is a view of a few of the 250 or so works by Alexander Calder (that's Alexander Milne Calder, the father of the sculptor Alexander Stirling Calder and grandfather of the sculptor Alexander "Sandy" Calder of more recent fame) that adorn Philly's City Hall. The senior Calder's architectural sculpture adorns the building and his 37' stature of Wm Penn stands at its top. Union League The building in the lower left is the Union League. It's one of the most beautiful buildings still standing in Philadelphia today. Water wagonPresumably filled up at that hydrant on the corner for its next circuit. TodayView Larger Map When Billy P turned his backI don't know if this photo depicts Billy Penn in his "original" position or his later one. Philadelphia legend has it that he once faced toward Shibe Park (Connie Mack Stadium), but the Phillies and Athletics were so bad he turned his back on the stadium and has faced that way ever since. GreenhousesThe building with the statue is related to the Dundas-Lippincott House, which was on Walnut at Broad Street. The left part are the greenhouses. The other part is likely a carriage house which occupied that corner. The mansion and its outbuildings were torn down before 1928 when the current Philadelphia Trust Company Building was built. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
High Society: 1960
... Flag of the United States is first officially flown over Philadelphia. August: The newly named Beatles begin a 48-night residency at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2023 - 2:45pm -

June 18, 1960. "Rowing, Harvard-Yale Regatta. Crew race at New London, Connecticut." Man overboard! 35mm Kodachrome slide by Toni Frissell. View full size. Pinch Me!"I must be dreaming" Shipshape and Camel fashionIt appears the Captain doesn't mind getting a little ash on his yacht. Tom?I'm getting a Talented Mr. Ripley vibe here. UnfilteredI guess it’s less gross to flick an unfiltered butt into the ocean than a cigarette with a filter. Since Shorpy is a wholesome family site, I won’t say what we used to call unfiltered smokes. 1960 in reviewHere is a list of 1960 events and births. A few which stand out to me include: February: Greensboro, NC -- four black students from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University begin a sit-in at a segregated Woolworth's lunch counter. March: The United States announces that 3,500 American soldiers will be sent to Vietnam. April: The United States launches the first weather satellite, TIROS-1. June: A smoking hot, shirtless man doesn't mind having his lack of body fat admired by a woman on a yacht during Harvard-Yale Regatta, New London, Connecticut. July: Following the admission of the State of Hawaii as the 50th state in August 1959, the new (and current) 50-star Flag of the United States is first officially flown over Philadelphia. August: The newly named Beatles begin a 48-night residency at the Indra Club in Hamburg, West Germany. Let me just ... oh my!She's trouble! Pieces of ice on her finger aside, she might be having a moment inspired by her second (more likely third or fourth) G&T, and the day watching the races. She's sizing up the evening's potential as only her circumstances allow ... she'll meet everyone for dinner at a select spot, and certainly grab a seat next to him. Lively conversation to follow above the linen, with perhaps more exploration below deck. Those Vassar women -- [If they were all laid end to end ... - Dave] Privileged WorldI grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in the 1970s in Groton, which is the land you can see in this picture. These people might as well have been on the dark side of the moon to me. I heard about the regatta yearly in the papers, but it just wasn't anything of significance to lower middle-class folk. Gold Star Memorial BridgeI`ve personally been over it a few times, fantastic structure(s). The original span was "twinned" in 1973, and now carries northbound I-95 traffic. New London's BridgesJudging by location of the Gold Star Bridge and the Thames River Bridge in this photo, the Versatile is just off the shore of the US Coast Guard Academy. Both the Gold Star and Thames River Bridges are still there and very busy. The Gold Star Bridge where Interstate 95 crosses the Thames River is now a two-span bridge having the southbound span added on in 1973. The Thames River Bridge is owned by Amtrak and was converted from a bascule bridge to a vertical-lift bridge in 2008. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Boats & Bridges, Toni Frissell)
People's People: 1921
... boxes In the mid 1960s, I worked in a pharmacy in Philadelphia that used that kind of box as storage for old prescriptions. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/08/2011 - 9:58am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "People's Drug Store group, 7th and K Streets." The folks behind (and in front of) the vibrator display seen in this post. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Hands OutNowadays half the hands would be buried in pockets. Hypo-Cod peeper!I see a peeper in the upper right corner. Another great pic, thanks. Coif, coifThey should have found someone to tidy up the woman's hair after her exhumation. It's moida, I tell yaAnd one of yems da moidera! In this cornerI'd bet money the guy on the right is a boxer. That's a broken nose and those eyes were black a week ago. At that time Convention Hall Market a couple blocks away was a premier boxing venue. Hair Days of OldHow is it the one woman in the picture is the only one with unkempt hair? Not that greasing your hair down involves a lot of maintenance. By a headThis is, without a doubt, the largest collection of large-headed people I have ever seen. Not that there's anything wrong with that. Like others, I scanned from left to right. I was completely taken aback by the guy on the far left, until I moved farther to the right. Then I reached the end of the line. Enough said. Erm, I'll come back laterAll of these people look like maniacs. Seriously -- is it just the lighting? My photo captionwould have read "Aliens disguised as earthlings pose with the mother of Norman Bates." The word "surreal" is greatly overused today, but it absolutely fits if you look at this picture close-up. Weird I tell ya, very weird. [That's something a lot of people comment on in these unsynchronized magnesium-powder exposures. The photographer opens the shutter before igniting the powder, so the shot catches people with their eyes open when it flashes, and then closed, if they blink. The result is a kind of double exposure with eyelids superimposed over eyeballs, which gives people that glazed-zombie look. Plus of course there is the fact that some of these people are just plain odd-looking. - Dave] Vanpires by night. This is the strangest looking combined group I've ever seen here so far. They are all creeps, including the woman. If they closed their eyes, I would think them all dead. What's with the ultra creep up in the right hand corner peering from his lofty perch. He's likely the ring leader of this madcap group. A little too much tasting of the product going on perhaps? I'm sure thatthe guy on the left inspired a Chester Gould character. You think these folksare strange, you should see Igor in the back room! Watch Out!Someone please tell the pleasant looking gentleman on the top left that a shady character is coming from the corner to take him out! Possibly in cahoots with the photographer? Pre-depression yearsIt would be interesting to know how many of the companies represented by the products on display in this store survived the long Great Depression. Young Stockboy LenoI did not know that Jay Leno was that old. Ears lookin' at you kidWhew. Some serious ears going on with this group! Also couldn't help noticing that the stock clerk at the ceiling looks like an early relative of Ryan Gosling and Jay Leno! Call for KiwiShoe polish might be a big seller. Just a thought. Rouges galleryThose are some of the scariest looking people I've ever seen. Exposure timeWhat would be the exposure for a shot like this? Most have excellent detail, which I think the large format camera give, but was curious about the exposure time. [As we can see from the stock clerk's blurry arm, longer than what a modern flash exposure would use. The flash here is unsynchronized. The photographer opens the shutter just before he or an assistant sets off the charge of magnesium powder. One common artifact of this process is what might be called "zombie eyes," where the exposure catches a person's eyes both open and closed, if he blinks. - Dave] Pyralin Ivory!Never heard of Pyralin Ivory before, but I'm seeing Google hits galore. It's a kind of celluloid plastic. As an old school Dungeons and Dragons player, I'm well qualified to identify many of these gentlemen as Half Goblins. Except the fellow on the far right, who is half Hobgoblin. I like the smile on the guy way up under the pressed tin ceiling. He looks like the happiest one present. Where shopping is a pleasureEven for early 1900s group photo standards, this is a strange looking bunch. Is that Armin Shimmerman on the left? YOWThe really scary thought here is that this random sample of individuals is probably representative of the population at that time. Very handsomeThe man third from the left is handsome even by modern standards and his stance looks athletic. There is a Peter Lorre lookalike peeking in on the extreme upper right! Dress CodeWhen was the last time you saw clerks in your local drug store wearing three-piece suits? CornermanNever mind Jay Leno. I'm pretty sure that's Buster Keaton in the top right. You Rang?I was looking at the full-size version of this photo, having only glanced at first at the smaller version. My, that fellow 4th from the left is tall, isn't he? I slowly scrolled the screen from left to right, gazing upon each face until I got to the last one and ... AAAAHHHHHH!!! I think I jumped back in my chair! My, he's, um, big. Between his size, the expression on his face and his closer proximity to the camera, he certainly stands out in a crowd. Someone mentioned The Addams family -- I think this guy could've applied for the position of Lurch. He doesn't look that imposing or creepy in the smaller photo, though. "Just the Facts Ma'am"The fellow second from the right looks like Jack Webb, AKA Sgt. Friday from Dragnet! Tim Burton's dream storeRandom Observations: I actually jumped a little in my chair when I noticed the creepster in the upper right corner. Holy jeez. I wonder if it's a family who owns and runs the place, the ears are all eerily similar. (Pun intended.) Is that Ms. Bara above and slightly to the right of the word "pens"? I'm always amazed at prices: alarm clocks from $3-7, and you can still get them at Walmart for $5. Part Time BoxersI can't help thinking as I look at the noses here that most of these guys either founds themselves in a lot of fights as kids or spent some time boxing. It's interesting to note the beginning of the disposable plastics era -- the push here of the DuPont Pyralin celluloid "Material of a Thousand Uses" products. I keep thinking, somewhere there is a traveling Dupont Pyralin Ivory salesman driving home who can't wait to tell his buddies how he scored the deal of a lifetime down in D.C. Addams Family drug storeHard to decide whether the "Hypo Cod" that "prevents coughs, colds, and influenza" for $1.20 a bottle, or the Chest protector that "prevents cold and flu" are the bigger scams. Whichever, this is one creepy photo. Between that giant kewpie doll, and all that crepe paper hanging from the incandescent lamps next to the celluloid display, you have a horror movie in the making. Pyralin Ivory is basically celluloid, which is flammable as all heck. So, of course, you should make the lamp shades next to it as close to a fire hazard as you can get! I'm droolinglooking at those hand-painted signs, all freehand and perfect, my dream was to be a signmaker, too late, wrong era. The Straight ManThe guy third from the left is the only one who even looks like he has a chance of being normal. It looks like the perfect cast for a TV sitcom or perhaps a musical Vaudeville dark comedy act. Swept awayCertainly the most beguiling (or maybe the only) display of whisk brooms that I've ever seen. WelcomeTo the Edward Gorey Hypo-Cod Dispensary. Beauty is in the eye of the surferYou guys are so mean! I don't think this group is all that odd or ugly-looking (except maybe the ears of the little chap on the far left; I have to agree on that point). Someone implied in their post that people today were better looking on average, but as Jerry Seinfeld once said to Elaine, "have you been down to the the Department of Motor Vehicles lately? It's a leper colony down there!" At least all these guys are dressed smartly and none are fat slobs. I'm just saying. 2 comments: 1 - My first thought is one of compassion... for the mothers that some of those heads were birthed by. Gah! Another epidural here! 2 - Everyone is wearing the same shoes? Photo FinishThis is Diane Arbus territory from top to bottom -- and all of them look like serial killers to me. That's why the fellow up in the rafters is laughing: he's in on the joke. If this had been a funeral home instead of a drug store, it would have been perfect. As it is, the thought of stopping by here for some casual shopping would be impossible, knowing that these people would be standing around the store watching me and waiting to be "of service." Does anyone knowI'm collecting pictures of Peoples and anything regarding it. Does anyone know which number store this was? [The LOC National Photo Company has several shots identified as being at 7th & K, but the exteriors are of two different buildings. One, on a corner, has "No. 1" on the sign, the other has "No. 2". - tterrace] Numbered boxesIntrigued by the numbered boxes along the perimeter near the ceiling. Does anyone know what they're for? Numbered boxesIn the mid 1960s, I worked in a pharmacy in Philadelphia that used that kind of box as storage for old prescriptions. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, PDS, Stores & Markets)
Montreal: 1900
... through a market. Compare it with the 1908 photo of a Philadelphia market below. Which city looks to be the more "wired"? - Dave] ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:56pm -

Quebec circa 1900. "Jacques Cartier Square, Montreal." One of relatively few Canadian scenes in the archive. Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Attn: Frederic FalconI'd like to see this one colorized. Mo' CanadaThanks for posting. We need more Canadian pics on Shorpy! I may have to upload some of my collection to the Member Gallery. 73 Bleury StMy great grandfather Edward Quivron emigrated from Belgium to Montreal late in the 19th century and lived with his wife Antoine and their daughters Madelena and Rosalie (my grandmother) at 73 Bleury St., Montreal according the the April 1901 census. I believe their home may have been near this place. FINALLY SOME CANADAPlease Dave, post some more Canadian stuff. There are many of us out here looking for a little closer "connection" to our roots. Merci beaucoup! - and I am not even French Canadian WOW - Look at it Now!Me again; Cest magnifique, no?A very nice change of scenery. Place Jacques CartierAmazingly the street has changed very little in 100 years. Many of the buildings are still there. It's now part of "Old Montreal," an area that dates to the days of colonisation and has a very Old-European feel. Many of the cobblestone roads are now pedestrian streets. The monument is "Nelsons Column," in honour of Admiral Horatio Nelson. It was put up in 1808. Tall building on the right is Montreal City Hall, built in 1872. The domed building rear-left is the old Courthouse, built in 1851. It's now part of city hall. Right behind the camera would be the "Old Port" and the St. Lawrence Seaway. Jacques Cartier Square was the hub of commerce in Montreal and much of Quebec. Pat (in Montreal). 30 Years Behind The US?Photos on this site that show US big cities from 1900 show trolley tracks, if not autos, but, except for the monument, this shot of Montreal looks like something out of the US High Plains circa 1873. I almost expect to see Wyatt Earp or Marshal Matt Dillon walking down the street. [You wouldn't have trolleys running through a market. Compare it with the 1908 photo of a Philadelphia market below. Which city looks to be the more "wired"? - Dave] What a hodgepodgeCarts, horses, merchandise, humanity -- looks like the barricade scene from Les Miserables. Another great photo featuring old wall signageThe great thing about the Quebecois cities of Montreal and Quebec is how they've so effectively managed to preserve the old neighborhoods along the river. My hometown of Newburgh NY totally removed its old commercial Hudson River waterfront neighborhood as an "urban rnewal" project in the late 1960's and it took them nearly 30 years to replace the ruined landscape with a bland grassy swath and some fancy restaurants. Les MisMy first thought upon viewing this photo was that the revolution has started! Man the barricades! Six DrapeuxHasn't changed much since 1900. Montreal today resembles a big French-Canadian theme park. Mr. Mel...I'd like to see it colorized, too! But to do it right, to color all the tiniest details (such as the tree branches), it would really have to be an even larger photo than it is, ideally twice as big. It would take a long time to do this one. It would definitely be the biggest challenge I've ever encountered. I normally spend anywhere from a half hour to ninety minutes doing a coloring job. I'm sure this would take many sessions over several days. Montreal market in colorThose wishing to try their hand at colorizing this image can download the jumbo 5400-pixel full-resolution jpeg here. Crayons not included. Another Canada FanAnother request for more Canada photos (especially Montreal) please! Yes please on Canadian contentSo enjoy this site, would love to see some pics of British Columbia in the 1950's or 60's, camping,family life etc. Grew up there and loved it so. I am living in MontrealOld Montreal is still in need of renovations. Many of the old buildings that are further left of AA Wilson house are not looking fine at all. A shame because they are in direct view of the boats coming from St-Lawrence river. For that matter, Quebec City is incredibly well redone and so CLEAN. This picture here is on of the most well known of Old Mtl. 109 years laterVisual positioning... Done! Montreal 1900 - 2009 Love this site.I was Google'ing old heritage photos of Montreal, and came upon your picture. I have a very similar photo as yours, but not as clear or sharp. It was taken from the same angle. I am guessing mine was taken around 1900. I corrected the photo somewhat. Montreal was HQ of the CPRLovely old view of my favourite North American city. The CPR had monumental locomotive repair workshops there in 1900, and also built locos from scratch, thousands of them. Was hauled by a 1912 one out in British Columbia last year. As for the comment about Montreal being behind the times then, well, it's perhaps worth noting this small excerpt from Wikipedia: "By 1894, the remaining horsecar lines had all been converted to accommodate the new electrically powered streetcars. The Montreal Street Railway was known as one of the most innovative and progressive in North America. One of its innovations was the introduction of the "Pay As You Enter" (P.A.Y.E.) system of fare collection in 1905." Everywhere else used conductors to collect fares. The Brits continued until well into the 1980s on those double decker buses! (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Stores & Markets)
Shulman's Market: 1942
... how dirty things were back then." Come take a trip to Philadelphia; the level of filth is exactly the same in 2007. Re: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/27/2017 - 4:25pm -

        This large-format Kodachrome by Louise Rosskam from 1942 first appeared on Shorpy some 20,000 posts ago, back in 2007. 1942. "Shulman's Market at N and Union Street S.W., Washington." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Louise Rosskam. Alternate view. In one of the many comments for this post, an alert FOS (Friend of Shorpy) points out the posters of Axis leaders Mussolini, Hitler and Admiral Yamamoto in the window. Along the bottom of each it says What do YOU say America? The smiling windowLook closely at the window and you'll see two swirls at the top that appear to be eyes and grinning mouth at the bottom. It's a happy store. WowI am really loving these pictures, especially the color ones... Its amazing how dirty things were back then. Do you think it was just the subjects the photographer was capturing, or was there less focus on public works back then? Same Store?I was hoping I had a newer photo of that same store, but it appears the one I took--though similar and also on N St--is not the same one. Here they are compared. Same Store?Thanks for the detective work! Here is another view of the store. One thing that puzzles me (I live just outside of Washington, and work downtown) is there is not, as far as I can tell, a Union Street in the District. The street sign clearly says N and Union (the S or N in SW or NW is broken off). The street number behind the bars above the door is 485½. I notice that the windows on both the store and car have been soaped. Harry ShulmanThere seem to have been several Shulman's Markets in D.C. An archive search shows there was one at 1349 Sixth St. NW in 1958, in addition to the one in the picture, and one on O Street NW. Harry Shulman died in 1984. From his obituary in the Washington Post: "Harry Shulman, 85, a grocer in the Washington area from the time he moved here in 1928 until he retired in 1971, died of a liver ailment May 15 at the Washington Hospital Center. He lived in Rockville. Mr. Shulman moved to Boston from his native Lithuania in the early 1900s. When he moved here, he opened Shulman's Market, which he operated at O Street NW for 39 years before closing it in 1967. He worked for several other grocers until he retired four years later." There are about 250 mentions of addresses on Union Street SW in the Washington Post, with the last one in 1959. The ones I found are in the 1200 block: houses at 1255 and 1271 Union St. SW, the Lincoln Market at 1212, etc. Either it got renamed or disappeared in some kind of redevelopment. (There are 51 hits for Union Street NW, with the last mention in 1990. Those may be mistaken references to Union Court NW.) In 1908 there are a couple of ads listing merchants who would redeem Sweetheart Soap coupons. One was E. Cockrill, whose store was at 485½ N Street SW at Union. Re: all the dirt. A coupleRe: all the dirt. A couple ideas: 1) these are pretty rough, poor places. 2) The country was at the end of a very long and difficult depression that made many people poor. Routine maintenance is one of the first things you cut back on when money's tight, and money was very tight. I sent this site to my grandma, and she told me how they used to love playing with mud during the depression. :) wonderful siteI am enjoying this site VERY much. I, too, particularly like the color photographs because they provide a certain immediacy and timelessness. I don't THINK of 1941 as being "in color" (having been born 13 years later). Anyway, keep up the great work. It's a pleasure to visit here. More like this one, please!Street scenes like this one are just fascinating to me because the level of detail enables me to imagine that I'm actually walking down the street in 1942. At first glance it doesn't appear all that much different than today, but then you notice all the little details, such as the posters in the window of what I presume to be Hitler, Tojo, and Mussolini! this siteI've only just found this site and am loving it. thank you for doing this...lisavc (from australia) Window postersYikes. I figured they were baseball players, but you are right. They are Mussolini, Hitler and Admiral Yamamoto (see comment with poster links below). I added your observation to the caption along with a blowup of the posters. Thanks! And thank you, too, lisavc in Australia! dirt or soot?Did US homes use coal for heating in the 40s? Britain used to be black with soot. CoalYes, lots of buildings and homes had coal furnaces in the 1940s. I would say the balance tipped in favor of oil (kerosene) heating sometime after World War II. Although I am not sure where people are seeing dirt here. The yellow paint is soiled from where people have been leaning against or touching the wall. You can see the same thing on either side of the doors in this picture. Window Posters... where Hitler Says: "We shall soon have our Storm Troopers in America!" And Yamamoto: "I am looking forward to dictating peace to the United States in the White House at Washington." And Mussolini: "We consider peace a catastrophe for human civilization." Great site! Poster LinksAmazing. I am shocked and awed! Thank you, Anonymous Tipster! AmazingI love the site, especially pictures like this. The colors are so vivid, the image so clear, that it almost takes away the time barriers. I could imagine myself walking right up to those people as if they were still alive today, looking now as they did then. As for this comment... "Its amazing how dirty things were back then." Come take a trip to Philadelphia; the level of filth is exactly the same in 2007. Re: "Amazing How Dirty Things Were Back Then"Really? That is a very funny statement. When I first saw the photo, I thought it could be from anyhere on the Hill or in Georgetown today. Aside from a few neighborhoods, The city really isn't much cleaner. In fact, the brick sidewalks are actually flat. Now there are so many roots pushing them up that it's difficult to walk at night without tripping. This 1897 map of DC showsThis 1897 map of DC shows that Union St SW ran from M to O in between 4 1/2 St. (which seems to have been where 4th St. is now) and 6th St. If you look at a current map of DC, there's no trace of the former Union St. in the midst of a bunch of large buildings. If you plug in 485 Union St. SW Washington into Google Maps, though, it does show it being about where Union St. was. 1897 MapThank you so much! Click here for a closeup of the map (which is quite beautiful). Union Street is toward the bottom. Another mystery solved thanks to Anonymous Tipster. Southwest WashingtonSouthwest D.C. was probably the most destitute parts of town at the time this photo was taken. Union Street SW no longer exists because this part of town was almost completely leveled by eminent domain in the 1950s, in one of the country's first urban renewal projects. Prince AlbertLooks like Shulman's has Prince Albert in a can... ;-) Seriously, though, it is absolutely amazing how well these Kodachrome images have held up for all these decades. Kodak's scientists came up with a magic emulsion which has never been bettered... Ninth StreetMy grandparents lived on 9th Street S.E. There was a corner store with the same yellow paint job just down the street (300 or 400 block.) I'm guessing it was also owned by Shulman. As for the soot I'm sure it was from coal, their house was heated with coal until my grandmother sold the house in 1960. Bernard ShulmanAccording to the 1942 Polk Directory, 485½ N Street S.W. was Schulman's Grocery. That's how it was spelled in the directory. Bernard was listed as the owner. He lived at 1412 K Street S.E. His wife's name was Clara. Across from Shulman'sI lived directly across the street from Shulman's Market from 1946 to 1949. We shopped there all the time, and not only were the houses all heated with coal (we had a large shed in the back yard to hold it), but most all of us had ice delivered in huge blocks for our iceboxes. Hardly anyone around there had a refrigerator. My mother, who is now 90, remembers discussing the Old Testament with the owner often. They were both very religious. Union Street SI live at Union and N Streets, SW. Technically. After the redevelopment of Southwest DC, Union Street was replaced by apartment/coop buildings. The streets that still remain off M Street are 4th and 6th. I bought the print with the old car in front of the market for nostalgic sake. Great PhotosThis series of photos was what first got me looking at Shorpy. Been hooked ever since. Sad Little GirlThe Commentators so far seem to have skipped over the sad looking little girl sitting under the window. Beautiful child. The Washington CanalI compared the two maps and managed to trace the route of the Washington Canal. Looks like the canal came down Independence Ave along the Mall, veered a slight right Down Washington/Canal street, Right on South Capitol, another slight right at the RR tracks onto Canal again perpendicular to Delaware Ave, slight left down Third Street to the river. The Fort Meyer complex absorbed and changed Third Street to 5th Avenue. If you go down M Street from South Capitol SW (west), take a left on 4th Street SW, go to N Street, the right on N would go to Union and N Street. Of course the canal was filled in due to outbreaks of disease attributed to the terrible things dumped into it, the likes of which you aint never seen. [Take a right on what again? -tterrace] I recall the area vaguelyI was 6 years old, and lived near an old deli (Snyder's?) on the corner. I recall Miss Minnie's candy and variety store I think on the same block. I was able to walk to Bowen school from the "Jefferson Gardens" white 2 story deco building courtyard we lived in. I believe I lived near K and I streets. There were super-old abandoned red brick buildings across from me. Windows removed, and facing the demolitions to come like a tempest. 1953 or so, and then we moved. Later we went back and saw the barrel roofed buildings that emerged. I recall the vegetable man taking his horse cart through the alley. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, D.C., Louise Rosskam, Stores & Markets)
Traffic Ahead: 1901
... lines used metal because it lasted almost forever. Philadelphia still uses some that were erected at the start of electric service ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/29/2023 - 3:35pm -

Detroit circa 1901. "Woodward Avenue and Farnsworth Street." The future Motor City on the cusp of the Motor Century. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Re: Pole ClimbingThe town here in Texas where I grew up still had the metal climbing steps on poles in the late 70s, but by then the bottom steps had been raised about 7 or 8 feet off the sidewalk, probably to keep adventurous kids from climbing the poles. I always wondered what the world looked like from the top of a pole. Detroit Institute of Artsand the main library, across the street. The only two things on Woodward Avenue that don't make me think I was born 75 years too late. bjzielinski's Street View is in front of the Maccabees Building, original (radio) home of The Lone Ranger. Actually, Cater-Corner From the LibraryThis view is looking southeast at the corner of Woodward and Farnsworth. Farnsworth does not extend west of Woodward (the street to the west of Woodward is named Putnam). The future (and current) site of Main Library is thus out of view to the far right of the picture. Similarly, the site of the Detroit Institute of Arts, to the northeast of this corner, is out of view to the far left. The location shown is now the site of the Horace Rackham Education Memorial Building (opened in 1941), which was originally built for the Engineering Society of Detroit, but is now owned by the University of Michigan and largely leased to Wayne State University. Previously on ShorpyLooking up Farnsworth in this Kodachrome from 1942. One of the photos that helped get me addicted to Shorpy way back when. Interesting poles for sureThree quick Shorpy questions: 1. The street lamp almost in the middle of the photo appears to have a pulley and rope, extending down the pole to the street. Is this light now electrified, where its predecessor perhaps was oil-fired, requiring raising and lowering the lamp twice daily for lighting and extinguishing, plus re-filling the oil? 2. The other poles which seem to be handling electricity, also basically in the center of the photo, appear to be metal. since they're honey-combed in the middle. I would have thought wood was the preferred pole material. Were these man-made (and fairly stylish) back in 1901? 3. Finally, I hope someone shows us that intersection today. Bet it looks incredibly different now. About those polesPower poles could be and WERE made from a number of different materials, although wood was the preferred medium. In western New York, many power poles and street lamp poles from this time period were made from reinforced concrete, which wasn't surprising because the County Engineer "happened" to own a batching plant. But like them or not, they were still usable until the late 1950s and early 60s. The metal poles that replaced them only lasted and twenty to twenty-five years. Pole ClimbingSome telephone poles still had the climbing steps in them when I grew up on the 50s. Since then they've discovered climbing spurs. LibraryIt looks like this photo is looking north along Woodward. If so, then the main branch of the Detroit Public Library was built in the open area to the right of the second house. Designed by Cass Gilbert, the library was started with a $750,000 gift by Andrew Carnegie. He offered the money in 1901, but the city didn't get around to accepting until 1910. Some things don't change. Eventually, the houses were replaced by the front lawn of the library, probably when it expanded in the '60s. Current viewView Larger Map PolesMark, those are arc lights, which were high maintenance compared to later incandescent and todays bulbs. Note the transformer on the pole just below the attachment of the bracket arm, the wires dropping down to it from the crossarm, and the low voltage wires hanging in a catenary shaped arc to the lamp fixture. Arc lights were much brighter and lower maintenance than oil lights. The carbon rods had to be replaced regularly, but nowhere near the daily schedule required of oil or gas lamps. Two methods were common for the way to lower the lamps. Often, the metal arm which reached out over the center of the street or intersection would be pivoted to the pole, and the winch would lower the whole arm through an arc to a level where the worker could perform his duties. In this picture, lowering the metal cantilever could interfere with the trolley wires, so the arm was mounted rigidly and the lamp was lowered straight down to service it. The metal poles in the background were for the trolley line. Wooden poles were used in the early days, round metal pipe poles with a bell shaped cap were very common, and metal lattice as seen in this picture were used to a lesser extent. Those poles and the pulleyThe metal poles are for the trolley car company's wires. More prosperous lines used metal because it lasted almost forever. Philadelphia still uses some that were erected at the start of electric service in the mid 1890s, although they have received new paint, and some have rusted to death from the inside. The light on a rope might be an arc light, whose carbons need periodic adjustment. The trolley workers can climb on top of one of their cars to get to their wires in the middle of the street, while the electric company's men climb poles, in this case to disconnect wires so the light can be brought within reach of an adjuster on the ground. That locationThat location would be Woodward Avenue and Farnsworth Street. [Incorrect. - Dave] (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
Betsy Ross House: 1900
Circa 1900. "Betsy Ross house, Philadelphia. Birthplace of Old Glory." Happy Flag Day from Shorpy! Detroit ... the Betsy Ross house several times since moving to the Philadelphia area, I find this 1900s house doesn't even look remotely familiar. ... the same as I remember it from when I was stationed in Philadelphia with the Navy in 1957. The cobblestone streets were just one many ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 10:21am -

Circa 1900. "Betsy Ross house, Philadelphia. Birthplace of Old Glory." Happy Flag Day from Shorpy! Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Sad and LonelyYou would think a structure that historically significant would have warranted restoring the adjoining structures also,if nothing else to give the little house some historical context. Instead it's just stuck out there all by itself. You could drive by it and never notice it. Ya gotta love ...the custom harness on the horse. Very stylish. This Old HouseThat's a heck of a restoration...though I do sort of prefer the ramshackle, "oh , this just happens to be the Betsy Ross house" vibe of its 1900 state. Yesterday and todayHaving seen the Betsy Ross house several times since moving to the Philadelphia area, I find this 1900s house doesn't even look remotely familiar. Gotta wonder what it really looked like! [Not remotely similar? Maybe it's time for another look. - Dave] View Larger Map Remotely familiar, but....The door has moved, the coal chute has been painted to stand out, and the roof is now shingled. What's really changed are the surroundings. Also it now looks like a residential house, where originally it would have had a business on the ground floor and rooms above. HarnessIndeed that is a very nice set of harness, but the horses must have been a pretty calm pair since there are no "blinders" on the bridle. All of the draft horses I ever drove had large blinders, but then traffic was a lot busier and noiser in 1945 I suppose. [Now you can say you know Jack. - Dave] ChangesWhen can we tar and feather those that changed it ? In the neighborhoodCarey Bros. coachworks is gone, now the space it occupied is a sort of strange courtyard to the Betsy Ross House. As a native Philadelphian, I've never been inside the house. The admission seemed steep, and it always seems a bit of an apocryphal tale that she sewed the first flag or invented the 5 pointed star, though the "free Quaker" meeting house she went to is just up the street. But for people who want the old style vibe, over across Arch Street and down on the other side of third street, there's the wonderful old-world Humphrey's Flag shop. I guess they got started there because it's close to Betsy Ross's house? In front of their shop and the one one the corner is a wonderful bit of sidewalk paved with purple and green glass lozenges, each around 1½ inches wide. But careful, they are slippery in the rain! Hame ChainAt first I thought the word "hame" was a graphic artifact. Closer inspection indicated otherwise. Googling hame reveals it to be a harness part -- obviously commonly used at that time. Much the sameThis view is much the same as I remember it from when I was stationed in Philadelphia with the Navy in 1957. The cobblestone streets were just one many new sights and experiences for someone from the Appalachian south. We rode streetcars, subways and elevated trains all over the city. This was before pizza, hoagies, hot sausage and Philly cheese steak sandwiches came to our part of the world. The cardboard-pizzas and sandwiches of the various chains do not come anywhere near the originals. Ah, memories.When I was a teenager, I dropped the f-bomb in my father's presence in this house. (I hit my head going down the basement stairs on the tour) +113Below is the same view from October of 2013. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Patriotic, Philadelphia)
Hamilton Court: 1908
Philadelphia circa 1908. "Hamilton Court apartments, Chestnut Street." 8x10 ... Click to embiggen (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/21/2022 - 4:11pm -

Philadelphia circa 1908. "Hamilton Court apartments, Chestnut Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Looks like they've kept the place up!https://www.gohamco.com/ Not so much a court now as a food courtHamilton Court apartments is a U-shape complex, originally built around a courtyard. It's difficult to make out individual apartments in the floorplan, but groups have their own dedicated stairs, no central hallway. The courtyard was originally a formal arrangement with a fountain. At some point the owners replaced the courtyard and fountain with a retail establishment, currently Paris Baguette. It's a loss for aesthetics, but a gain for those who love baguettes. Click to embiggen (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Girard Trust: 1909
Philadelphia circa 1909. "Girard Trust Company." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... The building is now the lobby/restaurant area of the Philadelphia Ritz-Carlton. It's worth dropping in just to see the lobby or to ... 1908. On August 21 the Girard Trust Company of Philadelphia began business in its new building at the northwest corner of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:25pm -

Philadelphia circa 1909. "Girard Trust Company." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Girard todayAt the right left, note that the Robinson Building at S. 15th & Chestnut is also still there. Like the PantheonLike the Pantheon the dome features a large oculus (but glazed, unlike Rome's). This is but one reason the huge white marble interior is stunning. It's grand to simply sit on one of the many padded chairs or benches and simply relax and drink in the voluminous space. Ritz-CarltonThe building is now the lobby/restaurant area of the Philadelphia Ritz-Carlton. It's worth dropping in just to see the lobby or to have a drink in the rotunda. Inspiration?willc: did you mean the Pantheon of Rome rather than the Parthenon of Athens? The Other RightAha! It took me awhile, tterrace, to find the Robinson Building. Only when I realized that it's at the "proper right" of the photo, the dexter hand, not the sinister hand, the Girard Trust Building's right, was I able to place it. Now that I'm back in sync, does anyone know if the inspiration for the Girard Trust Building was the Parthenon, Monticello, or both, or neither? [Yow. Thanks, I've corrected that. - tterrace] The Dome Building Known for many years as One Girard Plaza, or, to those who worked at Girard, simply "The Dome Building" An incredible example of late 19th century architecture and construction (massive amounts of limestone), the interior is as impressive as the exterior. At one time, the bank's president was in the corner of the ground floor at Broad and Chestnut Sts., just to the right of the trolley in the photograph. The Other ParthenonYow. Thanks, marmarinou. Serves me right. I did indeed mean, and am quite certain I typed Pantheon (kinda quite certain anyway), as in the Pantheon of Rome. But, so far as I know, there's no automatic spelling correction feature on Shorpy that I can blame, unlike the Office suite on my PC, which regularly pulls pranks on me like that. Neo-Classical DisasterHow many marble cliffs were sacrificed in the building of this nightmare! Serious PoshitudeI was curious to see the Girard's lobby interior and found these current views in the Ritz Carlton photo gallery. Pretty glorious, but I don't think I'd feel quite up to stopping there unless I was dressed like Hercule Poirot. Faithfully Reproduced The Bankers Magazine, September, 1908. On August 21 the Girard Trust Company of Philadelphia began business in its new building at the northwest corner of Broad and Chestnut streets, a structure acknowledged as a triumph of architectural beauty. The beginning of business in this building—one of the best in the United States devoted exclusively to banking purposes—is strong proof of the progress which has been made by this concern in common with other Philadelphia banking houses during the last decade. The building was modeled after the Pantheon, and the effect of noble and stately lines of the original has been faithfully reproduced in white marble. The idea to use this design came to Effingham B. Morris, the president, while on a visit to Rome. He made a rough draft and this with the necessary changes to meet the requirements of modern business, was developed by Allen Evans, a Philadelphia architect, and Charles E. McKim, of New York. It was first planned to use granite, but the architects urged the selection of marble because of the added beauty. Georgia stone was selected, largely because it is of a hard, non-absorbent nature, and is not quickly discolored by the smoke and' dirt of a city. This marble has been used inside and out, except in parts of the interior, where the effect could be heightened by the use of panels of Pavernazza marble. More than 9000 tons of marble have been used, and this item alone involved an expenditure of more than $500,000. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Streetcars)
Good Old Guckenheimer: 1938
December 1938. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Christmas tree over the door of a bar on Market ... he wanted. (The Gallery, Christmas, Eateries & Bars, Philadelphia) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2022 - 12:22pm -

December 1938. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Christmas tree over the door of a bar on Market Street." Medium format nitrate negative by Paul Vanderbilt. View full size. CousinJohn Jacob Jingleheimer Smith was a celebrated relative. Good Grief!Hey Charlie Brown! We found your Christmas tree! Charlie Brown called --You know the rest. Victim of ProhibitionThe original Guckenheimer Rye whiskey was dead and gone by the time the picture was taken, a victim of prohibition. Another distillery had bought the name at that time. It's possible a bottle of the real stuff could still be found by 1938, but most likely, it was a whole different whiskey with a Guckenheimer label. This long-winded article has a lot of detail: http://www.ellenjaye.com/guckenheimer.html The composition is correctMy first thought was this photo needs some snow on the eave, the blinds raised and a small houseplant in each window, and the lights on inside so you can see Christmas decorations and a friendly bartender. But no, it's 1938 and the Great Depression is in its ninth year. To make the bad worse, 1937-1938 were years of a recession with high unemployment within the depression. Paul Vanderbilt (not one of THE Vanderbilts) knew what photo he wanted. (The Gallery, Christmas, Eateries & Bars, Philadelphia)
Hamilton Court Courtyard: 1908
Philadelphia circa 1908. "Hamilton Court -- front interior court." Our second ... -- 120 years later I'm asking. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/22/2022 - 1:57pm -

Philadelphia circa 1908. "Hamilton Court -- front interior court." Our second look at these imposing apartments. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. It's all about highest and best useWell, the original layout was all well and good if you want a nice open space to look at and the ability to maybe drive a small vehicle near your front door to quickly load and unload people or heavy items in bad weather. But that doesn't make any money! A-B-(not A)This view demostrates well the lack of symmetry in the design: the tower block on the left is essentially square in plan, whereas the right is a rectangle; there's also a porte cochere only on the right. The latter fact is explained, somewhat, by the floor plan posted yesterday -- there are dining rooms there (suggesting it was built as an apartment hotel rather than a strict apartment house) -- but its it's unusual not to have carried a balanced layout in the upper floors. If Messrs Milligan and Webber wanted to make people ask "why?" they succeeded -- 120 years later I'm asking. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Bellevue-Stratford: 1910
Sooty Philadelphia circa 1910. "The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate ... a school. Even 100 years later, we still have these in Philadelphia and they look just the same today as they did then. I don't ... is interesting. Even with all the large breweries in Philadelphia at the time, there was still room in the market for out of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 11:22pm -

Sooty Philadelphia circa 1910. "The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A painting?Gorgeous. Perhaps it's the sky and soot (not including what appear to be fingerprint residue at left on the horizon), but the quality of light gives it a painterly quality. Alice in WonderlandAnother wonderful building. Thanks. DetailsIs that a rooftop tennis court in the distance? Or perhaps just a way to have an outdoor venue w/o birds stealing your food. Those Bellevue-Stratford balconies make me cringe a bit -- 15 stories up and just cantilever support. Love to have a high resolution copy of this photo. I love looking at the upper story stonework on these old buildings. MagicalAlmost mystical. Thanks for this beauty. Legionnaire's Diseasemade its first known appearance at this hotel during the 1976 American Legion convention. The bacteria had been hiding out in the hotel's HVAC system. Rooftop SchoolyardMy guess on that enclosure on the rooftop in the distance is a schoolyard/playground atop a school. Even 100 years later, we still have these in Philadelphia and they look just the same today as they did then. I don't think the balconies on the Bellevue-Stratford are cantilevered. It appears to me that they're supported by large stone corbels for the first 14 floors and iron brackets for those 3 uppermost ones. Hey, that's my officeBeautiful. I work in this building. today it houses 11 stories of offices (including governor Rendell's office) and the remainder is the Hyatt. the lobby is virtually unchanged. Budweiser NeonThat very large Budweiser neon sign on the left side of the photo is exactly like the one that was in Times Square, NYC for many years. I guess Philly had enough Budweiser Beer drinkers to warrant erecting such an expensive sign, even in 1910. Only Two LeftI believe only two of the clearly visible buildings are still standing, the Bellevue and the Academy of Music (to the left). It's interesting to see that the Academy of Music has such a pitched roof. From most current vantage points, it appears to be flat. The Budweiser billboard is interesting. Even with all the large breweries in Philadelphia at the time, there was still room in the market for out of towners. The rooftop tennis court (or whatever that is) is interesting. That's not there anymore either. The building is probably still there but with a more normal rooftop. Still Standing, Still BeautifulMy wife and I stayed at the Bellvue for our anniversary a month ago, and the place is still a stunner. I've uploaded a photo showing the hotel as it appears today. If you're ever visiting Philly, I highly recommend heading up to the bar at the top (XIX, or "Nineteen"), ordering a bourbon, and taking in the view. BeautifulThanks for this image, simply amazing. High in the sky at the Bellevue-StratfordFrom a 1907 postcard: Drinking highballs, very high, In a garden near the sky, Up above the world were we, This was the way it looked to me. Then and nowMy parents had their first real date in the tea room on the upper floors here. Now the 11th floor is the Governor's office. It's still as beautiful, but you won't find people making u-turns in the middle of Broad Street! (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
South Broad: 1905
Philadelphia circa 1905. "South Broad Street from City Hall." 8x10 inch dry ... - cream on top. The Lester Milk Co., 105 South Broad St. (Philadelphia Times, June 1, 1879) The Lester Milk Co., Phoenixville, sends 1,400 quarts per day to Philadelphia (The York Daily, March 24, 1880) Huge Dairy Merger Plans ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/08/2019 - 12:20pm -

Philadelphia circa 1905. "South Broad Street from City Hall." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Still in short pantsThe two lads standing in the street facing the camera (right foreground) illustrate what was until at least the 1930s the critical transition from child to adult -- long pants as opposed to knickerbockers. Knickers perhaps became popular for pre-pubescent boys as a result of the success of Frances Hodgson Burnett novel "Little Lord Fauntleroy." Most mothers mercifully avoided the rest of the costume, (velvet jacket, wide-brim hat, ruffled shirt) at least for everyday wear, but even the lower classes seem to have favored keeping boys in knee pants almost constantly. Manly chaps like Penrod and Sam may have yearned for long pants, but their putative inappropriateness for boys under 14 or so is reflected in the song "Ya Got Trouble" from "The Music Man" -- "The minute your son leaves the house / Does he rebuckle his knickerbockers below the knee?" the next steps on the road to perdition being Bevo, Cubebs, and pool! Apparently, working in t' mill 60 hours a week couldn't hurt little Algernon, but wearing pants that met the top of his shoes surely would. All that brilliant architectureBut what I notice first are those two boys standing in the middle of the street, staring right at the camera. Pure Unadulterated MilkPure Unadulterated Milk, delivered every morning and afternoon in glass cans, air tight - cream on top. The Lester Milk Co., 105 South Broad St. (Philadelphia Times, June 1, 1879) The Lester Milk Co., Phoenixville, sends 1,400 quarts per day to Philadelphia (The York Daily, March 24, 1880) Huge Dairy Merger Plans Completed. Final arrangements for the consolidation of 18 dairies and ice cream companies…into one centralized organization known as the Philadelphia Dairy Products Company was announced. Details of the merger include grouping into one unit companies including Kelly-Lester Milk Co…. (Reading Times, November 3, 1928) I'll Take the SoupApparently one of the specialties of Kugler's Restaurant was "Catfish & Waffles", served in a cream sauce" +108Below is the same view from October of 2013. Land Title Building(s)The shorter buildings on the right with all the interesting signage are gone, but just beyond them the Land Title Building (actually two structures joined at the base and built a few years apart), some of the earliest skyscrapers, are still there today and looking every bit as impressive as they do here. Amazing to think that over 110 years ago a 22-story structure like that was built. Meanwhile in my city, people argue that 8 or 10 floors is too tall for us. Fashion Comes Back AroundIn these pictures of yesteryear, boys couldn't wait to get out of short pants. Today boys, and men, can be seen in short pants just about every where. Short clothes for boys and girlsRe the boy in knickers: This kind of distinction applied to both boys and girls. Little girls' dresses typically ended below the knee, and older girls' dresses were usually just long enough to reach the tops of their boots. Girls didn't "let down" their skirts to ankle or street length until they were old enough to be considered young women. At the time this picture was taken, it was still common to put really little boys (under 3 years or so) in dresses. It can be hard to tell little boys from little girls in photos from this time - you have to look at a lot of pictures and become familiar with the fashions of the day to distinguish a boy's dress from a girl's dress. Is Broad Street Paved?Here it is, three years before the start of Model T production and not an automobile in sight. The trolley tracks are clearly paved with brick in between the rails, but the rest of the roadway? It's not clear what the road surface is, unlike the 1904 photo posted earlier of East Market Street, where it's clearly blocks. Ah ... here's the answer in the Philadelphiaencyclopedia.org page: In 1894, Broad was the first street in Philadelphia surfaced with asphalt—the latest in paving technology at the time—for primitive automobiles. This work... cost the city half a million dollars. The blocks of stone (Belgian blocks) that had previously lined Broad Street were used to replace the cobbles in nearby small streets. PavingI'm not 100% certain of Philadelphia but most, if not all, trolley companies were required by their franchises to maintain the paving between their rails and for some distance outside them. That may explain the difference between the new paving and the cobbles between the rails. It left what looks like a hefty bump for any wagon or carriage crossing the tracks. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia)
Dear Sirs (Colorized): 1902
... you've done, Sebastien! It looks very real! I live in Philadelphia, and it would be great to see you colorize some of the pics of old ... 
 
Posted by Sébastien - 03/26/2016 - 10:39am -

My colorized version of this beautiful Shorpy image. View full size. Can you do some of Philly ?This is beautiful work you've done, Sebastien! It looks very real! I live in Philadelphia, and it would be great to see you colorize some of the pics of old Philly from the same era I've seen on Shorpy. Please consider it. My grandma (101) would love them! BeautifulThis reminds me of a Norman Rockwell painting with the color. Unbridled TalentIncredibly detailed colorization. A lot of work went into this and we Shorpy aficionados thank you. StunningBeautiful choice of colors, unbelievable detail. Thank you. Superb!That has to be one of the most beautifully rendered colorizations I have ever seen. Great work. Art of Light and ShadowStunning job on the colorization. I can sense every flyaway hair on her Gibson Girl head. Makes me feel like this happened earlier today. Great work!I believe we're looking out the windows at the corner of Congress and Woodward. A modern view would be mostly of One Detroit Center and a bit of the Vinton Building. The Richmond & Backus building was replaced by the National Bank of Detroit (now Chase) building. Color me appreciativeThe subtle, yet beautifully chosen and perfectly appropriate colors used in this impression have brought this 114 year old scene of a typical day in the office (back then) to real life today. I especially like the glowing light tones on the wooden furniture pieces and the livening up of the peoples' skin, hair and clothing. Obviously very painstaking and beautiful work Sebastien. Thank you. Outstanding ColorizationOutstanding to say the least, you are truly an artist. Even the Spittoon looks good. Great Knowledge of Color & LightA rare colorization showing a great understanding of the subtleties, the mutedness of the color spectrum in the real world. Magnificent. Nice officeThat.....is astounding! I've played around with colorizing and can appreciate the painstaking work on this photo. Incredible Colorization!I'm not a fan of colorization by any stretch of the imagination, but this is one of the best in the genre I've ever had the pleasure of viewing. My congratulations! Thomas Eakins would have approved. So do I. Well done You! SuperbWe're in your debt for this. Thank you. Oh, my ... sit and spinThe rotating bookcase is the dead spit of the one my local public library had in the early 1970s, which contained the library poetry collection (Dewey 811). As if we just stepped into the office from a time machine.Just amazing. Makes me feel like I am right there in the room with those people. One incredible job. Thanks much! Beautiful rendering!I wonder if she's taking this down in Gregg or Pitman? I learned Gregg 50 years ago in high school. Now it's pretty much a lost skill. Some years ago I was the secretary for our union local, and had to attend our convention in Chicago. I was taking notes as our president (Clinton) gave an address. A man behind me tapped me on the shoulder and asked "Are you writing in Arabic?" Funny at the time. Wood wood woodAll that wood--walls, floors, furnishings--looks so luscious. So different from the sterile look of offices today. I believe my mother-in-law has the twin to the chair on the left (with the cane seat) in her home (furnished by her grandparents in the 19th century). KudosI have seen many a fine colorization, but this one is just magnificant...looks like a modern movie set recreating 1902...bravo Absolutely beautiful.This is the best colourisation I have seen, by far. Absolutely stunning. Thank you. WowTastefully and intelligently done colorization. How transforming; looks "new" despite the century or so gap. Just PERFECT Totally convincing and incredibly lifelike. Just awesome. Thanks for doing it. SpectacularIf you listen real close you can hear the wooden floor creak under those chairs. This is just nice. OutstandingI generally despise colorized photos but now I see that's because they're so poorly done. You've done an outstanding job. Congratulations. You've converted an old curmudgeon. What is this?First, this is a beautiful job. Second, what is this? I thought it was an error in the colorization, but it's obviously in the original. I have no idea what it could be, so I'm probably being stupid and just missing it. SpittoonFabulous work. I like the spittoon by his chair! No electronics, just pencils, pens and paper. Like a Caillebotte paintingThe decor, color, and composition some how remind me of a Caillebotte painting. What a beautiful color realization - bravo. Even Homer noddedmarccarlson, What you see there is a metal rod and some sort of (electrical?) cord running into it. The triangular area inside it is what the view out the window looks like in the original LOC negative. When the Shorpy wizards tweaked the image contrast to reduce the glare & improve the view out the window, they overlooked this region. [That appears to be the case. -tterrace] Like standing in the officeThis was instantly promoted to my background. One of, if not the nicest colorized photo I have ever seen or used as a computer background. Love Her Hair! This may be the best colorized image I have seen. Amazing choices for the color of everything here. The bright red hair of the woman was a bold choice but it works and is totally believable. Her skin tone perfectly matches someone with that bright red hair. It makes me wonder if there is someway to look at b&w images and decipher what the true colors were. I have the feeling that someone with the skill to pull this off could probably conjure the image just as well onto a blank sheet of paper (or photoshop document) without starting with a photo. Absolutely StunningNot only does the interior look like the picture might have been taken this morning, the scene through the windows is so subtlety colored that it is perfectly realistic. Very well done. Thank you all!Thank you so much for this avalanche of nice comments about my colorisation, This image was like a dream to work with, the result is way beyond my expectations, the double windows impose themselves for a double color treatment cold and warm, and it work so well that it give an impression of sunset lighting. I put all my knowledges and my heart in it and the way you react about it is a real achievement for me. As BdgBill guesses my background is a mix of drawing, painting and photography and I work as a photoretoucher now, but my interest is also in History and the opportunity to travel in time exploring beautiful images of the past is what I love in Shorpy. I will continue to colorize photos from this site so thank you again and see you soon. (Colorized Photos, The Office)
Aero Mail: 1918
... aviators carried consignments of mail from New York and Philadelphia to Washington, and from Philadelphia to New York." View full size. Jenny Was No Lady Looks ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/22/2012 - 8:38pm -

"Inauguration of Aero Mail service. Polo Field mechanics." On May 15, 1918, "America's first aerial mail service was put into operation when aeroplanes piloted by Army aviators carried consignments of mail from New York and Philadelphia to Washington, and from Philadelphia to New York." View full size. Jenny Was No LadyLooks like a Hisso-powered Curtiss Jenny (JN-4H). If you recall, there are some really rare air mail stamps out there with an upside-down Jenny printed on them - that would be this plane. http://www.ancientalley.com/ancient/rhinebck/jenny/jenny1.htm Rare version of a classicThis is a Curtiss JN-4H "Jenny," widely used in pilot training. What makes this picture unusual is the Jenny's engine, a 150 hp Hispano-Suiza, the same type used in Eddie Rickenbacker's famous Spad fighter plane of the Lafayette Escadrille. The much more common JN-4D Jennys used the underpowered 90 hp Curtiss OX-5, with its Rube Goldberg open-air rocker arm assembly, unlike the modern Hispano-Suiza's smooth valve covers seen here. The 150 hp JN-4H was quite the hot rod for its time and is fairly rare compared to the rank-and-file JN-4D. Incidentally, it's considered bad form to hang on the propeller, these things can have a "hot magneto" and start at any time. George Clooney, is that you?Between the guy on the left with his fly undone and the one in the middle who's still too young to shave. Almost as Safe as an Auto Mail Air Line is Ready Puts Locomotion Now Familiar to a New Use for People. With the establishment of a regular aeroplane mail service between Washington and New York on Wednesday, the Postoffice Department considers that the project is experimental only in a sense that a means of locomotion now familiar is to be put to a new use. The war has demonstrated effectively that the aeroplane as a conveyance is almost as dependable and safe as an automobile, so the only real obstacle in the way of successfully operating the new air lines lies in the maintaining service under all kinds of weather conditions. Twelve large training planes, each capable of making a maximum speed of 90 miles an hours, have been furnished by the War Department, to be used in the new service. The planes are one-seaters, as to maximum of space is desired in the fuselage for the storing of mail bags. They are built along the lines of the regulation bombing machines. These planes are now being assembled in Mineola, N.Y. Three will be station in New York, six in Philadelphia, and three in Washington. Those for Washington will be shipped here either today or tomorrow. Aviators for the service have been detailed from the ranks of the fighting airmen, in that War Department officials believe that the fliers will acquire valuable training in piloting the big mail aeroplanes over the long cross-country flights. The schedule provides for the departure of one plane each day from this city and New York. The machines will leave at 11:30 o'clock in the morning and it is hoped to have the mail deposited at the other end not more than three hours later. Starting from the aviation field in Potomac Park, the trip to Philadelphia, about 135 miles, is expected to be made in about an hour and twenty minutes. At the hangers in North Philadelphia another machine will be waiting, ready to start the flight to New York as soon as the incoming plane lands and the transfer of mail bags has been made. The second leg of the journey from Philadelphia to Belmont field, in the Long Island suburbs of New York should be made in about an hour. The large planes are equipped to carry 600 pounds of mail or approximately 24,000 letters. The smaller machines will carry about half that amount. Emergency landing fields have been established at Baltimore and Havre de Grace, Md., Wilmington Del., and New Brunswick, N.J. In the event of a machine breaking down at some interurban point in its journey, the mail sacks will be rushed by motor truck to the nearest railroad station, where they will be sent forward in care of a courier. ... [Article continues with discussion of air mail stamps] Washington Post, May 13, 1918 Wutta Prop JobNote the beautiful varnish finish on the propeller. Usually, that's all that's left of these machines today, since the finish preserves the wood so well. The same can't be said for the fabric. You can find any number of prop blades of similar vintage in antique shops across Cape Cod. Intrepid aviatorsThe rate of fatalities among these early service pilots is chilling. The mail had to get through and brave pilots like these did their utmost to accomplish the mission. They pushed weather to the extreme limit and often paid with their lives. Every early mail pilot is a HERO! Inauspicious BeginningsThose mechanics needed to be spending a bit more time checking out the aircraft and less time posing for photos. The following account of inaugural flight mishaps is from 2009 book Flying Across America: The Airline Passenger Experience by Daniel L. Rust. Employing U.S. Army pilots, the service began on May 15, 1918, from the Washington, D.C., polo grounds. An array of dignitaries, including President Woodrow Wilson, attended the event. They witnessed Lieutenant George L. Boyle climb into the cockpit ready for flight, only to discover that the plane's engine refused to start. Minutes passed before someone checked the gas tank — it was empty. The crowd laughed as mechanics scrambled to fill the tank. At last, Boyle took off, bound for Philadelphia. But he mistakenly flew around, rather than past, Chesapeake Bay, away from this destination. Upon landing 24 miles way from the starting point, Boyle's craft flipped over, and the mail was transferred to a train for transport to Philadelphia. The Army flew the mail again...in the spring of 1934, when negotiations between the Post Office Department and private air carriers broke down. Again, considerable lives and aircraft were lost because AAC pilots didn't have the training or equipment required to meet constantly changing conditions and urgent schedules. Hap Arnold, then a lieutenant colonel in command of the western sector, admitted weather forecasts were essentially worthless to his fliers. Maurer Maurer, an Air Force historian, wrote much about the mail flights of 1934 in his book Aviation in the U.S. Army, an amazing resource for the interwar era of military flight. They did much with little in those days. (The Gallery, Aviation, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Harvard Eddie: 1911
... batted in. His most productive season was in 1910 with Philadelphia of the National League, where he hit .268 with 67 runs batted in. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/07/2022 - 5:09pm -

May 13, 1911. "Harvard Eddie" Grant, third baseman for the Cincinnati Reds. A Harvard grad who practiced law after retiring from baseball, Eddie was among the first to enlist in the Army after the U.S. entered World War I in 1917. An infantry captain, he was killed by an exploding shell in France, where he is buried. Gelatin silver print by Paul Thompson. View full size. Salute! “Edward Leslie Grant gave his all not for glory, not for fame, but just for his country.... His memory will live as long as our game may last.” — Kenesaw Mountain Landis Eddie's Final Resting PlaceEdward L. Grant Captain, U.S. Army 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division Entered the Service from: New York Died: October 9, 1918 Buried at: Plot A Row 2 Grave 24 Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery Romagne, France (As listed in the American Battle Monuments Commission website (www.abmc.gov)for WWI overseas burials) In ten seasons, Grant batted .249 with 5 home runs and 277 runs batted in. His most productive season was in 1910 with Philadelphia of the National League, where he hit .268 with 67 runs batted in. The curse of Harvard EddieI think the Giants would be wise to replace his missing plaque: http://www.worldwar1.com/tgws/thismonthgrant.htm Eddie GrantSomewhat the flavor, feel and appearance of the original "Field of Dreams." Edward L Grant Highway There is a street in the Bronx called Edward L Grant Highway, running from 167th Street and Jerome Avenue (a few blocks from Yankee Stadium) up to the Cross Bronx Expressway. I believe it is also known as University Avenue, which led to the NYU Bronx Campus, where the NYU Hall of Fame is located. I think the campus has been shut down for many years and don't know if the Hall of Fame is still operational. Eddie Grant MemorialThere was a tombstone/memorial in dead center field in front of the clubhouse at the Polo Grounds dedicated to Eddie Grant. See the May 30, 1923 article in the NY Times here. Curse of Harvard Eddie was broken yesterdayFWIW, Giants management has been unable to recover the lost monument or plaque, but a new plaque was created and installed on the wall by Lefty O'Doul Gate at AT&T Park. Doing a little more research, that plaque has been lost more than once, but the replacement must have put the spirits upset over this neglect at rest. The San Francisco Giants won the World Series yesterday. Fear the beard. Go Giants. (The Gallery, Cincinnati Photos, Paul Thompson, Sports, WWI)
Jimmy Hall: 1921
... When Bolden entered the water at Race Street Wharf in Philadelphia, he wore the regulation suit, but when he emerged at the Riverton ... was expressed when the referee, Herman Meyer of Philadelphia, announced the disqualification.         ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 5:06pm -

Riverton, New Jersey, July 23, 1921. "Jimmy Hall, Central Y.M.C.A." James W. Hall Jr. of Brooklyn, who won the 1921 National A.A.U. distance title by default after the first-place finisher was disqualified for completing the 10-mile event in the Delaware River without a swimsuit. Bain News Service. View full size. Niceabs! For whatever reason... it was obviously a challenge keeping these boys in their swimsuits! RegulationsI suspect he might be concealing a European keel. Runner-upHe looks pretty cocky for a guy who won by disqualification. An admirerThe guy on the left looks a bit envious. Not the typeto go putting his head in the sand. Yet. What's the problem?Lots of people enjoy photography! Shorpy Pictures Like ThisThe comments that always follow Shorpy's revealing pictures of guys are predictable and, I imagine, are akin to the talk that goes on in girl's locker rooms. Psst, buddyYou see a guy with a camera? Yeah? Then RUN THE OTHER WAY! Double StandardOh, I see. You get disqualified for being nude, but win if your swimsuit is just painted on. Shoulda been a tie, at least. AhemI thought we were all supposed to have been concerned with modesty in 1921. Or did that just apply to women's suits? BrandingIt pays to advertise! TemperatureApparently the water wasn't too chilly. EquipmentNice fence ... Riveting! And a lovely row of rocking chairs. Etcetera. Pass me the smelling saltsOh my. Is that a dime in your pocket?And it's heads. 1919. D. Or are you just glad to see me? Here I am you lucky people"How do you like me NOW?" No surprisesThat's what 10 miles in the Delaware River will do to you. The Yis a great organization. Always nice to see a member. Naked AmbitionNew York Times, July 24, 1921. WINS TITLE SWIM; HIS SUIT DISQUALIFIES HIM Bolden, First in Ten-Mile Championship, Loses Because Not Sartorially Correct         RIVERTON, N.J., July 23 -- Eugene T. Bolden of the Illinois Athletic Club, Chicago, twice winner of the National A.A.U. ten-mile swimming championship in the Delaware River, finished first in that event again today, but was disqualified for not wearing a regulation suit as called for by the rules.         James W. Hall Jr., Central Y.M.C.A., Brooklyn, who finished second, was awarded the race.         When Bolden entered the water at Race Street Wharf in Philadelphia, he wore the regulation suit, but when he emerged at the Riverton Yacht Club here he had only an elastic supporter. As he approached the finish line an easy winner, he was cheered by a crowd which had waited two hours for the long-distance swimmers to appear. He was acclaimed by the crowd, and disappointment was expressed when the referee, Herman Meyer of Philadelphia, announced the disqualification.         Bolden explained that the suit bothered him shortly after taking the water, and with the consent of his trainer he discarded it.         Twenty-six contestants entered the water, and nineteen finished. Bolden led practically all the way. His time for the ten miles was 2:07:45. Hall's time was 2:12:25. Kinda skinnyHe doesn't look like today's musclebound athletes. Hard to imagine him surviving 10 miles in a river. But, what nasty sea creature yanked the suit off the other guy? Color me confusedAccording to newspaper account below, Bolden was disqualified for wearing a "supporter," yet the photo caption says this is a pic of the winner Hall. This man is clearly wearing said "supporter" under a shirt, with no trunks. Is he actually Bolden, or Hall? [Bolden wasn't disqualified for wearing a supporter -- he was disqualified for not wearing a swimsuit. Jimmy Hall, in our photo, is obviously wearing a swimsuit. - Dave] (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Gentlemen Will Not Get Gay: 1925
... tilt-a-whirl, etc. The carousel was a work of art by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It's the only part of the park that survives ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 11:56am -

Funhouse at the Glen Echo amusement park in Maryland circa 1925. Note the many cryptic signs. View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. Ride it, too!There is still one of these operating at Luna Park, which is right on the Harbour in Sydney, Australia. Leave it to the Australians to take litigiousness out of the equation--have you seen how little padding their footballers wear? "The Nauseator"Boy, that ride looks truly thrilling. Human RouletteWashington Post May 21, 1911 A New Glen Echo Outdoor Amusement Grounds Present Many Attractive Features With the opening next Saturday afternoon of the Glen Echo Park, which under its new management of local business men, has been practically rebuilt in the last few months, the Washington summer outdoor amusement season will swing into full stride. No single department has been slighted in the complete rehabilitation of the Glen Echo Park, in which 50 attractions will be in operation when the gates are open next Saturday. Important among these is a new open air dancing pavilion, ample enough in area to permit of its use by 500 persons at the same time, and this is only one of a dozen structures recently erected to house the newest devices to provide fun and merriment in summer amusement parks. The spacious interior of the amphitheater has been entirely remodeled into a new midway, in which have been placed ten of the latest contraptions with which to defy the trials of the "dog days," including a "human roulette wheel" and a "giant slide-ride," said to be the largest in the United States. Other attractions include a novel marine toboggan, the "social dip," a thrilling topsy-turvy ride, Ferris wheel, modern miniature railway, a new boating pavilion at the canal bank. Some Observations1. It is awfully loud in there - See the kid lower-center. 2. Gentlemen Still Do Not Get Gay - 2008. 3. The Carneys are as well dressed the patrons. 4. Sometimes the Bull Moose isn't so fun - It's at those times that it may be necessary to actually shoot the Bull. Was this ride called the Bull Moose by chance? Don't Shoot The Bull meant don't loiter after the "ride" is over?? [Also, who can tell us which building this is. - Dave] Dangerous ridesWhen I see photos of old amusement park rides I'm always amazed how dangerous they look. They use the throw people around like rag dolls. They would never have such rides nowadays. Maybe people were tougher back then- or maybe they didn't have good personal injury lawyers! Sign, SignEverywhere a sign. 1. Sit down on the wheel don't stand up. 2. Do not get on or off roulette wheel while in motion. 3. Last night we hung one rowdy. The rope still works. 4. The operator is a bird. He is perched high just to make the wheels hum. 5. Forget your cares. Be a kid if only for an hour. 6. Gentlemen will not get gay. Others must not. 7. The bull moose is for fun. Don't shoot the bull. 8. If you find a four foot round square please hand it over to ru---. 9. Rowdyism is the birth-mark of a rough n---. 10. The answer to the question "Why is a mouse when it spins" is the higher the fewer. Human roulette wheelNo doubt Dave will remember the "human roulette wheel" from the Fun House on the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. It was a great ride except for flying off and smashing into someone else or being smashed into. Funny but we all had a great time, survived, and didn't feel a need to sue anyone for a few bumps and bruises. [I think you mean tterrace. - Dave] High Ladder to slide....Look how high the children climbed to get onto the sliding spiral....that must have been half the thrill climbing up that high... Getting GayBased on one OED definition of gay: Forward, impertinent, too free in conduct, over-familiar; usually in the phrase "to get gay". U.S. slang. I'd translate the sign from 1925 slang: "Gentlemen will not get gay. Others must not" Into current vernacular as: "Real gentlemen won't act like jerks. Others had better not." Spinningtterrace does indeed remember a fun house ride like this, but at San Francisco's Playland at the Beach rather than Santa Cruz. Not sure what the official name was; I called it the turntable. It was smaller and less elaborate than this, and just one of many things in the Fun House. Know what the best thing was about these things? They were made of wood! Highly-polished (in large part by the posteriors of the fun-seekers) hardwood, like this one. The giant slide was, too, as well as the tumbler, a big revolving cylinder. Those were the days when falling on your keister was fun. Fun houseI spent many a fun filled hour in the late 1950s in the Fun House. The slide was a favorite and the long climb in the narrow, steep stairs was kinda cool also. Do you remember "Laughing Sally"? Laffing SalI didn't realize until I just now did some searching that it's "Laffing," not "Laughing" Sal, and that the automaton was not exclusive to SF's Playland at the Beach, but a standard fixture of old-style amusement parks since the 1930s. Additional surprise: the Playland Sal is now ensconced at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Man, if they only still had that giant clown face, what a then-and-now pic that would make, but they shut the fun house down in 1971 for liability reasons. Why is a mouse when it spins?I'm pretty sure the sign at the far right says "Why is a mouse when it spins?", not "house." This is a pretty well-known example of an "anti-joke" (others are the classic "Why did the chicken cross the road?" and the shaggy-dog story "No soap, radio"). There are various different "punch lines," but Google suggests that "the higher, the fewer" is the most common. I'm sure a historian of humour somewhere would be interested to find this documentation of the joke from 1925. [Yes it should be mouse. The joke is mentioned in an 1899 newspaper article ("Mr. Scullin' connundrum"). - Dave] Rowdyism and ReminiscencesThe one sign must be "Rowdyism is the birth-mark of a rough neck." Here in the Twin Cities, we had the Excelsior Amusement Park (on Lake Minnetonka) up until the early 70's. It was built in the early 20's and replaced a park that had been on Big Island in the middle of the lake. Excelsior Park had a fun house with similar attractions. The "roulette wheel" was rarely operational by the time I was around (in the 60's), but I do remember riding it once and staying on it until the operator gave up (I was near the center, didn't weigh much, and had sweaty palms). There was a revolving barrel, which they later built a catwalk through and decorated the interior with fluorescent paint and black lights. Apparently they got tired of rescuing people who fell down trying to walk through it. There was a giant slide, and one of those obstacle-course-like things with sliding or jumping floorboards. It was equipped with air jets, presumably for blasting ladies' skirts into the air, but no one was ever operating them in my day. There were a couple of other attractions in the fun house as well. I also remember that they had "Report Card Day". You could bring your report card, and for every A, you got 3 ride tickets, for every B you got 2, and for every C you got 1. Very nice of them. Other attractions included bumper cars with metal bumpers, a rotted wooden roller coaster that occasionally jumped the track (my folks never let me ride it), a little train that took you out on a pier over the lake and many of the usual rides - ferris wheel, scrambler, tilt-a-whirl, etc. The carousel was a work of art by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It's the only part of the park that survives and is now an attraction at Valleyfair - the modern-day, sanitized theme park in the Twin Cities. Here's a link to a picture of the carousel: http://www.nca-usa.org/psp/ValleyfairPTC/001_34.html You can see others by clicking Previous or Next. Where's Sal?I thought Playland's Laffing Sal lived at the Musee Mechanique now (http://www.museemecaniquesf.com/). The SlideLongtime visitor, first time commenter ... love Shorpy. Anyway, there's a slide almost identical to this, from the same time period, in my home town of Burlington, Iowa. You can still go on it, and it is indeed terrifying climbing up those steps -- you don't realize how high it is until you're about halfway up. I have a photo but am not sure how to post it. [First, register as a user. Then log in and click the Upload Image link. - Dave] Re: Laffing SalHere is the Laffing Sal at Santa Cruz. As seen on the Silver ScreenI've seen this ride in a silent movie -- if I recall correctly, it was "The 'It' Girl" with Clara Bow. Looked like fun -- if I ever make it to Australia, I'll have to check it out! Looks boring for the womenNot much a woman of the time could have had fun doing there, modesty ya know. OopsYou're right, Dave, that was tterrace: https://www.shorpy.com/node/3695 No matter, thanks for stimulating so many great memories. Doug Playland-Not-at-the-BeachI am enjoying the posts about the old Fun House at Playland-at-the-Beach. In our Playland-Not-at-the-Beach museum in El Cerrito, California we have many artifacts from the beach amusements. A few points I would like to correct: 1.) The Fun House was not demolished in 1971. It was torn down after September 4, 1972 -- the date the whole park closed and was demolished to make room for condominiums. 2.) At San Francisco's Playland she was named Laughing Sal -- the variant spelling "Laffin' Sal" was used in many other parks across the country. She was also known as Laughing Lena and many other names. The Sals were mass produced and purchased by amusement parks out of a catalogue. 3.) The Laughing Sal that is now at Santa Cruz was the final Sal at San Francisco's Playland. There were earlier ones that wore out. Santa Cruz purchased her from the John Wickett estate for $ 50,000. Wickett had purchased her for $ 4000 decades before. To learn more, visit our website: www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org, or better yet, visit our museum for the time of your life! Richard Tuck Playland-Not-at-the-Beach 10979 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 Website is www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org email: Richard@playland-not-at-the-beach.org (510) 232-4264 x25 for reservations (510) 592-3002 24-Hour Information Line Does anyone else rememberDoes anyone else remember the "disembodied head" versions of this Laffing Sal thing that were a gift-store fad in the late '70s-early 80s and scared the crap out of me( and probably most other small kids) at the time? They don't seem to have stuck around very long, for obvious reasons. The WheelThe wheel at the Fun House in SF which I used to frequent in the early 40's I remember as having a low fence around it into which you slammed when you were eventually swooshed off the platter. Am I misremembering? This one looks a bit hazardous for passersby. Scariest thing for me? Those big padded spinning wheels you had to walk between to get in the place. My friends were usually well on their way before I worked up the nerve. Laughing Sal - East CoastFor those of us on the East Coast, the "Laughing Sal" who used to reside on the Ocean City, Maryland, Boardwalk is currently on display at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. She's no longer mobile and they have her enclosed in a glass case, but you can push a button to hear a recording of her laugh. In fact, if you click here, there's a (not very good) photo of her at the bottom of the page, and a sound clip of her laugh will automatically play, so turn up your speakers! Going UpSimilar slide in Burlington, IA: http://www.nolamansour.com/images/Thanksgiving07-08.jpg It is scarier going up than down. Crapo ParksI was born in Burlington & grew up in a neighboring town. I know I've gone down that slide but it's been years and I can't remember if the slide is at Dankwardt or Crapo Parks. (For those not familiar with the area, yes Crapo is an unfortuante name for a very pretty park. Pronounced "cray-po"). At Crapo, there are two artillery guns (I don't know exactly what they were - they had seats & long barrels). They were up on a bluff and I remember sitting on them and shooting imaginary shells to Illinois. Chautauqua AmphitheaterAccording to the historical marker at Glen Echo, this building was the original Chautauqua amphitheater built in 1891. It opened as the fun house in 1911 and operated till 1948. In 1956 the termite ridden building was burned to make room for a parking lot. Attractions in the building included, the Rocking Pigs, the Whirl-i-gig, Crossing The Ice, and the Barrel of Fun. The Anonymous Tipster (07/25/2008, 4:36pm.) is remembering correctly: the roulette wheel was later altered by sinking it into the ground resulting in a low wall around the edge. Thank YouI appreciate the translation, I've been sitting here (in our current Internet vernacular) going o_O trying to figure that one out, ha. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Sports)
Boardwalk Empire: 1910
... Atlantic City. Although it was a reasonable distance from Philadelphia and NY it still required the railroads to move the more distant ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:36pm -

Atlantic City, N.J., circa 1910. "Boardwalk, Hotel Marlborough-Blenheim and Young's Million-Dollar Pier." There are a zillion interesting details in this panorama made from four 8x10 inch glass negatives. View full size. Just imagineTo be able to take for granted that you will walk outside to such beautiful buildings, a boardwalk where everyone is nicely dressed and you can even walk six abreast, sweeping lawns, spacious streets, peaceful porches to rock on, an almost empty beach to sit on. They probably took much of it for granted and certainly didn't know how amazing and wonderful it would look to me 100 years hence. A Monumental ChallengeDo any of our talented colorizers dare tackle such a sweeping scene? Are any of these buildings still standing?Maybe someone familiar with Atlantic City knows. I've never been there. AmazingThe scope of the shot is breathtaking! From the chimney that needs repair in the lower right corner and the "hidden" clotheslines on that roof, to the confection of the M-B to the Pier and the vistas beyond and the wonderfully random set of tracks throught the sand. These people wouldn't recognize Atlantic City today. Such detail. All in focus.This is a fantastic photo. You might even say it took my breath away. Nice to see an old shot like this and have everything look so new and clean. I'm amazed to see so much built in 1910. I'm going to have to do some research and discover the Atlantic City timeline. I was always under the impression it lagged behind Coney Island, but here it looks as though they were in place about the same time. Amazing DetailThis is just a fabulous image. It's fascinating to study the various hotels (I assume), porches, rooflines plus the people on the boardwalk and beach. It just goes on and on. Mary PoppinsApart from the cigarette ad, it could be a Disney film set. Wonderful photo. Photography and condimentsNice view of another set of tripod legs and camera just below the apparent center view point of this pan. And just to the bottom right a wood headed greenhouse with the little cart of wood right beside the wood heater. Windows of the spice/condiment bays stored neatly behind the hedge in back of the green house. You can almost imagine the year long work of someone to make sure this operation always provides fresh things for the chef. Steve BuscemiAnyone who's watched "Boardwalk Empire" has to believe many of these photos must have been used to create the CGI backgrounds they use for various shots. [The "Boardwalk Empire" production company is one of our print customers. -Dave] A Lot of GasI see at least four gasometers (gas holders) in the photo. The Twin TowersDoes anyone know what purpose two tall pillars or columns, might serve on the central hotel with the dome and all the gingerbread? They seem strange and lonely. Couldn't be elevator works inside, or ... what? [Chimneys. - Dave] Coney & ACConey Island became what it is because of the availability of public transportation. The first subway line or El trains were built in the late 1800s. This afforded relatively cheap rides to the beach. There were hotels but nothing like those in Atlantic City. Although it was a reasonable distance from Philadelphia and NY it still required the railroads to move the more distant customers to the Jersey Shore. I'm sure there were day trippers but many people came to spend their vacations in the luxury of the the hotels. Park PlaceThe park in the front of the photo is Brighton Park. The street between the park and the hotel is Park Place. The Marlborough-Blenheim remained in great condition through the seventies. In 1979, Bally's bought it and replaced it with the Bally's Park Place Casino. Make Room for Bally'sThe Marlboro-Blenheim started construction in 1902 and completed in 1906. In 1978 it was demolished to make way for Bally's Park Place casino. Bally's Wild West Casino now sits where that little park looking thing is and Young's Million Dollar Pier became The Pier Shops at Caesar's in 2006. Wheelchair RampThe hotel at the end of the great lawn had a wheelchair ramp installed after the building was constructed. You can see how it sits on top of the original staircase. I wonder what VIP stayed there to justify building that? [The ramps were for "rolling chairs." Not quite the same as wheelchairs. - Dave] Obviously shot from the Traymore HotelJust as this 1910 postcard picture was obviously shot from the "wedding cake" part of the Marlborough-Blenheim. Some of the same things are visible from the opposite side such as the Y-shaped walkway in the garden-like area and even the greenhouse. Beautiful BuildingsI wish Atlantic City looked like this today. These are gorgeous buildings, unlike the ugly buildings that one sees there now. It must have been a great place to vacation in those days. "Boardwalk Empire" BoardwalkThe set is located at Newtown Creek and the East River, Brooklyn side in NYC. It is surrounded with cargo containers stacked four high hung with blue screen so the background can be matted in electronically. Some blue screen can be seen at the left of the photo on a stack of containers. Google Earth: Dupont and Franklin St., Greenpoint, Brooklyn, NY (Panoramas, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming, Travel & Vacation)
Ferry Terminal: 1905
Philadelphia circa 1905. "Pennsylvania Railroad ferry terminal, Market Street." ... very tight curve. This was one of the busiest places in Philadelphia, where thousands of people took the ferry to Camden. Some to work ... there would be a flagger or two. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Railroads, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2014 - 8:37am -

Philadelphia circa 1905. "Pennsylvania Railroad ferry terminal, Market Street." There's a lot going on in this bustling street scene. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Worcester SaltLiving near Worcester, Mass., I was interested in the sign for Worcester Salt. Interestingly, while there is no connection to Worcester, one of Worcester Salt's three factories was located in Ecorse, Michigan, a place I'd only JUST heard of in the previous Shorpy photo. God, I love this place! A very tight curve.This was one of the busiest places in Philadelphia, where thousands of people took the ferry to Camden. Some to work in places like Campbell Soup and The Victor Talking Machine Co. Others rushed into trains to Atlantic City and suburban towns. Note the sign showing the brand-new electric trains. A few years later, the Market Street Subway came out of the ground onto an elevated right down along the waterfront. When bigger trolleys arrived a few years later, the tracks were cut back to a loop on top of that hill. Two-truck StreetcarsComplete with windshields for the conductor and a cowcatcher net to save errant pedestrians from a horrible death -- pretty cutting edge in 1905. Follow the tracks!I don't think I've seen something like this before, where a complete streetcar loop's laid out right in the middle of a street. Usually it's track laid around a block or a loop like that in a lot off the side of the road. On the cusp of a revolutionThis is a beautiful shot of life just as the gasoline engine was changing the world. Electric streetcars, an electric delivery truck (?) and a sign advertising electric trains with horse drawn wagons as a counterpoint. Three years in the future the Model T is introduced and America got wheels. A Lineman for the County.A very tough dangerous job back then. No bucket truck for you. That does it!I'm going out to buy an 8x10 view camera. Electric trains?I am unaware of any PRR electric trains that served Atlantic City. The only electrified line the PRR ran from it's its Camden terminal in New Jersey went south to Millville, in Cumberland County. Electric TrainsThe Pennsylvania RR electric trains to Millville from the other end of this ferry line also had a branch from Newfield via Mays Landing to the Tennessee Avenue station in Atlantic City. Electricity was replaced by steam and internal combustion due to the Depression. Give Shorpy time and he'll find a photo of the Electric Train wreck on the Beach Thorofare drawbridge in 1906. Extension Ladder SafetyThe man working on the electric lines to the right has used an extension ladder, and if you look closely you can see he has used the rope that raises the extension to tie the lower part of the ladder to the wood pole. Today he would be in a "giraffe" truck, and the area would be marked out with traffic cones, and no doubt there would be a flagger or two. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Railroads, Streetcars)
36th Street Station: 1908
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1908. "The Elevated station at 36th Street." ... themselves lived on 63rd St N & Drexel Road, in West Philadelphia, according to Boyd's Blue Book. A Scheibal's ad from a ... SCHEIBAL 20 North 9th Street 1510 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia Photographic Portraiture of Distinction (The Gallery, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 12:54pm -

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, circa 1908. "The Elevated station at 36th Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Still there, kindaThe Market-Frankford El is still there, and carries a lot of traffic up and down Market Street. These days however there is no 36th Street stop, and the train heads underground at about 44th and Market so any stops lower than that would be as a subway. There is an above ground at 46th, though. Parts of the city still have trolley cars, but none run up the center of Market as in the photo. BTW this neighborhood is not exactly the showcase of the city. Freihofer's!!!Still around: http://freihofers.bimbobakeriesusa.com/ However, I've no idea what "Shaker" products they used to sell. Ignition neededWhy, on an electrically-powered train, are kerosene lamps used? For ignition in the event of a collision? Otto ScheibalOtto Scheibal was an art shop, hence the portrait oval on his sign. The Barnes Foundation has invoices from the store from 1918 and 1919. The Scheibals themselves lived on 63rd St N & Drexel Road, in West Philadelphia, according to Boyd's Blue Book. A Scheibal's ad from a yearbook for Haverford College's class of 1915: Round Oval Square FRAMES 50 cents up Also an extensive line of moldings, in Antique Gold, Circassian and Mahogany in the most exclusive designs, at very reasonable prices OTTO SCHEIBAL 20 North 9th Street 1510 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia Photographic Portraiture of Distinction (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, Philadelphia, Railroads)
Pleasantville: 1910
... Friedman's "US Destroyers," these two (built by Cramp in Philadelphia) were the only ones with the No. 2 and 3 funnels paired. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2019 - 9:07pm -

Circa 1910 comes this most agreeable vista. Who'll be the first commenter to put a name to a place? (Hint: Half the answer is already here.) View full size. UPDATE: As many commenters correctly surmised, the city is Pensacola, Florida. The original caption: "Tarragona Street wharf, Pensacola, Florida." Louisville, KYHome of Hillerich & Bradsby and the former Belknap Hardware Company. The Lewis Bear Co.Your place in Tampa Florida to get a Gonzalo Cigar Half a Chance ..."Bay" St. Louis, Mississippi? Lovely city on the GulfIt's Pensacola, Florida. Here's a photo with the Court of Record still under construction. And while I don't see any dogs lying about, Uneeda Biscuit is here. Good ViewBuena Vista, California. And it is ...San Francisco? I'll hazard a guessPensacola, Florida? PensacolaI can say without a shadow of a doubt this is Pensacola, Florida. The structure in the bottom left is currently the T.T. Wentworth Jr Florida State Museum. It was built in 1907, however, and served as Pensacola City Hall from 1907 - 1985. I don't know wherethis is but suddenly I feel like I needa Biscuit. Chula Vista?Chula Vista, California? PleasantvilleI'm thinking Chula Vista, California. A GuessPensacola, FL [Holding up hand]Port of Tampa? Tampa?The building just to the left of the Coca-Cola billboard building says Tampa, Fla. [Should have stopped at the billboard! - Dave] Some thoughtsWell, I don't see the half of the name, but I do see that this is the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Cannot find a map of that system on line, but it did serve Mobile Alabama and Pensacola Florida. Pensacola, FloridaNice photo. The Lewis Bear Company building mentioned Tampa, Florida. That company got me to Pensacola and after that I found the T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum which is in the lower left of this picture. Don't ask me where the cannons went. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad went to Pensacola, but not to Tampa at that time, so that information helped, too. Is it ...Pensacola, Florida? Pensacola FloridaFor Sure! That is the old City Hall in the lower left - now a museum. And the city isSan Francisco? Tampa, FloridaShot in the dark. The Lewis Bear CompanyLewis Bear Company was started in a town that has a water front layout like this -- Pensacola. The building across the street from the official looking building in the foreground could be the one in their 1899 ad. L. & N.R.R. Louisville & Nashville Railroad. I learn SO much on this site! More entertaining AND educational than normal websurfing. PensacolaI will guess Pensacola, Florida, because of "The Lewis Bear Company" on the white building just to the right of the center. It was founded in 1876 in Pensacola. PleasantvilleNever mind that, what about the cannons? Has to be ...Louisville, Kentucky. I'd guessSpanish architecture, L&N Rail Road, and an ad for the Lewis Bear Co leads me to think Florida add in the comment about the agreeable vista and I'm going with Buena Vista, Florida. Even then, a major Navy base.Notice the two early destroyers steaming along the waterfront. The one in the lead (on the right) could be either USS Smith, DD 17, commissioned in November 1909, or USS Lamson, DD 18. According to Friedman's "US Destroyers," these two (built by Cramp in Philadelphia) were the only ones with the No. 2 and 3 funnels paired. The photo shows the original low funnels; they were increased in height after sea trials. The ship on the left is one of two built in Bath, Maine, either Flusser (DD 20) or Reid (DD 21). All these were commissioned in 1909 and belong to the last group of coal fired destroyers built for the US Navy, displacement about 700 tons, and later called the "flivvers" (lightweights) once 1000-ton destroyers became normal in the run-up to World War I. Pensa ... That towerOn the right -- what's it for? [Looks like a fire bell. - Dave] Split-level wharfThe railway docks have been built with a trestled ramp which raised the freight cars up to a higher level for loading directly from the ship when at high tide. A lower level track was on the dock itself, for low tide loading. I've never seen this before. Almost the view from my window!I am seeing this a few days too late to be the first to answer, but I am currently sitting in my office with my windows facing that view, but I am one building to the right of where that picture was taken -- my office window faces the TT Wentworth Museum and the park. I have bricks from the warehouse by the water tower in the picture from when it was demolished back in about 2003, I used them to build a small paver patio in my yard. Pleasantville 1910 and the NavyI see two very early US Navy destroyers behind the wharves. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Florida, Pensacola)
Serviceman, Service Woman: 1943
June 1943. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Miss Frances Heisler (last seen here ), ... with her uncle and his family at a Front Street address in Philadelphia. At that address (currently occupied by a Brotherly Love ... The competition Just across the street, West Philadelphia Buick repairs all makes of cars. The Dodge is shod with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/15/2013 - 6:17pm -

June 1943. "Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Miss Frances Heisler (last seen here), attendant at one of the Atlantic Refining Company garages. She was formerly a clerk in the payroll department of the Curtis Publishing Company." Photo by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. 1942 DodgeNice 1942 Dodge Deluxe sedan, someone was well prepared for war years. Same carWhy did they move the car from where it was in the other photo? Was the lighting better from this angle? [That's the thing about cars -- the darn things keep moving around. -Dave] Location Confirmedjimboylan nailed the 47th and Chestnut location in his comment from the previous post. The traces of the gas tank are still visible in the satellite view below (and a Hess gas station occupies the location where the garage was). Earplugs on board?The 1940 census shows that a Frances Heisler (born 1923) lived with her uncle and his family at a Front Street address in Philadelphia. At that address (currently occupied by a Brotherly Love barbershop with walk-up flats upstairs), the Market-Frankford elevated rail line has operated over Front Street for nearly a century. Screeeeech! Reflecting on true loveI like the reflection in the hubcap. Clean wheels. When I was a kid we had a rooster that was absolutely in love with the chicken in the hubcap of our '57 Ford stationwagon Not a lot of these aboutThis Dodge was one of only 13,343 four-door Deluxe sedans produced for the 1942 model year. Released in September 1941, civilian Dodge production ended on February 21, 1942 as all auto factories were turned over to truck and tank production to meet War needs. Chrome fittings on autos were forbidden after February 1, 1942 because chrome was urgently needed in gun barrels, armor and tool steels, and chrome metal was in limited supply. Total Dodge production for 1942 Deluxe four-door models was only about a quarter of the previous year, when 49,579 Deluxe four-door models were produced. Air Force GlovesIt was true in 1943 and true today...hands in uniform pockets are known as Air Force Gloves. The competitionJust across the street, West Philadelphia Buick repairs all makes of cars. The Dodge is shod with Goodyears, which will hopefully make it through the war years, since tires were rationed. The domes seen under the hood at the firewall are the horns. WhitewallsAny tire was already hard to come by that late in THE WAR, and whitewalls were probably out of the question. These white plastic rim covers served the same purpose and were still popular into the '50s. Disloyalty?With that 8th Air Force shoulder patch, shouldn't he be gassing-up at Texaco or Mobil? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, Jack Delano, Philadelphia)
Santa's Little Helper: 1924
... my aunt gave. That Store Today Wannamaker's was a Philadelphia based chain and their store there is still around but now ... the great American virtuosos, organist at St. Clements in Philadelphia, in demand as a concert organist, has classical recordings both as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2012 - 1:55pm -

December 1924. "Santa's toys." Toy World at Wanamaker's in New York. Be nice, boys and girls, and you might get a Packard! Be naughty and you might get arrested! 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Santa looks rather frazzledAnd perhaps a little shnockered, too. Santa Claus is coming to townYou better watch out You better not cry You better not pout Or the evil clown policeman will beat you with his nightstick! Ho ho ho! DisappointedI got dragged down to the store in the dead of winter, got all dressed up in this flimsy summer dress with my knickers hanging out and all I get is this stupid brochure! Modern SantaNewspapers always run articles about how the Santa we know and love today didn't appear until the late 1930s Coca-Cola ads. Before that, we're always assured, he was more of a "jolly elf." But this Santa looks fairly modern to me. [True. The idea that Haddon Sundblom is responsible for the modern incarnation of Santa Claus seems to be kind of a popular misconception. Although he certainly did help to slickify the look. - Dave] Fleet's in!I wish kids still wore sailor suits like the lad on the far left. Adorable! Mrs. Claus looks like she's been been having a nip of The Grownups' Eggnog. Too Many SantasI remember my cousin asking why there was a Santa at Hutzler's and at Stewart's. We must have been about 8 or 9 at the time, old enough to be concerned that there was something fishy about this whole Santa brings presents story, but still very much wanting to be sure to tell Santa what we wanted. I wish I could remember what answer my aunt gave. That Store TodayWannamaker's was a Philadelphia based chain and their store there is still around but now operating as Macy's. In fact they were on the CBS Evening News the other day because of their organ recitals (they have the largest fully operational pipe organ in the world). At one time Wannamake's New York store was the largest department store in the world. Today the building is an office building with a K-Mart as a retail tenant. You'd better watch out!Love the spats on the kiddies. I've never seen socks or pants like that before. 8 Tiny Autos"Now! Packard, now! Willys, now! Buick, and Ford, "On! Chevy, on! Hudson, on! Oakland and Cord!” Future Paint TycoonAt least we know what became of the lad standing to the left of Mrs. Claus - he became the face of Dutch Boy Paints. Is there a dike cracking somewhere in Holland while he tries to score a Packard back here in New York? Please SantaIf I were to find that Packard under my tree this year, I would be the happiest 61 year old kid on the block Skid Row SantaHe's a pretty rough-looking character if you study his face. And what's that? A truncheon his helper is carrying? Good thing all those moms and dads are there to keep an eye on the action. This particular Christmas, by the way, was my mother's first one. She'd been born that August in the Bronx. One of these days I fully expect to see her and her family in one of these crowd shots. Hutzler'sHutzler's? Are you from Baltimore? I used to spend summers there with my mom as a kid. Even creepierSomehow, the scary clown playing police officer rather than delivery boy is even creepier. This is truly the stuff of nightmares. [He's wearing the same policeman costume in both photos. - Dave] Wanamaker'sThis was one of the big-name department stores back in the day. The department store Christmas displays for kids used to be really special. I'd say everyone looks pretty happy to be here. The Wanamaker OrganistHe is currently Peter Richard Conte, one of the great American virtuosos, organist at St. Clements in Philadelphia, in demand as a concert organist, has classical recordings both as an organist and as director of choral works. He will be giving the dedicatory concert for our recently restored 1926 organ here in 2009. Hutzler's againWhat kind of reaction will I get if I say Hochschild Kohn's? Heh. The first time I played hooky from school I took the No. 8 downtown and went to the flagship stores of Hutzler's et al. Do you remember the glorious wall of windows of the Hutzler's Towson store? The building is still there but, sadly, the windows aren't. I'll look around a bit, I've probably got pictures. Maybe Shorpy can do a before and after. Hutzler's and Stewarts--Been a long time......since I have heard someone utter "Hutzler's and Stewarts" in the same sentence. Timonium and Towson MD must've been your stomping grounds! I love the little boys expression as he looks askance at the clown/policeman. These children look pretty terrified of the guy. Brought back year after year.I think Santa looks peeved and ready to flee. Is that Jackie Coogan there behind Santa? The best part of this Santa ordeal for shy children was the Christmas atmosphere and wonderful anticipation while standing in line. The actual sitting on Santa's lap was scary. And yet we were brought back year after year. Wanamaker'sGlad that's cleared up! I saw that news segment about the organ and remember it from my time in Philadelphia, but thought--Macys'?. Wanamaker's was a great store -- I loved their chicken salad with grapes, and sitting on the balcony watching people shop. This is how the "real people" lived, I thought. These little kids are so captivating. The clown must be threatening Santa with a thrashing, and the mean moms love it even though the kids are "ho-hum". I hope that the Packard winner came from an affluent family because there's no room in the flat for that dang thing. The little girl front and center gets my Santa gift this year. Hutzler'sIn the 1960s, Hutzler's opened a modern branch on Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie, or it might have been in nearby Harundale. They had a nice lunch counter with one of the best crab cake sandwiches in Maryland. Hochschild's, as my mother called it, was okay, but Hutzler's was classy. Wanamaker's 1947My mother would leave me in the toy department while she went shopping. I remember watching the World Series on DuMont station WABD in the store. What a treat, as this was two years before we got our TV. Department storesI remember being taken downtown (Baltimore) by my grandmother at Christmas time to see the decorated windows at Hutzler's, Hochshild Kohn's, The Hecht Co, and Stewarts. It was spectacular! The stores really went all out to have moving objects, colors, and sparkly stuff. Kids would be three deep looking and dreaming. (The Gallery, Christmas, G.G. Bain, Kids, NYC, Scary Clowns)
The Women of Radio: 1925
1925. "Atwater Kent radio factory, Philadelphia. New addition." Can we pick up the pace, girls? National Photo ... pick up. Years later, Dynaco of Stereo 70 fame made Philadelphia its home as well. What I Did on My Summer Vacation Aprons ... she sure did! (The Gallery, Factories, Natl Photo, Philadelphia) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/25/2012 - 12:57pm -

1925. "Atwater Kent radio factory, Philadelphia. New addition." Can we pick up the pace, girls? National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Wirewound resistorsAt least the nearer girls are winding resistors. Back in the '50s, my grandpa gave me his 1926 Atwater Kent, which I promptly and stupidly took apart. I remember the feel and smell of those wirewounds. Strange to think that the girl who made those resistors is probably in this picture somewhere. Coil windersMy best guess is that they are winding coils to be used in radios. If I remember correctly, some coils were used in the interstage transformers and some others were for band selection. One type of radio used to have a selection of coils wound on a coil former that could be swapped out depending on what band you wanted to pick up. Years later, Dynaco of Stereo 70 fame made Philadelphia its home as well. What I Did on My Summer VacationAprons provided, unless you disdain their use. Not too many young men here. Or were they supervisors? TrendyIt's pretty obvious that the pageboy haircut was the fashion of the day. Anyone know who or what was the trendsetter? Bob & LouiseLouise Brooks should get credit for the bob cut. She was truly too hot for Hollywood and really gorgeous. In answer to my own question, I'll say ...Clara Bow Big operationThese ladies are making many, many radio parts. The coil winders are interesting. They are driven by a shaft under the benches, with leather drive belts like those on sewing machines. I have a version of this machine made in the fifties, and it's quite similar in appearance. I'd be interested to see what the process looks like up close. Did the machine guide the wire along the length of the coil as later ones did, or was that done by the operator's skill? Oh, and the huge soldering iron looks like something to make stained glass windows, not radios, with. They are the size of a pencil now. [Below, from another A-K photo. There are around a dozen on this site. Click to enlarge. - Dave] Oh, my back!I'm imagining sitting on one of those stools, bent over for 8+ hours a day. My neck and back ache just from thinking of it.. I want one now, Daddy!"Alright, we're all unwrapping Wonka bars now! An extra quid in your pay for the one who finds a Golden Ticket!" Thanks for the closeupIn the closeup you posted, the rod above the coil being wound appears to have three grooves in it - it looks like it's guiding three wires at once. You can faintly see the three wires. I'd guess that they wind three coils at a time, then cut them apart. (They can't remain connected together in that arrangement when used in a radio, as their magnetic fields would interact.) Thanks again for the fascinating look at how it was all done those many years ago. Soldering in fluxThe large soldering irons are necessary for working on the point-to-point wiring of vacuum-tube electronics. The slimmer, "pencil" irons (with their lower-wattage heat) came along with the advent of solid-state gear. Compared to the tiny surface-mount components of today (look inside your cellphone sometime), the parts comprising these "Olde Schoole" radios were huge. It's been said that women are less error-prone than men when doing assembly tasks. Working in manufacturing, I've seen this firsthand. The ladies have the knack. Irene Bobs Her HairThe initiator of the bobbed hair craze is said to have been the dancer Irene Castle. She had her hair cut short in 1914 before going into the hospital for an appendectomy because she disliked having other people dress her hair. She wasn't trying to set a trend, but she sure did! (The Gallery, Factories, Natl Photo, Philadelphia)
Rail Hub: 1906
... 1906. "Elevated railway terminal, 70th and Market streets, Philadelphia." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... Information From my brother, who lives in suburban Philadelphia. He's an expert on the history of rail services in that area. His ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2014 - 3:05pm -

Circa 1906. "Elevated railway terminal, 70th and Market streets, Philadelphia." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. 100+ years laterIt looks like the 69th Street Transportation Center. There's a rail loop that climbs past a retaining wall that looks pretty similar. (At least it does to me, anyhow.) Additional InformationFrom my brother, who lives in suburban Philadelphia. He's an expert on the history of rail services in that area. His collection of books on the subject is probably larger than most people's entire library: It's the Market Frankford Elevated subway from 44th and Market to (what is now) Interstate 95. The picture is the Elevated yard west of the 69th Street Terminal. At the time of the picture, the Elevated extended across the Schuylkill before going underground at 22nd Street [I think that it now goes underground before the Schuylkill]. As we Philadelphians all know, "You can't get to heaven on the Frankford EL, cause the Frankford EL goes straight to Frankford." This subway was called the Frankford Elevated. It followed Market Street from 69th street (at the western city boundary) into Center City, then at the Delaware River turned north and ended in Frankford in northern Philadelphia. Another Terrific ViewAn even better shot of the backside of the Terminal shows all the operations. At left you can see the Philadelphia and Western Railroad's powerhouse, and one of their cars at the platform. To the right, the tracks of the Frankford El, curving out from the platform and off frame to the yard. And finally the stub-ended tracks of the trolley lines. We see the neat little control tower, a large Brill car signed for Collingdale on the Sharon Hill line and its bow-tied motorman. More interestingly (to me at least), just on the hairy edge of the frame at far right you can catch a glimpse of a horse and buggy and the fields beyond. Those fields represented the last farm in the increasingly suburban Upper Darby. Marshall Jones, my neighbor, one of the last of the old-time farmers in this area of the country, would recall that farm fondly many years later. "I can remember my uncle's corn fields just across West Chester Pike from the 69th Street terminal building" he would write in his Recollections. But within a few years of this photograph, his father decided the area was becoming too crowded, and the family moved out to Westtown Township in Chester County. The farm here on 69th Street would be developed into a number of buildings, including the Tower Theater. (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Railroads, Streetcars)
Icecapade: 1921
... Senator Boies Penrose returned to Washington from Philadelphia yesterday after a perilous experience near Baltimore, when the ... along the Lincoln highway and other routes from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return more than 100 times. Wikipedia ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/11/2020 - 11:00am -

January 1921. Washington, D.C. "Penrose car, accident." Beside Senator Boies Penrose's car, casualties here include a mailbox, emergency call box and a lamppost. The tree survives with a dented trunk. View full size. Sharp rideI used to work in automotive and the last company that I worked for, before heading into my new field, was in automotive glass. Check out the windshield on this car. It was plate glass; no safety glass but just plain old window glass. Can you imagine what would happen to your face if you went through such an accident? Even in this photo, it looks as though the front glass just broke up on impact. Still very dangerous. Man --They sure don't make trees like they used to. Time to upgrade.If Senator Penrose insists on driving on the sidewalk, maybe he should look at the FWD from an earlier photo. Fatal crash?I noticed that this crash was not listed on his Wikipedia entry, so I added it and cited this photo as a reference. I also noticed that he died in 1921. If this photo is circa 1920, perhaps this crash was fatal. [This crash had nothing to do with his death, which came from pneumonia after a year or so of declining health. - Dave] It's a wonderful lifeGeorge Bailey, you been drinking? Got Mail?That has to be the biggest mailbox in town. He must have been admiring it when he crashed into it Early ExcuseI understand the USPS is still using this crash as an excuse for undelivered mail. OuchYou can see, quite clearly, that car windshields did not have safety glass in those days. Was it the Senator's head that broke the windshield? Accident ProneCan't find any info on this specific crash but Penrose had a history of automotive mishaps. Washington Post, Aug 22, 1917 Penrose in Peril When Auto Blazes Senator and Friends Leap from Car to Escape Death. Senator Boies Penrose returned to Washington from Philadelphia yesterday after a perilous experience near Baltimore, when the senator and two friends were compelled to leap from a blazing automobile. The car is believed to have taken fire from a lighted cigar which had been tossed from a passing car and which lodged in the top, which was down. IN an instant the car was ablaze in the rear and directly over the gasoline tank. The senator and his friends escaped injury owing to prompt action by the chauffeur, who brought into play and extinguisher and put out the blaze. The body of the car was badly scorched and the top entirely destroyed. This is he second experience of this kind Senator Penrose has encountered within two years. In 1915, while motoring from Pittsburgh headed for Washington, his car caught fire near Greensburg, Pa. and became a total wreck, the senator and his party having a narrow escape from the flames. A feature of the campaign of 1914 in Pennsylvania, when Senator Penrose was a candidate for reelection to the Senate, was his large red touring car, which became well known throughout the state, as it took him into nearly every country. The senator is considered the most enthusiastic motorist in the Senate. In the last three years he has crossed Pennsylvania along the Lincoln highway and other routes from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and return more than 100 times. WikipediaPenrose's Wikipedia page has already been updated to add a link to this picture and note the possibility that the crash may have been related to his death the following year. [The senator's death came from pneumonia after years of declining health. - Dave] Text messagingIs it possible the Senator was text messaging with the window open that caused him to have the accident and while awaiting EMS caught pneumonia ? Winton SixAccording to the following delightful story in Boies Penrose, Symbol of an Era, by Robert Douglas Bowden (1937), Penrose's auto was a Winton Six painted "screaming red." The senator's driver was one Walter Mancer. Colorize this Winton Six, please!Shorpyite stanton_square's post, with the embedded book preview on the life of Boies Penrose, details on page 209 that the color of Mr. Penrose's touring car was "screaming red" with a bright red leather upholstery. Could someone please colorize this photo to show the bent automobile in all its red glory, and post it to Shorpy for all to see. When I zoomed-in to the radiator emblem on the wrecked auto, it does seem to be a Winton Six medallion. Attached below is a photo of a Winton Six radiator emblem that I found on the internet. Multiple dangersIt's not just the lack of seat belts and the non-safety glass (though those alone were good enough to kill). The steering column in those days was essentially a harpoon, and any head-on collision was likely to spear the driver. Red WreckA red Winton Six for Fellow Oakie. Re: Sharp RideIn 1923 when my mother was 3, she was in a car accident in the D.C. area that put her through the windshield. The left side of her face was cut from temple to lip. It must have been pretty bad because she said the hospital doctors weren't going to do any repairs. However one doctor took on the task and saved her life. This photo has answered questions I have had for so long. Quote"I believe in the division of labor. You send us to Congress; we pass laws under which you make money...and out of your profits, you further contribute to our campaign funds to send us back again to pass more laws to enable you to make more money." -- Senator Boies Penrose (R-Pa.), 1896, citing the relationship between his politics and big business. An honest politician! Not Necessarily RedThe circa 1920 Winton shown in the photograph is not necessarily painted red. Page 209 of Bowden's book is mentioning events from 1913 or 1914. The car Senator Penrose purchased back then was red. This car, built around 1920, is not the same one as described in the book. Both cars are Winton Sixes. Senator:"Ugh, thanks God I am not some James Dean." (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Market Street: 1904
Philadelphia circa 1904. "Market Street from Eighth." City Hall's clock tower ... right is the Strawbridge & Clothier store, where the Philadelphia Inquirer is scheduled to be moving this summer, with its newsroom ... Strawbridge & Clothier) (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Streetcars) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 1:01pm -

Philadelphia circa 1904. "Market Street from Eighth." City Hall's clock tower at the end of the street. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. At right is the StrawbridgeAt right is the Strawbridge & Clothier store, where the Philadelphia Inquirer is scheduled to be moving this summer, with its newsroom and business offices on the third floor. Cloak and SuitersIn the Garment Centered economy of NYC in the 1940 and 1950s, a "Cloak & Suiter" replaced the "Big Butter & Egg Man" as the lavish spender of the times. The colloquial nickname was "Cloakie." They were replaced in the 1990s by the "Dot Com People." What this street needsBecause of the crowds, what this street needs is a subway. Congestion is only going to get worse, especially when they actually start digging for one in a couple of years. Hank adds the following notes:A moment in transit history. The streetcar tracks must have been rebuilt about 5-10 year earlier, when cable cars were eliminated (note no slot), and would be torn up in another year or two for construction of the Market St subway, then restored. The top of the Reading Terminal building is just visible on the right (north) side of the street - that dark cornice seen in front of the City Hall tower. Strawbridge & Clothier, one of the three big department stores in Philly is on the right, between 8th and 9th Sts. They are still there but with a newer building. Wanamaker's was in the left side of the street, out of sight just before City Hall. Gimbels would be on the left nearby. I can't make out whether the signs on the extreme left edge of the picture are for Gimbels or for Snellenbergers, another department store. Even single-truck cars still appeared on busy market street! But most of the cars are what was then a standard design in Phila. Gazing outI love the faces sculpted into the facade, just at the left edge of the photo. There are a few remaining buildings here in Portland, Oregon, which have faces carved into them. When did our buildings stop looking back at us? Strawbridge'sStrawbridge's (formerly Strawbridge & Clothier) (The Gallery, DPC, Philadelphia, Streetcars)
Loco: 1890
... of the locomotive is the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Penn. The circular builder's plate on the side of the smokebox ... Also, they often cast "The Baldwin Locomotive Works Philadelphia, U.S.A." into the margin around the edge of the locomotive number ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:26pm -

Circa 1890. "Mexican Central Railway train at station." Dry plate glass negative by William Henry Jackson. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Where's the rest of the train?That is an astonishingly short train: A locomotive, a tender, a baggage car, and then either a caboose or a small passenger car. How did they make this trip pay, unless there is something very special being carried as freight? Short TrainWe tend to expect long multi-car passenger trains but in many cases the real work was done on branch lines with a set-up that looked pretty much like this in the days before cars and buses became the standard. You really had two ways of getting to your destination if it was greater than walking distance; a local (unnamed) passenger train or a horse/horse and wagon, and after a certain distance the horse and wagon stopped making sense. This kind of train was the intercity bus of its day. Warm waterThe two ladies are collecting water overflow from the steam injector. That is the steam appliance they are standing next to. Overflow water, which is warmed by this process is not as hot as water straight from the boiler. Dave J. Hot waterUnless the boiler pressure is very low, drawing off hot water this way would result in instant steam. The water in a locomotive boiler is usually over 270 degrees so it will instantly turn to steam if released to atmospheric pressure. Possibly the locomotive had been standing and pressure dropped or else they were just getting it fired up when the photo was made. I do see that the Senora with the olla on her shoulders seems to have a bit of insulation in the form of a serape under the jar and against her head. The most likely manufacturerThe most likely manufacturer of the locomotive is the Baldwin Locomotive Works in Philadelphia, Penn. The circular builder's plate on the side of the smokebox was a trademark of theirs. Also, they often cast "The Baldwin Locomotive Works Philadelphia, U.S.A." into the margin around the edge of the locomotive number plate during this time period. An example is here: http://www.railroadiana.org/hw/hw_bp/bp_BLW32_EBT_b.jpg This short train, with the small coach and large express car was probably the daily "milk and mail" or whatever the Mexican equivalent was. These short trains made every stop on nearly every mile of railway line in North America, carrying merchandise packages, mail, and a few passengers to all the small towns. Chances are, the contents of the express car are more valuable than the tickets for the coach. Free Hot WaterIt looks like the women are tapping off some hot water from the boiler. I've seen this done in India. I'd leave it to cool down a bit before heaving it onto my shoulder. Who made this baby?Can anyone enlarge this picture to reveal the wording on that plate on the locomotive? And what on earth are those two ladies doing next to that driver wheel? I wonder if they are looking for something. Pre-revolutionary transportationThese photos are very interesting to me because they show snapshots of life in Mexico before the civil war (or Revolution, as they like to call it here). Undeniable the influence of American railroads in the design of that loco. Do we know where this was taken? Is it a Cooke?This loco looks rather similar to this Cooke: This one is described as being owned by Compania Muebles y Mudazas. 2249 was built by Cooke in February 1893, #2249, as Lehigh & Hudson River 19. It was sold as MyM 2249 and resold as Nacional de Mexico 2249, Class F-23a. In 1931 it was renumbered 807, Class F-27, and retired in July 1934. Cooke was based in Paterson, New Jersey. Re Who Made I can't read them, but the circular builder's plate on the side of the smokebox and the circular number plate look very Baldwin. Also note the white flags on the pilot beam, signifying that this train is "running extra" -- not in the schedule. Re: Free Hot WaterI thought they were taking off steam products, which would be distilled, rather than boiler water. Photo TrainThe white flags denote a special train and I would think this train was assigned to carry Mr. Jackson and his gear and stop where he saw fit to photograph. Other railroads accommodated Jackson in this way. Probably a BaldwinI'm not 100% sure but looking at the round builder's plate, and trying to decipher the lettering around the edge of the numberplate on the front, I think this was built by Baldwin. A ten-wheeler would generally be considered a huge engine for such a tiny train, but Mexico is in general pretty mountainous. Also, sometimes an outsized engine would be assigned to a train in order to avoid dispatching it as a light engine to a new location. I seem to recall seeing an example in one of by books, and back when I worked by the tracks in Silver Spring I saw a freight with eight diesels pushing at the back-- definite overkill considering that the run from Brunswick is pretty much downhill all the way. It's not a Cooke engineI think it's a Mason. It is a dead ringer with identical cab, smoke box, steam and sand domes. and everything matches except for the pilot and location of the bell Might Be a BaldwinAlthough not 100%, the amount of wording on both the builder's plate (the raised round item on the smokebox, just above the white flag and cylinder on our left), and the front number plate, lead me to believe this was a Baldwin. Cooke also used round plates, but with much simpler lettering, and in various sizes, Darkoom SpecialVery likely this is a photographer's special, with the second coach fitted up to act as a rolling darkroom. WH Jackson worked on a contract basis for a lot of western railroads - the Denver Public Library has a huge collection of the pictures he took for the D&RG, DSP&P and Colorado Midland Railroads, among others - and quite a few of them include a two car (in some cases, a two caboose) train fitted up for his use, and posed among various scenic landmarks. It's not Alec or Billy or Stephen, but...Careful squinting at the numberplate on the smokebox door reveals it's a Baldwin. How did they make this trip pay?One could ask the same thing about a private 747. Short trains, well-known from moviesA lot of cheap western movies show very short trains, probably because they couldn't afford to restore a lot of rolling stock ..... This reminds of such movies. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, W.H. Jackson)
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