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Jiffy Lube: 1904
... before it is piped into the cylinders. What's the pipe? What's the pipe just behind the big left driver? My first thought was sand, but you ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:31pm -

Circa 1904. "Michigan Central Railroad. Oiling up before the start." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. That Other Dome...The rear dome is the steam dome, where the steam collects before it is piped into the cylinders. What's the pipe?What's the pipe just behind the big left driver? My first thought was sand, but you wouldn't sand, behind the wheel. Neither would you vent something wet, like steam, onto the wheel. Anybody know? Safety couplerNote that the coupler is resting on the pilot deck. It is swung out of the way so that it will not catch an object that on the track. Modern diesels have snow plows that deflect objects that might become lodged under the wheels. Enough with the pipes already!The two pipes coming from the sand dome are for SAND! One for forward and one for reverse. The lever from the cab to the dome is for turning on and off the flow of sand. Perhaps out of sight behind the trailing truck is a rail washer because leaving the grit on the rails after it's needed causes friction and unnecessary wear on the wheels of the rest of the train. The small pipe in front of the valve chest is for oil from the hydrostatic lubricator in the cab. What I don't see if a boiler check or a line from the injector to feed the water to the boiler. I don't see it on the color photo either. WowMore like this please! 4-4-2 Atlantic typeBuilt in 1902 for fast passenger service. A sister locomotive, Detroit Toledo & Ironton #45 (also built in 1902) survives at the Henry Ford Museum. Fifty years to go before the diesel engines outnumbered steam locos. Sand, yesMy guess would be sand, for reversing perhaps? Also since that rear pipe leads up to the same spot the pipe in front of the front drive wheel goes... TractionYep, those are sanders. You need them both forward and reverse. From the looks of the tires on those drivers, they were used plenty. (They're called "tires" even though they're metal.) Here's how they change them: http://www.sps700.org/gallery/0411drivers_part1.shtml As for the pipeThat pipe is a sand dispenser. Think of this way. If the wheels start slipping backward, the sand would be delivered to the right spot to regain traction. Also, when the train reverses direction, which they did in railroading to improve stopping. Remember the airbrakes took several seconds, up to a minute to get the rearmost car to brake. So you have the front of the train going backward as the rear of the train is still going forward. Kind of results in a lot of steel on steel as the couplers crash against each other. The other domeThat's the one for whipped cream. Sorry; I couldn't not get into this comment thread. Re: What's the pipe?Notice that there is also an identical pipe ahead of the other driver wheel. Obviously, you might need to sand the track for more traction whether you are pulling or pushing with the engine. Thus, you have sanding pipes on either side of the drive wheels. Mystery pipeConsidering that the pipe comes from the same location as the pipe that goes to the front driver, and considering that trains can go backward, it's a pretty safe bet that it too is a sand pipe. The sand delivered to the front wheel, when going forward, will still be on the rail by the time the rear wheel gets to it. Same when going in reverse. Sand PipeThat is, in fact, a sand pipr behind the rear driver. Note that it comes down from the sand box as does the other pipe in front of the front driver. The Pipe is a Sand PipeFollow the pipe upstream -- it's connected to the sand box, and was used to afford traction when the locomotive was backing up. What's the pipe?I think the sand pipe behind the wheel is used when going in reverse (??) Re: the pipeI think sand is probably the right answer, since the pipe would be in front of the wheel when the engine was in reverse. Note the very similar pipe in front of the other driver wheel. What's the pipe?I believe it was for sand...for backing up. Reverse gearI believe it's a sand pipe for going in the opposite direction. SanderAnonymous, your first thought was right. The pipe behind the rear driver is to deposit sand on the rails during backing moves. There's another sand pipe ahead of the front driver. Both pipes lead from the sand dome atop the boiler, and you can also see the control linkage that allowed the crew in the cab to apply sand when needed for traction. I think sand is the correct answer.An identical pipe runs down the side of the engine to just in front of the forward driver wheel, and both pipes originate from the same dome on top of the engine. Sand is the most likely explanation. My best guess as to why they would have pipes on both sides of the driver wheels would be to provide traction while the engine runs in reverse. Sand it is!The two diagonal pipes coming from the "sand box" (first dome behind the bell) carry sand to the drivers when needed. The engineer can operate a three-way valve for forward-off-reverse sand application. You can see small air lines to the sander valve which run under the jacket. Sand would be applied automatically on an emergency brake application. I am more curious about the lever arrangement to the sand box. The sand had to be perfectly dry to flow through the pipes. Was this lever used to break up clumps of sand in the box? One good question deserves another! Sand Gets in your Eyes, and Elsewhere.The pipe behind the rear driver IS for sand, when backing up. These high-wheeled engines were very slippery when starting and when the engine brake was applied. A sliding wheel, as opposed to a spinning wheel, will develop a flat spot very quickly, which can damage the rail each time it goes around. Without sand the Engineer might not be able to start a train at some locations, especially if the rail was wet or greasy. Modern Diesel locomotives still use sand applied in front of the leading wheels for traction. If too much sand is applied when not necessary, the locomotive will run out of sand and have none when it is really needed. Sand also blows back along the train, getting into parts where it is not desired and mixes with grease or oil, and, into the eyes of patrons on passenger trains without air conditioning, the windows being open. Some streetcars had sanders, the sand being in bins under the seats which folded up to fill the hoppers from within the car. What's the pipe x2A similar pipe hangs down in front of the other driver, right by the guy's left leg. Both seem to originate from the bell shaped thing on top. Backwards sandingYou would sand behind the driver if you needed traction when starting in reverse. Both pipes are coming from the sand dome. What's the pipethe pipe behind the left driving wheel is for sand, but when the loco is running backwards. if you look on the right had side just infornt of the mans leg you will see the same thing and that is for sanding going forwards. That other dome...That's the steam dome. It contains the opening to the main steam pipe and its purpose is to allow this opening to be kept well above the water level in the boiler. This arrangement acts as a simple steam separator and minimizes the risk that water will be carried over to the cylinders where it might cause a hydraulic lock - this is also known as priming. When starting a steam loco, before you start to move, you open the cylinder drain cocks to get any condensate out of the cylinders. As far as keeping the sand dry, that's one of the reasons for putting the sand dome where it is, boiler heat helps keep it dry. The sand is pushed through the sand pipes by compressed air, and in the example you can see the air connections and valves where they enter the dome. Sand was dried and stored in steam heated "sand houses" before being loaded to the locos. Nowadays, AC traction control has helped immensely, but sanding, and knowing when to sand is still needed. The PipeIt's GOT to be for sand. Note that both the "fore" and "aft" pipes go up to the same dome, which has a rather loose-looking lever connected to the cab by a rod (that is ALWAYS slightly bent in these pictures). So the "after" pipe is for those times when the engine must BACK UP on slick rails. Just makes you marvel, at driving wheels tall as a man, and the double-barrel compound cylinders (first the high pressure steam, than rather than wasting the residual pressure, let it work again in a low pressure cylinder). To the true locomotive experts out there - how does the sand get INTO the dome? The SandpiperSomething tells me the goddam pipe is for sand. Whipped cream would be nice, but...That second dome is the steam dome. As the water in the boiler boils, steam is withdrawn from the steam dome, which allows pickup of the steam from a point which is always above the water level. Sand DomeThanks. I found an explanation of the Sand Dome. That's about the last place I'd have looked for sand. Give Me a Brake!It is worth noting that the four wheels of the leading truck have brake shoes to assist in stopping the train, or just the locomotive when operating alone travelling to from it's train. If there is rain, grease, oil, grass or frost on the rail head, a steam locomotive can be VERY difficult to control, thats where the sand comes in to play. If the rail is 'bad', an Engineer will often apply sand just before the train stops so there will be sand beneath all the driving wheels for starting. It appears the front coupler is of a folding-up design and is lying on top of the pilot beam. The Engineer has poked the spout of his oiler into the hole provided for the purpose and is oiling the wrist pin within the crosshead on the front of the main rod that connects the crosshead with the crankpin on the rear driver. The crosshead and main rod convert the reciprical motion of the pistons within the cylinders to rotary motion at the wheel. The right crankpin usually leads the left by 90 degrees on a two-cylinder engine. There is a relief valve on the front of the steam cylinder to admit air when the engine is drifting with the throttle shut, otherwise there would be a vacuum or air pressure within as the pistons move constantly when the engine is in motion. The small curved pipe just visible in the steam above the valve chest carries valve oil from the lubricator in the cab and into the steam supply for lubrication of the piston valve and the piston below. At each end beneath the cylinder can be seen condensate drains which are opened from the cab with links and levers to drain water from condensed steam from the cylinders before it can accunmulate to a level to stop the piston in it's travel, damaging the cylinder heads or causing other mechanical damage. A QuestionDo any of you fellows know what that pipe behind the driving wheel might be for. Sand, perhaps? Whipped cream? Dome, De Dome DomeThe dome behind the sand dome is the steam dome, where the throttle valve is located to allow steam to enter the clyinders through internal piping in the boiler. The next open dome area is where the whistle and poppet valve (pressure relief valve) is to allow excess steam pressure out. Domes Galore.The front dome is for sand, as mentioned in several posts. The Engineer pulls a lever in the cab, the rod of which is seen, and this moves a plate beneath the sand in the sand dome until holes line up above the outlets to the pipes leading to the front or rear drivers. There is another handle in the cab which admits compressed air front or back to force sand down the pipes to the wheels, their control air pipes also visible at the base of the sand dome. There usually is a round recessed lid on top of the sand dome with a recessed hand hold, secured with a length of chain within the dome cavity, where sand is poured in on the shop track when servicing the locomotive between runs. Two little steps can be seen bolted on to the boiler side to access the sand dome, bell etc. The heat of the boiler keeps the sand dry and 'fluid' if rain does get in. Coal and water would be added to the tender at the same time, and the cab supplies such as oils for lubrication, grease for some bearings, and lamp oil for the various lamps on the engine. This engine does not yet appear to have a steam-operated electric dynamo nor an electric headlight. It may have an Acetylene headlight? The second dome along the boiler-top from the front is the Steam Dome. Within it's sleek casing is a heavy flat-topped dome on top of the boiler proper which houses the steam throttle valve above the water level in the boiler. The throttle valve is opened and closed thru a rod which passes thru a gland with packing against the boiler pressure to the Engineer's throttle handle in the cab. Moving his handle lifts and lowers the balanced throttle valve in the steam dome, admitting steam to the cylinders. On top of the steam dome proper there is a round heavy metal plate bolted down with a steam-tight fit which can be removed when the engine is cold to access the interior of the boiler and the throttle valve. The third dome from the front is called a 'pop dome' and on top of it can be seen pressure safety valves, 2 in this case. These valves, when both are open, MUST be able to pass more steam than the boiler and firebox can produce under all firing conditions. One safety valve opens, usually, 3 to 5 pounds sooner than the second. The vertical round cylinder just ahead of the cab roof, but behind the safety valves is the whistle. The bell ahead of the sand dome is air-operated on it's right side, the small air pipe visible. The left side of the bell has a rope so the bell can also be 'rung' by the fireman on the locomotive's left. Dome, de dome, domeNow that we have solved the sand dome mystery including the pipes, valves, and control linkage what is the pupose of the other dome beside or behind it? The Rules of AttractionIf anything at Shorpy attracts (pun intended) more attention than a pretty girl, it has to be a railroad engine! New RulesOr tterrace! D'Udder DomeThe rear dome is called the Steam Dome. It is the highest point of the boiler and is where the throttle valve is located. Taking the steam from here keeps water from going into the "Dry Pipe" and hence into the steam cylinders up front. Domes a plentyThe other dome behind the sand dome is the steam dome. It was where the steam was "gathered" prior to being sent to the cylinders. Most all horizontal boilers on trains and traction engines have steam domes. Vertical boilers typically don't need steam domes. Two domesMust mean it's a lady locomotive. The other dome The dome behind the sand dome is the "steam dome". That is where te steam is drawn from the boiler. If it was lower on the boiler there is more of a chance of picking up water instead of steam which would not be good. You can see the steps on the side of the boiler below the sand dome. They are there because this was somewhere that needed to be serviced (filled) often. ThrottledThe dome behind the sand dome is the steam dome which contains the throttle. Immediately behind that is the auxiliary steam dome which has the whistle, safety valves and most likely a dry pipe for the turret in the cab which supplies steam to the appliances. Bactrian LocomotiveThere are two domes because this is a Bactrian Locomotive, not a Dromedary locomotive! The other dome is known as the Steam Dome. Inside this dome is a pipe which collects the steam made by the boiler and is eventually sent to the pistons to power the locomotive. The dome puts the steam pipe as far away as possible from the boiling waters below so that only steam, not water, gets into the steam pipe. Water, being incompressible, will break the pistons or cylinder covers. The other domeThe other dome is the steam dome. What you actually see is just a cover. The throttle is located inside of the steam dome. There is also a Dry pipe to the turret located inside of the steam dome. The reason for the dome is to allow dry steam to exit the boiler. Percolator DomeNow, out of which pipe do you get the fresh-brewed coffee? I have no choice!I had to chime in on the discussion about all the "pipes", seeing as I am employed as a rail road "Pipefitter" Lol! 1. It is for sand 2. It's still used 3. Yes, it has to be bone dry because they still constantly clog. Snappy shoes!Hmmm.. that oiler is wearing what appears to be a sharp-looking pair of dress shoes. A little surprising considering the working environment! Alumni Did anyone notice this beauty was produced here in Schenectady NY? The General Electric Alco works, produced some of the finest and biggest locomotive engines ever to run the rails. Sadly, Alco is being demolished for condos, and only a few of these magnificent steamers still ply the rails. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads)
Hybrid EV: 1942
... have (had) a steam generator on board to supply a steam pipe to the entire train for heating, air conditioning, cooking, etc. The ice ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/10/2024 - 2:58pm -

December 1942. "Chicago, Illinois. One of the Chicago and North Western Railroad streamliner diesel electric locomotives. These trains are operated jointly with the Union Pacific Railroad to the West Coast." Acetate negative by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Not hybrid or EV.Locomotives are diesel-electric, not hybrid. The electric part is the method of power transmission between the engine and wheels because they have a 250-950rpm operating range. A gearbox would be too large and complex to be practical, especially when synchronizing multiple units. They don't charge or operate on batteries (except some at low yard speeds for shuttling). [You're thinking about this much too narrowly. Hybrid: "Of mixed character; a thing made by combining two different elements." - Dave] Ice BeardJust like old man winter. Chug and playShorpy is certainly correct - but then almost all (North American) "diesels" are such: a diesel engine drives a generator that powers the traction motors. But the U.P. was strictly an amateur about combining powering methods The SBB lok is still around - ! - but converted back to free-range capabilities. EMD E6It looks like the EMD E-series, guessing E6, built from 1938 to 1942. I take it backThe E-series didn't have the radiator. Lionel offered two streamliners, the M10000 and this thing. I can't find pictures of this thing that also give the model number. Achoo-choo!It looks like its nose is running! I love that streamlined look, though. I'll bet it's sporting that striking Union Pacific armour yellow and gray paint scheme, too! Re: Achoo-choo!You are absolutely correct! Not an E-unit. It's an M-10000!I think that the "runny nose" comes from water in the air hoses. (Just a guess!!) Steam HeatPassenger cars of the past used steam for heating and, in some cases, for air conditioning too. Steam locomotives had plenty, but diesel electric locomotives needed diesel oil fired auxiliary boilers. The steam is transmitted from locomotive to cars via metal pipes and couplings. In freezing weather, it seemed one could always see whisps of steam here and there - perhaps the valve beneath the pilot (steel plate above the rails) was slightly cracked open to prevent freezing. Once can see minor damage to the pilot - perhaps the locomotive encountered a vehicle somewhere at a crossing. Only a handful of these machines were built before larger and more powerful locomotives became available. I recall reading that one of these locomotives struck a skunk which splattered over the area where we see the frozen steam. The large, automobile-like grilles, supposedly brought the odor into the cab making things stinky for the crew.  About that runny nose.Water is never permitted in a trains air hose. A frozen brake line is a train wreck looking for a place to happen. Passenger engines such as this one have (had) a steam generator on board to supply a steam pipe to the entire train for heating, air conditioning, cooking, etc. The ice on the pilot would be condensate from this steam line. Corrections (for those who care)This locomotive is a Pullman-Standard M-10005 or M-10006, produced in 1936 -- a descendant of the "original" M-10000 from 1934, which was already retired a year when this photo was taken. These were predecessors of the famous EMC/EMD "E" series locomotives produced by EMD starting in 1937. Additionally, the icicle "beard" was caused by leaking steam from the steam train line -- steam was used to heat (and cool in summer for coaches that had steam-ejector air conditioning installed) the passenger coaches, and was produced by steam boilers on the locomotive. Steam was used on all conventional passenger equipment until the late 1970s when electrical head-end-power (HEP) came into vogue. (The Gallery, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Our Lady of Lourdes: 1914
... Tobacco so you could roll your own or purchase a corncob pipe to puff away. Loosies were two cigarettes for a penny. I understand due to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2022 - 12:33pm -

        A newly restored version of a Shorpy favorite that has collected three pages of comments since it was first posted in 2007 -- The caption for this one just says "Post Office." Thanks to our commenters we now know that the building with the statue is the Our Lady of Lourdes School at 468 W. 143rd Street in New York circa 1914. 8x10 glass negative, Bain News Service. View full size | The school in 2007. Post office?Looks like a Catholic school, actually. This is just a wild-a**ed guess, but St. Jean Baptiste on East 75th? This would coincide with the warehouse cart on the left (sort of). Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic SchoolThis is Our Lady of Lourdes School in New York City on 143rd Street between Amsterdam Avenue and Convent Avenue. The school was built in 1913 in Washington Heights, an exclusively white, upper middle-class neighborhood. It was built and equipped at a total cost of one hundred and forty thousand dollars. Besides classrooms for five hundred pupils, the building contained an auditorium with a stage lavishly equipped for theatrical productions, a gymnasium, a roof-top playground, an assembly room for parish organizations, rooms for classes in cooking and sewing, and offices for the school officials. The associated church (Our Lady of Lourdes) is located directly behind the school on the next block, 142nd Street. Yes...Which is the Post Office? The large building in the center must be a Catholic School, what with a saint on the roof and all. As for the location, I have no clue. Post OfficeWhich building is the Post Office? post officeBuilding with street level entrance and flags would be my likely guess. Today...Google Street View. It's always interesting to see NYC in the early years, and how it's changed. Our Lady of LourdesI attended this school for eight years in the 1950s. The lower grades entered by one door and the higher grades used the other. City College frat houses faced the school. Recess was on the street out front. We didn't have any cooking or sewing classes, no classrooms equipped for that. There wasn't any gym. We weren't allowed to go up on the roof and there wasn't an assembly room. We did have a annual spring play using the stage and we had a Christmas concert. There was a way into the church from the back of the school. The nuns that taught there were called Society of the Holy Child. Father Kline was one of the priests and Mother Mary Edward taught there. A good school, good memories. Johnny PumpThat fire hydrant probably was installed in the late 1880s. Was born and bred in NYC and traversed all five boroughs many many times, but NEVER laid eyes on a johnny pump like that. Every boy who ever grew up in "The City" is instinctively drawn to hop over as many hydrants as possible. However that one is a KILLER. Our Lady of LourdesI attended OLL from 1933 to 1941. The lower grades kindergarten to fourth were taught by the Ursuline Order of Sisters. The upper grades fifth to eighth were taught by the Sisters of the Holy Child. The school was funded and guided by the priests of the adjoining OLL Church. We were there to learn,to pray: no play, no library, no lunch room, no outside activities. It was not an easy life for children of poor families during this Great Depression Era. I often cried and asked God to help me through the day, the year. I know I received a very good education but not a happy one. There were nuns I would have died for, however there were many that should not have been allowed to teach children. The Church and school were founded by Monsignor Thomas McMann. There is a bust of the good priest near the entrance to the upper church. In the 1930s we were allowed on the roof for various activities. The term "very stern " comes to mind. The statue is Our Lady of Lourdes, similar to the statue in the grotto in the lower church on 142nd Street. It was removed a few years ago as it decayed and was ready to fall off the roof. Convent AvenueThis photo faces east, and the townhouses in the background are along the east side of Convent Avenue. All of them still stand, most are in superb condition. This is the finest real estate in Harlem; a house across the street sold for $3.89 million about 18 months ago. Here is a listing for a house a few doors down from the ones seen here: http://tinyurl.com/2396kb Note the terraces on two of the buildings -- those are stunning and almost never seen in New York. Does anyone remember anDoes anyone remember an Irish nun by the name of Sister Gerard? She was one of the Ursula ? nuns at the Our Lady of Lourdes in Manhatten. She emigrated about 1910, so am not sure anyone would remember her... Is there a cemetery associated with Our Lady of Lourdes? Upper and Lower ChurchCan you tell me if the Upper and Grotto Church still exists and do they have mass on Saturdays and Sundays? I lived 2 streets away a long time ago and would like to see the old neighborshood. I have never forgotten the Grotto. It's so unique. Would like to share it with my spouse. Or maybe I can speak with someone in the convent. Are the nuns still there? Thank you. Diana Gosciniak Our Lady of LourdesI also went there in the 1950's. The nuns were very dedicated to teaching. Our religion was the major reason they and all of us were there. The grotto was under the main stairs and confession was held downstairs at 4 pm on Saturday. The children's Mass was at 9 am on Sunday, a High Mass in Latin. The doors of the main church came from old St. Patrick's downtown in Little Italy. The sisters made sure that the majority of 8th grade students got into Catholic high school. A lot of the girls went to Cathedral H.S. and the boys went to Cardinal Hayes. The church was around the corner with a connection to the back of the school. The convent was right next door to the church and the rectory was across the street. Once in a while we were invited to go to the convent on a Saturday to see the nuns. The neighborhood was pretty good, all kind of stores that tolerated all of us kids. It was nice going there for eight years. Fond memories. O.L.L. Upper and lower churchYes, the upper church is still active with most Masses in Spanish. The lower church {the Grotto) is not used. However the statue of the Blessed Mother is still on view. The sisters left about 10 years ago. I visited the school and was told the Church no longer had any say in its operation. When did you attend? I was there from 1933 to 1940. J Woods Theatrical productions?Oh, how I wish I had your recall. However, I did attend O.L.L. from 1933 through 1940. Yes, the stage was used - but with limited equipment. I never saw or played on a rooftop playground. There was no gymnasium. The seats in the auditorium were moved to the side for military drilling by boys from grades 5 to 8 once a week. The girls exercised in a nearby room. The children in the lower grades had no physical training. I don't remember an assembly room for any parish organizations. Family members were not encouraged to come to the school except on Graduation Day or if the student had a serious problem that required a meeting with the principal and/or a parish priest. I must say we all received a very good education and were farther ahead in our studies than the Public School kids. Yours truly and in friendship, Jackie Woods OLL NeighborhoodI lived on Amsterdam Ave for 16 years. Where did you live? When did you attend OLL School? The few friends I had from the old days have passed on. I answered your other message; The Nuns left about 15 years ago. You need to have someone open the lower church to visit there. The Blessed Mother's Statue is still located in the Grotto but masses are no longer read there. Regards and in friendship. Jackie Woods Our Lady of Lourdes, 2008I had a chance to stop by West 143rd street and take a snapshot today. The cornerstone is dated 1912. As you can see, every building shown in the "1914" photograph is extant and all are in excellent condition. There is even a fire hydrant in the same location as the fire hydrant shown in the photo. As for changes — there are trees on the block now, and the cornice has been removed from Our Lady of Lourdes, as has the statue of the saint. And, of course, as with all modern photos taken in New York, it is full of automobiles. (Click to enlarge) The reddish sign on the left side of the street, behind the motorcycle, identifies this block as part of the Hamilton Heights Historical District (Hamilton Grange is only a few blocks away). Today was garbage day, so a distracting pile of trash sits in the foreground, sorry about that. Our Lady of LourdesCentral Harlem, did you attend Our Lady of Lourdes? If so what years? Thanks for the picture Jackie Woods Our Lady of LourdesI attended an Episcopalian school. I contributed that photo because of my joy in Harlem history, not any tie to this school in particular. Last weekend, I found a photograph of this block dating to 1908! All the buildings looked the same except for OLL, which was then an empty lot. Perhaps Team Shorpy can enlighten me -- would it be compliant with copyright law for me to scan and post it? [Is there a copyright notice on it? If it was copyrighted before 1923, the copyright has expired. - Dave] Our Lady of LourdesThank you for your latest information, Central Harlem. Where was your school located? Did you live nearby? I'm 80 years old going on 81 and all I have are my memories (mostly fond). And my memory is outstanding. I was hoping to hear from anyone who attended OLL with me. By the way, the folks on Amsterdam Avenue always envied the folks on Convent Avenue, always a beautiful clean street. (Today we would say "upscale.") Three of my children were born in The Lutheran Hospital of Manhattan on 144th off Convent. I had moved to upper Washington Heights by then but my doctor was still working out of there. Thank you and in friendship, Jackie Woods Our Lady of Lourdes, 1909I had a chance to scan the old photo I found of this block. It dates to 1909, not 1908 as I had first said. Every building seen in this photo remains, though some of the lots on the right-hand side of 143rd street were empty in 1909, including the lot that would house Our Lady of Lourdes three years later. Anticipating the interest of Shorpy's crew of automotive experts, I provide a closeup of that car on Amsterdam Avenue, below. Also, a note to Jackie Woods: we're of different generations. It is good to exchange notes here, but I'm sure we've never met. Our Lady of Lourdes SchoolWhat wonderful memories of days past. I attended OLL from 1943 and graduated in 1951. One of five brothers to do so. You may have known my older brothers, Larry, Dick or Bill. We lived in that apartment building at the end of the street on the OLL side. That was the location of Alexander Hamilton's house, Hamilton Grange. When it was built, it forced the move to its present location behind the church. It will be moved again to the SE corner of Convent and 141st Street. You also mentioned Lutheran Hospital. It wasn't so great for our family. My brother Dick was taken there after being hit by a car. While recovering, he contracted rheumatic fever in the hospital and later died at New York Hospital. We also lived at 310 Convent Avenue because my mother's family, the Healys, lived on 141st Street. If you have any other questions, ask away. I'm still in contact with several classmates and between us, we should be able to answer. "Thanks for the Memories" Bob Phillips OLL graduatesHi, Yes, I do remember a Phillips family. The boys or boy were in a higher grade with one of my brothers. As you can see, I had already left OLL when you started there. I am pleased you have good memories of your early years. Unfortunately, mine are mixed. An incident: a bunch of us, about 12 years old at the time, were fooling around and one of the boys fell out of a tree and broke his arm. We carried him to Lutheran Hospital They wouldn't let us in the front door. Told us to take him to Knickerbocker Hospital near 131st Street, and so we did. Today, I ask why no first aid was administered or an ambulance called. However, I have nothing but good words about the hospital in later years. I was sorry to hear about brother RIP Regards and in friendship, Jackie Woods PS My oldest sister, Ellen, class of 1936 Won scholorship to Holy Child Academy My older brother William (Billy), Class of 1937, won a scholarship to Regis High. MemoriesI graduated from OLL in 1973 and it is so wonderful to see a website with the School and the information that it offers. I too wondered about the Masses in the lower church. The grotto was always so beautiful and special. I have lived in Florida since 1986 and hope to make a trip to NYC just to visit the old school. Thanks again for bringing a smile to my face today. God bless. OLL MemoriesHi. I attended OLL from grades K to 5. I have the most beautiful memories of my childhood there. I loved the nuns. I can't believe how time has gone so fast. If anyone remembers me or remembers Sister Mary Owen or Ms. Valentine or the gym instructor George Izquierdo. I am talking about late 1960's, early 70's. Please contact me. Are the sisters still there? I went to visit Sister Mary Owen a couple of years ago. She wasn't wearing her habit any more. Those were good old days. I was so mischievous, always getting into trouble. Oh my God. I had the best early education there, never will I forget. I love history and I love these pictures that were posted up above, everything looks the same. Thanks! My family still lives up in Washington Heights. Our Lady of Lourdes School and ChurchAnd a HI to you, The good sisters left about ten years ago. You can reach the school online, it has a Web site. The school is no longer under the supervision of the Church. If you look over the rest of this page you will see that I have answered a number of postings that may be of interest to you. "Memories are made of this." In friendship, Jackie Woods OLL AlumniHello OLL'ers Head over to the OLL website www.ourladyoflourdesschool.net There's an alumni page where you can send your information and be put on the mailing list. OLLCould not connect with your e-mail: kbarkley@ourladyoflourdesschool.net Would you please check it. When did you attend OLL? I gave my information previously on bottom of page. Look forward to hearing from you. In friendship, Jackie woods To Jackie WoodsI knew Dennis before the war, and graduated OLL in 1937. My sister Marie graduated in 1936 and received a scholarship to Holy Name. Finding your web site after all these years is a small miracle. I'm sorry to say Marie, such a special person, passed away in 1977. Andrew, a 1943 or 44 graduate, died in 2000. I did not marry till 1985, had a daughter in 86. My wife Alice and I celebrated our daughter Colleen's wedding Nov. 24, 2007. I hope this proves I was not as bad as the sisters believed. They wanted so to see me go that they created the first coed class and skipped me from 6th to 8th grade. Yes we marched on the roof, auditorium, basement and in far away competition. I believe we had a West Point officer, but not certain. I just hope that life was as rewarding to all OLL graduates as I. God bless. John Orlando Wideawake80@verizon.net OLL, late 1950s and early 60sDon't know how I found this website, but so glad that I did. I graduated OLL in June 1961. The nuns are my most vivid memories of the school. The spring and Christmas plays that were held each year. Recess outside during lunchtime. Walking to school each day and spending the few pennies we had to buy candy at the store on Amsterdam Avenue, and the bicycle store there where we rented bikes on Saturday afternoons. Going to confession every Saturday down in the grotto. Checking the Legion of Decency list for movie listings. Learning to sing the Mass in Latin for every Sunday High Mass and, most important, the foundation the nuns gave us for our religion that is still strong to this day. A few years ago, we drove from Jersey up to the old place and convent still looked pretty good. Can someone please explain about not being under the archdiocese any longer. Thanks again. Lutheran HospitalI found this link when looking for the Lutheran Hospital. Very interesting information. I am researching my family history and found out this hospital is where my great grandfather passed away. Thinking that there may be additional information on the records, I searched for the hospital but have not been able to find any recent reference to it. Has the Hospital been closed? Can anybody give me some background information? I will certainly appreciate it, Anne [You might try the Archives search box on the New York Times Web site. Lutheran Hospital of Manhattan, at 343 Convent Avenue, merged with Norwegian Lutheran Deaconess Hospital in 1956 to form Our Saviour's Lutheran Hospital at the Norwegian Hospital facility on 46th Street and Fourth Avenue in Brooklyn. It's now called Lutheran Medical Center. - Dave] Lutheran HospitalHello Anne, Yes, I know Lutheran Hospital. My three oldest boys were born there: 1951: 1952: 1954. My brother-in-law's father died there c. 1937. When I last passed by the neighborhood, three years ago, I saw that the hospital had been converted to an assisted living facility. The neighborhood is looking great - real upscale. The brownstones that one could buy in the 1930s for a song are now selling for well over a million dollars. In the 1930s they were empty, thanks to the banks that foreclosed during the Depression. As kids we ran through them and at one time had a clubhouse inside one. In friendship, Jackie Woods Lutheran HospitalThanks you both, Dave and Jackie, for your responses. I will follow the advice and hope to be able to pass soon by the neighborhood. Anne OLL MemoriesHi Henry, I too remember Sister Mary Owen, my brother David Mora had her and she was really strict. We keep in touch with George Izquierdo and he is doing great. Sister Rosemarie passed away. I try to stay in touch with O.L.L. It was really a happy time in my childhood and the happy memories will always be a part of my life. Maxine Mora Lutheran Hospital of ManhattanLooking for pictures of the Hospital. I was born in 1940 in the facility and would like to see what it looked like in that era--anyone have a picture? Dad Was an AlumnusHello Jackie, I am curious to see if you know my father, Frank Corrigan, who was born in 1926, which would make him 82 this August. I think he was in the Class of 1941. I am also curious to see if you have any contact or info on Alfred Pereira or his sister Clara Pereira Mercado. Any help would be appreciated. Stephen Corrigan Please email me when you get a chance, stephenjcorrigan@aol.com. Frank CorriganYes, I knew Frank Corrigan, Class of 1940, not 1941, he was closer to my brother Dennis than me, I was a year younger. Didn't Frank have a younger very pretty sister? I last saw Frank c. 1968 in the upper Washington Heights area where many of the families from OLL had moved to from the 140th streets. I knew Pancho Pereira (the name Alfred does not ring a bell) and Clara, his younger sister. His little brother JoJo was killed in Korea. Pancho had a birthmark: strands of very white hair in the front of his head of very black hair. They were wonderful good people. Pancho was good friends with Jackie Koster, whose sister Barbara married Burl Ives in Hollywood and lived happily everafter. In friendship, Ed and Jackie Woods eandjwoods50@yahoo.com Vacant Houses in Hamilton HeightsI thought we were the only ones that got into those empty houses. Afternoons we'd go in through a back window to study and do our homework. We didn't break anything, and at our age we always wondered why the houses were vacant. The Depression angle we didn't figure out until later. Tom Calumet and Frank Howe went with me. I understand Frank has died and Tom Calumet left NYC around 1945 to go out west with his parents. I graduated from OLL in 1941, and now live in Hopkins, MN OLL MemoriesI graduated in 1960. There were about 10 of us cousins who graduated between 1955 and 1960. I remember Father Cline, Fr. Malloy, Monsignor Hart, Mother Bonaventure, Mother Dominica and others. Does anyone remember the day the frat boys across the street pushed the dummy out the window during our recess? I can almost taste the corn muffins and egg creams at the soda fountain around the corner on Amsterdam Avenue while "Barbara Ann" played on the jukebox. OLL PhotoI have a great a picture of my Confirmation Day. I'm in full OLL uniform dated c. May 1935. How can I send it to the OLL Shorpy site? Yours truly, Ed Woods [Click the links under "Become a member, contribute photos." - Dave] Frat boys 0, Mother Mary Edward 10I sure do remember that day. Mother Mary Edward marched over and blasted them. Also the candy store around the corner used to sell two-cent pumpkin seeds out of a little red box. Does anyone remember the rumor going around that the Grotto Chapel was haunted? I remember walking home with "Little Star" playing on the transistor radio. The OLL GrottoI remember serving at what was called the Workmen's Mass in the Grotto in the 1930s - 6 o'clock in the morning! I know the Grotto is not used any more (I visited there in December 2007). As to the candy store on the corner of 143rd and Amsterdam, it was a very busy place: candy, pen nibs (no fountain pens), book covers etc. One day the owner came to school and told Sister Casmere, the principal, that we were disorderly and she must tell the students to behave when shopping in his store. Her solution was to tell the entire student body that they were not allowed to shop there. In a day or so, the man was back begging forgiveness and asked to plaese allow the children to return to his store. The kids were his main business. HelloHi Maxine How are you? Thank you for responding to me. It was very nice to hear from you. Sorry to hear about Sister Rosemary, but I don't remember her was she the pricipal of the school. I do remember Mr. Izquierdo he was the gym instructor with another man don't recall his name I believe he became principal of the school later on. Oh! now I remember his name was Mr. White I believe. God trying to recall, it is getting a little difficult now a days but I like it. It brings me back in time. How time have changed it was so innocent back than not like now. Looking back in time, makes me feel like I grew up to fast. How is Mr. Izquierdo doing? How can I contact him? Please let me know. My e-mail address is Je_Ocejo@yahoo.com. I remember he got married back than to a girl name Rocio, I don't know if they are still together but that lady was my father's friend daughter. Who else do you remember. Please get back to me with pictures. I have pictures too. Let me know how can I e-mail them to you. Would you believe that we are talking about almost atleast 35 years ago but I don't forget. God Bless you. Henry OLLBob, Any recollections of my father, Frank Corrigan, Class of 1940? Maybe not yourself but some of your older brothers. Steve Corrigan More OLL MemoriesI graduated in 1937 and was probably a fellow graduate of a brother. I had skipped 7th grade and so did not get to know classmates well. It is possible that the Waters family lived across the alley on the second floor of the building on 142nd Street. We lived on the top floor of the next building on Hamilton Place. In the same building lived Buddy Sweeney and Sal Guizzardi, also a tall blond kid who graduated with me. I believe your mother and my mom, Agnes Orlando, were friends. I believe your mother visited mine in 1952-3 in our new home in Bergenfield, N.J. I remember a sister who must have graduated with me or my sister Marie Orlando in 1936. My brother Andrew graduated 1947. My mother, brother and sister have passed away. I remember Poncho, the Kosta family, the Madigans, Woodses, Rendeans, Glyforces, McCarvils, Walshes, Philipses, Flynns, Duggans, Hooks, Rodriquezes, Craigs, Hugheses, Conways etc. I am sure we had many things in common being OLL graduates at a very special interval of time. I wish you well in your very beautiful state which I have passed through on three occasions. Best wishes and fond memories. John and Alice Orlando OLLLot older than you. Attended OLL from late 1930s to early 40s. Baptized, first Holy Communion and Confirmation (Cardinal Spellman). Lived at 145 and the Drive. Remember principal when I was there, Mother Mary Margaret. First grade teacher was Mother Mary Andrews. Remember playing on roof and being shocked by Mother Mary Andrews jumping rope. Believe there was a Father Dolan around that that time. Only went to through the 3rd grade there and then moved to 75th St and the Blessed Sacrament -- a whole different world, and not as kind or caring. Memories of OldHi Henry. You may not remember me but I also taught gym with George and sometimes Ms. Ortiz. George is with the Department of Education on the East Side. I work for the Bloomberg Administration. Sister Mary Owen has moved to Rye and of course all the nuns are now gone. I left in 1996 but I still miss all of the good times shared during my years there. Memories Are GoodHello, You taught me gym and we also had alot of good times with the High School Club on Friday nights. I have most painful memories of O.L.L the day Msgr. Cahill passed away. I never knew how much a heart could have so much pain and yet go on. My dad died on 4-29-96, Max Mora and I felt the same pain all over again. Do you know where Mother John Fisher has gone ... her name had changed to Sister Maryanne. I would love to hear from you. Maxine Mora Hi HenryMy email address is mmorafredericks@aol.com. I have yours and I am so happy to be in contact with you I graduated in 1973. I went to Cathedral High School. Later moved to Florida. My brothers and sisters are still in NY and I miss so much of it. I look forward to catching up with you. I will write soon. God Bless. Maxine Fellow ClassmateHi Tony, It has been more than 48 years since I last saw you - at our graduation from OLL in 1960. Let me know what you have been up to in the past half century. My e-mail address is kmckenna@clarku.edu. Kevin LTNSMr. White! Not sure if you still come to this site, but on the off chance that you still visit i thought i would write. It's been so long since I've seen or heard from you, not since "Len Fong" closed. For all others that may still come by this site, I graduated in 1983 (possibly 82). Would love to hear from a blast from the past. Please email me at kellyw88@gmail.com John McKennaHi Kevin, Any chance you are related to the McKenna family? John McKenna, Class of 1941 Your name sure rings a bell, however there must be 20 years difference between us. Have a healthy and happy 2009 In friendship, Ed Woods John McKennaHi Ed, I'm afraid that I'm not related to John McKenna. My brothers, Donald and Desmond, graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes in the fifties. I wasn't aware of another McKenna family in the parish when I was at OLL. Happy and healthy 2009 to you as well, Ed. Cheers, Kevin McKenna FamilyThe John McKenna family I knew lived on the northeast corner of Hamilton Place and 141st street. I had other friends and schoolmates in that building. Thinking back, you probably had to be an Irish Catholic to live there. Whatever, I think you had to be an Irish Catholic to attend OLL. I never knew any others at that time, the 1930s. Most fathers worked for the subway and trolley systems or at the milk delivery companies along 125th Street near the river. Those were the days, my friend. Innocence prevailed! In friendship, Ed and Jackie Woods The Mc KennasJim McKenna and his younger brother Tommy lived in that house above Grizzardi's grocery. Tom hung around with Marty the Hanger Phipher and the Warriors. Billy Vahey and his brother Eddie who retired as a Lieutenant in the NYPD lived there also. Their mother was still there in the early 80s. You probably knew the Schadack family, who I believe owned Schrafft's or Donald York. I think the building was 644 West 145 St. It was the first apartment house in the city to have a self-service elevator. When we lived there the neighborhood was known as Washington Heights. For some reason it's now referred to as Hamilton Heights. A couple of great web sites -- Forgotten NY and Bridge and Tunnel Club. You can spend hours & hours on Rockaway Beach alone. Lots of good memories! How about the movie theaters -- the Delmar, the RKO Hamilton, the Dorset, the Loews Rio, the Loews 175 (now the Rev. Ikes Church) and all the theaters along 180th Street? Hamilton HeightsNorm, Many thanks for your fine memories of our old neighborhood but there are a few minor corrections I have to make. The first is the name Shadack family. I believe the correct spelling is Shattuck and his address was 676 Riverside Drive on the corner of 145th Street. We lived there and my brother Bill was classmates with Gene Shattuck. No relation to the Schrafft's empire. Secondly, Hamilton Heights was always known as such. Outsiders didn't know where that was so we usually said Washington Heights for simplicity. Washington Heights doesn't really start until 157th Street and is separated from Hamilton Heights by the Audubon plot. The Old NeighborhoodAlex Hamilton lived nearby. There was a very pleasant young man (OLL Class of 1941) named Eugene Shattuck who lived near 145th Street and Riverside Drive. His father was a professor at Manhattan College and his family owned the Schrafft's Restaurants. I fondly recall Eugene having the wonderful hourglass-shaped bottles of hard Schrafft's candy brought to school and distributing one bottle to each of his classmates at Christmas time. Needless to say, the poor Amsterdam Avenue kids were in awe of one who could afford to do such a good deed. You mention the Warriors, I knew the (Gang) but not any of the names mentioned here on Shorpy. In friendship, Ed and Jackie Woods P.S. My in-laws the Boyd family lived at 676 Riverside Drive. Les Sr. had a radio repair shop on 145th and Broadway. 676 Riverside DriveI lived at 676 as well. The family's name was Shattuck. In my day, many, many years ago, the elevator had an operator. A sweet man in full uniform. There was a doorman as well. Saw the building years later and was appalled at the change. Then went up to OLL and hardly recognized it. It was the best school I ever went to. Thank you for reminding me of the fun. And yes, of the education I got there. By the way, 676 on the Drive was called the Deerfield. OLL StudentsI am researching my family history and I came upon this great site. In 1930 my grandparents Michael and Marie Murphy were living at 1744 Amsterdam Avenue and later in the 1930s at 115 Hamilton Place. All of the Murphy children attended Our Lady of Lourdes School. They were: Maurice (born 1916) Rita (born 1917/ my Mother) John (born 1918) Theresa (born 1920) Vincent (born 1922) Veronica (born 1925) My mom had such fond memories of her time spent there. Rita Harmon Bianchetto Hi Neighbor!!Hi Rita, I'm a former resident of 676 Riverside. My family lived there from 1940 to 1960 in apartment 4A. Bobby Foy lived next door to us. I think you may have left just after we arrived since I remember the elevator operator. The change to automatic was somtime during or just after WWII. I remember they put up this 10 foot wall with a door to limit access to the building. Fat lot of good that did us as my mother was robbed in broad daylight in the service chamber of our apartment in 1960. That's when my Dad had us pack up and leave for a secure location in the Bronx. Anyway, the apartment was great. We had a balcony looking over 145th Street and the river. My brothers were Larry Jr., Bill and Nick. Bill was a good friend to Gene Shattuck and went to Xavier with him. Nick and I also went there. Larry had a scholarship to All Hallows. Judy, can you tell me your last name and if you knew me. Hope to hear from you. Bob Phillips at bobbyphilly@msn.com Your DadSorry Steve, I graduated in 1947 and my three brothers have died. But the name Corrigan does ring a bell. Probably from my brother Larry who knew just about everyone in OLL. Sorry I couldn't help out but it was great hearing from you. Bob Phillips Andrew.Yes, I remember your brother Andrew. We were in the same class and we used to kid him about his name - Andrew Orlando and how tall he was. What's he doing these days? Bob Phillips Those were the days, my friendsHello Rita, I remember the name Murphy but not the faces. We lived a block south of you at 1704 Amsterdam. My sister Ellen, Class of 1936, and brother Bill, Class of 1937, would have known your family. We had many friends on Hamilton Place, the Koster family for one: Anita, Class of 1936, her younger sister Barbara married Burl Ives, and her other sister Mary Lou married Eddie Byrne (1710 Amsterdam). Ed's sister married Chump Greeny -- killed at Anzio Beach. He must have lived near your family. My brother in law Les Boyd lived in the Deerfield and had an electric appliance store on the corner of 145th and B'way and a sporting goods store on the next block next to the Chinese restaurant. In friendship, Ed and Jackie Woods Hello RitaHello Rita, I attended St. Catherine's Academy on 151st between B'way and Amsterdam (It cost my dear old dad $10 a month for what was considered a private school.) I graduated in 1943 in a class of only four girls. I then went to the Sacred Heart of Mary Academy in Inwood (I had to climb the long steps up from B'way every day for four years -- Class of 1947. Most of my relatives went to OLL as did my husband of 59 years, Ed Woods. We are still alive, kicking and fighting and making up every day. In my Class of 1943, one of the girls was Ann Murphy -- any relation? Also a Virginia O'Malley and my best friend, June McAvoy, who keeps in touch with me. June's grandfather was Judge McAvoy, who had died by that time. I loved when my folks took me to McGuire's Bar and Restaurant on B'way and 155th. Oh that Roast Lamb (Irish style) on a Sunday or a holiday. The girls used to go to Nuestra Senora de Esperanza (Our Lady of Hope) next to the museum complex. We were told not to go there for confession, but the Spanish priests were limited in English. Thinking back we had but little to confess at that time. Eddie and I had an apartment on 150th near the Drive for a few years until 1956, then it was off to Long Island to raise our six children. In friendship and love hearing from you, Ed and Jackie Woods The MurphysHi Ed and Jackie, Thanks so very much for your reply. I wish my mom was still with us but she died in 1998, the last of the Murphy kids. My grandfather Mike Murphy worked for the Post Office (a mail carrier working out of the General P.O. at 33rd and 8th). My grandmother Marie Murphy died in 1939 while living at Hamilton Place. Uncle Maurice went to Regis H.S. for several years before leaving to attend All Hallows; John and Vincent then attended All Hallows; my mom, Rita, attended Cathedral; Veronica, I believe, attended St. Vincent, and Theresa died at age 25 in 1944 (not sure of her high school). Mom worked at Woolworth's on 145th Street and Broadway, and after high school at New York Telephone, retiring about 1980. She got married in 1943 and moved to 152nd Street, and we attended St. Catherine of Genoa on W. 153rd. I graduated in 1958. So I know the neighborhood. Peace, Rita Hi Ed and JackieSo Jackie you are a St. Kate's gal like me! My tuition was a dollar a month, so your education was really a private school. You have listed the Academy at 151st Street but I think that it was on 152nd between Broadway and Amsterdam Avenue. I took my high school entrance exam at SHM so I am sort of familiar with the school -- fireworks were going off during our exam. The end result was I did fine and attended Blessed Sacrament on West 70th, Class of 1962. I last saw the "girls" at a reunion in 2002. My Spanish teacher just celebrated her 70th anniversary as a nun with the Sisters of Charity. I am not familiar with any of the girls names that you mentioned,including Ann Murphy. I do know McQuire's, where I had my first Shirley Temple, Mass at Our Lady of Esperanza, Trinity Cemetery & loved visiting the museums. Do either of you recall Eugenio Pacelli, before he became Pope Pius XII visiting at OLL ? Please tell me about your days on 150th Street near the Drive since I may have been the little skinny blond kid you both passed on the street. Peace, Rita in Northern New Jersy West 150th NYCHello Rita, Yes, we lived at 615 W. 150th from 1950 to 1956. Four of my children were born there (three at Lutheran Hospital and one at Jewish Memorial). We had many friends from school and the neighborhood living nearby. However, by 1956 it was time to move on; many changes in the neighborhood. One of my nearby friends was Juanita Poitier; Sidney was just getting started with his acting career. A real nice couple. Was Father Tracy (Pastor) still there when you attended school? How about Father Brady? He was always telling stories during Mass about his sea time with the Navy. Eddie remembers going to the Woolworths lunch counter (145th and B'way) in the early 1940s just to have an excuse to talk with the girls. He knew many of them from school and the neighborhood. In friendship, Jackie West 152ndHi Jackie and Ed, I lived at 620 West 152nd Street, just a stone's throw from you folks. My sister was born at Jewish Memorial Hospital in March 1952 -- Dr. Sandler from Broadway 150/151st St. delivered. Those were the days of Dave's deli on the corner of 151st & Broadway famous for pastrami on rye and a cold beer for the dads, Rafferty's Bar and Grill on the other side of B'way, Harry's or Pierre's homemade candy and ice cream parlor, Cora's beauty salon where my Nana would get a cold wave and blue tint. And not to be forgotten, Snow & Youman's drug store on B'Way and 151st. I recall the name Fr. Brady but it was Pastor Kane and Fr. Tracy (and his Irish Setter, Rusty) that I recall. I just sent a photo of Fr. Tracy to my classmates. Rita Japanese BazaarWho remembers the Japanese-American bazaar in the brownstones across from the OLL lower grades school during the war? They had the blue star & the gold star pennants hanging in the windows. They also had a store on Amsterdam Avenue near 144th Street and when they sold coffee the lines would go all around the block. How about the punchball games out side the school, or stoop ball? Anyone remember playing basketball and using the bottom rung on the fire escape ladder as a basket? The nearest basketball court was at 148th Street by the river. If you wanted to "take out" a ball from the park, you would leave a shirt as a deposit. I remember shoveling snow off the court in order to play. Unfortunately those days were the last time the country was almost 100% together. Twenty years from now, these will be the "good old days." Your brother AndrewI palled around with Andy & another kid named Eddie McGlynn. As a matter of fact I have a picture of Andy, Buddy Ayres & me at Rye Beach. Buddy went to Bishop Dubois with us. He was from Vinegar Hill. You didn't mention the Wittlingers. They lived on the first floor in your building. Brendan lives in Virginia. I'm still in touch with him, Matty Waters and Les Scantleberry. Pancho Pereria made a career of the Navy. He died several years ago. JoeJoe, one of my closest friends, was killed in Korea. Dave's DeliI haven't had a good hot corned beef sandwich since I last had one at Dave's. His son Milton was running the store in the 1950s after Dave retired to Florida. Dave's used to have a window in the summer that sold potato knishes (5 cents, with mustard) and of course kosher hot dogs. I heard a Clement Moore fan club still meets every Christmas Eve next to Trinity Church Cemetery and recites "The Night Before Christmas." I was born in 1928 at 853 Riverside Drive. When 90 Riverside was built in 1941 and blocked the view of the Hudson, we moved there. Warm regards, Jackie and Ed The old neighborhoodThe Wittlingers (the twins were the same age as my two younger brothers, also twins), Matty Waters, Les Scantleberry, JoJo: All those names I remember, especially Pancho and his family. For the life of me, I cannot understand why your name doesn't ring a bell. You mentioned the Warriors. Did you know Tommy or Willie Taylor, the Conroys, Drago, Jackie Hughes, etc. What years did you attend OLL? I looked up some old friends on the Internet over the past few years -- said hello and then goodbye when their families called to give me the news: Vinny McCarville, Bruce Boyd, Phil Marshall, Eddie O'Brien -- all gone to their maker. They were spread out all over the country. It was satisfying, however, just to say hello. I met Vinny in New Orleans and we had a beer for the first time in many years. We had gone to sea together during WWII and had a lot of memories. You must forgive my spelling etc. My eyesight is on its way out (along with everything else). I will be 82 in a few months but active and still traveling. I have been to six of the seven continents and my wish is to have breakfast at the South Pole. In friendship, Ed and Jackie Woods ToppersWas Dave's on B'Way near 140th Street? I sold the Sunday News there for 25 cents during the news strike. It was normally a nickel. We had to go down to the News Building to buy them. Overhead! Who remembers the Sugar Bowl on the corner of 143rd and Broadway? A great hangout for different age groups. How about Toppers Ice Cream parlor on B'Way between 139 & 140th? In the 1940s and early '50s you could go to the Audubon Theater at 168th and B'Way on Sunday for 77 Cents and see three features, 23 cartoons, newsreels and an eight-act stage show with such luminaries as Billy Halop of the Dead End Kids or Lash LaRue or Ferdinand the Bull. Top shelf. They must get at lest a buck fifty for admission today! Tea and Nut StoreHi Norm, My mom (Rita Murphy) mentioned there was an Asian family owned Tea and Nut shop in OLL Parish when she was a child (born 1917). She said her brothers, Maurice and John Murphy, would sometimes play with the owners' son. I am wondering if this could be the same shop. Rita ToppersDave's was on the southwest corner of Broadway and 151st Street, a short trip from my home on 152nd near Riverside Drive. I do recall the Sugar Bowl and maybe was in it once or twice but never hung out there. Topper's is a name I never heard before, as far as ice cream parlors go. Thanks so much for mentioning the name and location. Perhaps before my time (1945 baby) or too far from my home. Many people have mentioned the Audubon Theater to me (165-166th Street) but I have no memory of it at all. I do recall the San Juan Theater that took over the space of the old Audubon. I love hearing about Mom's (Rita Murphy's) old neighborhood. Thanks for sharing. Rita Your Name?No, Dave's Deli was on 151st and Broadway. Yes, Toppers & the Sugar Bowl were popular hangouts, however the Piedmont, the Staghorn and the Chesterfield were more popular later on. I have pictures of the great snowfall of December 27, 1947 taken in front of the above mentioned restaurants with a bunch of the guys posing in the cold. The Audubon Theater became better known when Malcom X was murdered in its ballroom. I saw Milton Berle there in the early 1940s. Actually, the Bluebird and the Washington were also popular as they only cost 10 cents (no heat or air conditioning). Memories, memories, dreams of long ago. Ed and Jackie Woods The OLL ChoirI sang in the OLL choir for about 5 or 6 years and hated it.T he only advantage was that we skipped the last class for practice. The downside was that after attending 9 o'clock Mass we had to sing at the 11 o'clock High Mass, which interfered with our Sunday football game. I played with the Junior Cadets. We had a very good team coached by Joe Romo, who went on to be the trainer for the Oakland A's for many years. I saw him at Yankee Stadium whenever the team played the Yankees at home. Joe died several years ago. Mr. Skyler, the choirmaster, wore a wig that could easily be mistaken for road kill. I used to wonder if he was committing a sin by wearing something on his head in church. After all it was no different then wearing a hat during Mass. Mrs. Daly was a very lovely lady who played the organ and gave piano lessons. She lived down the street from us on 142nd between Broadway and Hamilton Place and had something like 10 kids. My sister Maureen was friends with Theresa and Billie. John was I believe the youngest son. Maureen graduated from Notre Dame de Lourdes on Convent Avenue. My sister Frances was close friends with Helen and Rita Nerney, who lived across the street. Fran died in 2002. ToppersI lived at 635 Riverside Drive. I recall Toppers being near the corner of 141st, next to a Jewish deli. In the summer my dad took my brother Tom and me for ice cream there every evening. Happy memories! Bishop DuboisI graduated 1953 from Bishop Dubois. I believe your brother Ernie was in my class at OLL. I hope he is doing well. Give him my regards. Bill Healy Names from the Old NeighborhoodBrendan & Bernie turned 76 on February 2. Don't ask how I remember things like this. I forgot what I had for breakfast this morning. I'll be 76 August 11, weather permitting. Everyone seems to forget Pinky (Michael) Pereria. You are closer to my late brother Jim's age. Jim hung out with Jimmy and John Bartlett, Donald LaGuardia, Tommy & Willie Taylor (born on the same day a year apart -- Irish twins). Again I don't know why I remember these things. Eddie O'Brien used to go by the name Drawde Neirbo, his name spelled backwards. He was a close friend of Big Jack Hughes. I recall a group of you guys joining the Merchant Marine during the war. The Dragos lived on 141st Street between Hamilton Place and Amsterdam Avenue. The youngest (Joseph?) was in my class. A couple of years ago I went down to the old neighborhood with my sons. Surprisingly, it looks great. Lots of renovations going on. My beautiful wife June is a BIC (Bronx Irish Catholic) from the South Bronx. It's not as great a neighborhood as it used to be, but lots of great people came out of there. I took her away from there, married her 50 plus years ago and got her a decent dental plan and raised five kids in New Jersey. I graduated in 1948. It should have been 1947 but Mother Mary Inez red-shirted me in the 6th grade. Will stay in touch. Norm Brown Norm Brown??Norm, I graduated in 1947 from OLL. I knew a kid (Norman Brown) who lived on 141st between Hamilton and Broadway. I think he had a younger brother. He went to OLL with me, but he did not graduate from OLL. Eddie McGlynn was in my class, and the Wittlingers. I lived at 510 W 140th. Are you that Norman? Bill H. The Summer of '66Hi Jackie and Ed, I never had one of Dave or Milton's corned beef sandwiches but I can say that the pastrami on rye was a thing that dreams are made of. I recall the knishes out the window in the summer and the hot dogs. Thanks so much for taking me back in time. Milton would take the pastrami out of that silver steamer box sharpening his knife, and the rest was heaven on rye. Milton was still behind the counter in the summer of 1966 but after that I can't say. I am sure that "The Night Before Christmas" is still recited next to Clement Moore's grave, in Trinity Cemetery. In my day the Girl Scout Troop that met at the Church of the Intercession would participate in the recitation of the Moore piece. I know that 853 Riverside Drive is on the Upper Drive, since I sat on "The Wall" on summer evenings as a teenager. You said you moved in 1941 to 90 RSD -- did you mean 90 or 890? I am not familiar with the numbering of the "lower" drive where the red house sits (so it was called). I am off in search of a good sandwich. Peace, Rita Stagershorn & ChesterfieldMalcom X was shot in the Audubon Ballroom at the back of the theater, which later became the Teatro San Juan. I saw Abbott and Costello there en Espanol. At 7 years old I was run over by a truck at 142 Street and Broadway, right outside the Staghorn, I managed to live! I would hang from the window outside the Chesterfield, watching football games on TV with Bobby Heller and Herby Gil and Buddy McCarthy. That was a hell of a snowstorm in '47. Remember digging tunnels through the snowbanks? You forgot to mention Larry's, just next to the Sugar Bowl. I would watch "Victory at Sea" there. A couple of years ago I took a walk through the OLL neighborhood and realized that when you are a kid everything you see is at eye level and taken for granted, but as you look up and around from a mature aspect it becomes a whole different world. It is really a beautiful area. 90 Riverside Drive WestHi Rita. I'm positive 853 was on the Lower Drive. When the new building went up next to it around 1941, the address was 90 Riverside Drive West. However, it caused so much confusion with 90 Riverside Drive (downtown) that the address was changed to 159-32 Riverside. The plot originally hosted a small golf course. I also went to the Church of the Intercession with the Girl Scouts. Small world. And the wall -- on a hot summer night, standing room only. Jackie West 140th NYCThe kids I hung around with were in the OLL classes of 1940 and 1941. I had a weekend job in 1941 with Ike's Bike Rental on 141st. He needed someone to identify the kids who rented there (bikes rented for 20 cents an hour -- and that's the truth). We started a Junior Air Raid Wardens group and had a store next to Ike's. Collected paper etc, for the war effort. And you are correct, within three years, when we turned 16, McCarvill, O'Brien, Drago and I joined the merchant marine. Did you know the Kieley family -- lived at 1628 Amsterdam before moving to the lower Bronx: Pauline, Rita, Josephine, Peggy and the two boys Nicky and Jimmy. I loved going to their upstairs apartment for tea, especially when Mrs Kiely made Irish Soda Bread. My wife (then girlfriend) Jackie sponsored Jim Kieley when he became a citizen around 1948. He was from County Waterford, the same as her family. We celebrated our 59th anniversary last week. Regards, Eddie Woods My Brother JimYou probably knew my brother Jim Brown. He too was born in 1928. He died three years ago today. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes, spent a couple of years in the Army and graduated from Fordham University. Jim lived in Wycoff, N.J. He was very successful in business. Amsterdam AvenueThe Denning family (10 kids) lived on Amsterdam Avenue between 141st and 142nd. Hughie had polio and wrote away to FDR for an autograph during the war. As it turned out he was the last person to get one. He was in an iron lung at the time. It was a big deal. Lots of press. One of the boys, Peter Schaefer Denning, was born on the back of a beer truck on the way to the hospital. Hence the name. The Connolly brothers, Eamon and Timmy, lived in the same building. Everyone in the family had red hair. Not unlike Bobby Foy's family. If I recall properly, the father looked like Arthur Godfrey, his mom like Lucille Ball, Bobby like Red Skelton, and they had a red cat plus an Irish setter. It took a lot of guts for a group of 16-year-old kids to join the merchant marine. A belated thanks for your service. My wife makes great Irish soda bread. Is there any other kind? You can give ten women the same ingredients for soda bread and you'll get ten different tasting breads. All great! Especially with a cup of Lynches Irish tea. The season is almost upon us once again. The only Kiely (different spelling) I knew was my NYPD partner Timmy, who was from the South Bronx, Hunts Point. Tim grew up with Colin Powell. Having worked in the South Bronx for 25 years and marrying June Margaret O'Brien, one of six girls from there, I pretty much connect with the people of SOBRO, as the area is now known. Sooner or later everything gets yuppified. How about this web site? Something else! Take care, Norm Mea CulpaHi Jackie, Of course you know 853 RSD is on the Lower Drive but Google Maps does not. "Looks like 800 Block of Upper Drive is even numbers and 800 Block on Lower Drive is odd numbers." I did not locate 159-32 but I did find a 159-34 and 159-00, seems to be the last structure (red brick) on the Lower Drive area that we are speaking of, now a co-op but the year of construction is not listed. I have very fond memories of the folks I spent time with on "our" wall. Peace, Rita Yes, it's Kiely I was in error. For whatever resaon, The Dublin House on 79th off the NE corner of Broadway became a meeting place for many of the kids from the OLL area up until the early 1970s: Eamon Connolly, Tommy Taylor etc. I worked with Tom for a short time before be went on the force and then as a T Man. I have not heard from him in too many years. One of great fellows from the old neighborhood. In friendship, Ed Woods My e-mail: eandjwoods50@Yahoo.com P.S. The Kiely family moved to Crimmons Ave in the Bronx West 159th Street NYCDear Rita, I do enjoy rehashing the old neighborhood and the wonderful memories we can recall. Yes, it is the last buillding on the street and I lived there until 1950, when I married Ed. My uncle George lived there until c. 1981 in a rent controlled apartment, and yes, it did become a co-op. When first opened, the building had four entrances. Later, in the 1980s, it was down to one main entrance on the via-dock for safety reasons. I loved our apartment there, which had a beautiful view of the Hudson and the George Washington Bridge. My friend June, nee McAvoy, lived at 3750 B'way. We were together in school for 12 years at St. Catherine's and Sacred Heart. June lives in Maryland. By the way, my e-mail is eandjwoods50@yahoo.com Jackie Woods The Red HouseDear Jackie & Ed, How lucky you were to have lived in the Red House, especially with the views of the bridge and the river. Growing up I never knew anyone who lived there, so never saw the interior, I'm sure it was lovely. I heard that David Dinkins lived there at some point before he became mayor. Many of my classmates lived in 790 Riverside Drive and I was always so impressed that their apartments had two doors. Our apartment was on the fourth floor of a walkup and across the street from a garage. Funny how I was not really impressed by a doorman but by the two doors. I seem to remember a gas station near your friend June's house...other side of Broadway from the museum, now college. One of my St. Catherine's classmates, last I heard, he was teaching at the college. Was Rexall Drug on the corner of 157th, with the newsstand outside the door, when you lived in the Red House? In my home we seemed to have all of the city newspapers -- morning, afternoon and evening, some selling for 4 cents. To this day I read two papers every day and still long to go out Saturday night to pick up the Sunday paper. Thanks for the email. Peace, Rita Class of 1959I attended O.L.L. from 5th to 8th grade. My 5th grade teacher was Mother Mary Edward, what a wonderful woman, 6th was Mother Mary St. Hugh, 7th Mother Mary Edward and 8th Mother Mary Bernadette. Graduated in 1959. Classes were mxed -- black, white and Latino. Memories are mostly good ones -- Father Kline, Father Malloy, Father Hart. The religious experience most memorable, especially during Lent, novenas on Wednesday afternoon and Stations on Friday after school. Liggets / RexallHello Rita, I loved the lunch/soda counter at Liggetts/Rexalls. for whatever reason, my family used the pharmacy across the street, on the east side of B'way, to have prescriptions filled. The family that owned and operated the newsstand helped us lease our first apartment at 600 W. 157th. Apartments were in short supply in 1950. We lived in the unit formerly rented by the Singer Midgets next to Peaches Browning of Daddy Browning fame. Of course they were long gone when we lived there. My father was very active in the Tioga Democratic Club with the Simonetti family. Do you remember Warner's Cafeteria between 157 & 158th? We visited St. Catherine's Church Christmas week 2007 with our niece who wanted to see where she was baptized in 1953. She is on Mayor Bloomberg's staff. Warm regards, Jackie Woods eandjwoods50@yahoo.com Oh, as the poet said, "To return to yesteryear and our salad days." My brother ErnieBilly, Ernie and I went to Bishop Dubois. Ernie for two years and I for three. We both were bounced in 1951 and transferred to Don Bosco Prep in Ramsey, N.J. We went there on a Schrafft's scholarship. Our mom waited on tables at Schrafft's in order to send us there. In those days it was pretty much a blue collar school. It wasn't that far removed from being a reform school. VERY STRICT. Today it's much more hoity toity. I'm still in close touch with my old classmates, most of whom have been successful in life. Ernie was a great basketball player, the first to score over 50 points in a game in Bergen County (three times), breaking Sherman White's record. White was an All American but messed up his career in the 1950-51 college season. Ernie went to Fordham on an athletic scholarship. Ernie died in 2002. He was a very special guy, extremely generous and giving. We miss him a lot. He lived a couple of blocks away from me as did most of my siblings. Sad to say, the circle grows smaller. 1959 OLL gradsAre you out there, does any one remember or know of any of the following graduates of O.L.L. -- Starr Martin, Carol Long or her sisters, Carlotta and Tony, Josephine Velez, Melvina (Kinky) Boyd, Chicky Aponte. I went of to Cathedral and the others to various Catholic high schools and lost touch. After finding this site, many memories have come back. Would like to know how old friends are doing. 600 W. 157thHi Jackie, You lived around the corner from the post office. I remember going there once to get a money order and losing Mom's gray umbrella. Your building was by the Grinnell, where a friend's father was the superintendent during the 60s. Liggett/Rexall -- we went to Snow & Youman's for drugs but to Rexall for film, flashbulbs and of course the soda fountain. The last time I was there was April 1965, just before my son was born. I do not recall a Warner's Cafeteria but do remember the famous, and oh so good, Imperial Deli, Lambos Flower Shop, Commander Bar & Grill, Full Moon & McGuire's. I visited St. Catherine's about 1994 and it was like being in a time warp, except for the piano near the altar. The church was just as I remembered when I got married in 1964, only smaller. The school is now public. I am in touch with some of my friends from the Class of 1958. It was nice that your niece was able to visit the church where she was baptized. I never heard of the Tioga Democratic Club or the Simonetti family (the only Simonettis I know are the family whose niece and son are engaged). Jackie, was the pharmacy on the east side of B'way United or perhaps that was a sign for United Cigar? So nice this walk down memory lane. Best to your Eddie. Peace, Rita Memories: dreams of long agoHi Rita, My close friend June's, nee McAvoy, family lived in the Grinnell for many years. Her grandfather was Judge McAvoy. Eddie claims to have an exceptionally good memory but he says he needs to yield to you. You do have a most wonderful recall. However, he is more familiar with the OLL school and church neighborhood. My brother-in-law (much older than Eddie and me) was in the vending machine business: Ace Distributing -- jukeboxes, cigarette machines etc. Eddie worked for him for a few years when we first married and the company had locations in almost every store in the neighborhood (including the Commander). That is a dead business today. How about Pigeon Park? You couldn't sit there. Warm regards, Jackie Woods GrinnellHi Jackie, Do you recall a Doctor James Farley living in the Grinnell? Doctor Farley must have taken care of half of Washington Heights over a period of many years (had an office on 178 St. between Broadway and Ft. Washington Ave.). Ah, Pigeon Park...I remember it well and always tried to circumvent it! All the best. Rita I remember it wellHi Rita, Our family physician was Dr. VanWorth, as an adult I visited Dr. Liebling, who had an office c. 156th. He later moved down to 72nd Street. A wonderful caring man (who made house calls). My son Ed Jr. was 58 years old this week, I have a picture of him when he was 1 sitting on a pony taken on the corner of 155th and B'way. John Orlando's brother married a St Catherine's girl. I don't know her age. Ain't we got fun? Jackie Woods Current resident of the neighborhood (Grinnell)I'd like to invite you to visit www.audubonparkny.com, which is a virtual walking tour of the neighorhood you're discussing. You can "take the walking tour" online or go to the Sitemap/ Index of Images to read about specific buildings and see pictures from many eras. I'm happy to post any pictures (and credit the owners) of the neighborhood that you'd like to share - focusing on the Audubon Park area (155th to 158th, Broadway to the river). www.audubonparkny.com Walking TourThanks so very much for posting the site for the Audubon Park area...I had a delightful walking tour. Down Memory Lane at OLLWhat happened, did we all run out of memories? Who remembers the stickball field comprised of Hamilton Place from 140 to 141st Street. A ball hit over the small roof on 141st was a double and over the roof at 95 Hamilton Place was a homer. After the war the street was so crowded with cars that the games were moved to Convent Avenue in front of CCNY. There was some heavy money bet on these games. Walking TourThanks, Rita, I'm glad you enjoyed the walk! Please come back and visit the site again. I post a Newsletter on the homepage (www.AudubonParkNY.com ) each month highlighting new pages, information, and research, as well as updates on the Historic District project. Matthew The Prairie StateDoes anyone have memories of the Prairie State? It was a WWI battleship moored in the Hudson River at about 135 Street and I believe used for Naval Reserve training. As kids we snuck on board and played basketball on it. The deck (court) had a bow on it which is partially responsible for the replacement parts in my ankle today. How about the "Dust Bowl" at 148 Street next to the river where we played football and baseball? Today it's state of the art, at least compared to what we played on. Now there is grass on the field. Progress! Under the Via DockFar from being a battleship, the Prairie State (also called the Illinois) was an old transport. However, as youngsters we would have been impressed by its size. Pancho and another neighborhood boy whose name I can't recall trained there before being sent to England as frogmen in preparation for the D-Day landing. It was decided that those boys with big chests (big lungs) could do the job best. I can recall Pancho telling me after the war that he had only a few days of Boot Camp. Sports -- we used the oval near City College. Stick ball -- 144th between Amsterdam and B'way. A ball hit to any roof was an out, never a homer. Spaldines was Spaldings were costly in the 1930s. One had to learn to hit as far up the street as possible, over the sewers. That is why the good hitters (one strike only) were called three-sewer hitters. The Prairie State was docked under the Via Dock c. 130th St. Like you, we visited it often. Nearby were the meatpacking/butcher plants. During the 1930s there were two "Hoovervilles" (hobo camps) under the dock. The overhead gave the men some some protection from the elements. I had an uncle who took me fishing off the piers. I felt sorry for the "lost souls." Then one day they were all gone. Hosed away! I used to wonder where they went. In friendship Ed Woods eandjwoods50@yahoo.com PanchoAs you recall, Pancho was short, about 5'8" and maybe 200 lbs. and a very good athlete -- basketball, baseball and could hold his own on a basketball court. I remember speaking to him about the UDT (Underwater Demolition Teams,the precursor to the Navy Seals) and asking him if they were relegated to swimming all the time. He told me they spent most of the time running, running, running to build endurance. As I remember, the Oval was near Convent Avenue. We never used the term two sewers in stickball. That was a Bronx expression. We bought our pink "Spaldeens" at Rutenbergs candy store on Amsterdam Avenue between 140 and 141 Streets for a nickel. He also sold kids twofers, two for a penny loosies, and Bugle Tobacco so you could roll your own or purchase a corncob pipe to puff away. Loosies were two cigarettes for a penny. I understand due to the cost of smokes they are doing that again. We played "swift pitching" in the park at Hamilton Place between 140 and 141 streets. It was comprised of drawing a box (a strike zone) on the the handball court wall and throwing balls and strikes as hard as you could. I'm a little younger then you but I remember the Swift Meat Plant down by the river and the time John Garfield filmed a scene from a movie, Force of Evil, running down the steps toward the river. Somehow he ended up at the red lighthouse under the GW Bridge and discovered his brother's body, played by Thomas Gomez, in the river. As kids during the war we would fish and crag off the docks right near the old Two Six Precinct. I'll never forget the time my younger brother came home with a catfish and an eel and damn near burned the house down trying to cook them. Boy, life was a lot simpler then. Even with a world war raging. Amsterdam AveRutenbergs, address 1628 Amsterdam, I lived in the upstairs bldg for five years. The Rutenbergs lived in an apt in the back of their store. Tommy Smith worked their paper route for many years. Tommy lived in 1626 next to McCarvill. The Conroys (Johnny the Bull) lived in 1630. Eddie O'Brien lived in 1634 over the Rothschild Deli where we could buy Old Dutch beer for 14 cents a quart plus a 5 cent deposit. "It's for my father." The playground around the corner was busy at night after it closed for the day. My recall of loosies is six for five cents in a small paper bag with six wooden matches. You refer to the station house as the "Two Six Precinct." Something tells me you were "on the job." A good family friend, Frank Lynch, became the Captain at 152nd and Amsterdam (The Three Two)? Your e-mail? In friendship, Ed Woods Three Oh PrecinctYes I worked in the South Bronx for 25 years which included 10 years at the Yankee Stadium,ten of the best years of my life. A ring side seat at the world. We played many games there-- Shae, West Point, etc. -- and traveled to Venezuela with the New York Press team. I worked out with players on the DL. Thurman Munson was a good friend as was Catfish Hunter. Lou Pinella and Graig Nettles. We guarded Pope Paul and Pope John Paul II. John Paul II gave off an aura that was indescribable. I was very close to him on three occasions and he made you weak in the knees and start to shake. Believe me it wasn't his celebrity status. Some of the people I knew were Cary Grant who used to look for me when he came to many games. Someday I'll tell you how he saved my marriage. A funny story! Jimmy Cagney came to a few games. Boy was that sad to see Rocky Sullivan, every Irish American kid's hero, all crippled up with arthritis. I finished up in the Bronx Detective Task Force and never looked back. It was a great career if you rolled with the punches. The six for five must have been filter tips.I forgot about the wooden matches. Do you remember the Hooten Bars they sold? One by two inch chocolate candy stuck on wax paper. Nobody seems to remember them. Rutenberg had the greatest malteds. They kept the milk frozen. God! Were they good! The Three Oh Precinct was at 152 Street & Amsterdam Avenue across from St. Catherines Grammar School where I went to kindergarten for a day. Later it became Bishop Dubois H.S., which I attended for three years before getting bounced along with my younger brother. There was a kid by the name of Neally Riorden who may have lived in your building and a kid by the name of Brian Neeson Hannon who died around 1945. I remember going to his wake on Vinegar Hill. Next we should take a trip down Vinegar Hill. My e mail is fuzz408@optonline.net God bless & HAPPY EASTER Rutenberg'sRutenberg's had the greatest milkshakes mainly because they kept the milk semi frozen. They also had Hooten bars, sheets of one by two inch chocolate that sold for a penny each. I've never met anyone from a different neighborhood who heard of them. Yes, I was on the job for 25 years in the South Bronx. Check your personal e mail. The Three Oh was at 152 Street and Amsterdam Avenue. It's now a landmark. The new precinct is on 151st Street of Amsterdam. How about Wings Cigarettes with the photos of WW II planes? The Shamrock Bar was on the corner of 140th Street and Amsterdam. On weekends guys would pick up containers of beer and carry them over to Convent Avenue for refreshments during the stickball games. Take care, Norm PanchoLooking for any info on Pancho Periera. He is my godfather and was best friends with my dad, Frank Corrigan. OLLumnaI went graduated from OLL in 1950. I came across this great site and I am wondering if anyone graduated the same year. I have been trying to get in contact with my fellow classmates and this looked like a great opportunity! The Old ShamrockI visted the 140th Street area a few years ago and took a few pictures. The Shamrock is gone with the wind -- history. I showed a picture of the building (1626 Amsterdam) to Vinnie McCarvill, who had lived there, when I met him for a beer in New Orleans a few years ago, and he almost wept. Some great memories of our Salad Days came to mind. "Oh the nights at the playground on Hamilton Place." It's the place where we came of age. In friendship, Eddie and Jackie ParishesOne thing folks from New Orleans and New York City have in common is that you identified your neighborhood by the parish in which you lived. Agnes GerrityMy mother, Agnes Gerrity, born 1916, and her brothers Thomas and Richard (born c. 1914 and 1920) attended Our Lady of Lourdes until high school. All three have passed away but I'd love to hear if anyone happens to remember them. Like your mother, my mom loved that school and spoke of it often. Anne Collins OLL Confirmation Day 1935I thought former students would enjoy seeing the uniform we wore in Our Lady of Lourdes School Primary Dept (1st to 4th Grade) during the 1930s. KnickersIt was humiliating having to wear knickers. Remember pulling them down to your ankles and thinking "maybe people will think they are pegged pants"? Boy did we ever fool the public! And how about the high starched collars -- I don't think they could have even gotten Freddie Barthomew to wear them. Didn't we replace them with waterboarding? However Ed, they look great on you. Do you still wear them? Old OLL picsDoes any one have some old OLL class photos or just some neighborhood pictures to post here in the comments? I'm sure a lot of Shorpy addicts would appreciate them. OLLi go to school at lourdes now im in the 8th grade and i think its really cool to see people talk about the memories they had about my school before i was even born and i would love to see some kind of picture of the inside of the school like a class picture so i can see what it used to look like [Just wait'll you get to Capitalization and Punctuation. - Dave] Class of 1964I too went to OLL from '57-'64. My parents and I moved to 3495 Broadway at 143rd St. in 1956. I started in the 4th grade with Mother Mary William. The school in those days was no longer a military academy. We wore navy blue uniforms, white shirts and the school tie and the girls wore navy blue jumpers with a white blouse and blue tie. It was very interesting reading about all the students who came before me and where they lived. I always was so curious to find out how this old neighborhood looked like years before we moved in. As you all know, the area changed at some point racially, although when I was at OLL the school was still predominantly white with a handful of Black children. I will always have wonderful memories of my time at OLL. My parents moved out of the area in 1969 and I since been back once to recapture some old memories of my childhood. NostalgiaThe picture that follows is the 1937 graduation class with the girls omitted. Monsignor McMahon built church and school(1901-1913); after 15 years as Curator at St Patrick's Cathedral, constructed 7 years earlier. See church of Our Lady of Lourdes for construction details. At the time of graduation, Fr's Mahoney, Dillon and Brennan resided across from the Church. The Poor Clares home was to right of the church, and secondary had Society of the Holy Name Jesus sisters. School and Church gave us faith and hope and discipline. Our world was the depression years followed by the wars. Our class of 1937 was just in time. The handsome lad below the sergeant stripes is the brother of contributor Ed Woods.Ed,and brothers Bill and Dennis served with distinction. Andy Saraga bottom right was a highly decorated Marines The others served as well. I hope Our Lady of Lourdes provides the inspiration our families sought for us. Nostalgia 1937The 1937 graduation photo is great. It's with both sadness and pride to think that most of these wonderful kids would be defending our country in a very short time in different uniforms.Believe it or not this military training was useful. How about more pictures like this and some candid neighborhood shots. OLL in the NYThttp://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/16/nyregion/16priest.htm So interesting: A more recent residentJust want to say that I've read every entry on this post. It is so interesting to read the memories shared by those that lived way before you in the same neighborhood. My mother and I live on 135th Street near Riverside between 66th and 77th, then moved to 138th between Hamilton and Amsterdam. I went to PS 161 and graduated from CCNY. I also have fond memories of my childhood. I used to play basketball in an after school center at Our Lady of Lourdes as a young kid, visited the area a couple of years ago and brought back great pics. Cheers to all Mauricio The Grinnell: Celebrating Its Centennial Those of you who remember The Grinnell (800 Riverside Drive) may be interested to know that the residents have just begun celebrating the building's centennial. We're having a year of events,so this is a great year to visit! Check the website: http://www.thegrinnellat100.com/ for photos, historical news articles, and residents' memories (and contribute your own). Click the calendar tab for a listing of the events between now and July 2011. Matthew Why Grinnel!The hundredth anniversary of a building? Forgotten is the fact that it's also the anniversary of the site building, and all the memories fast fading. I think Ed Woods of all the graduates, always hit the mark. Several others struggled to add something. If someone remembers the names of the sisters and preferably anecdotes please don't deny this information from this site. I personally remember sister Rose from 4th grade 1934. I believe Mother Michael provided my brother Andy's Confirmation name. Others with better memories speak up. Also it wasn't only our generation that owes recognition for all given freely. Christmas at Our Lady of LourdesAt Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve, the statues in the creche would be replaced by live students. The scene would be repeated the following day at the 9 o'clock Children's Mass and the 11 o'clock High Mass. A live baby would be borrowed to lie in the manger. The girl who posed as the Blessed Mother and the boy who posed as Joseph were the envy of the entire student body. "Oh to return to yesteryear." Happy New YearThank you SHORPY for bringing back to us so many wonderful memories. It has been said pictures are worth a thousand words. Shorpy's pictures, however, are worth so much more -- just can't put a number on them. Thank you and a Happy New Year to the Shorpy Staff. Ed and Jackie Woods [And thank you, Ed and Jackie, for inspiring the hundreds of interesting comments in this thread. - Dave] The OLL neighborhoodIt's nice reading and re-reading your stories about OLL, Hamiliton Place,and seeing the names listed. Many years ago, in my past, I visited the old neighborhood only to find it somewhat depressing, old and in poor shape. One time in particular I had parked my new "rental car" near West 144th street, and was showing my young children some of the places I lived on Amsterdam Ave, Hamilton Place ( 95 and 115 buildings) when two older African Americans came up to us, and said you'd be better not park here." It wasn't said as a threat, but more it's unsafe here, now that the area has changed. I had told them that I used to live here many years ago. I am glad to hear from Norm, that the area has rebounded, and in looking at the prices of the real estate I wish we had stayed here. Keep up the good work. Matt Waters mattminn@aol.com Hi Anon Tipster 1959. I used to date Carlotta Long & visited her lovely home many times. 147 off Convent as I recall. I often wonder in my old age (69) whatever happened to her & how her life turned out. I did graduate from Dubois in 1960, so I'm very familiar w/the sights & places referenced here. So glad I found this site. Tis That Time of YearThank you SHORPY for another year of nostalgic pictures and comments. Brought to us in Black and White and Living Color. Such fond memories of long ago, especially the itchy bathing suits. In the 1920s and up to the early 1940s, when on or near the beach and boardwalk, boys had to wear the coarse wooolen suits with the tops on at all times. Merry Christmas and a Happy and Healthy New York to Dave and staff. Ed and Jackie Woods Our Yearly PlaysI graduated in 1960 after 8 memorable years. I remember our yearly plays in the auditorium and all the hard work and practice we put into it. Father Hart was our pastor and I remember our farewell speech to him. My best friend was Lydia Marin and I remember Maria Santory, Joyce Brown, Maria Matos, Alma Mora, Maureen Quirk. If any of you from this class are around, give a shout. Jackie Erick Class of 1964Class of 1964 where are you guys? Write something here you remember. Do you remember me? OLL Class of 1957Here's the names of the boys' teachers from 1949 to 1957. I think I have then all correct. Grade 1, 1949-1950: Mother Mary Theodosia Grade 2, 1950-1951: Sister Mary Macrina Grade 3, 1951-1952: Mother Mary Eulalia Grade 4, 1952-1953: Mother Mary Declan Grade 5, 1953-1954: Mother Mary Edwards Grade 6, 1954-1955: Mother Maria Del Amor Grade 7, 1955-1956: Mother Mary Euphrates Grade 8, 1956-1957: Mother Mary Rosario Eighteen nuns lived in the convent adjacent to the church on 142nd Street: eight boys' teachers, eight girls' teachers, the school principal, known as the Reverend Mother, and the housekeeper. Six priests and the pastor lived in the rectory on the south side of 142nd Street. OLL was also known as Old Ladies' Laundry. I've written down the names of almost all the boys who, at one point or another, were part of the class of 1957. Only 27 graduated in 1957. Many were expelled in 1956 as part of a crackdown on gang membership. Mother Mary Rosario was brought in to preside over a difficult situation, but after the expulsions her job turned out to be not that complicated. I'll post the list of names another time. Our Lady of Lourdes Alumni ReunionHello out there. I am a current parent at Our Lady of Lourdes. As we enter a new decade, OLL would would like to start planning a few reunions. I am looking for some potential organizers to help us reach out and plan events in the new year. Please reach out if you are interested in planning or connect dots. There are many new happenings at the school. We will be launching a new website by the end of the month with an alumni portion. Thank you! Vanessa vdecarbo@ollnyc.org Class of 1971Hi! I graduated in 1971 and our teacher was Sister Patricia. I remember Marlene Taylor, Karen, Miriam, Dina, Elsie, Maria and Robin, Carla, Margaret and Giselle. Our class was an all girl class. I also remember Sister Rebecca, Sister Theresa, Sister Rosemarie (our history teacher). I continued to Cathedral High School but I miss all my dear classmates. Is there anyone out there who enters this site? My email is n.krelios@yahoo.com I would love to hear from someone. Marlene Taylor became a doctor (wonderful!!!). Shorpy Hall of FameIf there were a Shorpy Hall of Fame, this photo would definitely have to be in the inaugural class. I've enjoyed going through the many comments for this photo going back to 2007 even though I have absolutely no connection to the school other than being Catholic. What is equally as awesome is that a look at the location today via Google Maps indicates that, other than a few trees, fire hydrants, automobiles and removal of the statue, everything is basically the same today. Double DutchKllroy is correct about not much having changed, but it looks like even the foreground fire hydrant is in the same place (but a newer model). It looks like the circa 1914 photographer was set-up on the northeast corner of Amsterdam Avenue and 143rd Street. The Google Maps photo was taken travelling northbound on Amsterdam Avenue. So basically both photos are shot from almost the same location; it is interesting how the vintage image makes 143rd Street appear much shorter than in the Google image. I guess it's the result of different formats and lenses. By the way, the buildings at the far end of the T-intersection, on Convent Avenue (mostly blocked by the trees in the Google image), reflect NYC's Dutch heritage [ETA:] as does "Amsterdam" Avenue. (The Gallery, Education, Schools, G.G. Bain, Kids, NYC)
Sleepy Sailors: 1899
... Dave] The Iron Sheik The guy with the pipe looks like a young Iron Sheik !! Liberty call? No, thanks. These ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/07/2024 - 4:23pm -

Aboard the U.S.S. Massachusetts circa 1899. "Ready to turn in." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Edward H. Hart for the Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Rust in PeaceAfter being used for target practice, now she's a habitat for marine life. Located near Pensacola in the Gulf of Mexico. https://www.nps.gov/articles/ussmassachusetts.htm MassashoelessLet's see ... one, two, three, four, five, six ... yep. The AI continues to improve, but it still can't quite get the extremities correct. [Five, actually. - Dave] The Iron SheikThe guy with the pipe looks like a young Iron Sheik !! Liberty call? No, thanks.These boys are all in. Seventy plus years later, I never worked this hard in the Navy. Never! Terrible U.S.S. MassachusettsThis as one of the first "modern" battleships commissioned by the U.S. Navy. Top heavy and unstable, it was barely seaworthy. When the main guns were fired, the ship would come close to capsizing. The Navy chalked it up as a learning experience and soon learned to design much better vessels. These sailors were just very fortunate they never had to fight a battle in this ship. The Smoking Lamp Is LitBut it's soon time for taps, taps, lights out, silence about the decks. Do the bosun's mates hit the rack in the fo'c'sle? Who knows ... Forgive me for mentioningBut good lord man! Those sailors look like bums. Different times, different NavyI too was struck by the somewhat rough appearance of these fine specimens of patriotic American young men. But it is worth noting that this was 1899. Potable water had to be stored on the ship in huge tanks and restocked whenever the ship pulled into port. This would have been part of the routine of refueling (loading and storing coal in the ship's bunkers) and reprovisioning (food water etc.). Because water was needed for drinking and cooking, it was not normal for enlisted men to have many opportunities for bathing at sea. If the weather was congenial, saltwater hoses might be rigged on the weather decks and the crew might be allowed to strip and take a communal shower. But in general, the past was dark, dangerous and stinky. Even on the crack Atlantic liners, first-class passengers had to make an appointment with the bath steward to take a bath at sea. The second-class and steerage passengers generally had to make do with basic washroom facilities. Private bath and water closet facilities were more or less unknown for even wealthy passengers in this era. As late as 1912 on the Titanic; most of the first-class passengers still had to hoof it down the hall in their bathrobes and slippers when nature called in the middle of the night. And of course, this is not an ocean liner. It's a warship with little in the form of creature comforts. And lastly, in those days, men, especially those from the working class, were not typically accustomed to what we might call regular bathing. For some of these men, a regular bath might have meant "the first of the month whether I need it or not." It would not be until well into the 20th century that freshwater evaporators and condensers became standard on ships at sea. By the Second World War, times, social attitudes and very importantly, marine engineering had evolved dramatically. With the exception of smaller craft and submarines, most ships had a primitive form of evaporator which allowed for the production of a limited amount of potable water at sea. Men might not have been able to shower every day, but they were able to bath with some regularity. Even as late as the 1980s when I first joined, we were regularly lectured about the evils of taking a "Hollywood shower" while at sea. Thirty seconds of water to get wet. Water off while you soap up. And then no more than another minute or so of running water to rinse off. By time I retired from the Navy, things had improved to a point that I would almost call the heads a luxury spa compared to what those poor sods in 1899 had to live with. UrgThe smell must have been unimaginable. Notice to MarrinersFrom tomorrow rations of wax will be strictly controlled as it has come to the attention of officers that mustaches are being over-waxed. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, E.H. Hart)
Let Us Continue: 1964
... that convention hall, which houses the world's largest pipe organ. I wonder if it was played much at that convention. FWIW, there's a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/14/2024 - 12:55pm -

August 24, 1964. Atlantic City, New Jersey. "View of delegates and stage with large pictures of John F. Kennedy, Harry Truman, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Lyndon B. Johnson with the slogan 'Let Us Continue,' at the 1964 Democratic National Convention." 35mm acetate negative by Warren K. Leffler for U.S. News & World Report. View full size. Convention Hall organI love viewing and reading history about that convention hall, which houses the world's largest pipe organ. I wonder if it was played much at that convention. FWIW, there's a great Facebook page which is documenting the continuing progress on the restoration of that instrument, and a lot of details and aspects of the hall are discussed, too. Reminds me of MomMy mother was a delegate at that convention. She is on the right of this photo taken at the convention. She and the other woman served President and Mrs. Johnson tea. I never did ask her why, but I'm thinking LBJ probably wanted something a little stronger. Always The Network With the Best Graphics52 years later and CBS News is still using virtually the same logo seen at this convention on its website in 2016. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, Politics, Public Figures, TV)
The Newsroom: 1942
... telephones, eye shades, rubber stamps, oak office chairs, pipe smokers.. all of an era. Can anybody identify the round white things ... it all in, a newsroom entirely staffed by men, plus the pipe smoking, the anti-Japanese propaganda poster, etc. It really is true that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/17/2023 - 11:09am -

September 3, 1942. "New York, New York. Newsroom of the New York Times newspaper. Right foreground, city editor. Two assistants, left foreground. City copy desk in middle ground, with foreign desk, to right; telegraph desk to left. Makeup desk in center back with spiral staircase leading to composing room. Copy readers go up there to check proofs." Medium format acetate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. The Front Page's Back RoomNot very glamourous, is it?? Even by the standards of the day, I would have expected something more impressive for the Paper of Record. But perhaps our expectations are tainted by modern conditions: whereas today the 'Times' may be NYC's only broadsheet, in 1942 there were a multitude - Journal-American, World-Telegram, the Sun -- some of which eclipsed the Times in circulation; but the real competitor for the quality reader was the Herald-Tribune. I've heard it posited that WWII is what earned the Times the final victory lap: it used its war-ration reduced pages to emphasize news, whereas the HT gave the edge to advertising. I don't know how true this is, but it's a great story. Safe pre-OSHA WorkplaceLooks like way back then they didn't need an agency of the Federal Government to codify or remind them of the dangers of falling light globes (I didn't even know that was a thing.) Their safety conciousness even extended to the film used to record their workplace for posterity. Which begs the question, what happened to the guy at front left. Paper cut? Malingerer? Bar fight? Phones?I only see three telephones in that whole office! How can they get any work done? I'm sure that everyone they would've needed to speak with was within shouting distance. Amazing how efficient things were back then! No cubicle walls either. Makeup desk???What, are they planning early for TV? What a classic case of industrial chic, even with wire cages on the lamps! Front Page Headlines September 4, 1942 New York TimesUS FIGHTS NEW LANDINGS IN SOLOMONS; SINKS CRUISER, 4 OTHER SHIPS IN PACIFIC; NAZIS ADVANCE NORTH OF STALINGRAD Marines Meet Foe Franco Shakes Up Cabinet, Ousts Suner and 2 Others Allied Blows Force Rommel to Withdraw at Some Points President Warns Youth to Choose Death or Freedom Submarines Sink 5 Japanese Ships Astor Real Estate Policy Shifted to Meet New Order British Bombers Sear Karlsruhe; Sinclair Urges Sabotage in Reich OPA to License All Meat Packers and Wholesalers in Control Move The Copy Boywould take a writer's finished typing when the writer held it aloft saying a bit more than audibly, "BOY!" In later times this was changed to "KID!" Got that from a WSJ veteran. Why the cages around the lights?What do they need protection from? SPIKE THAT STORY! NOT my hand!Copyboy! Get me OSHA! And having worked in such dangerous places in the 1960s ... Light cagesWhy are there cages around the ceiling lights? All I could think of was that the composing room upstairs creates enough vibrations to occasionally knock a light fixture off its ceiling mount, and the cages protect those below. Typewriters?Interesting. When I worked in a newsroom in the 70s it wasn't much different from this except everyone had a typewriter. I wonder why there's not a single one visible in this photo. [You don’t need a typewriter to edit. Just a grease pencil. - Dave] Not many visorsThis most be towards the end of the era for visors. Green eyeshades or dealer's visors are a type of visor that were worn most often from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century by accountants, telegraphers, copy editors, and others engaged in vision-intensive, detail-oriented occupations to lessen eye strain due to early incandescent lights and candles, which tended to be harsh (the classic banker's lamp had a green shade for similar reasons). Wire mesh around the lights??What is that for. Oh, and that caricature, so not politically correct today. Memo SpikeThat Assistant put his hand through the CE’s memo spike again. Or maybe the editor is a very, very stern taskmaster. Back in the day..Bill spikes, stick telephones, eye shades, rubber stamps, oak office chairs, pipe smokers.. all of an era. Can anybody identify the round white things with the little handle sticking up? [Gluepots. - Dave] And the cages on the light fixtures — did things get rough in that room from time to time??? Times of ...Natural human data processing power. Light Globe Cages?Not sure what the well thought out and professionally made wire cloth covers on the lights are all about. I guess it has something to do with being at war??? Grandpa, tell me 'bout the good old daysKind of depressing once you take it all in, a newsroom entirely staffed by men, plus the pipe smoking, the anti-Japanese propaganda poster, etc. It really is true that "The past is a different country. They do things differently there." So many wonderful things to see from the old timesThe guy smoking a pipe, The candlestick telephones too. The wire cages on the light fixtures are also strange. Overkill, I would say. But it's a delightful photo of the past. Shorpy logoIn an early comment below (“Safe pre-OSHA Workplace”), M2 writes, “Their safety consciousness even extended to the film used to record their workplace for posterity.” So I scrutinized the right edge of the photo, my head tilted down and to the right, to read: “EASTMAN—SAFETY—KODAK 101 SHORPY.” Very clever! SaunaThese men don't need to go to a steam bath - it looks like their work place is already very hot and humid. Each of those caged ceiling lights is probably putting out 200 watts of heat, plus all the body heat of the men. Their shirts look very moist. The large metal ducts on the ceiling might only be for exhausting smoke and heat from the room rather than forced air conditioning. I would love the see a photo of the cord switchboard with operators connecting the candlestick telephones. Not a coffee cup in sightCoffee rationing in effect already? SwelteringThe high temperature in New York that day was 93 degrees -- no wonder they all look so sweaty. Depressing? Why so Karen?Perhaps a history book is not in your future, or you'll be very very depressed. In other words. Lighten up. Sweet Smell of the City DeskInhale deeply and let’s go back in time and take an olfactory tour of the newsroom. The first thing that hits you as you enter the room would be the tobacco smoke. I count at least three pipes and a cigarette, but no ashtrays. In a closed room the smoke and ash odor would be the first thing you notice. Weather archives report that the temperature reached 93 degrees F. in New York City on September 3, 1942 – near record heat. The next thing you’d notice would be man-sweat and hair tonic. Vitalis and Brylcreem and Murray’s Pomade each had a distinctive aroma and the miasma rising from those guys must have been remarkable. Add to the vaporous atmosphere the smell of printer’s ink, gluepots, rubber-gum erasers, pencil shavings, leather satchels, and freshly developed photographs. Even though the clock says 9:20 AM perhaps you'd catch a whiff of flask-borne whiskey and, judging be the unshaven assistant city editor in the foreground, maybe the scent of monkey blood from his wound dressing. I’ll bet the gent in the eyeshade has a Limburger cheese and onion sandwich in a paper bag. You can exhale now. Goober Pea Where's Hildy?This makes me want to watch "His Girl Friday". Right off The Front PageThe movies from the 1930s led me to expect many more typewriters and whiskey bottles. Also, a sassy gal Friday. Walk in their shoes"Nothing is more unfair than to judge the men of the past by the ideas of the present. Whatever may be said of morality, political wisdom is certainly ambulatory". - Denys Arthur Winstanley I'm with Al Bear I always love these photos of how things used to be in newsrooms, offices, labs, etc. and I'm especially intrigued by wartime home front photos. It's really easy for some to hold the past up to today's politically correct standards, but perhaps one of two of these newsmen lost a son or maybe even a daughter at Pearl Harbor or Midway. Maybe they have a son who recently landed at Guadalcanal. And perhaps there are women who are working in this environment but just happen to be out of the photo at the time. You don't know for sure, so don't judge. And Now, The WeatherNOAA weather for Manhattan shows a high of 93 on 9/3/42. Might explain the matted hair, glistening foreheads and less than crisp work shirts. The Hot SeatNew York in September, no A/C, everybody packed in like sardines ... no wonder everybody looks sweaty! I too pictured a lot more typewriters. 9:20 am ... or pm?The previous shot of the wire service machines shows that it's pretty clearly dark outside (the left-hand window is open without whatever-it-is that's in the right hand window opening). It seems to me that this is more likely the evening of September 3rd, 1942 rather than the morning. [The Times is a morning paper, so yes, it's night. - Dave] Norman Rockwell PhotographIf Rockwell was a photographer he'd have taken this image. So full of action and detail. Those head visors, the not-paperless-office, the spiral staircase and all enveloped in that amazing masonry and concrete room. Those paper spikes were dangerous, so sharp that a careless hand could easily get a nasty wound (another reader has picked up a suspicious wound). Never mind that the spike might just go through and destroy a very important word. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, NYC)
535-07-5248 and Wife
... The elegant beauty of the woman. The handsome man with pipe. The tattoo on the arm with his Social Security number of all things. Then ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2020 - 3:52pm -

Oregon, August 1939. "Unemployed lumber worker goes with his wife to the bean harvest. Note Social Security number tattooed on his arm." (And now a bit of Shorpy scholarship / detective work. A public records search shows that 535-07-5248 belonged to one Thomas Cave, born July 1912, died in 1980 in Portland. Which would make him 27 years old when this picture was taken.) Medium format safety negative by Dorothea Lange. View full size. Wow, and is she hot.Wow. She's kind of hot too. Well, I am not showing proper respect for history either. Wow. He's kind of hot.Wow. He's kind of hot. I am really not showing the proper respect for history. She'sno slouch either as long as you're on the subject. I'm loving this series of Dust Bowl era pics. I have known a few people who back then had their number on their arm upside down so they could read it. Relative?He's my brother's namesake, which makes me wonder if we're related. Can you get more information from Social Security numbers, other than name and d.o.b./d.o.d.? I'm Australian, so I don't know anything about the system. [The dates and place of death (Portland, Oregon) are the only information given. - Dave] Hey- Even grandpas were sexyHey- Even grandpas were sexy in their day! SSDIYou can search the Social Security Death Index (available at Ancestry.com, among other places) and it will tell you dob/dod plus last residence. You can also generate the form to send to the Social Security office to request (purchase) a copy of the original application which will give a little more information. I'm impressed with how well groomed they both are. Sure he's got stains on his trousers, but his hair is combed and (except for the mustache) he is clean-shaven. In the background, his wife is wearing what looks like a fairly stylish dress and her pose looks like it could have come out of a fashion magazine. They certainly do not look like the tired and downtrodden people we've seen in other pictures. Makes me wonder what he did before and how long they've been following the harvest. [He was, as the caption says, a lumber worker. - Dave] Pierce Brosnan?He bears an uncanny resemblance to Pierce Brosnan when he as in The Matador. Or, I guess I should say, Pierce Brosnan bears an uncanny resemblance to him. See for yourself: http://tinyurl.com/2gga3j They managedThey managed to keep clean and she looked pretty good They're both veryThey're both very attractive! The Depression was tough, even for the good-lookin'.. :) Hubba!What a babe! :) There are just so manyThere are just so many awesome things about this photo. The elegant beauty of the woman. The handsome man with pipe. The tattoo on the arm with his Social Security number of all things. Then to be able to search them out by using his social and modern technology. It's just a treat! Thomas CaveTHOMAS CAVE born: 02 Jul 1912 death: Jun 1980 last residence: Portland, Multnomah, OR 535-07-5248 Oregon Death Index Name: Thomas Urs Cave Spouse: Annie Birth: 1912 Death: dd mm 1980 - Multnomah U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Name: Thomas U Cave Birth: 1912 Military: 29 Oct 1942 - Portland, Oregon Residence: Oregon, Multnomah, Oregon U.S. Veterans Gravesites Name: Cave, Thomas U Thomas U Cave Birth: 2 Jul 1912 Death: 4 Jun 1980 Military: 12 Nov 1942 Military: 4 Feb 1946 Pierce Brosnan?I think he looks more like a younger Treat Williams. www.movievillains.com/images/xanderdrax.jpg Well now, he's obviously aWell now, he's obviously a Dapper Dan man! A treat, indeed! Wish weA treat, indeed! Wish we could interview this couple now and ask them about those times. I'll bet they'd say it wasn't such a bad time of their lives. They had each other... Perhaps we people have forgotten what's really important in life. SmokeIt was a inexpensive pleasure back then Harder TimesTimes were harder back then, and arguably so were the people. I'm struck by how much older than I he looks as we are both the same age. Makes me wonder if he had a great head start on life experiences at 27, and I'm lazily slow-poking my way through life. Maybe I should just count myself blessed to live in such times of relative ease and prosperity. Actually, it probably has more to do with the fact that he could actually grow facial hair at this point in his life...but I think I'm going to stick with the "harder times" thesis : ) Or more smoke?Maybe it was all the smoking those people did that aged them? Imagine being flat broke, having to live under a tarp, and still spending money on tobacco! Social Security Number? PricelessNot thrilled that so much is revealed with a SSN search. Somebody is probably getting a credit card in his name right about now. Re: Harder TimesI think that it was a product of responsibility. People back then were given greater responsibility at a much younger age and had a lot more expectations back then. SSNI asked the Library of Congress to upload the .tiff file so we could read his SSN. It could be a 9, not a 4. The LOC librarian took out the original negative but could not be sure either. I agree, Thomas Cave makes more sense because the other option, Clarence Horn, was born in 1917. That man does not look 22. But, often writing history comes down to this kind of reasoning and, hopefully, corroboration. Unfortunately, Thomas Cave's 1942 enlistment document lists him as "divorced, with dependents." That might not be accurate for a whole host of reasons, especially he does not show up on the 1930 Federal Census. I'd like to believe she was the "Annie" listed as his spouse on his death certificate. History doesn't kill romance; it just makes sure it's true. Tobacco was a standard ration in the Depression. Do note the date of death, however. He died at 67. That said, there is no dress rehearsal for life. Times were tough, in a way we can only begin to imagine today. Scurvy: can you give me lists of those tatooed numbers or maybe let me interview you about the people you knew? If anyone wants to know more about the conditions in which this man and woman lived during the Depression, please do not hesitate to ask. I am teaching the photo tomorrow and am introducing my students to the kind of enterprising research and insight I've seen reflected in this list. Bravo. (And yes, he's hot--my students agree). Dr. Kate Sampsell-Willmann Assistant Professor of American History and Photographic Historian Georgetown University School of Foreign Service in Qatar ksw29@georgetown.edu Re: SSNThe TIFF is already on the LOC site for anyone to download. Here's the number in question. 535-07-5248. Maybe you are not using the highest resolution file available. (There are two.) LookalikesUnfortunately I don't have a picture to prove it, but he looks like my brother in law at that age. Rich is Greek and Irish. I wonder what nationality Thomas Cave was. [His nationality was American. Ethnicity? - Dave] SSN numberHi Dave: As a professor of history, the LOC uploaded the highest res photo on my request. The LOC librarian examined the neg with a magnifying glass and could get no greater detail. Unfortunately, writing a 9 with an exaggerated bottom hook was common handwriting practice in the '30s (as it in in Western Europe today). Also, the tattoo was not doen with a gun. A 4 with an open top would have been easier to do than a curved 9. If it is indeed a 4, the tattooist made the job harder on himself by closing the top of the 4. If you notice, the straight lines in the 3 and 7 are more distinct than the curved lines. Quite honestly, it looks like my Dad's handwriting (1924-1991, US Army 1942-1946). In some ways, we cannot believe our eyes when looking at old pictures. We have to see them in their historical context. Also, the the letters are SSA not SSN. They stand for Social Security Administration. SSN did not become a common acronym until after World War II. The first SSNs were issued in 1935, a year before this picture. The New Deal agencies were referred to back then as "the alphabet agencies" and then "alphabet soup." For example, Lange, a photographer working for the RA, had previously worked for FERA (forerunner of today's FEMA) and later the FSA, took the picture under the auspices of the USDA. Before the New Deal, government was much smaller, and, saving the USDA, these "alphabetics" (as they were also called) did not exist. There were dozens. For a great read on the Depression (that assumes no prior knowledge of the era), I recommend Robert McElvaine, _The Great Depression: America, 1929-1941_. We have to take all the facts, inside and outside the image, before making sound historical conclusions. But, engaging in ths kind of dialogue is the best way to learn more of our history. I hope that looking at these amazing artifacts of our national past sparks a greater interest in the history, one that is not dependent on memorization of dates and names (which I hate too). History is about feelings and motivations and all manner of human endeavor. Thanks for the opportunity to discuss this picture with you. BTW, if anyone thinks he is an ancestor (his middle name was Urs), is the names "Urs" a common name in your family? I think it might be German. Giving a mother's maiden name as a middle name, or the first name of a parent or grandparent, was common practice in the early 20th c. Because "Urs" is textspeak for "yours," I can't do too much with a quick Google search. Best, Kate Dangling modifiersTouché. I wish my students picked up such things. Kate [Imagine a fact-checking school of piranhas and you basically have our readership. (Kidding!) - Dave] The Trap of the Dangling Modifier>> As a professor of history, the LOC uploaded the highest res photo The LOC is a professor of history? Hmm. UrsThe name “Urs” is common in Switzerland, but not in Austria or Germany. Only the female equivalent, Ursula, is quite common here. SmokingMy father once told me that he started smoking during the Depression because it killed his appetite. You know how some folks worry that if they quit smoking they'll gain weight. He smoked so there would be more food for his brothers and sisters. Unfortunately he like his father and several of his uncles, brothers and sister fell victim to emphysema re: Lookalikes-DaveThanks Dave, that's what I was trying to say. Mind goes blank ever so often and I use the first word I can think of. Old age and drugs are he-- on a mind. Urs, smoking, and identityI think Urs is also an old Celtic name. I still don't get why he doesn't show up in the 1930 census. Anyone on the list in Multnomah, Oregon? He's buried at Willamette National Cemetery in Portland: Col-2, Row 382, Site B. Maybe they have a next of kin on record to whom the picture can be shown? His 1980 death cert. lists an Annie as spouse, but his enlistment record lists him as divorced with dependents. Don't know if the woman is Annie (before they got married) or the former Mrs. Cave. Every generation thinks it invented premarital sex and cohabitation. In the 1920s and 1930s, it was pretty common in all strata of society. Sometimes in the Depression, the especially hard-hit would not bother to get a formal divorce; people would just leave. He also might have been a Wobbly. 1935 is kind of late, but they were always strongest in the West: mining and timber. Another thing bothers me about his "identity": Thomas Cave's enlistment record has him at 5'6" and 156 pounds. I know there are ways to judge height of sitting people with software, but that's beyond me at the moment. My father used to cup his cigarettes in his hand until he quit in the 1980s, "so the snipers couldn't get a fix." That's why it's "unlucky" to light 3 cigarettes with one flame, so says my Vietnam Vet husband. Remember the old WWII movies, "smoke-em if you got-em, boys." I think I also remember my Dad saying something about the tobacco killing hunger in the Depression. Dad was a tenant farmer 'til he went off to war. Pregnant women were encouraged to smoke to stop morning sickness. Tobacco use was ubiquitous. The Red Cross even handed out cigarettes in the 1931 drought. Best, Kate re: to Kate Urs, smoking, and identityThanks for the info Kate. Maybe he and the woman in the picture weren't really married. Interesting, and I agree about the "premarital sex and cohabitation". I couldn't believe my ears when I finally was told the stories about my family ;o) My dad used to do that with his cigarettes too. He never said why however, but now I know :) TattooYou mention that you don't think the tattoo was put on with a machine. As a tattooer for 17 years I can pretty much assure you that it was. That kind of serif style and the continuity of size would be impossible for a novice to achieve using a hand-poke method. Thomas CaveThomas Cave, 1912-1980. Kind of WeirdThis is one of my favorite pictures I've seen here on Shorpy. For some reason, these two make me think of Rooster and Lily from "Annie." Looking Back to NowThere are some historic photographs -- and they are rare indeed -- that somehow manage to look as if they were shot in the present, just yesterday. This is one such. I'm not speaking of the people exactly but the manner in which they enter the camera. Not all of Dorothea Lange's (or other commercial photographers of any era) manage to convey such "magic" but this one does. It took my breath away when I first saw it (elsewhere) last month. A handsome rakeNot sure if this fits the bill, but I'd nominate this pic for the Handsome Rakes gallery. I'll bet people walked up to him and told him he looked like Errol Flynn. His girl is on the pretty side as well, though I think we have pictures aplenty in the pretty girls gallery! Movie star looksHe reminds me of Errol Flynn. Maybe it's the mustache? Two more photos of Thomas CaveTwo more of Lange's photos of Thomas Cave (neither quite so interesting visually as the one here) came up via the LOC's "Neighboring Call Numbers" browser: LC-USF34-020536-E and LC-USF34-020538-E. In the second of these, Cave appears to be deliberately displaying his Social Security number tattoo. Perhaps he was a true believer in the promises that it represented. Other photos from this group of 30 identify the bean harvest locale as "Oregon, Marion County, near West Stayton." "Cute Boys"?We have "Bathing Girls!" and "Pretty Girls" categories; when, oh when, will "Cute Boys!" be created? Along with Mr. Cave, "Powerhouse Mechanic and Steam Pump" should be included! Yowza is it getting warm in here? [Look at the tags above the photo. The category you're describing already exists. - Dave] Bean Pickers, Marion County, OregonMy father's family left Oklahoma in 1934 headed for California, and by 1939 would have been permanently settled in Marion County, still picking other people's crops and working odd jobs. None of my family from my father's generation, or the one before his, is still alive, but it does make me wonder if they might have encountered this handsome couple back then. First Generation LifelockMr Cave's efforts to protect himself against identity theft were, perhaps, not so well thought out. PragmaticI think he is a pragmatic man, his circumstances make it quite possible that he will be found dead at the side of the road or in a ditch. The number on his arm makes identification possible. Mofred InfoHere he is, with three wives, on FamilySearch: Tillman Thomas Ursel Cave 2 July 1912 – 4 June 1980 https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/GQL8-S8Z A little bit more about Thomas U. CaveAll this information was found via the newspaper archive at genealogybank.com. (I would have just posted links to save space, but it is a paid site.) In the June 4, 1949 issue of The Oregonian, there is a birth announcement that Mr. and Mrs. Thomas U. Cave gave birth to a daughter on May 28. Then, on Sept. 22, 1950, another announcement that another daughter (Juanita L.) was born on Sept. 13. An address is included in both announcements. Then, a tragic story from the May 4, 1952 issue: "Kelso Grid Star Dies in Collision". It reads: KELSO, Wash. May 3 (AP) - Richard "Rip" Raappana, 24, well-known southwest Washington athlete, was killed early Saturday. His automobile swerved into a Consolidated Freightways truck and trailer a mile north of here on the Pacific Highway, the state patrol reported. Louise N. Robinson, 21, Longview, a passenger in his car, was injured critically. The state patrol said the truck driver was Thomas U. Cave, 39, of Portland. Raappana was an all-round athlete at Kelso high. He played college football for Eastern Washington college at Cheney and last fall was with the University of Hawaii in Honolulu. No Golds Gym HereWhat impresses me most is that his nice body is most likely due to heavy labor, not lifting weights in a gym. LooksHe looks like David Gandy, one of the top male models of the last 10 years We know him as 535-07-5248But his wife just called him "5". I think she's got kind of the Dorothy Lamour vibe: Who knew History could be so HandsomeI love checking out Shorpy everyday, and it's a double pleasure when such a handsome picture pops up. Service DetailsThe grave marker said he was a Sgt during WWII. One of the lucky ones to have made it to the end after enlisting in 1942. Does anyone have the ability to look up his service record? Would love to know what he did and where he was during WWII. Reminds me of Freddie MercuryBritish musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and lyricist of the rock band Queen. Late to the game, but --I have a little more information about this man, if anyone is interested. Anyone looking on a genealogy/records site might have some trouble finding him under the name Thomas Urs Cave, because it looks like his real name was Tillman Thomas Urs Cave. I initially found a census record for a Thomas U Cave in 1940. At the time he was renting a house in Shasta, Oregon, and stated that he was a truck driver who had an eighth grade education. He was also married - but not to Annie (Ann Kathryn per the grave marker?). His wife was a woman named Vivian, who was a fruit picker on a farm. I believe Vivian is the lady in the photograph. But that was it, beyond the service records/SSA death record already posted about. But a census record for 1920 caught my eye because the young boy, Tilman T Cave, had a sister called Juanita - the same name Thomas gave his daughter in 1949 per the newspaper announcement. In 1920 Tilman and Juanita lived with their parents, Tilman B and Sarah N Cave, on a farm in Buckham, Oregon. A possible match, but not 100% guaranteed. Searches for the name Tilman Cave, though, found three good records: - a 1918 WWI draft registration for a Tillman Benjamin Cave, wife Sadie, both living in Buckham, Oregon - a 1930 census record for Benjamin T and Sadie N Cave in Los Angeles, California - a 1940 census record for Benjamin T and Sadie N Cave in Portland, Oregon I realize the names change during this time. I've known plenty of people who go by their middle name, which would account for Tillman Benjamin becoming Benjamin T, and it's possible that Sadie is a pet name for Sarah given the shared middle initial of 'N'. As for the sudden jump from Oregon to LA and back, I'm guessing a lot of people migrated for possible work. The clincher record: a 1934 marriage record of a Tillman T.U. Cave to a Vivian Couture (both residents of Multnomah County, Oregon) in Washington State. The witnesses' signatures are Benjamin Cave and Saddie [sic] Cave. Unfortunately I still can't find Tillman or Thomas Cave in the 1930 census, but we're at the mercy of both the census-takers and transcribers here. I've found faults from both before (a prime example: the census of 1940 says Vivian worked as a picker on a Fruit Farm, but it has been transcribed in the index as a Kunt Farm. I don't even want to imagine what one of those would be.) He's probably out there somewhere. All of this isn't 100% proof, but that's hard to get without a chain of vital records. If any of the previous posters are still reading this, or new readers comes across this, I hope you find this information of interest! Relationship dynamicsHer place on the photo, uncomfortable body language and wary eyes as if the photographer was an attractive woman. My Great-GrandmaI loved reading all the comments. Yes, this is a picture of my great-grandma Vivian. My grandmother recounted the story to me. A photographer came into camp and because of this, no one was allowed to go work while the photographer went tent to tent taking pictures. Hence the death stare she was giving. They lost out on an entire day’s wages because this guy wanted to take their picture. And yes, my grandma remembers it as a man who came even though it is credited to Dorothea Lange. I know very little of the man in the picture. I do however know that my grandma is not resting in peace next to him. What I remember of Grandma Vivian is how her house was in the middle of the woods and she had a pet deer that would visit her daily and she would let it in the house. She had the most beautiful flowers around her property. And she always wore a head scarf. She died when I as around 3 years old. My Cooper cousinTillman Thomas Cave was my cousin, he was married at least twice. Vivian Couture (pictured), I have some photos of her and she worked for Kaiser Mills in Portland, Oregon. She had a photo ID indicating she was 5'9", Tillman was 5'6". She was a slender dark haired dark eyed girl and her half brother Melvin was lighter haired with very blue eyes. Tillman's full name is Tillman Thomas Ursel Cave, born July 2, 1912, died June 4, 1980. He married Vivian on July 3, 1934. They were together seven to nine years. He later married Ann Kathryn Bloom. His name Cave had been shortened from Cavendish at some point. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Great Depression, Handsome Rakes)
Overturned: 1921
... the vehicle hasn't been in service long. The extra pipe I see what appears to be an exhaust pipe coming from the engine and going into the muffler. What is the pipe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2011 - 9:15am -

1921. "Washington Rapid Transit Co. wreck." More vehicular mayhem in the nation's capital. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Heated StairsLooks like the extra exhaust plumbing goes into the stairs. Probably to keep the ice off of them. There are holes in the bottom of the steps to let the exhaust fumes escape. PlumbingThat's an interesting assemblage of pipes on the right side of the vehicle from just in front of what appears to be a muffler. The cleanliness of the underside makes me think the vehicle hasn't been in service long. The extra pipeI see what appears to be an exhaust pipe coming from the engine and going into the muffler. What is the pipe that looks to be tee'd off of the exhaust, prior to the muffler, running to the area behind what are probably steps to get into the driver's seat? [The driver's seat is on the other side. The steps are for the passenger entrance. - Dave] Re: The extra pipeI hate to think it's a heater feed, but that's all that comes to mind! External plumbingVery clean undercarriage. Interesting plumbing on the exhaust, very curious. Heater Pipe?I've seen asphalt trucks run their exhaust into the cargo area to keep hot stuff from freezing in winter. Judging from the way the spectators are dressed it was cold that day. Wondering if this wasn't some form of heater. The mufflerIt seems to be a closed tank. Perhaps it is tuned to reflect the exhaust pulses 180 degrees out of phase to muffle the sound. Heat for interior radiatorJust a guess: the piping appears to be too heavy a gauge for exhaust fumes. Perhaps it conveys water to a radiator within the interior, and located by the exit, where the cold air enters the bus. JanusThis section is my favorite in the entire photo: Here's Your ProblemYou don't have any front brakes. This thing pretty much has the suspension of a covered wagon and a two ton tank engine. Slippery When WetThe undercarriage is incredibly clean, especially considering the condition of roads (and occasional lack thereof) at that time. It's like someone took it out for a test drive right of the dealer's lot! "Yeah, I don't think I'll take this one -- it feels a little lopsided." Okehed Transportation Advertisement, Washington Post, Sep 26, 1921. Washington Motor Bus System Comparatively few people are as familiar as they should be with the very marked and singular success of the Washington Motor Bus System. So we wish to give you some of the plain, honest facts about the way all Washington has okehed this most convenient, safe and practical means of transportation. Yet, in pointing out the success of the motor bus system, we do not for one minute wish to convey the idea that the motor bus is going to supersede the street car. No, indeed. The street car has its place, and a mighty important one. So has the modern; properly organized and efficiently managed line of the motor buses! But we do wish to let Washington know what only a part of it already knows — that is, the Washington Rapid Transit System has become a prominent factor in the daily transportation of tens of thousands of Washington folks. This Motor bus system was started only six months ago! Yet in that short time it carried over three-quarters of a million passengers, and mind you, this was when Washington was comparatively empty. How many of you have stopped to realize what enormous profits there are in a properly organized, efficiently managed municipal motor bus system? For example, are you familiar with the facts in connection with London, New York, Detroit and Chicago? In London, even during the war, they paid over a million dollars a year in dividends. New York is the best "at home" example we have. Here they have carried over 40,000,000 passengers a year. … Less than six months ago the first properly organized and efficiently managed system of motor buses was introduced to Washington. The first installation consisted of a fleet of ten motor buses, and they operated on Sixteenth street northwest. So popular were they with the public that April 20th we had to put for new buses on! … So insistent has the demand been for more buses and additional routes that we have decided to expand the system, and will install sixteen brand-new buses. Ten will go into operation during the next three weeks, the balance soon after the first of November. On account of the growing popularity of this splendid motor bus service, the Federal Utilities Commission has granted us two new franchises, which require the installation of these additional buses, First route, starting from Eighth and Pennsylvania to Twelfth street, to Massachusetts avenue, to Sixteenth street northwest, to Harvard street, to Thirteenth street, to Park road, to New Hampshire avenue, to Grant Circle, and return (Petworth Division). Second route, starting at Eighth and Pennsylvania avenue, to Twelfth, to Rhode Island avenue, to North Capitol street, and return. … Washington Rapid Transit Company Fourteenth and Buchanan Streets N.W. Telephone — Columbia 4026 In 1933, Washington Rapid Transit merged with the Capital Traction Company and Washington Railway and Electric Company to form the Capital Transit Company. Route Map of Washington Rapid Transit Company with examples of double-deck and single-deck buses operated by WRT, "Fare 10 Cents" (via): 16th and VLooks like the apartments at 16th and V Street NW. 16th and U is still a pretty treacherous intersection. View Larger Map The Line UpBelow are a photo of the new buses lined up from a Library of Congress photo, and a close-up of bus Number 2. "Built For Business"I turned the original photo from the LOC sideways and it is possible to read, "THE DUPLEX," at the top of the radiator: Another picture from the LOC shows that the entire set of words on the radiator is actually "THE DUPLEX LIMITED." The Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collection states, "The Duplex Power Car Company was founded in 1909 and produced mostly trucks and truck related machinery until it was reorganized into the Duplex Truck Company in 1916. The Duplex Truck Company was a prominent builder and supplier of trucks to private companies as well as government agencies during the years between 1916 and 1955. In 1955 Warner and Swasey Company purchased the Duplex Truck Company and the Duplex division closed in 1975." A picture of a Duplex radiator, their logo, and a truck, all from another LOC photo, are below. Overturned by Big TruckThe Evening Star (Washington, D.C.) of March 10, 1921, page 12, details the accident that is shown in the photo. The Washington Herald, on the same date, page 1, states the ambulance on the way to the accident scene was also involved in a mishap. The full Evening Star article and an extract from the Washington Herald story are below. Other information found confirms that the Washington Rapid Transit Company purchased 20 chassis and bus bodies from William P. Killeen who was the Duplex Power Company (truck) distributor for the D.C. area. Service with these buses began on March 1, 1921 which is probably why the bottom of the bus is in such good condition. The bus fare was eight cents on the route. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Paper Doll: 1936
... on the walls inches from a wood fired stove and hot pipe, and as if that was not enough there is what appears to be a kerosene can ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/03/2023 - 4:45pm -

May 1936. "Sharecropper shack. Kitchen of Ozarks cabin purchased for Lake of the Ozarks project. Missouri." Photo by Carl Mydans, Resettlement Administration. View full size. FiretrapI would be surprised if that shack lasted more than a week or two without burning down. We have dried out single ply newspaper hanging on the walls inches from a wood fired stove and hot pipe, and as if that was not enough there is what appears to be a kerosene can just to the left of the little girl's feet. I just hope nobody was inside when it went up. Newspaper for wall covering.My mother has told me many stories of her childhood. She remembers well her mother using a flour/water mix to paste newsprint on the walls. It sealed the cracks and was a very good insulator. But that didn't stop the wind from blowing up through the floor or her seeing critters between the floor board cracks. She also tells with great detail how their house burned to the ground when she was four. One final thought, she told me her mother would set the bed posts in small cans of kerosene to keep the bed bugs from crawling into bed with you at night. Life was much different back in the 30's and 40's. No smoke detectorsI wouldn't want to consider the level of fire hazard in this kitchen. The newspaper curtain has a nice touch. Somebody really cares. But God help the occupants of this residence if the stove backfires. Mrs. Roosevelt's newspaper columnOn the wall to the left of the stove and just above the washboard, the newspaper/wallpaper has Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt's almost-daily column called "My Day". I believe she was much more in front of the American public on a regular basis than our most recent First Ladies - and not just in the papers. Lot of people didn't like that, but many others did. Mrs. FDR wrote that column from 1935 to 1962 six days a week. She was a force to be reckoned with. Christmas ClubWhen I saw the ad for "Christmas Club" in the newspaper I immediately tripped down memory lane. When I was a little girl I remember going to the Bridgeville National Bank to start a new Christmas club. First you would pick the amount to save and then made payments to this free account so you would have money to buy Christmas gifts for friends and family. This club was open to adults and minors and many a Christmas was funded by this club. Hope I made sense - more like a savings account that you could only receive during the month of December. Amazingly Resilient!Despite the crushing poverty this family had to endure, the little girl's dress may be dirty but her face is clean, and her smile is both endearing and hopeful. I am amazed how someone (probably her mom) cut the newpaper over the window into the shape and resemblance of what I believe is called a "valance" over the window. How brave, resilient, and resourceful these people were. Amazing Americans! Aviator HelmetThe little girl must have a brother. As poor as they seem to be the little feller managed to snag a new one. I always get a kick seeing kids wear those in the movies and in photos. There's nothing like an ornery looking kid in goggles, I laugh out loud every time. Bike Helmet?Is that some early motorized bike helmet hanging on the wall? I have to wonder too if the girl would be reading the newspapers and wonder what a "Christmas Club" was. AmazingThe valence above the window is amazing! And think that today someone out in the Hamptons is paying an interior decorator big bucks for a reproduction print wallpaper similar to this for a powder-room! Fox TroubleIt would appear that Mr. Fox has earned himself the unwelcome attention of the farmer. Looks like a nice, well used fox trap hanging there. Worker housing?Bagnell Dam, which created the Lake of the Ozarks, was finished in 1931, and the lake filled up in less than 2 years (per Wikipedia). So apparently this cabin wasn't bought because it would be in the flooded area - maybe it was housing for one of the construction crew, and he just kept living there later? (The dam for the big lake to the west, Truman Lake, didn't start construction until 1964.) (The Gallery, Carl Mydans, Kids, Kitchens etc.)
Company D: 1864
... unknown. View full size. Put that in your pipe and smoke it I see at least 5 pipes displayed in this picture (plus ... smoking when the photo was taken. Or did holding a pipe in a photo mean something more to these men? Tremendous photo Never ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 8:33am -

August 1864. "Group of men of Company D, U.S. Engineer Battalion, in front of Petersburg." Wet plate glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Put that in your pipe and smoke itI see at least 5 pipes displayed in this picture (plus some object in the hands of the guy on the first row, second from right). Wonder if they were actually smoking when the photo was taken. Or did holding a pipe in a photo mean something more to these men? Tremendous photoNever seen a two-foot pipe before. There is some world class beards in this group, too. I also like how the guy in back row, far right wears his hat. This is a great picture, Dave. Thank you. Reach out and touch someoneIn all-male group photos from this era, I'm often struck by how unselfconscious men were about showing physical affection for their pals. If one were to photograph this same group today, there would be few (if any) hands resting on shoulders, and no interlocking arms. Somewhere along the line, the rules governing when men could touch, and under what circumstances, changed. It's really interesting. KepiI think the guy on the back row with the weird hat is actually wearing a "bummer's kepi." This is sort of like a regular CW kepi, but has an elongated crown that allows the top to flop forward like the one in the photo. There appears to be a couple more in the photo, but they are being worn more in regulation fashion. Note also the number of hats with wide brims in these old CW photos. Yankees soon found out that kepis did not offer much protection from our Southern sunshine. Two-Foot PipeHow in the hell could he stick that in his pocket when he was in the field fighting? Soldierly affectionIn our modern military world any misinterpretation of demonstration of male affection could lead to dismissal under "don't ask, don't tell." That's why we don't see this in group military photos. Thousands of trained military personnel, some with Arabic and Farsi language skills for anti-terrorism intelligence have been let go, also many decorated combat fighter pilots. Putting your arm around your buddy has become suspect and risky. Men With and Without HatsI'm fascinated by the variety of hats in the photo. I guess they took whatever they could find to cover their heads at that point in the war. Forage capThe bummer's cap and the "regular CW kepi" are the same thing. Reclining guyWhy is it that there's a soldier or two in a reclining position in the front of the group in many of these photographs? Atzerodt lookalikesIt's interesting to see a few of these men--by my count three--sporting what I call the George Atzerodt look. A good example is the grizzled one sixth from the right in the front row, on the ground. Atzerodt, of course, was the man assigned to assassinate Vice President Johnson at the same time President Lincoln and Secretary of State Seward were attacked in April, 1865. Curious George sought courage in the bottom of a whiskey bottle instead of making his appointment with destiny, and ended up wandering the streets of D.C. on the fateful night of April 14th. He was arrested and hanged for this troubles anyway. The decline of the recline?Actually, people in the front row recline in mass group photos today, too, so they can fit in more rows of heads. Clay pipesI can't really tell from the picture but I know that in revolutionary times, many places had a "communal" pipe that was made of clay with a really long stem. When you wanted to use the pipe, you broke a piece off the tip for sanitary purposes. Eventually the pipe would get too small and be thrown out or have a new tip made. We used to occasionally find bits and pieces of them in my friends garden, as her house was from that time period. Perhaps the tradition continued and that is why he has a long pipe. Otherwise you know what they say. It isn't the size of the pipe but ....... Whittling warrior...I think the aforementioned guy in the front holding a pipe-like object is actually whittling a piece of wood with a pocketknife... he may even making a pipe. Hell, I would. Everyone else has 'em. Whittling away the War (Between the States)To me, it looks like the guy on the first row, sitting down, second from right, was whittling on a stick with a knife. He was holding the knife in his right hand while using his right thumb as a leveraged brace on the end of the stick that is pointed toward his body. (You can also see what looks like the end of his right thumb on the end of the stick.) He was cutting (whittling) on the stick with a controlled upward "slice" in the direction of his right thumb. Notice how deftly he was keeping the anchoring thumb on his left hand out of Harm's Way by holding the stick just below the whittling line. On the expanded "View full size" photo, I think that I can see a slice of wood being whittled off the stick. Regardless what this soldier in this photo was doing with his hands, the soldier's hands stayed rock steady for several seconds in order to capture a crisp photograph. Can somebody with Photoshop software tools blow-up (expand) this section and post it to see for sure? [He has something looped around his finger. - Dave] The Long and the Short of ItThose long Irish clay pipes were very common -- made to be broken off shorter and shorter as the mouthpiece wears. Clay Tobacco Pipes by Eric G. Ayto (The Gallery, Civil War)
Company B: 1864
... full size. Two firsts for me I've never seen a pipe that long. His smoke is probably coming out on the other side of the ... of a completely clean-shaven Civil War soldier. Long pipe Maybe he'd heard about secondhand smoke. Hat Brass It's a rarity ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 8:56pm -

August 1864. "Petersburg, Virginia. Group of Company B, U.S. Engineer Battalion." Photographs from the main Eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864-April 1865. Wet-plate glass negative. View full size. Two firsts for meI've never seen a pipe that long. His smoke is probably coming out on the other side of the Mason-Dixon. Also, I think this may be the first picture I've ever seen of a completely clean-shaven Civil War soldier. Long pipeMaybe he'd heard about secondhand smoke. Hat BrassIt's a rarity to see so much hat brass on soldiers this late in the war. Usually it was one of the first things to be lost. The Engineer Cresthas what appears to be a "C" above it. This would normally indicate these men are from Company C rather than Company B. [There's also a D. Same setting as this photo. - Dave] So.......where's that Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy? Essayons stars?I recognize the cross-legged soldier on the left. He was a member of Essayons Dramatic Club. If you check their group photo he is also on the left front row. See Dave -- we do pay close attention to your postings. [I don't think he's in the other photo. - Dave] The PipeThat looks to be a clay bowl with a dry reed stem. Some soldiers had briar pipes, but I believe the clay and reed combos were very affordable. The Bearded OnesIt is striking to see clean-shaven Civil War guys, isn't it? The drama club boys of a few days ago had a couple whiskerless ones too. The giant beard is really ingrained in the "Civil War Soldier" mental image. It's interesting that the beard thing was so ubiquitous, and then completely went away and pretty much never came back -- for which I must say I am thankful. Most guys I know indulge their urge for facial hair with stunts like "No Shave November," but fortunately, they are not like that all the time. CastleI noticed the man on the far right has a castle emblem on his shirt, the same castle Army Engineers have today. [It's the same insignia that's on the other men's caps. - Dave] Company B from MaineCompany B was one of several new companies of engineers formed at the beginning of the War and was recruited in Portland, Maine. My great grandfather, a farm boy from Gardiner, joined up and served until 1867 when he was discharged with the rank of sergeant. His Army experience was far-reaching since following the War he had a long and successful career as a building contractor in Knoxville, Atlanta and Birmingham. I have no photographs of him and few stories so these old pictures give some feeling of his adventures. I can't help but wonder if he might be one of these strange and fierce-looking characters. Why helloTotal crush on the guy seated on the far left with his legs crossed. (The Gallery, Civil War)
Shorpy Higginbotham: 1910
... available online shows that the current owner, US Pipe, has filed an application to use the area as a landfill. My ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/14/2022 - 3:03pm -

December 1910. "Shorpy Higginbotham, a 'greaser' on the tipple at Bessie Mine, of the Sloss-Sheffield Steel and Iron Co. in Alabama. Said he was 14 years old, but it is doubtful. Carries two heavy pails of grease, and is often in danger of being run over by the coal cars." Photograph and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Shorpy storyThe story about this boy makes me so sad. The photo is so strong. Esthetically - wonderful - artistic movie like. Thanks for sharing it with all of us. Tamara Razov. His armsThose are the roughest part--it appears that they're rather permanently in that position. Notice His Hands...You can tell Shorpy worked very hard. His hands look like the hands of a 40 year old man, not a 14 year old boy. His arms do appear to be permanently bowed out and his shoulders are sloped from carrying the heavy buckets. How we could ever have gotten to this point in our society is beyond me. Thank goodness for the progressive people back then who put a stop to such practices and gave kids like Shorpy their childhoods. omg. after seeing theseomg. after seeing these pictures, its so hard to believe how far we have gone and what todays world is like compared to back then. The question is, what would they think if they saw what the world was like today and how people are living?! (perfect example, we now have cars that drive for us!!!) Shorpy and child laborThe pictures were taken only 30 years before I was born. When I was 14 I needed a State of California Work Permit in order to get a summer job (picking cotton). We could quit school at 16. I didn't do that but many did. Thank God for the reformers in the early 20th century! "The golf links lie so near the mill that almost every day, the working children can look out and watch the men at play." Don Lest we forgetIt is easy to forget from the perspective of our comfortable North American lifestyles that in many places in the world, child labor still runs rampant, not because families want their children to work endless hours in deplorable conditions, but because their very existence depends on the meager income the children earn. Let's not become too complacent and self-satisfied that we've "progressed" beyond the conditions of the early 20th century until we've globally eradicated those same conditions that continue to exist today. picture from a greaser kid... ... cause of his size he was able to easily go inside all the mechanics stuff.. they see it as a game... some great technologics developments were the outcome of that work-players boys... thats the good one... the bad one is that some of them never play again... So great wonder!Really I'm so scare about you beautiful eye-moment, serious, I think in a lot of stuff's, that amazing like a time capsule... Don't have the exactly words for tell you my reasons... make my day theses snaps. I hope back soon. Carlos "Cx" Shorpy's contemporariesA ten-year-old working in the mines was not unusual. My grandfather was born in 1896 and started in the mines at age ten. He worked for Tennessee Coal and Iron in Jefferson County, Alabama. After his back was broke in a mine accident and suffering from years of black-lung he lived to 84. This was before welfareAmerica is still the greatest place in the world to give. I have traveled to a lot of countries. Yes, they have their pluses, but even the poorest americans live better than 99% of the worlds population. Shorpy HigginbothamI wonder if anyone knows where Shorpy Higginbotham's grandfather, Robert Higginbotham, is buried. Robert Higginbotham is my Great Great Grandfather. Kenny Brown twotreesklb@aol.com Shorpy, descendant of Revolutionary War SoldierShorpy was my father's (Roy Higginbotham's) uncle, a younger brother of my grandfather, John W. Dolphus Higginbotham. Their ancestor Robert Higginbotham was a Revolutionary War soldier who fought in the Battle of King's Mountain. He died in Huntsville, Alabama, where he farmed for many years. He is buried on his farm and the Huntsville D.A.R. had a ceremony a few years ago at his grave site. There is another Robert B. Higginbotham (also a descendant of Robt. Sr.), buried in Remlap, Alabama, I think, but I don't recall him having an intact headstone. [P.H., thanks for the information. You have a fascinating family history. - Ken] ShorpyI found him, he is one of my cousins. Henry Sharp Higginbotham b 23 Nov 1896 d. 25 jan 1928, son of Felix Milton Higginbotham and Mary Jane Graham. We descend from the Amherst Co. Virginia Higginbothams. my line was Benjamin Higginbotham who m. Elizabeth Graves and d. 1791 in Elbert Co. GA. Then his son Francis Higgginbotham m. Dolly Gatewood. When they were in old age they moved with with their sons to the new Louisiana Territory, E. Feliciana Parish. My gggfather was Caleb Higginbotham and gggmother was Minerva Ann Bryant of the Manakintown, VA hugenot BRIANT. All the Higginbothams and Bryant sons fought in the Rev. War. My gggg William Guerant Bryant and his brother John, his father, James and Uncle Isaac and Isaac's son James and His Uncle Thomas were all in the battle of Guilford Court House NC 25 Mar 1781. Thomas was killed and Isaac wounded in the head. Bessie Mine?One of the first posters said that Bessie Mine may still be operational. Is that true? When I look it up online, nothing much comes up. I'd love to see some more pictures of the mine, though, and learn a little more about it! Bessie MineBessie Mine appears to be closed. Information available online shows that the current owner, US Pipe, has filed an application to use the area as a landfill. My grandfather worked at Bessie and other mines in west Jefferson County. He would have been about Shorpy's age but didn't start to work there until he was 18 or so. After a couple of years working in the pits, he was able to get a position tending the generators and never had to work underground again. Then and NowI don't want to go back to the "good old days." But everybody should "work" at least a few days (e.g. move a lot of force through a lot of distance all day while either sweating or freezing, dirty, dog-tired, with something aching). Maybe a kid who did some of this stuff will better appreciate the real things in life rather than Britney, American Idol, text messaging, and Fifty-Cent rap. I'm glad i did - but not too much! In my younger days, I harvested tobacco, hauled hay, milked cows, moved gravel from a creek bed to the barnyard in a mule wagon, picked potatoes behind a mule plow, budded peach seedlings and harvested nursery stock on cold rainy January days. These are cherished memories working with my kinfolk on their farms. I'm glad I did it! I've rolled cement up a hill in a wheelbarrow and finished it, framed and built buildings, plumbed and wired, and swapped greasy motors in cars. It all pays off as I can save money as a do-it-yourselfer. And it paid off as an incentive to study and go to college so I didn't have to do it for a living! Looking at these pictures, I don't feel sorry for the people in them as I don't think they knew how "bad off" they were. So they were not! However, I have a tremendous amount of respect and admiration for our hard-working ancestors, my aunts and uncles, and cousins. Roy HigginbothamWas your father the Roy Higginbotham who was principal of Minor Elementary School in the 60's and 70's? martyshoemaker@hotmail.com Bessie Mine Locationhttp://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCC&cp=33.657286~-87.03305... Clyde Donald HiggI am also related to the Higg from Va, and also the ones from Ireland. I just loved this about Shorpy Higg. I am still trying to locate more information on the Higg from Ind. where my father was from, his father was Luther, and his father was George. My father's name was Clyde Donald Higg. cindykpiper@aol.com [So you mean Higg, or Higginbotham? - Dave] Feel sorry for us!>> Looking at these pictures, I don't feel sorry for the people in them as I don't think they knew how "bad off" they were. I don't feel sorry for them either. I feel sorry for us, the younger generations. We have no idea what real, consistent hard work is. With the way things are going I desperately want to know someone who has lived the hard life, maybe lived through the Depression but no one is around to glean from. I just turned 33 years old but I see the wisdom in searching out the generation. I have even written my husbands Grandmother for advice but she is too busy to share her knowledge. I don't wish evil for our great country but it might do us some good to have to experience hardship to get our act together. For me, I grew up without hot water, sometimes the electric was shut off, rarely a car and I can tell many a story about cleaning clothes in a wringer washer in the middle of Missouri's wicked winter temps - outside at that. But I still know I have so much more to learn. Roy Higginbotham>> Was your father the Roy Higginbotham who was principal of Minor Elementary School in the 60's and 70's? That particular Roy Higginbotham was not my father, although I had heard about him from my cousins who still lived in the area. No doubt he is related in some way. My father (Roy) was also a coal miner in his younger days like his father and uncles. He died in 1961 at the age of 46. I remember my grandfather John talking about his brother "Sharpe" and how someone "took his picture" when he was a young boy working in the mines. Sorry it took so long for me to reply. Bessie MineI live a few blocks from the mine. It was just off Rt 150 in Bessemer. The mine complex was left intact and abandoned since the 1950's until the buildings were cleared in 2009. I did photograph it before it was destroyed. Happy Birthday Shorpy!Thank you for diligently updating and uploading. I know it takes a lot of time to run a website like this, and I for one am grateful for your efforts, Dave. Thank you! Shorpy Higginbotham: 1910This is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. For those who have not seen it, here is my story of Henry Sharp Higginbotham. http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2014/11/26/henry-s-higginbotham-page-on... Happy Birthday, Shorpy.com!I've been visiting since day one, so what else can I say? I love this site! Keep up the great work! Daily DoseHappy Birthday Shorpy! You are a part of my daily ritual since you began and I look forward to checking this site as often as time permits. I've learned a great deal since you began these wonderful posts. Thanks gang, and many more! My 2 cents worthI'm just a pup here, having only been on board for a year and a half. Thank you Dave, Ken, tterrace and all who do such a great job on this site. To all the Shorpyites who add so much extra via comments, links and other added information, you all get a big "Attaboy". Thanks to one and all. Happy birthday! Thanks for a Great Five YearsYour very skilled and hard work, along with your thoughtful selection of the right moments from the past is greatly appreciated, Thank You! George Widman A treat each and every dayA great website that really is quite a treat each day,and I never can wait until another post,and the comments are always entertaining. Thank you for 5 years of hard work. I know I used to blog and I know it's something you dedicate yourself to. The best photo blogI'm so glad you've kept it going. Yours is the best one out there. I enjoy how your selection of photographs cover the gamut. They may be from a particular era but not from a particular style or emotion. RemindersThanks to you all for these incredible photos--wonderful work! Some remind me of my own childhood in the south and I have photos, too. My grandmother worked in a textile mill when she was 12, around 1912, never had much schooling, and married at 16. She told me stories of the Depression, when she had 6 children to raise by herself. A wonderful person who was a huge presence in my life, esp when my mother died in 1948, poor and in ill health. In 1955, my first job was at the five and dime at age 14 on Fri night and all day Sat for a grand total of $4.50. Thank you again for the reminders of how it used to be, although I wouldn't want to repeat history. Thanks!Thank you Shorpy and thank you shorpy.com Fast Math"photographed by Lewis Hine 117 years ago" 107 plus 10 years of blogging, er, fast-forwarding gets you 117. Still the best site on the web. Shorpy is my Great UncleHi my name is Timothy Williams, great grandson of Joseph James Williams, who was husband of Susie Higginbotham-Williams, sister of Henry Sharp "Shorpy" Higginbotham. Oddly as it may sound; although, probably not shocking, I think my family might have married into the Higginbotham's more than once. My father was a Williams and my mother was a Higginbotham too. Anyways, It is my honor to share this with you all and I am happy to have found this website and I am so happy to look upon these pictures of one of my family members. I am proud to know he is my kin. While I am not a historian, I have majored in enough history classes, that I could probably teach it at some level. My family ancestry dates back to England and Scotland. I have a Robert B Higginbotham in my family that the Daughters of Revolution, found a grave marker years ago. He was a Revolutionary War hero. I don't know how they would be related, even if they are. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28768283/robert-higginbotham (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, Mining)
Big Wheel in Waco: 1913
... 12 or 13. Kids had to grow up quickly back then. Pipe? He's about 14 and he's smoking a pipe. He's been around the block. Re: Pipe? Heh. That's nothing compared ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 10:09pm -

Waco, Texas. September 1913. "Messenger boy working for Mackay Telegraph Company. Said fifteen years old. Exposed to Red Light dangers." View full size. Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. 15?No way he is 15, I bet he is 12 15?I would guess 12 or 13. Kids had to grow up quickly back then. Pipe?He's about 14 and he's smoking a pipe. He's been around the block. Re: Pipe?Heh. That's nothing compared to some of the other Hine kids. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
U.S.S. Onondaga: 1864
... the sides of the rowboat? I suspect the older man with the pipe at the stern using a rough stick is acting as a rudder. Interesting ... I'd suspect the guy to the left of the guy smoking a pipe is the one who actually has a hand on the tiller. As far as the three ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 5:20pm -

1864. "James River, Virginia. Monitor U.S.S. Onondaga; soldiers in rowboat. From photographs of the Federal Navy, and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy." Wet plate glass negative. View full size. HangersDoes anyone know what the three objects hanging over the side of the boat are? Appropriate HeadgearFor once, someone's wearing a boater in a boat. . . . Low in the water.It would not take much to swamp this ship. Questions? Why were they built to ride so low? What is in those little bags tied next to the oars on the sides of the rowboat? I suspect the older man with the pipe at the stern using a rough stick is acting as a rudder. Interesting snapshot of life! How Low Can You Go?Not a lot of freeboard on the good ship Onondaga. [The Onondaga was, as noted in the caption, a monitor or ironclad. - Dave] historical shipI looked the Ol' Onondaga up and she had quite a history. She was built in New York and sent to Virginia where she saw several important engagements. She was decommissioned in 1865 and sold to the French navy and refitted with rifled cannons of just over 9 inch. Replacing the 8 in smooth bore guns of American vintage. She was scrapped in 1902. Pretty impressive! Buffers-low in the waterMonitors were built very low in the water in order to present as little as possible of a target to an enemy gunner. They were very useful in inland waterways, on the open seas, in any bad weather, they would be in serious danger. My guess on the three bags on the launch is they are buffers to keep the wood of the boat's side from getting banged up when it is up against a wharf or another vessel in wavy water BumpersThose, probably leather, bags over the rowboat's side are fenders/bumpers meant to protect the sides of ships when docking. Today we use plastic fenders which are plastic and much larger (shaped like a serious hot dog). Ride So LowMonitors were river craft essentially floating gun platforms. They are not ships in the normal sense. Their freeboard (distance between the main deck and water line) was very small so they would present less of a target to opposition fire. Heavily armored above the main deck, they could withstand direct hits from the guns of the day without serious injury. Boat FendersThe small round objects hanging over the side are boat fenders, used to prevent damage to the rails when the boat is moored alongside something like a dock or the Onondaga. These are probably made of leather, and if they contain anything, it's probably more leather padding or perhaps a disk of soft wood. According to Wikipedia ....The good ship Onondaga was built in 1864, near the end of the Civil War and was sold to France after the war. She continued in service in the French Navy until 1903. The delivery cruise to France must have been terrifying. Interestinghttp://americancivilwar.com/tcwn/civil_war/Navy_Ships/USS_onandaga.html Across the waves.The Onondaga was sold to France after the war. How did they deliver it? Surely they didn't sail her! OnandagaThe bags on the longboats are probably bumpers, designed to keep the boat from being damaged when at a dock, or tied up alongside a ship with a low freeboard. Monitors were designed by Ericsson to sit low in the water to improve stability by bringing the mass of the turret down, and to make them a far more difficult target to hit. The hull was protected by the water and it was hard to strike below the waterline. This made them maneuverable and hard to hit but could make them very unseaworthy in bad weather. Monitor - Ericsson's original "cheesebox on a raft" sank off Cape Hatteras in a 1862. Other monitors were designed to be more seaworthy. Onondaga hull was built entirely of iron rather than wood like earlier monitors. As for Onondaga, she was sold back to her builder in 1867 and then sold to the French where she served as a coastal defense ship. She was scrapped by the French in 1904, making her the longest lived of the Civil War monitors. Those hanging thingies ...look like bumpers to me. They are all at the right height. Low FreeboardThe very low freeboard on this (and every other) monitor was designed to make the ship very hard for another ship to hit with cannon fire. When the monitors were "cleared for action", everything but the turrets were stripped down and stored or thrown overboard. The rigging and life boats were eliminated, and the ship was steered from a small armored box only a few feet high. Even the funnel (chimney) was dismantled so that only a small stub protruded from the deck so as to present the smallest target possible. Monitors worked fairly well in protected estuaries, bays, and navigable rivers, but monitors were notoriously poor sea-going ships. Many foundered and were lost, often with all hands, in heavy seas. In every other nation, the monitors were regarded as a design fluke and were not widely copied. The U.S., however, continued to use monitors well into the 1880s and beyond....mostly because Congress refused to fund a modern navy. Does anyone know what the three objects hanging over the side ofThey are fenders. Why so low?Why were they built to ride so low? To make a small target. Great in battle. Not so good at sea, as the original USS Monitor proved. What is in those little bags tied next to the oars? I was curious about that, too. I couldn't Google up an answer, but my guess is simple oarlocks. Place the oar in the slot, then flop the weighted line over the shaft. The high-tech nature of the civil war continually surprises. Even though it was still a time of cavalry and slavery, there were also ironclads, telegraphy, balloons, Gatling guns and railroads. Freeboard or Lack Thereof...If you look up the U.S.S. Onondaga on Google you will find that after the war it was decommissioned and then transferred to the French navy. With so little freeboard how did they get it to France? I can understand the low freeboard patrolling the coastal rivers, but even there it probably had to enter the Atlantic to get from the northern ports to the southern ports. How dey do dat? Could the three objectsCould the three objects hanging over the side be fenders? That is: padding for when the bout bangs alongside the mother ship? Lil' bagsThose little bags are in fact bumpers to protect the side of the row boat from damage. FendersThey be fenders to protect the boat's planking when coming alongside I should think. Those wooden things on theThose wooden things on the side of the boats are most likely to prevent scuffing and other damage, when the boat is moored. Unfortunately I have no idea, what is the proper English word for those. these days they are made of plastic, and resembles big, straight sausages.... Hanging ObjectsI think they are cushions, to keep the side of the boat from banging directly against the side of another vessell when boarding, disembarking etc. FendersBoat fenders, that is, is what the little bags are. Hangers maybeI'm thinking those are clean drinking water for the rowers. I'd suspect the guy to theI'd suspect the guy to the left of the guy smoking a pipe is the one who actually has a hand on the tiller. As far as the three objects handing over the starboard gunwale, they might be fenders, although they do seem small. As far as the freeboard goes, it is very low in the water. The Monitors were susceptible to being swapped as evidenced by the original USS Monitor, which went down in a storm off the coast of North Carolina. FendersThe objects hanging over the side of the small boat(s) are probably fenders, meant to keep the painted wood from grinding against the edge of the larger boat - which would be particularly punishing given the low iron deck of the Monitors. Hangers@GeezerNYC Bumpers Nautical KnowledgeThe hanging things on the boat are fenders, aka bumpers, that prevent rubbing and damage when alongside other boats and docks. They are still required gear for boats of all sizes, though of different design. The gent with the pipe is probably putting his stick in the water. The tiller is more likely in the hands of the soldier in the aft. The boats in the background have rudders and tillers, so this should one as well. Barrier?In the background, are those sunken ships forming a barrier? I'd rudder not bump, if you don't mind.Following exhaustive research efforts, our crack Civil War historical artifacts team members have reached a somewhat tenuous conclusion. After sometimes heated discussions, it has been narrowly decided that the device held by the pipe smoking gentleman in the above photo should be rightfully placed under the "P.S." category of 19th century naval devices. In layman's terms the P.S. would simply designate this instrument as a "pushoff stick." Either that, or the man was an utterly misguided landlubber with a proclivity in providing great mirth to the more nautically savant. In regard to the mysterious pouch-like objects hanging from the sides of the launch, the less than timorous artifacts team has proffered the suggestion that these would likely be called bumpers in today's parlance. Please note that our team does take all our suggestions quite lightly. On monitors and freeboardsMonitors, throughout their history (Roughly the U.S. Civil War to WWII), were built to be coastal ships. A large freeboard (which means more ship to build, and a larger target) was not necessary because the ships were never intended to leave inland waterways or shallow coasts. This also worked well with U.S. foreign policy which was more concerned with its own waters. I'm sure many people are familiar with the story of U.S.S. Monitor (the original monitor) which was swamped and sank in a storm off Cape Hatteras. Monitor FactoidsThe "monitor" was a radical new warship design by engineer John Ericsson during the US Civll War. The standard high-sided wooden warship with its "broadside" of guns was still designed for sail power and to repel boarders. He conceived a fully mechanized ironclad "ship-killer" that presented a much smaller target and had several much larger guns housed in heavily armored rotating turrets. This proved quite deadly against wooden ships especially in breaking through blockades. Although not totally seaworthy, most waves washed harmlessly over the low deck. The concept gradually evolved to larger more seaworthy battleships with "real" armor-plated hulls, but the large, turret mounted guns became the new standard. The "canteens" alongside the rowboat are fenders to keep its hull from scraping against the sides of the ship. IDing the ObjectsThe things hanging over the side of the boat are called bumpers, buoys, or fenders. They're to stop the sides from hitting and scraping other boats and docks. Hangers...Id say these are used to draw wather from boat. Sorry for my poor enlish :/ The Objectsare bumpers. Coiled rope inside tarred leather to keep from scratching the boat or the ship. Much like the rubber ones we have today. She was a river monitorRiver monitors were not designed with high freeboard because it was needed. They were not supposed to put to sea, and the lower the freeboard the better because it made less of a target. HTH Re:HangersMy best guess is they are bumpers to protect the wooden sides of the rowboat when along side a ship or wharf. Notice the other rowboats pictured have them as well. What I see here is the bumpers were fitted for the average ship or dock and the ironclad, being so low in the water, caused the scraping and damage to side of this rowboat below the bumpers. Built low for a reasonWonderful photo! One of the ideas behind the Union's ironclads (called "Monitors" after the archetype U.S.S. Monitor) was that if little sticks above the water, there is little to effectively shoot at. Hence, the only things that are exposed are the (heavily armored) revolving gun turret(s). Note that this ship has two revolving turrets, in contrast to the U.S.S. Monitor, which just had one. Needless to say, though, these monitors were not the greatest thing to be used in rough open seas -- that's how the U.S.S. Monitor was lost. The Confederates took an entirely different approach (as with the C.S.S. Virginia, née Merrimack). Their ironclad vessels were heavily armored structures built upon traditional wooden hulls. Because most of the Confederate ship stuck out of the water, it would have to employ a lot more armor plating which added weight and made it much less manueverable and less able to be employed in shallow areas. Low FreeboardIndeed, as earlier comments note, this monitor has unusually low freeboard (not sure if they all did; certainly, all monitors had relatively low freeboard compared to "normal" ships.) The function of this feature was to reduce the target area that could be hit by shellfire, both to make hits less likely and to reduce the weight of armor required to cover the vertical side. (The deck was also lightly armored, since the technology of directing long range fire made a plunging, high angle hit very unlikely; the deck armor was enough to deflect a glancing hit whose angle of fall was only a few degrees). What was neglected in this design compromise was the fact that there was hardly any reserve buoyancy...a leak too big for the pumps to control would result in the deck edge going under and the ship sinking in a rather short time...and in fact, this happened to the Monitor herself on an open ocean passage on the last day of 1862. The objects dangling over the rail on the boats (both the manned boat in the foreground and the empty boats tied up to the ship) are probably fenders, although they look rather small for the purpose. Needless to say, protecting the side of a small, lightly built wooden boat coming alongside a vessel armored with iron was quite important. Re: Hangers (@GeezerNYC)I'd think that the objects on the boat are fenders, to keep the boat from banging into docks or the ship. MonitorThe Monitor-class ironclads like that in this photo were designed to offer as little a target to Confederate artillery as possible; most of their hull was kept below water, and practically the only structures above it were the chimney (those were steam-powered ships) and two revolving, armored turrets. The most famous of these ships, the U.S.S. Monitor (which gave its name to this class of vessels) took part in the first battle between "ironclads", or ships made or covered on metal, which took place on march 9, 1862, and is known as the Battle of Hampton Road. Quoting from an excellent article on Wikipedia: "...While the design of Monitor was well-suited for river combat, her low freeboard and heavy turret made her highly unseaworthy in rough waters. This feature probably led to the early loss of the original Monitor, which foundered during a heavy storm. Swamped by high waves while under tow by Rhode Island, she sank on December 31, 1862 in the Atlantic Ocean off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. 16 of 62 crewmen were lost in the storm." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Monitor Rubber Baby Buggy Boat BumpersMy guess on the 3 objects hanging off the side of the rowboat (and visible on some of the other rowboats in the photo) is that they are "Boat Bumpers" a.k.a. "Dock Fenders". These prevent the side of the boat from coming in direct contact with another boat or the dock when the boat is tied up. FendersI took those things hanging from the gunwale of all the small boats in the photo to be fenders, used as a cushioning bumper when tied up against a dock or another hull. Modern versions: http://tinyurl.com/m4jgzu Somehow it crossed the Atlantic!According to Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Onondaga_(1864) after it was decommissioned in 1865 it was sold to the French navy and here's a photo of it in Brest http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/c/cc/USS_Onondaga_60211.jpg I can't imagine it out in the Atlantic, even on a very calm day! objects on side of boatThey look like typical boat bumpers of the small variety.. Hangers Answer?Ballast, or bumpers. It's a monitorYes, it would be easy to swamp this ship- it was designed for inlets and calm waters; it is a double turreted descendent of the Monitor- the famous ironclad that did battle with the Merrimack/Virginia. It sits so low in the water so as to be an extremely difficult target. The turrets, along with relatively petite size allowed the monitor vessels to be extremely maneuverable and effective- although the crew had qualms with living below the waterline- which is why there are so many canopies on deck. Johan Eriksson, the designer of the original Monitor was one of the first developers of the propeller, and on his signature ship he patented hundreds of brilliant inventions from a then state-of-the-art ventilation system, to the rotating gun turret, and the first operable marine toilet. HangersCould be to scoop out water eh? three objects"Does anyone know what the three objects hanging over the side of the boat are?" Bumpers. Re: Hangers, et al.The 3 little bags visible near the oars are the Civil War-era version of fenders. They were generally filled with corncobs or sawdust and served as spacers to prevent the wooden boat from brushing against the ironclad and becoming damaged. Of more interest is the canvas coverings over parts of the ironclad. These signify that the monitor is in Union-held waters as they would never be used where there was a risk of battle. Ironclads were just that, iron plates laid over a wooden hull and still vulnerable to fire. The Answer: Fenders!The bag-shaped objects are fenders, or as you land-lubbers would say, bumpers. You hang them over the side to save your paint job when you're tied up to the dock or to a ship. I'm guessing they're made of leather or rubber. The Onondaga sits low in the water to decrease her vulnerability to enemy artillery fire -- by design, not by accident. Re: U.S.S. Onondagathose little thingys are bumpers for pulling next to a stell ship with a wooden boat. This was definitly a 'Lessons Learned' device From a River Far Far Away . . .The two circular towers that have awnings on them - they remind me of Jabba the Hutt's sail barge in Return of the Jedi. I'm just saying. Monitor designThe design of the USS Monitor and follow-on ships such as the Onondaga were revolutionary for the time. The idea of mounting one or two guns in a rotating turret versus rows of guns along the sides of a ship enabled monitors to bring more accurate firepower to bear more quickly, and most importantly, independently of the direction of the ship's travel. While some earlier ships had turreted weapons, I believe the USS Monitor was the first to rely on its turret as its only weapons station. Monitors were low to the water to provide a smaller silhouette for the enemy gunners. Most shipboard cannons at the time would have had rather low, flat trajectories, which would have slammed into the sides of opposing ships rather than higher trajectories which would have sent plunging fire through the decks. Obviously a ship that sat lower in the water would have presented a much more difficult target for other ships--it practically didn't have sides to hit! It also made them difficult to see--in the days before submarines, these were the original stealth ships. These ships were generally designed to work in what are now called "littoral" operations, close to shore, in bays or rivers. In those environments, heavy sea states that would cause a problem with the low freeboard design were not a major concern. Riverboat steamers had similarly low freeboards. As for the items hanging along the gunwales of the rowboat, the look like bumpers to protect the rowboat and its mothership from bouncing off one another. Today they're a rubbery plastic, but I don't know what they would have been back then, maybe cork inside a waxed canvas bag? Re: Hangers>Hangers >Submitted by GeezerNYC on Sat, 08/01/2009 - 10:29pm. >Does anyone know what the three objects hanging over the >side of the boat are? They look to be bumpers. All the boats in the background have them, or some form of them, too. Low in the waterTo answer Woodchopper's question, Monitors (originally intended for harbor defense as floating batteries) were designed to expose as little of the ship above the waterline to minimize the target available to enemy gunners. With less to see, there is less to hit. While naval architecture changed over the years, this design is coming back into vogue with naval designers in examples like the DD(X) programs. BumpersUpon reading ALL the comments and not finding a clue and after a thorough and painstaking research I have come to the conclusion that those three objects hanging over the side of the boat are bumpers! Now hold down the applause. You can thank me later. More if you haven't googled yet...http://www.navsource.org/archives/01/onondaga.htm (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Civil War)
Step 1: 1935
... Contest "Too much information" "Put that in your pipe and smoke it" Always something interesting! I about fell out of my ... Bossy is one of them, despite the stab at suavity with the pipe. [This bull is no Bossy. - Dave] Why I am not a farmer ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2011 - 1:42am -

August 1935. Prince George's County, Maryland. "One step in artificial insemination." If you like animals, and working with your hands, we have the perfect opening -- apply within. (And, smoking permitted!) 35mm nitrate negative by Carl Mydans for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. They look boredThis is just another job. Ready, set ...Let the wristwatch jokes begin! I need this pic to remind mejust how bad my job COULD be. Caption Contest"Too much information" "Put that in your pipe and smoke it" Always something interesting!I about fell out of my chair on this one. Can't wait to read the comments that will be flooding in. Sense of taste?I've done it and got to say that putting anything in my mouth at the time would have been the last thing on my mind. That ol' boy must be a hardcore piper. Lovely!Just what I needed to see before breakfast! Whoa!And I thought the Kubrick photo would be a record setter for comments! I think this one will go where no man has gone before on the comments. You're gonna be elbow deep in commentsSorry, I just had to! Step 2:Put on a Barry White record. Mooon RiverThat, and other one-liners from "Fletch" come to mind. Was it CarnationThat advertised milk from "contented cows"? Doubtful that Bossy is one of them, despite the stab at suavity with the pipe. [This bull is no Bossy. - Dave] Why I am not a farmerBesides the amount of actual work one has to do as a farmer which would probably kill me, I don't understand much of what they do. Take this picture for example. It's a bull. Perhaps I've blocked it, but I don't remember anything remotely like this in the process that resulted in my two kids. Granted, the act photographed is part of an artificial process (although I'm sure the bull would argue that point), but still. Perhaps I could ask my wife. Then again, maybe not. Moving on ...Just this once, I think I'll pass on the big, high-res photo. Is this what they mean by"animal husbandry"? I'll stick to humans, thank you.Is this what they mean by "animal husbandry"? Like leaving his socks on.Smoking a pipe while up to his elbows in bull is just plain rude. El Toro's thoughts"Can you believe the NERVE of some people." "Are these guys looking for romance?" "I'll give 'em aromatherapy they won't forget." "They didn't even take me to dinner first." "Shouldn't this be consensual?" "Yes officer, I was just standing here minding my own beeswax and contemplating the stock market when these two jokers walked in and -- " Bachelor of Sciencefollowed by More of the Same, and Piled Higher and Deeper. NO BULLI don't think old Bessie would appreciate being called a bull by timeandagainphoto. All the bulls I ever saw did the inseminating instead of receiving it. For Dave's eyes onlyPerhaps I should have looked at the picture more closely. I guess old Studley is getting his timely prostate exam. [The objects of our pipe-smoker's exertions are the bull's seminal vesicles; the technique is called "manual massage." - Dave] This reminds meI need to schedule my annual physical. And little did we knowthat dairy farming would be so difficult. All in a day's workMy niece graduated from vet school last year. I asked her about this, and she said you can learn a lot sticking your arm up a horse's or cow's butt. Colic, which is a leading cause of death among horses, is diagnosed and treated this way. It always reminds me of the many, many scenes in the great British series "All Creatures Great and Small," where Mr. Heriot is rolling up his sleeve, or washing his hands. Vets nowadays have nice little pink shoulder length rubber gloves for the purpose. Did they offer the bull a cigarette afterward?Just wondering. Hope that pipe wasn't litReminds me of the story in the "Book of Heroic Failures" about the vet who was treating a cow for gastric distress and lit a match in the vicinity of, as the book put it, "the end of the cow not capable of facial expression." The resultant explosion killed the cow and burned down the barn. The police searched for some charge to bring against the vet and finally settled on "setting a fire in a manner surprising to the magistrates." All this in England, as you probably gathered from the quotes. Oh My!Fisk-husking! And you think your job is badI wonder why they don't show the bull's face? I can picture a big smile and crossed eyes and a cigarette. Farmer in back of us says they stick some kind of an electrode up there now and shock him. Kinky! Bob Eubanks asks"Where's the strangest place you've ever made whoopee?" My KudosDave, you never cease to amaze me with your knowledge of varyious endeavors. Who else would know what was happening in this picture? I salute you. [Run a website long enough, and you learn a little about everything. - Dave] Specially Trained Men Farmers' Bulletin No. 1412, USDA, 1938. Care and Management of Dairy Bulls. Artificial Insemination. In recent years much interest has developed in the use of artificial insemination for breeding dairy stock. If the proper care and technique are exercised, semen can be collected, kept for several days, and successfully used on cows in the herd or in nearby herds. This should extend the use of a valuable sire to a much greater extent than if natural matings are used. Then, too. many valuable sires, because of age or because they are crippled, are unable to perform natural service, in which event artificial insemination can be practiced. It has also been demonstrated that semen can be transported by airplane to distant points for artificial insemination. In the laboratory of the Bureau at Beltsville, sperm cells have been kept active from 6 to 11 days in numerous instances and for as long as 21 days in some instances. Only veterinarians or specially trained men should attempt the collection and preparation of the semen for holding or shipment, and artificial insemination of the cow on receipt of the package. Further information on methods of collecting, storing, and transporting semen from bulls, together with suggestions for impregnating cows, will be sent if a request is addressed to the Bureau of Dairy Industry, Washington, D.C. "Found three watches""And not one of 'em mine" Hokey PokeyRemember the lyrics of that 1940s favorite -- and that's what it's all about, as we suspected. Road TripOoh (or maybe eww). This reminds me of a scene in a really stupid movie I watched with my kids! Hey, Dave!I also knew what was going on here! 34 and countingComments I mean. Andy, did you wear the extra, extra long glove at work today? Properly Equipped I note a shovel to handle all the BS that goes with the job. We should all be so lucky. At least they aren't tipping him over'Cause that would be undignified. The back-end man does appear to be wearing a just-barely-long-enough glove. I also just noticed the conveniently placed, non-empty shovel. So not only is the guy a massage therapist, he's also a concierge pooper-scooper. Why would anyone be required to wear a WHITE uniform for a job like that? Are those Keds high-tops the older man is wearing? How did all those dark splatters get on the wall? Caption Contest 2 Hold my beer and watch this. So many comments --I just can't get a grip on them all. It could be after-the-factMy dad was a veterinarian and we raised apporximately 100 beef cattle, mostly herefords and angus, along with the new calves that made their appearances each spring. Once a year, we'd get the cattle rounded up and my dad would do this to the heifers. But he was not performing artificial insemination, he was preg-testing them to see which ones were with-calf, and at the same time getting an idea of the size of the fetus, so he could tell how far along they were. Perhaps that's what's going on here? Since I see no equipment related to the insemination process that would be my first guess. (The Gallery, Animals, Carl Mydans)
Starlight Park: 1921
... seen here and elsewhere on Shorpy. Someone always seems to pipe up about weight. Most women share a shape similar to Eleanor's. Not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 12:24pm -

June 1921. Eleanor Tierney at Starlight Park on the Bronx River at 177th Street. Eleanor, a Broadway chorus girl, married a banker and ended up in Larchmont. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Hairy gamsShe has more hair on her legs than some of those Confederate soldiers had on their chins. I bet it's a good thing her arms aren't raised. EleanorYou could almost think this was a recent photo. She has a very modern look. The suitWas this bathing suit considered risque at the time? I wonder, only because so-called "modesty suits" which are marketed to (mostly extremist) religious women these days (i.e. http://www.swimoutlet.com/product_p/11745.htm ) offer significantly more coverage than this item from nearly 90 years ago. [It's not unusual for a 1920 bathing suit. - Dave] Itchy & ScratchyThat suit looks mighty itchy... Is it wool? A Little ChubbyA lot of those 1920 bathing beauties seem to be slightly pregnant I guess they weren't into washboard abs or heroin chic. Grooming NotesWow, I guess women of the 20s were not too worried about shaving their legs. Of other interest, it appears that there is more material on the men's bathing suits of the day than on Eleanor's! A real woman*sigh* every chorus girl's dream: to marry a banker and move to Larchmont.... RE: "Chubby," Seems that some men today are too used to the hyper airbrushed "perfect 10's" they see in the media. As apparent in comments seen here and elsewhere on Shorpy. Someone always seems to pipe up about weight. Most women share a shape similar to Eleanor's. Not fat, not skinny, not hard-bodied, not total slobs--just real and healthy. That being said, most of us do shave our legs nowadays. Comment criteria?I find it interesting that every comment I've submitted to this site -- which have had to do with artistic decisions in photographs or societal conditions at the time the photos were taken -- has not appeared in the threads, and yet comments about the hair on this woman's legs or that say she looks "slightly pregnant" (please, calling her "a little chubby" is absolutely ridiculous) pass muster. This is a private blog, of course, and you may post comments or not as you please, but this thread is a bit annoying. [Indeed. - Dave] I like her attitude.I would seriously like to go back in time and hang out with this girl. Concrete beach?What is she standing on? [Concrete paving. - Dave] Starlight ParkFrom what little I can find about Starlight Park, it was at 177th and Devoe and closed around 1940. The site is now occupied by a city bus barn. From other writings, Eleanor was apparently standing on a "beach" at the edge of a large wave pool on the park grounds. The chin-up pose is striking. Eleanor had confidence. She's all that...and she knows it! Here's a woman with a healthy confidence and outlook! Real women, indeedI agree that normal women are shaped like this young lady, if they're lucky; she was indeed a beautiful girl. As a guy in his 60s, I would point out that the rage for anorexics is a fairly recent one, and I think that even young men would largely prefer a healthy woman to one who is obsessed with her weight. It seems to me that this is something that women have brought on themselves in the last 25 years or so. Maybe not. It's also true that men like me knew lots and lots of unshaven European and American girls in the '60s and '70s. Natural and feminine women can be devastatingly attractive. ShowboatAccording to http://broadwayworld.com/people/Eleanor_Tierney/ Performances Show Boat [Broadway] Original Broadway Production, 1927 Lady of the Ensemble More New York City photos requested...More photos of people and places in New York City that are no longer "there" would sure be welcomed here, a la' the vast file of DC scenes you've published to date. [We have more than 400 NYC photos on the site. - Dave] Where it was...If I'm reading my Yahoo! Map correctly, Starlight Park in the Bronx was just about where the northern terminus of Sheridan Parkway feeds off to East 177th Street, very close to East Tremont Avenue. The Bronx River is basically clean where in runs through the NY Botanical Garden, but I don't think I'd want to take a swim it it today where Starlight Park used to be. Who wants plastic anorexia?I'm a relatively young man myself (37) and it's all the starved carpenter's dreams walking around these days that makes me really appreciate the beauty of this photo. Nothing fake or plastic here - to paraphrase, "it's all her, baby!" - and that's how I personally prefer women, inside as well as outside. Since we're on the subject of "modern" women vs. the extremely appealing jazz babies I've seen here thus far, my question is, why on God's green earth have hips and real busts been outlawed the last 3 decades or so? Dave, I can't tell you what a wonderful job and service you're doing. The streetscapes - as well as the jazz babies, among the many other things here - are exceptional!!! Twiggy Go HomeTo answer the SwingMan's question: It's that darn Twiggy in the early 1970's. I wish she had quickly crawled back into the golf hole from whence she came. *sigh*"It's also true that men like me knew lots and lots of unshaven European and American girls in the '60s and '70s. Natural and feminine women can be devastatingly attractive." Heck, yes. That's a reason I keep coming back to this site. The Hepburn FactorTwiggy was a latecomer in the thin-is-stylish sweepstakes. It actually dates back to Audrey Hepburn, the quintessential high-fashion template of the 50s. On a related note, let's not forget that of Katharine Hepburn (no relation), Spencer Tracy said, "Not much meat on her, but what there is is cherce." YMMV, of course. Almost Nekkid!For its moment, ca. 1920, this is a mild news service cheesecake photo produced for one of New York's many illustrated dailies. Eleanor Tierney's two-piece wool jersey bathing suit is acceptable in 1920 but a bit risque in its lack of a skirt. Many women continued to wear corsets under their bathing suits until the mid-teens at least, and one-piece bathing suits for women would remain illegal on many American beaches until the early 1930s. Many viewers at the time would have considered her "almost nekkid." With her casually proud stance and short hair, Eleanor is expressing modernity and liberation from older values, embodying social changes that were exciting, controversial and hotly debated throughout the country. Real WomenOnce again, Shorpy proves why it is my daily online morning ritual. Cup of coffee in hand, I have to peruse the jewels set up for daily display. As a woman who would have been described a "sweater girl" back in the good old days, I have always been amazed and a bit irritated how normal, healthy women in pictures such as this are berated in the comments on Shorpy for their weight when they have the curves and lovely meat a woman is supposed to have. I'm very glad I resemble Mae West rather than Twiggy, and I know not a few men who are as well. Flat-Chested FlappersOdd that so many readers view thinness as a purely modern fashion phenomenon, although our rail-thin models are a record-setting extreme. By the mid-1920s the ideal beauty was "boyish," with very slim hips, long legs, a flat chest and very short hair. This was the culmination of a revolutionary fashion trend that began during World War I with "mannish" dresses that suppressed the hourglass body shapes of the 1890-1910 period. In the 1920s John Held's covers for Life and Judge magazines featured girls with barely noticeable breasts and no waistline. This is the basis for the joke in "Some Like It Hot," when Marilyn Monroe envies Jack Lemmon's figure (in drag). She says that his beaded necklace hangs straight, and complains that hers just go all over the place. The Boyish LookSetting aside the fact that had the current fashion for anorexic actresses been in place fifty or sixty years ago we would have been robbed of the pleasure of watching Marilyn Monroe, the boyish look of the '20s was quite common, and would later come to be thoroughly misunderstood. If you've ever seen a not very good movie called "Getting Straight" which starred Elliott Gould and Candice Bergen, you may recall a scene in which Gould's character is defending his thesis on his favourite book "The Great Gatsby." One of the professors insists that Fitzgerald's description of Daisy is distinctly boyish and points to this as proof of Gatsby's (and maybe even Fitzgerald's - it's been a long time since I've seen the film) suppressed homosexuality. I at least see it as being as much a product of the fashions of the times as the descriptions of blacks in other novels of the period. My Two CentsNot to belabor the point regarding women's curves, I can only think of the classic artists whose magnificent paintings of beautiful, fleshed-out female forms are unintentionally so much more interesting (as in erotic) than would be bone-thin, shapeless females exhibiting a dearth of both feminine hormones and sex appeal. Take for example Venus, September Morn, the entire works of Rubens, Botticelli and hundreds of other artists and paintings that celebrate the true nature of the female form. Of course, then we have Botero, who makes all his figures very short and very stocky, but they are such great fun to look at. I can't imagine the great painters even desiring to paint the anorexic girls on the runways today. Just had to add my humble opinion to the mix. Thank you for not only the fascinating photos but also the stimulating discussions they inspire. EleanorEleanor, gee I think you're swell, and you really do me well, you're my pride and joy, etcetera... ©the Turtles ...this beauty can model for me any time. WOW...That is some hairdo! Very pretty woman. Can this be back in style?I absolutely love her bathing suit. I may need to get to work on one not made out of wool... Re: Show BoatShe's a chorus girl, too? Can she GET any more awesome? Why this photo?DO you know why this photo was taken? Was it a private photo? Or was it taken as publicity for the show she is appearing in at the time (being a chorus girl) or for the park itself? It has all the hallmarks of a professional photo due to the angle and her stance. [The Bain News Service photos were all professional. - Dave] EleanorSomething about the way she is standing and the look on her faces tells me that Eleanor might have been that girl who knew how to have a good time. Love the photo. Eleanor TierneyAccording to census records and the NY Times archives, Eleanor married John A. Van Zelm. He died of pneumonia on August 1, 1937. Eleanor died on June 22, 1948. Chubby? Slightly Pregnant??!!Honestly, get a clue. She just happens to have internal organs. Gee,if only they could come up with plastic surgery to remove them. Starlight Park in my LifeI admire the candid of Ms. Tierney, but the background is most interesting. I knew Starlight Park more than a quarter century later. By then there were no remnants of roller coasters or the like. The arena had been converted to a bus barn by Third Avenue Transit( taken over and operated now by the government transit op.) Many of the stucco buildings with red tile roofs were either destroyed,falling down or abandoned playgrounds for kids. That pool she is standing beside had a large sandy beach area and was of monumental proportions. It was the length of a football field, oriented east-west. At the west end, beyond the paved promenade, was a retaining wall and the land fell off sharply to the Bronx River. When this photo was taken this was largely an area that was undeveloped. The 180th Street Crosstown trolley (X route) went by and there was the West Farms junction of several trolley routes (after 1948 all buses) about a quarter mile away. The White Plains Road IRT elevated line with a Bronx Zoo destination had a stop another few blocks further west. In the 1940s when I frequented the place, it was because I accompanied my father, who was a soccer buff, when he went there on Sundays to doubleheaders of the German-American Soccer league. Not withstanding the leagues moniker; the NY Hungarians, Praha, Savoia, Hakoah, Eintracht, Brooklyn Wanderers, Bronx Scots, my old man's former team the NY Corinthians, and a plethora of teams with non-teutonic associations made up the league. There were professional leagues that had a larger territorial range, but almost all of the players in those days were either immigrants, or their first generation progeny. The GA was the MISL of that time. There was no real money to pay living wages to soccer players so either industrial teams, like the Uhrich Truckers in St. Louis, or semi pros - like those from the G-A league were the source of the best players in the country. Yogi Berra, and Joe Garagiola who grew up on "The Hill" in St. Louis, were part of a similar world and played soccer for local Italo-American sides there as children and teens. I know this seems strange, when the American goalie Brad Fridl pulls down 5 million bucks from Aston Villa in Birmingham in the UK Premier League, but until the Spaniards and Italians started offering whatever wages they would to get the best players, the British paid washers to professional soccer players. Ten pounds a week was the fixed rate in the forties for UK soccer players. Liverpool offered a NYPD sergeant named Miller, who was the G-A all star teams goalie, a contract. He would have had to have taken a substantial pay cut to have gone there. Foreign wage pressures, and the fixing of games by underpaid players has changed that forever. The Post War would change everything, but meanwhile the German-American League was the best we had. In the early 1950s, I was at Randall's Island Stadium when the G-A League All Stars beat Kaiserslauten , the German Bundesliga champions, 2-0. So Starlight Park's large playing field, north of the pool site ruins, was, along with Sterling Oval, and a field across the road from Con Edison in the south Bronx, were the places where the best soccer in the US was being played. As a young kid, I and the sons and daughters of the immigrants tore around the ruins playing games, built fires to roast spuds and marshmallows and the like, while our parents watched the games and relived their own athletic youths. Unfortunately, it wasn't all a halcyon time in the ruins for us. Charley, a 12-year-old acquaintance, was murdered by a sexual pervert there after swimming in the Bronx River. I never knew the place in its heyday, and I wish I had been there to ride the roller coaster and swim in such an immense pool. Still, it provided a different set of experiences and meaning to another generation. Good-Luck, Peter J. Eleanor in ColorWhen this photo originally appeared on Shorpy last year, I decide it was a good experiment for hand-coloring. I did this in Adobe Illustrator CS2, not a traditional photo-manipulation program. With the recent mania for colorizing, I thought I'd jump on the bandwagon. Fire away, philistines! [The system deleted your attachment because it was wider than 490 pixels. Please read and follow the posting instructions! - Dave] More Starlight PixI first became aware of Starlight Park from a photo in Roger Arcara's "Westchester's Forgotten Railway" (1960). Now, the Internet and this web page have opened a whole new box of nostalgic pleasures. I have uploaded more Starlight Park pix here. Beach hairYes, it appears that Eleanor is both confident and fun-loving! It also appears that (by the look of her carefree 'beached-out' tresses) she has been SWIMMING this lovely day. This makes me very happy! I imagine that not too many women of the day would purposely submerge their HEAD in the salt water, much less consent afterwards to having their portrait made. That said, I have no doubt that for stage and most all other social appearances, Eleanor made diligent use of hair straightening rods, pin curlers, scented hair oils, etc. How do I know this? I (and all the other women in my family) have Eleanor's hair. Pool I wonder how they took care of keeping a pool of this size clean in 1921. I don't think they had Olin's HTH product at the time. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Mom and Pop: 1937
... "It's like peeing through the jaws of an alligator!" Pipe Smoking Dang... I miss my pipe. I finally get old enough to not look odd smoking a pipe, and I have to go ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/04/2010 - 12:53am -

August 1937. "Storekeeper and wife in front of their store at Section 30. 'Bust' iron mining town near Winton, Minnesota." Medium format nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. They are quite endearingWould this have been what the song "Sixteen Tons" called a "company store"? How many souls are on its books? A sweet looking coupleNot sure if they are husband and wife, brother and sister or just good friends, but they look like they've been together for years, have seen a lot together and still enjoy each other's company. A great natural pose! [The mystery of their relatedness can be solved by, quel surprise, reading the caption. - Dave] Thanks Again, Shorpy!You did it again: another photo that brought a smile to my face. What a happy and sweet looking couple. Whatza whizitReally neat old Lee denim sign in the upper left. Has their early "house" or triangle logo and "slanted e" logo. Whizits were Lee jeans and overalls with zippers. The first jeans maker to use 'em. Less draft and no puckers -- smoother lines. When Levi's finally began offering 501ZXX jean with a zipper, one irate cowboy who had been sent a pair with his order as a promotion of the new product sent them back -- "It's like peeing through the jaws of an alligator!" Pipe SmokingDang... I miss my pipe. I finally get old enough to not look odd smoking a pipe, and I have to go and get all health conscious. Fleischmann's YeastAh yes, Fleischmann's Yeast. At one time, they operated a large factory in Peekskill, NY and when it was up and producing, a karge part of the Mid-Hudson Valley could inhale its scent. Worth a thousand words...Much as I love those photos, a moment frozen in time does not need bustling streets and signs galore to say as much a this one does. Really a wonderful backward glance—thanks, Steve. Whizits AKA zippers"Railroad men tell us we must have made Lee Whizit Union-Alls and Overalls for them. We did- and we made them so handy, roomy, keen looking and comfortable that you find men on famous trains of every system wearing Lee Whizits. Railroad men with pride in their jobs-men who have service records in the cabs of famous trains-say, "We feel dressed up in Whizits." The Whizit fastener, exclusively Lee, means no buttons to bother - to come off - to sew on. Then too, Lee fabrics with their distinctly different weaves are stronger, wash more easily and cleaner, keeping color, shape and clean-cut appearance through months of hard service. The Whizit is a real man's work garment. More Lee garments are worn than any other make." http://thelibrary.springfield.missouri.org/lochist/frisco/magazines/fem_... Sans PitchforkAmerican Gothic without the pitchfork, frowns and barn. Denver SandwichHits the spot everytime. Wonder what the apron says?I love this photo. I grew up in North Carolina and I remember store keepers that looked much like this couple. I like the looks of his hands, they look like he has done some good honest work with them. Great picture. OutstandingDave, you've made my day! One of the best pictures yet on Shorpy! A perfect pair. Denver Sandwich CandyI had never heard of such a thing! The only photo I could. TV Mystery SolvedSo this is where Sam Drucker got his start! They must be....in love. I am always impressed when I see a couple that look as comfortable around each other as these two do. I only wish my marriage had been so successful. Who has the keys to the Delorean?There's something I love about this couple. They look like people you could meet today, or during any time period really. Great picture! Denver Sandwich Candy"Crispy wafers surrounded by creamy caramel and nuts coated with plenty of milk chocolate." What's not to like? Made by the Sperry Co. in Milwaukee. "Take your brother with youWhen you go to the store, pick up our meat order and Mr. Burge will have a surprise for you." Usually it was a dime credit for coke or candy for us. Our grocer was a butcher, baker, produce manager, and stock clerk. He did it all with help from his wife, probably just like the folks in the picture. He also knew every customer's name including their kids. She looks like my grandmaShe wore a tidy little hairnet too. Great photo!Reminds me of all the mom and pop stores of days gone by. And they're actually smiling for a change. Empress"We Feature Empress Coffee" -- that's what the apron says. Laugh lines don't lieBoth of them have plenty of laugh lines around their eyes, indicating a lot of fun in their lives. I bet they were a hoot and a half to hang with. 7 Layer cakeThe Denver Sandwich reminds me of what we New Yorkers called Seven Layer Cake. Alternate layers of vanilla and chocolate butter cream. My God, how I wish I could walk into one of those Bronx bakeries and buy a slab of that. Imitations are available everywhere including Palm Desert, California, where I am spending the winter. Dr. GrabowThey're in love, seems to me. Radiates from them like sunshine. I especially like the pipe; it looks like one of my Dad's Dr. Grabows. He's unconsciously tamping it with his finger, as my dad used to do, and as I do now,on the rare occasions that I smoke. Denver sandwichStrange, here in Canada we refer to a "western sandwich" as a "Denver Sandwich" and usually it's an "Open faced Denver" that is the preferred. Mom and Pop storekeepers identified!"Oppel’s Store, fore-runner of modern shopping centers, was famous throughout the area and did so well that eight clerks, a bookkeeper and two butchers were kept full time." -Minnesota Humanities Center This is Joe Manning. I managed to identify this couple by contacting the local newspaper, the Ely Echo, which ran a short article with the picture. They were William and Nellie Oppel, who ran Oppel's store, near the iron ore mine. William died at the age of 72, about two years after this photo was taken. You can see more information, and more photos of the store, on my website. http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2015/01/05/3564/ (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
Ornaments of a House: 1915
... We aren't in the cheap seats, are we? Crack! pipe. The Indian war piece on the mantel looks like it's made of pipestone. ... light shine through? War club That is not a peace pipe, it is a ceremonial war club. I think whoever decorated this house was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 4:28pm -

Circa 1915. "Hallway with liquor cabinet and living room decorated with mistletoe ball and Christmas gnome by fireplace." Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. City gasI like the old gas logs in the fireplace. [They look brand new to me! - Dave] High-classWe aren't in the cheap seats, are we? Crack! pipe.The Indian war piece on the mantel looks like it's made of pipestone. A soft stone from an area in SW Minnesota. As the name implies, it was mostly used to make peace pipes. Not so this piece. Looks like it could put a big knob on your head. And the strands of hair? They look kinda blonde. Just sayin. Gah! Honey? Call the exterminator!If I were to find Christmas gnomes leering around my fireplace, I'd keep an Indian head-buster on the mantel, too. The Definition of "Bric-a-Brac"If an earthquake hits, it becomes "Bric-a-Broke" OrnamentsWell, the gnome is more than a little creepy (Kill it! Kill it now!), and the swords and shield a tad overwhelming, but I love the Arts and Craftsy touches: the two chairs, the wooden screen, the sideboard. Chinoiserie lamp shades right in keeping, too. The Simple Christmasheld the meaning for me. I remember them and they were good. As an old man, today, I no longer feel the glow. Dept store display?The iron staircase and motto above the door make it look like a store showcase more than a private home to me. Wall to Wall WealthThis is clearly a home of some wealth. Wall to wall carpet was quite a luxury in 1915. Common folks were left with area rugs on wooden floors. Amazing how times have changed ... I would take my 1920s oak floors any day over wall to wall. Functional EclecticI love the variety in the room, from Asian to European, and gauche to classic, as well as the decanter on the liquor cabinet labeled Forbidden Fruit. However, the accoutrements of war above the fireplace were a necessity, as, though not well-known, Zombie uprisings were a great threat even in 1915. DetailThis just might be a display. Note the steel post supporting a light beam to the left of the liquor cabinet. That's not terribly 'normal'. And that's a very small parlor for all the decorative bits and pieces. Interesting mix of decorative styles.The Chinese-style paper lamp covers, the row of German beer steins atop the cabinets, the Native American decorations on the mantle and the wall, and the medieval fireplace decorations. Lots of different stylistic elements. Given that it's clear whomever owned this house was pretty well to do, I wonder if all these things are a sign they traveled frequently, or just had eclectic taste. Single Guy's Dream Smoking Room This today would be a great "man cave" or more eloquently a gentleman's den. Obviously this room is filled with travel memorabilia that I must say that I would be proud to have my living room decorated the same. The steins really caught my attention because I have a couple with the same town crests and Brau HB is still brewed. Thanks for the very fun photo! Forbidden FruitThe Folks always had a bottle of it in their liquor cabinet in Larkspur. It seemed to last for years, so I guess it was only taken out for rare, important occasions. -tterrace's Sister EmersonI believe the quotation on the wall is based on a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson "The ornament of a house is the friends who frequent it." The quote is all over the Internet, but I can't lay my hands on the source right now. The original quote can apparently be found over the fireplace in Samuel Clemens' house in Hartford, so perhaps these folk were fans of Mark Twain, rather than Emerson, or maybe the quote was popular at the time. Do any of you know which it is? At some time, during the violent thunderstormThe gnome had been waiting so long for his revenge. Every Christmas season, year after year, the humans who thought this magnificent home was theirs seemed to delight in ridiculing his mishapened body, his huge head, even the frozen smile he was forced to wear. For eleven months he found comfort and a kind of gnomish warmth in the storage trunk up in the attic but then, with no warning, he'd be dragged downstairs and put on display right here on this hard, drafty floor where all the human people could laugh at him. Little Gertrude especially went out of her way to add misery to his small world, giving out with a kick of a fancy patent leather shoe every time she walked by. It wasn't so much the rude kick as it was the mocking grin on that rich mug of hers, looking down at him with those blue eyes that reflected the opulence around her. She knew he was helpless to stop her. But she was wrong, oh, ever so wrong. The storm's intensity grew. Each flash of lightning was followed almost instantly by a thundering explosion. The big house seemed to tremble. The gnome got to his feet, and stood there while neglected bones and organs and blood found their form and brought his body fully awake. He lifted his big head and, still struggling to overcome the stiff muscles in his neck, raised his eyes up to all of the swords high above the mantel, waiting for him and the gnome friends he was about to unleash from behind the mantelpiece. From upstairs, between the violent noises outside, the gnome could hear the humans' faint snores and sleeptime murmurs, snug in their silken gowns and warm, fluffy beds. Young Gertrude's room with all of those innocent dolls held prisoner by their selfish mistress was the closest, right at the top of the fancy staircase. The gnome opened the secret tiny door hidden behind the mantelpiece. The gnome's many friends from throughout the wealthy neighborhood began to crawl into the room, each of them eyeing the deadly weapon they were about to seize. The gnome was smiling, but this time it was an evil smile full of expectation for the horror that was about to begin. As he led his tiny platoon to the stairs, the gnome reached way up with the gleaming sword he had chosen and slashed the canvas of the girl's portrait in half. Christmas TimeThe beer glasses and steins along the top shelf on the right look German. Things brought over from their family or part of their European travels? Hmm... And perhaps it isn't about how simple Christmas is but how you celebrate it. If you don't put your heart in it, it becomes shallow and meaningless, whether you make home decorations or buy an entire holiday catalog. That is why I love the Christmas Markets in Germany... Yes it is about selling/buying stuff too but the feeling you get out of it is pure joy and love. People come out just to drink a glass of Gluehwein and talk with friends. You feel the Christmas spirit. TrendyThe whole "quotes on the wall" thing is so trendy right now. I never would have thought that was something being done in 1915! One TreasureNot all of the steins on the shelf above the liquor cabinet are German - or steins for that matter. I noticed one rather nice porcelain tumbler (?) with the portraits of Kinge Edward VII and his wife Queen Alexandra. Perhaps dating to their coronation in 1902. He died in 1910 and in 1915 his son, George V, would have been King. Ein SteinOne of the beer steins is obviously from a German Studentenverbindung. (The upper right part is "sei's Panier". "Panier" means "banner" and "sei's Panier" is an expression of loyalty). [The bottom part looks Latin. - Dave] A closer lookAt least two of the pieces on the shelf in the nook are from Munich -- the stein with the HB logo is from the Hofbräuhaus brewery and beer hall, and the one to the right shows the Münchner Kindl (Munich child), the city's traditional emblem. Neither one is much changed in the knick-knack trade of today. Shed Some Light, PleaseThose are certainly odd shaped lampshades on that brass chandelier! They look like paper "cabbages!" What ARE they made of? How would any light shine through? War clubThat is not a peace pipe, it is a ceremonial war club. I think whoever decorated this house was brilliant. Corps Transrhenania zu München (Munich)Transrhenania sei's Panier! Nunquam retrorsum. Corps Transrhenania is a German Studentenverbindung in Munich, founded in 1866. Its Latin slogan "Nunquam retrorsum" means "never backward." http://www.transrhenania.de/ Studentenverbindungen are an important part of German history, especially of the history of universities and students. Thank you for this great blog, i am following it no since more than two years. Greetings from Germany, Pete Cordial wordsThat "Forbidden Fruit" decanter looks remarkably like today's Chambord bottle. A quick google search describes it as an American made citrus brandy, no longer in production. It's interesting that "wall words" or carefully stenciled or painted words or sayings are enjoying somewhat of a resurgence in today's interior design. [The words (individual letters, actually) are casting shadows -- glued or pasted on. - Dave] A Real Doll House?Could this photo and the one above it of the nursery actually be interior shots of a very elaborate doll house? Both photos have such an unreal sense about them. I know the objects and things are exremely detailed but it could be a doll house that is rather larger in scale. [No. - Dave] Maybe just a regular gnome.Give all of the other Germanic touches, maybe the gnome is a year round decoration similar to modern day garden gnomes. On the other hand, if the figure was called a Christmas Gnome in a contemporary label then perhaps there it was recognizable to period eyes as being of the Yuletide season. (The Gallery, Christmas, DPC)
Nine-Centers: 1942
... a birds eye view of the pool today. Gone are the pipe rail fence and diving boards, of course. Yet, I suspect Brooklyn yutes ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2023 - 8:35pm -

June 1942. "Brooklyn, New York. Red Hook housing development. Diving pool at the play center which is supervised by the city's Department of Parks. There are separate pools for swimming and diving. Charge is nine cents for children, twenty-five cents for adults." Acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Office of War Information. View full size. What could go wrong?Let's see -- there's a railing around this end of the pool to keep anyone from jumping in or climbing out there, avoiding collision with a diver. But the young man directly under the high diving board has decided it would be fun to climb up on the round, metal rails with slippery, wet feet and, in one swift motion, push himself up with one leg and grab the underside of the diving platform. And then what? Best case scenario is he balances there for a moment or two and then lets go, diving into the water and avoids being hit by someone diving off the board directly above him. Worst case scenario is he gets to visit a local Brooklyn emergency room. With the information provided by William Lafferty, above, I'm providing a birds eye view of the pool today. Gone are the pipe rail fence and diving boards, of course. Yet, I suspect Brooklyn yutes today are still able to risk serious injury doing foolish things. Something Looked Off ...I kept staring at this photo wondering what it was that looked out of place and it finally hit me. The kid climbing on that railing is dangerous enough but it occurred to me that I've never seen a railing around a pool before. I wonder if this was a normal thing back then. There are so many things that make a railing dangerous. First and foremost, it impedes the path of a lifeguard and risks injury. It would also make it difficult to help someone out the pool and also end in injury. Someone walking close to the railing could slip on the wet tile and go head-first into a metal bar. Sometimes I notice weird things but I don't know if it's worth pointing it out or not. Any public pool experts out there? HA! Boys will beWhat is it with boys crawling all over everything? That kid on the rail under the lifeguard on the high diving board, the boys on the right on the roof of that entrance on the stairs, and all the others, tensed and ready for action -- they all seem to be burning off some kind of surplus energy. Nine?!?Was one extra cent considered such a burden in 1942? Besides the extra revenue, a dime would have saved a lot of labor, making change! Just a short walk down Clinton Street from where I am typing is the Red Hook Play Center that houses this pool, now known as the Sol Goldman Recreation Center and Pool, named for the Brooklyn-born New York real estate magnate who in the 1970s provided funds to keep a number of New York City public pools open, including Red Hook. The aquatic facility was a WPA project opened in 1936 and is a designated New York City landmark. The diving pool shown is now a wading pool, and the buildings in the distance still exist, also WPA projects. It's undergone considerable refurbishment and renovation over the decades, and the pool is adjacent to playing fields on remediated industrial land south of the facility. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Kids, NYC, Swimming)
Notre Dame de Montreal: 1900
... organ (1891) in the rear gallery. (I'm an organist.) Pipe question Those sure do look like pipes along both sides of the aisle. ... is reminiscent of https://www.shorpy.com/node/6456 Pipe Can that be a pipe running along the floor next to the pews? So out of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:24pm -

Circa 1900. "Main altar, Church of Notre Dame, Montreal, Quebec." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Masterpiece!As genuinely glorious as Montreal's Notre Dame is, in this case I'm referring to the Detroit Publishing Company's wonderfully detailed photo of the basilica's interior. I thought it would be pretty easy to find a comparable modern color photo, and was surprised to find that, of the dozens of photos available in Google Images, many of them taken by professional architectural photographers, almost none of the images comprised as complete and undistorted a record of the Basilica's interior features as Detroit's carefully adjusted view camera version. It is of course exciting but not surprising to learn that the primary color scheme is blue and gold. The Basilica's own website includes many fine detail images of the building's artworks and decorations, available at www.basiliquenotredame.ca/en/basilica/pictures.aspx, but no single interior view as technically accomplished as Detroit's. I did find one view online, despite its monitor-friendly horizontal format, that seems overall to come closest to the qualities of the Detroit image, taken in 2011 with a Nikon D90 by professional photographer Ash Henderson. The OrganThe Organ can be heard and the present day interior viewed by clicking here. A challenge to the coloristThis is one time when black and white really fails to do justice. Except for the pews and the central sculptures on the reredos and on the pulpit, virtually everything in this picture is either gilded or polychromed, including the ceiling. The pillars are polychromed and gilt in patterns. And they weren't finished, even then: the stained glass didn't arrive until the 1920s, and at some point someone apparently felt that the one blank area on the back wall of the apse above the reredos needed some decoration too, so they put a sort of celestial background on it-- gilded, of course. The replaced the altar with a different one which incorporates three reliquaries; need I say, gilt over every square inch of their Gothic revival surfaces? I have to say, though, that Gothic revival skylights are something only the Victorians could have though of. And alas, the light fixtures among the pews are no longer with us. Notre Dame Basilica, MontrealGreat interior view -- would love to see a shot from the opposite direction of the Casavant organ (1891) in the rear gallery. (I'm an organist.) Pipe questionThose sure do look like pipes along both sides of the aisle. Could they be for heat? Hot water pumped from a boiler? Similar PhotosThis photo is reminiscent of https://www.shorpy.com/node/6456 PipeCan that be a pipe running along the floor next to the pews? So out of place if it is. Well, to me it looks likethe fanciest zeppelin hangar in the world. Be Careful Be careful when you compare this photo with the modern views. The church was heavily damaged by fire in 1978, and most of the present interior dates from after the fire. Heat requiredAs a Montreal resident I can certainly attest to the need for heat, it was 10 degrees F this morning. Pipes of this type are very much associated with hot water heating and the proximity to the rows of pews, along with the unusual detail of doors to the pews which clear the pipes suggests that these pipes may have fed arrays of pipes that passed under the foot space in the seating areas which, with the little doors closed to block drafts, may have provided sufficiant heat to enable parishioners on a cold winters day (-10F is not unusual) to sit through the two hour long latin masses that were typical of the day. Just guessing though. PipesA quick check with an older family member who used to frequent that cathedral a long time ago confirms that the pipes were for hot water heating, with radiators below the "prime" seats. You'll notice that most of the pews in the central rows have a door and a little plaque. That was because they were private seats for wealthy Montreal families. A "generous" contribution to the parish got your family a private pew in a prime well heated location and a plaque with your family name for all to see. Be careful of being carefulThe smaller Chapel of Notre-Dame du Sacré-Cœur was damaged by fire in 1978 and was rebuilt afterward, but the main basilica interior is still largely original. Or so I believe. (The Gallery, DPC)
I'm a Lumberjack: 1899
... nobody would have messed around with this crew. Pipe dream Which one of these doesn't belong? That's right, the one on the left! (the one in the middle has a pipe stem poking out from his shirt). New from Blammo! What rolls down ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 9:53pm -

Upper Michigan circa 1899. "The loggers." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. "Bless Yore Beautiful Hide" said Johnny MercerLooks like six siblings about to break out in song and dance in "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers." Naturally, Howard Keel was taking the photo. Ground cover.Is it snow or sawdust?? [Snow. - Dave] Pass At Your Own RiskI have a funny feeling nobody would have messed around with this crew. Pipe dreamWhich one of these doesn't belong? That's right, the one on the left! (the one in the middle has a pipe stem poking out from his shirt). New from Blammo!What rolls down stairs, alone or in pairs, rolls over your neighbors dog, it fits on your back, its great for a snack? LOG LOG LOG! Its Log, its Log, its big its heavy its wood! Its Log, it's Log, its better than bad, its good! ("Ren & Stimpy") [Batteries and apostrophes sold separately. - Dave] Loggers?All those guys on a log and not an axe or saw in sight: just poles used to roll the logs. They are lumberjacks and they're okayThey sleep all night, and they work all day. Do I hear a banjo?You sure got a purty mouth boy! Our Daily BreadLooks like a tough way to earn a living. PrideSomehow I think that they were very good at what they did, and proud OF it. Monty PythonEat your heart out!! SwoonNow them's some MEN. Family TreeI wonder if any of the men in that photo are related to me. My mom's family are all Yoopers, and they did own a logging camp at the time of that photo. Wait'll J. Peterman gets a load of this“Outfitted in the season’s latest North Country Leisurewear, a trio of our robust quintet sports colorful suspenders crafted of fine Malaysian batting, fastened with just-so-perfect tiny bone buttons to colorful sports trousers of hearty wools from the Scottish Highlands. From the left: Lance cuts a fancy figure in his Lipstick Red placketed shirt and Mourning Dove Gray slacks, accented with broad pin-striped suspenders in burgundy and pink. Next up is Ian, grasping that looong hardwood pike and pausing for a pipeful of our exclusive J-Puff tobacco (see Accessories, page 32), in a scoop-neck Heather Green mariner’s sweater. He’s chosen braces (our dear British friends love that word) in a solid tan hue with just a hint of mahogany to hold up his Seafoam Green action slacks, designed for real outdoor adventures. In the center, all snuggly warm in a Periwinkle Blue anorak…” (The Gallery, DPC, Mining)
Link to the Past: 1955
... yet style conscious attire, his hand holding the smoking pipe, the chair he is sitting in, the canes hanging there, the chair behind, ... the other day and they think I should give up smoking my pipe, which I have done for 40 years. I figure if I can get another 40 years or ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 01/11/2023 - 3:02pm -

1955, Larkspur, California. Our neighbor Mr. Cagwin at age 98. Born 1857 in Joliet, Illinois; as an infant came west via sailing vessel from New York and by litter across the Isthmus of Panama; selling newspapers in Hangtown, California, at age of five when the Civil War broke out; worked at Carson City Mint, then San Francisco Mint at the time of the earthquake; retired in 1922. My brother, doing occasional yard work for the Cagwins at the time, took this Ektachrome slide in their Arts & Crafts style home, which they had built after moving to Larkspur in 1905. View full size. GrandparentsHis grandparents could have been alive during the Revolution. Long-lived FamiliesMr. Mel's observation that Mr. Cagwin's grandparents might have been alive during the Revolution could easily be true. I was born in 1949. My father was born in 1909. My grandfather was born in 1867, and my great-grandfather was born in 1829, only four generations in 120 years. (In our family the trail ends there, almost. My great-grandfather's father-in-law was born in 1790.) So it's no stretch to suppose that Mr. Cagwin, born in 1857, could have had a grandfather who was born in 1775. Stories aplentyFantastic shot, really well done. You just know he had a rich history of stories. I wonder if he shared them freely or if they needed to be pried from him. LifeWhat a long and beautiful life. And in California, without the 10-below weather Joliet, Illinois, is having. What A Great Face...This is such a well done portrait. This gentleman's colorful history just adds that much more, but the photo stands on its own merits as a really well observed scene. His wrinkled visage, his rumpled yet style conscious attire, his hand holding the smoking pipe, the chair he is sitting in, the canes hanging there, the chair behind, the potted plant, the light on the windowsill in the background... absolutely wonderful. This is as good as Dorothea Lange photo. Pictures like this keep me coming back to this site day after day. I wish a rating system were in place here because I'd rate this gem 5 stars! tterrace, thank you for sharing your, and your brother's, vision. Henri!Are you sure Cartier-Bresson didn't sneak into Larkspur? What an eloquent portrait! There's so much in that face and posture and surroundings. Looking into HistoryHis eyes are wonderful, and I can't imagine all the change and history he's witnessed! If just for the contemplation of the passage of time this is an important photograph. And I would agree......with The Wingman! tterrace please keep them coming! Ye Olde LarkspurBack then Larkspur was semi-rural, despite its proximity to San Francisco. What's great about this photo is how modern it looks. It could've been taken down the street, today. Indeed.very brilliant, this picture alone connects to so much and tells a thousand stories. thank you greatly for sharing it. 54 years ago, this man was nearing a century... it's break-taking. [Coffee, anyone? - Dave] Mr. Cagwin, Role ModelI talked with my insurance company the other day and they think I should give up smoking my pipe, which I have done for 40 years. I figure if I can get another 40 years or so out of pipe smoking I will outlive everyone else. Mr. Cagwin updateMr. Cagwin died August 14, 1959, age 102 years, 8 months. The day before my own 13th birthday, as a matter of fact. His wife had died 13 months previously, aged 92. Papa George CagwinThis Mr. Cagwin is my great-grandfather George Wilder Cagwin (Papa George); his wife was Frances (Mama Fanny). They lived in Larkspur for many years. My grandmother grew up in the house right across from the Lark Creek Inn and it still looks very much like it did back at the turn of the century -- latticed windows, red house, green roof, front porch, all look the same. I have a photo of my grandfather Aubrey Cagwin standing in hip boots in thigh high water on Magnolia Avene. My grandmother was Alice deVeuve. I believe her father built the house on Magnolia Ave. A lot of history has been gathered about the Cagwins by the Cagwin family over the years, photos included. What a great photo you took! Thank you! I will direct my siblings and my Uncle, cousins, etc. to it. Papa GeorgePapa George was my great-great grandfather. I remember visiting him at the hospital with my father, Tom Cagwin, when I was about 4 years old. Dad was quite close to him and lived in the Larkspur house as a small boy. He lost his eye one fourth of July due to an accident with a firecracker. He did not go to the hospital right away, but gave his Independence Day speech as planned. He was also the Mayor of Larkspur. His wife, Fanny, lived to 98. They were definitely pioneer stock! Thank you for this wonderful photo. Lori Alden Cagwin Mr. Cagwin's 100thPerhaps some of the Cagwin kin who've commented are in this Ektachrome slide, also taken by my brother; it's Mr. Cagwin's 100th birthday party in January 1957. Mr. Cagwin himself just managed to get in the shot; that's his wife behind him. What a birthday!Below is a photo of Papa George's 99th birthday on New Year's Day 1956 with grandsons Tom Cagwin & John Costa, wife Mama Fannie and me (great-granddaughter). The color photo under that includes Papa George's daughter Marie and her granddaughter D'arcy. (Marie taught us how to bake great apple pies!) My son calls my dad Papa Tom in memory of Papa George. My father, recently visiting, told us how he looked for Papa George's spare glass eye on his dresser when small, fascinated as boys are with such things. Papa George's father, Hamden Aubrey, took a wagon train in the spring of 1850 with his brother from Joliet, Illinois, to Placerville in search of gold and wrote about the trip, archived at the California Historical Society by granddaughter Louisa. After an arduous four-month journey of 2,557 wagon-train miles, he managed to extract enough gold from Hangtown Ravine ($7979.65 worth) to bring his family out to California six years later, away from cholera and the beginnings of the Civil War. Papa George was an infant on that trip. 102 years later, the story was shared by Papa George! Thank you again for rekindling these memories. Interesting life! By coincidence, I was born in Joliet, Illinois, and lived 50 years on Cagwin Avenue. Very interesting. Camera too closeOtherwise it would have revealed a glass of brandy in the "vicinity", too? My father will be 95 in May. Unlike George he quit smoking in his late 60's. Still maintains his "before the breakfast" grape, plum or pear brandy small shot. The way I see he should be able to match this picture in three years. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Portraits, tterrapix)
The Cherries of Wrath: 1940
... sexy, but women just look beaten down?! From Mr. Corncob Pipe's hands, you can see that he isn't that old, but the lady next to him, ... the poorest Americans had automobiles. Must be the pipe At first glance I thought of Norman Rockwell. Harvest of Shame ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/20/2009 - 12:33am -

July 1940. Berrien County, Michigan. "Migrant fruit workers from Arkansas." 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the FSA. View full size. Fear NotPearl Harbor was a little over a year away. The country would change forever and for the better. They could return to Michigan for a job that would make them not rich, but not in the dire straits they appear to be in. However, nobody knows. Perhaps they returned to Arkansas and continued their hardscrabble life or maybe even prospered there. Life is a box of cherriesHow is it that men can age and weather in the elements and look kind of intriguing, rugged, and sexy, but women just look beaten down?! From Mr. Corncob Pipe's hands, you can see that he isn't that old, but the lady next to him, from the lines around her mouth and nose to her piercing expression, looks like she's seen millions of cherries, and all of them sour. Just going on record as saying it isn't fair... Hard work did itMeet John, age 28, and his wife, age 26. Purple and RedStalin banned showings of "The Grapes of Wrath," because it showed even the poorest Americans had automobiles. Must be the pipeAt first glance I thought of Norman Rockwell. Harvest of ShameMaybe they did get back home and give up the migrant life, but many who earned their bread cultivating and harvesting kept on doing that for another generation or longer. In 1960, Edward R. Murrow presented a documentary, "Harvest of Shame", on the plight of migrant workers on CBS. It was quite hard-hitting and made many Americans aware of this social program for the first time. Below are Murrow's opening and closing statements from "Harvest of Shame" This scene is not taking place in the Congo. It has nothing to do with Johannesburg or Cape Town. It is not Nyasaland or Nigeria. This is Florida. These are citizens of the United States, 1960. This is a shape-up for migrant workers. The hawkers are chanting the going piece rate at the various fields. This is the way the humans who harvest the food for the best-fed people in the world get hired. One farmer looked at this and said, "We used to own our slaves; now we just rent them." and The migrants have no lobby. Only an enlightened, aroused and perhaps angered public opinion can do anything about the migrants. The people you have seen have the strength to harvest your fruit and vegetables. They do not have the strength to influence legislation. Maybe we do. Good night, and good luck." Have I met their grandkids?I live in Berrien County, the southwesternmost in Michigan, right on the lakeshore. One wonders if they stayed, maybe found work in the various machine industries that were prevalent at the time. These days, there are fewer cherry orchards, most being farther north. By contrast to the pair in the photograph, the last time I picked cherries, it was for the pleasure of a day in the orchards, and the indulgence of making my own jelly and pies with fruit I picked myself. Corncob pipesMy grandfather always smoked half & half tobacco in a corncob pipe. If we bought him another kind of pipe it would just sit on the shelf and he would tell us the flavor is not the same if it's not a corncob pipe. I know a couple a lot like this duoThey eat at our soup kitchen every weekend, and they both are seriously disturbed. He fights off a rage that makes him want to kill people. She is so shy and ashamed, she can't look you in the eye ever. But it's remarkable; their faces are almost identical. Almost as if they've been soul mates in past lives and are together again now. Makes you sort of wonder... Words on TruckWould love to know what it says on the side of the truck. ["Nashville Tenn." - Dave] My great-grandparents and their children were migriant pickers out of Western Oklahoma who picked tomatos and strawberries into Arkansas in the 1930s on their way to settle in Northwest Arkansas. So, while everyone else was going west, they were headed east. Lot of people on the move in all directions back in those days. Ma and Pa The fabric Ma's dress is made from is gorgeous, and her jacket is kind of pretty, too. Look at the broken in nature of Pa's work jacket. We pay $85 now for items of clothing that are artificially broken in before they're even worn. Pa's eyes are sensitive, intelligent, and defiant. Bogart could have played him. Ma, on the other hand, looks a bit like one of the browbeating wives that Laurel or Hardy might have been shackled to. I'll bet Pa knew to mind his Ps and Qs. I wonder how often he loaned her his pipe. (The Gallery, Agriculture, John Vachon)
Night Light: 1913
... couldn't you turn on the lights? What's that pipe? The elevated pipeline running towards the back of the old Post Office? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 7:00pm -

New York noir circa 1913. "The Woolworth Building at night." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. This is, for all intents and purposes, a "new" image for anyone alive today -- a muddy-looking print of it has been available for years in the Library of Congress archive, but it wasn't until last year that the glass negative was imaged and put online. As far as I know this is its Interwebs debut, apart from the LOC website. We did a lot of work to adjust the contrast and get it cleaned up. Thanks Mr. EdisonThis view would not be as magnificent lit by gas or oil lantern lights. "To offices on all floors: Please leave all lights on tonight"Apparently the 23rd floor didn't get the memo. Mullett's MonstrosityThe Woolworth Building is gorgeous, of course, but this may be the finest picture I've ever seen of Alfred Mullett's City Hall Post Office and Courthouse, along with its dirty loading dock facing City Hall Park. I wonder what that structure is crossing the street to the small structure in the park. Pneumatic tubes for sorting, perhaps? Statuesque BeautyI liken the Woolworth building in this shot to the luminously beautiful girl who arrives at the dance a little late, and everyone stops and stares. Ethereal.Like a city you are floating towards just as you begin to dream. Some slackers up thereNote the only dark windows in the whole building. The Cathedral of CommerceAs beautiful then as it is now. One of New York's truly gorgeous skyscrapers. They don't build 'em like that anymore unfortunately. We'll leave a light on for youWoolworth must have commissioned the photo and left all (almost all) of the lights on to capture this dramatic sight. Love it! That structureI don't think the structure crossing the road has to do with the Post Office. The construction in the corner of the park is for the Broadway subway tunnels (I was able to find information about the history of this construction but have since been unable to find the site... never fails!). Presumably, the pipes carry air or power to the underground facilities under construction. Here's a daytime photo shot from an angle that gives a better view. And here is a history of the park. Here's an image from the NY Transit Museum's "The Streets Beneath Us". It shows the construction at Murray and Broadway, March 13, 1915, Relocating utility lines for BMT Broadway Subway construction. This would be one block up across the street from the site seen in the above photo. http://www.flickr.com/photos/newyorktransitmuseum/4703930879/in/set-7215... Interestingly, this is right across the street from New York's first subway, the Beach Pneumatic Subway, running between Murray and Warren Streets, along Broadway, a distance of... one block. http://fdelaitre.perso.sfr.fr/Beach.htm Wow!So atmospheric. A great shot. The city was quietA slight fog had crept up from the battery to cloak the streets with mist, that was just enough to diffuse the bright lights. Out on the river boats left long thin traceries of light illumining their passages to and fro. The tall building stood out from the rest of the city simply by the bright lights on every floor that made it shine in the darkness ... Imagine it in colorWell, you don't have to. Look at that elegant color combination. Great work!Thanks for your efforts, Dave. It is beautiful. Have Dave, as long as you were tidying the place upcouldn't you turn on the lights? What's that pipe?The elevated pipeline running towards the back of the old Post Office? Anyone know? BTW the old Post Office was torn down in the mid-1930s. Part of the cities preparation for the 1939 NYWF. Post office tubeAlmost certainly the tube coming out of the post office was part of the extensive pneumatic mail tubing network that was extensively utilized at the turn of the century. Miles of tubing existed under the city to help expedite mail delivery in the city. CompetitionEven though this is credited to the Detroit Publishing Company, it's interesting that the photo shows the offices of Irving Underhill Photographer (on Broadway across from the Woolworth Building)who was also known for his cityscapes. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Face-Off: 1960
... sir. Bravo. Caption this pic "Hey, thats a nice pipe you got there." "What pipe?" Alternate caption "You swore to me that we would get dates when ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/29/2011 - 6:08pm -

In this work, the photographer presciently foreshadows the essential dialectic that was to become the touchstone of the nineteen sixties. The polarities of the cultural rift that was to come is limned by the stark juxtaposition of iconic figures: one, a near-Kerouacian embodiment of the rejection of middle-class bourgeois values and mores, confronts his antithetical archetype, himself a veritable paradigm of conventional managerial-class affectations. Note also the seemingly aleatory disposition of deceptively mundane objects: the "bullet" lamps, an allusion to the violence intrinsic to the enforcement of conformist societal imperatives; the desk with no legs, an unconscious admission of the illusory foundations of work-ethic mythologies. Most tellingly, a copy of the Declaration of Independence is inexorably detaching itself from the wall, an ironic metaphor for the impermanence of superficial obeisance to culturally-imposed eschatology. Back here on planet Earth, I'll point out that this is my brother visiting his college friend Bob in his room at the Blue Rock Apartments in Larkspur, California. The misè-en-scene was captured by me with my then-new Kodak Starmite. The negative is gone, and all that's left is this Scotch-taped print. View full size. Nouvelle vague"Jean-Luc Godard describes his latest existentialist-Marxist film project with a member of the 'Cahiers du Cinema' editorial collective, who remains unconvinced of its ideological correctness." In plain EnglishTwo guys in need of Scotch tape while ignoring a photographer are bored, lonely, and hungry in a college dorm stocked with a hanging desk, a period piece lamp, and a twin bed. Don't read too much into it. Huh???DO WHAT NOW? Psychic test"If you can guess what number I'm thinking of, I'll buy lunch." You had me at "limned"Well done, sir. Bravo. Caption this pic"Hey, thats a nice pipe you got there." "What pipe?" Alternate caption"You swore to me that we would get dates when we got to college." Best everparagraph of meaningless BS I have ever read. Ever. Especially love the legless desk reference as a great excuse to be a lazy bum. I may have to figure out a way to use that one. But, surely, there is some esoteric significance to the fact that Bob chose to assume the costume of the misguided white collar aspirant--perhaps a conforming counter point to the casual guise of the pipe smoking, literati-esque brother (didn't you say he was an English teacher)? And all while listening to the music of the mindless masses on his cool transistor radio. Or is it just a game of who blinks first? Your brother, in profileTo me he resembles your Italian grandfather in some of the photos you've posted. Since 50+ years have passed since this picture, does he still ... or have I gotten it all wrong? Silicon significanceAnd what ideological subtext, pray tell, may be gleaned from the early transistor radio, dutifully complying with the law of gravity, on the legless desk? Don't make 'em like they used toWow! That great lamp, and that awful tile floor. Thanks for the memories. Kerouackian???No Kerouackian worth his salt back during his heyday in Greenwich Village or elsewhere in the 1960's would be seen dead smoking a pipe. But I do really dig that pole lamp. I had one of those that moved with me three times in that ancient age to various pads in Manhattan. Writers WritePersonally I just adore the writing. Very period in itself & I wonder if anyone here could really have done any better---apathy & inaction may be the subject, but just being apathetic is not in the actual writing. But wait, there's more!The theme of polarity is further underscored by the subtle, yet tangible, effect produced by the strategic placement of the streaked floor tile; tiles of alternating "grains" have produced a discordant foundational atmosphere which effectively summarizes the vignette in its entirety. Compare thisto the way students will be dressing in 1970! Kerouac and PipeOne Kerouackian who smoked a pipe: Jack Kerouac. I'll betthe guy on the right (your brother's roommate) carried a slide rule in his shirt pocket, right? Your brother, in the typically angst-ish feel of the early '60s, probably had a copy of "Howl" or some Hemingway novel in his hip pocket. Am I right (or even close)? +100Points for using my most favorite word ever: inexorable. Right, what you said.Nice pole lamp. Slide rules and HowlBob was an ornamental horticulture major and went on to a successful career in landscape architecture, so presumably he had use for a slide rule, as did my brother, who started out in OH before switching majors to English. In fact, we have a self-timer shot he took of himself at his desk in his Cal Poly dorm room holding one. Unfortunately, he didn't use it to calculate his lens setting and it's badly out of focus. Too bad; it would have been a cool pic. In the late-50s and early 60s, I sometimes accompanied my brother on trips to San Francisco that often included stops at City Lights Books, the virtual Mecca of beatnikdom. The owner, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, was the first to publish Ginsburg's Howl and Other Poems, thus occasioning a celebrated and unsuccessful obscenity prosecution by city officials. I never saw Ginsburg, but do remember my 14-year-old eyes widening at the berets, goatees, black turtlenecks, espresso, bongos and other Beat Generation trappings and personages therein. The scene was crazy, daddy-o; I flipped. Aw, hell; here it is, from 1956. Let him out!Prince Albert in the can. Great off-the-cuff proseReminds my of something my mid-60's college roommate would come up with after smoking (or dropping) one too many. On berets, goatees, capesMy father (biological) was a Beat. He was a rather small fish in a very big pond in Greenwich Village but became the big fish in the very small pond when he moved to Ottawa, Canada, in the mid-50s. He was actually in a debate on the local AM radio station, CFRA, in 1962 with three local English professors, two of whom felt that "The Beat Generation" were a bunch of bearded wastrels and their "literature" would be forgotten in a few years. I still have the reel-to-reel of the debate. Mom tells me that he was often roughed up because he wore a beard, once being hospitalized in NYC, as a result. My cousin out in Iowa related to me that Dad cut quite a figure when he arrived for my grandfather's 1952 funeral in Sioux City, wearing a cape, a beret, and a beard, and carrying a copy of "On the Road" none of which anyone out in Iowa had ever seen. My cousin said that he was in awe of him, particularly coveting the copy of "On the Road" which he had heard about but never seen. ["On the Road" wasn't published until 1957. - Dave] Blast!Kudos on the Kerouac with pipe photo post. Your brother reminds me of Henry Mitchell. You know, Dennis's dad. Brilliant captionAnd so like the decor of my own bedroom. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Eating with Melmac: 1963
... boardwalk in the late 80s. Deck stuff That big pipe going up the wall is actually a drain vent for the cement wash sinks in ... it for irrigating the garden. The enamel bowl under the pipe is indeed a water dish for our dog Missie. For you basket chair fans, ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/10/2018 - 8:43pm -

June 1963. A year after my father sat on the deck reading the paper, here's my mother out there engrossed in her favorite newspaper activity, doing the crossword puzzle. I don't see the BBQ... er, grill, so maybe we were just eating outside to escape the kitchen's heat on a summer day. Besides the Melmac cup and saucer, other typical 1950s-60s paraphernalia in view includes square waxed milk and half-and-half cartons (Lucas Valley Dairy, for any vintage Marinites out there), another of our anodized aluminum tumblers, a woven basket chair peeking in at the left, and a decorative cement Japanese garden lamp. In the distance, our cactus garden, which by this time I'd taken over. More of my succulent collection in pots lines the edge of the deck. There's our rain gauge mounted on the fence. My Kodachrome slide. View full size. Love your Marin pictures!I used to live on the Larkspur boardwalk in the late 80s. Deck stuffThat big pipe going up the wall is actually a drain vent for the cement wash sinks in what we called our back porch - it obviously had been a porch at some point, as two of its walls were covered by shiplap siding. That's where we kept the washer, which drained into the sinks. Later, during the drought of the 70s, my father siphoned off the rinse water and used it for irrigating the garden. The enamel bowl under the pipe is indeed a water dish for our dog Missie. For you basket chair fans, here's one of ours with my nephew Dave in it in 1968. MelmacMelmac would be such a cool name for a kid.... SpinesWhose job was it to trim the hedge that borders the cactus garden? Hope you had a suit of armor. Boontonware evolved into melmac?In 1891, the Loanda Hard Rubber Company was founded by Edwin A. Scribner, and began the manufacture of molded hard rubber products. Seven years later, Mr. Scribner died, and the management of the firm fell to his son-in-law Richard W. Seabury. In 1906, was Richard W. Seabury, who, casting about for new materials, learned of experiments with synthetic resins made by Dr. Leo Baekeland, for whom the well-known material, Bakelite, was later to be named. Originally intended by Dr. Baekeland for a synthetic varnish, the new material was used by Seabury in making the world's first molding of organic plastics in 1907. Boontonware, a molded plastic dinnerware, was sold nationwide. George Scribner, son of Loanda founder Edwin Scribner, opted to continue the business of plastics molding and established Boonton Molding. The company went on to produce the famous Boontonware dinnerware, molded plastic plates, bowls, and cups manufactured in the 1950s and 1960s. The company also operated a factory outlet store in Boonton for many years. Nice place!I've thought this many times and have decided to post it: That looks like a nice place to live and grow. It's a Wonderful LifeFor an abused kid to see what a family looked like. Tterrace, go kiss your parents, even if it's symbolically. DrainpipeI take it that the metal dish under the downspout supplied water for a pet? ConfusedThat 'Alf' isn't in the picture some place. Great picture regardless; goes well with the previous photo of tterrace's Dad! Mystery PipeIs that some kind of heavy duty downspout (seems odd to flood the deck so close to the house), or is it a heavy duty water supply pipe that the hose is attached to? And is the dish/bowl beneath it there to catch drips or is it water for a pet? Basket chairI had a child-size version of your basket chair when I was little. It looked like an open fortune cookie balancing on spindly wire legs. Probably worth a lot of money now because it just oozed modernity and "cool." Alas, I think it was trashed many years ago. The photo as photoI must say, even with no backstory, this is very nicely-done, atmospheric photograph. I don't know if the intention was to do anything other than capture the everydayness of the scene, but it looks like lasting art to me. For our eventual enjoyment,For our eventual enjoyment, TTerrace was very busy with his camera. He likewise, clearly, was very busy with his mind. How many of Mom's gray hairs were a direct result of TTerrace's "busy-ness"? One can see that this was a proud and doting mother. One also can see that she needed the occasional escape into the backyard and into a crossword puzzle. Like we all do. Boontonware Factory Sale!My great-aunt worked for the Boontonware company, and she's still around and mentally sharp at the age of 97. Recent quote: "This black man doesn't seem too bad, and at least we're rid of that (%$&#*!!!) Bush!" (Censoring, mine) Once a year, they'd have a "Factory Sale," and people from all over New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania would come to it. In a show of family soldarity, my parents would always have Boontonware on the table. Even when eminent citizens like Senator Jim Buckley or the Postmaster General came to dinner... which, in retrospect, seems to have been a bit of a social mistake. Boontonware was almost as good as china, but that was a big "almost." Its main defect was that it scratched easily— which, of course, good porcelain never does. On the other hand, if a tipsy guest happened to drop a plastic plate on the floor (a regular occurrence), it wouldn't break. And Senators and Congressmen and Mayors did dine from Boontonware plates at my family's home. Melmac, eat your heart out! Amazing deck!I particularly enjoy this photo for so many reasons. There's just so much detail, texture and cool, soothing green. It's so casual and comfortable I want to jump in. Slices of TimeHow wonderful for you that you took these pictures and that you were able to hang onto them through the years! We had so many pictures, boxes of negatives and slides that just got lost over the years (usually "in moving," I don't know why everybody in our family always says the pictures got lost while we were moving, because it seems like most of the rest of our stuff made it!). Anyway, thank you for sharing these photos with us. Something else you don't see anymoreis that paper milk container. It would have been waxed, rather than plasticized, right? With the little paper plug in the corner. They tended to get a lot of wax in your milk. Old Lattice WorkI noticed the lattice work. Now all you see is lattice on the diagonal, where it was on the vertical, and horizontal then. In some instances you may find the old style. No smoke?In photos of this type/vintage, I instinctively look for an ashtray. If it were my mother or grandmother in the scene, the ashtray and cigarettes would be right there with them. I don't see them here, thankfully. MelmacI just bought a huge set of those exact same melmac dishes. I have the maroon, and also grey, dark green and chartreuse. Lovely.I want to sidle up to your mom with a pencil and offer to help her finish that crossword. (Too chicken to use ink!) BoontonwareIt is amazing how much Boontonware sells for on sites like eBay. I have collected Boontonware for years and have a new set that still has the stickers and hang tags attached. I grew up in Boonton Township and graduated Boonton High School. Boonton Molding Company was an iconic institution and the yearly tent sales were a huge event. Our cabinets were filled with Boontonware plates, cups, glasses, serving pieces, and more! Brookpark, not BoontonThe Melmac here is the Brookpark Modern design by Joan Luntz, not Boonton. She designed this first square Melmac (c. 1947), which originally came in this burgundy as well as emerald green, chartreuse and pearl gray. Later many other colors were added. The only other squared Melmac dishes were by Harmony House for Sears, but they look different. This is definitely a Brookpark cup and saucer. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Wired: 1929
... A simple drain hose hung over the sink or into a drain pipe. I think ABC was merged into or bought by Easy, the largest manufacturer ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 6:52pm -

"Schneider electric store." C. Schneider's Sons in Washington, D.C., circa 1929. ("Give her an Electric Grill for Xmas.") Harris & Ewing glass neg. View full size. ABC washerGood info on the ABC washer but this model would have been a gravity drain -- the spout around the top of the spinner moved toward the washtub to redirect the water for reuse or into a sink or laundry tray/tub to dispose of. The washtub had a hose that was lowered into a floor drain or bucket or a simple valve opened to drain the waste water out. Quite a varietyThey even sold an electric mop! It must have been a failed prototype, though, seeing as they're hard to find now. CurrentI'm surprised they let all these AC appliances in DC. Lionel TrainsBehind the man is a cabinet stocked with Lionel Electric Trains. Today, that inventory would be a nice collection to have. Growing up in D.C. during the fifties, I could walk to three hardware stores that sold these. Most Fascinating of AllIn a room of wonders for the period that would make it easy to wile away many hours of discovery and experimentation the most fascinating thing may just be the very up-to-date bare bulbs in the ceiling. These are an early version of todays ubiquitous yet now outdated "soft-white" incandescent bulb. Like the faces of both the man and flapper here photographed, all things, even with serious modernity, do come to an end. Electricity in the airHe was madly in love with her, and she knew it. Look at her Mona Lisa smile. Collector's Dream!As a collector of antique electric fans and related early electrical items, I feel like a kid in a candy store when I see pictures like this! Wonderful stuff Dave, thank you for putting all these great photos out for the world to see. It's almost like going back in time. Quite a few of us fan collectors check out your site daily looking for early electric fans which appear in some of the photos. Do you have any more shots of this particular store? I'd love to see different angles of all the goodies they had for sale. [Alas, this is all there is. - Dave] SchneiderI wonder if J.F. Schneider and Son Meats and Groceries was related to C. Schneider's Sons Electric store. ABC WasherThe 2 tub spinner washing machine was first introduced by the Easy Washing Machine Corp. in 1926. This product differed from the wringer washers in that it had a second tub with a high speed spinner that extracted water from the clothes. A simple drain hose hung over the sink or into a drain pipe. I think ABC was merged into or bought by Easy, the largest manufacturer of washing machines in the 1920s. The company was sold to Murray Electric (now part of Siemens) in 1957, and then to The Hupp Corp. Easy production ended in 1963. At its peak in 1948 the company sold almost 500,000 units. No sunglasses?With nine bare bulbs, a tin ceiling and all that metal and chrome! Sun LampIs that large lamp front center with what appears to be a transformer base a carbon-arc lamp? The box on the floor that would seem to go with it has a C and A on the end flap. Replacement parts? [Letters on the box are U C. - Dave] Electric Grill C. Schneider's Sons 1207 F St. N.W. Give Her An Electric Grill for Xmas You Can Boil, Fry, Broil, Cook Anything You Want in this Grill It's not the ampsIt's not the amps, but the vamp who put the cat-that-swallowed-the-mouse look on the man's face. I think sparks have been flying in that room. What is it?What's the boxy device with the vented cupola next to the ABC washer (foreground, center)? [An Eveready "Sunshine Lamp." See above. - Dave] Circa 1929Thursday, May 2, 1929 to be exact. Oh, and I'll take all of those electric trains in the display case. Not for XmasMy father once gave my mother a waffle iron for Xmas. He spent a very cold night. Advance of TechnologyYou can tell how better off we are today, our floor polishers are big or bigger than riding lawnmowers. The version next to the mop could not even hold a single drunk person. Mystery ObjectOn the right of the picture, on the table behind the clocks (beside the serious-looking woman), in front of the calendar -- what are those round things that look like they have lights going all the way around? [Light bulb displays. - Dave] I feel like I'm in a time machine.And just walked into this store with all these modern electric appliances. The detail is awesome, and it seems I could just ask either of these two a question about those cool little toasters. All these items would be very collectible today. Tick tock tick tockMy grandparents had the exact same clock as the "napoleon hat" shaped one to the right of the lady, and I still have a working flip toaster similar to the ones on her left. I know a few people who would kill for one of those model trains in the cabinet at the back. GE Monitor Top fridgeLove the GE Monitor Top refrigerator at the extreme right of the picture. Those things were built great, I myself have one only four years newer than this and it is still running perfectly. No GardenGee Dave, thanks alot for putting this great picture up at this time of year! I have fallen in and won't come out until my garden weeds are six feet high! The details have taken me hostage....will you ship me some squash come fall? Coal miner's wifeI am thinking of the poor coal miner's wife which was posted yesterday. What a difference all these helpers would have made for her, Another note. I still use a gooseneck lamp to read by. I have nothing better. The bare bulbsIt seems that the several bare bulbs in the ceiling would have created a distracting glare. Wouldn't some sort of glass diffusers or shells have been available by this era? Perhaps they were so proud of their bulbs, they wanted shoppers to see them in all their unadorned glory. On an unrelated note, the object the woman is leaning against looks sort of like a big-screen TV — an amusing illusion, to say the least. Don't Try That TodayOr you will get the electric grill thrown right back at you upside the head. Women do not want "household items" as gifts any more. This is a beautiful store, with a very nice looking couple running it and the lady with "sausage curls" was very well groomed for 1929. Lots to see here, thank you Shorpy for another photo containing many wonderful items to jog the memory. Welcome!...To the Museum of Obsolete Technology! Where our motto is, "the more things change, the more they stay the same!" Enough to curl your hairAnd somewhere in one of those boxes (front left, on the counter below the electric coffee pots) is the same model curling iron that gave her those perfect marcel waves. Bask Naked in the Summer Sun"Boxy device" next to the washer is an Eveready Sunshine Lamp. More here. Let me be the first to point outThe grammatical error in the poster near the top of the wall on the left. That iron holds its heat, as well as one apostrophe too many. On the other hand, it would make a fabulous gift! Thanks for the suggestion, Dave. ToastedI have one of those Edison electric toasters like the ones lined up behind the first one. Still works like new. It toasts one side at a time, so you have to turn the bread around. I'm a Little ... What?The appliance on the left -- Perc-O-Tea? [Obviously you have never heard of the Perc-O-Toaster. And probably for good reason. - Dave] Perc-o-ToasterWhat do you know, the Perc-o-Toaster seems to do exactly what its name implies! Here are a couple of more detailed pictures: http://toast2go.tripod.com/ToasterGallery-Ads12.html Make Mine Perky!I, for one, would love to own a Perk-O-Toast. Bare BulbsI live in a house built in 1925, we have that exact same light fixture in the hallway. It throws out precious little light even without the bulb cover, which is probably why someone removed it and put it in the attic. Probably the same case here. For those who want to imagine, it's vaguely tulip shaped and made of white glass, you could find almost an exact replacement for it in any home improvement store today. UnpluggedThe dustmop was obviously not meant to be in the photo. It isn't an electric appliance and has most certainly been used. ABC and IThe washing machine is an ABC, which stands for Altofer Brothers Company. Henry Altofer, when he was a youth, built a crude washing machine for his mother to make washday chores easier for her. It proved to be the beginning of the ABC company which grew into a major appliance manufacturer. A few years ago the old abandoned factory was still standing in Peoria, Illinois. The Altofer and Gudeman families were close friends for many years. Henry witnessed the last will and testament of my great-grandfather Fritz Gudeman 10 days before Fritz died in 1890. Also, Henry and my grandfather David married sisters; and in 1936 Henry bought Fritz's old home and farm, located one mile north of Roanoke, Illinois, from one of his sons. Hello Miss NewmanI had a phone call yesterday from a nice lady in Texas whose grandfather owned this store -- he's the man in the photo. Her father (who could be heard in the background exclaiming, "That's Dad!") identified the woman as one Miss Newman. He also recalled the pressed tin ceiling. Dustmop Has a PurposeThe dustmop in front isn't a mistake. It's there as a sales tool. The store owner used it to demonstrate that his electric machine worked better at picking up dirt than a regular dustmop. That's why the mop appears to be used. It's the old Fuller Brush sales demo--throw dirt on the carpet and then show how the vacuum picks it up more efficiently. On top of everythingThat ceiling has to be (well, I suppose it does not HAVE to be) the most ornately designed ceiling I have ever seen. I think it is unattractive. I wonder if our presumed-to-be-business-friends-only couple tried to avoid looking up at it, so as not to dampen the magic of their cramped but oh so electric moments together. Frozen in timeThis photo shows my grandfather Percy Christian Schneider in his store, which took its name from my great-great-grandfather Christian G. Schneider -- he began with a foundry that cast large items like bells, then moved into hardware. By 1929, C. Schneider's had become an outlet for the burgeoning appliance market. Grandfather's assistant or clerk on the right is Miss Newman. My father, Donald Schneider, recognized his dad, Miss Newman and the store as soon as he saw the photograph. Thank you for preserving a little piece of my family's history. Schneider ConnectionWould love to connect with Susie Schneider who left the last comment. I'm a long lost Schneider relative that is developing a website dedicated to our ancestors. www.schneidersofdc.com It's under construction. Jon M. Schneider Metal desk lampsI inherited one of those and tried to use it but the metal gets hot enough to burn the skin. Which is why my mother did not use it very often but it sat on the desk for years. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Stores & Markets)
Multipurpose Room: 1940
... sink) is still available to scrub your cast iron pans. Pipe Fittings I have never seen the type of pipe coupler fitting used here. It has a bend in it to allow for another pipe ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/21/2019 - 7:32pm -

March 1940. "New England housewife fixing supper on a winter night. Woodstock, Vermont." Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Lady of the ringsHer Chain Mail Scrubber (hanging at the top of the sink) is still available to scrub your cast iron pans. Pipe FittingsI have never seen the type of pipe coupler fitting used here. It has a bend in it to allow for another pipe to pass under it. IciclesConsidering the size of those icicles, one must conclude that every single calorie of heat generated in this house passes right out the roof! "Resistance" is futile ... Thrifty HousewifeHow she is fixing supper with just that one potato, I know not. Hopefully, it does not involve a mix of Lux Flakes and Old Dutch. Despite the vintage caption, it appears that the tired looking lady is cleaning the dishes and wiping the counters, probably after dinner. IciclesThose are some serious roof-to-ground icicles outside her window. Churchkey!I wonder how many millennials and later have any idea what rubber sealing rings are used for and, for that matter, what a churchkey is. Under the rings is a claw-shaped can opener — I doubt most people today know how to use one, unless they used a P38 with their military rations. I even see a light socket to outlet adapter, and remember my grandmother using one from the hanging braided light cord in the kitchen to plug in her newfangled electric iron! No groundOn that light fixture. Thus, it's possible for the pull chain to be at line voltage, which could happen if a loose strand of wire contacted the metal shell of the lamp socket, for example. The string attached to the pull chain is a (poor) attempt to avoid an accident - the string (when dry) doesn't conduct, so you could turn the light on and off without risk of shock. Nowadays we have GFI protection for circuits within reach of water. Missing the forest for the iciclesDouble windows with newspaper still stuck into the gap between upper and lower sashes to insulate from drafts. And the huge icicles draping down outside the window no doubt due to the lack of insulation above the very warm kitchen resulting in melting roof snow refreezing as the water dripped down the edge of the roof. Watch OutFor those icicles, they can kill you. I remember icicles like this on our old house in Boston in the 1960's. With new building and re-roofing techniques that properly keep most of the heat out of the attic spaces, and ventilating in the attic, I don't see much like these anymore. Whoa, NellyWhen icicles as big around as your arm have formed a curtain outside your window, and you can't stuff enough newspaper into the cracks, it's time to consider moving to a more moderate clime. The last time I saw something like this was when I visited relatives in Quebec one Christmas. No thanks; it's the sunny South for me. Icicles on the eavesWhen heat was cheap and attic insulation was unheard of. Re: consider movingEver since I insulated my Quebec attic I don’t have icicles like that anymore (although my hot-roof neighbors do!), but I still have to caulk my 120-year-old windows with weather-stripping to keep out the chilly drafts in wintertime. Would I ever “consider moving to a more moderate clime”? And forgo the bracing cold, the abundant snow, the brilliant blue skies, the northern winds? Never! Oh Those IciclesIf a boy isn't careful they could shoot his eye off. IceI notice a familiar piece of kitchen equipment right by the saucepan hanging over the sink: an ice pick! Obviously, this house has an icebox. I recall one could buy a 25- or 50-pound block. A card was left in a window where the iceman could see it from his horse drawn cart. One side of the card had a large 25 with a large 50 on the other side which indicated how much ice the household required. It all hinged on how much room there was still remaining in the ice storage compartment atop the icebox after the old ice had melted down. The water from the melting ice was collected in a metal pan placed under the icebox. Invariably, the person charged with dumping that pan would forget to do so until the pan was running over onto the kitchen floor. These blasted collection pans were usually too shallow. When brimming over, it would be virtually impossible to get it to the kitchen sink to dump it without a massive spill. I can recall my mother screaming at me for allowing it to get to this point. (The Gallery, Kitchens etc., M.P. Wolcott)
The Tenement: 1905
... decorative cover used to plug an opening where an old flue pipe went through the wall, probably from a coal stove. Judging from the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2012 - 3:40pm -

Circa 1905. "New York tenement." With a number of tiny inhabitants in evidence. Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Typical catWon't hold still for a photo! Lord of the FliesSee the little black kitten in front of the stove? Hopefully he (she?) won't get a paw in either of the two sheets of flypaper, one on each table. Plenty of flies to keep Kitty entertained. The dressing tableNotice the hat pins, scent bottles and other such items on the dressing table. This tenement dweller did not leave home unadorned! Photo on shelfLooks like a National Guard Company group photo Not your typical tenementWhile we can't quite see through the window to the left of the oval bedroom mirror, it is evident from the amount of sunlight coming through that the window opens to the outside. It's a sign that this tenement is of higher quality (and rent) than most. Tenement bedroom windows usually opened onto narrow airshafts that admitted dim light and very little fresh air. Also, many tenement dwellers in 1910 would have been first-generation immigrants, mostly from southern or eastern Europe. If immigrants, the occupants of this tenement are at least knowledgeable enough in English to be reading an English-language newspaper. Again, if they're immigrants at all: the picture of soldiers looks like it could have been from the American Civil War, more than a generation in the past when this picture was taken. Basement catThe first known photo of Basement Cat emerging from the shadows. Tenement 1910Million-dollar condo 2010. Evening JournalThe New York Evening Journal was a daily (except Sunday) published by William Randolph Hearst from 1897 to 1909. The paper was sold in 1909 and ceased publication in 1911. Tenement MuseumIf any Shorpsters find themselves in NYC, they can visit the Tenement Museum and see a re-creation of a tenement much like this one. It is a fascinating place with, yes, some old photographs. It is on Orchard Street on the Lower East Side. RemodelThe disk high on the wall is a decorative cover used to plug an opening where an old flue pipe went through the wall, probably from a coal stove. Judging from the matching cover in the bedroom, the flue went horizontal for a while before heading up and out. The cover had spring clips on the back that snapped into the circular opening. Anyone make out what's in the mirror? Location, Location, LocationThe photo doesn't let us know where in NYC it is. 1910 tenements usually conjure an image of the Lower East Side, a neighborhood of immigrants. In this picture, which could be in Midtown, Yorkville or the Upper West Side or even Harlem, we have reasonable living quarters for 1910. The newspaper on the table appears to be in English. One picture on the wall show a Military unit, possibly a Spanish-American or Civil War Unit that a resident or relative served in. A tenement building was and is a way of life in many American Cities. Many remain in the poorer neighborhoods today, however the very upscale Upper East Side of Manhattan has them on almost every block east of Madison Avenue. A few are run down, but most are well kept and the monthly rents, where they are not controlled, are in the multiple thousands. The vacancy rate is around 1%. IronIt is faint in the photo, but it appears there is a flatiron leaning against the baseboard behind the corner of the stove. What is it?Can anyone tell me what the woven wooden object is that in propped up on the wall shelf? [A fan. - Dave] Home Sweet HomeAs somebody who lives in a 274-square-foot tenement from 1871 in the West Village, I find this photo wonderfully revealing. My home as been updated (in 1934), but still retains a lot of quirks. This shot is such a wonderful view into the personal lives of folks that lived in homes like my own. I can only imagine how warm the home must have been in the summertime with the cast iron stove and gas lighting. More photos like this please! The Evening Journal revisitedSince the old New York Journal-American was my late father's favorite newspaper, I'm going to have to quibble with Old Molly's history of the New York Evening Journal. The history account I found has William Randolph Hearst publishing both the morning American and the Evening Journal in New York from 1895 until they were combined in 1937 into the afternoon Journal-American, which continued as a Hearst publication until 1966, when it was merged with the old World-Telegram and Sun and the Herald-Tribune into the very short-lived World-Journal-Tribune. Love the Rohrshach tableclothNot about to divulge the things which popped into my imagination by that design along the bottom edge. Okay, one. I see a bearded gent with spectacles peering through an arbor. Another thought came to mind while examining the photos in the room. Which was the chance we just might come across a Shorpy photo hanging on the wall in another Shorpy photo. I'm too old to use the phrase "that would be so cool," but that would be apt. Quibble acceptedOld Molly agrees with the Tipster and stands corrected. Through mergers and various name changes, the paper survived until relatively recent years. Yarn swift The thing reflected in the mirror appears to be a yarn swift, or winder. The bag would be used to store it. Those are definitely flatirons (or, as they are known down here in the South, "sad irons," as it was a sad day when you had to use them because no matter the weather a lot of heat was involved). Great photo with lots of history which is somewhat lost except in museums or as one contributor pointed out a Tenement tour in New York. Stove Update A little Google research indicates my earlier thought the stove was a conversion may have been wrong. The Gem City Stove Company in Dayton, Ohio, produced a gas stove from the late 1800s up until the Depression known as the "Perfect." Boat modelTo the left of the doorway is a half-model of a boat hull with a centerboard. It's a technical rather than a decorative object and makes me suspect that someone in the tenement was a boatbuilder. It's definitely a well kept room and a superior tenement, but I bet that on a hot day it SMELLED. Basement CatI often wondered where Basement Cat got his start. Now I know. (I wonder if anyone else got that). Lewis Hinemust think everyone lives a wealthy life. This apartment looks clean and lovingly "decorated" to the best of the tenants' ability. I don't think it is all that bad!! [Perhaps, but this is not a Lewis Hine photo. And did anyone say it was bad? - Dave] The Gift of the MagiI have never felt closer to O. Henry than at this moment. Flash of memorywhen I noticed the wooden match holder next to the stove! Haven't seen one of those in a kitchen since the '50s. What are those pipes for?Does anyone know what use the pipes from above have? They might be a fire suppressant, but I am not sure. [The "pipes" are gas light fixtures. - Dave] Tenement DefinedIt's a little puzzling how the word "tenement" came to imply poverty or deprivation. I suppose the constant association by Lewis Hine and others of the word to their photographs of dire poverty would do the trick. Technically, the word tenement, as defined by New York City anyway, means any building that houses three or more unrelated families. The doorman buildings on Park Avenue are, by strict definition, tenements as well. GaslightDid one have to climb a ladder or stand on a high chair whenever they wanted to light the gas jets? PerfectI actually have an ad for this very oven - posted in a Dayton publication from 1904. It was placed by the Dayton Gas Light and Coke Company. COKE COKE COKE SMOKELESS FUEL Recommended by all Range and Furnace Manufacturers as being the cheapest, cleanest and most reliable fuel. Orders received at the Dayton Gas Light and Coke Co's Office etc. etc. Try and visitGeezerNYC submitted the comment that shorpsters can visit the Tenement Museum in NYC and see a recreation. In fact,you can enjoy an in depth online recreation and 360 degree walkthroughs of these wonderful tenements at http://www.tenement.org The site is dedicated to the stories of immigrants who lived in 97 Orchard Street, a tenement built in 1863 on Manhattan's Lower East Side. There are TONS of picture archives, a virtual tour, collections, first hand accounts of several families that lived there and LOTS more. I've visited it several times and I love it every time. I'm sure it is NOTHING like taking an actual walking tour of the tenement museum but it's as close as I can get for now. I suggest that everyone check this out. I'd also like to say that the comment such as how it had to have "smelled" in the heat of summer, etc. just bummed me out. So it may have smelled. so what. Many of these people struggled and busted their rear ends like no tomorrow just to get bread on the table and clean clothing to wear, to put shoes on their kids feet and on and on. We truly can't even begin to compare our lives today to the lives of the vast majority of those who lived in these tenements. They made the best of what they had. It was home. PipesThe pipes above the stove are gas pipes. Note the shut-off valves on the pipes. (The Gallery, DPC, Kitchens etc., NYC)
Uneeda Biscuit: 1911
... sloganeering will ever turn Byers Full Weight Wrought Iron Pipe into an impulse purchase.) Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full ... the entrance for the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Byers Pipe Was a product of the A.M. Byers Company in Pittsburgh. Here's a photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/25/2022 - 2:30pm -

Detroit circa 1911. "National Biscuit Co." Manufacturers of the once-ubiquitous Uneeda Biscuit as well as its obliviated sibling, the Uneeda Jinjer Wayfer. (Proximity notwithstanding, something tells us that no amount of glib sloganeering will ever turn Byers Full Weight Wrought Iron Pipe into an impulse purchase.) Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Shorpy is my daily time travelI love this website. Notice the slightly less concise version of "Got Milk?" -- "Do you know Uneeda Biscuit?" Ubiquitous ... or "ubiscuitous" ??If you were patient and hung around, the next year — i.e. 1912 — you could have a package of "Leap Year Jumbles" (Hopefully NOT available in a titanic-sized box) And if you were really patient, and hung around for 17 years, you'd see this block (of Woodbridge Street) demolished to provide the entrance for the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel. Byers PipeWas a product of the A.M. Byers Company in Pittsburgh. Here's a photo of the still standing Byers Mansion - actually two dwellings, one for him, one for his daughter's family - on the former Allegheny City Millionaires' Row. Note the wrought iron gates. Look Ma, no wires!It's interesting in some photos showing downtown scenes, you see overhead wires crisscrossing all over the place but in the last few Shorpy pictures, you really don't see any! I guess they were buried under the streets. [There's a smattering of wires here that the Detroit Publishing people retouched out of the negative. - Dave] Marketing issue resolvedGottaHava Cast Iron Pipe. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Factories)
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