MAY CONTAIN NUTS
HOME
Home

Search Shorpy

SEARCH TIP: Click the tags above a photo to find more of same:
Mandatory field.

Search results -- 30 results per page

Unangst Block: 1942
... buildings in so many smaller towns. Hang That Beer Sign A curious follow on to the previous image. We get to see how the hooks on the beer sign, avail themselves. FM Radio, rooms, and beer Nobody has ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/05/2013 - 4:56pm -

August 1942. "Street in Dillon, Montana, trading center for a prosperous cattle and sheep country." Evidently a parched and thirsty territory, slaked by what we'll christen the Unangst Block. Nitrate negative by Russell Lee. View full size. Old BuildingsThank goodness the people of this town have not torn down the old buildings. They must be fortunate in that there is still a need for those buildings and that they are not sitting empty and going to ruin like buildings in so many smaller towns. Hang That Beer SignA curious follow on to the previous image. We get to see how the hooks on the beer sign, avail themselves. FM Radio, rooms, and beerNobody has commented but that looks like a long distance radio antenna on top of the Unangst building, Would love to know more about that! Dive BomberThat second car (the one with the driver at the wheel) looks like it practiced a time-honored practice we used to call "dive bombing" whereby the car is parked nose-first against the curb whilst the rear end protruded into the street. Is This Trip necessary?A fellow could attend a lodge meeting, get a haircut, get thrown out of several bars, and find a flop, all without burning any gasoline or wasting any rubber. Splendid urban planning, and very patriotic. A close shave*That* is one handsome grille on the Nash in front. It's like a gigantic, gasoline-powered electric razor on wheels. Also, the hats on those two fellers next to it makes me think they're likely sheepherders and not cowpunchers. Give the fella a handbecause he needs one trying to parallel park that second car. Next to the MINT signWhat is that rectangular object at the lower right of the MINT sign? Buffet Bar?Is that all you can drink for one low price? Nice pic on Google Panaramiohttp://www.panoramio.com/photo/12714350 Sing "Melancholy Baby"From the disheveled appearance of the man exiting the bar, the gingerly manner in which he is walking and his tottering posture, I'm thinking he may have had one too many. Not to worry though, the guy in the second car may be driving him home. It's all still thereLooks as if some of those buildings still house bars, including the Klondike Inn at 33 East Bannack Street (the Mint was there in 1942). Odd FellowsThe building at the far end of the block seems to be the meeting hall of the IOOF - the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. I guess that makes the two guys on the left just ordinary fellows. '40 NashFirst car is a '40 Nash (the '39 did not have sealed beams), the one nosing into the curb looks like a '37 Ford Standard. Love that 1940 NashMade in Kenosha, WI at the Nash-Kelvinator plant. They were at the vanguard of climate control interiors in thier day. Unfortunately the Kenosha plant which was owned by Jeep did not survive the 2008 great depression. How StrangeI remember Nashes from the late '40s on. How strange, to see a Nash that's handsome instead of peculiar! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
Askew-Trippe Furniture: 1941
... at this point. All my life - - I wanted to be a sign painter, was talked out of it by a retiring painter, he said computers are ... friend with the last name Pintar told me a story about sign painters. His family had been painters before there was paint. They ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/04/2019 - 10:46am -

April 1941. "Store in Franklin, Heard County, Georgia." Ask about our big Fall sale! Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Could be a Furnace storeWe just don't know at this point. All my life - - I wanted to be a sign painter, was talked out of it by a retiring painter, he said computers are taking over, and to think I could have owned a classic truck like that if I had not listened to him. Freehand painting?I see faint marks that can't really be deciphered. Either vestiges of a previous store name, a Shorpy watermark or the painter doesn't know how to spell 'Furniture'. I see no hint that he has marked off guide lines for his work and is thus doing it all freehand. As someone who can't even write his name legibly, I am in awe. It's that time of year"Ask about our big Fall sale!" Really bad, Dave. I nearly fell for it! Hot paintA good friend with the last name Pintar told me a story about sign painters. His family had been painters before there was paint. They changed their name from Painter to Pintar in the 1900s. The type of paint they used required the bricks to be hot so the paint would cure correctly. This meant the sign painter had to do his work with the sun blasting down on the bricks and his back. Lots of sign painters developed carcinoma. Judging by the shadow under the truck and the painter, it is either a little before high noon or a little after. I am amazed there is no stencil or trace for the painter to follow. Of course, the two Ps are not exactly the same, but only someone with OCP would notice that. Good tacosThe building at 170 Davis Street is still recognizable, though it doesn't have much to do with furniture anymore. It's now a Mexican restaurant. The enclosed rear dining patio overlooks the Chattahoochee River. Here's Your SignFurniture that is askew does not sell very well. But, what's in a name Sign paintersI grew up in an old school sign shop. Ice Gang is right. A man and a brush was replace by vinyl letters right after I got out of high school, and in to the craft. Here in Kansas City, there seems to a Renaissance of hand lettering in the old part of town, and I certainly hope it gains momentum. This guy reminds me of all the old journeymen that mentored me in my youth. A truck, a ladder, a brush, and a piece of Grumbacher No. 7 charcoal to layout with. No safety belts, no hand rails. OSHA be damned! Now a Mexican Restaurant What's in a name?The truck is cool … &, hopefully the owner didn't roll backwards off the roof and into its bed. Unlike Askew-Trippe Co. Furniture, the sign painter's business appears to simply be called: "Signs of All Kinds." With no personal identifier it kind of makes it challenging for anyone to refer business to him. Hand painted!Really neat to see an actual sign painter at work here! Guessing he painted the sign on the truck as well. Recently here in Cleveland, Ohio and elsewhere, I have been seeing a resurgence of this once-dying art form by new young practitioners who appreciate the old hand lettering like this! (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Night Train: 1943
... light table or hold up to the window and enjoy. Pabst Sign Pabst beer was the king on the East Coast back then, before Bud's big ... in person it's very surreal. World's largest sign? Wasn't this the world's largest neon sign at the time? I think my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2017 - 9:24am -

        One of our first posts 10 years ago, enlarged and re-restored. April 1943. "Illinois Central R.R. freight cars in South Water Street terminal, Chicago." Judging by the clock, this was a five-minute time exposure. Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Beautiful :^) A 5 minuteBeautiful :^) A 5 minute exposure and this was taken in 1943. Maybe ISO 25 film or lower? KodachromeAlthough standards for film speed varied [no ASA, no ISO but Kodak, Weston, etc] Kodachrome was what we'd think of as 8 to 10. By the sunny 16 rule that's 1/10 second at f16, so hold really still, and if it's not sunny, hold reeealllly still. It was available, as noted, in 4x5, truly awesome, up to 8x10, and in 35mm and 828. 828 was a paper-backed roll film that was 35mm wide but unperforated, so a larger picture area than a 35mm frame. Thus Kodachromes from the 40s are true treasures - it took lots of light and that meant big multiple flashes [bulbs] or long exposures. The permanence of Kodachrome is why we can see these images now, when other pre-E-6 process images have faded away. Now Kodachrome's time seems to be up, and too bad. When the CDs with digital pics have faded or no machines exist to translate them, Kodachrome images will be good enough to toss on the light table or hold up to the window and enjoy. Pabst SignPabst beer was the king on the East Coast back then, before Bud's big adverts. Jack Delano photosThis entire series of photos, including the non-rail, is one of the best things I've ever seen on the internet. Thankyou -all, for posting them!! Being thereI have never seen so many beautiful photographs from the 1940s that are on your site, thank you. The clarity and colour of the images is remarkable it is just like you are standing there in person it's very surreal. World's largest sign?Wasn't this the world's largest neon sign at the time? I think my father said it was. Silly QCan you do long exposures with digital? Is it necessary? Will you get better/higher definition like what we see here? ["Definition" doesn't have anything to do with exposure time. Resolution depends on the number of elements (pixels) in the image sensor. To shoot digital images with resolution comparable to the large-format Kodachromes and glass negatives seen here you could use a studio back like the Sinar 75H (33 megapixel sensor, image size 68 to 260 mb). Which, not coincidentally, is also the equipment used to image these very same Kodachromes and glass negatives. - Dave] KodachromeThis is the original Kodachrome (the only one made in 4x5 and sheet film sizes) which would be ISO 10 although it was not labeled as such because they didn't have the ISO system then. Kodachrome II was ASA 25 and was released in 1961. I love these images. I show them to people and when I say it's from 1942 their jaws drop. It just shows you how much we have regressed since then. The fact that no mass produced digital technology can come close to replicating a 79 year old technology is just sad. I'm going to try out 4x5 color printing and I honestly can't wait. Millennium ParkToday the yard is long gone and this area is now part of Grant Park, with this northwest corner specifically called Millennium Park. Most people have seen photos of the primary exhibit in this part of the park known as Cloud Gate. It is made up of very smooth rounded art shapes with a mirrored surface, and is quite popular not only with kids but also with photographers. Bit late for the response but...You very much can do long exposures with digital. I'm a photographer myself, and thats one of my favorite 'things' to do. The reason you'd want a long exposure usually is because high ISO ratings introduce grain and generally degrade in quality. With newer cameras, this is becoming less and less of an issue. The brand I shoot with recently introduced a camera capable of ISO 819,200 which in layman's terms is 'pretty freakin' insane.' (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Chicago, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Ebby's Diner: 1942
... no signs of life that I can see. Can anyone read the sign on the door? [All those footprints would seem to indicate otherwise. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/25/2024 - 3:47pm -

February 1942. "Lancaster, Pennsylvania." Ebby's Diner and the Corine Hotel at Queen and Chestnut streets. Photo by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Trolley 236 still runningLancaster had a city streetcar system and an extensive electric interurban railway service in the area. It lasted until 1947 when buses replaced the trolleys. Birney car 236 still runs in nearby Manheim, and you can learn all about it in this video. John Vachon's street views from above really capture that moment in time. Delicious geometriesCertain photos on this website work their magic immediately and then leave me to try to figure out where the power comes from. First to spring out at me are the pleasing geometric planes, forming a big Z in the middle, with the streetcar tracks acting as the central diagonal. Then there’s Ebby’s Diner, which appears like a larger version of those two streetcars. And the allure of those cozy establishments -– how I wish I could go to eat at that diner or The Village restaurant or even Sprenger’s, whatever kind of place that is. And winter! Bravo, John Vachon. Here and GoneThe diner is gone. It would have been to the far right facing Chestnut. The hotel is gone too. It would have been where the parking lot is now. The three-story brick building remains with some modifications. The commercial ground-floor space was removed. Great photo!What a great photo! WowEchoing @davidK, this photograph is a masterpiece. Whazzat?Is that a lumberyard in the upper right? It’s an unusual open-sided structure The Old PRR Main LineThe original Pennsylvania Railroad main line passed through Lancaster right through the downtown area. The depot was located at Queen and Chestnut Streets. You can see a boxcar under the roof where the original depot once stood. Apparently by this time the track had been terminated here and that boxcar is now sitting in what would probably be a covered team track. A study of satellite views will reveal parts of the old right-of-way and some buildings cropped at odd angles or others that were once parallel to the tracks. [update] Upon finding maps of Lancaster circa 1900 I have concluded that the actual PRR trackage passed right across the lower portion of the photograph frame and, indeed, Ebby's Diner is perched directly on the former right-of-way. The box car further down E. Queen St. is actually on a stub-end siding that once served a business there or could have been a freight house. Ebby's Was The Old Pennsy RR StationI could be turned around, but I think the view faces northwest, in which case the train station was on the lot where Ebby's stands in this photo. The tracks came into Lancaster from the N.W. and crossed the empty lot next to (left of) the Hotel Corine, then across Queen Street to the passenger station. The beginning of these tracks are visible from Dillerville Road (or on Google Maps) near the western end of the Norfolk Southern Lancaster yard. The tracks crossed Harrisburg Avenue west of the new stadium and ran into the center of town. The boxcar under the shed was one of many stub tracks that branched into small sidings. Bits of the right of way were turned into parkland or create strange property lines that are still visible, as G of V noted. The tracks then continued east and north to rejoin the main line. Also goneis the building from where John Vachon took this photograph. If you swing around in the Street View supplied by kozel, there's a Holiday Inn there now. No doubt it was a cold February day in Lancaster, yet two windows at the corner hotel (I can't read the name) are open. On the top floor one is open a little. The window directly below it is wide open. Brrrrrr. This Photo Smells So GoodMy mouth is watering, what with the cooking smell coming from the diner and the cold frigid air that carries the smells of the bacon and eggs, or steak and potatoes to your olfactory senses. The hotel might have a place to eat as well, if so, that would overload the senses with its waft of whatever is non the grill. Another odor would be the scent of freshly laundered sheets and/or towels from the Laundry at the top left of the picture. A-lone survivorBuilt like a brick shi... er, well, solid as a rock. Probably good for another coupla hundred years. About those open windowsDoug (see below) pointed out that on an obviously chilly day, a couple of the windows in the hotel are open. Back in the day it was a routine practice for housekeeping to throw open windows in recently vacated rooms to air them out. This would have been especially desirable in an era when smoking was so common, even in hotel rooms. Also, most hotels did not have individual thermostats in rooms to control the heat. The heat was typically from radiators or from ventilation grates in the floor connected to an often coal fired furnace. In either case, the heat was usually controlled by the hotel staff. Sometimes rooms could get a bit stuffy or just plain hot, to the point where even on a nippy day, cracking a window for a few minutes might be the only way to get some fresh air and cool off. Lancaster's Pennsy StationI found this early view of the Pennsylvania Railroad Station courtesy of the Lancaster County Historical Society. Sometimes It May Not Have Smelled So GoodThe Lancaster Stockyards, the largest stockyard east of Chicago, was located about a mile north of here along the PRR mainline between Philadelphia and points west. It handled 10,000 cattle a day, along with pigs, sheep and other animals arriving by rail from the west. After a layover, the doomed animals boarded connecting trains and were distributed to other cities to meet their fates. If the wind was just right the scent of bacon and steak on the hoof may have tainted the wonderful odors emanating from Ebby’s and The Village. 142 units, 12 stories, $7,556 per mo.The site of the former Corine Hotel, shown as a parking lot on Google Street View, is currently a construction site for a market-rate rental development, scheduled to be finished by late spring 2024. [$7556 is the rental rate for the first-floor retail/restaurant space. - Dave] More Open WindowsI can definitely related to Ad Orientem's comments on heated hotel rooms. To paraphrase Mark Twain, the hottest Summer I ever spent was a Winter's night in Moscow! We spent several nights in Moscow's Hotel Ukraina back in January, 1998. Imagine sleeping in underwear, on top of the bed, with the floor-to-ceiling (unscreened!) windows open to try to catch a breath of breeze. Under 10F outside, and over 80F inside, with no way to regulate the steam heat! The downside of free city-wide steam. Closed?The diner shows no signs of life that I can see. Can anyone read the sign on the door? [All those footprints would seem to indicate otherwise. - Dave] Man in BlackExceptionally composed photograph. To my eye the man in black along the roadway is the focal point. The angles lead to him. I am always amazed by snow scenes, the intensity of reflected light, which even on a cloudy day usually requires a small aperture with attendant great depth of field and sharpness. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, John Vachon, Streetcars)
High and Broad: 1910
... inch glass negative. View full size. Re: Electric sign? "Brock Tailoring" is 15 characters, same as the number of black boxes. ... -- of which there were many. Lovely city. Electric Sign? What is the bank of black "boxes" on top of the dentist building? ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2020 - 8:18pm -

Circa 1910. "Northeast corner, High and Broad Streets, Columbus, O." Rising above it all: the Capital Trust Building on Capitol Square. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Re: Electric sign?"Brock Tailoring" is 15 characters, same as the number of black boxes. So I think you may be correct. On the squareThe Capital Trust Building has been converted to condos and is called 8 East Broad or 8 On The Square. They have added balconies and possibly an elevator shaft on the side of the building facing us. Walking lunchFor a time in the '90s I worked at a law firm in the Leveque Tower at 50 Broad Street, and later at another office building on Broad, directly across from the original Wendy's restaurant. I and my co-workers enjoyed walking to the State House and strolling the grounds, or occupying a bench, on fine days -- of which there were many. Lovely city. Electric Sign?What is the bank of black "boxes" on top of the dentist building? Could it be an advertising sign for nighttime? In reply to ArchfanAnd that corner building has had a rounded edge put onto it, losing two original corner windows in the process. In Reply to tterrace : Wow it was completely gutted and rebuilt to match the original facade. Would be interesting to know why this much more expensive approach to modification was taken. The detail of the 8x10 inch glass negative images continues to astonish. About that corner buildingThe 2007 Google street view tells an interesting story. (The Gallery, DPC, Streetcars)
30 Rock: 1933
... in this city of the gods, only a thousand miles away. Sign of the Cross The double bar cross was the emblem used by the National ... Standard Building. Next to it, with the illuminated sign on top, is the New Yorker Hotel (now Sun Myung Moon's) where Nikola Tesla ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:22pm -

New York. December 5, 1933. "Rockefeller Center and RCA Building from 515 Madison Avenue." Digital image recovered from released emulsion layer of the original 5x7 acetate negative. Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. City of the godsIn 1933, my father was a seven-year-old living up Lick Branch Hollow in the Ozark Mountains. He would read books by kerosene light in the evenings. His family kept butter and milk (and Uncle Linus' hooch) in the cold spring-fed creek outside their house. It's astonishing to think he could have boarded a train and eventually arrived in this city of the gods, only a thousand miles away. Sign of the CrossThe double bar cross was the emblem used by the National Tuberculosis Association. Wonder if the lights were part of the campaign to fight TB. Gotta love those whitewalls!On the convertible by the front door. Double O's. Looks like it's ready to go somewhere in a hurry. Released emulsion layer?Dave, can you explain the technology of this image? How does an emulsion layer get released from a negative? [This is a process used on deteriorating acetate transparencies and negatives when they've begun to shrink. The negative is placed in a chemical solution that separates the emulsion from the film base. The released emulsion layer (the pellicle) is then placed in another solution to "relax," or unwarp, it. It's kind of like disappearing your body so that only the skin is left. More here. - Dave] Amazing viewThe shot is incredible! It looks almost surreal. I love it! Awesome scan job.I only wish I could see an even higher res version. Great work bringing this one back to life. WowI just can't believe how beautiful this shot is. Looks like the view from my New York Penthouse sitting there drinking martinis and listening to that new "jazz" music. High DramaThis marvelous building, reaching for the sky as if erupting from the ground, combines amazing delicacy, impressive size, and a feeling it is built for the ages to admire. SO much more breathtaking than today's typical glass box, although you need a view like this to really appreciate the classical lines and artful massing. A nice complement to the gothic cathedral in the foreground - a true temple of commerce! Churchly And Corporate SpiresThat's St. Patrick's Cathedral on the lower left, probably the only building from the 19th century left on Fifth Avenue, except for the Chancery House that's attached to it. Both styles of architecture are very dramatic. When I was a small child, at Christmas, my family would go to the Christmas Pageant at Radio City Music Hall every year, and then attend Midnight Mass at St. Patrick's. Ever since, I've never been able to separate religion from showbiz. Possibly because they really are the same thing. Take a peekThis picture makes me want to get out the binoculars and look in the windows. "Don't get much better"This image is a about as close to textbook perfect BW as you will find. It contains the complete range of grays from what looks like solid black in a few places to solid white in the highlights. The camera was level and the focus was dead on. As a photographer, I am envious. Old shooter Reaching New HeightsThe skyscraper is 30 Rockefeller Plaza before the RCA and current GE neon signage. Not that it wasn't famous before, but the TV show "30 Rock" has made it an even more iconic. Another claim is the gigantic Christmas tree on the Plaza, between the building and the skating rink, that when illuminated kicks off the Holiday Season in NYC. Hugh FerrissThis is like the photographic equivalent of one of Hugh Ferriss' architectural drawings, coincidentally of roughly the same era. MagicThe quality of this incredible photo captures the magic that New York City always longs for but seldom delivers. King Kong might have had a chance...had he chosen 30 Rock instead. OKLo mismo digo. Gracias. American Express BuildingThat hole in the ground, I believe, bacame the American Express Building. If you come out of the subway at the Rockefeller Center stop, and come up on the escalator in that building, you get an incredible view of St Pat's from below, with the spectacular statue of Atlas in the foreground as well. Very cool. Other noteworthy background details here include the Hotel Edison, and the old NY Times Building, at Times Square, before they went and utterly ruined it in the 60's by stripping all the detail off the skeleton. And check the skylights on the roof of what I think is the Cartier store, in the foreground! Send this to Christopher NolanHere's the art direction for the next Batman sequel. SpectacularWhat a wonderful, wonderful image! I love coming to Shorpy because you never know what Dave will come up with next. Thanks so much! The GreatestDave, this has to be one of the greatest photos you have posted. I work around the corner, and can look out my window at 30 Rock from 6th Avenue... my building wasn't built until 1973. Thank you. Time stoppedIs it 2:25am or 5:10am? Can you spot the clock? What Gets MeLooking at this photo - and it looks spectacular on my new monitor - is the sky. It has a sort of foggy twilight quality that is difficult to put into words but which emphasizes the the "star" of the photo - the RCA Building - and its nearby consorts or supporting cast over the buildings in the background which seem to fad into the mist. The building seems like the height of modernity, and one can easily imagine a couple of kids from Cleveland named Siegel and Shuster seeing this and making it a model for the cities of the doomed planet Krypton. Very neat picture...Can you give us an idea of what it looked like before it was restored? [There's an example here. - Dave] StunnedWhat a totally wonderful image, Sat here slack jawed at the incredible detail and the superb composition. I am amazedThe detail in the spires at St. Paul's Patrick's is fantastic. The amount of work that went into that building must have been enormous. I am very grateful not to have been on the crew detailed to put the crosses atop the spires! The Future Is NowInteresting that this photograph looks into a future in which many of the same buildings are still with us. At far left midground is the tower of Raymond Hood's American Standard Building. Next to it, with the illuminated sign on top, is the New Yorker Hotel (now Sun Myung Moon's) where Nikola Tesla spent the last ten years of his life. At center is the N.Y. Times Building with its flagpole convenient for deploying the New Year's Eve ball. And last, but not least, the Paramount Building topped by a globe and illuminated clock which is about as close to the Hudsucker Building as could hope to be seen. Of these four only the appearance Times Building has changed to any extent. A wonderful slice of time. TremendousTwo of my favorite photos on Shorpy consist of those like this one, showing the immense power of a huge city, even in the depths of the Depression, and those of small towns, especially when patriotic holidays were still celebrated. Samuel H. GottschoI'd never heard of him, but one look at this photo and I'm instantly a fan. This image is nothing short of spectacular. Ethereal, PowerfulThere have been many photos on this site that have impressed and pleased me, but this one is one of my favorites. Absolute magic. It's the quintessence of the power and style of 1930s design. Time machineI admire NY photos of the 1950s. And now I see that many of the buildings in NY I admire already were erected in early 1930s! What a discovery. What a shot. The Singularity of the MomentThis is an amazing photograph. As one earlier contributor observed, the pure technical aspects of the black and white composition are fabulous. The spread of detailed gray shadows and whites make this photo almost magical. It has the qualities of an Ansel Adams zone photograph that makes his work so arresting. But what really makes this photograph dramatic is what it reveals about New York City in 1933. A vision of the future of large cities, bustling twenty four hours a day and electrified. Today visions such as these can be seen on any continent in any large city. It has become the norm. But in 1933 there were only two places in the world that looked like this: New York City and Chicago. One can vicariously put oneself into the shoes of some kid from rural America or from Europe setting on Manhattan Island and seeing visions such as these for the first time. I can only guess it had the same effect as it had on 14th-century peasants in France, visiting Paris for the first time and entering the nave of the Notre Dame Cathedral. Beautifully put!I'm sure Samuel Gottscho would have been very gratified to know thoughtful and eloquent people like Bob H would be appreciating his work in the 21st century. PenthouseIs the Garden Patio still across the street from the skylights? I am in love with this photographExquisite doesn't even begin to describe it. In Your Mind's EyeYou can smell and feel the air and hear the traffic. It may be calm now...I have a feeling that all hell is about to break loose -- this picture was taken the day Prohibition was repealed. I worked hereI worked here in the 1960s for the "Tonight" show unit as as a production assistant for Dick Carson, brother of Johnny Carson. An attractive, dark-haired woman named Barbara Walters was working at the "Today" show at the same time. She is about 10 years older than I am. I also worked with the News department for a time. I was in the elevator with David Brinkley coming back from lunch when I learned that President Kennedy had been shot. We stayed up all Friday night and most of Saturday assembling film footage for a retrospective of JFK's life. When we weren't editing, we were visiting St. Patrick's Cathedral to light candles with others in the crowd. That's an absolutely amazing photo. I'm going to link this to other New Yorkers and broadcasters who might be interested. Thanks for all your work. Cordially, Ellen Kimball Portland, OR http://ellenkimball.blogspot.com 30 RockIs the excavated area where the skating rink is? I've been there once and it is very magical. Right across the street from the "Today" studio. Tipster's PhotoStunning, but in a different way than Gottscho's. It helps when the subject is beautiful. 30 Rock 09 Here's the view today made with a 4x5 view camera, farther back seen through the St. Patrick's spires and somewhat higher than the 1933 photo. Lots more buildings now. I was doing an interior architectural shoot, and went out on the terrace of a wedding-cake building on Madison Avenue. It was after midnight. Not much wind. Strangely quiet. As an architectural photographer I have great admiration for these Gottscho pictures. 30 Rock in Living ColorThat's a lovely photo, and it's nice to see the perspective so close to that of the original. Design Continuum of Bertram GoodhueThe proximity of St. Patrick's Cathedral to the newly constructed tower by Raymond Hood brought to mind two "bookends" to the unfulfilled career of Bertram Goodhue. During his early apprenticeship he undoubtedly worked on the St. Patrick's Cathedral, in Renwick's office, which greatly influenced his early career and success. The tower (30 Roc) represents what might have been...rather what should have been the end result of Goodhue's tragically shortened career (ending in 1924). Hood's career, which began to emerge after Goodhue's death is far better known, but is greatly in his debt. Hood's 1922 Tribune Tower clearly displays this link, as a practitioner of the neo-gothic style. Much of Hood's gothic detail is a through-back to design ideas that by 1922, Goodhue had already left behind. Goodhue was by this time already synthesizing elements of european modernism into an new original american idiom. Goodhue's last major projects were already working out the language of the modern/deco skyscraper; (the Nebraska State capital and Los Angles Public Library the best examples.) Goodhue's unique career was the crucible where concepts of romantic imagery of the Gothic, the sublime juxtapositions of minimal ornament on architectonic massing was being forged with modern construction technology. A close study of his career and work will show that not only Hood, but other notable architects of the era built upon the rigorous and expansive explorations that Goodhue was beginning to fuse at the end of his life. *It is also curious to me that Hugh Ferris is credited with so much of these innovative design ideas; no doubt he was a super talented delineator, his freelance services were utilized by many architects of the time including Goodhue. Some of his famous massing studies (sketches) owe much to Goodhue's late work. Amazing Execution and RestorationI agree with "Don't get much Better" ! This is as good as it can get for B&W. The exposure is so right-on and this in 1933!! Is this a "night" shot.. there is a lot of ambient light. Simply Amazing. I want it! Rock RinkThe not-yet-built skating rink is in front of the building. The empty space became 630 Fifth Avenue, where a statue of Atlas stands. Vanderbilt Triple PalaceA long time since this was posted, but I am surprised no one recognized the southern half of the iconic, brownstone-clad Vanderbilt Triple Palaces in the foreground (640 Fifth Avenue), just opposite the lower edge of the excavated building site. The northern half, with two residences, had been sold, demolished & replaced a long time ago, but the southern half stood until 1947 (Grace Wilson Vanderbilt continued entertaining in her usual style until WWII). The entrance vestibule to the three residences featured a nine foot tall Russian malachite vase, once given by Emperor Nicholas I of Russia to Nicholas Demidoff, now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art a couple of dozen blocks north on Fifth. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Slippery When Wet: 1921
... size. Waffle House area Well, the damaged street sign reads "10 ST" and if I could make out the sign on the building, I might have a better idea. I'm guessing NW and around ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 12:36pm -

Another view of that 1921 car wreck at the intersection of 10th and R streets N.W. in Washington, D.C. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Waffle House areaWell, the damaged street sign reads "10 ST" and if I could make out the sign on the building, I might have a better idea. I'm guessing NW and around Ford's Theatre (poss. where the FBI is now?). [The building is a church. This could be 10th Street NW, NE, SE or SW. - Dave] Corner of 10th and ?????Reading the crown of the street sign (to the left of the tree), it appears to be the intersection of "10 ST" and _______? The large building behind the car appears to be a church - note the arched shape of the windows and external buttressing. 10th SEI'd say 10th Street SE. SmilingIt looks like the driver is sort of smiling. He tore that car up! Imagine all this in age before seat belts and air bags! [The two men in coveralls, including the guy in the car, would be from the wrecking garage. My candidate for the driver is the guy with the cigar. - Dave] U Street, My CarFrom the wreckage of the lamppost strewn about I'd say the corner was either 10th and U Street NW or 1st and U St NW The 10th Street intersection is just a couple blocks from the present day location of the U Street/Cordozo Green Line Metro Station. This was a very sketchy part of town in the early 80's - my Jeep CJ-5 was "partially stolen" near here in the last summer of the Carter administration. By partially stolen I mean someone hot-wired it and drove a couple of blocks away before abandoning it - either because it smelled so bad, or because it was such a heap of junk. The 1st and U location is more probable because it looks more residential from Google Earth's perspective and in the photo. The building behind the wreck appears to be a church, lodge, or some other public building - closely resembling a couple buildings near that intersection today. I agree with Dave that the cigar-chomper is the driver - his eyes have that "adrenaline rush" look to them in both photos. [The sign says 10th Street. - Dave] Yes, I see that now - looked like a "U" to these aging eyes. Still - some guy tried to steal my stinky car! Goob Top Of The Pole?Look at what would have been the top of the toppled pole. What is that cylindrical thing? Looks like a modern day surveillance camera. Was it a light fixture? Light? Traffic Light? Other? [What it is is bent. In its unbroken state, the gas streetlamp would look like this. - Dave] Church SignIt looks like there's a sign on the side of the church behind the group of guys, but I can't make it out. Can you make it bigger, Dave? Church SignYup, not enough to go on there. Thanks for trying! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Light Refreshment: 1957
... few dramatic roles. Also starring Paul Douglas. DuMont sign The DuMont name was not long for the consumer-facing world in 1957. ... It would thrill me to no end to see that neon Pepsi sign in action! I'll bet any amount of money that those bubbles "moved", too! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/21/2018 - 6:08pm -

New York, 1957. "Broadway Theatre District -- Times Square at night." Now playing at Loew's State: "The Sweet Smell of Success." 35mm negative from the Look magazine photo archive. View full size. Moses in TechnicolorThe Ten Commandments is playing at the Criterion, which is where I saw it on a school field trip back in those days. Beau JamesThe marquee is promoting the 1957 biopic of New York Mayor Jimmy Walker (in office 1926-1932), starring Bob Hope in one of his few dramatic roles. Also starring Paul Douglas. DuMont signThe DuMont name was not long for the consumer-facing world in 1957. DuMont Television Network operations had already been sold to John Kluge in 1956. These became Metromedia, which in turn became Fox Television Stations later. Allen DuMont sold his television manufacturing division to Emerson Radio in 1958. Pepsi Cola Hits the SpotIt would thrill me to no end to see that neon Pepsi sign in action! I'll bet any amount of money that those bubbles "moved", too! @ BillyMazz: That video was awesome! I especially liked how the bottle cap lit up. It was better than I anticipated. Thanks! Camel BillboardYou can see the edge of the celebrated smoking Camel cigarette billboard, which was mounted on the Hotel Claridge. On calm days, the smoke rings would blow half way across Times Square. Nice footage of the Pepsi sign in actionIn response to Root 66's post about the Pepsi atop the Bond building, I found this on YouTube. Look around the 1:10 mark. Enjoy! https://youtu.be/TIPnMB_KOsM (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, LOOK, Movies, NYC)
Free Ice: 1900
... to spec. I think I'll go to a movie today, their sign says they're 20 degrees cooler inside. Incidentally, movie theatre air ... such temperatures make you reach for a sweater. It's not a sign of how much tougher Texans are in comparison to New Yorkers. It means that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/28/2018 - 10:09am -

Circa 1900. "Heat wave. Free ice in New York." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative by Byron for the Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Great TimingMy friends back East say it brutally hot just now, Hudson Valley included. More than just comfortI would bet that most of these people are not going to use this ice for chilling their drinks. They're probably going to use it to keep their food from spoiling. One thing about the present day is we continually go from hot to air conditioned environments during a heat wave. In New York, no matter how cold it gets outside, the subway cars are usually cooled to the point of refrigeration. This keeps our bodies from becoming acclimated to the temps. These folks have been in the heat and have become somewhat adjusted. The clothes they wear are probably all cotton or linen, both of which have the ability to wick the sweat away and help cool the body. I'm sure they're pretty miserable, but coping. You'd get a line for free ice right nowWith temperatures hitting 101 degrees, in the middle of a l-o-o-ng week of 95+, you'll get plenty of people willing to stand in line for bags of free ice. Ice cubes in a bowl + fan = poor man's air conditioning. Thanks, Dave, for reminding us that some things never change, like NYC heat waves in the summertime. The children who grew up standing in those lines supported the construction of municipal swimming pools during the New Deal. They remembered! Nostalgic and VintageI absolutely love old photographs, the older the better. You get to experience people, places and things frozen in time. Sure this isn't Japan?The policeman looks like he's wearing white gloves. That would suck on a hot day like it appears to be in the picture. Hot CommodityLater on, someone realized they could spritz it with food coloring and some flavored syrup and charge for it. The Iceman (and Milkman) ComethBack in the 1940's in Newburgh NY in the midst of a summer heat wave, neighborhood kids would raid the back of the open ice delivery truck while the iceman would be tonging a block of ice to home ice boxes. Another source for kids, of small chunks of ice, was in milk delivery trucks while the milkman was delivering his wares. Weather's nice here in Monterey.It might have gotten to 65 here today. Staten Island FerryWhen my parents married in New York, in 1953, they stayed with a friend in Harlem. It was so hot and a neighbour was having a rent party so my parents took the Staten Island ferry back and forth all night long. Cool and quiet, compared to their friends' apartment. I lived on City Island, in the Bronx, for two years and with no air-conditioning, and the ceiling fans not being up to the job, it was like trying to sleep in pea soup. Trying To Imagine...what NYC must have smelled like with all of those sweating people and piles of horse manure in the streets makes me not want to go back in time to experience what is going on in the photo. This is a first in all my time as a Shorpy fan. Melting PotTemperatures in Manhattan will probably go over 100 degrees today. It has been in the high 90s for the last few days and will be in or around the 100 degree mark for the rest of the week. There will be no free ice and the local utility, Con Ed, has started cutting back on the power so the air conditioners are not performing to spec. I think I'll go to a movie today, their sign says they're 20 degrees cooler inside. Incidentally, movie theatre air conditioning goes back to 1925 when Dr. Willis Carrier cooled the new Rivoli Theatre on Broadway. Fishy, indeed!We are experiencing a real heat wave in New York today. I don't for a minute believe that the photo was taken in a temperature that comes close to our 100+ Look at the barefoot boys on that sidewalk -- there's your proof. I got news for yahFree Ice? That's nothing special. Every February there is tons if it in New York. You just need to plan ahead a little. Hats Year RoundUp until the 1950's or so, you will notice that headgear was always part of the dress code. My dad wore a hat most of the year. It had to be hot and uncomfortable. Something's FishyI can't believe all their icemakers went out at once.They need to call the super and complain. Take it offThey sure are wearing a lot of clothes for a heat wave. I'd lose the jackets and long sleeves. Barefoot tykesThat sidewalk had to be hot! HatsA few years ago I bought a straw hat and It seems to actually make you feel cooler on a hot day. Cool LidOnly a straw hat would make sense, or maybe one of these. Poor timingHow about some lovely pictures of deep snow, ice-covered lakes, or something to make us feel cooler in today's hot weather? The Long Hot SummerLooks like the cop has had a long day. As hot has his uniform is, my hubby now has to wear pretty much all that, except in polyester and with an extra 35 pounds of equipment, plus a bullet proof vest. It's been hovering around or at 100 lately here in Maryland, and his vest doesn't have time to dry out from sweat one day before he puts it on the next. So next time you see a cop sitting in his car with the AC on on a hot day, think of that guy up there! He could use a little break! (I hope he got hold of some ice chunks.) Waaaaah!I love reading about the New York heat waves with temperature in the 90s or even 101 (!). If it was in the 90s in Austin, we'd all be wearing parkas. Most of these people want Gordon Park!As in the last picture. Even in these Victorian times you can see signs of the heat, the cop wiping his brow, most men in the derbies have them way back on their head to let the heat out, and the straw hat man doesn't because they let heat out, just as the Mexican and South East Asian farmers learned from history. I loved the snow cone comment, probably very right, why give the melting ice away if you can sell it! Hot mamaSo I can see why they had the long pants, skirts and hats, but couldn't she have left the shawl off? Hey, Austin tipster We NY/NJ SMSAers feel the same way about you guys when your highways are shut down after 4 or 5 inches of snow. We laugh at your puny "frozen precipitation levels" that seem to cause such chaos! Have you ever been on the Lower East Side, and seen these turn-of-the-19th-century former tenement neighborhoods? They are still standing: five- and six-floor walk-ups, built with no help from Mr Otis, crowded together on narrow streets. Even today, Austin's population density of 2600 people per square mile is less than 1/10th of New York City's (26,100). Crowding ten times as many people into every square mile raises the ambient temperature of NYC exponentially. When the weather report says "90" in a town of crowded, narrow streets with ten times as many people, it is a medical emergency. Be grateful that, in your hometown, such temperatures make you reach for a sweater. It's not a sign of how much tougher Texans are in comparison to New Yorkers. It means that you are fortunate to live where the historical development patterns have provided you an environment where weather extremes aren't so dangerous to human health. 547Was looking for clues about the location of this picture and noticed the clothing store has "547" on the awning (alas no street name). Looking closer you can see that "547" is also written on the inside of the awning and reflected in the store window. But the reflection isn't backwards ... so perhaps it was written backwards so that people facing the window could see the non-backwards number in the reflection? Very curious. [The "547" on the outside of the awning would be backwards on the inside of the awning because it's the same "547" showing through the canvas. - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Suburban Cowboy: 1963
... wreck in 2009, they'd never have believed it. Sign of the times... Any idea what the sign posted on your sis's house says? Just so Ideal I have to agree with ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 03/03/2023 - 12:57am -

I just started scanning my sister's photos of her kids from the 1960s. Here's why she was smart to have saved the negatives. Back in 1963, they lived in South Gate, California, in a neighborhood full of classic cars, it seems. My nephew Jimmy in a 2¼-inch square Kodacolor negative. View full size. The clouded crystal ballJimmy (now James) tells me that three years later and a block away from this idyllic scene, there were the Watts riots. Color SaturationI can't help but wonder if most of us who grew up in the middle-class or upper-middle class white America of the 60's and 70's see our childhood memories in lavish Kodacolor. When I was this boy's age, there were the Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy assassinations, coming almost one right after the other. I knew that the grown-ups were very worried, but I wasn't sure just why. Later, I figured out that the only thing that Westchester had in common with Watts was that both names begin with a W. The innocence of childhood is fleeting, indeed. She squealed with delightwhen she saw this photo! Where to begin? The lights integrated with the porch railing are fascinating. Like the house itself, they have a very 1930s art deco flavor. Little Red WagonAlmost everyone can remember having one when they were a kid. I bet this photo makes us all just a little nostalgic. Thank you for sharing all of these great photos with us, tterrace! Blue skiesI see why now people continue to believe in "the good old days." The color saturation, blue skies, happy, smiling kid -- looks like nothing would ever go wrong in this place, doesn't it? Old RedThat Radio Flyer sure brings back memories. Thanks. South Gate StreetviewThe cars were better-looking in 1963. Particularly the Buick next door. View Larger Map Street View! Street View!Can you give an address so we can see how the neighborhood has fared? Ouch!!The beautiful '56 Ford at the left has been tagged but you can see that it did naught but bend the bumper! It didn't disturb the paint! The good old days indeed! Today, that'd be a $3000 repair! Great PictureLove that "Jimmy" has been written on the back of the Radio Flyer! South Gate!I grew up in the neighboring city of Downey and I would LOVE to see more pics of the South Gate area if you would be so kind as to post them! THANKS! Wouldn't you really rather have a Buick?There's another classic Buick in this shot, the white one in the distance, straddling the sidewalk. There's not enough detail for me to tell, but it appears to be a '55 or '56 Roadmaster. I'm sure that if anyone (visiting from the future) had told the owners of these Buicks that GM would be a tottering financial wreck in 2009, they'd never have believed it. Sign of the times...Any idea what the sign posted on your sis's house says? Just so IdealI have to agree with the comments made under the heading Colour Saturation. I recently have been looking at photos of me and my family in our house as I was growing up and you know I don't remember that the carpet was threadbare -- yet it was. I don't remember that we had a broken down car in our backyard -- yet we did. I don't remember that our lounge suite was old and we needed a new one -- but we did. All I remember is that it was a safe, happy and fun place to grow up in and I had a great time. So yeah I think we all of us remember the good and not so much the bad, and isnt that the way it should be. The high, fine, sky of awhile agoIt doesn't happen as much as it seemed to 40 years ago when I was a kid, but every now and then, usually on a quiet Sunday morning or a Tuesday off from work, the sky will have that same tall, bright, look; gently spotted with clouds and a blue turning from light to dark off into space and there will be a slightly warm breeze and everything will seem clean and new and full of possibility. And you can take a deep breath and smell the trees and maybe some creosote from a power pole, and it's 1967 again. A lovely day in this beautywood Love those Mr. Roger's blue tennis shoes. You could buy them at any Alpha Beta grocery store for $1.98. I grew up in a similar Southern California community around the same era. The loppy sidewalks remind me of the joyous hours I spent on roller skates with a skate key on a string around my neck. Were those times so much better or is it that we were just innocent kids? I had a car that was built there!I used to have a '68 Pontiac Bonneville that was built at the South Gate GM plant. It was a great car, very well screwed together. Kodacolor wonderlandDon't you wish you could reprogram your brain to "see" full-time in Kodacolor? The world would be such a cheery place! Was the big warehouse in the current Street View next door in 1963? It seems so out of place. Martini LaneIt's Mad Men! Odd porch lightsThose garden lights were very common in our nearby suburb. They were mostly used along driveways, paths, or planters. This is a most unusual installation. And they are still there. I might give this place a drive-by at lunchtime. American IronI really enjoy the look of these old cars - especially the 1959 Pontiac ahead of the Ford. It's probably a Catalina. Many of these cars had a space age theme to their design. By the hour?It's worse than a warehouse next door. It's a skeezy motel. And it looks like it's been there since the '60s. 2819 Willow PlaceIt looks like the place might be for rent, $895 a month. ColorI think two things contribute to the burst of color. One is that color film is much richer than the digital stuff we have now. And, secondly, the cars WERE much more colorful then than the drab vehicles we see now. Unfortunately, I think some of the color has gone from our lives in many ways since then. P.S. - From the glimpse of the back wheel well in the car in the distance, I can't help but wonder if it might not be an Olds instead. Beautiful streetMy children lived this kind of life on a street like this in the early 1950s in Detroit as hard as that is to believe. You want sunshine-- on a cloudy day? Some readers spoke about the past as always being bright and sunny like this picture. During a bout of temporary insanity many moons ago, I took leave of my senses and purchased yellow-lens prescription glasses. It did make every day sunny and the world brightened when you put them on. Or you can look just look through a colored cellophane candy wrapper and get the same effect. Just trying to be helpful. South Gate street view 1961Here's 2819 Willow Place, along with the ugly building next door, a couple years earlier. Jimmy playing with a neighbor's puppy, and a selection of early-50s cars. Yes, those are different lamps on the railings. The Salmon DeSotoI know what you mean about auto paint being brighter back then. My guess is that paint trends were still built more around primary colors than the more subtle and "nuanced" tints and shades of today. I remember there was a year or two that featured flamingo pink, black, and white as a trio. Knocked your eyes for a loop. Especially on the big fin cars. Dad was looking at one, but ended up going with the pale blue. Too much pink for a man from the Ozarks, I guess, looking back on it. How did Jimmy turn outWhat is he, about 48 years old today? Had I only known..Geez.. had I known I was a branding opportunity, I'd have taken advantage of it a long time ago. I don't think I've been that cool since that day -- red wagon, cowboy, riding a possible Radio Flyer tricycle as well (I'm sure someone will sort out the logo, maybe it was Royce Union). Funny thing about that pic. Those years I only have memories of things in black and white. Maybe I only remember those years from pictures which were mostly black and white, I guess. Obviously there was color. My memories of color start about 1967, yet every television event memory I have was black and white until about 1970. Apparently we got a color TV then? So what the hell happened to Jimmy? Well, without getting too personal and please forgive the third person narrative, here ya go. After leaving Los Angeles in 1971, the family moved to Marin County. Jimmy decided he was going to be a rock and roll star and started a metal rock band in the early 80's. The day Nirvana hit the charts, he knew that the music he was good at was no longer popular, so he joined a Southern rock tribute act and toured the Bay Area for 10 years. He then decided to get back to the original reason why he started playing music in the first place, for fun, and only plays local gigs, usually benefits. During this time he also got married and had two children. He is now a media personality in Wine Country and owns his own web consulting firm. He also writes for several Wine country publications and does "flavorful" wine industry videos. If you're ever in Sonoma Valley, you may even run into him. Though he goes by James now. A note from Jimmy's MomThis part of South Gate was a blue collar area, consisting of single family homes, and "court" apartments. The lots there were fairly deep, and so people would put in two rows of four apartments, usually single story, with the garage or carport at the rear with the laundry room and clotheslines. The "court" was the central walkway between the two buildings where the entrances were, except for the front apartments. Just behind Willow Place was Firestone Boulevard, a heavy industrial area at the time. The big Firestone plant was there, and other manufacturing plants. Often in the evening, strange smells would fill the air. This era was also what I call "between the smogs." They had banned outdoor burning of leaves and trash in the Los Angeles Basin in the late 1950s, and the air was fairly clear most of the time. But with increased population, and the increase of jet travel, the smog was back by 1964. The only real clear air days were when the Santa Ana winds blew. The ugly building next door contained a restaurant as I remember, in its one-story days. It may have also been a small motel. We moved to our first home in Diamond Bar, in the eastern part of the L.A. basin, in 1963. The red wagon makes an appearance there with Jimmy pulling his little sister in Little Red Wagons elsewhere on Shorpy. The South Gate apartment was the inspiration for the Salmon Kitchen, also seen elsewhere on Shorpy. Our landlady developed a blend of paint that she used on all her kitchens. As I remember, it was part peach, part mushroom and some kind of off white. She said it didn't yellow, and when the tenant moved out there wouldn't be any shadows on the walls from where the clock or the calendar had hung. So she would not have to repaint every time, just have the walls washed. Our dad and mom liked this idea, and so was born the salmon kitchen in Larkspur. Jimmy's Mom Just fabulous!Saw this link from Instapundit. What a fabulous photo! I love the comments, too, and the Google maps link. InstacowboyForty-six years later, Jimmy's 15 minutes of fame in the blogosphere have arrived. Now the top link on Instapundit. 9I was 9 years old in another part of California, but I had that tricycle and a similar little red wagon. My parents had a Ford Crown Victoria, my father worked, my mother stayed at home to raise me and the world I grew up in was truly both wonderful and wondrous. Even with the duck-and-cover exercises in school. LampsI believe the lamps were replaced during the time we were there.. Look at those in the background then look at the pic above. I dare say they're different. Status symbolsFor the younger Shorpyites that might not remember the 1960s, most working or middle class families had only one car (if they had one at all). It was a point of pride to park your car either directly in front of your house or prominently displayed in the driveway. The more obvious the better; bright colors helped even more. Take that, you Joneses! Also, you scored big status points with of those gangly omnidirectional TV antennas on your roof as seen in the background. Indoor "rabbit ear" antennas just had no class. Nirvana vs. Marshall TuckerJust my opinion, Real Jimmy, but at least you were paying tribute to music that deserved it. I really hope there won't be any grunge tribute bands in the future. Status SymbolsWe started with one car in 1960 but had to have another since we both worked. Then, we had a teenager and, then, another. Soooo -- 4 cars. Walk? Bicycle? Ha! Not in California. Now, it is a nationwide problem. Thanks for reminding me. Cool Hat, KidLove the photo. I had a had just like that as a kid and think I have photo somewhere of me wearing it while sitting on a pony at a neighborhood birthday party. Takes me back...I think THIS is the turning point. This photo captures the apex of our society. I see the dreams of so many families right here. A house of your own. A clean street. Meticulously maintained homes. The kids free to play in the neighborhood. A perfect blue sky. This photo makes me cry. Grew up nearbyI grew up in the SF Valley in the same era, that photo takes me back. I also watch the TV series "Mad Men" and the cars, furniture, fashion etc. are all things I remember. The easy days of riding your bike up and down the neighborhood with your friends, not a care in the world. Sigh. Pure EvilNo helmet, knee pads or elbow pads denote a neglectful lack of regard for poor Jimmy by his mother. That hat no doubt contains lead-based pigments; clear evidence of child abuse. And what's this?? A toy GUN??? That poor child's evil, troglodyte mother should be thrown in jail for creating another gun-crazed criminal!!!!elevnty1!! (/nanny-state nutjob) Great pic. It reminds me of my own childhood, before childhood was destroyed by the culture of fear we have today. Dang, That Could Have Been ME!Boy, does that look familiar. My grandparents had a house in South Gate, at Tweedy Boulevard and San Luis Street. I was even born about the same time. And I had my trusty steed "Tricycle" and my Mattel Fanner 50! The Melting PotOh yes, I remember the days when all the kids in the suburbs had Anglo names like Will, Paul, and Rosemary. Today we have a much more diverse society. Suburban namesNo, they had names like Jimmy, Mary and Davy. Their Mom Some things aren't so differentMy childhood was like this in northern Illinois. However, there are still some pockets of America like this. In my subdivision outside of Denver, small children play up and down the street just like Jimmy. If you look around, you can provide a life like this for your children Same hereMy mother and I watch Mad Men and love it. But she'll always point things out while we're watching and say "My parents had those! And those, and those!!!" "I remember using that!" Apparently they get everything "down to the t" when it comes to the setting. Re Pure Evil by Random Numbers Random Numbers said: Great pic. It reminds me of my own childhood, before childhood was destroyed by the culture of fear we have today. The irony I see in Random Numbers' remarks is that this kind of negativity sounds just as whiny as today’s “nanny state," and serves the unintentional purpose of proving that life--or at least People--haven't changed much at all since the 1960's--when grumpy old people even then lamented how much better (more real, more sincere, etc.) things were when THEY were children. Anyway, I trust that Random Numbers and his like-minded baby boomer peers are “keeping it real” by not giving in to today’s "culture of fear" paranoia and availing themselves of the myriad medical advancements and pharmaceuticals that have increased well-being and longevity by decades as compared to those fun and free “good old days” when people routinely died in their 60s! (--Wouldn’t want to be a hypocrite.) p.s. tterrace your photos are WONDERFUL! Cowboy Jimmy Honest to Abe, this is one of my favorite pictures of yours! South Gate memoriesMy folks had a house on Kauffman Avenue until 1968, when they bought their house in Downey. It was very close to the old South Gate water tower, near South Gate park. I'm sure you remember the area. I only have vague memories, as I was just a toddler when we lived there. I should see if I can find some of the photos my folks took during the time they lived on Kauffman. I'm sure they look very much like these! "Just a snapshot "As beautiful as any William Eggleston photo I've ever seen, and I consider him a genius in the world of photography. This is just utterly enchanting -- I can't take my eyes off it. (Same is true for the photo you posted a while back of the young man in a sea of blacklight posters.) This is just the best website ever! South Gate kidI grew up in South Gate in the 70's and 80's. This picture looks very much like my grandparents street. They moved to South Gate after WWII ended and lived and worked there for the rest of their lives. It was a wonderful & diverse city at that time. I was wondering what street this picture was on. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, tterrapix)
Stop on Yellow: 195X
... but who can say? For traffic control we have a yellow stop sign with cat-eye reflectors. View full size. Who once slept in class ... As best I can make out, the first word on the white sign nailed to the tree is "private". I found a reference that a yellow ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2022 - 10:26am -

From somewhere in (probably) Wisconsin (maybe Menomonie), sometime in the 1950s, comes this unlabeled Kodachrome slide of what might be an old school or church building, but who can say? For traffic control we have a yellow stop sign with cat-eye reflectors. View full size. Who once slept in class here?To me, this looks more like a parochial school than public. An old school would explain why someone took this photo in the first place. The covered porch was added later, but why a covered porch? As best I can make out, the first word on the white sign nailed to the tree is "private". I found a reference that a yellow fire hydrant means either they hydrant is out of service, or its water source is different than a normal installation. Also, from 1924 to 1954 stop signs were painted yellow with black letters because we didn't have a red which wouldn't fade. Apparently, those signs are worth some money ($700 on eBay) now. [Most fire hydrants are yellow! - Dave] Arterial Highway Stop SignForty years ago I found this stop sign in a scrap yard in a rural area near Seattle, and noted it was yellow. The letters are stamped in heavy duty steel, and there is evidence the sign was used for target practice with a rifle. Until I saw this Shorpy comment I had no idea there was any value to it at all. It is shown with a modern version in my Vancouver, B.C. neighbourhood. Vancouver's fire hydrants are red. (The Gallery, Wisconsin Kodachromes)
Gentlemen Will Not Get Gay: 1925
... maybe they didn't have good personal injury lawyers! Sign, Sign Everywhere a sign. 1. Sit down on the wheel don't stand up. 2. Do ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 11:56am -

Funhouse at the Glen Echo amusement park in Maryland circa 1925. Note the many cryptic signs. View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. Ride it, too!There is still one of these operating at Luna Park, which is right on the Harbour in Sydney, Australia. Leave it to the Australians to take litigiousness out of the equation--have you seen how little padding their footballers wear? "The Nauseator"Boy, that ride looks truly thrilling. Human RouletteWashington Post May 21, 1911 A New Glen Echo Outdoor Amusement Grounds Present Many Attractive Features With the opening next Saturday afternoon of the Glen Echo Park, which under its new management of local business men, has been practically rebuilt in the last few months, the Washington summer outdoor amusement season will swing into full stride. No single department has been slighted in the complete rehabilitation of the Glen Echo Park, in which 50 attractions will be in operation when the gates are open next Saturday. Important among these is a new open air dancing pavilion, ample enough in area to permit of its use by 500 persons at the same time, and this is only one of a dozen structures recently erected to house the newest devices to provide fun and merriment in summer amusement parks. The spacious interior of the amphitheater has been entirely remodeled into a new midway, in which have been placed ten of the latest contraptions with which to defy the trials of the "dog days," including a "human roulette wheel" and a "giant slide-ride," said to be the largest in the United States. Other attractions include a novel marine toboggan, the "social dip," a thrilling topsy-turvy ride, Ferris wheel, modern miniature railway, a new boating pavilion at the canal bank. Some Observations1. It is awfully loud in there - See the kid lower-center. 2. Gentlemen Still Do Not Get Gay - 2008. 3. The Carneys are as well dressed the patrons. 4. Sometimes the Bull Moose isn't so fun - It's at those times that it may be necessary to actually shoot the Bull. Was this ride called the Bull Moose by chance? Don't Shoot The Bull meant don't loiter after the "ride" is over?? [Also, who can tell us which building this is. - Dave] Dangerous ridesWhen I see photos of old amusement park rides I'm always amazed how dangerous they look. They use the throw people around like rag dolls. They would never have such rides nowadays. Maybe people were tougher back then- or maybe they didn't have good personal injury lawyers! Sign, SignEverywhere a sign. 1. Sit down on the wheel don't stand up. 2. Do not get on or off roulette wheel while in motion. 3. Last night we hung one rowdy. The rope still works. 4. The operator is a bird. He is perched high just to make the wheels hum. 5. Forget your cares. Be a kid if only for an hour. 6. Gentlemen will not get gay. Others must not. 7. The bull moose is for fun. Don't shoot the bull. 8. If you find a four foot round square please hand it over to ru---. 9. Rowdyism is the birth-mark of a rough n---. 10. The answer to the question "Why is a mouse when it spins" is the higher the fewer. Human roulette wheelNo doubt Dave will remember the "human roulette wheel" from the Fun House on the Boardwalk in Santa Cruz, CA. It was a great ride except for flying off and smashing into someone else or being smashed into. Funny but we all had a great time, survived, and didn't feel a need to sue anyone for a few bumps and bruises. [I think you mean tterrace. - Dave] High Ladder to slide....Look how high the children climbed to get onto the sliding spiral....that must have been half the thrill climbing up that high... Getting GayBased on one OED definition of gay: Forward, impertinent, too free in conduct, over-familiar; usually in the phrase "to get gay". U.S. slang. I'd translate the sign from 1925 slang: "Gentlemen will not get gay. Others must not" Into current vernacular as: "Real gentlemen won't act like jerks. Others had better not." Spinningtterrace does indeed remember a fun house ride like this, but at San Francisco's Playland at the Beach rather than Santa Cruz. Not sure what the official name was; I called it the turntable. It was smaller and less elaborate than this, and just one of many things in the Fun House. Know what the best thing was about these things? They were made of wood! Highly-polished (in large part by the posteriors of the fun-seekers) hardwood, like this one. The giant slide was, too, as well as the tumbler, a big revolving cylinder. Those were the days when falling on your keister was fun. Fun houseI spent many a fun filled hour in the late 1950s in the Fun House. The slide was a favorite and the long climb in the narrow, steep stairs was kinda cool also. Do you remember "Laughing Sally"? Laffing SalI didn't realize until I just now did some searching that it's "Laffing," not "Laughing" Sal, and that the automaton was not exclusive to SF's Playland at the Beach, but a standard fixture of old-style amusement parks since the 1930s. Additional surprise: the Playland Sal is now ensconced at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. Man, if they only still had that giant clown face, what a then-and-now pic that would make, but they shut the fun house down in 1971 for liability reasons. Why is a mouse when it spins?I'm pretty sure the sign at the far right says "Why is a mouse when it spins?", not "house." This is a pretty well-known example of an "anti-joke" (others are the classic "Why did the chicken cross the road?" and the shaggy-dog story "No soap, radio"). There are various different "punch lines," but Google suggests that "the higher, the fewer" is the most common. I'm sure a historian of humour somewhere would be interested to find this documentation of the joke from 1925. [Yes it should be mouse. The joke is mentioned in an 1899 newspaper article ("Mr. Scullin' connundrum"). - Dave] Rowdyism and ReminiscencesThe one sign must be "Rowdyism is the birth-mark of a rough neck." Here in the Twin Cities, we had the Excelsior Amusement Park (on Lake Minnetonka) up until the early 70's. It was built in the early 20's and replaced a park that had been on Big Island in the middle of the lake. Excelsior Park had a fun house with similar attractions. The "roulette wheel" was rarely operational by the time I was around (in the 60's), but I do remember riding it once and staying on it until the operator gave up (I was near the center, didn't weigh much, and had sweaty palms). There was a revolving barrel, which they later built a catwalk through and decorated the interior with fluorescent paint and black lights. Apparently they got tired of rescuing people who fell down trying to walk through it. There was a giant slide, and one of those obstacle-course-like things with sliding or jumping floorboards. It was equipped with air jets, presumably for blasting ladies' skirts into the air, but no one was ever operating them in my day. There were a couple of other attractions in the fun house as well. I also remember that they had "Report Card Day". You could bring your report card, and for every A, you got 3 ride tickets, for every B you got 2, and for every C you got 1. Very nice of them. Other attractions included bumper cars with metal bumpers, a rotted wooden roller coaster that occasionally jumped the track (my folks never let me ride it), a little train that took you out on a pier over the lake and many of the usual rides - ferris wheel, scrambler, tilt-a-whirl, etc. The carousel was a work of art by the Philadelphia Toboggan Company. It's the only part of the park that survives and is now an attraction at Valleyfair - the modern-day, sanitized theme park in the Twin Cities. Here's a link to a picture of the carousel: http://www.nca-usa.org/psp/ValleyfairPTC/001_34.html You can see others by clicking Previous or Next. Where's Sal?I thought Playland's Laffing Sal lived at the Musee Mechanique now (http://www.museemecaniquesf.com/). The SlideLongtime visitor, first time commenter ... love Shorpy. Anyway, there's a slide almost identical to this, from the same time period, in my home town of Burlington, Iowa. You can still go on it, and it is indeed terrifying climbing up those steps -- you don't realize how high it is until you're about halfway up. I have a photo but am not sure how to post it. [First, register as a user. Then log in and click the Upload Image link. - Dave] Re: Laffing SalHere is the Laffing Sal at Santa Cruz. As seen on the Silver ScreenI've seen this ride in a silent movie -- if I recall correctly, it was "The 'It' Girl" with Clara Bow. Looked like fun -- if I ever make it to Australia, I'll have to check it out! Looks boring for the womenNot much a woman of the time could have had fun doing there, modesty ya know. OopsYou're right, Dave, that was tterrace: https://www.shorpy.com/node/3695 No matter, thanks for stimulating so many great memories. Doug Playland-Not-at-the-BeachI am enjoying the posts about the old Fun House at Playland-at-the-Beach. In our Playland-Not-at-the-Beach museum in El Cerrito, California we have many artifacts from the beach amusements. A few points I would like to correct: 1.) The Fun House was not demolished in 1971. It was torn down after September 4, 1972 -- the date the whole park closed and was demolished to make room for condominiums. 2.) At San Francisco's Playland she was named Laughing Sal -- the variant spelling "Laffin' Sal" was used in many other parks across the country. She was also known as Laughing Lena and many other names. The Sals were mass produced and purchased by amusement parks out of a catalogue. 3.) The Laughing Sal that is now at Santa Cruz was the final Sal at San Francisco's Playland. There were earlier ones that wore out. Santa Cruz purchased her from the John Wickett estate for $ 50,000. Wickett had purchased her for $ 4000 decades before. To learn more, visit our website: www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org, or better yet, visit our museum for the time of your life! Richard Tuck Playland-Not-at-the-Beach 10979 San Pablo Avenue El Cerrito, CA 94530 Website is www.playland-not-at-the-beach.org email: Richard@playland-not-at-the-beach.org (510) 232-4264 x25 for reservations (510) 592-3002 24-Hour Information Line Does anyone else rememberDoes anyone else remember the "disembodied head" versions of this Laffing Sal thing that were a gift-store fad in the late '70s-early 80s and scared the crap out of me( and probably most other small kids) at the time? They don't seem to have stuck around very long, for obvious reasons. The WheelThe wheel at the Fun House in SF which I used to frequent in the early 40's I remember as having a low fence around it into which you slammed when you were eventually swooshed off the platter. Am I misremembering? This one looks a bit hazardous for passersby. Scariest thing for me? Those big padded spinning wheels you had to walk between to get in the place. My friends were usually well on their way before I worked up the nerve. Laughing Sal - East CoastFor those of us on the East Coast, the "Laughing Sal" who used to reside on the Ocean City, Maryland, Boardwalk is currently on display at the Ocean City Life-Saving Station Museum. She's no longer mobile and they have her enclosed in a glass case, but you can push a button to hear a recording of her laugh. In fact, if you click here, there's a (not very good) photo of her at the bottom of the page, and a sound clip of her laugh will automatically play, so turn up your speakers! Going UpSimilar slide in Burlington, IA: http://www.nolamansour.com/images/Thanksgiving07-08.jpg It is scarier going up than down. Crapo ParksI was born in Burlington & grew up in a neighboring town. I know I've gone down that slide but it's been years and I can't remember if the slide is at Dankwardt or Crapo Parks. (For those not familiar with the area, yes Crapo is an unfortuante name for a very pretty park. Pronounced "cray-po"). At Crapo, there are two artillery guns (I don't know exactly what they were - they had seats & long barrels). They were up on a bluff and I remember sitting on them and shooting imaginary shells to Illinois. Chautauqua AmphitheaterAccording to the historical marker at Glen Echo, this building was the original Chautauqua amphitheater built in 1891. It opened as the fun house in 1911 and operated till 1948. In 1956 the termite ridden building was burned to make room for a parking lot. Attractions in the building included, the Rocking Pigs, the Whirl-i-gig, Crossing The Ice, and the Barrel of Fun. The Anonymous Tipster (07/25/2008, 4:36pm.) is remembering correctly: the roulette wheel was later altered by sinking it into the ground resulting in a low wall around the edge. Thank YouI appreciate the translation, I've been sitting here (in our current Internet vernacular) going o_O trying to figure that one out, ha. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Sports)
Blowing Smoke: 1943
... Ames Billiard Academy Right behind the Camel sign was Ames pool room, where parts of "The Hustler" were filmed with Paul ... signs. Leigh created the Super Suds detergent sign with 3,000 large "floating" soap bubbles per minute. A 120-foot Pepsi-Cola ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:35pm -

February 1943. "New York. Camel cigarette advertisement at Times Square." Photograph by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. Ames Billiard AcademyRight behind the Camel sign was Ames pool room, where parts of "The Hustler" were filmed with Paul Newman and Jackie Gleason in 1960. Douglas Leigh Inc.Douglas Leigh, the man who designed this and other advertising spectaculars, was 28 when he arrived in New York from Alabama with $9 in his pocket. He developed a multimillion-dollar business designing and erecting breathtaking signs. Leigh created the Super Suds detergent sign with 3,000 large "floating" soap bubbles per minute. A 120-foot Pepsi-Cola waterfall, the Bromo-Seltzer sign with actual effervescence and the Old Gold cigarettes sign with 4,100 light bulbs were all Leigh creations. His giant Camel sign that puffed out real smoke rings lasted for 26 years on Broadway and was copied in 22 cities. He was also the brains behind the 25-foot A&P coffee cup that let off real steam. -- From Leigh's 1999 New York Times obituary Where are my smokes?I just love the two women in the corner digging through their purses... What might they be looking for in 1943? Money? Ticket to a show? And the short white socks... Scotty, beam me to NYC, 1943 please! What's in a name?"Costlier tobaccos," sounds like today's cigarettes! Mixed MediaI adore these adverts where the object does something -- smoke or steam, movement, three-dimensional objects etc. Signs of the TimesAh yes, the sign, the Hotel Claridge and Times Square during the war years. I remember them so well, along with Toffenetti's Restaurant, any Longchamps or Childs NY outlet, the Woodstock Hotel and, when my family was flush, the Hotel Taft and the Roxy Theater. Camels were hard to come by for civilians during the war. My dad resorted to rolling his own using Model smoking tobacco and one of those hand-operated machines. All those bulbs!I would love to see a picture of this sign at nighttime. With all those lightbulbs, I bet you could see it from the moon. Very LifelikeDoes it cough and wheeze? OverlapI wonder what the neon over the top of the words "Costlier Tobacco" would say when lit? It looks like it can be turned on and off to make different slogans. Shorpy window peepers.I just love how many Shorpy images have someone looking out a window! The hotel window above the M in Camel has a shadowy face and a hand holding the curtain back. [That's Ima Lamp. Not much of a talker, but she really lit up a room. - Dave] Big smokeWhen I was about 12 or 13 years old in 1952, I went with my siblings, stepfather and mother on a trip to New York City and walked directly beneath the sign. I was amazed at how large it was. The tube blowing the "smoke" was probably a good 2 to 3 feet across. That scale doesn't show up well in photos. What a dumpNo one's noticed Bette Davis crossing the street? Slower BurningOne of the neon sign slogans apparently was "Slower Burning" http://www.si.edu/opa/insideresearch/photo_pages/V17_TimesSquare_smokeri... And "I'd walk a mile for a Camel" http://www.panoramio.com/photo/19461756 I'd Walk a MileBoth my parents smoked Camels. My dad switched to cigars around 1960, he died in 1963. My mom smoked 'em until she died in 1985. My mom told me that during the war she had to smoke a cheap brand called Marvels because Camels were hard to come by. Apparently cigarettes weren't rationed, but most of the cigarette production was shipped to our troops. Nicotine NostalgiaMy old German father rolled his own cigarettes which he smoked six days a week. However . . . Camels on Sundays! Remember the Leave it to Beaver episode where Beaver & Larry Mondello climb up on a big sign? I think it was steaming tea. When I was a kid......my mom told me that there were 20 guys in a room behind the sign smoking cigarettes. At the appointed time, they would all exhale and blow their smoke through the hole. T'was trueMost of the cigarette production during WWII went to troops overseas. It's the wrong brand, but many should remember the marketing cry, "Lucky Strike Green Went to War." Today's familiar Lucky Strike pack came into being in stores as Green was shipped off to far-flung battlegrounds. Regarding that steamy Camel sign: My brother and I often sidled by it in the 50s, and would wait for the "smoke" to puff out at traffic. I think we thought it was smoke, not steam. I've often wondered if such friendly advertising contributed to my 20 year habit and my brother's 35 year habit. Alas. The Camel SignIt's interesting, I found a number of images of this billboard online. The structure of the puffing billboard remained the same, just the smoker was repainted over and over again. 1941(?) 1943 1944 1945 (film of billboard in action. Opens in your media player) 1964 1965 Time to Go"Lucky Strike Green has gone to war". There was an untold story behind that, which has been told (about ten years ago) in a book called The Father of Spin. The CEO of whichever company made Luckies contacted Edward S. Bernays in 1932 because he had a problem. He wanted more women to smoke his cigarettes, but they told him they wouldn't buy Luckies because the green clashed with their clothing. Bernays suggested changing the package color, but the exec wouldn't hear of it. So Bernays set about influencing public opinion to make green a "fashionable" color. He organized an elaborate clandestine PR campaign (Bernays more or less invented PR), to get tastemakers to glom on to the green idea. It worked in the sense that green temporarily became a fashionable color that year, but it didn't move the sales of Luckies by much, and certainly not in a sustainable manner. If you know that story, it doesn't take much to connect the dots and see that the war was the perfect excuse to get rid of the offending green. Never mind that many folks at the time expressed outrage at a tobacco company's crass claim of "sacrifice," when many were sacrificing much more than a package design. (The Gallery, John Vachon, NYC)
Chelsea Piers: 1912
... a Nebo cigarette, but now I'd like to just because of that sign. One of the things I miss the most from my childhood and early adulthood ... be valuable to collectors. Imagine the price of a big Nebo sign if you could even find one! White Star Lines Where the Titanic was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/15/2024 - 3:02pm -

New York, 1912. "New Chelsea Piers on the Hudson." Feast your eyes on this veritable visual smorgasbord. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Gloriously Good! Cork TippedProbably my favorite things to look for in these pictures are the advertising signs. I never smoked or even saw a Nebo cigarette, but now I'd like to just because of that sign. One of the things I miss the most from my childhood and early adulthood is the wide variety of tobacco advertising and many of these old signs are getting to be valuable to collectors. Imagine the price of a big Nebo sign if you could even find one! White Star LinesWhere the Titanic was headed when it had an unexpected detour. The Carpathia would tie up there and discharge the survivors. Here's your Hopkins Manufacturing Building....View Larger Map Play ball! (or anything else)With commercial* and passenger shipping long gone, several of the piers have now been repurposed into a huge, multi-sport athletic facility. Their nautical past hasn't completely vanished, however, as they contain docking facilities for several party/dinner-cruise ships and a marina. Prior to the athletic facility's opening about 15 years ago the piers had been decrepit for many years. The streetcar yard in the lower right is most likely that of the 23rd Street Crosstown Line, which ran along the street of that name from river to river. It was among the last of Manhattan's streetcar lines to be "bustituted" in the mid-1930's. Today the athletic facility is a fairly long walk from the nearest subway station, that of the C and E trains at 23rd Street and Eighth Avenue, but that certainly hasn't hurt its popularity. * = shipping certainly hasn't disappeared from New York Harbor, it's just that with the advent of container shipping most activity has relocated to New Jersey, with some in Staten Island and Brooklyn Working hardThey're working up a sweat in the upper floor offices of the Steel Construction building! Funnels and mastsThe sight of all those funnels and masts poking up from the successive piers is a visual tease of the very best kind. Not the Night before ChristmasLease. The Cross & Brown Company has leased for the Clement Moore estate the plot 100 X 95 feet at 548 to 554 West Twenty-second street for a term of years at an aggregate rent of $250,000. The property will be improved with a four story and basement fireproof building, to be occupied by the Hopkins Manufacturing Company of Hanover. Pa., as a carriage factory. James N Wells's Sons were associated as brokers In the transaction.' NY Sun - Oct 15 1911 Would you stay at the TERMINAL Hotel? Does anyone ever check out? Somewhere out thereA traction modeler is dreaming of the layout he'll base on this photo as soon as his Significant Other agrees to give up the spare room. Strictly Limited EngagementA swift plummet down the Google hole reveals that "A Scrape o' the Pen" was a Scottish comedy that ran for just under three months at Weber's Music Hall. The names of the actors in the cast read like pitch-perfect parodies of themselves, perhaps from a unmade Coen Brothers period film. I note only the delightful Fawcett Lomax, who sailed back without delay after the show closed to Liverpool, aboard the Lusitania, in December, 1912. Drafting - the old way!My eyes, too, were drawn to the top floor of the steel construction building. The white shirts and ties, and the tell-tale bend of the torso, makes me believe that this is the drafting room. No CAD terminals, just wonderful old T-squares, triangles, and compasses. Those were the days! Not just a flash in the pan"A Scrape O' The Pen" apparently entertained a worldwide audience over several years. Here's a 1915 review from a run in Adelaide, Australia: A Scrape o' the Pen. In the olden days in Scotland no funeral was complete without its professional mourner, and in Mr. Graham Moffat's Scottish comedy, "A Scrape o' the Pen," which opens at the Theatre Royal on Saturday, Mr. David Urquhart, who delighted theatregoers here as Weelum in "Bunty Pulls the Strings" will humorously depict Peter Dalkeith, a paid mourner, which profession he has adopted, owing to his being jilted by the girl of his choice. This, and such old-time customs as Hogmanay, first footing, &c, have provided Mr. Moffat with excellent material for his new comedy. The story of the play is concerned with the romantic marriage of a young boy and girl according to Scottish law, the young fellow leaving for Africa immediately after signing the papers, and the subsequent adventures of the wife he leaves behind. Mr. and Mrs. Moffat are appearing in the original parts of Mattha and Leezie Inglis, and will have the support of a newly-augmented company of Scottish players. Pier 62On the west side of Manhattan piers are numbered by this method: the cross street plus 40. Thus, Pier 62 (the number above the "American Line" pier) is located on 22nd Street. Therefore Peter's estimation that the streetcar yard is on 23rd Street appears to be correct. Interestingly, this photo captures a streetcar about to enter or exit the yard. If there is a clock in view, a date in 1912 for the photo, a streetcar schedule and some streetcar records still around, we might know which streetcar, which direction it was heading and who was driving it. Might even find the fare collection records and know how many people rode that run that day. Ahhh, history's mysteries. Quaker StateAttached is an advertisement, perhaps another Billboard, flacking Old Quaker Rye Whiskey. Looks like 3 Clubmen welcoming their Bootlegger, possibly Benjamin Franklin. Quakers are allowed to imbibe but not at the Meeting House. Can anyone tell meThe purpose of the frameworks that extend above the edges of the pier roofs? My guess is that they re to prevent the rigging of masted ships from tearing into the roofs themselves - anyone have a better guess? Highly sought afterbut rarely found; honesty in a rye whiskey. Chelsea PiersThe steel frameworks on the roofs held the tracks for the rigid or roll-up heavy pier side doors during vessel unloading. One of the few...trucks in this picture: just above the Old Quaker whiskey sign. Broadway JonesThe great George M. Cohan wrote the script, composed the score, directed, and starred in "Broadway Jones," a comedy about a boy who inherits a chewing gum factory, saves the company, and wins the heart of the girl. His father, Jere, and his mother, Nellie, costarred. I can tell youThe girderwork at the edges of the finger piers can also be used in conjunction with ships' tackle to extend the reach for loading and unloading cargo. Henry B. Harris of Titanic fame presents - "The Talker"Interesting that a partially hidden billboard for the 1912 play "The Talker" produced by Henry B Harris would be so close the the White Star Line pier. Harris being a celebrity who lost his life on board the Titanic in April of 1912. Two largest shipsThe twin funneled liner at Pier 60 appears to be the White Star Liner RMS Oceanic (1899) and, further away at Pier 56 is the RMS Campania (1893). And on our leftin the distance is 463 West Street home of Bell Labs, where many devices we take for granted were invented. And in the distance to the right, over in Hoboken one can see the North German Lloyd piers, and to their right the Holland America pier which appeared earlier in Shorpy. Mercantile Marine Co.Interesting story about the company that owned all of the ship lines at these piers here. The Nebo ManYears before the Marlboro man rode the range there was Nebo man looking so cool with color coordinated tie and hat plus I'm sure he lit that match with the tip of his thumb's fingernail. Dog ParkIs that where the dog park is now? In the bottom right hand corner, where all the train/trolley cars are parked? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC, Streetcars)
Old New York: 1913
... Temperature Is that temperature atop the Jefferson sign showing 25 degrees F? The pedestrians don't appear to be dressed very warmly. [The sign says 10-15-25 cents. - Dave] Water There's an amazing amount of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 5:01pm -

Summer 1913. "Bird's eye view of N.Y.C. from roof of Consolidated Gas Building." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. The East VillageI used to live in the area a couple of years ago on East 12th between Avenues A & B. Can't quite make that building out in this shot, but there are some noticeable landmarks there. First is Tompkins Square Park (just left of center toward the top, which occupies the area between Avenue A & B on the east and west, and 10th street & 7th streets to the north and south), looking toward the Manhattan Bridge. The two steeples peeking up over the park, I think, are St. Brigid's Church on Avenue B across from the park. The shorter, broader steeple on this side of the park probably is St. Nicholas of Myra Church (1883) on the corner of Avenue A and 10th Street. Moving farther right across the picture, below where the bridge begins to fade off, is the steeple of St. Stanislaus Church (1872) on 7th Street, between Avenue A and First Avenue. Moving a little more to the right, closer to the photographer, is the steeple of St. Marks in the Bowery (its stark contrast jumps out at you) on the corner of 10th Street & 2nd Avenue. "The Bowery" was Dutch governor Peter Stuyvesant's farm, and his private chapel used to stand there, making this the oldest site of continuous worship in Manhattan. This church was erected 1795-99, with a Greek Revival steeple added 1828 and an Italianate portico completing the structure in 1854. The graveyard here has some of the oldest burials in Manhattan, including Stuyvesant himself. I see a handful of other steeples in there, but I need the time to identify those, these were the "easy" ones for me. Con EdHere we go again, another picture that is going to have my attention for many days. This one, taken from the Consolidated Gas Building, now the Con Ed (Consolidated Edison) Building is at 4 Irving place. I Guess the shot was taken looking southeast across 3rd Ave (the El is there). The Jefferson Theatre was a major vaudeville house at 214 East 14 St, which puts it between 2nd & 3rd Avenues and on the south side of the street. This places the photographer 1 block away from Union Square Park, the site of some previous, amazing Shorpy pictures. Today that block, houses among others, a high-rise NYU dorm and a very active Trader Joe's. It is an extremely busy street populated mainly by the college kids. TemperatureIs that temperature atop the Jefferson sign showing 25 degrees F? The pedestrians don't appear to be dressed very warmly. [The sign says 10-15-25 cents. - Dave] WaterThere's an amazing amount of cisterns on the roofs. Bad pressure or poor main lines? [Those aren't cisterns. (Cisterns, usually underground, hold rainwater. How would you fill a cistern on a roof?) Penthouse tanks tanks fed by the municipal water supply are common even today in big cities on buildings of more than a few stories. - Dave] Quaker Oats SignLots of interesting signage including Quaker Oats. Also to the right, a church steeple under construction. Painless Dentistry?In 1913, anything but, surely! [Local anesthesia (Novocain, procaine, etc.) was well established by 1913. - Dave] Water TanksToday, water pressure in NYC will only take the water supply up six stories, at best. To go higher, it needs a boost to pump it to individual units or to a tank where it can supply by gravity. In the past several years, the designers of some new quick and nasty condo buildings in Brooklyn were not aware of that. Hello! Up on the RoofAll those lovely roofs and no one up there tending a garden or reading or having a smoke. Water tanksAll buildings six stories and higher in New York City are required to have water tanks. The best, cheapest, way to keep water pressure up in tall buildings. Water TanksThe most amazing thing is that new water tanks are constructed virtually the same as the wooden tanks shown in this photo. The base is supported by parallel wooden joists sitting on a structural steel framework. A wooden floor is laid across the joists. Once in place, the floor is cut into to size of the tank's diameter. Then enough vertical staves are secured in place to permit some of the steel bands to be put in place. Once complete, the tank is pumped full of water. The staves and the wooden floor swell enough after a few days immersed in water that the tank no longer leaks. Most tanks have open tops - some have an additional weather enclosure around them. Wooden tanks like these last about 20 years. A replacement tank of this size can be made on site in less than a day's time. Con EdMy dad worked briefly for Con Ed in that building on the NE corner of 14th and Irving Place for a few months back in 1921-22. It's still there, just a few blocks south of Pete's Tavern on Irving Place, one of my old favorite pubs in that neighborhood. What Bridge?What bridge is in the foreground.....is it still standing? (I don't think so....but?) [That's the Williamsburg Bridge. Still very much there. - Dave] The "CLOTHES" sign, lower leftWhat is the sign that apparently displays 10:15 above the "CLOTHES" vertical sign toward the lower left of the photo? It couldn't be a digital clock, right? If it isn't a digital clock, I wonder what the 10:15 stood for. October 15th? [The sign says "10-15-25¢" And nothing about "clothes." - Dave] Thanks for replying! Sorry, I meant the sign on the photographer's side of the elevated train station that reads "CLOTHES," descending from the top. It looks a lot like the Jefferson Theatre's sign. Quaker Oats location?Can anyone tell me approximately where that Quaker Oats sign was located? (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, G.G. Bain, NYC)
The Ice Man: 1939
... of you-know-what. Not to mention plenty of twine. The Sign The piece of paper tacked to the wall says "(something) only." What is ... things scared me to death. A "Cool" Sign That big bold "ICE" sign didn't hurt the business either. It just ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/15/2008 - 3:58pm -

February 1939. "Ice for sale. Harlingen, Texas." View full size. Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Here we have a very concise study in what you need for an ice business: Telephone, cash register, tongs, ice pick and a big block of you-know-what. Not to mention plenty of twine. The SignThe piece of paper tacked to the wall says "(something) only." What is that first word? [Employees Only. And the ice pick says SAVE WITH ICE. - Dave] Grandpa used to say..."Every man has his woman, but the ice man has his pick!" [That's good. Took me a second to get it. - Dave] TwineWhat was the twine used for? [I think they'd tie it around the ice block as a kind of handle for carrying. - Dave] ChillinApparently to be an ice man one also needs cool socks! Any Ice To-Day, Lady?The ice man was a big strong guy who made deliveries to women during the day while the husbands were at work - as a result, he was the subject of many jokes and rumors. In song lyrics of the day the words "ice man" stood for a lothario. The best example that I know of is the song "Any Ice To-Day, Lady" as performed by Fred Waring's Pennsylvanians on the Victor label in 1926. They couldn't be very explicit in those days, so you have to read between the lines: Any ice to-day, lady? It's nice to-day, lady. How about a piece of ice to-day? Oh, it's only a quarter, You know that you oughter, Hurry up before it melts away! Yes, ma'am! Yes, ma'am! Not on your linoleum. No, ma'am! No, ma'am! Giddyap, Napoleon. Your poppa's a nice man, And so's your old ice man, Oh, lady be good to me! Any ice to-day, lady? It's nice to-day, lady. How about a piece of ice to-day? Tell me why you don't order, Some Eskimo water. Though your credit's good I wish you'd pay. Yes, ma'am! Yes, ma'am! I'll give you a premium. No, ma'am! No, ma'am! Not a red geranium. I feel so silly, I'll hand you a lily. Oh, lady be good to me! (To make things a little clearer: the next-to-last line is sung by the woman of the house, not by the ice man himself.) My home townI grew up in Harlingen, Texas. I remember our ice box. Nasty thing. Always leaking. My mother probably bought ice from this man. Also ice cold watermelons you would "plug" to see if they were good. How did I wind up at this site? Ice doorThe little door next to the cash register marks the chute where the block of ice would be pushed out for the customer. TongsI remember those tongs...when Ice was delivered...those things scared me to death. A "Cool" Sign That big bold "ICE" sign didn't hurt the business either. It just about jumps off the wall! (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Boiled Dinners: 1910
... (serving Budweiser Imported Pilsner Beer), McNamara Sign Co. (SIGNS, ELECTRIC SIGNS), the Detroit Billiard & Pool Room, ... demolished about 1990 . Unelectric "Electric Sign" sign It's interesting that the sign company's "Electric Signs" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/10/2017 - 7:42pm -

Detroit circa 1910. "Monroe Avenue and City Hall." Points of interest include, starting from the left, Pittsburg Dairy Lunch, Considine's (serving Budweiser Imported Pilsner Beer), McNamara Sign Co. (SIGNS, ELECTRIC SIGNS), the Detroit Billiard & Pool Room, McGough's Restaurant (Boiled Dinners 25¢; "We Draw the Best Glass of Beer in the City"), Gies's Restaurant, Sweeney's Billiards, the Hotel Fowler, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument, the Hammond Building (and, rising behind it, the Ford Building), a "moonlight tower" arc lamp stanchion, and the bunting-bedecked City Hall. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Like Mother used to makeBoiled dinners were a common meal in my childhood home as we all loved them and they were easy to make. Most common was the ham, cabbage and potato combo (Polish soul food), but you could also use corned beef, cabbage, carrots and spuds (Irish soul food), or the seafood version of a summer supper boil with shrimp, kielbasa, corn on the cob, potatoes, etc. My mom was born in that year, 1910, and I never ate in a restaurant until I went on a class trip to NYC when I was fourteen. Years later, when I moved to the Southwest, I was amazed to see babies in high chairs eating chips and salsa in Mexican restaurants. How privileged I was to have a cooking mother who fed our faces as well as our souls. The Johnson BlockThis is now an empty lot across from the CompuWare building. The lower profile buildings are part of the Johnson block and dated from the 1850s. All of these buildings were demolished about 1990. Unelectric "Electric Sign" signIt's interesting that the sign company's "Electric Signs" sign is not an electric sign. Picking Over the RemainsAlmost all of the buildings in this photo have disappeared. I believe that all that remains now are the Ford Building, the early part of the Penobscot Building peeking above City Hall, and the Soldiers and Sailors Monument (although that has been moved several hundred feet to the west). As Strasbourg16 says below, all of the buildings on the left were torn down in 1990. They were cleared, after a lengthy preservation struggle and years of neglect, for a shopping center that was never built. here is some more information on these buildings and some photos of them both in their heyday and in their sad last days before demolition. Also, looking at the stores on the Monroe block on the left (as well as the thorough lack of cars), I think the dating of this photo may be a little late and that it's more likely to be 1908 or '07. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
I Like Shostakovich: 1955
... the life of a teenager in the middle '50s. The "THIMK" sign, the sliderule, the compass, the nautical themed lampshade and bedspread, ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/10/2018 - 9:31pm -

Proof positive that my brother and I both fell victim to a similar strange mania at the age of 18. Here, in 1955, a senior in high school and fooling around with his newly-acquired Lordox 35mm camera, he snapped this Kodachrome self-portrait at his desk in our bedroom. Nine years later when I was 18, I shot my records, including the same Shostakovich album, spread out in our living room, as seen here. By that time, "I Like Jazz," a Columbia Records sampler, was no longer around. Posted with my brother's kind acquiescence. View full size. THIMKI somehow wonder what that THIMK note could mean on the red board behind your brother. Is it like a note to oneself? [I'd guess it's a spoof on the "THINK" placards that were popular at the time. Which was Thomas Watson's motto first at NCR and later at IBM. - Dave] Slide RuleCan't help but notice the Post deci-trig sliderule on the desk. Looks like a wiring chart on the ceiling to the right. Appears to me the lad's a right and truly nerd! Welcome! Ceiling ChartIt's a periodic table, with various insets, including a map of the US that presumably indicates the distribution of various elements. Another great shotYou (and delworthio) should get your own blog. I Like "I Like Jazz"I still have the "I Like Jazz" LP in its original sleeve, but it's somewhat the worse for wear. Aviation WallpaperI couldn't help but notice the aviation themed wallpaper with what appears to be a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter aircraft in the background. I have a vague memory of a similar patterned wallpaper in either my brother's or my bedroom, albeit patterned with commercial airliners of the era. Bill Gates, the PrequelDid the Termite Brothers grow up to be engineers? Thimk"Thimk" was the Mad magazine version of the IBM "think" motto. HeadphonesMilitary surplus? PeekWhat an incredible peek into the life of a teenager in the middle '50s. The "THIMK" sign, the sliderule, the compass, the nautical themed lampshade and bedspread, aeronautical wallpaper, the atypical (for a teenager) taste in music. Pretty cool. Jazz Liker I, too, have a copy of "I Like Jazz" in its original sleeve. It belonged to my mother, and now lives in my own collection of vinyl. HeadphonesPossibly military surplus; he got them from a high school friend. I remember them, and they were definitely not hi- or any other kind of fi. Probably intended for radio communications work. He used them merely as a prop for the photo. You gotta agree, they certainly heighten the geekiness, hmm? I loved that wallpaper with the airplanes. Almost literally the last thing I'd see at night and the first in the morning. Dates from a c.1946 remodel job. Alternate Title"I Like Ig." Letter MenIs that a Speedball lettering kit in the lower left-hand corner? You guys certainly had a wide range of interests! SpeedballYep, it is a Speedball lettering kit, and on the shelf above it is a bottle of Sheaffer's Skrip "writing fluid," or ink to you. There were always several of those around, as my brother went through various colors with his fountain and ball point pens over time. That's helped me in dating many of the the slides from this era; the mounts weren't dated by the processor and he didn't always write the dates on them, but sorting them by the color of what notes he did make helps get them associated chronologically. You'd use India Ink with the Speedball set, of course. You ever try to get India ink out of a carpet? "Shostakovitch"?Which record company was it that misspelled Shostakovich's name on the label? I can't recognize the logo from here. [There really is no one correct spelling for words written in a different alphabet. For Shostakovich it depends on what system you're using to transliterate the Cyrillic alphabet into the Roman alphabet. - Dave] Transliteration and thingsThanks a lot for your reply, Dave. I had never seen that transliteration before, but having done some digging I see that it was not uncommon back in the 1940s. I guess this was around the same time that Vladimir Nabokov's name was often spelled Nabokoff. Interesting how these things become standardised with time. Anyway, I really love this picture. Both the pose and the room say so much about the sitter's personality. He looks like he would be a very interesting person to know. (And yes, I realise now that I can read the record label's name if I enlarge the picture. D'oh!) Shostakovich: Then and NowThe day after Christmas 2019 my brother and I got together with our original Shostakovi(t)ch album and a copy of I Like Jazz I'd found in a second-hand store and did this. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Detroit Opera House: 1904
... they were too cheap to spring for an "of"? Digital sign again I've noticed that each time we've seen one of those "digital" ... & Kay The jewelry firm of Wright & Kay (big sign atop building) was formed in May 1906 by Ohio native Henry M. Wright (a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:23pm -

The Detroit Opera House circa 1904, starring an electric runabout out front. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Detroit Conservatory MusicWhat, they were too cheap to spring for an "of"? Digital sign againI've noticed that each time we've seen one of those "digital" signs it's been on or in front of a large theater, opera house or concert hall, the type of venue you'd expect the upper classes, rather than the hoi-polloi, to frequent. My speculation: it's something used to signal carriages for their ritzy patrons. Below: this one compared to ones at Philadelphia's Nixon Theatre and Academy of Music. Update: Thanks to TomHe for confirming my speculation. High Bridge?Look in the window of the Pennsylvania Lines shop. Is the picture on the easel that of the High Bridge of recent memory? [Unfortunately, no. - tterrace] Videochas PicThat's Horseshoe Curve, near Altoona, PA Makes My Heart SingWhat a lovely building! I was born in the wrong era. I come to Shorpy everyday and I'm never disappointed with the photos here. I would hope this building is still standing. I absolutely love the honeycomb glass transom at the entrance door. I wish buildings of today had the details of old world craftsmanship. Sigh. [Demolished 1966. - tterrace] What is that thang?Sharp eyes as usual from tterrace, but I can't make out just how this configuration of three identical sets of light-bulb "dots" could be lit to form letters or numbers. The mysterious device's Academy of Music installation, at right, appears to include some kind of identifying signage on the end of the clapboard base beneath it. Dave, is your highest-res tiff file of this photo sufficiently clear to read that information? [Not clear enough on the full LOC tiff, unfortunately. - tterrace] Pennsylvania LinesThe Pennsylvania Railroad was a late arrival in Detroit, not gaining a direct entrance there until 1922, and then only by trackage rights on the Ann Arbor, Pere Marquette and Wabash Railroads. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad was chartered in 1854 to build a line from Fort Wayne to the Straits of Mackinaw through Grand Rapids. It became part of the Pennsylvania Lines in 1869. It too had no direct connection to Detroit, relying on a connection with the Wabash in Ft. Wayne to get to the Motor City. Identify car?Great picture! Can anyone identify that nifty little car? The proverbial needleConcerning identifying the automobile, unless it was built by a select few makers, I doubt it can be positively identified. During this period there were around a thousand automobile manufacturers in America alone. What we do know is that it's an early brass era runabout with tiller steering, semi-eliptical leaf springs at each corner, and wooden spoked wheels. That should narrow it down to about 50 manufacturers, some of which existed for only a few years. Re: The proverbial needleI think I have identified the car. It's an AJAX ELECTRIC. I have attached a photo from an advertisement from 1903, for visual comparison. [Here they are together. Among other differences, note the absence of front leaf springs. - tterrace] Wright & KayThe jewelry firm of Wright & Kay (big sign atop building) was formed in May 1906 by Ohio native Henry M. Wright (a Civil War veteran as a member of Co. B, 85th Ohio Volunteers) and John Kay, who was born in Scotland. They were jewelers, opticians, importers and dealers in watches, clocks, diamonds, marble statuary, silver and plated ware and fine stationery, and they manufactured watches and other products under their own name. Recently some Wright, Kay & Company watches were auctioned at Christie's. About that haystackMy first thought when I looked at the full-size image was Studebaker. After further research the answer will have to be no, they were building a Runabout with very similar bodywork and proportions in that era but it had major mechanical differences from this machine. As BradL said, this was a time when literally hundreds of companies ranging from blacksmiths, to buggy shops, to established manufacturers of sewing machines and other mechanical equipment, all took a fling at the automobile. MysterymobileI'm almost certain it's a Waverly Runabout, built in Indianapolis. I have a current-day photo but it's somebody's property. Note its steering is via a front tiller whereas the Studebaker has its tiller on the side. Re: Digital sign againA carriage call indeed. Picture below shows numbers lit. WaverleyDon Struke has it, I found a vintage Waverley advertisement that certainly seems to match the mystery car closely. HorsesCalm and unaware that they were about to be unemployed in very short time. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Performing Arts)
Low Miles: 1942
... Lively AC Intrigued by the bird cage with its catchy sign, I did some digging. An online auction listing for a bird cage similar ... spark plugs describes it as a "Vintage Gas Station Display/Sign. Nice early Spark Plugs Display consisting of two old spark plugs posing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/12/2024 - 6:40pm -

November 1942. "Lititz, Pennsylvania. Showroom of the Pierson Motor Company owned by Al Pierson, who is showing his one second-hand car to a local farmer. Before the war there always were three brand new cars in his showroom. Now the chief business of garages is repairing." Acetate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Al Pierson at warMarjory Collins also photographed him sitting resignedly at his dealership desk. She reported that, in addition to keeping the garage open, he was working a defense job at Armstrong Cork Company in Lancaster, and serving as an air raid warden and aircraft spotter. Hmmm. Rare photograph Usually the car salesman has his hand in the customer's pocket. Spiel"This sweet thing was previously owned by a little old lady, who only drove it once a week to church -- " Of light and colorThis is a good example of a photo often seen from this period that shows the position and number of flashes. And it makes me think of how much equipment these photographers were lugging around, and how much effort they had to put into getting the shot. Not to mention knowledge and skill. Also, the car appears to be two-tone. And I'm sure someone here can tell us what those two colors would have been. Four Gallons a WeekThat "A" gas rationing sticker in the rear window allowed the owner to buy four gallons of gasoline a week. Rationing wasn't done so much to reduce gasoline use as it was done to reduce use of tires and conserve the limited rubber supply. I guess the farmer cleaned out the inventoryWe can see in the above photo that, in November 1942, Pierson Motor Co. had one used four-door car. But the inventory was triple that in January 1943, as evidenced by the ad below in The Lititz Record-Express. I also learned exploding antifreeze was a thing. I found the ad looking for an address, which I guess Al Pierson felt wasn't necessary. In another ad the location was listed as Main St. I looked down Main Street on Street View and did not see a building like the one in the 1942 photo. Reeling him in?Spiffy salesman appears ready to set the hook and close the deal on an attractive two-tone 1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe Sedan. A 1939 version from the same manufacturer is parked across the street. Collins' techniqueOkay, there are the shadows from the two flashbulbs -- but why are the farmer's head and right arm transparent, as if she had done open flash? Brilliant new PlymouthInformation on Plymouth two-tone paint combinations for 1941 is minimal at best. Eye-catching color palette combinations can be visualized in period advertising, links below. https://vintagepaint.biz/images/source/Chrysler/Plymouth/1941_ply.jpg https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/VE4AAOSwSpZd1C7s/s-l1600.png https://s.car.info/image_files/360/0-940480.jpg RedefiningJail birds. Tire treads?I don’t know anything about tires from this era, but the tire treads look a bit worn to me. Can anyone tell if they were in decent shape? Or during wartime, did we just take what we could get and save the good tires for the war effort? Future military manI wonder what would happened to the young farmer. He seems to be of the age the military would mobilize for the war. Seems to be goneListed at 28 West Main Street, looks like a new fire department and a parking lot took over as usual. Making ends meetAs GlenJay noted in the first comment below, Mr Pierson was holding down three jobs. But "serving as an air raid warden and aircraft spotter" would seem to be a cosy gig. As we all know, in 1942, swarms of German bombers made repeated non-stop transatlantic return flights of 40 hours in order to disrupt the operations of the Armstrong Cork Company, a key part of the US weapons industry. Seriously, who in government was that far out-of-touch that a ridiculous position of air raid warden and aircraft spotter was funded in nowheresville Pennsylvania? My dear departed mother was an incendiary bomb rooftop spotter in Oxford, England during the 1940/31 Blitz. For some reason, Germany never bombed Oxford despite the huge Morris Car factory churning out Bren Gun Carriers. But German bombers regularly flew over Oxford on the way to Coventry. Kept her watchful. All Mr Pierson ever had to do besides filling out forms full of zeroes in the Qty columns every day, was to have a darn good sleep every night and collect a paycheck now and then. Truly farcical and illogical to have such official positions, but governments wanted people to be in constant fear of armed alien hordes invading their one-horse towns, apparently. Still at it today. Light and DarkSeems this image was edited in the darkroom to balance light and dark areas, outdoors and indoors, but not consistently edited. Look out the window on the left, there is a straight vertical strip almost the full height of the window where the house and the trees are all lighter within that strip and darker on both sides outside the strip. Light and dark editing would also explain farmer's transparent effect. Probably not a flash or other artifact, just darkroom work. They could do a lot in the darkroom before Photoshop. [There was zero editing "in the darkroom." This is a scan of the camera negative. - Dave] Re: technique, and paint colorsI googled "1941 Plymouth Special Deluxe Sedan colors" and was surprised to discover how many possible colors this car might have been. I'm also surprised that no one has commented on the gas thief bird cage. As for the partially transparent farmer, I think I have a plausible explanation. The most obvious and visible image we see of him is the result of the exposure during the flash. But the film was exposed for a longer duration than that, in order to fully capture the outside elements, and during that time, he moved the parts of his body that appear to be a double exposure (his right arm and the back of his head). Reminiscent of 2020-22The idea of one used car in a dealership is reminiscent of what we saw during Covid, when supply chain was so badly constrained. I recall showing up at the local Subaru dealer for service and they had absolutely nothing on the showroom floor. No new cars available, and few used. Third brake/tail light Didn't realize they had that back in the 40's . Thanks ! Lively ACIntrigued by the bird cage with its catchy sign, I did some digging. An online auction listing for a bird cage similar to this one but plugging (haha) AC spark plugs describes it as a "Vintage Gas Station Display/Sign. Nice early Spark Plugs Display consisting of two old spark plugs posing as birds in a bird cage with a double-sided tin sign hanging underneath that reads: 'These Birds Were Caught Stealing Gas! And replaced with Lively AC spark plugs' The early ones did not have the AC brand on them; they did that later." So it seems that our sign is one of the early ones without the branding. Now I just wonder why it appears that there is a single stuffed bird in the cage, and not two spark plug birds. Maybe those flew away. The wall hanging (not the car)Your next car _ De Soto. Styled to stand out _ Built to stand up! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Marjory Collins, Small Towns, WW2)
Hoy's Hotel: 1901
... books up to about 1900 considered every thought in a sign to be a complete sentence, and thus required a capital to start and a ... Use when a thought or sentence is complete The sign painter put a period after: Hoy's Hotel, Pool Room, and Hoy's Hotel Bar. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2024 - 1:38pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of Eighth Street N.W., east side, looking north from D Street with Hoy's Hotel on the corner and the U.S. Patent Office building at the end of the street." 5x7 inch dry plate glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Every part a sentence.Signpainting instruction books up to about 1900 considered every thought in a sign to be a complete sentence, and thus required a capital to start and a period to finish. I have seen signs like "The Jones Co.." where the Co. is an abbreviation of Company and the second period is because the name is a complete sentence. I'm not sure if print shops or penmen followed the same logic. It's a quick rule of thumb for dating old signs. I'd love to know that storyWho was the Foxy Grandpa? Use when a thought or sentence is completeThe sign painter put a period after: Hoy's Hotel, Pool Room, and Hoy's Hotel Bar. Either he was a stickler for grammar, or he got paid by the character. I'm with Sgt McG -- what did they mean by Foxy in 1901, and why did it require one to go through a door at the back of the hotel? ["Foxy Grandpa" was a stage play. - Dave] Thanks for the explanation, Dave. I found two short reels of Foxy Grandpa, here and here, both dated 1902. Grandpa could bust some moves. Shenanigans at the HoyFrom the June 19, 1901, Washington Times, p2. That is me!I am sooooooo going to get a Foxy Grandpa t-shirt! +115Below is the same view from June of 2016. I've heard of Foxy Grandpa!That banner really caught my eye. My Grandpa Reilly, born in NJ in 1898, used to tell me stories in the 1960s, of his "historic" childhood. According to him, "Foxy Grandpa" was a popular newspaper cartoon character, who also had a spin-off chocolate penny candy brand, which the Sisters at his Catholic elementary school used to give to the classroom winners of spelling bees, arithmetic tests, and such. "Foxy", at the turn of the last century, meant clever, tricky, and hard to fool. "Foxy Grandpa"A review of the play as it appeared in the Washington Post (the day after President McKinley's casket arrived by train from New York after his assassination there two days earlier). Click for full text. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey)
Fishbowl: 1908
... barrel arch beyond the equally grand dome ceiling. A Sign of Civilization I await the return of spittoons to all public ... swim around in its tank and periodically light up a neon sign. Pewabic Tiles Another Detroit treasure with tiles made by Pewabic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/10/2023 - 4:16pm -

The Belle Isle Park Aquarium in Detroit circa 1908. Its cavernous spaces and glass viewports afforded aquatic life a fascinating peek at the bipedal terrestrial creatures known as homo sapiens. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Hey, what's in that vase?Ewwwww... Those spittoons just disappeared over the years. And leaving our local museums spit-free except for the occasional cobra or llama. Bet there were some great echo effects bouncing off all the tile work. As a wee bipedaling homo sapien I remember testing out such places with gleeful boy noises. That is one magnificent barrel arch beyond the equally grand dome ceiling. A Sign of CivilizationI await the return of spittoons to all public buildings. PixelatedIt's interesting how the brickwork resembles pixels in a digital photo. [Or a TV. Which was my impression, too -- "These tiles are tiling!" - Dave] In Swimming ColorThe aquarium today, in all its green glory. The forward lookBrass expectoration appurtenances notwithstanding (say that fast five times), this photo has a distinct contemporary feel to it - the lighting, natural yet at the same time seeming to be carefully arranged, plus the composition. I can see it on slick paper in an upscale lifestyle-type magazine, advertising fashions, perfumes or other snazzy stuff. Come to think of it, the visual aesthetic, if not the architecture, reminds me of that of the Case Study homes photographs. The pixelation-like effect of the brickwork is also eerily arresting. League of Extraordinary Museum-GoersWow, the first thing I thought was "steam-punk." Those brass railings and the radiator and the projecting stands for the aquariums are all very cool! Gone, almostThe building is still there on Belle Isle, but the city closed the aquarium last year due to Detroit's disastrous financial situation. Sigh. --Ray in Henderson, NV The Shocking TruthI remember the electric eel that would swim around in its tank and periodically light up a neon sign. Pewabic Tiles Another Detroit treasure with tiles made by Pewabic Pottery, which is still in business. Really SciFiAfter the "Lady in the Lake," this image is the most striking I have ever seen on Shorpy (and that's saying something!) Thank you Dave! Wow, wow, wow, wow, wowThis photo is really ... eerie. It just looks so different from modern times that I can hardly believe it ever happened. And how in the world did they clean the tanks on those ornate stands jutting out into the middle? Is that an optical illusion, or does the round railing keep one from falling down to another story below? Thank you for posting the modern photo showing the green tile. I never would have guessed the color. I hope Detroit does better this year, and I hope they can keep this place open in the future. But what did they do with the fish?I visited the aquarium with my first grade class in the spring of 1957, the high point of the school year. And it was foreign travel from Windsor Ontario. Back then, we only needed notes from our mothers to cross the border! Life AquaticI've got relatives in Detroit of long standing, but I've never heard of this delight until now. There are a few more present-day pictures (how dazzling that green tile is!) on the tour here: http://www.belleisleaquarium.com/aquarium_tour.htm Yes, thanks KwameThank you Kwame for closing our wonderful aquarium just so you could spend all the money on your criminal activity. What a shame. Recent pictures that I have seen show that the former aquarium is now full of crap and is being used for storage. Nice. FramesI really like the frames surrounding the wall tanks, presenting the displayed sea-life like works of art. I wonder if the frames were painted gold or silver to look like gilding. Fate of the fishThe fish were loaned out to various aquariums across the country. Come visit the aquarium again. Friends of Belle Isle Aquarium care for the koi that overwinter in the basement. They are usually there on Saturdays, late morning, caring for the fish. Check out their website, belleisleaquarium.com for more information or to get involved. The original aquarium frames were constructed from cypress, a wood particularly resistant to damage from moisture, and were gilded. The frames were carved in an egg and dart motif to frame the exhibits as if they were canvases. The frames were removed during the 1955 renovation and replaced with stainless steel. The lovely tiles are green glass. They were not made by Pewabic pottery ... a common misconception. Eero SaarinenI too thought it was a modern building. Very prescient design. Love it!!Re-posted to Michigan in Pictures with links to more historical information on Belle Isle Aquarium! (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, Education, Schools)
No Peanuts: 1942
... In reflection to the left right of the "No Peanuts" sign. A metric wall ?? I don't think I've ever seen brickwork before ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/30/2024 - 2:25pm -

November 1942. Lititz, Pennsylvania. "Small town in wartime. Peanut stand next to the Lutz butcher shop finds it hard to get peanuts since the war started. Peanut oil is needed in industry." Acetate negative by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. The Original Educator Crax Cracker ...With the Baked-in-Flavor! Crax, not CrackerJackCrax crackers, "The Original Educator" https://clickamericana.com/topics/food-drink/crax-the-most-imitated-crac... Lutz’s Meat Market ... was founded by B.F. Lutz in 1895 in the rear of 15 East Main Street. The bank drive-thru lanes were the site of a farmer’s market operated by Lutz. In 1927 Lutz’s sons, Ben and John, joined in the business and it was relocated to 53 East Main Street. - lititzlibrary.org I Spy ... Ms. Marjory CollinsIn reflection to the left right of the "No Peanuts" sign. A metric wall ??I don't think I've ever seen brickwork before with headers (only) every tenth row (every five or six is the most common). Crax and a crankWhat be crax, I have to ax. Nineteen cents, at any rate. And that's a doozy of an awning crank there. "Hygiene" textbookThe New Healthy Living Series: The Habits of Healthy Living, by Winslow and Hahn, 1932. This is a well-used copy, although it does not sound like the sort of reading that would excite a young teenager. My New BikeBet that boy is mighty proud of his sleek new bike. Nations Beyond The SeasThe bigger book on the bike seat is "Nations Beyond the Seas"; can't quite read the spine of the smaller book. A postwar edition of Nations Beyond The Seas can be borrowed at Archive.org Watch out ...My bike (c. 1948) has a horn like his. It doesn't require batteries, it blasts out a loud klaxon like sound when the plunger is pushed. Lovely Prewar BicycleThe bike pictured is a new prewar Schwinn. Not sure of the exact year or name on the headbadge. Schwinn made bicycles for different companies back then. Thanks to Dave for the zoom into the book spinesReminds me of the movie Blade Runner where Harrison Ford is saying stuff like "Enhance 224 to 176" [You're very welcome. The zoom is actually from a different photo. - Dave] "Nutty" SpellingThe numbers on the old piece of wood beneath the peanut window lead me to believe the bags of nuts, when available, would have set you back a nickel, a dime, or two dimes for the large appetite and wallet crowd. Perhaps if they had raised their prices just a fraction they could have afforded another "R"! Sliver of storefront?That's gotta be the world's narrowest storefront for the peanut guy. No wider than a door opening. Unless it shared space with the meat guy next door? (The Gallery, Bicycles, Kids, Marjory Collins, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Jumbo Cola: 1938
... Congratulations, Vincennes! Classic Buick Service Sign Love the round enamel hanging "Authorized Buick Service" sign. Bet that's not still there. 19-BEY-02 ? Does anyone know what's ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/18/2016 - 4:49pm -

June 1938. "Stores on Sunday. Vincennes, Indiana." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Centrist parkinghas given way to left and right side extremes, like other things in these modern times. +78 yearsA quick Google search of 108 Main St. Vicennes, Indiana shows that ALL of the buildings in this photo are still standing. Amazing! Jumbo ColaThe Good Grape Company, founded in 1922, introduced the Jumbo Brand Quality Sugar Beverages line, Jumbo Beverages for short, which also got its own unique deco bottle whose most eye catching feature is the embossed elephant in the middle of the bottle. DownspoutEven the downspout on the left side of the Dunlop Tire Store is still there!! Decentrist parkingWell, it's not extremist parking, it's crossing (multiple) lanes to the sidewalk. Let me tell you, if one European guy (like me) has been wondering why people in some places (like Texas) take the car and drive half a mile to get to the other side of the road when the walk would just be even less than 100 feet, well, I tried that once. Real scary. And there are also those extra 10 feet to walk. Which seems to develop into an international no-no. And here they are Vincennes Taverns Still Batting 1000!Yet another tavern on Main Street that is still a tavern today. Congratulations, Vincennes! Classic Buick Service SignLove the round enamel hanging "Authorized Buick Service" sign. Bet that's not still there. 19-BEY-02 ?Does anyone know what's with the "19-BEY-02"? I can understand if the building was built in 1902- but what does "BEY" mean? Article on BeyThis article on Will Bey the grocer is behind a paywall, but begins: The Bible Bookstore is the current occupant of the building at 106 Main St. but anyone who looks up at its façade will see the name BEY and the date 1902. The name is for Will Bey, who had the building constructed that year and ran a grocery store there for 50 years. When Bey retired from the grocery business in January of 1952, he held the distinction of being the oldest retail grocer working in Indiana. Always surprised to be able to follow up on the names I see in these old images. First PostGreetings, been lurking for a long time, just wanted to add my $.02 by saying Jumbo Soft Drinks are still around...who knew? What's old is newLooks like Jansen's Place has recently removed the sign that once covered their painted "Bottle Beer; Whiskey". I wonder if they put it up at the start of Prohibition, and just took it down in 1933? Outline around the signLooks more like neon tube than 'paint shadow' of a removed sign. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Tankar Gas: 1937
... is now making fiberglass reproductions. The Gold Medal Sign It turns out you can see it in Street View, from 3rd Street at ... View Larger Map The "Gold Medal Flour" sign that's barely visible on the left of the 1937 photograph is a big clue to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2013 - 11:47am -

December 1937. "Gas station in Minneapolis." The Minnesota tropics, where snow dusts the painted palms. Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Love the billboardsI found the billboards very interesting. I grew up 40 miles north of Minneapolis. The Minneapolis Journal or Sunday Journal was published until 1939 when it merged with the Minneapolis Star to become the Minneapolis Star-Journal. Other mergers took place and today it's the Star Tribune. The American Weekly was a Sunday Supplement, published by Hearst, inserted into the Sunday Journal. It was published until 1966. The Russell-Miller Milling Company at this time made Occident Flour and was headquartered in Minneapolis. In the early 1950's it become part of the Peavey Co., which in turn was bought by ConAgra in 1982. Awesome trailerHorace T. Water is correct, this is a 37 Ford (Tudor sedan). I have seen trailers like this, but was under the assumption that they were new "retro" designs, not actual period trailers. I found out that somebody is now making fiberglass reproductions. The Gold Medal SignIt turns out you can see it in Street View, from 3rd Street at Washington: Re Frost shieldsHard to tell from the ad davidk provided (or even if that model is what I'm about to describe), but in the mid-30s rectangular defrosters went on the market that were held on the window interior by suction cups. These had exposed thin wires not unlike today's embedded rear window defosters that were electrified either by the car's system or by 6-volt batteries. The ones in the Ford appear to be smaller than what I'm familiar with. Tag Along1937 Ford with a Mullins Red Cap trailer. Frost shieldsThe application of frost shields used to be mandatory in Winnipeg on the windshield (unless the car had a defroster), rear window and front-row side windows from November 1 through March 31. The ad below from my hometown paper, the Free Press, is from 1952. There is still a company in Manitoba that manufactures them for use in construction vehicles, helicopters and outbuildings. Plus 76?After spending far too much time digging, I can offer what might be (approximately) the present-day view, with about 80-90% confidence: View Larger Map The "Gold Medal Flour" sign that's barely visible on the left of the 1937 photograph is a big clue to the location. It's not visible from the Street View above due to new construction - but if you back out to the 45 degree view and head about two blocks southeast and one block northeast, you'll see it. It's also hard to tell from the sometimes-grainy Street View magnifications, but I'm fairly certain that the most of the brickwork is the same as 1937, although they did brick in the upstairs area. [For the depot shed to be on the left as in the 1937 photo, I think we'd need to be a block or two west of 5th Avenue, around 3rd and Washington. The 1940 map below shows the outline of the gas station office facing 3rd, which was a major thoroughfare crossing the Mississippi. - Dave] [I won't dispute your map, but I have trouble seeing how the Gold Medal Flour sign would be both visible and aligned as it is in the 1937 photo if the camera was that far west. There are also some features of the brickwork, including the distinctive offset about 12 feet up on the left edge, that make me go "hmmm."] [The sign, atop a six-story flour mill, is visible from most of downtown Minneapolis. Also, our photo was taken from the second floor as opposed to Google's ground-level Street View. Plus that building at 5th and Washington doesn't look anything like the one in our view, in addition to being set back much farther from the curb. It's three stories tall as opposed to the two-story building in the 1937 photo. - Dave] [I concede. I found a 1937 aerial photo of the area (see below), and the corner of Third and Washington looks far more likely to be the spot than the corner at Fifth. When I'm looking for a historical spot like this, I try not to make any assumptions - such as "in the past 70+ years, they didn't brick in the open second story" or "they didn't build an addition" or "there was no third story hiding behind the billboards" or "that train depot never extended past Fourth Avenue." Now that I have photographic evidence, I'm fine with admitting I was wrong.] [You can tell there's no third floor just by looking at the photo. The cornice is at the bottom of the billboard. Plus you can see there's nothing behind them through the latticework between them. And in any case they're not tall enough to hide a third floor. - Dave] [I realize I'm now beating a dead horse, but your last comment makes it sound unreasonable to think there's a third floor. What I see through the latticework is a brick wall (red oval). That wall appears to be supported by a substantial concrete column (green oval) - either that, or this is an Escherian building. That leaves about 10-12 feet of space to be a "third floor" (cyan oval). With some added brick and a few layers of paint, there is no reason this edifice could not resemble what's currently at the corner of Fifth and Washington. (Note that I am not arguing that it is that location (I agree it's at Third), I am simply pointing out that it is perfectly reasonable to think that there is - or could be - a third floor here.)] OOOH!Free dishes! Thanks davidkI was just about to ask if anyone knew what that rectangle was on the driver's side window. I think Dave is correct.The Milwaukee Road train shed ends at 5th Avenue South and Washington. Gold Medal Flour is at about 700 West River Parkway. The gas station would have to be at 3rd or maybe 4th Avenue South. This area on either side of Washington Avenue from Hennepin to 11th Avenue was known as the Gateway district. About 40 blocks were cleared for urban renewal in the 50s and 60s. Only in the last 10 years has the sea of parking lots started to fill in. One modern convenienceBased on the bare bulb visible through the dirty window, I'm thinking it's not the Ritz Carlton; but somebody in that building has a mighty fine radio antenna on the roof... a fairly long dipole, likely to receive AM broadcasts. Cut-RateTankar was apparently a low-price chain headquartered in Minneapolis. Some of the stations had old tank cars as part of the architecture. F.A.P. May Be The Key.The street sign on the left may hold a cryptic key to the puzzle. The sign post clearly indicates one roadway, but at the bottom, facing the camera is a small sign with "F.A.P." or Federal Aid Primary. That sign indicates this road was receiving Federal money as a primary route and would have to be a fairly substantial route. F.A.S. signs for Federal Aid Secondary are sometimes also seen on smaller routes or further out on primary routes that receive less Federal maintenance money. I know nothing about this area, but I hope that little sign now gives you the intersection. [The sign is pointing you to it -- F.A.P. 92B is to the right. - Dave] TrainshedWhat may be confusing you is that the Milwaukee Depot Trainshed has been shortened and there are cross streets there now that were not there when the photo was taken at which time it was a active depot. [The cross streets are the same. This is Third Avenue crossing Washington, in a view seen here two years ago. The clock tower still stands. - Dave] Re re Frost shieldsNo electricity involved, Don Struke. The classic frost shield is a rectangle of plastic stuck by adhesive at its perimeter to the auto glass. You put them on the inside of the window, and the vacuum created between the plastic shield and the glass kept the window free from condensation and frost. I’ve heard of a fancier kind made of glass with a rubber gasket, but no one I knew used these. Once when my dad was in the Southern states with his Canadian frost shields on, a gas attendant asked him if it was bullet-proof glass. Re: TrainshedThe trainshed always ended at 5th Avenue, but the yard continued to Chicago Avenue where a large viaduct took the tracks across Washington. If you look at the aerial photo in Splunge's comment, you can see that the shed ends at 5th, but only Portland Avenue crosses the yard. Perhaps a chimney?I thought the "substantial concrete column (green oval)" that Splunge mentioned was a chimney for a heater or fireplace in the gas station's office below. BTW, I don't have any horses to be concerned about, but I do enjoy the friendly banter and explanations offered. Sometimes it's very helpful to see something from another's viewpoint. Thanx to all that have commented! TrailerIsn't anybody going to mention that fantastic, streamlined trailer? Homemade or manufactured and its got to belong to that Mark Trail looking guy puffin' on his pipe. [See the very first comment below. - tterrace] Miller millingI would expect nothing else. Along withthe previous busy comments in the scene, note the worst job of bricklaying behind the palm trees, and the Tax Paid sign, AND Glueks Beer on Tap. 3rd and WashingtonThe train shed is the tip-off. If the Google street view were from second story rather than - uh - street level, you could then see the Gold Medal Sign. BTW, the Gold Medal sign has been moved around a bit since 1937 due to a fire at the "A" Mill and restoration of the Mill Ruins Museum. Tax? Which?I'm still bewildered by the sign "TAX PAID 5 FOR 85" I've arrived at no meaningful interpretation for that. Somebody help me out, please. 3rd and WashingtonThis confirms that it was on 3rd and Washington. No doubt that is the Tankar building in a sea of parked cars. How it survived "urban renewal" and the rest of the buildings didn't is beyond me. TankarLooks like they redid the palm tree mural in the 1940s. The photo below is from the Zalusky Collection. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, John Vachon, Minneapolis-St. Paul)
El Paso: 1903
... However we can see streetcar tracks and a Bell Telephone sign. What else was going on in 1903. When I see the date on a picture ... Night time would find me at Rosie's Cantina...etc... Sign punctuation Something I've always been curious about - this is the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/20/2012 - 9:55am -

"El Paso, Texas. 1903." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. DateDoes the overhead banner not say 1889? [1903. - Dave] Telephone cablesWhat a remarkable chapter in the history of telephone communications this photo displays. Notice how the lower six crossarms on the closest telephone pole, which used to hold 36 wire pairs, have been rendered obsolete by the three cables strung in the upper foreground of the photo. I'd guess that those cables hold 25 pairs apiece, but they could be a hundred pairs each. Nowadays there can be up to two thousand pairs in a cable. This marked a glorious transition for a forest of wires to a telephone system with some hope for future expansion. El PasoNot an automobile to be seen. However we can see streetcar tracks and a Bell Telephone sign. What else was going on in 1903.When I see the date on a picture or when a Hymn was written I try to relate the date as to what else was going on in the world. El Paso in 1903 with no cars was to change because in Detroit Henry Ford was starting the Ford Motor Co. Driving through El Paso today on I-10 you do not see much of El Paso because of all the cars you have to keep your eyes on. Great PictureLots to see here. But I keep coming back to the 2nd store from the right. Just beyond the W.G.Walz banner. Does anyone else see two eyes looking at the lens? El Paso Grand Midwinter CarnivalThe El Paso Midwinter Carnival will take place from January 12 to 17 Inclusive, some of the features of which will be: World's championship Miners' Drilling Contest, prizes $2000; Roping and Tying Tournament, prizes $2000: Fraternal and Civic Parade, prizes $1000: free shows on the streets. Oriental midway, music, parades, bull fights, confetti battles and generally a hot old time. Ammunition can be bought on the grounds. Programmes of the El Paso Grand Midwinter Carnival shoot will be mailed on application. -- Sporting Life Oregon and MillsBased on the address of the old Grand Central Hotel and the bend in the streetcar line, this appears to be taken from the corner of Oregon and Mills (formerly St. Louis), looking almost due west. Just to the right of the photographer would be San Jacinto Plaza. 1886 map. [The label in the lower left corner of the photo says it's El Paso Street. - Dave] View Larger Map Mama was a cowgirlMy mother was born in El Paso in 1918 and I imagine it looked pretty much the same 15 years after this photo was taken. Out in the West Texas...Town of El Paso, I fell in love with a Mexican girl... Night time would find me at Rosie's Cantina...etc... Sign punctuationSomething I've always been curious about - this is the first example I've seen on Shorpy since I signed up. From the pre-Civil War era up through about the turn of the 19th-20th century, sentence fragments on billboards are always followed by periods. See "Antiquities." in this photo for an example. A nineteenth century hardware store might advertise: Tools. Wire Fencing. Lumber. Nails and Staples. You see it in newspaper ads of the 1800's as well. By the 1920's this usage is just about extinct, you never see it today unless intended to create a mock-dramatic effect. Somehow there must have been a change in the teaching of business English that caused every ad agency in America to decide "this usage must go!" [Check out this post, and the comments. - Dave] Sign Punctuation and the Future of ShorpyYears from now, Shorpy.com (or its successors) may generate comments on the ersatz punctuation evident in commercial signage circa 2009. An infamous example is the use of apostrophies to indicate plurals (e.g. "soda's"). Period Signage, Signage PeriodsThe use of periods in 19th-century signage seems to derive from the similar usage on book title pages. The typographic fashion for long phrases and numerous ornamental typefaces on the same page or sign was perhaps thought to be more confusing to the reader without the periods. So in the present photo, the periods help us to sort out the discrete phrases in the "wordy" sign at the far left: "Wholesale & Retail Dealers in All Kinds of Mexican & Indian Curiosities. Mexican Straw, Felt & Fur Hats." As page and signage design simplified in the 20th Century, the perceived need for the periods became redundant and was dropped from designers' and editors' style sheets. The use of a period in single-word signs such as "Office." or "Coalyard." also renders the word into a declarative sentence, as if spoken in an announcement to the viewer. My favorite badly painted 20th-century building sign, with too-evenly spaced block letters, would have benefited from the addition of periods, or at least better spacing. As seen from the road in Beirut in 1973, it read as one word: "GARGANTUADANCINGCREPERIERESTAURANT" Electric streetcarsLooking at the streetcar system I don't see any overhead catenary system, but I am viewing the image on a google phone so the detail might not be as clear. In most cities where I have researched, primarily in the southeast, the electric distribution was handled by the streetcar companies as a secondary service to sell excess power not used in the primary transportation network. Streetcars were animal powered until electric motors were improved to handle the cars; steam powered trolleys were considered undesirable and banned in the franchise agreements needed to operate. In some cities the power was generated by the local mill since they had the hydro power, others it was a municipal system or local business group. Lighting was primarily gas until the late 1890's. The electric system is present with a transformer and service cut-ins but I was curious to know if the streetcar was still animal powered? [The photo shows an overhead catenary line. - Dave] S. El Paso StreetThis same photo (and 112 others from Detroit Publishing, some already seen here on Shorpy) is contained in the Dover Publications collection "Main Street, U.S.A. In Early Photographs" (1998). The book's caption notes this is South El Paso Street's 100 block, looking to the south. At the time the photo was taken, this area was the business center of El Paso, "although that hegemony slipped away in the subsequent decade." The two buildings at the extreme right were torn down in the 1980's for the exppansion of the Paso del Norte Hotel. Believe me, Dave has managed to bring up a great amount of detail from the mud of the original photograph (and I ain't talking about the street.) Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America J.W. HardinThe outlaw J.W. Hardin was killed here 8 yrs prior to the photo. I'd say it was a rather hectic town at the time. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wesley_Hardin CoincidenceHaving just watched the HBO series Deadwood last night, I smiled when I saw "The Gem" and "Billiards" on the same building down the street. Must have been a common name in those days. CURIOUSMIGHT THAT BE A SIGN FOR AN OPTOMETRIST? [I BET IT WAS. ARE YOU HARD OF SEEING? - DAVE] Making it workThe sign painters have also effectively worked the decorative brickwork and windows into their design. It is hard to say if the people who originally designed and built the structure on the left had any aesthetic compunction about using the walls as a billboard - or was this the work of later owners? Imagine spending $50 million to build an office building today and then using it for advertising space. [It is hard to envision. - Dave] 1886 MapThanks Vic for the map. I see those railroads via El Paso. My great-great grandpa went to El Paso from Ohio in 1870's to work on the railroad for few years. I make the connection with family history, personal letters with this map. Thanks so much. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
The Hotel Essex: 1906
... -- always the same letters -- were often out in the neon sign on the roof, resulting in HOT SEX. Clearly, this was not due to chance, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2024 - 4:53pm -

Boston circa 1906. "Atlantic Avenue elevated at Hotel Essex (Terminal Hotel)." Completed in 1900, now the Plymouth Rock Building. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing. View full size. How could they resist?I can attest that certain letters -- always the same letters -- were often out in the neon sign on the roof, resulting in HOT SEX. Clearly, this was not due to chance, but creative vandalism. Gone? Then what is this?https://maps.app.goo.gl/HeJRkk4dkxWC9dP79 Really echoes the architecture of the Hotel Essex. Is this just a similar building in a close location (next to South Station. I guess if it was industrial, then look alike buildings could be all over I guess?) [Oh right. Not gone! - Dave] Despite certain neon letters not working properly... this is the cleanest 1906 photograph I've ever seen. Fireproof, as featured inFireproof Magazine, July 1906. No interior photographs or floorplans, but the architect is identified, Arthur Hunnewell Bowditch. His Wikipedia page doesn't include the Hotel Essex among his notable projects. But, in 1931/32 he designed the Art Deco Paramount Theater, the last of the great movie palaces built in downtown Boston. Looking at the two 1906 photographs and Street View, I'm certain there was a second-floor entrance to the Hotel Essex, directly from the elevated train platform. A nice perk for guests. If only --So 120 years ago, I could walk to my local train station and arrive at South Station, walk out and up the stairs to wait for the next elevated train to my office at North Station. But today, I have to go below ground and take two overcrowded subway rides to get to the same location. MBTA, please bring back the Atlantic Avenue line! Platform AdsOne of the advertisements I can see on the platform is for Mennen's Toilet Powder. The rest are inscrutable to me. (The Gallery, Boston, DPC, Railroads)
Great Northern: 1900
... think the next place would be a locksmith? [The sign says Chicago Bronze. - Dave] Lady barbers!? Women cutting men's ... word is "staunch," not "slaunch." - Dave] At the sign of the spigot I've seen plenty of giant eyeglasses outside opticians' ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/14/2022 - 10:29am -

Chicago circa 1900. "Great Northern Hotel and office building, Dearborn and Jackson Streets." Along with perhaps the earliest appearance on these pages of Coca-Cola signage. Also: a "Lady Barber Shop." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Urban TotemsIf the colorful carved pole is in front of the barber shop and a perched spigot is at the entrance to the bath-house, I would think the next place would be a locksmith? [The sign says Chicago Bronze. - Dave] Lady barbers!?Women cutting men's hair, ladies smoking cigars, or Lady as a last name? Unfortunately the Great Northern building was demolished. Also, there is no Google street view of this block (Dearborn and Jackson) for some reason. Knot a typoIf you wore Ruppert's shoes then you "knew" the feeling of dry socks…I guess. Otherwise, big multiple typo! Elsewhere, great fire escape where the tall buildings join! Nice!"Chicago School" architecture. It was designed by Daniel Burnham, who also did the Flatiron Building. It was demolished in 1940 and has since been replaced by the Dirksen Federal Building. WowI can actually see the characters come to life from "Sister Carrie." One of my favorite novels from 1900. What in the world ......does "Slaunch and true, thru and thru" mean? Besides "knew/new," "slaunch" struck me as odd. Possibly a word that's out of usage? [The word is "staunch," not "slaunch." - Dave] At the sign of the spigotI've seen plenty of giant eyeglasses outside opticians' offices on Shorpy, but never a spigot outside a bathhouse. What a great idea. And a great picture--keep the Chicago pictures coming. Someone doesn't wear Ruppert shoesAny idea who the guy in the drink in the Ruppert shoe sign would be? [A lost sole. - Dave] Did I miss it?Where's the milk bottle? Tennis anyone?Is roof fenced off for athletics, possibly tennis on the building behind the Great Northern at the top far right? Southern Serves the SouthBehind the Great Northern there is an office for the Southern Railway. My Pop was a designated Southern Railway railroad doctor, and when I was a kid I had a bright red billed cap that had the SR with the arrow logo as seen on here. It was my favorite cap. . . . The railroad liked having doctors in the various towns through which its lines passed, so that local workers, if injured, had a local doc to go to. Incidentally, Dad is still a railroad doc, though for Norfolk Southern now. Southern merged with I guess the Norfolk and Western line about 1985 & was later renamed Norfolk Southern. Ye Olde Old GloryWe can narrow the date range a little bit thanks to the American flag flapping on the left side of the photo. That flag design was used starting July 4, 1896, when Utah became a state. Too bad JJ Astor IVdidn't wear a pair of Ruppert's Dry Sox on his 1912 crossing! View from The MonadnockEvery building in this photo is gone. Although the photographer's vantage, Burnham & Root's 1893 Monadnock building, still stands. Chicago Federal Centerhttp://www.panoramio.com/photo/1307733 I believe this building covers the entire block where the hotel stood. Similar buildingsI am struck by the similarities between these buildings and the Old Colony (where I worked in the mid 1980s) and the Manhattan, which still stand in the block between Van Buren and Congress and Dearborn and Plymouth Court. The Old Colony has the round corners, but the windows are very different. Cigars vs. CigarettesIt's hard to imagine now that long ago cigar smokers far outnumbered cigarette users, as evidenced by the many advertising signs in all these photos. When I was a kid in the 1960's the drug stores still had large glass-front humidor cases with open cigar boxes so you could purchase individual cigars, but this practice died out before the decade ended. Then we had to find another way to light our firecrackers. Coke advert?Where is it in the pic? I can't find one. Political unbuildingas noted below - way below - the hotel itself, and the Bedford Building at the far left of the picture (whose spectacular corner spire has unfortunately been cut off), were among a large number of buildings in Chi-town demolished around 1940. The Tribune tried to turn their demise into a partisan issue, illustrating their removal in a 02/17/40 article headlined "Some of the Chicago Buildings Wrecked During New Deal Depression," but it failed to note the reason for their demolition: construction of the Dearborn Street Subway (there was concern the digging would undermine their foundations). Catarrh cureAs a longtime sufferer from catarrh--the name sounds both ridiculous and ominous--I am wondering how to get my hands on some of that Blue Gum Compound. Surely a more pleasant treatment than pseudoephedrine, phenylephrine, or guaifenesin. In fact, blue gum honey (eucalyptus globulus) is sold today as a treatment for various effects of "phlegmatic deposition." Australian brands are widely available. But alas, even 122 years later, there is no cure for catarrh. The Gunning SystemGunning was a big player in the world of giant urban advertising billboards. The City of Chicago fought them tooth and nail: https://chicagology.com/advertising/chicagobillboards/ The photo appears to have been taken during the transition from "Every sign must begin with a capital letter and end with a period. Period." to "If there's no period, the letters can be a little larger" [Mighty internal struggle to avoid using "period of transition" above.] Eyes goin' badI'm gonna have to go and get a free eye exam at Sweet, Wallach & Co. People are gettin' kinda fuzzy. Haven't we met somewhere before?I know -- it was at one of Gatsby's parties. Whither Lady Barbers?I can't understand why this didn't catch on. I'd rather have my hair cut by a woman, but for most of my life, lady barbers were not an option. Chicago School "bay window" style at its best.You can still see some around town. Cable Car TrackChicago had a large cable car system that lasted until 1906. The far track had a centre slot for the grip to clamp onto the cable. Many of the lines turned downtown in loops, which may be the source of the term Loop in Chicago. More details here. (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Warning Sign: 1940
December 1940. "Religious sign on highway between Columbus and Augusta, Georgia, indicating revival of ... View full size. Early Recycling That sign is a painted hood of a 1920-1930s era car, possibly a Ford Model A. It ... the origins of those two ridged panels that make up the sign's "wings". Surplus washboards? Floor pans off a Hupmobile? You guys are ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/16/2021 - 12:25pm -

December 1940. "Religious sign on highway between Columbus and Augusta, Georgia, indicating revival of interest in religion." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Early RecyclingThat sign is a painted hood of a 1920-1930s era car, possibly a Ford Model A. It looks like the vent louvers have been pounded flat on each side. You can see the hinge running down the middle. The lift handles have been removed from each side. Waste not, want not! Nerd Harder, TeamI can't wait to hear what the Esteemed Shorpy Analytical Faculty says about the origins of those two ridged panels that make up the sign's "wings". Surplus washboards? Floor pans off a Hupmobile? You guys are the best... what wilt thy judgment be? Revival?I could understand if we were talking about the present day. But 80 years ago? Had there been a downturn in religion in the preceding years that a sign like this would indicate a revival of interest? Finite VerbsOne of the consequences of Bible readings in school was that people learned as kids to conjugate old-timey verbs. People can't do that today. You said it!Amen brother. Holy repurposingWas that formerly a hood? Has anyone noticed... that this billboard used to be a car hood? Holy Burma Shave?Were these signs once common like the Burma Shave signs and leading to a final sign, "Wilt thy come and worship at The House of Old English?" Hat MysteryWho owns the hat on the bench? [Get thee hence. - Dave] Ooops...parked in the wrong lot. My ImpressionThis god here is more strict than the government in North Korea. SubliminalSubtle hidden message: "Waste not, want not" It was ever thusZealots and evangelists are always convinced and preaching that the present day is decadent and a decline from some mythic, perfectionist past time which never actually existed. You'll never keep the tithes coming in by saying "Well, actually things are much the same as they have been for the last three hundred years." (The Gallery, Bizarre, Columbus, Ga., M.P. Wolcott, Rural America)
Red Injun: 1935
... for that tricycle Just keep walking. Magazine Stand sign title! The sign on the news stand advertising SNOWED UNDER in the latest Liberty ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/01/2023 - 12:43pm -

December 1935. "Main street [Broad Street] of Selma, Alabama." 8x10 inch nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the U.S. Resettlement Administration. View full size. If $3.85 seems a little pricey for that tricycleJust keep walking. Magazine Stand sign title!The sign on the news stand advertising SNOWED UNDER in the latest Liberty magazine: the same year Warner Brothers made a B-picture starring George Brent using that story. Not a very good movie, either! Photoplay CutieThat is Canadian born actress Norma Shearer on the cover of that mag. Also that was the month that featured a story about Shirley Temple. I don't wanna be fixedBelow is the scene today. The first two story building on the right is where Keeble McDaniel's "fixings for men" was located. Time has flownI assume there was once a clock there. Snowed UnderLawrence Saunders' short story "Snowed Under" will be made into a film about a playwright who is working under a tight deadline and just happens to be snowed-in in his remote cabin with his girlfriend and two ex-wives. Hilarity ensues. Very strange thereAt first, I also thought that the round object on top of the streetlight was a clock but upon closer inspection I'm 100% certain that that's an old tire. [That's a metal casting for the clothing store's street clock. Not an old tire. - Dave] eBay treasuresStrewn all over the sidewalk. Just like that? Appalling! Wagon WheelsThose wagons are quite collectible today. The one in front with the questionable name, is similar to one featured in a recent Shorpy post and a later version in the 1992 movie Radio Flyer. The Photoplay magazine is one of many publications , a Hollywood idea from the 1920s that promoted movie stars, and added to the allure and enticement of that behemoth of an industry. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Stores & Markets, Walker Evans)
« first‹ prev1 [2]3…next ›last »
Syndicate content  Shorpy.com is a vintage photography site featuring thousands of high-definition images. The site is named after Shorpy Higginbotham, a teenage coal miner who lived 100 years ago. Contact us | Privacy policy | Accessibility Statement | Site © 2024 Shorpy Inc.