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Washington's Finest: 1927
1927. "Skinned frankfurts, made in Washington, D.C." What Bismarck said about laws and sausages: It turns out you ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2013 - 7:32am -

1927. "Skinned frankfurts, made in Washington, D.C." What Bismarck said about laws and sausages: It turns out you can watch them (or not watch them) being made in the same place. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. I never sausage a messAnd where are your gloves, ma'am? Delicious!They still make these, they're called "Old Fashion Hot Dogs", and can be found in some exclusive butcher meat markets. They explode with juice when you bite them! Wise Men SayThat anyone that worked in a sausage factory never ate one again. FranksIf you are from New York City, the correct pronunciation is FRANK-FRUTTER. I Guess I Was Wrongbecause I thought baloney was the only product coming out of Washington! Wipe that grin off your face mister.Sadly, Margaret was the only one who could even mention her job title of "Wiener Inspector" with a straight face. YumI'll bet those didn't taste like mush the way modern frankfurters do. Here..."Don't smile, just hold the sausages." They probably had that good, old-fashioned fat content and were delicious. The background machinery is a clueCould this be Mr. Dunderbeck's daughter? MisattributedAttributed to Bismarck since the 1930s, the laws-and-sausages gem actually comes from the poet John Godfrey Saxe. Without a net!Or gloves. Jaw desperately clenched against a retch as the eyes plead: "Don't buy these. Don't eat these. What has been seen in this awful place may never be unseen." True, most modern franksdo taste and feel like mush. But if that's the only kind of hot dogs you know, you really should try a good, old-fashioned brand like Nathan's, Hebrew National, Sabrett, or Boar's Head. The meat for each of these is finely chopped, not emulsified, and the texture is completely different. Yuh-UM! I'm making myself hungry. Her expressionHere is a woman who has heard ever wiener joke known to Man and is not amused. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Miss Washington: 1922
1922. "Miss Washington in bathing suit." Concealed yet revealed, Evelyn Lewis at the Wardman Park Hotel pool on a nippy day. Harris & Ewing. View full size. Nice Shoes? The Look Was Common In The 20s Thin loose fitting clothi ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/30/2013 - 11:01am -

1922. "Miss Washington in bathing suit." Concealed yet revealed, Evelyn Lewis at the Wardman Park Hotel pool on a nippy day. Harris & Ewing. View full size. NiceShoes? The Look Was Common In The 20sThin loose fitting clothing without the assistance of upper support was the style in the 20s/very early 30s. Check out some of the silent and early talkie motion pictures. Young ladies always looked like they were about to have wardrobe malfunctions. I'm gonna rouge my knees and roll my stockings downI always thought that phrase from "All That Jazz" in the musical "Chicago!" was a strange lyric. Rolling down your stockings was a way of being sexy - women's legs were still considered risque in a time when long skirts were still being worn. To show your legs was the equivalent of today wearing a micro-mini skirt and bikini top. In the 1920's, rouging one's knees was a popular make up fad. Some women used rouge to highlight and draw attention to their cheeks, although modest women resisted the use of make up and preferred to make the most of ‘natural’ beauty instead. Flappers, on the other hand, thought of themselves as promiscuous and sexy rebels, and so they rouged their knees to draw attention to them. I'd never actually seen it until this picture. Thanks, Shorpy! ScandalousExposure of those knees leaves very little to the imagination. I know this is a family site,and she is beautiful, with those dark eyes. She also has hips, a facet of womanly beauty that seem to be hidden by today's fashions. And, I repeat I know this is a family site, but did the beauties of that era also go without upper body undies? NippyWait -- they had those then? Dave, you old dogI can see right through your explanation of the photo. Very witty indeed. FriendsJazz Age edition One more reason "LOL" was inventedTo react to those last two words. Well, next to last, actually. Following SuitIf I may make a pointed comment, it is easy to flesh out that this young lass is keeping abreast of jazz age bathing fashions. Thanks, commentersYou've raised a couple of interesting points. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Ask Mr. Foster: 1924
... boy who appears in numerous photos around Washington DC? Count the Times We could almost make a game of how many times the ... wood, china, leather. There are picture books of views of Washington, and all sorts of things suitable as gifts. Many of these things ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/03/2012 - 3:36pm -

"Foster & Reynolds, exterior." The National Remembrance Shop in Washington circa 1924. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Ask Mr. EgoI want to ask Mr. Foster how he got to be such a Mr. Knowitall. Question for Mr. FosterWho was the ever enigmatic Edwards boy who appears in numerous photos around Washington DC? Count the TimesWe could almost make a game of how many times the phrase "Ask Mr. Foster" appears in this shot. Mr. Foster's ShopWashington Post, Apr 17, 1922; advertisement Every one visiting Washington wishes to take away something as a remembrance of the visit to the Nation's Capitol or as a gift for friends at home. It is the aim of the National Remembrance Shop to supply such things in souvenirs that shall have some artistic merit. Our wares are of gold, silver, wood, china, leather. There are picture books of views of Washington, and all sorts of things suitable as gifts. Many of these things cannot be had elsewhere. We mean that the prices shall be reasonable, the goods well and servicable, and pleasing to the eye: even the most inexpensive articles (and there are many such) being of a character to appeal to persons of cultivated taste. National Remembrance Shop (Mr. Foster's Shop) 503 14th St., One Door from Pennsylvania Ave. Opposite Willard Hotel Wallace NuttingA number of the framed images in the window were made by Wallace Nutting, a Congregational Minister turned photographer and entrepreur. In particular, the images in the top of the central window appear to be very similar to "A Plate of Cookies - Studio #67" by Nutting. http://www.wallacenuttinglibrary.com/wnp00067.htm A.M.F. CountI come up with 10 readable Ask Mr. Fosters. National Remembrance ShopThe following appears as an advertisement in the Washington Post in 1915: Remembrances of Washington that are attractive yet inexpensive. National Remembrance Shop,14th St. and Pa. Ave. Pre-GoogleAsk Jeeves' great-granddad. On the SillIn the left window, there are five publications, one with the Statue of Liberty on the cover. Are these atlases, maps, or travel magazines? [Travel guides ("Standard Guides") to Washington, Boston, New York, Chicago and Illegible. - Dave] Reynolds' Standard Guide Washington Post, Nov 11, 1940; obituary Charles Bingham Reynolds, editor of a sightseeing guide of Washington and brother of Burnet Reynolds of 1411 Crittenden Street Northwest, died yesterday at his home in Mountain Lakes, N.J., at the age of 84. Mr. Reynolds was one of the founders of the B.S. Reynolds Co. here, a wholesale souvenir and postcard company. He was editor of Forest and Stream from 1879 to 1906. He was the author of a number of travel guides including "Old St. Augustine, a Story of Three Centuries" and "Standard Guide to Cuba." He founded the Foster and Reynolds Travel Service more than 50 years ago, and served as secretary and treasurer. Standard Guide of Washington at Google Books That hill!Ha! I was going to guess 14th Street, because you just don't see streets slope that way too many places in downtown Washington. How Could I Miss It?I didn't get to Illegible on my trip to the US! Bummin' looks like a fine town. Ask Mr. FosterWard G. Foster started the "Ask Mr. Foster" travel agency in St. Augustine, Florida in 1888. The store was part of a building recently restored as the Casa Monica Hotel. If anyone has a copy of the 1937 publication of "Ask Mr. Foster" by Charles B. Reynolds. Please contact gary@adlibtours.com National Remembrance ShopI have just bought a jug here in the UK. 9.5 inches tall, Treacle Brown Glazed, with a print of the White House on one side and the Congressional Library on the other. On the bottom it is marked "National Remembrance Shop Washington DC." It looks very like the jug in the window. Far left above the second plate from the left behind the two tankards. More pics here. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets, Travel & Vacation)
Old Hat: 1920
Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "814-816 Ninth Street N.W." Moldy negative of a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/06/2013 - 12:01pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "814-816 Ninth Street N.W." Moldy negative of a decrepit storefront, with many musty details. National Photo Co. View full size. Motocycles?I just learned that the folks at Indian didn't know how to spell "motorcycle." The Indian Motocycle shopI find the partial view of the Indian Motocycle shop more interesting than the almost-derelict storefront that's the subject of the photo. Here's a photo of a 1920 Indian Motocycle; the "Indian" name and the fuel tank (I assume) it's on look the same as in the window of that shop. http://parkerindian.com.au/1920PP.html "Silent" OlsonThe poster above the For Rent sign is for a wrestling match between Joe Turner and Silent Olson, a deaf-mute. "Christmas night he beat Joe Turner, for ten years champion middleweight wrestler." They came and went.BEAUTIFUL Indian in the window next door. One please, to go ! Washington RedskinsWhile the out of business hat store has its decrepit charm the store to the left has much more to offer. Indian brand motorcycles, bicycles and tricycles are all on display. What a treasure trove. Also,the reflection in the hat store window shows cars in the street and what looks like someones legs on a ladder or scaffold rung. I wonder if it is somebody in the store working or perhaps the reflection of the photographer in the street getting a raised perspective. The Gold Medal Flour sign up above states "Why Not Now?" No time like the present indeed. Elementary ParticlesNot sure, but that curved white line with the little black teardrop at the top ... I think it's the Higgs Boson! New HatIt's all gone now, replaced by the U.S. Mint Headquarters. View Larger Map Lady of the Lamp Looks like she left it on the sidewalk in front of the Indian dealership. Also looks like the rear of the hat store has collapsed. Sniper!Top window, second floor! Or maybe it's some sort of Rube Goldberg drainage system. The Lady of the LampThe sign in the window to the right is a play by Earl Carroll, closed November 1920. The sign states Dec. 6. Seems it never made it to that date. http://www.ibdb.com/production.php?id=8963 [December 6 is the performance date in Washington. The Broadway Database dates are for performances on Broadway, in New York. - Dave] Motocycles and motorcyclesThe corporate name was always "Indian Motocycle Company" but it made motorcycles and advertised them as such. Well the nearly new 1946 Chief I owned was called a motorcycle, but company name was still "Motocycle." Dang, I sold the thing for $75 in 1958 to a guy who had never ridden one. I had to drive the bike into his pickup truck and he said he was going to unload it in a 40 acre pasture and learn to ride. He figured there weren't many things to hit in a pasture except for the cow patties. Too dark to see in the daytimeWhat's with the kerosene lantern on the sidewalk? Now a Parking LotNo, not the U.S. Mint headquarters; that's on the east side of Ninth Street, the odd-numbered side. Where 814-816 Ninth Street was is now a vast parking lot, where the old new Convention Center used to be, till it was mercifully torn down. Even a parking lot is preferable to that awful building. If the Hoover FBI building and the OPM building at 20th and E could go the way of the old new Convention Center, even if they became nothing but parking lots, Washington would be a better place. F.L. Leishear, Indian MotorcyclesThat's F.L. Leishear's motorcycle shop to the left, also seen in Shorpy post Wireless Apparatus: 1919. The previously open D. Neufeld Hat Manufacturer has since closed and lost its most prominent signage. Washington Post, Jun 23, 1921 Motorcycles PRICES reduced 20% on new 1921 Indian motorcycles and side cars; also used machines at exceptional prices. F.L. Leishear, 812 9th st. nw. A LeopardIt seems strange that there is a leopard skin in the Indian window. One item that Indian made that does not appear to be on display is a canoe and trailer that can be used with a motorcycle. (The Gallery, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
This Desirable Corner: 1901
Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of E Street N.W., south side, looking west ... call box? Right on the corner, one of the ubiquitous DC call box frames for fire and police--though curiously missing its innards ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/19/2023 - 12:58pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of E Street N.W., south side, looking west from Seventh Street towards Eighth." 5x7 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. This Desirable Corner Take the corner, I want the middle pieceThe tallest building in the 1901 photo, the Busch building, with a current address of 750 E Street NW, is still standing. What is now on the corner has come up to its height. Who stole the call box?Right on the corner, one of the ubiquitous DC call box frames for fire and police--though curiously missing its innards (the actual call box). These were installed starting in 1873; when I moved to the area in the early 1980s, they had just been phased out, though many still had a working light at the top of the frame. Though not quite ubiquitous, the frames are still much in evidence around the city. There have been various formal and informal projects to turn them into information points or street artworks. Clara Barton's Missing Soldiers Office cornerThe southeast corner of the intersection (at far left) was, and still is, occupied by a Civil War-era three story building where Clara Barton of Red Cross fame established her "Missing Soldiers Office" in 1865. Through 1868, the Missing Soldiers Office 'had received 63,182 inquiries, written 41,855 letters, mailed 58,693 printed circulars, distributed 99,057 copies of her printed rolls, and identified 22,000 men.” The Office was lost to history, then rediscovered around 1996. Restored, the third floor is now a public museum. https://clarabartonmuseum.org/ Sole survivorThe only building remaining that I can see is the tall building halfway down the block. They have replaced the flagpole with two additional stories, but it has the same ornamentation. Reuse and RecycleThe 1890 Busch Building in the photo was acquired by Lansburgh's in 1921 and amalgamated with adjacent buildings as part of their big flagship department store. Now Lansburgh's is long gone and the building is part of the Penn Quarter revitalization. http://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/2010/06/lansburgh-brother-washin... (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Stores & Markets)
Batista en Washington: 1938
... invitation of Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles. In Washington, Batista met with Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Roosevelt. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 6:18pm -

November 10, 1938. "Fulgencio Batista, the Cuban Army Sergeant who has risen to the heights of Caribbean Dictator, arrived in Washington today. This is the first time the Cuban Dictator has set foot outside his native land in 37 years. Gen. Malin Craig, the Army Chief of Staff, is shown with him as they pass the Capitol in a Cadillac." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. V-16 Show BoatWow. 1938 Cadillac Series 90 Convertible Sedan with body by Fleetwood and the division's 16-cylinder flathead engine. A rare car that would be worth a fortune today. Presidential CadillacIt's a Monster! The Presidential limousine is a 1938 Cadillac with a V-16 motor and four-door convertible body by Fleetwood. Car on the right is a 1935 Cadillac. Appears to have G-Men riding on the running boards. The vehicle behind the Cadillac is a 1930 Buick sedan. The future of CubaIt is going to be grand. Our man running the country. It'll be like our little island country club. What could go wrong? Beware of big hatsWhat is it about dictators, fascists & communist soldiers, and others of their ilk that they tend to favor HUGE hats? El HombreWould you be surprised to discover "the man" worked in haberdashery as a tailor? Did he design that wicked hat too? Somehow I wish this was a movie still and the pies were coming next. Good Neighbor in a Funny HatFranklin Roosevelt's Good Neighbor Policy strengthened America's ties to Latin America by supporting "strong leaders" and providing military training and economic aid to the region at a time when the winds of war were brisk in Europe. Batista's 1938 visit pictured here was at the invitation of Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles. In Washington, Batista met with Secretary of State Cordell Hull and Roosevelt. Batista pledged to adhere to democratic principles, attended Armistice Day ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery, and wore a funny hat. 20 years to goIn 1958, when I was in college, there was a big push to get students to sign petitions supporting Castro. I made the decision never to sign a petition unless I was certain of the proposal. So, I have never signed one. Batista was gone in 1959. JFK quoted"I believe that there is no country in the world including any and all the countries under colonial domination, where economic colonization, humiliation and exploitation were worse than in Cuba, in part owing to my country’s policies during the Batista regime. I approved the proclamation which Fidel Castro made in the Sierra Maestra, when he justifiably called for justice and especially yearned to rid Cuba of corruption. I will even go further: to some extent it is as though Batista was the incarnation of a number of sins on the part of the United States. Now we shall have to pay for those sins. In the matter of the Batista regime, I am in agreement with the first Cuban revolutionaries. That is perfectly clear." AwesomenessThe more I look at this picture, the more I love it. If somebody put a scene like this in a movie, it would be panned for exaggeration. I mean, you got Batista in the big-boy hat, the G-men in the fedoras on the running boards, the magnificent Caddy, all set against the Capitol building ... it's too perfectly '30s Warner Bros. Fantastic! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
Washington Flyer: 1921
January 29, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Herbert Bell and Joe Garso." Evidently lost to history. Does ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:09pm -

January 29, 1921. Washington, D.C. "Herbert Bell and Joe Garso." Evidently lost to history. Does anyone out there remember them? Two final pics in the comments. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. ReincarnationTrick bicycling is making a comeback. I wonder what these guys would make of humble, daring "bike trials" rider Danny MacAskill? If only....If only that kid with the scooter had taken off the handle and riser, he'd have been the inventor of the skateboard. Cowabunga! Herb and Joe (or Joe and Herb)Click to enlarge. By headstand time,the Railway Express guy has lost interest. I can't imagine why. This looks like it was a pretty interesting act. Joseph GarsoI've scoured the Washington Post archives using all the name variants and keywords I can think of: sadly, their is no report of their performance. The 1920 census lists one Joseph Garso, age 34, living in Clifton, NJ. He was born in Italy and his occupation is listed at "actor- showhouse." He is married and has 4 children. He also appears in the 1910 census, living in Manhattan. His age at the time was noted as 27 (such discrepancies are not uncommon in census records) but it is clearly the same person as the name of wife and 2 eldest children match. He immigrated to the U.S. in 1896 but does not seem to be listed in the 1900 census. The 1920 Census lists 127 Herbert Bells - none of the ones I checked in NJ and NY had occupations which could be construed as "one-legged trick cyclist." CRIPPLE TRIES SUICIDEHere's a one-legged Herbert Bell from Long Island City (NYT, Jan. 22, 1914). Perhaps he found happiness as a bicycle showman later on? "We could do that"Danny's riding is rather spectacular, but given that Herb and Joe are artistes in their own right and from the look of them, no-nonsense guys to boot, their reaction would probably be, "Hell, give us two legs (each) and a couple of those Tarty bikes, we could do that! And what's with that sissy helmet? And why didn't he draw a crowd? And we didn't have no music neither." Above the kneeA leg amputation above the knee is a much more serious issue than one below. My grandfather, a jockey, fell off a horse and broke his leg while exercising at Belmont Park in 1937. Through medical errors, his leg was ultimately amputated above the knee a year later. His life was hell from then on. He suffered phantom pain and even convulsions due to nerve damage. These men really overcame a lot to accomplish what they did. Very impressive. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Herb & Joe, Natl Photo, Sports)
Wartime Washington Monument: 1943
November 1943. "The Washington Monument." The "tan line" a third of the way up shows where construction resumed in the 19th century after a hiatus of many years . Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size . That&# ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 5:53am -

November 1943. "The Washington Monument." The "tan line" a third of the way up shows where construction resumed in the 19th century after a hiatus of many years. Photo by Esther Bubley, Office of War Information. View full size. That's what "they" want you to believeBut the truth is that's where it was rebuilt after the Saucers invaded Earth. Not what I heardSome Park Police officers were alleged to have told gullible looking tourists that the line was the high water mark from the Great Flood of 1893. ChromehengeThose parked cars arrayed around the Monument give a Stonehenge feel to the image. Lum & AbnerThis reminds me of what the radio hillbilly Abner said when he saw the monument: "They stuck the wrong end in the ground, and it doesn't look anything like George Washington anyway!" Georgia marbleGrowing up in Georgia we were always told that marble from Georgia was used when the construction began, but the Civil War called a halt to that, and they finished it after the war with inferior Yankee marble, thus the visible line. ;-) (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Esther Bubley)
Washington Gas Light: 1937
Washington, D.C., 1937. "Washington Gas Light Co., 10th Street N.W." Current ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/28/2015 - 2:10pm -

Washington, D.C., 1937. "Washington Gas Light Co., 10th Street N.W." Current tenant: The FBI. 8x10 acetate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. TraditionThe Washington Gas Light Co. remains the utility's name today. Main St USAThat's a great photo. Well exposed, wide tonal range and tons of detail. The clouds make it pop. B&W is still hard to beat. Back to the 50'sAt the top of my first hot rod wish list was a 1937 Ford coupe. That was in '53 and I still haven't found one. Dic A Doo"Cleans like magic!" No Moving Parts Electrolux Gas RefrigeratorGas-powered absorption refrigerators are still used in RVs and remote homes off the electrical grid. Every spring I help open a friend's cabin the north woods, and "did you light the refrigerator?" always makes me laugh. (The Gallery, D.C., Stores & Markets, Theodor Horydczak)
Aerial Washington: 1911
... shaped slate turret would top off the projecting bay of a DC rowhouse. All four sides would have been slated. Slate, because of its ... talents - this was before I switched to digital.) DC in 1911 What a great photo. More of these buildings than one would think ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/09/2014 - 1:24pm -

Circa 1911. "Washington from Washington Monument." Points of interest in this first installment of a six-segment panoramic view include B Street (today's Constitution Avenue), running diagonally from the Potomac Electric powerhouse at lower left; Louisiana Avenue, branching off in the general direction of Union Station at upper right; the Old Post Office and its clock tower at left-center across Pennsylvania Avenue from the Raleigh Hotel under construction; the Agriculture Department greenhouses in the foreground with a corner of the Smithsonian "National Museum" at far right, just below Center Market; Liberty Market at upper left, below what looks to be a vast tent encampment; and, at right-upper-center, the Pension Office north of Judiciary Square and the District Court House. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. "Tents"All those tents are actually slate turret roofs on top of rowhouses. Very typically, a pyramid shaped slate turret would top off the projecting bay of a DC rowhouse. All four sides would have been slated. Slate, because of its mineral content (lots of mica) can be very reflective at certain angles, hence the white appearance. [Conical was also popular. - Dave] SurprisingSurprising lack of motorized vehicles for ca. 1911. [Here are seven. - Dave] Cargo TramNow there's something I had never really thought of: street cars for freight; a forerunner of today's semi-rigs I suppose. There's one being loaded/unloaded in front of the lumber yard. First of six?Great! Bring them on! Kann's Busy Corneraka Kann's Department Store. A good history of the life and death of the buildings can be found here. [More here. - Dave] +86Below is the same view taken in December of 1997. (Please excuse my still-limited scanning talents - this was before I switched to digital.) DC in 1911What a great photo. More of these buildings than one would think are still there. The "District Court House" south (right) of the great Pension Building on Judiciary Square is the original DC City hall, started in 1820. After a several-years-long redo, it now houses in grand style the DC Court of Appeals (the state supreme court for the District.) Peeking around the office building to the left of the City Hall on 5th Street NW is the then-new US Court of Appeals building, which housed what is now the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit until 1952, when it moved to the new federal courthouse on Constitution Avenue (now the Prettyman Courthouse.) The old US Court of Appeals building now houses the US Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, on which I am privileged to sit. It is an exquisite little building, quite well-preserved, with many of its original furnishings. Ford's TheaterI had a thought that Ford's Theater was off in this general direction, so I took a look. Not being all that familiar with D.C. I'm wondering if that is the peak of the theater with porthole just above the scaffolding atop the hotel under construction. (The Gallery, D.C., DPC, Railroads, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Washington Sleeps Here: 1922
Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "New Jersey Avenue S.E. from B Street." Lodgings ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/14/2014 - 12:01pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "New Jersey Avenue S.E. from B Street." Lodgings in this view from the House Office Building include the Potomac, Congress Hall and President hotels (sign at left), as well as the George Washington Inn. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Always One in Every CrowdAll the cars parked left to right except one. That owner backed in. Even Then --Looking at the car parked at the end on the bottom right, I see that pulling in straight and taking only one spot was not all that important even in 1922. Hotel PotomacThe Hotel Potomac across the street retains at least some of the structure, and sits on the same site, of the old Conrad and McMunn boardinghouse, where Thomas Jefferson lived while he was vice president. Alas, that whole block would be razed in 1929. What a beautiful sidewalkThat would be the envy of any city today. There it isWhat would a Shorpy photo be like if there were no milk bottles on the window sill? Interesting vehicleAnyone know what kind of car the 3rd car from the right is? Unusual as it has no front radiator. [It's a circa 1916 Franklin, which used an air-cooled engine. - Dave] Car ID's suggestionsFront row R to L: Studebaker; Star; Franklin; Velie; unknown; Ford; Studebaker; Studebaker; Haynes; Ford; Dodge(dirty); Pierce-Arrow; Studebaker; Buick; 2 Ford coupes; hidden car; Ford sedan etc. Back row two cars in front of bus and three directly in back are all Fords including one converted to a truck. Car with plate 10845 with knife edge styling is a Hudson. Others need more study. The House SideThe hotels are on the present site of the Longworth House Office Building. The Cannon Building, from which the photo was taken, was built about 1908. B Street is now Independence Avenue; the photo looks toward C Street SE. South Capitol Street, which divides the quadrants, is a block west (right) between Longworth and the Rayburn Building, which was built in the early 1960s. Something's WrongIt's actually several years past 1922. The District of Columbia license plates seen on the cars indicate that this photo was actually taken in 1925. The format of the 1925 D.C. plate, with "Dist. Col. 1925" between the bolt slots is a one year only feature. Confirming the date is the presence of a late 1924 or 1925 model Pierce Arrow Model 80 (12th car from the right). Other cars at the beginning of the row: 1920-1921 Studebaker Big 6 (Model EG) 1922 Star (made by Durant Motors) 1914 - 1916 Franklin Series 8 (note electric lights) 1925 Cleveland Six Model 43 1920 - 1922 Oldsmobile Model 46 Ford Model T Note how few cars have front wheel brakes. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Washington à Go-Go: 1917
1917. "District of Columbia -- traffic Stop & Go signs." From the birthplace of that musical genre, perhaps the earliest visual representation of "go-go." Raleigh Hotel in the background. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View fu ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/06/2014 - 8:44am -

1917. "District of Columbia -- traffic Stop & Go signs." From the birthplace of that musical genre, perhaps the earliest visual representation of "go-go." Raleigh Hotel in the background. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. One fine motor carI sure hope one of our eagle-eyed regulars can ID that auto! Newspaper RowForeground is the 1300 block of Pa. Ave NW. Visible at top left is the Washington Post building (1339 E St.) and the Munsey Trust Building (1327-29 E St., housing the Washington Times), seen previously on Shorpy here and here. Haynes RoadsterThe Haynes was manufactured in Kokomo, Indiana, from 1905 until 1924 by Elwood Haynes and brothers Edgar and Elmer Apperson. Before that, they produced the Haynes-Apperson from 1896 as the first automobile manufacturer in Indiana and one of the earliest in the United States. Another pic of the same car is here. License and registration, pleaseAs seen from a different angle, this car has license number 41441. According to the Sept. 17, 1916 Sunday Star, that tag was issued in early September 1916 to the Haynes Motor Company for use on a demonstration vehicle. HaynesThis is actually a 1917 or 1918 Haynes Light Twelve Cloverleaf Roadster. Newspaper Row, ctd.And don't forget the Evening Star, in the background. That hotelI believe the hotel in the background is the famous Willard Hotel, not the Raleigh. It still stands. [It's the Raleigh. -tterrace] Test-TestThe Evening Star reports on the go-go experiment in October 1915 and its implementation in November of the same year. Same architect.I understand FloridaClay's confusion. Both hotels were designed by architect Henry Janeway Hardenbergh who apparently liked the style. The Willard is a decade older and a floor shorter than the Raleigh. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Streetcars)
Washington's Shadow: 1942
... Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dec. 8, 1941 March 1942. Washington, D.C. "Construction of temporary war emergency buildings on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/23/2020 - 3:22pm -

        "With confidence in our armed forces, with the unbounding determination of our people, we will gain the inevitable triumph. So help us God." -- Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dec. 8, 1941 March 1942. Washington, D.C. "Construction of temporary war emergency buildings on the Mall, near 16th and 17th Streets N.W., seen from the top of the Washington Monument." Acetate negative by John Ferrell for the Office of War Information. View full size. *Light bulb*That'd make a great sundial. Gnomon is the Word of the DayAs a followup to wally's "Light Bulb" comment that is one huge "Gnomon". A gnomon is the official name for the part of the sundial that casts the shadow. Those temporary buildings live on - sort ofI vaguely remember riding past those buildings on the Mall as a small child in early 50s. When the Government finally tore them down circa 1955, my father, who was an FBI agent at the Washington Field Office in the Old Post Office Building, managed to obtain some of the lumber before it went to a landfill. He built a wood-sided garden house in the corner of the back yard that mirrored the front facade of our new brick house in Fairfax, VA. To my knowledge, that little building still stands 65 years later. My Dad was a craftsman. Then and NowWe're looking northwest toward the corner of 17th and Constitution Avenue. You can see the Second Infantry Division Memorial at the upper right. This has all been returned to a nice big lawn now. (The Gallery, D.C., John Ferrell, WW2)
Oysters Hot Waffles: 1920
... that corner now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Washington,_D.C._riots On a brighter note, I live only a few blocks from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/05/2022 - 5:21pm -

Circa 1920. "Herald, Seventh and H streets N.E." Continuing our culinary tour of the nation's capital, we present the New Olive Cafe, next door to H. Bennett, Barber, and Blechman's Fashion Shop. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. GoneThe building housing the Laundromat is still there, but the turreted building on the corner is long gone. [Wrong corner. See above. - Dave] View Larger Map Gus Blechman Washington Post, Dec 5, 1965 Washington Storekeeper, Gus Blechman Gus Blechman, owner of Blechman's Fashion Shop on H Street ne. until his retirement 20 years ago, died Saturday at his home, 4201 Cathedral ave. nw. He was 94. A Russian immigrant, he lived for several years in Richmond before coming to Washington in 1916. He was an H Street merchant for more than a half century. Mr. Blechman was a member of Adas Israel Synagogue. Surviving are his wife, Mary; three sons, Sylvan of 4000 Massachusetts ave. nw.; Nelson, of 5034 Reno rd. nw., and Milton, of 6410 Western ave., Chevy Chase; eight grandchildren and six great grandchildren I'm amazedwhenever I look at photos of these beautiful old buildings and then go to Google Streetview and see what is there now. It seems these beautiful old buildings are, for the most part, replaced with sterile, ugly boxes, and the neighborhoods are trashy. Dave, thanks for these glimpses of a beautiful past. Blechman to McBride'sBlechman's store was at 700 H street which makes it the northeast corner of the intersection of 7th and H (note that H. Bennett next door is #702.) The "Fashion" store currently seen in Google streetview occupies the rebuilt McBride's building. A bay window of one of the brick row houses down the street appears to match a surviving structure as well. The McBride's chain shut its doors in 1986. View Larger Map Washington Post, Feb. 3, 1977 McBride's: High fashion, low prices made a family's success By Robert F Levey Come, and get it, gang. A plastic banana for 49 cents. A statue of Buddha for $19.99. Records and soap dishes and earrings and peanut brittle. When they call them McBride's Variety Departmental Stores, they mean variety. They also mean relatively low prices. That is the hallmark of a department store chain that has been a fixture in Northeast and Southeast Washington since 1918. While the "big boys" have chase the big incomes into the suburbs, McBride's has sought and established an image as "the city's black department store.: Except that it isn't black. Oh, the customers are, almost all of them. And all but a handful of the 250 employees are. And more than half the toy dolls have black faces. And all the background music is big-band soul. But the owners are whites named Blechman. A third generation of them runs the three McBride's stores as well as the family's two Kopy Kat women's clothing shops. If the last name sounds somewhat less than purebred Irish, Barry Blechman, the 40 year-old president of McBride's, offers this explanation: "People couldn't pronounce Blechman," he said. It rhymes with Fleckman. "So my grandfather decided to mix Murphy, his chief competitor, with Blechman. He came up with McBride's." Whatever you say, Grandpa. But let us not make light of Gus Blechman. He opened a five-and-dime in his own name in 1918 at 701 H St. NE [ sic, other newspaper reports list address as 700 H St ne.]. It prospered until 1945, when a fire leveled it But it reopened in 1949 as McBride's, and it has been the chain's flagship store ever since. Gus Blechman's three sons, Nelson, Milton and Sylvan, ran the McBride's chain from the '40s in the '60s. Since then, the torch has been in the hands of Barry Blechman; his brother Richard, 36, the executive vice president; and a cousin Arlen. Nelson remains chairman of the board, and Milton is treasurer. ... McBride's strong image as a "black" store was nailed down in the late '60s, in a television advertising campaign that featured a 6-year-old girl. She was black and smiling and winsome, and she revealed endlessly that "my mommy shops at McBride's." The store had a black following well before that, however. It emerged as the neighborhood around the H street store changed, in the middle '50s, from white to black. The image was nurtured when McBride's became the first store on the H street commercial strip to permit integrated seating at its lunch counter. But the '60s brought the seeds of trouble. "I started seeing the horror story on H Street," said Barry Blechman. "All the hate, with the underlying pride." Just after the 1967 riots in Detroit, "I looked out the store one day an realized, "This is a riot street." It became one the next April, of course. But the H Street McBride's suffered only a few broken windows. The fact that a security guard was standing in the front window with a shotgun had a lot to do with that, but Blechman likes to think that McBride's would not have been pillaged anyway. ... Thanks for this postGus Blechman was my grandfather. I've never seen this photo of his store as it once was. As a young boy in the '50s I worked in the H Street store during school breaks. By that time it had a facade similar to a Woolworths. Thank you for posting this. DatePlease check the date attributed to that Bob Levey column on McBride's...I don't think Levey was born when it claims it was written. [Oops. 1977, not 1918. Thank you! - Dave] Stafford's PharmacyPrior to Blechman's this building was home to Stafford's Pharmacy. Not sure the actual dates but Stafford's advertised this address circa 1906-1909. 1968 RiotsAs mentioned at the end of the quoted article, much of H Street and the neighborhood around it burned in the riots that followed Rev. King's assassination in 1968. It sounds as though this building was spared by the rioters. The ensuing exodus and economic downturn in the neighborhood and city likely left these shops without customers -- and must have led to the monstrosity that exists on that corner now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1968_Washington,_D.C._riots On a brighter note, I live only a few blocks from here and am happy to see significant revitalization is finally happening. Lots of interesting restaurants and bars have sprung up, and a new streetcar line is being built. (The Gallery, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Washington Merry-Go-Round: 1921
Washington, D.C., circa 1921. Thomas Circle and Luther Place Memorial Church. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 7:17pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. Thomas Circle and Luther Place Memorial Church. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Round and RoundI wish the circle had been that clear when I drove through on Tuesday afternoon! There was a mobius strip backup, with southbound traffic on Vermont and 14th gridlocked, so the circle wasn't moving, so traffic on 14th couldn't get north. Repeat unto infinity. I wish we'd had a streetcar to jump on. PlatformsAny clue to what the octagonal platforms were for? I first thought they were used for people to stand on while waiting to board a streetcar but that doesn't make sense since it passes right next to sidewalk on either side. Drew PearsonThere, I had to say it. [I'll bet you were the smartest boy in your class. Always raising your hand. - Dave] Actually, there was a smarter kid; kept correcting my spelling and stuff. Wonder what ever happened to him? PlatformsIf I had to guess, I would imagine they were for cops to stand on while directing traffic. Hanging OutWow! For six years I lived at 13th & Massachusetts Avenue NW. I use to walk the Circle daily to work at 14th & K. A great memory is my friend Yvette and I climbing the statue you see in the centre here and hanging out for a couple of hours watching traffic and chatting about life one Saturday at sunset. Great photo. Report CardActually, there was a smarter kid; kept correcting my spelling and stuff. Wonder what ever happened to him? Was his name Dave? Both you "boys" put my trivia knowledge to shame! I had to look that one up....which is a lot more common around here than my "real life"! Kathleen (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Streetcars)
Let George Do It: 1942
... Hawaii. He continued as a cartographer with the Corps in Washington, D.C., from 1945 to 1979, when he retired. He moved from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2023 - 2:48pm -

September 1942. Fort Belvoir, Virginia. "Army Sgt. George Camplair on kitchen police duty." Last seen here, 10 years ago. Photo by Jack Delano, Office of War Information. View full size. Door Color ConventionsWould they have painted the area around the handle which also extends to the trim for avoiding dirty handprints, or is there another reason for doing that? Low light contrast for the 0300 KP arrivals, maybe? For crying out loudA sergeant peeling onions? Must have been as rare then as it has been during my time in another army. Well, at least now I know what "kitchen police duty" means. The Life of GeorgeFrom www.findagrave.com https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/71018696/george-hans-camplair George Hans Camplair BIRTH 27 Jun 1919 Berlin, Germany DEATH 2 Dec 1999 (aged 80) McMinnville, Yamhill County, Oregon, USA News-Register, McMinnville, Oregon, December 4, 1999 A memorial service for George Hans Camplair of McMinnville will be held at 11 a.m. Monday in Trinity Lutheran Church, McMinnville. Mr. Camplair died Dec. 2, 1999, in Willamette Valley Medical Center, McMinnville. He was 80. He was born June 27, 1919, in Berlin, Germany. He and Mary Jane McNutt were married in 1946. He worked with the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II in Africa and Hawaii. He continued as a cartographer with the Corps in Washington, D.C., from 1945 to 1979, when he retired. He moved from Virginia to Portland in 1993 and had lived in McMinnville since 1994. Mr. Camplair was named Volunteer of the Year in 1998 by the Oregon Alliance of Senior and Health Services. He had worked as a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, Loaves and Fishes and the McMinnville chapter of Habitat for Humanity. He was a master gardener and worked many hours on landscaping projects as a member of the garden committee at Hillside Manor, McMinnville. He was a hike leader for McMinnville Senior Center. He belonged to Trinity Lutheran Church. Survivors include two sons, Christopher Camplair of Portland and George M. Camplair of Nashville, Tenn.; a daughter, Nancy Phelps of Portland; and eight grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife in 1981; and a brother, Peter Camplair, in 1971. Memorial contributions may be made to Habitat for Humanity, McMinnville Chapter, 342 N.E. Third St., McMinnville, OR 97128. Arrangements are under the direction of Heritage Memorial, Portland. Who wore the apron in this family ?Sgt. Camplair (1919-1999) eventually made it out of the kitchen and got married in 1946: On a side note, it can be pointed out that as the family had actually emigrated from Germany - George was born in Berlin - fate might well have found him in another kitchen, peeling Zwiebeln for the Wehrmacht. SurpriseI do wonder that an NCO gets this kind of KP duty. Are there no privates? Peeling potatoesWhy bother doing it at all? I grew up in a household that peeled potatoes and carrots, but now I peel neither. I just wash them first, then move on to the rest of the prep without peeling. Even for mashed potatoes. There are nutrients and roughage in those skins – why waste time and food removing and tossing them? [Those are onions in the photo! - Dave] More on doorsI suspect Eventerguy is correct; I've seen similar black-painted areas on doors in other military structures, like these doors at Camp Reynolds on Angel Island. Makes me wonder if this was a standard military practice for high-traffic doors, or if each army post came up with the idea on their own. KP duty? I was this many years old when I learned KP duty was "kitchen police" and not "kitchen patrol" duty! Let George do it?Doesn't look like Bob Bailey to me. Probably very few would get that reference. TimelineThanks to Rochester for researching George Camplair's history. It really adds weight to an image to know a little more about the people in it. Interesting he was born in Berlin but was ultimately in the US Army. Not that was necessarily unusual, but worthy to note. Thanks also to Notcom for the 1946 news story on George's wedding to Mary McNutt. Probably the girl shown in the 'Sarge At Large' photo 10/20/23 (1942) (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Kitchens etc., WW2)
Washington, D.C.: 1935
... - Dave] Sleeping Porches The back alleys of DC looked radically different 40-90 years ago, in part because "sleeping ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/07/2013 - 9:09pm -

Washington tenements, Nov. 1935. View full size. Photo by Carl Mydans. Great PhotoMy father would have been 10 years old in 1935. Looking carefully at the detail of this photo, one wonders if they had plumbing for bathrooms. It's obvious clothes dryers were not in this time period, hence all the clothes on clothes lines. It looks like wash basins were used for seating on the back porches. The problem with B&W photos, although it is nostalgic and it forces you to really look for detail, it makes most photos look "dirty" because you can't see any color. It also gives it a sad ambience. Most people in these older B&W photos are not smiling. Maybe it was the depression era. If these photos were in color, it would be a whole completely different feel. When I think of the early years, I NEVER think of them in my mind in color. Always B&W. I wish I knew how to colorize some of these....just for a different feel. [Here's a color photo from the same city, seven years later (1942). - Dave] Sleeping PorchesThe back alleys of DC looked radically different 40-90 years ago, in part because "sleeping porches" were common. In the absence of air-conditioning families would typically sleep on these porches in high summer. Rickety porches like these were torn down, better built ones were incorporated into the house with walls in the 60s-70s and are a noticeable feature in Georgetown if you know what to look for. TenementsIts amazing how this could be passed off as a modern apartment complex, only the cars and the dress style gives away the time period. Everything but the clotheslinesThe view out the window into my alley in D.C. is very similar. Not so much laundry, but rugs and towels hang from porches. It's cleaner, most of the rubbish is in cans. Instead of washtubs and baskets the porches and alley are cluttered with storage bins, grills, coolers, etc. Yes, my alley looks very similar. (The Gallery, Carl Mydans, D.C., Great Depression)
The Kraken: 1942
July 1942. "Washington, D.C. -- Washington yacht basin." 4x5 inch acetate negative by John ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/10/2022 - 10:55am -

July 1942. "Washington, D.C. -- Washington yacht basin." 4x5 inch acetate negative by John Collier for the Office of War Information. View full size. Built in 1921 at New York for E. J. Otis of WashingtonThe Kraken spent its entire life in the waters surrounding the nation's capital, a 43-foot "bridge deck" power cruiser with a 100-bhp, 6-cylinder MEU Stearns gas engine. Its later owners, all of D.C., were Charles Benns and Nelson Nevius. Sold at a sheriff's sale in 1935; L. R. Kuldell of D.C. owned it until he sold it to Edgar Goff in 1944 who converted it to a fishing boat. Remarkably, it endured for almost another quarter century owned by Goff until removed from documentation in 1967. Shiver me timber!Having a raised deck like this yacht sure looks sweet. Trying to figure out the relationshipsNecktie is the Kraken owner or potential buyer and crouching teen is his son. As the cap on one implies, Sherwin Williams and his shirtless helper are painters. Black cap runs the engine and pilots the boat. But if they're about to paint the Kraken, why haven't they pulled her out of the water? They need to get a-cracken, cause that boat needs paint. I'm still considering alternate relationships and scenarios. New scenario: Black cap is the skipper of this tiny ship and crouching teen is his first mate. Sherwin Williams is actually a professor and shirtless helper is a wholesome farm boy from Horner's Corners, Kansas. Necktie is a millionaire, who's waiting for his wife to arrive with a surprising amount of luggage. The wife is bringing a movie star friend. They'll set sail for a three-hour tour. Know your meme!And plenty more where these came from. Ahoy !! Ye deadbeats. From the looks of the paint the new owner is just as much a flake as the previous one. Squatter has Rock and Roll HairHe's just 15 years too early. Bottoms UpHopefully they have already done the bottom. Then as now dry dock space at marinas has always been tight. The dock master would push you to get it done and back in the water. Once back in you could take your time scraping and painting above the water line. Repair CrewAll the young men are wearing work clothes, and the tools on the deck and visible seams suggest they've just replaced the canvas decking and are reinstalling the coaming rails. Since these are unpainted they're probably new as well. Wooden boats are, as Joseph Conrad once said, "like a lady's watch; always out of repair". Repair/RenovationIt looks like they are installing a new wood gunwale. There is an open paint can on the boat near the pier, so Doug may be correct about what is going on. Those guys definitely look like they have been doing some painting or caulking in those pants. Maybe they are just painting her above the waterline. It was wartime, sacrifices had to be made! IncidentThere was some drama the week before this photo was taken. Another captain accused the Kraken of cutting off his sailboat. Things escalated, and the yacht basin port master impounded both boats. Luckily, the owner knew a lawyer (in tie) who got a court order and forced the port master to release the Kraken. What a "do"Son, the rodents have made a nest on your head. Release the pompadourThat's some wild head of hair on the lad crouching on deck. RepairsIt appears that this yacht is getting a new foredeck splash fitted. There are tools on the deck and the lad on the front looks to be doing the work. The two gents in the dinghy have paint stains, likely Sherwin Williams, on their slacks. The retrofit will need to be painted when complete. There is also some missing gunwale to be replaced. Lyle Lovettis much older than I thought. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., John Collier)
Smokestack Washington: 1921
Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "Aerial view looking toward Capitol and ... First World War vintage that were ubiquitous features of DC landscape up until the late 1960s. The neighbor to the right is DAR ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 2:34pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "Aerial view looking toward Capitol and Washington Monument." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. An Eclipse of the EllipseWhat puzzles me is the photographer's vantage point. No doubt it was from the corner of 18th and E Streets N.W., but was it from the roof of the Department of the Interior or a building that preceded it?? This photo looks to the east. The white building to the left is the headquarters of the American Red Cross. It's still there, but gone is the less-ornate wing to the right with its smokestack. I believe that building was one of the infamous "temporary" office buildings of First World War vintage that were ubiquitous features of DC landscape up until the late 1960s. The neighbor to the right is DAR Constitution Hall, which remains remarkably unchanged to this day. Across the street, of course, is the Ellipse, which you can think of as the "backyard" of the White House. Beyond the Ellipse are landmarks that need no introduction (the Washington Monument, the Old Post Office, the Capitol, Bureau of Engraving, etc.) Perhaps another reader can verify that the two smokestacks just left of center belong to a Pepco generator that powered street cars. Despite the haze, one can faintly see the arched roof of Union Station, appearing on the horizon to the far left. [There was a tall brick building behind Red Cross HQ. Click below to enlarge. - Dave] Ordnance OfficeBased on the bit of the 1919-1921 Baist Realty map below (click on it for a larger version), I would guess the photographer was on top of the Ordnance Office of the War Department. It is puzzling that the angle of the photo does suggest quite an elevation and the ordnance office doesn't appear to be a large building: perhaps there was some sort of observation tower on top of the building. The smokestacks in the distance are indeed the Potomac Electric Power Co. Plant at northeast corner of 14th &B streets N.W.: they are also visible in the background of this Shorpy photo. Also indicated on the map is the Frazee Potomac Laundry, seen here. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Rooftops of Washington: 1901
Washington, D.C., 1901. "View of 1st & Delaware N.W., New Jersey Avenue ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2021 - 10:03am -

Washington, D.C., 1901. "View of 1st & Delaware N.W., New Jersey Avenue & North Capitol Street N.W., between B & C Streets, probably from Hotel Engel (C & New Jersey), showing rooftops of several buildings and U.S. Capitol in the background. See Z7-23 for fronts of these North Capitol St. bldgs." 5x7 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Superb composition! Writing on the wallWhat's that written on the brick wall in the foreground? I don't mean JRC in white over to the right, but what appear to be large block letters more or less in the middle of the wall. I keep thinking I see the word PULL or FULL and then NE but just when I think I've got it, I don't. Engels we have heard on highThis is indeed the view SSE from the roof of the Hotel Engel at Indiana Avenue (aka C Street) & New Jersey Avenue NW. That's the west portico of the Capitol to the right. (Delaware Avenue is nowhere visible. That's an erroneous notation in the LOC photo caption.) The old Baltimore & Ohio rail station, soon to be demolished with the opening of Union Station, is across the street behind the photographer. The large building to the left is Hillman House, built on the remnants of rowhouses constructed by George Washington circa 1799. The original houses were burned by the British in 1814. The entire site is now part of Upper Senate Park. No structures visible here, apart from the Capitol, remain today. It Is WrittenI think I see the name EUGENE. It's you, EugeneThanks, Pelagius. That's it. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey)
After the Storm: 1913
Washington, D.C. "Storm damage. Between 1913 and 1918." Somewhere under all ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 4:33pm -

Washington, D.C. "Storm damage. Between 1913 and 1918." Somewhere under all this rubble, I suspect, is a narrative waiting to be unearthed by a Shorpy history detective. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Incoming toilet, indeedTut, you gave me the laugh of my day, turning a gloomy disaster (mine) into an incoming toilet. I'm still laughing. Washington Torn by Electric StormHere it is in the New York Times. 1913!According to this caption on Flickr, the Saul store at 7th & L Streets was destroyed by a tornado on July 30, 1913. There's a small photo of the whole building here: http://www.bfsaul.com/history.html Heads up!Incoming toilet at twelve o'clock. Death & Ruin Washington Post, July 31 1913 Death and Ruin Spread Swiftly By Lightning, Wind and Hail ... The wind wrecked a three-story brick office building occupied by the B.F. Saul Company, real estate brokers, at Seventh and L streets northwest, and nineteen persons were carried down in the crash. W.E. Hilton, vice president of the real estate company, and Thos. B. Fealey, 65 years old, a tinner, were taken from the ruins dead. Half a dozen were taken to hospitals seriously injured and half a dozen more were treated for slight injuries. Last night the police were still digging in the ruins in the fear that other bodies might be recovered. ... Some of the injured: Thomas E. Allen, 35 years old, secretary of the real estate firm; perhaps fatally hurt: In Emergency Hospital. Miss Catherine McMahon, 23 years old, cashier of the real estate firm, of 1111 Rhode Island avenue northwest: in Casualty Hospital, suffering from internal injuries; is likely to die. Miss Catherine Breen, 25 years old, bookkeeper in the real estate office, of 435 Sixth street northwest; in Casualty Hospital, suffering from shock, contusions, and perhaps internal injuries; condition serious. Mrs. Ida Coplan, 35 years old, of 2017 Ninth street northwest, and her daughter Sadie, 12 years old; rescued from debris of real estate office and taken to Casualty Hospital: slightly injured. J. Wriley Jacobs, 28 years old, clerk in real estate office; pinned in debris, injured about legs and body; taken home. Miss Nellie E. Desmond, 22 years old, bookkeeper in real estate office; suffering from Shock. Albert J. Drury, 19 years old, 605 Florida avenue northwest; Edward H. Boblitz, 21 years old, 134 Barry place northwest; Harold Robinson, 18 years old, and Roy Humphrey, 18 years old, all escaped from the structure with minor injuries. ... The building in which all these people were at the mercy of the storm was a three-story brick structure on the northeast corner of Seventh and L streets, occupied on the ground floor as the office of the B.F. Saul Real Estate Company, with a little store on the same floor at the Eighth street side occupied by Thomas E. Casey, a tinner. The upper floors were used as lodge rooms. In the real estate office the force was placidly at work when the storm broke. There was no thought of danger until there came the sudden shriek of rending tin and the crash of splitting timbers and falling bricks. The wind had got a purchase under the roof and was lifting it away. Walter E. Hilton, the vice president of the concern, whose desk was about in the middle of the long room, shouted a warning, and some of those nearer the front made a rush for the door. They were hampered by the low railings and partitions that divided the room into separate departments. Edward H. Boblitz, a young runner, who was sitting on a bench, was the first to reach the door, which he swung open, to permit the egress of Hilton, who was half leading and half carrying Miss Nellie E. Desmond, one of the bookeepers, and the Misses Hilda and Emma Schutrumpf, young sisters who were employed in the place as stenographers and whose desks were close to Hilton's. As Hllton and the three girls got out, Boblitz reached over the counter to rescue Miss Katherine McMahon, the cashier. But just then the shifting roof pushed the front wall out into the street and the two side walls came down upon the dropping roof. Miss McMahon disappeared in the smother of debris, and Boblitz found himself practically unhurt, lying among the bricks and broken boards on the sidewalk. Behind him and all around him were piles of debris whence could be distinguished the screams of women and cries of men. It was then that Hilton was killed. Having dragged the three girls to safety through the raining bricks of the falling front wall he essayed to reenter the store, the front of which being of iron and stone, was still standing. Hilton was going in after more women. But just as he went through the door a beam dropped on him, breaking his neck. Down in the cellar, buried under tons and tons of tangled timbers and iron and brick, were Miss McMahon, the cashier; Miss Katherine Breen, one of the bookkeepers; Thomas E. Allen, secretary of the concern; J. Wriley Jacobs, the firm's insurance agent; Mrs. Ida Koplan and her 12-year-old daughter, Sadie, and Thomas Fealey, an aged carpenter, who had stepped into Casey's tinshop to get out of the rain. The rescue work started almost immediately. Policeman Jack, of the Second precinct, and a sergeant were half a block away when they heard the crash. The sergeant ran as rapidly as he could to the police station, a few squares away and Jack rushed to the fire alarm box at K street and turned in an alarm, which brought to the scene Deputy Chiefs Carrington and Keliher, with Nos. 6, 14, 2, and 7 Engine companies, and Nos. 4 and 1 trucks. The reserves of several precincts came and maintained fire lines to keep back the crowds. The first to be taken out of the wreckage were Mrs. Koplan and her daughter, who were freed from a mass of splintered timbers by Policeman Jack and a civilian named Waddington. Much bruised and shaken, but not badly hurt, they were carried across Seventh street to a clothing store, where Leon Cohen, one of the proprietors, and his wife had a narrow escape from the falling wall, which partly demolished the front of their store. The Cohens gave them clothing, after which they were placed in an ambulance and taken to Casualty Hospital. In the meantime, the firemen, led by Capt. Lanahan, of No. 6 engine, and Lieut. Steele, of No. 4 truck, were chopping and sawing timbers and shoveling away bricks and mortar dust in an effort to reach the imprisoned victims, whose cries could be heard now and then. In fifteen minutes the fireman had reached Miss McMahon and taken her out after Dr. Kelly had given her a hypodermic injection of morphine. Then Fealey was found – or what was left of him. He was dead when Dr. Kelly and the firemen, crawling through a tortuous tunnel of debris, reached his side. Heavy timbers had pinned him to the foundation wall crushing his body, and a beam of the roof truss had crushed his skull. By this time the debris at the L street side of the wreck had been removed so that the rescuers could utilize an ash hoist there. Dr. Kelly and four of the firemen on No. 4 truck company held Fealey's body in their arms, while the ash hoist slowly ascended to the street level, where the body was placed in a patrol wagon an sent to the morgue. It was not identified for several hours. An employe and a small son of T.J. Casey had a narrow escape from death when the building fell. The two had just driven to the curb in front of Casey's shop and had entered the building when they heard falling bricks and ran hurriedly out. The falling wall caught the horse and wagon, smashing the latter and instantly killing the horse. Thomas Fealey, who was in the shop when the young men entered, ran out with them, but paused to lock the door. This delay cost him his life. He was crushed just outside the door. The two youths escaped unhurt. By the time Capt. Beers, of No. 4 truck, and several of his men, directed from above by Deputy Chief Keliher had chopped their way to Miss Breen, and when Dr. Kelly, following the firemen, had reached her, he found Allen the secretary of the firm, pinned under some timbers close to her, and trying with his free hands, to make her position easier. Allen himself was in agony, and mortally injured. Dr. Kelly found that Allen's legs were so horribly torn and broken that they would have to be set and bandaged down there in the dark before he could be moved. So, cramped in the narrow space, the top of which might settle suddenly and crush all of them. Dr. Kelly bandaged the maimed legs and then he helped hold Allen while the ash hoist lifted him to the sidewalk. Miss Breen was hurried off to the Casualty Hospital and Dr. Carr, who had brought an ambulance from the Emergency, took Allen to his institution. The last man to be taken out of the debris was J. Wriley Jacobs, who having been in the rear of the office, had no chance to escape. Jacobs was pinned near Miss Breen and Allen, and he, too, was trying to help the young woman when the firemen found them. Jacobs was bruised about the legs and body, but the timbers and bricks about him had failed to press upon him with great weight. He was carried into W.T. Kerfoot, jr.'s drug store, opposite the wrecked building, and treated, preparatory to being removed to his home. Two hours or more had elapsed after the crash before the firemen and police were certain that the rescue work was complete. It was after they made a list of the persons taken out of the debris, and those who had escaped without the aid of rescuers, that they were certain. Washington Post, Aug 1, 1913 Injured Are Doing Well ... Miss Katherine Breen, the cashier of the Saul Company, is still in serious condition, but the physicians of the Casualty Hospital, where she is undergoing treatment, said last night that she is rallying well from the shock and is not regarded as in danger. She did not suffer fracture of any bones, and that the chief fear now is that she may have received some internal injury. Miss Katherine McMahon, the bookkeeper for the company, is at her home, 1111 Rhode Island avenue, and is rapidly recovering from the numerous contusions which she received. Mrs. Ida Koplan and her daughter, Miss Sadie, who were in the building when it collapsed, are said to be suffering merely from numerous contusions. Thomas E. Allen, secretary of the Saul company, is probably the most seriously injured of the victims. The physicians of the Emergency Hospital are still disturbed as to his condition, but say that unless infection sets in at the seat of the fracture to his lower limb, he should recover the use of the limb. Both bones in the lower leg were badly fractured. ... Note to SelfWhen fleeing a collapsing building, don't pause to lock the door. What a story! I'm glad the two Katherines and the other injured people pulled through. Looks like a bomb hit it!This photo looks like it could just as easily have been taking in London during The Blitz, or any of innumerable other cities subjected to aerial bombardment or artillery shelling in the last century. Great ReportingThat's a great piece of reporting! Not only are the facts presented clearly and in detail but it is exciting to read...I felt like I was on the scene. By comparison, today's news reporting is dull and uninformative. Craigslist 1.0Curb Alert: One lightly used leather settee, somewhat dusty but easily cleaned. Located at corner of 7th & L. Also two men's overcoats, doing some cleaning and they must go too. Come and get it! Policeman JackLove the moniker. Such an informal way to refer to an officer. I wonder if this was his beat? Crushed where he stoodThe collapse took place at Seventh and L across from where the Convention Center now stands. More excellent coverage can be found here. Mr. Fealy's life was crushed out where he stood. A pathetic incident was ... that the young clergyman ... who had rushed to the scene in an automobile in order to give aid to the injured, found that his own father ... was among the killed." And the posthumous rose delivery to the ailing wife -- whoa. (The Gallery, D.C., Fires, Floods etc., Harris + Ewing, Horses)
Washington Flyer: 1925
1925. Washington, D.C. "C.H. Milano, Ross School, 5-3/4. Plaza playground." View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/31/2012 - 8:20pm -

1925. Washington, D.C. "C.H. Milano, Ross School, 5-3/4. Plaza playground." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Ouch!No landing mattress? Thats gotta hurt! I wonder what the circle-triangle logo means on his hoodie? Yikes ...Looks like he's coming down on the pole. Scissors kick high jumpThat style of high jumping involves a running scissor kick of sorts. The jumper leads with his left leg off the ground and is in the middle of the "kick" and will come down on his feet. Hence no landing pad. The "modern" method we see used nowadays was invented by Dick Fosbury - not exactly sure when or where so I don't want to guess - but the style is still to this day called the "Fosbury Flop." LogoIt looks like an old YMCA logo - there's one on the former YMCA in Cortland, NY. The triangle was inscribed with "Mind / Spirit / Body" on the three sides. Landing SpotThere is a sandpit for him to land in. I remember high jumping in junior high (in the late '60's) and our landing site was just a sandpit. And, yeah, it wasn't as nice as a big foam pad. But since I could only high jump 4 feet or so, not too much damage was done. The FlopThe Fosbury Flop was invented circa 1968 to much derision, at least until Dick Fosbury of the University of Oregon won the Olympic gold medal. By the 1980 Olympics, the straddle was pretty much history. Pole VaultLanding in sand was also the norm for pole vaulters. I saw a photo of the 1948 Olympics, and sand was being used in the vault pit. Also, that was the last year for the bamboo pole. You can see from these world records from the 20's that the heights were fairly intimidating considering what you were going to hit on landing. I tried pole vaulting in high school. In the 60's we had sawdust which we fluffed up as best we could. Still hurt at 8 ft, so that was when I decided that the javelin was much more sane. 13'5" Frank Foss USA 1920 13'10-1/4" Ralph Spearow USA 1924 14'0" Sabin Carr USA 1927 Track & Field on FilmExtensive footage of track & field events from this era can be seen in the 1927 Buster Keaton movie "College." Keaton must become a jock to earn the respect of the woman he loves, and he tries about a dozen events -- including one involving a swinging ball that I think may no longer exist. In most cases, he (and the audience) watch a real athlete compete first, then Keaton tries to copy him and fails. The footage includes high jump, pole vault, hurdles, javelin throw, etc. The Plaza PlaygroundWas at Second and Massachusetts avenues Northeast, near Union Station. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports)
F Troop: 1928
Washington, D.C., circa 1928. "Barrister Building, F Street N.W." National ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2011 - 4:43pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1928. "Barrister Building, F Street N.W." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Oh Henry!The Kids got a box of Oh Henry! bars. A whole box, he must be rich! Or he's selling them. [Or it's his pencil box. - Dave] I hadn't thought of that one, probably correct since they seem to be coming from or going to School. Etched in stoneNo adjustable rates mortgages at the Washington Permanent Building Association - 6 percent cast in stone. Lots of patent lawyers and the ever-present cigar store, too. QualityNice to see a Sign Shop that prides itself on workmanship. I see Jerry has opened his Restaurant up! Barrister BuildingInfo on the Barrister Building at Shorpy Post: Slush Hour: 1916. October 1970 (+42), Historical American Building Survey. Date QuestionHow firm is that 1928 date? All of the cars I can see have an angularity - especially the flat tops of the fenders - that looks more like the late teens/early Twenties. Of course, they could all just be older cars. [There are mid to late 1920s cars here, with 1928 District of Columbia license plates. Another clue is balloon tires and the number of cars with disc wheels. - Dave] The littlest flapperThe youngsters very nicely and expensively dressed! The little girl's outfit, with the cloche hat and knee-length coat and fur perfectly copies in scale those worn by the adult flappers of the day! In the backgroundThere is Smithsonian American Art Museum on the backstage. Modern view of the place [At the time, it was the Old Patent Office. - Dave] Six Per Cent Building The similarity of the Barrister Building and the Washington Permanent Building Association is more than coincidental: both were designed by architect Appleton P. Clark, Jr. Washington Post, May 11, 1907 M'Gowan Building Sold Washington Loan and Trust Dispose of Property for $26,000. The McGowan building, at 629 F street northwest was recently sold to the Washington Six Per Cent Building Association by the Washington Loan and Trust Company through the firm of Stone & Fairfax. It is understood that the price paid was $26,000. The Six Per Cent Building Association moved into the McGowan building not long ago under a lease. The property has frontage of twenty-six feet seven inches on F street, and its 120 feet deep, running back to an alley. For many years the Washington Six Per Cent Building Association occupied offices in the Second National Bank on Seventh street. It recently left those quarters to make room for the growing business of the bank. The building association is one of the oldest concerns of its kind in the city. It is thought that the building of the new union station will increase demand for property around Seventh and F streets. Stone & Fairfax have recently sold several buildings in this square. Washington Post, Aug 25 1912 The Washington Six Per Cent Building Association, to erect an office building at 629 F street northwest. A.P. Clarke, jr., architect, Melton Construction Company, builders. Cost $23,500. Washington Post, Apr 14, 1931 Capital Building Body 50 Years Old Small Group Here Organized Permanent Association in Early Part of 1881. By Thomas M. Cahell. The Washington Permanent Building Association is now 50 years old. Early in 1881 a small group of men met at Gustave Hartig's hardware store at Seventh and K streets northwest to discuss the formation of a building association, different from any then in operation in the District, in that it was to follow the permanent rather than serial plan. The permanent plan meant the continuation of business from year to year, instead of a series of periodical settlements as a serial association then operated. The permanent plan was adopted from Philadelphia, where all necessary information was obtained. After a few conferences at the Hartig store, a larger meeting was held at Dismer's Saengerbund Hall, where preliminaries for drafting a constitution were settled. On May 14 the first meeting of the association convened at German Hall, on Eleventh street, between F and G streets northwest. … The association's first office was above the German-American National Bank, at Seventh and F streets northwest, where Hecht's store now stands. In 1884 it occupied half of the first floor of the Pacific Building, now a part of the Hecht's store. Office hours were then from 3 to 5 p.m. In 1898 it moved to the Second National Bank Building, at 509 Seventh street northwest, occupying half of that building until March, 1907, when it acquired its first home, the McGowan Building at 629 F street northwest. At this time the minutes of the association were changed from German to English. In 1913 the association's building was razed for its present modern banking office on the site, its temporary headquarters being at 631 F street northwest during the construction period. Waiting for Il Duce.I expect it's just my fevered imagination but the balcony shown below just looks as if it's waiting for a suitable dictator to address the adoring masses. +88Below is the same view from May of 2016. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Kids, Natl Photo)
Window on Washington: 1939
An uncredited view of Washington, D.C., circa 1939. Who'll be the first to drop a pin on the map and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/26/2017 - 1:48pm -

An uncredited view of Washington, D.C., circa 1939. Who'll be the first to drop a pin on the map and tell us where this is? In the meantime, let's settle in and wait for Lars Thorwald to get home. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. Settle down over there!Don't let Dave's oblique reference put a Burr under your saddle!!! "Virtually" the same view, today.Googlemap 3D https://goo.gl/maps/6QUTkm2E2352 Preview: Grace Under PressureI don't see Lisa anywhere. Not investigating, I take it. Nice view though. You wait for Lars.I'm waiting for Miss Torso. InterestingWhat, I wonder, is the oddly-shaped roof covering? [A turret, perhaps over a stairwell. - Dave] Burke ParkThis is taken from the roof or rear window of a building at 1121 12th Street NW, looking south across Burke Park at buildings on L Street. The statue pedestal visible is for Edmund Burke. John Nourse HouseThe building at far left appears to be the John Nourse House at 1107 Massachusetts Ave., NW. It was built c.1840 and is currently on the market with an asking price of $3.6M. Hambo's right!Based on the sight lines, the photo was taken from the southeast corner of the rooftop of the eight story building at 1125 12th St. NW. The odd-shaped corner of the brick building on the right is the northeast corner of the seven story building at 1116 12th St. NW. The elongated turret has been trimmed but the street-side peak still survives on the townhouse at 1113 Massachusetts Ave. NW. The buildings to the left, as well as those across the street are long gone. (The Gallery, D.C.)
School for Secretaries: 1920
1920. "Washington School for Secretaries. Typing room." Note the Dictaphone in the middle. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Alice Adams This makes me think of the very depressing end of "Alice Adams" when sh ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/22/2012 - 9:31pm -

1920. "Washington School for Secretaries. Typing room." Note the Dictaphone in the middle. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Alice AdamsThis makes me think of the very depressing end of "Alice Adams" when she has to climb up the stairs to the secretarial school. Now I know why she didn't want to go. How many songs...Can you get on one of those Dictaphones? Also gives new meaning to the phrase ear-tubes. Joe from LI, NY Oh, the noise!My ears are ringing just thinking about how noisy this room must have been when class was in session. I also note that there is one lonely adding machine among all the typewriters. Open to Receive Students1920 appears to have been the opening year for the Washington School for Secretaries (click to enlarge) Home RowOh how I remember typing class in high school. The symbols were not on the typing keys and you would rely on that old pull-down in front of the class to know where you were, but at exam time the pull-down (like a window blind) would go up and if you didn't know where your home row was or the other letters you may as well leave the room. Aw ... yes, and that ol' typewriter song comes back to me as well! Ah, the memories - -of shaving the wax off used Dictaphone cylinders; learning to use the Comptometer (prehistoric adding machine); pounding away on those huge black baby buggies that posed as typewriters; hitting the lever of the work easel to keep the copy at eye level. Now guess how old I am. Yech. WorkhorsesI learned on an adding machine that didn't look that much newer than the model in the picture. And when my father started his business, my mother bought a second-hand (or third- or fourth-hand) typewriter to type his invoices that didn't look all that much younger than the ones here. I bet she's still got it. I loved my time at WSSI am a 1983 graduate of the WSS (Exec Sec/Admin Assist program) and really enjoyed my year in their program. The location was 2020 K Street at the time. Although we had electric typewriters, the classroom was set up just as it was in the 1920 picture above. 1968 WSS graduateI have been looking for info on WSS but never seemed to find anything. Glad I ran across this. I attended WSS when it was in the National Press Building. Was in class there at the time of the 1968 riots in D.C. Good memories and the beginning of a long secretarial career. Wonder if they still make female students wear hats and gloves? There you are!I am a 1975 graduate of WSS. I was very proud of my accomplishments and success at WSS. I have looked over the years for information about the school. When did it close and what happened to all of the equipment and pictures. I remember graduation dance. I Will Never Forget!!!!OMG!!!! What a wonderful experience I had in 1982. I attended WSS when it was on 2020 K St. What a shock to see that so many others still remember. Remington # 2, 6, 7Interesting to see this shot on Shorpy, as our theatre company is putting on a production which requires three vintage Remingtons (any of the above models) as they were all "understrike" machines -- the keys hit the paper under the roller rather then the front of the roller. This of course meant that you couldn't see what you were typing. My life as a props buyer this season has been pretty interesting trying to come up with them. I have found two, and need only one more. 1970 Graduate of the WSSThe WSS gave me a firm foundation on which to build my career in the business world. Excellent training! At the time I attended, the intense, one-year course was equivalent to a two-year associates degree in business administration at a community college. I shall always remember the hats, heals heels and gloves. Everyone in WDC knew you were a WSS student at one glance. I attended the school when it was in the National Press Building, a very exciting location and when it was still a privately owned school. I believe a computer company bought the school the following year. Washington Secretarial Class of 1958-59I am an honor graduate of the old WSS -- I could do shorthand at 140 and could type on a manual 85 wpm and on an electric easily over 100 wpm and those were 15 minute tests with two errors or less! I got a great job, made good money and still have these skills to this day. Our director, Adria Beaver Lynham, was one for the books. She made us toe the mark in every way -- we had to wear long line girdles, no "bedroom" hair, just totally professionals. Young ladies walked briskly down F Street -- there was to be no "strolling." Thanks for the memories! 1986 GraduateI'm so happy I found this! Very good memories. Memories of Secretarial SchoolI attended a secretarial school in 1963 in NYC and we were all a bit surprised to come to typing class the first day only to see that our typewriters had BLANK keyboards -- the best way to learn "touch" typing was just that -- NO peeking at the letters or numbers on the keyboard. Funny thinking back to those days but I learned to be a really good typist! Looking for Washington School for Secretaries AlumniI would love to talk to alumni of the venerable Washington School for Secretaries for The Washington Secretaries History Project. If you are interested in sharing your memories, please email me at washingtonsecretaries@gmail.com. Thank you. Lillian Cox (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, The Office)
Washington Water: 1935
July 1935. "Outside water supply, Washington, D.C. Only source of water supply winter and summer for many houses ... our yard? We renovated the garage behind our Southeast DC rowhouse last year and removed a non-functioning pump to make room (barely!) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 10:42pm -

July 1935. "Outside water supply, Washington, D.C. Only source of water supply winter and summer for many houses in slum areas. In some places drainage is so poor that surplus water backs up in huge puddles." These municipal water taps (or pumps -- they have crank handles) appear in several photos from this series. I wonder if any survive. 35mm negative by Carl Mydans. View full size. Not such an ancient thingWhen I was 3 or 4 (in 1961 or 1962) my elderly farmer's wife babysitter in Benton Harbor, Michigan, had only an outside pump like this. And an outhouse, of course. Years later, when we visited them, their kids had moved them into a two storey frame house with indoor plumbing, nearby. Very uptown! Garden hoseI just really looked at this in full size, and see she's wearing stockings. Good Lord - stockings to go pump some water to wash the dishes after dinner. Sometimes I think people try so hard it's ... poignant. They survive!One of the Capitol Hill NE houses my wife and I (unsuccessfully) bid on had one. Red in color (didn't look to see if the paint was original or not), it still works and is now protected in a newer garage. It was one of the great features of the house. [Fascinating. Was it more like a pump or a faucet? What did the lettering say? I wonder if the crank operated a valve below ground level, as a safeguard against freeze damage. Questions, questions. - Dave] re: Garden HoseMy grandma wore those. She was a hardworking farm wife and her legs bore the evidence: varicose veins. The stockings (support hose) provided some therapeutic relief and cosmetic peace of mind. Speculation, but ...I think you nailed it Dave. I bet it also drained back to below grade, whenever it was shut off. Re: They survive!Because we didn't own the place, we didn't let the water run for longer than a second, but I got the impression that it operated more like a faucet based on the solid flow of water coming out. If I remember correctly, you moved the handle down and towards you. That moved the faucet head moved down and the water poured out. If you look at the image, you can see how the rectangular plate behind the faucet head is roughly the same size as the piece behind it. (I don't know the proper terminology.) You can see the empty squarish space above the faucet head and imagine how the metal faucet head would slide down to get where it is. I hadn't thought about freeze damage... we were all just so amazed by this cool piece of history. I can't remember what the pump said. I really wish I had kept the photos I took of it, but when we didn't get the house, I deleted them all. If you're interested, I can send you the address if you want to drop by and bug the new owner. Want the one in our yard?We renovated the garage behind our Southeast DC rowhouse last year and removed a non-functioning pump to make room (barely!) for our car. I've held on to the remains, but it may be time to send it to the dump. The lettering is partially illegible, but the word CLIMAX is printed clearly in a semicircle on top with words to the effect "C.M. KEMP MFG. CO. BALTO MD" below. I don't know how it worked, but I can see that about 2 feet of the pump was originally below grade. (The Gallery, Carl Mydans, D.C.)
Washington Wizard: 1925
August 8, 1925. "Dr. H.W. Evans, Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, K.K.K. parade, Washington." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Heritage of Hate During my mother's childhood, the family had to pick up and move i ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/12/2014 - 1:10pm -

August 8, 1925. "Dr. H.W. Evans, Imperial Wizard of the Ku Klux Klan, K.K.K. parade, Washington." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Heritage of HateDuring my mother's childhood, the family had to pick up and move in the middle of the night several times because the Klan was on the way. My grandfather was a Cherokee married to a white woman. My mother, now 89 with a memory full of holes, still recalled one of those nights of terror just yesterday.She will never forget, nor should we. Evil passing for sillyToday some may be inclined to laugh at the silly costumes, especially the straw hats, but evil often goes unnoticed for being so commonplace. Listen Phil- - we really have to get together on these uniforms, people are beginning to talk. InterestingThat Indiana now boasts the highest number of Klan members, with Ohio not far behind. Boooo!What a disgrace to our history. We just hate them what ain't like usRead the wikipedia on this guy. He was a nasty piece of work. Symbols of horrorWhen I see images such as these, my daydreams of living in the '20s change to nightmares. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Washington Masonic Memorial: 1923
... in the place despite having spent the last thirty years in DC. Comparing the background views, the train station is all but unchanged ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/23/2013 - 3:09am -

Nov. 1, 1923. "Dedication, George Washington Masonic Memorial, Alexandria, Virginia." In a year that was probably the zenith of Freemasonry in the United States, and saw a giant national Masonic gathering in the capital, President Coolidge on this day used a silver trowel to spread mortar for the laying of the cornerstone of what is today one of metro Washington's best known traffic landmarks. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. The Finished ProductAttached is a view of the finished product, taken from the same general vantage point. As another poster very correctly noted, this temple is "a bit weird" to a non-Mason. There's a great write-up about the temple (complete with photos of the interior)on the "Roadside America" website at: http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/13718 Masonic ViewNinety years later, the memorial is a neat (if a bit weird to a non-Mason) place to visit. I went there in January with locals who'd never set foot in the place despite having spent the last thirty years in DC. Comparing the background views, the train station is all but unchanged (though now supplemented with the larger Metro station behind it), but I can't match a single structure in Old Town between the old image and my new one. Not even the church steeples (which I'd expect to have been there in 1923). Shuter's Hill - Fort EllsworthIt was occupied in Oct 1861 by the 44th NY Reg't, which was commanded by Col Elmer Ellsworth, the first Union officer to be killed in the war when he was shot by a hotel proprietor after taking down the Confederate national flag from the hotel roof. The photo looks east toward Alexandria and the Potomac river. King Street is at the center. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Redwater in Washington: 1917
Washington, D.C., circa 1917. "Indians: Redwater and group." My headdress was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:25pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1917. "Indians: Redwater and group." My headdress was at the cleaners. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Just in TimeThe half-smiling fellow on our right has a pocket watch in his breast pocket, secured by a heavy chain with a decorative fob. I'd love to see that watch today! On the other hand (or foot) I think his moccasins would leave my wimpy feet screaming for mercy. Thaddeus Red WaterI believe the man in the middle is Thaddeus Red Water, seen here in his headdress. There is not much information about him on the Internet, except for this excerpt. Cheyenne/Arapaho DelegationThis would have been a joint Cheyenne/Arapaho delegation to Washington to meet with President Wilson and discuss land claims - particularly their claim to the western Black Hills. Thaddeus Red Water, as the excerpt linked by Book Reader notes, was a Carlisle student and a football star who learned English. It was customary for the emissaries from the reservation to where their best finery - often handed down from many generations - to meet their "Great Father" - while Red Water would have done his best to do the same as an intermediary and translator for the delegates. All but the man to Red Water's right have special trade/saddle blankets, and the two to his left are holding a piece of paper in their hands - probably a well prepared plea to read before the President. The men on his right would be the Arapaho leaders, and Cheyenne on his left. Head dresses are among the most misunderstood American Indian symbol. Only plains tribes wore them, and almost always only for ceremonial purposes. The Cheyenne and Arapaho were the most prevalent users of them (with the Sioux considered their "inventor), and they carried great significance for the wearer, as each feather represented a victory in battle or some other great accomplishment. One simply did not make a headdress, they were earned. After the 1920s, however, the absence of warfare changed things, and ceremonial pieces were created for special events and as gifts to visiting dignitaries. They also became common aspects of fairs and tribes around the country began to wear them in tourist-oriented "shows" further muddling America's notion of what they meant. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Native Americans)
Parting Glances: 1920
Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "729 12th St., Washington Times." Various shades ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2023 - 3:25pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "729 12th St., Washington Times." Various shades of Twelfth Street. 8x6 inch glass negative, National Photo Company Collection. View full size. Wall BetweenI would hazard a guess that there is a wall between the woman and young boy. If you follow the line between "painted" and "unpainted" you will see that the width between the windows is farther apart. Also the chimney above, and the two stores below suggest some sort of support wall that would have to go all the way up. MessengersBicycles, a motorcycle and a messenger office. Pure chance, or a cunning business plan? Cleveland MotorcycleThat's a production motorcycle from the Cleveland Motorcycle Co. Questions indeedIs that young blurry boy only wearing one roller skate? Is the other young child telling the headless phantom motorcycle rider to shush? Must say I love the "lace" and tassels on the Shade shop. Possible SlumlordAndrew Murray the builder doesn't take very good care of his property. Window on my WorldBuster Brown in the window above the deli seems to be looking at the motorcycle. Wondering if he is related to the woman in the window next to him, or if there is a wall between them and they are in different apartments. So many questions, so little timeAre the shutters seen on some of the buildings actually used? Or are they just decorative as are modern shutters are? Why don't the brick stone buildings have shutters? Is that some sort of prototype motorcycle? Are the people in the windows family members of the proprietors of the businesses below? Is the boy in front of the messenger service an employee? BTW, I just love photos like this; an honest and unfettered look into a past long gone. Ahead of the timesLike the bike propped against the building. Owner has his bars flipped and his seat laid back -- cutting edge! Tri-LevelWhat a mesmerizing photo; one can conjure up at least three scenarios that fit what we see here. The pride of the gentleman inside the Builder's office watching his son leave; the parting of two friends (or lovers); is the rider embarking on a grand adventure; who is the rider, really? The more you look the deeper the stories become. Olde photos are magic. Ghost RiderTenants checking out the ghost on the motorcyle seems to be the most likely scenario. The Phantom PhootSo what's that disembodied upside-down foot above the third floor windows of #731? Taken for a ride in another senseI suspect that the owner of 729 hired the same Washington housepainter that I did. Bicycle BrakesThe bike leaning against the Murray/McGregor office shows no evidence of brakes, coaster or hand. When did bicycles begin to have braking systems (other than putting your feet down)?....some Shorpyite out there knows..... King Cola, the Royal DrinkNot much you can find about this brand, except that it was sued to death by the Coca-Cola Company for its use of the word "cola." How did Pepsi ever survive the same predicament? [The defendant's sin was not the use of the word "cola" but rather its Spencerian-script logo (below), which was a frank imitation of the Coca-Cola trademark. Coca-Cola's legal blitzkrieg also took aim at Koke, Cold-Cola, Koca-Nola and Ko-Kola. - Dave] Dividing lineI love that only half of the building has been freshly painted. The other half - the builder's half does not instill confidence in his work. Looks like the kid on one roller skate leaped from his ghost position to where he is now. Boys and bikesYou can tell by his blurry foot that the driver is kickstarting his bike. This is an activity that always attracts kids. There's something irresistible about the roar of the engine. The little boy standing behind the bike is thinking, "Someday I'm gonna get me one of those..." I've seen this happen a million times. My Side versus Your SideIt is pretty clear that the owners of 729 and 731 have a different philosophy of exterior maintenance. What a geometrically precise paint line between them. One SkateI bet the other roller skate is on the ghost of a kid spinning just on front of the steps. The rider is a blur because he's trying to kick start the bike. Upstairs grumpy, and the two men are much more interested in the photographer. These are really neat old photos, I'm glad I found the web site. Honesty of Purpose Washington Post, April 8, 1911. Special Notices Announcement. The family of the late John McGregor, builder, of 729 Twelfth street northwest, desire to inform the public that the business will be carried on by his successor, Mr. Andrew Murray, who has been with Mr. McGregor for the past thirteen years. They trust that the same patronage extended to the late Mr. McGregror will continue to be shown to Mr. Murray. In reference to the above, I hope, by strict attention to business and the same honesty of purpose that characterized Mr. McGregror's work, to merit the confidence and patronage of his friends and the public generally. Respectfully, Andrew Murray, 729 Twelfth street northwest. Shannon & LuchsHoly cow! The Shannon & Luchs For Sale sign on 731 caught my eye. They were the dominant real estate company in Fairfax County, Virginia, when I was growing up there in the 1980s and '90s. I still remember their radio jingle: "It takes more than luck / it takes Shannon & Luchs." I had no idea they had this long a history. They seem to have been acquired by Polinger in 1993, but I know they were still going by the S&L name at least until the late '90s. Cleveland motorcycleThe motorcycle in the photo is a Cleveland A2, which was manufactured by the Cleveland Motorcycle Manufacturing Company, located in the Ohio city of the same name between 1915 and 1925. The A2 was powered by a 220cc two-stroke engine mounted transversely in the frame, with a worm drive to power the countershaft sprocket for final chain drive. The shaft exited the two-speed gearbox and extended past the rear downtube to drive the the magneto, hung just forward of the rear wheel. In 1920 the A2 grew larger, adding footboards, incorporated fuel/oil tank and wider fenders. The weight increased in 1921 with a larger fuel/oil tank and seat and a battery. To offset the additional weight, engine capacity was increased to 270cc. In 1923 a sportier model was offered - the Model E, which featured a battery and electric lights. Although the Cleveland looked flimsy compared to the big V-twins offered by other US manufacturers, their light weight (68 kg) and moderate power (3.5 bhp and 30 mph top speed) combined for easy riding. The main market of the A2 were students, women and businesses who employed couriers and light delivery riders. The low price ($150) was cheaper than comparative bikes offered by other manufacturers. The A2 was replaced in 1925 by the 350cc Model F. (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., Motorcycles, Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
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