Most of the photos on this site were extracted from reference images (high-resolution tiffs, 20 to 200 megabytes in size) from the Library of Congress research archive. (To query the database click here.) Most were digitized by LOC contractors using a Sinar studio back. They are adjusted by your webmaster for contrast and color in Photoshop before being downsized and turned into the jpegs you see here.

December 11, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Margaret Swartzell -- Swartzell railroad system." Not just a model train, it's a "system" -- who can tell us more? National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

September 1, 1900. "Wabash Avenue north from Adams Street, Chicago." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Circa 1908. "Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. Wabash Bridge, Monongahela River." Back when Pittsburgh was sans H. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size.

Lake Erie circa 1905. "Hulett clamshell hoists, Cleveland, Ohio." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Vermont circa 1905. "Summit Cut, Green Mountains." I see seven eight people here. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

New York circa 1904. "City Hall subway station." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Boston, Massachusetts, circa 1904. "Dudley Street Station, Boston 'L' Railway." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.