January 1938. Washington, D.C. "Cafe on L Street." Where the only thing flakier than our delicious biscuits is the peeling paint! 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Resettlement Administration. View full size.

Washington, D.C., 1924. "Miss Davis." Demonstrating just how easy it is to work one of these things. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

June 1942. "Shasta Dam, Shasta County, California. Workmen on porch of com­mis­sary." Photo by Russell Lee for the Office of War Information. View full size.

San Francisco circa 1919. "Haynes touring car." Accessorized with a dapper "California top." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.

Circa 1900. "Colonial Hotel, Cleveland." Home to the Colonial Arcade. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

1899. "Blizzard '99 -- On the streets after a New York blizzard." 8x10 glass negative by Byron. Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

San Francisco, 1929. "Hudson Super Six." Strangers when they met, until he took her for a ride. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.

Washington, D.C., 1925. "Snow removal -- Ford tractor." A teaspoon at a time. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

Somewhere in San Francisco circa 1919. "Ford motor truck -- Kruger & Co. Boxes." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.

New York circa 1948. "Queens View Food Market, 34th Avenue." Just in time for the Grand Opening! 4x5 acetate negative by John M. Fox. View full size.

        On his eighth birthday, Shorpy wishes all a Happy Valentine's Day, and raises his paw in a toast you -- yes, YOU -- for the comments and contributions that have kept us going over the years.

Circa 1914. "Cats in costume at birthday party with cake." Photo by Harry W. Frees, whose oddball oeuvre both delights and appalls. View full size.

New York circa 1948. "Window display of imported and domestic cheeses." Everything looks so ... gouda. 4x5 negative by John M. Fox. View full size.

March 13, 1942. "Bell Telephone Laboratories, Murray Hill, New Jersey. Lounge, to window. Voorhees, Walker, Foley & Smith, architects." You can call me ... lonely! Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size.

Dec. 27, 1923. "Don Lee Cadillac agency, corner Van Ness & O'Farrell." And a Model V-63 Phaeton, approximating closed-car comfort with a variation on the "California top." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.

    Don Lee handing over the keys to a V-12 Cadillac touring car.

San Francisco, 1932. "Cadillac agency, NE corner Van Ness & O'Farrell." The monumental exterior of Don Lee Cadillac. Note the "ISLAM" fezzes of these Masonic potentates. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size.