June 17, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Group winners at Tidal Basin bathing beach." On the right we have eternal Shorpy sweetheart Iola Swinnerton; the others are interchangeable nonentities who serve only to emphasize her many charms. In the background is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1924. "Examination room, Garfield Hospital." Home to all the latest equipment. National Photo glass negative. View full size.

March 1862. "Washington, District of Columbia. Government repair shops -- wheelwright shop." Annotation from plate: "3/13/62 Mr. Marshall, Shop No 1." Wet plate negative, Library of Congress Civil War Collection. View full size.

1938. "Mount Airy -- St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana." At Mount Airy, they're well fixed in the cistern department. I think they give the place a festive air. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size.

It was a warm late September night on Route 1 near Saugus, Mass., sometime around 1977. Smokes were 57 cents and gas was 56. Taken for a photography class with a 4x5 view camera. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Mrs. W. Galbraith -- group." About as colorful as you can get in black-and-white. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size.

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "People's Drug Store, 14th & U Streets, interior."

Is flyaway hair holding you back? Keeping you home those evenings your friends are out having a gay night on the town? Those loose strands may be a symptom of deeper ills -- malnutrition the consequence of egg-based-beverage deficiency, perhaps aggravated by tooth-brushing with an inferior dentifrice. Ladies, am I talking to you? Then come see this man. He is the gatekeeper to hair-nets, toothpaste, Egg Drinks -- and so much more. (Rubber gloves, for one thing, but that's another story.) The day you pick up a Glemby Hair Net -- or two, or hell, why not a dozen -- is the first day of the rest of your life! View full size.

"Washington Tidal Basin Beauty Contest -- August 5, 1922." Seventeen-year-old Eva Fridell, last seen here and here, takes the loving cup from judge Isaac Gans. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.

New Orleans in 1910. "Maison Blanche, Canal Street." Continuing our tour of Crescent City retailers. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1910. "New Orleans and the Mississippi River from Grunewald." A bird's eye view of Canal Street from the Grunewald Hotel. Merchants here include Godchaux's music store as well as the big Godchaux's department store farther down the street, D.H. Holmes Co., B. Cohn Dry Goods, Marks Isaacs Co. and a One-Cent Vaudeville theater. And if all this shopping has made you thirsty: Drink Chattanooga Beer. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

February 1939. "Child of white migrant worker ironing in tent camp near Harlingen, Texas." 35mm negative by Russell Lee for the FSA. View full size.

Detroit circa 1903. "Children's playground at Belle Isle Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.

Philadelphia circa 1904. "Market Street from Eighth." City Hall's clock tower at the end of the street. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size.

December 1936. "Secondhand store in Council Bluffs, Iowa." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size.

Summer 1937. "Street scene -- Provincetown, Massachusetts." And a reminder to "Don't write -- Telegraph!" 35mm negative by Edwin Rosskam. View full size.