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302 Mott Street: 1911
... while the children eventually married and mostly moved to Long Island. The family lived at 213 Mott Street in 1905 and 105 Thomson ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 10:29am -

December 1911. Family of Mrs. Mette making flowers in a very dirty tenement, 302 Mott Street, top floor. Josephine, 13, helps outside school hours until 9 P.M. sometimes. She is soon to be 14 and expects to go to work in an embroidery factory. Says she worked in that factory all last summer. Nicholas, 6 years old and Johnnie, 8 yrs. The old work some. All together earn only 40 to 50 cents a day. Baby (20 months old) plays with the flowers, and they expect he can help a little before long. The father drives a coach (or hack) irregularly. View full size. Photo and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. DirtRobert, You need to click on the full size option. The floor is dirty, the door has small child "art", the table cloth is dirty and has numerous holes. I'm sure they are doing their best under who knows what type of circumstances. Where's the dirtThe notes state, "a very dirty tenement." There are some things like a wash-tub and a scrubbing-board that are in plain view. Maybe those thing cold have been stowed a bit better. But the wall cabinets have lites you can see the shelves inside and the insides seem to be in order. The floor is clean. The women's clothing seems to be quite nice. Those boys look fine with their jackets and even a scarf on one. The only thing that shows something a bit out of order is the dark blotches on the oil cloth. Most likely holes. The house keeping looks great to me. Making flowersI've seen other flower photos here... who do they make the flowers for and what are they used for? Hats maybe? Also, are they real or silk? Must be fake right? [Probably made for clothing manufacturers in the garment district. I'm not sure how they made artificial flowers back then. Although we do have some photos of real roses being dipped in white wax. - Dave] Dirt If you look at the wall by the mirror you can see the "dirt" on the wall. My guess is that it is from smoke from a cook stove or coal heater. People used to scrub down their walls every spring to remove the grime accumulated from a winter of heating and cooking. I guess the comment of "very dirty" spoke to the grime on the walls as much as anything else. Actually if you look at the table and other furniture in the room they seem pretty ornate. A family fallen on hard times? Dragging once nice stuff from place to place, each place a little more worse for wear than the last. Not DirtyPoverty is not the same as being dirty. The linoleum on that floor may be a wreck from being where one enters the house. Perhaps they don't have the money to go out and replace it. The baby's high chair may also be putting black marks on the floor as it gets dragged around. They also might have to haul some coal upstairs for the stove. These folks lived in a world of maybe 10 people in an apartment the size of the average kids bedroom these days. They are so poor that the entire family including kids is working to keep their heads above water financially. These weren't the days of handi-wipes and swiffers and vacuum cleaners and kids laying around all day playing on their computers and listening to their ipods. BTW, the kids clothes all look very clean. Any mess on a baby is because it's a baby. There's no washer and dryer sitting nearby to pop the kid's jammies in every time they get a little mess on them. If you're ever in New York, you can get an eye opening introduction to how how immigrants to America lived down on "the lower east side" by going to this museum. I've been there. Take the tour of a real tenement which was purchased and "saved for historical/educational purposes. http://www.tenement.org/ Go read the works of Jacob Riis and look at his photos. It's a testament to the human spirit that these people left their homelands to come to a new country to try to get a better life for themselves and their kids. This is the story behind Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty. It's the story behind the American dream. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Riis Dismissing things as dirty misses the point. Thanks for sharing the photo, however. It's appeciated. [The captions describing these photos are by photographer Lewis Hine, written around 100 years ago. "Dirty" is his description, not ours. - Dave] Re: Not DirtySomething we mention every now and then: The captions describing these tenement photos were written by photographer Lewis Hine almost 100 years ago. "Dirty" is his description. It helps to remember that he is trying to paint a bleak picture for his audience -- the U.S. Congress -- in his organization's effort to end the practice of child labor. StagingSomething to remember about Hine's photos is that they are not "candid" photos. At this period of time, taking a photo like this required a big heavy camera on a tripod, and a flash powder apparatus. Probably the table had to be moved back toward the wall and sink to "get it all in." Since it is a "staged" photo, I'm sure Hine controlled what was in the photo to get his story across. [That would be posed, not "staged." Big difference. - Dave] Dirty TenementsThis is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. Hine had a habit of commenting about the cleanliness and neatness of his subject's houses or apartments. I suspect that it might have just been a value judgment based on his own preferences. Perhaps he was very fastidious, maybe picking that up from his mother when he was growing up in Wisconsin. We can't assume that he was just trying to exaggerate for effect. I did research on a woman who was photographed in her house in Leeds, Mass. She was putting bristles on toothbrushes. Hine's caption, in part, says, "putting bristles into tooth brushes in an untidy kitchen." I interviewed the woman's granddaughter, who had never seen the photo. When she saw the caption, she said, "Untidy kitchen? Gramma was spotless. You could eat off her floor." Point Taken DaveGood point, Dave. Thanks for clarifying that. [One of my many pet peeves. I could start a zoo! - Dave] Dirty? Untidy?Thanks for the great insight, Joe. It sounds like Mr. Hine had a few quirks of his own. Don't we all? BeautyThey may be poor but they do have a gorgeous opalescent vase standing on the shelf in the upper right hand corner. I lived there302 Mott Street, 5th floor. Small apt, typical for NYC. great location. Miss the city. EurekaMrs. Mette was Maria Auletta/Avoletti Motta, who lived with her husband Joseph and eventually with their nine children born between 1896 and 1920. By the time this photo was taken Maria and Joseph were naturalized American citizens who had spent most of their lives in the US (after being born in Italy). Oldest daughter Lucy is not picture or mentioned in the caption. Baby was Daniel, born in 1910. Joseph died in 1919 at the age of about 50, while the children eventually married and mostly moved to Long Island. The family lived at 213 Mott Street in 1905 and 105 Thomson Street in 1915 (no 1910 listing). (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Sidewheeler: 1910
... in winter, 1906. [From "Steel Rails to the Sunrise, The Long Island Rail Road" by Ron Zeil and George Foster] Schooner Rig The ... run and in 1903 sold to the Montauk Steamboat Company for Long Island service, receiving the name Greenport, one of its stops. Its time ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2015 - 1:08pm -

Circa 1910. "Steamer Greenport at Manhanset House landing, Shelter Island, N.Y." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. About Greenport Montauk Steamboat Co. purchased "Sagadahoc" at Bath, Maine in 1903 and renamed her "Greenport." She was built as "Star of the East" by John Englis in New York in 1866 but was modernized a few years before the M.S. purchase. Placed on the Block Island run, she was slow and expensive for the work, so was sold in winter, 1906. [From "Steel Rails to the Sunrise, The Long Island Rail Road" by Ron Zeil and George Foster] Schooner RigThe Greenport has sails bent to her gaffs, ready for instant use if the engine fails. Her masts have no booms, only gaffs; her sails will be set "flying". The diamond shaped device on the top deck is the "walking beam" of her single-cylinder steam engine. If you look closely, there's an oil lantern hung on one of the stays of the mizzen (rear) mast. The area of the pier with the white picket fences is a small vehicular ferry slip. At this date, most of the vehicles on the ferry will be horse-drawn. There's an array of cargo laid out on the pier by the gangway. I can't make out what it might be. Can anyone identify it? It's probably outgoing agricultural produce. [Those are logs. - Dave] The GreenportThe Greenport began life as the Star of the East, built 1866 by John Inglis & Company at New York for the Kennebec Steamboat Company, to run between Kennebec and Boston. 244.2' x 35.2' x 12.8,' 1413 gross tons. It was powered by a vertical beam engine, 56" x 11,' built by the Morgan Iron Works. In 1891 it became the Sagadahoc and was placed on the Boston-Bangor run and in 1903 sold to the Montauk Steamboat Company for Long Island service, receiving the name Greenport, one of its stops. Its time in this service is undoubtedly depicted in the photograph. Greenport was withdrawn from service in 1909 and used as a spare boat for the Hudson Navigation Company, but spent virtually all its time laid up at Newburgh until resurrected in 1914 and briefly placed on the Albany-New York City run on the Hudson. That resurrection was short-lived, and in 1916 the vessel was converted to a coal barge for use at Connecticut, but was soon back at New York, where the hull was abandoned at 215th Street on the Harlem River, about where the Harlem River turns west towards the Hudson. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
City Gas: 1905
... Those Elmurst, NY, Gas Tanks were a staple for many Long Island Expressway Commuters. Traffic reporters would announce, with almost ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/01/2019 - 11:14am -

Circa 1905. "Gas holder, Detroit City Gas Company." A familiar sight from the era of "city gas," when municipalities had their own gas plants in the days before long-distance transmission of natural gas. The telescoping sections rose or fell as "illuminating gas," which was made by heating coal, was put into or removed from the holder. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Gas Holder Fun FactsAs my 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica states, "A gasworks should be sited with some care as it does not improve the neighborhood." Water was kept between the telescoping sections as a seal -- the internal pressure was not that great. Cincinnati, a town which has creatively repurposed its older infrastructure, has a gasworks park with creative "sculptures" made from the old apparatus. Oval GasGasometers are still a feature of some British city skylines, one of the most high-profile being in the background of the Oval cricket ground in South London. WiredI am mesmerized by those wires coming in from the upper right. I suppose they run behind the container and that it's only their shadow that continues perfectly across the front until diverted by the curve - but, as I study them, they play tricks on my brain jumping from foreground to background amongst the geometric shadows. [The wires run across the photo in front of the tank. - Dave] So THAT's what that thing was!There was a framework that looked like this to the west of I-435 in Kansas City on the river bluffs - I wondered for years what it was. Thanks for clearing up that mystery! Ka-BOOMGot a light. West coast gasWhen I was growing up out here in California these things were a familiar sight in just about any city of a goodly size, even suburban San Rafael just to the north of us in Marin County. There was an enormous one in San Francisco up through the mid-1960s, at the east end of the Marina District. Here it is at the right in a section of a slide I took from across the bay near Sausalito in early 1965. Gas Tank ParkNew York had dozens of these structures. Some of the most famous were the Elmhurst tanks. They were knocked down in the 1980s and now the site of Gas Tank Park. Near most of these structures were the gashouses which produced the illuminating gas -- sites often requiring remediation to remove the contaminant plumes of benzene and other aromatic hydrocarbons which dripped into the ground. Got gas?Hi tterrace. That tank is now the site of the upscale Marina Safeway. However, its memory lives on in the name of the sailboat marina right across the street: Gas House Cove. Worried ?Wonder if the people living next door ever worried about an explosion. That being said, I have never heard of one blowing up. Gas lines, yes. The neighbors most likely never had low pressure in their lines, at least. A while back I was looking at some of these in Europe and UK online; some gas holders overseas have been converted to condominiums or apartment buildings! "Gasometers"I live in London, and you will still see these structures all over England and particularly in the large cities. We call them "Gasometers," and they are still part of the national grid for gas distribution. Love em in London!These things seem to inspire the same fond feelings as water towers. So big and matter of fact and useful! The number 8 gasometer down the road from me in King's Cross, London, is being zhuzhed up as part of the regeneration of the area. Hopefully they'll keep it a little bit weird and rusty. http://www.bp-k.com/projects/Gasholder.html An Illuminating Subject.When I was young, not far from our home was a coking plant which had two huge gas holders of the type shown. They would slowly rise as gas was produced and fall as gas consumption exceeded supply. The adjacent gas works would emit an atomic cloud of steam as a coke oven was "pushed" and the glowing coke quenched by water before it was loaded into steel hopper cars. On occasion a wood-sided hopper was used, the coke not completely quenched, and the resulting fire caused by the wind of the train's motion would burn thru the car side and a glowing lava of coke pour out as the train moved down the track. Steel coke cars would sometimes glow in patches at night. I do not know if there are any gas holders of this design left. I would like to ride on top of one and watch it inch up by looking at the framework, and see it pause as the pressure inside had to increase to lift the next section. I tell younger people about them and they do not grasp the idea of the telescoping sections at all, how the pressure inside, although low, was enough to lift the tons of metal the tanks sections were made of. Other gas holders were circular and made with bricks, not rising nor falling. The whole coke plant and the gas holders are long gone, ugly to be sure, being replaced with even UGLIER slumplexes of high-density housing. LandmarksThose Elmurst, NY, Gas Tanks were a staple for many Long Island Expressway Commuters. Traffic reporters would announce, with almost every daily (weekday) morning drive heading to The Queens-Midtown Tunnel, that the major tie-ups would be in the vicinity of the gas tanks. Incidentally, the tanks themselves rose and fell according the volume of gas in them. They could have preserved itby turning it into a park, like we did here in Seattle. Same in St. LouisThere was at least one of these on highway 64/40 in St. Louis that I used to pass daily on my commute. It would rise and fall and I always wondered what it was. I'd heard it was for natural gas but I never really understood, but now I do. Great photo- thanks for posting! http://www.builtstlouis.net/industrial/gasometers.html Roll up the windows! We passed two of these tanks en route to Grand-ma's Brownstone in Brooklyn, NY. But the associated cracking plants and their gas flare towers sent the pervasive stench of rotten eggs drifting over the county for miles around. We all held our noses and made rude noises until shushed by the adults. Wow, popular topic! I just wanted to add that modern tanks act as flow buffers, just like water towers. Instead of just storing locally made gas, they store a 'back-up' quantity of product to handle periods of high demand, but are fed by massive pipelines from distant plants. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC)
Back From Cuba: 1898
Long Island, New York, circa 1898. "Boys of the 71st N.Y. at Montauk Point ... event in New York City. The were sent home on a special Long Island Railroad train after some weeks. A similar group picture with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2013 - 9:36am -

Long Island, New York, circa 1898. "Boys of the 71st N.Y. at Montauk Point after return from Cuba." Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Half in HavanaThe guy with the knife looks like his mind hasn't quite made it back from Cuba yet, if ever. Granddad in the 71stMy grandfather served in Cuba with the 71st and his father before him served with the regiment during the Civil War. When they shipped home from Cuba the were landed at Montauk, quarantined to recover from various diseases contracted in service before being allowed to enter a homecoming event in New York City. The were sent home on a special Long Island Railroad train after some weeks. A similar group picture with him was on my grandfather's parlor mantel back in the 1940s. In camp before shipping out to Cuba they use to shout "Remember the Maine, to Hell with Spain" to build fighting spirit. They had black powder .45-70 Springfield rifles, a fairly new issue item to them, as they had used .50-70 Remingtons until about six months before the War. "A splendid little war" - NOTThe scowls on the volunteers' faces are understandable. In the Spanish-American War the 71st NY was poorly trained, poorly armed, and (most notably) poorly led. When they were not stuck for days in malarial settings waiting to get to or from Cuba, some of their officers were leading them into dead ends during the war's greatest land battle. As Governor Teddy Roosevelt would write of the rank-and-file in 1899 when approving an inquiry's findings of incompetence by several senior officers during that battle, "save when paralyzed by bad leadership they were as able as they were eager to do honor to the glorious traditions of the American volunteer service." Spanish American War riflesAnonymous Tipster mentioned that his grandfather's unit was using the .45-70 Springfield rifles. That was the 1888 Springfield with the combined bayonet and cleaning rod. Most Guard units were equipped with that rifle while most regular units were equipped with the Krag-Jorgenson, arguably the worst rifle that the US Army was ever equipped with. It was slower to load than the Mauser rifle that the Spanish were equipped with and had a lower velocity bullet. In the assault on Santiago, the Spanish defenders numbered about 750; they inflicted 1,400 casualties (killed or wounded) on the Americans who had 6,600 troops and was supported by artillery and Gatling guns. That's a 21.2% casualty rate. Coming of AgeThese guys appear to be much older that the WW2/Korean Conflict/Vietnam Era GIs. Was it more of a profession then? Were they hold overs from the post Civil War years? Or did they just age more quickly? The Bugs of WarThe National Guard militias of various states mustered and trained far more troops than the Government needed (or wanted), and many soldiers found themselves shipped to camps in the deep South, Florida or Hawaii, where they collapsed in the heat, were eaten alive by insects and fell victim to typhus and like diseases from the miserable water supply. More soldiers were felled by disease than bullets. Mmmm Lunch!I wonder how old that piece of hardtack is that the one fellow is chewing on. I've read that some Spanish American War hardtack was actually stamped "Remember the Maine." Another fellow is holding his mess knife like a weapon. I assume it's a mess knife, since a third fellow is holding a mess kit. Krag-Jorgenson rifleThe Krag was by far not the worst weapon used by the US. While it was shortlived, it gave good service, and was a favorite of the Army shooting teams who BTW hated the 1903 Springfield when it was first introduced. What killed the Krag was the fact that it could not use a charger clip, and the action was not as strong as the Mauser. (The Gallery, DPC, S-A War)
Manhattan: 1908
... Post Foods, was at the end, a division of Kraft Food. The Long Island University Nassau County Campus, C.W. Post College, is named in his ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/18/2012 - 3:35pm -

New York circa 1908. "Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Signs of the TimesI spotted a couple of ubiquitous ads on the buildings. The first, to the right of the Bridge Tower appears to be above the "Moens (?) Old Metal" sign, is the partial signature of Charles H. Fletcher, the seller of Fletcher's Castoria, a digestive cure-all. His autograph was on countless walls throughout the city. The other appears to be to the right of the Fletcher's and just above the Roadbed, visible through the suspension cables is a "Postum" sign. Postum was a coffee substitute, a mix that was hot water soluble and caffeine free. It was first sold in 1895 and discontinued in 2007. The drink was named for its manufacturer C.W. Post. The company, Post Foods, was at the end, a division of Kraft Food. The Long Island University Nassau County Campus, C.W. Post College, is named in his honor, after his daughter, Marjorie Merriweather Post, who was also Mrs.E.F. Hutton, donated her palatial estate to them. Scott's EmulsionAs soon as I laid eyes on that photo, I spotted that huge ad for "Scott's Emulsion" on the building in the center. I was sure I had seen that ad before ... But where ? And then it clicked. I live in Belgium, and my grandparents live in a small town south of Brussels, where an old chemist shop still has its front wall covered with old ads painted on tiles. And one of them is that very same ad for the Scott's Emulsion. The chemist shop recently had their front wall classified as historic monument. MajesticRoebling's masterpiece may today be eclipsed by the many other bridges and taller buildings of lower Manhattan and Brooklyn. This photo shows the magnificence of the bridge when it was young. Utter BeautyHas anyone seen such a beautiful shot? The detail, it's magnificent! I am speechless. And in the center, the crowning glory of the photo, is the Brooklyn Bridge! I am awed. Thank you so much for uploading this image! A land of opportunityWhat you might call a city bustling. I particularly love the detail of the canopies at the foot of the bridge pillar. NorskAwesome photo! The freighter in the center of the photo appears to be flying the Norwegian flag. With the "H" on the funnel, it should be possible to at least identify the name of the shipping line, and then possibly the individual ship. Interesting!That's fascinating about the painting matching 'Scott's Emulsion'. Those were the days, back when artists were employed to paint things by hand. I notice nowadays they're using giant inkjet printers to print billboards on plastic. I doubt if those will ever pass the test of time though. Two NorwegiansActually, there are two Norwegians in the picture. Both the boat and the man carrying the huge fish is from the Land of Ice and Snow. In the city of Bergen in Norway, there was this man who earned his pay delivering fish in that fashion, carrying them over his shoulders. He inspired an artist to paint the fish man as we all now him. These things means a lot to us Norwegians, you see. Clear acrossWhat always strikes me in old views like this is how easy it used to be to see all the way across Manhattan and the Hudson to the hills of New Jersey. From the same spot today, those hills are just a rumor. The effect is even more pronounced in similar views of far uptown, which remained almost completely unbuilt until well into the age of photography. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Going Up: 1900
... which stretched from lower Manhattan to Sandy and out on Long Island. This tower was probably on a newspaper building on Park/Newspaper ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:57pm -

Circa 1900. "New York financial district from the Woodbridge Building." The Park Row building at right was the world's tallest office tower. View full size. St. Paul BuildingLeft of the Park Row is the 26-story St. Paul Building, built 1895-1898 and demolished in 1958. It was one of the last skyscrapers designed by George B. Post, a pioneer of tall building construction in New York. Alas, it was not well received by the architectural critics of the time, and they were thinking primarily of the front of the building. What we see here are the naked backsides of the St. Paul and Park Row. What a PictureThis one is amazing. Manhattan in 1901. I see laundry hanging on lines. Not an automobile or a window air conditioner. Not an airplane or a dirigible. Not a TV antenna or a radio transmitting tower. What we have is the turn of the last century that would create more scientific paraphernalia in a few years than the world saw since its inception. Wireless Mast!Early radio. Gotta love it. Gotham GothicAnd people complain about "glass box" skyscrapers! This is one brutally ugly cityscape. Park Row BuildingThe Park Row Building is still there. It was built between 1896 and 1899. It held the distinction of the world's tallest office tower (391 feet, 30 floors) until 1908 when the 47-story Singer Building went up (612 feet). It was landmarked in 1999. November 3, 1900Based on the banners in the street, I'd bet that the photo was taken on the day of the great Sound Money Parade (November 3, 1900), in support of the Republican ticket. According to the New York Times the following morning, the 84,000-member parade included trade associations such as the Jewelers McKinley & Roosevelt Club, and the Drug, Chemicals, Paint, Varnish, and Oil Trades' McKinley & Roosevelt Sound Money Club (perhaps called the DCPVOTMRSMC). Eeew.That is one homely skyscraper. Park Row streetsideShows a more appealing view of building even if though overwhelming in height for its neighbors. Cupola statuesI would like to know more about the statues around the Park Row building cupolas. They are gone now. So are the flagpoles. It irks me that so many classic buildings have been stripped of such unique adornments. The Wireless MastThe wireless mast is found on top of the Western Union Building, also designed by George B. Post, built 1872-1875 (demolished 1913). The top floors of the building, originally under an enormous mansard roof, were rebuilt as seen here after a fire in 1890. Dig the McKinley & Roosevelt Campaign Banner!Very bottom - middle of the picture. At the time this picture was taken Teddy Roosevelt was Governor of New York and the NY Republican political machine was looking to get him out of the way. Their bright idea - convince him to run as VP with McKinley! At the time the VP position was even more powerless than it is today and the Republicans saw this as a safe parking place for a progressive that was causing them no end of headaches. He was, in effect, kicked upstairs (but he apparently went willingly). Less than a year later (September 1901) McKinley was assasinated and Roosevelt ascended to what he gleefully described as his "bully pulpit"! And at the moment of exposure, a guy on the top floor of the Sheldon Building decides to look out the window, and draw a breath of not-so-fresh air. The wireless mastMore likely, that tower was part of a signal flag system operated by a newspaper, perhaps the Journal of Commerce or the Wall St Journal or, more likely, the World. Merchants on Wall Street needed to know when cargo vessels were approaching the port. There was a series of flag stations which stretched from lower Manhattan to Sandy and out on Long Island. This tower was probably on a newspaper building on Park/Newspaper Row. Brutally ugly?Huh? How about fascinating? There is so much variety and interest in this picture - different eras of building, signs, churches, spires, flags, open windows, residential next to commercial and on and on. I could look at it over and over and discover something new every time I did. What do you get with a modern cityscape - one boring glass box after another - no life to be seen half the time. "Bird's Eye" viewHere's a recent shot: http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=qsjqgh8tzb2m&st... (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Dynaflow Diplomacy: 1949
... headquarters at the Sperry Gyroscope industrial park on Long Island, along with its fleet of black Buick Super sedans. 35mm Kodachrome ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/28/2022 - 9:41pm -

Circa 1949. "United Nations, Lake Success, New York." The organization's temporary headquarters at the Sperry Gyroscope industrial park on Long Island, along with its fleet of black Buick Super sedans. 35mm Kodachrome transparency. View full size. StellarThis building is now the headquarters for Hain Celestial I believe that's my car you're inIn the movies, you can tell which black sedan belongs to which foreign minister by the little flags mounted over the headlights. Without the flags, how did the chauffeurs tell these cars apart? I know I'm not the only one who's ever walked up to the wrong car in a parking lot. But I was never on the verge of creating an international incident. No Dynaflows here [oops]In 1949, Supers equipped with the second year availability of its new automatic transmission had the word "Dynaflow" in script above the bright trim at the end of the rear quarter panels and also on each side of the trunk release. [All of these cars have a "Dynaflow" script on the rear fender. - Dave] (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Fifth Avenue: 1908
... was relocated to a still existing Vanderbilt house on Long Island. (The Gallery, NYC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 3:20pm -

New York circa 1908. "Fifth Avenue hotels north from 51st Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Ivy-covered walls at 51st and Fifth!That's Central Park up ahead, where the Plaza Hotel and Apple's all-night store now stand face to face. It looked so much nicer a century ago. That vehicle in the centerlooks like an armored car. [It's an electric taxicab. - Dave] +98Below is the same view from April of 2006. 1906 Fifth Avenue PostcardThis postcard in my family collection shows a similar, but earlier view of Fifth Avenue. GrandeurIt just looks to me as though life was so much richer and dignified then. I think a nation's architecture speaks a lot about the mindset of the people. That churchAny one know which church that is on the left. At first I thought it was St. Patrick's but St. Pats is behind to the right. A high point in Central ParkIf you look in the distance at Central Park, it looks like there is a small mountain there. Was there a hill that was excavated in the forming of the park? Vanderbilt RowIn the foreground on the left is the Vanderbilt double mansion built by William H. Vanderbilt at 640 Fifth Avenue for himself and two daughters. In 1908, Henry Clay Frick was in his third year of living there at a reported annual rental of $50,000. http://nyarc.org/content/vanderbilt%E2%80%99s-house-dreams You can see the surviving half of the house in 1933 surrounded by much taller neighbors in this classic Shorpy photo, next to what will become Rockefeller Center. https://www.shorpy.com/30-Rock It finally bit the dust in 1947. And right across 52d Street is the celebrated home of his second son William K Vanderbilt, which made it to the 1920s. So sad, bye byeI'm always a little shocked and saddened by the changes made by "progress" but this all really takes the cake. Everything appears to be gone and it all looked beautiful to my untrained eye. I've noticed that whenever I see cupolas or turrets in an old photo, you can almost bet that building will be gone. Speaking of which, my favorite building, the one just to the left with the very pointed peak, has two interesting items that I don't quite understand. One, the windows all look open, but way too "open" for this construction if you get my drift. And two, whats with the guy on the chimney? Houses of the VanderbiltsOn the left side of the avenue, we can see several houses belonging to the Vanderbilt family: First is a part of the double house (actually 3 houses) covering the whole block between 51st and 52nd Streets, built for William Henry Vanderbilt (son of the Commodore) and his two married daughters. These houses were designed by the decorating firm of Herter Brothers and built between 1879 and 1882. Next, at the northwest corner of 52nd Street, is the house designed by Richard Morris Hunt for William K. Vanderbilt (one of the Commodore's grandsons) and built in 1879-1882. This landmark of old New York was also known as the "Petit Chateau." I'm fairly certain that the smaller house right next to it was also built for a Vanderbilt, but I can't remember which one (!) The very last building visible on this side of the street, between 57th and 58th Streets, would be the Cornelius Vanderbilt II House, designed by George B. Post for another grandson of the Commodore. This last house was built in two phases, the first in 1881-1882 and the second in 1892-1894. Flue with a view Please tell me that that's a brave sweep taking in the view on his lunch break, and not a boring piece of statuary (to the left of the very Cinderella-looking turret)! Re: That churchThat's the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church http://www.fapc.org/our-church/history which still stands at 55th Street. St. Thomas Church at 53rdThere are actually two churches visible on the left side of Fifth Avenue - the first of which is the tower of St. Thomas Episcopal Church, at the northwest corner of Fifth Avenue and 53rd Street. The Church burned in early August 1905, but the tower reportedly survived. From this angle, in fact, it's difficult to see any fire damage; the facade of the front door of the church seems intact. Between 1907 and 1909, the City widened Fifth Avenue between 23rd and 47th Streets, by taking 7 1/2 feet from sidewalks on each side, but by July 1909 that project had not yet reached further north, to this area. 660 Fifth AvenueThe French Chateauesque mansion second block on the left is the William K. Vanderbilt house, designed by Richard Morris Hunt. I seem to remember from an episode of A&E's America's Castles that the statue was relocated to a still existing Vanderbilt house on Long Island. (The Gallery, NYC)
Ford Target Computor: 1922
... himself? Hannibal Ford The Ford Instrument Company, Long Island City, NY, was formed by Hannibal Ford in 1915. It built analog fire ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:38pm -

October 2, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Ford Target Computor. Capt. H.E. Ely." An electro-mechanical approach to the aiming of large artillery pieces. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Tech SupportAn analog trunk-line call to India was a spot of bother in 1922. Hello? Tech Support?"I've been holding for fifteen minutes ... Oh, wait, they're coming on now. Hello? Hello? Can you speak up please? You sound like you're in India or something. Yes, OK ... I was going along fine and then everything just froze and I got a message about an 'illegal operation.' Right. And now nothing works. Uh huh. You say I should ... restart the computor and that should take care of it? That's it? Wait, hello? Hello?" Model 1?As noted below, Hannibal C. Ford developed target computers for the U.S. Navy. It's odd that Capt. Ely in the photo seems to be an Army officer rather than Navy, because the first applications for target computers were for navies. The British developed the first one, the Dreyer Table and the Dumaresq, prior to World War I and used it during the war. Mr. Ford was somehow exposed to the British technology -- I forget the details of this but it's covered in a series of articles in Warship International magazine. But he also had his own original ideas, and the Ford computer was considerably smaller than the Dreyer Table and looked quite different. Inherently, in the battleship era, guns on ships required calculated aiming because both the firing and the target ship could be moving in different directions at different speeds, and the guns could often outrange the horizon from the point of view of deck level. A "gun director" on a tall tower could measure range and bearing with a powerful binocular range finder, and those measurements were transmitted to the computer mechanically or electrically. The computer then calculated the bearing and elevation at which the guns should fire to score a hit. In 1985, I attended the sea trials of the restored battleship Iowa. I saw the Ford range computer. It was a different model than the one in the photo, considerably larger, but it still had the clear cover (probably glass to begin with and Lexan when I saw it) seen in the photo. Underneath you could see a maze of gears and linkages, color coded, for maintenance I guess. It had its own room with electrical panels on the bulkheads. In the Wikipedia article it explains that the device weighed over a ton, but of course on a batteship that doesn't matter. There was no graph plotter as shown in the photo. Still unresolved is why the Army was interested in this device at a period when its artillery was normally attacking stationary targets from a stationary position. In 1922, could there have been research on antiaircraft fire direction? Possibly. Or maybe Mr. Ford was just covering all his possible customers. Related question: is the civilian in the background Mr. Ford himself? Hannibal FordThe Ford Instrument Company, Long Island City, NY, was formed by Hannibal Ford in 1915. It built analog fire control computers in the pre-electronic days. The company was later merged into the Sperry Corp. Dad's serviceMy father's stint in the Army during WWII (Battle of the Bulge, crossing of the Rhine and Ruhr) had him working as a "Computer" for anti-aircraft artillery. He used some kind of calculating device for aiming the big guns, but I have no idea what kind. I can't ask him because he's in Arlington now. Fire ControlA few months ago I toured the USS North Carolina battleship in Wilmington and saw the targeting command center. There are several large rooms completely full of enormous computers used to track enemy ships, planes, and also to properly guide missiles and guns. I'd say there were at least 30-40 of these massive vacuum-tube computers paired to walls of controls on either side. The level of complexity was amazing. Field ArtilleryWhen I was in the Army's Artillery School (mid 1970's) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma we had something called a FADAC (field artillery digital automatic computer) to aid in positioning artillery rounds on a target. Was this an early version of FADAC? The Forddid the same job -- providing aiming data for artillery -- but it was not digital like the FADAC. It was an electromechanical analog device. There were precisely machined gears and shafts driving dials/pointers either mechanically or by controlling variable rheostats to drive indicating voltmeter dials. Operators input data on the location of the target and the weapons, as well as factors like wind and temperature by setting voltages or turning shafts to certain angles. The operators then read off the firing data and transmitted it to the appropriate Fire Direction Center personnel who passed it on to the firing batteries. Manual FDCI was likewise in Fire Direction Control, trained at Fort Sill. Never saw a contraption like this while I was there, but we were taught how to find deflection and elevation for the artillery pieces using slide rules, while plotting targets on a grid board and finding range with a range/deflection protractor (RDP). This was in the early 1990's. Of course, once I left the training school I never used such manual devices again; nevertheless, every Marine Corps artillery FDC still packs the manual tools--RDP, chart board with plotting pins, slide rules and books--just in case the primary and backup computers fail. Where are the flippers?And how many points does it take to get a free game? I can't even light up the "special" bumper yet! Back to the Plotting BoardThe October 1923 issue of the Coast Artillery Journal has a report (starting on Page 349) on various mechanical fire-control devices including the Ford Target Computer and Ford Battery Computer, which were tested as replacements for manual plotting boards. Among the findings: a. They are complicated and frequently get out of working order. b. They require very expert operators who should be trained for several months. c. A trained mechanic is required for even minor repairs. d. They operate solely by electric power. e. Too much time is required for changing target and base line, and these operations require special skill. f. The azimuth dials are hard to read, resulting in frequent errors. ... i. They are noisy, making telephone conversation difficult in their vicinity. Tests indicate that the Ford Target Computer, operated by and under the supervision of the Ford Company's engineer, frequently failed and, when in working order, gave results little if any better, either in accuracy or time of operation, than might be expected from a properly designed manual plotting board at ranges which permit a scale of 300 yards to the inch, if the board be carefully adjusted and skillfully operated. It's interesting to note that fire control (i.e. "solving the range triangle" for the aiming of large artillery guns, which involves lots of trigonometry and a spot or two of calculus) was among the very earliest applications for digital computers in the 1940s. A Royal Inspection During World War 2 my mother was stationed on anti-aircraft batteries including one in Hyde Park, which was frequently visited by VIPs. This photo shows Queen Elizabeth (the "Queen Mum," in interesting boots!) inspecting the battery. To the right is a gunnery "predictor." It required two people to keep the target plane on cross-hairs in two sights on the top and lots of cogs, gears and electricity to do the sums of where to point the guns. It looks very like the M7 model described here. Ordnance CorpsWith reference to Captain Jack's question, Capt. Ely is wearing Ordnance Corps insignia, not Artillery, so I assume this was just an early procurement test of some sort. The Queen Mum's Boots - - -aren't boots at all, but galoshes. They kept our feet and shoes dry in wet weather. Oh oh, now I've given away how old I am. Yech. Ely of CantignyUpdate: Upon further inspection of the photo and considering the caption of "Capt.", it may be that the uniformed man in the photograph is Hanson Edward Ely, Jr., son of the "Ely of Cantigny." Both son and father (Major General Hanson Edward Ely, Sr.) are buried at Arlington Cemetery. Washington Post, Apr 30 1958 Gen. H.E. Ely Is Dead at 90 By Dorrie Davenport (Staff Reporter) Maj. Gen. Hanson Edward Ely, USA (ret.), known as "Ely of Cantigny" for his leadership of the 28th infantry which captured Cantigny on May 28, 1918 died Monday in Atlantic Beach, Fla. He was 90. He was one of the first officers sent abroad to study the Allies' trench fighting tactics and was later made chief of staff of the First Division Repeated requests for troop duty gave him command of the 28th Infantry and his leadership in the Battle of Cantigny convinced European doubters of the fighting qualities of American soldiers. Raised to brigadier general, he was head of the Second Brigade of the Second Division when the Americans captured Vierzey, near Soissons, in July 18, 1918. In order to direct the attack personally, Gen. Ely attempted to enter Vierzey before it was cleared of the enemy. Fired on at short range by machine guns, he attacked and enabled his men to take the town despite strong resistance by vastly superior numbers. Gen. Ely was cited for "indomitable bravery, disregard for his own safety and devotion to his men." During the battle of Vierzey, his troops took more than 7000 prisoners. It was "Ely of Cantigny" who, in command of the Fifth Division and promoted to major general, achieved what has been hailed as one of the outstanding major exploits of the Army Expeditionary Force when it forced its way across the Meuse at Dun-sur-Meuse. Gen. John J. Pershing wrote that "this operation was one of the most brilliant feats in the history of the American Army in France." Years before his World War I exploits, he had been given a silver star for "gallantry in action against insurgent forces at Taliahan River, Luzon, Phillippine Islands, March 25, 1899." When soon afterwards Gen. Frederick Funston formed his celebrated mounted scout unit, Hanson Ely was listed as its commander. His 44 years in the Army included serving as a lieutenant in the Spanish American War. Considered one of the most forceful figures in military service, he was considered as a leading authority on modern tactic and battle leadership. After World War I, he reverted to his permanent grade of colonel but Congress, in 1921, endorsed his appointment as brigadier general and his promotion in 1932 to major general. ... Army coastal artilleryIt's odd that Capt. Ely in the photo seems to be an Army officer rather than Navy Coastal artillery was an Army responsibility. For example, Army Fort MacArthur (named for Douglas MacArthur's father) protected Los Angeles harbor. The big concrete emplacements are still there, for guns up to 16". In the 50s the guns were replaced with Nike nuclear missiles. The Fort MacArthur Museum web site has more fun facts. The 14" batteries look like baseball diamonds from above. View Larger Map (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Margaret Severn: 1923
July 16, 1923. Long Island, New York. "Severn, Margaret, Miss." The dancer Margaret Severn ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/03/2021 - 2:29pm -

July 16, 1923. Long Island, New York. "Severn, Margaret, Miss." The dancer Margaret Severn (1901-1997). 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Arnold Genthe. View full size. And the Ys have itNice touch, ShorpY. Pushing the limits for 1923, perhapsStay out of the water. Y m c a StrangeIn addition to Arnold Genthe's weird hen scratching on negatives, he had strange poses for his subjects. Playboy 1920sGenthe could have been the Hugh Hefner of the '20s. Some of his photos of dancers (or men and women posing as dancers/actors) are delightfully risque. My first thoughtShe looks like a hood ornament for a fine car. Female Version ...... of the Shorpy Rowers photos? Movies TooMotion Pictures of the pre-1930s were not shy to be daring as far as nudity or suggestive posture. The 'Hayes Office' (of moral purity) put an end to that when it was thought to have gone too far. Welcome to the era of erotic censorship. StunningAbsolutely gorgeous photo (and subject). It's a shame that a famous star of a century ago barely earns three sentences on Wikipedia, but it's a reminder that we are all destined to fade from memory. Melancholy blog comments aside, here's a fascinating article (with many photographs) about Ms. Severn. (The Gallery, Arnold Genthe, Dance, Pretty Girls)
Keg Run: 1943
... sold exclusively by the John Water DeSoto Dealership in Long Island City in the Borough of Queens. A story that I heard many years ago ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/08/2013 - 1:31pm -

March 1943. "Beer truck on 44th 39th Street and Sixth Avenue." Just turn right at the Sandwich Shanty. Another truck shot by John Vachon. View full size. Labor Stage, or Princess TheaterThe caption says 44th St, but the street sign on the left says 39th, home of the Labor Stage. [Caption amended, 70 years after the fact. Better late than never! - Dave] Roll out the barrelHaving spent my first 22 years in the northeast and being a Polish child in the 1940s & 50's, Sundays were the day that we were forced to listen to polkas on the radio from after church in the morning until about 2 or 3 in the afternoon, (and yes, we did have roast chicken most Sundays-I can even smell it now). I remember particularly the Victor and Sophie Zambroski show in Ct. that went on for hours and they must have played every polka ever written although they all sounded alike to me. Anyhoo, the exposure made us use our imagination (as radio people did) as they all had lyrics in English and so in our minds it was like our own individual mental "hit parade" envisioning how each song would be acted out. The beer barrel polka reminded me of a massive Polish party with the men rolling out ongoing parades of beer kegs, ladies dancing polkas together (since the men did not) and kids just having a riotous good time being crazy and eating themselves to regurgitation. In this picture, with the loosely-packed beer barrels, if those top rows started rolling off, the people getting hit with them would not find it at all enjoyable as I had imagined. Therefore this picture, once and for all, tells me I should re-imagine my childhood fantasies since rolling out barrels may have serious consequences. Sorry to ramble so much, it is a slow day. Traffic JamThen and now. A few of the original buildings have survived. Traffic patternsUnlike the time of the photo, W 39th Street is now only a left turn from 6th Ave which hasn't carried 2-way traffic in decades. The site of the two shorter buildings is now a Residence Inn. The next 2 buildings down 39th are still there. That taxilooks like the famous yellow cab that was in many many movies and ended up at the U.S. pavilion in Montreal at EXPO 67. Movie buffs will have seen that cab in many movies from the 1940's to the 1950's, where is it now? Trommer'sA little bit of history: http://www.rustycans.com/COM/month0405.html Wartime CounterespionageThe caption could have been intentionally misidentified to help protect the nation's wartime supply of Trommer's Beer & Ale. Trommers of BrooklynTrommers Brewery was just outside the gates of Evergreen Cemetery in Brooklyn. (They had a second brewery in Orange NJ) Famous for their all malt beer, (no corn sugar used in the conditioning.) They would be the vicitms of the brewery strike of 1949, when their chemists were locked out of the brewery and their yeast strain died. It was said to never taste the same again. Wooden barrels in 1943, steel kegs came in after prohibition, but if they used steel, they were sent to the scrap metal drives for the war effort, although they may not have made the change yet. (Rheingold in Brooklyn was using wood kegs in '43.) There was such a shortage of beer kegs after prohibition that beer was imported from Germany, and the kegs were part of the deal. There's a new Marriott Hotel on that far corner now. Not since 1957Like most odd numbered Manhattan streets, 39th is one-way westbound. As far as I know it's always been that way. The beer truck therefore must be heading southbound on Sixth Avenue, which would have become impossible 14 years after the picture's date when Sixth Avenue became one-way northbound. The building with the mansard roof on the corner of Sixth and 39th is gone now, as is the building next to it with the Labor Stage sign; the Marriott Residence Inn now occupies the site. The building across 39th housing the Sandwich Shanty also is history. Still around, however, are the two buildings on 39th to the right of the Labor Stage building. The first one is 108 W. 39th, built in 1928, while the second, lighter-colored one is part of a much larger building with the address of 1400 Broadway. Two other vehicles from the good old days . . .Taxicab looks to be a Dodge (or at least a Chrysler product) of early 40's vintage with skylight - likely with leather upholstery as required by the City of New York for ease of clean-up. In front of the taxi appears to be a coal delivery truck, my guess a Mack AC Bulldog with chain drive - that chassis saw service during WWI. I was born that year, and all those vehicles were still in service well into the 1950's. When Cabs had Legroom!Back when taxis had rear legroom to spare! There are probably even a couple of jump seats in that Chrysler taxicab. Calling That CabI agree that the taxi is a Chrysler product, specifically a 1941 DeSoto, both per the design of the taillights and the front trim, as well as the fact that DeSotos were THE most popular make for American big-city taxicabs in the 1940s. Their Chrysler, Dodge, and even Plymouth siblings were very similar mechanically and in body style at the time, but DeSoto got the nod from the cab companies the most often. Watch for the preponderance of DeSoto taxis in photos and movies from the 1940's. Trommer's Evergreen BreweryTrommer's advertisements from 1915, 1913 and 1909. Oh, the history ..."I remember particularly the Victor and Sophie Zambroski show in Ct. that went on for hours" Victor Zembruski and his teenaged bride Sophie started "Polka Time" (later renamed the "Polish Eagle Show") on WATR 1320-AM in Waterbury, Connecticut all the way back in 1934. Victor became ill and retired in the late 1960's, but Sophie carried on as sole host. Sophie herself retired, and handed the show over to her and Victor's daughter ... in 2008. That is not a mistake. Sophie hosted the same radio show for SIXTY FOUR years. She died in 2010, aged 92. The Bronx Is Up And The Battery's DownIt's hard to tell, but I believe the cab is a DeSoto Skyview. Betty Garrett drove one in the movie "On The Town" with Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. These taxis had a moonroof that opened allowed the passengers to see the NYC skyline. They were sold exclusively by the John Water DeSoto Dealership in Long Island City in the Borough of Queens. A story that I heard many years ago that Water was Walter Chrysler's Son-In-Law but could never confirm it. Coal truckThats a coal truck in front of the Chrysler taxi. I grew up in Great Neck NY and the apartment building in which we lived was heated by a coal fired furnace. The delivery man would put the coal chute through a basement window, then the super had to move the coal to the furnace which was on the other side of the building one wheel barrow at a time. I look back at that and realize he must have spent most of his time feeding that furnace, and that must be why he smelled like coal! Thank you PeterMy heartfelt appreciation goes out to commenter Peter who added to "the rest of the story" with his update on the Zembruski family in Ct. I never dreamed they were still on the air there and that Sophie worked on the radio until 2008, when she was 90. It is so good to know that a familiar childhood radio show and family name are still playing that happy music as they did 69 years ago. That is quite a remarkable eye-opener and I had no idea it still exists, even now, when almost everything else about my childhood has become extinct, obsolete and long-gone. Thanks again Peter. Re: DeSotoI am glad to defer to the posters who identified the taxi as a DeSoto, and also thanx to Mr Mel for indentifying the dealership that sold them. As for the coal delivery truck, our house in East New York in Brooklyn took coal directly to a coal bin within shoveling distance of the furnace - this continued until the conversion to oil late 40's/early 50's. This is a great site, especially for the camaraderie among the posters, and Dave and tterrace, as well! Trucks & CabsThe Trommer's truck is a 1936 or early series 1937 Federal. There appears to be a lantern or some other object between the left front fender and the side of the hood. It looks like the truck body has an access hatch to the bed so (un)loading could take place or a ramp could be attached. If this door is used for unloading, it could be a pretty dangerous way to remove kegs that could roll easily. The truck number by the door looks like number 346, but the back of the truck shows this is be truck 187. The cab is a 1941 DeSoto SkyView, probably a model S-8, modified by Mr. Waters. Printed on and above the passenger door the words "DeSoto SkyView." It looks like there is a NY city cab/hack medallion attached in front of the front passenger side door. Unfortunately Mr. Waters drowned in his pool in May 1941. Ironically a short biography of him was featured in the April 7, 1941 issue of Time Magazine. Here is an excellent article and photos of Waters' automobiles. +71Below is the same view from September of 2014. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, NYC)
Jamaica Avenue El: 1944
... was fought right there in Brooklyn (called the Battle of Long Island IIRC). Whodathunkit? Just a few blocks west of the photo is Jamaica Station, the main hub of the Long Island Rail Road. Due south a few miles is JFK Airport, of which Shorpy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/06/2013 - 5:40pm -

Nov. 5, 1944. "Jamaica Avenue, Queens, New York. Carl A. Vollmer, City Planning Commission, clients." The intersection with 165th Street. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Everything is still thereWell, not the el, but all the visible buildings (with some cosmetic changes) seem to still be there: View Larger Map An unfortunate historyAs the 1970's began Jamaica Avenue was the center of a thriving shopping and commercial district. Although the merchants had done well for themselves catering to a largely working-class clientele, they had ambitions of attracting more upscale shoppers. For that to happen, they believed that the unsightly old elevated line had to go, and brought considerable pressure upon the Transit Authority to have it demolished. Officials with the city and the Transit Authority warned the merchants that the Archer Avenue subway, the Jamaica Avenue El's replacement, would not be ready for many years. They pointed out that most of the people who patronized the Jamaica Avenue stores used the El, and without convenient transit might go elsewhere. The merchants were adamant, and the Transit Authority finally gave into their demands and demolished the El in 1977. The merchants were right, as this definitely improved Jamaica Avenue's appearance and made it look much more upscale. Unfortunately, in the 11 years that Jamaica Avenue was left without transit access, most of the shoppers indeed had gone elsewhere, and many of the area's merchants had gone out of business - including, in a bit of cosmic justice, most of those that had lobbied the strongest for the El's premature destruction. Loew’s Valencia movie palaceScouting New York just did a wonderful post about it: http://www.scoutingny.com/?p=6288 Jamaica The Station Not the NationThere is a lot of history in that area. Jamaica was one of the original Dutch settlements in New York (nee Amsterdam), settled in the 1600's. Not far from where this picture was taken is where the British flanked General Washington's troops by surprise early in the Revolutionary War. There is an east-west ridge about a half mile or so north of, and parallel to Jamaica Avenue. British scouts, allegedly aided by a Tory sympathizer, found a pass to the east of Washington's main body of troops that was undefended (because the small number of Continentals assigned to guard it were sleeping/drunk/AWOL/bribed, depending on which anecdote you believe). The British quietly flooded through the pass and caught Washington off-guard. Washington beat a miraculous retreat (first of many miraculous retreats he pulled off during the war) from what is now Queens County (part of present-day NYC), across Maspeth Creek (first in the serious of miraculous water crossings Washington pulled off: East River, Hudson (then called "North") River, and of course the famous Delaware River crossing) into what is now Brooklyn (also part of present-day NYC). IIRC, between the retreats from Queens to Brooklyn, and then Brooklyn to Turtle Bay, Manhattan (present-day site of the United Nations), the largest set piece battle of the war was fought right there in Brooklyn (called the Battle of Long Island IIRC). Whodathunkit? Just a few blocks west of the photo is Jamaica Station, the main hub of the Long Island Rail Road. Due south a few miles is JFK Airport, of which Shorpy has featured several recent photos when it was still called Idlewild. 89-71 165 Street, Jamaica, NY, 11432I believe the photo is of Jamaica Avenue near 165th Street. The first business that I was ever personally involved in was a storefront at the above address. It was Uneeda Home Appliances, the firm that my brother and his brother-in-law were involved in. We opened the the Jamaica store in, I'm guessing now, 1962. There was a Macy's store at the corner of 165th Street and Highland Avenue and that was the anchor retail operation in the neighborhood. The ethnic make up of the area was changing and we accommodated it as best we could. The area, at one point became unsafe, our business suffered and we had to close. I am in Palm Desert, California for the winter. I believe somewhere in my NYC home I have a picture of the storefront, taken by an itinerant photographer and I'll try to find and post in when I get home sometime in April. 165th & JamaicaThat's a very familiar location - 165th St & Jamaica Ave, looking northeast. The Loew's theater is the Valencia, the fanciest of about 5 movie houses in downtown Jamaica. It had only a narrow frontage on Jamaica Ave, and a long corridor back to the theater. You can see the upper part of the theater above the "Loans" sign. Inside, it had stars and clouds projected on the ceiling, looking like you were outdoors, and all around there were Spanish-looking building facades. I believe it belongs to a school now. Just out of the picture to the right, on the southeast corner was a building that had a lunch room on the ground floor, the BMT turnstiles on the 2nd floor, the crew room on the 3rd and the interlocking tower on to top. This was the west end of the 168th St station, which was the end of the line. The structure was built to have 3 through tracks, and would have hand outside platforms if the line were extended further, but since this was the terminal, they built a wooden center platform on the steel for the middle track. In 1944, streetcars of the Jamaica Ave and Metropolitan Ave lines still ran here, ending a couple of blocks further east at 168th St. (in 1903, the el train ran on the street tracks, for 8 months). Both the el and the streetcars are gone now. The Q-44 bus from the Bronx makes a left turn here, coming from behind the camera and going up 165 St, to stop at the end of the block, in front of the Long Island Bus Terminal where all the routes of the North Shore's (and now the TA Queens Bus Division) Jamaica district stopped. the Q44, as a Flushing-based route did not go in to the terminal, but terminated in front of it. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC, Railroads)
Roundhouse: 1943
... Back 'er right in! I work in a roundhouse on the Long Island R.R. We bring the diesels in either way, depending on the work ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2009 - 10:42pm -

March 1943. "San Bernardino, California. Engines at the roundhouse." Nitrate negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Steam DreamsAn epic shot from the glorious, but already waning, days of steam. Don't miss the engineer & fireman peering back from the cab of the steamed-up engine at foreground left. Labor intensiveThis great photo really points up the fact that railroading pre-diesel, pre-intermodal, was highly labor intensive. The picture teems with "workin' men." We had a roundhouse and steam engine repair facility in our town back in the early part of the 20th Century, on the CNW, that employed thousands and kept our population near 5,000. In the Year of Our Lord 2009, the population is 2,850. Now, we are a "division point" on the Union Pacific mainline, but we're not teeming with "workin' men!" Even the cabooses are gone. WorkingThis is a photo of a roundhouse where real work is being done. So many photos of roundhouses have the locomotives "facing" out - headlights and the front of the boilers facing the camera, not unlike a class picture - but of course at a roundhouse you can't service a locomotive facing in that direction. There's no space to work around it and and the servicing pits don't wouldn't be in the right position. In my days of reading model railroading magazines I read stories from real railroad old-timers who talked about those photos and how disruptive they were to actually getting work done because it would take hours to turn the locomotives to the desired position get the photo and then turn them back the way they were supposed to be. Back 'er right in!I work in a roundhouse on the Long Island R.R. We bring the diesels in either way, depending on the work being done. LaborI can find 16 railwaymen in this photo Circular logicMy dad used to quote a vaudeville line, involving someone trying to escape from the police: "Head for the roundhouse, Harry! They can't corner you there!" He also used to say to me, "Stop yelling through the screen door, son. You're only straining your voice." A laff riot, my Dad was. The RoundhouseThe photos you see of steam locomotives facing out on the outside "garden" tracks are usually those that have already been serviced. Engines on the inbound lead get fueled, watered, sanded, and usually washed before heading inside for inspection and light repairs. Some, but not all, roundhouses have inspection pits on all inside tracks and are usually configured for the engine to be facing out toward the roundhouse wall and the tender toward the turntable. Of course, the engines are moved and turned as needed, and there may be special stalls for certain jobs. After servicing, the engines are lined up on the outbound lead if needed soon or stored on garden tracks. That is the usual procedure. I am among the youngest Americans to have witnessed steam in the late 1950's on the UP, NP, GN, and CP. In the early 1970's I saw lots of steam on the Deutsch Bundesbahn when I was stationed in southern Germany. 1943 was not the waning days of steam. The Santa Fe was not only buying diesels, but they were still buying new steam into 1943-44. The last year for ATSF steam in wide service was 1953. There was peak season steam freight and helper service in 1954-55 and helper service in NM in 1956-57. Notice the oil columns in the foreground: all the steam here is oil rather than coal-burning. Santa Fe Despite the presence of Union Pacific locomotives, this is actually the Santa Fe Railway's roundhouse in San Bernardino. The locomotives with numbers on the backs and sides are Santa Fe locomotives, as they were typically marked back then. The turntable design matches Santa Fe turntables in Barstow and Bakersfield. Union Pacific connected to Los Angeles via a trackage rights agreement with the Santa Fe, and engines were serviced at Santa Fe facilities. In my book "Decade of the Trains" there are three pictures of this same facility, at least two of which must have been taken on the same day by the same photographer. Santa Fe SteamA decade later in 1953 Santa Fe stopped using steam locomotives in favor of diesel locomotives and never looked back (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Darken My Door: 1943
... the War, but the house we moved into on New York's Long island in the late 40s had opaque dark green roller-type window shades ... years old, I remember very well the blackouts we had on Long Island. The roll-up shades on the windows were a very dark and opaque ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/04/2013 - 5:27pm -

Circa 1943. "Civilian defense in the United States. Blackout measures." For the especially conscientious. Office of War Information. View full size. Don't worryThose venetian blinds are pointing down, no Axis bombers will see that. Whew!Thanks for the explanation! I thought this was the next step in the ongoing card party those three ladies are having. Another door?I really hope she has another way out of the house in case of an emergency. That black electrical tape is going to ruin the paint, her husband is gonna be tee'd off. CounterpoductiveHow do you use that door as a door once you have taped it shut? Re-tape it every time after you opened and closed it again? The Sticky Tape Administration must have provided a major supply for each and every household. The way I have seen it in movies (European theatre, Axis side), tape was not used to seal doors and windows around the edges. After all, they were resting in frames anyway. Light has a hard time to go around a corner. However, they did use tape (if available) to put in on the panes, to make the glass more resistent against airblasts, at least if the bombs went off at some distance. And even that was only an X on each pane. For blackout you used heavy drapes (if available), and otherwise you would put blankets over your windows during the night. Less frequently used windows (such as in basements) would have had something permanently nailed on, or else have been painted over. Block WardenDuring the war my Grandfather was a block warden in Berkeley Ca. Various neighborhoods and areas had people assigned to check for any stray light leaks at night. Re: Heavy DrapesI'm not quite old enough to remember the War, but the house we moved into on New York's Long island in the late 40s had opaque dark green roller-type window shades left over from the blackout. Blackouts on L.I.Although only five years old, I remember very well the blackouts we had on Long Island. The roll-up shades on the windows were a very dark and opaque green, and if you heard the siren, the lights were turned down, if there was any light showing outside, you could expect a knock on the door from the Air Raid Warden. Dad had put black tape on the upper half of the auto headlights. All of this no doubt due to the close proximity of the defense plants scattered all over the island. Grumman Aircraft, Republic Aviation, Mitchel Field, Liberty Aircraft, The Brooklyn Navy yard, and all their supporting manufactories, to name just a few. Real deal The threat from bombers may have been theoretical, but German U-boats did sink a lot of merchant ships off the American coast after Pearl Harbor, many of them silhouetted against the lights of the eastern seaboard. Sitting Pretty On The SinkOne of my first memories was an air raid drill about 1943. I was sitting on the drainboard of our kitchen sink (pronunced zink in my neck of the woods) as Mom gave me a bath while in the far distance was the wail of the sirens and in the near distance was the scurrying of my father and older sister making sure all lights were out. My next memory came a few years later where I can see myself riding a tricycle on Elmora Avenue shouting, "The war is over! The war is over!" I didn't have a clue as to what war was over and was probably hoping the sirens would sing tonight and make everybody turn off the lights. (The Gallery, WW2)
Iron Horse: 1923
... 'round! I work at the Morris Park facility of the Long Island RR. The place dates to the late 1800's and yes we still have a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 2:56pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1923. "Bethlehem Steel -- Washington Terminal Co." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. USRA switcherThis is a USRA (United States Railroad Administration) standard design from World War I. Still available as a model. Really CleanDid they give the turntable operators shack a coat of paint just for this photo? The gravel area in the foreground looks to have been groomed for the photo too. In today's world I would expect to see a lot of clutter and trash. [It looks fresh because it's new. - Dave] Word ChoicesWhat's an "iron" horse doing in a steelyard? [The yard is Union Station in Washington. - Dave] Dressed for the job!Love how the fireman is dressed with overalls and and a bowtie! People took their jobs seriously back then. Spot the signExcellent venue to advertise Coca-Cola! Spinning on the big wheelLove the train photos - thanks Dave. Did a little looking around - this is probably one of 255 0-6-0 switcher locomotives built to USRA specifications starting in 1916. Washington Terminal received three. The man in the loco driving seat is most likely not the engineer, but the hostler who moved locomotives at roundhouse turntables. Looks like a roundhouseDo railroads still use those? Can't say as I've ever seen one. [A roundhouse is a building. This is a turntable -- what would be in a roundhouse. - Dave] Ah! I have a turntable in the entertainment room but I can't fit a steam engine on it. It only plays records. Anyone remember what a 'record' is? Bethlehem is the brandThis is obviously a shiny, new turntable; it doesn't show any dirt, let alone grease or rust.The pit looks like newly-cured concrete. WT's number 34 may well be the first hog to ride this table. This table is electric powered; note the power source above the center of the bridge. The mechanism is under the operator's cabin. Washington Terminal has had at least two turntables in modern times, and I'm trying to figure out which this is. One was located at Ivy City, site of WT's engine facility; the second is almost under the station trainshed. I'm betting this is the latter, though it looks quite different without the former Railroad Express building which would be along the background today. Oh, this is likely a Bethlehem Steel turntable, and Washington Terminal is today operated by Amtrak. [Washington Terminal was the company that owned and operated Union Station. Bethlehem Steel was the client that commissioned the photo. - Dave] Put them on the pitTurntables have long been a thing of the past, as is the routine need to turn an engine. As a practical matter, steam locomotives usually only ran nose first, which frequently required a locomotive to be "turned" before being sent down the main. (An exception was the B & O practice of running their locomotives backward through tunnels out east, to spare the head-end crew the effects of breathing trapped engine smoke.) Most power consists today have engines on each end facing opposite directions, so no matter what the assignment, a controlling engine will be "first out," pointed forward. In the rare event a engine needs to be turned, they're usually passed through a wye. Not insideDave, the turntable wouldn't be inside the roundhouse. Picture a roundhouse as part of a circle (an arc at the perimeter of a circle). The turntable would be located at the center point of the circle. [In other words, "in the roundhouse." The same way football players play "in a stadium." The roundhouse includes the turntable, which can be covered or not. - Dave] Washington Terminal OperationsI would guess this photo was taken at the Ivy City yards looking eastward. The rise in the background could either be Brentwood or Mt. Olivet. Dave, not all turntables were located inside roundhouses. Often the roundhouse circled around the turntable but the turntable itself was not covered. An example is the still-functioning roundhouse and turntable at the Steamtown National Historic Site, Scranton Pa. [The turntable is in the roundhouse. The roundhouse goes around the turntable. Moving right along. - Dave] Was this a turntable solely for "heading" engines or is the photo taken after the first stage of a construction project which would see a new roundhouse and radiating tracks added around this turntable? Washington Post, Jan 13, 1947. ‘Fire-Knocker Horses’ Have Hefty Job at D.C. Roundhouse. The Washington Terminal roundhouse here abounds in “fire-knocker horses,” and if you find that confusing, you should visit the place. Located near 12th and New York ave. ne., it is a lustly, bustling, smoke-ridden place where whistles hoot and the smell and sound of railroading is in the air. With the greatest of ease they are currently giving some 200 locomotives a “going over” daily, and during the holiday season the upper the ante by about 40. That means they are often shunting the big engines out every few minutes, ready to highball over the hills and far away. Boucher Explains ‘Huffin’ and Puffin’’ Edward F. Boucher, who bosses the place, a railroader for 42 years, and there since the place opened on November 11, 1907, yesterday explained what the Huffin’ and Puffin’ was all about. First you must realize that when a train comes into the city, whether from the Pennsylvania, Baltimore & Ohio, the Southern, the Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac of the Chesapeake & Ohio, after the passengers are unloaded, the engineer still has a few chores to do. And, incidently, he isn't really an engineer, says Boucher, but an “engiineman,” pronounced “in-jine-man,” not to be confused with either the “inside” or “outside hosteler.” The big locomotive rolls from Union Station northwards, passing through the “T street coach yards” to the “Ivy City Engine House Yards,” near the roundhouse. First Stop is at Inspection Pits First stop is at the “inspection pits” where four inspectors clamber aboard. The “in-jine-man,” fills out a form telling any defects he may know about which developed during his trip, then he checks out. As required by law, the inspectors mark other items that need to be fixed on the same form. Boucher says that almost all the locomotives need some “running repairs” when they come in, tightening up and so on. Others need major overhauls from time to time. With an “outside hosteler” at the throttle, the engine moves from the inspection pits down to the “fire tracks” where the “fire knocker horses” take over. These oddly named men, in the case of steam engines, “clean or draw” the fire. When a fire is “drawn” it is “knocked out,” and when it is “cleaned,” it is about the same as cleaning your own furnace. Horses Put on Coal by Gravity All this goes on over what is called the “ash pits.” Next stop is the “coal wharf,” where the “fire knocker horses” put on an average of six of seven tons of coal aboard the locomotive by a gravity device which does the job in about five minutes. The “coal wharf” itself holds 1200 tons. The tanks are willed with water, anywhere from 8000 to 20,000 gallons, and the locomotive then moves to the turn-table where an “inside hosteler” takes over to move into one of the “engine pits” in an engine house. Actually there are two turn-tables, each 100 feet long and capable of supporting 300 tons, which take the locomotive aboard and spin it in the direction necessary for it to enter the proper “engine pit” in the roundhouse. 25 Engine Pits in Each Roundhouse The roundhouse itself is divided into two parts, the East roundhouse and the West roundhouse, each with 25 engine pits. Around 400 men, representing every trade and some special ones, like a “rod cup man,” work there. Inside the roundhouse the giant engines are very much like an automobile over a grease-pit. There they are lubricated and repairs are made. Once repaired and marked up as “ready for a run,” the engine moves out of the roundhouse, on to the turntable, where it is “headed” and placed on a “ready track,” from which it goes back up the yards to where its train is being made up. Electric trains follow the same general principles. However, because they may operate from either end, there is no need for them to visit the roundhouse, except in the case of major repairs. Still goin' 'round!I work at the Morris Park facility of the Long Island RR. The place dates to the late 1800's and yes we still have a turntable and a roundhouse, both in regular use. Lots of PRR influence in this TT. There are lots of Pennsylvania Railroad influence on this brand new turntable. Notice the PRR standard 2 pipe railing stanchions, and the power arch. I love the PRR standard yard lamps with the ? shaped mounts. The switcher may be USRA but it has a PRR headlight and tender lamp. Maybe someone can research this and see if it was carried on the PRR roster as a leased unit. Not surprising. The PRR was one of the owning roads that shared the WT. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Railroads)
Mlles de Mer: 1920s
... Shore, Long Beach is one of the only two communities on Long Island that's an actual incorporated municipality. All other communities ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2014 - 11:13am -

Circa 1920s. "Man building sand castle and two unidentified women. Long Beach, New York." 4x5 nitrate negative by Arnold Genthe. View full size. West SideA boardwalk has run along most of Long Beach's shoreline for the past 100 years. As there's no boardwalk here, the picture probably was taken on the west side of town near Atlantic Beach, where there's a boardwalk-less stretch of shoreline. The far east side of Long Beach also lacks a boardwalk, but I don't believe that area would have been developed back in 1925. City lore has it that circus elephants were used as beasts of burden in the construction of the boardwalk. Alas, that isn't quite true; the developer in charge of construction had some elephants paraded to the worksite, but there's no evidence that the pachyderms did any actual work. New York's zealously turf-protecting construction unions wouldn't have allowed it. Trivia: along with Glen Cove on the North Shore, Long Beach is one of the only two communities on Long Island that's an actual incorporated municipality. All other communities are unincorporated parts of much larger townships. CrystallizeLong Beach's most famous former Citizen is Comedian Billy Crystal. His Broadway Show "700 Sundays" is mostly about his growing up in Long Beach. The City Of Long Beach took a big hit from Hurricane Sandy and Billy played a large part in its rehabilitation. ObliviousEither this guy has very poor peripheral vision or he really just isn't interested in all that pulchritude. (The Gallery, Arnold Genthe, Swimming)
Television Screen: 1950
... was still operating as a division of Unitronics Corp. of Long Island City. It probably disappeared the following year when Unitronics ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/16/2013 - 9:26am -

July 12, 1950. "Hilda Kassell, East 53rd Street, New York City. Father reading newspaper, two children viewing television." The test-pattern tone is especially hypnotic this morning. Photo by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Multiple photosOther Gottscho-Schleisner photos relating to Hilda Kassell can be found online. There's one from about this same time showing her nursing her baby in front of this window, one from 1948 of what I would presume was her former residence at 50 East 10th Street, and an undated interior view of what may be her country house in Croton, New York. As there also are some references to photos by her, my best guess is that she worked for Gottscho-Schleisner or at least was associated with the company in some way. Hence their interest in her domestic life. [Hilda Kassell was the designer whose business commissioned these photos. The people in them are models; the grander homes are those of her clients. -Dave] Test Pattern IndianWe got our first TV in 1951 when I was 3 or 4 years old. I remember spending a lot of time staring at the Test Pattern Indian, and even at that early age wondering what the hell an Indian was doing in our TV, and when was he going to DO something. Maybe I really WAS hypnotized by the tone. I Would Title This "Waiting for Howdy Doody" It's all relativeCompared to nothing-zip-nada, a test pattern was interesting, if only because it indicated that the set was ready to erupt into entertainment when programming began (usually, late afternoon). And it was our technological friend, enabling the painstaking setting of horizontal and vertical hold, contrast, brightness, and whatever quality brings about absence of "snow," all before Buffalo Bob and Howdy appeared. Did everyonehave a ship and brass baby shoes on top of the TV in the early 50's? I know we did. Good QuestionWonder why the Indian head shot was used. It seems fairly universal, but why? [A story about the original artwork and its survival is here. -tterrace] Thanks, wonder why the fellow in '38 made that choice. Just because? Line definition quality? Thanks again. Attention SpanAnd so it begins. The dumbing down of our children. There really is nothing on TVIn this case, not only are the kids staring at a test pattern, they're staring at a fuzzy test pattern. At first I thought this was because WJZ is a Baltimore station, but in 1950, it was the ABC flagship station in New York. Blank StaresThere's nothing quite like pretending to read the morning paper while the kids pretend to watch TV. $419.95Looks like a Zenith, Lexington model without cabinet doors. Cost is four weeks pay for the average factory worker in 1950. [It's an Olympic. -tterrace] Olympic Radio & Televisionwas a trademark of Hamilton Radio Corp., established NYC 1941. Hamilton purchased the Olympic trademark from American Bosch Radio the same year. In 1956 Olympic Radio & Television was still operating as a division of Unitronics Corp. of Long Island City. It probably disappeared the following year when Unitronics was absorbed by Siegler, which then merged with Lear Inc. Step UpOlympic was a recognized radio brand in the 1960s. Its TV line was strictly promotional. The attached ad shows a Radio/TV/Phono combo that probably sold in the $300-$400 price range. A comparable Magnavox unit sold for 2 to 3 times as much. Sitting that CloseI was a child in the late 1960s. Whenever I would watch television my parents always supervised me because they wanted to ensure that I didn't sit too close to the set. They were convinced sitting too close to the television would cause me to develope leukemia or it would ruin my eyesight. The first thought I had, when I looked at this photograph was the sound of my mother's voice "Don't sit so close to the TV!" By the time I was 16 years old, I did have to start wearing glasses which gave my parents an "I told you so." moment. They were convinced that my lazy eye was a result of sitting too close to the tv when I watched Captain Kangaroo as a four year old. The Ultimate Home Theatre!It's got both a small screen AND a big screen (for Dad to hide behind)! Subway foldDad - or the model playing dad - is probably a regular subway rider. That's the NY subway fold that I learned from my father. When you're on a crowded train, there isn't room to open the paper all the way. So you fold the pages in half lengthwise. PatternI hated daytime TV in the '50s. You'd be home sick from school and all that was on would be soaps and Queen for a Day. You'd be lying there bored to death with onions that your Mom put in your socks, I have no idea what they were supposed to cure but Mom must have known. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Kids, NYC, TV)
Toyland: 1951
December 1, 1951. "Shopping center, Great Neck, Long Island, New York. Wanamaker's. Lathrop Douglass, architect." A toy display ... just shopping; people were more formal then. I grew up on Long Island and 1951 I had just turned six. My family didn't go to Great Neck, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/20/2013 - 12:28pm -

December 1, 1951. "Shopping center, Great Neck, Long Island, New York. Wanamaker's. Lathrop Douglass, architect." A toy display and its audience of tots. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. No blue jeans, no baggy pantsEveryone is well dressed even though they're just shopping; people were more formal then. I grew up on Long Island and 1951 I had just turned six. My family didn't go to Great Neck, we did our shopping in Hempstead (until Roosevelt Field opened in the later 50s). Kid Kare That poor little fellow on the far left in his father's arms could have been me since I was born in 1948 but that's not my father. My mother had me all "snoogled" up in a snow suit like that when the outside temperature was under 94 in the shade. Depression girls out of 1918 who had shot-up husbands out of WWII and were finally able to catch a dollar in 1951 to spend were very careful with their children. Samuel-WilliamGottscho-Schleisner teaming up to bring the time honored photographic tradition/effect of the ghost pedestrian well into the 20th century. Yea! Woolworth's and other storesF.W. Woolworth's is of course another icon of American retailing, the first of the big discount stores and as such the predecessor of Target, K-Mart and Wal-Mart. It couldn't keep up with these newer stores and the last Woolworth's stores closed in the late 1990's. I would imagine that the Great Neck store had closed many years before that, as Great Neck is scarcely fertile soil for discount stores. Miles Shoes was a New York chain founded in 1917. By the time of this photo it had over 100 stores in New York and surrounding states. Some time thereafter Melville Corporation (today known as CVS) acquired Miles. Melville already owned Thom McAn, which sold men's shoes, and figured that the Miles acquisition would allow the company to expand into the women's shoes market. It wasn't a successful move, and the Miles stores were gone by the 1970's. Miller's most likely was a local business, long gone, as there's no information about it online. Today a Waldbaum's Supermarket occupies the former Woolworth's, Miles and Miller's spaces, as well as part of the former Wanamaker's space. An upscale gym, New York Health & Racquet Club, occupied the rest of the Wanamaker's space but recently closed. Planet Fitness is trying to move in but is running into community opposition. FW WoolworthWoolworth's, the 5 and dime king of the hill, has become Footlocker, just another sneaker shop. A brief historyof the "Garden of Great Neck." Great resource on all things shopping center. (The Gallery, Christmas, Gottscho-Schleisner, Stores & Markets)
Little House: 1925
... It is modeled on the John Howard Payne house on Long Island, which inspired Payne to write his famous song, "Home, Sweet ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/23/2012 - 3:40pm -

May 16, 1925. Washington, D.C. "Mrs. Herbert Hoover and Mrs. James Ford at Girl Scouts' Little House," a cottage that served at different locations as model home and scouting headquarters. National Photo Company. View full size. Can we get just one smile here?None of these girl scouts seem to be having fun. The girl in the doorway particularly seems to be thinking about how she could have been watching one of those new talkies, or listening to Marian Anderson, or Fred Waring on the phonograph -- anything other hanging around that kitchen. [There'd be a bit of a wait for talkies. - Dave] More "Little Houses"Our circa 1825 Cape Cod homestead has been known locally as the "little house." When our local post office was run by local people, "little house" was part of our postal address. Herbert, Herbert!At this time Grace Coolidge was first lady. Lou Hoover was the wife of Secretary of Commerce Herbert Hoover. [Wups. Fixed! - Dave] Half-bakedI love the expression on Oven Girl's face. "Whoa. This totally didn't come out the way it was supposed to!" Stanley Ipkiss!I am apparently not well. Even before going to full size, the Mrs.Hoover had me thinking of Jim Carrey from "The Mask." Maybe it's the hat. The girl in the doorwayHer facial expression seems to read, "Why am I here? At all!?" Maybe I'm reading too much into it, but that's about the unhappiest expression I've ever seen on the face of a child in an old photograph except for a few who were sitting on some department store Santa Claus's lap. However, her mood can be improved 100% by colorizing the photo. (snicker) UnbakedSince she's holding the pan bare-handed, I suspect she's putting the food INTO the oven, not taking it out. Apparently it required some pretty close supervision, judging by the way she's being hovered over. UniformityWithout the telltale GS on the collar, I would never have figured out that Mrs. H. and the girls are ostensibly wearing the same outfit. Will ya look at that!The teakettle is Polarware, made in my home town of Sheboygan Wis. Better Homes Week Washington Post, May 17, 1925 Mrs. Coolidge Visits Scouts' Little House The interest of the White House was enlisted in the Better Homes week yesterday when Mrs. Calvin Coolidge visited the Girl Scouts' Little house at 1750 New York avenue northwest. The President's wife was received and conducted through the house by Mrs. Herbert Hoover, national president of the Girl Scouts, Inc., and Dr. James H. Ford, national director of the Better Homes in America movement. The Girl Scouts have opened the Little house as an educational center for practical and applied home economics. It is modeled on the John Howard Payne house on Long Island, which inspired Payne to write his famous song, "Home, Sweet Home." (The Gallery, D.C., Kitchens etc., Natl Photo)
Airship: 1915
New York, March 22, 1915. "Navy dirigible, Long Island." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:35pm -

New York, March 22, 1915. "Navy dirigible, Long Island." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. HighI like the little guard house on top of the hangar. Heave ho!This picture really illustrates the size of the ground crews needed to manhandle these things around. Sort of like trying to deal with a huge drunken elephant on a unicycle. Re: Pop QuizAt the Tillamook Air Museum in Tillamook, Oregon the building is called either a Blimp Hanger or an Airship Shed. http://www.tillamookair.com [Not quite. Next guess? - Dave] Re: Re: Pop QuizStraight from my son in fifth grade: Aircraft are kept in a hangar. Not a "hanger." [Sonny gets a gold star. Thank you! - Dave] RockawayI thought the Rockaway Naval Air Station was founded in 1917, unless I have the location wrong. Pop QuizWhat do we call the large structure where blimps and other aircraft are kept? (Hint: Not a "hanger," which is where you'd put a sweater, not an airplane.) Blimp MemoriesI grew up in Akron, the home of the Goodyear blimps. I used to see the crews muscling the blimps in and out of the huge blimp hangars there. I toured one of the hangars on a grade school field trip. The thing that impressed my young mind the most was the tour guide telling us that it would sometimes rain inside the hangar on a sunny day, because rain clouds would get trapped inside the hangar. I was in Akron recently and saw that one hangar is still there. Not a Dirigible, not 1915My suspicions are confirmed by some brief online research. Dirigibles (rigid airships) are easily recognized by their "facets" - the skin is stretched across internal framing whose outline shows through. Blimps are inflated, and hence much rounder. ["Dirigible" does not, strictly speaking, mean "rigid airship" -- the current usage is a mistaken notion resulting from confusion over the similarity of the words "rigid" and "dirigible," which means "steerable." Ninety years ago, people correctly used the word "dirigible" to mean "steerable airship," whether or not the airship was rigid. The use of the word "dirigible" in the caption for this photo -- a caption written in 1915 -- has nothing to say about whether the airship has a rigid frame or not. - Dave] Future Floyd Bennett NASHaving grown up in these parts, my educated guess is that we're looking at the future Floyd Bennett Naval Air Station, which operated until the middle 1960s or so. The multi-story building in the distance looks a little familiar. It might've survived until the 1950s. The C-4 at NAS Rockaway?This looks a lot like the C-4, which operated out of NAS Rockaway. However, NAS Rockaway wasn't built until (I believe) 1917 Here's some photos of it, including a shot of their blimp hangar. Note the same doors, and the cupola on the roof. http://www.farrockaway.com/carol/morprockawayairhistory.html Here's an image of the C-4 herself. http://www.oocities.org/fort_tilden/c4-1.jpg (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC, Zeppelins & Blimps)
Levittown: 1958
... surprise! To one who had only seen aerial shots of the Long Island Levittown when it was a brand new scar on the landscape, this shot ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/23/2016 - 10:24pm -

Aug. 28, 1958. "Levittown houses. Mrs. Robert Berman, residence at 3626 Regent Lane." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. See the Tree, how big it's grown... The 1953 Ford VictoriaHas neither Ford-O-Matic or Overdrive according to the blank space on the right side of the trunk, and has lost the decorative ring from its left tail light in this its fifth year. Levittown has a reputation as the location of many bland crackerbox houses but this one would still be considered nice even by today's standards. Um, I don't think that's the same tree.It's much closer to the driveway than in 1958. NiceThe house still looks very nice after 58 years. Pleasant surprise!To one who had only seen aerial shots of the Long Island Levittown when it was a brand new scar on the landscape, this shot some ten years later is an awakening. The houses are not identical boxes, there came to be trees and shrubs -- save for the utility poles in the background, altogether okay. The street view (thanks, Vintagetvs) reinforces the notion that time heals all wounds, even aesthetic ones. Developments like the several Levittowns addressed an urgent post-war need for housing, but they were never intended to be aspirational "forever" dream homes. Still, to equate them with ticky-tacky, as many have, seems in hindsight a bit unfair. It's a lost eraToo bad today's first time buyers and homebuilders have forgotten that the first step towards long term security is an affordable starter home. Everybody has to start near the top of the ladder now. Astra-DialThe car in the driveway is a 1954 Ford. This was the first year for the Astra-Dial control panel. The speedometer had a transparent hood which allowed daylight to illuminate the needle and dial. This feature was also used on the first two years of Thunderbirds. Last sold for $365k in April 2012It would be interesting to know what this 1,684 sqft Levittown special cost new. Zillow estimates it's currently worth about $494k. A similar house now on the market a couple of blocks away has an asking price of $569k. 1954 Ford Crestline VictoriaThe car in the driveway is a 1954 Ford vice a 53. The side trim, trunk handle and tail lights indicate a 54. Fiber cement sidingIn regular use from around the 20s to mid 60s. It was the vinyl siding of its day, fast and easy to install and looked good when finished. In many ways it was far better than vinyl or aluminum. Fireproof, low maintenance and pretty much immune to fire, heat and cold, but did require painting every few years. Not unusual to find it in near perfect shape even after 50 years. Still available in most home improvement stores, though now it's not made with asbestos. Technically...I was born and raised in Levittown, NY. This is not a Levitt-built home as Levitt did not build any split-level homes in the NY development. This home has a basement; Levitt-built homes were built on a cement slab. It was built in 1954, which is after Levitt was done building. And finally, although this home is located within Levittown's boundary, it has a Wantagh zip code/address. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner)
Longacre Square: 1911
... ad seen here for the promised beach paradise of Tangier on Long Island. This development was the brainchild of one Frederick J. Quinby, ... something like a second Atlantic City growing out on Long Island's beaches. But alas, after the building of a single small hotel it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/21/2019 - 1:41pm -

New York, 1911. "Longacre Square south." Times Square to you and me, with the Rector and Astor hotels flanking the New York Times building, now almost completely encased in electronic signage and launch pad for the New Year's "ball drop." Gelatin silver print by Irving Underhill. View full size. Thin ComedyAppearing at the Globe Theater are Nora Bayes and Jack Norworth in Little Miss Fix It, which is "thin," having "no more plot than the average Broadway musical comedy, which it is not, and not half so many vaudeville specialties to fill in the time." https://www.nytimes.com/1911/04/04/archives/little-miss-fixit-is-thin-no... Paradise not so lostThere is a huge ad seen here for the promised beach paradise of Tangier on Long Island. This development was the brainchild of one Frederick J. Quinby, who named it after the original 17th century settler, William Tangier Smith, from whose descendants Quinby bought the land. Quinby and his investors envisioned something like a second Atlantic City growing out on Long Island's beaches. But alas, after the building of a single small hotel it all came to tears, complete with millions of dollars gone missing, a pile of lawsuits, and a would-be developer on the lam. More attempts were made to jump-start the development of the area, but all that bayfront and oceanfront land sat mostly empty for many years to come. Many years later though the land was successfully developed, as the town of Shirley and the resorts and parks of eastern Fire Island. What's on the roof???Any Shorpyites out there know who the statue is of -- surrounded by scaffolding -- a few buildings down from the Rector Hotel? (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC, Streetcars)
American Doll: 1936
... windows to let in the light. Any NY'ers out there - think Long Island City, and it's abundance of factories and manufacturing plants. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/26/2013 - 4:50pm -

1936. "Mount Holyoke, Mass. Paragon Rubber Co. and American Character Doll. Building rubber doll moulds." Photo by Lewis Hine, who seems to have moved on to bigger things once he was done snapping newsies. View full size. Paragon, ACDCWhen it went out of business in 1989, Paragon Rubber Co. was located at 150 Pleasant St in Easthampton, just northwest of the town of Mt. Holyoke. American Character Doll Co. (known by its multiple-meaning acronym ACDC) apparently went out of business in 1989. Not what comes to mindwhen you think of a Toymaker. Big WindowsMost manufacturing plants always seemed to have a large amount of big windows to let in the light. Any NY'ers out there - think Long Island City, and it's abundance of factories and manufacturing plants. One of the reasons (I believe) that plant owners did this was to save on electricity. I see the one light bulb hanging down. I am sure there were more but not too many. [When most of these plants were built, electricity was not an option. - Dave] HunksThere has been criticism of the tag "Pretty Girls" used with some pictures at Shorpy. Perhaps this example is #1 for the tag "Hunks"? As @Vintagestvs says - not your picture of a toymaker. [The tag is called Handsome Rakes. - Dave] LookalikeWow does he ever look like Chef Bobby Flay! Well except for those muscles. That file sure must give him a workout. Humble requestThis man should definitely be among the ranks of the Handsome Rakes! Ah, Shall I Say It?He's a "leg" man! What a HUNK! I'll take two... dolls, of course! Wow, what an amazing composition. This is a variation on one of Hine's most famous photos, of the powerhouse mechanic (1920). Like that one, this photo is as much a study of the human form as a snapshot of the American factory worker. I love a good juxtaposition, and this photo has it -- between the muscled upper torso of the craftsman and the doll legs he's working on. The light is also beautiful in this shot. The precursorto inflatables. Body builderThose must have been some tough dolls, to have helped him develop big muscles like that. (The Gallery, Factories, Handsome Rakes, Lewis Hine)
Machine Shop: 1953
... 17, 1953. "F&R Machine Works, 44-14 Astoria Blvd., Long Island City, N.Y. General view from balcony. C.M. Johnson, client." Busy ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/17/2014 - 12:14pm -

Nov. 17, 1953. "F&R Machine Works, 44-14 Astoria Blvd., Long Island City, N.Y. General view from balcony. C.M. Johnson, client." Busy making whatchamacallits. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. From whatchamacallits to tilesBuilt in 1938, the building at 44-14 Astoria Boulevard has housed a tile company since 1980. F&R Machine Works seems to have vanished without an online trace. The latest reference I can find is a newspaper help-wanted advertisement from 1958, chances are it was gone soon after. http://goo.gl/maps/SKxKP WhatchamacallitsDefinitely gizmos, assembled from a collection of widgets. Contraptions!I can spot a contraption a mile away. The gentleman in the tie, Mr. Horton by name, is indeed holding a whozit. WhozitsSorry Bill, they aren't whozits or whatchamacallits. As anyone can plainly see, they are thingamajigs. You have it all wrong.F&R Machine Works is a prototype shop for General Electric. The item you see in Mr. Horton's hand is part of a GE Turboencabulator. Finished Product"Single waveguide switch assembly." Not quite a VeeblefetzerRay, if you look carefully, I believe you'll see that these contraptions do not have fins, unless the fin installation occurred later in the manufacturing process. Veeblefetzers had fins, though they diminished in size as the 1950s came to a close. The non-finned versions of the Veeblefetzer were known as Potrzebies. ObscureThey're lathes making cylindrical parts to some spec or other, cut from longer stock. The part is not likely to have a real name, it's just part of something else that the client is making. Swiss screw machines would be the automatic version, for smaller parts at least. Lathes run by cams. Load them up and set them running, and a couple hours later you have a basket of output. The automatic machines can cut angles nicely, with constant feed speed and tool insertion speed. A small room manned by women with screen silhouette magnifiers verify the shape is correct later. WhatchamacallitsAre you sure those aren't whozits? I'm Mad! Mad, I tell you!Looks to me as if they're manufacturing Veeblefetzers. The North American Veeblefetzer's principal product enjoyed brief fame in MAD Magazine sometime in the late 1950s.... Sadly, the Veeblefetzer's purpose was -- and remains -- unknown. I wouldn't do thatThat tie is just begging to get sucked into one of those lathes. The smell, ooh that smell.I spent a lot of time in machine shops very similar to this on in the 70's and it's amazing how little things changed. Even though this pic was taken a year before I was born, these manual turret lathes were likely still cranking out parts some twenty years later when I came on the scene. One vivid memory I have of shops like that is the rancid odor of the soluble oil used in the coolant. In those days, there was no preservative in it and after a few days in the tank, it became quite rank, especially during the summer months. Another thing that hasn't changed much over the years is the fluorescent lighting. I'm not sure when it came out, but the fixtures hanging in this shop look very similar to those hanging in my shop today. (The Gallery, Factories, Gottscho-Schleisner)
Liberty Mutual: 1963
... Mutual Life Insurance Co., 444 Merrick Road, Lynbrook, Long Island. First floor, south wall." Bathed in the flattering glow of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2015 - 5:52pm -

May 28, 1963. "Liberty Mutual Life Insurance Co., 444 Merrick Road, Lynbrook, Long Island. First floor, south wall." Bathed in the flattering glow of the fluorescents. 5x7 acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Heavy MetalBetween wooden desks, I once bought a used metal office desk. Much heavier. I don't know what I was thinking. DepressingBleak, but hey, there is plenty of light. I always hate these stark offices. So sterile and uninviting. If you're gonna duck and cover, make it a Steelcase!Those sure look like Steelcase desks. Not muchhas changed since 1948. The outsideis just as dull and sterile as the inside The haves and have-notstheir own private space, that is. Space!I'm amazed at the amount of free space. Look at the width of that aisle; these days, there would be about 100 cubicles on that floor space. Lateral mobilityWonder what it took to migrate from left to right across the linoleum tile and into a cubicle? Just Think --Work hard and someday YOU'LL be moving up from a mere desk to a cubicle of your own! The view is certainly better. Re: If your gonna duck and coverBeen there, done that, with a real Steelcase! I was on the phone with a vendor across the country, when a moderate quake hit. (Moderate for me in California - Big Deal for the guys in Florida...) Someone's in TroubleThird cubicle back. Soul-killing drudgeryMy cube is better than yours! Despite the complaints, I like it betterI feel the need to put a counter-argument to those who don't seem to like this office. What I see: -No old carpeting which is a staple of modern cubicle farms. Carpeting never seems to get replaced, or properly cleaned. You can guess why I find this disgusting. Just guess how old some offices are, and realize the carpeting never gets replaced... -Windows! With people sitting next to them. With enough natural light, the ill effects of the modern overhead lights may be greatly abated. -Cubicles. Mine were always L shaped, which made them much smaller. I think the design change is due to the computer being at the center, whereas here you would have a long desk instead. I believe it's more comfortable to move around a desk all day than to slouch and stare at the monitor, but that's a guess. -Lastly, the space. Some cubicle farms have people sharing the cube! This looks like there's breathing space! -Shirts and ties. Dilbert correctly labels the current trend "Business Dorky". I'm quite surprised to learn that even in 1963, I think I'd like this office much better than the office of today! Looks healthier! and PS. I've seen tons of these metal desks in public schools and other spaces. I was never fond of the off-grey quasi-table desk of the modern cube. I'd like to try a metal desk and see. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, The Office)
Nuisances Prohibited: 1903
Long Island circa 1903. "The Bowery -- Rockaway, New York." 8x10 inch dry plate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2014 - 12:34am -

Long Island circa 1903. "The Bowery -- Rockaway, New York." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I wish I were BIGI wonder if the boys on the left realize the danger they may be in; that machine they are hanging around could be the Zoltan machine that turned David Moscow into Tom Hanks. Hmmph.I guess that leaves me out. Danger aboveThat ladder (if that's what it is) on the roof of the verandah at right looks a bit dangerous if it decided to slide off. A nuisance, who me?Google "COMMIT NO NUISANCE." This was an expression from the olden days. A common sight back then to see it posted on walls, poles, bill boards, etc. Spinoff jobsBack in the day there were people whose jobs it was to operate elevators, and yes, to operate weight scales once you stepped on them! He's Gone Electric?What are the wires on the white stand in the right foreground. Can't tell if the gent staffing it is speaking into a device or holding a drink. The sign below says "Press the button . . . [blocked view]". Maybe that's what it is, but what is it? [Looks like it probably says, "Press the button have your fortune told." - tterrace] Where in RockawayI Lived in Far Rockaway from 1964 till 1969, does any one have any idea where this area was, there was nothing left of it even in 1964. There was a small amusement park on Beach 90th street with a Roller Coaster called the Atom Smasher. The amusement park was thrown down for housing in the 90's I believe. Learn New WordsThe device with the wires looks very like an induction coil, much loved by quack doctors and malevolent small boys, with some kind of meter behind to add to the effect. Hold the handles, press the button - and impress your companions with your new vocabulary. Rockaway PlaylandAs a kid in the fifties, my parents would drive over there. Then it was fairly large and competed with Rye Playland, Conney Island, and Palisades Park. (The Gallery, DPC)
Park Forest: 1954
... Not dead yet. As someone who commuted daily on the Long Island Rail Road from 1997 to 2009, and still rides it on occasion when I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2013 - 10:43am -

July 1954. "Commuters on platform after getting off train. Park Forest, Illinois." Photo by Bob Sandberg for Look magazine. View full size. Everyone dressed so much better!We might be more comfortable today but every one is a slob today compared to a few decades ago. [They were thinner, too. - Dave] White SoxThe Chicago White Sox are finally featured in Shorpy. Yes! The CWS were in third place from July through the end of the season, behind NYY, and CLE who took the AL pennant. Suits? Not dead yet.As someone who commuted daily on the Long Island Rail Road from 1997 to 2009, and still rides it on occasion when I have a work assignment in the city, I can say that men's suits are very much alive and well on commuter railroads today. There's probably no other public place where you'll find as many suit-wearing men. "Business casual" is a concept that doesn't quite live up to the hype. Get rid of the hats, update the haircuts a bit, and add some laptop bags and cellphones, and this picture could almost be taken at a commuter rail station today. About the only real difference is that the percentage of women might be slightly higher, and depending on the station there probably would be more racial diversity. Speaking of hats, there's the urban legend that most men wore hats until a bareheaded JFK at his 1961 inauguration suddenly made them unfashionable. Yet in this picture, taken more than six years earlier, about two-thirds of the men are hatless. "If the picture was taken in the early evening, I believe it is possible that the early baseball scores and the stock market results for the same day might be included in the late editions of the papers." This picture is definitely from the early evening, as you can tell by the shadows that the sun is low in the sky, and newspapers back then often had multiple editions and reported news in a very timely manner. By the way, there is and was no Park Forest station on the Illinois Central/METRA line. Two stations, Lincoln Highway and Matteson, serve the town. I believe this is Matteson because if it were Lincoln Highway we'd see the thoroughfare of the same name in the background. End of the lineThis is just about as far as you could go on the Illinois Central (now Metra) electrified trackage southbound out of Chicago. About an hour's ride. A pretty hot trip in July on those 1920's vintage cars - they were still around when I rode the IC to work in the early '70's. But still more comfortable than the Rock Island's old "Capone cars" in which I logged a lot of miles, too. Thursday, July 22nd?From what I can see of the legible newspaper headlines, there's a reference to ending a filibuster (there was a filibuster of an Atomic Energy bill that began on July 21st and ended at about 1:30 a.m. on July 23rd), a stock surge (the DJIA posted one of its largest gains of the month on July 22nd) and something about the White Sox that, in my experience of reading baseball headlines, seems like a result of an extra inning game " . . . White Sox in . . ." (the White Sox dropped the opener of a doubleheader that day to the Yankees in 10 innings). If the picture was taken in the early evening, I believe it is possible that the early baseball scores and the stock market results for the same day might be included in the late editions of the papers. Straw boater on the rightRight out of the 20's, obsolete even in that day! Very snazzy! The one woman...Looking at the camera holding the newspaper and jacket looks exactly like my Grandmother did back then. She did live in Olympia Gardens (a then very new development in Chicago Heights). I am trying to find more pictures of my Grandmother from that time but one of my siblings has them put away (and lives across the country). This would be wonderful if it turns out to be her. It is so wonderful to go back in time on a site like this. Thank you for having it as there are many history buffs out there who appreciate these older photographs. (The Gallery, Chicago, LOOK, Railroads)
Strolling Through the Park: 1907
... Mowers' My father was the chief gardener of a Long Island NY estate in the '40s and I remember the stable had some old ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/19/2012 - 11:26am -

Louisville, Kentucky, circa 1907. "Central Park." Quite possibly in the merry month of May. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. 1907 KentuckyMy dad would have been 8 years old, and lived not that far away, in Owensboro. Probably would have been the younger "rogue", rather than the dandified carriage rider! He rode a horse to school, and a few years later, carried his revolver there. (Long story!) In those skirts?I cannot imagine a nice fast-paced game of tennis in those skirts, but I guess it was a pretty tame ladies match. Wise guysThe two good-for-nothings following this merry crew are undoubtedly guffawing at Little Lord Fauntleroy/Buster Brown and his horseless (but not boy-less) carriage. Well ManicuredThe grass is remarkably well kept for a time, at least to my knowledge, without powered lawnmowers.. Shakespeare in the parkCentral Park is located in the central part of downtown Louisville and we used to attend plays there in the evening during the summer. Mosquito repellent was advised. Two pair of roguish eyesFollowing along behind. In LouisvilleWe spare no expense on park lighting. Now I knowThanks to Shorpy's not only entertaining but educational posts, I now know that young lady is riding a Velocipede! Lawn ServiceLooks like great mowing service, however the edging leaves a little bit to be desired. There's 'Power Mowers' and there's 'Powered Mowers'My father was the chief gardener of a Long Island NY estate in the '40s and I remember the stable had some old leather 'elephant shoes' that had been used to protect the lawns from the hoofs of the horses pulling the lawnmowers. (The Gallery, DPC, Kids, Louisville)
Hazel Reiber: 1913
Long Beach, Long Island, N.Y., circa 1913. "Hazel Reiber." Who was evidently enough of a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/19/2012 - 4:57pm -

Long Beach, Long Island, N.Y., circa 1913. "Hazel Reiber." Who was evidently enough of a notable to have her picture taken (twice) by the Bain News Service. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Beach Boots...Miss (or Mrs.?) Reiber is sporting the latest word in canvas bathing shoes; I believe they were required to be worn by women on most "respectable" beaches in this era. I have actually seen a few old pairs for sale on ebay. Nice Wind Up!Looks like she is out for a day of baseball on the beach. It appears the photographer caught her in action. Are those baseball shoes??? Steeeee-Rike !!Looks like a real soppy summer beach set of Sand-Lot baseball. On the BeachWhy is there a septic vent behind Hazel? Where does she get replacements for the laces on her shoes? Could she possibly be a female boxer? What a gal! Nice shoesIf you're wrestling. And not at the beach. Tai Chi1913 style. Notable?Perhaps. Or the photographer's girlfriend. Or just someone he deemed as attractive. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, Swimming)
Easier Living: 1951
October 12, 1951. Great Neck, Long Island, N.Y. "Statton Modern at John Wanamaker. Russel Wright bedroom ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/26/2013 - 5:30pm -

October 12, 1951. Great Neck, Long Island, N.Y. "Statton Modern at John Wanamaker. Russel Wright bedroom group. Auerbach Agency, client." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Travelodge, Version 1.0B Tests of this Beta version indicated strong user demand for matching, floral-print bedspreads and curtains. Left bed is widerI count four and a half squares of bedspread/comforter crossing the left bed and barely four squares on the right one. How's that for precise measurement? Peaceable KingdomRousseau's 'Peaceable Kingdom' seems an odd choice of artwork for the wall of such a modern, trendy room. AND it's such a small print, too. It happens to be a favorite of mine, but I would have thought something more contemporary would have been the preferred choice for a model room. But who knows what Wanamaker's decorator had in mind? Next ExitThis example of a room will be the prime design of all the forthcoming motel rooms in North America. All that's missing1. A USB charging port built into the base of the lamp. 2. An antimicrobial-coated remote control. 3. A table card with the Wi-fi instructions, and another with the phone number of the nearest pizza joint. Yoo-hooRob? Laura? Not a Hotel RoomWanamaker's was a chain of department stores. I assume even though it looks like it could be any 50's motel it is a model bedroom on a sales floor. War on men"Hers" and "his" beds? His and Hers?It looks to me that the left side is about a foot wider than the right side. Optical illusion?Doesn't the left twin bed look wider than the right? That saidWhy does the headboard fit the two mattresses perfectly? Was this a precursor to the king? I still don't understand the California king but I'm from the south. ChintzyGenerally I love Russel Wright's ideas. Most everything in this room is appealing. But the chintz finish on the bedspreads is everything people criticize about mid-cent decor. It looks cold and stiff. Horny?Not only is that piece of art out of scale, it is also terribly off-centered. My question is , is it suposed to be symbolic of the person sleeping below it? Horny ["The Peaceable Kingdom" by Edward Hicks. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Stores & Markets)
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