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Utah Copper Co.: 1942
... despite lots of Googling. I suspect it is in Arizona or New Mexico. Thanks to shooting through a badly-etched window, the scene was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 4:47pm -

November 1942. Bingham Canyon, Utah. "Open-pit workings of the Utah Copper Company. This is the Carr Fork side, from which the company obtains huge amounts of ore. The Carr Fork bridge and main shops appear in the foreground." 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Andreas Feininger. View full size. The Second Time AroundI thought I'd seen this mine featured here before now. https://www.shorpy.com/node/4463 Incredible epic pictureThe detail is amazing. WowEpic proportions. In the Gift ShoppeYou should add a "jigsaw puzzle" option to the print sales business; this photo in particular would make a wonderful jigsaw puzzle. Ore TrainThat engine looks like a scaled down knockoff of a GG-1. Anyone know what it is? Massive Mystery MineWhile on a trip to the west coast about 30 years ago, I snapped this shot of an open pit mine, name unknown. I've never located it despite lots of Googling. I suspect it is in Arizona or New Mexico. Thanks to shooting through a badly-etched window, the scene was given a somewhat psychedelic colorized effect. [A number of commenters ID this as the Sacaton (Casa Grande) copper mine south of Phoenix. - Dave] Thanks to everyone for solving my mystery after all these years! Electric locomotivesThe electric locomotive in this scene is known as a "steeplecab" and was a common type used in interurban and industrial freight service in the teens and '20s. The Bingham Canyon mine used many of these over the years and several have been preserved at museums. Here's one: http://www.davesrailpix.com/wrm/htm/wrm045.htm Little Engine That DidThe engine pulling the ore train is a steeple-cab with an articulated frame that has four wheels (two axles) on each part. These were very heavy locomotives and I believe that they built for this application only. Coincidently, the towers holding the overhead (trolley) wire could be moved could be moved when the track arrangement was changed to access the changing ore deposits. General ElectricsI believe the engine in the foreground is a (General Electric) GE 90-ton electric. The Bingham Utah Copper Mine received four of these engines in February 1942 and were lettered for Kennecott Copper Corporation. They were numbered KCC 761,KCC 762,KCC 763,and KCC 764. Where do we go?!About 100 feet in front of the ore train are 3 men and a push cart. I assumed the locomotive was pulling but for these guys' sakes I hope it's pushing! The EngineThe locomotive is a fairly standard Steeplecab design. The design - two powered axles on each truck - was pretty ubiquitous on electric lines worldwide. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Andreas Feininger, Mining)
La Casa Enchilada: 1940
... June 1940. "Detail of front of store building. Mogollon, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View ... any good. Travel book release Titled "Mogollon, New Mexico, on $1.40 per day." The bench may not look too sturdy and the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2018 - 11:31am -

June 1940. "Detail of front of store building. Mogollon, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The Conversation Just After"C'mon in for a spell", the man with the dirty apron said, waving around a glass with some tired foam on it. "Nah, can't. Got work to do." said the photographer, feeling he'd been caught. "Government work. It's important. Might be famous someday." "What do you think I'm sayin, bud? I'm makin some more signs here and I need some help. I need a spell checker." [And that's when the photographer told him about a job opening in Montana. - Dave] Just askin'Do you get an enchilada or two if you board there? Looking at the prices, it might be a good deal if they're any good. Travel book releaseTitled "Mogollon, New Mexico, on $1.40 per day." The bench may not look too sturdy and the curtains double as dish towels (or vice versa) but where else can you take a vacation including food and lodging for that price? I wonder... if irregular boarders got a discount. Grill MarksGiven that bench is made out of straps of sheet metal, it's a wonder anyone ever actually sat on it. An interesting little town!... but the road to get there is not for the faint-hearted! It Still StandsIf you go to street view, it's known as the Old Kelly Store. It's easy to find in such a small area. It's been patched oa bit over time. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Genoa Jalopy: 1940
... film "Charley Varrick", as the fictional Tres Cruces, New Mexico. The exterior of the Genoa Courthouse Museum (just down the street ... played the "Tres Cruces Western Fidelity Bank of New Mexico". And yes, Genoa is the oldest permanent settlement in Nevada. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2017 - 8:39am -

March 1940. "High school students in jalopy. Genoa, Nevada." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Jalopy? It might be a jalopy but it is only ten years old. A 1930 Ford Model A Deluxe sedan. The Bard lives onShylock; "How now, Tubal? What news from Genoa? Hast thou found my daughter?" Tubal; "yes, she has been joy riding with friends in a jalopy and spending all your money!" Center of townHere's the spot. The stone monuments just to the right of the hood are still there: NOT Italian!People need to know that is is jen-OH-a, not GEN-oa, emphasis on the oh. Oldest town in Nevada, I believe. I have friends from there. http://www.genoanevada.org/visitgenoa.htm http://www.genoanevada.org/history.htm Lovely little town. Tires from Sears, and a brush with fameThe tires on the Ford are Allstates, sold by Sears. Genoa was also the filming location for the bank robbery scene at the beginning of the 1973 Walter Matthau film "Charley Varrick", as the fictional Tres Cruces, New Mexico. The exterior of the Genoa Courthouse Museum (just down the street from our merrymakers) played the "Tres Cruces Western Fidelity Bank of New Mexico". And yes, Genoa is the oldest permanent settlement in Nevada. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon, Small Towns)
Suburban Buick: 1957
... it's California. The plates are red on yellow. Could be New Mexico? Great find. [The red fringing is a scanning artifact. The ... 
 
Posted by Vintagetvs - 01/12/2017 - 8:44pm -

A 1957 Buick, houses in colors not seen anymore, and lots of antennas. A 35mm Kodachrome slide I found somewhere. View full size. New FrontierI can just hear Donald Fagen's song New Frontier playing when I look at this Kodachrome slide. All made of ticky-tackyThere's a pink one, and a green one... Factory Air-Conditioningis an option on this Special by the presence of the stainless steel outlets in the middle of the dash pad--also new was an enlarged 364 V-8 with a slightly reduced 250 horsepower in this base, but still beautifully trimmed out, model. Conical antennasLook like Florida houses. Those are conical TV antennas. Low gain, wide band inexpensive antennas very popular in the '50s before UHF stations became common. As a kid I made money putting those up for neighbors. TV forecast: snow 24/7Nothing to miss about the reception from those antennas. MatchThe top of the car and the house Beautiful Three toned BuickCar color matches the house yet. Unbelievable. A Buick FamilyIt's like the '54 we had when I was 6. We drove it across country from Baltimore in 1957 to our new home in California. Later traded it in on a 1960 Olds wagon. http://www.1960oldsmobile.com/wp-content/gallery/featured-member-jason-n... Both great cars for a kid to bounce around in! Looks Like CAThe lack of gutters and the orange license plate looks like CA (Black plates were introduced around 1963.) Considering GM's marketing strategy of moving from Chevrolet to Pontiac to Oldsmobile and ultimately to Cadillac, this house looks too modest for a Buick driver. Maybe the landlord has stopped by to collect the rent. I was 15And I could name any car from any distance. Little Pink Houses... and Buicks, for you and me. Gold PlatedI don't think it's California. The plates are red on yellow. Could be New Mexico? Great find. [The red fringing is a scanning artifact. The plates are black on yellow. -tterrace] Those old style antennasIt's interesting to see the old stacked conical and dipole rooftop TV antennas, instead of the later horizontal log-periodic ones. And I like the wood on the garage door, and the front of the house near the front door. Redwood? The Buick looks like a Special two-door hardtop, and the colors look like Shell Beige (Code P) over Dover White (Code C). Hat tip: Paintref.com. House ColorsSorry, but if you think houses aren't painted sherbet pink and green anymore, you haven't been to San Francisco. Tim Burton's inspirationThis scene looks like it's right out of Edward Scissorhands. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Westbound Freight: 1943
... 1943. Westbound Santa Fe freight on a siding at Ricardo, New Mexico, waiting for the eastbound train to pass. View full size. 4x5 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/10/2012 - 4:15pm -

March 1943. Westbound Santa Fe freight on a siding at Ricardo, New Mexico, waiting for the eastbound train to pass. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Jack Delano. FSA/Office of War Information archive. Camera?Does anyone know what type of camera Mr. Delano was using at this time? Re: Jack Delano's CameraGraflex Speed Graphic press camera. LocomotiveThe locomotive, for those interested, is #5000, known affectionately on the Santa Fe as "Madame Queen". She was AT&SF's first 2-10-4 Texas type, built by Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1930. The Queen was an experimental locomotive which paved the way for 35 more Texas types of more advanced design. Donated to the city of Amarillo, Texas in 1957, the 5000 is still around, sitting in a park. Re: Jack's CameraThanks. Although somehow that's not as exotic as I was hoping for. # 5000Great shot of a beautiful engine. Judging from the semaphore signal being clear (green) for the main track facing west, I believe #5000 is waiting on a west bound train to pass not a easbound, unless the eastbound hasn't reached the signal block to make it go yellow then red. Anyway, another great pict from Jack. Re: #5000The train is facing west. Look at the shadow. >> Judging from the semaphore signal being clear (green) for the main track facing west, I believe #5000 is waiting on a west bound train to pass not a easbound, unless the eastbound hasn't reached the signal block to make it go yellow then red. Re: #5000Sorry, meant to say signal is facing east for a west bound move, I know the train is facing west since it's going west. ATSF 2-10-4You forgot #3829, the first ATSF 2-10-4, an improved 2-10-2 with a four wheel trailing truck instead of the standard two wheel truck. She proved the value of the concept and although some sort of makeshift affair she had a long successful life. #5000 Madame Queen was a complete new design, she would have been the class locomotive for many more but the Depression intervened. So she never was repeated and the Northerns and Texas types that came much later looked quite different again. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Sugar and Spice: 1943
February 1943. "Moreno Valley, New Mexico. Mary Mutz making an apple pie on the Mutz ranch." John Collier for ... very popular. Seems fitting for it to be found in a New Mexico household. (The Gallery, John Collier, Kitchens etc.) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/11/2014 - 2:10pm -

February 1943. "Moreno Valley, New Mexico. Mary Mutz making an apple pie on the Mutz ranch." John Collier for the Office of War Information. View full size. JeansWell before they became a fashion statement. On another topic, my grandmother used to bake the crust trimmings along with the pie. When dusted with sugar and cinnamon, those pseudo-cookies allayed raging juvenile appetites that might otherwise have led some of us grandkids to develop designs on the cooling pie itself. Oh Yes!And, just to add to Solo's comments...my Australian Mother thought apple pie was an American staple back in the '50's. That pie was baked on a regular bases, and the "dusted with sugar and cinnamon pseudo-cookies" were considered off limits to all, but we kids. One may imagine her popularity in our neighborhood. And then there were her excellent frozen Daiquiris, served to her girl friends on any given afternoon. Hence the discussion and formulation of the Dinner menu for the day. Re: JeansThe woman lives on a ranch, I would say that the jeans are likely not a fashion statement but more in the line of functional clothing. CreamerThe pottery nerd in me noticed the Homer Laughlin creamer in the foreground. It's the Century line with the Mexicana decal. This line debuted in 1937 and quickly became very popular. Seems fitting for it to be found in a New Mexico household. (The Gallery, John Collier, Kitchens etc.)
Brakeman Capsey: 1943
March 1943. "Acomita, New Mexico. Brakeman R.E. Capsey repacking a journal box of a special car as ... Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad between Belen and Gallup, New Mexico, waits on a siding." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/11/2014 - 11:29am -

March 1943. "Acomita, New Mexico. Brakeman R.E. Capsey repacking a journal box of a special car as the train on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad between Belen and Gallup, New Mexico, waits on a siding." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Jordan SpreaderIt's a Jordan Spreader, sort of a rail-mounted road grader. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spreader_%28railroad%29 Originally used to maintain trackside drainage ditches, but in more recent times primarily used for snow clearing, as the wing blades can swing out and clear several tracks at once, or push the snow further from a single track to make room for the next storm. The wing blades were multi-jointed, to grade a ditch contour. It has old-fashioned arch bar trucks, made illegal since the many bolts+nuts could loosen up and cause a derailment. Probably survived on this spreader because it never left the home railroad in interchange service. The trucks on the adjacent refrigerator car also had bolts, and would eventually be banned also. Modern trucks interlock together like a nail puzzle, with no fasteners needed. Modern railroad cars and locomotives use roller bearings exclusively, eliminating the need for frequent oil lubrication and messing with the cotton waste that was used as a wick. Jordan Spreader ATSF 199234Found a 1948 picture, although not the best showing 199234 in San Bernardino October 25, 1948 after some modifications. I did thisThe summer I was 20, I repacked journal boxes on the wash track at the UP yard in LA. It was dirty work. I always ended up soaked in oil. The packing had to be carefully installed so it covered the entire journal on the bottom. If it didn't it could cause a hotbox. It was a good experience. These days railroad trucks have roller bearings that don't need repacking. Looks like a Jordan Spreader This is a device with outboard swinging wings to clear ditches or snow along the tracks. Here is a photograph of a model that looks quite similar. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Slow Train Coming: 1943
March 1943. "Gallup, New Mexico. A train on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe between Belen and Gallup, New Mexico." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/02/2015 - 11:15am -

March 1943. "Gallup, New Mexico. A train on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe between Belen and Gallup, New Mexico." Medium-format negative by Jack Delano for the Office of War Information. View full size. Timz got itSpot on, found it on google maps, 72 years later, excellent job. McCune?First guess: the white pole is Milepost 149 and the switch in the foreground is the one at 35.52764N 108.591W. RegardlessAnother great 'wallpaper' shot; terrific sky. Wonderful shotI just wanted to add, that's a great picture as well as an excellent lesson in perspective and vanishing points. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Mint Bar: 1941
... to meet over a game of “8 Ball” in a little bar in New Mexico four decades to the month from this photo’s date. We played a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/15/2015 - 1:26pm -

August 1941. "Main Street. Sheridan, Wyoming." An oasis of Western watering holes. Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Oscar of Dutch LunchOscar Thielen of the Dutch Lunch. Mint ConditionLove the bubbly-circles design on the dress of the woman with the white hat. They're a perfect match for the "sun goggles" worn by the trooper a bit to her left. Oldest bar in Sheridan (1907)From a postcard (below, circa. 1945): "Renowned for its unique beauty and western atmosphere. Visitors never tire of the unusual red cedar decor; the western pictures and photographs; cowboy paraphernalia and the North America game animal trophies. Wayne W. Elkin and Leon L. McVean, Proprietors." Musician Ben O’Connor on his visit in 2002: "The Mint Bar is the coolest thing about the great cowboy town of Sheridan, which is in a part of northern Wyoming that’s too cold and too remote for all the Californians to move there and ruin it. You wouldn’t want to say anything bad about John Wayne at the Mint. Real cowboys hang out there." Old school coolPretty fly for a cowboy guy. hoooo-EEEEEThe riding-heel boots on them two ol' cowpokes to the left ... they's wearin' more heels than the women are! Indiana Jones takes a vacationNo hat, no coat, no whip; just hanging out in front of The Mint chatting up a pretty lady. Still thereLocated at 151 Main Street (US 14). The buildings across the street are intact, but the shops on the right have been replaced by "storefront" school -- Sheridan College (in what appears to have been a former department store). Going DutchI wonder if "Dutch lunch" meant the same thing there as it did in the Detroit of my grandparents' era - a lunch taken with a beer (or two)? In fact, sometimes the "Dutch lunch" could be just the beer, no lunch. My grandfather, though Irish, was certainly not adverse to enjoying an occasional "Dutch lunch." Lady on the far rightI'm sure I brought the baby... Re: Old school coolIt's not quite contemporary, but I remember just such round-lensed heavy-framed sunglasses from around 1950 as having two polarized lenses over each eye so that one lens could be rotated to vary the amount of light getting through. The Cowboy Named "Doris"The straw-hatted cowpoke in profile, left of frame, with his hand resting on the letterbox looks a lot like an old cowboy I chanced to meet over a game of “8 Ball” in a little bar in New Mexico four decades to the month from this photo’s date. We played a couple games swapping dimes on the table while he smoked hand-rolled cigarettes hanging from the corner of his mouth just like the guy in this photo. After setting me up by letting me win one we bet a beer on the next game and as he was running the table on me, calling pockets by gesturing with the tip of his cue or a nod or his elbow when indicating a long-green, corner pocket shot banked off first the long then the short rail and all the way back down the baize to the corner at his right wing, I introduced myself and he said his name was “Doris”. I though I might have misheard and used his name when I bought him his Coors and he answered to “Doris,” thanking me for the beer with a touch of his hatbrim and squatted to retrieve the balls from the slot near the jukebox end of the table and put them in the triangle and returned it to the hook below the ball return. Doris took a couple long draws from his beer and wiped the can’s condensation from his hands onto his shirtfront and took out papers and tobacco from his left breast pocket (just like the photo cowboy) and rolled another smoke and I asked him how he got the name “Doris” and he said he was the seventh of nine children and his parents ran out of names at about number six. "After that they wrote some names on little slips of paper and drew them from a hat when babies were born," He said as he struck a big wood kitchen match on the coin slot of the pool table, “If you think 'Doris' is funny, you ought to meet my sister '6 7/8'". Goober Pea Well it ain't changed muchAnd that's the way we like it around here. The glassesThis image is plastered on a poster around town here in Montreal, advertising an exhibition at the McCord Museum of the photographs of Horst P. Horst (1906-1999). The photo is of Muriel Maxwell and was featured on the cover of American Vogue on July 1, 1939. Sheridan College nr Mint Sheridan College is in the old Woolworth's building, across the alley from the historic Mint Bar. About 1990, Queen Elizabeth II visited Sheridan for the horses. She shopped in a fishing-gear store, next door to the Mint. It was said that she visited the Mint, but I never believed it. Instead, she crossed Main and stopped in the King Ropes store for a visit to the renowned rope, tack and saddle emporium. Her host was WY Sen. Malcom Wallup. Them's Ridin' JeansNote the back pockets on the jeans on the cowboy all the way to the left, in the foreground (black hat). They are set way off to the sides, towards the hips, unlike today's jeans with pockets near the rear-end mid-line. Wouldn't want to be riding with your wallet between you and the saddle. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, M.P. Wolcott)
Shady Rest: 1940
... July 1940. "Street scene at the fiesta in Santa Fe, New Mexico." Our third look at the festive goings-on here, and we'll let ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/20/2014 - 8:48am -

July 1940. "Street scene at the fiesta in Santa Fe, New Mexico." Our third look at the festive goings-on here, and we'll let someone else explain the skirt-brella. Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wicked TeeWhen did screen printed t-shirts become a thing? I googled about and the technology existed, but Wikipedia glossed over the early days of screen printing and went right to the 60s. Plus, does anyone know what the shirt is talking about? The Santa Fe Devils? Demons? Beelzebubs? Never mind the skirtI want to know about those socks! Blatt Building, Santa FeIt took a bit of digging, but I found where this was taken (roughly). It's now called the Silver Building, and still retains the funky trim visible in the photo. View Larger Map Do not repost this photo!If it goes viral then every hipster in America will be wearing those sunglasses. Never Mind the SocksThat's an interesting variation on aviator's sunglasses. Besides the dress, which may be hanging there advertising a sale or something of that nature, there's a general oddness to this picture that I can't put my finger on. Decent ChapsNeither is looking up. Holey HuarachesNever mind the sunglasses -- check out those Wicker Slippers! I wonder if they come pre-tattered? "Ankle Beaters"When I was in school if you rolled your pants up too high you risked verbal humiliation. Possible "skirt-brella" explanationI think one of the previous commentors is on the right track with " the dress, which may be hanging there advertising a sale or something of that nature". It may be advertising the "White House in the ground floor of the Catron Block. ... Santa Fe’s first ready-to-wear, woman’s fashions. The Blatts eventually purchased the Catron Block, renaming it the Blatt Building." Petticoat JunctionI got it! Be True to Your SchoolSanta Fe High School is still at 2100 Yucca Street, and its team mascot is still the Demons. He is probably a student there and that is an athletic or school spirit shirt. Ladies wearMy source is not entirely clear, but there was a women's wear store called the White House at that location through at least the '30s. The sign mostly obscured by the dress at the top of the image is more consistent with Guarantee Shoes, next door. How many names does it have?Using Sagitta's link to the Google street view, you can zoom up to the crest of the building and see that it still says Catron Block, named for the notorious land grabbing, Republican Ring lawyer Thomas Catron, who died in 1921. The law firm still does business in their Santa Fe office, and there is a county named after him in NM. The Catron Block sits appropriately opposite the Palace of the Governors on the ancient Santa Fe Plaza. HuarachesThose are called huaraches, a type of pre Colombian Mexican sandal. They were HUGELY popular among young people when my mom was in college, (1937 - 41). (The Gallery, Russell Lee)
Luna Park: 1913
... flag. It was adopted on July 4, 1912 after Arizona and New Mexico were admitted to the union. [It shows 38, not 45. But it has ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/25/2009 - 10:01am -

May 19, 1913. Promenaders at Luna Park, "The Heart of Coney Island." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. [+] Not My 1913If this picture was taken in 1913, I'll eat my hat. My bowler hat. Or my wife's Merry Widow hat. Nobody dressed like this in 1913. Not a hobble skirt in sight. This photo is from 1908-1910 and no later. Trust me, I know. [The date is written right on the glass. Plus the flags have 48 stars. Bon appetit. - Dave] Is it my imagination……or is that upper left flag a 45-star flag? Unless this was some sort of old flag display (which it doesn't really appear to be), they should have been flying a 48-star flag. It was adopted on July 4, 1912 after Arizona and New Mexico were admitted to the union. [It shows 38, not 45. But it has 48. Six staggered rows of eight stars each. One corner is out of the frame, so we can't see them all. If you look at the flag on the right, you will see it also has 48 stars. Eight stars in the top row, eight stars in the second row, etc. - Dave] [+] What Goes On Here?There is a man, just right of the very center of this photo who appears to be aiming a machine gun at a hole in the ground. It looks like a group of people have gathered around to watch. His white pants would indicate that he is a custodian. Hmmm. [Diabolical. And ingenious. His machine gun is cunningly disguised as a board. - Dave] [+] I was going by……the staggered rows, not just the stars in the frame of the photo. I guess a 48-star flag was still new enough that perhaps the maker of it hadn't seen the official non-staggered 6-rows-of-8 version. [Prior to 1916 there was no official version. See comment above. - Dave] 48 star flagPrior to 1916 there was no official design, says the flag website nava.org: Q: I have two different 48 state flags. One has 48 staggered stars and the other has eight equal rows across with six rows down. Were there two different 48 state flags ever made? - Marla A: Prior to 1916, there were no official specifications for US flags. Indeed these two variants show up right from the beginning of the 48 star flag in 1912. After 1916, pretty much everyone switched to the even rows with the stars one over the other like the second one you mention. 48 star flags with staggered rows are somewhat rare and are early (1912-1916 or thereabouts). Beautiful Coney...and it still looks like that to this day. (The Gallery, Coney Island, G.G. Bain, Sports)
Pie Town Homesteaders: 1940
September 1940. Jack Whinery, Pie Town, New Mexico, homesteader, with his wife and the youngest of his five children in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 12:02pm -

September 1940. Jack Whinery, Pie Town, New Mexico, homesteader, with his wife and the youngest of his five children in their dirt-floor dugout home. Whinery homesteaded with no cash less than a year ago and does not have much equipment; consequently he and his family farm the slow, hard way, by hand. Main window of their dugout was made from the windshield of the worn-out car which brought this family to Pie Town from West Texas. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. More on Pie TownFrom Smithsonian. WitnessKodachrome has such a richness and vibrancy, eh? This photo makes it seem like we're standing at the photographer's right shoulder, looking on, feeling the Whinery's discomfort in what must have been a very small space. Sixty-seven years on, and we're right there. Thanks Mr. Lee. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska Love the colorEvery time I look at one of these photos from the 40s, with that deep, rich color, I think we must have entered a color "dark age" of sorts in the 60s, 70s and 80s... Loudon The Second?Something about this guy's face reminds me of Loudon Wainwright III DignityA sense of dignity is shown by this family. I think today's news media would tell them to "look defeated/miserable" before taking the photo. Modern media?If a freelance photographer went to take pictures of a family in these circumstances today he wouldn't likely be able to sell the photos, because no newspaper would be interested in publishing them. If he had a good shot of Lindsay Lohan, he could make $400,000 at bare minimum. So why again would he waste his time taking pictures of these people? [Russell Lee wasn't freelance. He was employed by the Farm Security Administration. - Dave] Hellooooooo handsome!I'm getting a time machine and moving to Pie Town. Going back to Pie TownI Google Mapped Pie Town and zoomed in on the streets. You can also "stand" on the hiway there as well. You can also go to Pietown's own website and see a few photos. Would like to know where his dugout house was and what happened to it. My brother said something profound about all these pictures. He's only in his forties, but he said, "I wasn't even alive and I miss this stuff." I think of these photos as true Americans. I miss it too, and I want it back! >>---------> (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee)
Bunk Car: 1943
March 1943. "Iden, New Mexico. One of the bunk cars for section workers of a train on the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/02/2009 - 12:57pm -

March 1943. "Iden, New Mexico. One of the bunk cars for section workers of a train on the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad between Clovis and Vaughn." Medium-format nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. This ain't the Army, SIR.Was hoping that thingy was an air freshener which this room probably needs. No bouncing quarters off THOSE beds! Bet that spit bucket serves two purposes, if'n you know what I mean. DisheveledIt appears to be 8:30 a.m. and the men are off to work. I note the ash grate door is open on the stove and a spit bucket by the bed. Can someone identify the item on the wall in the corner at left, near the lower bunk? [A kerosene lamp. - Dave] What? No HDTV?All it's missing is a La-Z-Boy, remote control and a bowl of popcorn. Sleeps FourThe cleaning lady hasn't been here for awhile ... and WHERE'S THE TV?? (That's what my grandson asked) On ScheduleDo I spy a box of prunes? (Rail)road tripObviously, I regret not having had an RV growing up -- this looks fun. More room than an Amtrak, anyway. Looks Like HomeMy father was born in a car like this, though probably a little neater and a bit earlier, 1926. His father was a bridge and structure painter for the Santa Fe. Father, Mother and newborn lived aboard the train and traveled the Southwest, painting as they went. The "bucket" near the bed may have been from paint or solvent. There was also a custom in the day of putting cans of kerosene under bedposts to prevent bugs from getting to the beds, perhaps this sleeper was saving up for that. [Or it might be full of sand. - Dave] It needsa woman's touch. Some curtains, a broom, a few pictures, vase of flowers -- all the homey stuff. Roughing it in 1969I lived on one of these the summer of 1969 while a member of a CB&Q line gang in Wisconsin and Illinois. We had electricity (when parked close enough to a power source), but no toilet and no hot water. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Pie Town Parley: 1940
... October 1940. "Farm family after evening meal. Pie Town, New Mexico." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/13/2020 - 12:40pm -

October 1940. "Farm family after evening meal. Pie Town, New Mexico." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Night Time is the Best TimeI love the atmosphere that the photographer achieved with the balance between light and dark, and the interactions between the people. Well done! It doesn't get any betterIt's just a beautiful photograph and a beautiful moment, especially the engagement between the two women. Where the men are laconicMy mother comes from a ranching and farming family a little south of Pie Town. I can say with certainty that the aforementioned engagement between the women is partly because those two men didn't say more than six sentences each throughout dinner. And the words "Fine", "Yes", and "No" constitute sentences. Double word scoreEvery single photo of a table lit by a kerosene lamp reminds me of my dad's story of playing Scrabble by kerosene lamp during Hurricane Carla in 1961. It's a story I've heard in various forms for as long as I've been playing Scrabble, and I'm sure the final version will be told in the memoir he says he's writing. Oh, but unlike the residents of Pie Town, they had electricity when there wasn't a hurricane, right? Well, yeah. He also has childhood memories of his grandmother's place in West Texas, before the REA. And then there's the story of the stray cow. Have to sayI can't think of a better photograph on this site. Old friends relaxing after a long day. Wow! Questions remainAre the older couple parents of the young woman or the man? Whose house are they at or do they share a domicile? Is this a nightly affair or is it weekly? An aspiring writer could run far with this image. That map tho.I wish I could see a detailed version! Gogh's "Potato eaters"Real life reenactment, if ever was the one. Keeping John D. Rockefeller in businessThe table lamp looks to be a Rayo round-wick model with an Argand burner. Rayos were made by Bradley & Hubbard and marketed by Standard Oil; there is a story that a free Rayo lamp came with a purchase of 15 gallons or more of Standard kerosene. Rayos have a rep among collectors as fuel hogs, which quite possibly is why Standard Oil got involved with them in the first place. They became much less popular after 1907, when the Aladdin lamp combined an Argand burner with a Welsbach rare-earth mantle to produce a better and more economical light. Amazing imageI don't often wonder about technical aspects in most photos, but I would love to know the details on how Lee captured and processed this image so perfectly under these conditions. [A lot of the processing was by Photoshop, a few hours ago. - Dave] Reminds me of Hopper's "Nighthawks"I'm aware of the power of the image having neutralized any distracting surroundings by darkness so that you can't help but let the faces tell the story. I'm thinking of Malcolm Gladwell's book, Blink, and how universal are the expressions of our faces. This image is captivating me. "A lot of the processing was by Photoshop"Photoshop truly is amazing. I looked up this photo on the LoC website and saw just how dark and low in detail it appears from the original negative. The astonishing thing is that all the detail actually was recorded; it's just that film and processing weren't up to recovering it. Dave's restoration augments Lee's talent. Much as I dream of the past, today has its wonders. [Any "recovering" of detail would have happened in the darkroom when the negative was printed. - Dave] Agreed: burning, dodging and other tricks were routine in any darkroom. But even the most artful enlarger artisan would be very hard pressed to ever create a finished print to rival what we can do in Photoshop in seconds. PainterlyRembrandt lighting a couple of centuries later. (The Gallery, Kitchens etc., Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee)
New Jersey Zinc: 1911
... Earth A subsidiary of New Jersey Zinc, Empire Zinc of New Mexico, was the subject of the 1954 movie "Salt of the Earth," based on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/21/2016 - 10:54am -

Paterson, New Jersey, circa 1911. "American Locomotive Co. Rogers Works. 0-4-0 locomotive for New Jersey Zinc Co." 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Fireless steam locomotive This may be a fireless steam locomotive and not a saddle tank. They were often used as industrial switchers, especially at armament factories. NJ Zinc Co / Palmerton PA Superfund siteTheir zinc smelting operation deforested a long section east of town that has been the site of a Superfund reclamation project. Hike east from Palmerton along the Appalachian Trail and you'd swear that you were on Mars. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmerton,_Pennsylvania "Light Locomotives for Domestic Service"Order one here! Surprisingly intactNow the Paterson Museum. You know those times... when people speak of the majesty and beauty of the great steam engines? This is not one of those times. Salt of the EarthA subsidiary of New Jersey Zinc, Empire Zinc of New Mexico, was the subject of the 1954 movie "Salt of the Earth," based on the Bayard, N.M., miners' strike. DerailedThe Rogers Works produced nearly 6,200 locomotives starting in 1837, and in late 19th century was the second largest locomotive builder in the US. Besides the pocket size industrial locomotive shown here they built surprisingly large main-line locomotives as well, and were known for quality and innovation. Surprisingly, the plant had no direct rail connections, and all incoming materials and outbound finished locomotives were hauled by horse-drawn wagons several blocks on the streets of Paterson to the nearest rails! The plant closed in 1913. BTW, did you spot the photobomber? Photo Bomberto the right mid picture behind the large post. Took a while Interesting little WorkhorseLet the thing with the majesty and beauty of the steam locomotive to get away, and focus on the image. There is an interesting locomotive with a lot of interesting details. The compact design reminds us that there is a locomotive for use under technical equipment (loading bridges etc.). Steam Locomotives for the real underground use are rather unsuitable (What to do with all the smoke?). Also interesting is the artifices which had to apply the designers to go from the low-lying frame back to the standard coupling height. The generously dimensioned buffer beams indicate that the track position in the field of application would not likely to have been the most amazing (In the event of a derailment preventing such buffer beams that the wheels of the locomotive firmly dig in the mud). Further interesting the saddle tank - a feature that was actually more common in England. The equipment with external engine and internal control is also not been so common in North America at the time. The nameplate on the smoke chamber support is another unusual detail - but was on the smoke chamber (the normal place for this plate on north american locos) just not a place because of the saddle tank, so they just have shifted the nameplate down slightly (in Europe, especially in Germany were nameplates on the cylinders usual). The cover of the cab with (Yes what, anyway? Fabric? Tar paper?) Is another detail that you as looks more on wagons to locomotives. And the lack of side doors finally point out that the locomotive may have been coupled in everyday life with any Tender well - another meaningful reason for a single wide opening in the rear wall of the cab will not occur to me. Not fireless.This is not a fireless locomotive. It's one of a type of small locomotives that were typically called "Contractor" locomotives due to their size. Rogers was known for producing these small locomotives, with most of them being coal fired, while a few were oil fired. This one is most likely the former. (The Gallery, Factories, Mining, Railroads)
The White Family: 1913
... and photography instructor for the Manhattan Project in New Mexico and in the Pacific, and later founded the important Photography ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2020 - 3:56pm -

1913. "The Clarence White family in Maine. Mrs. Clarence White, seated by window in light, her husband and three sons in sailor outfits standing around her." 8x10 dry plate glass negative by Gertrude Käsebier. View full size. Beautiful!This photo looks like a painting! And the youngest boy has such a happy grin. Though the picture is obviously posed, his smile is so authentic. In the Spirit of Norman RockwellHad Rockwell been painting for the Saturday Evening Post in 1913, this would've been an ideal subject for one of its covers. The backlighting on the young lad's blond hair makes him look absolutely angelic. Belated kudos to Gertrude. I'd go back to live in those times in a heartbeat. Very niceIt's so unusual to see an interior shot in such a "candid" situation done with available light AND be shot with an 8x10 camera....wow! Beautiful. "Sunshine in the House"The Library of Congress photo collection has an original platinum exhibition print of this photograph, signed in the lower right corner by Gertrude Käsebier, who evidently titled the shot "Sunshine in the House." Interestingly, that print is reversed from the example seen here, with the parents on the right and the sons on the left. The LOC also includes the detail that the house in Maine was that of F. Holland Day, another influential "pictorialist" photographer and a close friend of both White and Käsebier. HahI wonder what the chances of getting your two teenage sons to wear matching sailor suits would be in this day and age? Clarence WhiteClarence White was a master photographer, as was Gertrude Kasebier. His wife was Jane Felix. The Whites' SonsAll three of Clarence H. and Jane Felix White's sons went on to creative careers. The oldest, Lewis Felix White (1895-1967), seen here between his brothers, became a book designer, typographer, and photographer, and was the founder and head of L. F. White Company, Inc., a small printing company based in New York City. Maynard Pressley White (1896-1961), far right, obtained his doctorate and became a widely respected petroleum geologist and paleontologist. The youngest, Clarence Hudson White, Jr. (1907-1978), in the doorway, succeeded his father as Director of the White School of Photography in New York City, worked during World War II as a photographer and photography instructor for the Manhattan Project in New Mexico and in the Pacific, and later founded the important Photography program at Ohio University. Tour de ForceBesides its artistic excellence, this photo is a technical achievement. Keeping the fully sunlit exterior in balance with the much dimmer interior, without obvious manipulation, is quite difficult, even today. (The Gallery, C.H. White, Gertrude Kasebier, Kids)
Pie Town: 1940
... 1940. "General Merchandise store, Main Street, Pie Town, New Mexico." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 1:32pm -

October 1940. "General Merchandise store, Main Street, Pie Town, New Mexico." View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee. amusing...Only three shops on Main Street and one is a taxidermist. Pie townWas the reason Pie Town had dugout buildings because of its location in the hot desert area of NM? Where was Pie town located exactly in NM and does it exist today? [Can you use Google? Wikipedia? Pie Town is up around 7000 feet elevation. It's not in the "hot desert." Pie Town website. - Dave] Pie TownYes, I can use Google & Wikipedia, thought it was easier to ask than have to look up. Thanks for the info anyway. Oh and thanks very much in creating a fantastic web site that really tells the story of our country's developement, advancements, hardships and it's people. This web site would be a great asset in history classes for all grades, wish it was around when I went to school. Pie TownPie Town still exists and looks much the same today. located in west central N Mex at elevation of 6200 ft. old cowboy camp in the 1870s that sold pies from homesteader wife. high desert country with mild summers and some snow in winters. Pie Town DugoutsThe reason for using dugout buildings might be for insulation in the winter. No draft in the corners, see. Dugout buildings are veryDugout buildings are very common in colder places. Almost all the Central European immigrants who homesteaded the Canadian Prairie Provinces spent their first year or two in dugout buildings. As said before, they eliminate drafts (and more importantly they insulate against the cold!), but you also need much less wood to build a dugout building. Some had sod roofs and upper walls, and the lower walls were nothing but dirt. It was basically free housing, which was essential because homesteading legally required the owner to live on the land for a certain number of years. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Pie Town, Russell Lee, Stores & Markets)
The Texaco Troubadour: 1940
June 1940. Pie Town, New Mexico. "Farm boy playing guitar in front of the filling station and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 5:04am -

June 1940. Pie Town, New Mexico. "Farm boy playing guitar in front of the filling station and garage." 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee. View full size. Looks well worn,that guitar, though no doubt he is mighty proud of it. Shades of Woodrow Wilson "Woody" GuthrieJust the same, he does not appear to be hurting too badly for money with that ring and fancy guitar. About the right age I wonder if he survived the war looming on the horizon. He looks like he would be in right age bracket for the war years. Wonderful webAn image of the guitar, the "Gondolier". I wonder if this young man imagined himself to be in Venice? A Pumping and a PlayingJudging from the oil-soiled pants he also operated the pumps and grease rack. Did Johnny Cash know him?All I can think of is the song "Tennessee Flat Top Box" when I see this. Frank FritzWould love this pic, Oil Cans! (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Pie Town, Russell Lee)
Down to Belen: 1943
March 1943. "Belen, New Mexico. Going across the Rio Grande River Valley on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R.R. between Vaughn and Belen, New Mexico. There is a drop of over 1600 feet in elevation." Photo by Jack ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/11/2013 - 4:04pm -

March 1943. "Belen, New Mexico. Going across the Rio Grande River Valley on the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe R.R. between Vaughn and Belen, New Mexico. There is a drop of over 1600 feet in elevation." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. Riding the yellowThe 45 degree blade of the semaphore signal at the other end of the bridge is called an "Approach Signal", and means "Proceed prepared to stop at next signal." This tells the engineer of the train we are riding that we are closely following another train - sorta like seeing taillights ahead of you on the highway. Or, it may be telling us that we are going to meet another train at the next siding. Context sensitive. Still going downAs near as the Google car could get: View Larger Map (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Landscapes, Railroads)
Death Won Here: 1940
... "Marker of accident on the highway in Bernalillo County, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2018 - 11:09am -

July 1940. "Marker of accident on the highway in Bernalillo County, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Powerful statementWe sometimes see memorials placed roadside by mourners, but no "official" markers such as this. Quite a campaign they must have had to promote motor safety. The vehicle here is a 1930-31 Ford. And it had a rumble seat, shown by the step plate on the fender. X marks the spotAt least a couple of states still do this today. The Florida Department of Transportation has an official program to place a memorial marker at the site of a fatality on a state highway - a round white sign. When you're driving by, you can only read the "Drive Safely" wording, but if you're on foot, you can see that it also has the name of the person who died. Sometimes people will put flowers or other things at the base of the sign. I first saw those signs when visiting in 2008, and the program is still available today. The South Dakota state police have had a similar program since 1979, with a somewhat similar "X" to the one seen here. In the early 1980s, I remember hearing my grandparents talk about the roadside "shrines" that family and friends would put up in northern Mexico and southern Texas. I don't remember seeing anything like that in Missouri at the time, but by the late 1990s, I started seeing them in Missouri. South Dakota Has Similar SignsBut they didn't start erecting them until 1979. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee)
Pie Town Picnic: 1940
... Sept. 1940. "Serving the barbecue dinner at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair. Pie Town is a community settled by about 200 migrant Texas and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 4:02pm -

Sept. 1940. "Serving the barbecue dinner at the Pie Town, New Mexico Fair. Pie Town is a community settled by about 200 migrant Texas and Oklahoma farmers who filed homestead claims." Kodachrome by Russell Lee. View full size. BeautifulYou can taste the deliciousness. With added happiness on the side. Where areWhere are all the sullen kids wandering around like zombies? Everyone looks so happy, must be something to do with no TV. Or maybe we just don't get enough pie these days. Pie Towna different time and a fuller life. I remember pies baked by Grandmom. Some flat but always good. Where are the good times gone? Gosh!this brings back memories of picnics and garden parties when life was much so much better, at least in my opinion. Is the grass always greener?I feel a similar nostalgic wistfulness when I view this picture. But I can't help but wonder if 70 yrs from now, future generations will be looking at our photos with the same sense of longing. Don't Fall Victim to NostalgiaNothing is stopping any of you posters from doing exactly what's happening in this photograph. Go invite your friends and family out to the park and have a nice time! Nobody is forcing you to watch TV or be unhappy. With that said, great picture =) The Pie FestivalFor each of you who have said that you long to partake in activities of this sort (of yesteryear to many of you), you can by attending the annual Pie Festival. It is held in Pie Town on the second Saturday of September every year. Beautiful photo of simpler timesThis picture definitely takes me back to my childhood, when we would have Homecoming Day at our church. After the morning services, the entire congregation would have a huge picnic. And yes, to us kids it was a happy occasion, because we actually got to pick and choose what we would have for lunch, LoL! (in our home it was either eat what was placed in front of you, or do without) The food was good, the fellowship was good, Homecoming Day was always special, no matter what the weather was like. (The Gallery, Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee)
Heck Ranch: 1943
February 1943. Moreno Valley, New Mexico. "William Heck ranch. Mrs. Heck getting supper." Photo by John ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/07/2014 - 5:05pm -

February 1943. Moreno Valley, New Mexico. "William Heck ranch. Mrs. Heck getting supper." Photo by John Collier, Office of War Information. View full size. Hungry !That plate of biscuits looks too good to pass up ! Stove tutorialWhere do you put the coal? Time travelSomeone left their Frisbee on the stove! Great StoveI am in the process of restoring one just like it as we speak! Magnificent!That stove is massive and majestic! And in those days everything was built to last forever! Nice memoriesMy grandparents had a similar stove. The sight of those cast-iron irons brings back fond memories. Geneva Sergeant HeckWhen this photo was taken, Texas native Geneva Heck was about 28 years old, and had been married to William Heck for about ten years. At least one of their three children had been born. William and Geneva would continue in the ranching business for twenty more years, seven of them as owners of the Heck ranch. Her husband died in 1991, but she would live until 2008, when she passed away at age 92. Heck Ranch?Shucks yes! PepperThat's a really big box. Some like it hotThe Hecks must have really loved pepper! (The Gallery, John Collier, Kitchens etc.)
Silver City Buick: 1940
... 1940. "Insignias on tourist's car seen in Silver City, New Mexico." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/29/2008 - 11:16am -

May or June 1940. "Insignias on tourist's car seen in Silver City, New Mexico." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the FSA. GlobetrotterQuite an interesting collection of insigniae! The second one from the left is familiar to me: it's the badge of the Koninklijke Nederlandsche Automobiel Club or KNAC (Royal Dutch Automobile Club). The other badges are from all the major European automobile clubs of the time. I wonder if the owner of this car was a member of all of them. Austria, Hungary, Belgium, France and the UK are represented too. Who can identify the other ones? Automobile ClubsI don't think you needed to be a member to put an insigna of an Automobile Club on your car. I suppose it was more or less the same as with insignas on a mountain walking stick! At least one of them (The Austrian) says it is a "souvenir"(Andenken). I could find out the following (starting from top to bottom and from left to right): Top 1. France, Automobile-Club de Nice Côte d'Azur Middle: 2. France, Automobile-Club Ile de France, 3. Netherlands, Koninklijke Nederlandsche Automobiel Club (Royal Dutch Automobile Club) 4. Austria, Andenken Österr. Automobil-Club 5. ARCI, perhaps Italian? 6. Belgium, Royal Automobile Club Belgique 7. Hungary, Kiralyi Magyar Automobil Club (Royal (!)Hungarian Automobile Club) 8. AS...??, seems to be French, comparing the logo's of nrs 2 and 9 9. France, TCF Touring Club de France 10. UK Bottom: 11. France, Saint Hubert Club de France 12. DAS Legal Aid Company, since 1928 Munich, Germany, DAS International Group 13. USA, AAA, American Automobile Association, Automobile Club of New York (well that's an easy one) #12 has an interesting history DAS stands for La Défense Automobile et Sportive. It started 1917 at Le Mans, France, to support Racing drivers after car incidents in legal disputes. In 1928 the DAS International Group was founded in Munich, Germany. Saint Hubert Club de FranceBy the way, the Saint Hubert Club de France is a club for hunters, as may be clear from the insignia, and it still exists with the same logo. Buick BadgesA closeup of the badges. Click to enlarge. Buick Badges ACSI googled for "Automobile Club de Suisse + badge" and found a colour picture of an identical badge. So Alex got it right. The lettering on the upper half says "Automobil Club der Schweiz" and "Automobile Club de Suisse" on the bottom. The S is in red with a white cross in the middle. You badgaholics missed one badgeIn your excitement. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee)
Cafe Society: 1943
... 'Killed'." From photos taken in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico, by John Collier for the OWI. View full size. Bar looks ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2014 - 6:56pm -

February 1943. "This image in a jacket marked 'Killed'." From photos taken in and around Albuquerque, New Mexico, by John Collier for the OWI. View full size. Bar looks pretty well stocked.Might be 1943, but no shortage of beer and peanuts. GodlessThe pledge of allegiance, before "under God" was added, hangs on the wall. One Bourbon, One Scotch, One BeerNow that's what I call a bar. I bet it's heaving on a Friday night. C'mon, Burquenos!Someone in my favorite city must recognize this place. It's time for Shorpy sleuths to leap into action. First clue: If the back wall is right, it's "Cafe [something]." My kind of jointNo foo-foo drinks with straws there. No martinis made with apple flavoured vodka either. Sippers vs. SluggersYou can tell how a fellow drinks his beer by observing the foam rings left inside the glass every time he takes a drink. A sipper nurses his beverage, savoring the amber current flowing through his mind. The guy with the glasses facing the camera, center frame, is a sipper. If you zoom in you can plainly see three, maybe four foam lines closely spaced with a third of his glass empty. Perhaps he's short on cash and wanting to prolong his evening at the bar before returning home to the missus. A sipper sacrifices the crisp pop of a whole glass of cold beer on the belly and brain for the lingering pleasure of standing at the bar in the company of friends and neighbors The gentleman looking straight at the camera with his cap pushed back is a slugger. Notice how his glass is also about a third sailboat fuel. One thick foam line tilted ever so slightly to the rim indicates he drained a third of his beer in two big gulps. Ahhh! Now that's refreshing! Ol' Goober employs both tactics -- slug one, then sip one, slug one, sip one ... lather, rinse, repeat. OverheadThe light fixtures are a schoolhouse pendant. An observationDoggone, but that Gooberpea is an entertaining (and accomplished) writer! Re: Sippers vs. SluggersWonderful analysis of the beer glasses. One of my all-time favorite Shorpy comments. Well done, Gooberpea! Best line: "A sipper nurses his beverage, savoring the amber current flowing through his mind." Close second: "A sipper sacrifices the crisp pop of a whole glass of cold beer on the belly and brain for the lingering pleasure of standing at the bar in the company of friends and neighbors." Pure poetry. Santa Fe RR?The guy looking into the camera appears to wear a railroad cap. I wonder if this is near the Santa Fe yard off Central Ave.? (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, John Collier)
Professor Turtle: 1925
... Underlying Upper Cretaceous Formations of San Juan County, New Mexico, [1919]. Washington Post, September 16, 1924. ... … An exhibit of turtles, which Dr. Reeside found in New Mexico, is on display at the institution. Size matters Gonna need ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/15/2012 - 6:22am -

September 4, 1925. "Prof. Chas. W. Gilmore, Smithsonian curator, with fossil turtle." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Fossil Turtle ExpertAnother photo of the professor and fossils at Dinosaur: 1924. Charles Whitney Gilmore wrote numerous papers and monographs on the subject including Description of Two New Species of Fossil Turtles, From the Lance Formation of Wyoming, [1916], and Reptilian Faunas of the Torrejon, Puerco, and Underlying Upper Cretaceous Formations of San Juan County, New Mexico, [1919]. Washington Post, September 16, 1924. Fossils believed to be those of a hyanodon, a flesh eating mammal of the Oligocene period were received yesterday at the Smithsonian by Charles W. Gilmore, curator of vertebrate paleontology. … An exhibit of turtles, which Dr. Reeside found in New Mexico, is on display at the institution. Size mattersGonna need a bigger caliper. (The Gallery, D.C.)
Family Truckster: 1937
... drought refugee families on the highway near Lordsburg, New Mexico, going to Roswell to chop cotton." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2014 - 9:11am -

May 1937. "One of three related Oklahoma drought refugee families on the highway near Lordsburg, New Mexico, going to Roswell to chop cotton." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Homestead HeadgearTwo things jumped right out at me. The Texas license plate with the word "Farm" on it. Might it be that the state charged the farmer or the farm workers less than a regular tag or that juveniles could drive them on the property? The other is that ten-gallon hat. I never realized that people, other than the actors in the 1930s cowboy films, wore them. Hat's OkayBoys wore all kinds of interesting hats in the 1930s. Some of the male characters in the OUR GANG films wore leather aviator helmets with goggles, cowboy hats and beanies, kind of like a baseball cap without a bill. But the migrant farm workers in the picture really needed their big-brimmed hats for protection from the blazing sunshine of the fields. That Hoot Gibson lookFor a true cowperson, the hat is always the last thing to go during hard times. All God's children got shoesWell, not all of them. The people in this picture resemble the parched, weather-beaten landscape shown in the background, stripped and hanging on for dear life, barely alive, struggling for a shred of hope that things will get better. These 1930's dust bowl photos do remind us not to feel sorry for ourselves. Even the poorest among us today are living a luxurious existence compared to these down-trodden families. Texas Farm PlatesIntroduced in 1934 with discount registration, still used today. Vehicle is supposed to be used off the farm only for "farm business." When I was in the Air Force in Texas in the 1960s many of the civil servants had farm plates on their pickups and a permanent hay bale or such in the back to prove "farm business" to any overeager State Trooper. This poor family's "farm business" has taken them a looong way from home. In perspectiveThis picture has really touched me. Think this poor family has run out of gas - in more ways than one. I'd love to have it on my wall as a reminder to keep everything in perspective. StetsonThe hat reminds me of Elmer Keith who wore the same style Stetson for most of his life. The second thing I noticed is the boy in bare feet and robe. I am having trouble matching up the reflection in the window with the rest of the photo though. [It's not a reflection; we're looking through the windshield to the back of the truck. -tterrace] Movie TriviaIsn't Lordsburg the town that The Ringo Kid was heading for in the movie 'Stagecoach'? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Dust Bowl, Great Depression)
Tahoe Beer: 1940
... Genoa portrayed the fictional town of Tres Cruces, New Mexico. The old courthouse stood in for the exterior of the fictional ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/20/2013 - 3:46pm -

March 1940. "Genoa, Nevada. Stores on Main Street." A former Mormon outpost, Genoa was the first settlement in the Nevada Territory. Medium-format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. LemonolyufCurious graffito on the trough. Lemon water for horses? The Wild Westwent to Genoa to die. Unexpectedly recovering, it has made Genoa a respectable tourist destination and the home of America's Oldest Thirst Parlor. A vanished brandTahoe Beer was brewed by the Carson Brewing Company in Carson City from 1913 until 1948. Like countless other local breweries, the Carson Brewing Company couldn't survive the postwar consolidation of the brewery industry into a small number of national companies. The former brewery building in Carson City now houses the Brewery Arts Center. Just across the line in California there's a new outfit called the Tahoe Mountain Brewing Company, so in a sense the name lives on. The Gnarly CottonwoodNo mistaking the deeply fissured bark of the Cottonwood. If it weren't for these trees, the Great Basin would be largely treeless. Water source for the RadiatorDid you notice the water supply a few feet in front of the Ford? Do you think it's configured to provide radiator top-offs? Thanks for the more recent photo. Famous in filmIn the 1973 Don Siegel film, "Charley Varrick", Genoa portrayed the fictional town of Tres Cruces, New Mexico. The old courthouse stood in for the exterior of the fictional Western Fidelity Bank, which is robbed by Charley (Walter Matthau) and his partners. The bank interior shots were filmed in nearby Minden. Car ID1929 Model A Ford 3 window sedan. Radiator filler.I love the design of that extended faucet for filling radiators. Cool, Clear WaterLooks like the water tap is to fill the (now defunct?) horse trough. The bucket will help you fill your radiator. Only a little at a time if the water is too cold. If that's a cottonwoodIf that's a cottonwood, I'm a Dutchman. The leaves are completely wrong for a cottonwood. Them's willows of some kind. Circular itemsWhat are the round metallic things on the brickwork of the building? [They're anchor plates. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Roswell Fair: 1936
April 1936. "Farm boys of the Pecos Valley, New Mexico, at carnival in Roswell." Note large circular object spinning in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2012 - 11:13am -

April 1936. "Farm boys of the Pecos Valley, New Mexico, at carnival in Roswell." Note large circular object spinning in the sky. Medium-format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. They seemed like such nice boys!The expression of the one on the right shows that he's already hardened by a life of circus-oriented crime, but the one on the left may still have a chance. SportyIce hockey in Roswell? Hmm. I noticed the circular thing in the background harvesting humans. UFOsNot to mention the 5 mystery objects above. Thugs.What gang symbol is that he's flashing? SigningAlso note the hand sign that the kid on the left is exhibiting - we have just entered the Twilight Zone. Nothing to see hereThat's just a weather balloon. Throwing a SignPunk-posing with that obvious down gang sign would get the taller kid suspended from any grammar school in my city- unless someone popped a cap in him first. The police would then list that younger kid on the 'known associate' rolls. Mystery MarksI'm guessing those marks are from the edges of the plastic roll inside an "apron" style developing tank. Two Bright and Shining FacesA great photo of two beautiful kids! Look and get punched!Everyone looking at the boys "gang' symbol should be punched. It's the ever popular children's game of if I catch you starring at my hand I get to punch you. We liken it to slug bug or punch buggy only it's personal. I double dog dare you to not look at my hand! Pay attention boysThe boys were "all ears" when listening to the photographer. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Kids)
Si Wa Wata Wa: 1903
... Americans. Modern day battle I was recently in New Mexico and bought some turquoise jewelry from his granddaughter. At least ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/27/2019 - 3:22pm -

1903. The Zuni elder Si Wa Wata Wa. Who does not look like someone who put up with much nonsense. Photograph by Edward S. Curtis. View full size. Battle of the Tough CodgersWho would win in a fight between this guy and John L. Burns, the old hero of Gettysburg? I think it would be a close contest. Hotness!He's a handsome man! I wonder how old an "elder" is? A few short decades later he might have made it big in Hollywood. I wouldn't back-talk eitherI wouldn't back-talk either one of them that's for sure. I think I would have to put my money on Elder Si Wa Wata Wa though. Indians were usually well trained in a closer in, hand-to-hand style of combat I think. "Freedom to be your best means nothing unless you're willing to do your best." -- Colin Powell Blood MeridianJust finished this week "Blood Meridian, or the Evening Redness in the West" by Cormac McCarthy and so this image hit me at a moment of reflection on the plight of the native Americans. Modern day battleI was recently in New Mexico and bought some turquoise jewelry from his granddaughter. At least I think she was; They both carried the same expression. And for what I paid, she was the winner! Thanks!Thank you for posting this picture. I am part Zuni, Hopi, and Laguna. I have never seen a historic picture of a Zuni person like this. It's always wonderful to see a part of history, especially when its personal and a part of who I am. (The Gallery, Edward Curtis, Native Americans, Portraits)
Faro and Doris: 1940
... 1940. "Faro and Doris Caudill, homesteaders, Pie Town, New Mexico." Faro and Doris got divorced a couple years after this picture was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 3:59pm -

October 1940. "Faro and Doris Caudill, homesteaders, Pie Town, New Mexico." Faro and Doris got divorced a couple years after this picture was taken; she ended up homesteading in Alaska. There is a book about her life called Pie Town Woman. Kodachrome by Russell Lee. View full size. What a name!Faro... you gotta love a guy named after a card game. October 1940?Can this date really be correct? The picture seems too good for that time. 1940Yes, 1940. The Pie Town pictures were scanned from Kodachrome slides. 35mm Kodachrome film went on the market sometime around 1937. My grandpaFaro Caudill was my Grandpa and we have very few pictures of him when he was younger because he was 15 years older than my grandmother. Any ideas on where to find more pictures? redkenwolf@yahoo.com Notice...She's wearing nail polish. I love the details like that. Faro’s gravehttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/28802406/faro-caudill (The Gallery, Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee)
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