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Waiting for the SP: 1959
... DF-605 Diesel #5620 (Serial #20145) was built in March 1955. In 1966 it was renumbered #3457, Class EF418-5, and in 1972 it was ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 07/27/2012 - 9:38pm -

My mother, brother, and I are waiting as the Southern Pacific passenger train pulls into what was then the Hillsdale Station, just outside of San Mateo, CA. (It's now a Caltrain station.) My father worked in San Francisco at the time and used to take the commuter train to and from work. I started to write that we were probably picking him up at the station, but he's the one that snapped the picture! Taken on Anscochrome film, August 1959. View full size. Color SaturationThese images that you have shared are wonderful, Rute Boye. Is it the Anscochrome film that makes our past so golden and hazy, unlike today's harsh, blazing sun? Either way, thank you. Early morning Black WidowThis is SP locomotive #5620 in the Black Widow paint scheme, pulling train #110—which was a commuter train that ran from San Francisco to San Jose. It was the first train out of San Francisco each morning at 6:10 a.m., and would have arrived at the Hillsdale Station at about 6:40 a.m. I believe that the station is on the west side of the tracks - which means we are looking north and that puts the morning sun across the tracks to the east, thereby causing the long shadows to be cast. It makes sense that some of the people would be wearing coats and sweaters—it can be chilly there in the mornings, even in August. Not so in the late afternoon. Someone special must have been coming to visit to get your family out that early, or you were on your way to someplace special. The number 110 was the train number for the regularly scheduled run. The lead locomotive of the train would have this number displayed (and lit up at night) on the number board so as to distinguish it from other trains in the depot. If locomotives were switched out, the new lead locomotive would then display the correct train number. The locomotive itself had a road number (5620) that was unique to that engine. However, a locomotive did not always keep its original road number if the railroad changed its numbering system or rebuilt the locomotive to a different specification, as was the case for #5620. According to Don Ross at Don's Rail Photos, the Electro-Motive GP9 Class DF-605 Diesel #5620 (Serial #20145) was built in March 1955. In 1966 it was renumbered #3457, Class EF418-5, and in 1972 it was rebuilt as #3363, Class EF418-2. SP retired it in 1993 and sold it to a scrapper. Pictures of it later in its career wearing the Bloody Nose paint scheme can be seen here (1967) and here (1972). Southern Pacific numberingLocomotive is a GP9, manufactured by GM's Electromotve Division. That's the number on the nose of the locomotive. I initially had difficulty identifying the engine because the numbers on the illuminated number boards at the top of the nose - 110 - don't match any locomotive listed for the SP. I wonder what the 110 signifies and what the railroad's policy was for the illuminated numbers on their locomotives. PT 110These passenger GPs were built for a number of lines. They lacked dynamic brakes, but were provided with steam generators for train heat; IIRC they were also geared for higher speeds. The steam equipment forced the relocation of the air reservoirs, and they were placed on top of the hood where the dynamic brake housing more commonly sat. The four long, thin tanks, one of which you can see in this picture, gave rise to the nickname "torpedo boats". As Tobacconist implies, these gradually lost their snazzy passenger paint and disappeared into the regular freight fleet as time went on. Wrong numberThe 5620 could not have become the 3457 after it was renumbered. The 3457 does have dynamic brake blisters on the roof and the 5620 does not. Therefore, they are two different locomotives. The 5620 became some other number after it was renumbered. Early morning eastboundEveryone's attention is naturally drawn to the southbound (railroad eastbound) train, but I'll bet they are actually waiting for the next westbound to take them to "The City" for the day. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Nay Aug Tunnel: 1900
... was opened south of this one, but it was damaged during a 1955 hurricane and abandoned for train use. Modern views show it being slowly ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/17/2018 - 11:38am -

Circa 1900. "Nay Aug Tunnel, Scranton, Pennsylvania." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Close the windows!It's going to be really smoky with that low roof. Looks like they put a concrete (reinforced?) slab into the rock, too. Still TickingThis photo shows the original tunnel, carved out in 1854 and still in operation. In 1905, a second tunnel was opened south of this one, but it was damaged during a 1955 hurricane and abandoned for train use. Modern views show it being slowly taken over by nature and the elements. Just add soundI would love to hear this loco roaring out of the tunnel! Track Soundtrack (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, Scranton)
Ho-Ho-Kus Council
... listed on the board behind SeaJayBee's grandfather. In 1955, John McElroy is chief and has been since 1932, while Al Junta is ... (The Zimmerman swearing-in must therefore be after 1955.) A 1965 photo shows the retirement party of Chief Junta, with Angersoll ... 
 
Posted by SeaJayBee - 11/21/2014 - 7:17pm -

The Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey town council swears in Mayor A.J. Zimmerman in the early 1950s. My grandfather is back left. View full size. Rising through the ranksThe selection of photos and captions on the history page of the Ho-Ho-Kus police department website allows us to track the career progress of the officers listed on the board behind SeaJayBee's grandfather. In 1955, John McElroy is chief and has been since 1932, while Al Junta is lieutenant and Ed Angersoll is sergeant. (The Zimmerman swearing-in must therefore be after 1955.) A 1965 photo shows the retirement party of Chief Junta, with Angersoll as captain and Re as sergeant. By 1972, Angersoll is chief and Re is captain, and in a 1973 photo, Bob Re is finally chief. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The Crossing Guard: 1941
... me. The buildings to the right of the kiosk were, in 1955 and in order, a bank, a garage, and a neighborhood grocery. It looks like ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/26/2012 - 3:05pm -

October 1941. "Railway crossing in Chatham, New York." Look Both Ways, Watch Out for the Cars, etc. Medium-format negative by John Collier. View full size. Rings a BellI went to high school in Chatham in the 1950s so the picture is a little familiar, although I don't recall the kiosk still being next to the RR crossing. The gates, by then, were automatic. Just to the left of the kiosk you can see part of a "Coca-Cola" sign in front of the corner building. That was Alvord's Pharmacy, where Colonel Alvord personally wrapped Edna St. Vincent Millay's (she lived up the road in Austerlitz New Concord) manuscript of "A Buck in the Snow" for sending to her publisher. Or so one of his relations told me. The buildings to the right of the kiosk were, in 1955 and in order, a bank, a garage, and a neighborhood grocery. It looks like it wasn't very different in 1941. I'd enjoy seeing some more period photos of the town: the railroad station was a classic of its type. Not so different...Minus the kiosk, it's all still there today (right down to the bricked-up windows on the corner building). And if you happen to try to view it from the other side of the tracks in Google Earth, you'll find the Greatest Show On Earth blocking your view: http://goo.gl/maps/y19BQ Children Beware!This guy's on whippersnapper watch! Farkedhttp://www.fark.com/comments/7404591/Photoshop-this-cross-crossing-guard (The Gallery, John Collier, Railroads)
On the Beach
Pascagoula, Mississippi, April 1955. I was in the Air Force, stationed at Keesler AFB and met this girl on the beach in Pascagoula. We were married in July, 1955 and are still happily married. The hat is covering a bathing suit. ... 
 
Posted by nowhine - 09/27/2010 - 9:07am -

Pascagoula, Mississippi, April 1955. I was in the Air Force, stationed at Keesler AFB and met this girl on the beach in Pascagoula. We were married in July, 1955 and are still happily married. The hat is covering a bathing suit. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Great White: 1900
... a crane ship in 1920. She was finally sold for scrap in 1955. Grandpa's ship My Grandfather was an immigrant from Britain. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/09/2017 - 10:51am -

Boston circa 1900. "Battleship U.S.S. Kearsarge from astern." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. USS Kearsarge BB-5If the USS Kearsarge (BB-5) was commissioned in February 1900, this must be some time after that. This is possibly a shakedown cruise. Looking at all the civilians on deck this stop in Boston was so the Navy can show off their new ship. This battleship was the second of four ships to carry the Kearsarge name. Construction cost was just over $5 mil and took almost 4 years from laying the keel to commissioning. There appear to be at least seven tug boats tied up along side. Must have taken a lot of muscle to move that behemoth around. Battleship namesBy tradition dating back to the 1890s, US Navy battleships were always named after states (for example, USS Maine). Well, almost always. The battleship USS Kearsarge shown here broke this tradition by being named after the famous Civil War-era sloop-of-war of the same name that sank the Confederate raider CSS Alabama in 1864. The battleship Kearsarge was laid down by the Newport News Shipbuilding Company of Virginia, on 30 June 1896. She was part of Teddy Roosevelt's famous Great White Fleet of 1907-1908, then served as a battleship and training ship through World War I, only to be converted into a crane ship in 1920. She was finally sold for scrap in 1955. Grandpa's shipMy Grandfather was an immigrant from Britain. He enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1900, at Marine Barracks, 8th & I, Washington, DC. He was 15 years old (his Mom had to sign for him). His rank at the time was "Applicant". 6 months later he was promoted to the rank of "Boy". He later advanced to Drummer and then Trumpeter. Sailed in the Kearsarge on it's trip around the world. Retired in 1929 with the rank of Sergeant Major. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Boston, DPC)
Early Oil: 1910
... beyond past San Quentin Point in my brother's slide from 1955 looking east from the hills over our home town Idyllic Larkspur™. At ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/02/2016 - 5:47pm -

Contra Costa County, California, circa 1910. "Standard Oil works, Richmond, looking east." The refinery, described as "colossal" when it opened in 1902, is still in operation, under the Chevron name. 8x6 inch glass negative. View full size. "Still in operation"But hopefully not spewing all that smoke and particulates into the air! "Still in Operation"It was doing a pretty good job of spewing smoke and smell in the 1950s when I was growing up two towns to the south. On some days, driving by it on the way to the Richmond-San Rafael ferry (and then on to Stinson Beach -- good times) it would bring tears to your eyes. East Bay smokeSmoke in the sky from the refineries across the Bay was a familiar sight from Marin County at least through the 1950s, as seen in the large black smudge hovering in the beyond past San Quentin Point in my brother's slide from 1955 looking east from the hills over our home town Idyllic Larkspur™. At least we didn't have to smell it, usually, as ElViejo did. (The Gallery, Industry & Public Works, San Francisco)
Main Street USA: 1963
... to be treated accordingly, whether on Disneyland's July 1955 opening day or 57 years later in July 2012. Would Be Funny Our ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 07/14/2012 - 9:07pm -

The other day, Shorpy posted this photo of Saratoga Springs, which Dave described as "looking more than a little like one of those idealized Disney 'Main Streets'." One perspicacious commenter pointed out that Disney's relationship to the historic period portrayed in his Main Street (approx. 50 years past), would be like ours to the 1950s and 60s. So here you have it: Main Street in Disneyland, August 1963, roughly at the mid-point between the then-then and now. That's my brother in the gray shirt and Hush Puppies caught in mid-stride. I was just turning 17 when I shot this on Montgomery Ward's house-brand 35mm color slide film. View full size. And across Main StreetNear the Main Street Cinema is the upstairs window sign advertising the former Disneyland tobacco shop named for the late Mr. Van Arsdale France, a former San Diegan and lifelong tobacco user, as was his famous friend Mr. Disney. "Van" was a greatly valued longtime Disney employee who created the instructional manual used in training newly hired "Cast Members" in the hospitable art of gracefully dealing with the public in all situations. It was to be foremost that park visitors are guests and to be treated accordingly, whether on Disneyland's July 1955 opening day or 57 years later in July 2012. Would Be FunnyOur family from Vancouver would visit our grandparents who lived in L.A. back then. I was only 5 but do remember my first trip to Disneyland back in the summer of 1963. I must find that old photo album !! Would be funny if we were there the same day. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Miami Beach Pool: 1942
... prints. There's one of those in our collection from 1955, the year they apparently discontinued the process. It doesn't have the ... 
 
Posted by Infrogmation - 09/09/2010 - 7:49am -

Miami Beach, Florida, 1942. My mom is the little girl waving at us (or probably at my grandfather taking the photo). Her mother is standing behind her. The Florida vacation was planned before Pearl Harbor. The family was able to go ahead with it just after. Then came the rationing and the signs reading "Is This Trip Necessary?", and no more pleasure trips for the duration. This is a Kodak Minicolor print. Most of the color photos in our family albums from the 1970s or before are badly faded, but the old Kodak Minicolors are still vibrant. View full size. Miami Minicolor Thanks, Tterrace. -- Infrogmation of New Orleans Kodak MinicolorI had to look up Kodak Minicolor prints and found out that Kodak eventually started calling them Kodachrome prints. There's one of those in our collection from 1955, the year they apparently discontinued the process. It doesn't have the feel of a paper print, but rather a semi-translucent, shiny sheet of plastic. This is a great shot, from a period when most family photo memories are in black and white. You're so lucky to have these. I fiddled some with it: What glamour!I expect to see Esther Williams to come round the corner. The 40s in ColorGreat photo and nice work tterrace for the enhancement. I really crave pictures and footage from the war decade in color. More! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Movers & Shakers: 1922
... that I'd fastened to the bulkhead that I used from 1953 to 1955. I did pencil sketches to relieve the boredom of long flights to every ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/16/2019 - 8:56am -

October 15, 1922. Washington, D.C. "National Woman's Party -- moving." 4x5 inch glass negative, National Photo Company Collection. View full size. The finer points of progressI was born on October 12, 1932, very close to 10 years after this move was taking place. During my grammar and high school years, the pencil sharpener hadn't changed at all. My C-124c Globemaster had one that I'd fastened to the bulkhead that I used from 1953 to 1955. I did pencil sketches to relieve the boredom of long flights to every continent except Australia and the many islands in between - BTW, nice shoes on the woman diving into the drawer, some class there --- Rather a severe looking group Considering the time, and circumstance, that would come with the territory. Leaving as winnersThe Nineteenth Amendment became part of the U.S. Constitution on August 18, 1920: "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex." In 1922, the organization was located at 25 First Street NE. There is a lot to unpack in this photo. The unpacking is left as an exercise to Shorpyites. Although the lady in the back seems to have taken her first steps of freedom in a more fashionable set of high heels. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Politics, The Office)
The Good Gulf Gas Man
... opening of his Gulf Gas station in Gulfport, Miss., circa 1955. You will notice that as a former U.S. Marine he has the thumb and ... 
 
Posted by DoninVa - 09/20/2011 - 9:19pm -

My father at the grand opening of his Gulf Gas station in Gulfport, Miss., circa 1955. You will notice that as a former U.S. Marine he has the thumb and forefinger of his right hand properly along the seam of his right trouser leg. View full size. Funny...My grandfather was a Marine and that was the way he naturally stood. I never realized until now that it was because he was a Marine! Thanks. Gulf station in GulfportWhere else? The CarThe car 1950 Chevrolet Fleetline, with dealer plate under trunk handle. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Gas Stations)
Bank of Bisbee: 1940
... of Bisbee had a starring role in "Violent Saturday," a 1955 film noir shot on location with Bisbee recast as "Bradenville," and Ernest ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/10/2018 - 8:19pm -

        The Bank of Bisbee had a starring role in "Violent Saturday," a 1955 film noir shot on location with Bisbee recast as "Bradenville," and Ernest Borgnine somewhat improbably playing an Amish farmer whose family is held hostage by bank robbers. May 1940. "Bank in copper mining center of Bisbee, Arizona." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. The Name's ChangedThe rest remains the same. In fact, of all the towns featured on Shorpy, Bisbee seems to be the one that has changed the least. [Indeed. Although last time I was in Bisbee, it was a Bank of America. - Dave] Violent BisbeeStill frame from "Violent Saturday." Note the start of "Bisbee" on the old Coca-Cola sign on the side of the building above the Studebaker. Click to enlarge. Faux Stone PaintersThere was great scenery shop work on the Bank of Bradenville sign. I had to go back to notice how they covered up the Bank of Bisbee lettering. It was probably just plywood painted to look like stone. I understand that for much of the fist half of the Twentieth Century, people who could do that were in great demand. The classic example was all the temporary buildings at world's fair sites. Bisbee: Another Violent Starring RoleBisbee was the site of real-life violence in 1917. It is the subject of a newly released movie, "Bisbee '17". "Radically combining collaborative documentary, western and musical elements, the film follows several members of the close knit community as they attempt to reckon with their town's darkest hour. In 1917, nearly two-thousand immigrant miners, on strike for better wages and safer working conditions, were violently rounded up by their armed neighbors, herded onto cattle cars, shipped to the middle of the New Mexican desert and left there to die. This long-buried and largely forgotten event came to be known as the Bisbee Deportation." Quoted from Rotten Tomatoes, where the movie gets a 94% approval rating. (The Gallery, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
Hudson Driver
... Twilight Zone The time between the end of WWII and 1955-ish is an interesting era that I’ve love to know more about... yet seems ... tterrace and Shorpy for hosting them. 47-55 1947-1955 were the best years of my life. Lived in Japan for 2½ years (father part ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/22/2011 - 6:32pm -

Here I am at the wheel of the 1948 Hudson posted earlier. I figure I'm about three here, which would make it around 1949-50. The New HudsonCute kid! Twilight ZoneThe time between the end of WWII and 1955-ish is an interesting era that I’ve love to know more about... yet seems largely ignored in history if not in nostalgia compared to the periods before and after. I wonder why? I understand the power and draw of WWII and then the late 50s then 60s but in between seems so lost. Thanks for the pix tterrace and Shorpy for hosting them. 47-551947-1955 were the best years of my life. Lived in Japan for 2½ years (father part of occupation) and graduated H.S. there. Back in the States, had my first job, then went to Berkeley, where I met my future (and still) husband, married in 1954, first child 1955. There was plenty happening. What do you want to know.? Except for the Korean war, it was a relatively quiet time while countries, people and industries pulled their lives back together. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, tterrapix)
Ray Schalk: 1914
... team. Schalk was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955. A feat of some notoriety took place in 1925 when Schalk ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/07/2008 - 5:17pm -

White Sox catcher Ray Schalk circa 1914. View full size. National Photo Co. "Cracker" SchalkSchalk spent almost his entire career with the Pale Hose, beginning in 1912; he played just 5 games for the New York Giants in 1929 before retiring. Nicknamed "Cracker," since he resembled a cracker box when viewed from behind, he was considered to be an exceptionally skilled defensive catcher, a so-so hitter and very fast on the base paths. He "called" good games from behind the plate, apparently able to get pitchers to throw their best. Schalk was the other half of the battery for four no-hit games by various Chicago pitchers during his career. Ty Cobb thought highly of Schalk, naming him as the catcher on his (Cobb's) personal, all-time, all-star team. Schalk was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1955. A feat of some notoriety took place in 1925 when Schalk caught a ball dropped from the top of the 462 ft. Chicago Tribune tower. 'Cause he could, I guess. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska The Other GuyHas a great nose. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Sports)
Va-Va-Voom, 1950s
... and then sold it to my uncle two years later to buy a new 1955 Pontiac, a Star Chief 2 door hardtop. He owned the 55 until the day he ... 
 
Posted by Mattie - 06/01/2012 - 10:14pm -

I'm sure someone will quickly tell us the make and model of the car. The other model in the photo will probably remain a mystery, as there's nothing written on the back of this little snapshot I found at an antique fair. View full size. Maybe?How about a '52 Ford??? [1953 Pontiac. -tterrace] Those were the dayswhen cars were like tanks, and women with a broken ankle could stand on their own. IleneLove the total disregard for the angle of the houses. Just make the street straight and to hell with gravity. Shirley her name must be Ilene. More infoTterrace is correct, it's a 53 Pontiac. More precisely, a Custom Catalina 2 door hardtop. My dad had one exactly like it. He bought it new and then sold it to my uncle two years later to buy a new 1955 Pontiac, a Star Chief 2 door hardtop. He owned the 55 until the day he died in 2011. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Factory Time: 1941
... Ayer Mill of the American Woolen Co. The mill closed in 1955 and sat empty, with the clock falling into disrepair. The clock was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/28/2019 - 5:18pm -

January 1941. "Railroad cars and factory buildings in Lawrence, Massachusetts." Medium format acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. New Balance BuildingNice to see that the beautiful tower is still on the job https://goo.gl/maps/Bae4bzymDPWswrSz5 Ayer MillThis is the Ayer Mill, and the train tracks that ran along Merrimack Street. This mill exists currently across the street from the Wood Mill. The clock tower is only a foot shorter than the tower at British Parliament, otherwise known as Big Ben. Clock CleanedThe clock tower tops the Ayer Mill of the American Woolen Co. The mill closed in 1955 and sat empty, with the clock falling into disrepair. The clock was cleaned and restored in 1991, and now New Balance assembles shoes in the building underneath. (The Gallery, Factories, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Liberty and Union: 1904
... postcard. Then and Now The high school was razed in 1955 for a parking garage. Here's a video of the site's transformation. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/01/2020 - 12:42pm -

LIBERTY AND UNION NOW AND FOREVER, ONE AND INSEPARABLE 1904. "Steele High School and Soldiers' Monument, Dayton, O." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. The Finished ProductIt's always interesting to see how Detroit Photographic turned these great B&W shots into a color postcard. Then and NowThe high school was razed in 1955 for a parking garage. Here's a video of the site's transformation. Too many MasterpiecesOf course the world had too many such buildings, why not simply demolish them and put up a glass car park? Who needs all that craft and solid workmanship designed to last hundreds of years anyway? (The Gallery, Civil War, DPC)
Right Ends: 1958
... "Motordom's Masterpiece" My pick is the 1955 Cadillac, 2nd from left! Beautiful photo! I'm Not Greedy... ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/21/2011 - 12:20am -

A selection of automobile rear ends in Carmel, California in 1958. The prize, in my opinion, is the two-tone green-on-green 1957 Buick with the divided rear window in the center. A detail from a Kodachrome slide taken by my brother-in-law. View full size. "Motordom's Masterpiece"My pick is the 1955 Cadillac, 2nd from left! Beautiful photo! I'm Not Greedy...I'll take any one of them! Another excellent TTerrace photo. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
Queens of all the Air: 1952
... date update N2741A came to Capital from BOAC in June of 1955 and was operated by them until 1960. The aircraft was owned by Modern Air ... 
 
Posted by ceraurus - 02/19/2019 - 9:48am -

A Capital Airlines Lockheed L-049 Constellation at the Allegheny County Airport, southeast of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Circa 1952. Scanned from a Kodachrome stereo slide taken by my grandfather Ralph E. Archer, who owned and operated the Archer Camera Shop in Titusville, Pennsylvania, from 1929 to 1961. Pennsylvania Airlines, which started in 1931, later merged with Central Airlines in 1936 to become (you guessed it) Pennsylvania Central Airlines. PCA then changed its name in 1948 to Capital Airlines and made a first in airline history when it introduced a new low-fare "coach" service called the "Nighthawk" service. It later merged with United Airlines in 1960. "Queens of all the Air" was the title of one of their advertising brochures in the 1950s which featured the Constellation on the cover. Airline adThis is the cover of the ad brochure mentioned in the post and where its title came from. Ask the boy who owned oneIn the mid 50's, my parents took my brother and me to Friendship Airport (now BWI) to watch the planes. Before we left, Pop bought both of us our own Constellations. They were lithographed tin with pistol grips below; squeezing the grips caused the props to spin and made appropriate racket. The planes were decorated in the Capital Airlines scheme. Our toy Constellations are just as long-gone as Capital's. Probably worth a nice bundle to the collectors today. BeautifulThe Connie is probably the most beautiful aircraft ever designed. Its beauty was expensiveThe Connie's dolphin shape made it beautiful and expensive to construct. Compare to almost every airliner built since - the Connie fuselage was made of unique rings, ever-changing from front to back. Building a straight cylinder fuselage is much easier for everybody. Minor photo date updateN2741A came to Capital from BOAC in June of 1955 and was operated by them until 1960. The aircraft was owned by Modern Air Transport for the last 4 years of its life, when in 1965 the airframe was scrapped. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
College Car Close-up
... choice 1956 Mercury convertible; nice shine on the 1955 Ford Customline V8 two-tone. Somebody please identify the nicely-preserved ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/22/2011 - 5:24pm -

More classic cars in their natural habitat. The AC building at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo campus, June 1957. Highlights: choice 1956 Mercury convertible; nice shine on the 1955 Ford Customline V8 two-tone. Somebody please identify the nicely-preserved black sedan in front of the Merc. Bonus: 1950s college professor in characteristic native garb. Ektachrome slide shot by my brother. View full size. My guess is: A Volvo, judging by the taillights and front fenders. Love the photos - always amazing! Gone! You have no idea how much time I spent in this building between 1995 and 1999. My major department was there (Materials Engineering, the low roof on the right), and I worked for Academic Computing Services / ITS, who had labs all over the building. Macs, Suns, NeXTs, PCs -- all under one roof. Suns right behind that window at center, Macs on the other side of the building, PCs to the left, and NeXTs upstairs. Other than the fact that this was a one-way street (right to left) with angled parking, it looks just like it did when I was there, 40 years after this picture was taken. The Air Conditioning Engineering building, Building 12, was demolished in the mid-2000s (I want to say it was 2006-7), to be replaced with the Construction Innovations Center. Materials Engineering moved north to the new Engineering Center. I think the computer labs simply went away, a casualty of progress. Another MercuryThe sedan in front of the black '55 Merc convertible is also a Mercury, either a '41 or a '46-'48. Judging by its low rear stance and nice paint it is probably mildly customized. Someone's "cruiser." The white car facing it is a '57 Pontiac. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, tterrapix)
Catholic High School Girls in Color
1955. My brother loads his trusty Lordox with Ektachrome and sneaks it into his ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/23/2011 - 1:21am -

1955. My brother loads his trusty Lordox with Ektachrome and sneaks it into his high school classroom. I love Kentucky Fried Movie!Sorry. Just had to say I grok your title. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
All the Trimmings: 1939
... size. Sixteen Tons Fifteen years in the future in 1955 Tennessee Ernie Ford would enjoy having a number one hit record called ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/03/2021 - 3:15pm -

November 1939. "Negroes cut each other's hair in front of plantation store after being paid off on Saturday. Mileston Plantation, Mississippi Delta." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Sixteen TonsFifteen years in the future in 1955 Tennessee Ernie Ford would enjoy having a number one hit record called "Sixteen Tons'. A sample lyric goes "St. Peter don't you call me 'cause I can't go, I owe my soul to the company store". (The Gallery, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Texas: 1963
... like someone dressed him today. Finally, great two-tone 1955 or '56 Pontiac 2-door hardtop in maroon & yellow - what a fab color ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/19/2011 - 8:19pm -

This photo was taken in Texas, 1963. My great grandpa is in the middle and his brother is on the left. All the rest are cousins. The oldest cousin died in a car crash in the early '80s. View full size FateIt is odd to look at this picture and to know your older cousin's fate. Thanks for posting - this captures the era nicely! Tony's TexasGreat color (Kodacolor, looks like). Great lighting (golden hour). Great clothes - left-hand cousin is quite style-conscious with the peg pants and white socks/dark slacks combo, all very de rigueur for the period, believe me; I wanted to look just like that in high school that back then, but usually I was more like right-hand cousin who, ironically enough, is the one who looks more like someone dressed him today. Finally, great two-tone 1955 or '56 Pontiac 2-door hardtop in maroon & yellow - what a fab color combo! Another winner from Tony. Further Auto IdentificationThe car in front of the the tterrace identified Pontiac is a 62 Chevy Impala. Thanks, Tony. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Kids, Tonypix)
Immigrant Children Meet Santa
... view of the Ford Rotunda. Santa wouldn't be making his 1955 appearance at the Rotunda for another 5 months. The sign in front of the ... 
 
Posted by UpNorthBob - 07/27/2012 - 9:36pm -

Even though my cousin Kathy gave this photo the title "Immigrant children meet Santa for the first time," we were not immigrants, even though it looks like we had just escaped war-torn Warsaw. And we had met Santa many times, despite brother Billy's concerned expression. Taken in 1959 at the Ford Rotunda, Detroit, MI. View full size. Bucky Fuller and the RotundaMany a home in the tri-county area have photos with Santa at the Rotunda. I never got to see it; it burned down when I was a toddler, although my parents told me it was fantastic. Small consolation to a kid. Ford Rotunda in KodachromeFrom my collection of old Kodachrome slides, here is an exterior view and an interior view of the Ford Rotunda. Santa wouldn't be making his 1955 appearance at the Rotunda for another 5 months. The sign in front of the 1956 Ford Fairlane Station Wagon in the interior shot reads, "MICHIGAN leads the nation in the number of state parks and prepared campsites available to the public!" Twilight ZoneLooks like Art Carney's portrayal of Santa in The Night of the Meek from the Zone. Remembering that day.It's funny that I remember that day so well. I remember that the LAST place I wanted to be was at the Ford Rotunda Christmas display. I wanted to be home, because the Harlem Globetrotters were going to be on ABC's Wide World of Sports that day, and I wanted to watch. Sadly, we returned home just as the program was ending. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Gloria Vanderbilt: 1924-2019
... She was 95. — New York Times January 1955. "Socialite Gloria Vanderbilt in her New York City apartment with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/20/2019 - 1:50pm -

        Gloria Vanderbilt, the society heiress who stitched her illustrious family name into designer jeans and built a $100 million fashion empire, crowning her tabloid story of a child-custody fight, of broken marriages and of jet-set romances, died on Monday at her home in Manhattan. She was 95. — New York Times January 1955. "Socialite Gloria Vanderbilt in her New York City apartment with Stanislas and Christopher, her sons by conductor husband Leopold Stokowski." Color transparency from photos for the Look magazine assignment "Gloria Vanderbilt Builds a New Life." View full size. ChristopherAmong the dramas of Gloria Vanderbilt's almost unbelievably dramatic life, she was estranged from her son Christopher Stokowski for nearly four decades. There was a reported but unpublicized reconciliation after Anderson Cooper's documentary on his mother, which had little to say about Christopher, was shown in 2016. I've never seen a photo of Gloria with all four of her sons together. (Kodachromes, Kids, LOOK, NYC)
General #3: 1964
... size. The General My grandfather, who retired in 1955, was a railway engineer for Canadian Pacific and your photo reminded me of ... 
 
Posted by paulPaulsBest - 01/15/2010 - 9:12am -

My family and my dogs are my life, but my love is steam trains. My dad took me as a child on my first train ride on the steam train called the General #3 (yes, the General from the civil war), and that was it. I fell in love with trains. This photo was taken by me as a child. View full size. The GeneralMy grandfather, who retired in 1955, was a railway engineer for Canadian Pacific and your photo reminded me of his tie clip of the General that he always wore. He told me that he bought it while visiting relatives in Pennsylvania in the 1920s, and I now have it in a shadow box along with his railway watch and a few photos of my grandparents. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Railroads)
At Anchor: 1919
... 1954, but he later sold cars at McAlister Buick from about 1955 - 1958 and Volkswagen cars for Reynold C. Johnson during the years 1959 - ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2017 - 5:59pm -

        Saxon, the seventh largest American car maker in 1917, went wheels-up in 1922. San Francisco, 1919. "Saxon touring car at boatyard." Today's entry on the Shorpy Roster of Musty Marques. 5x7 glass negative by Chris Helin. View full size. Star Plated in 1919The encore of the car and gentlemen previously seen along the docks here. With the license plate now visible we know that the vehicle belonged to Mr. Charles E. O'Day of 1763 Geary Blvd., San Francisco. At the time the photo was taken he was a salesman at DuBroy Motor Company, Inc. DuBroy Motors started out as the Saxon Sales Company circa 1916 at 690 Van Ness. President and general manger was Francis Louis DuBroy. By 1917 the company had moved to 1529 Van Ness Ave which was the southeast corner of Van Ness and California at the time. In addition to the Saxon the dealership was also selling Nash automobiles. By 1920 the firm had relocated again to 1290 Sutter with a service department at 1615 Pine. The old location on Van Ness became the Pacific Nash Motor Company so it appears that DuBroy either lost or sold his Nash distributorship. Prior to working at DuBroy Motors Charles O'Day had worked as a chauffeur since at least 1909. He stayed on at Pacific Nash when DuBroy moved his business, and he later became the sales manager for the dealership. We know he left that firm around the year 1933 as he had become the sales manager for James W. McAlister Chrysler and Plymouth by sometime in either 1933 or 1934. He remained there into at least 1944. By 1945-1946 he was with George S. Daniels Pontiac Motor Sales which became Weltner Pontiac circa 1954. Weltner was located across the street from the former DuBroy dealership when it was on Van Ness with an address at 1560 Van Ness (with street renumbering still at California & Van Ness). So, 25 years after O'Day started selling cars, he was right back where he began. He remained at Weltner into at least 1954, but he later sold cars at McAlister Buick from about 1955 - 1958 and Volkswagen cars for Reynold C. Johnson during the years 1959 - 1968. By 1971 he was retired, he died on September 2, 1982, and he was buried in Colma, California along with his wife Leona who died in 1976. A feature in the UPI archives on the 75th anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake included a story from O'Day. "Charles O'Day told of how his family lost their house but happened to have crates of dishes in the wreckage. In the following months, the dishes were sold piece by piece and produced $1,600 with which the family opened a restaurant." Vanity License PlateThe 'STAR' embossed on the license plate indicates the men were law enforcement officers, detectives, etc. [No, the star is a validation tab to indicate vehicle registration for the year 1919. -tterrace] Getting in on the ground floor...as a Saxon dealer in the small town of Waldron, Arkansas, circa 1914. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Elmer and the Union Pacific
... chase. UP Mikado #2207 was built in 1915 and retired in 1955. My dad and myself were chasing trains in this area in his 1963 chev ... 
 
Posted by notycoon22 - 05/21/2007 - 10:31pm -

In 1953, my Mom and Dad, my grandparents, and my Uncle Elmer hooked up the trailer, piled in the Ford and headed east. Our family is genetically tied to transportation, especially railroads, so this shot of my Uncle getting back into the car is quite atypical - normally he'd have been staring the train down. Fun shot, nonetheless. I think it is along the Columbia River, but I'm not sure. Photo: Don Hall, Sr. Don Hall Yreka, CA Columbia River GorgeThe tender says Union Pacific, I think, and the background looks like the eastern Columbia River Gorge, east of The Dalles, Oregon, out toward Rufus and Biggs Junction and possibly a little beyond (east). Union Pacific tracks then and now are on the south, Oregon, side of the Columbia. The highway has changed since 1953, of course, and the old two-lane Columbia River Highway has been replaced in most places by Interstate 84. In this photo, the tracks are on the south side of the road, as they were at that time in that area, or part of it, anyway. Today, a freeway beidge takes the road from south of the tracks to north of them in that area. Fun photo, indeed. WestboundThank you for posting this photo, exceptionally nice composition. Agree this is along the Columbia River and the train and car are headed west. In my mind your uncle had to take his gaze off the train in preparation to give chase. UP Mikado #2207 was built in 1915 and retired in 1955. My dad and myself were chasing trains in this area in his 1963 chev around 1967. The interstate was still under construction in places. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
SF Waterfront, 1957
... (Fukien) province, and was sailed over from Formosa in 1955 by five Chinese and an American Vice consul who filmed the voyage in 16mm. ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 08/10/2012 - 7:59pm -

Another in the San Francisco series taken by my father, this time of the waterfront, not far from Fisherman's Wharf. A few things of interest here: - The Chinese junk in the foreground - Coit Tower in the background - The steel frame for a gas pressure equalization tank on the right - The sailing ship "Balclutha", just behind the junk. View full size. Further interestThere's a nice green 1954 Caddy there, too. By the way, the gas tank is more properly called a 'gasometer' and is used for storage of coal gas/coke gas/natural gas -- not pressure equalization. Its telescoping steel cylinders are raised or lowered by electric motors depending upon how much volume is required to hold the gas inventory. The vantage point from which this photo was made seems to be gone now. Google shows the arched gate without any pier extending out from it. Earlier than 541954 Caddies had the Panoramic windshield I believe. Thinking this one might be a 52 or 53. One of my favorite models of all time. [It's a 1952. In 1953, "Dagmar" bumper guards replaced the round parking lights. The Panoramic windshield first appeared in 1953, but only on the Eldorado. - tterrace] Chinese JunkThe vessel pictured here is the "Free China". It is of the type from Fujian (Fukien) province, and was sailed over from Formosa in 1955 by five Chinese and an American Vice consul who filmed the voyage in 16mm. In the early 70s I lived on a small Chinese Junk in the bay, and I used to visit this boat down in the Hunter's Point area. It was quite derelict by then. It has apparently been loaded on a barge (after spending years behind Bethel Island), and shipped back to Taiwan to be turned into a museum. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Legion of Honor: 1958
... and early 2000s. I agree that the wagon looks like a 1955 rather than 1956. They look much alike, but I think the 1956s had a chrome ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 08/31/2012 - 8:46pm -

The Palace of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, circa 1958. If I'm not mistaken, that is our blue & white 1956 Ford station wagon on the right. View full size. VertigoIf you look very closely, you can just make out Jimmy Stewart stalking Kim Novak. T-BirdNote the '57 Ford Thunderbird in the rare Coral Sand color with white top. To us right is a '55 Ford wagon and then a '52 Ford. At left is a '56 Plymouth. Bird & WagonWas the coral color really rare for T-Birds? I seem to remember seeing them all over the place in Southern California in the 1960s, and quite a few even in the late 90s and early 2000s. I agree that the wagon looks like a 1955 rather than 1956. They look much alike, but I think the 1956s had a chrome ring around the inner part of the tail light. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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