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The Reading Tree: 1939
... North Carolina." Photograph by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Chair Haven't seen a chair ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 4:10pm -

July 1939. "Negro tenant farmer reading paper on a hot Saturday afternoon. Note vegetable garden across footpath. Chatham County, North Carolina." Photograph by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. ChairHaven't seen a chair like that in years. You used to see them at nearly every house out in the country. They were fairly easy to knock together from scrap wood. [It's called an Adirondack chair. - Dave] (The Gallery, Agriculture, Dorothea Lange, Rural America)
Everywhere a Sign: 1939
... 35mm nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. Ducktown Today I've been through Ducktown a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 10:34am -

October 1939. "Copper miners on strike waiting for scabs to come out of the mines. Ducktown, Tennessee." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. Ducktown TodayI've been through Ducktown a bunch of times and decided to find this corner yesterday. It took a trip to the mine museum for some help. Click to enlarge: There is a vacant lot where the Ducktown Hotel used to stand but the house to the right is still there. This shot was taken looking ESE at the corner of Vine Street and Main Street. Hwy 68 apparently was realigned later and is about 4 blocks South of here. I also got IDs for the gentlemen sitting on the bench (from left): Bert Hensley, Everette "Flat" Goode (age 16) and Tom Mealer. The lady at the museum said that "Flat" or "Flathead" still walks the streets of Ducktown in his overalls. The White HouseThe white house looks better today than it did 69 years ago! It's nice to see a humble structure from a Shorpy photo that's still standing and looks well-maintained. (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Mining)
My Little Piggy: 1941
... learn how to feed his pig properly." Photo by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Our Gang comedy in the making ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/18/2018 - 11:53am -

1941. "Boy who caught the greased pig at the Fourth of July celebration at Vale, Oregon. Says he's going to join the 4-H Club so he can learn how to feed his pig properly." Photo by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Our Gang comedy in the makingCourse, what we don't know is that the curly headed child doesn't live on a farm because he's the rich mill owner's kid, and there isn't a proper place to put the pig. But he somehow gets the animal home and hides it from his Aunt Matilda (she's nearsighted, but she smells that there's just something not right). Two reels of merriment until Dad gets home from work and donates the pig to the 4H Club experimental farm out in the next county. (The Gallery, July 4, Kids, Russell Lee)
Small Oil: 1939
... Oklahoma." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. OSHA Quick, how many safety ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/02/2018 - 12:17pm -

        UPDATE: Click here for an alternate view. August 1939. "Independent refinery. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. OSHAQuick, how many safety violations can you find in 30 seconds? Technology unbridled Patch and go! Not an uncommon form of 'engineering as needed' for the time, but this might be the best version I've seen. I had an account here but what happened to it I do not know, so I've been lurking for quite a while; great work by everyone involved. Whoa!No doubt a future EPA Superfund site! Crude OilToday's refineries are highly engineered marvels, but this one gives a whole new meaning to the term "crude" oil. Rube Goldberg would be proud! Possible Company NameThe 1939 Oklahoma City Directory lists two possible independent oil refiners. The first is Sonneborn Brothers. This was a company large enough to have headquarters in NYC and fight Texas all the way to the US Supreme Court over a tax matter. They seem too large for this shoestring operation. The second is the Gold Band Refining Company. Their entry in the city directory lists William E Rees (Pres) and Edgar J Rees (Sec-Treas). They were located a5 1900 E Reno Ave. Double Eagle RefineryJohn J had good instincts to hit the city directory, but Vonderbees has what I consider the better guess. “The 12-acre Double Eagle Refinery Co.,” which actually refined used motor oil, is a candidate. “From 1929 until the early 1980s, the Double Eagle Refinery facility re-refined used motor oils through a process of acidulation and filtration. This process generated about 80,000 gallons of oily sludge per month.” Read all about this lovely place: https://cumulis.epa.gov/supercpad/cursites/csitinfo.cfm?id=0601029 (The Gallery, Industry & Public Works, OKC, Russell Lee)
Good for Life: 1942
July 1942. "Nyssa, Oregon. Farm Security Administration mobile camp. Soda pop is delivered at the camp for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/23/2016 - 1:21pm -

July 1942. "Nyssa, Oregon. Farm Security Administration mobile camp. Soda pop is delivered at the camp for Japanese-Americans." Medium format nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Office of War Information. View full size. Summer jobMy summer job for four years in high school and college was working in the local Coca-Cola bottling plant, loading and unloading trucks like this one. There were no high-loaders or lifts, it was all done manually. To load a row of cases in the top rows, you had to climb up the side of the truck and push with your foot, since the row was too heavy to push by hand (at least for me). To unload empty cases, you could usually push the row by hand, but you still had to climb the side of the truck to grab them, depending on the height of the truck and how tall you were. Then, after unloading, all the empty cases had to be sorted by hand: all the Coke bottles in separate cases, all the Pepsi bottles in others, etc. Sometimes you'd find "strange" things in a returned empty bottle, e.g., a dead mouse or a cigar. One of the job's benefits was free Coke, all you wanted, and you soon learned that not all Coke tasted the same. The best was "post mix", the syrup used in fountains, where the syrup and carbonated water were mixed on the spot. Next best was "pre mix", where the syrup and water were pre-mixed in large metal cans, for businesses, county fairs, etc. The last was regular bottled Coke. This of course was in the days when Coke contained cane sugar, not high-fructose corn sugar. I thought I had the best summer job in town. My First Impression"How come you're not in the service, mister?" [Answered here. -tterrace] Glass bottles = best tasteThe oldsters among us will know that those old time glass bottles, despite their inconvenience, gave one the best burst of flavor one could receive from a bottle of soda without the metallic tones of aluminum or the chemical betrayal of plastic. I fondly recall that at large summertime picnics usually put on by community groups, religious and ethnic clubs when I was a child, we always looked forward to the individual glass bottles of frigidly cold, fruity, delightful flavors and colors seen in those huge galvanized tubs containing vast amounts of crushed ice and nestled within that ice, like jewels, were tantalizing glass bottles of vivid lime green, bright orange, red cherry, purple grape, root beer and other tempting choices to enjoy with one's hot dog or burger. Since my siblings and I were always expected to share a single quart bottle when we were at home, at these special affairs we would each get our very own and would often drink ourselves silly. There really is something sensory and unique about a crystal clear, frigid, refreshing flavor from a glass bottled beverage on an oppressively hot, sweaty summer afternoon. Just another memory from the "long-ago" that will never come again. Soda pop is deliveredThen empties are picked up and loaded. Before there was a dosage recommendationIn later years, Dr Pepper eliminated the 'period', and the tag line became 10 - 2 - 4. Those were the optimal times for the beverage. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Relocation Camps, Russell Lee)
Comparing Cobs: 1939
... Iowa." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. "There are thousands and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2020 - 3:55pm -

October 1939. "George and Hugh Clarke with hybrid seed corn. Grundy County, Iowa." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. "There are thousands and thousands of uses for Corn"" --- all of which I'm going to tell you about right now" CapsLooks like George, the guy on the left, is wearing a "Stormy Kromer" wool cap. Wool, nice visor and ear flaps, the best cap in the upper Midwest then and now. Thankful for SoybeansSeveral times I’ve had the pleasure of driving across Iowa. It didn’t seem possible that there could be so much corn in the whole world. I was indeed thankful for the occasional field of soybeans to break up the monotony. According to "Find a Grave"George was born Oct. 20, 1916, entered the U.S. armed forces, attaining the rank of Lieutenant, and was lost over Greenland along with six other men when their Army Air Forces transport, on which he was serving as navigator, crashed on Nov. 28, 1943. Hugh was born Aug. 11, 1918, and died in September 1981, with both brothers buried in Grundy County. George was as good as they make 'em.Building on Katella’s sleuthing, I can add that George and Hugh were the first of John Ruth Hauser Clarke’s four children. Father John died in 1944 at the age of 52 of bladder cancer, but mother Ruth lived to the age of 90. It’s curious that “What Church Are You Affiliated With” is a question in the 1925 Iowa State Census. And here is an item about Lt. George Clarke. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Arthur Rothstein, Rural America)
Payne Service: 1939
... Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Oh what I would give to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/03/2019 - 1:43pm -

September 1939. "Combination filling station, garage, blacksmith shop, grocery store. Frank Petty, owner of the wagon, has just had his mule shod, his corn ground, purchased some kerosene and is returning home. R.F.D. Danville, Pittsylvania County, Virginia." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Oh what I would give to find a decent 1939 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery today. Rare then and extremely rare today. Vehicle IDsL-R: Lincoln Zephyr; mule powered unsprung flatbed; 1939 Chevrolet sedan delivery with Old Gold cigarette package image on the door; 1934 Chevrolet coach. When "full service" meant something ...Can you shoe only one mule at a time? Would you have a mule alignment problem? Otis Meade Paynehttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132197060/otis-meade-payne# Otis had a son of the same name but in 1939 he would of only been a teenager. Sr. would of been 46. Getting the picture as large as I can, I am going to say its the senior Otis Payne standing in the lot. Otis Meade Payne's address in 1940 is listed as 2125 N. Main Street (Route 293) in Danville. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott, Rural America, Stores & Markets)
Home Alone: 1937
... Divide County, North Dakota." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. TILT All together now: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/02/2018 - 12:30pm -

November 1937. "Abandoned house near Ambrose, Divide County, North Dakota." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. TILTAll together now: "There was a crooked man ... " I can't even imagineWhat must a North Dakota winter have been like in that little clapboard house. I wonder if it has any insulation at all. And there aren't a lot of trees out there for firewood. Brrrrr. Well if that just isn't the tiniest little dot on the map!Your man from Lowe's won't be delivering any new appliances here anytime soon. Real EstateI believe the description is "ready for renovation." One man's dumpThis is a palace compared to some of the (literal) Tar Paper shacks we've seen here on Shorpy. Getting crowdedYou can see the neighbors' place from here. Maybe that's why they moved away. (The Gallery, Dust Bowl, Russell Lee)
Brakeman in Black: 1939
... Pacific Challenger ." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. 40.709083N, 116.117243W -- ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/25/2018 - 1:02am -

June 1939. Carlin, Nevada. "Brakeman on the Union Pacific Challenger." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. 40.709083N, 116.117243W -- looking SWIn 1939 Dor0thea Lange apparently, like Arthur Rothstein, drove across Nevada along the Lincoln Highway (now Interstate 80) taking pictures. In the town of Carlin, where B Street crosses the railroad tracks going south to West Main Street seems like it might have been the location where this particular image was photographed -- her camera pointed roughly southwest. A second train track now runs alongside. I wonder if the base of the tall old signal tower is the white electrical box there now. Does he have all his fingers?A brakeman's job was historically very dangerous with numerous reports of brakemen falling from trains, or being run over or crushed by rolling stock. As rail transport technology has improved, a brakeman's duties have been reduced and altered to match the updated technology, and the brakeman's job has become much safer than it was in the early days of railroading. Individually operated car brakes were replaced by remotely-operated air brakes, eliminating the need for the brakeman to walk atop a moving train to set the brakes. Link and pin couplings were replaced with automatic couplings,and hand signals are now supplemented by two-way radio communication. BrakemanMy uncle, who was a conductor on freight trains, said there were many accidents with the loss of limb as well as life. He would relate that in the station house you could see limbs laid against the wall when the injured were brought in. As a conductor, he would walk the roofs of the cars in all kinds of weather conditions and set the brakes on the cars individually as well as the brakeman. He was employed by the Pennsylvania RR for 49 years and had the run from Pittsburgh to Oil City, PA. Western PacificCamera is looking SW, but the curve is the one at 40.71047N 116.107W, on the Western Pacific. In June 1939 train 88 was due out of Carlin at 1143 PST. The sign down there likely says West Carlin One Mile. Passenger Train ConductorPart of a passenger train conductor's job was to be a brakeman. That job included "lining a route" for the train he was assigned to. The conductor in the picture is part of the train crew assigned to the "Challenger", a named train on the Union Pacific Railroad. A brakeman on a freight train would not be wearing a uniform like the one in the picture. [Their caps say BRAKEMAN. - Dave] (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Railroads)
Granville County: 1939
... Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Oh! What a sweet looking child. Granville ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 7:05pm -

July 1939. "Grandson of Negro tenant farmer whose father is in the penitentiary." Granville County, North Carolina. View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Oh!What a sweet looking child. Granville CherubWhat a cherubic looking child. He looks like he should have a pair of angel wings to go with that straw halo. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kids, Rural America)
Medicine Show: 1935
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the Farm Security Administration. Or Minstrel Show? Medicine Shows were in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:06am -

October 1935. Medicine show at Huntingdon, Tennessee. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the Farm Security Administration. Or Minstrel Show?Medicine Shows were in the 1800s, mostly, and sold medicine--snake oil--and tended to use Indians. This appears to be a minstrel show instead? [The caption cards for this and a similar photo both say medicine show. - Dave] Medicine ShowThis is more likely to be a medicine show. A minstrel show performer would be much more elaborately costumed, and would probably (though not always) be a white performer in blackface. Medicine shows often featured music and comedy playlets, almost always including a black stock character, and black musicians, all costumed much more rustically (as here). Indians were most often employed to lend credibility to the medicine's origins in the "natural healing arts of the Red Man". Medicine ShowI've since had the pleasure of viewing other pictures from this set. This is definitely a "blackface" player in a medicine show. I have good reason to believe that this is Tommy Scott from Doc Chambers' Medicine Show. Scott played guitar, sang, performed in blackface, and did a ventriloquism act (note the ventriloquist dummy in front). (The Gallery, Ben Shahn, Kids, Small Towns, Sports)
Baby on Board: 1939
... October 1939. Baby from Mississippi in truck at the Farm Security Administration camp at Merrill, Oregon. View full size. Photograph ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 9:54pm -

October 1939. Baby from Mississippi in truck at the Farm Security Administration camp at Merrill, Oregon. View full size. Photograph by Dorothea Lange. Re: ReflectionGood eye you have there, Ron. It's the collar of the camp nurse! ReflectionLooks like a reflection of someone in the window (on the left) (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Great Depression, Kids)
Davenport: 1940
... size. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. Davenport Bridge It seems that this is the 2nd ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/20/2007 - 11:39am -

February 1940. Government Bridge (or Arsenal Bridge) across the Mississippi River at Davenport, Iowa, on a snowy day. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. Davenport BridgeIt seems that this is the 2nd Street Bridge. It's a fairly interesting bridge: note how there is a road deck on the bottom as well as a railroad above it and power lines running along the top. Interesting intersectionThis is a cool bridge, unless you are in a hurry and a barge happens to be traveling through the lock. Here is more info about the bridge, with a time lapse view of the bridge opening and closing. I wish there was a photo of the very interesting intersection on the right. Bridge ConstructionAmazing that bridges built during the Depression or earlier are still going strong, while bridges built later are falling down (see Minneapolis). Is it construction, maintenance, or luck? (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Boats & Bridges, Landscapes)
Mormon Fridge: 1940
... produces the cooling effect." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wrapped and Unwrapped ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2018 - 9:03pm -

April 1940. " 'Mormon refrigerator' used by caretaker at Tonto National Monument, Gila County, Arizona. Water placed in tin container on top drips over the burlap and rapid evaporation in the atmosphere produces the cooling effect." Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wrapped and UnwrappedNearby child produces "the cooling effect" in a different way. Ames Harris Neville desert water bagAs mentioned: "Saturate Before Using." How appropriate! Also known asThe Coolgardie Safe. Works on the same principle as the desert water bag, another simple and effective invention employing evaporative cooling. Desert water bags, of course, being made by such companies as Ames Harris Neville, and probably dime a dozen in desert climes during the '40s. [Also the same principle as the "swamp cooler." - Dave] In Greenhouses TooI see this principle used in large scale in industrial greenhouses here in Florida - they'll make one wall out of absorbent material and put drip sprinklers all along the top. Fans and vents keep the cool air moving through the greenhouse. It's fascinating to see. Grandma knewIn the summer months, she would hang burlap over the curtain rods and place a pan of water on the window sill with the bottom of the burlap curtain in the water with the window open. A poor man's air-conditioner. (The Gallery, Kids, Kitchens etc., Russell Lee)
Near Ophir: 1940
... Ophir, Colorado." Acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Barrels I see small ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/01/2018 - 10:52am -

September 1940. "Trestle of narrow gauge railroad near Ophir, Colorado." Acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. BarrelsI see small platforms with steel barrels, placed at intervals along the far side. What purpose do the barrels serve? [Fire extinguishers. - Dave] It's a long way downHow 'bout that for a clever title for my comment? Dual purposeIs that standard gauge also on the trestle? ********** Thanks to both Steamcrane and Wormy for the guard rail information. I knew of standard gauge guard rails, but not the narrow gauge type. As always, Shorpy is informative as well as artistic and entertaining. Outside guard railsThe smaller section rails outside the running rails are intended to keep derailed cars from going completely off the trestle deck. Additionally, there are guard timbers at the ends of the ties as a last resort. On a standard gauge railroad, the guard rails would be between the running rails, with the guard rails brought together at a point at the end. Not so good with tippy narrow gauge cars. With modern welded rails, and very few bolted joints, the chance of a spontaneous derailment is greatly reduced, and the guard rails are now frequently omitted, especially if passenger trains do not use the line. Also note the extended timbers on the near side, presumably to allow laying down planks to make maintenance work easier. Safety RailsThe outer rails are there to keep the trucks traveling relatively straight over a trestle, viaduct, or bridge during a derailment. A rough ride but better than the alternative. AcrophobiaI seem to have Ophir of heights. (The Gallery, Railroads, Russell Lee)
Coop de Ville: 1939
... Heights, last seen here . Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Yuck! The open window of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/04/2018 - 11:22am -

November 1939. "Old mansion in Comanche, Texas." Our second look at the pigeon roost otherwise known as Oakland Heights, last seen here. Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Yuck!The open window of that turret room probably has resulted in a massive pigeon-dropping mess. Bird houseHas anyone cracked that house is for the birds? But seriously, it's a fascinating house and I would like to know more about it -- when was it built and where can it be found on Google Maps? Comanche is a very small town but I can't find it. [Possibly because it no longer exists. - Dave] You can't get there from hereYou can't find this house because it was torn down in the 1950s. Oakland Heights stood on the western half of the block bounded by North Austin Street, West Neely Avenue, North Houston Street, and West Walcott Avenue. The modern-day address would be 107 West Walcott. It was built shortly after 1887 by Dexter Walcott, for whom the street was named. Unfortunately, he didn't get to enjoy it much; he died suddenly and his widow had to superintend completion. Much of the foundation is still there. If you look at the street view on Googlemaps, you can make out what I believe to be the right side foundation still there including the stairway going up on the side of the gazebo looking porch. Fascinating. (Thank you Marchbanks for the address info). Its replacementIs somewhat impressive in its own right. I looked on Google Maps and found the lot as described by Marchbanks. The sign out front says it's 105 West Walcott, and it's a shingle-sided, split level ranch, T-shaped in plan view. On the east side of the lot is what appears to be stonework from Oakland Heights' original foundation walls, backfilled with dirt and covered with grass, creating a terraced yard. Yeah, I'd live there. Has a Mr. Hitchcock lived nearby?I can see where some ideas came from. (The Gallery, Russell Lee)
Late for the Sky: 1941
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Miles and Miles of nothing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/14/2019 - 6:37pm -

August 1941. "Highway near Havre, Montana." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Miles and Milesof nothing but miles and miles. Highway 2?I wonder if this road is today's Highway 2, also called the Skyline. Montana and North Dakota roads like this remind me of the old joke: "My dog ran away, and I watched him run away for three days." 1940 Ford1940 Ford V8, referred to today as a "Standard" vs "Deluxe", in 1940 sales literature the are called the "De Luxe" and the "V8" MontanaA great place to live for eight months of the year. The other four filter out the rest. Possibly current U.S. 87Ms. Wolcott sometimes casts a wide net with her place name descriptions. But using a 1941 Montana road map (online here https://www.mdt.mt.gov/other/mdtexrepo/maps/HWYMAP_1941_FT.PDF), there seem to be two paved roads out of Havre. One is US 2 -- but it's a long way to the mountains on that road, so the hazy ones we see seem to rule that out. This leaves US 87 (State Route 29 in 1940), which heads towards Great Falls. Since Wolcott has other pictures from the trip labelled as being taken on the road between Great Falls and Havre, this makes sense. My guess would be this was taken on the top of hill where US 87 starts descending towards the Missouri River valley, north of the town of Loma. Google streetview shows long views and hazy mountains. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Landscapes, M.P. Wolcott)
Merry-Go-Round: 1938
... full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the Farm Security Administration. Polkadot dress Sure reminds me of Ma Kettle ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 12:31pm -

August 1938. "Farmpeople at the county fair in Central Ohio." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Ben Shahn for the Farm Security Administration. Polkadot dressSure reminds me of Ma Kettle Interesting......How merry-go-rounds have not really changed from 80+ years ago. How every dress is different and how they are dressed up, some with hats...how today that picture would have all jeans/casual sweats. Mrs. LeftI love the lady to the left. She has a sweet smile. Reminds me of my late Grandmother. Circle and a CircleI love how the adults sitting in a circle around the tree echoes the merry-go-round behind them. (The Gallery, Ben Shahn, Small Towns, Sports)
The Pearly Gates: 1941
... Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Dante More like the Gates ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2020 - 10:46am -

June 1941. "Entrance to Union Stockyards, Chicago." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. DanteMore like the Gates of Hell for the cows. Abandon hope all ye who enter here. (And note the shovel by the entrance for road clean-up. Since this is a family site, I can’t say what my father called the shovel for cleaning up the lawn after our dog.) Hotel California for BovinesYou can check out any time you like But you can never leave The gate is about all that's leftThe gate is still there. The Live Stock National Bank building (a replica of Independence Hall in Philadelphia) is still there. Otherwise, the enormous operation we saw here is entirely gone. There is still a good amount meat and food processing on the the site, but it looks like an anonymous light industrial park. The Smell of the CircusWhen I was a kid in the 1960s, one of the big circuses (Ringling Bros?) would set up at Chicago's International Amphitheatre, which was next to the still-operating stockyards. I moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in the 1980s, and after a month I started reminiscing about the circus. Every Thursday at 4 pm, to be exact. Turns out there was a rendering plant by my office, and every Thursday at 4 its odor would permeate downtown Cedar Rapids, that same smell down by the Chicago stockyards. For some people the smell of cotton candy , peanuts or elephants reminds them of the circus. For me, nothing says "circus" like the smell of a slaughterhouse. You're goin' inbut you ain't comin' out! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Animals, Chicago, John Vachon)
City Terminal: 1941
... terminal." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Gulf Tower So prominent then at 44 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2020 - 9:25pm -

June 1941. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. "Carloads of fruits and vegetables at city terminal." Medium format negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Gulf TowerSo prominent then at 44 stories, lost in a sea of taller brothers now. Which boxcar goes where?How did they ever figure it out. Either people were a lot smarter or they had more fingers and toes back then. Each boxcar has a number and paperworkRailroads "group" freight cars in trains by destination. Each car had (and has) a multi-digit car number. Each loaded car has paperwork called a waybill. Freight train conductors and the switching foremen get copies. A buddy of mine used to work for NY Central and check car numbers of loads placed at an A&P warehouse. The car numbers were six and seven digits long and he said, "Typos mess everything up." So every evening he would get the switch list and trudge through the warehouse sidings "checking numbers." Once in a while he found a mistake but not too often. Nowadays they use computers, computer-generated car lists and scanners in the big freight yards. Good question! Blue FlagThat metal flag clipped to the rail at the lower center of the photo is a "blue flag", so named because, yeah you guessed it, it's blue. Decades before OSHA was invented and created "lock out - tag out" safety rules for machinery in all American industry, the railroads created a similar rule protecting workers on and around locomotives and cars from unintentional movement while servicing this equipment. A blue flag is placed on the approach track, and/or at the controls of a locomotive attached to such cars, to forbid entering that track, or coupling to or moving cars on that track. The switch stand controlling entrance to that track is further locked with a blue painted padlock. Note the track switch is aligned to prohibit entrance to the flagged track. At night, a blue lantern serves the same purpose as the flag. Only the person, or foreman of a group of workers, may remove such as flag or lock. Lots of ChangesAnyone familiar with the current configuration of Pittsburgh's famous Strip District may find this photo pretty confusing. It took me a while but I think I have it figured out. The row of fairly tall industrial buildings are on the south side of what is now Smallman Street. The White Terminal building and the building just to the left still stand today between 17th and 18th streets, although the White Terminal building has been chopped up a bit. The long two-story building that extends along the north side of Smallman has to be the famous produce terminal (currently being converted into luxury condos). But that building now extends all the way to 21st Street (just out of the picture on the left) and was somehow reduced to a single story. This is what confused me, and I couldn't find anything on the web that talked about a major change. But a Google Earth view clearly shows that there is a splice in the building right around 18th. So there must have been a major modification after the war when they removed the railroad yard and the terminal switched to purely truck distribution. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Pittsburgh, Railroads)
G Is for Grundy: 1940
... Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Much is still the same ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2020 - 1:36pm -

February 1940. "Main street (G Avenue) in Grundy Center, Iowa." Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Much is still the same I wonderIf I would look suspicious buying up all the used cars and car parts in town with money from the future? All in the trainingI've lurked and commented for several years here with Shorpy. Had you told me before posting this that you were going to show Main Street, Grundy Center, Iowa, of February 1940, I would have already had an accurate idea of what was coming up. Mr. Rothstein's autoThe photographer managed to include his personal auto in this photo (second car on the right). Who else would have had District of Columbia plates in Grundy Center that day? UnchangedRip off the "Modern Facades" attempt to update the town center, add snow and an old car show and you could duplicate most of this photo today. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
Starter House: 1939
... Seen earlier here . Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Needs of babies With the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/25/2013 - 5:30pm -

October 1939. "Home of one member of Ola self-help sawmill co-op, Gem County, Idaho. 'She likes to sit in the door and watch the geese'." Seen earlier here. Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Needs of babiesWith the billions of dollars that are now spent on various baby paraphernalia, this is a nice reminder of how little babies actually need, to be happy. A house that keeps the rain out and some heat in, cloth diapers, a high chair, and some geese to watch and she's every bit as happy as the babies who now have thousands of dollars worth of furniture, clothing, toys, etc.! What a cutie! Oh my darlin'In a cavern, In a canyon, Excavating for a mine, Dwelt a miner forty-niner, And his daughter Clementine. I'd live thereI'd bet she was warm, cosy and happy. Which answers todays's trend: how many square feet does it take to make you happy? No Milling AroundNo milling around -- this ensemble gets straight to the point. Starter House, complete with Starter Family. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kids)
Gridlock: 1941
... Georgia." A show of hands. Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Almost defies caption I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2013 - 12:36pm -

May 1941. "In the convict camp in Greene County, Georgia." A show of hands. Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Almost defies captionI assume these prisoners' day job is working on a road gang or rock pile (making little rocks out of big ones), and just when the temperature hits triple digits, they come "home" to this. These poor souls are definitely not free-range inmates. This one made me cryMy split second reaction was that this was a picture from a slave market. The way these men were used probably wasn't any better. I hope their lives improved. NightmareMust have been a nightmare to live through and it's nightmarish to see this: Claustrophobic. Dark. Anonymous hands coming through a wall. Too Sad for WordsWhat a haunting image. I hope these guys lived to see at least some of MLK's dream realized. It's hard to imaginethe abominable conditions behind that grid. Not Much to Say Except"What we have here is a failure to communicate." Things have certainly changed. (The Gallery, Jack Delano)
The Good Earth: 1937
... size. 4x5 nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. Belle Glade The dark, black soil is called ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 4:12pm -

January 1937. "Planting beans near Belle Glade, Florida." View full size. 4x5 nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. Belle GladeThe dark, black soil is called muck. Back home in Belle Glade, the town motto was Her Soil is Her Fortune. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Arthur Rothstein, Florida)
Hyattsville: 1940
... Maryland." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Old stomping grounds I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/26/2019 - 7:34pm -

June 1940. "Railroad tracks along U.S. Route 1 at Hyattsville, Maryland." Acetate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Old stomping groundsI piloted more than a few trains through here, both freight and commuter. Right to left we have U.S. Route 1 (Rhode Island Avenue), the main drag here, even today. The first two tracks to the right are the double track streetcar from Washington. They just came off of Rhode Island Avenue and are now on private right of way to Beltsville and Branchville. At one time they ran to Laurel. The line was cut back to Beltsville, but lasted to the end of DC trolley service (1961, I think). The next two tracks to the left are the Baltimore & Ohio Washington Branch, opened in the 1830s. Note the fence between the tracks in the distance and the passenger platform for Hyattsville station, visible behind that clump of trees. The station here was a beautiful brick structure designed by E. Francis Baldwin; I don't know what happened to it, but in my time it had been replaced by an ugly utilitarian structure. Hyattsville is passed by numerous commuter trains each day, but none have stopped here in many years. I suspect the total lack of parking has something to do with it. Another main track, not visible here, swung behind the depot and turned south, connecting with a track from Baltimore to lead to the Alexandria Branch to Virginia. That branch today is a vital part of CSX's operations to the south. The fifth track from the right is a station track. There are two more tracks to the left that appear to be freight sidings that were gone in my day. I should mention that we are looking south (RR west) toward D.C. 5100 Block of Baltimore AvenueThe view is looking south down Baltimore Avenue / Route 1 - the intersection on the right is Gallatin Street. The building on the corner still stands. US 1 and Farragut StreetAgree that we are looking south down Route 1, but believe that this is showing the intersection with Farragut Street, a block south of Gallatin Street. It would appear that many of these buildings have been demolished, leaving park space behind, but note the cupola and roof line of the current County Services Building in the background. Note also the stepped roof line of the building on the NW corner of the Farragut intersection, as that building still stands. I Stand Correctedeugenegant - it appears you are correct. In my haste to ID the location, I failed to note the comparison of windows in the building I noted - they are different. The location of the road bend appears to correspond with your location as well. Custard’s Past StandI lived no more three miles from Hyattsville in the 1940s and 1950s. It was famous for the Polar Bear frozen custard stand, which was a small chain in the DC area. It was the coolest looking stucco building with a statue of a polar bear out front. You can find it on Google Images. (The Gallery, Jack Delano, Railroads)
Lesser Newark: 1939
... Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Cutting-edge business ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/30/2017 - 4:00pm -

April 1939. "Slums. Newark, New Jersey." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Cutting-edge businessMessrs. Landew and Blume saw profit in recycling before it was cool. IronboundThat's St. James Catholic Church to the right, demolished in 1979 by the Archdiocese for a parking lot. History of the church here. History of the "Ironbound" area here. Clifford Street at Wheeler PointThe railroad track along Clifford street is a surviving clue to Rothstein's location. It was a spur line headed downtown, and it is still there along Clifford Street. I tried to duplicate the point of view on Google Earth. Looks like it was taken from atop the railroad bridge on the main line. https://earth.google.com/web/@40.71927585,-74.15984713,9.78570943a,307.9... Buick Limited?That looks like a 1937 Buick Limited on the street off to the right. Sure does not fit in that neighborhood! Landlord? Gangster? Or my wife says maybe a doctor? (She always likes to see the innocent side!) An interesting walkGiven that this is 1939, I'd like to have walked down that sidewalk when a steam engine was inching past. Even if it were a little switcher. Especially on a cold day. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein)
Froid Depot: 1941
... format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. En hiver, c'est vrai, sans ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2019 - 12:12pm -

August 1941. "Railroad station in Froid, Montana." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. En hiver,c'est vrai, sans doute! Parlez vous?It's always cold in Froid, MT. At the Froid depotA train is almost always a train. Great NorthernIt's time to update our logo's logos! Captain ObviousI am told he got his start as head of the Montana State Board of Municipal Names. (The Gallery, Kids, M.P. Wolcott, Railroads, Small Towns)
Dr. Springs: 1939
... Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. First name Leaf The good ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/14/2020 - 11:31am -

January 1939. "Dr. Springs' office. Colp, Illinois." Medium format acetate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. First name LeafThe good doctor has a sense of humor. Always a good sign. All caught up?The tetanus vaccine was developed in 1924. Hopefully the good doctor was up to date if he mounted that truck leaf spring with rusty nails. Dr. Andrew SpringsRespected physician Dr. Andrew Springs, half Comanche and half black, served Colp and the surrounding communities as a medical doctor. He founded the first African-American Boy Scout Troop in the nation. Dr. Springs was awarded the Joseph A. Holmes Safety Association Medal of Honor in 1923 for resuscitating men left for dead in the 1914 Royalton Mine explosion. Despite residing in a "sundown town," Dr. Springs responded to mining accidents at all hours, treating black and white patients alike. A local hero, mentor, and friend to many, he is still honored and well remembered in Colp today. Besides having a good sense of humor ...it seems Dr. Springs was African American. Andrew W. Springs was born in 1869 and died in 1944. In addition to delivering babies and treating patients, he taught the community about hygiene, maintained his museum of Indian and other artifacts, even ran for statewide office twice in the Republican primary, in 1918 and 1924, losing by just one vote in 1918. In the height of the Great Depression, Dr. Springs invited First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt to tour the No. 9 mine. She also attended a community choir performance in Colp and later sent the choir formal robes and a director to train and travel with them. Spring or Sprung?Don't know if this is a place to buy auto springs, spring water, or to put some spring in your step. But by the looks of it, I certainly wouldn't bounce in for any medical (or dental) procedures. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Arthur Rothstein, Medicine, Small Towns)
The 8 Ball: 1940
... across the Sacramento River. Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Sawdust Memories To me the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/10/2018 - 10:57am -

November 1940. "Pool hall in Shasta County, California." Recreation for the workers and engineers building the Shasta Dam across the Sacramento River. Photo by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Sawdust MemoriesTo me the smell of America is fresh sawdust. So many photos from the 1800s through the next century seem to be of Americans putting up quick functional buildings in which to do things. To me, this building looks relatively new and one can imagine a fine dusting of the stuff still covering some of the nooks and crannies within. No stone buildings meant to last millennia but just do what needs to be done so we can be on our way to sell dry goods or shoot pool. "Well, You Got Trouble, My Friends"Don't get into a game of stud with the guy wearing the green eyeshade visor on the right. Looks like he's been dealing nothing but losing hands all day long. Cheapest Car In AmericaThe unusual black sedan is a 1934 Willys 77. It was advertised as the "Cheapest Car in America" with a price below $500. Its 145ci engine produced 48hp and a 65 mph top speed. That appears to be a 1936 Buick behind it, hard to tell the year. Here's a photo of the front of the Willys 77. I'm inas long as there is tobacco and candy. That Place Gives Me the WillysModel 77 Willys, parked in front. Contrary to popular belief, it is pronounced "Willis" Tiny CarIt's a 1934 Willys, the Fiat 500 of its day. Notice that the license plate is about a third as wide as the whole car. I couldn't find a single modern photo of one that hasn't been hot-rodded. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Russell Lee)
The Bun Also Rises: 1939
... on riverfront." 35mm negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Elevated prose Alternate title: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2012 - 3:35am -

January 1939. St. Louis, Missouri. "Grain elevator on riverfront." 35mm negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Elevated proseAlternate title: "Raising in the Sun." Railroad CrossingAm I missing something, are the tracks open here? How would you ever get a car across those tracks? Earlier photoAn earlier Shorpy photo of Arthur Rothstein and two young scamps is described as being "somewhere in St. Louis." This kind of looks as if it may be the very place. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, St. Louis)
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