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Audubon Building: 1910
... Below the lower Pontalba Building, photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston , well known by Shorpy-fans. Also home of .. the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/26/2021 - 9:23am -

New Orleans circa 1910. "Audubon Building, Canal and Burgundy Sts." This former office building is now the Saint Hotel. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Now CanonizedAnd known as the Saint Hotel. It looked better thenA lot of ornate metal has been lost -- three stories of shade and balconies on the building to the left, the oversized coach lights flanking the front doors, the metal awning has been replaced but with something way less inspiring. And it didn't have those stupid looking palm trees! Life follows glass"Marshall Field and Co" proclaims the lettering from the fifth-floor window -- presumably an import office, since Nawlins was a major port. It's certainly gone from that window now, as it is from everywhere else (but memory, alas). Audubon canceled?Both the Audubon Building and the Audubon Hotel in New Orleans changed their names within the past decade: the building to the Saint, the hotel to the Quisby. Probably coincidental, but ironically just in time. The Audubon name is in big trouble today because the ornithologist was a slave owner and white supremacist. (The Audubon Society issued a statement in 2020 that it is "time to bring to the fore" his "ethical failings.") Plus he shot all those birds before he painted them. New Orleans balconiesI love those ornate cast iron 'galleries.' That type of galleries began with the two storey examples on the Pontalba Buildings on Jackson Square, completed in 1851. They set a fashion for others to follow. Below the lower Pontalba Building, photographed by Frances Benjamin Johnston, well known by Shorpy-fans. Also home of.. the Burgundy Bar and Tempt restaurant, which is sadly closed. Mind your P's and Q's in this vicinityOn the fourth floor it looks like the Pinkerton Detective Agency has an office. Better behave yourself. (The Gallery, DPC, New Orleans)
Dixie Kitten: 1902
... glass negative by the pioneering feminist-photojournalist Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952). View full size. Booker T. Washington, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/03/2024 - 5:34pm -

Circa 1902-1906. "Tuskegee Normal and Industrial Institute, Alabama. Branch & Vicinity School. Woman standing at gate holding a cat." 8x10 inch glass negative by the pioneering feminist-photojournalist Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952). View full size. Booker T. Washington, founder. Book on BookerBeen reading a book about Booker T Washington and Teddy Roosevelt. Very interesting read on their relationship and how they became friends despite the existing racism in the south and how some thought they were doing too much, and some thought they were doing too little. A really interesting photographThe foreground in sharp focus, the background soft. The texture of the weathered fence looks like something you'd see at the beach. The woman is handsome. The cat is ... a cat. But my eye keeps getting pulled beyond all that, to the door, which the camera is staring straight at. And even though it is all dark inside, there is nothing scary about it. The open gate, the handsome woman, and her cat reassure you. DignityThis woman has worth and dignity and knows it. I like to think that she could cut you down with a glance and you would thank her for it. (The Gallery, Cats, Education, Schools, F.B. Johnston)
New Woman: 1896
        Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952), best known on these pages as a prolific chronicler of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/16/2016 - 2:08pm -

        Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952), best known on these pages as a prolific chronicler of Southern architecture, was also something of a feminist firebrand in her younger years. The photographer is seen here at age 32 in a triple-threat sendup of the 1890s "New Woman" -- smoking, drinking, showing some leg. Self-Portrait as "New Woman," 1896. "Frances Benjamin Johnston, seated in front of fireplace, facing left, holding cigarette in one hand and beer stein in the other, in her Washington, D.C., studio." Gelatin silver print. View full size. Photographic MemoryThe left-most photo on the mantlepiece appears to be the Canadian poet and writer Bliss Carman - he was born in 1861 and died in 1929. There are couple of other photos extant where he is dressed in what might be the same coat, etc. Perhaps this will narrow the window of discovery a bit. Sweetly risqueI just looked through a pile of photos of my relatives from around the turn of the 20th century and this photo isn't so unusual. Young women could cause quite a ruckus back in the day. I love her witchy looking shoes and odd little hat, plus the irony of a row of men lined up above her. Long in the LegShe may be showing some leg, but the figurine waiter/waitress behind her is showing a heck of a lot more leg. Interesting Works of ArtAs one might expect from someone with an eye for photography, it is apparent that Ms. Johnston also had an eye for selecting art for her home. Check out the apparently Native American canteen jug hanging by the fireplace, the perfectly proportioned hand-thrown water jug on the floor, the amphora-like jug on the table, and the more Victorian vase on the mantle. But, the absolute prize is her gargoyle candle luminaire! He's got HORNS on his (her?) head! Unconventional must have been her watchword! (The Gallery, D.C., F.B. Johnston, Portraits)
Five Sisters: 1850
... of the Arts Club of Washington, in handwriting of Frances Benjamin Johnston, identifies sitters (l-r): "Aunt Harriet Allen, Aunt Ladonia ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2008 - 7:29pm -

The Clark sisters circa 1850. Half-plate daguerreotype. Note on stationery of the Arts Club of Washington, in handwriting of Frances Benjamin Johnston, identifies sitters (l-r): "Aunt Harriet Allen, Aunt Ladonia Hoy, Grandma Joanette C-B, Aunt Julia Millard, Aunt Laura." (Harriet Elizabeth Clark Allen, 1818-1863; Ladonia Charlotte Clark Hoy, b. 1827; Joanette Clark Benjamin, c. 1814-1880; Juliaette Alcesta Clark, b. 1820; Laura Miles Clark Palmer, b. 1822.) View full size. String-ThingsThey're ripcords for those corsets. Stand back! InterestingYou can definitely see the family resemblance. AmazingI wish I could write up the thoughtful comment that this photo deserves, but right now all I can muster up is: "wow". Because... wow! LanyardsThey look like sterling silver needle cases. My great-great-grandmother had one, with the lanyard. Needle CasesI agree, probably needle cases. I'm also guessing this is a rather well-to-do family, judging by the amazing garments and jewelry. No smilesThey sure don't look happy- but people never do in old photos. Makes me wonder if they were always frowning back then. What are those things?Three of the sisters (center and to the right) have some kind of string or wire loop around their necks or attached to their dresses. That loop holds a small metal cylinder or ??? Any ideas? Four sisters and one mother?Four are called aunts in the caption, but the one in the middle is "grandma" and probably mother to the other four. She does look older than the rest. [You might want to do the math on those birth dates. Joanette is the grandmother of Frances (Fanny) Johnston, who wrote the caption. The others are Fanny's great-aunts. They are all sisters. - Dave] Lanyards IIOr it could be a vial of smelling salts. Where from?Any idea where this family is from? The stationery is from Washington -- are they as well? I was just trying to figure out what their fortunes might have been during the Civil War. Speculation, of course, but I'm a fan of that, as many others here seem to be as well. [Frances Benjamin Johnston (1864-1952, below, who captioned this photo) was a well-known photographer with a studio in Washington. The 1880 census shows a Ladonia Hoy (born c. 1828) living in Baltimore. There is a portrait of Joanette in the LOC archive that was taken in New York. - Dave] ThankfulOne of the many things that makes me thankful that I live in this day and age is that corsets are strictly optional! I wouldn't be smiling, either, if I had to spend my days bound up in one of those things. Those dresses don't look as though they were made for comfort, either. Grandma Joanette looks like she's wearing a set of quarterback's shoulder pads! To each her own. Go Grandma JoanetteThanks Dave. Northerners then. And that's quite the picture of Grandma Joanette. Interesting contrast with her demeanor in the sister pic. When was this second one taken? (Sorry for all the questions--just too interesting, I guess!) ImmortalizedThis photo is one of the portraits that most fascinate me. The pose so arranged, the textures of the dress (gorgeous!) The facial expressions of these women (now, dead), the gradations of gray, the wear suffered by the image and, of course, the desire to immortalize, explicit at each of the looks. (The Gallery, Portraits)
Home Place: 1938
... Place. Hahnville vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Beautiful Home Place Home Place, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:04am -

St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, circa 1938. "Home Place. Hahnville vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Beautiful Home PlaceHome Place, built in the 1790s, is one of the oldest plantation houses in Louisiana. It hasn't been inhabited in many years, and is in a state of advanced decay. Here's the house from a distance (via Google Images): http://www.asergeev.com/pictures/archives/compress/2006/559/06.htm Four years ago, I was working on a film shoot down the road, and our trucks were were parked on the plantation grounds. The owner of Home Place, a genteel 85-year-old who'd grown up in the house, offered to take us inside to see the ground floor wine cellar. But our schedule was tight, and we didn't have time — something I've regretted ever since. ScaleThose columns on the porch are superb; very fine proportions, hard to duplicate today. Woodstove owner's opinionThe two chunks of firewood lying on the ground in the foreground -- someone was splitting firewood there and decided they had enough wood for the moment. The rest of the firewood is stowed where it will stay dry, under the veranda and under the attached building at right (summer kitchen?) Southern Decay"Home-Place is a near perfect example of a raised Creole plantation house." More here. Columns and kitchens Anonymous Arkie is right; love the columns, but I have some questions about the brick ones holding up the house. Again we have a semi-detached kitchen. Still standingThis looks like one of those casually wonderful plantations, nestled among the chemical plants, that make the drive along the river from New Orleans to Baton Rouge a beautiful but occasionally startling experience. [Birthplace of Howard Johnson! - Dave] Johnston's amazing gift Did Frances Johnston ever write about how she selected the perspectives and views for her photographs? Was it just her natural "eye" for the shot? She picks the most illuminating views. For instance, the standard photo of this fine 18th Century Creole plantation house is the head-on, symmetrical one which we see in the portrait shots from the Anonymous Tipsters. But Johnston has chosen a rear-yard shot that reveals the inner working of the plantation, along with the wear-and-tear of life itself. The detached kitchen, the chickens pecking under the porch, the pillars losing stucco, the brick path that vanishes, the graceful yet now unpainted columns original to the house ... all give us a more vivid image of domestic life in that home more than any book could have ever done. [She shot many views of each house. Lots of them including a finger in front of the lens. - Dave] (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Stoddard's Upper Range: 1937
... used for cotton factor's offices and warehouses." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. +73 Below is the same view from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:05am -

Savannah, Georgia, circa 1937. "Stoddard's Upper Range. Italianate structure built 1859 by John Stoddard on bluffs above the river, used for cotton factor's offices and warehouses." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. +73Below is the same view from July of 2010. [Amazing! Not to mention a little spooky. - Dave] Vics on the RiverJohn Stoddard's building was saved and is now an upscale restaurant. It also was used in the Civil War as a planning office. MasterstrokeIn each and every one of Johnstons photos, you see the a master at work. The composition, light, shadow, and subjects are wonderful. And something else I have noticed and wonder if anyone else senses it. There is a slightly dark or macabre and foreboding undercurrent in the work. I can't quite put my finger on exactly what it is, but I feel it. Oh, the light!Since discovering Shorpy, I've become a huge F.B.Johnston fan. Her eye for composition is excellent, her exposures are perfect, and the rendition of highlights is IMHO second to none. So delicate, so silvery. [The detail is thanks to FBJ's use of an 8x10 view camera. As for the highlights, a lot of that is thanks to the Shadows & Highlights filter in Photoshop, which is used to adjust all of the images I post here on Shorpy. Below, a before-and-after comparison of the original archival image (grayish circles) and the Shorpy version. Click to enlarge. - Dave] Once again, an utterly evocative image by JohnstonOf course, these buildings were never unoccupied. They were commissioned by Stoddard from the New York architect John Norris, who has forever stamped Savannah with the range of public buildings he constructed there between 1845 and 1860. He left Savannah as soon as the Lower Range and the Upper Range were finished, to return North before war broke out. During the Civil War - umm "War Between the States, as it's called there - these buildings were occupied by Sherman's officers. Today they are full of offices, businesses, and even a fine restaurant. They are listed on the National Register. PreservationExcept for the cars and those two exhaust fans, here is 1859 in color. re: +73Best ever then-and-now shot. Congratulations to timeandagain photo and also to the passage of time. PricelessIt's the 'then and now' shots alone that make Shorpy worth the price of admission...er, submission...oh, never mind. Anyway, I like them. Factor's WalkThere's an archaeological dig going on at the time I write this, that is investigating an urban legend that the crypts on the left side of the walk (left side of this photo, but unable to be seen) were used for slave trading. However, as yet, all that has been turned up is evidence of some shops and storage. For more info, contact the Civil Rights Museum in Savannah Georgia, they are partly funding the dig. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Savannah)
Le Petit Theatre: 1937
... Chartres and St. Peter streets." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A Bourbon Street Retirement ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:52pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carre, Chartres and St. Peter streets." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A Bourbon Street RetirementThere's a excellent short biography of Frances Benjamin Johnston here. Her amazing life included, among many other things, White House Photographer to Presidents. If I may, quoting the last three paragraphs from Johnston's Clio profile. She went about the South in a chauffeur-driven automobile locating old buildings, and it was said that she could "smell out an old colonial house five miles off the highway." Her mission was not to photograph the prominent homes of colonial America, which, she argued, had already "been photographed often and well." Rather, she sought "the old farm houses, the mills, the log cabins of the pioneers, the country stores, the taverns and inns, in short those buildings that had to do with the everyday life of the colonists." She did her work well, and two books resulted from this venture, "Early Architecture of North Carolina" and "Early Architecture of Georgia." In 1945 she was awarded an honorary membership in the American Institute of Architects. Johnston moved to New Orleans in 1940 and entered a life of semi-retirement. Always independent, she lived a rather lonely life in her last years, but her energy did not subside. She bought a run-down house on the "respectable" end of Bourbon Street and transformed its dilapidated courtyard into a beautiful garden with a small pool. Continuing to pursue her interests in gardening, she often went out in her old Buick to give lectures. Her active days in the darkroom were over, even though she maintained a photographic work area in an alcove off her bathroom. Age was slowing her down. She walked with a cane, and her doctor weaned her from bourbon, so she drank cherry wine instead. Even at this stage of her life she remained staunchly indomitable. "I've learned not to depend on the Lord. I'll make the changes myself." She loved to roam the French Quarter and sit in bars and talk. Once when someone recognized her as a famous photographer, she agreed, "Yes, I'm the greatest woman photographer in the world." Thanks for introducing her to us. Obligatory time machine view First! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Quiet Corner: 1933
... "Johnston's Mill house." 8x10 inch safety negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Planking Beaded-board used for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:00am -

1933. Albemarle County, Virginia. "Johnston's Mill house." 8x10 inch safety negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. PlankingBeaded-board used for walls yet it's 10 inches wide. The width of the floorboards too give one an idea what sort of lumber builders had on hand. We can only read about what timber was to be had when the house was built. Outstanding!This is just a terrific photograph. At first the arrangement and geometry grab you, but then the little details: the nail in the wall, the curtain rod, the worn linoleum, etc. just knock you out. WTG, Frances. EHIt's easy to envision this as painted by Edward Hopper. How beautifulAll those interesting lines, and then your eye comes to rest on that little chair. In Appreciation of SimplicityAfter three hours of trying to complete a complex computer task, I put it all on hold with a headache and clicked my Favorites list for Shorpy. While I find our present day technology a rewarding challenge, how wonderful it must have been to have this simple private place with just a good book. I wonder what is conveniently stashed inside the cupboard door to make it an even more relaxing place. Great Photograph!That's all. Something new for Shorpy?A truly minimalist composition that nevertheless has a lot of charm to it and is well worth seeing. QuestionsThank God for Frances Benjamin Johnston - I could study this photograph for hours. I'm intrigued by the busily-patterned linoleum which falls short of covering the floor (is it a runner?). It is interesting that the boxed-in stairwell clad in beaded board is painted to match the walls while other woodwork is painted in a contrasting enamel. What is in the closet beneath the landing? Handprints around the catch tell us the door has been opened with at least some frequency. The paneled door has been re-hung; a telltale hole remains from a rim lock which was positioned on what is now the hinged side of the door. The grainy texture of the door does not match that of the moulded casing surrounding it. Where was this door originally? I want to know! Route 712Johnston's Mill, on the National Register of Historic Places, is also known as Cocke's Mill and Coles' Mill. Built ca. 1820. View Larger Map Corner time!Am I the only one who was reminded of the usual outcome of my childhood adventures with that chair placed strategically in a quiet corner of the house? Not badJohnston was a genius. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Street View: 1937
... just dropped by to say hi. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A new old favorite I've written ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:42pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "837 Gov. Nicholls Street." We just dropped by to say hi. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. A new old favoriteI've written this before, Frances Benjamin Johnston has become my new favorite photographer. I love seeing her pictures here. With interest, I read on the Library of Congress web site: A grant from the Carnegie Corporation of New York extended the survey to cover the entire state of Virginia under sponsorship of the University of Virginia. Successive Carnegie grants totaled $26,000 to cover the other States under Library of Congress sponsorship. This was between 1927 and 1929. I used an inflation calculator to translate that sum into 2010 dollars -- $325,763.56. Not bad. As a working photographer myself, I can imagine the freedom this allowed her to work. Another source reported that she was driven around the South in a chauffeured car when she worked on this project. I believe she had a wonderful eye. I would have loved to have met her. Lonely dormerThat single dormer looks like it might be a false one like they have been building in recent years. Wish I could linkBut this Interwebs stuff confounds me. Look up this address in Bing maps (birdseye view), the house has been fixed up right pretty and sits behind a brick wall. Well, hey. Look at that. And nowPlease ring at the gate. View Larger Map Good BonesI'm always amazed to see how these old houses have survived the years. When I first saw the large image of this one I thought that there was no way it could possibly still be standing, but sure enough, the records show that it is indeed still the same structure. So very Blanche DuBoisMy mother was born in 1937 in Mississippi but reared in Baton Rouge. She lived in the bottom half of a house a lot like this one, on Chippewa Street. How I love all Southern architecture but especially Louisiana's unique style. The second-story veranda, the floor-to-ceiling windows covered with plantation blinds, and the stairway on the side are particularly charming. A house dividedThis place looks to have been turned into a duplex. And am I the only person to have noticed the old man watching the world go by? I suppose he's the one with the "street view" of the title! FBJWhat a treasure in photographs she has left New Orleans. Here is Frances Benjamin Johnston in 1904. And the front yard today. DuplicityIndeed it does seem to be a duplex. There are two gas meters - at least I think that's what they are - under the stairs on the right. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
The Rookery: 1938
... now occupied by Negroes." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Whoa! I've been rooked! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:03am -

1938. St. Charles Parish, Louisiana. "The Rookery, Trepagnier House. Norco vicinity. Abandoned plantation house now occupied by Negroes." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Whoa!I've been rooked! Trepagnier PlantationThe Trepagnier Plantation was expropriated, along with several others, by the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers to build the Bonnet Carre' Spillway. http://www.pbase.com/septembermorn/image/99857528 Amazing perspectiveFrances Benjamin Johnston has definitely become my new favorite photographer. Her capture of dilapidated but still architecturally interesting buildings is beyond compare. While I'm sure this house was never grand, it was well-designed. I would love to have seen the inside of all of the homes FBJ photographed. Needs TLCThe stairs are the definition of negligence, and the porch roof isn't doing its job. Much. Now occupied by photographersInteresting to learn that Russell Lee also photographed this house. Too bad it's no longer available. Stranger than fiction"Always Something Interesting" just doesn't say it well enough. This is the fascinatingest image you have posted. Thanks, Dave, for such wonderful glimpses into our history that the books just don't cover. LaundryI'd guess that a laundress lives here, that the drying clothes are someone else's. Health and SafetyPersonally, I'd move the bed away from the area of the chimney. Wash n WearIf this photo was taken in the middle of summer, those clothes would be dry in no time flat! I know. I live here and it's normal for the summer days to be at 95 degees or more. Also from the tops of the trees, it looks like there might have been a recent hurricane pass through. That's about how they look after one. Fast Forward to...some areas in New Orleans, post Katrina, and there's not much difference! Looks like an old plantation house1700s. I see the timber/columbage construction...turned French columns. In a state of severe decay and I'm sure demolished today? Wash DayLooks like the washing machine works, but the dryer must be out of order. Need a new wordSubstandard doesn't quite work here. Ante-antebellumThat is the predecessor of the Palladian plantation houses you usually see in the Civil War movies. Notice the brick ground floor to protect against water, and the half timbered upper floor that still has some stucco that hasn't washed away yet. It's a combination of traditional European and African architecture that evolved in the extremely wet climate here in Louisiana. That's pure LouisianaNothing to do with Palladianism. Sleep under the starsDo you suppose that's for the cool night breeze, or out of fear of the roof collapsing while you are asleep? No CrackersThat's a Creole House! Yesiree. No white anglo-columns and palladian front doors here. Simple and breezy. It's trueWe may live in a dirty run down house, but gosh darnit our clothes are CLEAN! Tells a long and vast storySo correct about the laundress. This must be one of my very favorite photos seen on Shorpy. Top to bottom, what a picture! 1811 Revolt Trepagnier House was the primary site of an 1811 slave revolt that resulted in the killing of plantation owner Jean-François Trépagnier. Many of the descendants Trepagnier's slaves inhabited the plantation property years after the Civil War, well into the 20th century. Shell Chemical bought the plantation land in the 1950s, which is now the site of a refinery. The building was demolished at that time. Little boyI'm haunted by that beautiful little boy sitting on the stairs looking straight into the camera. Incredible to think that a slave revolt took place here. That's Creole, cherThis house is classic Creole architecture from the earliest years of the 1800s. To see an example of this style that isn't falling down, go to Laura Plantation, outside New Orleans. Trees and HurricanesThe records indicate a hurricane based through Morgan City on June 16th, 1934. This hurricane could have easily struck St. Charles Parish. At the same time, the trees haven't been seriously damaged in the past several years. Notice how fine the branches are on almost every major limb. I'm guessing they are just old trees. I'd also guess that if a hurricane had hit this area, the roof would be in much worse shape than it is. Don Hall Yreka, CA Re: 1811 Revolt Trepagnier House was a site along the way of a failed 1811 slave revolt that resulted in the murder of plantation owner Jean-François Trépagnier. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Reverso: 1890
Circa 1890. "Frances Benjamin Johnston (right), full-length self-portrait dressed as a man with false ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:07pm -

Circa 1890. "Frances Benjamin Johnston (right), full-length self-portrait dressed as a man with false mustache," posed with two similarly cross-dressing friends. The "lady" is a gent identified in a few other FBJ photos as the illustrator Mills Thompson. Albumen print by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Painting revealed.Ah, we get to see the painting that was hidden in the previous image. I'm still amazed by that gigantic door, though. FBJI misread that as "FBI" and thought, wait, this is before J. Edgar Hoover's time. RequestYou know, I'm starting to wish that Shorpy had a "crossdressing" tag. [Come back in a year or two. - Dave] Crossdressing for fun and for profitThe costumed photos of Johnston and her friends, cross-dressed or not, show the elaborate lengths they went to in having fun. And there was a lot of "mainstream" cross dressing in the 1890s, some for masquerades, but even more in plays and in vaudeville. Here's a photo of chorus girls dressed as rich young toffs in the 1893 revival of the popular musical comedy "The Black Crook," originally produced in 1866, and frequently revived for decades. (The Gallery, D.C., F.B. Johnston)
12-Step: 1939
... West. Building dates from 1850s." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. As I found a while ago that first ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 4:15pm -

Savannah, Georgia, circa 1939. "117 Jones Street West. Building dates from 1850s." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. As I found a while agothat first step is a big one. Friend of Bill W. for over 21 years. My old neigbourhood! I lived on Jones Street for many years and passed this home almost every day. The best thing about Savannah is I know everything will always be the same when I return. Light and shadowEach and every photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston is a breathtaker. Double DipThe charm of that wonderful opening alongside the stair heading downwards and the fanciful whimsy of the wrought iron of the entry stair. Very nice. Looks like it's still thereView Larger Map Pretty!What a glorious railing! The ProgramOK, how many of you counted to make sure it WAS 12 steps? Lovely!The play of light and shadow in this shot is simply stunning. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Savannah)
Passageway: 1944
... Plantation Country House, Washington vicinity." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Fresh Air Ahh, a breezeway. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:03am -

October 1944. Wilkes County, Georgia. "Woods Plantation Country House, Washington vicinity." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Fresh AirAhh, a breezeway. Frances Benjamin Johnston does it again! My First ThoughtI was excited to open the comment and it was "breezeway"; that was exactly what I thought when I scrolled down to the picture. Growing up in Oregon, my friends house had one. We always played in the breezeway. Defend yourselfI am not sure that I would fire that shotgun before checking the barrel to see if the mud dauber wasps had plugged it. BangOkay, I've waited two days now for someone to say something about the rifle on the wall. I guess it's up to me. The Riflemust be for when the revenuers would come. Breeze carefullyIf you breezed through there without the homeowner's approval, you might get a load of buckshot in the pants on your way out. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Yamacraw Market: 1939
... Village Housing Projects." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. “Susuage” I love the lettering of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:04am -

Savannah, Georgia, circa 1939. "Yamacraw Market, Fahm Street. Rowhouse structure built about 1850. Torn down 1940 for Yamacraw Village Housing Projects." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. “Susuage”I love the lettering of the specials in the window and on the board out front. LockboxI am curious as to the function of this lockbox, as I do not see a slot for deposits, unless my eyes deceive me. [The "slot" would be the door with the handle on this breadbox bearing the name of the Derst Baking Company. - Dave] Had to point out......that Yamacraw backwards is Warcamay. How appetizing. Pig tails (and chicken feet) do occasionally show up in Food Lion, a southeastern US grocery chain. Periodically I consider buying some just to see what they're like. But I'm from down here; I can vouch for fried chicken gizzards and boiled peanuts. Which is it?My dog wants to know. The window says 6 cents and the placard outside says 7 cents for the pork bones. He knows I'll use them first to make my stew. Fresh fruit...piled up against the window glass. How many small markets have that today? The market has electricity, but they stock oil lamps for their customers who are not so fortunate. I wonder what the pump is for, behind the sandwich board, with the padlocked handle? It doesn't look like a gas pump. [It's an oil pump. - Dave] Timeless imagesMy first exposure to the South was in 1968 when I went to Georgia for basic training. It is amazing how similar many backwoods locales in the '60s were to Frances Benjamin Johnston's remarkable photographs of the '30s. Each time you display one of her wonderful images, I think "I know that place." Look Out BelowNotice the poor condition of the chimney. Those bricks look ready to fall at any time. Yamacraw's fateI gather Yamacraw was a seriously rundown slum. Unfortunately, it was replaced by one of those soulless blocky housing projects that don't connect with the surrounding streetscape at all and have no small businesses like that market. Those three little girls would be around 75-77 years old now. Wonder if they are still with us here in Savannah. By the way, it's Fahm Street, with an "m"; it's still there and bisects the project. Kerosene pumpI grew up in a tiny town in Missouri in the 60's and both of our gasoline stations had a pump just like the one in the picture. The square bottom part is the tank that held the kerosene. Even after access to electricity became widespread kerosene was still being used in stoves, etc. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kids, Savannah, Stores & Markets)
The Quarters: 1937
... Street, "The Quarters." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Musings What would have been in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:40pm -

1937. Charleston, South Carolina. 7-9-11 Beaufain Street, "The Quarters." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. MusingsWhat would have been in the square that is between the steps, that appears to be filled with cinder blocks? I was surprised to see that in 1937 New Orleans had drains for rainwater. I suppose there is a correct word for that, but I can't think of it. And what is on the notice that is tacked to the left pillar? Looks like there have been others. ["Storm drains," and "For Rent." - Dave] CarefulWatch that first step, it's a lulu. VestigesThe wreckage of another fine old house. Look at the molding over the door. Feelgood Pic of the DayI love these -- they make me feel so much better about my own deferred D-I-Y projects. Back on BeaufainThis was the former rectory of St. Michael's Church. Below, a view of the house taken May 25, 1940, by C.O. Greene for the Historic American Buildings Survey. Additional information: "To be renovated 1941." And, from 1975: "Built before Revolution; demolished after 1944." Whereas FBJ gives the address as Nos. 7 through 11 Beaufain, HABS says 56 Beaufain. Click to enlarge. Clean cut kidsInteresting that the kids seem to be dressed so neatly, in contrast to some of the poor kids in other photos. White shirts and pants weren't part of the costume for the Boston newsies for example. https://www.shorpy.com/node/15 FBJI love Frances Benjamin Johnston's work. I need all of her we can get on Shorpy. [Only around 7,999 left to go. Pull up a chair and make yourself comfortable. - Dave] (The Gallery, Charleston, F.B. Johnston, Kids)
Numerous Upgrades: 1936
... old wing, now used as kitchen." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Thank you, Rogue Architect Over ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:40pm -

Caroline County, Maryland, circa 1936. "Thawley House, Hillsboro vicinity; also called Daffin House. Fine paneled loft over dining room in old wing, now used as kitchen." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Thank you, Rogue ArchitectOver the past few weeks, Shorpy has featured several photos of older Southern homes taken by the genius Frances Benjamin Townsend Johnston. Every time I've searched for more information on the properties, it has broken my heart to see that they have, almost without fail, been destroyed since she took her commemorative portraits, often before the decade in which she photographed had passed. So it was with trepidation that I prepared to pay loving attention to yet another beautiful - but probably long demolished - American architectural treasure. Thank you for bringing the joyful news that the Daffin House still stands! It is one small victory for those who believe that the architecture of our living spaces is history brought into solid, graceful, gifts for generations still to be born. So many of the vistas shown in these photos - especially those of the cities - have not one brick still standing. I'd hate to see itbefore the upgrades. I like the open-concept ceiling. Nice StovePerhaps a new one was in order after the ceiling collapsed on the old one. Battered BalustradeBehind the sink pump may be seen the remnants of a Chinese Chippendale balustrade -- what an incredible room this must have been when it was in its heyday. I love the way the cornice jogs at the triangular stair panel and the varying shapes and sizes of panels; it is chaotically cozy. Note the corner beads on the chimney breast as well as the ghost of mantel shelf. Daffin House (Maryland National Register of Historic Places). In house and outhouseI like the modern indoor plumbing. No need to go out back to the well to fetch water any more. Your pump is right at the sink. Plus there is no water bill to pay. But if there is no running water in the house that probably means there is no water closet. Every thing old is new again That spanking new stove set amongst those weathered timbers speaks to the parsimony and thrift of our ever resourceful forebears. What we would have covered in cheap paneling they re-purposed. I think this room made a better kitchen than parlor. The recursive stairwell reminds me of the many knee chimneys I've removed. Usually two chimneys with one base, they would slowly diverge until they were separated, with the occasional iron bar every eight foot or so to link them, our penny wise ancestors managed to save on bricks and labor. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Kitchens etc.)
Chalmers Castle: 1937
... Mission. Abuts Old Slave Market." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Of course it's still there ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/26/2014 - 7:09pm -

1937. Charleston, South Carolina. "Old Armory, 8 Chalmers Street. Original structure dates to 1851. Deutschen Feuer Kompagnie until merged with city fire department, then Engine House No. 1 by 1881; Carolina Light Infantry armory until 1907; then Good Samaritan Hall and Embry Mission. Abuts Old Slave Market." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Of course it's still thereThey don't tend to demolish old buildings in Charleston. [Maybe they don't demolish, but they do decrenellate. -Dave] Decrenellate indeedI suspect the architecture took a back seat to safety, given the massive crack already in it by 1937. Or it decrenallated itself. I confessI had to look it up. That's why I haunt Shorpy--to learn stuff. Gas fixtureIs that what the metal hooked pipe over the front door is? What is it used for today? Slave marketThe bldg. to the immediate right of Charmers Castle seems to read "Old Slave Market". Am I reading that correctly? [Now try the caption. -tterrace] Slave marketYes that's an Old Slave Market. It's now a museum. Technically it was an auction house that sold anything that came off a ship including slaves. It was renamed "Old Slave Market" by the time this picture was taken. 1872"Chalmers Castle," as Dave strikingly calls this building, has been designed by Architect Edward C. Jones, read more about the Charleston Historic and Former Firehouses. As the structure dates to 1851, I wonder why 1872 is the date that is to be seen on the building. I cannot relate the year to the years mentioned in the caption (by Frances Benjamin Johnston, I suppose) either. Apart from that, I tried to find out what sign and text are written on the gable, they are perhaps related to the year 1872? But, as the picture is taken in 1937, I suppose they all have something to do with the African American charitable organizations "Good Samaritan Hall" or the "Embry Mission," who were the most recent users of the building until then. (The Gallery, Charleston, F.B. Johnston)
Brandon Plantation: 1931
... his return from France." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Extraordinarily beautiful For me, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/26/2015 - 1:01pm -

1931. "Brandon, James River, Prince George County, Virginia. Built ca. 1730 by Nathaniel Harrison II and for two centuries the home of the Harrison family. The central block connecting the two older wings is supposed to have been designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1789 upon his return from France." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Extraordinarily beautifulFor me, this type of 'domestic' architecture stands above any other for its simple, yet timeless, classical beauty. Despite its exposure to a violent past, the house seems to exude peace and tranquility. What is utterly astonishing is that none of the bullets smashed the glass in and either side of the door. Sans shuttersIt's a nice house; I'm glad it was only wounded in the drive-by shooting. Complete with Bullet HolesUp for auction in 2013 and sold in 2014 for a cool $17.8 million. Comes complete with Revolutionary and Civil War bullet holes. Classic BeautyThat will never grow old or look out of style. The indented, connecting links between the two larger building elements are appropriately called "hyphens" in architecture. 1789 or 1765-1770?It seems that Frances Benjamin Johnston was not quite right when she (?) states that the central block is supposed to have been designed by Thomas Jefferson in 1789. James Dillon (October 17, 1974), National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Brandon, Brandon Plantation 'Lower Brandon' says: The plan of Brandon was completed about 1765-1770, ... It also might afford a glimpse into the emerging architectural genius of Thomas Jefferson, who may very well have designed the 1765-1770 plan. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
From the Outside Looking In: 1944
... Plantation Country House, Washington vicinity." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Keeping cool The breezeways, the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:03am -

October 1944. Wilkes County, Georgia. "Woods Plantation Country House, Washington vicinity." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Keeping coolThe breezeways, the deep porches, the trees. One could imagine actually living here. Semi-BreezyWhat an unusual arrangement upstairs -- at first it looked like a regular front-to-back breezeway, but the backside has a wall with a window. The Dog and the ShoeFor some reason they caught my eye and stole the scene from the house. They Don't Make 'Em Like This AnymoreWhat a great house! Although it looks in worse shape than the earlier breezeway photo. Would love to have seen inside photos of the house. Would there have been a set of interior steps as well? And why was only one end of the breezeway open? Wouldn't the framed side block the breeze? Great detail in the photo too. Love the forlorn shoe, the missing grill work on the second story porch railing, the broken window panes, even the lazy dog! Under PressureIt seems like the wooden structure is moving and under pressure. The second and third parts of the railing are buckling. Dogtrot writ largeWould this be an elephant-trot mansion? Ox-trot? Unique decorIf I'm not mistaken, the planters flanking the walk are vitreous clay sewer pipes stuck into the ground. Now that's improvisation! Breezeway or DogtrotOn a much humbler southern cabin it would be called a "dogtrot". When the family first settled on the land, they would build a one room cabin. As the farm prospered a seconded room would be built with a roofed over area between. During the summer months the family would cook and eat in this cooler space. An enLIGHTened photographerHas anyone ever been better than Johnston at photographing plain wood and bringing it to life, so to speak? John!!!, John!!!Hush, Hush, Sweet Charlette. (1964-Betty Davis & Olivia De Havoland) [A misspelling trifecta! Bravo. - Dave] X marks the ??Anyone know the significance of the "X" in the square in the window? Another beautiful, evocative photo. Bet that dog would sit up to bark, but not actually approach. Way too hot. The "X"Is a Red Cross sticker. "Give blood to win the war." Or something like that. Meant to be stuck on pointy side up. Xmarks the spot? How mysterious. From the presence of the dog and the lonesome shoe I'm guessing that this home was still occupied at the time of the photo. It might just be the humidityMy front porch has a similar railing and parts of it bow like that, but, thankfully, nowhere near to that extent. It comes and goes, and is what happens when you build with common pine lumber, and happen to tight-fit a very dry piece. Later on, as it absorbs and/or loses moisture, it will expand and bow. These things happen down here, we're flexible about it. FBJFrances Johnston's work continues to astound. What an eye! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Milledgeville: 1944
... of the writer Flannery O'Connor. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Milledgeville was also the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:41pm -

1944. Baldwin County, Georgia. "Former slave cabin, Milledgeville vicinity." A locale perhaps best known as the stomping grounds of the writer Flannery O'Connor. 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Milledgevillewas also the pre-war capital of Georgia, and the site of the state's first psychiatric hospital. That's what I think of first. Roof RoofNotice at some point they tar papered over the shingle roof. Now that roof has seen better days. The shingle roof like the house was probably at least 100 years old in 1944. I wouldn't be surprised if Granny was born there. Agelessly beautifulThis photo captures the soul of that lady. She is a dignified woman. You can see the pains of living etched in her face. She is dressed like she cares about herself, even though the house has seen better days. Genteel poverty, I think it's called. The house on the right.Seems to be in better shape. "Slaves had some nice houses"?Wouldn't it be more accurate to say "Some slaves lived in some nice houses"? After all, slaves couldn't actually OWN anything. That chimney brickwork needs some repointing, or the whole unpainted tinder-box is going up in a blaze. Secondary StairsWhy is there a second set of stairs leading up to a window area? [Stairway to the second floor. - Dave] My First Cousin's Recollections1944. I saw the light of day that year. Next year we moved to Milledgeville, and I got to see that former slave society upclose. I notice a second story in that former slave cabin. I'm no expert on the species, but I wouldn't be surprised if that were fairly unusual. My memory of the cabins and shotgun shacks that abounded when I was a kid is of one-story, ramshackle, unpainted board structures that looked on the point of falling down. NeighborIt's an interesting contrast to the house next door which can be seen on the right. That house seems to be fairly new and well-kept. The siding looks perfect and there are nice blinds in the modern windows. It seems strange to have the vestiges of a different time just over the fence. The GardenInspite of the obvious poverty this proud lady is still willing to grow some beautiful flowers. Death of a BluesmanMilledgeville, is also the place of death of the well known Georgia bluesman Blind Willie McTell, who died there of a stroke in 1959. He was a twelve-string finger picking Piedmont blues guitarist, and recorded 149 songs between 1927 and 1956. Really a slave cabin?We've had an e-mail questioning whether this is actually a slave cabin. Most slaves would not have lived in a multi-room, multi-story home raised above the ground. Perhaps Frances Johnston meant to say "former slave's cabin." Certainly this is not typical of how most slaves lived. The cabinFormer-slave cabin makes more sense than former slave-cabin. Guess the woman could be a former slave. She doesn't look that old, although it's hard to tell age from appearance. And we're talking about, possibly, a house slave and on a particular plantation, so, given that, it could be a 'high class' cabin. We don't know what they were doing on that particular plantation. Raised Above The GroundI'm no expert - what I know is what I've been able to find through Google, and I can't speak to the question of the two story cabin. However as far as I can tell it was not uncommon for the slave cabins to be built on brick piers as is the case in this photo. When you think of it, it makes sense. Unsealed wood in direct contract with the ground rots. Slave owners probably wouldn't want to build new floors or cabins - it's an added expense. Lifting the cabins above the ground prevents this. However their obviously going to try to keep something like this as cheap as they can so they build these piers rather than a full sized foundation. "Slave Cabin"I thought the same thing when I first saw it. Although it looks like it hasn't received much, if any, maintenance since the War, the brick pillars, paneled door, sash windows, and chimney masonry all look more substantial than other slave cabins I've seen. Perhaps it was originally an overseer's house. Backyard viewThe pot was used for boiling clothes. The pole in the pot was used to swish the clothing around in the pot which would have been likely suspended over a fire. I had a great aunt from Louisiana who continued to boil clothes on Mondays into the 1960s. Didn't believe that a washing machine could replicate this important part of producing clean clothes. Fig tree in the back yardGood eatin' if you can get 'em ripe before the birds do. Brick pillarsI remember seeing those under the "plantation house" near Fort Mill, SC. Everybody used 'em if they could, and people only went to bigger foundations when they could afford them and they were needed. Interesting thing up north (MN in my case) is that you see them under porches, which almost always sag because the pillars don't go as deep as the rest of the foundation. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Commerce and Main: 1928
... from Mrs. Devore of Chatham." Acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Head to toe and then some Really ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:00am -

Fredericksburg, Virginia, circa 1928. "Merchants' stores and offices, brick row, Commerce and Main Streets. Photograph taken on commission from Mrs. Devore of Chatham." Acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Head to toe and then someReally interesting to see the combinations of merchants in such a small space. Looks like the cobbler does electrical work, too. Really, all you need in lifeDrugs and seeds! Welcome Ex-LaxI can't decipher who is being welcomed by sign on the Drug & Seed, but apparently they're expecting a lot of requests for a good laxative. Now William and CarolineThis view is looking roughly west up what is now William Street (then Commerce) at Caroline Street (then Main). Many of the structures remain today (as do several that survived the bombardment during the Civil War). View Larger Map Mrs. Devore of ChathamThis and the previously posted shack are part of a group of 247 photos by F.B. Johnston of historical architecture in Fredericksburg and Old Falmouth, Virginia, commissioned in 1927 by Helen G. S. Devore (Mrs. Daniel Bedford Devore) as part of a project "to preserve something of the atmosphere of an old Virginia town." The project led to other similar commissions for Johnston, and eventually became part of the Carnegie Survey of the Architecture of the South, the negatives for which were purchased by the Library of Congress in 1953. The early historical preservationists Helen and Daniel DeVore are mostly remembered for their 1920s rescue and renovation of Chatham Manor, now part of the Fredericksburg & Spotsylvania National Military Park. Curbside pumpsI wonder where the gas storage tanks are located let alone what city official approved that zoning variance? [Curbside pumps were, back in the day, a common fixture of Main Streets across America. You can see quite a few here on Shorpy. - Dave] Curbside Gas PumpsThere are still a lot all across Europe. Thanks TimeAndAgainIt's great to see that the block of buildings are still there, still in business, and lookin' good in a human-scaled neighborhood. A good example of why old buildings and neighborhoods should be kept intact and maintained. +83Below is the same view from April of 2011. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Gas Stations)
Crossings: 1939
... Bridge, Railroad Street." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Another winner! Thanks to Ben ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/04/2014 - 11:09pm -

Savannah, Georgia, circa 1939. "Georgia Central Railway Bridge, Railroad Street." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Another winner!Thanks to Ben & Dave. I wonder what he was set up on to compose this view? [Fun fact: "Ben" was a she. - Dave] Time is relativeGreat picture; impossible to gauge when it was taken, 1939 or 1859, the view would probably be the same. Louisville Road & West BoundaryThe bridge in the foreground is still standing but disconnected. You can get a good look at the bridge in the background from West Boundary Street via Street View. View Larger Map Spendid!The composition of this shot is simply splendid! As is the feisty-looking Frances. Here it is!I think this photo would have been taken from the exact spot. Deja viewThought that bridge looked familiar. The bridges todayThe bridge seen in the distance is now in use for pedestrians by the Savannah College of Art and Design. To access the dining hall students walk over the bridge to a neighboring residence hall. The bridge seen directly in front of the photograph is not currently in use, but plans have been thrown around for many years for the Roundhouse Museum to the east of the bridge to eventually recreate a short line of track for educational use. These bridges took trains directly into rail yards that have been converted to other uses over time, look to the east of the bridges and several long narrow buildings still stand. Some were cargo and others were passenger. One is the Savannah Visitors Center and the other is the Architecture Department for the Savannah College of Art and Design. A third was dismantled several years ago after many years of neglect. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, F.B. Johnston, Railroads, Savannah)
The Goode Mansion: 1939
... by the Rev. Turner Saunders." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Veneer Jack Arches The jack ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:41pm -

Lawrence County, Alabama, 1939. "Freeman Goode Mansion (Mrs. William Skeggs estate). Town Creek vicinity. House built 1821 by the Rev. Turner Saunders." 8x10 acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Veneer Jack ArchesThe jack arches in question are little more than an ornamental veneer in this particular house. A close look at the failed masonry above the basement window opening (at the far left) show that regular courses of brick constitute the remaining depth of the wall; the jack arch is only one brick deep and essentially a veneer. The bulk of the wall rests not upon a lintel, but upon a de facto lintel which in reality is the head jamb of the window. Regardless, it is an incredible house, and I'm happy that it still survives (though the white foundation and black trim ARE depressing). An amazing ruinAnd it is still there, although not in the kind of shape we usually see when visitors are invited in for tea and to view the architecture. I am enjoying these photos of the decaying South. People there seem reluctant to do tear-downs. It is to their credit. ExploringAs a kid I remember going through old abandoned homes and buildings. It was a lot of fun. My kids don't get to do that, nor do they want to. On my job, from time to time I get to look around in old abandoned dwellings and businesses. I think I am more afraid today then when I was a kid (crackheads, snakes, & rats), but I still enjoy it. This One SurvivesOddly enough, its condition in 2010 is not that much improved from 1939. http://www.hmdb.org/marker.asp?marker=32772 The thing about these F.B. Johnston pictures is that they always make the house appear quite a bit larger than it actually is. RottenAnd that, children, is why you don't construct a lintel out of wood. Still standing after all these yearsThe mansion is "currently known as the Goode-Hall House, also known as Saunders Hall, in Lawrence County, Alabama. It is an example of the kind of vernacular classicism that a talented amateur with access to some architectural books could produce for a local builder to follow. The house was sold to Freeman Goode on Feb 12, 1844. There is a room with a dirt floor that is called 'the dungeon' by locals. It has bars on the windows and chains on the wall. There is also a brick-floored kitchen in the basement where the slaves are said to have cooked the meals." (swiped off Wikipedia) House of SpiritsI grew up not very far from here. The mid-South has lots and lots of old, dilapidated homes that stand to this day and I used to explore these type places with my family and friends. They would make your skin crawl because you could almost feel the former owners hovering around, protective of their worldly domain. Not responsibleSure we can powerwash your house Mrs. Skeggs. However, I need you to sign a release form because of possible structure collapse. If Walls Could Talkwhat stories they would tell. Jack archesThe failing masonry openings have no lintel but rather rely on brick jack arches. These arches are the least strong amongst all the other kinds known and will definitely fail under excessive loads or even moderate loading if not built very carefully. Notice the architectural details constructed from butted boards -- how the wood has shrunk up over time leaving very wide gaps. Also some of the boards are terribly wide and knotless. Inverse arches as lintelsInteresting the use of inverse or upside-down arches as lintels. I recall this also being used on the brick fort in Charleston, which was placed on a very unstable foundation -- the inverse arch is designed to spread the load across the bottom (or top) of the arch. I toured this housea few years back. It was divided into apartments and the decor was gold linoleum and black-velvet Elvis paintings. Brought tears to my eyes. BleachersI like those front steps. They look like something I could build. Curb AppealIt appears as though someone made some repairs after 1939, including the front steps and a paint job, and then let the house go to seed again. Perhaps an enterprising real estate agent attempted to improve curb-appeal and failed to make the sale. This is where i liveI sit here and have looked at a few of the comments.The house is alot better shape than most of you may think.Me and my family live in it now and are working to make it more desirable.it still needs alot of work but is very much livable. My ComplimentsI admire cmelson and family for even trying to keep a historic landmark like this house in living condition. What a commitment. I would love to be able to do something like that but just do not have the resources. Good luck to you and your endeavors. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Bacon's Attic: 1936
... Bacon's Rebellion in 1676." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Hello, hornets! I imagine Frances ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/07/2016 - 12:47am -

1936. "Bacon's Castle, James River vicinity, Surry County, Virginia. Built by Arthur Allen circa 1660. Seized and fortified during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Hello, hornets!I imagine Frances snapped this picture and then beat a hasty retreat. Ancient wood and bricksBecause it was built in the 1600's, the wood was probably from trees planted in that century or even in the 1500's, and the bricks would also have to have been manufactured around that time. That would make those materials almost 400 years old when photographed. My house was built in 1965 and I'll be lucky if it lasts as long as I do. Even just maintaining it never ends. Now, fit for storage.Wasp-free and tidy! Not sure about the hornets, but......there are quite a few dirt-dauber [mud-dauber] nests amongst the rafters. Ehh ... they're friendly@Lost World: Those look like dirt-dauber nests. IME they're quite docile and easy to co-exist with. I'd be lots more freaked out if they were yellowjacket nests. Those boogers are MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAN. Wasp ResidenceLots of what my Dad calls Muddaubers Wasp nests in there. We had a lot of them in our barn. They never really bothered you if you left them alone. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Woodlawn: 1938
... of schools in Louisiana." 8x10 inch negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Laundry day A couple of shirts ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:44pm -

Assumption Parish, Louisiana, 1938. "Woodlawn Plantation, Napoleonville vicinity. Built 1835 by Col. W.W. Pugh, first superintendent of schools in Louisiana." 8x10 inch negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Laundry dayA couple of shirts between the two left columns. Inside viewWouldn't you love to look inside of this to see what remained after all those years? Do not strikeThat actually looks like a lightening rod, missing its fragile glass ball. Its two other friends on the roof ridge are a bit worse for wear. [Lightening: what happens when you diet or bleach your hair. Lightning: electricity from sky. - Dave] TotteringI once remarked to an elderly lady that the shed in her back yard looked like it was about to fall over. She said that it had been that way for years but it was still standing because the "termites were holding hands." Probably not a radio antennaMore likely, being 1938, a lightening rod. [Or a darkening rod. Radio had been around a long time in 1938. - Dave] Hey Good Buddy?It looks like a Star Duster™ CB antenna on the ridge of the weathered centermost building. Obviously it's not, but I wonder what it really is? [A radio antenna. - Dave] I dare youThis place looks so haunted you wouldn't want to go near it in broad daylight. It looks like loose hay spilling out of the windows of the smaller bookend buildings, so there must be at least one farmer unafraid of ghosts. I like these shots of Louisiana you post.What a grand old home this was. Thanks Dave! Porch-fallIf a porch falls and nobody hears it, does it make a sound? From stately to firewoodMy desktop copy of The History of Louisiana's Plantations tells me that much of Woodlawn's wood (probably a pun in there somewhere) as the structure moldered into the ground was used for firewood by cane field laborers. The property had 2,300 acres, 800 of them planted with sugar cane, so there were lots of folks looking for something to burn. But in its day, the place was something: According to Dr. Thomas Boyant Pugh of Napoleonville, Woodlawn was built by his father, William Whitmell Pugh, in 1840 and the wings were added after a second marriage to Josephine Nicholls in 1850. Woodlawn was not only modern in its planning, but we are told that the first installation of gas in Louisiana was in this house, as also a speaking tube from the dining room to the upstairs bedroom, and a bathroom, which was still a rarity at the time. More here. Hay thereLooks like the place was turned into a stable. A pretty faceInteresting how some of these old plantations are like Hollywood sets, all facade. Mon dieuC'est magnifique! Burned in 1962The word "rickety" must have been coined with this place in mind. Interior Photos!A few cool interior shots like this one can be found here. Magnificent yet heartbreakingly eerieMy great-grandfather was born into U.S. slavery on Woodlawn Plantation. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Wye Plantation: 1936
... Watch your step, and your head. Acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Wow! Love this photo -- the sun ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:01am -

Queen Anne County, Maryland. circa 1936. "Wye Plantation." Watch your step, and your head. Acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Wow!Love this photo -- the sun and shadows, the cobwebs, the stairs leading to ????? through the odd shaped door. It's a little sinister looking (Like where Norman Bates might do a quick change). Jane EyreLooks like where Mrs. Rochester might have been kept. WITWWhat in the world is this space. It would seem purposefully constructed, but for what? And what is on the other side of the space? Necessity Breeds WeirdnessDoors don't need to be rectangular to fit into a space, but they should at least be symmetrical. Looks like my condoIf you can advertise a "loft" in a condo, you have a good selling point. Jane Eyre's employercould have stashed his mad wife in this attic. UnevenIf you're going to go to all the trouble to angle the second side of the door and door frame, wouldn't you at least make sure they're the same angle? Or just angle the side that needs it? Perplexed. Now I know where he got his inspirationThis must be where Escher was born. Beautiful photoIt has extremes of light, shade, texture and every angle imaginable. Apart from the stories it tells. IncredibleThe shadow and light work here is phenomenal. What a fun picture to stare at and make a story out of. WowI'm coming to appreciate Ms. Johnston's work more and more with her encore performances here on Shorpy; such an eye for lights and tones. And to think she's in her 70s when doing the work we're seeing here. Gnomes be here?The odd shaped door, such as this one here, were often the result of some other feature. There is some roof line or obstruction on the other side of the opening which limits a larger shape. But when it came to the servants, comfort was not a real concern. I see it nowWe will be clicking on "Farked" soon for this pic. Very AngularA lot of interesting lines and angles in this photo. EscherishThis might be what M.C. Escher would have produced if asked to design a stairway. Odd angle of doorI think "Gnomes" is correct. I'm willing to bet the odd angle on the hinge side of that door is born of necessity, likely because of a cross brace in the timber frame. Wye House is a right fine 1780s-90s neoclassical house, Palladian in its layout with central pavilon and flanking wings. Here are the HABS survey photographs from the 1930s. [You're confusing the subject of our photo -- Wye Plantation in Queen Anne County -- with Wye House in Talbot County. The Wye Plantation mansion was demolished in the 1960s and replaced by a replica that's part of the Marriott Aspen Wye River conference center. Wye House still stands. - Dave] (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Toulouse Street: 1937
... Watch out for the neighbors. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Chimney I was afraid it would be ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 3:39pm -

New Orleans circa 1937. "813-815 Toulouse Street." Watch out for the neighbors. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. ChimneyI was afraid it would be long gone. Nice to see it's still there and pretty close to original! Good bonesI'm amazed that building is still standing. It looks like it was ready for "Samuel House wrecking Co." 74 years ago! FBJ's CompositionsJust realized that many of Johnston's photographs include a person in what has to be carefully posed compositions. In this photo there's a person in the left doorway. Also, this is a duplex; notice the mailboxes on the alley doors. House Wrecking Co.Was that a polite term for bordello? Wreckers incorporatedSamuel House Wrecking Company, Incorporated, 1934 Bricks Beneath StuccoThe building appears to be made of block, except that that it is cracking off to reveal brick beneath. I guess they scored the stucco to make it look like limestone or sandstone. Now we appreciate the old brick and I doubt a restoration would include covering it back up for historical accuracy. Bricks R USThe stucco was applied over the locally made orange, rather soft "creole bricks" to protect them from the elements. Removal of stucco from bricks is strictly prohibited in the Quarter by the Vieux Carre Commission. A few older buildings had patches removed to "look more authentic" (gack!) but it has not been allowed for many years. The Eternal City of the USNew Orleans looks pretty much the same now as it does in all these images on Shorpy. Bricks nowStreet view shows all brick exposed --- and looking in excellent condition. Looks the SameMost of these buildings in and around the French Quarter amaze me. My wife and I were first there in the very early 70's and last time right before Katrina stopped in. To us it still all looks much the same, and similar to the very early photos. Yet things built now days seem to fall apart in a few years. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, New Orleans)
Willis and Crismond: 1928
... and Prince Edward Streets." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. The Emperor's new steps. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:00am -

Fredericksburg, Virginia, circa 1928. "Willis and Crismond, dealers in fertilizers. Merchants' Stores and Offices, Brick Row, Commerce and Prince Edward Streets." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. The Emperor's new steps.Watch that first step, above the truck. It's a doozy! Time stood still, sort ofI've been thinking that, if it weren't for the autos and the electrical lines, these Johnston photos could have been taken before the Civil War. Then I realized that they also could have been taken in the 1950s South of my youth. DeliciousToday the chimneys have been capped and the building houses the fabulous Ristorante Renato. Now William and Prince EdwardView Larger Map The secret to their successwas in not overspending on physical plant. Just great fertilizer at everyday low prices. +83Below is the same view from April of 2011. Beautiful!It's wonderful to see how the building gets reused over the years! The Willis in the original building, is related to my husband's family, which is how I found this awesome website! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Stores & Markets)
Open House: 1936
... as having "character." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Fixer-upper Around here (the Bay ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/18/2013 - 10:39am -

Circa 1936. "Dormered cabin. Georgetown County, South Carolina." This is the kind of place the real estate listings describe as having "character." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Fixer-upperAround here (the Bay Area) this would be a "handyman's delight," listing for $600,000. Selling StrategiesSo many titles for the real estate listing: Nifty Fixer-Upper; "Open Concept," or Landscaper's Delight. Loads of yard just waiting for your own touch! I think I have been watching HGTV too much! EgadsThe door's always open, because, well, it's gone. Same As It Ever WasAnd you may find yourself living in a shotgun shack And you may find yourself in another part of the world And you may find yourself behind the wheel of a large automobile And you may find yourself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife And you may ask yourself -- Well, how did I get here? Stop by any timeThe door is always open! Sold As IsIn the Midwest it reads, "Needs TLC". Need more firewood? Look under the porch. Flaky ManorI still see a little paint left on the front of the house. I wonder how old it was at the time and what it looked like when new. AmenitiesHas security system. (Visible in left dormer.) Ghost porchThe rotten gap in the fascia and the dark diagonal line just below explain the fact that there is any paint left at all. This porch was roofed until somewhat recently. I've never cared for the ersatz look and feel of aluminum or vinyl siding, but the photos of F.B. Johnston do explain the popularity of such products. Georgetown, SC in the Mid 20th CenturyThe home seen here was not unusual for the period from the 30's through the 60's. Most people were generally impoverished, but were happy. Note the picture here of my family members living in similar residence in Georgetown in a moment of playfulness https://www.shorpy.com/node/3668 I think the enormous poverty found throughout the south that resulted from the Civil War and finally came to an end in the late 60's has never really been documented or experienced by states above the Mason Dixon line. The south generally suffered 100 years of poverty as a result of the war. The stark contrast of photos from Washington DC north cataloged by Shorpy tells the story very clearly. Pictures are indeed worth a 1000 words. The average farm family in Indiana, or New Hampshire, or Iowa fared far better the his southern brethren. To be sure there were wealthy families in the south with large estates, but most of those fine estates all along the coasts of the south were bought by very wealthy families from the Northeast and used as winter estates. Very few native southerners managed to hang on to family properties or to any degree of wealth following the war. The Dust Bowl era held the same in store for the Oklahoma / West Kansas / Eastern Colorado / North Texas areas in the mid to late 30's, but was of shorter duration and is well documented. On the SquareSay what you like, but it was built well - it is more square than my deck, and my hallway ceiling. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Incognito: 1890
Circa 1890. "Frances Benjamin Johnston, self-portrait, dressed as a man with false mustache." The Washington, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 3:26pm -

Circa 1890. "Frances Benjamin Johnston, self-portrait, dressed as a man with false mustache." The Washington, D.C., photographer was one of the first women to rise to prominence in the profession. Albumen print. View full size. Awesome (and imposing) bike!How on Earth did you get on top of that? And how did you keep your balance? I've heard velocipedes (that´s their name, right?) were really fast, but also very unstable. And when it came to stopping, how did you keep from falling? This photo ranks high in my favorite list, definitely! Never assume...I will assume that profession is photography, not cross-dressing. I have so many questions!Starting with how tall is that door? Or was she just a tiny woman who made the door seem giant in comparison? Also, what about the draped painting or mirror on the wall? Was it simply draped so as not to distract from the photo's subject, or for some other reason? I have a friend who has one of those bicycles tattooed on her ankle. They look awfully complicated to mount, let alone ride. CognitoI don't know how well her disguise concealed her identity but it certainly failed to conceal her gender in those bike pants. Horsing around with a bicycleI'm pretty sure one mounts them the same way one mounted a horse. In the pre-automobile era people put mounting blocks outside buildings. These were basically stone (sometimes wood) platforms with two or three steps leading up to the platform area. The mounting area was typically 3 feet by four feet or so. When you mounted the bicycle you were standing tall enough, thanks to the block, that the bicycle seat was below your own seat. As for how you stopped them -- uhm, with great difficulty? I do not know if they have some kind of braking mechanism at the top of that wheel or not. I see something there. But since it is direct drive on the hub of that front wheel, you can stop it by no longer pedaling forward. How you keep it from tipping over after you stop it--I haven't a clue. How to handle itI found a couple of videos demonstrating mounting technique, and it appears to require some agility. A summary: 1. There is a small step on the left side of the rail, down toward the smaller wheel. Put the left foot on the step and both hands on the handlebars. 2. Kick with the right leg to start rolling, then use the step and handlebars to lever the body up toward the seat. 3. Throw the right leg over the seat and onto the right-side pedal as it comes up. 4. Straighten out and get the left foot onto the left-side pedal, and ride away. The Dreaded HeaderYears ago I had a co-worker whose hobby was penny-farthing bicycles. Infamous for their propensity to propel hapless riders into a "header" -- when they were pitched over the driving wheel upon encountering an obstruction. Which explains why the more conventional design that came along later was known for a time as the "safety bicycle." High-wheel FaceplantSomething rarely if ever mentioned about the penny farthing and other high-wheelers is the problem with braking. You can see the brake just above the top of the wheel. If this was applied hard enough, the seat (and rear wheel) would rotate with the main wheel, slamming the rider into the ground. One solution was to put the little wheel at the front, but by then the symmetrical two-wheeler was taking over. Pounds, shillings and....This type of bicycle was termed the "penny-farthing" in Britain (and throughout the Commonwealth) due to the sizes of the big wheel (the penny) and the little wheel (the farthing). The bikes were mounted via a little step just above the small wheel -- partially hidden here by the lady's legs. Step 1A.K.A.A "Boneshaker" for obvious reasons. Self-Portraits in the 1890sI can't see a cable in this image, but self-portraits were doable in the 1890s. Photographer Alice Austen shot many self-portraits, using a pneumatic cable to release the shutter, as early as 1884. Whoa!Simply stopping pedaling does not stop the bike - the pedals ratchet while coasting, just as most modern bikes do. The small "finger" looking device at the top of the wheel is the brake, activated by the levers on the right handle bar. It is not very effective, but its better than nothing. Riding one of these is more like riding a unicycle with a training wheel! They can be very fast, and if you fall, you REALLY fall, usually on your face. The gyroscopic precession with that tall wheel makes turning at slow speeds interesting, but once up and rolling, the bike is amazingly stable. Mounting blocks? Neigh.Mounting a velocipede or high wheeled bicycle is an art. Using a mounting block wouldn't work -- the bike has to be moving or else you fall over. You have to get a running start, pushing the bike, then put a foot on the frame step, somewhat like a stirrup, and in a single fluid motion you throw yourself up and over the frame, landing in the seat. Taming the BicycleMark Twain on "Taming the Bicycle." Self-PortraitPardon my ignorance about photography but how did someone take a self portrait back in 1890. They couldn't have had timers on the cameras back then so how was it done? There does look like there is some sort of cable running down from the wall hanging but I can't quite make out where it ends up. Is there some sort of apparatus where she would squeeze a bulb that would trip the lens and take the picture? [Probably the apparatus known as "assistant who squeezes the bulb." - Dave] Extreme penny farthing-ingAt least two people have ridden around the world on penny farthings. Around the World on a Bicycle by Thomas Stevens, first published in 1887 is available in hardback, and as a free e-book at The Gutenberg Project. Joff Summerfield did it between May 2006 and November 2008. EpiphanyI always wondered why the first bicycles were shaped so funny, why the seats were so high. My theory is that the height of the seat was the same as the average height of a horse's withers, so coming from a culture built entirely around horses as transportation, it makes sense that the first bicycle would have been designed to mimic the height and foot placement of a saddled horse. [The reason is more mechanical than cultural. The only way to build a reasonably speedy direct-drive cycle is with a big wheel, with the diameter determined by the length of the average person's legs. Bicycles with smaller wheels and comparable speeds weren't possible until the introduction of the sprocket-and-chain gearset. - Dave] Her Left FootPerhaps her extended left foot, with toes suspiciously out of the frame, is squeezing the bulb. Extraordinary Lady!I'm beginning to develop a great fondness for Ms. Johnston and her work! Remarkable woman. *swoon* (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., F.B. Johnston)
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