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Chapel Hill: 1939
Fourth of July 1939 near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. "Rural filling stations become community centers and general loafing ... uniforms say "Cedar Grove" which is a tiny crossroads north of Chapel Hill in Orange County, NC--Closer to Hillsborough. Poor RC ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 2:40pm -

Fourth of July 1939 near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. "Rural filling stations become community centers and general loafing grounds. Cedargrove Team members about to play in a baseball game." Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange. View full size. cokeThis is the first time I don't see a sign for Coca-Cola Gas PriceI wish the price of gas was still 21 cents! Look at the old gas pump. That gas is not that cheapDoth sayeth The Inflation Calculator: What cost 21 cents in 1939 would cost $2.91 in 2006. Also, if you were to buy exactly the same products in 2006 and 1939, they would cost you 21 cents and 2 cents respectively. Where are the Volvos?Seriously... I thought they always existed in Chapel Hill Re: Coke Pepsi was inventedRe: Coke Pepsi was invented in New Bern, NC, so one doesn't see nearly as many Coke signs as Pepsi in NC. That said, I don't see a Pepsi sign, either. RC but no CheerwineAt least they sell RC. But no Cheerwine? What a shame. TK www.tk42one.com Where in Chapel Hill?Anybody have any idea where in Chapel Hill this is? Loafing soon to stop!They will be off to war soon. RE: Where in Chapel Hill?It says "near" Chapel Hill, but the baseball uniforms say "Cedar Grove" which is a tiny crossroads north of Chapel Hill in Orange County, NC--Closer to Hillsborough. Poor RC ColaRC cola is the third best cola on the market. Wonder why it doesn't have a bigger marker share. RC and a Moon pie!Yum...Yum HatsI wish these hats were still fashionable for men. Even though these fellas are scruffy, they still look sharper then guy in trucker hats, message tees and jeans. Howard & SheltonTom Howard and George Shelton (see leftmost poster) had a radio program sponsored by Royal Crown Cola. In this case, they seem to have been promoting chewing tobacco, though. Route 86I'm guessing this might be off Old Highway 86. One of my relatives had a station like this, but smaller about halfway between Chapel Hill and Hillsborough. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Rural America, Stores & Markets)
Runt's Pool Parlor: 1939
... advertising Tobacco Ball in window. Zebulon, Wake County, North Carolina." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/11/2021 - 1:19pm -

November 1939. "Runt's pool parlor with poster advertising Tobacco Ball in window. Zebulon, Wake County, North Carolina." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Not a pool hall anymore Alias George E StoneLooks like the sort of place Boston Blackie might wander into. Possible Location With a capital T and that rhymes with PTrouble right here in River City ... Any Boob... can take and shove a ball in a pocket. And they call that sloth. The first big step on the road to the depths of degradation. I say, first, medicinal wine from a teaspoon, then beer from a bottle. And the next thing you know, your son is playin' for money in a pinch-back suit. Back Door DeliveryShiny clean rear of 1937 or '38 Chevrolet Sedan Delivery reflected in window. I am confused by the cigarette advertising slogan on the vehicle door. Is it on the car or reflected from somewhere? [Yes. - Dave] Hope it was a 3 window coupe!The Tobacco Ball signage certainly drew my attention. The prospect of winning a free FORD V8 would undoubtedly have convinced me to attend. And mosquitoes tooJudging from the size of the mesh on the screen door they must have pretty big flies in North Carolina. Window letteringWhen I was a young sign painter, soft drink companies and breweries had healthy budgets for what is now called "point of purchase" advertising. Back then this was called "privilege panels". The beverage companies supplied the preprinted signs which usually had a blank panel to personalize the store. Window valences were water decals applied to the interior of the glass. If the store or tavern moved a lot of product, the salesman may allot extra for some custom lettering (Runts Pool Parlor), but not always. If your company was able to service an account like this, you were assured of steady, although not very profitable work. As a young apprentice I was often given these jobs. Perfect environment to learn layout and speed Runt"Runt" was probably about 6-foot-8 and weighed about 350 pounds. They had to have the double doors on the front so he could get in and out of the place. Pine State Ice CreamWhat was being advertised by that 'Pine State' sign reflected in the window? Eureka! Pine State Ice Cream from the Pine State Creamery in Raleigh. The brand is gone, but the building, built in 1928, is on the National Register of Historic Places. (The pine is the official state tree of North Carolina, but Maine is officially the Pine Tree State.) Check the 7up signnow count the bubbles. Dental recordsThere's a reflection in the window of a sign for Dr. Massey, Dentist. He appears to have had a solo practice until his niece Zyba Massey joined him in 1954, after becoming the first female to graduate from the UNC dental school. https://dentistry.unc.edu/2004/02/zyba-massey-first-female-graduate-of-u... (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Small Towns)
Cottage Chic: 1936
Circa 1936. "Georgetown. Georgetown County, South Carolina. Small houses, Series 2, Mansfield's Quarters." What this place lacks ... was too sandy to support grass. Yard theory I'm in North Carolina, but I've been told by a centenarian or two around here that in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/29/2013 - 11:59pm -

Circa 1936. "Georgetown. Georgetown County, South Carolina. Small houses, Series 2, Mansfield's Quarters." What this place lacks in granite countertops, it makes up for in cozy. Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Dorothy?I can see the Wicked Witch's feet sticking out from under the house. The furnishingsI've got to get to the time machine, so I can go back and buy those rockers, and the porch swing. And the chains and the hooks, too. Renov? Rehab? Teardown?I am guessing that the kitchen and baths are a total gut. And do they even make screen doors any more? Ground coverI can’t quite tell what I’m looking at when I try to figure out what is growing in the “lawn” zone of the property as well as in the strip between the road and sidewalk. There are trees and the odd bush or shrub here and there, but as for the general ground cover, are we looking at brown or green? Re open windows and billowing curtains on second floor: adds spooky to cozy. Someone caresLooks like the porch steps are relatively new. The porch railings look to have been removed, so maybe they're next on the 1000+ page punch list. Re: Ground coverI believe it's plain old dirt. I grew up in South Carolina and none of the old houses I lived in had grass lawns. The soil was too sandy to support grass. Yard theoryI'm in North Carolina, but I've been told by a centenarian or two around here that in their day, a well-kept front yard in town was swept bare of loose dirt, rocks, and weeds, leaving just "clean dirt." That would be sprinkled with water to keep the dust down and prevent it from floating in through the open windows. My guess based on location is that we are looking at a clean dirt front yard here. An older woman told me once that having grass in your yard pretty much invited the bugs, snakes, and mice right in the front door. The dirt yard makes sense based on the climate and openness of Southern houses. Granite countertops are SO last yearI'm sure they have Silestone quartz or hammered copper. Screen doorsYes, Solo, they still make plain (and fancy) wooden screen doors. I just bought one for my house the other day at Home Depot and they have the same basic thing at Lowe's. Not expensive at all. I intend to paint it glossy black, hang it and have a "low tech" coil spring for the closer just like the one at grandma's house back in the 50's. Can't wait to hear it slam - a noise from the past to wake the dead and to remember them. Georgetown NativeI was born in Georgetown, SC in the mid 1950's. The homes even up until the mid 60's where my grandparents lived had brushed dirt yards. It was really quite common. The picture above may very well be quarters located on the Mansfield Plantation. It is located just north of Georgetown on the south side of the Black River. It is one of many of the rice plantations that line the inter-coastal waterway and rivers in the area. It is now a Bed and Breakfast. I believe they even have a web site with quite a few photos of the grounds. If you zoom in on the Black River using Google Earth you can still see the rice beds and flood ditches for the fields. My grandfather used to take me coon hunting in those fields during the late evenings. He'd let the hounds tree them and use his double barrel to bring them home. I vividly remember him skinning and tanning the hides and selling them for $5 each. My grandmother would cook no more then 2 raccoons a year. It was quite a chore as I recall. Lots of RotIf you look at the siding and the soffits there is a lot of rot in that house and the shingles have seen better days as well. Definitely from the poorer side of town. Mansfield PlantationHere's a short video speaking to the vision of the present owners who operate Mansfield Plantation. It is quite touching and worth the time to watch. The dreams of a man whose ancestors owned the plantation unites with the dreams of a man whose family's ancestors were once slaves on the plantation. Sparse on detailsI don't think I've ever seen a house of this style with absolutely NO mouldings whatsoever. From a distance, it looks like it does, but up close, you see that everything was built from square stock. I've often seen pared-down versions, but even these tend to have at least a "fake" crown made with just slanted boards. The house looks pretty early, too. I'd say late 1700s, early 1800s. The overall nearly symmetrical layout, 6 over 6 windows, and gable returns, have a Georgian influence, while the robust porch columns seem to be a "poor man's" attempt to capture a bit of the Greek Revival look that was quite popular at that time. Even though it's apparent that the house was built on a budget, it still manages to look quite nice, though it had seen better days before 1936. No grass, please!I have a friend in SC who manages to maintain some sort of scraggly, coarse grass on his plot of sandy soil. It is too harsh to walk barefoot on, but you do not want to do that because the little bit of grass he has just gives the nasty fire ants a place to hide their evil colonies! (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
King Street: 1910
Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1910. "King Street looking north." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative, Library of Congress. View full ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:30pm -

Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1910. "King Street looking north." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. Beth Israel SynagogueThe tall building on the left is, I believe, Beth Israel Synagogue, built around 1911. [As noted above this is not a synagogue but rather the Hirsch, Israel & Co. department store. - Dave] King StreetWhat a wonderful photo -- so much to look at. Charleston has done an amazing job keeping many of these buildings intact -- King Street is still a posh shopping district with many of these buildings now housing Ralph Lauren and the like, but with many of the original details of the facades intact. The church in the middle distance is St. Matthew's Lutheran Church, a landmark building. Another awesome pictureI love the details, and this snapshot of life in those days. The outfits, the young men hanging on the corner watching the pretty girls go by. The woman in back in white, while most of the other women are in black. And the hats, I love the hats. LightsAll those stringed lights! I'd hate to be the one that had to change out all those bulbs! SignsI just love this picture. Not only the clothing, but all the signs as well. Being the owner of a sign shop, this gives me a lot too look at. Wish there was a favorites button I could add this to. A Clean SweepLazarus' hardware store seems to be especially devoted to brooms. Judging from the amount of horse droppings on the street, I bet they came in handy. From Clutter to ArtWhat a wonderful photo; I'll add my "yea" to the chorus of approbation. The signs, which might have been eyesores to folks at the time, are now like individual pieces of street art. 253 King Street TodayThe Beth Israel synagogue seems to be gone. Can't find any info online about what happened to it, though. King StreetThis incredible image of King Street in 1915 (original file) can be found at the LOC site. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/det.4a24156 There is an ucompressed 30 mb scan (tiff format) of the original glass negative. I have downloaded it and tried my best in Photoshop to reproduce what you see here on Shorpy, but no luck. Any ideas on how to clean up the original from LOC like they did here? ["They" would be me. I used the Shadows & Highlights filter to get the image you see here. - Dave] Hirsch, Israel & Co.The tall domed structure is the tower of the Hirsch, Israel & Co. department store, not a synagogue, on the corner of King and Wentworth streets. +95Below is the identical view taken in May of 2010 from Hasell (pronounced HAZEL) Street. Kerrison's Dry Goodsis still there 100 years later. King Street Then & NowI love this photo as well because in 1905, my father's family owned a shop in #255 which is the building on the very left side of this image - the Jewelry Store under the clock. I also had a friend photograph the street from the same angle in July 2011 and here is my own "Then & Now" interpretation. Deborah (The Gallery, Charleston, DPC)
Country Store: 1939
... tobacco sharecropper at country store. Person County, North Carolina." The rustic emporium seen earlier here and here . ... for tobacco products on the building. As a North Carolinian, I am acutely aware of the impact of the golden leaf on our ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/16/2012 - 12:39pm -

July 1939. "Daughter of white tobacco sharecropper at country store. Person County, North Carolina." The rustic emporium seen earlier here and here. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange. View full size. NC tobacco anyone?The influence of tobacco on the local NC economy is amazingly prevalent here. I count 14 different advertisements/placards for tobacco products on the building. As a North Carolinian, I am acutely aware of the impact of the golden leaf on our history and economy and this photo shows that rather vividly. Shorpy StoreNicely done! I read the rest of the signs as well Branding.Ah, but whose name do I see on that sign at the top? Ingenious! Bargain Gas?Interestingly, the .22/gallon gas inflation-adjusts to almost exactly today's price-per-gallon. And that, in cars that got 17 mpg and were worn out after 80-100,000 miles. No wonder they didn't drive much! Budding EnterpriseSo this is the type of business our young Shorpy went into? Whodathunk it? Where are the dogs?Shouldn't there be a couple of coon hounds hanging out beneath the porch? That's where they can usually be found. Also, I really like the two front pillars; they make the place look really rustic. The building is still standing 75 years later!The building in the photo is still standing and when I traveled to Gordonton to photograph it, I met the Great-Nephew of the man standing in the doorway. My story and other photos are here. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Gas Stations, Stores & Markets)
The Orphanage: 1900
Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1900. "Charleston orphan house." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... was changed to Oak Grove, the facilities were moved to North Charleston and non-orphaned, emotionally disturbed children were accepted ... non-profit Carolina Youth Development Center located in North Charleston. Scarred for life As if being an orphan wasn't hard ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2011 - 2:18am -

Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1900. "Charleston orphan house." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Torn downThe Charleston Orphan House was established by City Ordinance in 1790, making it the oldest municipal orphanage in the United States. The Charleston Orphan House was charged with accepting all such poor orphan children, and children of poor distressed or disabled parents, as shall be deemed proper objects of admission by the Commissioners…The Commissioners of the Charleston Orphan House were elected each October by City Council. Additionally, the City provided annual appropriations for the running and maintenance of the facility. In 1951, the Orphan House property on the corner of Calhoun and St. Philip Streets in downtown Charleston, was sold and the Orphan House itself was demolished. The mandate of the Orphan House changed somewhat at this time. The name was changed to Oak Grove, the facilities were moved to North Charleston and non-orphaned, emotionally disturbed children were accepted as residents. In 1978, the City removed itself from the direct involvement with the Oak Grove facility. Oak Grove became the private, non-profit Carolina Youth Development Center located in North Charleston. Scarred for lifeAs if being an orphan wasn't hard enough, growing up in THIS place probably provided much fodder for psychiatric couches. A nice cheery place to grow upJust another of the perks enjoyed by orphans one hundred years ago. 1865 to 1900The only real change between this image and the one from 1865 is the Yankees have gone home. Behave!Be nice little kiddies now, or the gryphons will get you! Calhoun & St. PhilipIf indeed that building was exactly at the corner of Calhoun and St. Philip, it means it was either on the grounds of the College of Charleston, or just across the street from it. So not only were you and orphan in that creepy building, but you got to look out of the gates every day and see the young southern gentleman scholars living the gentile life. [Oy. - Dave] "Excellent!"This looks like a real-life representation of the mansion of C. Montgomery Burns. Little Orphan AnnieNo wonder her eyes were blanks. SpookyLike something out of Edward Gorey! But where's the fantod? Present day imagesHere are two images of the former location of the orphanage. The site is actually across the street from the College of Charleston. The building In the background of the street image and in the aerial image, the tall building just below right center is the Francis Marion Hotel.It is across the street from Marion Square which was the grounds of the old Citadel.The orphanage was located in the center of the aerial image The beautiful old orphanage was torn down for the sake of a Sears parking lot. The statue on the top, "Charity," and the bell are in the Charleston museum. View Larger Map View Larger Map (The Gallery, Charleston, DPC, Kids)
Forty Winks: 1940
... it was for many people, not all that long ago. Drove North, still found segregation Although the state abbreviation is cut off in ... featured "OCTOBER 31 40" across the bottom are from South Carolina. According to this site the plates were black over yellow. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 2:09pm -

June 1940. Washington, D.C. "Negro driver asleep under a truck. There are no sleeping accommodations for Negroes at this service station on U.S. 1." Photo by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. I Think I'dPut chocks around those wheels. FrühaufsteherWhat's the significance of FRUEHAUF (German for "up early") on the back of the truck? [The trailer was manufactured by the Fruehauf Corporation. - tterrace] Smart ManThis tired soul appears to have done the best with what he had to work with. He's under the truck for shade, using a bag of whatever he was hauling as a pillow and a small tarp to lay on instead of the hot, dirty, rock hard ground. Young drivers of modern day wouldn't know how to survive without the super size sleeper, GPS, internet hook-up, power this and that, satellite TV, air ride seats etc. Green BookThe Negro Motorist Green Book, 1949 edition, is actually online here, and you can see how bad it was for many people, not all that long ago. Drove North, still found segregationAlthough the state abbreviation is cut off in the photo, the only 1940 state license plates I'm aware of that featured "OCTOBER 31 40" across the bottom are from South Carolina. According to this site the plates were black over yellow. Some years ago I read one of Peter Egan's "Side Glances" columns in Road & Track in which he described finding a 1950s-era road atlas designed specifically for black travelers. The atlas was designed to help the traveler deal with finding food, fuel and lodging in a segregated America. Sad to think such a publication had to exist, and that the driver pictured may have benefited from it. (Edit: Thanks auntjess for finding that!) This photo serves to remind us that the nation's capital was once a Southern city in more ways than one. A Permanent RestAs I truck driver I can sympathize with this guy--it's very uncomfortable to have to sleep in your seat. Having said that, it beats dying. The trucks of that era had one air tank for their brakes, if they even had air brakes at all. If it started to creep then I hope this man had some serious yogi skills to survive being crushed. Hopefully he had the good sense to chock one of the front wheels. I would have opted to sleep on the end of the flatbed. Pillow talkThe fella looks like he is using a bag of grain for a pilla. Times they were tough. WOW! Old Army trickThis reminds me of an old US Army trick my godfather told me about when I was young. Setting up your sleeping gear under your vehicle so if anyone else comes driving in during the night you won't end up getting run over because they don't see you. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Jack Delano)
Open House: 1936
... Circa 1936. "Dormered cabin. Georgetown County, South Carolina." This is the kind of place the real estate listings describe as ... the war. The stark contrast of photos from Washington DC north cataloged by Shorpy tells the story very clearly. Pictures are indeed ... 
 
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)
Box Car: 1940
... May 1940. "Outside of the tobacco warehouses in Durham, North Carolina." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/02/2022 - 9:40am -

May 1940. "Outside of the tobacco warehouses in Durham, North Carolina." 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Somewhere Near Five PointsThe neighborhood is much changed, but the old office building in the background, the Hill Building (1937), remains. Marion Post Wolcott would be here five months later, when she took this Shorpy photo from the Hill Building: https://www.shorpy.com/node/24973 Kids being kidsGive a kid some nails, a hammer, scrap wood, a few old wheels and watch his imagination take over. I know as a kid, we built a few go-carts ... some better then others. We actually made one so we could be in the annual Cockeysville MD parade. Our friends dad, who raced stock cars, helped us with that one--- and he gave us a real steering wheel to use! Even though we had to push it just like the kids in the photo, we had a blast! Rigsbee RidersAs 'Sewickley' correctly notes, only two of the buildings pictured here remain. The Washington Duke Hotel, the other notable structure shown, has been gone 46 years, almost as long as it was around. It's nice to see a shot in the South that isn't stereotypically the South: these lads could be risking life-and-limb in Anywheresville, USA. Stealing the Baby Coach WheelsI know Bill Cosby is persona non grata these days, but back in the Before Times (the 60's) his story "Go Carts" (from the album Wonderfulness) is perfectly embodied in this picture. I wonder if that's Old Weird Harold, whose go cart had a continental spare on the back! Dr. PepperThey sure like Dr. Pepper at that store. I count at least six signs for it. Nary a Coke sign to be seen, unless I'm missing one. Orange Crush is a distant second. Wide TurnsThat box car has a very narrow track - I think it would be a real handful when going around a corner! Guiders in the CapitalIn the Scottish capital (Edinburgh) we call these "guiders"; in Glasgow they're "bogies." Stealing baby coach wheels"I whipped out my trusty can of 3-in-1 Oil!!" (The Gallery, Agriculture, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano, Kids)
The Unknown Scrummers: 1920
... These six home games were: October 2: 14-7 loss to North Carolina State October 9: 12-7 defeat of Lafayette October 16: 7-2 defeat ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2012 - 3:11am -

Washington, D.C., or vicinity circa 1920. The caption just says "football." Who can identify the venue? Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Mother BIsn't that Bancroft Hall at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis? Narrowing it downNavy played six home games in 1920, compared to just one road game (a 14-0 loss at Princeton) and their traditional neutral-site game against Army at the Polo Grounds in New York (a 7-0 victory.) These six home games were: October 2: 14-7 loss to North Carolina State October 9: 12-7 defeat of Lafayette October 16: 7-2 defeat of Bucknell October 30: 47-0 defeat of Western Reserve November 6: 21-6 defeat of Georgetown November 13: 63-0 defeat of South Carolina [This could have been taken anytime from 1910 to the early 1920s. - Dave] Next to BancroftOn the left it's either the Seamanship Building or the Armory on the Naval Academy campus. As this 1919 panorama shows, they were already bookends of Bancroft Hall and its yards. They're now known as MacDonough and Dahlgren Halls. Go Navy!It's Bancroft, indeed. The shot is taken from the football field (now basically just a track), looking back at the "T" section of the rear wing of the dorm in the upper-left (which now has a 2-story walkway connecting it to the main building). http://www.bing.com/maps/?v=2&cp=qgxdyn8mssvt&scene=25283264&lvl=1&sty=b Beat Army!Swein is close, but I think you're on the wrong side of Bancroft. This shot is at Thompson Field, where Navy played their football games before the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium was built in 1959. It was situated where LeJeune Hall (the pool) and the 8th Wing of Bancroft stand today. The buildings seen in this picture are, I believe, the 6th Wing of Bancroft and, to the left, just the corner of Dahlgren Hall. Love the stitched-on number patches. Would be interesting if anyone could figure out which game this was. The helmet "technology" seems to place it somewhere in the teens or '20s. Back in the dayPeople talk about how violent the sport is today, but the 1909 football season saw 26 deaths on both college and professional teams during the regular season. This was more than double that of the 1908 season. Navigation, please!!The photo is of Bancroft Hall at Annapolis but it's taken from due south of the campus. The corner of Dahlgren Hall is just showing to the far left and the sixth wing of Bancroft Hall is in the immediate background. The fifth wing is in the far background. The photo is taken from near what is today the site of Lejeune Hall. Action!The wonderful depth of field, the slightly skewed horizon and the players frozen in various athletic postures make this a superb action shot. A great sports picture! 1922Based on a comparison to pictures in the Naval Academy's 1923 yearbook, this would appear to be Navy vs. Georgia Tech, 10/21/1922. http://media.scout.com/media/image/78/780837.jpg Note #27 in both pictures. 1922, Georgia TechMike, thanks for determining the opponent! You made my day! Perhaps Georgetown?Georgia Tech isn't listed as an opponent, but Georgetown is. And Georgetown wore uniforms similar to those shown in this photo. Examples here and here. BTW, I love this site and have been working my way forward from the original photo of Shorpy Higgnbotham. I can't seem to get enough! (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Sports)
Ford Target Computor: 1922
... now. Fire Control A few months ago I toured the USS North Carolina battleship in Wilmington and saw the targeting command center. There ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:38pm -

October 2, 1922. Washington, D.C. "Ford Target Computor. Capt. H.E. Ely." An electro-mechanical approach to the aiming of large artillery pieces. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Tech SupportAn analog trunk-line call to India was a spot of bother in 1922. Hello? Tech Support?"I've been holding for fifteen minutes ... Oh, wait, they're coming on now. Hello? Hello? Can you speak up please? You sound like you're in India or something. Yes, OK ... I was going along fine and then everything just froze and I got a message about an 'illegal operation.' Right. And now nothing works. Uh huh. You say I should ... restart the computor and that should take care of it? That's it? Wait, hello? Hello?" Model 1?As noted below, Hannibal C. Ford developed target computers for the U.S. Navy. It's odd that Capt. Ely in the photo seems to be an Army officer rather than Navy, because the first applications for target computers were for navies. The British developed the first one, the Dreyer Table and the Dumaresq, prior to World War I and used it during the war. Mr. Ford was somehow exposed to the British technology -- I forget the details of this but it's covered in a series of articles in Warship International magazine. But he also had his own original ideas, and the Ford computer was considerably smaller than the Dreyer Table and looked quite different. Inherently, in the battleship era, guns on ships required calculated aiming because both the firing and the target ship could be moving in different directions at different speeds, and the guns could often outrange the horizon from the point of view of deck level. A "gun director" on a tall tower could measure range and bearing with a powerful binocular range finder, and those measurements were transmitted to the computer mechanically or electrically. The computer then calculated the bearing and elevation at which the guns should fire to score a hit. In 1985, I attended the sea trials of the restored battleship Iowa. I saw the Ford range computer. It was a different model than the one in the photo, considerably larger, but it still had the clear cover (probably glass to begin with and Lexan when I saw it) seen in the photo. Underneath you could see a maze of gears and linkages, color coded, for maintenance I guess. It had its own room with electrical panels on the bulkheads. In the Wikipedia article it explains that the device weighed over a ton, but of course on a batteship that doesn't matter. There was no graph plotter as shown in the photo. Still unresolved is why the Army was interested in this device at a period when its artillery was normally attacking stationary targets from a stationary position. In 1922, could there have been research on antiaircraft fire direction? Possibly. Or maybe Mr. Ford was just covering all his possible customers. Related question: is the civilian in the background Mr. Ford himself? Hannibal FordThe Ford Instrument Company, Long Island City, NY, was formed by Hannibal Ford in 1915. It built analog fire control computers in the pre-electronic days. The company was later merged into the Sperry Corp. Dad's serviceMy father's stint in the Army during WWII (Battle of the Bulge, crossing of the Rhine and Ruhr) had him working as a "Computer" for anti-aircraft artillery. He used some kind of calculating device for aiming the big guns, but I have no idea what kind. I can't ask him because he's in Arlington now. Fire ControlA few months ago I toured the USS North Carolina battleship in Wilmington and saw the targeting command center. There are several large rooms completely full of enormous computers used to track enemy ships, planes, and also to properly guide missiles and guns. I'd say there were at least 30-40 of these massive vacuum-tube computers paired to walls of controls on either side. The level of complexity was amazing. Field ArtilleryWhen I was in the Army's Artillery School (mid 1970's) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma we had something called a FADAC (field artillery digital automatic computer) to aid in positioning artillery rounds on a target. Was this an early version of FADAC? The Forddid the same job -- providing aiming data for artillery -- but it was not digital like the FADAC. It was an electromechanical analog device. There were precisely machined gears and shafts driving dials/pointers either mechanically or by controlling variable rheostats to drive indicating voltmeter dials. Operators input data on the location of the target and the weapons, as well as factors like wind and temperature by setting voltages or turning shafts to certain angles. The operators then read off the firing data and transmitted it to the appropriate Fire Direction Center personnel who passed it on to the firing batteries. Manual FDCI was likewise in Fire Direction Control, trained at Fort Sill. Never saw a contraption like this while I was there, but we were taught how to find deflection and elevation for the artillery pieces using slide rules, while plotting targets on a grid board and finding range with a range/deflection protractor (RDP). This was in the early 1990's. Of course, once I left the training school I never used such manual devices again; nevertheless, every Marine Corps artillery FDC still packs the manual tools--RDP, chart board with plotting pins, slide rules and books--just in case the primary and backup computers fail. Where are the flippers?And how many points does it take to get a free game? I can't even light up the "special" bumper yet! Back to the Plotting BoardThe October 1923 issue of the Coast Artillery Journal has a report (starting on Page 349) on various mechanical fire-control devices including the Ford Target Computer and Ford Battery Computer, which were tested as replacements for manual plotting boards. Among the findings: a. They are complicated and frequently get out of working order. b. They require very expert operators who should be trained for several months. c. A trained mechanic is required for even minor repairs. d. They operate solely by electric power. e. Too much time is required for changing target and base line, and these operations require special skill. f. The azimuth dials are hard to read, resulting in frequent errors. ... i. They are noisy, making telephone conversation difficult in their vicinity. Tests indicate that the Ford Target Computer, operated by and under the supervision of the Ford Company's engineer, frequently failed and, when in working order, gave results little if any better, either in accuracy or time of operation, than might be expected from a properly designed manual plotting board at ranges which permit a scale of 300 yards to the inch, if the board be carefully adjusted and skillfully operated. It's interesting to note that fire control (i.e. "solving the range triangle" for the aiming of large artillery guns, which involves lots of trigonometry and a spot or two of calculus) was among the very earliest applications for digital computers in the 1940s. A Royal Inspection During World War 2 my mother was stationed on anti-aircraft batteries including one in Hyde Park, which was frequently visited by VIPs. This photo shows Queen Elizabeth (the "Queen Mum," in interesting boots!) inspecting the battery. To the right is a gunnery "predictor." It required two people to keep the target plane on cross-hairs in two sights on the top and lots of cogs, gears and electricity to do the sums of where to point the guns. It looks very like the M7 model described here. Ordnance CorpsWith reference to Captain Jack's question, Capt. Ely is wearing Ordnance Corps insignia, not Artillery, so I assume this was just an early procurement test of some sort. The Queen Mum's Boots - - -aren't boots at all, but galoshes. They kept our feet and shoes dry in wet weather. Oh oh, now I've given away how old I am. Yech. Ely of CantignyUpdate: Upon further inspection of the photo and considering the caption of "Capt.", it may be that the uniformed man in the photograph is Hanson Edward Ely, Jr., son of the "Ely of Cantigny." Both son and father (Major General Hanson Edward Ely, Sr.) are buried at Arlington Cemetery. Washington Post, Apr 30 1958 Gen. H.E. Ely Is Dead at 90 By Dorrie Davenport (Staff Reporter) Maj. Gen. Hanson Edward Ely, USA (ret.), known as "Ely of Cantigny" for his leadership of the 28th infantry which captured Cantigny on May 28, 1918 died Monday in Atlantic Beach, Fla. He was 90. He was one of the first officers sent abroad to study the Allies' trench fighting tactics and was later made chief of staff of the First Division Repeated requests for troop duty gave him command of the 28th Infantry and his leadership in the Battle of Cantigny convinced European doubters of the fighting qualities of American soldiers. Raised to brigadier general, he was head of the Second Brigade of the Second Division when the Americans captured Vierzey, near Soissons, in July 18, 1918. In order to direct the attack personally, Gen. Ely attempted to enter Vierzey before it was cleared of the enemy. Fired on at short range by machine guns, he attacked and enabled his men to take the town despite strong resistance by vastly superior numbers. Gen. Ely was cited for "indomitable bravery, disregard for his own safety and devotion to his men." During the battle of Vierzey, his troops took more than 7000 prisoners. It was "Ely of Cantigny" who, in command of the Fifth Division and promoted to major general, achieved what has been hailed as one of the outstanding major exploits of the Army Expeditionary Force when it forced its way across the Meuse at Dun-sur-Meuse. Gen. John J. Pershing wrote that "this operation was one of the most brilliant feats in the history of the American Army in France." Years before his World War I exploits, he had been given a silver star for "gallantry in action against insurgent forces at Taliahan River, Luzon, Phillippine Islands, March 25, 1899." When soon afterwards Gen. Frederick Funston formed his celebrated mounted scout unit, Hanson Ely was listed as its commander. His 44 years in the Army included serving as a lieutenant in the Spanish American War. Considered one of the most forceful figures in military service, he was considered as a leading authority on modern tactic and battle leadership. After World War I, he reverted to his permanent grade of colonel but Congress, in 1921, endorsed his appointment as brigadier general and his promotion in 1932 to major general. ... Army coastal artilleryIt's odd that Capt. Ely in the photo seems to be an Army officer rather than Navy Coastal artillery was an Army responsibility. For example, Army Fort MacArthur (named for Douglas MacArthur's father) protected Los Angeles harbor. The big concrete emplacements are still there, for guns up to 16". In the 50s the guns were replaced with Nike nuclear missiles. The Fort MacArthur Museum web site has more fun facts. The 14" batteries look like baseball diamonds from above. View Larger Map (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Cornshucking Day Dinner: 1939
September 1939. Granville County, North Carolina. "One of the Wilkins family making biscuits for dinner on cornshucking ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 1:44am -

September 1939. Granville County, North Carolina. "One of the Wilkins family making biscuits for dinner on cornshucking day at Mrs. Fred Wilkins' home near Tallyho." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. One Item menuMy grandfather was an expert vegetable grower although his occupation was a coal miner. On summer evenings in the days of victory gardens, he knew exactly when the corn was "ready", at its sweetest, most tender, out-of-this world apex, and he would say to Gram, "Put the water on to boil, I'll go pick the corn." It had to be picked immediately before cooking so the natural sugar would not run out and the kernels had no time to toughen. That would be our supper, ears and ears (all you can eat) of fresh, pearly, sunny ears of tender corn, with lots of homemade butter, very little salt. There has never been anything to compare with that flavor. My second favorite thing in the summer is a just-picked tomato sliced on a sandwich on white bread with only mayo, salt and pepper. It would have been easy to be a vegetarian with those flavors. No meat needed. Just wonderingI cast my vote for less callipygian disclosure. But could I have one of those biscuits, please? Jeanette WilkinsMrs. Wilkins was Jeanette Wilkins. She died in 1986 at the age of 91. Husband Fred died a few months later at the age of 93. Eat homemade biscuits and fresh corn and live longer. LardFor long life, eat corn, biscuits, and Swift's Jewel Lard by the bucket. Ceramic crocks, bucket, wash basin and soapThis is how I imagine my grandmother's kitchen before the well and pump were put in. The crocks with towels over the top were used in lieu of an icebox to keep things from spoiling. Somewhere, if you could look, you would find large bins for flour and sugar. I know where I'm going for dinnerMmmm, Chicken & Dumplings Baking Powder Biscuits (from a 1933 Recipe) Ingredients: -- 2 cups sifted flour -- 2 tsp. baking powder -- 4 tablespoons butter or shortening -- 1/2 tsp. salt -- about 3/4 cup milk Sift Flour once, measure, add baking powder and salt, and sift again. Cut in shortening or butter. (use your hands and rub the butter into the flour). Add milk gradually, stirring until soft dough is formed. Turn out on slightly floured board and lightly "knead" for 30 seconds, enough to shape. Roll 1/2 inch thick and cut with 2 inch floured biscuit cutter. Bake on ungreased sheet in a 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Makes 12 biscuits. http://oldfashionedliving.com/biscuits.html Things must have been betterBack then, folks ate lard, butter, real salt, pork, red meat and eggs, and lived into their 90s. Now with our modern diets of margarine, poly unsaturates, egg beaters, greaseless, fatless and tasteless stuff, folks are kicking off in their 40s and 50s. The old timers knew how to eat and live longer. [You have it backwards. In the United States, median age at death (and life expectancy) increased steadily throughout the 20th century. - Dave] Working WomanThere's something about a clean and orderly kitchen that speaks well of the woman. Shiny clean pots, flowers, a hat. Hat? Ersatz LardThe Jewel shortening isn't really lard, as it is "made from vegetable and animal fats," a midway point between lard and Crisco. Living longer...Farm folks who lived longer did so in spite of their diet and probably because they got lots of exercise working so hard, and were less stressed than their city counterparts. But living longer was more the exception than the rule even for rural people. Many of my ancestors died young because they didn't have the money to call in a doctor when one was needed. "Ain't seen a doctor since the day I was born... Ain't a'gonna call one, now." Maybe what Jay meant to sayWas that back then, folks ate lard, butter, real salt, pork, red meat and eggs, and weren't obese. And he would be right about that. The general level of fitness of the population earlier in the 20th century compared to today strikes me in photo after photo here on Shorpy. It's almost remarkable to find a single obese person in crowd photos prior to about 1960, whereas today they make up a significant percentage of any crowd photo. The reasons for the increase in life expectancy during the 20th century are many and varied, but I don't think eating fewer (damn good) biscuits made with lard and Crisco had much to do with it. Before my timeThe Whitehouse Vinegar bottle on the top shelf is a highly sought after collectible today. My grandmother never liked the electric stove and Grandpa liked his biscuits baked in the wood stove oven. Biscuits three times a day for 89 years. Granville County is my home. Biscuits are tricky!Biscuits are like pie crust. The more you handle the dough, the tougher it gets. It's easy to make biscuits that turn out like hockey pucks if you handle them too much. Sorry, but I still make my biscuits with leaf lard. I know it will probably kill me someday, but if you surrender all your vices to the god of longevity, I'm really sorry for you. You will live a long and desolate life, devoid of the pleasures that make that very life worth living. (The Gallery, Kitchens etc., M.P. Wolcott)
Person County: 1939
... Farm boy in the doorway of a tobacco barn. Person County, North Carolina. View full size. Photograph by Dorothea Lange. Very serious ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 2:56pm -

July 1939. Farm boy in the doorway of a tobacco barn. Person County, North Carolina. View full size. Photograph by Dorothea Lange. Very serious worker. I digVery serious worker. I dig his toes. My grandfather grew upMy grandfather grew up share-cropping on tobacco farms in Person County, NC during the Great Depression. He was finally able to purchase a farm of his own with help from the GI Bill after serving in Europe during WW2. Though we are all aware of the sins of tobacco, the relatively high dollar value of tobacco allowed small farm holders to eek out a living for their families. I spent several summers of my youth working in his fields in Caswell County, as well as for other farmers in Person, Orange and Vance counties. I'm glad for the experience, but would never choose to do it again. A fixer-upperMight want to put a little weatherstripping on that foot-wide hole in the wall Not a home to weather stripMy father is the same age as the boy in the photo. Wish Lange had backed up and put more of the barn in the photo. That one is a fairly nice model! The hole is for smoke more than likely, as many of these barns were heated with chopped wood. The farmer would split wood all winter and spring to have enough wood to cure the tobacco in the summer. While this child may look poor, farm children fared better than city folk during the Great Depression. I helped harvest tobacco from age 8 to 18. It's hot sticky work. Sin?Tobacco is not a sin, nice story anyway Hole in the wallThat hole is probably part of the "curing" system. They used wood fire to cure the tobacco. I saw some tobacco curing structures in Kentucky which are different from North Carolina, but had the same objective. I like the photo and the young man in the door. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Great Depression, Rural America)
Hendrick Motor Co.: 1928
... this dealership are any relation to the Hendrick family in North Carolina that runs several mega dealerships--and a rather successful NASCAR ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 9:37pm -

Takoma Park, Maryland, circa 1928. "Hendrick Motor Co., Carroll Avenue." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Fordor SedanThe new Model A Fords must have been painted on the building during the period that Ford was transitioning from the seriously outdated Model T, to the all new Model A. The Tudor Sedan shows a fresh air vent in the lower cowl. No production Model A ever had such a vent. Legible signsI am struck by the bold, clear and legible use of typography in these older photographs. This is in distinction to the blur of pictograms, logos, and hen scratching that passes for public communications nowadays. Just look at the ads all around us. There was something deeply confident as well as respectful of potential customers embodied in our forefathers' use of graphics. Model T SportscarAn interesting picture. I'd like to take a spin in a car featured on the sign, that Model T Coupe with the rumble seat. [That's a Model A roadster. - Dave] Radio DaysThe sign next to the service entrance says "batteries delivered to your home." That's because the majority of home radios in 1928 required a 6-volt lead acid battery to supply their tube filaments. Radios that ran on house current were just coming to market in 1928. Takoma FordThis dealership later became Takoma Ford. Our family bought several cars from them because the service manager was a neighbor. The mechanical service area was through the big opening in the picture. To enter the body shop underneath you had to drive around the block. It's a Sport CoupeThat would be a sport coupe... identified by the landau bars. The top does not fold down as it does on a roadster. Roadsters also did not have roll-up windows. ObservationsObligatory "you can see the photographer in the reflection." I wonder if this was a planned photo. You'd think they'd make an effort to clean up the lot. Also, I'm surprised the barber shop didn't make it with all of the men having time to kill while their cars were being repaired. Fordor ventsThe car on the right side of the sign is a Fordor rather than a Tudor. The early 1928 Fordors did indeed have cowl vents but they were eliminated shortly after introduction. I have a '28 leatherback Fordor like that. Early 1928 SedanThe early 1928's did have a cowl vent on the lower driver's cowl. These were called the "AR" model. The early cars had a number of changes in them, as discussed in the book "Henry's Lady" by Ray Miller. So it's an early 28. Thanks. Cheap GasThe "Gasoline at D.C. Prices" sign is humorous--today it seems like gas gets cheaper the farther you get from urban areas (at least here in the NY/NJ/PA tri-state area); apparently that wasn't always the case. I wonder if the founders of this dealership are any relation to the Hendrick family in North Carolina that runs several mega dealerships--and a rather successful NASCAR race team. (The Gallery, Gas Stations, Natl Photo)
Old House: 1939
... century. It represents the last gasp of Palladianism in North America. The lack of any rear ell or addition suggests it was designed ... Halifax County (currently for sale by Preservation North Carolina, seen here ). The Macon House also appears at p. 90 in Johnston ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:01am -

1939. Halifax County, N.C. "Old house, Dr. Gideon Hunt Macon (Williams-Reid- Macon House near Airlie)." Frances Benjamin Johnston photo. View full size. Hall-and-parlorI think this is a Colonial Tidewater Hall-and-Parlor house. It's a British folk form. My guess is that the second story front gable deal is a later add-on. I'd bet that they went back and added the Neoclassical elements at the roof wall junction as the owner became more prosperous. I'm a geography geek. Sorry. Hibernating HouseI really like the way the house looks like it's sleeping; similar to the trees in the background that have lost their leaves and are dormant. Clllluck!Please tell me that's not a chicken hanging out the window! Another loss on the landscapeThis house has ben destroyed. Moment of silence, please. Helpcan anyone tell what the heck is hanging out of that first floor window? I have no clue. Cabin in the back?That log cabin in the back is interesting. Could be just storage, but it also could be a guest house or the original house on the property. Also, wondering what procuced the vapor trail in the sky straight above the porch. Typical country constructionThis type of house could be found all over the South not so long ago. It was an A frame with various addons and modifications and the general design was very common. It strongly resembles the house where my father was born in 1905. Remuddled "old house"Cultural geographer is spot on. I also detected updates to the "old house." The tin roof cannot possibly be original. At the time the photo was taken, I bet the house was 100 years old. The two chimneys certainly reflect a wealthier client, too. Pies on the windowsill... and pork up above. Was it common back then to leave hams hanging out the window? Tripartite constructionThe center pavilion is not an addition. This is a tripartite house, very popular in Virginia and NC ca. 1790s through the first quarter of the nineteenth century. It represents the last gasp of Palladianism in North America. The lack of any rear ell or addition suggests it was designed and built all of a piece. Unfortunately, it no longer survives, but other examples remain, such as Branch Grove also located in Halifax County (currently for sale by Preservation North Carolina, seen here). The Macon House also appears at p. 90 in Johnston and Thomas Tileston Waterman's Early Architecture of North Carolina. Waterman's photographs of it for the Historic American Buildings Survey can be seen here. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Charleston: 1902
Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1902. "Residence on Hasell Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... Charleston's Single Homes I was born just north of Charleston, and I remember my parents telling me that back in the day ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 1:39pm -

Charleston, South Carolina, circa 1902. "Residence on Hasell Street." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. A Tree Grows in CharlestonI get it that the wooden ramp is to take your carriage out to the street, and the blocks on either side of that ramp are mounting blocks, to help you step in or out of that carriage. But I do not get the concept of planting trees in the curbs of the street. Is this some special tree with roots that only grow straight down? Charleston TreesIf you will notice, the trees in the foreground are much older than the trees near the intersection. It appears that when the trees were first planted, there was a median between the sidewalk and the cobbled street (note the vertical cobbles). People were thinking "Green" before it became fashionable, after Al Gore invented the internet and global warming. Trees in the StreetI think they figured they wanted shade trees. They didn't want them in the middle of the street and they didn't want them in the middle of the sidewalk. The curb was a compromise location. So you aren't likely to bump into a tree...Perhaps the older trees were there before the sidewalk, and the latter created to accommodate the former. New trees would then be placed in line with the old. I dob't think the nature of the roots was a determining factor. Turnbuckle Stars!I love turnbuckle stars! Single HousesThis street has many fine examples of a residential style unique to Charleston, the single house -- one room deep with two-story porch ("piazza") on the side that catches the prevailing breeze. You enter through the piazza, not directly from the street. Single houses were built in Charleston from the second half of the 18th century through the end of the 19th, and devotees of New Urbanism are building new ones today. Charleston architectureHope I'm not telling everyone things they already know here: The single house style previously mentioned is a feature I love down here (I live right outside Charleston). Property owners used to be taxed according to how much of their house lined the street--the more house footage on the street, the higher the taxes. To beat the system, they started building houses one-room deep on the street. The result is streets full of narrow, deep houses which seem almost set on their side. Those turnbuckle stars are actually the end of bolts that run all the way through the house from one side to the other. Charleston has frequent mini-tremors, and those bolts are designed to help keep the houses from falling apart. They were also used for added support during hurricanes and other storms. I don't know if turnbuckle stars are always used for those purposes, but down here that's why they show up in many buildings. [They were generally used to keep brick facades from bulging out and separating from the frame of a building. There are many to be seen in our Washington, D.C., photos. - Dave] Charleston's Single HomesI was born just north of Charleston, and I remember my parents telling me that back in the day houses in Charleston were taxed based on "road frontage" and the number of rooms. Consequently, homes were built with the "front" facing the house next door, as narrow as comfortably possible, and without closets. Folks had furniture - wardrobe closets or armoires instead of closets in the bedrooms instead. SerendipityBetween many of the beautiful Charleston homes are equally impressive courtyards and many secluded alleys with ferns and moss-covered walls, along with an abundance of hostas and other plants. Most alleyways are public thoroughfares and offer a welcome reprieve from summer heat, as well as affording a moment of quiet for meditation or romance. I always treasure evening walks around Charleston in the spring and fall. No wonder so many people who come to visit Charleston end up moving here. +10839 and 41 Hasell (pronounced "HAZEL") Street are still there and in great shape (as are many of the other homes on the street). They're located just east of Anson Street on the south side. Below is a similar (not identical but close) perspective from May of 2010. Turnbuckles I live in Charleston and love history facts like this. These were part of what were called earthquake bolts. Since the 7.2 earthquake of 1886 damaged approx. 90 percent of the structures in and around Charleston, these were designed in rebuilt homes to hopefully hold the building and walls together in the case of another quake. Many areas of Charleston are on fill land so that does not help either for some houses in certain areas.These go from one end of the house to the other and There are decorative ends like these stars and some are just plain round or square metal plates. Thankfully they have not had to be tested. As for Taxes way back then, Charleston also had a "door tax". Many of the older houses have huge windows that were almost floor to ceiling. In some of the main rooms, you could lift up the bottom part of the window and it would also serve as a door. Since it was not technically a "door" it was not taxable. It also served and good ventilation on hot summer days. TreesThe trees were likely planted before the street was paved. The sidewalks in Charleston were often paved so that people could walk without getting muddy, before the streets were paved. Trees for shade were planted in the street and when the street was paved, the trees were left in place. (The Gallery, Charleston, DPC, W.H. Jackson)
Chain Gang: 1910
... convicts engaged in road work, Autumn 1910. Pitt County, North Carolina. The inmates are quartered in the wagons, which are equipped with ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2011 - 7:57pm -

Chain gang of convicts engaged in road work, Autumn 1910. Pitt County, North Carolina. The inmates are quartered in the wagons, which are equipped with bunks and move from place to place as labor is utilized. The central figure is J.Z. McLawhon, county superintendent of chain gangs. The dogs are bloodhounds used for running down any attempted escapes. View full size. Chain Gang'Nuff to give ya'll the blues! Chain GangI especially enjoy the Cream of Wheat guy next to the guitar player. Pitt County, NCThis website is so neat, I live in Pitt County, NC. It's interesting to see all these old pictures. Skip JamesI do believe that's famous bluesman Skip James on guitar over there. [Skip James was 8 years old in 1910. - Dave] Skip JamesI have a compilation of Skip James & Son House music entitled "Hard Time Killin' Floor" and this photo is featured on the cd cover. It was issued by Yazoo Records, which I thought usually does a good job on research regarding the music. I'm a little disappointed (in Yazoo) to learn that this has no direct relevance to either of their lives besides illustrating the general plight of rural black Southerners. I suppose evoking that atmosphere was the intention, but it just seems too specific and documentary in nature to be used when it's apparently not even contemporary with the music on the disc. (The Gallery, Dogs, Rural America)
Fayetteville at Five: 1941
... March 1941. "Traffic on the main street of Fayetteville, North Carolina, at about five o'clock, when the workers start coming out of Fort ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2021 - 1:13pm -

March 1941. "Traffic on the main street of Fayetteville, North Carolina, at about five o'clock, when the workers start coming out of Fort Bragg." Photo by Jack Delano. View full size. What's he standing on?Is what he's standing on still there? [Planet Earth? Last we checked, yes. - Dave] Twist of FayettevilleThere have been a lot of changes in downtown Fayetteville. This looks approximately right - Rayless department store was at 200 Hay St. There is no more parking, and the street has been narrowed with many trees planted. I can spot at least 3 surviving buildings on the right, including the old McFadyen Music. It looks like the original photo was taken from the balcony of the Market House. You can see it in street view if you swivel 180 degrees. Is that a Lincoln?The fifth car back on the left, the light-colored one. I need help from the Shorpy auto buffs. I have lived here since the 70sYes, he will have been standing on the west balcony of the Market House, it was recently in the news due to an attempted arson during the riots last summer. The debate is still open as to what should be done with it, tear it down, move it, or? I remember many of the buildings in the picture, many started going away by the late 70s and early 80s as the downtown area fell apart and shopping moved out to the malls. Quite a few of the buildings are still there but heavily renovated. The Hotel Lafayette is long gone, The Prince Charles is still there and is currently housing rental condos and small businesses. Downtown has come, gone, and come again. My guess is ChryslerI'm thinking this is a 41 Chrysler Series 30 Eight 5th car on leftI don't believe so. The Continental had a different trunk lid and rubber mudguard on the front of the rear fender, and the Zephyr rear was more sloped. Could be wrong though. 5 p.m. Fort Bragg exodus?I lived on Fort Bragg when my dad was stationed there in the early '60s and it's highly unlikely any end-of-the-day traffic from the post would be noticed in downtown Fayetteville 13 miles away. [Fayetteville was home to thousands of construction workers engaged in a massive wartime expansion of Fort Bragg -- the reason this series of photos was made. - Dave] No, it's not a LincolnThe shape of the rear fender, the three horizontal ribs, and the location of the filler cap leave no room for guessing – it's a 1941 Plymouth P12 Special Deluxe. McFayden MusicI was a little surprised to find out that McFayden Music is still in business, though now they are in Greenville, according to their website! Fayetteville Street LifeI suppose the trees planted along the sidewalk in present-day Fayetteville are nice, and I know there is an anti-automobile sentiment in many towns, large and small, that results in limited street parking, narrower roads, bike lanes, pedestrian priority rights-of-way, etc. But I can't help but notice the vibrancy of street life in Fayetteville back in 1941. The streets are lined with shops, and there is exuberant signage everywhere. There are actual pedestrians - shoppers, workers, people running errands - walking on the sidewalks. The street is bustling with traffic. Today? It looks kind of quiet and desolate - although I bet the local shopping mall and the Wal-Mart and the Home Depot out by the Interstate are full of consumers. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano, Stores & Markets)
Mother Caroline: 1939
July 1939. Orange County, North Carolina. "Caroline Atwater, wife of Negro landholder, in the yard of her ... This is Joe Manning. According to census records, and to North Carolina records, Caroline Atwater was born about 1865, and died in 1949. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2008 - 12:47am -

July 1939. Orange County, North Carolina. "Caroline Atwater, wife of Negro landholder, in the yard of her double one-and-a-half-story log house, telling where she was born and how she came to this place." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Well?Is she standing by a well? [Well, yes. - Dave] You have gotten my curiosityAnd where might we find her story? [See above. - Dave] Mother Caroline: 1939This is Joe Manning. According to census records, and to North Carolina records, Caroline Atwater was born about 1865, and died in 1949. She was married to Ennis Atwater. She apparently lived her whole life in North Carolina. She had at least two children, both boys: Jesse, who was born about 1894, and died in 1948; and Philip, who was born about 1907, and died in 1930. [Thanks, Joe. I have one or two more photos of her to post. - Dave] TeaHer face bears the lines of a harrowing journey. I'd love to just sit and have tea and listen to her talk all day. CarolineShe seems to have lived a long life, but to have outlived her two boys....hope she had grandchildren or some other family. She seems so lonely. Caroline AtwaterSamuel Snipes and Tempy Atwater (see the 1880 Chatham census) were from that same area, Lambsville near Chapel Hill. I am also related to the white James Dowdy family from Gulf, N.C., and black Lamberts, Snipes, Rives/Reaves Dowdy families. If you have any info please contact me at 314/249-8972 or at MDGrant@Webtv.net. Thank you. Madeleine Snipes Grant (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Rural America)
Second Graders: 1962
... kid, wise beyond her years Simply Adorable! North & South In the spring of 1962, I was in fourth grade. Since I was ... at Tarawa Terrace Elementary School, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. My class also included children of a wide variety of skin colors. ... 
 
Posted by aenthal - 12/03/2016 - 2:52pm -

My second grade class at James Buchanan Elementary School, Levittown Pennsylvania, spring 1962. Teacher is Shayndel Sacks (which may have had a different spelling. Her first name was pronounced Shane-Dell, and her last name could have been spelled Sachs). I am the girl seated next to her, wearing the blue headband. At least a third of these same children were in my first grade class. View full size. The Only President From PennsylvaniaThe reason the school was named for James Buchanan was that he is the only president who came from Pennsylvania, and the school is in that state. The original school has since been torn down and a new, much larger school, named Brookwood, has been built further back on the property, replacing it, and two other 1950's era elementary schools in the Bristol Township School system. Boys vs GirlsThe first row of kids sitting on the stage floor, was composed of kids who did not fit on either row of chairs or the standing row between them. They assembled last. I remember the teacher being concerned that Billy Spitola (top row, second from left, in gray shirt and crew cut) wanted to stand on the rear row of chairs, because he had braces and crutches, and she was not sure him free standing on a chair was a good idea. But he was already up on the chair with his friends, when she began to tell him not to do that. As for how the boy with the red jacket ended up in a row of girls, I think it was just adult math. There wasn't space on the chairs boys were standing on. There were already eight kids balancing there. Putting him on the floor made seven in each lower row. He, and the girl he is next to, were the two smallest kids in the class. Thank you, aenthalSo many delightful features here to comment upon, but I shall limit myself to three: - the boy in the third row with his shoulders shrugged up to his ears only appears to be silly – he's actually just pressing down too hard on the back of the chair in front of him - we have two distinct rows of boys and two rows of girls, except for the boy in the lower right – what's with that, Mrs. Sacks/Sachs? - aenthal has the look of a bright kid, wise beyond her years SimplyAdorable! North & SouthIn the spring of 1962, I was in fourth grade. Since I was in the Deep South, the school was all white. That year I was put in a summer-school class for slow learners. My school was expanding, so class was at the local black school. Since only whites got extra education, no black kids were there. It was not until my Junior year (1970) that black kids were allowed to attend what had been white only schools. Doug, San Diego Integration in the Jim Crow southAenthal and I are the same age! I was also in second grade for the 1961-62 school year, at Tarawa Terrace Elementary School, Camp LeJeune, North Carolina. My class also included children of a wide variety of skin colors. That was just normal, to us, mostly Marine's kids with a few Navy juniors. Off the base, however, black and white kids couldn't even use the same public restrooms, let alone go to school together! I've always been proud, and thankful, for the opportunity of being part of that community. I was there, tooThis could have been my 2nd grade class that same year. Growing up in Orange County, CA, we had a mix of white, "Spanish", and Asian/white kids due to the local Marine base. No black kids in my classes or neighborhood, but my school was also the district center for deaf/hard of hearing education, so the school was integrated. Bullies might mess with a little deaf kid once on the playground, but the older deaf kids would take care of them, but good. Another memory dump concluded. James Buchanan Elementary?So, did your town already have a Millard Fillmore Elementary School? Buchanan seems way down on the list of presidents to name schools after. Now, Roy Buchanan, I could see naming it after him. Guess he wasn't really on the scene in '62 though. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Zollie Lyons: 1939
... wife and part of his family. Note dog run. Wake County, North Carolina." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/10/2009 - 12:23pm -

July 1939. "Zollie Lyons, Negro sharecropper, home from the field for dinner at noontime, with his wife and part of his family. Note dog run. Wake County, North Carolina." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange. They all look so tired....Life must not have been too easy back then. Dog run?What dog run? [Reference to a southern style of architecture. - Dave] Re: Dog RunOne purpose of the dog run was to serve as a sort of firebreak. The kitchen was on one side. If a fire broke out there, perhaps the rest of the structure could be saved. The Lyonses It would be interesting to know what the war did to this family; the years of Southern sharecropping were drawing to a close, and the war could have provided work in factories in the Northern cities. Additional reading If one wanted to get a real sense of how life was for sharecroppers in the South during the Depression, I can suggest a novel called "Hold Autumn in Your Hand" by George Sessions Perry. I don't know if the book is in print, but used copies are probably at Amazon. I stayed up all night to finish this one. A good non-fiction work about sharecropping in the South is called "The White Scourge: Mexicans, Blacks, and Poor Whites in Texas Cotton Culture" by Neil Foley. A tough read, but mixed amongst the first-person narratives is a good explanation of the financial aspects of sharecropping, for both the sharecroppers and the owners. [Thanks for the suggestions. I'd like to throw in a mention for the short stories of Flannery O'Connor. - Dave] Dog TrotThese cabins, called "dog trots," were found throughout the cotton South, having originated in Appalachia. They featured a center hallway between two "pens" or buildings, where much of the domestic work of the house such as cooking, washing, and food preparation could be done in the shade or out of the rain. Also, ventilation was provided by the center opening. Here is an extensive photo documentation of one of the houses - much like the one pictured here: http://www.greatbuildings.com/buildings/Dogtrot_House.html Dog run = dog trotThe "dog run" or "dog trot" is the center opening. A lot of Southern homes had a kitchen separate from the main living area, to keep the living area cool. Sometimes homes had a completely separate building known as a "summer kitchen" where cooking, canning, clothes washing etc could be carried on without heating up the house, & also to prevent any fires from burning the main house down. My dad (age 87) says southern men also used to keep a mirror, pitcher & basin, soap, razor, etc on the back porch, so they could wash up & shave out there. We are the desendantsCommenting on one of the articles The Lyonses- wondering what happened to the family after the war. It was amazing to see our great- grandfather Zollie Lyons on these pictures! How can we get more information? I didn't know that these pictures existed. The family still resides in North Carolina. Please advise of who we can contact for more information. [This and other photos from this set at the Library of Congress can be found here. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Rural America)
Ashes by Now: 1865
1865. "Charleston, South Carolina, after the Bombardment. Ruins of the Cathedral of St. John and St. ... one said he did. However, his overland approach from the north led to the evacuation of the city in February 1865. - Dave] (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 8:37am -

1865. "Charleston, South Carolina, after the Bombardment. Ruins of the Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar." The city after shelling by the Federal Navy and the approach of Sherman's troops. Wet plate glass negative. View full size. Then and NowThe Cathedral of St. John is a thriving part of modern-day Charleston. The attached photo shows the current structure, which follows along the same lines of architecture. The church is currently installing a bell tower and undergoing other renovations. Their website tracking the restoration is http://www.stjohnthebaptistcathedralrestoration.com/ I'm lovin' itApparently Charleston had at least one McDonald's restaurant as far back as the mid-19th Century. Double TroubleThe Cathedral of St. John and St. Finbar, consecrated in 1854, was already in ruins by the time of the Federal bombardment. On December 11, 1861, a fire that began in a factory on Hasell Street destroyed much of Charleston, including the cathedral. The subsequent fundraising campaign for a new cathedral lasted 45 years, and the cornerstone for the present Cathedral of St. John the Baptist was laid in 1890. It is built on the foundation of the 1854 church. Making the rubble bounceThese churches, along with the Circular Church (seen in some of the other Charleston photos here), were being rebuilt after the fire of 1861. Needless to say, work was interrupted by the naval bombardment, and reconstruction had to wait until Reconstruction. Sherman did not go to Charleston.Sherman's troops did not go to Charleston! [No one said he did. However, his overland approach from the north led to the evacuation of the city in February 1865. - Dave] (The Gallery, Charleston, Civil War)
Class Photo: 1900
... we had one, regardless of color. And, having lived in the North and West, too, I didn't see much difference in how the kids acted in ... parents even though my mother had been raised in North Carolina. Once on a visit to her mother and sister while they went into a store ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/22/2016 - 1:06pm -

This just in from circa 1900 New England, the schoolmarm and her charges. And the schoolyard chicken. 5x8 dry plate glass negative. View full size. Somebody Please Educate MeIn both the Class Photo:1900 and the Little White School House: 1900, there is nary a smile. In fact, the children appear as one of them is about to be selected for sacrifice. Were the conditions that dismal at the time? These images have me so upset that I can't even joke about it. Re: Race RelationsHaving lived in the South in a period of racial tension, please let me say that we kids were generally cordial to one another when at the ages of the kids shown in this charming photo. As we grew older, some bought into that us-versus-them nonsense but many of us did not, regardless of what certain grownups might try to impose. I was lucky to have color-blind parents, but there were other grownups who weren't that way. Still, most of us kids were aware enough to know a friend when we had one, regardless of color. And, having lived in the North and West, too, I didn't see much difference in how the kids acted in those regions. Their parents were sometimes another, and ugly, story. Race RelationsNot only is the little school integrated, but it's interesting to see the black and white girls holding hands. I don't know how common that was in the North in 1900, but it's unlikely there'd be much of that in the South, at least not until many decades later. Camera or Death Ray?The kid clutching his hat looks terrified! Wish I could hug himThe little guy in the first row, second to the right, looks like he's going to cry any moment now. I wish I could put my arms around him and help him over the bad patch. The Little RascalsDon't look any happier in this group photo. Children notice skin colorAs a white woman who has raised three black children to adulthood, I have learned quite a bit about how children naturally see differences like skin color. They are aware of it, from a very young age. That was very strongly illustrated to me the day I got on a plane, holding my then 18 month old son, who is quite dark. We were living in a small town, at the time, which was 95% white, and he was the darkest person in town. Well, this lady came and sat down beside us, whose skin color was identical to his. He gasped, put his chubby little hand on her arm, looked at it for several seconds, then put it on mine, and back on hers. Then, he settled down in my lap again. Children aren't color blind. They just don't think skin color has any bearing and who we love and who loves us, who our friends are, who our neighbors should be, etc.. If everyone could continue to see others through the eyes of a child, wouldn't the world be something? Black and WhiteI too grew up in the South in the early to mid 50's and like him had colorblind parents even though my mother had been raised in North Carolina. Once on a visit to her mother and sister while they went into a store I stayed outside. When they returned they saw me sitting with a black boy my age and just having a great time. When I told him I was from Texas he wanted to know if I had a horse. When my sunt walked out she nearly fainted but she handled her surprise (and a little disappointment at what was taking place) fairly well. My mom on the other hand came over to say hi to my new friend. As I thought back on it years later I think my aunt was more afraid that one of her friends would see her nephew with a black boy rather than the act itself. My Grandmother's Take on PhotosMy grandmother was born in 1901 and I have many pictures of her and the coal mining town people. She told us that the setting up of the photo would take about 1/2 hour, so they had to stay still and not hold a smile. I have about 40 pictures of that era with no smiling faces. Little Lord Fauntleroy!"I don't care if the other kids think you're a sissy, you're going to look nice for the picture!!" The Teacher's ApprenticeThe way the older girl is standing by the teacher strongly suggests that she is either an aid to that class, or a student teacher, learning the job. As for the chicken... Their feathered friend...Is the chicken the class mascot or...lunch? Re: The Teacher's ApprenticeA striking girl. I doubt she's a student teacher, though, at least one 'from away', since the girl standing just in front of the school door looks like her kid sister. Also, the short skirt implies she's still a teen and not a young woman. Teacher's ApprenticeThe young lady looks like she could be the daughter of the schoolmarm. Both, BTW, wear wedding bands. (The Gallery, Education, Schools, Kids)
Kids' Table: 1966
... in my mother's newly remodeled kitchen in Mount Airy, North Carolina. I'm the girl on the right. It's either Thanksgiving or Christmas ... 
 
Posted by PJMoore - 02/16/2009 - 4:58pm -

The kids' table in my mother's newly remodeled kitchen in Mount Airy, North Carolina. I'm the girl on the right. It's either Thanksgiving or Christmas 1966. Kitchen is still the same except the oven door was replaced with a white one sometime in the 1980s. Kodachrome slide. View full size. Call me ColumboOh, by the way, the holiday is Christmas. I know this because the napkin on the table has a Christmas wreath pictured, and chances are it would not be from the Christmas holiday a year before. My kitchen still looks like this, as do my kitchen accouterments as I do not like change. Pinwheel-BoyBabysitter here. I know that look. Completely insane. GlassesThose glasses; we had glasses like that. How did you get our glasses? At some point we also had a quilted card table cover similar to this one. The whole ad hoc auxiliary kids' dining table situation here is classic. As for Pinwheel-Boy, I'm familiar with that look too, but not from babysitting, rather as a fellow practitioner. Deja jellyI just want to be the third to say that we had those exact same glasses. Round at the top, square at the bottom. A classic design, but what's it called and who designed it? There must be a website somewhere devoted to them/him/her. Just like homeLooks like my original kitchen, 1958 Northern Virginia.. Cabinets are now workbenches in the garage. My mom had the Corningware teapot. Which had blue flowers on it. Looks FamiliarLet's see, we had the same cabinets, the same Corningware teapot, the same glasses and I think I see the lid to a Revereware pan above the poster's head. Gotta love this website. Classic Kids TableThis is the classic kids table! The wiggly folding table with the vinyl cover, the mismatched chairs and the mismatched kids. Something tels me the two girls were not very happy to be sitting with the two nutso boys. I can still the remember the year I made the jump to the adult table by absolutely refusing to sit with my crazy cousins who were actually a couple years older than me. Bama jar glassesI grew up with those glasses...I believe they were indeed Bama brand jelly jars with the thin metal pop-off tops (no threads needed on the glass lip). Half the reason parents bought them was to get the glasses! Ann Page jelly glassesAnn Page stuff from the A&P frequently came in these. My grandma still has a few of them in her cupboard. MustardThe "kids table" tucked away in the kitchen at a family holidays supper, that brings back so many memories! Back in the 60's and 70's in Canada a lot of hotdog mustard brands came in glasses, some *exactly* like the ones on the table. There were also the glasses with the hearts, spades, diamond and clubs on them (anyone remember those?) Full HouseI'm from Canada and remember the "playing card" glasses but I never knew when they came from. Jelly glassesMy family had an assortment of those glasses with the milk. They had Bama jelly in them to begin with; you rinsed them and voila! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Holidays, Kitchens etc.)
How to Swim: 1913
... apples off the tree" hand stroke. At the University of North Carolina in the mid 1960's, you had to pass a swimming test (four laps of the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 4:21pm -

Newport, Rhode Island, circa 1913. "Swimming class at a naval training station. Many a merchant sailor cannot swim, but it is because he has never been in the navy. Here the instruction is part of the curriculum. In this generation a bluejacket who cannot swim is a rarity." National Photo Co. View full size. You put your right foot in...The birth of the Hokey-Pokey, recorded for posterity. Side Stroke As jnc said they are practicing the side stroke. Specifically, the scissors kick and the "picking apples off the tree" hand stroke. At the University of North Carolina in the mid 1960's, you had to pass a swimming test (four laps of the pool using three different strokes) in order to graduate. Things Got TougherI the mid 1960s, when I joined the Navy, you couldn't complete basic training without passing a swim test. Young recruitsLook at the third sailor from right, he looks like a mere boy. I doubt he is a day older than 15! Part of the uniform......was a farmer's tan apparently. In the NavyPracticing the sidestroke. Can anyone explainthe purpose of this "flamingo" pose? YogaLooks like they are all trying to do "the tree." It's even harder when you don't hang on to something. All together now!One singular sensation.. Tip Me OverI'm a little teapot,         short and stout This is my handle,        this is my spout When I get all steamed up,        hear me shout, "Tip me over        and pour me out!" One-Two-Three-Kick!Well, they might be learning to kick, but they look a lot more like "Hudson River Dance" than they look like the Rockettes. SynchronizedIt's a Busby Berkeley musical! (The Gallery, Bizarre, Natl Photo, Swimming)
iTunes: 1939
... versa (let's hope). Strung Out The University of North Carolina Libraries have some interesting details about Tobacco Bag Stringing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/05/2012 - 7:09pm -

April 1939. "White migrant strawberry picker playing guitar in his tent near Hammond, Louisiana." Safety negative by Russell Lee. View full size. Germ Processed Motor OilConoco developed a process for making motor oil from corn "germ" (hypocotyl) back in the early 1930s. Sign of the timesFunny how they felt it was necessary to point out that he is white. Well, on second thoughtMaybe he was picking white migrant strawberries. Bringing bad luckI don't know if I just have strange relatives (well yes I do, but I digress) or if it is a common superstition, but as far back as I can remember, we were warned NEVER to place a hat on a bed because a hat on a bed was a sign of impending death to someone close to you. Whenever I mention that today, people think I'm crazy (well maybe I am, but aren't we all?). Its a lot like breaking a mirror but worse. [You and Matt Dillon. - Dave] Castrol etc."Germ-Processed" motor oil came from castor beans, not corn, and was paraffin based. Castrol (a contraction of "castor oil") was one such product. In his pocketI'm trying to figure out what is in his pocket, and is it attached to that string? [A pack of cigarettes. I recall having this discussion earlier about a different guitar player, but can't find it in the comments. Help! - Dave] That rolling pinmay explain the shoes. Or vice versa (let's hope). Strung OutThe University of North Carolina Libraries have some interesting details about Tobacco Bag Stringing. Not Just a MoviePerhaps a packet of rolling tobacco? Completely fascinatedIt's like looking into a frozen moment in time in every detail. Extremely fascinating as all these images are. What is funny is to read the comments and how people tend to post flippant comments with absolutely no concept of perspective the time period and the situation. I see a young man living in a tent enjoying a short respite away from the rigor of hard work and poverty in extreme focus. Pointing out that he is a white migrant strawberry picker is not different if he were black and the title read black migrant strawberry picker. The moment, circumstance and situation would remain the same. So much detail and oddly enough beauty caught in one frame. It is amazing to me. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Music, Russell Lee)
Plastic n Plywood: 1942
... and shifted its CT operations to facilities in Ireland and North Carolina. Boom This instantly reminded me of one of those "typical" ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2012 - 4:10pm -

January 1942. Bantam, Connecticut. "Defense homes. Fred Heath works on the night shift at the Warren McArthur plant in Bantam, and spends his days with Mrs. Heath and their three-year-old daughter, Ann. Here they are in the living room of the Heaths' new four-room apartment, part of the new eighty-unit defense housing project just five minutes walk from the plant. The Heaths, who pay thirty dollars rent, like overstuffed chairs, and Ann also likes her overstuffed Teddy Bear." 4x5 nitrate negative by Howard Hollem. View full size. RentUsing the inflation calculator the equivalent rent today would be $435/mo. I wonder what the dad's salary equivalent today is. Cushy job?Of course they liked the overstuffed chairs. The Warren McArthur plant in Bantam made upholstered seating for bombers and other planes. Its name changed many times following the war, from Warren McArthur to Aerotherm Corp., to Aerotec Industries, UOP Aerospace Division, PTC Aerospace, and finally, in 1992, B/E Aerospace. It closed its Bantam operations in 2002, and shifted its CT operations to facilities in Ireland and North Carolina. BoomThis instantly reminded me of one of those "typical" rooms the military had set up in the blast range during the atomic bomb tests in the 50's. Re: RentI have no idea what this dad's salary was, but last week while touring the Glenn L. Martin Aviation Museum here in Baltimore, I noticed in a display case a 1944 "New Employee" info card, for unskilled labor. His starting hourly wage was 60 cents an hour = about $5.50 today. Cute little Anndoesn't care that the walls are plywood! Idle chatterIn the context of the photo I know why the overstuffed chair thing is relevant, but when I read the caption it seemed like such an odd thing to say about a family. You can almost imagine one of the neighbors: "Oh, the Heaths? Nice folks. They sure like their overstuffed chairs, those kids do." Nice to knowI am wondering if little Ann would remember this? She would be 72 now, so maybe she is still alive. Would one of our many genealogy researchers like to find out? DiplomaI am guessing that it is the mother's high school diploma from Torrington HS in Connecticut that is on the wall. Her first name appears to be Mary but I cannot make out the last name or year. The last name does not appear to be Heath. If we could enlarge that section we might have her maiden name and a good guess on her age for the genealogy folks to use. Some time back I was able to download the large tiff files from the LOC and view them, but I don't remember how I did it. Can someone help me out. [The link to the tiff is on this page. - tterrace] Mary Giarneseb. 12/27/1922 d. 08/23/2000 Radiators and ply wood wallsHow strange that there are still homes who use those radiators today. I have heard that they are in homes all over NYC. I don't remember ever seeing a home with ply wood walls. Like a childHer Daddy is her biggest Hero.you can see it in her smile. Where The Heaths Live Here's a shot of a wintertime, ice and snow covered street in the business district of the town where the Heaths have taken up residence while Mr. Heath works for Warren McArthur. (The Gallery, Howard Hollem, WW2)
St. Michael's Episcopal, Charleston: 1865
... St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865 following bombardment of the city during the Civil War. From ... left in the South over the Total War strategy waged by the North against civilian centers in Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and other ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2011 - 2:15am -

St. Michael's Episcopal Church in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1865 following bombardment of the city during the Civil War. From photographs of the Federal Navy and seaborne expeditions against the Atlantic Coast of the Confederacy, 1863-1865. View full size. Left half of a glass-plate stereograph negative. CharlestonA lot of the city was destroyed. Notice the building on the right was burned, the sun is shining through the roof and then through the windows onto the road from behind that wall. Historic CharlestonGreat photo. Amazing that the house I live in in Charleston was built before this scene. We still have so many old buildings here. Joan AntebellumIt has all but passed on, but through the first third of the 20th Century there was still animus left in the South over the Total War strategy waged by the North against civilian centers in Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina and other areas. The newspaper article obituary on my great great grandmother spoke of her enduring the great poverty following the war and the punitive actions of the Federals in Louisiana. Recent Photo SurvivorsImmensely gratifying to see that three (looks like the one under wraps is the same one) of the buildings in the original photo have survived! +145I was beaten to the "now" view of this shot by about 2 years below, but here is the view sans the wrap on City Hall from May of 2010. (The Gallery, Charleston, Civil War)
Kitty Hawk: 1901
1901. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Wilbur Wright and glider just after landing. 4x5 dry-plate glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2007 - 6:55pm -

1901. Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. Wilbur Wright and glider just after landing. 4x5 dry-plate glass negative attributed to Orville Wright. View full size. The fogging of the negative at the bottom of the frame, combined with the skid marks in the sand from an earlier landing, create the illusion that the glider is still flying. Nice Find!I think I have read every book written about the Wright Bros. but I do not remember seeing this photo. I was sure he was flying before I read the caption! The Wright placeThis is the only picture I've ever seen that shows the Kitty Hawk dunes to good advantage. Now we know why they chose that location for their tests. The winds of changeThe Wright Brothers were interested in the dunes as hills from which to launch their gliders and later their powered airplane, but their biggest interest was the winds which are steady and consistent. It's ideal for the sort of large kites they were testing with initially and then for the gliders. For similar reasons Bell used his summer home at Baddeck, Nova Scotia, for his early aeronautical experiments. The sands of timeI visited Kitty Hawk in the early 1970s. There wasn't much there but acres of sand, sea grass, a wide and endless beach, tremendous wind, a rough green ocean, and a small leaning shed. We were able to go up and touch the shed. It wasn't hard to imagine the two men working inside full of optimism and excitement. We half expected to see them walking up the beach, or come flying in for a landing. It was very exciting to stand on the same sand they flew over. I believe the site has been preserved more formally since we were there. Also when young, my mother and I took the city bus into downtown Dayton. Our bus drove past the little Wright Brothers shop. My mom always pointed it out to me. I feel fortunate to have seen both important places. (The Gallery, Aviation, Wright Brothers)
Life Savers: 1908
... station that used this technique, Chicamacomico in North Carolina, still gives regular demonstrations. Unfortunately they're out of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 5:54pm -

Charlevoix, Michigan, circa 1908. "Life saving crew practice." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Baby BoomerI wonder what that small cannon was for. I remember in Tom Sawyer (I think) that Mark Twain explained how cannon were fired either across the river or from steamboats in order to make corpses rise to the surface. Surely this little pop gun wasn't used for that. Perhaps it was used like a harpoon gun to throw line out to drowning victims? That doesn't sound all that feasible either. I'm grasping at straws here. Lyle GunThat small cannon is called a Lyle Gun - after its inventor - David A. Lyle. These line guns are used primarily for shore based rescue operations. The Lyle Gun was hauled to the shoreline usually by U.S.L.L.S. surfmen in specially made beach carts. The Surfmen would set up and fire the Lyle gun, aiming over the stranded or wreaked vessel and then pull the line within reach of the victims. Once the breeches buoy lines and the Crotch Pole(an A frame) assembled, the survivors could be removed from the vessel by hand hauling the breeches buoy lines. Lifesaving ServiceIn 1915, a little after this photo's time frame, the US Lifesaving Service was merged with the Revenue Cutter Service to form the US Coast Guard. In 1939, the Lighthouse Service was merged in as well. To answer Cracker's question: The cannon was used to fire a light line, called a messenger, out to a grounded or sinking ship. It was probably designed to aim high so that the weighted projectile went over the ship, draping the messenger across it in a position to be caught, without endangering the survivors. Therefore it needed a substantial range. This messenger line was used to haul out a heavier hawser that the ship's crew could tie to something on board. It could then be used as a jackline to run a breeches buoy out to the ship to bring off the crew one by one. In this photo, however, it seems that instead of a breeches buoy, which is a sort of sling you sit in that runs along the hawser on a pulley, they are practicing with a tethered mini-lifeboat. The hawser might run through the two metal rings on top of the boat to keep it on course. The men at the right of the photo are pulling in the boat using one of the control lines; the other would go out to the disabled ship to bring the boat back for repeated runs. A breeches buoy could only rescue one person at a time. It might be that two could fit in this tethered boat, but probably not. The rescue process would therefore go on for a substantial time and depended entirely on the ship holding together long enough for the entire crew to escape one at a time. In the big waves that could be expected in storms, it might be that survivors needed to batten themselves into the rescue boat to avoid either drowning themselves or sinking it. That's why it has a hatch, closed in the photo. Rescue CannonI believe it was to shoot a thin line out to a stranded ship, in order to rig a "breeches bouy" rescue (a large rope with a sling that looks like underwear or "breeches" hanging from it). Because of the lake's shallow beaches, a ship might ground a hundred yards offshore. On the right edge of the photo is the remains of a ship's ribs, washed up on the beach. Line cannon It looks like a line cannon. They were used on ships to cast lines to one another. I suppose it would work for casting lines to drowning victims as well. Cannon before radios?Perhaps the cannon was used as a signal to alert others that a rescue was happening. A sonic SOS asking for help. The cannonYou have it right, and I was actually able to correctly remember the name of the thing from a distant childhood memory is "Lyle gun." It was used for line throwing to enable the rigging of rescue lines and such. Google it thus and you will find plenty of information and images of the style shown and one mounted on a Civil-War looking carriage. Thrown LinesThe cannon was indeed for getting the line out to a stranded boat. There's a photo of the same equipment here. The cannon was used to start a lifelineThe lifesaving crew would fire a small bolt trailing a cable, using the grounded vessel's rigging as a target. With help from the vessel's crew, they'd bring tackle across and set up a bosun's chair to shore. At least one lifesaving station that used this technique, Chicamacomico in North Carolina, still gives regular demonstrations. Unfortunately they're out of action until further notice in the wake of Irene, but I hope they'll recover. The demo is always a highlight of my Outer Banks vacations. LifelineThat's exactly what the small cannon is for, shooting a line out to the victim. It was also used to place a line on board a ship that had run aground, which was more common a century ago than one might expect today. Once the light line was secured a heavier line could be pulled aboard and a breeches buoy used to evacuate the crew. These life savers are the fore runner of the current Coast Guard. "Life Car"The cigar-like object bobbing offshore is a "life car" which was used as an alternative method for removing victims from a stranded ship. It could make repeated trips between ship and shore, carrying multiple passengers in its watertight interior. According to one source, the car held enough air for eleven (!) passengers for three minutes, although in practice it appears four to six people was the more common load. Clumsy and hard to handle, life cars eventually fell out of favor while the breeches buoy served on. Surf Rescue BoatThere is an identical surf rescue boat on display in front of the Fairport Harbor Lighthouse Museum (Ohio), along with a slightly different Lyle gun. The boat is built like a mini submarine, much safer than a breeches buoy. It was run out along the rescue line to the ship in distress. The Lyle gun fired a light line, that was used to haul out the main rescue line. The lighthouse is a beauty, and the museum is jam packed with artifacts, pictures, and models, and you can go up the spiral staircase to the top of the lighthouse. My recollection is that Brennan's Fish House over on the Grand River side has a Lyle gun like this one, along with a museum quality collection of marine artifacts collected by the owner. (Great food too). Throw him a line!Here's an example of the Lyle Gun at work: "The firing of Lyle Gun to the freighter J.R. Sensibar grounded in Lake Michigan December 1939 by the surf men of the U.S. Coast Guard, The projectiles with line attached is fired over the stricken vessel, so it is possible to effect a rescue without putting a rescue craft in the water and needlessly risking the lives of the rescuers." Breeches Buoy RescueHow it's done, explained in great detail. Love this site! Can't get enough!! Life CarThe small covered "boat" is a life car intended to haul up to 4 or victims ashore at a time from a wreck. The only instance of it's use on the lakes was the Hartzell wreck off Frankfort, MI. The greater use on on the Atlantic coast where wrecks sometimes had hundreds of victims aboard. Regardless of actual use frequency LSS regulations required weekly drill in its use. The shotline was used to haul a once inch whip line out (block fast to wreck and two running ends ashore) which in turn hauled a two inch hawser to the wreck where it was made fast and became actual over head rope for the breaches buoy or life car, the whip becoming the method of hauling the breaches buoy etc, back and forth. It was a far safer method of rescue when conditions permitted, namely if the wreck was within 400 yards or so of shore. If not it was into the surfboat or big lifeboat and the life-savers earned their motto - "regulations say we have to go out; they say nothing about coming back." In 1915 the LSS and Revenue Marine consolidated into the new Coast Guard. Crotch Pole?Um, no thanks. I think I'll swim to shore. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
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