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The Whiteboard Jungle: 1957
... MIT as early as the late 1800s. Historian Ross Bassett of North Carolina State University has been documenting the history of Indian engineers ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/03/2013 - 12:41pm -

Circa 1957. "IBM Manufacturing and Administrative Center, Rochester, Minnesota. Cafeteria. Eero Saarinen, architect." Medium format negative by Balthazar Korab. View full size. Fire ExtinguishersApparently, only tall people are supposed to fight fires. Where's Waldo?All white males. [Except for the women. -tterrace] A sea of white shirtsMy uncle worked for IBM in the early 60's in NYC. He had a wardrobe full of white shirts as that was all they were permitted to wear if they dealt with the public. I'm thinking the striped shirt and plaid shirt guys were visitors or only worked internally? Industrial ModFirst of all, I don't see anything that would burn in that cold, anuglar room. It's about as unwelcoming as a place could be what with its "I" beams everywhere, bland light fixtures and the plants, if they are real, don't even provide any relief. A perfect set right out of "The Organization Man" or "The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit" and I'm sure Atlas would have shrugged in this year of his birth. Smoke 'em if you got em.Ashtrays on every table, fire extinguisher on every pole. 37 years an IBM-erMy dad was a field engineer for IBM from 1952 to 1987. Into the 1970s, he would come home from work with grease on his white shirts from fixing computers and printers. I got to play "office lady" with discarded punch cards, and he still has a box of old paper from a daisy-wheel printer that he doesn't want to throw away! Sign of the timesThat picture reminds me so much of my high school cafeteria, which was built in 1956-57. If that building is still standing, I wonder how many of those windows remain. Most other buildings I've seen have replaced most of their windows with solid walls. CuttingsThe ubiquitous cut-leaf philodendron of the 1950s and early 1960s are rarely seen in homes or businesses. Then it was the most popular indoor plant. It was very attractive, practically kill-proof, didn't leave dead leaves all over and was relatively easy to trim or let go wild, depending on your taste. We had one from about 1958 until the mid-1970s that survived three moves and a fair bit if neglect and/or overwatering. It finally died after one of our cats took to "watering" it himself. Parsi engineersIt is likely that there are several men of colour in the photo. There were many Indian, especially Parsi, electrical and computer engineers working at IBM and other major companies. Students from India were studying engineering and in other technical fields at MIT as early as the late 1800s. Historian Ross Bassett of North Carolina State University has been documenting the history of Indian engineers who studied at MIT and the Indian Institute of Technology and who became engineers at IBM and other companies. He is working on a bio of my step-father, Soli Dubash, (amongst others) who studied engineering at MIT before and after WWII and went on to work on many prominent architectural projects across Canada, achieving the position of Chief Engineer at the Department of Public Works, here in Ottawa. http://history.ncsu.edu/faculty/view/ross_bassett http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qht2ReRubP0&list=PL7F39BE4A3867E47F&index... I've been working here for thirty yearsIn answer to previous comments... The floor to ceiling windows in this photo were just replaced this summer (2014) with a new set of energy efficient windows. Still floor to ceiling. Fire extinguishers are gone. "Best practice" now in case of fire is to exit the building and leaving the fire fighting to the pros. Ashtrays are gone. The site has been smoke free for many years now. People still dumb enough to smoke have to stand out by the parking lot in the 20-degree below zero winters. Mentioned in the photo caption, Eero Saarinen is now considered one of the masters of mid-20th century American architecture. He designed campuses for several large corporations. His most famous work was probably the "Gateway Arch" in St. Louis. The IBM campus in Rochester, MN shown here is a grid of many low buildings (at most two stories above ground level). It was IBM's first US facility built outside of the Northeast US. With more square footage than the Empire State Building and roughly half the size of the Pentagon, this facility has, for decades, been IBM's largest facility under one roof. (The Gallery, Balthazar Korab, Eateries & Bars, The Office)
The Thin Manse: 1936
1936. Edgecombe County, North Carolina. "J.F. Dozier Farm, Tarboro vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 4:44pm -

1936. Edgecombe County, North Carolina. "J.F. Dozier Farm, Tarboro vicinity." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. The Thin ManseGreat play on words Dave. You've outdone yourself. Yes it isa bit tweaked, squeezed and peaked! Odd columnsI wonder why they thought lack of symmetry in the spacing of the porch columns was a good thing, design-wise? [The columns line up with the door, which is off-center. - Dave] Preserved!This is the Wilkinson-Dozier House (c. 1825). It has been beautifully preserved. More photos. Wilkinson-Dozier HouseBuilt by Joshua Wilkinson between 1816 and 1826. This Federal style home with a double tiered portico was put on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. Earl RobersonMy cousin Earl, who died recently, was the owner of this house. Here is a picture of him (seated) at my family reunion a few years ago. His house is across a few fields from mine. More photos. Le Mince Manse, en couleurThe Twilight World of Shorpyville version. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Grill Noir: 1940
May 1940. "A hamburger shop in Durham, North Carolina." George's Grill, open all night. 35mm nitrate negative by Jack ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2014 - 9:35am -

May 1940. "A hamburger shop in Durham, North Carolina." George's Grill, open all night. 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. Curb ServiceA term I've never heard of, can anyone explain this method? Do they really run from the kitchen to your car with a hot hamburger sandwich? NighthawksReminds me of one of my favorite painters, Edward Hopper... he would have enjoyed this scene. Curb Service ExplainedYes, they come out to the curb. The forerunner of the drive through window. Curb Service VariationsIce Gang, you must be pretty young not to have heard of it. All I can say is that you've missed out. The restaurants that I remember that had curb service were drive-ins off the street. The curb was the stop block (or an actual curb if there was a sidewalk between the building and the parking lot). Where there was a paved lot, some drive-ins offered waitresses who wore rollerskates and wheeled your food to you. I can think of two restaurants in my area that are still drive-ins with curb service, Sonic and Stewart's. They don't have dining rooms. Until a few years ago our local Sonic had skating waitresses. When I was much younger I used to go to Sovine's and the South Wind. The latter also had a dining room and a poolroom in the back, along with the obligatory dime a song or 3 for a Quarter jukebox. Those were the days. In 2007George's Grill in 2007: Thirst Stops HereOne of the many ad campaigns for Coca Cola. That whole block is gone. It is now a parking lot. The smells!Looking at the picture I can just smell the smell of cooking hamburger and onions on a hot summer night, hear the sizzle on the grill, see the steam rise, and feel the warmth of the cup of coffee put before me. I bet they were good there, lots better than McDonalds. Then there's the bluesy muted trumpet music and a story for each person in there..... There's a million stories in the Naked City. Who knows, maybe there's a game going upstairs? Hopper's painting is one of my favorites. I remember an episode of the TV show "That 70's Show" where two of the actors segued into that very scene at the end of the show. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Jack Delano)
Hearth to Hearth: 1935
Ca. 1935-1938. Nash County, North Carolina. "Tories Tavern, Nashville vicinity. Structure dates to 1766." Photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 11:06am -

Ca. 1935-1938. Nash County, North Carolina. "Tories Tavern, Nashville vicinity. Structure dates to 1766." Photo by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. FirewallWhy three chimneys? ArchitectureA plan drawing of the Tavern. Is that Electricity I spy, coming down the pole (convenient tree?) between the two closer chimneys, and heading into the window casing via porcelain tube insulators? Or might it be a radio antenna. Certainly one lead goes up the pole on a standoff insulator and the other seems to be a ground wire. The winds were blowing through the trees - I can imagine the colors of the day, the sounds, the scents of the land coming across the breezeway -- oh for a "Total Environment Recorder"! Make fires much?Would you like a house with those fireplaces? Safety FirstEach tavern patron had to pass a field sobriety test by successfully exiting this place without breaking their neck. Fire Placehttp://d.lib.ncsu.edu/collections/catalog/bh033206201 "The building was moved back when highway construction encroached on the property in 1953. Local tradition attributed the structure as being a former Revolution era tavern, but the home's estimated construction date produced arguments against using the moniker 'Tories Tavern' in reference to the home. The structure burned down in 1968." Three Chimneys, No WaitingEvery old house has a story all its own, especially if it's been added on to over the years, decades, and sometimes centuries. There can be tantalizing external hints, as on this structure of mysterious utility, but only a stroll inside can begin to clarify things. I once knew a man whose house had five connected basements, each of the additional four considerably larger than its predecessor, and each with its own roof at ground level. (He was a dedicated model railroader) Dram-shop logic You didn't want all your customers trying to crowd around one small fireplace in the dead of winter, so you spread the warmth amongst three fire pits. Much safer than coal braziers at each drunken table. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston, Rural America)
Me and My Shad: 1920
... Old Hotel." Joseph Mitchell was from a small town in North Carolina; after graduating from college, he moved to New York, where he ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 1:33pm -

Circa 1920. "Shad fishing on the Potomac." National Photo Co. View full size. "Gluttonous Springtime Blowouts"Here's a quote about shad bakes from catfish1.com During the shad's Hudson River heyday, virtually every river town could boast at least one big annual shad bake—the Hudson's equivalent of the New England shore dinner. New Yorker essayist Joseph Mitchell, in his 1959 piece "The Rivermen," calls these bakes "gluttonous springtime blowouts" and remembered when huge bakes were given by churches, lodges, labor unions, and local politicians. "The Rivermen" was a long essay for the New Yorker. It was later collected in Mitchell's "The Bottom of the Harbor," which itself was later collected in the masterpiece "Up in the Old Hotel." Joseph Mitchell was from a small town in North Carolina; after graduating from college, he moved to New York, where he reported for several newspapers and eventually began writing for the The New Yorker in 1933. He worked there until his death in 1991, although he effectively stopped writing in 1964. Shorpyites who are fascinated by the old urban photos, especially of New York City, would likely be fascinated by Mitchell's writing. Bad shadI've always thought of shad as a trash fish. Were they considered more desirable in 1920 or is there something I don't know about them? [Planked shad was practically a religion in this part of the country. And shad roe is considered a delicacy by many. - Dave] Blind to their Own InterestsShad were once plentiful in the Potomac, Delaware and Hudson rivers. Overfishing and pollution were greatly reducing their numbers at the time of this photo. Due to efforts to stock the river with fry and roe, the population in the Potomac lasted a few years longer then those in the Delaware and Hudson. There is now an ongoing project to restore shad to the river. On a culinary note, in addition to planked shad for dinner, newspapers of the time mention bacon-garnished shad roe as a popular breakfast treat. Of course making a delicacy of the thousands of eggs in each fish no doubt hastened their decline. Additionally, please don't interpret the title of this post (Blind to their Own Interests, extracted from one of the following newspaper articles) as a condemnation of the hard-working fishermen of the time. Overfishing, as in many exploitations of shared resources, is due to the larger dilemma of the Tragedy of the Commons. Washington Post, Dec 20, 1915 Driving Out Potomac Shad Fish Will be Gone Says Commission, if Greedy Catch Isn't Stopped Unless protective measures are taken at once by the State of Maryland and Virginia there is a danger that the shad, the most valuable of the migratory river fishes of the Atlantic seaboard, will become unknown in Chesapeake Bay and the Potomac River. A real note of alarm in this respect was sounded in the annual report of the government bureau of fisheries, which was issued yesterday. Not only is it indicated that the fisheries laws of Maryland and Virginia should be amended, but the laws of all the Atlantic coast States as well. "The bureau repeatedly has pointed out the shortsighted and destructive course pursued by some of the States with reference to this most important fish," the report said. "The most serious condition exists in the Chesapeake basin, where in 1915, the fishing was the poorest ever known, following a season that was the poorest in a generation. No limits are placed on the operations of the fishermen, who seem blind to their own interests. Every stream which the shad can try to ascend is literally choked with nets. Washington Post, Nov 27, 1925 Fish Disappearing Commissioner O'Malley, of the Bureau of Fisheries declares in his annual report that the country is at last awakening to the need of conservation if serious depletion of some of the most important American fisheries is to be checked. ... A few years ago shad visited the waters of the Potomac in sufficient numbers to enable the proprietors of the resorts along the shores between Washington and Indian Head to offer a round trip ticket on their steamers with a "whole planked shad and a moonlight ride on the return," all for a dollar. In those happy days fishermen offered the choicest "roe shad " at the height of the season for "a levy," and itinerant peddler would bring one to your door, all dressed, for a quarter. Frequently when the fish were "runnin' strong" they were a drug on the market, to be had for carrying them away. Farmers along both shores of the river salted hundreds of barrels of shad and herring every spring, while "Potomac Robins," as the herring were known, were the staple food of most of the colored laboring class. 1914 Advertisement Washington Post, Jul 22, 1926 Will The Shad Come Back? ... Thousands of citizens not yet out of the "thirties" can remember when the fish peddler cried his wares through the streets of Washington early in the spring when a roe-shad big enough for a family dinner could be purchased for a "quarter." But there has been a gradual falling off in the catch every year for more than a decade and last May, in the height of the season, the haughty fishmonger scorned the dollar proffered for an insignificant "buck." The United States fish commissions has carried on restocking operations in the Potomac during the past nine or ten years. This season the number of fry turned into the river at the hatchery opposite Mount Vernon was the smallest in years. There were 10,000,000 fingerlings released from the hatchery. In some years the number has reached 80,000,000 and the commissioner is still hopeful that results will be shown in the returns from the seine haulers. The falling off in the number of shad caught in Northern waters can only be explained by the growth of cities on the banks of the rivers and the erection of all sorts of manufacturing plants along the shores which have resulted in the pollution of the waters and killed off young fish by the millions. ... Oh, waiterThe popularity of shad roe is illustrated in the Cole Porter song "Let's Do It" with the line "Why ask if shad do it? Waiter, bring me shad roe." Fish storyShad fishing in the Hudson River remained a major seasonal activity until well into the 1950's: the rivermen would live on their boats/barges during the shad run. Some time earlier, large sturgeon were plentiful enough on the Lower Delaware that there was a town (Caviar) built around the harvesting of their roe. The Central Railroad of New Jersey had a freight line serving the town. Not much left of that now. ShadHere on the Tennessee river, shad are used for cut bait on trot lines. You have to cut up a shad and get the pieces on the hooks as they don't "keep very well" in warm weather. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Natl Photo)
Bee Movie: 1939
... 1939. "The main street, Chatham Avenue, of Siler City, North Carolina." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/22/2014 - 10:36pm -

July 1939. "The main street, Chatham Avenue, of Siler City, North Carolina." Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Domes v flatsThere are five domed covers over what appear to be utility hand holes (they're too small to be man holes)in the street. Today such covers are flat. Were domed covers common in 1939? [In the days before lane striping was common, such metal domes were used to direct traffic at intersections. In my home town of Larkspur, California, two were still in place through the 1950s, until they were eventually paved over. -tterrace] Belk'sIn the South, we have Belk Department Stores. I think I see one in this photo down on the left. Back when I was a kid, they were known colloquially as Belk's. The company also signed and marketed them that way. My family didn't shop there; too rich for our blood. The Happy CarIn the center of the street is a 1939 Chrysler which, because of the dip in the center of the front bumper, looks like something that was meant to be in the movie "Cars." The model name on the leading edge of the hood is too out of focus to read, but the car is likely to be a Royal or Royal Windsor which combined totaled 45,955 out of Chrysler's 67,749 cars produced that year. There were no Chrysler convertibles in 1939, but you could order a Saratoga or New Yorker with a sun roof. Only 239 cars were ordered with the option. Human beings!Several old photos from Siler City show lots of folks walking or standing on the sidewalks, just passing the time of day with their neighbors. In photos of the same places today, few if any people are visible on the sidewalks. Thus, the contemporary scenes seem sterile and uninviting. The difference is not unique to Siler City, of course. Chatham Ave. at E. RaleighGoogle Maps doesn't have a very clear view replicating this old photograph (that I can find), but it appears that the old photograph is a view looking North-north-west up Chatham Avenue across East Raleigh Street in Siler. The Chatham Bank on the corner is now gone, but the distinctive old building remaining is up Chatham Avenue on the right, a finial-topped little 'gothic' building surviving as the "Hotel Hadley" Bank ShotThis is Chatham Avenue at Raleigh Street looking north. The Chatham Bank building is gone, but the buildings on the west side of the street have survived. View Larger Map (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Dorothea Lange, Small Towns)
Melon Munchkins: 1939
July 1939. Person County, North Carolina. "Millworker's house six miles north of Roxboro." Medium format negative by Dorothea Lange. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/04/2018 - 1:07pm -

July 1939. Person County, North Carolina. "Millworker's house six miles north of Roxboro." Medium format negative by Dorothea Lange. View full size. Re: Melon MemoriesMy grandmother would tell us similar stories, but she would first open a hole in the melon and fill it full of vodka. She was always the life of the party. Toddler with a bladeWhat could possibly go wrong? Looks like big sister has one as well. Melon MemoriesMy grandpa loved his watermelons. Big farm family with 14 kids. In late summer for Sunday dinner he would take two or three and lower them down into a really cold well. [They'd been bad? - Dave] Then a couple hours after food, up would come the home-grown melons. What I would give to go back. A treat is a treatAnd when you're a kid with very little, just the tiniest bit more can make you happy. Meanwhile, the hounds aren't worried around this homestead -- that porch foundation looks sturdy enough. MannersIn my family it was considered the height of rudeness to eat just the heart of the melon and skip the chore of having to spit seeds. A real log cabinMy father amassed quite a lot of information about old log cabins in the Midwest. When he passed, he bequeathed the entire collection to a local university. He would think nothing of driving down a dirt road for a ways and talk to the old timer sitting on his parch holding a shotgun. He would bring along bits of his collection to show his interest was in the log cabin about half a mile away. Most of the time people were glad to offer any information they had, with only a few telling him to skedaddle. He told me that later on, a lot of people would cover the outside with sheathing and some even used vinyl siding. He said one way to tell if the structure is a log cabin is to look at how far the windows are spaced from the corners. Also, they used horsehair to jam in between the logs to keep the draft down. Real log cabinsMy dad's family home in Kentucky was originally a log cabin (late 18th century), which was incorporated into the final big house. The walls of the entry parlor, all that's left, are something like 18 inches thick. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kids, Rural America)
Piano Man: 1938
... is the divine mover. Patrick Frye III Charlotte, North Carolina Rice Festival Its now the International Rice Festival. Info ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/16/2008 - 9:14pm -

October 1938. "Pianist in cajun band contest. National Rice Festival, Crowley, Louisiana." View full size. Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the FSA. Rather EnviousHe had beautiful eyelashes. A wonderful expression of calm concentration. Hair ...As long as I've had wavy hair, I never got it to look like that. Wow, he's got the Jerry LeeWow, he's got the Jerry Lee Lewis wavy hair--or VV! Rice FestivalWhat was the National Rice Festival? New keys, pleaseThe piano looks as though it has seen better days. The action on the depressed B needs work. Also, the G needs an ivory replacement. I can only imagine how this roughed up instrument sounded! Rather Envious//Music and MeaningThis expression IS what one has when you know what power music has and how that power affects others. The performer is no longer the master--it is the music itself that is the divine mover. Patrick Frye III Charlotte, North Carolina Rice FestivalIts now the International Rice Festival. Info here: http://www.ricefestival.com/ Jerry Lee If this isn't Jerry Lee Lewis, it's his doppelganger. [In October 1938, Jerry Lee Lewis was 3 years old. - Dave] (The Gallery, Music, Russell Lee)
Simon Birdsong: 1914
November 1914. Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Rosemary Manufacturing Co. Two violations. Simon Birdsong, left hand ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/07/2008 - 10:40pm -

November 1914. Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina. Rosemary Manufacturing Co. Two violations. Simon Birdsong, left hand boy. "I'm about 12." His mother said: "He's old enough to work all right," but the boy admitted that she had to sign up that he was older than he was. He appears to be 10. Has had job doffing for several weeks. Could not write his own name. Has had no schooling after the 1st grade. Wylie Haw (right hand boy). Mother says he is 12 years old now. Been working 1 year. She is a widow. Photo and caption by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Simon BirdsongThis is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. This search sure didn't take long. I talked to Simon's daughter today. She didn't know about the photo. I will be interviewing her shortly. From what she's already told me, it looks like quite an amazing story. [Thankyou thankyou. Keep us posted. - Dave] Simon BirdsongAny updates on Simon's daughter? Re: Simon BirdsongThis is Joe Manning. I interviewed Simon's daughter, but I am not ready to publish the results as yet. It's a very interesting story. Simon Birdsong: 1914This is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. I have posted my story about Simon, including the interview with his daughter, and photos of Simon as an adult. www.morningsonmaplestreet.com/simonbirdsong1.html So Much for StatisticsAccording to life-expectancy tables, Simon should not have lived beyond 50-55 years. He not only lived a full and very interesting life, he certainly lived a long one (90 years) in spite of starting work at such a young age. This, too, puts beliefs in the destructive nature of child labor in another light. To Joe Manning: Your research makes everything come alive and for that I thank you. What a Great StoryThank you Joe (and Dave) for Simon's daughter's story. Her dad was surely a singular man and indeed fortunate that he had the grit and gumption to get out of the mills. During the early 80's, I had to go to Roanoke Rapids nearly every month for my job with the State of N.C. Because of the huge paper mill there, you could smell the town half an hour before you got there. It was a big mill town, paper and textiles. I used to drive by the Rosemary plant, then part of J.P. Stevens Co., the site of violent unionization campaigns for decades. Roanoke Rapids was the home of Crystal Lee Sutton, the "real" Norma Rae. When I went there, the town had a separate school district from the county and it's my belief that they would never enlarge the district or change the city limits, because the town was largely white and the county had a large African American population.. I used to carry an Instamatic on my trips around eastern N.C. I recall one particularly one I took in Roanoke Rapids. It may still be around here. I'll look for it. Thank you, JoeYour research always improves the excellent photos on this site. Simon BirdsongThis is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. The link to my story about Simon has changed. It is now: http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2014/11/26/simon-birdsong-page-one/ (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Grand Rapids Chair: 1908
... Today this building still sits on the Grand River just north of downtown Grand Rapids, with the Baker Furniture name on the side, but they moved most of their operations to North Carolina in 2006. Scared Sitless Odd that there aren't any factory ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 5:19pm -

Circa 1908. "Grand Rapids Chair Co., Grand Rapids, Michigan." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. YeeeshMy first thought when I saw the headline and building was "electric chair." Still there Travis Street and Monroe Avenue NW. A fifth story was added later. View Larger Map Originators not Imitators"While its first products were caned chairs, the Grand Rapids Chair Company turned its full production to parlor, living and dining suites by the 1920s. Beginning in the 1950s, the company produced a line of modular residential units named the "Cross Country" line. Grand Rapids Chair operated as a subsidiary of Sligh Furniture from 1945 to 1957 and subsequently was fully integrated into Baker Furniture in 1973." (http://www.daads.org/modern/1801/article10.htm) Today this building still sits on the Grand River just north of downtown Grand Rapids, with the Baker Furniture name on the side, but they moved most of their operations to North Carolina in 2006. Scared SitlessOdd that there aren't any factory seconds, prototypes, test models, returned merchandise, demos, floor models, displays or even a lonely stool on which to sit. It looked run-down even hhenI can't imagine what it might look like today! It reminds me of the "haunted factories" and stuff you see around Halloween. No Affiliation... with Grand Rapids Fence & Shack. (The Gallery, DPC, Factories)
Toxaway Lodge: 1902
Sapphire, North Carolina, circa 1902. "The Lodge on Mount Toxaway." Glass negative by William ... an isolated peak) of any mountain point of vantage in North Carolina, probably in the Alleghany chain. The magnificent character of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 9:13pm -

Sapphire, North Carolina, circa 1902. "The Lodge on Mount Toxaway." Glass negative by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Rooms with a ViewFrom this 1901 Brochure: The Lodge. On the summit of Mt. Toxaway, is the Lodge. The house is easily accessible from either of the lake houses by a nicely constructed and well graded road, winding back and forth along the sides of the mountain for a distance of about three and one-half miles. The accommodations provided here for guests are of the most satisfactory character. There are good stables in connection, making the place especially attractive for mountain parties. The view from this Lodge, which is on the extreme summit of the mountain, is the most extensive (it being an isolated peak) of any mountain point of vantage in North Carolina, probably in the Alleghany chain. The magnificent character of this view baffles description. Its grandeur and sublimity can only be fully appreciated by those who have seen it in person and felt the soothing magic of its silent but irresistible influence. Other places have their charms for some, but few, indeed, are those who visit The Sapphire Country and do not find some rare attractiveness that induces them to linger longer than they first intended, and returning pay a more extended visit to this delightful section of Western North Carolina. (The Gallery, DPC, W.H. Jackson)
Daddy: 1939
... Whitfield, tobacco sharecropper, with baby on front porch. North Carolina, Person County, near Gordonton." Happy Father's Day from Shorpy! Photo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/15/2014 - 7:07am -

July 1939. "Mr. Whitfield, tobacco sharecropper, with baby on front porch. North Carolina, Person County, near Gordonton." Happy Father's Day from Shorpy! Photo by Dorothea Lange for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. KidsThey don't know from granite countertops or care about country club memberships. They just want your time and your love and your support, and aside from clothes and groceries, that's all they really need. Here's to dads and their sons and daughters, and to those significant others who keep things together for families both nuclear and extended. As to Mr. Whitfield, lamentably the abundance of his kinsmen in Person County, NC at the 1940 census makes pinning him down (and perhaps identifying the baby as well) highly problematic. 75The father would very likely not be around anymore, but the baby would be 75 now. Wonder if the Whitfield grandchildren will catch wind of this? Hope so. Love the Father's Day nod. Here's to our dads who appear in some form or other in so many of these Shorpy pictures, whether in Kodachrome or B & W. The Handsas well as the sweat stained hat tell a story about their owner. Hard work and self reliance come to mind. Reminds Me Of...A photo of my Grandfather holding my Dad in 1933. I have several pictures similar to this of family members during the Depression. Growing up in the 60's, I remember well those oldtimers who carried on and raised large families with nothing but their sweat. The ones I knew stayed independent till the end. They're all gone now and the children like the one in the photo are rapidly leaving us, taking all living memories of that age with them. God forbid that we forget the work and sacrifices they endured that our generation and our children could have it better. I wonder sometimes if we actually do. Family Flame!As we sift though Garage Sales and Antique Shops, we often find old photos like this one cast away, unappreciated. It always sparks a sadness their family abandoned them...being lost to history. Bob100 wrote: "I have several pictures similar to this of family members during the Depression". You are fortunate Bob, keep those photos labeled and entrusted to family members. In time they may be lost, but you will have done your part to keep that family flame alive. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kids)
That's All, Folks: 1936
... Grant in storehouse on his farm at Penderlea Homesteads, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/29/2017 - 7:41pm -

December 1936. "C.D. Grant in storehouse on his farm at Penderlea Homesteads, North Carolina." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. LOLBest SHORPY caption yet! Wicked comment!Did tterrace come up with that? [tterrace didn't even get it at first. What a maroon. -tterrace] Pork is good foodAnyone who is a carnivore and is not forbidden from consuming pork by his religion can always find a pork product that they love. In the olden days, when people did slaughter and store their own food, neighbors, friends and relatives would share their butchered pig and use almost every bit of it. Did'ja ever hear of "jellied pigs feet?" Mom would simmer the immaculately cleaned feet for hours until they fell apart in the rich, porky broth with seasonings and spices, then after cooling it somewhat would strain the broth and take all the bones out of the boiled meat. She would cut this (feet meat) into bite-size pieces and pour both the strained broth and meat into bowls or molds and refrigerate it all overnight. The broth would congeal into a very sturdy gelatin full of pork, she would slice it up, and the older Polish people would go nuts wolfing it down topped with a bit of vinegar and eaten with good rye bread. Apparently it was something they ate in Europe when times were tough but they sure did love it. It was like a deli treat to them and made the elders very happy and nostalgic and they were literally in hog heaven. (It was probably similar to headcheese but from the feet instead). And no, I did not partake, but who doesn't love bacon, barbecued ribs and succulent pork roast. Ham and peachesI love the look on this man's face. It says" I work hard to feed my family". Pigs will become ham, pork chops, bacon...on the shelf there are jars of preserved peaches. Biscuits will be made with the fat from the pigs and the sack of flour on the floor. A winters tailAnd those two hogs would have to last through the winter and then some. Some perishables for quick consumption (German home slaughtering tradition has the "butcher's soup" which took everything that had no other use and was served to the folks actually turning that hog into food), much of the innards, gristle, bits and pieces going into smoked sausages of various description, in modern times some would be turned into canned sausage, then salted meat, ham, bacon, you name it. Pickled pig's feetHead cheese, cracklin' boar bristles for brushes. Is true the old saying "Used everything but the oink" on the hog. How well I remember my mother making pickled pigs' feet in the winter. Once you got past the hooves it was just pork. And this little piggyNow we know what happened to the little piggy that stayed home. Pig bladder balloonsI enjoy the comments about all that was made from pigs! One my grandfather told me about, was taking the pig's gall bladder (although I suspect it may have been the urinary bladder), and blowing it up into a balloon, tying it with string. It must have been fun to play with, because it was among his favorite childhood memories! YumI grew up with them and I'm of French-Canadian decent. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein)
Play Ball: 1912
... of the boys working in the Saxon Mill. Spartanburg, South Carolina." Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Textile Mill Baseball As textile mills moved to the South (primarily North and South Carolina) after the Civil War, nearly every mill had a baseball ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2013 - 11:31am -

May 1912. "Some of the boys working in the Saxon Mill. Spartanburg, South Carolina." Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Textile Mill BaseballAs textile mills moved to the South (primarily North and South Carolina) after the Civil War, nearly every mill had a baseball team. Shoeless Joe Jackson played for a mill team in Greenville, SC. Anyone Googling "textile mill baseball" will be taken aback at the number of "hits" that will be found. Ty Cobb fan.The boy right front wears his shirt just as Cobb wore his, collar up, top buttoned. Cotton LungByssinosis, or, "Brown Lung Disease"... I wonder how many of these kids (and the other lint-covered millworker urchins pictured on Shorpy) died from it. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Everyman: 1940
... Mr. U and the rest of the Untitleds somewhere near Durham, North Carolina. 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. No ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/21/2009 - 10:02pm -

May 1940. "Untitled." Mr. U and the rest of the Untitleds somewhere near Durham, North Carolina. 35mm nitrate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. No Droopy DrawersCouldn't help but notice BOTH suspenders and a belt on the man because I have a similar picture of an uncle from that era where he also is wearing both forms of trouser security. Quite a contrast to the stylin' look today of young mens' pants hanging way down below their underwear. Also the kids don't have IPods, Game boys, cellphones, laptops or twittering equipment. What on earth did they do, look at the scenery and talk to each other? Novel idea, but of course we don't miss what we never had. Still, I bet these kids had more happy memories than the ones today (who are on "peer communication duty" 24/7) will ever have. Hitting Close to HomeThanks a bunch, Dave. Great to see some pictures of the Tar Heel State, particularly my home town, the Bull City. I'll bet that daddy there had put in a lot of time in tobacco fields. A great study of the people, but too bad there's not a little more background shown for possible identification of the location. Maybe in front of the Royal Ice Cream Shop on Roxboro Rd. Love the smiling faces!Sitting at home with a cold and all kinds of little nagging personal and professional worries, this smiling family gave me a bit lift tonight. Travel in the family car is a simple affair (who needs power brakes, steering, or windows; sunroof; navigation system; DVD for rear seat passengers--much less an automatic transmission), and their happiness radiates through the years. The young man may well have served in WWII before it was over, but those worries are on the horizon. Yay, Shorpy! A continuing delight.... If I take one picture this good in my whole lifeI'll count it a blessing! HeartwarmingI absolutely love the expressions on everyone's faces. Perfectly captures a family's happy memories at the time of their creation. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano)
A Ride on the Boardwalk: 1907
... of the hotels in Atlantic City. Being at the ocean end of North Carolina avenue, it commands an unobstructed view of the ocean and the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 2:41pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Haddon Hall and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Steamboat Gothic.It may not be on the Mississippi, but Haddon Hall certainly presents all the features of the style. AmpleLady on the right would be described by my grandmother as a Lady of Ample Bosom. Beautiful photo, thanks. Capturing life's momentsA great photo to study people of yesteryear. For instance, the handsome couple on the extreme right, strolling along in what appears to be an intense conversation. How cool would it be to recognize, from old family photos, your grandfather and grandmother or even great-grandma and grandpa in their youth? Also interesting in these type photos are the clothes of kids such as the little boy at the end of the ramp with shorts and one of those wide brimmed hats and the teenage girl with ribbons - just as we have seen in old movies. Shorpy is more than a business - it is a great service to understanding past times. Leeds & Lippincott Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey, 1910. In 1890 he [Henry West Leeds] came to Atlantic City and opened Haddon Hall, in partnership with J. Haines Lippincott. Subsequently his mother sold out her interests in the Tremont House and joined with her son in operating Haddon Hall, and winning for it its wide and popular reputation as a homelike hotel. The hotel will accommodate four hundred and fifty guests, and is one of the most central and convenient of the hotels in Atlantic City. Being at the ocean end of North Carolina avenue, it commands an unobstructed view of the ocean and the boardwalk, and during the twenty years that Mr. Leeds has been connected with the house, he has established a most enviable reputation among people of culture and refinement. The house is beautifully furnished and decorated, and on its walls can be seen the best collection of water colors of any seaside resort hotel in the country. The hotel is open all the year. Stayin' FitI have a strong suspicion that pushing one of those carts about over the course of a season kept one in pretty good shape. I wonder how far these folks usually covered in a day. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Wheeler's Church: 1939
... with brooms and buckets on annual clean up day. Gordonton, North Carolina. View full size. Wheeler's Church, perhaps? Looking at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 2:39pm -

July 1939. Women of the congregation of Wheeler's Church on steps with brooms and buckets on annual clean up day. Gordonton, North Carolina. View full size. Wheeler's Church, perhaps?Looking at maps of the Gordonton, NC, area, it looks like it should actually be Wheeler's (not Wheeley's) Church. The Wheeler's Primitive Baptist Church Cemetery is at the intersection of Wheeler's Church Road and Union Grove Church Road, and one might assume the church was or is still at that same location. (Yahoo maps link.) [Could be. But the caption info in the Library of Congress archives says Wheeley's Church. - Dave] Wheeley / Wheeler's ChurchOriginally Wheeley's Church. Known as Wheeler's after 1830 Separate doors for men and womenI've seen a lot of old churches out in the country with two doors. One old-timer I stopped and yakked with told me that originally men and women sat apart and had separate entrances. I think there's some precedent in Judaism and the early Christian church. Some congregations continued the practice right up to the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Several churchly web sites suggest this is true, viz. e.g., http://www.kemptownumc.org/history_1.html (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Great Depression)
Let's Eat: 1939
... to talk. Wheeley's [Wheeler's?] Church, Person County, North Carolina." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:35am -

July 1939. "Congregation gathers after services to talk. Wheeley's [Wheeler's?] Church, Person County, North Carolina." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Older than the USAAmazing, the history one uncovers because of Shorpy. Searching the internet finds that Wheeler's Church is in the Bushy Fork township of Person County and has one of the two cemeteries in the township. More interestingly (to me) was this article that claims the "Wheeler's Primitive Church" was founded in 1760, before the Revolutionary War. I wonder if any of the people in Ms. Lange's photo are related to Mr. Phelps. Short skirtsSomething I've noticed looking at historical fashion sites that often seems to be overlooked---throughout much of history--and even to some degree, perhaps regionally, up to my own childhood in the 1970s, it actually was quite normal for girls under 12 or so to wear skirts quite a bit shorter than was usually acceptable for adult women and teens. You'll see Victorian pictures where the little girls have their dresses showing their calves, while their older sisters never would, and certainly no one ever thought twice about a 7-year old in the shortest of short-shorts and a skimpy tube top when I was one. I've two theories why this could be so, and perhaps it's some of both. One is that, while pedophilia has been a problem since time began, it wasn't really thought about in everyday life much, so no one thought much more of showing a little girl's legs than of showing a baby in only a diaper. The other is simple economics( probably especially applicable in the 30s!) It's expensive and hard work keeping skirt-length growing apace with children of that age, and moreover they might not have outgrown the puddle-splashing urge and would likely ruin long skirts much more quickly. KatieI'm surprised at the length of that skirt on the girl in the doorway. It's significantly above her knees - something that just wasn't done in church, let alone on a girl that age. [And yet evidently it was. - Dave] Where are the women and the boys?This could be rural Oklahoma in the late 50's, where the women and girls would be laying out a communal (potluck) Sunday dinner on picnic tables under the trees behind or to the side of the church (and possibly next to the cemetery), and the boys would be spread out across the property letting out their pent up energy after sitting through a (minimum) two-hour service. The young girls in the doorway are "tending" the men, they are there to relay messages from the men to the women and return with answers or the requested individual or item. They also function as *sentinels* for the women, in case a fight breaks out between some boys or a loud argument amongst the men. Thank you for posting this. I had forgotten how much I love Dorothea Lange! Getting tangled.As a lady-person, I can attest that sometimes a skirt seems shorter than it actually is--especially if the skirt is slightly pulled up by her efforts to hold the baby. Likely the girls skirt is somewhat longer (you'll notice the uneven-ness) and probably just stuck under baby and blanket. Anyway==Great photo! (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Rural America, Small Towns)
Rockers: 1922
... be. This reminds me of my grandmother's house in North Carolina. Oh how I miss those summer days. We stayed outdoors most of the time ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/19/2008 - 7:50pm -

Vienna, Virginia, circa 1922. Summer residence of Iowa senator William S. Kenyon and family. View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. Lovely and TranquilNow this picture conjures the phrase "the good old days". Looks like nice place to be. This reminds me of my grandmother's house in North Carolina. Oh how I miss those summer days. We stayed outdoors most of the time and made up games to play. Grandma had to call us to get us to come in for lunch or supper. We often had toys that were just tobacco sticks or something else we found on the farm. Looking back we were pretty creative in making up our games with whatever we had at hand. Good memories. Halcyon DaysThat's certainly a much more modest dwelling than the homes of most of today's politicians. Up on the roofI noticed the wire going down the left side of the house and wondered if those are those lighting rods or radio antennas on the roof? [Lightning rods. - Dave] Vienna VAThat house may still exist. There are a couple in old town Vienna that look a lot like it. My parents' senatorI grew up in the town that Senator Kenyon usually lived in (he's now buried there) -- Business US 20 on the west side of Fort Dodge, Iowa is named Kenyon Road for him. He was pushed at Coolidge as a vice-presidential nominee in 1924, but he went with Charles G. Dawes instead. This is the first I've heard that he had a summer home out of the state of Iowa. Probably didn't endear him much to the folks back home. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Natl Photo)
Jr. O.U.A.M.: 1938
April 1938. "Lodge hall in Guilford County, North Carolina." The Jr. O.U.A.M., or Order of United American Mechanics. Which, by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2012 - 11:48am -

April 1938. "Lodge hall in Guilford County, North Carolina." The Jr. O.U.A.M., or Order of United American Mechanics. Which, by the look of things, no longer "meets each 1st & 3rd Sat night." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. Still a going concern. It looks they have since dropped the "white" requirement and focus on the manufacturing trades, and have decided to maintain a conservative constitutional agenda. Their symbolism appears much like the Masons. References here, here and here. Buy and Hire AmericanOr we'll erect hideous architecture everywhere! The OUAM and Junior OUAM were nativist organizations that arose in response to a rapid increase in immigration from abroad in the several decades prior to the Civil War. According to the Wikipedia article (never a conclusive source but often a good place to begin one's enquiries), its membership was restricted to white males born in the US, and and its main objective was to foster preference for goods produced domestically and employees who were native citizens. No doubt but that the character Bill the Butcher from "Gangs of New York" would have been an enthuisiastic member. The term "mechanic," by the way, was used in the 18th and 19th Centuries to describe almost anyone who was involved in the making or repair of complex objects, from steam engines to buildings. Like the "Know Nothing" political party that existed roughly contemporaneously with its early days, the OUAM failed to prevail, and seems to have lived out its remaining years like many other lodges, providing a venue for social intercourse and bestowing death and burial benefits for indigent members. Or was it another clever front for the insidious Illuminati? We have a winnerWorld's Ugliest Tower of Wood Construction in North Carolina. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Not a Cloud in the Sky: 1942
May 1942. Parris Island, South Carolina. "Marine lieutenant glider pilot in training at Page Field." A smilier ... The picture is probably an SNJ (Navy/Marines version of North American AT-6). Here's a whole string of photos from that time and place ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/13/2008 - 8:19pm -

May 1942. Parris Island, South Carolina. "Marine lieutenant glider pilot in training at Page Field." A smilier version of the airman seen here. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Alfred Palmer, Office of War Information. View full size. AircraftNo way the aircraft is a "glider." It looks to me like a BT-13 "Valiant" basic trainer, designated an SNV in the Navy and USMC. [It's a tow plane that pulls the training gliders. - Dave] An obscure chapter of Parris Island historyThe BT-13 has a triangular window aft of the rear canopy; this one doesn't. Compare to this BT-13 http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=3768 The picture is probably an SNJ (Navy/Marines version of North American AT-6). Here's a whole string of photos from that time and place including the same guy http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_congress/2179093655/in/set-72157... The Marine Corps Glider Group 71 was an unusual experiment for the Marines. After watching the Germans take Holland in 1940 with gliders, the Marines thought some catching up was in order, so they set up a glider training group at Parris Island in 1942. After a year, it was shut down when they realized it would not be effective in the Pacific theatre against the Japanese. Today Page Field is thick with vegetation and no longer has aircraft, but is used as a training ground for Marine recruits. Each Marine must pass a greuling multi-day combat trial at Page Field known as "The Crucible" in order to become a US Marine. (The Gallery, Alfred Palmer, Aviation, WW2)
Five Points: 1940
October 1940. "Durham, North Carolina. Five Points, center of city, with Chesterfield cigarette factories in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2019 - 4:06pm -

October 1940. "Durham, North Carolina. Five Points, center of city, with Chesterfield cigarette factories in background." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Looks like they've got everything thereEverything from soup to butts. Circus! Circus!I took my son to his first RB B&B Circus when he was two. He fell in love with the elephants and called them "mumbos." Blue DevilsDuke Chapel is visible in the upper left of the photo. Duke is about three miles west of Old Five Points. Lots of detail!I love looking at all the details when enlarged! Gas stations, people, cars and trucks. I think that’s a house in middle of the business district. Thanks Shorpy! Chero-ColaAmong the many fascinating details in this photo is a fading sign for Chero-Cola. That brand was long gone by 1940 -- it had been sued out of existence by Coke in 1924. The brand was reincarnated, though, as the famous RC that goes so well with a Moon Pie. Rails Run Through ItNo river visible, but rails, yes. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Factories, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott, Railroads)
Harlem Barber Shop: 1939
... "Barbershop on Hillsboro Street. Oxford, Granville County, North Carolina." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. A ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/21/2019 - 8:44pm -

November 1939. "Barbershop on Hillsboro Street. Oxford, Granville County, North Carolina." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. A cool guyand he knows it! Dapper Hepcat!Wow, what a handsome, stylish young man out front. Dressed to the 9s! Just the thingTuxedo Club Pomade ... Makes Unruly Hair Stay In Place. Probably smelled good, too. Art DecoWow, I love the clock on this place! Really nice art deco style font for the numbers! Have a nice trip --An attorney would just love those steps today. Sharp!You could carve a turkey with the creases in that young man's trouser legs! (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott, Small Towns, Stores & Markets)
A Learning Experience: 1957
... there were no black kids were in my schools in Georgia or North Carolina because no black families lived in my neighborhood, whereas, overseas, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/15/2020 - 3:13pm -

September 10, 1957. "Integrated classroom at Anacostia High School, Washington, D.C." 35mm acetate negative by Warren K. Leffler for U.S. News & World Report. View full size. Intergated?Where are they boys? [In Remedial Spelling. - Dave] IntegratedThe high school I attended was integrated in 1955, the year I was a freshman, and we never had any problems of any sort. I guess we didn't know we should have. Based on available evidence and probabilitiesIt's a girls' health class and they're singing a girls' health song. Vocalizing?They’re all either speaking or singing in unison. They look older than their yearsThey're teenagers, but appear to me to have an average age of about 35. A couple could pass for grandmothers. I suppose it's due to their hairstyles, eyeglasses, and dresses. The sad old daysI went to segregated elementary schools in the South as an Army brat, and then would go to integrated schools when we were stationed overseas. As a kid who paid no attention to politics, I just figured there were no black kids were in my schools in Georgia or North Carolina because no black families lived in my neighborhood, whereas, overseas, we had black families living in the same stairwell, so of course those kids went to the same school with me and were our friends. Class of '55My Dad, Calvin Frye, graduated from Anacostia High School in 1955. He grew up in DC. (D.C., Education, Schools, News Photo Archive)
Secret Squirrel: 1922
... Brevard, N.C. = Home of the White Squirrel Brevard, North Carolina, claims to be the home of the white squirrel. They hold their White ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 12:12am -

January 24, 1922. Washington, D.C. "'Doe,' an albino squirrel." National Photo Company Collection. View full size. Olney, ILOne possible location is in Olney, a town known for its white squirrel population http://www.ci.olney.il.us/Visitors/WhiteSquirrel.htm Secret Squirrel, 1922It could be one of several places which possess white squirrel colonies. http://www.roadsideamerica.com/set/squirrels.html Also...Kenton, TNKenton, TN....also known as "Home of the White Squirrel" It might be Kenton, TN with the other Tennessee photos that are close to this one. Olney residentOlney is also called "The home of the white squirrel". I was not aware of Kenton TN. But as an Olney resident, I am fairly confident that this is not a photograph of an Olney site. Brevard, N.C. = Home of the White SquirrelBrevard, North Carolina, claims to be the home of the white squirrel. They hold their White Squirrel festival every May . (The Gallery, Animals, D.C., Natl Photo)
Wright House: 1936
... "Peggy Wright House, Louisburg vicinity, Franklin County, North Carolina. Structure dates to 1796." A house whose paint and charm are inversely ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2014 - 12:29pm -

It's cozy and it's creaky, The roof's a little leaky. So shabby and so chic we Flipped it for one point three. 1936. "Peggy Wright House, Louisburg vicinity, Franklin County, North Carolina. Structure dates to 1796." A house whose paint and charm are inversely proportional. 8x10 negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Jones-Wright HouseThis may be the Historical Site National Register application for that property, very interesting! Link to the pdf: http://www.hpo.ncdcr.gov/nr/FK0286.pdf Picture of the house from the pdf: Looks pretty good to meHaving lived in a 130 year old house for 11 years, I have to say that, aside from the lack of paint, this place looks pretty well kept up. It needs tuckpointing of the foundation stone, but other than that it looks tight and well-maintained. Old houses are deceptive - they may look fine, but be rotting underneath the paint. Or, like this one in 1936, they may look miserable but really be quite sturdy. You can see the intact ends of the ceiling beams (my tradesman called them "rooster-tails") and they don't even look weathered. Apparently in some old houses they have rotted so far back in under the roof that it would be impossible to affix fascia or gutters to them. Loved reading the NRHP description of this house. My old house was on the Register, too, but had nowhere near such an interesting history. History in this areaI live about 10 miles south of this home and there is a much history from both the Revolutionary and Civil Wars in this area. The area is quite rural and deceptively quiet until you begin to dig into the history books and look around a little bit. For instance, Annie Carter Lee, daughter of Robert E Lee, died at age 25 from Typhoid fever in this area. She was interned here until recently, when her descendents requested that she be reunited with her family at Lee Chapel in Lexington Va in 1994. Her parents had sent her to Warrenton, NC after the family home Arlington, was occupied by Union forces. Her grave marker and memorial placed there in 1866 by a Confederate veteran is still in place. In 1870, just prior to his death, Robert E Lee and his wife visited their beloved daughter's grave for the only time. The details are quite interesting and given here. This is just one of many local historical threads of national significance about the locality. Completely Restored!This blog gives an up-to-date status of the restored house and includes two recent views. It sits on a large piece of land amid forest and fields. Re: Ceiling beamsAbout those - aren't they both massive and very closely spaced, compared to modern construction? (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Newton Cotton Mills: 1908
December 21, 1908. Newton, North Carolina. "More youngsters in Newton Cotton Mills. Out of 150 employees there ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 10:02am -

December 21, 1908. Newton, North Carolina. "More youngsters in Newton Cotton Mills. Out of 150 employees there were 20 of these boys and girls." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Kilroy was here!Fourth from the left. He still had a full head of hair. Camera shycompared to some - the little chap peeping round the back of the guy wearing the flat cap just left of centre. Baker's DozenDo you suppose there was a bully or two in this crowd showing the shy, the timid, the serious, the meek and the strong character of these kids? I'm thinking the third guy from the right with his arms folded across his chest looks pretty intimidating. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
The Music Man: 1940
... West Virginia; Bristol, Tennessee; or High Point, North Carolina. They are carpenters, carpenters' assistants, riggers and laborers. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2011 - 2:31pm -

December 1940. Radford, Virginia. "Mrs. Jones's boardinghouse. Six men live in this room. Three beds, pay 8 to 10 dollars a week rent. Most have families they left behind in Bluefield, West Virginia; Bristol, Tennessee; or High Point, North Carolina. They are carpenters, carpenters' assistants, riggers and laborers. They make 60 cents to $1.25 per hour." Photo by John Vachon. View full size. So much for cheap rentA glimpse inside the often-written-about but seldom-seen boardinghouse. Ten dollars a week to share a bed with another dude, and a room with four more? That's $153.75 in 2010 dollars, or $667 monthly. I think I could still rent a one-bedroom apartment for that in Austin, although just barely. Sure, I'd have to pay my own utilities, but I'd have privacy and much greater comfort. And why the $8 to $10 range? Sharing a bed with a stranger should be a lowball commodity, I think! [Boardinghouse rent includes not just the room but also, as the name implies, board. So a comparison would need to include food. - Dave] You know, I thought of that after I posted it. And just now, I realized I am grateful to John Vachon for using off-camera flash. It further emphasizes the small dimensions of the room! [He used floodlights. - Dave] Clark Gable calledHe'd like his ears back. Six Guys Three BedsImagine the reality TV show this would make today. Real peopleI love the humanity of this picture - the men are slightly self-conscious, but obviously have made the photographer welcome - I wonder if any of their families knew of this moment in their otherwise forgotten lives. His mother taught him wellThat guy lying on the bed. Get off the bed with your shoes on! He put his feet on his jacket, not getting his covers dirty. I've stayed in towns in Iowa at boarding houses and rooming houses in the early 1970s. (The Gallery, John Vachon)
Young Rush: 1908
... Rush Franklin Merrill Birth 21 Mar 1896 North Carolina Death 19 May 1982 Gastonia, Gaston, North Carolina, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/02/2016 - 8:48pm -

November 1908. Gastonia, N.C. "Rush Merrill, Loray Mill. 12 years old. Been in mill three years as Doffer. Gets 75 cents a day. Said sometimes gets 3 to 5 hours a day resting between times." Glass negative by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Thanks, John JThanks for the info, John J, well-done! It's so good to know he had a long life. Rush Franklin MerrillRush Franklin Merrill Birth 21 Mar 1896 North Carolina Death 19 May 1982 Gastonia, Gaston, North Carolina, USA Rush's father was night superintendent of the mill according to the 1910 census. Four of his children were employed in the mill. I posted a copy of the photo to Ancestry.com with a note that it was found on Shorpy.com (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
Guarantee Trust: 1908
... turret, on the northeast corner of Atlantic Avenue and S. North Carolina Avenue. View Larger Map Guarantee Deja Vu ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/07/2014 - 3:51pm -

Circa 1908. "Atlantic Avenue -- Atlantic City, N.J." The business end of A.C. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. AbbreviatedThe building still stands, minus the turret, on the northeast corner of Atlantic Avenue and S. North Carolina Avenue. View Larger Map Guarantee Deja VuThis building makes a number of appearances here on Shorpy, from a number of different angles and from a couple of different years. Approaching from the east in 1905, on the right here. Approaching from the west in 1906 in the distance beyond the train station, a portion of which can be seen across North Carolina Ave in the 1908 picture here. In the three years, from 1905 to 1908, the street seems to have become paved, Thanks for these pictures of this great old building, which still stands. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
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