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Cherokee Parts: 1936
March 1936. "Auto parts shop. Atlanta, Georgia." Large-format nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the Farm ... Cherokee Parts Store was at 973 Marietta Street in Atlanta. That location is now home to a packing machine company. ... and 33 top tens in a 71 race career. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Walker Evans) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 2:43pm -

March 1936. "Auto parts shop. Atlanta, Georgia." Large-format nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Modern Day WheelThe wheel directly below the "A" and "R" of "garage" looks like it could easily be used on one of today's cars. Sure Beat UpThis truck appears to be a 1928-29 Ford cobbled out of something else. The rear of the cab isn't from a stock pickup. Really beat up for a vehicle 7-8 years old. And those Model A's were built like a tank. It's had a rough life. InvitingOh, imagine opening the place up and starting work by hanging all those car parts up. And then imagine the passing punters: "that looks nice, especially that fender there - I think I'll have them do my car right away!". Mystery MetalI can't for the life of me figure out where that large apparent body part hanging under the word "Used" would go on a car. Anyone know? [Front right fender. - Dave] Ah, OK, we're seeing it from the top, then, and it's a lot deeper than it looks here. Thanks. Greatest HitsThis photo was the inspiration for the cover art on the album "Alice Cooper's Greatest Hits." Whoa!, that font!Is it just me or does that beautiful lettering scream Jazz Age!! ? From cars to packing machinesCherokee Parts Store was at 973 Marietta Street in Atlanta. That location is now home to a packing machine company. View Larger Map re: Greatest HitsInteresting - apparently, Drew Struzan drew the "Greatest Hits" artwork with the band surrounded by iconic stars. The original included 13 stars who were still alive, which presented a problem, so they had to re-do it without those individuals. A related piece doesn't really resemble the garage in Evans' photograph, but does include the name: Quite the place back in the dayIt seems that this place was a real chick magnet at the time. Re Modern day wheelIn fact, my eyes double-took when I saw that wheel, which is not too different from the ones on my E-Class MB. And, boy, they did have a lot of merchandise to hang outside while their morning coffees were cooling, didn't they? Is that you, Jack?Probably not, but the young guy inside the garage sure looks like a young Kerouac. 'Course Kerouac lived in Massachusetts then. The young lady on the far left seems to have noticed something--maybe the guy--in spite of her disgust at having to be there at that smelly old garage while her mother gets new tires. '29 Ford roadster pickupThat's a 1928 or '29 Ford Model A roadster pickup, looking mostly original except for the wheels and the absence of its top, doors and spare tire. The fabric top was removable, but not foldable, and the car had no side windows, only side curtains that clipped onto the doors and windshield. Font NameTo JeffK: although the sign appears to be hand painted, the font that inspired the lettering is "Windsor." The sign painter did not copy the typeface with 100 per cent accuracy, but after 40 years in the graphic design business, I'd say Windsor! Just down the streetThis is just down the street where my dad (a mechanic) grew up. He probably visited the shop many times. AirwheelsThat Model A is wearing a pair of aftermarket low-pressure tires on the rear, also known as Jumbos, the tire and rim combination were offered by several tire companies and claimed improved ride and handling over the narrower high-pressure stock units. Those wheels are rarely seen on restored vehicles today because those special sizes haven't been reproduced, modern tires will fit on them so they do see some use by traditional hot-rod builders. Wheels,etc.The large part hanging under the used sign is a fender as mentioned in an earlier post. It is from a 1930/31 Ford. I would love to see under the hood. I would bet money it has a Flathead V8 in it. The front wheels are off of a 32 or later which means they have probably changed from mechanical brakes to hydraulic and the rear wheels look the GM "Artillery" wheels used on later 30's GM cars. The wheel hanging on the wall behind the woman is a stock 29/31 model A wheel. I think this may be the shops hot rod parts truck. NASCAR ConnectionAbout 13 years after this picture was taken, Cherokee Auto Parts began sponsoring Gober Sosebee in the earliest years of NASCAR. Both his #50 and #51 cars carried the name on their doors. He had 2 wins, 4 poles, and 33 top tens in a 71 race career. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Walker Evans)
Military R.R.: 1865
... given day by the fall of 1864 including the ironclad ram "Atlanta" with one stack. Poor Lighting Amazing that all the headlights ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 8:53pm -

City Point, Virginia, circa 1865. "Gen. J.C. Robinson" and other locomotives of the U.S. Military Railroad. From views of the main Eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864-April 1865. Wet plate glass negative. View full size. Robinson ahead by a nose Seems that the Lt. Genl. Grant is running a close second. The named locomotives are from the Wm. Mason Machine Works in Taunton, Mass. The engine ahead of both seems unnamed. Might be an "American" locomotive or a Wm. Mason. LocationThe terrain and the enormity of the facilities in place makes me almost certain that this was taken at City Point, Virginia, the Union's main supply depot for the area at the time. [Another clue would be the first three words of the caption. - Dave] Who's DrivingThe engineer is definitely not Buster Keaton. Any ideawhat the black things are in the upper right hand portion of the picture? When I looked at the blown up picture it looked a little bit like a lot of black socks hanging on a clothesline but that's obviously incorrect. [It's a scratch in the emulsion. - Dave] A bigger nameHard for me to see, but appears to be "Lt Gen. US Grant" on loco behind the Robinson machine. I am amazed at the hillside, ships and living conditions of the period. Grant's Iron HorseSaturday we saw Grant's horse "Cincinnati;" today we see Grant's Iron Horse, "Lt. Genl. Grant," on the left. Union IroncladA turret of a Union ironclad can be seen in the background over the top of the pier-side warehouse. This could be the USS Onondaga, which was stationed at City Point to prevent Confederate ironclads from breaking out of the James River and attacking the supply base. The problem is that the USS Onondaga had two turrets and I only see one. Grant and Lee There is a photo so similar to this one in the book "Grant and Lee" by William A. Frassanito that it must have been taken about the same time. It is in the City Point chapter view 8. The tents and buildings on top of the bluff were part of the Railroad Hospital. The wharf shown is a replacement for one that was blown up by saboteurs on August 9,1864. The explosion killed 43 laborers and according to Mr. Frassanito narrowly missed General Grant who was in front of his headquarters tent at the time. His books have photos taken during the Civil War and then the same scene in modern times. IroncladIn regard to the comment by Excel08 about the ironclad. Also according to Mr. Frassanito there would be about 200 vessels anchored off of City Point on any given day by the fall of 1864 including the ironclad ram "Atlanta" with one stack. Poor LightingAmazing that all the headlights on these locomotives were a kerosene lamp in a box with a magnifying lens. Spectre-visionNifty ghost in front of main tent! Hillside erosionAttention troopers! Gen. Grant has authorized the issuing of hazard pay due to the hillside erosion and the location of the outhouse. It is further recommended that only those soldiers who know how to swim should make use of the facilitiesafter dark. Buster Isn't ThereI'll bet he is out visiting Annabelle Lee. InterestingAlmost as interesting as the locomotives are the view of the ships in the harbor. OopsHow did I not see that? Boy, is that embarrassing. Hey youget back to work. 25 years of progressIt amazes me to think that these beautifully turned out engines are only one generation away from the dawn of American railroading (think Tom Thumb and iron-plated wooden tracks). A person born in 1820 grew up with horse, foot or canal-boat travel, when 50 miles was a good day's journey. During their adult years, they saw the rise of well-established railroads that could travel fifty miles per hour. This, together with the telegraph, was the dawn of the "shrinking world." The Third LocomotiveThe locomotive moving forward between the "Lt. Genl. Grant" and the "Genl. J.C. Robinson" is the "Governor Nye." This 4-4-0 was built by the Richard Norris & Son locomotive works in Philadelphia, and was acquired new by the USMRR on February 18, 1863. Sent to North Carolina in 1865 to work on the USMRR, it was still in the USMRR inventory in April 1866. Another photo taken within minutes of this one shows it in the yard. Watch that last step...I don't think that cliff-side staircase meets any imaginable safety regulation. Bridge Of Beanpoples & Cornstalks General J.C. Robinson 4-4-0 (Construction # 124) Formerly known as the USMRR locomotive General Haupt and acquired new by USMRR on January 17, 1863. Renamed General J.C. Robinson. Sold to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad in 1865. http://www.nvcc.edu/home/csiegel/USMRR%20Locomotives.htm "That Man Haupt has built a bridge over Potomac Creek, about 400 feet long and nearly 100 feet high, over which loaded trains are running every hour, and upon my word gentlemen, there is nothing in it but beanpoles and cornstalks." Monitor identityThe monitor noted by others is most likely a Passaic-class ship and probably the Lehigh. The primary assumption is that the ship is perpendicular to the line of sight (as are the other ships). In that case comparing the monitor's funnel (tall thin light-colored tube to the left of the turret) to the turret, they are signifiicantly closer spaced than would be the funnel-turret distance for a Canonicus-class ship, the only other type which fits what is visible. This marks it as a Passaic. To identify it as the Lehigh is the stretch. At least three Passaics were known to have been in the City Point area at this time; the Lehigh, Patapsco, and Sangamon. The Patapsco and Sangamon were both confusingly identified as having a white ring at the top of the turret/base of the rifle shield. There is no ring visible on the turret of this monitor. The Lehigh was all black. O Scale model Civil War model railroadBernie Kempenski is building a model railroad with these kinds of locomotives, etc. His is dated 1862. http://usmrr.blogspot.com (The Gallery, Civil War, Railroads)
Grace in Color: 1920
... is a great job Fredric. I would like to see a photo of Atlanta during the Civil War colorized if it is possible. I look at the old black and white photos and Atlanta looks so drab and it would be great to see it in true to life color. ... 
 
Posted by Fredric Falcon - 06/26/2009 - 4:09pm -

A colorized version of this 1920 photo of actress Grace Valentine by the Bain News Service. View full size. More in the Colorized Gallery. Color me impressedYes, great job. I still have my set of photo oils & pencils and have gotten good results from time to time. I've never really gotten the hang of getting the "right" look using photoshop. CuriousIt would be interesting if we can find out, from Akvis, how many hits they get today and how many they would normally get. I visited the site just to see how it works, but I don't have many black and white photos. A Fine JobA fine job of colorizing. It is interesting to compare the colorized photos in the gallery with the black & white counterparts. Would you share the name of the program you use for colorization? Color or B/W, it still hurts to look at her feet.Nice colorization work and Grace was a stunner, but it still causes me pain to look at her misshapen tootsies. Ouch!! My 50 year old male feet with 30 years spent in steel-toed boots look healthier. Akvis ColoriageThanks for all the compliments! I never expected my work would get such recognition here! The software I use is called Coloriage by Akvis. It comes as a standalone application and/or a plugin for Photoshop and many other photo-editing programs. The site has a short movie showing how easy it is to use. Coloriage has a selection of colors for complexions, hair, eyes, lips, etc., plus wood, sky, water, fabric, bricks, and so on. You can save your color strokes if you want to exit the program and resume the coloring later. When you're ready to color the photo, just click one button and the job is done. You can load another copy of the same black and white photo, reload the saved strokes, and then change the color of any of them very easily. And no, I'm not affiliated with the Akvis company at all nor am I being paid for these remarks. Miguel Chavez asked how I know what color to give each pixel. I just use my intuition. It's all guesswork. I put on a color and then view the results. If it doesn't look right, I select another one. Sooner or later I get realistic colors. It's fun. Was this photo taken...before the invention of the pedicure? That left foot looks like it needs a little TLC. I used to colorize my black and white photos with Marshall oils, a slow tedious process, using Q-Tips and patience. Photoshop has changed just about everything I suppose. Yet this photo looks to either be hand tinted or slightly off due to the green hue on the lower edge of the seat slab. The blue pottery job is very nice. Most impressive!I definitely must congratulate you on this fine job of colorizing these old pictures. It's amazing! they really look natural and unlike the hand-colorized photos I know, in these you don't see the underlying black and white pixels. How do you determine what color should be given to each pixel? How do you do this?? It's definitely impressive! Wonderful job! That is a great job Fredric. I would like to see a photo of Atlanta during the Civil War colorized if it is possible. I look at the old black and white photos and Atlanta looks so drab and it would be great to see it in true to life color. Robert Brock Akvis ColoriageFrederick, thank you for sharing the name of the program you use. I am webmaster for an historical society and have been instrumental in providing photograph displays for the society at a local library. I have applied for the Akvis free license program for the society. My plan is to use colorized versions of historic photos alongside the black and white versions. Best colourizing I've ever seenNice work Fredric. You avoided those awful tobacco and lilac-y colours often used. Very natural looking. You should run with this skill of yours. Tint CampIn anpther thread someone said the tones of this photo -- particularly skin -- were too bold. Quite right, if the goal were realism or an accurate reproduction of Ms. V. as she lived and breathed. OTOH, I find this colorization quite pleasing as it is; after all, she was allegedly an actress, and these tonal values sure look like a period movie poster! Travesty!Ok, very clever, but an abomination none the less. Colourisation has no place on this blog, or anywhere else in the known universe. Please post the original. [Somebody's not paying attention. Read the caption, click the link, see the original. - Dave] Innocent MerrimentOld documentary photos from the Library of Congress are not black and white "works of art" by Ansel Adams or Frank Capra, even though some of the brilliant photos by many documentary photographers (Dorothea Lange, Russell Lee et al) later came to be seen as high art, and rightly so. As Dave keeps saying, the originals are intact, and all have been seen here first in all their original panchromatic grayscale splendor. But the world that monochrome photos and newsreels recorded was not Dorothy Gale's Kansas, and many of us enjoy imagining the color-saturated world of our ancestors. Go for it, colorists! Get it right, or not -- who's to say, and who cares? It's simply another part of the fun, and you're getting pretty good at it. No photographers or their reputations were harmed in the making of these pictures, unlike, say, a dumb colorized version of the Kansas scenes in the Wizard of Oz. Fine looking lady.Someone's grandmother or great-grandmother was a fine looking lady. She also has a pleasant demeanor about her. I think I would have liked her! Colorization? Who cares I like it. Stop coloring these pictures!!!I must put in my two cents worth. Please stop coloring these pictures! To you it just seems like an interesting job, fun for a bit and then thrown away. To me, all you do is ruin the historical value of the pics you mess with. Please find another hobby, like pulling wings off birds, to play with.... [Might it be time for a switch to decaf? - Dave] Tempest in a polychrome teapotYes, I don't like colorized films. It does break up some fond memories of watching black-and-white vintage films. On the other hand I had to admire the way you reproduce the color scheme of most magazines of the period. The colors are that of some 1950's Playboy centerfold. Well done Dave. Photography is Art and always has been. [Thank you but -- let's note that this is Fredric's work, not Dave's. - Dave] What Pictures???"All you do is ruin the historical value of the pics you mess with." Now, waita minnit! The reaction of Tipster seems to assume, despite all reassurances, that actual historical photos, the for-real original prints or negatives, are being colored. Only that action could ruin their historical value. Descending to personal information beyond that on my member bio, I am a former museum curator with more than 35 years in art history and historical preservation and conservation behind me. Like my colleagues in many other museums and archives, a huge hunk of my life has been given to preserving "historical value" wherever I can. I mention this only to provide context when I say, "Honey-Lamb, lighten up!" What's being colored is DIGITAL SCANS of historical photos, a bunch of ones and zeros in a computer hard drive, not photos. This is Virtual Reality only. History is not being messed with or destroyed. What's happening here is that ideas about history are being presented and discussed. No "real" historical artifacts are involved except as a starting point of reference for the discussion. If some of these ideas are so unpleasant to you, Turn The Page. All the photos that have been colored are waiting for you in their original states (less some scratches and fading and ugly spots digitally removed for presentation), miraculously unharmed. Colourized vs the Original PhotoIf you prefer bright modern colour and do not really appreciate the older photos for just what they are, their depth, what they tell us and just how wonderful they are, you can always look at modern photos, no? Dave you colourize very well, the best I have ever seen, which is like being a charismatic cult leader. Get me? --what about a link to the original on the page when a colourized pic is posted or the other way around. [For each of the colorized photos, there already is a link to the original image. (Doesn't anyone read the captions?) Also I am not the colorizer of any of these pictures. The name of the poster is above each image. - Dave] Color Me GoneI always prefer seeing the pics in black-and-white and letting my imagination take over, but I do view the colorized versions. I don't like them, but I will take a glance. It's like driving by a nasty car accident or seeing your kindergarten teacher naked (just random theorizing). Don't like, but due to intrigue will take a peek. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Colorized Photos)
Hatlanta: 1864
1864. "Atlanta, Georgia. Street view." To the right, a hatter. Everywhere else, dirt ... all that dirt and mud! Veryy Punny! Nice play on Atlanta's other nickname. How on earth can you tell there's a hatter there, ... for a 21st century American to be dropped into this 1864 Atlanta on a summer day - the assault on modern-day olfactory senses would be ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 5:26pm -

1864. "Atlanta, Georgia. Street view." To the right, a hatter. Everywhere else, dirt and mud. Wet plate glass negative by George N. Barnard. View full size. LoiterersThat's a pretty sad looking group of men sitting on that ledge. Understandable. 3-D store signsI see several three-dimensional store signs on this street: the hat, what appears to be a boot on the left, and a horse's head. Any thoughts on whether these were aids to help identify the store in the days of prevalent illiteracy, or just a local fad? There is also a boot, whichThere is also a boot, which I would take as a shoe store and a horse head which would indicate a harness and saddlery shop Boot sellerThere's a boot store across the street from the haberdasher and about 2 buildings up. Good thing too with all that dirt and mud! Veryy Punny!Nice play on Atlanta's other nickname. How on earth can you tell there's a hatter there, though? I can't make out any clue... Period CandidsThank goodness for idlers, otherwise we'd never have truly candid images of people from this period. Also, one of the best-ever Shorpy ghosts, leaning against the lamppost in the right foreground. WiredAre those wires running across the street, or scratches on the negative? [Actual wires, visible in another photo taken from the same spot. Telegraph wires I guess. - Dave] I'd rather look at it than smell it!I can never study scenes from this and later periods without thinking what it would be like for a 21st century American to be dropped into this 1864 Atlanta on a summer day - the assault on modern-day olfactory senses would be an experience that would be hard to get used to. Dirt, refuse, horses, tobacco use, coal and wood smoke, cooking odors, lack of refrigeration, no public refuse services, industrial effluence, inadequate drainage and sewerage facilities; laundering and cleaning a labor-intensive effort; bathing not a daily luxury or possibility (or desire) for most people. Those for whom city living was the norm may have hardly noticed. Country living may have been marginally better - if you were outdoors. Even in Washington DC at this time, pigs and chickens were in the streets. Such conditions took a toll on life expectancy. Early crosswalkI liked the apparent "crosswalk" in the foreground, it looks like a series of paving blocks crossing the otherwise muddy street. However, with one block missing and several others being overtaken by the mud, it may have been an idea before its time. This is Whitehall StreetIf you are familiar with the other famous Barnard photograph showing the building marked "Negro Sales" this is what you would see if you stood beside that building and turned to face the opposite direction. The SmellThey had to be used to it. What other conditions did they know of? I too think about this often. Especially the women in all that clothing in that heat. Oh My! There's no way modern people could survive. The smells alone would surely take us out! All a blurI love the effect of the time exposure. You can actually see the street activity from 1864. Very cool. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard)
Nashville: 1864
... apart any minute. I'm afraid Nashville here looks like Atlanta post Sherman! Where's Buster? Great RR view...but I kept ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:26pm -

1864. "Nashville, Tennessee. Rail yard and depot with locomotives." Wet-plate glass negative by George N. Barnard. View full size. Another view here. This Railroad Terminalis not eligible for the Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Less is MoorishWhat bizarre architecture! That sagging entry portal is being held up with that one flimsy pole? And the archways look Persian or Turkish or "Arabian" while the turrets look like an English castle. The whole thing looks like it's going to fall apart any minute. I'm afraid Nashville here looks like Atlanta post Sherman! Where's Buster?Great RR view...but I kept looking for Buster Keaton peeking out of one of the locomotive cabs, or sitting on a connecting rod kissing his girlfriend! Perspective is an odd thingThose huge chunks of wood make the engines look tiny, even though I know they aren't. I also like the ghostly image of the now long-dead man in the shack. It's a rare treat to look back 100+ years into the past and I'm still amazed at the clarity of these old photographs. Music CityThis shot was taken where the bulk of downtown Nashville now resides. You can see the state capital off to the right. Even today Nashville is a pretty small city. Growing up not far from there, it always amazed me that such a smallish city could have such clout in the world of country music. NashvilleThe building that you see in the upper right hand corner of the photo is the state capital. It was completed only a few years before the beginning of the war in 1861. It still stands today. Nashville fell to Union forces without a fight in February of 1862. However, in the fall of 1864, in a last ditch effort to relieve the pressure on General Lee's forces in Virginia, confederate president Jefferson Davis ordered confederate General Hood to disengage from following Sherman to the sea and attack Nashville and after its capture move into Kentucky and then Ohio in hopes of the Union suing for peace. So, on December 15th and 16th of 1864 Union forces came out of their dug in positions and attacked Hood who had over the two proceeding weeks dug in and waited for the Union forces of General Thomas. Then over those two days Union forces soundly defeated the confederate forces. WOW....What an incredible photo, and could be of great use to model railroaders doing that era. The wood clutter would be almost impossible to manage due to the amount of engines and all burning wood....I guess there was no forest management in those days either. As a Canadian I must ask what USMRR stands for. CrenelatedThe "crenelated" appearance could easily be a Moorish or Spanish-Moorish influence. They weren't just "English castle" style but really pretty universal. Telegraph linesThe timbers on the the crenelated corner towers (chimneys?) do look like rail ties, but they have been fitted with prong-like pieces of wood and ceramic insulators for telegraph lines. Some of the lines themselves can be seen running from the insulators on the front corner tower to the insulators on the scaffolding at the center back roof parapet, and to another timber with three insulators on the tower at the far back corner of the building. All of this looks like an ad hoc arrangement, perhaps the result of a wartime need for more telegraph lines than were needed for a peacetime rail depot, or to quickly replace lines that were downed when the brickwork was damaged. Up thereOkay, I've got to ask. What are those things sticking out of the "turrets"? [They look like sections of track, complete with ties. - Dave] Nashville DepotThis depot was on McLemore Street. This Google view is pretty close. Those might be the same bricks in the 1864 photo. View Larger Map USMRR>> As a Canadian I must ask what USMRR stands for. The answer can be found here. CamouflageI looked at the full-size picture for quite a while before I realized that there are two workers sitting in front of the woodpile. Pony truck journalsPlease note the external journals on the pony truck of the lead engine nearest the camera. That's something you did not normally see on steam engines until the the twentieth century and then not until the "twenties" and then it was unusual. C&NW 4-8-4s had 'em. A few others too. Interesting! In 1864. USMRR I am sure the meaning of USMRR means United States Military Rail Road. Rolling stock and engines were valuable for transportation during the Civil War. Far faster than horses capable of 40 to 50 MPH for long periods, the US government during this time depended on rail transportation. Nashville was a hub for the South plus it's Cumberland River traffic, hence the gathering of so much here. Nashville Railroad Yard in 1864 by BernardThe State capitol building in the upper right orients you pretty well as to where Bernard took the Photo. Although the depot buildings are long gone, the RR yard is still there, although probably not for very long--the neighborhood is getting very posh now and CSX Railroad is sitting on valuable real estate. It is called the Kaine Avenue Yard and the rsilroad still uses it, mainly for trains passing through the city (the ones staying go on to the huge Radnor yards). In the 1890's they built Union Station adjacent to the tracks--approximately where the lower right of the photo would be. The center of the Yard lies just below the Demumbreun Street Bridge on Eleventh Avenue; Bernard probably took the photo a little ways up the hill, around Twelfth, likely across the street from where a strip club now exists. The photo was probably taken sometime around the battle of Nashville, but there are only a couple of shots of the Union battle lines and none of any action. Bernard preferred buildings to people. FYI (The Gallery, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Nashville, Railroads)
Barbershop Duet: 1936
March 1936. "Negro barber shop, Atlanta." Large-format nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the Resettlement ... newspaper, not surprisingly, has an ad for the mainstay Atlanta department store Rich's. The headlines are talking about Gene Talmadge, ... used. I think it's a lovely little shop. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Walker Evans) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 8:41am -

March 1936. "Negro barber shop, Atlanta." Large-format nitrate negative by Walker Evans for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Gone to the CinemaEveryone must be at the local theater to see Mae West and Victor McLaughlin in "Klondike Annie." A focused barberThe barber has three different forms of localized light available. One of them (radiant heater converted to a spotlight) is especially clever. Wonder if he had poor eyesight or just liked to see what he was cutting? FiretrapWow, this has all the ingredients for a three-alarmer: kerosene lamps balancing precariously on loose newspaper pages, even more newspaper sheets lightly hanging on the wall at most one inch from a bare light bulb, piles of rags, cloth-covered (and probably fraying) electrical cord splaying out from the wall. Getting clippedI remember hand clippers like those on the little table next to the hat. I wonder if this was a basement shop, but it has a wood floor -- with a couple of loose board-ends between the chair on the right and the table. A little off the top.I'm worried about what they use that screw jack for. Clip joint.My first job in the early 60's was shining shoes in a barber shop. I always loved the intricate iron work in the foot rests. And all the arm rests had built in ashtrays. Fresh NewsAll of that newsprint looks pretty fresh. Perhaps it was used to tidy up the atmosphere for the photo. Booster BoardEvery time I see a barber chair, I remember the booster board. That's the board they put across the armrests to boost up a 5-year-old to the barber's height. The ones I remember were padded too, but I don't see any in this photo. No photographer ghosts?All those mirrors and not a single reflection of the camera, photographer or flash equipment. There isn't much to go on; I could take a walk down there and see if the building was razed for a parking lot. Barbershop Rich'sThe newspaper, not surprisingly, has an ad for the mainstay Atlanta department store Rich's. The headlines are talking about Gene Talmadge, Democrat and multi-termed Georgia governor, who created a political machine dynasty that rivaled anything in Boston or Chicago. One of those crooked enigmatic Huey Long types which seemed to resonate with the common man and seemed to bring about good works for them while at the same time rotten… and in his case as well as his son, a later GA governor, racist to the core. What a dumpI am by no means a fastidious person, no obsessive-compulsive disorder here and a little mess does not unhinge me. However, for a barbershop, which has to meet sanitary standards from the board of health and hopefully not spread communicable diseases in a business that specializes in human grooming and handling of biological materials of large groups of people (who may harbor various bacteria and diseases) this place is filthy. Not only are there used towels left hanging everywhere, the place is in total disarray and apparent neglect as far as acceptable housekeeping and illness prevention is concerned. Would you patronize a place like this or take your kids here? In 1936, this was totally unacceptable in the cleanliness department. Goings onI wonder if that "doorbell" button is to warn the people in the back room in case the coppers come in for a raid? re: What a DumpRE What a Dump's comment: I don't think it's dirty at all, nor particularly a fire waiting to happen. We're all set in our 21st century crazy clean and safe world; this is how people lived in the 1930s. They used clean newsprint to deliver babies in, for God's sake. And don't forget fish and chips! It's a tidy little barbershop. And I can't see how anyone can determine the towels are used. I think it's a lovely little shop. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Walker Evans)
Auction & Negro Sales: 1864
Whitehall Street, Atlanta, 1864. This photo of a black Union soldier posted at a slave auction house in Atlanta is one of hundreds taken by George N. Barnard during Gen. Sherman's ... so the same mistakes are not repeated. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2011 - 8:41am -

Whitehall Street, Atlanta, 1864. This photo of a black Union soldier posted at a slave auction house in Atlanta is one of hundreds taken by George N. Barnard during Gen. Sherman's occupation of the city in the fall of 1864. Many were destroyed in the conflagration that erupted upon Sherman's firing of Confederate munitions stores when he departed on Nov. 15. View full size. What's in his hands?A Bible or a BlackBerry? One Stop ShoppingLamp oil? Check. Tobacco? Check. Human being? Check. Shame of slavery...We should also remember that the nation put its very life on the line in order to end it. Thank God we are past this!As a nation we should feel shame that we sold our fellow human beings. Thank god for pictures and history, so the same mistakes are not repeated. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard)
Battle of Nashville: 1864
... component of General Johnston's Confederate Army. Once Atlanta fell, in desperation, the Confederacy split up Johnston's Army and sent ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 7:59pm -

1864. "Nashville. Railroad yard and depot with locomotives; Tennessee Capitol in the distance. From photographs of the War in the West: Hood before Nashville. Continuing his policy of the offensive at any cost, Gen. John B. Hood brought his reduced army before the defenses of Nashville, where it was overthrown by Gen. George H. Thomas on December 15-16, 1864, in the most complete victory of the war. If the date borne on this photograph is correct, it was taken in the course of the battle." Wet plate glass negative by George N. Barnard. View full size. War BonnetWow, nice image of the poke bonnet on the lady to the right. Elegant EnginesThose locomotives are beautiful. Looks like the one that pulled Capt. James West and Artemus Gordon in the Wild Wild West. Battle of NashvilleTo clarify, Hood was the Confederate general, attacking Nashville from the south. The Union defenders had larger numbers, and better leadership, and destroyed Hood's army. In the middle of a war zone, many of the locos are immaculately maintained, in contrast to the track and buildings. The first engine out is interesting, bigger and fancier than the others, and with unusual outside bearing lead truck. Wonder if it was getting prepped for an official's (Gen. Thomas?) inspection train? The tenders are lettered "US Military RR." Thomas CircleMajor General George H. Thomas, a native Virginian, remained true to his oath and became the most successful Union general during the war. His victory over Hood at Nashville did little to improve Grant's dislike of him. Thomas, though, was enormously popular with his soldiers in the Army of the Cumberland who called him "Old Pap". He is commemorated at Thomas Circle in Washington, D.C. (Connecting the Shorpy dots) Holy Mogul!Those shiny American 4-4-0's are really beautiful, but the most interesting locomotive in the picture has to be the burned-out hulk right in the middle. It appears to be a 2-6-0 Mogul with a swiveling front "bogie" truck. Considering that the first recorded locomotive of this type was built for the Louisville & Nashville in 1860, this could the remains of that historic engine, the first of thousands of a very successful locomotive type. Sure would like to know how she ended up in such terrible shape. Fortunes of war? Beat me to it, Code BasherAs many times as I've seen this image and focused on the brass and woodwork of the 4-4-0s by the engine house, this time the 2-6-0 jumped out at me like something from the future (how did that get there?!); the first comment in the column addressed my surprise perfectly. Indexing filesIs there any that the pictures can be indexed? When perusing your files for long periods of time, as I do, I would like to be able to quit the site and return at some time and be able to locate the place where I was previously. However I find no way to accomplish this. Can you help? [Bookmark the page. - Dave] A part of my history was hereWhile recently tracing my ancestry, I found one of my great-great-great-great-grandfathers. Thanks to some wonderful 19th century person/group who understood the value in such things, I found a mini biography of him that says he served under General Thomas; enlisted in Company F, 64th Reg., Ohio Vol. Inf. in September of 1864. 145 years ago. I can't wait to further comb through pictures like these. I figure it's the closest I'll ever get to seeing through his eyes. Battle of NashvilleDuring the Civil War, an army was composed of Cavalry, Artillery, and Infantry. The Cavalry were the eyes and ears of the army. Without a Calvary component, an army was simply not an effective fighting force. Gen Hood commanded the Cavalry component of General Johnston's Confederate Army. Once Atlanta fell, in desperation, the Confederacy split up Johnston's Army and sent Hood to Tennessee to try to disrupt the supply lines to Sherman and to engage the Union forces occupying Tennessee and Kentucky. For both Johnston and Hood, their mission objectives were simply impossible. Johnston stood no chance of stopping Sherman without a viable army. And Hood stood even less of a chance against a well fortified city. Hood's army were so starved that they actually ate pumpkins and walnuts on the march back to Tennessee. For an excellent read on the civil war in the western front from a southern private's perspective I urge you to pick up "Company Aytch" by Samuel Watkins - 1882. Of 3200 men who made up his regiment, 65 returned home - 4 days shy of 4 years from the day they marched off. General Hood sacrificed both legs and an arm in the war. The story is not one of tactics and strategies, but of the daily life and struggles of the southern soldier. Watkins tale is humorous and uplifting. I simply do not know how he found it within himself to keep such a positive spirit against such adversity & desperate circumstances. All of Tennessee should be proud of their native sons... It is a great book! Shelby Foote's favorite on the topic. Beautiful BuildingThe big building on the hill in the upper right corner is very beautiful. Does anyone know if that building still stands? Regardless of that what is the name of the building so I can search for more pictures. Tennessee State CapitolAs noted in the caption, the building is the State Capitol. The street view, though an ugly parking lot now, seems an improvement to me over war nonetheless. View Larger Map View of the capital of Nashville I have lived in Nashville and scoured this area in modern times. The Capital building still stands today without much change! The rail yards shown here in the foreground are long gone but this is the present area of Union street and 10th avenue. Nearby Church street passes under a RR grade. This view looks to the North East and the camera focal length must shorten the distance. (The Gallery, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Nashville, Railroads)
Cadillac Square: 1916
... have a coathanger from this hotel hanging in my closet (in Atlanta). I guess I got it from my father, who probably got it with some of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/11/2015 - 4:58pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1916. "Hotel Pontchartrain and Cadillac Square from City Hall." Detroit Publishing Co. glass negative. View full size. Earlier views of the hotel: Circa 1907, minus the upper floors, and 1910, minus most of the cars. 66?Well, you certainly don't look your age, or something like that. Kudos on your ranking, though it's hardly high enough -- I tell anyone who has the slightest interest in photography OR history about this site. Soldiers and Sailors MonumentThe Soldiers and Sailors Monument at left honored those who served in the Civil War. Dedicated in 1871, it sat there until 2004, when it was moved about 100 feet for a street widening project. In the base of the monument was found a copper box, which was taken to the Detroit Historical Society. It was opened only to find that water had seeped in. All that was found was a bronze medallion and papers (which had the names of all Detroit CW volunteers, according to papers of the day) that had turned to mush. Bertha Kalich,"leading tragedienne of the Yiddish theater." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bertha_Kalich http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0435747/ Convention CityNote the "Worlds Salesmanship Congress - Automobile Salesmen" going on at the Pontchartrain Hotel that particular week. I wonder if car salesmen were as pushy then as they later became. Long-gone cityscapeOf all the buildings in this photo only two still stand, the old Wayne County building in the center background and the commercial building next to the Pontchartrain at the far right. View Larger Map For a Good Time..Go to Detroit. The Gayety Burlesque and the Old Kentucky Whiskey Co. are almost next door to each other. And if you overshoot the Whiskey Co. on your way from the Burlesque, there's a Bar just past it. Don't tell the management... I believe we have a coathanger from this hotel hanging in my closet (in Atlanta). I guess I got it from my father, who probably got it with some of his father's clothes when my grandfather died in Pensacola, FL. I think my grandfather spent some of his youth in Michigan, and I've always wondered how, when, and under what circumstances this thing came to be in our hands... How sad.You'd never see that many people downtown today. Recent AnniversaryOn July 12, 1909, at the Soldiers & Sailors Monument, a large group of cars began a 2000+ mile trek known as the Glidden Tour. On that same spot, 100 years later, a small group of cars gathered to commemorate the event. The Glidden Tour, along with the AAA, did much to promote road improvement in America by demonstrating the awful state of roadways of the day. Hotel What?To the right and behind the Pontchartrain, it looks like "HOTEL ROOKSTOO" What could it be? ["Room $1.00." - Dave] Asking for itI think I'd be afraid nowadays to ask for something advertised as the "Cock of the Walk." I was born in Detroit, but was 9 when my family moved us away. This looks like it was a really neat place. At one time. Does anyone know what the "throne" was for? Re: The ThroneThe Cadillac Chair, a tribute to Detroit's founder, Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac, was dismantled in the 1940s after it became a popular seating location for "vagrants and drunks." http://buildingsofdetroit.com/places/chair There are definitely more than a few buildings in that picture still standing, and the square itself is still somewhat intact. The PontchThe Pontchartrain to me is the angular-brown-glass '70s building, with its "Top of the Pontch" restaurant, that fascinated the suburban kid I was then on terrifying but exciting field trips or sporting-event trips downtown. Was that a completely different building? [The Hotel Pontchartrain in this photo was torn down in 1920. - Dave] Old DetroitI have been told that my father worked at the Hotel Pontchartrain. He died in 1929. In the late 1930s I went to the Gayety once in a while. Left Detroit in 1953. Left Michigan for Seattle in 1980. Another viewhttp://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&FORM=LMLTCP&cp=r1nq3q82cmv6&st... TrolleyLook at the two trolleys in the foreground. They are pulling trailers! A very rare thing in the US-trolley history. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC, Streetcars)
F Street: 1939
... and last word of their theme? [Nunnally's, based in Atlanta, billed itself as "Candy of the South." - Dave] Where the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2012 - 1:01pm -

Washington, D.C. "F Street scenes, January 1939." With the Treasury building in the distance. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Then and nowI spot a "5 and 10." Now they're called dollar stores! TractionNote the tire chains on the Twin Coach bus. By my standards there is not enough snow to justify chains but we don't know where this "Special" is going. In this picture one can see how important public transit was in the 1930s and 1940s. Slim pickin'sIs anyone else stunned by how much leaner we were in those pre-couch-potato, pre-fast-food, pre-supersize-me days? PhenomenalIn the distance near the intersection of 15th Street you can see both Rhodes Tavern and the penultimate Old Ebbitt Grill, both fabled and both gone. Rhodes & Old EbbittI looked for both but couldn't readily identify them in the pic. Can someone point them out to me or give me a point of reference. Great photo and thanks for any assistance! [Click below to enlarge. Rhodes Tavern is the Record City building. Old Ebbitt has since moved around the corner to 15th and G. - Dave] Now & ThinWe walked! To and from public transporation, schools (uphill both ways of course) and stores, all of which were often far apart. Most households had one car, if any, and children did not expect home-based taxi service every time we wanted to go somewhere. Sure, there were no fast-food establishments as we know them now but that is only part of the reason for the slimness. ThrongedThe first thing that jumps out at me is the great throng of people walking on the sidewalks. I can't think of very many places in the country where you could find anything similar today. It these buildings there were shops, restaurants, and just about everything else one could want in life. The cosmopolitan atmosphere is missing just about everywhere today. Toot toot yeah, beep beepI don't see any traffic lights or signals at that intersection where the cab is crossing in front of the trolley. Anyone know how the traffic was managed? [I spy four stoplights at that intersection. - Dave] The candy of the ????I am sure one of you Shorpers knows the neon sign above the Coca Cola one, but I am unfamiliar with it. Can someone translate the brand name and last word of their theme? [Nunnally's, based in Atlanta, billed itself as "Candy of the South." - Dave] Where the heck is everyoneWhere the heck is everyone going at 8:10 a.m.? [Or 1:40. - Dave] Dirty TrickIs that some poor woman's hat sitting on the ledge on the left side of the picture? Doesn't look like it's been there long. [It looks camera-related to me. - Dave] Flathead V8sAt least one 1939 Ford near the mailbox. There may be more in the picture since Ford started using them in 1932. Soundtrack, PleaseNow here's an image that implies a cacophony of sound: The chug-a-lug of those flathead V8s. The crunching rumble of streetcar rails. The ahhOOOgah of auto horns competing with the plaintive bell of the streetcar. The shrill chirp of the traffic cop's whistle. The thock-thock-thock of high heels on pavement. And finally, the voices of passersby -- that mid-Atlantic drawl that offers "ew" in place of "oh." I think I can hear all of these. BaffledThe street cars are electric powered, the source being overhead wires. Where are the wires? [Underground, between the rails. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Streetcars)
Good Job Ray: 1961
... other places--Chicago (twice), St. Louis (three times!), Atlanta, LA, San Francisco, Seattle--almost all before I was in kindergarten. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/13/2022 - 9:26am -

The Columbus, Georgia, Holiday Inn circa 1961. GOOD JOB RAY WRIGHT. This particular Inn had a swimming pool and a trampoline. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. Holiday Inn memoriesMy father was transferred by Shell Oil between NY/NJ and Houston twice in the 60s. With Shell toting the bill we turned each trip into a summer vacation with every night being spent at a Holiday Inn. Each day's routine was the same -- up at 6, breakfast (blueberry pancakes for me) in the motel dining room, drive until 2 and checking into the next Holiday Inn. We swam every afternoon in the motel pool and then dressed up and drove to the closest firehouse where my father asked for dinner recommendations. There were four of us kids packed in the back of our non-air-conditioned Impala and you'd think we would have been miserable but my memories are of the classic Holiday Inn signs that meant "home on the road" and those blueberry pancakes. Structure/Sculptor?What is that thing on the far right in the hotel courtyard below the gent contemplating going out? Looks like some kind of a carousel or something, but made of pretty heavy duty pipe. Potemkin Motelthey just keep moving the same cars from lot-to-lot. '61? it's Georgia, alright -- this is a decoy target built in Tbilisi during the Cold War. More Holiday Inn memoriesCommishbob, your story parallels my own, except for a lot more moving on my part. My dad was on the traveling auditing staff for Shell, so we not only lived in Houston and NY/NJ twice each, but multiple other places--Chicago (twice), St. Louis (three times!), Atlanta, LA, San Francisco, Seattle--almost all before I was in kindergarten. (The usual length of an audit was apparently around three months, and then we'd be off somewhere else.) Thankfully, by the time I hit third grade, we settled in Houston for good. I was the only kid for all but the last move, and I pretty much grew up in the back of a Ford Country Squire station wagon. We lived in many different types of houses and apartments, but our home away from home was always a Holiday Inn. The blinking star atop what writer James Lileks calls "The Great Sign" was a shiny beacon to me; it told me we were "home" for a while. (Mom and Dad are still around, so I'll be sending them this link.) VIPRay must be a very important person -- they even have the ENTRANCE sign pointing directly at him! [Because he's entranced? - Dave] This place is topsI found this postcard on eBay with a date stamp 1961. The address on the card is 3510 Victory Drive, Google Street View below. My parents were among the founding members of the United Methodist Church in which I grew up. Years later, I heard a comedian do a bit about religions. He said "Methodism is the Holiday Inn of religions. You check in. You get comfortable. As long as you pay your bill and don't trash the room, everything is okay." Click to embiggen. Holiday Inn Memories!In the 1960s and '70s my dad (who worked for GM and got an annual two-week vacation) and the rest of the family, Mom and four kids, would go on a road trip and we always stayed in Holiday Inns because Dad could make reservations ahead. The Inns were always the same, and to my delight when the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village (Dearborn, Mi.) renovated their "Automobile and American Life" exhibit in the '90s, they built a Holiday Inn room! EXACTLY like every one I remembered, right down to the blue shag carpet and the little paper hats on the drinking glasses! I sometimes see those chairs in an antique store or secondhand shop and I think "I know where you came from!" Here's a pic of the Museum's exhibit (courtesy Missy S on Pinterest). Dressed up '50 FordOn the far right! Skirts, spinner hubcaps, sun visor on the windshield AND on the side windows. At 11 years old might belong to the help. Fastest car on the lot is probably the '58 Pontiac next to the 1960 Ford, but the '55 Olds 88 on the far left has a Rocket under its hood. Raymond Wright of Columbuswas feted at Macon in September 1961 at the annual meeting of the Home Builders Association of Georgia as the association's retiring president. I suspect the marquee refers to this milestone. His firm, Raymond M. Wright, Inc., is still building homes in Georgia, primarily the Columbus area: http://www.raymwrightinc.com/history.html My guessRay Wright updates the message board. Ray Wright Raymond Michael Wright 1914-1995 Married in Wake County, NC, in 1944. Marriage record lists Army rank as Staff Sergeant. Possibly ended up in Columbus from a tour at Fort Benning. He began as a carpenter and in the early '50s started a contracting business. His obituary lists past president of local and state home builders associations. He was inducted into the National Homebuilders Hall of Fame in 1980. Holiday Inn was pleased with his work. Numbers GameThe address on the postcard posted by Doug Floor Plan, 3510 Victory Drive, has us thrown off a bit, I think. Indeed, that may have once been this motel's address, but I'm pretty certain this Holiday Inn building still stands at 3170 Victory Drive. Built in 1958, the motel was most recently seen in Budgetel livery, but it also did some time as a Days Inn. Did they move the building to a new address? Of course not! It's much more likely that the address was changed, probably for alignment with a new numbering system. [By 1965, the address was 3170. - Dave] No fenceIn the postcard picture the first thing I noticed was the lack of a fence around the pool. It really was a different time in America. [1961, to be specific. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
Hoosier Gothic: 1938
... it's hanging in my shop. It was originally installed in Atlanta in the 1930s. So here's the deal with color placement. THree-color ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2016 - 7:26pm -

June 1938. "City hall and courthouse in Vincennes, Indiana." Behold the Palace of Tweets, formerly known as the White House. Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Clock Tower, Gothic?Alright, I'm waiting for the little Goth man to pop out on the little balconies and announce, what, the time? The king's audience dates? Gotta be a use for all that fancy shmancy brickwork. What to do?Would it be too sinful to stop and have a bite at the Palace of Sweets before going to the Revival Meeting at the Pilgrim Church? Stoplight arrangementAs described by tterrace's description could the arrangement of the lights be a way to simplify the wiring and only use one bulb for each light position? i.e. one bulb to illuminate both the red and green lenses simultaneously. Sideways traffic lightsQuebec has them mounted sideways. Threw me for a loop the first time I saw them. Takes a bit of getting used to. Well, that, and the French road signs. Green Light StopThe green light is lit up with "Stop"? [Some early signals were designed to display red-yellow-green from top to bottom on the main street and green-yellow-red from top to bottom on the cross street. -tterrace] RedBirthplace of Red Skelton (1913-1997) Stop and GoThe signal is a Darley, and yes there is one bulb for each level. The lenses are sought-after items. Can anybody read the wording on the sign on the corner? The one lone automobile is:a 1936 Dodge 2dr sedan with a nice pair of accessory fog lamps. I thinkthe sign on the corner says "Old Post Trail." Fourth and MainA photographic history of Vincennes reports that "the City razed the building in 1950 in an effort to devote Main Street exclusively to commerce." Two city halls later, the beauty of this 1887 icon has not exactly returned. Old Post Trail"But the evidence is along the Old Post Trail, a road which takes one on a pilgrimage to 28 historic shrines." Chicago Tribune (hit Read in the upper right of the box): Chicago Tribune, April 14, 1946 Traffic signal IDThe traffic light in the photo is not a Darley despite the "Stop" on the bottom. It's locally produced by Tokheim, the oil tank and gas pump maker -- a Model 1200 aerial signal with command lenses. It was produced from 1926 onward. In 1938 this division was sold off to Automatic Signal of Norwalk, Conn., and shortly thereafter all variations of this design were discontinued. They had a decent sized market in the Midwest. Indiana, Ohio and Michigan all are known to have their signals, several hanging until just recently. They were impressively constructed affairs, thick cast aluminum, thick glass, heavy steel hangers. The one in the photo weighed around 120 pounds. Their Achilles' heel was the poor quality of foundry aluminum used, very dirty and porous. Coupled with the signal collecting moisture, despite drain holes, meant the bottom often rotted out quickly. Pretty much any remaining in service were repaired. Green on the top wasn't too unusual for the 1920s and '30s. Even in lights like this one, which used 12 bulbs, green on the top/bottom was done for various reasons including distinguishing the main street from the side street to aid in navigation. I have one in my collection, from Batavia, Ohio. (On the left.) Palace Of TweetsYoung folks think they invented the internet. Darley C-811The aluminum colored signal is a Darley C-811. I actually own this signal and it's hanging in my shop. It was originally installed in Atlanta in the 1930s. So here's the deal with color placement. THree-color vertical railroad signals typically had red at the bottom because the indication was more in alignment with the view of railroad engineers. (The original lamps weren't very bright.) Some of the first traffic signals used that same convention. Several makes of early traffic signals (like this one) only used three bulbs, one per section, that shone in all four directions. In those instances red on the cross streets had to be on the bottom and green on the top. Eventually a standard was adopted where red would always be on top and green on the bottom, the logic being that motorists were more likely to see the "upper" color above vehicles in front of them, and red was the most important color. A standardized placement also helped people with color-blindness. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Small Towns, Streetcars)
National Cash Register: 1904
... the digital revolution I worked for a tech company in Atlanta that NCR acquired in the mid-1980s. My new manager was in Dayton and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/12/2020 - 10:16pm -

Dayton, Ohio, 1904. "Tool room of the National Cash Register Co." A case study in belt-and-pulley power transmission. George R. Lawrence Co. photo. View full size. Another belt for my friendThat room would drive an OSHA inspector to drink. Belt UpLooking at that, I can see why most of the guys wore bow ties. Even so, it looks as though ties caught in belts, was negated by the aprons. As a side note, during college I did my internship at NCR Microfilm annex here in Dayton. My job was to scan salesman expense reports. Twisted BeltsI believe the reason for the twist in the belt is to make both surfaces wear against the wheel. Makes the belt last longer. It's a Man's WorldNot a woman in sight. They were all busy washing and pressing next day's attire for their men. Twist and shoutMesmerizing! But I've never understood the logic behind putting a twist into old-fashioned drive belts between pulleys, or what kept the belts aligned on the flat pulleys without guide rims. It seems like the slightest imbalance would walk the belts right off the pulleys, resulting in constant delays realigning the belts. Ka-Ching!Hey, I can see my register beginning to take form—third bench back, on the left. (Just kidding, it's said to be from the 20s.) What are they?Ok Shorpy sleuths I see two what look like coffeepots on the two machines in the middle from the bottom up. Looks like more farther up as well.  They look like they are floating in the air, no base they are sitting on.  What are they, some kind of automatic drip oiler? Hot coffee with no visible means of support?  Photoshopped in? Inquiring minds want to know. Land of the Finger AnnihilatorsIncredible, every few feet you have numerous belts and pulleys just waiting for an errant finger. I wonder what the injury rate was in factories like this. Neatly attiredThe toolmakers of that day and up into perhaps the '50s were dressed up, wearing a tie and the traditional white apron. As hectic as the scene looks, tools are neatly laid out and the area is clean. With all that noiseThe two most common words spoken would be: Huh? and What? Twisted beltsI think there are three reasons for the twist in the belts: 1) Untwisted belts tend to flap, and that flapping tends to walk the belt off the pulley 2) Twisted belts even out wear because both sides of the belt are in contact with a pulley instead of only one side 3) There is a little more 'wrap angle', meaning more of the belt is in contact with the pulley Twist in the belts"Mesmerizing! But I've never understood the logic behind putting a twist into old-fashioned drive belts between pulleys.." The twist allowed it to run the opposite direction. Depending on how the machine was oriented relative to the overhead drive pulley, it could be easily changed to run in the direction needed. Belts Were Twisted... so that wear could be evenly distributed on both sides of the belt. Here's a ThoughtThis entire room full of people were probably replaced by a machine and a couple of folks to watch over it. NCR was at one time one of the largest employers in Dayton. Not anymore. Incidentally, I wouldn't mind having the job of the guy in the suit holding down that table near the middle-left! TwistThe twist reverses the direction of rotation. The belts stay on owing to a rounded crown on the pulley. Belts climb towards the high spot. What derails a belt is slippage under load. Safety FirstStudied this very carefully. I don't see glasses or goggles on anyone! I wonder how many eye injuries there were back then. I worked around machine tools for 40 years and wouldn't turn a machine on unless I had my safety glasses on. Just common sense. I would love to walk through this shop. Drip SystemThis "coffeepot" sure looks like a drip oil setup to me: How it worksThe face of each pulley is not flat, but has a slight crown at its centerline which causes the belt to stay centered. A single line shaft next to the windows powers this entire side of the shop. Some of those belts have twists in them, some do not. Those twists in the belts are to reverse the direction of rotation of the driven pulleys above the machines at the right. The long wooden levers hanging from the ceiling near each operator are used to guide the driven end of its belt(s) to idler pulleys to stop the machine, to shift to a larger or smaller pulley to change the speed of the machine, and/or to switch belts to change the machines direction of rotation. In the 1980s and '90s I was safety director over 26 manufacturing plants, one of which still used the belt-and-pulley system. It actually had the best safety record of the 26. And, yes it was state and OSHA inspected. Ladies?Nary a woman to be seen in this photograph! Interesting because NCR was notable for providing special facilities for women as part of their industrial welfare initiatives. Belt-gium BeerThe Cantillon Brouwerij in Brussels still uses a belt-driven drive shaft to power their mash tun. The belt is adjusted onto the main drive shaft with a wooden paddle. The old ways are sometimes the best ways! My older brother (whose lovely wife is from Dayton) somehow successfully bid at an auction on a nice extra-large humidor that was once the property of a turn-of-the Century CEO at NCR. Very niiiiiiiice. Teutonic Tap and DieMy wife's people worked at NCR in Dayton for a couple generations. All four of her grandparents worked there at one time or another in the first half of the last century. They were all immigrants: Lithuanian/Prussian and German on her father's side, and her mother's folks were Polish and Hungarian. I'm not sure what kinds of jobs her great-grandparents had at NCR, but their children ended up in sales and one was a telephone operator. All ended up squarely in the home-owning middle class. Their labor lifted next generation, some with with the help of the GI Bill, to become journalists, managers, and tradesmen. I ordered a print of this photo for my son, a freshman mechanical engineering student, to hang in his dorm room, in hopes he recognizes the hum of electric motors, the smell of machine oil and the grit of steel filings is in his DNA. That's my dadNo, it's not literally Dad, but he was a toolmaker for L.G. Balfour for 46 years (1939-85). I visited the tool room a couple times, and it looked much like this. If you have a college ring, it was probably made by L.G. Balfour. Toolmaker's TrickThe nearby workers are using micrometers to press parts to the required diameter. What a joyful view for a machinistThere are so many cool things to be seen here, and the tools are all miniature, as would be appropriate for smaller parts. On the little table in front right is a small (perhaps 3 inch) machinist's vise. It would be clamped down to the T-slots in the table on one of the milling machines using those ears at the bottom. The first machine front-and-center appears to be a horizontal milling machine, with some kind of power takeoff from the belt drive to run a power cross feed for the table. There is a baby horizontal mill up and to the left with a crossed belt driving what appears to be a similar power cross feed. Modern milling machines use motors to drive their table feeds. The purpose of a power cross feed is to automatically turn the cranks to move the table in a manner so as to get an even cutting action across the part, leaving a nice finish and easing wear on the machinist's arm. The "coffee pots" are possibly filled with cutting fluid and dripping coolant onto the part. Either that or the guys kept their coffee handy. This is a job handled today by small pumps and 5-gallon jugs of coolant or a coolant sump. To the right of the first machine is a bit of the bed and tailstock of a lathe with a fellow assembling a small part. Behind him is a young looking guy working on the coolest little shaper I have ever seen--I want one of those in my basement. A shaper is a fairly simple tool that pushes a hand-sharpened tool bit across the metal work piece, taking off shavings in a straight line. In this case, the tool moves horizontally, in front of the fellow from his left to right, pushed by the ram--that long cylindrical portion. It typically makes a few dozen strokes per minute, shifting the vise position a little bit over with each stroke. He has his left hand on the height adjustment for his tool bit, which is just above the part in the vise jaws, possibly moving the bit down a few thousandths. The guy on the front left is working on a surface plate with a height gauge, scribing lines on a part that probably has the old-school equivalent of bluing on it. I believe they used a chemical solution that would leave copper on the part. These days we use Dykem, a stinky paint that comes in red and blue varieties. The purpose of both marking solutions is to dye the part so a scribed line will be sharp and bright. And you can be sure that all of the hand tools have the owner's name engraved in them. Some things never change. "Coffeepots"They are oil rag containers. Used cleaning rags were stored in them to reduce mess and prevent spontaneous combustion. Factories lost to the digital revolutionI worked for a tech company in Atlanta that NCR acquired in the mid-1980s. My new manager was in Dayton and would have to travel there often. I remember seeing all these open spaces that were parking lots with no cars. These "lots" were the locations of the factory buildings that created the mechanicals for the cash registers depicted in the photo. NCR founder John Patterson had experienced some serious quality problems in 1894 (with defective cash registers being returned) at his dimly lit "sweatshops" of the period; to find out why quality tanked, he moved his desk to the factory floor. Didn't take long for him to figure the work environment was terrible. He commissioned architect Frank Andrews to "recast NCR in well-separated, steel framed buildings with walls 80 percent glass," which allowed workers to see what they were doing. Noted landscape architect John Charles Olmsted did the surrounding grounds. By the late 1960s it was all over for mechanical cash registers. NCR had moved into the digital age in the 1950s, and no longer needed those glass walled buildings of belts, craftsmen and the like; they were summarily demolished leaving nothing but "parking lots." Fun Fact: Thomas Watson was a sales manager at NCR until he was fired in 1914. He went on to found IBM. Attached image from "Lost Dayton, Ohio" by Andrew Walsh. (Technology, The Gallery, Factories)
Court of Railways: 1939
... of Georgia Tech. In 1939, Granddaddy was working for the Atlanta Journal newspaper and covered the fair. My grandmother was in her ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2022 - 3:27pm -

"New York World's Fair (1939-40) railroad exhibit. Historic locomotives at Court of Railways." 35mm color transparency by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Rolling Romance It is perhaps lamentable that our high-tech age has largely forgotten the powerfully romantic appeal that railroading held for earlier generations, as the steam goliaths of yesteryear stirred a wanderlust and thirst for adventure among millions of young Americans -- not to mention a passion among countless fascinated boys for all things mechanical. While well represented in popular songs such as "The Atchison, Topeka, and the Santa Fe," "Sentimental Journey," and "Chattanooga Choo Choo," the railroad's place in the American heart was perhaps best expressed by the poet Edna St. Vincent Millay: The railroad track is miles away, And the day is loud with voices speaking. Yet there isn't a train goes by all day But I hear its whistle shrieking. All night there isn't a train goes by, Though the night is still for sleep and dreaming, But I see its cinders red on the sky And hear its engine steaming. My heart is warm with the friends I make, And better friends I'll not be knowing. Yet there isn't a train I wouldn't take, No matter where it's going. The World of YesterdayHistoric, as in "history", sums it all up: within a decade-and-a-half steam would be all but dead on the country's rails. Boom Times in CharlestonRightmost: A replica of the 1830 locomotive "Best Friend of Charleston". The original engine's working life ended in a rather spectacular way on 17 June 1831 when the engineer felt annoyed by the sound of steam released by the safety valve and decided to solve the issue by simply closing the valve. The result was a 4th of July fireworks slightly ahead of schedule. Fortunately, the 1928 replica seen in this photo is not known for detonations. Some Family Ties to the 1939 New York World's FairMy paternal grandparents first met at the '39 World's Fair in New York. My grandfather was a recent graduate of Georgia Tech. In 1939, Granddaddy was working for the Atlanta Journal newspaper and covered the fair. My grandmother was in her senior year at Columbia University. Amazingly, they were both from Georgia. Grandma and Granddaddy likely saw the trains that are pictured. Back in the 1980s, when I was a kid, I wish I had asked them more about that fair. I wish had asked them, both, more about a lot of things! Please educate mePerhaps someone will explain to me why this photograph looks like a painting. [Color-shifting. - Dave] in the family 2Grandfather was an engineer for the NYCS, I worked for Conrail briefly and pulled the "put in service plate" off the side of an engine dated within his work history, still have it. The NYCS and Nickel Plate Road tracks ran a quarter mile from our house, late at night the "ringing" of the wheels could be heard along with the "clickity-clack". PRR No. 3768Pennsylvania Railroad No. 3768, the leftmost locomotive, is in the K4 "Pacific" series, which were used until the late 50's. The streamlining seen here was only fitted to 6 locomotives in the series. The shrouds impeded maintenance, so they were removed later in the locomotive's life. Want to see this one at work, still in its streamlined glory? It's easy to find the film noir mystery "The Great Flamarion" on line. There are a few moments of 3768 hard at work at about 21:40 in the film; the time will vary a bit, depending on what copy of the film you find. No. 3768 was retired in October 1953, and was sold for scrap. The TMI RRFor some it will be Too Much Information but for the railroad connoisseurs, aficionados or the just plain RR Nutsies aboard the Shorpy Express it will be an occasion to break out a premium six pack or vintage bubbly along with bowls of popcorn as they delve deep into the tender cars of the historic locomotives at the Court of Railways in the 1939 New York World's Fair railroad exhibit. Raymond LoewyIndustrial Designer Raymond Loewy's work, if I recall correctly. He also designed the Studebaker Avanti, the Greyhound Scenicruiser bus, and the Coca Cola bottle, among many other famous innovations. Amazing guy. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC, Railroads)
Fealy's Corner: 1920
... to San Francisco -- Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas etc. With the advent of the faster electrial streetcars, most ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 6:48pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1920. "Fealy's Corner, 11th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue." Dr. Martin Fealy's pharmacy at 1024 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Four People?I see one and I'm wondering just how much time was spent on making the photo. The one person I see is down the trolley track and doesn't seem to be blurred very much, which means that they barely moved. I'm still looking for the others, though. EmptyToo bad they don't have time and date information written with these. When has a DC street ever been that empty? [I see four people in this time exposure. One to the left of the mailbox. - Dave] Butterfield HouseThis corner is now a recently built condo block called Butterfield House, "constructed in the finest architectural tradition." The blog DC Mud has an article and high-res photo from approximately the same angle. And before any preservationists start to moan about the loss of historical buildings for another condo tower, this article notes that prior to the current project, the corner was occupied by a Shell station. An instructive photo for me, in that I have never realized that the wide medians on Pennsylvania Ave SE are a relic of the streetcar system. Why were these taken?These real estate photos are wonderful documents, but what was their purpose? Some, like the pictures of the new row houses most likely figured in advertising for the properties. But photos like this, of an obviously established business, are a bit more puzzling. The most puzzling are the auto accident photos, Did the photographer just happen by, and decide it would make an interesting picture? Stringing for a newspaper?Any ideas, anyone? [The National Photo clients for many of these were real estate developers. Who in this case might have included Dr. Fealy, who in the late teens bought up the block from 1020 to 1024 Pennsylvania. Perhaps he had a hand in putting up the rowhouses behind the pharmacy. It looks like some of them are still standing. - Dave] Streetcar TrackAnybody know if the groove between the rails was for cable access or was electric current picked up through this groove? Theres no overhead source of power. I was under the impression that San Francisco had the only cable car system in the USA. [The track is for electric streetcars, not cable cars (although there was a cable car loop in Georgetown). The electrical power supply here is under the middle groove. - Dave] Streetcar TracksCable cars (as in San Francisco) are propelled by grabbing onto a cable that moves under the street. What appears to be a third rail is actually a slot through which a grip extends down from the car to grasp the moving cable. In the late 1800's to the early 1900's there were cable car lines in most large cities in addition to San Francisco -- Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas etc. With the advent of the faster electrial streetcars, most were replaced by the 1910's. Some cities had electric streetcars drawing their power from a similar "third rail" slot in the middle of the track. Washington, D.C., had the most extensive system of this type, seen in the photo here. Subways use a third rail between the tracks to pick up their electrical power. D.C. Down UnderWashington was one of two cities in the US (the other: New York, specifically Manhattan) to use a conduit system for provision of the necessary 600 volt DC power used to move streetcars. A device called a plow hung from the rear truck of the car, reaching down into the conduit. In the conduit were two conductors, similar to overhead trolley wire in other cities. Devices called shoes contacted the conductors, drawing the requisite current. The last remnants of the conduit system went out of service in January 1962 when the last three Washington streetcar lines were converted to bus operation. Now, about cable cars: not only San Francisco had them, but so did nearly every other major Northern or Eastern city in the US from about 1882 to 1906 or so, including Washington. (Major exceptions: Boston and Minneapolis.) See "The Cable Car in America" by George W. Hilton. NeighborsMy great-great grandparents from Ireland lived at 1016 Pennsylvania Avenue SE in 1915 and had a grocery store there (he died at 1016). I would love to see some of the grocery stores the immigrants had in SE and SW Washington during the period of 1890-1915. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets, Streetcars)
Leg Factory: 1916
... By 1919, the J.E. Hanger Company had branches in Atlanta, London, Paris, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Mr. Hanger ... has branch offices in St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta plans to ship 250 legs and arms each month till the immense order is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/01/2016 - 12:43pm -

Circa 1916. "Section of lumber curing department." The raw materials for making wooden legs at what might be the Pittsburgh workshops of J.E. Hanger Artificial Limb Co. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Workplace ...safety?Given the unguarded belts and motor drives, grinders, and other assorted hazards, this workplace looks like a good place to LOSE a limb. Then we have the issue of dust collection and respiratory hazards. At least there are plenty of windows for passive ventilation, weather permitting. And there on the far left in the back, a fire extinguisher hangs on the wall. Faded FineryI'd love to know what this room was like before the peg-leggers moved in. Just look at that ceiling. And is that a remnant of ornamental moulding on the far-left window? "Arrrrgg!""'Tis a fine peg-leg they be makin' here!" At least judging by the one on the table. It looks like there are more anatomical ones hanging in the back. I guess it depends on how much you want to spend. A room with stories to tellWindows that let in light and can be opened for fresh air, yet limit the pleasures of a view of the world outside. Perfectly symbolic for a room in which artifical legs are made. And who works in this room with the horrible views, dangerous machinery and beautiful ceiling? Perhaps a large, rough working man with a beautiful voice. And he sings only when he's working, his voice barely audible above the roar of the machines. Naturally he loves a sweet young woman from afar, and someday she will hear his voice and ... My, oh my, I do love Shorpy! It's better than an old novel! A hinge at the kneeFrom the Hanger website: In 1861, James Edward Hanger became the first amputee of the Civil War. He returned to his hometown in Virginia where he set his mind to walking again. When a satisfactory prosthetic solution was not available, he fashioned an artificial leg for himself -- a device constructed of whittled barrel staves with a hinge at the knee. It worked so well, the state legislature commissioned him to manufacture the “Hanger Limb” for other wounded Civil War veterans. Mr. Hanger patented his prosthetic device and his business thrived. He continued to develop revolutionary products, helping veterans and other amputees regain mobility. By 1919, the J.E. Hanger Company had branches in Atlanta, London, Paris, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Mr. Hanger turned his personal tragedy into an invaluable service to mankind. His ingenuity and desire to help other wounded veterans set an unmatched standard for nearly 150 years, touching an untold number of lives. Casualties of War 200,000 Artificial Limbs Ordered by the Allies From American Firm Piitsburgh, Pa., Oct 3. - Fifteen million dollars' worth of artificial legs and arms for crippled soldiers will be made by the J.E. Hanger Artificial Limb Company to fill orders awarded by the English and French governments. The concern, which has branch offices in St. Louis, Washington, D.C., and Atlanta plans to ship 250 legs and arms each month till the immense order is complete. The first shipment from the Pittsburgh factory will be tomorrow. Discussing the order, Mr. Hanger said: "Two hundred and fifty legs a month is all our factories can make now, running double turn. We will be in shape in a few months to turn out 1,200 to 1,500 a month. We are getting out the limbs in the rough, and they will be finished and fitted in factories in London and Paris." The English and French nations have asked American manufacturers to bid on contracts for 200,000 artificial legs for soldiers. Such a legs sells for about $75. Washington Post, Oct 4, 1915 The Belted WorldWhat a great picture! To see a woodshop with the complete belting setup is a treat. That was how they did it in them days. Machine shops and wood shops were all belted. No breaker boxes, no extension cords, and primarily, all natural light. This seems to be more than just a section of the wood curing department. Looks like all pieces were cut and roughed out here then sent elsewhere to sand and finish. Bison BeltsThe belt drive technology shown in this shop was a major factor in the near extinction of the American Bison. Commercial hunters slaughtered thousands daily taking only the hides. Those were shipped east to be made into leather drive belts for factories. Granted, some hides were exported to Europe and some were made into lap robes and Army winter overcoats. Most ended up driving the American Industrial Revolution. By the time this picture was taken, there were probably fewer than 1000 buffalo left. Fortunately, other belt materials were developed. A good ideaThe shop floor seen here, and others like it in countless Shorpy photos, demonstrates why the development of the simple shop-vac was a huge step forward. I believe our ancestors lived in a world of dust and debris. One day the mental light bulb came on and some ingenious person thought "We've got to clean up this mess!" Those bench vises are the sturdiest I've seen. VaultDon't know why I thought of this, but I did. Can you imagine the day this photo was taken that the door was shut on this workplace and left untouched till today? It would be breathtaking to walk in and see the room just as it was left. I actually read a good story not too long ago about a toy company (Smith Miller) that was shut like that. http://www.smith-miller.com/about/ Willow woodI used to be in the back rooms of the prosthetic shops, whittling away at these wood blanks. Many of those old companies still running today (Hanger included) got their start from the inconceivable number of limbless veterans from the Civil War. I see stacks of AK (above knee) and BK (below knee) and knee blanks. Someone's working on an AK with a single axis knee in the center of the bench; must have a hip joint with leather belt. Those ankles with the recess for the bumper are still available and widely used. I fabricated these for many a war vet. The machines have changed very little and those benches and vises look very familiar. A few still wear wooden sockets, which are are heavier than modern fiberglass and carbon fiber reinforced plastics. But if well made, they don't weigh too much more. I do miss "getting into the zone," working with all that wood and machinery. I kept all my fingers! Recycled steering wheelsAs a carpenter and woodworker, I was enthralled by this shop. Then I noticed a clever and ingenious bit of recycling: they fit old automobile steering wheels on the threaded shafts of those four big bench clamps - much smoother and easier than the common sliding pins they replaced! (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Pittsburgh, WWI)
Time to Die: July 7, 1865
... It has thos of photos like these, and quite a few of Atlanta after Sherman. [That's where this is from - Dave] Scene of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2018 - 3:42pm -

Gen. John F. Hartranft reading the death warrant to the four condemned Lincoln assassination conspirators (Mrs. Surratt, Payne, Herold, Atzerodt) on the scaffold at Fort McNair, Washington. July 7, 1865. View full size. Photograph by Alexander Gardner. More execution photos at GhostCowboy. Have you ever checked outHave you ever checked out the Prints and Photographs webpage of the Library of Congress? It has thos of photos like these, and quite a few of Atlanta after Sherman. [That's where this is from - Dave] Scene of the ExecutionA photograph taken after the hanging has been on display in the basement bar of the Officer's Club at Ft McNair -- as I recall, in the alcove outside the restrooms. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Alexander Gardner, Civil War, D.C.)
My Five Sons: 1899
... Sansome, and sons Robert and Walter at the Askew home in Atlanta. 1899 or 1900. View full size. The Askew residence, at 114 Summit ... Very surprising to see a mixed race ensemble in Atlanta at that time. Maybe Mr. Sansome was the token white guy. ;-) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2012 - 2:44pm -

"Summit Avenue Ensemble." Photographer Thomas Askew's twin sons Clarence and Norman, son Arthur, neighbor Jake Sansome, and sons Robert and Walter at the Askew home in Atlanta. 1899 or 1900. View full size. The Askew residence, at 114 Summit Avenue, burned in the Great Fire of 1917. EnsembleWhat a great looking troupe of young players, I bet they played as well as they looked. What a fine looking groupSuch a handsome and dignified group of young men...another group that I would love to know what became of them. integrated!Very surprising to see a mixed race ensemble in Atlanta at that time. Maybe Mr. Sansome was the token white guy. ;-) DiddyI think the young man on the far right is P-Diddy's great-great grandfather, A-Diddy. The FiddlerSeated in the front looks just like Kenan Thompson from SNL. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Portraits)
Nelmobile: 1937
... Nelm B. Clark, born January 28, 1921, died in Atlanta on March 6, 2004, at age 83. He was a member of St. Bartholomew’s ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 7:11pm -

March 30, 1937. "Transportation and no parking worries. Nelm Clark, 16-year old Washington, D.C., youngster, solved this problem by combining a lawn mower motor with a set of motorcycle gears to make this unusual midget auto. Costing $60 to build, the contraption weighs only 150 pounds -- the weight is its main feature -- and if you run out of gas you easily push it or tuck it under your arm and walk home." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. IngeniousAnd where is he now? President of Chrysler??? Our Gang!Looking at that photo, I can't help but think of the Our Gang short "Hi Neighbor!" where the gang raced their fire engine against the rich kids: Tuck it under your arm?Maybe if you're Hulk Hogan. C'mon, Dad helpedThis picture reminds me of when I was young. We were always searching for baby carriages put out in the trash so we could pirate the wheels and build a racer. Always had fun. Always crashed. We didn't have the luck of acquiring a lawn mower engine, or $60 either! Nelm Clark 1921-2004Amazing what one finds on the Internet. Nelm B. Clark, born January 28, 1921, died in Atlanta on March 6, 2004, at age 83. He was a member of St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church. Obviously he survived his harrowing rides in the Nelmobile. TimingOnly 72 years too early. A soap box derby racer with an engine! Wonder if it had trouble passing Inspection! In '37, were there Inspections? Very nice. I guess it ran on Sikijom, hi-test! Ahead of his timeNelm was too advanced for 1937 - in the 1950s, anyone who read magazines like Popular Mechanics must have seen the ads for the King Midget. It was a car only a little more developed than Nelm's, though the price was bumped to $500 (a fair amount of money in the mid-50s). You could get it in kit form. Street LegalIt had to be street legal, it even had a horn. It looks like it has an automatic clutch that put it in forward when giving it the gas. I had a clutch like that on a motor scooter in the early 50's. Nelm the FlyboyIn January 1945, Nelm, who lived at 113 South Clifton Terrace, was an airman in advanced flight training at Blackland Army Air Field, Texas. VroomWow, it sure looks a lot larger than a typical lawn mower engine of the times. As a kid we would try to put an old motor on anything that had 4 wheels, dreaming of the later years of being a hot rod builder. The favorite of mine was a washing machine engine as it had a great foot starter, and were relatively easy to find in the 50's as most all washing machines were electric long before then. Most garages and sheds had one or two kicking around. The best item on this "car" is the Harley Davidson horn! [Below: 1931 lawnmower ad. - Dave] You're right Dave ... much larger than I remembered. Waaay ahead of his time!Hey, it's a SMART car, circa 1937! A car for our own timeWow, looks a lot like the little tiny cars we'll all be driving soon under the new "Cafe Standards." 1936 Chevrolet MasterThe Derby Racer is cool but check out the 1936 Chevrolet Master two-door sedan parked behind it. I have the same model in my collection for the past 36 years but this is one of the first I have seen pictured. Lots of 37 Chevy varieties, or 36 four-doors or converts or 36 Standards but this is the first 1936 two-door Master. I only just discovered your site today and I love it. Thanks for the memories. Hot grill(e)Let's mention that cover on the Chevy grille. A very common accessory back in the day. My dad had one for his '35 Ford and in order to keep the coolant temp up high enough in cold weather so the heater could produce some reasonable BTUs, the cover blocked varying amounts of cold air through the radiator, depending on how the zipper and snaps were adjusted. I see this was taken at the end of March, so in warmish springtime D.C., I'd say the owner by then should have tossed the cover in the trunk until next November. Let's run out to White Flint"Time to go shopping. I'll just back out of this spot. Nothing in my mirror but that Chevy way behind." Varooooom CRUNCH That Norm was a real tech Georgia Tech class of '43, in fact, where he was a member of Phi Gamma Delta fraternity. In a fraternity newsletter I found his grandson (different surname) with this info appended: • Gamma Tau Legacy – Grandfather Nelm Clark ’43 – Mechanical Engineer (deceased) and Great grandfather Alexander Clark ‘04 Cornell • Designed and built Ramblin’ Wreck parade contraption and Greek Week downhill racer NOTE the last entry, the "downhill racer". Grandpa Nelm must have liked that (he was still alive). (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Kids)
In the Shop: 1939
... "Repairing automobile motor at the FSA warehouse depot in Atlanta, Georgia." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm ... better. Under the hood I think I see the Shroud Of Atlanta, or maybe the Hood of Atlanta. Overhaul already? That 221 cubic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/29/2019 - 3:50pm -

May 1939. "Repairing automobile motor at the FSA warehouse depot in Atlanta, Georgia." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Look the other way!The engine stand is fully rotatable and adaptable to the crazy variety of engines around then! The Ford there is set up here to rotate around 90 degrees to the center of its axis, but since it is a very compact engine it could also attach 90 degrees to that and rotate on its crank axis. The big crank handle and gear motivate the rotation, and the two rails beside the engine hold the engine. This general sort of engine stand was supplied with a large variety of brackets to directly fit popular engines to the rails. It had to be able to accept huge variations in length, shape and weight. There were nearly all the shapes we have now, large straight sixes, lots of straight eights, and, almost unbelievably, Cadillac made V-16's through 1940. The long ramp leading up to the mechanic's feet provided the space needed to hold at least most of these, from flat-two Crosleys up to the 16's. Tired engineRemember that most roads in the USA in 1937-39 and well after were dirt, maybe dirt and gravel and if in a really well off county they were dirt, gravel with a generous (sometimes) cover of heated tar. And I am pretty sure that an oil bath air filter was standard on all cars meaning copious amounts of dust made its way to the combustion chamber and the the cylinder walls making a great oil and grit very fine scrubbing compound to eat away cylinders. In this case the mechanic is probably only replacing the oil rings on the pistons. Next tear down the heads come off and the cylinders get a 20, 30 or maybe even a 60 thousandths bore, new pistons and rings, at a minimum. Not the one the revenuers use I see the MayPops are mounted on the front wheels this time. Wouldn't want to go driving around North Georgia on those tires. Too many curves, hills, frog drowner rainstorms, and the dropoff past the berm on most roads is still pretty steep. Appears that the FSA didn't have a laundry contract for coveralls. That one could likely stand up in the corner when doffed. TiredNice Maypop Onionskin on the front passenger side. And the driver's side not much better. Under the hoodI think I see the Shroud Of Atlanta, or maybe the Hood of Atlanta. Overhaul already?That 221 cubic inch flathead V8 is being pulled from a car that's only two years old. Also interesting to see that the Department of Agriculture had their own fleet maintenance in those days. That has been the purview of the GSA for decades now. Two yearsI drive a 2006 car and change the oil every 3,000 miles (5,000 km here in Canada), but I don’t even bother checking the oil in between visits to the garage. Here is an engine getting yanked for repair after only two years, while my little yellow engine light went on, just the other day, for the first time ever, after 13 years. They don't build em like that any more!That car is at most two years old and already needs engine repairs, the rest of it looks rather beat as well. Granted it's a Dept of Agriculture vehicle so it probably spent a lot of its time on dirt roads. The mystery of the pistonsRight where the photo turns to blur for my eyes, I think I see a bare cylinder head stud sticking up at the front of the left head. He may just be doing the sides separately, and the right bank is completed or not yet begun. There are certainly no more than four pistons on the bench. The left head is in place, with my guess being that the photographer requested symmetry and less jagged detail right there, and they dropped it back on its studs to make him happy!! [The him was a her, and I doubt it. - Dave] Tired tiresDefinitely not safe at any speed. Re-ring and bearing job?There's a lot going on here. I see pistons and connecting rods laying on the bench, which makes me think he's replacing piston rings along with rod and crankshaft main bearings. But, the cylinder heads are still on, and I see the nose of the crank sticking out of the front of the block, at the bottom. I'm no flathead Ford expert, but I know that with some engines you can pull the pistons out through the bottom of the cylinders (so you don't have to pull the heads), but I don't imagine it would be easy to get them back in that way, with a ring compressor on them. I've never seen an engine stand like that - I'm used to the type where you bolt a fixture to the back of the block using the bellhousing bolt holes, with the fixture having a sleeve on the back that fits in a socket on the stand, allowing you to rotate the engine around to get to the oil pan, crank, rods, etc. This one just doesn't look practical. I also see that the dust cap is missing from the right front brake drum, and the spindle nut with cotter pin are exposed. This will eventually allow dirt, grit, and water into the wheel bearings, causing an early failure. The right front tire is an Allstate, a brand sold for many years by Sears, along with Allstate-branded batteries and other items. The battery is a Firestone, so it looks like they spread the business around (or it's just expediency, for a car used out in the field, traveling through small towns). More than just automobile enginesare being repaired here. I see a stationary engine next to the wall with the head removed and a repair tag. I can't tell what type it is, but the cooling hopper has an extension added to hold more water. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Cars, Trucks, Buses, M.P. Wolcott)
Radio-Vitant: 1920
... encountering the term Shermanize on an old menu in Atlanta circa 1962. I have traced the term as far back as a poem by L. (Lucy) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 2:25pm -

"Walter Reed physiotherapy story." 1920 or 1921. Burdick Cabinet "Radio-Vitant ray" therapy. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. And Your Little Dog, TooI feel almost like this could be an outtake from "The Wizard of Oz." Deeply disturbing! Beam Me UpThe caption says Walter Reed, but this looks like a scene from "The Invisible Ray" now playing at the Leader Theater. The four dials must be for Low, Medium, High and Shermanize. Essential RaysAccording to Enoch Mather, M.S., M.D., of Mount Clemens, Mich., in the March 1916 edition of National Eclectic Medical Association Quarterly, "Thus we see that people who are unable, due to their vocations of life, to receive the requisite amount of sunlight, must therefore resort to artificial means of obtaining these essential rays of light. We thus find our hospitals and sanitariums of today equipped with great outlays of various lights. In my own practice I have found light therapy an interesting study and of great benefit in my practice. I have a room on each floor of my sanitarium equipped with various lights, among which are the actinic rays, radio-vitant rays, deep-therapy lamp, ultra-violet rays, the solar therapeutic arc lamp, and others, besides mechano-therapeutic apparatus such as the electric vibrator, high frequency current, static machine, the therapeutic traction couch, etc." Light-Bath CabinetsSome info on the Burdick Cabinet Company in Mr. Burdick's obit here. Mr. Burdick was a pioneer in the field of light therapy and electrical current as adapted to therapeutic uses. He had a conviction that light therapy was the natural way of relieving pain and suffering and spent the greater part of his life proving this theory to be correct. The company, which operated under the name of Burdick Cabinet company until 1921, started by building a light bath cabinet. Various items were added until at the present time the corporation produces a complete line of physical medical equipment. The name was changed to the Burdick Physio-Clinic corporation for a short time and in 1926 became the Burdick Corporation. Clever of themto place little windows next to a thermometer in the cabinets so that you could tell if they were done to a nice golden-brown or not. Floating handDid anyone else notice the floating hands at the right-most box? And of course, the crutches to the left? Shrunken HeadsOne way or another. Moe, Larry, & CurlyNow I know where the Three Stooges got their ideas. re: re: Beam Me UpDrat! the peril (I almost said perils) of Monomania! re: Beam Me UpI remember encountering the term Shermanize on an old menu in Atlanta circa 1962. I have traced the term as far back as a poem by L. (Lucy) Virginia French, published in The Southern Poems of the War, Collected and Arranged by Miss Emily V. Mason, John Murphy & Co., Baltimore, 1867. It seems Miss French was a poet and diarist of some note and, doubtless, your use of the term Shermanize was intended to call attention to this unjustly neglected daughter of old Tennessee! [In this context, "Shermanize" is coffee-brewing slang. - Dave] Farkeryhttp://forums.fark.com/cgi/fark/comments.pl?IDLink=3781159 (The Gallery, D.C., Farked, Medicine, Natl Photo)
Cold Harbor: 1865
... irresolute disaster as a wager of war]. But the taking of Atlanta in September dashed these hopes, and the end of the Confederacy was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/06/2008 - 9:34am -

April 1865. "Cold Harbor, Va. Collecting bones of soldiers killed in the battle." Photograph from the main Eastern theater of war, Grant's Wilderness Campaign, May-June 1864. Wet plate glass negative by John Reekie. View full size. The knee bone's connected to the....Wow, a skeleton wearing army boots. So much decay in less than a year. Wow...That is horrendous. And I thought I've had some bad jobs. YikesThat would be a very unsettling task. Especially with the skeletons still wearing clothing... "Burial Detail"Kristine Kathryn Rusch wrote a short story called "Burial Detail" based on this picture. In it a freed slave is gathering the remains of dead Union soldiers at Cold Harbor while a photographer takes his picture. It's part of a collection titled "Stories for an Enchanted Afternoon" and it really is haunting. Almost as haunting as the picture itself. The Horror of Cold HarborThe night before the so-called Battle of Cold Harbor, Va. --- a headlong attack across difficult terrain against a well-prepared enemy in fixed defenses, which anticipated the murderous conditions of the Western Front fifty years later --- many of the 40,000 Union troops who took part wrote last letters home, final Wills & Testaments, even notes pinned to their clothes in hopes that their bodies might be identified and their fate accurately reported to loved ones back home. As this photo shows, for many men that was a forlorn hope. As one website notes, "In the initial charge, which lasted less than 10 minutes, nearly 7,000 Union soldiers were killed or wounded. Not until World War I would an army suffer such a high casualty rate. Ulysses S. Grant, the Union’s recently appointed general-in-chief, would one day write in his memoirs,’I regret this assault more than any one I ever ordered.' " Cold Harbor AftermathThis one almost did Grant in politically. He was roundly labeled a "butcher" by the northern newspapers. Tactical tragedy, strategic triumphIn his memoirs --- written as he saw his own death swiftly approaching --- Grant wrote, "At Cold Harbor no advantage whatever was gained to compensate for the heavy loss we sustained." But then, as now, the Northern newspapers got it wrong. Grant was no mere "fumbling butcher," and his strategy was about to pay off. Cold Harbor was to be Lee's last victory. As Wikipedia notes in its summation of the battle's aftermath, "the campaign had served Grant's purpose — as foolish as his attack on Cold Harbor was, Lee was trapped. He beat Grant to Petersburg, barely, but spent the remainder of the war (save its final week) defending Richmond behind a fortified trench line. "Although Southerners realized their situation was desperate, they hoped that Lee's stubborn (and bloody) resistance would have political repercussions by causing Abraham Lincoln to lose the 1864 presidential election to a more peace-friendly candidate [former commander of the Army of the Potomac George McClellan, a brilliant trainer of troops and an irresolute disaster as a wager of war]. But the taking of Atlanta in September dashed these hopes, and the end of the Confederacy was just a matter of time." Unlike many earlier Union generals such as McClellan --- who retired from each defeat to lick their wounds and "await reinforcements" --- Grant seized Lee by the lapels and never let go until Appomattox. This, combined with Sherman's "total war" in the March to the Sea that destroyed the economic wherewithal of the South, doomed the Confederacy and brought down the curtain on the nation's bloodiest war. One Final Note... The same month this ghastly, haunting photo was taken --- on Palm Sunday (April 9) 1865 --- Lee surrendered to Grant at Appomattox Court House, 108 miles east of Cold Harbor. The hideous cost of that vital victory, without which there would have been no United States of America, is here displayed. We owe these unknown soldiers a profound and enduring gratitude. (The Gallery, Civil War)
Savannah: 1905
... on the left taking coal appears to be either the City of Atlanta or the second City of Columbus (sister ships) of the Ocean Steamship ... in New York. Oh, it is just lovely. We take train to Atlanta tonight. Marie & John" Potential Disaster In Savannah? I ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 1:19pm -

Circa 1905. "The docks at Savannah." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Is something amiss?Looks like there has been a derailment in the middle of the street. FinallyA Pepsi-Cola sign. Interesting shipCabins all around, but the way it is riding high in the water it seems to wait for bulk cargo as well. I wonder what it was and how it got stowed on board. No big conspicuous cargo hatches I could see. Re: Interesting shipI posted a link to the photo on the Southern Railway Historical Society Yahoo group, and one of the members, Bob Hanson, a resident of Georgia, posted the following comment: "The ship on the left taking coal appears to be either the City of Atlanta or the second City of Columbus (sister ships) of the Ocean Steamship Company of Savannah, a subsidiary of the Central of Georgia Railway." Steam and Sail.Looks like the need to get that coal onboard to stop the listing to port! Not too much cargo goes on board this ship, only one noticeable cargo hatch forward towards the bow and only one crane to service it. And yes this ship does have sails as well. You can see a furled sail on the aft mast. Back in those days sails were breakdown insurance and used to help supplement steam power. Savannah Docks, Detroit's finished productA 1904 postcard from the Detroit Photographic Company, titled, "Ocean Steamship Co's Docks, Savannah, Ga." from the New York Public Library Collection. The faded message is dated March 30, 1906, and reads: "Margaret & Irene, Arrived here this morning, we had a fine trip, been doing Savannah all day. We found it a lovely place and the weather like July in New York. Oh, it is just lovely. We take train to Atlanta tonight. Marie & John" Potential Disaster In Savannah?I should have gone into a little more detail in my earlier comment. I really wish that smoke/steam was not obscuring the view of the locomotive as much as it is. The tender appears to have derailed in the middle of the street. It looks as though it might have become detached from the engine. If so, and the water supply to the engine was interrupted, then everybody in the area should be running for their lives. I've posted some photos to my Flickr site of a 1948 boiler explosion that illustrates what happens when a steam locomotive runs out of water while the firebox is hot: www.flickr.com/photos/michaeljy/3514234654 Also, notice that something has happened to the boxcar on the left side of the street, causing its load to shift and push its door out at the bottom. It looks like it might be loaded with bales of cotton. This poses a great dilemma for the railroad, since the door is barely hanging on and could fall off at any time. Those things are heavy. The car is half blocking the street, and it can only be moved with the greatest care, perhaps it can't be moved at all until the problem is fixed. Meanwhile, all of this has blocked the rail access to this entire area, meaning that until these problems are solved, these extremely busy docks cannot be serviced. Sleek That passenger/packet freighter sure has the sleek lines of that time. I like that architecture! It must have taken a long time to shovel all that coal from the barges into the bunkers of the ship. [Coaling was accomplished with a mechanical conveyor, seen here in its raised position. - Dave] I didn't notice the conveyer. That will speed things up a lot but the end is really nasty like using the grain legs in Buffalo, NY. I can't decide if I like the ships more or the mishmash of rooflines in this photo! Coaling at SavannahAs one always interested in the early 20th century coal economy (e.g. Berwind's Eureka Coal), any chance for an application of ShorpyZoom™ on the coal barges in this photo? Gone To HistoryI tried finding this location, but the port of Savannah has changed so much that it is impossible. This area is likely under where the Talmadge Bridge now is. Re: Coaling at SavannahWhat a dirty and labor-intensive job that was! Looks like there might be as many as a dozen or so men on that barge next to the ship, including one at the bottom of the ladder. There is no sign of any motorized vessel in the area, so I guess they had to use a combination of wenches and lines from the ship, along with sheer manpower, to maneuver the barges around as they were emptied. The mechanical bucket, scuttle, collier, or whatever it was called, looks as though it had to be filled manually in the barge (as opposed to a clamshell-type contraption). Even with that many hands working, moving that much coal had to be a back-breaking task. But I guess people back then were accustomed to such. [If any wenches were used, it wasn't for coaling. - Dave] Steady as she goesThe sails on the ship to the left were probably only used as a staysail to stop the boat from badly rolling in swells, as there seems to be lots of rigging and substantial shrouds to get in the way of efficiently using wind power as a backup if the engine conked out -- you wouldn't want all your passengers too seasick. The Cadsbyis the vessel in the center of the picture opposite the liner in the foreground. In the Cadsby photo, the vessel seen in the background may be the same as in the original, not sure. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Railroads, Savannah)
Hygeia Hotel: 1895
... an inside look ? Also About Those Ships I think Atlanta is indeed the most likely suspect. According to The Dictionary of ... she too departed for the Far East. That seems to leave Atlanta to be the ship as she spent her time in the North Atlantic Squadron. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/25/2016 - 11:00am -

Hampton Roads, Virginia, circa 1895. "Boat landing at Old Point Comfort and Hygeia Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. Razed by the FedsThis, the second Hygeia Hotel, was torn down in 1902 after the feds took the land back. Its neighbor, the Chamberlin Hotel, did however burn to the ground in 1920 and was replaced by the massive brick pile which still stands. Hygienic HygeiaNote the spray of droplets emanating from the sprinkler bar on the tank watering the road. Quite the HotelWant an inside look? Also About Those ShipsI think Atlanta is indeed the most likely suspect. According to The Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships the Olympia was built in San Francisco at Union Iron Works, commissioning on 5 February, 1895. She left Mare Island on 25 August, 1895 to join the Asiatic Fleet. Boston was at Mare Island from 7 October, 1893 until 10 January, 1896 when she too departed for the Far East. That seems to leave Atlanta to be the ship as she spent her time in the North Atlantic Squadron. "New Navy" ShipsLike today, Hampton Roads was a major naval base in 1895. Some of the ships in the background are recognizably some of the steel vessels built to modernize the Navy at the end of the 1880's. The brig-rigged vessel at the left is almost certainly of the Atlanta class. The schooner-rigged 2-stacker in the middle is the San Francisco. These can be identified from drawings on Pages 18 and 27 of Friedman's "US Cruisers: an Illustrated Design History." The Atlanta class of 3 ships was commissioned from 1886 to 1889, while San Francisco was commissioned in 1890. The vessel on the right seems not to match anything in the book; she appears to be barkentine rigged. I'm open to suggestions. All these Navy ships have the period appropriate paints scheme of white topsides and buff superstructures -- of course we can't tell that from this black and white image. Flag detailForty eight stars showing on the high flying flag. Still years out in 1895. [You're counting wrong. - Dave] Oops! I tried short cut: six down times eight across top. Me bad. [Eight across the top, eight across the bottom, and four rows of seven. - Dave] USS OlympiaI do believe that that would by the USS Olympia in the background given the twin masts and double smokestacks and the year, as the USS Boston, USS Kearsarge were not part of the fleet until 1898. The Question Every Shorpyite is AskingWhen did it burn down? One year 'til UtahDave is right about the number of stars---two rows of eight and four rows of seven---44. Utah became Number 45 in 1896. About those shipsIn my most humble opinion, I believe the ship on the left is either Atlanta or Boston (same class), the one in the middle either the Philadelphia or San Francisco (same class) while the elusive ship on the right could be the Chicago. At first I thought the one on the left was Olympia, but the funnels are not quite right, nor the masts. It is maddening, there is just enough visible to make you sure you don´t know for sure. Further About Those ShipsThe ship on the right could be the gunboat USS Petrel. The funnel and rigging seem to match. If that's the case, it would put the picture a bit earlier, as she was reassigned to the Asiatic Squadron (Hong Kong) in 1891. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Horses)
The Roundhouse: 1864
November 1864. "Railroad yards at Atlanta. The Roundhouse. Ruins of depot, blown up on Sherman's departure." Wet ... altogether, which happened often. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Railroads) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 4:07pm -

November 1864. "Railroad yards at Atlanta. The Roundhouse. Ruins of depot, blown up on Sherman's departure." Wet plate glass negative by George N. Barnard. Civil War glass negative collection, Library of Congress. View full size. Switch DesignThey had a more obvious idea of how a switch had to work. PeacefulA rather tranquil scene with the man taking his ease on the boxcar roof. The raw logs under the rails are in sharp contrast to the sleepers of today. But two years on all was to change. [This isn't "two years on" -- both photos (which show different roundhouses) were made late in 1864. - Dave] Oops!Sorry Dave - my picture source was dated wrong. My knowledge of your Civil War needs work. Guess the only thing I got right was both pictures have trains in them. [Confusion probably stems from the fact that 1866 is the year the folio of photographs including the image below was published, not when the pictures were taken. - Dave] Pre OSHA and NSFWPrior to the invention of the Westinghouse air brake in 1869 shortly after the Civil War, the brakeman's job was a miserable and dangerous one, while being constantly exposed to the elements when on duty. Notice the long metal vertical rod operated by a handlebar on the back of the third car from the left which actuated the brake mechanisms on the trucks. Each car had to have its brakes adjusted manually by the brakeman sitting on the roof. The third car clearly shows there's a footrest for the brakeman and directly to the right and slightly below is an open window where the foreman may shout orders at him. Such luxuries! Notice also the coupler system in this photo prior to the invention of the Janney spring-loaded coupler of 1874. Look at those big square holes you had to load with big iron pins to tie the cars together. Many opportunities to lose a limb or just get squished altogether, which happened often. (The Gallery, Atlanta, Civil War, Geo. Barnard, Railroads)
Company B: 1864
... successful career as a building contractor in Knoxville, Atlanta and Birmingham. I have no photographs of him and few stories so these ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/01/2012 - 8:56pm -

August 1864. "Petersburg, Virginia. Group of Company B, U.S. Engineer Battalion." Photographs from the main Eastern theater of war, the siege of Petersburg, June 1864-April 1865. Wet-plate glass negative. View full size. Two firsts for meI've never seen a pipe that long. His smoke is probably coming out on the other side of the Mason-Dixon. Also, I think this may be the first picture I've ever seen of a completely clean-shaven Civil War soldier. Long pipeMaybe he'd heard about secondhand smoke. Hat BrassIt's a rarity to see so much hat brass on soldiers this late in the war. Usually it was one of the first things to be lost. The Engineer Cresthas what appears to be a "C" above it. This would normally indicate these men are from Company C rather than Company B. [There's also a D. Same setting as this photo. - Dave] So.......where's that Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy? Essayons stars?I recognize the cross-legged soldier on the left. He was a member of Essayons Dramatic Club. If you check their group photo he is also on the left front row. See Dave -- we do pay close attention to your postings. [I don't think he's in the other photo. - Dave] The PipeThat looks to be a clay bowl with a dry reed stem. Some soldiers had briar pipes, but I believe the clay and reed combos were very affordable. The Bearded OnesIt is striking to see clean-shaven Civil War guys, isn't it? The drama club boys of a few days ago had a couple whiskerless ones too. The giant beard is really ingrained in the "Civil War Soldier" mental image. It's interesting that the beard thing was so ubiquitous, and then completely went away and pretty much never came back -- for which I must say I am thankful. Most guys I know indulge their urge for facial hair with stunts like "No Shave November," but fortunately, they are not like that all the time. CastleI noticed the man on the far right has a castle emblem on his shirt, the same castle Army Engineers have today. [It's the same insignia that's on the other men's caps. - Dave] Company B from MaineCompany B was one of several new companies of engineers formed at the beginning of the War and was recruited in Portland, Maine. My great grandfather, a farm boy from Gardiner, joined up and served until 1867 when he was discharged with the rank of sergeant. His Army experience was far-reaching since following the War he had a long and successful career as a building contractor in Knoxville, Atlanta and Birmingham. I have no photographs of him and few stories so these old pictures give some feeling of his adventures. I can't help but wonder if he might be one of these strange and fierce-looking characters. Why helloTotal crush on the guy seated on the far left with his legs crossed. (The Gallery, Civil War)
Kentucky Moonshine: 1938
May 1938. "Houses in Atlanta, Georgia." Last seen here , two years earlier in a picture snapped ... fences into income-producing billboards. (The Gallery, Atlanta, John Vachon, Movies) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/21/2013 - 9:46am -

May 1938. "Houses in Atlanta, Georgia." Last seen here, two years earlier in a picture snapped by Walker Evans. An interesting study in contrasts, or lack thereof. Medium-format nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Pattern HousesDespite the apparent poverty of the houses and the neighborhood, I am impressed with the interesting and odd circular design-work on the upper porches. Porch ProblemsThe billboards are actually part of the porches on these two houses, not on a fence in front of the porch. You can tell by the porch columns - they're visible running down the billboard, and their bases stick out below it. Finally, the right-most poster is mounted on the side of the house. Desperate times. [I suspect this was a block of renters and absentee landlords (or condemned houses and squatters), and that in derelict neighborhoods the handbills are plastered wherever you can get away with it. - Dave] I'm Gonna See Kidnapped!Robert Lewis Stevenson! Freddy Bartholomew! A cast of 5,000! At the Fox! Stars and clouds on the ceiling! Too GoofyThe billboard for Kentucky Moonshine just doesn't cut it. I'll wait for "Thunder Road". Re: Too GoofyThe poster fits pretty well with the plot! Radio show farce, with fake hillbillies (from NYC) decked out in beards and long guns, caught up in mountain folk feuds. Same houses?As in Walker Evans' photograph. [As noted and linked in the caption. - tterrace] Of the Two'The Count of Monte Cristo' is a wonderful adaptation, revenge and regret, beautifully portrayed by Donat. I do agree about the two houses, neatly done, but fallen on hard times and making the best of it. Watch This Space!Those houses were quite respectable when constructed but, obviously, the Great Depression has lowered all boats. Apparently, in lieu of (or perhaps in addition to) taking in boarders, the owners have turned their front fences into income-producing billboards. (The Gallery, Atlanta, John Vachon, Movies)
Working Lunch: 1902
... The factory complex is all gone and the HQ is going to Atlanta. UD is purchasing much of the property. As for J.H. Patterson, he ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/16/2015 - 10:32am -

Dayton, Ohio, circa 1902. "Window in girls' restaurant, National Cash Register." Dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Food for ThoughtI live in Dayton and think it is interesting to note that the three large buildings seen in the background of this photo are still standing and thriving on the University of Dayton campus. From left to right, they are St. Mary's Hall (1870), Chapel of the Immaculate Conception (1869), and St. Joseph Hall (1884). Windows 02Perhaps while they're waiting for lunch, they're contemplating all the possibilities for the (then) new century: computers, cars, television, men who walk on the moon, and tiny telephones you can tuck away in your reticule. Working Lunch: 1902It is interesting to compare this photo with the famous Edward Hopper painting "Chop Suey." Stewart StreetI have worked in the building that replaced this one. That is Stewart Street on the left and out of frame to the left is the Fair Grounds for Montgomery County. The empty fields in the shot would later be filled with buildings and now subsequently are empty again. Grateful for Perma PressI can't get past the amount of ironing it took to achieve the 1902 "look" captured in this photo. Those blouses would not be an easy task, the tablecloth and those aprons could take a lot of time and effort. That's a mighty light lunchwhere's the food? ContrastThere's a real contrast between this photo and the previous shot of the NCR, which must have been a very noisy work place. There's also a dignity and modesty about these women that you just don't get today. Great view as well! WowThat sure is a monster of a double hung window. Waiting and WatchingProbably waitin' for the Wright Brothers to come on by! Let them drink teaNote the empty bread dish. Had either "girl" dined on bread and butter, the company's owner John Henry Patterson reportedly would have fired her (because he considered such food unhealthy). His tyrannical management style has earned Patterson the ninth spot in Portfolio's Worst American CEOs of All Time (http://www.cnbc.com/id/30502091?slide=13). Fascinating - - -Not so much for quantity of detail, but for composition, balance and sheer simple peacefulness of the scene. One of those things you can just sit and stare at for hours. Well, minutes. The CashI went to grade school at Holy Angels, near the location of what was an NCR factory building. It's just west of UD. I remember the older section of the school, built in 1903, shaking and hearing the presses crashing when the stamping equipment was in operation. All of the NCR plants had huge windows as shown here. The factory complex is all gone and the HQ is going to Atlanta. UD is purchasing much of the property. As for J.H. Patterson, he was a pill but he almost singlehandedly organized the disaster response and relief efforts during the 1913 flood. The contrast between Dayton and New Orleans is remarkable to me and is something to learn from. We're beat up a little but it's still great'n Dayton. Girls' RestaurantEmployee lunchrooms segregated by gender? How dreadfully dull. (The Gallery, DPC, W.H. Jackson)
Henry Lincoln Johnson: 1914
... New Recorder of Deeds Henry Lincoln Johnson, of Atlanta, Ga., new recorder of deeds of the District, assumed his duties ... by hard work and perseverance gained a classical course at Atlanta University, Georgia, and a thorough legal preparation at Ann Arbor, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 2:16pm -

Washington, D.C., 1914. "Henry Lincoln Johnson, Recorder of Deeds." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative, Library of Congress. View full size. Job descriptionI think I'd like to be a Recorder of Deeds but I'm not sure exactly what it entails. Sgt. Henry JohnsonHenry Johnson was one of the first American soldiers to be awarded the Croix de Guerre by the French government in World War I. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Lincoln_Johnson [Born 1897 -- that's a different Henry Lincoln Johnson. Our man in the photo was born circa 1870. - Dave] Recorder of DeedsFor those (like me) who are not familiar with the term: The Recorder of Deeds, an administration in the Office of Tax and Revenue, is the official repository of all land records and general public instruments [in this case] for the District of Columbia. The office is responsible for the collection of all recordation and transfer tax and filing fees on instruments being recorded and maintains these records for public inspection. Henry L. Johnson - BioMethinks H.L. Johnson is a very handsome man (possibly another Handsome Rake candidate?). One of the following article contains a euphemism unfamiliar to me, namely slavery referred to as "the badge of servitude": the use of the word badge makes it sound as if the writer believes enslavement to be an honored position. Update: In 1903, Henry Lincoln Johnson married poet Georgia Blanche Douglas Camp. [note: Wikipedia currently has an erroneous link regarding Georgia's husband to the aforementioned recipient of the French Croix de Guerre.] The Johnsons lived at 1461 S Street NW: more info New Recorder of Deeds Henry Lincoln Johnson, of Atlanta, Ga., new recorder of deeds of the District, assumed his duties yesterday morning and was accorded a reception by the employees of the department. .... Washington Post, May 3, 1910 Henry Lincoln Johnson Recorder of Deeds, District of Columbia The subject of this sketch, Henry Lincoln Johnson, Recorder of Deeds, of the District of Columbia, is filling a public position of responsibility and trust with dignity and ability. Starting in life as a blacksmith, he has forged to the front, step by step, and today stands second to none of the leaders of his race. Mr. Johnson is still a young man, having been born in Augusta, Ga., July 27 1871. For several generations back his ancestors had not known the badge of servitude, but had been free people and mechanics. For 80 years a blacksmith shop had been run by members of the family continuously, his grandfather, father, and himself all having been engaged in the trade, and all born in the same humble home, but one which was their own. Henry L. Johnson was educated in the common and high schools of Augusta, Ga. For a time he taught in the country schools, and by hard work and perseverance gained a classical course at Atlanta University, Georgia, and a thorough legal preparation at Ann Arbor, Mich. After graduation from college Mr. Johnson became a member of the Atlanta, Ga., bar, and engaged in the general practice of law. He became actively interested in politics, and in 1896, 1900, 1904, 1908 and 1912 he was delegate at large from Georgia to the Republican national conventions. He also had the honor of instituting the first peonage prosecutions in the United States. Coming to Washington, his splendid service in behalf of his party and race was rewarded by his appointment to the office he now holds. Mr. Johnson is interested in the Union Mutual Insurance Company, Atlanta, Ga.; The Atlanta Mutual Insurance Company, of Atlanta. He is a Mason, a Knight of Pythias, and an Elk. He is also an Odd Fellow, and is attorney for that order in Georgia. Washington Post, Jun 12, 1912 Negro Elks Unveil Johnson Memorial More than 2,000 attended the unveiling of the Henry Lincoln Johnson Monument yesterday in the Lincoln Memorial Cemetery on the Suitland road, under the auspices of the Henry Lincoln Johnson Lodge of colored Elks, of New York. The lodge brought 500 members and a band from the metropolis and joined by Columbia and Morning Star Lodges, and Forest and Columbia Temples, marched from the Columbia Home on Rhode Island avenue to Third and F streets southwest, where buses were taken to the cemetery. ... Henry Lincoln Johnson, former recorder of deeds here, and Republican national committeeman for Georgia, was eulogized by J. Finley Wilson, grand exalted ruler of colored Elks. The monument, erected at the instance of Robert R. Church, Perry W. Howard, John T. Risher and the grand exalted ruler, was unveiled by Hubert Pierre, exalted ruler of Henry Lincoln Johnson Lodge, and Ada Mercer, daughter of ruler of Apex Temple. Washington Post, Jun 27, 1932 "The badge of servitude"That's not a euphemism. A badge is a symbol or token, not necessarily of anything good or honorable. Some Shakespearean examples: "Black is the badge of hell; the badge of pusillanimity and cowardice; heavy tears, the badge of woe." Recorder of DeedsSounds almost biblical! 1871-1925There is a Washington Post obituary dated 9/13/1925 that mentions the Recorder of Deeds and he died of a stroke (not his first). He was from Georgia and his parents were slaves and graduated from Atlanta university and went to law school in Michigan. He was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1896. His address at the time of his death seems to be 1461 S St. NW. Calvin Coolidge contributed a letter read at the funeral. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Portraits)
Tremont Street: 1923
... I also remember when they moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta. Still recognizable today Prominent is Park Street Church. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:40pm -

Boston circa 1923. "Tremont Street and the Mall." One of the later entries in the Detroit Publishing catalog. Note the big Chevrolet sign. View full size. Boston BravesSeeing the sign "Baseball Today at Braves Field" jogged my memory. As a kid collecting baseball cards in Cincinnati I can remember when they moved to Milwaukee in 1953 and their home field was in County Stadium. I also remember when they moved from Milwaukee to Atlanta. Still recognizable todayProminent is Park Street Church. The two granite subway kiosks hide a mirror image pair. The visible ones were removed decades ago. Many of the buildings are still there but with extensive modernization. Ah, the 1920s, when women weren't afraid to show a little leg! Packard & HudsonThe first two cars parked on the near side of the street are a circa 1919 Packard with a 1920-21 Hudson Touring Limousine behind. +85Below is the same view from May of 2008. 1923 or 1928?I'm certainly no fashion expert, but something about the way the ladies are dressed says late Twenties. [The rubber says Early to Mid Twenties. If it were 1928 the cars would have balloon tires. - Dave] Ain't she sweet?The woman in light colored clothing is turning more heads than the photographer. No doubt her companion is equally well turned out but she is mostly obscured by the man who was walking between her and the photographer's lens at the moment the shutter was opened. Fashion datingKnee length skirts didn't come along until 1925 - circa 1923 they were way longer. Date of PhotoThe 1923 posted date could be valid. Except for the front car, all the other nearby cars are sporting a POV 1922 Massachusetts license plate. The front car (a Packard) looks to be a Taxi - therefore it could have a different plate. Too early for neonIf that Chevrolet sign is neon, then 1923 would be almost certainly too early for this photo. Neon signs were only introduced to the US in 1923, and it's unlikely that Boston would have had one of the first in the country. [It uses light bulbs. - tterrace] Boston 1924This photo, dated 1924, does not show the Chevrolet sign (from a different angle, but for reference match the Coca-Cola sign to the Salada Tea sign in this photo.) Photos dated 1927 and later in that set do show the sign. 1928 without a doubtThe third car in, the one with the street sign in front of it is a 1928 Essex, the one in front of that a c.1921 Hudson, and the first car, the black one, is a 1926 or 1927 Packard. The The Essex and Packard DO have balloon tires. And no respectable women in Boston would have worn skirts so short prior to 1925. Tremont St. Boston ca1923.The R.H. Stearns department store, right side of Tremont, stands today as elderly housing. Is the wireless antenna structure in the background on the building closer to us than the Tremont Theater (later Tremont Temple), on atop the Theater itself? TIA It appears the Chevrolet sign is either atop the Tremont House hotel, or across Beacon St. on the building that was leveled in the 1970's for the 1 Beacon St. highrise, home of the Boston Gas Co. and an underground, 2-screen Sack's cinema. HTH. (The Gallery, Boston, DPC)
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