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Ready to Rumble: 1928
... long as you keep the rumble seat closed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2014 - 7:28pm -

"1928 Hudson." Somewhere in the Bay Area. Pass me the flask, will you? (And who's driving this rig?) 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. The Ignored HudsonThis must be the only picture of a car on Shorpy without comments. Could it be because of the dangerous and thoughtlessly designed rumble seat? Perhaps it is the driverless aspect that frightens so many as we approach this Halloween season. Whatever the reason, I will step forward and say what a fine looking car this Hudson is, so long as you keep the rumble seat closed. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
In Transit: 1927
... ...including fine-made casket of quality, hearse, cars and embalming, use of our funeral parlors. $75, $100, $125, $150 up ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 2:02pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1927. "W.W. Chambers Co., 1400 Chapin Street." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Did I really write that?Now that's what I'd call a dead end. I'm an Idiot!I read the caption fast and got it in my head they were storing glass plate negatives and wondered what the devil a casket doing there. The inside was outsideThis mortuary storeroom appears to have been added by infilling a narrow outdoor passage space between two brick buildings, the one on the left much more neatly built than the one on the right. The casket on its nickel-plated truck adds a sense of scale to the standing crates, but what are they? Are these shipping crates from casket manufacturers, crates used to transport occupied caskets to other cities for interment, or older versions of "Don't make a big show when I die. Just stick me in a pine box?" Remember This! Funerals Complete ...including fine-made casket of quality, hearse, cars and embalming, use of our funeral parlors. $75, $100, $125, $150 up We guarantee our charge to be one-half the old-time undertaker's price. Ambulances, $4.00 - local removals. Rember This! Our name is on back of the phone book W.W. Chambers Co. The Brown Stone Funeral Home Cor. Chapin and 14th N.W. . . . Largest Undertakers in the WorldIn the 1970s W.W. Chambers was located on Georgia Avenue in Silver Spring, Maryland. They had a large neon sign across the front of their building. In small type it said "One of the" and then in large type it said "Largest Undertakers in the World." Still in businesshttp://www.chambersfunerals.com The "Largest Undertakers" sign was removed from the Riverdale, Maryland, location about 10 years ago. CasketsThe wooden boxes do appear to be the ones used to ship caskets or at least they look like the ones we had at American Casket Company back in 1948. In the days before concrete vaults came on the scene, the crates were frequently used as grave liners. The casket on the cart is what was called an Octagon, as opposed to the squared-off "State" models. The caskets we made were almost invariably covered with wool broadcloth for the higher grades, cheaper ones were covered with plush, which hid any little defects (knots etc) in the pine lumber, but when broadcloth was to be used, we had to fill any defects and sand everything smooth. I never worried that I might have been making my very own "box," but I was a lot younger then. The cheapest casket, the Pauper, sold for $29 at the factory. Speaking of coffins...Shortly after moving to Denver years ago, a friend took me to an old brick manufacturing plant right off one of the highways. He told me to pay close attention to the front face then drove me around the building. The back wall was considerably shorter than the front, and as we drove back it appeared to me that the sides were oddly angled. My buddy told me it had once been a coffin manufacturer; the building was actually shaped like one of those old fashioned "Dracula" style coffins. I never saw an aerial view of the place. I guess it could've been an Urban Legend and my imagination fell for it on account of the back being so much shorter than the front. But even though I was in my 30s at the time I got the willies just THINKING about being locked in the place overnight. Any old time Denverites know the building I'm talking about? (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Illuminating Co.: 1900
... On the left is pair of open-bench "toast rack" trolley cars, possibly one powered and the other a non-powered trailer. (Can't be ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/29/2015 - 10:33am -

Cleveland, Ohio, circa 1900. "Public Square -- Cuyahoga County Soldiers' and Sailors' Monument." 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. Interesting historyOf the Cleveland Electric Illuminating Co. CanopiedThose erratically open, closed and nearly closed awnings on the face of the Illuminating Company's Building are a disgrace to Canvashood. Brush and his Arc LampThat huge pole in the left of the photo is probably part of the demonstration by Charles F. Brush on April 29, 1879, showing the advantages of his DC arc lamp. History has come full circle seeing as how many of the major highway junctions of today are illuminated with similar discharge lamps atop super tall poles. The Moonlight Towers of Detroit and Austin are also examples of this type of "towering" lighting. ToweringIs that monster pole on the corner supporting an arc lamp? The Days Before Air ConditioningThere's not a single ugly window air conditioner in sight! Instead, the buildings have windows which (gasp!) actually open. Many canvas shade awnings are in use, including on upper floors. In the 1970's an old-time office worker told me about working summers in a hot office: He said your paperwork would stick to your forearms because you'd always be damp with perspiration. On the left is pair of open-bench "toast rack" trolley cars, possibly one powered and the other a non-powered trailer. (Can't be certain because of the way the scene is framed.) These were very popular with the riding public - people would take a ride in an open trolley just to cool off. The open trolleys were not, however, favored by traction company management. They sat idle half the year. The response was the "convertible" trolleys with removeable window panels, one of which can be seen in front of the Illuminating Company building. Businessmen had to wear hats in those days, so there are plenty of summertime-only straw "boater" hats in evidence. It was a different time. Last Full Measure of DevotionRiding the St. Clair Avenue line to Nottingham School in the late '40s, I am sure I was conveyed on trolleys precisely like those depicted, if not the very same ones. Clearly, they were an capital investment that was fully amortized. And during shorts season, the varnished straw seats embossed the backs of one's legs most fetchingly. Both goneThe adjacent structure is the Williamson Building seen before on Shorpy. It was imploded on a Sunday in 1982 with a large crowd on hand to see it brought down and to be engulfed in its dust cloud. About the pole"TheGeezer" was wondering if it had an arc lamp on top. The 1907 photo at https://www.shorpy.com/node/9820?size=_original shows only a small wind-vane at the top. In some other vintage photos I found it appears to have a flag. None showed arc lamps so my guess is it was an remarkably tall flag pole. Photos since the 1950s show the pole is gone. (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Streetcars)
M.I.T.: 1901
... Did they put them away and bring out more of the enclosed cars? That would sure require an extensive overall fleet investment. I've ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 4:37pm -

Boston circa 1901. "Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Rogers Building." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Check outCheck out the nearly-identical image. [A Detroit Publishing Co. postcard] Man in frontHe's just scratching his eye. Really. 1866 - 1939MIT's First Building, 95 feet wide by 140 feet long, consisting of five stories and one half story. Biological Laboratory In 1883, one year after the death of William Barton Rogers, the MIT Corporation voted to name the facility “The Rogers Building.” Already, however, the Institute had started to outgrow the building. By the early twentieth century MIT had spread to a dozen or so buildings in the Copley Square area and the need for more space was obvious, foreshadowing the Institute’s 1916 move of most operations to the current Cambridge campus. The old Rogers Building continued in use as the School of Architecture into the 1930s. In 1937 it was purchased by the New England Mutual Life Insurance Company and razed in 1939 to make way for their new home office. M.I.T.'s first building. More on The Rogers Building. Cambridge?That would be Cambridge, not Boston, no? [Prior to 1916, M.I.T. was located in Boston.] BreezersInteresting how many photos of cities in the temperate zone show those open-air streetcars or "breezers," as they're sometimes called. Wonder what they did in winter time. Did they put them away and bring out more of the enclosed cars? That would sure require an extensive overall fleet investment. I've enjoyed riding on breezers at an Iowa location, and they don't look like they could be fitted with any kind of enclosing protection. (The Gallery, Boston, DPC, Horses, Streetcars)
Coupe de Fille: 1928
... a bullet-proofed 1928 Cadilllac sedan. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/18/2016 - 3:40pm -

San Francisco circa 1928. "Cadillac five-passenger coupe at Golden Gate Park." 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Technological advanceThe 1928 Cadillac featured the first fully synchromesh manual transmission. Al Capone owned a bullet-proofed 1928 Cadilllac sedan. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Girls in Convertible
... Buick Convertible Coupe. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by Sam O. - 09/22/2011 - 11:02pm -

Another found snapshot. Can someone please identify the car? [It's a 1940 Buick. - Dave] View full size. It's a BuickThis is a 1940 Buick Convertible Coupe. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Official Delegation: 1922
... nudge this into the Pretty Girls tag. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/20/2014 - 3:08pm -

1922. Hoping for Harding: "Group of women with automobile at White House." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Two LovelyThis is an interesting activity specific fashion statement. Kind of like the motorbike rider copying of the horse riding set. Dusters all around. BTW, a few of the ladies nudge this into the Pretty Girls tag. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
War Risk: 1923
... missing are two headlights. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, WWI) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/04/2017 - 11:51am -

        The Bureau of War Risk Insurance, a World War I agency that over the past century morphed into the Department of Veterans Affairs, which still occupies this building. Plus ça change ... Washington, D.C., 1923. "War Risk Bureau, Vermont Avenue and I Street N.W." 8x10 inch glass negative, National Photo Company Collection. View full size. Getting inside isn't easyLast month I attended a meeting at 801 Vermont Ave NW. The entrance is on the left under the mock columns and once inside the unwary visitor discovers an area about 8x10 feet devoted to security screening conducted by a team of crack contract employees. The space is too small for the number of visitors trying to enter and the crack contract employees are not very helpful. Not surprisingly, this entrance has a well known poor reputation. At 8 a.m. there is always a line of folks on the sidewalk. Perspective!I love how the top looks larger than the bottom, and the corener looms over us due to the lens used. Makes it obvious why cartoons are showing oddly shaped buildings to imitate perspective! And, is that "crack team" any more intelligent than the minimum wage idiots with TSA? [I bet they know how to spell "coroner." - Dave] DaytripperWhat's the story with the front automobile having black headlamp reflectors? Wouldn't that limit one to travel during daylight hours only? I'm sure I'm missing something here. [What's missing are two headlights. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, WWI)
Chew Sing: 1915
... introduced for the conversion of Ford and other light cars into efficient and economical one-ton trucks will occupy a prominent ... customizing goes back over 100 years. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/18/2017 - 8:38am -

The Bay Area circa 1915. "Chew Sing produce truck." The Fresh Fruit Ford. 8x6 inch glass negative by the Cheney Photo Advertising Company. View full size. T conversionI think the base Model T for this vehicle is about a 1917 model. The basic car has been converted to a truck with one of many aftermarket conversion kits available in the day...everything abaft the driver's seat in this rig is aftermarket. The kit would have involved a rear frame that lengthened the T's minimalist 100 inch wheelbase and extended forward to support and strengthen the stock frame. In this one, the stock rear axle drives a chain to the new rear axle and its stouter wheels, dropping the final drive ratio as well. Not long after this picture was taken, Ford introduced the TT, an extended and lengthened truck based on the T powerplant, as a production vehicle. General appearance was much like the rig pictured, though it had a worm geared drive at rear axle rather than chains. Sing had a very neat looking truck! "Strawwwwwberrries"This pic jolted my memory of the little vegetable truck that came through our neighborhood back when I was 6 or 7 years old in the late 40's. Ralston Kit The pennant logo below the drivers seat identifies the maker of the specific conversion kit that was used on this Model T car. From the March 17 1917 issue of Pacific Rural Press, is a mention of a truck show held in San Francisco, which included these kits for would-be vehicle modifiers: "Practically all of the leading makes of trucks will be represented and liberal space has been taken by those exhibiting them. Among those for which space has been definitely reserved are the International, Mack, Saurer, Stewart, Garford, Little Giant, AutocJr, Indiana, Four Wheel Drive, Wichita Sterling, Kelly Springfield, Bethlehem, Kohler, Signal, Vim, Rainier, and Clemens, while in the "Made in California" section will be found the Doane, Moreland, De Martini, Hewitt, Ludlow, Kleiber, and Ralston. The truck attachments now being introduced for the conversion of Ford and other light cars into efficient and economical one-ton trucks will occupy a prominent position and the exhibits already entered comprise many of the most Important, including the Smith Form A truck, Hendricks worm drive, Ames, Hudford, Ralston, Brown and Holohan. A large number of accessories will be exhibited and demonstrated, including the Champion and Autocraft spark plugs, Master and Miller Carburetors, Johnson Shock Absorbers, Nafra Warning Signal and a large exhibit of the Barnett Auto Body Company, consisting of models of auto bodies. A line of store, warehouse, and mill trucks, electrically and gasoline propelled, will be shown by Wood, Huddard and Brown." I always assumed the kustom craze of today was a post WW2 phenomenon. But clearly this photo and article prove I was mistaken. Commercial customizing goes back over 100 years. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco)
Tee Party: 1919
... 50 years or so old then, survive today. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Sports) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2017 - 2:01pm -

1919. "Paige touring car at San Francisco Golf Club." Our second look at the "driving" range. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Are Those Shingles Wood or Slate ?Could those perhaps be slate shingles, rather than wood ? I've seen slate roofs laid up like that. The ones I've seen were on late 19th or early 20th century buildings which were designed to look "Old World" Thatch style shinglingA few examples of this type of roofing do in fact still exist in the San Francisco in the Westwood Highlands district of San Francisco. Many English Cottages were built in the 1920's to attract a burgeoning middle class with affordable houses built from scratch. These houses feature cottage roofs, stained glass and other signs of refined decoration. It is one of the most beautiful residential neighborhoods, however obscure the name is compared to better known neighborhoods. It is however in the deep fog prone area, bordered by St. Francis Woods, and during certain heavy fog seasons it is very reminiscent of movies like the Big Sleep. Can anyone explainthe type of roofing on the building behind? [Shingles imitating English-cottage thatch. - Dave] Shingle ArtistryI have seen that pattern of wood roof shingle on cottages of the same era, in Hollywood California. Instead of being cut as rectangles, the wood shingles are cut with one ripple side. When the roofer lays them down, he creates the parallel waves in the way he overlaps the layers. I have never seen anybody place the ripples as close together as they are on this roof. Maybe these are smaller tiles. The ones in Hollywood were two or three times the distance apart of these rows. But they had a wonderful aesthetic missing from commercial roofs laid today. Alas, when these homes get re-roofed, nobody re-creates the original look. I saw them back in the 1970s. Doubt any of those roofs, which were 50 years or so old then, survive today. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Sports)
Executone System
... poster first appeared. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Patriotic) ... 
 
Posted by The Inventor - 09/18/2011 - 11:20pm -

When my Aunt Rose passed away I came into possession of her photos and negatives. There were very few photos but a pile of big negatives, many of which I half suspect were never printed, or perhaps were printed once and the photos lost a long time ago. She wasn't in the habit of documenting her snapshots, so each one is to me a mystery. None is more mysterious than this. I don't know who the speaker is, or the occasion, but the location could be either northern Philadelphia or the Quakertown Pa. vicinity. One small hint might be the "Pa SRG" shoulder emblems. the time period is probably the late 1930s or early War years. View full size. re: Executone SystemThe lettered decals on the windshield are World War 2 gas rationing stickers; the program began in 1942. My guess is that this is an election campaign speech, judging by the bunting, or possibly a July 4 celebration. RankThis has to be after 1942 when the rank structure in the US Army changed. On of the men is wearing Sergeant's stripes with a "T" underneath it indicating that he is a Technician Fourth Grade (T/4). This rank was introduced in January 1942 and remained in use until 1948. Volunteers AllPennsylvania State Reserve Guard and my guess is 1942. Many states formed these units when National Guard units were federalized for WWII service. Usually composed of veterans from WWI or men not eligible for active military service. In these modern times many states still have these units under the control of the State Adjutants General, but not to be confused with the wacko militia guys dressing in cammies and running around in the forests shooting and blowing up tree stumps. War posterTo date the photo further, the vehicle is a 1939 Chevrolet sedan delivery, and there's a war poster on its side, barely visible. I imagine an expert could tell when that particular poster first appeared. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Patriotic)
Street View: 1920
... the same picture from September of 2015. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2014 - 9:23pm -

1920. "Barrett Co., Alexandria, Virginia." Thrilling sequel (prequel?) to this photo relating to the activities of the Barrett paving operation. View full size. +95Below is the same picture from September of 2015. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The New World: 1936
... lit up and moved at night), all the pedestrians and 1930s cars! It just screams, New York!! At Home Abroad A Little Song, A Little ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/10/2016 - 1:04pm -

Feb. 10, 1936. "Columbus Circle, Manhattan -- Looking northwest from above the circle, statue of Columbus, B&O bus station topped with Coca-Cola sign, other signs, Mayflower Hotel, Central Park with snow." 8x10 gelatin silver print by Berenice Abbott for the Federal Art Project. View full size. We have your shirtsNote the laundry truck. Four bags on the roof and another wedged between the fender and hood. Airy Columbus CircleI can remember the Mayflower, a modest hotel where ordinary people could stay and enjoy a Central Park view. Now it's occupied by 15 Central Park West, the most expensive co-op apartment building in the city. A gaudy Trump tower has replaced the Baltimore and Ohio bus station. Abbot took this photo from the top of the building where the Museum of Art and Design now stands. It's nice to see the streetcar on Broadway. Central Park West is quite crowded compared to Broadway. Maybe it's Sunday? Rye signSchenley? Why a "motor coach" stationThis building was the last of the B&O's various NYC termini built (it opened in 1929). Due to the influence of the Pennsy the B&O was never able to bring its trains into Manhattan; instead, they used the CNJ terminal in Jersey City, from whence a fleet of "motor coaches" (never, ever "buses" in B&O literature) took ferries across the Hudson and to various stations and stops in the city. This service stubbornly lasted until 1958; at the end of the year this picture was taken, a new set of, er, motor coaches arrived complete with "air conditioning" (actually a block of ice and a fan). "Always Something Interesting"This time it was marysd that had all the answers to all my questions about this wonderful photo; I only had to wait one day to get them. My thanks to Dave, marysd, and all the commenters and contributors. Shorpy.com is one of the finer things in life. There Goes the NeighborhoodIn 1959, my wife-to-be worked in that B&O building when at the time we were "keeping company." The bus terminal was gone by then. She worked for the Monroe Greenthal Agency, a boutique ad firm that handled motion picture promos. I usually had a day off midweek and I would drive down and pick her up. Out of sight in this photo was the NYC Coloseum, a convention center, and there was always something happening. It has been replaced by the Time Warner Center with its multi-million-dollar condos and high end shopping venues. The neighborhood behind the convention center was the north end of Hell's Kitchen. So much to loveThere is so much I love about this photo, I hardly know where to begin. I love the Majestic Theater sign advertising "At Home Abroad" with Ethel Waters and Beatrice Lillie, Herb Williams and Eleanor Powell, the architecture of the building directly behind the Coca Cola sign, the news vendors on every corner, what looks to be a roof garden atop the Mayflower Hotel, the park across the street and a glimpse of a streetcar whizzing by through the bottom right of the Coca Cola sign, the anchors on the Columbus monument, the bubbles on the Coke sign (which I'm sure lit up and moved at night), all the pedestrians and 1930s cars! It just screams, New York!! At Home AbroadA Little Song, A Little Dance
Coach-Brougham: 1925
... the category of Things That Are No More. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/27/2017 - 9:05pm -

San Francisco, 1925. "Rickenbacker D-6 Coach-Brougham at Lafayette Park." Now twirling on the turntable in the Shorpy Showroom of Automotive Anachronisms. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Small production, short run, excellent qualityThe Rickenbacker was both stylish and well built, and yes, Captain Eddie was involved. Prior to his stint as an aerial ace in World War II, for which he received the Medal of Honor and the French Légion d'Honneur and Croix de Guerre, Rickenbacker had been Pershing's driver, an appointment that in part derived from his pre-war career as a successful auto racer. During World War II, as a civilian on an inspection tour in the Southwest Pacific Theater at the behest of the Secretary of War, Rickenbacker survived the ditching of a B-17 and drifted with several other survivors aboard a life raft for about three weeks before being rescued. He performed several other high-level missions during the war, and afterwards became CEO of Eastern Airlines ... another distinguished name in the category of Things That Are No More. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Arecibo: 1942
... seeing 10 woodies in one picture. WOW! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano, Puerto Rico) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/05/2019 - 2:58pm -

January 1942. "Arecibo, Puerto Rico. A row of station wagons or 'publicos' waiting for loads and passengers." Acetate negative by Jack Delano. View full size. WoodiesCan't remember ever seeing 10 woodies in one picture. WOW! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Jack Delano, Puerto Rico)
South Bend Bound: 1956
... photo department. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by JeffK - 10/02/2011 - 3:51pm -

My parents' worldly goods, ready to move from Freeport, Illinois, to South Bend, Indiana. View full size. A moving experienceI seem to sense a trend developing in the user-contributed photo department. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Obelisk Flour: 1901
... scenes, you can add to horses and wagons and electric cars and horse apples and mysterious objects at the curb and intriguing ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2020 - 4:59pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of E Street S.W., north side, looking east from Delaware Avenue, showing a grocery store on the corner." 5x7 inch glass negative. View full size. PearlinePearline was a powdered soap (thanks, Google) Best By Test was their tagline and they really pushed it. Mystery ObjectNear the curb, to the left of the image, is a once commonplace city streetside fixture, but now a highly collectable piece of ephemera--a horse spittoon! Ah, but I jest. This is actually a small flip-top fire hydrant. Here is an image featuring the same type at the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. website: D.C. hydrant At aforementioned website, you can enter 'hydrant' under Keyword Search to discover additional images of the flip-top hydrant, including at least one image showing one 'flipped'. High Grade foodSomehow that "High Grade Butter and Cheese" sign makes my mouth water. I'll bet the flavors were better than we get today. Fels Naptha is still around!Who knew? And it helps with poison ivy. What's that pot?Some Shorpyite will surely know what that cast-iron pot is on the curb to the left. Only thing I can think of is that it's a receptacle for folks picking up after their horses. [It's a fire hydrant, as seen in the comments under this post from 2008. - Dave] Obelisk Flour - ReliableIt will always rise to the occasion. Little kid in the streetTo the list of interesting things Shorpy commenters love to note about street scenes, you can add to horses and wagons and electric cars and horse apples and mysterious objects at the curb and intriguing configurations of streetcar tracks: children wandering aimlessly in the road. E is for ElmIn about 25 years all those elm trees lining E street will die from Dutch elm disease Pettijohn's Breakfast Foodgave oatmeal a run for its money in those days, until Quaker Oats scooped it up in the mid-1920's. An 1897 ad assured the customer that it was made from only the finest Pacific Coast wheat, with all the nerve and strength-giving qualities carefully retained. (The Gallery, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Kids, Stores & Markets)
Chrysler Airflow
... with today's gas mileage. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by pammydale - 09/18/2011 - 10:18pm -

My Dad, Douglas Freeman to the left and a 1934 Chrysler Airflow. Taken in Burlington, Ontario, Canada. View full size. What a car!Nice photograph and a really nice car. I wish they still made them like that. But with today's technology, or at least with today's gas mileage. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Hot Sheets: 1938
... have that Ford door! Thats the reason we often find the cars and trucks with no doors. They took them off! Jack In The Box Seems ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/24/2014 - 6:29am -

From September 1938, a reminder of the days when doing laundry meant hauling water from a well or spigot, then boiling it in a caldron over a fire: "Old and sick, mine foreman's wife does washing in front yard. South Charleston, W.Va." Photo by Marion Post Wolcott for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Body PartsI sure would like to have that Ford door! Thats the reason we often find the cars and trucks with no doors. They took them off! Jack In The BoxSeems the foreman's son loved playing in boxes as much as I did as a child. This yard is a playground full of treasures for a boy and his imagination. Mine foreman's wifeShe is described in the caption as old and sick. Having to do such a strenuous, miserable chore weekly would make anyone old and sick before their time. A coal miner's clothes and almost everything he touches, often including his hair and skin, become indelibly stained with coal residue, very difficult to clean. She probably also made her own lye soap in a similar cauldron over a fire. I almost missed seeing the two kids playing in a makeshift clubhouse under the tree in the background. At least that lends a small ray of cheerfulness into this family's difficult life of mostly drudgery. Foreman's wifeImagine what life was like for an ordinary miner's wife. Not quite right"think it needs a pinch of Salt" What a kid really wantsA packing crate. Even today a cardboard refrigerator box will become a magic carpet for a kid. Could be my grandma's place!Grandpa was a farmer, not a miner, but their backyard looked very much like this, including the "Witches Cauldron" where clothes were boiled on washday. Then the wringer washer showed up when i was maybe 8 or 10 and things changed... They had a 1950 ickup truck in green, and a 1957 Chevy sedan in silver, no radio and without self-canceling turn signals. No frills neded for gramma and grampa! Happy BirthplaceI was born in South Charleston three years after this picture was taken. It is hard to believe there was an actual hospital there. Through the WringerEven I remember, although the water came from a tap, that in the early fifties, living in a comfortable home with central heating, the maid did the wash in a washtub, using washboard and hand wringer. As a small boy I protested to my parents that they could not let this happen. And soon a washing machine came in the house. (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott)
Car Party
... driving his last one. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses) ... 
 
Posted by JustKickstart - 11/03/2010 - 9:12am -

Since this is my wife's family, so I can't identify any of them, and I suck at identifying vehicles, hope you find something enjoyable anyway. View full size. CorvetteThe sports car in the back is a Corvette. The sedan? Maybe a Buick. [Pontiac. - Dave] Fabricated RelationsThat's your wife's uncle Mario; her uncle Don's then-fiancee Barbara; Grandpa Lloyd; Don (who had five kids with Barbara); and Mario's wife Elaine (who drove the Corvette.) Mario, a career Marine, drove big Pontiacs his entire life. Elaine recently stopped driving his last one. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Tattoo II: 1941
... the way down at the far right, past the tops of the parked cars. Everything else is long gone. Just a short walk from a long pier ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/24/2020 - 5:12pm -

March 1941. "West Main Street. Norfolk, Virginia." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Pick up your feetI'd bet more than one sailor on leave made a face plant on that sidewalk. Compact AfternoonA quick lunch, followed by getting that tattoo and a loan, then a haircut before dinner, all in the space of six storefronts. Can't beat the efficiency! Hot DogI'd love to see that light lit up at night. LOVE the Hot Dog SignThat sign tickles me to no end! In the words of the Three Stooges, Hot Dog, it's the Cat's Meow! I'd Swear That Guy In The Hatlooks just like The Kingfish! One LeftThe only building that remains is the tall light gray one all the way down at the far right, past the tops of the parked cars. Everything else is long gone. Just a short walk from a long pierNothing identifiable in this picture remains today, aside from West Main Street itself. There wasn't much of West Main Street in Norfolk then, or now. Main Street becomes East Main Street when it reaches Granby in the next block or so, and behind Vachon was the end of West Main Street. Now, West Main Street leads to the Nauticus museum and entertainment complex and the pier where the U.S.S. Wisconsin is permanently docked. It's a Navy townSo I suspect that Coleman is not the community's only inker. Now Hear ThisThree Light Cruisers approaching off the port bow. All hands on deck and prepare to be boarded. (The Gallery, John Vachon, Stores & Markets)
Steeplechase Pier: 1905
... the Ferris Wheel and my best friend Felix ran the Dodgem cars. This was B.C. -- before casinos. A great place to grow up in.....Lew Bobb ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 10:20pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Steeplechase Pier, Atlantic City." Appearing April 22: The Mask and Wig Club of U-Penn performing "Mr. Hamlet of Denmark." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. I wonder... what time of year this is? No one is on the beach or the pier. [It's April. - Dave] Shills rolling chairsWhy yes. I believe he is. Gone, gone, all gone nowToday most of the traffic on the boardwalk is people shuffling from one gambling casino to the next. There are few attractions. The benches are mostly occupied by the homeless, who tend to be dirty and talk loudly to themselves. Instead of sun and the sounds of the surf, what most people experience these days is the constant din of endless rows of slot machines inside cavernous, windowless rooms. It's hard not to sound negative, AC really is bleak. Got Windex ?Imagine the chore it must have been to keep those beautiful ornate windows clean. Salt spray had to be the worst culprit. I was wondering.Quevic? After this Steeplechase Pier Burnt DownI worked on the replacement Steeplechasr from 1944 to 1948, I ran the Ferris Wheel and my best friend Felix ran the Dodgem cars. This was B.C. -- before casinos. A great place to grow up in.....Lew Bobb (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
The Muck Truck: 1942
... (The Gallery, Agriculture, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Collier) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/10/2018 - 1:24pm -

September 1942. "Batavia, New York (vicinity). Tomato harvest on Nesbitt's farm. West Virginia crew of pickers en route to the muck fields." Medium format negative by John Collier for the Office of War Information. View full size. Mucking AboutI'm a native of Batavia. My mother grew up in Elba. The "muck" is a swath of rich, black, very fertile soil that lies in a swath from the shore of Lake Ontario to about twenty miles south in Western New York. There are farms aplenty in the region. The main crops in that area are onions, potatoes, and lettuce. Regarding the former, Elba is also known for its Onion Festival in the first week of August. The festival famously includes a carnival, during which is crowned the "Onion Queen," who then enjoys the honor of sitting in the place of honor atop a float in the "Onion Parade." http://www.thebatavian.com/howard-owens/elba-picks-2011-onion-queen/2750... Made for HarvestingThis International Harvester flatbed looks like a model D30. Difficult to say what year, but it was made in this design from 1938 to 1940. Equipped with a six-cylinder, 175 cubic inch, 46 hp engine and four-speed manual transmission. https://bringatrailer.com/2015/01/27/dual-purpose-driver-1940-internatio... (The Gallery, Agriculture, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Collier)
New Beach: 1940
... picturesque dressing and undressing in and behind parked cars." 35mm nitrate negative by Edwin Rosskam for the Farm Security ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/14/2012 - 1:49pm -

August 1940. Provincetown, Massachusetts. "Beach scene at New Beach, the most popular beach near Provincetown. Regular bus service makes this beach easily available; lack of bath houses causes a great deal of picturesque dressing and undressing in and behind parked cars." 35mm nitrate negative by Edwin Rosskam for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Double takeI had to do a double-take - I just assumed the hand belonged to the lady sitting up, then realized this was impossible and then realized there were two arms. That'll teach me to take my time! Herring CoveKnown more commonly today as Herring Cove Beach, part of the Cape Cod National Seashore and a not-legally-recognized clothing-optional recreation area (New'd Beach?). One of the few places on the East Coast where a person can sometimes observe whales from shore. Other alternative names for the beach are included in the second entry below. Massachusetts: A Guide to Its Places and People, Federal Writers' Project, 1937. Provincetown New Beach was a location a generation ago of a colony of fisherman's shacks known as Hell Town. Its white shelving sand and its safe exposure on Cape Cod Bay make it now the finest bathing beach in town. Provincetown Banner, July 16, 1953. State Officials Coming For Dedication of New Bathhouse. Dedication of the new bathhouse at New Beach is now scheduled for one o'clock, Monday afternoon, July 27, at which time Governor Herter, Senator Edward C. Stone and others are scheduled to speak. … In connection with the dedication Perry Strassburger, historian and antiquarian, has written to Governor Herter suggesting that the name "New Beach" be changed to "Provincetown Beach." He points out that older names were also used to designate the particular strip of shore. "Furdustrander" (wonder strands) was the name given 953 years ago in the Viking sagas while the same stretch was long and widely known as Herring Cove Beach when early Provincetown fishermen landed their catches there to have them hauled over the dunes and into town by horse and cart. The place was also called "Hell Town" at the time, but Mr. Strassburger doesn't mention this to the Governor. In the "Cape Cod Pilot" published in 1937 it was called "Outermost Beach" and in some Navy charts it is indicated as the "Measured Mile Beach." It has also been called the "Beach of Jewels" by artists because of the color of the pebbles found under the water at the beach. 3 miles of beachand this guy has to lie on top of ME ! Beach attireSometime between the 20's and 1940, beach attire changed from being almost fully dressed to shorts and swimsuits that would pass on a modern beach. Wha' happened? "Siamese Twin"The man on the beach has been devoted to his siamese twin sister since they were born. He even paints her nails and buys her bling for her beautiful hands. (The Gallery, Edwin Rosskam, Swimming)
45 vs. 44: 1952
... Car 45 won, ending the tournament in a 4 way tie with Cars 13-16-81. __________________ Massey Wins "Rocket Derby" as 78 ... times in 26.3 seconds and twice in 26.5. There were 52 cars which ran in the A division and 26 cars in the B division. Three cars ... 
 
Posted by Christoph Traugott - 10/29/2018 - 6:34am -

Car 45 vs. Car 44 in the 1952 Soap Box Derby 1952 in Elmwood, Illinois. Car 45 won, ending the tournament in a 4 way tie with Cars 13-16-81. __________________ Massey Wins "Rocket Derby" as 78 Entrants Vie for Prizes Robert Massey of Muscatine, Iowa, driving car number 71, won first Place in the A division of the 1952 "Rocket Derby," held Saturday, September 6 in Elmwood. Massey's time for the course averaged 25.8 seconds. Second place went to Ronald Brisker of Bushnell in car number 19 while the 3rd place trophy was won by Dean Vance, son of Mr, and Mrs. Cornelius Vance of Elmwood, driving car 98. Dean was one of the most consistent drivers of the day, going down the hill four times in 26.3 seconds and twice in 26.5. There were 52 cars which ran in the A division and 26 cars in the B division. Three cars entered earlier in the A division did not run. Cars in the A group finished in this order: 71, 19, 98. 52, 3 and 15 tie. 83, 1-17-29-55-60-88 tie, 22, 61, 13-16-45-81, tie, 11-14-41-43-91 tie, 56, 74-87 tie, 10-30 tie, 39, 12, 5, 21-25 tie. 44-78 tie, 92, 20-82-100 tie. 53, 35, 48, 64, 24, 46-57 tie, 7, 8. 33, 62, 49. Average times ranged from 25.8 seconds to 30 seconds. Competing against 25 other entrants in the B division, Ronnie Ecklund. son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Ecklund of Elmwood, drove car 47 to first place in this group, with George Shaheen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Shaheen of Elmwood, winning second place. Ronnie's average time was 35.55 while Shaheen's time was 36.35. Shaheen made one run of 34.2 for the fastest time of the day. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Car 82: 1952
... Elmwood, Illinois, 1952. Car 82, tied with the 20 and 100 cars. The average times ranged from 25.8 seconds to 30 seconds. ... times in 26.3 seconds and twice in 26.5. There were 52 cars which ran in the A division and 26 cars in the B division. Three cars entered earlier in the A division did not ... 
 
Posted by Christoph Traugott - 10/29/2018 - 6:25am -

Soap Box Derby in Elmwood, Illinois, 1952. Car 82, tied with the 20 and 100 cars. The average times ranged from 25.8 seconds to 30 seconds. __________________ Massey Wins "Rocket Derby" as 78 Entrants Vie for Prizes Robert Massey of Muscatine, Iowa, driving car number 71, won first Place in the A division of the 1952 "Rocket Derby," held Saturday, September 6 in Elmwood. Massey's time for the course averaged 25.8 seconds. Second place went to Ronald Brisker of Bushnell in car number 19 while the 3rd place trophy was won by Dean Vance, son of Mr, and Mrs. Cornelius Vance of Elmwood, driving car 98. Dean was one of the most consistent drivers of the day, going down the hill four times in 26.3 seconds and twice in 26.5. There were 52 cars which ran in the A division and 26 cars in the B division. Three cars entered earlier in the A division did not run. Cars in the A group finished in this order: 71, 19, 98. 52, 3 and 15 tie. 83, 1-17-29-55-60-88 tie, 22, 61, 13-16-45-81, tie, 11-14-41-43-91 tie, 56, 74-87 tie, 10-30 tie, 39, 12, 5, 21-25 tie. 44-78 tie, 92, 20-82-100 tie. 53, 35, 48, 64, 24, 46-57 tie, 7, 8. 33, 62, 49. Average times ranged from 25.8 seconds to 30 seconds. Competing against 25 other entrants in the B division, Ronnie Ecklund. son of Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Ecklund of Elmwood, drove car 47 to first place in this group, with George Shaheen, son of Mr. and Mrs. Louis Shaheen of Elmwood, winning second place. Ronnie's average time was 35.55 while Shaheen's time was 36.35. Shaheen made one run of 34.2 for the fastest time of the day. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Mar-Man: 1922
... be immortalized with his favorite ride? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/27/2017 - 2:21pm -

San Francisco, 1922. "Marmon Roadster." With a few years and at least 3,000 miles on the clock. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Franklin & Geary StreetsTook a bt of time to identify the ivy-covered doors in the background. It's the First Unitarian Church at the intersection of Franklin and Geary Streets, just a block away from San Francisco's "Auto Row" along Van Ness Avenue. Great old building, but the engulfing ivy was eating away the mortar between the granite blocks and it was all stripped off during recent preservation work, hence the challenge in recognizing the bare doorways. It's a 50-footerBut it ran when last parked. The cart-sprung front axle and friction dampers guarantee a manly ride on any pavement, and it wears its battle scars with pride. The putative owner looks as if he's seen it all as well. Given his outfit, it must be mid-summer in the City By The Bay! It would be instructive to know the circumstances behind this photo. It's clearly not for the auto section of the Examiner's Sunday rotogravure. A cross-country drive for record? If so, where are the tools and water bags? Or perhaps its owner merely wanted to be immortalized with his favorite ride? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Maxwell Crossing: 1924
... or saying a prayer regarding his brakes. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/12/2017 - 1:54pm -

San Francisco, 1924. "Maxwell crossing Washington Street at Spreckels Mansion." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Taking the plungeI bet he's either thinking about going a different way or saying a prayer regarding his brakes. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
High and Low: 1907
... pretty much the same. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/12/2018 - 9:08pm -

Detroit, 1907. "Penobscot Building and State Savings Bank, Fort and Shelby Streets." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Penobscot FamilyThe Penobscot Building is still there, along with its son, the Penobscot Annex (behind, 1914) and grandson, the art deco Greater Penobscot (left, 1928). Through it all, its neighbor the State Savings Bank (now called the Savoyard Centre) has stayed pretty much the same. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos, DPC)
DeLovely: 1904
... long "Visit DeLeon Springs" signs to the bumpers of the cars. My dad made sure the workers knew not to put a sign on our car. At the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/04/2013 - 8:55pm -

Florida circa 1904. "DeLeon Springs near DeLand." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Looks like a decent fishin' holeI would love to throw a spinner bait across that pond! Second of two picturesSometime back you had a picture with a view of only the house on the right, along with the leaning tree with boards nailed on for a ladder. The rope across the water was also in the first picture and the overall look was one of complete isolation; no other buildings in sight. This view changes all of that with the addition of the large extended building to the left and the couple in the carriage. The water is clear and ice coldand they have a mill there where they grind flour and you can sit at these big tables and make your own pancakes. I can't recall if it was there that the big manatee would come in the winter or nearby Blue Springs, but I spent many happy times there in my youth swimming with the sunfish and being able to see all the way to the sandy bottom. Water qualityI can see the real estate ad now: The nearby pond is spring-fed, directly from the Fountain of Youth. Swimmers InvitedIn that this was taken when most 'Gators were ending up as luggage, it was probably perfectly safe to swim in this pond -- or reach, or slough or whatever. Except for the moccasins, rattlers, copperheads, and the odd nautical coral snake, of course. Not Exactly Golden PondBut we've been here before. It's a haunting location. Location, location, locationAn idyllic scene with the Spanish Moss, until you realize that the location by the pond in Florida probably has insects the size of flying tomatoes as well. Bewitchin' PoolI sure would like to go there and have some lemonade with Aunt T. Old timesI lived next to DeLeon Springs from 1958 to 1963. My grandmother worked in the gift shop, next to the 30 foot water wheel. I spent many happy days swimming in the springs and in the river. What was fun was dropping bread in the crystal clear river and watching the fish grab the food. At the time there was an abandon, two story, wood hotel at the springs. My grandmother told me it closed down when a guest had fallen through the floor because the wood was so rotted. It was all boarded up to keep people out, especially little boys. While the visitors were swimming, workers would attach two foot long "Visit DeLeon Springs" signs to the bumpers of the cars. My dad made sure the workers knew not to put a sign on our car. At the spring's parking area were peacocks, a free roving Emu and two Ostriches in a fenced in area. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Florida)
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