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Dad: 1967
... PA, in 1967 by my grandfather. View full size. Fish Smiling That's a great shot. It looks like the fish is smiling for the camera before he kicks the bucket. (ShorpyBlog, ... 
 
Posted by NateMo - 07/07/2010 - 10:19am -

Dad fishing. Taken on the Susquehanna River, South Williamsport, PA, in 1967 by my grandfather. View full size. Fish SmilingThat's a great shot. It looks like the fish is smiling for the camera before he kicks the bucket. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Byron: 1911
... for the relatives and for Joe Manning! Byron, the fish cutter: 1911 "He was extremely brilliant. If he had had money, he ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 10:57am -

"I cut my finger nearly off, cutting sardines the other day." Seven-year-old Byron Hamilton of Eastport, Maine, earns 25 cents a day as a cutter at the Seacoast Sardine cannery. August 1911. View full size. Photo by Lewis Wickes Hine. FascinatingThis is an extraordinary effort by Joe Manning. It's tantalizing that we can be so close to some of Hine's subjects, who were still living 15 years ago. Yet it's almost certain that none of them from this era of Hine's work is still among us. So we are all the more thankful for the relatives and for Joe Manning! Byron, the fish cutter: 1911 "He was extremely brilliant. If he had had money, he certainly would have gone to college. He liked to quote poetry and the classics." -- George Hamilton, nephew of Byron Hamilton. This is Joe Manning, of the Lewis Hine Project. Byron died at the age of 91. I interviewed his nephew and his 94-year-old first cousin. Byron turned out to be a very interesting person. See my story at http://morningsonmaplestreet.com/2014/11/26/byron-hamilton-page-one/ (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine)
No. 1 Atlantic Ocean: 1910
... Long did not care much for privacy, it seems. Fresh fish for dinner! Some images start my mind a wandering; I thought of fishing out the window. Allegedly Cap'n John landed 30 pounds of fish on his first attempt as reported in the AC Weekly: ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 4:52pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1910. "Young's residence on Million Dollar Pier." The marble-encrusted Venetian "villa" at No. 1 Atlantic Ocean of showman and real-estate developer Captain John Young. Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Wishful thinkingDave, any "post-gale" photos of this monstrosity? This is just too tempting for Mother Nature. WOW!Which hurricane took it out? Beach CottageDoes anyone know how long this lasted? I want to move in! [Captain Young's concrete-and-marble villa, built in 1906 hundreds of feet from the shore on a pier 20 feet above the ocean, survived gales, hurricanes and several boardwalk fires before it fell to the wrecking ball in 1953. - Dave] Uplifting cultureHe sure liked those alabaster maidens, didn't he? Well litI'd like to see a night photo of this place. It's covered with hundreds of bulbs. Do you suppose those light-bulb-encrusted flowers blinked? [The lighting is said to have been designed by none other than Thomas Edison. - Dave] From a 1910 article in the New York Times: The Captain is, to make use of his own expression, "a bug on lighting effects." In other words he has a fancy for a lot of light and for a varying in colors. His house is outlined in white electric lights from "cellar to dome," and those peculiar dials near the top are not clocks, but arrangements for giving a constant change to the lighting scheme. Surrounding the house is a magnificent lawn. It was built on a solid concrete platform with sufficient ventilation to keep the grass from scalding. It is made of the best Pennsylvania soil. The lawn is intersected by broad walks, and artistically distributed are small pine trees set out in large tubs. Statuary is scattered in profusion all about the lawn, and the whole place is surrounded by concrete coping to keep the rains from washing away the lawn. Artistic electroliers have been placed all about the outside of the property, too. Window DressingCaptain Long did not care much for privacy, it seems. Fresh fish for dinner!Some images start my mind a wandering; I thought of fishing out the window. Allegedly Cap'n John landed 30 pounds of fish on his first attempt as reported in the AC Weekly: http://www.acweekly.com/view.php?id=4793 . Other interesting views of advertising on the boardwalks are at http://library.duke.edu/exhibits/maxwell/index.html . Everything MatchesIt's hard to imagine now just how popular this overblown style was at the time. Not even counting its unique location on the pier, this house owes a lot to the fantasy-laden grandeur of the World's Fair Beaux Arts style of architecture that came in with the White City in Chicago in 1893. Tiffany & Company even redecorated the White House interiors for Theodore Roosevelt in a style similar to this, although they didn't outline the building in Edison lightbulbs. The party of well-dressed and well-fed tourists in the foreground, especially those Under Full Sail ladies, hold their own against all that marble and plaster. How utterly charming!It looks like a combination of a dollhouse and a cake. I want so badly to go inside! House of...If anyone will ever ask me to define the word "kitsch" I'll just show this photograph to them. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Idyllic Isle: 1904
... The 2010 census showed a total population of 11. Fish or cut grass Notice the man past the sign tree on the lawn near the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/23/2019 - 12:52pm -

Circa 1904. "Sylvester Avenue, Manhanset Manor, Shelter Island, N.Y." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Warning SignNo "fast driving," or else. Tiny townManhanset Manor has officially been known as Dering Harbor since 1915, a few years after the massive Manhanset House Hotel burned down in 1910. For many decades it has been New York's least populous municipality. The 2010 census showed a total population of 11. Fish or cut grassNotice the man past the sign tree on the lawn near the water. He appears to be wearing something like a sombrero and is holding a pole. Was he fishing, or is he scything grass? (The Gallery, DPC, Horses)
Home of Low Prices: 1922
... was a friendly reminder. Up until the mid-sixties, fish sticks were a Friday staple in my family. What ever happened to ... in the past 90 years. - Dave] Bone Crackers and Fish Sticks It looks as though the D.C. Aubrey Knight was a chiropractor. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 3:59pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "People's Drug Store No. 12, North Capitol and H." National Photo Co. Collection glass negative, 8 x 10 inches. View full size. And tomorrow is...Saturday?I wonder what the point of the window sign was: "Don't forget today is Fri..." Friday? Time to stock up on 40 cent per quart Ice Cream? FridayThat neighborhood was home to a lot of Irish Catholics in 1922, including my mother's family. Friday was a meatless day for Catholics. I bet the sign was a friendly reminder. Up until the mid-sixties, fish sticks were a Friday staple in my family. What ever happened to People's?I grew up in D.C., and the People's Drug Store I remember the most was the one near Dupont Circle. Whatever happened to all the People's Drug Stores? Did CVS buy 'em all out? I haven't lived there since 1990. Maybe closed?It could be that the drugstore wasn't open on the weekends, so a Friday reminder would be crucial for some people who need medication. What a fantastic photo--I like all the different worker types represented. "People's" to "CVS"Alas, you are correct, CVS got them all. The Choicest Merchandise Soon To Open Two bright, new, cheery Peoples Drug Stores in two convenient locations - are almost ready to open. Around the first of September we will swing wide the doors of two new Peoples Drug Stores, Nos. 12 and 14, the former at North Capitol and H sts., the latter on Connecticut Ave., between L and M Sts. Truly these will be characteristic of Peoples Drug Stores, filled with the choicest new merchandise, operated upon the highest place of personal service; bright, new, clean and cheerful and, withal, "Homes of Low Prices." No. 12, located at North Capitol and H Sts., replaces the old grocery store of T.A. Rover. This storeroom has been extensively remodeled and has been made extremely attractive, with a wide window expansion and a bright new interior. No 14, located at 1142 Connecticut Ave., between L and M Sts., takes over the old drug store operated formerly by A.N. Conner and some years ago by John W. Jennings. The entire drug stock in this store has been removed and will be replaced with a thoroughly new, fresh stock of quality merchandise amid clean, attractive surroundings characteristic of the stores of this company. ... Advertisement, Washington Post, Aug 27, 1922 Sole Survivor People's is long gone, but that looks like the same fire hydrant. View Larger Map [The top looks very similar, though the main outlet is a little bigger on the current model. Hydrant photography seems to have regressed somewhat in the past 90 years. - Dave] Bone Crackers and Fish SticksIt looks as though the D.C. Aubrey Knight was a chiropractor. Of course he could have held higher hope for his progeny. Also, to Anonymous Tipster, they served fish sticks on Friday in my elementary school in N.C. and there was only one Catholic family in the whole school. Probably just a coincidenceThere's a Dr. Aubrey Knight in Roanoke. Think he's related to the Dr. Aubrey Knight who has hung his shingle on the second floor here? What's in a name?"People's Drug Store No. 12" sounds like something out of Soviet Russia or North Korea! The last remnantIt might not be the same hydrant, but could that be the same paver bricks just in front of the curb? Why would anyone go into that kind of detail with a modern paving job? [The curbstones in Washington are all expensive quarried granite. The bricks are a kind of buffer that cuts down on damage when new asphalt is laid. - Dave] "Old Dutch" againThe ground floor of that building appears to be a fruit and vegetable market, but that name seems unseemly for such a business. Could its full name have been "Old Dutch Farms"? [Old Dutch Market was a grocery chain with over a dozen stores. - Dave] HydrantsThey're different hydrants. The steamer connection ( 4") is not between the two 2 1/2". The 4" is between the 2 1/2s in the newer pic. Side note. The hydrant is Out of Service in the google pic. Good old DC water department! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, PDS, Stores & Markets)
Buy Their Fruits: 1906
... Fruit Company. Great biography by Rich Cohen: The Fish That Ate the Whale . 300 years of rueful streets The sight of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/19/2022 - 3:08pm -

1906. "The French Market -- New Orleans." Yes, they have bananas, and you can compare apples and oranges, too. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Loving you has made me bananasThe pretty lady with a pout (near the bananas) is, in my mind, experiencing a slight -- ahem -- bit of friction with the gentleman (pork pie hat) standing to the left, gazing at her. I think he wants to appease her in some way but she is having none of it. Perhaps he has offended her by suggesting that she buy a few bananas and a jar of peanut butter -- still a relatively new invention -- and try putting them together in a sandwich. Meanwhile the other gentleman (bowler hat), having overheard their tiff, has discreetly averted his gaze out of respect for the couple in their awkward moment. BOGOGet a pound of road apples free with every pound of fruit you buy. You pick and bag the free product! Sam the Banana ManIn 1906, Sam Zemurray had been living in New Orleans for over a year and had already acquired the Cuyamel Fruit Company. Great biography by Rich Cohen: The Fish That Ate the Whale. 300 years of rueful streetsThe sight of this delightful variant of the traditional Belgian block pavers seems as good a reason as any to point out September marked the tricentenniel of New Orleans' street grid. Let the good times roll(out)! A sorry sightNo, not the French Market; it's that poor old horse in the foreground. It looks to be nearing the end of a hard life and in need of veterinary care. In a better life it would've had some TLC and days of ease in a peaceful pasture before its days were done. The buying power of a dimeLet's see, for 10 cents I could buy: * A dozen bananas in the 1906 New Orleans French Market, or * Three hot dogs and a made-to-order lemonade in 1906 Manhattan, New York, or * A bridal tour or auto ride in 1906 Chester Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, or * A box of sulphur and molasses kisses in 1907 Hartford, Connecticut, or * A baked potato in 1909 at the Hotel Secor in Toledo, Ohio, or * An orchestra seat in 1910 at the Theatre Comique in Detroit, Michigan, or * Two tickets to a three-reel movie in 1912 at Moore's Garden Theatre in Washington, D.C., or * A refreshing Bevo in 1917 Oklahoma City. I'd probably go with the orchestra seat. The offer nine hours of continuous high-class performances and I can stay as long as I like. Garic's BakeryIt opened in 1885 and was one of 150 bakeries listed in the city directory. This site outlines it's its history. It passed through several different owners after the founding family sold it in 1952. It remained a bakery through sometime on the early 1970s. The place was the last bakery to produce hardtack. The HorseAdding to SWA's comment. That poor horse in the foreground has serious health problems. Its legs are all bent, distended stomach, coat all mangy, and many other issues. The poor animal should have been retired a long time before this sorry moment. Maybe its owner just considered the horses as a 'thing' and as long as it could pull a cart there was no concern. (The Gallery, DPC, Horses, New Orleans, Stores & Markets)
Shutterbugs Ahoy: 1922
... Swim Call News Photographers Click, Fish and Swim Staff Stationed at White House Guests Down River on ... fancy diving, high diving, losing baits, losing lines, no fish and more pictures, anchor was hauled and the Tech glided home. Jack ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 12:42pm -

"White House photographers, August 6, 1922." Possibly a recreational outing on the Potomac. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. They made 'em young....I had no idea that the White House photographer pool in 1922 was staffed entirely by twelve-year-olds. Swim Call News Photographers Click, Fish and Swim Staff Stationed at White House Guests Down River on Senator du Pont's Yacht. Taking advantage of a quiet Sabbath at the White House and of Senator T. Coleman du Pont's invitation for a trip on his yacht, the Tech, the White House News Photographers' association, yesterday sailed down the Potomac aboard the craft. Enthusiastic as a group of boys with their first brownie cameras, the veteran photographers had a great outing. Scenery about the Tech having been taken and retaken, the photographers watched for a good place to engage in some novelties. Off Maryland Point seemed to offer a pleasant background, so Capt. Billouaghby dropped anchor. Fishing and swimming followed. After fancy diving, high diving, losing baits, losing lines, no fish and more pictures, anchor was hauled and the Tech glided home. Jack Stahl was master of ceremonies. Those on the trip included "Buck" Becker, Sig. G. Bornstein, George Dorsey, H.E. French, Albert Holland, J. Johnston. A.W. Leonard, Hugh Miller, Fred Miller, J.B. Roberts, William Sturm, J.F. Stowell, J. Seligman, Harry Bantine, Kemper F. Cowing, J.A. Brochurst, Kirk Miller and Pat Finney. Washington Post, Aug 7, 1922 DuPont's yacht, The Tech. 7/11/22, National Photo Reporters' TanDig the tan line on cigar-boy. Did these guys EVER take their shirts off outdoors?? I can't believe itI was a White House photographer, and believe me, the guys (and gals) that I worked with never looked that good. I guess it's accurate, since there was a news story about it, but still. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, D.C., Natl Photo)
To Boiling Spring: 1902
... pants without having to turn around and change. Yipes. Fish Camp This is great! With better-maintained boat houses, a big wide dock ... this could easily be any of the present-day "rustic" fish camps up and down the St. Johns River and lots of other places in Florida. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 8:27pm -

Florida circa 1902. "Silver Springs on the Oklawaha." Don't forget your flotation bonnets! Photo by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing. View full size. I'm Wide AwakeAnd I agree with Slump; this picture has a curious dream-like perspective to it. It's as if the figure in the background is the actual subject of the shot and the ladies in the boat just happened to be there. He seems to be posing for the picture too as if he knew he was the focal point. It looks like a still from a movie.If that movie was made by David Lynch. This gives me an ideaFor a comic strip set in a funny-named swamp with animals getting into hilarious situations, topical satire, and flat bottom boats bearing different names. Looking for the yearling...One of those ladies might be Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, searching out her muse. Movie?My take on it is David Wark Griffth filming Lilian Gish in her prime. Hatted and coiffedWell, at least the hats don't look silly. You could hide cannonballs under those things. That guy on the roof of the boatIs looking really hard for a glimpse of wrist! That man in the backThat character in the background sitting on the canopy (?) of that boat (??) looks like he might have jumped straight out of a Toonerville Trolley cartoon. Flotation DevicesLooks like the lady on the left has more than just her bonnet to keep her afloat unless that's just the wind. I'm off to bedAnd this photo has the makings of a very odd nightmare. 100 Years LaterNow there's your nightmare. Where's the sweat?Something always puzzles me about these things. Florida is so hot and humid almost year round yet in the old photos people are always dressed so hot.. I break out in a sweat just looking at this one ... did they not perspire? [Florida was a winter resort -- not many people went in the summer. As someone who was born in Miami and grew up in Florida, I can assure you that it's not "hot and humid almost year round." - Dave] HeadgearI love those ancestral sun bonnets that add to the peaceful look of the women in this picture. The only place we get to see one today, is occasionally, on a baby in a pram. We have met the enemy and he flings poo. The comment by "Walt Kelly" isn't too far from the truth, with a cast of characters suitable for lampooning. Substitute 'flat' for 'glass' bottom boat (where it was invented), consider that Tarzan made an appearance, and how the story goes that a scenic boat promoter in the 30's let monkeys loose on an island not knowing they could swim, leading to roving bands of them along the river to this day. Boiling hotWhat always strikes me about pictures of this era is how white the whites are. These bonnets practically glow! Even when photographed in the woods, on a train, at the beach, etc., these ladies all looked immaculate. Testimony (I guess) to lots of boiling water and scrubbing. I can't make it from my house to my car in white pants without having to turn around and change. Yipes. Fish CampThis is great! With better-maintained boat houses, a big wide dock with picnic tables and-of course-modern fashions, this could easily be any of the present-day "rustic" fish camps up and down the St. Johns River and lots of other places in Florida. All you need to fill the shot are some egrets and herons and a manatee floating by. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Lil Shuckers: 1906
... North & South, Vol. 3, 1904. Oysters and Fish Gulf Coast Canning Industry — Oysters, Shrimp, Figs — A ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 3:53pm -

Biloxi, Mississippi, circa 1906. "Point oyster houses." Just add ice and beer. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Point CadetThis is known locally as Point Cadet (pronounced "Point Cady" for you Yankees). Oyster, crab and shrimp processing have been done in this location for years. This area was damaged by Hurricane Camille in 1969 and devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Gambling casinos are now occupying much of the this seafood processing area. Sad News from the GulfThe news this week is that the 2011 oyster season may have to be canceled, because of too much fresh water entering the Gulf this Spring. With the recent hurricane, oil spill, and now the floods, the booming oyster business of the coast is in danger of disappearing, and with it a unique slice of the Gulf Coast will disappear too. Oyster Railroads North & South, Vol. 3, 1904. Oysters and Fish Gulf Coast Canning Industry — Oysters, Shrimp, Figs — A Fisherman's Paradise. … Scattered along the coast between Mobile and New Orleans are many great oyster canning factories where from September until May the business of pulling up the giant product of the Sound is carried on. Biloxi has the largest factory in the world, and quite a group of the canners are congregated here so that the name of this city is synonymous with that of oysters, and is perhaps the most widely known of any on the Gulf Coast. … At the oyster wharves an interesting scene is enacted when the ships come in and pull up alongside the little "oyster railroads" with their miniature trains of cars standing easy to receive them. With automatic hoists the oysters are lifted to the wharf and emptied into the cars. When filled each train runs into the factory where a picturesque line of Bohemians, men, women and children, awaits them and falls to opening the shells as soon as they are steamed. The dexterity with which they learn to extract the bivalve is fascinating. As their tin cups are filled they are paid in cash. Shuckers make from 60 cents to $1.25 per day and besides this wage, receive free houses, fuel and water from their employers. Labor is an ever-present problem with the oyster canners— most of it comes from Baltimore, but the briefness of the season and lack of all year round employment deters many from making the long journey to the coast, especially if they are certain or steady work elsewhere. Lack of oystersThis happens every time they have to open the Bonnet Carre spillway. The influx of fresh water kills the oysters. They will be back next year, barring another flood. The oil really didn't bother the oysters much at all. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Gloucester P.O.: 1910
... -- Annisquam Station, Gloucester, Massachusetts." Plus, a Fish Market. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. ... mail, some candy and cold soda, buy a souvenir, and some fish. I can practically hear the seagulls and smell the sea air and also the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/07/2023 - 11:58am -

Circa 1910. "Post office -- Annisquam Station, Gloucester, Massachusetts." Plus, a Fish Market. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Long SI used to misread those Ss, too. E.g., I thought one of the headings on the Bill of Rights was "Congrefs of the United States." During the late 18th century and early 19th, the fashion was to use a "long S" within a word. Here's a good article on the topic in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long_s [Very informative. The example seen here is the "ſt ligature." - Dave] Combination Poft Office and Convenience storeOn the same street, you can get your mail, some candy and cold soda, buy a souvenir, and some fish. I can practically hear the seagulls and smell the sea air and also the fish market (and probably the horse too). Looks Like This Place The curve of the roadThings don't change much up here. The Post Office building is gone ... perhaps replaced by the new home. But I have a hunch that the building's foundation is the one without a structure on it in the current view. Seems the fish market building is a bit larger now. The fire hydrant may have been moved, but the curve of the road and the topography on the opposite shore remain intact. Design that lastsFire hydrants haven't changed much in 113 years. Wow!The most recent spelling of an f "s" I have ever seen. Maybe just a touristy trap thing from back in the olde tymes? I would argue the house IS the post officeIf you navigate your way around that house, you can see the original structure of the post office with additions built on. I also almost want to argue the same for the fish market, but the building is oriented wrong. The tile siding is similar though. An odd perspectiveThat's a fine-looking horse hitched to that buggy, and it occurs to me that would be a pleasant way to ride around there and see the Glouscester area. But the Fish Market sign just keeps bothering me. The whole perspective of that building seems wrong, too flat. There's no foreshortening. The sign seems to be floating, aimed right at us rather than attached to the building, or if it is attached it's at an odd angle. I think the photographer used a very long focal length lens, was rather far back down the road from this scene. LigatureWe are talking here of the ffi ligature. Somewhat rare: Frozen in TimeThis sensational image could well be 100 or more years earlier than 1910. (Except of course for the power and telephone/telegraph? lines) As other commenters have pointed out the f (s) harks back to 18thC and before up to early 19thC usage. Perhaps even in 1910, to lure unsuspecting tourist to Ye Olde Shoppe. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Small Towns)
Seattle: 1942
... these attic floors on old buildings. Pioneer Square Fish Frye Not only has the rather squatty and unlovely Ace Hotel building ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/05/2021 - 5:03pm -

"Seattle 1942" is the notation on this latest Kodachrome from photographer-hotrodder Don Cox. At opposite ends of the architectural spectrum we have the Smith Tower, completed in 1914, and the Ace Hotel, one of which both of which still stand. View full size. Both Are Still StandingThe Smith Tower is obviously still there, but so is the building that was the Ace Hotel. It's now part of the Union Gospel Mission and stands on the pointed plot where the 2nd Avenue Extension and Third Avenue meet. Is that you, Geoffrey?Looks like a Toys "R" Us sign -- Geoffrey and all -- sticking out about halfway down the street, on the left. But Toys "R" Us wasn't founded until many years later ... 1957, to be exact, as a toy store. Geoffrey made his debut in the 1950s as well. So it is clear that what I am seeing is something else, but the similarity to the Toys "R" Us font and logo is uncanny. Anyone? Not Toys R UsIt's difficult to tell exactly where that sign is, due to extreme foreshortening, but I found Otto's Meat Market in the 1940 City Directory, online at the Seattle Public Library. It's listed under Dreschel Otto meats, at 315. The sign appears to be in front of that one, so: 301 Betty's Coffee Shop, 309 Furuya M Co, 313 Masin Eman 2nd hard goods (predecessor of Masin's Furniture?). There are addresses in the previous block (221, 223-25) but they are vacant in 1940. There are no businesses ending in "us" anywhere on the block that I can find. [Or is it the YS in a second "Betty's" sign? - Dave] New Trolley Coaches for SeattleSeattle shut down their streetcar system in 1941, and replaced it with an extensive electric trolleybus system. There are two of these new vehicles visible heading north on 2nd Avenue. Some 1940 trolleys ran in regular service for 38 years. Several generations of trolleybuses have served Seattle since then, and a modern fleet operates to this day along with four other USA Cities. Several of these original 1940s trolleys have been preserved as part of a museum fleet. Top of the tower roomsI'm always fascinated by these old skyscrapers and the attic-spaces or top floor architecture. Did they hide secret owner penthouse bachelor pads? Or merely old elevator equipment or water tanks? Someone needs to write a book about these attic floors on old buildings. Pioneer Square Fish FryeNot only has the rather squatty and unlovely Ace Hotel building managed to make it 117 years, but so has the former Frye Hotel in my hometown, rising in the vintage photo behind the Ace and kitty corner from the Smith Tower. Both hotels predate the Smith, which itself was once the tallest building West of the Mississippi River, dominating the local skyline (and countless postcards) for 46 years until the building of the Space Needle. While the Ace is now the Union Gospel Men's Shelter, the Frye has been converted to high quality low-income housing (with a waiting list) for nearly 25 years. Smith Tower PenthouseSomeone lives there: https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/21/garden/21who.html There's quite a roof-top view from the Smith Tower.The Smith Tower facility was a long time customer of mine (performing water treatment management) with its cooling towers and HVAC systems. Two interesting experiences that I'll always remember. 1. While dealing with their equipment, I had parked my New Beetle (aka Bug) in the alley behind the building. On the other side of the alley was a building used by an organization that housed the homeless. Apparently some of the residents were on the rooftop, taking a break (?) from some kitchen duties and thought it might be fun to squash "a bug", all from the rooftop. When I came out to get into my car, I found the windshield smashed. They had dropped a 5 gallon bucket of French Onion Soup from the rooftop (5-6+)? stories up, filling the inside of my car with a lovely aroma, but a terrible mess. 2. The other experience was the demolition of the Seattle Kingdome. The Smith Tower was on the edge of the Exclusion Zone and the Chief Engineer had invited my wife and I to an early Sunday morning visit to the rooftop for viewing the implosion of the Kingdome (March 19, 1998). This was the largest building ever demolished by implosion up to that time. We were standing on the rooftop and there were video cameras behind us and everybody was waiting for the countdown. https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2v24rp Needless to say, it was impressive. That evening, after returning home, I was watching the evening news and realized that the cameras were from NBC, as I could rear the comments of spectators as the explosion happened; and the conversations were EXACTLY what was said on the rooftop, earlier that morning. That said, if you're ever near the Smith Tower in Seattle, it's worth a trip just to see the decorative elevators with the polish brass, maybe they're still providing the elevator operators, I'm not sure. Lovely building, read up on it, it's worth your while. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Don Cox, Gas Stations)
Character Study: 1964
... for boys to work on their cars (IF they had one), hunt, fish, etc. If they lived in a farming community, they did some pretty darn ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/05/2010 - 6:07pm -

"Cornett family, Kentucky, 1964." One of the Cornett boys on the front porch after working hard at something. Print from 35mm negative by William Gedney. Gedney Photographs and Writings Collection, Duke University. View full size. Role modelMy 17-year-old grandson started his first job over the summer, bagging groceries. He quit after a week because the work was "exhausting." Sigh. The Working Hard at somethingIs most likely the questionable part. Did this young man escape from what is a future just like his father or did he decide to escape to a new beginning of education and prosperity for his family like many of us did at his age. I think I and most of my family looked like the Cornett's Cornetts in 1964. Dare you!Thsi guy looks capable of murder and abuse. Please stop with the 60s redneck series! Creepy is toop kind a word. [It's toop something. And speaking of creepy, how are those cousinfs? - Dave] It's all in how you look at itProbably not a good idea to judge a book by its cover, though on a site like this one it's pretty all we can do. To some this young man looks like someone capable of "murder and abuse", my impression is that he looks like someone who is used to hard work and not afraid of it one bit. It's such an unusual trait in today's youth that it's easy to mistake it for something else more sinister. DisquietingI find this set of pictures a little disquieting. There's something--an intimacy?--about them that's disconcerting. That would make them great pictures. What he looks likeis a hard worker, a smart guy, a good man to have on your side. Let's hope he didn't get blown up in Vietnam. GrittyI am really enjoying this series of pictures. The Cornetts show a hard core brand of grit and determination that I find admirable. I'd hang out with these people anytime. Bill GedneyI studied with Bill back in the mid '70s at Pratt. I was fortunate to have known him and to have heard a few stories about these people and his commitment to living with them and documenting their lives. I'm also fortunate to know the people who organized his life's work at Duke Center for Documentary Studies. Thanks for posting these images! Great Series!I love how this series from Duke brings some variety in the already amazing offerings from this site. Looking forward to seeing more of these pics in the future. Hmmm!Must admit -- I'm not enjoying these "Cornett" family pictures. Something about them makes me decidedly uncomfortable - perhaps I watch too much TV? I unreservedly apologise if I've done the family a disservice. ["If"? - Dave] [Update: Commenter has courageously altered his post to remove references to "Dueling Banjo's" [sic] and "potential for violence."] Huh???What's with the mean comments? This kid looks sweet to me and not afraid to work or get dirty. I would have been about his age in 1964 and it was very common for boys to work on their cars (IF they had one), hunt, fish, etc. If they lived in a farming community, they did some pretty darn tough, dirty work, too. My grandson rarely leaves the house---too busy with the video/computer games. If he does get out in the heat, it's only to get in the pool. I'll bet there were some real winners in this family who made something of themselves and changed their future. Hope we hear from them. Hey, WyethHey, Wyeth, your profile says it all. These people knew HARD, physical work. They have my admiration and my deep respect. Many here had parents, fathers especially, who worked with their hands and their backs to support their families. Honorable men, all. The family portrayed in these pictures didn't have the advantages you enjoy, your stereotypes obviously intact. I love these pictures, as they show a time when MEN worked hard, played hard and took care of their families. When times get truly tough, people like this survive, You will not. Bah! Salt of the EarthThis young man and many many more like him were and are the backbone of the United States. When we were young (I'm about his age, if he's alive) most of us had to work damned hard and get very dirty. Some found their separate ways to a higher place in the middle class, usually by education; some did not. Regardless, these striving, determined, hard-nosed people are the kind who move a country forward. Boys like this are the future of any country. The DraftAssuming that he was eligible to be drafted into the armed service, this guy probably served, may have even enlisted. Many of the "Lifers" I met during my time in the Army were from places like these and probably families such as the Cornetts. If they weren't hard drinkers, they made good soldiers and many became NCOs, some learned trades. They were able to visit and live in other countries. They met and worked with people of other cultures. The down side was they could have been in a war. Military conscription in our country ended in 1973. Then and NowI hope the Cornett family survived to better times. It's hard to look at the photos and imagine the family still living, given their hardscrabble existence. Did they ever smile for their portrait? Did they ever stand together and belly-laugh? Was there any joy in Mudville, ever? It's like looking into a parallel universe and it's haunting, and creepy. There are those who did not experience it, and cannnot imagine this life in America. We want to move on to life as presented by the privileged few, like Tterrace. TTerrace had the kind of life we all wanted so let's look at that ! I saw a documentary of the Appalachian families in the year 2010. Not so different from life as the Cornett family knew in the early 60s. Are we in a rush to flip back to a perfect world--patterns and possessions, and happy children being encouraged to thrive. No pain in there, just a glimpse of life we want to believe everyone had. The art of the well-done photograph is far more interesting and factual than film media could ever be. It produces huge emotion that cannot be dismissed by going for a brewski while the commercial is on. You will come back to your place and there is the same image. This guy knows how to do stuff.The fact that some people here somehow find his appearance frightening says a lot more about them than the hard working subject of the photo. I wonder how long those folks would last in this man's environment. Thank you for posting this series. We all need a reality check now and then. 60's redneck??Its almost as if the photos in this series are a kind of truth serum for the posters here -- would you call the members of this family rednecks to their faces? I come from a family of hillbillies and rednecks, and I'm not ashamed of it. My Grandfather was a coal miner in Logan, West Virginia. These photos could be of my cousins -- they bring back wonderful memories for me. These people are no more capable of murder and abuse than anyone else. They've just lived a hardscrabble existence, making do with what they had, and narrowing their suspicious eyes at the remarks of "flatlanders" who don't know any better. Keep posting pictures of the Cornetts!In my neighborhood when I was growing up in NC, they were the Daltons. They had lots of kids, little money, crappy cars and the worst house. Mr. Dalton drove a heating oil truck and they were all as redneck as one could possibly be. They stuck together and would collectively "whoop a#%" on anyone who messed with any one of them, whether it was the oldest or the youngest. We all thought we were better than them because we had more and came from smaller families with disposable incomes. As it probably is with the Cornetts, they were the lucky ones with a strong sense of family and independence, as well as a "we can look out for ourselves" mentality. My family became dysfuntional as we grew up and moved to the four corners of the country; rarely speaking with or seeing each other anymore. I'll bet the Cornetts still gather for holidays. It would be great to find out what became of the Cornetts. Mixed feelings, but you can't deny a brilliant shotAn amazing study. You look at it once, there's a bright, affectionate, fearless young man - suddenly there's a hostile, defensive, possibly cruel boy. This is an example of where portrait photography surpasses painting. He tries to stare you out across forty-six years. Not creepy at allHe looks like someone who has just finished doing hard and dirty work. Sad that that makes people uncomfortable nowadays. Same teen... different moodThe earlier photo of him smoking definitely had a sinister aspect to it, the eyes (to me) reflected something intense, whether it was resentment, jealously, hatred, disgust, I don't know what. It might have been just an affectation for the photo. But it made you wish you could find out. I felt I had the same reaction that Capote did when he saw the photo that inspired "In Cold Blood." Now, in this photo, he seems to be in a much better, happier state of mind. [Editor's note: Not the same guy. - Dave] Being born and raised, and having lived most of my adult life in the Deep South, I've had plenty of interaction with families like the Cornetts. If there's one thing I've learned, you cannot judge by appearances. If you did, and lived in certain areas, you'd never leave your house. Appearance, for the most part, results from circumstances, not from character. I'd be more leery of those in fancy suits. They have the power (and often the inclination) to do you much harm. I'd say the Cornetts must be good people, given their apparently warm reception of the high-falootin' photographer from Duke U. "Murder and abuse"?I look at this photo and see a really handsome guy. I don't understand where the negative comments are coming from. Enough already!This endless series of rednecks is uninspiring. They are being showcased as if they were iconic photos of Oakies of the Great Depression. Unlike the dust bowl pictures there is no dignity here or triumph of the human spirit. Let's get back to 19th century rarely seen photos of America's past. Honest dirtSome people's only exposure to honest dirt was the one time they got talked into helping their great-aunt Annie plant her new rosebush! Horrors! What is that stuff all over my hands? Must go wash it with some antibacterial soap, immediately! Poor babies. I like rednecks & I like GedneyAppearances can be deceiving; I'll bet if you gave this young man a good scrubbing, a haircut and put him in a nice suit, suddenly everyone will be trying to introduce him to their daughters, assuming he was going to Yale or Harvard (maybe he did, on a scholarship or GI Bill). When I lived in Charlottesville, with its "Gown and Town" culture, I met plenty of "rednecks" who were the nicest people; helpful, friendly, loved to sit on the porch Friday nights and shoot the breeze. Some of the "Gown" group were dressed to the nines, wouldn't dream of getting their hands dirty, stuck up, and borrringgggg! P.S. I belonged the "gown" crowd at the U of Virginia in Charlottesville, a boy straight out of the Maryland suburbs. Good Earthy FolksBack in the mid-1960s.I hung out with a family a lot like the Cornetts, to the horror of my mother, although my father was more understanding. I was enriched by this association and still keep in touch with the surviving members of my alternate family. Try as I mightI detect nothing sinister here. Just a young man with a hard life by today's standards. Maybe even by any standards. But lack of wealth does not always equal unhappiness. I hope he was happy. It bothers me that someone could look at this simple, unassuming photo and then ascribe to it terms like murder and abuse. Reminds me of the quote by Anais Nin: We see things not as they are, but as we are. We need moreI have a feeling that this young man is a bright-eyed smart fellow that happens to live in the country and knows how to give a honest day's work for a honest paycheck. Our country needs a few million like him right now. Negative comments?I also don't understand where these negative comments are coming from. Too bad that some Shorpy viewers think they are better than others. I see a very hard working family when I view these photos of the Cornett family. They appear to be honest hard working people the kind that make good neighbors and good friends. What viewers are looking at here is the true backbone of America. The fancy dressing politicians could not pass the muster in similar situations. Thanks Dave for showing not just the historical America but also the hard working America. I can relateI just spent the afternoon under the truck replacing its shock absorbers. Except for being much cleaner around the eyes thanks to wearing safety goggles, I ended up just at dirty as this fellow, something I don't find myself doing like when I was in my twenties. It felt good and I expect to sleep well tonight. Still creepyI have found the reactions to this series very interesting. I have lived in such a rural poor area all my life, going to school with MANY children who were forced to live as these people. Let's not make more out of these people than they were, they were just like the rest of us: both good and bad, smart and dumb, clean and dirty, hard workers and lazy, compassionate and indifferent, etc. How having said that and being a product of a poor rural area, and still a resident in that area, I find the series creepy especially of young children smoking which I never saw happening with the like people I grew up with, at least not in front of their parents. I think it very possible the photos could have been a bit influnced. [Just a bit "influnced"? Or a whole lot "influnced"? - Dave] MoreWould like to see more of the Cornett family series. Eye of the BeholderThis series of photos has turned out to be quite the Rorschach test. Dirty work, clean money I worked alongside some guys like this for a short while in the '60s. The title was a comment I heard from one of them. The Cornetts of flyover land built the 20th century and won its wars. I don't think the 20 year-olds of today could do as much. Worked hardAnd is dirty. This is what happens. I'd love to know how the next few decades played out. And I love the sparkly bits in the chair. The Best Hard TimesOdds are, in later years, these folks look back on this era as being some of the best times in their lives. I know that when I think back about my younger years, we lived in a tiny house, were raised by our divorced mom (two of us), and did not have extra money. We had lots of neighborhood friends, we always had three meals, and we always played outside. We were as happy as pigs in mud. Reminds me of my sonHe who isn't happy until he's worked hard enough to get this dirty. His dad and I must've done something right. A healthy work ethic will take one a long way in life. HandsomeI, for one, think that he's a very handsome young man, dirt and all. I bet he lights up and shines when he smiles. A true portraitI really hate reading some of the truly (literally) ignorant comments in this series. If you want a real taste of what Eastern Kentuckians are really like, just consider that this man and his wife, unemployed and with 12 children, opened their home to a photographer (read: stranger) from Duke University with no pretense and showed him hospitality for 11 days in 1964 and then again welcomed him into his home 8 years later. That is more a portrait of the true nature of Appalachian people than any ridiculous story Hollywood can make up (e.g. Deliverance). [A little confusion here. It was this young man's parents who played host to William Gedney. Who had no connection with Duke University when these pictures were made. - Dave] to: A Certain Canadian Shame on you! My parents lived in Minnesota during the depression, and we did not live much differently from this photo, but we had a happy family, we ate well, and we all grew up to be responsible adults. How dare you think that just because someone is poor, they are rednecks! [What exactly constitutes being a redneck, and why is it bad to be one? - Dave] Folks, do not despair.We still have plenty of hard-working young men and women like this young man in our America. Do not despair. We'll get through it. WOW!Dave...You must be in Heaven! What a response to your Photos of the Cornett family! I have commented, myself, before, and I am totally into this family, and have been for days. I just read through all of the comments and I think I could read on forever…they are such a mix of Brilliance, and, I am sorry to say this…total Stupidity, but that is in the Minority. Thank You, Dave! But, I Think you, too, must be a bit amazed. What a great way to get people to come alive and Talk to a subject…if only we could continue the dialog…in so many other topics. Coal DustThis young man has a right to be proud and you can see it in his eyes. He is covered with coal dust. That means he is making money--good money! Things sure have changed for today's young men. Not for the better. Bah, humbugSorry guys - but - by about the 3rd picture I didn't want anymore Cornett Family either. There's an affected bleakness about these pictures that just makes me wanna smack somebody, probably the photographer. A couple of the girls snuck in a smile . .probably when the photographer was off-guard. Good for them, probably blew the whole theme for Gedney though. Are we going to get any Cornett pictures without the "o I see misery, that makes me profound" motif? Goodness, beauty and truth are also part of the human experience, ya know. I mean, just sayin'. There's nothing wrong with honest dirt. /end tirade. ["Misery"? What misery? - Dave] "Dirty jobs"Late 70's spent my days baling hay and milking cows on our 4th generation dairy farm, my sisters and I would pack 1,000 bales or more of hay a day into the barn, under a hot tin roof in typical Ohio weather, 98 degrees and 98 humidity, "the sweaty armpit of America." I now own that farm and my dad at 78 is out helping me milk the cows every day, because he wants to be useful. The comments on this list tell me that a whole lot of folks have never learned to appreciate a hard day's work. The feeling of sweat running down the crack of your a-- and hay chaff in places you never new it could go, the feeling of a good shower and sleep that comes from being tired and not from "sleep aids". The pride of good day's work, a full barn ready for winter, contented cows and a full belly produced from your own hands. Keep posting these types of pictures, we need a reminder now and them. Like Mike Rowe keeps saying, this country needs people who will do the "dirty jobs." Definition of a redneckThe term is used to describe the hardworking man or woman who has labored, bent over, in the hot sun, and received the mother of all sunburns for their efforts. I don't know why it's bad to be called one. Sounds like a badge of honor to me. A few people who have posted here have more than likely never suffered anything more serious than a paper cut in their daily labors. Hey Lou, don't look!! It's that easy.Shoot, I was born in 1966, and there were a LOT of days I left work looking like that. It was either from working at the service station (yes, I used to pump Ethel), or at the sign shop. Sometimes, you just get dirty doing an honest days work. Painters get paint on themselves, and farmers get dirt on themselves. That's all. Dave-Thanks a million for posting the Gedney shots, as well as all you have done with shorpy.com. I scan your site every day looking for cool shots of insulators and feats of electrical engineering, but being a history buff in general, I get a real good feel for days of yesteryear. Keep'em coming my good man! [Now we know the reason for Ethel's mysterious smile. - Dave] Nothing More to AddI'm disappointed in some of these comments but reassured that there are others who don't agree with the stereotyping and leaping from a photo to the "murder and abuse" branding. Ridiculous. The Cornett defenders have said what I feel, but I found myself wanting to show my support for them, too. ("Yeah! What HE said!") Any way we could get a "like" button for Shorpy comments? Undoubtedly a relativeI'm a member the Cornett family with strong ties in Kentucky (my dad's family is from Cumberland, although we live in Maryland now). Amazing seeing these shots. I never knew this guy but I have no doubt he's a cousin of some sort. Cornetts had our black sheep (what family doesn't?) but on the whole we're a hardworking breed who gets by the best we can. Street smart?I have finally given up reading the comments on this picture. The one that really bugs me is the person who thinks this face belongs to a criminal. Obviously someone who has no street smarts. There is nothing sinister behind those eyes. And as for the people complaining about how sad these people must be, I ask why? Because they don't have all the luxuries of today that most people consider needful things when they are not? I have not seen a miserable face on any of the Cornett family. I am glad to have seen them and hope they all had or are having great lives. Another '"Yeah! What HE said!"These photos are great. Keep them coming. Anyone who could see someone capable of murder or abuse when looking at this photo is someone or find this series creepy is one who only has to look in the mirror to see a real creep. Am I the only one... or do you see a resemblance too? [Maybe that's toner on his face. - Dave] The old adagesays that when you point your finger at somebody, THREE fingers point back at you. These pictures of the Cornett family are a vivid portrayal of an important part of the American Experience. The photos are illuminating and often a work of art, as this particular picture is. This is my very favorite historical/picture blog. Keep up the GREAT work, Dave! Every timeI look at this photo I think of James Jones' star-crossed Pvt. Robert E. Lee Prewitt in "From Here To Eternity." In fact, I think I'll pull out my battered copy of that book and re-read it for about the fifteenth time. My cousins from Martin County. Just like him. high-school "diploma," willfully ignorant, hopped up on Baptist prayer meetin's, and just as happy as can be that they'll be able to get a job in the mines just like Daddy and Granddaddy, both of whom got the Black Lung from too much coal and too many Camels. And it's still like that there. WTF, America? Seriously ... [Inane Comment of the Day! - Dave] Handsome I look at this photo and see a very handsome man. In this day and age, its hard for a girl to find a guy that doesn't mind rolling up his sleeves and getting dirty to get the job done. The ruggedness of his features makes him attractive. Kindred SpiritIn 1964 I was very close to this guy in age, economic prosperity, and work opportunities. One difference was that I was in rural Alabama rather than Kentucky. I am not embarrassed by the type work I used to do, but I am thankful to now have a physically less demanding job. My electrical engineering degree helped to ease my way into middle class status. I would like to know what happened to this guy after the picture was made. I hope that he has been as fortunate in life as I have been. William GedneyI was surprised when I saw the work of Bill Gedney, years after I knew him as “Mr. Gedney,” my photography teacher at Pratt Institute, Brooklyn, NY. He rarely, if ever showed his work to us. His classes were focused (bad pun) on us and how to improve our photographic vision. I liked him a lot – he was soft spoken and kind unlike the abrasive/aggressive nature some of the others in the photography department. One of my proudest moments: when he approved of my photo essay of my sister and her husband’s move from apartment to their first house. They weren't “pretty pictures,” but captured a significant moment in time, much like his own series of the rural families. It was indeed an honor and pleasure to have worked with “Mr. Gedney.” (Cornett Family, Portraits, William Gedney)
Southdale Center: 1956
... once a week. Dayton's and Woolworth's were fabulous! The fish pond was fun, but seemed to sport dead fish frequently (wondered if they weren't poisoned from the coins being dropped ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2019 - 3:36pm -

1956. Edina, Minnesota. "Interior Garden Court with stairway to upper level in Southdale Regional Shopping Center, the first enclosed shopping mall." Color transparency by Grey Villet, Life magazine photo archive. View full size. RockwellianSomething about this photo is almost like a Norman Rockwell painting. The soft colors and muted details help, but what I notice are the little vignettes scattered about the mall — the dignified older man in the gray suit, the woman looking at a book with her son, the lady rummaging through her shopping buggy. The presence of a Woolworth's is just the sort of touch I would expect from Rockwell had he painted this scene. This photo is an excellent find! The disposable mallAfter having worked on several shopping malls, and knowing how much work goes into the construction of them, I am amazed how fast they are considered obsolete! This one would fail by today's standards, even though it was truly a work of art. Not Obsolete yet!This one is still open. ChangesThere's a lot less brown paneling now, and the escalators have been turned so they both face toward the camera. My highschool hangoutMostly because a friend of mine worked at the Babbages that was there for a while, and because it was a pretty short drive from home. Of course, it looked nothing like this then (highschool was late 80's to early 90's), but you can still make out the similarities. I can't quite get my bearings in this picture - where's the Apple Store? It looks like to the right might be the hallway down to where JC Penney is (is it still there? I don't frequent Southdale too much anymore). If I remember right, that would make this picture looking toward the Apple Store (which was a B. Dalton before that). At least the ceiling is the same (what parts they haven't expanded/remodeled, that is). Fading MallsFrom the 1950's through the early 2000's, didn't shopping malls have a great run? They're all subtly turning into ghost malls. There's another one near the Twin Cities called Har Mar (yes, like Har Mar Superstar) that's practically a marble desert with a dwindling Barnes & Noble being its biggest draw. There's also another popular local: The Mall of America. The Death Star. The Sprawl of America. The Mall of Gomorrah. Because what the hell else is there to do in Minnesota? Especially when it's colder than a witch's tit outside? [Some malls. Even many malls. But not all malls. - Dave] Victor Gruen and "indoor town centers"Southdale was designed by Victor Gruen, often considered the "father of the shopping mall." It's interesting that this picture depicts what Gruen wanted malls to be -- an indoor town center where people would be comfortable just hanging out as they would in a downtown park -- even if they weren't buying anything -- but nowadays I can't imagine anyone other than teenagers actually spending time just "hanging out" in a mall. James? James Lileks?Mr. Lileks, have you taken over Shorpy, you naughty blogger? First thing I thought of when I saw the (awesome) picture, and then I saw it was in Minnesota, his stomping grounds. The Terrazzo JungleGreat piece in The New Yorker a few years back about Victor Gruen and his how his vision for malls was undone by a change in tax regulations regarding depreciation of capital assets. Great, if somewhat depressing, reading. "Victor Gruen invented the shopping mall in order to make America more like Vienna. He ended up making Vienna more like America." Plus ça change...I think these slice-of-life pictures are my favorites. And, it's amazing how little malls have changed over 50 years. Such fond memories of eating at the Woolworth's lunch counter in the 1970s and '80s. Still bustlingSouthdale Center is, incredibly, still quite bustling. It's the more sane alternative to the nearby Mall of America. It has upscale shops but is still approachable, is small enough to navigate but has many of the options most people want. I hope this little gem doesn't go anywhere! P.S. - Minnesota in the cold months is ALSO bustling! Don't discount the ice skating, nearby skiing and snowboarding, local arts and theater, and the hardiness of its residents, who are always willing to put on a thick pair of mittens and go out and live life to its fullest (and coldest)! Takes me backI was born in 1964 and spent my early childhood going to this mall with my mother. She used to push me around in a stroller. The tall cage on the left was filled with canaries and parakeets. I was mesmerized by this. We would always stop at Fanny Farmer (just past Woolworth's) to get a treat of jelly fruit slices and continue around the corner on the left side to the pet store near the exit. There was a magnificent parrot that lived in a cage right out front of the store that I used to talk to. I think he might have known more words than me at the time! There was an FTD florist near the same spot, and I loved the fragrance of the fresh flowers that wafted into that part of the mall. It smelled like springtime, even in the middle of a dreary and cold Minnesota winter day. Dayton's and Donaldson's were the anchor stores; one on each end. I believe Donaldson's would have been directly behind the camera and Dayton's would have been straight ahead, on the far end (or vice versa). The shimmery gold floor-to-ceiling mobile type structures on the right, past the escalators, fascinated me too. They were so glamorous and HUGE! The lighting hadn't been changed yet, this is exactly what it looked like in the late '60's, although, later on when I returned there in my teens, there had been many changes and additions and a lot of these features had been removed. Going to this mall for a small child in Edina was possibly the equivalent of going to Disneyland for a child growing up in L.A. Thank you, Shorpy, for this special memory! Woolworth'sI bet there is a great diner inside that Woolworth's with lots of tasty things like meat loaf, stuffed bell peppers, and root beer floats. Yum. The Apple StoreThe Apple store would be behind and to the left of the camera. The upper level bridge is still there, so crossing from the left and continuing to the right would take you to Penney's. MemoriesThis really brings back memories. I was 10 years old when Southdale opened. I actually took part in some of the opening ceremonies. A friend and I hitch-hiked out to the mall and in the parking lot somehow we got picked to participate in a contest. Four of us kids were picked to catch passes from two pro quarterbacks. My friend and I caught passes from Otto Graham and the other kids caught passes from Tobin Rote. Whichever team caught the most passes would be treated to malted milks paid for by the winning quarterback. My team won but all four of us were treated to malts. Otto and Tobin us into Southdale and we all crammed into a booth and listened to them talk shop about the upcoming season. Quite a memory. I still live in the area and often thought I should contact Southdale to see if they might have any pictures of the event. Classy Early MallsIndoor malls were first developed in colder climates for obvious practical reasons. Over the years, mall design shifted from a focus on shopper experience and comfort (coat check rooms, lockers, sufficient restrooms ... even items of local historical interest) to maximizing the revenue of businesses (row after row of mini-vendor carts along what had heretofore been pedestrian walkways). On balance, I'll take the early generation mall ... or better yet, the restored downtown shopping district. [The synthesized version of "restored downtown shopping district" is the current hot concept in retailing -- the faux-urban "lifestyle center." A shopping mall turned inside out. - Dave] CorrectionThis is not the first enclosed mall. The first was (and still is) in Milwaukee. Built just after the Civil War. It is on Wisconsin Ave. I haven't more information at my fingertips. I am no historian, but was amazed to find this here. It is very attractive, too. [Covered markets and shopping arcades go back hundreds if not thousands of years. Southdale was the first enclosed, climate-controlled shopping center of the modern era. In other words, the first shopping mall. - Dave] More coverage of this pictureKottke has a piece on this, including another link to a relevant Economist article. I was struck by this picture when it came through the RSS feed the other day. Lovely to read these comments and articles on it too. Growing up in the UK in Cambridge, shopping malls were something of an oddity. I think the nearest real one was in Peterborough, at least 40 minutes race north. Cambridge now has two, I think (more's the pity because beautiful subsidised Georgian and Victorian housing was destroyed to build them, and Cambridge doesn't handle large numbers of people driving into town anyway). Both are relatively modern compared with this one so I never even considered shopping in a place like this. I wonder what the original mallrats would have looked like. I grew up with this mallI was five when Southdale opened. It didn't have a JC Penney at that time. It did have a little play area in the basement with a maze for kids. The basement also had a shoe repair place that is still there, though it is now on the second floor. Southdale also had Gager's Hobby and Handicraft store (on the opposite side of the open area from Woolworth's) where I could get chemicals for my chemistry set. I have no idea what kids do for chemistry sets these days. Do they even sell them? There was also our favorite, the Toy Fair, that sold nothing but toys. It was to the right of where the camera was. They also had a grocery store called Red Owl. It would have been off to the left of the camera and down a hall. The grocery store didn't last too long, probably because people who just wanted groceries didn't really want the hassles of a big mall. Thanks for sharing this photo. I had told my wife about the bird cage there, and now she has finally gotten to see it. Surely not!This photo doesn't look dated at ALL. You know the saying, "Everything old is new again"? Well, decorating trends are very similar to what's being shown here. Shopping MallsIt depends on how tight the specialty is to consider this the "first shopping mall" in the US. If you are looking at the subset of first enclosed, suburban, multi-level, postwar shopping mall, then yeah, it is the first. But if you want the first enclosed shopping mall then no. Northgate Mall was built quite a few years earlier as were a few others: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northgate_Mall_(Seattle) [A mall, in the original sense of the word, is something like a fairway or greenspace. The pedestrian walkway or mall running down the middle of Northgate Shopping Center between two rows of stores was mostly open to the sky, so this was not a "shopping mall" as we know it today. - Dave] Another photo of the mallhttp://static.panoramio.com/photos/original/11788654.jpg You Are HereI was 6 or so when Southdale opened. Back then the Dayton's department store had a sporting-goods department. My mom got shot in the back of the head with a BB gun by a clerk demonstrating the gun! When we would go shopping and bring my grandma along, she would sit by the birdcage and chain-smoke unfiltered Camels while we shopped. She loved to people-watch. Yup, great memories! Woolworth's was my favorite store when I was little! Two floors of "neat junk." Skipping School in the late 70'sOh yes, it looked very similar to the version in this picture in 1979-80. I was part of the "burnout" crowd in high school. I skipped class constantly in my 10th grade year and spent the rest of high school in summer school so I could graduate. We would take a bus to Southdale and I'd cash my hard earned McDonald's paycheck at a bank somewhere near the York steakhouse, which was the big hangout at the time. We sit in a booth in the back near the doors, smoking all afternoon. There was an arcade in the basement near the post office area and across from the County Seat. There was also a Musicland down there. Once and a while we'd eat at the Dayton's restaurant upstairs or the Woolworth lunch counter. I also recall from earlier trips in the 70's with Mom and my sister a restaurant/Deli called The Brothers and Red Owl as well as a Snyder's, where I went to a big going out of business sale around 1975. Another favorite (maybe this is still there?) was Spencer Gifts. The Southdale Theater (where I saw "Purple Rain") was across the street with the great bowling alley next door. Those were also major high school hangouts. Great memories. I can't go there anymore without nostalgia for the birdcages and goldfish pond, and that wonderful art deco style. Come on down!I was 13 years old when Southdale opened. I saw Bob Barker host a TV game show there. I got his autograph on the steps leading down to the basement where the zoo and shoe repair shop was. This TV show was very exciting to me -- it made an impression. I became a New York-LA TV director. My friends and I also put firecrackers in the planters hanging down from the send [?] floor. Oh My GoodnessFirst job? Busing tables at The Brothers. There was an open-air restaurant in the courtyard; Dayton's had the "fancy" restaurant. In the basement there was a shoe repair place and then a games arcade. Man, I loved growing up at Southdale. Mall ZooI heard there once was a zoo in the basement of the mall. Does anyone know about this? Milwaukee "Mall"It appears you are referring to what today is known as the Grand Avenue Mall, sadly in decline since its rebirth in the early-1980s. I shuttled various documents to and from the construction site on a regular basis at that time. But prior to its conversion, the oldest of the buildings comprising the GA Mall was known as the Plankinton Arcade. Yes, there are references that mention it being considered a "shopping center", its construction being 1915. As to it being enclosed, yes; as to it being climate-controlled, maybe if the windows were opened in the Beer City's humid summer to catch a delightful lake breeze and hope the winds didn't shift to the stockyards in the Valley. In Milwaukee the first shopping mall, albeit outdoor, was Southgate, located off the corner of South 27th Street (US Highway 41) and Morgan Avenue, and opened in 1951. At about the time in the early-1970s Northridge (now demolished) and Southridge were constructed Southgate was converted to an enclosed mall, but is now long gone, recently the site of another superlative, that of the first Super Wal-Mart in Milwaukee County. This metro area's first enclosed shopping mall as I recall was Brookfield Square in 1968, still in existence today and from all appearances doing well. Parakeets, new shoes and cheeseburgers in paradiseIn my family, Southdale circa 1960 was much more than a mall. My mother called it "The Cities," because it was as far as she was willing to drive on those "crazy" city highways. 35W was out of the question, but 494 to France Ave exit was tolerable (unless we hit RUSH HOUR). We lived on a farm, about an hour away, and before Southdale, the only outings were to school, church and occasional food shopping at the Red Owl, the Meat Market and the Variety Store with the cranky storekeeper who always thought we were stealing stuff. But Southdale, Wow! I was 5 years old, the youngest of four children, and twice a year, we would make the great journey to "Emerald City." Dayton's was Mom's favorite store, and for a farm wife, my mother had impeccable taste. Donaldson's came in second, and then Jack & Jill -- a small boutique with pricey, well-tailored children's clothing. Lunch was always at Woolworths, and our order was always the same. "HamburgerFrenchfriesMalt" (spoken so fast and with such excitement it sounded like ONE word); I remember the clattering of plates, the whir of the blender, the bar stools at the counter. Waiting for the food, we could check out the parakeets & goldfish. My oldest sister convinced my mother to purchase a parakeet, cage, & and all the accoutrements. We had that bird for years, and when he died we headed back for a second. This time, the bird died in his little paper travel carton before we even got home -- and since we only went to "The Cities" twice a year, my mother decided to freeze it along with the receipt until our next trip six months later. How strange to present a frozen parakeet back to the store for a refund. While the clerk was surprised to see the frozen parakeet, she did offer us another bird in exchange. A few years later, Southdale became a whole new adventure when my best friend's aunt drove just the two of us, and I bought my first long-playing album at Musicland, Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sounds of Silence." After that, my friend convinced me we should be drinking coffee and gossiping, or at least pretending to gossip, since none of our friends were old enough to be scandalous. Then we smoked Chesterfield Kings in random Southdale "Ladies" rooms and we both felt like we were going to throw up. Southdale! Never stopped to think about it, but Southdale was, and will always be, among my fondest childhood memories. "The Cities." Southdale MemoriesBoy this pic brings back memories. My family moved to Mpls in 1956 when I was about 3, so my earliest memories date from about 1960 or so. I later worked as a dishwasher and soda jerk at the Walgreen's on the upper level facing 66th street. They had a soda grill, as did most drug stores of that era, and the Woolworth's had a cafe as well. My first exposure to Chinese food was at the tiny little Half Moon restaurant, although I think initially I would order hamburgers, which were on the menu for fussy American kids. Behind the escalators in the picture was an "outdoor" restaurant. There was a Fanny Farmer on the second floor to the left. Southdale was THE place to hang out when you were a kid or teenager, especially the arcade in the basement. Southdale in the 1950sI grew up just a few blocks from Southdale. I was about 3 years old when it was built. My mom and I would walk there about once a week. Dayton's and Woolworth's were fabulous! The fish pond was fun, but seemed to sport dead fish frequently (wondered if they weren't poisoned from the coins being dropped in there). Christmastime was unbelievable! The tallest trees, the biggest bulbs, and Santa ... oh, Santa!! The line to see him, and the crowds were amazing! There was the Courtside Cafe, and oh so many shops! I shopped there for all my Christmas gifts, and worked there in my teen years. We didn't hang out there too much as to the crowds. We hung out more at Bridgeman's ice Cream Shop and Nelson's FireSide Pizza both in Richfield. They used to host fireworks in the parking lot for the Fourth of July. They didn't have too many, but, still it was fascinating. Many kids learned how to drive in the east parking lot. With all the curlicue and ribbon styled roadways within the parking lot, it was an exciting way to practice steering those big '56 Chevys! The parking lot markers of foxes, bears and lions were interesting, too. I would love to see a picture of Christmastime at Southdale from the 1950s. Thanks for all your posts -- they've been fun to read! Back when ...In those days people still used to dress up, at least to a reasonable degree, to go out to a public place like this. Compare to today's Walmarts, for instance. We have become a nation of slobs. Another early mallThose of us who grew up in the Boston area were told that Shopper's World in Framingham was "the first mall." It was not, however, enclosed. And I suspect that dozens of other places made the same claim. I had a very pleasant date there in the 1970s. I just discovered that it was demolished in 1994. Sic transit gloria mundi. The World of TomorrowForecast by the 1939 New York World's Fair. Attention, ShoppersThe first structure in the United States that might legitimately be called a shopping mall is probably the Westminster Arcade in Providence, RI, opened in 1828 and still extant, albeit recently converted into residential "micro-lofts." It's a marvelous building, all the more wonderful for still being around. [The shopping arcades of the 19th century, being arcades, are just what that term implies -- covered passageways, and not malls, a term that originally meant an open-air promenade. The suburban shopping plazas of the early 1950s -- rows of stores facing each other across landscaped malls -- were the immediate forebears of the enclosed, roofed shopping mall. - Dave] Southdale Shopping Center: Calling for IntervieweesMy name is Zinnia Ramirez and I am a student at the University of California, Irvine. I am a third year journalism major and as one of my big projects we are tasked with writing a narrative reconstruction (recounting the events in a narrative storytelling style to paint an image of what happened in a particular instance in history) about an event in history (big or small), I decided as I was looking through the web that I wanted to reconstruct the Southdale 1956 Richfield Edina Shopping Mall in opening day. One of the larger elements is, to have narrative voices from people who experienced the allure of Southdale, possible describe a day there, the atmosphere, stores, etc. So if anyone remembers what opening day was like, I would love to talk! Thank you for your time. Zinnia (LIFE, Stores & Markets)
Hello Up There: 1910
... fishing nets on drying racks in front of the Monson Fish Company? What's Up? Treasure Island ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/04/2023 - 12:24pm -

Cleveland circa 1910. "Lift Bridge (raised) and Superior Avenue Viaduct (swing bridge at left), Cuyahoga River." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Re: What's Up?Did he climb up or ride it up? Single-leaf BasculeGrowing up in along the St. Johns River, I was fascinated by the Florida East Coast Railroad bridge, which (like the one in this Cleveland photo) raised its metal deck and superstructure on a single pivot with a heavy counterweight. Now I know this is called a single-leaf bascule bridge. Below is an impressive modern example (albeit for pedestrians only) in Poland. Large box kites?Or perhaps fishing nets on drying racks in front of the Monson Fish Company? What's Up? Treasure Island MishapFour Canadian women visiting Florida in 1973 got hung up for two hours in their 1962 Thunderbird when a drawbridge opened. The full story is here. What's Up Too?Maybe that's Charlie Chaplin before he became famous? They have better bridges and water nowThere is still a lift bridge in Cleveland; I'm not sure if it's this one or not. But you can visit Jack Knife Bridge No. 464, a historical landmark. Seen below from the Willow Avenue Bridge. I remember when the Cuyahoga River was awarded Laugh-In's Flying Fickle Finger of Fate for catching fire in 1969 from all the chemicals in it. But the river had already caught fire in 1868, 1883, 1887, 1912, 1922, 1936, 1941, 1948 and 1952. However, in 1969 the times were a-changing, plus Cleveland manufacturing jobs were disappearing, so cleanup efforts began in earnest. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cleveland, DPC, Railroads)
Bathgate Avenue: 1936
... display cases in front of the stores, the smells of dried fish and ethnic foods baking in the sun. The area was much more crowded in the ... and live pike & carp for Friday night's "gefulte" fish was a given. Mom used to keep the fish alive in the bathtub so we could ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/30/2012 - 10:50am -

December 1936. "Scene along Bathgate Avenue in the Bronx, a section from which many of the New Jersey homesteaders have come." View full size. Medium format nitrate negative by Arthur Rothstein for the Farm Security Administration. Nothing really changesFunny, I've seen scenes just like this (with different languages on the signs and different clothes) in Cueramaro, GTO and Oakland, CA within the last few months. We don't really change as much as we think sometimes... Billy BathgateI lived on Bathgate and 187th four years ago when I went to school at Fordham. Looking at the address on the bulding I wonder what the cross-street was at this time? The one little boyThe one little boy appears to be carrying a toy airplane while the stroller has a piece of wood being used to keep it from rolling away. TK http://unidentifiedfamilyobjects.blogspot.com/ Bathgate AvenueI googled the address and it is shown to be between Claremont Parkway and East 172nd Street. It was never considered a Garden Spot. Pop vs sodaThis shows that the word "pop" was still in use in NYC at that time, with the word "soda" presumably meaning an ice cream soda. The word "soda" has all but obliterated "pop" for soft drink in most of the country now. If you still say "pop" you're really from the hinterlands. Bathgate AvenueI used to go shopping on Bathgate Avenue with my mother in the early 1950's. I was still a kid and it was an exciting place. Open display cases in front of the stores, the smells of dried fish and ethnic foods baking in the sun. The area was much more crowded in the 1950's. If I remember correctly there were still some pushcarts in those days. Bathgate Avenue is near Crotona Park. BathgateI lived across the street from this address at 1599 Bathgate Avenue in the late 60's thru the mid 70's and my fondest memories were that of Melvin's Eggs right next to this location. This store was right in the middle of the block. Next door to me was F.W. Woolworth. The Manager was Mr.Blackman, funny how some names you never forget. The cross street was Claremont Avenue and that was 172nd street. The next street over was Washington Avenue and the Deluxe Theatre, where I went to my first movie by myself for 35 cents. Gosh I feel old and I'm only 46. Great times playing stickball and kick the can on Sundays, everything was closed because of the Blue Laws. Tone2020@gmail.com Pop vs Soda MapSee this site. Bathgate Avenue ShoppingI lived on Washington Avenue during the same timeframe (mid 60s through late 70s) and can remember a poultry shop where you could buy freshly slaughtered (right in front of you) chicken. Also, the smell of roasted peanuts sold from the fruit stands on Bathgate is something I remember. My first job while in Junior High was at a small variety store across the street from Woolworth (I can still hear the 3rd Avenue El rattling as it heads towards the Claremont Avenue Station). Bathgate AvenueMy grandparents owned a small store called Tillie's Specialty Shop from about 1945 to 1957 on Bathgate Avenue, just next to the stores in the photo and a few doors down from Woolworth's. Tillie's sold housedresses, hosiery, robes, etc. During the summer, when I wasn't attending P.S. 4, I'd sit next to the hosiery display at the front of the store and sell stockings. I also collected baseball cards, which my mother threw out. My guess is that I had a bunch of Mickey Mantles. Wish I still did! I recall a haberdasher (when was the last time you heard that word?) on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Claremont Parkway. The el still stood then. Crotona Park was two blocks away. Nice to remember... Fond Memories of my youthMy grandparents lived at 1663 Bathgate Avenue and 173rd Street. My grandfather owned a tomato store near the corner of 173rd. I was only a small child then but can remember the delicious smells in the hallway when entering the building from all the cooking. There was Italian, German, Irish, Greek and Jewish food that created the most wonderful aroma. I remember all the stores that had their products outside under awnings. There was clothing, shoes, toys, food, etc. My mom used to take me to a clothing store south of 173rd on the east side of the street. I remember a heater in the middle of the floor in this clothing store. I also went to a pool a few blocks away, must have been Crotona Park Wading Pool. I remember the water not being very deep. For some reason many things have stayed with me and the memories are cherished. Memories of a fellow Bathgater..I was born in Apartment 4C at 1663 Bathgate, the southwest corner of Bathgate and 173rd, in December 1933. My dad died in 1934. Vogel's Grocery was on the northwest corner and I delivered groceries for them. Schactner's Haberdashery was opposite 1663 as was the Daitch Dairy. The orthodox synagogue was underneath 1663 on 173rd and Grubmans Interior Decorators was underneath 1663 on Bathgate. (For some unexplained reason the interior decorators' center of NYC was Bathgate between Clairmont Parkway and 173rd, three blocks with about a dozen interior decorator stores. As kids we used to marvel at the chauffeured limousines carrying elegantly dressed ladies from Park & Fifth Avenues in Manhattan to Bathgate to buy extraordinary fabrics for their apartment & mansions.) Tillie's Specialty Shop may also have been Zweigart's Specialty Shop, whose daughter, Sally, I once dated, when I was a student at P.S. 4 on Fulton Avenue. There were many such shops. Freshly slaughtered chickens and live pike & carp for Friday night's "gefulte" fish was a given. Mom used to keep the fish alive in the bathtub so we could see them when we came home from school! Punch ball on 173rd from Bathgate to 3rd Avenue started promptly at 10 every Sunday morning and ended promptly at 2 pm when all the Italian kids had to go home for their traditional Sunday pasta dinner. If there were cars parked on 173rd, we pushed them out of the way. Spectators lined both sides of the street and total bets could be $100 or more. I could punch a "spaldeen" 3 sewers, but Rocky Colavito, the eventual Cleveland Brown slugger, could punch the ball onto the 3rd Avenue Elevated tracks, almost a whole block away! Correction: The movie house on Clairmont and Washington Avenue was the Fenway, not the Delux. Admission was five cents and we were there on Saturdays from 11 to 5 -- two feature films and about 25 serials and cartoons. Our moms came to pull us out for dinner. If you went in the evening, you would also be awarded a free dinner plate. My mom collected an entire service for eight, some of which my niece may still have! The Delux was at the corner of Arthur & Tremont, also 5 cents. The Crotona on Tremont was 10 cents, the more resplendent Loewe's farther east on Tremont at 15 cents and the famous & magnificent Loewe's Paradise at Grand Concourse and Fordham Road, admission was a hefty 25 cents, but well worth the beauty of that particular movie palace! I left Bathgate in 1953 to go to college and never returned. I'm 75, but those memories are as fresh in my mind today as though they occurred yesterday. Please pass on to your Bathgate cohorts ! Fair Winds, Jack Cook Reprinted from an email I received today from Jack. Eat at Paul'sMy grandfather had a deli on Bathgate Avenue. I have a pic taken in 1932. The awning on the store said Eat at Paul's, my grandpa was Henry. That was the way the awning was when he opened the store. Does anyone remember? or know the address number of the store. I want to see what is on that spot now. I remember MamaI was born in 1946 and shopped with my mother on Bathgate as a very small child. I remember watching her choose a flounder at the fish market, and kosher pickles from the barrels on the street. One of the women in the Rothstein photo looks just like my grandmother. She shopped there too. What if? 1593 Bathgate AvenueThe window appearing in the upper right hand corner of the picture is that of a top floor apartment at 1593 Bathgate Avenue. From the early 1940s to the early '60s, our family (Tosca) lived on the first floor (same line as the window) in Apartment 6. 1589 was Geller Bros., a candy stand which in the fifties became somewhat of a supermarket. 1591 was a full fresh fish market, huge water tank and all. The ground floor of 1593 housed a kosher meat market and as well Mr. Cherry's grocery store. 1595 was another tenement. After a few shops, there was a Woolworth's, a drug store and Meyers & Shapiro Deli. After which more shops and at the end of the block 1599, another tenement. Further down from the other side of Gellers, a huge poultry store. With no doubt, hundreds of live chickens daily sold, slaughtered & quartered on the premises. Many many thanks for affording "Junior" the trip down Memory Lane. 1991 BathgateI lived at 1991 Bathgate apt 1A at the end of the 60s into 1976 and I love that neighborhood I still go back there once a year I walk down towards tremont where St josephs church is i had great times there if anyone was from around there at that time email me at bronx1966@hotmail.com Crotona Park PoolI taught myself to swim in the shallow pool and then was daring enough to dive off the diving board towards the ladder opposite in the semi-circular diving pool. I am 83 and still a good swimmer. I recently found a site where I could see the pool and the shallow one is still active but the diving pool has all the boards gone and a fence around the pool to keep people out! damn lawyers for making an end to diving boards due to their incessant suits! Bathgate Avenue1575 Bathgate Avenue, 1946 to 1952: from my grandmother's apartment, I could look across the street and see Daitch Dairy. Sometimes I would be sent there to get butter. Then, it came in a large block, and they would chop you off the amount you wanted, either by the amount or amount of money I was given to buy it. I was never board, after all, I could visit the chickens, watch the fish swim in a tank, go to the deli for chicken salami (which I don't believe is made anymore). Through my grandmother, the shop keepers knew me, so I always got a slice of salami. There was Woolworth to walk around in. The Sugar Bowl for ice cream, the shop around the corner for ices for 5 cents, the leather shop (to smell new leather), and produce stands everywhere. Loved to go to Crotona Park and climb what I thought then were mountains, but just big boulders. You could hear and see the world just by sitting at a window, and ride on a merry-go-round that came by on a truck. Most night the third avenue L put me to sleep. Everything was simple then, yet an awful lot of fun. Good memories they were indeed. Brings tears to my eyesMy Dad and his brothers{ the Geller Bros.} had the candy store, which later turned into a grocery store. There was Bobby{Isadore} Max, Sam, Harry,and Jack. My dad. who was the oldest, lived above the store with his four brothers and two sisters, Faye and Dottie. Will have to post a picture of all of my cousins standing in front of Geller Bros. My uncle Jack and Aunt Millie had the Sugar Bowl, and my Aunt Faye and Uncle Jaime had the chicken market. My dad Bobby died several years ago, and I have fond memories of going to the markets, and visiting grandma Sophie . If you have anything to share, I would love it! This all brings tears to my eyes. Melody Please e mail me @ melody.dancer@cox.net thank you City Girla short video shot on Bathgate in 1958 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgxr03mcVAs Moe, Irv and Max from BathgateMoe, Irv and Max from 1648 Bathgate Ave. in the 1940s are all doing well! I am Max's eldest daughter Aylene. My Dad wrote an article I attached below which was published in a magazine. I spotted this site and couldn't help but to send it to you. Should you wish to reach out to my Dad Max, his e-mail address is primeno19@aol.com. I am sure he would love to reminisce about the days at Bathgate! GOLDMAN’S YARN on BATHGATE AVE. Your last issue on Goldman’s Yarn store prompted me to reflect on some very fond childhood memories. When I was asked for my address as a young boy, at about the age of 11-12, I usually responded, “1648 Bathgate Ave., across the street from Goldman’s”. Mentioning Goldman’s as part of my address not only pinpointed my house but in my mind it elevated the status of my building. To the people in our area, Goldman’s was a neighborhood landmark. It almost ranked with the Loew’s Paradise Theater. My recollection of the Bathgate Ave. area in the late 1940’s was that shoppers associated the ‘market’ as the place to get bargains. My friend claimed he purchased a pair of pants and received a price reduction when he traded in his old pants. The pedestrian traffic on Bathgate Ave from 171st to 174th caused it to be among the most populated areas in the Bronx. Stores were continuous on both sides of the street. There were bakeries, grocery stores, shoe stores, clothing stores, butchers, novelty stores, candy stores, the very first Daitch store, and Olinsky which specialized in appetizing foods. Also, there were many, many vegetable stores which had stands extending half way out onto the sidewalk. Every woman had her favorite stores where she shopped. Also, stationary pushcarts were on the street lined up back to back selling vegetables which added to this already congested scene. In between the pushcarts one can see many horses (how else did the pushcart get to the location?) on the street and some parked cars. The cars which dared to travel through Bathgate Ave. were crawling at 5 mph. This was the environment where Goldman’s was situated. Goldman’s Yarn and Barash Decorators were considered the upscale stores in the area. These stores attracted patrons from affluent Bronx areas, such as the West Bronx (Concourse area), Riverdale, and Parkchester. During the early evening hours (after dinner), Bathgate Ave. took on a different appearance. Pedestrian traffic subsided, pushcarts were leaving, stores were closing, sanitation crews came in for their nightly clean-up job, and many of the residents in the buildings came outside to recapture their street. Mothers relaxed on their chairs outside and discussed the day’s activities with a little gossip injected to spice up their conversation. Friends from various age groups would congregate for their evening activity. One vegetable stand was used for a nightly card game by the older kids. One evening, that card game ended abruptly when a woman in the building above the stand poured a pail of water on the card players for making too much noise. Needless to say, they never played cards at that stand again. For a few years, one of the street games I enjoyed was ‘off the point’. This was a variation of ‘stoop ball’. In this game, we threw a spaldeen at the metal bar just below a store’s window. We used Goldman’s Yarn store for our game because it had a sharp point on its metal bar. On an accurate throw at the metal bar, a ball could travel far and hit the building across the street. If not caught, it‘s considered a home run. Occasionally when we were not so accurate with our throw, we would hit the store’s window above the bar causing the window to vibrate. Of course we kids could never think of the possibility of breaking a window. Evidently Mr. Goldman had a more realistic viewpoint. One evening, as my friends (Pete Palladino, Joseph Greco, and Angelo Pezullo) and I were playing this game, Mr. Goldman ran out angrily chasing us away from his store. The following evening, we needed a substitute activity. We decided to make picket signs which read, “Goldmans is Unfair to Kids”, and jokingly marched in front of the store with these signs. Apparently Mr. Goldman did not see this action as amusing. On the following night, as we were picketing again, 2 policemen from a patrol car stopped and approached us. They took our signs and told us to leave the area. Obviously Mr. Goldman called the police. This was a dramatic event for 11 and 12 year old kids. Who would believe we had a confrontation with the police at that age? During the next few years, I noticed many stores on Bathgate Ave were installing accordion gates. At that time, I naively thought the store owners installed the gates to curtail our evening game ‘hit the point’. Max Tuchman 1657 Bathgate in the 1920s (and maybe 30s)A great-great grandfather of mine (Solomon Beckelman) lived at 1657 Bathgate with his wife (Minnie) and at least one of their daughters (Pauline) in the 1920s. His son, Abraham, was my great-grandfather. Solomon was a tailor, and Abe was a cutter and dressmaker who was married with children by 1912. From the maps I've seen, 1657 and the whole block of houses is (long?) gone. 2068 Bathgate AveMy great-grandaunt, Anna Havemann, lived at 2068 Bathgate Ave from at least 1936 (the year of this photo) until maybe 1950. The building that stands there is a large apartment building. Near as I can tell, it's the same building. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Dog Funeral: 1921
... hamsters get solemn farewells with respectful burials but FISH just get flushed down the toilet? Aspin Hill lives on The cemetery ... a lot of digging. Sleeps with the fishes For my fish, I always say a few respectful words before giving them the big flush. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/12/2009 - 11:47am -

October 7, 1921. "Dog funeral." Aspen Hill Cemetery, final resting place for one Boots Snook, "dear old pal" of Mrs. Selma Snook of Washington. Today's funeral is for the recently departed Buster. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Born a Dog, Lived a GentlemanI imagine many women can attest to the the opposite occurrence as well: "Born a Gentleman, Lived a Dog." 50 Washington Lovers of Animal Pay Tribute At Last Resting Place of Their Departed Pets In a wonderland Valhalla for pooches, "World Day for Animals" was celebrated in quiet fashion by a group of 50 Washington dog lovers yesterday. A mellow October sunlight flooded Aspen Hill Cemetery, where lie 2,700 "prominent" dogs, at peace with the world at last, far from the threat of onrushing automobiles, and presumably gnawing meaty bones as they growl in endless sleep. ... Owners of deceased pets haven't gotten around to holding religious services yet at burials, although Mrs. Selma Snook, of this city, has had formal burials with children acting as pallbearers for her five dogs, one of which, Buster, has this inscription on his monument: "Born a dog, lived a gentleman." Washington Post, Oct 5, 1936 Saying GoodbyeLooks like Mrs. Snook is comforting a relative or pal of the late Boots. Funny how dogs and their owners so often resemble each other. Mrs. Snook and the principal mourner have the same hair, although Mrs. Snook has tamed hers with a net. Discretionary incomeIt's nice to see that people squandered money on useless items for their pets 90 years ago too. I wonder if they were regretting spending money on a granite memorial for a dog eight years later in 1929 when "Black Thursday" rolled around. This is an interesting parallel between our consumption based society of the late 20th century with its childless power couples and their 4 legged "kids" and the boom-boom 1920's. So glad to see this!Truly man's best friends, treated with the honor they deserve. While I can't afford such elaborate stones, all my pets are buried with dignity. Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn has quite a few dog graves and a horse one as well! Mrs. Snook, to Boots II"If you don't stop chewing on the davenport you're next." And is that Aretha Franklin's hat? Hey!Discretionary income....if they earned it, they can spend it anyway THEY please. Maybe they should throw it down the entitlement rat hole. Sour grapes"Useless," "squandered," "regretting" -- I doubt these folks had ANY regrets about giving their pet a lavish burial. Would you rather spending be regulated? Hope you have a nice view from your porch, cranky old man. Boots HillAll dogs go to heaven. The date of the photographThe date of the photograph was October but the date on the tombstone says Boots died in April. Looks like a new grave so I was wondering what old Boots was doing between April and October. [Try reading the caption again. This is not Boots' funeral. - Dave] Marginal MemorialsIn 1921 the marginal tax rate for US taxpayers in the bottom bracket (taxable incomes up to $4,000) was 4%. The marginal rate for the top bracket (taxable incomes above $1 million) was 73%. By contrast, for tax year 2008 the lowest marginal rate is 10% for taxpayers with $16,050 taxable income, and the top rate is 35% for taxable incomes over $357,700. If Mrs. Snook was lucky enough to be a top-bracket type of gal with a million dollar income, she could take her $270,000 after-tax income and build a grand monument to ol' Boots. Today, any Leona Helmsley-ish dog lover would have $650,000 left after taxes on the same million dollars to take care of her pets' needs. Goober Pea It's my moneyAll of my pets have been buried at my parents' farm, joining their pets and some that belonged to my siblings. I don't regret the money spent at the vet, or for their food, or toys. Still taking petsThe Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery is still taking burials, though it has been buffeted about a bit recently from some changes of management. Note the spelling, BTW: for whatever reason, the official spelling is "Aspin", though "Aspen" seems to get used as often. It is now being run by the Montgomery County Humane Society. For a while it was run by PETA, which explains some of the curious memorials listed in the Find-a-grave listings. FISHcrimination!Why is it that dogs, cats, birds, even hamsters get solemn farewells with respectful burials but FISH just get flushed down the toilet? Aspin Hill lives onThe cemetery is still there. I used to belong to St. Mary Magdalene Episcopal Church, right next door, when PETA owned it. Here's an article on all the tumult of its recent past. http://www.mchumane.org/aspinhillpetcemetery.shtml No FoolingI thought that maybe it was April 1 when I read the article about Aspen Hill Cemetery and Mr. J. C. Crist! That aside, I hope that the cemetery plot, the headstones and the funeral rites helped Ms. Snook deal with the loss of what MUST have been beloved pets. Could the money involved have been spent on hungry children, homeless pets, animal medical research, or a host of other worthy causes? Yes, but the choice was hers, and anyone who doesn't like it can deal with it by increasing their own contributions to worthy causes of their choice. Boy in the middle"Why wasn't I born a dog?" GratefulI cherish the time with, and have never regretted the money spent on my furry friends. I could not afford a place like the pet cemetery in Columbia, Tennessee, but there's a tiny fenced-in graveyard with a little wood marker for each of my lost friends. It overlooks the Piney River here in Tennessee. I think they must like it. Not kids, but friendsPets are loving, loyal, and would die for you. They deserve to be given a decent rest at the end of their lives. Or would you rather they were just thrown in the garbage? My parents held funerals for our two turtles and one goldfish that passed on when we were very small. The little creatures were buried in the yard, in small jewelry boxes. I don't spend much on my cat and when she goes, she will have a simple, good sendoff. I hope that's a long time ahead. There is a pet cemetery very like this one near me, and I'm amazed at how long some of the animals lived. They obviously brought a lot of happiness to their humans. Four-legged kidsDogs and cats don't get drunk when they're 13 and come home pregnant and strung out on meth (OK, animals with roaming privileges still come home pregnant, but at least you can simply give away their unwanted offspring without any red tape). And they don't forget about or ignore you when you've grown old and useless. We're not that fancyBut our departed pets are all buried on our property, with pretty stones for markers. Our life is blessedly child-free and our pets are family and treated as such during and after their lives. No Glue FactoryAn old farmer down here, a distant relative, buried all of his horses and mules and put up markers for some of them. He kept this up through the 50's or early 60's. That's a lot of digging. Sleeps with the fishesFor my fish, I always say a few respectful words before giving them the big flush. Besides, this method of disposal does use water, their natural element. We used to name them too, but when you have 90 neon Tetras, the attrition rate is just too great to keep up! Touch a nerve?Wow, look at all the comments from people defending their right to spend their money how they want. It's your money, do with it as you wish. Dogs are wonderful animals, but as much as they love you they are entirely dependent on you and can do nothing to support you in your old age. I hope the person comparing a dog to a 13 year old child coming home drunk never ever has to take care of a child. If you have a child behaving in that fashion, it is your fault. Ask Notwhat your dog can do for you, ask what you can do for your dog. Aspin HillThis is one of the oldest pet cemeteries in the nation. I did volunteer clean-up work there in the summer of 2002. There are still plots available, but some of the older areas are overgrown. It's near the intersection of Connecticut and Georgia avenues. The Snook plotI live just down the road from the Aspen Hill pet cemetery, and I visited it today. I found the Snook plot. It's still there, although it was quite overgrown. What I'm assuming to be Buster's headstone, the one to the right of Boots, has since toppled onto its face and has grown over with weeds. The current state of the plot. You can make out the supports for the corners of the plot. The third grave from the right is Boots. Also in the Snook plot are: Trixie Snook Born July 5 1913 Died July 12, 1922 Finest Friends I ever had sleeping side by side, I love and miss you all --Mrs. S. Snook" http://tinyurl.com/Trixie-Snook Snowball Snook Born April 18 1908 Died July 8, 1922 Dear beloved pet. True, Faithful unto death Loved her dearly. http://tinyurl.com/Snowball-Snook Not a good year for the Snook Family. More on Aspen Hill Pet CemeteryI keep a fairly detailed and reasonably "up to the minute" pages on the Aspin Hill Pet Cemetery. Right now, not much is happening with it, though the County has condemned almost the entire property, and unless the Humane Society -- which is incredibly strapped for cash -- can bring it up to code by March, the County may just seize the property, which is most excellently located for use by the Developers who so vastly fund elections in this County. It's sad, it's the last little slice of pre-urban Maryland in this part of the County. More on Aspen Hill, in general, may be found at http://www.aspenhillnet.net Regards, Old Aspen Hill EmployeeI worked after school and summers for the Aspen Hill Pet Cemetery when I was in high school. It was very well kept then, and a interesting and attractive place to visit. Although I moved away from the area many years ago I have periodically returned. It is sad to see how the majority of the grounds have become overgrown and poorly maintained. The people who owned and operated it then are both buried in the cemetery along with several other humans. Several police dogs who died in the line of duty are buried there, and were put to rest with full honors and gun salutes. The "HOOVER" monument marks pets of one time FBI director J. Edgar Hoover. There are dozens of cats buried at the "TIMMONS" monument. There is a section for birds. Several horses are burried there. Normally we hand dug the graves. For the horses the adjacent human cemetery did the digging with power equipment. Because of the location there has long been a chance/risk of the land being re-purposed for business. I you want to see the place I wouldn't wait too long. A little more SnookHere's some more information and more pictures of Mrs Snook's dog funerals and Aspin Hill https://petcemeterystories.net/2018/05/31/aspin-hill-cemetery-for-pet-an... (The Gallery, Dogs, Natl Photo)
Clam Chowder Today: 1905
... referred to as "mackerel snappers) and odors of frying fish, tuna salad and chowda permeated the neighborhoods. My mom made three ... everybody's tuna and onion sandwiches at school lunch and fish frying aromas wafting through our town at supper time. I do remember that ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/14/2012 - 2:37pm -

New York City circa 1905. "Exterior of tenement." The longer you look at this, the more you'll see. 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Time for some road repairWow, that's a nasty bit of road in front of that building. HauntingBest face-in-a-window shot in a long time. Looks like a painting, and speaks of timeless solitude across a century. 308Who'll be the first to post a Street View? S&H Green StampsAnd here I thought they were a product of the 1950s, or earlier. ["Earlier" would seem to be correct. - Dave] Pop. 2So far I see two people in this photo. Not counting George McClellan. I wanna buy that mason a beer!Those are the coolest headers I've ever seen! There's probably a term for that style, for all I know. The cobblestones on the street are another story. No doubt a mosquito plague after every rain. DeepI think I lost a truck in that pothole. Scared the bejesus out of me!The shadowy lady in the doorway! And the pensive woman in the window looks so lost in thought. The people in this photo are the best part! Down in flamesHmmm, fire escapes that go nowhere. Maybe notI was thinking of swiping something out of that tool chest, then I read the label! Loafer DeterrentThose sharp triangles on the top of the railings look to be very effective at keeping people from sitting on them. [Also effective for loafing pigeons -- note that they're also on the lower rung. - Dave] Trading stampsThat S&H Green Stamp sign would be quite a collectible now. Sperry & Hutchinson began in 1896. They're still around, just virtual. Give the man a steak to go with the beer!The brickwork is fantastic. Look at the fancy work above the second floor windows and the double diamondwork up the walls. I have never seen diamondwork in brick before. It does not survive.308 East 40th Street (courtesy of the 1915 city directory). View Larger Map Chillin at the windowI count two windowsill milk bottles. Plus some paper-wrapped packages, maybe meat or butter. I just figured it outWhy do vintage street lamps always those two arms sticking out? To support a ladder for maintenance! Thank you!Clicking on these photos to get the full-size view is like opening gifts! I'm thrilled every time. Thank you. Tudor City308 East 40th Street in Manhattan is just off Second Avenue on the south side of the street and just a few doors away from the Tudor City apartment and park complex. Back in the 1980's, there were some terrific restaurants in that immediate area. Tenement?In New York City a "tenement" is considered to be a small (under five story with no elevator) overcrowded run-down building. The houses on the Lower East Side in the early 1900s were tenements. 308 East 40th Street does not fit that description. [Meanings change over time. Strictly speaking, a tenement is any tenanted building, i.e. apartment house. Below, NYC real-estate listings from 1905. - Dave] GaslightThe lamplighter would lean his ladder against those arms. It's a gas!I see that H. Kino the Tailor still uses gaslights (in the front window) -- but seeing as how this building was a "tenement," I suppose electrification was a low priority. Fire EscapesThe two "Fire Escapes" I guess are not balconies but have no apparent way to get down to street and away from the conflagration. The only thing I can figure is the NYFD would come and raise a ladder to them. We can't tell how tall the building is but I imagine no more than four or five stories [Actually, seven. - Dave]. The fire escapes for the floors above must be on the sides and rear of the building. I am having trouble identifying the metal bracket affixed to the wall between the tailor shop window and it's door. It looks like it could have held a hanging sign but appears to be too low. Morning scrubbingThe lady in at the doorway seems to be scrubbing the floors. You can see the water dripping down the front step. Graffiti If you zoom in you can see initials chalked on the bricks. JuniorIn spite of the apparent distaste someone in this neighborhood had for George B. McClellan, he won his mayoral campaign. The name sounds familiar, of course, and the man on the poster is the son of Civil War General George B. McClellan. He served as mayor of New York City from 1904 to 1909 (he was elected first for a two-year term, and then for a four-year term). Apparently he was a little moralistic, and canceled all motion-picture exhibition licenses on Christmas Eve 1908. Perhaps that's why he was not encouraged to run for reelection for the 1910 term. Once, tenements were even respectableLovely curtains, with lace or bobbles or fringe, at every window. No broken glass. Well-kept and middle-class. Jacob Riis had shown New York tenements as nothing but degrading slums. "How The Other Half Lives" was only 15 years old when this photograph was made. But there was always a strong sense of middle-class values that resided in the people who lived in the "better" tenements. They embraced the Settlement House movement, strove to present a "decent" face to the world, and certainly didn't want to be tarred with the same label as those dirty, disreputable slum-dwellers downtown. What an amazing image. There's so much we've forgotten. Thank you for reminding us. George B. McClellan JrMayor of New York 1904-1909. Born in Dresden, Germany, and son of Gen. McClellan of Civil War blundering. Elmer's GantryOn the wall above the cellar stairs, there's a triangular rig for hoisting stuff up out of the basement. Where'd the cart go?There are two other photos of this tenement in the Library of Congress collection. They look much more inhabited and show how this image might have been manipulated for effect -- the other images show the address number (curiously missing here), the awning down, and a cart of produce in front of the building, a much more inviting view. [Nothing was "manipulated." You can't see the address numbers because they're on the front doors, which are both open in this view. - Dave] Lace Curtain IrishIf this is chowda, it must be Friday. When I was a kid, every Friday was meatless and during that era, the better-off Irish were referred to as titled. Likewise the Polish people who were "comfortable" were "silk stocking Poles" and my father used to call us cotton stocking Poles. Both ethnicities were Catholic and Friday always meant seafood, (Irish were also referred to as "mackerel snappers) and odors of frying fish, tuna salad and chowda permeated the neighborhoods. My mom made three kinds of chowda, New England with a creamy, white base, Manhattan with a tomato base and lots of vegetables and Rhode Island which was a lighter version of the N.E. kind but with added broth. I love them all but also miss the smell of everybody's tuna and onion sandwiches at school lunch and fish frying aromas wafting through our town at supper time. I do remember that fresh mackerel was ten cents a pound and almost everyone could afford it. Thanks for the great nostalgic picture, the despairing lady in the window seems trapped and scared, there has to be a story there. Windowsill gardenI love the window with all the plants in it! Hard to tell what they are, though it looks like one may be an orchid. I wonder if they were purely ornamental or if some were herbs for cooking. Either way, you've got to cram as many as you can into your available sunny spaces! Francie is gazing out the windowIt could be Francie. It could. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn was my favorite book as a young adult and this detailed photograph brings a better understanding of the novel. Almost "Norman Rockwell"Imagine a 5000-piece picture puzzle with this photo as the topic! I LEARN so much from the comments!This is one of my favorite sites for resting my weary eyes during work breaks. And while I certainly savor the photos, so many layers are added by the comments. Thank you, everyone, for sharing your knowledge. Holy horse dung!Having lived in Manhattan for 12 (yes, only 12) years and having moved away, this photo leaves me speechless. The detail of the photographic process is amazing and the subtle (and somewhat hidden) joys on view here make me wanna head back for any chowder--even the famous Gowanus Canal Chow. All the sights, smells and sounds of the greatest city on earth come back to me. Many thanks. I now live on this spotOr possibly right next to it. I live in the Churchill, a 33-story apartment building at 300 East 40th Street - it takes up the entire block between 39th and 40th Street, and 2nd Avenue and Tunnel Entrance Street. 308 was either torn down to make room for the Churchill (built 1968) or possibly during the building of the Midtown tunnel and its approaches (1936-40). What am I missing?Just wondering how "swein" determined that this was E. 40th; might I be enlightened on this "1915 directory"? I'm half-cringing in anticipation of a "duh" moment but I've looked over the pic & the comments -- and I'm not getting it. [Swein consulted the 1915 Manhattan City Directory for Wm. Inwood, Grocer, and found a listing that matched the 308 address in the window. - Dave] Do You Supposethe Sicilian Asphalt Company also offered a line of concrete shoes? (The Gallery, DPC, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Commonwealth Pier: 1913
... rebuilt with faceless towers and renaming Boston Harbor's fish pier the "Seaport District" where the sea is far away from the harbor. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2023 - 1:55pm -

Circa 1913. "Commonwealth Pier No. 5, South Boston, Massachusetts." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Still There! New name, same faceStill a productive -- and proper! -- Bostonian. But just as is the case with many of us, a facelift was in order. Stand your groundDespite the rest of the area being demolished and rebuilt with faceless towers and renaming Boston Harbor's fish pier the "Seaport District" where the sea is far away from the harbor. Commonwealth Pier still stands surrounded by nouveau riche mundane squatty towers pretending to be on a seaport. Rare is the sight of a boat, let alone a ship. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Boston, DPC, Railroads)
Modern Family: 1914
... heads ... and speaking of heads, there appears to be a fish hanging off of Mr. Dickey's. Mrs. Dickey's pupils are dilated to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/22/2020 - 10:24am -

        The globular tree, the unhinged affect, the undercurrent of barely suppressed rage -- yes, it's our annual holiday missive from the family of Washington lawyer Raymond Dickey! MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL. "Dickey tree, 1914." Our fifth Christmas visit with the family of Washington lawyer Raymond Dickey, whose portraits mix equal parts Chekhov and Addams with a dash of Dickens. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Is it just mebut no one seems happy! Un-MerryForget about Merry; are they even Happy? [You know what Tolstoy said about happy families. - Dave] Ornaments with faces.The kid is holding a Santa ornament, reminds me of the Pine Cone with a face in tterrace's photo. Another similarity, an ornament with a reflection of an arched opening. Keep it down, folks!Obviously the Grinch paid a visit just before this photo was taken. Shiny ballsHey Dave can you enlarge the dark Christmas bulb to the left of the picture, halfway between the bottom of the tree and the banner on the wall? I think you can get a nice reflection of the room and the cameraman's feet. Thanks! (A user speculates: the assistant setting off the flash.) Spirits of ChristmasDad appears to have a large flask in the inside pocket of his suit coat. Say "cheese"!Photographers evidently hadn't yet discovered that back in those days. I Spy- a little pinecone guy; like yours, tterrace. ReflectionsAs always I find the fascinating aspect of these pics is the details unintentionally revealed in the reflections in the ornaments. "Young man, straighten your collar!""You don't want people ninety-seven years from now thinking you're a slob!" I note that the ornament he's holding shows up next to mom in the 1922 picture. What might this be?At the very right of the photo just above the father's arm is something that looks to be a ponytail. It looks like human hair. Wonder what it is? [A toy horse's, um, tail. - Dave] But they have such lovely presents.Along the back wall, on the left, appears various toy houses, kitchens, etc. And on the right there looks to be the business end of a rocking horse? I love all the ornaments, especially the one the boy is holding. I'd find it quite sweet too, if only there was just a hint of a smile on his face. CreepyThat the two oldest children seem to be emulating the expressions on ornaments hanging near them -- directly to the left of the boy, and above the girl. Maybe that's how you were supposed to look at Christmas. The LookThe little girl has exactly the same expression my wife has whenever I screw up. Which is hardly ever. No really. Ornamental reflectionslooking closely at the ornaments I was amazed to see and recognise many that were still in use by my mother and grandmother well into the 1970s, when alas the very thin glass they were made from gave way apparently all at once. I remember lifting the boxes down from their storage place and finding that despite being wrapped in tissue as they had been every year of my life, virtually every one of them had shattered. As my own kids were small then, we replaced them with the plastic variety common today. My grandmother had used her set on an outdoor tree (in Australia, it used to be common in the 60s to decorate an outdoor tree), and the ornaments that had been outside had faded unevenly. I wish I still had a few of the ornaments now, but alas they are long gone. A beachy ChristmasSo I am wondering if they picked up the flamingo ornament at Colonial Beach. Cash for ChristmasThose ornaments would be worth big money today. Dickey FamilyFrom left-to-right: Granville (a year after running away to watch baseball), Alice (future fashion magazine editor), Rose, John and Raymond. He's a member of the intelligenciaFountainpen in breast pocket of coat - check - necktie on -check. Yup, he's not one of the Great Unwashed. [Or perhaps he's a member of the intelligentsia. - Dave] Where to beginI have studied this photograph before but apparently not well enough. What is with the creepy ornaments? Far left, a great big bug; hanging between the older two children's heads, a weird face; what's above and to the right of the weird face -- a genie released from a bottle? Lots of strange-looking heads ... and speaking of heads, there appears to be a fish hanging off of Mr. Dickey's. Mrs. Dickey's pupils are dilated to match the buttons on her dress. Big brother put his coat on so fast, the collar is twisted and one of his lapels is bent under. Nobody saw that? Why is he holding up a Santa head, and what's in his other hand? Sister is either traumatized by the whole event, or the only one who knows what's really going down. The mini-cossack baby is semi-catatonic. Why does Mother have a tense fist jammed into his thigh? They all seem dusty, unkempt, tired, jaded, and demoralized. Or maybe they've just consumed too many Christmas cookies. A family traditionI've looked at the collection of Christmas pictures of this clan, and I need to know why did they buy a tree too tall for their home and just jam it in? My Christmas journey 2020Shorpy has given me the appropriate destination for an end-of-year trip: the grave of Granville E. Dickey (on the left, holding the ornament), in Cedar Hill Cemetery, Suitland, Maryland, less than ten miles from my house. Granville's future: He studied journalism at Northwestern University, where he was an all-American swimmer (backstroke). He was briefly (1925) the writer for the newspaper comic "Men Who Made the World." He married La Verne Carnes in 1928, but divorced her in 1941 on grounds of desertion; he married again, to Ceril Cousins, who died in 1945. He worked in advertising in Chicago, then in Washington in the 1930s as chief statistician of the Civilian Conservation Corps. In 1941, he testified before a Congressional hearing on wildlife conservation. Granville died at 45, leaving a daughter, Rosemary--likely named for his mother, whom the sources identify as Rose M. This was a life. Granville's AdventureThe link that mentions Granville seems not to work, but I found the story in the Washington Herald. "We'll Win Pennant," Says Granville Dickey Ten-year Old Lad, Seized with Baseball Fever, Is Brought Home After Runaway Trip to Charlottesville, Va. According to the article, Granville "had a talk with Griff" (that would be Washington Nationals manager, and later owner, Calvin Griffith) after hopping a train to Charlottesville to visit spring training. Granville went on to say, "One of things that interested me most was the way the Cubans, Calvo and Acosta, are tearing up the diamond. You bet Griff isn't going to let them go. Calvo is as quick as a cat and it's wonderful the way he can get around the bases." Jacinto (Jack) Calvo played just 34 games in his major league career, batting .161 and stealing no bases. I can find no record of Acosta. Looking Around the WebSome information on Granville Dickey’s life is at the following website (he’s the kid on the far left in the picture with the freckles): http://strippersguide.blogspot.com/2020/05/ink-slinger-profiles-by-alex-... The Looks of This FamilyThey look like they're having their own personal 2020, one hundred and six years before ours! Merry Christmas to all and may we all meet after the New Year! Dilated pupils not surprisingThe enlarged ornament image shows the Dickeys were sitting in a dimly lit room. The photographer squeezed a bulb to open the camera's diaphragm, or maybe just removed a cap over the lens and then ignited flash powder, creating an instantaneous blast of light. The camera was loaded with an emulsion-coated glass plate. Its light sensitivity was a fraction of that coated onto roll film for use in snapshot cameras decades later. That sudden ball of light lit the room very brightly in a fraction of a second. It happened so fast the family members' eyes were caught wide open, as they needed to be in a dimly lit room to be able to see. In the aftermath, they probably experienced an aftereffect ghost image of that blast of light for several minutes. If the photographer made several exposures, some or all of the subjects probably experienced discomfort along with the annoying ghost image. And that ghost image might've obscured their vision for an extended period, because the effect is cumulative. If so, the Dickeys' lack of festive gaiety becomes understandable. Somewhat less-traumatic flashbulbs became available in the 1930's, thanks to General Electric. The early ones were big compared to those in use in the 1940's through the 1960's, when the peanut-sized AG-1 bulbs became available. As film emulsions became more light sensitive, flashbulbs could become smaller, easier to carry and handle, and less expensive. Angry dadThis is possibly the most depressing series on Shorpy. There are ten different years and poses, and I’ve commented about it before, but I can’t shake the feeling that we have a stern, likely mean father here who gives everybody what-for just in advance of the photo. Jabbing a forefinger in their faces, cigar tip frighteningly close, he warns them not to act up. Straighten up and fly right. Don’t make me put down my cigar. Behave or there’ll be hell to pay. Y’know, friendly stuff like that, the kind of thing that puts you in the proper festive mood for the annual Christmas photo. Mrs. DickeyShe’s got the thousand-yard stare. Persist, endure, stay the course. Resistance is futile. She knows the drill. And she knows it all gets worse the more Mr. Dickey pulls out that flask of his. Different interpretationI don't see unhappiness at all. You don't see people smiling in a lot of old photographs, but it doesn't mean they're unhappy. Personally, I like seeing people with natural looks on their faces and not phony smiles. Merry Christmas!Ah the much-maligned Dickeys...so many unanswered questions. Were they happy? Sad? Well-to-do or just middle class? Did the father drink? Was the mother upset to find out after the picture developed that the tree had pushed her collar up, making her appear somewhat disheveled? Why did the photographer not think to warn her? And what of the perennially over-sized and over-grown tree? Can we even call it a tree? Or is it a large Christmas bush? Why such a tight fit, year after year? Were tape measures luxury items? One thing is for certain : their appearance on the Shorpy front page means the Earth has made another revolution around the sun. Merry Christmas Shorpy-ites! (The Gallery, Christmas, D.C., Natl Photo, The Dickeys)
Freaks Museum: 1942
... won the goldfish. I learned from hard experience the fish's life expectancy was only a few days before he took the inevitable trip ... Guess who won a goldfish I wonder if the little fish survived the trip home. Goldfish Bowl The man on the right has ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/08/2022 - 2:41pm -

March 1942. El Centro, California. "Carnival attraction at the Imperial County Fair." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Times changeThose may have been freaks in 1942 but a stroll down the sidewalk in 2022 will turn up better examples. Look before you drinkI noticed the fellow at right seemed to be holding a refreshing drink in a glass jar until I noticed the goldfish swimming in it. Must have been a prize at one of the game concession booths. If I remember, you got five ping pong balls to throw at the little jars of fishies, and if one stayed in rather than ricocheting off the lip, you won the goldfish. I learned from hard experience the fish's life expectancy was only a few days before he took the inevitable trip down the commode. One step furtherLess than two decades later, Diane Arbus took her camera inside the freak show. An early focus for her were the attractions of Hubert's Museum on West 42nd Street in Manhattan. She took a disreputable carnival attraction into high art institutions. Hubert's closed in 1969, but can be briefly glimpsed in a street scene in "Midnight Cowboy." Have you "herd" of Ralph ?? Freaks?Judging by the hair (from behind), the audience is overwhelmingly female. A notable exception is the fellow on the right who appears to be scrutinizing the two women with almost identical hairdos on his left. And what’s freakish about a glass blower or a tattoo artist or a Native American or a woman in shiny shorts? I used to stand in the crowd, listening to the spiels, but I never paid to go in. Hurry, hurry, hurryAs I commented in a previous photo, the crowd at the 1942 Imperial County Fair in El Centro, California was nearly all female. Maybe because of WWII? I'm guessing the woman in shiny shorts is a contortionist and the pitch is she can fit inside the box behind the announcer. Few people in 1942 had tattoos, so did not realize the poster does not represent the way tattoo art is made (roll my eyes). The Indian is wrong on many levels. Aside from Native Americans not being freaks, he's holding a shrunken voodoo head, wearing a vest embroidered with a Mexican wearing a sombrero, and is generally dripping with Mardi Gras beads. But his presence causes me to notice the blonde announcer in the white t-shirt has an Indian Chief profile tattooed on his left forearm. Coincidence? The Sultan's DelightShe doesn't look particularly delighted. And that fellow's goldfish is gonna be dead as a doornail before too long. Time travelAnnouncer guy of the show can easily slip into any contemporary photograph and nobody would notice, despite eight decade time span. Guess who won a goldfish I wonder if the little fish survived the trip home. Goldfish BowlThe man on the right has definitely won the prize (you can spy the little fella in the glass jar he is holding), but may be miffed that his date seems more interested in the "freaks" than his achievement. One hopes that the goldfish avoided the fate of so many of its brethren and escaped the toilet bowl to live a long and happy life, peering at the wider world through a window of curved glass. Announcer guyHe's is actually part of the show, the incredible 'Man from the 21st century' Wally Is CorrectModern society has put these carny side shows out of business. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Native Americans, Russell Lee)
Great Northern: 1905
... area behind the photographer? [Only if you're a fish. - Dave] Todas las casitas iguales. Todas mirando para el mismo ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 6:51pm -

We're making up for the Duluthlessness of the past few days with this ultra-detailed circa 1905 view of the Zenith City. Detroit Publishing. View full size. Ideal Beer Hall.As if there could be a bad beer hall. Go-togethersPaine and Nixon. I ExcelI see that the Thompson Produce Co. is a proud purveyor of the "IXL" brand of foods. Originally an Australian fruit and jam company, IXL was later bought out by Smuckers, and then by Coca Cola. Evidently the brand name was a play on the owner's personal motto of "'I excel in everything I do'. IXL? OU812! I love the detail in this oneWhat strikes me is that there's so much commercial activity in relation to the number of residences. Was the main residential area behind the photographer? [Only if you're a fish. - Dave] Todas las casitas iguales. Todas mirando para el mismo sitio.Es impactante la persistencia de un módulo específico de edificación y la consistente orientación de casi todas las fachadas. Otra cuestión, este trozo, ¡parece un barco fluvial! Gracias Shorpy. These are great!I live in the Twin Cities and get up to Duluth every couple of years. Many of the old buildings are still there, so it would be fun to find a current panorama of the city and make some comparisons. The ones I can find are shot from up high out toward the harbor. Superior SlabsThe slabs in the railcar would have been locally quarried Wisconsin brownstone, which was in vogue at the time. There were a number of brownstone quarries operating along the Lake Superior shore. Variety of rolling stockNot many railcars are visible in this picture, but there's quite a variety: regular boxcars, coal cars, refrigerator cars, flat cars carrying logs, flat cars carrying what look like cut stone slabs, and even a livestock car. Deja vu all over againThe swaybacked coal car returns. This time one of the kids has jumped on top of the coal. The other is on the roof of the boxcar. Well, Professor Harold Hill's on hand...Is that a brass band walking along the tracks, front and center? Looks like the 2 lead walkers are carrying baritones or euphoniums. And further along to the left is a man carrying what might be a tuba. Re: Well, Professor Harold Hill's on hand...A lot of organizations had brass bands in the 1890s, so I wonder if this is someone returning from "Northern Pacific Brass Band" practice. But I don't see enough instruments to make up the full band, so maybe this guy retreated to the rail yards to practice, where any bad noises would be drowned out by the trains (kinda like when my brother was learning bagpipes and he was banished to the basement to practice.) Horse on the roofIs that a horse on the roof of the Minnesota Candy Kitchen? [It's on the street. - Dave] A trip to the candy storeExcerpts From "Panders and Their White Slaves" By Clifford Griffith Roe, 1910, pages 29 & 30: The case of the girl from Duluth, Minnesota, which I recalled during the trial of Panzy Williams, came to the notice of the courts December 15, 1906...Morris Goldstein, alias Leroy Devoe, in the latter part of 1906, met Henrietta B__ in front of the St. James Hotel in Duluth, Minnesota. Goldstein approached the girl and said: "Good-evening. Where are you going?" The girl told him that she was going home. He answered: "Well, can't I talk to you a little?" The girl said, "I don't know you." He then explained that he was the manager of a play and would like to get some more girls for his company... He made an appointment to meet her on the second night after that at Second Avenue and Superior Street, near the Roller Rink. The rest of the story I quote in the girl's own words. "I met him that night at the appointed place and he walked home with me. On the way home he talked about the play and asked me if I had ever had any experience. He said nothing out of the way that night and I then made an appointment to meet him the next Saturday night at the Minnesota Candy Kitchen at six-thirty p.m. I had told my folks that I was to meet the manager of a play before I left home Saturday..." PuzzlingI would love to see a puzzle made out of this picture. It would be intense. Pile DriverThey must have run out of pilings for the pile driver as I see no smoke or steam coming from the hoisting engine. Nice Duplex pump beside the hoisting engine. Groceries Wholesale & ConsumerWere those windows punched out after the sign was there, or...? I can't come up with another explanation for the placement of that sign. A nice townOh how I hate driving up that hill in the winter. Coming down it in the spring, summer, and fall is another story, though. Driving down you get a great view of the lake and will often see boats. During the shipping season you see a lot of bulk carriers, which we usually just call ore boats, even though they sometimes carry other things. They're thousand-footers that look dwarfed by the vastness of the water, but so big for a lake all at the same time. Northern Minnesota, especially along Lake Superior, is such a beautiful part of the country and I feel blessed to live here! Directions to DuluthFor those who've wondered at there being no people around, and how gritty everything looks, you're looking at the south end of a city facing north. In downtown Duluth the streets go east and west, and the avenues go up and down the hill. In the six photos of the panorama on Shorpy (so far I've found four), west is to the left and east is to the right. The viaduct in the far right of "Duluth 1905" is Lake Avenue, which is the starting point for the numbering of avenues. The Union RR Depot at the left edge of "Duluth Cont." (just left of the "SELZ" sign) is on Fifth Avenue West and Michigan Street. The row of buildings between the two face Michigan Street, but you are looking at the backs. One block up the hill is Superior Street, the main drag of downtown. That's where all the people are. I'm another RR fan, fascinated at the rolling stock. Coal was the principal heating fuel and it was everywhere. When in doubt presume a gondola is filled with coal. Like so many other cities, Duluth had its industry concentrated at water's edge for transportation. After Ike's Interstate Highway system developed, the city needed to spend many years cleaning up the coal dust on the waterfront for the tourism industry. Ideal Beer HallI have a puff piece newspaper article on the opening of the Ideal Beer Hall. They carried "Bud." It was supposed to be a classy place. My g-grandfather's brother had a sleazy saloon downtown, but it was on the avenue and can't be seen. Drat. It's probably too long to post here. I'll find a place to post it and get you a link. (The Gallery, DPC, Duluth, Railroads)
Five and Ten: 1921
... on duty. Heaven help them if they didn't remove the dead fish right away ! I would tell my mother. I miss dime stores very much. I won't ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 10:35am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1921. "Whistle Bottling Works. Woolworth window." An elaborate dime-store window display for Whistle orange soda, "the food drink." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. We miss you, Woolworth'sWoolworth's was part of America's 20th century memories. Who over 50 hasn't bought housewares, pens, books, toys or records at Woolworth's? I still have happy memories going shopping downtown with my mother, and stopping for lunch at the Woolworth's luncheonette. It was (along with the drug store) one of the few places where we ever "ate out." I've got your "food drink"Try dunking a graham cracker in a cup of hot coffee. Quartz for a dime?What is that in the other display window? It almost looks like rocks on display cards. [Jewelry, maybe. Dime-onds. - Dave] ReflectionThere appears to be a reflection of someone, possibly the photographer, under the Whistle sign to the right of the door and also to the far left of the picture. He appears to be wearing large headphones. Why the headphones? Could it be someone inside the store? Did Woolworth's have a record department where people could listen to records? [Those are reflections of the mannequin in the window. He's wearing a radio headset. - Dave] The Big Woolworth'sThe Woolworth's on Hemming Park in downtown Jacksonville Florida was the "Big" Woolworth. Two floors. Upstairs was the candy department with the caramel corn, and downstairs was the toy department with Corgi cars, balsa wood gliders, and bins and bins of rubber lizards, snake, and bugs! Woolworth'sMy dad, who was killed in France in 1944, started at Woolworth's as a window dresser in 1938, and worked his way up to manager. As a kid I sometimes heard my Mother singing It was a lucky April shower, It was a most convenient storm. I found a Million Dollar Baby In the five-and-ten cent store. Thanks again for all the great pics, Dave. eBayThere's a fortune in memorabilia in that window. Battery AcidBattery acid and orange food coloring were the ingredients making up Whistle, at least according to smart schoolkids in St. Louis when I was growing up in the late 40s and 50s. It was drink of choice when consuming White Castle hamburgers! Cincy Caramel CornThe Woolworth store in downtown Cincinnati had one loooong counter at the entrance of the store dedicated to the making of caramel corn. You could smell it all the way down the street. The aroma was heavenly and so very enticing. They left their door open to traffic, which came in droves. Warm butter + popping corn = Woolworth caramel corn. We pleaded to go downtown just for the warm caramel corn. 5 & 10 againWho of us who have some age will ever forget the "five and dime" or "the dime store." Woolworth was of course the biggie, but there were the Ben Franklin stores, G.C. Murphy, and SS Kresge (now Kmart) among them -- some with soda fountains, some not. And 10 for a penny candy. Five and TenWhen I hear "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas," I wonder if people under 30 or even 35 know what the term "five and ten" refers to. Take a look at the five and ten Glistening once again With candy canes ... UK WoolworthsAll of the remaining UK "Woolies" are to be closed in the coming months, victims of the times. No thanksWhen I want a food drink, I hoist a pint of Guinness. The 5 & 10I remember Woolworth's and its "5 and 10 cent" motto. Today it would more likely be "5 and 10 DOLLAR" store! :( Hey!Is that a folded dollar bill lying right by the door? You could get 20 Whistles with that. Where's Woolworth's?Any ideas as to where this store was? At the far lower right of the photo is a small sign for the store next door that says "Bee Hive Store 906." 906 was probably the address, but what street? [906 Seventh Street N.W. - Dave] The Five and DimeMany also referred to these popular stores as Five and Dimes. As I learned this term after moving away for college I believe it is another example of colorful regionalized language. [The region there was pretty much the entire United States, once upon a time. Five and Dime might be more generational than geographic. - Dave] Oasis on a rainy dayMy earliest memories of the old five-and-dimes include the smell of old wood -- wooden floors, bins, and counters -- and the buttery warmth of incandescent lights. Woolworth'sOur local Woolworth's in upstate NY was turning a great profit into the '90's, but had to close down when the rest of the chain did. The building is a library now. "Who cares if I drink my lunch? It's the Food Drink!" Grilled cheese & tomatoGrilled cheese & tomato sandwich at the Woolworth's counter - a great delicacy in my mind. More seriously, while we're talking Woolworth's lunch counters, the one in the Smithsonian recalls a bit of bravery in recent American history. MemoriesThat lunch counter In Michigan City, Indiana. Oh yeah. Hot turkey sandwich plates with green gravy. Pistachio, I'd guess. First JobMy first job was sweeping floors at the Woolworth in Hollywood at Hollywood & Vermont (Barnsdall Park) in Dec 1975. I later worked in the kitchen and out on the floor straightening and stocking shelves. I loved the hot dogs from the luncheonette. They had buns that were all attached and when you pulled them apart the sides were uncrusted. They would brown the sides of the buns in butter (ala a grilled cheese sandwich). Delicious! 5-10-15The expression was everywhere. In Longueuil, Quebec, near Montreal, where I used to live in the 50s, we had a Jazzar store, part of a small chain whose signs read "5-10-15." We used to say that we were going to the "cinq-dix-quinze." Were there 5-10-15 stores in the States? (Now, springing up everywhere are the Dollarama stores where everything is. .. a dollar.) WhistleFounded in 1916, Vess Beverage still makes a Whistle brand soda. The company is now owned by Cott. Charles Leiper Grigg invented the flavor. Yesterday 50 years agoWhen I saw this picture this morning the first thing I thought was Oh, how I wish I could walk through those doors one more time! They just don't make stores like that anymore. The smells of wood, of the soda fountain, the candy to be had for a penny a piece, the 10 cent toys. I'm so glad I have those experiences to remember. Kresge KristmasI have memories of going to the Kresge's near our house at Christmas time. I "rode" my bicycle through sloppy snow to choose treasures for Mom, Dad and my sister. I retrieved the glorious pink with white daisies Kleenex box cover and cup I bought on that trip from Mom's last year when we closed out her house. The matching johnny mop holder is lost. I'm happy she got 40 years of use out of them. I also went there with Dad to use the tube tester to ascertain which TV or radio tubes needed to be replaced. Holy crow, am I getting old. Cunningham DrugsWe always thought Cunningham Drugs was an upscale Woolworth's because they had their name tiled in at the front entrance. To this day, when I walk into an old building that used to house a drugstore or five-and-dime, I look for the tiled name. In old towns, I find the names quite often. It's always a little treat (probably also indicates a lifetime lack of big treats). I Found A Million Dollar BabyRob's bittersweet memory of the song, which captured the homey American love affair with five-and-dimes, sent me looking for a recording. This was one of the most popular songs of 1931 and thereafter, and was introduced on Broadway in May, 1931 by Fanny Brice, in the musical revue "Billy Rose's Crazy Quilt." Those who have Real Player on their computers can hear the best-selling 1931 recording of the song (Fred Waring's Orchestra, with vocals by Clare Hanlon and the "Three Girlfriends") at http://www.jazz-on-line.com/a/rama/VIC53080-2.ram Those without this player can find several 1931 recordings of it by visiting http://www.jazz-on-line.com/pageinterrogation.php and entering I Found A Million Dollar Baby on the page's search engine. All That JazzThanks Anonymous Tipster for the link to jazz online. That's really appreciated. If someone has other links to classic/traditional Jazz (New Orleans/Chicago/N.Y. but not Ragtime) please post. Thanks. Red Hot Jazz (history of jazz before 1930) is one of my favorites. I was also glad I found Jazzology. Merry Christmas to you all. The Dime StoreI was born in 1973, but my mom and dad always referred to the Ben Franklin store as the dime store. Nosey Little GirlI would always head for the pet department, candy, and toy sections. The candy counter had a real person who gave me what I wanted without a bar code. I always reported any animals that appeared sick, or dead, to the nearest clerk on duty. Heaven help them if they didn't remove the dead fish right away ! I would tell my mother. I miss dime stores very much. I won't go into Wal Mart. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Stores & Markets)
Russian Style: 1942
... but, alas, I am bereft. [The Model C would cook only fish on Fridays. The Model N was non-denominational. - Dave] It's the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/29/2022 - 1:26pm -

August 1942. "Hartford, Connecticut (vicinity). U.S. residents, formerly Europeans, or of European descent, settled on small farms in central Connecticut. Mrs. Boris Komorosky in her living room. Stove is for heat in winter, Russian style!" Photo by John Collier. View full size. Mr. Boris Komoroskyhttps://www.loc.gov/item/2017823674/ Hartford, Connecticut (vicinity). Boris Sergey Komorosky. He was a Russian sea captain, a graduate of the Czar's naval academy, an officer in the British Navy, a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy during the World War, first master of a Standard Oil Company tanker. He is now retired from the sea, and makes a living as a farmer. He is a Farm Security Administration client. Clever title goes hereThe K indicates this is a Kosher oven. Or, perhaps, the Komorosky's (ies?) Komoroskys had it monogrammed. [Glenwood's range models spanned the alphabet. The Model K designation had nothing to do with kosherness. - Dave] Clever rejoinder goes here, but, alas, I am bereft. [The Model C would cook only fish on Fridays. The Model N was non-denominational. - Dave] It's the Glenwood Model Q for Quantum - Is Mrs. Komorosky's cake baked or is it raw? No one can say without opening the oven. There may even be quantum entanglement with Mrs. Schrödinger's mincemeat pie! This is the ne plus ultra in oven technology! Further affiant saith not. I like the wallpaperIt would hold up well today. And with Boris Komorosky being a former sea captain, it is not surprising everything looks ship-shape. (The Gallery, John Collier, Kitchens etc.)
Pick a Possum: 1916
... hillbilly.. I tried to explain that it was Turkey deer fish squirrel rabbit and other game birds before possum. But it looks as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 6:39pm -

New York circa 1916. "Opossums hanging up outside shop." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection, Library of Congress. View full size. Seems like rabbits?Under the table 'possums, it looks like there is a pile of rabbits as well. And what is on top of the table? I love this site, my favorite time of the day. [No one's said anything about the ducks yet. - Dave] The Possum DealerI guess it's a sign of the times, the man in the bloody butcher's smock is wearing a derby hat, a high starched collar (detachable), a white shirt, a necktie, a suit jacket and shined shoes. All he has to do is ditch the coat and he can be off to lunch with Evelyn Nesbit. Tastes like...Anyone know what possum tastes like? In one of the fancier restaurants in Florida, I've had gator meat. Alligator meat really does taste like chicken (when grilled and marinated like chicken). Yumm yummWe got them! Possums! Possums! Get your fresh hot possums! Hello, Possums!That appears to be Granny Clampett herself hurrying to buy up a few for supper. But are these . . .free range possums? Jeb and WillyThere is something about this picture that just makes want to put words into the mouths of the two men with their opossums. I don't know what exactly - something to the effect that they can offer the photographer a good deal on a nice one - skinned out and ready for stew. Just makes me want to write a story.... I always enjoy these little looks back to times gone by - Thanks so much! Hangin With the PossumsI'm wondering less about the merchandise and more about the location. This is New York, by which they presumably mean New York City. One wouldn't think there'd be enough of a market for possum in the Big Apple that you'd have nine or ten of the critters hanging outside your shop. A sign of the times? [This is Chinatown. - Dave] Frontier Fast FoodI'm pretty sure there isn't anything in the world that would induce me to eat an opossum. Why no squirrels, I wonder? Well dressed, but...The possum dealer is indeed very well dressed under his coat, but look how filthy the gutter is! Must have been hard to keep nice clothes clean, even if you weren't slaughtering vermin all day. Recipe CornerNo mention of possum in my 1904 White House Cookbook but several rabbit recipes. My grandmother grew up in Texas and has had possum and she said it wasn't worth trying. But for those that care, here is the recipe for Fricassee Rabbit from the 1904 White House cook book. Clean two young rabbits, cut into joints, and soak in salt and water half an hour. Put into a saucepan with a pint of cold water, a bunch of sweet herbs, an onion finely minced, a pinch of mace, half a nutmeg, a pinch of pepper and a half a pound of salt pork cut in small thin slices. Cover and stew until tender. Take out the rabbits and set in a dish where they will keep warm. Add to the gravy a cup of cream (or milk), two well-beaten eggs, stirred in a little at a time, a tablespoonful of butter, and a thickening made of a tablespoonful of flour and a little milk. Boil up once; remove the saucepan from the fire, squeeze in the juice of a lemon, stirring all the while, and pour over the rabbits. Do not cook the head or neck. Taste of PossumI've actually had possum - very greasy, dark meat. My dad was quite a hunter when I was a kid, and being a child of the Depression, he wouldn't consider us not eating whatever he brought home - that would be wasteful. However, I'd go out of my way not to eat possum again - yuck! Same goes for raccoon and beaver. Bear, on the other hand, was quite delicious - though I oppose killing them on moral grounds. Playing PossumHow do we know they weren't just playing dead? And those guys were just the Allen Funts of their day, waiting to see a customer jump out of their shoes when the 'possum suddenly scampers off the counter. Candid Glass Negative Show. We need those little cartoon X's over the eyes maybe. Where'd they come from?Opossum are able scavengers. I'd imagine at that time they were all over the trash bins and alleyways of NYC. I'll bet armed with a small club or a slingshot one could kill quite a few at night. Probably a sort of cottage industry. The Dixie CookbookFrom the Dixie Cookbook. OPOSSUM. — Scald with lye, scrape off hair, and dress whole, leaving on head and tail; rub well with salt and set in a cool place over night; place in a large stone pan with two pints water and three or four slices bacon; when about half baked, fill with a dressing of bread crumbs, seasoned with salt, pepper and onions if liked. After returning to pan place sweet potatoes, pared, around the opossum, bake all a light brown, basting frequently with the gravy. When served place either an apple or sweet potato in its mouth. — Mrs. L. S. Brown, Atlanta Meta GivenMy cookbook treasure, "Meta Given's Encyclopedia of Food," has a recipe for roast possum as well. (First printing 1947.) I found it among such culinary delights as turtle soup (and how to dress a turtle), muskrat Maryland, and a complete American Legion raccoon dinner. Courtesy of the Chillicothe, Missouri chapter. [Meta rules. I have both volumes of Meta Given's "Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking," the 1959 edition. They've been in my family since they were new. A great cookbook! - Dave] New YorkThis is funny I am in Tennessee and have had dealings with New Yorkers and have been called possum eating hillbilly.. I tried to explain that it was Turkey deer fish squirrel rabbit and other game birds before possum. But it looks as though it was Sunday dinner in New York. Possums look differentDunno bought y'all but the only possums I have ever seen are white, no where near that furry, and much much smaller- do they have bigger possums back east? [Possums are not white. Maybe you're thinking of armadillos. - Dave] JoyThe old (unexpunged) versions of The Joy of Cooking actually have a brief bit on dressing and preparing Opossum. You have to look under O and not P in the Index. Sadly, my copy is newer and doesn't have this lovely tidbit, so I'll have to rely on someone else. Like ChickenI actually cooked a possum, in a Dutch oven over (and under) coals, as a part of a historical reenactment of the 1830's in Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas. It tasted like chicken. I love these booksI have both the volumes of Meta Given's Modern Encyclopedia of Cooking as well, the fifth printing 1956, I suspect they were a wedding gift as my parents were married in 1956. I love them, they are a treasure of not only unique recipes, but everything else from buying fruits, storing food and entertaining! Janet This Opinion From a "Possum Expert"I grew up in rural Alabama and trapped rabbits and possums in what were called "rabbit boxes". Consequently, I have caught many possums. My family would eat the rabbits I caught, but I sold the possums locally to those who did eat them. Generally, the price of a regular size possum was 50¢ and the larger ones would bring 75¢. This was during the 1940's. The animal carcasses in this photo do not appear to be possums to me. Among other things, they are much larger than any I have ever seen. 50 shades of gray?Possums come in all shades of gray, from such a light gray as to appear almost white to such a dark shade that they are nearly black. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC, Stores & Markets)
A Foggy Day: 1943
New York, May 1943. "A foggy morning at Fulton fish market." View full size. Medium format negative by Gordon Parks for ... Montage This has to be a montage. The Fulton Fish Market is on the river. This photo was taken facing east. The buildings ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2013 - 4:22am -

New York, May 1943. "A foggy morning at Fulton fish market." View full size. Medium format negative by Gordon Parks for the Office of War Information. MontageThis has to be a montage. The Fulton Fish Market is on the river. This photo was taken facing east. The buildings shown behind it are to the west. Check out the June 1943 photo by Parks which Dave submitted on 11/02/2007, Fulton Street: 1943. You can see the same buildings in a shot facing west. [You're mistaken. You can see the fish market roof at the far left in the other photo. This view is facing west. - Dave] Southwest?This might be looking southwest from the East River towards Lower Manhattan. You can see the buildings more clearly here: http://memory.loc.gov/service/pnp/ppmsca/09600/09601v.jpg and here: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SCC/04G.jpg The American International Building is one of them I'm pretty sure, and another is the Trump Building, both of which are south of where the Market was. Looking SouthwestThis is looking across South Street to the southwest. The street disappearing behind the building in the extreme left is Fulton Street. Fulton MarketView Larger Map +67Trying to obtain the same perspective of this view is challenging, if not impossible. Behind the photographer is a parking area which limits the distance from which a photograph can be taken while the elevated FDR Drive blocks out much of the view above. The old Fulton Fish Market building dating from 1883 in the photo was razed in 1948. It was replaced by a building in 1983 that mimics it. Just beyond both buildings on the opposite corner of Fulton and South Streets can be seen the same building which still stands in the April 2010 view below (which is the closest I could come to the proper perspective given the limitations). A Checkered PastThe vehicle shown is a 1935 - 1938 Checker Model Y. The widely flared front fenders are highly distinctive of these models. These vehicles were made in Kalamazoo, Michigan from 1922 - 1982. For a while E. L. Cord, who owned the Auburn, Cord, and Duesenburg automobile companies, also owned Checker. An extensive online history of Checker is available at the following website. http://www.coachbuilt.com/bui/c/checker/checker.htm A restored Checker Model Y-8 from 1936 is shown below. (The Gallery, Gordon Parks, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Pre-Avatar: 1982
... a recent 3D movie about sealife, I suddenly found a fish swimming in front of my nose, and a ball flying towards me in a 3D TV ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 03/12/2010 - 5:26pm -

A friend of mine and I "enjoy" 3-D on television in 1982, when there was a boomlet of local stations showing 3-D films such as "Creature from the Black Lagoon" using the anaglyph method, which used red and blue lenses to separate the images rather than the polarized system originally used in the theaters thirty years earlier. I say "enjoy" because the effect was problematic. If you had your color adjusted correctly it was possible to get a moderate dimensional effect out of the blur. With my never-rectified amblyopia, I could get it mostly when things were flying at the camera. We're watching it on my Advent VideoBeam, no longer in the basement of my folks' house, but in my new digs in Petaluma. Fans of the yellow lamp will notice that it's already starting to deteriorate, the hinge holding the middle shade being secured with duct tape. Another indication of the absence of parental caregiving is the burst cushion of my red chair. Other necessary video room adjuncts visible are Ritz Crackers, a TV Guide (is that Farrah Fawcett?) and shelves full of Betamax tapes. Oh, and under my chair a metal file box storing my card catalog of said tapes. The blue binder contains a hand-typed list of just the cartoons. Computerization of the collection was still four years in the future. Scanned from a print from a friend's 110 camera. View full size. That lightWhat is the red flare on the left -- Lighted camera strap? Ectoplasm? Light leak (most likely)? Goldie OldieWould you believe ... Goldie Hawn? (TVG, May 8, 1982) The Naked LightAnd, as a former junior fireman patrol member, I must cite you for the absent switch plate on the wall. Did you see "Killer Tomatoes"? FarrahWas on the cover of the Dec. 31, 1983 TVG. None for 1982. TV Guide dateResearch that I should have done first shows that it's Goldie Hawn on the cover of the May 8, 1982 TV Guide there by the Ritz Cracker box. Glad to learn that, since my dating this shot to 1982 was an educated guess. Nice slouching. That is some serious slouching young man. Your friend is doing a good job at it as well. I was a fan of the Betamax myself. I never got around to cataloging it however. Do you still have a working Beta machine? PostedThe Laurel & Hardy "Them Thar Hills" poster on the wall is a fine touch as well. But OllieLet's not forget the Laurel and Hardy poster for "Them Thar Hills" (1934), in which the Boys go RVing. Lots of classic L&H bits in the film. Pom-pom. Got Hodag?Is that a statuette of a Hodag, the official mascot of Rhinelander, Wisconsin, on the top shelf on the right? Timely desktop image in 3D!I've made this my desktop image at work and have had nothing but interested commentary from coworkers. My standard answer has become that I'm not sure who they are but I feel like they're watching me in 3-D. Deepest SympathyI'm saddened to learn that tterrace is yet another victim of never rectified amblyopia. Stiff upper lipsNothing says "Eighties" like a porn 'stache! Rare Pogo FigurinesMy eye was first caught by the Mickey figure on the top shelf, but then I noticed in the fullsized view the figures of Albert, Porkypine, Howland and Churchy. Those must be rare! Funny but ...I admit that when 1960s era photos starting popping up I was a little disappointed...Now the 80s? Isn't there other websites for photos like this? It's like Shorpy has gone down a notch. [Weekend posts by tterrace have been a beloved Shorpy tradition since before you were even BORN. Now plop back down on that beanbag and enjoy the rest of the movie. - Dave] Re: Funny but ...I will fight (figuratively) for the right to view tterrace photos (occasionally) until my death (eventually, in 40 or 50 years). Or at least as long as Dave allows. tterrace talksAddressing the various issues in order received: I had a working Betamax up until a couple weeks ago. I hope to get it working again. I'm glad to hear about Hodag, but the figurine is the Mexican one below, a since broken and patched together gift from my brother. Thanks to Shorpy I now know that "porn 'stache" is an officially-recognized designation. Pogo figurines are rubbery things, originally given away with Procter & Gamble products in 1969 as a tie-in for their sponsorship of the Chuck Jones-animated "Pogo's Special Birthday Special." I later managed to complete the collection of 6 characters. RelicsI think I still have a few pairs of 3D glasses from that 1980s revival. As I recall, they were given away at 7-11 and other retailers. If they're still around, they're tucked away in various 3D comics and magazines. A few weeks back I was visiting my parents in Florida. Spent a lot of time at thrift stores. My dad was thrilled to find a videotape of "Sons of the Desert." Got it home and discovered that it was Beta. My father was truly bummed. To rub it in, the teenage clerk at Blockbuster had never heard of Laurel & Hardy. 1982I think that's the year they showed "Gorilla at Large" on network TV. That's the one I remember. It was kind of a big deal. The MaskYears ago I saw the horror film "The Mask" in 3D here in Tallahassee. The glasses were available only through a local convenience store. The Pogo figures are great, but not very rare, they turn up on eBay all the time. Staches never go out of style!Whether it's the 1880s or 1980s, a mustache is always in style on Shorpy, as far as I'm concerned. It's truly a lost art! Televisión en tres dimensionestterrace is now rocking up the charts en Espanol: http://www.meneame.net/story/television-en-3d-en-1982 Too popular!This post is in the Digg.com Top 10 today. Bringing Shorpy's lil ol' server to its knees. Tterrace on Digg. 3D memoriesThanx for all the pictures you shared with us! I am truly amazed to find out how many similarities there are between your life and mine. There is so much I recognize! I imagine could seamlessly fit in at your place. I guess you are my long lost cousin. I was born in 1946, love comics, film, hifi (I was the proud owner of a Nakamichi portable cassette recorder, two superb Calrec mikes), developed double 8 films, printed my own photos, liked to project nice 3D slides made by my brother, but could never enjoy the full impact of it. Never-corrected amblyopia, you could guess it. My right eye decided not to be involved the way I liked it. The stupid thing dimmed down a lot, the center of the image disappeared, some double vision is the outcome. Do you remember the Nimslo 3D camera? I could only see depth in the prints when I wiggled the print somewhat. But strangely enough: Watching a recent 3D movie about sealife, I suddenly found a fish swimming in front of my nose, and a ball flying towards me in a 3D TV promotion film gave me a similar lifelike experience. I never expected that to happen. Did you ever see some recent 3D stuff lately? How was that for you? (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
A Lot of Cars: 1942
... of cars Is that what it's called? Like a school of fish, or a pride of lions, or a murder of crows (my favorite). (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/30/2023 - 1:30pm -

July 1942. "Detroit, Michigan. Looking down on a parking lot from the rear of the Fisher Building." Photo by Arthur Siegel for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Nowa Lot more! All growed upInteresting to look at the size of the "slots" and the actual size of the vehicles parked in them. From when the auto body plant was built til the time of the photo, cars had sure undergone a growth spurt. Wonder how that lot made out in the mid-fifties when automobile took a really big jump in size. Perhaps most of all in the creations coming from this very place. [The Fisher Building is an office tower in downtown Detroit, not an auto body plant. - Dave] I just thought it was a factory -- my mistake. Is the building named for the same person that ran the design and manufacturing company? [Did you click on the link? The Fisher family financed the building with proceeds from the sale of Fisher Body to General Motors in the 1920s, after which it was known as the GM Fisher Body Division. - Dave] Kid friendlyThe tunnel under West Grand Boulevard, from "The Golden Tower of the Fisher Building" to GM headquarters, where you could see the Soap Box Derby winning cars on display in the lobby. Or the new models from the General Motors Five. Like so many other places in '50s Detroit: the Ford Rotunda, J.L. Hudson Co. downtown in December, the little trains at the Detroit Zoo, the Vernor's bottling plant at Woodward and Grand Boulevard, the model railroad layout in the basement of the Detroit Historical Society, the lobby of the Guardian Building, etc. There was no admission charge for many of these adventures, which fit the family budget nicely. My father was a shrewd family time investor. [Strictly speaking, the Ford Rotunda was in Dearborn. - Dave] A lot of carsIs that what it's called? Like a school of fish, or a pride of lions, or a murder of crows (my favorite). (The Gallery, Arthur Siegel, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Detroit Photos)
Dearborn Street Station: 1910
... Tired of having eaten a "river or liver and an ocean fish,"* Hawkeye had a hankering for BBQ from Adam's Ribs, which was "across the ... * "I've eaten a river of liver and an ocean of fish! I've eaten so much fish, I'm ready to grow gills! I've eaten so much ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 3:44pm -

Chicago circa 1910. "Dearborn Street Station." Streetcar wires and a small ghost pedestrian not entirely banished by the retoucher's hand. View full size. Those RoofsThose sloped roofs got me busted cheating in architecture school. During my first year we had a sketch class and one of our assignments was to sketch this station. It was a particularly cold December morning so I bought a postcard of the station at a bookstore and sketched it from that. Unfortunately the postcard showed the station with the pre-fire sloped roofs, a distinction my professor was all too quick to point out. Top lopI'm sorry they lopped off the top of the tower. It was weird looking but interesting. It looked like there must have been little rooms up there. I wonder what was in them. Boxes with handles?Does anyone know what the boxes with handles located next to the curbs were for? [They're for getting into a carriage. Called mounting blocks when they're made of stone. - Dave] Somebody step upAnd identify that automobile. Make that one to beam up, Mr. ScottThat is just about the most hamfisted "retouching" work I have ever seen. It looks like someone from Starfleet is either transporting back to the Enterprise, or is about to materialize in Taft era Illinois. [Our image comes directly from the negative. Once it was printed, the results were probably more convincing. - Dave] Dearborn Station todayThanks for this great picture. This wonderful building is still standing and has been made into shops in the center of the Printer's Row area of Chicago. We were there this summer for the Printer's Row Book Fair. [They lopped off the top! And painted it orange! - Dave] How many [fill in here] does it take to change?That's one helluva a light bulb on that street pole. [What looks like a bulb is the glass globe covering the electrodes of a carbon arc lamp. - Dave] Parmelee SystemThe trolley was part of the conglomerate founded by Frank Parmelee in 1853. The company held franchises in many cities. I remember taxicabs in NYC in the 1940s & 50s that bore the legend "Parmelee System." In the 1930s his company was absorbed into the Checker Cab company and was around into the 1980s. Another interesting acquisition was the Yellow Cab Co., created by John Hertz, he of car rental fame. We'll discuss the Gold Dust Twins another time. Before the operationThat's an extraordinary tower. What a shame that it's since been - I'm afraid no other word will do - circumcised. You have to be kidding!They might have lopped the top off the building because they couldn't find a roofer to bid on retiling that wonderful but scary steep structure. The Station Got ScalpedThe "cuckoo clock" roof of the tower, and all the other pitched roofs on the building, were removed after a 1922 fire. The train shed in the back was demolished in 1976. Fortunately the rest of the station is intact. I remember going there with my father in 1969, when the station was still in operation, to see the the Flying Scotsman, the famous British steam locomotive. It was making a nationwide tour that year on this side of the pond. I got to blow the whistle! My company visits this building daily. I've loved this place since we've been visiting on a daily basis. Great pic, as always! Depot HackThe Parmelee vehicle is a depot hack or omnibus, not a trolley car. My beholding eyesI dunno, it looks like it got blotto at a party and stuck a lampshade on its head. TransposedThose steep roofs, especially the lamented steeple roof, look like the roofs you might see in Geneva or Bern, Switzerland. It is a shame they lopped off the steeple roof. Probably a cost or structural issue. [It was a fire issue. See below. - Dave] Adam's RibsWhere is the rib joint? Hawkeye ordered ribs from Adam's Ribs from Korea. It was across the street from the Dearborn Street Station. He forgot the coleslaw, though... He sidles up to the podium, clears his throat--I'll guess it's a 1910 Hudson, based on the firewall and windshield shapes, 3/4-elliptic springs, contracting brakes, radiator shape and steering-wheel controls. I know there were oodles of other makes that probably shared some of these features, so I'm prepared and eager to be corrected! A clean exteriorHard to imagine such an important public building owned by private companies not adorned with the name of the structure and who the tenants are. This was the very important East end of the Santa Fe as well as the Chicago terminal for the Chicago & Eastern Illinois, Monon, Erie, Grand Trunk and others over the years. We lost one ofthe "Gold Dust Twins" on that sign at the right of the frame. Adam's Ribs, anyone?I am surprised that no one mentioned the episode of M*A*S*H in which the Dearborn Street Station featured. Tired of having eaten a "river or liver and an ocean fish,"* Hawkeye had a hankering for BBQ from Adam's Ribs, which was "across the street" from the station. * "I've eaten a river of liver and an ocean of fish! I've eaten so much fish, I'm ready to grow gills! I've eaten so much liver, I can only make love if I'm smothered in bacon and onions!" AddressWhat is the physical address of this place? I visit Chicago often and would like to go there in person. [Click here. - Dave] Thar She GoesThe fateful day the roofs were lost. Sad. He sidles up to the podium, clears his throat--Well done, Watchwayne! I agree with you it must be a Hudson. At first I thought Overland then perhaps Mercer and even Buick because all have similar radiator shapes, but none of them have those distinctive rear springs, but I knew that I had seen them before. Congratulations! Hello, DaveJust to tell you how much I enjoy old photos like this of Dearborn Station. I am deeply appreciative of your time and talent. I especially like the scarcasm, as long as it's not directed at me. [Scarcasm -- so hurtful. Disfiguring, even. - Dave] That Beautiful Car Seems to be a 1911 Warren-Detroit. http://forums.aaca.org/f170/mystery-car-291988.html +107Below is the same view from June of 2017. (The Gallery, Chicago, DPC, Railroads)
Tree Feller 1927
... on a pine tree c.1927 at Madera Sugar Pine Camp 2, between Fish Camp and Oakhurst, California. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix) ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 03/02/2023 - 11:19pm -

Cousin Arnold on a pine tree c.1927 at Madera Sugar Pine Camp 2, between Fish Camp and Oakhurst, California. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
A Boy and His Toys
... a Friday. The combination of wet corduroy and the egg or fish sandwiches we brown-bagged for lunch would fill the halls of learning with ... 
 
Posted by down_like_silver - 12/27/2008 - 4:20pm -

I'm sure Santa has been or will be good to this serious little guy, reminiscent though he may be of Augustus Gloop. I can't read the calendar, but the 31st falling on a Friday makes it either 1926 or '37. After researching, I found out that "Boy Scouts to the Rescue" came out in 1921, and the little poem "Am I Ready for School?" was mentioned in a 1924 Louisiana State Health Department bulletin. Any thoughts? [Update: The calendars are from January 1941.] View full size. The PhoneThe dial was invented in 1891 and put into use in 1892 when the first exchange was opened. The phone is an Automatic Electric 1A which was in use from 1925 to approximately 1950. The ShirtThat shirt he is wearing says 1940-41. His mother must have forced it on him. In 47-48 I got a similar one in a box of hand-me-downs from my cousins. Do your bestThe Official Flags of the BSA referenced by Gary Faules at 11:57 am, indicates that this is for Den 2 not Pack 2. Dens are subsets of packs and there are usually a number of dens making up a pack. It all adds up.In response to the A.T. question about the thing on the stool, a Google search turned up a Wolverine Toy Adding Machine (1940's). It's too late for this Christmas, but you can buy one on eBay for about $15. Deep in (evil) thoughtPugsley Addams contemplates new and exciting uses for dynamite. Allow Me to Pile OnThe Twenty Game Combination also seems to be from at least the late 1930's: http://www.tias.com/cgi-bin/google.fcgi/itemKey=1923109051 Merry Xmas, keep up the excellent work on the website!! Buckshot CorduroyI believe the boy got brand new Christmas pants and they were made of fabric called "buckshot corduroy". I remember this from the very early 40's (and for about a decade later) and they were extra heavy, thick, bulky and embarrassing because when you walked, it made the sound of someone tearing up cardboard and the faster you walked, the more tearing took place. People could be heard swishing everywhere, even when their shoes were nearly silent and it was an unwelcome attention-getter. Yeah, this kid was hefty, but we can't all be sylph-like and physically perfect. When one plants a McIntosh, one gets a McIntosh. Two rotund parents create a rotund kid, but that is just as God made him. I would guess this was about 1941. Hey Wally! Hey Beav!This is the corner of Wally and Beaver's room that you never got to see. The pendant says "Illinois State House" and I'll presume that the square flag is for Cub Scout Pack #2. That "thing" on the stool looks like an adding machine or some sort of early calculator - but not a ten-key. Beyond that, the picture looks a little stagey to me, not like a "real" boy's room - unless his Mother just spent the day in there cleaning and tidying for the photographer. I can see Dave putting on his white gloves as I type this, but I'll say it anyway: that boy has an awfully FAT ASS for a kid, doesn't he? And now that I've been banned, I'll go for broke and wonder out loud what nasty stuff might be hidden at the bottom of one of those drawers - you know, under his butterfly collection? Merry Christmas, Dave! Dead GiveawayIf you look at the board above his head you will see an image of an automobile. I believe it is a 1937 Chevy. But whatever it is, it is late 1930's or early 1940's. Another year1943 is also a year with a December 31st falling on a Friday. [That's a January 1941 calendar in the photo. - Dave] Wave your flag up highAccording to The Official Flags of the BSA the blue flag is a Cub Scout pack flag. http://www.mninter.net/~blkeagle/flags.htm The Good ScoutThat's Baby New Year and Father Time on the calendar, which would be for January -- 1930, 1936 or 1941. This photo has a mid-30s, early 40s look to it. What a great picture! The plane, the planeJust under the top shelf of the book case below the toy soldiers and the tent at the right in the picture is what seems to be a thin box. If you look carefully at the aircraft that's on the side of the box, you can see that it appears to be of a design that was not made until at least the mid to late 30s. An aircraft expert could help more. Just a swagI'd hazard a guess of 1937. Take a look at the toy truck by the book. Seems to have a decidedly 1930's look to me. That and the lamp and the telephone would make me think the later 1930's. The Phone, The Phone.The telephone is also a giveaway. Although invented in 1919, dial telephone service did not come into popular use until the 1930`s, and this phone is a later model. The truck.That truck under the Christmas tree looks like a more advanced design than any of the other mid 1920-s examples I've seen on Shorpy. Also, that carved elephant is awesome. On my honor I will do my best..."The Boy Scouts to the Rescue" was written by Charles Henry Lerrigo and the hardback with cover was copyrighted in 1920 and there was ony one printing ever published. That one appears to be brand new judging by the condition of it. [That book had a different cover. - Dave] PhoneThat phone looks awfully small for this period; I'd be willing to bet it's a toy. As to the period, everything about it - toys, clothes, furniture, graphics styles - screams late-30s to early-40s to me. A bit before my time, but my brother would have been about this kid's age then, and there was still lots of his stuff around when I was growing up and cohabiting his bedroom. Maybe a little later?I'd probably lean towards the later date, as the boy has a reasonably modern-looking wristwatch. I was under the impression that wristwatches were still "newfangled" and pretty expensive through the 20s. Also, the telephone should be a clue. I don't have any idea when phones made their various changes, but that style tends to make me think newer rather than older. It's also interesting that, if this is the boy's bedroom (and not a corner of the livingroom or den) then having his own phone is pretty noteworthy. Just having an extension was a nontrivial additional cost- this was back when you leased the telephone itself from the phone company. Any experts out there to help? Oh, one more hint I just noticed: See the cars on the feltboard? Those are definitely '30s-and-later designs, and not '20s. Any guesses on the cord coming out of the lamp? I'm assuming the Christmas tree is plugged into that- or possibly the desk lamp itself, which would explain why the tree isn't lit. The house could easily be old enough it has no- or very few- actual outlets. The truck, the truckThe cab and fenders of the truck under the Christmas tree suggest mid to late '30s at the earliest. Far too rounded and aerodynamic-style to be 1926. Looking at the cars pinned to the board above him, I'd venture to say the calendar shows January 1941. Toy SoldiersThe toy soldiers are made by Manoil, so it's gotta be '30s at least. The Pants, The PantsThe boy is wearing long pants, not very likely in 1926. Everything else in the room says late 1930s into the early 1940s, except that combination gas/electric wall sconce. Definitely an older house, but not so very old in 1937 or 1941. I'd go with January 1941, since the calendar art does appear to depict Father Time and the New Year Baby, and Christmas decorations stay up in many homes through Twelfth Night (Epiphany, January 6th). Whatever the date, thanks and Merry Christmas to you Dave, and everyone else, for providing us all with so much innocent merriment year-round. Around or after 1939The book under his little tree gives us a pretty close date... "Boy Scouts to the Rescue" by Leonard K Smith was published by Little, Brown in 1939. The book is not to me mistaken with "THE Boy Scouts to the rescue" by George Durston, published by Saalfield in 1921. If you look at the bottom of the book cover, you can clearly see the letters RD, so it's a pretty safe bet that it's the Leonard K Smith book. Also the Durston book has a very different cover. January 1941The image on the lower calendar is "A Boy Scout Is Helpful," painted by Norman Rockwell for the 1941 Boy Scout Calendar. Happy to be of help, The Art Sleuth Remaining MysteriesWhat do you suppose he's staring at and what is that thing sitting on the stool? Collective wisdomI went off to Christmas activities and came back to read what you all shared - it's overwhelming and I thank you. This picture came from a lot taken by an amateur photographer who lived in my present neighborhood. They span several decades and extended family and friends. Older than Yoda: I always wondered about those horrible pants! Where is "this neighborhood"?I like to add state and city details to the pictures! It's a beautiful day in the neighborhoodMost of the photographs were taken around Macarthur Boulevard in Springfield, Illinois. Dear Gramma...Thanks for the pants... I recognize the stance of a mandatory thank-you letter being written. The picture is just proof that it was done. Good one. Eau de CorduroyTo this day I can still remember the smells of the Shrine Of The Little Flower if by chance it rained on a Friday. The combination of wet corduroy and the egg or fish sandwiches we brown-bagged for lunch would fill the halls of learning with an odor I still remember 60 years later. It was a tough life, my children, when you had to walk uphill to school during driving rainstorms while protecting your homework and lunch. And yes we had to walk uphill going back home, too. Springfield, Illinois?I thought that whole photograph felt awfully familiar. I was born in Springfield in April of 1945, and lived there until 1964. Thanks for the details, folks. Toy soldiersThe toy soldiers on the shelves to the right - my dad passed along to me some that he had when he was a kid. Since Dad was born in 1925, I would guess that they are WWI cast toy soldiers. Very nice collectible. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas)
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