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Spring Break: 1941
March 5, 1941. "Raleigh Hotel, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Pool from center. L. Murray Dixon, architect." ... the world my grandmother would take her mink wrap down to Miami Beach. (Wrap: bigger than stole, smaller than coat.) Was it ever cool ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/15/2013 - 10:22am -

March 5, 1941. "Raleigh Hotel, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Pool from center. L. Murray Dixon, architect." Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. MinkWhen I see these semi-tropical pictures of palm trees and sunbathers and guys on the diving board, I always wonder why in the world my grandmother would take her mink wrap down to Miami Beach. (Wrap: bigger than stole, smaller than coat.) Was it ever cool enough for her to wear it without melting down? The Wild Blue YonderIn 1942 most of those hotels and were taken over by the US Army Air Corps to house and train GIs. I believe the Raleigh was one of them. Pretty good duty station. Cool Mandavidk, yes it does get cold enough. I have been in Miami when it was 32F (0 C). We even had snow here in Orlando a few years ago (well I could see it against a streetlight, but of course it did not stick)! Classy HotelWow. Looks like a great place; still there with the pool area apparently intact. The Raleigh back in the dayFrom LIFE magazine, December 29, 1947. I can recognize those legs anywhereThat's Betty Grable sunbaking poolside. 1967was the year that I, as a 11 year old growing up in Miami Beach, would sneak in to the pool area for free weenie roasts on Fridays. There was also a neat Buckaroo pin ball machine in the sundry shop, three games for a quarter. Good old days when the neighborhood was nice, clean and slow going. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami)
Palm Beach: 1905
Florida circa 1905. "The Palm Beach 'trolley.' " Early development in the Sunshine State. 8x10 inch dry plate ... on 1 HP. Old Florida Having grown up in South Miami, I'm loving this series. Anyone who attended South Florida schools in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 4:53pm -

Florida circa 1905. "The Palm Beach 'trolley.' " Early development in the Sunshine State. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Flagler hotelsThis trolley led from the the gargantuan Hotel Royal Poinciana about a half mile east to the Breakers on the ocean. Guests could also choose to take the palm-lined "Ocean Walk." The hotel closed around 1930 and was razed in 1936. It was the largest wooden structure in the world when it was built. http://royalpoincianahotel.blogspot.com/ A quibbleis that the term "trolley" refers to the apparatus for picking up electrical power from an overhead wire, absent in this case. [The word meant "cart." As in horse trolley. It eventually came to be applied to the apparatus drawing electrical current from overhead wires to power a trolley car. Strictly speaking, this conveyance is a horsecar. Which is why the caption puts the word trolley in quotes. - Dave] JustificationAnother reason I visit Shorpy every day is to give myself a linguistic tuneup. Trolleys = Go-kartsIn New Zealand (and probably other places) go-karts are "trolleys." There are annual "trolley races" all over. A friend is an organizer for one. Flagler SystemThe trolley is owned by Henry Flagler's Florida East Coast Railroad. Flagler was the man most responsible for early real estate development and resort building in Florida, bringing all interested parties down there via his own railroad, which ran all the way to Key West, with ferry service to Havana. HorsepowerWhatever it is, it gets around on 1 HP. Old FloridaHaving grown up in South Miami, I'm loving this series. Anyone who attended South Florida schools in the 1960s would know all about Henry Flagler and his railroads and hotels. If I'm ever offered a time machine, my first trip will be to South Florida and the Keys circa 1900. It's wall-to-wall concrete now even compared to when I was a kid, but the pristine, undeveloped wilderness of the area must have been stunning at the time. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, Horses, Streetcars)
Villa Carlesia: 1939
... "Part of Florida home in wealthy residential section. Miami Beach, Florida." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/27/2021 - 9:31am -

April 1939. "Part of Florida home in wealthy residential section. Miami Beach, Florida." Acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Could be yours for $27MLooks pretty impressive from this listing: https://www.redfin.com/FL/Miami-Beach/5030-N-Bay-Rd-33140/home/42775864 Not bad at all5030 North Bay Road. Some changes, but appears all intact (plus incredible tree growth). Product PlacementThe entrance loggia served as backdrop for this photo in the 1960 Imperial sales brochure. Only 80 miles from Belle Glade... in the unlikely event that the owner of Villa Carlesia wanted to drop by. Mirrored lionsWho knew that lions could be either right or left handed? Beyond the paleI take note from which side of the gate the photographer is taking her picture. Bohn to RickyThe manse was only two years old when Wolcott took this photo. Architects Carlos Schoeppl and George Maguelo built it for Detroit-based Charles Bohn and his family, who made their fortune on bronze, brass, and futuristic dreamworks that are the subject of several beautiful but quite affordable prints. It was later owned by the Wolfson family, whose members owned the Wometco movie theater chain, built the Seaquarium, founded the Wolfsonian Museum, and produced a mayor of Miami Beach (Mitchell Wolfson Sr.). Less than two years after Enrique "Ricky" Martin's record-shattering crossover hit album and singles, he picked up this home for $6.4 million, held it for four years, sold it for $10.6 million and then moved a few doors up the street, to 5130 N. Bay Road. For more, see https://miami.curbed.com/2015/3/4/9984682/ricky-martin-mitchell-wolfson-... (The Gallery, Florida, M.P. Wolcott, Miami)
Foot Traffic: 1942
... January 21, 1942. "Mangel's, 130 E. Flagler Street, Miami, Florida. Exterior, night. Ross-Frankel Inc., client; Morris Lapidus, ... Lapidus also designed the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach - once the most glamorous of Miami Beach's hotels - which opened in 1954 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/07/2013 - 11:42am -

January 21, 1942. "Mangel's, 130 E. Flagler Street, Miami, Florida. Exterior, night. Ross-Frankel Inc., client; Morris Lapidus, architect." Note the ghost pedestrians. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Busy feetLooks like at least four different pairs of shoes out front (three women, one man), and one of the wearers (in dark coat and hat) went closer for a better look and stood still for a while. Not as stellar todayView Larger Map If onlyI could beam myself up into that picture! That store window is fabulous! We NeedTo talk to whomever thought an awning was just what they needed. Amazing how it just destroys the simplicity of the original design. NeonThe glow framing the large second-story window comes from the store name mounted vertically in neon lights. Morris LapidusMorris Lapidus also designed the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach - once the most glamorous of Miami Beach's hotels - which opened in 1954 (and recently re-opened in 2008 after extensive restorations). (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami, Stores & Markets)
Dodge Noir: 1948
... for his hotel designs (most famously, the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach) where he tried to transform the guest experience into an extravaganza. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/05/2013 - 8:43am -

March 24, 1948. "L Motors, business at 175th Street and Broadway, New York City. General view. Morris Lapidus, client." Need a new car? Go straight to L. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. I wishI could have taken this. It's beautiful. Morris LapidusVery well known for his hotel designs (most famously, the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach) where he tried to transform the guest experience into an extravaganza. He wanted people to always remember their visit and did all he could to make it visually memorable. This car dealership is flamboyant to the nth degree. Beautiful. Still ThereToday it's a "Bravo Super Market." Bravo? I think not.Via Google Streetview: http://goo.gl/maps/UhLBC Not much to look at nowadays. This is progress? [Edited to add: Sorry, I thought I uploaded this pic with my post:] Two ThingsCould that car in the showroom window possibly be on a turntable? And what's that leaning out of the driver's window? A kid? A mannequin? Keepin' it realRegarding the inquiry by "The Inventor" about the object in the driver's seat, I think it is probably a prop to inspire spectators to imagine themselves in the car. The convertible in the far right window appears to be full of passengers and/or dogs (but I know for sure they are not giant hamsters). TowniesThe 175th St & Broadway neighborhood is the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. At he time this picture was taken it was was a multi ethnic enclave. Heavily Jewish, with a high proportion of German refugees that arrived both before and after WW2. Some of the more well known people that grew up there were former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the stage and film Producer/Director Mike Nichols and "The Fonz", Actor/Director Henry Winkler. "The Nighthawks"That photo reminds me very much of the Edward Hopper painting. A sign of changing transportation times (sort of)The streetcar tracks shown on Broadway were no longer in use at the time of the photo, the streetcar lines having been discontinued about nine months earlier. It would be tempting to say that the expansion of private auto ownership as exemplified by the cars in the window was the reason for the abolition of the streetcars, which would be true in most parts of the country, but in New York the switch to buses was the main reason. WhatsaWhat's a "Plymouth". What's a two-phase traffic light. Statements of yesteryore, not questions. Ahhh. Sigh. A Shadow of its Former Glory - 2009R&S Strauss Discount Auto: http://bit.ly/Xq1ssy (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Gulf Service: 1939
April 1939. "Miami Beach, Florida. Even the gas stations are on an elaborate scale, often modern ... canopy Shows very little fear of heavy snows in Miami. Love to see how it is engineered. Wheelan's Fish Grill is Gone ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/25/2019 - 6:45pm -

April 1939. "Miami Beach, Florida. Even the gas stations are on an elaborate scale, often modern in design, resembling hotels." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Star brightWhen they fire up all that neon, I bet they could guide ships in off the ocean. Minivan precursorThat's a 1938 American Bantam Boulevard Delivery on the right parked by the rearmost pumps. Cantilever canopyShows very little fear of heavy snows in Miami. Love to see how it is engineered. Wheelan's Fish Grill is GoneThat entire block is now vacant. In 1935 Wheelan's was located at 518 Alton Road and advertised "Out of the Ocean, into the pan" seafood dining in the "Marine Room". Can't quite place the Gulf Station with the address 1315 something street. SnowbirdNotice the OHIO plate on the car to the left. The little Bantamappears to have white sidewalls on both sides of the tires. Gas InflationI remember my father complaining to the gas attendant when it hit 23.9 cents a gallon -- all in fun because he went there all the time. (The Gallery, Florida, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott, Miami)
Xanadu: 1897
... East Coast Railway, the first rail line to reach Palm Beach, Miami, and eventually Key West. He employed the fledgling architecture firm of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 7:57pm -

St. Augustine, Florida, circa 1897. "The Ponce de Leon, Alcazar and Cordova hotels." Glass negative by William Henry Jackson. View full size. In Xanadu"In Xanadu did Kubla Khan a stately pleasure-dome decree, where Alph, the sacred river, ran through caverns measureless to man down to a sunless sea." I stayed here last summer and my room was right over there (pointing at an unseen window on the back of the current Casa Monica Hotel). St. Augustine is an amazing little place with the most fascinating history and architecture, but these three gigantic buildings command the attention of the whole town. You just have to see it for yourself to know what I mean. Check out the lightning rods on the leftNo comment Interesting to me for aInteresting to me for a couple of reasons. I'm from the West and we usually associate Jackson with Western Landscapes. So it's interesting to see pix from the East. Also, I understand that these were hotels built by th Atlantic Coast Line Rail in order to build up the area and hence business for rail. I remember when I was a child in the fifties dreaming of exotic places that Florida was one of the LEAST populated states in America! Gargoles?I like the decorative spouts which I think were used to drain rainwater from the open second floor veranda. They also came in handy for pouring molten lead upon attacking Seminoles. Flagler's Florida East Coast RailwayThe Ponce de Leon and Alcazar Hotels were built by Henry M. Flagler, the founder of the Florida East Coast Railway, the first rail line to reach Palm Beach, Miami, and eventually Key West. He employed the fledgling architecture firm of Carrere and Hastings (designers of the New York Public Library) to design both hotels, as well as two churches and Flagler's house in St. Augustine. The Cordova Hotel was not built by Flagler, but he bought it a few years after it opened. Long tentacles of the rail octopusMany of the streets in my city were named for railroad barons, including Flagler. Two Major Reasons for Florida's Population Increase after WWII-Mosquito Control -Air Conditioning In the last year, though, Florida's population has decreased slightly, presumably due to the recession. (Orange County--Orlando--was originally Mosquito County.) Ponce De Leon is now Flagler CollegeThe Ponce De Leon hotel today is Flagler College. It still looks remarkably the same. Judging by the photo angle, it was taken from the open-air arches outside the 4th or 5th story circular ballroom. I graduated from Flagler College in 1981, and my dorm was was on the third floor, about the same place as where the photo was taken. One day while exploring, several of us tried to make our way up to the ballroom (it was closed off those years, rumor had it that the floor was full of zodiac signs), but we couldn't get past a locked metal gate at the top of the elevator shaft. The once opulent hotel rooms were our dorms. At the time I was in school, each room still had a fireplace with carved cherubs on the mantle, but all the fireplaces were closed off. (would you trust a college student with a fireplace?) Our dining hall was the hotel's dining room, with hand-carved chairs (more cherubs), a gilded ceiling (since restored) and Tiffany glass windows. It's quite a place. It also has (had?) what we were told was the first poured concrete in-ground pool in the country. We students used it between classes and on weekends. Yes, those are gargoyles on the drain pipes, that was the name of our college newspaper. The fountain in the court yard doubled as a way to aerate the water, which otherwise smelled of sulfur. The Ponce was quite the place for the swells to stay during winter until Flagler built his railroad farther south and built other hotels. (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, W.H. Jackson)
Roney Plaza: 1939
April 1939. "Collins Avenue. Entrance to one of Miami Beach's better hotels." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2019 - 9:50pm -

April 1939. "Collins Avenue. Entrance to one of Miami Beach's better hotels." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. America at its bestI can’t decide what’s better: the building or the car. Arrest that man!Imagine! Appearing in public without a hat! It didn't burn downI guess it wasn't flammable enough. They had to demolish it in 1968 to build the 'Roney Plaza Apartments'. Re: America at its bestI do! The suit and the two-tone shoes. Torn Down on July 17, 1968Well, it didn't burn, anyway. https://www.facebook.com/miami.history1896/photos/a.471091646291054/1103... Both beautiful examples of their erasLovely Beaux Arts architecture and up-to-the-minute 1939 1938 1937 Buick. Missed It By That MuchThat '39 Buick is actually a '37. The Other Car in the PhotoWhat is that car lurking in the hubcap? Pampered '37Rare though it may be to see a Depression photo of a pristine 2-year-old car, that Buick is actually a '37 -- not a '38, which differs from the '37 only slightly by virtue of a more aggressive grille consisting of heavier chrome bars terminating in a radial curve as they meet the hood side panels. Queen's Black Tiara -- A Film NoirHouse detective Bill Laaw stands guard at the entrance as the notorious jewel thief Eddie "High Pants" Lowe looks for a weak spot in the hotel's defenses. To the left stands femme fatale Maude Merry, another jewel thief, who plans on compromising Bill Laaw to allow her the run of the hotel. However before she sets her plan in action she meets Eddie at the Pink Flamingo Bar and they start a furious romance that may bring down Billy Laaw who put Eddie's father in Sing Sing for a crime he didn't commit and reward them with the fabulous Maltese Queen's Black Tiara. Will our two lovers escape the fate of most Film Noir characters and retire to Bimini with their treasure instead of one being brought down by a hail of bullets and the other off to Sing Sing to join his father? (The Gallery, Florida, M.P. Wolcott, Miami)
A Different Drummer: 1925
... (Hugo Hespen of Washington) and niece (Etta Pfrommer of Miami Beach) Washington Post, Feb 2, 1936 The Washington ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2012 - 4:54pm -

May 11, 1925. "William H. Egberts of National Museum with Siamese musician." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Mr. EgbertsAfter seeing Mr. Egberts for the 3rd time, I did a web search and came upon this article - http://anthropology.si.edu/conservation/focus_on_leadership2.htm Seems like William Egberts had a long and interesting relationship with the Smithsonian. Night at the MuseumThese photos of William Egberts creating facsimiles of humans really fires up my imagination into creating a story akin to "twilight zones" or "one step beyond" situations. Did this man project humanity into his creations (like the old ventriloquist dummy plot), did he name them in his conscience, did he assign them personalities like the author of a book does for his characters? Dr. Egberts's suit sleeves are worn and tattered, a trendy look today but not in 1925, so he obviously took his job very seriously, so completely engrossed in his work that he was unaware of his threadbare clothing. Did his sculptures become his companions, did they come to life at night (at least in his mind) and do the tasks he created them to do? Did William ever marry or have a life other than recreating scenes from other civilizations? He does seem like a lonely man. QuestionOK..This is the third picture of this guy. So who is he and what's his story. I suspect.....that the Siamese musician has a case of rigor mortis! Let there be life..This guy looks like he was the Michelangelo of the National Museum. How do you get a job like that? I know it's an old B&W photo but it looks like he ran out of paint for the lighter skin tones a while ago. William H. EgbertsMr. Egberts' brief obituary in 1959 reports his home address as 4019 Veazey st., N.W. He was survived by his wife, Ollie C. Egberts, as well as a nephew (Hugo Hespen of Washington) and niece (Etta Pfrommer of Miami Beach) Washington Post, Feb 2, 1936 The Washington Scene By the Poe Sisters Down in the catacombs of the New National Museum is an "old curiosity shop" of which Dickens himself might have been proud. The presiding genius of the shop is W.H. Egberts, sculptor, whose title, "preparator," does not express his craft at all. For this keeper of curios deals in plaster heads, legs and arms, in false fingers, in beads and pieces of fabric, old copper, tin and metal garnered from all corners of the world. In this "curiosity shop" the exhibits in the group of Smithsonian Buildings are prepared. A native from far-off Timbuctoo will be the inspiration for a whole group of figures. The figures are classed according to the rules of artistic anatomy. Every detail of native costumes on the figures are outlined, after extensive study. Not only does this require a sculptor of no mean ability, but one who is erudite in history, archeology, geology and geography. It also requires a student of the differing habits of races of men throughout the world. Often the making of a single group entails months of study and research. First the figures are molded, according to designs made by this master sculptor. Then they are painted and dressed. Even the arrangement of the hair is of vital importance in the representation. Thus when one enters this curiosity shop he is apt to see a gracious lady with her plaster hair piled high in coils and curls of another day being modeled and prepared to don the dress once worn by a White House lady. It is a unique fact that the collection of costumes of the women of the White House are displayed on figures the faces are exactly the same and taken from the same classic head, but the sizes vary as do the figures, of course. The head dresses are individual and so it the method of hair dressing which gives a real variety to the appearance of the First Ladies. This collection was suggested and arranged by the late Mrs. Julian James of Washington with the aid of Mrs. Rose Gouverneur Hoes, a grand-daughter of President James Monroe. At one end of the room is a huge cliff dwellers scene being produced or repaired, with every thing, even the cliff dwelling figures, fitted in exactly to scale. This to be used as part of the "set" of some rare relic or relics owned by the New National Museum or Smithsonian Institution. The walls of the subterranean work shop are lined with pigeon holes in which are placed arms, legs, hands and bits of hair, or other precious "keepsakes" carefully numbered and card catalogued in the most unique filing system to be found at the Smithsonian group. Not Simulated Fried EggsThe tuned gongs in the photo are called the khong wong lek. By the way, if you try to emigrate there, you have to be sponsored by a national, or else at Customs they say, "Sorry, you can't come in without a Thai." The instrumentThe Siamese instrument looks something like the Punjabi Jaltarang, which is a series of ceramic bowls filled with varying levels of water. they sound a note in direct relationship to the amount of water in them. It is such a rare instrument that there is perhaps only one master left, Milind Talunkar, who is just about singlehandedly trying to revive it. I'd like to know the name of the Siamese instrument, and whether it is still extant. Gamelan ManMy guess would be that this is a gamelan. Hmmm...creepy!I think this guy has a robotic woman in his basement. His wife is blissfully unaware, of course. It's... it's... it's:It's Asian Ringo with the Beatle hairdoo! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo)
Aquacabana: 1941
March 5, 1941. "Raleigh Hotel, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Snack bar. L. Murray Dixon, architect." Gottscho-Schleisner ... Army Air Forces Training Command requisitioned over 300 Miami Beach hotels, including the Raleigh. They were used both as residences ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/15/2013 - 9:44am -

March 5, 1941. "Raleigh Hotel, Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, Florida. Snack bar. L. Murray Dixon, architect." Gottscho-Schleisner photo. View full size. Still ThereStill Standing, with a few more palm trees for privacy. The Most Beautiful Boot Camp In AmericaFrom 1942 to 1945, The US Army Air Forces Training Command requisitioned over 300 Miami Beach hotels, including the Raleigh. They were used both as residences and classrooms. During that period fully 25 percent of the USAAF officers and 20 percent of the Air Force's enlisted men had been trained there. Check out this post card from the era. There's Always Moneyin the banana stand. Nautical ThemeThis tower is still in use at the Raleigh. How fun to stay there and enjoy the cool outdoor bar and nearby pool. Real estate negotiationsAlistair Cooke, in his book The American Home Front, describes the rental deal between the Army and the hotel owners: You hear afterwards that the crux of the negotiations was reached on a sunny afternoon when the Army acquainted the hotel operators with its normal basic rate. The hotel-keepers started to expound the woes of their business. They pointed out that most of the big hotels had been built at a cost of anything up to half a million dollars. Through the winter season they asked and got anything from $20.00 to $35.00 a room a day. The Army repeated the grievous news that its basic rate was $10.00 a man a month. It would be hard to imagine a more exquisite opportunity for use of the word 'compromise'. But the deadlock was resolved by a young Lieutenant who remarked that the Army does not theoretically engage rooms, it rents cubic feet. After a moment's silence, the perspiration rolled happily down the foreheads of the hotel men. The only problem now was how many men you could pack into a room, 16 x 20. A little hasty arithmetic was figured on scratch pads, and the conference was amicably ended. The only headache they had to wrestle with was how to store or dispose of the furniture and furnishings, for again the Army likes its cubic feet to be uninhibited by four-poster beds and Jacobean trestles. (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami, Swimming)
Concrete Cadillac: 1964
"Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1964." Showing further progress in the application of asphalt and cement ... my parents had a wooden hanger that says "Cadillac Hotel, Miami FLA". To my knowledge neither one visited Miami. I ended up with it and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/16/2015 - 1:05pm -

"Collins Avenue, Miami Beach, 1964." Showing further progress in the application of asphalt and cement to this former palm-studded sandbar. Medium format color transparency, photographer unknown. View full size. Things you don't see anymoreA red-topped blue mailbox and red fire callbox. Cadillac hangerFor some reason my parents had a wooden hanger that says "Cadillac Hotel, Miami FLA". To my knowledge neither one visited Miami. I ended up with it and have kept it because I always thought it was cool. It's neat to see a picture of the hotel! (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Florida, Miami, Travel & Vacation)
Surfside '64
1964. "Miami Beach from Indian Creek." The Fontainebleau Hotel at left. Medium format color ... full size. Olds, Pontiac, Chevy, oh my! Seems Miami Beach prefers GM vehicles. I see a couple Ramblers and a lot of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2015 - 5:56pm -

1964. "Miami Beach from Indian Creek." The Fontainebleau Hotel at left. Medium format color transparency, photographer unknown. View full size. Olds, Pontiac, Chevy, oh my!Seems Miami Beach prefers GM vehicles. I see a couple Ramblers and a lot of Falcons and a few other Fords, but the majority seem to be GM product. Goldfinger?This looks an awful lot like the Miami Beach location that kicks off GOLDFINGER (1964) or very close to it. [There's a reason for that. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Florida, Found Photos, Miami)
Morris Lapidus: 1946
...       The architectural ubermensch of Miami Beach, best remembered for the Fontainebleau Hotel . Dec. 13, 1946. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/16/2014 - 9:05am -

        The architectural ubermensch of Miami Beach, best remembered for the Fontainebleau Hotel. Dec. 13, 1946. "Morris Lapidus, 256 E. 49th Street, New York. Lapidus in his office." Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. RawhideChair and ashtray no less! Mid-50's Moderne waiting for its decade. MooI’m not sure what is the most outstanding feature in this photo: the acrylic table leg, the bowtie, the pipe, the nine framed parchments, or the cowhide on the chair. I vote for the cow. ConservaradMr. Lapidus' bowtie straddles both realms; stodgy and stylish. double mooIs that cowhide on the ashtray, too?? No davidk...my vote goes to....the plant on the credenza. Here in Australia, I would refer to it as "Mother-in-laws tongue". Why, I have no idea, but as a child growing up this is what the adults called it. I know it is hardy and difficult to kill. NEVER put it in the ground! (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC, The Office)
Sand Dancers: 1922
July 6, 1922. "People dancing on beach." Pavilion at the Potomac bathing beach in Washington. View full size. National Photo Company Collection ... I've gone to swing dances in Seattle, L.A, Chicago and Miami, and have seen Balboa in all those fine cities. (The Gallery, D.C., ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 10:49am -

July 6, 1922. "People dancing on beach." Pavilion at the Potomac bathing beach in Washington. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. The FellowThird from the left (with his arms folded across his chest) appears to be the same person from "When We Were Young", also standing on the left side of the photo (note the logo on the bathing suit). [Same guy, but the swimsuits are different. - Dave] TuberPoor kid with the innertube would have had a tough time hanging onto that skinny thing. My dad was in heavy construction, and we would occasionally be gifted with a huge truck tire tube which was almost too big to climb up on while in the water. Plus, we wore out our arms inflating those things with a scrawny bicycle pump. Digging those dressesThe (swim?) dresses with the stripes that those girls have one (like the girl far right next to innertube guy) are too cool. Let's do the BalboaThese folks look to be doing the "Balboa," a dance that started in the mid-teens in SoCal. Not much is known about the dance, but likely stems from the same roots as Lindy Hop, Collegiate Shag, and other forms of swing dance. Bal was often done on beaches as opposed to other swing dances because it is more of a shuffle step. Oh, and there was the small matter of it typically being a full-body contact dance... most of the lead was in the body connection. Although, in these bathing suits, a full-body lead would be... erm... a bit interesting for the guys, to say the least. Balboa is alive and well.Balboa is being danced all over the place; it's a great dance for super-fast tempos like Dixieland. I've gone to swing dances in Seattle, L.A, Chicago and Miami, and have seen Balboa in all those fine cities. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports, Swimming)
Five o'Clock Shadows: 1939
April 1939. "Miami Beach home of former Gillette Razor Blade Company president." Medium format ... who endured an impoverished rural lifestyle. Neither Miami Beach nor its residents would seem to qualify as subject matter. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/30/2019 - 10:33pm -

April 1939. "Miami Beach home of former Gillette Razor Blade Company president." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Those Palm TreesNeed a shave and a haircut. For two cents I would give them one. FSA subject matter?What was Wolcott trying to tell us with this photo? The FSA was created to assist poverty-stricken farmers and its photographers were tasked to document the lives of those who endured an impoverished rural lifestyle. Neither Miami Beach nor its residents would seem to qualify as subject matter. [The mandate of the FSA photography project, as distinct from the Farm Security Administration itself, evolved after the Dust Bowl years to include the documentation of American life in general, as well as Resettlement Administration activities. Three years after this, it became the Office of War Information photography project. - Dave] Sharp looking house!Bet a lot of cutting edge technology went into the construction. Gerard LambertHe was the son of the founder of Listerine, but worked hard to make a name for himself. Princeton Magazine has a great article about him. (The Gallery, Florida, M.P. Wolcott, Miami)
Ahead of the Curve: 1955
March 30, 1955. "Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach. Over pool to hotel. Morris Lapidus, client." The luxe hostelry's first ... enjoy! (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/04/2013 - 2:18pm -

March 30, 1955. "Fontainebleau Hotel, Miami Beach. Over pool to hotel. Morris Lapidus, client." The luxe hostelry's first "season" after its opening. Large-format acetate negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. In My DreamsOh, to make a reservation at this beautiful hotel. After checking rates for a humble Ocean Front Junior Suite with Balcony, three days would come to only ... $2,000.06 Wow. In my dreams! 'The Architecture of Joy'... Architect Morris Lapidus cared not a wit for style, trend or artistic dictum. He simply piled together everything he thought people would enjoy! (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner, Miami)
Fly BOAC: c.1958
... "Back in the U.S.S.R." stuck in my head - "Flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C...." Thanks for a great historic picture of one of my favorite ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 07/13/2012 - 10:37pm -

This is one of many color slides that my father shot when we lived in the San Francisco area in the mid to late 1950's. This particular shot was taken on Anscochrome film and shows Union Square in downtown SF. Note the overhead wires for the electric buses. I have many more like this, which I'll try to post as time allows. View full size. A Corvette!Gimme that Vette, please! Time LineThat 1958 Chevrolet looks like the newest car in the pic. This would make the earliest date fall of 1957. I don't remember that chrome piece at the rear of the back window. [That bit of chrome was specific to certain Bel Air models. - tterrace] A rare body styleThe Corvette is cool, but I'll take the '58 Bel-air hardtop. In fact, I had one almost exactly like it, bought it used in 1962 to go to college in. 1958 was a rare year for the entire GM lineup. The cars were new from the 55-57 group, but strangely not repeated in 59. The 58 models had another distinction––there were more available body styles than in 57 and previous years, or 59 and succeeding years. The one pictured here was a rare variation of the Bel-air 4-door hardtop. Most Bel-air 4-door hardtops had a slightly different treatment of the roofline and rear door pillars. This one is white over silver blue. Mine was silver blue over white, otherwise this car would be identical to mine. The car was a dreamboat and proved at college to be an incredible chick magnet. Co-eds loved to ride in it at night with the windows down, and my buddies and I loved to oblige them. BTW, the "V" emblem on the hood indicates a V8 engine, the soon to be famous "small block" Chevy. First year with 283 cubes, too. What a car! B O A CAs our Brit friends explain it, "Better On A Camel"! Thanks to DbellI sing with a community chorus, and we just wrapped up a concert series that was all music from the Beatles. Thanks to Dbell's pointing out the B.O.A.C. sign, I now have "Back in the U.S.S.R." stuck in my head - "Flew in from Miami Beach B.O.A.C...." Thanks for a great historic picture of one of my favorite cities! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Semmes City: 1926
... 1940 sees him as a real estate salesman in Miami Beach, with most of his children still with him, but no mother-in-law. Mary ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/22/2018 - 11:28am -

Washington, D.C., 1926. "T.A. Cannon Co. truck at Semmes Motor Co., Florida Avenue N.E." Dealer in Dodge Brothers cars and Graham Brothers trucks. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. NICESimple, straightforward façade design. Well done. The SemmesesRaphael Semmes, president of the Semmes Motor Co., was born 1889 in D.C., one of six children, to Christopher Columbus Semmes (1844-1911) and Symphronia Coombs Bryan (1847-1918). The 1910 Census lists 21-year-old Raphael still living at home at 336 10th Street working as a manager of a garage. He married Mary McClearon (b 1895) in 1911; their first child, Mary Jane, was born in 1914. By 1930 Raphael is president of the company, living at 336 Raymond Street in Bethesda, Maryland, with his wife, four kids and mother-in-law. 1940 sees him as a real estate salesman in Miami Beach, with most of his children still with him, but no mother-in-law. Mary died in 1963 and Raphael in 1972, both interred at Congressional Cemetery in D.C. And Dave, honest, I am not making these names up! Handsome BuildingNot so sure its later replacement at 1424 Florida Ave. NE is an architectural improvement. ConnectionsMr. Semmes was well connected, I believe, the grandson of a Confederate admiral and a chum/colleague of George Patton in the two World Wars. Or else I don't have my Semmeses straight. Is there more to this?I'm no old-time car buff, beyond admiring them. I was, ahem, captured by the title, Semmes Motor Company, of Washington, D.C., and started speculating. Raphael Semmes, former U.S. Navy officer, born in nearby Maryland, switched allegiances in the Civil War and captained the famous commerce raider CSS Alabama, which was finally sunk in a French harbor after creating havoc to Union shipping on various oceans. Whether that Semmes was any relation to the motor company family, I have no idea, but it's not a common name. Half the fun of Shorpy is the speculation that it creates in me. More on the SemmesesAs far as I can tell from this, the maritime and the auto Semmeses don't appear to be related. Admiral Semmes' book is here. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Gulf Hotel: 1939
... Street. April 1939. "Even the gas stations in Miami Beach are on an elaborate scale, often modern design, resembling hotels." ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/26/2019 - 11:58am -

        The Gulf Hotel building (and lighthouse) at 1315 Fifth Street. April 1939. "Even the gas stations in Miami Beach are on an elaborate scale, often modern design, resembling hotels." Composite of two photos by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. A round of GulfThank you for all of the wonderful pictures of this hotel/ gas station. Amazing that they would have to advertise for a restaurant to fill the harbor-front view. I would have thought someone like Fred Harvey or Howard Johnson would have jumped on it. Perhaps the space was too small. Where was Starbucks when you NEEDED them? Location, location80 years later and they're still having problems leasing out that space. (The Gallery, Florida, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott)
Goodyear Blimp: 1956
... 35mm Kodachrome slide was taken by my grandfather in the Miami/Miami Beach area around 1956. View full size. The Blue Auto Is that a 1957 ... 
 
Posted by JohnZ14 - 09/03/2016 - 2:03pm -

This 35mm Kodachrome slide was taken by my grandfather in the Miami/Miami Beach area around 1956. View full size. The Blue AutoIs that a 1957 Mopar product? [1957 Plymouth. -tterrace] Taking the limp out of BlimpPlus a 1958 Chevrolet a few cars back. Its a great picture of the Goodyear Blimp . Goodyear is replacing its fleet of 3 Blimps with craft that have rigid frames . But don't worry they won't be calling them the Goodyear zeppelins . 57 FuryLooks to be a 1957 Plymouth Fury, a very baseline model. [The lack of side panel trim shows it to be a Plaza 2-door business coupe. -tterrace] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Dad the Golfer
... My dad in 1924 going to play a game of golf. Taken in Miami Beach, but where I'm not sure. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member ... 
 
Posted by snoebay88 - 04/11/2009 - 11:25am -

My dad in 1924 going to play a game of golf. Taken in Miami Beach, but where I'm not sure. View full size. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
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