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Upwey Farms: 1940
... left is by Hy Hintermeister, a prolific painter of idyllic America, mainly during the 1930's and 1940's. I remember seeing many of his ... Vermont is such a beautiful state. They won't miss a date that's for sure (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/06/2019 - 9:11am -

February 1940. "Hired help resting after day's work in Upwey horse farm. South Woodstock, Vermont." Medium format acetate negative by Marion Post Wolcott. View full size. Suffolk PunchThe ideal draft horse! Snow joke -- 2 years?Do they have two calendars on the wall because it will be 2 years before the window-sill-level snow melts in Vermont? Adventure BoundThe calendar painting on the left is by Hy Hintermeister, a prolific painter of idyllic America, mainly during the 1930's and 1940's. I remember seeing many of his paintings in elementary school as well as church Sunday School rooms of the 1970's. "Hy" was actually a pseudonym for John Henry Hintermeister and his son, Henry Hintermeister, a father/son painting team. This one is entitled "Adventure Bound". Look out the windowSnow up to the window sill! Yow! Looking out the windowI would say they may be snowed in. Whoa! Still there!Thank you much, Shorpy-ite Bill Ryan! How wonderful that this (seeming) dynasty is alive and kicking! And as a cherry on top, it is really lovely to know that the Suffolk Punch breed is alive and well and has its champions in Vermont!! It is a breed small in numbers these days, aficionados are worrying about remaining bio-diversity and the breed's future. Go Upwey, go Vermont!! I hope Maxham didn't build the wall cabinetMeasure twice. Cut once. I'm happy to see this place is still around. Vermont is such a beautiful state. They won't miss a datethat's for sure (The Gallery, M.P. Wolcott)
Homebody: 1953
... death of someone else that the camera absolutely loved, Miss Bettie Page. There was something about her face that made it so that it ... face! A very lovely (in all senses of the word) person. America's favourite pastime seems to be building up entertainment icons and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/12/2011 - 10:20am -

Hollywood, 1953. "Actress Marilyn Monroe, playfully elegant at home." 35mm negative by Alfred Eisenstaedt, Life photo archive. View full size. DefinitelyDefinitely, this woman was very beautiful and very sensual The Camera Loved HerBe it a still camera or a movie camera it loved her, and she loved it right back. There's something about her facial features capped off with that beauty mark in just the right place. And as far as we know, except for weight loss and the usual plucking and primping and styling it was all natural (in other words no nipping and tucking). Someone Else the Camera LovedWhen I was writing that last comment I should have mentioned the death of someone else that the camera absolutely loved, Miss Bettie Page. There was something about her face that made it so that it was virtually impossible to take a bad picture of it. While her body is well known thanks to the type of photos she took, it was her face that made her photos. Anyone could and many - including Marilyn - did do "saucy" photo shoots (in the nude or close to it) it was a rare few who managed to stand out while doing it. Bettie Page was the queen of them ... because the camera loved her. No One ComparesWhat an amazing beauty. Nothing today can even come close. Breathtakingly stunning! If OnlyWhat another wonderful photograph. Indeed, the camera loved her. Many around the world loved her and still do. If only we could just love her back to life somehow. Without the rose colored glasses....She looks a bit stoned to me. Not StonedThose are what's known as 'bedroom eyes', A.T. She looks just fine to me. MarilynPlease don't get tired of showing us photos of Marilyn. Lord, what a compelling and special woman! Overratedi see nothing but a lot of makeup and hair dye. Marilyn MonroeAlthough Monroe was undoubtedly complicit in the creation of her iconic status as a sex symbol, the entertainment and arts industries require a great amount of compromise by the artist-entertainers in order for them make a living and sustain their viability. We sometimes forget that very talented people are often complex, sensitive, fragile, vulnerable and limited in social skills. Like John Lennon, Truman Capote, Judy Garland, Pablo Picasso, Leonard Bernstein and thousands of others whose work has given us great and lasting pleasure, Monroe was worshiped and condemned by us, sometimes almost in the same breath. She was a good but underdeveloped actress, an adored but neglected woman, and did not live long enough to become the whole person she must have hoped she could be. She looks tired.It could just be the makeup and the pose, though. She Looks Tired?The soul of every man who sees those eyes understands what they say. If not, he's never loved a woman with all his being. Those....lips and the light on them. What dyed?>>i see nothing but a lot of makeup and hair dye You could definitely do with a new monitor. Beautiful pic, you can almost smell her Chanel #5. If you have more, please keep them coming, Dave. XXX, Don Philippo (Alkmaar, Holland). Natural BeautyMarilyn was a beauty with or without makeup. The tragedy is she never realized that ... she wasn't comfortable with being just Norma Jean, but being Marilyn is what killed her in the end. It's probably better that she died at a young age (okay, so 36 isn't THAT young), otherwise she'd have been like Bettie Page, insisting that she not be photographed in her old age -- such a shame. MarilynThere is sexuallity and sensuallity. Marilyn was one of the few to possess both and was able to exude it whether clothed or not. AgreementI agree completely with MacKenzieK on this one. One can never have too much of Marilyn Monroe. These pics are fantastic. Thanks again for posting them. Then I saw her faceNow I'm a believer. Seriously, I have never been a big MM fan, generally preferring the ladies of the '20's and 30's big screen. But I must confess: Shorpy has converted me with this shot! Wow. A certain lack of characterI suppose I'm one of those oddballs who never could figure out why so much was made of a woman whose face seemed to have nothing behind it. She reminds me of a pretty little yapping dog. By the way, I do think she was a very good comedienne and "The Seven-Year Itch" a fantastic film because of her. MM Quote"It's not true I had nothing on. I had the radio on." Think again...A friend of mine worked with Marilyn when she was shooting "Niagara" here in the Falls. There was a great deal behind her face! A very lovely (in all senses of the word) person. America's favourite pastime seems to be building up entertainment icons and then tearing them down. What she wanted most was to be a serious actress, and if you watch "The Misfits," you see some of what she could have been. Unfortunately Hollywood seemed to focus on a different set of assets! My word!You don't see lips like those every day! (Alfred Eisenstaedt, LIFE, Los Angeles, Marilyn Monroe, Movies)
Biometrics: 1918
... hunk of Irish-American naval flesh himself! And I love Miss Dahm's boots! And the coats and hats on the hatrack! Conniving Sailor ... work with a spirit that will win the war if every woman in America adopts it. The four girls who are doing this very important war ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 7:56pm -

Washington, D.C., 1918. Sailor Noonan's ordeal in Room 403 continues: "Navy department, intelligence bureau, finger-print department clerks: Blanche Donahue, James A. Noonan, Marie S. Dahm, Blanche G. Stansbury, Mrs. G.G. Boswell." Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Let's hear it for James Noonan I'm sure this picture will bring out more Boswell admirers. As a member of the opposite sex, let me just say that Sailor Noonan is one nice hunk of Irish-American naval flesh himself! And I love Miss Dahm's boots! And the coats and hats on the hatrack! Conniving SailorSeems to me that this Navy whippersnapper is making a career out of having his fingerprints taken by the two best looking girls in the office. Or perhaps they are being trained and he is the volunteer subject, just to help them out. (Yeah, thats the ticket). The ladies really did wear very interesting and flattering clothes and shoes in 1918, very flattering too. All the other women...All the other women secretly wished they were as attractive as Mrs. Boswell. Look at the timeMrs. Boswell is wearing one of the early examples of the wristwatch -- which used to be worn only by women. It took the development of the "trench watch," designed to be worn on the wrist so that a soldier could more readily tell the time (important for those synchronized attacks across no-man's land), to start the trend away from pocket watches. You might also note that Mrs. B's watch has the crown at the 12 o'clock position -- most early versions of the wristwatch were so designed. The Gruesome Things of WarLogansport (Indiana) Pharos-Reporter, May 24, 1918. Four Pretty Girls in Washington Literally Have Every Jackie In U. S. Navy by the Hand By Edna Huber Church         WASHINGTON, May 24. — Once upon a time — this is not a fairy tale — it was said that a sailor had a girl in every port. Things have changed, however, since the days of Farragut. Now, four girls, four very pretty little girls—-have every jackie in Uncle Sam's navy "by the hand." That is literally true. The four girls who have the jackies by the hand are most important factors in Secretary Daniels' organization. Recently the Navy Department adopted a new method of identification, at least new in navy circles, the finger print method. Today, in a rather unimposing room in the Navy Department, these girls have the finger prints and the hand marks of every member of the Navy. All are tabulated and carefully filed. So when the gruesome things of war happen, it is possible for these four girls to relieve the minds of anxious mothers, for they are able to identify badly mutilated bodies by the finger prints. It is perhaps as an unhappy task for girls, but war is unhappy and these four young ladies have sat to the work with a spirit that will win the war if every woman in America adopts it. The four girls who are doing this very important war work are Blanche Donohue and Marie Dahm, of New York, and Blanche Stansbury and Julia Boswell, of Alexandria, Va. Don't you envy them, girls? The Panic ButtonIt springs a trapdoor for those with dodgy fingerprints or anyone who tries to put the moves on Mrs. Boswell. Panic buttonWhat do you suppose the button to the left of the drawer was used for? The Beautiful Miss BoswellIt looks like my research that indicated that Mrs. Boswell might be named Julia Boswell is correct (see my comment under her other photo). The 3-9-09 comment under this photo that showed the article called "Four Pretty Girls In Washington" does, indeed, refer to her as Julia Boswell. But the question still remains: What happened to her? There are no records for her with that name after 1900. The G. G. SpotMaybe Mrs. G. G. Boswell decamped with G. G. Bain so as to maintain continuity of monogramming! Put a ring on itMrs. Boswell is wearing a beautiful ring, which suits her well. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, WWI)
On the Road: 1939
... of us it was just a big pain in the ass! After seeing Miss Lange's photographs of Depression era families and the terrible conditions ... Still in the heart of bone-crushing poverty in Central America, I saw acts of filial and agape love that can only be classified as ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/11/2018 - 1:13pm -

September 1939. "On the road with her family one month from South Dakota. Tulelake, Siskiyou County, Calif." Photo by Dorothea Lange. View full size. Are they drinking Coca-Cola?Are they drinking Coca-Cola? [It's a Coke bottle with a rubber nipple being used for baby formula. - Dave] Such a sad photoSuch a sad photo. It's almost as if you could sense their pain by looking at it. A good photograph!This is a powerful picture. I hope we never see these times again in this country. Is there something on Mom'sIs there something on Mom's ear? Yeah, they're wrap-aroundYeah, they're wrap-around aviator rim glasses. Ah. Makes sense. :)Ah. Makes sense. Generally they go behind the ear. ;) Really sadits a very powerful photo and I agree with the first post, you can sense the pain PowerfulSuch a powerful photo; such desperation in the eyes of the mother. Lange did have the knack of catching the telling moment. Genuinitythis picture doesn't look 75ish years old. [Well it is. It's pretty famous too. - Dave] DetailIt is a very moving image. Dave do you have a detail of the reflection in the mother's glasses? Looks like it may be interesting? [As a matter of fact, I do. - Dave] WowThis is an amazing picture... there is so much captured here, and the high quality gives makes it almost unreal - like it's a play rather than real life. A fly on the baby's fingerGreat photograph with amazing detail. Noticed the fly on the right hand pink and what looks like two more on and behind the left hand. What an expressionThis poor mother is exhausted! I have to wonder what ever became of the child. Powerful and sad! PictureThis is a very woebegone picture. Reveal pain with PaintI would like to obtain permission to use this photo as a reference to paint (watercolor) from. How can that happen? [Permission hereby granted to paint your painting. Not that you would really need it. - Dave] The MotherThe mother is so beautiful. Had this been 2007, she would have made a great model. The Great DepressionGrowing up in the 60's and 70's I'd often heard my parents talk about the Great Depression. Mom came from a fairly wealthy family in Warren, Ohio. Her father owned a coal business and by all accounts did very well. He allowed people to buy the coal they needed to heat their homes on credit during the Depression and very few were ever able to pay. The business went under like so many other of the era and Mom's family lost everything. My father was raised on a farm in rural Arkansas. He told stories of many traveling drifters and families coming to their door begging for food. His mom would give them food -- vegetables they raised on the farm and a few biscuits that she's put in a gunny sack for them to take. Dad always said they had no money but his family was much better off then most because they at least had enough to eat most of the time. The Depression had a very profound effect on my parents and most of their generation. Dad was a union plumber for years and opened his own plumbing business and did very well. As a kid I never remember a shortage of anything but not so the case with my parents. We had a huge garden and Mom would can and freeze everything the garden produced. My brothers and I hated that damn garden. We spent our whole summer tending it and always thought our parents were crazy for going to all the hard work and trouble of having such a large garden. We couldn't understand why because my father earned a very good living and we always had plenty. Mom always said if you've ever gone hungry, truly hungry, you never forget the experience and at some point in their lives during the depression they both indeed did go hungry so that huge garden was vital to them. To the rest of us it was just a big pain in the ass! After seeing Miss Lange's photographs of Depression era families and the terrible conditions that existed during the 30's I have a much greater understanding of my parents' attitude. I've concluded that what I see as modern day poverty doesn't begin to compare to what my parent's generation experienced! I guess I never really knew what poverty was. Miss Lange's photographs are haunting and heartbreaking yet very beautifully human. Through her photos I've learned there is a big difference in being penniless and being poor. Being flat broke is one thing but being poor is being without hope for anything to get any better. Her photos clearly show the hopeless look in the eyes of her subjects and to me that shows true poverty and what being poor is all about. During my adult life I've been as broke as you can get but I never felt poor because I always had hope for a better day ahead. Thank you Miss Lange for a greater understanding of my parents and what true poverty really is. I guess I never really knew what poverty was. When my wife and I served as Missionaries of the Episcopal Church in Honduras we saw what poverty truly is. Most folks in the US will never see it. We have so many safety nets in the US that are not available in the rest of the world. Still in the heart of bone-crushing poverty in Central America, I saw acts of filial and agape love that can only be classified as holy. No FormulaFormula for babies didn't exist in the '30's. That poor little baby was probably drinking water. The richer folks used Pet milk with Karo syrup mixed in. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kids)
Cripple Creek Short Line: 1901
... Missed the Train Did those two dressed-up people miss the last train? Jumbotron The part of the picture, shown below, ... mountain engineering, railway experts in both Europe and America have pronounced it the most substantially built and the finest equipped ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 1:39pm -

Colorado circa 1901. "Cathedral Park near Clyde. Colorado Springs & Cripple Creek Short Line." A gray day in the Rockies. 8x10 inch glass transparency by William Henry Jackson, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. But it's always a gray dayat Shorpy. Barrels?Anyone know the purpose of the barrels on the side of the bridge? Rock formations win the sceneNot so much the railroad theme but check out the interesting rock formations. Barrels?What's the purpose of the barrels placed on the bridge? The only thing I can come up with is some kind of primitive vibration damping system. Missed the TrainDid those two dressed-up people miss the last train? JumbotronThe part of the picture, shown below, sort of looks like the Elephant is leaving the room. Water BarrelsBeautiful landscape. Also, those water barrels were there in case the bridge caught fire. Wood burning steam engines were prone to throw cinders out the stack. They would frequently start brush fires or even set the wood-roofed train cars on fire. Stunning view!Absolutely beautiful! Looks like it could be the inspiration for the great Gorre & Daphetid RR. CuriousWhat are the barrels on the platforms attached to the bridge for? Gorgeous photograph. The rock formations are fascinating. The couple taking a stroll by the creek help to give perspective to this scene. Upper Gold Camp RoadI believe this is now the upper Gold Camp Road between Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek. This shows about the same picture. Do a search on Google maps for Gold Camp Road, Colorado and it will take you right to it. Cliff FacesI see a Cyclops, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, monster faces, a Chinese elder and other assorted interesting shapes on this mountain wall. BarrelsIt is my considered opinion that these barrels on the sides of bridges were there for safety purposes. Should a railroad worker or other person find himself on the span with a train bearing down on them, they could escape into the nearest barrel. I'm sure I've seen these barrels on steel bridges; that's why fire fighting seemed unlikely the issue. CindersIt looks like the hill on the far side of the bridge did burn at some point. Sand Barrels and BracingThe extra track over the bridge with the ends meeting appears to be bracing to keep the main track from shifting on the bridge ties. This appears to be an uphill curved grade. Sand from the six barrels could be used for traction without depleting the sand carried by the engine. Not a location for cannon ball runs. Get our your 4WDApparently you can drive right up to this point on Gold Camp Road, if you don't mind the rough ride and the sheer drops of the side. Magnificent sceneThis must rank as the ultimate setting in a model railroader's dream. I see the GrinchHe looks stoned. Barrels of funThe barrels that are on the bridge are for fires that might start on the bridge. Because the steam engines would drop hot coals as it went down the tracks, they had these handy barrels that were filled with water and usually painted red. If a track crew or passerby saw any smoke from the bridge after the train past, they could use the water to put the "fire" out. The Late Great Gorre & DaphetidJohn Allen was my hero when I was a kid building my HO train layout. John was a good photographer himself and his model railroad was the envy of everyone! Sorry end: John died and his friends tried to preserve his masterpiece but the house caught fire. The End. RIP John wherever you are. For the Squirrels.Concerning the barrels on the trestle. As mentioned, they are for fire protection, and usually had a hook on the inside upon which was hung a bucket under the water. The Sectionmen would keep an eye on the barrels and would top them up from time to time from the creek below, sometimes with a bucket on a rope, or, in dry locations or on HIGH bridges, from a special Water Car handled by a Wayfreight or Work Train. Water could be moved by a hose from a steam locomotive tender. Squirrels, other animals, and birds would attempt to drink from the barrels, and, if the insides were slick, would fall in, not be able to climb back out, then drown. A floating piece of wood plank would give them something to climb onto, then jump or fly free. Sparks could come from locomotive fire boxes and smoke stacks and from red-hot iron brakeshoes on trains descending heavy grades. Diesel locomotives still set fires with carbon sparks from their exhuasts. Train and Engine crews were admonished to not throw discarded smoking material from moving trains ( Cigars, Cigarettes, Pipe Dottle, Matches and so forth.) Written notices would be placed in Cabooses to that effect. Fusees used for flagging and hand signals would set fires if improperly used. When cooler weather arrived, the barrels would be emptied, or they would freeze and break, often turned upside-down on the platform, with the bucket underneath. In spring they would be turned upright, the bucket put back in and filled once again. Different Companies and climates might dictate different policies, but, thats the way it was done here. After they became readily available, steel drums and galvanized buckets were used on water barrels on bridges. Steel drums, with one end removed with a hammer and chisel and with holes put in the sides near the bottom with a pick for draft, still make excellent fire barrels for heat, and burning trash, the latter to discourage bears. As trash burners, a screen would be used in hot weather to capture sparks. They glow red at night, the draft holes making spooky patterns on the snow, melting a hole, sparks mixing with the stars as the coyotes serenade the mountains. Thank You. Twisted by Tempests The Land of Enchantment: From Pike's Peak to the Pacific. By Lilian Whiting, 1909. Chapter III The Picturesque Region of Pike's Peak … Every tourist in the Pike's Peak region regards the "Short Line" trip as the very crown of the summer's excursions. These forty-five miles not only condense within their limits the grandeur one might reasonably anticipate during a transcontinental journey of three thousand miles, but as an achievement of mountain engineering, railway experts in both Europe and America have pronounced it the most substantially built and the finest equipped mountain railroad in the world. It was opened in 1901, and, quite irrespective of any interest felt in visiting the gold camps of Cripple Creek, the "Short Line" has become the great excursion which all visitors to Colorado desire to make for the sublime effects of the scenery. … The "Cathedral Park" is an impressive example of what the forces of nature can accomplish. Colossal rocks, chiselled by erosion, twisted by tempests, worn by the storms of innumerable ages, loom up in all conceivable shapes. They are of the same order as some of the wonderful groups of rocks seen in the Grand Cañon. Towers and arches and temples and shafts have been created by Nature's irresistable forces, and to the strange fantastic form is added color — the same rich and varied hues that render the Grand Cañon so wonderful in its color effects. This "Cathedral Park" is a great pleasure resort for celebrations and picnics, both from Colorado Springs, Colorado City, Broadmoor, and other places from below, and also from Cripple Creek, Victor, and other towns in Cripple Creek District. … Bridge OutIn fact, the railroad itself is gone. The road bed is now unpaved Gold Camp Road. The gorge spanned by the railroad bridge has been filled in. This is the area just below Cathedral Park where in 1901 picture was apparently taken. The stream called Bison Creek is still there and flows beneath the filled in section. Following it downhill leads to a small lake it has formed, and signs of life are there. Beautiful area!I love the area around Cripple Creek and Victor. We go there twice a year. Have never been on Gold Camp Road, but plan to find it and go on it later this year after seeing these pictures. Barrels!They are there to provide water to fight small fires caused by sparks from the locomotive(s) after they passed by. The bridges were built with either untreated or creosoted timbers, highly susceptible to fire, and the railroads, in those days, hired trackwalkers to keep an eye on bridges like this, as well as many other maintenance issues. A small fire or smolder could easily be put out with a little water from the barrels. Otherwise, the nearest water was in the creek below, IF it wasn't dried up for the summer. Guard rails on bridgesThese were placed between the tracks on bridges in case of a derailment on the bridge. It was hoped that the wheels would be snagged between the outer rail and the guard rail. No doubt the guard rails did not always keep the cars or locomotive from going over the side. (The Gallery, DPC, Railroads, W.H. Jackson)
Simulcast: 1922
... And bare knuckle boxing in the back Dig the shiner on Miss Fiddle Player Live broadcast The sign above the piano, and the gent ... become the radio sponsors of Fibber McGee and Molly and America learned to clean and wax! Hey Princess Leia The force was a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/04/2011 - 3:25am -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "McHugh & Lawson." The name of a music store selling pianos, radio sets, phonographs and, it seems, light fixtures. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. "Kiss Me by Wireless"I found the lyrics and the cover of the sheet music to "Kiss Me by Wireless," which is the last song in the 10:30-11:30 hour on Woodward & Lothrop's station. Change the below to "cell tower" and there you are. There's a wireless station down in my heart, And it calls in my dreams all night long; It is operating just for you and me, And it's spanning the hills and the sea. Your message I love the best, The call to happiness. Chorus Send each caress to me by wireless, Its tenderness you can to me express; I love to call you dear, Across the atmosphere. I hear your voice, It thrills me through and through. My lonely heart sighs for you, just for you! Oh, radio-phone the answer "Yes!" Kiss me by wireless. There's a pulsating current, Runs 'round my heart, It's attuned with your own sweetheart mine; Though you're far away, We're never apart For the radio station's my heart. So on the air impress, Our new found happiness. (repeat chorus) That'll teach you!Someone gave the poor violinist a black eye - did she hit a sour note? You rang? I'm sorry to have to say this, but that worman looks like "Lurch" on the Addams Family. And bare knuckle boxing in the backDig the shiner on Miss Fiddle Player Live broadcastThe sign above the piano, and the gent in the background (who is evidently adjusting some equipement with his right hand), make me think this duo is being broadcast live on radio station WJH. The first broadcast station authorized in the Washington DC area was WJH, the White & Boyer Company, on December 8, 1921, so this would have been a very early broadcast. McHugh & LawsonThe store was at 917 G Street in DC. It's now the site of the MLK Memorial Library. Full-Contact ViolinAnd our lesson today is not to use too much rosin on your bow as this may lead to eye-injury. WJHChronology of call letters WJH Date: April 1, 1922-June 30, 1923 Frequency: 833 khz (April 1, 1922-June 30,1922) 1140 khz (June 30, 1923) Location: Washington, District of Columbia Owner of license: White & Boyer Company In those days the letters 3NR could be Amateur Radio, or perhaps experimental. Wonder how the violin lady got that shiner? Or was 3NR TV and she was painted up to look good? Can you see me?Second lady has a hat and makes four in the photo. Be still and don't blink. ShinerI have a friend living on the Upper West Side in an apartment above a professional harpist. Her practicing is totally annoying, not only the harp music but the vibrations. I have to show him this picture in order for him to understand that violence doesn't work, in this case she's still playing her violin. Ba dum dumWith such a small store they must have a small overhead, which is ironic because there's so much over their heads. Broadcast to You LiveFrom our spacious showroom. Another marvelous look back. Stations 3NR and WJH? More proof that you've gotta 'full size' these wonderful photos or you'll never come close to full appreciation of the secrets they hold. Who hit her?Did the pianist give her that shiner? "E-flat. E-flat, I tell you!" MakeupI'm wondering if she was going for a really interesting bohemian look. Because if she was, she succeeded. She appearsto be quite deceased. Ghost of SchubertI suppose Princess Leia's kiss of death face stems from blinking during exposure? Took me a while to find the pretty lady with the turban (?) reflected in the piano. Maybe she should have posed with the fiddle. EquipmentI love the pickup horn. The radio engineer in the back does his duty, intently. Pity the violinist's eyes! 3-NRAccording to the March 10, 1922 "U.S. Broadcast Station List" (Radio Service Bulletin 59), White & Boyer Co. owned WJH, with "authorization to transmit on the 'Entertainment' wavelength of 360 meters (833 kilohertz)." It also owned amateur station 3NR ("Amateur Radio Stations of the U.S.," Dept. of Commerce, Radio Division). One can only wonder how the stunning virtuosa came by the apparent shiner. Are they playing Rachmaninoff's Vocalise, or something by Gid Tanner and the Skillet Lickers? Half dozenI count six in the photo: two musicians, one technician, the lady with the hat and two men in the background. Arc, Spark, RadiophoneWashington, D.C., "Amateur Radio News" from 1926, and a schedule from 1922. Note that the Post Office had its own station. (3:30 p.m. -- "General fruit and vegetables.") Interesting to see how amateur call letters were the 1920s version of screen names ("3NR took a trip to Baltimore"). "Radiophone" would be audio broadcasts, which in 1922 would be heard mostly with headsets. The other broadcasts would, I am guessing, be the original "wireless," i.e. telegraphy. CasualtyIt looks like the dear woman might have been the victim of "violins in the workplace"! I think it's makeupAnd probably applied by the same hands which selected the dainty wristwatch. Some have a "look" that best befits radio. Mrs. Ritterhouse!Or, more likely, her mom. There does seem to be a strong family resemblance between 3NR's soloist and George Booth's irrepressible Norene Ritterhouse, seen here in a detail from her July 7, 1980 New Yorker cover, performing "The Battle of the Somme." Needed: Lemon PledgeAnother photo showing how our grandparents and great-grandparents lived in dirty and dusty places. Couldn't anyone see the thick dust settled everywhere? The floor needs sweeping and wax. Grimy fingerprints on the piano...tsk, tsk, tsk. I guess everyone was waiting for 1935 when Johnson's Wax would become the radio sponsors of Fibber McGee and Molly and America learned to clean and wax! Hey Princess LeiaThe force was a little too strong with you, no? Violence And The ViolinThe fellow wearing the headset appears to have a bandage on his nose making me think the piano player belted him too. A Radiola RecordI found a recording of "Kiss Me By Wireless." No words, and I could only somewhat follow along, but it was still fun to hear. How do I prize Thee'' Those common appliances would be 'Lowbrow trash' by the thirties, only to become exquisite antiques of today. The light fixtures alone are worth six figures. and what about the vegetation..tucked into her belt? Helped her to "keep thyme"? The Victrola horn is being used to gather the sound for the radio broadcast. Note the wires leading from it. (The Gallery, D.C., Music, Natl Photo)
Kodachrome Karnival: 1979
... This scene was repeated thousands of times across North America in the mid 70's and early 80's. I could have been one of the three kids ... other "snapshooter" would feel any different. We will miss you Gives us the nice bright colors, the greens of summer, makes all ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 01/08/2011 - 3:41am -

Last week saw the last processing run for Kodachrome film, as noted on Shorpy here. I thought that this one, shot by my friend in 1979, was a good example of what all the hubbub was about. It's at the Sonoma County Fair in Santa Rosa, California. View full size. Washington Post: Eulogy for KodachromeThere's a great narrative, with an accompanying slide show, in which Washington Post photographer John McDonnell eulogizes Kodachrome, the iconic film produced by Kodak from 1935 to 2009. You'll have to put up with a short commercial intro, but the narrative and slide show are worth the wait! (Make sure your volume is turned on.) Kodachrome scanningFirst of all, there's no such thing as a "straight" translation of any kind of photochemical image to another medium, even if it's another photographic emulsion. In that case, there are differences in the pigments and dyes used in the photographic materials. In the case of standard four-color printing, such as for books and magazines, the pigments are entirely different chemically. Furthermore, there's no way to replicate the contrast range of a color slide viewed by transmitted light on a print viewed by reflected light. When we get into digital scanning and display, there are further complications: the scanning light source, the color sensitivity of the image sensors and even the spectral characteristics of the film itself. (This is a particular problem with Kodachrome, which we faced when I was working in our custom color lab; we could achieve reasonable color accuracy in making duplicate slides and prints from Ektachrome, but doing so across the spectrum with Kodachrome originals was often impossible.) With digital, there's the additional complication of the final display, whose colors are produced in a different manner altogether. And again, the contrast range of a projected color slide exceeds that possible with a standard computer display. The best we can achieve is a reasonable simulation of what's on the slide. Then there's another angle: not all Kodachrome processing was equal. Processing done by Kodak itself was the most consistent, but that from other labs could be all over the map; our own collection of hundreds and hundreds of Kodachrome slides over a span of over three decades provides ample proof of that. We have greenish Kodachromes, magenta-tinged Kodachromes, reddish Kodachromes, bluish Kodachromes, cyanish Kodachromes and others that are off one way in certain colors and another way in others. This particular slide is from a batch processed by some unidentified lab, and they're all consistently reddish/magenta compared to the standard processed-by-Kodak color that I'm thoroughly familiar with. I decided to correct that out to something that looked, to my eyes, more like a Kodak-processed Kodachrome. Below is a version that's close to what the original slide looks like; I can guarantee that the asphalt of the fairgrounds was not red. Not as red as blueExcepting the sky is brite blue, I see this image as heavy with blue, and not as warm red as Kodachrome normally gave. Perhaps it is the age of the image as well. I did a quick adjustment and increased the color overall except contrast. The result is what I thought Kodachrome normally revealed. Just my opinion though. [Put on your sunglasses. - Dave] KodachromeI guess I am spoiled by digital photography. I think the color in this image is average. Also, is this a straight scan without digital manipulation? I enjoy this site. Keep up your good work. Doug Santo Pasadena, CA Sounds like a song titleBeautiful colors, too late though. Someone has already taken my Kodachrome away. I remember fairs like thisThis scene was repeated thousands of times across North America in the mid 70's and early 80's. I could have been one of the three kids standing by the fence. I love the fact that the rides, while brightly painted, aren't cluttered with all sorts of advertising like they seem to be now. I remember riding most of these, the Hurricane, the Yo-Yo and as the sing says, the TipTop. My favorites were The Scrambler, the Loop-O-Plane and the Tilt-A-Whirl. Wagner Shows, a Western Canadian outfit which served our town, used to feature a fellow who rode the deck of the Tilt-A-Whirl while the ride ran, nimbly stepping between the buckets, giving each an extra spin at just the right moment. He wore a t-shirt that read "Tilt the World with Joe". Anyhow, I very much like this photograph. It's one of the few shown here new enough to allow one to suppose that at least some of the people in it aren't obviously dead. Kodachrome realismAll the hubbub (for me, at least) is Kodachrome's ability to make then look and feel like now. A couple of years ago David posted a Kodachrome of a female factory worker in a WW2 aviation plant (I think) and a young man posted a response saying he was convinced beyond all doubt that the photo was a fake. It just did not seem possible to him that a picture from that long ago could look so vivid and immediate. I can see why he might think that because Kodachrome could make 60 years ago look like yesterday. Foy KodachromeIf that's a 35mm transparency, I wish I had spent more time working with Kodachrome than Ektachrome. Amazing detail, colour and texture. Too bad it required a crystal clear day like this to stop motion. Awww, c'mon nowNot at all fair to judge the benefits of Kodachrome by today's digital software manipulation. Back then, you got what you got. And, when it came to printing, only Cibachrome could really capture the essence of the Kodachrome transparency. And yes, even then a wee bit of "manipulation" was possible. We shouldn't compare apples to oranges. Kodachrome vs. DigitalIn 50 years this transparency, barring disaster such as a fire or flood, will look just like this. In 50 years any digital photograph, unless painstakingly re-saved to the latest storage media, will be non-existent. If you print the digital photo to paper with an ink jet printer, it will have long since faded into a mere ghost of its original glory. Re: Kodachrome vs, Digital>> In 50 years any digital photograph, unless painstakingly re-saved to the latest storage media, will be non-existent. This is an oft-repeated canard without much basis in fact. Your average flash memory card should be good for many decades of storage. With billions of them currently in use, there'll be a market for card readers for decades to come, even after the various formats become obsolete. The same is true for hard drives and most other mass-storage media. (Or you can just keep your photos online -- my oldest albums have been online for 15 years now.) For most folks, the storage medium of choice is prints. Inkjet prints made on good paper with dye-based inks have permanence ratings of 100 years or more. WOWWhat an incredibly interesting and fascinating work of art. KodachromeColor just oozes. Re: Kodachrome vs. digitalI used Kodachrome for many happy years, beginning in the ASA 25 years. I was fortunate in living close enough to one of Kodak's own labs, so processing was always consistent. I don't think K-chrome's prime asset was realism as much as it was beauty. Rich colors - in my experience, more so than digital -- set it apart. Ektachrome was the "bluish" film; Kodachrome brought out the deep warm tones. Ultimately, I switched to Fuji film because later high-speed versions of K-chrome weren't as satisfying as the ASA 25 variety. If K-25 was still available, I'd be using it today, and my digital equipment would be gathering dust. Projection - Yes!Too bad such a wonderful film is gone. Tterrace nails the problem with duplicating, digitizing or printing any transparency right on the head. The only thing I havn't experienced is the variance from other labs. Here in the midwest the labs were quite spread out. I processed Kodachrome in Minneapolis and the closest two labs were in Chicago and Kansas City. All the labs were licensed by Kodak and had to adhere to a certain quality standard to maintain their license. I remember that the chemical department had analysis equipment that wouldn't be found in any other photo lab and I had to calibrate the cyan and yellow printing lamps before every run. Just an interesting sidenote, EPA compliance and monitoring was always a problem because the cyan developer had a high level of cyanide that went down the drain from the tank overflow. What's gone is gone.I make no apologies for the fact that the passing of Kodakchrome 35mm slide film does not bring a tear to my eye or a lump to the throat. I'm 65 years old and have used my share of slide and print film over the past 40 to 50 years, including Agfa, Fuji and Kodak products. I have boxes of Kodak Carousel containers filled with slides, and smaller plastic boxes as received from the processing labs filled with slides. Many, many of them show signs of deterioration, no doubt due to careless storage. I'm what anyone would call a rank amateur, a "snapshot-shooter," and although I still have my Nikons I have not used them since 2001, preferring instead the ease and economy that several digital cameras give me. No, not for me the crocodile tears as I wave goodbye to Kodachrome. I'll gladly store my photographs on USB memory sticks or DVDs, keeping only the best of a mediocre bunch and only paying for prints of the really special ones. And I doubt that any other "snapshooter" would feel any different. We will miss you Gives us the nice bright colors, the greens of summer, makes all the world a summer's day. (Sorry Paul, best I can remember at my age). (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Lady Libertine: 1902
... would look great in my office. This one would have to be Miss January. Oh yeah!!! Fitz knew how to pick em. Par~tay! what ... 20th-Century Gal This photo is a true representation of America... for the previous Twentieth Century. Miss Gluttony and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 6:41pm -

From 1902, another of Fitz Guerin's metaphorical maidens.View full size. CalendarDave, if you would make up a 2008 calendar using the girls of Guerin, I would buy it, would look great in my office. This one would have to be Miss January. Oh yeah!!!Fitz knew how to pick em. Par~tay!what a naughty party girl. Thankfully she's not showing any of that scandalous ankle. That would just push the public over the edge. [True. But what about those elbows? Provocatively bare! - Dave] And sometimes....A cigarette is just a cigarette... I second thatI'd buy a "Girls of Guerin" calendar myself. That would look just awesome on the office wall... How old is she?That girl looks to be about 15 years old! Rein it in, guys! this photoI think this photo shows great intrest in the historical time line for me But...she’s well over 15 now... ;) 20th-Century GalThis photo is a true representation of America... for the previous Twentieth Century. Miss Gluttony and Pollution! Timeless...Beautiful young lady. And, a smoke and a drink doth not a polluter and/or a glutton make, necessarily. Turn of the Century lookThis is a wonderful picture, her delicate pose and alluring smile make her very elegant despite the informal dress. I am fascinated by the styles from the turn of the century, with the long flowing hair and dresses... quite a contrast to the Victorian look. This reminds me very much of the women painted by Maxfield Parrish. I used to have a number of Parrish prints in my apartment years ago in my single days, and often received compliments from female visitors on the nice artwork. Who knew that I would get positive responses from women for adorning my place with pinups? This photo would fit right in. The calendar idea is a great one. Very, very beautifulVery, very beautiful girl. I looked at this photo many times during last 3 years and still like it. There is some kind of mystery, or I don't know what is it. PS. This girl could be today about 125 years old (if it could be possible) Just a QuestionWouldn't a smoke and drink be somewhat scandulous during that timeframe? [I believe that's the point. - tterrace] (Fitz W. Guerin, Pretty Girls)
Welcome to Big D: 1963
... days forever burned into our hearts. I remember being in Miss Barbara Rappaport's World History class in Abraham Lincoln HS in Brooklyn. ... death. There are also recordings from NBC and Voice of America. I was in second grade, Mrs. Gooler's class at Hale Elementary ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/22/2013 - 7:44am -

        President Kennedy on that dark yet sunny day in Dallas 50 years ago, minutes before he was assassinated. November 22, 1963. "Overview of crowds of people waving as President John F. Kennedy and his wife sit in back of limousine during procession through downtown Dallas, Texas; Texas Governor John Connally and his wife ride in the limousine's jump seats." New York World-Telegram and the Sun Newspaper Photograph Collection, Library of Congress. View full size. There are no words...Life changed for many of us, 50 years ago, tomorrow. The memories of those days forever burned into our hearts. I remember being in Miss Barbara Rappaport's World History class in Abraham Lincoln HS in Brooklyn. Someone came into the class that afternoon, approached her, whispered something in her ear. I still see her, sort of falling into her chair (she NEVER sat in class), with her head in her folded arms, sobbing.... President Kennedy has been shot. We sat there, stunned not knowing what to do, or say. The next days were crazy, with new names popping onto the news minute by minute, it seemed. Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Jackie, LBJ, Lady Bird, Governor Connolly, the Texas Book Repository..... on and on, Zapruder film, grassy knoll, Warren Commission. Blood on Jackie's pink dress, running FBI agents, that presidential Lincoln... Madness, it seemed! Our calm quiet, idyllic world, was suddenly insane. Caroline and John-John at the grave. And finally, the eternal image of the skittish horse, following the caisson, with the reversed boots in the stirrups. We grew up really quick on that day 50 years ago. Those days live on in our hearts, don't they? A Very Long And Tragic DayInteresting to read all the comments from the Shorpy community. Those of us aware of what was happening that day can never forget it, and those who weren't around will never understand our feelings. John Kennedy was so alive, with so much to do with his life, that the idea of his life being cut short was all the more unbelievable. I was living in Houma, Louisiana, and had a paper route, for which I collected my dimes and quarters every Friday. The thirty or so customers I had were usually ready for me when I came around after school, and I'd complete my collecting no later than 5pm. That day, it was well after 9pm when I got home. The phrase I heard over and over-- and everyone wanted to talk, if only to an 11-year-old paper boy-- was "I just can't believe it!" --Jim What I remembered that dayThe often asked question, "Where were you when Kennedy was shot"....I was in 6th grade at about lunchtime. The PA had clicked on (always a noticable indication that someone was going to the office) and the principal read a short message about the President being shot but no other information as of yet. I remember my teacher looking down at the floor with his hands folded. We were released for lunch and in the hall kids were crying. I went home, the TV was on, (I remember looking at Walter Cronkite on the TV) and my Mother had tears in her eyes while she was making sandwiches. "The President's dead" she murmured and threw the towel to the floor. Mom was so proud that Kennedy was our president. She voted for him...partly because of his good looks, same age and he was Catholic. It seemed, to me, that she was just about as devastated over his death as she was of her Father's passing just a year earlier. My Father, who worked in Manhattan, came home later in the day (it was a bit early for him to be home at 4 PM) saying that the trip home on the train was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Every rider had a stunned look about them. Even the conductor was speaking in hushed tones. This is what I remember. The AnnouncementI was on the basketball court at recess in the eighth grade when we were told over the school loud speakers. I'll never forget it. A sunny but sad dayMy mother worked in downtown Dallas, in the Davis Building at 1309 Main Street. She rode the elevator down from the eighth floor, and watched the motorcade go by. Just a few minutes later, the president was gone. I can't exactly place where this picture was taken, except that it's on Main. Downtown has changed a lot, and some streets have been removed over the years as new buildings have gone up. "Your president has been shot"A man came into the break room where I worked and made that odd announcement. We were all in shock and it wasn't until later that I wondered about the word "Your" being used to tell the people there this horrible news. The ShotsMy step brother's brother was walking from his Law Office to lunch when he heard the shots and had no idea what that was about... until later. On top of the busI'm trying to figure if that's an old-school air conditioning system or some other modification, to fight the hot Texas heat? Breaking NewsI was in my TV/Appliance store in Jamaica, NY as I was walking toward a bank of playing TV sets, all of which were on ABC Channel 7. A news bulletin lit of all the receivers. An announcer was on screen reporting that shots were fired during the President's slowly moving motorcade in downtown Dallas. As I kept watching further news breaks, it became clear that President Kennedy had been shot. Later in the day, as the news spread the store was filling up with people looking at all the TV sets. Later that afternoon I decided to close the shop and went home. SurgeA crowd would never be allowed to move that way today with a president so close. Just look at the excited people coming forward behind the bus. The few people at the window seats on the bus have really lucked out. Jackie is looking right at one of them, and JFK himself could be waving at the same person. A gaggle of women on the right could reach out and touch the motorcycle cop. They're all waving and screaming for the President's attention, but he's looking at that friendly face on the bus. I was in Grade 1 in Winnipeg and I remember the grief of the funeral like it was yesterday. We Canadians felt as though this American event was ours too, as though we ourselves had also lost this amazing person. Main and ErvayThe view is toward the southwest corner of Main Street and Ervay Street. The Neiman Marcus building is in the upper portion of the frame. Our Latin TeacherMrs. Closser was my grade 10 Latin teacher at Herman Collegiate Institute in Windsor, Ontario, just across the river from Detroit. She was an American in her 50s who lived in Detroit and commuted every day to teach in Canada. Before the end of the period she would leave the classroom to join the other teachers for a quick cigarette in the teachers' lounge. She never came back before the bell rang. Until that November day in 1963 when she burst into the classroom, tears streaming down her face, and stood in front of the class and announced, "Our President is dead!" She collapsed into her chair as several girls went up to comfort her. She didn't come back for a week. I took the bus to a dental appointment, and recall that even the hit parade radio stations were playing sombre music. I'll never forgetI remember that day. It was a Friday. Thanksgiving was near at hand.. I was 10 years old. I was in the fifth grade at South Avondale Elementary School in Cincinnati. It was warm that day for November..I checked and the high was 68. After lunch at school we all lined up to go back inside and it seemed the teachers were anxious to get us back in class. I remember our math teacher Mr Jackson told us that Pres Kennedy had been shot and turned on our Tv in the classroom. We heard Walter Cronkite voice but did not see him until he announced JFK was dead at the hand of an assassin. In the classroom next to ours a teacher, Mrs Keller, screamed and fainted. She was taken to the hospital. She never returned to school. School did not resume until after the Thanksgiving Holiday. After the death announcement school was dismissed..I walked home. On the corner of Reading Road and Rockdale AV a news person was hawking the Cincinnati Post-Times Star.. he was shouting; "Pooossst Timesss Pap-pur!!..President assassinated in Texas..Extrrey! Extrey! Read all about it President is dead..Pooossst Timesss Pap-pur' Over and over again. I the Irony is he was standing in front of a Statue of Pres. Lincoln. I solemnly walked home..things were in a daze. When I reached my home my step-mom was going out to visit my sister in Childrens hospital. She had had her transistor radio with her so she could get the latest news.. She asked did I hear about Pres Kennedy. I told her yes... The next three days all that was on Tv was news about the assassination of JFK. His funeral on Monday was a site to behold. I will never forget that black caisson with his coffin riding atop it. The sadness and grief of everyone. Never ever...That was a long time ago in a World so different than today's.. ThenI had just joined a Mechanical Engineering firm that week located on 15th Street in D.C. We had radios in the drafting studio and time stood still that Friday. Surreal; we just stood around, what was there to say? Fourth grade teacher's wordsWe had just returned from recess at P.S. 81 in the Bronx. Our teacher, Mrs. Stanton, told us to put all of our books and things away. This seemed really strange to us, as it was time for our flutophone lesson. I remember her words, "President Kennedy is dead. He was in a parade today, and he was shot." I remember the feeling in my stomach--as though it had dropped somehow. We were sent home. My parents had copy of the comedy album, "The First Family," which poked fun at President and Mrs. Kennedy. When Dad arrived home from work that night, he had a copy of the NY Post with its terrible headline. He took out the LP, wrapped the newspaper around it, and sealed up the album with heavy tape. My family had lived in D.C. for about about two years in 1960-62. Once Christmas we attended the White House tree-lighting ceremony which the President presided over. When Dulles airport opened, Dad took me to the ceremonies. I was perched on Dad's shoulders. We stood not far from the stage where Kennedy gave his speech. I remember thinking how handsome the President was. WNTC RadioI was in the student union at Clarkson College (now University) in Potsdam, NY. Saw the news come across the teletype we had in the newsroom window there. I immediately crossed the street and fired up the college radio station, WNTC, so the guys in the newsroom could broadcast developments. As Angus said the radio stations were playing sombre music - I distinctly remember being very hard pressed to find something to fill the time between news bulletins since we were a rock and roll station and there was not much appropriate music to be had. Canadians tooI was also in 6th. grade, and I was living on an Airforce Base in Canada's capital, Ottawa. It hit us hard too, although at the time I couldn't understand exactly why. I was only 11 years old, but I remember I cried, somehow knowing he was a man who would have done a lot of great things. He wasn't our President, but somehow it was as though he was the world's President. To this day in my 60's I remain fascinated and interested in JFK, his family, his life. NewsmanMy dad on the evening of 11-22-63, after a long day of covering the assassination from the Oakland (California) Tribune. Dad was a reporter and remembered when the AP wire first came in from Dallas. Soon the whole newsroom was frantic with the shock and the task of putting it all together for the afternoon edition. They got the special edition done in time, almost an entire rewrite, and this photo shows my dad waiting in the Tribune foyer for my mother to come get him and drive him home. The Tribune photographer had been taking photos all day of the activity in the newsroom and caught my dad here as he waited for mom. "The president has been shot"I was in third grade in Northern Kentucky. Someone's mother had driven to the school to inform us of the news she had just heard. An unseen adult came to our classroom door and spoke with our teacher, Miss Reagan. I recall that she took a moment to compose herself, then stated that we were to put away our books. She said that the president had been shot. We were to pack our things to leave for the day, as school would be dismissed early. Soon, each classroom would be called to the cafeteria to pray. There was a hush. A knot in the pit of my stomach. Not much talking, brief nervous laughter that soon ceased. Then the entire student body, 865 children, assembled in that basement cafeteria. I remember standing room only -- we ate in three shifts -- and all those children were led in praying the rosary until the buses came to take us home. No one talked. Some of us quietly cried. We prayed desperately for the president's survival. Everyone was riveted by the unfolding events. Even the bus ride home was subdued that day. I remember being glued to the TV coverage as events unfolded. Later in the day at home Walter Cronkite announced that the president had died of his wounds. The news coverage was nonstop and I recall that the funeral, especially the sight of the Kennedy children, was overwhelmingly sad. Jackie seemed courageous beyond belief -- how could she retain such composure in this tragedy that had me bawling for days? The pomp & circumstance of the funeral proceedings, all the symbolism involved, marked the stature of this event and also somehow, gave solace. When I heard the newsOne of the things forever remembered by us as individuals is not only where we were, but who it was that broke the news. For many, this accidental fact influenced the way we reacted that day in November. I was 21 and working as a draftsman at a small business computer firm. There were five of us in our windowed room from which we could see the production floor. I had just begun to notice that the assembly workers had left their stations and were standing about in small groups. Moments later one of the electrical engineers, who often used our room as a shortcut, came breezing through and asked if we'd heard that someone had shot President Kennedy. The guy was a jokester (often shamelessly irreverent), so we looked up from our desks, smiled, and waited for the punch line. When he continued out the other door without another word we realized in sudden shock that there would be none. It was true, and thus began a season of feeling that ice water in your veins disbelief I would suffer again many years later when I watched the Twin Towers come down on live TV and realized that we were at war. No matter how hardened and cynical we are made by this world, we are never quite prepared to receive startling and painful news of great magnitude, even though we know it can come at any time, and in any form. Change of subjectI was in fifth grade on the day he died. There are many good comments on that day. Still the bus picture has a reminder of my youth. I grew up in Florida but the soft drink Dr. Pepper was not sold in Florida. In those pre-Interstate years, we went to North Carolina to visit the grandparents. The first thing we did when we stopped at "South of the Border" was to buy Dr. Peppers. It had a real bite and a strong aroma. Now Dr. Pepper is still tasty but without the bite and strong aroma. I would love to be able to buy the original Dr. Pepper. UnbelievableI was 11 years old and, like everyone else my age, I was in school. The door to our classroom was at the back of the room. We had just come in from recess and the teacher was beginning our next lesson when the Principal quickly stuck his head in the door, made an announcement, and quickly moved on. Because of his distance from our teacher and the quickness of his words, she didn't understand him. She asked us what he said and a child that sat at the back of the room by the door said "He said the President's been shot!" Well that was a concept too ridiculous to believe, so our teacher just said "No he didn't, I'll go find out what's going on," and she went out the room to the class next door. The next thing I remember was everyone standing in the hall, lined up to be excused for the day. The teacher from the class next door was crying inconsolably. I was like our teacher, and was having a hard time believing that all of it was happening. It wasn't until I got home and found my family in front of the TV watching the news that I finally realized that my perfect little world was no more. How I remember itI was in the seventh grade at Centralia High School in southern Ohio. We were taking a math test in Mr. Potter's class. There was a wall behind us with large windows that looked into the journalism class. We were distracted by noise from that room, and as I turned to look, I saw the whole room emptying. We returned to work but soon the class behind us returned and some of the girls were crying and dabbing their eyes with tissues. They had gone to hear the news on the TV in the study hall on the same floor. We heard over the intercom that Kennedy had been shot, but we didn't know whether he was hurt fatally. I was so stunned. I still cannot believe that Mr. Potter made us finish the math test! My next class was study hall, and when I could, I rushed up there and positioned myself in the middle of the room to get a good view of the TV, which soon showed Walter Cronkite make the announcement. We were all silent. Next and final class of the day was Ohio History, where our young teacher, Mr. Lungo, through tears, said that we should pray for the Kennedy family, and then just sat throughout the whole period crying uncontrollably. When my little brother and I got home, we found my parents outside. My mom was sweeping the walk and my dad was sharpening a hoe. I asked if they knew Kennedy was dead and she asked how I knew that, like was it something some kid of the bus had said? I said no, it was on TV in school. She looked at my dad and wondered if it could be true. Of course, we all went right in the house and turned on the TV. Naturally, they were stunned and just watched in disbelief. You Can Hear Radio Recordings of That DayGo to RadioTapes.com to hear several hours of recordings of that day, as broadcast over Minneapolis radio station WCCO. Eventually the coverage shifts mostly to the CBS network, including Cronkite's announcement of Kennedy's death. There are also recordings from NBC and Voice of America. I was in second grade, Mrs. Gooler's class at Hale Elementary School in Minneapolis, and we had just returned from lunch. The principal came over the PA system to announce the shooting; we were asked to put our heads down on our desks and pray silently for the president. Not fifteen minutes later she came on again to announce that President Kennedy had died and that we would be dismissed early. (In those days, virtually no mothers worked, and we all rode the bus home for lunch and back for the afternoon class.) I remember arriving home and being shocked--SHOCKED!--that my mother was actually WATCHING TV DURING THE DAY! My parents had a love/hate relationship with the TV and had only bought one the previous Christmas because I was given "viewing assignments" at school. They typically watched it only an hour a day for the NBC Evening News and the local news. And as if that weren't bizarre enough, my father came home from work early, which he never did. All normal broadcasting--including advertising--was suspended until the funeral the following Monday. We didn't completely resume our normal activities until after Thanksgiving weekend. No one who was alive then will ever forget where they were when they got the news; a so-called "significant emotional event" like this generation's 9-11. I was asleepI'm probably one of the few who *doesn't* remember where I was. I was 8. We were living in Melbourne, Australia, where my dad was in the Foreign Service. I remember the next day, my mom had to sew a black armband for him to wear to work at the Consulate. I thought it was a bad thing that someone would shoot the President, but it was nowhere near the same impact it would have been if I'd been in the US. School went on normally, as I recall, and there was not much fuss that I noticed. (Cars, Trucks, Buses, Motorcycles, Public Figures)
Budmobile: 1924
... Adolph Busch, Joseph Gallegher, Henry Glyn." Helen, who as Miss Washington represented the District of Columbia in the 1924 Miss America pageant, was also Miss Treasury Department that year. She's shown here ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 9:47pm -

Washington, 1924. "Helen G. Sweeney, Adolph Busch, Joseph Gallegher, Henry Glyn." Helen, who as Miss Washington represented the District of Columbia in the 1924 Miss America pageant, was also Miss Treasury Department that year. She's shown here in front of the Treasury building in a nautical-themed car bearing the insignias of Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser, promoting the company's beverages during the Prohibition years. National Photo glass negative. View full size. Mutiny on the BuschIt appears that the Captain was set adrift without a paddle. Beep beep!That cannon is one way to deal with slow lane hogs. Even more so if you're all drunked up on the family brew! Ginger AleI can see that during Prohibition the Bud people were selling soft drinks. From a marketing standpoint, had they continued, they could have been a formidable competitor to the other bottlers. They sure know how to sell beer, but by law, they are limited to who can buy it. If they produced a full line of soft drinks, Anheuser-Busch has the customers (the supermarkets, etc) and it's got to be much easier to produce. [The company's main product during Prohibition was low-alcohol beer. Below, a Bud ad from 1924. - Dave] Little AugieAccording to the Budweiser website, 1924 is the year that young Augie Busch, Jr. began working for the family firm. Looks like they gave him all the worst assignments! Mrs La Follette's carBeneath all the gear from West Marine is the same sort of car used by Mrs Robert M. La Follette when she was stumping for her husband in 1924. So, what make of car is this? Somewhere, a Shorpy fan must know! https://www.shorpy.com/node/4409#comments Blub BlubIt makes me laugh to think if this car were around today it would only take a few beers before someone drove it into a lake. The front bumper anchors could prove a fatal flaw in the design though. Sure seems related to this vehicle…An older brother to these 1930 Cadillacs perhaps? http://www.car-nection.com/yann/Dbas_txt/DRM30-32.HTM (scroll down) The only possible response"Get a Clydesdale!" Maybe a MorrisThe shape reminds me a bit of the emblem that Morris Garage attached to the MG, which was octagonal. So this may be an early Morris. Vehicle nameI think the hubcap says Dorris, a vehicle manufactured in St. Louis up to about 1924. Bevo BoatVarious internet resources (1, 2, 3) refer to this vehicle as a "Bevo Boat" or "Land Cruiser," used to promote Anheuser's Bevo beverage. The model shown here, the first in the series, was manufactured during WWI, supposedly on a Pierce Arrow chassis. Originally used as a recruiting tool during the war, it was later repurposed for advertising. Amazingly, some of the internet references for this vehicle suggest that it was truly amphibious. Seems a stretch to me. One more image from the internets: photo #106 at Mystery Cars. The cannons on the rear fenders (there is one on the other side as well) were working models of the Winchester 10 gauge breech loading cannons. Intended to discourage pursuing pirate boat cars? Olympic Gold MedalFugliest car ever. Solved?It appears that sharp-eyed Shorpy-ians (Shorpy-ites?) have solved another mystery. I could not discern the "D" on the hubcap, so thanks from me. It may be that Dorris is still in business.. http://www.dorrisco.com/about.htm DorrisThe hubcaps are certainly Dorris. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dorris_Motors_Corporation Bevo BoatmobileFrom Hemmings, more on the Anheuser Busch Bevo Boatmobile. Turn SignalLove those cannons. I could sure use one on my car. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
The Arcade: 1901
... Roll Hall of Fame and the Space and Science Center. Man I miss Cleveland!! Ahhh! That Edison window I just love it! I saw many ... Beautiful space The designers of the Mall of America should have looked at this photo. This Mall Is EPIC! One of my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/03/2017 - 9:18am -

Circa 1901. "The Arcade, Cleveland." Coming soon: Cinnabon and Sunglass Hut. 8x10 dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Still BeautifulThe Arcade is still open for business in downtown Cleveland and is still just as beautiful as ever. Near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Space and Science Center. Man I miss Cleveland!! Ahhh! That Edison windowI just love it! I saw many pics of gramophones and the like but never such detailed and natural everyday windows like this one. Thanks! Ravel in Montreal Beautiful spaceThe designers of the Mall of America should have looked at this photo. This Mall Is EPIC!One of my hobbies is viewing websites of the malls and dead malls here in the USA and abroad. I came upon this picture and was positively struck by how beautiful and ornate this mall was, and frankly had no idea that such spaces existed that far back in time. It really reminds me of some of the more ornate malls I've seen photographs of that are in Canada and in Europe. Who knew back then that malls would take such a tacky and lowbrow turn as many of them have today. This photo is truly indicative of a time when people had some decorum; the ornamentation and details of a mall such as the one you feature here demonstrate an era where people actually gave a damn about presentation and creating a space that elevates, rather than demeans, humanity. Truly a special and unexpected find for me here today! [Strictly speaking, it wasn't really a "mall." It was a retail arcade. - Dave] Something missingOh yeah. The mall rats. Dr. I. Yankem Ah yes! A stop by the "Painless Dentist" to end your day shopping at the Mall. Come on get fluffyI spy a few ghosts I think, including one in a smart straw boater. Beautiful lamps, I love the alternating clear and colored bulbs! And the store on the right, offering "COME IN - Have your (what?) made FLUFFY"? [Have your HAT made fluffy! - Dave] Edison InexhaustibleSmart or shrewd was it to stack both the phonograph and below floor a music as well as phonograph storefronts; they both could "try" to out crank and outplay each other in a subdued and fully retrained late-Victorian challenge of musical Kings. At least they could prop their respective front doors open! The $30 Edison on the wall would be equivalent to $680 today. Save up for that! The more things change ...This is one of my favorite places in all of Cleveland. Tenants have come and gone, and the Cleveland Press is now defunct, but aside from the lamps and the items inside the stores the Arcade looks the same today as it did over a century ago. That even includes hand-lettering on the windows. Now in living colorThe Arcade is celebrating its 120th birthday this coming May. It was built in 1890 for well under $1 million, and renovated in 2001 for $60 million. The lower two levels house shops and restaurants; the Hyatt Regency occupies the upper three. A very unique place to stay, within walking distance of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the Browns and Indians stadiums. http://theclevelandarcade.com/content/history SouthdaleI always find it comical when I see claims that the Southdale mall near Minneapolis (circa 1960's) was the first enclosed shopping mall. [A mall (Southdale) and an arcade (Cleveland) are two very different things. - Dave] ArcadianI remember this gorgeous spot when growing up in Cleveland. I'm so very happy it still exists. The Emporium of Gold.Careful examination of the windows will yield one glorious two-toned, split-blended shaded, embossed centered, gold-leaf sign after another (after another), each rendered in reverse directly upon the glass: the expert accomplishments of trained journeyman signpainters, in the halcyon days before the advent of the computer, and the end of beautiful window signage. There exist today not one in a hundred display windows worthy of even a first glance, thanks to the digital degradation of the lettering craft. But once, artistic signs provided a delightful and inviting entree to the goods shown within -- in a more refined and genteel culture. Apple Store on the left corner!On the upper left corner, I see the Apple Store! They sell Macintoshes, Granny Smiths, Pippins, and even the small Fujis! When I think of Home, THIS is where my mind goes!I grew up in this building from 1971 to 1997 when they gave us the boot to make it a hotel. We were in room 310, then 319. Fascinating history, built by Roebling Bros. (Brooklyn Bridge). The Old Arcade represents everything that is American and good. Beauty, functionaity, community, longevity, class! Jay Rosen - Rosen & Company My favorite placeI used to work at The Old Arcade. I was responsible for the decorations of the atrium for the 100 year celebration in 1989. I absolutely love this building and its history. I visit it weekly as I still work in the downtown area. Of course it is not the same, but it brings back wonderful memories. +115Below is the same view from July of 2016. (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Stores & Markets)
Triple Feature: 1939
... The image to the right of Wood is most likely one of his Miss America racers, with the bow reaching a bit upward while at speed. Miss America ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/02/2012 - 9:54pm -

February 1939. "Boys sitting at table in restaurant, Raymondville, Texas." While most web sites might be content to give you one picture of a lunch joint with a Fritos calendar and a deer, Shorpy gives you not one, or even two, but three. It's practically a damn movie. We do this because you deserve it, and so much more. Photos by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Darned youth of todayIf this was today, the guy on the right would be totally involved with his smartphone, completely ignoring his friend who's sitting right there in person and ... oh, wait. Boy 1 and Boy 2Boy on left is smoking, boy on right has Dr. Seuss socks. Gar WoodThe man pictured with goggles on the newspaper page is none other than Gar (Garfield) Wood. The same photograph of him can be seen at Garwood.com. The image to the right of Wood is most likely one of his Miss America racers, with the bow reaching a bit upward while at speed. Miss America X was powered by four supercharged Packard V12s. Gar Wood was a truly remarkable man! Youtube has a 10 minute clip on him titled "Gar Wood Story." It also has an assortment of other clips showcasing the beautiful pleasure boats he made. These boats are timeless and a joy to behold. There's an App for thatIn the bottom photo, the youth on the left is furtively checking his e-mail. Where there's smokeYou have to be a certain age to remember when you could put a few coins in a vending machine and obtain a pack of cigarettes. In most Canadian provinces when you go into a store to buy a pack now, they are hidden from view behind sliding doors. In the second frame I see smoke rising from the hand of the boy in the rear. I like the non-dial pay phone on the wall. A nickel would pay for the call - the last place I saw a nickel pay phone was in New Orleans in 1977. On the horizonI wonder how old the guy is on the right. Looks old enough to enlist. Since its 1939 is he thinking about trouble in Europe? Hollywood stars?The young fellow on the left looks a lot like Ricky Schroeder and the other guy a young Gregory Peck. I guess I watch too much TV. Wrong CalendarWhile everyone dissects the guys I have been looking for a way to enlarge the fan dance calendar. Big DealYeah, three photos. But the people of Raymondville got FOUR acts of comedy at the high school auditorium, though admittedly they had to pay for it. An Old GroanerThis photo reminds me of the story of the desperate guy who goes to the psychiatrist and says "Dr. please help me, no matter what I do, everyone ignores me." The doctor says "Next." Sequence of eventsJudging by the sandwich consumption rate and his page position in the newspaper, it seems the middle photo was taken first, then the bottom, then the top. GREETINGSFrom the home of Fritos is what it says on that calendar. San Antonio being where Earl and Elmer Doolin began making them in 1932 after buying the recipe for $100. P-SJ-A High SchoolWell, people from Raymondville had to travel another 25 miles to go and see the "Seventeen" play, if it was given at the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo High School, unless there was an annex of the school in Raymondville. But, I still am not sure about the school's history and location. When you read the history of the Pharr-San Juan-Alamo Independent School District, it seems that the school had not encountered Alamo until 1959. That should mean that in 1939 the school should have been the P SJ High School. To complicate things more: I read "P-SJ-A HIGH SCHOOL MISA", or something like that. Perhaps that last word will give the clue? P-SJ-A High SchoolAlex, I believe the last word of that line is "AUD"; i.e., an abbreviation for "auditorium". As for the inclusion of Alamo before the districts were combined in 1959, I wouldn't be surprised to find that Alamo didn't have a separate high school in 1939. The fact that there may have been separate districts wouldn't have kept them from using a combined "multi-district" high school. Boy on the leftThe boy on the left is very handsome! Gar WoodGreat spotting, kreriver! My grandfather was working for Gar Wood when that paper came out- he fact he was working for him from 1937 to 1945. Edward Gray, of Grayhaven fame where Wood had his mansion, and was Henry Ford's Chief Engineer, introduced him to Gar Wood in 1937. Grandpa worked for Gray in Oil City's Riverside Engine before they both moved to Highland Park, Gray in 1909 and grandpa soon after. Grandpa's last job before he died was modifying a Spanish outboard engine for use on Storm Boats for the invasion of Japan- which of course, never happened due to the A-bomb. He worked with Gar, Gar Jr., Paul Wearly, Orlin Johnson, Worth Boggerman (sp) and others at a private office at Grayhaven. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Russell Lee)
Vegetarian Nut: 1926
... of vegetarian food products. Mrs. Coleman, W.H. Coleman, Miss F.M. Coleman, 1804 Riggs street northwest; J.H. Bilbrey, 1207 N street ... Exclusive Manufacturers of Peanut Oil Products in America General Offices and Factory, South Capitol and N Streets ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/05/2012 - 5:56pm -

Washington, D.C., 1926. "Semmes Motor Co. -- Schindler's truck." From an interesting if moldy series of pictures showing Washington delivery trucks in their natural habitat of side streets and back alleys. Note the different varieties of "Wantmor" peanut butter sandwiches. National Photo Co. View full size. Nuts to you!Inside: Thanks, Dave! BTW, In 1937, Ardil, peanut fibre, was created as I understand by separating the white inner layer from the shell and creating the fibre. Somewhere, I have a sample which my mother got, probably in 1946 when a plant was built in Dumfries, my mother's home town by Imperial Chemical Industries. I can recall it being a slightly yellowish white. It is now brownish and somewhat brittle.. Ardil production ceased in 1957. http://www.pca.com.au/ardil-the-forgotten-fibre.php LintelsPlease note the different lintels in the brick openings. The cut-stone lintel in the center is undoubtedly part of the original brick wall. As other openings (right and left) were needed, brick was cut away and I-beams, iron or steel, were used: not of the same character as the cut-stone. DetailThe stone lintel over the entryway. The initials are a nice touch. I wonder whose? [WAC = Washington Athletic Club. - Dave] Man, that was good p-butter!Schindler's Nut Co. expired in the 1990s, I think. They supplied peanuts to the Baltimore baseball parks for many years. But I remember them for their peanut butter. In the '50s, the only place that sold it was the mom-and-pop neighborhood groceries, no chains (at least none my mom shopped in). I swear, you could lay block with that stuff, but I have never found any p.b. anywhere that tastes as good. About 20 years back, I got to wondering if they still made it, and called their office in Baltimore. The lady who answered the phone told me, "Sir, I've worked here for twenty-five years, and we haven't made peanut butter since I've been here." Yeah, and it wasn't delivered in a rig like this one, either. Animal WritesIt's always interesting to see that the idea of a meatless diet is hardly a recent trend. Even the term Vegan goes back well into the 1940s. [Writes with ... a pig pen? - Dave] Perhaps a quill feather pen, this lettering looks pretty fancy. Nutty Business Washington Post, Jun 14, 1913 Stock Issue Authorized The Vegetarian Food and Nut Company was incorporated yesterday, with a capital stock of $45,000, divided into 2,250 shares of the par value of $20 each. The concern, the plant of which is located at 1307-15 South Capitol street, will acquire the business that has been conducted by Mrs. Belle Coleman, and continue the manufacture of vegetarian food products. Mrs. Coleman, W.H. Coleman, Miss F.M. Coleman, 1804 Riggs street northwest; J.H. Bilbrey, 1207 N street northwest, and A.L. Bowen, 742 Newton place northwest, will constitute the board of five directors that will manage the business the first year. Advertisement, Washington Post, Jul 16, 1914 Vegetarian Food and Nut Company W.H. Coleman, President, Largest Exclusive Manufacturers of Peanut Oil Products in America General Offices and Factory, South Capitol and N Streets Conceded by Food Experts the Finest Made. Sold by Nearly 2,000 Washington Grocers. Specialties: Dr. Schindler's Peanut Oil Butter, Pure Sugar Syrup (maple flavor). Salted Peanuts. Cable Address: Vegetarian, Washington, Long Distance, Phone Lincoln 2112. Washington Post, Aug 14, 1921 Peanut Business Sold The plant of the Vegetarian Food and Nut Company, manufacturers of Dr. Schindler's peanut butter, has been sold to Harry Rose, S. Sherry Stein and Louis Becker, who will continue to operate the plant. In addition to manufacturing peanut butter, salted peanuts are among the other products of the firm, which operates from a three-story plant located on South Capitol and M streets southwest. Washington Post, Mar 12, 1933 Old Athletic Club, Now Plant, Burns Peanut Butter Factory Fire Rages Next to 15,000 Gallons of Gasoline. Having withstood the grunts and groans of wrestlers when it was the Business Men's Athletic Club more that 40 years ago and many years of use as Schindler's Peanut Butter Factory, one of the old Washington landmarks, at 1339 South Capitol street, succumbed to flames yesterday which seriously injured two firemen and endangered the whole neighborhood by their proximity to 15,000 gallons of gasoline. … The fire was said to have been started by a peanut cooker which was found in operation. Gas flames under it were thought to have boiled the peanut oil over the cooker and started the blaze. Washington Post, Oct 21, 1956 Peanuts Hold High Rank with T. Earle Bourne Schindler Concern Handles 4 Million Pounds a Year. T. Earle Bourne is one man who won't complain if you tell him his business is peanuts. He feels it's "the nuts" in a big way — almost four million pounds of nuts a year, in fact. Bourne is president of Schindler's Peanut Products, Inc. and has been since he roasted his first peanut in a commercial way in 1924. The great Negro scientist George Washington Carver, proved that man could make more than 200 products out of peanuts, but Bourne is content to make just one thing — money. Schindler's does more than $1 million worth of business a year, which every will agree isn't … well, but it is. Schindler's was started around 1900 by a Washington doctor name Schindler who called the business the Vegetarian Food and Nut Co. It had an extremely practical purpose in those days. The good doctor manufactured raw peanut butter which he ladled out in large doses to constipated patients with excellent results. Bourne took over in 1924 when the owner, William S. Coleman, died. Bourne had been working with his father, James F. Bourne, in a Baltimore food brokerage business and also was fresh from a job with the Pet Milk Co. in Pittsburgh. The business then was located at 1339-41 South Capitol st., in the old southeast Athletic Club building. Bourne kept it there until 1941 when he bought land at 18th and Bryan sts. ne. He wanted to build there but wartime difficulties changed his mind and he decided to buy a ready-made building. He could find nothing to suit his wants in Washington so he bought a building at 500-26 S. Fulton ave. in Baltimore. There the peanut plant has remained. However, Bourne has always maintained his business headquarters in Greater Washington and moved into his present offices at 3711 Rhode Island ave., Mt. Rainer, in 1954. New equipment was purchased for the Baltimore plant during and after World War II and an addition to the plant was constructed in 1944. The expansion decreased the warehouse space, so Bourne stores his peanuts in Suffolk, Va. Schindler's buys peanuts from shelling and cleaning plants located near the peanut farms in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina and Virginia. These nuts, plus cashews, filberts, almonds, pecans, Brazil nuts, English walnuts and black nuts come flooding in to the plant in Baltimore and go out as salted peanuts, peanut butter and peanut butter sandwiches (in cracker form). Most of the nuts, except peanuts, come from abroad through wholesale dealers and importers. Filberts, for example, come mostly from Turkey. The nuts are sold to vending machine operators, chain grocery and drug stores and other retail outlets in bags, vacuum tins, and in 30-pound bulk boxes. Schindler's market includes 10 states on the Eastern Seaboard, Puerto Rico, Bermuda and the Panama Canal area. Bourne also sells raw nuts to candy makers and does a thriving by-product business by dispensing the peanut hearts to wholesale feed dealers for wild bird food and to oil mills for peanut oil, a high quality vegetable oil. Farmers buy peanut skins for stock feed. The 59-year-old Bourne didn't think much about peanuts after graduating from Baltimore Polytechnic Institute in 1915. He went to work selling beds and then enlisted in the Navy in 1917. He emerged in 1919 as an ensign and went to work for his father. [Notes: In 1921, Dr. Schindler's Peanut Butter sold for 21 cents a pound. Schindler's stopped manufacturing peanut butter about 1968.] RE: detailI saw this logo on a truck yesterday and realized I had seen it here. I think this building must have been part of Central Armature Works. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
Sitting Pretty: 1922
... you're a Lulu, you just grow into the name. In any case, Miss McGrath's brief claim to fame was her appearance in an underwater ... of the Sea." She was also a runner-up in the first Miss America pageant, in 1921. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/27/2012 - 12:22pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1922. "Lulu McGrath." It must have been either luck or amazing foresight that led this girl's parents to name their baby daughter Lulu -- it's hard to imagine her as a Betty or Nancy or anything else. Or it could be that when you're a Lulu, you just grow into the name. In any case, Miss McGrath's brief claim to fame was her appearance in an underwater documentary, "Wonders of the Sea." She was also a runner-up in the first Miss America pageant, in 1921. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Oh Great....Another 20's era lovely I get to be madly jealous that I am NOT. Well, maybe I was. Who knows? MeowKitty in the window! "Gripping story of adventure!"From the St. Petersburg Independent 1904-1970This lovely (even with that awful hairstyle, she's obviously lovely, and confident in herself!) passed away in 1970. Looks like she was a bit player on Broadway, too. Cute KidI'm sure she had more beaux than she could shake her stick at. Hair Today, Gone TomorrowPermanent waves still had a long way to go. (As well as permanent wave machines!) Don't Bring LuluA '20s tune by Billy Rose. You can bring Pearl, she's a darn nice girl, but don't bring Lulu. You can bring Rose with the turned up nose, but don't bring Lulu. Lulu always wants to do, what we boys don't want her to, When she struts her stuff around, London bridge is falling down, You can bring cake or Porterhouse steak, but don't bring Lulu. Lulu gets blue and she goes cuckoo like the clock on the shelf, She's the kind of smartie who breaks up every party, Hullabalooloo, don't bring Lulu, I'll bring her myself. Lulu McGrath Washington Post, Dec 14, 1922 Capital Girl in Sea Film J.E. Williamson, who perfected submarine motion photography in 1913, when he made the first film showing underwater life and fauna in the "sea gardens" at Nassau, New Providence, has returned from the Bahamas with a new film, and by invitation, exhibited it yesterday at the Smithsonian Institution. The picture, which is called "Wonders of the Sea," has as its feminine star, Miss Lulu McGrath, of 306 Second street southeast. The film which includes "slow motion" underwater photography for the first time, will be shown Friday evening at the National Press Club. Washington Post, Apr 17, 1970 Lulu McGrath Young, Ex-Actress, Dancer Lulu McGrath Young, 66, former actress, dancer, and winner in the first Miss America beauty pageant, died yesterday at the Kensington Gardens Sanitarium in Kensington after a long illness. Mrs. Young's home was at 306 5th st. SE. Wife of the late Washington attorney Horace Chapman Young, she had lived at the nursing home for the past year. A contest in the first Miss America pageant in 1921, Mrs. Young received the first runner-up award and went on to appear in the revues of the Ziegfield Follies and Earl Carroll Vanities. She performed in a leading role in the play "The Good Little Devil" at the National Theater here and also started in the first underwater picture made in the Bahamas Islands. Mrs. Young pursued her stage career until about 1925, when she was married. Her husband died in 1945. During World War II she was active in the American Women's Hospital Corps and was chairman of several benefit parties held to purchase vehicles for the British-American Ambulance Corps. She had been an invalid for more than four years following an accidental fall. Mrs. Young is survived by two cousins. Don't hit me with your swagger stickMiss McGrath is the height of 1922 flapper fashion with her wide-brimmed hat and swagger stick. http://www.flickr.com/photos/bodie-bailey/3483002664/ (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls)
Aqua and Orange: 1967
... use it responsibly. That part of the "good old days" I do miss... HoJo Hojoboy is right...I am just as old (young?) as he is and ... has the best mixture of reverence and humor for the America we all grew up with. Be sure you tour the Institute of Official Cheer ... 
 
Posted by davisayer - 09/08/2008 - 12:40am -

Poolside at a Howard Johnson's Motor Lodge in Austin, Texas, 1967. 35mm Kodachrome transparency by Hugh Mason Ayer. View full size. Possibly still aroundI believe this is still around -- but the Vintage HoJoness has been remodeled away. If you check Expedia.com and Hotels.com there's some photos, and there's hojoplazaaustin.com Greetings from HoJo'sI collect tacky motel postcards from the 1950s and '60s, and this reminds me of one. The fine action shot of the diver and the gloriously saturated colors put it far above most postcards, though. This is a beautiful image. Out of the WaterAs a former lifeguard, I cringe at this picture. She is just begging for a head/spine injury. If you are of a certain age,If you are of a certain age, those colors and roof design are permanently impressed in your memory. Gallery matesNo doubt about it, this ranks right up there with End of the Road: 1964 for sheer Kodachomeosity. Awesome backflipI can smell the chlorine... BeautifulBeautiful photo--the colors are so vibrant. I see three things you don't see at today's motel pools; slide, diving board and an ashtray! What a fantastic reminder of my own childhood vacation days. Marco.....Polo.....FISH OUT OF WATER!!! HoJo Fried Clam DiggerJust looking at this picture makes the mouth water for some of those great HoJo fried claims. When the last Howard Johnson's closed here in San Diego, it was a sad day for the loss of that one great vacation treat. Like the shot of the gravel truck in the background, sitting and plotting to crack any and all windshields trailing it. Orange and WhiteTheir color scheme made a nice match for the University of Texas school colors there (what with many of the Austin street signs also that way - white on orange). I lived in Austin while attending UT 1966-69. GollyI've lived in Austin for 8 years now...I had no idea we had a Howard Johnson's. Wow!Wow, what a backflip! Slides and diving boardsThis was obviously taken during the era when if you did something idiotic it was YOUR fault...not the fault of the hotel for providing entertainment and counting on you to use it responsibly. That part of the "good old days" I do miss... HoJoHojoboy is right...I am just as old (young?) as he is and when we were little, HoJos were a welcome sight. My brother and I would beg to stay at them because we knew they had the best pools. That is, unless we were camping--then we'd beg for the KOA. A quick scan of the horizon as we drove into any given town let us know if we were going to stay there or keep on driving. Howard Johnson's are still around, but they went all "continental." It's a shame. Thanks again for the memory jog, what a treat. Doesn't seem that long ago that...Hotels looked like this. There was a huge Hojo in Knoxville, TN where I grew up. I'm not exactly old either. As in 31 years old. When we were kids, my Mom would take us down to the Hojo in the summer. For a couple of bucks, they would let you swim in their massive indoor pool- complete with an island, a slide in the middle, and a hot tub. I also recall playing Pac-Man on one of those table consoles with the glass tops. There as also a Tiki bar. The Hojo shut down years ago. Half the hotel including the pool and the orange check-in office was torn down. A developer looks to have tried making the remaining hotel into condos. Motels today are sterile places. I tend to try and stay at old ones if possible. AmericanaMattie, if you love collecting this stuff, this is the best site I've ever been to for all things "Roadside Americana": http://www.lileks.com/motels/index.html Lileks has the best mixture of reverence and humor for the America we all grew up with. Be sure you tour the Institute of Official Cheer! Fried Clam StripsThe origin of HoJo's Tendersweet Fried Clams... HoJo KvilleI remember the HoJo in Knoxville that an earlier poster wrote about. That indoor pool with the island was the bomb-diggity. We used to stop there on our way from Florida to Ohio (and back). I spent lots of time in that pool until it was time for supper or sleep. Great memories! Ice CreamHoJo's ice cream was the best! "A certain age"To heck with all this pussy-footing around how old we are. Sheesh! I'm 48 hotel/motel years old. When I was growing up (come summertime) there was nothing more my Dad wanted to do than Sparkle-Wash our red '65 Chevy Impala wagon (no AC) and head out onto the road. This photo made me do a memory mindflip back to when three kids, Mom and a springer spaniel (along with a Triple-A Triptik) trusted Dad in his wanderlust. We HAD to like like HoJo's because Dad HAD to have every serving of tendersweet fried clams he could digest. Yes, ashtrays were everywhere! You could smoke in a doctor's office. I see a lot of old movies where Doc is lighting up his own fave-filtered brand. Thanks for listening. AustiniteI have lived in Austin most of my life (48). I believe this HJ is at 183 & I-35, NW corner. There was likely one in South Austin as well, but I can't recall where it was. But I know there was one here as mentioned. That was pretty much the North edge of town back then. I love this site, even though it has minimal Texas stuff, I love historical record photography. Bless you for this tremendous preservation record you have created. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Travel & Vacation)
Happy New Year!
... Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America Best to all Happy New Year fellow Shorpys (Shorpies?). And to ... Shorpyites! Guy Lumbago and his Royal Canadians I miss those old-timers who have been replaced by rockstars and scantily clad ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2012 - 1:57pm -

Washington, D.C. "New Year celebration, 1940." Happy New Year from Shorpy! National Photo Company Collection safety negative. View full size. Happy New Year!!!Happy Shorpy New Year, for those of you in the East. We still have 55 minutes to wait until the new year reaches CST, but I'll wish it to "you" anyway. 2009. We can finally say goodbye to the old year and hello to the new. Here's a "toast" that 2009 will be a good one. A Dry CelebrationThere's nothing like bringing in the new year with a nice glass of Canada Dry Ginger Ale. Happy 2009 everyone! Dry?Looks like the guy on the right managed to paste one on. Happy New Year, Shorpians! Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America Best to allHappy New Year fellow Shorpys (Shorpies?). And to our Fearless Leader Dave....thanks for all your wonderful work and keeping these great photos in circulation. Future ghosts of the Overlook Hotel"Good evening, Mr. Torrance." "You could, too, with those shoulders."This looks like the New Year's party David Niven took Ginger Rogers to in Bachelor Mother. Bachelor Mother and New Year's EveDavid Merlin: So how do you like her? Louise King: Pretty good for a fill-in. I'd just as soon go stag. Polly: You could, too, with those shoulders. Putting on the RitzThere was a theory about formal wear for New Years Eve, that people tended to behave better if they dressed up. It may have had some merit. Happy New Year to all. Just like a movieEveryone looks so elegant & refined. It's nice to see in these days when shorts and T's are party gear. Just looking at them makes me smile. A wonderful 2009 to our leader, Dave, and all my fellow Shorpyites! Guy Lumbago and his Royal CanadiansI miss those old-timers who have been replaced by rockstars and scantily clad teens I never heard of gyrating around in front of other casually dressed teens. I don't think I saw anyone over 40 in yesterday's New Year celebrations except Dick Clark. I think that Dick Clark should interview Kirk Douglas (something my son suggested), as I like them both. Guy Lombardo had a career from 1924 until his death in 1977 and HE was the one who made "Auld Lang Syne" a national standard for New Year's Eve. Older Americans will remember scenes like this from places like the Waldorf-Astoria for most of their growing-up years and it was stunning to lowly small-town kids to see how wealthy uptown people lived. May 2009 be kind to ALL the Shorpy creators, workers and readers, ya'll make my day EVERY day. May there be a chicken in every pot and a snazzy car in every garage. Clever and so right on!I just watched "The Shining" the other night and that scene is fresh in my memory. One of my favorite movies. -- Kathleen from Northern California Young revelersI, too miss the elegant New Year's Eves of my youth. But it's only the styles that have changed, not the ages of the revelers. Drinking and dancing till the wee hours has always been a young person's game. Check the photo again and I think you'll agree everyone present seems to be under 30! Every year my mom had a new cocktail dress for the occasion, and Dad would shine his shoes until they fairly sparkled! They would dance till dawn then sleep till noon. Happy New Year. New dressEvery year my Mom would get a fancy cocktail dress for New Year's Eve, and she and Dad would go out and dance til dawn. One year, so the story goes, Mom was on a crowded dance floor and a woman came in the door wearing the EXACT same dress (a fitted bodice/full skirt black taffeta with a swirling white ruffle, diagonal from hip to hem). When the other woman caught sight of Mom, she turned on her heel and left the party. Mom's comment was "She's got great taste." Why the Canada DryI bet this picture was taken in the waning hours of 1939. Here's why. First, as Phil noticed, the only visible bottles are of Canada Dry. Second, December 31, 1939 was a Sunday. Third, the District of Columbia didn't allow Sunday sales of hard liquor in restaurants, bars, or hotels until August 1968. Thus, they had a special reason to want the clock to strike midnight. [The evening of Dec. 31, 1939, District clubs served champagne and beer before midnight, and the harder stuff after. These kids are mostly high school students. - Dave] Happy 2012Thought I'd be the first to say, "Happy 2012." It was weird to see all the best wishes for 2009. Time flies. Where's the Party?Anyone recognize the location? It looks like a hotel ballroom/meeting room. My guess is that it is at the Shoreham, but maybe it is the Mayflower. Happy 2012 everybody, and especially Dave! Storm cloudsLooks like the ball already dropped. Boy, if they only knew what was on the horizon after the next New Year's Eve bash! (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, New Year)
Breaking Away: 1908
... than those who first brought this six-day record to America. The answer is furnished by a member of The Evening World's sporting ... for me. I'd stay with match sprints, points races, and miss & outs as they were less dangerous - or so I thought. BTW, one way ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2013 - 4:32pm -

New York, December 1908. "Six-day bicycle race, Madison Square Garden." 8x10 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. At least three ridershave decided that motors on their bikes will make the six days fly by. Spirits!Think we should call it the six day ghost-rider race ! Motorcycles!It appears that the is inaccurate. Looks like a motorcycle race to me. Looks closely at the bikes, they have tanks and motors. Then there is the advertising for motorcycles. Surely some crossover customers, but if there are bikes racing, they're not visible. [This was a bicycle race. - Dave] When does a bicycle become a motorcycle?Clearly, Indian was out in force for this contest. I wonder who won? Can anyone make out what song was being sung? I'm guessing sheet music was a big thing at the time. Edit: Thanks for letting me know that the motorcycles were for pacing the race. That clears things up. Pacing the raceThe motorcycles are for starting / pacing the race. The Madison SlingMy husband, who used to race track, tells me that there is a specific track race called the Madison Sling that is actually named after the Track Races they used to have at Madison Square Gardens. I think it involves one partner recovering down near the center of the track while the other partner races a lap and then catches their partner and transfers their velocity to them and flings them into the track for their lap. He tried teaching it to me once with disastrous results (crashing hard). Bottled Beer 20 centsYou could get 50 beers then for the price of one beer at MSG now! Ghost RidersMaybe I should point out that the track is full of riders, who are moving too fast to show up in this time exposure. Top Shelf20 cent whiskey! I'll take two please. Judge fall down go Boom!If you look closely at the small tower with what could be the "Judge" for the race, the right hand leg of his chair is about 1/2" from going over through the railing. Drink prices20c for a Beer, 10c for a Soft Drink!! Apparently price gouging for refreshments at sporting events was common even back then! This racing lives on!I think Dave is correct about the racers just being a blur. They'd do a complete lap in just over 10 seconds. You can see a couple of bikes on a tower on the infield. Do a search on YouTube for 6-day madison race to see new and old footage. Awesome poster. There's a great DVD available too called "6-days in the Jazz Age". Most people are amazed to hear what a huge sport it was back then. Pedal of HonorThanks to the superb cyclists Greg Lemond and Lance Armstrong and TV, Americans have been able to learn a lot about (and enjoy) bike endurance racing. But Armstrong's 17,370 career points in 17 years and Lemond's 14,425 (14 years) are dwarfed by the record of the greatest rider of all time, Belgian Eddie Merckx, with 38,333 points in 14 years (1965-1978). He won nearly half of all the races he entered. From Ohio State University’s very nice eHistory site, here’s a look at six-day bike racing by Ari de Wilde. Note that although he wrote “Strapped into single-speed bikes with no brakes, promoters could …”, he did not intend to say the promoters themselves were strapped into (not onto?) bikes, but the races would have been more noteworthy, much like Niagara Falls going the other way. Shot and a shooter for 40 cents!Imagine what a fellow could do at the Garden that day with a four-dollar drinking budget! There'd be more than bicycles spinning. Endurance Champions The Evening World, December 5, 1908. Old-timers on High Wheels were Endurance Champions During the running of the six-day bicycle race in the Garden next week, the question more likely to be heard than any other is whether those among the fifteen teams who can stand the gruelling pace in the test of the final days when stamina counts are not greater endurance than those who first brought this six-day record to America. The answer is furnished by a member of The Evening World's sporting staff who has witnessed nearly all the great six-day events in America from March 13 1886 when Albert Schock in Minneapolis hung up the worlds record of 1,008 miles for seventy-two hours-twelve hours a day-down to 1899 when Walter Miller and Dutch Waller set up a mark of 2,733 miles 4 laps in Madison Square Garden. Conditions are vastly different to-day from those of 20 years ago. The modern bicycle, pneumatic tired and weighing only 22 pounds, is an air ship compared to the 50 pound high-wheeled boneshaker with its hard rubber tires and 57-Inch wheel. Then there is the difference of the scientifically banked track and the unbanked turns of twenty years ago, when a "header" meant almost certain death. Training methods have also changed, the six-day rider of today training almost exclusively for speed and under the team arrangement being relieved on the track at any time, while the old record holders were trained for endurance. Speed has a deteriorating effect similar to the long steady grind, but when I think that Schlock never once left the tract in the first three day except to change wheels, and that his entire resting time was 40 minutes in the 72 hours it seems to be the most marvelous test of endurance I have ever seen-unless it be that of Mlle. Louise Armaindo, who beat Jack Prince in a 24-hour race because she never quit riding in the whole time. In the match race between Prince and Schock in Minneapolis, March 1886, when Prince set up a new world's record of 1,040 miles, neither man was off his wheel more than ten minutes for the entire 72 hours. This race, by the way, was for $1,000 a side, the largest side bet ever made in a similar contest in America. The Outing Magazine, 1909 Bicycling and Its Income James Moran, of Chelsea, Mass., who with [Floyd] McFarland won the six-day race at Madison Square Garden last winter, divided a purse of $1,500 together with outside sums paid by tire concerns and bicycle manufacturers amounting to in all nearly $5,000 with his team mate. This included bonuses from the management of the race. The six-day racers pay dearly for their money, however. The other leading teams in these heartbreaking contests draw from $800 down to $200 in prizes. Round and round they go!Six-day races were, and still are, very exciting races. They consist of several types of races held over the course of six consecutive nights. One type of race, the derny race, was held over a set number of laps while each rider is paced by a derny (motorcycle). These dernys can be recognized by their rollers behind the rear wheels that allow the cyclists to pace as closely as possible. Two can be seen in the photo. Another is the Madison, named for Madison Square Gardens, that involves several two person teams. One teammate races along the lower, inner lanes of the track while the other teammate recovers up near the wall (outer rail). The teammates will exchange places every few laps and will do so with a handsling. During an exchange, the rider going into the race will drop down the track and place his left hand near his hip. The exiting rider will grab his hand and sling him forward, thereby transferring his forward momentum to the other rider. Doing so correctly takes a lot of practice. After several tries, and several failures, I decided Madisons were not for me. I'd stay with match sprints, points races, and miss & outs as they were less dangerous - or so I thought. BTW, one way to tell there is a race in progress - of the spectators whose bodies are in focus, their heads are blurry from following the racers. Cycling through time I used to race for the Century Road Club Assn., in 1950's New York. We were reputedly the oldest bicycle racing club in America, and I remember examining the scores of trophies from the late 1800's and early 1900's. I'm sure some of them must have been from races such as these. I still have scars from pile-ups of several single speed, trap pedal bikes, you just couldn't get your feet down to stop a spill. Nobody saw the signIn the middle of the track is a sign showing songs presented by Cohan & Harris. That is George M. Cohan and Sam Harris. Cohan was a actor & songwriter in the Tin Pan Alley days and eventually became known as "the man who owned Broadway." James Cagney portrayed him in the movie "Yankee Doodle Dandy." (The Gallery, Bicycles, G.G. Bain, Motorcycles, NYC, Sports)
Eats: 1975
... could relax and enjoy "comfort foo.d" One thing I do not miss: those huge rust buckets shown in this photo. Compared to the Japanese ... for years, let's keep in mind that the wide open nature of America allowed a family of six to climb into their LTD/Caprice/Roadmaster and ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 10/12/2015 - 7:54pm -

Can it be that a mere 36 years ago it was still a world of neon signs, diners that offered "eats," public telephones and gigantic vinyl-roofed hardtops? It was on Water Street in Petaluma, California. Already those days were numbered. Beasley's, in the c.1850 Wickersham Building, had only 5 years to go before being replaced by a fancy Italian restaurant - at which I enjoyed many a zabaglione, it must be admitted. Water Street, formerly an access alley of tar, asphalt patches and plain old dirt, is now a cobbled promenade, though the now-unused railroad tracks are still there. The rest of the business district is populated by boutiques, wine shops, shabby-chic antique emporia, nail-, hair- and skin-care parlors and lots more upscale restaurants. Somehow it all makes me want to belly up to a counter for a burger and a shake. Car is a Ford LTD, film Kodacolor II, photographer me. View full size. What?Payphones aren't gone. Here in Hawaii, they're all over the place! In fact, I know of five just on my street alone. LTD = Loves To Die (I'm not a Ford fan) Another LTD fan!Ahhh, the memories. We once bought a '72 LTD for a hundred bucks! Yep, you read that right. No, it wasn't a mess. We got it in 1986 and had it for several months until an old lady rear ended me at a stop light and totalled it. It was avocado green--icky color, great car. I got a '71 Tbird with a 429 and four-barrel carb after that. As for the clothing shown? Hellll-o, pimp wear! Tterrace, would you like to go with me for a quick bite to eat at this place? Looks like a lot of fun! Hygienic EatsHere in Indiana, the town of Rossville has a place called Sanitary Lunch, which bears some resemblance to Beasley's. Oh, the Memories.Oh, TTerrace, I just love these pictures of my old stomping grounds. Beasley's used to supply the food to the Petaluma Police jail. Rumor has it that upstairs was the towns red light, er house of ill, er, well, you get the idea. Great pictureI just love these Kodacolor/Kodachrome pictures. Brings back memories I can relate to. The cars are probably fence post now. Keep these pictures coming. Thank you. The loss of payphones and comfort foodI suppose gentrification is better than urban decay, but it is a shame to lose these little places where you could relax and enjoy "comfort foo.d" One thing I do not miss: those huge rust buckets shown in this photo. Compared to the Japanese cars that were overtaking Detroit, these "boats" were a sad reflection on American automotive engineering and manufacturing. "Eats"Beasley's looks both intimidating and intriguing. I'd have to know what kind of "eats" they served before going in, though. I have a feeling they were limited on vegetarian options, although I'd be happy with a grilled cheese and an iced tea. LTD flashbackWhen I was about 10 years old we had a 1970 Ford LTD we had bought from my grandparents. Same car as in the photo -- two-door, white vinyl hardtop, but in a nasty canary yellow color. However, it did have a honkin' Ford 429 engine under the hood and didn't let any grass grow under its tires. And each door weighed about the same as a Smart Car. Unfortunately it only ran best on leaded gas, and when that fuel was done away with, the car never ran quite the same, so off to the used car lot. Thanks tterrace for the automotive memory. Hello, operatorFar more telling of how long ago 36 years really was, than the cars, or the neon, is the vintage Bell "Public Telephone" sign. The Bell System has been gone since 1984. And the pay phone? I still see its credit-card-reading descendants at odd places like international airports, but inside neighborhood eateries or at gas stations--nope. You know that you are really, really old when you can remember the pay phone. 75 LTD My first car was a '75 LTD that was green. I called it the Tank. It was my grandparents' last car, and so had less than 30,000 miles on it when I got it as a senior in high school in 1986. I loved that car. It had a 429 engine that could pass semis on hills. A top speed of around 120 mph. Lots of power. Sometimes I wish I still had it. Oh well! You want 1975?About the 1970s, kids. I was there, and lived to tell about it. There was inflation, and there was Watergate. There was Vietnam. But worst of all, there was ... Polyester. Chest hair. Disco shoes! Beasley's fixturesLast year, a bunch of Beasley's fixtures, including the juke box system, went up for sale. The family had stored them away since closing. Read about it here. Also, I hasten to point out that this was the rear entrance. Haven't come across a picture of the front online yet, but this one already shows up in Google Images. Payphones lost and so forthWhile it is true that Japanese cars eventually put most Detroit iron on the back lot for years, let's keep in mind that the wide open nature of America allowed a family of six to climb into their LTD/Caprice/Roadmaster and GO someplace. Maybe three or four hundreds miles -- easy like -- to see Grandma. Try that in a Datsun Fairlady/Toyopet/Honda 600. Also keep in mind that the Japanese learned a lot about mass auto production from Americans. And now here comes China. Payphones?This may be a dumb comment, but I know I've seen plenty of Bell payphones around where I live - I'm from Canada, so maybe that makes a difference; also I'm only 19, so I don't know if payphones were somehow different back then...? Anyway, cool photo, I also love the "Sanitary Lunch" sign! I'm not that old!Payphones haven't been gone all that long. I clearly remember late '97 to early '98 as the moment when every day laborer who cashed his paycheck at the Money Box suddenly had a prepaid cell phone. Payphones definitely hung on for a few years after that. The blue-and-white Bell sign has certainly been a collector's item for as long as I can remember, though. We had a '70 LTD. Ours was a four-door, butter yellow. We had it until I was about ten. And I think of an "EATS" sign as something you see in a Popeye cartoon. Yeah, I sure do want 1975Hi Dave I was there too and you're right about stagflation (remember that term) and Viet nam. We do seem to have a tendency to block out less wholesome bits when looking at this period through through the rose coloured lens of our nostalgia. But as a teen during that period, i can honestly say that the only complaint i have about the 70's are disco music and the fact that miniskirts were out of style at the time when i really would have appreciated them. TTerrace. Once again, thanks so much. I look at your pictures, close my eyes and I'm there, the heat of the day beading my forehead with perspiration, but with the odd summer breeze providing a most welcome relief. My throat feels oddly constricted. I wonder why lyle Bars- on windows that isDid Petaluma, California circa 1975 really need security bars on the windows? Or is this shot in So Central LA? tterrace's talentI'm not one to fawn excessively over most things, but I never stop being amazed by the humanity of the photos submitted by "t". They all seem to coincide with moments in time with which most of us can easily relate. In this case, just last night we dined at a restaurant where we had to park in the back like this. Three kitchen workers were on their break sitting outside on the back steps in sweaty, sleeveless white t-shirts and aprons, obviously exhausted, drinking cold liquids and smoking, and my mental snapshot of that scenario was very similar to this behind-the-scenes glimpse into the workings of a restaurant. I have no doubt that tterrace is a "natural", a photographer who stirs emotions in most viewers and his pictures will live on as have those of the other greats on this wonderful website. Such a simple yet mind-stirring photo. I think "t" was born to take pictures and to share them. I certainly appreciate them and thank you. The great payphone differencePayphones still exist in many parts of Canada not because people don't have cellphones but because some provinces have laws requiring that the local phone company continue providing them for public safety purposes. And in some provinces the provincial government still owns the local phone company! Pictographic Content"Beasley's Beasley eats public telephone" is the not so hidden message here. Thanks for the postSorry to be late to the party, I just came across this by chance. I am the grandson of the former owner Jack Beasley. Most of my family worked in the restaurant, although before my time (I was born in '84). My mom actually curses losing her childhood to working so much in this place! We chose to get rid of a lot of the things, like the jukebox, since we had no places for it and my mom remarked that it wasn't the "iconic" jukebox of the era since they had upgraded to that one at the restaurant. She mentioned they sorta regret the upgrade. I also remember growing up on our farm property with random signs from the restaurant and other memorabilia. I really appreciate the post and it gave me fond memories of my grandfather. If any of you would like any more information just let me know. Best, Tom I have the original sign!Tom, I stumbled across your picture posting in a search for the Beasley Eats history. I have had the original 2 sided neon sign for a few years now. I live in the Bay area. I was wondering if you or your family was interested in owning the sign again since it is a part of your family history. [Fantastic! -tterrace] (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Eateries & Bars, tterrapix)
The Girl With the Crocodile Car
... an alligator finish. In 1921 Margaret was both the first Miss Washington, D.C., and the first Miss America. View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 4:13pm -

1921. "Margaret Gorman in Birmingham car." Whose reptilian body has an alligator finish. In 1921 Margaret was both the first Miss Washington, D.C., and the first Miss America. View full size. National Photo Company glass negative. Endangered SpeciesI am sure Crocs are still on the endangered list. I don't know if they were then, but no matter, it is obviously a paint job. However with that smile she can wear or drive whatever she pleases. [Not paint. See below. - Dave] Birmingham MotorsIn addition to the reptilian body, Birmingham cars were unique in the use of a swing axle which they advertised as "No-Axle". Washington Post, Sep 25, 1921: The Birmingham Motors demonstrated to about 15,000 people of Washington Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the ability of their cars to withstand the most severe rough road tests ever seen here. The cars went over roads built of logs from 4 to 8 inches in height at from 15 to 35 miles per hour. This feat did not seem to affect their cars, although the sedan has traveled over similar tests more than 14,000 miles. Birmingham Motors offers an attractive challenge of $5,000 for any make of car to follow the Birmingham over the roads which they will construct. All of the three models are exceptionally attractive, finished with Dupont Fabrikold Fabrikoid in place of paint. The company is now ready to start quantity production in their first plant at Falconer, N.Y., and will start delivering cars in this city in the near future. [Fascinating as usual. I wonder if that should be "Fabrikoid." - Dave] Some history on the short rise and fall of Birmingham Motors. Only about 50 cars were ever built: none are believed to have survived. Changing StandardsJust imagine a young woman with a reptilian body winning a beauty pageant today - simply wouldn't happen. Extra TextureWhy does the sky look like my living room wallpaper? [Why does your living room wallpaper look like the sky? - Dave] So Many Identical Alligators.Amazingly identical in their skin patterns ... so much so that it must be a faux skin product... just in such large expanses, the deception is unmasked as a small thing like a purse of satchel would not make the repeat so obvious. ["Must be"? Read the comments below. - Dave] Duplex BodyThis early precursor to the hardtop has a fixed roof like a closed-body car but with the sides open and unobstructed like a touring car. The result is somewhat sportier than the typical closed car of the time while avoiding many of the inevitable rattles and squeaks that touring cars were prone to. If Studebaker and some of the other players who were experimenting with this body style at the time had splurged on roll-up windows, it might have taken off like the "hardtop convertible" did in the late 1940s. Yo babyWhe' u headin'? Worthless in JamestownFrom the 1922 Motor Age Magazine "Promoters of No-Axel Motors Company Indicted for Fraud Federal Grand Jury Alleges Misuse of Mails in Sale of $300,000 of Stock Said to be Worthless "Washington, Aug. 12—Charged with having sold worthless stock to the amount of more than $300,000 to Virginia, Maryland and District of Columbia investors, through misrepresentation, 18 officials of the Birmingham No-Axel Motors Corporation were indicted by the federal grand jury, on a specific charge of violation of federal statute No. 215, involving misuse of the United States mails. "Those indicted are: George B. Mechem Sr., George B. Mechem Jr., Ida M. Mechem, Vance W. Mechem, Samuel A. Carson, Thomas E. Dicken, Harlan Van Wyck, C. A. Rye, Martin Linquist, Alexander J. Guttman, and others. The indictment against the company officials returned as a result or more than ten months' Investigation by the Post Office officials who charge that agents of the company sold hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of stock on fictitious holdings and on promises which, according to the government's case, 'the said Birmingham Motors knew never would be complied with.'" Two pictures of the cars on demonstration runs are below. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo, Pretty Girls)
Romance of a People: 1942
... in Europe were being exterminated by the Nazis those in America were free to practise their faith. Corner Store I tried to ID ... up the street when I was a kid, the owner always had a Miss Budweiser sign in the window. It seemed like it was there my entire ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/29/2014 - 9:10am -

August 1942. "New York. Window of a Jewish religious shop on Broome Street." Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information. View full size. Another Creative Shorpy Watermark LogoThis picture's pseudo Hebrew Shorpy logo is just too funny. You do a good job with those. Odds are some, if not all, of the books are in Yiddish, which uses the Hebrew alphabet, rather than Hebrew. Thought Provoking While the Jews in Europe were being exterminated by the Nazis those in America were free to practise their faith. Corner StoreI tried to ID the location by flipping the image in the glass. There is a store called "Corner Store", which is pretty darn unhelpful, but it does tell us it's at a corner, and there are some distinctive buildings across the street. I looked around but couldn't find them. Maybe someone else will recognize them. Probably the corner of Norfolk & BroomeThat is now mostly a parking lot. That building you can see in the reflection where the top floor is open I remember as being on Broome & Essex. The building is surrounded in scaffolding in this street view. View Larger Map Hebrew and YiddishThe books are both Hebrew and Yiddish. The book between the Magic Shave boxes is a Book of Psalms from the Hebrew Bible. The pamphlet hanging up by the "God Bless America" banner is entitled "A Citizen" and one would imagine it being a patriotic tract in Yiddish. Magic shaving powder, by the way, was awful stuff. It contained sodium hydroxide (lye) with other ingredients to remove facial hair. Sort of like Nair or other products women use on their legs. The "Hebrew" watermark is genius! Howard FastThanks to Bill for clarifying that the "Magic" on display is a toiletry and not a remnant of old world superstition. Howard Fast wrote another history of the Jewish people about forty years after "Romance of a People". Specifically, it was a history of the Jewish people in the movie business. I find it particularly memorable because of its title: MAX WindowsWe used to have a store up the street when I was a kid, the owner always had a Miss Budweiser sign in the window. It seemed like it was there my entire childhood. One day I walked in to buy a drink and here was his cat sitting on the cutting board he used to cut his meat.... Kozel nailed itYep, no doubt about it. If you wind the timeline in Streetview back, you can see the old building, and it's apparent that the odd-looking windows are skylights in the far building. Corner Store and the building to the left are no more. Fourth commandmentThe Hebrew writing on the shiny piece of fabric with tassels at the top of the photo are the opening words of the fourth commandment: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. The fabric is the cover for the ceremonial loaf of braided egg bread (challah), part of the ritual table on Friday evening. We’ve seen this window before: www.shorpy.com/node/12926. [Same store, but different windows. - Dave] Indeed. And the objects in the different windows are way more similar than the buildings reflected in them. Fast ForwardThe book in the window, "The Romance of a People," was authored by the prolific Howard Fast. He also wrote the 1951 bestseller "Spartacus." Jews 1942I live in Europe (Poland) and I have one and only thought... God bless America... PS. this girl is nice. And watermark is nice, too. The Almanac is the clueThe Hebrew Almanacs in the window bear the imprint of M. Mirsky & Son. The 1940 Manhattan telephone Directory lists M. Mirsky & Son books at 68 Norfolk Street, GR5-8596. This is right at the intersection of Norfolk and Broome. Seward Park CampusThe building with the funny roof in the window reflection was Seward Park High School. It is now the NYC school system's Seward Park Campus, housing several small High Schools, located at 350 Grand Street, lower Manhattan. The unusual roof was for the rooftop gymnasium. It supported netting to keep balls from going off the roof. Current pictures showing the roof superstructure can be seen here. Various Objects and Book Titles Identified, ExplainedAenthal, Nobody really used Hebrew in 1942. You prayed in Hebrew, of course, but you spoke and read in Yiddish, and then, in America, in English. The Hebrew revival in Palestine/The Land of Israel was small, obscure and far away from American consciousness at the time. Immediately below the girl's face is a spice box for havdallah - the end of Shabbat ceremony on Saturday night. (That's probably also a second havdalla spice box just above the bottom of her hair to the right.) To the left of the spice box is a Sefer Tehilim - Book of Psalms. I do not recognize the book above and to the left of that, labeled in Hebrew letters "Shas Tehena" Behind her forehead is a book that may be "Sefer Tikkun Olam" - the Book of Healing the World. (The letters are obscured by a Shabbat candlestick) Hanging on the line to the right of the "I Citizen" pamphlet is a talit (prayer shawl). In front of it are candle sticks for Shabbat and holidays. More such candlesticks are scattered through the display. There is one 9 candle menorah for Hanukah with a Star of David in the center and two lions on either side of it. At the top left hangs a fringed cloth that reads "Remember the Shabbat Day and Keep it Holy" and a seven branched menorah and lions and other mythological beasts. It might be intended as a cover for challah (bread) on the Shabbat table, but I'm not sure. The lower left hand corner, in a circle, appears to be an image of "The Tower of David" in Jerusalem, or might just represent Jerusalem more generally. The five book boxed sets immediately behind her head read (it appears to me) "Col Bo" - (roughly, Contains it All,or Everything In It") I was unable to identify this series of books but the left most volume is labeled "Shavuot" (Festival of Weeks), and the second volume appears to say "Rosh HaShanna" (The New Year). Then comes "Yom Kippur" (Day of Atonement). Then comes Sukot (Festival of Tabernacles). Then comes "Pesach" (Passover.) It is probably a series of books of customs and laws for each of the big holidays. I didn't know what the "Magic" was but if it is indeed a depilatory chemical the reason for it to be sold in a Jewish store is that traditional/orthodox Jewish men would be prohibited from taking a razor to their beards, but were/are permitted to remove hair by other (albeit painful) means. (These days electric shavers are OK too... for technical reasons to complex to get into here. Maybe they hadn't been invented yet in 1942? I'm not sure.) In the bottom left corner of the window is a rounded object with a big handle - I wonder if that might be a Purim grogger - a loud rattle to shake and drown out Haman's name every time it read from the Book of Ester on Purim? Best. Watermark. Ever.Nuff said! Col Bo"The five book boxed sets immediately behind her head read (it appears to me) 'Col Bo' - (roughly, Contains it All,or Everything In It)" These are Machzorim (plural). A Machzor is a prayer book organized specifically for one holiday. The five Machzorim are: Pesach (Passover), Succos (Tabernacles), Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), Rosh Hashana (New Year) and Shavuos. These books are still available. See http://www.seforimcenter.com/product.asp?P_ID=3282 I wrote the names of the holidays, Succos and Shavuos in their Ashkenaz forms. Most Jews today would say Succot and Shavuot. In that store, though, they were pronounced as I wrote them :) This is a terrific photo, and just about everything in there, with the exception of the "magic" powder, would be usable and make sense today. (The Gallery, Marjory Collins, NYC, Stores & Markets)
Mad Luncheonette: 1957
... prior to 1970 and provided privacy for conversations. I miss phonebooths tremendously, not being a fan of cellphones. Best of all, ... the comic books Patsy Walker, Millie the Model and Miss America. WOW! Good eye to spot this same magazine on the shelf! ... 
 
Posted by John.Debold - 08/10/2008 - 12:35pm -

The last in the "Luncheonette" group. If you look carefully, there's a Mad Magazine on the shelf (floor level). Enjoy! View full size. Sports Cars IllustratedThe November, 1957 issue is on the top shelf. The magazine was renamed Car and Driver beginning with the April 1961 issue. Conflict of interestAdvertising Pepsi but selling Coke. Mad ChristmasIt looks like the Mad Magazine issue is Number 36, December 1957! Talk about a magazine that stuck with its original design! I was at Comic-Con two weeks ago, and the major Mad artists were there, still alive and kicking! Boy, I like the prices on those Sundaes! I was at a famous chain of Ice Cream stores the other day, $19 plus change... for two Sundaes and a milk shake! Yikes! Kathleen Mad LuncheonetteThere are SO many things I love about this picture. First of all, the homestyle draperies on the doorway leading into the back of the store is a clue that the proprietor had his living quarters there, which was common in the first half of the century. The telephone booth in the left hand corner was a very familiar feature in almost every diner, drugstore and soda fountain prior to 1970 and provided privacy for conversations. I miss phonebooths tremendously, not being a fan of cellphones. Best of all, that compartmentalized ice cream freezer on the front right was my most favorite appliance ever. Each one had different ice cream treats, some I remember were Frosticks, Creamsicles, Push-Ups (not the bra), Dixie Cups with movie star lids, a bastion of childhood pleasure. I could go on, but don't want to monopolize the board, although this photo is fabulous. Thank you. PotrzebieSpecifically, the December 1957 issue: Mags and ComicsUnderneath the True Experience and next to what looks like an issue of Photoplay are the comic books Patsy Walker, Millie the Model and Miss America. WOW!Good eye to spot this same magazine on the shelf! DaggettsCan someone tell what are/were Daggetts? [The sign says Daggett's Chocolates. - Dave] Say It Isn't So!>>The last in the "Luncheonette" group.
Just Mowed: 1943
... going back to the 1970s. Shots taken all over North America, Europe and Australia. Most of the film hadn't seen daylight in years. ... yet and the peace and freshness were everywhere. I miss all that. The house is gone now but the barn is there and some beef ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 6:58pm -

Farmland and weathered barn in the Catskill country, New York State. June 1943. View full size. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by John Collier. The colors...I don't know what it is about these Kodachrome transparencies, but the colors are absolutely beautiful--so rich and crisp, and yet subdued at the same time. I can't seem to find the right words to describe them. All I know is that when I look at one of these transparencies, I feel something special and timeless. Is it just me? (Just out of curiosity, why is there no name field in the comment form?) KodachromeThanks for that info! It is indeed a shame it is being phased out. re: The ColorsIt's not you. Kodachrome is a completely unique color process unlike any other. It's also proven to have the best archival characteristics (in dark storage) It's a shame Kodak is slowly killing it off. Kodachrome 64 35mm is all that's left that you can purchase fresh. In the processingKodachrome is different from Ektachrome and others in one other way: The color is added during processing. Anyone with a film tank and a batch of E6 chemicals can process Ektachrome, even the reversal is chemical now, but Kodachrome can only be processed by Kodak. "Makes you think all the world's a sunny day" Paul Simon Not even Kodak anymoreI don't think Kodak even develops the film now. Dwaynes Photo out in Kansas is the only domestic K-14 developing operating left in the United States. I now have 4 rolls of the 64 speed stuff that I'm going to burn through on my old Minolta SLR so see if I can get some of these same effects (although the negative sizes are different - so probably not). KodachromeThe color, dynamic range, richness without looking fake... It is amazing, and digital needs to come a long way in order to do what we see here. Absolutely beautiful! KodachromeFrom what I've read on the internet, Dwayne's in Kansas is still getting a good volume of Kodachrome coming through their doors. They should be processing it for a while to come. End of the rollLast spring, I finally sat down and scanned through 2500 old slides and negatives going back to the 1970s. Shots taken all over North America, Europe and Australia. Most of the film hadn't seen daylight in years. Many of the Ektachrome slides had turned pink in storage and the Kodacolor negatives had no pizazz but the Kodachromes all looked like they'd been shot yesterday. One of those scanned Kodachromes is my wallpaper, a red combine under a blue Aussie sky in a field of golden wheat. I haven't shot any real slide film in 3 or 4 years. I'm not proud that I was part of what killed Kodachrome, without intending to. I'm ashamed. Kodachrome SadnessEach time I look at one of these beauties I become more perplexed as to just why Kodak is phasing out such an amazing product. What a pity that we've all gone digital crazy and no longer appreciate the true art of photography. Kodachrome vs DigitalAs impressive as these 4 x 5 Kodachromes are, if we can admire their color rendition on our computer screens then the "digital" process has the ability to capture this quality. I have looked at some vacation pictures shot with an ordinary 8-meg Canon pocket camera, and they're just as sharp and rich in color. The cheap lens betrays a bit of flare around hot spots, but the new "film" is MUCH faster and considerably sharper than the 35mm slide enlargements we've seen here. Serious photogs using SLR-digital and RAW image encoding are getting awesome results, with lots of dynamic range for post-processing. And Photoshop or its equivalent offers manipulations and corrections only dreamed about by Kodachrome users, who basically took what they got back from the factory. Who hasn't suffered the orange or blue disaster of shooting the wrong type film under the "other" type of lighting? Kodachrome has admirable archival quality, but "digital is forever" IF anyone cares to re-copy the files as computers get changed. The real problem is that we are inundated in casually acquired data. PS: I think some of my satisfaction with digital stems from viewing the pictures as "slides" on a screen. Real slides were always more vivid than prints. BygoneI saw this and froze for a moment. To the left of the barn and in the distance are the Shawangunk Mountains, sort of a margin between the Catskills and Hudson Valley. Hang gliding capital, the Shawangunks. My grandmother's sister Lula married Earl and they farmed while he took carpentry jobs during the workaday. It was a wonderful place to vacation in summer and they were the best hosts. The fresh milk was put in a spring fed brook to keep till morning pickup, and the eggs were won from the rooster's protective stance. The word hubris hadn't been invented yet and the peace and freshness were everywhere. I miss all that. The house is gone now but the barn is there and some beef cows instead of dairy. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, John Collier, Landscapes, Rural America)
Corn Fight: 1939
... was taught how, by a woman gym teacher.) See how young Miss Kimberley is flicking from the wrist. If she wound up fully from the ... Bizarre, Agriculture, Arthur Rothstein, Kids, Rural America) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2021 - 1:59pm -

September 1939. "Kimberley farm, Jasper County, Iowa. Corn fight between Margaret and Howard Kimberley." Photo by Arthur Rothstein, Farm Security Administration. View full size. Now kids ... Kids!Put the corn down now! People are starving in China! Margaret and HowardMargaret Kimberly Fisher 7 March, 1925 - 4 February, 2016 Howard Kimberly 23 August 1926 - 16 June, 1973 I hope they had a happy life. A corny jobThis is what happens when you send the kids out to de-tassel the corn; it's a really tedious job, and they just get into mischief. Howard and horsesI utterly love reading, hearing, learning about the lives of young souls in our country -- especially when they were born around the same time as my 90-something mother. https://www.loc.gov/resource/fsa.8b18301/ InflationThe spacing of the corn plants is very wide by modern standards. Throwing like a girlI’ve commented before how I was never shown or taught how to throw properly, as boys were. (Happily, my daughter was taught how, by a woman gym teacher.) See how young Miss Kimberley is flicking from the wrist. If she wound up fully from the shoulder and let fly, young Master Kimberley would be cringing even more. Ha ha You throw like a girl. (The Gallery, Bizarre, Agriculture, Arthur Rothstein, Kids, Rural America)
Higher Fi: 1960
... is probably homemade. 1960 was the peak of home-sewing in America. (Possible) mom looks very crisp in the career woman garb of the time, ... sounding good. So glad programming is digital now, though miss old time radio days. The TV The set seems to match up with a late ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/24/2015 - 11:37am -

Chicago circa 1960. "Educational tapes." Specifically the "Electronic Educator" tape cartridge system, sharing space with a Fisher Stereophonic Master Audio Control, Sherwood tuner and RCA Victor Deluxe color TV, as well as drawer-mounted reel-to-reel and turntable. 4x5 inch acetate negative. View full size. Our First Color TVWas purchased in 1964, just in time for the Olympics in Japan. To actually see all that burned my eyes since I was used to B&W TV. The RTR I used for making Jingles for Disco's back in the 70's as a part time DJ in the UK. It had great sound and you could do some really cool stuff, such as making yourself sound like the chipmunks. AAAALLLLLVIIIIN! Tomboy?Although she is wearing a dress her scuffed shoes with frayed laces and a bandage on her elbow tell me she might be "one of the boys". Still have my Sony 7" reel-to-reel Tapecorder (circa 1965) and it still works flawlessly but weighs a ton. Never have seen cartridges like that however. LP StorageInteresting LP storage rack in the lower-left cupboard. Looks like it has little tabs that pop up to indicate a particular record is missing from its slot. Anyone able to identify it? Great soundA mid-century audiophile's dream system. I wonder what loudspeakers it had? Fidelipacwas the first commercially available tape cartridge. Introduced in 1959, It had a continuous tape loop with a half-turn twist - features later used in the Lear Jet 8-track. (Correction: 8-tracks did not use the half-twist and double-sided tape.) [Fidelipac was the first endless-loop cartridge, but not the first tape cartridge. RCA's Sound Tape system (below) came out in 1958. - Dave] Mother-Daughter?The girl's saddle shoes are worn, with white shoe polish applied in an attempt to cover the scuffs. That brings back memories. Also, her pretty butterfly dress is probably homemade. 1960 was the peak of home-sewing in America. (Possible) mom looks very crisp in the career woman garb of the time, which is so classic it could be worn today. Our First Color TVMy uncle retired in 1968, he bought a new Plymouth Fury III and set off for a cross country months long vacation. He didn't want to leave his new RCA color TV in his apartment so he asked if he could leave it at our house. He returned and never took it back though he was at our house almost daily. Along with the color it also had a working UHF tuner where our black and white Magnavox had the dial but it didn't do anything. On sunny not to windy days if you could get the loop antenna in the correct position we were treated to programming on channels 38 and 56 in the Boston area that we didn't know existed before. WHAT!?And to think, I hold that entire wall (and then some) in my palm most of every day! It is a marvel and privilege to have been born in 1950. Techie's DreamI bet Tterrace had one of these. lol [The 1960 me would have been blinded to everything else by the color TV. -tterrace] Time fliesHard to believe that the sweet little girl is now on Medicare. Sigh. For the backward studentsSleep learning, with the Electronic Educator: Soupy SalesThey must have just watched "Lunch with Soupy Sales" on channel 7 WBKB before playing some music for the rest of the afternoon. BroadcastersUsed the Fidelipac type endless loop cartridges of both sizes into the '90s, for commercials, jingles, and some for even the top 40 songs. I know because as an engineer I had to maintain them. I hated the Tapecasters and the 3 deck players. A pain to keep them always sounding good. So glad programming is digital now, though miss old time radio days. The TVThe set seems to match up with a late 58 or early 59 RCA "Southbridge" model with a CTC7 chassis and a Blonde (or perhaps Limed oak) Finish. The legs have been removed or the cabinet has holes cut to accommodate them. More on early RCA Color sets here: http://www.novia.net/~ereitan/Gallery/Gallery_Index_V2.02_11-20-2006.htm... A typical setup?The families who had such systems in 1960 were about a rare as those who had pet cheetahs or ocelots. Radio DazeHaving spent 40 years in radio, I immediately recognized the "carts". Those were the standard for commercials and jingles. They typically came in :20, :40 and :70 length for commercials and jingles. After the trend away from turntables began in the late 70s, the 3-5 minute carts were used for "all the hits all the time". We would typically pull an hour's worth of programming in advance. With songs, commercials and jingles, that stack got to be pretty tall. I never saw a machine like the one pictured, most of the "cart machines" just had a slot to shove 'em into. We loved the fact that we could get up and walk around without the nightmare of hearing a record skip -- hearing a record sk -- hearing a record sk -- In Living Color!An "Electronic Educator," that is. From an old eBay auction. Title?I'm not sure 'higher' fi really fits: LPs, tapes (especially tapes) and good tube electronics (which Fisher was) are pretty much 'hi-fi' even by modern standards. Phono cartridges still had a ways to go. [Sometimes "higher" just means "higher." -tterrace] State of the artIn 1965 I built my state of the art stereo system. Marantz receiver, Sony reel to reel, Dual turntable, Ohm speakers. Then I had to do the periodic upgrades. Never ending cycle. (Technology, The Gallery, Chicago, Kids, News Photo Archive, TV)
Just Add Water: 1922
... bathing suit and headband may be Margaret Gorman - the 1st Miss America (1921). I think those arm bands indicate these girls were participating ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/11/2013 - 9:55am -

Atlantic City circa 1922. "Four young ladies on a roof." Who can put a name to any of these lovely faces? 5x7 glass negative, Bain News Service. View full size. Hussies!Just look at those revealing outfits. Anyone know what the arm bands might be? They all seem to match. [Locker keys. -tterrace] BravoShorpy finally shows bathing beauties that are actually beauties. Vivacious Girls!Wow, this is the year my mother was born. I never imagined my grandmother, who was a contemporary of these girls, ever looking this jaunty! The gal on the far right isJane Fonda's grandmother...stunning! Ritz-CarltonI think this was taken on the roof of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, which would have been new at that time. The IT GirlIs that Clara Bow 2nd from the right in the black suit with the lighter stripes? TimelessIndeed, the young lady on the right is a classic. 'Stunning' is a good word. 'Breathtaking' works as well. The difference a smile makes.What’s the bet one of those young ladies was named Mildred. All jokes aside though... the two (2) young ladies on the right are surely lovely. It’s great to see smiles. It certainly makes a difference to one’s disposition. All cute as a buttonBeing the age of the Flapper, I wonder if they really were as innocent as they looked? Just Add Water 1922I'm not positive, but I think the young woman on the right in the all black bathing suit and headband may be Margaret Gorman - the 1st Miss America (1921). I think those arm bands indicate these girls were participating in the Miss America Pageant. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, G.G. Bain, Pretty Girls, Swimming)
Buffalo: 1905
...       As the launching signal was given by Miss Gertrude Hanna, daughter of President M. H. Hanna, cheers went up from the ... wrote about her, whilst travelling on his own tour of America: "All that has been said of this fine ocean ship on the Great Lakes is ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 7:17pm -

Buffalo, New York, circa 1905. "Looking up Main Street. Steamer North Land at Long Wharf." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Splendid New SteamshipBuffalo Enquirer. January 5, 1895 SAFELY LAUNCHED. The New Northern Steamship, NORTH LAND, Launched in Cleveland. A Sister Ship to the NORTH WEST and Similar in Construction and Equipment.         Cleveland Jan. 5. -- The splendid new steamship NORTH LAND was successfully launched at 2:30 this afternoon at the shipyards of the Globe Iron Works.         As the launching signal was given by Miss Gertrude Hanna, daughter of President M. H. Hanna, cheers went up from the thousands who had gathered to watch the great vessel slide into the water. The christening ceremony over this magnificent steel vessel, now the finest on the lakes, was performed by Mrs. F. P. Gordon, wife of the Assistant General Manager of the Northern Steamship Company. For the purpose a large platform had been built under the bow of the big vessel, and here the traditional bottle of wine was broken by Mrs. Gordon. The boat was launched sidewise, room being insufficient for a direct plunge.         The new vessel, which, both the Globe Company and the steamship people say is the finest that ever left these yards, dropped gracefully into the water amid repeated cheers of the crowd. The launching was carried out successfully, and now the Northern Steamship Company has two exclusive steel passenger steamboats, the best constructed and speediest vessels on the lakes.         The NORTH LAND is quite similar in beauty of design and in elegance of interior construction to the NORTH WEST. The Globe Company had the advantage of the experience gained in the building of the sister vessel, the NORTH WEST, and have made some improvements over what was last year supposed to be pretty nearly perfect in the way of construction. As one of the representatives of the steamship company said, the builder made improvements just as an architect is able to do when he builds a second house. He can learn to perfect his work after the first production. This experience has assisted the company in another way; it has enabled them to have the new steamer ready for launching 30 days earlier than last year.         This morning the Globe Iron Works were inspected by the officials of the Northern Steamship Company and the representatives of the Buffalo, Cleveland and Detroit newspapers, guests of the steamship company. At these works are built a great many vessels for lake traffic, and the facilities for the purpose are unexcelled. The works are among the largest industries in Cleveland, and employ a large number of men.         The NORTH LAND, which was launched today, is built of steel throughout, and its hull has been strengthened and subdivided through transverse and longitudinal bulkheads into numerous water-tight compartments. Strength and safety were as much requisites in building the vessel as are speed and comfort. The hull is of novel design, and is constructed around the shafts, giving as little resistance as possible, and also great strength.         In general the dimensions of the NORTH LAND is 383 feet over all, 360 feet between perpendiculars, the molded breadth is 44 feet, and depth 26 feet.         The interior arrangements of the boat are as fine as money and excellent taste can make them. Electricity is used in lighting, and one might fancy he was in the parlor of some elegant private residence on terra firma. Mahogany has been largely used in the wood work. I love the SteamerI admire the photo and I love the "North Land" at first sight. As i read about the steamer a little bit and I know she has an interesting story. The steamer was built in 1895 by (as we all see) the Northern Steamship Company. Mark Tawin wrote about her, whilst travelling on his own tour of America: "All that has been said of this fine ocean ship on the Great Lakes is not exaggerated." "North Land" operated between Chicago and Buffalo, from June through late September. In 1919 she was sold and cut into two pieces at Buffalo and was towed to Montreal, Quebec. Plans to convert and operate her as an ocean liner or troop ship never materialized. She lay in her dock until 1921, when she was dismantled and scrapped. Unfortunately. Admirably Appointed The United States with an Excursion into Mexico, Handbook for Travellers, by Karl Baedeker. 1904. 46. From Buffalo to Chicago. e. By Steamer. It is possible to go the whole way from Buffalo to Chicago by water, through Lakes Erie, Huron, and Michigan, without change of steamer. — The ‘North Land’ and ‘North West’, the two magnificent steamers of the Northern Steamship Co. (each 386 ft. long, of 5000 tons burden, and accommodating 500 passengers), leave Buffalo (wharf at foot of Main St.) every Wed. and Sat. in summer at 8 p.m. (central time). The — The ‘North Land’ goes through to Chicago, which it reaches on Sat. at 1 p.m.; the ‘North West’ goes to (3 days) Duluth (comp. p. 372), and Chicago passengers must change at (1½ day) Mackinac Island. Through-fare to Chicago $13.50, berths extra (to Mackinac from $3 up). Luggage up to 150 lbs. is free. Fares to Cleveland, $2.00: to Detroit, $4.75; to Mackinac Island, $8.50; to Sault-Ste-Marie, $10.75; to Duluth $17.00. These steamers are admirably appointed in every way and afford most comfortable quarters. BeautifulAmazing view of Buffalo in its prime. You can see several landmarks that are still standing, including the Ellicott Square Building, and the old post office (now ECC city campus). Looking forward to more photographs of Buffalo! She's YarHow beautiful she is. It's a shame old ships and old buildings don't live forever. 1895-1921Built in 1895 by Globe Iron Works of Cleveland, Ohio for the Northern Steamship Company. One of two sister-ships. Originally built with three funnels. By 1910 she had new boilers and two funnels as shown in this picture. In 1905 was running a passenger service between Buffalo and Chicago. The North Land had been built to undertake the round voyage between Buffalo and Duluth in a week and her owners, the Northern Steamship Company, became the first to introduce seven day cruises. Scrapped in 1921. ElegantGrowing up in Western New York State, I passed through Buffalo many times. I've always loved the graceful lines of those Lake steamers. They had to be a little narrow to get through the Welland Canal, which enabled them to bypass Niagara Falls (the direct trip was a little precipitous). Just about all gone now. Like ghosts. Sherwin WilliamsI didn't realize the Sherwin Williams logo was that old. I figured maybe 1940's or 1950's. It's changed in 100 yearsI live in buffalo and looking at this is a bit odd. Most of what you see there was torn down to make room for RT5 and the I190. First, that's not Main Street anymore, it's looking east down Church Street. The new Main Street would start around were the tall flagpole is, I think. The large white building to the right of the street looks like the Ellicott Square building (completed 1896, the largest office building at the time). The large tower to the right of that is the old post office, now Erie Community Collage. The problem is it should be closer to the Ellicott Square building. The steeple to the left of the street is Asbury Delaware Methodist Church. Now it's the home of Hallwalls Contemporary Arts Center. The clock tower left of that is the old town hall. SpiresSadly, I've never been to Buffalo. There are a number of interesting church spires in this photo. Do any of them still exist? Map linkThe street centered in this photograph is indeed Main Street. A map from 1894, depicting the buildings along the left side of the photograph and along Main Street up to Seneca can be found here. The trapezoid shaped building with the large overhangs is the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western passenger station. It is Main streetTo David_T It looks strange to you because it is in fact Main Street. Then the location of the landmarks make sense. For example, the Ellicott Square building is on Main street. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Buffalo NY)
Guess What: 1943
... caption for the photo, taken by Esther Bubley: "June 1943. Miss Kathleen McCarthy, a Western Union teleprinter operator, gumming telegraph ... Live and learn. Nice to know, actually. Not a desk in America that didn't used to have a bottle of it. Nasty, slimy stuff. If ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/28/2013 - 9:13pm -

      So many of you guessed correctly on this one that we're not going to wait till tomorrow for the answer -- the lady's job is: Telegram gummer. Original caption for the photo, taken by Esther Bubley: "June 1943. Miss Kathleen McCarthy, a Western Union teleprinter operator, gumming telegraph messages." The year is 1943 and the place is Washington, D.C. What is this girl doing? (Hint: Hundreds if not thousands of people had the same job over the course of many years.) Check back on Sunday for the answer. View full size. Nice NailsBeautiful manicure, particularly considering how much she uses her hands for this job. Creating a paper telegramShe is gluing down the printed out words of a telegram onto the telegram form. She has a little gadget on her index finger to cut the paper tape at the end of each line. The cylinder has glue which she applies to the form as she lines up the paper tape. TelegramsShe's pasting the tape from a teletypewriter onto paper telegram sheets. I THINK I KNOW THE ANSWER STOPIs she by chance assembling a telegram? Un-StripperCutting the continuous strip from a telegraph printer into lines and gluing them to a message form. STOPPasting down telegram/teletype copy (Western Union)? She is --Pasting the message strips on a blank telegraph form. The little doodad in her hand is applying the adhesive. Washington workerShe's either repairing bookbinding, or censoring documents and letters for war time security. Stuck on this oneMy guess is some kind of gluing machinery. Perhaps for bookbinding? ???Looks like she`s pasting up a telegram. Western Union office?The young lady looks as if she could be gluing lines of text onto the form used for a telegram. She's gluing telegraph strips.I always wondered just how they did this. Looks like mind-numbing work. Censoring V-MailLetters from the WWII troops were censored by applying tape over certain information. Then, the results were photocopied and sent on to the recipients. As I remember, they were also reduced in size. We used to have a few of these from my wife's uncle. Looks like --she's binding or repairing the binding on a book. And the answer is --Telegraph gummer, as many of you correctly guessed in the comments below. I've published them all at once, so no one was able to see anyone else's guesses. (Unless they peeked at our Facebook page.) Minnie's GirlIs she perhaps the sister of Gummo Marx? Quite the TecnnologyIt appears that a metal applicator/guide clips to the bottle. You can see the paper tape threading through near the "bottom" of the bottle and up to one last roller or guide -- where the glue gets applied. I wouldn't be surprised if mucilage (remember LePage's?) was used as the adhesive. Mucilage is plant based, has no volatile ingredients, and cleans up with water. Miss McCarthy is wearing seersucker, so it is likely late spring or summer in D.C. Could be a depressing jobI wonder what percentage of the telegrams she pasted were family notifications about military casualties or MIAs. She reminds me ofactress Cathy O'Donnell, best known for her role as "Wilma" in the film, "The Best Years of Our Lives". Mucilage! Who knew! Wow, I had always assumed mucilage was the same kind of glue that they used horses' hoofs for. Live and learn. Nice to know, actually. Not a desk in America that didn't used to have a bottle of it. Nasty, slimy stuff. If you're a kid trying to use it, you'd get your fingers COVERED in it. And poking a correct sized and shaped hole in the rubber top! If you did it wrong, it made the glue slide out all over the place. And they used to make marshmallows out of the same stuff!? Rest in peace, mucilage. (Technology, The Gallery, D.C., Esther Bubley)
Pie Town Homesteaders: 1940
... in his forties, but he said, "I wasn't even alive and I miss this stuff." I think of these photos as true Americans. I miss it too, and I want it back! > > ---------> (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2012 - 12:02pm -

September 1940. Jack Whinery, Pie Town, New Mexico, homesteader, with his wife and the youngest of his five children in their dirt-floor dugout home. Whinery homesteaded with no cash less than a year ago and does not have much equipment; consequently he and his family farm the slow, hard way, by hand. Main window of their dugout was made from the windshield of the worn-out car which brought this family to Pie Town from West Texas. 4x5 Kodachrome transparency by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. More on Pie TownFrom Smithsonian. WitnessKodachrome has such a richness and vibrancy, eh? This photo makes it seem like we're standing at the photographer's right shoulder, looking on, feeling the Whinery's discomfort in what must have been a very small space. Sixty-seven years on, and we're right there. Thanks Mr. Lee. Denny Gill Chugiak, Alaska Love the colorEvery time I look at one of these photos from the 40s, with that deep, rich color, I think we must have entered a color "dark age" of sorts in the 60s, 70s and 80s... Loudon The Second?Something about this guy's face reminds me of Loudon Wainwright III DignityA sense of dignity is shown by this family. I think today's news media would tell them to "look defeated/miserable" before taking the photo. Modern media?If a freelance photographer went to take pictures of a family in these circumstances today he wouldn't likely be able to sell the photos, because no newspaper would be interested in publishing them. If he had a good shot of Lindsay Lohan, he could make $400,000 at bare minimum. So why again would he waste his time taking pictures of these people? [Russell Lee wasn't freelance. He was employed by the Farm Security Administration. - Dave] Hellooooooo handsome!I'm getting a time machine and moving to Pie Town. Going back to Pie TownI Google Mapped Pie Town and zoomed in on the streets. You can also "stand" on the hiway there as well. You can also go to Pietown's own website and see a few photos. Would like to know where his dugout house was and what happened to it. My brother said something profound about all these pictures. He's only in his forties, but he said, "I wasn't even alive and I miss this stuff." I think of these photos as true Americans. I miss it too, and I want it back! >>---------> (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Pie Town, Rural America, Russell Lee)
South Street Seaport: 1901
... As the vessel left the ways she was named the Antilia by Miss M'Keddie, daughter of the superintending engineer. Munson ... services between New York and the east coast of South America using mainly ex-German ships which had been interned in US ports. The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/20/2012 - 7:18pm -

New York circa 1901. "South Street and Brooklyn Bridge." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. No Trucks and a lot of SailThis is a wonderful view. I didn't realize trucks, motorized wagons really, weren't invented until 1896-Just five years before this picture was taken. No cars, cargo ships with sails and a few with steam and sail. Quite a look back. We've come a long way. How times have changedAmazing, the South Street Seaport actually *was* a seaport back then, not a tourist trap filled with schlock stores and crappy restaurants. RIP CambuskennethThe New York Times: July 1, 1915 The Norwegian ship Cambuskenneth which sailed from Portland, Ore. on Feb. 9 for Liverpool or Manchester was sunk today by gunfire of the German submarine U-39. The Cambuskenneth was twenty miles south of Galley Head on the Cork coast when the submarine signaled her to halt. It was ascertained that there were eight Germans among the ship's crew and these had the novel experience of being rowed to the submarine and later disappearing under the sea with her while their mates (thirteen in all) were left floating in the ship's boats. The latter were landed at Galley Head this morning. Sailing vessel Cambuskennethat center right was built in Port Glasgow, Scotland, in 1893. The 1,924-ton vessel was sailing under Norwegian registry and carrying a cargo of wheat when was was stopped by u-boat U39 (the Walter Forstmann) on June 29, 1915. All hands were allowed to leave the Cambuskenneth unharmed before the Forstmann sank her with gunfire about 26 miles SSW of Galley Head, Ireland. Sail gives waySail just hanging on as steam takes over. Wonderful photo, thanks Shorpy, but also a little sad. Steamship AntiliaSteamship Antilia: launched 1893 at Grangemouth, Scotland. Renamed Malaita in 1905. Scuttled in Bass Strait, Australia, 1927. Marine Engineer and Naval Architect, Feb 1, 1893. Launches — Scotch. Antilia. — On January 21st the Grangemouth Dockyard Co. launched a steel screw steamer to the order of the Nassau Steamship Co., designed to carry fruit and goods between the West Indies and New York. Dimensions, 200 ft. by 30 ft. by 14⋅9 ft. moulded to main deck. She will be fitted up with all the latest improvements, including steam windlass, steam steering gear, &c. The vessel will be fitted with triple-expansion engines by Messrs. Hutson & Son, of Kelvinhaugh Engine Works, Glasgow, designed for a speed of ten knots loaded. The vessel has been constructed under the superintendence of Mr. John M'Keddie, consulting engineer, Edinburgh. As the vessel left the ways she was named the Antilia by Miss M'Keddie, daughter of the superintending engineer. Munson Steamship Line previously seen on Shorpy at their Mobile, Alabama pier: On the Waterfront: 1905. Munson Steamship LineOriginally founded in 1899 to operate cargo service to Cuba and later to Mexico and other gulf ports. First passenger ship was purchased in 1915. The last ship was sold in 1938 and the company went bankrupt. Founded in New York in 1899 to operate a cargo service to Havana and later extended to Mexico and Gulf ports. In 1915 a passenger ship was purchased for the trade to Cuba and after World War I the company commenced passenger and cargo services between New York and the east coast of South America using mainly ex-German ships which had been interned in US ports. The company suffered severely during the depression and many of it's ships were scrapped or laid up. The last ship was sold in 1938 and the company went bankrupt. The remaining passenger ships were taken over by the US Maritime Commission and laid up. Routes: New York to Bahia to Rio de Janeiro to Santos to Montevideo to Buenos Aires New York to Nassau to Miami to Havana New York to Bermuda Miami to Nassau New Orleans to Havana New York to Antilla The way war is supposed to be fought"All hands were allowed to leave the Cambuskenneth unharmed before the Forstmann sank her with gunfire about 26 miles SSW of Galley Head, Ireland." Ahh, when wars were fought civilly. The blue team will please line up on the right side of the field and the red team will take the left. Begin firing at the umpire's signal. Halfway thereThe Brooklyn tower of the Williamsburg bridge is visible behind the Brooklyn bridge. The Williamsburg is still two years away from opening at this point. Can someone explain the sail masts?The commercial steamship steam boat debuted in 1907 1807. How on earth are there still sailing ships in the harbor nearly a century after that? Were mechanically driven ships still been so expensive that sometimes made financial sense, not only to travel at, what?, one fourth the average speed but also to employ all the hands needed to sail a ship? Or am I looking at mechanically driven ships that have masts merely to get extra speed when the wind is right? I can't tell if the smokestacks and the masts belong to the same vessels or different ones. Sail hung on for many more yearsUp to WWII, steel windjammers were more effective, faster and cheaper to operate than steamships on long blue-water runs, like trade between Europe and South America, Asia and Australia. Coal was expensive and hard to get in the remoter parts of the world. The great steel sailers were reliable and could be operated with fewer than 30 men. They were quite plentiful until the war changed everything by boosting the development of propulsion technology and the building of large numbers of powered vessels. Some operated into the 1950s. Fleeting humanitarianismThe rather gentlemanly process of allowing the crew to leave didn't last long after the introduction of Q-ships - armed ships masquerading as merchantmen until the U-boat surfaced to sink the ship with gunfire - more economical than torpedoes. The first successful Q-ship attack on a U-boat came just 6 days before the Cambuskenneth was sunk. Not long thereafter U-boats began more often to stay submerged and attack from stealth with little or no warning, as they did with the Lusitania. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
L.A. Again: 1899
... of D.C. or at least the east coast from now on. I do miss the Pacific Ocean, however. Call Dirty Harry Guy on a roof, centre right, where ladders are. The Great Divide America begins west of the Delaware, and ends east of the Sacramento. St. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/13/2012 - 8:20pm -

Circa 1899. "General view, Los Angeles." The lefthand section of a three-frame panoramic set. (The middle section, alas, is not available in high resolution.) Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. L.A. love it or hate itWhat an interesting photo. I didn't think L.A. was that built up & congested in 1899, as this photo shows. I grew up & lived in L.A. from 1958 thru 1985 when it was actually a nice, fun & affordable place to live. It amazes me how that town completely turned around for the worse, which is why I'm glad I live 170 miles away. I was there for this last Thanksgiving visiting family and it seems to be getting worse in every sense with every visit. [Stop visiting! - Dave] You know what's missing?Not a palm tree to be found anywhere but still plenty of "smog." How sadThis is the most depressing cityscape I have seen on your site. This includes bombed cities which, at least, often show the elegance of what they were. I am now reminded of why my parents and, later, my own family never went near the city center, always staying as close to the ocean as we could. The worst part is that, over 100 years later, it has only gotten worse. This actually helped me get over my nostalgia for California -- I'll stick to the suburbs of D.C. or at least the east coast from now on. I do miss the Pacific Ocean, however. Call Dirty HarryGuy on a roof, centre right, where ladders are. The Great DivideAmerica begins west of the Delaware, and ends east of the Sacramento. St. Vibiana'sAhhhhh, FANTASTIC!. This is looking east/southeast. The small dome atop the column right of center is the steeple at the rear of St. Vibiana's Cathedral -- still standing -- which fronts on Main Street just south of Second. A Spreading MetropolisThere's a lot more city out there than I expected for a town that has not yet solved its water supply problems. Lots of large trees, probably eucalyptus (a fast-growing, drought-tolerant species imported from Australia). The tall royal palms, also not native, apparently are not yet part of the scene. Not a motor car in sight of course, and few carriages. The streetcar system should be highly active -- LA's famous "urban sprawl" was a result of streetcar extensions, not the motor car (which of course furthered the ability to sprawl by the 1920s). The aforementioned haze has always been a factor in the "valley of the smokes" due to the air basin trapping natural haze, probably augmented by dust from unpaved roads (although downtown looks paved). The nearbyoil fields are still decades in the future, but the spectacular Mount Lowe Scenic Railway opened in 1894, and during the winter the trolleys carried sightseers through poppy fields on the way to Pasadena. Building identificationI've been trying to identify what the different businesses might be. I think the building at the intersection in the lower left might be a bank. Anyway, any idea what the large round building towards the right just a bit below the horizon might be? The CityAmerica has been on a quest to recreate the great cities of Europe. New York is our London at the height of the British Empire. Washington is our Athens, in an idealized Hellenic Empire. Los Angeles is our Rome. Mail Pouch Tobacco, Goldwater Bros.Good eye on St. Vibiana's. I think the photo is being taken from the top of Fort Moore Hill, looking south. The 101 Freeway and newer government or institutional buildings replaced most of what is seen here. And this must be one of the earliest images of a Mail Pouch Tobacco billboard. These can still be seen on barns all over the Midwest. Also, Goldwater Bros., this is the same Goldwater family as Barry Goldwater. (The Gallery, DPC, Los Angeles)
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