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Picnic in the Park: 1956
... Long Beach near the boardwalk. Have to be near ocean, ice plants on the 'dune' behind them and a sailor out for the day. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/14/2012 - 4:59pm -

The Well-Dressed Family is back for an outing at the park somewhere in Southern California circa 1956. Please ignore the commotion in back. View full size. Corpus delectibleNo one seems to notice the dead body way in the back. -------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Two possibilities. - Dave] 1. Bad potato salad 2. Good wine Alternate Title"Sox-n-Mocs." Sharp Dressed ManWonderful shirt. Many people todayDon't dress this nicely for church, let alone a picnic! In a child's eyesOnly the baby seems to notice the violent attack happening in the background. He's searching for his wallet! HELP! Scuffle in the backgroundThe boy on the ground must have on a pair those badass striped socks, and the other lad is jealous. [Fellow on the ground is wearing a sailor's uniform. - Dave] On lookout for the commestiblesLooks like those binoculars Daddy brought are handy while Mama's looking for her brother and his wife who, I imagine, are bringing the picnic basket. Everyone looks a little hungry! But despite their appetites, those young women with their dresses are lovely. Such a picture of wholesome clean living circa 195 [Or maybe they're looking for a dictionary. - Dave] That's My Brother-in-Law!At least it sure looks like him! On the far bench, upper right corner. Yeah, that's him, alright. CupsAre those In-n-Out burger cups I see? San Diego?Those were the days - 7 oz. Cokes, paper (not plastic), pedal pushers and submissive sailors! Days gone byI wish ladies still dressed as modestly. The dresses are so fresh and pretty. I, a 48 year old lady, am sitting here at the computer in a Bass Pro Shops t-shirt and Old Navy jeans! Rickrack!The white & black dress with all the rickrack is to die for! And the fellow's socks are amazing. Brown suitThe skirt suit the standing lady is wearing looks like one I remember my mother wearing. I love the two dresses worn by the two ladies sitting on the ground. I not only love the look of dresses, but I think they are more comfortable. Around here, everyone wears dresses to church, but I'm the only one I know who wears them all week! I believe the dress worn by the young lady, with all the rickrack, was what was known as a "squaw dress". I remember once reading a story by a woman who had been a teenager during that time, who said that the most highly sought after dresses where real full and had lots and lots of rickrack. The one in the picture looks like a gorgeous example! Location?Long Beach near the boardwalk. Have to be near ocean, ice plants on the 'dune' behind them and a sailor out for the day. (SoCal 1956 Kodachromes)
Atlantic: 1904
... power of this graceful yacht as it scythes through the ocean. What a beautiful machine! Little Known Factoid about Atlantic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/02/2012 - 4:13pm -

August 17, 1904. "Atlantic at sail." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. !Simply Brilliant. Making Good TimeThis is one to frame and put on the den wall. A fine example of the phrase "rail in the water." A tall ship and a star to steer her bySea Fever I must go down to the seas again, to the lonely sea and the sky, And all I ask is a tall ship and a star to steer her by, And the wheel's kick and the wind's song and the white sail's shaking, And a gray mist on the sea's face, and a gray dawn breaking. I must go down to the seas again, for the call of the running tide Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied; And all I ask is a windy day with the white clouds flying, And the flung spray and the blown spume, and the sea-gulls crying. I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life, To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife; And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover, And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over. John Masefield Racing Schooner Atlantic?I'm having trouble finding information about any sailing vessel named Atlantis prior to the 1931 construction of Woods Hole's famous ketch. However there was a notable three-masted racing schooner, named the Atlantic: built in 1903 at the Townsend and Downey shipyard for Wilson Marshall. In 1905 she won the Kaiser's Cup: a transatlantic race from Sandy Hook, New York to The Lizard, Cornwall, England in 10 days, 4 hours. During this race she established a 24-hr average speed of 14.1 knots: a record which stood until 1988. Sadly, while the ship had many lives, she was broken up in 1982. Great pictureWhat a beautiful boat, and it looks like that photo could have been taken today! HowCould you comment about a picture as stunning as this one! Magnificent! A 1000 word special. Schooner AtlanticThis is actually the famous racing yacht Atlantic. Designed by William Gardner for Wilson Marshall and built in 1903 by the Townsend & Downey shipyard, this steel-hulled, three-masted schooner had a deck length of 187 feet. In 1905 she won the "Kaiser Wilhelm Cup" in a Transatlantic race from Sandy Hook, New York to The Lizard, Cornwall, with a time of 12 days, 4 hours and 1 minute, a mono-hull record that stood for 100 years. She served the war effort from 1941 to 1947 as a US Coast Guard training vessel, and was broken up at Newport Harbor, Virginia in 1982. This oil painting by the marine painter AD Blake depicts the Atlantic at the start of the 1905 race. UphillI love the way the tilted horizon in this photo conveys a sense of the surging power of this graceful yacht as it scythes through the ocean. What a beautiful machine! Little Known Factoid about AtlanticAtlantic also boasted a steam engine, with retractable funnel, when built. Naturally it had to be secured for the Kaiser's Cup Race; one wonders what was done with the propeller. Everything new The lateen, or triangular sail, was a middle-eastern invention, much more efficient than the square-rigged sails of Europe. They allowed sailors to fly closer to the wind and even to tack upwind. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Little Kittens: 1941
... March 1941. "Girls at trailer camp for defense workers. Ocean View, Virginia, outskirts of Norfolk." Medium format acetate negative by ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2021 - 1:32pm -

March 1941. "Girls at trailer camp for defense workers. Ocean View, Virginia, outskirts of Norfolk." Medium format acetate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Trying, but failingTo understand the gizmo attached to the bottom of the rear fender on the closest bike. It looks like there is one on the other bike, too. [It's a kickstand. - Dave] Well, of course it is. Pretty obvious. Thanks, Dave. Sweet kidsThat girl in the back is beautiful. She could be a model. I wonder how their lives turned out. Charming childrenWhat beautiful faces and expressions. The joy of the one with the little book is almost palpable. Some are born to sweet delight. HappyOnce in a while you see a photo that just makes you happy. This is one of them ! Wonder womenThese three girls are so charming and elegant, each in her own way. The windswept hair of the young lady in back is terribly alluring, and the kerchief with braids and leather gloves in front is so grown-up. Even little kitten girl is styling with that hand-knotted cloth belt. All three are so pleasing. Collector's itemIf the young lady who was so proud of her copy of "More About the Four Little Kittens" had taken good care of it, and saved it to this day, she could do quite well selling it online. If my math is right, if she sold it today based on its market price, she could reinvest the proceeds in a Patreon subscription to Shorpy, avoiding ads and getting background versions of pics for three years and four months. Cool Car Cold WaterThe car looks to be a 1937 Chevrolet Sport Coupe (with a rumble seat!) and the cold water inlet appears to be a hose attached at the clothes line. The young girls are probably sisters. One of them is riding a boys bike but the boy (brother?) is probably okay with it. I hope no kittens were mistreated."More about the Four Little Kittens" (1938), one of those controversial books by Harry W. Frees that allegedly involved stressful posing of live pets. Delightful for kids, maybe not so much for the kitties. https://www.barnebys.com/auctions/lot/3_kaqz_69 HeavyThose bikes look like a lot of steel to be pedaling around. I wonder how much they weighed. Everything to MeFood, shelter, clothing, love and care are essentials but add a bike and books, and life gets pretty close to perfect, and certainly makes other hardships much easier to bear. Bloody boat anchorsfreddy223, the answer to your question is "between 40 and 50 pounds" (18 to 22 kg). My late mother owned a bike identical to the front one, and it was a trial and a misery to ride due to its weight. Five window coupeCurvaceous 1935 Ford, showing off it's its well-polished paint. (The Gallery, Bicycles, Cats, John Vachon, Kids, Norfolk, WW2)
House Beautiful: 1959
... Feb. 23, 1959. "Salisbury, residence in Hobe Sound, Fla. Ocean facade. William Kemp Caler, architect. For House Beautiful ." The ... to the tunes... Heaven! On the beach if it's ocean facade as the intro states, it's likely Jupiter Island. I've seen many ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/30/2014 - 3:29pm -

Feb. 23, 1959. "Salisbury, residence in Hobe Sound, Fla. Ocean facade. William Kemp Caler, architect. For House Beautiful." The cocktail hour commences on the patio in five minutes. 5x7 inch negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Classic mid-century designThis is one of the best mid-century designs. When I contrast this with the McMansions being constructed today I would choose this in a heart beat. Livable spaces, excellent use of space, reasonable cost of construction and single level explains why this one of the best family home designs of the 20th century. Today building lots are narrow and multiple story designs are popular, but I would choose this is a Mississippi minute! Fortunately there are a lot of these homes on the re-sale market. And at DuskThe tiki torches come out in force. Lots of RoomFor a pool and a fire pit. Invited guests onlyNo alligators or snakes, and no children or small animals to draw them. Lean on meWhen the big wind comes those tree "braces" will snap like toothpicks Heir to the WW Kimball Piano CompanyKimball Salisbury was president at one time of the Kimball Piano Company out of Chicago. While I couldn't find much on him online, his wife, Wilmot, was a darling of the Society pages in the newspapers -- google "Mrs Kimball Salisbury" and you'll get a slew of articles. I haven't pegged where the house was actually located in Hobe Sound, but I doubt I'd be able to because it was listed as an "estate" in one newspaper article, which means it probably wouldn't be visible by Google Street View anyhow. Mr. Salisbury appears in the 1930 Census living with his wife, two children, and four servants at 1415 Astor Street in Chicago, where he was renting an apartment for $500. That would be somewhere north of $7,000 a month in 2014 money. I couldn't find them for whatever reason in 1940. Not a fanThose windows look jalousie. [Louver come back. - Dave] Perfect for a house concert!With a few hundred of your best friends on blankets in the grass, the band on the patio, guys on surfboards groovin to the tunes... Heaven! On the beachif it's ocean facade as the intro states, it's likely Jupiter Island. I've seen many similar style homes there. (The Gallery, Florida, Gottscho-Schleisner)
Where's My Remote: 1938
... storm drains the legend "No dumping/Drain discharges to ocean." Traffic Jam Imagine the fun of backing out of one of these ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/20/2013 - 9:34pm -

July 1938. "Garages in alley behind row houses. Baltimore, Maryland." Which one is ours again? Medium format nitrate negative by John Vachon. View full size. Thought this was RussiaWhen I first saw this photo I thought it was set in Russia, where I saw many of these garageplexes in every city I visited back in the Soviet days. When you lived in a Stalin-era apartment highrise, you had to have some place to put your car, not so much for parking, but for working on it, because keeping a car running was a challenge back then. [Not to mention getting one. - Dave] X marks the spotX marks the spot. Marble StepsAround front, one set for each garage door. Malvina Reynoldswrote "Little Boxes"; Seeger (and others) only sang it. She wrote a whole lot of songs, actually; worth looking up on YouTube. Overhead is BetterHaving endured such a garage (and such garage doors) during a blustery winter in Ft. Leavenworth, I can state unequivocally that getting your car out on a windy morning requires either three people or one driver and two cinder blocks. The aroma!Those old fashioned wooden garages had SUCH a delicious aroma! A blend of old motor oil, dry, unpainted wood, and who knows what else. Strong, pungent aroma. And you have to look far and wide to find one like this any more. VERY narrow rowhouses?If the garages are lined up behind the row houses at one garage per, the residences must be very narrow. Re: Old Garage AromaWe had a garage similar to this when we lived in Brooklyn in the 50's. I know exactly what Jazznocracy means by the aroma. I often accompanied my Dad on the two block walk to the rented garage to retrieve the '39 DeSoto or the '50 Plymouth when we upgraded. Oddly, one of my better memories of that garage was the "lock protector" that Dad crafted from a piece of an old tire to keep the rain out. Thanks, 'jwp'Hate to come home on a Saturday night and enter this alley from the wrong end. 'The seventh garage on the right side' could turn into a real adventure! Eau de 10W40That aroma dear to car nuts may have been due to the habit of draining the oil directly onto the garage's dirt floor, where it soaked in (harmlessly, as was thought back then) and perfumed the air for an eon or two. Most of the hazmat that has to be remediated when military facilities are turned over for civilian purposes, for example, can be chalked up to motor fuels/lubricants' and used dry-cleaning fluids' being disposed of by dumping -- a common practice for decades and cetainly not restricted to the military. In fact, coastal cities in California (and presumably elsewhere) often have stencilled on curbs above storm drains the legend "No dumping/Drain discharges to ocean." Traffic JamImagine the fun of backing out of one of these garages when several of your neighbors, next to and across from you, were doing the same. Old garage aroma solved.When I built a new garage several years ago, it had the smell of adhesives and curing cement. Ugh. I found an old garage that was about to be demolished not far from my house with a very heavily built 30 foot workbench. At least 50 years old, with paint stains, oil, and who knows what else on it. After liberating it from it's doomed home, my neighbor and I split in half, and now we each have that great smell without the wait. ListenA variation on a certain Pete Seeger song comes to mind. Garage vs. house widthThe garages are probably not directly behind individual houses. I don't know where in the city these particular garages are, but here's another Baltimore example. I heard through a neighborhood oral history project that back when cars were relatively rare, you weren't allowed to leave them on the street! Had to go in a garage at night. There are some in the alley behind our block, but definitely not one per house (we don't have one). ooo-ooo that smell!As a realtor, I still occasionally get to experience the aroma of old garages here in Tulsa. And it's not just confined to garages. Old homes have their own unique scents as well. Sometimes, too, an old, vacant home can tell you stories if you just observe. For example, I showed one home close to downtown and behind a bedroom door were these different ruler marks notating a child's height as he progressed through life. The years were jotted down - 1930s to 1940s. Old structures will speak to you if you let them. (The Gallery, Baltimore, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon)
Baby Ahoy: 1965
... Grampa's probably looking at a sailboat out in the ocean. View full size. Multi ? cooker What do you think the ... the outdoor fire. Maybe not a sailboat Actually the ocean is straight in front of my Grandfather so It looks like he's looking down ... 
 
Posted by twaits - 12/14/2015 - 10:50pm -

Castine, Maine, in 1965, on Wadsworth Cove Road. Mom with my sister in the baby carriage and my grandparents. Grampa's probably looking at a sailboat out in the ocean. View full size. Multi ? cookerWhat do you think the six-armed roasting stick on the log would have put on it? Hot dogs or marshmallows or both? Poor dog stuck in the station wagon and all those things to sniff. Wienie roastOn the log, to the left of the mustard and ketchup and jar of pickles, and right beside the package of wieners, is the handful of sticks sharpened for the hot dog lunch on the outdoor fire. Maybe not a sailboatActually the ocean is straight in front of my Grandfather so It looks like he's looking down the beach. My Mom appears to be looking at the same thing. Mystery womanWho is the mystery woman in the red sweatshirt, hidden behind Grandma? Also, from left to right, a '65 Ford Fairlane 4-door sedan, a '63 Fairlane 500 wagon (wearing one of those aftermarket full-width mud flaps), and a '65 Plymouth Belvedere wagon. PepsiI do not remember Pepsi featuring such a color scheme, only the traditional red, white and blue. Google did not reveal a 6 pack like the one depicted, but I found one in the same general style. My AuntI believe the woman is my Aunt Carlista. I may submit another old photo of her that predates this one for Shorpy's consideration. Wouldn't It Be Nice...if a bag of chips still only set you back 59 cents? Oh well, at least that Pepsi carton makes up for it! I wish Pepsi would go back to that look. Pepsi picFor Mr Howard Love CastineWe stayed in Castine summer 2014 at Castine Cottages and explored the area, Bar Harbor, Acadia and so on. We absolutely loved it here. Great Kodachrome by the way and I know pretty much where this image was taken. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Patriotic Poriferan: 1920
... claws. Credit to Steven Wright Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen. Sponge-diving movies One of my ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/15/2016 - 8:54pm -

Feb. 25, 1920. Washington, D.C. "Herbert J. Drane, Congressman from Florida, is from Tarpon Springs, which is said to be the largest sponge market in the world. Mr Drane's office gives the appearance of a permanent sponge exhibit. The walls are covered with sponges of every size and variety. Photo shows Mr. Drane with some of his choice specimens." National Photo glass negative. View full size. Greeks in Tarpon SpringsDespite the congressman being from Pinellas County, the two pennants on the wall that I can read are from Polk County: Lakeland is the largest town in the county, and Bartow is the county seat. The sponge fishers in Tarpon Springs were almost exclusively Greeks, and by the time I was in high school plenty of them had migrated to my town. Since Greek boys were traditionally named after their paternal grandfather, the number of them I went to school with named George and the same last name was alarming! One I attended junior college with is now the head of Walt Disney World. He was working as a busboy there when I knew him. Shriner lapel pinMany variations exist, but the basic layout is a sphinx head framed by two Bengal tiger claws in the shape of a crescent, a scimitar sword and a red jeweled star. The pin below is circa. 1900 and is composed of real cat claws, silver and gold. The double star is enameled in blue and displays the word Allah. The whole pin is less than an inch and a half wide across the claws. Credit to Steven Wright Sponges grow in the ocean. That just kills me. I wonder how much deeper the ocean would be if that didn't happen. Sponge-diving moviesOne of my favorite movies as a kid was "Beneath the 12-Mile Reef" with Gilbert Roland and Robert Wagner as a father-son sponge-diving team. Another I saw on a late show was "Down to the Sea," set in Tarpon Springs. Interesting that when people want to talk about new technology putting an industry out of business they think buggy whips. Real sea sponges losing out to the new cellulose sponges was just as traumatic. HoleyNot a fun photo for us trypophobes. *urp* The Congressman was from LakelandHerbert Drane was a resident and one of the founders of the that city. Tarpon Springs was in his district. Florida was sparsely populated in those days and only had four congressional districts. I thoughthe was holding a meteorite, and how strong he must be. The moral of this is always read first. InvertebratesSponges are muscles filled with wind. They're at home in DC. Something is amissI expected to see square pants in this picture. Well-made furnitureWho says Congress isn't frugal? Several pieces of the furniture seen here are still in circulation today. The desk, made by the Wanamaker Company, was originally a roll top desk, and there are a handful of those still in use (although none that I know of with the upper portion still attached). The Turkish chair in the corner is a highly prized item. There are dozens of those still in offices. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Politics)
Prairie Schooner: 1915
... Coastal Confusion Strange that they have the Pacific Ocean (and west coast) east of Staten Island. I hope they didn't just drive ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/27/2012 - 2:41pm -

March 1915. "San Francisco by wagon from Staten Island, New York." Three guys and a dog and their two-horsepower hybrid in Washington, taking the Overland Trail west. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Wandering and Wonderingif they made it to San Fran and how many spare wheels they carried. Not to mention support for the horses. Looks cosy enough though for three. Maybe it's their midlife crisis. FriendsI wonder how good friends they all were when they finally got there? Any more details?Any more information on this trek? Trying to discern some details on the canvas (with the peculiar map drawn on the side with east to the left): Highlandtown, Maryland seems to be a neighborhood inside Baltimore. I can't find anything on Frank A. Blum. "Ask the driver for a booklet"? Anyway, it's nice to see the Capitol again with private cars driving right up to it and no surrounding guardhouses, fences, and bollards. Coastal ConfusionStrange that they have the Pacific Ocean (and west coast) east of Staten Island. I hope they didn't just drive off a pier into the Atlantic. Boosting the Eden of NYCI noted the curious geographical sense of these boys as well. I think the map might be drawn this way (flipping East and West) so that as they travel westward, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans are oriented with the wagon. In Wagon to San Francisco Staten Island Boosters Reach Washington On Coast-to-Coast Trip. Three hardy young men, tanned with exposure incidental to life in a prairie schooner passed through here last week en route to the exposition at San Francisco over the old overland trail. They were all residents of Staten Island and are boosting that particular spot as the Eden of Greater New York. They are John Drebinger, William Stephens, and Edward Smith. They left Staten Island February 27, and expect to reach California about September 1. The trio paid a visit to Secretary Bryan yesterday. They Secretary greeted them cordially, they said. An expressed desire to see President Wilson was not gratified. The party will continue on their way today. Washington Post, Mar 14, 1915 UPDATE: It appears the boys made it as far as Denver. I'm not positive, but it seems likely this is the same John Drebinger who was a baseball reporter at the New York Times for over 40 years. Drebby's Hobo LifeNew York Times, Oct. 24, 1979 John Drebinger, 88, Baseball Reporter, Is Dead John Drebinger, who was dean of the nation's baseball writers when he retired in 1964 after 40 years with the New York Times, died Monday at a nursing home in Greensboro, N.C. He was 88 years old. His colleagues called him Drebby and one of them related his departure to "the retirement of Winston Churchill, the storming of the Bastille, the discovery of gunpowder or the instituting of income taxes: life goes on, but an era has ended." Indeed, when 11-year-old John Drebinger saw his first baseball game, it was played in the afternoon on real grass. The Boer War had ended in that June of 1902, ZuZu ginger snaps first appeared on grocery shelves, Wanamaker's was selling patent leather shoes for $1.90 a pair and a pound of coffee was 10 cents. The youngster was on his way to becoming a concert pianist -- his father was a violinist with the New York Metropolitan Orchestra -- but a thumb wound suffered while sharpening ice skates ended that aspiration. After an eight-year stay with the Staten Island Advance -- which included an ill-fated cross-country journey in a covered wagon that he termed the most exciting experience of his life -- Mr. Drebinger joined The Times for the "hobo life" of a baseball writer. For the next four decades he traveled 30,000 miles a year with the Yankees, the Giants and the Dodgers, saw 6,000 baseball games and ate "tons of hot dogs." From 1929 through 1963, he covered all 203 World Series Games. Not heard during the course of the trip...."Are we there yet?" Westward Ho! By Wagon"Staten Island Prairie Schooner is Going to S.F." Driving up to the City Hall yesterday in an old-fashioned prairie schooner drawn by two horses, John Urflinger and William Stevens obtained a letter from Mayor Mitchel to deliver to Mayor Rolph of San Francisco. The odd trip across the continent is being made in the interest of Staten Island business men, who want it advertised that Staten Island is the gateway of the Eastern Coast, just as San Francisco is supposed to be the gateway of the Western. The schooner was driven about Manhattan yesterday, and today a trip will be made through Brooklyn. Tomorrow at noon Charles J. McCormack of Richmond Borough will start the wagon on its long overland trip to the Western city where it is due to arrive before the Panama-Pacific International Exposition ends. NY Times, 24 Feb 1915 That title Panama-PacificThat title Panama-Pacific International Exposition kind of threw me for a second since I live in San Diego and thought that was held in San Diego's newly completed Balboa Park, not San Francisco. But then it dawned on me that ours was called the Panama Exposition in the same year, 1915. Never thought why it had the Panama in the name, but now I know from Wikipedia that both these events were celebrating the Panama Canal opening, along with some opportune marketing. Okay by me, Balboa Park was a great result, and is still a jewel as far as I'm concerned. (The Gallery, D.C., Dogs, Harris + Ewing, Horses)
Gulf Service: 1939
... up all that neon, I bet they could guide ships in off the ocean. Minivan precursor That's a 1938 American Bantam Boulevard ... was located at 518 Alton Road and advertised "Out of the Ocean, into the pan" seafood dining in the "Marine Room". Can't quite ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/25/2019 - 6:45pm -

April 1939. "Miami Beach, Florida. Even the gas stations are on an elaborate scale, often modern in design, resembling hotels." Medium format negative by Marion Post Wolcott for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Star brightWhen they fire up all that neon, I bet they could guide ships in off the ocean. Minivan precursorThat's a 1938 American Bantam Boulevard Delivery on the right parked by the rearmost pumps. Cantilever canopyShows very little fear of heavy snows in Miami. Love to see how it is engineered. Wheelan's Fish Grill is GoneThat entire block is now vacant. In 1935 Wheelan's was located at 518 Alton Road and advertised "Out of the Ocean, into the pan" seafood dining in the "Marine Room". Can't quite place the Gulf Station with the address 1315 something street. SnowbirdNotice the OHIO plate on the car to the left. The little Bantamappears to have white sidewalls on both sides of the tires. Gas InflationI remember my father complaining to the gas attendant when it hit 23.9 cents a gallon -- all in fun because he went there all the time. (The Gallery, Florida, Gas Stations, M.P. Wolcott, Miami)
Bowling Green Offices: 1919
... days the usual way to book travel on one of the grand ocean liners like the original Queen Elizabeth or Queen Mary was by going to ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/31/2013 - 2:05am -

Sept. 20, 1919. "Bowling Green Offices, New York." An interesting view of a construction site next to this early skyscraper, and what might be a new Shorpy record for ghost pedestrians. Photo by Irving Underhill. View full size. Gambling?Is that group of men in the park to the left of the news-stand playing dice? [I'm guessing some shoe-shining going on. -tterrace] Still there!And still quite a grand piece of architecture: View Larger Map A demolition siteAt this point, as the city begins to rise from the ground. Are those buildings across the street shuddering with fear? FascinatingThe street life and vehicles are really interesting. The lighting well in the near side of the Bowling Green Buildings shows what you would get for air circulation in the interior offices in the days before a/c, and even into the 1960's. Note the awnings on the windows in the background. Cunard BuildingThe building shown in the very early stages of construction in this photo became the Cunard Building, named after the famous steamship line. In those pre-Travelocity days the usual way to book travel on one of the grand ocean liners like the original Queen Elizabeth or Queen Mary was by going to the enormous ticketing hall located in the building's lobby. Other shipping lines and transportation-related companies rented space in the building. Cunard moved out of the building in the late 1960's, and much of the structure actually was vacant for many years. The grand lobby hall became a post office several years later, and the building now houses a variety of tenants. It is located directly across the street from the famous Charging Bull statue. Note the painted signs on the side of the Bowling Green Building. They were lost to view when the Cunard Building went up, but chances are very good that they are still there, and still readable thanks to being protected from sunlight. If someday the Cunard Building is demolished while the Bowling Green Building still stands, the signs will (literally) come back to light. It has happened before: http://forgotten-ny.com/1998/05/keals-carriage-manufactory/ On both the right and left sides of the photo you can see an elevated train line. That's the Ninth Avenue El, which ran along Greenwich Street in lower Manhattan, one block west of Broadway. It closed around 1940 and the structure came down soon afterward. On the left of the picture there is a subway entrance in Bowling Green, serving the IRT subway line. There is no longer an entrance at that location. White Star Linewas located up the steps in the center of the building. Mrs. Benjamin Guggenheim called at the White Star Line to get status of her husband following the sinking of RMS Titanic April 1912. Still no exorcism?By 1919, one would think, advances in shutter mechanisms and the availability of faster films should have eliminated the ghost pedestrian effect without unacceptable sacrifice of resolution, unless, of course, this was taken with a humongous view camera and plates. [It was exposed on a glass plate in a view camera, plus a small lens aperture would have been used to maximize sharpness and depth of field; all contribute to the necessity of a longer exposure time. -tterrace] Sept. 20, 1919On this day Babe Ruth tied Ned Williamson's major league mark of 27 HRs, a record that had stood for 35 years previously. A bit over two months later, the Babe left Boston for New York and became a Yankee. One BroadwayI had read elsewhere that the current 1 Broadway (the building to the left of the Bowling Green Building) was not built as a new building in the early 1920's, but rather had a limestone facade installed over the extant brick. Discussed in more detail in this post at ScoutingNY. Castle Brothers steam shovelsCastle Brothers Contractors built Ebbets Field, home of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Today we would call that "local sourcing." Wrong DirectionThe building to the left is 17 Battery Place, still standing, though the roof has been altered. # 1 Broadway is not in the frame, and it would be to the right of this building. [17 Battery Place is around the corner and two blocks down. -tterrace] Aha - the subway entrance threw me. I thought I had Battery Park not Bowling Green Park before me. Mea Culpa. What's the name again?Are you sure it's the Bowling Green Offices building? I'm just not positive, there are *only* four signs that say so... On a side note, the construction site next door reminds me of one of my favorite childhood stores, "Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel." Sixth Ave. lineThe elevated line in the picture is the Sixth Avenue line, on Trinity Place. The Ninth Ave line is on parallel Greenwich St, behind those low buildings along Trinity Pl. Out of sight behind the Bowling Green Building, the two lines come together, and run through Battery Park to South Ferry Station. A bit of the jointly used structure is visible at the left of the picture. The site for the Cunard Building had been acquired by the City and cleared of older buildings, for construction of the BMT subway angling across from Trinity Place (under the IRT on Broadway) to Whitehall Street. After the subway was completed, the site was sold (with a permanent easement for the subway) and the Cunard Building built. At the north edge of the site, 39 Broadway was the original terminal of the Metropolitan company's 6th Ave line in 1878. The tracks curved from Trinity Place into this site and ended at Broadway. The original intention of the Metropolitan had been to continue across Broadway into Beaver Street, and then turn north paralleling the Third Ave el. At that time the Metropolitan was a competitor of the NY Elevated RR, which owned the 3rd and 9th Ave lines. When the two companies merged (1880?), this terminal was abandoned and the 6th Ave line made the junction with the 9th Ave to go to South Ferry. The company probably sold the Broadway frontage of the old terminal site, but retained a piece on the Trinity Place side, which was used for a terminal for a package express operation of the el. A siding from the 6th Ave line went into the top floor of this building. This would have been one of the buildings cleared for the subway construction. Hudson Terminal was several blocks to the right, out of the picture. (Two stops further uptown on the IRT, the BMT and the 6th Ave el). (The Gallery, Irving Underhill, NYC, Streetcars)
Behind the Boardwalk: 1900
... picture, at middle left you will see two piers into the ocean. The first pier comes into the land and ends in a building with two roof ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 2:53pm -

New Jersey circa 1900. "Atlantic City from lighthouse." To be continued! Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Channeling W.C. Fields...Ah, the old Absecon Lighthouse. Yes, indeed. Just like I remember it. What's that you say, young man? Seven dollars to climb to the top? For that kind of money, kid, you're gonna have to carry me up there. http://www.abseconlighthouse.org/ On the serious side, what a treat to see some of these old beauties of homes in their just-built glory. These in the foreground have a turn-of-the-century tract-house look to them. Then there's the obvious transition going on between indoor plumbing and ye olde outhouse. Probably a welcome change, given what looks to be a cold winter's day down below the lighthouse. Where'd everybody go?Wonderful photo. I assume it was taken very early in the morning, but it's still eerie to see all those houses with almost nobody around. Not the Atlantic City I remember!I remember the Atlantic City of the late 60's - early 70's; a run-down place of penny arcades and peep shows. Sort of like a worn out mistress desperately trying to hold on to her youth. You also didn't venture too far off the boardwalk - Atlantic City was a dangerous place. This shot, however, shows Atlantic City at her height and in all her glory. A vacation mecca for much of the central-eastern US. Grand homes, hotels with wide verandas, world-class attractions. What a place it must have been! What square did I land on?Where are all the green houses and red hotels? MissingI kept staring at the houses and their lots because something seemed to be missing. It took me a while but I finally figured it out -- driveways. Charming old ACThe years have not been kind to Atlantic City. I love the photos on this site of this great city in her heyday. When I ride my bike around AC today, I revel in the hidden bits of faded glory that still exist. The earlier poster may not have noticed that it is winter. Jersey shore towns tend to get a little desolate in winter. My guess is that hasn't changed much in 100 years. AC's early Steel PierIf you blow up the high def picture, at middle left you will see two piers into the ocean. The first pier comes into the land and ends in a building with two roof turrets. That is AC's early famed Steel Pier. The Golden Age of the CupolaThe better to see the Monopoly streets. Found one old houseI've been browsing this area with Google Earth trying to find even one of those pretty houses which are plenty in the photo. They've been mostly torn out, but I think I found one: It is a four-floor house standing by the S Congress Avenue, on the middle right of the photo. It has a hipped roof with an odd flat appendix on the top of it. Great! Home ImprovementThat house mentioned by Aarno on South Congress is still there surrounded by a sad and tired emptiness. All of this within a stone's throw of boardwalk casinos. The house has fairly recently enjoyed the benefit of a crappy vinyl siding job and new windows. There are probably a few more houses standing in the immediate vicinity of Congress Avenue that can be found in the photo. It is difficult to see the neglect of this area now (and the last 50 years) when contrasted with the pride of craftsmanship from 1905. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Alligator Joe: 1904
... and described his shtick as wrestling an alligator in the ocean, then climbing on its back and riding it back to shore. And an ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/06/2013 - 11:51pm -

Palm Beach, Florida, circa 1904. "Alligator Joe and his pets." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The badgeThat's a hotel porter's cap. The porters drove (or pushed) guests around in those wicker rolling chairs. ComboI see supper, shoes, and a purse! I think those are crocodiles.Long tapered snout, and toothy smile. Poke gator grannyThat granny in black seems awfully eager to get a close-up look at those gators. Apparently, not all Victorian ladies had overly refined sensibilities! She puts me in mind of Tweety Bird's owner -- and who's that in the bowler -- Calvin Coolidge? 121Curious about the badge on the black man's cap. Any ideas? Chairman of the BoredHe was one among hundreds of bicycle chair drivers employed by the hotels to convey guests around the island. Aside from trolleys and rail cars, bicycle chairs were the only wheeled vehicles allowed on Palm Beach at the turn of the century. Alligator Joe Campbell, 1872-1926"Alligator Joe" Campbell was the originator of alligator farming in America and the owner of the former Florida Alligator Farm in Jacksonville. More here. Alligator Joe on Cemetery TourOur Pilot Club will have a historical tour April 24-25 in Evergreen Cemetery. Joe and Sadie will be part of the tour including 21 other stops. Guides will lead you to dramatists and storytellers bringing history to life. Alligator Joe franchise?The NY Times of March 3, 1907, gave Alligator Joe's real name as Warren Frazier, and described his shtick as wrestling an alligator in the ocean, then climbing on its back and riding it back to shore. And an advertisement in the Times for April 11, 1907, remarked on what beautiful leather goods could be made from the hides of any creature like "the dusty and sleepy alligators on 'Alligator Joe's' farm at Palm Beach." (The Gallery, DPC, Florida, Travel & Vacation)
Don't Go Near the Water: 1918
... circa 1918. "Studebaker sedan off Great Highway at Ocean Beach." In the background, below the Sutro Heights observatory and ... Whenever we went near the water on a weekend trip be it ocean, lake or river I would be outfitted in my Keds High Tops, bathing suit ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/21/2016 - 2:40pm -

San Francisco circa 1918. "Studebaker sedan off Great Highway at Ocean Beach." In the background, below the Sutro Heights observatory and parapet, is the future site of Playland Amusement Park. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. About that About that diamondEven if it defies modern logic, I believe that there is indeed glass behind glass, and that the diamond emblem is adhered to the inside of the windshield. As evidence, there appear to be reflections consistent with an upper inner glass pane that match the reflections on the lower one. Same apparent thing can be seen here on this Duesenberg: https://www.shorpy.com/node/20692 But I'm sure there are plenty of Shorpian car experts who can clear this up for us, just as I'm sure that examples of this contrivance have survived to modern times. Until then, my best guess is that the outer upper pane was designed to keep rain from falling on the inner upper pane, which probably worked pretty well as long as you kept your speed under 5 mph or so. YMWYoung Miss Witherspoon? You're Most Welcome? Yo Mama Waddles? Cliffs of Dover ?That lady looks like Edith on Downton Abbey Don't Go Near The Water Indeed!Anyone who has ever dipped a toe into the water off S.F. knows that it is very cold year round (and the cause of the summer fog for which it is so famous). On the other hand, Playland used to be a lot of fun before it was razed for oceanfront condos. I always enjoyed Sutro's though, on the other side of Land's End. It was a very funky place full of surprises and an ice skating rink! P.S. Just noticed that giant, yet clear, external visor on the front windshield. Then I noticed the reason why - the old Stude does not have windshield wipers! Not even the manual variety. Fortunately, S.F. does not get a lot of rain but they do get lots of fog which, when heavy, tends to stick to the window and obliterate your vision. Opening the doors, from outsideVery interesting exterior door handles on the Studebaker; wonder how well they functioned? What sort of tire?Goodrich Quick-Detachable? Easy to change in event of flat? Mystery diamondWhat is the diamond-shaped emblem in the windshield? Also of note is the apparent effort made by the photographer to erase the tire marks that would have been made in the sand by driving the car to this location. About that diamond...I could be wrong, but I think that might be a sign behind the car. My reason is that the upper half of the windshield is cranked out and the diamond sign is on both sides of the separation. As they wouldn't have another piece of glass behind the first, the sign must be elsewhere. Thank You MomWhenever we went near the water on a weekend trip be it ocean, lake or river I would be outfitted in my Keds High Tops, bathing suit and tee shirt so the water was always a go except if I ate then I would have to wait an hour before going in. A person could get cramps, ya know. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Kids, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Cold War Christmas: 1960
... Force lieutenant whose plane was shot down over the Arctic Ocean by the Russians, came home in January 1961 after six months in Lyubyanka ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/07/2008 - 3:27pm -

Christmas 1960. "Mrs. McKone, RB-47 wife." John McKone, an Air Force lieutenant whose plane was shot down over the Arctic Ocean by the Russians, came home in January 1961 after six months in Lyubyanka Prison. Blurry but atmospheric Kodachrome by Grey Villet, Life photo archive. View full size. Col. McKoneIn a 1996 interview Col. McKone discussed the incident in the context of the 1960 presidential elections. Richard Nixon's running mate, Henry Cabot Lodge, had been a harsh critic of Soviet behavior back when he was ambassador to the United Nations. The release of the two surviving crew members in early 1961 was seen by some as a goodwill gesture toward the new Kennedy administration. Wonderfully EvocativeSo evocative of that time period. Military wives trying to make Christmas "normal" when the father wasn't there. I can remember a lot of pictures like this being taken to send overseas. I'm sure there are a lot of similar shots being taken now. The rest of the story1 July 1960 A US Air Force ERB-47H Stratojet (53-4281) of the 38th Strategic Reconnaissance Squadron, 55th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, flying over the Barents Sea was downed by Soviet pilot Vasili Poliakov, flying a MiG-15 Fagot. Co-pilot Bruce Olmstead and navigator John McKone survived and were taken captive. The pilot, Bill Palm and ELINT operators Eugene Posa, Oscar Goforth and Dean Phillips were killed. Olmstead and McKone were released from Soviet captivity on January 25th, 1961. Bill Palm's remains were returned to the US on July 25, 1960. Eugene Posa's remains were recovered by the Soviets, but never returned to the US. It's nice but...It's a great picture but with these LIFE posts I'm starting to miss the 'History in HD' I'd like to see. If only Google could post higher resolution scans of these great photos. Holy Tinsel!I know helicopter parenting is a relatively new phenomenon, but I can't help worrying that the baby is going to pull those copious amounts of low-hanging tinsel down and eat it! Of course, that baby is probably sitting somewhere right now embarrassing his grandkids with the story of his tinsel-filled diapers on Christmas morning. XmessWow. What awful Christmas trees we used to have. At least it's not the aluminum one that was illuminated only by a a separate revolving light that changed the entire tree to blue, then green, and then red. Those were the days. Lead TinselThe tinsel back then had lots of lead in it. As kids we'd wander the neighborhood the week after Christmas collecting tinsel off discarded trees and roll it into heavy marble sized balls. Appreciate the comment about military wivesThis picture could almost have been my mother, my sister and I, and our baby brother, one of the four years that Dad was away serving our country during Christmas. Having a parent in the military requires sacrifice from the rest of the family, too. Major Eugene PosaMy grandfather was Major Eugene Posa. I grew up never knowing much about him, since my Grandmother could never bear to talk about what happened. I knew bits and pieces throughout the years and finally in my Grandmothers last years she was able to speak about my Grandfather. She was never truly the same since news of his disappearance and it had lasting effects on both my mother and my aunt who were 10 and 11 when it happened. I have always been interested and have read all I could find regarding what happened. However one day I hope the where abouts of my Grandfathers remains will be known. So we can give him the proper burial he so deserves. That is all my Grandmother ever wanted. (Christmas, Kids, LIFE)
Spring Break: 1905
... the distance, from the left are Miami Beach (then called Ocean Beach) and the islands of Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. In later ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 12:56pm -

Miami circa 1905. "On the shore of Biscayne Bay, Florida." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. The Shadow Knows!Exposed! You can hide behind the camera but you can't hide behind your own shadow. Man with a view camera taking a picture of a man with a view camera taking a picture. Interesting. Very busy photo!Lots going on here! There's a Photographer taking a picture, a couple bent over looking at something and it appears those kids in the foreground sent their Chauffeur out to build them a sand castle. Dinner KeyThis would be Dinner Key in the historic section of Miami known as Cocoanut Grove (later spelled "Coconut"). Other than a small beach downtown, Dinner Key was the only sandy beach along the bay front and a popular picnic spot, hence the name. The natural stone escarpment is the tail end of the Silver Bluff. In the distance, from the left are Miami Beach (then called Ocean Beach) and the islands of Virginia Key and Key Biscayne. In later years, this area was filled in and became a seaplane base and home of Pan American Airways. The old PAA Terminal is today's Miami City Hall. Rock fans will remember Dinner Key as the location of an infamous 1969 Doors concert which led to the arrest of Jim Morrison. IntegratedI always like seeing that in some areas, some venues, blacks and whites could sit in equal, unseparate enjoyment. PainterLooking out at those sailboats Winslow Homer would feel like painting. Where's the sun?Why isn't everybody's shadow falling in the same direction? [Because the sun is directly behind the camera, the effect heightened by the relatively wide-angle lens, as shown in the example below from this page. - tterrace] Sand peopleIt appears as they two people have either been buried in sand or someone made sand people. Also, if this really is Dinner Key, these folks are very close to the set of the USA Network show Burn Notice, in the old Coconut Grove Convention Center. It is also on the far left of the Pan Am seaplane photo in the comments. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Florida, Miami, Swimming)
Crank It: 1925
... was enabling the first accurate and rapid mapping of the ocean floor. His development of one of the Navy's earliest operational Sonar ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/10/2012 - 5:05am -

June 29, 1925. "Dr. H.C. Hayes of U.S. Naval Research Lab, Bellevue, D.C." I'll bet that knob goes up to 11. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Safety firstThey wisely turned off the power to the transmitter before letting the guy in the suit touch the knob. Notice the voltmeter in the upper right corner of that panel goes up to 2500V DC, and the lower right ammeter goes up to 2 Amps. That is enough power to do some damage, and to transmit a signal pretty far. It's reasonable to assume that the motor-generator set makes the high voltage DC. There's likely to be a rather large transmitting tube behind the big panel. Tune for Minimum SmokeIn my early ham radio days vacuum tube equipment with its high voltage requirements was the rule. The ham joke when tuning a transmitter was to aim for minimum smoke. Tuning was the process of getting the maximum amount of power from the transmitter into the antenna for a given transmission frequency. The gent appears to be doing this. Having received a few minor pokes from equipment over the years, these old photos with exposed knife switches and fuse blocks still give me the willies. No Master!NOT THE THIRD SWITCH!!!!!!!! Keep Off!Not out, but "off." And in chalk, at that. Hi-Fi"Can't wait to play my Jolson records on this baby, oh mammy!" InspirationalA decade later, Charlie Chaplin, motivated by this photo, created the classic film "Modern Times". Happy machineIn a goofy way. Two questions:1) What's behind that door that could be more dangerous than the rig Dr. Hayes is working on? 2) Why put a screen door between (presumably) two interior spaces? "Alright, Miss Lane""This bunker is lead-lined, so even Superman can't save you. Now talk... where did you hide those diamonds?" GeeI always wondered how they made applesauce. M-G SetThe motor-generator set was most likely used to provide power for the transmitter tube's filament ("A+" voltage.) Tube of that era did not have indirectly heated cathodes and needed a source of pure DC at low voltage and high current. The only way to get that back in the day was either batteries or a DC generator. Mercury rectifiers handled the high voltage, relatively low current "B+" voltage. The commutator of a DC generator would have a hard time dealing with several thousand volts. A great look at some interesting equipment from the dawn of radio. The Gent in the Suitis Dr. Harvey C. Hayes (1878-1968), the pioneering research physicist in underwater acoustics who served as superintendent of the Naval Research Laboratory's Sound Division from 1923 to 1952. At the time this photo was taken, Dr. Hayes's new sonic depth finder was enabling the first accurate and rapid mapping of the ocean floor. His development of one of the Navy's earliest operational Sonar systems and other work in underwater acoustics would play a major role in the eventual destruction of the German submarine fleet during World War II, and much of his work continues to influence oceanographic research and marine technology innovations worldwide. The Dr. would have been proudUSNS Hayes. Optional CaptionIn this rare 1946 photo taken by his then-partner Clayton "Doc" Kauffman, Clarence "Leo" Fender powers up his original Champ amplifier. Off camera is employee George Fullerton playing an early Fender lap-steel guitar. Soon, a change in the circuitry to incorporate vacuum tubes allowed Fender to reduce the size of this amp to a much smaller 11″ x 12″ x 7-1/4″, yet many pro guitarists today choose to play through this ungainly and increasingly scarce model, citing clarity of tone and the ability to distort at higher output levels. A tweed-covered model was also available. (Technology, The Gallery, Natl Photo)
Galveston: 1905
... To keep deep water out, But the high tide from the Ocean spread the water all about. Wasn't that a Mighty Storm" -- Huddie ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 1:21pm -

Circa 1905. "Seawall and beach at Galveston, Texas." 6½ x 8½ inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Galveston Seawall historyThis is probably the first section of the seawall [construction began on this section in 1902 and was completed in 1904], which was built as a result of the Galveston Hurricane of 1900. This initial section was a little over 3 miles long, and would be extended over the years as the Island's population grew westward. Probably the most interesting thing about the construction of the seawall was the grade raising that was also done as part of the seawall project. The bulidings, homes, and utilities on the east end of the Island [where the majority of population was located at the time] were raised as high as 17 feet, with the space below filled with mud and sand pumped from the floor of Galveston Bay--quite an engineering feat for its time. Check this web site for detailed information and photos concerning the grade raising: http://www.therealgalveston.com/Grade-Raising.html For over 100 years, the Seawall did exactly what it was intended to do--protect Galveston from major hurricane damage. Unfortunately, the Seawall met its match in Hurricane Ike in 2008, when the huge storm surge swept over the wall and caused massive flooding, even in the highest part of town directly behind the wall. But, to show that the Island residents' sense of humor survived Ike, I was down there earlier this year and was in some bar on the Strand (old downtown district). A line was painted on the wall about 7 feet above floor level, indicating the "Hurricane Ike High Water Mark", and just under that, "You must be at least this tall to get drunk in this pub!" Post-HurricaneIn 1900, a huge hurricane devastated Galveston, killing thousands. Part of the problem was the lack of a seawall. The highest point in the city was only 9 feet above sea level, so when the storm landed with its 15 foot tidal surge, the result was utter destruction. The seawall shown here was built in 1902, and is now 17 feet high. It stood up to the 12 foot storm surge of a 1915 hurricane, though Hurricane Ike in 2008 spilled water over it. RebarThat has to be a pioneering use of reinforced concrete, yes? Hurricane of 1900Just finished reading the book "Isaac's Storm" by Erik Larson about the extremely deadly hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900. According to Larson, this seawall was built as a result. About 8,000 people died, and it was costlier than Hurricane Katrina. Off the mapThe seawall and grade raising were significant engineering feats of their time. However, they couldn't stop the loss of prestige that Galveston suffered after the storm -- Galveston had been the most prosperous and glamorous city in Texas before the 1900 hurricane, but was later surpassed by Houston and Dallas. Another good book to read is John Edward Weems' "A Weekend in September." Published in 1957, Weems interviewed numerous survivors who offered gripping, and sometimes inspiring, eyewitness accounts of the horrors of that weekend. An interesting note is that one could still see high water marks from the flood on some of the since-raised houses, even in the 1950s. Galveston Had a Seawall"Galveston had a seawall To keep deep water out, But the high tide from the Ocean spread the water all about. Wasn't that a Mighty Storm" -- Huddie Ledbetter Point of orderThe board of engineers that designed the Galveston seawall was chaired by retired Brigadier General Henry Martyn Robert (not Roberts), best remembered to posterity as the author of the Pocket Manual of Rules of Order for Deliberative Assemblies, more readily known as Robert's Rules of Order. Hurricane IkeA lot of Ike's damage in Galveston was the storm surge that came from the bay side of town, which is not protected like the beach side. The historic commercial district The Strand took 8 feet or more of water. I was down there for Mardi Gras 2009, and someone had painted an Ike "high water mark" on a building in The Strand. The WallIt is my understanding (from being a local - living in an evac zone on the mainland just north of Galveston) that the seawall did its job during Ike, but that the flooding was from the storm surge moving around the seawall, especially through the harbor entrance and to a lesser extent, the non-protected west side. The surge inundated the island from behind. The good aspect of this is that it was flooded rather than scoured with a powerful tidal force, like Bolivar on the other side of the harbor with no sea wall. The storm surge fiercely destroyed, scoured and eroded the peninsula, while Galveston proper (behind the seawall) was more 'gently' flooded. The seawall is still only going to serve mostly to break the forward advance, but the fact is the island slopes down and away from it toward the bay, and any significant storm surge will flood. The surge won't slam and scour, though. Hurricane Ike was not too bad of a wind storm, its damage was the massive, unusually large surge. Wind-wise, Galveston has endured worse, we even kept our roof, but surge-wise it was massive! Without the seawall it would have been cataclysmic. Good engineering 100 years old still doing its job! Looking eastThis may have been taken around 15th or 16th Street looking east, as you can see where the wall makes a jog to the left, out of sight, in the distance. That's between 12th and 13th Streets. Other serious hurricanes came through in 1909 and 1915, and it was discovered that the small rocks shown here at the foot of the wall were insufficient to protect it, and larger, pink granite "rip-rap" were put down instead. In the distance one cane see a steam crane, possibly at work laying the rocks at the foot of the wall farther east. (The Gallery, DPC, Swimming)
Mother: 1933
... the word sand, you may think of a child's sand box or an ocean beach. Yet we depend on industrial sand for many uses. ... (The ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2012 - 11:36am -

1933. "Mrs. Vincent P. Ahearn, portrait." Mr. Ahearn was executive secretary of the Industrial Sand Association. Harris & Ewing Collection. View full size. UndepressedThe Depression is not touching them. Good GriefIt's Charlie Brown! PlaytimeIndustrial Sand Association! No doubt these charming rug-rats had the best sandbox in the city. AwwwwwAngelic, every one of them. Poisin'There is a calm poise to this mother and her children; they seem guileless. Perhaps Lewis Hine's children were actually more equipped for the turmoil of the outside world than this family. I wonder...If there was a "Sand Advisory Board"? No Joy for the MissusOnly one (slight) smile out of the four. I'm sure that's due to Mom not having an identity. When I was about 9 years old (mid 1950s), my mother got her picture in the local paper, being saluted for Community Chest work. I asked why she was listed in the caption as "Mrs. Harold E. Moore" instead of her own name. She replied simply, "That's the proper way to identify someone's wife." I told her she got gypped, and that I never wanted to be a girl. Parents, I guess, are used to this. I found it to be the same at school. I was known as "Justin's father." Only rarely was this convention abandoned. I do recall one parent who was referred to as "Cindy's Hot Mom." (Probably only by the dads). Beloved WifeWashington Post, Jan. 25, 1969 AHEARN, MARY BELLE On Thursday, January 23, 1969, Mary Belle Ahearn of 8024 Hampden Lane, Bethesda, Md., beloved wife of Vincent P. Ahearn Sr., mother of Mrs. Richard H. Walsh, Mrs. Roland H. Berger Jr. of Camp Hill, Pa., and Vincent P. Ahearn Jr.; sister of Mrs. Nonnie C. Geary of Nashville, and Mrs. Edward Brunn Bruner of Dallas. Also survived by 14 grandchildren. Services Saturday, January 25 at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Bethesda, where Requiem Mass will be offered at 9:30 a.m. Interment private. Please omit flowers. Early cloningAre the girls' names "Mini-Me I" and "Mini-Me II"? Hits and Mrs.I understand what prompted Tom's rage. I stand by my point that reducing someone's identity to their name is a strange measure (and, though I think he was joking on this score, that their mother's "lack of identity" is not the reason the kids look serious!) Also, I don't know the etiquette for actually calling someone by their married name to their face, but as for written addresses, it's still common practice to use "Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Smith," (unless the woman has kept her maiden name, in which case it would be "Mr. Thomas Smith and Ms. Jane Andrews".) Using "Mrs. Joyce Smith" would usually imply that the woman was widowed, or perhaps divorced (although "Ms. Joyce Smith" would be more standard for a divorcee.) So I don't anticipate too many double-takes. Anyway, use whatever name you wish. I just think it's a stretch to assume that women are automatically unhappy just because they share their husband's name. I have to read a lot of history where current ideas are projected backwards, often unfairly. Sort of a pet peeve of mine, so I apologize for the rant. Re: No JoyYes, I'm sure that's why they're not smiling. Ever try to get a three-year-old and an eight-month-old to smile when they're not in the mood? I think it's a remarkable portrait that they managed to get all the kids sitting still and looking at the camera. They probably wouldn't have taken 300 shots like they would today. It's a lovely family, and if you base someone's identity on their name, well, that's as strange of measure as any I've ever heard. You're entitled to be outraged on behalf of women who share their husband's names if you want to spend your energy on it, and if a woman chooses not to do so, then I think that's a matter between her and her husband. But not all women view this as some horrible symbol of masculine hegemony. When I get married, I'll be proud to share my husband's name as a symbol of of our partnership. I sincerely doubt that my "identity" will suddenly vanish and I'll become a cipher because my last name changes--just as I'm sure that this woman's did not. Maybe she was very happy to be Mrs. Ahearn, and maybe not, but at any rate, her feelings on the subject were probably unrelated to her last name. It's a slippery slope to judge people of the past with modern-day attitudes and ideas. They did not necessarily hold the same values as you do, and that does not automatically make them simple, oppressive neanderthals. Name ChangeCatherine, I'm pretty sure Tom was referring to the custom of a wife adopting not only her husband's surname, but of being addressed by his given name as well (i.e., if the First Lady called herself "Mrs. Barack Obama" instead of "Michelle Obama"). My grandmother's generation was the last one to do so as a matter of course, so if you do choose to revive the custom at some future date, be prepared for some double-takes. Brigadier Sir Charles Arthur Strong, Mrs.Yes, I'm pretty sure he was joking about the name affecting her mood (hence, nothing to "stand by"), and I'm also pretty sure there was no "rage" anywhere, either. More to the point, we weren't talking about the couple being addressed together, but of the wife being addressed by (or addressing herself by) her husband's given name when she's on her own. So your 2009 Christmas card having "Mr. and Mrs. John Smith" on the envelope might not be extraordinary (although in all but the most formal, conservative circles "John and Mary Smith" would be more likely), but if you show up solo to a parent-teacher conference and say, "Hi, I'm Mrs. John Smith," your kid's Kindergarten teacher is going to get nostalgic for the smell of Granny's lavender scented lace hankies. No one has mentioned itWhat a striking woman Mrs. Ahearn was, and what a pleasant, placid face she has. She radiates love and patience. I'm sure she was a most beloved wife and mommy. True Grithttp://www.sand.org/ When you hear the word sand, you may think of a child's sand box or an ocean beach. Yet we depend on industrial sand for many uses. ... (The Gallery, Harris + Ewing, Portraits)
The Heart of New York: 1907
... and Manhattan for delivery in the city or loading on to ocean going vessels. Thus explaining why all the great photographs I've seen on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 12:38pm -

Circa 1907. "The heart of New York (Manhattan skyline from Brooklyn)." The Singer Building rises. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Ghost TownNot a soul in sight! [They are there, just really tiny. - Dave] Even TodayThe best views of Manhattan are from Brooklyn, Queens and New Jersey. Singer TowerThe Singer (sewing machine company) tower, under construction was the tallest building in the world for a couple of years. It was demolished at a youthful 60-years old. Tall ShipsIt is interesting to see ships with masts and sails plying the waters around Manhattan. There is a large three masted ship tied up to the pier, slightly left of center. I can remember going to The South Street Seaport Museum to look at the Peking and the Wavertree. Indecently, the South Street Seaport Museum is located at Pier 16 On the East River. Pier 16 is the right hand pier of the two Mallory Line Piers. Transportation History DivinedI just realized how the waterfront railroad terminals in New Jersey worked! If you look closely, several of the barges are from the Lehigh Valley Railroad, which ran from that region of Pennsylvania to Jersey City. I must presume that the goods that were to be transshipped from freight cars to ships or the city itself were loaded on to barges and then delivered to the deep water piers in Brooklyn and Manhattan for delivery in the city or loading on to ocean going vessels. Thus explaining why all the great photographs I've seen on Shorpy feature so many small barges, lighters, and other riverine craft. I imagine the completion of the New York Central Railroad's High Line was a serious blow to the LVRR and other lines on the New Jersey side of the Hudson and the Holland Tunnel doubly so. Imagine what New York City would be like if there had been a more efficient rail system from New Jersey to the docklands of the East River. How did it take me so long to figure this out?! What's going on here?Heavy traffic out there! Up until the 1960s-1970s, various railroads transferred huge amounts of cargo to and from the city by barges called carfloats carrying rail cars. Several railroads had small switching yards isolated from their main lines fed by carfloats, plus warehouses as well. Those railroads also often had their own “navies” of tugs and barges to transfer cargo to and from ships in the harbor.. Note the covered barges (AKA house barges) in the foreground marked for the Lehigh Valley RR. The one at far right is owned by the Lackawanna RR. The covering structure allowed secure storage and protected cargo from the weather during transfer. Covered barges had side doors to allow direct transfer to freighters that also had side doors. The freighter in foreground right looks to be transferring cargo via one of the barge’s roof hatches located over its side door. At far left are 2 hold barges, apparently one with coal being loaded onto the ship alongside. Those barges were mostly owned by coal companies. A stick lighter (AKA gas hoister) is at bottom right with others elsewhere in the picture. Essentially a derrick on a barge, they were used to handle heavy/bulky items. The bigger one opposite is a self-propelled steam lighter. Those were used for making faster transfers of goods – no waiting for tug service. A good reference is “New York Harbor Railroads in Color, Volume 1” by Thomas R. Flagg (Morning Sun Books, 2000) (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, NYC)
Bar Harbor Panorama: 1901
... much earlier sunrise was, but remember the sounds of the ocean coming in the barracks windows at night from Schoodic Point. Tipping ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2021 - 11:05am -

1901. "The Harbor from Newport House, Bar Harbor, Mount Desert Island, Maine." Panorama made from two 8x10 inch glass negatives. Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Beautiful AreaNow there's a fine area as far as scenery goes; I lived in Winter Harbor (to the east across Frenchman Bay/Mt. Desert Narrows) several months in the spring of 1984 for technical school in the Navy, back when they had a facility in Winter Harbor. It was good "calendar picture country"; dotted with lighthouses and lobster fishing boats. Being from Pennsylvania, I noted how much earlier sunrise was, but remember the sounds of the ocean coming in the barracks windows at night from Schoodic Point. Tipping PointI hope Casanova was turning into the wake of the Frank Jones. It's awfully hard to swim in a wool suit or a linen dress and boots. Steamship named after brewer?I'm guessing the steamship pulling into port is named after Frank Jones the famous Portsmouth brewer and investor: https://www.nhmagazine.com/the-history-of-frank-jones/ Tourism had picked up in 112 yearsTook this from the same spot in 2013. Veranda with a ViewThis lovely merged view was likely acquired from the Newport House veranda, shown here in a colored postcard from ~1905. Note: The plantings have grown. PhotochromDPC themselves had the same idea. They made a colored version as a postcard, using the Photochrom process. Today this area is called Agamont Park and Newport Drive. Found the postcard in Maine's Statewide Digital Museum. In reply to Alex - PhotochromThe postcard color image looks exactly like the page image - except the sky seems different. There's an interesting short on Youtube that goes into this topic; how postcard companies often used the same set of 'sky templates' that were inserted into postcard images to make them more interesting. Thus you would get hundreds of postcards from around the country with exactly the same sky. (Panoramas, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
Sport Mart: 1923
... bathing suits; must be for those January 1st dips in the ocean. Toymaker I suspect the "Toymaker" box near the door is a kit for ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/18/2013 - 5:40pm -

Washington, D.C., 1923. "Sport Mart, 1410 New York Avenue N.W." Continuing our day of window-shopping. National Photo glass negative. View full size. Twinplex StropperFound one of these in the attic of my grandparents' Lake Huron house in Michigan many years ago. Please Dave!!??Can we stop for a malted milk after window shopping? I promise we'll all be good. Converse All StarsThis is probably one of the last photos of a pair of Pre-Chuck Taylor Converse All Stars. In 1923 the patch was redesigned with Chuck Taylor's signature. Pure wool bathing suitsThey certainly must have itched! MizpahFront right, we have the No. 44 Mizpah Jock Supporter, which comes with a two week trial - just return it if you find it unsatisfactory. (Fortunately, it can be boiled, which was probably a wise thing to do before putting it on for the first time, given the return policy.) A more intimate version of Mizpah jewelry, perhaps? "The Lord watch between me and thee, when we are absent one from another," indeed! $3.95 for a wool bathing suitSuspect the itching and scratching were free of charge. Sports Technology!Based on the description found on Google Books, I was excited to see the Brooks Golf Stroke Counter. I thought it counted stokes by detecting the movement of the arms in a swing, kind of like a pedometer detects steps, which would make it a seminal device. Alas, I learned from patent application 1,460,842 granted on July 23, 1923 that the golfer had to click it to count his strokes, thereby making it subject to cheating despite the claims to the contrary. What easier way to cheat in golf than "forgetting" to click your high-tech counter? "A huge maintenance hassle"To quote Dave on awnings, three posts back (One-Chevy Home:1964). For evidence, please note the narrow panel of the awning, running the width of the shop, just above the fringe with the name and address, where one can view holes that have been patched and holes that have not been patched. KedsGee, I had no idea Keds went back that far. That was what we had before there were Nikes, Reeboks, etc. And wool bathing suits sound so uncomfortable. For members of the Polar Bear ClubPure wool bathing suits; must be for those January 1st dips in the ocean. ToymakerI suspect the "Toymaker" box near the door is a kit for casting figures in lead. Can you imagine the outcry if you were to attempt to sell such a toy today? People would be apoplectic! Give me back my THING MAKER! Sure, I have a scar or two from the hotplate, but it was worth it. [Used with wood. - tterrace] My old neighbor ChuckLove the Converse All Stars. Shoes invented by Chuck Taylor, who spent some time in my hometown of Azalia, IN. Sport Mart MerchandiseSport Mart had locations at 914 F St. N.W., 1303 F St. N.W., and 1410 N.Y. Ave. N.W. The following lists some of the suppliers for the sporting goods they carried (compiled from Jun 5, 1923 Washington Post). D. Nusbaum Co., Union Course, L.I., Bathing Suits. John Spicer, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y., Bathing Suits. Gantner & Mattern, San Francisco, Calif., Bathing Suits. Armstrong Knitting Mills, Boston, Mass. Distinctive Knit Jackets. Revere Knitting Mills, Malden, Mass, Sweaters. Kenneth Harbison, Inc., 720 Herkimer St., Brooklyn, N.Y., Athletic Clothing. E. Weisbrod Sons, Greenfield, Mass., Leather Bill Folds. Newtown Line Co., Homer N.Y., Fish Lines. Pflueger's Fishing Tackle, Enterprise Mfg. Co., Akron, Ohio. H.S. Frost Co., New York, N.Y., Snelled Fish Hooks.
Mixed Message: 1917
... appearing to be surrounded at the waterline by a tiny ocean made out of whatever they used to fill Easter baskets before plastic ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/20/2012 - 4:05pm -

New York, 1917. "Actors' Fund Fair." Break a leg, if it doesn't get shot off first. 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Turrets SyndromeRarely do we see such warm, open inviting smiles on Shorpy; surely these nurses were chosen for the kind, supportive ends of this event. Why, I'll bet you'd have to trigger a search far and wide to sight others of this caliber. Kilroy?I think I see Kilroy in the background Can I have the first dance?You there, dear. Sitting down, third from the left. That twinkle in the eye has absolutely taken my breath away. sublimePJ, that is one of the coolest sublime comments I've seen on Shorpy Or else?Dance Mister! 7000 Attend Actors' Fair OpeningThe Actors' Fair was a charity fundraiser that netted about $80,000 during its twelve-day run in May, 1917, at the Grand Central Palace on Lexington between 46th and 47th. Built in 1911, the Grand Central Palace was a 13-story office building with three floors of public exhibition and entertainment halls and meeting rooms. It also housed the main New York induction center for American military recruits during World War I. The formidably guarded Army-Navy Tea Room was located in a partitioned section of the main exhibition hall's balcony. According to the NY Times, 7,000 attended the first night's festivities, which were opened by Woodrow Wilson pressing a telegraph key from the White House. Louise Homer sang the National Anthem from the balcony, accompanied by the 22nd Regiment Band from Governor's Island and the Marine Corps Band from the Brooklyn Navy Yard. The Fair included booths of goods donated by more than 500 merchants, and hawked to the crowds by popular New York stage celebrities. A full account of the fair's opening night is online at the NY Times Archive. http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9C04E0DD123AE433A25750... Missing the star of the showAft of the weapons and abeam a couple of the dancing nurses (or nursing dancers), that folksy ship model is center stage, appearing to be surrounded at the waterline by a tiny ocean made out of whatever they used to fill Easter baskets before plastic grass was invented. Pro Patria PosterHere's that "For The Fatherland" poster, which, in Latin, probably did not look too Germanic to World War One American eyes. Well girlsif these guns don't make them dance, nothing will. How big?Looks like a final decision on the size and location of the 'cross' was still pending. Great photo. (The Gallery, G.G. Bain, NYC, WWI)
Bachelor Miner: 1937
... Maybe he's a Welshman and the picture reminds him of the ocean. Maybe he just wants a scene with sunlight. I have a miner friend here in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/11/2013 - 12:12pm -

March 1937. Scotts Run, West Virginia. "Employed bachelor coal miner at home in Sessa Hill. This scene is typical of hundreds of bachelors who belong to a group of immigrants whose family was separated by immigration restrictions. This man may, or may not, have a wife in another country." Photograph by Lewis Wickes Hine. Decor by Coca-Cola. Large format acetate negative. View full size. 3 calendarsOr maybe he's covering something up? Art is where you find itI think our miner just wanted something on his walls, and calendars were free. Maybe he's a Welshman and the picture reminds him of the ocean. Maybe he just wants a scene with sunlight. I have a miner friend here in Utah who just hates to go to movies, because he's in the dark all day and wants light. Another possible reasonOften, you'll see several calendars up, with current plus succeeding months displayed, but why a lonely miner would want that kind of scheduling, and why it would be last year's calendar, I can't guess. Better timesMaybe he has three of them because the subject matter of the calender reminds him of better times. Coca Cola fanThree copies of the Coke 50th anniversary calendar! Wyeth calendarThe Coca Cola 50th anniversary calendar hanging on the wall is done by the renowned illustrator N. C. Wyeth. It's a pretty picture, though why this miner wants to display three copies of the same calendar is a puzzle. About that helmetMy paternal grandfather, who emigrated from Europe in 1893 (naturalized in 1906), was a coal miner in Pennsylvania. Here’s his May 27, 1899, miner’s license, cropped and reduced to get under the Shorpy Rule of 480 so I hope it’s reasonably legible. The misspelled last name was not uncommon when non-English speaking immigrants were processed through arrival ports such as Ellis Island back then. His son Joseph, my father’s younger brother, was killed in 1928 by a falling rock in a coal mine, just as this site’s namesake died five months earlier. He was 20 and at best would have been wearing a cloth cap similar to young Higginbotham's. The helmet in the photo, known as a turtle hat, was made either of boiled leather, canvas or a composite, glued and shellacked to create some level of protection. I think the fluted areas were meant to deflect what falling debris they could. The front plate held a carbide lamp, ignited by gas given off by dampened carbide pieces. I know from personal experience if you pour a handful of carbide in a big paper bag filled with cotton waste (a thin strand byproduct of cloth manufacturing), add a little water, tie it shut and let some gas build up, the resulting explosion that happens a second after dropping a sparkler on it will blow out a neighbor’s garage window in the alley not too far from your house where your parents are trying to listen to "Fibber McGee and Mollie". He should have keptthose calendars, one sold for $4,000 at an auction, they are extremely collectible May have ... May not have ...As my former professor of rhetoric might say, "Guess that covers all the bases." Garrison Keillor's bachelor Norwegian farmers could view this scene and have cause to rejoice in their own relatively less miserable surroundings. Mr. Struke -- thanks for sharing your ancestors' stories. I suspect that the ribs or ridges on the improvised helmet were meant to give it more rigidity, making it less likely to deform under impact to the detriment of the wearer's skull. The account of the conditions under which your forebears labored (particularly the poignant death of your uncle) help explain to a largely union-averse world of today the appeal of past labor movements and pugnacious leaders like John L. Lewis. Cap LampDon Struke is correct about carbides nature. It gives off acetylene gas when wet. I believe that even today all acetylene for cutting and welding comes from this process. As a collector of carbide lamps one of the first things I noticed was the cap lamp on the shelf behind the stove. Unfortunately the resolution of the image, my screen or my eyesight prevents me from seeing what brand of light this is. (The Gallery, Kitchens etc., Lewis Hine, Mining)
Shore Fastline: 1908
... connects Atlantic City, Pleasantville, Somers Point and Ocean City and by traffic agreement with the West Jersey & Sea Shore R. R., ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/22/2015 - 10:15am -

Atlantic City circa 1908. "Virginia Avenue from the Boardwalk." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Looks LikeAtlantic City was the location of the very first AARP convention! Or was it initially a 55+ only resort? Babyface Nelson?That baby up against the fence appears to have a goatee! Trains to Pleasantville!Upon arrival, the photo will become colorized, and the women will toss away their bustles and funny hats, and get uppity! Sweeney's Billiards, Pool and Bowling AcademySounds like a great place to pick up a Bachelor's Degree. YikesBefore solid infrastructure - Umm... Where is it now? Bench WarmersLove to look at these people soaking up the vitamin D and relaxing. Wouldn't it be great to sit there just one day all day and listen to and observe folks of that time. Atlantic City & Shore Railroad American Street Railway Investments, 1908. Atlantic City & Shore Railroad. — Incorporated Oct. 21, 1905. This road connects Atlantic City, Pleasantville, Somers Point and Ocean City and by traffic agreement with the West Jersey & Sea Shore R. R., operates cars to Longport. Plant And Equipment.— Miles of track (electric), 44.8 of which 17 are leased; gauge, 4 ft. 8½ in.; 20 cars; overhead and third rail. Power rented from West Jersey & Sea Shore R. R. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Railroads, Streetcars)
Long Beach Parade: 1953
East Ocean Blvd. and North Locust Avenue, Long Beach, California. Stamped on the ... All gone In the 1990s I lived at Linden Ave and Ocean Blvd, a few blocks to the east of this location. Needless to say, ... of us is wearing an American Legion cap In the 1970s Ocean Blvd took a downward turn and crashed economically and socially, though ... 
 
Posted by Hoople365 - 03/16/2012 - 10:04pm -

East Ocean Blvd. and North Locust Avenue, Long Beach, California. Stamped on the back: This is a KODACOLOR PRINT. Eastman Kodak Company, week of August 17, 1953. I'm guessing this is a Veteran's Day parade. My parents had friends in California who presumably mailed them this photo. It's highly unlikely Mother and Father attended this parade, although they did drive from Michigan to California with 3 children; a feat to never be repeated. I love the pageantry and energy in this photo and wish I had more like this. One of the buildings shown in this photo is still standing. If I had to guess, this was a Veteran's Day parade. My parents had friends who resided in CA and mailed them this photo; I sincerely doubt that my parents attended this event. View full size. Green Dress Dead CenterSomeone should tell her: 'It's Snowing Down South.' All goneIn the 1990s I lived at Linden Ave and Ocean Blvd, a few blocks to the east of this location. Needless to say, everything we see here is gone. In 1953 Long Beach was very much a Navy town, so the bath house, along with locker clubs, provided sailors on liberty with places to refresh and change into forbidden civies. BTW, the old guy striding in front of us is wearing an American Legion cap In the 1970s Ocean Blvd took a downward turn and crashed economically and socially, though it was right the at the water and beach. The Pink Pussycat Theater was a porno house that set the standard for a while. Things are better now and the Long Beach Gran Prix is the highlight of the year for local race fans. The nearby marina is where I kept my sailboat. While I lived there life was sweet. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The Deep End: 1925
... of pastel yellow and coral, the pool tiles are a lovely ocean blue, and the ceiling... well, we just won't look up. Hey, the water ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/08/2013 - 6:43pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Central High School swimming pool." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Looks FamiliarThe swimming pool at Catholic U. in D.C. was also in the basement of the gym (now the architecture department) and the proximity of overhead beams posed the same problems when using the diving board. You had to gauge your "lift" very carefully. Grim SwimDepressing dip. The horse pitMy granddaddy decided to build a pool for all the grandkids in the late '60s - took a backhoe and dug a really deep pit (15 feet) and formed up the sides with plywood and poured concrete - didn't smooth or sand it or anything. It cut our feet to shreds. He didn't make any steps or anything - just put an aluminum ladder in it. A couple months later a neighbor's horse fell in and drowned. Granddaddy took the backhoe and filled in the pool -- horse and all. Still the biggest horse tomb in East Texas. Just Surreal!Goodness, what with the reflections and calm, clear water….. it's hard for me to tell topsy from turvy. One thing for sure though: I don't like this place very much. This is now the Cardozo poolLived pretty close to here. Used the facility for bathing purposes (to many people at home)and got in a good swim to boot. Actually, learned to swim here. Also to hold my breath for long periods under water. I was an asthmatic, but not after Cardozo. Oh dearI'm going to assume the walls are a bright, cheery combination of pastel yellow and coral, the pool tiles are a lovely ocean blue, and the ceiling... well, we just won't look up. Hey, the water is very clear. I do really love clear water. But I'm getting a touch of Inception-itis staring into this pool. Central High School correctional institutionI didn't realize they had swimming facilities in PRISON. Re: The Horse PitThank you for sharing that story-would make a hilarious scene in a movie! Down the Drain at CardozoCentral High is now called Cardozo. I found this article about the closing of the pool, and there is a modern day photo of the pool at the end of the article, and you can greatly enlarge the "Tradition of Pride" photo. Um, still scary--but the mosaic numbers are still intact. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Swimming)
Asbury Park: 1905
... olde beach photos, folks seem to just come and look at the ocean. Like, "Well, there it is, can we go home now?" Circa 1963 or ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2012 - 8:53am -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "On the beach, Asbury Park." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. AmazingIn many of these olde beach photos, folks seem to just come and look at the ocean. Like, "Well, there it is, can we go home now?" Circa 1963 or '64It was the summer I was 12 or 13, 1963 or '64, that my family travelled north to Asbury Park. My father was a snare drummer with the Washington, D.C. Pipe Band Denny & Dunipace. My mother & I decided to forego the competition at a nearby Scottish Games in favor of enjoying the Jersey shore. To one side of a long pier was a secured rope that to prevent drownings in the ravinging waters' undertow. It was on this particular overcast day that participation gave way to desire as we joined the fun of the others floundering & groping for the lifeline that determined their fate. Circa 1963 or '64It was the summer I was 12 or 13, 1963 or '64, that my family travelled north to Asbury Park. My father was a snare drummer with the Washington, D.C., bagpipe band Denny & Dunipace. My mother & I decided to forgo the competition at a nearby Scottish Games in favor of enjoying the Jersey shore. To one side of a long pier was a secured rope to prevent drownings in the undertow. It was on this particular overcast day that participation gave way to desire as we joined the fun of the others floundering & groping for the lifeline that determined their fate. Turtleneck swimsuits and wet dressesThe man on the left coming toward the camera had no idea that one day "clothing optional" beaches would be available almost everywhere. The countless ladies in wet dresses who just plop down on the naked beach sand and pretend to be comfortable would be mystified by all the crap and accouterments one must bring to the beach 106 years later in order to get a little "R&R." Just for starters, this would include a change of clothes, a towel and/or blanket and/or beach chair, a cell phone, a supply of bottled water, snacks, iPod or iPad for entertainment, sunglasses, hair-grooming supplies, sunscreen, all of this multiplied "per person", one or two giant totebags to cart everything in and perhaps a dozen other optional "necessities." One would think that during the past century, we would have learned to simplify and minimize our constant needs, but this picture proves we have instead added so much cargo to what we lug around with us everywhere that a simple beach visit getaway has become a burden. Since the whole idea of a day at the beach was comfort and easy fun, is that still the case in this day and age? Arms AkimboGramps seems to be disapproving of something. Just beyond his right shoulder, a young lass seems to be checking out one of the young men behind her. I disagree that those peopleI disagree that those people would be "mystified" by our need for various modern conveniences. I see plenty of people sitting on cloth of some kind, and obviously many people brought umbrellas. They would most likely love to have our gadgets, they just hadn't been invented yet. They would love sunglasses. They would love sunscreen (who likes sunburn?). Lightweight plastic containers for water would be wonderful (yes, people in the old days got thirsty, too). Lightweight folding aluminum beach chairs would be a miracle. If people didn't bring a change of clothes, it was because cleaning was so labor intensive. Like probably many on Shorpy, I feel a sense of longing for "simpler times", but I don't pretend those days were easier times, just because they seemingly had less "stuff". There's a reason we lug the stuff to the beach. Dashing man and sweet elderly coupleThis man in the turtleneck is James Bond-esque and oh so handsome. I found the elderly couple sitting together on the beach to be so sweet looking. I would have loved to hear their conversation. (The Gallery, Asbury Park, DPC, Swimming)
Par Avion: 1918
... to fly from Washington to Philadelphia. “The Atlantic Ocean and lack of gas prevent him going further,” Fleet said. Fleet’s ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/28/2012 - 1:41pm -

May 1918. Washington, D.C. "Air Mail, inauguration of service, polo grounds. Maj. R.H. Fleet beside Curtiss JN46H plane." Note the map tied to the major's leg. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. Reuben H. FleetThe pilot is Reuben H. Fleet who went on to found the Consolidated Aircraft company. The Science Museum and planetarium in San Diego's Balboa Park is named in his honor. Same plane as Lindbergh's!Hard to imagine now, with all the airports and navigational ads and what not, but it was a real challenge to fly from one city to another back then. No radio, no radar, almost no onboard instruments other than a compass, a level indicator and a clock... having to rely on visual references, and praying that there wouldn't be fog or rain in your route... wow. Those early pilots really had to be brave and a bit of daredavils, and the demeanor of this guy clearly shows those traits. Love that leatherMaj. Fleet appears to be well dressed for the cold in his leather flying suit. This outfit would make quite a statement today in Haute Couture society. Fleet's FactoryHow startling to see such a familiar San Diego face on Shorpy. Although there was already a burgeoning aircraft industry in San Diego when Fleet moved here in 1935 (Lindbergh's "Spirit of St. Louis" was built by Ryan Aeronautical in San Diego), the vast Consolidated Vultee Aircraft factory he built here and its output during World War II and the Cold War permanently transformed San Diego. The Convair aircraft factory stretched almost continuously for more than two miles along Pacific Highway, adjacent to Lindbergh Field, our airport on San Diego Bay and the Marine Corps Recruit Depot. Just one portion of the plant's Building One is visible in the 1943 photo below. Most of the factory is now long gone, but Building Two now houses the U.S. Navy's Space and Naval Warfare Systems Center (SPAWAR). The San Diego Aerospace Museum in Balboa Park houses the Convair/General Dynamics company papers and photo archives. www.aerospacemuseum.org/library/convair.html 1918 Navaids Back in those days they all flew IFR - as in 'I Follow Roads' (or Rails). Cold up there...One of our neighbours where I grew up had been a gunner on 2-seater WWI fighter/bomber aircraft, and he told me that it got to be -20 F "up there". They were dressed for bitter cold: even their faces were smeared with axle grease to prevent frostbite. As soon as I saw this picture, I remembered my neighbour's words. &*$#!I guess road-maps have always been tough to refold. Plenty of DangerIt was said that the early days of flying the mail was almost as bad as flying in combat. So many pilots were lost that the government had to suspend the program for a time. It sure was dangerous!Lindbergh himself crashed his mail plane twice between October 1925 and February 1927 due to bad situations he got into flying into Chicago. He fortunately bailed out each time. That first day had its adventuresThis was May 15 and until the U.S. Post Office hired its own pilots who took over on August 12, Fleet and six other army pilots carried the load, so to speak. The trips that day were to Philly and continuing on to NYC. Other flights left from New York for Washington. One pilot was Lieutenant George Boyle, chosen not because of his experience (he had fewer than 60 hours) but because his fiancee was the daughter of Interstate Commerce Commissioner Charles McChord. With President Wilson, other high level politicos and, I’d imagine, his admiring girl friend in the crowd, Boyle couldn’t get his Jenny started. Someone forgot to fuel it. That was a minor snag for the young aviator, though, because he got lost en route to Philadelphia and crashed in Maryland about 25 miles from takeoff. Another account says he got lost twice trying to fly from Washington to Philadelphia. “The Atlantic Ocean and lack of gas prevent him going further,” Fleet said. Fleet’s trip that day and the other pilots’ were completed. I wonder if the leaf hanging on the wire or cable held on all the way. He’s got his map folded exactly as I did on long car trips for years before GPS. He's drawn a straight line down to his first destination. Making a folded point at the one end contains the rest of the map underneath. Strangely, his map outline looks quite a lot like an overhead view of the SR-71 Blackbird (Los Angeles to Dulles in 58 minutes). Here is an excellent story about early air mail and its pilots, featuring the central Pennsylvania town of Bellefonte, the first refueling stop established for air mail flights. Lindbergh knew the field quite well; Wiley Post, Amelia Earhart, Eddie Rickenbacker, Will Rogers, Admiral Richard Byrd had reasons to land there, too. Many early air mail aviators were something special, including colorful pilot Harold “Slim” Lewis, of whom an admirer said, “He was the which than which there was no whicher.” http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/Slim_Lewis_Slept_Here.html?... The Air & Space site itself is terrific. (The Gallery, Aviation, D.C., Harris + Ewing)
A Ride on the Boardwalk: 1907
... convenient of the hotels in Atlantic City. Being at the ocean end of North Carolina avenue, it commands an unobstructed view of the ocean and the boardwalk, and during the twenty years that Mr. Leeds has been ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/09/2012 - 2:41pm -

The Jersey Shore circa 1907. "Haddon Hall and Boardwalk, Atlantic City." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Steamboat Gothic.It may not be on the Mississippi, but Haddon Hall certainly presents all the features of the style. AmpleLady on the right would be described by my grandmother as a Lady of Ample Bosom. Beautiful photo, thanks. Capturing life's momentsA great photo to study people of yesteryear. For instance, the handsome couple on the extreme right, strolling along in what appears to be an intense conversation. How cool would it be to recognize, from old family photos, your grandfather and grandmother or even great-grandma and grandpa in their youth? Also interesting in these type photos are the clothes of kids such as the little boy at the end of the ramp with shorts and one of those wide brimmed hats and the teenage girl with ribbons - just as we have seen in old movies. Shorpy is more than a business - it is a great service to understanding past times. Leeds & Lippincott Genealogical and Memorial History of the State of New Jersey, 1910. In 1890 he [Henry West Leeds] came to Atlantic City and opened Haddon Hall, in partnership with J. Haines Lippincott. Subsequently his mother sold out her interests in the Tremont House and joined with her son in operating Haddon Hall, and winning for it its wide and popular reputation as a homelike hotel. The hotel will accommodate four hundred and fifty guests, and is one of the most central and convenient of the hotels in Atlantic City. Being at the ocean end of North Carolina avenue, it commands an unobstructed view of the ocean and the boardwalk, and during the twenty years that Mr. Leeds has been connected with the house, he has established a most enviable reputation among people of culture and refinement. The house is beautifully furnished and decorated, and on its walls can be seen the best collection of water colors of any seaside resort hotel in the country. The hotel is open all the year. Stayin' FitI have a strong suspicion that pushing one of those carts about over the course of a season kept one in pretty good shape. I wonder how far these folks usually covered in a day. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
American Dream: 1960
... living five years in the inland south (no road salt, no ocean air). In 1965 I bought a 1955 Ford (Florida car, no radio - no ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/30/2015 - 8:21pm -

"Two-car families." Columbus, Georgia, circa 1960. Three Fords, an Oldsmobile and a Pontiac. 4x5 acetate negative from the News Archive. View full size. Day LaborThe two Fords in the foreground don't seem to fit the neighborhood. I suspect they belong to the masons laying the new brick garage behind the two story on the right. But Ward!My Bridge Club is due to arrive at any moment and Wally parked his Jalopy right in front of the house! Country SquireThe wagon may be a 1960 Ford Country Squire, need to see a bit more to be certain. [There's enough showing that we'd be able to see a sliver of the faux-wood side panel if it were, so this is a Ranch Wagon or Country Sedan. -tterrace] Rust BucketThe 1955 Ford seems to have a lot of rust for living five years in the inland south (no road salt, no ocean air). In 1965 I bought a 1955 Ford (Florida car, no radio - no heater) off of the Pentagon bulletin board and it had no rust. (purchased for $25.00.. sold 18 months [and one very cold winter] later for $25.00) Wonder if the '55 could be a transplant from the rust belt?? Chrome memoriesI learned to drive using a 1958 Pontiac Star Chief 4-door (4-speed automatic, 370 cubic inch 4-barrel) that was loads of fun to drive. And the chrome! My, oh my, the chrome! That '55 FordHas seen some hard times in its five years on the earth--looks more like it should in 1965. The Ford center framejudging by the rust, is visiting from Detroit or Buffalo Hey, what's the deal?None of these cars have smashed into each other. [It's not in Oakland. -tterrace] Chicago area.This architecture is characteristic of Chicago, where I grew up. The brick and the stone, the awnings, even the garage door design, makes me believe this photograph was taken, perhaps, in the Sauganash neighborhood. I have a hard time believing it is Georgia. Maybe that explains other comments about the rusted cars. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Columbus, Ga., News Photo Archive)
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