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Seagram: 1957
... by Pietro Belluschi in the Equitable Building in Portland, Oregon (1944-1947). The idea for the metal and glass curtain wall is generally ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 6:35pm -

New York. January 23, 1957. "Seagram Building, Park Avenue. Oblique view from northwest." Large-format negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. Bright Lights, Big CityAs a contractor in NY I have spent many days in this building and even though most people would pass it by and consider it in the same era as multiple other NYC buildings the mechanical infrastructure was decidedly from a past time. On another note the mostly underrated original GE building with its Deco crown is visible to the Seagram's right also a few blocks down is the Waldorf. Of interest to me at least the very Deco park ave light poles are still up with the original mercury vapor luminaires, also the last of the "greenies" two-light cast iron traffic poles are still in the median. I work for one of the companies that maintain and install NYC traffic and street lights. Watershed Building1st "curtain wall" constructed building in US? World? [The first curtain-wall building in New York was 1952's Lever House. Earlier examples elsewhere in the U.S. go back to the turn of the century. - Dave] Four Seasons restaurant is in the 51st Street side of the building. If you keep walking east on 51st and get to Lexington Avenue, that is where the famous photo of Marilyn Monroe with her dress blown up was taken. Manhattan -- something happened almost everywhere. Manhattan Tic-Tac-ToeWhat's with the markings on the windows of the three buildings at left? At first I thought all the X's were an indication the buildings were marked for demolition but some of the smaller windows have a pattern of X's and O's. Anyone know the significance? +53Below is the same view, south from 53rd Street, taken in April of 2010. Thoroughly ModernThe Seagram Building is a remarkable piece of architecture in its own right, but it also served as the turning point for several architects (including Philip Johnson) and was a prototype for many of Mies van der Rohe's building in the 1960s and '70s. Chicago, Montreal and Toronto all have Seagram Building "clones." Xs on WindowsAn "X" pattern of tape (masking or duct) is often placed on window panes to reduce the possibility of the glass shattering when being removed. In this case, possibly it was done because of vibration caused by the construction of the Seagram Building? And the one on the far left, fancifully turning the small windows into tic-tac-toe games as a sly reference to that procedure? World's most overrated buildingYes, it has better proportions and better materials than most modernist office towers, but that's like saying a particularly nice coat of fur makes one rat more attractive than other rats. At the end of the day, it's still a rat. It's cold and dehumanizing, removed from street life by an unused plaza and windows that cannot open. The ceilings are low. The fluorescent lights are oppressive. The orange tinted windows make everyone inside look jaundiced. The perpetual praise it gets from architects and critics — it routinely ranks among the ten most celebrated buildings of the past century — shows how barren those professions still are and why we are utterly incapable of building new environments that regular people love as much as those that predate WWI. [I've visited the Seagram Building and the Four Seasons restaurant a number of times. They still count among the higher attainments of American civilization. - Dave] The liquor motto:"Booze Builds" "Curtain Wall" BuildingsThe term "curtain wall building" is misleading, because the curtain wall was developed hand in hand with the structural innovation called the "skeleton frame" - which was developed in Chicago in the 1880s. Early skyscrapers had curtain walls made of brick, stone, and terra cotta; these curtain walls were not self-supporting but rather "hung" from the skeleton frame (usually iron, steel, or later reinforced concrete). The first skeleton frame building in New York was the Tower Building at 50 Broadway (Bradford Gilbert, architect, built 1888-1889, demolished 1914); this was exceptional because skeleton frame construction was not permitted by the New York City Building Code until 1892. The use of metal and glass for curtain walls was introduced by Pietro Belluschi in the Equitable Building in Portland, Oregon (1944-1947). The idea for the metal and glass curtain wall is generally attributed to Ludwig Mies van der Rohe. He designed theoretical projects for such buildings in Berlin in 1921 and 1922, but his first built examples were two apartment buildings in Chicago at 860 & 880 North Lake Shore Drive (built 1948-1951). In the Seagram Building, Mies adapted his design for 860 & 880, with one major change: the mullions on the facade are not steel, but bronze. (The Gallery, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Time and Tide: 1941
September 1941. "By the Pacific Ocean. Seaside, Oregon." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/18/2022 - 9:55pm -

September 1941. "By the Pacific Ocean. Seaside, Oregon." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Promenade HomeThese folks appear to be sitting on Seaside's Promenade in the only area with curved railings, the Turnaround. The Prom was built in 1921, so at 101 she looks good but has had some work: the railing cement looks different so it was renovated or replaced, and the lamps look old, but aren't the originals. Spread out!Social distancing, the early years. Edward Hopper was hereWas Ed coaching the photographer, or did this shot lodge itself in his mental trunk of painterly images? (The Gallery, Landscapes, Russell Lee)
Fishing Hole: 1941
May 1941. Malheur County, Oregon. "Glory hole of the Owyhee Reservoir. Water for the Vale-Owyhee ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/12/2021 - 12:32pm -

May 1941. Malheur County, Oregon. "Glory hole of the Owyhee Reservoir. Water for the Vale-Owyhee irrigation project is impounded here." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Certain Death?It would seem like being sucked down that hole would be certain death. Why is there no safety fence around the hole that would prevent a person or animal that had been unfortunate enough to be pulled into its swirling vortex? The only warning sign I can see is a 'No Fishing' sign - which obviously is being ignored. [Not so. Read the rest of the sign. - Dave] No gluts, no gloryIf there isn't enough water in the spring runoff, they aren't able to use the Glory Hole Spillway (err, Morning Glory Ring Gate). After some dry years, they had enough water to use the gate in 2017, and for several years after. Recently, they deliberately drew down water levels so they could do maintenance on the gate. OK, Let's Be ClearI would not want to fall in there! The hole? It's still there. But then, where else would it go? A Descent into the MaelstromThat hole in the water brings to mind the 1845 story by Edgar Allan Poe. Who knows what’s inside this Owyhee Reservoir hole? Possibly not what the storyteller in Poe’s tale found: "Never shall I forget the sensations of awe, horror, and admiration with which I gazed about me. The boat appeared to be hanging, as if by magic, midway down, upon the interior surface of a funnel vast in circumference, prodigious in depth, and whose perfectly smooth sides might have been mistaken for ebony, but for the bewildering rapidity with which they spun around, and for the gleaming and ghastly radiance they shot forth, as the rays of the full moon, from that circular rift amid the clouds which I have already described, streamed in a flood of golden glory along the black walls, and far away down into the inmost recesses of the abyss.” Glory holeI saw a picture of the gloryhole at flood stage and water was pouring down it at an alarming rate. The picture was captioned “Someone divided by zero.” A decent descent"Glory hole" -- you don't want to know what information you get if you "google" it! Look here for a decent description of the descent. (The Gallery, Agriculture, Industry & Public Works, Kids, Russell Lee)
Shooting the Bull: 1913
... According to stockyard authorities, about 200 short-horn Oregon steers were unloaded yesterday morning, consigned to various butchers in ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 10:16am -

Nov. 3, 1913. "Shooting bull, Central Park." 5x7 glass negative, George Grantham Bain Collection. View full size. Headline in the New York Times: MAN IS SHOT DEAD IN CHASE FOR STEER Frenzied Animal Tears Down Fifth Avenue, Police Shooting From Taxicabs. SEVEN OTHERS SCATTER Wild Bullet Slays a Watchman -- Waiter Is Wounded -- All the Beeves Caught or Killed. The steer which caused the excitement in Fifth Avenue was one of eight which escaped from the yards of the New York Stock Company at Sixtieth Street and the North River. In the pursuit another man was wounded, a policeman was trampled on, and a delivery wagon was wrecked. The excitement began about 4 o'clock yesterday morning and did not end until five hours later, when the last steer was shot to death in Central Park. The steer which alarmed Fifth Avenue was one of the wildest of the lot, and it was a police bullet fired at it which went wild and killed George Beattie, night watchman of the building under construction at 24 East 55th Street. ... The steer, bleeding from wounds, turned into Fifty-Fifth Street, followed by a string of revolver-popping automobiles. ... According to stockyard authorities, about 200 short-horn Oregon steers were unloaded yesterday morning, consigned to various butchers in the city ... Original Keystone Kops?"Police Shooting From Taxicabs" Good grief, maybe the Keystone Kops were a documentary. Running of the BullsPamplona has nothing on us. We not only had the the running of the bulls, but a Wild West shootout in Midtown Manhattan. There was the posse (cops in taxicabs), town folk killed and wounded as well as a stampede with one the Marshals trampled. I also learned about the North River, which is the southernmost part of the Hudson River. The best we can do now is an occasional shooting by patrons outside some nightclub in Chelsea. BeevesThanks for finally cluing me in the plural of beef! Neither my wife nor I had ever heard of "beeves". I looked it up in my dictionary and sure enough, it is the plural for beef! BeevesWe learned the plural of Beef in English probably back in the 6th grade, guess everyone did not have this or just did not remember. My great-grandfather!Can you tell me where this picture came from? The watchman who was killed by a stray police bullet was my great grandfather. I have seen the NY Times article before, but never this photo. Very cool! (The Gallery, Animals, G.G. Bain, NYC)
Hotel St. Charles: 1910
... is quite a bit of that style work out here in Portland, Oregon, especially on the older buildings built around 1900. Are we ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/08/2012 - 2:50pm -

Atlantic City, New Jersey, circa 1910. "Hotel St. Charles." It's getting to be that time of year again -- the season for bathing-costumes, salt air and Boardwalk rolling chairs. 8x10 glass negative, Detroit Publishing Co. View full size. Do Not Pass GoI hear the rent here is pretty steep--$750 per visit. Architectural EmbellishmentsI love those decorations along the top floor. They must have been difficult to put up, especially on that curved fascia. There is quite a bit of that style work out here in Portland, Oregon, especially on the older buildings built around 1900. Are we having fun yet?I didn't think so. The BoardwalkThe boardwalk was put up to keep hotel patrons from tracking sand into the lobbies. The St. Charles Hotel was one of the first to benefit. It had its own connection to the boardwalk. St. Charles Place holds a key position on the original Monopoly board, right next to Jail. The Showboat Casino now occupies this location. $750I believe this was the inspiration for St. Charles Place in the board game Monopoly -- rent $750 with a hotel on it! Double Duty RampsThis hotel killed two birds with one stone and gave their guests a unique perk. You could ride in your rented stroller back and forth from the beach to the lobby. Also, of course, the wheelchair bound folks are accommodated. Beautiful building in a beautiful cityAnd what a great sunny day! Definitely looks like the kind of place I'd like to spend my next vacation. Thus It Always Has Been.And thus it shall always be. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC)
Wedding Day Daguerreotype: 1854
... Van Buren Jones on their wedding day in Marion County, Oregon, Oct. 29, 1854. They met and fell in love while crossing on the Oregon Trail in 1852 when he was 21 and she was 14. He was traveling alone, ... 
 
Posted by DBerry53 - 10/02/2015 - 8:35pm -

This is my first post to Shorpy, so I may as well start with the oldest of the photos I have inherited from my grandparents. This is a daguerreotype of my great-great-grandparents, Maria R. Vaughan and Martin Van Buren Jones on their wedding day in Marion County, Oregon, Oct. 29, 1854. They met and fell in love while crossing on the Oregon Trail in 1852 when he was 21 and she was 14. He was traveling alone, while she was with her parents and siblings, who settled SW of the Portland area. He went down the coast to just south of the California/Oregon border, where he settled and became one of the founders of Crescent City, California. Once settled, he went back north, married her, and brought her back to Crescent City, making her the first bride there. They went on to raise a large family. He was born in New York state in 1831 and died on his timber claim near Klamath, Del Norte County, California, on March 31, 1884. She was born in Peoria, Illinois, Dec. 14, 1837, and died in Crescent City on June 6, 1926. I grew up in her old house. View full size. Fascinating storyIt would be interesting to know a bit more about their lives, but even so, the photo offers a lot to one's imagination. Customs, standards have changed so much in a hundred years, that one cannot help wondering what it will be like in another hundred years' time! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
The Busy Kitchen: 1941
... years. Vale-Owyhee irrigation project, Malheur County, Oregon." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/16/2019 - 1:34pm -

May 1941. "Mrs. E.E. Botner, wife of FSA rehabilitation borrower, wringing laundry in electric wringer. This family has been on the project for about five years. Vale-Owyhee irrigation project, Malheur County, Oregon." Medium format negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. Wringer Washer PrimerSeveral years ago a friend of mine in Vancouver, B.C., bought a Maytag wringer washer that had never been used in forty years since it was new. We fired it up, and I made a YouTube video of its first operation. For those unfamiliar with wringer washers, this should help out. I used machines like this decades ago. In Canada, wringer machines outsold automatics until 1968. In the U.S.A. this point was reached in 1951. One reason for this was that an automatic in Canada cost triple the price of a wringer washer. I have a 1944 Beatty wringer washer I still use from time to time. Dangerous wringersBack in the '50s my cousin got caught in one of those wringers. It chewed most of the skin off the bottom of his arm before my aunt could get it turned off. He had to wear a brace for several months to hold his arm out so the skin would heal properly. They were afraid his arm would be stuck to his side if they hadn't. Kid memoryRGraham's photo brought back a long lost memory that made me smile. My mom had a mangle and I loved lying on the floor under it in the kitchen as the warm ironed sheets came off the roller on me as we listened to radio programs like "Life With Luigi" or Henry Aldrich. What's not to loveElectric stove and washing machine, running water -- all the modern conveniences in 1941. Reminds me of the Uriah Heep tune EZ Livin'. The rest of the story ...Out of curiosity, I looked up Census Bureau records based on her husband's name, and it is likely Mrs. E.E. (Lula) Botner was about 45 when this photo was taken. It appears she died in 1970 in Idaho. I expect she was probably plumb worn-out! Life was tough for us ladies back then. Thet weren't called mangles for nothingLotta fingers (and occasionally other parts of the human anatomy) accidentally passed between those rollers. Watch that hair!As Ozinor noted, a lot of accidents with those wringers. I can recall hearing stories of women who lost part of their scalps when their long hair got caught in the wringer. Wringers vs ManglesThe device on the washing machine for squeezing water out of wet laundry is a wringer. A "mangle" was a more common (and descriptive) name for an ironing machine that had two long heated rollers used for ironing flat items. Not many of these were sold because they took up a lot of space, were pricey, and--yes--because they easily mangled the hands of unwary users. ManglerAlthough I'm sure the wringer was more than capable of sucking in some body parts, the image below is what most people called a "mangler". It was a machine that ironed clothes and most any other items needing ironing. It took some practice to do it correctly. [That's a mangle, not a "mangler." - Dave] I guess they are both "mangles". https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mangle_(machine) We still called it the mangler. Here's a youtube instructional video if you're so inclined to try one out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WkgN2YpeKu0 Power cordI suppose that the electrical cord running straight up near her head is connected to the light socket, and powers the machine. They didn't have convenience outlets back then, in the older houses. (The Gallery, Kitchens etc., Rural America, Russell Lee)
The Hair Brothers at Crater Lake: 1975
1975, Crater Lake, Oregon. A friend, my brother and me, captured during the golden hour. I shot ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/10/2018 - 9:42pm -

1975, Crater Lake, Oregon. A friend, my brother and me, captured during the golden hour. I shot this on 35mm Kodak Vericolor via self-timer. Lighting is everything, isn't it? View full size. Oh wowThat is a beautiful landscape! It is only accentuated by those two dashing men on the right. Golden BoySomehow ttrerrace has effected that rare transformation from nerdy-geeky to total hottie. (And in the fashion minefield that was the 1970s, no less! The others look like they stepped on an M80.) What was your secret?? The photo might be over 30 years old but...I think the look of the fellow on the right is completely contemporary. BandwagonSeems to me like these shots tterrace posts of himself have started a gathering of gawkers... and I may join in! Quite the looker, I say!!! And photographer to boot! All hail the hair! Waffle StompersCheck out the shoes! I remember those suede shoes with Vibram soles. They were great because they lasted a long time. Lot longer then tennis shoes. Gordon LightfootThe Lightfoot force is strong in these Jedi. Good stuff. I Was Therea few months before this picture was taken. IIRC, it was early May and the lake road had just been reopened after the winter season. I had to climb up on a snowbank to take a picture of the lake. I was 19 then. Beautiful pic here with the golden light, keep 'em coming! Moment In TimeThis picture is great. Speaks for itself. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Travel & Vacation, tterrapix)
Washington Flyer: 1925
... derision, at least until Dick Fosbury of the University of Oregon won the Olympic gold medal. By the 1980 Olympics, the straddle was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/31/2012 - 8:20pm -

1925. Washington, D.C. "C.H. Milano, Ross School, 5-3/4. Plaza playground." View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. Ouch!No landing mattress? Thats gotta hurt! I wonder what the circle-triangle logo means on his hoodie? Yikes ...Looks like he's coming down on the pole. Scissors kick high jumpThat style of high jumping involves a running scissor kick of sorts. The jumper leads with his left leg off the ground and is in the middle of the "kick" and will come down on his feet. Hence no landing pad. The "modern" method we see used nowadays was invented by Dick Fosbury - not exactly sure when or where so I don't want to guess - but the style is still to this day called the "Fosbury Flop." LogoIt looks like an old YMCA logo - there's one on the former YMCA in Cortland, NY. The triangle was inscribed with "Mind / Spirit / Body" on the three sides. Landing SpotThere is a sandpit for him to land in. I remember high jumping in junior high (in the late '60's) and our landing site was just a sandpit. And, yeah, it wasn't as nice as a big foam pad. But since I could only high jump 4 feet or so, not too much damage was done. The FlopThe Fosbury Flop was invented circa 1968 to much derision, at least until Dick Fosbury of the University of Oregon won the Olympic gold medal. By the 1980 Olympics, the straddle was pretty much history. Pole VaultLanding in sand was also the norm for pole vaulters. I saw a photo of the 1948 Olympics, and sand was being used in the vault pit. Also, that was the last year for the bamboo pole. You can see from these world records from the 20's that the heights were fairly intimidating considering what you were going to hit on landing. I tried pole vaulting in high school. In the 60's we had sawdust which we fluffed up as best we could. Still hurt at 8 ft, so that was when I decided that the javelin was much more sane. 13'5" Frank Foss USA 1920 13'10-1/4" Ralph Spearow USA 1924 14'0" Sabin Carr USA 1927 Track & Field on FilmExtensive footage of track & field events from this era can be seen in the 1927 Buster Keaton movie "College." Keaton must become a jock to earn the respect of the woman he loves, and he tries about a dozen events -- including one involving a swinging ball that I think may no longer exist. In most cases, he (and the audience) watch a real athlete compete first, then Keaton tries to copy him and fails. The footage includes high jump, pole vault, hurdles, javelin throw, etc. The Plaza PlaygroundWas at Second and Massachusetts avenues Northeast, near Union Station. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Sports)
Old-School Barbecue: Planked Shad
... more flavorful and less bony. Smoked Fish Depoe Bay Oregon has a BBQ like this one every year. September I believe. It's called ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/29/2012 - 7:42pm -

Barbecue at Marshall Hall, Maryland, in 1893. View full size. Photograph by William Cruikshank. Marshall Hall, an estate on the Potomac opposite Mount Vernon, had a boat landing and was popular with day-trippers from Washington. Old-School Barbecue: 1893What you have there is a good old-fashioned Maryland Eastern Shore "shad planking." Shad are cooked as shown, smoked on standing oak boards and basted with the cook's special sauce, served with "beaten biscuits." There are two schools of thought about the menu: some think it exquisite, others think it inexcusable. The whole ritual sparked an annual Virginia political picnic every April, where pols and their supporters gather to plank some shad and speechify. [Thanks muchly. I knew someone out there would enlighten me. - Dave] Followup: Old-School BarbecueThis started down in Texas in the late 1800's. But I noticed those silly Yankees, unlike us Texans, threw the shad aside and ate the planks, which were more flavorful and less bony. Smoked FishDepoe Bay Oregon has a BBQ like this one every year. September I believe. It's called the Salmon Bake and has been going on for 60 years or so. BBQ pit looks the same though. The Acme of Success American Food and Game Fishes David Starr Jordan, Barton Warren Evermann 1908 ... The shad is very prolific. Single fish have been known to yield from 60,000 to 156,000 eggs, though the usual number does not exceed 30,000. The eggs are very small, semi-buoyant, and usually require 6 to 10 days for hatching, the time varying with the temperature of the water. Unlike most other fishes shad roe is considered a great delicacy when fried; and ever since the days of George Washington and John Marshall "planked shad" has been regarded as the acme of success in the preparation of a delicious fish for the table. And a planked shad dinner at Marshall Hall, near Mount Vernon, is quite sure to constitute a feature in the spring programme of many Washington societies. ... (The Gallery, William Cruikshank)
City Sidewalks: 1940
... the craziness around us these days. Mike J. Albany, Oregon Odd isn't it... ...this oasis of normalcy among the gritty ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/30/2007 - 10:47pm -

May 1940. Business district and gas station in Des Moines, Iowa. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by John Vachon for the Farm Security Administration. Cake SignI can't seem to get the pictures as large as before, but the cake-shaped sign on the right corner is pretty amazing. I also don't think I've ever seen anything called a "Savery"--had to look twice. Des MoinesThis is looking north up Fourth Street. The building with the Buick sign (on Grand Avenue) and the Hotel Savery (on Locust) are the only structures left of those shown in the photo. There is now a Domino's Pizza where the Buick sign is and the Hills building is now Nolen Plaza, a fountain plaza. To the east of that is the Des Moines Civic Center (also relatively new). The block west of the Hills building is now a business center called Capitol Square. The Shell station would have been on Walnut. There are now high-rise condos there. Fourth street was eliminated between Locust and Walnut. Wish it was still like this ... City SidewalksWhat always amazes me is that in these vintage street scenes the people are so nicely dressed. Quite the opposite of today. Just like a movie setIt's amazing, but it really does not look like it is real. It looks too perfect, right down the couple swinging their children. Contrasting imagesThis is just incredible contrast to some of the other photos that you show of people living in abject poverty in the 40's. This looks so prosperous. Web siteFor me, this is one of the best sites I've ever found. It deals with real and decent subject matter. I, personally, find it very educational. It is very well thought out and executed perfectly. The "comments" section is a very integral and necessary function in this presentation (the educational part). Kind of pulls it all together. I'm 63 yrs. old and enjoy every "time-line" represented. It gives me great comfort knowing that there are still people out there that can put something together like this for us. By us, I mean everyone who views this site and maybe makes a comment now and then. It all seems to have a very "American" slant among all the craziness around us these days. Mike J. Albany, Oregon Odd isn't it......this oasis of normalcy among the gritty ethnic industrial centers and dry starved-out dust farms that today make up the era to us. I'm from central Iowa and know Des Moines well. There really were places like this then, but obviously taking pictures of them didn't educate the public about all the privation out there. You wouldn't recognize downtown Des Moines today. So this pic isn't even history, really. In a way, it is too perfect to ever have been real ... whatever Vachon took pictures of out of his window that day in 1940. PS: The Savery Hotel became a barracks for WAC officers during WW2. It's still there. I spent the night there once. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, John Vachon)
The Simple Life: 1939
... of Soper kitchen. Willow Creek area, Malheur County, Oregon." View full size. Nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange. Sweeping ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/07/2008 - 10:14pm -

October 1939. "Another corner of Soper kitchen. Willow Creek area, Malheur County, Oregon." View full size. Nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange. Sweeping Generalitiestterrace, normally an astute observer of decorative and industrial arts, really missed this one! Note the lathe-turned ashwood handle, which has been cut with the grain and polished to a high sheen by linseed and tung oils. Note, too, the fine lithographic label glued to the handle just above the winding. The true genius of this broom's design is revealed in the sorghum straw which is bound to the handle with tightly wound bright metal wire. The straw itself is straight, blonde, thick and luscious. (That'll get the search engines humming) Note the alternating bands of colored cotton thread holding the sorghum neatly in place. Design perfection! Snarkily yours, Goober Pea BroomThat's a pretty fancy broom, for that time. Fancy broom?Looks pretty standard issue, to me. Just like the ones we had around the house in the 50s which, because even though they were well-worn they were sturdily made and still serviceable and you didn't just throw things like that away willy-nilly back then, probably dated back to the 30s, or am I missing something here? Besides good sentence construction? Ahem.You forgot to mention the finely woven protective covering loosely draped over the handle! Snark, Snark! Washed upThis was what our washroom on our farm looked like into the 60's. I have no pleasant memories or nostalgia triggered by this photograph I just remember the grind of the work and the poverty we shared with neighbours as well as never feeling completely clean. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Kitchens etc., Rural America)
Crate & Barrel: 1936
... still live. After the harvest, they moved south to Oregon, where my father pulled carrots and my mother found work as a ... 1914 (98 years ago today) issue of the Bandon Recorder, in Oregon. Zerolene The sad part of this picture is that the Zerolene ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2012 - 4:47am -

July 1936. "Migratory fruit pickers' camp in Yakima, Washington." Dust Bowl refugee from the Midwest hammering away at packing crate scraps outside her tent. Medium-format negative by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. Makes me appreciate what I've gotPoor soul has lost her farm, lost her teeth, lost probably everything which made life normal, and she's still going on. I'm so moved when I see the camps with refugees from the dust bowl. Makes me think "Normal" is such an ephemeral state. ExcelsiorGrandma has herself a box of excelsior there! Young'uns today would have no idea what folks used to ship their fragile goods in before Styrofoam peanuts were invented 40 years ago. This was it, fine, curled wood shavings. I haven't seen any in years. I'm sure it's going to be used to kindle a fire in the lady's wood burning stove as soon as she gets the wood cut up (note the flue in the cabin's roof). The crate lumber will be perfect fuel for the old stove; it lights easily, gets hot fast and then burns out shortly after dinner was cooked and water was heated for the dishes. Journey to a new lifeThanks so much for posting these pictures of the migration from North Dakota and Montana to the Northwest. I wish my parents were still alive to see these photos, as this was their journey, and they may have even known some of these fellow travelers. My parents were the children of farmers in Montana. My mother's family lost their farm when the bank that held the mortgage failed. My father's family fared a little better, but with a young wife and a child to support, my father thought that things might be better for them further west. Certainly the weather was milder - the year they left Montana had a record-setting freezing winter. They picked apples and peaches in Yakima, where some of my relatives still live. After the harvest, they moved south to Oregon, where my father pulled carrots and my mother found work as a housekeeper. Years later, after my father became a successful business owner, he would tell us stories of living in migrant camps, and how grateful he was for the New Deal. Hardscrabble doesn't come closeI'm not sure what word describes this woesome setting but whatever it is, it's at least three rungs below "hardscrabble". Note the cylinder under the bridge, most probably a discarded 30 or so gallon galvanized hot water tank pressed into footbridge support duty. The Zerolene box contained a can of Standard Oil (think Esso and Exxon) lubricant used in grease guns to service car and truck suspension joints and other bits. Zerolene had been around almost as long as the motor car itself; here's an ad from the August 7, 1914 (98 years ago today) issue of the Bandon Recorder, in Oregon. ZeroleneThe sad part of this picture is that the Zerolene cup grease can would bring more money on Ebay today than what her entire belongings were worth back then. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Great Depression)
Forest Camp: 1950s
... Bliss bunch was also camping along the Northern California/Oregon coast. Nomad camping I took several trips up in that area as a ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 02/02/2012 - 12:19pm -

Here's the Blissmobile with the portable kitchen attached. This looks like it could be Yosemite again, in the mid-fifties. 35mm color slide. View full size. Russian River areaFrom the looks of the redwood trees, I'm saying Russian River, or anywhere on the north coast. I remember how families would tie ropes between the trees and hang large tarps over them to create very nice campsites. Some would stay all summer, and others a couple of weeks. I can just smell those dried redwood leaves lying on the ground baking in the sun. Cool little teardrop trailer. Action ComicsSuperman and Dick Tracy go camping. Do it in a Buick1947 Buick, I believe. Maybe 1948. [1948-49 chrome trim through the door handles. More here. This was the Special body used from 1942 through 1949. - Dave] Look, an off-road Buick. Here's another.I was 17. Mid-50s, rainy roadway, slick street car tracks on Sixth Avenue in Altoona, Pa. ("Gateway to The Rest of the World"). I manage to slide my Dad's 1942 Buick Century up onto the sidewalk and hit the convent of Sacred Heart Parish (my grade school alma mater). A woman appears. 'Oh, my gosh! Did you wreck?" The last couple of bricks were landing on my hood. "I’m not sure I'm done yet.” That was Monday. On Saturday I smashed up my mother’s Willys station wagon. Camping BlissI think rgraham is on to something; those look to me like coast redwood leaves, not giant sequoia. We know that the Bliss bunch was also camping along the Northern California/Oregon coast. Nomad campingI took several trips up in that area as a kid. Some of my best memories are when we loaded up the 1959 Chevy Nomad wagon (see below) and headed up north from SoCal. We camped in places like Clear Lake, MacArthur-Burney Falls, Lake Shasta, Mt. Lassen, you name it. Dad took care of the logistics, Mom took care of the cooking. Little old me had his comic books and drawing pad to while away the hours in the car. Thanks, TonyW for posting. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix, Travel & Vacation)
Mr. Beans: 1939
August 1939. "Oregon. Unemployed lumber worker goes with his wife to the bean harvest. Note ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/01/2013 - 10:00pm -

August 1939. "Oregon. Unemployed lumber worker goes with his wife to the bean harvest. Note Social Security number tattooed on his arm." The jolly fellow seen here a few years back. Photo by Dorothea Lange. View full size. HemingwayesqueThis man reminds me of writer Ernest Hemingway when he was a young man. The similarity is even more pronounced in the other photo linked to in the above caption. In that other photo, we see a very attractive lady in the background who was this man's wife. These two people have a look of refinement about them that makes one wonder if they were formerly well-to-do and then fell on hard times. At any rate, the photos are very interesting. Many thanks for posting. [He was no doubt a member of the Tattoo Aristocracy. A Hello to Arms. - Dave] I am what I amand that's all that I am, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man. Two pictures are better than oneI recognized this guy instantly, but where I thought he was nice looking in the first one, this one isn't that impressive, IMO! I have always believed that one picture of a person can be fairly misleading. Two pictures provide much more information! (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Handsome Rakes)
Up for the Fourth: 1941
... July 1941. Girls at the Fourth of July carnival in Vale, Oregon. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:25am -

July 1941. Girls at the Fourth of July carnival in Vale, Oregon. View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Carnival CanesHere's what an Antiques Roadshow appraiser says about them: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/archive/200502A30.html Carnival Cane?It looks like the dark-haired woman is holding some wooden carnival canes. I have one with a ceramic dog head at the top that looks similar to the one she's holding, but it's hard to see the details. They just don't make carnival prizes like they used to! Carnival Cane!I have not seen one of those carnival-prize canes in over forty years. Oh, how we wanted to win them; oh, how useless they were. [I wondered what that was! Below, a closeup of the prizes. - Dave] That's IT!That's my bulldog carnival cane, right there. It looks like a cat from the back but it's a dog. Now I know how old mine is! Carnie CanesWhat was their point? To grab the brass ring? Kewpie DollIn her other hand she appears to be holding a kewpie doll sort of like this 1930'2 carnival prize on http://tinyurl.com/2y2284 (The Gallery, July 4, Russell Lee, Small Towns, Sports)
5½ Men: 1939
... song -- the rest of the lyrics are NSFW. He worked the Oregon woods as a "whistle punk" at age 13. A stationary steam engine was at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/12/2014 - 3:55am -

October 1939. "Five Idaho farmers, members of Ola self-help sawmill co-op, in the woods standing against a load of logs ready to go down to their mill about three miles away. Gem County, Idaho." Photo by Dorothea Lange. View full size. Cant hookMine is very similar to those shown. Thing still works great after a 100 years. Hard on equipmentThat poor trailer looks like it has a hard life, being overloaded and missing a tire. Just standing aroundWaiting for a reality-series offer to come along. She Knew Her Lover Was a Logger ......Because he stirred his coffee with his thumb. My father's favorite song -- the rest of the lyrics are NSFW. He worked the Oregon woods as a "whistle punk" at age 13. A stationary steam engine was at one end of a long cable loop and the loggers were at the other and often out of both sight and shouting distance. They would signal how they wanted the cable to move by pulling an equally long string attached to a bell on the engine, on ring for start, two for stop and so on. The whistle punk's job was to watch the engine man and repeat the bell rings with whistle toots as acknowledgment. Mistakes could be and were fatal to the men on the other end. The Peaveys look properly used but I am surprised that none of the men appear to be wearing caulk boots. Maybe they used fewer nails in Idaho. Re: Cant HookActually, though the one on the right is a cant hook, the other two appear to be peavies. They have pointed ends and double as pikes. I have one that I've used a bit. One of the handiest things since sliced bread, but it can be easy to get yourself in trouble with one. I like the shirt the guy on the left has on. What do you call it, a checkered flannel long sleeved polo shirt with a zipper? Interesting combination. Wouldn't mind having one. New and improved versionIt looks to me like those are peaveys, with spikes at the end of the hooks. Cant hooks have a blunt end on the hook. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange)
Big Variety: 1941
July 1941. "Main street of Vale, Oregon, on the Fourth of July. Vale is one of the shopping centers for farmers ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/08/2021 - 5:08pm -

July 1941. "Main street of Vale, Oregon, on the Fourth of July. Vale is one of the shopping centers for farmers who live and work on the Vale-Owyhee irrigation project." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. LocationThis is actually one block west of Main Street, at the intersection of Court Street and A Street looking east down A Street toward the mountain slope. [The principal thoroughfare of a town is the main street. Which may or may not be called Main Street. The main street of Vale is A Street. Don't even ask who's on First. - Dave] However if Main Street is capitalized one can assume that that is the name of the street rather than just the "main street of the town". [In our photo caption, it's not capitalized. - Dave] Rough day at the Tavern?What happened to the awning in front of the Coca Cola soda fountain? Maybe the guy walking right in front of the car tried to swing from it after getting kicked out of the Town Tavern? Mr. Whitehat seems to be playing it safe by looking before crossing. July 2015But probably not the Fourth of July, based upon the comparatively placid scene: Color me!Boy howdy, this would be a great image to colorize! Somebody with more time and skills should take it on, even without any pretty girls in it! De-EvolvementI look at street-scapes of the past and compared to most exact scenes of today all I can think of how devolved we have become. The Main Streets used to look so vibrant with activity, signs, flags, stores, and well....life. Today most places look like ghost towns with a lot of parked cars. Honeymoon HotelMy folks spent their extended Honeymoon in the Vale Hotel just a couple of years before this photo was taken. They were married on New Years Day 1939 in Boise, and stayed in that hotel for two weeks or so while they waited for their permanent house to be available. They lived in Vale for 15 years. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, July 4, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
This Land Is Your Land: 1936
... Administration workers. Rimrock Camp. Madras, Oregon." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. Those boots denote they may have been loggers, being in Oregon it may be true. The guy with the guitar Nicolas Cage with a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2012 - 1:24pm -

July 1936. "Resettlement Administration workers. Rimrock Camp. Madras, Oregon." Medium format negative by Arthur Rothstein. View full size. Those bootsdenote they may have been loggers, being in Oregon it may be true. The guy with the guitarNicolas Cage with a unibrow. (The Gallery, Arthur Rothstein, Music)
Road Train: 1918
... roam the roads. I have driven next to triple trailers in Oregon. In Australia they even run quads. Palm Tree and a Weeping Willow ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/10/2016 - 11:12am -

Oakland, California, circa 1918. "Fageol heavy-duty tractor and trailers." Visually answering the question of what the heck this is. 8x10 inch glass negative by the Cheney Photo Advertising Co. View full size. We know what it isNow let's see him parallel park it. More than a trainAhead of its time: electric traction and air brakes on every wheel; still not universal on on-the-rails trains. Note the power cables and brake hoses between the coupled units. I wonder how many trailers the tractor was able to supply with electricity and compressed air? Similar vehicles were used during WWIThe Austro-Hungarian army used similar generator and electrical driven trailers to drag their super-massive Škoda siege howitzers. The Artillery Generator Truck was designed by Ferdinand Porsche. Hold your ears!Imagine the sound of 12 metal wheels going down the street. This is definitely a testament to what some great engineers can accomplish with ideas and funding! It's really a thing of beauty for 1918. But, But, there is no crashWhat happened? You found a vehicle in Oakland CA that was not involved in a crash? As bizarre as this triple truck looks on a residential street in Oakland, descendants of these things really still roam the roads. I have driven next to triple trailers in Oregon. In Australia they even run quads. Palm Tree and a Weeping WillowThose were the first things that caught my eye about this photo... That is another thing i really enjoy about Shorpy, is that everyone sees different parts of an image, but we can all enjoy it together. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses)
Fair Maidens: 1942
July 1942. "Klamath Falls, Oregon. Carnival of the circus." In line for the Tilt-A-Whirl. Photo by Russell ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/20/2016 - 8:48pm -

July 1942. "Klamath Falls, Oregon. Carnival of the circus." In line for the Tilt-A-Whirl. Photo by Russell Lee for the Office of War Information. View full size. Blink of an eye...Amazing to think these sweet young girls are now in their 80's. Enjoy every moment...as time slips-by so quickly! I feel that I KNOW her....That young girl looking towards the camera looks very much like my daughter when she was in her early teens, and that Tilt-a-Whirl was the kind of ride that she'd look for back then. Tilt a Whirlmy favorite Carney ride. Tilt-A-WhirlInvented and made in Faribault MN by Herbert W. Sellner and his company. The Tilt-A-WhirlOr as my then five year old son used to call it: "The Tilt the World". MomMy Mom would have been around their age (16) at that time. It must have been something to be a teenager during WWII. The ridesI used to love the Tilt-A-Whirl as a kid, but I don’t do rides anymore as an older guy, so I just watch my own kids. There’s always someone on the Tilt-A-Whirl whose head begins to nod and sway as the double rotating motion gets to them. I remember, about 50 years ago, being on the ride when all the nodding and swaying got the better of someone who produced the inevitable result from an adjacent car. My brother and I both felt the spray. (The Gallery, Russell Lee)
Going Places: 1943
... or 4 years old, my mother and I took the bus from Eugene, Oregon, to Salem to see her brothers. At that time there was a "stewardess" on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/14/2014 - 2:36pm -

September 1943. "A Greyhound bus trip from Louisville to Memphis and the terminals. Roberta Locker, going to Chattanooga from Elora, Tenn., to work." Co-starring Roberta's hat, an elaborate construction of netting, fabric and feathers. Photo by Esther Bubley for the Office of War Information. View full size. In MemoriamMy research indicates that this is Roberta in the following obituary: SMITH, Roberta Locker, 85, of Winchester, TN, died Monday, Sept. 18, 2006, at Sunbridge Care for Winchester. A native of Lincoln County, she was a former bookkeeper for Mead Package and was the wife of the late Marvin Smith. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. today, Sept. 20, at Moore-Cortner Funeral Home, where services will follow at 2 p.m. Burial will be in McClure Cemetery, Huntland. Moore-Cortner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Cute!She looks like a cute, bubbly girl. Also, the brunette two seats back looks nice. Then there's some pretty gams poking out, toward the back... Dressed up for travelWhat would Roberta (and the rest in this rail car) think if they could travel on the bus today? In my youth, we wore our good clothes on the bus or train; couldn't afford to fly then. Of course, today everybody seems to wear sweats or jeans, even in first class on an airliner. OhhhhhhShe's soooo cute. A Tisket. A Tasket, there is no yellow basket, but --I can afford To board A Chattanooga choo-choo I've got my fare And just a trifle to spare (OK, it's not a train)! AttendantLong ago when I was 3 or 4 years old, my mother and I took the bus from Eugene, Oregon, to Salem to see her brothers. At that time there was a "stewardess" on the bus, in uniform. She served little sandwiches and milk. Handed out pillows and blankets. I know I didn't dream this because years later I asked my mom and she said it was common practice at that time (around 1958). And just as Gary said, we all dressed up like we were going to church. Her expression says it all"Something exciting is going to happen, and I am to be part of it!" (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Esther Bubley, Travel & Vacation)
Veteran Park: 1900
... park... Actually, "Mill Ends Park" in Portland Oregon is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Worlds Smallest ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/21/2012 - 6:31pm -

Syracuse, New York, circa 1900. "Onondaga County Savings Building & Veteran Park." 8x10 inch glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. ClearlyWhen they don't want you to walk on the grass, they mean it. That might qualify as the world's smallest "park." Now Hanover SquareI never knew this as Veteran Park. I've always known it as Hanover Square, which we always found odd because it's really a triangle. The park is now an abominable '70s brick and concrete plaza with ugly fountain. I'm shocked to learn that there have been absolutely undetectable changes to the Onondaga Savings Bank building on the right -- the nicely rounded portion between the towers was squared off quite expertly, and the entrance moved to the extreme left. The white postal and telegraph building, so grand that I'd always presumed it was once a bank as well, housed the restaurant where we had our pre-wedding dinner in 1983. Ghost watcherMan on the left, quietly smoking his pipe as the apparition passes by. Syracusan periodsIt seems that Syracuse has got a period-loving sign maker. worlds Smallest park...Actually, "Mill Ends Park" in Portland Oregon is recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records as the Worlds Smallest park. http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/finder/index.cfm?PropertyID=265&acti... (The Gallery, DPC, Syracuse)
Grandfather's team
After he moved to Oregon in the early 1890s, my grandfather bred and trained teams of Belgians ... teams, hauling logs on a skid road near Clatskanie, Oregon, circa 1905. That's him seated at the rear, controlling the reins of the ... 
 
Posted by willc - 09/20/2011 - 12:57pm -

After he moved to Oregon in the early 1890s, my grandfather bred and trained teams of Belgians and other draft horses for the logging industry. This was one of his six-horse teams, hauling logs on a skid road near Clatskanie, Oregon, circa 1905. That's him seated at the rear, controlling the reins of the lead team from the saddle. View full size. WowWhat an awesome picture! You have to love having this link to your family's past. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Mining)
One Nation Indivisible: 1941
July 1941. "Citizens of Vale, Oregon take off their hats during the Pledge of Allegiance (radio program) on ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/24/2008 - 12:00am -

July 1941. "Citizens of Vale, Oregon take off their hats during the Pledge of Allegiance (radio program) on the Fourth of July." View full size. 35mm nitrate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. Interesting poseInteresting pose for holding one's hat. I'm sure there was no malicious intent meant. Man With HatThe Finger! Hear hear. I memorized itHear hear. I memorized it before those other two words were added. And I still like it much better that way. From the looks of thatFrom the looks of that finger, particularly the knuckles, he may very well have had trouble bending it, I know mine looks a bit like that and it's quite painful to bend. It's also swollen compared to the rest so he may have been recovering from an accident or infection. Life before the red menace!One Nation Indivisible, With Liberty and Justice For All. America before McCarthyism. AmenWe won WWI... We won WWII... I went to high school... (my father did not) I fought in WWII... I purchased a home... (my father did not) I put my kids thru college (I did not) All with out those two words... But I remember when in history class "E pluribus unum" was referred to as "our motto" and we sang "My country,' tis of thee, sweet land of liberty... I am an old codger near 92 but I feel we lost something, where is Thomas Jefferson when we need him? The FingerI wondered if I would be the only one who noticed the guy giving the photographer the finger. We started including "under God" when I was in the third grade. Confused us a little. I don't think any of us really fully knew that we were indeed pledging our allegiance to the U.S.A. It was rote to recite daily, before classes. (The Gallery, July 4, Russell Lee, Small Towns)
The Old Ball Game: 1942
... like the first in history to be publicly displaying the Oregon "O." He's almost got it. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, John Vachon, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/08/2011 - 1:37pm -

August 1942. Detroit, Michigan. "Kids at ballgame, Briggs Stadium." Photo by John Vachon for the Office of War Information. View full size. OutcomesI want to track down every one of those kids to hear their stories, indulge their memories or learn of their fate. How many died in Korea, maybe Vietnam? Which of them became rich? Went to jail? Lived simple, hard-working lives? SuspenseWe should add to the list of culture-paradigm-shift moments the one at which it became no longer cool for kids of this age to be seen wearing suspenders. Much less a tie and vest at a ballgame. The one in the center is doing that kind of whistling thing I was never able to. Out of place for 1942The kid in the upper right looks to be wearing a screened printed t-shirt. It looks out of place for this time period. Today all the kids would be wearing t-shirts. The shirt appears to read Ecorse. Which I assume represents Ecorse Michigan. I can see Tterrace in the front row in the middle. Or do I need new glasses? Call me a duckThe kid in the middle attempting that whistling thing also looks like the first in history to be publicly displaying the Oregon "O." He's almost got it. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, John Vachon, Kids, Sports)
Elmer and the Union Pacific
... like the eastern Columbia River Gorge, east of The Dalles, Oregon, out toward Rufus and Biggs Junction and possibly a little beyond ... Union Pacific tracks then and now are on the south, Oregon, side of the Columbia. The highway has changed since 1953, of course, ... 
 
Posted by notycoon22 - 05/21/2007 - 10:31pm -

In 1953, my Mom and Dad, my grandparents, and my Uncle Elmer hooked up the trailer, piled in the Ford and headed east. Our family is genetically tied to transportation, especially railroads, so this shot of my Uncle getting back into the car is quite atypical - normally he'd have been staring the train down. Fun shot, nonetheless. I think it is along the Columbia River, but I'm not sure. Photo: Don Hall, Sr. Don Hall Yreka, CA Columbia River GorgeThe tender says Union Pacific, I think, and the background looks like the eastern Columbia River Gorge, east of The Dalles, Oregon, out toward Rufus and Biggs Junction and possibly a little beyond (east). Union Pacific tracks then and now are on the south, Oregon, side of the Columbia. The highway has changed since 1953, of course, and the old two-lane Columbia River Highway has been replaced in most places by Interstate 84. In this photo, the tracks are on the south side of the road, as they were at that time in that area, or part of it, anyway. Today, a freeway beidge takes the road from south of the tracks to north of them in that area. Fun photo, indeed. WestboundThank you for posting this photo, exceptionally nice composition. Agree this is along the Columbia River and the train and car are headed west. In my mind your uncle had to take his gaze off the train in preparation to give chase. UP Mikado #2207 was built in 1915 and retired in 1955. My dad and myself were chasing trains in this area in his 1963 chev around 1967. The interstate was still under construction in places. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Spud Cellar: 1939
... main street of potato town during harvest season. Merrill, Oregon. View full size. Photograph by Dorothea Lange. "I like them ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/08/2011 - 2:17pm -

October 1939. Tavern on main street of potato town during harvest season. Merrill, Oregon. View full size. Photograph by Dorothea Lange. "I like them french fried taters"Got any mustard and biscuits in there? ...Carl Childers (Slingblade) On TapSoft drinks? How lame. Who would want to go to a bar after a hard day's labor and drink fountain soda? I don't think so... Re: On TapThe Wieland's On Tap (beer, neon) and SOFT DRINKS (painted on glass) are two different signs. (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Eateries & Bars, Great Depression)
Officer Pods: 1943
... on the farm here - they're all over the place in Eastern Oregon wheat country. It's easier to haul your wheat to the elevators now, so ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/31/2014 - 7:24am -

From around 1943 comes this uncaptioned photo, somewhere in North Africa, of Dymax­ion Deployment Units. The prefab huts, used here as officers' quarters, were based on Buckminster Fuller's Dymaxion House, "metal adapted corn bin, built by Butler Brothers, Kansas City." Office of War Information. View full size. Getting a round to itBucky tried to bring the idea of the Dymaxion house to the masses, with little success. One can view the only surviving prototype of this type of housing at the Henry Ford Museum / Greenfield Village. https://www.thehenryford.org/exhibits/dymaxion/index.html Its a fascinating design but not for the claustrophobic or introverted. Dymax­ion Deployment Units: ThreeDeployed Ventilation Units: One Wow!If this is represents the officers' quarters, one can just imagine how the the enlisted men fared. Air Conditioned?The louvered object in the background looks like a 'swamp cooler' air conditioner. If it was, these are truly deluxe quarters. Hungry livestockIn addition to these relative rarities, Butler built enough of the more conventional Quonset huts that the latter were often referred to as Butler buildings during the war. That suggests that their customary line of bins and feeders got short shrift under wartime priorities. Butler buildingsMy grandparents usually used "Butler building" to refer to pole barns (vertical sides, peaked roof), not Quonset huts. Butler made pole barns starting in the 1940s and still does today. When I was a kid, it was pretty common to see their pole barns and grain bins in rural Missouri; whoever put them together was pretty good about making sure the painted logo faced the road, especially on the grain bins. They are still around, now as a tentacle of an Australian company, although they don't do grain bins (or DDUs) anymore. Grain binsWe've got two Butler grain bins on the farm here - they're all over the place in Eastern Oregon wheat country. It's easier to haul your wheat to the elevators now, so ours haven't been in use for a number of years - thinking of converting them to guest houses and moving out the pigeons roosting in them - they are sturdy structures to say the least. (The Gallery, WW2)
Demasted: 1899
... the 1899 America's Cup and was replaced by a mast made of Oregon pine. This was a rare misjudgment by the great Nathanael Herreshoff, her ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/17/2016 - 3:54pm -

August 2, 1899. "Sloop Columbia, steel mast carried away." 8x10 inch glass negative by John S. Johnston, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. We improved since 1899We do not only have high-tech superstrong carbon fibre masts by now which keep breaking, we also have hulls that snap into two pieces occasionally ;-) USS Farragut (TB-11) It appears that that is the first USS Farragut Thou shalt not steelThis is precisely why I have wooden masts on all my yachts. The excursion steamerThe excursion steamer is named the Saltman J(?)4. Couldn't find any info on it. What would type of vessel would this be classed as MV?(motor vessel) SS? (steam ship) The tug says W YORK across her stern. Home ported in New York? Wood was BetterColumbia's steel mast failed in the first Defender's trials for the 1899 America's Cup and was replaced by a mast made of Oregon pine. This was a rare misjudgment by the great Nathanael Herreshoff, her designer. With that mast shipped she went on to handily defeat Sir Thomas Lipton's "Shamrock." The selection committee from the New York Yacht Club is aboard the tug "Waltham." Steam Yacht A dismasting can ruin one's whole day! It usually happens with the yacht travelling at a good rate of speed, which results in the wreckage being dragged over the side. Look lively, or you'll go over the side with it! The handsome and rakish schooner-rigged steam yacht in the background might be J. P. Morgan's "Corsair II". (The "Corsair I" had been sold to the USN prior to the date of the photo. Another point of interest is that steam-powered torpedo boat or proto-destroyer. Note the turtleback bow. America's Cup Trials, 1899This photo probably dates from the early-season trials in which Columbia, the brand new Cup defender designed and built (of bronze and steel) by naval architect "Capt. Nat" Herreshoff, was dismasted, according to his biography, written by his son, L. Francis Herreshoff. The book goes on to explain that "revenue cutters and torpedo boats under the command of Capt. Robley D. Evans patrolled the course so strictly that excursion steamers were kept about a mile away." And indeed, in the photo, we can see a torpedo boat immediately behind the bow of Columbia and a steam yacht to the left, probably one of the tenders, owned by syndicate members J. P. Morgan or C. Oliver Iselin, that would tow her back to harbor after the accident. The two-stacked vessel at the extreme right could be one of the spectator boats -- "excursion steamers" in the terms of the time -- that Capt. Evans was trying to keep at a distance. In late autumn Columbia, commanded by Charlie Barr, defeated Shamrock I, the challenger, in 3 straight races. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC)
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