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Bank Garage: 1934
San Francisco April 14, 1934. "East side looking south, Montgomery Street ... Chicago Specialty Co. became the law offices of flamboyant San Francisco attorney Melvin Belli. Today this block is part of the Jackson ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 05/16/2015 - 8:27am -

San Francisco April 14, 1934. "East side looking south, Montgomery Street commercial buildings." In later years the Gold Rush-era building here housing the Chicago Specialty Co. became the law offices of flamboyant San Francisco attorney Melvin Belli. Today this block is part of the Jackson Square Historic District, while down the street at the next corner the Transamerica Pyramid rises. Large format negative by Roger Sturtevant for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. Magnificent FailureBarely visible, at the right, is a 34 DeSoto Airflow. Is that Geppetto's Workshop?Since there is a decidedly Italian flavor to this neighborhood, I noticed that just between the Conradi Mountain Wines and Washington Broom Co., at 728 Montgomery, there is a tiny doorway advertising "Puppets". My imagination wanders to thoughts of a hand-carved Pinnochio or other individually made specialties. Could there have actually been a business that sold only puppets? [That was Perry Dilley's Puppet Theater. -tterrace] The Montgomery BlockThe four story building in the next block (now the site of the Transamerica pyramid) was the historic 1853 Montgomery Block. First a professional office building and at one time the tallest structure west of the Mississippi, then later known for artists, writers, and various bohemian inhabitants, it was demolished to make way for a parking lot in 1959. Whats that?What is the flag on the tower in the distant background? looks like an eagle? [It's atop the Shell Building at Bush and Battery. -tterrace] That flag in the distance Could it possibly be a NRA (National Recovery Act) flag? [Here's an example. -tterrace] Facelift in progressA few updates here and there, but generally well preserved: Dorothea LangeThe 728 Montgomery St. photo studio of Dorothea Lange was up the stairs to the left of the sign for Conradi Ltd Mountain Wines. [Her husband, artist Maynard Dixon, had his studio at 728. Lange's had been at 716 and later 802 Montgomery. -tterrace] Oldest signPage 213 of "San Francisco of the 1930s," published by the WPA says, "San Francisco's oldest sign, hanging from the Genella Buiulding, 728 Montgomery St., states in faded black and gold letters that 'H. and W. Pierce...Loans and Commissions' once did business here, exchanging paper and coins for gold bullion." Melvin BelliI used to wander SF in the late '60s, photographing things that interested me. On a couple of occasions I walked past Mel Belli's offices and glanced in the windows, and did see him inside once or twice. I have lived near Sonora California for 20 years now, which is where Mr. Belli was born and raised, and is now buried. For many, many years, Mel Belli listed his personal phone number in the SF phone directory (anyone remember those, LOL). However, instead of putting it in his own name, he listed it in his dogs' names - Weldon Rumproast. Over the years he had several dogs with that name, adding a number at the end. A friend once found the name Weldon Rumproast III in the phone book and called it. He spoke with Melvin Belli for quite some time, and it wasn't until they nearly finished the conversation that he realized who it was he was speaking to! (HABS, San Francisco)
Turk Street: 1906
San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of April 1906. "Turk Street, from the ... I'm pretty sure Hamburger Haven on Clement Street in San Francisco has this photo framed in their back room. Strange to now see it ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2011 - 1:10pm -

San Francisco after the earthquake and fire of April 1906. "Turk Street, from the corner of Market and Mason." Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. First ImpressionBerlin: 1945. Hamburger HavenI'm pretty sure Hamburger Haven on Clement Street in San Francisco has this photo framed in their back room. Strange to now see it here. Is there any way to review the photos of San Francisco you've already posted? [Try our handy search box. - Dave] Armchair archeologyI feel like I can sift through the rubble and piece things back together. Can anyone identify the brushlike thing on some sort of stand in the lower right? I'll just betchathat little fixer upper is worth a pretty penny now! BurnoutSpeaking of sifting through the rubble, I think I see the metal frame of a tailor's sewing machine still standing at far right. Buildings With CharacterIt always pains my heart to see nice detailed buildings being damaged or destroyed like the one barely standing in the picture. They don't make them like that anymore. Photogenic treadle ironsThe treadle irons belonged to an earlier model Davis Vertical Feed, maybe 1880 or so. It managed to get into other photos! The irons found their way across the street to the Native Sons monument, where they posed for a couple shots in the SF Chronicle. (details below, full photos linked) https://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/1906-San-Francisco-earthquak... https://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/1906-San-Francisco-earthquak... More amazing is the fire hydrant. It is still there today, seen in the 2017 Google Street View of 1 Turk Street. It was also there before the fire. That photo is from the SF Public Library. https://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAA-9520.jpg (detail below, full photo at link) The city directory for 1905 shows 1 Turk was owned by notorious Tenderloin crime boss Jerome Bassity. It had a tamale cafe, liquor store, and a saloon, with the Sanborn fire map noting "lodgings above" and a photographer on the third floor. (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
Jacked Up: 1915
San Francisco circa 1915. "Studebaker motor car in repair shop with garage ... way. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, San Francisco, W. Stanley) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/16/2022 - 7:08pm -

San Francisco circa 1915. "Studebaker motor car in repair shop with garage mechanic." Don't try this at home. Or at work. 6.5 x 8.5 inch glass negative from the Wyland Stanley collection of Bay Area historical memorabilia. View full size. Bearing replacementOil pan has been dropped and the mechanic has a piston and rod positioned. Posed for the photographer it seems since the bearing cap is attached to the rod. Or maybe he is making sure the cap stays with its proper rod. So jacked up!Ok, I am assuming that hydraulic jacks weren't in existence back then. Also, probably the cleanest garage I ever saw. The broom in the background must have been used a lot. Hill-HoldersThe post WW2 Studebakers had them as an option for drivers who were slow on the clutch pulling ahead from stops when driving uphill. This decades earlier photo reminds me of that factory option, one of the Studebaker corporation's many innovations. They generally made sturdy and well-engineered vehicles, worthy of a better fate than befell them in the 1960s. [That would be a very handy option for driving in the City, believe me. -tterrace] Dad will love thisHe's an auto mechanic and this will be great on his garage wall! Done that at home!We have a set of those chain falls hanging up in our barn/smithy. In fact the last time they were used was to lift the rear of a 1967 Volkswagen Beetle so my dad could drop and remove the engine. UNCHAINEDThe chain hoist is not now supporting the auto. The continuous chain goes up over the top pulley, around the bottom pulley, and then back over the top adjoining pulley. I think this makes the weight lifted seem to be half of actual. My high school physics was lost years ago. At any rate, it might have taken two guys to lift the car, but it isn't very heavy. If there is not a locking cog on one of the pulleys the wood frame support will be positioned by helpers while the lifters hold the load. Quintessential garage decor.As one who enjoys tinkering with my vehicles, I must say this photo would look fantastic on display in my garage. I love it. Hey you!Out of the gene pool! I sure hope the brake is set. Crouching Photographer, Hidden LensTripod in the right front pocket (door). Capped photographer visible on his knees. OSHAIt looks safe enough to me. The wood is sturdy and under compression only, and presumably can't slip off the axle. Also the weight of the car is mostly on the back wheels. I do question how they got it up there, what with only two pulleys apparent. Maybe there are more hidden behind. The lift arrangement apparently can roll anywhere on the overhead track where it's needed. Best PracticesOK the car appears to be supported by both the jackstand under the front axle and also by the chain hoist. I think it would have also been prudent to use a couple of wheel chocks on each of the rear wheels. Just for peace of mind. Only one small concern.Those supports are more than sturdy enough to support an automobile. However, the lack of wheel chocks is troubling. Crucial OmissionThey forgot to include the smoldering butt which ought to be dangling from the corner of the mechanic's mouth. Not a PhotographerThat 'tripod' is a sledgehammer leaning against a table with some sort of heavy vice attached to it. As a side observation, this is the first garage I have ever seen that hasn't been plastered with advertisements, calendars, lists of prices, x-rated posters or any of that kind of paraphernalia at all. My guess is it hasn't been in operation for very long (hence the surprisingly clean floors). [As noted in Perpster's comment, the photographer and his tripod are reflected in the car door. A heavy vice: sinful. A heavy vise: useful. - Dave] I like the creeperI like his homemade creeper, very well thought out and perfect for working like that. I bet he could still bend when he got home at night. It's going to be a son of a gun to get that piston back in the cylinder from underneath with the crankshaft and everything in the way. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Ahoy, Matey: 1921
"Jordan touring car at San Francisco piers, 1921." The S.S. Ventura at dock. 8x6 inch glass negative, ... was owned and operated by J.D. Spreckels & Bros. of San Francisco through their Oceanic Steamship Company. Among those Bros. was ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/14/2017 - 5:45pm -

"Jordan touring car at San Francisco piers, 1921." The S.S. Ventura at dock. 8x6 inch glass negative, photographer unknown. View full size. The Shorpy connectionThe S.S. Ventura was owned and operated by J.D. Spreckels & Bros. of San Francisco through their Oceanic Steamship Company. Among those Bros. was Aldolph Spreckels, who built the Spreckels Mansion at 2080 Washington St., the backdrop for many a Chris Helin photo of Antique Automotive Anachronisms seen here. Love the saddle shoes.Kinda takes your mind off of the hat. Whazzit?... loaded high into that lo-boy wagon in the left background? A Ship, A Sickness, A Seaman, A Sinking, & A Sedan SellerThe Oceanic ship S.S. Ventura was a 6,282 ton passenger liner which was built at Philadelphia in 1900 for Oceanic. The ship was scrapped in 1934. The vessel, along with its sister ships Sierra and Sonoma, regularly sailed between San Francisco and Sydney, Australia. In addition to passenger service, from 1912 Oceanic held a contract with the U.S. Government to ferry mail between the two countries. The photo below shows the ship departing New South Wales sometime in the 1920s. A passenger who contracted smallpox forced the Ventura to be quarantined on January 18, 1921 when it arrived in Sydney. After the case of smallpox was found to be minor, the ship was allowed to dock at the North Head Quarantine Station in Sydney, but only passengers with a valid smallpox vaccination certificate were allowed to leave the station. Although the ship headed out for San Francisco as scheduled on January 25th, some passengers were not released from quarantine to return home until February 7th. On February 26, 1921, Miss Frances Power, a stewardess on the S.S. Ventura became one of the first woman to become a naturalized citizen of the United States by virtue of having served on an American flag ship for three continuous years. The Sacramento Call newspaper story from February 27, 1921 announcing her citizenship is below, but it leaves out the fact that there are other requirements, such as five years of U.S. residency, that also apply in order to be naturalized in this way. Miss Power was born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada on March 22, 1888. On the morning of August 17, 1930 the Ventura came to the aide of the sinking ship RMS Tahiti, on voyage between New Zealand and San Fransisco. Ventura picked up all of the passengers after they abandoned ship in life boats. No lives were lost. A broken propeller shaft had created a hole in the hull and a bulkhead of the Tahiti on August 12, 1930. The Tahiti ultimately sank on the afternoon of August 17th after the crew was able to return to her, save the mail and bullion on board, and then return to the Ventura. Based on the license plate, the Jordan car was being sold by the C.D. Rand agency, which sold both Jordan and Mercer automobiles, at 1519 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco. Rand was Clinton DeWitt Rand, 1884 - 1957, and he spent most of his life selling automobiles and tires. It's quite possible that he is shaking the woman's hand in the photo. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco)
Montgomery Block: 1940
San Francisco March 1940. "Built as the largest and safest office building in San Francisco, the Montgomery Block became the headquarters of professional ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 05/21/2015 - 9:24am -

San Francisco March 1940. "Built as the largest and safest office building in San Francisco, the Montgomery Block became the headquarters of professional men from 1853 to 1890. It was the only major downtown San Francisco building to escape the earthquake and fire of 1906." Previously seen here, its site became a parking lot in 1959, and is now part of the footprint of the Transamerica Pyramid. Large format negative by A.J. Whitlock for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. A. PaladiniOn the pickup down the street. Still in business. Going with the 'FlowIn the row of six parallel-parked cars in the front center of the photo, the first one in line (just behind where the pickup is pulling out) appears to me to be a Chrysler Airflow. It looks strange from that angle, but I viewed my 1/32-scale model Airflow from a similar vantage point, and got a pretty good match. '38 Ford"38 Ford Deluxe at the curb on the left. KeystonesLove the keystones, bottom right. No one today would even think about putting up such an interesting architectural detail. The one on the left looks a little bit like a skull/death's head! (HABS, San Francisco)
Market Street: 1963
... Don Cox is this Kodachrome of Market Street at Sixth in San Francisco. Now playing at the Loew's Warfield: two 1951 films, "The Great ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/14/2021 - 11:28am -

April 1963. The latest from Don Cox is this Kodachrome of Market Street at Sixth in San Francisco. Now playing at the Loew's Warfield: two 1951 films, "The Great Caruso" and "Show Boat." Across the street: Charlton Heston in the more recent "Diamond Head." View full size. Thanks Nikita!In 1960 Nikita Khrushchev and his wife came to California and the first place they wanted to visit was that socialist paradise known as Disneyland. That was rejected for the obvious security reasons. So instead he chose the *real* enchanted kingdom and came to San Francisco. He reportedly commented, "This is such a beautiful city. Why are there no trees?" Soon after he departed the City began planting street trees. Reaching The CrestIf Loew's Warfield offerings or Diamond Head don't satisfy. then maybe the barely seen here behind the Warfield, known then as the Crest, has your nightly entertainments on the bill with Damn the Defiant and Frightened City sure to please for 50 cents. And, like the Warfield (with music acts), it's still pleasing folks today... but not for 50 cents. It's a strip club for "gentlemen" called The Crazy Horse. Giddyup. PainfulThe dentists are no longer painless. Gives me vertigoMaybe it's just my imagination -- but way down the street do I see a white 1956 DeSoto Firedome Sportsman? Looks like the driver is a middle-aged man in a brown suit and hat -- a Jimmy Stewart type. Not much has changed.But, I still miss all of the neon. What happened to all the people?One thing that is missing from Market Street these days is the throngs of people we can see on the sidewalk in 1963. This part of Market Street and the nearby area was the entertainment center, the retail shopping center, a major transportation hub, and the business center for San Francisco and the Bay Area. Although some of that activity is still there, much of the action has been dispersed. I would estimate that the volume of pedestrian traffic on Market Street was five times greater 50 years ago than what it is today. Interesting This picture was taken 58 years ago, 57 years prior to this photo was 1906, So some of the elderly in this picture may have witnessed the great earthquake. Midday RamblerLooks like a '59 Rambler station wagon on the right. My great-granddad had one pretty much exactly like that. (The Gallery, Kodachromes, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Don Cox, Movies, San Francisco)
Grand Opening: 1932
... "Goodyear service station opening, Mission Street at 11th, San Francisco." The festivities here include shrunken blimps, a giant tire tread ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/31/2015 - 1:33pm -

Sept. 14, 1932. "Goodyear service station opening, Mission Street at 11th, San Francisco." The festivities here include shrunken blimps, a giant tire tread and that cryptic confection the "Baffle Bar." 8x10 inch nitrate negative. View full size. Corner of 11th & MissionThe Goodyear station is long gone, but the tall building to the left and the small two-storey building to the right still exist. Tread TruckWow, how about that big tire trailer! Tires of the futureThere is a 1931 Model A Ford coupe in line at the gas pumps that has wheels and tires of the future. Were these sold by Goodyear? Cars in 1932 had much narrower tread with larger diameter rims. [You are mistaken. Balloon tires were big starting in the mid-twenties. - Dave] The Double Humped ChurchAny idea which church is looming in the background? I've been looking for this spot on Google Earth and figured that might help to pinpoint its location. Exact Location of this IntersectionThe assortment of vintage vehicles and "automobilia" (like the gas pumps) is just fantastic! Can any of the Shorpy Sleuths pinpoint this intersection? The California Belting Co next door is number 459-63. [1459, not 459. Google California Belting 1459. The answer is Mission Street. - Dave] Bells of St. Joseph'sThe spires in the background belong to St. Joseph's Church at 10th and Howard Streets in San Francisco. Built in 1913, it's been abandoned since the earthquake of 1989 (seismic concerns) but there are plans afoot to convert it into a tech-centered office complex. The future is nowThat Model A is equipped with aftermarket accessory wheels. Goodyear Airwheel and General Jumbo were the major players. Those tire sizes aren't reproduced but you will occasionally see people using those rims today to fit more modern tires. Dual DomesThe church in question is St. Joseph's on the corner of Howard and 10th streets. It is currently in the process of being converted into condos. Don't Try To Understand 'EmAs the Shorpy commentariat must know by now, California Belting was the place to go for all your emery wheel, rubber belting, woodsplit pulley, and rawhide lace leather needs. Still baffledMany thanks to denverlev for the Baffle Bar info, but what about the rest of the wording on the Baffle Bar truck? Something about Pepper? Is it saying the Baffle Bar is Pepper Free? Can't quite make it out. [PEPPER TREE, another defunct candy bar. - Dave] Iron MonsterThe streetcar in the far right of the photo is one of San Francisco Municipal Railway's (MUNI) famous "Iron Monsters", which started to replace older wood bodied streetcars in 1914. One of these survives in operating condition, as you can see in the photo below. More details here. Tread TruckHere's another pic of the tread truck, found here. Baffle Bar Billy Baffle Bar was originally made in Oakland, CA by the Cardinet Co. The Baffle Bar was made of fruit and it was really chewy. It was also best frozen and then eaten. Cardinet sold its products to a larger major chocolate company which discontinued the bar itself. Pepper Tree Dark chocolate over chewy peppermint nougat, about the size of a Three Musketeer Bar. The Baffle Bar made a comeback in either the 50's or 70's. I read articles that mentioned both eras but as a card carrying candy aficionado of the 50s I draw a blank. Below is a 70s wrapper (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, San Francisco)
Christmas Wedding: 1954
... wedding reception, held at some ritzy country club on the San Francisco peninsula. I was eight at the time and still have some hazy memory of ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 12/03/2011 - 5:51pm -

December 12, 1954. A quartet of poinsettia-brandishing bridesmaids share a moment of post-ceremony frivolity at my cousin's wedding reception, held at some ritzy country club on the San Francisco peninsula. I was eight at the time and still have some hazy memory of being in awe of this opulent venue, at the time the fanciest place I'd ever been in. More recently, I was taken aback to read in an article in The San Francisco Chronicle that the use of poinsettias in Christmas decor was now looked down upon by many as, if not merely old school, downright passé. Shows you how much I've been paying attention. My brother shot this 120 620 Kodacolor, taking advantage of the professional photographer's electronic flash by opening the shutter of my sister's Kodak Duaflex moments before the flash fired, thus explaining the candle streak at the right. View full size. What a nice touch!Their poinsettias are beautiful, although the lightning bolt on the right side is a bit creepy. I like the color.That is a lovely photo. And good thinking on your brother's part to piggyback on the flash. Kodak DuaflexI received that camera as a gift in 1953 and found it to be a user-friendly, easy to operate, convenient, inexpensive and exemplary camera for the common photographer who just wanted to snap photos without worrying about light meters, exposure times, etc. It used readily available 620 b & w film and every picture I took with it came out surprisingly sharp and detailed. Had a large viewfinder (about 2" x 2") and flash attachment for indoors and I still have all of it, including the two boxes and directions for both pieces. I really liked the results I got with it and was sorry to see it become obsolete. My cousin who gave it to me is almost 90 and is very pleased to see I still treasure it. ColorWithout the poinsettias, this wouldn't have been much of a picture. Film by Kodak - the kingtterrace said his brother shot this on 120 film. Unless I'm mistaken, that means his brother took a roll of 120 film and hand rolled it onto the 620 spool in the Duaflex. And he had to do it by feel in complete darkness because exposing the film to the slightest light would have ruined it. Great twin lens reflex camera. I think mine was a Duaflex II I used in the late 50s or early 60s. It's still around the house somewhere. So many changes in photography since WWII. 120/620 filmThanks to Dutch and OTY for educating me about the 120/620 film situation. Since they're the same film on different spindles, once they're out of the camera there's no telling them apart. All I have are the negatives, and I never explored the Duaflex specs sufficiently. I'm sure what my brother was using was the 620 version. I've amended my caption. Poinsettias are a no-no? Passe?I know why - they don't cost $5,000 and nowadays weddings are supposed to break the bank! I think they look very sharp with the white dresses!!! Great pic, terrace and Dave. Poinsettias & Red Lipstick!Poinsettias and Red Lipstick -- perfect! To think this photo is almost 60 years old and these pretty young ladies are now pushing their 80s. Things change, but Poinsettias and Red Lipstick are always in style! My parents' wedding was just about the same timeMy mother's comment on this photo: > Been there done that--only with red dresses & white flowers AND 6 " of snow. HoweverIt is a marvelous photo and extremely "well shot," but I'd love to know what was so funny for that young lady. It's obviously close to the funniest thing she's ever heard. Thanks, Tterrace. Old SchoolBack in the day, when it was okay for bridesmaids' dresses to be pretty. One year and twelve days laterMy parents were married on Christmas Eve, 1955, a date which I am given to understand was dictated by my grandmother. I don't know whether poinsettias were part of the decor. It certainly made remembering their anniversary a piece of cake. My first ChristmasI was two and half months old when this was taken. I always get a kick out of seeing things from that year. I don't care who says that Poinsettias are passe, I think they are lovely, and these bridesmaid look lovely carrying them, too! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Baron's Cocktails: 1958
Somewhere in San Francisco circa 1958. The film is Anscochrome and the colors are well ... who, in the late 1940s, had an organ music studio in San Francisco. By 1952 she had moved her studio and home to San Mateo. As a ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 07/22/2012 - 2:36pm -

Somewhere in San Francisco circa 1958. The film is Anscochrome and the colors are well preserved. Note the Billy Graham Crusade Headquarters on the second floor! View full size. Baron's corner todaytterrace beat me to it. The net's pretty remarkable. I found out that the Manx Hotel is now the Villa Florence, then used Google Maps/Street View to get a picture of the actual intersection. The facing on the building above Baron's (now above Starbucks) is still the same. View Larger Map Make mine a doubleVery nice. Who took the picture? Cocktail locationThis is Powell at O'Farrell. Baron's is now a Starbucks, and Lefty O'Doul's big baseball is gone, too. Hits the SpotThat's the last really good logo for Pepsi. The next two were OK, but it's all quickly downhill after that. The decadent '70sI can't help but note that the same office that housed the "Billy Graham Crusade" in 1959 had by 1973 been transformed into the "Executive Suite Sauna & Massage"! Locally knownFrieda Benz Oakley was a professional organist who, in the late 1940s, had an organ music studio in San Francisco. By 1952 she had moved her studio and home to San Mateo. As a professional in the mid-1950s, she gained a not inconsiderable reputation as a regular performer at the famous Domino Club in San Francisco, playing popular and semi-standard tunes. She was also sought after for more public venues, such as the San Mateo Fair. This slide shows her still playing local gigs in the late 1950s, and also tells us that Baron's had a Wurlitzer organ on the premises. In the early 1960s she was living in Southern California and teaching in Glendale and at the Hammond Organ Studios in Pasadena. She also was accepting invitations to play for such groups as the San Gabriel Organ Club, the Women's Association of the Congregational Church of the Chimes, and for the Los Angeles chapter of the American Theater Organ Enthusiasts—of which she was a member. Her last public performance on record seems to be at the grand opening of the new Baldwin Piano & Organ Center on Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena, in July, 1966. What's following the cable car? Check out the red (Dodge?) truck immediately behind the cable car. It seems to have an unusual bed and a red beacon on the roof. Perhaps it's a fire truck or tow truck? DAVE - The photo was taken by my father. We lived just south of SF, in San Mateo, from ~ 1954 to 1961, and this is from that era. I have cases of color slides that were a part of his estate and I'll try to find the best and most interesting to scan and post. Thanks very much for hosting the venue that allows others to enjoy them! On The StreetIn the foreground we have what looks like the right front fender of a 1958 Buick. On the right hand side of the street appears the taillamp and bumper of a 1957-58 Mercury. On the left hand side of the street is a red 1947 (Third Series) - 1953 GMC cab over engine (COE) truck. The white over green vehicle behind the GMC looks like a 1957 Ford Custom 300. The black car behind might be a 1956 Ford. Push me pull youThe red Dodge truck following the cable car is almost certainly a repair vehicle sent out by the Municipal Railway (MUNI). Check out its oversize pushing bumper and tool boxes at rear. It appears to be assisting cable car 502, which has undergone some type of mechanical mishap and is now out of service. Witness the "Take Next Car" sign in the front window.. The cable car is headed for the Powell Street turntable, and if it can't be fixed there the Dodge will most likely have to push it all the way back to the car barn at Washington and Mason Streets. It will be a long push -- mostly uphill. Cable cars were (and still are) notoriously finicky and tend to go flooey at inconvenient times. This car could have 'lost its grip,' meaning the mechanical device that grips onto the moving subsurface cable that pulls the car along. Alternately, it might have suffered some sort of brake malfunction. Whatever the case, MUNI didn't want any riders on this trip. All still thereSurprisingly, every building visible in the photo -- and both streetlamps -- still stand. Photogenic CornerA few more historic photos of this street corner I found via google image search. Baron's cocktail bar was still there in 1973. In the 1940s it was Lynch's. Jimboylan points out above that the 1940s photo is a different corner. Higher resolution images available at the linked sources: 1940s (the Tender), 1959 (roger4336), 1973 (Leroy W. Demery, Jr.). When the city was cool Until the mid 60s, the fare was the same as for buses -- fifteen cents. Alas, I admit defeatI was hoping someone would post info on the cocktail lounge names. I found Baron's was owned and managed by S. Baron Long. There was a vintage ashtray on line with his image in the center. He also became owner manager of the Hawaiian Garden's Restaurant in San Jose in 1938. They had floor shows and trained bullfrogs. There is also a mention of Baron Long's Ship Cafe in Venice Beach but don't know if it is the same person. However, I had to admit defeat on the sign front and center advertising someone named Benz and the last three letters of the first name "eda", I was thinking Freida, at the organ. Guess that was one organ player who never made it big. [Googling "Frieda Benz" + organist returns hits relating to a performer who had some California appearances during this general period. - tterrace] HitchcockThe image has the feel of the film Vertigo. Rail remnantsI noticed the remnants of other trackage crossing in the middle of the intersection. Was this all that was left of the O'Farrell-Jones-Hyde Street line? Hotel ManxI stayed at the Hotel Manx for one night with a college friend in 1976; it was dingy and scary! We were on our way to a summer of indentured servitude at a summer stock theatre in Santa Rosa. We had just received our BAs in Drama from UC Irvine, and as college graduates we were happy to make $40 per week. What, and give up show business?! Lynch's isn't Baron'sThe interesting 1940 photo of Lynch's and its link shows the competing California Street Cable Railway Company's Jones St. Shuttle car at the corner of O'Farrell and Jones Sts. Lefty O'Doul'sLefty O'Doul's is on Geary now. Does anyone know when it moved? GMC Contact TruckThe contact (pusher) truck is a circa 1950 GMC not a Dodge. The GMC logo is visible just above the grille. A 1951 example with a set of extra lights and windshield visor is shown below. Lefty O'Doul's vs Lefty'sThe only thing I know for sure is that Lefty's and Lefty O'Doul's were two different establishments. Both Lefty's Cocktail Lounge on Powell and Lefty O'Doul's Restaurant are listed in the 1960 San Francisco City Directory. Seeing the baseball sign, you would think that both were owned by Frank O'Doul. Wonderful TownI was going through U.S. Navy Electronics School out on Treasure Island throughout most of the summer of 1958. Used to go on liberty in San Francisco and always thought that, if I had to live in a big city, I would choose S.F. as my first choice. I didn't leave my heart there but will always remember that city as such a vibrant place. Many happy memories. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
When Fancy Met Schmancy: 1927
"Franklin sedan, San Francisco, 1927." An upscale auto parked outside an imposing home whose balcony ... have been taken in the Pacific Heights neighborhood in San Francisco. I've been on many walking tours around there and I expect the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/12/2016 - 10:38am -

"Franklin sedan, San Francisco, 1927." An upscale auto parked outside an imposing home whose balcony seems to have been modified for keeping chickens or children. 5x7 glass inch negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Quite some houseDoes it still exist? Forget the carCheck out the house, they don't make 'em like that anymore. Neighborhood WatchMany of the automobile pictures have been taken in the Pacific Heights neighborhood in San Francisco. I've been on many walking tours around there and I expect the house is between other homes now. But where is it? Gentle slope, Eucalyptus trees. The street lamp is of interest. Any of Shorpy's historians ready to chime in on this one? By the 1950s, we kids played under weak incandescent bulbs. All the stars of the Big Dipper were still visible. Amelia Earhart Connection. Along with Lindbergh as noted, Amelia Earhart was also used by Franklin for promotions. The famous Air cooled Franklin engines similarity to aircraft engines being the connection. Both she and Lindbergh were given Franklins to use as their personal transportation. A Lindbergh ConnectionFranklin presented Lindbergh with a car of about this vintage after his transatlantic flight, not incidentally gaining some advertising for their air-cooled engine. Being a thrifty Minnesotan, Lindbergh drove it until around 1940. MehChickens, children, what's the difference. Wonder if this house is still around? San Francisco retained quite a few nice ones. Modified BalconyMy guess is screening added to allow indoor kitties a bit of fresh air. Cats won't jump if they can't see what's on the other side. Nor will coyotes. The house is wonderful, and if I were fortunate enough to have lived there, I would have had Staff ! The house is the star of this photo. Franklin lion mascotThe famous Franklin lion radiator mascot is clearly visible in this view. A popular accessory at the time, these are now being reproduced for Franklin restorers. Many "panes" in the neckI wouldn't want to clean the windows in that house! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Frisco Alfresco: 1906
San Francisco, April 1906, after the earthquake and fire that leveled much of the ... he took this view. The red area in this detail of a 1907 San Francisco map shows the portion of the city that was destroyed by the fire. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:34pm -

San Francisco, April 1906, after the earthquake and fire that leveled much of the city. "Cooking in the street." Detroit Publishing glass negative. View full size. Re: Radical, dude!Sure he will - right on top of the stove!! Hey - "What's that guy with the camera lookin' at?!?" Post no billsNor Freds or Jims or Kens either. On the levelEvidently there's more of a hill on this street than meets the eye, judging by how the back legs of each kitchen range are shimmed. Virgo risingLooks like someone drew an astrology chart on the pavement. Snail hopscotchThe "horoscope" on the road is a version of Snail Hopscotch. Instead of a T shape, you draw a spiral, then start at the outside on 1, hopping toward the centre, switch feet and hop out. Played it endlessly as a kid, amongst other schoolyard games. La Marelle Ronde (Round Hopscotch)Those "astrology charts" look very much like hopscotch spirals, similar to the French Escargot hopscotch -- La Marelle Ronde. Am I Warm?They're cooking in the street for a Cinco de Mayo festival. Myrtle StreetTook a bit of hunting but I found the location of this photo: Myrtle Street (or Alley) between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street. View is to the west, with the spire of the old First Unitarian Church just visible over the buildings at right. The Unitarian Church is still there but hidden from view. About the only survivor from the 1906 photo is the granite newel post. View Larger Map Tiny PiratesThe lady swinging her fist is protecting the identity of the tiny pirate hiding behind her. Street cookingBonus question: Who can guess why, in a part of town where the buildings are still intact, people are cooking on the street? Radical, dude!That's a gnarly skateboard ramp man. You're never gonna land that one. KaboomThese people were afraid that cooking indoors with their coal or wood (or gas) stoves might ignite any gas leaking from broken supply lines. Which of course is why much of the city burned after the earthquake. About street cookingYep. A number of first-hand narratives about the earthquake and fire aftermath are available online, for example this one and this one. Both mention the enforcement of no-indoor-flames rules. Mystery BoxI wonder what Charlie Chaplin is carrying up the street? Living on the EdgeJohn Martini's identification of the photo to this block of Myrtle Street reveals just how narrow an escape these residents had. In this neighborhood, the fire was halted along Van Ness, which was the next street directly behind the photographer when he took this view. The red area in this detail of a 1907 San Francisco map shows the portion of the city that was destroyed by the fire. The small bright green rectangle indicates the location of this block of Myrtle Street, adjacent to the fire zone. (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
Big Six: 1921
San Francisco or vicinity circa 1921. "Studebaker 'Big Six' touring car." ... place? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/13/2022 - 10:33am -

San Francisco or vicinity circa 1921. "Studebaker 'Big Six' touring car." Cigar-chomping Army brass at the wheel. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Big Cigfor the Big Six. Not factory issueThere's a spotlight mounted along the driver's side window. It's odd they photographed the car when it was so dirty, especially if for military use. Side curtains My God, what a tremendous hassle side curtains must have been when skies started to threaten. Pull over, dig them out from wherever they were stored, sort them out, make sure you didn’t have the driver’s side rear when you wanted the passenger side, and how sweltering it must have been in a summer storm under all that black oilcloth, and how frigid in the winter. I’m sure this guy just had to shout and six enlisted men would appear from someplace and take care of it. Accident waiting to happenThat front tire might or might not be a retread, but in any case, it is coming apart. Nice ride!What a classic, but what a pain it must have been to put air in the tires! I wonder what the small round opening just ahead of the rear wheel is for? [Access to the leaf spring front shackle grease fitting. - Dave] Thanks! Side CurtainsStudebaker had a system called "Jiffy Curtains" that worked by suspending the top of each curtain to a cable that ran along each side of the top from front to back. Just unclip the bottom and side edges and fold up the curtain like an accordion, then slide towards the rear like a shower curtain. There was a flap over the rear window where it would all be stored. Not An Attractive CarThis model must have not lasted for long. Sorry to say, it is not at all attractive. [Sorry to say, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1926, 1927. - Dave] Open cars v closed carsThe hassles with putting up those side curtains was one of the reasons that by 1925 closed-bodied cars outsold open-touring cars in the United States. Trapped I wonder what it took to get out of the backseat with those curtains in place? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Driving With Dorris: 1920
San Francisco circa 1920. "Dorris 6-80 seven-passenger sedan." Which retailed for ... wheel brakes Must have been a real joy on the hills of San Francisco with a beast of that size and weight. Scuffed Sidewalls ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/03/2016 - 5:42pm -

San Francisco circa 1920. "Dorris 6-80 seven-passenger sedan." Which retailed for an eye-popping $7190. Latest entry in the Shorpy Baedeker of Brobdingnagian Broughams. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. 2150 Washington StreetBuilt 1915. Just a block down from the Spreckels Mansion. In Today's MoneyIn today's dollars that would be $85,000 81 lbsWith all the modern camera lenses these days, I'll make a wager that most wouldn't be as sharp as the lens on this old camera. KEEP INFLATED TO 81 LBS, indeed! [You can read the tire because the negative is 7 inches wide. - Dave] Cost Effective?I guess a simple pane of glass (visor) was less expensive than inventing windshield wipers. Someone forgot about the S.F. fog coating the inside of the windshield though. And, is the driver sitting on the wrong side of the car or is the driver's position reversed from current? [As long as the man is in the passenger seat, there is no driver. - Dave] MonogrammedI.K.H. How appropriateShorpy has a Dorris day, on Doris Day's 92nd birthday! Paying for what?That panel above the running board is awfully wavy for $7199. [That's the splash apron. - Dave] Brobdingnagian BroughamsLove it. This and the "Forgotten Phaetons" are my favorite Shorpy descriptions of car models and/or manufacturers that most (including me) have never heard of. Louver Come BackThere's that double upper pane of glass again that has me so intrigued. https://www.shorpy.com/node/20682#comment-188906 I'm hoping someone with a preserved example of one of these windshields will comment on this. I'm sure of course that it doesn't work as well as wipers, but is it effective at all? And I like the adjustable hood louvers. Along with the window tassels and tricolor finish, these are features I would simply expect from a car at this price point! Grandma, is that you?Nice tassels on the pull-down windowshades. "To the opera, Livingston." Those two wheel brakesMust have been a real joy on the hills of San Francisco with a beast of that size and weight. Scuffed SidewallsLooks like those front tires have seen plenty of cases of being wedged against the curb when parked on the hills of San Francisco. As late as the 1950s you could get ticketed for not doing that. Pictures and wordsI come for the extraordinary photographs, but I stay for the sesquipedalian rich captions. Early SUV? An earlier version of the SUV? Do you think this driver also toted children to soccer games? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Los Angeles: 1899
... masters Without the caption I would've guessed this was San Francisco. I had no idea Angelenos had so many stairs to climb. That ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/26/2012 - 4:58pm -

Circa 1899. "General view, Los Angeles." The righthand section of a three-part panoramic series. Detroit Publishing Company glass negative. View full size. Shorpy Does It Again!Just a spectacular view that's reaching back over a hundred years. The architecture has so much character. The topography can clearly be seen as a force to reckon with. LA localeThis looks like the general area I lived in for years. Any chance we can see more of the panorama? Would love to get some street names. Since LA tends to raze everything and build anew, longstanding architectural landmarks are few and far between. WOWGreat house at the right side of the picture, wonderful details. It's probably gone now. This photo helps keep it alive! The stairs to Los AngelesI can almost see Arturo Bandini climb those stairs, eating oranges and smoking. Although that would have been some 30 years later. BSBefore Smog -- this shows a totally different L.A. from what we all know and I, who was born there and lived there for many years, can hardly believe my eyes. We think of L.A. as flat but it is really surrounded by hills on three sides! What a shame there is no trace of those gorgeous Victorian-era buildings. Can anyone place the location? Look out below! Check out the outhouse perched halfway up the hill. I don't think I'd care to live in one of those houses directly downslope from it! ModernThe most amazing building to me is the one exactly halfway up the left side of the photo, the one whose side is covered with large triple windows. It looks totally modern. Nice flat wall with no adornment. The windows are simply punched into place and have dark frames to blend with the dark glass. The top floor's simple Cupid's bow dormers. A very clean look without all the frilliness of the other buildings. My hometownI can't say how pleased I was to see this on Shorpy this morning. I'm a Los Angeles lifer and love it, but L.A., as has been noted by other commenters, is not what you'd call a history-conscious town. I watch old Dragnets on Hulu just to see the shots of L.A. in the '60s, so a pic like this, peeking back into the 19th century, is just a delight. Stair mastersWithout the caption I would've guessed this was San Francisco. I had no idea Angelenos had so many stairs to climb. That great house on the rightis the Bradbury mansion. The blacksmith shop at the bottom is on Hill Street. The grand house on the leftThe Crocker Mansion. Broadway and Franklin.We are looking at Bunker Hill from the Old Courthouse. The Hall of Records is yet be be constructed. The intersection in the foreground is Broadway and Franklin Street. Franklin, which no longer exists, would be where the parking west of the Criminal Courts Building is. The Court Flight, a funicular railway, would be built in 1904 connecting the intersection of Court Street and Hill Street (visible up on Bunker Hill) with Broadway below. So clearly this dates the photos as before 1904. Its sister, Angel's Flight, would be built down the way at 3rd and Hill (off the left edge of the photo) in 1901. Here is my source. It is an excellent site with parsed post card views of the area: Start here for background (including a colorized version of our photo!): http://www.csulb.edu/~odinthor/socal5.html Then continue here: http://www.csulb.edu/~odinthor/socal6.html Bunker HillThis is Bunker Hill on the NW edge of current downtown LA. The last standing Victorian houses were razed in the 60s and the hill partly levelled for development of the music center and hotel district. The large house to the right is the Bradbury mansion of 1887. The Music Box Isn't that Mr. Laurel and Mr. Hardy, right after they delivered the piano? Just mindblowingWhat an amazing image! So I'm guessing that we're looking west/southwest and the ridges in the distance are Baldwin Hills (extending in from the left of the frame) and the Santa Monicas (from the right)? Just WOW. Watch your stepDowntown LA is perched on the edge of some very hilly terrain. The driveways deliver you right up to the front doors today. Since I was not alive to see these homes, it's jarring to see the long and meandering stairways leading from the street to these banker-lawyer type homes. It's quite a journey from porch to horse and carriage. Nobody Walks In LA. Now. Not so then. Very early cellphone tower?Up on the left horizon. Either a cellphone tower, or the worlds largest lightning rod! [It's an arc lamp. - Dave] Pneumonia HallThe Lewis Bradbury house of 1887 (on the right) was at Court and Hill Streets. Bradbury was a property developer who died in 1892, before the completion of the building he is known best for, the Bradbury Building on Broadway. Later the house was converted to apartments. Harold Lloyd, who lived there when he was starting out, dubbed it "Pneumonia Hall." It was torn down in 1929 for a parking lot. SuspectThis can't be L.A. There are people out walking. Los Angeles, 1880How about this photograph by Carleton Watkins from the J. Paul Getty Museum of the Plaza in Los Angeles from 1880? The Plaza church is still there today. The Village BlacksmithAt bottom is the workshop of A.L. Nies: A.L. Nies came into Los Angeles in 1882 and established his blacksmith shop near the present Hotel Broadway. He liked the friendly little town where passersby called each other by name and spoke of personal affairs to man, woman and child. For sixteen years he was content. Then the devil of Progress began to alter landmarks and inundate the streets with "foreigners." More here. East Coast InfluenceTo see Los Angeles back then is like looking at an East Coast city. Regarding "Modern" commentThe "modern" looking building is the north non-street-facing side of the Tajo Building, built in 1897 on the northwest corner of 1st and Broadway. Since this side was not meant to be seen from the street, it was kept as simple as possible. The smaller image is taken from a colorized postcard circa 1905. The large view of the front and side dates from about 1942. Bunker HillThis is Bunker Hill in Los Angeles where I grew up in the 1940's through the 1960's, long after this photo was taken. Many of these buildings survived into my era, though, so I remember them. Many more had been replaced by larger apartment houses and residential hotels as the area changed from the refuge of wealthy Angelenos, as it was when this photo was taken, to become home to lower income working families, artists, writers and the elderly. I know all the streets visible here. It is wonderful to see the Hill in its youth when everything seems so new. You can almost smell the newly cut lumber and fresh paint. I love the Hi-def detail of the photos in the Archive because it enabled me to identify the Castle which is one of the Victorian buildings my family owned. It is the light colored building with the dark roof in the background just to the right of the northern slope of the Baldwin Hills in the distance. It sat on S. Bunker Hill Ave. What a thrill to see it. None of the buildings in this photo survives. It was all razed in the 1960's in the name of urban renewal. What an irreplaceable loss. the hillBunker Hill in L.A. was once a neighborhood of the wealthy. In the 20th century it went into decline as more multi-unit apartments were built and it became a cheap neighborhood for transients, drug addicts and working poor. It served as a backdrop of many American noir films and of one excellent docudrama about the Native American population of Los Angeles called "THE EXILES". This semi-ghetto was razed in the 1960's to make room for the Music Center and more steel and glass towers. L.A. author John Fante moved there in 1929 and his first and last novels ASK THE DUST and DREAMS FROM BUNKER HILL both come out of his experience there. Angels FlightAm I right in assuming that the slope in the center would be the site of the Angels Flight funicular railway? [See this comment below. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, Los Angeles)
San Fran: 1939
April 1939. "San Francisco, California, seen from the First Street ramp of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge." Photo by Dorothea Lange. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/24/2013 - 5:20pm -

April 1939. "San Francisco, California, seen from the First Street ramp of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge." Photo by Dorothea Lange. View full size. Key SystemJust to the left of centre you can make out a Key System articulated "Bridge Unit". The overhead was provided for Interurban Electric Railway and Sacramento Northern trains running on 1200 volts - in 1939 the Key System cars ran on the third rail at 600 volts. After the IER and SN abandoned passenger service over the bridge the overhead volatge was reduced to 600 volts so the Key trains could use it if the third rail failed. Lower level of Bay BridgeThe lower level of the Bay Bridge had tracks for street cars and two lanes for trucks: an east lane and a west. The upper level had two lanes each way for cars. John The Man in the High CastleIt makes me think of that SF novel by Philip K. Dick, where the axis powers won WW2. In that novel, he describes a San Francisco city which never boomed in the 50's and 60's, due to the fact that the US lost the war, and that its global economy went down. He describes the city as having kept most of its pre-war architecture, never to have developed the modern skyline we know now. BillboardsTwo automaker ads and one for gasoline, all aimed at the motorists coming off the bridge. The ad for gas says "Let's go to the Fair..." a reference to the Golden Gate International Exposition, a Pacific Rim oriented World's Fair. There seems to be a large cartoon of a car on the "Gilmore" billboard but I don't know enough San Francisco history to know what that refers to. Perhaps tterrace would know? And I remember mucilage. It came in a slender glass bottle the size of a salt shaker and had a pale red rubber top that always seemed to have dried goo all over it. I'd rather use Spray Mount these days. Gilmore Oil Co.Gilmore was a California-based oil company that was bought out by Socony-Vacuum in 1940, later to become Mobil. The car on the billboard appears to be a 1939 Plymouth. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Dorothea Lange, Railroads, San Francisco)
California Girls: 1919
San Francisco or thereabouts circa 1919. "Chalmers touring car." At what seems to ... match Berkeley or Stanford, and looks too flat to be San Francisco proper. The foreground arches look like less-expensive sculpted ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/04/2014 - 11:49am -

San Francisco or thereabouts circa 1919. "Chalmers touring car." At what seems to be a deluxe cow barn. 6½ x 8½ Wyland Stanley glass negative. View full size. Yes, dearI'll be sure to stop and get a gallon of milk on the way home from work. An exposition perhaps?Notice the large building in the right background, and the tall superstructure in the left background. Also, the brick steps leading up to the stable. I tend to think these animals are for display. Not wanting to milk a joke butIt is an early version of a Starbucks with a prototype fresh milk and cream bar to dress up your Grande coffee. Location: college?The large architecture (large building in left background, and church-like three story building with buttresses in right background) and hay-covered breezeway makes me suspect a large college or university. It doesn't match Berkeley or Stanford, and looks too flat to be San Francisco proper. The foreground arches look like less-expensive sculpted plaster, so I'm thinking it's not a particularly wealthy college. The big blue gum eucalyptus behind the cow says that it didn't have formal gardens. California BuildingSeveral of us San Francisco historians had to put our heads together to solve this one. Turns out the photo was taken inside the former "California Building" exhibit, a remnant of the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exposition. It stood approximately on the site of today's St. Francis Yacht Club. Like a handful of other PPIE buildings (most notably the Palace of Fine Arts), the California Building survived for several years after the fair, looking for a new use. At one point it was proposed for a State Teachers College but that never materialized. It stood until March 1920. Its use as a paddock for livestock comes as a total surprise, though. Perhaps this was merely elaborate set dressing? And here's a 1915 view of the same alcove and steps, courtesy of PPIE historian Donna Huggins. April Winchell, eat your heart outNow these are contented, happy California cows. They set the bar higher before the Depression. Indulgent bossAllowing the chauffeur to pull over to hug his favorite cow. (The Gallery, Animals, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Glass Wrangler: 1920
... out in Nails & Tacks and worked his way up. San Francisco ca. 1920s. "Young man on Harley-Davidson motorcycle -- California ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/28/2014 - 5:19pm -

    Young Tom started out in Nails & Tacks and worked his way up. San Francisco ca. 1920s. "Young man on Harley-Davidson motorcycle -- California State Automobile Association 'Broken Glass Department' patrol." 6.5x8.5 glass negative originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size. It Could Be a Good Multiple Choice QuestionDoes this mean that: A. He goes around breaking windshields; B. He cleans up broken windshields; C. He finds windshields that need replacing; D. All of the above; or E. None of the above? CSAA HQThis appears to be 1628 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, headquarters of the CSAA from 1920 to late 1925. Here's a photo taken in the summer of 1920, showing a Locomobile on the same sidewalk. Broken Glass DepartmentThe other possibility is that he replaces broken windows. I thought replacing your broken car window in the parking lot was a relatively recent thing. Maybe not? [Most cars at the time didn't have windows. -Dave] Multiple Choice Answer "B"From the history section of the California AAA website: 1924 - California State Automobile Association "Emergency Road Service is launched, and receives 429 calls for assistance in the first month of operation. In San Francisco, CSAA deploys a fleet of Harley Davidson motorcycles to assist motorists and sweep broken glass from the streets after accidents." [The Harley glass patrol seems to date back at least to 1920, as per this interesting article in the January 1921 issue of Motor Land. - Dave] WindowsI know this will not be posted, but all cars in 1925 had windows, They, at the least, had a windshield. Coupes and sedans were very popular and they had a full complement of windows. [The majority of motor vehicles in the early 1920s were open cars without glass side windows. - Dave] Safety GlassEven though most cars were still open at this time, a few had glass at least in the front and rear, but in almost all cases it was not safety glass, although the principle of making it had been discovered by accident in 1903 involving cellulose nitrate in a broken beaker. One can only imagine the horrible injuries that flying shards of glass could cause in those years. It wasn't until the late 30's that safety glass became pretty much standard all the way around. Mr. CoolFor his birthday he got some goggles and big leather gauntlets, and learned to wear his hat backwards. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Motorcycles, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Broken Heart: 1906
"The heart of Chinatown, San Francisco." After the earthquake and fire of 1906. 8x10 inch dry plate glass ... tried to take advantage of the destruction to force the San Francisco Chinese to relocate to far-off corners of the city, or even out ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/23/2011 - 1:10pm -

"The heart of Chinatown, San Francisco." After the earthquake and fire of 1906. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size. Double troubleA lonesome figure walking with a purpose. It is hard to tell what was damaged by the quake or what was taken down by the fire. Of course the charred poles and timber are a dead giveaway. Purposeful StrideI see determination in the midst of the rubble. Chinatown LivesRacist city fathers tried to take advantage of the destruction to force the San Francisco Chinese to relocate to far-off corners of the city, or even out of the city. The Chinese community rebuilt as quickly as they could in their old neighborhood. Look on the bright sideThe price of used bricks just took a tumble! FragmentationI don't think I ever seen a picture of so many loosened. fallen or fractured bricks in my life. One of my grandfather's sisters was living in SF then, and apparently survived. Her husband worked for Otis Elevator and I would guess that this tragedy created a lot of new business for them. Fine ChinaShattered brick, twisted steel, and in the middle of the pile an unbroken vase; wonder what it was made of. [Seems to be an earthenware pot. - Dave] This says *something*...... just not sure what. A clue? [DELIGHT. Part of a stove or heater? - Dave] (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
Cliff House: 1955
In 1955 my father visited San Francisco. This picture shows what the Cliff House looked like at that time. ... Left at the Seal Beach and you'll find yourself at the USS San Francisco monument and an old Nike base. Fascinating corner of a ... 
 
Posted by motobean - 01/18/2014 - 6:01pm -

In 1955 my father visited San Francisco. This picture shows what the Cliff House looked like at that time. View full size. One of My Favorite Places as a KidDown that hill, besides Playland (which is featured in the Orson Welles/Rita Hayworth film "Lady from Shanghai" there was the Musee Mecanique (now at Fisherman's Wharf) which was a paradise for a mechanically minded kid and the Camera Obscura. I used to take the F train from the top of Solano Avenue in Albany all the way across to the Key System terminal in SF, have lunch with my dad, then off to Ocean Beach for the afternoon. If you turned that car around and went back up you'd go past Louie's cafe and to the Seal Beach Inn, where Ken Kesey wrote "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." Left at the Seal Beach and you'll find yourself at the USS San Francisco monument and an old Nike base. Fascinating corner of a fascinating city. Breathing roomParking places sure have gotten a lot narrower than they were in 1955. Early fastbackAny ideas on the blue beauty, 4th from the left, pointing west. What a time. Just Up the RoadIn 1955 we lived in the Sunset District of San Francisco. Two blocks from Ocean Beach, a few blocks from Playland at the Beach, Golden Gate Park and the Cliff House was up the hill from us along the Great Highway. A great time to be a young lad in San Francisco. Same restaurant, same vintage, different angleHere's a different view of the same restaurant, taken a few years later. Some of the same cars were probably in the parking lot in both pictures! https://www.shorpy.com/node/13472 That fastbacklooks to be a Buick Roadmaster Sedanette, possibly a 1949. What a wonderful picture!Thanks for sharing this great photo. It's before my time in SF but it sure makes me wish I'd come here a couple of decades sooner. 4th car from the leftI think the blue beauty is a 1949 Olds. Chevy, Olds, Buick and Caddie had the same fastback models, the Olds, Buick and caddie with fancier chrome and tail lights. This body style was used '49 to '52. The '49 had the simpler trunk handle. My '50 Chevy FB was my favorite ride. How many cliff houses are there?Would that be this one? [Yes. Today's Cliff House, the same one on the photo, is the fifth third built on the site, restored to its original 1909 appearance. -tterrace] View Larger Map The hamburger jointA place more in line with my budget I am sure, and it is piquing my curiosity as it seems to be long gone. Another PossibilityI think that the sleek blue fastback is a 1946 or '47 Cadillac. Note the vertical taillights, as well the trim bars in the back window. Also, the '46-'47 Cadillacs appeared somewhat wider in the rear than their '48-'49 successors, as they had more bulbous back fenders. Cadillac SedanetThat fastback on the left is a 1946 or '47 Cadillac. Note the dividers in the rear window which were a feature of all Cadillac models during the '40s. The car in the foreground is a '49 DeSoto. Coming out of its shellHere's another comparison taken from nearly the same location, this time during the 2003 remodeling when the "moderne" facade was being removed to reveal the original 1909 building hidden behind the 1950s addition. Later, missing details such as cornices and parapets were restored so the Cliff House today looks much as it did when first built in 1909. (As a side note, San Francisco historian argue over how many Cliff Houses have been on the site. Some claim three, others as many as six. It all depends if you consider a remodeled building a "new" structure.) [Further research seems to indicate there are only three basic structures solidly documented, so I've corrected my utterance in the comment below. -tterrace] Also up the road...Just a short hike from the Cliff House are the Sutro baths. For anyone who is a fan of the 1971 movie "Harold & Maude" the Sutro baths were where Harold and his Uncle Victor discussed Harold joining the military and where Maude, masquerading as a "protester" stole Harold's shrunken head and then fell through the hole when Harold grabbed her sign and chased her. Great movie and great location! [Also featured prominently in the 1958 feature "The Lineup," based on the TV show of the same name. -tterrace] Four V-8s and a LimoInline engines are still in the majority, but there are four V-8s, one a flathead in the Caddy fastback, two modern ones in the '50 Olds and '49 Cadillac with the '53 Buick the newest addition for that line. Update: Sorry, Lincoln! To the right of the Oldsmobile, you're a flathead V-8, too, with Hydra-Matic. The black car to the far right just before the Plymouth Suburban's tail light is a very rare 1950 Chrysler eight passenger limo with its driver waiting in front for the owner to return. If it's a Windsor, it's one of 174, if a top of the line Crown Imperial on the 145.5" wheelbase, it's one of 205 and weighs 5,300 lbs. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Up Market: 1906
San Francisco in the aftermath of the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. "Up ... shot, but having been de-domed and Moderne-ized in 1938. San Francisco's first skyscraper. Survivor ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 4:39pm -

San Francisco in the aftermath of the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. "Up Market Street from Montgomery Street." 8x10 glass negative. View full size. I see no zombies.I would say a large majority are striding forward with their heads up. I find that admirable, especially in an area of tall buildings which must be susceptible to the next tremor. On another subject: I like this man's picture. It seems to be the epitome of puzzlement. +103Below is the same perspective (looking southwest on Market from Montgomery) taken in September of 2009. A view down Market StreetHere's a before/after video going down Market Street. At the 1:13 mark you can see the Postal Telegraph tent on the left in the after video. Doing the WalkAfter the tremors, people hit the streets like zombies in a George Romero movie. The Call BuildingThe tall building with the fancy dome on the left is the Call Building, still there in the +103 shot, but having been de-domed and Moderne-ized in 1938. San Francisco's first skyscraper. SurvivorLooks like the mini Flatiron Building made it through intact. [Aside from being barbecued. No windows. - Dave] However, it was still standing. Non-survivorThe barbecued mini-flatiron Crocker building did survive, but was demolished in the 1960s. The one on the site in the +103 photo is McKesson Plaza at 1 Post St., opened in 1969. I have to say, this was a drastic way to accomplish a pedestrian mall conversion. Ah-Cha-Cha-Cha!Holy cow! Look at the proboscis on the puzzled man. He must be an elder of the Durante clan. Safety last!That video was amazing. In studying Shorpy photos I've always been struck by the lack of concern people had for safety back then. But to see how they walked and drove is even more alarming. It's amazing our ancestors lived past 30. Dangerous IntersectionAmazing video. The comparison of the two side by side was very interesting. What got me me the most was the seemingly utter disregard for personal safety when crossing the street. They apparently had little traffic control back then too. I saw at least two occasions when cars looked to be going in opposite directions ... on the same side of the street. The boy who ran out in front of the cable car and zigzagged back and forth in front of it while looking back, grinning, was amazing, as were the ones who grabbed onto the rear of a passing motor car. Earthquake in colorRecently-discovered natural color post-earthquake photos from The Smithsonian: Here Third building on rightI don't believe anyone has mentioned the orange building in the modern +103 photograph. It's also in the old photo; third building on the right. [That's the de Young Building, erected in 1890 and whose façade underwent restoration ten years ago. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
Chrysler Building: 1932
... York is having its day in the sun, thanks to Dave. Can San Francisco be far behind? What happen? When I look at the magnificent ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/31/2012 - 2:52pm -

Jan. 19, 1932. "View from Empire State Bldg. to Chrysler Building and Queensboro Bridge, low viewpoint." 5x7 negative by Gottscho-Schleisner. View full size. For a moment...I was wondering where the Empire State Building was! Then I read the caption. What an amazing photo this is. Dave, you're outdoing yourself lately. Gottscho's negatives are a true treasure. Is this backwardsHas this photo been mirrored? The empire state building is to the southwest of the Chrysler building, which is southwest of the bridge. [Whoops. It was backwards. Now fixed. Thank you! - Dave] Welfare IslandThe Queensboro Bridge that connects Manhattan to Queens is seen straddling Roosevelt Island, a residential community of some 12,000 people. There are rentals, co-ops, and condos and it is a self contained community with some of the best views of Manhattan. Its predecessor was called Welfare Island and housed the city's tuberculosis hospital, before that it was known as Blackwell's Island, which was a prison complex and insane asylum. Roosevelt Island is connected to Manhattan by a tramway (59th Street) and a newer subway station (IND on the 63rd St Line). It can be approached by car or truck from the Queens side. The founders fought hard to make it part of Manhattan and not Queens, it has a Manhattan Zip Code, 10044, and Area Code, 212. Speaking of directionsIsn't that the Sydney Harbour Bridge out in the distance in the top-left corner? Great work DavePlease keep the NYC views coming, They have been great. This one is my new desktop wallpaper. Thanks for your tireless efforts. [You're (pant, gasp) very welcome! - Dave] Negative CommentIs the negative reversed here? It seems like the East River should be on the right, not the left. [Maybe it's the West River. - Dave] [Thanks for fixing it! Can you switch faucets, too? My hot is cold and my vice is versa.- Delworthio] Same ViewpointI believe I snapped a photo from the same viewpoint at Mr. Gottscho 70 years later on the occasion of my 40th birthday - November 1, 2002. Why, why, whyWhy, why, why is this picture so much more beautiful and magical and fascinating and dreamy than your average cityscape of today on film? Is it gothic/nouveau/art deco subject matter + the technique + the hardware? I don't know, but I sure love it. Equal TimeWashingtonians have had their day for quite some time now and New York is having its day in the sun, thanks to Dave. Can San Francisco be far behind? What happen?When I look at the magnificent architecture of these old pre-1950 buildings and compare them to the unimaginative glass boxes of today- I wonder- what happen? My first visit to NYCMany years ago my father took me to NYC for the boat show and we walked for miles seeing the sights. He took us to Macy's, St. Patrick's, Radio City and the top of the Empire State Building. Somewhere I have snapshots from the observation deck, all four directions at that. I'll have to find them and see how they compare. GasometersThe gas holders by the bridge caught my eye. I didn't realize how huge they are - a lot of the nearby buildings could fit inside one. Similar tanks were pictured in this previous post. It was positiveThe canyons of mid-Manhattan were places of positive joy for a early 20-something guy attending television and radio production school at RCA Institutes in 1963. At the time I held a grand position as mail boy in the then-General Electric Building at 570 Lexington Ave. (to the left behind the Waldorf Towers in the photo), and my dad had an office in the Empire State Building at the time. Apropos of nothing, I once saw Van Johnson striding down Broadway in a trench coat walking a brace of Afghan hounds. Ah, those truly were the days, my friend! Re: Speaking of directions>> Isn't that the Sydney Harbour Bridge out in the distance in the top-left corner? Kind of, it's the Hell Gate Bridge, which turned out to be an inspiration for the SHB. Also seen here on Shorpy. Another stunner!Another stunning view. And just when I'd thought I had found my favorite Shorpy picture....These cityscapes always blow me away. KEEP "EM COMING! Amazing!This is my new wallpaper, replacing the Detroit Aquarium. The 59th St. Bridge has never looked so good. Frustratingly, my neighborhood in Queens is just to the right of the frame. I got a kick out of seeing both the 3rd and the 2nd El's in the lower right corner. These have both been torn down now. You can read about them here. Re: White CastleNew York Hospital. Now Weill Cornell Medical Center. EvocativeWhen I look at this photo (and the other Gottschos), it summons up a lifetime's worth of emotion in viewing the astonishing landscape of the Capital of the World and I am yearning again for a city that has no equal anywhere. And to echo the tenor of several of the commentators, this period in time was perhaps the New York era ne plus ultra. Thanks again, Dave. What's that cool building?What's the building about a block to the left of the Chrysler building, with gothic arches near the top and what appears to be a penthouse with skylight? Is it still standing? The current viewYou can almost duplicate this view using Google Earth's 3D buildings feature. The building in the lower left is the Mercantile building, finished in 1929. The building with the gothic arches is the Lincoln Building and still stands. Cool Lincoln BuildingThe "cool" building with the Gothic Arches is the Lincoln Building at 60 East 42nd Street. I used to work in it. And yes it is still there! Seen clearly in this viewSeen clearly in this view are the towers at 295 Madison Avenue (SE corner of 41st Street) and 230 Park Avenue (now the Helmsley Building, between 45th and 46th Streets), the latter of which is surrounded by the east and west ramps of Park Avenue, as are the Met Life (once the Pan Am) building and the Grand Central Terminal complex. I worked at 295 Madison in 1959-60, and later at 230 Park in 1977-1981. It's great to see these classical skyscraper buildings again, and to hope they are never demolished for one of those glass monstrosities so prevalent today in this part of Manhattan. Perfect TimingBy coincidence, the Knowledge Channel here in Canada has recently been re-running Ric Burns's excellent documentary "New York." Watching the series again and seeing these great images on Shorpy is perfect timing. I can almost hear the splendid narrative of the documentary in my head as I gaze upon these wonderful photographs. More please! White CastleCan anyone identify the big gleaming complex on the river, north of the bridge? I'm guessing its around the E 70s. I can't spy anything like that in Google Maps or Earth and it seems like a mighty big object to disappear. Maybe it was in Robert Moses' way when building FDR Drive? [It's still there. New York Hospital. - Dave] The City is beautiful, but..I've been waiting to make a comment on the recent string of NYC photos. I grew up on Long Island and could see lower Manhattan from my school's playground. I always wanted to know what the skyline looked like before my time. That said, the hardest thing for me to realize is that although this view is absolutely stunning, it was taken at the height of the Great Depression. I cannot reconcile the stories of suffering and privation that led to my grandfather running away from his home not too far uptown from here and only four years after this picture was taken (at age 14) with the gleaming monuments to mankind that compose this photograph. SurroundedAhh, I see it, thnx. Wow, the neighborhood really grew, it doesn't stand out as much. The cool building is... The Chanin Building. You can see it in the 2002 photo I posted below. [Actually the "cool building" referred to below is the Lincoln Building. - Dave] Old pics vs new pics>> Why is this picture so much more beautiful and magical and fascinating and dreamy than your average cityscape of today on film? Is it gothic/nouveau/art deco subject matter + the technique + the hardware? A good question, not easy to answer-- but some people still take above-average cityscapes, e.g. http://www.pbase.com/rfcd100/image/83470981/original Gigapans from this viewpoint...Hi - I just completed a series of view from the Empire State Building. Can't really embed any of the photos, as they are several hundred megabytes each (10MB images stitched together), but here is a link with a view of the Chrysler Building. If you want more, simply search the gigapan.org website for my pictures (search for "JohnF" there), there are a number of them from New York and elsewhere... http://gigapan.org/viewGigapan.php?id=30511 John Legos or a Video GameI love this photograph. At first glance it looks surreal, like it is a Lego block building set or a video game where you build a city empire. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Gottscho-Schleisner, NYC)
Redwood High: 1958
... correspondent (Class of '64) include Robin Williams and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. My brother's Ektachrome slide. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 06/24/2009 - 4:53pm -

1958. My dog Missie catches the eye of a passing cheerleader at Redwood High School in Larkspur, California, the year it opened. Notable alumni in addition to your humble correspondent (Class of '64) include Robin Williams and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. My brother's Ektachrome slide. View full size. Your beautiful restorationsEither your brother's slides were stored under immaculate conditions in temperature controlled vaults, or you are doing an ace job of photoshopping them back to life. I very much appreciate your loving care in restoring these Ektachromes and am highly enjoying the results. More! Gavin NewsomGavin Newsom "notable"? Try "notorious." Really enjoying your photographyWondering where your website is to see more of your photography. The stuff from the 60s and 70s is particularly interesting to me - just before my generation (born in '79), but it's really striking to see well done non-fictional photos from the same era as movies I love by Woody Allen et al. Keep on postin'! Dave http://www.seinberg.net/wordpress Redwood, more like Deadwood!Ah Redwood, home to a summer school session or two. It was often rumored (spread no doubt by those of us who attended rival Tamalpais) that the school was designed by the same person who designed nearby San Quentin. Redwood AlumI also went to Redwood and wow! It is really cool to see it back then. We all thought it was such a horridly ugly school, but looking at it pristine like this makes me appreciate it more. It's got a bit of the midcentury modern going on! Some other (lesser) notables who went there: the children of Jefferson Airplane, Dennis Hopper, and Joe Eszterhas. Woof.Bow wow WOW! So who is this girl. After making friends with Missie did she make friends with you? Dennis HopperUh, Dennis Hopper went to Helix High in La Mesa, Southern California, graduating in 1955 - the year I was born. I graduated from Helix in 1973. [Or was the commenter referring to Dennis Hopper's kids. - Dave] Redwood RamblingsYes, Redwood's resemblance to San Quentin (just a couple miles due east) was definitely a common joke among the student body from the beginning. Originally, its starkness was offset a little by some Bauhaus-like design elements that unfortunately have not been maintained. The window-walls at the end of corridors in the classroom building were made up of varicolored glass panes, and the outer walls under the roof arches of the gym were broken up into panels of various pastel shades - sort of Mondrian lite. Now that's all been painted over with a bland margarine color. As with all of our pre-1962 Ektachromes, this one has gotten red. I generally rely on the auto-color correction functions of Epson scanning software and/or Photoshop Elements to get me in the ballpark - they're both a lot better at that than previously - then I start tweaking. A big challenge in scanning transparencies, both negative and positive, is managing shadows and highlights. I don't have quite the knack for that that ShorpyLabs has, or maybe my Elements version of the filter is dumbed down, but whatever it is, more often than not they've been improved by the time you see them here. East CoastI grew up on the East Coast in Lexington, MA. Our high school was based on school designs in California and has a passing resemblance to the picture above. The biggest problem was that there were several separate buildings connected with an open overhang. Something that might have been good for California, but not good for New England weather! Dennis's DaughterYes, I was referring to Dennis Hopper's daughter, not Dennis Hopper - as in, "the children of the following people: ..." Re: Dennis's Daughter...as I silently admonish myself, "Be a reader..." Class of '98Holy crap! I went there!!! I check this blog daily! This really trips me out! Barefoot!Crazy to see a girl walking barefoot at school! Never saw girls this in my school days. Barefoot in the Parking LotThis wasn't a school day; in fact, it was a month before the school opened for its first day of classes. The cheerleaders were practicing in the parking lot, possibly for opening ceremonies. '58 ModelCheerleaders in 1958 were built right. Rah RahMiss Cheerleader looks like she came out of one of those 1980s high school movies -- "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," or maybe "Grease" except for the hot pants. California must have been before its time even then. Building DesignIt is interesting that when I saw this picture, I thought "what a cool modernist building" ... then I clicked on the comments to read that many didn't like it. Redwood HighI remember Redwood High very well. I went to Tamalpais High, Class of 1954. What are the odds I wonder for me to find this website? Never been here or knew it existed. I was just surfing through the web and was sure I was suffering a flashback or something. And yes, that is the fifties alright. And California stays ahead of the rest of the U.S. for some reason. Diversity perhaps? I have looked at this photoI have looked at this photo many times in the last year - I think it is one of the most perfect evocations of California life in the 1950s I have seem. The gods were smiling on your brother that afternoon. As alwaysDogs are babe magnets. Redwood High My entire family of five kids spent their high school years going here. From around 1962 to 1974. It's great to see the school just before it opened up for classes for the first time. You can see the hole in the roof of the entrance where they have yet to put in the flagpole. They recently did a facelift on the building, but it does not really hide the original construction. I live about a half a mile from there still, and walk the dog there often. Lucky me. Oh, and Robin Williams and Pete Carrol (USC) went to this school. San RafaelI graduated from San Rafael in '62 and married a Redwood grad (Class of '66) when I got home from Vietnam. Neither was a great experience. I first lived in Santa Venetia then moved right across the street from the SRHS tennis courts. Left Marin in '68 -- got way too expensive and crowded. Have enjoyed your Marin photos though. It was a great place to live in the early 60s. And, I assume, before that. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Dogs, Pretty Girls, tterrapix)
Monster Truck: 1918
San Francisco circa 1918. "White 5-ton motor truck loaded with Sperry Flour bound ... started the trek, and it's hard to tell by clothing in San Francisco. "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/25/2016 - 10:12am -

San Francisco circa 1918. "White 5-ton motor truck loaded with Sperry Flour bound for Los Angeles." Guarded by what looks to be a prototype version of the Cookie Monster. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Okay, I give up!A partly squashed giant mutant lemur? An old bear rug ravaged by acid rain? A besotted sloth fallen from a tree? The world's most hideous fur coat? Funny how absence of natural visual context can render what is probably a most pedestrian item mystifying. Sasquatch SuitI'd want a yeti-skin driving coat if I had to pilot an open cab truck like that down CA 1 or US 101. I imagine they took the old Spanish route. I think the coastal highway was a depression-era WPA project. The caption doesn't say what time of year they started the trek, and it's hard to tell by clothing in San Francisco. "The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco." (attributed to Samuel Clemens) Dump TruckIt's an early dump truck, complete with remote tailgate lock. Unlike modern dump trucks, the bed trunnion is well forward, partially balancing the load, thus reducing the weight that the hoist needs to lift. The big chain is apparently part of the hoist, acting on the bottom of the triangular frame just in front of the rear axle. Carbide headlights, but the light by the windshield appears to be kerosene. I recently saw carbide headlights in operation. They are surprisingly bright, with a near-white light. Appears the driver has thrown his insulated coveralls on top until time to depart. Wonderful picture. No run-of-the-mill vehicleI'm sure a rig like that cost a lot of dough. Thanks for enriching our lives once again. [You've got some crust making remarks like that. -tterrace] We didn't make good timeI'm thinking at best this vehicle would average about 12 mph loaded like that and travelling on what was likely a very winding route with many grades, completing the trek in about 40 hours...plus time lost for maintenance stops, filling the radiator and whatever other nonsense trucks in those early days required. Not a fun or very efficient trip. Heavier DutyThe truck may be heavy duty, but it looks like the operator needs to be even heavier duty. There's barely the bare necessities, let alone creature comforts. Keep it flowingSolid rubber tires and lack of springs must of made it a very bumpy ride. The ride was probably measured in bathroom breaks rather than MPG. Snappy!Notice the great shoe-shines all around! Also, love the boy with the screw-on skates - I had those. Now, where is my skate-key?? Those are the BrakesNote the lack of brakes on the front axle. Driving down a San Francisco hill with a 5-ton load might be a hairy experience ! No seat belts and no doors - because jumping overboard might be the most sensible thing to do if she runs away on a hill ! Yep, two wheel brakes, no windshield, solid rubber tires......that trip to LA is going to be a memorable adventure, sheerling coverall or not. Re: "We didn't make good time"Although these trucks seem slow by today's standards, they were much more efficient than what was used previously to haul heavy loads - the horse and cart. "The American Contractor," a trade publication, published in their October 23, 1920 issue, on page 21, a comparison of what the truck was doing compared to a horse. Mr. Olaf Nelson, the man mentioned in the article, owned a quarry, and he was using two 5-ton White trucks with trailers to haul gravel for a road construction project. The trucks were delivered to him in July and August 1919. "A team of horses, Mr. Nelson had estimated, could accomplish the maximum haul of 16 miles, making one round trip with a wagon containing two cubic yards of gravel, in an 8-hour day. One truck on the other hand, could make six round trips daily and carry five cubic yards of gravel each time. One truck alone would thus do the work of 15 horses; with a trailer equipment, the truck could do the work of 20 horses." "Random glances at the record book showed each truck to have hauled an average of 45 tons a day over one seven-day period. Over another period of six days, hauling various distances, one truck hauled a total of 317 tons of gravel. The weight of one cubic yard of gravel is 2,800 pounds. "'I regard my two White trucks with their trailer equipment, as better than 70 head of horses,' remarked Mr. Nelson. "During the long severe winter months when road building was necessarily at a halt, Mr. Nelson's trucks were not. They were busy on numerous hauling jobs. Not only were the trucks idle fewer days during the winter than horses would have been, but when they were idle they did not eat into profits which they had previously earned by piling up feed bills on their owner." The picture below shows one of Nelson's trucks from the same article. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Beetle in the Boonies: 1972
... have a lot of location filming, like on the streets of San Francisco in Bullitt or Dirty Harry; the sheer quantity of those things. ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 05/03/2016 - 10:04pm -

Good to see Tony W. back. His shot of the Mustang at Zion inspired me to haul out this one I took a year later, June 1972, near Lake Tahoe. Those were the days when, if a car happened to zip by as you were taking a shot, the chances of it being a VW Beetle were whole orders of magnitude greater than today. It's one of the interesting time-capsule details you notice in films of that period that have a lot of location filming, like on the streets of San Francisco in Bullitt or Dirty Harry; the sheer quantity of those things. Ektachrome slide. UPDATE May 2016: I've finally found out where this is: the VW is on California State Highway 89 approaching the intersection of State Highway 88 in the Hope Valley area south of Lake Tahoe. View full size. The Blacktopttpix, do you recall what road/route this was on? SmokingThose old VW's sure had big ashtrays. The cars nowadays have such little ones they are practically useless, and I don't even smoke. All work and no play...It looks like the opening shot to "The Shining." VW BeetlesEven today you'll find more VB Beetles in San Francisco then in any European city. German cities included! The Beetle in BullittWas moving at a conspicuously slow rate. Also watch the movements of pedestrians on the street to realize the film was accelerated a bit in the editing process, Still the best chase sequence ever. As to the ubiquity of VW Beetles - I was in Madison, Wisconsin in the early 70's and you could spit in any direction and hit one. What is surprising is that for a vehicle that sold in excess of 500K units in 1970 (and tailed off precipitously after that), they seemed to disappear so fast from the streets. Road salt in Wisconsin had something to do with that attrition. The heater boxes (enclosures around the air cooled engine which would duct warm air to the passenger cabin), would rust out quickly and so winter driving was an adventure. A co-worker with such a beat and rusted VW was the only employee at our business able to start his car during the record cold of January 1982 (-41 F) and he ferried all the other employees to work in his ~1972 Beetle. The adaptation to the rusted out heater ducts in his car was a PVC pipe section that ran from the base of the back seats to the windshield to act as a defroster. But I digress, this isn't a car-talk blog. I live the photos from the 70's, however. Keep it up. Yellow was the colorThat I remember being the most prominent at that time for the "Bug". My wife had a 72 when I met her and I thought this one was identical, but she said this one in the pic is a little earlier version. I know that the Beetle's body style was nearly unchanged during a 15 year span. At that time they depreciated in value very little compared to other cars. Oh the memoriesWhen I was a little kid we had a neighbour lady that took us for a ride in her VW Bug. It had no back seats, we sat on milk crates, and there was a BIG hole in the floorboards. Being small at the time I am sure it looked bigger than it really was. But my sister kept hold of the back of my dress so I didn't end up on the road. It's always nice to see a real one......those modern "cute" so-called beetles just don't have it. Nor do the current "Minis". And, it would be interesting to hook a tachometer up to Winston Churchill's grave to see how many rpm's he's doing at the thought of Bentley and Rolls Royce being owned by Volkswagen...and Jaguar being owned by an Indian company. I just had to post on this thread, after seeing a post by someone called "Lanceless" Germans Don't Keep Old CarsWe had a series of VW's though the years including the highly treasured "Old Volkswagen", a very basic 1951 model my father brought slightly used in 1953. According to my friend who visits auto enthusiasts in Germany, they are unsentimental about these "obsolete" old cars. Even here, our German mechanic had a hard time understanding why we wanted him to spend extra time fixing the Old Volkswagen's mechanical brakes. "This car is worn out" he would say. AshtraysWhat with the cigarette papers, roach clips, metal 35 mm film cans of stash, and some seashells from your last trip in Big Sur, those ashtrays had to be big. CoincidenceGrowing up in Southern California in the 1960's & 70's, you definitely noticed the over abundance of Veedubs. I recall one month sometime in the early 70's in my neighborhood there were 3 car wrecks, all involving VW's, all fatalities, and the vehicles getting the worst end of the deal were Volkswagen bugs. My parents took notice and forbade me from even considering a VW as my first car. My first car? A 1961 Chevrolet Biscayne that I did wreck later because faulty brakes. I wonder if I would even be typing this if it had been a VW? Oh my !This photo sadly reminds of how much I miss my "bug". Mine even had a gas gauge, talk about luxury. re: smokingmy 2010 Dodge didn't even come with an ashtray, nor a lighter! but it has 2 electrical outlets. however, it has no personality, unlike beetles, which always look happy to me! Beetles in californiaNo need for road salt in Calif - that's why thye're still around. We still have a few in Sweden, but they can't go out except a few times each summer - the rust worm never sleeps when it's wet. Bug in BullittPretty certain the frequency of sightings of Beatles in Bullitt was partly because the same same scenes were repeated, but filmed from different angles. We all had oneThey were great cars, too. Any hill mine could not climb, it almost certainly would make it up in reverse. Foy Las Vegas Super BeetleThank you for another fantastic image tterrace. Although you are somewhat older than I am, our upbringings share some of the same themes and imagery. Your photo of a 1972 Beetle conjured up fond memories of our orange 1971 Super Beetle. It was the first car my wife I purchased shortly before we were married in 1986. I think we paid around $500 for it, but the memories of that car and role it played in our young lives together are priceless. We may drive much newer and more expensive cars now, but that little Beetle that saw us safely through our first years together, rank it as the best vehicle we’ve ever owned. Thanks again. Nearly new, too!An almost brand new VW at that -- I believe 1970 was the first year for those two vents in the, er, bonnet. Can't really call it a hood. Nice BugI still see plenty of Beetles around here in San Diego. My best friend recently bought his own. Here's a picture I took: As for me, I took a break from the time consuming process of scanning the big negatives, but I'm going to be posting more pictures soon. My dad's friend recently gave me a small box full of large negatives (which hasn't been opened since 1964) from the '40s, '50s, and early '60s, so I'll have plenty to work with for a while. Consequently I won't know anything about them, but it'll still be interesting. Beetle YearIt's hard to see in the picture but that Beetle in the picture is a most likely a 1971, is the only year it had that decklid, side tail light reflectors and the little vents behind the rear quarter windows. If that isn't a little black crescent shaped vent behind the quarter window I am seeing then it can only be a 1970. Bugs in Lake TahoeIt's always grand seeing photos of specific locations we are familiar with. Not only have I spent my entire professional career in the automotive field (and that includes many VW Bugs) but the majority of it has been in the San Francisco Bay area and I can't begin to tell you how many times I have driven by this exact location on our way to our place in Lake Tahoe. The field you see on the left now serves a dual purpose as it is now used as a golf driving range in the spring and summer and a place you can rent and ride snowmobiles in the winter. I am with CoincidenceI was a Sunday driver like few others. Detroit to Bay City, was just a Sunday drive to me and my girlfriend. We took this drive on December 7, 1941. When my wife to be and I heard on the radio what Japan had done at Pearl Harbor while we were on this Sunday drive I told her it will take us about six weeks to clean their clocks. Four years later with a wife and son at home I was being shot at by Germans in Germany. In the 1970s I thought of all the money we could save if we had a VW. Then I thought it is much more important for us to be alive at the end of the year than any money we might save. That nixed the VW. Just looked out my window here in SFAnd there's a Beetle parked across the street. No shortage here. Speaking of ashtraysMy car doesn't have an ashtray or lighter! I don't smoke, but I think the option should be up to the driver. Ah well, another thought for another day. Just came to me. Another '71 Super Beetle owner!I also owned a '71 Super Beetle, but beige, bought used in 1976 for $1,400 in Northern Virginia. My dad and I split the cost just after I graduated from college. I drove it for 17 years (the longest I've owned any car), across the country several times and back, down to Mexico and back, then for 10 years in Sacramento. It was an (almost) totally dependable vehicle, except for a few adventures, most notably blowing a spark plug and being stuck in a tiny Mexican town for four days. I had the engine rebuilt in '85 and finally sold it in 1993 because of failing headliner and extensive cosmetic needs on the outside, and the tempting scent of a barely-used Mazda pickup truck. I do regret selling that car now. 49 percentA note from my 1969 college (Chico State, CA) journal: "49 percent of the cars in the parking lot are VWs." MemoriesMy best friend's family had two VWs -- a Beetle that all of the girls learned to drive in, and her Mom's camper that she was often stopped in because she was going too slow! We tootled all around in that Beetle all during high school. When she bought her first car, she bought ... a Rabbit. Old habits die hard! SF VWI grew up in SF. My dad bought one of these brand new from Stan Carlsen VW on 19th Ave. It was a 1970 Beetle; same exact color, with a sunroof. It had the pair of louvers in the rear hood - I think 1970 was the first year that VW had that feature. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, On the Road, tterrapix)
Superior Avenue: 1900
... streetcar and a cable car train (dummy and trailer). While San Francisco is the last cable car operation, both the Tacoma and Seattle cable ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/07/2023 - 11:27am -

Cleveland circa 1900. "Superior Avenue at City Square." At right, the brand-new Williamson Building. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Photographic Company. View full size. Cleveland Cable CarsIn 1890 cable cars replaced horse drawn streetcars on Superior Avenue and Payne Avenue. Electric streetcars started to run on Superior in 1900, and on Payne in 1901. This 1900 view shows the transition period with a new electric streetcar and a cable car train (dummy and trailer). While San Francisco is the last cable car operation, both the Tacoma and Seattle cable systems lasted until 1938 and 1940. BOOM!BOOM! is not a Cleveland stripperwell maybe there is one, but that's not the point (ahem) here And in the interest of completeness (we don't often get a chance to present a cradle-to-grave portrait for a building) She got a face lift at 24I couldn't find anything substantial about the Williamson Building when it was newly constructed in 1900. But there was an interesting article in the August 4, 1924, edition of Buildings and Building Management magazine about renovations made to keep it competitive with newer, first-class buildings wanting the same tenants. The article includes the unexpected career path of building manager, John Maier and his description of the challenges he navigated (it includes a curse word!). Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 But it wasn't enough in the long run. Notcom's photo of the implosion is from 1982. Today, that spot is occupied by the 200 Public Square building. Don't Fence Me InWhat are the fenced-off little portions of lawn on the right-hand of the photo? [It's to keep people from walking on the grass. - Dave] (The Gallery, Cleveland, DPC, Streetcars)
Pleasantville: 1910
... Good View Buena Vista, California. And it is ... San Francisco? I'll hazard a guess Pensacola, Florida? Pensacola ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/06/2019 - 9:07pm -

Circa 1910 comes this most agreeable vista. Who'll be the first commenter to put a name to a place? (Hint: Half the answer is already here.) View full size. UPDATE: As many commenters correctly surmised, the city is Pensacola, Florida. The original caption: "Tarragona Street wharf, Pensacola, Florida." Louisville, KYHome of Hillerich & Bradsby and the former Belknap Hardware Company. The Lewis Bear Co.Your place in Tampa Florida to get a Gonzalo Cigar Half a Chance ..."Bay" St. Louis, Mississippi? Lovely city on the GulfIt's Pensacola, Florida. Here's a photo with the Court of Record still under construction. And while I don't see any dogs lying about, Uneeda Biscuit is here. Good ViewBuena Vista, California. And it is ...San Francisco? I'll hazard a guessPensacola, Florida? PensacolaI can say without a shadow of a doubt this is Pensacola, Florida. The structure in the bottom left is currently the T.T. Wentworth Jr Florida State Museum. It was built in 1907, however, and served as Pensacola City Hall from 1907 - 1985. I don't know wherethis is but suddenly I feel like I needa Biscuit. Chula Vista?Chula Vista, California? PleasantvilleI'm thinking Chula Vista, California. A GuessPensacola, FL [Holding up hand]Port of Tampa? Tampa?The building just to the left of the Coca-Cola billboard building says Tampa, Fla. [Should have stopped at the billboard! - Dave] Some thoughtsWell, I don't see the half of the name, but I do see that this is the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Cannot find a map of that system on line, but it did serve Mobile Alabama and Pensacola Florida. Pensacola, FloridaNice photo. The Lewis Bear Company building mentioned Tampa, Florida. That company got me to Pensacola and after that I found the T. T. Wentworth, Jr. Florida State Museum which is in the lower left of this picture. Don't ask me where the cannons went. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad went to Pensacola, but not to Tampa at that time, so that information helped, too. Is it ...Pensacola, Florida? Pensacola FloridaFor Sure! That is the old City Hall in the lower left - now a museum. And the city isSan Francisco? Tampa, FloridaShot in the dark. The Lewis Bear CompanyLewis Bear Company was started in a town that has a water front layout like this -- Pensacola. The building across the street from the official looking building in the foreground could be the one in their 1899 ad. L. & N.R.R. Louisville & Nashville Railroad. I learn SO much on this site! More entertaining AND educational than normal websurfing. PensacolaI will guess Pensacola, Florida, because of "The Lewis Bear Company" on the white building just to the right of the center. It was founded in 1876 in Pensacola. PleasantvilleNever mind that, what about the cannons? Has to be ...Louisville, Kentucky. I'd guessSpanish architecture, L&N Rail Road, and an ad for the Lewis Bear Co leads me to think Florida add in the comment about the agreeable vista and I'm going with Buena Vista, Florida. Even then, a major Navy base.Notice the two early destroyers steaming along the waterfront. The one in the lead (on the right) could be either USS Smith, DD 17, commissioned in November 1909, or USS Lamson, DD 18. According to Friedman's "US Destroyers," these two (built by Cramp in Philadelphia) were the only ones with the No. 2 and 3 funnels paired. The photo shows the original low funnels; they were increased in height after sea trials. The ship on the left is one of two built in Bath, Maine, either Flusser (DD 20) or Reid (DD 21). All these were commissioned in 1909 and belong to the last group of coal fired destroyers built for the US Navy, displacement about 700 tons, and later called the "flivvers" (lightweights) once 1000-ton destroyers became normal in the run-up to World War I. Pensa ... That towerOn the right -- what's it for? [Looks like a fire bell. - Dave] Split-level wharfThe railway docks have been built with a trestled ramp which raised the freight cars up to a higher level for loading directly from the ship when at high tide. A lower level track was on the dock itself, for low tide loading. I've never seen this before. Almost the view from my window!I am seeing this a few days too late to be the first to answer, but I am currently sitting in my office with my windows facing that view, but I am one building to the right of where that picture was taken -- my office window faces the TT Wentworth Museum and the park. I have bricks from the warehouse by the water tower in the picture from when it was demolished back in about 2003, I used them to build a small paver patio in my yard. Pleasantville 1910 and the NavyI see two very early US Navy destroyers behind the wharves. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, DPC, Florida, Pensacola)
Mr. Coffee: 1940
From San Francisco circa 1940 comes this uncaptioned photo of Joe DiMaggio and friend ... you did!" Is that Tom? If this was indeed shot in San Francisco, it probably is at the DiMaggio restaurant that was at ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/01/2016 - 8:16pm -

From San Francisco circa 1940 comes this uncaptioned photo of Joe DiMaggio and friend and at least a dozen cups of coffee. Who can explain what's going on here? 5x7 inch nitrate negative, photographer unknown. View full size. I Dunno, ButVincent Marotta, co-inventor of the Mr. Coffee coffee maker, flew out to California and recruited Joe to do commercials promoting Mr. Coffee in 1973. The man with Joe in this picture sure looks like Vincent Marotta. [You mean he looks 16 years old? -tterrace] Nontheless, I have attached a 1973 photo of Vincent and Joe, and Joe wears a tie identical to the one he sports in Shorpy's photo. It is also quite a coincidence that Joe is obviously promoting coffee and/or coffee paraphernalia in both photos, and that the other man in the 1940 photo bears a strong resemblance to Vincent Marotta. Just sayin'. [Well, you're right about Joe's ties anyway. -tterrace] The RingHave to wonder which one of the nine World Series is that ring from. Where have you gone, Joe DiMaggio?Most likely to the restroom. Which Film?Is this a proposed cameo appearance in the Mel Brooks film "Silent Movie"? Quality ControlAt Joe DiMaggio's Grotto on Fisherman's Wharf, every cup of coffee is personally tasted by Joe himself before it is served to the customer. Digital ageGuy on left: “Number of fingers equals number of coffee cups on table.” Joe: “Number of hands equals number of coffee cups I’m holding.” Both: “Aren’t we just two wild and crazy guys?” I gotta tell ya JoeThis new "Decaf" thing really works. A dozen cups later and my hands are still steady. Now you try. Obvious answerA soup-drinking friend has challenged Joltin' Joe to tell which cup of Maxwell House contains the dreaded last drop. Man on the left"Her name's Marilyn, and -- " Record SettingDave, you have unearthed the only known photo showing the start of DiMag's record setting consecutive coffee-drinking streak. Little Known Historical FactTrying out the various options for the new rage, Coffee Pong. High energyBefore there ever was 5-hour Energy there was 12 cups of coffee. Net effect is the same. Your Future is Now!"You see Joe, I got this idea for a new kinda coffee maker that Suzie homemaker is gonna love and I want you to pitch it. You know, like be the spokesman. It's gonna be a drip machine, see, just like they got down at the diner, but it will be real small and sit on the counter just like your breadbox does today. You'll see Joe. If you don't throw in with me now, down the road you're gonna wish you did!" Is that Tom?If this was indeed shot in San Francisco, it probably is at the DiMaggio restaurant that was at Fisherman's Wharf, in which case it's possible that the gent at the left is Joe's brother Tom, who ran the place and was also Joe's manager. ActuallyA demonstration that, yes, it can brew 12 cups at a time. Amazing. (The Gallery, Eateries & Bars, Public Figures, San Francisco, Sports)
Approach With Caution: 1919
San Francisco City Hall circa 1919. "Peerless truck." Three young ladies aboard ... Engineering School, Rube Goldberg took a job with the San Francisco Department of Water and Sewers. Although he left in a few months ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/29/2014 - 9:43am -

San Francisco City Hall circa 1919. "Peerless truck." Three young ladies aboard what seems to be some sort of street-cleaning, finger-ripping machine. Hide your children and stand clear! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. FrighteningThe single most dangerous street machine I have ever seen. Before Rosie the RiveterI love showing people these sorts of images, in light of the fact that most of our images of American Women in Action come from the WWII era, where they were pressed into service because men had gone to war. These ladies, in 1919, look like they just ... have jobs. I love the proto-Rosie coveralls and headscarves, the likes which show up again a scant fifteen years later as something unusual in "The Saturday Evening Post" and LIFE magazines. Crazy Contraptions I think if Rube Goldberg had ever designed a truck, it would look just like that. Finger ripping is putting it mildy.That truck looks as if it was designed to inflict injury. I hope those women got hazardous duty pay. AwesomeI just stumbled upon this site. I love vintage photos, and this one is terrific -- who knew that there were women filling roles like this in the early 20th Century? Safety guards ! Safety guards!We don't need no steenking safety guards! GoldbergianIn 1904, freshly minted from the UC-Berkeley Engineering School, Rube Goldberg took a job with the San Francisco Department of Water and Sewers. Although he left in a few months to be a cartoonist for the SF Chronicle, it appears he kept his hand in by designing machines for the Department. More Danger LurkingAnd if you do get passed the hair pulling - finger ripping apparatus, there's always that two foot section of lead pipe on the floor to worry about. Tot-TwirlerWhen I see gear like this, I'm just going to start labeling it "babyshredder." The third operator was necessary for when the first two inevitably got caught in the machinery. Count your fingersI trust those open belt and chain drives are OSHA approved. But I bet it was more interesting when you could see the parts of machinery doing their thing. Pilot for short subject seriesI believe this is a still from "The Three Stoogettes", an unsold movie short series which was way ahead of its time -- "We'll clean your sheets, we'll clean your streets, in half the time, no more grime ... zots!" PeerlessI infer that to mean returning from the job with fewer of one's peers in the passenger seat than one left with that morning. Hey HoneyThis truck looks a heck of a lot like a "honey dipper" to me. Other than the 1919 running gear and mechanism, they still look like that today. [Like our previous street flusher, this rig was one of many deployed as a public-health measure during the flu epidemic of 1918-1920 to control dust. - Dave] WowserDefinitely high tech for its day. The belt drives appear to be increasing the speed to a (pump?) under the end of the tank. I can't see any spray nozzles so I would assume it's used to refill the tank? Street Cleaner??It looks more like the kind of equipment that would be used to spread liquid asphalt (aka tar) on a roadway before spreading a layer of stone on it. Admittedly, it's very clean, so this might have been a publicity shot for the manunfacturers. "So simple the ladies can operate it!" You can't make this upThanks to Jim Page for informing us "Here we see a 1918 Peerless Isadora-model Pinchmaster 3000 truck". "Pinchmaster", could there be a more appropriate name of it than that? [Jim did make that up. The reference to Isadora Duncan was especially sly. - Dave] Original power washerBelt driven PTO runs the rear mounted pump. Two control levers by the closest operator regulate how much flow is produced to swish the road apples to the gutter. Vehicle IDI usually allow others to handle the vehicle ID chores here at Shorpy, but since no one has stepped up: Here we see a 1918 Peerless Isadora-model Pinchmaster 3000 truck. Few were made, as this model required a three-person crew, and the replacement 1919 Peerless Fargo-model Chopmaster 4000 only required a crew of two-and-a-half (two in a pinch). The three P'sPeerless, Packard and Pierce Arrow were makers of some of the best cars and trucks of their era. Chain drive has its advantages: (1) less unsprung weight; (2) ease of gear ratio change; (3) lack of rear wheel spin in soft ground; (4) great sound going down the road. CrewThe third crew member is the flight engineer. Unsightly Limbs and Appendages...Removed While You Wait! Just step a little closer, please. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
101 Broadway Pharmacy: 1957
... Barbara A. Warner, Sixth US Army Photo Lab, Presidio of San Francisco, Calif. Official US Army photograph. View full size. ... 
 
Posted by Cazzorla - 06/29/2014 - 5:37pm -

I purchased this 8 x 10 print at the swap meet. On the back is printed: Mr. and Mrs. Cliff McCorkle, proprietors of the 101 Broadway Pharmacy, Richmond, Calif., getting an order ready for delivery. 5 November 1957. Photographer: Pfc. Barbara A. Warner, Sixth US Army Photo Lab, Presidio of San Francisco, Calif. Official US Army photograph. View full size. "Fling"?Somebody is going to have to convince me that it's really for feet. SquibbThey were an official ER Squibb Vitamin Headquarters. Having grown up next to the factory in Brooklyn, I recognize the 3 column logo. My color versionI've been getting into colorizing photos. If a product name was legible, I looked up references of old packaging on google to try to get the colors as accurate as possible. Some of the hair care products and lotions I had to fudge on it because I couldn't find them, but most of the other stuff is accurate. I had a lot of fun doing it and I think the color really adds to the photo. It was my intention to get it as accurate as possible. Check it out: https://www.shorpy.com/node/18065 ImpressedI am happy that this photo has been well received. I never thought that I'd get to see a color version, or a photo of the photographer! I have a few more pictures from this collection that I will share sometime. Divinity memoriesAs a kid growing up in Mississippi in the 1950s, divinity was home made candy. Sugar, eggs whites, corn syrup, vanilla, sugar and pecans combined to make a divine candy. I haven't visited Mississippi in 25 years, but today there is always the hope someone will bring divinity to a church supper. Maybe I should just make some tonight. Top GunkI can't see any in the photo, but I bet they carry Dapper Dan pomade. S&HAnd they give out Green Stamps. Sales no longer allowedNearly 50 years from the date on this picture, Richmond enacted an ordinance that prohibits the sale of tobacco products in establishments with pharmacies. You have to go to El Cerrito or Albany now for your nicotine fix. Why?A very odd subject for an official Army photograph. Since Letterman Army Hospital had a complete pharmacy and all military personnel stationed at the Presidio would have had access thereto, I'm left to wonder why this shot was taken. For Your HealthGet your Myadec vitamins here! Only $85.50 for the economy size! That amount equates to $723.86 in today's dollars! Gone but not forgotten, until now.Clove Life Savers I guess that flavor is not popular any longer, but I do remember purchasing them in the past but not really sure why? Coffee Time!Am I the last living human who remembers the taste of coffee-flavored candy? It was pretty good, actually. ...and is there ANYBODY who ever ate Clove Life-Savers? They musta sold okay, but yikes! Can't rememberthe last time I saw a package of"Clorets"! "Brusha, Brusha, BrushaWith the new Ipana." CloveI remember clove gum, but not the Life Savers. The thing that strikes me is the great variety of 1950s cigarettes in the back--Camels, Kents, Cavaliers, Pall Malls, Marlboros, L&Ms, and Herbert Tareytons. RepurposedAppears the address still exists, but the building is now a Planned Parenthood office. Divinity candyWhat was that? I don't remember them. If you eat it were you guaranteed to go to heaven or were they just sold to Priests? [Divinity. -tterrace] Clove Lifesavers and other flavorsI remember very well getting the Lifesavers Sweet Story Book every Christmas back in the 50s. It was a book-shaped box that opened and revealed 10 rolls of Lifesavers. They always included Clove, Wint-O-Green, Butter Rum and Butterscotch, 5-flavor, Orange, and others. Clove and Wint-O-Green were my favorites, and always saved until last. We were neighbors!I lived in Richmond in November 1957 (I was 4 at the time). I wonder if my folks ever shopped here? Shoot, maybe my mom was standing just off to the side when this picture was taken (she was always kinda shy). Tough TownAh, Richmond. I grew up just south of there, in Albany. Always a tough place: factories, warehouses, oil refinery. Best part of Richmond for me was that it was where we got on the Ferry to San Rafael on the way to Stinson Beach most Sundays. Looking for a certain productI was hoping to catch a glimpse of the cold and flu products near the vapor rubs, to find 4 way cold tablets. My mother swore by them for any signs of a cold coming on. Take the 4 way pill, get under a heavy blanket, and sweat the cold right out of you. And believe it not, they actually worked! Does anyone else remember them? Old Time products!Amazing how many of those items are still available and how many are gone. I was 11 years old when that picture was taken. If it didn't say where it was from it could have been from any Drugstore in America at that time. I know there was one across from the school I went to in Chicago at the time that had that same kind of goodie rack and one closer to my house same thing. Neighborhood pharmacy!I lived just a few blocks away from this pharmacy from birth to age 20! My folks undoubtedly knew the McCorkles! Very cool photo! Wint-O-Green memoriesAh! The counter candy stand of my youth. Separate comments here each touch on one part of the story, but marketing ad-speak nowadays has dropped the use of "breath-mints" as a catchall. Yes, all those packs of cigarettes often got sold with strong breath masking mints, candies and gum. Let me also make a nod toward the LifeSaver Sweet Story Book. At Christmas we each got one and could always identify it although wrapped. Opened last, its contents assisting in thoughtful appraisal of our acquired loot. We called Wint-O-Green "spark-in-the-dark." Chew some with your mouth open and lights out to understand why. Not in Kansas anymoreThe article below is from page 3 of the Sunday, December 30, 1956 issue of the The Salina Journal. By the time Barbara returned to Hays, Kansas in 1961 for her mother's funeral (her father had died in 1954), she was known as Mrs. Barbara Constantin of San Francisco. There was a particular smell and a particular coolnessthat hit you when you entered a drugstore of that era -- I can't describe it except that it was very clean smelling. Regardless of whether the store was a Rexall or a Walgreens or a local independent, the smell was the same -- very pleasant. I always associated it as a cross between the medicines that the druggists were compounding (always in white tunic like in the picture) and the soda fountain that was inevitably part of the store. There was also a coolness to drug stores when I was growing up (1950's). A lot of stores were still not air-conditioned at that time, especially if they were not a chain or franchise, but it seemed to me that drug stores always felt cool. When you sat at the fountain, the marble or the formica or tile of the counter was always cold to the touch. You go into a drugstore today and the smell and that coolness just isn't there. Have a cold?That Vicks Vapo Rub and Mentholatum were Moms favorites for a chest cold. First was the application to the chest just before going to bed so the vapors could work overnight. If that didn't work, the next step was to put a spoon or two of Vicks or Mentholatum in a large bowl, add hot water, and have me breath the vapors with a towel covering both my head and the bowl. It usually worked to clear out congestion. My High School Addiction --Wint-o-GreensAh LifeSavers. Through the early 60s. I went through roll after roll of that addictive goody. Cliff & Lola McCorkleOur pharmacist is Clifford W. McCorkle, born in Tygh Valley Precinct, Wasco County, Oregon on June 6, 1906 to farmer Rufus W. McCorkle and his wife Jessica L. McCorkle. He had two older brothers: Calvin, born in 1891, and Lester born in 1892. He was still living with his parents in 1920, but they are all shown as living in Wapinitia, Wasco County, Oregon. He graduated from Oregon State University with a degree in Pharmacy on June 3, 1929. The photo below is from his senior yearbook. The 1930 U.S. Census shows him living in Hillsboro City, Washington County, Oregon. He married at the age of 21, it shows him as a lodger in the home of John Kelley, but his wife is not listed with him. He is already working as a pharmacist in a drug store. In 1931 he is shown with his wife Lillian living at 297 E. 39th Street in Portland, Oregon. The 1940 U.S. Census shows that he was residing in San Francisco by 1935. In 1937 he was working at Birnbaum & Son Drugs at 757 Market Street, San Francisco, CA. He was living with his wife Lillian at 511 Leavenworth in San Francisco. In 1940 he was working as a pharmacist in a drug store in San Francisco, California, he was making $2,185 a year, and he was now divorced. His residence is at the Lyric Hotel. In 1955 he worked at Bellini's Bayside Pharmacy and his wife Lola is a clerk in the store. They resided in Oakland, California at the time. He died on January 10, 1972 still in Richmond, Contra Costa County, California. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Vacation Time: 1969
... to visit the grandparents in "Idyllic Larkspur" (near San Francisco) when we heard all about the Tate-LaBianca murders on the car radio. ... 
 
Posted by Mvsman - 09/13/2011 - 10:36pm -

Leaving Walnut, CA for Wyoming and Nebraska in July 1969. I'm on the left, trying to look cool, going to start high school in the fall. Yikes, those socks! There's my Dad and Mom, who appeared in earlier pictures. They're showing some age progression. Both are in their early 40s here. My little brother was a surly bundle of anti-joy then, and he whined a lot through the whole trip. We packed up the '64 Chevelle wagon and left for the great unknown. As a surly teen, I read a lot of books along the way and grunted and moaned a lot. During the trip, we heard about the Charles Manson family murders in Los Angeles, and being only 30 or so miles away, I was really scared to come home. It all worked out ... thanks for looking and I look forward to your comments. View full size. Chilling NewsWe too were leaving for our vacation on our way from Diamond Bar (not too far from Walnut) to visit the grandparents in "Idyllic Larkspur" (near San Francisco) when we heard all about the Tate-LaBianca murders on the car radio. It definitely put a damper on the trip for us adults. With the three kids squabbling in the back of our VW van (Mom, she looked at me!), I don't know if they heard any of it or not. Our oldest kid was 9, the middle one 6, and the youngest 4. -- tterrace's sister Vacations in a wagonYou know, vacations just aren't vacations without a station wagon. Sorry, but an SUV just isn't the same thing. Folks across the street have a 1965 Rambler Classic Cross-Country; ours was a 1966. Did you have air-conditioning? Maybe that would have quelled the grumbling and moaning somewhat. I know that we welcomed the A/C in our Rambler after 10 years without it in our '56. But now, decades later, I'll occasionally switch mine off and roll down the windows when cruising along a rural road, and the breeze carrying the aromas of cut hay and other vegetation fills me with a warm, nostalgic glow. A great, era-defining shot, thanks! (Out of respect for your mother, I won't comment on her headgear - although I just did, didn't I?) West of the MidwestWyoming AND Nebraska? You are a lucky, lucky boy. One of our few vacations from our Indiana home was a trip to Iowa but since my dad was on some sort of a deadline* we didn't get to enjoy any of Illinois' diversions that must surely have existed along I-80, or so I dreamed. Departing from Walnut, CA, mvsman must have seen plenty of I-80 as well on his "Asphalt of America" tour. *Who has a deadline on a trip to Iowa? It was only 250 miles! FootwearYour shoes are in style about every 8 years or so. Just keep the shoes and wait for them to come back. Your dad's dark socks (with shorts), on the other hand ... Adler socksI bet they were Adler socks. I graduated from high school the year before and it was all the rage to wear Adler socks in colors that matched your shirt. Black socks with sandalsMy wife thinks I invented that look. I can't wait to show her that it's retro chic. Chevy Bel AirIt's either a 68 or 69, sitting in the other neighbor's garage - complete with trailer-light connector installed in the bumper. [It's a '68. - Dave] Love Your Mom's Hat!I think you looked quite cool for an "almost" high schooler! Your mom's hat is the best! I bet she's pinching your little brother. Or maybe that was just my mom! PurgatoryWe used our '69 Pontiac Catalina station wagon to put the gear in the middle and the whiny kids waaaay back on the rear-facing seat. Man, I loved that car! Meanwhile ...At the beginning of that very same month we were on our way back from Los Angeles in a white 1965 Impala wagon with no AC and a ton of camping equipment both on the roof and in the back. We stayed in Reno on the Fourth, hoping that the drunken manager of the KOA there wouldn't accidentally back over our tent. I was more or less inured to the lack of cool, even back in Maryland, and I think the only time we really noticed it on the trip was when it was over a hundred crossing the Mojave. The Impala was passed on to my great-uncle who drove it until it dropped sometime in the mid-1970s. By 1969 we had left short haircuts behind, which since I had thick glasses meant I looked totally dorky in a completely different way; my father, on the other hand, was well into leaving hair itself behind. I notice you're wearing the de rigueur cutoffs, which is pretty much what we wore when we weren't in jeans. TweaksDitch the socks and you'd fit in perfectly with today's Williamsburg hipsters. You were scared?I was terrified! I was 11 years old at the time of the Manson murders and lived only 20 miles away. In my 11 year old mind, I was convinced the murderers would find their way to my house and they were specifically go after me! Thanks for posting this. This photo captures the "feel" of L.A. suburbia of the era perfectly- just as I remembered it. To the Moon!I started high school in 1969, too. Did your trip start before or after the moon landing? Did your parents make you watch it on TV, even though you wanted to be out with your friends? That was a surly moment for ME for that reason. Don't worry -- the shades and the hair in your eyes make up for the socks. 1969Was not this the year of the PLAID ? Fun vacationNebraska? For a vacation? I drove through that state. Couldn't get out fast enough. I was only 3 in 1969, but lived in nearby Simi Valley, home of Spahn Ranch. What city was this taken?? Oh yeah, love your mom's hat. I have pics somewhere of my mom wearing the same thing. What were people thinking?? We went after the moon landingI actually watched it on my little black and white TV in my room. I was a space geek then (and now). Thanks! That Ramblerbelonged to the superintendent of our school district! He and my dad knew each other causally, to say hi to or wave at as the car went by. I don't recall if we had AC in that car. It had a small engine and was seriously underpowered for hills and mountains. Now, I'll try to did up slides of our earlier trips in my granddad's borrowed 1959 Chevy Nomad wagon! This was truly a luxury barge on wheels. This thing looked like it was 15 feet wide and 25 feet long (to my 8 year old eyes). I had the entire back area to myself and my comic books, as little bro wasn't on the scene yet. The Summer of '69Grew up in La Puente, not far from Walnut. My 1969 was the the summer of "Sugar, Sugar" and Man on the Moon. 41 years ago -- WOW Taz!When I saw your brother, the Looney Tunes Tasmanian Devil came to mind! Mom's "Hat"That's no hat, it's a curler-cover. A la Phyllis Diller. A different eraIn '69, my dad was making probably about $18K-$20K a year. My mom stayed home. Yet we took similar vacations, 2-3 weeks at a time. Now, my wife and I work like rented mules and can't afford to go anywhere. When station wagons ruled the roadEach summer, Dad would load up the gear in the suction-cup equipped, stamped steel Western-Auto roof carrier on top of the old '61 Ford Falcon wagon and off we'd go. Looking back, it truly took faith and fortitude to pile a family of five and enough gear to support a safari in that underpowered, unairconditioned two-door wagon and set off fron Louisville to the far reaches of the country (New York City, Washington D.C., Miami). I remember fighting with my brothers over the desirable real estate in the back of the wagon where you could stretch out (no seatbelts) and watch the miles of highway fade into the distance through the tailgate window! Wagon MemoriesOur 1957 Mercury Colony Park station wagon with the Turnpike Cruiser engine had a similarly slanted rear window. On our trip to California later that year, Pop decided to drive on through the final night to miss the desert heat, with us kids sleeping in the back. I discovered I could position myself to see the road ahead as a reflection in the rear window, while simultaneously looking through the glass to watch the clear Western skies for shooting stars. What can beat the cozy feeling of slipping off to sleep while rolling along the open road while Pop faithfully pilots the family bus through the dark? Sixty-NineAh, Summer of '69, my favorite year. Got my driver's license. Got my FCC Third Phone. Started work part time in a REAL radio station. My parents ran their own store so we couldn't take too many trips. I'm jealous of those of you who did. And yes, Nebraska was borrrring to ride across back then, but today it isn't bad -- there are several interesting attractions across the state and a nice Interstate to zip you through! FourteenI was 14 years old that summer of 1969 (living in Cocoa Beach, Florida). I can relate to the yellow socks. I had a few pair of those. The color of the socks were supposed to match the color of the shirt. It looks like those are a freshly cut-off pair of jeans. What's in your father's right shirt pocket? A lens cover, maybe? Who took the photo? I see the car in the garage across the street looks like a '68 Chevy Impala--round taillights. And the Rambler in the next drive looks very nice too. A little peek of the mountain is nice too. I've never been to that area so I have no conception of what it's like there. Great photo, thanks for sharing a piece of your childhood memory. Cartop carrierMan, I want one of those roof carriers. Looks like it holds a lot of stuff. Memories aboundOur vacations were exactly the same (even my dad's socks with sandals). We headed from our Fountain Valley Ca home like thieves in the night. Had to get across the desert before the heat killed the kids. Of course we had an aftermarket AC installed by Sears so the front seat was a chill zone (no kids allowed). Our vacations happened at breakneck speed but we saw everything and always ended our trips with a pass through Vegas for Dad & Grandma. Fun times! "The Box" - Rooftop CarrierOur family trips were always in a station wagon, and always with "the box" on top. Dad built and refined a series of boxes over the years. They were much larger and taller than the one in the picture. All our luggage, supplies etc went in "the box" leaving the wagon for the 6 of us. With the back seat folded down my brother and I could sleep in sleeping bags in the back. In the winter dad put brackets on the box sides and bungee-tied all our skis on. The station wagons themselves were amazing. Dad always bought the biggest engine offered (we needed it), a large v8. The last wagon had dual air conditioners, front and rear. And how about the rear doors on a wagon. The rear door folded down or opened from the side, and the window went up and down. SUVs, get serious, they have very little useful space. No fairI suspect one of the reasons the younger brother is looking so crabby is that he didn't get sunglasses like everybody else. It's no fun to squint all day. Tterrace is completely right, roadtrips just aren't the same without a big ol' station wagon. I loved sitting in the rear-facing seat when I was a kid. And I remember being fascinated by the tailgate that could open two ways: swinging from the left-side hinge or folding down like a pickup truck. Hi Pat QYour recollections are so evocative of those road trips from another time. Life seemed simpler, or is it just filtered through our nostalgia screen? Great Time To Be AliveSure brings back memories!! I started HS in '68. We went on many, many driving vacations to New Mexico, Colorado, OK, MO & many places near the Panhandle of Texas where I grew up!! Road trips now are usually to the coast or TX Hill Country, but still have a magic to them, leaving before the sun's up!! ChevelleLove the car. In high school, a wagon was an embarrassment. Now I wish I had one. VentipanesOur family of six and a dog would pile into our '63 Lincoln and while sitting in the driveway Dad would ask Mom, "Okay, where do you all want to go?" Then we would be off to Nova Scotia or Florida. There was no AC in either the Lincoln or the '63 Impala we had so we would drive the whole way with windows open in the summer heat. If you turned the vent windows all the way open so they were facing into the car they would generate a terrific amount of airflow into the cabin at highway speed. It was quite comfortable actually and 40+ years later I wish cars still had those vent windows. Lunar summerSeveral have mentioned the Apollo 11 landing. I have a similar tale. I was 7, just a little too young to understand the significance of the event. I remember my mother trying to keep me interested as she sat on the edge of her seat watching the coverage. Now I'm glad I remember that night, and get chills watching the video and Walter Cronkite taking off his glasses and saying "Whoo boy!" totally at a loss for words. That was an awesome summer! Oh yeah, we had a station wagon too. '69 Caprice Estate with fake wood paneling! Almost had the wagon...Our family was cursed to miss out on having station wagon vacations - first time in '65, we were supposed to be getting a red '62 Corvair wagon from my uncle who was going into the Air Force but he hit some black ice and rolled it while he was delivering it from back east (he was unhurt). Next in '66 we traded our rusted-out '56 Chevy for a beige '63 Dodge 440 eight-passenger wagon; I was looking forward riding in the third seat on our annual trip from Chicago to Paducah, but a lady in a '62 Continental hit it. We ended up with a maroon '65 Impala hardtop for the next several years' vacations, but at least it had AC! Our imitation wagonWe did not have a wagon so Dad cut a piece of plywood for the back seat of our 57 Mercury that gave us kids a full flat surface in the back seat. Holding it up were two coolers on the floor. On top Dad blew up two air mattresses, then they gave us "kiddy drugs" (gravol). They caught onto that after the first trip in which that back seat became a wrestling arena. Hi BarrydaleSugar Sugar is a favorite of mine to this day. The San Gabriel Valley has changed a lot since those days, eh? And the year beforeAnd the year prior to this photo my family, consisting of myself at 13, my sisters aged 10 and 4 (or 5) loaded up in a 2 door Marquis and headed from Raleigh up through Indiana, SD, WY Oregon down through LA and back east across the desert through AZ, NM, TX and driving one marathon from Texarkana to Anderson SC in one day, during the peace marches throughout the South that summer! I still remember passing the civil rights marchers for mile after mile on the roads through MS, AL and GA. The trip took two months.... and you think YOU heard whining from your brother? Sometimes things don't changeThe socks may be a little bit high, and shorts a bit short, but the way you are dressed is exactly the way many kids at my middle/high school dress now. Especially the ones going into high school, I'm just stunned by how similar you are. I could actually almost confuse you with my younger brother, who is so similar he even has blond hair. Right now I'm planning a road trip in my 1968 Ford Falcon for the spring, its a 4 door sedan and not a wagon. But it is a daily driver kind of car, not a show car, so I drive it in the same way your parents might have driven their car, not to show off, but just to get around. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Kids)
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