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Chinatown: 1930
San Francisco circa 1930. "Grant Avenue at Sacramento Street." 4x5 inch nitrate ... captured the hustle, bustle, sights, smells and sounds of San Fran's Chinatown. Wish I was there right now. New York's Chinatown is ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 05/22/2015 - 5:54pm -

San Francisco circa 1930. "Grant Avenue at Sacramento Street." 4x5 inch nitrate negative by Arnold Genthe. View full size. Earlier than 1930I can't see the license plates clearly enough to read the year but the short, wide shape was last used in 1928. Starting in 1929 plates are taller in relation to width. My guess is 1928. Looks a little different now Steep climb to the leftSacramento St. has a steep climb from here to the top of Nob Hill, hence the cable car tracks in the foreground. While the well-known California Street Cable Car line remains in service nearby, the Sacramento Clay line was removed in WWII and replaced with buses. When I lived there in the early 1980's packed diesel buses were still roasting their automatic transmissions as they climbed the hill waiting for new electric trolley buses to soon take over. Ya think?Gee, I wonder if I could find some good Chop Suey around here somewhere. Even though this photo is 85 yrs. old, it still captured the hustle, bustle, sights, smells and sounds of San Fran's Chinatown. Wish I was there right now. New York's Chinatown is great too, but not quite the same. Living out on the prairie as I do now, I have to settle for Chinese takeout and old memories to pretend I'm there again. God bless America. Somebody's got to say itForget it, Jake... Home of the Flower Drum"Grant Avenue, San Francisco, California, U.S.A. Looks down from Chinatown Over a foggy bay. You travel there in a trolley, In a trolley up you climb, Dong! Dong! You're in Hong Kong, Having yourself a time." (Arnold Genthe, San Francisco)
Pontiac Palace: 1948
From San Francisco circa 1948 comes this nighttime shot of a Pontiac showroom, which our ... At the end of 1948, Neal Cassady, then a resident of San Francisco, used earnings from his railroad job to make a down payment on a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/26/2014 - 2:10pm -

From San Francisco circa 1948 comes this nighttime shot of a Pontiac showroom, which our learned commenters reveal was at 1560 Van Ness Avenue. 8x10 inch Kodak safety negative, photographer unknown. View full size. Auto RowAlmost certainly this showroom was on Van Ness Avenue. His Best Pal & His Best WheelsAt the end of 1948, Neal Cassady, then a resident of San Francisco, used earnings from his railroad job to make a down payment on a brand-new 1949 Hudson, which he immediately drove cross-country to visit his friend Jack Kerouac. Though Cassady would soon lose the Hudson when he didn't keep up the payments, it would much later emerge as a kind of co-star of those frantic journeys in Kerouac's novel "On the Road". I wonder whether Cassady had shopped for his sleek Hudson at the Stater agency across the street -- somehow he must have known even then that a Pontiac wouldn't provide quite so much narrative edge someday. Guy in windowI bet the man peering inside the showroom from outside would know the name of the Pontiac store. And looks like the store owner was maybe was a sport fisherman with one of his prized marlin up on the wall. [I think that's a sailfish. - Dave] Van Ness Across from the Glen Stater Hudson agency, on Van Ness Ave. That's all I got. Van NessPossibly 1560 Van Ness. There was a Pontiac Hupmobile dealership there before 1920. The photo is beautifulThe cars? Maybe not so much, even for the time period. [Post-war design came for Pontiac in 1949; 1948s were still variations on the 1942 model. -tterrace] We build excitement!This is almost certainly the George Daniels Pontiac showroom at 1560 Van Ness. Glen Stater's Hudson dealership was at 1600 Van Ness, directly across California Street. [Both are indeed listed at those addresses in the 1948-9 Polk's Crocker-Langley city directory. -tterrace] There's an excellent survey of historic Auto Row structures published by the S.F. planning office. Oh wow!More like this, please. widetrackexcitementFoy 1560 Van NessAs 20002ist notes, the key to the riddle is Glen C. Stater's Hudson showroom across the street. Auto Row SurveyWow, that's really great! Thank you for the link 200002ist. A Fine car made even FINER!Love the Hydra-Matic display and, to my surprise, nobody has mentioned the reflected Shorpy "watermark". Love it! Hydra-MaticIn those post-war years, virtually every year another brand would come out with its own automatic transmission, probably the most revolutionary advancement in driving up to that time. Hydra-Matic had been around since 1940, but Pontiac would have to wait until 1948 before it became available to that make, along with Dynaflow in the Buicks and PowerGlide two years later in Chevrolets. In each instance, cars so equipped carried script either on the trunk lid or somewhere on the side. For whatever reason, the Pontiacs kept you guessing until you looked inside to know whether or not that car had the new automatic or not as they chose not to announce its presence. After '49, Oldsmobile no longer used external designation either but Buick kept on all the way through 1952. LineageThe first Pontiac was built in 1926, as a companion car to the existing Oakland line. In subsequent years, Pontiac became the more popular vehicle, and the Oakland was no more by 1931. On the Wall in Living ColorThe poster on the wall states: A fine car made even finer . . . Pontiac for 1948. Photo below. I think it can be argued that the 1948 body styles actually go all the way back to 1940. The real difference between the looks of the 1940 - 1948 models was the lowering of the headlights fully into the fenders, the dramatic extension of the front fenders deep into the front doors, and the annual changes to the front grille. Other than trim changes, the basic body shells of both the Streamliner and Torpedo models barely changed throughout these years. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco)
Initialized: 1922
San Francisco circa 1922. "Simplex, Public Library." Wearing the monogram of one ... More about CEM I believe CEM = Carlton Earle Miller, of San Francisco and San Mateo. Car is a 1917 Simplex Crane. [This ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/17/2016 - 8:44pm -

San Francisco circa 1922. "Simplex, Public Library." Wearing the monogram of one C.E.M. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Dual CowlThis was known as a dual cowl phaeton. It was a body style offered by most of the high end automobiles until the early 30s when they fell from favor. Some certainly were chauffeur driven, but they were not intended as livery vehicles Missing HandleThe back door handle is missing. How did they get in? Missing Handle FoundThe rear cowl, which was hinged at the back of the front seat, also acted as the latch for the rear doors. There was a release handle that unlocked the cowl, which was then lifted and the doors could be opened, allowing ingress to the rear seat C&M not CEMI believe that is an English version of an ampersand (&), not a capital E. It looks very much like a modified English Pound sign, or a soft-cornered capital E, sometimes with a curl on the lower bar or an E with acute and cedilla marks. [Nope. - Dave] Company car?Interesting back seat. Would this be a Company driver, or a limo of some sort? More about CEMI believe CEM = Carlton Earle Miller, of San Francisco and San Mateo. Car is a 1917 Simplex Crane. [This reference to his "Circle Anchor" ranch certainly seems compelling. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
The Black Hand: 1920
San Francisco, 1920. "Standard Eight touring car." Today's entry in the Shorpy ... Fort Mason, it served as headquarters for the sprawling "San Francisco Port of Embarkation" during World War II and processed the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/27/2018 - 3:50pm -

San Francisco, 1920. "Standard Eight touring car." Today's entry in the Shorpy Digest of Dingy Digits. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Fort MasonThe touring car is parked on Van Ness Avenue near Bay Street. The building in the left background is still standing. Located in historic Fort Mason, it served as headquarters for the sprawling "San Francisco Port of Embarkation" during World War II and processed the deployment of over 1.5 million troops and 23 million tons of cargo to the Pacific Theater. Today the building serves as headquarters for another government agency: National Park Service's "Golden Gate National Recreation Area." Early AdopterI remember my mother using turn signal lights for the first time in a 1949 Mercury and the guy behind her chewing her out for not using the proper hand signal. Well, this is pointlessI still have to use hand signals in my 1952 MG TD (pictured below). It never came with electrical signals. I think it might have been the last brand of car sold in the US that didn't. One scenarioThis is the hand (and tire-changing smock) of an automobilist who has just fixed a flat. Precise guyPencil and ruler in his breast pocket. What's with the road?Was tarring over the street once de rigueur? White CollarI hope he doesn't try to loosen his collar with that hand. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Skid Row: 1924
San Francisco circa 1924. "Star touring car with four-wheel brakes." The same venue ... in California for a extra cost. I'm sure the people of San Francisco were happy to have them along with grandpa Geiko. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/19/2015 - 9:59am -

San Francisco circa 1924. "Star touring car with four-wheel brakes." The same venue (and graffitists) as our previous Star sighting. And more evidence that smoking is hazardous to your health. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. No spray paintSo we'll just carve our initials in stone. Skateboarding ramp? I'm curious as to what's that between the sidewalk steps and the road. Thanks in advance. [A less ambitious sidewalk. -Dave] Just as shiny as the previous postingI have never had a car this shiny. I will never have a car this shiny. I am beyond jealous. Truly, a shining Star. Grandfather's first carMy grandfather's first car was a Star touring car, I think the same year as this one. The Star was General Motors' response to the cheap car market opened up by the Model T. Time MachineAfter three years of running over the other volunteer smokers the Star comes out with four wheel brakes. This is a 1927 model made by Durant Motors, not GM. [It's a 1924 model. Below, an ad from May 1924. - Dave] I've had a lot of bad brakesI did a lot of research on this and found nothing about four wheel brakes in any Star catalog or service manual until 1928. The service manual covers them for the first time. The "Standard Catalog of American Cars" has 1927 as the starting date. After seeing what you came up with I found this article which explains it. Four wheel brakes were available in California for a extra cost. I'm sure the people of San Francisco were happy to have them along with grandpa Geiko. Nitrocellulose LacquerThe shine is due to the use of nitrocellulose lacquer, still used on guitars and similar interments, but illegal in automotive paint for some time due to its high toxicity. Back in those days the shine did not last very long either. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Tee Party: 1919
1919. "Paige touring car at San Francisco Golf Club." Our second look at the "driving" range. 5x7 glass ... of this type of roofing do in fact still exist in the San Francisco in the Westwood Highlands district of San Francisco. Many English ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2017 - 2:01pm -

1919. "Paige touring car at San Francisco Golf Club." Our second look at the "driving" range. 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Are Those Shingles Wood or Slate ?Could those perhaps be slate shingles, rather than wood ? I've seen slate roofs laid up like that. The ones I've seen were on late 19th or early 20th century buildings which were designed to look "Old World" Thatch style shinglingA few examples of this type of roofing do in fact still exist in the San Francisco in the Westwood Highlands district of San Francisco. Many English Cottages were built in the 1920's to attract a burgeoning middle class with affordable houses built from scratch. These houses feature cottage roofs, stained glass and other signs of refined decoration. It is one of the most beautiful residential neighborhoods, however obscure the name is compared to better known neighborhoods. It is however in the deep fog prone area, bordered by St. Francis Woods, and during certain heavy fog seasons it is very reminiscent of movies like the Big Sleep. Can anyone explainthe type of roofing on the building behind? [Shingles imitating English-cottage thatch. - Dave] Shingle ArtistryI have seen that pattern of wood roof shingle on cottages of the same era, in Hollywood California. Instead of being cut as rectangles, the wood shingles are cut with one ripple side. When the roofer lays them down, he creates the parallel waves in the way he overlaps the layers. I have never seen anybody place the ripples as close together as they are on this roof. Maybe these are smaller tiles. The ones in Hollywood were two or three times the distance apart of these rows. But they had a wonderful aesthetic missing from commercial roofs laid today. Alas, when these homes get re-roofed, nobody re-creates the original look. I saw them back in the 1970s. Doubt any of those roofs, which were 50 years or so old then, survive today. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco, Sports)
Karl the Karrot: 1955
... daily kids' show "Fireman Frank" broadcast by KRON-TV in San Francisco during the mid-50s. Fireman Frank was George Lemont, a hip SF deejay ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 09/22/2011 - 4:52pm -

This button was a promotional piece about 1-3/4" in diameter, given out by shoe stores on the purchase of a pair of Keds, one of the sponsors of the daily kids' show "Fireman Frank" broadcast by KRON-TV in San Francisco during the mid-50s. Fireman Frank was George Lemont, a hip SF deejay who stepped into the role after the original Fireman, a roly-poly avuncular gent more in the style of a kids' TV host, dropped dead. Lemont's humor appealed as much to adults as well as kids; you could hear the studio crew guffawing off-camera at things that went over our heads. Between cartoons, Lemont brought out his cast of puppets, including robot Dynamo Dudley, the beret-wearing, bop-talking Scat the Cat and best of all, Karl the Karrot. Karl, as you can see, was a sort of proto-beatnik, literally a carrot with a pair of shades. His dialog consisted entirely of "blubble-lubble-lubble" while he thrashed about, chlorophyl topknot flailing. At home, we were all in convulsions on the floor. Original Fireman FrankI remember watching the jolly chubby Fireman Frank. One day he was gone. I wondered what happen to him. Does anyone know his name? Fireman Frank FanThis is cool. I loved afternoons and Saturdays with Fireman Frank on the tube. It killed me how Fireman Frank broke himself up waving around a limp Karl the Karrot - where Karl would stare out blankly, bobbling up and down as Frank tried to contain his hysterics below while snorting in a vain attempt to conceal his own amusement. Fireman FrankHey, my cousin, best friend and I were on that show. We just loved it. When he interviewed the peanut galery (that was on Firman Frank I think) He asked my cousin, who had swiped her mom's hat to wear there, to show her profile so that the audience could see her hat. She of course did not know what that meant, so she took it off and gave it to him. It was funny to me because when she got home she got into trouble for taking the hat. I of course was happy she had gotten scolded as she was a very pretty girl and was always the center of attention. I was just a messy little tomboy that just went along for the ride. Thanks for the memories. Local live kid showsmust have been a national staple. In Texas, we had Mr. Peppermint in Fort Worth, Uncle Jay and his sidekick Packer Jack, an old prospector, in Austin and Cap'n Jack (I think) in San Antonio. Even tiny KCEN in Temple had their own guy, who could draw a picture from a kid's scrawl. We went for my brother's birthday, ca. 1959/1960. Local Kids ShowsThe Lincoln, Nebraska area had Sheriff Bill and Silent Orv (who was silent because they'd have to pay him more if he spoke). Later on, I learned television directing on the last live "Romper Room" in the country - never knew what might happen with a roomful of pre-schoolers on live TV. Fireman Frank FanTo add to the Fireman Frank archive: Dynamo Dudley's mother (or mother-in-law) was a can of nails that would be grabbed and rattled whenever it seemed necessary. Yahoo! At Last...he's alive!!!I have vivid memories of Karl the Karrot...one of my all time favorite TV characters. I have been asking people "Do you ever remember watching a show in the 50's with Karl the Karrot who just bobbled his head around and went...blblblblblblblbl blblblblb blblbl?" No one remembered and I was beginning to think I'd made it up! Thank you for bringing Karl (and that cool button) back to me...I shall forward this page to the zillion people who thought I was just having another acid flash!! Holy Karrot juice!Never thought I'd find a person who had seen that show. I remember the carrot losing his "vigor" over the week and being pretty limp on Friday to be revitalized on Monday. I have the button also. (After 50-some years) Fireman FrankI was on Fireman Frank with the greatest young comedienne of her time, Westlake Stephie, age 7. It was a fun show. Fireman Frank againWatched it everyday it with on. The thing I remember most was, Fireman Frank said "we don't like Lima beans," and I still don't like them. Rhode Island RedI, too, loved Fireman Frank. Wasn't Rhode Island Red one of his characters, too? The limp Karl the Karrot, wobbling around by Friday afternoon, was something we all looked forward to. Thanks for bringing back these wonderful memories. Too bad there aren't any witty kids' shows today. And I think the Peanut Gallery was Howdy Doody (with Buffalo Bob Smith) and not part of Fireman Frank. Karlotta Karrot During those years of childhood in San Francisco there were truly great kids' shows. Fireman Frank was without question the best. I remember Karl's girlfriend Karlotta, who spoke in the same type of oogle pattern that Karl used. By the way does anybody remember during Christmas time when Happy Holly of the Whitehouse department store called Santa? Love Karl the KarrotKids' shows in the '50s were great. I loved Fireman Frank and Karl the Karrot. My absolute favorite though was the Banana Man on Captain Kangaroo! Banana ManI never saw Karl the Karrot (we had The Old Rebel and Cowboy Fred and Captain Five at various times), but The Banana Man was my absolute, all-time favorite too. If you never saw his act, it's hard to imagine what it was like. Here is a website, somewhat disorganized, with a lot of info: http://facweb.furman.edu/~rbryson/BananaMan/index.html The "Sam Levine" and "History" links are the best, but it's all interesting (to absolute fans anyway). Py-O-My was the sponsorI remember having to put up with Frank while babysitting my little sister after school before the folks got home (I was a teenager then) and the sponsor for a while was Py-O-My (kind of like Betty Crocker) dessert and pudding mix. Rumor was that the original Fireman Frank partook too much of Py-O-My and dropped dead of blocked arteries. I remember a couple of guys in our neighborhood and I set up a FF-like puppet show one summer to earn money to buy Superman and other comics by charging a nickel to the little kids who wanted to watch. One guy's older sister made a "Scat the Cat"-type sock puppet while I had fun cutting and pasting pieces of cardboard together to make a Dynamo Dudley. I remember one kid's mom getting upset because he has swiped the only two carrots in the house to make Karl (In those days two carrots went into the stew). We made enough to make our local grocer happy to sell those horrible old comic books. Fond RekollektionsI remember the Karl the Karrot episode where he had a fight with Rocky Mashed Potato. I loved Scat the Cat,with his band-aid on one of his cheeks. Rhode Island Red the giant rooster puppet, with a wing that would pop up like it was pointing while he said, "He went thataway!" then break into a silly laugh while his head went up & down. Wish someone can find the name of the original Fireman Frank...just for memories and recognition for him. Fireman Frank ShowThat was a great show; a classic 50's kids show. Can't forget Skipper Sedley who became "Sir Sedley" for whatever reason. Also "Mayor Art"; "Bozo The Clown"; "Captain Satellite" and on a national level, "Howdy Doody" and "The Micky Mouse Club" These were all basically afternoon and Saturday shows. The essential 50's morning children's show was of course, "Captain Kangaroo" with the classic serial Cartoon "Tom Terrific".. Frank and Karl! Oh yeah!Great memories. Loved Fireman Frank and Karl too. I remember Karl getting more wilted every day. And I do remember Happy Holly at Xmas time. This is the first time I have heard anyone else mention Happy. Those were great days for kids' shows. I had the TV pretty much to myself as my parents and older sisters had not acquired the habit of watching very much. I have been trying to find video snips of some of those old shows but they are rare. Loved Fireman Frank!Fireman Frank used to show "The Little Rascals" as well as cartoons. Plus he demonstrated how to make chocolate milk with Bosco. His puppets were hilarious. Scat the Cat had been in fights and had a rough voice. I think robot Dynamo Dudley talked in gibberish like Karl the Karrot. I had a Dynamo Dudley Club Card at one time. The funniest puppet was Rhode Island Red, the rooster. My mother would come into the room and laugh. I would love to see photos or kinescopes of that show. Where is this stuff? THE DAY KARL "DIED" !The "Fireman Frank Show" with Lemont was the best kids program ever and Karl The Karrot was special. Karl was a real carrot and noticably "age" or wilt every day due to the hot studio lights. I clearly remember Karl breaking off in Lemont's hand during their dialogue and Lemont saying something like: "Ah kids; Karl is hurt but will be back like new soon. And of course Karl returned as a fresh new carrot for the next show. I'll never forget the shock of Karl's "accident" and "relief" at seeing him back better than ever for the next show! My kids thought I was making this story up when shared during their youth. Thanks for the super comments. Fireman FrankSeveral commenters have asked about the first Fireman Frank, the one who George Lemont took over from. I just came across a post on a forum from someone who remembers, and the guy's name was apparently Frank Smith. So now we also know where the Frank came from. Fireman Frank 1955-57Coming to the SF Bay Area and getting our first TV in April 1955 I only recall the latter (thin) Fireman Frank (with his weekday nightly KRON show after the early evening news and a longer one on Saturday afternoons with a drawing contest that I submitted to a few times). Captain Fortune had an early Sat morn one on KPIX, with the stock intro showing a bunch of kids running up to a large Victorian-looking house on a hill. One of CF's standard features was to have one of the guests make some scrawl on a large drawing pad and then ask him to turn it into a specific item. KPIX also had a late afternoon (pre-news) Deputy Dave featuring, of course, western films (vs cartoons). It seemed like that they all had Bosco as a sponsor (using a milk carton that had its brand obscured). He once had a contest for an (outboard) power boat - awarded for the best name for it. An acquaintance of my father won with "DD5" for Deputy Dave (Channel) 5! The arrival of the Mickey Mouse Club on ABC (KGO) in October 1955 provided some stiff competition for some of these locally-originated afternoon kid shows. The San Antonio show mentioned earlier was Captain Gus on KENS in the afternoons http://www.dmd52.net/blast.html feauring mostly Popeye and Three Stooges fare, at least during the few seasons of its 2-decade + run that it had my attention. Before Fireman FrankGeorge Lemont was to kids as Don Sherwood was to the adults. I remember his predecessor, Frank Smith, but George had a show before Fireman Frank. He was called Uncle George and would draw caricatures and cartoon pictures. He used clever cross-hatch shading on his drawings and would call them "the downtown treatment." I loved his puppets, but he reached a new height with the introduction of Karl the Karrot! Great days of kids' TV back then: Kris Kuts (the felt shapes), Deputy Dave Allen, Captain Fortune (Who's that knocking on my barrel?), Mayor Art, Crusader Rabbit (voice done by a lady from Petaluma, I'm told)and Captain Satellite (I remember seeing his first telecast on that NEW channel, KTVU). Del Courtney and Tony Petucci (Ralph Manza), Sandy (The moon belongs to everyone, the best things in life are free) Spellman, Fran O'Brien, Sherwood's minions, Bobby Troop, George Cerutti, Julie London, and Ronnie Schell. Great times. Rad CarrotThat is a mighty rad carrot with a hairy nose and wild hair. No wonder why he had some major kid appeal. The 50's Bay Area Christmas While reminiscing about Fireman Frank and Captain Fortune, each Christmas, I always recall with grand fondness those early television trips to the North Pole escorted by the magic elf, Happy Hollie. "Happy Hollie calling Santa Claus at the North Pole... come in, Santa!" I believe it was brought to you by either "The White House", or "City of Paris". You could always be assured there'd be one commercial by "Mission Pac"... fruit packages for mail delivery to east coast friends. "No gift so bright, so gay, so right, send a Mission Pac on its way" Fireman FrankI'm so happy to learn there are others that have fond memories of Fireman Frank / Uncle George! Remember how he'd have the puppets refer to him as "skinny-in-the pit"? I would crack up when he'd tell the kids to be sure to send in for his one-way yoyo while just dropping a stringless yoyo. The lady who voiced Crusader RabbitHer name was Lucille Bliss, and she also did Smurfette. But legendary to me is the fact she waited tables on the side, and a deejay from KSAN recognized her voice, and asked her to come into the station and record the doomsday alerts. "This is a test - this is only a test. In the event of an actual alert, " etc. In the voice of Crusader Rabbit! This included (I assume) the real kiss your butt goodbye warning, in the event of nuclear war! Man- would I love to hear a copy of this. Jay Ward with Art Alexander created the Rabbit here in Berkeley, eventually moving to LA for production. You can read all about it in The Moose That Roared, by Keith Scott. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Curiosities, tterrapix)
Dort Duo: 1923
"Dort car in San Francisco." An automotive brand that was not long for this world in 1923. 5x7 ... City", Flint Michigan, rolling around on the streets of San Francisco in those long-ago days. The name lives on Considering how ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/06/2015 - 10:42am -

"Dort car in San Francisco." An automotive brand that was not long for this world in 1923. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. The Other Motor CityDorts, Stars, Durants, and, of course, Flints. On the perhaps biased basis of these photos, there certainly seems to have been an awful lot of products of the "Vehicle City", Flint Michigan, rolling around on the streets of San Francisco in those long-ago days. The name lives onConsidering how quickly some early automobile companies disappeared the Dort did ok. Started by a carriage manufacturer that dated to 1884, started autos in 1915, lasted until 1924. But the Dort name lives on today. There is a Dort Highway in Flint, MI. When I was young I lived not too far from there. A big shiny DortLooks like it will take more than that to get a smile from that girl. Wow.Great car but I'm so entranced by the beautiful passenger that I can hardly focus on anything else. Almost the sameThis 1923 Dort Six sold for $15,400.00 in 2011. Fabulous Photo! The Background...The Car...The People! Re: Wow.The eyes. Almost General MotorsDort autos were built by Josiah Dallas Dort who had been a partner with William Crapo Durant, the founder of General Motors. Their partnership in Durant Dort Carriage Works was disolved after Durant formed GM. Dort then went on to create Dort Motor Company. He supplied mechanical parts to the Gray Carriage Company of Chatham Ontario from 1915-25 for their Gray- Dort autos. Dort abruptly left the automobile business in 1925 stranding the Gray family without a source of parts and their firm subsequently went out of the auto business also. HeadlampsLamps seem to have Ford script. Didn't know Ford supplied other makes. [They didn't. - Dave] The Eyes have it!Those eyes are mesmerizing. Time is of little consequence. After almost a century those eyes reach into your soul. Immediately, they were the first thing I noticed about the photograph. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
California Street: 1906
"Clearing away the debris, California Street, San Francisco." Aftermath of the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. 8x10 glass ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/17/2014 - 1:02pm -

"Clearing away the debris, California Street, San Francisco." Aftermath of the earthquake and fire of April 18, 1906. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Dressed to the nines!Just because your city is destroyed is no reason to dress like a slob. A Shorpy First?We've seen plenty of ghost people in Shorpy images, but this may be the first ghost dirt. Times two, no less! +105 and it looks a lot betterThe wrecked Library Bureau, Inc., building at right was at 538 California Street according to the 1904 San Francisco City Directory. [I've changed your street view to show Old St. Mary's Cathedral at 660 California St., seen behind the wrecked building in the earthquake photo. -tterrace] View Larger Map Cable Cars on dirt street?I'm not familiar with Cable Car street locations, now or back then, but it appears there are two tracks for up-bound and down-bound cars on that dirt road. Seems pretty amazing to me that such a track would have been built on a non-paved street. Or, maybe it shows great foresight by planners. [That "dirt road" is a paved street covered in a layer of ash and debris from the fire. -tterrace] I don't get itThe cathedral is on the left side of the street, uphill from the camera. However, looking at the modern day Streetview, the cathedral is on the right side of the street, looking uphill. Did they move the cathedral? [There are two churches in the earthquake photo. On the left side of the street, near the top of the hill, is Grace Church; the ruins were later demolished. The tower of St. Mary's is in the center of the photo on the right side of the street. -tterrace] (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
REO Heroes: 1906
June 1906. "REO Mountaineer, New York to San Francisco and back." Percy Megargel and David Fassett at Huber's Hotel on 162nd ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/31/2021 - 1:05pm -

June 1906. "REO Mountaineer, New York to San Francisco and back." Percy Megargel and David Fassett at Huber's Hotel on 162nd Street in the Bronx at the end of their 10-month, 11,000-mile trip in a 16-horsepower REO (Ransom E. Olds) touring car. View full size. Shades of the Old WestThe cowboys of the 19th century had a rifle in a scabbard secured under their saddle. Percy and David had the rifle in a scabbard secured under the fender. I wonder what its purpose was, hunting for food, defense or both? ToolsThe Winchester rifle was only drawn once, for a bear: http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2015/03/the-reo-mountaineer-endurance-ru... Not a very smooth tripNew York Tribune Thursday Jan 11, 1906 Modern AutomobileThis REO seems to have more basic systems in common with a 1980 car that the 1980 car has with a 2021 car (or crossover/SUV/Truck, since they hardly make cars anymore). 162nd and Jerome AveAcross the street from the (future) House That Ruth Built! Long and winding roadThis was aptly described at the time as an 'endurance run'. Percy and David originally estimated the round trip would take 112 days. One reason it took three times that: they routed through Detroit, Chicago, Salt Lake City, Portland, Los Angeles, Flagstaff, Gallup, Denver, and Omaha. They reported that the car was once stuck in quicksand for three weeks until a snow-melt flood washed it loose. They were in San Francisco in November 1905, so they missed the earthquake by five months. The photo below was captioned: "Lost between Williams and Flagstaff, Ariz." (They are less than 34 miles apart--but Arizona was still a territory.) Clearly, a time-traveller.The passenger is checking his cellphone. The Bronx?! The heck you say."How can this be the Bronx?" I asked myself. "It's not even paved." Then the light bulb went on. Curious as to what might be there today, I did a quick Google and found the approximate location. Suffice it to say, as a native New Englander, I wouldn't be caught dead there now outside of the AL East wild card playoffs... Bowlers and boatersThere is a bit of a mix of hats there, though I would suppose that June was well into straw hat season. Wearing the wrong hat when the season changes could cause a riot, especially in NYC. Unreadable scriptThe REO on the left has three letters on the front of the radiator. These are someone's initials. These could be bought from aftermarket vendors who sold dusters etc. to personalize one's car. Ransom E. OldsHad given his name to the Oldsmobile brand back in 1897, but left the company in 1905. He tried to continue under the name Olds, but legal action from Oldsmobile kept him from doing that so he settled on Reo. Had one of the most descriptive and interesting names for its cars in the 20's, specifically the Reo Flying Cloud. After the Depression settled into making large trucks and was absorbed by Volvo after bankruptcy in 1975. Bottom sideI'm curious as to the purpose of the shroud of fabric underneath the vehicle. Is it to catch those falling parts along the way? Riding ShotgunSo you wouldn't get relegated to the back seat. Unless a couple honeys come along then Riding Shotgun wasn't important. REO in the UKMany motor buses in Britain were REO. The story was 'Ruins Every Operator'... You may say that - I could not possibly comment! Timing is everythingI figure they were somewhere in Ohio when the Big One hit San Francisco. Re: Timing is everything (from the SF fire to the band in IL)To make it to San Francisco in time for "the big one", they might have used a REO Speed Wagon (the truck, not the band); but that vehicle wasn't to appear on the scene until 1915; and the band wasn't on the scene until 1966. On an interesting note, the band got its name (R.E.O. Speedwagon) from the vehicle, as founder and keyboardist Neal Doughty saw it written on the blackboard of his "History of Transportation" class at the University of Illinois (Champaign) in 1967. And if all of that wasn't enough coincidence, on his first keyboard, one of the first songs Neal Doughty learned was "Light My Fire" by The Doors. I can just hear those famous words by Robert L. Ripley ringing out, "Believe It or Not!" It would have been 9 monthsIf they did not have to lace up those boots every morning. Almost HomeCurrently, just west of third base at the (new) Yankee Stadium. Not a speedy wagonIf I did the math right, that averages out to just over 1.5 mph. If they drove just 8 hours a day, it averages out to about 4.6 mph. They didn't try for a direct route, but seemed to try to drive through as many states as they could. Today, with a direct route from NY to SF of 2906 miles, Google says you can make the round trip in 86 hours. Much more info here. Eye of the beholderIMO the tall, dark man standing behind the three gents on the far right, with his eyes cast downward, is also pretty handsome. The triple threat, as it were. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, DPC, NYC)
Hop In, Honey: 19xx
From somewhere in San Francisco comes this undated, unlabeled photo of a lady in a fancy-looking ... (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco) ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/12/2015 - 9:25pm -

From somewhere in San Francisco comes this undated, unlabeled photo of a lady in a fancy-looking phaeton with a glass headrest. Who can tell us what she's driving, and when? 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. "Ask the man who owns one"Packard. Not sure what year, but guessing late teens or so. Hitchcock cameoI can't ID the car, but I can the big house across Jefferson Square Park at the upper left: it's the Fortmann Mansion at 1007 Gough, which in its decrepit state in 1958 portrayed the "McKittrick Hotel" in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo. Then a year later it was torn down. Behind the trees at the upper right, St. Paulus' German Evangelical Lutheran Church, built in 1893 at the corner of Gough and Eddy, also made a brief appearance in the film. It was destroyed by fire in 1995. Circa 1928 Cadillac?Dual cowl phaeton/ oops i'll change that to a similar vintage Hudson; didn't know they had their own "flying lady." HybridIt appears to be a 1924 Packard, but the hood ornament looks like it's from a 1928 Hudson. So they lost the Packard's rad cap and replaced it with the Hudson's? PackardI am fairly certain that this is a Packard of about 1930/31. The 'Glass Headrest' is in fact a windscreen for the rear passengers. It has fold-out 'wings' to deflect the rush of air, similar to the wings on the front windscreen. With the roof erected, it also provides a separation for the rear passengers from the lowly chauffeur up front. 1922–1933I think that this high-style cruiser is a 1922-1923 Packard Model 126 Sport Phaeton with custom body by Pullman Co. The car is a 1929 Hudson The hood ornament is the only thing to give you a hint. ID? MaybeAccording to Google "Images for hood ornaments guide", second picture in, it could be an Auburn between the years 1928 to 1931. That's based on the hood ornament, but photos of the actual car (compared to the Shorpy picture) don't really match. Flying Lady.The hood ornament looks like it belongs on a Rolls Royce. 1923-ish Packard Sport TouringAll the salient parts match. The Buffalo wire wheels are a conversion—you can see the original holes on the brake drums. The radiator mascot, bumpers, spotlight, and side-mounted spare are contemporary accessories, or cadged from other cars. The rear windscreen may be the same, but with its wings folded in. Edit I forgot to attach this photo earlier-- the radiator-shell shape, matching headlight bezels, the hood louvers and latch, windshield frame, belt moulding, long radiator neck, and access port for greasing the rear spring shackle, all point to the Packard. Their Model Series didn't line up exactly with the calendar, so the year model is not completely unambiguous. Ask the Lady Who Owns OneSome model of Packard, maybe 1926 Touring? Should be plenty of experts out there. I guessit's a 1928 Cord. On the MarquePackard; note radiator top. A Lincoln I'm ThinkinMaybe around 1925 and might be the Model L. Excuse My Dust!It's a mid-1920s Packard, not a factory dual-cowl phaeton. The rear windscreen appears to be an add-on accessory. Back then it was quite popular with the higher end automobiles to accessorize the hood ornament with something other than the factory job. Packards at the time came with Motometers. Hudson Hood OrnamentThe hood ornament is the "winged sea goddess" radiator cap from a late 1920s Hudson: ModifiedPlacing the model year as 1924 due to the drum headlights but the spare wheel mounting seems to be after-market as it is not recessed into the fender. Four wheel brakes narrows the field but positive as a Packard would be iffy. Car IDI'll say it's a 1923 Packard SportPhaeton. I agree with WatchwayneIt's a Packard. Around '23. The radiator cap has been swapped out and I don't blame them. This cap is beautiful. If you look at the radiator, the top has a curved slope that was found on the Packards. Above the running board towards the rear, you can find an oval access hole. These items are the same on both vehicles. Kind of a jalopyA little hard-used. Top is missing, running board is distorted. This could have been taken in the late 30s or even the 40s. [The license tag, tires, and fact that the photo is a 5x7 glass negative, point to an earlier time frame. - Dave] License to dateI'm going with 1927. Special KNote the "K" tread design and monogram (which may be the reason the picture was taken -- retrofit your ride with modern Kent Balloon tires). 1927?I am interested in the reasons why tterrace concludes for 1927. In the reverse picture detail I only see: 1 - 99[.-...] 19 CAL[IFORNIA] .. So why 1927? Tterrace, please make me wise. [The plate format shown in the photos in my comment was used only in 1927 and 1928; 1927 was a guess based on what seems like thicker characters in that year. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Best Deal in Town: 1936
... 3, 1936. "J.A. Herzog Pontiac, 17th & Valencia Sts., San Francisco." 8x10 inch acetate negative originally from the Wyland Stanley ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/19/2015 - 12:59pm -

    Labor on the left, management on the right. Everyone smile! June 3, 1936. "J.A. Herzog Pontiac, 17th & Valencia Sts., San Francisco." 8x10 inch acetate negative originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size. Birdcage signalUnique to San Francisco were the "birdcage" traffic signals invented in the 1920s by SF's Engineer of Underground Construction, Ralph W. Wiley. I remember many of these still being in operation in the mid-1950s; the last of them were removed in 1958 or 1959. Apparently only 20 or so are still in existence; here's an exciting video of one that's been restored to working condition. Road BarnaclesWhat are the big round covers on the street? [The buttons were a way to designate a streetcar safety zone, like this one on Market St. in 1942. -tterrace] Pontiac in NeonIt appears Mr. Herzog was quite the promoter. That Pontiac with the hood outlined in neon must have been quite the sight in 1936. Upstairs, Downstairs"OK, everyone who showers BEFORE work, please stand on the right. And everyone who showers AFTER work, please stand on the left." Used car specials!I wonder what they're asking for the '32 Marmon? It would be tough to get parts: Marmon went tango uniform a few years earlier. My grandfather was of the unlucky associates to feel the Depression hit home with that closure. The buildingBut, bloody and unbowed, it still stands. [The building now on the site dates from 2002. -tterrace] Pontiac “Dart”I never realized that the Pontiac “Dart” is a Native American Arrowhead, until I read it in Five Fascinating Things You Didn’t Know About Famous Car Logos by Joshua Johnson. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Checkout Time: 1906
"Palace Hotel, Market Street, San Francisco." After the devastating earthquake and fire of April 1906, the hotel ... who, as an eight year old, had lived through the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. One of the stories she told me was about a man who ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/01/2017 - 11:22pm -

"Palace Hotel, Market Street, San Francisco." After the devastating earthquake and fire of April 1906, the hotel was razed to make way for the "New" Palace, which opened in 1909. 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative. View full size. SurvivorsAt the left edge, the 1889 De Young Building survives, or at least its restored façade does, and also the historic Lotta's Fountain, both seen in this photo I took on March 1, 2015. +103Below is the same view from September of 2009. Another survivorThe Monadnock Building at far right was still under construction when the 1906 earthquake hit. It not only survived that and the fire, but 2 separate attempts by the US Army to dynamite it in order to create a firebreak to protect the Palace Hotel. Memory of the EarthquakeWhen I was a child, our family had a regular babysitter who, as an eight year old, had lived through the 1906 San Francisco Earthquake. One of the stories she told me was about a man who was trapped in some rubble and they had to amputate his leg on site to free him. It made a real impression on her as an eight year old when she witnessed it, and on me as a nine year old when she told the story. (The Gallery, DPC, Fires, Floods etc., San Francisco)
Midtown Motors: 1946
... June 28, 1946. "Midtown Motors, 950 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco." Back when Ford specialized in making cars. 8x10 inch acetate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/23/2018 - 7:36pm -

June 28, 1946. "Midtown Motors, 950 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco." Back when Ford specialized in making cars. 8x10 inch acetate negative. View full size. Still there?Google street view shows 40s vintage cars in the windows? Not sure they’re Fords, I’m sure someone else here will know! Right across the street from a Tesla dealership. Car shoppingI notice that all the vehicles on the showroom floor have drip pans under them. I want to deal on the little coupe in the foreground. I remember auto showrooms back then had a nice smell to them of new paint, rubber and some secret ingredient. InspirationAnyone into the PV series that Volvo produced from about 1947 until 1965 can see where they got the basic design. 950 Van NessYep. Those are vintage Fords in the window of 950 Van Ness. Funny thing. When I lived in the Bay Area, that place(corner of Van Ness and O'Farrell) was a Mercedes Benz dealership. Yep, still thereIt is now the Academy of Art University Automobile Museum Here's a link to their web site. Looks like it's worth a visit. https://academyautomuseum.org/?page_id=13 Oh come on!Am I the only one here who immediately saw the Ford emblem on the hubcaps were not parallel to the floor? How hard would it have been to pop them off and put them on right for the photo? Packards are Across the StreetI think I'll go browse there. Wonder if that's now the Tesla dealership. LATER -- Looking the Packard dealership pictures -- seems that this is the place on streetview where they are selling Jaguars. Ghost marquesChevrolet above the lights; Packard over the stair. [Also radio station KFI. - Dave] ReflectionsIn the fully enlarged image you can make out the reflection of a neon CHEVROLET sign that must have been across the street. Also KFI PACKARD vertically. Drip pans under these Fords because there were road tubes for ventilating the engine crankcase and oil would normally accumulate and drip from the tubes. Competition getting sneakyWhy or from where - the CHEVROLET reversed / reflected above the lower strip of ceiling lights? [Think hard and I bet you can figure it out. - Dave] Oxymoron?The caption says Van Ness in S.F. then references KFI which is a radio station in L.A.??? [Auto dealer Earle Anthony owned KFI in Los Angeles, a fact advertised by the KFI sign and giant dummy antennas on the roof of his San Francisco "Palace of Packards" on Van Ness. More reading here and here. Examples of actual oxymorons here. - Dave] Dave, you outdid yourself.The best watermark ever! RE: Still There?It's now the Academy of Arts Auto Museum. https://academyautomuseum.org/ SHORPYx2 on the Watermark! Sometimes more interesting than the photos themselves. bldg mixup ????image of bldg backin the day on van ness seems ok but DDRESS IS NOT 950 VANNESS AVE. at ofarrel st but a bldg further down strret 900 van ness more or less at ellis street. anyone can back me up. bldg at ellis had the 4 columns and each corner lamppost and 2 stories atall and not 4-5 stories as at 950 vn ness, etc etc. [You are deeply confused. The photo below shows the building across the street from 950 Van Ness. Get some sleep! - Dave] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Sunday Driver: 1923
San Francisco, 1923. "Auburn 'Beauty-Six' Model 6-39 touring car at First Unitarian ... what an adorable car. I'm convinced Folks in San Francisco never actually drove cars -- they just parked them in front of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/10/2020 - 12:33pm -

San Francisco, 1923. "Auburn 'Beauty-Six' Model 6-39 touring car at First Unitarian Church." Today's selection from the Shorpy Inventory of Idling Autos. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Didn't RotateThe front tires are bald and the rears have some tread. The spare has no wear. I imagine with the weight of the car on those balloons, they didn't last long. Just wait about ten yearsYou wouldn't know from this model, but Auburns of mid-1930s will have some of the most striking designs of any cars ever produced. The doors are so tinyIt must've been fun, getting in and out, especially in a dress. I'd have probably snagged my skirts on it constantly. But what an adorable car. I'm convincedFolks in San Francisco never actually drove cars -- they just parked them in front of scenic locales and sat there hoping a photographer would happen by. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Jersey Shore: 1905
... when I first saw the west coast and the Pacific, around San Francisco, with just a few people per beach in the early 1960's. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/18/2014 - 12:20am -

The Jersey Shore circa 1905. "Crowded beach, Atlantic City." These boys have been standing here for over an hour, hoping to spy a bare ankle. View full size. About bathing suitsAn interesting article in the Lewiston Evening Journal, Jul-8, 1905, "The bathing suit of 1905". According to the article, the leading fabrics were flannel, sorge and mohair (also taffeta silk if money was not in consideration). About the colors, the favorite was black, then blue, and brown and red as emerging trends. Another article. Magnificent MillineryI have been debating as to which of the glorious hats worn in pics like these is the most beautiful; the shower caps or the straw buckets. At any rate, they are both lovely accompaniments to the "sexy" bathing suits that were worn with them! Actually, most of the bathing suits weren't black, but they were Navy blue, so that's not a whole lot better! The women even wore corsets under those bathing suits, so that was a lot of layers of fabric, not just hot, but heavy when wet. All together nowLike birds swarming a birdbath, one would think that with 1600 miles of east coast beach, the people would have spread out a little; there is barely a path for one person to get by and nobody will give up their spot. That was a difference I noticed when I first saw the west coast and the Pacific, around San Francisco, with just a few people per beach in the early 1960's. [However, San Francisco beaches are generally more, shall we say, brisk, than the one at Atlantic City. - tterrace] Men in BlackIn black and white film everybody wears black and gray. I really doubt these suits (especially the midi dresses and sailor style tops) are black. They are more likely navy blue. There could easily be brown and red mixed in there too. How near can you go?I have been to more than a few beaches in my life (both on the West and East Coast) and have NEVER seen people this closely bunched up together. I am TRULY curious; was there a whole different way of looking at how close you wanted to be and/or could be to your neighbor or friend 107 years ago? (It seems like the rule here was the nearer the better but being a rather private person, I would have been the one trying to get a little space-all this crowding would have driven me nuts!) Answer Me ThisLooks like a great day at the beach. However, why is everyone garbed in black? You'd think that one would be dressed in light colors for a day like this. Maybe even back then, people knew about the effects of a "Wet T-Shirt"! Beach nearnessI think these are some of the main factors explaining the crowded beach: popular destination, well-kept and well-provided with amenities; easily accessible via abundant train schedules; huge population base nearby; the one day of the week most people had free; hot weather. So, you're in New York City on a hot, muggy Sunday; most likely you can't afford a car or a carriage, but you do have train fare. What to do? Hop on a train to Atlantic City, of course. Along with thousands and thousands of other people with the same idea. Except for those other thousands and thousands creating scenes like this at Coney Island. Re: MillineryLook at how the women are wearing their wide-brim hats...with string tied under their chin. What great sun protection! We should bring that style back into popularity. Glimpse o'GamTalk about spying a bare ankle! Faithful readers of Capt. Billy's Whiz Bang were often treated to a glimpse of an entire woman's leg on the cover, accompanied by an implied wink of the publisher's eye. (The Gallery, Atlantic City, DPC, Swimming)
Dixie Soda Fountain Co.: 1928
... Sounds yucky.) A favorite treat when on an outing in San Francisco with Grandma in the late 1930s was a cherry or celery phosphate. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/24/2012 - 11:38pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1928. "Dixie Soda Fountain Company. People's Drug Store No. 40." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. Two peas in a pod....These two guys behind the counter must be twins. Sweet DisplayCampfire still is in the Marshmallow business, but now from Illinois. Whitman's candies should be in a lot more Shorpies, the brand has been out there since 1842. Half-pound Hershey and Nestle bars for only 25 cents? Soda JerksWow. If you looked in the encyclopedia for "soda jerk," you would expect to see this photo. What a perfect example. It would sure be a treat to visit this soda fountain. First thing I would try is a yeast milkshake. Never had one of those. Location location location?Does anyone know where this was? [I'll bet PER is out researching this right now. - Dave] Soda FountainNo cherry or celery phosphate. (Just egg phosphate. Sounds yucky.) A favorite treat when on an outing in San Francisco with Grandma in the late 1930s was a cherry or celery phosphate. Notice the Campfire Marshmallows. They don't taste like that any more. FiretrucksWhat caught my eye were the ladder trucks atop the display cases. (Well, after the cases and the counter, of course.) Today those toys would be worth hundreds if not thousands of dollars. Steve Miller Someplace near the crossroads of America Don't forget the ice cream!This place certainly would be worth stopping by--all kinds of delectable treats! Not to mention the very handsome young man behind the counter--alas, I fear I was born about 80 years too late for him. The sign for a milkshake "with ice cream" is interesting--I suppose given the name, it makes sense that milkshakes were just flavored milk at one point and not the thick concoctions they are today. Happy thought, whoever came upon the idea of adding ice cream (I'm glad the milkshake with egg didn't last though.) Wonder what the guy crouching on the right is up to? It seems a strange position to be in, but I suppose he was just examining some of the other wares on that counter. (Or he was camera shy!) I'll take two of those!My time machine better have passenger seats, because I'm bringing those soda jerks back with me! Sold by the InchCheck out that cool contraption from Loffler Meat Co. on the counter. It looks like sausages are wound inside on a rotisserie shelf. I wonder if they sold it a link at a time or if the sausage was one continuous piece and sold by the inch? If the sausage had no casing it wouldn’t have to be twisted into links. I love old displays like this…it looks like the globe atop is lit from within and that the cabinet is made of enameled nickel…probably weighed a ton. Goober Pea Egg Milk ShakeEgg Milk Shake?!? I found references and a few recipes. Like this one. Peoples Drug #40?Oh Dave, how I do love the flattery.... but alas, "Peoples Drug Store No. 40" is proving elusive. How does one determine the location of one store in forty based on advertisements in the Washington Post? My cursory searches so far suggest that this riddle cannot be easily solved. I have not yet given up though. -PER [I looked too. The ads do mention stores by number ("On sale at Store No. 7") but so far, no 40. - Dave] [Update: There's an address stenciled on this crate but I can't quite make it out. Anyone at the NRO or NSA on lunch break? Little help please. - Dave] Yeast MilkshakeI love looking at the products in these pictures! The Hygienol Picture Puffs interested me, as I've seen ads for their powder puffs but can't recall ever seeing them called "picture puffs". I can't quite wrap my head around the idea of a yeast milk shake, and I don't recommend searching for it online unless you have safe search on. Just a helpful hint. Yeast MilkshakeI think a yeast milkshake is a malted milkshake. My mother made egg milkshakes when we didn't have ice cream. It is basically eggnog without alcohol. Salt Water TaffyDo I see a box of Fralinger's Taffy in the glass cabinet? They still are the best! Ice CreamWhen I was a kid way back when, milkshakes were usually made with something called a milkshake base, sort of like a vanilla ice. If you wanted real ice cream instead, you had to fork over an extra nickel. Hot DoggityAfter a closer look at that meat cabinet I'm starting to wonder if it's an early version of the hot dog and sausage rotisserie that lives at the local Stop-N-Rob. When I examine the full size picture it looks to me like the hot dogs are in little racks on a roller chain and there is a nickel plated motor on the far side to drive it. Add a little electric heat and you're in business. Stenciled textMy best guess: PEOPLES DRUG STORE 1?08 FIRST ST NE (maybe 1608 or 1808) WASHINGTON DC Re: Stenciled TextGood detective work on that stenciled address! Note that the box of Campfire Marshmallows has "40" marked in grease pencil. Perhaps packages were delivered to the main People's Drug for inventory control and distributed from there to the branch stores? There is some kind of paper item behind the Hygienol Picture Puffs that has People's Drug on it, but I can't make out an address. MilkshakesIn 1957 I ordered a vanilla milkshake at the lunch counter at Boston's Logan Airport. What I got was shook up milk. When I complained to the waitress that there was no ice cream in it, she advised me in a rather blunt way that if I wanted a Frappe I should have ordered one! Re: Vanilla IceWhen I was a kid, Vanilla Ice was a rapper. I think your vanilla ice was probably preferable, Jim! Eggs and yeastThis may not be too enlightening, but I put it out there for your advisement. I did see the recipe for the egg milkshake someone posted and it may have been like an eggnog, but in the northeast, there was a very popular refreshment called an "egg cream" which had no eggs at all in it. By the fifties, they were calling this a "VP" or a "CP" which meant a vanilla plain or a chocolate plain. It was similar to the liquid in an ice cream soda but did not have any icecream at all (thus plain) and was cheap, anywhere from a nickel to a dime. When I was a tot the teenage boy next door had extremely severe acne and his mom and doctor made him drink yeast dissolved in water every day although it did not seem to help his face clear up. Maybe it was a "health thing" in the old days? Even today some people drink fermented mushroom juice and other unimaginable concoctions. I'm just sayin'...for your consideration. Wish I was there. RadiatorSorry to distract from the confectionery discussion, but is that some sort of radiator running up the wall at the back of the room to the right? Never seen one like that. YeastyFor 'Older than Yoda' and anyone else who could use a good laugh... Check out the always hilarious James Lileks' commentary on an old Fleischmann's Yeast ad. Re: "Yeasty" by mrs_djsA MILLION thanks for that James Lileks commentary. It is great fun and will keep me from doing any work at all this afternoon. You made my day. Live long and prosper. Egg CreamWhen I was a kid in Brooklyn an Egg Cream was favorite of mine at the local fountain/candy/cigarette store in Flatbush. As I recall it was a shot of chocolate syrup, a dash of milk followed by filling the glass with seltzer water (or maybe club soda?). I can still taste those things. Egg CreamWe don't have egg creams on the left coast here, but I remember reading about them in a story when I was a little girl. I didn't know what an egg cream was, but I thought it sounded nasty. So why do they call them egg creams if they contain no eggs? [Wikipedia: Egg Cream. - Dave] People's WarehouseThe People's Drug Store warehouse was in the triangle formed by New York and Florida avenues and North Capitol Street N.E. That would probably explain the address on the goods. The location is now home to the headquarters of XM Satelite Radio. People's Drug No. 40According to an ad in the February 5, 1928, Washington Post, Page M12, Store No. 40 was at 1 Dupont Circle. Ice Cream ShakeMy folks, who were teenagers in the 1950s, called shakes with ice cream ice cream shakes, without ice cream was milkshakes. When I was about 14 I was underweight and our doctor prescribed that I drink a regular milkshake with an egg every day. That lasted about two weeks. [And look at you now. - Dave] Savory Weiner RoasterThe great hot dog vendor on the counter is a late 1920s or early '30s Savory Weiner Roaster (Model A) made by Savory Inc. of Newark, NJ I have one (non-working) that I display in my soda fountain at work. My top sign is different than the wonderful globe in your picture. I received a copy of a 1933 brochure from the manufacturer several years ago (they were still in business), which I've included here. Also, attached is image of my actual unit. (The Gallery, D.C., Eateries & Bars, Natl Photo, PDS)
Tank Brigade: 1919
... the Shorpy Concours of Complicated Contraptions. San Francisco circa 1919. "Peerless tank truck." Last seen here , and a cousin ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/09/2015 - 11:35pm -

    Latest entry in the Shorpy Concours of Complicated Contraptions. San Francisco circa 1919. "Peerless tank truck." Last seen here, and a cousin to this Red Cross tanker used, to no discernible effect, to wet down streets during the influenza epidemic of the late teens. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. Hard Truck to Drive?Must have been a hard truck to drive, that lady has three feet!! [Four, by my count. And a double chin! -tterrace] That is a suction hoseon the side of the tank, not a discharge hose. [The suction hose is for drawing water from fire cisterns. The sprinklers are here at the rear. Dribbling even as we speak. - Dave] We have to stop stop stopHaving driven a 1950 F6 truck with a tank about the same size (with no baffles) on small hills I can't imagine stopping this on San Francisco hills with half a tank. They would have rocked right through many intersections. It had a discernible effectWhen the public is clamoring for the government to "do something" when people are dropping like flies, hosing down dirty, dusty streets is a very public way of showing you are "doing something". Bread, circuses, and fire hoses. (The Gallery, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Cars on California: 1921
San Francisco, 1921. "California Street east from Montgomery." 8x10 nitrate ... was part of the insurance agency district in the city of San Francisco. In 1921 Hammond, his wife, Ruth Constance [Oppenheimer] Hammond ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/21/2016 - 11:45am -

San Francisco, 1921. "California Street east from Montgomery." 8x10 nitrate negative, late of the Wyland Stanley/Marilyn Blaisdell collections. View full size. ContinuityNearly a hundred years later, and cable cars still roll up and down California Street. Only the fare has changed. [$7 for all above 4 years old; $3 for seniors, Medicare and disabled 9PM-7AM. Essentially a theme park ride now. -tterrace] California parkingStill possible on one side of the street. Car IDCole SP Bldg in the distanceGreat pic! The dark building down at end of California St. and foot of Market is the red brick Southern Pacific building built in 1916. Still very much a landmark today. The SP RR and SP-Golden Gate Ferries system is very memorable to old-timers. J. P. HammondThe Cole belonged to John Percy Hammond (1878 - 1932) who was an insurance agent working at 519 California Street at the time the photo was taken. The building where he worked was part of the insurance agency district in the city of San Francisco. In 1921 Hammond, his wife, Ruth Constance [Oppenheimer] Hammond (1892 - 1973), and his son Robert Noel Hammond (1916 - 1986), were living at 1944 Fell in San Francisco on the panhandle of Golden Gate Park. His parents, John J. and Margaret A. Hammond, both immigrated to the United States from Canada. His father was a butcher, and two of his brothers also worked at insurance companies during a portion of their careers. Hammond appears to have started out as a clerk at the insurance firm of Smedberg & Mitchell around 1897, and he later worked at the Louis J. Janes Company as an insurance agent. Around 1905 he began his own insurance firm, but details about what products he sold, or if he specialized in some area of insurance, could not be found. His office moved many times over the next 25 years, but always remained in the insurance district. After J.P. died in 1932, his wife ran the business for a period of time. Around 1940 it appears that his son Robert took over the business from his mother. The Cole shown was a 1920 Aero-Eight Tourster. The company literature said it had the following special features: Large pockets in each door; special empedimenta compartment in back of front seat; tool space under front and rear seat; leather robe rail at back of front seat; foot rest in tonneau; automatic step light, Waltham eight-day clock; wool carpet in tonneau; extra heavy linoleum-covered, metal bound toe and floor boards; natural finish walnut instrument board; and rubber step pads. Cost was $2,485 FOB Indianapolis. There was also a separate Aero-Eight Californian which was essentially the same automobile, but the top was permanently attached. The removable side curtains had glass windows built into them. This version cost $350 more than the Tourster ($2,835), but you could ask for the regular side curtains and reduce the cost to $2,760. You could have bought five Model T Fords for the same price in 1920. Pictures of both the Tourster and Californian are below. The picture of the Californian has a skewed perspective. YowzaaWhat a grand pic! (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Incognito: 1920
"San Francisco, 1920. Hudson touring car." Owned by F.W.P., idling in front of the ... of the Don Lee Cadillac franchise, according to the San Francisco City Directory. There are other F W P listings but whose ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/27/2016 - 11:01pm -

"San Francisco, 1920. Hudson touring car." Owned by F.W.P., idling in front of the imposing edifice at 1150 Anonymous Avenue. 5x7 glass negative. View full size. LevitationWhen I first go to this pic it looks like the car lifts about a foot off the pavement. I don't get the same effect when going to full size. [Stay tiny. - Dave] Early 3DAt first glance - a delightful sense of this vehicle and its bemused occupant seemingly levitated a few feet above the street. The serendipitous result I'm guessing of the peculiar angle of illumination. PuzzledWhat is the purpose of the two upright cylinders behind the front bumper? I had hoped that some one else would enquire first but I guess it's up to me to display my automotive ignorance. [They are Gruss Air Springs, an early shock absorber. - Dave] F.W.P.Fred W. Pabst was advertising manager of the Don Lee Cadillac franchise, according to the San Francisco City Directory. There are other F W P listings but whose listed occupations seem unsuitable (molder, detective, chauffeur). I did a thorough search of last names beginning with Pa but gave up when the names changed to Pe. The completion of this proof is left to the class. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
With Belles On: 1918
San Francisco, 1918. "Buick roadster at agency." The ideal conveyance for madcap ... these early days of the automobile a lot of pictures from San Francisco promoting new cars invariably feature women at the wheel. How ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 03/13/2017 - 12:05pm -

San Francisco, 1918. "Buick roadster at agency." The ideal conveyance for madcap motoring. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Looks Like A detachable hardtop. A fairly rare item I'd wager today. [One of a number of "California tops" seen here. -tterrace] Classier than Thelma and LouiseHere's information on the smileage book poster in the window. Ladies on the moveDuring these early days of the automobile a lot of pictures from San Francisco promoting new cars invariably feature women at the wheel. How revolutionary that women in 1918 were seen as independent but yet unable to vote until 1920. Seen this spot before?Looks like this is the same location as the "Bicoastal Buick" seen earlier. Which, according to Crocker-Langley, makes this the Howard Automobile Co, at the corner of Van Ness and California streets, which makes it here: (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Miss Fisher Body: 1939
... July 8, 1939. "Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco -- General Motors Day badge held by Miss Fisher Body." Whose parts ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/10/2015 - 8:13pm -

July 8, 1939. "Golden Gate International Exposition, San Francisco -- General Motors Day badge held by Miss Fisher Body." Whose parts all seem to fit unusually well. 8x10 negative originally from the Wyland Stanley collection. View full size. Body by FisherNo visible panel gaps! Who ordered that costume?And what did they ask for? "How about a Daisy Mae Yokum skirt with a kind of toreador vest, some pilot's wings, and maybe some high-heeled Pilgrim-type shoes. Oh, and a shiny hat. Everybody likes a shiny hat." Classic Vaudeville Line"Body by Fisher, legs by Steinway, necks by the hour". Not like this one!My grandfather worked at an auto body plant in Moline, Illinois, in the 1920s making bodies for Model A Fords. They surely didn't look like this "body by Fisher." I Wonder WhyGM would opt for a Disneyesque pirate costume straight out of Peter Pan. Re: That costumeI got the impression of a "Pirate Girl", but how that relates to GM or the Fair, I have no idea! [The overall theme of the Exposition was the "Pageant of the Pacific": the nations of the Pacific, their products, new transportation methods to them (from San Francisco, naturally) and also commemoration of the historical voyages of exploration. So, pirates also being nautical ... You probably had to be there. -tterrace] Meet Ms. NutterThis young lady is Zoe Dell Lantis Nutter, an official hostess/booster for the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition on Treasure Island. Here's a snipper about Zoe from Wikipedia: "After one 1939 show, aviation executives approached her about promoting commercial aviation at the Golden Gate International Exposition on nearby Treasure Island, to promote air travel in general, and overseas flights to East Asia in particular, via the new China Clipper flying boats based at Treasure Island. Dressed in a pirate costume, she served as the official hostess for the exposition. Soon she had flown 100,000 passenger miles to meet mayors and governors across the U.S., demonstrating the safety and comforts of air travel." According to my dad, she was "hot stuff" for the late 1930s. Here's another photo of her in full regalia: (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Pretty Girls, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
The Pewmobile: 1918
San Francisco circa 1918. "Day-Elder bus." Today's entry in the Shorpy Inventory of ... on the side of the hood reads "Chester N. Weaver Co., San Francisco" - the longtime San Francisco Studebaker dealer who added the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/12/2017 - 7:07am -

San Francisco circa 1918. "Day-Elder bus." Today's entry in the Shorpy Inventory of Obsolete Omnibi poses the question: How did its passengers get on and off, or from front to back, on a vehicle whose seats seem to extend the full width of the bus? 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Answer RE: CordThat is probably an electric bus, and that cord is the extension cord to power the vehicle. Of course, the impracticality of that concept became evident once the bus was driven beyond 100 feet. Make of the Truck Chassis?This vehicle is obviously a custom-made wooden coachwork atop a standard truck chassis. Notice the lack of headlights! This is a daylight sightseeing vehicle, which makes fixed loading platforms feasible. A resort hotel might have a vehicle like this. If some well-equipped Shorpy Sleuth can please read the lettering on the side of the hood and on the radiator shell, we can pin down what sort of truck was used as the basis. The spoked wheels are very attractive! I can't decide if they appear to be painted wooden spokes or steel spokes. In either case, the pin striping is spiffy! BoardingThere must have been a platform, as at a subway station. Guessing Like a HorseMy guess is there was some kind of raised loading dock that this vehicle pulled up to, the same way public buildings (or at least the 1600's Friends Meeting House I went to nursery school at) had high and large blocks with steps on one side, to allow worshipers to mount and demount their horses. They may have even used horse mounting stations, since horses were still common in 1918. As for moving front to back--you don't. Bungee loading systemWould-be riders grabbed the cord trailing from the rear and shouted out their weight. The physicist/driver made a quick trajectory calculation and accelerated accordingly. Passengers already on board had to duck for the the incoming. Disembarking was a little harsh, but at least required no complicated calculations. Questions Answered?Obviously, those questions are the reason it's empty. Speculation:Perhaps there is a "running board" on the left side of the "bus"? Can anyone address what is hanging off toward the back of the bus? Maybe an "anti-theft device"? Water Hoseand it's not attached to the vehicle. D-E Worm DriveThe ribbed radiator indicates that this Day-Elder is a 1920 Model C 2-1/2 ton truck, with a funky bus body. The plate on the side of the hood reads "Chester N. Weaver Co., San Francisco" - the longtime San Francisco Studebaker dealer who added the Day-Elder line in January 1920. The plate replaces one that read "D-E Worm Drive." Day-ElderDay-Elder Motors Corporation (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Fish Grotto: 1957
... Bernstein's Fish Grotto restaurant on Powell Street in San Francisco in 1957. I like the building facade; when someone said "take a bow," ... 
 
Posted by Rute Boye - 08/04/2012 - 4:40pm -

Bernstein's Fish Grotto restaurant on Powell Street in San Francisco in 1957. I like the building facade; when someone said "take a bow," Bernstein's took it literally! Color slide by my father. View full size. Stacked FigureheadsStrangest looking ship's bow I have ever seen. It's as if a second, larger deck was added to the original bow to increase the street presence. I suppose the neon tubes snaking out of the hawseholes are supposed to represent shrouds. Any nautical Shorpy readers know if this type of hull is patterned after an actual sailing vessel? Fanciful part of SF's pastBernstein's restaurant apparently took its nautical exterior from an earlier chapter in San Francisco history. During the Gold Rush, the shallow Yerba Buena Cove adjacent to boomtown San Francisco was rapidly filled to create badly-need commercial space, and many ships in the harbor ended up literally surrounded by the the encroaching city. The attached image, although with some artistic license, shows the result: ships entombed in dry land converted into hotels, warehouses, and residences. The upper parts of the stranded ships were eventually dismantled or burned, but to this day there are at least forty buried hulks beneath today's financial district and South of Market areas. (One was discovered in 1978 immediately adjacent to the famous Transamerica Pyramid, the cargo ship Niantic, complete with 13 cases of champagne.) Although Bernstein's was located on Powell Street, far away from the filled-in Yerba Buena cove, the spirit of '49 was definitely there. Hello ColumbusSome sites such as Time Shutter indicate the ship was modeled after the Nina. "The ship that never goes to sea"The entrance to Bernstein's Fish Grotto faithfully follows in size and detail the Nina, flagship of Columbus. The Ship is goneThe building is still there but it couldn't be more bland if they tried. View Larger Map MemoriesI lived in and around San Francisco in 1968 and 1969, but for the life of me, I can't remember this landmark. Does anyone know if it existed then? Ship's OriginThe ship represented Columbus' Nina but the design was pure whimsy. The second deck would never have been seen on a real ship. For more info on Bernstein's, see: SAN FRANCISCO'S LOST LANDMARKS. Every SF library has a copy. Photo - Interior of Bernsteins. I know it's an ancient post, but... My family moved to SF back in the early 70s when I was maybe 11 or 12, My younger brother and I were explorers and climbers. One of the first places we discovered and 'explored' was the grotto. We climbed up the side of the boat to reach the rope and board walkways, then got on deck and had fun playing around for a bit. Then we discovered that directly below the walkways were storage rooms open to the sky behind dummy pilings. On further exploration, we learned that the doors from the storage rooms to the restaurant proper were not locked. Odd thing is, when we mentioned it to a friend of my mom's who managed the place, we got in trouble for trespassing, but they never did anything to secure the place. Was still 'easy access' when I moved out of SF in 1980. ANY photos very appreciatedHi, My great-great-grandfather John E. Mullen built the exterior and interior of Bernstien's Fish Grotto in about 1912. I am trying to build a scale replica for the family to keep forever and would SO appreciate any more info, and especially photos of the inside and outside. I am posting a drawing that we have of him building the façade that was part of a portrait of him for the fun of it (hand lettering is by him) Thank so much in advance! All the best, Craig Elliott (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery)
Road Locomotive: 1930
San Francisco circa 1930s. "Locomobile 90 Victoria Sedan." With a factory price of ... Garage, seen across the street and listed in the 1929 San Francisco city directory, was located at 1641 Jackson. The name does not ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/02/2014 - 2:39pm -

San Francisco circa 1930s. "Locomobile 90 Victoria Sedan." With a factory price of $7300, this giant Series 90 Victoria came at the end of the road for the revered Locomobile brand, whose last cars rolled off the assembly line in 1929. 8x10 inch acetate negative by Christopher Helin, scanned by Shorpy. View full size. Barn FindThe latest craze in the collector car world is barn finds. Don't even think about washing them! The more dust on them, the higher the price. Looks like that's nothing new. Giant IndeedI saw one at the Winter Park Concours a few years ago. It was the size of a large fire engine! The light blue car took the pre-war preservation class, first place. For those who do not know, all of the vehicle including the paint (but not the tires) must be original to enter this class! Truly an amazing sight. WOW!$7,300 then is around $126,000 now. CompartmentalizedI LOVE the door handles. What are the nifty little compartments/hatches underneath the doors? [Jack. And maybe Jill. The kids have to ride somewwhere. - Dave] Loco logoThe body maker's logo is on the belt molding in a tiny circle below the windshield post, but I can't read it. [That might be the lucky owner's monogram. - Dave] Peeking Through the Windows +80You might see this view now: View Larger Map My Grandfather's LocomobileMy grandfather, a physician in Revere, Mass., from the 1920s to the 1970s, had one of these. Not sure which model. Two LocomobilesThe Locomobile is either a 1928 - 1929 model. The grille and radiator shape was different in 1927 and earlier model years. There are multiple reflections of other cars on the Locomobile body and windows. One of these makes it look like there is a tire in the back seat. According to the Locomobile Society website, only two of these later Model 90s are known to still exist. A circa 1925 Locomobile is parked immediately outside the windows at the far left of the photo. The Jackson Garage, seen across the street and listed in the 1929 San Francisco city directory, was located at 1641 Jackson. The name does not appear in the 1930 San Francisco city directly, but it does show a garage run by Albert Slotemaker at this address. Depending on the manufacturer and the age of the car, the compartments below the doors were used for different purposes. Jacks and their accessories, tools, general storage,and even batteries were stored in these openings. Smaller doors or holes allowed owners and chauffeurs to grease the chassis or fill oil reservoirs/cups. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
The Bonded Woman: 1922
... his Synco-Symphonists, with Wallace at the organ. San Francisco, 1922. "Foster & Kleiser billboard." 8x10 inch nitrate negative, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/19/2016 - 9:04pm -

        Now playing at the Granada: Betty Compson in "The Bonded Woman," accompanied by Paul Ash and his Synco-Symphonists, with Wallace at the organ. San Francisco, 1922. "Foster & Kleiser billboard." 8x10 inch nitrate negative, late of the Wyland Stanley and Marilyn Blaisdell collections. View full size. Bonded but not BrandedIt's odd that an Adolph Zukor film wasn't billed as a Paramount Pictures release, since he was one of the principals of that company. Anyone know why? [The parent company was The Famous Players-Lasky Corp. East coast productions were made under Zukor's supervision and billed "Adolph Zukor Presents," while those supervised by his partner at the west coast studio, "Jesse L. Lasky Presents." -tterrace] Betty CompsonShe was 25 at the time of this movie, and lived to age 77. From IMDb on The Bonded Woman: "Angela Gaskell travels and sails around the Pacific Ocean to rescue the man she loves, John Somers. Her task takes her from San Francisco bondage-servitude to a dance-hall in Honolulu to a remote South Seas island. She survives a shipwreck along the way." (The Gallery, Movies, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Seven Speeds: 1921
San Francisco circa 1921. "G.W. Thomas Drayage -- Fageol truck." With a dynamo in ... provided enough torque to haul heavy loads --especially up San Francisco's legendary hills--yet attain a reasonable highway speed. (Which, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/29/2014 - 7:42am -

San Francisco circa 1921. "G.W. Thomas Drayage -- Fageol truck." With a dynamo in tow. 6.5 x 8.5 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. 6th and TownsendHolbrook, Merrill & Stetson's plumbing supply warehouse was at 6th and Townsend. Note the railyard with Southern Pacific passenger cars in the background; their depot was at 3rd & Townsend. This view likely looks roughly northwest from the area of 6th & Berry streets, now directly under the I-280/John F. Foran freeway. View Larger Map Hybrid driveNote the pair of whippletrees on the wagon, in case a return to animal power is needed. Also the need to reach behind the front bumper to turn the starter crank. The machine being hauled looks like a rotary converter, used to produce 600-volt DC for railway traction, from an alternating current source. HistoryAncestor of Peterbilt! Holbrook, Merrill & StetsonWas at the corner of Market and Beale streets. All 7Slow, very slow, really quite slow ... Seven Gears on the RoadFageol is indeed the ancestor of Peterbilt. T.A. Peterman bought them out in 1938 and the first Peterbilt rolled out of Fageol's Oakland facility in 1939. The "7" indicates a dual-range mid-mounted transmission which provided enough torque to haul heavy loads --especially up San Francisco's legendary hills--yet attain a reasonable highway speed. (Which, considering the state of roads in 1921 and the open cab, probably meant 35-40 mph) FageolsThe Fageol brothers sold the truck business, and started Twin Coach, making buses, which became Flxible. Here is a link to a pretty exhaustive narrative of their dealings. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, Railroads, San Francisco)
- Need Lumber Quick?
San Francisco in 1920. "Federal truck -- Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co., Fifth and ... it's better not to know A 1912 ad in the "San Francisco Call" shows "White Brothers," a lumber company, at Fifth and ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/14/2014 - 10:29am -

San Francisco in 1920. "Federal truck -- Van Arsdale-Harris Lumber Co., Fifth and Brannan." 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. The ClockAt this time clocks were still mechanical because you couldn't count on the accuracy of the 60 cycle frequency of AC to keep electric clocks accurate. Instead, they either used batteries or AC to run a motor that would wind the clock when the running weight got to the bottom (think grandfather clocks). Freight car style turnbuckle trussesIn my neck of the woods they were referred to as hog rods. They were frequently used in old wood-framed buildings as primary roof supports. I believe they were employed in Mississippi/Missouri River steamboats before railroad freight cars. They were oriented oppositely to those in freight cars and prevented the boat's hulls from hogging, i.e., bending upward in the middle. See The Western Rivers Steamboat Cyclopoedium by Alan L. Bates. B-R-O-T-H-E-?PLEASE! Anybody know what comes after the E? [So to speak. - Dave] After so many yearswhy the L do you want to know now? Sometimes it's better not to knowA 1912 ad in the "San Francisco Call" shows "White Brothers," a lumber company, at Fifth and Brannan. Disappointed by reality, once again. Front brakes are dangerous!So this Federal truck has none. We also like the freight car style turnbuckle trusses under the frame, certainly overkill for the wimpy lumber load we see here. Lumber SupportThose turnbuckles are for lumber support. Helps keep the truck from having back problems. SF Tennis ClubIs the present occupant. The high pressure hydrant on the other side of Brannan St was likely moved when they widened the street. If an L then good wood is good !Perhaps not worth posting but I laughed at my own joke. Sorry! Under the EavesA very interesting location to place a pendulum clock. You can see the hinges where It could be opened up and wound or adjusted. I wonder if the case still contained the original works when the photo was taken, or if the clock had been swapped out for one powered by electricity. I hope the driver tightens down the rope before beginning his delivery as it does not seem very taut. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Flood Mansion: 1940
... Mansion (now Pacific Union Club), 1000 California Street, San Francisco. Built 1885-86; Augustus Laver, architect. Reputed cost of about $1 ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 04/18/2014 - 4:03pm -

        James Clair Flood Mansion (now Pacific Union Club), 1000 California Street, San Francisco. Built 1885-86; Augustus Laver, architect. Reputed cost of about $1 million. Flood died 1889; Mrs. Flood, 1897. Descendants occupied until fire of 1906 gutted interior. Acquired by Pacific Union Club about 1909 and remodeled by Willis Polk in 1910. New England brownstone shell (said to be first brownstone west of Mississippi); Italianate ornamental details. Fence of bronze by W.T. Garratt, at cost estimated from $30,000 to $60,000. Only Nob Hill house to survive fire. —HABS, 1940 March 1940. The Flood Mansion in San Francisco, last seen here after being gutted by fire following the 1906 earthquake, 108 years ago today. Photo by A.J. Wittlock for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. Watering the LawnI assume there is someone standing behind that corner pillar watering the grass or else there is one be leak somewhere. +74And in living color. Spectacular!“I will build you a house of marble on a hill of granite” -James Leary Flood A closer look at the spectacular Flood Mansion. I wonder what happenedThis young man is missing CuriousWas this house used for some of Hitchcock movie 'Vertigo'? [No, Vertigo's "McKittrick Hotel" was the wooden Fortmann Mansion at 1007 Gough St., demolished in 1959. -tterrace] Thank you, tterrace, wasn't sure, didn't seem so, but thought that it was just my mis-remembering the movie. Woolen facadeThe neatly trimmed ivy looks like a wool sock pulled up over the house for winter. Also, what's with those awful windows patched into the third floor. How uncouth! Portland BrownstoneThe brownstone used to construct the Flood Mansion was shipped around Cape Horn from quarries in Portland, Connecticut. This is the same stone used for the "Brownstones" in New York City. Both the mansion and the quarries have been designated National Historic Landmarks. Re: CuriousI believe that the interior of the Flood Mansion was used as the location of Gavin Elster's club where he and Scottie have a private chat. [The exterior was used, but the interior was a studio set. -tterrace] (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, HABS, San Francisco)
Specialized Lubrication: 1932
September 14, 1932. "Goodyear service station, San Francisco." Second in this series of Goodyear-centric photos. 8x10 inch nitrate ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 01/13/2015 - 11:31pm -

September 14, 1932. "Goodyear service station, San Francisco." Second in this series of Goodyear-centric photos. 8x10 inch nitrate negative. View full size. "To boldly go -- "Regarding "English as a second language," Star Trek probably did more to undermine the rule regarding split infinitives than a boatload of revisionist grammarians could have hoped to. "Blimp"I was surprised to see such a facility from this era as I assumed that today's quick lubes were a more recent concept. It looks like I could take my 21st century vehicle in and get good service. Not sure what "Blimp" was or why I'd need any though. [Not just any "Blimp," but Goodyear Blimp! -Dave] LOLLots Of Lube, right? English as a second languageWow, this photo really puts you in the scene. Great atmosphere. I can almost hear the sounds of the passing autos as I look out through the windows. The wording on the "Let us explain this service" display indicates that this sign was probably designed by somebody from another country. Specifically the line: "required to lubricate correctly your car." [Um, no. - Dave] What car types?I'm thinking that the square-rear-window sedan is a Dodge. Out the window I spy with my little eye a Buick and Ford coupe. Any ideas on the big elegant sedan (a two-door!!) with the oval rear window parked behind the Ford? Where's the oil?Ok, so whoever cleans the oil spills is someone I want for my garage. That is the cleanest garage I have ever seen, then or now. Satellite DishI assume the large round thing cast in Concrete is a light? Or perhaps a time travel device? Just around the corneris their competition, Mohawk Tires. Mohawk was bought out by Yokohama, in 1989. To service quickly your automobilePennzoil, Quaker State and local microrefiners on draft. To Boldly Goor "to go boldly" to a pre-space age facility that is "required to lubricate, correctly, your car?" Edited to inquire: Is the question mark supposed to be inside or outside the quotation marks in a case such as the one, above? (It's been bugging me for years.) Speaking of BlimpsCheck out the silhouette of the Airship Macon (or Akron) on the Goodyear ad, outside on the tire. I worked in a pit like thatWhen I was in high school in 1959-'63 I worked at the local White Rose gas station here in Leamington, Ontario. The garage area had two pits where gas fumes would settle, creating a fire hazard. Pits were banned and grease monkeys began to use hoists in the new service garages. The "large round thing cast in concrete" was probably an exhaust fan with an explosionproof motor. [Actually it's a glass light fixture. - Dave] Oval WindowI think it's a 1931 Plymouth PA Tudor. It's not as big as the photo makes it seem. The PitsNot so banned, at least here in California. A Jiffy Lube I last visited still uses one; probably well ventilated now! Classic equipmentThose Bennett hand-cranked pumps atop the bulk oil hadn't changed 40 years later when I was in the garage equipment business. Each full cycle put out 1 quart of oil. Now I suppose they are priced extravagantly at venues such as Barrett-Jackson. 11th and MinnaThe garage is at 11th and Minna in San Francisco. There's a multi-story self-storage place on the site now; I can't tell if it's the same building, or if the garage's building has been replaced. The building kitty-corner is E. P. Fischer, auto repair, as visible from the sign. In 1942, they had an address of 140 11th Street. The E. P. Fischer garage is still there, and still used as a garage; the window arrangement matches this photo. The street sign in front of E. P. Fischer seems to have a longer name; I'm wondering if 11th Street was formerly considered part of Bryant St., but was renamed after the 1920's? (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Gas Stations, San Francisco)
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