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On the Street Where You Live: 1900
... platted and developed, to get an idea of the age of the trees. Elms, besides having wonderful canopies, also are fast growers. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/15/2012 - 2:39pm -

Detroit, Michigan, circa 1900. "W.H. Jackson residence." Just out of view across 2nd Avenue in this two-part panorama was the residence of Detroit Publishing photographer William Henry Jackson. 8x10 inch glass negative. View full size. PhotomergeJust thought I'd run both of these through Photoshop's Photomerge command and see what the resulting panorama would look like. [I tried the same thing (click below to enlarge). A passable result with a couple of obvious flaws -- the cable running across the street, instead of meeting in the middle, diverges at two very different angles, and the curbs on the left side of the street don't line up. Your version (bottom pic) turned out better, curbwise. UPDATE: I took another stab at it and came up with something a tad more Euclidean. Click to embiggen. - Dave] Cass Park in the backgroundI think this picture is a view of 2nd Avenue heading away from downtown where it runs into Cass Park. I don't think any of these buildings still stand. And the park's fountain is sadly no more. Nice rackFor bikes! Fast ShadeAny idea of the address? I'd like to find out when this neighborhood was platted and developed, to get an idea of the age of the trees. Elms, besides having wonderful canopies, also are fast growers. [Building on the left is the Marlborough apartments at 419-421 Second Avenue. (Addresses have been renumbered since this photo was made.) At the end of the street we can see the fountain in Cass Park. - Dave] LocationThis looks like the street, from a 1895 Detroit street map. (The Gallery, Detroit Photos, DPC, W.H. Jackson)
Han Wah Laundry: 1901
... View full size. Tree wrap it looks like the trees are wrapped in chain link fencing. Can anyone explain? [Curbed ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/08/2020 - 2:15pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1901. "View of Sixth Street N.W., west side, looking north from I Street." 5x7 inch glass negative, D.C. Street Survey Collection. View full size. Tree wrapit looks like the trees are wrapped in chain link fencing. Can anyone explain? [Curbed horses tend to nibble. - Dave] News ItemThe Washington Post -- Aug. 14, 1903 Han Wah Moy's Clothes Gone         Han Wah Moy, who conducts a laundry at 900 Sixth street northwest, failed to secure the door properly Wednesday night when he retired, and some one entered, carrying off the celestial's garments and a $5 bill which was in one of his pockets. Moy discovered the loss yesterday morning and, coming to police headquarters in borrowed clothes, reported the theft. Still Going Strong!!This may be the first time that the D.C. Street Survey buildings shown are still here. Re: News ItemFor a moment I thought stanton_square was back. (Note to new Shorpsters: this informative commenter, not seen for a few years now, provided relevant news items contemporaneous with the posted photo, in a distinctive format very similar to Dave’s comment.) I wonder where he / she got to. Future shockThere are signs and portents here of the Han Wah Laundry's future: a disembodied foot and the faint ghostly images of passers-by; the blurred image of the woman hurrying away with a baby buggy; the abandoned bicycle; the shadow pattern on the pavement that calls to mind a devilish face. A century later the quieter pace of a quieter age is gone. Bike & Camera CaseIs that our photographer's bike and camera case in the lower right corner of the image? I would suspect a tripod was also involved unless the camera was supported by some physical object like a wall etc. [The case is for the photographer's glass negatives. - Dave] (The Gallery, Bicycles, D.C., D.C. Street Survey, Stores & Markets)
The Boys of Summer: 1949
... I still have the diagram he made, triangulating from trees on the slope, but it never seemed to help much. If I ever write my ... 
 
Posted by tterrace - 02/11/2012 - 6:28pm -

My brother and I enjoy a day on the green with the hollyhocks in our Larkspur, California yard. He's about 12, me about 3. Later, we may have played in the pretend city we built, which he precociously named Le Petit Orléans. All I remember about it are the roads and the telephone lines we made with string and wooden mock chicken leg skewers from Mother's kitchen. Much later, the area in the upper right was the locale of my model church. I also note that the gizmo between me and the hollyhocks appears to share DNA with the other gizmo I'm holding in this shot. My father had an adventure each summer trying to find the pipe in the lawn that held the umbrella (also green, for all you colorizers). I still have the diagram he made, triangulating from trees on the slope, but it never seemed to help much. If I ever write my autobiography, this will illustrate the chapter "You Never Had It So Good." My sister took the photo. View full size. Gizmos comparedSure look like homemade things, and from the same hands. My father's workshop projects were mostly from the late-50s onward and were almost always yard- and garden-oriented, so I'm going with my sister's theory that they're creations of my godmother's husband. Also, a close-up. Gizmo guessingPerhaps the gizmo in the other photo was for marking/locating the elusive pipe in the ground? Larkspur is as closeas, we have come to finding heaven on earth. With the possible exception of Mill Valley. Then. Cuteness Overload!This is too wonderful for words. It truly sums up the idyllic '50s (at least, as per my in-laws). Thanks, TTerrace, for another thing of beauty! You have no ideaYou have no idea how much I envy you and your brother, to have grown in California, in the '50s. I have always been drawn to the '50s era; I'm even restoring a '58 Plymouth. For me, the late '50s in California must have been quite close to heaven: the era, the cars, the music, the beaches, the girls. You had it good !!! (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, tterrapix)
Truck Parade: 1919
... top of the Atlantic Coast Lines building can be seen over trees in the 1919 view and is the light/dark orange building in the 2010 view. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/17/2012 - 10:29pm -

June 28, 1919. "Motor Truck Parade, Pennsylvania Avenue." Held on Motor Transportation Day under the auspices of the Washington Automotive Trade Association. At left we have another appearance on these pages by a Witt-Will conveyance. Harris & Ewing Collection glass negative. View full size. The Metropolitan HotelOur view here is looking east from approximately Seventh Street. On the left is Gilman's drugstore, in the building that formerly housed Mathew Brady's studio. The large white building is the Metropolitan Hotel, profiled here. Streetcar GeekWe streetcar geeks are accustomed to standard, boring three-quarter views of rolling stock. It's a treat to see a candid shot of classic streetcars in everyday use. The Capital Traction Company cars numbered 621-750 were built by the Jewett Car Company of Newark, Ohio and placed service in 1910-12. The last of this type was scrapped in 1947. This model was numerically the largest of any series in the company's inventory and remained in service through World War II. According to LeRoy O. King Jr.'s book "100 Years of Capital Traction," the Jewetts were perceived as "typical" Washington, D.C. streetcars because of their concentration on Pennsylvania Avenue. Employed on every line in the city, these cars were "sturdier than most and performed well until the end of their days." One example survived as a holiday cottage on Maryland's eastern shore until acquired in 1990 by the Seashore Trolley Museum in Maine, where it awaits restoration. Lonely GuyThe only rooftop watcher I could find stands atop the Metropolitan Hotel next to a flagpole. He has a better view of the Capitol than he has of the parade. Motor Transportation Day Washington Post, Jun 28, 1919 Big Parade of Autos Greatest Nation Has Had Fair weather, it is promised by the weather man, will assure more than a success for the motor truck parade today, Motor Transportation day. Promptly at 12:30, the police escort will start up Pennsylvania avenue from the peace monument. At the close of the entry lists last night more than 400 trucks had been nominated for today's parade, the biggest thing of its kind ever held in Washington in the way of an automotive demonstration. There will be trucks of all sizes ranging from the light delivery wagon of only a few hundred pounds capacity to a big 7-ton dump truck which with their load weigh in the neighborhood of 15,000 pounds. In all there will 22 divisions, the entrants being classified according to lines of business in so far as this is possible. there will not only trucks to see but there will be music to listen to. Sightseeing cars will carry the bands. ... What will undoubtedly prove a center of attraction will be two German trucks entered by the motor transport corp, the Audia, a three-ton cargo truck, and the N.A.G., a one-ton chassis with an ambulance body. The two trucks have just reached this country, having been turned over to the American expeditionary forces at the time that they moved into Coblenz, Germany. They arrived in Washington yesterday from Camp Holabird. In addition, this branch of the government service will have a series of floats, one of them a machine shop truck, as used under combat conditions. Gas masks will be donned and the work proceed as it would under actual conditions and bombs will be exploded. Another will represent Uncle Sam getting the kaiser's goat. There will also be a school float, showing how enlisted men can learn a trade. ... (click to enlarge) +91Here is the same view taken in April of 2010. The top of the Atlantic Coast Lines building can be seen over trees in the 1919 view and is the light/dark orange building in the 2010 view. Today, the bottom floor of the building is occupied by the Capital Grille - the best steakhouse in DC. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Streetcars)
Be a Tree: 1910
... a lot of "Balls" wearing that outfit. Don't they have real trees in New Zealand? Could be Lady Gaga in another life. Heaven help us ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/30/2013 - 5:43pm -

New Zealand circa 1910. "Studio portrait, young woman in Christmas tree fancy dress and hat costume, with little presents and decorations hanging off her, Christchurch." Half-plate glass negative by Adam Maclay. View full size. WowShe's got a lot of "Balls" wearing that outfit. Don't they have real trees in New Zealand? Could beLady Gaga in another life. Heaven help us all. DroopingMust have been a warm day; she started out as a Norfolk Island pine. DadIf you show anyone this photo I will never speak to you again. What The ?Forget the tree; what poor dead animal is she standing on? (The Gallery, Adam Maclay, Christmas, New Zealand)
A Fast Horse: 1914
... and rider and the focal plane shutter effect caused the trees and monument to appear to be leaning. Edit: Examining the image ... focal plane distortion in addition to the monument and trees... It appears to me that the horse looks like it not as long as a ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/29/2013 - 12:15am -

Washington, D.C., 1914. "Wrisley Brown, attorney, riding." You'll note the Washington Monument showing a decided tilt to the left, although the reason is more optical than political. Harris & Ewing glass negative. View full size. Vertically Moving Focal Plane ShutterThe photographer panned the camera. This is a single curtain focal plane shutter which uses a long black cloth with horizontal slits of different width pre-cut. It runs vertically close to the negative between two sets of rollers. It is spring driven and winding up the spring motor also rolls the shutter curtain back to the feed roller. When the shutter is released the slit travels in front of the film. The faster the "shutter speed", the narrower the selected slit is because the shutter curtain travels at the same speed (inches per second or some other measurement) for a range of shutter speeds so that "shutter speed" ends up being the amount of time any given part of the negative is exposed to light. If I have this right, the slit was traveling top-to-bottom relative to the photographer. The negative image is being projected upside down inside the camera so it is "seeing" the light start at the bottom of the image and moving up. In the old racing car photos you might see slanted oval tires (camera relatively motionless) or slanted posts and poles in the background (camera panning). Focal Plane Shutter distortionIt appears that the photographer was panning the camera to follow the horse and rider and the focal plane shutter effect caused the trees and monument to appear to be leaning. Edit: Examining the image further I think I see some additional focal plane distortion in addition to the monument and trees... It appears to me that the horse looks like it not as long as a regular horse and the rider appears to be too big for the horse. Maybe it is just my eyes playing optical tricks on me. Heels down, Wrisley!Elbows in! Amazing Timing!Obviously, in 1914, stop-action photography was a long way off; yet somehow, the photographer managed to get this shot of the horse with all four of his hooves off the ground at the same time. [Eadweard Muybridge first accomplished this 36 years earlier in 1878. -tterrace] Thank You! tterrace - I stand corrected. The old adage about learning something new every day just hit me in the head like a V8 commercial. (The Gallery, D.C., Harris + Ewing, Horses)
Stonestep: 1925
... It is a nice neighborhood, with the sun shining and the trees, providing a welcome shade. You can almost hear the kids breaking the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 08/07/2012 - 12:42pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1925. "Mrs. B.L. O'Leary house." The 2009 F Street N.W. residence of one Mrs. Bessie Lawton O'Leary, born Bessie Stanton Lawton, mother of Edwin Lawton O'Leary. The sign by the door reads "Stonestep -- Rooms, Meals." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Quiet ZoneView Larger Map How inviting!What a peaceful, charming neighborhood. How I'd love to step off the streetcar, go up the steps and get a room (with meals by Mrs. O'Leary!). I wonder if boarders had access to that lovely balcony or the bow window below. Old Screen DoorIt is a nice neighborhood, with the sun shining and the trees, providing a welcome shade. You can almost hear the kids breaking the silence as they charge out of 2007 with a push on the old screen door and the spring groaning back in resistance. There also looks to be lower flats, what I knew as Polish flats growing up in Milwaukee. [2007, like 2009, was a boardinghouse in the 1920s. It was owned for a time by a couple whose young son, a lawyer, drowned in a canoeing accident. - Dave] $1 Chicken Dinner Where to Dine THE STONESTEP 2009 F St. N.W. Special Chicken Dinner Served 1:30 to 2:30, $1. Advertisement, Washington Post, May 17, 1925 SpecialFor a dollar, that word "special" worries me. GWU campusThis is along what's now the southern boundary of George Washington University. There are lots of dorms around and many of the apartments are occupied by students. I recently graduated from GW and often wondered what the area was like before the school consumed it. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Streetcars)
A Higher Power: 1937
... which was still under construction then. All of the trees are grown tall now; most of the gravestones are under leafy shade. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/01/2019 - 1:03pm -

March 2, 1937. New York City. "St. Paul's chapel and churchyard, Broadway and Fulton streets." Overshadowed by two proto-skyscrapers from the 1890s, the Park Row and St. Paul buildings. Photo by Arnold Moses for the Historic American Buildings Survey. View full size. 3:11 PMIt's odd to see a church tower with a clock. Clocks are more often seen on banks or government buildings. My very first thought on this imageIf I lived in the building on the back left, I really would have loved to have a friend in the opposite building so I could walk back and forth across those steel beams each day to hang out. Other than that, it's an amazing photo. Time and Time againSt. Paul's and Trinity, just down the street at the head of Wall Street, both have clocks. The clock at St. Paul's was stopped by the dust of 9/11. (same parish). The one in Trinity's tower was used to signal the start of the New Year. Before Times Square, people would gather at Trinity on New Year's Eve and celebrate when the clock struck midnight. Matter of perceptive (pun intended)Even meets the traditional city ordinance that no profane building shall be higher than the church spire. Still haunting meI had the privilege of visiting and photographing this cemetery in 2011. It's across the street from Ground Zero and the new World Trade Center, which was still under construction then. All of the trees are grown tall now; most of the gravestones are under leafy shade. Nothing was harmed in the terrorist attacks, and they used the church building as a place of refuge and refreshment for the first responders. There's a pew where George Washington worshiped ... back in the day. WOW!Love the new look! [Thanks. It is a work in progress! - Dave] BackwardsYou are looking at the front of the chapel. While you now enter on Broadway, the front is shown here - the altar is on the Broadway side. Most people think the Broadway side is the front. The archivist for Trinity/St Paul's theorizes that after his inauguration, Washington who famously worshiped here, traveled from Wall Street where he was sworn in, to St. P's by boat - as it was faster. At the time, the graveyard was on a gently sloping hill that lead led to the Hudson River. I was in there the Sunday after 9/11. It was dusty, but there wasn't a crystal off the chandelier, or a crack in the ceiling. The only loss was a single tree, an insignificant sycamore, and not a very old one at that. Barnum's American Museum was once across the street. When it burned for the last time, he put the show on the road, and under the big top. (The Gallery, HABS, NYC)
Bacon's Attic: 1936
... it was built in the 1600's, the wood was probably from trees planted in that century or even in the 1500's, and the bricks would also ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 05/07/2016 - 12:47am -

1936. "Bacon's Castle, James River vicinity, Surry County, Virginia. Built by Arthur Allen circa 1660. Seized and fortified during Bacon's Rebellion in 1676." 8x10 inch acetate negative by Frances Benjamin Johnston. View full size. Hello, hornets!I imagine Frances snapped this picture and then beat a hasty retreat. Ancient wood and bricksBecause it was built in the 1600's, the wood was probably from trees planted in that century or even in the 1500's, and the bricks would also have to have been manufactured around that time. That would make those materials almost 400 years old when photographed. My house was built in 1965 and I'll be lucky if it lasts as long as I do. Even just maintaining it never ends. Now, fit for storage.Wasp-free and tidy! Not sure about the hornets, but......there are quite a few dirt-dauber [mud-dauber] nests amongst the rafters. Ehh ... they're friendly@Lost World: Those look like dirt-dauber nests. IME they're quite docile and easy to co-exist with. I'd be lots more freaked out if they were yellowjacket nests. Those boogers are MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAN. Wasp ResidenceLots of what my Dad calls Muddaubers Wasp nests in there. We had a lot of them in our barn. They never really bothered you if you left them alone. (The Gallery, F.B. Johnston)
Interurban: 1921
... Even if it is a bit close to the road. Trolley The trees look about the same, but the tracks and house are gone, as well as the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 2:00pm -

Washington, D.C. "Trolley line on Connecticut Avenue north from Grant Road." 1921 or 1922. View full size. National Photo Company Collection glass negative. I lovethat house! I want a porch just like that! Even if it is a bit close to the road. TrolleyThe trees look about the same, but the tracks and house are gone, as well as the intersection with Grant Road. Nearest cross street - Chesapeake St NW. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Railroads)
Lower Wider Smarter: 1946
... Water Note the faux-seashore complete with sand, palm trees and beach umbrella. End of an era Although Packard introduced the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2016 - 1:39pm -

September 12, 1946. Washington, D.C. "Showroom at Superior Motors. Client: Griffith-Consumers Co." Step into the FUTURE today with the Packard Clipper! 8x10 acetate negative by Theodor Horydczak. View full size. Just Add WaterNote the faux-seashore complete with sand, palm trees and beach umbrella. End of an eraAlthough Packard introduced the Clipper in 1941, 1946 was the first model year that saw total abandonment of the classy vertical louvered grille that had distinguished most Packards starting with 1933, and even earlier on some models. Once Clipper-type styling got perfected with the Custom line in 1950, that also got abandoned. And it was downhill from that point on. Already joined with Studebaker, the last authentic Packard was built in June 1956. The marque that was once among the top rated "3 Ps" (Packard, Peerless and Pierce-Arrow) amounted to little more than rebadged Studebakers for the next two years. Then, nothing. Happy days are here again!I turned 7 on that very day. The war was over, soldiers were returning home, no more food rationing, families and lovers were reuniting, prosperity was booming and America had emerged victorious. I wish the spirit of that exhilarating, invigorating and revitalizing era could have been permanent. If I could keep time in a bottle, that would fill one of my treasured bottles. Life was good. [Unless you were dead. -Dave] Some future!A decent car, the Packard Clipper, though far from the marque's pre-war standards of luxury. The body is a pre-war holdover, and mechanically the small straight-8 engine, though smooth and reliable, was hardly a harbinger of things to come either. Except for the new brands -- Kaiser, Frazer, the token production of Tucker -- it was 1947 before any radically new coachwork was being produced by a major manufacturer: Studebaker, followed a year later by Hudson and then Nash. Obviously the majors, having a heavy investment in their 1941-42 body dies and facing a seller's market after the war, held on the longest, badge-engineered pre-war cars until 1948 and '49. Though there was much reason for euphoria after the war, rationing did not end immediately upon V-J day, though by late '46 I suspect it had. I recall being punished by my father, recently returned from the Pacific, for ruining a rationed item by attempting to blow away a cigarette ash he'd dropped on the tablecloth. (Yes, smoking and eating were complementary activities in the winter of 1945-46). Instead, I blew the whole tray's worth of Chesterfield ashes onto a stick of still-rationed butter. Our relationship went downhill from there. Just a bit early for Father's Day The war was over. Rationing was slowly fading away. My grandmother was pushed off of her wartime job working on airplane engines so that returning servicemen, and Packard, could get back to the business of building cars. But my dad was there in the big plant on East Grand Boulevard, working his way through college on the night shift, with a locker full of books to study on his breaks. Still to this day, at the age of 90, every time he sees an old Packard or Hudson (another plant where my father worked in those years) he says "I think I built that one". (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Theodor Horydczak)
The Pecans of Wrath: 1911
... through the Florida State campus was lined with pecan trees. During harvest time there were lots and lots of pecans for hungry ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 12/13/2017 - 6:56am -

December 1911. "3:30 P.M. -- Picking nuts in dirty basement tenement, 143 Hudson Street, New York. The dirtiest imaginable children were pawing over the nuts, eating lunch on the table, etc. Mother had a cold, blew her nose frequently (without washing hands) and the dirty handkerchief reposed comfortably on the table and close to the nuts and nut meats. The father picks now -- 'No work to do at any business.' (Has a cobbler's shop in the room.) They said the children didn't pick near. (Probably a temporary respite.)" The Libertine family, seen earlier here. 5x7 inch glass negative by Lewis Wickes Hine. View full size. Pecans ForeverA long, long time ago a road running through the Florida State campus was lined with pecan trees. During harvest time there were lots and lots of pecans for hungry students to grab. Had a roommate who filled a large bag to take home at Christmas time. Pecan pie is still a huge favorite of mine. Niche PictureDoes anyone know what the curling picture in the niche is of? Squalid conditions. Were they picking nuts for pay? One low ceilingThis picture is not only a graphic image of how food-borne disease is spread, even today (sick food workers are the chief source), but also why I don't seriously consider a lot of older houses. The ceilings in the basement, and often above the first floor, are just way too low. I'd guess Dad is only 5'6" or so and he'd still have to duck. Thanks anyway, but no nuts for meRe the question about pay from russiet: they were paid for this home work, but a mere pittance. See Manufacturing of Foods in the Tenements but be forewarned, squalid doesn't begin to describe the conditions. Ingenious!I love how the boy's pants are kept up by being hitched to the third button of his shirt. Aaahhhh ... the art of making do. Niche interestrussiet: The curled-up image in the niche looks like a Madonna with Child painting. (The Gallery, Kids, Lewis Hine, NYC)
Emerson and Orme: 1926
... and M -- the corner is visible in this photo through the trees on the left. Odd Fellows make Good Neighbors Building in the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/13/2011 - 12:03pm -

Washington, D.C., circa 1926. "Buick Motor Co. Emerson & Orme garage, M Street." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size. Intakes & ExhaustsI love the juxtaposition of the upright commercial brick buildings and sagging old wooden houses. Only the building at the far left (located on the S.W. corner of 16th and M) survives today. Washington Post, Feb 13, 1924 Intakes & Exhausts By Si Grogan ... Today, Emerson & Orme, retail Buick dealers, celebrates their fourteenth business anniversary. Starting in a small way this firm, composed of James Orme and Bruce Emerson, opened a salesroom and service station at 1407 H street. They were one of the original electric car dealers in the city, handling electric commercial as well as passenger cars. As the day of the electric car began to wane, due to the simplification of the gasoline vehicles and its wider range of operation, they added a gas car to their line. Outgrowing their H street quarters, they moved to the present location on M street between Sixteenth and Seventeenth, where they occupy a three-story building built to suit their needs. Shortly after moving to their present quarters they took a Buick retail car franchise and during the past few years in a the car sales department have devoted their attention to the sale of this car. Their garage which houses the machines of many of Washington's famous people is one of the most complete and best known in this section of the country. 1620 M Street NW to-dayView Larger Map Not big players in the art scene, apparentlyThere is a certain charm to the stark billboard and occasional Buick sign being the only cues to what the building is. I have an idealized image of the past, where car dealerships and garages looked more like the one in this 1920 postcard: Can anybody identify the markings near the top of the building? I assume they represent the original owner, although I cannot identify them. [Emerson & Orme seem to have been the original owners. - Dave] E&OEmerson & Orme, Washington, D.C., agents for the Detroit electric, have commenced the erection of a two-story fireproof building to contain salesrooms, service station and garage. It is located on M Street, between 16th and 17th Streets, and will have a frontage and depth of 135 ft. On the first floor there will be a salesroom, 19 by 54 ft., for new cars and a salesroom 19 by 54ft., for second-hand cars. Offices and a waiting room will be located on the main floor, together with a large garage. The charging plant will be located on the second floor. Provision has been made for a 3rd story at some future time. The building will be completed in January. -- Automotive Industries, 1919 National GeographicNational Geographic Society headquarters now occupies the entire block with two modern buildings. The Society's original building, Hubbard Hall, still stands at the corner of 16th and M -- the corner is visible in this photo through the trees on the left. Odd Fellows make Good NeighborsBuilding in the background with the funny dome is an Odd Fellows Hall at 1604-1606 M St NW. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, D.C., Natl Photo)
My Ears Are Burning: 1940
... jars that are already done? Are there that many apricot trees in NM? Roast 'n ears My father (1898-1958) called them. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 11/25/2020 - 4:33pm -

July 1940. "Spanish-American boy eating sweet corn which he has roasted on top of hot stove. Chamisal, New Mexico." Photo by Russell Lee, Farm Security Administration. View full size. On the MendCool patch on the inside of the boy’s pant leg. Very extensive, too, from just above the ankle to above the knee. And the basic serviceable sewing job looks like something I would do. Not what you’d call invisible stitching. Good EatsThis young man's family may not have much (search LOC and you'll find a picture of them) but he seems to be happy. More than likely about the sweet corn he is heating and eating. I remember eating corn this way as a kid, but I was not as lucky as this young man to be able to cook it myself. I was given the job of cleaning up, not cooking. Jarring seasonI wonder what's in the pressure cooker. Apricots maybe? Guessing from the jars that are already done? Are there that many apricot trees in NM? Roast 'n earsMy father (1898-1958) called them. (The Gallery, Kids, Kitchens etc., Rural America, Russell Lee)
Waitin' Phaeton: 1928
... from the corner of Laguna and Clay Streets. Through the trees are the 2085 and 2101 Sacramento St. apartment houses (which are still ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/27/2016 - 11:53pm -

San Francisco, 1928. "Auburn Phaeton Sedan." Note the unusual center-hinged doors. 5x7 inch glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Re LinkageLooks more like to a hand control to elevate the spotlight. Hit me and I bounce right backThe front bumper attachment with the flexible springs bolted to the frame may be the first example of 5 mph bumpers. In a minor accident or a parking lot bump they could spring back to position with no damage. The ever popular Lafayette ParkTaken across from the corner of Laguna and Clay Streets. Through the trees are the 2085 and 2101 Sacramento St. apartment houses (which are still there). Driving LampThe center lamp is a Pilot Ray driving lamp. The linkage is, indeed, to pivot the lamp in the direction of the front wheels. The link can be seen half way between the tire and the end of the drag link that attaches to the pitman arm of the steering box. this, in turn, pushes or pulls the arm above the bumper. There is a 90 degree set of bevel gears at the center, under the lamp, that converts the push/pull to rotary motion and turns the lamp. They were an accessory, though they were an authorized accessory from some of the manufacturers. Packard being, at least, one. Auburn may have been one as well. Dealers were pretty much free to install anything the purchaser desired. Pilot Rays, Trippe Lamps and Lorraine spotlights were quite popular with the upper and luxury class cars Dastardly DanThe driver looks like the villain from some silent movie, the kind of guy who would tie Pauline to the railroad tracks. And the linkageto the lower center headlight. Perhaps arranged to pivot with the front wheels? Was this "stock" (as much as these early cars were "stock"), or was it an after-market add-on? Here's a Nice RestorationI found a nice photo of one here. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, San Francisco)
Keep Off the Grass: 1904
... +108 Below is the same view from April of 2012 (the trees which used to line the plaza were destroyed in a snowstorm in October of ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/19/2012 - 10:21pm -

New York circa 1904. "Gen. Sherman statue at Fifth Avenue and 59th Street. Hotels Netherland, Savoy and St. Regis." 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Typical NorthernerAs Florence King's grandmother once said, "Just like a Yankee to make the woman walk." Hotel NetherlandThat's the Hotel Netherland in the background. Built in the 1890's. The current 'Sherry Netherland Hotel' was built on the same site in 1926/27. View Larger Map Jack BennyOn Jack's radio show, Mary Livingston would stay at the Sherry Netherland , while Jack {in the plot of the radio show} stayed across the street in the "Acme Plaza Hotel" , penthouse 4 flights down. Jack said on the show that he would rather pay Acme Plaza rates , and look out his window at the Sherry Netherland , then pay the price of a Sherry Netherland room and look out over the dump that he was living in.. +108Below is the same view from April of 2012 (the trees which used to line the plaza were destroyed in a snowstorm in October of 2011). Vanderbilt MansionIf you look to the far right of the 1904 photo of Fifth Avenue at 59th Street you get a somewhat obstructed view of the Cornelius Vanderbilt II Mansion located at 1 West 57th Street (57th and Fifth). It was the largest private residence in Manhattan at the time and was demolished in 1938. (The Gallery, DPC, NYC)
Palm Meadow: 1940
... Palmetto A play on words? Sad palms Those palm trees don't look too happy or healthy. Not like Florida or California palms! ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/15/2021 - 11:59am -

March 1940. "Entrance to farm in San Patricio County, Texas." Medium format acetate negative by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration. View full size. WordplayThey're having fun with palmetto. Near the city of TaftAccording to the very few records I could find of its existence. Quite a grand spread ol' Henry had. PalmettoA play on words? Sad palmsThose palm trees don't look too happy or healthy. Not like Florida or California palms! (The Gallery, Agriculture, Russell Lee)
Let's Eat: 1939
... (potluck) Sunday dinner on picnic tables under the trees behind or to the side of the church (and possibly next to the cemetery), ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 11:35am -

July 1939. "Congregation gathers after services to talk. Wheeley's [Wheeler's?] Church, Person County, North Carolina." View full size. Medium-format nitrate negative by Dorothea Lange for the Farm Security Administration. Older than the USAAmazing, the history one uncovers because of Shorpy. Searching the internet finds that Wheeler's Church is in the Bushy Fork township of Person County and has one of the two cemeteries in the township. More interestingly (to me) was this article that claims the "Wheeler's Primitive Church" was founded in 1760, before the Revolutionary War. I wonder if any of the people in Ms. Lange's photo are related to Mr. Phelps. Short skirtsSomething I've noticed looking at historical fashion sites that often seems to be overlooked---throughout much of history--and even to some degree, perhaps regionally, up to my own childhood in the 1970s, it actually was quite normal for girls under 12 or so to wear skirts quite a bit shorter than was usually acceptable for adult women and teens. You'll see Victorian pictures where the little girls have their dresses showing their calves, while their older sisters never would, and certainly no one ever thought twice about a 7-year old in the shortest of short-shorts and a skimpy tube top when I was one. I've two theories why this could be so, and perhaps it's some of both. One is that, while pedophilia has been a problem since time began, it wasn't really thought about in everyday life much, so no one thought much more of showing a little girl's legs than of showing a baby in only a diaper. The other is simple economics( probably especially applicable in the 30s!) It's expensive and hard work keeping skirt-length growing apace with children of that age, and moreover they might not have outgrown the puddle-splashing urge and would likely ruin long skirts much more quickly. KatieI'm surprised at the length of that skirt on the girl in the doorway. It's significantly above her knees - something that just wasn't done in church, let alone on a girl that age. [And yet evidently it was. - Dave] Where are the women and the boys?This could be rural Oklahoma in the late 50's, where the women and girls would be laying out a communal (potluck) Sunday dinner on picnic tables under the trees behind or to the side of the church (and possibly next to the cemetery), and the boys would be spread out across the property letting out their pent up energy after sitting through a (minimum) two-hour service. The young girls in the doorway are "tending" the men, they are there to relay messages from the men to the women and return with answers or the requested individual or item. They also function as *sentinels* for the women, in case a fight breaks out between some boys or a loud argument amongst the men. Thank you for posting this. I had forgotten how much I love Dorothea Lange! Getting tangled.As a lady-person, I can attest that sometimes a skirt seems shorter than it actually is--especially if the skirt is slightly pulled up by her efforts to hold the baby. Likely the girls skirt is somewhat longer (you'll notice the uneven-ness) and probably just stuck under baby and blanket. Anyway==Great photo! (The Gallery, Dorothea Lange, Rural America, Small Towns)
Christmas 1969, image one
... from discarded (pardon the pun) punch cards. Christmas trees and wreaths come to mind. Anyone who worked with computers back in the ... home from his job at IBM. And remember the Christmas trees made from folding each page of a Reader's Digest and then spraying it ... 
 
Posted by gjoe - 10/06/2009 - 10:08pm -

Christmas dinner at my grandparents' house in Floral Park, NY, 1969. Left, My mother, Rosemarie; My Aunt Barbara; My uncle Patrick; one of my aunt's sisters (I can't remember her name); my uncle Ralph; my aunt Loraine and cousin Mary. View full size. Punch Card WreathThat's a nifty gold spray painted wreath made out of IBM cards on the wall! WreathIndeed... Younger visitors wouldn't understand the significance of the tacky crafts made from discarded (pardon the pun) punch cards. Christmas trees and wreaths come to mind. Anyone who worked with computers back in the mid-70s always had boxes and boxes of them hanging about. And here is a great home decorating idea... Punch card window blinds http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2006/06/computer_punch_card_windo.html There is a resurgence in the form of stamp art made on punch cards. http://www.washingtonpavilion.org/VisualArtsCenter/events/punchcardart.c... I used to play officewith the punch cards my dad brought home from his job at IBM. And remember the Christmas trees made from folding each page of a Reader's Digest and then spraying it green or gold? (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Christmas)
West Genesee: 1900
... on a Sunday afternoon. Elms Back in the days of elm trees too. Ogive The workhorse arch of Gothic architecture. Syracuse ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/22/2017 - 9:46am -

Syracuse, N.Y., circa 1900. "West Genesee Street." A postcard from the bygone days of hitching posts and mounting blocks. 8x10 glass negative. View full size. Don't forgetWith the hitching posts and mounting blocks comes the horse poop all over the street. Did the fellows in white clothes and rolling ash cans sweep these streets? Great pictureThis picture makes me feel relaxed like sipping lemonade on a Sunday afternoon. ElmsBack in the days of elm trees too. OgiveThe workhorse arch of Gothic architecture. Syracuse societyWest Genesee Street was the Syracuse gold coast during the late 19th century and well into the 20th century. My husband's great great grandfather, Pieter John Brummelkamp, started a men's furnishings store in Syracuse during the 1860s and subsequently built a home on West Genesee. They went to Saranac Lake in the summertime. It was a great life. Be Still And Know That I Am GodAside from the beauty of this place and time, sounds would be heard that would be impossible in later years, thanks to the industrial age. Imagine being in a doze on your porch, hearing the sounds of children playing a block away. The droning of a honey bee. The slam of a screen door. Voices from next door. The clop-clop of horses as they pranced down the street. All of this interspersed with absolute quietness! No wonder many folks are too tense today! (The Gallery, DPC, Syracuse)
A Room With a View: 1942
... fleets All up and down among the sheets; Or brought my trees and houses out, And planted cities all about. I was the giant great ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/16/2014 - 10:49am -

November 1942. "Babies' Hospital, New York. The welfare of this young patient, suffering from burns, is aided by having his bed placed near a window where he can watch the boats pass by. Nurses learn the importance of ministering the comforts of their patients in promoting recovery." Photo by Fritz Henle for the Office of War Information. View full size. The Land of CounterpaneThe Land of Counterpane When I was sick and lay a-bed, I had two pillows at my head, And all my toys beside me lay, To keep me happy all the day. And sometimes for an hour or so I watched my leaden soldiers go, With different uniforms and drills, Among the bed-clothes, through the hills; And sometimes sent my ships in fleets All up and down among the sheets; Or brought my trees and houses out, And planted cities all about. I was the giant great and still That sits upon the pillow-hill, And sees before him, dale and plain, The pleasant land of counterpane.                - Robert Louis Stevenson Milk sips, Greek shipI wonder what a ship of Occupied Greece was doing in New York. [It's an American vessel. - Dave] View To The BridgeI've been trying to figure out where this picture was taken. The view from the window reminds me of a visit I once made to The Hospital for Special Surgery on East 70th Street, however that wasn't built until 1955. It could have been a predecessor or might have been the hospital on the then Welfare (now Roosevelt) Island, which is in the East River between Manhattan and Queens.. I am beginning to believe it was Welfare Island. It is absolutely in The East River. The bridge in the background is the Triborough (now RFK) Bridge. The large building adjacent o the bridge, I believe is a city run psychiatric center on Randall's/Ward's Island near the Hells Gate Bridge. Roosevelt Island is east of East 70th street and its northern extension ends at about 85th Street. That bridge -seems to me to be the 59th Street/Queensborough Bridge, rather than the Triboro/RFK Bridge. The Triboro is somewhat further north of Roosevelt Island, and unlike the Queensborough does not cross the island. It does, however, cross Ward Island/Randall's Island. The structure of the Queensborough is sort of a gothic truss, while the Triboro is a more graceful Art Deco suspension bridge. Remembrance of things yet to come ...Reminds me definitively of my extended stay at the US Navy Hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia in December, 1976 for knee surgery. I was a new military dependent, having married a US Air Force Airman the previous July. I had a knee injury requiring surgery, and the hospital at the Air Force Base did not have enough facilities at the time to treat dependents. So I was sent to the Navy Hospital across the river, which being the oldest US Navy Hospital in existence, was/is quite up to the task. Oddly enough, I was treated by an Air Force Surgeon! I was admitted to the Orthopedic Unit, which happened to be on the topmost floor of the facility, I'm thinking at least 12 stories, in the old building which has since been replaced by brand new facilities recently. I was fortunate enough to get the window side bed, overlooking the river where all the ships could be seen entering or leaving the harbor. At night, the view with all the lights was magnificent, and the TWELVE nights I spent there treated me to some views I will never forget. (The Gallery, Boats & Bridges, Fritz Henle, Kids, Medicine, NYC)
Apple Store: 1920s
... pine blister rust, a nasty fungal disease that kills pine trees. If you can plant them where you live, you should, as they are most ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/24/2013 - 9:38am -

Circa 1920s New Zealand. "Greengrocery, probably Taranaki region. Chinese shopkeeper with baskets of apples and boxes of peaches, cape gooseberries and other fruits." Glass negative by John Reginald Wall. View full size. What's missingOne fruit conspicuous by its absence is New Zealand's most famous fruit, that of course being the kiwi fruit. At the time they would have been called Chinese gooseberries, the kiwi name not having become common until the 1960's. I've always said"People in America just don't eat enough gooseberries." The Genius Baris understaffed! No pre-packing hereand I bet the customer gets to select his own fruit. Orderly arrangements!Close inspection shows a wonderfully deft touch displaying all that produce and other goods. Look at the lemons all lined up for inspection. Very nicely done. Not all gooseberries the sameJust to be clear, the "gooseberries" referred to in the text picture are "CAPE gooseberries". These are a husked berry fruit, resembling and in the same family (Physallis) as a tomatillo. In the picture, the cape gooseberries are front and center, below the peaches. Cape gooseberries have nothing to do with the little berry fruits on the prickly woody bushes of the genus Ribes that Americans (and much more so Europeans) call a gooseberry. Gooseberries are indeed much underappreciated in the USA, most because it was (and still is in some places) illegal to plant them (and currants) in many areas for many decades because plants of the Ribes genus can be a co-host for white pine blister rust, a nasty fungal disease that kills pine trees. If you can plant them where you live, you should, as they are most tasty. And as Peter notes, "Chinese goosberries" are an older name for kiwis. They aren't related to either Physallis or Ribes either. Gooseberry is just a cool fruit name that everybody likes using. (The Gallery, New Zealand, Stores & Markets)
A Garden Party: 1929
... were served from gayly striped marquees set under the trees. And groups of pretty girls wandered about bearing trays of cigarettes ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/11/2011 - 9:00pm -

June 27, 1929. "President and Mrs. Hoover greeting their guests at White House reception for veterans." National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. What a group. What a tie.The first thing to catch my eye was the wounded vet in the wheel chair. Next was the fact that there are not one but two African-Americans in the reception line. But the wildest thing has to be the necktie of the legless vet. I have (and on occasion wear) a few ties from the 1920s. Most photos of the era are black and white and have a stark, drab, depressing look about them. However, ties of the day were quite colorful and abstract, bordering on "mod." And the Band Played OnLike Nature, Stanton Square abhors a vacuum. I can't let this Veterans Day pass without adding a comment for the honorable vets at Hoover's garden party. My grandfather served during WWI and was injured by poison gas in the trench warfare in France. He returned home and suffered from the physical trauma for the next 60 years, never once getting to visit the White House. Hoovers Hold Garden Party for Veterans Annual Fete on Lawn of White House Draws Officialdom. Put off from the day before because of inclement weather, the White House garden party for the disabled veterans was given yesterday afternoon. The day had been cloudy, but the grounds had dried out sufficiently for comfort and the sun broke through just as the guests were assembling to etch long shadows on the grass and paint rainbows in the fountain. There were new hosts in the President and Mrs. Hoover this time, and new groups of officials to help make welcome the special guests. But for the rest this might have been a veterans' garden party in President Wilson's day - or President Harding's or President Coolidge's except that it was smaller. From year to year the pitiful line of war casualties grows shorter, as some pass beyond suffering and more and more are rehabilitated to resume their active place in the world. And there seemed to be rather fewer guests from the official world than in previous years. However, there were the same men in uniform and hospital blue, with Red Cross workers in crisp white, nurses in blue, ambulance drivers in smart uniform, the famous Gray ladies of Walter Reed Hospital and representatives of other groups of women who have done their bit for the men in hospitals through the long years since the war. The Grand Army of the Republic had sent a large delegation and there were numerous representatives of the American Legion and other patriotic organizations. ... The Marine Band played through the afternoon, its stand tucked away behind the shrubbery, specializing in soldier songs and such martial hymns as "Onward Christian Soldiers." Sandwiches, ices, cake and lemonade were served from gayly striped marquees set under the trees. And groups of pretty girls wandered about bearing trays of cigarettes for the soldiers. ... Washington Post, Jun 28, 1929 God bless themGod bless them every one. ILCI like the second brother's hairdo, very "In Living Color" circa 1990. 80 Years Ago TodayA remarkable photo of the president honoring racially diverse WWI veterans, 80 years ago today. (The Gallery, D.C., Natl Photo, Politics, Public Figures, WWI)
Our Parents: 1936
... sense (due to the proximity of the graves) but the family trees on all of their pages are pretty extensively documented (parents, ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 06/09/2019 - 12:09pm -

November 1936. "Burial ground in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania." Medium format negative by Edwin Locke for the Resettlement Administration. View full size. Jane and Bill are still there... but Derrick is out of the picture. Middle Presbyterian CemeteryJane Giffen Hunter April 2, 1814 - September 16, 1881 William Hunter January 26, 1811 - April 16, 1875 I can't find any indication on Find-A-Grave that John R. Hunter, buried beside them, is a relative. I realize it doesn't make sense (due to the proximity of the graves) but the family trees on all of their pages are pretty extensively documented (parents, spouses, siblings) and they don't match up. The structure in the background isn't there anymore. I'm thinking observation tower (they're common in Pennsylvania, although more on battleground sites than in cemeteries) but from this angle I can't find any way you'd climb up. Somebody help me see it. Incidentally, a 13-year-old boy fell 40 feet from the observation deck of the State of Pennsylvania Monument at the Gettysburg National Military Park on May 24th. He was airlifted to Penn State Hershey Medical Center with severe injuries. Be careful in cemeteries. Aunt and UncleJohn R. Hunter was the son of Jesse Hunter who is the brother of William. I also like bluson's comment about Derrick. Tower TaleThe metal tower supports the lifting mechanism for access to a coal mine shaft. You can see the sheaves for the lifting cables at its top. Westmoreland and Fayette Counties in southwestern Pennsylvania were a rich source of metallurgical (coking) coal from the Pittsburgh seam until the mines played out in the mid-twentieth century. There is a line of coal hoppers at the right of the photo. The counties are littered with the remains of beehive coke ovens. A brief history of coking in the Connellsville region of Fayette County is here: https://www.911metallurgist.com/blog/beehive-oven. The thing in backIt's a mine pithead. Mine nearby?The structure behind (to the west of) the cemetery has two large cable pulleys on an axle, and cables running down the vertical and angled parts of it, which makes me wonder if this was related to an active mining operation. By the way, the former Westmoreland County Volkswagen (and later ex-Sony) manufacturing plant is located not too far west of this location. Composition, plusThe "derrick", most likely a headframe for an underground coal mine, makes nice contrast and an interesting composition for this photo. Very unique headstone, in my estimation, too. If you want to read something interesting, do a Google on the Westmoreland County coal strike of 1910-1911, and the jailing of women along with their young children. (The Gallery, Edwin Locke)
Earth Day: 1920
... tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, when 68 American linden trees will be planted on Twenty-third street between B and E streets, northwest. Each of the trees will be named for a school in the District. The public is invited to the ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/09/2011 - 7:01pm -

April 15, 1920. Washington, D.C. "Tree planting." View full size. I looked high and low for a good CCC photo in honor of Earth Day, but they were all disappointingly low-res. So it's a National Photo glass negative to the rescue. Did you know......that giraffes have long necks? My, those are some scary masks. Reminds meof the movie "Wicker Man" Creepy scaryThe first one I saw was the white hood on the girl at the left and thought it was a KKK hood. Then I saw the rest of them. Yikes. The 3 in the center remind me of Dancing Bear from Captain Kangaroo, with those flat eyes. War MemorialFrom the Washington Post, April 16, 1920: TOTS PAY TRIBUTE TO WAR ANIMALS Special Exercises Are Held at Happy Hollow Playground; Tree Planted. "Be Kind to Animals" week is being celebrated at all the city playgrounds with special exercises in which children are the leading actors. At 23 playgrounds this week a playlet is being presented, and special marches, songs and recitations have been arranged. At Happy Hollow playground, Eighteenth street and Kalorama road, special exercises were held yesterday afternoon, the chief feature being the planting of an oak tree in memory of the animals and carrier pigeons that fell during the war. A horse, mule, dog and carrier pigeons were there to represent their fallen comrades. First Sergt. George Smith, of the signal corps, released these pigeons at the end of the exercises, first placing them in the hands of children who posed for motion pictures. The dedicatory address was made by James P. Briggs, president of the Humane Education Society, and a memorial tablet was hung on the tree by little Miss Clara Straeten, granddaughter of Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes. A band furnished music, and children in costume sang appropriate songs. The playlet, "The Farmer's Dream," was presented by children, the characters represented included "Mother Nature," "a farmer," and a horse, bull, cow, goat, sheep, cat and dog. The playlet was written by Miss Frances Berkeley Brooks of the M Street High School. The exercises at all playgrounds are under direction of Miss Florence Chambers, assistant to Mrs. Susie Root Rhodes, director of playgrounds. Miss Chambers is assisted by Misses Nina White and Katherine Kall. Washington will celebrate its first Arbor day tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock, when 68 American linden trees will be planted on Twenty-third street between B and E streets, northwest. Each of the trees will be named for a school in the District. The public is invited to the exercises. Secretary of Agriculture Edwin T. Meredith and Gen. William Mitchell will speak at the exercises. Commissioner Brownlow will preside. (The Gallery, D.C., Kids, Natl Photo)
Dapper Dumper: 1921
... the 1932 photo below, St. Ignatius is at the left with the trees of the Panhandle running across the bottom. Street View It took ... on Google's Street View to get a clear shot through the trees, but here's roughly the same view on Oak Street near Cole Street today. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 10/14/2014 - 9:31am -

1921. "Fageol dump truck at Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Atlas Mortar made from Acme Diamond Lime." Nattily pinstriped! 8x10 glass negative acquired from the Wyland Stanley Collection and scanned by Shorpy. View full size. Dumper siteSince we can see St. Ignatius Church in the distance at the right, this puts us on Oak St. looking through the Panhandle of Golden Gate Park. In the 1932 photo below, St. Ignatius is at the left with the trees of the Panhandle running across the bottom. Street ViewIt took some maneuvering on Google's Street View to get a clear shot through the trees, but here's roughly the same view on Oak Street near Cole Street today. Maybe the Sports ModelWith the custom paint, bucket seats and hot-rod style hood louvers. But actually, seriously heavy-duty. I count at least 14 leaves in the rear springs. And shaft drive! Macks of the same time period used chain drive. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, San Francisco, W. Stanley)
Neoclassical Gas: 1919
... to reduce costs) and its bareness is now screened by trees; the central doors now have minimal moldings framing them. The original ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 02/09/2017 - 12:14pm -

San Francisco, 1919. "Hudson Biddle & Smart touring limousine at Palace of Fine Arts." Home, Fido! 5x7 glass negative by Christopher Helin. View full size. Not exactlyThe 1960s reconstruction of the Palace is MOSTLY an exact replica of the 1915 version. The wall of the Palace itself facing the colonnade was originally fully decorated with freestanding and engaged columns identical to those of the colonnade, and the central doors facing the entrance to the rotunda were elaborately framed. This wall was rebuilt smooth, dull and blank (presumably to reduce costs) and its bareness is now screened by trees; the central doors now have minimal moldings framing them. The original concept as executed made the crescent walk behind the colonnade a much richer, more enclosing, visual experience than it is today. A bit of the pergola which crowned the original wall is visible in this photo. Theft insurance.Love the chain and padlock on the spare tire. During the big warThe lad on the right has a navy pea coat with chief petty officer rating. Some kids even had a full uniform to wear. Last war that happened. [He must be standing behind the car. -tterrace] ReduxThat's the original Palace of Fine Arts Rotunda, built of wood and "staff" (a mixture of plaster and straw) for the Panama-Pacific International Exposition of 1915. Beloved by San Franciscans, it was the only structure retained afterward. The building deteriorated so badly over the next 50 years that it had to be demolished in the fall of 1964. An exact replica was built in its place from permanent materials and was completed two years later. Early SUVwith integral roof rails and requisite pooch. FashionistaShe can also be seen here. Hudson Sold ValueWhen this car was new autos often had mechanical troubles that made them difficult to drive. Hudson was a medium priced car that was both powerful & reliable for its time. The Super Sixes as shown in this picture were the first production car to feature a counterbalanced crankshaft allowing higher engine speeds, more power & longer life than was typical at the time. Another feature was a cork clutch which ran in oil that was smooth, long lasting and did not slip. Other types of clutches often jerked, burnt out or slipped. Every Hudson except the first & last years of production was equipped with a cork clutch. With these mechanical advantages and a moderate price, Hudson sold a lot of Super Sixes and some were fitted with elite bodies such as those by Biddle & Smart. (The Gallery, Cars, Trucks, Buses, Chris Helin, Dogs)
Fort Burnham: 1864
... Ft. Johnson To the immediate left of the pine trees is a small hill that is the Confederate Ft. Johnson. 3/4 of a mile away. ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 09/04/2009 - 3:28am -

1864. "Fort Burnham, Virginia, formerly Confederate Fort Harrison, near James River. Encampment and earthworks." Wet plate glass negative. View full size. The flue over the nestThis soldier writes home about the fireplace in the tent. http://www.espdesigns.com/letters/1862/Letter7_3_24_62.htm What about the barrelCan anyone enlighten me as to what's going on with the barrel that looks to be mudded to the top of a chimney in the far left background? [It's part of the chimney. - Dave] Ft. Johnson To the immediate left of the pine trees is a small hill that is the Confederate Ft. Johnson. 3/4 of a mile away. (The Gallery, Civil War)
Tank: 1942
... Rochester for sure! The big building behind the trees is the old Naval Armory, which now houses the Geva Theatre. Great ... 
 
Posted by Tony W. - 09/17/2011 - 8:11pm -

I'm not sure who exactly took this photo but it could have been my great grandfather who fought in WWII. The photo was taken in April of 1942 in what I'm guessing is Rochester N.Y. The back of the photo has printed on the back: Chas. J. Ewing 402 Temple Bidg. Stone 2482 Rochester N.Y. April 6th, 1942 View full size Rochester for sure!The big building behind the trees is the old Naval Armory, which now houses the Geva Theatre. Great picture! Tank NotI'm not totally sure what this tracked vehicle is, but I'm betting it's not a tank of 1942 vintage. The width is way wrong for a tank. Tank So!It's a tank all right, just not a very big one. This is an M3 Light Tank (known as "Stuart" or "Honey" in British service.) It weighed a bit over 14 tons and was about 8 feet wide. Bumper NumberI think the 35th Armor Regiment was at Pine Camp, New York at this time. They were part of the 4th Armored Division. Temple BuildingThe Temple Building is an office building in downtown Rochester, built in 1925. (http://www.templebuilding.com/lifestyle/history) I suspect Charles Ewing had an office there, suite 402. "Stone 2482", in that case, would probably be Ewing's office phone number, though it normally would have been written "STone"; at the time, six-digit numbers were still used in many places. Charles EwingI should have checked before submitting my previous comment. The 1942 Rochester City Directory lists Chas. J. Ewing as a photographer with an office at 14 Franklin (the address of the Temple Building), room 402. The directory doesn't list phone numbers, but I still think that's what ST-2482 was. (ShorpyBlog, Member Gallery, Tonypix)
Red Delicious: 1925
... look like gray wigs. There's also a GW legend about apple trees - not as famous as the cherry tree one, but still. Another shot from ... 
 
Posted by Dave - 07/05/2012 - 5:35pm -

April 25, 1925. "Apple Blossom Festival, Winchester, Virginia." A freshly picked bevy of beauties. National Photo Company glass negative. View full size. "Bevy of Beauties"Beauty truly is in the eye of the beholder... Those ARE actual women, aren't they? Not a bunch of homely looking guys in drag? Apple bevyI'll take a wild stab here; as both George and Martha Washington have significant Virginia histories, and George one specific to Winchester, I'm going to guess they're made up in Martha Washington garb, including what look like gray wigs. There's also a GW legend about apple trees - not as famous as the cherry tree one, but still. Another shot from the series shows some of them in the same dresses but different hair. Two time travelersDrew Barrymore and the girl immediately to her left (our right) who can't believe she's standing next to a Hollywood star. Numbers 7 and 8 from the left. Facial Expressions? Priceless!!Some of them could be saying..."What am I doing here?", some seem to be enjoying it,however, they all have a look on their faces that they'd rather be somewhere else than here. (and not one "Adam's Apple" showing in the bunch!) WinchesterMy hometown! We still have the Apple Blossom Festival every year. That is the George Washington Hotel in the background. That is where my mother and father met. (The Gallery, Natl Photo, Pretty Girls, Small Towns)
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