THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL PHOTO ARCHIVE • FRAMED PRINTS • STOCK IMAGES

I submit this photo for the 60th Anniversary of the end of an American institution, the small city streetcar. Shorpy followers will have undoubtedly noticed that a great many of the early 20th Century streetscape photos show the ubiquitous streetcar which in those days was people's primary means of transportation.

The occasion here was the ceremonial last run of streetcars in Johnstown, PA at 5 PM, Saturday afternoon, June 11, 1960. There were streetcars remaining in other large cities such as Pittsburgh, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and San Francisco, but Johnstown was the last of the small city systems to be converted to bus operation.

35 mm Kodachrome slide by William D. Volkmer

The Gem Theater located on North Main Street in downtown Charles City, Iowa, circa 1936. Theater manager Jack Kuech is pictured under the marquis of the 1936 version of Romeo & Juliet being promoted. Popcorn sales look to be a little slow. Acetate negative. View full size.

The Candy Kitchen located on Main Street across from the Hildreth Hotel and Opera House in downtown Charles City, Iowa, circa 1906. Glass negative.

A father and son outside of their rural Charles City, Iowa home, circa 1908. Found in a collection of glass negatives.

My grandmother in 1966 at the sewing machine in her clothing store in McLean, Texas, on Main Street. I'm next to her in the hat, probably asking a million questions, along with my younger sister. Grandmother operated the store for many years and lived in the back in an apartment. McLean back then was on the old Route 66 and prior to my grandfather's death in 1963, they owned and operated the Hindman Hotel there. I used to spend summers in McLean, and looking back, it was like living in Mayberry. View full size.

A bright and sunny New Year's Day 1960 found me walking along Grand Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. I snapped this photo because three days later the streetcars would cease running, owing to the closing of a nearby viaduct for replacement. The Fox Theater in the background, opened in 1929, fared a little better, lasting up to 1978. In 1991 it reopened and survives as a performing arts center. The Fox house organist at the time was Mr. Stan Cann, who held that position for 22 years, from 1952 until 1974. They called him "Stan Cann the vacuum cleaner man" because his hobby was collecting antique vacuum cleaners. He lived in Los Angeles during retirement and gave frequent organ concerts around town, many of which I attended. 35mm Kodachrome by William D. Volkmer. View full size.

Some kids heading out to fish; taken during the early 1940s on Commerce Lake, Oakland County, Michigan. Scan of hand tinted photo. View full size.

Circa 1909 photograph of an unidentified elderly gentleman relaxing in one of his two favorite chairs on North Jackson Street in Charles City, Iowa. Taken from a 5x7 inch glass negative. View full size.

Circa 1910 construction at the Hart-Parr Tractor plant in Charles City, Iowa the home of the first farm tractor. The plant was serviced by two railroads, the Illinois Central and the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul. Taken from a recently discovered collection of glass negatives. View full size.

Taken in Charles City, Iowa about 1910 by a local photographer. Captured from a collection of glass negatives found in an attic. View full size.

My husband of 41 years, Greg Weber (on the right), and his buddy Greg Duncan, Charleston, South Carolina, September 1972. They had just returned to The Citadel, Military College of South Carolina, for their junior year. Duncan's uniform (including white gloves) denotes his role as Cadet Regimental Staff Sergeant. I asked my Greg how it was that he had the temerity to sport a summer 'stache while on campus, in uniform, albeit without the addition of his Squad Sergeant rank. He said it was the first day back and he'd already gotten his regulation haircut ("My hair looks all right," he claims), and, obviously, been issued his rifle. My Greg, a basketball player from Toledo, Ohio, was at The Citadel on a full athletic scholarship, while Duncan, from Tavares, Florida, attended on a full academic scholarship. Both members of the Class of '74, they're still friends. The picture was taken by my mother-in-law. View full size.

Candid photo in a college classroom at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. 35mm Tri-X negative taken in 1956 by my brother. View full size.

So heading out to LA (the scenic route) and one of our lunch stops was somewhere in Wyoming. The wild, wild west is about how it is out that way with hundreds of miles of nothing. The car was running fine other than the gas gauge breaking and running us out of gas in some ghost town a day or two after this photo was taken.

Our snazzy little camper had a place to fix food in the back. Food tastes so much better when you are traveling and camping. I don't know why, but it does. View full size.

Traveling from Ohio to California in 1969, we stopped at Mt. Rushmore. We didn't have the money for one of those snazzy aluminum campers, but we did ok with this sporty little deal. It was better than sleeping in a tent and it even had a gas stove on the back! View full size.

The family was traveling on the interstate to Myrtle Beach in 1973 and the tire came apart on the good old '65 Rambler Classic Wagon. Luckily my dad had the spare ready to go. View full size.