Vintage Photo Wednesday

Jul252012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 5 — 1950s Family Nuclear Fallout Shelter

Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 5 — 1950s Family Nuclear Fallout Shelter

Vintage Photo Wednesday
Here's a totally fascinating and somewhat disturbing image from the early days of the Atomic Age and the Cold War (click for a larger copy). As you might be able to guess, this is a family nuclear fallout shelter, made out of steel and full of all the home comforts of 1950.  I spot two board games -- Life and Chutes & Ladders, a Reader's Digest book, a box of macaroni dinner, a block of Velveeta, some Ajax cleaner, and assorted other sundries. Why, in the event the Soviet Union ever drops the Big One I would expect to live comfortably in this thing for at least a week before going insane. (Source -- National Museum of American History, Kenneth E. Behring Center) Related articles July 16, 1945: Trinity Blast Opens Atomic Age (wired.com) Dinosaurs of the Atomic Age! (
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Jul182012 by Chris Holmes2 Comments
Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 4 — Baseball Images of Yesteryear

Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 4 — Baseball Images of Yesteryear

Vintage Photo Wednesday
Few professional sports in America enjoy the rich history that baseball does. While the other major sports -- football, basketball, hockey, and even auto racing -- are purely 20th century phenomenons, baseball traces its pro roots back to the 19th century. Here are a handful of snapshots featuring pro base-ball clubs from the 19th to early 20th century. Click on any image for a much larger version. Up first is this 1888 team portrait of the St. Louis Browns, members of the short-lived American Association (1882-1891). The Brown Stockings were pennant-winners of the AA from 1885 through 1888, and moved to the National League when the AA folded. They went through a few name changes before settling on St. Louis Cardinals. This dapper bunch is the 1882 New York Metropolita
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Jul112012 by Chris Holmes1 Comment
Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 3 — Joining of Waters, Cape Cod (1914)

Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 3 — Joining of Waters, Cape Cod (1914)

Vintage Photo Wednesday
While the idea of building a canal between Cape Cod and what is now mainland Massachusetts dates back to the early American colonial period, a workable plan didn't come to fruition until the early 20th century. Construction on the Cape Cod Canal began on June 22, 1909 and was fully completed in 1916. It opened on a limited basis on July 29, 1914, but was immediately plagued with issues concerning cost and accessibility. This week's photo is dated April 21, 1914 and was published in The New York Times the next day. It shows August Belmont, Jr., president of the Boston, Cape Cod & New York Canal Company, and other dignitaries at Foley's Dock/Dike, Massachusetts. From the Times article of April 22: BUZZARD'S BAY, Mass., April 21. - In the presence of August Belmont, President of the C
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Jul42012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 2 — New York City Street Views, 1896

Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 2 — New York City Street Views, 1896

Vintage Photo Wednesday
This week's collection of vintage photographs comes from the New York Public Library's digital gallery site. These street scenes from New York City were taken by Alice Austen in 1896. That's the 19th century to you and me! Related articles Vintage Photos Of New York Kids By Helen Levitt(neatorama.com) ALICE AUSTEN: video interview with directors of Alice Austen House Museum(seesaw.typepad.com)
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Jun272012 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 1 — Photochrom Prints, 1890s-1900s

Vintage Photo Wednesday, Vol. 1 — Photochrom Prints, 1890s-1900s

Featured Posts, Vintage Photo Wednesday
This is the first of what I hope will be a long-running feature on the site. Each Wednesday I'll post a handful of vintage photographs that strike my fancy. Some weeks there will be a theme, others not so much. If you have any subjects you'd like me to look for, or have photos you'd like to share, let me know! This week's collection is drawn from the Photochrom Print Collection on the Library of Congress website. From the site: The Photochrom Print Collection has almost 6,000 views of Europe and the Middle East and 500 views of North America. Published primarily from the 1890s to 1910s, these prints were created by the Photoglob Company in Zürich, Switzerland, and the Detroit Publishing Company in Michigan. The richly colored images look like photographs but are actually ink-based phot
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