Daily Photo — “The Romance of a People, 1942”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
I love the details you can see in the products displayed here. And imagine having this shop and all these goods on display when you think about what was happening in Europe at this exact moment in 1942! It’s an absolute testament to the freedoms we’ve always enjoyed here in America.
August 1942. “New York. Window of a Jewish religious shop on Broome Street.” Photo by Marjory Collins for the Office of War Information.
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Tags: 1940s, city life, history, homefront, Jewish, Jewish History, New York City, shopping, stores, urban life, warm-ups, World War II, writing
Daily Photo — “California from Sansome, 1890s”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
I’m on a “then and now” kick with these because I think they are fun, and hopefully you do as well, please let me know!
Today’s is a photo of San Francisco from sometime in the 1890s at the corner of California and Sansome Sts. and Google Maps shows the same location today. Of course, much can change in 120 years, but I have to think that most of these buildings and structures were lost in the Earthquake of 1906. Make sure you really zoom in and take a look at all the windows and signs, as they are the most interesting thing here!
San Francisco circa 1890s. “California Street from Sansome Street.” With a horsecar passing by. Copy negative of a photo by I.W. Taber.
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Tags: architecture, cities, city, city life, history, San Francisco, then and now, urban life, warm-ups, writing
Daily Photo — “People’s Drug, 1922”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
I love photos like these that are a snapshot of a place at a moment in time. Even better, now that we have Google Maps and street view, we can see what they look like today and now much (or little) has changed. In this case, much has changed as the building seems to be completely gone, but still the property is used in the same way (almost) as a Vitamin Shoppe.– via Google.
What’s also very interesting here is how the merchandise is displayed and advertised, as opposed to drug stores/pharmacies today where you see more insurance and vaccination information in the windows than product.
Washington, D.C., circa 1922. “People’s Drug Store No. 8, 14th Street & Park Road.” National Photo Company Collection glass negative.
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Tags: 1920s, business, city life, drug store, history, pharmacy, retail, shopping, urban life, warm-ups, Washington DC, writing
Daily Photo — “Thomas the Tonsorialist, 1937”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
I love photos like these that are a snapshot of a place at a moment in time. Even better, now that we have Google Maps and street view, we can see what they look like today and now much (or little) has changed. This building is still standing, albeit without the second door at 19th & Bainbridge.– via Google.
Tonsorialist: “Of or pertaining to a barber or his work; often used humorously, as ‘a tonsorial artist’ or ‘tonsorialist’”
Spring 1937. “Barber shop at 19th and Bainbridge Streets, Philadelphia.” If the twirling candystripes don’t pull you in, there’s always the psychedelic eyeball. Photo by Paul Vanderbilt for the Resettlement Administration.
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Tags: 1930s, barbershop, city life, history, Philadelphia, urban life, warm-ups, writing
Daily Photo — “Historical Trashbins”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
The juxtaposition of the historical marker with the day’s trash is interesting here. What’s also very neat is that right on the other side of the fence sits Harvard University and all the history from not only the marker, but the institution itself that rests behind. The marker, fence, and Harvard are all still there today, and you can check that out here on Google maps as well!
Spring 1938. “Cambridge, Massachusetts. Historical marker with trash cans.” Medium format negative by Paul Vanderbilt.
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Tags: 1930s, analysis, Boston, city life, Harvard, history, trash, urban life, warm-ups, writing
Daily Photo — “D.C. Tenement: 1935”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
There is so much going on in this photo, it would take some time to soak it all in. I am especially taken by the juxtaposition of the tenement with the dome of the US Capitol and all it symbolizes rising in the background.
Summer 1935. “Washington, D.C., alley dwelling. The clutter of filth, debris and tin cans all have highly utilitarian purposes. Many of the houses are without gas, water, or electric connections.” Note the Capitol dome at the top of the frame. Harris & Ewing glass negative
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Tags: american history, city life, history, photos, poverty, tenement, urban life, us history, warm-ups, Washington D.C, writing
Daily Photo — “Rush Job, 1941”
Use the photos posted in this feature for writing prompts, warm-up activities, drawing templates or as part of a photo analysis.
December 1941. Washington, D.C. “Workmen at lunch hour on emergency office space construction job.” Photo by John Collier.
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Tags: 1940s, analysis, construction, education, history, labor, lunch, urban life, warm-ups, Washington DC, workers, writing
