Category Archives: Photos

Gordon Parks: Alabama, 1950’s

Posted on by The Old Wolf

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This beautiful picture by Gordon Parks is one of a series of 40 that will be on display at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. I had posted another image from this series here without attribution, which has now been rectified.

There is very little to say about this era of our history that has not already been said, and better, by other historians and sociologists. Yet this particular image strikes me with the sheer insanity of the entire proposition. Same restaurant, same server, same product, yet a separate window six feet away from the “White” one. None of it makes any sense, and as I take a long view of our nation, I realize that although superficial progress has been made, there is still far too much bigotry alive and well.

Read more about the exhibit at the Daily Mail.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

The Cats of Sydney Harbor Bridge

Posted on by The Old Wolf

I happened across this picture on reddit today and wondered about the backstory:

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The post intimated that this cat was named George. A little digging intimates that it’s not impossible, but that there were several cats who lived on or around the bridge, some of which never came down. I find that a bit hard to believe, but you can judge for yourself.

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These images were found at Purr-n-Fur – there’s an article there with more information on the cats.

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From the The Sunday Herald, 29 July 1951

Related: Below, an image of the bridge under construction in 1930

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Headlines don’t sell papes… Newsies sell papes!

Posted on by The Old Wolf

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Newsboys and girls in New York, 1910. Much more history about New York’s Newspaper Row can be seen at 6sqft.com.

I loved the movie Newsies, but photos from the era give the lie to all the song and dance. It was, doubtlessly, a dog-eat-dog, uncomfortable, tiring, dangerous and difficult world for the children who hit the streets selling papers for the newspaper barons.

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Headlines like this were a newsie’s dream – everyone wanted to find out what was happening. The newspapers were the Internet of the early 20th Century.

Unfortunately, most daily headlines were usually boring, so embellishing the truth a bit would help move a few more papers:

‘Trash fire near immigration building frightens seagulls’ —> ”Terrified flight from flaming inferno!” (From “Newsies”)

Thus the seeds were sown for later generations of tabloid journalism:

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Which, of course, were inevitably made fun of:

This collection of politically-incorrect satire is one of my most treasured possessions. It’s sheer brilliance.

Now, of course, newspapers are almost extinct, and struggling for survival. Most of us have to depend on the responsible journalism of television, cable, and the internet:

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The Old Wolf has spoken.

Corner Store – Boston’s oldest surviving brick building.

Posted on by The Old Wolf

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The Old Corner Bookstore.

Some have billed this as the first brick building in Boston, but that fact is in dispute. What is not in dispute is that this is a wonderful relic from years past.

And looking as it does today:

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Google Maps search done by /u/MyApplePie

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A stereogram of the Old Corner Bookstore taken in the 19th century

“Threatened with demolition in 1960, the building was “rescued” through a purchase by Historic Boston, Inc. for the sum of $100,000.Historic Boston is a not-for-profit preservation and real estate organization that rehabilitates historic and culturally significant properties in Boston’s neighborhoods so they are a usable part of the city’s present and future. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is Boston Landmark under the auspices of the Boston Landmarks Commission.” – Wikipedia

The Old Wolf has spoken.

New York: May 18, 1940

Posted on by The Old Wolf

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An eeriliy deserted 6th Avenue, looking south from 40th street. The man’s headline reads ‘Nazi Army Now 75 Miles From Paris.’ The lack of traffic and people, combined with the breakfast special sign, leads one to believe this may have been taken in the early morning.

The same scene today:

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The times, they have done changed.

The Old Wolf has spoken.

51st and Lex: NYC, 1955.

Posted on by The Old Wolf

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Seen at Shorpy.

This is the New York I remember, the one I grew up in. Not too far from my home in that year, either. Notice the street light: no yellow. I remember sitting in my windowsill in 1955 or 1956, on nights when for some odd reason I wasn’t sleepiing, watching the staggered lights turn green or red all the way up Lexington Avenue (we were on 85th) – here’s my view, taken around the same era:

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The window to the right was the one I sat in, and I was able to see a couple of miles up the road.

I would pay dearly for a time machine and be able to go back to the City in those days. In many ways it was a lot more interesting than it is today.

The Old Wolf has spoken.