The Casual Observer

The Astor Theater in Times Square, November 8, 1953

Photo by Peter Jinglewski

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/518

Circa 1930 view of the interior of the Brooklyn Paramount Theater.

Photo by Irving Browning via New York Historical Society

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/618

Exterior photo of similar vintage via brownstoner.com

The Harbor Theater on Fourth Avenue at 92nd Street in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, apparently in 1957.  This is probably where I saw my first movie, no doubt when my big sister was babysitting me.  It’s been a long time since a movie was shown here, but happily the building survives as a fitness center which had the decency to preserve the building’s exterior as much as possible, even adapting the marquee.  Photo from cinematreasures.

“January 16, 1960. It was about 1 o'clock on a cool, crisp, sunny Saturday afternoon at the Lake Bluff stop of the Chicago, North Shore and Milwaukee interurban railroad. The North Shore was one of America’s very last operating interurbans when I photographed a group of cadets from the nearby Great Lakes Naval Training Center climbing aboard a southbound train for a weekend of fun and relaxation in downtown Chicago. The attentive motorman is keeping an eye on the conductor for the two-bell start signal while at the same time observing what I was doing with my camera. The once busy line was abandoned three years later, almost to the day.”

Caption and 35mm Kodachrome by William D. Volkmer, from his submission to the shorpy members gallery.

“Taken sometime in the 1940’s, this is the old C & O Railroad depot in Hurricane, W.Va. Until the 1960’s an occasional passenger train stopped here as well as a few freights. If I remember correctly, it was torn down about 1970 and the wood used to build a barn for the Chief of Police. The area then became a parking lot and a rather cheesy gazebo was built later next to the tracks. About 15 or so years ago, the large water tank just down the track was demolished. The switch tower across the tracks was also razed quite a few years ago. I was only about 11 years old when the depot was torn down and even then I was mad as a hornet about it. What makes this so ironic is the fact that Hurricane owes its existence to the railroad, having been moved nearly 2 miles from the James River and Kanawha Turnpike so as to be near the new track in 1873. The only commemoration of our ties to the C & O now are a very small museum in a caboose behind the fire station and a couple of murals on the fire station walls. This image was given to my Aunt by the high school librarian who was an avid photographer. He was still teaching when I was in high school and he led the photography club. I still have it in its frame.”

Comments by shorpy member Bob100 who submitted the photo to the members gallery.

Car on the trestle, Fraser Canyon, British Columbia, an undated photo probably from the 1920s that was included with a number of Canadian views in the UNiversity of Michigan Lincoln Highway collection.  This looks like an improbable scene from some obscure silent film, certainly with an element of menace (i.e. the light at the end of the tunnel is an oncoming train.)

A closer look reveals the lettering on the back of the car, “Winnipeg to Victorian via Canadian Highway.”  Presumably the dubious highway that employed railroad trestles was a precursor of the Trans-Canada Highway of modern times.

prova275:

Sleet on Broadway… with a 1960 Mercury Monterey

wolf1933mar:

joeinct:

Unknown photographer, NYC, 1944

Apparently prior to December 18, 1944 when Mike Todd’s production of Mexican Hayride moved out of the Winter Garden. A show notable for more unknown Cole Porter tunes than you can shake a stick at. None of them were used when it was made into an Abbott & Costello movie.

newyorkthegoldenage:

Fifth Avenue, 1938. Photo by Franz Grasser.

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