Dreamland: “Coney Island Holocaust” — 1911
A photo showing the post-apocalyptic scene following a fire at a hugely popular amusement park was used to advertise rubber fire hoses. (Click to see the full ad.)
1900s
Little Girl, Leafless Tree
Fear of photography. Click to see the full photo.
Stand Pipes — Vol. 2
Another look at historical “stand pipes” (or water towers) from picture postcards from the late-19th and early 20th century. From basic and utilitarian to surprisingly ornate.
Stand Pipes — Vol. 1
Check out the forgotten world of stand pipes — tall, cylindrical water towers often the pride and joy of cities and towns.
Portable Darkroom Hood — 1924
What looks like a ghostly apparition was, in fact, a handy-dandy rubberized portable darkroom with which one could drape oneself whilst processing photographic plates. Read more….
Massachusetts “In the Future” — ca. 1908
How did the future of years past differ from today’s present? For one thing, there are a lot fewer flying and floating contraptions littering the sky these days. Click to see some wonderfully odd postcards featuring visions of what several Massachusetts towns might look like “in the future.”
Comfort Furniture Company: Vibrating, Artistic, and Indestructible — 1905
Vibrating furniture was a thing in 1905. This Detroit company doesn’t seem to have lasted very long, but its trimmed-in-fringe product was a featured exhibit at the 1905 Lewis & Clark Centennial. Read more….
Step Right Up, Folks! — When Circus Promoters and Show-Folk Shopped the Pages of “The Billboard”
Whether you trod the boards in the theatrical world or slogged through the sawdust on the carnival circuit, “The Billboard” was essential reading for keeping up with news and employment opportunities in the show-biz world. Almost everything you needed could be found in the magazine’s classified and advertising pages. Check out some of the more interesting ads found in issues from 1904 and 1905.
The Tree Wireless — 1919
Using living trees as antennas was an important element of inventor Maj.-Gen George O. Squier’s system of telephony, which was developed for use during WWI as a way to intercept enemy messages which had been electrically transmitted, as well as to receive and transmit messages from just anywhere with a living tree nearby. More about Squier’s odd-sounding “tree wireless” inside.
Cocoon-Collecting, 10-Cents a Quart — 1908-1910
Between 1908 and 1910, the city of Buffalo, New York issued a challenge to the city’s children: collect as many Tussock Moth cocoons as possible, and collect a bounty of ten cents a quart. Kids made lots of money and Buffalo’s trees were saved.
High Shrink 