An American Airways plane in Chicago is being loaded with cases of 3.2% beer to be delivered to nearby cities.
Even though prohibition did not officially end until Dec 5, 1933, 3.2% beer became legal to drink at midnight, April 7, 1933.
Category: Life in the 30s
Night-Club Map of Harlem, 1932
Night-Club map of Harlem from the Feb 1, 1932 edition of Manhattan Magazine (1MB)
Points of interest under the Harlem Moon: A dozen Marijuana cigarettes guaranteed to give a three-day jag. If the Crab Man says “Top or bottom?” (meaning his basket) say “Bottom” and you will get a “shorty” of gin. The white haired apostle who wanders about passing out benedictions and philosophy. Hot peanuts, the Harlem National Food. When there’s no room on the dance floor, they just stand still and shake — that’s the “bump.”
The café au lait girls which are the color of coffee and cream. The waiters who tap dance to and fro with trays bearing glasses of water (and other liquids) and never spill a drop. The police dogs which the sheiks hire for the Sunday Parade. The eternal Harlem question: “What’s th’ number?” meaning 3 Pari-muted digits of the seventh race, which all Harlem bets on. Most of the gamblers pick their numbers from the dream books.
Empire State Building Construction
The construction of the Empire State building involved more than 3,500 workers. According to official accounts, only five workers died during the construction, although the New York Daily News gave reports of 14 deaths. An amazing number considering the complete lack of safety equipment.
“City of San Fransisco”, 1938
“CITY OF SAN FRANCISCO” streamliner left Oakland Pier terminal in two sections on January 2, 1938, when the new ultra-modern 17-car train was inaugurated to supplant the original 11-car train which had been in operation since June 14, 1936, for the SP-UP-C&NW between San Francisco and Chicago. Both trains carried capacity loads of holiday travelers. The original streamliner was assigned to other service after this trip. (Wikipedia)
Automat, 1935
Vintage Circus Scenes
Making a living on the water, 1936
Pier 11, East River, New York City, 1936
Fulton Street Fish Market, New York City, 1936
Chicago’s “L”, 1930s
Aragon Ballroom sign seen beyond the “L”
Continue reading “Chicago’s “L”, 1930s”
Hell, Michigan: 1939
Black Sunday, April 14, 1935
April 14, 1935. A massive dust storm enveloped portions of Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, New Mexico and Colorado. Its fallout was felt all the way to NYC. It was partly a man made disaster because of poor farming practices combined with a 4 year long drought.
