Questions and Answers (Q&A) Forgotten Chicago Forum
Have a question about a specific element in Chicago's history? Ask Away!
Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
BrianJ
()
Date: October 08, 2011 04:12AM
I just joined and noticed a lot of users were asking things like: what did the corner of North and Halsted look like in the 1970's? If you go to http://www.trolleybuses.net/chi/chi.htm you'll find a bunch of photos from every decade of ordinary street scenes that can be fascinating. It may take a bit of work, because some (maybe a lot) of the photos are pretty banal and, of course, they all have big, fat trolley buses that take up half the picture. But what's great is that most of the photographers weren't trying to make perfectly composed historic photos. Instead they were just, for reasons I don't quite understand, methodically taking photos of every trolley bus that ever existed in Chicago, and inadvertently caught snapshots of daily life. (Although every once in a while, you will find photos that are quite beautiful.) As an added bonus, it always includes the exact location and date the photo was taken.
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
Mornac
()
Date: October 08, 2011 09:35PM
Really cool Brian! I only had a few minutes to browse, but I'm sure going to spend some time with it later. I think I identified this one:
I believe it's along the cemetery on Irving Park just west of the L (which you can see in the background). Can anyone back me up on this?
I believe it's along the cemetery on Irving Park just west of the L (which you can see in the background). Can anyone back me up on this?
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
BrianJ
()
Date: October 09, 2011 11:32PM
Thanks. But now that I look at the site, it seems the best sections won't open for some reason. The section labeled "Marmons" has more than a hundred photos, mostly from the N. Side in the 1950s and late '60s when the Marmon trolley buses were used. The section labeled "the Rest" has, if memory serves, great photos going back to the first half of the century.
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
Mornac
()
Date: October 10, 2011 02:00AM
I think I found a back door into the "Marmons". Try [url=http://www.trolleybuses.net/chi/htm/usa_h_chi_mh_9425_rt74fullertoncentral_19680817_ss.htm]this[/url].
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
BrianJ
()
Date: October 10, 2011 02:32AM
Thanks. I posted two of my favorites to the Flickr account. They're not pretty pictures, but they show just how much some parts of the city have changed. The heart of the North Clybourn area is now the Apple store, but as you can see from this set from 1966 and 1969, the area was grimy, industrial, and kind of downbeat.
(I have no idea how to post these photos on this forum. When I click on the Flickr icon above, I'm given a set of incomprehensible directions.)
(I have no idea how to post these photos on this forum. When I click on the Flickr icon above, I'm given a set of incomprehensible directions.)
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
222psm
()
Date: October 10, 2011 10:31AM
BrianJ here's how to post pics on this forum:
what you do is hit the Flickr button (blue/red dot) where you type in your posts. the first time you do it, it will ask if you want to authorize the module to access your flickr account. There is a link, the word "authorize" next to step 1 click the word and it will take you to flickr to sign in. once you sign in it will give you a code, put that code in the box under step 2.
After that when you hit the blue/red button it will bring up you pictures, click the one you want to insert in your message.
what you do is hit the Flickr button (blue/red dot) where you type in your posts. the first time you do it, it will ask if you want to authorize the module to access your flickr account. There is a link, the word "authorize" next to step 1 click the word and it will take you to flickr to sign in. once you sign in it will give you a code, put that code in the box under step 2.
After that when you hit the blue/red button it will bring up you pictures, click the one you want to insert in your message.
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
captain54
()
Date: October 10, 2011 06:09PM
The color photos from the 1950's on that site are simply amazing.....
I really enjoyed the corner bars/taverns advertising on their windows..."TELEVISION" as a way to get people in the door.
I really enjoyed the corner bars/taverns advertising on their windows..."TELEVISION" as a way to get people in the door.
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
Rustymuscle
()
Date: October 11, 2011 02:52PM
These photos are a great source. When I was looking for examples of the Chicago Surface Lines Bus Stop sign I have (posted months ago) I looked through every single photo and found one from the Central Avenue 85 Route. I've tried to figure out where the photo was taken but it has proved so far to be impossible.
Re: Looking for Old Photos? Try trolleybuses.net
Posted by:
BrianJ
()
Date: October 11, 2011 07:50PM
Thanks. That worked. And just to celebrate, I'll post one of my favorites, the 1969 photo of North and Clybourn. Not a pretty picture, but I don't think any photo in the set better captures how the city has changed.Those trolley buses sure were battered looking by this point.
