King and Strachan/Then and Now

It wasn't that long ago that King Street West between Strachan and Sudbury was completely dominated by the Massey Ferguson (Harris) plant.These postcards are in fact idealized versions of the facility combining buildings from several other cities.
Today nothing remains except the main office which has been turned into .....condos.
This building was designed by E.J. Lennox.
The head office.
This postcard from 1908 appears to be looking east from Crawford towards Strachan.
A similar view in the early 1980's just prior to demolition.
And a similar view in 2011.
Looking west along King in the 1970's.
2011.
The south side of King from Crawford in the 80's.
Today.
The showroom on the north side just west of Strachan.
2011.
1980's
Today.
1980's
2011.
A more complete history of the company can be found here.
Looking south on Crawford towards King 1927.

Hand Painted Sign/Albany

A hand painted sign outside of the Branch Office, the oldest bar in Albany NY, located at 40 Maiden Lane. A great place for a couple of drinks.

Fanelli's Cafe NYC

Another must see on a NY visit is Fanelli's Cafe in Soho. It's been here since 1847 and a complete history can be found here.
The name Nicholas Gerdes can still be seen above the door painted on the transom.
In 1878 Nicholas Gerdes arrived and ran his saloon until 1902. He inscribed his name on the transom over the front door and his saloon licenses decorate the dining room wall. Gerdes was followed by Charles Hirschbein who stayed until 1905. From this date until 1922 Harry Green and his family ran the Price Cafe on the premises. In 1922 Michael Fanelli arrived and christened the cafe with its current name. The Fanelli family sold the business to the current owner, Hans Noe, in 1982.

Sniffen Court NYC/Then and Now

This post is a cop from Ephemeral New York but I think it could be seen here as well. On a recent trip to NYC I did take a photo that I thought was this lane but after consulting the website above I realized my mistake.

So please visit the link for the TRUE story.
The wrong alley will appear soon.

Strange Days cover by the Doors 1967.

Recently.
The wrong laneway off of University Place near Washington Square.

Old New York Signs

Oldest gun shop in the US, 1911.

A selection of old store signs in New York City.

Old Barber Shop/Williamsburg NY

This derelict barber ship in Williamsburg, Brooklyn is quite stunning both in it's originality and state of urban decay.

An older photo of the barber's pole before the glass was broken. An interesting story re: the origins of the traditional red and white striped pole:
Originally barbers were surgeons as well as hair cutters and would often travel with armies performing basic medical tasks such as stitching up wounds and amputations at the base camp. The pole represents a bloody bandaged arm......
The William Marvy Company still manufactures barber poles in the US. and this could well be one of theirs.

Looking down the side alley there appears to be a house at the back in a similar state of decrepitude waiting for the right owner to restore.

Albany Diner

A decorative ceiling and cornice panelling in red and cream formica.

Jack's Diner located at 547 Central Avenue in Albany New York is an ultra rare Comac Diner built in 1947.

Eaton's Car Theft Prevention 1914.

Obviously car theft has always been a concern.

Players Cigarettes 1914

This Players ad from 1914 has a pack of cigarettes at 18 cents a pack.
Today the price is $10.00. That's 55 times MORE! They should be 25-30 times more expensive at $4.50.

Old Parkdale Advertisements

Parkdale House Demolition 1910

An advert from 1910 seeking someone to knock down a few houses in Parkdale for the Grand Trunk Railroad.
Empress and Dunn highlighted.
The demolition of four houses in 1911 was nothing compared to the wholesale destruction of South Parkdale in the late 1950's. The Gardiner Expressway was coming and this community was in the way!!
The red box indicates where my Grandparents' house was.

Dundas and Sterling/Then and Now

The south side of Dundas opposite Sterling Ave. some time in the late 1930's.

A similar viewpoint in 2010.

Bond and Shuter/Then and Now

The S/W corner of Bond and Shuter in 1908. Massy Hall is to the extreme right.

2011.

Yonge and Queen/Then and Now

Looking east along Queen Street at Yonge in 1952.
Note the Arcadian Theatre,

2011.