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Old Photos

21K views 148 replies 33 participants last post by  421Tripower 
#1 ·
Let's start a new thread - Old Photos.

I'll open with this one of my father. He trained to fly B-25's in WWII. Never made it into combat as he was a little to late entering. He was the oldest of 4 boys, raised by his widowed Mom and watched his younger brothers enter service before him. Anyway, he served time in the U.S. Canal Zone, Panama. This photo is probably around 1939 or 1940, I can't say for sure but definitely taken somewhere near the C.Z. Dad really liked motorcycles, never rode much himself (especially after he married Mom!), but encouraged me to ride.

This motorcycle does not appear to be a military version to me. Any ideas on that?
 

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#38 ·
a few more

Washington, D.C., July 1915. "Motorcycle team, relay to Frisco." Frank S. Long, F.L. Leishear (whose Indian store we saw above) and Josiah McL. Seabrook. National Photo Company Collection

Washington, D.C., circa 1919. "George Parezo & Co., Ninth Street N.W." (Leishear store nearby)

San Francisco circa 1925. "California State Automobile Association -- Emergency Road Service motorcycle." from the Wyland Stanley collection.

New York circa 1920. "State Trooper on Indian motorcycle." The motto on his badge: "Excelsior."

1915. "Baker and O'Brien, transcontinental motorcyclists, back of White House." Bud Baker and Dick O'Brien, whom we first met here. In May 1915 they embarked on a five-month, 10,000-mile jaunt to the West Coast via Indian motorcycle to see the California expositions. Harris & Ewing.

At the White House gates. "M.A. Rainey on a Harley Davidson, October 5, 1922." National Photo Company Collection

Circa 1915, location unknown. "Mailman & motorcycle." a "Flying Merkel," Spitting Prohibited by Law, "Except Into Cuspidors."

Washington, D.C., 1932. "Metropolitan police officer on motorcycle." Keeping the peace in the gashouse district. Harris & Ewing

King Street in Alexandria, Virginia. 1921 or 1922. National Photo Company Collection

San Francisco ca. 1920s. "Young man on Harley-Davidson motorcycle -- California State Automobile Association 'Broken Glass Department' patrol." from the Wyland Stanley collection
 

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#39 ·
"James L. Owens & Sons." A sidecar of Klim at the Pan American Union in Washington circa 1921. National Photo Company

October 1935 in Omar, West Virginia by Ben Shahn for the FSA

Washington, D.C., mail delivery via Harley-Davidson motorcycle sidecar circa 1924. National Photo Company Collection

News item: "A photograph of the fox and its capture in the 'fox hunt' staged in the Capitol grounds Monday, in which more than a score of persons aided the Capitol police force to run the brown animal in. George M. Green, foreman of the garage of the Adjutant General's office, who was passing the Capitol on a motorcycle, won all the honors when he succeeded in capturing the fox. It was discovered that the fox wore a leather collar, indicating that he is domesticated." (Washington Times, Dec. 23-24, 1919.) National Photo Company

Arlington, Virginia, 1917. "U.S. Army motorcycle and sidecar at Fort Myer." Harris & Ewing Collection

August 1922. Washington, D.C. "Eslie Williams." The officer and his Henderson #1. National Photo Company Collection

Washington, D.C., 1924. "Roache #5." At the Library of Congress. National Photo Company Collection

Washington, D.C., circa 1918. "Woman on motorized bicycle." What won't they think of next! Harris & Ewing Collection

Sept. 15, 1937. "Although she weighs only 88 pounds -- one-third of the machine she rides -- Mrs. Sally Halterman is the first woman to be granted a license to operate a motorcycle in the District of Columbia. She is 27 years old and 4 feet, 11 inches tall. Immediately after receiving her permit, Mrs. Halterman was initiated into the D.C. Motorcycle Club -- the only girl ever to be accorded this honor." Harris & Ewing Collection

1915. "Baker and O'Brien, transcontinental motorcyclists, at north of Ellipse below White House." Dick O'Brien and Bud Baker were two "Washington high school boys" who made a five-month, 10,000-mile round trip to the West Coast to see the California expositions. Said Dick: "Our experiences will prove mighty interesting when we start to tell them." Harris & Ewing Collection.
 

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#41 ·
this may be my favorite thread ever. I absolutely love the old pics. I took the time to open every one of them and study them as best I could. great thread and great pics. thanks for sharing.

That Zundapp bike looks very well built. very clean lines and very modern looking. I'd say almost ahead of their time?
 
#49 ·
I don't think the second picture is old. He has a Nitrous tank strapped to the bike and there is a "Harley Parking Only" sign behind him. I think it's just a B&W photo of a dude trying to look as old timer. Is that a SOA tee shirt under his coveralls?
 
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#53 ·
My friend Al Wertheimer shot this from the passenger seat over Elvis' shoulder while on his '56 KH. Its not one of the more common of his series. He tried to do the equivalent of a selfie also at the time but only got the top of his head or tip of his nose, I forget. He told me years ago.

 
#57 ·
Pimp out that ride

June 17th, 1977, Cleveland, Ohio — Plumber Sam Green drives his customized Harley-Davidson motorcycle on a tree lined street in Cleveland. Green added hundreds of lights, horns, and chrome balls, as well as a television, canopy, CB radio, and tape deck. — Image by © Bettmann/Corbis
 

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#71 ·


My father, 89, was telling me last night that he remembered as a kid the circus that used to come to Lawrence, MA, Barnum and Baileys, and their train stayed on their own dedicated track. They set up at what he called Pingree's field which was the grounds I believe of an old 19th century box company (the D.W. Pingree Co' box shop). There's a new Cumberland farms there now but for years the site was a long closed ford dealership I remember them building in the '60s. He said he remembered the big ring where they ran motorcycles around the inside. I took that to mean the Wall of Death. This pic is 1929 at Revere Beach, from carny world: the wall of death / with sidecar and lion
 
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