# Vintage images from early 1900s "American Carpenter and Builder"



## rosethornva (Aug 15, 2010)

Color me nutty, but I collect old American Carpenter and Builder magazine. This was *the* magazine of it's day and has so much cool stuff in it. 

Here are a few of my favorite finds in the old catalog. 

First, from the early 1920s, a gas station built in HOLLAND, Michigan. The key word is "Holland."



















I'd love to know if it's still standing. 

And here's a one-horsepower concrete mixer from an early 1910s American Carpenter and Builder. 










An ad for a Monitor-top GE refrigerator. BTW, some of these things are still around today. I've read that they made perfect sense, because the heat was naturally dispersed through the top. 










A self-explanatory ad for carpenters who are feeling a pinch during the lean times of winter.









And a combination bath for men and women, girls and boys. Can you spell "L A W S U I T"? I thought you could. 









And the last is from Ladies' Home Journal (circa 1910). She got really upset by using the wrong type of lard.


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## Tom Struble (Mar 2, 2007)

where on earth did you get a picture of Lone mixing cement??:blink:


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## Mike Finley (Apr 28, 2004)

And a combination bath for men and women, girls and boys. Can you spell "L A W S U I T"? I thought you could. 










That's awesome!


If anybody ever wants to have some fun, go pick up some old 1920s, 1930s, 1940s popular science or magazines like that. You can usually buy them for $2-$5 bucks and you will get a crazy kick out of them.

They are full of stuff presented as new or cutting edge, that you are demoing regularly now.

I remember one ad that was talking about how you could make Big, big money installing VCT (asbestos and all!)

Then of course there are the awesome old tool ads in the back. A sweet ass craftsman electric saw with no guard for about $300 bucks, probably equivlent to paying $4000 for it now.


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## 480sparky (Feb 1, 2009)

Old Sparky stuff:


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

My limited research shows that the windmill gas station was located off old U.S. 31 (which became Old Sagatuck Road) at 32nd street.
There is now a Comfort Inn there (I think)..... or it could have been on the corner where the Marathon station is now.

Sorry, that's all I could dig up.... and I'm not all that positive about this info since it is second hand.

It was a Shell station, by the way... this much is probably fairly accurate because I saw a small Shell sign out in front of the station.

This:


> "CHAN'S PLACE" WINDMILL SHELL GAS STATION, HOLLAND, MICHIGAN. CIRCA 1920'S. This was torn down in 2005. It is amazing it stood for that long. It is too bad that many of these historic buildings succumb to time. At least we can remember them through images. It was a very neat roadside attraction.


came from an ebay site selling a very nice, sharp photograph of the station.


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## Ragebhardt (Apr 25, 2010)

rosethornva said:


> Color me nutty, but I collect old American Carpenter and Builder magazine. This was *the* magazine of it's day and has so much cool stuff in it.
> 
> Here are a few of my favorite finds in the old catalog.
> 
> ...


No the station is not still standing.
But I would like to know more about it.
Wonder where it was located, who owned it, ect.
May try to do a little research.
I have many books on early Michigan history.
I live only about 15 miles from Holland.


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## Willie T (Jan 29, 2009)

We have a tacky 'dinosaur' gas station about 50 miles up the road from us near Weeki Wachee Springs. At least I think it's still there... I haven't used that road in well over a decade.


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## Paulie (Feb 11, 2009)

Ragebhardt said:


> No the station is not still standing.
> But I would like to know more about it.
> Wonder where it was located, who owned it, ect.
> May try to do a little research.
> ...


I actually have a client that knows a LOT about Holland and has access to old stuff like that. To get a idea, he lives in a old railroad trolley car.


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## Paulie (Feb 11, 2009)

Whoops wrong pic. Here it is.


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## Ragebhardt (Apr 25, 2010)

Paulie said:


> Whoops wrong pic. Here it is.


That's cool.
Is that in Holland.
Next time I see Larry or Percilla Massie I will ask about the station.
Larry prob knows more about the history of this area than any one else around.


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## Diamond D. (Nov 12, 2009)

Willie T said:


> We have a tacky 'dinosaur' gas station about 50 miles up the road from us near Weeki Wachee Springs. At least I think it's still there... I haven't used that road in well over a decade.


 
I'd bet that was a Sinclare station.

D.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

So Rose...what do you have on the Sears or other companies cement block making machines? Like the "Wizard"?


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## rselectric1 (Sep 20, 2009)

Rose, 

I just love your threads like this. I'm a history nut too.

Check this site out.

http://imaginationimagesofiowa.com/inspired-in-iowa-panoramics/

It's a side business for one of our members. (480Sparky)

His panoramics are taken from the exact position only 100 years later.


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## abacab (Sep 16, 2009)

I've probably driven by that windmill a time or two as a kid. Once in awhile I get a job in Holland. I'm surprised it wasn't torn down till 2005, usually they try to preserve stuff like that.


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## rosethornva (Aug 15, 2010)

joasis said:


> So Rose...what do you have on the Sears or other companies cement block making machines? Like the "Wizard"?


You would NOT believe how many inquires I get about the Sears block-making machine, "The Wizard."

I'd love to know why that was so popular!

More about the Wizard here.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

rosethornva said:


> You would NOT believe how many inquires I get about the Sears block-making machine, "The Wizard."
> 
> I'd love to know why that was so popular!
> 
> More about the Wizard here.


It never occurred to me, but many, many of the older buildings I know of on farms had foundations that were obviously cast from machines like that, since freighting in cement blocks would have been cost prohibitive. 

I sort of collect old bricks, that is, ones that can be readily identified as to where they were made, i.e., HENNESSEY OT, meaning made in Hennessey, Oklahoma Territory, stamped red bricks were made here, in around 1904. Apparently many towns had their own brick making plants, as such, and the reason was due to the expense of shipping bricks. Some were stamped with a cross pattern, seen on sidewalks, some with raised "frogs" to allow as use for street pavers, and the desirable bricks for collectors have the name of the town and or state pressed in them. I will shoot and post a few pictures when I can, but in short, they are kind of interesting as a snap shot into history. I have one brick that is highly desirable...stamped simply OSP....meaning it was made by inmates at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, probably prior to 1910. The last brick I added to my collection was a CHICKASHA IT, meaning Chickasha, Indian Territory (Oklahoma was divided into to halves, Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory)


Sorry for the poor quality, I will try to wash them and shoot a few wet pictures so you guys can see them...the first is a double press (rare) I am saving for a real collector to trade for one I don't have, the second down and to the bottom, then top and bottom on the right are: 

CURRIOR
STILLWATER OKLA

TULSA VIT BRICK CO
TULSA IT

FRANCIS
BOYNTON, OKLA
VITRIC B CO

CLEVELAND
VIT BRICK CO
OKLAHOMA CITY

BARTLESVILLE
VIT BRICK CO
BATLESVILLE
IT


I bet all you you have seen old bricks like these, and there are collectors for this these....


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## rosethornva (Aug 15, 2010)

joasis said:


> It never occurred to me, but many, many of the older buildings I know of on farms had foundations that were obviously cast from machines like that, since freighting in cement blocks would have been cost prohibitive.
> 
> I sort of collect old bricks, that is, ones that can be readily identified as to where they were made, i.e., HENNESSEY OT, meaning made in Hennessey, Oklahoma Territory, stamped red bricks were made here, in around 1904. Apparently many towns had their own brick making plants, as such, and the reason was due to the expense of shipping bricks. Some were stamped with a cross pattern, seen on sidewalks, some with raised "frogs" to allow as use for street pavers, and the desirable bricks for collectors have the name of the town and or state pressed in them. I will shoot and post a few pictures when I can, but in short, they are kind of interesting as a snap shot into history. I have one brick that is highly desirable...stamped simply OSP....meaning it was made by inmates at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary, probably prior to 1910. The last brick I added to my collection was a CHICKASHA IT, meaning Chickasha, Indian Territory (Oklahoma was divided into to halves, Oklahoma Territory and Indian Territory)


Very interesting! And another aside: Sears Homes were complete kits, shipped in 12,000 pieces and included every thing you'd need to build your house, but...

These kits did NOT include masonry or plaster - due to shipping weight. 

The average Joe purchased a kit home hoping to save a few bucks. On average, you'd save 30-50% by buying a kit home and building it yourself (compared to traditional stick-built homes). So, if you're an average guy trying to save some money, you'd probably be willing to make your own blocks, too. 

The image below is from an old Sears specialty catalog, devoted to cement. I love this picture because - at first glance - it looks like a reverse evolution graphic.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

Follow this link to see the Oklahoma bricks, and the home page to see the ones from your own state. 

And, some of you might not know, buy Vit meant vitrified, and many bricks were labeled VBTC which was vitrified brick and tile company....

http://www.tlgwindpower.com/tweety/50states/oklahomabrick.htm

This is one I am searching for: http://www.tlgwindpower.com/tweety/images/bricks/Ohio_Oklahoma_Oregon/Okla_ComahchiIT.jpg

This is a clean example: http://www.tlgwindpower.com/tweety/images/bricks/Ohio_Oklahoma_Oregon/Okla_HennesseyOTwirecut.jpg


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## kswoodbutcher (Dec 4, 2010)

:thumbsup: Thanks for the brick link Joasis. We had two brick companys here in the early 1900's. It was the free gas in the ground that brought these companys here at that time.


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## Joasis (Mar 28, 2006)

I bet Rose is not going to like my post....it will "force" her to learn a lot of new stuff.. :laughing: ..like the collector that got me hooked. He has over 8000.....I just concentrate on the Oklahoma bricks.....:whistling


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