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My business office has on display numerous B&W photos of the Sacramento area taken during the early 1900’s. They were on loan to our office from the Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center. I learned that these photos were taken by a local photographer in the 1920’s, and are from, “The David Joslyn Collection”. Not a lot of information was available on David Joslyn, other than his photos were taken with 8x10 negatives and that Joslyn’s subjects included railroad scenes, Sacramento businesses, and aerial shots of the downtown area. In order to use these photos on my web site, I obtained permission directly from the Sacramento Archives and Museum Collection Center.
I had been looking at these photos for quite some time and thought I even recognized some of the places. So I asked permission to take the photos home so that I could relocate the areas and do a “Then and Now” project. As it turned out, Donna, a long time friend of mine, stopped by just as I was getting ready to go out and start the project. She wanted to go with me. Great, I said! Mind you now, these prints were mounted on a metal board, each one measured about 16x20 – no small feat to carry around! During the course of the day, Donna said more than once, “Aren’t you glad I came. There’s no way you could have carried these AND taken the photos!”
As it turned out, these four photos we located were within a 10-block area of the downtown area. The first two were fairly easy, as one had the address on the front. The last two photos were harder. In order to find them we were looking at roofline styles, cornices, gingerbread, decorations on the corner of the buildings, window styles, etc.
It was really exciting when we found the first one! Then the second one! Then the third! The really funny story was one of the last places we located. I told Donna if we could get up on the top of that parking garage, I could really get a good shot!! We take the elevator, get out on the top level, and I’m clicking off some shots. Then I tell Donna, “Hey, boost me up on this ledge and I can really get a good shot!” Well, of course we’re laughing. She’s boosting me up, and I’m thinking, “Where’d all my upper body strength go?” The ledge is only 12” wide, if that. After that it’s a freefall down to the sidewalk.
What we didn’t know was that there was a parking attendant. He obviously heard us laughing. So he’s running towards us, waiving his arms, “No, stop, stop! You can’t be up there. This is a public parking lot.” I’m thinking, yeah, right, “PUBLIC” parking lot! I say, “I’m just taking pictures.” He says, “No, no picture taking!” Of course, I’m still trying not to laugh, as I say, “Okay, okay, we’re leaving!!” Donna says, “Only YOU could get us kicked off a parking garage!” ;- )
I took these comparison photos in the late winter months, which was probably a good thing, as the foliage of the trees would have blocked a lot of the views.
Click on the pictures for a closer view ...
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I took this photo of 12th & K Streets from the Hyatt Regency parking garage. Originally, this corner building housed the Pickett-Attebury Co. Fashion Shop right on the corner, and Tommy Clifton Tailor was located to the left. You can see the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament behind and to the left. Currently, “Marilyn’s” blues club is in the corner building. |
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This is a photo of the Capitol taken from the middle of 11th and I Streets. It doesn’t look like much has changed with the exception of the growth of the trees, and of course the newer cars! The Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament is on the left. And if you look closely to the rooflines on the right, the same roofline remains on the one building closest to the Capitol. |
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This was Blumberg’s Hat Works located at 1723 J Street in the 1920’s. Some of the same brickwork remains; however, the building is now vacant. 1723 is across the street from the Bread Store. |
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This is looking east on the south corner of 10th & K Streets. Again you can see the tower of the Cathedral. The theater on the north side of the street was called the Hippodrome, which is now the Crest Theater. The building between the theater and the Cathedral was known in my day as the Roos Atkins building, which is now empty. The old photo shows the signs on the south side of K Street, ‘Drugs’ and ‘Hotel Sacramento’, which is where the now empty Woolworth’s building is. |
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