1920s: Houdini, Flappers and Window Awnings?
Who knew that these little window canopies were all the rage in Bed Stuy back in the 1920s? (This shot is from Herkimer Street.) We certainly didn’t. One occasionally sees metal versions of these over some brownstone doorways, but those probably date only as far back as the 1970s, we’d imagine. Anyone know anything about…
Who knew that these little window canopies were all the rage in Bed Stuy back in the 1920s? (This shot is from Herkimer Street.) We certainly didn’t. One occasionally sees metal versions of these over some brownstone doorways, but those probably date only as far back as the 1970s, we’d imagine. Anyone know anything about this curious craze? Perhaps it was a utilitarian move to keep sunlight out in the days before air conditioning. Photo from “Brooklyn…And How It Got That Way” by David W. McCullough.
Benson -I agree basements are cooler in the summer, BUT is your basement cool in the winter? Imagine when we were using coal to heat up these homes. Where do you live?
Metal cans were and are still tossed and banged by DSNY. They get wet when they were put out during rain or snow and we end up with trash juice that sits in the bottom. This would usually rusts out the bottom of these cans.
Why do you think we use mostly plastic cans now?
I am hgihly doubtful about some of the previous posts regarding garbage:
-the garbage didn’t “cook” in the basement. I don’t know about where you live, but in my experience most basements stay cool during the summer.
-in the old days, garbage cans were made of galvanized steel, which were highly rat-proof. There were no plastic bags in use, which are a rat’s delight. The fact of the matter is that in most high-level buildings today the garbage is still kept in the basement. Jake the Snake, would you care to point out to us the apartment buildings on the Upper East Side that have the garbage cans in front of them??
As a long time landlord/building manager with lots of garbage removal experience, I can tell you that people have ALWAYS thrown out lots of garbage.
In the old days, the cans were kept inside where rats ran rampant amongst the tenants. It was disgusting.
Eventually garbage cans were moved outdoors because folks complained to their landlords about rats and cochroaches.
Can you imagine life without Orkin or ac units and it’s a hot summer day….. The dsny missed your trash pickup so the trash that’s been cooking in your basements reeks and your lil one’s are breathing in pigeon poop from the windows all night. Yuk
In Chicago they have back alleys for garbage and driveways. There’s access to the back side of row houses.
“Despite the poor circumstances of the folks who lived in it, there are no garbage cans in sight.”
I was in Chicago a few months ago and was struck by the fact that the Victorian houses and low-rise tenements looked much better without all the garbage cans outside.
Houses in Greenpoint had these as well.
The beautifully restored Houghwout (sp?) building in Soho (1st bldg with elevator) has awnings on the first floor storefront (now staples, which financed the restoration). People think they look out of place, but pix of the original building show those windows with awnings.
Thttp://www.nyc-architecture.com/SOH/SOH030.htmhe beautifully restored Houghwout
Landmarks would probably have something to say about installing these awnings today…though presumably if you could back up a request with an old photo of your house like this they’d have to give you the thumbs-up.