"In 1905, an unknown cameraman filmed a streetcar trip along San Francisco's Market Street. The following year, the Great Earthquake struck, and he filmed the trip again. This is a five-minute silent film that edits together excerpts of his two films. Footage from the Prelinger Archives, edited by Matt Lake."
Perhaps the more startling aspect of the video to a modern viewer is the realization that a century ago people walked, ran, drove, rode bicycles and horses wherever they wanted, whenever they wanted in the streets. The first electric traffic lights weren't invented until a decade after these segments were filmed.
Via ArchaeoBlog.
Definitely "time and again" ( Jack Finney ) material.
Those kids were dodging back in forth in front of the streetcar just to do it, apparently...sort of like chicken? Looks like kids (and drivers) have been the same for a long time!
What do you mean....?
Apart from the horses - but even those can occasionally still be seen in some European cities- That observation of people moving like exactly that still are a totally normal everyday picture.
Just come over once and apparently you will get a cultureshock....
Maybe to those only familiar with US cities. What is more startling to me is that almost all the men and boys are wearing suits and felt hats. I always thought the "city folk wear suits and hats every day" meme was more of a historical romanticization than a fact of everyday life back then. The rarity of women is also unexpected and exceptional to me.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJdwzY1o7k8
Also from the same perspective
Did you notice the main difference?
Lots of cars and trucks among the horses and carriages already at in 1906 in San Francisco. But in Barcelona of 1908 - Hey look! There rides a car- how novel!
:-)