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On the date

Saturday, January 20, 1900

From the day

Perspective: The Street Photographer · Sight

The sleet clings to my wool coat as I crouch, framing a Gibson Girl through my viewfinder; she’s a vision in heavy lace, her S-bend corset casting a sharp, regal silhouette against the slushy New York street. Blimey, it’s a struggle to keep my fingers limber enough to wind the film while these massive Zeppelin airships haunt the headlines over at the newsstand. Nearby, a dapper fellow curses at the rising cost of petrol, fumbling for an extra coin now that the price has climbed to a full **$0.10** per gallon. I ignore the grumbling about industrial trusts and wait for the perfect moment when the gaslight catches the glint of her high collar.

Memories from that day

No memories yet. Add yours if you remember this day.

Best-selling Sheet Music

A Bird in a Gilded Cage

Harry Von Tilzer

The must-have

Lionel Trains

Slang

Slang of the decade

General

bullyfit as a fiddleblockhead

Aristocrat

capitalmy wordbally

Working Class

gadzooksblimeychump

Catchphrases of 1900

  • Speak softly and carry a big stick

Tech Check

Kodak Brownie Camera, Zeppelin Airships & Escalators.

Style of 1900

Silhouette: S-bend corset and pouter pigeon chest

Material: Lace, silk, and heavy wool

  • Gibson Girl hair
  • Parasols
  • High collars

Cost of Living (1900)

Loaf of Bread

$0.05

Gallon of Gas

$0.10

Average Home

$3,200

New Car

$1,000

Time Elapsed

46,210 days ago

(126 years, 220 days)