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.
Cool is relative. Europeans still use awnings because they aren’t spoiled by ACs. I read that only 1 out 20 Parisian homes have ACs.
I knew this, my dad grew up in a limestone on eastern parkway in crown heights (if only his family had kept that building!!!!) and he is almost 70. He told me that they used the awnings to keep out the sun and keep the apartments cool in the summer so your hypothesis seems to be correct.
In order to really prove your point…. you would have to turn nyc’s clock back 80 + years and store your trash in the sub basment while using only paper garbage bags.
Jake the Snake;
Aren’t you really proving my point? It was, and is, possible to keep the garbage in the basement,without fear of rats and cockroaches. In fact, I live in a new condo in Park Slope where we keep the garbage in the basement, for appearance’s sake. No problems.
So, if it is possible to do, why is it not done in more moderate homes, like it used to be? Here I go back to my original point on this post: pride in one’s home and appearance, REGARDLESS of income. In my grandparents’ day, such standards were expected from people of all parts of society. We’ve lost that.
The best example of what I’m saying is 3rd St. between 4th and 5th avenue in Park Slope. There are about 8 brick-and-brownstone 4 story walk-ups in a row. Half have been converted to co-ops or condos, the other half are still lower income. The condos are neat, and the garbage is kept in the basement. Look at what the garbage looks like in the latter type: thrown anywhere, cans left open, overflowing with garbage. Why should this be? By the way, all of these buildings have a Super, so that is not the issue. The issue is one of standards.
Benson
In Australia we have awnings on our buildings everywhere as it’s a national obsession keeping the sun out in an energy-friendly way. I wish my Brooklyn apartment had an awning, we cook in summer as the sun pours in. I’d love it if Brooklyn shopping nabes like Fifth Avenue had awnings too, it would make shopping in summer so much cooler.
The garbage cans were kept under the “stoop” and taken out only on collection day. That way, there was no garbage actually kept inside the house. Only the “ash cans,” containing the coal ashes from the furnace, were kept in the cellar.
The awnings may have kept the houses cool, but imagine how dark they must have been with those things on the window. Gloomy.
I have the tax registry photo of the front of my Prospect Lefferts Gardens house, and it has awnings. (These photos of most NYC buildings, taken in the early 40s, can be obtained at the municipal archives in the Manhattan Surrogate’s Court building on Chambers in Manhattan) I’ve looked at other tax registry photos and the awnings were on most buildings in the early 40s.
Benson,
I was referring to pre-war tenement buildings and typical brownstones.
Sure, upscale buildings had proper garbage storage areas and still do. We’re talking about neighborhoods where you commonly see garbage left out on the sidewalks, not Park Avenue.