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Silver Spring, Maryland, circa 1926. "North Washington Realty Company." National Photo Company Collection glass negative. View full size.
I was watching a local station (in Maryland) and they were interviewing graduates from Bliss Electrical School. Bing! I've heard of that! Love Shorpy!
The streetcar destination sign confirms the location. Even though the car has been turned for the trip into town, it still says "Ga & Alaska Ave." My 1927 map shows that intersection right on the border, and Eastern Avenue not yet built. Trolleys showed that intersection as their terminus until service ended, and buses after that. Because of a bend in Eastern, that street and Blair Road intersect Georgia Avenue in Maryland.
If Elizabeth Stewart and the Anonymous Tipster with the map are, indeed, correct, then this photo shows where I live today, at the apartment complex on Blair at the intersection of Eastern. How cool it is to see it 80some years ago! (And, man,there was NOTHING here at the time.) And to see the transit of the time -- also very awesome. I'm a transit nerd.
went to Bliss Electrical School, graduated 1939.
In the black overcoat -- that's Lemony Snicket! I'd know him anywhere!
The bus is rather unusual, in that the rear wheels are below the last row of seats. Every other bus I've seen, even a very short one, has about a third of the seats behind the rear axle. Reduces wear and tear on the front wheels.
Bliss Electrical School, touted on the sign at right, was absorbed into Montgomery Junior College (now Montgomery College) when it took over the Bliss campus in Takoma Park. It is close to the Georgia Avenue, Blair Road and Eastern Avenue intersection.
Is the carved logo above the "Maryland State Line" sign the first generation of the colorful "Welcome to..." state entry signs we see on today's Interstates? I can't make out the picture, is it a ship?
The perfect place for an electrical school wouldn't you say?
What an assortment of class projects!
Add the fact that there's a streetcar line and it's a safe bet that this is at the modern-day intersection of Georgia Avenue, Eastern Avenue and Blair Road. The photographer's vantage point can be closely approximated via Google Maps:
Alfred Hitchcock makes his customary appearance.
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