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Black-and-white photo of car from 1910s driving on mountain dirt road with view of snow-capped mountain in the backgroudn.
Detroit Electric auto on promotional tour through mountains from Seattle to Mt. Rainier. Photo by Cress-Dale Photo Co., 1919. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ds.08198

Finding Pictures: Automobiles

Posted by: Melissa Lindberg

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Let Prints & Photographs Division Reference Librarian Gillian Mahoney take you for a four-wheeled tour of car-related images from the collections this Wednesday, November 20 at 3:00pm EST. Explaining her interest in P&P’s extensive pictorial representation of cars, Gillian notes that, “images of cars in our catalog offer a fascinating glimpse into automotive and industrial history, and they can also unearth lesser-known stories about topics as varied as female race car driver Joan Newton Cuneo and electric cars from the early 20th century. These images reveal how cars have become so integral to our national culture and our built environment.”

If the topic and the images in this post pique your interest, be sure to tune in for tomorrow’s webinar. If you can’t make it, the recording will be available on the Library of Congress website soon.

Black-and-white photo shows woman in driver's seat of early 20th century race car.
Mrs. Joan Newton, Cuneo [automobile]. Photo by Bain News Service, undated. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ggbain.02003
Color photo of blue cars on assembly line, circa 1970s-1980s suspended in air.
General Motors Plant [Linden, New Jersey]. Photo by Bernard Gotfryd, between 1970 and 1980. https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/gtfy.07227

Black-and-white photograph shows line of cars on street with power lines and motel signs in background.
Rush hour traffic. Cape Canaveral, Fla. Photo by Thomas J. O’Halloran, February 1, 1962. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/ppmsca.39630
Colorful poster features 1920s automobile driving along road with view of mountains and lake in background.
New safety Stutz–Stutz 8. Stutz Motor Car Company of America, Indianapolis, U.S.A. Circa 1925. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g02313

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