Amazing 1911 Movie of NYC

[ShawnLancaster]

I just ran across this 1911 walking tour of NYC.  At the 4 minute mark - you see a wealthy family and their driver (very clearly) and the license plate #65465 NY.   Any idea on how to track down this # to see who the owners/ driver was?  Ideas on the year/make/model of the car? Thought it would be a cool research project. Imagine seeing a member of your family 110 years ago moving around? 

 

Here's the link: 

 

[mike6024]

Vintage car enthusiasts will find plenty in Brooklyn Life  to feed their passion. The Motoring section contains images of early motor cars and earnest discussions of the value of "self-starters" and other innovations, the virtues of new models such as the Peerless Standard 48 h.p. six-cylinder touring car, or the Buick Colonial Coupe. The magazine notes outstanding drivers such as Mrs Pauline Stern of New York, as of 1911 "the only woman in America who was ever able to control a Transcontinental 'Big Benz 50.'"   Mrs Stern, her son and her chauffeur drove across America "From Hell Gate to the Golden Gate" on a single set of tires.

 

 

A BUICK MODEL '34' 32 HORSE-POWER RUNABOUT. Going over a part of the bank at 188th Street, East of Broadway, that no other motor-car has ever climbed.  If you doubt this picture is accurate drop in at the Buick salesroom, Broadway and 55th Street, and A.L. Newton, the retail sales manager, will see that you get a demonstration over this very spot.

Edited February 28, 2020 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[mike6024]

It is in this info

 

http://www.newspapers.com/newspage/83220374/

 

July 1, 1911
Brooklyn Life from Brooklyn, New York · Page 5

 

BRQOKlN LIFE. Automobile Owners of Brooklyn and Long Island. 1911 LICENSES. All new cars never lefore registered with the date of their registration at Albany v. June 2, 59887 Ford E. Gifford, Rockville Center, L.I. June 3, 59903 Packer Ethel E. Grace, Manhasset, L.I. 59908 Ford Owen W. Humphrey, Jr., Freeport, L.I. 59912 Cadillac Clinton G. Ford, Bayside, L.I. 59915 Stoddard Arthur, Endcrs, 1035 East Fourteenth St. 59922 Buick W. J. Gilpin, 1300 Dean St. ' 59923 Locomobile J. R. Gibb; Glen Cove, L.I. 59924 Hudson Theodore B. Johnson, 283 Carroll St 59931 White Henry C. Phipps, Roslyn, L.I. 59933 Buick Ludwin Baumann, Far Rockaway, L.I. , ' 59935 Pope J. J. Lattemann, 179 Hancock St. 59936 Ford Samuel Osborne, 399 Fifth Ave. 59942 Waltham George -W. Fitz, Peconic, L.I. 59943 Panhard Walter Wickes, Hewlett, L.I. 59949 Chalmers-Detroit Carl W, Kimball, -1462 Avenue G. 59951 Ford Wm. F. Haslack, 611 Linden Ave. 59954 Buick H. L. Quick, 521 East Nineteenth St. 59955 Chalmers-Detroit J. J. Requa, 1193 Atlantic Ave. 59956 Ford Theodore R. Wheeler, Valley Stream, L.I. 59957 - Ford Thomas V. Barbuth, 210 Calyer St. 59963 Cadillac Peabody & Downing, Arverne, L.I. 59965 Fiat Arthur J. Ruth, Bay Nineteenth St. 59966 National Wm. C. Pettee, 552 Third St. 59968 Herreshoff M. W. Davis, 364 Webster Ave. 59971 Herreshoff Geo. W. Copeland, Lawrence, L.I. 59972 Pope George W. Copeland, Lawrence, L.I. -59974 Buick Auer & Sons, 648 Lexington Ave. 59987 . Searchmont Arthur Ray, Woodhaven, L.I. 59995 Jackson C. D. Mills, 151 Bainbridge St. 59997 Regal Louis E. Miller, 590 Bedford Ave. 59999 Ford R, D. Grimmer, Hempstead, ' L.I. 60729 De Cauville Benj. Alex. Morris, 2922 West First St. 60847 Ford John W. Hillman, Northport, L.I. ' June 5.-: '";.: . , ... ' 61354 Maxwell Washburn Fancher, Hampton, L.I. 61399 Rainier G. F. Haight, 1647 Ocean Ave. 62377 Oldsmobile A. "...C. Jackson, Rockville Center, L.I. June 6. 63421 : Panhard Margaret R. Flaherty, 170 Hawthorne St. 63457 Aerocar Albert Parker, 160 Beverly Road. 63544 Hay nes John H. Mowen, 1 Arlington Place. 63565 Northern Everett Hiscox, Patchogue, L.I. , June 8, 65005 Overland J. A. Crosby, 1642 East Eighteenth St. Pope B. Richardson, 839 Fifty-fourth St. Ford Joseph Fallek, 7407 Third Ave. E.M.F. Leonard, Jacob, Westbury, L.L Lozier Ernest Hammerspher, 912 Bedford Ave. Ford J. Z. Kelley, 66 Kenilworth Place. Maxwell John A. Herrick, Southampton, L.I. Overland Clyde E. Black, 640 Eastern Parkway. Cadillac Otto E. Baumann, Richmond Hill, L.I. American Eugene Christian, 43 Seventh Ave. Rainier Thomas A. McWhinney, Lawrence, L.I. Pierce Edison Electric Co., 360 Pearl St. Ford Warren S. Simmons, Astoria, L.I. Studebaker Walter J. Kay, 1358 f Fifty-sixth St Hupmobile Allen Fuller Morse, Westbury, L.I. MathesonB."H. Pierce, 54 Martense, St' Overland Harold Buck, Hewlett, L.I. ' ' : Panhard Saratoga Auto Top Co., College Point, L.I. Marion John G. Kaholy, Jr.", Bay' Shore, L.I. ' Oldsmobile F, J. F. Coady, 304 Washington Ave. Dietrich Mandell Rosenzweig, 394 Fifth Ave. Autocar S. B. Balcon, 149 Herkimer St Ford Stephen Lagamarzino, Oyster Bay, L.I. - - - - Oakland James P. Stevenson, 107 St Mark's Ave. Leon Kaufman Mandell, 442. Ocean Parkway. Ford E. Von Hoven, 1045 East Ninety-sixth Street. E.M.F. J. C. Dangler, 411 Classon Ave. Stevens R. G. Simonds, 1460 Fiftieth St , Pope Charles A. Blades, 62 Fifth Ave. Chalmers-Detroit C, W. DeVier, ,553 Eighth St. Ford George V. Bulleni Great Neck4 L.I. " Ford E. B. Lockwood, Jamaica, L.I. Ford Roger N. Ames, Hempstead, L.I. Stevens Jerry F. Mower,! 510 Fulton St. Hudson John Doty, Hempstead, L.I. Columbia Charles M. Edwards, 712 Pacific St Maxwell George E. Kaiser, Jr., Far Rockaway, L.I, . , . Maytag I. C. De Beuckelaere, Astoria, L.I. Stearns William A. Higgins, 1181 Dean St.. Ford Charles A Marvin, 276 Clinton St Abbott F. H. Baldwin, .150 Sixth Ave. ., Hupmobile Charles W. Brown, Riverhead, L.I. Cadillac Mrs. C. Grace Tobey, Islip, L.I. -Cadillac F. L. Johanus, Setauket, L.I. Overland Dr. E. O. Darbois, 425 Fifty-eighth St Cadillac Nicholas Bonnlander, 1509 DeKalb Ave. Maxwell F. L. Rhodes, Hicksville, L.I. Pope John C. F, Seeth, 387 Sixteenth St. Autocar Bryant L. Young, unent, u.u E.M.F. Dr. Joseph Hartramft, Southold, L.I. Maxwell Edward C. Daly, 24 Rogers Ave. Jackson George B. Keene, Hempstead, L.I. Lewis Turner Taft, 733 Church Ave. Reo Mrs. C. A. Reigelman, Woodmere, L.I. : Ford D. Sanford Davison, Rockvilli, Center, L.I. Buick W. Stohman, 90 South Ninth St 65009 65011 '65015 65020 65021 65023 65024 63026 65030 65032 65036 65040 65043 65045 65047 65048 65049 65050 65052 65053 65057 65060 65061 65063 65069 65070 65074 65081 65083 65093 65094 65095 65097 65098 65099 65102 65103 65107 65HO 65UI 65112 65U5 65H6 65120 65123 65127 65129 65131 65133 65141 65146 65147 65148 65151 65154 Pope Anna Warner, 1663 Rockaway Ave. Willys Louis F. Page, 987 East Thirty-fourth St. Panhard Nicholas Doria, 172 Stone Ave. Cadillac Otto R. Koechl, 47 Montgomery Place. Royal Walter Schutte, Port Washington, L.I. Ford Fred Huss,' 364 Classon Ave. Packard Emily W. Munson, 220 New York Ave. Mitchell Joseph O'Connell, 190 Eighth Ave. Overland Charles H. Tracy, 459 Fulton St. Winton Charles E. Hyde, Port Washington, L.I. L.I. 65160 65163 65170 "65175 '"65176 651771 65179 65182 65188 65199 June 9, 65202 . Stevens Charles W. Cornell, Little Neck, 65205 Maxwell Henry E. Jones, 1590 Fulton St. 65206 ' Studebaker Dr. Hampton P. Howell, Westhampton Beach, L.I. 65210 Buick Eugene J. Radle, College Point, L.I. 65215 Chalmers-Detroit Henry Meyer, Union Course, L.L 65219 Jackson Frank Hug, 710 Flushing Ave. 65224 Ford Montague Lee, 137 St. James Place. 6529 Maxwell August V. Denis, 53 Berkeley Place. ' 65232 Cadillac John E. King, Islip, L.I. 65233 Metzger National Sugar Ref.' Co., Long Island City, L.I. 65240 Buick H. M. Dickover & Sou, 5907 New Utrecht Ave. 65248 Panhard George Collins, 2508 Glenwood Road. .. 65259 Haynes Freling H. Smith, 125 McDonough St - 65261 Buick H. A. Trimm, 249 Fenimore St. t 65266 G.E.C. New York & Queens Eltc. Power Co., L.I. City, L.1 65268 L'ocomobile George V. Brower, 1084 Park Place. 65269 Autocar Thos. W. Wood's Sons, 252 Third. St. 65272 International Justus Reo & Sons, Patchogue, L.I. : 65273 Mitchell Justus Reo & Sons, Patchogue, L.I. - ' 65276 Haynes Jesse A. Ilartman, Woodhaven, L.I. 65277 Cadillac J. B. Cronin, 573 Clinton St. ' , , 65278 Maxwell A. L. Burroughs, 564 Macon St. 65279 Cadillac Joseph J. Campbell, 284 Moffat St. 65283 ' Ford A. Schnitzler, Jr., 429 Sixteenth St. . 65285 Chalmers-Detroit E. W. Rider, Seventy-fifth St. & Second Ave. 65291 Reo E. L. Litchen, 159 Ridgewood Ave. 65297 Buick Sebastian Wuchter, Hicksville, L.I. 65302 Matheson Harry H. Hoyt, 634 Tenth St. 65303 Buick Japes. D. Tullis, Astoria, L.I. 65307 Oldsmobile Herbert O. Hyatt, 131 Buckingham Road., 65309 Marion Charles F. Young, Jr., 866 President St. 65313 Crow Emil Gerrerich," 1510 Cortelyou Road. ' " 65321 Atlas E. H. Bancker, 4 St. Paul's Court 65322 Owen George G. Waldebauer, Patchogue, L.I. 65327r Studebaker John, McNamee, 237 " Jefferson Ave. ,5328 Chalmers-Detroit Charles T. DeMott, Mineola, L.I. ; 65329 Ford Charles T. DeMott, Mineola, L.I. 65330 Cadillac Walter S. Ross, 329 Seventy-third St. 65337 Buick Robert Worm, Long Island City, L.1. 65339 Pope D. W. Waugh, 388 Clinton St. . 65343 Peerless-7-S. A. Smith, Huntington, L.I. 65344 Maxwell R. J. Francisco, Hotel St. George. - 65348 Regal Charles A. Clarke, 179 Ninth Ave. 65355 Cadillac Charles S. Topping, 879 Glenmore Ave.. 65363 Locomobile Loir Iasigi, Great Neck, L.I. 65372 Mitchell Albert B. Hutzel, Flushing, L.I. " 65381 Chase Robert E". Sealy, Cedarhurst, L.I. 65384 ' Hupmobile R. H. Ingalls, Oyster Bay, L.I. : 65387. Buick Joseph A. Eagon, 363 Monroe St ,',, 65393 Lasorts Mrs. F. H. Kelsey, 219 Sixty-fifth St. 65397 Nance Adolf Johnson, Greenport, L.I. . 65398 Ford Fillmore Matthias, Huntington, L.I. ; 65399 Chalmers-Detroit William, Titus, East Williston, L.I. . 65401 Regal Walter Raynor, Hempstead, L.I. - Baker R. M. Mead, 61 Seventh Ave. ' - - Cadillac-r-E. G. Wright, Rockville Center, L.I. Locomobile Hugo Josephy, Far Rockaway, L.I. Maxwell Solomon Ketcham, Amityville, L,I. Buick Harry. W, Seabu.ry, Roosevelt, L.I. Bartholomew R. F. Rubens, 583 Fourth St. 7 Pierce W. F. Vail 114 Garfield Place. Franklin; Charles W. Freidank, Oyster Bay, L.I. Stearns W. C. Buckley, 392 Hancock St. 4 Pierce Robert M. Sharp, Patchogue, L.I. , ; ' L Judge F, W. Nelson, 1262 Sixty-sixth St . if 65403 : 65407 65409 65410 65413 65415 65417 65419 ' 65425 . 65430 ' 65431 65432 65452 65454 65456 65461 65465 - 65470 65471 65477 "I5479 55482 Mack Charles Hudson, East Norwich, L.I. Ford Arthur B. Copley, Northport, L.1. E.M.F. Carl ' Schlatizer, 302 Grant Ave. Ford Howard B. Arthur, Smithtown, L.I. Cadillac Harrington Putnam, 404 Washington Ave. WWys Irving T. Smith, Jr., 860 St Mark's Ave. Franklin Alphon Ege, Jr., 252 Irving Ave. E.M.F. Mrs. F. Lochwicz, 548 Eighth St. Stevens C. . W. - Yanderveer, Rockville Center, JLI. Mora William F.' Russell, Southold, L.I. : Lozier James H. Bennett, 476 Second St Willys--Harry J. Humphreys, Mineola, L.I. " G.J.G. W. R. Hewlett, Babylon, L.I. " ' ' -June 13, 65501 White John P. Warner, Richmond Hill, L.I. 65502 Pope Rudolph Van Brunt, 166 Herkimer St. 65506 Reo Amelia M. Abbey, Setauket, L.I. . 65515 Winton Walter C. Roome, Greenport, L.I. 65519 J' Lozier Charles Cooke, 250 Hancock St. . 65532 Ford Walter E. Washburn, 470 Grove St. 65533 Cadillac F. J. Alexander, 879 Glenmore Ave. 65537 Ford Frank W. Collom, 205 St. James Place. 65539 Hudson John S. D. Healey, 672 Delamere Place. 65545 Stevens Arthur H. Stearns, 751 Fulton St. 65547 Hudson W A. tMcAdam, Far Rockaway, L.I. (To bt continutd.)

Edited February 28, 2020 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[John_S_in_Penna]

Wow, Mike, excellent detective work!

Only a New York history buff might be expected

to know the availability of such information.

I'm impressed.

[ShawnLancaster]

Amazingly a professional genealogist did some research on this already. Its a pretty amazing story and worth the view. : 

 

[JamesR]

Truly amazing. The historian analyzing the film indicates that the occupants of the car were aware they were being filmed, but didn't explain why. I'm sure the camera was conspicuous, but I'm not sure many people would've known what it was back in 1911. I might go to the comments section of his youtube vid and see if he explains that.

 

I found a hidden cache of many old negatives (stills) of relatives in candid shots that I had developed several years ago, and my research seemed to indicate they were also taken around 1911, so this video is interesting to me. I don't recall there being any old cars in my collection, but women's fashions are a big clue, and the women's clothing in my photos look virtually the same as clothing in the video. (Very curious, since many of my photos were taken in a small town in Oklahoma, which I would assume to be less fashionable than NYC.) I know nothing about fashion history, but it seems that pre-WW 1 women's fashions were very different than after the war....and very different from 15 years earlier.

 

Another way to identify era is through utility poles, phone wires, and building construction dates if you're willing to do some minimal research.

Edited February 29, 2020 by JamesR (see edit history)

[mike6024]

I think the key is that the license plate numbers were published in a newspaper, and that newspaper scanned, and can be searched using the Google Search engine, which searches for "strings."

 

Strings can be words, groups of letters, multiple words in a particular order, multi-digit numbers, etc.

 

If you search a combination of strings, the number on the plate + NY or New York + 1911 as the known year, then something might pop up.

 

It looks like ALL the New York license plates for 1911 were printed in that newspaper issue, July 1, 1911. And plate number 65465 is there.

 

Look at all that personal information above, all the license plate numbers, vehicle makes, owner's names and addresses.

[Dodge1934]

This seems like a good way to check for this type of thing... thanks for explaining how... I`m not a computer person but I can manage this.

My interest

I have the last plate used on my 1919 Mclaughlin and the  last plate was 1930... looking to find out more about the car history. I checked with the Saskatchewan museum and it appears none of those records were saved.   I will also try using the serial numbers to see if that turns up anything.

 

[keithb7]

I find it interesting how advanced NYC was compared to rural areas at that time. The building infrastructure, elevated trains, electricity, telephones, indoor plumbing. Elevators and skyscrapers. Massive bridges and more. Where I came from it was another 40-50 years before even some of the basic necessities arrived. 

[Lebowski]

This video is similar to the one from 1906 in San Francisco on Market Street which was made just 4 days before the earthquake destroyed a good part of the city. I remember seeing a segment on "60 Minutes" in which they did a lot of research to determine the actual date of this video including looking at the weather in the newspaper and then seeing puddles from the rain in the street to corroborate that. These old videos are really amazing....

 

 

 

 

[platelikkr]

I found this discussion by putting my great grandfather's name and address into Google, resulting in a list of automobiles he was apparently the owner of during the mid to late teens in Brooklyn NY. One of the results is this discussion. So I looked in the comments and found his name and address. I realize how the genealogist identified the family in the amazing video, and found my grandfather's info just 3 ahead of the family he discussed in the video, found in that list.

 

He is Irving T Smith 860 St Marks Pl, Brooklyn. Other references I found about him on the web were from 1914, and his registered automobiles; Pierce Arrow, Stutz Bearcat and a Fiat. Wow. I also located (finally) a photo of the house at 860 St Marks Pl which has since been demolished to make way for the Brooklyn Children's Museum.