Street scene, 1921

Not an "exciting" photo, on the face of it. It's simply a view of Washington D.C. (Pennsylvania Ave. at 14st St. NW) in 1921. But click to open it to wallpaper size, and after admiring the clarity and detail of the image (forgiving the motion effect due to slow film speed of the time), ponder some of the following thoughts:

-- the width of U.S. streets, compared to European counterparts. And not just in more recent cities out west, but here in one of the first cities of this country.

-- ample parking everywhere. Free (no meters). Facilitated by head-in positioning rather than the dreaded "parallel parking," which in turn is possible because of the width of the street, and ...

-- the absence of congestion. Apparently easily managed by the gentleman in the lower foreground with a turnable stop/go sign.

-- priority of place given to mass transit, via the trolley tracks. But still accommodating at least one horse-drawn carriage (upper right).

It must have been a pleasure to drive downtown in that era.