3 things you should see in this photo of 1920s Dayton life

This photograph of Ludlow Street looking north from the intersection with Fifth Street was taken by Dayton photographer William Lutzenberger sometime between 1912 and 1920. DAYTON METRO LIBRARY / LUTZENBERGER COLLECTION

Credit: Dayton Metro Library

Credit: Dayton Metro Library

This photograph of Ludlow Street looking north from the intersection with Fifth Street was taken by Dayton photographer William Lutzenberger sometime between 1912 and 1920. DAYTON METRO LIBRARY / LUTZENBERGER COLLECTION
Lifestyles
By Lisa Powell
June 9, 2016
X

In some photos, there's just too much going on to notice.

That's the case with this photo looking north on Ludlow Street at the intersection with Fifth Street, taken sometime in the early 1900s. The photo was first collected to be featured in the Then & Now photo presentation of Dayton's past and present. But the more you look at it, the more you see.

Here are three cool things to notice:

1. The missing letter. On the left, past the discarded bicycle, the sign for Wurlitzer Pianos is missing a letter.

2. The one looking at us. The only person aware of the photographer is a mustachioed man in the lower right hand corner of the frame with one hand at his waist and the other resting on top of a wagon.

3. The wonderful light bulbs. The sign for the Colonial Theatre at the left side of Ludlow Street has beautiful individual light bulbs that would have illuminated the intersection in the evening.

» READ MORE: Photograph details life in Dayton in early 1900s

» MORE HISTORY EXTRA: All 41 features in the series

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