In the 1930's, the "New Deal" was good to Allentown. As I noted on earlier posts, our park system was enriched by monumental stone construction under the WPA. We also received one of the architectural gems of our area, the magnificent art deco post office. Constructed during 1933-34, no detail was spared in making the lobby an ageless classic. The floor is adorned with handmade Mercer tiles from Doylestown. Muralist Gifford Reynolds Beal worked thru 1939 portraying the Valley's cultural and industrial history. This incredible 74 year old photograph is the contractor's documentation of the project's progress. The back of the photo states; Taken Sept 1 - 34 showing lobby, floor, screens, desks, completed & fixtures hung
What is the story on the reversed pointing swastikas in the floor tiles? Why did they use those?
ReplyDeletenllogic, that symbol was used my american indians, and among other groups. it long predates nazi germany
ReplyDeleteI also believe that the reverse swastika was used by native americans.
ReplyDeleteFrom Wikipedia:
The swastika shape was used by some Native Americans. It has been found in excavations of Mississippian-era sites in the Ohio valley. It was widely used by many southwestern tribes, most notably the Navajo. Among various tribes, the swastika carried different meanings. To the Hopi it represented the wandering Hopi clan; to the Navajo it was one symbol for a whirling winds (tsil no'oli'), a sacred image representing a legend that was used in healing rituals (after learning of the Nazi mimic "whirling winds" the Navajo rejected the symbol).[27] A brightly colored First Nations saddle featuring swastika designs is on display at the Royal Saskatchewan Museum in Canada.[28]
I knew they weren't anything related to the modern nazi swastika, but then, why did the post office use a symbol from Hopi indians. Do we know? I just thought it interesting.
ReplyDeletei'm going to try and learn more about the post office design. perhaps at the time it was a popular motiff by the mercer tile company
ReplyDeleteAttorney (for now) Najarian, if you're wondering about copyright issues re: using the swastika as your blog's logo, I'm pretty sure you'd be safe but I'm not a lawyer
ReplyDeletethe above snark was posted anonymously by bill villa. bill and his wife angie, publish the lehigh valley somebody blog. the city affiliated blog, allentown good news, started by allentown's director of community development and former director of allentown economic development corporation, link to and enable the villa's and these sort of comments.
ReplyDeleteVilla is a troll who engages in criminal harassment. He threatens others with violence and claims that rules that apply to the rest of us have no application to him. In the next week, he is going to learn that he is bound by the same laws that apply to all of us.
ReplyDeleteI'm not big on conspiracy theories . . .
ReplyDeleteBut since you claim to be "anonymous", be sure to read Section V of the DMCA.
"As a taxpayer, i'm upset that joyce marin also implies support for the villa highjackings, by her commenting and linking to the villa blog"
ReplyDelete... jeez, quite the guilt by association S-T-R-E-T-C-H you're attempting here, Mayor Mike ;)
Back to the subject at hand, I often wondered about the reversed "swastikas" on the tile and now I know. Pretty cool info.
ReplyDeleteAlfonso Todd
this comment thread was highjacked by bill villa starting with the anon 10:48 comment. i have also deleted several other comments by villa. although the villa's now claim their the victim of the troll blog, their highjackings were the reason the troll blog was created in the first place. angie villa has deceptively portrayed me as opposed to artists and merchants, causes which she knows i champion. she has also associated me with comments disrespectful of their late daughter, although she knows i condemned such comments immediately. they have disrupted my blog by posting the same comment on it over 100 times in one day. although it was reasonable for joyce marin to have the city support the chen art show, even bringing the mayor for a press conference, it is no " stretch" to think she must disassociate herself from this behavior by the villa's on their blog.
ReplyDeleteActually, fellas, I'm anon 10:48 and I'm not Bill Villa.
ReplyDeleteanon 12:34, if you quack like a villa, then your a villa. please stay off this site
ReplyDelete... sorry to interrupt this great discussion, but I must mention that the hateful anonymous "snark" against Attorney David C. Najarian, Lynn Township Supervisor, was posted by either Bill "both barrels" Villa or his grant-seeking Stepford wife, Angie Villa.
ReplyDeleteMr. & Mrs. Villa,
Apparently, and likely because of your public hijacking of other blogs, your admitted dishonest behavior, your cyber-stalking and your shameful threats of physical violence, the "Troll Parade" blog was established, by me, to cast some sunshine on your deceptive practices, which you continue at Lehigh Valley Nobody. There are bloggers out there (other than four you regularly mention) who strongly disapprove of you and your tactics ... and ... it looks like you may be encounter some "criticism" and "dissent" from them from time to time. But since you moderate all commentary, you can try and filter the truth.
Unfortunately for you, and fortunately for the rest of us, you've also drawn the attention of some people who are not bloggers but who nevertheless take a dim view people who use the Internet to make threats and engage in cyber-stalking.
Expect to hear from these folks soon.
Please Note: these are consequences you've brought down upon yourselves and we can't help you with them.
In the future, you better thing twice before placing "anonymous snarks."
Now back to our regularly scheduled terrific discussion at a regularly BNN Top 20-Rated and coveted Morning Call Valley Blogosphere blog, "Molovinsky on Allentown."
"Expect to hear from these folks soon." Bernie O'Mcall, SS
ReplyDeleteFYI, no sign of this elite surveillance unit yet, can you give me a heads-up on their ETA as I'd like to be home when they swarm the estate ;)
wise up veela, you wont trump me a third time and this i can (burp) insure you
ReplyDeletebill villa, when you have been asked not to comment here, and you send three comments within 3 minutes to two posts, you are engaging in harassment. you have caused me to put on comment moderation several times in the last few day. i don't know when your going to be served with papers for your cyber-stalking, but i may well be your third plaintiff if you continue your activity here.
ReplyDeleteHi Michael, what I do is cyber-comedy.
ReplyDeleteSatire.
Parody.
You know, like "The Troll Parade."