Stromberg-Carlson Factory“ROCHESTER N.Y. - Independent telephone company customers of Stromberg-Carlson Co. won’t have to hold the line on these phones. They are being turned out twice as fast now to keep pace with the rate of orders. Employee Emily Donaruma holds three of the phones, first to be made for civilian use since Pearl Harbor.    9/19/45″

This human interest photo/caption captures the spirit of the times, when the U.S. forged ahead to meet the demand for products that had been scarce during wartime. The photo was transmitted by Acme News Pictures (later to become United Press International) and picked up by the Cleveland Press. A seldom-seen view inside the Rochester facility, it shows what are most likely Stromberg-Carlson model 1222/1223’s, but could possibly be 1243’s. Boy, what I wouldn’t give to have just one row of those brand-spankin’ new S-C’s!
It makes me crazy when I see great vintage photos on the internet presented in postage stamp size. Old photos capture a moment of history, so shouldn’t they be preserved with fidelity? I’ve included a much larger version of the photo as well as a scan of the back.