A photo of Spring Street looking north from about 4th Street has been listed on EBay. Our landmark is the Steinway piano ad on the side the building. Bidding on this postcard starts at $5.49.

Here’s a better view:

This postcard, dated 1907, shows the ad for the Geo. J. Birkel Co., 345-347 S. Spring.

March 23, 1902: Geo. J. Birkel Co.

The important thing about this image is that there appears to be a building in the middle of Spring Street, which veered off at an oblique angle at 1st Street until it was straightened during construction of the present City Hall.

Other things to notice: Two sets of streetcar tracks, one northbound and the other southbound, and the early style of streetlights. Birkel moved to Spring in October 1901 and the absence of automobiles would tend to place this image before 1910.

And here’s what it looks like now:

Photo: Spring Street looking north near 4th Street via Google maps’ street view.