Police - The paddy wagon 1919 Art Print

Colorized photo from 1918
Original Title: Franklin Motor Car Co
Photographer: Harris & Ewing
Location: Washington DC

It's sort of funny how words are placed into the lexicon. Every day words you see in a cartoon and think nothing of it. Take this one for example, the paddy wagon. The paddy wagon is a police van that takes the unruly to prison. It keeps the driver safe so they aren't hurt.

But the term paddy wagon has a number of back tales of why they call it that. There is one theory, that its a derogatory term for Irish people, as many were hauled off from riots in NY. Horse carts would pick them up and haul them to jail.

However others think it was because the police were Irish, as many of them were, and Patty is a nick name for the Irish, and paddy was related to that.

What actually makes the most sense however is that they used to call it a P.D. Wagon (police dept wagon), which sounds a lot better, and was probably the truest of a...

My name is Mike Savad, I create one of a kind images. Photo realistic, is what people think of first. I specialize in job themes, such as Pharmacist, Doctor, Firemen, Lawyer, etc. Steampunk is another favorite. I'm certain you will find something that you will like. My art is inspired by Norman Rockwell and Paintings from the time of the Renaissance. Be sure to visit my Scene in Color section. I expertly restore and colorize black and white images. See the past come alive with color. Each image is painstakingly cleaned and repaired, colors are researched and shaded in. Images are designed to coordinate with the rest of my collection. The past was far more colorful than you would have imagined. Want something fun to do? Sometimes I hide...