NEW YORK THROUGH THE AGES SUBWAYS AND ALL

NEW YORK THROUGH THE AGES SUBWAYS AND ALL

Top hats, petticoats and NO air-con: Remarkable turn of the century footage shows life on New York City's first subway trains Footage was taken of a train's journey through the New York City subway 108 years ago The remarkable video shows a subway trip from 14th St to 42nd St When the New York City subway was barely seven months old, the American Mutoscope and Biograph Company mounted a camera on the front of a subway car following another train, and took footage of a ride through Manhattan. The footage taken on May 21, 1905 begins at 14th St - Union Square and follows the train north to Grand Central Station, whereupon the passengers alight and men in smart suits with canes and women in long dresses and elaborate hats swarm around the station. To film the subway car in front, engineers affixed the camera to a specially constructed work car fitted with lights to illuminate the dark tunnel. Historic times: Remarkable footage from 1905 shows what life was like when New York's subway was first installed All aboard: People run to board the train as it pulls in to Central Station and divests itself of its passengers Fair fare: The subway cost five cents a ride when it opened in 1904 and increased to 10 cents only in 1948 The subway of 108 years ago doesn't look too different from today's subway. Delays, track work and the infamous G train may cause current New Yorkers to complain, but these inconveniences are trifling compared to the upheaval the construction of the original subway must have caused. When it was being constructed more than 100 years ago, the subway's creators couldn't have known that in 2013, it would carry more than five million passengers daily along 842 miles of track. The subway, which is the most extensive public transport system in the world with 468 operational stations, is constantly under construction and evolving along with the city itself. Missed train: Commuters ran for the train just as today's subway customers run to catch a departing subway train Growth: The subway is now the biggest transit system in the world, but London's Tube is older at 150 years As the MTA creates a new subway line on the east side of Manhattan, New Yorkers of today can get an idea of what the construction of the line must have been like more than a century ago. The Second Avenue Subway is being built in phases. Ground was first broken in 2007 and excavation continues now for the city's newest subway tunnel 134 feet below the street. The line will not be completed until 2016. The Library of Congress said of the 1905 footage: 'At the time of filming, the subway was only seven months old, having opened on October 27, 1904. The ride begins at 14th Street (Union Square) following the route of today’s east side IRT, and ends at the old Grand Central Station, built by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1869. The Grand Central Station in use today was not completed until 1913.' Out of the darkness: The first New York subway was hailed as a feat of engineering when it was opened in 1905 Rail trail: A second subway followed the first to film its journey from 14th Street to 42nd Street in 1905 Light at the end: A specially constructed work car with lighting attached lit the subway passage as the train made its way to 42nd St Newly built: The New York subway was brand-new when the footage was taken but now it's a part of the city's identity First subway: The New York subway was groundbreaking, both literally and figuratively, when it arrived and changed the city's transport system forever How times have changed: An early subway map shows the route the first trains took under the New York streets Modernized: The New York subway has been upgraded over the years but it runs essentially as its originators had planned The Library of Congress said of the footage: 'At the time of filming, the subway was only seven months old, having opened on October 27, 1904. The ride begins at 14th Street (Union Square) following the route of today’s east side IRT, and ends at the old Grand Central Station, built by Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1869. The Grand Central Station in use today was not completed until 1913.' Before the first subway train made its historic journey in October 1904, engineers and electricians had planned the infrastructure and inner workings of the audacious public work. What they came up with more than 100 years ago has undergone upgrades and been modernized with new technologies, but the subway system is still working much as its originators had planned.   New York traces its roots to its 1624 founding as a trading post by colonists of the Dutch Republic, and was named New Amsterdam in 1626. The city and its surroundings came under English control in 1664 and were renamed New York after King Charles II of England granted the lands to his brother, the Duke of York. New York served as the capital of the United States from 1785 until 1790. It has been the country's largest city since 1790. The Statue of Liberty greeted millions of immigrants as they came to America by ship in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and is a globally recognized symbol of the United States and its democracy Manhattan Bridge tower in Brooklyn, New York City, framed through nearby buildings, in June of 1974. See this same spot today on Google Street View. (Danny Lyon/National Archives and Records Administration)  REMEMBERING OLD NEW YORK THEN  AND NOW Incredible footage of 1911 New York City is colorized by artificial intelligence in high resolution The 1911 video entitled 'A Trip Through New York City' has been brought back to life more than a hundred years later by artificial intelligence. Shot by a Swedish film production company, the black and white footage has be restored with neural networks to create a colorized, sharper version of the black and white movie. The eight-minute clip transports viewers back in time to the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park, the New York Harbor and the famous Flatiron Building on Fifth Avenue. YouTuber Denis Shiryaev posted the new video on his site which is now in 4K quality at 60 frames per second.  This 'upscaled' footage was created using neural network-powered algorithms such as Topaz Labs' Gigapixel AI and DAIN. They are freely available online and Gigapixel AI uses an algorithm which 'analyses the image and recognizes details and structures and 'completes' the image' according to its website. Share It clears up and sharpens the images even if they have been enlarged and become blurry. DAIN is the technique responsible for the enhanced frame rate as it inserts frames into an existing video clip in a similar way to 4K video smoothing. +11 The 1911 video entitled 'A Trip Through New York City' has been brought back to life more than a hundred years later by artificial intelligence. This 'upscaled' footage was created using neural network-powered algorithms such as Topaz Labs' Gigapixel AI and DAIN +11 The men are dressed in long jackets, slacks and everyone is sporting hat. All of the women are wearing dresses, with the upper classes fitted with frills and lace, and a hat to match  +11 The eight-minute clip transports viewers back in time to the Statue of Liberty, Battery Park, the New York Harbor and the famous Flatiron Building on Fifth Avenue. YouTuber Denis Shiryaev posted the new video on his site which is now in 4K quality at 60 frames per second The footage was first released in 2018 by the Museum of Modern Art. It was filmed by a team of cameramen with the Swedish company Svenska Biografteatern. The cameramen were sent around the world to take photos and videos of well-known places. The group traveled to Niagara Fall, Paris, Venice and Monte Carlo in addition to New York City. The video was 'produced only three years before the outbreak of World War I, the everyday life of the city recorded here - street traffic, people going about their business - has a casual, almost pastoral quality,' the museum wrote. The streets are roaming with trolleys, wagons, horse and buggies and a few cars are seen on the roads. +11 Using neural networks, the YouTuber was able to clear up and sharpen the images in the video, which takes you through Fifth Avenue, over the Brooklyn Bridge (pictured) and even through Battery Park +11 The famous Flatiron Building (pictured), known for its odd shape, also looks almost exactly like it did in the 1900s +11 The video was 'produced only three years before the outbreak of World War I, the everyday life of the city recorded here - street traffic, people going about their business - has a casual, almost pastoral quality,' the museum wrote. The streets are roaming with trolleys, wagons, horse and buggies and a few cars are seen on the roads The men are dressed in long jackets, slacks and everyone is sporting hat. All of the women are wearing dresses, with the upper classes fitted with frills and lace and a hat to match. While the working class, both men and women, are wearing more comfortable, cheaper clothing. The opening shot starts with a view of the Statue of Liberty and a glimpse of boats coming into the Harbor, which was the first thing seen by immigrants was traveling to the US. The Harbor has since become a tourist attraction and is still used today for tourist boats and ferries. The video takes you through Fifth Avenue, over the Brooklyn Bridge and even through Battery Park. Some of the landmarks - like the Statue of Liberty - look very much similar to how it was in 1911. Other areas have changed drastically over the past century. +11 It was filmed by a team of cameramen with the Swedish company Svenska Biografteatern. The cameramen were sent around the world to take photos and videos of well-known places. The group traveled to Niagara Fall, Paris, Venice and Monte Carlo in addition to New York City. Pictured is the view of New York City from the Brooklyn Bridge +11 The streets in 1911 were lined with trolley tracks and were mostly bustling with buggies, but a few cars were used on the roads by the upper class +11 Pictured is a scene over the Brooklyn Bridge, which appears to have more space for those taking a stroll than it does today At one point in the video, a boat is seen arriving at the Harbor with the Statue of Liberty in the background. The Harbor has become a tourist attraction and is still used today for tourist boats and ferries. Fifth Avenue in 1911 wasn't as busy as it is now. People back then weren't always in a hurry and dressed up in suits. Now, Fifth Avenue is a major tourist attraction and shopping destination. The Brooklyn Bridge has also gone through a lot of changes in the past 100 years. When the video was filmed in 1911, the bridge had a lot of space for commuters crossing the bridge. +11 The restored video transport modern day viewers back to New York City in 1911 +11 The John Ericsson statue (pictured) in Battery Park also makes an appearance in the video. The statue, in honor of the American-Swedish inventor and engineer, looks almost identical now than it did back then The bridge now has about half the space for those walking across the bridge. Herald Square in 1911 and Herald Square in 2018 have very few similarities. In the film, the New York Herald Building is seen but the building no longer exists.  The area is still known as Herald Square, but it's now full of restaurants and shopping stores. The John Ericsson statue in Battery Park also makes an appearance in the video. The statue, in honor of the American-Swedish inventor and engineer, looks almost identical now than it did back then. The famous Flatiron Building, known for its odd shape, also looks almost exactly like it did in the 1900s. 2 Boy at Bat in a Softball Game in Hiland Park, Brooklyn, in July of 1974. (Danny Lyon/NARA) # 3 Crowd gathered at the Schaefer Bandstand in Central Park to hear singer Judy Collins with a dramatic view of the towers of midtown Manhattan in June of 1973. See this same spot today on Google Street View. (Suzanne Szasz/NARA) # 4 New Yorkers line up to receive "Free Gifts" at a Herald Square store opening, in May of 1973. (Erik Calonius/NARA) # 5 Despite warning signs, illegal dumping continues in this area just off the New Jersey Turnpike facing Manhattan in March of 1973. See this same spot, now a park, on Google Street View. (Gary Miller/NARA) # 6 Midtown traffic congestion and jaywalking pedestrians, in April of 1973. (Dan McCoy/NARA) # 7 A sidewalk in the Bronx becomes a playground for youngsters, in April of 1973. (Dan McCoy/NARA) # 8 Left: A young New Yorker ready to roar off on his Honda, in June of 1973. Right: Brooklyn's Bushwick Avenue seen from an elevated train platform in New York City, June 1974. (Arthur Tress/Danny Lyon/NARA) # 9 Midsummer evening quilting bee in Central Park, sponsored by the New York Parks Administration department of cultural affairs, in June of 1973. (Suzanne Szasz/NARA) # 10 Idled traffic heading north on Sixth Avenue (Avenue of the Americas) near 42nd street, April, 1973. (Dan McCoy/NARA) # 11 Latin Youths at Lynch Park in Brooklyn, in June of 1974. (Danny Lyon/NARA) # 12 Interior of a graffiti-marked subway car, May 1973. (Erik Calonius/NARA) # 13 An auto chassis, submerged in Jamaica Bay, near Breezy Point, in May of 1973. (Arthur Tress/NARA) # 14 One of several highrise apartments whose construction was stopped by city ordinance to preserve the Breezy Point peninsula for public recreational use, in may of 1973. (Arthur Tress/NARA) # 15 Children at Riis Park, a public beach in Brooklyn, July, 1974. (Danny Lyon/NARA) # 16 Commuters on the Staten Island Ferry in New York Harbor's Upper Bay, in May of 1973. (Wil Blanche/NARA) # 17 A fire hydrant sprays water behind three young girls on Bond Street in Brooklyn, July, 1974. (Danny Lyon/NARA) # 18 An oil slick surrounds Liberty Island in New York Harbor, in May of 1973. (Chester Higgins/NARA) # 19 Holland Tunnel traffic, backed up on Canal Street, in May of 1973. See this same spot today on Google Street View.(Wil Blanche/NARA) # 20 Youngsters at play on the July 4th holiday at the Kosciusko Swimming Pool in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant District, in July, 1974.(Danny Lyon/NARA) # 21 Public pay phone stalls in use at Broadway and 34th Street, in May of 1973. The first handheld mobile phone call in history was made one month prior to this photo, in midtown Manhattan, in April, 1973, when Martin Cooper, a Motorola researcher made a call to his chief competitor Dr. Joel S. Engel, head of Bell Labs. (Erik Calonius/NARA) # 22 The World Trade Center above lower Hudson River shipping activity, seen from the Staten Island Ferry, in May of 1973.(Wil Blanche/NARA) # 23 School Children on their way home in Great Kills, on Staten Island, May, 1973. (Arthur Tress/NARA) # 24 6th Avenue and 32nd Street New York City, April, 1973. (Dan McCoy/NARA) # 25 Three Boys and "A Train" graffiti in Brooklyn's Lynch Park, in June of 1974. (Danny Lyon/NARA) # 26 Construction on Lower Manhattan's West Side, just north of the World Trade Center, May, 1973. (Wil Blanche/NARA) # 27 Abandoned "Giant Slide" at Coney Island, May, 1973. (Arthur Tress/NARA) # 28 A traffic accident on a crowded street in Harlem, in May of 1973. (Chester Higgins/NARA) # 29 Passengers wait for a Lexington Avenue Line subway on one of the platforms of the New York City Transit Authority, April, 1974.(Jim Pickerell/NARA) # 30 Students play in the wind during a school excursion on the Staten Island Ferry, crossing upper New York Bay, on June 1973(Arthur Tress/NARA) How the Big Apple grew: Photographer splices photographs taken in the early 20th century with modern scenes to show the changing face of New York City's landmarks When he arrived in New York City nine years ago, Paul Sahner began to take photographs and short videos of the city as a way of familiarizing himself with New York's topography, and to discover and explore his new city. In the years since he began the project, Sahner began to feel overtaken by a sense of urgency to document the city exactly as he was seeing it in any particular moment. 'I'm not sure if it's simply that I'm paying attention more than I used to or if there is an actual shift going on, but the rise and fall of neighborhoods seems to be taking up an accelerated pace,' he says. 'Once this time, this moment, has passed it will never return.' Sahner's project, he says, is not merely about documenting streets and buildings, but rather moments in time. In this spirit, Sahner began making fascinating 'Before and After' shots. Pairing his own contemporary photographs with shots taken from the beginning to the end of the 20th century, Sahner creates a fascinating contrast of the same place in different eras. Sahner's website NYC Grid adds another layer of interest to the comparison with a toggle function that allows users to slide back and forth across the photograph revealing more or less of the before and after images. Grand Central Terminal 1913/2013: The lower level was once only used for suburban commuter trains but the once-bare space is now the dining concourse at the station Grand Central Station 1984/2012: Not to be confused with Grand Central Terminal, Grand Central Station is a U.S. Post Office on the corner of 45th Street and Lexington Avenue Union Square West 1894/2013: The Decker Building, second from left in this block of six buildings that has stood for more than 100 years, was the site of the 1968 shooting of Andy Warhol. Sometime during WWII, the minaret crowning the building disappeared Manhattan Bridge Arch 1915/2013: The arch was built as part of the City Beautiful movement which aimed to 'to create moral and civic virtue among urban populations' New York Savings Bank 14th St and 8th Ave 1937/2013: The bank finally moved from the neoclassical structure well after the subway station opened in 1931, and the grand building is now occupied by a CVS pharmacy New York Savings Bank 14th Street and 8th Ave: When the 8th Ave/14th Street subway station first opened in 1931, the New York Savings Bank building had already been inhabiting that corner for nearly 35 years Bowling Green 1907/2013: The park is New York City's oldest at almost 300 years old, and it - along with the fence surrounding it - is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places 23 Wall Street 1917/2013: The former office of J.P. Morgan and Co., across from the New York Stock Exchange and Federal Hall turns 100 this year. A bombing damaged its facade in the 1920s and recently it has been converted into condos Bryant Park 1922/2013: Before being named in honor of William Cullen Bryant in 1884, Bryant Park was called Reservoir Square. In the 1922 shot, people watch a demonstration garden being planted near the eastern end of the park Bryant Park 1922/2013: During the 'before' period, the west side of the park was perpetually in shadow due to the Sixth Avenue elevated railway line that had been there since the late 1870's Racquet and Tennis Club 1965/2013: The Racquet and Tennis Club, an all-male social and athletic club, was built in 1918 and its height makes it a rare sight on Park Ave, where skyscrapers tower over it Grand Central Terminal ramps 1913/2013: Sahner says, 'At 100 years old, we tend to forget how forward thinking [Grand Central] is... Without stepping upon a single stair you can go from several stories underground to street level in a matter of moments' Sutton Place 1915/2013: Sutton Place was home to middle-class brownstones and the Central Park Brewery until the 1920s when rich New Yorkers began building mansions and co-ops; it's still known for its upscale apartments Park Avenue and Lever House ?/2013: Lever House was the first skyscraper of its kind, built in 1952. The date of the 'before' photo is unknown but Sahner has narrowed it down to between 1952 and 1964, based on other buildings in the shot Shea Stadium Flushing Bay Landmark Plaza Center middle left. Take off from Queen's La Guardia Airport. Upper right suspension bridge. The bridge is owned by New York City and operated by the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, an affiliate agency of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Interstate 278 passes over the bridge, connecting the Staten Island Expressway with the Whitestone Expressway and the Crossisland Parkway. The Verrazano, along with the other three major Staten Island bridges, created a new way for commuters and travelers to reach Brooklyn, Long Island, and Manhattan by car from New Jersey. Office and residential buildings stand in the financial district of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on September 21, 2010. Photographer: ASC 2 The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 3 New York City's Central Park along Fifth Avenue is viewed in this aerial photograph from a helicopter over New York on November 11, 2008. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) # 4 The United Nations (UN) Secretariat building stands along the East River in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 5 The former headquarters of Bear Stearns, now owned by JPMorgan Chase & Co., center, stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 6 The Consolidated Edison Inc. (ConEd) East River Generation Plant stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 7 Stuyvesant Town Peter Cooper Village, Manhattan's largest apartment complex, lower right, stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 8 Aerial view of Madison Square Garden, 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 9 Office and residential buildings, including the Chrysler Building, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 10 The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 11 Citigroup Center, center, stands in between Citigroup corporate headquarters, center front, and a Citi building in the Queens borough of New York, top, in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 12 Office buildings, including the headquarters of JPMorgan Chase & Co., black buliding at center, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 13 A cemetery is seen September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) # 14 An American Airlines plane flies over a cemetery September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) # 15 Office and residential buildings, including a Citigroup building, center, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 16 Office and residential buildings, including the Chrysler Building, right, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 17 Aerial view of New York Harbor showing the Statue of Liberty (C), Ellis Island and Manhattan (R), 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 18 Commercial and residential buildings stand in the financial district of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 19 Time Warner Center, foreground, stands on Columbus Circle near the Hearst building in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 20 Planes are seen at LaGuardia Airport September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) # 21 Office and residential buildings, including the Chrysler Building, right, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 22 The General Electric (GE) building stands in Rockefeller Center in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 23 Office and residential buildings surround the MetLife building in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 24 New York City's Roosevelt Island is viewed in this aerial photograph from a helicopter over New York on November 11, 2008. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) # 25 Cars pass along a highway September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) # 26 The General Motors (GM) building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 27 The headquarters of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc., left, stands adjacent to the World Financial Center in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 28 Construction cranes stand on the site of the former World Trade Center (WTC) in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 29 Aerial view of ships docked at the New York Cruise Terminal on the West Side of Manhattan, 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 30 The Woolworth Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 31 The XYZ Buildings, including News Corporation headquarters, lower right, stand in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 32 Aerial view of an athletic field and the Manhattan Bridge (R), 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 33 Aerial view of Manhattan looking south over Central Park 01 July 2007 in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 34 Construction continues on the Beekman Tower, designed by Frank Gehry, in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 35 One Bryant Park, home to the offices of Bank of America Corp., stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 36 Office and residential buildings, including the headquarters building of the New York Times Co., left, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 37 Office and residential buildings stand around the Empire State Building in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 38 The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 39 Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village, Manhattan's largest apartment complex, stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 40 The headquarters of the Goldman Sachs Group Inc. stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 41 The headquarters of American International Group Inc. (AIG) stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 42 Federal buildings surround Foley Square in downtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 43 Boats travel around the tip of the financial district of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 44 The Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse stands in downtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 45 The Daniel Patrick Moynihan Federal Courthouse, left, New York County Supreme Court building at 80 Centre Street, bottom left, the New York County Supreme Court building at 100 Centre Street, center, and the Manhattan Municipal Building, top right, stand in downtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 46 Piers stand along the Hudson River on the west side of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 47 Commercial and residential buildings stand in the financial district of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 48 The headquarters of The Goldman Sachs Group Inc., bottom left, stands adjacent to the World Financial Center in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 49 Commercial and residential buildings, including the Empire State Building, left, and Madison Square Garden (MSG), center, stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 50 The Empire State Building stands in the distance beyond the Hudson Rail Yards in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 51 Commercial and residential buildings stand in the financial district of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 52 The Chrysler Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 53 The Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges cross the East River in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 54 Governor's Island, center, sits in New York Harbor in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 55 Office and residential buildings stand in midtown Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 56 Office and residential buildings stand in the financial district of Manhattan in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 57 The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # 58 Aerial view over the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Central Park (R) 01 July 2007 in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 59 Aerial view of Manhattan looking south-west over the Lower East Side (foreground), 01 July 2007, in New York City. Lower Manhattan (L) and New Jersey are seen in the distance. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 60 Aerial view of Manhattan looking southwest over Lower Manhattan, 01 July 2007, in New York City. The Manhattan (front) and Brooklyn (rear) Bridges span the East River from Brooklyn (L). New Jersey is seen in the distance (Right). (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 61 Aerial view of Lower Manhattan looking northwest, 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 62 Aerial view of Manhattan looking north over the Lower East Side (foreground), 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 63 The Brooklyn Bridge, lower Manhattan and East River are seen in this view of the New York City skyline from the air in a helicopter above New York, April 22, 2010. (SAUL LOEB/AFP/Getty Images) # 64 Lower Manhattan is lit up as night falls September 13, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) # 65 NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 21: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) In this handout photo provided by perspectiveAerials.com, an aerial view of Yankees Stadium is seen during the game between the New York Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles on September 21, 2008 in the Bronx borough of New York City. The Yankees are playing their final season in the 85 year old ball park and plan on moving into the new Yankee Stadium across the street to start the 09 season. (Photo by perspectiveAerials.com via Getty Images) # The caverns under Manhattan: Stunning images of Second Avenue Subway tunnels several meters under New York City as workers bore their way downtown It was proposed in the first half of the 20th century to reduce congestion on the already inundated Lexington Avenue line. And decades later, after decades of red tape, the Second Avenue subway is taking form. In a series of photos posted by the MTA, deep caverns can be seen.These stunning pictures provide a unique look into the caverns below Manhattan’s Upper East Side, as workers below burrow, build, and blast the subway line into existence. The muddy underground: Construction on the Second Avenue Subway continues at the 72nd St Station, where crews have carved out tunnels and are preparing to lay down concrete over the bedrock Cut and cover: The caverns were largely carved by a tunnel boring machine as well as explosives Archway: The newer stations have been given higher ceilings than many of the existing stations, which were built decades ago Surveying: An MTA worker looks out at the skeletal 72nd St Station, wearing galoshes to avoid the muck and mire of the bedrock The MTA workers are busy at work hundreds of feet below the surface of Manhattan; these intriguing photographs show the progress along the northern reaches of the line, from 96th St to 63rd St. The 63rd St Station is being expanded to accommodate the new trains; as it stands, the F train stops at the station right before it passes into Queens. Photographs show MTA workers in orange vests sawing plywood and welding metal at the station, which still looks quite skeletal, though signal switches have been installed, as well as a few famous Helvetica-scripted signs.  One stop north at the 72nd St Station, the construction is in a more infant – and messy – state. One picture shows a small work shed next to a very muddy platform. Crews are currently working on covering the raw bedrock of the expansive cavern. Ins and outs: Left, an MTA crew works to cover the metal beams in a station, and right, various piping installed in a station Pipeline: Various pipes wait to be installed at the 72nd St station; the idea for the subway line has existed since the 1920s Busy at work: MTA crews are pictured installing the interior of a station, with one perched somewhat precariously Long way to go: The dimly-lit cavern that will one day be the bustling 72nd St Station still requires a lot of work FROM HERE TO THERE: SECOND AVENUE SUBWAY FACTS $4.45 billion project Over two miles of new tunnels from 92nd St to 63rd St New ADA-accessible stations at 96th St, 86th St, 72nd St Connection and new entrances to the existing 63rd St Station Source: MTA Bright yellow tarps can be seen throughout the station covering the top of the cavern. The unique bedrock of the island is both a blessing and a curse to crews, as it is remarkably tough, providing the perfect foundation for tunnels, but also making it a laborious task to barge through. Construction of the subway was put off by one thing after another, as world events like the Great Depression and World War II threw a wrench in the city’s plans. Planning for the current SAS line began in 2004, with the groundbreaking happening on April 12, 2007. When complete, the line will run from 125th St in Harlem, down through the Upper East Side, Midtown, downtown, and terminating in the Financial District at Hanover Square. It will serve to reduce congestion and dangerous overcrowding on the Lexington Avenue line, which typically runs at  120 percent capacity. When completed, the line will likely be designated the letter T, and designated a turquoise color. Fire and water: Crew members work with the elements in their constructing Foundations: Track work has been laid at the 63rd St station, which will connect to the F train One day: An F train enters the 63rd St station; upon completion, riders will be able to transfer to the Second Avenue Subway from the F line It made its debut in the heyday of cross-country train travel, faced demolition in the era of the auto, and got a new lease on life with a facelift in its eighth decade. Now Grand Central Terminal, the doyenne of American train stations, is celebrating its 100th birthday as a spectacular collection of photographs captures the famous transport hub and popular tourist attraction in all its glory. Opened on February 2, 1913, when trains were a luxurious means of traveling across America, the iconic New York landmark with its Beaux-Arts facade is an architectural gem, and still one of America's greatest transportation hubs. It is also the Big Apple's second-most-popular tourist attraction, after Times Square. Grand Central Terminal, shown here around 1930, is one of New York's most iconic landmarks One of the most impressively beautiful rooms in the world is the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal, seen here in June 1940 The impressive station, shown here in 1899, took years to build Roadbed excavations along Park Avenue during the preliminary construction of Grand Central Station in Manhattan The iconic New York landmark with its Beaux-Arts facade is an architectural gem shown here in 1914 is still one of America's greatest transportation hubs This image shows trains coming and going in Grand Central Station's early days. 'We are among the top 10 most-visited sites in the world,' said Dan Brucker, manager of Grand Central Tours at Metro-North Railroad, the commuter rail service that operates from Grand Central. 'Every day more than 750,000 people come through Grand Central Terminal - that is the entire population of Alaska that walks through here every day. It is the entire population of the state of North Dakota,' he noted. Many are commuters who arrive on trains every 58 seconds at the peak of the morning rush, pouring onto the terminal's dozens of platforms. Tourists gasp at the vaulted ceiling and sprawling 22,000-square-foot marble concourse, which has doubled as a film set for movies such as 'The Fisher King' and 'The Cotton Club.' And thousands from both groups eat and shop at any of the 103 restaurants and stores. The building, shown here in 1914, cost $80 million to erect Grand Central was buzzing on December 23, 1932, as holiday travelers tried to get home for Christmas Commuters crowded around the engine and tender of the new streamlined train in December 1934 The station opened on February 2, 1913, when trains were a luxurious means of traveling across America Hollywood stars Clara Bow, pictured left with singer Harry Richman, and Jean Harlow, pictured right, are shown arriving at Grand Central Station in the 1930s 'There are a lot of beautiful old train stations in this country but none as big, and none as ornate, and none as elevated and well-known as Grand Central,' said Gabrielle Shubert, the director of New York Transit Museum. The February 2 anniversary will mark the start of year-long celebrations commemorating the centennial with exhibitions, performances, promotions and public events. Since its beginnings in 1913, when Grand Central was dubbed the greatest railway terminal in the world with an $80 million price tag, it has been an integral part of New York. In its early heyday Grand Central was a center of culture, with an art gallery, theater and tennis court, as well as a commerce hub with travelers boarding trains like the Yankee Clipper and the 20th Century Limited for luxurious long-distance trips. Grand Central Terminal survived many ups and downs and is celebrating its 100th anniversary Grand Central Terminal plays host hundreds of thousands of visitors each day The station had an extensive facelift in the 1990s and was nearly demolished about 55 years ago but survived A large gold plated chandeliers hangs off the main concourse The iconic station, complete with its 14-foot Tiffany clock, is one of the most visited sites in the world 'As early as 1929 there were individually controlled air conditioning in the staterooms,' said Brucker, adding that chefs and hairdressers traveled with the well-heeled clientele. But following World War Two, as government subsidies helped build airports and improve roads, the Golden Age of rail travel lost its luster, relegated to the status of dowdy old-timer as planes and autos took the forefront in travel, propelled by speed and lower prices. During the ensuing decades Grand Central deteriorated, property prices in New York rose dramatically and plans were commissioned to demolish the terminal. But a reprieve, spearheaded by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, led to its designation in 1976 as a National Historic Landmark, a decision upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. A view of the clock in the center of the main concourse at Grand Central Terminal in New York Park Avenue south direction is pictured from a view looking out from the Tiffany clock over Park Ave and 42nd St. at Grand Central Customers sit at the counter of the Oyster bar in the lower level of Grand Central Terminal in New York, January 29, 2013 Steam rises behind the sculptures by the John Donnelly Company of Minerva, Hercules, and Mercury over Park Ave and 42nd St. at Grand Central Terminal The terminal was built in 1913, when it was dubbed the greatest railway terminal in the world and had an $80 million price tag The command center is where train traffic controllers ensure the, mostly, smooth running of the countless trains that pass through the station By 1991 long-distance trains had stopped serving Grand Central, and Metro-North Railroad, which had been created a decade earlier to consolidate operates four lines into the terminal, had become the country's largest regional railroad. A two-year restoration began in 1996 that returned the terminal to its former glory. Every detail, from the acorn motifs emblem of the Vanderbilt family who built it, to the marble walls and floors, and chandeliers, was meticulously replicated. More than $1 million was spent cleaning the black-stained ceiling. 'This place was redone perfectly to the way it looked in 1913,' according to Brucker. But just as impressive as its public face are the secrets of the terminal: the underground tracks; unmapped cellar, which is the largest in New York; the secret station, hidden staircase and crosswalks in the massive east- and west-facing windows. Light shines through a window as commuters enter the main concourse Grand Central has always been an integral part of New York The 59 stars shine as part of the backwards-painted zodiac set in gold leaf constellations on the ceiling of the main concourse of Grand Central Terminal Giant power transformers are seen seven stories below the main concourse in the power plant of Grand Central Terminal The iconic station is one of the most visited sites in the world The Grand Central Terminal Clock sits above the information booth at the center of the main concourse at Grand Central Terminal in New York. 'It was the power source for all the buildings around. Underneath Grand Central is steam production and electric production that powered not just the building itself but all the buildings around it. That's unique,' said the Transit Museum's Shubert. On Grand Central's lower level, the famous domed whispering gallery transmits soft sound across the arc of the ceiling, enabling visitors to whisper to each other from diagonal corners. 'Here is this country we don't have piazzas and plazas where people congregate,' Shubert said. 'We have Grand Central. People seem to amass themselves in Grand Central to mourn, to celebrate, to get news when there is a crisis going on.'This is the only indoor space where people gather to share many moments of humanity.' The New York City Municipal Archives just released a database of over 870,000 photos from its collection of more than 2.2 million images of New York throughout the 20th century. Their subjects include daily life, construction, crime, city business, aerial photographs, and more. Sunlight floods in through windows in the vaulted main room of New York City's Grand Central Terminal, illuminating the main concourse, ticket windows and information kiosk. Photo taken ca. 1935-1941. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) It was supposed to be the showpiece of New York City’s new subway system. Stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers adorned its curved walls and arched ceilings. But City Hall station was unexpectedly closed to the public a mere 41 years after opening its doors in 1904. Abandoned: City Hall station was unexpectedly closed to the public a mere 41 years after it opened its doors in 1904 Tiled: It was once the southern terminus of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), which ran from City Hall all the way north to 145th Street along Broadway It was once the southern terminus of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), which ran from City Hall all the way north to 145th Street along Broadway. But as longer carriages were created to meet the demands of the growing number of commuters, the station was closed. Its curved tracks were deemed unsafe for the new, longer trains, and, as it was less busy than nearby Brooklyn Bridge station, authorities decided to shut it down. In 1995 the city vowed to restore the site and turn it into a part of the transit museum, but those plans never materialized. Stunning: The station features stained glass windows, skylights and brass chandeliers, which adorn its curved walls and arched ceilings Splendour: Now passengers can stay on the 6 train and watch the train make its turnaround, seeing the interior of the beautiful station for themselves Disused: The pride and joy of the underground soon gathered dust and became long forgotten, a mere turning point for the 6 train which runs from Pelham Bay Park to Brooklyn Bridge The pride and joy of the underground soon gathered dust and became long forgotten, a mere turning point for the 6 train which runs from Pelham Bay Park to Brooklyn Bridge. Passengers were forced to get off train before it made its loop back uptown – until recently. Now they can stay on the 6 train and watch it make its turnaround, seeing the interior of the beautiful station for themselves. Commuters are not allowed to get off the train but are able to witness the station's splendour and resemblance to the famed Grand Central Station. City Hall was designed by Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino who was known for his tile work and is unique among the original IRT stations. These photos are by John-Paul Palescandolo & Eric Kazmirek (www.thefineartphoto.net). Dangerous: Its curved tracks were deemed unsafe for the new, longer trains, and, as it was less busy than nearby Brooklyn Bridge station, authorities decided to shut it down Stunning: Commuters won't be allowed to get off the train but will able to see the station's resemblance to the famed Grand Central Station Unique: City Hall was designed by Valencian architect Rafael Guastavino and is unique among the original IRT stations Monumental: The first official riders in New York City's first subway were this group of financiers and city officials, while the city's policemen stood by on the platform at City Hall station on 27 Oct 1904 Diagram: A plan of the loop that the IRT train made at City Hall Station Attraction: The Main Concourse in New York's famed Grand Central Station is seen October 1 2000 after the completion of a $197 million renovation project. The Main Concourse is the largest public room in the United States and the freshly cleaned ceiling reveals the 2,500 stars that had been completely obscured by decades of grime 2 Aerial view of New York City, looking north, on December 16, 1951. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 3 28th Street Looking east from Second Avenue, on April 4, 1931. Google map streetview today here. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 4 Meeker Avenue Bridge under construction, looking south, showing Brooklyn approach, on June 29, 1939 (Joseph Shelderfer/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives)# 5 Shadows are cast beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, seen from a stable roof, on May 6, 1918. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 6 A worker on the Brooklyn Bridge, on November 19, 1928. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 7 Markus Mercury Wheel Club, Flushing Race Track, bicyclists ready to race in June of 1894. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 8 Original City Hall subway station, IRT Lexington Avenue Line, in 1904. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # Abandoned: City Hall station was unexpectedly closed to the public a mere 41 years after it opened its doors in 1904 Tiled: It was once the southern terminus of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), which ran from City Hall all the way north to 145th Street along Broadway It was once the southern terminus of the Interborough Rapid Transit (IRT), which ran from City Hall all the way north to 145th Street along Broadway. But as longer carriages were created to meet the demands of the growing number of commuters, the station was closed. Its curved tracks were deemed unsafe for the new, longer trains, and, as it was less busy than nearby Brooklyn Bridge station, authorities decided to shut it down. In 1995 the city vowed to restore the site and turn it into a part of the transit museum, but those plans never materialized. 9 Coney Island looking east from Steeplechase Pier showing Sunday bathers, crowd on beach, on July 30, 1922. (Rutter, Edward E./Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 10 A two-horse team street cleaner, with sprayer, squeegee, and roller at rear. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 11 An experimental exposure made on the Queensboro Bridge, on February 9, 1910. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 12 Italian vegetable sidewalk stand, on Bleeker Street, near Church of Our Lady of Pompeii, in August of 1937. (Bofinger, E.M./Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 13 Lower Manhattan skyline at night, seen from either the Staten Island Ferry or Governor's Island, in February of 1938. (Bofinger, E. M./Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 14 Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, West 81st St, between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 15 Red Hook Swimming Pool, Clinton, Bay & Henry Streets, Brooklyn. Bathers as far as the eye can see. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 16 Queensboro Bridge under construction, on August 8, 1907. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 17 The Queensboro Bridge, showing reconstruction of tracks looking east, on November 22, 1929. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 18 A one-legged newspaper boy and other "newsies", on Delancey Street, on December 26, 1906. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 19 New York Police Department evidence photo, homicide scene. Jos Kellner, 404 East 54th Street, murdered in hallway, on January 7, 1916. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 20 Powell House at 195th Street and 58th Avenue North, Queens, on May 20, 1941 (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 21 Times Square theaters by day, in New York City. The Times Building, Loew's Theatre, Hotel Astor, Gaiety Theatre and other landmarks are featured in this January, 1938 photo. (Bofinger, E.M./Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 22 An aerial view of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, on January 27, 1965. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 23 A view from the Williamsburg Bridge, looking west, showing congested traffic in Manhattan, on January 29, 1923. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 24 Painters suspended on cables of the the Brooklyn Bridge, on October 7, 1914. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 25 A Hooverville in Brooklyn, ca. 1930-1932. The area is now Red Hook Park in Brooklyn. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 26 New York Police Department Evidence photo. Homicide victim - overhead view, ca. 1916-1920. At the corners, note the legs of the tripod supporting the camera above the body. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 27 A Subway Road Comes up for air in Brooklyn -- in background, a view of Manhattan from subway elevated tracks, 8th Street, Brooklyn, New York, on March 21, 1938. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 28 Yankee Stadium, Yankees on the field during a game, ca. 1935-1947. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 29 A man reads a newspaper on New York's 6th Ave. and 40th St, with the headline: "Nazi Army Now 75 Miles From Paris.", on May 18, 1940. (AP Photo/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 30 New York Fire Department demonstration of a steam pumper converted from horse-drawn to motor-driven, at 12th Avenue and 56th Street. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 31 Men cut ice from Kissena Lake in Queens, ca. 1860-1900. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 32 Children and adults with herd of sheep in the Sheep Meadow in Central Park, New York City, ca. 1900-1910. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 33 Part of the superstructure of the under-construction Manhattan Bridge rises above Washington Street in New York, on June 5, 1908. (AP Photo/Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 34 Manhattan Bridge, under-construction, seen from the roof of Robert Gair Building, showing suspenders and saddles, on February 11, 1909. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 35 Aboard a police boat on October 10, 1934, New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia hacks away at confiscated slot machines about to be destroyed and dumped into New York harbor. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 36 A view down an alley, as rows and rows of laundry hang from tenements ca. 1935-1941. Seen looking west from 70 Columbus Avenue or Amsterdam Avenue at 63nd Street. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 37 A crowded street market under New York City Rail Road tracks, looking south on Park Avenue from 123rd Street in June of 1932. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives)# 38 A night view of Midtown Manhattan, looking south from Madison Avenue and the 50's, ca. 1935-1941. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 39 Amid road construction, the Hudson Diner advertises "Tables for Ladies" on November 20, 1929, on Marginal Street, looking east from 125th Street. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 40 Ninth Avenue El trains with passengers on 2 levels of tracks, 66th Street El station in background, in October of 1933. Photo taken on Columbus Avenue, northwest of Lincoln Square & 65th Street. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 41 The S.S. Normandie, seen from a Staten Island ship steaming through upper bay on its way to a river pier built for it, ca. 1935-1941. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 42 A view of the city from the Brooklyn Tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, on April 24, 1933. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 43 A view of the city from the New York tower of George Washington Bridge, 168th Street & Hudson River, on December 22, 1936. (Jack Rosenzwieg/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 44 Fire Boats fight a blaze at Grace Line Pier 57, West 15th St, near the National Biscuit Co. building. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 45 Members of the New York Fire Department attend to a fire victim. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 46 The "Well", US Signal Corps Army Base Terminal, Port of Embarkation. Ration cases from crate cars are hoisted to warehouse bins for storage, ca. 1945-1946. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 47 Water from firefighters' hoses freezes on the side of adjoining buildings. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 48 Interior view of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) subway powerhouse, 58th to 59th Street, ca. 1904. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 49 42nd Street, looking west from 2nd Avenue. Chrysler Building at top right, "News Tavern" "Goblet Bar" at lower right, ca. 1935-1941. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 50 Brooklyn Bridge painters at work high above the city, on December 3, 1915. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 51 Aftermath of a collision on an elevated rail track. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 52 The Queensboro Bridge, leading to Manhattan, seen on May 1, 1912. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 53 A motorman operates a trolley cars near Williamsburg Bridge, on September 25, 1924. Signs advertise almonds, cold remedies, mustard, and stove polish. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) It’s been 70 years since an Indiana photographer visited New York City and returned home with an amazing collection of holiday snaps. Photos of architecture such as the Brooklyn Bridge and other parts of the Manhattan skyline - and it’s hard to believe they were taken while World War Two was going on. Land and water: The Liberty Street ferry in New York City on September 27, 1941 Horse and cart: Men and boys are seen collecting salvage on the Lower East Side on October 4, 1941 Daily life: This street seen from October 3, 1942, is just one from a huge collection by Charles W. Cushman Pub: McSorley's Old Ale House, still open today, is pictured on East 7th Street on October 7, 1942 Compared: McSorley's Old Ale House in the East Village today, hardly changed from the above photo But what is even more intriguing are the street scenes and daily life Cushman documented in his photos, showing 1940s New Yorkers going about their daily business. Pictures of children smiling for the camera, businessmen sitting down outside and street traders are a fascinating insight to what life was like in the city all those years ago. Many of the areas have been demolished or rebuilt since they were pictured in 1941 and 1942. But others such as McSorley’s Old Ale House in Manhattan’s East Village look almost identical now as they did back then, with the same store front and shop logo. Park life: A suited man walks through Bowling Green in lower Manhattan on October 1, 1942 Smoking: Three homeless people from South Ferry doss houses are in Battery Park on June 6, 1941 Crossing: The East River is pictured below Brooklyn Bridge, linking Brooklyn and Manhattan, on June 6, 1941 Around town: A portable soft drink stand at Bowling Green on October 1, 1942, left, and a Lower East Side street scene on September 27, 1941, right 91 Sep. 27, 1941: Manhattan's skyscrapers from Jersey City ferry boat. New York, New York # 92 Sep. 27, 1941: Lower East Side Corner Broome St. and Baruch Place. New York, New York # 93 Sep. 27, 1941: On New York's lower East Side, Lower Clinton St. New York, New York # 98 Oct. 7, 1942: Chinatown. New York, New York Lower Manhattan skyline at night, seen beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn end in February of 1938. See this scene today in this Google Map street view. (E. M. Bofinger/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) Lower Manhattan skyline at night, seen beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, Brooklyn end in February of 1938. See this scene today in this Google Map street view. (E. M. Bofinger/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) 2 A blacksmith shoes a horse in the doorway of a smith shop at 33 Cornelia Street, in Greenwich Village, with two little girls looking on, in 1937. See this same storefront today in this Google Map street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 3 Carnegie Hall, seen from 7th Avenue and 57th Street, ca. 1935-1941. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 4 Italians playing a game of Bocce in Brooklyn in 1937. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 5 View of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, on April 24, 1933. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 6 Trolley car number 311 at the car barn of the Williamsburg Bridge trolley line, photographed on March 22, 1928. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 7 Brooklyn Central Library, main terrace and entrance, on Grand Army Plaza, on September 6, 1939. Street view. (Joseph Shelderfer/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 8 Fifth Avenue. looking north from 110th Street showing a movie theater, billboards, and gas station, on October 6, 1929. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 9 Vanderbilt Cup Race at Roosevelt Raceway, Long Island, in September of 1937. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 10 A massive "W" in the Kent Avenue yard of the Williamsburg Bridge. The 20-foot "W", part of a giant "WSS", was placed on a tower on March 20, 1918. WSS stands for "War Savings Stamps." Letters were erected on the south side of the Manhattan tower during World War I. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 11 View of midtown from Chanin Building, NY Central Building right, RCA Building left, in December of 1937. (Frederick W. Ritter/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 12 Varick Street Looking north from Franklin Street, before the cobblestone was paved, on May 10, 1914. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 13 Crime scene with onlookers leaning out of tenement windows, a man's body on the sidewalk in front of laundry and Italian pasta makers and oil and wine importers, ca. 1916-1920. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 14 Park Avenue tunnel, looking north from Murray Hill Tunnel Station, at 38th Street, on July 17, 1923. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 15 Mr. and Mrs. Babe Ruth watch the World Series game with Kate Smith at the Polo Grounds, in September of 1936. The series matched the New York Yankees against the New York Giants, with the Yankees winning in six games. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 16 The "Granite State", sunk and listing, after burning at her pier in the Hudson River on May 23, 1921. The Granite State was formerly the USS New Hampshire, built in 1825, launched in 1864, and served as part of the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron in the Civil War. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 17 View from the roof of a shanty looking East, showing 3:50 PM congestion on the South footwalk of the Queensboro Bridge, on April 11, 1909. The bridge opened to traffic on March 30, 1909. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 18 Play Street Detour sign stands in front of boys playing stickball, ca. 1916-1920. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 19 A view of bustling port area on West Street, ca. 1900. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 20 Part of a stitched-together panorama, composed of 9 photos taken of the East side of the wide West Street, from Rector Street to Morris St, in the 1940s. Be sure to view the full-size 5424-pixel-wide version. The odd overlaps in the stitching are due to the changes in perspective as the photographer moved down the street to take each shot. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 21 A man in a diving suit, about to descend, ca. 1910. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 22 A chain-driven Mack truck belonging to the Street Cleaning Department, at 19th Street East, on August 4, 1920. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 23 A 20-inch Discharge pipe, near the foot of West 8th Street, Coney Island, on September 1, 1922. (Edward E. Rutter/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 24 Shafts of sunlight penetrate through upper windows of the Vaulted room of Grand Central Terminal, as crowds gather near the information kiosk on the Terminal concourse, ca. 1935-1941. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 25 74th - 78th Street Cable Car tracks, looking southwest from 1460 2nd Avenue, on March 27, 1931. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 26 Firefighters at work, as a steam pumper is hooked to a hydrant and two motorized hose tenders. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 27 Interior view of Brooklyn Bridge station, on April 6, 1907. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 28 Nassau Street, looking south from Fulton Street, on March 3, 1926. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 29 Avenue C, looking north from 6th Street. Shops, dentists' and oculist's signs on display, on November 6, 1926. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 30 An overturned car, near the 145th Street Bridge ramp at Lenox Avenue, on July 10, 1917 (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 31 View of the Cathedral Of Saint John the Divine and other buildings in the "close", ca. 1935-1941. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 32 The overflowing wrecking yard of Academy Auto Wreckers, seen on November 4, 1963. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 33 Tall-masted ships beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, in 1903. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 34 Children play in the street on a snowy day, 50th Street near 4th Avenue, on February 19, 1924. (Edward E. Rutter/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 35 Park Avenue, looking northwest from 47th Street, in 1921. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 36 34th Street Looking east from Third Avenue, beneath the curved El station, on May 16, 1931. Present day street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 37 The interior of a trolley car after an accident on the Williamsburg Bridge, on August 16, 1926. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 38 Approach to the Brooklyn Bridge, seen from atop the bridge, on June 29, 1909. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 39 Roller coaster and Boardwalk, Coney Island. View up West 10th Street, looking from the Boardwalk to Surf Avenue, on December 19, 1922. The old ride is gone, but a new one stands in its place, visible in this street view. (Edward E. Rutter/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 40 Load station entrance for the New York Times, 225 West 43rd Street, with newspaper delivery chutes visible inside, and lighted windows of editorial rooms 3rd floor, on December 11, 1937. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 41 Seventh Avenue, looking north from 33rd Street. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 42 Manhattan Bridge nearing completion, viewed from Pier 33, East River looking South, on April 7, 1909. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 43 Police officer carries unconscious child, believed to be a contagious case, to an awaiting ambulance, ca. 1910-1920. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 44 Lower Manhattan, seen from East River docks in November of 1937 (E.M. Bofinger/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 45 Twelfth Avenue Looking south from 134th Street, under viaduct, on October 6, 1929. Present day street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 46 116th Street, looking west from east of Third Avenue. "Ride On the Open Air Elevated", written on the side of the El station, as a trolley approaches, on October 8, 1925. Present day street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 47 Park Avenue Looking north from West roadway of 34th Street, on July 17, 1923. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 48 View from Seamen's Church Institute looking northwest, in Lower Manhattan -- Coenties Slip, and the curve of the 2nd-3rd Avenues "El" structure in foreground. Photograph taken in June of 1938. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 49 First (oldest) Jewish Cemetery in Manhattan, Chatham Square. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) # 50 The shadow of the photographer and camera appear on Jamaica Avenue East, Queens, between Hollis Court Boulevard and 212th Street, on October 26, 1928. Present day street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives)