NEW YORK: THE NEW AND THE OLD
| 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 |
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 |
The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg #
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) #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
| Aerial view of Madison Square Garden, 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) # |
| 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 # |
| The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg # |
| 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 # |
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 #
| A cemetery is seen September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) # |
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) #
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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 #
| 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) # |
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 #
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 #
Planes are seen at LaGuardia Airport September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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) #
Cars pass along a highway September 13, 2009 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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) #
The Woolworth Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg #
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 #
Aerial view of an athletic field and the Manhattan Bridge (R), 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Aerial view of Manhattan looking south over Central Park 01 July 2007 in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
| 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 # |
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
The Chrysler Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg #
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 #
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 #
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 #
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 #
The Empire State Building stands in this aerial photograph taken over New York, U.S., on Wednesday, July 7, 2010. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg #
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) #
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) #
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) #
Aerial view of Lower Manhattan looking northwest, 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Aerial view of Manhattan looking north over the Lower East Side (foreground), 01 July 2007, in New York City. (STAN HONDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
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) #
Lower Manhattan is lit up as night falls September 13, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) #
| 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 downtownIt 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
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
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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
Aerial view of New York City, looking north, on December 16, 1951. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
28th Street Looking east from Second Avenue, on April 4, 1931. Google map streetview today here. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Meeker Avenue Bridge under construction, looking south, showing Brooklyn approach, on June 29, 1939 (Joseph Shelderfer/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Shadows are cast beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, seen from a stable roof, on May 6, 1918. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
A worker on the Brooklyn Bridge, on November 19, 1928. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Markus Mercury Wheel Club, Flushing Race Track, bicyclists ready to race in June of 1894. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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.
Coney Island looking east from Steeplechase Pier showing Sunday bathers, crowd on beach, on July 30, 1922. (Rutter, Edward E./Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
A two-horse team street cleaner, with sprayer, squeegee, and roller at rear. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
An experimental exposure made on the Queensboro Bridge, on February 9, 1910. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History, West 81st St, between Columbus Avenue and Central Park West. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Red Hook Swimming Pool, Clinton, Bay & Henry Streets, Brooklyn. Bathers as far as the eye can see. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Queensboro Bridge under construction, on August 8, 1907. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
The Queensboro Bridge, showing reconstruction of tracks looking east, on November 22, 1929. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
A one-legged newspaper boy and other "newsies", on Delancey Street, on December 26, 1906. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Powell House at 195th Street and 58th Avenue North, Queens, on May 20, 1941 (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
An aerial view of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbor, on January 27, 1965. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
A view from the Williamsburg Bridge, looking west, showing congested traffic in Manhattan, on January 29, 1923. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Painters suspended on cables of the the Brooklyn Bridge, on October 7, 1914. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
A Hooverville in Brooklyn, ca. 1930-1932. The area is now Red Hook Park in Brooklyn. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
Yankee Stadium, Yankees on the field during a game, ca. 1935-1947. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
Men cut ice from Kissena Lake in Queens, ca. 1860-1900. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Children and adults with herd of sheep in the Sheep Meadow in Central Park, New York City, ca. 1900-1910. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
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) #
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) #
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) #
A night view of Midtown Manhattan, looking south from Madison Avenue and the 50's, ca. 1935-1941. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
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) #
A view of the city from the Brooklyn Tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, on April 24, 1933. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Fire Boats fight a blaze at Grace Line Pier 57, West 15th St, near the National Biscuit Co. building. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Members of the New York Fire Department attend to a fire victim. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Water from firefighters' hoses freezes on the side of adjoining buildings. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Interior view of the Interborough Rapid Transit Company (IRT) subway powerhouse, 58th to 59th Street, ca. 1904. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Brooklyn Bridge painters at work high above the city, on December 3, 1915. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Aftermath of a collision on an elevated rail track. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
The Queensboro Bridge, leading to Manhattan, seen on May 1, 1912. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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
Sep. 27, 1941: Manhattan's skyscrapers from Jersey City ferry boat. New York, New York #
Sep. 27, 1941: Lower East Side Corner Broome St. and Baruch Place. New York, New York #
Sep. 27, 1941: On New York's lower East Side, Lower Clinton St. New York, New York #
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)
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) #
Carnegie Hall, seen from 7th Avenue and 57th Street, ca. 1935-1941. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Italians playing a game of Bocce in Brooklyn in 1937. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
View of Manhattan from the Brooklyn Tower of the Brooklyn Bridge, on April 24, 1933. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Brooklyn Central Library, main terrace and entrance, on Grand Army Plaza, on September 6, 1939. Street view. (Joseph Shelderfer/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Vanderbilt Cup Race at Roosevelt Raceway, Long Island, in September of 1937. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
View of midtown from Chanin Building, NY Central Building right, RCA Building left, in December of 1937. (Frederick W. Ritter/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Varick Street Looking north from Franklin Street, before the cobblestone was paved, on May 10, 1914. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Park Avenue tunnel, looking north from Murray Hill Tunnel Station, at 38th Street, on July 17, 1923. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
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) #
Play Street Detour sign stands in front of boys playing stickball, ca. 1916-1920. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
A view of bustling port area on West Street, ca. 1900. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
A man in a diving suit, about to descend, ca. 1910. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
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) #
74th - 78th Street Cable Car tracks, looking southwest from 1460 2nd Avenue, on March 27, 1931. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Firefighters at work, as a steam pumper is hooked to a hydrant and two motorized hose tenders. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Interior view of Brooklyn Bridge station, on April 6, 1907. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Nassau Street, looking south from Fulton Street, on March 3, 1926. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
An overturned car, near the 145th Street Bridge ramp at Lenox Avenue, on July 10, 1917 (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
View of the Cathedral Of Saint John the Divine and other buildings in the "close", ca. 1935-1941. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
The overflowing wrecking yard of Academy Auto Wreckers, seen on November 4, 1963. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Tall-masted ships beneath the Brooklyn Bridge, in 1903. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Park Avenue, looking northwest from 47th Street, in 1921. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
34th Street Looking east from Third Avenue, beneath the curved El station, on May 16, 1931. Present day street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
The interior of a trolley car after an accident on the Williamsburg Bridge, on August 16, 1926. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Approach to the Brooklyn Bridge, seen from atop the bridge, on June 29, 1909. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
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) #
Seventh Avenue, looking north from 33rd Street. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Manhattan Bridge nearing completion, viewed from Pier 33, East River looking South, on April 7, 1909. (Eugene de Salignac/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Police officer carries unconscious child, believed to be a contagious case, to an awaiting ambulance, ca. 1910-1920. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Lower Manhattan, seen from East River docks in November of 1937 (E.M. Bofinger/Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
Twelfth Avenue Looking south from 134th Street, under viaduct, on October 6, 1929. Present day street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
Park Avenue Looking north from West roadway of 34th Street, on July 17, 1923. Street view. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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) #
First (oldest) Jewish Cemetery in Manhattan, Chatham Square. (Courtesy NYC Municipal Archives) #
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)
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