Cool. I saw the building my dad and grandfather used to work in before it was mordernized (the Tiffany building in Union Square -- it later became the main branch of a bank and is now being converted to apartments) and the buildings in Brooklyn that were where my wife's and my first apartment would be built 15 years later.

/thanks smitty

Very nice find.

awesome. thanks submitter

+1

I can almost guarantee this site gets Farked within minutes of hitting the main page.

/Awesome find, submitter.

Why does subby have to focus on the racial divide?

First 'shop?

the nice thing is that "smug newyork a-hole" doesn't really come through in black and white so I can actually enjoy these nyc pics.

Unimpressed.

/can't be obscure

This is an incredible find. I particularly like the comments on some of the pics:

"Lower Broadway, 1899. Lots of hats."
"The Belmont Coach, 1905, four horses. Dogs run free."
"Union Square West...Scale-obsessed NIMBYs take note: you need to object to a building's footprint, not its height."

I read "Conquering Gotham" about a year ago and previously had no idea there used to be a Penn Station where MSG is now. Now I go there & see that the Greyhound terminal, the only remaining part (and the last add-on) is now a Foot Locker.

the_patman: can't be obscure

Nope. My wife and I really liked that show and are sorry that it's gone.

Never been to NYC, but still way cool.

I do have to say, I sure wasn't expecting to see a picture of some dude who was shot to death.

PacersJAM3s: I do have to say, I sure wasn't expecting to see a picture of some dude who was shot to death.

What's interesting is that while the city continues to change decade to decade, that dude is still dead! Amazing!

http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SPEC/027.jpg

Holy carp, I had no idea this kind of stuff happened in New York. As far as I can tell (i.e. find on Wikipedia) there wasn't any significant anti-war activism in New York, at least not nearly enough to justify this kind of response.

I've started collecting old photos as postcards of my city's downtown area. I love seeing how fashion and cars change, and it is neat to see how the buildings evolve over the years.

Nice find, subby!

The construction guys had a very large set to sit on those beams or crawl up that wire with no safety harness.

Thanks for this, Subby. I love looking at old pictures like this.

TreeHugger: Why does subby have to focus on the racial divide?

I came here to say this, but with a twist.

"Why must everything be a racist issue today!? We just elected a black president, after all!"

/snicker
//neat photos

Arkanaut: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SPEC/027.jpg

Holy carp, I had no idea this kind of stuff happened in New York. As far as I can tell (i.e. find on Wikipedia) there wasn't any significant anti-war activism in New York, at least not nearly enough to justify this kind of response.

Even the movies made back then showed the police shooting a fleeing crook being shot in the back. Different time, different mentality.

Very nice. I like this comment:

Union Square with Turkish subway kiosk. Is that man using a cellphone??

Arkanaut: Holy carp, I had no idea this kind of stuff happened in New York. As far as I can tell (i.e. find on Wikipedia) there wasn't any significant anti-war activism in New York, at least not nearly enough to justify this kind of response.

I dunno what that photo is from, but there was some anti-war stuff in NYC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Hat_Riot

Arkanaut: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SPEC/027.jpg

Holy carp, I had no idea this kind of stuff happened in New York. As far as I can tell (i.e. find on Wikipedia) there wasn't any significant anti-war activism in New York, at least not nearly enough to justify this kind of response.

That photo was the first I'd heard of WWI anti-war riots. Did a quick Google search & found this link for starts, though:

Link

As entry into the war grew imminent, anti-war protests, riots, and labor strikes occurred on occasion. Anti-war demonstrations were held in major cities across America through-out the duration of the war. Conscientious objectors, pacifists, isolationists, and "enemy aliens" formed the bulk of the protesting crowds.

and this one:

Link (new window)

At the only campus riot before the Vietnam War era, a Rutgers University student who refused to participate in a Liberty Loan rally was tarred and feathered, then paraded through the streets of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

/Wow--why hadn't I heard of any of this?

I think it's an old wood-burning cellphone. Only had a short range, and no camera or voice mail or anything.

Woolworth (new window)

That's all it says, "Woolworth." This is the Woolworth Building, built in 1913 and tallest in the world until 1930.

IIRC, the picture was taken during war games in 1931, when Army bombers laid a smokescreen over Wall Street to foil Navy shelling.

knucklebreather: Arkanaut: Holy carp, I had no idea this kind of stuff happened in New York. As far as I can tell (i.e. find on Wikipedia) there wasn't any significant anti-war activism in New York, at least not nearly enough to justify this kind of response.

I dunno what that photo is from, but there was some anti-war stuff in NYC:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Hat_Riot

Umm, that photo would be from WWI, when Wilson was president. There were plenty of well-documented anti-Vietnam riots, esp. the Draft Riots.

brigid_fitch: At the only campus riot before the Vietnam War era, a Rutgers University student who refused to participate in a Liberty Loan rally was tarred and feathered, then paraded through the streets of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

/Wow--why hadn't I heard of any of this?

Wow also, I never heard of that. Great find. Here is what else I found.

Link (new window)
Students at Rutgers University approached one of their fellow students, Samuel H. Chovenson, an antiwar Socialist, and demanded that he speak at their Liberty Loan rally. When Chovenson refused, he was "stripped, covered with molasses and feathers, then blindfolded, and paraded through the streets of the town." Signs carried at the head of the procession bore the inscriptions, "This is what we do with pro-Germans!" "He's a Bolsheviki!" "He is against the Liberty Loan and the U.S.A." 52

TeddyRooseveltsMustache: First 'shop?

That is photoshopped I have see a few, etc, etc.

PacersJAM3s: I do have to say, I sure wasn't expecting to see a picture of some dude who was shot to death.

You'll get over it. Especially when you die.

Pretty Amazing, I love seeing float planes...reminds me a bit of Porco-Roso...great film. Also that cell phone-ish pic is kinda creepy...could it be from a set of a modern film (extras wreaking scenes is not quite uncommon)...

There's other cool galleries on that site.

/subby
/found on a fluke while doing a GIS on midtown skyline from Jersey.

control-z: I think it's an old wood-burning cellphone. Only had a short range, and no camera or voice mail or anything.

Is that John Titor ?

Groined vaults in steel and glass. (new window)

This is a shot of the interior of the original Penn Station terminal. But although TFA says it made it to 60, they're off by 7 years. It was built in 1910 & demolished in 1963. By the time of its demolition, it had become a huge albatross for the Pennsylvania RR. It was built using entirely private money, including excavation of the tunnels under the Hudson. Then in the 30s-40s, the Eisenhower Interstate Project paid for the Lincoln & Holland tunnels. Fewer people took the train, so the RR was losing money big time. They were nearly bankrupt by the time NYC came to them with the deal to buy the station to erect MSG. As gorgeous as the terminal looks in these pictures, it was filthy, most of that glass was cracked or broken, and the station itself had fallen into disrepair by then.

You can still see some original parts now, mostly the doors for tracks 11+, the brass handrails, the occasional wall or two, but that's it. Hopefully someday they'll refurbish the Post Office into a new Penn Station--that's the plan, although it's on the back burner now.

/*sigh* I would love to have seen some of those buildings. I'm a sucker for architecture.

Several photos mention "chain drive trucks". Never heard of them. Look pretty cool, though.

brigid_fitch: Arkanaut: http://www.nyc-architecture.com/SPEC/027.jpg

...

As entry into the war grew imminent, anti-war protests, riots, and labor strikes occurred on occasion. Anti-war demonstrations were held in major cities across America through-out the duration of the war. Conscientious objectors, pacifists, isolationists, and "enemy aliens" formed the bulk of the protesting crowds.

...


I like how the people who protest wars in America are never simply listed as American citizens. As if you'd have to be insane to be opposed to having your body blown to smithereens by artillery 1,000s of miles from American soil.

The decision to raze the original Penn Station was truly a crime against humanity.

When was the last time any you saw any modern building - or any kind of architecture at all - that genuinely had the power to inspire you?

Ville Radieuse? What's a Ville Radieuse?

Oh_Enough_Already: The decision to raze the original Penn Station was truly a crime against humanity.

When was the last time any you saw any modern building - or any kind of architecture at all - that genuinely had the power to inspire you?

THIS

It makes the heart weep to read that some of these gorgeous buildings were demolished to make room for flat-topped monoliths of glass and steel.

PacersJAM3s: I do have to say, I sure wasn't expecting to see a picture of some dude who was shot to death.

For me the surprise was the naked guy and girl. Not sure how that fits in other than New Yorkers are naked under their clothes.

One of the most interesting things I saw was that NYC had a greater public transportation system in 1890 than many cities have today. My city included.

Thanks Big Oil & Big 3!

annoyed_grunt: Ville Radieuse? What's a Ville Radieuse?



A city planning scheme devised by architect Le Corbusier in 1935. A spread-out deal with apt towers in parks, office towers in parks, basically just towers in parks.

I'm glad this got greenlighted Subby. Excellent work.

God, what a beautiful city! I love New York.

/wish I could afford to live there.
//friends of mine got on rent control in the 70s. $475 a month for their apartment. Jesus.

Lawlborough: Oh_Enough_Already: The decision to raze the original Penn Station was truly a crime against humanity.

When was the last time any you saw any modern building - or any kind of architecture at all - that genuinely had the power to inspire you?

THIS

It makes the heart weep to read that some of these gorgeous buildings were demolished to make room for flat-topped monoliths of glass and steel.

Like I mentioned in an earlier post, the building was a mess because the Penn RR couldn't afford the upkeep anymore. From what I read, it was originally pink marble on the outside, but was a dingy grey by the late 50s because they couldn't clean it.

Not defending the decision in the slightest--the city should have rallied to save her, but judging from this picture, it was in pretty bad shape:



/Next time you're in Philly, look for these eagles. There were 21 of them on the original Penn Station, but only 14 survived. 2 are outside Penn Station/MSG, but I know 4 are at the corners of the Philly Market St bridge.

Just came to say that those were some awesome pics. I was showing my hubby the places my friends and I would go see when I used to live in Jersey. Fun times...

/misses the East Coast
//sniff

KellyLockhart: Several photos mention "chain drive trucks". Never heard of them. Look pretty cool, though.

Lots of early trucks, especially Mack, were chain driven. And hard rubber tires. Probably not the smoothest ride.


Thanks for the link subby!

I sure wasn't expecting to see a picture of some dude who was shot to death.

That was a Weegee picture. Weegee was the premiere crime photog in NYC for many years, always freelance. He coined the term "Naked City." Weegee also worked with Stanley Kubrick! Google him for an edumacation in the photographic arts.

Here's one that they missed...the Automat...

Wow... just got to the pictures of the guys who constructed the skyscrapers.

Big brass balls.

I got vertigo just from looking at the pics.

steklo: Here's one that they missed...the Automat...

You're right--they had a picture of a Horn & Hardart sign, but not the Automat itself.

/Grew up in Jersey City & my father was NYPD. I remember automats fondly.
//Burger King bought out the automats in the early 70s. My father would have been inconsolable if not for the appearance of White Castle at the same time.

steklo: Here's one that they missed...the Automat...

There was one that referenced Horn and Hardart, automat pioneers. Which led me to search for Automat, one of my favorite paintings ever from my favorite American artist, whose paintings reminded me to return to subby's link... what a great, fascinating way to spend an hour on a Sunday morning. Great find.