then and now

My favorite park, today and 79 years ago today!

Top Photo:
Washington Square, Looking North (April 16, 1936)
photo by Berenice Abbott source

Bottom Photo:
Washington Square Park, Looking North (April 16, 2015)
photo by Carina Zimmerman

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Top Photo:
Orchard Street from Rivington, Looking North (1898)
photo source

Bottom Photo:
Orchard Street from Rivington, Looking North (June 6, 2014)
photo by Carina Zimmerman

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Francis Luis Mora, 1914

100 years later:

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Top Photo:
Work in Roadway, Blackwell’s Island Bridge (1907)
photo from The Library of Congress

Bottom Photo:
Queensboro Bridge, NYC (April 17, 2014)
photo by Carina Zimmerman

I love the top photo of men working on the Queensboro Bridge in 1907!  Today, I photographed a similar view while driving across the bridge with a friend.  The bridge was constructed between 1901 and 1909.  When it opened in June of 1909, it was called the Blackwell’s Island Bridge in dedication to the East River Island over which the bridge travels.   Blackwell’s Island is now known as Roosevelt Island and, today, the bridge can go by several names:  The Queensboro Bridge, The 59th Street Bridge, or the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge (renamed in 2010). Keep reading to see the photos from 1907 and 2014 enlarged!

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Left Photo:
Prince Street between Mercer Street and Greene Street (Post Office)
(1976 by Roy Colmer)

Right Photo:
Apple Store on Prince Street, NYC
(March 2014 by Carina Zimmerman)

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(144 Bleecker Street, NYC click to enlarge)

left photo:
Mori’s Restaurant, 144 Bleecker Street, Manhattan
(November 21, 1935 by Berenice Abbott)

right photo:
Carina on Bleecker, NYC
(January 17, 2014 by Katia Asthalter)

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Top photo:  Prince Street, Soho (1985) by Matt Weber
Bottom photo: Carina on Prince Street, Soho (2013) by Katia Asthalter

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Empire State Building, 1931
photo source

I love this shot of the Empire State Building nearing completion in 1931.  The observation deck hadn’t been constructed yet so the photo was retouched to add it in!  
Here’s a picture of the same view 82 years later:

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The New York Public Library is the second largest library in the United States, standing only behind The Library of Congress.  It contains nearly 53 million items!  At the turn of the 20th century, the organizers of the library chose their location in the center of Manhattan on Fifth Avenue between 40th and 42nd streets.  These blocks were formally occupied by the Croton Reservoir, which was demolished in 1898.   Construction for the main branch of the New York Public Library began in May of 1902 and took almost ten years to complete.  President Taft attended the opening ceremony on May 23, 1911 and the library opened to the public the following day, May 24th.

Fun Fact: Did you know that the two marble lions at the entrance of the library have nicknames?  When the library first opened, they were nicknamed Leo Astor and Leo Lenox after New York Public Library founders John Jacob Astor and James Lenox.  Later, they were called Lady Astor and Lord Lenox.  In the 1930′s, Mayor Fiorello Laguardia renamed them Patience and Fortitude, stating that these were the qualities New Yorkers would need to survive the depression.  These are the nicknames they go by today.

I love these pictures of the library under construction! Continue reading


[Prospect Park Entrance, 1894 source]

The Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Arch located at the entrance to Prospect Park in Brooklyn was constructed between the years of 1889 and 1892. President Grover Cleveland led the unveiling in 1892. In 1894, Park Commissioner Frank Squire asked sculptor Frederick William MacMonnies to create the bronze sculptures to sit atop the arch. In 1895, sculptures of Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant were added to the interior arch walls. When Frederick MacMonnies added the Army and Navy sculptures in 1895, the arch was complete!

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Maypole at Seward Park, NYC (1890)

[source]

Click through for a photo collection of New York City children from 1890-1990! Continue reading

(Broadway, looking North to Union Square. 1891 source)

Click through to see the same view 121 years later! Continue reading


[Union Square West- October 26, 1938  source]

 
 

[Union Square West- February 1, 2011 source]

1872- The Original: Grand Central Depot.

With the current project underway at Grand Central Station, we thought it would be fun to look back in time at the history of the station.  The project, expected to be completed in 2016 and operational by 2018, will connect the Long Island Rail Road’s Main and Port Washington lines in Queens to a new underground terminal at Grand Central.  This is expected to save LIRR travelers 30-40 minutes of commuting time each day!  Scroll below to view Grand Central Station’s history in pictures.
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This building, on the corner of Bleecker and Christopher streets in downtown Manhattan has a very important place in New York City’s history.  The building was constructed in 1802 and is one of the oldest buildings in Greenwich Village!   It was the office of John Randal Jr., the surveyor and chief engineer for New York City’s street commissioners.  Randell designed the street grid plan of Manhattan in this building between the years of 1807 and 1809!  He completed the plan in 1811.  To view the map and read about The Commissioners’ Plan of 1811, click here.

Last year, The New York Times wrote an interesting article about John Randal Jr., how he surveyed Manhattan, and the perception of his work at the time.  (He was arrested, sued and “pelted with artichokes and cabbages”!)   Click here to read the story on www.nytimes.com.

Scroll below to view pictures of 329 Bleecker Street.  We love how this 2-story house stands the test of time as its surroundings evolve throughout the years!

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