(NYC Subway, 1967)
Today, it’s a sweltering 99 degrees in NYC and it feels like 108! Can you imagine commuting in a subway car without air conditioning? On July 19th, 1967- 46 years ago today- the first air-conditioned subway train went into service on the F Line! Read about the history of air conditioning on NYC’s subways here.
This is one of my favorite nostalgic NYC shots. It was taken on July 10, 1913 (100 years ago today!) and features New York City’s buses stopped just north of Washington Square Park. This little section of the city is on my running/walking route so I have a particular fondness to the image!
On July 8, 1889, the first issue of The Wall Street Journal was published by Dow Jones & Company. Dow Jones & Company had just recently been founded in 1882 by reporters Charles Dow, Edward Jones, and Charles Bergstresser. The publication cost only two cents at the time!
The Beatles can trace their roots to John Lennon and Paul McCartney’s first meeting on July 6, 1957 at a Quarrymen performance- 56 years ago today! John was the lead singer of the band and while setting up to play at St Peter’s Church, one of his friends introduced him to Paul McCartney, who had just turned 15 years old. The two hit it off right away and soon after, Paul joined the Quarrymen! Read more on The Beatles Bible.
I came across this picture taken on June 14, 1913 months ago when combing the Library of Congress’ photostream on Flickr and saved it immediately. I love its feel!
Story behind the photo: Finley Johnson Shepard (1867-1942) was the Eastern representative of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and his wife, Helen Miller Gould (1868-1938) was an American philanthropist and socialite from NYC. Helen’s father was wealthy American Railroad developer, Jay Gould. Finley and Helen were married on January 22, 1913 and soon afterwards, they adopted 3 children together and had one foster son. Their first adopted son was a 3-year old found on the steps of St. Patrick’s Cathedral! This picture was taken at the Newport Cup polo match at Meadow Brook Field (now The Meadowbrook Polo Club) in Long Island. photo source
On June 13, 1927, Aviator Charles Lindbergh was honored for his solo flight across the Atlantic with a ticker tape parade down Broadway in NYC! I love this photo of the flurry of paper falling from the office buildings above- it almost looks like snow. So beautiful, although horribly wasteful!
(photo source)
This photo, “Fresh Air Outing”, was taken 100 years ago in NYC. We love the bows in the girls’ hair! (photo source)
(1883 click here to view larger)
The Brooklyn Bridge, originally called the East River Bridge, opened 130 years ago today on May 24, 1883. Here are some of my favorite images of the bridge from the 1870s to the early 1900s. I love the construction pictures! Click on each image to enlarge.
Happy Mother’s Day! Click through for a photo collection of Mothers and children from 1890-1990. For our post from last year’s Father’s Day, Fathers: 100 Years in Photos, click here.
![[New York Giants Opening Day line-up at the Polo Grounds [New York]. Left to right: Fred Snodgrass, Tillie Shafer, George Burns, Larry Doyle, Red Murray, Fred Merkle, Buck Herzog, Chief Meyers (baseball)] (LOC)](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3069/2635673019_d58767d6e4_z.jpg?zz=1)
100 years ago today: the New York Giants’ opening day line-up at the Polo Grounds.
Happy Easter! We love this photo of 5th Avenue taken on Easter of 1913. Click to enlarge. (source)
![[New York Female Giants (baseball)] (LOC)](http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3330/3598152770_0b673b972b_z.jpg?zz=1)
We love this picture of the New York Female Giants pitcher taken in 1913!
On February 13, 1967, The Beatles released the double-A sided single “Strawberry Fields Forever/Penny Lane”. We love both of these songs! Take a few minutes to enjoy them today.
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
