Aerial View of Lower Manhattan – Late 1920s
In this aerial view looking south upon lower Manhattan in the late 1920s, the first thing you notice is the concentration of skyscrapers in lower Manhattan contrasted to the low profile tenements in the foreground that make up part of the lower east side.
There are also an abundance of piers along the East River, most of which have now vanished. Looking at the harbor, a large number of boats are active in the bay and on the Hudson River. The Brooklyn Bridge spans the East River in the middle of the photograph and the Manhattan Bridge is in the lower portion of the photo.
The tall building in the foreground at the foot of the Brooklyn Bridge entrance ramp is the Municipal Building (McKim, Mead & White 1909). Sightly to the left and behind the Municipal Building is the Woolworth Building which was the tallest building in the world from 1913 until 1929. Other notable buildings in the skyline are the Singer Building, the Equitable Building and Bankers Trust Building.
this is a fantastic photo. you rarely get to see manhattan from this angle. the elevated train tracks are clearly shown going through chinatown to the brooklyn bridge station. the old post office across from the woolworth building is there. i think i see the hudson terminal building that was replaced by the world trade center.