Big Snowstorm. Big Deal. New York City – Then and Now 1857 & 2021

“Congealed rain, frozen particles, precipitated from the clouds, and preserved by the coldness of the atmosphere in a frozen state until they reach the earth.”

This is how the New York Almanac and Weather Book (1857) defines what we are experiencing currently in New York City. Nowadays, this simple phenomenon called snow, throws our incompetent city and state government into a tizzy.

1857

In 1857 New York City had several snowstorms during January and February.

The New York Daily-Times described the snowstorm that hit the city on January 31.

“The snow that had fallen in the night superadded to the accumulations of several previous storms had left hillocks three and four feet high, everywhere in the streets and deep drifts in many places on the sidewalks.”

As you can see from our 1857 illustration, New Yorkers went about their routines, trudging through the storm as New Yorkers (used to) do. Transportation (horse drawn omnibuses) continued and business went on as usual.

There was no street cleaning per se, so you made the best of it.

2021

On February 1, 2021 New York City was getting at least a foot of snow. When the storm is over some parts of the city will be coated with over two feet of snow.

And as in 1857, people today generally do make the best of it.

It;s not a big deal. It’s snow. It will eventually melt. The mayor and governor make the snow out to be an enemy of epic proportions. Stay in. Stay safe. We’re all in this together. Don’t travel. We’re shutting down outdoor subway lines.

Unsurprisingly there was no mail delivery. What’s their motto again? “Neither rain, nor sleet, nor…” oh never mind.

Maybe the politicians are correct. People do stupid things in normal circumstances. Apparently common sense and the ability to read diminishes in a snowstorm.

“Hey, let’s ignore all those red signs with rescue ladders attached to them warning people not to venture out on to Central Park lake.”

Spectators lined up to watch daredevil after daredevil walk out on to what appeared to be very thin ice.

The majority of people in Central Park were enjoying the snow and the beautiful sights.

For the most part people are tired of being cooped up in their homes. Families want to get outside. It was quite apparent on Cedar Hill. Hundreds of children coasting on plastic. Not one old-fashioned Flexible Flyer wood and metal sled in sight.

Don’t get too close to this guy. Oh. It’s okay he’s got a mask.

Then if you want solitude you could walk out to the Great Lawn which looked more like the Great Tundra.

And for complete solitude the view from Oak Bridge looked like it was straight from a nineteenth century Hudson River School painting of upstate New York.

Overall a beautiful day. Though Central Park didn’t exist, weather-wise it’s a day not that much different from 1857.