Murray Hill From Fifth Avenue c. 1870

This street of upper middle class gentility is 38th Street looking east from Fifth Avenue.

Our stereoview photograph was taken by E & H.T. Anthony & Co. about 1870.

Besides the horse drawn wagon there is not much activity going on in the Murray Hill neighborhood. The Belgian block paved street is barren except for some horse manure. A gas streetlamp is on the south side of the street. Adjacent to the lamp the gutters on both sides of the street display interesting drainage traps for delivering wastewater into the sewer system.

The church in the distance on the southeast corner of Madison Avenue and 38th Street is the Zion Protestant Episcopal Church built in 1854. In 1890 the South Dutch Reformed Church bought the church and remodeled it. In 1922 the church was sold and replaced by the sixteen story Fraternity Clubs Allerton House.

None of the three and four story brownstones lining the street are currently standing. Every building seen here was demolished long ago.