Category Archives: New York

New York City Prostitution in 1870

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New York Prostitution By The Numbers – 1870

Over 10,000 Prostitutes Of All Types In A City of 942,292

A Mix Of Farmers Daughters, Servants, Teetotalers, Drunkards, Native Born, Recent Immigrants, Widows, The Young, Single & Refined Ladies & Illiterates

Illustration From George Ellington's book The Women Of Of New YorkFrom an interesting and self-published 1870 book, Personals or Perils of the Period by Joseph Hertford comes this analysis of the prostitutes of New York. There were at least 10,000 prostitutes coming from various work backgrounds and social statuses. Excerpting from this chapter, Hertford writes: Continue reading →

Old New York In Photos #154 – 1920, New Traffic Tower On 42nd St. & 5th Ave

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Fifth Avenue & 42nd Street With New Traffic Signal Tower 1920

This amateur snapshot captures the manually operated signal tower to control traffic along the busy stretch of Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street. We are looking north from 42nd Street with Temple Emanu El beyond the flags.

The tower was active in February 1920 to “control congestion,” not just for vehicles but pedestrians. Continue reading →

Old New York In Postcards #28 – Feltman’s Restaurant Coney Island

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Feltman’s Giant Restaurant, The Forerunner of Nathan’s Coney Island

A brief description of Feltman’s from The New York Hotel Record July 9, 1912:

The Magnitude of Feltman’s Garden Coney Island New York

One of the largest and most unique restaurants and cafés in this country is Feltman’s at Coney Island New York was established in 1873 (ed. – actually 1871) with six employees and it now has a pay roll of more thirteen hundred names. Continue reading →

Book Review – American Rascal Jay Gould By Greg Steinmetz

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Jay Gould: A Rascal Or Shrewd Businessman?

It would be impossible today for one person to cause the collapse of the stock market, corner the gold market or just print stock shares in a large-cap corporation as needed.

Not that Jay Gould single-handedly did any of these things.

He had help. Continue reading →

Old New York In Photos #152 – 6th Avenue 31st Street & Eva Tanguay 1911

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A Typical Busy Day On Sixth Avenue While Eva Tanguay Performs Uptown

There is nothing extraordinary happening as we look north up Sixth Avenue from 31st Street.

There’s lots of horse manure in the street and there’s some construction and workers beneath the Sixth Avenue El. The bar on the corner has western saloon style doors and advertises Triple X German Liquors on its sign. A high pressure fire hydrant is on the corner, a sight rarely seen today as the city removed most of them almost three decades ago . The tallest building on the left between 32nd and 33rd Streets is Gimbels Department Store.

As much as we’d like to put an exact date on the photo we cannot. It is uncredited and labeled 1911. There is one intriguing clue however. It’s blurry but if you look at the roof of the building on the left you can see a billboard ad for Eva Tanguay (1878-1947) appearing at The Colonial Theatre. Continue reading →

One Year From Now New York Will Be Reveling In Eclipse-Mania

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On April 8, 2024 New York City Will Experience Its First Total Solar Eclipse Since 1954

Total solar eclipse June 30, 1954 photo: M Waldmeier

Never look directly at an eclipse.

It was one of the things that was drilled into me in grade school. You’ll permanently damage your eyes. You can go blind. As a class we’ll make shoe box eclipse viewers.

Apparently those eclipses happening during my juvenile years were not the same type that will occur in 2024 – a total solar eclipse. Continue reading →

Old New York In Photos #151 – Fifth Avenue Mansions 1910

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Fifth Avenue Looking North From 64th Street

From a private collection comes this 1910 photograph of Fifth Avenue looking north from 64th Street. The tree lined west side of the street abuts Central Park. The residential nature of this stretch of Fifth Avenue can be seen by the abundance of mansions as far as the eye can see.  Continue reading →

Dramatic Images Of The Windsor Hotel Fire & Collapse – 1899

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A New York St. Patrick’s Day Tragedy

More Than 80 People Die At The Windsor Hotel Fire

Windsor Hotel Fire, March 17, 1899. Showing collapse of roof water tower during blaze. photographer: unknown

As thousands of New Yorkers were celebrating the St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Friday, March 17, 1899, the Windsor Hotel on the east side of Fifth Avenue between 46th and 47th Streets caught fire. The inferno Continue reading →

Old New York In Photos #150 – 5th Avenue & 42nd Street c. 1875

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Looking North On Fifth Avenue From 42nd Street c. 1875

We are looking north along Fifth Avenue to the east side of 42nd Street.

When looking at these stereoviews it’s always nice to pin a date on the scene. While it is impossible to exactly date this stereoview, it is definitely before 1881.

During the 1870s, the nearest building at the northeast corner of 42nd Street, number 503 Fifth Avenue belonged to Levi P Morton, Vice President of the United States from 1889 – 1893 and Governor of New York from 1895-1896. Continue reading →