On January 9, 1912, the Equitable Life Assurance Building at 120 Broadway was destroyed in a fire of historic proportions.
In 2012 we covered the 100th anniversary of this historic fire and its consequences. Continue reading
A frozen moment on a sunny winter day in Times Square.
We are looking north from 46th Street to the west side of Broadway. Before looking at the surroundings, check out the tail fins on the passing 1960 Plymouth Savoy automobile heading east.
You may notice the human scale of what Times Square once was. Continue reading
Today is Veterans Day. A United States holiday like many others that is taken for granted by far too many as a day off from work or just another holiday sale. Continue reading
This rare postcard view of The Vitagraph Theatre on the east side of Broadway and 44th Street shows the theatre’s marquee with people milling about a horse drawn promotional wagon.
The building opening in 1895 as the Lyric Theatre was part of the Olympia entertainment complex built by Oscar Hammerstein. Continue reading
Two prominent buildings on the east side of Broadway are the subject of this stereoview photograph taken around 1878: the five-story A.T. Stewart Store and Grace Church.
The view was taken from the western corner of 8th Street and Broadway. Continue reading
This stereoview shows Lester Wallack’s Theatre located at 844 Broadway on the northeast corner of 13th Street.
Lester Wallack (1820-1888) is known today only by theater historians. But in the nineteenth century Wallack was among the most famous producer’s, director’s and actor’s in the world.
Wallack’s Theater was run by James and his son Lester Wallack. Over the years there were a few addresses associated with the impresarios, but the most notable location was 844 Broadway. The land and building was owned by Wallack’s partner, William Gibson whose name is emblazoned in large letters on the frieze near the roof. Gibson was a dealer in glass architectural and decorative fittings. Continue reading
This magic lantern slide shows Madison Square Park looking north and east from 23rd Street. All the vehicles seen in the photo are horse drawn and the surrounding buildings give us a clue to a date of 1900. Continue reading
St. Paul’s Chapel and Broadway. photo: Keystone-Mast Collection, UCR/California Museum of Photography, University of California at Riverside
If the clock on the tower of St. Paul’s Chapel is accurate, it is a couple of minutes before noon on a weekday. Looking at the pedestrians shadows, the clock is probably correct. Hundreds of people stream by Fulton Street while a trolley is coming down Broadway. One thing you might notice besides the fashion of the day, with many men wearing light-colored straw hats, is that there are few women present. One hundred years ago, the central business area around Wall Street was still the domain of a predominantly male working force.
Here is the same scene taken seconds apart with a tighter focus. The policeman directing traffic can now be clearly seen.
The 30 foot obelisk Continue reading
This photograph taken by William Roege can be narrowed down to the autumn of 1913. Though photographer Roege engraved the year within the photo, he did not write an exact date.
We are looking at the east side of Broadway at 40th Street and the main clue to the time of year is the Empire Theater marquee which announces the appearance of actor John Drew.
John Drew
Drew was one of the turn-of-the-century’s big stage stars and the uncle of actors John, Lionel and Ethel Barrymore. Continue reading
This photograph was taken by the Savastano Photographic Studio on December 5, 1937. We are looking north up Broadway from 14th Street and University Place. Continue reading