NYC Then And Now: 150 Years Of Gotham Changing And Staying The Same
28 photos
<p>An 1865 view of Manhattan, from the harborânotice the Battery and how there's no Brooklyn Bridge<img src="http://secure-us.imrworldwide.com/cgi-bin/m?ci=ade2011-ca&at=view&rt=banner&st=image&ca=copper&cr=site&pc=watcheffect&ce=siteservedtag&rnd=[timestamp]"/></p>
Today, lower Manhattan is dominated by skyscrapers.
Image via ChameleonsEye / Shutterstock.comIn 1856, this statue of George Washington was installed in a traffic island by Union Square (it was dedicated in 1865).
1890 image via Library of CongressThe statue was moved from the traffic island and into the park during a 1929-1930 reconstruction of the park.
Left image via scoboco, right image via nrvlowdownCheck out this view of Brooklyn Heights!
Now, Brooklyn Heights gets dazzling views of lower Manhattan AND movie screenings.
Image via Tatyana KildishevaJudge Ingraham's home in Harlem, 1858 was located on 127th Street near 2nd Avenue.
Image via New York Public LibraryNow, 127th Street near 2nd Avenue is an off-ramp.
An 1862 Currier & Ives print of Central Park, which was a spot for society to show off.
Image via Library of CongressNow, Central Park is the spot where New Yorkers come to commute with natureâand finish 26.2 mile marathons.
Image via arvindgroverLook at the Bowery, along this elevated train line, back in the 1890s.
And that's the same building seen in the old photoâ130 Bowery, the Bowery Savings Bank, now home of event space Capitale.
23rd Street was a fancy address in the late 1800s, with the rich building luxurious homes and apartment houses also starting to emerge. This is 23rd Street looking south from Broadway.
Image via New York Public LibraryNow, the Flatiron, built in 1902, is the focus of 23rd Street
Image via Songquan Deng / Shutterstock.comThe Union Pond, in Williamsburg (or "Williamsburgh" back then), was very popular for ice skating in the winterâduring the summer, it was back to being the country's first enclosed baseball field.
1863 image via New York Public LibraryNow the main attraction of Williamsburg may be hipsters, stories about gentrification and the McCarren Park Pool (which some believe is in Greenpoint).
Image via Katie Sokoler/GothamistThe New York Stock Exchange, moved to this building 10-12 Broad Street, in 1865.
Image via New York Public LibraryMore recently, it's been the focus of tumult and protest.
Image via Dan NguyenThe first elevated subway operation in New York City was built in 1868âthis is one running by Jefferson Market in the village.
1878 image via Library of CongressNow the West Village no longer has an elevated subwayâit's all underground.
Image via scobocIn the 1870s, the NY Times had a printing house on Park Row.
Image via New York Public LibraryNow, the NY Times has an $850 million headquarters in midtown, with a rung-like facade that attracts climbers
Image via ROCIO@dulce_de_lecheIn 1875, this new post office opened at Broadway and Park Row. Even though it looks impressive now, critics hated it and called it "Mullett's Monstrosity"âthe architect was A.B. Mullett.
image via New York Public LibraryThe city managed to demolish it in 1939, replacing it with City Hall Park, which critics called "uninspired."
Image via Jen Chung/GothamistIn the 1860s, there were houses like this on West 54th Street and Broadway.
Image via New York Public LibraryNow, the houses are more likely to be theaters, office buildings, or apartment houses in the bustling Midtown hub.
Christmas trees were sold outside in 1885.
Image via Library of CongressToday, Christmas trees are still (!) sold on the sidewalk.
Image via Joseph Romano