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A Photo Essay on Vintage Photos of New York City and The Photojournalist Who Took Them

Updated on October 31, 2012

Just a few month ago the Museum of the City of New York put on their web site thousands and thousands of vintage photos taken of New York. Has I looked over some of them I was fascinated at the quality of these photos after all these years in storage. These are moments in time that are frozen by these photojournalist’s cameras for us to see how New York looked back then.

If you have the chance and like to see more of these great photos of New York back in the early days, I have put a link to the Museum of the City of New York at the bottom of this hub . There are so many photos on that site and of so many different things as well, might be a great project to do with the kids on a rainy day. And they get to see how New York looked back in the day.

My favorite photo I have used in this hub is one taking be Robert Bracklow and it is a photo of men and woman on the beach fully dressed ,with men in suits and woman in big fancy dresses, I thought it was funny compared to how man and woman are on the beach today with very little on. I guess back then they could not show any skin on the beach, and today sometimes we see to much skin on the beaches, how times have changed .

I tried to find the best photos as well has the best photojournalist to make it more interesting, and give you a bio of these men and woman photojournalist who took all these vintage photos of New York and use their photo to illustrate their work.


Requirements in Order to Use These Photos

In order to use these photos I must fulfill some requirements, here they are : You may download low-resolution images for such fair uses as criticism, reviews, or illustration, as long as they are accompanied by the photographers name, the title of the work, and the line: From the Collections of the Museum of the City of New York. You may not alter, add to, modify, or crop the images in any way without the Museums written consent.

And now let us begin our time travel back in time so you can see how New York looked to these men and woman as they looked through their cameras . Enjoy the trip and photos !

Click thumbnail to view full-size
Title: Hotel Majestic, kitchen. Date: 1917 Title: Park Avenue between 52nd Street and 53rd Streets, west side. Racquet and Tennis Club, entrance. Date: 1918 Title: Brooklyn Union Gas Company, emergency station. Date: 1913 Title: 26th Street at Madison Avenue. Old Madison Square Garden circa 1905?. Date: 5/31/1945 Title: Wall Street. Trinity Church, general view from Stock Exchange Annex. Date: 8/20/1929 Title: New York Chamber of Commerce, assembly room. Date: 1900 Title: 65 Liberty Street. New York Chamber of Commerce, library. Date: 1900 Title: 42nd Street. New York Public Library, front view. Date: 8/27/1945
Title: Hotel Majestic, kitchen. Date: 1917
Title: Hotel Majestic, kitchen. Date: 1917 | Source
Title: Park Avenue between 52nd Street and 53rd Streets, west side. Racquet and Tennis Club, entrance. Date: 1918
Title: Park Avenue between 52nd Street and 53rd Streets, west side. Racquet and Tennis Club, entrance. Date: 1918 | Source
Title: Brooklyn Union Gas Company, emergency station. Date: 1913
Title: Brooklyn Union Gas Company, emergency station. Date: 1913 | Source
Title: 26th Street at Madison Avenue. Old Madison Square Garden circa 1905?. Date: 5/31/1945
Title: 26th Street at Madison Avenue. Old Madison Square Garden circa 1905?. Date: 5/31/1945 | Source
Title: Wall Street. Trinity Church, general view from Stock Exchange Annex. Date: 8/20/1929
Title: Wall Street. Trinity Church, general view from Stock Exchange Annex. Date: 8/20/1929 | Source
Title: New York Chamber of Commerce, assembly room. Date: 1900
Title: New York Chamber of Commerce, assembly room. Date: 1900 | Source
Title: 65 Liberty Street. New York Chamber of Commerce, library. Date: 1900
Title: 65 Liberty Street. New York Chamber of Commerce, library. Date: 1900 | Source
Title: 42nd Street. New York Public Library, front view. Date: 8/27/1945
Title: 42nd Street. New York Public Library, front view. Date: 8/27/1945 | Source

Wurts Brothers.(1879-1979)

Norman and Lionel Wurts started The Wurts Brothers Company of architectural photographers sometime in 1879. Many companies would hire them to take some photos of buildings throughout the city. They had over the years of the company taken many photograph of many building and even home as well. And the collection of photos taken from the time the company started till it closed is said to be more then 18,000 .When Lionel's son Richard joined the company he expanded it by not only taking photos for companies that would hire them but he looked to the future of the company and saw a great market for many of the photos the company had taken and would let them be used in many types of printed format , and did that successfully till the company closed.

Click thumbnail to view full-size
Berenice Abbott Date: November 18, 1979Title: Pike and Henry Streets Date: March 6, 1936 Comments: Pike Street between Henry and Madison Streets, showing tenements with the Manhattan Bridge in the background. Title: Traveling Tin Shop Date: May 22, 1936 Comments: The location of the photograph is unknown but the neighborhood resembles Talman and Jay Streets in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, which Abbott photographed on the same day. Title: Tempo of the City I Date: May 13, 1938 Comments: Fifth Avenue and 44th Street. Title: Manhattan I Date: March 26, 1936 Comments: View of the contrast of 19th century dockside buildings and 20th century skyscrapers taken from Pier 11 on the East River, between Old Slip and Wall Street. The four tallest buildings are (from left Title: Rockefeller Center with Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas Date: December 8, 1936 Comments: The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas at Fifth Avenue and 48th Street, with the Time & Life Building under construction behind it and the tall tower of Title: Milkwagon and Old Houses Date: June 18, 1936 Comments: A Sheffield Farms milkwagon in front of 8-10 Grove Street. Title: Greyhound Bus Terminal Date: July 14, 1936
Berenice Abbott Date: November 18, 1979
Berenice Abbott Date: November 18, 1979 | Source
Title: Pike and Henry Streets Date: March 6, 1936 Comments: Pike Street between Henry and Madison Streets, showing tenements with the Manhattan Bridge in the background.
Title: Pike and Henry Streets Date: March 6, 1936 Comments: Pike Street between Henry and Madison Streets, showing tenements with the Manhattan Bridge in the background. | Source
Title: Traveling Tin Shop Date: May 22, 1936 Comments: The location of the photograph is unknown but the neighborhood resembles Talman and Jay Streets in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, which Abbott photographed on the same day.
Title: Traveling Tin Shop Date: May 22, 1936 Comments: The location of the photograph is unknown but the neighborhood resembles Talman and Jay Streets in the Fort Greene area of Brooklyn, which Abbott photographed on the same day. | Source
Title: Tempo of the City I Date: May 13, 1938 Comments: Fifth Avenue and 44th Street.
Title: Tempo of the City I Date: May 13, 1938 Comments: Fifth Avenue and 44th Street. | Source
Title: Manhattan I Date: March 26, 1936 Comments: View of the contrast of 19th century dockside buildings and 20th century skyscrapers taken from Pier 11 on the East River, between Old Slip and Wall Street. The four tallest buildings are (from left
Title: Manhattan I Date: March 26, 1936 Comments: View of the contrast of 19th century dockside buildings and 20th century skyscrapers taken from Pier 11 on the East River, between Old Slip and Wall Street. The four tallest buildings are (from left | Source
Title: Rockefeller Center with Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas Date: December 8, 1936 Comments: The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas at Fifth Avenue and 48th Street, with the Time & Life Building under construction behind it and the tall tower of
Title: Rockefeller Center with Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas Date: December 8, 1936 Comments: The Collegiate Church of St. Nicholas at Fifth Avenue and 48th Street, with the Time & Life Building under construction behind it and the tall tower of | Source
Title: Milkwagon and Old Houses Date: June 18, 1936 Comments: A Sheffield Farms milkwagon in front of 8-10 Grove Street.
Title: Milkwagon and Old Houses Date: June 18, 1936 Comments: A Sheffield Farms milkwagon in front of 8-10 Grove Street. | Source
Title: Greyhound Bus Terminal Date: July 14, 1936
Title: Greyhound Bus Terminal Date: July 14, 1936 | Source

Berenice Abbott (1898-1991) Born in Springfield,Ohio-Died in Monson, Maine

When Berenice lived in New York City in the late 1920 she began to see New York changing and taking on this new look, and she began to start to photograph the changing landscape of the city. This project would take up many years of her life to do and most often it was payed with her own money, but the results brought her a lot of praise and fame for this photographic project which she later called this project “Changing New York.” She captured photos of bridges as well has some older building being replaced and overshadow by tall skyscrapers reaching for the sky.

She also traveled to New England to photograph there with her photographic style. In the late 1930, her first book, "Changing New York" was published. In the years after her book was published, her name would appear in many other books and magazine articles. At the same time she was an inventor, and had a great interest in scientific photography which fascinated her. Some years later she took on a new project, she began to photograph scientific phenomena research for the Physical Sciences Study Committee at MIT. In 1960 she became a resident of Maine and lived there for many years, she died in 1991


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Title: [Photographer with tripod set up in wooded area] Date: 1900 Comments: Photograph of Robert L. Bracklow Title: Bronx Park, on Rocking Stone Date: 1895 Comments: seven young women on Rocking Stone in Bronx Park. Title: [Fire engine on lower Broadway] Date: 1900 Comments: View of a horse-drawn fire truck on lower Boadway. A crowd watches from both sides of the street. Title: Hotel Pabst, Times Square Date: 1900 Comments: Hotel Pabst, with workers on the street in the foreground. Title: On the Beach in Coney Island Date: 1895 Comments: View of people on the beach at Coney Island. A pavilion is visible to the left. Title: [Woman standing a lake, photographing another woman who is perched to dive] Date: 1900 Comments: Those were the swimwear back in the day . Title: 125th Street and Lenox Avenue after 15" snowfall Date: Between 1870 – 1910 Comments: There were no snowplows back then. Title: Fifth Avenue Coach at Madison Square Park Date: 1900 Comments: View of Madison Square showing construction and the 5th Ave. omnibus loaded with passengers.
Title: [Photographer with tripod set up in wooded area] Date: 1900 Comments: Photograph of Robert L. Bracklow
Title: [Photographer with tripod set up in wooded area] Date: 1900 Comments: Photograph of Robert L. Bracklow | Source
Title: Bronx Park, on Rocking Stone Date: 1895 Comments: seven young women on Rocking Stone in Bronx Park.
Title: Bronx Park, on Rocking Stone Date: 1895 Comments: seven young women on Rocking Stone in Bronx Park. | Source
Title: [Fire engine on lower Broadway] Date: 1900 Comments: View of a horse-drawn fire truck on lower Boadway. A crowd watches from both sides of the street.
Title: [Fire engine on lower Broadway] Date: 1900 Comments: View of a horse-drawn fire truck on lower Boadway. A crowd watches from both sides of the street. | Source
Title: Hotel Pabst, Times Square Date: 1900 Comments: Hotel Pabst, with workers on the street in the foreground.
Title: Hotel Pabst, Times Square Date: 1900 Comments: Hotel Pabst, with workers on the street in the foreground. | Source
Title: On the Beach in Coney Island Date: 1895 Comments: View of people on the beach at Coney Island. A pavilion is visible to the left.
Title: On the Beach in Coney Island Date: 1895 Comments: View of people on the beach at Coney Island. A pavilion is visible to the left. | Source
Title: [Woman standing a lake, photographing another woman who is perched to dive] Date: 1900 Comments: Those were the swimwear back in the day .
Title: [Woman standing a lake, photographing another woman who is perched to dive] Date: 1900 Comments: Those were the swimwear back in the day . | Source
Title: 125th Street and Lenox Avenue after 15" snowfall Date: Between 1870 – 1910 Comments: There were no snowplows back then.
Title: 125th Street and Lenox Avenue after 15" snowfall Date: Between 1870 – 1910 Comments: There were no snowplows back then. | Source
Title: Fifth Avenue Coach at Madison Square Park Date: 1900 Comments: View of Madison Square showing construction and the 5th Ave. omnibus loaded with passengers.
Title: Fifth Avenue Coach at Madison Square Park Date: 1900 Comments: View of Madison Square showing construction and the 5th Ave. omnibus loaded with passengers. | Source

Robert Bracklow (1849-1919) Born in Germany-Died in New York City

Robert’s photographs shows a very clean and crisp style and that may be because he used a sharp focus and never need to retouch any of his photos. In his lifetime New York was changing quickly and he set out to capture in photos that change. This rapid change grew this visually excitement within him, architectural change was very interesting to him and he went out to find as much of it has he could. He also liked to take photos of people enjoying their day in the park or at the beach or just sitting by the countryside having a picnic. He also travel to New England has many of the photojournalist did back then, and photograph many buildings in many towns there. He still lived in the same apartment he had shared with his mother, and would live out the rest of his live there


Click thumbnail to view full-size
Jessie Tarbox Beals Title: [Demonstration for women's suffrage.] Date: 1915 Title: [Village store.] Date: 1915 Title: [Couple standing near fountain in Greenwich Village.] Date: 1915 Title: Old Fort C.P. (Central Park) 1885 Date: 1890 Title: Herbert Hoover Date: 1928 Title: [Street scene at night.] Date: 1915 Title: Greenwich Village Date: 1910s - 1920s
Jessie Tarbox Beals
Jessie Tarbox Beals | Source
Title: [Demonstration for women's suffrage.] Date: 1915
Title: [Demonstration for women's suffrage.] Date: 1915 | Source
Title: [Village store.] Date: 1915
Title: [Village store.] Date: 1915 | Source
Title: [Couple standing near fountain in Greenwich Village.] Date: 1915
Title: [Couple standing near fountain in Greenwich Village.] Date: 1915 | Source
Title: Old Fort C.P. (Central Park) 1885 Date: 1890
Title: Old Fort C.P. (Central Park) 1885 Date: 1890 | Source
Title: Herbert Hoover Date: 1928
Title: Herbert Hoover Date: 1928 | Source
Title: [Street scene at night.] Date: 1915
Title: [Street scene at night.] Date: 1915 | Source
Title: Greenwich Village Date: 1910s - 1920s
Title: Greenwich Village Date: 1910s - 1920s | Source

Jessie Tarbox Beals (1870-1942) Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada-Died in New York, New York.

At a young age Jessie began teaching at a local school in Massachusetts and did that for many years. But her love for photography won her heart and she left teaching to become a full time photographer and make some money doing it. Sometime in the early 1900 one of her photos that she took of the Vermont fair was lucky enough to be published in a local paper and won her the title of being the first woman news photographer.

One year later she got a job at one of the local papers and worked there for four years. Seeing a great opportunity to give her career a boost she ask if she could take some photos for the paper of the 1904 World’s Fair which was held in St. Louis. Her bosses told her that they would not allow a woman to do that . But being the strong willed person she was she went there anyway. She did come across much prejudges because she was a female photographer, but she finally got that much need permit to photograph the exhibits at the Fair.

Has she had thought these photos would help give her career that much needed boost and most of her photos did appear in many other publications as well. Now having become the polished photographer she was she had no trouble finding work. And set out to photograph many of New York buildings and used her camera and style to take many photos which she would later call “the soul of New York”.

After her divorce she tried to keep working as a photographer and also raise her daughter as well. She would take many jobs so she could make enough money for her and her daughter to live on. But the Great Depression took many of the much need jobs she depended on away. She ended up penniless and died at Bellevue Hospital.

The very sad part is that most of her photographic work is in very poor shape and so little of it as well. I tried to find the best photos I could find that would illustrate her work and do justices to her talents as a photojournalist I think most of her work was lost to poor storage and handling of her photos over many years.


I hope you enjoyed this photo essay and it’s time travel back in time to the very early days of New York City Thanks to these great photojournalist and their beautiful photos we get to see how New York looked to them as they lived there and has they saw it through their cameras.But remember to that these men and woman photojournalist did not have all the nice small cameras we have today, they had a big heavy camera on a tripod to carry around and then they had to set it up and get the photos they wanted. So just getting the camera from one point to the next was not easy task . It is so nice for the Museum of the City of New York to make these and many more photos of the early days of New York viewable on their web site and it cost you nothing but time to view them all.

If you liked all these photos in this hub and would like to see more of these type of photos of New York City you can go to the Museum of the City of New York web site and view more of their collection of photos of New York. Museum of the City of New York

And by going on the Museum of the City of New York web site and viewing some or all of the photos they have there is like saying thanks to all the men and woman, that not only had to put thousands and thousands of photos on the museum's site but had to put all the written information for each photo as well. And also had to make sure that they had the right photos for the right photojournalist .

Source
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