18 Interesting Vintage Photos Showing Kids Playing on the Streets of New York City in the 1940s

These interesting black and white photos below were taken by LIFE photographer Ralph Morse around streets of New York City in June, 1947… (Photos by Ralph Morse/ LIFE archives)

16 Amazing Photos of the Brooklyn Bridge Under Construction

When it opened in 1883, the Brooklyn Bridge was the answer to a geographical problem that should be familiar to anyone living in New York today: the jobs were in Manhattan but the cheap housing was in the outer borough. The solution was a very complicated one that tested the limits of engineering and technologicalContinue reading “16 Amazing Photos of the Brooklyn Bridge Under Construction”

33 Amazing Vintage 1950s Street Photos of NYC And Chicago

Vivian Maier, an excellent New York street photographer who took thousand of photos in the 1950s and 60s, was left woefully unacknowledged during her time. It was only in 2011, two years after her death, that her photos were recognized for their raw beauty in a collection published by historian and collector John Maloof. MaloofContinue reading “33 Amazing Vintage 1950s Street Photos of NYC And Chicago”

26 Amazing Vintage Photos That Show Life in the Shanty Towns During the Great Depression

Many of the shanty towns that sprung up all over the United States during the Depression were facetiously called Hoovervilles because so many people at the time blamed President Herbert Hoover for letting the nation slide into the Great Depression. In October of 1929, the stock market experienced a devastating crash resulting in an unprecedentedContinue reading “26 Amazing Vintage Photos That Show Life in the Shanty Towns During the Great Depression”

Rare Portraits From the Smith and Telfer Studio in Cooperstown, New York, 1865-1885

Washington G. Smith (1828-1893) and Arthur J. Telfer (1859-1954) spent almost one hundred years photographing people, events, and scenes in and around Cooperstown. At the time of his gift Telfer was 93 years old and was widely thought to be the oldest working photographer in the United States. Washington Smith worked with partners while heContinue reading “Rare Portraits From the Smith and Telfer Studio in Cooperstown, New York, 1865-1885”

39 Amazing Photos of New York City Subway Passengers From the Late 1930s and Early 1940s

As photographic technology advanced—cameras became more portable and film more sensitive to light, requiring shorter exposure times—people were no longer required to stay still for pictures. Walker Evans was among the photographers who capitalized on this flexibility. Between 1938 and 1941, he took his camera underground, where he photographed subway riders in New York City.Continue reading “39 Amazing Photos of New York City Subway Passengers From the Late 1930s and Early 1940s”

41 Vintage Photographs Showing Life in New York City During the 1930s and 1940s

John Albok (1894–1982) was a Hungarian photographer who immigrated to the United States and documented street scenes in New York City during the Great Depression and later. In 1921 and opened a tailor shop on Madison Avenue, between 96th and 97th Streets, which he also used as a location for his pursuit of photography. ForContinue reading “41 Vintage Photographs Showing Life in New York City During the 1930s and 1940s”

Historic Photos Taken Before, During, and After the Hindenburg Disaster in 1937

The crash of the Hindenburg was one of the most jarring aviation disasters of its day. On May 6, 1937, the massive German airship caught fire while attempting to land near Lakehurst, New Jersey, killing 35 people aboard, plus one ground crew member. Of the 97 passengers and crew members on board, 62 managed toContinue reading “Historic Photos Taken Before, During, and After the Hindenburg Disaster in 1937”