Incredible Photos Of New York City: Then and Now

New York City is one of the United States most popular and iconic cities. Throughout the years, New York has undergone many changes while at the same time staying true to its history. Check out some of these timeless New York City locations and how they have both changed or stayed the same throughout the years.

The Brooklyn Bridge

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the United States. It began development in 1868 and was completed in 1883 and connects the boroughs of Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. It has been an icon to New York City and became a designated National Historical landmark in 1965.

Frank Bollinger’s

Frank Bollinger’s Meat Market was located in the neighborhood of Flatbush, Brooklyn from 1872 to 1887. It was a rustic butcher shop at the corner of two unpaved streets and was a staple of the neighborhood. However, today, it has been replaced by a Chase Bank and Bollinger’s can only be remembered in photographs.

School’s Out

Here we have an image of one of Brooklyn’s original elementary schools. Although it was nice and new back when it was built, the building has certainly seen better days since. Located on Church Avenue in Flatbush, it is landmarked nowadays and certainly shows what 140 years will do to a building.

Canal Street

These are both photographs of the major east-west street in Lower Manhatten. It runs through the neighborhood of Chinatown and forms southern boundaries of SoHo and Little Italy. The street also works as a major connector between Jersey City through the Holland Tunnel and Brooklyn by the Manhattan Bridge.

Fulton Street

These pictures were both taken from Fulton Street looking at the Brooklyn Bridge going towards Manhattan. Clearly, there has been a lot of development in Manhattan since this first picture was taken, and this picture is also speculated to have been taken on the opening day of the bridge.

Clinton Street

These two images are a great example of how some areas of New York haven’t changed very much over the years. As we can see, the buildings are still standing today and even some things like the style of the gate have lasted throughout the years. Although there have been some minor changes and additions, for the most part, it has remained the same.

Bow Bridge

Some things never really change. Even the ducks and geese are still hanging out in the same spot, enjoying the pond and the scenic view. This is Bow Bridge located in Central Park, and by the looks of it, the only thing that has really changed is the water level which has resulted in the disappearance of the once existent walkway.

City Hall

This building is the oldest city hall in the United States that still houses its original governmental functions. Although the actual building of City Hall hasn’t undergone very much change throughout the years, the building’s surroundings certainly have. Around City Hall, hundreds of buildings and skyscrapers have been built since its opening in 1812.

Brooklyn Borough Hall

These pictures show the surroundings near the Brooklyn Borough Hall. Clearly, a lot has changed including the elimination of the above-ground trolly and the demolition of many of the original buildings in the 1900s. The original street was turned into a plaza for the Brooklyn Borough Hall which was built in 1848.

Green-Wood Cemetary

Although some of the same tombstones remain, there have only been additions in the years that have passed. The trees have also grown and the view from this hill looking out onto the bay has surely greatly transformed over time. All in all, however, for the most part, the cemetery remains the same.

Manhattan

Photo Credits: Getty Images

Here we have pictures of Manhattan from across the East River. Although Manhattan already had an impressive skyline in the 1920s, it has only continued to grow and become more impressive over time. Many of the original buildings remain or are now in the shadows of the more recent skyscrapers that have been erected.

South Street Manhattan

This is a picture of Manhattan taken from South Street back in the 1930s. Many of the same original buildings still remain, yet streets are now packed with cars rather than stage-coaches, and the lights from the city are so intense that they can be seen from space.

Columbus Circle

On the left, we have a photo of Columbus Circle taken in 1921 which was a busy area of the city for pedestrians and motorists. Today, popular areas of Columbus Circle include the Shops at Columbus Circle, the Mandarin Oriental New York, and Central Park and still remains a busy area of the city.

View From The Empire State Building

These pictures were taken from the top of the 103-story Empire State Building. Construction began in March 1930 and it was opened in May 1931. Now, tourists from around the world come to looks at this exact view from the observation deck which has been slowly changing over time as the city continues to develop.

Woolworth Building

The Woolworth Building was built in the early 1900s and was completed in 1913. Upon its completion, it was officially the tallest building in the world but later lost that title to the construction of 40 Wall Street and the Chrysler Building. The building itself had remained unchanged throughout the years with new skyscrapers built next to it.

View From The Chrysler Building

Both of these images have been taken from Chrysler Building of the East Midtown skyline in 1930 and now. Although there were still skyscrapers present in the 1930s, most of them are now in the background or mostly hidden by the newer buildings that have been erected since.

World Trade Center

Here are two photos that were taken in 1976 and now. The first was to show off the World Trade Center towers, and the other is to show off the new World Trade Center building that was recently built. Since 1976, it is clear that there has been a lot of development even after the terrorist attack of 2001.

The Tip Of Manhattan

At a glance, it may not seem like much has changed on the tip of Manhattan since 1935 when the first picture was taken. However, if you look closely, it’s clear that Manhattan has only increased in size with the buildings getting larger, and more packed throughout the island, especially in the background and will only continue to grow.

Chinatown

By the looks of it, it seems that Chinatown looks just about as it did back in the early 1900s. Shops and establishments have come and gone, but the basic layout and style of this part of New York has remained relatively the same and probably will for the foreseeable future.

Mulberry Street

Mulberry Street is a principal street located in Manhattan. It is associated with the Italian-American culture and history and was the heart of Manhattan’s Little Italy in the 19th and 20th Centuries. Although some of the architecture has changed, it’s crowded streets and Italian history remains the same.