Buildings

Flatiron Building, New York City

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The view of the Flatiron Building around 1902. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same scene in 2014:

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Another view of the Flatiron Building, looking south with Broadway on the left and Fifth Avenue on the right.  Besides the Flatiron Building, a few other ones still exist from the 1902 photo, including the  building with the gold dome to the right, and the short, yellow brick building just beyond the Flatiron Building along Broadway.  Notice the horse-drawn cabs along the side of Broadway – this photo was taken from almost the same location as this one, except in the road instead of along the sidewalk.

Flatiron Building from Madison Square Park, New York City

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View of the Flatiron Building around 1903. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

The same view in 2014:

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Built in 1902 on a triangular plot of land between Broadway and Fifth Avenue at Madison Square, the Flatiron Building remains one of New York’s most distinctive skyscraper.  At the time of its completion, it was one of the first skyscrapers outside of the downtown area, and the first north of 14th Street, which set the stage for subsequent skyscrapers that now dominate the midtown skyline.

Cafe Martin, New York City

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Cafe Martin, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and 26th Street, New York City, around 1908. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The scene in 2014:

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The building in the first photo was the site of the famed Delmonico’s restaurant from 1876 until 1899. Located directly across Madison Square from Madison Square Garden, it was one of several locations owned by the Delmonico family, and was considered one of the best fine dining restaurants in the country.  This building was sold in 1901, and became the Hotel Martin.  I don’t know what became of this business, but the building obviously no longer exists; based on the architecture of the current building, this was probably sometime by the 1920s.  However, most of the surrounding buildings in the 1908 photo still exist, including the building immediately to the left, which looks looks out of place in the first photo, but blends in well in the present-day photo, now that it is no longer three stories taller than its neighbors.

Looking north on Fifth Avenue from 28th Street, New York City

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The view looking north on Fifth Avenue from 28th Street, around 1905. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same view in 2014:

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Despite it being over 100 years since the first photo was taken, many of the buildings along Fifth Avenue are still there. In particular, Marble Collegiate Church in the left-center of the photos appears almost unchanged; it was built in 1854, back when Fifth Avenue looked far different from either of these two photos, and it is home to the third oldest church congregations in the United States, having been founded in 1637. A few other buildings are also identifiable from both photos, including the tall building to the left of the church, although at some point in between someone added four stories to it, with little regard for making it match the rest of the building.  The most notable difference, of course, is the Empire State Building, which would not be completed until about 25 years after the first photo was taken.

Broad Street Lunch Carts, New York City

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Lunch carts at the corner of Broad Street and Beaver Street, in the Financial District of New York City, around 1906. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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The same street corner in 2014:

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Absolutely nothing from the original photo still exists today.  Well, I suppose the lunch carts might be hanging around somewhere in a museum or antique store, but nothing is still at the site today.  Even the sellers and customers are long-dead.  Francis Draz & Co., which sold wine, is gone, as is its building, and the site is now occupied by one of Manhattan’s ubiquitous Duane Read drugstores.  Out front, workers in the financial district can still grab something to eat from a street vendor, except frozen yogurt has evidently replaced 3 cent hot frankfurters (or, 2 for 5 cents!) and one cent glasses of lemonade (or 2 cents if you want yours made to order).  Above Francis Draz & Co., a “lunch room” evidently caters to those who have the luxury of sitting down for their lunch break.  On a side note, several of the 1906 lunch carts are sponsored by “Young’s Hats,” which, according to one of the least reassuring advertising slogans of all time, are “now better made.”

Fraunces Tavern, New York City

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Fraunces Tavern at the corner of Broad and Pearl Streets in New York City, between 1900 and 1906. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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After its reconstruction, around 1907-1915. Image courtesy of the Library of Congress, Detroit Publishing Company Collection.

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In 2014:

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Claimed to be the oldest building in Manhattan, the building was constructed in 1719, and was used as a tavern in the second half of the 18th century and well into the 19th century.  However, the building suffered some serious fires in the mid 19th century, and was consequently reconstructed several times.  By the turn of the century, it looked nothing like its original appearance.  In fact, when it was finally “restored” in 1907, it was redesigned based on what was presumed to be colonial appearance; its actual 18th century configuration is unknown.  I don’t know how much of the original structure is left, but I would hazard a guess that it is an architectural equivalent to the ship of Theseus, with the question being, if a building has, over time, had every single part of it replaced, is it still the same building? And if not, at what point did it cease to be the same building? But, if it is the same building, what would happen if, theoretically, all of the original pieces were recovered and reconstructed, say, across the street. Which would be the “real” building? Inquiring minds want to know.