19th-Century New York City:
Bird's-eye View of Lower Manhattan Toward Hudson River circa 1870 & View in Central Park
A pair of fine albumen photographs of 1870s New York City, including a razor-sharp bird's-eye view from the Equitable Insurance Building looking northwest toward the Hudson River, and a nice view of Central Park.
Taken by an unidentified but highly skilled photographer, possibly a visitor to New York from abroad, the bird's-eye view presents a highly detailed view of a bustling section of lower Manhattan, from atop the recently completed (1870) Equitable Life Insurance building, located at 120 Broadway. Visible landmarks include the bustling piers along the waterfront, with ships docked at Hudon wharves, signs for businesses such as the Devlin & Co. (clothiers), Sozodont (mouthwash or dentrifice), Street & Smith's New York Weekly, Wallace & Company French & American Confections, Chocolate and Chococate Bomboms (Virginia-born pioneer of New York's chocolate industry, William Wallace had opened his confectionery shop at 29 Cortlandt Street by 1870). Jersey City and Hoboken are noted in the distance across the river.
The city was in the midst of rapid industrialization and urban expansion during this period, with the construction of grand infrastructure and commercial buildings.
The annotations describing the photographs are transcribed below.
- New York City. View from the "Equitable Insurance" Building looking North West / Jersey City, Cundard Wharf, the Hudsone River / Hoboken / White Stone Wharf. 8 x 4 3/4 inches.
- New York City. View in 'Central' Park. Commenced 1854. 863 acres. 7 1/4 x 4 1/4 inches.
The Manhattan shown here was a city in transformation, with industry, commerce, and infrastructure driving a rapid expansion. The Equitable Insurance Building, a towering early skyscraper, offered sweeping views of the Hudson River overlooking the city's ever-expanding built environment. These photographs capture New York’s dynamic urban landscape as it prepared for its future as the world’s preeminent metropolis.